If you live in Carbondale you probably know that First Friday is a big deal. The town puts on activities and encourages all of us to come out and mingle, building community and supporting local businesses, and in particular local artists. Well this April, and hopefully many Aprils to come, the town has decided to shine a spotlight on businesses and organizations which promote health. Our theme is Spring Into Wellness. Please come out April 3rd from 5-8 pm for activities and information on being the healthiest you. Learn what services we have right here in Carbondale, speak to local practitioners, and sample healthy foods and products. The Third Street Center will be open with tables from local folks who want to help you be the healthiest you can be. There will also be kids activities, music, and more. If you are a business, individual, or organization with an interest in promoting health and would like to participate please email me at DrPowell@AspenND.com, and I will help you get involved. For everyone else please spread the word! Most importantly please come out for Healthy First Friday April 3rd 5-8pm! Oh yeah and look for me either in front of the Carbondale Food Co-op, or at the Third Street Center answering your questions about health and Naturopathic Medicine!
Probiotics prevent the flu
In a recent study, giving school aged children probiotics decreased their chances of getting the flu. Yet another reason to add to the list of how probiotics can help us. The majority of your immune system cells hang out in your gut, and as a Naturopathic Doctor I was taught that many many heath problems can be traced to problems there. If your GI tract is not healthy it is a big drain on your system, and more difficult for you to digest and absorb the nutrition you need. A very important part of the integrity and health of your GI comes from the bacteria which live there, and their populations in both number and variety are easily shifted by our modern lives. Any gastrointestinal illness can disrupt this ecosystem, as can food choices, stress, and of course antibiotics. Traditional cultures had unique cultured foods, which were eaten regularly to replenish this gut ecosystem including sauerkraut, kim chi, and yogurt, to name a few. These are still excellent sources of lactobaccilis, and other bacteria to help keep our guts and therefore our bodies healthy. I recommend eating them regularly, preferably home made versions. If leaving a jar of cabbage out on your counter to ferment doesn't work for you, you are in luck, because thanks to modern technology we can manufacture billions of these guys and put them in a pill. Not all probiotic supplements are the same though. For the freshest, most potent supplements talk to someone like me who can order probiotics shipped on ice from highly respected manufacturers, and even choose a selection of bacteria best suited to your needs. Many grocery store brands, though not as potent, are helpful. In general refrigerated probiotics are likely to be more potent, and check expiration dates for a fresh bottle. For more information on the study click here.
Traditional Foods Potluck
Do you think Weston A. Price and Sally Fallon are awesome? Do you enjoy cooking and sharing foods made in traditional ways? Do Salmon roe, raw butter, and home fermentation experiments get you really excited? Then please consider joining me for a traditional foods potluck! This will be a place to share nutrient dense foods prepared with the wisdom of Weston A. Price and our ancestors in mind. If you are interested please send me an email and I will add you to the email list specifically for these potlucks. If you have no idea what I am talking about please check out www.WestonAPrice.org, or come in for a visit.
Protect your baby from SIDS by being careful what they sleep on
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a very scary and very real threat for children born in the US. It is a poorly understood illness as you might guess by the name. Researchers and parents have been working for a long time to discover the cause of this mysterious illness. One cause has finally been proven conclusively. The current recommendation to lay babies on their backs came from the discovery that babies sleeping on their bellies had a higher likelihood of dying from SIDS. What we now know is that a fungus can grow inside mattresses feeding on chemicals inside the mattress, and releasing toxic gasses. Babies on their bellies are closer to the gas. One reason it was so hard to figure out is that while new mattresses have the highest levels of carcinogenic flame-retardants and other chemicals, these were not the ones babies were dying on. It was older mattresses, which had had time to accumulate large enough populations of the fungus to create enough gas to poison babies. Sadly, this research has faced much controversy, with many authorities denying the theory. If this explanation of the cause of SIDS were accepted millions of dollars in lawsuits would quickly follow, so again, follow the money to see why you haven't heard about it. When it comes to our babies I am sure you would agree that anything that might be helpful should be tried. So what can you do? A sleeping place free from materials treated with flame-retardants is the best option, read labels carefully though because even organic mattress may contain the flame-retardants mandated by US law. Think twice before lying baby down, even for a nap, on an unfamiliar sleeping surface. Another bed in your home, a bed at a relative or friends house while visiting, or an upholstered piece of furniture like a couch is likely to have the same chemicals and fungus. You can wrap mattresses to prevent the chemicals from rising up out of them, but you need to make sure the wrap will prevent gases from going through it and doesn't have other dangerous chemicals. Here is a link for more information on the research http://www.cotlife2000.com. The website lists manufacturers of such wraps in the US and abroad. For more information on this and other ways to keep baby safe please join me for an entire class this spring on healthy babies at the Carbondale CMC class, just $25. Click here for more information.
Butter and Bacon are good for you
Edit: It depends on how the bacon was processed see this post.
That is what the Weston A. Price Foundation says, and I agree with them. Their mission is to share the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, a Dentist who did comparative studies of people eating traditional whole foods diets, with those eating more modern refined diets. He found that people who ate traditional whole foods, and high quality animal foods had fewer cavities, did not need braces and were much healthier. They also had less heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and childbirth problems. The foundation is a fabulous resource for information about the dangers of soy, the benefits of raw milk, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K, and finding high quality nutrient dense foods. Please check them out at www.westonaprice.org. They publish a fascinating journal 4 times a year with great research and information. I have copies in my office you are welcome to borrow. If you join the foundation you will receive the journal for free, and from now until the end of the year they have a special bonus of $100 in coupons towards very high quality products for your health with membership.
New Years Resolution? How about a cleanse?!
Ah new years resolutions, some people love them, others hate them. I look at the new year as an opportunity to take advantage of the increase in motivation around you and make a few changes. Some kind of cleanse 2 times a year is a great practice to get yourself into. I am not talking drastic measures. You don't have to water fast for a week, choose a plan that sounds doable for you. Something you know you can accomplish for an amount of time you know you can do. Don't bite off more than you can chew! Maybe that means not eating anything that comes out of a package for 2 weeks, or cutting out dairy, citrus, corn, gluten, or soy, or all 5! They are the 5 most common food allergens in America and one of them might be causing you problems. I for example get sleepy when I eat soy, hyper when I eat corn, acne when I eat wheat, and gassy when I eat conventional dairy (that is why I stick to raw milk:) Food sensitivities can cause all manner of symptoms from bloating and gas, to constipation, brain fog, sore muscles, arthritis, skin problems, depression, behavioral problems, and much more. If there is a food you suspect might be a problem for you cut it out completely for 2 weeks and see how you feel. If nothing changes then congratulations it is a good food for you right now. It can be very helpful to keep a food diary whenever you eliminate foods or change you diet. Write down what you ate, how you felt, how your bowels reacted, your skin, your mood etc. In fact, if you are intimidated by a cleanse just write down everything you eat for a week. It is scientifically proven that paying that much attention to what goes in your mouth will shift your eating, often causing you to eat better. Then you can take that food diary to your friendly neighborhood Naturopathic Doctor and they can analyze it, make suggestions for you, and even help you figure out a food that might be problematic for you just by looking at your diary. I do this all the time for my patients. Other options for a new years cleanse- do a search online or go to the library and find hundreds of ideas for cleanses. Or my personal favorite, join a group cleanse with the expert guidance of a doctor, like the one I am teaching beginning January 1st. It is always helpful to have someone else "going through it with you" to help your motivation and maybe even share cooking duties. For details about my cleanse which runs 6 weeks and costs only $200 click here. For a copy of the diet diary I give my patients click here.
Supplements for Eye Health & Gift Certificates
Many of us are concerned about the health of our eyes particularly as we age. My father has macular degeneration and has been trying out various supplements for many years. I remember when he sent me an advertisement for a prescription eye capsule, which his doctor recommended. It had tiny amounts of Vitamin C, E, and beta carotene- a pre-vitamin to vitamin A, which many of us cannot convert to active vitamin A, some, zinc without copper to balance it, and zero of the amazing antioxidants for eye health Lutein and Zeaxanthin. What it did have were fillers know to cause allergy, artificial colors know to cause cancer, and a ridiculous price tag of $1 per pill. Please be careful out there, many different companies market vitamins and supplements, not all of them offer a high quality, well-researched product. In general you do get what you pay for. I am now offering short 30-minute vitamin review visits. Bring in all of those bottles and I can tell you if they are good bad or ugly in my opinion, offer suggestions for other forms or brands, explain why they are beneficial for you or not, and simplify how many things you are taking. This can be a great jump-start to New Years resolutions, and you can even purchase a gift certificate for someone else that you think would benefit from the service. Call about gift certificates for a vitamin review $90, a custom Bach flower remedy $25, a vaccine consultation, or any amount you like towards supplements or visits. Give the gift of health this year.
Healthy Living Series Classes at CMC
I am so excited! This spring I will be teaching a series of classes with CMC Carbondale on Healthy Living from a Naturopathic Perspective. Topics covered will include choosing safe skin care products and home furnishings, and shopping for the healthiest foods, and a few classes on the paleo diet. Check out the descriptions here.
Click on the Flyer below to register.
Recipe Healthy Crispy Nuts
Crispy Almonds Recipe
I love this recipe from Sally Fallon’s Cookbook Nourishing Traditions
Nuts contain enzyme inhibitors which make them more challenging to digest, Preparing nuts in this way will make tastier and more gentle on your GI tract.
Makes 4 cups
4 cups almonds
1 tablespoon sea salt
filtered water
Mix almonds with salt and cover with filtered water. Leave in a warm place for at least 7 hours or overnight. Drain in a colander. Spread on a stainless steel baking pan and place in a warm oven for 12-24 hours (no more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit or 65 degrees Celsius as this will kill the enzymes) . Stir occasionally, until completely dry and crisp. Store in an airtight container.
Skinless almonds will still sprout, indicating that the process of removing their skins has not destroyed the enzymes. Skinless almonds are easier to digest and more satisfactory in many recipes. However, you may also use almonds with skins on.
You can use slivered almonds for this recipe.
You can also crisp peanuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, and walnuts.
hese are a great gift idea, instead of cookies or candy give healthful crispy nuts this year. A great project to do with children, and give to teachers, the mailman etc.
Holiday Survival Tips
I just got home from the grocery store with a Prius full of Thanksgiving fixins. It is the start of the holiday season which strikes fear into the hearts of many as they brace themselves to resist the holiday temptations of sugar and overindulgence, or choose to stay strong and possibly endure ridicule for passing on the pecan pie and heaven forbid gluten-ous stuffing. For many of us the holidays are the most stressful time of the whole year, and then on top of it we end up eating in ways that stress our systems even further. Here are my survival tips for holiday eating.
1. Eat before you go
If you have a holiday party or meal, eat a light meal before you leave the house, then you can pick and choose a few of the things offered and make good choices rather than arriving famished, finding nothing but terrible choices, and giving in to all of them.
2. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.
Make snacks ahead of time, soak and roast nuts and keep them in your car to snack on the go- they also make tasty gifts in a mason jar with a ribbon. Here is a link to a post with that recipe. Spend a little time searching for healthier versions of family favorites. You can make stuffing from scratch without all the added flavorings and preservatives of the boxed version, and you can even make it gluten free here is a recipe using GF bread. There are also very tasty alternatives in the sweets department, I am looking forward to trying this recipe for healthier peppermint patties. An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And of course there is a moment on the lips forever on the hips...
3. Some tricks from nature.
If emotional eating is a problem for you consider a custom Bach flower remedy designed to help you with the emotional triggers. I can whip one up for you without an appointment for only $25. If sugar is you nemesis, I have a magical herb called gymnema you can try. A few drops on the tongue takes away all of the sweet flavor, instantly turning even the most decadent desert into cardboard in your mouth.
Antibiotic use linked to obesity in children
A recent Study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children who were given broad spectrum antibiotics before the age of 2 had an increased likelihood of being obese by age 5. They also found a correlation with mothers using antibiotics in pregnancy and having a cesarean birth increasing the risks of their child being obese. Of course correlation is not causation, but I found this really interesting because it lines up with my experience in Naturopathic Medicine in regards to a healthy gut microflora. The bacteria in your intestines are crucial for proper absorption of nutrients, and I often seen that when this ecosystem is disrupted many things can go wrong. I see skin problems develop, gas, bloating, weight gain, immune system problems (most of the activity of your immune system is in your gut), even neurological system problems. So what do you do? Develop a good relationship with a health care practitioner who has alternatives to antibiotics. Herbs, hydrotherapy, and homeopathy do a great job of helping children with everything from tummy upsets and sore throats, to ear infections, without wiping out the gut bacteria which are so important to overall health and disease prevention. Here is a link to more information on the article.
Choosing the Healthiest Seafood
Finding healthy seafood is getting more challenging, and with increasing levels of mercury, PCB's, and radiation in our oceans, people are limiting their intake of seafoods. While it is wise to avoid extra toxins as much as possible, I worry that by not eating seafood we may be throwing the baby out with the bath water so to speak. The omega 3 fats in seafood are amazing for helping young brains develop, and keeping brains at any age working smoothly. Eating fish and fish oils improves heart health, prevents depression, improves arthritis symptoms, prevents dementia, and vision impairment, just to name a few. All traditional cultures valued foods from the ocean for their superior nutrition. Seafood is an amazing source of high quality fats and fat soluble vitamins. So I encourage you not to stop eating fish and seafood altogether, but educate yourself on the best sources. Eating smaller fish as a general rule is always better as many toxins build up as they work their way up the food chain into bigger and bigger predator fish. And NEVER, EVER, EVER eat farmed fish. FYI Genetically modified salmon are now on the market with no labeling to let us know they are GMO. Please click here for a guide to safer seafood from the Environmental Working Group, on of my favorite resources for healthier living.
Please share this video on food allergies & GMOs with everyone
This is a wonderful description of the journey one mother took to understand why her own children were getting sick. She took her skills in research and analysis of companies and turned them to understanding what has happened to the American food supply, and health in America. She quotes the dismal statistics of how poorly Americans rank against other countries in health, and how we spend double what they do on our "sick care". She spoke at the seeds of doubt conference recently and her speech is available here for free streaming until Nov 4th. The entire conference is available for only $45. I encourage you to watch it. Educate yourself and your families on what is really in our food and what consequences that may hold for our health and our future. Please share the link, spread the information, and vote yes on 105.
Raw Milk Symposium free attendance
Raw Milk Symposium Will Explore Raw Milk Safety Issues
Kimberly HartkeOctober 20, 2014
RAW MILK SYMPOSIUM WILL EXPLORE RAW MILK SAFETY ISSUES
Symposium Free for the Public and Government Officials Through Live Streaming
Washington, D.C.–October 21, 2014– [ GlobeNewswire ]The annual raw milk symposium presented by the Weston A. Price Foundation will be available to the public and to government officials through livestreaming (and archived).
The Raw Milk Symposium will feature raw milk experts and activists, including Mark McAfee, owner of the largest raw milk dairy in California and chairman of the Raw Milk Institute, Pete Kennedy, president of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, and Sally Fallon Morell, founder of A Campaign for Real Milk.
The session will be held Monday November 10, 2014 from 9:15 to 4:00 PM, Eastern Time.
To access the session on November 10, or anytime after, go tohttp://www.fleetwoodonsite.com/wise/2014annual/live_raw_milk
SCHEDULE
09:15 – 10:30 – Raw Milk Legal Updates for Canada and the U.S., Karen Selick, LL.B and Pete Kennedy, Esq.
10:45 – 12:00 – Producing Safe Raw Cheese, Sally Fallon Morell
Cheese is a processed product, and whether raw or pasteurized, it needs to be produced under strict sanitary conditions. Sally Fallon Morell will share her experience as a cheese maker on sanitation, plant maintenance and record keeping, and will provide tips on how to pass your FDA inspection.
1:15 – 2:30 – RAWMI Progress and Lessons from the Listed, Mark McAfee
RAWMI food safety success; creating a bright and safe future for raw milk.
2:45 – 4:00 – A New California Raw Milk Dairy, Cynthia Daley, PhD
This session will focus on the steps required to pass through the grade A permit and licensing process, including all state and county agencies that are involved and their associated costs. We will also cover the details of the on-farm Risk Analysis & Management plan to meet & exceed the needs of state standards as we work toward safe production methods for raw milk.
The Raw Milk Symposium is being held immediately following FOCUS ON FOOD, the Fifteenth International Conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is Friday, November 7 – Sunday, November 9 in Indianapolis. Click here forconference details, to register or call (540) 722-7104.
The Campaign for Real Milk is a project of the nutrition education nonprofit, The Weston A. Price Foundation. Based in Washington, DC, WAPF is the leading advocacy group promoting broader consumer access to safety-tested raw milk. Contact info@westonaprice.org or visit realmilk.com and westonaprice.org.
Media Contacts:
Kimberly Hartke, WAPF Publicist 703-860-2711, press@westonaprice.org
Liz Reitzig, Public Relations Associate, 301-807-5063, lizreitzig@gmail.com
A Project of The Weston A. Price Foundation
Toxins in your couch?
Babies in the US are born with the highest levels of flame retardant chemicals in their blood of children anywhere in the world. These chemicals can lead to hormone and fertility problems, thyroid problems, cancers, and death from SIDS. There are flame retardants in your couch, mattress, carpeting, and many products specifically marketed for babies like changing pads, highchairs, and carriers. A chemical added to flammable materials to make them less flammable and prevent house fires sounds like a good idea right? What if those flame retardants are chemicals known to cause serious health problems including cancer? And what if they don't even work to prevent fires?… What is going on? As with many things which have been mandated for "public health", there may have been some good intention behind putting flame retardants into furniture, but the real facts indicate we need to reevaluate the risks and benefits. A dropped cigarette or tipped candle has started many a home fire with devastating consequences. If these chemicals actually did prevent home fires it might seem sensible, however, the research shows these chemicals do not reduce your risk of death in a fire. Once the fabric covering which is not required to contain the chemicals catches fire, flames easily overwhelm the chemicals in furniture foam that are supposed to prevent it, then the smoke becomes incredibly toxic and more dangerous to those near the flames due to the presence of these chemicals and dioxins among other chemicals which are produced when they burn. These flame retardants are known to cause cancer and developmental defects, and they lurk all over your house not just on the couch and mattress but on the floor as dust ready to be picked up by the dog or your toddler. The saddest issue by far with these chemicals is that they will increase the risk for Sudden Infant Death or SIDS. This is respiratory failure in newborns caused by the flame retardants in old mattress breaking down and contributing to the growth of a toxic fungus. If it sounds terrible, it is. The story of how these chemicals got into our furniture in the first place is available at this link to the Chicago Tribune article Playing With Fire. These chemicals are found in couches, upholstered furniture, seat cushions, carpet padding, and child changing pads, strollers and car seats. So how do you avoid them? First stop bringing more of them into your home. As you replace furniture and flooring choose less toxic alternatives. Buy an organic cotton and/or wool mattress, choose organic cotton couches and futons, replace your upholstered chairs with old fashioned wooden ones, and replace your carpets with a solid surface flooring and washable cotton rugs. For a guide to choosing Baby products without these chemicals click here for the Green Science Policy Institute Safe Kids Buyers Guide.
Description of Naturopathic Medicine from an MD
Fall Cleanse Class starts Wednesday November 5th
If you are ready, or almost ready to make a change in your diet, lose some weight, gain some energy, end the aches and pains or arthritis, clear up your skin, detoxify, or generally just feel more awesome consider joining this class. Class will start Wednesday November 5th and meet each week at my office from 5-6pm. I love doing this 6 week class where we meet for one hour a week and I walk you through an elimination and challenge diet to identify hidden food sensitivities that may be causing you to keep weight on, giving you pain, or sapping your energy. You eat real food, no shakes or supplements, and you learn about metabolism, blood sugar regulation, inflammatory foods, and lots more. It's a boot camp for healthy eating, and revving up your metabolism. The cost is $200 for all 6 weeks, bring a friend and get a $25 discount. Click here for more information. Please call or email with questions and to sign up.
Vote Yes on 105 to label GMOs
With the help of many concerned citizens and dedicated volunteers including our local group GMO Free Colorado Roaring Fork Valley, which I am happy to be involved with, we will have a chance to vote on GMO labeling this November. It may sound like a slam dunk to get this passed but as of last night companies who stand to lose profits if this bill passes have spent 9 MILLION Dollars to fight it. Yes 9 Million, and the election is still a month away. Monsanto has contributed more than half of that 9 million, but other groups who have given money to fight the passing of Prop 105 include; The Colorado Corn Growers Association, the Colorado Farm Bureau, Dow, and Coca Cola. You can expect a smear campaign telling Coloradans that this bill will hurt them and will hurt farmers. PLEASE talk to everyone you know. Support Right to Know Colorado, buy a lawn sign, post to Facebook, educate others that GMO foods are a clear threat to the health of our nation, and this bill will do nothing to ban them. It simply requires that we be informed of what is in our food. And Please Please Please VOTE!!
Free course on your gut microbiome
The University of Colorado Boulder is offering a free online course this fall all about your gut bugs. If you would like an in depth exploration of this very important part of your body, and a better understanding of how it's health impacts your brain, immune system, nutrition, and much more check it out! It looks interesting, and it's free! Click here for the course description.
Not all prostate cancer needs aggressive treatment
There may be many problems with the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in the U.S. but today I just want to make you aware of 2.
1- Many experts believe that some of the cellular changes being labelled as prostate cancer are not cancer at all and should not carry that label. There is also a push for relabeling some breast cancers for the same reason. The "C" word is scary, if these conditions do not meet the criteria for a definition of cancer, adding the stress and worry that label brings seems not only unnecessary, but cruel, and it can lead to unnecessary treatments. Here is a link to a New York Times piece about this.
2- Patients with some types of prostate cancer are being treated very aggressively by some doctors, and the treatment is not only unnecessary, but carries risk, and can seriously reduce quality of life. These risks include increased chances of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as impotence, muscle weakening, and osteoporosis.
I saw this article today and wanted to share it. It explores recent evidence that many men are being diagnosed and treated aggressively for prostate cancer when such treatment does not improve their prognosis. To be clear, prostate cancer is real, and I do not recommend ignoring it. What I do recommend is finding a doctor who understands this and is giving you advice based on your own specific condition, its risks, and prognosis, not based on how much money they may make from your treatment. For the CNN health article click here.