Support Your Shoulders: Solutions for Neck and Back Pain
Sometimes it might feel like you are carrying the weigh [...]
Sometimes it might feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your back. You might be feeling stressed out with upper back pain and limited flexibility of the shoulders and neck. You are not alone. Our culture has become increasingly addicted to the computer using lifestyle. We sit at our desks all day at work in front of a computer and then go home to sit in front of a computer for even more hours. Suffice to say computers are not going anywhere. What we can improve is our posture, limiting upper back pain and neck pain while... read moreSimple Tips to Sleep Better
Dr. Gil and Christie discuss simple things that can be done to help with problems with...
read moreAntibiotics Increase Food Allergies
While this may come as no surprise to your naturopath, recent studies have linked use of more than 2 courses of antibiotics in the first year of life to a significantly increased rate of food allergies. It is believed to be due to the disruption of the normal gut flora. As many know, antibiotics do not target only the “bad” bacteria, nor do they target one body part. Antibiotics given for an ear infection, for example, can wreak havoc on the good flora that populates your gut as well. This positive flora has many different roles, from helping...
read moreSupport the Feet! Why You are Probably Wearing the Wrong Shoes!
Well it’s getting to that time again. The weather is getting warmer and people are preparing to be outside more and more. The Pacific Northwest has quite a few choices when it comes to outdoor activities including nature walks and hiking trails. This is a great time to remember that it is important to take care of your feet and ankles so that you can continue to be active throughout the Spring and Summer. Ideally we want to increase flexibility and strength of the feet and ankles simultaneously, and this requires care, patience, and the...
read moreSleep Better and Lose Weight
Have you struggled to lose weight? Have you lost weight and then gained it all back? Have you changed your diet for the better and increased your exercise only to find that the weight didn’t melt off like you thought it would? This is a relatively common scenario, and the culprit here may surprise you. Instead of those other questions what you should be asking yourself is: 1) How much sleep do I get? 2) What is the quality of that sleep? Of course the answers to these questions may be a little different depending on age and lifestyle, but in...
read moreDistracted Eaters take in more Calories
You’ve been told there is no “magic bullet” for weight loss, but one simple thing may come pretty close. Think you don’t have time to sit down and enjoy a meal? This news may convince you otherwise! A recent study showed that people who eat meals or snacks while watching TV, playing games, reading or are otherwise distracted, tend to consume more calories in a sitting. This is especially true later in the day. In fact, distracted eating could increase the amount of food consumed by up to 50% and the person may not even be aware! On average,...
read moreAutism and Allergies
April is Autism Awareness Month and the CDC recently stated that 1 in 50 children in the US are now diagnosed with Autism! April is also the time of year that people’s allergies can flare up. But did you know there is a connection between allergies and autism? Allergies can become more prominent in patients with autism. Holistic doctors can use allergies as a guide to treatment as it may reveal much about the person. The cause of allergies vary from person to person. In the general population, seasonal allergies,which includes runny...
read moreHead injuries increase addictive behavior
A study published this February showed an increase in addictive behaviors in those who suffered a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). While the study showed a link between TBIs and alcohol or nicotine dependance, one must also consider the effects a brain injury may have on our addictive behaviors around other things, like food. Might a past head injury or brain trauma influence our cravings and addictive-like behaviors around certain foods and contribute to weight gain? Might alcohol and cigarette addiction best be treated by treating...
read moreHow To Control The Pain
Pain is arguably one of the most common things someone seeks a doctor’s care for and one of the most difficult things to treat effectively. This is because pain takes on many forms, responds erratically, and is not well understood by medical science. But we cannot deny the importance of pain as it is estimated there country loses $60 billion per year in lost productivity. And people buy pain medication to the tune of $20 billion a year in this country. Pain is something we should be discussing and actively trying...
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