Seasonal Tips
Winter Energy Levels: What's Normal?
Submitted by on December 20, 2011 - 9:52am.We receive many questions this time of year from patients about normal energy levels in the winter. It is natural for sleep to increase in accordance with the lack of light we experience, especially here in the Northwest. Our circadian rhythms respond to the change in light and our pineal gland is affected, which may trigger a feeling of sleepiness earlier in the evenings. This is a normal phenomenon. It is often when people are not heeding this need for an average of one more hour of sleep per night (or when they have been under long term stress or not practicing good sleep habits for a period of time) that daytime fatigue and a general feeling of depletion result. In this scenario, either people notice they don’t feel rested after sleep, or they experience an energy crash at either 2-3 pm or 6-8 pm. This type of fatigue has a different cause than the normal winter desire for a bit more rest.
In the natural environment, animals are in part kept in tune with nature by being exposed to natural light and following the cues of their body for sleep and hunger. As humans and societies evolved, we have moved away from our natural rhythms in many ways. We set the alarm to wake before dawn, eat in a hurry while driving or standing over the kitchen sink and sit much of the day. While many people have adapted to handle the stresses of a modern society, the stresses still play a role in taxing the body. Stress has a cumulative effect on the body: any one thing might be precipitating factor to the manifestation of symptoms.
The primary organs for assisting the body in adapting to stress are the adrenal glands. These tiny glands sit on top of our kidneys and help us juggle all the stress in our lives. When the brain senses a stressor, the hypothalamus calls to the adrenals to pump out more cortisol. Cortisol prepares us for “fight or flight.” It is meant to help us handle short-term survival stressors, such as running from a bear. In our modern life, stress tends to be more long term, and takes a variety of forms. Some of these stressors are obvious (eg. job or family related) while others, such as skipping a meal, might not be quite as obvious. Our adrenals react just the same. Eating more sweets during the holidays, as well as a common increase in work and interpersonal stress as people cope with the shorter days, are two specific exacerbating factors that affect many people during the winter months. (Some common types of people who often have adrenal depletion: parents, professionals with job stress/deadlines/high levels of responsibility, shift workers, college/graduate students, and adolescents.)
Over time, your adrenals can become depleted and don’t respond as readily to the requests for cortisol. This may leave us with symptoms of fatigue (as described above), mental fogginess, insomnia, a weakened immune system, anxiety, poor sleep, difficulty losing weight (or abdominal weight deposition), and a myriad of other possible symptoms. In fact, adrenal stress is the most common reason we see causing symptoms of fatigue that are not otherwise explained by the results of regular lab tests. If indicated, we order salivary testing for cortisol at various times of the day to ascertain an individual’s pattern, and then use various botanical medicines to reestablish adrenal health and thus energy and vitality. But one of the most important treatments for adrenal stress is to incorporate proper routine.
Routine helps the body relax by taking out the “guess work.” If the body cannot predict the time of your next meal or when you’ll go to bed, it does its best to compensate and registers this as a stress. By eating meals and snacks at the same time each day and going to bed and waking at the same time, we begin to help the body find balance. Ask your Naturopathic physician for tips on incorporating effective routine into your life, or contact us if you feel the cause of your fatigue has not been properly diagnosed and addressed by other healthcare providers.
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Seasonal Tip: Back to School
Submitted by on December 5, 2011 - 10:05pm.
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Raw Vegan Carrot Cake
Submitted by on April 11, 2011 - 8:19pm.This is a delightful treat that you can enjoy and not feel too guilty about. Soaking the nuts is important both for flavor and nutrition. Soaking overnight is best.
Cake
1 c almonds, cashews, or brazil nuts (soaked)
3/4 c dates (soaked)
1 c carrot pulp
3/4 c carrot juice (or juice carrots)
1 grated carrot
1 T ginger
1 T orange zest
1 T lemon zest
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c walnuts or dry shredded coconut
1 t lemon juice
Place the nuts and dates in a food processor and grind fine, until it forms a ball. Put it in a bowl with the carrot juice, carrot pulp, spices, zests, lemon juice and grated carrot. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add the raisins and walnuts or coconut. Form a circle or square or shape of choice on the plate.
Icing
3/4 c cashews (soaked)
2 dates (soaked)
1 orange (juiced)
1 t orange zest
1-2 T lemon juice
1/4 vanilla bean
Put all of these things in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Place on the cake and enjoy!
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Winter Apple Oatmeal
Submitted by on November 19, 2010 - 12:00am.So often oatmeal turns into a sugary, syrupy event. This is a warm, tasty, yet low-glycemic way to start your winter days.
- 1 cup oats plus dash of salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 apple, chopped
- Cinnamon, stevia, and unsweetened hemp milk to taste
- Handful of almonds
Cook the oatmeal as usual. When done, add the apple, almonds, nuts, cinnamon, and stevia to taste. Finish with hempmilk and enjoy!
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Kale Salad with Orange Dressing
Submitted by on August 26, 2010 - 7:07am.Dressing
1 cup orange juice
2 tbsp minced, fresh ginger
2 tbsp sesame tahini
2 tbsp miso
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp Bragg’s or tamari
4 dates, pitted, soaked
2 tbsp minced, fresh ginger
2 tbsp sesame tahini
2 tbsp miso
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp Bragg’s or tamari
4 dates, pitted, soaked
Salad
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly-sliced red cabbage
1 to 2 carrots, grated or julienned
½ cup daikon, julienned
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly-sliced red cabbage
1 to 2 carrots, grated or julienned
½ cup daikon, julienned
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
¼ cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
In large mixing bowl, combine salad ingredients and toss well. Blend dressing ingredients until smooth. Toss dressing with salad, to taste. Serves 4 to 6.
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Gearing up for Back to School
Submitted by on August 19, 2010 - 9:59pm.August is a great time to regroup and assess what might make the next school year more fulfilling for your child. Common reasons people call to make appointments are the following:
1) Help with adjustment to new school or daycare situation.
Children do better when we address these changes proactively to keep them balanced through the change. Any observations you have on how your child has handled change/stress in the past will help us treat them holistically. For example, does your child tend to have trouble sleeping or act out with tantrums during times of change? If so, we can help balance the nervous system ahead of time to minimize these problems in September. Families that stay ahead of the curve are happy families!
2) Lingering health problems such as ADHD, asthma, allergies, stomachaches, or eczema. August is a perfect time to start treatment for these issues, and get into a new routine before school starts.
3) Sleep problems. Nothing brings out sleep difficulties like a Portland summer. If your child is up until 10 pm and groggy in the morning, we can help shift those patterns so that schoolnights are spent in valuable sleep instead of power struggles. Proper sleep enhances learning, mood, and optimizes music and sports performance (not to mention quality of life!).
Dr. Gil Winkelman still has a few openings for new neurofeedback patients in August (ADHD and insomnia respond very well to neurofeedback).
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Reconnecting with yourself: Autumn as a time of healing
Submitted by on August 19, 2010 - 9:57pm.As we prepare to leave the fun, expansive energy of summer, and look forward to the contemplative regrouping that Fall often brings, we invite you to take stock of what will nourish you in this coming season. Fall is a time of organization and new beginnings; it is a time when the growth of summer turns to the contraction toward winter. Fall is a wonderful cleansing and healing time—a superb time to start new routines, lose weight (as opposed to the winter, where the cold tends to make us want to hold onto weight), and a superb time for healing. Fall is an ideal time to balance the immune system before winter is here, address fatigue or depression, and to heal endocrine imbalances (female and thyroid hormone problems) as well as concentration or memory deficiencies.
If you (or someone you care about) have been waiting to improve your physical or emotional health, this Fall is the perfect time to take charge and try a new approach. Why are we mentioning Fall when it is August? Because we are now booking new patients for the second week of September! We have experienced huge growth and are planning ahead ourselves. Turn to September on your calendar and give us a call to schedule your first appointment, which will include a full health evaluation, physical exam, and customized treatment plan to get you started on your individual goals toward health and wellness. You’ll be glad you did!
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Lemon Oregano Halibut w/ Asparagus
Submitted by on May 24, 2010 - 11:01pm.- 3.5 oz halibut, or any whitefish
- 6 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed off
- 1 TBLS vegetable broth
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400F. Tear off a large sheet of non-stick aluminum foil.
In the center of this sheet, place asparagus spears, broth and sprinkle with salt/pepper. Place whitefish on top of asparagus and top with oregano, salt/pepper and 2–3 thin slices of lemon. Fold up edges and completely seal packet on all sides. Bake 10–20 mins, until fish flakes. Top with a sqeeze of lemon juice.
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Thai Green Smoothie Recipe
Submitted by on March 25, 2010 - 10:56am.This is a super way to start your day with fresh greens, and all the minerals and vitamins they impart. This smoothie does not contain frozen fruit, so is suitable for all but the very coldest days of the year. If prescribed, you may add your HMF powder or EFA/Cod Liver Oil if you like.
5 leaves kale (spines removed)
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbs unrefined coconut oil (or ½ can coconut milk)
¼ pineapple, peeled and cubed
Handful of cilantro
Handful of basil
Blend the ingredients in a vitamix (best), Cuisinart (good), or blender (acceptable). Enjoy!!
**Recipe adapted from Laurie Lane, Healthy Kitchen
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Allergies and Asthma: Prevent and Prepare!
Submitted by on February 23, 2010 - 2:58pm.Allergies and asthma are on the rise in children; in the U.S., approximately 20% of children suffer from either asthma or allergies. As the incidence of what we call “hot” diseases, or infections, has decreased, the occurrence of “cold” diseases such as allergies, asthma, and autism have increased. Asthma is often associated with—and sometimes caused by--allergies, so we’ll address both.
Many parents do not know that allergies and asthma are curable. In fact, when the cause is addressed, a cure is possible for children (and adults.) When a resolution is not found, however, the problems often continue into adulthood. If someone in your family has allergies, this is the time of year to address them proactively—so we can get ahead of the pollen!
Allergic responses of any kind represent the body’s attempt to tell us that something is out of balance; if we heed that reminder and restore biochemical balance, then we have a much greater chance of ensuring lifetime health. That’s because all the systems of our bodies are interconnected. The immune system, most directly involved with allergies, also affects the hormonal, kidney, digestive, and central nervous systems. We need all of these systems to work optimally in order to thrive.
When we have an allergic reaction of any kind, it means that we are over-reacting to something in the environment (food, pollen, or mold, etc.) that other people can tolerate. It is interesting that autoimmune disorders such as lupus, many thyroid diseases, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and Celiac disease are also on the rise. There is some evidence to show that allergies may actually trigger autoimmune processes. Certainly most of the adult patients in my practice with autoimmune disorders had some eczema (often the first sign of allergic predisposition), allergy (often hayfever), or asthma as a child.
At Insights to Health, it is our experience that reducing allergies and asthma in children, and treating these conditions holistically when they do occur, greatly reduces the incidence of more serious health problems later in life. Of course, quality of life is enhanced immeasurably as well when spring is not met with allergy symptoms! Pharmaceuticals may decrease symptoms, but they do not correct the underlying process that causes the allergic response; they provide palliation, but not a cure (evidenced by the fact that when the medication is stopped, the symptoms return).
Here are a few things we recommend you do to decrease the chance of allergies and asthma for your children:
- Use a high quality probiotic (healthy bacteria). Five billion cells daily for children without allergies is sufficient. Please buy a product that has been independently tested and verified to contain what the label states. Additionally, research shows that mothers who take probiotics while pregnant reduce the chance of allergies in their offspring.
- Avoid food sensitivities: these can easily be detected in an infant when foods are being introduced appropriately, and tested for in older children through a test that just requires a quick prick to the finger. Irritability, sleeping problems, and/or blood sugar problems are clues that a food sensitivity may be present.
- Get your children outside and let them play in the dirt. Hypoallergenic environments are linked to the rise in allergies.
- Let your children get fevers when they are sick. Increased temperature serves the purpose of allowing the body to burn up the pathogen and eliminate it. Safely allowing and encouraging fevers, with your doctor’s guidance, is a way you can “tune up” the immune system and train it to keep doing its job throughout your child’s life.
- Decrease stress by getting adequate sleep and encouraging downtime, family dinners, plenty of fun and laughter, and exposure to nature.
If your child does have allergies or asthma, there are many natural treatments that can decrease the severity of symptoms while the underlying cause is addressed. Nutrition, enhancing gastrointestinal health and sleep quality, allergy-specific probiotics, and various botanical therapies, as well as addressing any other health issues specific to your child, all contribute to not only a cure to allergies but to a lifetime of health and vitality.
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