- Anti-inflammation Diet
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- Healing Through Diet
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- Naturopathic Medicine
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The Skinny on Type 2 Diabetes: Part 2 of 2
Hold on to your hats. I’m back on my soapbox... Last month I began our discussion of type 2 diabetes with a focus on insulin resistance. This month, let’s examine some other aspects of this disease. Blood sugar levels in the body are controlled by a delicate dance between the pancreas and the adrenals. The adrenal glands sit atop our kidneys and, among their other duties, produce a hormone called cortisol. This hormone increases in response to stress, inflammation...Read the rest of this article »
Is Obesity Linked to Cancer?
Obesity has been shown to interfere with immunity, and scientific studies on mice show that it also stimulates inflammation in the body. The animals showed marked inflammation and inflammation-fighting blood cells, which were less effective in killing cancer cells. Obesity probably increases cancer risk in some people by altering their immune system. While it is not known if losing the weight can reverse these changes, reduced inflammation is a preventative measure in combating disease. In the United States and Europe,...Read the rest of this article »
Straight Talk: How Important is Calcium, Anyway?
As we age, the need for calcium is even more important. The skeleton is used as a calcium reserve, and has been designed to be drawn upon in times of reduced intake or excessive loss of calcium. These withdrawals are then replaced during times of adequate intake. Calcium is stored as bony tissue, not in bone, which is a popular misconception. The body maintains only as much bone as it needs to support current mechanical loads. So if you’re...Read the rest of this article »
Too Much or Too Little: Get the Right Amount of Salt for a Healthy Diet
The average amount of salt in the American diet is twice the necessary DV (daily value). A key to eating healthy is choosing foods lower in sodium and salt, which is a mixture of sodium and chloride. The current DV is less than 2,400 mg of sodium a day. That is one teaspoon of salt! Too Little Salt A diet low in sodium may put people with chronic illness or the elderly at risk for hyponatremia. Hyponatremia, also known...Read the rest of this article »
What’s Bugging You? (The One Supplement You Can’t Do Without)
I have just been cornered at a dinner party. “We heard you’re a naturopathic doctor. What supplements should we take?” There it is: the most-asked question. The answer to the question comes easily to me. “Bugs,” I say. I see strange looks on all their faces. “Seriously, you should take bugs.” The bugs I am referring to are the healthy bacteria which live in our gastrointestinal system. We call them gut flora or probiotics. Our intestinal tracts are home...Read the rest of this article »
