Author: Joan Haynes, NMD

Massaged Kale

By Joan Haynes, NMD

High in nutrients and low in calories, kale is an ideal food to eat regularly. There are over 60 nutrients found in kale. It is a rich source of the antioxidants lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Kale also contains manganese, copper, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E and potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and protein.

Kale also provides a large amount of sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances and may help in the prevention of cancer.

This is an easy way to incorporate kale into your daily diet.

Massaged Kale

Ingredients

1 bunch kale (Curly Kale works best for this)
1 tsp sea salt or Celtic salt

Instructions

De-stem the kale leaves and save for soups or stir fry. Slice the leaves into ribbons (1/4 – 1/2 inch wide), sprinkle salt and start massaging the salt into the leaves. After a few minutes you’ll be able to feel the kale soften, making it much easier to chew and digest. You can store this kale for days in an air tight container and sprinkle it on your morning eggs, lunch time salads or add
to dinner in stir fry or soup.

Massaged Kale Salad

I’ve adapted this recipe from The Wellspring School for Healing Arts in Boise. It is a sure-fire hit at pot lucks for your foodie friends.

Mix Together

1 bunch kale & 1 tsp salt – chopped, salted and massaged
1 bunch fresh spinach – washed and chopped
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup currants
3/4 cup diced apple
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
Optional – 1/3 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled, sheep cheese is a good option

Recommendations for Preventing and Treating the Flu

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Immune System

Joan Haynes, NMD

Prevention

Read the “8 Natural Tips to Prevent a Cold” on WebMD for the basics.
Boost your immune system
- Eliminate or reduce sugar. Sugar decreases the activity of white blood cells, your primary immune defense system.
- A quality multivitamin, fish oil and probiotics will go a long way to ensure your immune system has what it needs.
- Eat nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables daily. Alternatively, a green drink such as Nanogreens can help supplement the nutrients found in fruits and vegetables.
- Eat garlic – try to get a clove in every day.
- Correct a Vitamin D deficiency if you have one. If you don’t know your vitamin D status, take 2,000 iu a day. Testing is available through our office.
- Rotate immune supporting herbs such as astragulus, mushrooms extracts, and echinacea.
- Alterative Tea is an herbal preparation designed to help immune support while gently detoxifying the body. 1-3 cups daily is used for immune support. Available at Boise Natural Health.
- Exercise daily and reduce your stress!
- Use essential oils regularly – in the air, on your skin orally.
Take something to prevent the flu. If you aren’t getting a flu vaccine, consider an alternative. Homeopathic flu prevention preparations such as Muccococcinum are available to the public at our clinic. Similar preparations are available at better vitamin shops and natural food stores.

Symptoms of the Flu

Common symptoms of the flu include:
Fever
Runny Nose
Cough
Body aches
Sore throat
Headache
Chills
Fatigue

Treating the Flu

Below is a list of treatment options you can choose from. Because some products are contraindicated in children or pregnant women, it is suggested that you consult your physician regarding what would be best for you. Early treatment is best.

Stay at home from work or school until all fevers subside for 24 continuous hours.
General immune support with herbs and nutrients in combination products such as Biovegetarian or Wellness Formula.
Elderberry has been shown in studies to reduce the duration and severity of the flu. Boise Natural Health carries a high quality elderberry extract that tastes good.
Specific herbs for cough. We can create a tincture for you.
Homeopathy. Specific remedies can be useful to lessen symptoms and shorten duration.
Warming Socks Treatment. Please ask for a copy of instructions for this very simple and effective treatment.

When to See your Physician

Most people with the flu will recover without medical help. However, if you or your child have any of the following severe symptoms, please seek medical care: prolonged illness longer than 5-7 days, shortness of breath, chest pain, intractable vomiting, confusion, sudden dizziness, dehydration, any progressively worsening symptoms, or in a child, non responsiveness, bluish skin color, or fever with rash.
If you need help creating a treatment plan, call our office and set up an appointment.

5 Ways to Beat the Heat (the Naturopathic Physician’s perspective)

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Miscellaneous

Joan Haynes, NMD

Make sure you are staying hydrated.
Dehydration is very common in our dry hot summers. The first sign of dehydration is fatigue, not thirst! The average 150 poundperson needs about 64 ounces of non-caffeinated fluid daily, more with hot weather &/or exercising. Avoid dehydrating beverages like alcohol, caffeine, and sugar-sweetened drinks. If you must have these treats, dilute dilute dilute!
Electrolytes are your friends.
When you sweat you lose electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and salt. You need electrolytes to maintain proper hydration levels (remember Gatorade?). A healthier alternative to Gatorade is Emergen-C packets added to water. This gives needed vitamins and electrolytes, in lots of different fun flavors.
Heat intolerance?
You may need to have your thyroid checked. Heat intolerance can be a sign of low or high thyroid function. If you are already taking thyroid medicine, you may be taking too much. Thyroid regulates metabolism, which produces heat. When it’s already hot outside, you may need less thyroid hormone. Check with your doctor.
Hot flashes?
If you are having brief but intense rushes of heat on a daily basis, you may be experiencing peri-menopausal or menopausal symptoms. These tend to worsen in the summer months. If you are female, in your 40’s or 50’s, and have been experiencing irregular menstrual cycles for several months, you may benefit from natural hormone balancing. Ask your doctor if hormone testing is appropriate for you.
Consider losing weight.
The bigger the body, the more heat it can produce. Fat is insulating, that’s why arctic mammals have massive fat stores.

For additional practical tips for your home and work environment see Real Simple’s article:
23 Ways To Beat The Heat.

Chronic Nasal Congestion and Sinus Infections

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Sinus and Allergies

Joan Haynes, NMD

When sinuses are functioning normally, the mucus lining the cavity warms and moistens the incoming air and filters germs and particulates. But when the sinuses can’t drain properly, mucus accumulates making the area ripe for infection. An acute infection can often be treated with simple home care and immune-boosting strategies. However, chronic sinusitis needs a broader approach. In 1999, a Mayo Clinic study showed that almost 100 percent of chronic sinusitis patients tested positive for fungus. Chronic congestion caused by food or environmental sensitivities creates a perfect breeding ground for fungus and bacterial infections.

With my chronic sinus sufferers, I often begin with food allergy testing (to discover the source of the congestion) and a systemic antifungal protocol. We may also need to do an environmental evaluation, and improve digestion and stress response to improve overall health.

For an acute infection, you may want to try:

Allergy-Sinus Tincture (from BNH). 2 droppers-full every two hours. The herbs will thin the mucus, dry out the sinuses and fight infection.
Neti Pot. Irrigating the sinuses with a saline solution can reduce swelling and wash away irritants. The Rhino Horn is a great device and the instructions are very thorough.
N-acetylcysteine. 500 mg three times daily on empty stomach. Thins mucus secretions.

For chronic congestion and/or infections, you may want to try:

Food allergy testing either through an elimination-challenge diet or a food allergy panel.
Reduce mucus forming foods – dairy, refined flours, chocolate, eggs, fried and processed food.
Evaluation and treatment for fungal infection, including Candida overgrowth.
Regular use of essential oils, such as oregano, or combinations for respiratory health and immune boosting.

Could It Be Your Gallbladder?

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Digestion

Joan Haynes, NMD

Do you suffer from bloating, gas, belching, or abdominal pain with meals? If so, maybe your gallbladder is causing the symptoms.

The gallbladder is a digestive organ located in the upper right portion of the abdomen directly underneath the liver. The liver makes bile which is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder. As food leaves the stomach and enters the small intestine (duodenum), bile is secreted. The main function of bile is the digestion and absorption of fats. Bile also helps us absorb fat soluble nutrients and eliminate drugs and other compounds such as hormones.

Gallbladder

Symptoms of Gallbladder Dysfunction

Symptoms of Chronic Gallstones

Can have no symptoms
Abdominal pain following meals high in fat
Right sided abdominal pain but can be anywhere in abdomen
Radiating pain to the right shoulder
Bloating, gas, belching

Symptoms of Acute Cholecystitis (gallbladder attack that may require immediate surgery)

Abdominal pain with fever, nausea, vomiting

Tests Used to Diagnose Gallbladder Problems

Adapted from www.webmd.com

There are many choices of tests your doctor may order for you depending on your symptoms. Some are more commonly used than others.

Liver function tests (LFTs), which are blood tests that can show evidence of gallbladder disease.
A check of the blood’s amylase or lipase levels to look for inflammation of the pancreas. Amylase and lipase are enzymes produced in the pancreas.
A complete blood count (CBC), which looks at levels of different types of blood cells such as white blood cells. A high white blood cell count may indicate infection.
The use of ultrasound testing which uses sound waves to image the intra-abdominal organs including the gallbladder.
An abdominal X-ray, which may show evidence of gallbladder disease, such as gallstones. (not commonly used, may be an incidental finding)
A computed tomography (CT) scan that constructs X-ray images of the abdominal organs. This test may follow ultrasound if there are more questions.
A HIDA scan. In this test, a radioactive material called hydroxy iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) is injected into the patient. The radioactive material is taken up by the gallbladder to measure gallbladder function. This test also is referred to as
cholescintigraphy.

Food Allergies and Sensitivities can be a root cause of gallbladder attacks

Since the 1940’s, James Breneman, MD reported that food allergies can initiate gallbladder attacks and gallbladder disease. One study found that 100 percent of a group of patients were symptom free after following an elimination diet. Dr. Breneman believes that food allergies cause inflammation and swelling of the bile duct, which restricts bile flow from the gallbladder.

At Boise Natural Health Clinic, we offer ways to help identify food sensitivities with lab testing and formal elimination-rechallenge diets.

Treatment for Acute Attacks

Fever, nausea and vomiting may require immediate medical attention and surgery.
If immediate medical attention is not needed, your Boise Natural Health physician can make other recommendations such as the herb wild yam room (among others) that is antispasmodic, to provide relief of gallbladder spasms and pain.
Specific homeopathic remedies may also be recommended chosen based on your specific symptoms may also provide symptom relief.

Treatment for Chronic Symptoms

Many times a gallbladder ends up being surgically removed. However, it may be possible to preserve your gallbladder and improve long term digestive health with proper care. You may want to consider:

Correct dehydration to increase water content in bile
Identify and remove or desensitize food allergies
Decrease fat in diet and increase dietary fiber
Repair nutritional deficiencies found in gallstone patients – vitamins E and C and omega 3 fish oils for example
Increase solubility of the bile by using nutritional lipotropic (liver supporting) compounds and herbal cholagogues (stimulates bile flow). Your Boise Natural Health physician can customize a formula for you.
Chemical dissolution of gallstones using plant terpenes, bile acids and lecithin

If you’ve had your gallbladder removed, consider the following:

Replace the function of the gallbladder with bile salts. 1 to 2 tablets of professional quality bovine bile salts with each meal improves digestion and the absorption of fats.
Evaluate what dietary and lifestyle factors contributed to the dysfunction of your gallbladder.

Oliver Oil Gall Bladder Flush

At Boise Natural Health, we do not recommend olive oil flushes to treat gallbladder problems. We have been taught that this procedure is dangerous because the large amounts of oil causes contraction of the gallbladder which in turn can cause existing stones in the gallbladder to become lodged in the bile duct causing an emergency situation. Some people see “stones” in the
toilet after doing an olive oil flush. A 2005 study in the Lancet (a much respected medical journal) analyzed the chemical makeup of the “stones”. These are not gallstones, but are soap solids created in the emulsification process of the olive oil.

In Summary

Gallbladder symptoms diagnosed early and will lead to earlier treatment and may function may be restored. If the gallbladder cannot be saved, there is still work to do by identifying the cause of the malady in the first place and supporting digestion for optimal absorption.

Testing for Toxic Chemicals In Your System

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Environment/Detoxification

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Could your chronic illness or allergic reactions be related to ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals? A newly available and finally affordable lab test (only $219) screens for the presence of 168 different toxic chemicals all from a single urine sample. Exposure to these compounds has been linked to allergic reactions, cancer, obesity, infertility, fibromyalgia, heart disease, diabetes, ADHD, autism, autoimmune disorders and more.

We all know that our modern world is full of pollutants. But did you know that chemicals do not have to be proven safe prior to being introduced into use? The new documentary The Human Experiment, narrated by Sean Penn, is available on Netflix and I strongly recommend you watch it. It demonstrates how thousands of untested chemicals are ubiquitous in our everyday products, our homes, our food, and in us.

Here’s just one example:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2, 4-D) A very common herbicide most commonly used in agriculture on genetically modified foods, and as a weed killer for lawns. Exposure to 2, 4-D via skin or oral ingestion is associated with neuritis, weakness, nausea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, peripheral neuropathy, stupor, seizures, brain damage, and impaired reflexes. 2, 4-D is a known endocrine disruptor, and can block hormone distribution and cause glandular breakdowns.

The Categories of Environmental Pollutants Tested by GPL-TOX lab test (168 compounds tested in total)

Phthalates
Vinyl Chloride
Benzene
Pyrethrins
Xylenes
Styrene
Otganophosphates
MTBE and ETBE
2,4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D)

Recommendations for Detoxifications of Chemicals

First and foremost, we must identify and reduce our exposure to these toxic compounds in our homes and workplaces. Secondly, working with an expert can be helpful. Naturopathic physicians are trained in accredited medical schools how to biochemically detoxify patients. Customized programs include specific nutritional and herbal supplements to promote the removal of toxins. In addition, we always focus on the whole person, including the gastrointestinal health, nutritional habits, and the mental/emotional factors and lifestyle activities of each individual patient.

Read more about these toxins, the lab test, and when it is recommended at The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. To have the test ordered, and for a follow up plan of action, contact Boise Natural Health to schedule an appointment.

Health Savings Account

By Joan Haynes, NMD - Miscellaneous

Joan Haynes, NMD

A Health Savings Account (HAS) makes a lot of sense for people who would rather spend their money on alternative medicine instead of paying for insurance premiums for health care they don’t use.

In Idaho, Naturopathic Medicine and/or massage is covered by some, but not all insurance companies. Instead of paying high insurance premiums, many patients are opting for a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) along with a Health Savings Account (HSA). An HAS makes a lot of sense for people who rather spend their money on the kind of health care they want instead of paying for insurance premiums.

A HDHP, also referred to as a Catastrophic Health Insurance has deductibles ranging from $1000 to $5000 or more. HDHP are offered by many employers and can be purchased by individuals as well. There are many insurance companies that offer these programs.

Like a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), the HSA allows you to contribute tax-deductible dollars into the account and spend them tax-free on medical costs. However money in a FSA is lost if not used within a grace period. In a HSA funds roll over and accumulate year to year if not spent. HSAs are owned by the individual and most accounts accrue interest. HSA funds are used to pay for qualified medical expenses at any time without federal tax liability. However, beginning in early 2011, OTC (over the counter) medications cannot be paid with HAS dollars without a doctor’s prescription. BNH doctors can provide patients with a prescription.

Utilizing an HAS will help you get the kind of medical care you want. If you are going to pay for alternative medical care out of your own pocket, you might as well pay less.