by Joan Haynes, NMD

Alterative herbs are those which improve overall health by supporting basic bodily processes.  They “do a little bit of everything”. I learned this inexpensive, great-tasting, 9-herb tea formula from Jill Stansbury, NMD, professor at the National University of Natural Medicine and have been recommending it for over 20 years.  Drink daily to stay hydrated and healthy all year long.  For sale in the clinic for only $8.00.

Useful in So Many Ways

Alterative herbs contain nutrients, minerals including trace minerals, electrolytes, and hormonal precursors that all nourish and stimulate metabolism.  Alteratives also stimulate digestive and absorptive functions thereby optimizing nutrition.  Alteratives also promote eliminative functions and thereby the removal of wastes, minimizing toxic accumulations and enhancing intestinal aerobic flora.  Due to these actions, alteratives are considered to be cleansing and general tonics.

Ingredients

Equal Parts:

Taraxicum officinale “Dandelion root”

Arctium lappa “Burdock”

Berberis aquafolium “Oregon grape, Mahonia”

Glycerrhiza glabra “Licorice root”

Astragalus membranosus “Milk vetch”

Citrus aurantium “Orange peel”

Cinnamomum zeylanicum “Cinnamon”

Foeniculum vulgare “Fennel

Zingiber officinale “Ginger”

Tea Preparation

Instructions for Decoction –  1 heaping tsp per 1 – 1½  cups of water.  Make a single serving or a whole pot.  Simmer the tea covered for about 20 – 30 minutes in stainless steel or glass pot.  Strain. This tea is naturally sweet, but if you want it to be sweeter, sweeten with stevia or honey.

Tips for Tea Drinking

 If you like your tea cold consider quart glass mason jars for storing your tea.  It encourages you to drink a lot and is easy to travel with.  It’s worth investing in plastic lids.  (They have ones with fun straws and straw holders too).  You can make a quart each morning and drink room temp or iced.

If you like your tea hot, invest in a good thermos for when you work and travel.  When you are home, you can just leave your tea on the stove in its cooking pot.  Reheat it each time you want a cup.  You can strain after the 30 minutes of simmering or leave the plant matter in the water if you like a stronger brew.

Precautions

This tea contains licorice and in rare cases may increase blood pressure in susceptible people.  Avoid licorice if you are also taking an Ace inhibitor, diuretic, steroid, or blood thinner.  This tea is not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers, but is encouraged in children.  Do not take if you have heart, liver or kidney disease.  Do not take if you have hormone sensitive cancers.

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Fibromyalgia is characterized by wide-spread pain and chronic fatigue, there is no known single cause.  However, investigating and treating contributing factors often brings relief.   Here are some ideas we can help you explore:

Hormones

Hormones involving the thyroid, ovaries and adrenal glands are essential in regulating energy, mood, appetite, sleep, behavior, and stress response.  Thyroid testing is a blood test which measures TSH, free T3, free T4 and thyroid antibodies.  Your sex and adrenal hormones are best done via urine or saliva testing (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol). Read more at Testing for Hormone Imbalances.

Neurotransmitter Imbalances

Fibromyalgia patients frequently suffer from depression and anxiety.  Research has found that having low levels of the neurotransmitters noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain are common among fibromyalgia sufferers.  Low serotonin in particular has been associated with pain sensitivity and sleep disturbances and in conventional medical practices patients are often prescribed antidepressants with some success.

At Boise Natural Health Clinic we help manipulate neurotransmitters using Targeted Amino Acid Therapy, using supplements such as 5-HTP, tryptophan, and L-theanine.  Neurotransmitters can be measured – we use urine testing to take the guess work out.  READ MORE about neurotransmitter testing.

Inflammation from Food

Widespread body inflammation can be cause by both pro-inflammatory diet and specific food sensitivities.  Here’s an article to learn more: Are Foods Causing Your Symptoms.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Studies have been conducted showing that certain nutrients can have significant improvement on pain levels such as D-Ribose, magnesium, vitamin D and others.  Vitamin D, for example, helps reduce cytokines which are inflammation-causing chemicals.  Omega-3 oils, found in flax seeds and fish, is another researched food shown to reduce inflammation.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondria are little organelles that live inside your cells and are responsible for the generation of energy.  If not working properly, fibromyalgia symptoms may appear.  Certain nutrients are needed for mitochondria to work.  An Organic Acid Test is a way of measuring your mitochondria function.  Depending on results, treatment may involve using supplements such as coenzymes Q10, creatine, L-carnitine and folate.

Sleep

Without a doubt sleep plays a huge role in fibromyalgia symptoms.  It is during sleep that the body makes growth hormone which rejuvenates our muscles.  Poor sleep can be due to hormone imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and lifestyle factors.  Solving sleep issues goes a long way toward feeling better.

Come Visit Us

Untreated fibromyalgia can be a life-altering illness but there is help available.  At Boise Natural Health Clinic we want to help you uncover the factors that contributed to its onset, not just cover up the symptoms with medication.  A free-phone consult may be the way to begin, 208-338-0405.

by Joan Haynes, NMD

I’m just recently back from a 3-day conference in Las Vegas Hosted by Labrix Clinical Services, a lab that’s new to us at Boise Natural Health. This conference was three days of very useful clinical information. We started off by learning more about the gut microbiome and how it influences our brain chemistry and hormone balance. We talked in great detail about testing for hormone balance for women – estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and testosterone. Here is a sample hormone test. There was a whole talk about libido, full of useful information.

Adrenal health was covered in most of the talks because of its fundamental role in our energy production. I learned about the Stages of Adrenal Dysfunction and treatment considerations at each stage. One of the speaker’s had a great line:

“If the adrenal ain’t happy, nothing is happy.”

I also learned more about men’s health and especially testing and treatment for progesterone deficiency, not just testosterone deficiency. We also covered inflammation and its role in neurotransmitter production and hormone balance
.

I’ve been doing neurotransmitter testing for many years, and  I’m excited to be offering a new lab,  Labrix to help people identify their underlying imbalance that leads to their depression and/or anxiety. We covered the use of nutrients, herbs and amino acids to raise or lower neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. Here is sample neurotransmitter test to see what’s included.

The lab also offers a genetic test FindWhy™ Weight Control that looks at five genes that are known to have a significant impact on regulation of metabolism, satiety, sensitivity to carbohydrates, and regulation of insulin and leptin systems. B
ased on the results, different weight loss plans are created to overcome predispositions.

Cost for these tests range from $191 to $347 depending on what is ordered.

If any of this new testing interests you, come in and we’ll get started, or you can call and set up a free 10-minute consult to speak with me about how this testing might be useful to you.

Joan Haynes, NMD

Feeling more chilly than those around you?  Some causes could be a low thyroid, anemia, diabetes or Raynaud’s Syndrome. Here’s how to find out.

Lab Tests

Our office or your doctor can run some of the following tests.  Tests are selected depending on any other symptoms or health concerns you may have.

• CBC, Ferritin – will find anemia
• TSH, Free T4, Free T3 – will pick up a low thyroid
• ANA, Rheumatoid Factor, Sed rate – will look for autoimmune disease
• Fasting blood sugar and HgbA1C – will catch diabetes

Raynaud’s Phenomenon

Usually people with Raynaud’s have blue or white skin discoloration with the cold. Here’s a great article from Medicine Net describing Raynaud’s Phenomenon.

Supplement and practices that may help keep your Raynaud’s under control:

1. Flavinoids.  Found in food and also in supplements, flavinoids dilate blood vessels.  2000 mg 1 – 3 times per day.
2. Cayenne capsules.  1 or 2 capsules twice a day (with food), or sprinkle on your food regularly.  Great warming effect.
3. L-arginine.  Increases nitric oxide in the blood and will dilate blood vessels.  Dose is 2 grams – 6 grams per day.  (L-arginine is also well known to help erectile dysfunction.)
4. Magnesium decreases vasoconstriction and helps the blood vessels relax.  Approx 200 mg three times a day is a good dose.  If your dose is too high, you’ll get lose stool so back down.  Look for Magnesium Citrate.
5. Ginkgo helps with blood flow to microvasculature.  40 mg three times a day.  Look for a standardized extract.
6. Caffeine constricts blood flow – so limit or eliminate it.
7. Relaxation and visualization can work.  Studies show that you can warm your fingers and toes by using your mind to increase blood flow and temperature.  Practice by holding an old fashioned thermometer between your thumb and fingers and watch it climb.
8. Acupuncture – in one study it reduced attacks by 63%

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.

Joan Haynes, NMD

1. 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!
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

by Joan Haynes, NMD

If your vacation plans this summer involve travel to a foreign country, here are some tips to ensure your health stays in tip-top shape while you’re gone. Foreign lands mean foreign bugs, ones that our immune systems are less adapted too. If you are headed to a place where parasites are common, some extra precautions can be very helpful.

1. Prepare your digestive tract & prevent gastrointestinal illness

Take probiotics

Increasing your healthy intestinal bacteria for a month before your trip will leave you less susceptible to pathogens. We recommend HMF capsules one cap twice per day. This brand can tolerate room temperatures for up 30 days without refrigeration. If you are headed to a hot area without a fridge or air conditioning, buy a brand that is heat stable.

Make sure your digestive function is strong

Normal stomach acid is our best defense against pathogenic organisms. If you have symptoms such as gas, bloating, heartburn, or indigestion, check with your doctor to see if supplementing with hydrochloric acid is appropriate for you.

Don’t drink the water (or eat the salad, or iced drinks, etc!)

Hydration is very important of course, and if you are travelling to an area that has contaminated water, vigilance is required to avoid gastrointestinal illness. The best solution is to bring your own water filter and treat your water yourself. REI has some great options. If you choose to go the bottled water route, make sure that you are the one opening your bottles and check the seals. It is not uncommon in impoverished countries for locals to refill old bottles with unclean water and resell it. Similarly, do not believe any claims that the water or ice is boiled or treated. I could have saved myself a week of misery in Nepal if I had been less naïve! Peel your own fruit, insist that your food is steaming hot when it’s brought to you, and eschew raw salads and ice. You will be a less frequent visitor to the latrine.

Consider Hepatitis B vaccination if travelling to endemic areas

Hepatitis B causes an acute viral infection of the liver. Severe malaise, fatigue, and abdominal pain are common symptoms. It is transmitted when food preparers don’t wash their hands properly after using the toilet. The vaccine itself is one of the more benign ones, and could save you from ruining your vacation.

2. Prepare your circadian rhythm with melatonin

Jet lag can slow down the best of us. If you are travelling across several time zones, melatonin can be extremely helpful in “resetting” the circadian clock. Take 3 mg at the time that locals would be going to bed (and go to bed yourself). This should help induce proper sleep and wake times for that time zone.

3. Support your immune system

Get adequate sleep, and go easy on the sugar and alcohol. If you are concerned about a tendency to get sick, take an immune stimulating product such as Biovegetarian by Priority 1. As a preventative, the dose is 2 tablets per day. To treat acute illness the dose is 2 tablets 3-4 x/day.

4. Bring a travel kit and add your own natural medicines

• There are a wide variety of great travel kits available. Here is a list of sites that supply them. Choose your kit based on how long your trip is and the availability of good medical care there. American Red Cross.
• Adventure Medical Kits.
• Chinook Medical Gear.
• Travel Medicine, Inc..
• Wilderness Medicine Outfitters.

Additional natural remedies you may wish to add:

For gastrointestinal illness:

Arsenicum 30C A homeopathic remedy that treats vomiting or diarrhea. At the first sign of getting ill, let 3 pellets dissolve under your tongue. Use every hour or two when awake until symptoms resolve.

Charcoal caps Charcoal absorbs toxins in your digestive tract. If you feel you ate or drank something that upset your system, take 2 caps (for a child) or 4 caps (for an adult). You can take 2 more capsules in another 1-2 hours. The charcoal will turn your stool black.

NF Phytofuge These capsules contain several different herbs that kill off parasites and pathogenic bacteria. They can be used as a preventative measure (1-2 caps per day) as well as to treat an acute infection (1-2 caps 3-4x/day).

Probiotics HMF caps or Probiotic Pearls (shelf stable) from the Co-op. Take 1cap with each meal to ensure healthy gut bacteria.

For trauma:

Arnica 30C

A homeopathic remedy that treats acute injuries by helping to reduce pain, swelling and bruising. Take 3 pellets under the tongue as soon after the injury as possible. This can be repeated every hour until symptoms subside.

Traumeel gel

A homeopathic topical gel that works similarly to arnica. Apply to affected areas every 2-3 hours as needed for pain and swelling.

For sunburn:

Aloe gel Soothing and healing to the skin following a burn. Do not apply to blistering or broken skin. Available at the Co-op.

For sleep/ jet lag:

Melatonin Take 1-3 mg at bedtime in your new time zone.

For colds/flu or general immune support:

Biovegetarian 2 caps per day as preventative, 2 caps 3-4 x/day for acute illness Consider purchasing a homeopathic first aid kit and book for other illnesses and injuries such as sunburn, insect bites, earaches etc.

All products are available at Boise Natural Health unless otherwise referenced. Happy Travels

Doctoring Data: How to sort out medical advice from medical nonsense

by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick

Book Review by Dr. Haynes

Almost all of the medical research is funded, conducted, and reported by the corporations with vested interests.  Dr. Kendrick has been studying the problems in medical research for over 30 years.  After reading his book, I will never look at health news or published research in the same way again.  It turns out we simply can’t believe what we are being told.

Dr. Kendrick’s book was compelling and his witty, irreverent writing makes it a fun, if disturbing, read.   He explains the basics of understanding a study and then shows us how to question data we’ve previously taken as fact.  He tackles cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, hormone replacement therapy and more.  He shares that the popularly accepted “cholesterol hypothesis” has been disproven for many years but continues to thrive due to profits made from statin medications.

As a naturopathic physician, people often expect me to be skeptical about Big Pharma medicine.  But questioning the current medical system is not limited to those practicing alternative medicine.  Both the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet are the most well respected, peer-reviewed medical journals in the world.  Here’s what their own editors have to say about the state of medical science today:

 “It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines.  I take no pleasure in this conclusion which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of the New England Journal of Medicine.” Dr. Marcia Angell, editor of the New England Journal of Medicine

“The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid exploratory analysis, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards darkness.” Dr. Richard Horton, the current editor-in-chief of the Lancet

With all this doubt about truth in medical research, what is a patient to do?  I strongly believe in the tenants of Naturopathic Medicine and use them as guiding principles with all of my patients (see a more detailed description):

1. First Do No Harm – primum non nocere
2. The Healing Power of Nature – vis medicatrix naturae
3. Discover and Treat the Cause, Not Just the Effect – tolle causam
4. Treat the Whole Person – tolle totum
5. The Physician is a Teacher – docere
6. Prevention is the best “cure” – praevenire

I encourage all patients and practitioners interested in being savvy consumers of medicine and advocates of their own health to read Dr. Hendrick’s book.  It is one of the most informative books I’ve come across and is enjoyable to boot!