Category: Newsletter

Detox Group November 2013

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Congratulations for stepping up and making a commitment to eat healthy for the next three weeks!  Motivation for doing the group for the first, second, third, even forth time for some, is to keep learning and being empowered to be our best and live our best lives!

Suffering is a good motivator for change but feeling good is an even better motivator for continued change and growth in personal empowerment!  My intention for this group is: Educate as to how food makes us sick and how it can keep us healthy.

Empower group members to make goals and reach them.

Offer the group an opportunity to see how a group can add support and be an opportunity to support others to be seen, to be heard, and to be cared for.

To bring the invitation for you to bring your spiritual values into your life with food and others.

We will share recipes and food ideas with one another on the blog and everyone will add tasty new cooking ideas to keep them motivated to incorporate whole food into a lifestyle.

 

Soup that we enjoyed this first evening:

  • 6 cups cubed squash  ( organic, cleaned and cubed… Costco)
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 red onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 head Kale
  • 2 cups mushrooms
  • 3 boxes Carrot Ginger Soup

Put Squash in a bowl and toss liberally with olive oil.  Spread on baking sheet and cook 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cut Cauliflower into small like sized pieces.  Toss liberally with olive oil.  Spread on baking sheet and cook 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile… in large soup pan saute chopped onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes or so.  Add boxed soup and keep warming.  Once hot add roasted vegetables and chopped kale.  Add seasoning to taste:  red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, etc.  ( any other combination of vegetables can be use such as zucchini, yellow squash, peppers, cabbage, green onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes)

Soups are often good to make enough for a few meals.  Heat the portion needed for each meal separately to keep vegetables from overcooking.

Baked Apples:

8 large apples:  peel, pare and cube.  Toss liberally with coconut oil.  Spread on baking sheet and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.  Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Enjoy warm or cooled.

 

 

 

 

Diet Products

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Do you drink diet soda or use diet products?

Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the FDA report as being caused by aspartame include: headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid 40%, phenylalanine 50%, and methanol 10%. Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid (MSG). The exact mechanism of acute reactions to aspartame is currently being debated but as reported to the FDA, those reactions include: headaches/migraines, nausea, abdominal pains, fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain), sleep problems, vision problems, anxiety attacks, depression, asthma/chest tightness. One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by aspartic acid damage. Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU. Methanol (wood alcohol) is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some “skid row” alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine. The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product (e.g. Diet Coke) is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g. as part of a “food” product such as Jello). Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol “is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.
As a side note; shortly after the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he left for a position with aspartame manufacturer G.D. Searle’s public relations firm.

For more information go to www.mercola.com and search ‘aspartame’

Healthy Digestion

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Healthy Digestion
To a Naturopath, healthy digestion is the cornerstone to health. “You are what you eat” and “You are what you don’t eliminate.” Digestion, absorption, and elimination are what makes up our body, what fuels our metabolism, metabolic processes, and what creates our immune system.
Optimal digestion depends on adequate enzyme production in the stomach and small intestines, a healthy mucosal cell lining in the G.I. tract including adequate immune cell protection, proper assimilation, and elimination.
When digestion is inadequate it robs the body of vital nutrient building blocks for all vital processes. Proteins are needed to build tissue and are the building block for neurotransmitters, the communication system of the nervous system. All cells have an outer lipid (fat) membrane which is the control panel for all metabolic processes. Fat also provides the myelin surrounding nerve cells and is responsible for nerve conduction. All hormones begin with a fat molecule in the form of cholesterol. How hormones function and the efficiency as to how they are broken down is dependent on the amount and quality of fat in the diet and how well it is absorbed. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose and provide energy.
What is not broken down and absorbed must be eliminated from the G.I. tract and what is not eliminated or absorbed efficiently becomes a source of toxic waste for the body to deal with. Food may sit in the digestive tract too long when enzyme production is inadequate, absorption is inadequate, and transit time is too slow. As a result the rotting food gradually becomes a source of irritation to the cells lining the digestive system. Inflammation can begin weakening the intestinal lining that normally maintains a barrier to keep large molecules from entering the blood stream. The term that has been used to describe this is “leaky gut syndrome.” As large food molecules gradually make their way into the blood stream it becomes a stress on immune system to clean them up and break them down. Food proteins can be recognized as foreign and stimulate the production of antibodies. An overproduction of antibodies has been hypothesized as a possible contributor to food allergies and autoimmune diseases. Antibodies produced from abnormal proteins of digestion in some way get confused and begin to set up an attack on various tissues of the body. Another stress these abnormally large molecules create is to the liver. The liver is the organ of detoxification and anything in the blood that is not supposed to be there is broken down and eliminated through complex chemical reactions that require a large source of nutrients and energy. As the liver already has a big job protecting us from toxic exposure in the air, water, and foods we eat, undigested food proteins become a burden that often over-saturates its capacity. Toxins that cannot be handled end up stored in fat cells. Weight gain is often not always the result of eating the wrong food or even too much food but of an ineffective digestive system.
Poor digestive function and overwhelmed liver function cause a cascade of problems and stress to other organ systems and functions in the body such as stress to the adrenal and thyroid glands which regulate metabolism, stress hormones, and blood sugar. An overactive immune system and excess proteins in the blood stream can create acidity which contributes to inflammation everywhere, there again contributing to problems like arthritis and heart disease.
Conditions that indicate the digestive system is impaired include heartburn or reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel, constipation/diarrhea but also can be associated with other problems like inflammatory joint disease and allergies. Working on improving digestion, healing and strengthening the mucosal cells lining the digestive tract, and eating a diet that promotes good digestion and metabolism are some of treatment goals for almost any digestive complaint or condition. Optimizing digestive function and health will also prevent the chronic progression of many other disease processes. Digestive enzymes are a good place to begin improving digestive function and health. The stomach uses primarily hydrochloric acid to begin the breakdown of primarily protein. Making an acid in the body that tightly regulates pH requires a huge amount of energy and bimolecular resources. People who are depleted, consistently eat a poor diet, and have other health stresses are often deficient in HCL. Inadequate HCL will cause food to sit in the stomach too long where it ferments and causes irritation to the stomach lining. This is one of the most common reasons for heartburn. The small intestines use alkaline enzymes from the pancreas which complete the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They are also natural anti-inflammatory support for the body. Lower abdominal bloating, cramping, and mild nausea are often symptoms of insufficient pancreatic enzymes.
Dr. Mikel’s experience and education help her formulate individualized treatment approaches, including diet assessment and education for your specific symptoms and underlying cause. Digestive health can be a cornerstone to your future health and ability to heal.Teacher Andrew Cohen made the following observation about the liberating challenge of spiritual evolution:
Evolution is a messy process. So anybody who really wants to make the effort to strive for something new is going to have to be willing to make mistakes, take wrong turns, even to fail, but never give up. The simple truth is this: if not failing is more important to you than genuinely succeeding, you’re never going to make it. If you really want to succeed, then you have to have the big heart, heroic will, tenacity, courage, and commitment to fearlessly engage with the evolutionary process until something profound, mysterious, and extraordinary happens that cannot be undone.

Vitamin D

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Vitamin D

There is much information out recently regarding need for more vitamin D. The importance of vitamin D has been recognized by naturopathic doctors for some time. It is an important vitamin that works like a hormone in the body to direct bone growth, remodeling, and mineralization. It has many other roles in the body including regulating the immune system and inflammation. It plays a role in regulating cell growth, differentiation, and removal of abnormal cells. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with osteoporosis and various autoimmune diseases as well as prostate, breast, and colon cancer. Very few foods contain vitamin D in high amounts.

Foods containing Vitamin D
iu per serving

Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon 1,360iu
Salmon, cooked, 3.5 ounces 360iu
Mackerel, cooked, 3.5 ounces 345iu
Tuna fish, canned in oil, 3 ounces 200iu
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 1.75 ounces 250iu
Milk vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup 98iu
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon 60iu (not recommended)
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10% of the DV for vitamin D, 0.75-1 cup (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV) 40iu
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk) 20iu
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces 15iu
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce 12iu

Foods do not adequately supply this important vitamin need. Most people meet this need through sunlight exposure. UVB light waves convert a cholesterol molecule in the skin to a pre-vitamin D3 which then gets modified once in the liver and again in the kidney. Sun exposure to skin is limited in our area by many gray days. It is also limited by our northern latitude where we are further from the sun. Other factors that limit sun exposure are use of sunscreen, smog, and skin pigment.

The best way to test for adequate vitamin D levels is through blood work analysis. The form of Vitamin D to test for is 25(OH)D which is the best reflection of total D vitamin from food, sun, and supplements. Optimal levels are 50-55 ng/mL. I frequently include this when I perform lab work. Most frequent levels found are between 15 and 28. This indicates most people here in Seattle need some additional vitamin D.

The body stores the vitamin in fat cells therefore, if supplementing, could potentially achieve toxic levels. However, patients taking fish oil regularly and even those supplementing 400 to 1000iu for several months or years are still far below optimal levels. My recommendation is to get your levels tested and use a quality supplement of Vitamin D3 not the synthetic Vitamin D2. Current recommendations of 200iu to 600iu are generally much too low. New recommendations of 2000iu to 5000iu may be needed according to some studies. Once supplementation has been started for a few months retesting is recommended to assess levels. Toxicity is possible for an adult at levels over 200 ng/mL. Symptoms of toxicity are nonspecific such as nausea, vomiting, loss appetite, constipation, weakness, weight loss, confusion, and heart rhythm abnormalities.

Dr. Mikel would be happy to test your levels and provide safe recommendations and supervision in your use of vitamin D. Many people who are deficient and start supplementation of D3 report improvement in mood, decrease musculoskeletal pain, improved energy and outlook!

Related Articles / Links

Study: Vitamin D Leads to Longer Life

Doctors checking patients more for vitamin D levels

 

Osteoporosis and Bone Health

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Osteoporosis and Bone Health

Osteoporosis means that there is loss of bone mass and that bones are thinner. It does not necessarily mean that they are more prone to breakage. At the same time, good bone mass does not guarantee bones will not break. The American College of Physicians says: “The majority of women with hip fracture have a density of the hip that is within the normal range.” However, most people see a loss of bone mass after age 40. Women see the greater percentage of decline usually around peri and post menopause. To quote Susan Weed’s Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way: Alternative Approaches for Women 30 – 90: “For a post-menopausal woman to ask, ‘Osteoporosis, how can I prevent it?’ is like asking ‘How can I prevent the sun from setting each evening?’ When we try to prevent the natural flows of life, we begin to think that these natural processes (such as bone thinning with age and menopause itself) as problems, which we are told we need to ‘cure’ by technological means.” The point is that there is some natural rhythm to this process and some degree of change is “normal.” However, to optimize bone health, especially with the increased possibility of falls as we age and remain active, it is important to look at how to keep bones as healthy as possible!

Weight-bearing exercise can reverse bone loss and increase density. Walking for an hour four times/week and lifting weights can improve bone mass.

Women between 40 and 50 should consider a DEXA or bone density screening test.

Eat Foods Rich in Calcium and Other Minerals To Build Healthy Bones

Green leafy vegetables: Some of the best sources of calcium, as well providing vitamin K and boron needed for healthy bones. Other good sources of minerals include broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, green tea, sea vegetables, yogurt or whey, and seaweed such as kelp.

Micronutrients: selenium, chromium, strontium, copper, boron, silicon, zinc, and cobalt. Good sources: seaweeds, nettles, dandelion, and organic grains and produce.

Good herbs to consider for mineral support: horsetail, nettle leaves, red clover blossoms, raspberry leaves, alfalfa, sage leaves, oat straw seed, and uva ursi leaves.

Avoid soft drinks: Phosphates in soda interfere with calcium solubility in the blood making calcium less available to make bones, teeth, and other structures. Limit pop to a special treat for you and your kids!

Garlic, onions, and eggs: good sources of sulfur and are also needed for healthy bones.

Vitamin D at 1000 to 3000 iu’s per day: assists in calcium utilization for bone.

B6, folic acid, and B12: needed in combination to maintain proper homocysteine levels which is associated with less risk for atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.

A Note About Calcium: Proper levels of stomach acid are necessary for calcium absorption. People with low stomach acid should take enzymes or at least use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to acidify their stomach and help with absorption. Anyone on acid blockers (see me fast to get off them!) will have compromised calcium absorption. People on thyroid medicine should not take their medicine with calcium supplements and those on thiazide diuretics may need to keep supplementation a little lower.

The dose of calcium is individual depending on the form of calcium you use to supplement, your digestive health, age, risk factors, and general health. Magnesium is also needed in generous amounts often 1:1 ratio with calcium.

Recommened Products for Bone Health:

Calcium Lactate (from beets most easily absorbed calcium to the blood) from Standard Process
(avoid calcium carbonate it is not easily used and may cause calcifications)
Cal Ma Plus from Standard Process
Biost, Biodent, or Ostraplex from Standard Process
Cal Mag Plus D from Priority One
Trace minerals, Organic Minerals, Min Tran (from sea kelp and alfalfa)
Sun D 3000 from Priority One
High quality fish oil, tuna oil, or flax seed oil

Come in for a thirty minute visit to customize your bone health treatment plan!

Related Articles / Sources

Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way: Alternative Approaches for Women 30 – 90 by Susan Weed

The Clinician’s Handbook of Natural Medicine by Pizzorno, Murray, Joiner-Bey

Natural Medicine

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Natural Medicine

Naturopathic treatments generally vary from allopathic medicine in that we use lesser force to stimulate the body’s ability to overcome disease and pathology. Treatments are directed toward the underlying cause of a condition instead of just trying to get rid of the symptoms. One example is using pharmaceutical drugs to get rid of the symptoms of heartburn instead of strengthening the digestive system or identifying and eliminating an offending food. Without addressing the underlying cause, symptoms will continue to worsen and more drugs will be needed to counter the symptoms.

An article from the Seattle Times reported that, “the number of deaths and serious injuries associated with prescription drug use rose to record levels in the first quarter of 2008 with 4,825 deaths and nearly 21,000 injuries.” Herbal medicine is a gentle but effective way to stimulate the body’s natural healing ability. Using plants as a remedy goes as far back as recorded history (if not farther) and today, as awareness and information about plant medicine grows, there is a thriving industry producing and selling these products. Not all products are created equal, however, and consumers must use caution when choosing which brands to buy. The beneficial properties of plants can be increased by dose or volume but also by quality. For example, many plants only have a medicinal effect if they are harvested at a certain time of the year so products that include those same plants harvested year round will be of inferior quality. Also, many companies increase the potency of their product by only including the “active ingredient” while excluding much of the rest of the plant. Herbalists know, though, that by using the whole plant there is an added synergistic effect which may ally the side effects of one part taken in high doses such as providing minerals that would otherwise be depleted by using the active ingredient alone.

Naturopaths are trained to assess the value of products and I maintain a close relationship with my herbal product vendors to ensure the highest quality and integrity of manufacturing.

Working with plants is not just about physical healing. Achieving balance and peace is just as important a goal as physical health. Consider all the various ways in which we form relationships with plants and how they contribute to peace of body, mind, and spirit: satisfying hours spent working in the garden, a flowering cherry tree in Spring, the lavender fields in Squim, vegetables fresh from the garden to the table, memories of flowers at your wedding or at the funeral of a loved one, the scent of stepping off the plane in Hawaii.

One of my favorite books, Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan put such a relationship in this way: “Consciousness, therefore, is not merely thought, much less intellect or reason. It is the feeling of being alive and being related to all life. Consciousness as pure feeling exists already in the plant and is hidden in the rock, even within the atom itself. It is only when we come to look upon all things as human that we are capable of truly humane existence. Such a lesson is taught to us by plants and herbs whose existence is still grounded in the unity of nature, through which we may return to understand ourselves better. Therefore, plants may communicate directly to that essence of feeling which makes a true human being. Plants bring us the love, the nourishing power of the sun, which is the same energy of the stars, of all light. They exist for psychological, as well as physical nourishment.”

 

Local Food Banks Need Your Help During the Holiday Season!

Highline Area Food Bank

White Center Food Bank

Des Moines Food Bank

West Seattle Food Bank

Kent Food Bank & Emergency Services

Rotary First Harvest

Beacon Avenue Food Bank

Detoxification and Purification

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Detoxification and Purification

Our topic this month is detoxification and purification. I have recommended detox for many patients. This is an excellent opportunity to learn why the body needs purification, how weight accumulates even when calories are not in excess, and, more importantly, how to begin losing stubborn weight.

We use Standard Process products to enhance results along with a variety of individualized protein powders that speed results and satisfy cravings by providing beneficial nutrients. I may also recommend additional products for optimum health according to your specific metabolism.

This is a great opportunity to invest in your health, beauty, and well-being!

Detoxification and Purification

Detoxification is the process of of enhancing elimination of toxic substances out of our bodies. When organs of elimination are overwhelmed or under functioning then toxins are stored away in fat cells. When weight loss is stubborn or not related to caloric intake then it is most likely due to the accumulation of toxins. Toxins can accumulate in anyone who has consumed processed foods, soda, sweets, non-organic foods, meat and poultry with hormones and antibiotics, restaurant foods, coffee, alcohol, dairy products, and tap water. Other exposures that contribute are petroleum produts, pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hairspray, air fresheners, new carpet, paint, furniture, or flooring. Dental amalgums, household cleaning products, and cosmetics are other sources of possible harmful chemicals.

The main organs and systems in the body that assist in eliminating these toxins are the liver, colon, gallbladder, lungs, skin, lymph, and blood. The more toxic our environments, the harder these systems have to work. If not able to keep up with the burden, toxins will be stored in fat cells to protect our brain and other vital organs from oxidative damage. A healthy detox/purification program will provide the proper nutrition to help the systems of elimination function their best as well as protect cells from the oxidative damage that is possible during a detox process.

Benefits of Detoxification and Purification

More energy and vitality
Weight loss: average for 3 weeks has been 8-15 lbs
Better sleep
Cleanse mucous
Reduce inflammation
Improve mental clarity
Control sugar, salt, alcohol, junk food, and nicotine cravings
Balance hormones, improve libido
Strengthen the immune system

Related Articles/Links

Check out the Standard Process website for more information about purification with their products, frequently asked questions, what to expect, and recipies.

Our Deepest Fear
by Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Paradigm Shift, Energy Medicine, Quantum Science, Consciousness

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

This month, I would like to share with you a summary I wrote after attending a conference on energy medicine a couple years ago. This topic may be a little esoteric for some but it was exciting to see science confirming, with devices and measurements, the effect of thought and energy on the physical body. Practitioners who work with touch therapies like massage, craniosacral therapy, and acupuncture see the beneficial effects of intention in the results they achieve and now there are instruments to measure physical change! Our mind is perhaps our most powerful tool to create healing. Practice in visualization, considering a best outcome, praying for healing, keeping our thoughts on what we want instead of what we don’t want. . . they all help us step into that realm of possibility that over time becomes the real of probability that can be our reality! Enjoy!

Paradigm Shift, Energy Medicine, Quantum Science, Consciousness

Several years ago I attended a symposium called Paradigm Shift, Energy Medicine, Quantum Science, Consciousness. There is an evolution of awareness that our thoughts truly are creating reality and this symposium brought scientists together to explain, demonstrate, and confirm what more and more people in medicine are experiencing. I will summarize the conference as it had meaning to me with the intention that it may offer you something to think about.

Reality is really a wave of unformed, uncreated, un-originated possibility. Matter or the physical is only one aspect of being. Physical, mental, vital, and bliss are all other states described and it is from these states of consciousness that we mediate the perceived reality. And, we have a choice!

Consciousness and possibility

Quantum collapse

Physical Mental Vital Bliss

Disease is possible at each level and health can be affected through mediation at each level. For example, organs are associated with chakras which are associated with feelings. Real healing and change takes place in quantum leaps. That is, through the assignment of meaning.

Energy medicines such as homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and craniosacral therapy are techniques and medicines that mediate on dimensions of reality beyond the physical. Often there is a concurrent effect on the physical but many times it is more dramatic on some other plane. How we perceive meaning and changes in habits can change what we experience. Creative healing involves the patient and physician in a creative process together making a quantum leap. This is a discontinuous process, an example of which can be seen when an electron moves from one orbit to another. As it jumps, it disappears and then reappears. This is not a linear change. It is quantum.

Life as we know it is more than electrical energy. We are becoming aware and even able to measure magnetic type fields. This magnetism is more subtle and less affected by interference. These fields are not linear and not in space and time as we know it. Devices are now available that are able to record and deliver this energy. It is known that the heart emits a field and that each heart field induces flow into the tissue of people around it. It also registers perceptions ahead in time and space beyond immediate surroundings. (For more information, check out “The Electricity of Touch”.)

An example of manipulation of this energy was given in relation to inflammation. Inflammation in tissue is the biochemical result of excess negative ions. Hands and various instruments are now able to alter charge density with resulting reduction in inflammation very effectively. Contact with cells seems to amplify this energy into tissue as a whole, referred to as an electromagnetic whisper. This energy seemingly does not travel in linear time and space and it is more sensitive to frequency than amplitude. The frequency that affects the human body appears to be very subtle or sensitive, confirming in techniques like craniosacral where the best effect is often a result of the practitioner doing less not more. And, all touch treatments appear in some way to be a mechanical signal transduction for the heart field of the practitioner.

Homeopathy appears to improve the physical body but act within the realm of the vital body. Succession or the shaking required to make and activate a remedy may in some way transmit the vital, vibration imprint of the substance into the water molecules of the dilution. Water has some incredible power as a medium of transference for magnetism.

Mind – Body implies mental meaning affecting the physical. When we have insights or awakenings where do we jump to? The supramental, spiritual, OM. Correcting our aberrations requires quantum leaps! Healing can mean regaining holiness or wholeness. This ability to alter our mode of consciousness collapse feels like surrender to a different reality. And it is our way Home. Ego in partnership with the Quantum Self may mean man in partnership with God. . . co-creating.

Finding Meaning

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Finding Meaning

A professional peer gave me an assessment to complete that asked me to quantify from 1-10 where I scored in relation to my diet, sleep, digestive health, stress, water intake, life purpose, weight, and physical health. With the objective numbers I saw I could certainly improve a couple areas but was pleased to see more that half near the optimal number. Life purpose was near the top and I reflected on how that got to be there and why it is such a passion of mine to empower my patients to find their life purpose and the passion that evokes in their lives.

Most of you have lives that are filled with responsibilities, opportunities, stress, and delights. For many of you finding health enables you to better participate in and appreciate your life. However, those who engage in naturopathic medicine emerge into a more sophisticated model of health that is less mechanistic but involves a deeper attention to how the body interacts with emotion and consciousness. If we view health solely from a mechanistic model then we deny the mystery of healing. The mind has a hard time grasping mystery. It is my belief we are not human beings in a spiritual world but spiritual beings in a human world!

Twenty five years ago someone told me I had a purpose and a light bulb went on. Somewhere deep within me it awakened something I knew was true. It gave me permission to live following what felt right for me instead of trying to please everybody else. I read a book called Love is Letting Go of Fear and it was a catalyst for yet another shift. I decided to live as close to the Presence of God as possible and that God was Love. This small simple book made me look at all my emotions as evolving from either love or fear. If I was angry it might be because I was afraid of being hurt or not getting “enough”. I began to practice challenging those fearful feelings because deep within me I knew I was loved and could trust a larger natural spiritual essence of life to guide me. My purpose in practicing the Presence of God became simply to learn to love better.

I read the following in an article by Dr. Rachel Naomi Ramen:

“I had a man in my practice with osteogenic sarcoma of the leg, which was removed at the hip in order to save his life. He was 24 years old when I started working with him and he was a very angry man with a lot of bitterness, a deep sense of injustice and a very deep hatred for all the well people, because it seemed so unfair to him that he had suffered this terrible loss so early in life. After working with this man for a couple of years I saw a profound shift. He began ‘coming out of himself’. He began visiting other people in the hospital who had suffered severe physical losses and he would tell me the most wonderful stories about these visits. Once he visited a young woman who was almost his own age. It was a hot day in Palo Alto and he was in running shorts so his artificial leg showed when he came into her hospital room. The woman was so depressed about the loss of both her breasts that she wouldn’t even look at him, wouldn’t pay any attention to him. The nurses had left her radio playing, probably in order to cheer her up. So, desperate to get her attention, he unstrapped his leg and began dancing around the room on one leg, snapping his fingers to the music. She looked at him in amazement, and then she burst out laughing and said, ‘Man, if you can dance, I can sing.’

Now I want to tell you something that happened at the end of this man’s therapy. At the end of therapy you do a review—people talk about what was significant to them and you share what was significant to you as a therapist working with someone. We were reviewing our two years of work together; I opened his file and there folded up were several drawings he had made early on. I wanted to return these to him, so I unfolded them and handed them to him. He looked through them and said, ‘Oh, look at this.’ And he showed me one of the earliest drawings. I had suggested to him that he draw a picture of his body. He had drawn a picture of a vase, and running through this vase was a deep black crack. This was his image of his body and he had taken a black crayon and had drawn the crack over and over and over. He was grinding his teeth with rage at the time. It was very, very painful because it seemed to me that this vase could never function as a vase again. It could never hold water.

Now, two years later, he came to this picture and looked at it and said, ‘Oh, this one isn’t finished.’ And I said, extending the box of crayons, ‘Why don’t you finish it?’ he picked a yellow crayon and putting his finger on the crack he said, ‘You see, here—this is where the light comes through.’ And with the yellow crayon he drew light streaming through the crack in his body.

We can grow strong at the broken places.”

She also retells a story by Dr. Bernie Siegel about John, a landscaper. He was a man who wanted, in spite of his cancer, to make beauty in the world. Rachel surmised in her article “One can serve purpose with impaired health. One might even regain health through serving purpose as John did!”

Reach out to those you love. Make decisions that feel right for your well-being and wholeness. Trust there is an invisible power of which we are all a part that is supporting your life. Live like there is no tomorrow. This is it! This is not a dress rehearsal! Don’t burden yourself with regrets! Remember “All is Well” and act accordingly. You will empower your loved ones to do the same but it has to start with you!

Flower Remedies

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Flower Remedies

Flower essences are the blossoms of plants prepared from a sun infusion in a bowl of water, further diluted, then preserved with brandy. These preparations embody the distinct imprint, or energetic pattern, of each flower species.

Each flower has the potential to help by treating a specific negative emotional state.

The man who developed the Bach Flower Remedies, Dr. Edward Bach “studied medicine at the University College Hospital, London, and was a House Surgeon there. He worked in general practice, having a set of consulting rooms in Harley Street, and as a bacteriologist and later a pathologist he worked on vaccines and a set of homoeopathic nosodes still known as the seven Bach nosodes.

Despite the success of his work with orthodox medicine he felt dissatisfied with the way doctors were expected to concentrate on diseases and ignore the people who were suffering them. He was inspired by his work with homoeopathy but wanted to find remedies that would be purer and less reliant on the products of disease. So in 1930 he gave up his lucrative Harley Street practice and left London, determined to devote the rest of his life to the new system of medicine that he was sure could be found in nature.

Just as he had abandoned his old home, office and work, so now he abandoned the scientific methods he had used up until now. Instead he chose to rely on his natural gifts as a healer, and use his intuition to guide him. One by one he found the remedies he wanted, each aimed at a particular mental state or emotion. His life followed a seasonal pattern: the spring and summer spent looking for and preparing the remedies, the winter spent giving help and advice to all who came looking for them. He found that when he treated the personalities and feelings of his patients their unhappiness and physical distress would be alleviated as the natural healing potential in their bodies was unblocked and allowed to work once more.

In 1934 Dr Bach moved to Mount Vernon in Oxfordshire. In the lanes and fields round about he found the remaining remedies that he needed to complete the series. He would suffer the emotional state that he needed to cure and then try various plants and flowers until he found the one single plant that could help him. In this way, through great personal suffering and sacrifice, he completed his life’s work.

Dr Bach passed away peacefully on the evening of November 27th, 1936. He was only 50 years old, but he had left behind him several lifetime’s experience and effort, and a system of medicine that is now used all over the world.”

I use the flower remedies from Bach Flowers as well as the North American flower essences from Fes Flowers. Most often the remedies are made in combinations of three to five flower essences to assist with the emotional state or cause of anxiety a person is having during a specific period. They work at a similar vibrational level as homeopathy, meaning some energetic resonance is felt and affected to bring a person to better balance.

One of the most well known Bach Flower remedies is called Rescue Remedy. It is a combination of Cherry Plum, Clematis, Impatiens, Rock Rose and Star of Bethlehem which together help one deal with any emergency or stressful event. This remedy has helped me with nerves before exams in medical school, with grief during the loss of my first husband, and with anxiety giving presentations! Children and animals are very sensitive to the effects of flower remedies as they are often more open to energetic influences. They have fewer ego defenses to judge and less intellectual challenge as to how things work. For example, one night my beloved dog, Cubbsy, an 8 pound poodle, had a seizure. His poor little body was wracked with spasms and his eyes were rolled back in his head. It went on for some time and did not look good as blood started coming from his mouth. I ran downstairs and looked in my cupboard for supplements or something that might help. The Rescue Remedy bottle caught my eye so I poured it over my hands and ran back upstairs. Cubbsy was still seizing. I began stroking the remedy over his poor little head and within 5 seconds the seizure stopped. He was taken to the vet that night but by the time we arrived, he was back to normal. I am convinced the remedy helped him out of the seizure and contributed to his good recovery.

Flower essence remedies are taken as drops under the tongue three times per day or as needed. If sensitive to the small amount of alcohol they contain, they can be used topically over the wrist or dropped into boiling water to evaporate the alcohol. Flower remedies are not addictive or dangerous and can easily be taken in conjunction with other types of treatments. They are especially helpful for treating mental and emotional problems and are suitable and safe for all ages including children, pregnant women, and animals.

During these times of change and uncertainty emotional and spiritual support is important to keep our perspective on what we want, not what we fear! Flower remedies are a nice adjunct to our self care. I would be happy to formulate a personalized remedy for you.

Depression and Naturopathic Treatment

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

 

Depression and Naturopathic Treatment

I am currently reading a great book called The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. It describes the biochemistry disruption of various moods and their link to nutritional deficiencies. As Summer approaches and we are getting a little more sun, I notice many people’s mood pick up as well as my own! However, depression is still quite a problem for many people and it can be quite common to blame yourself which only compounds the problem. I would like to share some information and approaches to consider for treating depression. Please call for a visit if you are struggling with your mood and we can explore what is appropriate for you!

Depression is one of the most common medical problems in the U.S. affecting some 17 million people. It affects the whole body, nervous system, mood, thoughts, behavior, appetite, and sleep. People can be chronically angry and irritable, feel sad, or feel very little emotion at all.

Causes of depression: stress or a traumatic event, imbalances in the brain, untreated low thyroid conditions, nutritional deficiencies, poor diet, high sugar diet, lack of exercise, allergies (including food allergies), hypoglycemia, and other medical conditions.

Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in the brain that regulate mood. The most important ones related to mood and depression are serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

Low serotonin levels can cause depression, along with anxiety and sleep problems. Antidepressants like Prozac work by keeping levels of serotonin more available within the nerve area of communication called a synapse. Tryptophan is the amino acid that is the foundation molecule to make serotonin. Foods that support serotonin production are carbohydrates but the nutrients that are specifically needed to make serotonin come from tryptophan, B6, vitamin C, and the B complex. Tryptophan is an amino acid or protein building block and it is plentiful in milk and turkey. Tryptophan, in a supplement form of 5HTP, is often prescribed by naturopaths for depression. Again, it supplies the body with the foundation molecule to make serotonin if it needs it. If people’s depression is a result of low serotonin they usually respond quickly to this modified form of the amino acid tryptophan.
This should not be taken if a person is using a serotonin enhancing anti-depressant as a side effect of excess serotonin may occur causing the same symptoms as the one needing to be improved.

Norepinephrine deficiency can cause depressions especially with associated fatigue and low energy. Norepinephrine is supported by improving the availability of the amino acid tyrosine. We find tyrosine in foods like meats and cheese. In order for tyrosine to make norepinephrine we also need adequate amounts of B6 and Vitamin C.

St. John’s Wort works by inhibiting serotonin reuptake. This results in keeping serotonin around longer and there by simulating an effect of higher levels. This should not be taken when on an SSRI anti-depressant medication.

Some people have a metabolic deficiency in their ability to produce the essential fatty acid GLA. They are typically depressed since youth, and find that alcohol helps. Risk for this deficiency is greatest in those of Celtic Irish, Scandinavian, Native American, Welsh, and Scottish backgrounds. Borage/ Evening primrose oil and cofactors B6, zinc, magnesium, niacin and Vitamin C will provide the needed building blocks to produce the needed essential fatty acid and resulting prostaglandins to support mood.

Other supports for depression include:

Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, rice, legumes and whole grains with exception of wheat (wheat gluten is linked to depression and is a common food allergy). Complex carbs promote serotonin production. If you are depressed and anxious concentrate on complex carbs such as fresh fruits and vegetables or whole grain rice for feeling more relaxed.

Include quality proteins from egg whites, turkey, salmon, white fish, and spirullina that are high in the amino acid tyrosine if your depression is associated with fatigue and lethargy.

Avoid all artificial sweeteners but especially aspartame or NutraSweet, this may interfere with serotonin production and can disrupt brain chemistry associated with insomnia and headaches.

Avoid all concentrated sugars and the quick rise in blood sugar which is often followed by a feeling of fatigue and depression. Try stevia as an herbal alternative or agave, a low glycemic sweetener made from fruit.

Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods as these quickly deplete the minerals and cofactors to synthesize amino acids into neurotransmitters. They also spike blood sugar and deplete the adrenals both leading to fatigue.

Keep your mind active and get plenty of rest and regular exercise.

Work with your conscious and unconscious thoughts and ideologies. Even our brain chemistry is affected by our thoughts which are creating our perception of our life and experiences. If most of our responses to the world are unconscious then get help and learn ways to change patterns that are not bringing you happiness or peace. A skilled therapist, a group, books, spiritual teachings, and a multitude of techniques are available to work on attitude and thinking.

Light therapy is helpful in the production of serotonin and melatonin, another biochemical that supports a positive mood. Full spectrum light is needed for at least half an hour a day to improve mood.

Treating low thyroid, blood sugar problems, and other medical conditions often results in a better sense of well-being and mood.

As a naturopath, I use an array of nutrients, herbs, and homeopathy to help people with depression. The examples I have listed are only a few and should be tried under the supervision of a naturopath. There are many alternative treatments for other emotional and mental conditions as well, such as anxiety, attention disorders, fear, and grief.

Using food, specific nutrients, and herbs can be done from several perspectives. The scientific tradition uses intellect, knowledge, and results to form a rationale for treatment. As a Naturopath, I am inclined to combine the scientific tradition with a more healing perspective. The mentioned medicines may be prescribed as outlined previously but hopefully there is also attention to the soul through which the symptom of depression is expressing some challenge. Each physical and emotional challenge that I see is an opportunity to take time and attention to the individual and their life. We all need and desire to be heard and understood. The unconscious wants our attention and to explore it is to have more insight into the thoughts and perspective from which we react and act out our life. Nourishing with medicine can go beyond physical substances and may also include words, touch, environment, consciousness, prayer, and intention. All these have as dramatic effect on biochemistry as do specific substances. These are often neglected or discounted by the scientific world because they are harder to measure and quantify. Who hasn’t felt uplifted by a walk in a garden, the sound of a baby’s laugh, an inspired sermon, a hug, or someone taking the time to listen to our life story?

My favorite quote from the past week was, “Practice is progress but perfection is prison”! The other one, from a physicist was, “My parents taught me there is always an answer”. Keep looking for your answers and “expect a miracle”!

Take care and call for an appointment or bring it up at your next appointment if depression or some other mood just seems to persist!

Dr. Mikel

The Nature of Suffering

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

The Nature of Suffering

Michael Jackson’s surprising death reminded me, as death does, that life is short so we need to make the most of it. He certainly did! Wasn’t it amazing to see all those clips of his life and to see his spirit infused into his work and his art with as much of his heart as talent? Yes, Michael had some things that haunted him. We all do. In this newsletter I will share a paper I wrote a year after the death of my husband in 1998. He died from lung cancer. It was a very difficult and painful time but also a time that brought the meaning of my life into greater focus.

The Nature of Suffering

I have experienced suffering as have most people, so it is only from my experience and nature that I can describe and relate to it. When I talk about it with my daughter or friends, I am even more aware how personal and unique it is. There are aspects of it, though, that are trans personal, like archetypes, a common human experience. Coming upon the completion of the first year of my husband’s death seems a time to reflect on this quality of humanness with some hope that there is purpose and meaning to it as there is to most emotion.

In our Christmas letter this year I reflected that it seemed pain and suffering did prepare us and allowed us to be willing to let go of Chuck, even though our hearts were still hanging on. Suffering can be on so many levels but mostly it means to me that I am disconnected from the nature of my soul. My first thoughts about it were that it meant losing someone you love . . . like my true love . . . or losing a special friend, or job, or thing that can’t be replaced. It seemed to be about what we are attached to. Then, I thought about suffering with Chuck and my daughter at times . . . hurting with their hurts physically and emotionally. I thought about my physical pains and health challenges that require attention at times and suffering. Suffering with loneliness, worry, defeat, sadness, and weariness. Suffering from an emptiness at times that could seemingly engulf me and then suffering because it doesn’t and I am still here to face this life that brings suffering.

I have worked with my dreams for over ten years and this past year my Jungian therapist said something that especially caught my attention. He reflected that the dream life often connects with the numinous. It is that glimpse into our soul that provides the perspective of what we are cut off from. I think that is what brings suffering . . . being cut off consciously from our soul. The other side of that is union with our soul is where we find meaning and joy. Union with our soul is what love seems to reflect. Relationships often allow us to experience a connection to the Self or our soul. We may project it on to the person of our affection and say they bring us love but really it is the relationship that awakens love in us. The dreams and goals we pursue, I have come to believe, are our soul calling us deeper and more intimately into our whole Self. These dreams and goals bring us into roles that foster our contact with more sides of our self and realization of our soul’s expression. A good example is my mother-daughter relationship. It brings me into the mother archetype and the capacity to experience love that only Mothers can know. But, it also touches a place in the numinous that reflects the nature of creation. I have experienced it through my body during pregnancy and in bringing forth of life. I continue to experience more aspects of motherhood as my nurturing supports my child’s growth and development. I appreciate that this archetypal role serves to heighten an awareness of a mystery and wonder that is greater and more meaningful than myself.

Suffering is not being one with this mystery and feeling the absence and loss of its presence and potential. I have felt this mystery in my relationships but have suffered when I have lost them. I have felt suffering with my body, with physical pain, with loss of vitality and disease. For me, however, it is the suffering that continues to motivate me to search for the meaning that exists even in the pain. My soul is not satisfied with the state of suffering, I must seek meaning or greater purpose in the feelings and somehow I know and have experienced the transformation that comes through the not denying and even accepting the state of suffering. As this capacity for acceptance grows there is room for forgiveness, compassion, humility, and a growing ability to receive from others and from God. It seems a paradox that with acknowledgement, experience and acceptance of most feelings there is then the release from their hold and an ability to move on in the process we call Life.

I have extensive professional and personal experience in death and dying so feel free to contact me if you need support in this area. Michael Jackson’s death, like the death of a loved one, may trigger feelings of past losses. Support is available so reach out.

Childs Art
A picture my daughter drew of herself at 6 years old, one year after her father’s death.

Cold and Flu Natural Approach

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Colds and Flu Natural Approach

Many of my patients are asking my opinion on flu vaccination and prevention. I would like to present a little more information to balance the media’s hype that tends to provoke fear and anxiety.

In an interview with the Cape Coral Daily Breeze, Dr. Erika Schwartz, medical director of Cinergy Health in Miami reminds us that, “More people died from the side effects of the vaccine [in 1976] than the swine flu. If we don’t pay attention to history, then we are bound to repeat it.” She goes on to say that while each year approximately 36,000 people die from influenza, there have only been 555 deaths in the United States from swine flu. She also emphasizes prevention over vaccination, pointing out that even after getting the shot it is still possible to get sick.

At this point, the swine flu vaccinations are still in the trial stage and their efficacy has not yet been determined. In 1976, the swine flu vaccine actually killed more people than it helped and despite this there are recommendations for even children to be vaccinated.

Vaccinations carry risks and I advise people to research those risks to make an informed decision about whether or not to participate in vaccinations. I will support whatever decision my patients make about vaccinations but feel it is my responsibility to provide information that presents the risks of vaccinations such as flu like symptoms, neurological damage, autoimmune diseases, and possible contamination from metals, chemicals, and other viruses.

References:

CDC downplays estimates on flu deaths, infections
How dangerous is the swine flu?
Flu Vaccine
Should you get the flu shot?
Swine flu ‘debacle’ of 1976 recalled
The last great swine flu epidemic
Swine Flu 1976 & Propaganda

Natural Protection

Susceptibility to colds and flu are in direct relationship to the strength of our immune system and internal hygiene. Viruses and bacteria will not thrive or take hold if our internal hygiene is balanced and healthy. For example, diets that are too high in refined carbohydrates, chemicals like pesticides or preservatives, and heavy metals can create too much acidity. Diets too low in enzymes can create environments too alkaline. Stress can weaken our adrenal system impairing our immune anti-inflammatory response.

Each system of the body is intricately connected with the health of the whole organism so when we discuss mechanisms and systems it is very complicated to break them down in isolation. Each of these recommendations has benefits to more than one system in the body but in combination they support that balance and homeostasis that supports health and optimal resistance to infection and disease.

1. Get enough sleep. Your immune system functions much better when you get enough sleep. Most people need about 8 hours per night for optimal health. If your body is tired your immune system cannot mount an adequate immune reaction such as the production of antibodies and numerous immune cells and anti-inflammatory molecules.

2. Exercise regularly. Exercise helps keep your immune system strong. Exercise increases respiration and higher oxygen content in the body deters the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells and boosts the production of macrophages that attack viruses and bacteria as well as increasing circulation to move white blood cells to where they are most needed.

3. Avoid sugar. Even small amounts of sugar can significantly impair your immune function, making you more susceptible to a flu infection. Sugar molecules look similar to vitamin C and compete with the vitamin C needed in macrophage cells that gobble up viruses and bacteria. Think of it this way: when you eat sugar think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl.

4. Drink lots of pure water. Keeping your mucous membranes well-hydrated helps optimize the mucous membranes of the mouth, ears, and nose. This is your first line of defense where immune cells reside to capture and prevent further entry into the body.

5. Wash your hands often.

6. Eat Vegetables. Vegetables contain huge amounts of the array of nutrients the body needs for health. The nutrients to metabolize energy, support detoxification by the liver, and to support a strong adrenal or stress response are loaded in fresh foods. Chicken soup made with fresh vegetables works for a reason!

Each person’s symptoms reflect systems of the body that are usually deficient. Even toxicity is a limitation in the body to maintain optimal balance. Digestion, liver support, adrenal support, and immune support cannot really be separated as their influence on one another is so complex and interrelated. Your best protection comes as we treat the body as a whole and work together to bring the body into optimal balance and health.

Naturopathic Treatments for Cold and Flu Symptoms

The best treatment for colds and flu is prevention! Here are some tips to help you stay healthy this winter:

Eat your vegetables and fruits strengthen your immune system.
Avoid sugar which weakens the immune system.
Avoid dairy which causes an overproduction of mucous and may aggravate the immune system.
Don’t over heat your home as dry air dries out mucous membranes. (Mucous membranes are loaded with enzymes, immune cells, and lymph glands designed to catch viruses/bacteria and are our first line of defense against infection!)
Keep rooms a moderate temperature and consider using a humidifier to keep air moist.
A HEPA filter in bedrooms is a great way to minimize dust and toxins, thereby reducing the burden to your immune system.
Wash hands frequently and avoid putting fingers in mouth, eyes, nose, and ears.
Drink plenty of fluids, get enough rest, and exercise to balance stress.

If you do happen to catch a cold or come down with the flu, consider the use of vitamins, herbs, and homeopathics. They are best used at the onset and can help lessen their severity and prevent secondary infections. Unlike antibiotics, which are not effective against viruses and work by preventing the replication of bacteria through one or two mechanisms, herbal products work by many mechanisms. For example, they may directly kill bacteria, stimulate white blood cells, stimulate circulation, or prove vitamins and minerals that nourish glands involved in the anti-inflammatory response. The more ways an herbal product works, the less likely resistance can develop! Homeopathics work as an energetic catalyst to stimulate the body to overcome symptoms. They can be extremely effective and have no side effects and are usually taken as small pellets under the tongue.

I often recommend the herbal/vitamin combinations Bio Vegetarian and Super Bio Vegetarian from Priority One in big doses the first day or two to beat a cold. A homeopathic remedy I recommended for the flu is Oscillococcinum which can be used safely alone or with other medications. Homeopathics are very safe for children.

Call at the first sign of a cold or flu or for a recommendation specific to you about what products to keep on hand.

Stay well and enjoy the season!

Please contact me if you would like to discuss products to have on hand to enhance immunity and for cold and flu prevention including Standard Process whole food supplements, homeopathic remedies and herbal medicines. I also love to hear about your progress so feel free to email me if you run out of product or if you need a change in your treatment plan. Often such changes can be made without an office visit. Your feedback is needed to keep you in good health and on a progressive program. We are changing health care one person at a time as we take responsibility for educating ourselves about good health. Education empowers us to make the right choices. It’s a process so stay open, keep learning, and congratulations on the changes you’ve already made!

Estrogen Dominance

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Estrogen Dominance

This topic comes up with nearly every woman I see. The very common symptoms for women that we attribute to hormones are most often a result of imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen promotes growth of tissue (i.e. the uterine lining in the first half of our cycle). But most women know breast tissue also can increase in size, we can gain weight, tissue can swell a bit, and mood can be affected. Progesterone helps to moderate these effects of estrogen, including the growth effects.

Here are some symptoms of estrogen not balanced well by progesterone:

PMS Breast tenderness
Excessive menstrual bleeding and cramps
Early onset of menstruation
Fat gain, especially around the abdomen, hips, and thighs
Hot flashes
Perimenopause sleep disturbance
Depression and anxiety
Fibrocystic breasts
Hair Loss
Irregular menstrual periods
Water retention, bloating
Low or absent libido
Infertility
Insomnia
Polycystic ovaries
Uterine cancer
Uterine fibroids
Cervical dysplasia
Breast cancer

Women make estrogen in their ovaries, adrenal glands, and fat cells. During the first two weeks of our cycle, estrogen is the hormone secreted to promote the growth of the uterine lining for implantation. After ovulation, the ovulating egg produces progesterone to maintain the lining and vascular system. If an egg is implanted, progesterone continues to be increased for this uterine sac to maintain the growth of an embryo. If the ovulated egg does not become fertilized, then the progesterone production falls off and the uterine lining is not maintained and it sluffs off with our monthly bleeding.

Women become out of balance with their total estrogen/progesterone hormones for several reasons. One reason is that we are being exposed to a huge number of chemicals that mimic estrogen in our body. These chemicals actually sit down on estrogen receptors and mimic the effects of estrogen.

These chemicals come from many places including:

Birth control pills
Hormone replacement drugs
Additives in lotions, shampoos, make up, and deodorants
Plastics and cookware
Growth hormones found in factory-farmed animal products beef, chicken, and fish
Pesticides and herbicides on foods and in the environment
DDT
PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls
Foaming agents in soaps and detergents

Sometimes, women produce too little progesterone when under stress because the precursor hormone to make progesterone gets used to make the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands to help us fight or flee. It raises blood sugar, keeps us mentally alert, and heightens our immune system among other responses. Many of us under pressure at work or home or due to psycho/emotional stress maintain high cortisol and, over time, this depletes the resources to make adequate progesterone thus promoting the estrogen dominance or imbalance with progesterone.

Peri menopause is a time when we start missing some ovulations. Remember it is the ovulating egg making progesterone so a few missed cycles and our total load starts to be reduced. This often initiates the start of menopause symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and anxiety or moodiness. The balance may have been leaning in that direction from chemical exposures or stress but with the missed ovualtions the imbalance is exacerbated and new symptoms or exaggerated symptoms develop.

The last thing I’d like to address are the functions of the liver and how they relate to estrogen dominance. The liver is the organ responsible for degrading toxins and our hormones. The liver is working hard for most people because of diets high in chemicals, environmental exposure, topical exposures, poor diet, and so on. The liver is sometimes at or past its capacity to do its job or under functioning because it lacks the nutrients from a healthy diet to work properly. Toxins that cannot be completely processed end up being stored in fat cells, including toxic estrogen. Estrogen that is only partially degraded and stored in fat cells can be recycled and has a higher growth promoting potential than regular estrogen. This creates a combined effect of more fat cells as a result of storing toxins that can potentially make even more estrogen.

What can we do?! Our past detox groups reviewed this information repeatedly to emphasize the benefit of improving diet and liver function to help remove toxins including toxic or excessive estrogen. Amazingly, almost all women see improvement in estrogen dominance symptoms – decreased hot flashes, improved sleep, lighter periods, easier premenstrual week, and they feel more calm and at ease.

Basic Recommendations to improve estrogen dominance:

Stop eating processed foods with chemicals.
Eat more vegetables and fruits, along with hormone/antibiotic free protein.
Eat at least one serving cruciferous vegetable a day. A specific sulfur chemical in these vegetables enhances the livers capability of degrading estrogen.
Reduce your exposure to xenoestrogen. A good list can be found here.
Join the next detoxification group in the new year.
Find support and learn ways to decrease your stress.

Dr. Mikel has a host of whole food products that enhance these recommendations and, depending on your symptoms can prescribe the right ones for you. SP Green Food, for example, is a combination of Brussel sprouts, kale, and alfalfa sprouts that many women love! This product has the vegetables that help the liver detox estrogen so they lose weight, have lighter periods, diminished hot flashes, and sleep better. Determining what is a appropriate for you and the cause of your imbalance will lead to the correct treatment. Salivary hormone testing is sometimes done and very useful in some cases. In my experience, 9 out of 10 salivary tests show some degree of estrogen dominance. Hormone supplementation is seldom needed for estrogen dominance if some of these other recommendations are maintained. Adding hormones for estrogen dominance may suppress symptoms by artificially balancing estrogen/progesterone but they can elevate both to alarming levels which increases the load of work on the liver which is why they often lead to weight gain from storing the by-products away in new fat cells.

There is hope and many women are finding safe and effective treatment for their complaints. I give this talk over and over and I have found that this information needs to be heard a few times in order to “get it.” Successfully using these suggestions to improve symptoms and overall health is really the best way to learn.

Resources

http://goodbyepms.com/fail.htm

http://www.sensiblehealth.com/Journey-04.xhtml

Estrogen dominance and men: http://www.greendivamom.com/2009/04/19/how-men-can-avoid-estrogen-dominance/

Are Endocrine Disruptors making us fat & making our children sexual mutants?

Spirituality and Medicine

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Spirituality and Medicine

The belief and trust in the healing power of nature implies a belief in some higher power or force we are a part of, working through us in our lives.

This power is found in religion for many people but it is also found in nature, in relationships of love, and in our passions and dreams.

As one becomes aware of this power there is a realization that it is always bringing us toward wholeness. Sometimes this is through increased physical health or sometimes through emotional growth.

An ability to recognize, experience, and express thoughts and feelings is important because it is the limitations in our thoughts that create the emotions that often contribute to our illnesses. Emotions create an energy that needs release. When not attended to, it may become internalized within the body.

Our symptoms may sometimes be metaphors for what wants attention emotionally or spiritually. Holistic medicine implies attention to underlying cause.

An infection may represent an internal conflict or we may be vulnerable to infection because of the energy depletion holding the conflict within.

Allergies may represent an internal constriction in response to the world indicating some fear or learned lack of trust.

Digestive symptoms may indicate some aspects of a relationship that are difficult to “swallow“ and the feelings may be difficult to let go of.

Back pain may represent how we are holding up under the emotional pressures of life.

There is always a story to be revealed when one explores the metaphors. Realizing that they have something to tell us about our emotional and spiritual life will begin the healing process that entails balance. By the very awareness and attention to their connection, we attain more balance between our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives. If we can identify and express our feelings, we have an opportunity to then look at the underlying belief they represent – from not trusting someone you love and feeling as though you aren’t good enough to have success to feeling that you are loved unconditionally and the universe provides what you need.

Illness does not have to be something we fight. “He battled courageously with cancer,” for example, implies there is a force in nature that is against us. Everything in life, even illness and death can turn into a blessing if we turn with faith and guidance to realize its gift. Grace is the healing that occurs when there is willingness to surrender to our emotion, explore what it is we really believe, and to then find acceptance or the courage to make corrections and live from a perspective that is more congruent with our faith, even our desire to have faith!

Physician means literally “friend of the soul.” A good doctor may help facilitate not only physical well-being but perhaps be a companion on a journey that brings a person into those qualities and balance needed to experience love for oneself and others.

I continue to be dedicated to this intention of being a good physician through 2010! May we all find our inner healer and let them take us to health, wholeness, happiness, and peace!

Healthy Digestion

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Healthy Digestion

To a Naturopath, healthy digestion is the cornerstone to health. “You are what you eat” and “You are what you don’t eliminate.” Digestion, absorption, and elimination are what makes up our body, what fuels our metabolism, metabolic processes, and what creates our immune system.

Optimal digestion depends on adequate enzyme production in the stomach and small intestines, a healthy mucosal cell lining in the G.I. tract including adequate immune cell protection, proper assimilation, and elimination.

When digestion is inadequate it robs the body of vital nutrient building blocks for all vital processes. Proteins are needed to build tissue and are the building block for neurotransmitters, the communication system of the nervous system. All cells have an outer lipid (fat) membrane which is the control panel for all metabolic processes. Fat also provides the myelin surrounding nerve cells and is responsible for nerve conduction. All hormones begin with a fat molecule in the form of cholesterol. How hormones function and the efficiency as to how they are broken down is dependent on the amount and quality of fat in the diet and how well it is absorbed. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose and provide energy.

What is not broken down and absorbed must be eliminated from the G.I. tract and what is not eliminated or absorbed efficiently becomes a source of toxic waste for the body to deal with. Food may sit in the digestive tract too long when enzyme production is inadequate, absorption is inadequate, and transit time is too slow. As a result the rotting food gradually becomes a source of irritation to the cells lining the digestive system. Inflammation can begin weakening the intestinal lining that normally maintains a barrier to keep large molecules from entering the blood stream. The term that has been used to describe this is “leaky gut syndrome.” As large food molecules gradually make their way into the blood stream it becomes a stress on the immune system to clean them up and break them down. Food proteins can be recognized as foreign and stimulate the production of antibodies. An overproduction of antibodies has been hypothesized as a possible contributor to food allergies and autoimmune diseases. Antibodies produced from abnormal proteins of digestion in some way get confused and begin to set up an attack on various tissues of the body. Another stress these abnormally large molecules create is to the liver. The liver is the organ of detoxification and anything in the blood that is not supposed to be there is broken down and eliminated through complex chemical reactions that require a large source of nutrients and energy. As the liver already has a big job protecting us from toxic exposure in the air, water, and foods we eat, undigested food proteins become a burden that often over-saturates its capacity. Toxins that cannot be handled end up stored in fat cells. Weight gain is often not always the result of eating the wrong food or even too much food but of an ineffective digestive system.

Poor digestive function and overwhelmed liver function cause a cascade of problems and stress to other organ systems and functions in the body such as stress to the adrenal and thyroid glands which regulate metabolism, stress hormones, and blood sugar. An overactive immune system and excess proteins in the blood stream can create acidity which contributes to inflammation everywhere, there again contributing to problems like arthritis and heart disease.

Conditions that indicate the digestive system is impaired include heartburn or reflux, ulcers, irritable bowel, constipation/diarrhea but also can be associated with other problems like inflammatory joint disease and allergies. Working on improving digestion, healing and strengthening the mucosal cells lining the digestive tract, and eating a diet that promotes good digestion and metabolism are some of treatment goals for almost any digestive complaint or condition. Optimizing digestive function and health will also prevent the chronic progression of many other disease processes.

Digestive enzymes are a good place to begin improving digestive function and health. The stomach uses primarily hydrochloric acid to begin the breakdown of primarily protein. Making an acid in the body that tightly regulates pH requires a huge amount of energy and bimolecular resources. People who are depleted, consistently eat a poor diet, and have other health stresses are often deficient in HCL. Inadequate HCL will cause food to sit in the stomach too long where it ferments and causes irritation to the stomach lining. This is one of the most common reasons for heartburn. The small intestines use alkaline enzymes from the pancreas which complete the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They are also natural anti-inflammatory support for the body. Lower abdominal bloating, cramping, and mild nausea are often symptoms of insufficient pancreatic enzymes.

Dr. Mikel’s experience and education help her formulate individualized treatment approaches, including diet assessment and education for your specific symptoms and underlying cause. Digestive health can be a cornerstone to your future health and ability to heal.

Hay Fever Natural Remedies

Posted on by Dr. Lynn Mikel

Hay Fever Natural Remedies

Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, means that your immune system overreacts to normally harmless substances in the air, resulting in symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, headache, watery eyes, sore throat, and an itchy nose. Hay fever is an indication that the immune system is out of balance. Hyper-reactive, in fact. (If needed, review the previous newsletter on digestion because poor digestive health is often the initial culprit.) Poorly digested food proteins eaten frequently can heighten the immune antibody and histamine reactions thereby causing overreaction to environmental triggers like pollens and grasses. The milk protein, casein, seems to be the biggest trigger for immune cells to over produce inflammation in the mucous membranes lining our nasal, sinus, and lung passages. This is exactly where environmental proteins from the air come in contact with the body thus promoting more reaction by hyper-sensitized immune cells. One of the goals with a natural approach to allergy treatment is to improve your threshold of sensitivity by doing what you can to calm the immune system down. Since it is really a multi-factorial contribution to create the problem, address the things you can control so you have a better tolerance to those you can’t.

Cut out cow dairy products from your diet especially milk, cheese, and ice cream. Organic butter does not contain the casein protein. Alternatives include goat milk, sheep and goat cheese, and almond or rice milk. Avoid soy. Raw milk and raw milk cheese are also often better tolerated but may be more difficult to find and digestive health and immunity should be strong when using raw milk products.

Reduce exposure to the allergens that cause your hay fever:

Pollens – install or change air filters, close windows, and keep windows closed while driving.
Pet dander – avoid animals, do not pet animals and, if needed, shower after being exposed to an animal.
Dust – dust frequently, avoid very dusty places, clean air filters or add an air HEPA filter to your bedroom or workspace.

Reducing the load of exposures will help your threshold be higher when outdoors.

Avoid other foods that can stimulate over production of mucous such as eggs, white flour products, sugar, and processed foods with additives and chemicals. Enjoy more vegetables to provide the body with nutrients to fuel the organs that clean the blood of pollutants and chemicals.

Limit sugar which weakens the immune system and leads to susceptibility to secondary sinus and bronchial/lung infections. Over growth of yeast or Candida is also promoted by sugar and is very common in people with chronic allergies.

Since hay fever is caused by allergens breathed into the nose, rinsing those allergens out of your nose a few times a day can again help to decrease the load of exposure to the immune system. A Neti pot or some other type of irrigation (even a teaspoon can be used) to pour saline water though the nasal passages. The rinse helps reduce mucous that traps the pollutants as well as provides some antibacterial protection. ¼ teaspoon of sea salt in 4 oz of warm water and a pinch of baking soda will make a good douche.

Now that you have decreased irritants as much as possible consider other supports:

Consider eating 1 tsp of local raw honey per day as it may ease hay fever symptoms, clear sinuses, and help control puffy itchy eyes. Experts believe that honey works because it contains traces of pollen which encourages the body to build up a natural immunity.

Quercetin, bromelain, vitamin C and nettles work as natural antihistamine support without the side effects of drowsiness. They help stabilize cells so they are less reactive to the histamine release, eat up some of the fluid production, and help balance immune reaction. These are commonly found together in allergy products.

Pancreatic enzymes can be used between meals to help resolve products of inflammation useful for allergy mucous production as well as swelling from injury. Homeopathics are also useful for allergies working to stimulate the body’s ability to find balance and reduce reactivity to allergens.

There is a specific homeopathic to help desensitize against Pacific Northwest common grasses and pollens. Liquid drops taken daily have been quite successful in reducing allergy symptoms. Ask about Allergena Zone 8.

There are several helpful remedies available. Other homeopathics to consider are:

Arsenicum. Take the potency 6c if there is constant sneezing, anxious, inflammation eyes.
Euphrasia. Potency 6c is helpful for itchy eyes with hay fever
Sabadilla. Potency 6c reduces sore throat with hay fever
Ferrum phos. Potency 30c taken first sign of inflammation, slow or stop episode.
Nat Mur. Potency 30c Profuse watery or white runny nose, repeated sneezing.
Nux Vomica. Potency 30c Irritable, bad reaction to anti histamines, better with nap.
Sulphur. Potency 30c Thick discharge accompanied by rash or itching of the body.

Diet cannot be overstressed: Vegetables, protein and fruit in that order are all very supportive and should be the focus during allergy season for quick response to natural supports and to improve digestive health and immune balance.

I will help find the best remedy for you!

Addressing the underlying cause as well as symptom relief is the best approach for improving your tolerance for allergenic irritants as well as for enjoying these beautiful Spring and Summer days ahead!

Excerpts from a talk I heard by Reverend Gloria Burges:

She asked us to consider what is our personal legacy or myth. She said we all have one whether we think about it or not. Our personal myth is the commitment we make with our future and life yet unlived. She says we stand on the backs of our parents and their legacy . . . our past. What stories are to be let go of and what story do we dream of stepping into?

She says one of the most important tasks on our life path is to listen to God’s calling to us . . . and to make a commitment. Not for the faint of heart, commitment requires vision, faith, and courage. It demands that we put our feet where our heart is.
Dream out loud, change the family story and create a shining legacy for our children and the children’s children for generations to come!

http://www.gloriaburgess.com/index.html