Testimonies

It’s one thing to know we need more zzzs but sometimes it’s a little hard to actually catch them. More than half of adults have some difficulty with sleep and a how to guide would be super helpful. One of the best ways to improve sleep is to follow  your body’s biologic clock.  It’s actually a thing and its called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). This clock is situated in your brain,  behind your eyes. It’s this supper tiny command center that controls the body’s circadian rhythm – the rhythmic body changes that occur throughout the day.  The SCN takes cues from the light that comes through your eyes. It’s the presence or absence of light that determines what signals it will send to the rest of the body. When there is a lot of bright light coming through your eyes, signals are sent through the brain and body that it’s time to stay awake. When the spectrum of light changes or becomes dim then different cues are transmitted to prepare the body to go down.

In our natural circadian rhythm the sleepy hormone (melatonin) begins to rise at 9pm. It’s around this time that the tiny command center is preparing to send out orders to put the body in repair and restoration mode. It is expecting near zero light input through the eyes around this time. If we are going to work with the body’s rhythm to catch some good zzzs then we need to start preparing for shut eye when the sleepy hormone starts to rise. About an hour before 9pm is a great time to start dimming the lights throughout your home.

The SCN also responds to light spectrums and exposure to blue light signals that it is wake up time. Red spectrum light is different though. This spectrum does not prevent the SCN from sending out sleep signals. Translation please? Blue spectrum lights are emitted from our devices, cell phones, lap tops, TVs. This light exposure before bed affects how long it takes to actually fall asleep. We should stop starring at these screens at least an hour before bed. If we need to use them during our sleep time prep then be sure to change the light spectrum of your device. You can do this in settings by selecting night mode.

Your body thrives on regularity so try to stick to the same bed time every night. I know this is easier said than done but with a lot of practice this can become a reality. Some good sleep could be just what the doctor ordered.

Here’s to catching all your zzzzzs.

Dr. Kathy

I used to think sleep was a waste of time and secretly wished I could function on less. There is always so much to do and so little time (can I get a witness?) Now that I have a better understanding of what happens when my body shuts down for the night I have more respect for this sacred time. Let me share just 3 major things that happen when you and the kids go down for shut eye and maybe you’ll see your siesta a little differently too.

Our nervous system can’t wait for us to turn the lights out. This is the major time for our nerves to repair and restore. Things learned throughout the day become more solidified in our memories and our center for emotion gets to decompress. This is why our children, who are busy learning and dealing with emotions all day, do better when they maximize on their sleep.

During deep sleep there is release of growth hormone in children and young adults. I know this is true because my kids always look taller when they wake up in the morning. It seems like they are sprouting more inches every night. 

The right amount of sleep helps with weight control.  The increase growth hormone helps convert fat to fuel and for us middle agers battling the bulge, we get a spike of leptin at night which helps suppress our appetite (Are you doing the happy dance yet?… I am.)

With all this great stuff going on when we sleep you think it would be top priority everywhere. That memo is getting out though because all across the world we have a serious issue with burning the candle at both ends and trying to get everything done, besides sleep.

Sleep deprivation is now a global epidemic. With technology taking off we have access to bright lights and the internet almost every where we go. It’s not always that obvious to us that sleep deprivation kills. Sadly, it is linked to over 1,500 vehicular deaths every year.  The next time you’re sleepy behind the wheel please pull over the first chance you get and rest. A sleepy driver is just as dangerous as a drunk driver. Sleep-deprived people who are tested by using a driving simulator perform as badly as, or worse than those who are intoxicated (now that you put it that way…).

Now that I got you thinking, you’re beginning to ask “So how much sleep do we need anyway.” Try to remember these numbers – 12,10 and 8. Elementary school children need 12 hours of sleep a day, Teenagers need 10 hours a day. No, there was no typo there- Teenagers need 10 hours a day. Lastly, Adults need 8 hours. These are all averages. Folks in your family may need a little more or a little less but try to aim for that general ball park.

It may seem strange and even inconvenient trying to schedule more sleep into your life but its worth it if your goal is a healthier family and a healthier you.

Here’s to your best life yet.

Dr Kathy

Fresh air is extremely important for great health. It is just as important as nutritious food, adequate exercise, refreshing sleep and stress management. Fresh air is actually the most important component to life. We can live a few weeks without food, a few days without water, but only a few minutes without air. That puts it in great perspective.

It all goes back to the basic cell. Every cell in our body needs oxygen to carry out its functions. Every single cell in our body craves oxygen which we get from the air we breathe. Just getting fresh air can sometimes do more to improve our health than medicines or food.

The best quality air has more negatively charged ions and less pollutants. Negatively charged ions help to clean the air and remove toxins. We find this type of air nearby moving bodies of water like the ocean, the beach, a river and waterfalls. The quality of the air is also the best after a severe thunderstorm. That’s a perfect time to go outside and take a nice long stroll.

Poor quality air has high levels of pollution. Some obvious pollutants are cigarette smoke and car exhaust. You never want to have someone smoke inside your house. Likewise, you want to avoid living in densely populated cities. There are some other pollutants however, that invade our space everyday and we don’t recognize them.  Things like popular household cleaners, insects repellents and bug killers can be toxic to our immediate environment. Modern living really damages our air quality. Things that seem so basic to everyday life like florescent lights, candles, air fresheners, gas stoves all have been found to pollute our home air. Many of these release fumes which over time become toxic for health.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the air quality indoors is 100 times worse than the air quality outside. Yet most of us spend 90% of our time indoors. Lack of fresh air leads to many symptoms like fatigue, yawning, poor concentration, headache, chest pain and anxiety.

No body wants to deal with all that, so it pays to get fresh air on a regular basis every day. So how can we freshen up our air and boost our oxygen intake? Here are a few things we can consider:

1. Maintain a good posture – slouching decreases the lung space and limits the amount of oxygen that we take in.

2. Breathe deeply – deep breathing helps to increase oxygen circulation to every single cell and is one of the quickest ways to start to feel better.

3. Allow air to circulate  – Its ideal to have the windows open for air to circulate. In the winter just a little crack will do and in the warmer months open them all the way.

4. Go outside and exercise – It is better to exercise in the fresh air as much as possible. You get the benefit of fresh air, sunshine and exercise all in one!

5. Have house plants- plants like aloe , orchids and palms are excellent plants to have in the house. They  boost oxygen levels and decrease floating toxins.

When trying to stay healthy and fight disease we cant forget about fresh air.  It maybe that missing link from sickness to health.

Here’s to your best health

Dr. Kathy

References

“Most people who get sick with COVID-19 will have only mild illness and should recover at home. Care at home can help stop the spread of COVID-19 and help protect people who are at risk for getting seriously ill from COVID-19.” – Center for Disease Control

So now you have COVID-19 and your provider tells you to ride it out at home because your symptoms are not severe enough to require hospitalization.  Is there anything you can do to fight this virus while you’re stuck at home trying not to fret but definitely concerned about what’s going to happen next? Yes there is!  While we have no effective medication or vaccine against this virus we’ve got to use what we do have – our immune system. There are many proven ways to boost the immune system so it fights better for you. There are also many foods known to be antiviral in nature which can maximize your bodies efforts to fight COVID-19 or any other virus for that matter. So even though this game changer protocol has not been tested in research studies on COVID 19, it has proven effective with influenza and other upper respiratory viral infections and is therefore worth implementing while you self isolate, thinking and wondering.

Time is of the essence. It is important to begin fighting back the minute you feel any inclination of a viral infection. That would mean that first scratchy sensation in the nose or throat,  the instant you begin to wonder if you could possibly have a fever, or as soon a you get that tired feeling with a runny nose, whatever the early warning signs- don’t delay. Begin implementing the game changer protocol to fight back the virus.

1.Dress for success. In a previous blog, “Fighting back the colds and flu“, I explained the importance of avoiding chilled body parts when dealing with viruses. Keeping the entire body well covered leads to vessel vasodilation which increases blood circulation diffusely. Increased circulation equals increased defense as those white blood cells are able to travel throughout the body and fight.

2. Increase immune boosting foods. Eat more garlic, onion and ginger. These have been shown to have antiviral properties and boost immune system function to fight infection. In a recent blog called “Corona Recipes” you can see how to make your own immune boosting, lung decongestant tonic at home. Make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. The minute I feel a viral type infection coming on I take 2 teaspoons. If dealing with an active viral infection I would take 2 teaspoons three times a day with lots of water.

3. Oil of Oregano to the rescue. Oil of oregano has excellent anti viral properties and has been used for many years in some industrialized chicken farms to fight infection. It can be a real help in fighting viral infections if started right away.  Add 2-3 drops of oil of oregano in an 8 ounce glass of water, drink twice a day for 5 days.  This could potentially decrease the intensity and length of symptoms. Oregano oil can thin the blood so if you are on a blood thinner be cautious.

4.Clean out the bowels. A backed up colon is a sure way to slow down your immune fighting potential. If waste is allowed to sit in the colon there will be toxic materials passing through the bowel walls making their way to the blood stream. These are foreign particles to the immune system and it will naturally begin to attack. When you are sick with COVID or any other viral infection you don’t want to be waging multiple wars in your body at the same time. So purge this war and allow your fighting cells to focus on the virus. A good bowel cleanse can often be obtained with any one of the following: senna, psyllium fiber (like metamucil), castor oil, magnesium citrate or Epsom salt (food grade) mixed in water. After you have cleaned out your bowels then stay on a regimen that will ensure you do “number two” everyday. A good regimen can be 8 oz of prune juice or 2 tablespoon of flax meal every day.  Always remember to keep your bowels clean while you are fighting any disease. This is very important.

5. Vitamin C. This powerful vitamin is a real key in helping the immune system function more efficiently. It is a super antioxidant which means it spends its time binding up free radicals, the bad guys which are busy damaging cells and tissues in our bodies. With less free radicals to deal with the immune fighting cells can focus on that pesky virus which is trying to bring you down. When fighting a viral infection it might help to use 3000 mg three times a day for 5 days. Thankfully Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin so it is not likely you will overdose on it. If your body has too much Vitamin C you might get diarrhea. If on high doses of Vitamin C for extended periods of time you can be prone to kidney stones. Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C and funny enough, so are white pine needles. You can add 2 – 3 lemons to a glass of water every morning or consider making pine needle tea from white pines.

We are all trying our best to avoid getting infected with this novel corona virus, but often times despite our best efforts the virus finds us and attacks. If and when we find ourselves with instructions to self isolate there are things we can do to fight back in this war against the invisible enemy.

Here’s to a defeated virus,

Dr. Kathy

Disclaimer:
None of the information in this blog or on this website is intended to replace the advice of your regular medical provider. Please consult your personal provider for all medically related questions.

References:

 1. Supplementation with aged garlic extract improves both NK and γδ-T cell function and reduces the severity of cold and flu symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled nutrition intervention. Clin Nutr. 2012 Jun;31(3):337-44. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2011.11.019. Epub 2012 Jan 24.

2. Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends. Microbiologyopen. 2017 Aug;6(4). doi: 10.1002/mbo3.459. Epub 2017 Mar 14.

The corona virus 2019 disease (COVID-19) is caused by a new virus which was first identified in December 2019. This is a different variant of the typical coronavirus and much is still yet to be understood about it. The good news is that from what we have observed so far most individuals who become infected are either asymptomatic or have a very mild case of the illness. Only about 20% of individuals become severely ill from this infection. Less than 5% require critical care in the hospital. Those at greatest risk for becoming very ill with this disease are the elderly above 65 years old and anyone with a chronic health condition including diabetes, heart disease and lung disease. Less than 2% of cases so far have involved children so it seems that this is more of a condition affecting adults.

It is expected that most Americans will be exposed to this virus sometime this year or next.  It is going to be important to have a plan of action if this virus infects you or someone in your home. The Centers for Disease Control gives very helpful guidelines for families to review and be prepared.
Here are a few tips:
1. Stay informed of local infections in your community. I routinely check the websites for the health department of my local town and state. Everyday I look for CDC updates for the most accurate information on the virus and disease spread.

2. Plan for ways to care for those at greatest risk in your home and community. Identify the elderly and those with significant heart and lung problems as well as uncontrolled diabetes and cancer. These individuals are the ones most at risk for a bad experience with COVID -19. Regularly check on your elderly and compromised neighbors by phone. If you are in good health try to make yourself available to drop off medicines and groceries to their door and allow them to stay inside. Encourage them to always keep their phone accessible so they can call for help and also that others can check on them easily.

3. Items to have on hand in your home:

• at least one full months supply of all prescription medicines
• enough water, (a gallon /day/person ) and non- perishable food in the home for at least 4 weeks (rice, beans, canned veggies)
•  a functioning thermometer (make sure the one you have still works.)
•  face masks and disposable gloves for when someone falls sick
• Garlic and lemons (I always keep these two super foods in my house especially during the winter with increased viral exposure)
• vegetable and bean soups (make in advance and freeze in serving sized portions to have easily available when sick)

4. Choose a room in your house that can be used to separate sick household members from others. The individual who is sick should have there own place of isolation during the course of their illness. They should not share a bed or bathroom with anyone else. They should also not share any hygiene products, towels, rags or eating utensils. The sick as well as the care provider should wear masks in the home to limit spread of the virus. To increase the air quality in the sick room place a green plant there and open all windows for cross ventilation and to improve air circulation. Make sure the rest of the home that is shared space is also well ventilated by opening windows for fresh air. Encourage the sick individual to get sun exposure by being close to the window at some period of time during the day.

5. Perform hand hygiene frequently. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 to 95% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.

6. Wash laundry thoroughly. Handle the sick individuals dirty laundry with disposable gloves. All the families laundry can be done together but should be done with laundry detergent and with the warmest water temperature. They should then be well dried with high dryer temperatures as well.

7. Maintain a healthy plant based diet for the family. Minimize sugary drinks and foods significantly. This is important for the sick and everybody else in the home. High sugary diets weaken the immune system ( read Poisoning the front liner). Increase whole grains like rice and oats, starchy roots like yams and potatoes. Have lots of beans and peas and as far as possible have an abundance of vegetables and fruits available for the entire family. These foods will assist your body in the fight against the virus by helping you lessen the intensity and length of the illness. (Read “Corona recipes” for more ideas of remedies to help during a viral illness).

8. Keep a cheerful and positive attitude in the home. During these times of increased strain and stress a negative and grumpy mood can break the backs of everyone. Encourage laughter even when there is nothing obvious to laugh about. These are unusual times with sanctions and enforced social isolation. Everyone is feeling the strain and pressure of this twilight zone. Right now family is all we have. Let’s make the best of this experience, lifting each other up, supporting each other in love and binding together as never before. We will get through this together.

Wishing all our families godspeed in these uncharted waters

Dr. Kathy

References

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html

The 2019 novel coronavirus has been renamed COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. It continues to be highly contagious and is spreading steadily throughout the world. Millions are fearful and presumably you might be too. The best way to fight this viral infection though is not to be afraid of it but to be prepared for it. Believe it or not, a plant-based lifestyle is an excellent way to brace yourself for this disease. While there is no vaccine to counteract the virus, a plant-based lifestyle is the perfect booster for the immune system which will help your body fight like a well-trained combat machine.

Notice I am talking about more than just a diet here. When it comes to a well-greased, efficient and powerful immune system that can win the virus war for you, we have to address more than diet. We have to address the entire lifestyle. Let’s take an inventory of your lifestyle right now and see if it’s one that is keeping your immune system in tip top shape.

1. Are you going to bed by 10PM and getting at least seven hours of sleep?
2. Is your stress level under control and are you taking on only what you can reasonably handle?
3. Have you kicked your tobacco habit in the butt?
4. Is your body in motion regularly and are you getting at least 20 minutes of exercise 3 to 4 times a week?
5. Have you removed major toxins from your diet which include meat, dairy and processed sugar?
6. Are you getting 2 – 3 servings of green vegetables into your body every day?

So how’d you do? If you said no to all or most of the questions it’s likely your immune system is weak and has been for a while. There’s no time like the present to start making a change. Hey, it makes no sense to worry and fret over COVID-19 and not do anything to get ready. Look at the list above and decide what aspect of your lifestyle you can start improving today. Each journey begins with one step. So get up and take a step. You’ll be surprised how far you’ll get.

To the best of health for you and your family,

Dr. Kathy

Reference

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0226-Covid-19-spread.html

I have a coffee grinder designated to grind flax seeds only. One morning while I was busy making breakfast my husband came into the kitchen and began organizing a bunch of ingredients to the side of the kitchen counter. This is not that unusual as he is a bit of a mad scientist and likes to create new recipes as well. After he was done gathering all his ingredients he asked me for the coffee grinder. “That’s for flaxseeds only” I said. He persisted in his request and so I pointed in the direction of my flaxseed grinder. Being unfamiliar with this device he began to pock and yank at different parts of it. Not long after I heard a snap. He broke something on my flaxseed grinder. I quickly came to the scene of the crime and discovered that he broke the handle that is essential to turn the motor on. I was not happy. I wanted to ask him to leave my kitchen and not enter as professionals were at work. Fortunately my better sense took over and I demonstrated to him how the grinder works and assured him it was nothing to worry about as we could order another one online. Being the classic “Mr fixer” he figured out how to operate a broken grinder and continued with his experiment.
This is not the first time I’ve been tempted to banish my husband from the kitchen. And to be honest he is not the only one I have wanted to place a “Do not enter” sign up for. My little children are often eager to help in the kitchen as well and they are expert at slowing down my progress. They are guaranteed to make a great mess and they put away my measuring spoons and utensils in the most bizarre places. Despite all these minor inconveniences though the kitchen is a perfect training ground for the entire family. I may have a few more skills in cutting and mixing but that came with time and a lot of practice.
As a family our goals are to eat more whole food plant based, eliminate junk and processed food, eat meals that have been prepared at home instead of eating out and eat more of our meals together. With ambitions like these it would naturally seem that the kitchen would be the perfect place to start. Not just for me but for the entire family.
As for my mad scientist… his experiment turned out quite well and we all enjoyed whole wheat corn cakes with breakfast!

My husband always says he won’t eat yogurt because it looks like toothpaste. I never quite made that connection before but he has a point that I can appreciate. Our food has changed its look and taste considerably since the 1900’s. Half the time what we’re eating is not really food. Our food is processed and refined, sugared and salted, chemically engineered to dazzle and stimulate a taste sensation. With the addition of the extras comes the subtraction of fiber and nutrients. When we are eating refined food it really amounts to food with little or no fiber left in it. Take for example a lovely sweet potato that has been specially picked to have her moment in food factory stardom. To meet the demands of her clamoring audience she needs to be highly refined and processed. She is about to be made into chips. Crunchy, salty, oily sweet potato chips. While she may appear to be more appealing to us in her new state she has lost all her charm to nourish our bodies. In her natural wholesome state as a chunky sweet potato she had healing properties with loads of vitamin A and B. She was a natural carbohydrate providing energy for hours on end and fiber to regulate our blood sugar and clean out our colon.  In her refined “chippy” state she will be sure to contribute to higher blood pressures with the extra salt. She will spike the blood sugar levels and make us more prone for diabetes. Her lack of fiber and increased oil content will slow down the bowels and lead to constipation. Foods when eaten as close to their natural state as possible nurture and heal our bodies. When that same food is highly processed and refined it contributes to a tidal wave of unpleasant symptoms and diseases.

It can be hard to know at first what an unprocessed food really is. It seems we hardly come across them in our kitchens and restaurants to really get acquainted with them. Well may I take the time to introduce you to a host of friendly foods that are waiting to heal and nourish you. They are fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts, seeds and grains. Fruits that look just as they came of the tree or vine are unprocessed. So apple or apple pie? Which one has the processed feel to you? Okay how about fruits or fruit roll ups? Banana or banana chips, zucchini or zucchini bread? Getting the picture? Whenever the food has made it to the factory and had its fiber removed and extra salt and oil added you can be sure it qualifies as a processed one. If you are ready to embark on a totally nourishing and healing diet then give strong consideration to an unprocessed plant based one. It is the diet proven to have the ability to prevent and reverse chronic lifestyle diseases including diabetes, hypertension and obesity. The awesome part is you don’t have to travel a thousand miles to do this change. You can start in your own grocery store. Stay on the periphery of your supermarket where you find all the produce and fill up your cart only from there. You will have all the foods I just introduced you to.  Remember if it has been highly altered don’t put it in that basket. Just to warn you, avoid the cakes and cookies aisle, avoid the chips and dips aisle, avoid the soda and ice cream aisle. The last I heard these foods are pretty notorious in the processed hall of fame.

Get ready for a wonderful adventure and stick with me on this journey. Simple every day choices are what determine the great health that you want and deserve.

Till Next time… Be well

Dr Kathy

Plant-based diets and cardiovascular health.
Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2018 Oct;28(7):437-441. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2018.02.004. Epub 2018 Feb 13.

Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women: Results from Three Prospective Cohort Studies.
PLoS Med. 2016 Jun 14;13(6):e1002039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039. eCollection 2016 Jun.