Radio Naturopath Episode 468: 2024 Thanksgiving: Gratitude, First Nation Traditions, Recipes

This week, the show was played the day before Thanksgiving, at a time where people are starting to make their Thanksgiving preparations, or God forbid, traveling to wherever they're going for Thanksgiving. I made it a Thanksgiving companion episode! I talked about various ways to experience and express gratitude, such as sincere Thank yous, writing a gratitude journal, and mindfully identifying things in your environment for which to be grateful. I also talked about honoring First Nation folks and decolonization. I also talked about some Native American dishes to share at Thanksgiving, such as wild rice dishes, quinoa, and the Three Sisters, beans, corn, and winter squash. I made both!

Radio Naturopath Episode 401: Vaginal Dryness, Tick Repellent, Heart Healthy Foods

This week I talked about three topics. The first is one especially important to peri- and post-menopausal women, vaginal dryness. There are some simple things you can do to help, and not necessarily hormonal! The second is TICKS. My patients are coming in with tick bites and frank Lyme disease. We discuss how to prevent getting them on you, how to look for them, and natural tick repellents. The third is a long list of heart healthy foods! Lots of things that you can eat and generally help your heart to be healthier, and some that are actually studied to do great things like lower LDL, increase LDL size, raise HDL, lower triglycerides, improve endothelial function, and lower blood pressure. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 390: Eat to Increase Your Metabolism and Burn More Fat!

This week, we found out that caffeine can increase fat burning! If you don't get jitters, upset stomach, anxiety, or insomnia from it, it can be your friend. It increases fat burning, can help to prevent diabetes, and improve exercise performance. The trick is to find an amount that you can consume without getting the negative side effects. For some, it just doesn't work, but if you can safely ingest up to 400 mg/day it can help! We also found a whole bunch off foods that can increase metabolism and  help with fat burning. Protein, including fatty fish, beans and other legumes, cayenne pepper, unrefined cocoa, and more!

Radio Naturopath Episode 346: How to Digest Your Beans and Veggies; Low FODMAPs

Since it's spring and we're all trying to eat a little healthier and get more produce in, I talked about how to make it easier to do that. Not everyone digests beans and vegetables well, but there may be some things you can do short of not eating them at all! We talk about easing into it, soaking, slow-cooking, and sprouting beans, and which foods to avoid or eat if you have trouble with FODMAPs, fermentable carbohydrates. Hopefully this advice will help people to eat their fruits and veggies more!

Radio Naturopath Episode 344: Important Women to Me, Spring Cleaning and Eating and Your Health

Today I wrapped up International Women's Month, talking about what it's like to be a women in 2022, a woman naturopathic physician, and honored some of the important women in my life. I also talked about spring cleaning and why it's good for your health, and foods to start eating now that it's spring. Time to get that produce on board!

Radio Naturopath Episode 289: Heart Healthy Foods; Krill vs. Fish Oil For Health

Today as a follow up to last week's discussion of the Mediterranean Diet, I talked about a whole bunch of healthy foods that can improve cardiovascular health. They can lower LDL, raise HDL, lower triglycerides, reduce stroke and heart attack risk, and help to lower blood pressure. Mostly, stuff with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and essential fats! Very obvious things, but they bear repeating.

We also talked about the difference between fish oil and krill oil. There's some controversy; they both make sense in different ways.

Happy Birthday to nephew Harry and friend Luci!

Radio Naturopath Episode 288: Why Ron and I Got the COVID-19 Vaccine; Why the Mediterranean Diet Is Good For You

Ron and I got the COVID-19 vaccine! We talk about why we made the decision to do it, what we experienced, and some ways to help mitigate side effects.

We got a great question about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet so we talked about that! You can't go wrong eating vegetables and fruit, a little cheese, olive oil, fish at least 2x/week, nuts, seeds and beans, and a few glasses of wine per week. Like Ron and me! It's also a good idea not to eat too much starch and sugar.

Radio Naturopath Episode 255: Coronavirus and Masking; Where We Stand; Foods That May Block Corovirus Cell Binding

Today I talked about how people criticize folks who wear masks in their cars and encourage them to not be so judgy. I talked about my current position on the pandemic, which is basically to focus on everyday, practical information that can help my friends and loved ones, patients, and even me! I also talked about the studies on how reproductive hormone therapy may be helpful to fight the virus. And a number of natural compounds from food that compete for binding sites on cells and make protect people from serious illness! Also, is carbonated water good for you?

Radio Naturopath Episode 247: Yet More Coronavirus, Heart Healthy Foods

This week we reviewed the wonderful Know Your Farmer Fair, where I got a great pair of alpaca wool gloves, some fire cider, and a horse hair bracelet. We got to talk with local farmers about their wares! Ron and I both had a great time.

I talked YET MORE about the coronavirus, elaborated on herbs for different purposes: ginger and turmeric to reduce inflammation, marshmallow root, elecampane and mullein to stop viruses from sticking to mucous membranes, echinacea, mushrooms, and eleuthero to support the immune system. We also talked about whether you need masks, washing your hands, and resting. We just have to see what happens as more people contract the virus, or if efforts at containment are successful. 

I also talked about great heart healthy foods! Walnuts, olives and their monounsaturated fats; berries and cherries and anthocyanins; and COCOA FLAVONOLS. Yum!

Radio Naturopath Episode 224: Lyme Check and Blue Zones: Rules for Living to 100!

We checked in with Ron again to see how he's doing with his unfortunate Lyme and Hashimoto's, and the reality is he's got good days and bad days, but seeming to get some more of the good days. This is a long haul! I'm going to have to check his thyroid hormone levels to see where he's at and if we need to adjust his meds.

Today I talked about Dan Buettner's Blue Zones! Those are locations in the world where they have an unusually high percentage of healthy centenarians. Dan Buettner quantified 9 life characteristics that people in all the Blue Zones share: move naturally, purpose, downshift, 80% rule, plant slant, Wine at 5, right tribe. loved ones first, and belong! So they get good rest, eat until only 80% full, eat a lot of plants especially beans, drink moderate alcohol, have a spiritual practice, good family and social connections. Good common sense for a happy life! Also great for reducing stress and maintaining health.