Radio Naturopath Episode 438: Musculoskeletal Side Effects of Repatha, Cordyceps, Sida acuta

Poor Ron. He had to get off his bike after less than 2 miles on a gravel ride. The evolocumab is still exerting its effects. We're thinking critically about the mechanisms of action of his musculoskeletal distress and responding accordingly. We are reducing inflammation, helping him to rebuild muscle, offering items to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic buildup, and something to help to break down any leftover drug in his body based on the pharmacokinetic of the compound. We are hoping he will be back to riding happily in a few weeks! Meanwhile, we also continue on the health benefits of cordyceps and my new friend, the mallow Sida acuta. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 428: Detox Preview: Sarcopenia: Keep Your Muscle Mass!

This week we previewed next week's talk, which will be about detoxification, especially as it relates to tick borne illness. We'll review everything from binders to epsom salt baths. Our focus for THIS week was on sarcopenia: muscle loss, especially due to aging. If you want to maintain muscle mass, you've got to move it or lose it! However, ANYONE can increase muscle mass at any age, and there are studies that show that. Retaining muscle mass is a predictor for healthy aging. So eat your protein, get your rest, and GET MOVING! 

Radio Naturopath Episode 362: Negative Ions, Best Magnesium Forms, Help for Statin Side Effects

This week I talked about a few topics! Not exactly a natural medicine thing, but I talked about how to preserve your fashion hair color if you like to go swimming, and what kind of shampoo to use! I also commended Dylan Dreyer on her piece on the Today Show where she made green pancakes containing SPINACH with her kids, and we talked about this and other things as a way to get your kids to eat vegetables. Then we talked about negative ions, how to access and why they're good for you, and why an indoor ionizer is NOT so good for you. We finished with Ron's current issue, muscle cramping from statins and how to help that.

Radio Naturopath Episode 327: Water: Alkaline and Cactus, Beta Blockers, Statins, Red Meat

Today we played Ask Dr. Fran! Ron asked me five questions:

1. What is alkaline water?

2. Is cactus water good for you?

3. Will I ever get off these beta blockers?

4. Why do statins make me sore?

5. Is meat REALLY bad for cardiovascular disease?

For answers to these important questions and more, listen to the show!

Radio Naturopath Episode 322: Nuts, Collagen, Arthritis and Nutrition

This week, I had a question from a listener about whether it's better to soak nuts before eating. The answer: Ideally, yes, but it's better to eat un-soaked nuts than not at all, unless you have a sensitivity to them. I don't like to make it harder for patients to eat healthy foods if they're in the habit of eating a lot of processed foods. Once they're eating a good complement of healthy foods, then we can discuss whether it's a good idea to soak, sprout, or ferment nuts. For some people, that would be a deal breaker because of the extra time and effort!

I also have been frequently asked whether it's useful to take collagen supplements, and we discuss. For some people it can be very helpful! We distinguish between collagen and general protein supplements. Because collagen is so helpful for joint pain and arthritis, we discuss nutrition to reduce and help arthritis pain.

Radio Naturopath Episode 161: Saag Paneer, Hemochromatosis, and Protein Powder, Liquids and Chewables

We talked about a good recipe for SAAG PANEER, which Ron made, an easy way to make it, and why it's so good for you. My favorite Indian dish! Because spinach is a vegetable that is thought to be higher in iron, we talked about hemochromatosis, iron storage disorder, and how to diagnose and treat it. Then I looked it up and found that per cup, kale actually has a bit more iron than spinach, and dandelion greens twice as much! It seems like for mineral content. dandelion greens are way up there. Now I know. So when they have them at the store, or when they're young and fresh in a clean part of the field, EAT 'EM!

Meanwhile, protein powders. We started with the not-vegan ones, and whey and micellar casein are really great for building muscle and supporting immunity. We also talked about the benefits of a few others, such as beef, bovine serum albumin, and bone broth. THEN on to VEGAN! Of the vegans, my personal favorite is yellow pea, because if its diverse amino acids, taste, low allergenicity, and support to the kidneys. But there's also rice, mixed grain protein, and hemp, all good choices; pick your favorite! Also GREEN POWDERS. I like the ones that mix greens, superfruits, chia and flax, and probiotic. We also talked about why liquid fish oil is better than caps, and why gummy supplements are NOT SO GREAT: sugar, and low yields of the nutrients you're trying to get!