Radio Naturopath Episode 347: Happy 4/20! All About Cannabis, Marijuana, CBD, THC for Health

This Wednesday is 4/20/22, so I thought it only fitting to talk about the latest on cannabis! I talked about the history of the use of 4/20. I also talked about the many health benefits of CBD, THC, and CBD's parent compound, CBG. They all can be helpful for things like anxiety, depression, seizures, pain, insomnia, cancer treatment, high blood pressure, and more! I talked about some health caveats and drug interaction issues. I also talked about the status of legalization in Connecticut.

Radio Naturopath Episode 301: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine and Blood Clots, Happy Cannabis Day!

This week I talked about the blood clotting situation with the Johnson & Johnson and Astra-Zeneca COVID-19 vaccinations. In the US, the J&J vaccination administration has been put on pause until the government knows who can safely take this vaccine. It's because of an exceedingly rare, but often deadly condition involving platelet factor 4 complexes, antibodies, and blood clots to the brain and gut that uses up platelets and increases bleeding likelihood. The likelihood of getting these rare disorders from these vaccines is astronomically lower than getting these conditions from actually having COVID-19. Having said that, YOU don't want to be the one to have this condition, so the CDC is figuring out who has the most likelihood of getting these disorders and will recommend that those folks take Pfizer or Moderna instead, which are not showing these side effects. it's problematic because these single-dose, easliy refrigerated vaccines are the answer for disadvantages populations here and abroad. It's likely that they'll be re-approved for specific populations.

Tuesday, April 20 is Weed Day! It's the day to celebrate cannabis. We talk a little bit about access and health benefits.

Radio Naturopath Episode 252: Happy 4/20! Cannabis, Coronavirus, Inflammation; Obesity in the USA

Well, TODAY is 4/20/20, so we thought we'd talk about CHOCOLATE. No, I'm kidding, of course it's Cannabis Day in the USA! So we talked about the benefits of CBD for pain and inflammation, and that it possibly calm the inflammation of the coronavirus. It also can help with anxiety during the pandemic. We also discussed weight during the pandemic, some suggestions to ease it, and the fact that we're up to 42% obesity in the USA.

Radio Naturopath Episode 229: Natural Help for a Sprained Knee; Why to Not Vape

PHOOEY. I did a dance video that included jumping, and sprained my knee. Now, with all that great fitness I got over the summer, I have to back off on my exercise. I can do light spinning and swimming. I'm also going to the chiropractor and acupuncturist, taking natural anti-inflammatories and stuff to rebuild my ligaments, and (hopefully) getting more rest! I got into specifics on that.

I also talked about vaping today. I don't even think the jury is out; there's just too many health risks for me to recommend it. And it doesn't matter if you're vaping tobacco or cannabis; if you inhale oil, you risk getting lipoid pneumonia. Some people are dying of lipoid pneumonia from vaping. If you inhale oil, and then your lungs become inflamed, it's a vicious cycle of the body mounting an inflammatory response and you not being able to breathe it out! So, people, quit vaping.

Radio Naturopath Episode 227: CBD: Benefits and Caveats; How to Treat Athlete's Foot and Other Fungus

Today we checked in with Ron who is mostly well, and is trying to dial in his thyroid dose. We are still waiting to see if his thyroiditis was chronic, genetic and set off by the Lyme, or if it was an acute thyroiditis caused by the Lyme which will ultimately resolve. We'll only know if his thyroid medicine dose gradually appears to be too much, and we'll dial it back.

CBD is continuing to impress me! I am sleeping better, feeling cheerier, and feeling better during exercise. We also had a caller who wanted us to discuss the caveats of cannabis, so we did: genetically it may not be for you, and any substance you use can be problematic if it doesn't work for you. I also talked about candida, athlete's foot and toenail fungus, how it occurs and how to treat it.

Radio Naturopath Episode 207: Alternative Medicine and Thinking Beyond Opioids

On March 6, 2019, I had the privilege of speaking on a panel at Eastern Connecticut State University called A Wellness Approach to Pain: Thinking Beyond Opioids. I talked about some statistics on opioid use and abuse in the US. I mentioned how naturopathic principles can help with chronic pain. Then I talked about how NSAIDS and acetaminophen are actually more effective than opioids, although problematic. I talked about the effectiveness of physical medicine, like acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, and chiropractic, and how those things are not readily accessible due to doctor and patient attitude, poor insurance coverage, and high cost. I talked about how certain supplements, stress reduction, and diet change can all help with chronic pain. And I presented that if people in general had easy, regular, affordable access to physical medicine, it would go a long way to reversing the opioid crisis.

Radio Naturopath Episode 172: Interview with Gerald Berkowitz, Ph.D: Cannabinoids in Horticulture

Enter the very wise Gerry Berkowitz, PhD, horticultural molecular biologist! He told us all about the complex legality of cannabis in the United States, but that nobody's likely to get prosecuted for selling CBD. He talked about hybridizing cannabis plants to maximize CBD content, and also growing CBD from yeast. Lots of very interesting stuff about cannabis!