Radio Naturopath Episode 460: Lisinopril finally! More Weight Loss Basics

This week, I talk about my jump to the Dark Side. Well, not really. Hey, did you know that the term "going to the Dark Side" was popularized by Star Wars? I'm going to try another BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATION, and hopefully this time I can take it and stay on it! We're going to try low dose lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. The more I talked with various cycling friends, the  more of them I discovered were taking it, feeling fine, and enjoying riding their bikes as much as they liked! So my PCP prescribed it, and first dose will go down the hatch tonight. I'll report on how I'm feeling, hoping for no dizziness!

We continued the series on weight loss, some basic good advice on lifestyle choices that can help. Drinking water, reducing carbs, reducing stress, eating produce and fiber, all good! All of those things are basic habits that are great for healing from anything. Ron also read off some calorie, fat and sugar content of some very large coffee-based drinks available at a popular regional establishment. A large version of one of them had 1100 calories! Pair that with a glazed jelly stick, and that's all your calories for the day! We particularly talked about Neuropeptide Y, which gets stimulated when you eat fat and starch or sugar together. It turns off your satiety signals, so you wind up eating most of the pizza, or the entire pint of ice cream! So avoiding large portions of fat and sugar together is a good idea. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 453: How Sleep Affects Hormones

Ron and I are happily improving! I'm back on the bike and we're both getting our strength back. Rest, treatment, smart training, the right supplements. I hope it all keeps progressing! 

This week I talked about the interaction of sleep and hormones. Ideally, we should generally get between 7-9 hours of sleep for good health and specifically hormonal function. In order to have a good interaction of melatonin and cortisol, one sleep-inducing, the other for energy, 7-9 hours is ideal! Also for healthy reproductive function, weight, mood, and immunity: all the hormones that manage these bodily functions benefit from adequate sleep. So don't skimp! Have a wind-down routine, make sure the room is dark and cool, don't overdo sugar and carbs. Sleep is one of the most healing things you can do!

Radio Naturopath Episode 398: More on Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Health and Women

This week, I talked more about cardiovascular health especially as it relates to women. Women can have different symptoms of cardiovascular disease than men, especially if they are having a heart attack. We try to help you understand the signs and symptoms! Lots of herbs for heart health. Also, some other cardiovascular markers.

Radio Naturopath Episode 384: Happy Valentine's Day 2023! Chocolate, Vanilla, and Love Hormones

This week Ron and I commemorated our Valentine's Day anniversary, and then talked about more health benefits of chocolate. We even talked about the health benefits of vanilla, which are somewhat similar! And who knew that Richard Cadbury, the 19th century English chocolatier, started the tradition of chocolate gifts on Valentine's Day. He also created the first chocolate that was affordable for the masses! Milton Hershey and Russell Stover followed soon behind. We also touched on some feel-good hormones, like oxytocin and phenylethylamine. 

Radio Naturopath Episode 376: Added Sugar and Health, Natural Sugar Alternatives

This week I talked about how added sugars can affect your health. Mostly, it's not good. However, if you ask people to avoid them completely, they usually have difficulty with compliance. So, we talked about how sugar can adversely affect you, what an optimal amount of added sugar looks like, and even some myths around sugar. Then we talked about some healthy natural sugar substitutes. Avoiding them completely is not practical, so here's some guidance!

Radio Naturopath Episode 357: Yin Yoga For Your Back, Eggplants and Berries Are Good For You

Today I talked more about yin yoga and how it's a simple thing that most people can do especially to help improve their back health, Great relaxing and stretching! I also talked about the Bounty of the Season. I started off with eggplant, just because it will be available soon and it's surprisingly good for you. I moved on to EVERY BERRY: blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, and also cherries! High in antioxidants and great superfoods, and so many great ways to eat them this time of year!

Radio Naturopath Episode 320: Chromium, Cinnamon, Berberines, and Your Blood Sugar

This week I talked about blood sugar. A listener wanted to know about the best for of chromium to use, so I compared chromium picolinate to GTF chromium, which is polynicotinate. I also talked about a number of supplements that can be helpful in regulating blood sugar, such as berberines, cinnamon, gymnema, probiotics, and more!

Radio Naturopath Episode 292: Montelukast and Psychiatric Side Effects; Why Chocolate is Good For You

This week, we alerted listeners to the drug montelukast, brand name Singulair. This anti-leukotriene drug is commonly given to children and adults with allergies and asthma. The manufacturer has known for at least ten years that it can cause severe psychiatric effects in children, and yet the drug continues to be prescribed. I discussed the mechanism of action of the drug and some possibilities as to its cause. I also talked about nutritional factors that can be managed.

Since it's Valentine's Day this coming Sunday, I skipped over the mushy stuff and went right to chocolate! Why it's good for you, what conditions it can help, and recipes that include it.

Radio Naturopath Episode 243: Dr. Oz vs. Mark Wahlberg: Should You Skip Breakfast for Health and Weight?

Mark Wahlberg and Dr. Oz got into it! I think it’s pretty funny but it’s a topic worth discussing. They both got into their corners and said Everyone Should Do Things This Way. The thing is, they’re both right! Dr. Oz thinks you should skip breakfast, because he believes in intermittent fasting. I think there’s benefit to it too. It makes sense to wait until you’re actually hungry to start eating for the day. You also spend a significant amount of time in a low insulin state, which allows your body to do repair, reduces inflammation, and forces your body to burn more fat. However, if you’re like Mark and you have found that your healthy workout is supported by eating a certain way before that workout, then have at it! Mark is presumably very healthy and has found a way of eating that supports him and his workout. The point is not to take a side, but do what makes sense for your body. Dr. Oz is also correct in stating that most people are NOT like Mark Wahlberg. Ron found some CDC stats that said that only 23% of Americans get enough exercise to make a difference in their health, which means 150 minutes/week of moderate or 75 minutes/week of high intensity cardio, plus 2 sessions/week of resistance training. So the VAST MAJORITY of Americans are NOTHING like Mark! So Dr. Oz makes a point in that most people would benefit from doing things the way he suggests. But you should always do what makes you happy and healthy, whatever that is!

Radio Naturopath Episode 219: How to Be Healthy At Your Outdoor Celebration!

Today we mentioned that we feel sad that our president feels the need to have a very militarily-based event in Washington, DC, reminiscent of more authoritarian regimes, and that some of our military will have to staff this event instead of being home with their families. We are also very concerned that the price of insulin is skyrocketing to the point that insulin-dependent diabetics are dying from rationing their insulin. I think the goverment needs to step in and subsidize the cost of insulin, making it affordable or even no charge to all Type I diabetics.

We talked about all sorts of ways to be healthier on July 4! Sunscreen, marinating before grilling, natural insect repellent, hot dogs and hamburgers, produce, and having some exercise based activities at your gatherings, like games, walks, and dancing!