Radio Naturopath Episode 313: Vaccine Mandates At Work, Tea Tree Oil and Your Oral Health

This week, I talked about mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic for workplaces. Currently due to the sharp increase in cases across the country, indoor mask mandates are being reinstituted. I got asked what if someone is vaccine hesitant and there is a mandate at their place of business. I talked about how it is currently legal for private employers to fire or not hire people who are unvaccinated. A course of action might depend upon whether the mandate is absolute or there are exceptions. I was also asked how to detox from the vaccination. The bottom line was, it's not a good idea to try to do major "detox" in the two weeks following the vaccination, as you don't want any components to leave your body. By all means, you can use some medicine to make yourself more comfortable, but if you feel the need to detox it's a good idea to wait until at least two weeks after vaccination.

I also talked about how great tea tree oil is for oral health, and basic things you can do to improve oral health.

Radio Naturopath Episode 312: Organic On a Budget, Onion, Broccoli, and Pigments

Today I discussed ways to make organic produce more cost effective: things such as buying local, frozen, store brands, and more. I also talked about choosing organic produce that is more likely to have significant amounts of pesticides if not organic, and buy non-organic for items with heavy skins and peels, as recommended by the Environmental Working Group.

We also discussed why particular vegetables and constituents are good for you: onions, garlic, and other alliums, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and those colorful pigments you find on your vegetables.

Radio Naturopath Episode 311: The Benefits of Farmer's Markets and CSAs, and Fiber!

This week, I showcased our wonderful farmer's markets an CSAs. I talked about the benefits of them, the quality of the organic produce, the reduced effect on the environment, and the benefits to the community. I also talked about health reasons why their produce is so good for us, and an aside on the great benefits of fiber.

Radio Naturopath Episode 310: Protect Yourself: The COVID-19 Pandemic Isn't Over, Micellar Water Etc.

I started with a serious reminder that the pandemic is not over. People of the United States are only 47% fully vaccinated, and there are hot spots in areas where people are largely unvaccinated. It's still a good idea to avoid congregate setting when you can, mask when you can't, and if you go to the gym, place of worship, or a place to sing, consider whether people are vaccinated, the extent of ventilation, and whether it's best to wear a mask. COVID-19 spreads by aerosols, and the more aerosol you breath the more virus you can inhale. It's not time to completely let down our guard.

On to a lighter note: health and beauty aids! I talked about micellar water which is all the rage right now! That, and why you might want to use toner. I also talked about sunscreens and some ingredients and nutrition to protect against skin cancer.

Radio Naturopath Episode 309: SWEAT: Why It's Good For You, When It's Too Much

This week, I talked about a subject dear to my heart, and to heated folks everywhere: SWEAT. We discussed why it's good to sweat, how it helps with detoxification, how it cools you down, why it stinks, and help for making it stink less. We also talked about hyperhidrosis, that condition where you sweat too much, and the various causes and remedies for that.

Radio Naturopath Episode 308: COVID-19 Vaccination by State, Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding

I was curious to see what the COVID-19 vaccination rate and also the absolute number of vaccinated people ranked by state in the United States. Unfortunately, the states with the lowest rates are in the south, Missippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Louisiana at the bottom 5. This may be due to access, education, politics, and mistrust. All of the New England states are in the top 7, and the only reason they AREN'T the top 6 is because Maryland is #6! They edged out New Hampshire by just a little. Again, access, education, politics, trust.

The main topic of the day was dysfunctional uterine bleeding. It's a very important topic because the prevalence in the United States is somewhere between 10-30%. To me, this means there's something about our lifestyles that is promoting this. I do note that I seem to see a lot of women in my practice with the condition. There are various causes and sometimes the cause is unknown, but there are lots of things to try, both biomedical and natural.

Radio Naturopath Episode 307: Statins: Pros and Cons, More Natural Help for Cardiovascular Disease

This week we have more discussion of cardiovascular health. We touch on how statins actually help to lower cardiovascular risk, but also the problems associated with them. We also suggest ways to mitigate these problems. We talk about supplements that help with healthy blood vessels and to keep plaque at bay. We also list some foods that can help with your heart health.

Radio Naturopath Episode 306: A Month After Bypass Surgery: Ron's Experience

This week, we talk to Ron at length about his progress, just one month past his coronary artery bypass graft surgery. We specifically ask him about his healing scars, healing bones, how he's doing with exercise, meds, and most importantly, his mental state. People who have undergone cardiac surgery can go through many varied feelings and psychiatric issues, and it's important to attend to those as they are occuring.

Radio Naturopath Episode 305: Chest Pain, Stroke, and Pulse Rate

This week we continued the discussion about cardiovascular health, and checked in with Ron about his healing process. He is getting along great! However, the metoprolol is making him very sleepy, even though it's allowing him a good rest.

This week we talked about the various things that can present with chest pain, from as mild as a pulled muscle to as serious as a heart attack, and everything in between. If you have new chest pain that doesn't let up, it's a good idea to go straight to the ER.

We also talked about the signs of stroke and causes, from ischemic to hemorrhagic and thrombotic vs. embolic. High blood pressure is a major cause of stroke, and most strokes happen in women and are thrombotic or embolic.

We began to talk about heart healthy foods and will talk more next week! We also talked about variations in resting pulse and what that might mean.

Radio Naturopath Episode 304: Cardiovascular Disease: Ron's Bump In The Road

We talked about Ron's experience of chest discomfort and shortness of breath during exertion, and how that led us to have him go to first his primary care physician, then the walk-in, and then finally consult with cardiology. It turns out this healthy fit guy had cardiovascular disease! It was pretty severe, and he had no idea because he had no marked symptoms until his arteries were over 90% blocked. So, here's the saga of his surgery, his aftereffects, his recuperation and treatment! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.