Sciatica

Sciatica

Patricia Holl, Chiropractor

Have you ever had a ‘burning sensation down the back of your leg? Perhaps you’ve experienced some numbness or tingling in your feet and toes? If so, you may have symptoms of ‘Sciatica’. Sciatica is a condition caused by compression, irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which is both the longest and largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve is made up of five smaller nerve roots which extend from the lower portion of the spine near the pelvis and join together to branch out on both sides of the body traveling down each leg. It then divides into smaller nerves which drape into the thighs, knees, legs and toes.

Individuals suffering from sciatica may experience an assortment of symptoms. It generally manifests as a distracting pain originating in the low back or buttocks, and involves symptoms of numbness, tingling, burning, cramping and an achy soreness which can appear anywhere along the sciatic nerve path. Pain may be constant or intermittent. For some, the pain can be an intense “shooting pain,” firing down one or both legs. Others may experience only a dull ache or numbness traveling into the back of the thighs.

Since the roots of the sciatic nerve emanate from the low back, any compromised structure in the low back can impose pressure on these nerve roots. While sciatica is often the result of spinal misalignment or bulging discs, other disorders known to cause sciatic nerve pain include inflammation, degeneration, or spinal canal stenosis, a condition in which the canal housing the spinal cord becomes narrowed.

Sciatica can also occur as a result of faulty postural mechanics such as driving for prolonged periods of time or spending excessive time in a seated position in front of the computer. Additionally, insufficient stretching and exercise, heavy lifting, bending, twisting or inappropriate sleeping patterns can contribute to this condition. Sciatica has also been linked to a variety of non-mechanical conditions such as arthritis, tumors, vitamin deficiencies and even diabetes.

The good news is that most cases of sciatica can be treated successfully. Because of its diverse causes, treatment for sciatica differs from patient to patient, and varies according to the cause and severity. Sciatica can usually be managed effectively with chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, acupuncture and massage therapy, in addition to modifying activities. The main goal in the treatment of sciatica is to decrease pain, increase mobility and restore normal functioning.

Whatever the cause, it is important to seek treatment swiftly to avoid long-term damage. See your healthcare professional when the pain first begins. Our bodies never stop communicating with us. Listen closely, and revitalize your health.

Sleep, A Foundation of Health

Naturopathic Medicine: Sleep, A Foundation of Health

By Jennifer Krieger, ND

 

Perhaps you are one of the lucky ones that easily fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, but difficulty sleeping is an extremely common symptom that patients report on a daily basis.  When we sleep, our bodies are literally regenerating – our cells repair themselves, our livers detox, our muscles rebuild, fat stores break down, blood sugar stabilizes, and our brain cells are restored.  With the start of the new school year, I would like to stress the importance of proper sleep hygiene, not just for children getting back into a routine but for everyone.  The following are some easy and helpful tips to help clean up your sleep schedule and catch some restful shut-eye.

 

Get Enough

First things first, make sure you give yourself a schedule that allows you to clock enough hours of sleep.  It is recommended that adults sleep seven to eight hours per night, children and teens nine to eleven hours, toddlers nine to ten hours per night plus two to three hours of naps during the day, and infants nine to ten hours plus a minimum of three hours of naps during the day.

 

Routine

Along with scheduling the time for sleep, create a routine.  Maintain a schedule that allows you regular sleep and wake times, as this is consistent with your circadian rhythm.  Circadian rhythm follows your own biological, internal clock and is geared toward a natural pattern of sleep and awake.  Circadian rhythm often follows the daylight, and we are innately designed to retire to bed at 10 pm and rise and 6 am.  Avoid napping in the afternoon if it disrupts your circadian rhythm.  On the weekends, it is best to rise at the same time as you would during the week, so no sleeping in (except for teens)!  Stop consuming products that contain caffeine at least six hours before your bedtime.  Do not eat large meals, consume alcohol, or exercise two to three hours before your bedtime.  One hour before bedtime create quiet time and start winding down – no worrying, stressing, studying, working, bright lights, or electronics.  During this quiet time, try a relaxing bath infused with a few drops of lavender, vanilla, or sandalwood essential oils and a couple of cups of Epsom salt.  Maybe you want to enjoy reading a relaxing book, spend time journaling about the events of your day, or quietly chatting with a loved one.

 

Bedroom Functionality Matters

A healthy bedroom should be designed for its purpose, a sleep sanctuary!  Ask yourself, what do I hope to accomplish in the bedroom?  It is recommended that the bedroom be reserved for sleeping and intimacy only.  Do worrying, planning, studying and other mentally draining tasks outside of the bedroom.  A comfortable bedroom supports good sleep, and a nice place to start is to learn how to feng shui your bedroom.  Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of functional design to help balance the energy of the room and harmonize one with their environment.  One feng shui tip for example, is that the headboard of the bed should be placed against a sturdy wall and not under a window.  Maintain a clean room, clean the linens on the bed weekly and find a new home for any unnecessary clutter.  Electronics have electromagnetic fields that can disrupt our own electromagnetic energy.  Alarm clocks, cell phones, computers, and televisions can have this effect on you and are best kept out of the bedroom.  In the winter, use your electric blanket to warm up your bed before sleep and then click it off during the night.  The removal of electronics can be extremely difficult to accomplish, so if you must have electronics in the bedroom, they should remain at a distance of at least three feet from the bed.

 

Sleeping Position

In nature, deer, sheep, and cattle tend to sleep north-south, directly in alignment with the Earth’s electromagnetic field.  Research studies have also demonstrated that when we are sleeping east-west we have far shorter cycles of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in comparison to the longer cycles of REM when faced north-south.  REM sleep is the final deep phase cycle of sleep and is correlated with memory consolidation as well as with overall health and wellness.  Position your bed so that you are sleeping north-south, ideally with your head facing north to optimize REM sleep.

 

Other Tips & Tricks

Here are some other helpful hints to help you nod off at night.  Get at least thirty minutes of exercise daily for deeper quality sleep.  Sleep with dark curtains over windows or with ear plugs or an eye mask, if needed.  Wearing socks to bed helps promote circulation to your feet, and keeping your feet cozy helps keep you from waking due to being chilled.  Applying a warm water bottle to your belly helps you to relax, calm nerves, and release anxiety.  Reciting a mantra, prayer, meditation, or simply counting sheep helps you to calmly drift off at night.  If you are lying in bed for more than 30 minutes awake, get out of bed and move to a mundane activity until you are feeling drowsy.  Repeat this as often as necessary.  Lying in bed worrying about the fact that you can’t sleep and why you are still awake only perpetuates difficulties with sleeping.  If you do happen to rouse from sleeping in the middle of the night, DO NOT turn on any lights at all as this completely disrupts your circadian rhythm cycle.  In addition to these suggestions, there are numerous natural remedies; including acupuncture, homeopathy, and botanical blends (to name a few) that can help you get your sleep back on track.

 

All in all, I hope I was able to shine some light on a few helpful hints and tricks to help you catch some ZZZs.  Sweet dreams, Billings!

 

References are available upon request.

Introversion

Introversion

Audrey Schenewerk, ND

Do you feel more sensitive or reactive to your environment?  Does this sensitivity sometimes wear you out?  Are you asking yourself, “what’s wrong with me, I should want to spend hours with this group of really fun people.”  Perhaps, you would prefer to go home, read a book, or watch a movie.  These are characteristics of a perfectly normal, though minority, personality called introversion.  Our society is geared for the extrovert and encouraged to achieve success.

 

Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist, explored the differences between introverts and extroverts in his book Psychological Types.  Explaining that extroverts dive into the external world of people and activities, while introverts are drawn to thoughts, feelings and the meaning of their actions.  He also explored what will recharge these two different groups, finding extroverts will engage in social opportunities when they are feeling a decline in energy while an introvert will seek time alone.  An introvert’s desire for restoration in a quiet and possibly solitary environment does not mean this person disregards other people or has social anxiety, rather they are likely sensitive to their environmental triggers.  Jung’s work led to the popular Myers-Briggs personality test, which is used in many universities to guide students in finding a profession and in companies to gain success.

 

Society is telling us that loud, charismatic or assertive people are successful.  In fact, there are many empowering training programs to make you a successful person by developing these characteristics.  This is not true for everyone.  Historically, we have introverts who have made enormous impacts on society, including Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Steve Wozniak, Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Seuss, and the list goes on.  These people made quiet discoveries or caused change that influence our daily lives.

 

How can you tell if you are an introvert?  You can take Myers-Briggs personality test, or consider whether you have many characteristics listed below:

 

• Prefer working alone, uninterrupted
• Think before you speak, and often do not get a turn in conversation
• Close people may find you to be a good listener
• Prefer a deep conversation with 1-2 people rather than small talk with many
• Think about ideas and goals rather than discussing and planning them with others
• Feel drained by social interactions, even if the events were fun
• Dislike conflict and prefer to resolve problems calmly

 

If you want to explore more about how your shyness, or sensitivity may be beneficial, and how these traits may help you enjoy life and be successful, consider reading the book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain.  As a self-proclaimed introvert, the author explores our extroverted society and where the introvert can grow, share their strengths and care for themselves while making a quiet but significant impact on society.

 

As naturopathic physicians, we appreciate this acknowledgement to our diversity in strengths and preferences.  We find that incorporating this into individualized care can support mental/emotional and physical health, while empowering your life.

Dietary Fiber and Your Microbiota

Dietary Fiber and Your Microbiota

Dr. Danielle Phillips-Dorsett, ND

 

Just when dietary fiber was becoming a cold, wet mess of oatmeal in your breakfast bowl, new exciting research is showing us why making the effort to incorporate fiber into each meal of the day is a foundation to good health.  Americans average 15 grams of fiber daily, while it is recommended to get at least 28 grams daily by the FDA.  So this means that most of us are not getting enough, negatively impacting our health in the process.

New studies are pouring out about how whole grains, vegetables and fruit, high in soluble and insoluble fibers, can alter the gut flora in positive ways. The emerging thought is that a reason fiber is beneficial, such as, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood sugars, and maintaining a healthy weight is due to fiber feeding beneficial bacteria. Some forms of fiber act as pre-biotics, meaning they are the food source for the gut flora. Once these good bacteria are fed what they need to thrive, they can change metabolic factors in our gut, which then impact our health in positive ways.

Cellular Metabolism published a study in 2015 showing fiber improved glucose metabolism (regulation of blood sugars) due to increasing abundance of Prevotella, a species of bacteria in the large intestine. A study published in BMC Gastroenterology showed that alterations of gut flora, by dietary fiber, improved metabolic markers in those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (a condition with no known surgical or medication intervention). In the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, pre and probiotics altering the microbiota were shown to decrease harmful products in the blood of chronic kidney disease patients. And, there are many more studies like these. So, what to do about that?

Fiber tips:

• There is no fiber in refined grains, meat or dairy products. Sad, but this means you need to add, or even substitute, some oatmeal, vegetables or fruit for your morning cheesy eggs with bacon and hash browns.
• When eating fibrous foods, it is important to get adequate water intake so that stool does not dry and become more difficult to pass.
• When you start increasing fiber in your diet, do so slowly or you may experience either diarrhea or worsening of constipation. Over time your body will be able to tolerate fiber more easily.
• Situations fiber may not be for you: when your doctor recommends a low-fiber diet, inflammatory bowel disease, certain cancer treatments, traveler’s diarrhea, diverticulitis and after intestinal surgeries.

Signs you may not be getting enough fiber in your diet:

• Straining to have a bowel movement, bloating, or going more than 1-2 days without having a bowel movement. Note, prolonged or painful constipation may be a sign of a more serious health problem and you should seek medical evaluation.
• Feeling hungry within an hour or two after eating and weight gain. Foods with more fiber will increase your satiety and results in less calorie intake per meal.

Bottom line, fiber is important for many health reasons and most of us do not get enough.  Eat your apple, kale, quinoa, beans, broccoli and drink plenty of water!!

IBS and the Link to SIBO

  Gazette Article: IBS and the SIBO Link

Jennifer Krieger, ND

 

Have you been told that you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and experience digestive problems that include diarrhea, constipation, passing excess gas, bloating, food sensitivities, heartburn and abdominal pain on a regular basis?  IBS has long been attributed to stress and anxiety, but now we have discovered that there is another cause!  It may surprise you to learn of a health condition that is recently gaining much recognition in the medical community called SIBO.  SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and simply put, means you have too much of a good thing.

 

We are hearing a lot about the use of probiotics to treat everything from bowel problems to autoimmune disease and even depression.  Probiotics deliver forms of the healthy gastrointestinal bacteria that reside in your small and large intestine.  These bacteria play crucial roles in helping with the digestion of food and supporting the function of your immune system.  In a healthy gastrointestinal tract, probiotics are in regulated amounts.  SIBO occurs when the bacteria from the large intestine migrate and overgrow in the small intestine.  When there is too much of these bacteria in the small bowel, these bacteria can damage and compete with your own body’s small intestinal cells to absorb the nutrients from the food you are eating.  When this happens, the bacteria end up producing large amounts of methane and hydrogen gas, which can cause the symptoms of IBS.  These hydrogen and methane gases are only produced by bacteria, and do not naturally occur in the human digestive tract.

 

The causes of SIBO are vast, including but not limited to: chronic constipation, food poisoning, stomach flu, ANY abdominal surgery, high levels of stress and certain medications such as antibiotics, birth control pills, proton pump inhibitors and pain medications.

 

Apart from IBS, SIBO has also been linked to a variety of other medical conditions such as: fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome, food allergies, acne, chronic fatigue syndrome, heartburn, hypothyroidism, diabetes, depression, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and many other gastrointestinal disorders.

 

SIBO is diagnosed with a simple breath test that requires minimal preparation and can be completed in the convenience of your own home over the course of a few hours.

 

There are three main ways to treat SIBO.  The first being with a specialized antibiotic prescription (you may have noticed those commercials that tout the benefits of taking an antibiotic for your IBS symptoms).  The second being a more natural route with antibacterial herbs.  The third way is with a specific diet called the elemental diet, in which you are essentially starving and killing off the bacteria by eliminating the foods that cause the overgrowth, like carbohydrates and certain sugars.

 

After the overgrown bacteria have been addressed, further nutrient support is needed to repair the gastrointestinal tract.  A special diet is usually recommended for long-term treatment, as well as using motility agents to help regulate the gastrointestinal tract’s natural migrating motor complex (to help keep things moving on out).  Specific probiotics are also selected to help maintain the good bacteria in healthy, low levels.

 

The gut is the root of the tree, and if it’s not happy, you’re not happy.  If you suffer from IBS or other chronic medical conditions, look towards the health of your gastrointestinal tract as SIBO might be the culprit.

The Surprising Key to Resiliency

The Surprising Key to Resiliency

Danielle Phillips-Dorsett, ND

Have you been feeling crushing anxiety, fatigue, or depression after a devastating event? Easily overwhelmed, quick to anger or finding it hard to connect to those closest to you? These may be symptoms your body needs help building resiliency. After decades in jail, Gandhi rose to be the leader of an entire country. We’re not all Gandhi, but we do have it within us to handle adversity without it tearing down our world (at least not forever).

Resiliency:  The ability to recover quickly

from disruptive change, or misfortune

without being overwhelmed or

acting in dysfunctional or harmful ways.

When we face our own pitfalls in life, the feeling of hopelessness may hang on longer than welcome. This is why the concept of resiliency and resiliency training has been of particular interest to those working with military personnel, domestic first responders (police, fire, emergency response teams) and children who face trauma. It does not stop there; those struggling to handle a breakup/divorce, death in the family, terminal diagnosis, discrimination, and (the most recent election cycle!) are also prone to overwhelming emotion. While it is completely normal and desirable to mourn and have strong emotions; they do not need to turn into lifelong patterns or interfere with getting back to a fulfilling life.

Studies are coming out from a wide array of professional journals, including the Journal of Emergency Management, Journal of Clinical Psychology, and the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, looking at resiliency interventions. What I find most interesting is that while the word ‘resilient’ is defining an individual’s ability, these studies are showing that support is actually the key to resiliency. If you are not feeling very resilient, here are some ways to garner support:

*Support your mental health: This of course includes traditional counseling- you are not weak, crazy or weird for going to a mental health professional!! It also includes self-compassion, meditation, EMDR (a technique to move the body through trauma), and NeurOptimal or other biofeedback systems to train the body to return to a natural state.

*Support your general wellbeing with connection: This is all about interpersonal relationships. Cultivate the relationships with friends and family that nourish and lift you up. Find an organization, such as the Wounded Warrior Project (veterans) or Casting for Recovery (breast cancer thrivers), that targets a specific group for supportive activities. Or, check out www.meetup.com/Billings for over 30 open groups interested in a variety of activities.

*Support your physical health: Are you sleeping through the night and waking rested, eating to nourish your body, eliminating (pooping) daily, moving (exercising) regularly, and taking time to fully relax throughout your week? If not, pick one area and focus on improving it. For support, seek out a practitioner trained to help with these foundations of health.

Side note: It is easiest to cultivate support when you need it least. Take these periods of time to reach out to others that may need your support. We all become more resilient when those around us are also resilient. If you feel like a naturally resilient person, consider acknowledging the people and opportunities that have helped you through a particularly rough situation.

For more information and resources used in writing this article, please contact the Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic.

Best to you in health,

Danielle Phillips-Dorsett, ND

Laser Treatments can be Effective for Nerve Pain and Damage

Naturopathic Medicine: Laser Treatments can be Effective for Nerve Pain and Damage

By Jennifer Krieger, ND

 

PINS AND NEEDLES – BURNING – TINGLING – STINGING – ACHING – NUMB – WEAK – SENSITIVE – these are the words that my patients often use to describe the pain they are experiencing that is caused by neuropathy. Neuropathy is the term used to describe nerve pain, inflammation or damage.  If you suffer from neuropathy, you know that it can be miserable to deal with acutely or chronically.  Patients are often extremely uncomfortable, and aggressive cases of neuropathy can inhibit fine motor skills, walking and even the simplest activities of daily living.

 

There are many different causes for neuropathy.  It is a common side effect of numerous chemotherapy drugs.  Other common causes are poorly controlled diabetes, environmental toxins, infections, injuries and the shingles virus.  There are different ways to approach the treatment of neuropathy.  Specific vitamins and herbs can help support nerve health and regrowth.  There are prescription medications and topical creams that can also help with the pain and discomfort caused by neuropathy.  It is important to address the underlying cause of neuropathy, as is the case if it is caused by diabetes.

 

If the nerve has already been damaged, treatments for neuropathy can often take time as it is necessary promote nerve regrowth.  There is one tool that I have been fortunate enough to use in clinical practice for neuropathy, and I have seen great success in the treatment of CIPN (chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy) and post-herpetic neuralgia (nerve pain that remains after a shingles virus outbreak).  This tool is called the Low Level Laser (LLL) and it has been extremely helpful for my patients dealing with the above diagnoses.

 

Light is crucial for life.  We know this based on the simple fact that our lives as we currently know them would cease to exist if the sun was extinguished.  The LLL works by tapping into the power of light.  The light energies of the human body are invisible to the naked eye, but present nonetheless.  Each cell in our body has the ability to emit and absorb light particles, known as photons.  The LLL works by locally emitting a specific light wavelength into cells that we are focusing on targeting, in this case – the actual nerves.  By doing this, the mitochondria (how a cell makes energy) are increased to repair the damaged cell, healing is stimulated, inflammation is decreased at the cellular level and the nerve now has the ability to repair and/or regrow.

 

Treatments last about 20 minutes per session.  It is recommended to have two sessions per week for a minimum of six sessions.  Sometimes the neuropathic pain slightly worsens after a LLL session – but this is a sign that the nerve cells are actually repairing and healing.  Patients usually report a significant improvement in neuropathy after a couple of sessions, and results can range from complete resolution of the neuropathy to a marked improvement in pain and other symptoms.

 

LLL is specifically programmed to treat a range of other medical conditions such as: a wide variety of musculoskeletal pain such as joint, muscle or back pain, acne, bladder incontinence and inflammatory bowel disease.

 

Neuropathy is challenging to live with and may seem unsurmountable.  Don’t despair!  The Low Level Laser is a lesser known option that is readily accessible and pleasingly effective for the treatment of nerve pain and damage.

Naturopathic Medicine: Keys for Successful Digestion

by Jennifer Krieger, ND

Many of my patients report that they struggle with heartburn and indigestion.  With new research focusing on the adverse effects of chronic proton pump inhibitor use, patients may wish to learn that there are other ways to help promote proper digestion without the lifelong use of a medication.  The following are guidelines that support proper food hygiene.

Environment

It may seem obvious, but where and how we eat our meals plays a key role in how we digest our food.  In an idyllic setting, one would enjoy a meal in calm and relaxed environment free of distractions.  A few suggestions are:

• Eat at a dining table without the television on!
• Avoid eating on the run or in your car.
• Sit upright – do not lie down while eating.
• Play calm and relaxing music during mealtimes.
• Enjoy an evening dinner on the patio as weather permits.
• After eating, allow yourself to relax and avoid stressful and strenuous activities for about 30 minutes to promote your parasympathetic nervous system (this is the nervous system that helps you “rest and digest”).
• Allow at least two hours before lying down to go to sleep.

Prepping the Stomach

Believe it or not, indigestion is often the result when there is too little stomach acid.  Stomach acid is crucial in helping us break down our food in order to prepare and absorb nutrients.  Most patients are shocked to learn that drinking water with their meals can actually be promoting indigestion.  Water dilutes the stomach acid secreted as we eat, so as a rule of thumb, try to avoid drinking any water with meals and for one to two hours after eating, depending on the type and quantity of the meal.  Small amounts of water taken to swallow medications or supplements are fine.  If you are drinking sufficient amounts of water between or before meals you will not be exceptionally thirsty.  Bitter herbs or apple cider vinegar can be used to prep the stomach for a meal.  Tinctures of bitter herbs are preferred over apple cider vinegar because they stimulate the digestive tract and help you to make your own stomach acid, whereas apple cider vinegar acts as a substitute for stomach acid.  If you choose to use herbal bitters or apple cider vinegar, sip a small amount in water 10-15 minutes before mealtime.  Sipping water with lemon throughout the day also gently promotes mild stomach acid production.

The Art of Eating Itself

Does it surprise you to learn that digestion actually begins in the mouth?  Our saliva is essential in supplying us with enzymes to help break down certain foods, and this is another reason to avoid drinking water with meals.  Many people use water as a substitute for saliva and are missing out on the vital function that the salivary enzymes supply to digest starches prior to reaching the stomach.  In addition, bite-sized portions are optimal – eating too much per forkful promotes indigestion and causes your stomach to work harder to break down large pieces of food. And listen up! The most valuable information of all is that it is best to chew each bite of food 31 times!  That’s right. You read that correctly, 31 times!  With 31 chews, each bite of food is properly broken down and prepared for further digestion by the pancreatic enzymes in the small intestine.  You will also tend to eat slower, which fills you up faster and helps to sate your appetite.

As you can see, there are many tips and tricks to promote healthy digestion. Give a few a try and say goodbye to indigestion.  Bon appétit, Billings!

Improving your Fertility Naturally

by Dr. Audrey Schenewerk

Nine months of pregnancy can be challenging for some and for others the greatest challenge is becoming pregnant at all.  Fertility is becoming more of a concern, and many factors can contribute to your ability to become pregnant.  Women and men can each contribute 40% to the overall cause of infertility, while the remaining 20% of infertility has unknown origin or is multifaceted.  Common causes of infertility include:

• Women: irregular menstrual cycles or amenorrhea, anatomical abnormalities, hypothyroidism, or poor egg quality
• Men: poor sperm movement, quality, or low sperm count

There are many things to consider when planning a pregnancy.  Most important is identifying if and when the woman is ovulating.  This is the time when an egg is released from the ovary and descends through the fallopian tube towards the uterus.  Ovulation is the only time when sperm may fertilize an egg.  There are several different ways to track ovulation.  Your licensed healthcare provider can help you decide which is best for you.

For Women— soon your body will provide all the resources needed to support the life and development of another human.  However, optimizing your health prior to conception can greatly impact the quality of your pregnancy, both your own health and the health of your growing baby.

Three or four months before conception is the optimal time to begin preconception care.  It is best that both the male and female partner begin to make diet and lifestyle changes. This window of time is ideal for healthy maturation of egg and sperm.  What can be done to optimize health?

• Eat a diet low in processed foods and sugar, high in whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, grass-fed beef, wild fish and game, healthy fats, and whole grains
• Decrease exposure to toxins, including drinking filtered water, eating organic foods, removing sources of heavy metals from your life, avoiding BPA and parabens, smoking cessation, physician directed medication adjustment, minimize alcohol and caffeine
• Initiate a sustainable exercise program that includes at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, and 300 minutes if either partner need to lose weight, including strength, cardio and stretching routines
• Establish stress reduction practices such as meditation, yoga, counseling, tai chi, mindfulness practices, mindbody interventions, acupuncture, massage
• Consider supplementation for both female and males including multi-vitamin or pre-natal, Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant support

These recommendations will significantly benefit anyone preparing for natural pregnancy as well as those utilizing conventional fertility treatments including intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization.  If you need additional support with conception seeking the help of a licensed health professional is beneficial.  As naturopathic physicians we treat the whole person, supporting both the female and male’s body in performing the natural function of conception.  We help regulate the menstrual cycle and enhance sperm motility and seek to remove other obstacles to optimize conception.  Additional support may include:

• Determining the cause of infertility
• Regulating hormones and menstrual cycles
• Specific nutrient and botanicals for sperm health including zinc and selenium
• Treating hypothyroidism
• Providing anti-oxidant support
• Decreasing inflammation
• Optimizing the microbiome with probiotics and gut healing
• Detoxification support

Individualized recommendations can be found by consulting with a health care provider educated in prenatal health and nutrition.  Everything you do to improve your health prior to conception ultimately improves the health of your fetus and then newborn, giving them a great start in life. 

NeurOptimal

by Patricia Holl

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Are you having difficulty focusing at work or on  responsibilities at home?  Is anxiety interfering with your life? Has it become almost impossible to relax? If so, you’re not alone. Every activity we do throughout the day demands a certain degree of consciousness and awareness. Our brain, the ‘administrator’ of these activities, requires an enormous amount of flexibility to manage and multi-task these everyday endeavors, as well as the ability to efficiently transition from one event to the next. When stress, anxiety or emotional distress occurs, the agitation and alarm we experience can start to overwhelm us.

NeurOptimal is a cutting edge neurofeedback system designed to train the brain to enhance your wellbeing and unlock cognitive potential. This technology monitors brainwaves through a process known as entrainment, which refers to our brain’s ‘electrical response to rhythmic sensory stimulation, such as pulses of sound or light.’ A rhythmic stimulus, such as pulses of sound, can begin to productively alter our brainwave patterns, synchronizing our electric cycles and guiding us to useful and constructive mental states.

Brain health is important throughout our lives, but becomes particularly critical as we age when degenerative changes can adversely affect our brains. Memory loss, insomnia, anxiety and even the physical challenges of chronic pain are all brain-based conditions. As Dr Datis Kharazian, author of ‘Why Isn’t My Brain Working’ points out, ‘the functions of posture and balance, muscle tone, spinal stability, pain perception and athletic performance are all related to ‘brain function’. These functions are specific to pathways in the brain and when they are not working, patients suffer from dizziness, chronic pain, spinal instability, abnormal muscle tone/tightness, etc.’

NeurOptimal training provides individuals with coping mechanisms to deal with the challenges of everyday life, as well as strengthens and conditions our brains to decelerate the detrimental effects of brain aging and decline. By focusing on the central nervous system, NeurOptimal monitors brainwaves and alerts the brain when it isn’t functioning optimally. As the brain adjusts to this training, it reorganizes itself and improves function by becoming more elastic and resilient. This can improve our nervous system’s ability to recover from adverse conditions, such as anxiety, insomnia and depression. Rather than suffering from the deleterious effects of long term trauma or loss, a flexible and durable brain can return to a healthy baseline and resume a happier and more peaceful way of life.

Remember that your brain is living tissue, and can be affected by stress, insomnia, depression and any of the myriad influences experienced in daily life. And, as living tissue, it can reorganize, rebuild and recover. So, if you think your brain could use a workout, NeurOptimal is an excellent option. A stronger brain, a healthier you!