Understanding supplements: synthetic vitamins vs. whole food concentrates
To achieve optimal health, my nutrition practice recommends a good organic diet with supplementation from whole food concentrates, herbs, and homeopathic remedies. I am often asked to muscle-test the various vitamins that people are taking to see if the body likes them. Whether inexpensive vitamins from Target or very expensive ones from the local coop, these vitamins are synthetic. In almost every instance, […]
How full is your rainbarrel?
I recently gave a talk about German auricular acupuncture at a health fair. Afterwards, a couple of people came up to me saying they could relate to a certain phenomenon that I had described. I’ve written about this topic in my newsletter in the past, but it’s been a couple of years, and I think it […]
Keep your blood sugar balanced
The general public has become more aware of the fact that high sugar foods are bad for their health. There still seems to be a disconnect, however, between knowing that sugar is bad for health and understanding that most blood sugar-related diseases, such as type II diabetes and hypoglycemia, occur as a result of a high sugar […]
Do you have a leaky gut?
In the May/June issue of the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, we discussed the microbiome in your gut and how to attend to it. We used the label “dysbiosis” to describe a microbiome that is out of balance, that is, one with an abundance of harmful bacteria not managed by beneficial bacteria. The concept of dysbiosis leads us to the topic […]
The wild world in your gut
You may have noticed the term “microbiome” being used more often in everyday discourse about health. What exactly does the word mean? What role does the microbiome play in our health? Let’s take a look… What is the microbiome? The microbiome refers to the diverse environment of bacteria living in and on the body. Most often when the term is used, it is referring […]
How does acupuncture work?
To the typical Westerner, acupuncture may seem rather esoteric and unscientific. It doesn’t help that acupuncture is mostly explained with ancient Chinese metaphorical language and imagery. We typically hear about energy meridians that traverse the body through which energy (Qi) travels. Acupuncture points are described as areas where stuck energy can be unblocked, like turning on a […]
The science of health – food as medicine
A couple of weeks ago I woke up to an episode of “On Being” on Minnesota Public Radio. Krista Tippett, the moderator, led a discussion between Mark Hyman, Penny George, and James Gordon called “The Evolution of Medicine.” In a nutshell, the show was about the transition of medicine from “a science of treating disease to […]
What is your definition of health?
In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” I like that this definition is focused on overall wellness, not just on lack of symptoms and diagnoses. Since my practice focuses primarily on physical health, I want […]
Do you need more than a dash of salt?
For a few decades, the message we’ve been getting from various governmental agencies is that we need to reduce our salt intake to prevent cardiovascular disease. Is this message still valid? Does the type of salt we consume make a difference? Read on! Current national dietary guidelines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, advocate reducing daily sodium […]
What you need to know about GMO foods
There has been a lot of talk about GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and foods over the past several years. On one hand, those who are fiercely opposed to growing and consuming these foods say GMOs endanger human health and the environment. Biotech companies, on the other hand, continue to make the argument for GMOs because they increase crop yields […]
