What is chronic stress?

I’m sure you get a feeling in your body when thinking about chronic stress. You know what it feels like, but what is it exactly? To better understand stress and its effect on the body, first we must understand something about our nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is in charge of all of the automatic functions of our body, such as heart rate, blood pressure, sleep, digestion, and hormonal regulation. It is located in the brain stem and spinal cord.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic portion is sometimes thought of as the “fight or flight” system, but I like to simply think about it as the more active, quick response portion of the autonomic system. The parasympathetic portion can be thought of as the “rest and digest” system.

In our busy, fast-paced world, we spend a lot of time stimulating our sympathetic nervous system. We never shut it off, which takes us out of the much-needed parasympathetic state, where we can rest and recover our energy.

The effects of chronic stress

Chronic stress is when “the stress response becomes more damaging than the stressor itself,” says Robert Sapolsky, professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University. Sapolsky is featured in a 2008 National Geographic special called “Stress: Portrait of a Killer.” You can watch this short intro video to get a good explanation of the sympathetic nervous system. Thefull, hour-long show is quite interesting as well, and is accessible on YouTube.

Over time, sustained stress levels lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke, a compromised immune system, weight gain, digestive disorders, increased pain, headaches, reproductive issues, addiction, and premature aging. It’s not a pretty picture. What can you do?

Stress management

It is becoming more and more difficult to manage chronic stress, but here are some general guidelines:

Do for yourself

• Get enough rest and sleep, set yourself a bedtime and stick to it

• Exercise daily or when you are able to

• Eat a healthy diet or vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and minerals

• Avoid stimulants, sugar and processed food

• Moderate screen time

• Get acupuncture and/or massage

Do for others

• Connect with others

• Care for others

• Take part in community

Just be

• Meditate

• Spend time in nature

• Be positive

• Know your purpose

One last thing to review is the Red Clover Clinic Newsletter article from last fall “Avoiding the straw that broke the camel’s back,” which discusses the use of adaptogenic herbs to help manage chronic stress.

What’s keeping you up at night?

Good, sound sleep can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. However, when you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the hours spent trying to sleep can be incredibly frustrating.

I have many tools to help people experience improved sleep, but I find that order to get the most out of acupuncture or Nutrition Response Testing treatment, the various factors that influence sleep should be considered and addressed first. These factors include bedroom environment, evening routine, diet, and stress management.

Bedroom environment

To create the perfect environment for sleep, one must consider the Goldilocks principle: everything must be “just right” for an individual to sleep well. The bed should be comfortable and the room temperature shouldn’t be too cool or too warm. The temperature should be on the cooler side (60-73 F, depending on the season) to bring about sleepiness and help maintain a comfortable body temperature throughout the night. The room should be as dark as possible. Blackout shades or an eye mask are useful Avoid lighted alarm clocks and nightlights. Quiet is also important. Earplugs and white noise machines come in very handy.

Finally, a lesser-known environmental factor is exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs). We are surrounded by EMFs from things like cell phones, wi-fi routers, microwaves, smart meters, television, computer screens, fitness tracking devices, smart watches, cordless telephones, and power lines. EMFs that are given off can cause disorder in our nervous systems. Some people are more sensitive than others to these frequencies.

If you sleep with your phone by the bed, your smartwatch/Fitbit on your wrist or you leave your wi-fi router on during the night, your sleep may well be affected. The simplest thing to do is to keep electronics out of the bedroom or at least turned off. Also, switch off the wi-fi router at bedtime when nobody should be using it anyway. You can also invest in a few EMF protection products like harmonizing stickers for your devices, anti-radiation laptop mat, blanket, etc., that can absorb EMF radiation surrounding you to reduce its side effects on your body.

For those who are super-sensitive, there are devices that can help protect your body from these harmful frequencies. The one that has helped me the most is the Vivobase Home and the Vivobase Mobile. It was an investment, but now I wouldn’t be without it.

Evening routine

Sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms, and just as the phrase implies, a consistent sleep rhythm is important. Do your best to go to bed at the same time every night, and allow for 8 hours of sleep. There are people who need less sleep, but be sure to give yourself enough time to get the amount of sleep you need. Science also shows that it is best if you can get to bed before midnight to achieve the most restful sleep.

It is important to limit nighttime screen time. The blue light given off by electronics can interfere with your circadian rhythm, and depress production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

Avoid eating late meals, because a full belly can interfere with good sleep, as well as cause acid reflux. It is also important to avoid high-carbohydrate snacks late at night. The spike in blood sugar increases energy, making it difficult to fall asleep. It can also cause you to wake up hungry during the night. Nighttime snacks should include some protein and/or complex carbohydrates to help keep the blood sugar at a constant level.

Exercise late in the evening can also disrupt a normal sleep cycle. Morning is the best time for intense exercise. Soothing activities like restorative or yin yoga, stretching, or meditation is better suited for the evening and help prepare for sleep.

Diet

We already discussed blood sugar levels at night, but sometimes it is important to consider your blood sugar stability throughout the day. If your body struggles to maintain a good balance, then you may consider giving up sugar and high-carbohydrate foods altogether. Believe it or not, this can have a huge impact on the quality of sleep. If insulin production is abnormally high, the regulation of all hormones in the body will be off. Hormone balance is key to quality sleep.

Caffeine is another thing that we consume that can affect sleep. Caffeinated tea and coffee should be avoided after noon. Caution should also be extended to chocolate. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, but it is important to test this schedule, because you might be more sensitive than you think. Complete avoidance may be helpful with caffeine as well, because caffeine triggers cortisol production, which, like insulin, affects hormone balance.

Alcohol can hijack sleep. It makes us feel sleepy, but it affects the quality of sleep, not to mention blood sugar. Try unwinding with a cup of chamomile tea rather than a cocktail, and see what happens.

Stress management

Stress is part of life, but when it’s out of control, it can wreak havoc with our health. If you are under excess stress, it is imperative that you find a way to manage it in general, but especially before bed. Avoid doing work before bed. Try taking a warm bath or meditating in the evening to relax the body and mind. Drink some calming herbal tea (teas that include chamomile, peppermint, passionflower, linden blossom, lemon balm, valerian and/or lavender) or use calming essential oils (lavender, sandalwood, cedar, geranium, ylang ylang, to name a few) to help prepare yourself for sleep. Even positive things like creative thinking and planning right before bed can cause energy to increase, thereby disrupting sleep.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when trying to improve your sleep. If you’ve addressed most of these issues and still can’t sleep, I would love to work with you. There are many more factors that we may need to address to get you the sleep you need. 

If your heath is complicated by a condition such as sleep apnea, acid reflux, anxiety, depression, pain, restless leg syndrome, asthma, or the need for medications, it may require the joint effort of my services and your medical doctor.

Hidden Toxic Stressors We Don’t Think About, Part 2

In the last issue of Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, we introduced the topic of hidden toxic stressors, including  signs your body is struggling with toxicity and if so, how to address toxicity.

In this issue, we offer questions to help you analyze how toxic your diet and environment are.

Is your water safe?

Do you drink water straight from the tap? You might consider getting some kind of filtering system. There are many chemicals hiding in tap water, including chlorine and fluoride, things that are added to our water that purportedly protect our health. The problem is, if you’re struggling with toxicity, these things will only add to the problem. Check out Tap Water Toxicity & Your Guide to Water Filters for more information.

If you think that bottled water will keep you safe, think again! There have been many reports that the water used in many brands of bottled water is simply tap water. Furthermore, most bottled water is stored in plastic bottles, which can leach chemicals into the water, also adding to increased toxicity. There are good options available, but I recommend doing your research.

What’s hiding in your food?

When grocery shopping, do you take the time to read labels? If not, it’s time to start. Processed foods have many less-than-nutritious ingredients added to them and are typically high in hidden sugars, preservatives, additives, and food colorings. Food additives and colorings have been associated with hyperactivity and allergic reactions. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are considered to be neurotoxins. Even “healthier” alcohol sugars like xylitol can cause digestive distress. Check out 6-Step Checklist to Avoid the Worst Ingredients for some information on on unsafe food ingredients.

Another source of toxins in food is residue from herbicide and pesticides. See Are You Eating the Most Pesticide- Laden Produce? for a list of the 2017 “dirty dozen” foods. Choosing foods with the “Organic” label will help protect you from these harmful chemicals. Organic Farming: 5 Major Benefits will help you better understand the benefits of organic farming.

Another label to look for is “Non-GMO.” Genetically modified foods are heavily sprayed with chemicals, most notably Roundup, which is associated with many health problems, including infertility and cancer. Read this article for more information on the dangers of Roundup: Monsanto Roundup Linked to Infertility and Cancer. There is also some concern with how genetically modified foods themselves affect the body. All in all, it’s better just to avoid them!

Are there hidden ingredients in your health and beauty products?

Do you live by the motto “beauty knows no pain?” You might be surprised to learn that the pain caused by health and beauty products is more insidious than you think. It is just as important to read labels on your cosmetics, lotions, hair products, and perfumes as it is on your foods. There are many chemicals that find their way into these products, some of which are endocrine disruptors, such as phthalates. Don’t forget about nail polish, hair dye, hair treatments…and bath bombs. Check out the Environmental Working Groups safety database of cosmetics.

Are your cleaning products safe?

More and more, people are becoming aware of the dangers associated with cleaning products. Aside from chemical burns and lung damage due to inhalation, cleaning products contain fragrances and other chemicals that can overtax our bodies’ detoxification mechanisms. Something as simple as dryer sheets can wreak havoc with our endocrine system as well as cause harm to the environment.

Bleach seems to be a common cleaning product that finds its way into even the most natural of homes. Read The Dangers of Bleach + Never Mix Bleach with These Three Cleaning Ingredients to learn more about the dangers associated with bleach.

By this time you may be asking, what can I clean my house with? Here is a great resource for safe and natural cleaning products: The Best Natural Cleaning Products to Limit Your Toxin Exposure.

Do you take medications, get the flu shot or have amalgam fillings?

This is where the can of worms I mentioned in the last newsletter gets “wormier.” I have no desire to get between a client and their medical doctor or dentist. My goal is to provide resources for my clients to educate themselves on risks associated with things like medications, vaccines, and amalgam fillings. My primary concern is detoxification and whether or not your system is overburdened or not. In other words, can your body handle the extra burden of one of these treatments? Sometimes certain treatments are necessary, and you have to find other ways to promote detoxification. Other times it’s better to find safer alternatives.

Do you find yourself taking ibuprofen daily to help with your aches and pains? Doing so brings about an extra burden on your kidneys, liver and digestive system. Think about whether you want to risk long-term effects. Check out Take Painkillers Often? Here’s How to Avoid Ibuprofen Overdose for a great discussion of the risks associated with ibuprofen as well as some good alternatives. If acetaminophen is what you use, you still need to exercise caution. Read Acetaminophen: is it as safe as we think? to learn about the risks associated with long-term acetaminophen use.

The flu shot is also a sticky topic. Whether you choose to get it or not is up to you. Just know you may have to do some extra detoxification from the additives and adjuvants (a substance that enhances the body’s immune response to an antigen) in the vaccine as well as from the immune residue of the attenuated viruses. Whether or not you get the flu shot, 12 Flu Natural Remedies is a good article on how to stay healthy during the flu season

Most of us have or have had amalgam fillings in our mouths. They are about 50 percent mercury, which is a very dangerous substance to expose our bodies to. There are now many alternatives to these potentially harmful fillings that are also cosmetically more appealing. If you are thinking of having your amalgam fillings replaced, you may want to consider coming in for some Nutrition Response Testing first, so we can get you on a program to prepare your body for the procedure. If your detox pathways are already overburdened, going through the process of removal will expose you to more mercury, causing potential side effects. It is also best to seek out a holistic dentist who will take more precautions to protect you from the mercury. To learn more about amalgam fillings, read The Dangers of Amalgam Fillings.

The benefits of detoxification

To recap, it is important to assist your body in the detoxification process to maintain and/or improve your health. There are many things you come across in your daily life that may be increasing the toxic burden on your body, and it is good to be aware of how you can make better and safer choices.  The more you control what you can, the less the stuff you can’t control—such as air pollution—will impact your health.

Again, here are the benefits of making less toxic choices:

• Decrease toxic load of the body, and improve liver function

• Reduce inflammation

• Aid weight loss

• Promote skin health

• Increase energy and mental function

If you need help figuring out what might be causing you symptoms of toxicity and would like to improve your body’s ability to detoxify, Nutrition Response Testing can help!

Hidden toxic stressors we don’t think about, Part 1

We hear more and more these days about the importance of “clean living,” but what does that mean to you? Are you aware of the many sources of toxins you are exposed to on a daily basis? Do you think something is safe just because it is on a store’s shelf, or because your doctor or dentist recommends or prescribes it?

We live in a toxic world. We are bombarded daily by toxic chemicals, metals, and microbes through our water, foods, cosmetics, cleaning products, medications, and medical treatments.

Our body is designed to eliminate the toxins that, along with metabolic byproducts, it can’t use. When the body is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of toxins it is exposed to, the system backs up and inflammation results. Persistent inflammation and the inability to detoxify are two signs of ensuing or entrenched chronic disease.

What are signs that your body is struggling with detoxification?

• Brain fog

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Food sensitivities

• Constipation

• Bloating

• Nausea

• Insomnia

• Skin problems

• Depression

• Mood swings

• Bad breath

• Aches and pains

• Hormonal dysregulation

• Frequent illness

• Belly fat

How can toxicity in the body be addressed?

There are two ways to address toxicity. First, we can improve the body’s ability to detoxify through things that stimulate and promote detoxification, such as supplements, herbs, homeopathy, saunas, salt baths, and enemas. Second, we can remove as many toxins as possible from our diet and environment to limit exposure. The best choice is to do some of both. If someone is truly ill, they may have to use any method possible to get their body to function normally.

The benefits of detoxification

It is important to assist your body in the detoxification process to maintain and/or improve your health. There are many things you come across in your daily life that may be increasing the toxic burden on your body, and it is good to be aware of how you can make better and safer choices.  The more you control what you can, the less the stuff you can’t control, such as air pollution, will impact your health.​​​​​​​

The benefits of making less-toxic choices:

• Decrease toxic load of the body, and improve liver function

• Reduce inflammation

• Aid weight loss

• Promote skin health

• Increase energy and mental function

I realize I may be opening a can of worms, but my hope in this newsletter and the next (May/June) is to offer food for thought so that individuals can make informed choices about what they allow their body to be exposed to. The May/June issue will offer ways to  analyze how toxic your diet and environment are and what you can do to mitigate the effects.

If you’re interested in finding out how to help your body detoxify, and what kinds of toxicity your body is struggling with, make an appointment for a Nutrition Response Testing session.

Slowing down … a different kind of New Year’s resolution

Many of us feel exhausted these days. It’s so common in our world of doing more and constantly being available. I know I feel that way of late, so I have decided to write a more personal article this month, because I think you might find yourself in a similar position: always in doing mode, and rarely in quiet mode. What ought we to do? Try to keep up, or make choices to take care of ourselves since no one else will?

I feel grateful to be my own boss, in the position to set my own schedule. That said, it is still a challenge, because I feel compelled to be available as much as possible to my clients. I also need to be able to keep the business, with all its expenses, afloat. Over the years, I have tended to add on more hours to fit people into an already-full calendar. This has brought me great joy, because I’ve been able to offer the right amount of care for each person who trusts me enough to be my client.

I have been able to manage a busy schedule by doing my best to take care of my health. I have had many wonderful treatments: massage, cranial sacral therapy, chiropractic and, of course, acupuncture. I eat very well, and have Nutrition Response Testing checks frequently. I walk 10 miles per week, year-round. I spend my free time doing things I enjoy, with people who I enjoy and care about. All of these things have been a great support and have helped delay my cup from flowing over.…but now I feel that I’m dancing on the edge.

What a conundrum. Keep pushing, as most of us do? Or, slow down a bit. How does one find balance? I’m not sure, but I have decided to try. Starting in January, I will be taking two extra days off per month. My goal is to work four days a week in the near future. I will most likely extend my days a bit, so the number of office hours isn’t decreased overall too much. This is an experiment, and we’ll see how it goes.

Over the past couple of years, to spread out the client load a bit, I have sought out practitioners to work in the clinic. Roberta has been a great addition, offering massage therapy. However, I have so far been unable to find the right person who practices acupuncture or Nutrition Response Testing. I’m still open to this option. Perhaps by making room in the schedule, the right person will come along.

As you can tell, this is a tough decision, and it is an experiment. Please bear with us as we figure out the best possible schedule. We always recommend that you call in advance before stopping by to pick up supplements, as our schedule is by appointment. We will be posting the extra days off in the office to assist with planning, as we have in the past for my travel schedule. (And see below.)

Have you found a good work-life balance? What is your New Year’s resolution? I always enjoy hearing your stories, and invite you to share your ideas, solutions and goals with me. Happy 2018 to all!

Liver health – give yourself a fighting chance!

By Roberta Benson

Our health depends on our body’s ability to cope with all we encounter: substances taken in through air, mouth, and skin; mental and physical experiences; and the substances produced by every biological process of our bodies. The main detoxifying organ we have is the liver. It does an invaluable service in filtering blood and breaking down and then packaging toxins for safe removal. To give ourselves a fighting chance against the rampant toxicity of modern life, we need to cleanse and nurture this wonderful organ.

Stresses on the liver 

In the last 150 years, human-made chemicals used in modern lifestyles have increased exponentially. Pesticides, industrial compounds, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, particulates, and ever-present plastics are toxins our ancestors did not have to contend with.

Our modern diet also generates a load on our body. We rely heavily on processed foods that have much of the nutritive value stripped out and additives that extend shelf life slipped in. Agricultural practices deplete the soil and add petrochemical pollution. Our hectic lifestyle depends on crutches such as caffeine, alcohol, poor quality fats, and sugar to make it through the day. Meanwhile, our basic physiology has scarcely changed from Paleolithic times. Our environment has changed radically but our biology has not. We are not equipped to handle the onslaught of chemicals we are exposed to. This poses a real problem for our health.

Built-in capacity to detox

Our bodies do have a built-in capacity for detoxification. With every breath, we exhale carbon dioxide. Sweating removes heat from our body and also rids us of BPA (Bisphenol A, a plastic derivative) and heavy metals. The liver, kidneys, and lymph system work at filtering and cleaning our body fluids. All these biological processes operate to promote and maintain efficient cellular and organ functioning. Yet in today’s world we accumulate more waste than our daily detox mechanisms can process. It’s a no-brainer that we need to support our detoxification pathways.

Of all the organs of detoxification, the liver, the hardest working organ of our body,  deserves to be singled out. Not only is it responsible for over 200 different metabolic processes, it also filters roughly 2 quarts of blood per minute! Harmful substances are filtered out and, in an intricate process, the liver deactivates these wastes and re-packages them for safe removal from the body.

Liver’s self-detoxification

The liver detoxifies in two phases.

• In Phase 1, the liver is able to break substances down with enzymes into forms the body can remove immediately. No further processing is necessary. Coffee is one example of a substance detoxified in Phase 1. Other substances however, are broken down into intermediate compounds that are even more dangerous to the body than the original substance was. These compounds require further processing to be detoxified.

• In Phase 2, the intermediate substances are broken down further, and then bound with proteins or other water-soluble molecules. These can then be safely excreted from the body. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), xenoestrogens (estrogen mimickers), and glyphosate (the byproduct of Round Up) are a few of the many toxic substances that require the two-step process.

Detoxification works best when the body isn’t engaged in other biological processes, in particular, digestion. Both bodily functions occur best when our system is in its “rest and repair” (parasympathetic) state. The body, however, prioritizes digestion over detoxification. Undigested food rots and ferments in the gastrointestinal tract, causing inflammation. This spells trouble down the road. Because of this, much of our liver’s detox work occurs when we give our digestive system a rest whether at night or during an elimination diet, which is one component of a liver cleanse, as we shall see.

Elements of a good liver cleanse

So, what is the anatomy of a good liver cleanse? In general, there are a few crucial elements.

1. An elimination diet. Removing major allergens and hard-to-digest foods relieves the liver from many of its other functions, freeing it up to purge. Corn, gluten, eggs, meat, sugar, processed foods, coffee, and alcohol are some examples of foods that can be eliminated. An initial, short (1 day) liquid-only fast can be helpful in clearing the colon.

2. Improving circulation and enhancing elimination. All elimination pathways need to be open and flowing. Optimal hydration, manual therapies such as dry skin brushing, saunas, and massage, are techniques that are helpful to enhance blood flow and lymph flow. Toxins released from tissues, but not removed from the body, however, will ultimately be re-absorbed and could also cause side effects like nausea or headache.

3. The liver needs some supplementation. As mentioned above, Phase I detoxification is enzyme-driven and largely dependent on a plentiful supply of antioxidant nutrients. Whole complex E, C, the carotenoids, selenium, glutathione/NAC are some of the important substances for this phase of detoxification. Antioxidants and vitamins, however, are team players. They do not function well as isolated components of a complex. The Red Clover Clinic article on whole food concentrates vs. synthetic supplements. Understanding supplements: synthetic vitamins vs. whole food concentrates, explains this concept.

4. The liver needs to be optimally fed. Phase 2 detoxification requires several different substances to accomplish detoxification. Amino acids (proteins molecules) are one, making good, clean proteins critical in the diet. (This is one of the reasons why fasting and drinking only water are counter-productive for liver detoxification. During such fasts, the liver is starved of the nutrients it needs to do its work! Another substance required by some Phase 2 detoxification pathways are sulphur-bearing molecules. Here, consuming vegetables from the allium family is helpful because of their high sulphur content. These include onions, shallots, and garlic. Yet other pathways depend on nutrients found in the cruciferous family: broccoli, cabbage and kale are examples.

5. Specific herbal and food support for the liver. There are also foods and herbs that nurture the liver and its companion, the gall badder. Milk thistle, of which silymarin is the active constituent, is very protective and regenerative for the liver. Beets help thin bile, which in turn carries toxins out of the body via the intestines. Dandelion, yellow dock and burdock root are herbs used to promote liver health.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of nutrients necessary for liver health, nor is it meant to be a recipe for a cleanse. Instead this article is intended to supply a basic understanding of how our liver functions to protect our bodies from toxin load. Your nutrition specialist can help you design a detoxification program tailored to you and your needs.

Roberta is certified through the Nutritional Therapy Association and is currently studying Nutrition Response Testing and Morphogenic Field Technique. Currently she is practicing as a massage therapist at Red Clover Clinic, and is hoping to begin offering nutrition sessions to our clients soon.

Healthy skin is like a healthy garden

By Rhea Dykoski, L.Ac, Dipl.O.M.

Keeping skin healthy is a lot like keeping garden soil healthy. I came to this conclusion as a result of two experiences: working on an organic farm and learning how to heal my own inflammatory skin condition with herbs, nutrition, and acupuncture.

The most important part of a healthy garden is healthy soil. The main things that distinguish unhealthy soil from healthy or fertile soil are the presence of thriving microbiota and humus. In healthy soil, fungi and bacteria (microbiota) create humus, the structure that retains moisture and stores nutrients. The microbiota also digest stones, making their minerals available for plants. Microbiota are sensitive and easily damaged. Conventional farming techniques apply harsh chemicals to the soil, killing the microbiota. When the microbiota die, humus is no longer created. Without humus, the soil dries out and minerals wash away, leading to further dependence on chemicals.

The microbiota of the soil are just like the microbiota in your digestive system. The digestive microbiota break down food, provide access to vitamins and minerals, and protect the surface of your intestines. When digestive microbiota are damaged, whether from processed foods, food sensitivities, antibiotics, alcohol, stress, sleep deprivation, or other factors, needed nutrients will not be available and the digestive tract will become damaged by undigested food.

A damaged digestive system can lead to many illnesses, including illnesses of the skin. Inflamed intestines and stomach become hyperactive first and sluggish later. In Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, when the digestive system is sluggish it is common for dampness to accumulate in the body. For people with eczema, dampness is accumulating in the skin.

What is eczema?

The long-term effects of eczema, a delayed allergic reaction causing red, itchy, flaky skin patches, are similar to having a patch of infertile soil. ​​​​​​​The names eczema and dermatitis are used interchangeably, but technically eczema is a type of dermatitis. Traditional Chinese Medicine calls eczema shi zhen (damp eruption), since it is weeping and is often a result of congested fluids accumulating in the body.

Eczema-affected skin may be moderately to very itchy. Eczema is most commonly located in damp or oily parts of the body, such as the inner elbow and scalp. An eczema patch weeps fluid, whereas healthy skin retains or sweats fluid as needed. Inflamed tissues require more of the body’s energy than healthy tissues and produce more waste materials.

New flare ups of eczema are often very red and itchy with papules (red bumps) that can crack open and weep fluid. Chronic inflammation and weeping depletes the tissues, which over time become dryer and take on a dull red color with thicker crusted skin. In the long term, eczema is a major drain on the entire body, leading to premature aging.

How herbal medicine and acupuncture can help eczema

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are three main types of eczema:

• The Spleen Damp type

• The Heart Fire type

• Liver Wind type

The appearance of your eczema patches and your general health symptoms will give clues to the type of eczema you have and this diagnosis will guide the treatment plan. For example, if someone has a history of chronic stress, prolonged anger, oily skin, or a red tongue tip, I would consider the Heart Fire type first. If someone has puffy or thin skin, has digestive complaints, or is frequently fatigued, I would think of Spleen Dampness first.

Since eczema is a condition that can be caused by many underlying factors, during an initial consultation, we discuss all of your health symptoms, even ones that seem unrelated. We also discuss the health of your family to look for inherited weaknesses and discuss your current diet as well as your childhood diet.

Acupuncture can help eczema by promoting healthy circulation of blood and fluids, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the immune system.

However, acupuncture cannot add missing nutrients or microflora. This is why herbal medicine and nutritional therapy are often needed for healing skin conditions. Herbal medicine can add nutrients to the body and influence the blood and body fluids more directly than acupuncture. Herbal medicine is typically used for 2–4 months to sustain the effect while your body heals.

Dietary changes can also heal the skin. It usually takes much longer to see a change in your skin from dietary changes, but this is the most important technique for long-term strengthening of your skin and digestive system.

The most effective method for healing eczema is a combination of long-term dietary changes, herbal medicine to guide the healing process, and acupuncture to open energetic blockages.

For more information

Xu, Yihou, Dermatology in Traditional Chinese Medicine (2004).

Fukuoka, Masanobu. Sowing Seeds in the Desert (2012).

Jeavons, John. How to Grow More Vegetables: Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine (1995, 5th ed.).

Author’s Note

I’m very happy to have recently joined the Red Clover Clinic. While writing this article, I thought of how great “red clover” is as a name for a healing center, since red clover is an excellent herb for healing the soil and for healing the skin, including eczema. It is an herb which cools inflamed skin, remove toxins, and is rich in vitamins and minerals.

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, synthetic vitamins don’t test well. They actually stress the body over time.

What’s the difference between synthetic vitamins and whole food concentrates?

Vitamin complexes were first identified in food in the early part of the 20th century. As the science of vitaminology developed, scientists identified, then isolated, what they thought was the active component in each vitamin complex. They then concentrated the individual component into a high potency pill. If some is good, more is better…right?

Nutrient isolates are produced in the same manner as pharmaceutical drugs. Furthermore, since the middle of the 20th century, these vitamins have been produced from chemicals, cheap oils, coal tar, corn starch, and petroleum. 

There is a type of supplement that can be labeled a “whole food supplement” that is better than what is described above, but still isn’t the same as a whole food concentrate. These are vitamins that have been cultured in yeast. To make this type of product, minerals and synthetic vitamins are “fed” to yeast. The yeast are then processed to form the supplement. The idea is that a cultured (pre-digested) product is more bioavailable. These supplements tend to have a lower potency than full synthetic vitamins, which makes them a little closer to what nature intended.

The best supplement choice is whole food concentrates which, as the term implies, are concentrated whole foods. Why are they better than synthetic vitamins? They contain complete vitamin complexes as they are found in nature. They still have all of the cofactors (the individual parts of the complex) that act as catalysts which makes them more absorbable and thus effective. The idea is that if you give the body the basic nutritional building blocks, it will be able to sustain normal function, healthy growth, and tissue repair. Standard Process is one of very few companies that produce a complete line of true whole food supplements. 

How do synthetic vitamins cause harm to the body?

Since synthetic vitamins are isolates, and lack the cofactors that the body needs to absorb them, the body’s stores of these cofactors are depleted. In other words, taking an isolate in a high potency causes relative deficiencies within the vitamin complex. Someone may initially feel improvement by taking a synthetic vitamin, but after awhile, as the cofactors are depleted, they begin to feel worse. In fact, they may begin to experience symptoms of a deficiency of the very same vitamin they are taking. Furthermore, high potency vitamins place stress on the organs of elimination (kidneys, liver, and bowels) just as any drug does. Ultimately, this will cause harm to the body.

How can you tell whether a supplement is synthetic or a whole food concentrate?

The best way to learn about a supplement is to read the label. Look below for a comparison of two labels. On the left you see a standard vitamin C label. It states that the C is in the form of ascorbic acid, which is an isolate, not the whole vitamin complex. You will also notice that each tablet contains 1000 mg of ascorbic acid, which is 1,667% of the recommended daily value. One small orange contains 51 mg of vitamin C. So one tablet of this supplement provides the equivalent of almost 20 oranges. I don’t think Mother Nature intended for someone to eat that many oranges in one sitting!

The whole food concentrate C complex label is very different, and possibly a bit confusing. One serving (3 tablets) provides you with 25% of the recommended daily value. The big actors in this supplement, the source of the vitamin C, are listed on the bottom half of the label. You’ll notice many different foods listed, all high in the C complex. They are in their whole food form, which is easy for the body to recognize and assimilate. More is not always better; it is the form that really counts.

When you can, eat whole foods. When you can’t, eat whole food concentrates. Bottom line: eat food, not chemicals!

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 warrants being revisited now.

The phenomenon that I described in my talk goes something like this. You’re humming along, relatively healthy, body functioning normally, until a distinct moment when everything falls apart. For example, you bend over to pick a pen off of the floor, your back seizes up, and it hasn’t been the same since. Or you experienced a stressful event like a car accident, then developed fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, or an autoimmune condition. I hear stories like this from my clients all the time.

Have you experienced something like this?

This phenomenon is explained by the rain barrel theory. Imagine that we each come into this world with an empty rain barrel, which represents our capacity for healing. It’s like our own personal health insurance. As we go through life and experience stress, illness, injury, toxic exposure, poor diets, and more, our rain barrel starts to fill up. As the contents of the barrel reach the tippy top, all it takes is one more drop for the barrel to begin to overflow. When this happens, we begin to experience a whole host of symptoms, because the body is out of energy to heal and adapt to what life presents us with on a daily basis.

What can you do if your rain barrel is overflowing? 

You have two obvious choices: you can make your barrel bigger, or you can drain it. To make your barrel bigger, you can reduce stress, get plenty of sleep, clean up your diet, exercise, meditate, take more breaks. These are all important tactics to halt the cascade of symptoms and improve and maintain your health, but there is a limit to how big you can make your rain barrel.

There are only two ways that I know of to drain your rain barrel: clearing blockages from the body’s memory bank and identifying, then treating by detoxifying, chronic stressors.

Clearing blockages

Our body and brain retains memories of stresses and traumas that we have experienced throughout our lifetime. Sometimes it’s the big events. Other times it’s insignificant injuries and illnesses that the body becomes consumed by. When a blockage develops, there is little energy left to heal new injuries or illnesses. German auricular acupuncture can identify what and how severe these blockages to healing are. The blockages can be treated with acupuncture needles and low-level laser therapy, which can drain your rain barrel significantly.

Identifying and treating/detoxifying chronic stressors

Over our lifetimes, our bodies are exposed to many stressors, such as toxic substances and foods that are less than nutritious. The most common body stressors include food sensitivities, immune challenges, chemicals, heavy metals, and scars. These exposures can gradually stress and assault an organ, a gland, a joint, or any part of our body.

When someone comes to the clinic with a particular complaint, it is important to identify whether or not their complaint is being caused or exacerbated by a particular stressor. If it is, they won’t heal completely without avoiding exposure, detoxifying, and/or treating that stressor. Using Nutrition Response Testing, the exact source of body stress can be identified and treated. Treatment methods include avoiding certain foods, nutritional supplementation, herbal/homeopathic therapy, as well as low-level laser therapy for the treatment of scars.

By detoxifying the tissues of heavy metals, chemicals and immune debris, and treating scars, your rain barrel can be drained even further.

Imagine the state of health that is possible if you not only adopt the health-supporting methods that increase the size of your rain barrel, but also piece together the puzzle of causative factors and get the appropriate treatment to help you drain your rain barrel!

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 diet. This means that you can avoid these diseases by getting the sugar out of your diet and managing your blood sugar.

Another aspect of high sugar diets that isn’t part of common awareness is that the first step to managing any kind of hormonal disruption is to manage blood sugar. Yes, those of you suffering from insomnia, mood changes, PMS, hot flashes, night sweats, etc. can benefit greatly by managing your blood sugar!

Below are strategies for managing your blood sugar and some detailed information about how your body processes sugar.

Understanding the physiology of blood sugar regulation

It all starts with the pancreas, which secretes the hormones insulin and glucagon. Insulin is secreted during digestion to move carbohydrates/sugar from the blood into the cells, so that the cells can produce energy. Excess energy is stored as glycogen in the liver for future energy needs. The pancreas secrets glucagon between meals to convert the stored glycogen back into blood sugar so that the cells have a constant fuel supply. Yes, carbohydrates are necessary, but only in managed quantities.

Insulin and glucagon work together to keep the blood sugar levels stable throughout the day. If one’s blood sugar strays too far above or below the set point, the body shifts into a stressed state and engages the adrenals to secrete cortisol and adrenaline. You can imagine that this might show up as anxiety, a rapid heart rate, or a hot flash.

Cortisol is necessary to keep the liver receptive to signals by glucagon to release glucose back into the bloodstream. If someone has lived in a state of constant stress, their adrenals may grow tired and not produce enough cortisol to do their job. This can lead to hypoglycemic crashes not long after a meal. The crashes can manifest as light headedness, nausea, or panic if the person doesn’t quickly consume a glass of juice or eat some crackers.

When someone consumes large quantities of sugar/carbohydrates, the liver can store only so much glycogen before it begins to store the extra carbohydrates as fat. The habit of eating a lot of sugar/carbohydrates leads to weight gain and obesity.

A hormone that counteracts insulin and its propensity for fat storage is human growth hormone. Exercise and fasting trigger the pituitary to release HGH, promoting tissue growth and repair. This is the important link between exercise and blood sugar management. It also contributes to our understanding that a lack of human growth hormone may play a role in wound healing issues in diabetics.

As you can see, when blood sugar management goes awry, other endocrine glands will compensate. For example, as shown in the image below, taken from Life Without Bread, by Wolfgang Lutz and Christian Allan, high blood sugar can cause a relative increase in insulin and a relative decrease in sex hormones and growth hormones. In the second scenario, the relative increase in insulin causes a relative increase in thyroid hormone secretions. Either result is an example of metabolic dysregulation, which leads to unwanted symptoms.

Understanding the numbers

Measuring blood sugar is a simple thing to do with an inexpensive glucose meter, found at a drugstore or on Amazon. You can also learn what your blood sugar level is if you get lab tests done at your doctor’s office.

A good fasting blood sugar in a healthy person is between 75 and 85. After a meal, it shouldn’t exceed 110, and in a very healthy person, it won’t ever get to 100. Insulin and glucagon keep your numbers in a fairly tight range when you are healthy. 140 is considered to be borderline diabetic. In a diabetic person, blood sugar level may go as high as 200, which is a bit scary, as peripheral nerve damage begins when blood sugar exceeds 120. Retinal damage begins to occur when blood sugar exceeds 140.

If you measure your blood sugar at home following a meal, you can begin to see which foods affect you the most and then avoid them. It is an empowering way to take control of your health. When you decrease your intake of carbohydrates/sugar, you will see changes very quickly in your blood sugar numbers, and you will be able to get control of the cascade of symptoms that occur with high blood sugar readings.

What else can you do?

• Avoid hypoglycemia (low blood sugar episodes) by eating something at least every 3-1/2 hours. Remember to bring snacks with you so you don’t get stuck without food.

• Eat complex rather than refined carbohydrates, and eat them in small quantities (e.g. 1/2 cup of brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, fruit).

• Don’t consume caffeine before eating breakfast. Caffeine seems to decrease insulin sensitivity and increase cortisol release. High cortisol over long periods tends to produce glucose, i.e. raise blood sugar.

• Eat a protein-rich breakfast.

• Oops…eat too many carbs? Go for a brisk walk. This will allow your body to use the excess glucose, rather than secreting insulin to get the glucose into the cells and store it.

• And, finally…avoid sweets as much as possible! The more you follow the above guidelines, the easier it will be to thwart sugar cravings.

Take control of your health!

By making these simple, but crucial, changes to your diet, you will make huge strides in managing your blood sugar. Even type II diabetics can make major changes in their blood sugar by diet alone in a relatively short period of time.

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 of this issue: leaky gut syndrome.

What is leaky gut syndrome?

The lining of your digestive tract is designed to be porous, so that you are able to absorb necessary nutrients into your bloodstream. When the lining becomes irritated and inflamed, the pores expand, allowing larger particles of semi-digested food to leak through the lining. These larger particles can include proteins (e.g. gluten and casein), undigested food particles, bad bacteria, and toxic waste. Ultimately the contents that leak out of the digestive tract and into the bloodstream trigger an immune reaction in the body.

What causes a gut to become leaky?

• Poor diet: sugar (feeds bad bacteria), un-sprouted whole grains (contain anti-nutrients), genetically modified foods (high in anti-nutrients and herbicides/pesticides), and conventional (pasteurized and homogenized) dairy

• Exposure to toxins: medications, herbicides, pesticides

• Dysbiosis: overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut

• Chronic stress: stress hormones trigger an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut

What are the signs of a leaky gut?

As proteins, undigested food particles, bad (disease-causing) bacteria and toxins leak out of the gut and into the bloodstream, they trigger the body’s immune system to react. If you have a leaky gut, you might notice an increase in allergy symptoms, multiple food sensitivities, irritable bowel, fatigue, achy joints, headaches, acne, eczema, rosacea, weight gain, mood imbalance, hormonal imbalance, and/or any autoimmune disease.

It is especially important to note that behind most autoimmune disease, you will find a leaky gut. This means that if you have an autoimmune disease, you must make it a priority to heal your gut first. For more information, you might enjoy reading Amy Myers’ book, The Autoimmune Solution.

How do you repair a leaky gut?

Most experts agree on four basic “R’s” to repair a leaky gut.

1. Remove inflammatory foods and toxins.

2. Replace with healing foods and digestive support (enzymes, hydrochloric acid, bile salts)

3. Repair with supplements, such as bone broth, collagen, L-Glutamine, omega 3 fats, aloe, chlorophyll, licorice root, quercetin and slippery elm.

4. Rebalance/Reinoculate with probiotics, fermented veggies, and raw cultured dairy.

As you can see, the health of your gut plays a role in many, if not most, health conditions. Eating a clean and healthy diet and recognizing the early signs of something gone awry is the best way to avoid developing chronic health problems. If you need help figuring out what is at the root of your health complaints, Nutrition Response Testing is a wonderful tool, and we are here to support you through the healing process.

The invisible universe of the human microbiome

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 to bacteria in the gut. There are three to ten times the number of bacteria living in the gut as there are human cells in the body. This may sound a bit disconcerting, but we’re awfully lucky to have these microbial guests. They help us digest and absorb nutrients; they play a huge role in our immune systems (70 to 80 percent of immune tissue is found in the digestive tract); and they help to manage mood (gut bacteria produce 90 percent of our serotonin).

A balanced microbiome equals health

The goal is to have a balanced and diverse microbiome to promote and maintain health. The modern lifestyle tends to throw this balance off, causing an overgrowth of bad bacteria, a condition known as dysbiosis. This imbalance can lead to inflammation in the gut, which eventually turns into leaky gut syndrome. This is the root of many health conditions, including

• bloating and fullness after eating

• food sensitivities

• fatigue

• chronic joint pain

• headaches

• skin conditions

• weight gain

• ADHD

• mood disorders, and

• autoimmune diseases.

In order to maintain health, we need to tend to the health of this ecosystem living inside of each of us. Think of it like tending a garden. If you give it good compost and water, it will flourish. If you pull the weeds, it will make room for the plants that you want to grow. If you use heirloom seeds, you will maintain healthy biodiversity. On the other hand, if you you feed the garden with chemical fertilizers and manage the weeds and pests with herbicides and pesticides, you will grow nutrient-deficient and chemical-laden vegetables.

What damages the microbiome?

• Sugar: Sugar is one of the biggest culprits in damaging healthy diversity in gut flora, especially when eaten in the quantities of the standard American diet. Sugar feeds bad bacteria, yeasts, and parasites that can cause ill health.

• Antibiotics: Antibiotic medications tend to kill off both good and bad bacteria in the gut, leaving limited good bacteria to protect health. It’s important to remember that 80 percent of the antibiotics consumed aren’t coming from doctors; rather, they come from antibiotic-laden animal products. This is why it is important to eat only organic, free-range, antibiotic-free meats and dairy products.

• Medications: Proton pump inhibitors (gastric acid blocking agents, including Prilosec, Nexium, and Prevacid); non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen); and oral contraceptives have been shown to upset the microbiome.

• Chronic stress: Stress tends to decrease the biodiversity of the microbiome, so it is important to manage stress and maintain good sleep hygiene.

Building a healthy microbiome

• Being born: The microbiome begins at birth, and depends on our mother’s microbial diversity and whether we’re born through the vaginal canal or not. Sometimes a C-section is necessary, but then extra effort should be made to build up the newborn’s gut flora.

• Eat fermented and sprouted foods: Fermented vegetables, cultured dairy, and sprouted seeds will promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

• Eat prebiotic (plant fiber that nourishes healthy gut bacteria) foods: Foods like jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, raw asparagus, raw onions, and garlic feed good bacteria.

• Eat organic: Organically grown and raised vegetables, fruits and animal products will nourish the body and feed biodiversity of the microbiome.

• Take probiotics: Probiotics can help to support a healthy microbiome, especially if you haven’t started to add fermented foods to your diet.

It’s never too late to clean up your diet

If you eliminate processed sugar from your diet today and add in organic vegetables, fruits, and animal products, your microbiome will begin to shift in as little as two days. It may take awhile to heal your gut entirely, but it’s never too late to start reaping the benefits of a healthy diet and a balanced, diverse microbiome.

If you suffer from a sensitive digestive system, remember to start slowly with probiotic supplements and fermented foods. Too much of a good thing will cause a huge die-off of bad bacteria, which is not a comfortable experience. Also, if you find that probiotics and fermented foods only make you feel worse, it would be best to see your nutrition practitioner for additional support.

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 a science of health.”

I was snapped into consciousness by Mark Hyman, MD, saying: “I think one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the last 30 years is that food isn’t just energy, that it’s actually information that provides instructions in a literally minute-to-minute, bite-by-bite basis to everything that’s going on in your body.”

The episode was just finishing up, so I jumped out of bed, made my tea, and searched for the program online. I knew I needed to listen to the entire show before doing anything else with my day. 

The show encapsulated much of what I find to be true about health and healing in my acupuncture and nutrition practice. We must approach the body as a whole, functioning unit in order to figure out why something has gone wrong, and we must learn how to fuel and detoxify it properly to keep it functioning correctly. If we don’t do these two things, we are only managing symptoms and not assisting a person to shift into health.

I found Dr. Hyman’s comments to be particularly pertinent. Hyman has a functional medicine practice in Cleveland, Ohio. He defines functional medicine as “dealing with the causes and not just the symptoms, dealing with the body as ecosystem, or looking at the whole organism, not just the organs.”

Functional medicine, Hyman goes on to say, “is basically dismantling our concepts of disease, yet it’s completely absent from most medical institutions and thinking in medical schools. It’s as big a paradigm shift as ‘the Earth is not flat, Earth is not the center of the universe.’ It’s huge.”

I recommend the entire “On Being” program, but if you would prefer a synopsis, here are some highlighted quotes from Dr. Hyman:

• “We now think you have a disease or you don’t. But the truth is that disease arises from an imbalance in the system. I think of functional medicine as being like a soil farmer, as opposed to an industrial agriculturist, who is putting chemicals on the plant. We’re actually taking care of the soil so disease can’t actually occur, or it [disease] goes away as a side effect of creating health.”

• “When we eat real, unprocessed, organic foods to get our necessary nutrients and avoid sugars and all processed foods, which add toxins to our system and rob our bodies of nutrients, our bodies begin to heal. It is really quite amazing. and the way to avoid and turn around chronic disease.”

• “You literally change your gene expression with every bite. You change your immune system. You change your gut flora, you change your hormones, you change all the protein functions in your body, and it has a direct effect on every function, either for good or the bad, depending on what you’re eating. When you realize this, it changes your relationship to food. It’s not just a source of energy or pleasure, but actually transformational.”

• “We don’t, in medicine, know how to use food as medicine. We use drugs, we use surgery, but we have no insight that food is connected to health in most cases. And yet it’s the most powerful drug, and it works faster, better, and cheaper than any drug on the planet.”

• “I’ve had people change their diets in three days; they got off 50 units of insulin. There’s no drug that can do that. People have autoimmune disease, they can be pain-free in weeks simply changing their diet—and get off very expensive medications.” 

• “We really can shift the way we think about treating disease to be primarily food-based. I think the two big insights, really, are that food is medicine, and that the community is medicine. It’s not just a delivery mechanism. And you put those two together it’s like rocket fuel for transforming health.”

As Dr. Hyman states, you can make huge changes in your health by just changing your diet. If you want to take it one step further and provide structure to the process, Nutrition Response Testing is an amazing tool to find out exactly what your body needs nutritionally. It also can identify if there are toxins in your body that are creating unwanted symptoms, and what the best solutions are for handling them. Basically the system creates the environment in which the body can begin to heal itself.

“Everybody has that capacity to create that change in their own life, in their own body, and in their community, and that’s where it really has to start.”

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 to dig a bit deeper into what “complete physical well-being” really means.

Before we begin, ask yourself:

• What does “complete physical well-being” mean to you?

• If you could change anything about your health, what would you change?

Understanding symptoms

When people come into my office, they generally have a list of symptoms that they want to remedy. What, exactly, are symptoms? The first thing to remember is that a symptom is not the first stage of something gone wrong in our bodies. Generally speaking, once symptoms occur, there has been a functional breakdown of the body over a period of time. The symptom is the body’s cry for help when it is starting to lose the battle of trying to maintain homeostasis (physiological equilibrium).

This concept holds true for both mechanical and physiological symptoms. If the body’s mechanics are impaired in one area, the whole body will begin to compensate, throwing things off both “up and downstream.” Pain and discomfort often appear after this pattern has become entrenched. Similarly, if the cells and organs aren’t functioning optimally over time, symptoms will start to occur as the body’s physiological functions begin to break down.

Think of the difference between an acute illness like the common cold and a chronic illness such as Type 2 diabetes. The cold is something that hits quickly, and the body wins the battle in a few to several days. With diabetes, on the other hand, blood sugar regulation begins to break down slowly and insidiously, until the body loses the battle and a diagnosis is made.

The second thing to remember about symptoms is that the body isn’t necessarily healed when the symptoms disappear. Total health restoration takes time. All the mechanical and physical functions must be restored so that the symptoms don’t recur. This is why many allopathic approaches are seen more as symptom management as opposed to healing the body. For example, if someone is constipated and drinking more water and taking in more fiber doesn’t fix the problem, a laxative will be prescribed. No further investigation into what might be causing the constipation in the first place will be done.

Total health restoration takes time

To fix a mechanical problem, the primary symptom, pain, needs to be handled first. Next, muscles need to be stimulated or relaxed, joints need to be mobilized, and the whole musculoskeletal system needs to be coordinated. There are many ways to get this job done: acupuncture, bodywork, chiropractic, physical therapy, and exercise training. Sometimes surgical repair is also necessary. It often takes more than one of these treatments to totally restore function.

Restoring physiological function is also a complex endeavor, but definitely worthwhile. Think of it as a cellular construction project. We need to replace 70 billion cells per day. This is a big job, but also a great opportunity. It is our opportunity to heal! In order to replace old cells with new healthy ones, we need raw materials and a clean environment. In other words, we need high-quality, organic nutrition and strategic detoxification. With these two tools, the body can heal itself.

To give you an idea how long total health restoration can take, think about the different rates at which various tissues are replaced. Skin cells turn over relatively quickly, at every 27 days. Blood cells turn over every 90 to 120 days.  Muscle, bone, and nervous system cells take much longer: 1 to 3 years, 2 to 4 years, and 7 years respectively. Of course, there is a constant cycle of cell replacement, so you start to feel better gradually over time. As the tissues are replaced, symptoms disappear and your energy, vitality, and wellbeing are restored.

Please ask yourself the following questions again

• What does “complete physical well-being” mean to you?

• If you could change anything about your health, what would you change?

Are your answers any different after reading this article? Are you more motivated to work on restoring your health? I would be honored to work with you and assist you and your body through this process. It takes effort and time, but in the end, it is totally worth it!

Lick the Sugar Habit

Do you suffer from sugar cravings, mood swings, fatigue, aches and pains, digestive issues? Do you get sick frequently? All of these symptoms and many more are often related to too much sugar in our diets.

According to the USDA, the average American consumes more than 150 pounds of sugar in a year. Wow! Less than 100 years ago, the average person ate only five pounds per year. That’s quite an increase.

I just finished reading a book called Lick the Sugar Habit, by Nancy Appleton, PhD. It is quite an eye-opener to find out about the far-reaching, detrimental effects of sugar on our bodies, and how and why sugar has this effect. Appleton has an interesting personal story to tell about how sugar affected her life, and how it motivated her to study clinical nutrition.

Let’s begin by defining sugar for the purposes of this discussion. Simple sugars include sucrose, honey, fructose, glucose, dextrose, levulose, maltose, raw sugar, turbinado sugar, maple sugar, galactose, brown sugar, dextrine, barley malt, rice syrup, corn sweetener and corn syrup.

Are you addicted to sugar?

To get an idea if sugar is affecting your health and life, I suggest that you take Nancy Appleton’s Sugar Quiz.  If you answered “false” to more than four of the statements, you are likely addicted to sugar.  If you answered “false” to fewer than four statements, you may not be addicted to sugar, but it may still be affecting your health.

How does sugar affect your health?

Our bodies are always striving for balance: balance of minerals, balance of hormones, balance of overall blood chemistry. If something upsets this balance, the body starts down the path to disease. The more unhealthy one is, the longer it takes for the body to recover from nutritional indiscretions and find its way back to balance. It can take as little as two teaspoons of sugar to greatly throw off the body’s chemistry.

Minerals

One of the things that is affected by eating sugar is mineral balance. Research shows that each mineral works in conjunction with all other minerals. When the level of one is off, the whole group of minerals do not function properly.

When we ingest sugar, the level of calcium in our blood rises. Where does the calcium come from? Our bones. Therefore, the best recommendation for osteopenia/osteoporosis is to stop eating sugar. Taking more calcium just throws the mineral balance off further.

Hormones

Another sugar-sensitive system in our bodies is the hormonal system. Much like minerals, when one hormone level is out of balance, the whole system is affected. Eating sugar speeds up the functioning of certain glands, such as the pancreas and adrenals, upsetting the whole balance. This lack of hormonal balance can lead to many symptoms such as mood swings, hormonal issues, poor sleep, or to diabetes.

Enzymes

Digestive enzymes are affected by sugar via the mineral balance of our body. Most enzymes are mineral-dependent to do their work. When we eat sugar, usable minerals are depleted and the enzymes in our small intestines can’t digest food properly. This in turn means that our cells aren’t able to use the nutrition that we ingest.

Food allergies/sensitivities

As the above suggests, the food that is in our stomach at the same time that we eat sugar will not be digested properly. This decomposing food will eventually lead to an allergy or sensitivity to the food that is in the stomach. It is no coincidence that the most common allergies and sensitivites are things frequently eaten with sugar, including wheat, corn, milk, chocolate, eggs.

Immune system

The immune system is affected by sugar on multiple levels. Some studies show that two hours after eating sugar, immune activity is greatly decreased. In other words, sugar greatly decreases how many bacteria are handled by our immune system. The allergy/sensitivity cycle mentioned above slowly fatigues immune function. And, the chronic mineral and hormonal imbalance will break down the immune system over time, all leading to degenerative disease.

The monkey is on our back

As Nancy Appleton writes: “A person’s genes do not cause disease—rather, the culprit is an abusive lifestyle that constantly upsets the body chemistry. We are all born with a genetic blueprint. When you upset your body chemistry continually, the disease of your genetic blueprint is more likely to develop than if you keep your body in balance. This concept forces us to recognize that we are responsible for our disease. It puts the monkey on our back.”

For another recent thought-provoking take on sugar’s negative effects on health and Minnesota’s role in its production, check out “The new Public Enemy No. 1: Sugar,” in the April 26 Star Tribune.

Life Without Bread

Paleo and low carb diets are the latest nutrition buzz. You might be wondering if avoiding carbohydrates is a way to lose weight, a healthier way to eat or just a fad? What exactly is a carbohydrate anyway?

Let’s turn to the book Life Without Bread, by Christian Allan and Wolfgang Lutz to find some answers. Lutz, an Austrian physician, published the original German version in 1967 after decades of helping his patients live healthier lives by following a low-carbohydrate diet.

The authors of Life Without Bread are proponents of eating animal foods and vegetables (except potatoes) freely, and limiting all sources of high carbohydrate foods: breads, pastas, cereals, pastries, potatoes, sweet/dried fruits, and anything sweetened.

Their recommendation is to restrict daily “utilizable” carbohydrate intake to 72 grams per day. Utilizable, a.k.a. net carbohydrates, translates to the amount of carbohydrates that ends up in the blood stream after eating a certain food. To give you a point of reference on net carbohydrates, one medium apple has 21 grams, one medium bagel has 54 grams and one medium baked potato has 33 grams of net carbohydrates. A great, inexpensive resource for net carbohydrate content of foods is The New Carb and Calorie Counter by Dana Carpender.

The health benefits of limiting sugar/carbohydrate intake

According to the authors, limiting sugar load on the body is the best way to improve and maintain health. They give many examples of how a low-carbohydrate diet improves health, including balancing hormones, supporting cardiovascular health, healing gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, and preventing diabetes and cancer.

When we eat sugar, insulin is released into our bloodstream. Sustained high levels of insulin upset the balance of all the hormones in the body. The body is always trying to maintain homeostasis, and if a hormone level increases, others have to adjust to bring the body back into some sort of balance.

In other words, high insulin levels can

• upset the levels of steroid hormones, triggering a decrease in immune function

• disrupt thyroid hormone levels causing hypo- or hyperthyroid conditions

• create an imbalance in the sex hormones, causing menstrual or menopausal complaints

• lead to insulin resistance, resulting in type II diabetes

• decrease growth hormone. leading to atherosclerosis and the lack of tissue repair from injury, etc.

What happened to the lipid hypothesis?

A chapter in Life Without Bread discusses the outdated belief that fat is bad for us and the cause of cardiovascular disease. Since fat was demonized in the 1950s, people began eating low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets. Since then, health in the US has fallen apart. Obesity has risen to dangerous proportions and chronic illness is on the rise. Lutz and Allan cite much research debunking the myth that fat and cholesterol are the cause of heart disease.

If you’re looking for a good reference to better understand basic nutrition (I’ve included a short guide below) and the benefits of limiting carbohydrates in your diet, I highly recommend Life Without Bread. It is backed up by research and years of experience–and it is very readable!

I was particularly struck by the “teeter-totter” drawings depicting how hormones adjust if insulin levels rise. In other words, that extra cookie not only promotes weight gain, it also affects sleep, hormone levels, mood, the immune system, and digestive tract, not to mention that it increases the risk of type II diabetes, cancer and heart disease. I finally get it!

A Guide to Nutrition Basics

There are three basic types of nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

• Proteins are the primary building blocks for our cells and tissues. They perform many functions and take on different forms, such as enzymes, antibodies, and hormones. Complete proteins contain essential amino acids (essential, meaning they must be obtained from your diet). Complete proteins are found in animal foods. In order to receive the full benefit of dietary protein, all essential amino acids must be consumed in the same meal, which makes relying solely on plant proteins complicated. If only a few amino acids are consumed in a meal, they can’t be stored and are subsequently eliminated, causing the potential for deficiencies.

• Fats are the primary storage form of energy in the body and provide the most energy to our cells. Fats also have different forms and functions in the body such as hormones and being the primary constituents of cell membranes, which play a role in metabolic functions. Fats are classified as saturated and unsaturated. Both forms contain the essential (i.e. must be obtained from your diet) fatty acids. Saturated fats, found in animal foods tend to provide equal amounts of the essential fatty acids, whereas unsaturated fats from plant sources provide predominantly one or the other.

• Carbohydrates are predominantly an energy source. There are simple carbohydrates, which metabolize quickly, and complex carbohydrates, which metabolize more slowly. The main point to understand about carbohydrates is that they all break down into sugar, and eating large amounts of carbohydrates in any form can be detrimental to your health.​

Are you really a healthy eater?

By a happy coincidence, there is an excellent article this month in Acupuncture Today, written by Marlene Merritt, DOM, LAc, ACN  about the myths and truths of healthy eating. I highly recommend that you read “Are you really a healthy eater?

Eat your veggies!

It’s summer! The growing season is at its peak. Farmers markets and grocery stores are chock full of locally grown vegetables in all colors, shapes, and sizes.

We focus so often on what we can’t or shouldn’t eat, so in this article, I want to focus on what we should eat—and eat in large quantities—vegetables! They are so good for us.

Apart from canned and frozen versions, vegetables are typically purchased whole. This is a good thing. More and more, people are aware that eating foods as close as possible to their natural state is best for their health. The nutrition found in a carrot, as opposed to the nutrients found in a standard vitamin pill, could not be more different. 

The whole carrot includes a whole food complex. This means that it includes both the specific vitamins represented by the pharmaceutical counterparts in the vitamin pill AND phytonutrients and other constituents that work together to give you more nutrition that is more easily assimilated.

Variety is the key

Variety is the key…don’t just eat salad, or just raw carrots, or just tomato sauce. Variety is not only the spice of life, it also gives us nutritional balance and the best chance to experience vibrant health and vitality. 

Which brings me to another important point. Fruits are not vegetables! You can’t replace your veggies with sweet-tasting fruits. 

You need to eat from the following categories of vegetables to get a broad array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants: 

• Dark leafy greens: kale, collards, chard, spinach, arugula, endive, escarole, mustard greens, lettuce

• Sulfur-rich vegetables: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, radishes, turnips, onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus

• Colorful veggies: beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin, peppers, radicchio, red cabbage

• Seaweed: any seaweed harvested from clean waters will do if consumed a couple of times per week. 

Eating a variety of organic vegetables daily will help to reduce your risk of many chronic diseases, including cancer. Vegetables are a healthy source of fiber, which promotes good digestion and helps to stabilize blood sugar. 

The dense nutrition found in vegetables will help to detox your body of harmful heavy metals, chemicals, and toxins, which will result in decreased inflammation throughout the body, clearer skin, clearer thinking, and increased energy and vitality.

Make time for veggies

You might be thinking that this all sounds great, but who has the time? You need to make the time. Your health is important! All it takes is a little bit of planning, creativity, and experimentation to find out what you like, and how you can prepare your food efficiently. 

When you eat out, look for salads and sides of vegetables to boost your vegetable intake. When you are at home, think about how your meals can be built around vegetables rather than protein or grains. The protein and grains should be the garnish, rather than the other way around. 

You can also look for creative ways to sneak in more veggies by making things like cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles with a few fun kitchen tools. I have found that snacking on carrot sticks has made me happily reduce my intake of dark chocolate…who would have thought?

Many things don’t even take more time, if you have the ingredients on hand. 

• add spinach to your scrambled eggs or black bean quesadillas

• make a salad rather than a sandwich

• sauté vegetables instead of cooking rice or boiling pasta. If you miss your starch, eat squash and sweet potatoes. 

Once you start eating more vegetables, you will find you have more energy. Furthermore, you will begin to crave these wonderful jewels that Mother Nature produces for us. 

What are your favorite veggies?

Parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme

Herbs are another gift of the plant kingdom. Typically, culinary herbs are high in volatile oils that act as carminatives to settle the digestion. They add a lot of flavor to a meal, as well as help to digest it comfortably. Apart from cooking, these herbs made “famous” by Simon and Garfunkel are also useful additions to a herbal pharmacy.

Parsley

Parsley is probably the most commonly used culinary herb. Aside from being a common garnish, it is used to flavor just about anything. Medicinally, it acts not only on the digestive tract, but also on the kidneys. It is a diuretic that helps to clear congestion from the kidneys, making it useful to manage gout, swelling, kidney stones, and other conditions.

Sage

Sage is commonly used to flavor meats and stuffings. I think it is also delicious with squash and potatoes. It’s super tasty when whole leaves are toasted lightly in olive oil, making a nice garnish for many dishes. Sage tea is a useful remedy for sore throats and fevers. It is also mildly astringent, making it a good treatment for bleeding gums and night sweats. Sage (specifically, the desert-grown variety) is always a part of my herbal repertoire when treating hot flashes.

Rosemary

Like sage, rosemary is a strongly flavored herb that is a good compliment for heavier foods like roasted meat and vegetables. It is also delicious in breads. Rosemary calms the digestion, improves circulation and relieves nervous depression. It is very useful in skin and hair treatments, and can relieve headaches.

Thyme

In my mind, thyme is a little more versatile than rosemary and sage, but can also be used in the same ways. Slightly lighter in flavor than rosemary and sage, thyme works well with lighter soups and vegetables. Apart from the digestion, thyme has a strong effect on the lungs. It can treat colds, coughs, phlegm, and shortness of breath.

Why and how to do an elimination diet

The article on gluten intolerance in the last issue of Red Clover Clinic Newsletter got a great response—thank you! The most common comment was “Now I understand why gluten has become such an important health issue.” The demonstrated interest in gluten intolerance means the obvious topic to discuss next is the elimination diet. 

Elimination diets are a useful tool for two reasons: they can not only unravel food sensitivities, but they also give your body a break by reducing its toxic load. Other than a stool test that screens for antigens, an elimination diet is the only way to figure out which foods are creating issues for an individual. 

People suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, skin rashes, arthritis, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome or other chronic digestive issues, chronic migraines, and sinus issues should consider doing an elimination diet to see if they have any food sensitivities that are triggering their symptoms. 

Even if you choose to not permanently avoid a food you may be sensitive to, eliminating it completely for a few weeks periodically will help to get your symptoms back under control and make you feel better. It is also a good reminder of how well you can feel if you avoid their triggers most of the time.

There are four main steps to an elimination diet: 

1. Planning what to eat and what to avoid.

2. Avoiding the suspected foods for at least 2 weeks.

3. Challenging your body by adding back the suspected foods one at a time, allowing at least 3 days in between each addition.

4. Creating a new, long-term diet plan based on the results of your testing.

Planning what to eat

A thorough elimination diet will be very structured, eliminating all of the typical foods associated with food sensitivities: wheat, gluten, soy, corn, dairy, eggs, beef, chicken, pork, nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), peanuts, sulfites, citrus, shellfish, sugar, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, vinegar, yeast and artificial food additives. Whew!

The foods that can be eaten include: rice, quinoa, millet, non-nightshade vegetables, non-citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, fresh fish, and wild meats. 

If you are mostly curious about how your body reacts to gluten and dairy, you can do a modified elimination diet that focuses primarily on eliminating all gluten and dairy products. In this modified version, it is still best to eliminate alcohol, caffeine, sugar, yeast and vinegar, in order to avoid yeast overgrowth in the system. Yeast overgrowth, also known as candida, can be an added burden to the immune system and can cause many of the same symptoms listed above. While you’re making the effort, it’s important to give your body a break from all of the potential irritants, and allow it to heal.

Avoiding suspected foods

Once you have your diet planned out, it’s time to avoid all the foods listed above for a minimum of two weeks. You may experience a worsening of your symptoms in the first few days, as your body starts to flush out the toxins associated with your food sensitivity. The symptoms should start to improve after the first week if they are due to a food that you have cut out of your diet. During this period, you may find it helpful to keep a journal, and track the foods you eat and the symptoms you experience.

Adding back suspected foods

After two to three weeks, you are ready to start challenging your body by adding foods back in. If you haven’t already started a food journal, this is when to begin. Be sure to log what you are eating, what your symptoms are, and when they occur. 

Begin by selecting a food that you want to test out first. The test period for each food is 3 days. On the first day, eat a small amount of the food in the morning. If you don’t notice any symptoms, eat a larger portion with lunch and again with dinner. 

For the next 2 days, avoid this food again and see if you notice any symptoms. If the food doesn’t cause symptoms anytime during the 3-day period, it’s unlikely to be a problem food. If this is the case, it’s important to wait to add it back into your diet until you have tested all the other foods on your test list. Now proceed to the next food on your list, and introduce it following the same method.

Creating a long-term diet plan

When every food on your list has been tested, you can start to create a long-term diet based on what you have learned. First and foremost, avoid the foods that caused a reaction. Other than that, it is best to center your diet around organic, whole foods. The primary focus should be on lots of fresh vegetables of all colors, complemented by nuts, seeds, whole grains, and protein from organic/free-range/wild-caught sources. 

The information gleaned from doing an elimination diet can make a profound change in your health. The successful implementation of an elimination diet requires a lot of planning and commitment. If you are ready to commit to the process and need some help, Red Clover Clinic is here for you. 

Understanding gluten sensitivity

Eating gluten-free is all the rage. Have you jumped on the bandwagon, or are you a skeptic? In this article I will explain why gluten sensitivity is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for many people, and why to consider avoiding it.

What is gluten?

First, let’s define what gluten is. Gluten is found in wheat (including spelt and kamut, more ancient forms of wheat), rye, barley, and oats. Gluten is made up of two proteins, gliadin and glutinen, both which cause adverse reactions in many people. Gluten is what makes dough doughy. Imagine smooth and pliable pizza dough being tossed in the air. This wouldn’t be possible without gluten.

Why is gluten suddenly a big problem?

Bread has been eaten for thousands of years, so why has it emerged of late as a problem for some? The wheat that was consumed 12,000 years ago is known as einkorn . It is still available and is the only non-hybridized wheat on the market. Einkorn contains much less gluten than modern-day wheat.

Over the centuries wheat has been hybridized to increase the gluten content to improve the texture of baked goods. In the past 50 years alone, the gluten in wheat has quadrupled. Furthermore, einkorn only has 14 chromosomes, compared to the 42 chromosomes that modern wheat has. The added chromosomes are genetically coded for a type of gluten that is actually more irritating to our bodies. As you can see, we are getting a much larger dose of gluten than we used to, and it has different and more irritating qualities.

Celiac disease vs. gluten intolerance

Celiac disease is a gluten allergy. Gluten causes an immune reaction in the body of those with celiac disease that causes the villi (finger-like projections that increase nutrient absorption) lining the intestinal walls to be flattened and damaged over time. People with gluten intolerance may have similar symptoms as people with celiac disease but they don’t end up with damage to the villi. Celiac disease is no longer a rare condition, but it is certainly less prevalent than gluten intolerance, which is becoming quite common.

The genes for both celiac disease and gluten intolerance have been identified. It is estimated that 81 percent of the population has some of these genes. The genes may not be turned on in each individual, but it is an indication of why gluten issues are prevalent. A study comparing blood samples from over 9,000 Air Force recruits from the early 1950s to a similar sample of people today showed a four-fold increase in prevalence of celiac disease.

Gluten reactions cause a wide variety of symptoms. The symptoms don’t always appear immediately following the consumption of gluten. Over prolonged and repeated exposure to gluten, people may suffer from digestive upset, neurological problems, mental/emotional symptoms, and autoimmune issues.

Gluten proteins can leak through damaged intestinal walls and cause an inflammatory response in any susceptible tissue. This inflammation can play a role in conditions ranging from arthritis and allergies to insulin resistance and obesity.

Anyone experiencing chronic joint pain, allergies, skin problems, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ADD/ADHD, depression, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis and many more inflammatory conditions should consider leaving gluten behind.

Testing for gluten intolerance

There is much confusion regarding appropriate testing for both celiac disease and gluten intolerance. The blood tests that doctors often perform for gluten intolerance have a high false negative rate. If there is no damage to the intestinal villi, the test will come back negative.

This could be problematic for two reasons. It is only diagnosing celiac disease once the damage has been done to the body. If there is no damage, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a gluten sensitivity. Similarly, the standard biopsy test for celiac disease waits until there is evident damage to the villi, which doesn’t help celiacs prevent this damage before it occurs.

Currently, the only accurate test is a stool sample that tests for immune antibodies. The company EnteroLab offers tests to the general public looking for food intolerance screening. According to EnteroLab, at least 50 percent of the population tests positive to gluten sensitivity, and half of those who are sensitive are symptomatic.

Another, less expensive, method of testing is to eliminate gluten from your diet for four to six weeks, then add it back and see what happens. This is less scientific, but highly experiential. When people experience how differently they can feel without gluten, they are more motivated to avoid it.

What to eat?

Eating gluten-free can be challenging, but with a little education and effort, it is very doable. The first place to start is to avoid processed foods or select them very carefully. Gluten is often hidden in these packaged foods, and not obvious in the list of ingredients. This article contains a good list of pointers of what to look for on a food label. 

There are also many gluten-free products on the market that can make eating easier. One thing to keep in mind is that grains in general can be difficult to digest in large quantities, and just because they're gluten-free doesn't mean you should consume them with reckless abandon. 

If you have a hankering for a sandwich and you haven't had one in weeks, gluten-free bread to the rescue! The gluten-free grains are rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and amaranth. Corn is also gluten-free, but be careful, because too much corn can cause an inflammatory response.

Focus on healthy fish, meats, fruits, and vegetables. Dairy and eggs are also gluten-free. Avoid, bread, pasta (unless rice- or corn-based) and other traditional baked goods. If you have a craving for a sweet treat, I have included a couple of recipes below. Don't forget about dark chocolate--it is a great low-sugar/gluten-free option!

Many restaurants now have gluten-free menus and a more educated staff, making dining out a lot less scary for those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.

After the initial grieving period, going gluten-free, or mostly gluten-free, can be a rewarding, health-promoting experience. It's not a bad idea for everyone to moderate their gluten consumption, and avoiding gluten is one more piece to the puzzle of multiple health challenges. Imagine a life with less inflammation and pain, better moods, more energy, clearer thinking, and easy digestion.

Treating yourself gluten-free

Sweet Potato Pecan Muffins

• 1 15 oz. can pureed sweet potato

• 1 cup almond butter, roasted, no salt

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ginger

• 1/4 tsp cloves

• 36 pecan halves, for decoration

Place paper liners in a standard muffin tin to ensure easy removal. Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk all ingredients together. Spoon or pour batter into muffin tin. Decorate top with 3 pecan halves. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned, and a toothpick comes out clean. Store in an airtight plastic bag or container in the refrigerator. Makes 12 standard muffins.

Note: I prefer the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. However, if you prefer a sweeter muffin, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or a packet or two of stevia powder.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

• 1 cup (heaping) unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil

• 5 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla

• 1 pkt. stevia powder (optional)

Pulse the coconut in a food processor several times to break into even smaller pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and run until completely mixed, scraping down the sides if necessary. Scoop the mixture with a small cookie scoop or use a teaspoon to scoop small portions and roll into little balls. Work quickly, as the mixture melts with the warmth of your hands. Refrigerate until set, and the store in a covered container in the refrigerator

Healthy blood, healthy body

From the perspective of both Chinese and western medicine, the health of our blood is essential to our overall health. What can we do to support the health of our blood? 

I’ve devoted this entire newsletter to discussing how to support blood health and function, including introducing you to a new tool Red Clover Clinic has begun to use, which I fondly call “the blood laser.” Read on… 

What does blood do?

Blood is one of the foundations of life. Chinese medicine considers it one of the Vital Substances. It nourishes the body, moistens the tissues, and support the Shen. Shen can be translated as spirit or mind. It is responsible for consciousness, mental function, mental health, and vitality. It also plays a big role in sleep. 

Chinese medicine theory also states that blood holds the Qi (energy) and Qi moves the blood. Most importantly, if Qi and blood are moving, disease can’t take hold. In fact, many of the diseases associated with aging are associated with the blood not flowing properly, also known as blood stasis.

In western medicine, the primary functions of blood are: 

• Transporting oxygen, nutrients, and wastes to and from the cells and various components of the immune system to where they are needed.

• Regulating temperature through circulation.

• Circulating hormones to all parts of the body

• Clotting and closing of wounds.

Laser irradiation of the blood

As we saw in the May-June 2013 issue of the  Red Clover Clinic Newsletter, low-level laser therapy has developed over the past few decades to speed the healing of wounds, lessen the inflammation in arthritic joints, increase circulation around trigger points in order to release them, stimulate acupuncture points, and more. 

Another lesser-known benefit of laser light to the body is the impact it has on the blood. Red Clover Clinic is now using the recently developed R-J Laser LightNeedle 300 (the “blood laser”), which delivers red and blue-violet laser light to the blood non-invasively. 

Generally speaking, laser irradiation  of the blood brings the body back into a state of homeostasis; that is, it has a normalizing effect on the whole system. It triggers various immune responses to rid the body of inflammation, which translates to less pain. It improves blood circulation throughout the body, and specifically in the central nervous system (the brain). It improves communication between muscle and nerve cells for improved function. It normalizes tissue metabolism and promotes the mitochondria to produce more ATP, which translates into more energy.

Since the Russians began doing research on intravenous laser irradiation of the blood in 1981, many additional studies have shown its positive effects on cardiovascular health, hypertension, neuropathy, muscular sclerosis, diabetes, autoimmune disease, allergies, acute infections, fatigue, fibromyalgia, systemic inflammation, liver disease and kidney disease.

A small study  done on young, male body builders perfectly shows, I think, the general boost the blood laser can give the body. The study concluded that laser blood irradiation measurably increased both strength and endurance, an effect that appeared immediately after the treatment and lasted for 16 weeks.

What is a treatment like?

The blood laser has six fiberoptic cables that are clustered into a small mouthpiece. The mouthpiece, covered with a disposable  plastic covering, is placed under the tongue. The client rests for up to 20 minutes while the device emits laser light to the veins under the tongue. 

The recommended dosage for general support is 20 minutes once per week, for a series of four to ten weeks, or longer for a chronic condition. For a more severe problem, say diabetic ulcers, the treatment can be given twice per week, until the ulcers have begun to heal. On the other hand, if someone is trying to get over a lingering cold or cough, one treatment might just do the trick.

Stories from my practice

I have used the blood laser on clients (and myself) for about two months at the time of writing and have already seen and experienced big changes. Here are a few anecdotes from my practice:

1. Personally, I have much more energy with a greater ability to focus, and improved sleep.

2. One client experienced a significant decrease in springtime allergy symptoms after her first treatment. 

3. Someone else suffers from very sensitive skin with significant itching following a severe systemic candida infection many years ago. Following each treatment (three so far) she notices a big reduction in symptoms that last almost through the week. 

4. A fibromyalgia client has been having better weeks with more energy and less overall pain since commencing blood laser treatments.

5. Another client who had recently finished radiation treatment three to four weeks earlier wasn’t getting her energy back. After one blood laser treatment she felt close to normal for almost a week. After two more treatments, her energy was totally restored.

6. Across the board, the most common comment is “Wow, I had so much energy this week!”

For those of you who asked for more scientific information…here it is!

According to M. H. Weber in his paper “The Intravenous Laser Blood Irradiation – Introduction of a New Therapy ,” laser blood irradiation causes the following changes to occur:

1. Immune system effects: improved immunologic activity of the blood, i.e. stimulation of the immune response, both specific and non-specific; increase of the immunoglobulins IgG, IgM and IgA; stimulation of interferons, interleukins and TNF-alfa; stimulation of the proliferation of lymphocytes; activation of phagocytic activity of the macrophages; proliferation of lymphocytes and B- and T-cells; and lowering c-reactive protein.

2. Circulatory system effects: improvement of regeneration of erythrocytes and of microcirculation; reduction of aggregation of thrombocytes; activation of fibrinolysis; and stimulation of the NO-production in monocytes with vasodilation and improvement of endothelial dysfunction.

3. Impact on muscle and nerve cells: normalization of the cell membrane potential, which helps muscle and nerve cells to transmit signals between each other for increased function.

4. Impact on overall energy and whole system : mitochondria are stimulated to produce more ATP, which translates to more energy; and normalized tissue metabolism.

 Herbs that influence the blood

Nettles to build the blood

The nettle plant is highly nutritious and makes a wonderful green vegetable in the spring. Once you wash it and cook it, the sting will disappear. It is known to nourish the blood, and treat  anemia-type conditions, including low blood pressure, pale face, fainting and fatigue. It is also helpful in cases where blood deficiency and excessive bleeding go hand-in-hand.

Yarrow to move the blood

Yarrow is one of my favorite plants. I love its herbaceous scent, hearty flowers, strong stems and delicate feathery leaves. I’ve been monitoring a few specimens on my morning walks, and they are now starting to bloom. One of yarrow’s many strengths is to move and cool the blood and thereby stop bleeding. I use it fresh, dried, or in ointment on fresh cuts and bruises with amazing results. Tea and tincture are taken internally for bleeding due to blood stasis in the digestive and respiratory tracts and the female reproductive system. Blood stasis is when coagulated blood obstructs the vessels, causing fresh blood to be forced out around it. To treat this type of bleeding, we need to move blood. 

Shepherd’s Purse to stop bleeding

Shepherd’s Purse is primarily used to stop excessive bleeding. It is warming and stimulating, and is best for blood that is “dark and oozing,” according to herbalist Matthew Wood . It is especially useful for women suffering from excessive menstrual bleeding and hemorrhaging, fibroids, and postpartum bleeding. Shepherd’s Purse is also useful for bleeding in the digestive and urinary tracts and for wounds that continue to ooze. From a biomedical perspective, Shepherd’s Purse stops bleeding due to its vasoconstrictive and coagulating properties.

Burdock to “clean” the blood

Blood can get overloaded with toxins if our body’s detoxification processes are broken down or overwhelmed. This can manifest in all types of skin conditions from acne to eczema to psoriasis. In Chinese medicine, we call this toxic heat in the blood. According to herbalist Peter Holmes , burdock root regulates the system by “restoring, altering and eliminating.” In other words, it gently brings the body into harmony by detoxifying the blood and tissues. Burdock also regulates the immune system, which, as we now know, is tied with the blood. This is why I give it to almost all of my clients suffering from seasonal allergies…with great effect, I might add.