Here’s an except from the article:

“Each month Watch:Nurture will feature a Q&A with a different specialist from the region who can offer insight into children’s health and development issues. Here, Ridgway-based Naturopathic Doctor Abigail Seaver discusses her approach to children’s wellness.

Q: Why naturopathic vs. traditional Western medicine?

A: I chose to study naturopathic medicine rather than allopathic medicine because naturopathic medicine’s aim is to find the underlying cause of the patient’s symptoms and to use supportive, safe, low-force treatments to enable the body’s own healing mechanisms to correct the problem. For instance, I see many children who have received repeated courses of antibiotics to treat recurrent ear or sinus infections. In many of those cases, I have found that the underlying cause of the recurrent infections is an allergy to a specific food, and when that food is eliminated from the diet and some basic nutritional supplements are prescribed to support the child’s immune system, the infections cease and there is no further need for antibiotics. ”

Read the full article here: Watch Newspapers – ASK AN EXPERT Abigail Seaver Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Ridgway Colorado

In addition to the foods discussed above I also recommend an herbal formula containing bitter herbs to stimulate the digestive tract. Bitter plants stimulate the entire digestive tract to secrete digestive juices and are best taken prior to a meal but can also be used as an antidote to a large and heavy meal. These formulas are very effective at treating gas and bloating and can be used interchangeably with an encapsulated digestive enzyme supplement with the added benefit of stimulating the production of amylase, an enzyme found in our saliva which starts breaking down starches as soon as we chew our food.
I like our local Shining Mountain Herbs “Rocky Mountain Herbal Bitters” product which combines locally wildcrafted and organically grown herbs such as Aspen bark, Angelica root and Gentian root in a tasty formula. I usually recommend between 30 drops to one teaspoon up to three times daily before meals. This type of formula is contraindicated in acute gallbladder inflammation, intestinal blockage, for young children and in pregnancy.

6-8 servings

1/2 cup walnut halves
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
6 medium beets, trimmed and washed
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions

6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
fresh ground black pepper

1/2 lb. fresh spinach leaves, de-stemmed and washed
3 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Combine walnuts with olive oil, salt and pepper, mixing well to coat the nuts
3. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 7-10 minutes
4. Set aside to cool
5. Wrap beets in foil and place on rimmed baking sheet
6. Bake at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 1/2 hours
7. Let cool for 20 minutes, then peel beets by holding them under cold running water and rubbing off the skins
8. Cut into 1/2 inch wedges and place in a large mixing bowl with walnuts and onion
9. Combine all the dressing ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning
10. Pour over the beets and dress well
11. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour
12. Just before serving, arrange spinach leaves in individual bowls or on a large platter
13. Arrange beets on top and crumble goat cheese over

Many of us heartily enjoyed the abundance of rich food and drink available around the holidays and are ready to give our digestive and detoxification systems a little break in January. I recommend gentle cleansing foods and herbs at this time of year that stimulate digestion, absorption and elimination without depleting the vital heat we need to stay warm in winter.

Fresh lemon squeezed in a large glass of room temperature or warm water and sipped before meals stimulates hydrochloric acid production in the stomach and the release of bile from the liver, both of which help to break down and digest food.

Beets are a wonderful root vegetable that have both a nourishing, sustaining quality and a cleansing quality. Beets thin the bile made by the liver and stimulate its release while also providing a very gentle laxative effect. They are rich in the minerals magnesium, potassium and iron and provide a good source of fiber.

Dark leafy greens, particularly the bitter greens such as kale are also capable of stimulating the digestive tract to produce enzymes that break down food, including starch, protein and fat. They are rich in minerals and folic acid and provide much needed color and balance on a winter plate of brown and white foods.

Kale Potato Soup

Kale Potato Soup(Laurel’s Kitchen Cookbook)This is a very simple yet satisfying soup! 1 large onion1 Tbsp. butter1 clove garlic2 large potatoes1 large bunch kale5 cups hot water or stock1/2 tsp. salt, to tasteBlack pepper
Saute onion in butter, cooking until clear and slightly golden.  About halfway, add the garlic, crush garlic with a fork.  Add potatoes and 2 cups water.  Simmer, covered, until potatoes start to soften.  Wash the kale, remove stems and chop, then steam.  Do not cook with the potatoes as the flavor is too strong.  When potatoes are well done, puree half of them with remaining water or stock and salt and pepper.  Combine all and heat gently.  Makes 6 cups.

If this is an emergency, please call 911.