Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, recommends that we change our diets to reflect seasonal changes so that we can stay in balance and prevent disease.  During the transition from winter to summer it is best to reduce heavy, oily, fried foods and transition to lighter, easier to digest foods such as freshly cooked vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils.  Bitter and astringent foods are recommended such as spring greens, fresh herbs, broccoli, endives and radishes.  Lemon water is very purifying in the morning.  The main meal should be at mid-day with a lighter meal in the evening. 
Spices recommended at this time of year are aimed at reducing mucous congestion and stimulating digestion.  These include ginger, clove, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric and saffron. 
Spring is an excellent time to consider a cleanse, particularly if you suffer from allergies.  Contact me if you are interested in my Two Week Cleanse program! 

I have been hearing from many of you that you are having trouble falling asleep or waking in the night recently.  I wanted to share my favorite “Sleep Hygiene” recommendations with you as these simple strategies typically help a great deal. 
1.  Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.  I recommend aiming to be in bed by 10 pm each night and setting an alarm if necessary to wake no later than 7 am. 
2.  Exercise daily, preferably outdoors. 
3.  Expose yourself to bright light first thing in the morning.  Go outside or sit next to a sunny window.  On cloudy days, open the shades and turn on lights. 
4.  Avoid electronics for at least an hour before bed.  This includes phones, computers, tablets, TV, etc.  The blue light emitted from electronic screens can prevent sleep.  I recommend reading a book, doing a puzzle or working on a craft project instead. 
5.  Keep the lights dimmer during the hour before bed to signal to the body that it is time to go to sleep.
6.  Avoid eating late at night and limit alcohol which can disturb sleep.  
7.  Take a warm shower or bath before bed to relax your muscles. 
8.  The bedroom should be dark, cool and quiet.  If you find it too quiet, try using a fan. 
9.  Put a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillow before bed to calm your nervous system. 
10.  Massage your feet with warm sesame oil ( not the toasted sesame oil which has a strong odor) before bed.  This works like magic and is great for kids too! 

If you need more help, let me know.  I carry several natural sleep aids including Melatonin, Passionflower, 5-HTP, Sleep Easy and Tranquility which can be useful when additional support is needed.   

As we have all been hearing in the media, those with chronic medical conditions seem to be at higher risk of serious complications or death from COVID-19.  These chronic conditions include heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, obesity, neurological disease and those who are immunocompromised due to chronic infections, cancer or certain medications. 
Keeping this in mind, I have created a program for those who have chronic health conditions who would like to bring their health to a higher level not only to prevent COVID-19 complications, but to improve quality of life and longevity in general.  The program is highly individualized, but in general will incorporate nutrition, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes to help each person achieve health goals that we will set in our initial consultation.  The program includes an initial one hour consultation followed by three 30 minute consultations over a six week period.  The cost of the program is $497.00 which can be split into two payments if desired.  The visits can be scheduled as telemedicine or phone visits until it is safe to see each other in person again.  Please contact us for more information if this is something that interests you! 

I would like to share a list of my top immune boosting foods.  Please include at least 3 to 4 of these in your diet daily and try some new ones that are not in your usual rotation! 

1.  Dark Chocolate (!) 
2.  Fatty Fish (wild salmon, anchovies, sardines) 
3.  Turmeric 
4.  Ginger 
5.  Garlic 
6.  Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts) 
7.  Matcha Green Tea 
8.  Kefir 
9.  Chili Peppers 
10.  Apples 
11.  Citrus Fruit 
12.  Cranberries 
13.  Fennel 
14.  Sage 
15.  Shitake Mushrooms 
16.  Nuts 
17.  Oats 
18.  Olive Oil 
19.  Beans

One of the labs that I have been using for years, Diagnos-Techs, Inc.  is offering an amazing 20% off sale on all of their tests.  This includes saliva hormone and adrenal testing and stool testing.  The beauty of this offer is that all of their test samples are meant to be collected from home.  The kit would be shipped directly to you and you would ship your samples back to the lab in a pre-paid box.  I do require a 15-30 minute follow up telemedicine or phone consult to review your results as I am offering you my wholesale price on the lab tests.  Please contact us if you are interested and we can get the kits shipped out to you!

There are so many fun beauty treatments that can be done at home with natural pantry items that I thought I would share some with you during this time when it is not possible to go to the salon or the esthetician! 
Avocado Hair and Skin Masque:  mash 1 ripe avocado and mix in 1 Tbsp. honey and 1 Tbsp. liquid coconut oil.  Apply to dampened hair (only use on ends if scalp tends to be oily) and face.  Leave on for 20 minutes and then wash off and shampoo/condition as usual. 
Sugar Scrub:  mix 1 cup granulated sugar (white or brown), 1/2 cup coconut or olive oil and any desired essential oils.  Store in a container with a lid and keep in the shower.  Use 1 Tbsp. or more as needed to scrub skin, then rinse.  This will exfoliate and moisturize at the same time. 
Honey Masque for Sensitive Skin/Inflammation:  mix 1 Tbsp. honey with 1 tsp. matcha green tea (or the powder from a green tea bag) and 1 tsp. sweet almond or jojoba oil.  Apply to clean skin and leave on for 20 minutes.  Wash off with cool water and apply your normal moisturizer. 
Honey Masque for Acne-Prone Skin:  mix 1 Tbsp. honey with 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tsp. baking soda.  Apply to clean skin and leave on for 20 minutes.  Rinse off with cool water and apply your normal moisturizer. 

Any of the masques could be used once per week and would be a great addition to the Two Week Cleanse that I discussed last week.  Happy Beautifying!

We are right in the midst of spring allergy season and the symptoms that allergies can cause are often confused with the early signs of a COVID-19 infection such as runny nose, sneezing, scratchy throat, tightness in the chest and fatigue.  Please contact me if you need help figuring this out.  We carry all of my favorite natural allergy treatments including Aller Dx (a Chinese herbal formula providing rapid, non-drowsy relief), Homeopathic Southwest Allersode, Vitamin C, Probiotics, Omega-3s, etc.  Let us know if we can help you with seasonal allergies!

One of the most common concerns among my patients lately is fear and anxiety.  We are living in very uncertain times with much to be worried about including our health and the health of our loved ones, job loss, finances, homeschooling children and more.  On top of that we are physically isolated from others who might normally provide emotional support.  This has created an almost daily roller coaster of emotions in many of us ranging from fear to sadness to loneliness to frustration. 

Fortunately there are many resources to help including telemedicine visits with The Center for Mental Healthhttp://www.centermh.org, a private counselor or myself. 
I also recommend spending at least one hour daily moving your body outdoors if your health allows it, listening to music, dancing, appreciating or creating art, watching comedies, keeping in touch with loved ones, spending time with pets, cooking or working on home projects that you enjoy. 

Some people may also benefit from dietary supplements that support mood such as Omega-3s, B-Vitamins, Vitamin D3, Magnesium, 5-HTP, and St. John’s Wort.  I carry all of these items in the office so let us know if you would like to place an order or schedule a short consult to determine what is best for you.  I am here for you! 

It’s time to do a spring cleanse!  After a winter of eating heavier foods and more time sitting around the house, it’s time to lighten things up!  I have a program that is designed to improve digestion, liver and gallbladder function, improve blood sugar control and reduce inflammation.  Most people end up losing a few pounds as well.  The two week program involves dietary changes, several dietary supplements and supportive lifestyle measures to enhance detoxification.   The cost is $75.00 and includes a 15 minute telemedicine or phone consult with me to review and adjust the program to your needs, complete written instructions to start the cleanse and one of my favorite liver/gallbladder support supplements.  Contact us for more information or to get signed up! 

Hello Everyone!  Telemedicine visits are now available starting today, Monday 3/22/20.  This is a great way for both of us to stay healthy while being able to talk and see each other.  This is how we are scheduling all visits for the time being unless you do not have access to the internet in which case we can talk on the phone.  You may schedule your own telemedicine visit through my website, or call the office and we will help you.  I am here for you and look forward to talking to you soon!

Now that we are all staying home and may have more time to focus on nutrition and wellness, I have a few simple suggestions to add: 
1.  Focus on warm, cooked foods and warm beverages rather than cold, raw food or cold beverages.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), cold foods require extra energy to warm up so that they can then be digested.  This can have a negative effect on digestion and can also effect the immune system’s ability to fight infection.  This is especially important during Colorado’s springtime which is often cold, rainy, windy or snowy.  Try to sip on warm beverages throughout the day as COVID-19 often starts replicating in the throat and you can wash the virus down into the stomach where it will be destroyed by gastric juices. 
2.  Include ginger and cinnamon in your food or drink teas made from those spices.  Ginger and cinnamon are included in most of the TCM herbal formulas that are being given to COVID-19 patients in China.  The herbs are known to be warming and aid in circulation. They are both anti-inflammatory and cinnamon is antioxidant as well.  Not to mention tasty too!
3.  Experiment with cooking more of your own food.  This is a great time to get back to a simpler and more self-sufficient lifestyle.  The grocery stores may not have all of the items that you normally buy.  Get creative and buy some new ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables.  Tackle a new recipe or make items from scratch that you would normally buy such as pasta or enchilada sauces.  Let me know if you have any great recipes to pass along!  

If you would like to order supplements or refill herbal formulas, please call or email us and we would be happy to get your order ready for you.  If you would like to pick it up at the office, we will put it outside the office door in a bag with your initials on it.  We are also happy to mail your items to you or assist you with ordering supplements from my online store which is accessed through my website.  Some popular immune support items are backordered at this time but we are working hard to keep as many items as we can in stock.  Kiva will be in the office from 10 am to 2 pm today and then from 10 am to 1 pm every other day Monday through Thursday this week and next week to assist you with anything that you need.  

With the Coronavirus and a number of other viruses including the flu circulating, I have been getting a lot of calls from patients wanting tips on how to prevent illness.  In addition to the most basic but most important measures such as frequent hand washing, adequate sleep and a healthy diet, I recommend the following nutrients which are important for helping the body prevent and fight a viral infection.  The following doses are for adults.  Please contact me if you need guidance with children’s dosing. 
Vitamin A:  5,000 IU daily  
Vitamin D3:  2,000 IU daily 
Zinc:  30 to 50 mg daily 
There are a number of antiviral herbs that may be helpful as well.  I carry two combination formulas in my office that I use extensively for this purpose.  A-Biotic is something that I recommend taking daily (1 capsule twice daily) for the prevention of viral infection.  Cold Dx is a wonderful Chinese herbal formula that would be appropriate in the event of exposure to those who are sick or at the first sign of illness.  Please contact us for more information about how to use these!

Just a reminder that I am offering my Health Fair Lab Special through the month of March.  This is a fantastic opportunity to have screening labs done for a very reasonable cost.  Please call our office to schedule your appointment as those early morning time slots are filling up!  Remember to fast for 12 hours prior to your blood draw with water only for the most accurate results.  

Join me tomorrow Tuesday March 10th at 6 pm at Telluride’s Wilkinson Library for the third installment in my health talk series:  “Healthy Bones at Any Age”.  We will discuss the causes of low bone density and how to build bone using both the latest research and ancient nutrition practices.  Please contact the library at 970-728-4519 if you would like to attend so that we have enough seats for everyone!  I look forward to seeing you there.