It is that time of year again!  The Ridgway Health Fair will be held this Saturday January 31st from 7am to 11am at the 4H Center.  This is a resource for low cost screening blood tests as well as free blood pressure checks, skin cancer screening, advice about vision and dental health and more.  Stop by my table if you are there!

For those who cannot make it to the Health Fair, I will be offering the same screening lab tests for the same prices at my office from February 1st to March 15th. Call to schedule your blood draw and remember to fast for 12 hours (water only) before your visit if you would like blood sugar and cholesterol checked.

My office will be closed from December 24th to January 4th.  We will re-open on January 5th.  Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing you in January!

For the last ten years, women have been the center of my practice.  While I enjoy seeing men and children as well, women’s health has formed my primary specialty, as much as a general practitioner can declare a specialty!  What I have discovered during those ten years is that women’s health is much more than gynecology.  A woman’s hormonal balance informs everything else about her.  This has impacts on all body systems including the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system and digestive system.  A practitioner who is intimately aware of the delicate interplay of female hormones and their effect on the rest of the system can guide you to understand exactly what you are experiencing in your body and weave that knowledge into appropriate treatments which are tailored to your needs.  Contact me for more information about women’s health and treatments that specifically benefit women!

An estimated 232,670 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and roughly 40,000 will die of the disease. What does recent research tell us about breast cancer prevention?

1. Weight Matters: Postmenopausal women who are overweight have a higher risk than those who are normal weight. Women who are overweight have higher circulating estrogen levels and higher insulin levels which stimulate tumor growth.
2. Alcohol Increases Risk: Alcohol is linked to both premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer, possibly due to alcohol’s ability to raise blood estrogen levels. Even modest intake boosts risk–there is a 17% increase in risk with only one drink every other day.
3. Move Your Body: Women who are the most physically active have a 10-25% lower risk than women who are the least physically active, likely because exercise lowers estrogen, insulin and inflammatory markers.

Many acute medical conditions are effectively treated with natural therapies. These can include: headache, conjunctivitis, ear infection, allergies, sinus infection, throat pain, upper respiratory infections, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, abnormal menstrual bleeding, vaginal infections, skin rashes, vertigo and much more.
To better serve you, I will now be in the office most Mondays from 10am to 2pm doing administrative work in addition to my regular hours. This is a great time to call and check with me to see if I can help with an acute condition, either with a visit or phone consult. I will always make every effort to fit acute visits into my schedule.

I will be out of the office from July 25th to August 1st and from August 15th to August 25th.  Please plan ahead if you are needing to refill dietary supplements or would like to get in for an appointment before the end of the summer!

I am now able to order imaging at any medical facility in Colorado.  This includes x-rays, mammograms, ultrasounds, colonoscopies, CT scans, MRI, etc.  Contact my office if you need a test ordered!