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Immune Products

May 21st, 2009 by DrKarenErickson | 0

Immune Support vs Immune Stimulants

I have covered this in several classes, but I wanted to review it again. If you are registered as a patient online, I have expanded this article and listed specific products under the Online Dispensary section listed in the Patient Forum.

Everyone is familiar with Echinacea and most people use it for all types of conditions. See my article, Echinacea and Immunity. But there are different products for different situations that will give you better results for a variety of conditions.

‘Immune support’ is usually a long term immune building product. It is less effective when you are already sick. Supports help prevent you from getting sick. This is something you take in the Fall to protect you from Winter cold/flu season. Thymus products and vitamin A and C are common supports. Depending on the product, they may require several months of use for a seasonal protective effect; or they may just have sustained immune effect and be appropriate for chronic conditions.

‘Immune stimulants’ speed up how quickly your immune system kicks into gear. It only works if your immune system is NOT already working at full speed. Adding more immune pressure to a fully functioning system will not change anything. Echinacea is the most common stimulant and the most frequently misused herb I encounter. Luckily it is VERY safe! These products can often be taken in advance of a trip or holiday to prevent illness or lessen it’s duration. Stimulents also can be taken after significant exposure but before symptoms appear. For example if everyone around you is sick, take stimulents to be sure your immune system is up to speed AT exposure.

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Having a variety of immune products on hand for different situations will make your treatment at home significantly more effective. For more information consider a Healthy by Nature Class on immunity!

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Homeopathics, Making Mom a Pro

May 13th, 2009 by DrKarenErickson | 0

Homeopathics are a great area to explore as an introduction to natural medicine. They are extremely safe, easy to use, and there is a great depth to homeopathy that lends itself to advanced study. I always say that if you give a mom a few remedies, you turn her into the best doctor her kids ever had!

Acute homeopathy is easily mastered. The way I like to present homeopathics in my classes is by illustrating their ‘personalities’. Chamomilla, for example is cranky and irritable while Pulsatilla is sweet and unassuming. These ‘personalities’ (obviously taught in much greater depth) create a visual picture that allows you to match a remedy to a child in a particular state of unwellness.

After choosing a remedy, you administer it. If it’s the correct remedy you can usually see a change which can be very dramatic. If it’s the wrong remedy it does nothing, no change and no harm.

Homeopathics are administered in water, on small pellets, or occasionally in other mediums such as creams or cough syrups. They usually taste good and are easy for children to take. These remedies are very inexpensive to make and last indefinitely if properly stored. They do not interfere with other medications or substances (although certain substances may affect their performance such as aromatics like mint and coffee, or drugs like anesthesia), have essentially no side effects, and can be consumed in large doses without risk of toxicity.

We teach classes in begining and advanced homeopathy at Healthy by Nature. Class information is listed on the calendar and in the forum.

Garden Party Seed Swap 2009 - March 9 - All are Welcome

May 3rd, 2009 by DrKarenErickson | 0

Our annual Garden Party and Seed Swap is upon us again! This year, 2009, we will meet on March 9 in downtowm Boise at Cool Hand Lukes, 622 W Idaho St. The time is yet to be announced, but I wanted to post the date as soon as it was set.

This year we will plan a start co-op! We will agree on the plants we want to share and then each of us will grow a full flat of 1 type of vegetable plant to trade with others on a set date. This is economical - everyone is responsible for just 1 pack of seeds! And it’s easier to deal with a flat of simular plants that have the same light and water needs.

More information to follow so check back here. Or contact me at keinfo@mac.com

Eating Well in Tough Times

May 2nd, 2009 by DrKarenErickson | 0

The key to eating well in tough times is being prepared before it happens! If you thought ahead and planned ahead, you are feeling pretty good now. If you didn’t, don’t dispair…..it takes a bit longer but you can apply the same principles to building up your cache of food now.

Plan to use your stored foods! I call that dynamic food storage. If you purchase 1-2 bulk foods every month, you can start rotating your stored foods into your diet and decrease the amount of money you spend each month until, after a few months, you rely on your bulk foods and stored foods for most of your food.

Learn how to increase the storage life of produce and purchase storage produce. Debbie Meyer Green Bags are a great example how good storage can dramatically increase the life of your produce. Buying larger shares of produce less frequently will save you money and you can afford quality.

Become a planner. Shopping once/month is a strange concept for most, but it dramatically reduces your food budget and allows you to decrease impulse shopping.

Buy for nutritional quality. You can buy cheap cereals or pastas, but your not getting much nutrition for your dollar. Focus on whole grains which pound for pound deliver a lot more nutrition.

The best part of having a well stocked pantry is knowing that you can still eat well in tough times. You could also whether natural disasters and have enough food on hand to support neighbors and friends when they are struggling. Food storage is peace of mind.

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Food Introduction for Infants

May 31st, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

I could write a TOME on the subject of food introduction! Alas, this is just a blog! There are so many opinions and much varied information. Much of the way we introduce solid foods to children has little to do with what is best for children. Instead it is influenced by a Mother’s need to work, babyfood lobbiests, the lack of significant nutritional training for pediatricians, the influence of our mothers who feel the need to justify their own parenting practices, lack of support for (prolonged) breastfeeding in our society….

The last thing considered when deciding when and how to introduce solid foods is the development of the immature GI tract,  immune function, and the significant family history of the child. The old adage about it being ‘good enough for you…’ seems hollow in the face of increasing chronic diseases, cancer, and the multitude of other health concerns that seem to be increasing in an alarming way. The vast majority of children I treat, from Asthma to ADD to IBS to chronic ear infections…the overwhelming majority of them are in my office because of underlying food allergies and poor nutrition. These are kids on a Standard American Diet, following the generally accepted guidelines for introducing foods to infants and feeding children.

Children are resilient and as parents we can rest assured that many of our numerous mistakes will be forgotten (just in case you may want to open a fund for future counseling sessons). But some of you parents have struggled with significant food allergies of your own and you are the ones I want to speak to. Anyone with a family history of significant allergies should consider the following when introducing food. These things apply to all of us to varrying degrees:

1. Introduce food at the appropriate developmental stage for YOUR child. Most kids a year and under still need most of their calories in liquid low allergy form. I cannot promote breast feeding enough as a way of decreasing allergies and delaying solid food introduction. Even if everything else is done incorrectly, breast feeding is so protective for your child that it makes a world of difference.

2. DO NOT START WITH CEREAL. In the grand scheme of things we don’t produce the means to digest grains until well after a year. Start instead with root vegetables (carrots, yam, beets), move on to other veggies (spinach, peas, greens, etc), and finally add small amounts of fresh fruit. Many kids who don’t eat vegetables consume high amounts of refined cereal grains.

3. Avoid common allergens until 2 or 3 years (soy, dairy, corn, wheat, etc.) or beyond. Avoid refined sugars, especially juice and dried fruit. Feed your kids real food!
4. Add foods one at a time in a systematic way looking for clues to allergies or reactions. Take your time. You can never do ‘food introduction’ over, so do it right the first time.

I teach a 2-part class on food introduction every year. E-mail me a request to be put on the class list and I will contact you when it is scheduled.

Don't Touch Those Ears!

May 30th, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

Asymptomatic ear ‘infections’ in children are a common cause of antibiotic misuse/abuse! Children treated for ear infections with antibiotics have an 80% reoccurance rate! That means if your child has a mild redness in the ear from teething, congestion, allergies, etc. and gets treated with antibiotics, you may end up on the ‘conveyor belt of ever increasing technology’ and locked into an endless cycle of ever increasing antibiotics, tubes, and continual frustration. How often do I hear this story? When it comes to drugs for kids, JUST SAY NO!

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Vaccines and Politics

May 27th, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

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Indoor Starts

May 27th, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

I have received many e-mails about starting plants from seed indoors, so here’s what I do. It is my goal to start all my own plants from seed for my garden, that means starting out with lots of plants. I start my tomatoes and peppers at the end of February. My main garden season is May - September and starting plants indoors allows me to make my garden a lot more productive because I am not wasting prime garden real estate to germinate seeds.

I have tried everything, but for the ease and cost settled on expandable peat pots. These swell up when they absorb water, stand up and can be moved without breaking, there are no  bulky pots, and  they transplant easily with no additional work. I soak mine overnight while I plan my garden. Since Tomatoes and peppers need a long indoor head start, they are the first plants I start. Other plants that can be started in February (in Boise Idaho) are peas, kale and other hardy greens, lettuces, spinach and other plants either requiring a long season or hardy to cooler temperatures.

After soaking the pots for several hours, I pack them into a glass 9×13 pan (but anything will do…) and put between 1 and 3 seeds on top which I push into the moist soil with a pencil. I try to compensate for low germination (with my older seeds) and make these pots 100% productive so that each has a thriving plant. The only way to accomplish this is by over planting and thinning. Labeling is a pain with these pots, I have tried everything, but now I just expect a few mystery plants every year. I usually make a chart of what plant is where and tape it to the pan. I tuck a plastic bag around the pan and seeds to create a mini green house and set it in a warm location. Light is NOT important at this stage so it can go on your refrigerator, near a heat duct in the bathroom, or on a heating mat designed for growing. Keep them moist - water from the bottom so you don’t disturb the seeds.

Once they are up (most plants take 3-14 days) move them to a highly visible sunny spot. At this point plants need attention and seeing them every day reminds you to water them, rotate them so they grow straight, and watch for bugs or disease that can wipe out your starts. By the time my plants are a few weeks old, I prune them back to 1 healthy plant/pot. Remember to feed your plants, they will run out of food after they show true leaves and growth will slow. Also remember that the tomatoes and peppers grow roots along the stem, so it is customary to replant them 2-3 times, each time deeper to encourage root growth. These are heat loving plants and cannot be set out until it warms up (unless they are well protected by wall-o-waters or cloches).

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Giving away a Garden (or 5)

May 16th, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

This year my goal is to give away 5 fully planted organic vegetable gardens to families who need it. This has been such an awesome project for us…everyone who has helped or received a garden has been totally blessed. What it entails is choosing recipients, helping to grow the starts and gather the seeds, and showing up for 2-3 hours to put in the garden!

If you know people who could use a garden but lack resources or expertise to get one started, please plan to come to our Garden Party on Feb 23rd and submit their name (we will vote). My hope is just to get people started so they can become gardeners. If you are interested in volunteering (I especially want little enthusiastic young people, but I appreciate adults too) or helping in any way, please contact me and we will organize it all at the Garden Party.

Last year I sat in a lawn chair sipping lemonade in the sun while I directed the kids to put in the garden. It took less than 3 hours! I used my version of the Weed Free Method (see Weed Free Gardening, Oct 5 of 2007 in this blog) and it was a very simple reproducible method. The style of gardening requires little upkeep and it is a perfect first garden.

So plan on joining us On February 23rd! The location is still TBA and will be based on how many we expect….If you are interested in a group seed purchase, contact me NOW (keinfo @mac.com), I can’t wait to start!

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Replacing Hormones

May 16th, 2008 by DrKarenErickson | 0

Replacing hormone output with synthetic or natural hormones (or their analogs) has become BIG BUSINESS! Everyone has jumped on the bandwagon and is selling these products, each suggesting their product is the best. Herbals products, natural glandulars, bio-identical hormones. While I will not endorse or be critical about products here, I will take on the idea of ‘replacing’ hormones.

First let me qualify and say that there are many circumstances where taking hormone supplements such as progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, adrenal, pituitary etc. hormones can be beneficial and even life saving. Most people on these meds don’t fall into that category.

The philosophy of raising hormone levels by dumping them into the body is an allopathic philosophy and it supports the basic premise: treat the symptoms and you are cured! If you have the symptoms of low hormones, add more. This sound fine as long as you don’t care about figuring why the body’s hormone levels are low and solving the problem. It’s fine if you are content to add pill after pill (or herb after herb) every time your body has a problem for the rest of your life.

When the risks of synthetic hormone replacement became known, the ‘natural’ health industry jumped on the bandwagon and started making natural versions of the same product. Now this must sound great to everyone since natural practitioners, health foods stores, and MLM’ers all started promoting these products like crazy.

I am not convinced this is a good thing. It is not the substances I object to as much as the underlying philosophy. As a Naturopathic Physician, I don’t want to just ‘copy’ prescription drugs with natural substances and cover up symptoms. I want to solve the underlying problem and get people off their pills (prescription, herbal, everything) because my objective is genuine healing: i.e. restoring health to the body so it can maintain a state of wellness ON IT’S OWN and getting people healthy so they can stay OUT of my office.

Take thyroid for example. Natural or synthetic, supplementing with thyroid hormone replaces thyroid output making the gland weak and unable to support the body on it’s own. Take the supplements away and the body is worse off than before you started. Are you really healthy if you have to take thyroid every day for the rest of your life to feel good? Does it matter if it’s synthetic or natural if you take it daily as a drug? Yet 90% of my patients who are treated for thyroid are off everything within about 18 months. That’s because we treat underlying problems and strengthen thyroid function to allow it to stand on it’s own. That is what I consider to be genuine health and that is my objective as a physician.

Many women see me who slather their bodies with self-prescribed progesterone creams. And somehow they feel immune from harm because it’s a natural product. Arsenic and lead are naturally occurring. Digitalis and Aconitum are herbs that are extremely toxic, yet they are completely natural. Do you think you are more immune from reproductive cancers if you are alter your hormone balance with natural hormones instead of synthetic? Over half of the women in my practice taking ‘natural progesterone’ have progesterone levels over 200 times the normal limit. You wouldn’t walk into a prescription pharmacy and self medicate off the shelf. Yet if something is ‘natural’ it seems ok and somehow safe.

Many people are doing long-term damage to their endocrine system by taking hormonal substances. Some are prescription, some are recommended by alternative providers, and some are self medicated. Usually these substances ‘replace’ normal function with the supplements, leaving the endocrine organ progressively unable to do it’s own job. This makes you completely dependant on receiving hormones from an external source and furthers the imbalance that caused you to have difficulty in the first place. It sets you up for what I call the ‘conveyor belt of ever increasing technology’. Take one pill to cover up a problem. The unsolved problem creates more problems that also need to be covered up by a pill. These each create more problems… it makes the cost of that initial pill very high even though at first it appears to be a simple logical solution.

Since this happens in the natural health industry with the same frequency as the dominant school of medicine industry, health care is a buyer-beware market. Before you take anything, evaluate whether it covers up a problem or accelerates healing. Evaluate how long you need to take it before you start. My personal rule of thumb is 3-12 months depending on severity. Be realistic that we are used to taking drugs so we can do things that are bad for us! Antacids because we won’t look at digestion/nutrition habits. Allergy meds and pain relievers so we can ignore dietary allergens. Stimulants so we can ignore the body’s need for rest. Achieving good health REQUIRES us to care for our body and understand its limits.

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