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New research shows that key dietary changes can offset the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Even if dementia runs in your family, your food choices can shift the outcome. Having lost three family members to Alzheimer’s, I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating toll this disease takes. While there’s a strong genetic component, I’m…

The skin acts as a window  into our internal environment. Many of the common chronic skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis and acne are signs of poor elimination. In a healthy state, the body eliminates through the liver, gastrointestinal tract, lungs and kidney. If these organs are not working properly, then the body eliminates through secondary…

As a naturopathic doctor, I am often asked, “Do I (or my kids) need to take nutritional supplements?” It all depends on how adequate your diet is.  If you eat a diet rich in colorful, organic fruits and vegetables (totaling between 8-9 servings a day), you can likely get away without taking a multi-vitamin.  After all, whole foods contain…

My husband is doing a 21-day cleanse right now, consisting of a daily smoothie with a couple scoops of professional-grade detox protein powder and an Anti-Inflammatory diet (essentially gluten-free, dairy-free, alcohol-free, caffeine-free and sugar-free).  I am breastfeeding right now so the last thing I want to do is mobilize toxins into my milk! A good…

The Anti- Cancer Diet by Dr. Sarah Axtell. ND Cancer is a disease that is commonly believed to be preventable. All cancers are a result of multiple mutations. These mutations are due to interaction with the environment. Genes, on the other hand, have very little impact on the development of chronic disease and life outcomes.…

Naturopathic doctors have historically recognized inflammation as the root cause of most chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. Today, doctors in the allopathic or conventional paradigm now also recognize inflammation as an underlying cause of cardiovascular disease. The therapeutic benefits of fish oil and flax seeds are numerous. Fish oil and flax seeds…

After a lot of traveling and the usual hustle-and-bustle of the holidays, my family is feeling a bit under the weather. My 3-year-old daughter and husband have a cough and a cold, and I am feeling a tickle in my throat on the verge of acquiring the virus they likely have. Luckily, Louisa, my 3…

Difficulty conceiving is becoming increasingly more common. According to the CDC and Prevention 2002 data, approx. 12% of women between 15 and 44 have impaired fertility. And according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving. Infertility is defined as the following: Definition Women in their 20s- inability to…

In general, a fever is beneficial; it is the body’s way of fighting an infection.  In most cases, you should not suppress a fever with fever-reducing medications. An elevated temperature is not considered a “fever” until it is 100.4 F. The optimal temperature to fight bacteria is between 102-104 F. Bacteria and viruses are essentially…

Coconut is a true super-food. It is not only delicious, but it also has many health benefits. Here are 5 reasons to indulge in the tropical fruit. 1. In the past, coconut has gotten a bad rap due to its saturated fat intake. Saturated fat is most commonly found in animal products. But not all…

We all hear that we are supposed to avoid high fructose corn syrup, but do you know why? There is a great article highlighting the rationale of avoiding the sweet stuff published on the Weston A. Price foundation website. Here are the basics: 1. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFSC) is a refined carbohydrate devoid of…