Junk Food in Hospitals

I am amazed that our hospitals, which are supposed to be places of healing, serve junk food.  One of the hospitals I trained in had a McDonald's, which I thought was a fluke. Then I happened to deliver in another hospital in a different area of the country which also had a McDonald's. Why do our hospitals not place more value and support on prevention?   Here is an interesting article by a UK cardiologist entitled I mend hearts. Then I see my patients served junk food by our hospitals. 

I would also highly recommend the documentary Super Size Me, which examines the influence of the fast-food industry.  The film is available for viewing and download for free.


Photo credit http://lcvending.net/vend.php?id=vending_machine_customization

Simple Black Beans

This is a great easy recipe to learn how to cook beans. Place 3/4 cup of dried black beans in a pot or bowl. Pick through to remove any small stones. Add water to cover the beans by about two inches. Add a splash of vinegar (~1 Tablespoon) or squeeze of lemon to help break down the phytic acid in the beans. Phytic acid can interfere with the absorption of valuable nutrients.  Soak beans overnite for about 8-10 hours. After the overnite soak, rinse and drain the beans. Then add 3 cups of water and simmer beans for about 1.5-2  hours. I usually keep the pot covered for the first 1-1.5 hours then uncovered to boil off the remaining water. Once the beans are soft, add 1/2 jar (~6 oz) of your favorite peach or mango salsa. I use the peach salsa from Trader Joe's. You gourmets can also make your own if you prefer. 

Voila!  These beans are ready to use as a dip, burritos, tamales, salad, as a side dish or hearty meal with brown rice and greens.

Black beans in particular are packed with antioxidants, fiber, protein, magnesium, folate, and iron.

Preventing Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear is a painful infection of the ear canal. The ear tends to be tender when tugged or touched. It occurs more often after swimming as water gets trapped in the ear and promotes growth of certain germs. After a prolonged bout of swimming, consider a simple step of prevention: Place 2-3 drops of a 1:1 solution of plain vinegar and rubbing alcohol. The solution helps restore the slightly acidic pH of the ear which helps ward off infection. It also encourages the ear to dry more quickly. Do not place this solution in your child's ear if he or she has ear tubes, a perforated ear drum, or any ear drainage. Also, keep in mind swimmer's ear is different from a middle ear infection which tends to be associated with colds and/or allergies.

Fun in the Sun... Sunscreens

Sunscreens can be tricky as the sunscreen industry is not as regulated as you may think. Some sunscreens, even those advertised for babies, do not protect from both UVA burning rays AND UVB cancer-causing rays. Some sunscreens also contain certain chemicals like oxybenzene which may be potential hormone disruptors.  Check out these sunsafety tips from the Environmental Working Group. It includes a guide on what to look for in a sunscreen. I also recommend EWG's Sunscreen Guide to choose your sunscreen. You are more likely to find these sunscreens at your local health food store. Don't fret if you can't find the ideal sunscreen right away -- just use what you have in the meantime. In general, AVOID Oxybenzone, Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), added insect repellent, sprays, powders, and SPF above 50+.  LOOK FOR Zinc, Titanium dioxide, Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX, Creams, Broad-spectrum protection water-resistant for beach, pool & exercise; and SPF 30+.

Integrative Pediatrics on the Radio WATD 95.9

It was my honor to be invited to discuss Integrative Pediatrics on the Natural Medicine and Nutrition hour with Suzanne Landry on May 23rd, 2010, 8pm, WATD 95.9.  If you missed the show and would like to see it, please click here.  A big thank you to everyone for your support!

A Word on Guilt

There are so many ways that we can improve our lives. We're trying to avoid all plastics, buy all organic, exercise daily, sleep a solid eight hours a night, have no stress... just the thought of it is overwhelming!  Well, just think, everyday is a new day and every little bit counts. Sometimes it takes many small steps to make leaps and bounds. There's no reason to feel guilty about the past. Guilt is just negative energy against yourself.  Who needs that?  So be guilt-free. If you recognize areas that need improvement or perhaps a wrong that you've done, then take the steps you need clean up and move forward. You can make a difference.You can do it!

Arnica and bruises

Ok, I had a request to write about something immediately practical. So, I thought it would be very useful for everyone to know about arnica.  Arnica is a perennial herb with a long history of traditional herbal and homeopathic uses.  (See prior post below for an intro to homeopathy).  Parents will find that it particularly handy this time of year when our kids are apt to get the occasional bumps and bruises as they head outdoors.

If your child does end up with a bump and the skin is intact, apply arnica cream or gel or tincture as soon as possible. You may find the bruising and swelling is completely different with arnica.  The results can actually be quite impressive.  If your child has a bump in which the skin is broken, do NOT apply topical arnica.  Instead, try a dose of over-the-counter homeopathic arnica in the 6c, 12c or 30c potency once by mouth immediately.  Check with a professional homeopath for more specific and individualized dosing.  Arnica topicals and homeopathic remedies may be found in your local health food store and sometimes in regular drug stores.  Arnica treatment of bruising is a gentle and easy introduction to both herbal medicine and homeopathy. 

Don't forget about the usual icing and elevation of the bruised area to reduce swelling.  And, of course, be responsible and see a physician ASAP if your child has a significant injury, laceration, head injury, loss of consciousness, headache, nausea, vomiting, or is otherwise not acting him- or herself.

Photo credit http://en.wikipedia.org

E = mc2

E = mc 2. Energy = mass times the constant speed of light squared.  This fascinating formula is one of Einstein's greatest accomplishments.  Now you may be thinking, what exactly does this equation mean and what does this have to do with integrative medicine?  With E= mc2, Einstein is basically pointing out that energy and matter are different forms of the same thing; that is, energy and matter are interchangeable.

If people are matter, and matter is a form of energy, then people are also energy.  The equation E = mc2 just helps make this truth more tangible for me.  We are more than just our physical bodies. We are matter and we are energy. Therfore, we must care for BOTH the physical and energetic parts of our being.  In some cultures, our energetic bodies are addressed routinely in maintaining health.  Energy medicine has the same goal -- to nourish and heal our energetic bodies as well as our physical bodies.  In this way, there is the potential for a more in-depth healing process.  By healing the energetic body we help the physical body and vice versa.  If we neglect to treat the energetic body, we are leaving out an essential part of a person's health.  Einstein was far ahead of his time in terms of his scientific genius.  It is time for us to fully explore his insights and their implications within the field of medicine.

For you fellow physics enthusiasts that would like to learn more about Einstein's theory of relativity, take a look at his book Relativity: The Special and the General Theory.  Einstein wrote this book for the general public, high school-aged and above.

Photo credit: NOVA website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/einstein/kaku.html

No processed foods week

Imagine it... one week eating zero processed foods. That means nothing boxed, canned, or frozen; no food additives or preservatives or chemically-altered foods; no deli meats; no chips, breads, or pastas.  Nowadays, that is quite a challenge for most families.  However, just a few generations back, processed foods were not as widely available and most foods were freshly prepared from their whole food form.  Whole foods are rich in nutrients, providing a rainbow of nourishment for our bodies and soul.  Think of the dark green of kale, broccoli, or chard; oranges of sweet potato and butternut squash; the reds and purples of strawberries and blackberries; and the earthy yellows of brown rice and lentils.  How much more alive and healthy would we feel if we ate real food?

If a whole foods diet sounds daunting to you, then try it in smaller steps. Pick a new vegetable to try each time you go grocery shopping.  Get the kids involved and let them pick out a whole food. Give them some guidelines (something green or orange, not boxed or packaged) and see what they come up with.


Keep the cooking simple. Most dark leafy greens can easily be cooked in a quick saute with olive oil and onions or garlic on low-medium heat. See the photo for the red onion and swiss chard we sauteed with olive oil and then ate with a little brown rice or quinoa on the side. Now that's a power-packed breakfast!  Or, you may opt to chop up and roast some squash or root veggies to bring out their wonderful natural sweetness. Try to keep your meals balanced with colorful veggies and a bean or whole grain.

Enjoy connecting with the earth as you explore new foods.

Introduction to Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a system of medicine based on the laws of similars: "like cures like." Chosen remedies are infinitely small doses of a substance that at larger doses would produce similar symptoms of the illness. This is contrary to much of conventional or "allopathic" medicine which uses a substances (such as an antibiotic) that produce "different" symptoms than the illness at hand.

Think of homeopathy as a gentle nudge to the body to return to a healthy, balanced state.  Within each of us is a natural tendency towards health. Our bodies are built to maintain balance -- a concept known as "homeostasis."  Imbalances may present with specific physical and emotional symptoms, providing clues to how a person is trying to return to a state of balance.  Remedies are then individualized for each person based on the precise details of the illness. 

Homeopathic remedies are created from a starting substance by a series of dilutions and vigorous shaking (succussions) between dilutions.  The "potency" of a remedy describes how many sequential dilutions and succussions have been done.  Remarkably, in potencies of 12c or greater, it is unlikely that a single molecule of the original substance remains.  The water molecules used in the dilutions hold an imprint of the original substance, possibly by the structures of the molecules, the electromagnetic properties, and other interactions that belong in the realm of quantum physics.  Water (H2O) is a fascinating and unique molecule whose properties make life here on Earth possible.  (I like to think of how no two snowflakes are completely alike to truly appreciate the gift of water.)  Because the body is about 70-80% water, consider that an alteration in the body's water charateristics may potentially have a large impact on the whole.

Need more?  I would highly recommend reading Dana Ullman's article on nanopharmacology and how homeopathy works.  I also like Kellie Kirkpatrick's brief discussion of homeopathy and the vital force.