At 38, for a third time I was once again diagnosed with abnormal cells on my cervix. My doctor’s first choice treatment was a repeat LEEP procedure. I was devastated at the idea of going through that procedure again with no confidence HPV would not come back soon after. I decided I wanted a second opinion.
My late 20s have felt like a decade of suffering and depression. Two (beautiful) babies, one soul-crushing marriage and a two-and-half year long divorce took every bit of strength and courage I had to keep moving forward. When life is that hard, moving is painful. Thoughts are jagged and exhausting. I was so overwhelmed by anxiety and trauma that I was basically handicapped and homebound for about six months. My mind, emotions, spirit and body were sick. I started doing yoga in 2017 at Dragonfly 360 Yoga & Wellness. At 27, my right leg was so weak that I couldn’t lift it to put on my pants. My yoga teacher, Mike Camp, was able to work with that limitation while increasing my range of motion and strength. A weekly yoga practice over the next year toned me up, physically and emotionally. But my divorce was still dragging out. I felt like … Continued
Winter in Indiana. It’s cold and dry. The gray days have a big impact on a lot of us. It all wears on us, and can show up on our skin. Besides being a protective shell, skin has many functions such as regulating our body temperature, making and storing Vitamin D, and eliminating toxins. In fact, it is responsible for releasing one third of the body’s toxins.Instead of hunching over and waiting for spring to come, keep your skin soft and fresh using these six tips.HydrateWinter is such a harsh season for our skin. The lack of humidity in the air can cause the moisture on the top layer of skin to evaporate. Dehydrated skin can look flakey, scaly and cracked. Staying well hydrated helps our organs to work more efficiently. When our organs work properly, it helps to relieve the skin from the duty of sweating out toxins. Easy ways to … Continued
Who doesn’t have food cravings? We often think about cravings as a psychological phenomena. An itch you can’t scratch. But beating cravings isn’t as easy as practicing self-discipline, although that is an important aspect. Food cravings can come from physiological issues as well as the mental/emotional pull. Desiring food as comfort can in itself be a symptom of food sensitivities or intolerance. A food intolerance or sensitivity is an immune response to either immunoglobulin G (IgG) or immunoglobulin A (IgA). Reactions to food could be delayed up to 48 hours after ingesting the food, which makes identifying the issue a challenge. Regular stomach discomfort is caused by an inability to digest or metabolize a food completely. Symptoms may include gas, bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. Oddly enough, having an intolerance to a food may make you crave that food. Having a mild immune reaction to foods may act like an endorphin (e.g., runner’s high) in … Continued
The digestive system is the power center of the body. There are more organs in this system than any other system. It keeps things moving in the right direction. Regular bowel movements are the cornerstone of good health as can ensure proper detoxification and absorption of nutrients. Anything interfering with these processes interferes with energy, sleep, mood, immune function and more. Therefore chronic constipation may lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, yeast overgrowth (candida), migraines and allergies. As a naturopathic doctor, chronic constipation is a common issue that I help address. After each meal, you should produce a bowel movement. Although it is very common, finding the underlying cause can be complex and differ from person to person. Blanket treatments such as laxatives often do not address the true issue and long term use can come with side effects. The body is very complex and the root issue must be found for overall health. Constipation is usually a symptom of other issues caused … Continued
Everyday in my practice, I help adults and children to address chronic conditions such as allergies, digestive issues, and hormonal imbalances. A major part of addressing health concerns is dealing with the little flus and viruses that come and go.As a Naturopathic doctor who practices homeopathy, I team up with natural bodily functions in order to help the body’s innate ability to heal itself, which is the cornerstone belief of homeopathy. According to homeopathic medicine, symptoms can be alleviated by small doses of substances which produce similar symptoms in healthy people. What is Homeopathy?The word homeopathy is a Greek term that means means “like disease.” Homeopathy can be traced back to the Greek Father of Medicine, Hippocrates. It was the German physician Dr. C. F. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) who tested and refined homeopathic practices and remedies. Homeopathic medicine is founded on two major principles: that “like cures like” and “law of minimum does.”Like … Continued
Kids are always running. Running in the kitchen, to the car, on the playground, into your arms. One of the greatest joys of parenthood is watching your child play and laugh. But while they are running from one place to the other, it seems there is a seemingly constant battle with runny noses, tummy aches, and sleep problems. A box of tissues in every room is a crucial staple to your home’s decor. Many over-the-counter medications offered to children come with undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness, and they only provide short bursts of relief. Especially for children with severe allergies, drowsiness effects their school, social, and play time. There’s no time to be sick when there is fun to be had! As a Naturopathic doctor, I use homeopathic and natural remedies to help children through icky symptoms and to build strong immune systems. One of my favorite treatments is NAET. NAET … Continued
Supporting every aspect of your physical, mental and emotional body is always important. It’s especially important to be intentional with supporting your adrenal function when going through difficult times. Emotional and mental stress can become so burdensome that your body takes over the responsibility of coping in an effort to give your tired mind and heart a break. This is something to be thankful for. Overtime, however, this can result in overworked adrenals, as well as other physical issues.Without proper balance between cortisol (aka the stress hormone) and DHEA (the hormone that balances cortisol), cortisol becomes a burden on the body. If left untreated, this can result in adrenal fatigue. Supporting the adrenals with targeted nutrition and supplementation can make a big difference in coping with unavoidable stresses. Here are some micronutrients that can relieve overworked adrenals:Vitamin C: Vitamin C depletion is very common in adrenal fatigue. It supports adrenals and … Continued
Is your sleep disturbed? Are you tossing and turning, or maybe having a hard time falling and staying asleep? Are you feeling more stressed out than normal? Do you feel depressed but don’t know why? There are many factors that cause insomnia, depression and anxiety, but one of the most overlooked causes is allergies. While taking an antihistamine can treat runny nose and itchy eyes, long term use can exaggerate sleep disturbances and mood issues. What are histamines? Histamines are stimulatory neurotransmitters (brain chemicals). Our bodies naturally have histamine circulating, which helps control energy levels, motivation, and the sleep-wake cycle. Histamine is an important neurotransmitter but when it increases due to a toxin or insect bite, other neurotransmitters such as epinephrine (adrenaline) may be affected. Epinephrine helps lower large increases of histamine. While allergies often present as itchy eyes or sinus congestion, anxiety and insomnia are also common symptoms due to the increase … Continued
The human body is amazing. I love learning about it, discovering how to work with it to ease issues that come along with especially chronic health conditions. As a homeopathic doctor, I team up with natural bodily functions in order to increase healthy responses and decrease symptoms associated with illness.A natural survival technique that Homeopathic doctors consider to be one of the most important natural defense mechanism against viruses is a fever. During a fever, interferon, an antiviral chemical, is released and T-cells and B-cells increase. How Do T-Cells and B-Cells Fight Fevers?Helper T-Cells: These cells are the drivers and the coordinators of the immune defense. They activate B-Cells and Killer T-Cells.Killer T-Cells: Specialize in attacking and killing cells infected by viruses and possibly bacteria.B-cells: Search for substances called antigens that have stimulated the immune response; B-cells divide and produce antibodies that will directly: Destroy antigensNeutralize toxins Incapacitate virusesA fever is a call … Continued
