Category: Articles and Events

The holidays are coming, and with them come certain challenges.  It’s busy, it can be stressful, and ‘tis the season for colds and flus.  Travel makes us especially susceptible to getting sick, but there are ways to protect yourself so you can enjoy this holiday season.
The first factor to consider is stress.  With airport lines and unpredictable weather, travel can be very stressful.  And just five minutes of a strong negative emotion, such as anger or anxiety, can knock down our immune system for six hours.  If you respond to stress with strong negative emotions, it might be a good time to explore stress-relieving techniques.  Exercise, prayer, or even a few deep breaths can improve the way we react to stress.  If you don’t have a system in place to manage your stress, consider investing in a stress-reduction app for your smartphone like ‘Stress Relief: Relax and Recharge’ by Interstate Industries or ‘Guided Meditation & Deep Relaxation’ by MindValley or simply load your ipod with calming music.  These portable tools can have a big impact on travel day.
Airplane travel can have a huge impact on our health.  The closed environment of an airplane contains dry, pressurized air, and cosmic radiation exposure increases with the high altitude of flying.  These factors can cause challenges for our immune system, respiratory system, and detoxification pathways.  Boost your immune system with extra vitamin C (1000 mg) or an immune throat spray to protect yourself from germs that recirculate throughout the flight.  Increase antioxidant intake (found in green tea and colorful fruits and vegetables) to help protect yourself from the radiation exposure of high altitude flying.  Support your liver with herbs like Milk Thistle (Sylibum marianum) (300 mg) or a detox tea to counteract toxins you may be exposed to on flight.  And finally, stick to bottled water at the airport, as groundwater and reservoirs near airports are often contaminated by jet fuel run-off.
Car travel can also tax our immune systems.  Long periods of sitting in a car can cause our lymphatic system to become stagnant.  Lymph circulation, which helps rid our systems of toxins and cold and flu viruses, is dependent on moving around.  Take breaks every hour or two to stretch your legs and walk around, be sure to opt for healthy foods on the road, and drink plenty of water.
At Springs Natural Medicine, we can give you more specific advice on healthy travel or about any symptoms you may encounter while traveling including anxiety, jet-lag, swollen ankles, headaches, or digestive complaints.  We look forward to working with you and bringing you to optimal health this travel season. Contact us today.

Thank you for voting for Best Naturopath in Colorado Springs!

Dr Faith Christensen received a silver medal and Dr Allison received a bronze medal for Best Naturopathic Doctor in the Independent Best of Colorado Springs 2012. Thank you for voting for us. We are dedicated to providing quality, individual, comprehensive, health care options for you and your family and friends in the Colorado Springs area.

We offer free initial meet and greet appointments over the phone or in person. Contact us today at Springs Natural Medicine and lets see if we can help!

Colorado Springs Independent Best of 2012

 

 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are correlations between specific organ systems and each season.   This year we will explore those relationships in some of our monthly newsletters.
The autumn season is associated with lungs, and this makes it an excellent time to cleanse your lungs and prepare them for the cold and flu season ahead.  If you live in Colorado Springs, the smoke exposure from the fires this summer is another strong reason to consider detoxifying your lungs.
The lungs primary function is gas exchange –allowing the body to get rid of waste gasses and exchange them for life-sustaining oxygen.  They also adjust the temperature and moisture of incoming air and, if functioning optimally, protect us from air-borne pathogens, like those responsible for colds and flus. With a surface area the size of a tennis court and their role in the elimination of waste products, the lungs are also considered a main organ of detoxification.

There are a number of ways you can increase your lung health this fall, and the easiest way is to breathe!  For the next 6 weeks, challenge yourself to take a couple minutes out of each day to take 10 deep belly breaths.  This means using your diaphragm to puff out your abdomen when you breathe in, and bring your navel in towards your spine with each out-breath.  Deep breaths like this allow for maximum blood flow and gas exchange, which brings important nutrients to the lungs and helps eliminate waste.  Belly breathing will also induce a state of relaxation, which supports immune function.
Acupuncture is another great way to really open up and nourish the lungs.  Using tiny needles to access the meridians (or organ pathways), acupuncture allows qi (pronounced chee and often translated as ‘vital energy’ or ‘life force’) and other nutrients to access and strengthen the lungs and increase immune function.  The taste associated with the lung meridian is a pungent or spicy taste, so cooking with spices like garlic, ginger, or chili will also promote lung health.

Finally, the emotion associated with the lung is grief.  Excess grief can weaken the lungs, but appropriate grief, the process of letting go, is an important component to overall lung vitality.

Steam inhalation, aerobic exercise, and certain herbs can also assist in tonifying your lungs.

Ask Dr Allison, Dr Faith, or Dr Grace what you can be doing this season to promote your lung health.  Receive 10% off your first acupuncture visit this month to jump start your lung detox.

Dr Grace Calihan will be speaking about Surviving the Cold and Flu Season Naturally at

Southgate Natural Grocers October 30, 2012 at 11-12pm click here for more info

North Academy Natural Grocers November 3, 2012 at 10-11 am click here for more info

If you can’t make the lecture, Dr Faith’s Book Surviving the Cold and Flu Season Naturally will get you up to speed so that you and your family can THRIVE during the winter months. Click here for more info

Adapted from Cynthia Lair’s Pumpkin Pecan Muffins from her cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family. These tasty muffins are sure to please and are a great way to add vegetables to a picky eater’s diet.

3 cups flour (spelt, whole wheat) 1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1?2 teaspoon cloves, ground

1?2 teaspoon cardamom, ground

1?4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

2 cups pumpkin or winter squash mashed

1?2 cup maple syrup or 1?3 cup agave nectar

1?2 cup milk (cow, soy, rice, almond, coconut) 1?3 cup cold pressed vegetable oil or coconut oil 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1?2 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil muffin tins or line with paper muffin cups. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Put pumpkin/squash, maple syrup or agave, milk, oil and vanilla in blender; blend until smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and fold gently using minimum strokes to mix well. Gently fold pecans into batter. Fill muffin cups to top with batter. Bake 25-30 minutes.

PREP TIME: 45 MINUTE MAKES 12 MUFFINS

SPICE OPTIONS

2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices.

GLUTEN FREE

Use gluten free baking mix and add 1?2 cup more of the pumpkin

squash puree

Nut free

Omit pecans

SPRINGS NATURAL MEDICINE AUGUST 2012 NEWSLETTER

In this Edition: Fall Cleanse, Meet Dr Grace, Aromalymphatic Massage, Type II Diabetes Prevention

Time for a Quick Fall Cleanse

Fall is a great time for a quick cleanse after a busy summer and before we enter the holiday season. Finding the right cleanse for your body and lifestyle can make all the difference in feeling rejuvenated. Cleanses give your body a break from the normal patterns of life and allow the release toxins that are stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys and the lymphatic systems. Built up toxins can suppress your immune system, prevent weight loss and leave you feeling fatigued and foggy headed. Cleanses can vary from a quick weekend reboot to a two week overhaul. Call to schedule a 30 minutes visit to outline the perfect fall cleanse for you and your schedule.

Sincerely, Dr. Faith Christensen, Dr Allison Nabours, and Dr Grace Calihan

Meet Dr Grace Calihan ND, LAc

I am a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist now practicing at Springs Natural Medicine, and I am so looking forward to helping you on your journey to optimal health! An interest in nutrition and gardening planted the seeds of my future in healthcare, but I fell in love with naturopathic medicine becauseit integrates so many aspects of a patient’s life. So much of our health is within our control and it is my passion and calling to help uncover various roadblocks to optimal health. Additionally, I love to teach, and working with patients to make small and large changes in their lives begins with a strong understanding of the medicine.
I am trained as a general practice physician and I enjoy working with all patients with an interest in improving their health. I also have a special interest in preventative cardiology, natural fertility, and anti-aging medicine. I am very interested to be a member of your health care team. I have experience coordinating care with other doctors and have the utmost respect for conventionally trained medical doctors. I strongly believe in the combined importance of conventional care and natural medicine, and patients benefit the most from great relationships among their health care providers.

As a licensed acupuncturist I am also able to diagnose and treat patients from traditional Chinese perspective.Integrating this skill set with Western medicine helps to expose the underlying cause of the disease, and using acupuncture techniques, where needed, can have truly transformative results.
I received my Doctorate in naturopathic medicine and Masters of Science in acupuncture at Bastyr Universityin Seattle, WA. This combined training included over 7,000 clinical and classroom hours. My clinical rotations included specialty shifts in family medicine, men’s health, gynecology, oncology and pain management.I studied pre-med at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree, receiving Special Recognition for Outstanding Thesis on the topic of the effects of coconut oil on cholesterol.
I am looking forward to meeting you soon! Contact us today at 719-685-2500 for a free initial meet and greet!

Aromalymphatic Massage: Immune Boosting Spa Therapy by Faith Christensen, N

Aroma lymphatic massage combines traditional lymphatic massage and essential oil therapy with craniosacral bodywork and hydrotherapy.  Lymphatic massage involves light two fingered strokes brushing toward the heart along the surface of the body. Essential oil therapy is selected for individual lymphatic areas. Applications of hot and cold towels end this deeply relaxing lymphatic stimulating massage.

Developed by Ola Christensen, LMT, Dr Faith’s mother, this unique combination targets stuck or stagnant lymphatic areas while the light strokes sweep away stress. Hydrotherapy stimulates optimal digestionand elimination of the digestive tract and stimulates circulation and balancing of immune activity

Functions of the Lymphatic System

1.  Fluid and Protein Balance:  Filters and returns 1-2 liters of fluid a day from the body into the circulatory system. If the lymphatic system isnt working optimally one can experience bloating in the digestive tract, swelling of the ankles and hands, restless legs and muscle cramps.

2.  Immunity and Spread of Infection:  The lymphatic system is the first line of defense when invasion is signaled. This network of vessels and nodes transports and filters lymph fluid containing antibodies,lymphocytes, and bacteria. The lymphatic system orchestrates the way the body prevent illness and diseases from invading pathogens.

3.  Cancer and the Lymphatic System:  The lymphatic system is critical to the body’s surveillance against cancer and provides the most common avenuesfor the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. Cancer cells secrete substances that cause new lymphaticchannels to grow helping to spread the cancer cells. More research into the underlying issues for cancer prevention is needed.

4.  Inflammation, Auto-immunity and the Lymphatic System:  Inflammatory and auto-immune diseases( RA, SLE, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease, Scleroderma, Wegener’s granulomatosis, etc) are impacted by the lymphatic system. The immune system has malfunctioned and createsantibodies to itself. These antibodies, called “auto-antibodies”, react with the “self” antigens to form immune complexes. The immune complexes build up in the tissues and can cause inflammation, injury to tissues, and pain. Balancing the lymphatic system helps the immune system become more balanced in its responses.

Anatomy of the Lymphatic System

The lymphatic system is comprised of lymphatic capillaries, lymph nodes and lymphatic ducts that follow the circulatory system of the body. Lymph carried through the lymph vessels is filtered through lymph nodes. There are approximately 600 lymph nodes in the body. The lymph nodes remove damaged cells, unwanted protein and bacteria. Lymphocytes then destroy other substances by immune response through the production of antibodies.
Aromalymphatic Massage is a great way to optimize your lymphatic system, support detoxification during a cleanse or to boost the immune system before winter arrives. Ask Dr Allison, Dr Faith or Dr Grace at your next visit to see if your lymphatic system needs some support. Lori DiPasquale, CMT provides traditional massage, hot stone, sports massage, deep tissue and aromalymphatic massage at Springs Natural Medicine.

 

Type II Diabetes – Prevention through Healthy Living by Allison Nabours, ND

Diabetes affects 8.3% of Americans of all ages, 11.3% of adults aged 20 years and older, and 25% of persons age 65 and older, according to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet for 2011. Many of us with a strong family history of diabetes worry that it will affect us as we age and are starting to look for ways to prevent blood sugar dysregulation. I am a strong proponent that knowledge is power and want to share ways in which diet and lifestyle can aide in the prevention of Type II Diabetes.

Many adults of all ages start feeling the effects of hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, as the first sign their body is having difficulty regulating levels of glucose. Blood glucose is tightly regulated within our system by many hormonal signals with the most well-known being insulin. Insulin is a signal for cells of our body including organs and muscles to allow glucose in for energy. At the onset, receptors that are responsible for opening gates to allow glucose in start to be less responsive to insulin. Over time, higher and higher levels of insulin are required to open gates for glucose to enter the cell. This is what is referred to as insulin resistance. In an effort to lower blood levels of glucose, the pancreas, the organ responsible for insulin production, overshoots the level of insulin required due to increasing insulin resistance and the effect is a roller coaster ride in which blood sugar levels swing from high to low. Individualsdealing with hypoglycemia will feel this swing in blood sugar most after meals high in carbohydrates.

Many will report that 2 hours after a meal they will start to feel shaky, sweaty, and their heart will feel like it is racing. During this time, the most commonly used laboratory test to detect diabetes, fasting glucose, will not show any signs of concern. The reason for this is that the pancreas is still able to produceadequate levels of insulin, but the problem is that changes on the cellular level are still occurring and the progression towards diabetes is continuing.

When I have patients that are having difficulties with blood sugar regulation the test that I encourage most is what is called Hemoglobin A1C. It is a measure of the level of glycosylation of red blood cells. This occurs when blood sugar levels are on average higher throughout the day than they should. I have found that this picks up blood sugar dysregulation much earlier than fasting glucose and helps patients understand the early changes of Type II diabetes. The early stages of blood sugar instability put a lot of stress and over work on the pancreas as the pancreas works overtime to produce adequate levels of insulin. As diabetes progresses, if diet and lifestyle changes aren’t made, this burden on the pancreas results in the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin to decline and blood sugar levels will slowly begin to creep up and changes in fasting glucose can be seen. Throughout this process, however, it is important to understand that these changes can be reversed and that is what I would like to focus on next.

A family history of diabetes doesn’t mean an individual is predestined to a diagnosis of diabetes. I consider it an opportunity to make healthy lifestyle choices that will optimize your health and vitality into the future. When I work with patients with blood sugar issues the first two changes I encourage are increasing exercise and focusing their diet on quality protein sources and vegetables. By far, exercise is the driving force in reducing insulin resistance on the cellular level and reversing the changes that lead to diabetes. For patients, I encourage at least 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 days a week. With patients that are just beginning on their journey with exercise I often start with 15 minutes a day and have them work their way up. With diet, I am encouraging patients to really limit carbohydrate intake and with they do indulge in carbohydrates to make it whole grain sources that are high in fiber.

In addition, when eating fruits I encourage patients to choose low glycemic fruits such as berries, apples, and citrus instead of tropical fruits that are higher on the glycemic index. With patients that need additional blood sugar support, I will also utilize herbs and nutrients to further support their body. Herbs that are particularly indicated include Devil’s Club, Gymnema, and Bitter Melon to name a few. It is quite rewarding to see patients take charge of their health and reverse and avoid changes of diabetesand feel empowered with their health. All it takes is the knowledge and desire to make the needed changes.

Thank you for voting for Best Naturopath Colorado Springs!

Dr Faith Christensen received a silver medal for Naturopathic Doctor in the Independent Best of Colorado Springs 2011. Thank you for voting for us. We are dedicated to providing quality, individual, comprehensive, health care options for you and your family and friends in the Colorado Springs area.

We offer free initial meet and greet appointments over the phone or in person. Contact us today at Springs Natural Medicine and lets see if we can help!

Colorado Springs Independent Best of 2011