Determinants of Health #3 Nutrition

I could probably talk about food and digestion for hours! Obviously what we put into our body all day every day has an impact on our overall health.

This determinant includes what we ingest as well as how well we digest. If you have severely compromised digestion, it does not matter how well you eat if your body cannot absorb and utilize it.

This topic is so dense that I will stick to a few basic points.

1.    What you eat matters. Period.

2.    Diet is everything you put into your mouth. I approach food in terms of sustainable lifestyle changes instead of fad, temporary or crash “diets.”

3.    There is no “best diet” for everyone – I work with patients to optimize their diet based on their individual health needs, age, activity level, cultural background and food preferences.

4.    Changing what you eat is a gradual and challenging process. Food is intertwined with our history, memories, convenience, access, knowledge and means. Be patient with the process.

5.    Keep an open mind and you may be astonished at the changes you notice. I have used dietary changes to benefit a wide array of conditions – gut health, headaches, sinus/allergy issues, menstrual pain, migraines, sleep issues, anxiety, depression, arthritis and more!

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating#willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #goodfood #nodiets

Determinants of Health #2 Hydration

This is such a fundamental determinant of our health that it is easy to forget about it. The body is approximately 60% water so it bears remembering! Water is essential for many of the routine day-to-day tasks that your body carries out like producing energy and disposing of waste products. Water is crucial on a macro level as well as it influences stool quality, bowel movements, skin elasticity and texture as well as ability to focus. The brain is largely water and inadequate intake is a common cause of headaches. Water is a key component of joint fluid and keeps our joints working smoothly.

 About 50% of our blood volume is water. Blood is like a superhighway that delivers oxygen and nutrients throughout the body as well as taking away waste products.  

 How much water do you consume? What other beverages do you drink throughout the day? Do you feel hydrated?

 I typically recommend about 60-80 oz of hydrating fluids for the average person. This amount goes up with increased size (height, weight, muscle mass), physical activity, climate (hot and dry) and season. Hydrating fluids include: electrolyte mix, herbal tea, coconut water, nut milks, lemonade, juice and of course pure, clean water.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a partnership together to help patients achieve their health goals.

 Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #water #waterislife

Determinants of Health. #1 Breath

What is the thing that will kill you the fastest when deprived of it? While some of you may be tempted to say "love", physiologically it is air. When it comes to survival, there is a commonly accepted "rule of threes." You can survive for 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours without shelter (in harsh conditions), 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food. The point of this (beyond the fact that I love survival facts) is to highlight the importance of breath.

Some of the ways that breath gets disrupted are respiratory disorders: Asthma, COPD, pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, collapsed lung, etc. But even without lung disease, this determinant is often less than optimal. As a society, we tend to consciously or unconsciously “suck in our gut.” This means disrupting the normal movement of the diaphragm – the large muscle that drops down to open up the lungs and allow them to fully inflate. It turns us into “chest breathers” where we raise our shoulders to take a deep breath and this gives the lungs much less room to move.

A great experiment is to get a pulse oximeter – a small device that clips onto a finger and shows pulse and oxygen saturation. Our blood should maintain a 98-100% saturation of oxygen but this dips if we are not breathing well or have a lung disorder. I often have patients watch as their oxygen saturation goes from 95% to 98% with a couple of deep belly breaths. I frequently train patients how to properly breathe again. Many patients are surprised that something so fundamental like breathing could be functioning sub-optimally.

Breath affects our mood and energy levels – without enough oxygen, you may feel fatigued or un-motivated. A lack of deep breathing can also cause or worsen feelings of anxiety.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a partnership together to help patients achieve their health goals.

 Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #breath

Naturopathic Principles #6 Prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I know, it’s corny but so true! I can’t resist a good adage especially when it conveys wisdom.  

Natural medicine seeks to optimize health and wellness by preventing disease whenever possible. This includes taking into account personal risk factors, family history, genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors. This principle also encompasses the idea of reversing a disease course before it gets too entrenched.

Many chronic diseases have precursor states. You may have heard of pre-diabetes or pre-hypertension (high blood pressure). These early disease states are the best time to use dietary, lifestyle and targeted supplementation to reverse early physiological changes. Unfortunately, conventional medical providers usually do not have the training or the ability to offer longer visit times to provide the necessary patient education.  

A lot of medical doctors are now adding continuing education courses in functional medicine to try to get a better grasp of highly effective diet and lifestyle modification. But a weekend seminar is no match for spending four long years steeped in these principles. Functional medicine is basically a re-boot of naturopathic medicine.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #prevention

Naturopathic Principles #5 Doctor as teacher

This is one of my favorite parts of being a naturopathic doctor! Doctor as teacher is what truly sets apart holistic practitioners from a conventional medical provider. I get to build a therapeutic alliance with my patients, educate them about their health and give them lasting tools to establish and maintain great health. I spend a considerable amount of time in every appointment but especially the initial intake explaining things and answering questions. I want my patients to have an understanding of their bodies and the why behind my treatment recommendations. The Latin root for doctor is docere which actually means teacher.

Through patient education and empowerment, naturopathic doctors partner with our patients and encourage self-empowerment. I support patients taking ownership of their health. I love patients who have lots of questions because then I know they are engaged in the process. I frequently refer to this as a health journey and there is lot of learning along the way.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #ownyourhealth

Naturopathic principles #4 Treat the whole person

I keep saying I treat the whole person but what does that even mean? That I look at your head and your toes? Not quite. More like I take into consideration the various facets of your life, your health, your reality.

 Naturopathic medicine looks at the whole picture and does not reduce patients to their particular symptoms. This includes mental, emotional, physical, genetic, environmental, social, spiritual and other factors. Stay tuned next week where I will post a series that lays out the various “determinants of health” that guide the naturopathic approach. Because we treat the whole person, we claim the mantle of “holistic” practitioners.

This is one reason why my intake is longer than what you might be used to from a conventional medical doctor. I will ask about your diet, sleep, exercise, mental-emotional state, self-care, supportive relationships, occupation, etc. We will dive into your family medical history as well as your own medical history. Working together to understand you as a complete person gives us a foundation to create a comprehensive treatment plan. 

Most of my patients find me because they are looking for a more patient-centered approach that does not reduce them to a runny nose or sprained ankle. You have probably heard the old joke about “The heart attack in room 5.” You are not your symptoms, you are an individual and deserve to be treated as such.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #healing #drjesskeating #willowcnm #herbalmedicine #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chiropractic #acupuncture #treatthewholeperson

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is simple – let us all tap into the immense power of gratitude. Gratitude can radically shift your perspective in an instant. It moves us from fixating on what we lack to focusing what we have. This transforms our reality into one of abundance instead of one of scarcity. A daily gratitude practice is an essential part of maintaining robust mental health.

Gratitude does not negate things in life that are difficult, sad, frustrating, tragic, etc. It merely re-focuses our mindset on the good things in life. I am sad that I will not be able to share Thanksgiving with our extended friend group this year but I am still grateful to be able to cook for and enjoy the day with my husband.

What are you grateful for? Comment and let’s fill the internet with gratitude!

Today I am grateful for my husband, loving family, fulfilling career, a roof over our heads, my passion for cooking healthy food, our three adorable cats, meaningful friendships, my faith and my health.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #healing #drjesskeating #willowcnm #herbalmedicine #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #gratitude #givethanks #thanksgiving

Naturopathic Principles #3 Treat the root cause

Rather than suppressing symptoms, naturopathic doctors work to find the root cause and treat accordingly. The classic phrase “Don’t kill the messenger” fits nicely with this principle. Painful periods, headaches, anxiety, constipation, acne, low libido, joint pain and poor sleep are all symptoms. Symptoms are your body’s way of communicating that something is wrong. While you can take a pill for most of these conditions, that approach fails to address the root cause.

We’ll take headaches as an example. In my practice, I have found the most common underlying causes of headaches to be dehydration (chronic inadequate water intake), muscle tension (particularly in the neck) and food triggers (also called food sensitivities). While patients sometimes get relief from over-the-counter pain meds, the lasting and complete solution is to address these fundamental causes.

If you desire a deeper solution to your health challenges, find a licensed Naturopathic Doctor to work with on your health journey. A comprehensive intake is part of the process we use to investigate the true causes of your health concerns. We then craft a comprehensive treatment plan to help you regain great health.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #healing #drjesskeating #willowcnm #herbalmedicine #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chiropractic #acupuncture #rootcause #nature

Naturopathic Principles #2 Healing power of nature

Humans evolved over thousands of years to thrive in the environment on earth. This includes a cycle of light and dark each day, a certain amount of oxygen in the air, the food that is available, etc. Our natural state is good health. Naturopathic medicine believes when you remove the obstacles to health, healing is the natural response.

My favorite way to visualize this concept is to think about getting a fairly serious cut. You go to urgent care and have it stitched up (the appropriate intervention in this case). Over the next few weeks, the skin closes, the pain recedes and you are (just about) as good as new. Did the doctor (or nurse) who did the stitching “heal” you? No! They helped your body have a good healing outcome but your body (nature) did the healing. 

Along these same lines, I am not responsible for you regaining great health. I contribute my expertise, give you the road map, troubleshoot your roadblocks, motivate you to get past plateaus and direct your general trajectory. But YOU do the work and your body does the healing. Together we harness the power of nature to achieve great health. When you remove the obstacles in your path, your body returns to its innate state of good health.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home. 

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #healing #drjesskeating #willowcnm #herbalmedicine #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chiropractic #acupuncture #powerofnature #naturecure

Naturopathic Principles #1 First do no harm

This is part of the oath that every doctor takes upon completing medical school. We always work for the highest good for our patients and the best possible outcome given the individual circumstances. In naturopathic medicine, it means we try to choose natural or comparatively gentler interventions first. The least invasive options ought to be exhausted before higher force interventions are tried.

We recognize that different interventions are appropriate for different conditions. Someone with a broken wrist needs surgical attention first and foremost, while a patient with pre-diabetes would benefit from dietary and lifestyle counseling to prevent the progression to diabetes.

Patients with low back pain may be familiar with this “progression of force.” Conservative approaches are tried first: weight loss, over-the-counter (OTC) pain pills and physical therapy (PT) are usually the first line options. If these fail to bring relief, steroid shots are usually next and surgery is the last resort. However, during that first trial of therapy, we can also add chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga, stretching, cold laser, herbal medicine and dietary counseling to the list of effective interventions. The naturopathic tool kit is quite large and we always seek to use the simplest, least risky options first.

Does this principle resonate with your own health beliefs? Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

 #naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #healing #drjesskeating #willowcnm #herbalmedicine #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chiropractic #acupuncture #firstdonoharm