What's up with vitamin D?

It’s Winter! Or close enough in the Midwest. This crucial vitamin gets a LOT of attention and it is certainly well-deserved. Vitamin D actually acts as a hormone in the body, entering every cell and producing a wide array of effects. Vitamin D is a very important regulator of the immune system and may even be involved in helping to prevent autoimmune disorders. Vitamin D also helps your body absorb calcium, which is vital for bone health. Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating mood, which is why it has been implicated as part of the cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Recent research also suggests that vitamin D can help improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics.

Given how important Vitamin D is and the impending winter, now is the perfect time to figure out if you are getting enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D is found in few foods - liver, certain mushrooms, oily fish, egg yolks, red meat as well as fortified juices, milk and cereal. During the winter months, it can be hard to get enough Vitamin D from food alone.

How much vitamin D is enough? That depends on if you are deficient or not, your body size, skin color and where you live in the country. Make sure to get your vitamin D levels checked before supplementing and work with a holistic healthcare provider to find a high quality supplement of D3. D3 is the active form of vitamin D and is generally considered superior to supplementing with D2. Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because the body can synthesize its own Vitamin D from sunlight! However, this process depends on season, location and skin color.

If you have more questions about vitamin D or would like to work with me on your health journey, feel free to reach out. I have convenient telemedicine visits available! I also offer complimentary 15-minute introduction calls to answer any questions you have.

 www.willowcnm.com

Fall Tincture Making

Fall is a great time to harvest herbs and make them into something delicious for the winter.

This year we grew a number of herbs in our yard and garden. Basil, lavender, lemon balm, peppermint, catnip were all beautiful additions to the landscape. Cooking with the basil was great all summer long. I found a new recipe to make lemon balm cakes in July that was delicious. Lemon balm, lavender, peppermint and catnip can also be dried to make tea.

Since this year has been exceptionally chaotic, I wanted to make something a little stronger than tea with some of my herbs. Tinctures are a great way to preserve herbs. It uses alcohol to extract the active constituents more effectively than water (as in tea.)

Below I will walk you through a step-by-step picture guide to tincture making. Basically you add herbs to a glass container such as a Ball jar, cover with alcohol and let them sit for about 6 weeks. After steeping, remove the herbs and you have homemade botanical medicine in your cupboard.

Here is a link to Mountain Rose Herbs’ guide to tincture making which I found very helpful. I also get a lot of dried herbs from them - particularly elderberry and rose hips which are great immune-supportive herbs as we go into winter. I typically use the “folk method” for tinctures which is a little less formal but easier for at-home use.

Get your supplies ready!

Harvesting lemon balm (melissa officinalis).

Peppermint (mentha peperita)

Catnip (nepeta cataria) is not only good for cats. However, while it acts as an upper for cats, it is considered a “nervine” for humans which means it has a calming effect on the nervous system.

Fresh cut!

Separate leaves from stems.

Coarsely chop leaves. This increases the surface area exposed to the alcohol and helps extract the active constituents more effectively.

Fill container 1/2 - 2/3 full of leaves or other plant materials. Tinctures can be made with roots, flowers, leaves, etc. - depending on which part of the plant has medicinal use.

Fill container with alcohol - you can pretty much use any strong, plain liquor you have on hand. I use 80 proof vodka because it is cheap and has no taste of its own.

Make sure the plant material is fully covered with alcohol. If you do not imbibe alcohol or are making herbal preparations for children, you can also use vegetable glycerine as an alternative extract. Alcohol is a very strong solvent so it produces a more potent product but making glycerites is still a useful option.

Make sure to label your product with the date so you can remember when you created it! Store in a dark place like a cupboard and shake every few days. Typical steep time is about 6 weeks.

Continued COVID-19 News

At this point we have all been through massive upheavals in our daily lives. We will come through this crisis together with increased resiliency but we are not done with the major changes we have experienced in the past two months. Do not forget about the foundations of health during this time: Proper hydration and nutrition, self-care rituals, finding new ways to connect to others, nourishing sleep, physically active time and work-life balance.

As states start their individualized re-opening plans, remember to continue to follow any local directives to enhance public safety.

All updates can be found at the CDC Website.

Good reminders:

• Keep washing your hands! Use soap (liquid or bar) and water (hot or cold) for 20 seconds.

• Wear a mask when in public places where you will potentially come into contact with other people (grocery stores, garden centers, etc). If you are outside and not near other people, you do not need to wear a mask (ie - going for a run or bike ride).

• Follow official public health guidelines and recommendations for social distancing, personal hygiene, and self-quarantine as needed.

Willow Clinic has a comprehensive plan to begin re-opening for current and new patients. Any visits that can be conducted on telehealth will be scheduled this way. We are employing telelmedicine visits using secure audio and video on a HIPAA-compliant platform. Any services that cannot be done remotely (acupuncture, adjusting and manual therapy) will be done with enhanced sanitation practices. Increased sanitation of tables and instruments is already in place. Increased hand-washing will be practiced during visits. Masks will be worn during visits. 6 feet distancing will be maintained during intake portions of appointments. All patients will be complete a brief, COVID-19-specific health screening questionnaire before each visit.

Some last reminders that will promote optimal physical and emotional wellness:

• Keep calm. Try to keep a regular routine so you have some sense of normalcy. Going to bed and getting up at the same time everyday is not only ideal for a healthy sleep cycle, but also helps to ground you in a routine during this chaotic time. Shoot for 7-10 hours of sleep each night. Play around with how it feels to get more sleep and find your “sleep sweet spot.”

• Drink well. Stay hydrated with plenty of water, fresh fruit juice and tea. Avoid sugary drinks like soda or over-caffeinating with coffee or energy drinks.

• Eat well. Continue to cook healthy, varied meals to provide your body with optimal nutrition. If you struggle finding recipes or don’t know how to cook, check out the various meal-delivery services: Sun Basket, Hello Fresh, Freshly, Gobble, Blue Apron.

• Stay active. HHS guidelines for adults include at least 150 - 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 - 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. You may consider a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity like HIIT (high intensity interval training). Consider jogging with bursts of sprints or biking with bike-sprints. Additionally, muscle strengthening exercises should be completed at least two days per week and confers unique benefits. Aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week and you should keep track of how active you are each week. That way you can celebrate your accomplishments. Don’t forget to stretch when you are done with your aerobic or weight-lifting exercises.

• Keep in touch. Try out new apps like Zoom or House Party to check in with friends and loved ones. Consider having a drive-by party to see friendly faces. FaceTime or Skype with family members on a regular basis. Human nature reacts to a crisis or tragedy by coming together for comfort and support. While we can’t come together physically right now, it is important to come together in other ways. Consider writing letters to friends or family members or sending them video greetings.

• Don’t forget about self-care. Give yourself an at-home facial or manicure, spend time in a relaxing bath with epsom salts, watch a funny movie, organize a date-night or go spend time in nature at a State Park. Remember to care for your mental-emotional well-being as well as your physical wellness. Prayer and meditation practices are also very helpful.

• Reach out for help. Hospitals and doctor’s offices are starting to return to regular visits and elective procedures. Check in with your primary care provider to see if an appointment would be a good idea. If you have a chronic medical condition or are suffering from anxiety or depression, get in touch with an appropriate healthcare provider to get support for these conditions.

Willow Clinic of Natural Medicine provides holistic primary care services in the comfort of your own home or via convenient telemedicine appointments. Do not hesitate to reach out if you would like my help on your health journey.

Be well,

~Dr. Jessica

COVID-19 Updates

This is an important topic. One more level-headed and well-informed blog post can only do good.

Let’s start with the basics:

• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick.

• if you feel unwell - self-quarantine. Call your doctor or local hospital before going in.

• Wash your hands throughout the day with soap and water for 20 seconds - especially before eating and drinking or after touching surfaces.

• Avoid touching your face particularly nose, eyes, mouth with unwashed hands.

• Do not panic.

• Avoid handshakes - opt for a friendly elbow bump or a cordial salute.

• Consider cancelling travel or unnecessary outings.

• Check the CDC website for updates - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

Good ways to support your immune system include making sure you get adequate sleep, drink lots of hydrating fluids (water, herbal tea), eat Vitamin C rich foods - oranges, yellow peppers, broccoli, spinach, kale, citrus fruits, papaya and strawberries. Managing stress is also important as it negatively affects our immune system. Avoiding sugary foods is also helpful as they suppress immune function.

Remember - the best defense is just simple hand washing. It does not matter if you use hot or cold water, liquid or bar soap - just vigorous rubbing of your hands together for 20 seconds will go a long way to protect you against potential pathogens.

So - Stay Calm and Keep Washing Your Hands!

~ Dr. Jessica

New Habits for a Healthy 2020!

There are many ways to support healthy metabolism. Two major ones that have gotten a lot of attention recently are Intermittent Fasting (IF) and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). The best news is that both of these are relatively simple to do, can be free or cheap to implement and can be used together!

IF is also referred to as “time-restricted eating.” In it, you choose an 8-hour window each day to eat and then consume no calories the rest of the day. This gives your body an extended fasting period where it has to mobilize resources (burn fat). Over the course of thousands of years, humans never had ready access to food the way we do now. Even just 50 years ago, most people ate three square meals but did not snack throughout the day. Now we commonly eat three meals AND snack through the day. We’ve increased our caloric intake in a time when most of us are more sedentary than ever.

Human beings evolved amazing mechanisms to weather good times and bad times. Our metabolism is such that we store excess calories as fat during times of abundance and can burn those stores to survive periods of famine.  During feast times, insulin stores extra sugar in the blood as fat. Many of our modern meals are carb-rich – essentially flooding the body with quick energy. When the body is overwhelmed with resources it can’t use immediately, it is smart and saves much of those calories for a rainy day. Insulin also impairs cognitive function which is why many people report feeling more mentally alert while intermittent fasting. During the 16 hour period of fasting, the body has to burn those stored calories as fuel. It releases glucagon (insulin’s hormonal opposite) which mobilizes excess fat in the body.

Intermittent fasting can be effective even if only utilized 5 days out of the week. Many patients still have great results and can ease their time restriction on the weekend. It’s still a good goal to eat during a 12 hour window on your “off” days. It is helpful to ease into intermittent fasting. Start with a 12 hour fasting window and every day or two add an hour to work up to a 16 hour window over the course of 1-2 weeks. If you are a brittle diabetic, pregnant, under 16, over 70, have chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease or a history of eating disorders, this may not be the best food strategy for you. These patients must be sure to consult a healthcare provider before starting IF.

High-Intensity Interval Training – (HIIT) involves a short workout alternating periods of “work” and “rest” or high and low intensity. This may be done with just about any activity – weights, kettle bells, jump squats, jumping jacks, any type of cardio (running, biking, swimming), etc.  Most HIIT workouts last between 4 and 20 minutes. Many cardio cycles involve 30 seconds of high effort and 30 seconds of rest (or light effort) – commonly done by alternating sprinting and jogging or cycling hard and then lightly. HIIT can also involve doing an exercise like jumping jacks for 45 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest. One style of HIIT called Tabata involves 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for a duration of only 4 minutes.

HIIT has garnered a lot of scientific study recently and has many proven benefits. HIIT is great for busy individuals because you can get the same benefit of a moderate-intensity 60-minute cardio session with a HIIT cardio session of only 20 minutes. Short sessions are much easier to fit into our busy schedules. HIIT may even be better at targeting fat cells than doing a traditional or “steady state” cardio session. HIIT can be done in the gym or at home and requires little to no special equipment. HIIT principles can be applied to any type of exercise to prevent getting bored with your routine.

HIIT and IF are a great combination to boost metabolism and fuel healthy weight loss. Eating a healthy diet is also crucial to supporting healthy metabolism. Dr. Keating gives individualized health recommendations that include dietary modification. Baseline blood work is also a good idea to rule out any underlying metabolic disorders. Call for a visit today so we can assess the whole picture and help you with your weight loss journey!

Increased health risks due to loss of sleep

It's no surprise that we all need to sleep. But how exactly can losing sleep adversely affect our health? 

Here is some great information linking sleep deprivation with cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease from a Guardian article by Rachel Cooke published on 9/24/17.

Chronic sleep deprivation is very common, with 2/3 of adults reporting getting less than the 8 hours a night recommended by the World Health Organization. Losing sleep can increase blood pressure, disrupt your body's metabolism and lead to weight gain. 

Sleep helps our brain unwind, store memories and release the events of the day. Adequate sleep leads to better mood and cognitive function. Far more seriously, sleep deprivation increases one's risk for Alzheimer's disease. 

Adults over 45 who get less than 6 hours of sleep a night face a 200% increased risk of having a stroke or heart attack in their lifetime. 

Sleep profoundly benefits the immune system. Sleep deprivation increases your risk for cold and flu. Also, after only one night of inadequate sleep (4-5 hours), the body's Natural Killer cells drop by up to 70%. Natural Killer cells are part of the body's natural mechanism and find and kill cancer cells. Lack of sleep is linked to breast, bowel and prostate cancer.  Furthermore, the World Health Organization considers any form of nighttime work to be possibly carcinogenic (meaning it can directly cause cancer).

Read the whole article for more awesome information! 

Here is a link to the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/24/why-lack-of-sleep-health-worst-enemy-matthew-walker-why-we-sleep

Practically Healthy Life Show episode with Dr. Lodal

Dr. Lodal was featured on the "Practically Healthy Life Show" with Dr. Tursha Hamilton! 

Below find a link to the podcast episode about diabetes. 

Page:  http://drtursha.libsyn.com/ep-70-diabetes-basics 

Direct Download:  http://traffic.libsyn.com/drtursha/Ep_70_Diabetes_Basics_w_Dr._Lodal.mp3 

Overwhelmed by Organic?

I know it can be overwhelming to see all the new labels in supermarkets: "Natural", "Organic", "Grass-fed", "Non-GMO", etc. What does it all mean? And why the heck should I pay (sometimes significantly) more money for fruits and vegetables that are "Organic"?? Here's the quick lowdown on organic produce.

First of all, buying organic helps protect you and your family from dangerous chemicals like pesticides, insecticides and herbicides. It is also the only way to be sure (since the US has no labelling laws) that your food is not a GMO (genetically modified organism). Secondly, organic is good for our shared earth. Less use of harmful chemicals means fewer toxins dumped into our soil, air and water. In a closed ecosystem, chemical run-off has to go somewhere. Particles of DDT (an insecticide sprayed in the tropics) are found in the breastmilk of women living in the far Arctic north. Yes, we are all connected. So the less we depend on harsh, synthetic chemicals, the better off we all are.

We vote with our dollars, so consider what you want your money to support. However, I know that shopping exclusively organic can be pricey. So here is a quick guide to which produce contains the most pesticides as tested by the EWG (environmental working group). The EWG tests produce for pesticides and lists the ones with the most pesticides (the "Dirty Dozen") and those with the least (the "Clean Fifteen"). Whenever possible buy the Dirty Dozen produce organic as the conventional versions typically contain far more pesticides than other conventionally-grown produce. Also consider shopping at local farmers markets and asking the farmers if they use chemical pesticides on their crops. Local food is typically fresher than produce found in the grocery store and allows you to support farmers in your community.

Here are the Dirty Dozen: Strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, celery, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and potatoes. 

Go to their website: http://www.ewg.org/ to sign up for their email alerts and you'll receive a free PDF of the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean Fifteen".

Photo credit: EWG.