Category Archives: AutoBiographical

Coffee Addiction

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I am a coffee lover – dark, black, strong, sometimes sweet.   I am the girl who will get out of bed for a french press. I have known for some time though that I will need to break the addiction – for detoxification, for adrenal fatigue, for hormone health, for fertility. And, I have finally decided that its time to start weaning myself from the dream bean. I know my skin will improve in hydration and texture, that my energy levels will improve (after I get through the caffeine withdrawal) and that my body will thank me in the long run. Coffee is a strong, complex mix of chemicals, and eventually any constant chemical exposure must play its toll.

I don’t intend to become completely abstinent! I just want to break my daily reliance on the drug. I want to become someone who savors the delicate flavors of organic green tea on sunny mornings. I will know a gen mai from a jasmine or sencha, and my cells will bathe in the anti-cancer catechins from the green tea flavonoids. However, I am not there yet. This week I am weaning to “half-caf,” and then to decaf (french press.) I will still have occasional, even weekly hits of delicious (full strength) coffee. I am also using a black/green tea mix to break the coffee habit while also slowly weaning off caffeine.

In her NDNR (Naturopathic Doctors New and Review) article Managing Caffeine Withdrawal in the Patient Undergoing Detoxification (V. 7 Issue 12 p. 8-9) Dr. Erica Peirson ND recommends supplementing Magnesium Citrate, a B Vitamin Complex and Adrenal Botanicals while weaning off caffeine. She also explains how caffeine works as a CNS stimulant. “Blocking adenosine receptors in the brain is a primary way that caffeine acts as a stimulant given its structural similarity to adenosine, Adensoine is not a neurotransmitter but a neuromodulator. Adenosine receptors inhibit the release of neurotransmitters. The release of neurotransmitters is increased when adenosine receptors are blocked by caffeine, resulting in central nervous system stimulation.” She then goes on to explain that the headaches associated with caffeine withdrawal are in part from increased sensitivity of these same receptors leading to dilation of blood vessels and hypotension.

To take the biochemistry of caffeine one step further, the binding of caffeine to the adenosine receptors means instead of slowing down, the brain/nerve cells fire up. The pituitary notices this increased action and sends hormones to tell the adrenal glands to increase production of adrenaline, giving you a boost of fight or flight energy. At the same time, caffeine slows down resorption of dopamine which is our pleasure neurotransmitter. With extra dopamine, you not only feel alert, but you feel good!

All of this is great occasionally – but I know that years and years of this cycle cant possibly be good for me. I am dehydrated, magnesium deficient, and my adrenaline and dopamine levels are pushed beyond their natural limits of production. Stepping off the caffeine / coffee platform will give my body the opportunity to restore adrenal health, balance my brain chemistry, and a great side effect will be improved liver detoxification leading to improved skin texture and color.  Its not going to be all fun – I am sure I will be more tired than usual, need more rest, and I may even be a little grumpy as my dopamine deficiency gets exposed. At least its winter in Maine, and I can tuck in early!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine5.htm

Arousal effect of caffeine depends on adenosine A2A receptors in the shell of the nucleus accumbens. The Journal Of Neuroscience: The Official Journal Of The Society For Neuroscience [J Neurosci] 2011 Jul 6; Vol. 31 (27), pp. 10067-75.

http://scienceblog.com/community/older/2003/C/2003921.html

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On The Other Side of a Cold

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6 days later, I’m finally feeling human. Colds can be so rotten! I felt so awful on Tuesday and Wednesday – headache, runny nose, achy, tired, sinus pain, sneezing. UGH. Everyone gets colds, and after this round I want to share some ways to get through them easier, and how to help them not turn into the 6 week sickness, or bronchitis, or worse….

I grew up in a Yoga Ashram where getting sick was considered “cleansing” and an opportunity to throw off toxins and heal the body. I still think of sickness in this framework to some degree, and as such embrace having a cold in the following ways (once I am willing to accept I am, in fact, sick, which is another story.)

I like to view mini-sicknesses like colds, flues, and other bugs as opportunities for a mini-detox. As soon as I realize I am sick, all cow dairy, sugar, alcohol, corn, beef and gluten are eliminated. I also try to wean off caffeine by only having 1/2 cups of black tea as needed for caffeine headaches. This automatically gives my immune system a huge boost to fight off the offenders (see my food sensitivity blog post.) It also allows my liver, intestines and kidneys to do a little detox of their own, cleaning up old metabolites while other systems fight off the cold. This helps me heal faster, and makes me feel even better once the cold is done! I also often lose a couple of pounds while being sick.

What does this leave to eat? Lots of fruit, rice, steamed veggies, rice cakes and 100% fruit jam, gluten free toast, butter (even tho its cow I allow this), nut butters, eggs, organic chicken, goat milk kefir or yogurt if craved. I just made a butternut squash, ginger, chicken broth soup with kale, apples and lemon this sickness. I also found a coconut milk, agave sweetened vanilla ice cream when I was craving something cold for my throat. And lots and lots and lots of herbal tea. With raw honey, and lemon.

Botanical Medicine is *very* important for treating colds. Most colds start out as viruses and then develop into bacterial infections after the immune system has been worn down. Unlike drugs, herbs can be antiviral AND anti-bacterial at the same time. As soon as I start feeling sick, out comes the elderberry syrup that lives in my medicine cabinet. 2 tsp 2-3 times a day, AND once a day for my girlfriend so she doesnt get sick. Start taking lots of vitamins – everything you have. Take your C’s, B’s, multivitamin…. your immune system is weak and needs support. Olive leaf is a great anti-microbial to take at any stage of sickness. The trick with herbs is to take alot, early.  As in, 2 caps three times a day for the first week, rather than 1 cap a day for 3-6 weeks of sickness. Traditional Medicinals has some great teas with a good mix of acute care herbs. I drank Cold Care PM night and day, with lots of honey as well as lemon ginger tea and echinacea tea.

A side note on echinacea – this herb is anti strep as well as antibacterial and antiviral and antifungal. Its actually a great herb for colds and flues *when taken right away.* Echinacea seems to work better for some people than others as well. If you are going to use this botanical, start taking it as soon as you feel sick in high doses. Once you have been sick more than 5 days, it is no longer as effective *unless* you are fighting a strep infection.

If you can, go see an acupuncturist immediately. Acupuncture can do great things for helping a cold to not settle into your lungs, and move it through you faster. I’m certain it also helped this cold not become a sinus infection and just stay at the superficial level. I see Hadley Clarke of www.zenkaiacupuncture.com although http://www.jadeintegratedhealth.com also helped me when I had a serious case of bronchitis last year.Chinese herbs are also very effective when prescribed by an acupuncturist, however they are not meant for self-prescribing.

Finally, REST. Sometimes I think I get sick when my mind or body really needs down time. Call in sick, and lie in front of the TV, or in your bed all day. Pad around in track pants and socks and drink tea and moan on the couch. Facebook, nap, eat soup, but don’t do anything productive. The body *really* needs time to heal, and repair, and fight the good fight, and cant do that if you are also trying to teach or lead or answer phones or tend bar or save the world do all the other active things we all do in a day.


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Naturopathic Botox Support

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Botox is a drug preparation of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The order of bacteria Clostridium all has a physical similarity that they cause “profound paralysis or profound contractive spasmodic conditions…” (Klein, Miasms and Nosodes Book 2009 p. 90) This is true from a homeopathic, bacterial, and drug perspective.

Getting Botox injections are part of many peoples reality. It smoothes the effects of stress and tension on the facial muscles, imparting a more youthful, relaxed visage. Botox is not for everyone, and for some, it can be a one or two time treatment for specific events – weddings, career moves, mid life crisis! After many years of considering it, I had a first (and follow up) Botox treatment this year for my 38th Birthday from Kathy Molloy RN – a well-established and experienced Botox expert at Akari who loves to see facial transformations. It was a positive experience for 3 reasons:

1. I did pre and post care using teas and homeopathic remedies to ensure the best treatment success for the therapy. Botulism is a serious condition, which can be fatal. Very few people have statistically negative results from cosmetic dermal procedures, but side effects are possible.  To counteract possible side effects of the Botox Injection, I took Homeopathic Arnica and Ledum before the injection, and a single remedy from the Clostridium group of remedies after the injection that best fit my symptom picture. When I went in for a secondary set of injections and follow up, I was lazy and did not do my prophylactic treatment, as my initial treatment had been such a success!  I had a headache for 4-5 days afterwards, and some very tender spots where the injections had gone in. I may have also had a slight transient droop in my right eyelid. This proved to me that prevention is the best medicine! Taking homeopathic remedies to counteract the possible side effects proved more effective than not taking the safe, and inexpensive remedies.

2. The best Botox effects result in youthful transformation.  Transforming the face to erase lines may sound like a simple paralytic procedure, but you are actually asking your body to release muscle memories. My experience of this was that I needed to consciously release some old anger and frustrations in the first few days after the treatment, to help my body align with the new muscle structure.  Think about it  – all those years of frowning were for reasons; addressing the emotional context on a physical AND emotional level allowed for more profound transformation.

3. Headaches are a very common side effect – as the biochemical systems of the body are literally metabolizing the toxic Botox substance.  Improving your lymphatic circulation through local massage and gentle detoxification support allows your body to more easily transform the chemical. Too much detoxification, and the Botox drug may actually not work as well as you hope! Not enough detoxification, and flu like symptoms, headache, facial pain, nausea and prolonged redness will result.

I also saw Hadley Clark L. AC from Zenkai Acupuncture for a post-Botox acupuncture treatment to eliminate my headaches. She was wonderful!  Traditional Chinese Medicine has an entire system of care devoted to Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture -designed to reduce fine lines, improve skin tone and texture, and eliminate redness. Following a Botox treatment with a facial acupuncture series, or having a series done when a new Botox injection would be indicated is one way to make the effects of Botox last longer, to decrease the amount of injections, and to address facial aging from a more holistic perspective.

Many people were surprised that as a ND, I would even consider Botox.  Naturopathic Medicine is not against the science of (anti-aging) pharmaceuticals, nor is it only “natural” products. It is a system of medicine that offers individualized care, grounded in the understanding that given the correct support, the body has the wisdom to heal itself.  Naturopathic Medicine uses the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies needed for each case – in this case to support the toxic therapy at hand!

Why use homeopathy? Because it is the safest, and most effective way to counteract the side effects of invasive medical treatments. Homeopathy believes that many substances, but especially bacterial, viral and fungal infections, can create a genetic taint or footprint that continues to affect cellular expression beyond the primary infection. These “taints” or “miasms” can affect the genetic memory enough to cause intergenerational health problems.  If you are willingly introducing very toxic bacteria into your system, for beauty (or pain relief) isn’t it worth also addressing the potential long-term negative ramifications from the start?

To Book a Facial Rejuvenation Support Treatment, please call 207-233-3944. The initial consultation is 45 minutes, with a post-injection follow up phone or Skype consult

BOTOX SIDE EFFECTS – FYI

“The most common side effects of injections around the eyes and in the face include temporary bruising, eyelid drooping (ptosis), dry eyes, and double vision (diplopia) (Hsiung 2002; Tan 2002), and facial droop can occur with injections into the cheek. “http://www.botoxfacts.ca/sideEffects.html

“Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Botox: Anxiety; arm pain; back pain; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; dry or irritated eyes; facial pain; flu-like symptoms; headache; inability to focus the eyes; increased cough; indigestion; nausea; neck pain; pain, redness, swelling, or tenderness at the injection site; runny nose; sensitivity to light; stiff or weak muscles at or near the injection site; tiredness; sweating.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Botox: Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bleeding at the injection site; chest pain; difficulty swallowing or breathing; double or blurred vision, or other vision changes; drooping of the upper eyelid; eyelid swelling; fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; irregular heartbeat; loss of bladder control; loss of strength; paralysis; seizures; severe or persistent muscle weakness or dizziness; shortness of breath; speech changes or problems; worsening migraine.” http://www.drugs.com/sfx/botox-side-effects.html

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Introducing……

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The kitchen table has seen generations of families, friends, and lovers sit down to talk about what is really wrong. Its where we cry fresh tears, or hold them back. Its where we open mail, check email, or sit down for a long phone chat. Its a place of connection, convenience, and commiseration. The kitchen is the heart of every household, and the center of a families nourishment. Kitchen Table Naturopathics is all of this and more!

Based on the modern concept of boutique medicine and the classic model of country family physician, Kitchen Table Naturopathics offers phone sessions, skype consultations, and at home visits at your kitchen table or mine. Free initial 15 minute assessments are available in person or over the phone, to ensure we can work well together.

Please call for a Fee Schedule or email thewrightnd@gmail.com to set up an appointment. I look forward to seeing you soon!

 

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Guerrilla Marketing

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Thanks for finding me! And Welcome. I want to be your new Doctor 🙂 I am here to offer you health care solutions to your big and little problems. Naturopathic Doctors are Alternative Medicine Family Docs – we are trained in pathology, diagnosis, physical examination, pharmacology (and can prescribe meds.) We are the experts in natural medicines including herbs, homeopathy, nutrition, nutraceuticals and vitamins which means we know what works, and what doesn’t. We know what brands are good, and what product combinations are most helpful or possible dangerous.

Marketing  requires serious introspection, self definition and some humor!  In the journey down into the deepest depths of my practice, I realized that while I am *really good* at women’s healthcare, stress management, and digestive disorders,  what I am *Best* at is individualized medicine. I don’t treat disease, or gender, or conditions, or age groups. I treat the individual human by listening to your story, understanding the pathological mechanisms, and synthesizing an effective recovery plan.

Free 15 minute consults are available to meet each other and make sure we are on the same page. Call 207 233 3944 to book yours. Prepare to feel (even) better!

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Recovering from Laser Eye Surgery

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I am 13 days post Lasik Eye Surgery, and I can happily say the surgery was a complete success. The journey hasn’t nearly been as simple as they would have suggested at the first consultations though. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I certainly have quite a few more recommendations than they suggest!

First, and foremost, my clinics literature suggested that the day after surgery I could “go to school or work.” And, while I did indeed see two patients the following day (IVF acupuncture that was time sensitive) my eyes would have been Much Happier had I Stayed home and Rested them. Therefore, my recommendation to all future patients would be to book a minimum of 2 days off work post surgery for R&R. Its also very important especially the day of the surgery to have someone to bring you food and check in on you. I found my left eye especially was *very* scratchy and sore, and I just needed to lie quietly with my eyes shut. Cooking or preparing snacks, or even being up and walking around wasnt much of an option. Schedule a friend to come over and hang out for the 5-6 hours after surgery. I wasnt in pain, but just needed to lie quietly with sunglasses and closed eyes…. Take Out Thai was delicious!

I wasnt able to watch TV or read for a good week after the procedure – then again I had some inflammation and complications. I suggest getting a book or two on audio for entertainment. Its hard to lie quietly for hours on end! I greatly enjoyed Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody detective book “The Mummy Case.”

Finally, I have a few therapeutic suggestions based on my experience. First, for about 2 weeks pre and post surgery, its helpful to take a supplement to promote eye health. The one I liked best after surveying the options was NFH Vision SAP. http://www.nfh.ca/en/products.html. NFH is a Canadian company and may not be available in the US. This improves blood flow to the eye and helps promote ocular health overall. Several studies also suggest Omega 3 and 6 are important for post-surgical recovery. EPA and DHA in fish oils were evidenced to increase tear volume and decrease inflammation as well as assist in regeneration of corneal nerves.(see references at end of article.) I took 2 tsp daily of Metagenics EPA:DHA 1:1. For omega 6 oils I use olive oil, and increased my sunflower and sesame seed intake (on salads.)I also increased blueberries for the week before and after surgery for their proanthocyanadins – chemicals for the blood vessels of the eyes –  and carrots for the carotinoids, long associated with good vision!

Finally, Homeopathic medicine is brilliant for post surgical recovery for several reasons. The primary reason is that there is no risk of interaction between medications. Secondarily, and as important, they work fantastically well. I recommend 2 remedies post-surgery.

  • Symphytum 200ch – This is a first line trauma remedy, and is “the arnica of the eyeball.” 2 pellets 4 times a day for the first 2 days. This will be the same as your eyedrop schedule from the MD.
  • Euphrasia 30ch – 2 pellets twice daily from day 3 until your eyes stop feeling inflammed. This remedy is for corneal inflammation and redness.

No one talks about the Psychological effect of the surgery; however, this has been an unexpectedly important part of my recovery. I didnt know how much I appreciated my “bedroom eyes” or soft vision until it was gone. Having sharp as a tack vision 24-7 is a new experience, and others who have had the same surgery have told me it takes up to 6 months for the brain to really adjust to the change in eyesight. I believe it! It was also quite scary to have my vision be blurry at times for the week following the surgery. I ended up having to go back daily for follow-ups to assess my vision and recovery as my eyes were inflamed. Waking up each morning with scratchy blurry eyes and having to lie there and apply drops and rest was stressful! However, with time and rest, my eyes did heal on their own, and as of today (day 13) I barely needed the morning lubrication.

All in all, I am so grateful that I gave myself this surgery. Many times I have reached up as if to remove my glasses before doing something like lying down or getting in the tub and behold! No Glasses! It Is a surgery though, and as such there needs to be some time and space carved out of your daily life for recovery.

Summary of Key Points:

  • Take a Vision support formula for 2 weeks before surgery and finish the bottle.
  • Take 1200mg EPA & DHA for 2 weeks before and 1 month after surgery.
  • Take  2 days off work post surgery.
  • Have a friend to help you at home after the surgery.
  • Symphytum 200ch for day of and day after
  • Euphrasia 30ch for days 3+ after surgery
  • Make sure to rest and give yourself recovery time for 2 weeks after.
  • Enjoy your fantastic vision!

Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2010 Apr-Jun;82(4-6):319-25. Epub 2010 Mar 3.

Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2011 Mar;14(2):132-7.

J Fr Ophtalmol. 2008 Mar;31(3):282-6.

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As Fertile as the Day is Long

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Fertility is a crossroads of mysticism, science, religion, psychology and medicine. I come to this practice with more than dollars in my eyes.  With two infertile stepmothers and an adopted brother 25 years my junior, (in)fertility been in my life for many years. Plus, lets be honest – I’m a 37 year old nulliparous woman. Why do you think I am so passionate about knowing the ins and outs of how to get pregnant! (My time will come when I will be sitting in the patient chair.)

My approach to fertility is twofold. First and Foremost, the monthly cycle must be optimized. Good quality blood, clear fertile fluid, effective ovulation, and strong luteal phases all provide a premium conception opportunity. Chinese medicine is brilliant at working with each of these phases. Eastern medicine has a way of understanding the body’s intersections of physical/mental/emotional/hormonal health in harmonized, century old patterns. Phrases like Liver Qi Stagnation and Heart Fire sound so much easier to embrace than a luteal phase defect. So, using nutrition, acupuncture and chinese herbs we set out to smooth and tonify the monthly cycle to set the stage for conception.

The second half of the work is the mysterious part. It is helping women access that intangible quality of uterine receptivity. It is finding the balance between living the daily life of a healthy adult and becoming a vessel for an unborn possibility. The mystery of fertility comes in symbols and half thoughts and an inherent feeling. It lies tangled in childhood preconceptions of womanhood, success, career, family, and production. It is in the crux between your sexuality and personality. Alot of my work is helping you find yourself. To find your own balance and your own mystery, is to unlock your own secret (fertile) chamber.

There are many tools that can be used to dissolve obstacles encountered along the way. For example, herbs for PCOS, supplements for endometriosis, homeopathy for anxiety, counseling for stress reduction, massage therapy for relaxation. This is where the individualized nature of Naturopathic Medicine comes into play. Few women will receive the same treatment, as few women will have exactly the same picture. As a ND, I also  promote the scientific basis of fertility – doing bloodwork and  ultrasounds to rule in and out hormonal imbalances, uterine dysfunction and sperm motility issues are integral to understanding difficult conception. If we know what the mechanisms are, it unravels the mystery that much more.

I have a special passion for fertility medicine. It speaks to the alchemist and doctor and midwife in me. It gives me hope for my own potential to conceive, and inspires me. I am grateful for the women who have taught me their secrets and trusted me with their mysteries. We are all fertile in our hearts and minds, every one of us.

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A Little About Me

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I had an unusual childhood that has certainly influenced my career. When I was three my mother  and I moved into Kripalu Yoga Ashram in rural Pennsylvania. http://www.kripalu.org. Kripalu has had many incarnations from the early 70’s, and is now a beautiful holistic health center in western Massachusettes. At the time, it was a residential community based on the classic principals of yoga. We ate a macrobiotic diet, and lived a simple lifestyle. I was not vaccinated, and treated primarily with homeopathic medicines for all my childhood fevers and such.  As the community developed into a retreat center for spiritual learning and the yoga teacher training programs developed, the community moved to the current site in Lenox, MA.

I was at Kripalu on and off for 18 years until the community formally changed from a non-profit religious residential community in 1995 to a for profit holistic health center. I left in 1987 for boarding school, and then attended Middlebury College in 1991 so I only lived there a few summers after age 13. Still, the influences of diet and nutrition, stress management,  healthy lifestyle and homeopathy as remedies for our modern disease are at my very core.

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