Category Archives: Seasonal

We Must Speak Up; We Must Speak OUT

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I add my voice to the growing number of health care professionals and medical societies condemning the newest human rights violation by the Trump administration against our transgender community. The urgency of this issue is paramount! To deny health care rights during a global pandemic is both inhumane and absurd. Our trans patients and colleagues are already vulnerable due to the health disparities inherent in our system and biases from healthcare practitioners. Not only are out trans patients affected but all patients who fall under any part of our QUEER community in the past, present or future are at risk, making it even more difficult to be open and honest wit our health care providers.

Gender based and transphobic violence includes racism, murder and hate crime. It disproportionately affects black trans lives, especially black trans women. In the midst of the Black Lives Matter uprising and Covid19 the reversal of transgender health protections puts an immediate threat to black trans patients, and all trans BIPOC patients who identify as gender neutral or non-binary.

This recent action should be met with a call to arms from all medical professionals, including attending physicians, resident, medical students, nurses, APPs and staff. We must to do our best to provide trauma-based compassionate medicine and NEVER deny care for transgender patients nor any LGBTQ patients. The personal views of providers in any setting (outpatient, clinic, hospital or otherwise) must not be allowed to interfere with the right to health care. The recent COVID pop-up hospital in a Brooklyn park that denied transgender and LGBT care is an atrocious example of what the Trump administration is suggesting here.

There is a dearth of education for healthcare professionals from the earliest academic levels. Health disparities, intersectional oppression, and implicit biases of language, systems and structures have to be called out and addressed to stop this cycle of ignorance. Silence is clearly violence, and we cannot in good faith stay silent and allow conservative politicians to sacrifice health protection in the names of transphobia and racism – not now or ever again.

  • Kaiser Kabir OMS4 Lincoln Memorial University
  • Masina Wright, DO PGY1 University of New Mexico Hospital, Internal Medicine
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A Pandemic wasn’t the Plan: Part 2 – Anxiety/Herbal Rx 04/04/2020

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I went to my local Co-op today, which is one of the only places that doesnt feel totally overwhelming to shop, and every single person had a mask on. This is the new norma I spent the week pretty anxious about the contagion and infectious side of COVID19. I had two of my patients get ruled out for the virus mid-treatment this week AND the contagion aspect seemed really important for those around me I come in contact with, not only myself. What do I need to do to not be a vector of spread? We now only wear scrubs to the hospital not work clothes, and I take my shoes off at my door. Are you freaked out about the contagious side of it? This is a real phobia for some people, and it at the root of many OCD compulsions. I feel for all the germ-phobes out there! My only advice is therapy therapy therapy. There are also one or two antidepressants that help with OCD if you are really noticing an uptick in this in your every day. Ask your PCP if they can help. If you dont have one, this is a great time to get one! Many health providers are accepting new patients, and their clinics or your local community center can help you get the health coverage you need.

Medicine really needs to start valuing mental health as equal to primary and specialty medical care in insurance reimbursements and coverage. SO much suffering comes from the mind. And teeth! Dental coverage too! I promised a blog on botanical medicine and viral illness. I am not up to date on the most current treatments and theories in the natural medicine world anymore. The Naturopathic News and Review publication is a great resource for cutting edge evidence from practicing ND’s.

Most of my botanical training is american traditional eclectic western botanicals, and the knowledge dates back to folk traditions, native medicine, midwifery, and turn of the century medicine. In this vein, there is a wealth of knowledge about foundational immune support and antivirals vs antibacterials and antifungals. If you are interested in this kind of care, most ND’s and herbalists are doing telephone and online appointments and shipping our medicine. Look under your Naturopathic Medicine State Association and see who is available in your area for personalized medicine.

Chinese botanical medicine also has a fantastic apothecary of immune supporting botanicals as well as support for basically every system. Their pharmacopeia is rich and complex with over 5000 herbs with specific indications and formulas. Many TCM Doctors and Acupuncturists are also herbalists and sell custom blended teas as part of their practice. Consider reaching out to someone locally for this as well with a phone or video appointment.

Herbal Medicine for COVID19 falls into prevention by strengthening and prevention by antimicrobial actions. Prevention by strengthening herbs are used when you are not sick. They tonify and strengthen the body, increasing reserves that can be called on if illness occurs. The following is a list of such herbs:

  • nettles
  • astragalus
  • alfalfa
  • borage
  • siberian and american ginsengs
  • ashwahaganda
  • cordyceps and other nourishing mushroooms (use sparingly)
Nettle Cake with Pine Buttercream

Nettles are best made as a herbal tea and drank clear and often. They can also be eaten in soups, cakes, and stir fried although this is easier in some parts of the country than others.

Astragalus is a sweet root and is best as a broth, or a tablet taken 3 tablets in morning and night. This is a key ingredient in “change of season soup” from the TCM formulary for immune strengthening as well. Borage, Siberian and American ginsengs and ashwahaganda are adrenal tonics that boost immunity by decreasing inflammation and increasing resilience. I like borage tincture 1 tsp daily, ginsengs as tinctures or pills (they don’t taste great), and ashwganda as a standardized tablet or capsule. Ashwaganda means something close to “horse piss” Ive been told, and it is named after the strength and passion of a horse as this is what it embues. These should be discontinued at the first sign of a sniffle or other illness. Then switch to active antimicrobial prevention. Taking these while sick can sometimes strengthen the pathogen rather than the host.

Antimicrobials: These are divided by their functionality.

Use these herbs as a prevention; it is best to preserve the antibacterials for signs of actual infection. Like Rx antibiotics nature’s antibacterials have strong actions and their use needs to be preserved for proper indication

A selection of commonly used antivirals includes:

  • alium cepa (onion)
  • allium sativa (garlic)
  • echinacea – only in the first 24 hours of infection
  • elderberry- usually used as a syrup that is very safe for all ages (watch for honey under 1yo) and for pregnancy –has some possible conflicting evidence for COVID19 infection, make your own informed consent to use.
  • monolauren (from coconut oil)
  • euphrasia (eyebright) – for viral conjunctavitis and eye symptoms
  • cats claw

A selection of my fave antibacterials include:

  • goldenseal – for inflamed mucus membranes and purulent discharges
  • berberis – for anything that looks or feels “infected” including GI issues
  • echinacea – one of the only botanicals proven against strep species. Use a glycerite form of the tincture and squirt it directly onto an inflamed throat. The glycerite is sweet and is safe for children and elders.
  • cats claw – used for Lyme infection
  • onion and garlic, oregano and thyme – in cooking! use liberally!

Antifungals are also important for chronic immune system depletion often manifested as thick brittle toenails or fingernails, frequent yeast infections, sinusitis and chronic belly issues. They are less relevent for this pandemic other than to sustain and support long term immune and lung health. My go-to antifungals include:

  • monolauren (from coconut oil) 300mg 2 times/ day
  • pau d’arco tincture or tea – 2 tsp or cups per day
  • tea tree oil – topical
  • caprylic acid – at least 2 caps daily
  • garlic
  • * a note on essential oils

I personally took a bottle of astragalus tablets 2 2twice-ish daily and now I am switching to Monolauren daily for 3 months with vitamin C and cats claw tincture daily for at least the next 3-4 weeks for intensive antiviral support. I am also taking ashwaganda as an energy tonic to support my stress levels during this unusual time to be working in medicine, and a probiotic. For my personalized medicine I have an herbal thyroid support formula alongside my Armor thyroid medication as I have Hashimotos thyroiditis. Finally, I drink homemade nettle tea or lavender/ chamomile tea and am doing the best I can to get cooked or fresh greens most days.

My training in essential oils is only for primarily olfactory/ inhaled, diffused in water or skin products. I was not trained in “by mouth” use of essential oils such as promoted by DoTerra or other EO companies so I cannot recommend tfor or against these by mouth. I do like topical and diffused use of these medicinal substances and find myself drawn to tee trea, eucalyptus and lavender, cypress, pine as my primary antimicrobial nature scents for baths, lotions, soaps and diffusion. Many flower essential oils have beneficial effects on the mind/ mental health as CN1 is a cranial nerve. There is a long tradition of use for cosmetic use as well.

Best of luck out there friendly readers. How we as humans conduct ourselves in these pandemic times can illustrate where we need to work on ourselves and where we shine bright. This is an excellent time for insight, awareness and evolution. Its also a perfect time for devolution and hopelessness. Reach out and find the resources you need or ask a friend to listen awhile: many providers are providing sliding scale or free servicesand telemedicine is blooming. The world is small with the internet. Kindness can be found in bugs on a sidewalk or a smiling eyes from 6 feet. If nothing else is true, it is that we are in this together.

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A Habit is Harder to Break than a Heart

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Ugh. New Years Resolutions. Worst idea ever! And yet – I had a tough end of 2018 personally so I decided to make some resolutions in an effort to bring structure and more wellness to my life.

Well, it is 13 days in and I have already failed all of my official resolutions. In fact I failed my first one in the first two days of the year:

1. spend less time on my phone, especially in the company of people I love

Excuses are bountiful. However, If you are in the same boat as me with lofty goals and a complex life, I encourage you to think about resolutions as a year long goal, not something to be abandonded by week 3. It could take even 3 years to build the structure that you need to support the foundation of your bigger dreams/resolutions like an art or writing studio and time to produce new work.

The Winter Solstice (12/21/18) is when we annually rekindle the spark of the year ahead. This tiny flame grows to a raging bonfire at Summer Solstice with our culling and tending and then dwindles down to the blue flames of Halloween and Nov-Embers. Then the cycle begins anew with the next Winter Solstice.

If you looked at your resolutions as a fire you were to tend for a 12-36 month duration, would that change your approach? Your commitment to your Self or Visions?

I have things about my lifestyle I need to adjust, and those are built on deeply entrenched habits that function as crutches that allow me to perform in my hugely challenging day to day life. I cannot just pull the supports from my foundational Activities of Daily Living; I CAN build new supports/habits to relieve the not-so-functional structures.

Building a new wellness foundation takes a team or at the very least a multifaceted approach. I failed my New Years Resolutions the first week because I did not have my new structures in place to support them. I now see who and what I could rely on to make this reality functional, and this second week of the year I was 50% more successful in my goals.

What are your NYR? What changes do you need to make this happen?

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DETOX 2015: Start the New Year With A Clean Metabolic Slate

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tabula rasa – the latin term for “erased slate” referring to the emptiness of a slate sheet that was previously written on by chalk.

 To start the New Year with a fresh clean slate we need to erase the old clutter from our internal metabolic “chalk board”, which means DETOXIFICATION.

Why detoxify? Intermediate metabolites build up like desk clutter from all of the work that our liver has to do to break down hormones, pesticides, pollution, cholesterol, medications, bacteria, viruses, alcohol, caffeine, and everything else that we inhale or ingest. Symptoms of this “clutter” include allergies, skin disorders, constipation or diarrhea, heartburn, irritability, fuzzy thinking, headaches, low energy, fatigue and many more low grade but uncomfortable signs of poor health.

I do not believe in crazy diets, water  fasting, purges, enemas, or other “heroic” efforts. An effective detoxification process can be simple, inexpensive, easy to accomplish and leave you feeling fresh, renewed and in many cases with less weight! The focus is on fresh, whole foods, clean water, daily smoothies and supplements to improve liver detoxification.

I will be offering an all-inclusive program for one week in January – The tentative dates are January 10-17, 2015. One week is enough time to begin the detoxification process in the liver, but not so much time as to interrupt our busy lives. This program will be a group event, with individual introductory sessions to troubleshoot potential obstacles during the detoxification process.  This program will consist of:

  • A 30 minute detox interview and consultation to assess your personal needs. (The interview can be bypassed for Dr. Wright’s current patients.)
  • A 60 minute group meeting to introduce the program, review the basics of detoxification, and get you ready to start!
  • One week of detoxification with daily email support and a Facebook group for recipe sharing, troubleshooting and cheerleading.
  • A 30 minute group program review at the end to assess the effects, with suggestions on supplements and lifestyle options to maintain the beneficial effects of the detox.

Some people may choose to repeat the detox cycle for 1-3 more weeks in order to really delve into metabolic restoration; however this is an independent option.

Call Age Management Center today at 207-774-1356 IMG_1420or email Dr. Wright at thewrightnd@gmail.com and find out how our New Years Metabolic Detox program can help improve focus, increase energy, decrease allergies and enhance metabolic balance.

Cost: $250 inclusive, prepaid new patients or those needing individualized 30 minute support session.

Cost breakdown: 30 minute consultation: $75, Core Restore Detox Kit $100, 60 minute initial group consultation $50, 30 minute review session $25. Administration, daily emails during the detox program, Facebook group monitoring and detox troubleshooting included.

Current patient & friend/family rate: $175. (Does not include the 30 minute individual consultation.)

Some patients may choose additional Integrative Medicine consultations for more personalized care; individuals who choose to become patients of Dr. Wright’s during or after the program will have $75 taken off her initial consultation fee.

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Foods to Enhance Detoxifcation

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tortellini-soup6+srgb.What you eat and how well you take care of yourself will affect how well your liver works. Therefore it’s important that you choose foods that will help maintain and support your liver. Good nutrition can also help to rebuild some damaged liver cells and help the liver form new cells.

The liver has two detoxification pathways called Phase One and Phase Two. To work, each of these phases requires specific vitamins and minerals. These in turn need other nutrients called phytochemicals and amino acids to help them. The liver has a big job to do and as you will see, it requires a team effort.

Phase One changes a toxic chemical to one that is less harmful, and free radicals are formed. Free radicals are unstable particles that react within the body and damage cells. If too many free radicals are made, they can hurt liver cells. In order to get rid of or reduce free radicals, our bodies need foods high in antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants are beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium; phytochemicals are found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. One of the most important antioxidants is an amino acid called glutathione that cannot be taken as an oral supplement. Glutathione is made by the body and is also found in some foods. B vitamins including folate are also very important in the Phase One process.

In Phase Two the liver adds a substance to the now less harmful chemical to make it water soluble. It can then be moved out of the body in urine or feces. During Phase Two, sources of sulphur compounds are needed. Some of the foods with a lot of sulphur compounds are (you know the kind, they smell when you cook them) cabbage, brussel sprouts, and broccoli.

Following is a list of foods that have the nutrients needed to help Phase One and Phase Two work as well as they can.

Foods to Help Phase One Detoxification (choose 2 per meal)

Beets contain antioxidants such as beta-carotene, other carotenoids and healing flavonoids. They also contain folic acid which is necessary for Phase One detoxification. Enjoy these as fresh vegetable juice, grated raw on salads, boiled or roasted.

Broccoli contains B vitamins and vitamin C both of which help Phase One detoxification; it also is a source of folic acid. Use raw as a snack with dips, lightly steamed or stir fried.

Brown Rice provides B vitamins and the antioxidant selenium.

Carrots contain beta-carotene and other carotenoids that help to protect the liver. Enjoy as freshly juiced (with beets!) grated raw on salads, steamed, roasted, or in soups and stews.

Eggs supply B vitamins.

Garlic has selenium and glutathione, both of which act as antioxidants.

Spinach provides folate and other B vitamins.

Tomatoes have vitamins C and E which are both needed for Phase One detoxification. They are also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene.

Wheatgerm contains selenium and vitamin E and is an excellent source of phytochemicals.

Melons and peppers are good sources of vitamin C.

Tomatillos, papaya, plantains, carambola and guava are good sources of the antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C.

 

Foods to Help Phase Two Detoxification (choose 2 per meal)

Broccoli contains natural sulfur compounds needed to enhance Phase Two detoxification.

Cabbage like broccoli, contains natural sulfur compounds.

Eggs contain methionine, a sulfur-containing compound needed for detoxification.

Brazil Nuts contain selenium, an antioxidant needed for detoxification.

Garlic has high levels of methionine which is needed for detoxification; also contains glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.

Onions have sulfur compounds which are important in both detoxification pathways; also a source of glutathione.

Asparagus and Watermelon are rich, natural sources of glutathione.

Papaya and Avocado help the body to produce glutathione.

Mushrooms are high in glutamic acid which is needed to produce glutathione and aids in detoxification pathways.

 

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The Longest Night of the Year

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December is not always mistletoe and gingerbread. It can be one of the hardest times of the year for many people. People aren’t supposed to die on Christmas and relationships aren’t supposed to end around the holidays…. but they do. The myth of the happy family is only a reality for a portion of the population; and even those who do celebrate Christmas with family can have significant stress and sorrow around money, relationships, and more.

So, for those who are alone this month, or in the midst of tragedy or change or trauma, I wanted to offer some self-care advice. From a metaphysical perspective, no matter what your religion is, this time of year IS about the miracle of returning light. The first few weeks of the month bring ever increasing darkness. Light some lights in your own home, whether they are candles or Christmas lights, reflecting your own inner flame. No matter how dark the world appears, each of us has the light of our soul to guide us. Connect with yours.

broken_heart_remedy_compoundFor those with heartache, there are many botanicals that offer gentle physical and emotional support. Avena botanicals makes a Broken Heart herbal tincture and a lovely sweet Rose Petal Elixir. The elixir is in a glycerin base and is used to gently lift the spirits and open the heart. It tastes like a rose smells on a hot summer day! Many herbalists make their own rose petal elixirs at the summer solstice, in preparation for this dark time of year. Herbal medicines like these affect our body, mind and spirit. By using self-care medicines we are making a commitment to our Self to move through this time of change with as much gentle strength and internal fortitude as possible. http://www.avenabotanicals.com/rose-petal-elixir.html 

Many people have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just simply hate the cold. We have had a particularly cold pre-winter here in Maine, which makes getting out to enjoy our gorgeous local landscape more difficult. Prevention is key for SAD – once it takes hold it is harder to manage. Adequate levels of Vitamin D3 are especially important. I generally recommend 2,000-5,000 IU daily depending on your body weight and Vitamin D reserves. Have you had your blood levels of Vitamin D checked yet this fall? High quality fish oil is a good adjunct to Vitamin D, enhances its absorption and can help with mental health. Fish oil contains two chemical constituents – EPA and DHA. The EPA is the part that helps with depression. Aim for a minimum of 650 mg of EPA daily, taken with your D3.

Saint Johnswort is another classic treatment for SAD. This herb affects the metabolism of many medications. Therefore, I only suggest using St Johnswort if you are not on any other meds. Dosage must be 900 mg per day, taken *every day.* This herb acts like SSRI antidepressants in that it takes about 4 weeks to get the full effect, and it needs to be taken daily for best results. This herb has evidence of use back to 400AD by Hippocrates. It is an ancient and magical herb with an association to light. It is no mistake that it is useful for SAD! If you do take medications like birth control, daily pain medication or blood pressure medication but would like some mood support you can consider 5-HTP. This is a serotonin precursor that is naturally produced in the body, and is available in supplement form. It can be helpful for anxiety, depression, insomnia and “the blues.” It is quite safe in general, although it should not be taken along with antidepressant medications unless specifically advised by an Integrative Medicine Dr. Typical dosage for 5-HTP is to start with 50 mg twice a day, and increase to up 150 mg twice a day as needed.

Exercise and meditation are two other valuable tools for getting through hard times. Exercise releases endorphins which simply make us feel good! It can be a walk around the block or a cross-fit class or hot yoga. The type of exercise does not matter as much as the act of getting into your body and out of your head. Meditation offers ways to step outside the constant chatter of our ego. I recommend a guided meditation for beginners. I use this Buddhist body-focused beginner set by Reginald Ray, but there are many more available! http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/promotion/1047.pd

At the end of the day, we each need to get through our darkest times in the ways we know how. Alcohol, television and drugs are all effective in their own way, but they also exacerbate the feelings of isolation and despair. Connecting to your inner light source and fanning your fires of spirit and confidence and strength will help grant you the courage to move through these difficult times. Some of us need more help than others to connect to our strengths, and supplements like herbal remedies, vitamin D, fish oil, St Johnswort and 5HTp can be great support systems. I love the rose petal elixir for its sweet uplifting taste of summer in these harsh cold days of winter.

For personal support on transforming your own journey or connecting to your inner strengths, book an appointment with Dr. Wright. She is available for consults during the month of December including December 27, 2013.

Call 207-774-1356 now.

References:

The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. American Botanical Council, Thieme Publishing 2003. Currently out of print.

Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Michael Murray ND and Joseph Pizzorno ND. Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA 1998

www.avenabotanicals.com

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Navigating the Holidays with a Special Diet

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This blog post was originally written for Apothecary By Design – a premium quality specialty, retail and compounding pharmacy in Portland, Maine. http://www.apothecarybydesign.com/blog/

I remember when I was a kid going to my Aunt’s house for Thanksgiving, my mom would always show up with a box of special food for us with brown rice, special breads and other jars of rattling, unappealing looking things. I always felt slightly embarrassed, wishing we could just blend in with everyone else. Now, I am that person. I always travel with special bread, usually my brown rice pasta in case of dinner emergency, and other ingredients and snacks that I know I can eat.

Food allergies are on the rise world-wide. It is estimated that 15 million Americans have food allergies, and this potentially deadly condition affects 1 in 13 children. Another study found that 3 out of 4 children had a food reaction. Symptoms can range from an itchy mouth or runny nose, to asthma attacks, skin eruptions, behavioral changes, anaphylaxis and more.  The Center for Disease Control released a study in 2013 stating that food allergies increased 50% between 1997 and 2011. With these kinds of numbers being evidenced in clinical studies, it is likely that many of our readers will be figuring out how to manage this holiday’s season with at least one family member on a restricted diet. For more information on food allergies, please see the following links:

http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/aug2012/capsule1

http://www.foodallergy.org/facts-and-stats

So, what is your plan for managing these holidays that are full of delicious foods that don’t work for you? The first step is to strategize. Complete restriction is unlikely for most of the population, and can lead to binge eating behaviors as a reflexive backlash. This is the “no-strategy” strategy that usually fails. Instead, make some educated choices, and make a plan. Some people can get away with small amounts of some allergenic foods, and can’t get away with others. So, making choices to suffer a little on some fronts so you can stay strong on others may be a safe plan. If you need to stay on a strictly narrow regime for health reasons, it will be more important than ever to plan ahead and bring tasty alternatives to the traditional choices so you have a meal you can enjoy as well.

For example: You really suffer when you eat gluten, but you can get away with eating dairy occasionally.

Thanksgiving Plan: Bring gluten free crackers for the crackers/cheese hour. Bring Imagine brand gluten free turkey gravy (not incredible but good enough.) Bake a gluten-free apple crisp. Plan on skipping the stuffing, but eating the mashed potatoes and dessert with ice cream.

Some families are willing to substitute key ingredients to make some elements of the meal safe for the whole family. For example, mashed potatoes could be made with Earth Balance margarine and an alternative (unsweetened) milk option to be dairy free. Again, a gluten free gravy could be used in addition to the traditional recipe, and a small amount of oven baked stuffing could be set aside for the vegetarians.

If you or a family member has an anaphylactic response to a particular food, it is best to inform all guests ahead of time. Make sure you have an epi pen available as well if you or your child has this kind of severe allergic reaction. There are some supplements that can help balance the overindulgence for mild to moderate food reactions . Gluten-ease was mentioned in our last newsletter as a simple occasional digestive support. This product contains high potency enzymes that ensure complete digestion of gluten, gliadin and casein proteins, reducing allergenic effect and potentially reducing symptom onset. This product is not recommended for celiac disease or people with severe gluten or dairy reactions.

Other products that help quiet an inflammatory food response are quercetin, bromelain, and nettles. These products can often be found combined together in products like D-Hist and D-Hist Jr by Ortho Molecular, and are best taken for 2-3 weeks before the food is introduced to minimize systemic inflammation.  Quercetin is not safe in pregnancy, but nettle tea is a safe, simple remedy that everyone can use. Carminative teas like peppermint, fennel, and ginger can also help ease digestion for everyone after a large meal.

 

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September 2013

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IMG_1626Apples are in season again, so it must be time to go back to school. This year, I will be the one in front of the classroom! This is completely new for me, and I have been anxiously preparing mentally (and literally) for most of the summer. Academics are an important part of a doctors CV, and an area that I have studiously avoided in my career thus far. But when Corinne Martin at University of Southern Maine Nursing School contacted me about the program she has been developing as a holistic health minor for USM the fear was less than the excitement. I am honored to be teaching CON 284 Botanical Therapies for the fall semester. The course is an introductory level exploration some of the issues that surround medicinal plant use including historical dynamics, ecological effects and cultural perceptions of herbs. I will also be teaching practical clinical use of commonly used botanicals. We have guest speakers coming in, a practical how-to workshop on medicinal preparations, and a diverse reading list. Plant medicine has been foundational to my practice, and I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my own understanding and become more of a community resource!

I work primarily at the Age Management Center these days, with a strong focus on hormone health. I work with Dr. Michael Bedecs who is a Men’s Health expert, and is extremely experienced in hormone replacement. I am grateful to say he has taken me under his wing, and I have found a permanent place for my private practice here in Maine (and beyond.) It took almost two years to find the right work environment and business associate after owning my own clinic for 11 years in Toronto. Stay tuned for new articles on fertility,  perimenopause and transgender/transsexual health care. When working with hormones, it is impossible not to consider trans* health care, as this is a population often dependent on hormone use. Dr. Bedecs and I will continue to merge his extensive knowledge of hormone use with my specific integrative medicine training, community commitment, and health care activism to create a concierge style medical practice to serve all genders equally with cutting edge comprehensive treatment plans.

The other work I have been doing is more personal, learning how to trust my gut. Who is good at this? Tips? Strategies? It is so hard in this mixed modern world for me to be able to sift through the messages that come from outside vs. those that come from inside. What I have learned, is that if the inner messages are not heeded, outside havoc will soon result. Or, an event will occur with a big “I Told You So” tag on it. This is part of my process as a human – what is your process? We all have evolutionary issues that we work though, each as unique as stars. Having good guides – as partners, therapists, teachers, doctors, friends – is key to actually learning from our process and not repeating the same mistakes. I am lucky to have all of the above right now – except a good Dr. That is next on my list!

Thank you for reading through, for listening. My health story is mirrored in my life, and I know all of yours are too. It is the details of life that illustrate the pathways of disease and also those of health. Find yourself a Dr that will listen for the details, and trace paths. Take a new course. Call someone you miss. Step outside your comfort zone and do something professionally that scares you! It is September 2013, the time is ripe!

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#TTC Obsession – Confessions

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Getting pregnant is scary and exciting. The process of wanting to conceive and then waiting to find out…. not priceless. I am intimately aware of this as a Naturopathic Doctor with a focus on In/Fertility. I have also been privately preparing for this moment of my late 30’s when I am ready to conceive.  I have treated and supported many women through this process already. And here I am, alone with my OPK stick in the bathroom, discerning the workings of a secret universe. CONCEPTION.

I am amused at my complete immersion in the consuming nature of trying to predict my own ovulation. I cannot believe how often I think of the subject. I am constantly turning the information over in my mind. I read fertility forums online to gather information; I delve into friends’ personal experiences. Medicine looks so different when one is the patient! Suddenly there are a thousand things I do not know… Ovulation Predictor Kits are only the beginning.

And, in the obsession of pregnancy, it becomes everywhere. Books and television remind me that women have been torturing themselves about the ability to get pregnant forever! First, it was conceiving a boy, and whether or not the First Son would be born.  With rampant infertility, the collective obsession has turned to the BFP and away from gender preference.

We want to be able to control this event with every ounce of heart and mind. We are so used to be able to create what we need, if we only put enough effort into the act! It is maddening to have to develop techniques like trust and patience to achieve our highest goal…. and yet that is what it comes down to in the end. Do we hold the ultimate responsibility of whether or not life occurs in our very body?  It is appears to be the hugest responsibility, and yet it is one we cannot. create. on. our. own.  As my friend said yesterday, “We are accomplished and often privileged women! Powerful creations, and yet…” we cannot read what should be the simplest signs of all from our flesh. Are we ovulating today? Are we pregnant? It’s a huge pressure.

For same sex couples and single folks, there is the additional stress of genetic material to procure. The art of conception (often) looks very different for lesbian and gay couples. Not only will the inseminations need to be precisely timed, but the acquisition of said tools of conception must also be arranged. The cost of becoming pregnant begins with the very first try, an additional ingredient in the pressure-cooker of preparation. (In a call-out to women with biologically male partners, I do understand that when women hit the fertility clinics, we are all in the same machine.  The sex or gender of our partner becomes much less relevant although issues of accessibility to and cost of genetic material remains an additional stress.) It’s a wonder any of us become pregnant at all! But we do, in every increasing numbers.

The minute details, test results, and potential scenarios become an endless gerbil wheel of anxiety. It is important to step back from your own fertility and restore some normalcy to your daily routine. I was wound up over the timing of what was only a pre-cycle. Imagine how physically stressed out I could be for the real thing! One of my friends advised me after her first birth – make it fun. Try to relax around it. And she laughed knowing how hard that would be. I suggest distracting yourself as much as possible from thinking the same old anxious thoughts.  HOW? Listen to music that makes you sing. Watch a movie that engages you. Make time for friends or family who you like talking to and who are interesting. Write in a journal so you can get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper. The less time that is spent obsessing about the timing or prediction of said events will be in your best interest overall!

There is no conclusion to the story. The (new brand of) OPK kits wait for next cycle in my bathroom cupboard. I am going to pray for myself, light candles of hope, and continue to make the daily small offerings I do towards pregnancy – high quality prenatal vitamins, DHA essential fats, green tea, and other things appropriate for my personal care. My sweetheart and I also have a plan B, and C in place to rely on. When I get in the hamster mind of prediction anxiety again, please remind me of this post. Stress inhibits Ovulation!

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Spring Wellness Shopping List

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Spring! Winter skin comes out from under the covers, and the winter blues start to melt away…. Here are a few simple things you can do to feel and look your best!

Shopping List

£ Nettle Tea

£ Dry Skin Brush

£ Weleda Cellulite Birch Oil (or other good quality body oil.)

£ Flax Seeds

£ Sheep Yogurt

Instructions:

The key to Spring Wellness is getting the lymphatics moving and improving detoxification systems. The lymphatic channels run just underneath the skin, and are the highways of the immune system. Rough and bumpy skin is often from congested lymphatics – toxins literally surface to the skin when they cannot be eliminated properly. Nettle tea is an excellent and very safe lymphatic tonic that can used by everyone – for children, in pregnancy and breastfeeding, with multiple medications, and beyond!

Dry skin brushing is a physical medicine that sloughs off dry skin and stimulates lymphatic channel movement. It creats a youthful vibrant skin surface and helps to eliminate toxins released by the Nettle tea! Dry skin brush before every bath or shower. How? Using a specially designed brush, start at your feet and gently sweep upwards in big circles. Repeat from the wrists to the shoulders and across the chest.

Continuing topical care, nourish your skin with a rich organic oil when you are just out of the bath or shower. This improves dehydration and provides your cell membranes with the rich lipids it needs for optimal elasticity. Don’t towel off your extremities, instead just dry your trunk, face and hair. Generously apply your body oil, massaging your muscles and rubbing it in. Then, take a minute and lie back down wrapped in your towel to let the oils sink in. If you don’t have the time to rest, just wait a few extra moments before you get dressed (to let the oils sink in.) Weleda Birch Cellulite Oil is my favorite for Spring as it stimulates the dermal layers under the skin to continue detoxifying, and has no synthetic perfumes or chemicals that add to your body’s toxic burden.

Internally, adding 2 tbsp of ground flax seeds daily will have great health benefits. First, they are good source of fiber – this  will gently help your bowels to eliminate more effectively, without any laxative effect. Flax seeds also contain lignans, which support estrogen detoxification, which can help men and women taking any hormonal therapies. If you aren’t taking any hormones, lignans still help your body find its best state of hormone balance. And finally, flax seeds are a tasty source of vegetarian omega 3 oils.

I like taking my flax seeds in organic sheep yogurt, with fresh or frozen fruit and maple syrup. This makes a great snack! Its also an easy and yummy breakfast. The reason for using sheep rather than cow yogurt is threefold. First, Variety is the Spice of Life. Most of us eat a fair amount of cow dairy, so diversifying the food spectrum is good for the digestive health. Secondly, our body is made to absorb the small protein molecules in sheep and goat (and human) milks, not the large protein molecules from a cow. This is why many people with dairy intolerance can still have goat (and sheep) products.  Third, sheep yogurt is creamy and tasty! It doesn’t have the “farmy” flavor that many goat products have, so it is more like organic cow dairy in taste and texture. Yum.

Simple changes for simple wellness. Its not the drastic cleanses and restrictions that really make a difference to health in the long run. It’s the simple daily choices that add up to big results. Gently sweeping out the old and inviting in the new and fresh cells by stimulating lymphatics and nourishing the skin will have you feeling radiant.  For any questions or concerns about your personal health and health care, please contact me at http://thewrightdoctor.com/contact-information/

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