Drug Interactions? Wonder if your prescription drugs are messing with each other? Check.

I found a great drug-drug interaction resource site today while in clinic. There is no reason why you cannot use the same reference. So many times people are on drugs which are interacting with each other in not so good ways.

This drug interaction resources the following types of drug interactions:

• Vitamin-Drug Interaction
• Herb-Drug Interaction
• Drug-Drug Interaction
  

If you find something suspicious or not sounding that good, do not adjust your own medications. If you think you can, you cannot. If you change some prescription drugs too quickly, a serious side effect can occur causing death or a serious medical condition.

So - use this site as a reference - not to self-medicate and adjust your meds.

Drug Digest is an awesome easy to use tool that allows one to check two or more possible drug interactions. Simply search for a drug, vitamin or herb, add it to the drug interaction list and search for another. Keep doing this as needed. Once all drugs, herbs and vitamins are added to the drug interaction list, simply hit the button 'check interactions'

The drug interaction database will think for a moment and then spit out the possible interactions with explanations.

Again - do not self adjust your medications. Ever.

I discovered in clinic today that a patient's aspirin was altering his blood pressure medications. Aspirin works by limiting prostaglandin release and some blood pressure meds work by prostaglandins. Prostaglandins allow blood vessels to relax which is also what inflammation does. As aspirin decreases inflammation, this specific blood pressure med got affected. The outcome: he still had very high blood pressure.

Did I say don't adjust your meds? Good.

To give an example - if this patient did, he would be dead or suffer a large heart attack.

Here is the drug interaction website: Drug Digest

Enjoy the database. Tell your physician about it. They will love it.

In health,
Ben

How to Make Goat Yogurt , Goat Cheese and About Goat Milk

I received this information today from our local goat rancher, Debbie Higgins of Rainhaven Goat Dairy. I purchase her raw goat milk. Tomorrow I get my first half-gallon of it!

If you want to know how to make goat yogurt or goat cheese, or just learn about goat milk in general - read on!


MAKING GOAT YOGURT

Gently heat fresh raw goat milk to 115 F. This is best done either in a double boiler instead of direct heat, to keep the milk from scorching.

While the milk is warming, sanitize another container (such as a thermos). If you use bleach water, be sure to let the container air dry for several minutes to let the chlorine residue evaporate, so it doesn't kill off the yogurt culture bacteria.

Let the goat milk cool down to 105-110 F; pour warm milk into santized container and add culture (freeze dried or a large heaping tablespoon of store bought plain yogurt that label says has live active cultures). Gently mix culture thoroughly into the milk (one way is to cap the container and gently slosh it back and forth for a minute.

Let cultured milk rest without disturbing it for at least 5 hours and keep it at 100-110F. The higher end of this temperature range will more quickly culture the milk into yogurt and generally gives a less tart flavor, although goat milk yogurt will be more tangy than cow milk yogurt. Also, it will be thin like "drinkable" yogurt. It will thicken slightly after a few hours of being refrigerated. After incubating for 5 hours, taste it every hour or two to determine if you want to let it continue to incubate or if it is time to refrigerate it to stop the culturing.

There is a zillion great things to do with plain yogurt; one of the best is to add raw honey, and of course fruit, and you may want to experiement with adding carob or raw chocolate.

If you want to buy freeze-dried yogurt culture, check out:

http://www.cheesemaking.com

or

http://www.dairyconnection.com

Please note: even when some recipe instructions tell you to raise the temperature above 115 (such as go to 145 or even boiling), this is NOT necessary and doing so will kill off the good enzymes and bacteria that you want from raw milk!

By the way, a goat's normal body temperature is 105.

* * *

MAKING GOAT CHEESE

If you want to make basic soft goat cheese (chevre), the best place to get cultures for that is the Cheesemaking.com site; she has packets that include the exact amount of culture *and rennet* for one gallon of milk. Making chevre is about as easy as making yogurt; it too requires simply a warm place to sit (generally about 86F and for 12 - 24 hours) and then you gently put the curd into a cheesecloth bag (more like muslin, not the open weave type of cheesecloth) and let it hang to drip the whey off for another 8 hours or so, then voila! Goat cheese! And again, this is a basic ingredient best combined with other ingredients such as herbs, chopped onions, salmon, fruit, on and on.

WHY IS GOAT MILK BETTER THAN COW?

"Why Goat Milk?"


"Lipids and Proteins in Milk, Particularly Goat Milk"



OTHER GOAT MILK IDEAS:
For those of you who include caffeine in your diets... last week I got hooked on this:

Oregon Chai vanilla latte fluid concentrate in a box! Mix 50/50 (or whatever you want) with fresh goat milk, and you can zap it in the microwave or drink it cold. Oregon Chai has black tea, honey, spices and vanilla.

If you include oatmeal in your diet, you can let the oatmeal soak overnight in goat milk, works especially good to use a wide mouth glass canning jar with plastic lid.

If you make live-grain kefir in wide-mouth canning jars, and if you are also into "sprouting", the plastic "colander sieve" type lids for sprouting that screw onto canning jars can work well to strain the kefir from the kefir grains, then just add more fresh raw goat milk to the grains. Google "dom's kefir" and you should come up with a great kefir site.

Enjoy!

Debbie, the goat rancher!

Debbie Higgins
Rainhaven Grade A Raw Goat Dairy
Duvall, Washington

Chronic Constipation Treatment Thoughts

QUESTION:

Hi --- This comes from a good friend in Florida, who has had cancer twice and almost died. She is finally turning to complimentary medicine to help and has appointments set up with a chiropractor and acupuncturist. She is a young women of about 40.

This is what she sent me. If you have any suggestions, I would love to send them on to her.

"I have chronic constipation. Have tried every single solitary thing you can think of - natural and otherwise - nothing works to relive it - there isn't any pain and there aren't any growths and the stool is never hard or solid - they think it is a nerve problem from the chemotherapy - no mobility any more. I have pain a lot. In my hands and my legs to the point that they keep me awake at night. Hmmmm - let's see - occasional numbness on the right side of my face by my mouth that runs up toward my eye. Headache that is on the right side of my head and seems to start behind my ear - by what would be my maxillary sinus. Fatigue, weight gain, tiredness, and occasional blurred vision.

I have been thinking that it was due to the build up of toxins in my body because I do not expel waste in a timely manner. I can almost sense when it is coming on and then when it does I reflect on when the last time I had a bowel movement was and it is usually several days."

ANSWER:

Hello -

Her situation definitely needs professional medical attention - and I highly recommend visiting a naturopathic physician. You can have her locate one at AANP or MedND.

I believe she is right in part of toxin buildup. There may be other factors as well - especially need to consider the neuropathy issue.

Studies have shown that Vitamin B6 at 250 mg per day, is useful for 'hand-foot syndrome' that is often seen after chemotherapy. Some physicians have used vitamin B6 for treating chemotherapy related neuropathies. You may want to bring this up with your doctor.

When one does not pass stools daily, toxins do accumulate as the stool lingers in the intestines and colon. Toxins buildup especially if one is not digesting foods well. If not digested, the food literally rots and sends off gases.

Food insensitivities or allergies can further cause constipation.

Things may improve if you can get the bowels to move better and relieve the chronic constipation. It is my belief that a majority of illnesses stem from improper digestion.

An excellent lab test that may help is the Complete Digestive and Stool Analysis [CDSA] by Great Smokies Lab. This test is useful as it covers many aspects of digestion.

In the meantime, you may consider some digestive products. The ones that jump to mind:

• Trifal - ayurvedic herbal support that works to tone and balance the GI -has she tried that?
  
• HealthStep - positions the body in the more effective way for passing stools - excellent for chronic
  
• Herbal Melange - ancient remedy for GI conditions - doctors are using for constipation, colitis with success. This is the one that may work the best. It may seem weird but it has been used for 100's of years in Europe.
  
  I have seen these products work for patients visiting the clinic where I preceptor. If she does have neuropathy, these products may help out but herbal support may be needed to encourage peristalsis.
  
  There are numerous other products which may help but without knowing more information, I am not sure which ones may help her exact condition.
  
  I could go on listing but instead, let me explain some lifestyle changes which she may want to consider:
  
  Some lifestyle tips:
  
  
  • At least briskly walk 20 minutes a day? Simple movements like this really can help.
  • Yoga poses?
  • Local cold pack on her abdomen increases blood flow to the area. May want to do this before and after eating. Put an ice pack in a towel and place on belly area for 5 minutes. Increasing blood flow to the area improves absorption of nutrients and peristalsis.
    
  • Emotional support - worry, grief, anger are all 'internalized holding' emotions which may cause constipation.
    
  • Tested for hypothyroidism? - may also want to test for antibodies against the thyroid
    
  • tested for b12/folate deficiency? may want to test for serum folate and Methyl Malonic Acid (MMA). these both are essential for nerve support - if deficient - nerve pains and loss of sensation occurs.
    
  • Beverage consumption? water, coffee, tea, etc? drink water.
  • Fiber intake? can supplement with psyllium husk or simply eat cooked beans, raw veggies and fruits, steamed, whole grains.
    
  • Don't eat anything that is white. no sugar, no white bread, no mashed potatoes, no white flour, no white rice, no dairy...etc.
    
  • How much dairy? Avoid it completely as dairy literally snuffs the digestive fire as it is cold and mucous forming.
    
  • Multivitamin - a good one? if not, consider one. Spectra Woman is a highly rated vitamin for women.
  
  
  This is only information from my end. I am not yet a licensed physician and she must seek the advice from one. Pass this information to her doctor.
  
  Thank you for your question! I do hope she improves. I believe she will if she seeks the advice of a trained professional ND.
  
  Any other questions, do email. Glad to help out.
  
  In health,
  Ben
  

Baby Gender Prediction by Time of Intercourse and Ovulation?

This blew me away. And if true - how cool would that be.

It is said that the sperm carrying the Y chromosome uses energy faster than the sperm carrying the X chromosome. The energy utilization is said to be due to the speed in which sperm swim. Supposedly, the Y sperm is speedy or contains less mitochondria whereas the X sperm is slower or carries more mitochondria. Mitochondria are the energy producing cellular components which are absolutely necessary for life.

Sperm contain, and can only produce, so much fuel for their journey. If one sperm type swims faster than another, the consequence of that, of course, is faster arrival - but also faster expiration.

That said, if a woman knows her cycle and when she ovulates, the odds of baby gender prediction can be in one's favor.

Sperm can reach the fallopian tubes in about 20 minutes to 2 hours. Sperm are viable for about 4-7 days inside the woman. [This is dependent upon numerous factors - one main factor being the consistency of her cervical fluid.]

Given that the sperm carrying the X chromosome lives longer, then it is possible to gender predict.

How??

Let's give an example of how this baby gender prediction or sex determination would work.

You want - a girl.

You know Sue ovulates 15 days into her cycle. You know you must deliver sperm no earlier than 4 days before ovulation. This way, the Y carrying sperm will likely be expired and the X carrying sperm still viable. When the egg is released at about 5 days after intercourse, the X carrying sperm will be in the fallopian tube waiting. Mrs. X chromosome sperm touches the egg and a little girl has begun!

The critical and perhaps not so obvious tip - don't repeat intercourse again for a week! Make sure she has been fertilized with the 'mature sperm'

To sum up:
If you want a girl - aim for earlier intercourse before ovulation - at least 4 days before she ovulates.

If you want a boy - aim for later intercourse before ovulation - say about 1 day before she ovulates.

Does older sperm mean less healthy? This is not known; however, it is not the genetic material that dies right away. It is the motility or movement of the sperm which is limited and also the fuel stores.

How do you know Sue ovulates? She charts her cycle by temperature. In the morning, she takes her temperature before even getting out of bed. No alcohol use the night before or erratic schedule - like staying up till all hours. Recording the temperature will show normal slight variation of about +/- 0.2 points. When there is a 'spike' in temperature she has ovulated. The upward spike is typically about 0.4-0.6 points of a degree. It will stay steady for a bit and then drop off gradually. If the temperature doesn't drop off, she is pregnant!

Now is this baby gender prediction scientifically proven? I am not sure but I doubt it. The viability of sperm is proven. The difference of speed and viability of x vs y chromosomes is proven. So the information presented here is postulated and assumed based on that data.

Why not give it a shot?
Baby gender prediction can only be fun! And if it works - how cool would that be?

We need to research this. Seriously. I wouldn't think it would be that hard of a study to do. Anyone want to try it and let me know how it turns out? ;)

To improve your odds, use the Ovulation Calendar Program. It is a program that generates your personal fertility calendar based on your menstrual cycle information. It seems like a good gadget to keep organized and to show your friends!

In health,
Ben

Pennsylvania Hospitals Disclose Hospital Borne Infections Leading to Death

One would think this would be mandatory. Nope.

Pennsylvania hospitals are the only ones in the States that are required to disclose hospital-induced infections leading to death - nosocomial infections we medical folks call it. makes us sound smart - when all we do is cause the 3rd leading cause of death in the USA.

What?!

Yep. Doctors and Hospitals rank #3 for leading cause of death in the USA. Why? Nosocomial infections. And only good ol' PA is required to disclose how many infections they cause.

One hospital that I saw on PBS about this had 90 deaths in a month - a month - from hospital borne infections. Why? The Chief Medical Officer went around sniffing out the problem and discovered that nurses, techs and whoever else all washed their hands differently or - not at all.

He demanded that in 90 days there be a serious reduction in nosocomial infections leading to death.

He did this by

• educating all - all - hospital staff how to properly wash hands.
  
• placing reminder signs on hospital doors to wash hands
• placing other related signs on medical equipment and patients room doors
• installing many more hand sanitizers

What happened then?

In 7 days only, there were zero hospital caused deaths by nosocomial infections. Only 7 days.

In a year, that hospital only had 1 nosocomial infection that led to death.

Makes you wonder doesn't it?

A classmate of mine saw a nurse debriding - removing dead tissue - from a patient without gloves on her hands.

Try to find out how many nosocomial infections leading to death are in your hospital. If you cannot, write your congressperson.

We need to know.

If we demand the right to know, then I bet you that nosocomial infections leading to death will no longer be the 3rd leading cause of death. It may be the 300th - where it should be.

In health,
Ben

Weakening Organic Food Standards: Don't Let Them

I try not be political - in fact, this is my first 'political post.' However, this matter does not lean towards either political party; rather it's targeted directly to quality of food and other organic products.

I received a letter today from Eden Foods, as I purchase some of their products, and they were not pleased by the current bill on the Senate floor. This rider to a bill attempts to weaken the integrity of organic standards.

Eden Foods is the "oldest and a founding member of the organic foods industry that has never employed shortcuts, we believe that the fast, cheap, and easy route is counter productive in organic food production."

Do take action on this bill as it is essential that we all maintain strict organic food standards. We lose this battle and all food will be impure.

Take action here - it will take you only 20 seconds to inform your Senators

You can also visit Center for Food Safety and Organic Consumers

Information on what the bill is about and why you should act:
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) needs your immediate help to stop Congress and the Bush administration from seriously degrading organic standards. After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up a multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based upon strict organic standards and organic community control over modification to these standards.

Now, large corporations such as Kraft & Dean Foods--aided and abetted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are moving to lower organic standards by allowing a Bush appointee to create a list of synthetic ingredients that would be allowed organic production. Even worse these proposed regulatory changes will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National Organic Standards Board's (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting standards. What this means, in blunt terms. is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, will now have more control over what can go into organic foods and products.

This week, acting in haste and near-total secrecy, the U.S. Senate will vote on a "rider" to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that will reduce control over organic standards from the National Standards Board and put this control in the hands of federal bureaucrats in the USDA (remember the USDA proposal in 1997-98 that said that genetic engineering, toxic sludge, and food irradiation would be OK on organic farms, or USDA suggestions in 2004 that heretofore banned pesticides, hormones, tainted feeds, and animal drugs would be OK?).

For the past week in Washington, OCA has been urging members of the Senate not to reopen and subvert the federal statute that governs U.S. Organic standards (the Organic Food Production Act - OFPA), but rather to let the organic community and the National Organic Standards resolve our differences over issues like synthetics and animal feed internally, and then proceed to a open public comment period. Unfortunately most Senators seem to be listening to industry lobbyists more closely than to us. We need to raise our voices.

In the past, grassroots mobilization and mass pressure by organic consumers have been able to stop the USDA and Congress from degrading organic standards. This time Washington insiders tell us that the "fix is is already in." So we must take decisive action now. We need you to call your U.S. Senators today. We need you to sign the following petition and send it to everyone you know. We also desperately need funds to head off this attack in the weeks and months to come. Thank you for your support. Together we will take back citizen control over organic standards and preserve organic integrity.

Take action now here - it will take you only 20 seconds to inform your Senators

Natural Medicine for ADHD and is ADHD Really a Condition?

A Lithuanian friend of mine asked me about 8 years ago now, "Why is it that you Americans make up names for all sorts of conditions?" I at first defended us stating that we are at the forefront of medical research - therefore, had all the answers and newest medical conditions labeled.

Boy was I wrong.

Boy was he right.

ADHD, in my realm, is a bunk label brought on by pharmaceutical companies and psychologists. More money in the bank. They know parents want their kids best in class and get smiley faces from their teachers.

Now all they hear is, "Jack, I believe your son may be ADHD. You should have him checked out." Thanks. Good tip. People love to be the 'doctor' - knowing all the conditions, terms, diseases - it makes them feel superior for some reason.

Ignore 'em. Your kid is likely fine.

If not fine, and you do see an issue with inattention, hyperactivity and all the other common 'symptoms', then let's address some of them.

What did kids drink mainly, let's say, 10 years ago?

Milk.

Now?

Soda.

How much sugar is in an average soda? 11 tablespoons. They would add more if they could but it would not be liquid anymore. Seriously. There is a special process whereby soft drink companies can load up drinks without the sugar seperating out.

What does sugar do? I'll be blunt. What are the signs of ADHD? That's what sugar does. Make a list and look at it thinking about your kid on sugar. What do they look like at birthday parties?

What else is causing hyperactivity?
Preservatives, additives, food coloring, processed foods, cafeteria lunches [now there is an issue], vending machines in schools [hmmm - may be another major issue].

What does all this have in common?

Where is the wholesome nutritious food????

It is interesting to me, and sad, that what some call alternative treatments for ADHD are actually not treatments at all. They are simply prevention tactics. Natural medicine for ADHD is extremely effective and good doctors are applying natural medicine for ADHD in their clinics.

I bet that if kids did not drink so damn much soda, watch flashing commercials on TV, fast-moving arcade games for hours on end, ran instead of using gas-powered scooters, and ate nutritious normal food - real food - that ADHD label would be gone from our planet.

Why did the label appear? Dinero for one. Pharmaceutical companies are far from dumb. They know that people want a simple solution to everything - a drive through remedy.

That drive through remedy - the lovely methamphetamine - yes, a methamphetamine - Ritalin, which is sold on the streets now for big money.

I urge you not to take this simple easy solution - as it is far from a solution. A gentlemen came to our teaching natural medicine clinic and could not sleep. We asked a thorough history and found he was on 4 different drugs - all treating each other's symptoms. He was on Ritalin for Adult ADHD and then on a sleeping pill because Ritalin didn't allow him to sleep.

So, after altering his dietary habits and talking with his medical doctor, he no longer took the drugs. He now is attentive and sleeps well once again. Hmmmm. So that is what they are calling natural medicine and alternative treatments for ADHD. Is that an alternative treatment or is it an actual effective treatment - and - can we go so far as to say cure for ADHD?

I would agree that it is natural medicine - but not an alternative treatment. An alternative treatment for ADHD, in my eyes, is Ritalin.

Dietary intake is huge. Nutrition is huge. Exercise is right up there as well. With these three 'alternative treatments for ADHD' that natural medicine 'prescribes', parents will have happier children and children will have happier parents.

Parents must not feel the peer pressure in schools. Your kids are labeled so fast nowadays for numerous reasons - one being teacher laziness perhaps? Or administrative practices limiting the children's activities? How much recess do they get? Is gym cancelled? How much money does the school make selling sodas??

I am a parent as well so I know how difficult it can be. Please don't fall into the trap of Ritalin. If you found this article, then you are desiring an alternative treatment for ADHD and I applaud you for that. Natural medicine does wonders.

At times, supplementation is needed; especially as dietary and lifestyle changes are being modified. An effective ADHD supplement for kids and adults is Bio Focus by Biogenesis.
Pediatricians and naturopathic physicians all over the country are successfully using this ADHD supplement.

Basically, Bio-Focus by Biogenesis is a medical food powder containing the right nutrients for mental support and inattention. This ADHD supplement comes with a detailed spec-sheet discussing specific dietary interventions and useful lifestyle changes designed to reduce the signs of ADHD. You may view the Bio-Focus medical food powder webpage and download the spec sheet for free. It is an Adobe file.

I thank you for reading this - really. It pains me seeing Ritalin being prescribed so often when alternative treatments for ADHD may be so effective. Natural medicine does wonders - let it work and give it a shot.

And, please, discuss this article with your doctor. Print them out the spec sheet for Bio-Focus by Biogenesis. They will be impressed.

Good luck.

In health,
Ben

And I must put this disclaimer here: Benjamin Lynch of HealthE Goods is not prescribing medical information or products. The information presented is only to educate and inform the public in possible alternative treatments for ADHD. One must speak with their physician before making any medical decisions.

Nasal Irrigation Using a Neti Pot: For the Common Cold and Congestion

Nasal Irrigation is becoming recognized once again as an effective way to eliminate sinus congestion, battle the common cold and relieve allergies.

Why has it come back so strong?

People are tired of drugs and want a natural alternative treatment for allergies, the common cold and sinus congestion. Nasal irrigation using the ayurvedic neti pot is the way to go - cheap, fast and extremely effective.

Popping an anti-histamine or snorting one does not remove the problem. All it does is temporarily slow down mucous production. Then, once again, one finds themself with drugs up their nose or down their throat.

How does nasal irrigation remove the problem?
It doesn't entirely. That is a whole other topic which requires balancing the immune system, reducing stress, maintaining proper hydration and proper nutrition. To tickle your fancy though, freeze-dried nettle works really well as does quercitin.

But until one achieves this treatment, allergies persist and so does sinus congestion - especially now due to colds and flu bugs flying about. There must be relief immediately - and that is what the neti pot provides.

Basically, what the neti pot does is gently wash away excess mucous, bacteria, pollen, allergens and viruses from the sinuses. There is one main sinus that the neti pot can reach - the maxillary sinus which is on either side of your nose - basically inside the 'cheek bone'. When they fill with pus or mucous, it hurts. Not only does it hurt, but it provides a further haven for more bacteria and viruses as the immune system cannot enter. The door is closed.

Nasal irrigation opens that door by washing out the pus and mucous. Then, the immune system's IgA antibodies, which live on the mucous membranes of your nose, once again get back to work.

Can anti-histamines, aspirin, or tylenol do that? A resounding no.

Don't treat the symptom. Treat the cause of the symptom. It is sooo easy to do and it is so rarely done.

One must think, "Why do I have sinus congestion and pain on either side of my nose?" Mucous buildup. Ok. Why? I'm sick due to the common cold. Good. Why? I've been working my butt off at work. Understandable. What are you going to do about it? Take vitamin C. (studies show that it really does work when sick) That's a start.

What are you going to do about the pain and sinus congestion in your nose?

Going to do nasal irrigation with my neti pot. Good! Now we're talking!

Do you want to know how to use the neti pot correctly? Stupid question.

Basically, I recommend using filtered water as chlorine is drying and an irritant to the mucous membranes as it damages proteins. You may be thinking that this is good as you want to dry the mucous membranes out and chlorine can help kill the bacteria. No - not really. It takes quite some time for chlorine to kill bacteria for one. The other is you do want your sinuses to have their natural mucous secretions as it is they which carry the IgA antibodies. The IgA antibodies are what signal the immune system to kill the bacteria and viruses in your nose.

{A little medical sidenote: 1 in 700 people are IgA deficient. This is not handy for obvious reasons. A neti pot is extremely important for these people. If you get sinus infections, colds and other sinus bugs frequently, you may want to get a test done seeing if you are one of the lucky winners of an IgA deficiency. It's a simple swab-up-the-nose test.}

To use the neti pot correctly:

• Fill the neti pot preferably with warm filtered or purchased water. Not cold or hot water. Must be warm.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of pure salt. Do not use mineral salts or sea salts. Some people are allergic to shellfish and this will not help the situation. One can buy pure neti salt and it's not expensive. Normal table salt is fine also but it is processed like crazy - they use about 15+ chemicals to end up with pure white table salt. You didn't want to know that did you?
• You can add a pinch of baking soda also. This softens the water a bit so it's easier on your mucous membranes.
• I use a tincture called Neti Wash Plus and that comes with zinc or zinc free. Basically this is a mixture of anti-bacterials, anti-fungals, and immune support nutrients and herbs which are proven effective in research. It is pre-made and just simply add a dropperful or two in the neti pot. Only use this during mucous buildup and sinus congestion. Don't use everyday as it is designed to break up sticky mucous. If one doesn't have sticky mucous, then it will hurt your healthy thin mucous - which you now know, you need.
• I recommend doing this procedure in the shower. This way you cannot make a mess. You can also do it over a sink or sitting down with a big bowl on the table in front of you.
  
• Insert the neti pot spout into one side of your nose. Lean your head slightly to one side and forward a bit. This allows the medicated water to flow from one side of your nose to the other. This action pushes out the mucous and also drops off the medicated water in your sinuses.
  
• Stay in this head bent and tilted position while the water runs out - say for about 15 seconds.
• When 15 seconds is up, remove the spout and gently blow your nose. Do not block one nostril while blowing your nose as this forces the mucous up closer to your brain. Also do not blow forcibly as this will push the mucous into your ear canal. Just blow lightly - like a soft outward snort.
  
• Repeat on the other side. Do this about 2-3 times each side. Refill the neti pot as needed. I typically can do it sufficiently with one full neti pot.
• This takes about 3 minutes. Sounds like a lot of work but it's fast - especially as you do it more and more.
• Rinse out the neti pot or place it in the dishwasher to sterilize. I recommend buying one for each person of the family. This way you don't have to wash it so hard everytime.

You may feel one of two things: all cleared up and easier to breathe - or - stuffed up more than before. If stuffed up, don't fret or blow your nose hard. Just wait. The Neti wash plus tincture mix is working on breaking up the mucous and within a few minutes, you'll be searching for tissues as the mucous begins to literally flow out of your nose. It's pretty awesome how fast it works. Remember - do not blow hard and do not occlude one nostril. If you do blow hard or occlude one nostril, you have made you sinus congestion return - or worse, moved it into your ear.

Don't blow hard. You don't need to. The neti wash plus and nasal irrigation does all the work for you. You just provide the tissues and the trashcan.

Try to stay rested, relaxed and healthy. Not easy to do - but when you get a cold or sinus congestion - you now know what to do!

If you have any questions about nasal irrigation, you may email me. I'd be glad to help you out.

Some basic cautions with nasal irrigation. If you have routine bloody noses, don't do it. If you get a bloody nose, adjust the salt/baking soda/tincture ratio. If you still get bloody noses, stop as your mucous membranes may be too dried out. I don't recommend using the neti wash plus with zinc if your nose is sensitive. They make a neti wash plus zinc free which is also effective. Zinc is added as it stimulates the immune system. Also, don't use the neti wash plus unless you have sinus congestion or mucous buildup in your sinuses. A simple nasal irrigation with salt and baking soda is all you need if you have slight buildup - say from last night's sleep.

Which neti pot to choose? I prefer the non-breakable medical grade plastic neti pot as I broke my ceramic neti pot in the shower when it dropped. The plastic neti pot is also handy as you can toss it into your baggage when you travel. It also comes with a sample of the neti wash plus and neti salt packets. This way you can try the difference in salt quality and see how the neti wash plus works for you.

NPR did a special news report on the use of neti pots and nasal irrigation. Neti pots are making a strong comeback as a main treatment for sinus congestion and allergies.

The NPR quick summary:
Morning Edition, October 12, 2005 · An age-old technique that may have developed from yoga traditions is turning out to be a simple and effective way to combat the cold. Flushing the nasal passageway with warm salt-water can help prevent colds and bring relief to allergy-sufferers. by Patricia Neighmond

You may listen to the program in full.

Good ol' NPR - they never cease to amaze me.

Enjoy the broadcast!

In health,
Ben

Natural Birth Against All Odds

The following is a true story - this interview was an assignment for my Normal Maternity course. I went into the assignment feeling like it was busy work. I came out understanding more about the empowerment women feel from having natural births.

Names in the story are fictitious to protect their privacy.

May this short true story empower women to have successful natural births.

Enjoy the story!

At 10am April Fool’s Day, Aimee had a trickster on her hands – well, rather in her belly. Little Sam wanted out as he could already imagine how popular his birthday would be among his pals. Aimee was not having it. She is not the type to allow one to fool her and her second son, who was yet to be born, was not going to pull the ultimate prank.

Alone at home, Aimee lazed around reading her books knowing that if she did absolutely nothing, then April 1st would pass without her delivering.

At 10pm, the contractions really started coming. As an experienced mother already, she knew that the contractions were not close enough. At 5 am, contractions were intense and coming right at 5 minutes apart. Phew – she made it to April 2nd.

Aimee and her husband, Scott, squeezed into their car with their first son, Spenser, a 10 year old. The car’s wheels came to rest at Swedish Hospital where they all strode up to the maternity ward. After 10 minutes in the ward, Scott was out of there taking Spenser with him. Scott had to leave in order to pick up Spenser's ADD/ADHD meds.

The kicker is Scott and Spenser never came back. Scott ended up popping Spenser's Ritalin leaving him on cloud 9, Spenser inattentive and his wife without him in labor.

Aimee was not alone. Her younger nagging sister, who she wished was not there, was there. Aimee's sister was there not really for support; rather she was there as Aimee wanted her to witness a natural birth. Little sis had two prior c-sections and Aimee, damn it, was going to have a natural birth no matter the odds.

And her odds were high: no husband support, nagging sister, placenta previa, 242 pounds, full bowels and bleeding throughout pregnancy.

Fighting the odds, Aimee had strength from her girlfriend’s presence. However, her main strength arose from her prior non-participatory delivery of her first boy, Spenser. Loaded with the juice from an epidural, Aimee simply laid back while the nurses and doctors manually pushed out baby when the monitor showed peak contractions. She felt nothing. Aimee stated she simply felt like she popped out a grape.

The first birthing experience did not qualify as an experience to Aimee – at least not in terms of her participating. Doctors were in control and she was completely passive. This is not Aimee – and she knew it. She wanted to be there – in feeling, spirit, pain and pleasure.

So, with odds against her, she maintained hope for a natural delivery. Her OB told her the week before her due date, that baby may have just enough space to push through naturally. She took that as a green light.

Aimee was attended by a nurse who had been working in Swedish Maternity Ward since that October prior – making it 18 months. Remarkable is during those 18 months, her nurse had not witnessed a single natural birth. Aimee was going to be her first.

Aimee was remaining in control by breathing rhythmically. She noticed a light fixture above her with concentric rings and she used that as a breathing guide. Then nurse came in at noon and dimmed Aimee's guiding light. She was not pleased.

To make matters a bit more interesting, Aimee told her nurse that she had the strong urge to defecate. Nurse stated that was not an option and she would have to hold it. The nurse and doctor later found out Aimee was not joking.

Aimee was started on Pitocin as she was not progressing. Her contractions became closer, stronger and more persistent. A couple hours of Pitocin led to delivery time.

The doc and nurses demanded that she push even without contractions – they wanted to go home. Aimee did not abide by their demands as she was in charge this time. Without epidural and with determination, Aimee pushed through the intense ring-o-fire.

At peak contractions, all 242 pounds of Aimee began to push with all her might. Her doc was right there ready to catch. Little did he know he would be at bat three separate times before baby Sam arrived. Pitch 1, he caught a complete shower of amniotic fluid. Pitch 2, Aimee completely evacuated her bowels from baby’s pressure. Pitch 3, the doctor almost struck out but managed to catch the fast pitch thrown by Aimee. Little Sam shot out so fast that the doc caught him only by his tiny ankle.

A quick wipe down and then Aimee's beautiful 8lb 6oz, 21” baby boy was laid down on her chest at 2pm, April 2nd. A natural birth was Aimee's desire and she did it through all odds.

Emotions were everywhere for Aimee. While she was immensely pleased with her new boy and her awesome achievement, she was immensely saddened and angered by the absence of her husband. He had failed to witness his wife’s strongest and most validating moment. This was their biggest fallout and her husband found himself in a drug rehabilitation center a couple months after the birth of his second son. It was the treatment center or the door. Happily, the treatment center was successful.

Aimee succeeded through the toughest experience in her life and she could not revel in the moment. She went home the next morning with her new baby boy, breast fed, iced her huge vaginal hematoma and cooked dinner for the family.

It was not long after delivery that she had to head back to the hospital with a bout of pancreatitis and inflamed gall bladder. She managed to breastfeed through her hospital stay despite the nurses desires for her to stop. Aimee went home with no gall bladder, a scar the width of her belly and discovered 18 loads of laundry needing to be sorted and washed.

Aimee now tells her story to pregnant women empowering them to do achieve a natural birth. She is quoted as saying:

“I am very thankful for having done it as now I know how powerful I am – it was a very validating experience for me.”

Thank you, Aimee. You supported and encouraged my wife through her fears of a natural birth. May you continue to spread confidence to pregnant women so that they may to realize their most powerful day.

Lose Weight by One Simple Step

The biggest thing I've noticed while in clinical rotation? People want to lose weight. Of course.

After asking a bit of their eating habits - there tends to be a common error in their eating habits.

They eat their biggest meal at night.

This is a major weight gainer. Why? What do you do at night? Sleep. Metabolism is slow and calories are not burnt. Where do the calories go? To storage. Storage is fat once glycogen stores are filled in the body.

Glycogen stores are replenished quickly if one is not exercising.

So, in order to help prevent fat from appearing on your sides, eat your biggest meal at lunch.

This way there is enough time in the day where your metabolism is clicking away. If you exercise, then the benefit is even larger.

What to do at dinner? Eat complex carbohydrates - fiber. Salads are excellent. The increased fiber in salads make you full so you won't want more. The trick with salads though is one tends to add a ton of salad dressing. Avoid this desire. Try to pick juicy red tomatoes, lemons, nice balsamic vinegar instead.

Avoid high protein, high fat, high simple carbohydrate dinners. Aim for high fiber dinners.

I eat my salads dry 90% of the time. Sounds crazy but they taste really good. Pick organic veggies if you can.

Read my former post about which non-organic fruits and vegetables are the safest.

I'd spend more time on this but have to run.

Point is simply: Do not eat late and avoid large meals after 1pm.

In health,
Ben