Naturopathic Medicine & Dietary Changes

I've been working with a Naturopathic Doctor since December because I was feeling very overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, and unhappy. In addition to overall exhaustion and sadness, I was gaining weight, breaking out, and had terrible anxiety. I didn't want to leave the house or have guests over because of how I felt. My symptoms and my lifestyle were all playing into this ongoing defeat.

Although the symptoms aren't entirely gone or "cured" yet (I don't think they ever will be; depression or anxiety take time to work through and both are a lifelong battle) working with my doctor has been an incredibly insightful experience. She has worked extensively with me using acupuncture, homeopathic drainage (Unda therapy), natural supplements, and basic self-care routines to restore some of the natural health and vitality that has dissipated over the years due to stress, environment, and overall health.

So what does this treatment plan entail? Well - let me start by saying that being an ND would be no easy feat. When I first came to Melissa I was just excited to try acupuncture - I had always heard of it and wanted to try it. I figured she would do a couple treatments, and the  Then I found out that naturopathic care is far more than just acupuncture - it's an entire overhaul of everything you're doing, from your thoughts and activities to your diet and lifestyle. Medical doctors are not trained in nutrition, but many Naturopathic schools train their doctors and acupuncturists in both diet and illness treatment.

Back to my point - the Treatment Plan. ND's take into account your entire wellness, including your mind and mental health (which medical doctors either ignore or treat much more compartmentally instead of holistically.) First, my doctor had my basic blood work done. It came back showing that inflammation in my body was double what the HIGH range should be! A high level of inflammation is a 3 and I am a 6. Even though everything else was running normally - normal cholesterol, blood pressure, etc - my inflammation was through the roof. Along with low vitamin D because I live in the Northwest and there's only three months of actual sunshine here.

With the high levels of inflammation and being overweight, my doctor stressed the importance of self-care in combination with an anti-inflammatory diet. I went strong on the AI diet for about 12 days, lost a few pounds, and when I faced another considerably stressful event related to finances, I totally went off the deep end. I couldn't focus on caring about what I ate or what I felt because I was so wrapped up in how hard things were.

I kept going to see my doctor, every Saturday, for one hour - for acupuncture and treatments as needed. Even on days I really didn't feel like getting up and getting out, I still forced myself to go and forced myself to be honest with her; "No, I didn't follow the diet this week. Yes, my stomach has been hurting again. No... I didn't do my self-care routine. My back has been killing me again." I was continually inspired by her ability to encourage me in a non-judgmental way; we all know how judgmental or harsh MDs can be. (Not ruling out MDs - just saying, some of them can be thoughtless and harsh.)

Spirituality, naturopathy, and holistic health in general is a topic that seems to freak some people out. They think that "hippie stuff" like "natural treatments" and "homeopathic remedies" are just hogwash that should be thrown out along with 18th century witchcraft. Many people are quick to assume "The FDA knows best, the government wouldn't feed us anything that isn't good for us, and corn syrup is fine in moderation." I've even heard people go as far as to say that gluten-free diets are just a fad diet. When you look at the general dismay our country is in - in terms of mental health, physical health, obesity, depression - it's important to take a closer look at underlying causes, instead of covering up our symptoms with continued prescription drugs.

After a few visits with Melissa, I decided it was just time to get back to basics. Back to everything basic - taking care of myself. Doing laundry. Hanging up my clothes. Feeling prepared for each day. Detoxing negative energy at the end of each day by spending time by myself doing things I love - like writing, reading, or watching YouTube. Back to basic, wholesome, homemade foods. Back to what I know in my heart is best for me. But for those of you who, like myself, experienced harsh criticism at a young age for attempting to do something you wanted to do, you know all too well the fear that's associated with trying something new or advocating for your own needs. There's a sense of discomfort - that you don't fit in - if you don't eat gluten, if you don't eat meat, if you don't eat certain foods, if you don't like sugary desserts. People become defensive about their own choices when they see you making better ones.

I wanted to share this inspiration I felt because I think it's important to remember that we are all human, we all make mistakes - maybe you have been the food pusher, the one telling someone to get off a diet and eat cake with them, the one saying "I would die without 'X type of food' in my life!" When people say negative things about your choices, or poke fun at your decisions or lifestyle choices, that's their own insecurity. Because if they don't recruit more people like them who are on their level, they will be the outcast instead of you (in their mind).

These are just some of my thoughts regarding lifestyle and diet choices. It's no one else's problem what you eat - is it affecting them directly? No. Will it hurt their feelings if you don't eat their special dessert (they made it JUST for you) or if you don't want to participate in traditional holiday meals? Maybe. But is that really your problem or your fault? Not at all, in any way. You can simply say "Eating this way makes me happy" or "I really appreciate you making this for me, but I'm having a hard time with sugar - would you mind if I took some to work and shared it with my coworkers?" or honestly, what works best sometimes is simply saying "I'm allergic." Who can argue with that?

Anyway, to wrap this up - I am embarking again on a purely, 100 % gluten free, dairy free and soy free diet. I will admit - it's very challenging, but the payoff is extremely rewarding. In just 4 days my skin has calmed down - just last week I had the same acne on my face that I'd had for weeks that simply wouldn't heal. And 4 days into cooking my own foods and eating delicious, health replacements, my skin and digestion have drastically improved.

Here are some delicious replacements for your typical American diet:

Unhealthy Choice                                                    Healthier Substitute

Cheeseburger, fries, coke	Hamburger patty, side salad, and handful of fries
Cheese smothered omelet	2 fried or boiled eggs, avocado slices, and fresh fruit
Cinnamon roll	Steel cut oats with almond milk, cinnamon, agave, and blueberries or fresh fruit of your choice or try it with nut butter and a banana for a creamy variety
Deep dish pizza	Gluten free or whole grain pizza crusts, store bought pizza sauce, cheese substitute, tomato slices, mushrooms
Regular soda or diet soda	Carbonated water with lemon, cucumber, and orange slices or herbal tea poured over ice with lemon
Regular dairy milk	Coconut milk is the creamiest replacement. It also contains more nutrients and minerals than dairy milk - specifically iron, which can help those who are anemic or low in iron levels, and phosphorus, which strengthens bones.
Potato or tortilla chips	Raw unsalted nuts (1-2 ounces) or homemade kale chips; nuts provide fiber and minerals such as selenium (a mineral that protects cells from damage) and kale has an abundance of vitamin A - amazing for skin, hair, nails, and Vitamin K, which helps your blot clot normally and can prevent your bones from fracturing prematurely.

Theses are just some of MANY ideas for substitutions. Sorry for the long article, but I feel it's important to explore these issues and tell others that I, too, have felt miserable from the inside out - and that you (and I) can, and will feel better when we make mindful choices for our bodies and minds.

living like a kid again... vegan style



I have to admit, I stoled this pic from the innernetz. My camera phone just
wasn't flattering enough. But this is what mine looked like!!!!


Last night, and this morning, I had an undying craving for a toasted cheese sandwich. How does a gluten-free vegan make a toasted cheese, you ask? There are ways. And the ways that I found were undeniably tasty. Even an omnivore wouldn't be able to tell the difference.



I used Udi's Gluten-Free White Sandwich bread, because in comparing the label to the Whole Grain version, I found that the whole grain bread contains 20 more calories, more sugar, and more sodium than the white bread loaf.

When I went to verify this on Udi's website, the website blatantly lied about the nutritional differences in the two loafs, claiming they are the exact same in nutritional value! Where there is a tiny marker next to the calorie content of the Whole Grain Bread Loaf labeled "140", I drew a line because I was going to point out that the calories should be 160, but I realized I don't actually have a loaf to look at here, so I couldn't make the corrections.

One of the other main issues I have with the health-meter of Udi's bread is the sodium content. The sodium alone in each slice of bread, as you can see in the info to the left, is 135mg per slice. The way I have taught myself to see it, by reading and by experience, is if your food has more milligrams of sodium per serving than it does calories, it is a high sodium food - therefore, it should be eaten in moderation. Just in bread alone, I consumed 540mg of sodium... and I haven't even gotten to the cheese.

Either way... besides my annoyance with Udi's, I made toasted "cheeze" sandwiches using the best cheese substitute I have found thus far. It's a cheese shred called Daiya, and it is 100% vegan - unlike many dairy substitute cheeses that still contain casein. (casein is a protein in milk that some people are still highly allergic to. A dairy substitute, in my opinion, should not contain any dairy additives or by-products whatsoever.) I love this cheese because it is a soy free vegan alternative (how many of those are really available?). Daiya is soy free, gluten free, dairy free, corn-free, and it's still amazing. It even has the color, taste, and feel of real cheddar.

Again, the biggest issue I have with a lot of vegan and gluten free alternatives is the sodium content. In my experience so far as a vegan/vegetarian (I am eating eggs now, so knock me back down to level 3 vegetarian) is that you (and ME!) really need to read your nutrition labels when you're eating food. Any food. Your foods can have fat and carbs and protein, but they shouldn't have trans-fat, too much sodium, too much sugar, or corn syrup of any kind. For an in depth lesson on reading nutrition labels and what to avoid, check this out:http://www.sheerbalance.com/nutrition-section/nutrition-tools/nutrition-labels/


All in all, the toasted cheese sandwiches were delicious, though. Matthew and I had each had two (the bread was small!) and we taste tested Daiya cheddar shreds up against Vegan Gourmet Cheddar - Daiya definitely won. Nutritional Breakdown of the sandwiches was around 350 calories each, probably around 450 mg sodium per sandwich. Ever wonder why you're so thirsty, or your pants are tighter than normal? Start watching your sodium. :)

VegNews Article on the Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

An article I found on VegNews.com, a Vegan/Vegetarian website, explains the health benefits of a vegetarian diet and "mythbusts" some misconceptions about both diets:

Veg diets lack protein? Says who?!
Here are a few factoids for veggies new and old.

By Dina Aronson, RD & Meghan Fitzpatrick

Now that you've resolved to go vegetarian, phase two of your new-year plan should be arming yourself with veg-related factoids. Why? Because friends, family, and even random strangers are guaranteed to quiz you, grill you, and otherwise bombard you with questions about your new-and-improved lifestyle. Do a bit of myth-busting and show ’em what they're missing by memorizing a few of these fascinating factoids.

Myth: A vegetarian diet lacks sufficient protein, calcium, and iron.
Truth: A well-balanced vegetarian diet certainly can provide enough of these nutrients. What we don't hear too often is that any poorly planned diet—meat-centered or not—can lack adequate nutrients. For well-fed vegetarians, protein, calcium, and iron are rarely issues. Beans, lentils, and soy are the protein standbys, although protein is also found in vegetables and starches. As long as we consume enough calories from a variety of foods, protein needs are easily met.

Roughly two-thirds of the world has difficulty digesting milk, making the majority of us reliant upon non-dairy calcium sources. Indeed, nuts and seeds, tofu, beans, leafy greens, and other foods contain calcium, and many plant sources are actually better absorbed by the body than the kind found in cows' milk. Even if your vegetarian diet isn't pristine, it's easy to get enough calcium from fortified vegan sources like cereals, juices, energy bars, and soymilk.

Myth: Vegetarians only eat salad.
Truth: From vegetable-topped pizza and pasta primavera to succulent stir-fries and vegetable curries, today's vegetarians should have no trouble finding something delicious and nutritious to eat. More and more restaurants are adding veg options to their menus, and many of today's veg eateries have gone upscale, offering dishes that would dazzle even the most discriminating palates. We'd like to also rid the world of the myth that vegetarians arrange their plates with a pile of plain veggies beside a pile of rice. Give us a maple-roasted acorn squash stuffed with wild rice-pecan-currant pilaf instead of a pile of steamed veggies and a scoop of rice any day.

Myth: Being vegetarian is time-consuming and difficult.
Truth: Just as omnivores typically don't pluck their own chickens and make their own cheese from their own cow (that they milked by hand), vegetarians don't necessarily prepare nine-course meals from scratch every night. We get a bit of help using healthy convenience foods such as wholesome breads, quick-cooking grains, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen chopped veggies, bagged salads, canned beans, baking mixes, jarred nut butters, prepared herbs and spices, veggie burgers and other faux meats, sauces, and more. With a little imagination, a healthy, meat-free meal can be prepared in minutes.

Vegetarians have a lower risk of:Obesity
Cardiovascular disease
Stroke
Hypertension
Diabetes
Cancer (certain types)
Diverticular disease
Kidney disease
Gallstones

(courtesy of http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=275&catId=7. I did not write this article.)