Most people get a standard set of blood work done every year through their primary care provider, which usually includes a Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) test. This test measures the amount of sugar floating around in your blood at the moment the sample is taken. Many providers require you to be fasted (not eating for […]
As the heat of summer draws to a close and the promise of autumn looms on the horizon, August arrives as a perfect time to refocus on our well-being. National Wellness Month, observed throughout August, encourages us to take a step back from our busy lives and prioritize self-care. In a world filled with constant […]
Man do we love our probiotics! Probiotics have become a staple in the supplement cabinets of patients all over. And what’s interesting is that we’re still really only in our infancy as far as understanding the depth to which probiotics can impact our health. Do you have questions about probiotics? Here are some quick notes […]
Let’s clear the air on antibiotics. The CDC reports that antibiotics are over prescribed and improperly given in over 50% of cases. However, antibiotics also turned the tide of human disease and continue to provide respectable benefits when appropriately used. As a Naturopathic Doctor, antibiotics are rarely a first line treatment, but they can be […]
What’s the big deal with probiotics and antibiotics, anyway? I’m sure you’ve heard a LOT about probiotics over the last few years. Maybe you’ve even tried them yourself. I would also bet you’ve heard a lot of negativity about antibiotics. Like everything, antibiotics have a time and place. They can be incredibly useful and they […]
Did you know you are actually more bacteria than you are human?!? It’s true! It’s been said that human beings have about 10 bacterial cells for every one human cell in their bodies. Now, if you dig back into the history of this, that estimation may have been a loosely thrown out number that managed […]
It’s time to love your guts! Why, you ask? Because there is SO much to know! And by gut, I mean the internal gut, not necessarily the waistline. Although having a healthy internal gut can translate to an external flat tummy. The majority of my patients present with gut-related symptoms and nearly all of my […]
Could gut microbiota be driving sleep disturbance and cognitive decline? This paper is part of NMJ’s 2018 Cognition and Mental Health Special Issue. The article can be seen in context, along with the rest of the issues here. Reference Anderson JR, Carroll I, Azcarate-Peril MA, et al. A preliminary examination of gut microbiota, sleep, and […]
It’s February 14, Valentines Day, the annually celebrated (or reviled) day of love that has become a $17+ billion dollar industry in today’s world. As many are aware, Valentines day has a somewhat clouded origin story, possibly stemming from a combination of Roman masculine rituals, Christian-Catholic martyrdome, and romantic promotions by writers like Chaucer and […]
I find it interesting how old concepts so quickly become the new craze in popular culture, before vanishing away almost as quickly into the shadows of yesterday’s news. In my work as a student clinician and also since becoming a board certified Naturopathic Doctor, I’ve encountered numerous questions and claims about a current craze – […]