Articles in the ‘General Information’ Category
Soothe and Relaxx: Help for Pain, Sleep and Mood
One pill that can help pain, sleep and mood – and it’s all-natural!
Soothe and Relaxx is one of my all-time favorite remedies. It contains an amazing mix of ingredients to give it application to many different states and conditions. It lessens pain, reduces inflammation, calms the nervous system, provides joint and connective tissue support and relaxes the muscles.
Many people with chronic illness experience pain. Much of that pain stems from inflammation, which can be systemic or localized. Pain can also come from muscles that are tight or in spasm; or it can come from a hyperactive nervous system. Soothe and Relaxx can address all those things.
Insomnia is also a major problem for many people. Prescription sleeping pills can be highly habit forming and are best avoided, so natural agents are a great alternative. Dr. Nicola’s Sleep Support is another great natural sleep formula, but Soothe and Relaxx is sufficient for many to make a difference.
Athletes also love Soothe and Relaxx. I take it after every run and every workout. I find the magnesium and malic acid, together with the anti-inflammatory herbs, quicken recovery and prevent post-workout muscle soreness.
The Soothe and Relaxx Ingredients Include:
Glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid
These ingredients are great for joint and connective tissue health – they protect the joints and cartilage, and even provide ligament support. This is important for anyone with arthritic joints or musculoskeletal pain or any degenerative joint condition. These nutrients are important for Lyme patients as the bacteria tend to attack and lodge in joints.
Magnesium and malic acid
Magnesium helps to relax muscles, while malic acid helps to clear the toxic waste, such as lactic acid, that accumulates in them. Many people find magnesium helpful for a restful sleep, and it can help in constipation by relaxing the smooth muscle of the bowel.
5-HTP, valerian, passion flower, lemon balm
Amino acids and herbs that calm the nervous system can help take the edge off anxiety, promote good sleep and support healthy balanced mood. Anxiety and depression are a common occurrence in chronic illness, so by supporting the brain chemistry with serotonin precursors such as serotonin, we can help these things naturally.
White Willow, Holy Basil, Curcumin
Nature’s own anti-inflammatories. White willow is high in salicylic acid, the compound that is manufactured into aspirin. Curcumin is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Yet these herbs do not have the side effects of NSAIDs, such as GI irritation.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives an overview of the scope of Soothe and Relaxx and what it can help. I have found that 7 or 8 people out of 10 come back with a clearly noticeable improvement after taking Soothe and Relaxx. Standard dosing is 3 capsules twice daily, but people adjust this to fit their needs – those with major sleep issues might take less in the morning and more at night; those with more pain during the day might take even doses or more in the morning; athletes might time it around their workouts and recovery.
For a complete list of ingredients or to order Soothe and Relaxx, visit www.shop.restormedicine.com
Click Here to Read More on Soothe and Relaxx: Help for Pain, Sleep and MoodNaturopathic Medicine: the medicine of the future
After several years of being in practice as a Naturopathic Doctor, I am more and more certain that this is the way that medicine will be practiced in the future. Ironically, much of the practice of naturopathic medicine involves a return to the way things used to be – doctors who actually listen to their patients and take time with their patients, therapeutic modalities that are in harmony with the body’s natural healing processes, and a philosophy of medicine that respects the body’s ways and puts patient and doctor together as a team.
I am not categorically opposed to Western medicine, nor am I for a minute implying that allopathic doctors do not care as much about their patients or the practice of medicine. I do believe, however, that the rise of managed care, accelerating costs of health care to both provider and consumer, and the enormity of the pharmaceutical industry have impaced the way medicine is practiced. Naturopathic medicine is in a unique position to get us back to the way it used to be, without throwing out the advances and benefits of western medicine.
At face value, the major difference between naturopathic and allopathic medicine may appear to be in the therapeutic modalities. Allopathic medicine relies more on drugs and surgery, while naturopathic medicine utilizes more natural means such as herbal medicines, nutrition and homeopathy. But the differences run much deeper than that.
I believe the most significant philosophical tenet of naturopathic medicine is the drive to find the underlying cause of disease or dysfunction, not just suppress the symptoms. Not only does this allow for deep and lasting healing, but it also opens up the potential for fully seeing the person as a whole – factoring in physical, mental, emotional and spiritual imbalances as potential causes for disease. To be fair, a naturopathic doctor could treat symptoms and ignore the underlying cause just as easily as an allopathic doctor (we call this “green pharmacy”), so it’s not just about modalities used – it’s about the way we look at our cases, the totality of their picture, not just breaking a person down into systems or organs. This is a philosophical difference, and in my opinion one of the most important facets of medicine. (more…)
Click Here to Read More on Naturopathic Medicine: the medicine of the futureHCG Boost Diet
Give your system a boost for the New Year!
Many people go into the New Year a few pounds heavier after the holiday season, but with new resolve to improve their health, balance their weight, and shed those extra pounds that were there before the holidays ever began.
There are several options for addressing this. One option, and certainly a sensible one, is to increase exercise, cut back on the alcohol, reduce carbohydrate intake and focus on lean proteins and vegetables. Over time, that should certainly facilitate weight loss and set up good habits. (more…)
Click Here to Read More on HCG Boost DietHormones in Men
What they are, and what to do about them!
The Significance of Testosterone
The primary hormone that we think about in association with men is testosterone. This poor hormone gets some bad publicity as it seems to drive a lot of men’s thoughts and decisions for several years of their life (and from a woman’s perspective, not always in a good way!). Differences in testosterone and estrogen balance do account for many differences between men and women, and sometimes it seems to create a disconnect. But testosterone is such an important hormone for men, and too much of it or too little of it can certainly have far-reaching effects.
We joke about men in their 20’s and 30’s and how testosterone drives them. Not just sexually either – it fuels their energy, their strength, their ambition. Testosterone is truly a whole-body hormone with highly complex and comprehensive roles in the body. This is true in women too but the amounts are much smaller and women have other more dominant hormones that “drive” us (and we confess, not always in a good way either!). Men, by design, are providers and protectors – they have to go out hunting the deer to bring home for dinner; they have to fight off the wild animals and the boogie-men, they have to keep everyone safe and well-protected. Testosterone is one of the major hormones that allow them to be that way. It is a well-designed system.
Testosterone is vital to a man’s health. It bolsters muscle strength, energy, libido, lean muscle mass, mood and outlook, plus a range of other effects. Men have estrogen too, it’s just in much smaller quantities than women, so it plays less of a role. (more…)
Click Here to Read More on Hormones in MenLyme Disease Diet and Lifestyle Factors
Tips for Nutrition and Lifestyle to Heal From Lyme Disease
- Drink 2L daily of clean, filtered water – helps to flush out waste material
- Reduce foods that cause inflammation – gluten, dairy, any foods with IgG intolerance
- Diet should comprise mostly of lean, organic proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats such as olives, avocado, coconut, flax oil
- Ensure adequate fiber to sweep/ detox bowels – flax seed, psyllium
- Minimize sugars, caffeine and saturated fats
- Sleep – maximize sleep before midnight
- Exercise – some gentle exercise is good, but not so much that it wears the person out or increases pain/ fatigue in following days. Stretching, pilates, swimming, walking are preferable.
Natural Lyme Disease Treatment Without Antibiotics
The Role of Naturopathy in Treating Lyme Disease
A holistic approach is important – simply hitting bugs over the head with a hammer is not enough.
Immune Function
We want the body to be able to fight the infection itself.
The following are beneficial to keep in mind for immunity when treating Lyme disease:
- Avoid nutritional factors that suppress immune function such as sugar
- Transfer Factors – researched to boost NK cell activity (general and Lyme specific)
- Beta-glucans
- Colostrum
- Astragalus
- Mushroom extracts – reishi, shitake, maitake, etc.
Mediate Inflammation
Inflammatory mediators include:
- Herbs – curcumin, white willow, holy basil
- Proteolytic enzymes – protease, bromelain, papain, serrazimes
- Essential fatty acids – often need 4-6 grams daily. Fish or flax.
Lyme Treatment – Acute vs. Chronic Disease
Lyme disease can be classified as either Acute or Chronic depending on the duration of time that has passed since the initial infection. Lyme disease treatments differ depending on whether it is an Acute or Chronic case being addressed.
Acute Lyme Disease Treatment
Treatment rendered between 6-8 weeks post infection. If high enough doses and treatment are started early enough, it can eradicate the infection. (more…)
Click Here to Read More on Lyme Treatment – Acute vs. Chronic DiseaseLyme Disease Tests
Chronic Lyme disease is predominantly a clinical diagnosis. Lab tests are used to back up the clinical impression and positively identify the presence of Lyme disease and co-infections.
ELISA
First test done as screening test. ELISA is measuring an immune reaction but is not highly sensitive – most cases missed. A negative ELISA test does not rule out Lyme disease. This is not considered to be a sensitive test. (more…)
Lyme Disease Coinfection Symptoms
Co-Infections and Lyme Disease
While Borrelia might be the underlying infectious agent in Lyme disease, there are other co-infections that may co-exist with Borrelia. (more…)
Ways to Identify Lyme Disease
Could it be Lyme Disease?
Lyme Disease is often called “The Great Imitator”
Lyme infection can mimic the following conditions:
- MS
- ALS
- Parkinson’s
- fibromyalgia
- chronic fatigue syndrome
- rheumatoid arthritis
- autistic-spectrum disorders (kids)
- many other disorders
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