No matter what your health concerns are, naturopathic medicine can help you get more out of life. Imagine sleeping through the night, waking refreshed, and feeling great throughout the day. Imagine having the energy to do the things you love to do. Imagine a life where your physical or emotional symptoms don’t hold you back.  It is possible!

“YOUR GUIDE ON THE PATH TO WELLNESS..”

What Annapolis Natural Health Can do For You?

If you are interested in using alternative medicine but you don’t know where to start or you’ve been piecing together suggestions from the internet, friends and family, or different health providers, I can help you formulate a customized plan.

I am trained as a family practitioner and I work with people of all ages from children to the elderly.  Common conditions I work with include:  women’s health concerns, thyroid disorders, digestive system complaints like heartburn and IBS, allergies, asthma, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, and sleep problems.  Since naturopathic medicine aims to optimize health, not treat disease, anyone can benefit from naturopathic care.

Already feeling good?  I can help you stay that way!  Using nutrition, lifestyle counseling, and some basic nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic medicines, I can teach you how to keep yourself healthy in every stage of life.

To learn more about what I can do for you, schedule a free 15 minute introductory consultation.  I look forward to meeting you.  Have a healthy day!

Growth hormone, sometimes called the “anti-aging” hormone, is secreted in the brain during deep sleep.  It stimulates regeneration of body tissues and breakdown of fat stores. Hormones that affect appetite also become disrupted with poor sleep. The result is that you feel hungrier and eat more while breaking down less fat. Getting quality sleep regularly will help you feel better, be more productive, and help you manage your weight too!

There are many reasons for disrupted sleep, both emotional and physical, and just as there are many factors that contribute to sleep problems, there are many ways to improve sleep. The most important strategy is a balanced lifestyle: establishing a regular sleep routine, managing your stress, eating a balanced diet, and getting regular exercise. A simple body temperature Epsom salt bath at bedtime has been the key to sleeping well for many of my clients. A variety of nutritional, botanical, and homeopathic medicines can also be helpful.

If you have chronic problems with sleep, you can solve the problem naturally. Healthy sleep is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

Enhanced by Zemanta

In my practice, I see that people who have chronic health problems often also have digestive problems. Improving gut health tends to improve overall health, not to mention relieve the social embarrassment and activity restrictions that go along with an unpredictable digestive system.

One of the best strategies for improving your digestion, whether you suffer from chronic indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, or gas and bloating is to eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, and to temporarily remove foods to which you are sensitive from your diet with the help of an experienced professional to guide you through the process. Taking the time to sit quietly while you eat your meals will help your digestion. High quality probiotic supplements are helpful for many people. Great home remedies for abdominal cramping and gas already in progress include fennel seed, ginger root, or chamomile tea.

Don’t live with abdominal discomfort and poor digestion. Your digestive health is vital to your overall wellness.

ADD/ADHD symptoms can often be improved with dietary changes. Food additives, colorings and preservatives commonly exacerbate symptoms. Food sensitivities may be present as well, with some of the most common food triggers being dairy, wheat, eggs and soy. Consult an experienced practitioner before removing whole food groups from your child’s diet to be certain that your child will still be getting the nutrition he or she requires.

Children with ADD may also experience difficulty regulating their blood sugar. This can be improved through eating regular meals and snacks containing fiber, protein, and healthy fats (plant oils, nuts and nut butters, avocado) throughout the day. A good place to start with dietary change is to eliminate all foods from your child’s diet that are processed or that contain refined sugar, colorings, additives and preservatives. So long frosted marshmallow breakfast cereal!

Supporting the healthy function of the organs that eliminate toxins (liver, kidneys, intestines) from the body is also very helpful for children with ADD/ADHD, and this can be done using diet, herbs and homeopathic supplements.

A variety of herbal, homeopathic and nutritional supplements can be helpful in supporting the healthy function of your child’s nervous system. A high quality fish oil supplement containing at least 200mg of DHA per serving each day is a good general recommendation. For best results you may want to consult a naturopathic doctor to determine the most appropriate supplements for your child.

The good news is that there are many ways to improve your mood! Our thoughts have a tremendous affect not only on how we feel emotionally, but also on levels of neurotransmitters in our brains and stress hormones produced in our bodies. This is why positive thoughts tend to generate calm and happy feelings while negative thoughts tend to generate fearful, angry, resentful or sad feelings. Simple exercises like noticing your negative thoughts and putting a more positive spin on them can change your brain chemistry and change the way you feel. Counseling can be very helpful for people with anxiety and depression because they learn new ways of thinking. You might also consider picking up the book “Feeling Good” by David Burns, MD for some great insights and exercises to help change your habitual thought patterns.

Good nutrition, an adequate amount of quality sleep, and regular exercise are also vital for a healthy brain and a good mood. Follow a whole foods based diet that is rich in vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (raw nuts, nut butters, avocado, olive oil, fatty fish) and protein. Keeping your blood sugar balanced by avoiding processed foods, sugar, and caffeine and eating a high fiber diet that contains healthy fats and proteins will help to keep your mood and your energy level stable. Certain supplements can also be helpful. If you have problems with anxiety or depression, consider taking a high quality fish oil supplement, a multivitamin, and a calcium-magnesium supplement. Most of us are deficient in both the essential fats found in fish oils and in magnesium, and deficiencies of both of these are associated with mood problems. You might also consider a vitamin D supplement, especially during the winter months. Do your best to sleep about 8 hours each night (or more if you need it). Establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular wake time, which helps your nervous system balance its rhythm and helps to balance your mood. If you have problems with seasonal depression, be sure to expose yourself to sunshine in the morning or consider getting a light box if it’s too dark outside. Getting about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week will also help to balance your mood. Walking counts as long as it gets your heart rate up so you don’t even need a gym membership!

Learning to manage your stress is also important. Most people I see don’t have a strategy in place to help them discharge their stress or calm their nervous systems down. Things that are helpful for some people are regular exercise, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, visualization, social groups, gardening, writing, or even just 15 minutes of alone time to unwind. Whatever you choose to do, add a stress management practice to your daily routine and you will find your mood improving.

If you make changes to your diet and your lifestyle and you still feel anxious or depressed, or if you just can’t get motivated to make the changes you need to make, there are herbs, homeopathic medicines, flower essences, and amino acid supplements that can give you additional support. Herbs like St. John’s Wort, Lemon Balm, and Rhodiola can be helpful. Amino acids provide the building blocks for the neurotransmitters in your brain and for some people, supplementing specific amino acids helps to improve their mood.  Homeopathic medicines and flower essences require a knowledgeable practitioner for best results; however, for anxiety you might consider trying Bach Flower Rescue Remedy. Acupuncture and massage therapy can also help calm and balance the nervous system so consider giving one of these a try if they interest you.

Most people can benefit from the approaches described above. However, if you ever find that you are having difficulty taking care of your basic needs or you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, seek professional help immediately. If you need support to improve your mood, please get it. You deserve to feel good and enjoy the richness of your life!