Prevent Blood Sugar Crashes

Did you know coconut oil prevents blood sugar crashes! For those of you who get blood sugar crashes (aka really tired, ‘hangry’, lightheaded, etc.) or feel like you have to eat every 2 hours or you will crash and burn and feel terrible - this is for you!   

By getting in 1 TBS of coconut oil in the morning and lunch it will stabilize you blood sugar levels and help with all the symptoms listed above as well as minimizing sugar cravings! Since it is a fat it does not spike up your blood sugar but instead gives you slow, steady burning energy throughout the day.  This helps tremendously with energy, focus, attention and emotions when blood sugar levels are stable! 

A simple way to get your coconut oil in is put it in your coffee or tea.  Stir it up and drink away!  You can add it to smoothies or dip almonds in it.  Plus, if you add it to anything that is warm it will melt and you shouldn’t even notice it is there.  Or you can try this homemade chocolate too!  You could have one for breakfast and lunch as a little treat!

Also, if you are prone to blood sugar issues- cut the quick carbohydrates and processed sugars.  Have a protein and fat at each meal and make your snacks protein and fat dense too.  It will help tremendously and prevent needing a quick sugar pick me up where we tend to grab all the wrong things.

Hot Flashes

Good ol’ hot flashes. I would say that almost 50% of the women I see suffer with them. I constantly hear from people that you can't do anything about it and that it's normal for everyone at a certain age to have them. 

NOT TRUE.  NOT TRUE at all.  It may be true that most people have them, but it doesn't make it NORMAL.  Guess what?! There are all natural supplements that can help!  No need for hormone replacement therapy which throws your body out of whack!

Yes it is very common for women going through the big, awful, dreaded menopause to have hot flashes, however it does not have to be that way!  I remember traveling with my mom in the winter time - the windows were rolled down while we were all shivering and yelling for her to roll up the windows.  About 5 minutes into the windows being up, she would roll them back down.

Up, down, up, down.  I don't know how we all didn't catch colds from that or frost bite! 

After getting her on a supplement regimen she is hot flash free!  It is not an overnight process but it is something that can be done fairly quickly.  Also ask Lori.  She very rarely, if ever, has had a hot flash and she will be proud to tell you why. 

Hot flashes are a way to let you know that your hormone producing glands (thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, pituitary, hypothalamus) are out of sync.  When women go through menopause they rely on the adrenals to make the sex hormones (instead of the ovaries).  Guess what body part has been stressed all your life and now you are asking it to do just one more job... the adrenals!

Your adrenal glands aka stress glands are supposed to help you cope and deal with stressors in your life.  In most people they never get a chance to take a breather. Stress can be good or bad and it doesn’t have to be one large stress to over work them. It could be having little children, taking care of your elderly parents, having a job you love but has a lot of pressure attached to it, not getting enough sleep at night because you are so busy, etc. The adrenals have a right to be tired. So when they have to do one more job because the ovaries go into ‘retirement’ the adrenals/stress glands just can’t keep up and you get symptoms as a result.

The liver also plays a huge role in the process too.  It is the major detox center in your body which is a huge job. Not only does it filter out toxins but excess hormones too. Another way I think of the liver is a hormone gate keeper. It the gate keeper is stuck shut (‘clogged up’ or worn out) excess hormones can’t get out effectively and that can cause stereotypical menopausal symptoms.

Your body is going through a shift and anytime you personally go through a change there is always a transition period, right? So why not prepare your body ahead of time before the change occurs.  Or if you happen to be in the full swing of things and have any signs or issues (hot flashes or anything else) let us know.  Please don't be fooled that this is normal.  Let us help you with those changes in life!

Food Sensitivity Testing

One of our services at the office for established patients is food sensitivity testing. Through muscle testing, we test around 100 foods ranging from different nuts, meats, fruits/veggies, as well as a large amount of known food sensitivities in autoimmune patients. If you haven’t had it done yet, we highly recommend it because eating foods that you are sensitive to creates inflammation in the body. Inflammation results in pain, fatigue, bloating and, honestly, many of the symptoms that people have. We have seen joint issues, pain and swelling go away, skin clear up, people lose weight, more normalized energy just by eliminating foods they were sensitive too!

We DO NOT do this the first 1 to 3 visits because  patients are usually so inflamed and full of toxins when they first come in. Through my experience if we do it right away patients typically have a large list of foods they are sensitive too. They leave feeling overwhelmed and stressed out which creates more inflammation and problems. After patients have been on guided and specific support at the office (like a cleanse/detox, digestive healing supplements, etc.) they aren’t as inflamed and reactive to so many foods. So after a few visits, the food sensitivity testing doesn’t leave patients with a huge list of foods that they are reactive too!

If you have any questions at all or are an existing patient and want to schedule a visit please feel free to contact our office at 615-656- 3558!

Natural Mono Remedy

This time of year we see a lot of Mono patients or hear of friends or family members who are suffering with it.  Mono is caused by a virus (Epstein-Barr Virus aka EBV) and people suffer from severe fatigue, a sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes and glands.   These symptoms can last months and honestly even years!  A lot of the time people walk in the door with chronic fatigue and I believe it is still the past EBV causing their symptoms.  To me it is very, very important to kick the virus right away so you don’t have issues 3, 5, 10 years down the road.  There are so many great herbs for viruses, so don't be fooled into thinking there is nothing you can do!

Personally, I have seen many cases of mono clear up within a week of being on the right supplements.  They regain their energy very quickly and start feeling human again.  In chronic fatigue cases (where they had mono 10+ years ago but still feel run down and have very sluggish energy), it can take up to a month to start feeling energy again.  It isn't perfect in a month, but they start to feel that glimmer of energy come back!

Below are recommendations and what we suggest for patients:   

Beginning Stages (Wouldn’t hurt to do if you have had MONO in the past)

Astragalus- 6 to 9 per day and VS-C TCM- 4 per day

Months 2 and 3

Astragalus- 4 per day and VS-C TCM- 2 per day.  This helps to ward off any further infection and keep the immune system up.

3 Months and after:  

It would be a good idea to stay on 3 to 4 Astragalus per day.  We have had numerous cases where people test strongly for mono months out and notice when they go off Astragalus their energy starts to dip.  It’s an amazing herb for the immune system and I personally take 4/day to keep my immune system strong during cold/flu season!

Both Astragalus and VS-C TCM are Nature Sunshine products.  For ordering information click here.

Please give us a call at 615-656-3558 if you have any questions or want to schedule a visit.  If you believe that many of your symptoms started after having mono years ago I would give the protocol above a try or give us a call. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

You are working towards your goal of drinking ½ your body weight in water, right?! It is a great, simple, cheap New Year’s resolution and your body, skin and mental clarity will thank you for it. But, if you need a little variety try this!

Grab a Pellegrino Mineral Water (I love this stuff) and add in 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar.

Note: It will fizz up and spill over if you don’t take a couple sips of the Pellegrino first.

Next, add in a TBS of honey. Put the lid back on the Pellegrino and shake up. It has a mild sweet apple taste, but more importantly fantastic health benefits from the apple cider vinegar. You can add more ACV if you would like and just sip on the drink thought-out the day!

Benefits of apple cider vinegar
Improves digestion and helps with GERD and acid reflux!
Improves your energy!!
Balances blood sugar levels and lowers them in diabetics
Revs up metabolism
Keeps your immune system up and kills off pesky bacteria and candida
Helps with allergies! Drink at least 3 TBS and see if it helps!

You can even apply ACV topically for warts, breakouts, and to soothe skin!
 

How much should I drink a day?

Specifically, for digestive benefits, drink 1 tsp to 1 tbs per meal in a small amount of water. Start with a teaspoon and see if you can work up to a tablespoon at each meal.

For overall support, add it to the water you drink throughout the day! Start drinking 3 TBS throughout the day and see if your energy increases.

Tips for Ear Infections in Little Ones

This one is for all the parents! This time of year we see a lot of ear infections in little ones. Below are a couple at home remedies to help ease infection!  

Breastmilk
If you are nursing, a few drops of breastmilk can do wonders!  Breastmilk is loaded with antibodies to help fight illnesses and does wonders against infections and clearing fluids.  For stuffy noses or sinuses, place a few drops into the nostril while baby is lying down.  For clogged tear ducts or pink eye, put the drops into the corner of the eye (Warm breastmilk may be less of a shock to the little one).  For earaches and infections, put a few drops (warmed) into the ear to help soothe and dry up fluids.  There’s a reason they call this stuff liquid gold!

Garlic Oil
I am sure you have heard us tell you many times that garlic is a wonderful natural antibiotic and drainage supplement.  This definitely applies to earaches!  At the onset of ear pain, place 3-4 drops of warmed garlic oil into the ear.  This will help to soothe the pain and dry fluids while fending off any start of infection. Nature Sunshine makes garlic oil in a softgel cap. You can poke a hole with a needle in the softgel cap and put 3-4 drops of the garlic oil in their ear.

Silver
When in doubt, there is always Silver Shield!  Colloidal Silver is a fantastic and effective natural antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal and so much more.  For pink eye, place a drop into the corner of the eye.  With an ear infection, drop into the ear.  With any kind of respiratory issue, stop by the office to pick up a nasal spray bottle.  You can put the silver shield into the bottle and squirt up the nose to get directly into the sinuses and lungs.

Chiropractic Care
At the onset of an ear infection, chiropractic care can do wonders! It helps the little one’s immune system to function properly as well as ensure their ear is draining properly. If it isn’t it becomes very vulnerable for an infection. So if they start complaining about their ear or in infants start tugging on their ear, get them into your local chiropractor! (Or give us a call!)

If you try these or want additional help please do not hesitate to give us a call and remember we have sick visits where we can quickly see your little ones and figure out exactly what it is they are needing!

How much water should you drink?

Any guesses?! ½ your body weight in ounces of water!

To find that magic number: Divide your weight in half and that is your goal.  For example, if you weigh 150 lbs, then you need to be drinking 75 oz of water.  Not just any liquid, but pure WATER! 

It is so important to get in pure, clean water to help keep your body hydrated and get rid of toxins.  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen patients with fatigue, mental sluggishness, and just feeling run down who have had their lives changed simple by drinking the right amount of water. Their energy increased, they can think clearer, are pooping better and feel better overall!

Its free and super super easy to do, but we just need to do it. I personally get out a 24 ounce mason jar every morning and drink 1 in the morning and 2 in the evening and anything else during the day is bonus!  If I didn’t mentally keep track, I would never drink enough. I would sip on water here and there, but know I would never drink enough especially in the winter months. So keep track somehow- it will really make a difference!

Have fun with it and add fruit or mint to give your water a little more flavor!

Now go get a new cup, create a system and get to drinking… your body will thank you for it!!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome & Fibromyalgia

Do you know anyone who has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or is that person you? It is becoming increasingly more common and I am seeing more and more people with this vague diagnosis. It gives people a diagnosis, but they never really know why or what to do. They/you/whoever will more than likely be put on antidepressants to help you ‘feel’ better or possibly muscle relaxers to help manage the pain, but I rarely, if ever, see that make a noticeable difference. The problem with me is why do people never find out WHY!?

Here is what I believe to be the reason why many people have fibromyalgia or CFS-
1) Past viral infection that is still lingering around. A lot of these people had mono, EBV, or a pretty major viral infection (hepatitis, shingles, herpes, etc.) in their younger years. I believe there also could be an undetected Lyme’s disease possibility as well.

2) Candida/Yeast is present. No you do not have to currently have a yeast infection to be full of candida or yeast. Men can have this issue too- not just women. These people have been on a lot of antibiotics when they were kids or as adults. Maybe for a bad infection, acne, sinus infections, recurrent ear infections, surgeries, etc. Maybe you were the girl who was on antibiotics for 6 months for acne. Or someone who had cellulitis and was pumped full of antibiotics which helped, but 6 years down the road they can’t figure out why your body just hurts all over and you have no energy to do anything at all.

3) Adrenal fatigue. Now this isn’t something most people may be familiar with, but it can be a root cause of fibromyalgia or also a side effect of it as well. Regardless, it needs to be addressed. The adrenals are your stress glands. If they have been hit with major stressor after stressor (major life changes- babies, new jobs/no jobs, moving, toxic relationships, divorces, major life crisis, etc.) this can be a HUGE culprit. The adrenals get knocked down so hard that they have a hard time ever bouncing back. They can also hit fatigue from never getting a chance to reboot.

For example: You used to keep going and going and pride yourself on working 7 days a week, 10 hours a day and never getting tired. That was until you hit a major wall and haven’t been the same since. You never gave your adrenal/stress glands a chance to reboot. They ran and ran until they couldn’t any more. Just like if we kept asking you to run and when you stopped you had to start back up and run again. You would be able to do that for a little while until you hit a point where you couldn’t physically move anymore. In a way, that is kind of what happens. They can’t keep up anymore.

There is a lot more that can be discussed on each point above, but that gives you a general overview. As a health care practitioner it is very upsetting to see patients feel so hopeless and on antidepressants because they will be in pain for the rest of their life. I firmly believe this is untrue if people clean up their diets and get on the correct vitamins and specific supplements (and address the possible emotional stressors that could be involved). Once that happens and the body gets a true chance to heal the Band- Aids can start coming off (aka antidepressants, muscle relaxers, etc).

You NEED nourishing foods, lots of water, good supplements to rebuild the adrenals, and address any past viral infections or candida issues. This will help lower the inflammation in your body which leads to pain. If your body is inflamed it will more than likely hurt- which is why you need to work on lowering inflammation as a whole. You need clean water and to cut out sugar and gluten (and dairy in some people). If you need a place to start, look into doing Whole30 or read the book It Starts with Food.

You are not destined to feel exhausted daily and live in pain for the rest of your life. You first have to want a change. Then get back to eating whole foods (fruits, veggies, clean meats and cut out the processed crap). Also, find the right person to get you on good quality, clean supplements. They can be LIFE CHANGING and don’t mask symptoms, but help nourish and rebuild in areas that need it. We have worked with countless cases at the office and some people saw changes in days and others in months. Those people have decided THEY ARE WORTH it. They are willing to change their diet and ditch most of the processed foods. They are willing to take supplements and do cleanses to help get rid of toxins and inflammation in their body. They have decided they won’t just patch their symptoms with Band-Aids, but start to heal at a deeper level in their body. Please don’t fall victim to thinking you are destined to pain, depression and exhaustion. Change can happen.

Simple Way to Add Coconut Oil to your Daily Routine

By now you all know that we are huge fans of coconut oil!  Coconut oil is essentially a super food for the body. It's great for the immune system, thyroid, liver, digestive system, hair, and skin. It is antimicrobial and will help kill off nasty invaders that get you sick! Its perfect for rashes and skin conditions too! 

Today we're going to talk about simple ways to sneak coconut oil into your diet every morning.  I typically recommend getting 3 tablespoons of coconut oil internally daily. Some people may think I am crazy, but fats (good healthy ones like coconut oil) are AMAZING for you!

Most people drink something warm in the morning- whether it is tea, coffee, hot water with lemon, etc. Just simply add 1 TBS of coconut oil to what you are drinking! It will melt so you don't even know you are drinking it.

The first sip is mostly coconut oil, but if you have expeller pressed you won't taste a thing.  Easy as that! It is a fantastic way to start your morning and give you a little energy boost too! It is also crucial to do when there are so many people sick. Coconut oil tremendously helps out your immune system and I have had many patients come in and swear that coconut oil is keeping them healthy even when they are around sick people. Why not give it a try?!

One TBS down… 2 more to go!

Cholesterol Myth

Did you know only 25% of your cholesterol comes from diet and 75% is made by your body? Cholesterol is made in the liver, digestive system and skin. If you lower your intake of cholesterol, your body actually has to kick into overdrive to make more. It has a set point and, no matter if you eat it or not, your body will make sure it gets to that level. If you stop eating it or lower your consumption, your body has to work overtime and gets stressed trying to make up for your lack of intake. Give your body a break and DO NOT avoid foods that contain cholesterol, like protein and eggs, but obviously skip the fast food fried crap.

Fat and cholesterol are NOT the problem. Sugars are the problem.

Cholesterol is the fire truck that responds to the fire aka inflammation in the body. If your cholesterol is high it means you have a lot of inflammation and fires going on which means you need a lot of fire trucks. Blaming cholesterol for issues is like blaming the fire trucks for coming to respond to the fire. As a society we are so misinformed and blaming the wrong issue. We need to stop blaming the fire trucks (aka cholesterol) and start searching for the fires (inflammation in the body).

PS - You need cholesterol to make both sex and adrenal hormones. If you have hormonal issues or concerns, you need to eat the building blocks that make them. It is crucial! Proteins and eggs are very, very, very important. Avoiding foods with cholesterol and expecting hormonal issues to resolve is like trying to build a house without a foundation. It is not going to work!

Let's stop blaming the firetruck for the fire.  Cholesterol is our friend!

Coconut Oil Pulling

Sore throat got you down? Here is a simple trick to help!

Coconut oil pulling can do wonders during the cold/flu season. Coconut oil is anti-bacterial, fungal and viral which is why it is super important to get it internally (eat it, cook with it, put it in smoothies, or put a TBS to melt in your coffee or tea). If I wake up with a sore throat I will do this simple trick and say goodbye to my sore throat!

To do coconut oil pulling all you need to do is put a tsp or more in your mouth and swish around like mouthwash for 5 to 20 minutes. Yep, 20 minutes may seem like a lot but you get used to it. (DO NOT swallow it. It is pulling toxins and gross bacteria out.)

At first it may seem strange, but once the coconut oil melts in your mouth it’s no big deal.  It will be solid when you first put it in your mouth and then it warms up to your body temperature and starts to turn to liquid. I personally would wake up and walk into my kitchen first thing and scoop a TBS coconut oil and start swishing around during my morning routine which took about 10 to 15 minutes. You want to do it for AT LEAST 5 minutes and can go up to 20 minutes.

Once you have done that make sure to SPIT OIL INTO A TRASHCAN. This is super important because if you spit it in the sink, the coconut oil will turn solid when cold and clog up your sink. So, spit into a trashcan and then immediately rinse your mouth out with hot water with a dash of sea salt or apple cider vinegar.

Swish around and then you can spit that into the sink. Brush your teeth after and you are done! Not only will your sore throat feel better, but your teeth feel squeaky clean. A lot of people do this daily to whiten their teeth. Coconut oil is amazing people!

Optional- add a drop or 2 of melaleuca/tea tree essential oil to the coconut oil before you start the coconut oil pull. Tea tree has great antimicrobial properties that are amazing for when you are sick!

Nashville’s Birthing Resources and Classes

We’re talking babies again! So far we have covered: birthing facilities/options, doulas, and lightly talked about birth plans. Now we are going to talk about childbirth classes, lactation consultants, and vaccine choices.

The old saying of “You don’t know what you don’t know” is so true when it comes to pregnancy and birth. Pre-pregnancy me found the thought of childbirth classes silly.  Who needs to be told how to breathe?! We’ve seen it done in movies thousands of times over! Pregnant and ‘crunchy’ Becca, however, quickly learned I was so naïve. Sure, if you aren’t too concerned about pain management and want your epidural (which is totally fine!) there aren’t as many options you really need to worry about. If you, however, are someone that is really trying for a natural birth you get to choose between Hypnobabies, Hypnobirth, Bradley Method, Lamaze, Birthing From Within, and many others.  Who knew!?

All of these methods have their benefits, so it really is a matter of finding which works best for you and your birthing partner. Ask yourself how you respond to pain, how you manage pain, and what you picture yourself doing during labor. Many women have a visual in their head of what that delivery room activity looks like and that can really help narrow things down. We chose Hypnobabies (I didn’t know there was a difference in Hypnobabies and Hypnobirth at the time) Home Study. Admittedly, I didn’t really stick with it and never even broke it out during delivery, but have heard the in-person classes are far more valuable.

There are also many other classes offered in our area. These include Newborn Care, Sibling Care, and even breastfeeding courses. The one course I really regret not taking last time was the nursing class. I really went through pregnancy thinking, “nursing is natural, you just put the baby to your breast and he/she feeds.” Remember that saying I mentioned earlier about not knowing what you don’t know? Yeah I learned quickly after delivery that Lactation Consultants are true angels!

Because my labor was so long and had some complications, nursing was affected a bit. Add in a small lip tie and lots of food sensitivities and it was a perfect storm for frustration, tears, and prayers. Since I delivered at Vandy, I had the ability to go back and utilize their lactation services a few times after leaving the hospital and this helped a ton! After a few months, I then started attending a group called Weigh to Go Baby. Mothers met with their babes and we weighed the babies, nursed, and then weighed again to measure how much milk the babies were actually getting. This was super helpful for me to see that he was getting enough.

There are also private companies that offer lactation services. Most everyone in our area that has a baby knows the name Kate Cropp and I highly suggest her group! She is wonderful and so knowledgeable. Then there is also La Leche League. Depending on what area you live in, you can attend the group meeting and get a load of valuable help and info. Another source to use is www.KellyMom.com. This site is great if you want to read info online, check how often you should nurse at any given time, and get answers to many other random nursing questions.

Now, to a topic that ruffles a lot of feathers - vaccine choices…yes I said choices. Because it can be such a sensitive topic, I am going to keep this one pretty light. Regardless of your stance, as parents we are all on the same side - making a choice that we know to be in our child’s best interest. Period. Anytime a decision involves possible mandates and those mandates involve corporate profit, we should all be able to make an informed parental choice and go from there. 

I’ve had people ask my thoughts on vaccinations or what we chose to do.  While I answer their questions, my biggest push is to make sure they make an informed decision. Don’t just read one side of the argument or listen to one person’s opinion, take the time to read both sides, read vaccine inserts, watch movies, read books, ask your pediatrician. After all of that, then decide where you stand on everything. I’m a big supporter of having an open mind - I wouldn’t be in an alternative field if I wasn't!

In the state of Tennessee you can be vaccinated fully on schedule, vaccinate on an adjusted schedule, or choose to avoid vaccinations with a religious or medical exemption. The choice is completely yours as the parent. This goes for any vaccinations at birth, too. The Hepatitis B and Vitamin K vaccines are the two most widely discussed after birth choices, along with the ‘eye goop’. Until July 1 st , 2016, it was actually a misdemeanor in our state to opt out of the antibiotic eye ointment, although many hospitals did not enforce the charges. Many women feel that the routine procedure is not necessary if the mother was not put at risk for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia and tested negative for it during pregnancy. As for the Vitamin K shot, some women choose to use liquid vitamin k drops on a designated schedule to help boost baby’s levels - the most popular brand of drops is from our Biotics line.

These are all big decisions as a parent! Do your research, find where you stand, and then find a doctor that you feel not only comfortable with medically, but that also supports your decision. Just as some parents look for pediatricians with separate sick waiting rooms and Saturday office hours, many look for doctors that do or don’t support vaccinations across their patient base.

Nashville Birth and Babies
www.nashvillebirthandbabies.com

Nashville Birth Network
http://www.nashvillebirthnetwork.org/

Vaccine Inserts
http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/package_inserts.htm

My Favorite Guilt Free Salad Dressing

Photo: Tessemae

It's always better to make your own condiments and salad dressings, but sometimes we just don't have the time!  I've found a brand that is both tasty, good for you, and available in your local grocery store.  

Tessemae’s is one of my personal favorites. The story behind the brand is so cool, and they're committed to healthy eating and healthy living. Not to mention, everything is all natural and Whole 30 approved! You can find them at Kroger’s or Whole Foods in the refrigerated section by the boxed salads. If you want to see the whole line of dressings/sauces visit their website.

My personal favorites are Lemon Chesapeake, Lemon Garlic, Balsamic, Mild & Hot Buffalo Sauce, and BBQ Sauce. I haven’t tried them all and there are many more flavors online compared to what is in the store! I won’t lie the ranch was kind of stretch, so if you are a ranch person I would try something else.  It wasn’t quite like I was expecting. The other ones above are much much better.

I use it on my salads, season my chicken or dip veggies in it.  I love carrots and celery dipped in lemon garlic! Check them out at the grocery store or online and let me know what you think!

Nashville’s Birthing Centers and Other Options for ‘Crunchy’ Mamas

This past weekend I was talking to my sister back home in Illinois. It is a really exciting time in our family because both she and I are having little girls and are due within just a few weeks of each other. As we were talking, the usual topic of pregnancy and delivery came up and it made me realize how fortunate I am to live in an area that has so many resources for pregnant women and new moms. The town I come from back home has wonderful healthcare, but the network of doulas, midwives, and other birthing resources are really just starting to gain traction. Since becoming pregnant, I’ve had patients ask me many questions about my choices, plans, and options; so I thought a blog post would be a great way to give our patients some resources. It’s a bit long, so grab a glass of water and get comfy!

I grew up with the typical picture in my mind of what delivery looked like. You lie in a bed, get an epidural and then the baby comes out. After becoming more holistic and naturally-minded, I realized there is a whole other world out there. Led by the push from the Vanderbilt Midwives, Nashville has had at least one hospital that has offered laboring tubs for a few years now. In the last couple of years since I had our son, Vanderbilt is no longer the only hospital with that option. Women wanting a hospital birth with a natural approach, now have the option of midwives and laboring tubs at both Vanderbilt and St. Thomas Midtown (formerly Baptist). While you still can’t birth in the tubs at either hospital, I can say from experience the tubs help tremendously with pain regulation during labor. Even if you find yourself not able to get one of the tubs, the midwives staff is very open to letting you walk, move, take a warm shower, and try other means of pain management.

Up until 2013 women in this area had only two options if they didn’t want a home birth and didn’t want a hospital birth-and neither option was very close to home. The Farm in Summertown is a nationally- known resource for natural births and home to the famous Ina May Gaskin-she has a few books that I highly suggest reading if you want a natural birth! While this is a great and valuable option to have so near us, it is still about 65 miles from Cool Springs and this scared me off the first time around. The other option women had was to drive to the Infinity Birth Center in Cookeville-still over an hour away.

In 2013, Baby & Co opened their doors on West End. With their opening, women in our area now have a close option for a natural non-hospital/non- home birth. Women that choose to birth there can labor AND birth in the tubs, the rooms are very ‘home-y’, and your post-partum stay is only 6-12 hours. The center is staffed by Certified Nurse Midwives and one of my favorite midwives formerly on the Vanderbilt team -Lauren Drees - is there and she is so, so amazing. Baby & Co was a serious consideration for us this pregnancy, but because of the trust and relationships I built with the Vandy Midwives last time and the grace they gave to allow me to have the birth I wanted while in a hospital, we stuck with the Vandy Midwives again this time.

The other option women have is a home birth. This option can have the least interventions and the most peace for many mamas. You can truly assemble your birth ‘Dream Team’ and be in the comfort of your home the whole time. Labor tubs are also available for rent or purchase so you can literally birth anywhere you feel most at ease in your home. Women that choose this option most always have a midwife for prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care; a doula; and a support person. I have known friends to also utilize their chiropractors and practitioners of other healing mechanisms like acupuncture to help the ease of delivery, as well. If you know you want a natural birth, don’t want to leave the comfort of your home, and are fine not being in a hospital-this is a GREAT option for you!

With this pregnancy I am using a new resource I didn’t take advantage of the first time-a Doula! Vanderbilt Midwives offer free volunteer doula services during delivery on an on-call basis, so I was exposed to the benefits with the first pregnancy. For whatever reason, I just never hired one and figured we would just use the on-call doula when we got there. My labor wasn’t exactly textbook and didn’t go as planned-I don’t know why I thought it would- so I never got to take advantage of the on-call doula either. This time around I knew it was a must-have and we have teamed with Whitney Cantrell of Nashville Doula Services. We are blessed to have many doulas in the Nashville area. Some operate on their own and others are in a group. We chose Whitney because of a referral from our son’s pediatrician and I must say she is so great!

Doulas are a valuable asset during delivery to help you with different birthing positions, natural pain management options, and to be that voice of reason and knowledge when you and your partner are in the thick of things. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t remembering every birth wish and desire I had in our birth plan when we were in hour 20 of active labor. Nashville Doula Services also has other services they offer and packages to take advantage of on their website (I will list all resources at the end of this post). One thing I haven’t stopped bragging about to my sister is the Postpartum Care. With my first delivery, I was very blessed to have my husband home for a week, my mother-in- law stay with us for almost a week, and my mother stay with us as well. All were very helpful while I adjusted to this new life. My only hang-up was the lack of time alone and independence I had during that time. With Nashville Doula Services, I am using a package that offers postpartum care along with the family help. You can use it in chunks of time with a minimum of 4 hours each time. The doula comes over to help watch the baby while you shower, sleep, stare out the window, or… stuff your face with chocolate. She will also help with light household items like putting dinner together for you.

We’ve covered many of the prenatal and birthing options that are at our fingertips in the Nashville area. No matter what location you choose to birth in, make sure to write down a birth plan that you feel confident with. One that includes the atmosphere/vibe you want in the delivery room, your wishes for pain management, your wish for or against an episiotomy, and what you would like to happen immediately after the baby comes. There are many templates out there to work from. Just Google ‘Birth Plan’ and find one that flows well for you. Some ideas for your birth plan that I used are:

‘low lights’
‘calming music’
‘ability to eat light snacks and drink water when desired’
‘labor in the tub’
‘no one speak directly to me about epidurals, relay everything through my husband’
‘ability to push in any position I find comfortable’
‘skin to skin for at least 30 minutes with delayed cord-clamping after baby’s arrival’

Whatever location you choose is right for you, ask many questions and make sure you feel confident and comfortable with your choice. The biggest thing for me was to make sure I felt listened to and respected going into the delivery. I didn’t want to feel forced into anything. Thankfully I never felt that way and the Vandy Midwives supported me even when there was a push from an OB for a C-section almost 24 hours after arriving at the hospital. Most importantly, if your delivery doesn’t go as planned and you end up with an epidural or a c-section- DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP! You are still an incredible mother that carried your baby for 9 months, made positive choices for his/her care, and did what you could to birth as naturally as you wanted.

Stay tuned for the follow up post on birthing classes, lactation consultants, vaccines, and other postpartum choices!

Vanderbilt Nurse Midwives
www.vanderbiltnursemidwives.com/

Infinity Birth Center-Cookeville
www.infinitybirthingcenter.com

Baby & Co
www.babyandcompany.com

Nashville Doula Services
http://nashvilledoulaservices.com/

The Farm-Summertown
http://thefarmmidwives.org/

Meditation and Mindfulness

Many of our patients come to us in times of need, seeking help for a specific issue. There are issues that are either ongoing and chronic or very acute. Both can contribute greatly to someone’s mental and emotional states. Often for many patients, it’s more of a vicious circle of what caused what. Did stress and anxiety cause the digestive issues? Or did the digestive issues cause the stress and anxiety? Either is a possible scenario, and both have stress and unease in common.

Because of the whole food supplements we utilize, stress and anxiety can be greatly helped through replenishing nutritional deficiencies in the body. Calming minerals, like magnesium, become depleted, hormones become imbalanced, and adrenals become taxed after days and months or even years of worry. While what we do with patients is very valuable and helpful, I also emphasize the importance of having “me time”, of being mindful and taking even just 10 minutes each day to clear thoughts and meditate. For some, in the beginning it can seem like an impossible task to sit still for even 10 minutes and not think about anything. Not your bills, not your health, not your kids’ needs, not your boss or deadlines. Just find a quiet place and be still.

With the use of technology these days, meditating has become both easier AND harder. There are many apps out there that make meditating easier because they offer both guided and open meditations. My favorite app for this is CALM.

You can do a series of meditations on a given topic like forgiveness or you can just set the app to a designated amount of time and sit back and listen to one of the many options for sound.  My favorite is the beach setting. Conversely, technology has made meditating far more difficult because it is so much harder to tear yourself away from that little screen and not allow yourself to be interrupted by a text, call, Facebook notification, or email.

The many benefits of meditation and mindfulness are endless and include better stress handling, improved immunity due to less stress, happier disposition, clearer mind to offer your loved ones, improved attention span, reduced stress and anxiety, and improves sleep!

Next time you are feeling the weight of life a little too heavy on your shoulders, ask yourself when you last had just 10 minutes to think of nothing but your breathing. Check out the CALM app and sign up for Deepak Chopra’s quarterly meditation challenge! I love taking his 21 day challenge and have completed almost every one of them in the past few years. It is just 15 minutes per day for 21 days. You owe it to yourself!

Natural Ways to Fight the Flu

I post and update this blog every year because I get A LOT of questions about the flu shot this time of year- "should I do it?"  "What are the risks?" "It's free to get it- why not?" 

Some people feel pressured into getting it by their medical doctor, employer, insurance company, family member, etc.  Others are fearful of the flu or getting sick.

I am not going to get into whether you should or shouldn't.  I will just tell you what I choose to do during flu season! 
1) Skip getting the flu shot
2) Have supplements on hand in case I do get sick
3) Eat 3 TBS of coconut oil a day and try to do a daily coconut oil pull
4) Eat lots of fruits and veggies

First, you need to understand that if you get sick and let your body fight it off, your immune system actually gets stronger.  That means the next time you get exposed to a bacteria or virus it will be stronger and more equipped to fight!  

Secondly, if you keep supplements on hand and eat good foods (plenty of fruits, veggies and protein) you will get vitamins and minerals that are fuel for your immune system.

Lastly, our trusty friend coconut oil is antibacterial, viral and fungal.  It helps to kill off invaders that would get you sick and it helps to boost up your immune system!

The supplements I always have on hand:
1) Immuplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Viruses)
2) Silver Shield- take 3 to 6 TBS when sick (Works on bacterias and viruses) 
3) Elderberry Defense- Take 6 to 9 per day when sick- This also has vitamin D in it which is crucial for your immune system (Mainly Viruses) and notoriously low during the fall and winter months due to lack of sunshine exposure.
4) Congaplex- Take 6 per day when sick (Mainly for Bacteria; Great for sinus issues)

OTHER:
-Herbal Throat Spray- Perfect for sore throats
-High Potency Garlic- Antibacterial, fungal- great for sinuses and congestion
-Astragalus- Antiviral, but overall immune support (GREAT if you had MONO in the past)
-Olive Leaf Extract- Antibacterial, viral and fungal- It has been working great this year
-Thymex- Overall immune support 

What I Take Daily for Prevention:
-Usually 3 Astragalus and 3 Immuplex (I’ll switch between Immuplex and Congaplex) 
-If I feel something coming on I use my arsenal above

Standard Process is carried by health care practitioners only. We carry it at our office, or if you are not local, click here to find the closest practitioner to you. Do not order on Amazon - first it’s illegal for us to sell Standard Process on there and people who do have the prices double or triple what you would find in our offices.

If these do not help, let us know and we have many other great supplements!  These are not the end all be all, but they can REALLY help during the cold/flu season.  With good nutrition and preventative supplements (and the right ones when you do get sick), you have a great foundation.  If you have any questions or these don't seem to help - call us!  We can get you in the same day for a sick visit and figure out the exact supplement you need to be on!

ALSO- This is my personal flu fighting remedy.  I never pressure any patients or make anyone feel bad for their choices.  I want to help you find a course of action that best suits you!  Learn other options no matter what they are, educate yourself and then choose what is best for you!

**Quick note on coconut oil pulling: Take 1 spoonful of coconut oil and swish around in your mouth like you would mouthwash.  You can start with a small amount if you are new and work up to 1 TBS. The goal is to do this for 15 minutes, but again if you are new start with 5 minutes. I have been adding in 1 or 2 drops of melaleuca (aka tea tree oil) for more antibacterial effects. DO NOT swallow the coconut oil- it is pulling out bad bacteria and toxins!

After you have swished it around in your mouth spit it into a TRASH CAN! This is very important because the coconut oil will get hard when its cold and clog up your drain. After spitting out the coconut oil, rinse your mouth with hot water with a little apple cider vinegar or 1 tbs of salt (this can be spit into a sink). Once you are done with that brush your teeth and you are good to go! Your teeth will feel squeaky clean and sore throat should be gone or drastically decreased.

If you want to read more into the flu shot read this blog post by Lindsay Bentley.  Or The Pill Profit.  They are great posts!

Coffee + Collagen

If you're a devoted reader, you've heard us talk about collagen and how great it is for you.  Today I'm going to share how you can include collagen in your morning routine! 

Coffee is my personal vice, I think a lot of us can relate with that!  It's a morning routine that most people won't break, so it's the perfect opportunity to get an extra source of protein for the day.

A simple, tasteless addition is collagen! It adds 20 grams of protein to your cup of coffee. I also add 1 tbs of coconut oil, so you get almost a perfect meal of protein and fat! Getting that protein in helps prevent blood sugar spikes and hard energy crashes.

The beauty of collagen is it helps support the elasticity and regeneration of your joints, cartilage, skin and hair. I have had many patients say their chronic joint pain went away once they added collagen to their daily routine. It is touted as anti-aging because it greatly supports the skins elasticity and keeps it youthful because as we age the production of collagen goes down which results in fine lines, wrinkles, joint pain, etc.

Collagen can also help you get a deeper sleep because of the individual amino acids and all the protein keeps your blood sugar stable. If your blood sugar crashes in the middle of the night your body naturally wakes you up. Taking the collagen before bed can prevent that from happening and help you sleep soundly through the night.

You can put it in warm or cold drinks and it's great in smoothies to get extra protein! It really is tasteless! I was putting it in my husband's coffee for the longest time without him knowing! It's a great way to help kids get enough protein.

If you want to use it for sleep put 2 scoops in calming tea before you go to bed.  We highly, highly recommend it at our office!  Add in 2 scoops a day and I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

**The brand we carry is Vital Proteins. It is made from a superior quality of grass-fed beef.

Quinoa Oatmeal

Oatmeal is something that can give people a carbohydrate rush (that 30 minutes to an hour energy rush) and then a crash and burn in energy 1 hour later. One of my biggest suggestions for oatmeal lovers is try to make it gluten free.  Then, make sure to add a protein. I love to add in a couple scoops of almond butter or huge handful of nuts. An even better addition is something called collagen!

Vital Proteins collagen is tasteless and has 20 grams of protein in it. It dissolves quickly and you can mix it in to whatever you are eating! This will give you enough protein to prevent the blood sugar crash in 1 hour and help sustain your energy. Plus, collagen helps joint aches/pain.  We have had amazing success stories with people adding this to their daily routine! Collagen is also anti-aging.  It helps restore the collagen in your skin, which over time starts to break down and cause wrinkles. Joint support, sustained energy and anti-aging? Sign me up!

Another option for oatmeal is to make it with quinoa. It has more protein than oatmeal which means it helps sustain your energy longer after eating it, plus you feel fuller quicker. What I do is make a large batch of quinoa and keep it in the fridge to heat up when I need it. It's so much easier to substitute oats with quinoa when it's already pre-made and waiting for you!  So make a big batch and keep in the fridge for quinoa ‘oatmeal’ or add to dinner dishes.

For the quinoa oatmeal- warm it up with some almond milk in a pan on the stove. Add in your favorite toppings like cinnamon, walnuts, honey, PURE maple syrup, almond butter, etc. Add the collagen to make it even more protein packed!

Hit a wall between 1 & 3? This post is for you.

Do you hit a wall between 1 and 3 pm?  Many people feel like they either need a nap, something sugary or caffeine.  If you are one of those people, don't reach fall for the cravings.  There are easy natural ways to bump up your energy and help you get through that midday slump.

When you hit this wall or feel like you need sugary foods or caffeine during these hours it means your adrenal glands are tired.  Adrenal glands are considered your stress glands. They pump out hormones to keep you going day in and day out.  They fire up with both good and bad stress, so each time there is a stressor it is like asking them to run a marathon.  Then another stressor comes and they have to run again. It's just an endless cycle!

If you had to run a one marathon after another, you eventually couldn't go anymore, but our bodies are amazing and the adrenals keep working day in and out.  They get tired too, though. When the adrenals are overworked, you feel tired.  When things get really bad, severe adrenal fatigue sets in and you feel overwhelmed very easily.  Another symptom people complain of is mid to lower back pain that feels like a deep bruise or ache that never goes away.

You are not destined to feel this way forever- by supporting your adrenal glands it is amazing how much better you can feel. I see this multiple times a day and it still amazes me how much better people feel by adding in the correct support. Many patients come in lifeless and ‘down’ on their first visit and by the second visit you can see their face get brighter, have happier dispositions and just feel better in general. It takes a lot time to rebuild, but getting on the right support can make a HUGE difference.

What can you do?  
Try to avoid stress! That is what most people say, but how realistic is it?  Not very - but you can choose to minimize it.  Do not say yes to everything and everyone - you will wear yourself down. Create boundaries and make time for yourself daily, even if it just 10 minutes a day.

Eat an avocado a day - great hormones and fuel for the adrenals
If you hit a dip in the afternoon, drink hot tea with 1 tbs of coconut oil - this keeps your blood sugar levels stable and doesn't spike them which stresses the adrenal glands even more
Keep your protein intake up - make sure to get 30 grams of protein in for breakfast.  I do it through a smoothie or eat turkey, chicken sausage, etc. with eggs for breakfast. You want to have protein at each meal.
Snack on nuts and seeds
If you are craving sugar - eat some protein first and a glass of water, then wait 15 minutes before indulging.  If you have to indulge try natural sugars like honey and maple syrup in moderation.

You can also support your adrenals through great supplements that we commonly use in the office. These are just a few of the many ones we use. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system - so we have to look at everything and not just single out the adrenals!

• Adrenal Support by Nature Sunshine
  • Great to take a bottle when big stressors come up or life throws you a curve ball
• Nervous Fatigue TCM by Nature Sunshine
  • Great for maintenance and protection of the adrenals
• Mineral Chi Tonic by Nature Sunshine
  • Minerals are fuel for adrenals and this also has other great herbs for them too.  Its is a liquid which is easy to mix or take straight (not the best tasting thing but you can do it :)
• Adrenal Desiccated by Standard Process
  • For very severe cases
• Drenamin by Standard Process
  • Whole food based supplement for the adrenals
• Min Tran by Standard Process
  • Relaxing minerals to relax the body and adrenals; Great for when the mind starts racing when you lay down to go to sleep!

Again there are SO many other supplements we use, but this is just a quick overview.  If the symptoms above sound like you, give us a call and we can help out.  You don't have to live run down or in a constant state of feeling overwhelmed. 

For order instructions on Nature Sunshine click here and for Standard Process visit the office or call 615-656-3558.

Photo Source.

Trouble losing weight? Try these tips!

A lot of people come into the practice and one of their top 5 concerns or issues typically has something to do with weight.  95% of the time a Candida issue has something to do with it as well as an underlying thyroid issue, our metabolic control center.  Once these things are taken care of, people notice significant changes in their weight and energy levels as well as mental clarity.

Below are some tips to jump start metabolism!

1) Drink a full glass of water immediately upon waking in the morning.  Set the glass of water on your nightstand and have it ready to drink right when you wake up.  This gets you hydrated right away in the morning and jump starts your metabolism.

2) Drink one glass of hot water with ½ lemon daily (or more). This revs up metabolism and gets the liver filtering out toxins that can contribute to weight gain.

3) Stop eating after 6pm.  This gives your body more time to break down food instead of trying to process it during the middle of the night when your metabolism is the slowest.  Set a time to stop eating, even if it is not 6 pm. Sticking to your rule will help keep you from wandering into the kitchen looking for snacks and mindless eating.  Most people eat late at night not because they are hungry, but out of routine!

4) Eat protein at each meal. Ideally you want 30 grams of protein at each meal. You will be amazed at how this little trick can help you feel full longer, lose weight and keep your energy up. Some simple foods to keep a protein filled diet are: almond butter, nuts/seeds, deli meat (make sure it is preservative free… aka nitrates, -ites), chicken, eggs, fish, beef, CLEAN protein powders (we have plenty at the office) and, my favorite, collagen! Collagen has 20 grams of protein per serving. Plus, it is tasteless and can dissolve in cold or warm drinks/food.

Try these easy steps and see how much it can help you!