2012 May/June Newsletter
Welcome!
Now that we are past Memorial Day Weekend (the unofficial start of summer), we can finally think about taking the snow tires off our cars and getting ready for the summer season (also known in New England as road construction season). It’s also time for the Herbal Path newsletter! We wish you happy reading, and of course, a happy and healthy summer!
Click titles to jump to individual articles, or just scroll down.
Token Program Suggestions, by Pat Wilson
Tip Of An Iceberg, by Tracy Wood
Simply Sunscreen, by Jenna Stedman
Why Am I So Tired?, by Marci Kuegel
Guest Author: Stress: More Than Just A Feeling, by Dr. Satya Sardonicus, DC
Herbal Path Q&A, by Betsy Murray
You can sign up to receive newsletter announcements via email at herbalpath.com.
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Time to Submit Your Token Program Suggestions
by Pat Wilson
It’s time for your input as to agencies and groups to be considered for the Herbal Path Token Donation Program. Write up your favorite charity with contact person, address, phone number and a brief mission statement for consideration.
We’d like the causes to be local, close to your heart and not repetitive. We usually have an animal category, child centered category, plant/farming category and adult category. We will consider all suggestions. Suggestions are due by June 15, 2012. To pick up a Token Donation Suggestion form, please stop by the Dover Herbal Path.
Thank You!
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Tip Of An Iceberg
by Tracy Wood
Like the tip of an iceberg, sometimes the smallest health annoyance can be linked to a deeper, more complicated, yet unseen and unnoticed health problem. When we are annoyed beyond our threshold of tolerance, we seek relief from our coughs, sniffles, fatigue, and red itchy eyes with pharmaceuticals or herbal and supplemental alternatives.
Palliative care is very important, but don’t misunderstand: these annoying symptoms may be the only clues we get to uncover deeper, more complicated health issues before they develop into very serious conditions. The holistic approach to medicine strives to uncover the deeper issues to achieve wellness and optimal health. The holistic approach attempts to uncover the small imbalances BEFORE they become bigger, more serious health problems.
I had a personal experience with an annoying symptom and luckily I chose to dig deeper. In my thirties, I was hiking a moderately challenging mountain. After lunch, on the return trip down the mountain, I experienced my first ever (also, one and only) asthma attack. As I gasped for air, I felt scared and totally bewildered. Why was I having this attack? I played league soccer. I climbed mountains. I exercised daily. Yes, I was aware that I had some allergies to paint fumes and cats, but how could I be suffering from those allergies out here in the open mountain air??
My primary care provider diagnosed me with exercise-induced asthma and a prescribed an inhaler. My provider did not receive my protests well, but agreed to authorize the blood tests I demanded. The blood tests indicated that my thyroid hormone levels were extremely low. The second visit yielded a prescription for Synthroid. This pattern of symptom-complaint-prescription continued as I complained of side effects, continued ill feelings, and new problems resulting from the prescribed care. The doctor dismissed the existence of side effects because my blood levels were within therapeutic range. In one telephone call, he hung up on me when I would not agree with him that I was not experiencing serious side effects.
Finally, I decided to see a naturopathic physician. After tests, surveys, and lots of discussion of health patterns over the course of my WHOLE life, we identified a number of food intolerances and hormonal imbalances. The naturopathic physician recommended an alternative to Synthroid, of which I was previously unaware. At last I felt heard; and with the new information, I began making informed choices regarding care for my body.
For the first time in my life, I felt connected to myself and healthy: Not just my body, but my mind too. My head and mind felt clean and clear. I had always worked my brain to get my body going. Now my body and mind felt like a team. I changed how and what I ate. I learned to relax before I was exhausted. But most importantly, I learned how to listen to and be tuned-in with my body. The rewards were well worth the changes and effort of my new choices.
Dr. Emily Miller, a naturopathic physician in Dover, N.H., sat down with me to discuss acute symptoms versus long-term health. I was surprised to learn that signs and symptoms of stress to our body and bodily systems can start to appear as early as childhood. We are all human, but we have our differences too, and we respond uniquely to stressors in our lives. Stressors vary wildly, from missing meals and malnutrition to toxic overload of heavy metals, from excess caffeine and lack of sleep to emotional factors resulting from work or home, as well as environmental factors in air and water. The list of potential stressors is unlimited and many of us are exposed to more than one of these stressors at any moment in time.
Subsequently, how each person experiences overload to stressors can vary by degree, character, and or quantity. To identify your own symptoms, you need to pay attention to how YOU feel. Listen to your body. Watch your body. Feel your body — not just for one day of sickness, but over time for patterns or progress over time. A few common symptoms include fatigue, mental fogginess, depression, skin reactions, muscle pain, hormonal imbalance, allergies, and metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Miller stresses how important it is to not stop treatment at the acute level, at the level of symptoms. To look deeper, she encourages patients to identify all of the contributing factors, or stressors, that may be stressing the body’s systems. The human body is amazing in its ability to adjust to wide variations in the level of daily care it receives. Without close inspection, some early signs can go unnoticed. The body can adapt, but eventually the body’s systems become stressed beyond their ability to accommodate and function properly.
Since this process may happen gradually, and minor episodes of poor health may be rationalized as normal wear and tear, an opportunity for an examination of deeper health issues may be missed. Dr. Miller points out, “just because we have a diagnosis and or a medication doesn’t mean the therapy is addressing the CAUSE of the health issue”.
Achieving wellness can be a great task, but there are tools and resources to help you feel less overwhelmed. One very important resource is a healthcare provider to oversee your care in a holistic manner. Because we live in our body every day, we are the best acquainted with our body. But, because we live in our body everyday, often our senses become numb to the gradual changes. An objective, knowledgeable health care provider, along with your valuable input, can guide you through the complexity of the human body on its path to wellness. We here at the Herbal Path wish everyone the glory of wellness and would like to help by providing the herbal, homeopathic, and other natural supplements people may need on the road to wellness. Be well.
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Simply Sunscreen
by Jenna Stedman
It’s summer time again and we have had some great weather so far. The sun is shining, birds are out, and the golf course sprinklers are on; a sure sign of summer. As you begin to plant gardens and go on your summer vacations, the first thing that should come to mind is sunscreen. Not just any sunscreen, but the very best sunscreen. Our skin is the body’s largest organ, after all. So we must protect it!
When you are out shopping for this summer’s sunscreen, see if it passes this test:
1. Is Zinc Oxide in your sunscreen?
Zinc Oxide is a great mineral to look for. It is the mineral in sunscreen that provides broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB rays. It sits on top of our skin and is the barrier that reflects the sun. It is also safe for sensitive skin.
2. Does it protect against UVA and UVB rays?
It is very important to not only protect your self and your family again UVA rays but also UVB. Look for both listed on the sunscreen bottle.
3. Is your sunscreen SPF 15 or higher?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and its best to aim for 15 or higher. SPF is a system for rating for the amount of protection against UVB rays. For example, SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97%.
4. Does the bottle have the USDA Organic logo on the bottle?
The USDA logo is the symbol to tell you that the ingredients in the sunscreen are USDA organic.
5. Does it have the Leaping Bunny logo on the bottle?
The Leaping Bunny logo is the symbol to tell you that the product has not been tested on any animals. If that is something important to you or your family, look for the Leaping Bunny.
If you answered yes to all five, then you are holding a truly great power in you hand, the power to protect you and your family from the sun.
You might also want to consider whether it is water resistant. The bottle should tell you if it is and for how long. This is important to know if your going to be jumping in and out of the water, potentially washing away your sun protection. Plus ingredients like Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butters, Cocoa Butters, and Sea Buckthorn are high in vitamins, polyphenols, and other antioxidants that shield your skin from the sun.
Always protect yourself, the sun will find you!
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Why Am I So Tired? My Take On Sleep Supplements
by Marci Kuegel
In theory, we spend about a third of our lives asleep. In practice, that number tends to be a lot more variable. “What do you have for sleep?” is one of the top three questions we get here at the Herbal Path. This article includes our most common advice for sleep, along with some possible suggestions for supplements. The bad news is (like most things) sleep is complicated, and there are a lot of different reasons why people may have trouble sleeping. The good news is, we’ve had a lot of practice with this question, and there are a LOT of potential options to help.
A Few Basics
If you’ve ever gone looking for non-supplement tips to help get restful sleep, you’ll know there are a lot out there. Some are great; others may be contradictory, repetitive, or just plain inconvenient. Here are three that work for me when I’m having trouble sleeping:
1. Sleep in the dark.
2. Have a routine.
3. Wind down before bed (stretching, meditating, whatever works for you).
One of the first things I ask people when they tell me they feel tired all the time is “How much sleep are you getting?” Remember that most people need eight or nine hours of sleep a night to feel rested. Just because it would be handy to only need six hours of sleep doesn’t mean everyone’s body can actually do that.
Clarifying the Question: Different Kinds of “Trouble Sleeping”
Some people can’t fall asleep, some people can’t stay asleep. Others sleep all night but wake up feeling tired. Whenever you’re thinking about starting a supplement for better sleep, take some time to note your own sleep patterns, so you can pick the supplement that best meets your needs.
Supplements for Sleep
-Melatonin: This is one of the most well-known supplements for sleep, but it’s not always the best choice. Melatonin helps regulate our sleep/wake cycle, which makes it fantastic for adjusting that cycle if you are changing time zones or switching shifts at work. If you lie in bed at ten PM and feel wide awake and ready to tackle cleaning the kitchen, but at ten AM you feel like you could sleep all day, melatonin may be perfect. Try to start with the lowest effective dose (the Herbal Path carries as low as 0.3 mg); at high doses melatonin can cause nightmares.
-Passionflower: This herb is known for helping people calm their racing thoughts. If you find yourself tired, but can’t shut your mind down from reviewing your to-do list or worrying about the weather report, passionflower might be a good choice. I like the liquid extract of passionflower because it can start working faster than a capsule, but it is available in both forms. (Note: Rescue Sleep, the nighttime version of Rescue Remedy, is also great for calming the mind.)
-Magnesium: If you have trouble sleeping because of muscle or joint pain, a magnesium supplement may help. Magnesium is the mineral that helps our muscles relax after they have constricted. It’s also a mineral that many people do not get enough of in their everyday diet, so it’s a great choice for supplementation!
-Ashwagandha: This herb is combined with Magnolia, Passionflower, and Jujube in the Gaia product SleepThru, one of my personal favorites. This is a non-drowsy formula, so it’s great for people who don’t have any trouble falling asleep, but have trouble staying asleep and getting restful sleep.
This is nowhere near a complete list of all the supplements that may help! If you are looking for better sleep, don’t give up if you’ve already tried everything on this list. Take some time to identify your sleep habits and patterns (is the tv on while you’re sleeping, do you wake up with a headache, etc) as well as your experiences with different supplements (had no effect, woke up groggy, that sort of thing). Then bring that information to the Herbal Path, and one of our helpful staff will walk you through some new options!
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Stress: More than just a feeling
by Guest Author Dr. Satya Sardonicus, DC
Imagine you’re head to head with a tiger. Your heart is racing, your breath is shallow and quick, your blood pressure skyrockets to deliver oxygen to your muscles, you’re on edge – and not thinking about math at all. Your body is preparing for one of two options: FIGHT or FLIGHT.
In today’s world, we rarely find ourselves in this scenario…but what else triggers this FIGHT or FLIGHT response? Mental worry, rambunctious kids, work deadlines…but what about beyond stressful feelings? Physical trauma, postural stress (like hunching over the computer for hours!), chemical toxins in our food and air, alarm signals from malfunctioning joints and more can each trigger this response in our bodies.
As the stress builds, our bodies are constantly challenged to keep up day-to-day function. Chronic stimulation of the fight-or-flight response leads to hypertension, high blood cholesterol, difficulty with focus and learning, irritability, anxiety, sleep loss, fat & sugar cravings, compromised immunity, indigestion and more.
Join Dr. Satya Sardonicus & Cristyn Peters for an informative lecture on Tuesday May 29th at 6:00pm at Journey to Wellness in Dover to learn more about the myriad of triggers to the fight-or-flight response, effects of chronic stress on the body, and simple strategies to restore balance and optimize your whole-body health!
If you missed the lecture or would like to contact the presenters directly, here is their information:
Dr. Satya Sardonicus
Sardonicus Family Chiropractic
www.sardonicusfamilychiropractic.com
Cristyn Peters, BS, CPT
Maximum Results
www.cristynpeters.com
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Herbal Path Q & A: What is your favorite lip balm?
by Betsy Murray
Living in New England it is essential to have a good quality lip balm to protect against the cold weather and the hot and humid summers! There are many great lip balm choices here at the Herbal Path and this month we found out what the staff’s favorite picks are. Here is a list our favorite lip balms, all available at the Herbal Path!
Ron – Desert Essence *Shea Butter*
Greg – Badger Balm *Ginger Lemon*
Because it has a zing!
Marci – Burt’s Bees *Original*
It’s thick enough that it doesn’t melt when it’s in my pocket all day.
Mekeel – Suki *Lip Repair Butter*
It lasts forever and it’s not too greasy! Stays on and don’t need to reapply every hour.
Jenna – Burt’s Bees
Because it’s minty!
Tim – Badger Balm *Highland Mint*
Because the Badger doesn’t care!
Chad – Burt’s Bees
Because it contains healing beeswax and coconut oil.
Jessica – Burt’s Bees *Grapefruit*
It’s soft and super moisturizing and tastes delicious!
Tracy – Burt’s Bees *Vitamin E and Peppermint*
Feels soothing!
Rebecca – Burt’s Bees *lip shimmers*
So many great colors!
Sheryl –Burt’s bees *Rhubarb lip shimmer*
Keeps lips moist!
Patricia – Desert Essence *Plain*
No taste and so moist! It’s the best I’ve ever tried!
Betsy – Zion Health Kanwa *Mango Minerals Lip Balm*
Great flavor and super moisturizing!
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