MEDITERRANEAN BAKED SWEET POTATOE

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes* (~140 g each)
• 1 15-ounce (425 g) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked (or regular) paprika
• optional: Pinch of sea salt or lemon juice

GARLIC HERB SAUCE

• 1/4 cup (60 g) hummus (or tahini)
• juice of 1/2 lemon (~1 Tbsp)
• 3/4 - 1 tsp dried dill (or sub 2-3 tsp fresh)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
• Water or unsweetened almond milk to thin
• optional: Sea salt to taste (I didn’t need any)

TOPPINGS 

• 1/4 cup (45 g) cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped parsley, minced
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
• Chili garlic sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil.
2. Rinse and scrub potatoes and cut in half length wise. This will speed cooking time. Otherwise leave whole and bake longer (approximately double the time (45 min - 1 hour).
3. Toss rinsed and drained chickpeas with olive oil and spices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Rub the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil and place face down on the same baking sheet (or another baking sheet depending on size).
5. While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas are roasting, prepare your sauce by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine, only adding enough water to almond milk to thin so it’s pourable. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more garlic for more zing, salt for savoriness, lemon juice for freshness, and dill for a more intense herb flavor. I found mine didn’t need anything else.
6. NOTE: If you don’t have hummus, tahini will make a great base substitution for the sauce - just adjust the seasonings to accommodate the lack of flavor tahini provides.
7. Also prepare the parsley-tomato topping by tossing tomato and parsley with lemon juice and setting aside to marinate.
8. Once sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chickpeas are golden brown - roughly 25 minutes - remove from oven.
9. For serving, flip potatoes flesh-side up and smash down the insides a little bit. Then top with chickpeas, sauce and parsley-tomato garnish. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 of 4 Calories: 313 Fat: 5g Saturated fat: .7g Carbohydrates: 60g Sugar: 3.9gSodium: 82mg Fiber: 11.7g Protein: 8.6g

Recipe by the minimalist baker

Medicinal Teas at Riverwalk Natural Clinic

• Allergy Support Tea
• Chamomile Tea: Helps with relaxation, sleep, colic and digestion
• Cold, Flu & Sinus Tea: Helps rid mucus build up, cough, cold & flu
• Dandelion Leaf Tea: Helps with mild edema or fluid retention, natural diuretic
• Detox Tea
• Licorice Root Tea: Supports adrenal health, energy, anti-viral and respiratory support
• Mineral Tea: Supports bone health and nervous system
• Nettle Tea: Helps with allergies, blood cleanser and a good source of minerals
• Skullcap Tea: Helps with insomnia, nervousness and anxiety
• Tummy Tea: Helps with colic in children, stomach upset, gas/bloating and heartburn
• Relaxing Tea

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles – Gluten-Free + Vegan

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (the canned kind)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 10 ounces high quality vegan dark chocolate (70% cocoa) – chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• dash of salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

makes about 24+ truffles (depending on their size)

Directions

• In a double boiler, heat coconut oil and coconut milk over a low/medium heat, whisking until just melted and well incorporated. 
• Add the chocolate, stirring continuously, not allowing it to heat too quickly. 
• As soon as it is melted, remove from the heat and stir very well to make sure it is all well incorporated. 
• Add in the vanilla and peppermint extracts and salt.
• Pour into a 8″ baking dish or a pie pan and refrigerate until the mixture is mostly set , but still pliable. 
• Using a 1″ melon baller or a tablespoon, scoop out the chocolate and roll into balls using your hands, set them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 
• Once all have been rolled, place the sheet into the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes, up to overnight.
• Place the cocoa power onto a small plate and roll the balls in the cocoa powder to coat, you can also put the cocoa powder in your hands and roll them around that way. Store the finished truffles in the refrigerator.
• These truffles will keep up to two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature for about 15 minutes, just before serving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries

Ingredients

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

• 3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• Salt, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• 1 and ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. 
• Slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. 
• Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. 
• During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

Roasted Butternut Squash:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
• Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

• You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.

Assembly:

• In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine.

How to Combat High Cholesterol (without prescription drugs)

•  The portfolio diet is a great guideline to lowering your cholesterol because of the variety of cholesterol lowering components in the diet. (https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/six-super-foods-for-lower-cholesterol/portfolio-diet).

• Reducing SATURATED FAT, trans-fatty acids and cholesterol as well as increasing   monounsaturated fats, soluble fibers and nuts will aide you in decreasing your cholesterol.

• The level of SATURATED fats in foods are more relevant than their dietary cholesterol content. 
• What investigators found was that saturated fat in the diet, not dietary cholesterol, influences blood cholesterol levels most, and that for most people dietary cholesterol has very little effect on blood cholesterol levels.

• Consume NO MORE than 200 mg cholesterol per day.

• No more than 10 to 15 g per day and ideally even less.

• Soluble fiber found in legumes (lots of fiber!!), fruits and vegetables is effective in lowering cholesterol levels.

• The overwhelming majority of studies have demonstrated that individuals with high cholesterol levels experience cholesterol reductions with frequent oatmeal consumption!

• 35 g of fiber per day from fiber rich foods.

• Niacin (B3) produces the best overall effect to lower cholesterol. The book recommends (in conjunction with a healthy diet and after speaking with your doctor) 1000 mg - 3000 mg at night for people with initial total cholesterol levels over 250 mg/dl within the first two months reducing total cholesterol by 50 to 75 mg/dl. Once cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dl for two successive blood measurements ATLEAST two months apart, the dosage can be reduced to 500 mg three times per day for 2 months. If the cholesterol levels creep up above 200mg/dl, then the dosage of niacin should be raised back up to previous levels. If cholesterol is below 200mg/dl, then the niacin can be withdrawn completely and have cholesterol rechecked in 2 months.

• Garlic has been shown to lower blood cholesterol as well. 

• Foods to eliminate: coconut oil, pork, beef, cheese, ice cream, butter, whole milk, eggs (egg whites OK)

• Foods to eat(fiber rich): Beans, especially kidney beans and black beans (but most are very high in fiber), oatmeal, oranges, apples, pears, figs, raisins, barley, bulgur, whole grain spaghetti, black bean soup, lentil soup, split pea soup, boiled pumpkin (this is really good in curry or as side), parsnips (boiled), sweet potato (boiled), potato (boiled), yam (boiled).

All information from The Encylopedia of Natural Medicine by Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno N.D. and  Dr. Michael Murray N.D.

How do your numbers match up?

Cholesterol and fat content of selected foods

Impact of various sources of fiber

Niacin and Lavastatin (commonly prescribed drug for lowering cholesterol) comparison

Niacain compared with Atorvastation (another statin drug)

The Many Biological Actions of Resveratrol

Biological Action                               Reference

Anti-histamine action (allergy)                           Planta Medica 2004 Apr; 70 (4):305-309

Anti-inflammatory agent J Chemotherapy          2004 Nov; 16 Suppl 4:3-6

                                                                     J Environ Pathology Toxicology Oncology 2004; 23 (3):215-226

COX-2 inhibitor (anti-inflammatory)                  Inflammation Research 2005 Apr; 54 (4):158-162            

Potentially helpful for Rheumatoid arthritis        International Immunopharmacology 2005 May; 5 (5):849-856

Inhibits pancreatitis                                        World J Gastroenterology 2005; 11:3171-3174

ACE Inhibitor properties                                 European J Pharmacology 2005 May 16; 515 (1-3):1-9

Prevents blood clots                                       Blood Coagulation Fibrinolysis 2004 Sept; 15 (6):441-446

Reduces LDL cholesterol                               Life Sciences 2003 Aug 1:73 (11):1393-1400

Reduces triglycerides                                    Life Sciences 2003 Aug 1:73 (11):1393-1400

Raises HDL "good" cholesterol                      J Agric Food Chemistry 2005 May 4; 53 (9): 3403-3407

           

Inhibits arterial plaque without altering 
cholesterol                                                   Int J Mol Med 2005 Oct; 16 (4):533-540

Preserves or stimulates                                J Agric Food Chem 2005 May 18; 53 (10):4182-4186   

   superoxide dismutase (antioxidant)            Free Radical Biology Medicine 2003 Apr 1; 34 (7):810-817

Elevates glutathione (antioxidant)                 J Agric Food Chem 2005 May 18; 53 (10):4182-4186

                                                                 Arch Biochem Biophy 2000 Sept 15; 381 (2):253-263

Elevates catalase activity                           Life Science 2003 May 2; 72 (24):2741-2750

Prolongs life of cells via Sirtuin 1 gene         Trends Pharmacological Sciences 2005; 26:94-103

Promotes DNA repair (via Sirtuin 1 gene)      Nature 2003 Sep 11; 425 (6954):191-196

Inhibits abnormal new blood vessel formation    J Physiology Pharmacology 2005 Mar; 56 Suppl 1:51-69

  (angiogenesis)

Inhibits dietary sugar absorption                      Journal Natural Products 2001; 64:381-384        

Regulates blood sugar                                   J Agric Food Chemistry 2005 May 4; 53 (9): 3403-3407

Normalizes blood pressure                             J Hypertension 2000 Dec; 18 (12):1833-1840

Calms effects of estrogen (estrogen blocker)   J Steriod Biochemical Mol Biology 2005 Apr; 94 (5):431-443

Prevents bone loss                                       J Medicinal Food 2005 Spring; 8 (1):14-19            

Protects retinal cells
 (retinal pigment epithelium)                          Chemical Biological Interaction 2005 Jan 15; 151 (2):143-149

  

Increases sperm count                                J Nutrition 2005 Apr; 135 (4):757-760

Inhibits viral growth (influenza)                    J Infectious Disease 2005 May 15; 191 (10):1719-1729

                    

Inhibits viral growth (HIV)                           J Pharm Science 2004 Oct; 93 (10):2448-2457

                                                     

Inhibits viral growth (herpes)                      Antiviral Research 2004 Jan; 61 (1):19-26; 1999

   Oct; 43 (3):145-155

Antibiotic against bacteria (Chlamydia)      Atherosclerosis 2003 Dec; 171 (2):379-380

Antibiotic against bacteria (H. pylori)         Am J Gastroenterology 2003 Jun; 98 (6):1440-1441

Inhibits growth of fungi (yeast, mold)        J Agriculture Food Chemistry 2003 Feb 26; 51(5):1464-1468 

  

Inhibits initiation of tumors                      Proc Nati Sci Council Repub 
                                                             China B 1999 Jul; 23 (3):99-106

                                                                                                   

Eradicates plaque in brain
 (beta amyloid toxicity)                           British J Pharmacology 2004 Mar; 141 (6):997-1005

Chelates metals (copper)                       Biochem Pharmacology 1997 May 9; 53 (9):1347-1355

                 

Anti-leukemia agent                               Leukemia Lymphoma 2002 May; 43 (5):983-987

Inhibits prostate cancer                         Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers Prevention 2005

   Mar; 14 (3):596-604

Inhibits breast cancer                           Molecular Nutrition Food Research 2005 May; 49 (5):462-471

  

Inhibits melanoma                               Neoplasia 2005 Jan; 7 (1):37-47

Inhibits ovarian and cervical cancer      Anticancer Res 2004 Sep-Oct; 24 (5A):2783-2840

Inhibits lymphoma                             Cancer Letters 2001 Feb 10; 163 (1):43-49

Exhibits Viagra-like effects 
(nitric oxide)                                      Free Radical Biology Med 2004 Mar 15; 36 (6):774-781

  

Novel molecule for organ transplants   World J Gastroenterology 2005 Aug 14; 11(30):4745-4749  

  

Non-toxic                                          J Nutrition 2002 Feb; 132 (2):257-260

Inhibits growth of tumors                   Drug Experimental Clinical Research 1999; 25 (2-3):65-77

                                                                                                    

Inhibits spread of tumors                   Proc Nati Sci Council Repub China B 1999 Jul; 23 (3):99-106

  

Targets multiple genes 
(silencing/activation)                        J Nutritional Biochemistry 2005 Aug; 16 (8):449-466

Protects brain cells                         Ann N Y Academy Sciences 2003 May; 993:276-286

Inhibits hepatitis
 (liver inflammation)                       Hepatogastroenterology 2002 Jul-Aug; 49 (46):1102-1108

  

Inhibits liver cancer                       World J Gastroenterology 2003 Oct; 9 (10):2341- 2343

 

Inhibits brain cancer                     Molecular Cancer Therapy 2005 Apr; 4 (4):554-561

Inhibits pancreatic cancer             Pancreas 2002 Nov; 25 (4):e71-76

Inhibits kidney cancer                  Cancer Biology Therapy 2004 Sept; 3 (9):882-888

Inhibits colon cancer                    International Cancer 2005 June 10; 115 (2):194-201

NO CLAIM CAN BE MADE THAT RESVERATROL DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

HAVE THE SAME ACTION AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE ABOVE EXPERIMENTS

Vegan Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

For seasoning mix:

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For chili:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced into ½-inch cubes
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
• 2 cups organic corn
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups unsalted vegetable stock
• Avocado and cilantro (for topping)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine everything in the seasoning mix.  Set aside.
2. Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook until carrots start to brown and mushrooms release some of their liquid, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the seasoning mix and stir to evenly coat.  Add the corn, tomatoes, pumpkin, beans and stock and mix well. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When carrots are fork tender, remove from heat, serve 1 cup of chili and top with desired toppings.

Medicinal Teas

Nothing goes better with the cold, crisp air than a warm cup of tea. Here at Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic we have several medicinal teas, that not only taste good, but make you feel good!

• Allergy Support Tea
• Chamomile Tea: Helps with relaxation, sleep, colic and digestion
• Cold, Flu & Sinus Tea: Helps rid mucus build up, cough, cold & flu
• Dandelion Leaf Tea: Helps with mild edema or fluid retention, natural diuretic
• Detox Tea
• Licorice Root Tea: Supports adrenal health, energy, anti-viral and respiratory support
• Mineral Tea: Supports bone health and nervous system
• Nettle Tea: Helps with allergies, blood cleanser and a good source of minerals
• Skullcap Tea: Helps with insomnia, nervousness and anxiety
• Tummy Tea: Helps with colic in children, stomach upset, gas/bloating and heartburn
• Relaxing Tea

Optimal Health Omega

• New Formulation
• 3 times the absorption rate than anything else on the market
• Small soft gel size makes it easier to swallow
• Easier to Digest
• Take 1 capsule per day with better absorption you can take less

Hormone Therapy Safety

Are you of the age where you are considering hormone therapy? If so, there are several safety issues you should consider.

Symptoms of hormone deficiency can include the following: anxiety, irritability, depression, low libido, weight gain, vaginal dryness, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, breast tenderness, memory loss, PMS, PCOS, postpartum depression, infertility, recurrent UTI’s and incontinence.

If you have any of the symptoms above, you should be assessed for possible hormone deficiencies.  If you do have hormonal deficiencies, you do not just want to just treat the symptom but get to the cause of why you developed the hormone deficiencies in the first place.  This can be due to poor diet and lifestyle, stress, nutritional deficiencies or toxicity.  When assessing any health issue, you want to get to the cause of the problem and start with the least invasive therapy first.  In other words, the therapy with the least amount of side effects.  You also do not want to be on hormones the rest of your life.  Hormones are safe when you are using the smallest possible dose for the least amount of time.

A study reported in the medical journal JAMA Cardiology  (http://cardiology.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2551981) found that women who start having menopausal symptoms at age 45 or less have a greater risk for cardiovascular disease.  Seventy-five percent of the woman age 45 or less with hot flashes have an increased risk of heart disease.  Just treating the menopausal symptoms with hormones does not reduce your risk for heart disease.  Lifestyle, behavioral and dietary treatments should be assessed and addressed to prevent heart disease in these woman.

Hormones include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, DHEA, pregnenolone and cortisol.  All sex hormones are made from cholesterol in the body.  Cholesterol directly makes pregnenolone which makes progesterone which makes cortisol in the body.  Progesterone is produced from day 14-28 of the menstrual cycle. Men also make progesterone in the testes and adrenal gland.  Progesterone controls water balance, sleep, thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, weight regulation, breast growth and skeletal growth.  

Cholesterol makes all of our sex hormones this is why you do not want cholesterol to be too low.  Many patients taking statins have very low cholesterol this can be causing your sex hormones to be too low. Because your body is not able to produce sex hormones without cholesterol.  Cholesterol also makes DHEA which makes estradiol and testosterone in the body.  

There are synthetic hormones which include Vivelle, Prometrium, EstraTest, Premarin, Prem Pro, birth control pills, etc. These synthetic hormones have been shown to increase one’s risk for breast cancer in some studies. There are also natural hormones or bioidentical hormones that naturally occur in the body.  These include three estrogens which are found naturally in the body estradiol, estrone, and estriol. These estrogens are bio-identical hormones which are synthase from plants in a laboratory.  Plants used in the process are wild yam and soybean.  Bio-identical hormone therapy includes estradiol, estrone, estriol, pregnenolone, DHEA, thyroid and adrenal hormones. Bio-identical hormone therapy is not the same as HRT (hormone replacement therapy) which is synthetic hormone replacement such as Premarin, Prem Pro, EstraTest and Prometrium.  There are no new studies on the safety of bioidentical hormones.  This is why less is better.

Testosterone effects libido, muscle strength, bone health, ligaments, energy and depression.   It is best to test total and free testosterone to know how much is available for the body to use.

Bioidentical hormones are administered in many ways topical creams, ointments, gels, transvaginal suppositories, oral and pellets.  Topical hormones are my preference.  This is the least invasive way to administer natural hormone therapy because the hormones go right to the targeted tissue.  Topically creams bypass the liver which is a safer way to administer hormones.  By taking hormones orally they have to be processed thru the liver and in turn have to pass thru many areas in the body before going to the targeted tissue.  Again when using hormone therapy using the least invasive treatment in the smallest possible dose and the least amount of time to get your body to obtain optimal health on its own.   Hormone therapy should be used along with dietary, behavioral and lifestyle changes to reduce your risk for heart disease.

Dr. Deborah Wiancek is a naturopathic physician who has a family practice at the Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic & Pharmacy for 18 years.  She can be reached at 970-926-7606 or wiancek@ealthref.com. Visit riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com or follow twitter.com/Riverwalk.

Cost Effectiveness of Naturopathic Medicine

Most chronic disease are due to diet & lifestyle issues.  These include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, some cancers and diabetes.  Drugs do not treat chronic disease.  Diet & lifestyle changes get to the cause of the problem.

Each patient is treated individually because not all diseases are treated the same. You can see one doctor for allergies, gastrointestinal issues, anxiety, depression, menopause, infertility, skin issues, PCOS, pain etc.  Because it’s all related and there may be only one cause.  Instead of seeing many different specialists.  This saves time and money for the patients.

Drugs used to treat many of these diseases have become the 4th leading cause of death.  Once you’re on a drug your usually are on it for a life time.

Unnecessary tests are not ordered.  One third to one half of all lab test ordered are unnecessary almost doubling our health care costs.  

By getting to the cause of your health care problem you can eliminate drugs and prevent many of the top leading health care issues and live a longer life.  

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” Hippocrates. Proper nutrition is the foundation of a naturopathic practice, and food is utilized for both health promotion and disease prevention. NDs recommend diets individualized to each patient, though typically this means a balanced whole-foods diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, wild-caught fish and lean protein products. In order to maximize nutritional value and minimize environmental impact, foods are considered best in their natural state, obtained locally, and eaten seasonally. NDs recognize how difficult and complex dietary changes may be, and assist patients through these changes by providing very specific individualized recommendations, as well as educational materials and resources.

There is overwhelming evidence that unhealthy eating habits significantly increase the risks for morbidity and mortality. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) determined that poor diet and physical inactivity caused 15.2% of all deaths in the U.S. in the year 2000, and may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death.  It has been estimated that better nutrition could reduce the costs of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes by an estimated $71 billion each year. Obesity is also at an unprecedented high in the U.S. In 2009, the CDC reported that 66% of American adults, 17% of children ages 12-19, and 19% of children ages 6-11 years are overweight or obese.  The general dietary recommendations and follow-up strategies that NDs utilize with their patients could have a significant impact on both chronic disease and obesity. It has been well-established that diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased risk for chronic disease. In addition, fruits and vegetables are generally low in calories thereby supporting healthy weight management. NDs may also prescribe special diets such as the elimination diet, anti-inflammatory diet, and hypoallergenic diet. These diets have a long history of traditional use in naturopathic practice.  In one such study, the elimination diet was found to ameliorate clinical signs of inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and augment the beneficial effect of fish oil supplementation.

According to a study by NIH patients are increasingly seeking out NDs for many reasons, including wanting a holistic approach that addresses the root of the problem, wanting more time and attention, having not been helped by conventional care, and having had a previous positive experience with an ND. The conditions patients see licensed NDs for are many of the same conditions that they see conventional physicians for NDs are trained in potential drug/herb interactions and can provide educational support to patients and physicians. Naturopathic care may also reduce the need for some prescriptive drugs, and collaboration between the prescribing physician and the ND will be critical in determining medication dosing. NDs can also offer nutritional support around surgery and other procedures in order to reduce recovery time and potential complications. (Prim Care. 2010 Mar; 37(1): 119–136.

doi:  10.1016/j.pop.2009.09.002)

Learn more about Naturopathic medicine at Dr. Wiancek’s web site at www.healthref.com. Dr. Deborah Wiancek is a naturopathic physician who has a family practice at the Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic & Pharmacy for 18 years.  Dr. Deborah A. Wiancek is a graduate of Bastyr University, School of Naturopathic Medicine. She specializes in working with allergies, dermatology, gynecology, gastrointestinal, and pediatric health care. Dr. Wiancek is featured in the Idiot’s Guide to Natural Remedies and author of The Natural Healing Companion and created one of the first CD-ROMs in natural medicine called The Complete Natural Medicine Reference. She has been broadcasted by over 2,000 radio stations on various health topics. Dr. Wiancek has done various seminars including The Latest Research in Breast Cancer Prevention for the Betty Ford Breast Cancer Association. She has been featured in Women’s World, Ski Magazine, Energy Times, Prevention Magazine, Natural Health, United Hemispheres, and Cleansing Magazine. Website www.healthref,com , riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com, twitter.com/riverwalkhealth.

She can be reached at 970-926-7606 or visit riverwalknaturalhealth.blogspot.com or follow twitter.com/Riverwalk.

Naturopathic Therapeutic Order

1. Establish the conditions for health
• Identify and remove disturbing factors
• Institute a more healthful regimen
2. Stimulate the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae): the self-healing processes

Address weakened or damaged systems or organs

• Strengthen the immune system
• Decrease toxicity
• Normalize inflammatory function
• Optimize metabolic function
• Balance regulatory systems
• Enhance regeneration
• Harmonize life force
• Correct structural integrity
• Address pathology: Use specific natural substances, modalities, or interventions
• Address pathology: Use specific pharmacologic or synthetic substances
• Suppress or surgically remove pathology