What Your Dark Circles May Be Trying to Tell You
Anyone who has ever pulled an all-nighter knows what to expect when they look in the mirror the next day. Dark, puffy circles under the eyes. Medical school is no exception and for many physicians, those dark circles under the eyes (we call it periorbital edema, infraorbital venous stasis, or infraorbital hyperpigmentation) are an occupational […]
This Beautiful and Aromatic Herb Could be the Answer to Your Anxiety
As a physician who is much more concerned about humans than I am about mice, you might wonder why a study called Linalool Odor-Induced Anxiolytic Effects in Mice caught my attention recently. Allow me to explain, Linalool is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in the lavender plant, and this study demonstrated that simply […]
What is Progressive Muscle Relaxation and How Can It Help Me?
This week, I had a patient come in to see me with complaints of neck pain that radiated down into his right arm and hand. I did an orthopedic and neurologic exam, which not only confirmed my suspicions that he had a nerve impingement but also made it clear that the muscles in his neck […]
How to Use an Essential Oil Diffuser and 17 Great Blends
Have you ever seen that hilarious experiment where they line up a group of people with their dogs and try to guess which dog belongs to which person? Although there are usually a few surprises, it’s generally pretty easy to tell who belongs to who. And recently, in my office, I encountered a similar phenomenon […]
Lower Your Cortisol in 3 Easy Steps
Remember Tom and Jerry? Tom was a cat, always on the hunt and Jerry was the mouse who usually narrowly escaped. Poor Jerry was always under lots of stress. When a mouse sees a cat, stress hormones (including cortisol and adrenaline) quickly flood the mouse’s bloodstream. Those hormones initiate the “fight or flight” reaction that […]
5 Things You Get With Chronic Stress
Your car broke down at night in a bad part of town, and you’re walking on a dark and empty street. You hear footsteps coming up behind you… Your heart rate speeds up, and blood floods your muscles to prepare you to run for your life. You’ve probably heard the term “fight or flight” […]
What Clutter Has To Do With Your Health
When they rolled in the heavy equipment and finally broke ground, everybody in town was excited. The vacant lot right on the main drag in town was finally going to be something. We all envisioned a cool new restaurant or cafe. A unique grocery store like Trader Joe’s maybe. Or maybe a fun indoor playspace […]
10 Proven Stress Solutions to Help You Calm Down and Relax
One of my patients just got back from an African safari which was a “bucket list” trip of a lifetime. While she was there, she had the amazing (and somewhat horrifying) experience of watching a lion chase and take down a zebra. She even showed me the gory photos. Can you imagine what was going […]
Research Backed Reasons to Eat More Honey
As a backyard beekeeper, a naturopathic doctor, and the author of a popular book about honey…” liquid gold” is always on my mind. Excessive consumption of refined sugars found in processed foods plays a significant role in the plague of modern day chronic disease including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Honey is a minimally processed […]
Allergies → Stress → Allergies
Spring and summer bring many gifts. Flowers are blooming, honey bees are hard at work, and the warmer weather welcomes us to spend time outdoors. But there are unwanted gifts as well. The air is filled with pollen this time of year and many of my patients are stressed out and suffering from the wheezing […]
