COVID-related back pain…is it a thing? I’m going with a big YES. Time hunched over a computer almost always equals more back (and neck) pain. Today, I want to focus on low back pain. The low back and pelvis (also known as the lumbopelvic region) is a really fun area to study and treat. It really is an amazing and complex region with interplay between a whole lot of ligaments, muscles and other connective tissues. And while people tend to blame discs and nerves for all of their back pain, the … [Read more...] about Experiencing Back Pain from COVID-19?
Aspen Integrative Medical Center
Seeking Anxiety Relief in Trying Times
For many of us, these past few months have brought unprecedented challenges. Our lives have been radically rearranged in ways that we couldn’t have predicted or prepared well for, even if we had seen it coming. Losses of jobs, routine, income, stability and, most tragically, losses of life have made this time painful and anxiety producing. For some, their entire lives have been turned upside down. When we face such challenges, we are asked to adapt with creativity, positivity and grace, the best … [Read more...] about Seeking Anxiety Relief in Trying Times
Gaining Perspective on Cancer Care
"You have cancer.” Not only is this news difficult to receive, but it’s difficult to deliver. There they are: two people in an office, one with news to give and one with news to receive, two people occupying the same space and time, within the same moment, both under duress (it is stressful to deliver such news, just as it is stressful to receive such news, however the former is much more short-lived) and both will meet in the middle, somehow, to manage the news that will be shared between … [Read more...] about Gaining Perspective on Cancer Care
Can Sugar Water Ease Your Pain?
I know, I know. It sounds very odd to think that sugar water can help with pain and strength, right? The sugar water I’m talking about is dextrose and it can help with musculoskeletal pain as well as nerve pain. With more and more people seeking non-opioid options for pain relief, it’s worth exploring the power of dextrose and its ability to decrease or eliminate pain. Musculoskeletal pain If you’ve overused or injured a tendon and have pain, a dextrose injection in the form of … [Read more...] about Can Sugar Water Ease Your Pain?
Understanding the Role of Vitamin D3 for Winter Wellness
Vitamin D3 is crucial to immune function, healthy mood and a host of other critical aspects of health; yet, its deficiency is ubiquitous worldwide. Particularly at this time of year when outdoor activity and sun exposure are limited, supplementation with Vitamin D3 can be foundational to our well-being. For decades, Vitamin D was only thought to help normalize calcium, and phosphate mineralization of bone; assist in the absorption of calcium, magnesium and phosphate from the gastrointestinal … [Read more...] about Understanding the Role of Vitamin D3 for Winter Wellness
Discussing Naturopathic Oncology and Menopausal Symptoms for Women Cancer Survivors
As we move from 2019 to 2020, we see that more women are surviving cancer. With this great news also comes an increased incidence of menopausal symptoms in survivors, whether from normal, age-related causes or those exacerbated by the cancer treatments themselves, or a combination of both. Although menopausal symptoms are often treated with exogenous hormones such as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, the majority of women with gynecological cancers are not able to use such HRT, because … [Read more...] about Discussing Naturopathic Oncology and Menopausal Symptoms for Women Cancer Survivors
Understanding When and How to Treat Inflammation
It’s drilled into our heads over and over. Inflammation is bad! Take this anti-inflammatory medicine! Inflammation is the enemy! Stop it in its tracks! But, is inflammation always the enemy? Let’s start by talking about the difference between acute and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation generally happens after an injury and has the symptoms of redness, heat, swelling and pain. It really shouldn’t last longer than four to six weeks and I think of it as a healing response. Having a … [Read more...] about Understanding When and How to Treat Inflammation
Considering Naturopathic Oncology for Treating Breast Cancer
Think about our biggest choices in life…a car, a house, who we want to spend our lives with…. with those, do people generally rush into a decision and hope for the best? For most people, the greater the expense or the deeper the commitment, the more effort is spent weighing all the options available before making a decision. Should it be any different when someone is diagnosed with breast cancer? While you’re probably familiar with the mainstream treatment methods for breast cancer (e.g. … [Read more...] about Considering Naturopathic Oncology for Treating Breast Cancer
Sharing Success Stories of Regenerative Injections
Last month, I wrote about some of the nuts and bolts of prolotherapy. This month, I’m sharing stories of some of the patients who have had success with this treatment. As a reminder, prolotherapy is a regenerative injection that falls in the same category as platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) and stem cell therapy. With prolotherapy, a needle is inserted into the area being treated and we rely on the patient’s controlled, healthy inflammatory response to regenerate tissue to promote healing in … [Read more...] about Sharing Success Stories of Regenerative Injections