From a naturopathic viewpoint, allergies are often associated with weak adrenal, immune, and digestive functions. Natural treatments are used to support and improve those functions and to alleviate hay fever symptoms.

Diet: identify any food sensitivities that can be contributing to the body’s overactive immune response. 

Acupuncture: works to balance the immune system and to relieve allergy symptoms such as: sneezing, nasal congestion, red itchy and watery eyes.

Nutritional Supplementation: Vitamin C and quercetin are natural anti-histamines which when used at the proper dose can help decrease allergy symptoms. There are also other vitamins and herbal remedies that can help improve the body’s immune reaction to allergies.

Here is part 2 of my article from Alive Magazine!

Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits, such as constipation, diarrhea, or both. Bloating and gas may also accompany IBS. Before giving a diagnosis, your child’s health care practitioner will rule out other potential causes for his or her symptoms, such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Researchers aren’t clear about what causes IBS, but diet and altered gut flora seem to play a role.

Treatment
Recently, there have been a lot of studies about the role of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) in IBS. FODMAPs are small, poorly absorbed carbohydrates (sugars) that are fermented by intestinal bacteria, producing gas and causing an increase in intestinal fluids. They are found in a variety of foods, especially those high in fructose and lactose. Research suggests a diet low in FODMAPs can help relieve symptoms of IBS.

The elimination of common food intolerances such as dairy products, wheat, eggs, citrus fruits, caffeinated beverages, yeast, and potatoes can also improve IBS symptoms, especially bloating and gas. Probiotics, which help restore natural gut flora, may decrease abdominal pain, bloating, and gas associated with IBS.

Stress has also been linked to an increase in IBS symptoms, especially in school-aged children. To help reduce stress and anxiety, explore deep breathing, yoga, exercise, and other relaxing techniques with your child.

When to see a health care practitioner:

If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, further medical attention may be needed:

• recurrent vomiting and/or diarrhea with fever
• blood in stool or vomit
• severe abdominal pain
• failure to gain weight

Trust your instincts. If you are concerned, don’t hesitate to call your child’s health care practitioner.

Supplements to soothe digestive complaints:
The following supplements are natural and safe for children with upset stomachs. For recommendations that are specific to your child, check with a health care practitioner.

Probiotics can help replenish healthy gut flora and enhance the immune system to protect against infections in the digestive tract.

Herbal teas that may help soothe the stomach include camomile, fennel, and lemon balm.

Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish oil target inflammatory pathways, which may decrease the gut inflammation associated with many digestive complaints.


http://www.alive.com/articles/view/24184/kids_digestive_complaints

Here is an article that I had written last year for Alive Magazine!

When we think of digestive concerns, we typically imagine adults; however, tummy troubles can also occur in children as early as infancy. Whether it’s colic, reflux, or constipation, there are natural ways to help resolve your child’s digestive complaints.

Infantile colic
Infantile colic (or simply colic) is described as uncontrollable crying, irritability, and fussiness for more than three hours a day in otherwise healthy infants. It typically begins around two weeks of age and resolves by three to four months.

Symptoms are usually worse in the late afternoon and evening, and infants will often pull their legs up to their abdomen and arch their back when crying. Although no single cause of colic has been identified, it has been linked to an immature digestive system, excess gas, and food intolerances.

Treatment
In breastfed infants with colic, it is important to evaluate and alter the mother’s diet. Exclusion of allergenic foods such as dairy products, wheat, eggs, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts may help decrease symptoms of colic. In formula-fed infants, switching to a hypoallergenic formula can be beneficial.

Gentle botanical extracts such as camomile (Matricariae recutita), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) can be soothing for the digestive system. Probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus reuteri, may also decrease the crying and fussing of colic, though evidence is less clear.

Gastroesophageal reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a common occurrence in infants in which the contents of their stomach are spit up shortly after feeding. GER may progress to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more problematic form that can include symptoms such as recurrent vomiting, poor weight gain, refusal to feed, and sleep disturbances.

GER and GERD can also occur in older children. Symptoms may be more similar to those experienced by adults, such as abdominal pain, a burning sensation in the stomach, painful swallowing, and upper respiratory problems including chronic cough and hoarse voice.

Treatment
An allergy to cows’ milk protein has been associated with reflux in infants. Eliminating dairy from both the infants’ and mothers’ diet may be beneficial. If infants are breastfed, slower, smaller, and more frequent feedings can be easier for them to digest and can consequently decrease reflux. Studies have shown that laying infants in the left lateral position (on their left side) instead of on their back may also reduce reflux-related vomiting.

In older children, avoidance of caffeine, chocolate, and spicy cuisine is recommended, as these foods can potentially trigger reflux symptoms. Healthy weight loss can also be helpful for children who are overweight.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

-Dr. Lesley

http://www.alive.com/articles/view/24184/kids_digestive_complaints

Middle ear infection, or otitis media, is the most common reason children are seen by doctors. Antibiotics are usually the first line of treatment recommended. Antibiotics, however, often lead to recurrent infections and do not address the root cause. Consequently, more parents are seeking alternative natural treatments.

Causes of ear infections in children:

Eustachian tube structure
Structurally, children are more susceptible to mucus and fluid buildup in the ears because their Eustachian tube—a canal between the middle ear and the back of the throat—is shorter and more horizontal than in adults.

This may prevent proper drainage of fluid, especially if there is any mucus present in the tube. Mucus provides a good environment for bacterial or viral growth, which leads to inflammation of the middle ear and canal, causing pain.

Allergies
Chronic ear infections can also be due to food or airborne allergies. Allergy creates inflammation and pressure changes in the ear, which can then lead to mucus buildup and infection.

Suppressed immune system
If immune function is lowered for any reason, bacteria or viruses from the nose or throat can find their way into the middle ear and contribute to an ear infection.

Signs and symptoms of an ear infection
Young children with an ear infection may show the following signs:

• irritability
• problems feeding or sleeping
• pulling on the ear
• complaints of ear pain

These symptoms are also often associated with signs of upper respiratory tract infection such as runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and fever. It’s always a good idea to consult a health care practitioner to get symptoms checked and to determine the best course of treatment.

How to prevent ear infections:

There are several things parents can do to help prevent ear infections in their children before they become a problem.

Strengthen the immune system:

Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is recommended exclusively for the first six months and then until the child is at least a year old. Human milk, unlike infant formula, contains anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents as well as antibodies that are needed to compensate for the immaturity of the infant immune system.

Studies show that introduction of infant formula in the first six months of life is associated with increased incidence of acute otitis media in early childhood when compared with exclusively breastfed infants.

Vitamin D
Studies have found that adequate vitamin D levels are needed to activate the killer T-cells of the immune system so they can detect and kill foreign micro-organisms, potentially preventing serious infection. Vitamin D deficiency can also increase the risk of respiratory infections in children.

Although there is little research on vitamin D and ear infections, most ear infections occur alongside a respiratory infection, meaning that ensuring your children maintain adequate levels of vitamin D may help in reducing the rate of ear infections.

Probiotics
Supplementation of the diet with intestinal bacteria is important to healthy immunity, especially if a child has been on antibiotics. Because antibiotics kill off all bacteria, even healthy micro-organisms, they allow for overgrowth of more harmful bacteria as well as yeast, which can lead to digestive issues and further infections.

Probiotics help to replenish healthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, where a large component of our immune system exists. A recent study showed that supplementing infants with probiotics decreased the occurrence of early acute otitis media as well as antibiotic use during the first year of life.

Decrease inflammation in the middle ear and canal:

Allergies
One main cause of inflammation and mucus buildup in the ear is food allergies. The common food allergies include dairy, wheat products containing gluten, soy, eggs, and some nuts. Blood tests can identify specific food allergens, but often eliminating the general offending food groups for a period of time, especially dairy products, can help resolve reoccurrence of ear infections.

Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids can also help reduce inflammation in the ear canal. Studies show that omega-3s, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), target anti-inflammatory pathways that decrease inflammation in the body. Adding fish to your child’s diet or a good fish oil supplement containing omega-3s will help ensure adequate levels.

Natural treatments for ear infections
An ear infection is rarely a medical emergency and will usually show improvement within a few days. A reasonable approach in treating a child older than six months, who is otherwise healthy and whose other symptoms are mild, is to wait two to three days to see if the body will recover without antibiotics.

If after three days the infection has not gone away, antibiotics may be necessary. However, during the period of “waiting and watching,” there are things that can be done naturally to help the body clear the infection.

Homeopathy
Studies have shown that homeopathy is an effective treatment for acute otitis media, with quicker symptomatic improvement as well as decreased antibiotic use compared to children given other conventional treatments such as anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications.

It is important to consult with a natural health care practitioner to find the homeopathic remedy whose description most closely matches your child’s overall symptom picture.

Herbals
Botanical medicine involves using extracts of plants to treat or prevent illness. Various herbal blends have been studied in the treatment of otitis media, specifically Allium sativum, Verbascum thapsus, Valendula flores, Hypericum perforatum, and lavender. When mixed with vitamin E and olive oil and used as ear drops, these plants help to relieve ear pain, which is one of the main symptoms of otitis media.

http://www.alive.com/articles/view/23619/ear_infections_in_children

Welcome to fall! Here are some great fall superfoods to include in your daily diet. Enjoy!

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307323,00.html

- Dr. Lesley

The time while you are preparing for conception is one of the most important times to create a healthy body in preparation for pregnancy. It is also the best time to do a fertility cleanse. Fertility cleansing is a way to support the body in preparation for conception by cleansing the uterus and liver. A fertility cleanse encourages the liver to cleanse the body of toxins and excess hormones. It also supports the uterus to cleanse itself of old stagnant blood and increases circulation to the uterus while tonifying the uterine tissues.

Why Fertility Cleanse? The time while you are preparing for conception is one of the most important times to create a healthy body in preparation for pregnancy.

Over the years the body can accumulate toxins in the body from chemicals in the air, earth, water and from substances we put into our bodies. Many of these toxins get stored in the fat tissues of the body and can be released quicker through cleansing. Some of these toxins may be left from:

·         Birth control
·         Cigarette Smoke
·         Pesticides
·         Excess hormones
·         Poor diet
·         Alcohol, etc

Ideally we would like our bodies to be as healthy as possible during pregnancy, through cleansing we are able to support the body in its natural ability to rid itself of these substances.

While cleansing is beneficial, not just any cleanse is going to be beneficial for fertility. A fertility cleanse is specific to the reproductive system and assists the body in eliminating the additional burden of substances not good for fertility.

A fertility cleanse focuses on three major areas that can help the body to prepare for conception.

Liver Health
The liver helps to filter toxins from the body including excess hormones. If there is an over abundance of estrogen it is the livers job to remove it from the system. Sometimes, due to poor diet, lifestyle or general health, the liver may need some stimulation and support to get rid of these substances.

Uterine Health 
Uterine health is very important for reproductive health. Every cycle the uterus is supposed to release the lining that was built that month for the embryo to implant. In some cases the uterus is not completely cleansed every cycle, so old stagnant blood remains. As you can imagine, this is not the best environment to house a new embryo.

Through using specific cleansing and uterine herbs you can help support your uterine health, increase circulation and help tonify the uterine muscles, all helping to promote a healthy uterine environment.

Increasing circulation to the uterus
In order for the uterus to function at its best, it requires proper circulation. With proper circulation the communication loop between the uterus and ovaries with the endocrine system is able to function smoothly. This is necessary for proper hormonal balance and all of the functions dependent on it such as ovulation, menstruation, and hormone production.

For more information about fertility cleansing contact Dr. Lesley!

http://natural-fertility-info.com/prepare-for-conception

Natural treatments for concerns experienced during pregnancy:

Third trimester:

Constipation
This is a common problem during pregnancy, especially during the first and third trimester.

Causes: As the baby increases in size, it puts pressure on digestive organs. Food also passes through the intestines more slowly due to an increase in progesterone, which relaxes smooth muscles throughout the body, including the digestive tract.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Eat high-fibre foods such as whole grains, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables.
• Drink plenty of water—at least six to eight glasses per day.
• Exercise regularly; yoga, walking, and swimming are safe choices.

Heartburn
Many women can experience heartburn during pregnancy even if they have never experienced it before.

Causes: Increased levels of hormones can soften the ligaments that normally keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) between your stomach and esophagus tightly closed. Also, the growing baby puts pressure on the stomach, pushing up its food contents through the LES into the esophagus.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Eat smaller meals frequently throughout the day.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they cause relaxation of the LES.
• Avoid lying down after meals.
• Avoid greasy and highly seasoned foods.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, except while eating.
• Studies also suggest that acupuncture can help alleviate heartburn symptoms during pregnancy.

Supplements for healthy pregnancy:

• prenatal vitamin to ensure adequate supplementation of vitamins and minerals
• probiotic supplement to replenish healthy bacteria in the gut and vaginal canal
• omega-3 fatty acids (DHA) for optimal brain and eye development in the baby
• calcium-magnesium if you are not getting enough through diet.

http://www.alive.com/articles/view/23547/stay_healthy_during_pregnancy

For more information about pregnancy support and naturopathic medicine contact Dr. Lesley!

Natural treatments for concerns experienced during pregnancy:

Second Trimester:

Headaches
Although they may occur at any time during pregnancy, headaches tend to be most common during the first and second trimesters.

Causes: Headaches may be caused by a surge in hormones along with an increase in blood volume and circulation that occur during the early stages. Other possible causes may involve lack of sleep, dehydration, low blood sugar, and stress.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for tension-related headaches as well as migraines. Acupuncture points are chosen based on the particular headache pattern experienced.
• Massage therapy can be very helpful in relieving muscle tension as well as stress, common causes of headaches.

Varicose veins
Appearing most often on the legs, varicose veins are swollen, bluish veins that may bulge near the surface of the skin. Many women may first develop varicose veins or find that they get worse during pregnancy.

Causes: A combination of added pressure from the growing uterus, a surge in hormones, and increased blood volume all result in relaxation of the blood vessel walls as well as increased blood pressure in the leg veins. This can contribute to the development of varicose veins.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Elevate your legs whenever possible.
• Use a stool to rest your legs on when you are sitting.
• Exercise daily to improve circulation.
• Eat a diet rich in bioflavonoids and vitamin C, which may help strengthen blood vessel walls to prevent bulging.

Stay tuned for my final post about the 3rd trimester!
http://www.alive.com/articles/view/23547/stay_healthy_during_pregnancy

Becoming pregnant can be one of the most wonderful and exciting times in a woman’s life. However, there are a number of problems that can arise during the different trimesters that can make the journey quite challenging.

Because so few medications can be taken safely during these nine months, many women are looking to find natural ways to address their pregnancy symptoms.

First trimester:

Nausea and vomiting
This can affect up to 90 percent of pregnant women in their first trimester.

Causes: Researchers believe that nausea and vomiting is a result of the many physical changes that occur in early pregnancy, including higher levels of hormones.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Several studies have shown that the use of a vitamin B6 or ginger supplement may decrease the intensity of both nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
• Acupressure wrist bands or acupuncture may also help, though the evidence is less clear.

Yeast infections
Also known as vaginal candidiasis, yeast infections tend to be more prevalent in pregnant women. It is not uncommon to have a certain amount of yeast or candida in the vaginal canal; however, it can become a problem when it grows so fast that it overwhelms other competing beneficial micro-organisms.

Causes: It is believed that the high estrogen levels and high glycogen content in vaginal secretions during pregnancy provide an excellent environment for the yeast to grow rapidly.

Treatment/Prevention:

• Take a probiotic supplement high in L. acidophilus, which provides beneficial bacteria that help prevent overgrowth of the yeast. Probiotic capsules can be taken orally or even inserted vaginally during an active infection, but it is important to talk to your health care practitioner first.
• Some people believe that eliminating sugar from the diet may also be beneficial.

Stay tuned for common health concerns during the second trimester of pregnancy!

http://www.alive.com/articles/view/23547/stay_healthy_during_pregnancy