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(Read Part I here)

What Shapes Your Health? It starts with you!

Unlike a meal in your favorite restaurant, good health can’t be dished out by a doctor or naturopath, no matter how skilled they may be, or how much they’d love to serve it to you! Wellness is much more than a commodity we can buy or sell. Although it may appear that way, very few people live a long, happy and healthy life thanks to a lucky draw of genetics. The World Health Organization defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.”

These days, however, very few people can claim they are living in an optimal state of health and, worse, most have no idea how to get there. Rest assured, there is an answer and just like the Time cover says, “It’s All About Prevention.”

Whenever my clients ask me about wellness and prevention, countless factors can affect our well-being, but these are the most important ones:

• Lifestyle and behavior
• Biological and genetic makeup
• Environment
• Medical care

Of these four key factors, behavior is the one that is most within your control. Even with limited resources, educating yourself, then making the best choices, can pay big dividends when it comes to your health. It only makes sense that the better you treat your body, the better you’ll feel and, in the long run, the healthier you’ll be. So here are a few practical, affordable steps you can take today toward better health I recommend for all of my clients that are focused on Moderation & Balance:

• A truly balanced diet comes from consuming a live, plant-based diet with foods that are in as close to their natural form as possible. Skip the middle aisles of your grocery store or, better yet, visit a local farmers market. Not only will you save money, but you’ll have a fridge stocked with wonderful, flavorful foods!
• Add appropriate herbs and supplements, as recommended by a qualified natural health practitioner. With today’s modern food processing systems, the produce on store shelves has been often been shipped for days or weeks, pumped full of water or genetically modified, not to mention being exposed to all kinds of toxic chemicals like pesticides. Even if you do eat perfectly (not many can make that claim!), most of you still aren’t getting the nutrients your body needs to maintain optimum health. Supplementation can help to bridge the gap and, in my opinion, is needed for everyone to protect their health.
• A regular exercise program. Whether you choose to join a fitness club, take classes or simply take brisk walks around your neighborhood, exercise is an essential way to improve your health and maintain mobility as you get older.
• Cut back on or eliminate damaging habits, often referred to as the “New Diseases,” like smoking and drug and alcohol abuse.

Of course, changing habits is never easy. Mark Twain famously said, “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.” So if you’re struggling to change habits that have been deeply ingrained in your daily routine over the years, you are in good company. Keep in mind, however, each of these daily decisions has a big impact on your overall health and that taking positive steps will motivate you to improve. Remember, the healthier your lifestyle is, the better your chances are of living longer, and feeling better, even in old age. Is there any better way to spend your time and money?

Above and Beyond the Scope of Traditional Medicine

The growing field of Complementary Alternative Medicine offers many more ways to improve health and prevent serious illnesses. Combined with the lifestyle changes I described above, these therapies are affordable, effective and often much easier to follow for a lifetime than most options traditional medicine has to offer. Several of my health coaching clients have experienced dramatic improvements because they were finally able to address a range of symptoms that they could not cope with on their own or with the help of other medical practitioners.

As with all health products and treatments, alternative therapies need to be treated with respect, knowledge and balance. However, they offer a long history of safe and effective ways to cope with health concerns. From our earliest records of human history, natural and herbal remedies have been used to treat disease. Dating back to the 16th century BCE, the Ebers Papyrus compiled in ancient Egypt contains hundreds of remedies for various afflictions. Medical herbalism that is practiced in the Western world can be traced back to a first-century Greek physician Dioscorides, who wrote a text called De Materia Medica. It quickly become known as the world’s leading pharmacological text and was used for more than 1,600 years.

Whenever my clients ask me about the cost of naturopathic treatments, I explain that it’s still very common for traditional herbal remedies to be prescribed by medical professionals outside of the U.S. as a first line of treatment. In fact, many European health programs reimburse the costs of herbal prescriptions and supplements. Although the majority of providers in America don’t offer this type of coverage, the U.S. News & World Report says 13 of the 17 top-rated hospitals in America now offer “integrative” medicine.

These internationally renowned centers, including Johns Hopkins, UCLA Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic, have all taken steps to incorporate complementary and natural treatments into their traditional medical approach. Research performed during the past decade has shown time and again how therapies like acupuncture and massage, given in combination with traditional medicine results in faster recovery, improved pain management and better overall outcomes for patients. No wonder, the top medical centers in the country are changing their ways and in time, hopefully, insurers will follow suit.

So, with American health insurers not covering complementary treatments, you may be asking if it’s worth spending the money out of pocket. Just as you understand the necessary investment of time and money to maintaining your car, your health and wellness require constant upkeep. Put off maintaining your car (like forgetting to check the oil) and you’ll be spending lots of time (and money!!) visiting your local mechanic! Or, even worse, trading in a vehicle that you’ve invested thousands of dollars in for a newer more expensive model that may not work nearly as well.

When it comes to your body, there are no trade-in options! So investing a relatively small amount of time and money today will help you to avoid disastrous consequences down the road. If you “can’t afford” supplementation and natural health care, I’d argue taking a very honest look at your lifestyle and habits.

If you’re like most people, you probably spend much of your money on things like eating out, buying new clothes and entertainment (sporting events, movies, concerts, etc.) is long overdue. That $4-6 latte you’re buying at that national coffee shop chain conveniently located near you not only isn’t healthy, but can negatively affect your pocketbook. Fact is, those extra dollars you spend every week on lattes could be used to impact your health in much more important and positive ways, especially if you’ve got family history of disease and illness.

Imagine the difference it would make if more people start taking responsibility for their own health in small ways — like choosing a piece of fruit over a slice of pizza — instead of simply relying on an insurance policy or prescription drug to do the heavy lifting. Focusing on preventative care now will keep more people out of hospitals and doctors offices later in life. Not to mention, on a national scale, the more we each take care of our health collectively, the more we’ll reap the benefit of lower insurance claims by keeping premiums down overall.

Yes, it’s true that people in our part of the world are living longer than ever before. In addition to a longer life, however, it’s just as important to maintain a high quality of living that allows you to keep doing the things you love. In the big picture, all those seemingly small decisions really can add up to something good.

There’s no better time to get on the path to a healthy and well lifestyle than today. Giving your health priority now will pay off with years of feeling your best and enjoying life with people you love. If you’d like a personal consultation to help you learn more about the natural treatments that are available and how they can help, I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me today and let’s get started!

However you define health care, there is no denying it’s costing all of us dearly. In fact, coupled with the economic crisis we are currently facing, the healthcare implications for the future may be like nothing we’ve seen before.

How did we get here? For decades, we’ve been convinced by established healthcare institutions that our health is totally dependent on expensive hospital care, medical procedures and costly pharmaceuticals. Unfortunately, these treatments have led many Americans to bury themselves in debt… It’s only later that they realize their medical “treatments” did little more than temporarily relieve their symptoms.

The downfall of modern medicine is that it often fails to address the actual underlying cause of a patient’s sickness.

Adding further to this problem, big business and the media use terms “healthy,” “all natural” and “good for you” in misleading ways to pitch their latest products, fad diets, processed foods and all the subsequent stories about them. With a public bombarded with misleading information and advertising from all sides, it’s no wonder we have a health crisis and obesity epidemic on our hands.

How to Cope with Spiraling Premium Costs

This is not to minimize, however, that all Americans are in need of an insurance policy, especially in the case of catastrophic illness or injury. Sadly, there are still an estimated 50 million Americans who remain uninsured and more than 75 percent of them are working families. There are countless examples of what can happen to families without insurance coverage. In 2007, more than half of all personal bankruptcies were due to medical expenses. The majority of them were middle-class, well-educated folks who owned their homes.

So as we wait for state and national governments and health care institutions to change policies, rework budgets and create legislation to solve these problems, is there anything WE can do on an individual basis? The answer is YES! When finances are limited, it becomes even more important to use our health resources wisely and efficiently. One way of doing this is to treat conditions in gentler, more natural ways that can often be handled at home, instead of in an expensive clinic. As a Naturopath, I believe strongly in this philosophy. By shifting our focus to preventing disease and relearning the skill of self-help wherever possible, we can improve and protect our health before our immune system weakens and illness strikes.

World Health Organization representative Dr. Michael O’Carroll puts it this way: “WE INHERITED a health-care system based on a medical approach to health. If you are sick, you go to a doctor. Forget about the fact that you drank two bottles of whiskey. Forget that you never exercise. You see the doctor and say: ‘Doctor, cure me.’ Then the doctor puts something in your mouth, puts something in your arm, cuts something off, or puts something on. Now, I am speaking grossly here, as you will understand, just to get the point across, but this kind of medical approach has prevailed. We have wrongfully medicalized society’s problems. Suicide, malnutrition, and drug abuse have become medical problems. But they are not. They are not even health problems. They are social problems with health and medical consequences.

“Then, over the last 20 years, people said, ‘Hey, slow down. We’re doing things the wrong way. We need to redefine what health is all about.’ Some principles underlying the primary-health-care approach developed, such as: ‘It is more humane and more cost-effective in the long run to prevent disease than to treat it.’ It is, for example, against this principle to build a clinic to deal with open-heart surgery when you do nothing about the causes. That does not mean that you do not treat diseases if they occur. Of course you do. If you have a hole in the street that is causing accidents every day of the week, you will treat the poor fellow who falls and breaks his legs, but the more humane and cost-effective thing to do is: Fill the hole.”

As trained Naturopaths, we are trained to look at the root cause of an illness/disease. By treating the whole person –- their lifestyle, habits and health concerns together –- we work with patients to better understand and stimulate the healing power of their human bodies, instead of treating them like machines made up of separate parts. Getting to the root cause of disease is much like filling a hole in the street. Carefully selecting appropriate natural therapies, and not costly and harmful prescription drugs, has helped many of my clients experience tremendous benefits, even those with chronic and long-standing illnesses.

The Hidden Costs of Our Health Care System

By the year 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently forecasted healthcare spending will consume nearly 20 percent of our total economy. Above and beyond the economics, the human cost of our health care issues is undeniably the gravest one. From 2000-06, an estimated 137,000 Americans died because they could not afford the high premiums of health insurance.

Why does health care cost so much? A recent study published in Health Affairs revealed that red tape in our health care system makes it a much less efficient one than our neighboring nations. With countless variations in billing and submissions, the paperwork associated with our health care system in dealing with insurance companies means that doctors are spending more time filling out forms and less time on health issues and treating their patients. All that extra paperwork has contributed to an extra $27 billion spent on health care bureaucracy costs annually.

Instead of depending on their insurance policy and an over-burdened healthcare system facing enormous challenges, many of my clients have asked me to create a personalized health promotion strategy. Taking a more active role in your health does not have to break the bank and, trust me, you won’t be gambling with your health. On the contrary, YOU will finally be in control of your health!

If you’d like to learn more about how to naturally care for your health, please review my Services page and then Contact Me to learn how we can work together.

Be sure to read Part II of How YOU Can Be Your Best Insurance Policy for more helpful ideas!

I remember watching an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show where Dr. Mehmet Oz was talking about America’s addiction to prescription medications. The show was primarily about pain-relieving, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications, the primary drugs people get addicted to.

It was an intense show and, although I know that Americans take too many prescriptions, I wasn’t prepared for the statistics. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reports that more Americans are addicted to prescription drugs than to heroin, cocaine and ecstasy COMBINED! They report more than 6 million people are addicted to prescriptions. YIKES! Those are staggering numbers.

Are you one of them? Chances are that either you, or someone you know, is taking a prescription. Unfortunately, Americans are being brainwashed into assuming, because the drugs are being prescribed by your physician, they are safe. That is simply untrue.

Have you ever read the multiple pages of “Side Effects, Contraindications, Warnings and Interactions” included when you pick up your prescriptions? You should… It will be a wake-up call. We have to do a better job about managing our pain or depression, rather than mindlessly reaching for a drug.

I agree with Dr. Oz when he states, “…..many people taking prescription drugs — legally or illegally — are hiding from their real problems. Instead of addressing painful emotions or aches, addicts swallow a quick fix.” Also, “We use these pills to numb ourselves to what’s really happening in our life, which is often a wake-up call to make a change.”

Of course, one of the main problems with taking all of these drugs: People don’t realize they have options.

While flipping through a magazine, watching TV or even listening to the radio, I’m absolutely certain you have heard an ad about a fantastic new drug that can “cure what ails you.” The media and Big Pharma are constantly bombarding us about drugs… You can’t escape them.

But most people don’t realize there are other ways to deal with what ails them that can be just as effective and far safer for them. Instead of addressing the real cause of the problem, unfortunately, we’d rather mask that symptom with a drug.

That’s not surprising. We do live in a world where we want instant gratification.  We want it fixed now and don’t want to be uncomfortable while we’re fixing it either.

I have met with countless clients over the years who have been addicted to anti-depressant and anti-anxiety drugs. In my opinion, this is the worst kind of addiction. In the beginning, they thought it was harmless enough. Just a little “help” to get them over the divorce/loss of job/boyfriend troubles, etc.

Then it turned into numbing. I always know when I’m talking to someone who is addicted. When I ask them a question — How do you feel? — they can’t answer it.

The drug has numbed them so much they are unable to get in touch with their emotions and express themselves. Whether it’s mad, sad, happy, or even depressed, they can’t feel anything at all. Of course, when they are ready to get off the drug, the predominant emotion people feel is FEAR. They are scared to FEEL. They don’t know it at the time, but that’s what it boils down to.

I strongly believe it’s those very emotions that can actually HELP people get better. The anger they feel is there for a reason: To tell them something about their life. If they are depressed, they need to look at WHY and work on fixing that problem. Drugging yourself so you don’t have to FEEL anything is not the way to handle it.

If you’re on prescription meds, you can get off them, but you will need help. Doing it on your own is not advised. You will need nutritional help, as your diet plays a huge role in the way your brain chemistry works. Naturopaths and holistic healers can help you slowly and safely wean off of dangerous prescription drugs.

As you start to feel withdrawals from a drug, your brain chemistry will be affected and eating certain foods (and not others) can make this process significantly easier. You will also need nutritional supplementation to help your body physically deal with the damage from the drugs and help to boost your immune system.

And, of course, talking to a qualified therapist or priest can help you with the emotional side of this problem and help you work through whatever it was making you anxious or depressed in the first place.

The important thing is to remember this: You do have options to help yourself heal from addiction to prescription medications.  There are MANY different natural healing modalities that work as well (if not better!) than prescriptions.

Before taking a single step, however, you must be able to answer all of the following questions with a simple Yes.

• Are you willing to work on yourself?
• Are you ready to address the real problem?
• Can you face what’s uncomfortable about your life and make changes?
• Can you put yourself, your body and health first in your life and do what’s in YOUR best interest?

If you are, it’s time to have a talk with your regular physician and discuss their approach for very slowly weaning yourself off of the meds. The next conversation should be with a qualified natural health practitioner who can give you the nutritional support so you can make this transition as easy for yourself as possible.

I have wonderful Natural Health Services that can help you manage this transition. Be sure to read my Testimonials to discover what others have said about working with me regarding their emotional and physical health.

And, lastly, get in touch with a good therapist or priest. It must be someone you trust and with whom you can discuss your innermost thoughts.

You don’t have to be addicted nor take the medications forever. There is help and hope out there for you.

Natural Health Consultations (only by phone)

The benefits of phone consultations include:

• Comfort and privacy – you can sit in the comfort of your own home, an office or whatever location works best for you.
• Convenience – you don’t have to fight traffic, drive across town to a doctor’s office and sit in a waiting room.
• Affordability – My prices are significantly lower than other doctors in the field because my overhead is lower. I don’t maintain a separate office, receptionist, expensive inventory, etc.
• Listening – My intense, personalized hour-long consultations provide you with a great opportunity to be heard. With a regular doctor, you probably only chat for a few minutes; with me, you’ll have much longer to explain exactly what’s troubling you and receive in-depth recommendations.
• Coaching – Naturopaths don’t give exams or diagnoses. Instead, we listen to your symptoms and provide recommendations on ways you can naturally improve your health. (Another benefit is you’ll never have to take a “prescription” from me – just natural remedies.)
• Scheduling – Since my appointments are all by phone, I can often accommodate your schedule. I’ve had early, late and even weekend phone appointments – sometimes appointments over lunch – whatever is convenient for you.

How I can help

Are You Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired?

Do you have health challenges that you want to overcome? Are you done taking medication and dealing with the side effects? Are you ready to be well?

My natural health services can help you get back on the path to wellness by offering:

• Nutritional counseling & supplementation
• Herbal recommendations
• Lifestyle changes
• Integrative therapies geared toward your unique health challenges

You can’t help but reach your health goals when you have the attention, personal support and guidance you need.

As a young adult, I suffered from anxiety and depression and other health challenges.  I understand the challenges these conditions pose, and I know that conventional treatments can be frustrating and ineffective.  Don’t despair…people with the following health conditions have found relief with nutritional therapies (see Testimonials):

• Sleeping Problems
• Headaches
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Digestion Issues
• Fatigue/Low Energy
• Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue
• Allergies
• Pain Management
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress Management

If you suffer from any of these health challenges, please know there is often a nutritional imbalance involved.  Working to correct that imbalance can make all the difference.  The suggestions and recommendations I make can absolutely make a difference in how you feel and will help you manage stress levels and emotions.

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” -Thomas Edison

Nutritional Health Consultations

I offer natural health consultations exclusively via telephone so you can start enjoying better health in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Even if you are not in the San Antonio area, I can assist you and help you feel better.

To alleviate any concerns, I offer a complimentary 10-minute telephone appointment so you can address any questions or concerns you have.

To reach me by email, simply fill out this form and let me know the best times to phone you.

Are you ready to live a better life? If you are ready to put yourself first and make your health the top priority in your life, let’s get started! Contact me today for a phone consultation and for better health!

TX Natural Health Services

Have you ever seen the words Enriched or Fortified on a cereal box, a loaf of bread or flour? Have you stopped to think about what they mean? This article is going to define these words and the detrimental impact they have on our food supply.

Enriched foods

You’ll see this label most commonly on flour, breads, tortillas and pasta. What this means is that during the refining process, valuable nutrients are stripped away. Most commonly, this refining process is done with wheat and results in white flour.

The wheat grain, when processed, contains the hull from the kernel and is brown. Food manufacturers strip that hull (bran) away in the refining process, resulting in white flour and the loss of valuable nutrients. Then, B Vitamins are “enriched” into the flour because they were stripped away in the first place when the flour was made.

Fortified foods

Foods like dairy products, orange juice, cereals and juices have additional vitamins and minerals added to increase their nutritional value. Often, food manufacturers will plaster on a “fortified with essential vitamins and minerals” label.

In the natural health world, however, that is just code for covering up that there is a significant amount of high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar in that box. This happens a lot with cereals. Recently, some food manufacturers have switched to “whole grain” cereals, but don’t be fooled! Just because they are using whole grains, doesn’t make it a healthier option. The sugar content alone is unacceptable in most of these products.

Obviously, if your diet consists of a lot of packaged and processed foods, if you’re shopping down the isles of the grocery store instead of on the outside of the store — where the fruits, vegetables and lean meats are located — you’re missing out on valuable nutrition from your diet and are likely on toxic overload.

Along those same lines, processed and packaged foods are detrimental to your health too. They just don’t contain the necessary nutrients to keep our body in good working order.

Most of the patients I see exist on a mostly processed and packaged food diet, which is why they are looking for some natural health care! When these types of foods are routinely eaten, nutritional deficiencies and imbalances within the body will occur.

A processed food diet can result in quite a laundry list of health symptoms:

• Allergies
• Headaches
• Blood sugar imbalances,
• ADD/ADHD type of symptoms
• Digestion problems
• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Sleep problems
• Stress

When in doubt about the choosing the healthiest foods for you, remember the golden rule: If it comes in a bag or a box and you got it from the isles of the grocery store, chances are that it’s processed and has little value to sustain a superb level of health. Remember to shop on the perimeter of the grocery store and if you do need to get a few things within the aisles of the grocery store, be sure you’re reading your food labels!

Nature doesn’t produce enriched or fortified foods. If you’re eating the diet nature intended — predominantly vegetables, fruits, lean meats, nuts and seeds — you’ll have no need to purchase anything that has been artificially “enriched” or “fortified.”

Nature has provided everything we need to obtain a superb level of health.

If we have to “enrich” and “fortify” the vitamins and minerals in our foods, then we shouldn’t be eating those foods at all! Stick with natural and whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats and nuts/seeds for a stronger and healthier body!

Why quit coffee?

There is quite a debate going around about coffee. Depending on who you read, there are theories that suggest drinking coffee is actually good for you. It does have antioxidant value associated with it, so that can definitely be a good thing.

But for me, it’s how you’re drinking your coffee that matters. Personally, I don’t like the taste of coffee, so it was necessary for me to “doctor it up” to make it tolerable!  I think in and of itself, coffee probably does have some slight nutritional value, as long as you’re drinking it black! But since we live in a nation of Starbucks and seemingly with a coffee shop on every corner, how many of us are actually drinking BLACK coffee? It’s so easy to get Lattes, Frappucinos, Cappucinos, etc. – most of which are laden with milk, sugar and flavorings, and in some cases, even espresso!

I am not perfect, and I did get into the habit of drinking my coffee with cream, flavorings and sugar.  It was the only way I could get it down and make it taste good. Then I got addicted. I tried once to stop and couldn’t. I loved the flavor and the extra “kick” it gave me in the mornings. This has lasted for the last year and a half.

Finally, I reached a point where I recognized that it was having a detrimental effect on my health. Of course I know this intellectually; sugar and milk are definitely not good for the body! But my body didn’t seem to mind too much… Except for lately. I could tell that my energy level was not as good as I would like. That’s what happens with a drug like caffeine: you end up needing more and more of it to get you to feel as good as you used to. So, one cup of java soon can turn into 3-4 cups! Then watch out!

The adrenal glands are not made to function with the constant attack from caffeine. It forces the adrenals to produce more and more adrenaline, pushing your body into the “flight or fight” response.  Then later, when that response wanes, you need another cup (or even two!) or the afternoon candy bar to boost you up again to make it through the rest of the day.

For many people, this is a pattern that has been developed over many years. Many clients I talk to have the addiction that has resulted in many different health ailments; digestion issues, sleep problems, dehydration, headaches, weight gain (from blood sugar imbalances) and fatigue and general malaise. Over time, this roller coaster ride with caffeine and sugar eventually results in adrenal fatigue. For women, this is especially problematic because we already seem to have a lot of hormonal imbalances going around! Add to that problems with adrenal function and it’s a recipe for fatigue and lethargy.

So that’s where I was. I recognized that this was definitely not helping me and in fact, was starting to creep up to an extra 1/2 cup or even another full cup of coffee in the morning. Just to get that extra little “hit” that I needed to get going.

So I decided I wanted to quit. It took me two weeks of preparation. The first week, I started making the coffee weaker and weaker; adding a little more water and less coffee each day. Then the 2nd week, I started drinking less and less. I’ve heard about the headaches and how awful you feel when quitting caffeine. So I thought that I would stop on Thursday and purposely scheduled myself an easy day on Friday, followed by Saturday and Sunday being off and at home to rest and take it easy.

Turns out, this was a very good plan. My Friday was fine and in fact, didn’t really feel like I missed my coffee, although I missed the sweetness. Saturday, however, was another matter. The monster headache started about 8:30 am; by 11:00 am it was downright AWFUL! I resisted the urge to pop an aspirin; instead, I reached for my essential oils.

Peppermint Essential Oil, applied to the top of my head, my forehead and temples, definitely helped. It took the edge off and probably brought it from a 10 down to an 8, which sure was more tolerable. Then I got a tip from a friend about Frankincense Essential Oil. I put a drop on my tongue and held it to the roof of my mouth. Literally within 5 minutes, the headache was completely gone. It never returned, and by the end of the day, the malaise I had felt was gone too! I continued to drink extra water, relax, and generally took it easy for the first few days.

Now, it’s been over a week since I have stopped coffee altogether. Some friends have been around me at work with it, and I still LOVE the smell of it, but I don’t miss drinking it at all. I have substituted something so much better. I have always had NingXia Red drink in the morning, but since stopping coffee, I have doubled my dose every morning and I am convinced that it has made this transition SO much easier.

I now have more energy that the coffee ever gave me and I just feel so much better. My blood sugar has stabililized, and overall, I am so glad to be 100% rid of all caffeine. My “coffee” now is a supercharged Wolfberry Juice filled with powerful essential oils that provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that help support immune system function and keep blood sugar levels stable and balanced. So much healthier than regular coffee.

If you’re wanting to get off coffee or anther caffeinated drink, I’m here to tell you that I can be done – and it can be done with as little discomfort as possible. Follow the suggestions above and watch your energy soar and your health improve!

No matter how old or young you are — even in your 70s, 80s or even 90s — it’s never too late to make changes in your lifestyle that can have a direct positive impact on your health!

Every day, I talk to clients who are struggling to regain their health. Some have long lists of prescription meds they want to stop taking. Others are just starting to have some health challenges and they’re not on prescription meds yet, but their physician may be threatening them with the prospect of having to start to do so. And, some have a severe, debilitating, or even life-threatening, illness.

It’s NEVER too late to start to make changes and it doesn’t matter which one of the three categories you belong to either… You can improve the quality of your life. Chances are good — even excellent — that you can make have visible and positive changes in your health and get your life back.

Be aware, however, there is a single rule you must follow when it comes to your health, particularly when working with a natural health practitioner:

80 percent of what needs to be done is YOUR responsibility!

20 percent is the practitioner’s!

What this really means: YOU ARE the one who will have to stop eating garbage. YOU ARE the one who will have to make time to exercise. YOU ARE the one who will have to work on nurturing, growing or ending a toxic relationship that is making you emotionally and physically sick. YOU ARE the one who will have to take all the supplements and follow the plan that your health practitioner has created for you.

There are no quick fixes, no magic pills and no bullets. Make no mistake, taking supplements, making dietary and lifestyle changes and mastering exercise and stress control can help you obtain a level of health you never thought possible. But in the end, it is up to YOU to make that choice to do it.

Are you ready? If so, I can help you! Contact me today and let’s start improving your health together with simple, natural changes.

Over the years, I’ve had countless women assume that because they are coming to an “alternative” doctor, we have a crystal ball that can predict whether or not they will get cervical cancer. It’s great that women have confidence in me, but it’s very foolish for them to ignore their health in this way.

Case in point: I once had a 70-year-old woman who had been coming to our clinic for more than 30 years. (She is a long-time client of the doctor with whom I used to work.) She came to see us because she was experiencing “spotting,” not something that is normal in a 70-year-old woman.

We gave her a variety of homeopathic remedies and some herbal therapies. Over two weeks, it had not stopped — it hadn’t gotten worse either — nor had anything that we given her helped. So in our next appointment, I told her I thought she should visit her gynecologist to see what was going on.

Her reply: ”I don’t have a gynecologist. You have been my doctor for 30 years.”

I gently informed her this wasn’t a good idea and that women need to have annual checkups. I insisted that she visit my gynecologist and gave her my doctor’s card. After her visit and a Pap smear, she got the diagnosis: Stage 3 Cervical Cancer.

Fortunately, her cancer was caught in time. They treated her aggressively with chemo and surgery. And, we supported her during that process by boosting her immune system with natural therapies specifically designed for cancer therapy. Today, she is alive and healthy and well. But that was a very important lesson for her and, hopefully, for you too…

As much as I love alternative and natural medicine, we have our limitations. In most states, Naturopaths cannot perform Pap smears on women. We do not possess the training, nor the medical equipment that is necessary to perform this important test.

The Pap smear (named after the Greek Dr. Georgios Papanicolaou) is a gynecological test to check for the presence of pre-malignant or malignant cells found on the cervix.

Women should get a pap smear every year so that doctors can catch cervical cancer before it’s too late.

As a Cervical Cancer survivor, I can attest to the importance of this test. And whether you’re 15 or 70, if you still have a cervix, it is important that you go in to your gynecologist and have an annual test. I know it is not our favorite visit to the doctor… These tests are invasive and not so much fun. But do it anyway!

My prior post on taking responsibility for your health talks about that very thing. Don’t leave it up to your current medical professional to make sure you are doing all you need to do.

It is up to YOU to ensure you’re doing all you need to do to ensure your health. Even if you have a long-standing relationship with a nutritionist, a naturopath, acupuncturist or chiropractor, those practitioners cannot take the place of a regular visit to the gynecologist, and they can’t perform this all-important test.

So be sure you schedule that visit. It’s 15 minutes, once a year. Do it for your health!

It seems like you can’t read a magazine or newspaper or listen to the news or a talk show without being told by someone to eat your fruits and vegetables.

Of course, I’ve said more than my fair share about that as well on this website. As a Naturopath and Health Coach, Eating More Vegetables and Fruits is my Number 1 recommendation. In fact, you really can’t eat enough of them. Nature was kind enough to leave us with an abundance of colors, tastes and textures, all with their own unique and delicious healing power.

Unfortunately, as I’ve mentioned before, the produce you buy at the store often has been shipped from considerable distances and exposed to various toxins and poisons along the way to you – thus, most have lost much of their nutritional value.

But what if you can pick your own food at a local farm? I’m not talking about growing your own fruits and vegetables, although that would be ideal, but few us have the space nor the time!

Turns out, numerous farms throughout the United States offer this service. Visit Pick Your Own.org to find a farm near you and start picking your own fruits and vegetables.

Not only does this support a local farmer in your community, best of all, your fruits and vegetables will be fresh which will help them be better absorbed and utilized by your body.

In my experience, many Americans don’t understand the positive aspects of choosing natural treatments and alternative medicine over conventional therapies. With that in mind, consider these key points when you’re looking for the best and safest solutions for your health:

Alternative medicine…

Is Safe, Natural and Gentle. Most forms of alternative therapies are safe and non-invasive. Most herbs, homeopathic remedies, nutritional supplementation and options like massage, Reiki and acupuncture are all wonderful therapies that Naturopaths would considered safe and gentle. By the way, one might argue that acupuncture is an “invasive” procedure with the use of needles. As an advocate of acupuncture (and having benefited by the many sessions I’ve had), needles are used, but they are very tiny and you can hardly feel them at all. Certainly, they’re not as invasive as a surgeon’s knife! Of course, please be sure the supplements you’re taking are safe for you too.

Offers more choices. Since most health insurance companies do not cover natural therapies, you’ll have many more choices available to you when searching for help. Often, insurance companies regulate who you can and can’t see, but because they’re out of the picture, you are free to choose what type of natural therapy you would like and which practitioner to see. Because each state has different licensing and laws, however, always check a therapist’s credentials before using him or her.

Ensures you are heard. Most alternative medicine practitioners will take the time to really “listen” to you and evaluate your symptoms. In the typical conventional medicine scenario, sometimes, all you’ll get is a quick appointment. I’ve had patients tell me, in some cases, their visits with their doctor were timed and lasted only 3 minutes! Yikes! Most Naturopaths and Chiropractors will take significant time with you (especially the first visit) to really assess you and your health. We take into account the health of your whole body, not only your physical symptoms, but the emotional ones too.

You’re In Charge. Whether you decide to take some herbs or homeopathy for yourself or make that Reiki appointment, you’re in charge of what goes into your body and what happens to it. Of course, for serious illnesses, I always recommend you partner with a natural health care practitioner who can assist you directly. But if you just have the sniffles or some allergies, there are LOTS of alternative remedies you can learn about, then try them for yourself.

There are some wonderful natural healing books that I recommend to help you in your quest to better your health. Although I don’t have this book on my list, for those of you who want to try homeopathy, this book and homeopathic kit are my favorites to have in your home.

Also, essential oils are some of my favorite things to try to use for allergies, insomnia and other minor ailments.

Don’t be afraid to try some natural therapies. The benefits far outweigh any risks that you may have heard about.

Of course, you’re always welcome to Contact Me with questions.

What is a naturopathic doctor?

Naturopathic Medicine, or Naturopathy, is based on the belief that the body can heal itself. Naturopathic Doctors believe the body has the ability to repair itself and recover from illness if it is supported by a healthy environment. Naturopaths aid and support that healing process by incorporating a variety of alternative health methods based solely on the needs of the individual, not a medical “playbook.”

These therapies are based on the premise that they must use the healing power of nature and should be the least invasive and gentle to the body as possible. These methods and treatments rely exclusively on natural remedies, such as sunlight, fresh air, water, a healthy diet, herbs and nutritional supplementation. Moreover, most Naturopaths have extensive training and schooling in natural therapies, like nutrition, hydrotherapy, herbs, plants/flowers, homeopathy and massage, just to name a few.

Naturopaths have many remedies and recommendations for creating a healthy environment so the body can heal itself. The other great difference between conventional medicine and naturopathy: The focus of treatment expands far beyond the confines of a specific disease and its symptoms to include the underlying causes of the imbalance. Naturopaths look at each person uniquely, considering his or her lifestyle, diet, exercise program, mental and emotional state and personal history when making specific recommendations.

Naturopaths believe true health and healing is greatly enhanced when all aspects of a patient’s body, mind and spirit are considered. What’s more, Naturopathy can assist a person in their quest for better health, from the preventive stages to serious or chronic conditions. Therefore, people may visit a Naturopath simply to make improvements in their health, get relief from colds or allergies or to treat more serious conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.

Exceptional health and well-being is possible utilizing natural therapies that will help restore balance to your body. Contact me today to learn more about how I can help you learn how to live the best life possible!

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a science that stimulates the individual’s body to correct imbalances, eliminate waste and maintain equilibrium in the body by means of preparations which facilitate the process of self-cure and enable the body to heal itself by following the Laws of Nature.

The principles of Homeopathy are ancient, dating back to India’s Ayurvedic medicine and Greece’s Hippocrates. In the late 18th century, Samuel Hahnemann, a German chemist and physician, began to re-verify and codify these concepts. He called this system of therapy, Homeopathy.

Homeopathic preparations act on the “vital force” of the body, in a very similar fashion to the electric current that activates your TV by energizing the human being mentally, emotionally and physically.

Making Gentle Adjustments

When a malfunction occurs in the body, disease and illness sets in and adjustments must be made at various levels. Most conventional medicine “replaces” the malfunctioning part, thus only temporarily relieving the problem and causing side effects in the process. Homeopathic preparations, on the other hand, act to direct and realign the vital force of the body, thus fine-tuning the essential balance within the individual.

Homeopathic remedies are prepared by making a tincture from seeds, bark, roots, minerals and other elements, then diluting this mixture with distilled water and alcohol, then shaking and diluting further to potentize the remedy (making the mixture even more potent).

Remedies are then used either externally as lotions or ointments, or used internally in liquid, pellet or tablet form. Pellets or tablets are dissolved under the tongue, away from all other food, drinks, toothpaste, mouthwash or other herbs. This enables the remedies to get absorbed into the body without interruption. The remedy, then, stimulates and encourages the body’s natural healing forces to begin recovery and heal itself.

Melissa Wood, ND
Holistic health practitioner

My quest for health and wellness began when I was a young adult, suffering from anxiety and depression. Finding conventional medicine ineffective in treating these conditions, I turned to alternative and natural medicine and studied nutrition, plants / herbs / flowers, homeopathy, massage, aromatherapy, and other techniques.

I have had the pleasure of working one-on-one with clients for the last ten years as a Naturopathic Doctor, Health and Wellness Coach, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Aromatherapy Consultant. Helping clients find and maintain their optimal health is more than my job; it has been my passion for over 25 years. (See Testimonials.)

Located just outside of San Antonio, Texas, in the beautiful hill community of Pipe Creek, I offer telephone consultations for people in the region and around the country. No matter where you live, I can make suggestions that will help you lead a happier, healthier life.

At this time, I provide phone consultations only. This allows me to help people improve their health no matter where they live.

What is a Holistic Health Practitioner?

In our hurried society, most MDs treat the symptoms, not the sickness. Naturopaths look for the root cause of the illness. Health is holistic; there is most often an underlying imbalance behind any condition, and we recommend nutritional therapies to correct these. We do not:

• Diagnose diseases or conditions.
• Prescribe any kind of prescription medicine.

Mass-prescribing pharmaceuticals are not in your best interest if you are trying to get healthy or treat the underlying cause of your illness. One drug causes side effects, so you take another to correct that. Then that drug causes side effects and you need yet another. Then that drug… it goes on and on.

Ten. That is the average number of prescription drugs my new clients are taking when they first see me. Ten different drugs with different effects, different long term health consequences, different risks.

There is another way to look at health, a way that says there are things that you can do – simple things – to achieve better health and stay healthy for the rest of your life.

What about conventional doctors?

There are times when medication is advised. Medical doctors are vital. But nutritional therapies can be used hand in hand with conventional therapies. The medical and natural health communities can – and should – work together to help everyone achieve the greatest level of health and wellness.

What do Naturopaths do?

Naturopaths do:

• Suggest nutritional and lifestyle changes. These can be as simple as drinking certain teas or taking hot baths with Epsom Salts.
• Offer suggestions for natural and herbal therapies that will help you find your healthy balance again – or for the first time.
• Help correct imbalances and develop more in-depth treatment options which can include herbal extracts, essential oils, massage, or other therapies.
• Treat your health holistically, naturally, and effectively with you as an essential and knowledgeable member of the team.
• Help you take responsibility for your own health.
• Give you choices and provide you with the information and insight to make healthy decisions.

Are you ready to put yourself first? Are you ready to make health your number one priority? Let’s get started! I am happy to answer any questions about naturopathy and the natural health services I provide. Please contact me via email using this form.

Remember, even if you are not in the San Antonio area, I can help you feel better and improve your health. I provide telephone consultations which can be done at your convenience, from the comfort and privacy of your home.