Archive Year 2010 month 9

Question: 6 wks ago I had an accident with my window and air conditioner. The tip of my finger was cut and broken. What supplements are good to promote healing?

Hello -

I am assuming that your wound is only a flesh wound. If it is more than that, please do post a comment below and we can address bone healing as well.

I do hope that you visited a physician so they could evaluate the severity. Given that it has been 6 weeks already, I am not sure of the current situation.

More information would be useful.

I posted a video response about wound healing here: http://www.youtube.com/user/DoctorNaturopathic#p/a/u/1/m1S58awLcL4

Should you have more comments, please do post them and I'll provide additional information.

In health,

Q: My 17 year old has been very forgetful and unattentive all his life, but I have refused to put him on ADD meds. Are there any vitamins or supplements that can help him with his focus?

A: We do have some products that are designed to nutritionally support ADD.  BioFocus food powders from Biogenesis provide balanced nutrition for healthy meal replacement shakes and nutrients like ginkgo biloba, B vitamins, and magnesium that support adrenal and cognitive function.  Biogenesis also makes the BioFocus Bar, which is not as complete as the BioFocus shake, but it requires no preparation or refrigeration and can be tucked into a backpack for a healthy at-school snack.  BioFocus powder comes in two flavors, Read More

What if I told you that taking 1 to 2 minutes in the morning to make a smoothie will help you lose weight?

I am going to right now.

Making this smoothie in the morning will help you lose weight!

The key to losing weight is having the right ingredients, eating at the right time and combining these two together.

Making a smoothie with the following ingredients during the morning hours will definitely make an impact on what is around your waist.

You do not have to be a cook, chef or have a fancy kitchen. Just a blender, a desire to eat well and the following ingredients:

1. Get out your favorite blender. It really does

This is the follow up email written after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding: Hypothyroidism mainly but I am also chemically sensitive, taking Nystatin and have fogginess in my thinking.

Listen to the Phone Consult Podcast:
"Thyroid Issues with Chemical Sensitivities"

My follow up email to Mary after the Phone Consult:

Mary -

Good speaking with you last week.

We covered a lot of ground and a summary is definitely needed.

The iodine that you are taking appears to help your energy but I am concerned that you are taking too much due to your comments of

Q: About a year ago I was diagnosed with an overgrowth of bacteria in my digestive tract. I was then put on some strong antibiotics to get rid of it. I still suffer from digestive upsets and prone to diarrhea. I don't want to keep taking antibiotics and would like to take a something that will actually make me feel well naturally. Any suggestions on a probiotic?

A: In short, I recommend you take ProBiota 12 Powder for 1 month and then you will no longer need it.

Consider taking 1/2 teaspoon of ProBiota 12 Powder at dinner time every day for a month.

For your situation, I also recommend you consider Saccharomyces boulardii as well. Consider'

• Clove essential oil

Florence –

Good talking with you yesterday.

Click here for the recording which you listen to as you need – yours is the ‘Fatigue after Gall Bladder Removal.’

As promised, here is a brief follow up of what we discussed.

Dietary Information:
Dietary choices are key but it sounds like your husband is doing pretty well there; he is only eating at the wrong time of day and not enough protein.
Have him eat smaller but more frequent meals, each having a bit of protein. Hard-boiled eggs, beans, almond butter, quinoa grain, chicken, grass fed beef, wild salmon, hummus, tahini are all great forms of protein.

Make sure he has breakfast. Eggs are fast and very healthy. If he doesn’t eat breakfast, the craving for sugar spikes and he will binge on garbage foods. Bring snacks to work: celery and almond butter with raisins (can you tell I have

Crystal –

Good talking with you. There is a lot of information here and in the recorded consult. Develop a personal plan of attack and then start.

Check back here for your recorded consult.

A lot to go over and there are a few major factors that need attention so I suggest a follow up call in a couple weeks to make sure you are on the right track.

1.    Thyroid testing

• Test:
• TSH, T4, T3, Anti-TPO, Anti-TG
• Without all these in the thyroid test, there is no way to know how your thyroid is working.
• Depending on the results, you may need to supplement with Thyroid Support by Gaia and Adrenal Support Plus. Do not take Thyroid Support until you know you need it.
• Need to rule this out or

This article is Dr Ben's follow-up notes from a 

This is the follow up email written after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding: There are many years that I have taken Prilosec or the generic Omeprazole 40mg. I have a lump in my throat that goes away when taking these medications but I do not want to take them anymore.

Listen to the Phone Consult

This is the follow up email written after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding: What can I do or take to make sure I do not lose any testosterone? I am in my mid-50's, athletic and need to increase my lean body mass.

My follow up email to Ronald following the consult:

Ronald - 

Good talking with you.

I understand that you are aware that men have decreasing amounts of testosterone as we age and you want to ensure your levels do not decrease.

If you took DHEA and your'

Q: I am a mom, passionate about natural health. As my kids are growing up I am finally going back to considering getting a degree for myself and have been looking for schools online a lot. I am particularly looking at holistic nutrition and I seem to get lost in a sea of schools but it is very difficult to know which one is good. I would prefer an online degree at this point but I really don't know how reliable they are. Do you by chance have any suggestion at all?

A:  I wish I knew some great online schools. I would try calling Bastyr University or the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and seeing if they recommend any.

Do let them know I referred you as it may help you get more credible information.

I am a member of the AANP and a graduate of Bastyr.

There are many online programs that are horrific and some are'

This is the follow up email written after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding: What can I do naturally for Grave's Disease? I do not want to radiate my thyroid. I am currently managed with medication.

Listen to the Phone Consult

This is the follow up email written after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding: Supplements, etc., for chemotherapy (have 2 blood cancers, MPD and newly diagnosed MDS), and hemachromatosis

The Phone Consult Podcast

This is the follow up email written to Leah after the Free 15 Minute Phone Consult regarding:  Dr Ben, I was on Lexapro for many years. I am going thru menopause, have hot flashes and trouble loosing weight. Since going off I feel manic, moody, irritable, trouble sleeping always. I have had acupuncture and take many supplements Still I am miserable. Please help. Thank you

The Phone Consult Podcast (opens in new tab so you can listen and read at the same time):

Q: What do you have for shingles.  I am over most of it but still have residual issues.  Thanks.

A: I recommend you go to a pharmacy and obtain Capsaicin ointment. Apply topically to your scalp where the pain remains. Apply as needed.

You may also try applying apple cider vinegar directly to the sores on your scalp. I have been told this relieves the pain but have not heard results personally. It is worth a shot.

To get rid of the shingles, it is important to boost your immune response in order to get the herpes zoster virus under control.

To get your immune system working well, there is an immune formula designed specifically for shingles.

LarreaPlus by Biogenesis is what I recommend to those suffering from shingles. Consider taking 2 capsules three times a day initially to speed up the immune response. I

This article is Dr Ben's follow-up notes from a Free 15 Minute Consult with Dr Ben. Helping direct you to which products, dietary changes & lifestyle products may help you.

Good talking with you today!  To find a naturopathic doctor near you, enter your zip code on the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians' website.

Aaron Henkel, ND graduated a year or two ahead of me. I am not sure how good he is as I have not worked with him. You may learn more about him here.

As discussed, here is the follow up to the phone consult we had earlier.

There is a lot of information here. Digest it over a few days. If followed, you will feel better in as soon as one to two weeks.

The vitiligo, celiac disease and hypothyroidism are all linked. It all

Hi Kara - 

As a physician, I sincerely appreciate all that nurses go through. You put up with cranky patients and arrogant doctors day in and day out. You are on your feet running the halls all day which turns into foot problems years later. Hours are long yet hardly boring. Then you go home and'

[admin's note: The following Q&A is drawn from comments on a previous article from Dr. Ben, "How to Lose Weight by One Simple Step"]

Q: Found this on twitter and very informative. This has always been my issue too. I tend to eat at night because that is usually when I feel famished. How can you stay full throughout the day as to not feel hungry at night?

A: Glad you found this article useful. It has helped a number of patients lose weight.

What I recommend to do is to look at what you are eating during the day and how often.

If you skip breakfast, eat a light lunch, then you will be starving at night.

Given the standard American lifestyle, this happens a lot with people.

They're in a rush in the morning so they skip breakfast. Bad news.

Then they are rushed at lunch, so they

Frank,

Good conversation. I believe we hit a few major things today that will significantly improve your health.

As promised, here is a summary of the things we discussed. If you have any questions, do ask.

If there is a lab test that you would like to order, let me know and I will order it for you. I interpret the results at no extra cost and recommend products, dietary and lifestyle changes based on the lab findings. Lab results are faxed or emailed to your primary care physician along with my comments and recommendations.

For the mold on the brain, have your ND call this prescription in:  Fluconazaole with glutathione.

-2 sprays each nostril 2x - 4 x day for min 30 days to 60 days
-1 oz $85 - month supply

John is the pharmacist
http://www.keynutritionrx.com/contact_us.asp
Homeopathic isopathic remedies

From my buds at the Environmental Working Group:

Dear Friends,

Today we are releasing a dramatically expanded and improved version of our popular cosmetics and personal care products database, Skin Deep. The site has been redesigned top to bottom, and we've added ratings for nearly 10,000 more products.

Now in its fourth year and third major update, our Skin Deep product safety database provides safety ratings for nearly 25,000 personal care products - almost a quarter of all products on the market - and the 7,000 ingredients they contain. Due to gaping loopholes in federal law, companies can put virtually any ingredient into personal care products. Even worse, the government does not require pre-market safety tests for any of them. Our aim is to fill in where companies and the government left off.

Skin Deep is the only tool available to consumers to'

Hi Dr. Ben,

I was recently chatting live with Jatone and she suggested that you might be able to answer a quick question for me.

My son has an infection from an ingrown toenail and when a medical doctor saw him recently, he prescribed Keflex for 10 days.

Is there anything natural that I can give my son?  (I would prefer he not take antibiotics.)

Thanks,
Georgette

Hi Georgette,

If the infection has caused fever, the toe feels quite hot and very painful to touch with red streaks moving up the foot, antibiotics are needed.

Before I get into the recovery from antibiotics, let’s assume he does not have any of those symptoms of fever, very painful to touch, hot or red streaks.

In that case:

-        Get a basin to soak his foot and fill with comfortably hot water. Fill to the point that his foot is completely covered.

-

Dr. Ben,

I am interested in many aspects of holistic medicine, and would like to pursue a career in the field. I’m not sure how far I want to delve, but I would definitely like to begin somewhere specific and build from that point.

For instance, I want to become a master herbalist. In your naturopathic database blog, you state that the schools listed there are the only ones accredited. I think you mean accredited by a national certifying body. I suppose when you graduate from the school, your certification really is only the certificate they give you..there isn’t a higher level accrediting it. I find it so confusing. The only option I have is home-course study programs for the most part, because I do not live near any of the accredited schools (nor do many mention distance

Hello,

Can someone please share with me the main difference between using a Neti-Pot (w/ Saline) and just rinsing the nasal mucosa with Saline? This is for a family member with Allergies. My thought is that the Neti-Pot is more thorough with the force of the irrigation (plus you can additional things), yet I’m not sure if that’s the most significant difference. Your thoughts as well?

Thank you!

With a neti pot, you get the water deep into the sinuses where the pollen sits.

Without a neti pot, one cannot really get into the sinuses well if you just rinse the nose with saline. They’ll still have allergies as the allergen is likely residing in the sinuses, not just the entrance to the nose.

You may have them break some anti-histamine things in there also like Vitamin C, urtica

I’m really intrigued about your natural toenail fungus soak–it’d be not only good for my feet but also just to sit still every day–could have a beer too!

Anyway, I’m pretty healthy and strong except I have muscle tension. I'm a feldenkrais teacher and so do some feldenkrais every day. I’ve always been strong and active. I’ve been a mountain climber, dog musher, now I ride horses, today I rode 7 horses (about 10 hours), I’m tired but I feel good. Except for the tight muscles which have plagued me for years. I’m wondering about cell salts. Also about magnesium which I’ve taken before but I’m not good at taking supplements–it’s hard enough to eat lots of fruits and veggies and cook once in a while… and sometimes when I get on a supplement kick I'll take them for a while and one day I’ll

Dr Ben,

Is there anything you can recommend to help treat children when they get an ear infection? Something that would be an alternative to antibiotics?

Thank you.

Hi there!

I cannot offer treatment advice for ear infections as it is dangerous to do so. Ear infections may progress into severe conditions if improperly managed.

What I can do is provide information which may reduce recurring ear infections and provide you with resources, including a naturopathic physician referral database.

Naturopathic physicians successfully and routinely treat ear infections, such as otitis media, without antibiotics. However, if necessary, ND’s will use antibiotics to treat ear infections. It is a case by

Hey Dr. Ben,

Great website! I will certainly forward it along.

I have a question for you. Benzophenone-4 is in a lot of the perfumed products, including almost all commercial perfumes. Could this be the ingredient that sets off my migraine? I don't have problems with other strong scents. I regularly use lavender and other essential oils. However, chemical commercial perfumes make me feel nausea and headaches are frequently the result of concentrated exposure.

My mother in law has chronic migraines and I noticed that every sink in her house has a bottle of benzophenone laden perfumed soap. What do you think?

Signed,
Benzo'd Out

Hi Benzo'd Out,

If you are sensitive to it - then you should avoid it. Repeat exposures only make it worse. Chemical sensitivies are typically a sign of toxic burden. We all carry pesticides, solvents, herbicides, heavy metals - mainly in'

Q: Need help with periodontitis... any suggestions other than quitting sugar? The dentist wants to do a deep cleaning on the tooth, then a graft, and invisalign braces... they say to use chlorohexane as a rinse... somehow this all looks expensive and is not addressing the infection, and they say there is no infection.. but red painful tissue anywhere else is. (originally posted on HealthE Goods Facebook page)

A: Folic acid rinse. Folirinse is a product you can get that has shown to help immensely with gingivitis and other gum disease. It may help with periodontitis. My website, www.HealthEGoods.com, does not offer it but I found it here.

B12 liquid drops are recommended as well. Take 2 drops,

Q: Have a friend with a UTI for five days now... I suggested the unsweetened cranberry... then blueberries... then D-mannose with all the other stuff in it as well... now what... she still has it! I wonder if it just takes time to heal. (originally posted on HealthE Goods Facebook page)

A:

If she is beginning to have back pain, she may need antibiotics. Don't want a simple UTI to become a kidney infection.

Probiotics are key to helping treat a UTI as well. Consider taking 4 capsules of ProBiota 12 orally for 2 weeks and also inserting 1 vaginally each night for a week.

Questions - you may post here or at www.NaturalHealthInformation.org

In'

Hi Dr Ben!

I am writing you about your SAPROX product. I have been suffering with tinea versicolor for over 35 years. My entire upper torso is covered, as well as my groin area. I have tried everything on the market, the tree oils, the lotrimin, Selsun, ORAL NIZORAL (totally worked my liver over in a bad way), and just about every sort of anti fungal cream you can think of. I even tried massive oral zinc, but nothing works.

I am reading that once used Saprox as instructed, you have a success rate of it never coming back?

I'd really like to try this. I can tell you that if it works, I will be your star endorser. If this can actually cure my tinea for once and for all time, I will send over before and after shots if you would like to use my experience from using your product.

Please'

Are you at increased risk for toxic buildup in your liver and lungs?  N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a sulfur-containing derivative of the amino acid cysteine, and is the most bioavailable precursor to this important amino acid.  NAC plays an important role in the formation of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.  NAC also acts directly to scavenge free radicals, and has been found in trials to reduce DNA damage caused by cigarette smoke.  Conditions which may benefit from supplementing with NAC include HIV infection, bronchitis and other respiratory concerns, and regular acetaminophen use.

Because of its ability to help dissolve mucous by breaking down the proteins, NAC is useful to support recovery and prevent recurrences of respiratory ailments where thick mucous buildup is a factor.  NAC breaks the

• Parents' health.
• Geographic location.
• Breastfeeding or not.
• Region's current public health situation.
• Overseas travel.
• Deciding if you want to do some or none or all of the vaccinations.
• Vaccinated pool of children around your kids - many or few?
• Current health status of the child, siblings and others nearby.
• Time of the year ie. what season is it?
• and others...

• What