Naturopathic Medicine Can Head Off Dementia

September 8, 2010

A new study has determined the individual percentages by which a variety of lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of dementia and suggests that these interventions – in the absence of a new treatment for the mind-robbing disease – are likely to have the greatest impact on reducing dementia levels in the future. The study assessed previously identified risk factors such as depression, diet, alcohol consumption, educational level and vascular factors, which include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Results found that three changes together – eliminating depression and diabetes and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption – reduced dementia risk by a full 21 percent. Depression alone accounted for a 10 percent risk. Higher education was linked to an 18 percent lower risk. To illustrate the extent of these factors, the genetic tendency towards dementia accounts for seven percent of cases. The study was released August 5, 2010 and will be published in the British Medical Journal. But the journal already has made the full-text version of this important study available to the public, online without the usual requirement of a journal subscription or access fee.

Naturopathic Medicine is an effective approach to preventing and reversing depression and type two diabetes. Paired with diet ad lifestyle recommendations that are based on your unique constitution, licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctors have the tools to prevent and halt the progression of Dementia, even in the face of genetic predisposition. That offers true hope to millions of people!  It is time for Naturopathic Medicine, practiced by licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctors, to enter the mainstream and offer simple, genuine solutions to our healthcare crisis worldwide.

In health,

Dr. Gina Cushman

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Was your Child Mislabeled with ADHD?

August 18, 2010

A new study released by Michigan State University found that nearly 1 million children have been misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  The reason, the study found, was that kids who are youngest in their grades have a 60% greater chance of being diagnosed with ADHD. Nothing to do with brain chemistry, or the genuine need for medications.  Simply due to their age. The details of this study were just published in USA Today.

There are beneficial naturopathic treatments for those labeled with ADHD. The beauty of Naturopathic Medicine is that doctors are treating the individual. Even if your child was diagnosed with ADHD, a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor will work on the underlying cause of the behavioral challenges and not simply treat the label your child was given by writing a script for Ritalin or other popular ADHD medication.  This individualized treatment helps to prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments with unknown long-term effects to a child’s developing brain and nervous system. Let’s focus on what is in the best interest of the children, now and in the future.  Finding a doctor who takes the time to get to know your child, run appropriate lab tests to pinpoint the imbalances, and is focused on addressing the underlying cause of your child’s behavioral challenges is a reasonable place to start.

Yours in health,

–Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

The Hazards Lurking at Home

June 12, 2010

There is no question that toxins are the culprit for many unnecessary health challenges we face today, and employing a purification program, at least twice per year is essential to supporting your health and well-being. Taking daily steps to support your body’s innate detoxification mechanisms is equally important, as they are bogged down with the high volume of toxins our society produces each day. Our bodies have not evolved to the point of being able to keep up with the level of toxins we are exposed to each day.

In health,
–Dr. G

The Hazards Lurking at Home Via Time Magazine, April 12, 2010. With so many scary-sounding, potentially toxic compounds turning up in our household products, it’s hard to know which agents are really worth worrying about. Here is a guide to some of the most commonly found toxins Read more. … Read More

via Luna’Spring

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Exercise in Nature to Boost Mental Health

June 7, 2010

Exercising in the green, natural environments has long been known to boost – not necessarily the physical health benefit – but one’s mood, self-esteem and odds of avoiding mental illness such as depression and other psychological conditions. But a study has pinpointed exactly how much time spent working out in green environments – not sitting around outside but actually exercising in those parks, gardens, nature trails and nature-heavy environments – is required to achieve maximum mental health benefit. And it’s a mere five minutes. The study conclusions were released on May 1, by the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Click here and type in “depression,” “anxiety” or any other mood-related health challenge in the search bar to learn more about what you can do to enhance your outlook and stave off depression and anxiety.  Another helpful site is SickSyndrome.com.

A few favorite natural supplements prescribed at our medical practice used to enhance mood include Tryptophan, Anxiety Pack, and the Sickness Syndrome Depression Pack.

In health,

Dr. G

Leave a Comment » | ADHD, Autism, Depression, Diet and Disease, Naturopathic Medicine, Orthomolecular Psychiatry, Prevention | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Protect Local Farmers…Your Health May Depend on It

March 22, 2010

Below is a reprint from Food Democracy Now with a call to action to let the USDA and Department of Justice know that our local farmers must be protected.  Watch out for corporate control of your food! And, please consider a contribution to Food Democracy Now! They offer a balanced perspective on the agriculture industry and work diligently on our behalf to keep the US food supply safe and healthy.  The quality of the food we eat is one of the most important components to health and well-being.

In health,

-Dr. G

—
The evidence is in: America’s food system is broken. Every week we read about record-breaking food safety recalls, a spiraling childhood obesity epidemic, and the continued loss of independent family farmers.

All of these problems can be traced back to one thing: excessive consolidation by Big, corporate food. But change may be on the way.

Recently, the Departments of Justice and Agriculture held their first joint workshop here in Iowa to gather evidence of antitrust violations in food and agriculture.(1) We were encouraged by the workshop, the first of five to be held this year,(2) but also concerned that the same companies that have caused these problems were well represented on the panels, while the family farmers most negatively impacted by corporate food monopolies were only given the opportunity to speak after public officials had left the building.

Even though these workshops are an important first step, real family farmers must have a seat at the table. It will take all our voices to ensure that the Justice department holds giant agribusiness accountable.

Please join us and tell the Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack that it’s time to break up America’s corporate food monopolies before they do more harm.

http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/bust_up_big_food/124?akid=112.63486.P_0Wpl&t=7

The aisles of most American grocery stores give an overwhelming illusion of choice when it comes to our food. A closer look, however, quickly reveals that most of the meat, grain, milk — and even the grocery stores themselves — are all owned and controlled by just a few corporations.

The figures are startling:
• A single company (Monsanto) controls the seeds of 93% of soybeans and 80% of the corn grown in the U.S.(3)

• 4 companies (Tyson, Cargill, Swift & National Beef Packing Co.) control 83% of the beef packing industry(4)

• 4 companies (Smithfield, Tyson, Swift & Cargill) control 66% of the pork packing industry

For too long now, food and agricultural production has been consolidated into the hands of a few agribusiness giants. These companies dictate to us how our food is produced, how much farmers are paid for their crops and livestock and how much consumers pay for food.

Food Democracy Now! participated in last week’s workshop. We heard Attorney General Eric Holder talk about the “reckless deregulation that has restricted competition in agriculture” and promise that the Department of Justice, under his watch, was committed to “vigorous enforcement” of U.S. antitrust laws.

But given the power of the companies on the other side, we know that the change we need will not come easily. We must stand together and make our voices heard in favor of a fair and democratic food system!

Please support Secretary Vilsack and Attorney General Holder as they move forward. Join them today in pushing for real enforcement of U.S. antitrust laws and an end to America’s food monopolies. It only takes a moment. And after you’ve signed the petition, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/bust_up_big_food/124?akid=112.63486.P_0Wpl&t=9

P.S. The next hearing will be in Normal, Alabama on May 21st 2010, and will focus on the poultry industry, followed by a hearing on the notoriously concentrated dairy industry in Madison, Wisconsin on June 7th. We’ll be sure to keep you informed.

Sources:
1. US pledges to probe, bust agribusiness monopolies, Reuters, March 12, 2010
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/125?akid=112.63486.P_0Wpl&t=12

2. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, Public Workshops, Agriculture and Antitrust Enforcement Issues in Our 21st Century Economy
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/94?akid=112.63486.P_0Wpl&t=14

3. Monsanto’s dominance draws antitrust inquiry, Patented seeds are go-to for farmers, who decry their fast-growing price, The Washington Post, November 29, 2009
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/95?akid=112.63486.P_0Wpl&t=16

4. 2007 Concentration of Agricultural Markets report, compiled by Mary Hendrickson and William Heffernan of University of Missouri Department of Rural Sociology.

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Take Action Today on the Healthcare Bill!

March 16, 2010

US Healthcare Bill- Make Your Voice Heard!

I am reprinting an action statement from the Alliance for Natural Health USA about the upcoming vote on the healthcare bill.  It lists the elected representatives that still have the potential to vote “NO” on the bill as it is written.  We may only have until this Thursday to make our voices heard, so please, if you are interested in maintaining your freedom in healthcare choices and access to natural healthcare, TAKE ACTION now!

In health,

Dr. G

—

Make Your Voice Heard on the Healthcare Bills!

March 16, 2010

After months of negotiating and back-door dealing, Congress is set to pass industry-friendly healthcare legislation at the expense of consumer choice. Please contact your elected representative today and tell him or her to vote NO on the healthcare bill!

The House of Representatives is expected to pass the Senate healthcare bill along with separate “fixes” as early as Thursday. If passed, the Senate will then vote on the fixes shortly thereafter. This may be your last chance to make your voice heard.

There are a few key representatives who will make or break the healthcare bill, because for one reason or another, their votes remain uncertain and subject to change. If you see your elected official listed below, it’s particularly critical you contact them today and tell them to vote no on this version of healthcare reform.

Members who voted no last time but haven’t said what they would do this time include:

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA)

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)

Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN)

Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL)

Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD)

Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY)

Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID)

Rep. Scott Murphy (D-NY)

Rep. Glenn Nye (D-VA)

Rep. John Tanner (D-TN)

Members who voted yes last time but are in districts unfriendly to this bill and might be swayed to vote no:

Rep. Mike Arcuri (D-NY)

Rep. Tim Bishop (D-NY)

Rep. Christopher Carney (D-PA)

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)

Rep. Steven Driehaus (D-OH)

Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL)

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ)

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Rep. John Hall (D-NY)

Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN)

Rep. Jim Hines (D-CT)

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI)

Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA)

Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH)

Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ)

Rep. Dan Maffei (D-NY)

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA)

Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ)

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV)

Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA)

Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY)

Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

Rep. Gary Peters (D-MI)

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)

Rep. John Salazar (D-CO)

Rep. Mark Schauer (D-MI)

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)

Rep. Zach Space (D-OH)

Rep. John Spratt (D-SC)

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV)

This is a list of representatives who are uncertain because of their concerns about abortion (some of these will overlap with last list):

Rep. Anh Cao (R, LA)

Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL)

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)

Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-IN)

Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH)

Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)

Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI)

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL)

Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)

Rep. Charles Wilson (D-OH)

A brief recap of why we oppose this bill:

1) The government defines health and healthcare and health insurance. This is an open invitation for special interests such as drug and medical equipment makers and even the American Medial Association (AMA) to take even tighter control of your medical options.

2) The government forces you (on penalty of fine and even jail) to buy government approved health insurance policies that will not provide any access to natural medicine. Catastrophic policies, health savings accounts (HSAs), and other ways to buy natural medicine services will be destroyed.

3) Health records will be electronic and neither you nor your doctor will have any privacy (the privacy of the doctor-patient relationship is not protected).

4) The language is ambiguous, but it may be illegal even to pay your doctor separately in cash for natural medical services.

5) The bills are paid for with “smoke and mirrors” and will increase the budget deficit over time, but we leave these considerations to others.

Please contact your elected representatives (both senate and house but especially the house right now). Although the house will vote first, the senate may follow immediately thereafter, so it is best to send a message to both chambers right now. Please do not delay. Tell your elected representatives to vote NO on the healthcare bill!

Gretchen DuBeau

Executive Director

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Screening Teens for Depression..Not Necessarily in the Best Interest of American Teens

April 14, 2009

Abstract Silhouette PrayingAs evidenced by an article published this month in Pediatrics, there is a strong push by the US Government’s Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to encourage doctors to routinely screen ALL American teens for depression using subjective mental health screening questionnaires.   Unfortunately, this can very quickly lead to over-prescription of addictive psychotropic medications, some of which have been proven to increase risk of teenage suicide.  What is most interesting is that the screening methods that the USPSTF is recommending were at one time discouraged by the same task force, which discerned that there is no evidence that screening for suicide risk actually reduces suicide attempts or death.

Teens will typically be prescribed SSRI antidepressants unnecessarily as a consequence of widespread screening. SSRI antidepressant medications have been shown to be no more or only slightly more effective then placebo.  Additionally, these antidepressants carry the FDA’s strongest “Black Box” warning for increased risk of suicide among teens and young adults.

These medications are highly profitable in the US, bringing in approximately $286 Billion in ’07.

Watch this video for more info.

You can treat depression naturally. It is absolutely worth the time, money and energy to go that route first, before considering an antidepressant.   I see the most success in my practice when we use a variety of laboratory tests (e.g. blood amino acid & nutrient levels, Organic Acids, Food Allergy panels, as well as hormones) coupled with individualized treatment protocols aimed to work with the body’s unique and natural tendency to come to a state of balance, rather then forcing it to produce a single neurotransmitter, like serotonin, at the expense of overall health and well being.

It is time to re-focus our attention on doing what is in the best interest of the people (in this case US teens) and the planet.

–Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Teenage Stress leads to Adult Health Challenges

April 2, 2009

Teenage Problems, Social Issues and BullyingA new study done by researchers at my alma mater, UCLA , further confirms the connection between stress and inflammation.  In this study researchers found that stress during the teen-aged years leads to silent inflammation as an adult, which then increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.  I will also add that it increases the risk of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders and a condition called Sickness Syndrome that is best treated with Naturopathic Medicine.

You can take a free assessment on-line to see if the depression, anxiety, sleep disorders or weight gain you are experiencing is due to this syndrome by clicking here:

The foundation protocol that I use to support the health of patients who have Sickness Syndrome can be found here:

For more information about the condition click here.

It is amazing to watch as people pull out of depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, weight disorders and severe mental health challenges without the use of prescription medications (in fact I often have to work with their prescribing doctors to taper them off the medications so that their body and mind can get to a balance point, and benefit from the natural medicines).  Naturopathic Medicine works so well!  I am always amazed by the the body’s ability to heal itself when you give it what it needs, and remove the barriers to cure (e.g. stress, drugs, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, structural imbalances, toxicities, digestive imbalances).

–Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

The MOTHERS Act-Please Take Action Today

March 19, 2009

The MOTHERS act has been introduced once again to the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.   This bill is concerning as it would mandate the federal government to screen all new mothers for “psychiatric” conditions.  It parallels the “Teen Screen” phenomenon where schools began screening kids to see if they were at risk for suicide. It appears like a good idea on the surface however, it opens the door for over-prescribing potentially lethal psychiatric medications with questionable justification.  If you follow the money trail, it leads straight to the pharmaceutical industry, and new moms and teens are both huge markets that have, until now, been virtually untapped.

In my practice, I see many patients who have been prescribed psychiatric medications, feel disconnected from who they really are, and have grown extremely frustrated with the process of trying to get off the medications, with little if any support from their prescribing psychiatrist.  I often learn that these patients felt better before taking the medications and are now left confused and totally disenchanted by the Healthistock_000007074398xsmallcare system that offers no answers once a patient decides that his or her antidepressant is causing more harm then help.  Had they come in prior to taking the medications we would have worked together to find the underlying cause for the sad or anxious feelings. Oftentimes it is due to a multifaceted condition called Sickness Syndrome Depression that is best treated with natural medicines. Sometimes it can be related to adrenal stress, or compromised immune function, or an amino acid imbalance or other nutrient deficiency. Sometimes, and especially in new moms, it is simply due to a hormonal imbalance that can be easily and safely corrected through natural, nutrition -based medicine.  Patients are able to eventually break free from the psychiatric medications, but it is a long and committed process that takes time, energy and patience.

To gain a better understanding of the consequences of allowing this bill to pass, click here.

To see and hear one woman’s story about being misled by the psychiatric field and losing her child as a consequence, click here.

To sign a petition urging congress not to pass the MOTHERS act click here.

In the spirit of doing what is best for the patient,

–Dr. G

Leave a Comment » | Depression, Inflammation, Naturopathic Medicine, Orthomolecular Medicine, Orthomolecular Psychiatry, Pharmaceuticals, Pregnancy, Prevention, Sickness Syndrome, Women's Health | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

Can Breast Cancer Go Away on its Own? Does Mammography Contribute to Breast Cancer Risk? Where is the Balance Point?

December 8, 2008

mamogramA compelling new research study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine this week confirms what some physicians have suspected and seen in their practice for years – breast cancer and other invasive cancers, can in some cases, heal on their own without intervention. The study also raises suspicion regarding the safety of annual mammograms and whether they contribute to the increased incidence of breast cancer.

The study compared two groups of women ages 50 to 64 in two consecutive six-year periods. One group of 109,784 women were followed from 1992 to 1997. Nearly all the women in this group received mammography testing for one year only, from 1996 to 1997.

The second group included approximately 119,472 women that were followed from 1996 to 2001 and nearly all women received regular, routine mammography screening during that period.

Interestingly, the women who had regular routine mammography screenings had 22 percent more cancers. For every 100,000 women who were screened regularly, 1,909 were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer over six years, compared with 1,564 women who did not have regular screenings.

The researchers have concluded that the most likely explanation for this discrepancy is that the cancers in the women who did not get regular mammography screenings spontaneously disappeared so that they had cancer at one point and later they no longer had the cancer.

Another theory, currently being discredited but worth mentioning and further exploration, is that the routine mammography may have contributed to the increased incidence of invasive breast cancers that were diagnosed.

Nature provides many options to assist the body in remaining balanced, even when exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in our environment, including xenoestrogens.  In the future detoxification, hormone balance and limiting exposure to toxins whenever possible, will be a necessity rather then a luxury.  To learn more about the connection between toxins, cancer and what you can do to safeguard your health, click here.

To learn more about the research supporting the use of detoxification as a way to prevent and treat health conditions click here.

A general recommendation for my patients is they undergo a comprehensive 21 day systemic cleanse twice per year, and support detoxification daily between cleanses.

In light of this new research, we must begin to ask the question, are we over-diagnosing and over-treating cancer? Does the pendulum need to swing toward a more balanced place where we begin to demonstrate true integration of natural health care and prevention coupled with conventional diagnoses and treatment for cancer.

In the spirit of providing change in the lives of those who seek health & balance,

–Dr. G

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Posted by Dr. Gina Nick

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