Vitamin Angels
Metagenics, a supplement company we offer here at Emerald City Clinic, is now part of the Vitamin Angels Program. This program is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by connecting essential nutrients, especially vitamin A, with infants and children under 5 years of age.
For every 2 bottles purchased of any of Metagenics high quality EPA and DHA supplements in 2011, they will fund nutritional support for 1 year for a child in need.
Yet another great reason to take your omega 3 oils!
Cheers,
Gretchen
Benefits of Meditation
A great study with even greater findings! Meditation is shown to improve risks of cardiovascular disease; it decreased blood pressures, cholesterol and weight!
From Medscape Medical News > Psychiatry
Meditation Improves Endothelial Function in Metabolic Syndrome
A risk factor for coronary heart disease, the clinical manifestations of metabolic syndrome include hypertension, hyperglycemia, high triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoprotein, and abdominal obesity. A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is contingent on an individual having 3 or more of these risk factors.According to the investigators, the etiology of metabolic syndrome is complex, but psychological stress appears to play a role, possibly through overactivation of stress hormones. They also note that endothelial dysfunction, which is also influenced by stress, is a major consequence of metabolic syndrome. A joint initiative between Morehouse Medical School and Emory University, the study randomly assigned 65 African American patients age 30 to 65 to undergo consciously resting meditation (CRM) (n = 32), a 12-month meditation program developed by Dr. Kondwani, or a 12-month health education program (n = 33). At study outset there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics or cardiovascular risk factors between the 2 groups.The CRM group received three 90-minute sessions of initial instructor-led training. They returned once a week for the following 3 weeks, then once every 2 weeks for 2 months, and finally once per month for the remainder of the study. In the interim they were assigned "home rest" assignments that involved meditating for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day.Improvements in Blood Pressure, Weight, TriglyceridesThe study's primary outcome measure was endothelial function assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at baseline and 6 and 12 months. A secondary outcome was arterial stiffness, measured by pulse-wave velocity.Trend tests were performed to assess changes in outcome measures and metabolic syndrome factors across the 3 study time points. The investigators found that FMD significantly improved from baseline in the CRM group (2.10 ± 0.79; P = .009) but that improvement was smaller in the health education group (1.36 ± 0.80; P = .09). Dr. Kondwani said there was no difference in arterial stiffness in the groups.The researchers also found favorable and statistically significant trends in 3 metabolic syndrome risk factors in the CRM group but not in the health education group: diastolic blood pressure (change, -6.24 ± 2.75 mm Hg; P = .03), weight (-2.52 ± 1.16 kg; P = .03), and triglyceride levels (-32 ± 15 mg/dL; P = .04).Dr. Kondwani also pointed out that certain psychological factors, including some measures of depression, significantly improved in both study groups. This indicates that "that just because an intervention has an impact on patients' psychological well-being doesn't necessarily mean it is going to change their physiology."These findings, he added, suggest that physicians should not hesitate to encourage their patients to learn meditation. "It will not hurt and invariably it will help. They also shouldn't get hung up on the type of meditation. It's highly likely that even if patients weren't trained in meditative practice but just sat quietly for 20 minutes twice a day there would be benefit, "said Dr. Kondwani.
Iodine: Prevention is worth a pound of cure
Dear ECN community,
We as physicians at Emerald City Clinic do not want to participate in mass hysteria, we just want to have each of our clients be in the best possible position if we were to be exposed to radiation. Most of our clients are deficient in iodine anyway and could use a LITTLE anyway. The situation with Japan changes hourly and could get significantly worse. Therefore we think it prudent to be at full iodine capacity without overdosing, as too much iodine can cause problems with your thyroid. Hence one of our strongest recommendations is the consumption of food based iodine such as seaweed (as long as it is from a clean source). Here is a well written NY Times article:
Respectfully, Molly Linton and the physicians at Emerald City Clinic
radiation protection recommendations
Emerald City Clinic Family and Friends,
It has become obvious that many would like some clear guidelines and information about how to protect yourself against the radiation that may come over from Japan. The most common medical recommendation is taking iodine- proper levels of iodide in the body leave no room for radioactive iodine to be absorbed. Iodine is excreted and recycled through the body in 24-48h cycles so it is most important that you have good iodine stores on board at the time that the radiation comes to the west coast, if and when it makes it here. The threat of radioactive iodine is thyroid cancer; taking iodine has been proven to prevent thyroid cancers caused by radiation exposure but it will not reduce your risk of all cancers and all side effects of radiation exposure. Our prevention preferences are listed as follows:
A) Eat Seaweed
As Naturopaths, we believe in using the least invasive and most natural therapies first. Taking iodine supplementation alone will cause a disturbance in thyroid functioning for about 15% of the population; eating FOODS with iodine will not do this. We recommend incorporating seaweed into your diet as best you can- kelp, nori, bladderwrack, wakame and other sea vegetables. Nori, specifically, is available in seasoned sheets for easy snacking and are even in certain varieties of crackers. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission recommends that adults (150lbs) consume two to three ounces (wet weight) of sea vegetables per week, or two tablespoons daily to protect from radiation toxicity. This should be increased fourfold during or after direct exposure to radiation. Recommendations should be adjusted appropriately for weight in treating children.
B) Seaweed extract
We are dispensing a bladderwrack seaweed extract, Fucus, in tincture form for those who prefer or would like to give to their young children who are seaweed averse. Fucus tincture should be taken 2 droppersful 3x a day for an adult and 1 dropperful 3x a day for children under 12 years of age, as the dose is weight dependent. Please consult your physician about dosing if you are pregnant or treating children under the age of 2.
Proper dosing for kelp tablets: 10 tabs per day for adults, 5 tabs for children.
C) Iodine
If you wish to take potassium iodine, we have drops available but please dose carefully! The current recommendation is:
One 130mg tablet a day for adults, ½ tablet a day for kids 3-12
But this is ONLY appropriate before or during direct exposure to radiation in the event of an accident- not for prophylactic or maintenance use. These doses are unsafe for thyroid health under normal conditions.
A safer iodine dose, if radiation starts to travel here is:
Adults: ½ Iodizyme tablet per day or 1 drop Potassium iodine/TriQuench
Children 2-12: ¼ Iodizyme tablet or 1 drop i Potassium iodine/TriQuench in a tablespoon of water- give child ½ tablespoon of the mixture.
Other tips:
Rosemary: the oils and anti-oxidant properties of rosemary have been shown to reduce the ill effects that radiation has on our cells. This can easily be added into your diet as an herb or can safely be taken in tincture extract amounts of 3 droppersful per day in adults, 1 full dropper for children 2-12.
Caffeic acid: found in apples, citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables. Also found to mediate ill effects of radiation. We often ask that you all eat your fresh fruits and vegetables daily and now there is another reason. Caffeic acid is not available in supplement form.
Epsom salt baths is another way to keep your body balanced after general radiation exposure:
Dissolve 1 pound of sea salt or rock salt and 1 pound of baking soda in a hot bath — as hot as can be tolerated — and soak into the water until the bath becomes cool. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes. Adding bentonite clay or baking soda to the bath adds to the radiation detoxification effect.
Summary:
A) eat seaweed/kelp as described above
B) Fucus/Bladderwrack tincture
C) Iodine in various forms (adult dose)
Iodizyme: ½ tab per day or 1 tab every other day
TriQuench- 1 drops per day
Topical Lugol’s iodine. A short office visit (15 mins) is required to teach proper administration.
Iodine testing is available upon request.
THERE WILL BE NO REFILLS OF IODINE WITHOUT DOCTORS’ ASSESSMENT.
We will continue to update you all with our guidelines about iodine necessity as the situation changes.
Lovingly,
The Physicians of Emerald City Clinic
Radiation Exposure from Japan
Please take precautionary protection of yourselves. The most important thing is getting iodine in a whole foods source. My favorite is kelp tablets, kelp tincture, nori, etc. The doses should be 10 kelp tablets/day, a 5 x 5 sheet of nori or equivalent, or 2 dropperfuls of kelp in tincture form 3x/day. We have kelp tincture (we do not have kelp tablets) at the office as well as many forms of iodine. If you do not have access or do not like seaweed then you can take iodine. It is safe in doses of 12.5 mcg/day without upsetting other things in your metabolism. We should be taking Epsom salts baths daily as it absorbs radiation. This is also true after taking a plane flight. Protect your liver with organic dark foliage. Water and electrolytes are essential. Most importantly we need to pray for the health of human kind and our planet. You do not need an appointment for these products; we can supply the kelp tincture, and iodine if you need them. This is the same protocol I recommended with the Chernobyl incident. Respectfully and lovingly written by Dr. Molly Linton.
Interpreting your insurance: How to Read Your EOB
Dear ECN Clients,
This year we are putting in extra effort to reach out to our community through monthly educational seminars. Last month's Detox class was a great success, and we'd love to see continued participation from all of you!!
This month our class is going to be presented by Dr. Molly Linton and her office manager, Amanda Zuluaga, and will focus on how to read those crazy letters you are constantly receiving from your insurance company-- we call them Explanation of Benefits, or EOBs.
Although it's hard to believe, there are insurance companies out there that WILL provide you with some reimbursement for your visits here at Emerald City. Often, insurance companies will need more explanation, different codes, etc. before reimbursement happens, which they will tell you on the EOB.
This class will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd at 7pm at Emerald City Clinic, free of charge. Please give the office a call at 206-781-2206 if you are interested in joining us!
See you soon!
New Handout on Website: "Breathing Exercises"
How we breathe has a profound effect on our life and health. Not only does it change how much
oxygen is going into our bodies and how much waste is coming out of our bodies, it also affects
cardiac function, immune system function, mood, stress levels, hormone levels, digestion, strength,
endurance and a wide variety of other things. In short, how you breathe can influence almost every
aspect of your health and wellbeing.
Check out the remainder of our handout: "Breathing Exercises" on our website at: http://www.emeraldcityclinic.com/educational/handouts.php. The link to the handout can be found under the Health Maintenance section.
While you're there, peruse the other incredibly helpful and insightful handouts we have to offer!
Enjoy!
New Survey!
We'd love to have your feedback about our newsletter and our blog. Please take just a moment to fill out our five question survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZJG5BS5.
Thank you for your time!
IMT dates increase from TWO to FOUR times per year
Dear ECN Clients,
Because we have had a lot of response from you about scheduling constraints when it comes to participating in our bi-annual IMT scans, we are increasing the number of times we offer this service from two to four times per year! We will now be hosting IMT scanning days in January, April, July and October. Our dates are currently pending for the rest of this year, but as soon as we have an April date, we will be letting you know!
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the IMT, here is an excerpt from our newsletter:
"The doctors at Emerald City Naturopathic Clinic have been made aware of a type of quick, easy, in-office cardiovascular screening exam that is more predictive of heart disease than blood tests for cholesterol, C reactive protein, and homocysteine. It is even more predictive of heart attacks than the standard stress EKG. The test is called Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) Scanning, often referred to as an IMT scan. Unlike the health screening duplex ultrasound, which detects narrowing of the arterial lumen and velocity of blood flow, IMT measures the thickness of the arterial walls and visualizes the presence of plaque. It even categorizes the type of plaque, measuring the soft plaque that is most likely to rupture, leading to a thrombus. In fact, it is 10 times more predictive of heart attack and strokes than information on narrowing of the arteries, which is what the duplex ultrasound measures. This is especially true in females.
The scanning takes about 10 minutes, and patients are not exposed to any radiation and do not need to undress. Vital signs will be taken before the scanning, and a return office call to go over the results will be scheduled for 1 month after the testing.
The procedure costs $175 if you prepay at the time you schedule, or $200 if you pay on the day of service. We do not bill insurance directly, and payment is due at the time of service. We will provide you with a superbill for potential reimbursement by your insurance company. This cost does not include your follow visit. "
Please call the office at 206-781-2206 for any further questions you may have, or to ask your doctor if this is a recommended test for you.
FREE DETOX CLASS!!!
Free Detox Class with Dr. Gretchen and Dr. Tamara
February 22, 2011 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Join us for a discussion on why to detox, who should detox and how to detox.
We will be offering free Body composition analysis compliments of Kelly Bland from Metagenics. Kelly will also be sharing free samples of Ultra Clear Renew, a new detox formula designed to support and nourish our bodies when detoxing.
The class is free and you can call Emerald City Clinic to sign up: 206-781-2206
Visceral Manipulation Study
Hi,
I have started a Visceral Manipulation Class with a Wonderful teacher - Marty Ryan.
Marty is a well known international visceral teacher and lives here in Seattle. He is conducting a year long case study on Dysmennorhea and Acid Reflux. He is taking a limited number of patients for his case study to show that he can treat most cases within 3 sessions of visceral work. If you are intersted in being a patient for this, his rate is $75/session (normal rate is $90) and you have to commit to doing 3 sessions in a row (1 session every week). It is ok if you are being medicated for your condition.
Feel free to contact Marty with any questions if you have an interest, just tell Marty you heard about the study through Emerald City Clinic. You can contact him via email at:
marty@martyryanlmp.com
Cheers,
Gretchen
Washingtion Association of Naturopathic Physicians Encourages you to Take Action!
Dear WANP Members, and friends of family of the WANP,
If you live in one of the following legislative districts (1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, 30th, 33rd, 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th, and 46th), please send your state Senator the following message by this Friday (1/28/11) in support of Senate Bill 5037--Creating the Washington state board of naturopathy.
To find your legislative district and your Senator's contact information, visit the following website: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx. You will need to enter the address where you are registered to vote in order to get the correct information.
Please copy and paste the following message into your e-mail and send it to your Senator from your personal e-mail account. Be sure to fill in your Senator's name, edit the first line appropriately, and sign the e-mail with your name and address, so they know you are a constituent. Please also pass this information along to colleagues, friends, and family in your district who support naturopathic medicine.
Dear Senator _______,
I’m a naturopathic (physician ND, patient, advocate) living in your district.
Please pass SB 5037 - Creating the Washington state board of naturopathy (Keiser, Pflug, Kohl-Welles, Shin) out of the Rules Committee.
The Health & Long-Term Care committee passed it out of committee unanimously (Majority Report: Do pass; Signed by Senators Keiser, Chair; Conway, Vice Chair; Becker, Ranking Minority Member; Carrell, Kline, Parlette, Pflug, and Pridemore).
ND licensees will pay for the Board and it will not create any additional costs for the State.
A Board of Naturopathy is needed to ensure the highest standards of public safety, education and quality of care that Washington citizens deserve from our growing profession.
Thank you very much for your support.
Your signature
Thank you for taking this quick action in support of our naturopathic profession!
The WANP Governmental Affairs Committee
Ring in the New Year and Detox with the Docs!
The physicians and staff Emerald City Clinic are going to be going through a detox plan together and you should join us! Your package would include:
Happy Holidays
I hope you all have a relaxing, loving holiday season. We are open over the holidays. We will close for Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Dr. Molly Linton is in the office on a very limited schedule the next week as I am enjoying my family, but there is medical staff at the office during all office hours and available 24/7 for medical emergencies. Please have a healthy (emotionally, spiritually, physically) end of the year. Thank you for your confidence in our care and being part of the Emerald City Clinic family.
Foreign travel preparation
Many of you have embarked on overseas trips recently and I found out that you were not aware that we actually will help you plan your trip to remain as healthy as possible with such advice as which immunizations, sleep regulation, which supplements to take and NOT take, how to have written prescription to carry things over international borders, and a individually designed first aid kit for you. We have on the website our General Traveling First Aid kit, but we can modify them for each individual. Please make an appointment at least 8 weeks before travel for us to give you the prudent advice you need to travel and maintain your health.
EOB: explanation of benefits
Ostoeporosis and Large People
It has been thought that one positive health benefit from being large or overweight is less risk of osteoporosis. But new studies are starting to show that the visceral fat actually makes inflammatory products that are leading to bone disease. This affects my judgement about how often bone scans should be done or when the initial one needs to happen with larger people. FYI
Coconut oil
Coconut oil use has been associated with reducing Alzeihmers and dementia. One tablespoon/day is a great thing to add to your diet. OR eat fresh coconut.
Free Air Quality Home Assessment
Master Home Environmentalist Program and the American Lung Association are offering free home visits to assess the quality of air in your home. It does not matter if you own or rent your home.
Air quality assessments are beneficial for everyone, especially if you or your family has any symptoms of Asthma, headaches, stuffy nose, chronic sore throats, allergies or frequent illnesses.
Sign up for a free assessment by calling 206-441-5100 x 35
In good health,
Gretchen Imdieke ND
Emerald City Clinic Gifts: The Gifts of Health
We have a "stocking stuffer" gift table. It includes but not limited to: homeopathic emergency kits, our new T shirts :), recommended books (including cookbooks), detox baskets or spa baskets if you prefer, chlorine shower filters. Please come by and check it out. We recommend the Gifts of Health. You can also purchase gift certificates in any denomination.