Parenting can be very difficult, especially when small bodies have big emotions. You do your best to keep your cool, but even the best-meaning parents sometimes run into hills that seem too big to climb. These feelings come from several different places. Fears for your child, frustration, being overwhelmed, loss, guilt, confusion, lack of sleep, and even fear for yourself are all concerns plaguing a parent – all while trying to help your child learn, grow, and regulate their emotions. The inner pressures and struggles can feel like too much to bear. Luckily, there are some things that can help. Statistics show that mindfulness helps parents not only manage their own emotions but those of their children (Waters, 2016). 

 

Mindfulness is a mental state that results from focusing one’s awareness on the present moment. It involves acknowledging and accepting one’s thoughts and feelings. Here are some ideas for practicing mindfulness and being more mindful and present. 

 

NAP Stress Technique

Use the NAP acronym to help bring awareness to your internal world. 

• Notice: take a moment to notice what sensations you are experiencing. Do you have tension in your body? Is your breathing rapid or slow? What emotions are you feeling?
• Allow: without judgment or trying to change anything, allow yourself to be as you are. 
• Pass: rest in this moment and allow the emotions to pass. 

 

54321 Grounding Technique

This common technique is utilized for many concerns, including anxiety and PTSD. It helps ground you in the moment by reconnecting with your body and your five senses.

• Five things you can see: name 5 things you can see, whether it is close to you or far away.
• Four things you can feel: name 4 things you can feel, such as wind, feet in shoes, fabric of clothes on your skin, etc.
• Three things you can hear: name 3 things you can hear, such as birds, the AC, running water, wind, etc.
• Two things you can smell: name 2 things you can smell. If you can’t smell anything, try walking around and noticing any smells you encounter. If you can’t smell anything, name two smells that you like.
• One thing you can taste: Name one thing you think you can taste, such as the aftertaste of lunch, coffee, gum, etc. You can even put something like a mint in your mouth or drink a sip of tea for this activity. 

 

Box Breathing Technique

For this technique

• Breathe in for 5 counts.
• Then, hold your breath for 5 counts. 
• Then, exhale for 5 counts. 
• Then, hold your breath for 5 counts. 
• Repeat this several times. 

• This helps to regulate your breathing and calm the nervous system. 

 

Mindfulness with Your Children (Parlakian, 2024)

• • Active Listening: listen to your child with your full attention. A few minutes a day of undivided attention and actively listening to your child can promote a sense of connection and unity between you and your child. Try turning off screens, putting down your phone, or pausing a task to listen to your child fully. 

• COAL Technique

• • Curiosity: explore your child with curiosity and without judgment. With a soft gaze, notice how your child plays, moves, and thinks. What are they expressing?
  • Openness: when your child initiates a connection with you, receive them with openness. A connection can be engaging you in play, asking questions, or even hugging you.
  • Acceptance: accept the interaction your child gives without judgment and allow the interaction to change as your child moves from activity to activity.
  • Love: express love for your child!

 

Basic techniques can help you learn to regulate your emotions and nervous system and connect with your child. Parenting is hard; you are not alone. Call to schedule an appointment for more support. 

 

Read more: Mindfulness in Young Kids

 

Read more: Mindfulness to Reduce Stress

 

Read more: Tips for Creating Wellness Habits with Children

 

Waters, L. (2016). The relationship between child stress, child mindfulness and parent mindfulness. Psychology, 7(01), 40.

Abblett, Mitch. “A Mindfulness Practice for Stressed-out Parents.” Mindful, 15 Nov. 2023, www.mindful.org/when-parenting-gets-tough/. 

Parlakian, Rebecca, et al. “Mindfulness for Parents.” ZERO TO THREE, 3 Apr. 2024, www.zerotothree.org/resource/mindfulness-for-parents/. 

 

Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives, yet according to the National Institute of Health, over 50 million Americans experience a sleep disorder. In today’s society, it is often encouraged to sacrifice sleep to be more productive, but unfortunately this has caused us to lose sight of the importance of sleep. 

 

Lack of sleep can lead to slower cognitive thinking and reaction times and affect how we interact with each other in our daily lives. Research also shows that lack of sleep is often associated with cardiovascular disease, depression, inadequate blood glucose control, and hormonal imbalances. 

 

Tips for Improving Sleep

Creating healthy sleep habits and routines may sound like an overwhelming task, so here are a few simple ways to get started:

1. Consider purchasing blackout curtains to help eliminate light infiltration during sleep. Research has shown that even small amounts of dim light at night can negatively impact overall sleep. 
2. If you find it difficult to fall asleep because your sleep environment is too noisy, consider downloading an app like Insight Timer or purchasing a noise machine for additional sleep support. Research has shown that both white and pink noise can effectively mask external sounds while simultaneously evoking a sense of calmness and relaxation, promoting better sleep quality.
3. Avoiding caffeine after lunchtime can be a helpful change to incorporate into your routine, as too much caffeine in the afternoons and evenings can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and can cause you to stay up past your bedtime. Consider swapping that afternoon coffee for a cup of herbal tea! 
4. Start learning more about your sleep habits by creating a sleep-tracking journal. A good journal should include the following: what time you stopped using screens, what time you got in bed, how long it took to fall asleep, how many times you woke during the night, what time you woke in the morning, and if you felt tired or refreshed upon waking. You can even take it a step further by writing down some notes about your dreams! 

 

Read more about Sleep Hygiene Practices.

 

Naturopathic Approach

At Richmond Natural Medicine, each practitioner approaches sleep disturbances differently, but they each provide a comprehensive investigation into your sleep patterns. Dr. Alexander explains her approach to working with patients who experience sleep disturbances: 

“With patterns of disrupted sleep, we typically cannot pinpoint one individual cause, but rather typically a combination of multiple insults that have occurred throughout the day and over a period of time. With each patient, I dive deep into their sleep history to determine more information about their relationship with sleep, their nighttime routines, their bedroom environment, and their daily caffeine intake. We even discuss other factors that may be contributing to disturbed sleep patterns, such as partners, children, or pets that share the sleeping space. By gathering all of this information, we learn more about potential root causes of each individual’s sleep disturbances.” 

 

 Read more about our Top Tips for Improving Sleep.

 

If you need extra support improving your sleep quality, our practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine are ready to help you. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment! 

 

Still interested in what a sleep routine should look like?

Read more about checking your sleep routine here!

 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/ 
2. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5976009/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8838436 
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/ 

 

Mold is everywhere in our environment, especially now during these hot and humid months. From the pink film on your shower curtain to the moldy berries lurking in the back of your refrigerator, we are exposed to mold (and mycotoxins) more frequently than we realize. 

With the growing number of toxins our bodies are exposed to daily (chemicals, fragrances, plastics, etc.), it has become more difficult for our bodies to keep up with the demand, resulting in more chronic illnesses. 

You may read this and think that the ‘mold conversation’ is just a new trend since, historically, we have been able to coexist with mold without any issue or known consequence. While this may be true, the amount of environmental toxins and exposures has increased as society has become more industrialized, therefore creating a higher environmental burden on our bodies. While many people can be exposed to mold on a daily basis without issue, this is not the case for everyone – as it all depends on the individual body burden and ability to eliminate toxins and waste appropriately.

 

What does mold illness look like?

There is no set criteria for mold illness, as each person typically experiences a different presentation of symptoms. Unfortunately, some of the most common symptoms tend to mimic other conditions and can be difficult to differentiate, but they include headaches, unexplainable fatigue, rashes, hives, itching, sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, recurring sinus infections, difficulty breathing, and many more. 

 

Read More | The Health Effects of Mold Exposure & The Naturopathic Approach

 

How can I protect against mold?

Purchase a dehumidifier for your home to reduce excess moisture that could contribute to mold formation. Aim for less than 50% humidity in the home! Make sure there is good airflow throughout your home. Open closets and storage spaces frequently and allow them to air out. Change your HVAC and HEPA air filters on a regular basis! Check ceilings, attics, and crawl spaces after each rain to ensure there are no leaks. Create a schedule so that you are able to monitor all appliances, sinks, toilets, etc on a regular basis to ensure there are no water leaks

 

Read More | Air Health: Benefits of Air Purifiers for Spring

 

What if I find mold in my home?

If you think you may have mold in your home, consider reaching out to a local home inspector who is specifically trained and focuses on mold, as general inspectors are not always fully trained in this area. A thorough mold inspection will take many hours to complete and will be very thorough, but will help determine if mold is present in your environment. If remediation is recommended, it is important to hire a separate contractor to complete the remediation to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

 

I think mold may be contributing to my symptoms – what do I do next?

Are you ready to investigate mold as a potential underlying cause of your symptoms? Our naturopathic doctors will ask extensive questions about your health and environmental exposure history to determine if you may be experiencing mold-related illness.

 

Dr. Alexander recently completed Dr. Jill Crista’s Intensive Certification on Mold-Related Illness, which effectively taught her how to identify vulnerable patients and how to safely and properly support them on their journey with mold-related illnesses. 

 

If you suspect mold sickness or want to investigate further, schedule an appointment with Dr. Alexander or one of our other mold-literate providers today.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents, affecting nearly 1 in 12 children and 1 in 4 adolescents (Kowalchuk, et al, 2022). Anxiety in kids can have several negative effects, including fear or worry that is out of proportion to the situation. Physical symptoms such as chest tightness, nausea, and faintness can also occur. This is often seen as crying, tantrums, or reluctance to engage in activities. 

 

Read more: RNM’s Approach to Mental Health

 

Over time, anxiety can begin to affect the ability to complete tasks, socialize, and participate in activities. Executive functioning, which is the ability to regulate focus, can become impaired (Jacobson, 2016). As anxiety increases, it becomes more difficult to ignore the fear, which interferes with the ability to focus and make good decisions. 

 

Mindfulness has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve focus. Mindfulness can feel daunting to teach kids, but it can be quite fun! Consider implementing one of these mindfulness activities with your child. 

 

Pinwheel Breathing:

• Regulating the breath is an important first step in learning mindfulness. 
• Try holding a pinwheel out in front of your child and have them blow long, deep breaths. 
• Notice how you feel. Do you feel calm? Are you having trouble sitting still?
• Next, blow on the pinwheel with short, quick breaths. 
• Notice how you feel. Do you feel the same as the long, deep breaths?
• Return to the long, deep breaths
• Talk with your child about how the different breaths made them feel.

 

Balancing on One Foot:

• First, focus the gaze slightly below eye level
• Then, stand on one leg while keeping this gaze
• How long are you able to stand on one leg? How about the other leg?
• Next, try conversing, singing a song, or closing your eyes.
• How did things change?

 

Simon Says:

• Classic children’s games can help with mindfulness, too!
• This game helps to teach focus, control, and listening skills
• How to Play:
  • Designate a “Simon”. Simon is in charge, and all players do what he says.
  • Simon will then call out instructions varying between statements that start with “Simon says,” such as “Simon says touch your nose,” and statements that exclude “Simon says,” such as “touch your nose.”
  • The players should only perform the action that Simons starts with. “Simon says”
  • If players follow instructions that do not start with “Simon says, “ they are out of the game. 
  • The last player standing wins. 
• After the game, talk about how easy or hard it was to follow the instructions and differentiate between the commands with “Simon says” vs. those without. 

 

These mindfulness exercises can help teach kids to regulate their thoughts, body and breath. This in turn can help to reduce anxiety and improve focus. Remember that mindful kids come from mindful parents! Try taking a moment throughout the day to focus on your own breath. Notice how you feel. Are you stressed, calm, relaxed, frustrated, excited? Acknowledge these feelings and breathe through them. Always seek additional support as needed from your care provider. 

 

References:

Courtney E. Ackerman, MA. “18 Mindfulness Games, Worksheets and Activities for Kids.” PositivePsychology.Com, 8 May 2024, positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-kids/. 

 

Jacobson, Lisa. “Anxiety and Its Impact on Learning.” Kennedy Krieger Institute, www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/making-difference/inspiring-stories/anxiety-and-its-impact-learning#:~:text=Anxiety%20can%20impair%20the%20executive,point%20where%20learning%20is%20compromised. Accessed 8 July 2024. 

 

Kowalchuk A, Gonzalez SJ, Zoorob RJ. Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Am Fam Physician. 2022 Dec;106(6):657-664. PMID: 36521463.

If your summer months feel a little more chaotic than the rest of the year, we have a few tips and lifestyle tricks to support you during this season. Even though the days feel long and the weather is hot and humid, offering a feeling of slowness, for many, their routines are in flux, kids are home from school, and vacations can feel like more work than relaxation. Here are a few ways we’re sustaining our summer sanity this year:

 

1. Maintain some anchors of routine. 

Summertime can feel just as chaotic as the holiday season, and our everyday routines can dissolve into an endless to-do list to make the most of the summer days. Our body thrives with routine, and predictable placements of habits and tasks throughout the day can be a mental lifesaver when you stick to them. Examples:

• Wake up at the same time each morning and maintain your bedtime routine in the evenings. This helps to keep our circadian rhythm and enhances sleep quality in the long term.
• Consume your meals at the same time daily to support overall blood sugar balance and maintain a sustained energy level throughout the day. 
• Keep up with a basic batch-cooking routine, even if it’s prepping 1-2 dinners each night, to always have a healthy go-to in the fridge or freezer for those extra-long days. 
• If you have an exercise routine (e.g., going for a daily walk, yoga class, hitting the gym, or taking a swim), make sure exercise and movement remain part of it. 

 

2. Eat seasonally whenever possible.

We don’t need to recreate the wheel with every meal every season. Having some essential go-to recipes for quick summer meal prep can take the edge off of the mental load of thinking about “what’s for dinner” every night. Keep it seasonal with a few easy options:

• Classic BLT’s with a tossed salad
• Red Pepper, Onion, Pineapple & Chicken kebabs + Quinoa 
• Early Summer Abundance Bowl
• Minty Black Bean Salad

Read More: Eat the Rainbow! Health Benefits of Every Color 

 

3. Stay Hydrated (and cool).

If you live in a hot and humid climate during the summer, make sure you’re staying hydrated every day. We can easily forget to drink water, and dehydration can happen quickly on hot days. Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, irritability, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, dry mouth, and overall feeling exhausted and fatigued. 

How to calculate your minimum hydration requirement: Take your body weight and divide it by 2. That is the minimum number of ounces for your daily intake. For example, if you’re 160 pounds, you should aim for 80 ounces of water daily. This is your minimum amount, so if you’re traveling, exercising, sweating, or the weather is extra hot, you should increase this.

Read More: ND Lifestyle – Water and Hydration

 

4. Take this season to unplug & reconnect

Turn off or get away from the internet for one day a week, spend time at home making crafts/arts, spend time in nature, read an indulgent book, do some gardening, or just rest. Internet connection is addicting. We are responsible for our mental health and having appropriate boundaries for our psyche. When we disconnect, our nervous system has a chance to unwind, and our mind has an opportunity to pause and center.

If you need extra support this season to maintain your mental and physical health, our practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine are here to support you. Contact our office today to connect with one of our naturopathic doctors and get started.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 and 1 in 3 people over the age of 85. Early onset Alzheimer’s (diagnosed from ages 30 to mid-sixties) is rare, as aging is the most significant risk factor in developing Alzheimer’s. The initial symptoms of Alzheimer’s include poor memory or memory loss, mental fog, cognitive decline, and confusion. Daily examples may include repeating questions, misplacing items, or inability to complete familiar tasks at home or work. The symptoms gradually worsen over time. It is estimated that the progression of Alzheimer’s can take 10 to 20 years of accumulation of amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles inflammation, and synaptic and neuronal loss before symptoms can develop (1). 

 

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?

Although there is no known direct cause of Alzheimer’s disease, some common factors associated with the increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s include hypertension, obesity, traumatic brain injury, diabetes, chronic inflammation, poor gut (microbiome) health, PTSD, and aging. Through recent research, we have learned that there are usually several factors leading to the progression of the disease, including genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors, along with health history and previous chronic conditions (2). The slow progression of Alzheimer’s disease makes it challenging to “catch” early. Thus, from a naturopathic perspective, your ND always incorporates healthy aging practices into your care plan, even when working with younger adults lacking signs or symptoms of cognitive decline. 

Naturopathic Approach

If you are currently experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s, or you are watching or caring for a loved one experiencing the disease, you know how debilitating and difficult it can be to endure. We carefully assess every individual and approach the health and well-being of each person through a holistic lens. 

The Naturopathic doctors at RNM work to assess your neurological health by actively collaborating with your current physicians. Because many factors together impact your current health, your ND will thoroughly evaluate your family history, epigenetics, viruses, injury, nutrition/diet, environmental exposures, and stress. Each is important and vital to investigate; this provides the best outcome and quality of life for those struggling with Alzheimer’s disease or looking to facilitate prevention earlier in life. 

Dr. Hollon approaches Alzheimer’s disease by taking in the complete health picture of every individual patient, explaining, 

“With Alzheimer’s, it isn’t just one thing; the collective aspects matter. Assessing stress, nutrition, blood sugar, and food intolerances are important. If there is trauma or even emotional hardships, this is also something that can impact the biochemistry of the brain. Different recommendations may be given depending on the severity and stage of the disease. Also, certain drugs are not broken down well by some people which can impact sensitive brain tissue. Thus, undergoing additional pharmacogenomic testing can be useful in those cases. But the diversity of gut flora, mucus and short chain fatty acids serve to be protective, and this can be achieved by exercise or movement and getting a well-rounded diet that includes grains, vegetables, and high-quality protein.”

Read More: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Role of the Microbiome

Some aspects of daily living contribute to neurological dysfunction, from dietary and environmental contaminants to long-term stress, poor sleep, and an overall sedentary lifestyle. These are just a few contributors to the growing epidemic of diminishing brain health and poor overall gut health. Other factors we consider for optimal brain function are underlying or past infections, inflammation, hormone balance, and neurotransmitter balance.

Through this approach, your naturopathic doctor, in collaboration with your current medical care team, can create an individualized plan to enhance your overall health and well-being. Whether with an active Alheizmer’s diagnosis or through a preventive approach. If you need support or have questions regarding Alzheimer’s disease, please contact our office to speak with one of our naturopathic doctors at 804-478-0733. 

 

Resources:

1. Inflammation: the link between comorbidities, genetics, and Alzheimer’s disease. 
2. Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet (CDC)

The season of abundance offers so many delicious and nourishing foods. We love finding creative and easy ways to incorporate seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs into our weekly meal prep rotation to enjoy the flavors of summer. If you have a home garden, this time of year offers a constant supply of fresh produce in your backyard. If you have a local farmers market, visit them weekly to see what’s new and fresh every week, and often, you may feel inspired to try a new recipe based on an exciting new ingredient! Below are a few of our favorite simple summer nourishing recipes and a list of some of the best seasonal summer produce that can be available:

Summer Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs

 

Fruits	Vegetables	Herbs
Strawberries	Tomatoes	Basil
Blueberries	Beets	Chives
Raspberries	Swiss Chard	Cilantro
Blackberries	Corn	Parsely
Melons	Cucumbers	Dill
Peaches	Carrots	Mint
Cherries	Squash & Zucchini	Sage
Cantaloupe	Peppers	Oregano
Pears	Eggplants	Rosemary
Plums	Beans	Chamomile
Grapes	Okra	Thyme
Avocado	Assorted mushrooms

 

Stacked Vegetable Quesadillas

1/2 sweet onion (thinly sliced)

In a frying pan, sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil until translucent, 1-2 minutes

 

One clove of garlic (minced)

4 ounces mushrooms (washed & thinly sliced)

Two carrots (shredded or chopped)

One zucchini or summer squash (chopped)

One green or red pepper (thinly sliced)

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ teaspoon cumin

Add and cook for 5 minutes until the veggies are tender. Drain off any excess liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

12 corn tortillas or chips (organic, non-GMO)

1.5 cups pepper jack cheese (shredded)

Assemble four stacks simultaneously on a backing sheet. Start with a tortilla, top with a large spoonful of veggies, some grated cheese, and then another tortilla. Repeat layers, ending with a third tortilla. Place tortilla stacks in a preheated oven at 400 F for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and the stacks are hot. Cut into quarters and serve warm with salsa, avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro.

————————————————————————————————–

Summer Veggie Stir-fry

 

2 tsp olive oil

One purple eggplant, chopped

One bunch green onions (scallions), chopped

One large carrot, shredded

Two small zucchini, chopped

2 cups crimini mushrooms (chopped)

Melt the olive oil in a large fry pan and add all of the ingredients, stirring well. Cover with a loose-fitting lid to lightly steam, and stir about once every 4-5 minutes. Steam until tender and remove from heat (15-20 minutes). You may choose to sauté the mushrooms separately if you like them more well done.

 

(optional) 1 block firm tofu (chopped) (or grilled chicken)

Place 1 tsp olive oil in a large fry pan and heat. Drain the tofu chop in long strips, and sauté on high heat in a large fry pan. Allow to brown on each side. Cooking time varies from 20-25 minutes for this.

 

Noodles:

While sautéing the veggies, boil a large pot of water and prepare one package of organic udon noodles (8oz package). Follow the directions on the package, as different types of noodles vary in cooking times.

 

Sauce:

Combine two tablespoons of tahini paste, two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of coconut aminos, and two tablespoons of teriyaki sauce in a small bowl and mix well.

 

Place the cooked noodles and steamed veggies in a large bowl and pour the sauce over top, stirring well. You may add some sesame seeds to the finish if desired. ————————————————————————————————–

 

Spaghetti Squash with roasted veggies

One spaghetti squash

Two large carrots, peeled

One yellow onion

One small zucchini

One turnip, peeled 

1 cup mushrooms

 

Cut spaghetti squash in half along the long side. Place face down on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. 

 

Chop carrots, onions, zucchini, turnips, and mushrooms into large pieces and mix well with olive oil, sage, pepper, and salt. Place in a baking dish and bake at 375 for 30 minutes (or until tender).

Scrape the spaghetti squash with a fork and add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon olive oil. Mix well. Top with roasted veggies and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

 

For additional reading on Traditional Southern Cuisine, see The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South.

 

Aging is a privilege, and our quality of life and overall vitality are some of the most important factors in aiding our ability to enjoy life in our later decades. So often, when we reach the age of sixty or seventy, suddenly, we wish we had done things a little differently earlier in life so our bodies felt stronger and healthier in our later years. As we age, the body naturally declines and slows down. This is perfectly normal; however, the habits we maintain earlier in life either support a healthier aging process or contribute to a more rapid decline. 

 

One of the first things to consider when you take on a healthy approach to aging is your mindset. Don’t resist the body’s natural progression or fight the slow changes as we move from decade to decade. Taking a flexible and mindful approach can help you develop self-awareness. We all need to notice when things shift in our bodies so that we can provide our bodies with what they need. In a world where ‘anti-aging’ products are everywhere, consider the benefits of pro-aging when you take on habits that will care for your body every day through every birthday. Some of these are included below, and your naturopathic doctor can talk with you in detail about each health approach to aging.

Read More: What Do We Know About Healthy Aging?

 

Continue To Move Your Body Through Daily Exercise

 

Our physical abilities will change over time, but maintaining a strong exercise routine early in life and throughout your forties, fifties, and sixties provides many benefits. 

Some include:

• Supporting cardiovascular function, including healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels
• Supporting blood sugar balance
• Enhancing mental health 
• Maintaining muscle mass to support bone production and osteoporosis prevention 
• Contributing to increased mobility later in life

 

Start now: If you don’t know where to start with maintaining an exercise routine, take a walk every day for at least 15 minutes. Take a group class at your local gym, or visit a local community pool to swim if your joints are sensitive to impact exercise. 

 

Maintain A Nutrient-Rich, Whole-Food Diet 

We can’t stress enough how important your daily diet is to your overall vitality and your body’s ability to maintain a healthy aging process. Feeding ourselves a nutrient-rich diet contributes to healthy hormone production, bone health, and overall gut and mental health. It also helps to promote strong cardiovascular health and reduce age-related diseases like metabolic syndrome, hyperlipidemia and hypertension, osteoporosis, obesity, and diabetes. We often recommend nutrition habits similar to a Mediterranean Diet and tailor our nutrition suggestions to the individual based on their health needs or food intolerances. Generally, limiting alcohol, sugar, soda, and processed foods and avoiding smoking have a positive impact on a healthy aging process. 

 

Read More: Nutrition Services at Richmond Natural Medicine

 

Participate In Your Community

When looking at the aging populations in Blue Zones, one of the key characteristics of these areas is a strong sense of community involvement, purpose within the community, and feeling supported in an extended family structure. This is relevant because – as we age – this can be very isolating if we are not around family or our community is not immediately nearby. Surrounding yourself with friends or family that encourages you to live a happy and vibrant life while you also feel a sense of purpose within this group is noticeably important to a long and contented aging process. Activities such as dancing, singing, and learning new things regularly have been shown to correlate with healthy cognitive function and reduced risk for dementia.  

 

Create Habits For Stress Reduction And Management

 

Stress will be present throughout life; however, how we respond to stress affects how our bodies react. Chronic stress is known to be an inflammatory process, elevating cortisol levels, increasing blood pressure, and disrupting digestion. Learning helpful and realistic stress reduction practices to implement during seasons of life when stress feels high can dramatically decrease the negative effects of stress as we age. 

 

Get Adequate Sleep

 

Sleep is the body’s time to rest and repair from the day. We need consistent, adequate sleep every night for our bodies to function properly, and the more we go without enough sleep, the more the body will suffer. Lack of sleep can lead to decreased immune function, higher stress levels, quickening the aging process, and a lack of energy throughout the day, leading us to reach for quick fixes like processed carbohydrates or caffeinated drinks. Do your best to prioritize sleep with a consistent evening routine and a comfortable sleep environment. Our doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine can work with you individually to support sleep quality if you are struggling. 

 

Read More: RNM Tips for Improving Sleep 

 

Aging is a process, and we don’t always need to do everything 100% perfectly all the time. We keep these overarching habits in mind throughout the weeks and months of our lives, and if we can maintain these healthy approaches to aging about 80% of the time, that’s a great goal. 

 

Experience vibrant aging with Richmond Natural Medicine by your side. Embrace the privilege of growing older by cultivating habits that nurture your body, mind, and spirit. Our team supports you in maintaining a strong body through exercise, nourishing yourself with a nutrient-rich diet, fostering community connections, managing stress, and prioritizing restorative sleep. Start your journey towards a fulfilling and vibrant life today with Richmond Natural Medicine.

Naturopathic medicine is a comprehensive approach to addressing health and wellness. This means that people come to see our naturopathic doctors for various reasons, whether they have active diagnoses, curiosities about how to practice preventative care in their daily lives, or how to address any imbalances of health they may be experiencing in conjunction with conventional care. One of the many things our naturopathic doctors include in their comprehensive conversations with you will be about your overall state of mental health. This includes your emotional health, spiritual health, and psycho-social health. This well-being area is as important as physical health but may be harder to articulate or address. That’s one of the areas where naturopathic medicine can help to initiate the conversation. 

 

Our naturopathic doctors will ask several questions about your mental health during your time together. These may include questions about your work, home life, stress, social circle, or even your diet. Mostly, they are interested in hearing your own story and how things in your life – health struggles, stress triggers, or what brings you joy or frustration- impact your overall health and behaviors. Assessing and digging deeper into our mental health is important because how we feel emotionally daily influences how we make decisions, how we relate to others in our family or community, how we are influenced to make food choices, and how we manage stressors in our lives. 

 

Read More: Benefits of Pet Therapy for Mental Health 

 

The Naturopathic Approach to Mental Health

Supporting mental health is not achieved with an overnight recommendation but rather by starting a conversation about developing awareness around your emotional and psychosocial health. Some questions to consider here may include: What are the contributors in your daily life that impact your feelings? Do you feel like you have control over your life or health? Do you feel supported in your life in the ways that you need support? What does stress feel like for you, and how do you manage stress? These are some examples of what your ND may inquire into to get you thinking about your mental health and to help them add more color to your overall health picture. 

 

Support for mental health can vary widely, including simple daily exercise, counseling, supplements, medications, and outpatient or inpatient treatment centers. Each person has needs, and their doctors or therapists can help them find the best solution. On an ongoing, daily basis, here are some general suggestions for supporting mental health that you can do at home:

• Light therapy (especially helpful in the winter months)
• Supplementation with vitamin D (once you have assessed your current vitamin D levels)
• Stress management practices such as yoga, meditation, journaling, and mindfulness 
• Pet therapy
• Spending time outside and experiencing nature connection each day
• Maintain a healthy diet. Generally, the Mediterranean diet is excellent for gut health and mental health support. 
• Daily exercise or movement such as walking, swimming, running, yoga, and stretching

Read More: The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise and Movement

 

If you feel like you need support with mental health in your comprehensive care plan, contact our office to connect with one of our naturopathic doctors. They will have an in-depth discussion with you to review your health history, diet, lifestyle practices, stressors, sleep, and any relevant lab work to help support your needs. They may also be an excellent resource for referrals to local therapists or licensed mental health counselors. Don’t hesitate to seek help or ask questions if you feel that you need to support maintaining your mental health at any time. The staff and practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine are available to help and guide you in finding a solution that works for you.

At Richmond Natural Medicine, we work with women actively managing osteoporosis symptoms. Women with prevention on their minds want to implement habits to reduce the risk factors of developing bone loss later in life. Bone health is a significant factor as we age, and maintaining a diet, lifestyle, and exercise routine that supports our bones is something we can work on as early as our twenties. However, osteoporosis and women’s health are always on the radar of your naturopathic doctor. We can offer guidance and support in helping manage both the symptoms and contributing factors.

Bone Health Through the Years

Throughout our lives, we are continually breaking down and creating new bones. Bone is a connective tissue built up by osteoblast cells, which exude calcium phosphate. On the other hand, osteoclasts continually break down bone so that it is constantly renewed. The bones we were born with are not the same throughout our lives. As our bones develop and grow, there is much more osteoblast activity (meaning we’re making new bones more quickly than breaking them down). Approximately 6-12% of the adult skeleton is replaced yearly through osteoblast activity.

Over time, the balance shifts so that there is similar activity between the osteoblasts and osteoclasts until age 35, when skeletal mass peaks. Typically, there is more osteoclast activity after age forty, leading to more bone breakdown and less bone creation. This is a natural process. However, osteoporosis can occur quickly when this increase in osteoclast activity is combined with a deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals and hormonal changes. Some individuals are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis due to epigenetics. 

Bones rely on calcium as their main mineral source. Most of this calcium should be obtained through our diet. Vitamin D is essential in calcium absorption, and most people are commonly deficient in vitamin D. Thus, making calcium absorption sub-optimal. Appropriate or balanced estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA levels are also essential for calcium absorption because they are often decreased in post-menopausal women. Our digestion also matters because it is challenging for the body to make new bones if we cannot appropriately digest and assimilate calcium or vitamin D. Other minerals and nutrients, such as silica, boron, and magnesium, also contribute to healthy bone formation. Without these nutrients and our ability to utilize them, our bone health can be suboptimal.

Symptoms of Osteoporosis

• The sudden onset of back pain could be a compression fracture, which occurs when there is a general weakness in the bones caused by osteoporosis.
• Incremental back pain
• Easily fractured or broken bones, especially in the wrists, hips, and spine
• Stooped posture
• Gradual loss of height
• Hip discomfort 

Daily Support for Osteoporosis Prevention

Nutrition

Our daily diet plays a significant role in our bone health as we age, and those lacking calcium, particularly from high-quality dairy sources or leafy greens, may be at risk for developing osteoporosis. Certain drugs, such as acid blockers, can impact digestion by preventing us from breaking down core nutrients and converting them into bone. It is crucial to remember that digestion and absorption are key to bone health. For this reason, people with certain chronic diseases that impact their digestion may be at a higher risk of osteoporosis. Even certain thyroid issues, such as hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease, or celiac disease, can inhibit the body’s calcium absorption. Alcohol use and smoking contribute to increased risk over time.

 

Overall, working with a nutritionist or naturopathic doctor who emphasizes nutrition starting in your twenties or thirties can be hugely beneficial in preventing osteoporosis as we age. A good goal is a whole-food diet with colorful antioxidants, plenty of fiber, adequate hydration, substantial-quality protein sources, and omega-3-rich fatty acids. Eating in a receptive and low-stress state can assist with absorbing nutrients and minerals.

 

Supplementation

Generally, people with osteoporosis lack calcium, vitamin D, and sometimes other vitamins, including B12 or folate. It is important to consult your care team to assess your needs before taking various supplements. Supplementation may be helpful in addition to examining your hormone levels, overall digestive function, and current diet. 

 

Lifestyle

From a naturopathic perspective, multiple inputs throughout our daily lives contribute to our overall health. Three substantial contributors to developing osteoporosis later in life include genetics, daily diet, and activity levels in mid-life and post-menopause. But when we look at our daily habits for the decades leading up to perimenopause (when women’s hormones go through a significant period of change), we pay attention to how much our sleep habits, immune health, stress levels, and environment can contribute to the progression of disease or severity of hormone-related symptoms. Your naturopathic doctor will keep all of this in mind even when younger and seeking care. Especially for older women presenting with hormonal or osteoporosis-related symptoms. 

 

Exercise

Bones anchor muscle activity. The amount of osteoblast activity is roughly proportionate to the amount of physical exertion. Thus, weight-bearing exercise, walking, swimming, resistance training, and yoga are often encouraged for long-term bone health. Appropriate exercise also contributes to hormonal balance and can assist with keeping tissues healthier. However, each person is an individual and responds differently to certain exercises. 

 

Depending on the severity of osteoporosis, moderate exercise and weight-bearing training may be appropriate, whereas daily walks with light weights may be more advantageous for others. Again, depending on the progression or severity of osteoporosis, working with specialists, including physical therapists or personal trainers, can assist in identifying your body’s strengths and limitations. In some cases, resistance or weight training has been shown to slow the progression of bone loss. This begins at about 1% every year after age 40. This helps to keep bones strong and even enhances bone and muscle mass over time. Maintaining a healthy and strong muscle mass will also contribute to strong bones. 

 

Care Team

If osteoporosis is a future or current concern for you, consider working with a specialized endocrinologist. This will allow for annual blood work, hormone testing, and bone markers to track your bone health or the progression of any current bone issues. They can also educate you on any other underlying health conditions that may be causing or contributing to symptoms of osteoporosis. As well as continually monitor changes in bone density. 

 

Naturopathic Approach to Osteoporosis

Your naturopathic doctor will look at the entire presentation of symptoms of your bone health. Including your hormone levels, diet, exercise, stress, possible chronic diseases, and family history. They may also request your vitamin, mineral, and hormone levels to be assessed. Although bone loss takes time to reverse, there are many opportunities to support your bone health and keep it from worsening over time. 

Support for osteoporosis and women’s health takes time since we turn over bone slowly and thus rebuild bone slowly. Our goal is to create an improved structure of your body that is stronger to take on the demands of life in the coming years. Although multiple people may have the same diagnosis of osteoporosis, the naturopathic protocol will likely be slightly different for each person because our epigenetics and lifestyles are so diverse.

Helpful Resources

Wake Forest Osteoporosis Center

How Naturopathic Medicine Can Help with Women’s Health

Effect of Estrogen on Calcium Absorption and Serum Vitamin D Metabolites in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis