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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Naturopathic Approach to High Blood Pressure

Hypertension—or high blood pressure—is one of the most commonly diagnosed diseases in the U.S. today, affecting more than 75 million Americans. Unfortunately, less than 50% of those with hypertension manage to keep it under control. Because high blood pressure is one of the few diseases with virtually no outwardly noticeable symptoms, it is often referred to as “the silent killer”. Complications from high blood pressure can seem to come on quickly. If and when symptoms do present, they commonly include occasional dizziness, headaches, sporadic high heart rate, nervousness, and skin flushing. However, these symptoms are not specific to hypertension.

For someone to be diagnosed with hypertension, they must have a blood pressure reading consistently over 140/90 mm Hg. While it is normal for blood pressure to rise and fall during normal daily activities, such as exercising and sleeping, when blood pressure is consistently elevated over a period of time hypertension is more likely the cause.

Fortunately, your blood pressure is easy to check every single day. You can do this at almost any local drug store. And, if you have been diagnosed with hypertension, then your naturopathic doctor can absolutely help you get to the bottom of how and why this is presenting.

Root Causes of High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can be potentiated by several factors, including high stress, and (to some extent) genetic predisposition. Lifestyle and diet, however, plays the most significant role in both the presence of hypertension, and as an effective solution. Stress is the key player in how and when high blood pressure is present. And here’s why:

High stress is one of the leading causes of hypertension, and when addressed first, it can have an almost immediate positive impact on blood pressure. Stress causes a cascade of hormonal responses, physically constricting the arteries and leading to a more rapid blood flow and higher pressure against the endothelial layer of the arterial walls. When under stress, we release aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland. Aldosterone sends a message to the kidneys to retain salts. This signals nephrons to increase reabsorption of sodium and water, and releases potassium in the kidneys. Water will always follow sodium, leading to an increase in blood volume, which ultimately leads to an increase in blood pressure. Your kidneys play an enormous role in maintaining healthy blood pressure, and the kidneys are directly responsive to stress.

Aldosterone receptors (many of which are in the heart) can bind glucocorticoids, another class of steroid hormones. So, if you’re really stressed, your glucocorticoid levels go up, and you will start filling up aldosterone receptors and your blood volume will increase, thus increasing blood pressure. By controlling our response to stress (or better yet – reducing the causes of stress), we can effectively reduce the amount of aldosterone that is released on a daily basis, and therefore protect the kidneys.

Naturopathic Approach

Your Naturopathic doctor will first review any blood pressure medications that you may be taking in order to safely work alongside them. Then, they will thoroughly assess your lifestyle to determine what may be contributing to high blood pressure on a daily basis. Likely, they will suggest stress and lifestyle modifications to support your goal of lowering blood pressure sustainably, and often recommend appropriate herbal medicines or supplements – as well as dietary suggestions – to support your cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and your kidneys. All of their recommendations will be tailored for you and your lifestyle, and whether or not you are currently taking any medications to address high blood pressure.

Long term, the goal of a naturopathic approach to managing hypertension is to eliminate the cause, and thus prevent blood pressure from elevating again. This occurs by educating patients on the cause of their high blood pressure (which may differ from person to person), and offering tools and techniques to manage this effectively and sustainably over time. They can also easily work collaboratively with your other health care providers to deliver the most holistic and comprehensive care possible.

Are you interested in learning more about incorporating a naturopathic approach when managing high blood pressure? Request an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors or give us a call at 804-977-2634 today.

Read More: Naturopathic Approach to Cardiovascular Health

Read More: 5 Supportive Remedies for High Blood Pressure

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Personalized Nutrition: Fad Diets Vs. Individualized Diets

Within the world of nutrition, it can seem like there is a lot of overwhelm regarding what the “best” diet to follow is on any given month. With near constant blog posts, social media influencers, and health headlines coming across our feeds about keto, vegan, paleo, IFM, whole 30, alkaline, and intermittent fasting diets (the list goes on and on), which one is best for you? How do you choose? It’s very common for all of the diet fads and trends to present with conflicting information, leading to further confusion about what you should and should not consume. This is where educating yourself about your own nutrition needs really pays off. Creating an individualized diet – often with the help of a trained nutritionist – is almost always a more sustainable, affordable, and health aligned choice.

Keep in mind when hearing about a new diet fad:

  • Who is promoting this? Are they benefitting from the “sale” of anything within this diet such as supplements, meal packages or subscriptions? And are they a trained professional within the nutrition profession? (Social media influencers and some “wellness” bloggers usually are not).
  • What is the research? Where is this diet information coming from, and how was this information gathered? Make sure that any nutrition protocol has legitimate research to back it up, ideally with 10+ years of human use and documentation.
  • Is it sustainable for you? Is this a diet that you can reasonably keep doing in order to maintain your health goals?
  • Does it absolutely meet your required nutrition needs? The #1 issue with fad diets is that there is no one right diet for everyone. Every single person requires different things to balance our health, and following a popular diet that works for one person may not work for you.
  • Are they only focused on calories? Calorie counting diets alone are not a sustainable diet solution. Calorie counting does not take into account food nutrient quality, and that’s a huge problem.

The Benefits of a Personalized Nutrition Plan:

  • All of your specific micro and macro nutrient needs will be met. This can often be done through a thorough nutrition assessment from your nutritionist, or through appropriate testing so you know exactly what you need, and how much.
  • Any issues with food allergies or food intolerances will be taken into account, and avoided. If you’re continually consuming foods you may be allergic or intolerant to, this can lead to other issues stemming from inflammation and/or digestive imbalance. Getting the appropriate testing for these will greatly enhance your long-term, individualized nutrition plan.
  • Other aspects of your health are addressed nutritionally, including hormone balance, metabolism, activity level, blood sugar support, applicable family history, weight support, cholesterol support, and digestive health. Your individualized diet plan can serve as a truly therapeutic key to your overall health when created just for you.
  • A nutrition plan will be created for you that is sustainable. It will meet your current health goals while being possible to maintain long term, so there’s no “falling off the wagon” once you’ve reached your goals.
  • When working with a nutritionist for an individualized diet, you can expect this diet to change as your health changes. This is an excellent benefit, because your health is never stagnant, and nor should your diet be either.

Remember, “food is medicine”, and each person’s medicine should be as unique as they are individually. Fad diets are often always based on a single principle or goal, which is usually reductionist specific (i.e, lose weight by burning ketones, or increase energy by fasting longer, for example). A holistic, person- centered diet should always be enhancing to whole body health, not depleting by focusing on a single goal and ignoring the other areas of health support or ignoring the synergy of the body. Food can be amazingly well suited and tailored for each person, and with the help of a nutritionist, an individualized diet can be created just for you that not only addresses your specific health goals, but can be supportive of your individual needs.

 

Ready to enhance your health through nutrition and build your life-long individualized diet?

Book your Initial Nutrition Consultation with Dr. Viktoriya Beliy here.

Dr. Viktoriya Beliy is a licensed naturopathic physician who completed her education and a year-long residency at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR. During her time at NUNM she also earned her Master’s in Nutrition concurrently with her doctorate in naturopathic medicine. She has additional training in classical homeopathy through the New England School of Homeopathy with Dr. Paul Herscu and Dr. Amy Rothenberg. She enjoys treating all conditions, especially focusing on dermatology, women’s and men’s health, endocrinology, and autoimmune conditions.

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Top 5 Richmond Natural Medicine Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is foundational to optimal health. If you are not getting adequate, good quality rest you are not allowing for proper tissue repair and healing.

Sleep can make a huge impact on your overall health and wellbeing. It improves memory and mood, reduces inflammation and improves immune function, in addition to decreasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes.

Here are 5 simple tips to improve your nightly dream time.

  1. NO SCREEN TIME at least an hour before bed. The blue light from screens disrupts the production of melatonin in the brain, thus negatively impacting sleep. Remove all wifi devices from the bedroom. Turn off the screens and read a book, meditate, pray or journal.
  2. Go outside for at least 20-30 minutes daily. Our bodies are attuned to nature. Our circadian rhythms are dependent upon natural sunlight on the retina of the eye. Plus fresh air, grounding and simply being in nature offer other healing benefits as well!
  3. Exercise and regulate your blood sugar. Avoid caffeine after noon, avoid alcohol (especially in the evenings), eat regular anti-inflammatory balanced meals and discontinue eating 3 hours before bed time.
  4. Tea time anyone? Herbal teas before bed can be very calming and serve as a ceremony to remind the body it is time to rest. Great options include chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower and valerian. There are plenty of combination sleepy teas out there such as Nighty Night, Bedtime and Cup of Calm.
  5. Magic of Magnesium. Deficient magnesium can lead to poor sleep and insomnia. It relaxes and calms the body and mind for improved sleep. I would suggest magnesium glycinate rather than magnesium citrate.

Can you imagine, peacefully drifting off to sleep as soon as your head hits the pillow. Having deep uninterrupted sleep, waking rejuvenated and ready for your day?

Yes, it’s possible.. it may seem like there are a lot of obstacles, but there are endless ways to support healthy sleep!

As Naturopath’s we aim to treat the cause. Knowing the underlying cause of sleep disturbance guides the recommended supportive therapies, which are always individualized. If you have tried everything or have been struggling with sleep concerns for far too long, consider making an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors. You can contact our office at (804) 977-2634 for more information.

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Nutrition Support for Balanced Probiotics & Gut Health with Dr. Beliy

For a healthy digestive tract, we need a balance of good bacteria and beneficial yeast to support the digestion and absorption of our foods, and maintain our immune system.

A healthy amount of probiotics is essential to immune function, as the good bacteria will populate the lining of our digestive tract and crowd out other harmful bacteria from sticking around. When our probiotics are out of balance (known as dysbiosis), we may experience a number of symptoms that can be remedied by changes in diet, decreasing stress, and appropriate supplementation.

Symptoms of Dysbiosis

  • Irregular bowel movements
  • Bloating in the lower GI
  • SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
  • Multiple food allergies or sensitivities
  • Decreased immune function
  • Diarrhea and/or constipation
  • Bad breath
  • Skin issues such as eczema and acne

The complete picture of our individual gut health, also known as our microbiome, is a topic of increased attention and study in the past 15 years. Probiotics have been linked to digestive health conditions such as SIBO and IBS, autoimmune conditions, and even our mood and behavior. We have between 400-500 million strains of probiotics in our gut (somewhere between 5-6 pounds of healthy bacteria), and it is essential to keep them happy, stable, and fed by eating a diet rich in nutrients and prebiotics.

Dr. Viktoria Beliy takes a holistic diet approach to balance our gut flora, improve the stability and population of healthy probiotics, and maintain a strong digestive tract. When working with patients, she notes, “I see that a diet high in processed foods, refined sugar, and low fiber negatively impacts gut health and probiotic balance”. In each individual case, she will adjust your diet appropriately to re-balance any deficiencies and support the stability of a healthy microbiome through a variety of recommendations.

“Eating a diet that has a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and fiber will provide all of the nutrients that you need for a healthful diet. Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables will provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This diet full of soluble and insoluble fiber will help with proper digestion, elimination, and also provide the ‘food’ [prebiotics] for the probiotics to thrive. In turn, the probiotics will then make short chain fatty acids that will provide the fuel for the colon cells to multiply and form a healthy digestive tract lining. Supplementing with a probiotic supplement is a great option while working on your own probiotic balance and incorporating more foods with probiotic strains.”

There are several fermented foods that are high in probiotics themselves, including kombucha, sauerkraut, full fat yogurt, and kimchi, all of which are wonderful to include in the diet.

Supplementing with Probiotics

Along with individualized dietary recommendations, Dr. Beliy may also recommends specific probiotic supplements. There are hundreds of probiotic supplements on the market today, and not all are created equal. Just like our fingerprints, our gut microbiome is very specific to each of us, and requires an individualized approach. It’s important to match the appropriate supplement to the person, and choose an option that is both probiotic strain specific to each person, and also of excellent quality. Dr. Beliy looks for some specific things when choosing a probiotic supplement for each individual patient.

“I like to look for multiple strains of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. Finding a probiotic with fungal spore strains, like Saccharomyces boulardii, will also add some extra coverage. There are specific strains that are better for female health vs. what you would want in a children’s probiotic, which you can always ask your doctor about. Having a prebiotic included in the blend can also be helpful. In general, your probiotic should have at least 10 billion CFU’s. A high quality supplement will be 3rd party tested, look for a seal from NSF or USP on the bottle. Most probiotics should also be refrigerated, however some fungal strains do not need to be refrigerated. Some brands that I’ve seen work well include Klaire Labs, Microbiome Labs, Jarrow, Innate, and Garden of Life.”

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, or feel like you need support with dietary improvements and individualized support, consider scheduling an appointment with Dr. Beliy.

Read more:

Nourishing your Gut Microbiome

The Role of Probiotics in Gut Health

Ferments & Probiotics for Digestive Health

The Role of Prebiotics and Prebiotics in Inducing Gut Immunity

Dr. Viktoriya Beliy is a licensed naturopathic physician who completed her education and a year-long residency at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR. During her time at NUNM she also earned her Master’s in Nutrition concurrently with her doctorate in naturopathic medicine. She has additional training in classical homeopathy through the New England School of Homeopathy with Dr. Paul Herscu and Dr. Amy Rothenberg. She enjoys treating all conditions, especially focusing on dermatology, women’s and men’s health, endocrinology, and autoimmune conditions.

 

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Beyond Balancing Hormones: What Factors Play Into Dysregulation?

Hormone support, for both men and women, is a common area of health that practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine address with each patient. There are a number of different hormones such as thyroid, adrenal, as well as the female and male sex hormones.  These hormones regulate metabolism, energy, sexual function, reproduction, sleep and circadian rhythm balance, and mood. When one or more of our hormones are out of balance, a number of symptoms can present that eventually cascade into more complex problems. Often, the symptoms of a hormone imbalance can be subtle, such as gradual weight gain, lethargy, or poor sleep. In other instances, hormone imbalance may be more obvious. In each case, there is often a deeper layer to address than just the hormone imbalance itself. A combination of lifestyle and diet, family history, age, and environmental factors, are all addressed when working with your naturopathic doctor.

Some Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance
  1. Mood swings
  2. PMS / PCOS / Painful or irregular menstrual cycles
  3. Fatigue
  4. Blood sugar dysregulation
  5. Sleep issues
  6. Acne
  7. Sexual dysfunction
  8. Changes in metabolism
Why focusing on hormones alone is not enough

Hormone dysregulation is rarely a stand-alone issue. For an imbalance to occur, there is usually a potentiating factor that causes the endocrine system, immune system, or reproductive system to become out of balance. For example, in hypothyroidism, there is a strong connection to the adrenal glands via the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis, involving stress and blood sugar balance. Often, a major stressor can impact the production of cortisol from the adrenal glands, which in turn affects the feedback loop to the thyroid gland, which can cascade into a hypothyroidism response. If the stressors are still present for the person, the adrenal gland will continue to struggle, and continue to send a “stress” response to the thyroid gland. Even if someone is taking a hormone support medication for the thyroid, the underlying cause of the problem is not addressed and may remain a problem long term.

The Naturopathic Approach

When taking a holistic approach to hormone balance, the practitioners at RNM will look at your health and family history, as well as review any recent lab work, or make recommendations for additional lab work to be completed. Your diet, lifestyle, environment, and other areas of health will all be assessed and contribute to the health plan your practitioner will create for you. You can expect suggestions to be made in areas of stress support and reduction, sleep hygiene, dietary changes, supplement or homeopathic recommendations, and exercise. This is a full spectrum approach that not only addresses the cause of hormone imbalance but encourages continued support for long term, sustainable hormone balance.

What your Naturopathic Doctor May Be Looking For
  1. Estradiol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone
  2. Progesterone metabolites
  3. Estrogen metabolites
  4. Androgens and metabolites
  5. Total DHEA, 24 hr free cortisol, metabolized cortisol
  6. Cortisol metabolites
  7. Melatonin
  8. Creatinine
  9. Nutritional Organic Acids
  10. Neurotransmitter metabolites

This is invaluable information when taking an individualized approach to a person’s hormone health. Hormone support should be personalized, and symptoms can be challenging to manage if recommendations are not expertly tailored to address a person’s specific needs. These hormone levels offer your doctor a personalized glimpse into your hormone health and provide a tool for addressing and balancing your hormones through a holistic approach.

How We Utilize This Information

When we have a clear and comprehensive picture of your hormone health, we can use this information to specifically tailor your care plan to address your levels of hormone production, and even work preventatively. Whether you’re over- or under-producing certain hormones, your naturopathic doctor can make tailored recommendations to address your specific needs both nutritionally, supplementally, and with lifestyle recommendations.

Read More: The Key To Vibrant Health | The Adrenal Glands

Read More: Naturopathic Approaches to PCOS

Read More: Circadian Rhythm | The Importance of our Internal Clock

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By Dr. Leah Hollon, ND, MPH
RNM Blog
Emotional Inflammation

How Our Thoughts And Feelings Create Inflammation In The Body

These days, we frequently hear about inflammation in relation to pain, weight gain, heart health, cancer, and even one’s cognitive function. Some sources have shown that inflammation can stem from exposure to chemicals, poor food choices, and inappropriate activity level. However, the inflammation that I most commonly see is born from our own emotions and internal dialogue. 

Many people are unaware that their thoughts and emotions impact inflammation. Studies have shown that emotions such as shame and embarrassment impact our immune system. When the emotional body registers information as negative, this impacts the body’s vagus nerve. The vagus nerve controls our breathing, digestion, and heart rate, as well as relays messages to the brain where then immune proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals can prompt inflammation.

Asthma symptoms, for example, can become more uncontrolled and less likely to be relieved by medication during times of emotional upset. Likewise, when people with rheumatoid arthritis internalize their emotions, their disease becomes less controlled and they can physically experience more pain. Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, also called Broken Heart Syndrome, is a condition that can occur after a negative emotional stressor is experienced by the body. The stressor alters the vagus nerve to a point where the heart begins to beat abnormally, and can ultimately be fatal. Broken Heart Syndrome shows us that our emotions play a significant role in our inflammation. And thus I ask, how are our thoughts responsible for our inflammation?

Our words and thoughts matter, even on a cellular level. Dr. Masaru Emoto, the author of Messages from Water, studied the effect of negative words on water. His findings suggested that even speaking negative words to water molecules changed the normal structure and stability of water to become disjointed and unstable, whereas positive words provided more stability. If our words can impact water, what does that mean for the human body, made up mostly of water? How does our internalized dialogue affect our health? In our society, we are surrounded by inflammatory messages. We are a nation of inflammation and we continue to suffer from our illnesses because we are unaware of how we perpetuate inflammation. But with knowledge and practice, we can decrease our suffering. Start your journey of inflammatory healing with these small first steps:

  1. Make a daily list of 20 things that you participated in that brought you positivity.
  2. Identify three things or people in your life that you recognize are contributing to your inflammation and how you’d like to modify your relationship to them.
  3. Using mantras, intentions or prayer, replace two daily negative thoughts that you have about yourself or others with positive ones.
  4. Create a Gratitude Bowl: Each day, write three individual things you are grateful for on slips of paper. At the end of the week read over them. Consider inviting close ones to join you in reading these messages of gratitude. You will be surprised by how your gratitude is elevated in their presence.

To address long term inflammation, we must first develop a language and environment of anti-inflammation. Surround yourself with people who exude positivity. When you have a negative thought about yourself or another, replace it with a positive mantra or thought. The goal is not to ignore or dismiss poor behaviors but to decrease the collective inflammation that exists within yourself, and more broadly, our society. The first step is facing your own unresolved inflammation. Each day, ask yourself- will you be a conduit of anti-inflammation or a conduit of inflammation?

Richmond Native and Naturopathic Dr. Leah Hollon is the Co-Owner of Richmond Natural Medicine. She received her B.S. and MPH from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a graduate of National College of Natural Medicine where she received her Naturopathic Medical Degree. Her areas of focus include Autoimmune, Hormones, MTHFR Gene Mutation and Naturopathic Cancer Support. Please check our Book An Appointment for more information about booking an appointment.

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Winter Solstice – Are you sleeping?

Winter Solstice is Coming and It Could Be The Time of Year for You To Take A Closer Look at Your Sleep

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year. Throughout the autumn season, we have craved heavier foods, warming spices, and snuggling in. The leaves have fallen from the trees and we can smell their decay as we walk through the rain. We have experienced the shift in nature’s seasons from ripeness to restfulness. Might we benefit from our own shift with the seasons?

The winter solstice is also the longest night of the year – perfect for getting a “long winter’s nap.”

“But wait,” you say, “ I’m not sleeping through the night.”

Poor sleep is one of the most common complaints I hear from patients and often has become so routine they no longer take notice. In addition to daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and general grumpiness; poor sleep may lead to mood instability, brain fog, and hormone imbalance. Poor sleep disrupts our daily or circadian rhythm. When our sleep rhythm is disturbed, it will eventually disturb other circadian rhythms. These natural rhythms are managed by internal hormonal releases that instruct the body when it is time for sleep and when it is time to wake up. Hormonal disruptions compound sleep problems and can lead to persistent symptoms of fatigue and anxiety.

Typical solutions are sleep medications at night, both prescription and natural, and reliance on caffeine throughout the day. If this sounds like your life, don’t beat yourself up, you are responding to your body’s demands for regular sleep-and-wake cycles. This approach can be useful in the short-term, and in a vibrant and healthy individual may be re-regulated without intervention.

Sleep is complex, though, and rarely is there one factor that leads to disruption, it is usually several insults over a period of time. As naturopathic doctors,  we help people correct the underlying imbalances and restore normal function.

So, light a candle, soak in a warm tub, and turn out the lights earlier tonight in honor of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Which is better – Functional Medicine or Naturopathic Medicine?

Naturopathic medicine and functional medicine are 2 peas in the same pod, the dynamic duo made whole in our medicine bag. Functional medicine has its roots in naturopathic medicine and so they share common philosophies of treating the whole person and finding the underlying cause of disease.

Functional medicine practitioners don’t wait until you are sick to recommend preventive and health-promoting strategies. Functional medicine looks through the lens of optimizing the body’s health and well-being and uses an expanded set of physiological testing to evaluate health status and track improvements over time. Examples include testing for digestive function, food intolerances, and hormone balance.

Naturopathic medicine utilizes an even broader range of therapies – more herbal medicine options and more gentle treatments for those who are extra sensitive. Naturopathic medicine looks through the lens of the healing power of nature, that our body is always trying to repair itself and promote a dynamic balance within. Treatment examples here include botanical formulations and hydrotherapy.

What sets functional medicine and naturopathic medicine apart from other medical philosophies is a focus on wellness and prevention rather than pathology. Disease begins when internal balance is lost, a process that starts long before frank pathology or organ damage sets in, and once body structures have been damaged, it can be much harder to return normal function. It is easier to treat or reverse a borderline condition rather than full-blown illness.

Functional practitioners and naturopathic doctors also treat serious illness, especially chronic conditions, and complex cases, using less force interventions, therapies that reduce the progression of disease and a wholistic approach that improves quality of life.

All naturopathic medicine is functional medicine. Combining functional medicine and naturopathic medicine provides the best of the integrative medicine world. So, which is better? Our answer – neither is better than the other. It doesn’t matter what you call it, good medicine is good medicine.

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Simple Ways to Pause During The Holiday Season

We all know that the holidays can create stress with the pressure to make it “all come together”. Here are some simple ways to pause when your holidays start getting a little too hectic.

This time of year can be busy with places to go, people to see and endless to-do lists. There is planning, parties, entertaining and often overindulgence. More often than not, I hear people say they are not looking forward to this time of year because of the busyness and the stress of it all.

Would it be possible to approach the season in a different way? Can you imagine moving into the season as a more grounded and present version of yourself? One that realizes self-care is a top priority in order for you to take care of others? What would be possible if you felt your needs were met too? If you did not have to say “yes” to everything and “do” everything?

Below are some simple tools to keep you grounded and centered. To take care of yourself during this season and offer your loved ones a more present you. It will take some effort to make new routines and choices that honor yourself, but you may just experience this time of year with more joy, enchantment, and ease.

Simple ways to slow down, pause and take care of yourself:

  • Alone time: In the thick of the season you may be surrounded by family, friends, crowds, etc. The time together can be lovely but also triggering. You may start to feel more emotional or irritated by the littlest things. Taking the time and space to check in with yourself is so important.
    • Feeling triggered and reactive? While alone, close your eyes and take a couple breathes and then ask yourself “what is this emotion about?” More often than not the emotion is an old one resurfacing. If you give yourself time to tune in, feel it and then shift it out you will be less likely to react in other situations.
    • With alone time you will clear your mind, get to know yourself better, be more productive and creative and just feel more like yourself.
    • It doesn’t take much, as little as 10 minutes daily. Make it happen, wake up 10 minutes early or write it into your schedule. You can do it!
  • Breathe: There is something so simple about the art of breathing. It is an awesome tool and can be used anywhere! Closing your eyes and taking long, slow deep breaths resets the nervous system. It can shift heightened emotions, allow them to move through you and bring you back to neutral. Below are breathing techniques to reduce stress, calm and harmonize the mind, reduce anxiety and promote relaxation and a sense of wellbeing. Practice daily and as needed.
  • Go for a walk in nature: Moving the body, getting fresh air and being present with nature has a number of positive health benefits.
    • Clears the mind, increases endorphins, uplifts mood, reduces anxiety and depression, increases immune system function, reduces inflammation and more!
    • Grounding; putting your bare feet on the earth provides added benefit! Reduces pain and stress, regulates circadian rhythm or sleep patterns, increases energy and promotes nervous system balance.
  • Say “No”: You are not supposed to run yourself ragged trying to please everyone… and the truth is, you can’t. You cannot feel anything for others, you cannot bring them happiness and contentment – that is their own choice. What they choose to think, feel and experience is their own. And the same goes for you. Before over committing yourself, slow down and check in.
    • Is this something I really want to do? Something I love doing? OR Is this something I feel obligated to do? Something others expect me to do?
    • If you can allow yourself to make bold choices that honor yourself during this time of year you will have more time and be more present for the things you actually want to do with the people you want to be with.
  • Ask for help: Feeling like you have to do and be everything to everyone is exhausting. Following the guidelines above will help you tap into what makes you happy, freeing up time and energy. What will offer you even more of that time and energy is asking for help. One person cannot do it all and that is okay. This is a time of year where we come together and help is always available. Just ask for it!
  • Stick to your health routine: During this time of year, it is easy to get derailed from your health routine. This does not mean you cannot indulge, but it can be done so mindfully.
    • Moderation: Stick to your anti-inflammatory diet. Having a single serving of a treat is okay and you should enjoy it! Just don’t make a daily habit of it.
    • Hydrate: Drink more water. Staying hydrated keeps your hunger cues regular and mind clear.
    • Movement: Keep up with your daily movement; walking outside, yoga, stretching, taking the kids to the park, working on the yard, putting up lights, bodyweight exercises, etc.
    • Sleep: Do not sacrifice your sleep. You will be more emotionally balanced, more productive and less stressed!
  • Gratitude: Having a gratitude practice can help to prime your mind for positivity. Providing the reminder for all the wonderful things in our lives we have to be thankful for and appreciate.
    • Start a gratitude journal. Write down 3 things you are grateful every day.

Are you feeling depleted during the holiday season? Is this historically a hard time for you? If you are in need of more support to manage stress during this time of year or are looking to start a new health routine consider making an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors. You can contact our office at (804) 324-3451 or request an appointment here for more information and to book an appointment.

 

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By Richmond Natural Medicine
RNM Blog
Pantry Essentials: Medicinal Herbs and Whole Foods

A well stocked kitchen pantry can be a foundational key to success in maintaining a sustainable, healthy diet.

Keeping up with a haphazard pantry can feel overwhelming, disorganized and frankly, time consuming. Believe it or not, having the right pantry essentials on hand can support literally dozens of recipes that can be put together in a pinch. 

This well stocked pantry will provide at least one portion of a meal to be minimally processed and most of these foods can be found in bulk at your local health food store to stock up with on a budget.

Legumes, Nuts & Seeds, Stored in Mason Jars

Lentils (red + green)

 Black beans Chickpeas Mung Beans Kidney beans Flax seeds
Sunflower seeds Cashews Walnuts Almonds Hemps seeds

Chia seeds

Dried Herbs, Stored in Small Glass Jars

Turmeric

 Cumin Garlic Sage Thyme Oregano Curry
Garam masala Mustard seed Cinnamon Nutmeg Allspice Basil

Red chili
Rosemary

Kitchari Spice

Dill

Ginger

Clove

Cayenne

Cooking Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

Olive oil

 Coconut oil Sesame seed oil Braggs liquid aminos Balsamic vinegar Apple cider vinegar
Rice wine vinegar Dijon Mustard Tahini Ghee

Hot sauce

Whole Grains

Oatmeal

 Steel cut oats Brown Rice Basmati Rice Quinoa Barley
Millet Amaranth Buckwheat Pastas Crackers

Breads

Perishable (Refrigerated) Basics

Eggs

 Hummus Spinach Kale Carrots Broccoli
Sprouts

Lemons

Apples

Blueberries

Avocado

Banana
Fermented foods (Kraut/Kimchi) Romaine lettuce Tempeh / tofu Dairy or nut milks Maple syrup

Meats

Pantry staples and basics should change as the season changes, and as you start to curate recipes and go-to meals, you’ll find that you keep in stock certain things more than others. The foundational take-away from this pantry essentials list is that keeping simple, whole foods on hand will always allow you to throw together something that is nutrient dense, minimally processed and (with the right spices) flavorful enough to add to any meal.

 

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