“Prevention through diet and lifestyle has a crucial role to play in stemming the tidal wave of cancer that we are facing” —World Cancer Report, 2014

Cancer, as a collective entity, is the single leading cause of death in the world today, with some 8.2 million deaths per year resulting from cancer related dis-eases (according to the Union for International Cancer Control report, 2014). As a result, there has been a considerable uptick in the research surrounding preventative approaches to cancer, including nutritional therapies.

What we are finding is that there is no one “right”diet for everyone. By taking a more holistic approach to each individual person, it is clear that not everyone will respond to the same treatments in the exact same way, and food and nutrition is no exception. While a few diets may be considered “healthy”overall, they may not work well for certain people who require something quite different or more advanced/in depth nutritional inputs. For example, the raw foods diet it touted by many as the ultimate healthful diet, however for someone who is depleted, constitutionally cold with poor circulation and a low digestive fire, the raw foods diet would probably be one of the worst options. Instead, a diet of whole foods, cooked well with warming herbs and spices would be much more balancing and easier to digest. This is just one of many factors to take into consideration. Just as we are aiming for whole foods, we are looking at the whole person.

The Eclectic Triphasic Medical System (ETMS) looks at all of the inputs that goes into the development of cancer – lifestyle, environment, body type, family history, geographic location, seasons, traditional diet (ancestry), diet-gene interactions (nutrigenomics) and organ systems. When we research and apply nutritional therapies and botanical medicines as adjunct treatments (along with any pharmaceuticals and western treatments), we must always look at the whole person to see how effective all inputs are in the landscape of their entire lifestyle. That’s a really big picture, and nearly impossible to come up with one right blanket treatment for everyone.

Most any “cancer diet”you research will almost certainly reinforce the importance of “whole foods and vegetables”- a large category with loads of options that can be overwhelming to the novice cook or fast food (standard American diet) connoisseur.

General nutritional therapies to include every single day:

1. Increase foods that are blood building like beets, collards, cherries, dark leafy greens and black strap molasses – These increase immune function and keep your detoxification system running smoothly.

2. Broccoli – A highly nutritious cruciferous vegetable with proven cancer preventive effects. It is packed full of phytonutrients that contribute to the body’s natural detoxification process.

3. Blueberries – Rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients, blueberries also have proven cancer preventing effects, especially nutrients found in the blueberry skin.

4. Increase healthy fats like coconut oil and avocados – Healthy fat intake, especially via avocados, has been directly linked to the reduction of oral and prostate cancers and contain an extremely high amount of lutein, glutathione and beta-carotene.  Cooking with stable oils like coconut oil decreases the oxidation occurrence of heated oils.

5. Increase fresh, bitter food – Bitter foods like artichoke, dandelion leaf and dark chocolate stimulate the digestive system and assist in liver detoxification. 

6. Decrease sugar intake – Processed sugars (and artificial sweeteners) contribute to “glucose overload”  in most standard American foods, causing insulin imbalance and inflammatory conditions.

7. Decrease consumption of Red Meats – Donald Yance, a leading cancer researcher, states that research on red meat consumption, “has found statistically significant associations between several common cancers (gastric, pancreatic, esophageal, prostate, breast & lung) and total dietary intake of red meat and processed meats”. The preparation of meats of course plays a major role.

     8.  Some other favorite, well researched foods include asparagus, sweet potatoes/yams, bitter greens (dandelion!), pomegranate, mushrooms and spinach.

A general rule of thumb would be to follow a Mediterranean Diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and minimal red meats and sweets.

As with any botanical or nutritional therapy, we cannot expect or demand a quick fix or immediate resolution. Foundational approaches to healing take time and continued use to show lasting and stable results, and ideally the supervision of a well trained health care professional to tailor a treatment plan that is right for you. It is promising to see the increased research on nutrition and botanical inputs on the treatments of cancers, and we must keep in mind that some of the best treatments are those that are preventative. Keep your entire lifestyle in mind – community, spiritual practice, environment, diet, genetics, body type and even your career. All of this can contribute to the manifestation of disease. As with anything, balance is key!

Richmond Natural Medicine has designed a program (STAR – Support/Therapy/Recovery) for patients at any stage of cancer.  To learn more about the Naturopathic cancer support we offer, click HERE.

References:

Donald Yance

Eclectic Triphasic Medical System

Union for International Cancer Control

California Hass avocado: profiling of carotenoids, tocopherol, fatty acid, and fat content during maturation and from different growing areas

Meat Intake and Risk of Stomach and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma within the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

About the Author

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.

One of the biggest areas we can support as we enter Spring is our digestive system. RNM’s Lindsay Kluge shares her favorite detox foods & herbs for spring.

The body likes to transition slowly – from resting to waking, from low energy to high energy, from emotion to emotion, and especially from season to season. It’s during the seasonal shifts that we often see an uptick in illness and acute symptoms, and this is often due to the dramatic change in weather and temperature from day to day. It’s confusing for the body to have abrupt external and internal change, and although our body’s have an amazing ability to adapt and transition, we can always offer additional support during the seasonal shifts.

Two of my favorite gentle detox foods & herbs for spring include the Ayurvedic recipe for Kitchari, along with cumin, coriander & fennel (CCF) tea.

Kitchari Cleanse

My favorite way to enhance and support the digestive system with the shift into spring is with a 3 day Kitchari cleanse along with daily herbal CCF tea after meals to enhance digestive function, balance the internal energetics of the digestive tract and also build up and nourish the lower digestive tract (large intestines and bowel) with detox foods and herbs. Many of the “detox kits” on the market these days focus on rapid cleansing and not the nutritive component that is so needed by the body.

Any type of cleanse breaks the body down to some extent, and you need to build yourself up before you can break it down. That’s why I gravitate towards kitchari whenever I need to re-set and nourish my digestive system. It’s a basmati rice and mung dal based dish with warming and balancing detox foods and herbs to support the liver while allowing the intestinal tract to absorb extra nutrients and promote daily bowel movements.

Cumin, Coriander & Fennel (CCF) Tea

The addition of cumin + coriander + fennel tea is helpful to combine with any cleanse (and works beautifully with kitchari) because it’s balanced and tri-doshic (good for all body types) and supports the body’s endogenous production of digestive enzymes for optimal food absorption. Make a teapot to sip on throughout the day, or have a small mug (about 6 ounces worth) after meals.

Fennel – one of the best carminative herbs (helps alleviate gas and bloating) that’s aromatic, cooling and mildly antispasmodic in the lower GI (large intestines and colon) to soothe digestion especially after heavier meals with lots of heavy proteins and savory foods. Fresh fennel seeds should be slightly sweet, a little pungent and very aromatic.

Cumin – a very aromatic and anti-inflammatory herb that also functions as a mild bitter tonic. Bitter sensation on the tongue and in the upper GI (stomach and pancreas) help to stimulate the endogenous production of digestive enzymes which break down your macro-nutrients (like proteins, fats and carbohydrates) into smaller, more digestible pieces that are easier to absorb. Energetically, cumin is a warming spice which helps to balance the cooling qualities of both fennel and coriander.

Coriander – the seed of the cilantro leaf, is perhaps the most cooling ingredient in this formula which helps to reduce excess heat from the digestive tract, thus supporting the liver in its detoxification process as well.

Healing Kitchari

• 1 c basmati rice
• 1/2 c mung dal
• 3 teaspoons kitchari spice mix (available here)
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 6 cups water
• 1-2 cups chopped vegetables (like carrots, broccoli, spinach, beets or turnips)

Wash rice and mung dal and soak overnight. Drain the soak water. In a medium sauce pan, warm the ghee. Add the kitchari spice mixture and sauté for one to two minutes. Add rice and mung beans and sauté for another couple of minutes. Then add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the kitchari has come to a boil reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until tender (about 30-45 minutes). If you are adding vegetables to your kitchari, add the longer cooking vegetables halfway through the cooking. Add more water if needed. Typically, kitchari is the consistency of a vegetable stew.

If you’re new to food based mono diets, I would strongly recommend you only start with one day at a time and you can always work up to 3 (or more) over time. The kitchari daily cleanse is just as supportive as a 3-7 day timeline, and it’s flexible enough to add in additional foods such as eggs, carrots, beets, greens and cabbages if you need some extra sustenance or proteins to maintain blood sugar levels if that is of concern.

Everyone’s needs are different and working with a nutritionist may be beneficial before incorporating detox foods and herbs for Spring into your diet to ensure you’re getting in everything you need for your unique body type and situation.  If you are interested in embarking on a gentle Spring detox, contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to schedule an appointment with our Nutritionist, Lindsay Kluge.

About The Author

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.

The majority (up to 85%) of new moms experience some level of postpartum baby blues. And another 10-15% experience more severe postpartum depression.

Bringing new life into the world is a miraculous ability of the female body. The time around birth can be joyous and exciting.  Can you imagine this time also being full of feelings of overwhelm, fear, fatigue, and depression?

What causes postpartum depression (PPD)?

The emotional experience of giving birth is enough to cause changes in mood, but on top of that women experience a multitude of physical and biochemical changes during the birthing process. Specifically changes within the immune system as well as the endocrine system especially the HPA-axis, thyroid, and sex steroids (estrogen & progesterone).  These fluxes in hormones and inflammatory systems can trigger the alteration of mood and energy.

In addition to the physical changes, other mental/emotional aspects often contribute to the depression as well.

A 2009 meta-analysis on the rates and risk of PPD showed that a past history of psychopathology and psychological disturbance during pregnancy, poor marital relationship and low social support, and stressful life events were the strongest predictors of PPD.

Baby Blues vs Postpartum Depression

The baby blues are most common and may only last a couple weeks and resolve on their own. Other times the low mood may continue and be more severe, this is postpartum depression. PPD can develop in the first few weeks after birth or up to 6 months later.

How do I know if I have the blues or if I have full-blown postpartum depression?

Symptoms of baby blues:                 Symptoms of PPD:

Mood swings                                               Depressed mood

Crying spells                                               Excessive crying

Sadness                                                       Withdrawing from support

Irritability                                                   Difficulty bonding w/baby

Overwhelm                                                 Intense irritability or anger

Poor focus                                                   Severe anxiety + panic

Sleep difficulty                                           Mental fog and inability to make decisions        

                                                                      Thoughts of harming yourself or baby

                                                                      Thoughts of death and suicide

How do we support mothers through PPD?

We approach PPD just like we approach all of our cases here at RNM, with a whole person perspective (mind, body, spirit). We are looking at all aspects of the woman, not just that she is a new mother.  We listen to her story, her history, how she shows up in the world and what has led to this point.

We are taking into account all levels of being in our approach:

• Physical: The biochemical changes that occur during childbirth – focusing on balancing the hormones is very important here. As is enough sleep!
• Social: Does she have enough support at home? Does she have enough time to take care of herself and her needs in addition to her new baby?
• Mental: Do we need other members on her care team? Therapy and counseling may be suggested if not already a part of mom’s health care team. What are her daily thoughts and perceptions? How can we shift these to be more positive and self-nurturing?
• Emotional: Checking in with her feelings and her own experience of depression. Each mother’s experience of PPD is unique, we take this into consideration to offer individualized support. Our therapies work not only on the physical body, but the emotional body as well.
• Spirit: This part of being is the most subtle, yet can provide the most profound changes in health. Often times over the course of treatment working on the previously described levels of being we create space for the spirit to show up.  Energetic medicines like specific homeopathics, flower essences, and energy work like Reiki, Craniosacral therapy, and even Gemstone acupoint therapy can offer support on this level. Ultimately though, this part of being is sacred to each individual. It is she, and only she, that can tap into her spirit, and invite it to be fully present in her life.

Many of us go through different mood states throughout our lives. Whether it be anxiety, depression, or postpartum depression, there are many ways our naturopathic doctors can support you on your healing journey.  If you are suffering from postpartum depression, please contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to receive the support you need.

Getting Into a Habit Of Healthy Eating Starts With Planning A Weekly Menu That Will Make Eating Healthier More Manageable

As a follow up to the last Batch Cooking: How to Stock a Monthly Pantry article, these small tips will help you prep for a week of healthy meals employing batch cooking methods that save lots of time for busy weeknights. Once you get into the habit of looking ahead at your week and anticipating your schedule, it makes planning your meals much more manageable, and if you plan your time appropriately dinner time will rarely be a stressful time because most of the work will already be prepped. Below are my top 4 tips for planning a weekly menu that I use with my clients over and over again.

Step 1: Plan your recipes. Pick about 3-4 recipes you’d like to make for the week and keep them reasonably simply. I find that pinterest is a great place to store your weekly ideas, rotate through them and store the best ones to use over and over again. Choose recipes that make large portions so you can store them for leftover lunches such as crock pot soups, casseroles, and salads. Keep portioned out servings in glass containers for lunch time servings that are quick and easy to pack.

Step 2: Grocery shop for those recipes before the week starts, ideally on a day off or the same day you’re preparing these recipes. Once you have your recipes picked out, stock your pantry with all of those ingredients so you have everything to get started. Ideally the recipes will have overlapping ingredients like whole grains, spices, vegetables or seasonings so you can mix and match and not have to buy individual ingredients for every single recipe.

Step 3: Batch prep as much as possible and store for later. When you have about 2 hours, prep as much as you can from each recipe so when dinner time comes around later most of the prep work has already been done. Pre-chop your veggies, pre-roast a bunch of root vegetables, go ahead and soak/cook your grains, marinate your meats, soak your beans and even pre-measure your spices if that will save time. You can also prep entire casseroles to just put in the oven the night of. This makes putting dinner together on busier nights much easier because 75% of the prep work has already been done.

Step 4: Look at your calendar – pick out the busiest nights to utilize for your batch cooked weekly meals and then reserve 1-2 slower (usually weekend) nights to cook for the night (or as a family). Batch prepping is ideal to plan ahead for the nights you know you won’t have a lot of time to cook. But it’s always nice to save one or two nights per week to cook together if you have a household, or spend an evening cooking for yourself and enjoying that as a slower process.

Examples of great batch cooking meals: Hearty Chili / Lasagna / Crockpot Meals / Giant Colorful salads with grilled chicken, salmon or chickpeas / Black Bean Burgers / Soups & Stews

Did you know that Spring is a prime time for enhancing natural cleansing and detoxification in our bodies? Are there any health habits and ways of being that aren’t serving you? Are there some changes you’ve been looking to make but find they aren’t sticking?

Below you’ll find some of my favorite tips for replacing bad habits with good ones.

For starters, accept yourself where you are.  It’s important to start making changes from a place of having compassion for yourself about where you are. Rejecting or belittling yourself isn’t helpful and can set you up for failure. Sometimes, this is a spot you’ll need to explore and ease into. Take as long as you need and remember that it’s a practice. Having awareness is the first step.

Tips to support you at this stage:

1. Mantras – Find uplifting phrases about self-acceptance and self-love that resonate with you and  place them in strategic places where you’ll see them often. This could be as simple as placing a sticky note of “You’re enough!” on your desk or on a mirror.
2. Meditation and yoga – If you have a practice already, go ahead and meditate on your mantra or dedicate your yoga class intention to self-compassion.
3. Professional support – Getting a counselor on your care team can help facilitate and expedite your work in this arena. Sometimes there’s a history of trauma and when we work through it, we find greater access to self-acceptance.

Up next is checking-in with yourself about which habits you want to shift and asking yourself why you want to change a habit.  It can be helpful to recall your “why” later to help you stay motivated.

Set yourself up for success with a little prep work.

Prior to actually making the change, figure out realistic steps you can take to increase your chances of being successful with this new habit. This goes for small or large changes. What’s going to be sustainable? Remember, we’re looking for long-term lifestyle changes, not quick fixes. Consider looking for role models – is a friend or colleague rocking it with a given habit? Let yourself be inspired! Avoid the rut of repeating something you’ve done before that hasn’t ever seemed to work.

Take action on your steps.  Be flexible- make adjustments along the way and ask for any help you need.  

Here’s an example:

Bad habit: Not drinking water throughout your day and feeling fatigue and getting occasional headaches because of this.
Good habit and your “why”: Consuming half of your body weight in ounces daily will lead to greater energy and fewer headaches.

Action steps to prepare for change:

1.     Calculate how much water you’d like to consume throughout the day.
2.     Find a cup or bottle you’ll drink from and figure out how many times you’ll need to refill throughout the day.
3.     Decide when in your day you’ll drink the water and go for it!

Action: Execute your plan and enjoy those health benefits!

As naturopathic doctors, we are cheerleaders for our patients in their hard work to replace bad habits with good ones. We offer support at any stage of the behavioral change process and we celebrate our patients’ victories with them.

Please call to speak with one of our Patient Relations Specialists for more information on how naturopathic medicine can help you enhance self-care behaviors to reach your health goals.

It can sometimes be a challenge to stick with your dietary restrictions or stay “on the wagon” when you eat a meal out.  Nutritionist Lindsay Kluge shares her tips for eating out on the healthier side.

As always, I believe that food should be a joyful experience and no matter what you’re eating.  It should be eaten with gratitude, joy and with no negative emotions attached. This means that when you eat out, it can be helpful to look for the healthier options on the menu – especially if you’re prone to “eater’s remorse” and attaching negative feelings onto a delicious meal.

Here are some of my tips for eating out on the healthier side:

1. Go for the most colorful thing on the menu. Usually this is a form of vegetable rich salad with protein that is (hopefully) seasonal and nutrient dense. Stick with oil based dressings like olive oil and vinegar or simple balsamic.
2. Always stick with water (no ice) throughout the meal to avoid extra sugar or alcohol that is difficult to digest and inflammatory to the liver. Drinking room temperature water is so much better for your stomach while you digest so you’re not dampening the digestive fire with cold beverages while the stomach works hard to break down your food.
3. If you’re dish comes with sides or toppings, stick with the vegetables instead of the fried things or extra carbohydrates (like chips or fries). If you’re plate comes with fries, ask for a side salad instead.
4. Avoid the syrupy, creamy and fried options and stick to grilled, sautéed or steamed dishes. This usually keeps ingredients more simple and pure with less fat and sugar included.
5. Keep it well rounded: Always look for a substantial protein (grilled meat, beans/legumes, soy based products or eggs), lots of vegetables and a simple whole grain. Half of the plate should be colorful veggies, ¼ protein and ¼ whole grain carbohydrate (such a brown rice, quinoa, barley or even sweet potato etc).
6. Specials – Often the daily specials mean the ingredients are fresh and new and sometimes local to your restaurant area.
7. Eat slowly. Savor your meal and enjoy the company you’re with. Eating rapidly leads to overeating and over stuffing your stomach, hindering the digestive process. Remember, meal portions served in the US are absurdly large – you don’t (and probably shouldn’t) feel inclined to clean your plate. Box half of it up and enjoy the leftovers on another day.

Interested in more customized and tailored nutrition information just for you? Contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to schedule an appointment with our Nutritionist, Lindsay Kluge, M.Sc, CNS, LDN and get started today!

About the Author:

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.

Turning your kitchen into a space that inspires you to cook more for yourself can feel daunting, and often it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about where to start.  

Organization is the place I always encourage people to take on first. Begin with one corner, work your way through your kitchen, clear out and make space, and slowly cultivate kitchen tools that serve multiple purposes and contribute to amazing meals (like a heavy duty blender or a wok or food processor). When it comes to your pantry space, this is the ultimate place to put your organization skills to work, and make your pantry inventory work for you for your monthly cooking routine. The pantry is also the first place to overhaul when you’re just beginning to change up your diet or cooking routine. It’s a great practice to clean out your entire pantry space, get rid of things that you no longer use (or that are expired!), and start fresh. Keeping this up at least once a year helps to maintain your overall nutrition goals, and will serve you well when you’re planning meals. Here are a few basic tips for stocking your monthly pantry to support a batch cooking routine:

Plan recipes for the upcoming week, then grocery shop.

Stock up on your go-to recipes and review these early in the week. Grocery shop on the weekends and store all of your ingredients for these recipes so you’re not scrambling when it’s time to either batch cook or prepare dinner at night. Not preparing like this is often the number one reason why people don’t stick with their nutrition goals. They feel like every meal creeps up on the them and they resort to not the healthiest options for the sake of convenience.

Keep healthy snacks handy and accessible.

If you anticipate the kinds of healthy snacks you will want to have during the week and keep these easily accessible in your pantry, this greatly minimizes the occurrence of running out for an unhealthy snack (or meal), and also cuts down on your sugar intake throughout the day. Some examples of great snacks include packets of nut butter, small jars of walnuts, almonds, pistachios or cashews (or trail mix), seed crackers (with hummus or nut butter!) or pumpkin seed bars.

Keep the processed foods to a minimum.

Things like chips, cookies, snack foods, etc are often the downfall of a steadfast nutrition plan. If you know that when you have these foods in your house you’ll (over) eat them, then just don’t keep these in your pantry (or any place in your house). Another option may be to always face these items away from you in your pantry, so you’re looking at the ingredient/nutrition labels when you go to reach for them.

Invest in appropriate, glass, see-through storage.

Storing your bulk items in glass jars not only cuts down on packaging waste, it helps you keep a visual inventory of how much you have on hand at any time. It’s frustrating to get halfway through a recipe only to realize you only have half as much rice or flour or lentils as you thought you did!

Buy in bulk and store in glass containers.

Bulk areas in the grocery store are a perfect way to keep meal staples on hand at a fraction of the cost. Things like dried beans, nuts, whole grains, herbs and spices are readily available in bulk areas. Stock up on spices! The more spices you cook with, the more variety you’ll have with your meals and you can even make the same recipe taste different every time by using different spice combinations.

Read More: Transform Your Kitchen into a Positive Space

When it comes to poor sleep, it’s often a chicken or the egg situation, with the patient not knowing if poor sleep is contributing to all of their other health problems, or if their health problems are causing their poor sleep.

There are several things that your body relies on to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and healthy sleep pattern, and if any one of these is neglected over and over again, your sleep will likely suffer as a result.

Here are some of the top habits that contribute to poor sleep and some tips on how we can help.

1. Irregular morning and evenings routines – Your body likes ritual and routine. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning is a major circadian rhythm trigger that is hugely helpful in entraining your body’s natural circadian rhythm and contributes to sustained, restful sleep. Set a bedtime routine with a strict bedtime and do your best to stick to this every single night, even on the weekends. It’s helpful during this nighttime routine to drink a relaxing tea such as chamomile, passionflower or peppermint. Often, our practitioners will custom blend a tea just for you to drink during this time to help your body relax and drift into a deep sleep.
2. Eating within 2 hours of sleep – It’s very metabolically expensive to digest food, especially large meals with heavy proteins, which are quite common as most people’s dinner. When we eat within 2 hours of trying to sleep, the body is still working hard to digest the previous meal, taking essential energy away from resting and repairing your body’s other organ systems while you sleep. A heavy stomach can keep you awake at night and contribute to fitful sleep.  It can also deflect valuable energy away from supporting the rest of your body while in a restful state. Try to have the last bit of your food consumed 4 hours before trying to sleep and reduce nighttime snacks, especially of foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates.
3. Screens – One of the biggest circadian rhythm triggers is the presence or absence of light as perceived by your eyes to signal the sunset or sunrise and in turn, signals your hormones to adjust to the environment and either help you fall asleep or help you wake up. Melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone, is signaled by the absence of light, and when you keep the lights on right before trying to fall asleep, or are staring at a TV screen, computer screen or on your phone, this confuses your hormones and literally works against you every night. You send your body conflicting signals when you stare at blue light from screens, making it extremely difficult for your body to entrain your natural rhythm and get a restful night’s sleep. Always remove screens from your bedroom, and either listen to a relaxing podcast, do deep breathing or meditation, or read something soothing in place of screens (and dim your bedroom lights!) within 45 minutes of trying to fall asleep.
4. Working in bed – Your bedroom should not be your workspace. Your brain needs time to relax, decompress and let go of the day’s stress before it can feel relaxed enough to sleep. The more stressed or busy our minds are before we sleep, the more intensely our subconscious mind reflects that when we sleep, often resulting in fitful sleep with stressful and troubled dreams that can make us feel stressed out and exhausted when we wake up in the morning. Do your best to keep your work out of your bedroom, and wrap up your day before entering your bedroom. Take some time to make your bedroom a peaceful and welcoming place, free of anything that reminds you of stress, overwhelm or burdens. This should be one place in your home that both your conscious and subconscious mind should feel at ease.
5. Pets – This may sound like a no brainer, but the number one reason my patient’s can’t sleep is honestly due to disruptive pets that they don’t want to acknowledge are a problem. Unless your pet is a champion sleeper, remove them from your bedroom – cats especially. This always takes several weeks of re-training as your pets have their own expectations and rhythms as well, and it is almost always worth it in the end to make this your new sleeping habit for sustained and more restful sleep.

One of the most unique ways the practitioners at Richmond Natural Medicine solve health problems is by asking a lot of questions and digging more deeply into each person’s health story.  Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or need some support in setting a circadian rhythm routine to help improve your sleep habits? Contact Richmond Natural Medicine at (804) 977-2634 and our practitioners will help you determine the cause of your sleep troubles and  put together a custom care plan to address your needs and help you sleep soundly.

About the Author:

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.

When it comes to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, food is often only half the issue.

I take a personal interest in working with patients with this ailment, as I dealt with chronic Irritable Bowel Syndrome for about 26 years. I see so many folks dealing with the stress, anxiety, dietary restrictions and lifestyle obstacles that come with IBS that are often overlooked. It’s a multi-faceted imbalance that encompasses a whole body approach including stress reduction, mental/psychosomatic therapy and of course specific food allergies or intolerances that need to be identified and removed.

When IBS lingers

When IBS is present for several months, this can cause what’s called “dysbiosis” in the gut flora, meaning the probiotics within your digestive tract can become unbalanced and disturbed. When this is an ongoing issue, disrupted probiotics can greatly weaken the gastrointestinal lining and also hinder the digestion, metabolism and absorption of foods. Over time, digestive issues (i.e symptoms of IBS) may become worse because the volatility of the digestive tract is becoming more reactive. What may have been a sensitivity to one single food, may expand to dozens of foods, often making the triggers for IBS attacks extremely hard to pin point.

As symptoms of IBS continue for months and even years, an extreme amount of stress and anxiety can develop around the otherwise common practice of simply eating food. Eating out, eating while traveling, going to work or even going out at all may become a stressful trigger for someone with chronic IBS. In some cases, just the thought of an IBS attack is enough to mentally develop digestive symptoms that were almost completely caused by the mental hyperactivity, not a food trigger. This is called a “psycho-somatic” reaction – when our mental brain causes a gut-brain reaction. Even unconscious stress can trigger digestive problems, leading to quite a cyclical whole body digestive imbalance.

Therapies and Strategies

When I work with someone diagnosed with IBS, I always gain an underlying sense of their lifestyle, work, stress load, home life, self care rituals and of course their dietary inputs. I may do food intolerance assessments with them and request they also get tested for food allergies. But what is most important to me is to know how IBS presents for them individually and what their triggers are. Food is often only half of the issue. Stress reduction is the other 50% of their treatment plan. Herbal medicines work amazingly well to not only help the digestive process, but also to support the stress response. I strongly feel like herbal medicine was an enormous ally for me to overcome my struggle with life-long IBS.

If you think you may have IBS or have been diagnosed with IBS, here are a few tips to help begin building a clearer picture:

1. Get a clear symptom picture: Become very conscious of how digestive upset shows up for you and write it down to identify patterns. Do you feel spasms, pain, burning, cramping or bloating? Does it present as diarrhea or constipation? Do you know of any clear food triggers that always set off symptoms? Write everything down.

2. Be honest with yourself about your stress load. If you’re feeling stress, where does it show up in your body? Do you feel tightness in your stomach or intestines? Is your mental state agitated or hyper-active? What are your triggers?

3. Practice mindfulness and meditation practices. Deep breathing is a lifesaver for a sudden IBS attack. Although it may not solve the issue completely, it can buy yourself some time until you’re in a place where you feel safe and comfortable. Close your eyes, breathe deeply into your lower digestion and visualize a calm stillness. Do this for 5-10 repetitions, as often as needed. Do this even when you feel calm to develop the habit.

4. Incorporate warm chamomile tea into your daily routine. Chamomile is a digestive calming aid that is soothing, cooling and anti-spasmodic to the entire digestive tract. Warm tea is so wonderful on a daily basis for digestion.  A chamomile tincture is also great to carry around with your for acute attacks when you’re not at home.

Working with a professional

As far as dietary strategies, I would strongly recommend working with a nutritionist to develop a nourishing food plan while your digestive system is compromised. This will gradually add in more and more foods to support digestion and also heal the lining of the intestines and colon while building up a probiotic culture base again. It’s a slow process, but cultivating a holistic approach to digestive health while solving IBS can be accomplished if you have the right tools and guidance.

If you are or have been experiencing IBS and are seeking relief, please contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to book an appointment with Lindsay Kluge or one of our other practitioners.

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE

Meal planning and batch cooking are some of the most efficient and successful practices that I use with my nutrition clients.  So many people are intimidated by this practice, but desperately want to get the hang of it.

When I present meal planning methods to individuals, I usually make adjustments and tweaks to each plan to ensure that the recommendations are sustainable and not overwhelming.  Overtime we add to the meal planning routine. This way it becomes second nature, like a weekly habit that’s easy to remember.  As a result, people start to develop their go-to arsenal of recipes that they can enjoy over and over again. The one recommendation that always remains the same is the practice of Batch Cooking!

Batch cooking is the practice of picking 2-4 meals (or more!) to prepare before your week begins so that you can rely on these already-made healthy meals to tide you through busier weeknights.  I like to get an idea of where folks are struggling the most with their meals before making recommendations as this tends to be a little different for each person.  

Below are some of my tips and suggestions that will help you get started with meal prepping and batch cooking.

Beginning: Take Notes

• What is your biggest obstacle in cooking for yourself? This is an essential question you need to ask yourself  before you start meal planning and batch cooking. Do you not even know what to make? Do you hate cooking? Do you feel like you have no time during the week to even think about cooking? Does you family all eat different things? Discovering and facing your obstacles is key to making meal prep sustainable and eliminating roadblocks. Your nutrition plan / meal planning practice should account for these obstacles and include some strategies to combat them.
• Which meals do you have the hardest time eating / keeping healthy? Are you rushing out the door before eating breakfast? Is dinner time so jam packed that cooking is out of the question? Are you eating every lunch out while you’re at work? Pick the meals you’re struggling with the most. For example, if you’re too rushed to eat a healthy breakfast every morning, consider batch cooking a vegetable rich quiche or frittata, or make some hearty morning muffins and pre-boil some eggs for a quick & easy breakfast. If you’re struggling to get vegetables on your plate for lunches and dinner, consider batch cooking large pans of roasted root vegetables and add a serving to every meal!
• What are some of your favorite meals to eat? Make sure that you’re batch cooking foods meals you love to eat! If you love lasagna, make a big pan of vegetable rich, hearty lasagna for lunches or dinner. If you love salads, make 5 mason jar salads for lunch every day. If you love soups and stews in the winter time, make a big crock pot stew on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week. Identifying your favorite types of meals will help narrow your search for good recipes and keep you motivated to continue prepping and planning.
• When can you carve out 1-2 hours, once per week to devote to batch prepping foods? Meal planning takes just that – planning. You need to devote time in your weekly schedule for grocery shopping and batch cooking your meals. Look at your calendar and schedule this time. Whether it’s on a Saturday morning or a Wednesday night (it doesn’t always have to be the same time every single week), just make sure you’ve got time to make your meals. This is also loads of fun to do with with your kids, partner or a friend!

What You’ll Need

• Storage containers. I prefer using glass pyrex, but you can use anything you have on hand to store your meals. Mason jars work great for soups and salads.

Action:

1. Gather at least 7-10 recipes that you’d like to try. Pinterest is an excellent place to gather and store recipes!
2. Pick 2 recipes and make sure you do your grocery shopping beforehand.
3. Start out batch prepping just 2 of these recipes to get a feel for the habit.
4. Once meals are batch prepped, store in either individual serving containers or in a large dish to serve during busier night. You can also make two of the same recipes at the same time and keep one in the freezer for another week.

If you need individualized support with meal planning and creating a sustainable nutrition plan that works for you and your lifestyle, consider scheduling an appointment with our nutritionist Lindsay Kluge.  

Additional Resources:

5 Quick Breakfast Ideas
Transform your Kitchen into a Positive Space
Holistic Nutrition: Food as Medicine for a Lifetime
Transitioning to a Gluten Free Diet

About the Author:

Lindsay Kluge is a Clinical Herbalist & Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and received her Masters of Science degree in Herbal Medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2012. She has been with Richmond Natural Medicine since 2013, and specializes in therapeutic holistic nutrition, circadian rhythm balance and sleep physiology, digestion, and Ayurvedic nutrition. She offers individualized nutrition and herbal medicine consultations that include meal planning support, custom compounded herbal formulas, nutrition guidance and general wellness support.  Learn more about services that Lindsay offers at Richmond Natural Medicine by clicking HERE.