Adaptogens for Cold, Flu, and “Pandemic Season”
Herbs that kick stress and boost immunity Cold and flu season has been upstaged by a global pandemic. As we respond to the risk of COVID-19, many of us are also grappling with the social and financial strains accompanying lockdown and uncertainty. This has stress levels high, and stress tragically undermines immune function, thereby…
How Stress Hurts the Immune System – And What to Do About it (Video)
Stress: it isn’t just in your head. In this video, Dr. Erica Zelfand explains how our bodies respond to stress and how those reactions can wreak havoc on our immunological function, weight, blood sugar, heart health, and overall wellbeing. Topics covered include: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the adrenal glands, cortisol, adrenaline, and the effects…
Biohacks for a Calmer, Happier, More Focused You (Video)
Meet your new best friend – your vagus nerve. Through simple biohacks, we can use our bodies to affect our mood, focus, and productivity. In this video, naturopathic physician Dr. Erica Zelfand introduces the vagus nerve – a nerve that travels from the head to the throat, heart, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract, and even…
DHEA for Bones, Brains, and in the Bedroom
The anti-aging perks of the dietary supplement DHEA Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated form, DHEA-S, are the most abundant steroid hormones in the human body.1 DHEA is produced from cholesterol in the adrenal glands, brain, ovaries, and testes, and is then converted into the major sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. DHEA levels decline dramatically…
Multiple Sclerosis, Asthma, and Fasting
The effects of calorie restriction on immune function and inflammation Move over mustache wax, craft beer, and fixed-gear bicycles: fasting is making a comeback. By no means a new therapy, fasting has its roots in religion and medicine alike. In fact, the Greek physician Hippocrates, who lived from about 460 to 375 BCE, prescribed…
Ivy Leaf for Lung Health
A look at ivy leaf for lung health Rattle, click, puff, inhale. These are the sounds of a person using an inhaler (or “puffer”) to support their respiratory health. The life-saving medicine found in rescue inhalers often comes from a class of drugs known as beta (β) agonists. By mimicking the effects of epinephrine…
Pine Bark for Blood Vessels Big and Small, Part 2 of 2
A natural solution for erectile dysfunction, cold hands, and vision In Post 1 of 2, we explored the effects of maritime pine bark extract on blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins. In this post we’ll zoom in on the extract’s effects on smaller blood vessels. Let’s take a closer look at the vascular diseases…
Pine Bark for Blood Vessels Big and Small, Part 1 of 2
A natural solution for high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins At first glance, the ailments of high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins seem to have little in common. As any holistically trained healthcare provider knows, however, these conditions all share one common cause: poor vascular health. Also known as the circulatory system,…
Fighting Live Viruses with Dead Bacteria
Heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 for respiratory health, immune function, and antiviral support Lactobacillus plantarum is a type of lactic acid bacteria found in a variety of fermented foods. The heat-killed version of a specific strain of this bacteria, L. plantarum L-137 (HK L-137), has been shown to enhance immune activity, support respiratory health, and…
Nourishing the Child with ADHD, Simply
Multivitamins & Fish Oil for Pediatric ADHD Treatment Sub-optimal nutrition not only affects a child’s physical health, but also predisposes them to neurocognitive deficits like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[1],[2],[3] ADHD is a common, early-onset, and enduring neurodevelopmental condition characterized by developmentally inappropriate attention deficits, hyperactivity, increased impulsivity, and/or emotional deregulation. Needless to say,…
Children’s Multivitamins: Are They Really Necessary?
The case for pediatric supplementation “Why do kids love carbs and dairy so much?” my mother asks me, exasperated after her latest thwarted attempt to get her grandchildren to eat more nutritious fare. “We’re actually lucky,” I tell her between bites of the cold broccoli the kids left behind, “at least these kiddos eat…
Supplements to Take With and Without Food
Guidelines for optimal absorption and benefit “I think your love language is snacks,” my friend says after I greet her with a hug and a jar of homemade vegan coconut yogurt. “I think you’re right!” I laugh, and beckon her to open up the jar so we can have a nosh. Later that month,…
