Chai Tea

My enjoyment with Chai Tea has reached an all time peak. I actually dreamt about it a few nights ago. All right, I will admit it , I have a soft addiction to Chai Tea. Phew, I feel better now. Since I hardly ever drink coffee this has become my morning thing especially on a cool, damp Washington state morning. One of my instructors in Botanical Medicine, Dr. Glenn Nagel provided me with this great recipe some time ago. I enjoy it probably because of its effect on the circulatory system, digestive system, and nervous system. I find when those systems are in balance, life is pretty good!



Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of Fennel
6 Pods of Cardamon
12 cloves
2 Tablespoons of Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Ginger (dried)
6 Black Pepper Corns
3 cups of water.
1-3 Bags of Black Tea per each cup of water (caffeinated or decaffeinated)
3 cups of milk (substitute, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk)
honey to taste (or granulated sugar)

Instructions:

1. Bring water to a boil and add solid spices. Cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer. Ten minutes is sufficient, but soaking the spices longer will continue to add to the flavor.
2. Bring the water back up to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat. Add tea, and allow to infuse according to the directions on the package (usually 3-5 minutes, covered).
3. Remove the tea and spices. (IE. strain them off). leaving just the liquid.
   Add milk, and bring back to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, and add honey to taste. (you can use sugar if thats your thing) Stir for thirty seconds, and then turn heat to low to keep chai warm while serving.
   

Or you can go to Starbucks and spend $4.50....

Milk...Sort Of…

I just finished my first glass of Trader Joe's Organic Whole Grain Drink.

It's Gluten Free and Dairy Free and fortified with Vitamin D, A, B12, and Calcium. Made from organic brown rice, amaranth, millet, and quinoa….and its pretty good!

I am burning out fast from almond milk, soy milk, and rice milk and this will give me a great option. Some downsides? It has 0 protein. But, it only has 5 grams of sugar. It has 3 grams of fiber and only 2.5 grams of fat.

Stress of the Holiday's

This is the week where stress seems to tippeth over. I have seen it repeat itself year after year. We have evolved internally apart from our families. And , this one week... each year... we return to an operating system (IE family) that uses technology from 5, 10, 20, even 30 years ago to function. We return with the expectation that their will be a kind and loving experience. And, when it doesn't, then disappointment prevails. The most functional families evolve to adapt to the growth of the individuals. When families don't evolve they use constructs and beliefs that are outdated and no longer truly valid. To survive this conundrum peacefully it takes patience, appreciation, and surrender. More, it takes appreciation for what family meant to our past, our history, and who we are today.

Diabetes

It never seems to lose its effect. When I meet someone challenged with Diabetes, I think about the tremendous amount of diligence required to prevent complications. Seeing a diabetic measure thier blood glucose levels reminds me of the incredible atmospheric changes taking place in the cells of our body on a moment by moment basis. The orchestration of so many process required to maintain an optimal blood sugar levels is just fascinating. To be thankful of my body and its brilliance is something I would like to focus on today.

Almond Poppy Brew for Insomnia

This was inspired by teachers I have had that practice Ayurvedic Medicine. I have changed the ingredients to fit things that are more commonly found in North American supermarkets.

1 teaspoon blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
Succanut to taste (or a slight amount of table sugar)
1 pinch of nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon butter (or Ghee, Or almond butter)
1 1/2 cup almond milk (or regular milk)

Place almonds and poppy seeds in a coffee or spice grinder and grind
until reduced to fine powder. Add nutmeg and grind one more time to mix the spices well.

In a heavy non-stick sauce pan, combine the milk with the spice mixture and bring to boil, stirring over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring for 1 minute. Pour the milk in a cup and add succanut and butter.

Stir.

Drink

Eat seasonal Buy local

It's late May in the Pacific Northwest and my favorite time of the year. The persistent rain is behind us for now and you can feel the aliveness of nature all around. One of the most enjoyable things of this time of the year is the reopening of farmers markets. You can save money and support the local economy by knowing what is in season and buying from local farmers. This week Asparagus, Beets, Apples Spinach, and Cauliflower are all among the produce that's "in season". How do I know this? You can check weekly for what's fresh at http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/. Also, if you are looking for recipes that will include your produce, check out this great resource at http://www.whfoods.org/recipestoc.php

In health,

Dr. Rinde

 

Menstrual Cramps

Change the way you feel: A series of Tidbits brought to you by Adam Rinde, ND

Menstrual cramping at the onset of menses can be relieved by a simple remedy. According to Tori Hudson, ND, Ginger capsules may do as good or better than an NSAID. Try Ginger Root capsules 400 milligrams three times per day during those first couple days of your menses when you start to have cramps. Ginger decreases inflammation in your body called prostaglandins. When prostaglandin levels elevate in the uterine lining during menses, you may experience cramping. As always check drug-herb interactions or consult with your Naturopathic Physician before starting any new remedy.

Nuts over Coconut

I have been kvelling (Yiddish for gushing) over coconut for a while. And, the love affair continues. Now those of you who have been avoiding yogurt because you don't do dairy or soy, can finally enjoy yogurt…coconut style. I recently purchased So Delicious Coconut Milk-based Yogurt (http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/coconut_yogurt.html) ; and I am very impressed. The flavors I have tried are blueberry, mango, and vanilla. They are sweetened with evaporated can juice and some servings have 22 grams of sugar, but they are generally low in calories and have healthy medium chain fatty acids. They are also gluten free. I generally recommend yogurt to my patients who can tolerate it because it's a great source of pre and probiotics for helping the digestive tract function, and now people have another option. Plus, I am all about healthy alternatives to plopping in front of the tube with a tub of Ben and Jerry's and this product will meet your sweet tooth needs. Make sure you take your time to enjoy it because each small container cost about $1.80.

Investigating Ulcerative Colitis by Adam Rinde, ND

Sue appeared in discomfort as we began our discussion. She had been experiencing bloody diarrhea for the past four weeks. At a dinner engagement the previous week she had to leave early because she was spending much of the event running to the bathroom. Normally a high achieving professional that is always on the go, her stomach has felt painful since the onset and she has felt feverish. Sue was hoping this was a stomach infection or maybe a hemorrhoid. What she feared was that she was experiencing Ulcerative Colitis that her Aunt complained about.

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is considered an Inflammatory Bowel Disease that involves the gastrointestinal tracts whose cause is largely unknown. It normally occurs between ages 15 and 30 years old or between 60 and 80 years old, but can occur at any age. Theories exist regarding the cause being due to immune cells attacking the body. In addition, some researches think it is due to a virus or bacteria.

So what goes wrong UC? A healthy colon has several layers of lining that provides protection against inflammation and infection and aids in absorption. In UC, this system is disrupted and there are ulcers, wounds, and inflammation in the colon wall causing a breakdown in this protective barrier. Sometimes this process will extend up into the small intestine .

Severe cases of UC can cause major weight loss, decreased immune function, and changes in the blood function (i.e. Anemia). In some, surgical removal of the diseased colon in recommended. People with UC have an increased risk of Colon Cancer related to time duration of having UC. The cumulative likelihood of cancer is about 3% at 15 yr, 5% at 20 yr, and 9% at 25 yr, representing an annual risk of about 0.5 to 1% after the 10th yr. There is also an increased risk of Osteoporosis in UC. Other complications exist in UC including joint pain in 25% of sufferers.

During the visit I began my investigation of the root cause of her symptoms. After completing a physical exam, I ordered a complete blood test and chemistry panel. I also ordered an antibody test called P-ANCA (p-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) which appears in about 70% of people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Once the P-ANCA came back positive, I referred Sue to a Gastroenterologist for a more through exam of her colon through a sigmoidoscopy. The exam confirmed that Sue indeed had UC and her Gastroenterologist prescribed Asacol, which is an anti-inflammatory medication specific to the colon. Medications commonly employed including corticosteroids and Sulfasalazine were discussed as future options. Other options were presented to her such as surgical removal of the diseased part of the colon if her condition worsened .Sue began taking Asacol and scheduled frequent follow-up visits with her Gastroenterologist.

Sue returned to my office inquiring if any natural medicines would be helpful. I explained that one strategy in managing UC is following a diet that reduces inflammation in the gut. Sue learned about and initiated the specific carbohydrate diet invented by Elaine Gottschall. This diet chooses specific sugars and starches that are easier to digest. Specifically, the diet strictly eliminates grains, lactose and sucrose from every meal.

With UC, Sue may be at risk for certain nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, she started a quality Multivitamin. Some of the common deficiencies in UC include Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Zinc, and Vitamin B12.

We discussed that un-managed stress may be a trigger in the exasperation of UC. And, employing certain mind-body therapies such as visualization, Tai Chi, yoga, Buteyko© breathing, meditation, or progressive relaxation may be of great benefit. She chose to take up Yoga at her local health club to help manage stress.

Sue also started a probiotic supplement which is becoming a staple in UC. A probiotic includes strains of healthy bacteria taken in pill to aid in digestion and immune defense. Some specialized manufacturers offer dairy-free probiotic strains (contact me for a list of these manufactures). Other important supplements in UC that may be beneficial are antiflammatory herbal extracts like Curcumin which acts on some similar pathways as many of NSAIDS and appears to work well with Asacol.

There are other aids that may become helpful for Sue such as Butyrate Enemas, and Fish Oil supplementation, but for now her plan seems to be helping. Sue currently maintains remission. It is comforting to her to have regular follow-ups with her Gastroenterologist, for long-term medication management.

UC is serious condition effecting people worldwide. Fortunately, there are ways that conventional medication and Naturopathic Medicine can integrate to reduce the severity of the disease.