Food and drug recall

There have been a number of food and drug recalls lately.  Most notably, Campbells had to recall 15,000,000 cans of Spagetti-o's with Meatballs. Apparently, the meatballs were never fully cooked during processing.  That's pretty scary, but even scarier is that all cans produced since June 2008 are being recalled.  June 2008?  Really?  I am pretty sure that any and all meatballs prepared in 2008 should not be consumed in 2010.  This issue highlights the importance of food safety and security.  Know who produces your food and what they are doing to protect your safety.  And just to be on the safe and healthy side, skip the Spagetti-o's altogether. :) Over the counter children's medications have been recalled as well.  McNeil is recalling certain lots of Children's Motrin, Tylenol, Zyrtec and Benadryl.  Why?  Because:

"Some of the products included in the recall may contain a higher concentration of active ingredient than is specified; others may contain inactive ingredients that may not meet internal testing requirements; and others may contain tiny particles."

Wow!  Check your cabinets and make sure your medicine is safe.

Better yet - see your naturopathic doctor, stay healthy, and use over the counter medications only when neccesary.

Stay safe,

Dr. Caitlin

April is IBS Awareness Month

April in Colorado is unpredictable.  One day it is clear and sunny, the next  day 3 inches of snow are covering your newly planted seeds.  So it is appropriate that spring has been designated national IBS Awareness Month.  Why?  Because if you have IBS your life is extremely unpredictable.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition characterized by alternating constipation and diarrhea, and can including significant bloating, cramping and pain.  This condition is extremely disruptive and really affects quality of life.  The prevalence of IBS in the United States is estimated to be around 15%. The good news is that naturopathic medicine can be extremely effective at finding and treating the many underlying causes of IBS.  While mainstream medicine relies on medications in an attempt control the symptoms of IBS, natural medicine looks for the cure.

Often times we find a food sensitivity is an underlying cause.  Two studies confirm this finding, demonstrating that patients with IBS who avoided the food intolerance -  revealed with IgG blood tests - did significantly better then those that did not.

Naturopathic medicine, acupuncture,  stress reduction and mindfulness techniques - there are many options out there for those with IBS.  Find the  ones that work well for you and your family.

So celebrate IBS Awareness Month by seeking out healthcare practitioners that can help!

3 Essential Supplements for your Child

Happy Friday! Just posted a new article for the Denver Examiner - 3 Essential Supplements for your Child.

Enjoy!

Happy February!

I hope you all are well.  January flew right by and February is threatening to do the same.  I have a busy month planned including some great talks scheduled at two of my favorite local mom and baby meccas.  First, on February 10th, Dr. Bryan Kono (a fabulous pediatrician from Partners in Pediatrics) and I will be discussing Hot Topics: Immunization and Circumcision with the lovely ladies at Belly Bliss. Then on February 16th, I am debuting my "Lunch and Learn" series at The Giggling Green Bean.  The topic this month is What, Where, When and Why: An Exploration of Food Introduction. I'll be  presenting a new topic every third Tuesday of the month, so mark your calendars and join the discussion.

Hope to see you there!

Dr. Caitlin

Eating outside the box

A group of us over here at All Families Natural Health are participating in a Winter Rejuvenation program.  The purpose of the program is to expand our food repertoire - to branch out and create new favorite foods, while decreasing our intake of the old reliables (wheat, dairy, wine) . Research shows that the majority of Americans should join us.  According to Dr. Herber of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition there are 50,000 to 200,000 different edible plant foods in the world, and most Americans eat only 3. This is a dramatic decrease from our hunter/gatherer ancestors that included up to 800 different plant foods in their diet.

A recent article in the Medscape Journal of Medicine,by Dr. David Katz discusses the implication of a startling study done by the Center for Disease Control that found that  less than 1% of adolescents, roughly 2% of men, and only 3.5% of  women met guidelines for recommended daily intake of both fruits and vegetables. And this is despite counting jam, jelly, and orange juice as fruit, and both French fries, and the ketchup poured over them, as vegetables.

This is especially concerning given that The American Institute for Cancer Research cites a varied diet high in fruits and vegetables as one of the best ways to reduce cancer risk.  Additionally, a diet focused on plant foods  has been linked to healthy weight-loss and a decrease in chronic disease, including stroke and other cardiovascular disease.

In light of this information, we would all do well to follow the dietary advice of food advocate Micheal Pollan:

"Eat food.  Not to much. Mostly Plants."

But where to find these so-called plants and what to do with them?

In the colder months, it often means a trip to the produce department. However, if you are lucky enough to live in Denver, there is the new, year-round farmer's market to explore.  Before you go out to hunt and gather, check out www.whfoods.org. They feature a comprehensive listing  of the world's healthiest foods complete with nutrient information and recipies.

So while changing our ways isn't always easy, in this case it is definitely worth it.  Eat up!

In Health,

Dr. Caitlin

Beauty and the Beast

I love beauty products.  From make-up to moisturizer, I have always been a sucker for anything that promised me shinier lips, smoother skin or stronger hair.  So you can imagine my dismay when I began learning all the not-so-nice ingredients that go into many of these products, even the "natural" and "organic" ones.    Certain chemicals that we lather on to our bodies everyday have been linked to cancer, neurologic problems, auto-immune conditions and hormone disruption.  Yikes! Luckily, the fine folks at the Environmental Working Group have put together Skin Deep a database of cosmetic products that rates their safety on a scale of 0 - 10.  Go and look up the products you use everyday and start switching them out for safer, less-toxic alternatives.

Personally, I have recently fallen in love with the Denver-based Moondance Botanicals.  They handcraft amazingly effective products from organic and seasonal ingredients that are good enough (and safe enough) to eat.  Not a paraben or phthalate to be found.  If you are lucky enough to be a local, stop by the store and organize an affordable spa party for you and your friends.  Everyone else can get in on the action on-line.   My new motto is "Don't put anything on your skin that you wouldn't put in your mouth."

Anyone know of a tasty mascara?

In health,

Dr. Caitlin