2017 - Third Stone Health

Detox From Processed Foods
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Detox From Processed Foods

Diet, Functional Medicine

Detox From Processed Foods

Based on the title of this article, you may be expecting me to suggest some kind of liver cleanse or detox supplement, but at Third Stone Health, we do not use those types of detox programs. We often suggest more of a “diet reset” which may be spending a week eating only whole foods like vegetables and chicken or fish or doing the Whole 30 whole foods program. Many of the detox supplements that are out there do little besides causing a laxative effect which will make your weight go down but will not benefit you in any long-term way.

Sleep and Hormonal Balance
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Sleep and Hormonal Balance

Integrative Healthcare, Third Stone Health

Sleep and Hormonal Balance

I taught an endocrinology class for herbalists at Farmacy Herbs over the weekend and I found myself referring to the importance of sleep in relation to the appropriate function of multiple hormones that regulate mood, metabolism, and food intake. It made me realize that I often ask patients about their sleep but rarely explain why I am asking about it in relation to their anxiety, muscle development, food cravings, or diabetes. The Importance of Sleep We often need more sleep in fall and winter because our circadian rhythms (sleep-wake cycles) are influenced by light exposure. I find that many people fight

Elderberry and Other Interventions for Colds and Flu Season

Elderberry is one of my favorite herbs for cold and flu prevention because it is easy to make a delicious syrup to take every day or for first symptoms of congestion and body aches. Elderberry has multiple mechanisms of action that are not fully understood including stimulation of the production of immune signaling molecules and prevention of connection between flu viruses and human cells. In studies where people were given elderberry or placebo at first signs of flu, the symptom severity was reduced and the duration of illness decreased from an average of six days to two days. Elderberry Syrup

Exercise for Arthritis
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Exercise for Arthritis

Fitness, Integrative Healthcare, Third Stone Health

Exercise for Arthritis

When your joints hurt, you may feel like you want to avoid physical activity. Pain is exhausting and it is also often a signal that we should stop doing what we are doing to avoid injury. With arthritis, physical activity is one of the most effective pain relievers (with only positive side effects) but it takes a significant amount of willpower to get moving when your body hurts. Arthritis-Friendly Physical Activity The Center for Disease Control says: “ Participating in arthritis-friendly physical activity improves pain, function, mood, and quality of life without making symptoms worse.” In the clinic, I have seen

Boswellia
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Boswellia

Functional Medicine, Holistic Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine

Boswellia

Boswellia Serrata, also known as Frankincense, is one of my favorite herbs for treating osteoarthritis and autoimmune arthritis. Another herb I use frequently is Turmeric but here I am focusing on Boswellia because it is an unsung hero while turmeric has been getting a lot of press lately. Boswellia Reduces Pain and Inflammation Multiple studies have shown that Boswellia reduces pain and inflammation equally or better than non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen for people with osteoarthritis and autoimmune arthritis. NSAIDs work well at reducing inflammation and pain but they have many side effects including stress on kidneys and

Arthritis: Root Causes and Treatments
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Arthritis: Root Causes and Treatments

Functional Medicine, Holistic Medicine, Integrative Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine

Arthritis: Root Causes and Treatments

Whenever we talk about arthritis, it's important to define it and discuss the different types of arthritis. Arthritis means inflammation of the joints and there are two main categories of arthritis: autoimmune arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis) and osteoarthritis. Autoimmune Arthritis Autoimmune arthritis usually begins in the thirties or forties, although we have been seeing it more often in younger people as well. A hallmark of autoimmune arthritis is that the pain and swelling are the same on both sides. There can be more pronounced swelling with autoimmune arthritis than osteoarthritis and sometimes there are other symptoms present like