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Are you counting on fancy shampoos and conditioners to keep your hair beautiful? If so, you’re not doing enough. That’s because if you really want strong, beautiful hair, you need to feed it the foods it loves. The hair-nourishing diet I prescribe for my clients includes lean proteins, healthy fats like coconut and avocado, and loads of veggies. In addition, it’s low in sugar and inflammatory carbs that make hair look old. And needless to say, I also tell people who want beautiful hair to drink bone broth or take a collagen supplement every day! Bone broth and collagen are packed with nutrients that your hair adores. They also help to heal your gut… and healthy hair starts with a healthy gut. Once these basics are in place, I make sure my clients aren’t shorting themselves on hair-protecting nutrients. In particular, I make sure they’re getting enough of these four nutrients that can help transform hair from limp and dry to full and sexy. What nutrients do I need to build strong, beautiful hair? Iron can help build strong, beautiful hair  If you’re a premenopausal woman, there’s a good chance that your iron levels are low—especially if you have heavy periods or you don’t eat meat on a regular basis. And if your hair doesn’t get enough iron, it puts you at high risk for “female pattern hair loss.” However, don’t go loading up on iron just yet. While a vitamin-and-mineral supplement containing a daily dose of iron is fine for most women, mega-doses of this mineral can be dangerous. So have your doctor measure your iron level to see if you’re deficient. In the meantime, eat plenty of eggs and lean meat. If you do wind up needing additional iron, be sure to take supplemental vitamin C as well. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron better. Have your doctor check you zinc levels for strong, beautiful hair  While severe zinc deficiency is rare, many people—especially women—have a marginal deficiency, which can promote hair loss. Again, eating very little meat can put you at risk. To make sure you’re getting enough zinc, take a daily supplement that includes this mineral and eat zinc-rich foods. Good sources include oysters, red meat, lamb, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. Like iron, zinc can be toxic in high doses, so don’t overdo it. You need omega-3 fatty acids to build strong, beautiful hair These healthy fats feed your hair, making it strong and shiny. To get enough of these, eat two servings of salmon, sardines, or other oily fish each week. An omega-3 supplement is also a great idea; just make sure it’s a high-quality one. Vitamin D is extremely important for strong beautiful hair  If you hide from the sun every day, you’re shorting yourself on this crucial nutrient—and that’s a big mistake. In addition to lowering your risk for several cancers and multiple sclerosis, vitamin D helps protect against female pattern hair loss. It’s true that spending too much time in the sun can damage both your skin and your hair. But getting 15 minutes or so of sun every day (without slathering on sunscreen) will make both of them healthier. If you can’t get that much sun, supplement with vitamin D (and even if you do get plenty of sun, ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level). — Add a good supply of these four nutrients to a super-healthy diet, and you’ll give your hair all the nutritional mojo it needs to become strong, lustrous, and beautiful. Of course, you can still spend a fortune on those fancy shampoos and conditioners if you like—because there’s no such thing as pampering your hair too much! Keep thinking Big and Living BOLD!

What if I told you I had a magic pill that would boost your metabolism, making you burn fat faster? You’d take it in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you? Well, guess what: I do have that magic pill. And here’s more good news: It’s free! The magic pill I’m talking about is—you guessed it—exercise. Doctors often downplay the fat-burning power of exercise, because most of them believe in the old calories-in, calories-out rule. And it’s true that the immediate effects of exercise aren’t going to tip the scale very much. For instance, it takes more than an hour of strenuous exercise to burn off a 300-calorie doughnut. However, that’s just what exercise does in the short run. Here’s what it does in the long run: • Exercise keeps your metabolism high even after you finish. When you do high-intensity exercise, your muscles experience wear-and-tear (in a good way). After you’re done, your body needs to repair and replenish those muscles—and that takes work. So long after you exercise, your metabolism stays ramped up. • Exercise builds muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat—so the more lean muscle mass you create through exercise, the more fat you’ll burn all day long. The key here is to do the most effective types of exercise. I’m a huge fan of all kinds of exercise—whether it’s walking the dog, dancing a samba, or playing Twister with your kids—but from a metabolic point of view, some forms of exercise are more powerful than others. Here are two of the best when it comes to melting off that fat: • Weightlifting. When you lift the heaviest weights you can lift with good form, and do as many repetitions as you can, you’ll get a fantastic after-workout “burn” and build beautiful lean muscle. (As a bonus, lifting weights sculpts your body, so you automatically look slimmer. I call it “rearranging the furniture.”) • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). In HIIT, you exercise very strenuously in short bursts with periods of less intense exercise in between—for instance, alternating sprinting with walking. Your body needs to work hard during the strenuous stages and the recovery phases, and this really revs up your metabolism. (If you’re very athletic, consider trying Tabata, a more strenuous form of HIIT.) In addition to incorporating these two types of exercise into your routine, here are three more tips for getting the biggest metabolic boost from your workouts: • Exercise inefficiently. No, that’s not a typo! People look at me funny when I tell them to make their exercise routine more inefficient, but there’s a good reason for this. When you do the same exercises every week, your routine gets easier, so you burn less fat. Change things up, and your body has to work harder. So surprise your body by switching from hand weights to kettlebells, or from sprinting to swimming. • Go for quality, not quantity. Stop killing yourself with long exercise routines. Twenty minutes of intensive weightlifting or HIIT training will give you more metabolic payoff than an hour of jogging. • Exercise regularly. Schedule a minimum of four 20-minute workouts a week. (Take a one-day break between weightlifting sessions, to give your muscles time to recover.) If you find that you don’t have time for that much exercise, make the time—even if it means getting rid of other commitments in your life. Make your health and weight loss a top priority. Finally, supplement your exercise routines with fun activities that you love, whether it’s bowling, swimming, hiking, yoga, or ballet. All forms of movement will boost your metabolism more than sitting on the sofa—so on the days when you don’t work out, put your body in motion in ways that make you and your metabolism happy! Keep thinking BIG and living BOLD!

It takes a lot to shock me—especially when it comes to the corrupting influence that food manufacturers have on people’s beliefs about what’s healthy and unhealthy. However, even I was stunned by a new article in the New York Times. Headlined “How the sugar industry shifted blame to fat,” it describes how sugar promoters paid researchers back in the 1960s to downplay the dangers of sugar and demonize fat. According to recently discovered documents, the Sugar Research Foundation (now known as the Sugar Association) paid three Harvard researchers the equivalent of about $50,000 in today’s dollars to review research on sugar, fat, and heart disease. The catch? The sugar group picked the papers to review and made it clear that they expected the results of the review to be pro-sugar. I can’t imagine any scientists—especially Harvard researchers—accepting terms like these. All the money on the planet couldn’t make me lie to you about sugar being okay for you.  But these researchers apparently had no problem at all with the deal. They replied, “We are well aware of your particular interest and will cover this as well as we can.” In other words—nod, nod, wink, wink. We get the hint. As they worked on their paper, the researchers shared drafts of it with John Hickson, a leading sugar industry executive. At the end, Hickson said, “Let me assure you this is quite what we had in mind, and we look forward to its appearance in print.” The review, published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in 1967, had the intended effect. Stanton Glantz, who coauthored a new exposé of the incident in JAMA Internal Medicine, says, “They were able to derail the discussion about sugar for decades.” In addition, they skewed their findings to vilify saturated fat—which is currently being exonerated as a culprit in heart disease. As a result, the paper played a key role in creating the epidemic of obesity and diabetes we’re facing today. Along with misleading research by other scientists like Ancel Keys, it gave us a government-sponsored food pyramid that’s heavily loaded with carbs and stripped of healthy fats and proteins. After decades of this diet, we’re fatter and sicker than we’ve ever been. The New York Times article notes that journals now require authors to disclose their sources of funding. But I can absolutely guarantee you that food manufacturers still find ways to corrupt scientific opinion. If you don’t believe it, check out Scientific American’s recent hard-hitting article, “Science for Sale,” about the food industry’s influence on the American Society for Nutrition—which has ties to companies ranging from Coca-Cola to the World Sugar Research Organization. I know it’s unsettling to discover that much of the nutritional advice you’ve accepted from “experts” for decades is bought and paid for by the processed food industry. But I hope that it’ll encourage you to be more skeptical about this advice in the future. And I hope that it will encourage you to eat more natural, unprocessed foods—because I trust the farmers who grow organic kale and the ranchers who raise pastured cows way more than I trust multi-million-dollar food lobbies and “nutrition experts” who are in bed with Coca-Cola! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

Today, I want to talk about a biggie when it comes to weight loss and anti-aging: balancing your hormones. When they’re working right, these hormones do an awesome job. Together, they regulate every aspect of your life—your sleep, your appetite, your weight, your energy, your sex drive, you name it. When your hormones are in balance, your hair is thick and glossy. Your skin is smooth and glowing. You’re slim, you’re young, and you’re bursting with energy. Your brain works right. Your thyroid works right. Your gut works right. But what happens when those hormones get out of whack? Then nothing works right. You gain weight. Your hair gets thin, and your skin gets old and papery. You develop “brain fog” and lose your interest in sex. You’re tired all the time. You’re at the mercy of your mood swings. You develop insomnia. You feel like absolute crap all day, every day. Complain to your doctors about these symptoms, and here’s what you’re likely to hear: “Well, you’re getting old. This stuff happens.” or “There’s nothing wrong with you—it’s all in your head.” Well, I’m here to tell you that they’re wrong. You don’t have to get fat, bitchy, and bald. You don’t need to get a big belly. You don’t need to age rapidly. Your symptoms are not all in your head—and you can fix them. In an earlier post, I talked about bioidentical hormones. I highly recommend checking these out if you’re battling a weight problem or feeling old and tired. Today, however, I want to talk about another way to balance your hormones: by eating the right foods and cutting out the wrong ones. What is the best diet for people with a hormone imbalance? 1. A low carb diet works wonders for people with a hormone imbalance A high-carb diet seriously messes with your hormones. Here’s just some of the damage it does. First, a diet high in carbs packs on fat around your belly and belly fat cells are estrogen factories. The more belly fat you have, the more estrogen you produce. Now, having enough estrogen is a good thing—but when you produce too much, it causes you to gain weight like crazy and it dramatically raises your risk for breast cancer. And here’s another reason to lower your carbs. A high-carb diet raises your insulin levels, and excess insulin causes your ovaries to secrete too much testosterone. This can make you overweight and infertile, make you grow hair where you don’t want it, lead to male pattern baldness, and give you acne. Scientists believe that high insulin levels are one of the major contributors to polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, which involves an excess of male hormones. Want a third reason to cut down on carbs? A high-carb diet can mess with still another hormone: leptin. Leptin is your hunger hormone, and high levels tell your body that you’re satisfied. If you eat too many carbs, constantly jacking up your leptin, you can develop leptin resistance. Your cells stop listening to leptin, so you feel hungry all the time. But wait—I’m not done! The insulin surges caused by a high-carb diet also can damage your thyroid. And trust me: You do not want to make your thyroid hormones wonky. If they go rogue, it creates a domino effect that can throw every hormone out of balance. So, short story: For healthy hormones, eliminate grains and sugar, and keep even healthy high-carb foods like sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and winter squash to a minimum. 2. Fix a hormone imbalance by cutting out soy Soy is very bad news for your thyroid hormones. Soy suppresses your uptake of iodine and promotes thyroid autoimmunity. So get over the idea that it’s a health food, and cut it out of your diet. This isn’t easy, because manufacturers put soy in nearly everything these days—but do your best to avoid it. 3. Getting enough iodine may solve your hormone imbalance If you’ve replaced regular table salt in your diet with sea salt or mineral salt, good for you because that’s a healthy switch. However, you’ll need to make sure that you’re still getting plenty of iodine. To do this, I recommend adding lots of seafood and seaweed to your diet. (Personally, I’m a big fan of SeaSnax.) You can also take a supplement that provides 100% of your daily iodine requirement. 4. Eating healthy fats is important for those with a hormone imbalance Fats like ghee, avocados, and coconut oil provide the building blocks of hormones. This is one of the reasons why eating healthy fats doesn’t make you fat—it helps you stay slim and energetic. 5. A safe way to answer a hormone imbalance is by eating clean foods As often as possible, eat organic fruits and vegetables, and limit foods packaged in cans and plastic packaging. This will reduce the number of endocrine disruptors you get in your diet. What are the best foods to balance hormones? You need enough estrogen—but as I said earlier, you definitely don’t want too much. Here are some superfoods that can help you keep your estrogen levels right where they should be: 1. Eat lots and lots of fiber to balance hormones Soluble fiber, such as that in fruits, helps to remove excess estrogen from your body. 2. Bone broth is your liquid gold when trying to balance hormones Your gut bacteria play a major role in estrogen metabolism. Bone broth soothes and heals your gut, creating an optimal environment for these beneficial bugs. 3. Balance hormones with probiotics and prebiotics Like bone broth, these help you build a healthy microbiome that can efficiently balance your estrogen levels. 4. Use turmeric to balance hormones This spice helps slow the development of estrogen-dependent cancer cells. 5. Cruciferous vegetables will be your saving grace when balancing your hormones Foods like broccoli and brussels sprouts contain indole-3 carbinol, which helps your liver get rid of excess estrogen. (One caution: Limit cruciferous veggies if you have an under-active thyroid.) 6. Use pastured meat to get your hormones back in check The hormones in factory-farmed meat can wreak havoc on your sex hormones. If you can afford it, pastured meats are the way to go. 7. Eating right will always do the trick to balance hormones By eating right and adding bioidentical hormones if you need them—you can keep your hormones balanced at any age (even in those tricky perimenopause years). As a result, you’ll stay slim, you’ll be full of energy, and your jealous friends will ask: “How come you never age?” Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

As a naturopathic physician, I love helping sick people get healthy. But you know what I love even more? Helping healthy people stay healthy! That’s why I want to talk today about protecting one of the most important glands in your body: your thyroid gland. Your thyroid plays a crucial role in the function of virtually every organ in your body—so when it’s sick, every cell in your body feels the pain. To paraphrase an old saying, “When your thyroid ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Your head-to-toe misery can include weight gain, fatigue, depression, hair loss, dry skin, puffiness, muscle aches, anxiety, constipation, hoarseness, heavy periods, and memory problems. Fortunately, there are ways to treat an underactive or overactive thyroid. Today, however, I want to focus on a different topic: how to lower your risk for developing thyroid problems in the first place. This is especially important if you’re a woman over 30, because you’re entering the high-risk years for thyroid disease (which strikes women much more often than men). Here’s my advice for nurturing this all-important little gland: Drink bone broth every day.  Bone broth is the #1 health food for your thyroid. Here’s why. The gelatin in bone broth helps to heal a “leaky gut,” which is one of the biggest causes of thyroid problems. When you have a leaky gut, toxins escape from your intestinal tract into the bloodstream, where they cause systemic inflammation that damages your thyroid as well as every other organ in your body. Gelatin soothes and heals your gut wall, putting out this body-wide fire. Bone broth is also loaded with anti-inflammatory nutrients. For instance, the glycine, proline, glucosamine, and chondroitin in bone broth all fight systemic inflammation. Fish bone broth contains iodine, which is vital for thyroid health. Eat other foods that make your thyroid happy.  To function at its best, your thyroid needs a steady supply of nutrients. Here are some of the most critical ones: Iodine. Low levels of iodine can send your thyroid into a swoon, so load up on fish and sea vegetables. If you don’t get plenty of these foods, be sure to take a supplement that contains iodine. (I don’t recommend iodized salt, which typically contains additives you should avoid.) Selenium. Research shows that a deficiency of selenium is associated with thyroid disease. Foods that are high in selenium include Brazil nuts, tuna, eggs, and turkey. Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is a big, big factor in autoimmune disorders—so eat vitamin D-rich foods like eggs and oily fish, and aim for at least 10 or 15 minutes of sun exposure each day. A vitamin D supplement is a good idea, too. Prebiotics and probiotics. These foster a healthy intestinal ecosystem, protecting against a leaky gut and systemic inflammation. Avoid foods that damage the thyroid.  Eating the right foods is a must if you want to keep your thyroid happy, but it’s just as important to avoid the wrong foods. Here are the top three super-villains: Gluten. Gluten is one of the key culprits in leaky gut syndrome—and again, a leaky gut leads to a sick thyroid. Soy. Soy suppresses thyroid function and is linked to autoimmune thyroid problems. An overload of carbs. A diet high in carbohydrates leads to constant insulin surges, which damage your thyroid. One note: If you’re already diagnosed with hypothyroidism, you’ll also want to go easy on cruciferous veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. While these foods are healthy, they contain compounds that can make it harder for an underactive thyroid to do its job. Get your sex hormones checked.  One big problem for many women heading into perimenopause—which can happen in your thirties, by the way—is estrogen dominance, which can lead to low thyroid function. Taking bioidentical progesterone can fix this problem. (For more on bioidentical hormones, see my post here.) Lower your stress.  A stressed thyroid is an unhealthy thyroid, so take control over your stress. Mindful meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga can help—and so can cutting down on your personal obligations. You know my mantra: Strategize your yesses! — These five simple strategies will help you keep your thyroid happy—and that will make you happy, because a healthy thyroid translates into a young, energetic body that burns fat like crazy. So start pampering that little gland today! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

I usually don’t follow fads—but one hot trend I’m really into these days is simplifying. No, I’m not going nuts and buying one of those “tiny houses” that are all the rage right now. Are you kidding me? I couldn’t even fit my shoes in one of those. And speaking of shoes, I’m not giving up any of those, either. Instead, I’m simplifying my life in three ways. First, I’m getting rid of stuff that’s cluttering up my house. Second, I’m saying no to over-commitment. And third, I’m getting more and more selective about the people I let into my life. In my own journey to simplify my life, I’ve come up with some ideas that I think will help you, too. Here they are. 1. Get rid of at least ten things every week. I’m not talking about little things like paper clips or those ancient take-out soy sauce packets in your kitchen drawer. (That’s cheating.) I’m talking about clothes you no longer wear, books that are collecting dust on a shelf, and kitchen gadgets that you haven’t used in a decade. If someone else can use these items, donate them. Otherwise, if you can’t recycle or repurpose them, toss them out. Over time, you’ll clear out entire drawers, bookcases, and closets. 2. Escape from at least one obligation that’s weighing you down. I do volunteer work because I want to help make the world a better place. However, I’ve learned that if I say yes to too many volunteer projects, I can’t do a good job on any of them. If you’re over-obligated, here’s my suggestion: List all of your current obligations, rate them in order of importance, and say “no” to the ones at the bottom of the list. For more ideas, see my Huffington Post article. 3. Say goodbye to at least one person who’s negatively impacting your life. I know you can’t always part ways with negative people—especially if they’re family members. But if there’s a manipulative, vindictive, or overly needy person you can gently ease out of your life, do it. If you can’t completely avoid the person, minimize your contact as much as possible. Take these three steps, and you’ll be amazed at how much more functional your house becomes, how much more free time you create for yourself and your family, and how much more positive energy you have. You’ll even be healthier and slimmer, because you’ll be way, way less stressed (and less stress translates into a healthier, slimmer you). So don’t just sit there … Simplify! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

What are the best natural healers? I always say that the most powerful medicines aren’t in your medicine cabinet—they’re in your pantry and your garden. And Mother Nature’s cures aren’t just powerful; they’re also far, far safer than the drugs your doctor prescribes. (Do your berries or herbs come with a warning label that’s eight hundred words long? No. I rest my case.) So, in honor of my Month of Favorites, here’s a new list: my favorite natural healers. Put these ten potent prescriptions to work for you, and they’ll make you healthier inside and out! 1. Turmeric as a natural healer. This awesome spice, a staple of Indian cooking, is finally coming into its own in the West. In part, it’s because people are falling in love with its warm, peppery flavor and mouth-watering aroma. But it’s also because they’re discovering the incredible health benefits of the curcumin in turmeric. These benefits include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective, and anti-diabetic properties. This spice has so many benefits that I try to use it at least two or three times a week in curries, smoothies, or cauliflower dishes like this zingy one from the Food Network. 2. Blueberries are a powerful natural healer. Is there anything that blueberries can’t do? Here’s a list of just some of their incredible health benefits: They protect your skin against sun-related damage and wrinkling. They can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They can help protect your eyes  against damage from sunlight. They can keep your brain young, delaying cognitive decline as you age. They can help protect against breast cancer and prostate cancer. They can lower your blood pressure and help keep your arteries elastic. That’s a lot of powerful medicine in a teeny, tiny package! And blueberries are incredibly versatile, too—so toss them in everything from smoothies to salads to grilled salmon recipes. To get you started, check out this recipe for my lime-blueberry poppy seed coffee cake. 3. Use aloe vera as your go to for a natural healer - h3 It’s not just an old wives’ tale; this succulent really does make wounds heal faster. Research suggests that it does this by binding growth factors at a wound site, making their effects last longer. And of course, topical aloe vera is awesome for soothing sunburns. However, there’s some controversy over whether you should drink aloe vera juice or use aloe vera gel orally. Here’s the scoop. Research shows that oral aloe vera may lower blood sugar levels in diabetics, fight bad bacteria in the mouth, and even help fight cancer. However, a study by the National Toxicology Program found that long-term consumption of non-decolorized whole-leaf extract of aloe vera increased the incidence of colon cancer in rats and mice. (Decolorizing is a process that removes a constituent of the aloe called the latex.) But a more recent study found that decolorized whole-leaf aloe vera had no adverse effects on rats—and aloe gel, which is different from whole leaf extract, doesn’t contain the substances implicated in cancer. Confusing? A little—but it looks like you can get all of aloe’s benefits from decolorized products or aloe gel, without any of the risks. And there’s no question that topical aloe vera works wonders. So plant some aloe in your garden, or put a pot of it on your windowsill.  Rub it on cuts, burns, sunburn, and even eczema and psoriasis. (Just do a little “patch test” first to make sure you’re not allergic to it.) 4. Cayenne pepper packs a punch a natural healer. Cayenne doesn’t just give your mouth a burn; it can make you burn calories faster. In addition, it reduces your appetite naturally—and it lowers blood sugar. How’s that for cool? By the way, here’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy cayenne pepper: in home-made sweet potato chips. (Yum.) 5. My ultimate favorite natural healer is bone broth. You knew this would be on my list, right? And it definitely earns a top spot in my pantheon of natural healers, because it’s loaded with gut-soothing gelatin, joint-healing glucosamine and chondroitin, and the deep nutrition of bone marrow. Bone broth makes you look healthier, too, because it contains the building blocks of wrinkle-erasing collagen. If you’ve never made bone broth before, it’s super-simple; here’s my easy recipe for basic broth. Not interested in making your own? Check out my liquid or powdered broth already prepared for you! 6. Coconut oil is a tremendous natural healer. Coconut oil is loaded with medium-chain triglycerides that are converted directly to energy by the liver, so they don’t wind up on your waistline. It’s also rich in lauric acid, which is a powerful germ fighter—and if you have arthritis, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant power of coconut oil may help to ease your pain. I cook with coconut oil all the time. (For instance, check out my pork fried “rice” here.) In addition, I use it as a skin cream, and I prescribe it for my patients with psoriasis or eczema. 7. Don’t underestimate the power of honey as a natural healer. Honey can heal you on the inside and the outside. Here are just some of its health benefits: It inhibits inflammation. It helps fight cancer. It has antibacterial properties. It’s rich in antioxidants. It can help heal your gut. One study, for instance, found that honey promotes the growth of good gut microflora and helps protect against damage caused by dangerous mycotoxins. Used externally, it helps heal diabetic ulcers and can even knock out the super-bug MRSA. Make sure you buy raw honey—not the cheap, adulterated stuff—and use it sparingly, because it does raise your blood sugar. For external use, buy sterile Manuka honey. And never give honey to a baby, because it can contain botulinum spores that are harmless to older people but can endanger infants. 8. A lesser-known natural healer is maple syrup. Maple syrup contains 54 different beneficial compounds. Researcher Navindra Seeram, whose team discovered the wealth of nutrients in this healing food, says that the “sheer quantity and variety of identified compounds with documented health benefits qualifies maple syrup as a champion food.” But use this super-food only occasionally, because like honey, it will elevate your blood sugar. 9. Avocados are a supreme natural healer. What would life be like without guacamole? I don’t even want to think about it. And I don’t just love the taste of avocados; I also love the fact that they’re loaded with dozens of nutrients, as well as healthy fats that help your body absorb these nutrients. (They’re high in fiber, too.) Eating avocados can improve your cholesterol and lower your risk for metabolic syndrome, and a new study suggests that pregnant and nursing women in particular should be sure to include them in their diets. 10. Use cinnamon for a natural healer with a kick. Cinnamon reduces blood sugar and blood pressure in diabetics. It may even fight cancer by slowing the development of new blood supplies to tumors. And remember, cinnamon isn’t just for sweet dishes; it’s also awesome in savory dishes like this sage and cinnamon chicken over at Civilized Caveman Cooking. — Can you see why I tell my patients that the key to healing and anti-aging is a good grocery list—not a pill? When you take advantage of the medicines that Mother Nature provides so generously, you’ll do everything from reducing inflammation and lowering your blood sugar to healing your gut and protecting yourself against cancer. And here’s the best part: You’ll do it all deliciously. Bon apetit!t! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

You already know that fast food isn’t good for you. But did you know that it gives you a heavy dose of industrial chemicals that can make you fat, sick, and infertile?

Do you know anyone who’s changed millions of lives with a single TEDx Talk? I do. She’s Dr. Terry Wahls, and if you don’t know about her, you need to. If you don’t know who Dr. Terry Wahls is yet, now is the time!  Best-selling author of The Wahls Protocol, Dr. Wahls is offering a free webinar that will dive deep into functional medicine, the healing power of nutrition, and more on April 21! Join us for what could be the turning point in your journey to wellness. To reach out to the people who need her help, Dr. Wahls has started hosting annual seminars about the Wahls Protocol. This year’s Wahls Protocol Seminar 2016 will offer participants an individualized functional medicine worksheet and health timeline, along with countless other benefits and tips and access to an incredible community of support. More than half of the people who attended last year have already registered to return this year, and seats are going fast! I hope you’ll consider attending this transformative event and begin the process of reclaiming your story and your life. Dr. Wahls will be sharing more information about her story, her protocol, and her seminar at her free upcoming webinar. Dr. Wahls is living proof of the power of natural healing. I can’t wait to hear what she has to say, and I hope you’ll join in! You can register for the FREE webinar HERE!  Register for the Wahls Protocol Webinar

Chocolate—is there anything it can’t do? Today, I’ll tell you how adding this yummy food to your diet might even give your mental powers a boost—and then I’ll share some yummy chocolate recipes that are just in time for St. Paddy’s Day and Easter.

A new study out of California reports that HALF of adults are now pre-diabetic or diabetic. Today, I’ll give you eight powerful tips that can help you protect yourself and your family from this raging epidemic. I just saw an absolutely stunning report in the Los Angeles Times. According to researchers, 46% of adults in California are now pre-diabetic. This is a number almost impossible for me to wrap my brain around—especially when I add in the statistic that 9% of the population already has diabetes. In short, more than half of the people in this health-conscious state either have or are likely to develop one of the world’s most deadly diseases. The director of the nonprofit California Center for Public Health Advocacy, which funded the research, comments, “This study is a barometer that’s telling us that the storm is coming.” Clearly, if you care about your health, you need to be aware of the growing threat of Type 2 diabetes. But how can you protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of this escalating epidemic? Fortunately, it’s simple to dramatically lower your risk of diabetes—and often you can even reverse it. Here’s how: Take preventive steps as early as you can. We used to think of Type 2 diabetes as an old person’s disease. Now, however, it’s striking children, teens, and young adults. So don’t put off taking action. Ignore advice to center your diet around carbs. Amazingly, many diabetes “experts” will tell you to include significant amounts of pasta, whole wheat bread, and other carbohydrates in your diet. This advice is what started our epidemic of diabetes. Eating lots of carbs makes you overweight (a huge risk factor for Type 2 diabetes) and leads to insulin resistance, the first step on the road to diabetes. The truth is simple: Lower your intake of carbs (especially grains and sugar), and you will lower your risk of diabetes. Instead, center your diet around high-quality proteins, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats like avocados and olive oil. The only carbs you should eat are small servings of starchy veggies like sweet potatoes and beets, small servings of fruit, and very small and infrequent servings of natural sugars like honey. Move. Exercise makes your skeletal muscle more sensitive to insulin and burns off blood sugar. Heal your gut. A healthy gut microbiome is associated with a lower risk for obesity and diabetes. Drink coffee.  Drinking caffeinated coffee can cut your risk of diabetes by up to half. Spice up your food. Turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and oregano are among the spices and herbs that can knock points off your blood glucose numbers. Cut your stress. Stress triggers your fight-or-flight reaction, causing your body to release a surge of sugar for fuel. If your cells are insulin resistant, that sugar will build up in your blood. So reduce your stress by meditating, doing muscle-relaxation and deep-breathing exercises, or doing yoga or tai chi. And as much as possible, simplify and de-stress your life. Live like Mother Nature intended. Get sunshine (vitamin D helps reduce your risk of getting diabetes). Get enough sleep. Play. Spend quality time with your “pack.” The more you follow your genetic blueprint, the lower your risk of diabetes will be. There are lots of things in your life you have no control over. Luckily, diabetes isn’t one of them! So don’t just worry about your chances of becoming a victim. Take charge with a natural, low-carb diet and a healthy lifestyle, and this is one threat you can cross off your list. Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

Can you spare an extra ten minutes a day to get healthier? Today, I’ll tell you how you can lower your blood glucose levels with mindful meditation. My life is crazy these days—but no matter how busy I am, I schedule a few minutes every day to meditate. That’s because I learned a long time ago that meditating makes me feel happier, calmer, and more focused. In addition, research shows that it lowers stress and inflammation. And guess what: There’s another big plus to meditating! According to a new study, the mindfulness you achieve by meditating can actually lower your blood glucose. Why is that such a big deal? Because rising blood glucose levels can lead to obesity and metabolic syndrome, and eventually can result in diabetes. And high levels of blood glucose damage every part of your body, from your eyes to your heart to your brain. The best way to reduce your blood glucose, of course, is to cut high-carbohydrate, low-nutrition foods like sugar and grains out of your diet and replace them with foods like pastured meats, eggs, vegetables, and healthy fats. You can also lower your blood sugar by exercising and by fasting. But here’s why adding mindful meditation to your arsenal is also a good idea. In the new study I mentioned, researchers evaluated nearly 400 people using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). After adjusting their data for a number of factors, they found that people with a high MAAS score were 35 percent more likely to have healthy blood glucose levels than those with low MAAS scores. One reason, they speculate, is that mindfulness gives people a greater sense of control over their lives, leading to healthier habits. So cultivate your own mindfulness through daily meditation. It may take time to get the hang of it—but when you do, you’ll love the results. If you haven’t tried mindful meditation, here’s how to do it: Find a quiet place where no one will interrupt you. Get in a comfortable position in a chair or on the floor. Rest your hands lightly on your thighs. Notice how you feel. Are you cool or warm? Are you experiencing any tension or pain in any part of your body? How does your clothing feel against your skin? Are you hungry or full? Are you wide-awake, or tired? Notice your surroundings. What do you see, hear, and smell? Let your mind wander where it will. At first, it will probably be swirling with thoughts about work, money, or family issues. That’s okay. Simply examine each thought without judging it, and then gently let it go. Focus on your breathing. Take deep breaths in, as if you’re filling your abdomen with air. Then slowly let each breath out. Focusing on your breathing helps you stay anchored as you meditate. When your mind wanders, let it—and then return your attention to your breathing. Say a word or a sound as you breathe out, if it helps to relax you. When you’re first starting to meditate, aim for just five or six minutes each day. Keep practicing every day, getting up to 10 or 20 minutes a day, and keep focusing on your breathing because that’s the key to success. Above all, be patient. At first, you may think that not much is happening. But you’ll soon discover that meditation is powerful medicine for your mind and body—and your blood sugar levels! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

Do you have uncontrollable food cravings during the day? In my new post, I’ll tell you how you can get control over them by sleeping more at night! Would you love an excuse to get a little more shut-eye? Well, luckily, I have one for you: It can make you slimmer by cutting your food cravings down to size. In a new study, researchers conducted two sleep experiments involving 14 volunteers. In the first experiment, the participants slept eight-and-a-half hours a night for four days. In the second, they slept only four-and-a-half hours a night for four days. The researchers gave the participants identical meals three times a day. They also measured their blood levels of the satiety hormone leptin, the appetite hormone ghrelin, and a chemical called 2-AG, which plays a role in regulating appetite, eating, and energy levels. They predicted that sleep deprivation would activate 2-AG, making people hungrier—and it turned out they were right. When participants slept longer, their 2-AG levels were low in the morning, peaked after lunch, and dropped as the day went on. But when the participants slept less, their 2-AG levels increased by 33 percent, spiking at 2 p.m. and staying high until about 9 p.m. The sleep-deprived participants reported being hungrier around the time their 2-AG levels spiked. In addition, they were more likely to choose tempting high-calorie snacks. They also had lower levels of leptin and higher levels of ghrelin. In short, cheating yourself on sleep can give you the munchies—and that translates into extra pounds. So if you’re battling a weight problem, it’s a good idea to stop burning the candle at both ends. And yes, I know that’s easier said than done! However, here are some tricks that can help you succeed: Set a specific bedtime for yourself and stick to it as closely as you can. Meditate before bedtime to relax yourself and make sleep come more easily. Journal during the day about problems that are stressing you out and how you plan to solve them. This will help prevent you from ruminating over your worries during the night. Turn off your phone and other devices, and tell your friends not to call you within half an hour of your bedtime. Create a bedtime ritual. Dimming the lights, playing the same soft music each night, and even rubbing a little lavender on your bed headboard can trigger your brain to be ready for sleep. Limit how much you eat and drink before bedtime. If you want a drink, chose herbal tea rather than coffee or alcohol. We all vary in our need for sleep. However, as a general rule, you should aim for at least seven hours a night. That will help you awaken rested and refreshed each day—and as this new study shows, it may also take inches off your waistline. How easy a weight-loss trick is that? Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold

Want to surprise your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Then check out these four twists on romantic classics. Chocolate and flowers are lovely on Valentine’s Day. But this year, do you have the urge to do something different? If so, check out these fun and funky ways of telling your significant other “I love you.” Decorate your salad with jicama hearts. Jicama seriously needs a good PR person, because it’s one of the tastiest and most nutritious veggies on the planet… and hardly anyone knows about it! Yes, jicama looks goofy on the outside—like a gigantic white turnip. And yes, its peel is toxic (so don’t eat that part). But on the inside, jicama is crisp and sweet. It’s also one of the world’s best prebiotics, helping to create a healthy environment for your gut bugs. But enough about microbes… let’s get back to love! To make a Valentine’s Day salad special, peel a chunk of jicama, cut it into wide, thin slices, and then make hearts from the slices with a cookie cutter. Toss the jicama with tomatoes, greens, and your favorite dressing, and voila: You have a simple and romantic salad. Serve up some chocolate… savory-style. Nothing’s more sexy than chocolate on Valentine’s Day. And chocolate is incredibly versatile, too—which is why you can use it in savory dishes as well as sweet ones. Here’s a fab recipe from Stupid Easy Paleo for chicken mole you can make in your slow cooker. Chicken smothered in a warm, spicy, complex chocolate sauce… how’s that for romantic? Give your sweetie a teddy. Teddy bears are a romantic Valentine ’s Day gift. And you know what else is romantic? Coffee, because it increases your blood flow and gives you a boost of happy-making dopamine. This year, combine the two of them in these Café Latte Gelatin Gummy Bears from Grass Fed Girl. Adorable. Gelatin and tequila… oh yeah, baby. I’m always telling you to get a daily fix of gut-healing gelatin from bone broth. But on Valentine’s Day, here’s a more sinful way to do it: with these Tequila Jello Shots from The Daily Paleo. Just don’t blame me for what happens afterward. Of course, there’s always room for the traditional ways to celebrate this special day. For instance, my Chocolate Nut Truffles and Paleo Espresso Gelato with Chocolate Chips are always a hit, for a perfect ending to a romantic dinner. So go traditional, or think outside the box. The important thing is to let the people closest to you know that you love them. Enjoy… and Happy Valentine’s Day! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold! 

When overweight patients first arrive in my examining room, they frequently have their sad faces on. Why? Because they figure I’m going to put them on a diet… and they’re sure they won’t like it. I’m betting that like them, you’re a veteran of doctors who told you that to lose weight you need to live on tasteless foods like dry rice cakes and scrambled egg whites. If so, I have news for you: You’ve been lied to. In reality, diets that sacrifice taste for calorie or fat reduction almost never work. You’ll take off a few pounds on them, but you’ll be miserable—and your cravings will be so strong that you’ll eat those pounds right back on (and more.) This experience is nearly universal. As I say in my new book, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet, it’s unacceptable that doctors prescribe diets that fail 90% of the time—and then blame their patients! It’s no wonder the word diet has such a bad connotation. Although I use the term diet as shorthand myself, I prefer to call my weight loss approach eating healthy. That’s because it bears no relationship to a typical diet. You see, I don’t want my patients to count calories, eat artificial low-fat foods, starve, and be miserable—all for nothing. Instead, I want them to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime while they’re eating food that tastes fantastic. How fantastic? On my eating plan, my patients dine on restaurant-quality meals like steak with sautéed mushrooms, lobster with clarified butter, pot roast, and chili omelets with guacamole. And you know what happens? They lose weight like crazy. Typically, they drop as many as 15 pounds in three weeks, and many of them lose dozens or even hundreds of pounds in a year. Here’s why my plan works. The foods I prescribe do three crucial things: They cure the chronic, body-wide inflammation that’s the primary reason why you gain weight and age quickly. They reduce blood sugar swings, lowering your insulin levels and reversing insulin resistance—a condition that packs weight on you. They’re filled with powerful nutrients that scrub your cells clean, so you fire up your metabolism. Luckily, these foods also taste amazing! For instance, pastured steak is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which helps reduce body fat. Eggs are loaded with choline, which helps you break down fat and metabolize it. And healthy fats like coconut oil, clarified butter, and avocado rev up your metabolism while they make your skin gorgeous. So don’t buy into the lie that you need to suffer to get slim and beautiful. (Has that everworked for you in the past?) Instead, try something revolutionary: Eat healthy. Center your meals around high-quality proteins like beef, fish, poultry, and eggs. Add healthy fats like coconut, avocado, and olive oil back into your diet. Quell your inflammation and erase your wrinkles with bone broth. Load up on delicious, nutrient-dense vegetables and berries. And then sit back—and watch the weight-loss and anti-aging magic happen! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

Does this sound like a typical morning at your home? The alarm goes off, and you fall out of bed. You have drool on your face, a bad case of “bed head,” and pillow creases on your cheeks. Only three of your brain cells seem to be working. Even after a shower, you still feel like road kill. And then… coffee. Beautiful, glorious, amazing coffee. And suddenly, the sun comes up, your brain kicks in, and you decide that you can face the world after all. If this resonates with you, you’re one of the billions of coffee lovers (including me) all over the world. And guess what: After years of telling us that all that coffee is bad for us, researchers are doing a 180-degree turn. Now, they’re telling us that the beverage that makes life worth living in the morning might also save our lives down the road. Here are the top seven health benefits of coffee that they’re reporting: 1.  Coffee reduces your risk for the most dangerous form of skin cancer. A recently published study using data from thousands of people examined the effects of caffeine, caffeinated coffee, and decaffeinated coffee. The researchers report that “higher total caffeine intake was associated with a lower risk of melanoma.” The effect is strongest for women, who reduced their risk by 30%. The effect was similar for caffeinated coffee, while the researchers didn’t find any benefits for decaf coffee—so apparently it’s the caffeine that does the trick. 2. Coffee helps protect you against diabetes. A new study reports that people who drink more than 1.5 cups of coffee each day reduce their risk of developing diabetes by more than 50% compared to people who don’t drink any coffee at all. The researchers speculate that it’s because diabetes is linked to chronic inflammation, and coffee contains anti-inflammatory chemicals. 3. Coffee lowers your risk for the most common type of liver cancer. In one recent study, researchers found that drinking coffee lowers your risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—particularly if you’re female. They say, “Women who consumed more than three cups of coffee per day were at a 54% lower risk of HCC.” 4. Coffee can make you less frail as you age. A study in Japan looked at women’s consumption of foods high in antioxidants (including coffee). The researchers report, “The intakes of green tea, coffee, vegetables, and fruits which contribute to dietary total antioxidant capacity were associated with lower odds of frailty.” 5. Coffee may lower your risk of breast cancer. Research shows that coffee can alter women’s hormonal activity as they enter premenopause. This may explain why coffee drinkers have a lower risk of certain breast cancers than women who don’t touch the stuff. 6. Coffee could lower your risk of stroke. One large-scale study involving middle-aged and older women found that those who drank more than one cup of coffee each day had a 22% to 25% lower risk of stroke than those who drank a smaller amount. 7. Coffee may protect against Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease, which hit the headlines when actor Michael J. Fox developed it a few years ago, affects as many as one million Americans. According to research, drinking up to three cups of coffee a day may reduce your risk for this deadly disease. A few tips and one caution… Here’s the caution first. While coffee is now a hero and not a villain, you still need to limit your consumption if you’re pregnant. Research links high caffeine consumption by moms to low birthweight in babies. So if you’re expecting, ask your doctor how much caffeine is safe for you to drink. Now, here are the tips: Buy good coffee. Some coffee is contaminated with mold. Personally, I buy Bulletproof Coffee, which is mold-free. Choose dark-roasted coffee. It appears that the roasting may release antioxidants. If you don’t like drinking coffee straight, add coconut or almond milk and froth it a little with an immersion blender. And my biggest tip is: Never feel guilty when you indulge in your coffee fix. If you don’t load your mug with sugar and artificial creamers, coffee is a nutritional winner. So treat yourself to a cup or two first thing in the morning. It won’t cure that “bed head,” but it’ll definitely make your day look sunnier—and make you healthier as well! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!  

Nothing makes the flavor of meat, eggs, and veggies sing like adding a little dash of salt to them. Good chefs know that salt enhances sweet and savory tastes and even makes food smell better. And if the scare-mongering about sodium has you hesitant to salt your food, don’t be! While the standard American diet is overloaded with sodium, a real-food diet contains just enough of this vital nutrient to keep you healthy. So unless you have a kidney problem or another health problem that requires you to limit your salt, feel free to reach for that shaker. But before you do, here’s a question for you: Is all salt alike? The answer is no. If you’re using the standard table salt you buy at the grocery store, here’s something you need to know. That salt is heavily processed, it’s bleached and stripped of healthy minerals, and it also contains anti-caking ingredients including aluminum. In addition, table salts that are iodized may contain ingredients like dextrose (yes, that’s sugar) to prevent the iodine from degrading. I don’t know about you, but that’s more junk than I want in my salt. That’s why I prefer two other choices: Himalayan salt and Celtic sea salt. Here’s a look at each one. ·       Himalayan salt is a beautiful pink color because it contains iron oxide. It’s mined by hand, it’s rich in trace minerals, and it’s unprocessed except for being crushed. ·       Celtic sea salt is a light gray color, and it’s slightly moist. Found off the northern coast of France, it’s harvested by hand and unprocessed except for crushing. Like Himalayan salt, it contains a wide range of trace minerals and it’s free of additives. Because these salts contain a balance of minerals, they’re far better for your body than salt containing only sodium. For instance, while table salt draws water out of your cells—leaving them flabby and leading to bags under your eyes—the minerals in Himalayan and Celtic salts draw water into your cells, making the skin under your eyes look smoother and younger. Replacing your table salt with Himalayan or Celtic salt is an easy task. You can get either one in fine grinds (for your shaker) or course grinds (to use where you’d use kosher salt). Both salts have a lovely flavor, and if your taste buds are sensitive, you’ll appreciate the absence of the additives that make table salt taste a little “off.” One important thing to know, however: While table salt is fortified with iodine, Himalayan salt and Celtic salt aren’t. Thus, you’ll need to get your iodine from other foods or supplements. Fish, dairy, eggs, and seaweed (my favorite seaweed is SeaSnax) are good sources, and most all-purpose vitamin-mineral supplements contain iodine as well. And here’s another tip: Buy Himalayan or Celtic salt in bulk to cut down on the cost. Even then, it’ll be a little pricier than table salt… but isn’t it worth a few pennies to be healthier and get rid of those pesky under-eye bags?

Are you suffering from a weight problem, diabetes, depression, or heart disease? Then a new study has good advice for you: Get out! Why? Study author Ming Kuo notes that all of these health problems involve an immune system that’s not working right. And her research shows that simply taking a hike, picnicking in the woods, or walking along the beach can help recalibrate your immune system so it works for you—not against you. Kuo says, “I pulled every bit of the research in this area together that I could find, and was surprised to realize I could trace as many as 21 possible pathways between nature and good health.” She was even more surprised, she says, to find out that all but two of these pathways share a single common denominator: they involve immune function. This explains, she says, why exposure to nature helps protect against a wide range of health problems, including: Mental problems including depression, anxiety, and ADHD Musculoskeletal problems Urinary tract infections Cancer Cardiovascular disease Migraines Obesity and diabetes Respiratory problems Vertigo “Nature doesn’t just have one or two active ingredients,” she says. “It’s more like a multivitamin that provides us with all sorts of the nutrients we need. That’s how nature can protect us from all these different kinds of diseases—cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health, musculoskeletal, etc. —simultaneously.” Kuo says her research shows that being out in nature switches the body from fight-or flight mode into rest-and-digest mode. When we’re in fight-or-flight mode, she notes, everything non-essential—including the immune system—shuts down. Conversely, she says, “When we are in nature in that relaxed state, and our body knows that it’s safe, it invests resources toward the immune system.” As a naturopathic physician, I’m not surprised by Dr. Kuo’s findings. I know that the closer we stick to our natural template, the healthier we are. And that template includes feeling the sun or the rain on our skin, watching the clouds and the stars, getting dirt on our hands, and hearing the songs of birds, the rustling of trees, and the sound of running water. So take Dr. Kuo’s advice. Turn off the nature shows, which she says are “a little bit like junk food” because they satisfy your cravings for nature without providing you with its benefits. Instead, lace up your hiking boots, put on your swimsuit, or pack a picnic basket, and go get a big dose of Mother Nature. It’ll put a smile on your face… and it’ll make your immune system happy, too! Read more articles about how to reduce stress and boost immunity. Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

My friends call me a “medical nerd.” I spend hours with my nose stuck in medical journals and books, keeping up with the latest research. Sometimes, however, the answers I’m looking for can’t be found in the pages of a book or journal. And this is one of those times—so I’m turning to you to help me “crowd-source” the answer. Here’s the back story.  I frequently prescribe supplemental vitamin D3 for my patients, and I believe that everyone should get their vitamin D levels checked. It’s critical to get enough of this nutrient because it plays so many roles in health. For instance, vitamin D benefits include: ·        It helps protect against anxiety and depression. ·        It may lower your risk of breast cancer. ·        It reduces your risk of certain autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. ·        It builds strong bones. ·        It helps keep your thyroid healthy. ·        It can help prevent cavities. ·        It may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. ·        It protects against diabetes. ·        It can fight obesity. These days, more and more people are deficient in vitamin D because they’re “sun-phobic” (thanks to over-alarmist doctors), and they’re also spending more time indoors in front of computers. As a result, those of us in the field of clinical nutrition are prescribing a lot more vitamin D than we used to. And all this brings me to my call for help. Recently, a friend of mine who’s taking vitamin D to correct a deficiency asked me, “What’s the best time of day to take it?” She’d read on some sites that you shouldn’t take it late in the day, because it can alter your melatonin levels and make it hard for you to sleep. On other sites, however, people said that a night-time dose of vitamin D helped them snooze more soundly. Since my friend has trouble with insomnia, she wants to make sure she’s doing the right thing. I’m scouring the medical literature to see if there’s any formal research on this question, but so far I’m coming up dry. So I’m calling on my real-life experts: you all! I’d love to hear about your experiences if you’re taking supplemental vitamin D. Do you take it in the morning or in the evening? And if you’ve taken it around bedtime, did it seem to make you sleep more soundly or toss and turn? I’m looking forward to seeing your answers. Thank you for helping me out… and for helping my friend get a good night’s sleep! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!

Have you ever felt sad, but didn’t really know why? Are you constantly worrying about what life is going to throw at you next? My patients bring up all sorts of issues in my office. They tell me about their rashes, their constipation, their diarrhea, and even their sexual problems. However, there’s one topic they frequently don’t talk about: their mental symptoms.  Often, it takes a little gentle prying for me to find out when my patients are suffering from depression or anxiety. One reason is that because I’m a naturopathic physician and not a drug-oriented doctor, they think there’s nothing I can do to help them. But guess what: That’s not true. In more than 20 years as a clinician, I’ve found that natural approaches are incredibly powerful when it comes to healing depression and anxiety. Often, natural interventions help make drug treatments or psychotherapy far more effective—and surprisingly often, they’re the only treatments patients need. So if you’re suffering from anxiety or depression, be sure to explore these ten natural approaches. They may just hold the key to a happier, healthier you. How to naturally deal with anxiety and depression Use vitamin B12 to help manage anxiety and depression. Vitamin B12 deficiency is very common, especially among vegans and vegetarians. The rate of B12 deficiency is as high as 62% for pregnant vegetarians, 85% for vegetarian children, 41% for vegetarian teens, and 90% for elderly vegetarians. Even vegetarians and vegans who supplement their diets often are deficient, because supplements aren’t always effective. Since vitamin B12 comes from animal products, you’re at lower risk for a deficiency if you eat lots of meat, fish, and eggs. However, you may still have a problem, especially if you have any of these risk factors: You’re taking certain drugs, such as metformin or antacids. You have a family history of pernicious anemia (one form of B12 deficiency). You’ve had gastric bypass surgery or other GI surgery. You have an autoimmune disease. You’re over fifty. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a wide range of mental symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. So at a minimum, ask your doctor for a serum B12 test. Better yet, get a test called an MMA, which is more accurate. Manage anxiety and depression by eating your veggies! Many vegetables are high in folate—a nutrient that’s absolutely necessary for a happy, healthy brain. These days, doctors often prescribe folic acid (the supplemental form of folate) as a treatment for depression. To get plenty of folate, eat broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnip greens, spinach, lettuce, avocados, and asparagus. And if you’re feeling anxious or depressed, have your doctor check you for a folate deficiency. What minerals help you manage your anxiety and depression? Two other nutritional problems that can make you feel sad or anxious are iron deficiency and zinc deficiency. You’re at particularly high risk for iron deficiency if you’re a premenopausal woman and you eat little or no meat. Being a vegan or vegetarian can put you at increased risk for a zinc deficiency. If you think you might be deficient in either nutrient, ask your doctor to check you. Don’t “self-medicate” with large doses of iron or zinc, which can be toxic in excess. Get enough vitamin D to help manage depression and anxiety. Right now, there’s an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency—even in sunny places like Arizona and Texas. In fact, up to three-quarters of teens and adults in the United States are low in vitamin D. Every part of your body, from your brain to your immune system, needs a good supply of vitamin D to work right. So it’s no surprise that a deficiency can cause symptoms of anxiety or depression—and that getting your vitamin D levels back to normal can make you feel better. One recent meta-analysis of studies on vitamin D and depression, for instance, found that the effect of high-dose vitamin D treatment “was comparable to that of antidepressant medication.” Another recent study involving teens found a link between low vitamin D levels and higher rates of anger, anxiety, poor sleep, depression, and worry. So make sure your levels of this “sunshine vitamin” are optimal. Get some sun exposure every day, and have your vitamin D levels checked to see if they’re low. If you’re deficient, find a doctor or nutritionist who can prescribe the right dose and form of vitamin D for you. Put good food in your body to help manage depression and anxiety. Cut down on carbs An overload of carbs—and especially highly-refined “junk” carbs—can make you sad. For instance, a just-published study reports that a diet high in refined carbs is associated with an increased risk for depression in women past menopause. In my own practice, I find that people of all ages feel happier, less moody, and less anxious when they reduce their carb intake. Eat brain-healthy fats. Good fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fight chronic inflammation—a major cause of depression and anxiety. One recent study, for instance, found that treatment with the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) boosts mood in many patients who have major depressive disorder and high levels of inflammation markers. Exercise is a powerful way to manage depression and anxiety. Exercising is one of the quickest ways to change your brain chemistry. Walk a mile or two, lift weights, dance, or play tennis, and you’ll elevate your levels of “feel-good” chemicals and reduce your levels of the chemicals that cause you to feel sad or anxious. Practice meditation to relieve depression and anxiety. If you think that meditation is a mystical thing that only hippies and gurus do, think again. Medical science is proving that it actually changes your brain in ways that make you less anxious and less depressed. So three or four times a week, schedule at least 15 minutes for mindful meditation. You can get free guided meditations here. Manage depression and anxiety by starting within your cells. Our gut microbes produce neuroactive compounds that affect how we feel—for better or worse. In fact, scientific experiments show that in animals, disrupting the gut microbiome can cause symptoms of anxiety or depression. To create a healthy gut ecology, eat fermented foods (which supply beneficial microbes) and drink bone broth (which helps create a healthy environment for those microbes). If you’re in an emotionally toxic environment, escape if you can. Often, we label anxiety and depression as medical problems when they’re really life problems. So ask yourself: Are you chronically stressed because you’re trying to do too much? Are you surrounded by people who pull you down instead of lifting you up? Or are you miserable in your career? If so, make a change. While it’s all too easy to stay in a rut, it’s smarter to dig yourself out of it. What other options do I have to manage my anxiety and depression? You may temporarily need medication or therapy to overcome depression or anxiety. However, your strongest defense in the long run is a healthy body. So every single day, focus on making yourself healthier. Eat a diet that’s loaded with high-quality proteins, good fats, and veggies. Exercise. Meditate. Get outdoors. Remove toxic food, toxic chemicals, and toxic people from your life. None of these actions will make you feel better overnight. But day by day, you’ll build a stronger body and a healthier brain—and over time, that will translate into a much happier you! Keep Thinking Big & Living Bold!