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Skip the Centrum! (A guide to a good multivitamin)

May 13, 2013
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24
Adolescents 13-18, Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Naturopathic Tricks and Tips, Toddlers 2-4

I’m not a “supplements” doctor. I know many naturopathic patients who have had the experience of coming home from a visit with a bagful of pills and potions.  I really try not to do that. My long-term goal as a physician is always to treat the underlying cause so we can permanently restore health.  When that happens my patients no longer need to be on a supplement regime, they can use diet and lifestyle to maintain their health. (With maybe an occasional multivitamin and probiotic - because if you have a refrigerator, you probably need a probiotic.)  That said, getting people back...

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Vaccines Demystified webinar available for sale.

May 2, 2013
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2
Babies 0-2

You asked for unbiased information regarding vaccines.  Well, you got it! This recorded lecture includes all the latest research regarding vaccines, vaccine adverse events and immunology.  Written and recorded by Dr. Erika Krumbeck, naturopathic physician (and worried Mom) who specializes in pediatrics and vaccine safety. Also included is an e-book workbook filled with the data included in the lecture and a blank vaccine worksheet. This is not a “pro-vaccine” or an “anti-vaccine” webinar.  This lecture presents all the facts regarding vaccines in a non-biased, non-judgmental atmosphere.  This course also sifts out the facts regarding the link between vaccines and autism.  You will...

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Let them eat dirt (The Hygiene Hypothesis)

April 3, 2013
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0
Adolescents 13-18, Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

  Have you guys heard of something called the "Hygiene Hypothesis?" The Hygiene Hypothesis states that much of the chronic disease in the First World is due to lack of exposure to dirt and "healthy" microbes.  In our Lysol-friendly American households we come into contact with way less germs than developing nations (or really any other nation for that matter). What's the consequence?  HUGE healthcare costs for our whole country because of the higher incidence of chronic disease. So two weeks ago we talked about the difference between the Th1 and Th2-mediated immune systems.  If you haven't read that post you should read it...

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Be happy with the child you have

March 20, 2013
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0
Parenting

I did a bad thing. I Googled. Annika is due for her 12 month appointment in a few days and she's been speaking a couple of words (and rapidly picking up more it seems). I know that's pretty normal, but I wanted to find out how many words other kids are speaking at that age and whether or not she was "advanced" for her age. Bad Mom. First of all because I should not be comparing. Secondly because "advanced" or "gifted" children aren't "better" than any other kid. Thirdly because anytime I Google anything about parenting I always end up feeling guilty. And...

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Allergies, asthma and eczema: The Th1/Th2 story

March 18, 2013
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9
Adolescents 13-18, Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

  It's spring here in Missoula and you know what that means: hay fever season is just around the corner. If you're a hay fever sufferer and you feel like the only way to cope is to dress yourself in a hazmat suit then you probably want to read on.  Ditto if you have asthma, eczema or food allergies (the anaphylactic kind). Allergies, asthma and eczema are all interrelated.  In fact, many patients who have one of these symptoms actually have all three. This blog post will explain why these issues are primarily an immune-system balancing problem.  Skip the first part if...

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Play Smart! (How to increase your child’s intelligence with imaginative play)

March 4, 2013
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0
Parenting

This last Saturday I had the wonderful pleasure of teaching a short class on imaginative play at Walking Stick Toys here in Missoula.  Walking Stick Toys is an awesome toy store dedicated to selling all natural wood, wool, silk and cotton toys - toys that are healthy and stimulate the imagination!  I love it! For those of you who missed the class, or want a refresher, here are my notes: Intro: Why play?  Play is a fantastic way to learn. Play engages the brain in a way that no other activity can. It uses language, spatial reasoning, planning, cooperation, strategy and social understanding. ...

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Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free Paleo Almond Pecan cookies

February 15, 2013
1
3
Nutrition

It's gray and a bit lazy here in Missoula. I love the snow, and I love winter (it is my favorite season). "Real" winter is one of the reasons we moved here. But the "real" winter has faded away in the last few days, with drizzle replacing snow, and mud replacing the white-covered grass up here at the house. So we've been feeling house-bound, Annika and I. Or at least I have. We can't tell if she's teething or going through a growth spurt, but she alternates refusing to eat and nurse to gobbling up anything we give her. Today we've...

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What I wish someone had told me about Postpartum Depression

February 12, 2013
1
7
Postpartum

It was six weeks after Annika was born, on a Friday, that it hit me.  Annika was having another one of her “colic” fits of uncontrollable crying.  (The crying that is completely unsoothable, regardless of how many of Dr. Karp’s “S’s” I try.)  Annika’s uncontrollable crying lasted about 45 minutes.  My uncontrollable crying lasted 3 hours. It sounds stupid to say that I didn’t know I had postpartum depression, but I didn’t.  I thought, it’s just sleep deprivation from never getting more than 2 hours at a time all night long.  It’s social isolation, from never going anywhere since Annika would...

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Your symptoms are just symptoms of a bigger problem

February 7, 2013
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0
Uncategorized

Last weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a natural weight-loss class at Meadowsweet Herbs here in Missoula.  I had a blast!  Maybe it's because I love doing what I do, and I LOVE talking about natural medicine. But I think I surprised some folks. One of the first things I told the class was that I believe that their weight loss has nothing to do with losing weight.  Instead, their weight loss (or rather, their inability to lose weight) is just a symptom of a larger problem.  The same can hold true for a variety of conditions - from headaches to...

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Iron-rich foods for kids and infants

January 24, 2013
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18
Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Between 9 and 15 months of age most children are screened for iron-deficiency with a toe or finger prick test. Why are they torturing your little one? Well, I promise it's for a good reason. What is iron deficiency? Iron is an essential mineral necessary for carrying oxygen in the blood.  Deficiency of iron can lead to anemia, a condition where the amount of blood cells is decreased.  Children and adults with anemia can feel fatigued or have a harder time playing or exercising. Anemia can cause significant developmental delays because less oxygen is getting to the growing brain.  It can lead to...

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Bed wetting and soiling – a natural approach

January 17, 2013
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2
Uncategorized

Enuresis and encopresis.  Those are the medical terms for bed wetting and soiling.  (Sounds a lot nicer in medical jargon, doesn't it?) These are extremely common problems.  And they are extremely frustrating for parents, who often don't understand how or why their child is bed wetting or soiling. Why are they?  Well, that takes some detective work...

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There’s no magic bullet in a pill

January 10, 2013
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0
Uncategorized

When I was 22 I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).  This was after months of medication trials and diagnostic tests.  (Parasite test - check. Endoscopy - check. Gastric emptying study - check.  Ultrasound - check.) Oh the disgusting barium I had to swallow, the poop I had to collect in little vials, the fasting and tubes stuck down my throat.  All for a diagnosis of IBS (translated: "we don't know what's wrong with you, so we're giving you the label Irritable Bowel Syndrome"). Then I found an advertisement in the local newspaper for a new medication that was in the...

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Don't suppress that fever! (And why I don't like Tylenol) Tylenol has been linked to ADHD and Autism.

Don’t suppress that fever! (and why I don’t like Tylenol)

December 30, 2012
4
56
Babies 0-2, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Annika, my 9 month old, got her first fever over Christmas. It went up to 105.8° F (on a temporal artery thermometer). I can just hear the other parents now: "Yikes! 105.8? You gave her Tylenol, right?" Nope. No Tylenol, no ibuprofen, nothing but extra cuddles and lots of nursing. Her fever broke on its own a few hours later, and the next morning she was crawling around fast as her little knees could take her. Fevers are not dangerous.  The infection may be! It's not unusual for children to have very high fevers. In fact, it is generally very helpful for kids to get robust...

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Baby wearing safely (and why I don’t like the Baby Bjorn)

December 12, 2012
1
25
Babies 0-2

I don't like the Baby Bjorn.  (I can just hear the cries of all the Bjorn-wearing mothers across the country: "WHAT? How dare you scorn my Bjorn!")  Here's why: Hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is simply the abnormal formation of the hip joint.  The hip joint is a ball and socket joint (remember that from your 8th grade health class?), which means the ball of the femur (thigh bone) is held into the hip by a soft tissue capsule and many very strong ligaments.  When babies are born both the bones and ligaments have not completely developed - this is an advantage for...

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Calcium – the great milk myth

November 29, 2012
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6
Adolescents 13-18, Children 5-12, Toddlers 2-4

Calcium is one of the most important minerals in the body and is involved in much more than just bone formation.  Calcium is required for our nerves to pass signals, for our blood to clot, our heart to pump, and our muscles to contract.  Every cell in the body requires calcium, which is why the amount of calcium in the blood is tightly controlled.  When levels begin to drop the body pulls calcium from the bones, which is our largest source of calcium storage.  This process is called bone resorption, and can lead to weak, brittle bones (osteoporosis) as we...

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Gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie (and it’s delicious, I promise)

November 14, 2012
1
0
Uncategorized

I love Thanksgiving.  It is such a beautiful holiday.  Just the concept is uplifting: a day to give thanks.  I know for many people Thanksgiving is extremely stressful, with big meals to plan, family conflicts and the worst travel days of the year.  But when that big turkey is plopped down in the middle of the table everyone takes a big sigh of gratitude (followed by a big bite). What a great idea, a holiday just for giving thanks. My favorite posts on Facebook are from a few of my friends who are doing the "Gratitude Project."  Every day they post the...

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I’m not perfect

October 23, 2012
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0
Parenting, Uncategorized

Last week I wrote about Mom blogs and how they make me anxious with their beautiful, picture-perfect families and super-Mom stories.  Over this past week I heard from several other parents who have said they identify with my Mom-guilt. This week I am dealing with the fact that I'm not perfect.  (I hope that's not what you're looking for when you read my blog, because I can't deliver that.  But I can be honest.)   I'm not perfect. I don't have the flawless, gorgeous "all-natural" family that looks like garden fairies out of a storybook.  I'm not a perfect mother and I'm not...

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Mommy blogs make me anxious

October 15, 2012
2
6
Parenting, Postpartum

  Mommy blogs make me anxious.  Especially the crunchy, granola, happy, hippie, healthy Mama blogs.  You know, the ones tagged antivax, homebirthing/waterbirthing, GAPS diet, elimination communication, EBF, baby-wearing, co-sleeping, baby-led weaning or unschooling.  The ones with eight or nine beautiful, artsy photographs of their trendy kids frolicking in fields of blissful childhood. What’s wrong with me?  I'm a naturopathic physician.  A naturopath.  I love all things natural.  I do a lot of those things.  Then why do I get a strange, slightly sick feeling when I read those blogs? I decided that Mommy blogs make me anxious...

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How I came to Naturopathic Medicine – this is my story…

September 20, 2012
1
0
Uncategorized

I've had several requests to share how I came to naturopathic medicine.  Here's my story of how I became a naturopathic doctor in Missoula, MT. - My journey into medicine began in undergraduate school at Gonzaga University where I finished my bachelor’s degree with a double major in visual arts and biology.  Originally I planned to become a medical illustrator but soon realized that a career in a cadaver lab was much too isolating.   Because my biology degree closely mirrored the premedical curriculum, I started thinking about attending medical school to pursue a field where I could help and heal others.  Taking...

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Why should I see a naturopathic physician?

January 9, 2012
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0
Uncategorized

I've been writing a lot about the philosophy of naturopathic medicine because I want the general public (and especially my own future patients) to understand the vast difference in approach between conventional and naturopathic medicine.  This is another reason why I wrote a post on what ND's are not - naturopathic physicians are not simply doctors who prescribe natural things instead of synthetic ones.  Our entire curriculum and practice is centered around a philosophy of treating the whole person, addressing the cause of illness and allowing the body to restore health naturally.  It is this fundamental philosophical difference which directs...

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Gluten-free Christmas cookies!

December 20, 2011
0
0
Uncategorized

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Joyful Holidays!  Many of you know that I have been dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free for a number of years now (with much improvement in my health).  Being on a restricted diet in the holiday season is not always fun, so I thought I would share with you some of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes.  Enjoy! Gluten-free, dairy-free Svenska Pepparkakor (Swedish Gingersnaps) Making Pepparkakor at Christmas time is a longstanding tradition in my family.  It typically requires two days - a few hours to prep the dough, and one long afternoon with the family spent reminiscing, listening to choir...

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