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  Fundamental MedicineTeresa Gryder, ND

On Spiritual Practice and Loving Life

3/26/2017

 
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What do you practice in your life?  I believe it was the Mahatma Gandhi who said that bit about how your thoughts become your actions and on down the line…. It was about how you create yourself by what you choose to think and believe.  A practice is anything that you do regularly, even ritually.  A morning cup of coffee is a common practice.

​If it is true that what you do becomes who you are, it is worth putting some thought and intention into your own personal practice.


There are a lot of yoga practitioners out there.  I count myself as one.  I practice at least a little yoga every day.  For me it is the avenue by which I came to recognize and respect my own body, which was necessary before I could begin to care for it.  I was in denial of my body for many years.  In my 20’s, though I looked fit, I could not touch my toes without bending my legs.  One cannot gain flexibility without a regular practice, because it is a gradual process.  And one cannot be truly strong without flexibility; if you can’t use the full range of your body’s movements, your strength is hobbled.  I believe this applies to flexibility of the mind, too.  If once lacks mental flexibility, one cannot learn.

Many say we should all develop a spiritual practice.  This is about choosing at least some thoughts and actions that are oriented toward our highest values and goals.  A cup of coffee might not satisfy this.  Having some small fraction of each day that is dedicated to the big picture, to the people and things that we most love, is a simple way to remind us that we are part of that Wholeness that is the World.  Regardless of your belief system—and even if you are firmly atheist or mildly agnostic—you will benefit from such a practice.  The research tells us that you will live longer, be less depressed, and be more likely to request life-extending medicine when your time is short.  You will love life more.

I personally have been mulling on these ideas of a practice because I now have a medical practice as well.  What is the core of my practice?  It is evolving.  Perhaps the most important thing I can do for my patients is to help them to notice the great blessings that abound as long as we live.   The irritants of daily life are passing things, often irrelevant in the longterm.  I practice meditation, gratitude, kindness, the four agreements, and also being in nature.  My church the is river, sky, mountain, snows of winter and buds of spring.  Science shows that being in natural environments lowers blood pressure and stress hormones, but I believe it does more than that.

I also practice Feng Shui.  Not in any traditional way, but in the deeper concept.  Feng Shui taught me that the physical things that surround me either facilitate or impede my practice.  I strive to make every item in my space a reminder of all I have to be grateful of, and what I am striving for.  If physical things get in my way, I move them.  If they are not moveable, I move other things to improve the flow.

So now you know my practice.  What is yours?  I look forward to hearing about it.
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Feels like Fall

9/11/2014

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The summertime here is glorious.  Roses bloom from March until October.  Sunshine pours down like the rain in winter.  I don't mind the returning coolness, though.  I thoroughly enjoy it.  I read once that people tend to be happiest when they settle at similar latitudes to where they grew up.  I think that perhaps this is true.  I am from farther south than here, and I find the summer days almost too long.  I get sleep deprived and feel a little manic.  The opposite happens in the winter, when the days are so short that all the daylight passes while I am at work.  I get plenty of sleep in the winter, but I can also get SAD.  Knowing that the seasons affect me in this way makes it possible for me to manage my moods accordingly.  Here are a few things to focus on in preparation for the shorter days to come.  May you have a beautiful fall and a blessed winter.

1) Start taking vitamin D again if you slacked off during the summer.
2) Get outside into the sunshine as often as possible while it lasts.
3) Look into an exercise program that will take you through bad weather.
4) Eat local fresh veggies and find ways to store some for winter.
5) Reconnect with friends close to home.
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Macular Degeneration More Common than Young Folks Know

5/8/2014

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Macular degeneration is the #1 cause of visual loss in folks over 55, and it is #2 after cataracts in folks over 65.  Until your 40's, you might never even hear about it.  But if your own vision begins to change and worsen, you might wish you'd started to pay attention sooner.  To that end, here are a few things you can do to keep your eyes healthy.

One of the best things anyone can do for themselves is to eat foods that support health.  Any doctor who is worth her salt will tell you how to optimize your diet for your particular health needs.  The eyes in particular are sensitive to metabolic disease and systemic inflammation, which can be caused by eating bad (trans) fats, having high blood sugar, and not consuming enough antioxidants.

All antioxidants, including the ones you get from eating berries and bright colored vegetables, are fair game.  The more the merrier, in fact, because they seem to have synergistic effects.  The specific antioxidants that are protective pigments in the eye are lutein and zeaxanthin.  You can buy supplements that have these things in them, but you don't have to.  The best way to get these may be by eating good food.  Dark leafy greens are an excellent source of these and of vitamin A. Spinach salads, kale, turnip greens and collards are best, but anything green probably has some of it in there.  If you're not wild about greens, maybe you can find some other way to get a daily dose of them, such as putting them in casseroles and blending them up in a yummy fruit smoothie.  Other vegetable sources of are broccoli, pumpkin, brussel sprouts, and sweet yellow corn.  Anything that is brightly orange or yellow-colored has a chance of containing some.

One of my favorite sources is egg yolks.  Each egg yolk contains approximately 210 micrograms.  You'll notice, if you're an egg-eater, that egg yolks are not all the same color.  The ones you want are the brightest, orangiest ones you can find.  Usually organic eggs have better color, but they are so expensive that many people balk.  You can scope out the best source of eggs from your grocery store by noting the yolk color each time you break some open.  If you have two different brands, break open one from each dozen and compare.  When you go shopping again, bias your buying toward the brighter yolks.  They're good for your eyes.  Eggs also happen to contain B vitamins and choline which are good for your brain and liver and most everything else.  And in case you hadn't heard yet, eggs do not drive up your cholesterol, so if you stopped eating them for that reason, you can start up again now.

Another dietary addition that is great for the eyes is Brazil nuts.  They contain just enough selenium that eating 2/day will keep you replete for the nutrient.  If these nuts aren't your favorite, try chopping them up and mix them into your breakfast oatmeal.  You won't even notice them, but they will help your eyes and support many other body systems as well.

Aging gentlemen need to be aware that taking a lot of zinc, without also consuming plenty of antioxidants, could actually cause macular degeneration.  Zinc is great for the guys because it helps prevent BPH, so lots of men take it later in life.  Make sure you're also eating colorful fruits and berries to prevent this possible negative effect!


One last suggestion that might help you keep your vision longer is to always protect your eyes from the sun.  This means buying quality sunglasses and using them when you're in bright sun.  Never stare directly at the sun (just like your momma said), and use hats to help protect your eyes when you're out for a long time.
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Which Sunscreen is Best?

5/20/2013

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The Environmental Working Group (EWG) releases a list of best products each year, and it has come out.  Look here before you buy another bottle!

The Key Points about Sunscreen:

1)    SEEK sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or avobenzone to protect against UVA.

2)    SEEK sunscreen with an SPF between 15 and 50.

3)    REAPPLY your sunscreen often, no matter the SPF.

4)    AVOID any type of application other than rubbing cream onto your skin.  No powders, sprays or towelettes.

5)    AVOID Super high SPF (over 50).  SPF only refers to protection against UVB (the burning rays); they may not protect against UVA which can accelerate aging and cause cancer.

6)    AVOID:
           a. Oxybenzone.  It’s estrogenic and linked to endometriosis.
           b. Retinyl Palmitate in sunscreen.  It might make lesions grow faster.
           c. Bug Repellant in your sunscreen.

SOURCE
http://www.ewg.org/2013sunscreen/what-not-to-bring-on-vacation/

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    Author: Teresa Gryder

    Integrative Physician and Student of Life, Medicine, and the River.

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