Healing Modalities
These are some of the ways that you can heal yourself. You have the freedom to choose which ones you'd like to attempt. Dr Gryder will guide you as to the specifics that have been shown effective for your situation. For a one page pdf about Dr Gryder's approach, click here.
Therapeutic Nutrition
We are what we eat. People can have nutritional deficiencies without knowing it, especially children, elders, and obese people. Odds are good that for any sick person there is some nutrient that would help their bodies heal. Satisfying nutritional requirements can relieve cravings, improve sensory function, reduce fatigue, and contribute to long and vigorous life. But nutrition has to be personalized: the right nutrient in the right dose. A "miracle cure" for someone else may do nothing for you. You will not be asked to completely change your diet in one day, instead we will adjust one or two things at a time until we find a combination that makes you feel good and sets you up for the life you want.
Fasting
What is the difference between a crash diet and a fast? It's not a trick question or a joke, and yes, there is a difference. Fasting is a controlled reduction in food intakes for a specific time-period, with a specific protocol for returning to a regular diet. Fasting is incredibly powerful for reducing inflammation, detoxifying, and resetting metabolism. Nearly every religion has used ritual fasting as a means of attaining a cleaner and more enlightened state of consciousness. In modern times we tend to be overfed and just not eating sometimes can be a miracle cure especially for metabolic diseases and IBS. Do not attempt an extended fast without medical supervision! A basic introductory fast includes weekly visits for 3 weeks while you prepare, then daily visits for a few days during the intensive fast, and then weekly visits twice after ending the fast. In the future we hope to offer an inpatient facility where patients may undergo supervised fasts in a safe and comfortable environment.
Lifestyle
Everything you do matters. Hearing the birds sing matters. One deep breath can change a lot. If you have chronic disease, something in your life is contributing to it. My goal is to identify what is not working in your current life and pinpoint the changes with the biggest payoffs. Then I can support you while you figure out how to actually do them. It is not easy. Change does not come overnight. But it can happen, in baby steps, when and where you are willing. Small changes made with total commitment could save your life. Lifestyle includes such considerations as home and work environments, time spent in nature, recreation and hobbies, and last but by no means least, sleep.
Herbal medicine
We evolved eating plants. Plants have their own wisdom and the ability to convert sunshine into chemical energy and protective chemicals. Modern medicine attempts to make drugs from individual constituents of plants, but the effect of the whole plant or combinations of plants is more powerful than science has yet understood. I study both modern science about plant medicine and traditional methods, and will create a custom formula for you. Most commonly people prefer a tincture formula for its convenience but if you are a tea drinker and a tea would help your concerns, that is also an option. Another option is encapsulated herbs though the suggestion will be different for each person. Many people have tried to self-treat with herbs but rarely does anyone have success, usually because they have the dosage wrong. Let me help.
Meditation
There is little more powerful for self-actualization than becoming aware of one's own mind. I like to joke that the mind is like a puppy--you tell it to "stay" and it stays for half of a second then it is up again sniffing, running, playing. I would be honored to teach you the basics of meditation. Let me be there to encourage you to stick with it, to sit with yourself for just a couple of minutes per day. The rewards are infinite. Sure, meditation helps with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and lots of other mental-emotional concerns. But it is also good for creativity, inspiration, spirituality and longevity.
Yoga Therapeutics
Physical exercises and conscious breathing have been used for thousands of years to facilitate health and wellbeing. If you are open to the idea, a specially selected yoga asana (position) may be suggested to help you recover. While yoga has emerged out of a pre-Hindu tradition, it does not require that you adopt any dogma whatsoever, rather, yoga practice offers a way for you to regain a connection with yourself, with your own soul.
Dreamwork
One way of making major shifts in one's waking life is integration of the information contained in dreams. Because dreams are quickly forgotten and full of confusing symbolism, people rarely seek this information. If you are stuck or frustrated and need a new perspective and some inspiration, this approach could be fruitful, even transformative.
RX medicines
Modern pharmaceuticals are so powerful that it could be foolish to avoid them entirely. Sometimes they are exactly what you need. New drugs are not to be trusted because the approval process is hasty and biased by money. The first generation of patients using a new drug are the ones who discover the side effects (Remember Vioxx?). In America many elders are on multiple drugs which interact with each other and have unintended effects. I am licensed to prescribe, but perhaps you'd like to try something else first? There are other approaches. My philosophy is to use the minimal effective dose, and to eliminate dependence on pharmaceuticals when possible. The body finds its own balance when not overwhelmed by chemicals.
Hydrotherapy
The use of hot and cold water for healing is as old as the hills, and it can help heal any organ system of the body. Naturopathic medicine has its roots in the mountain retreats of Europe, where physicians stimulated their patients' vital force using the elements available: cold water, clean air, bright sunshine, and simple food. Many patients made miraculous recoveries from tuberculosis and other potentially lethal diseases. Modern applications of hydrotherapy are perhaps more humane, but still effective, and can be done in the privacy of your own home. Once you have learned the proper applications of these ancient treatments, they are available to you and yours for life.
Detoxification
In this day and age we are assaulted by pollution in our air, water and food. Heavy metals, plastics, particulates in the air... the insults are everywhere. Some of us do better than others at eliminating it from our bodies. If we aren't keeping up with "house cleaning" we end up with fatigue, skin, hair and gut problems, hormonal imbalances, obesity, mental illness, liver disease, cancer and dementia. Over a period of 6 monthly visits I can guide you through a gradual process of cleansing your body including the liver. At the first visit we'll check for heavy metals, take some baseline measurements, and begin a very gentle pre-detox preparation. By the end of the series you'll have a good idea what you need to do to continue detoxing as the years roar by.
Genetics and Epigenetics
The field of genomics is new and offers exciting possibilities for medicine. Understanding your genetic makeup allows us to individualize your treatment based on something more than symptoms: It tells us about your underlying physiology and tendencies. You can get tested on your own using 23andme, but you may need some help knowing what you can do for your health based on that information. That's where I come in. I can help you understand the impacts of any SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that show up on your health panel, and devise a diet and lifestyle plan that will help you reduce your risks and increase your overall health.
Referrals
My goal is your increasing health and independence from any one kind of medical care. I don't want you back in my office every week. I want to see you when you have a decision to make about your next step. I will gladly refer you to whatever doctor or practitioner is most likely to be able to help you. That practitioner might be alternative or conventional. There are a great variety of resources at our fingertips in this modern world. When you decide that you need a rational evaluation of your options and set of treatment ideas, I am here.
End of Life
A mentor told me years ago that "Ten out of ten people die." Everybody dies, and we should not take it personally. Planning ahead for a good ending is hard to do if you can't admit that you will die, but once you make that admission, it is freeing. Get clear about what you want and make sure your important people know what you want. Complete advance medical directives such as a living will, organ donor card, and power of attorney. Learn about home hospice, wakes and burials, and decide what you want. I can help.
We are what we eat. People can have nutritional deficiencies without knowing it, especially children, elders, and obese people. Odds are good that for any sick person there is some nutrient that would help their bodies heal. Satisfying nutritional requirements can relieve cravings, improve sensory function, reduce fatigue, and contribute to long and vigorous life. But nutrition has to be personalized: the right nutrient in the right dose. A "miracle cure" for someone else may do nothing for you. You will not be asked to completely change your diet in one day, instead we will adjust one or two things at a time until we find a combination that makes you feel good and sets you up for the life you want.
Fasting
What is the difference between a crash diet and a fast? It's not a trick question or a joke, and yes, there is a difference. Fasting is a controlled reduction in food intakes for a specific time-period, with a specific protocol for returning to a regular diet. Fasting is incredibly powerful for reducing inflammation, detoxifying, and resetting metabolism. Nearly every religion has used ritual fasting as a means of attaining a cleaner and more enlightened state of consciousness. In modern times we tend to be overfed and just not eating sometimes can be a miracle cure especially for metabolic diseases and IBS. Do not attempt an extended fast without medical supervision! A basic introductory fast includes weekly visits for 3 weeks while you prepare, then daily visits for a few days during the intensive fast, and then weekly visits twice after ending the fast. In the future we hope to offer an inpatient facility where patients may undergo supervised fasts in a safe and comfortable environment.
Lifestyle
Everything you do matters. Hearing the birds sing matters. One deep breath can change a lot. If you have chronic disease, something in your life is contributing to it. My goal is to identify what is not working in your current life and pinpoint the changes with the biggest payoffs. Then I can support you while you figure out how to actually do them. It is not easy. Change does not come overnight. But it can happen, in baby steps, when and where you are willing. Small changes made with total commitment could save your life. Lifestyle includes such considerations as home and work environments, time spent in nature, recreation and hobbies, and last but by no means least, sleep.
Herbal medicine
We evolved eating plants. Plants have their own wisdom and the ability to convert sunshine into chemical energy and protective chemicals. Modern medicine attempts to make drugs from individual constituents of plants, but the effect of the whole plant or combinations of plants is more powerful than science has yet understood. I study both modern science about plant medicine and traditional methods, and will create a custom formula for you. Most commonly people prefer a tincture formula for its convenience but if you are a tea drinker and a tea would help your concerns, that is also an option. Another option is encapsulated herbs though the suggestion will be different for each person. Many people have tried to self-treat with herbs but rarely does anyone have success, usually because they have the dosage wrong. Let me help.
Meditation
There is little more powerful for self-actualization than becoming aware of one's own mind. I like to joke that the mind is like a puppy--you tell it to "stay" and it stays for half of a second then it is up again sniffing, running, playing. I would be honored to teach you the basics of meditation. Let me be there to encourage you to stick with it, to sit with yourself for just a couple of minutes per day. The rewards are infinite. Sure, meditation helps with depression, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and lots of other mental-emotional concerns. But it is also good for creativity, inspiration, spirituality and longevity.
Yoga Therapeutics
Physical exercises and conscious breathing have been used for thousands of years to facilitate health and wellbeing. If you are open to the idea, a specially selected yoga asana (position) may be suggested to help you recover. While yoga has emerged out of a pre-Hindu tradition, it does not require that you adopt any dogma whatsoever, rather, yoga practice offers a way for you to regain a connection with yourself, with your own soul.
Dreamwork
One way of making major shifts in one's waking life is integration of the information contained in dreams. Because dreams are quickly forgotten and full of confusing symbolism, people rarely seek this information. If you are stuck or frustrated and need a new perspective and some inspiration, this approach could be fruitful, even transformative.
RX medicines
Modern pharmaceuticals are so powerful that it could be foolish to avoid them entirely. Sometimes they are exactly what you need. New drugs are not to be trusted because the approval process is hasty and biased by money. The first generation of patients using a new drug are the ones who discover the side effects (Remember Vioxx?). In America many elders are on multiple drugs which interact with each other and have unintended effects. I am licensed to prescribe, but perhaps you'd like to try something else first? There are other approaches. My philosophy is to use the minimal effective dose, and to eliminate dependence on pharmaceuticals when possible. The body finds its own balance when not overwhelmed by chemicals.
Hydrotherapy
The use of hot and cold water for healing is as old as the hills, and it can help heal any organ system of the body. Naturopathic medicine has its roots in the mountain retreats of Europe, where physicians stimulated their patients' vital force using the elements available: cold water, clean air, bright sunshine, and simple food. Many patients made miraculous recoveries from tuberculosis and other potentially lethal diseases. Modern applications of hydrotherapy are perhaps more humane, but still effective, and can be done in the privacy of your own home. Once you have learned the proper applications of these ancient treatments, they are available to you and yours for life.
Detoxification
In this day and age we are assaulted by pollution in our air, water and food. Heavy metals, plastics, particulates in the air... the insults are everywhere. Some of us do better than others at eliminating it from our bodies. If we aren't keeping up with "house cleaning" we end up with fatigue, skin, hair and gut problems, hormonal imbalances, obesity, mental illness, liver disease, cancer and dementia. Over a period of 6 monthly visits I can guide you through a gradual process of cleansing your body including the liver. At the first visit we'll check for heavy metals, take some baseline measurements, and begin a very gentle pre-detox preparation. By the end of the series you'll have a good idea what you need to do to continue detoxing as the years roar by.
Genetics and Epigenetics
The field of genomics is new and offers exciting possibilities for medicine. Understanding your genetic makeup allows us to individualize your treatment based on something more than symptoms: It tells us about your underlying physiology and tendencies. You can get tested on your own using 23andme, but you may need some help knowing what you can do for your health based on that information. That's where I come in. I can help you understand the impacts of any SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that show up on your health panel, and devise a diet and lifestyle plan that will help you reduce your risks and increase your overall health.
Referrals
My goal is your increasing health and independence from any one kind of medical care. I don't want you back in my office every week. I want to see you when you have a decision to make about your next step. I will gladly refer you to whatever doctor or practitioner is most likely to be able to help you. That practitioner might be alternative or conventional. There are a great variety of resources at our fingertips in this modern world. When you decide that you need a rational evaluation of your options and set of treatment ideas, I am here.
End of Life
A mentor told me years ago that "Ten out of ten people die." Everybody dies, and we should not take it personally. Planning ahead for a good ending is hard to do if you can't admit that you will die, but once you make that admission, it is freeing. Get clear about what you want and make sure your important people know what you want. Complete advance medical directives such as a living will, organ donor card, and power of attorney. Learn about home hospice, wakes and burials, and decide what you want. I can help.