Wondering about the best way to keep yourself healthy in the sun this summer? Read on.....
First of all, you can check out the monthly UV averages here (for my local readers in North Bay we're closest in latitude to Vancouver) to get an accurate picture of what month we need to start worrying about the sun. That said, snow can reflect a significant percentage of UV rays, so we need to be careful in the winter too: http://www.who.int/uv/intersunprogramme/activities/uv_index/en/index3.html But you can find out the UV value each day through Environment Canada here:http://www.ec.gc.ca/uv/default.asp?lang=En&n=396B9A58-1 In general, it's important to strike a balance between: 1) healthy sun exposure 2) covering up 3) applying sunscreen Basically, you need some unprotected sun exposure in order to stay healthy (this allows your body to produce and store vitamin D). In my research, one source said the required sun exposure was as little as ten minutes twice a week, but this is probably a bit on the low side. If you want to get a good sense for how much exposure to aim for, check out this calculator the Norwegians produced, it's pretty cool! http://nadir.nilu.no/~olaeng/fastrt/VitD-ez_quartMED.html (this is a handy little how-to guide http://www.self.com/fooddiet/blogs/nutritiondata/2010/07/how-much-sunshine-do-you-need.html) Then, it's time to reach for the sunscreen, right? Well.......you do realize that you're slathering chemicals all over your skin? If you can cover up, why not do that instead? If you can't cover up (you're in the wind, you're playing beach volleyball, you're swimming, etc.) then consider choosing a sunscreen that contains a 'physical block' of the sun. This means the sunscreen actually gets in the way of the rays of the sun, generally through 'zinc oxide' or 'titanium dioxide.' This is preferable because you aren't absorbing chemicals meant to minimize the harmful effects of the sun. However, be warned that the physical block sunscreens can leave a white residue on the skin. These blockers are frequently found in childrens' sunscreens. I've tried a number of the healthier sunscreens and my favourite product is this: http://www.caribbean-sol.com/SPF-25-Biodegradable-Sunscreen---6oz- (SPF 25, titanium dioxide 9%) and my least favourite is this http://www.heiko.ca/ (SPF 30, titanium dioxide 14%) just because it left more of a white residue than I could handle (though I will concede it is difficult to wash off!). Generally, I save my more conventional sunscreens for when I'm wearing fancier clothes but still want sun protection. You can check out the details of a fair number of sunscreens here: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ Overwhelmed? Just adhere to the following: 1) don't be afraid of minimal sun exposure 2) try to cover up whenever you can 3) if you do need to expose your skin, aim for a sunscreen that works primarily through the physical sun blockers 'titanium dioxide' and 'zinc oxide' 4) if you need to, use a conventional/chemical sunscreen and, if you can 5) check the daily UV with Environment Canada before you head out the door!
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I love this website! Check out the attached chart.
http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/ However, please don't look at this chart and assume it is the only information I (should) use to decide what to prescribe. I also prescribe based on historical precedent [something has been working for hundreds/thousands of years] and/or clinical results [naturopaths see positive effects, but no one has coughed up the cash for a big research study]. In fact, evidence likes this can often prove just as useful when determining what you might consider NOT taking, such as large doses of calcium to prevent or treat osteoporosis (notice that calcium for this purpose falls below the 'worth it' line for post-menopausal). Ultimately, this is one of the advantages of consulting a naturopathic doctor. We have the training to sift through the vast amount of information out there and make educated prescription recommendations based on solid clinical experience! Highlights from the attached article (:http://www.examiner.com/holistic-science-spirit-in-national/new-scientific-breakthrough-proves-why-acupuncture-works)
-insertion of acupuncture needles disrupts neurological pathways -acupuncture points show lower electrical resistance than the rest of the skin -the body conducts along the acupuncture channels (meridians) Ultimately, acupuncture works even if we don't understand it, which is why it is slowly being accepted (and adopted) into conventional medicine, like the acupuncture program at McMaster. (http://www.acupuncture-program.com/) We're starting to understand that too many scans and tests can be bad for your health. There are three reasons you may not want to 'catch something early.'
1) the first is because it may never progress to the stage where it would make the you sick, 2) the second is because you might die of something else first (sorry, I know that's morbid), 3) the third is that we don't truly understand the body's capacity to heal itself. Using mammography as an example, the tumor it detects: 1) might not start to grow and spread until you are 110, 2) you might die of a heart attack before it grows and spreads, or 3) the tumor might shrink before it ever grew large enough to be detected during a physical. (By no means am I suggesting that all cancer resolves on its own, I'm simply saying we don't know how frequently that happens.) The danger comes when patients undergo treatment that is harmful and unnecessary. The difficulty is that we aren't allowed to detect tumors and leave them untreated to see what happens because it isn't considered ethical (nobody wants to be the patient who needed treatment and didn't get it). Here's a link to a study about mammographies, in particular. http://www.annals.org/content/156/7/491.abstract And, here's a link that discusses the necessity of all sorts of tests.http://choosingwisely.org/?page_id=13 The most important thing to take away from this post is that testing is not always the best route. Don't immediately assume your medical doctor is being neglectful if he/she decides not to run a test. And, talk to your ND/MD about a serious test, making sure you understand its accuracy, validity, etc. This is an interesting article (put out by the Association of Accredited Natevaluating the differences in the education of MDs and NDs. A lot of people don't know just how much training NDs have!
"When examining a naturopathic medical curriculum, especially in comparison with that of a conventional medical school, remember this important differentiating factor: all future NDs are in training to become primary care physicians. In other words, a naturopathic medicine program is by definition a specialization in primary care – a field of medicine in extreme shortage in the USA today." http://www.aanmc.org/education/comparing-nd-md-curricula.php This is fascinating! I can't find a date on it, but I'm guessing by the clothes etc. that it might be a little out of date. None the less, it shows you the correlation between the typical North American diet and the diseases that are more prevalent here (heart disease, diabetes, etc.). Take a look and see if you can spot which families eat more whole foods.
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html These lists will really help as you try to achieve a good balance of local, conventional, and organic produce in your diet!
Dirty Dozen (Buy these organic) 1 Apples 2 Celery 3 Strawberries 4 Peaches 5 Spinach 6 Nectarines – imported 7 Grapes – imported 8 Sweet bell peppers 9 Potatoes 10 Blueberries – domestic 11 Lettuce 12 Kale/collard greens Clean 15 (Lowest in Pesticide) 1 Onions 2 Sweet Corn 3 Pineapples 4 Avocado 5 Asparagus 6 Sweet peas 7 Mangoes 8 Eggplant 9Cantaloupe - domestic 10Kiwi 11Cabbage 12Watermelon 13Sweet potatoes 14Grapefruit 15Mushrooms http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/ To follow up on my previous post, here is an article outlining new FDA warning labels for statins (designed to reduce cholesterol levels) informing patients that they can cause memory problems and increase the risk of diabetes. http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/28/health/med-fda-statin-labels/?hpt=he_c2 Wow! This is an amazing and eloquent article written by a surgeon on the front lines regarding what really causes heart disease (hint.... it isn't elevated cholesterol). An excerpt: "The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated. The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences. Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before." The moral of the story, in my opinion, is to not be afraid of whole foods! Though sleep disturbance can be caused by side effects of prescription medications or waking for frequently to go to the bathroom, getting older does not necessarily mean sleep quality or quantity must decline.
From the attached article (link below): "I think to some extent what this study tells you is that when a senior citizen complains of feeling tired or not feeling well rested, that should not be written off," Werber said. "Often, I think the answer would be, 'Well, you're older, so you're not getting enough sleep.'" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/sleep-age-study-sleep-journal_n_1311540.html |
AuthorDr. Dielle Raymond, ND Archives
March 2020
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