Hello Everyone,
I just watched “Live to 100:  Secrets of the Blue Zones” Netflix short series last night and thought it was a heartwarming reminder of the basic lifestyle measures that translate into healthy longevity.  The series features regions of the world with the largest concentrations of centenarians: Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, California. The habits, diets and lifestyles of each region are explored and fortunately, it appears that you don’t have to live in one of these places to incorporate and benefit from the following simple strategies: 

Move Naturally:  People in Blue Zones don’t work out a gym, they use their bodies as part of their lifestyle.  Walking for transportation, especially uphill, seems to reap significant benefits.  Gardening is great for balance and is calming and uplifting to the spirit.  Doing housework and crafts by hand without machinery keeps the body and brain active and brings a sense of accomplishment. 

Outlook:  Developing a sense of purpose is essential to feeling that one has a reason for being.  Regardless of their denomination, people in Blue Zones tend to belong to faith based communities and devote time in those areas.  Relaxing regularly in a social setting is a key feature of these zones. 

Eat Wisely:  Most Blue Zones eat primarily plant based diets, with up to 95% of their diets coming from a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and whole grains.  All Blue Zones except Loma Linda drink 1-2 glasses of wine per day while socializing with their community.  Okinawans have a tradition of only eating until one is 80% full. 

Connect:  Family comes first in these zones, where nursing homes are a rarity.  Elders are valued and mostly cared for at home.  Strong and loving partnerships, including marriages are emphasized.  In Okinawa, neighborhood friend groups that meet regularly, are an important support system that are maintained over many years. 

I encourage everyone to watch this inspiring series and let me know what you think!  

Hello Everyone, 
Today and tomorrow only, my online store is offering an additional 10% off all products.  This is a great time to stock up on your usual supplements or try something new at a discount.  As always, all orders over $50 receive free shipping.  The link to the online store is HERE.  Please let us know if you need help placing your order.  We are happy to send you a link to the supplements that I have recommended for you in your visit so that you do not need to search for them. 
Happy Shopping!

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to highlight some of the carefully selected natural hormone balancing products available in my office which I know and trust based upon extensive use over many years.  As many of you know, this is an area that I specialize in, so have used these products with thousands of patients and have figured out which ones really work!  

Femenessence Maca: I have found this product far superior to other Maca products in it’s effectiveness for peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms.  Maca is the root of the Lepidium peruvianum plant from Peru.  I typically think about it for those with fatigue and low libido but it is also very effective for hot flashes and night sweats.  

Shatavari:  A classic herb for low estrogen symptoms from the traditional Indian form of medicine called Ayurveda, Shatavari has cooling and moistening qualities, making it very helpful for hot flashes, night sweats and dryness that can occur during hormonal changes.

Vitex:  Indispensable for regulating menstrual cycles in younger women, Vitex is an herb that communicates with the pituitary gland in the brain to tell the ovaries to release an egg at the same time each month and enhances progesterone production in the second half of the menstrual cycle. 

Stay tuned for more details about hormone balancing products in next week’s newsletter!

As always, please consult with myself or your healthcare provider before starting one of these items to make sure that it is right for you.  

Hello Everyone,
I will be out of the office from July 27th to August 6th.  Lisa will be at the front desk from 9 am to 3 pm on July 27th and then from 9 am to noon on July 31st and August 1st and 2nd to assist you with scheduling appointments, refilling supplements and anything else you need.  Keep in mind that you can always schedule appointments and order most supplements online via my website.  I look forward to seeing you when I return. 

Happy Summer!

Hello Everyone, 
I wanted to discuss women’s gynecological exams and pap tests because I have noticed that some of you are confused about how often to get these exams and at what age they can be discontinued. 

Why is it important to have these exams?  The gynecological exam is a normal part of the physical exam for women.  We are looking for signs of infection, abnormal growths on the ovaries, uterus and external genitals and testing for early stage precancerous conditions that have no external signs or symptoms.  

At what age should I start having these exams?  You should start these exams at age 21 and have one including a pap test every 3 years until age 29.  At that point, women ages 30-65 have 3 options:  A pap and HPV test every 5 years, just an HPV test every 5 years or a Pap test alone every 3 years. 

In addition to these screenings, you should have a pelvic exam if you notice any changes such as abnormal bleeding, pain, vaginal discharge, vulvar changes, pelvic discomfort or infertility.

At what age should I stop having these exams?  Women over age 65 do not need to have the pap test if they have had several negative tests within the prior 10 years, however they may still need pelvic exams.  Additionally, women who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons do not need pap tests.  

What is the pap test?  This is a procedure designed to screen for cervical cancer.  A plastic brush is used to collect cells from the cervix which are then sent to a laboratory to be examined for pre-cancerous or cancerous changes.

What is the HPV test?  This is a test that can be done by itself or added to the pap test in which a swab or plastic brush is used to collect cervical cells which are then tested to see if they contain high risk types of Human Papilloma Virus which is the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.  Presence of the high risk strains does not mean that you have cervical cancer, but your risk is higher.  You may need to have the pap test done more frequently or your doctor may recommend further testing.  

In my practice, I offer pelvic exams, pap tests, HPV tests and testing for sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, HIV, herpes and hepatitis.  Please contact me if you have further questions about these exams or would like to schedule a visit!

Hello Everyone, 
I hope you all have been having a glorious summer so far.  Long daylight hours, warm sunny days, gardens bursting forth and rivers swelling with snowmelt make this time of year feel so abundant.  I’ve been filling my free time with working in the garden, hiking and paddling the river and reservoir.  It can be a busy time but also a time to be spontaneous and go with the flow, heeding the call of whatever feels good. 
The kids are out of school and with more flexibility in the schedule, this can be a great time to address their health needs.  I see children ages 2 and up for most health concerns including allergies, digestive problems, skin conditions, menstrual issues, mental health, attention and behavior concerns and much more.  Let us know if you have any questions about how I can help your child or grandchild. 
Looking forward to seeing you soon, 
Abigail

Hello Everyone, 
I’ll be out of the office from June 2nd to the 14th.  Lisa will be at the front desk Mondays through Thursdays during that time from 9 am to noon to assist you with scheduling appointments, refilling supplements, and anything else you need. 
I look forward to seeing you soon!
Abigail

Spring always turns my thoughts to artichokes and asparagus and even though I have written about artichokes before, I can’t help but include them again.  This time, I am challenging those who have never made whole steamed artichokes to try it.  It is so simple yet so decadent. 

Steamed Artichoke with Lemon Dill Aioli 

Ingredients 
2 large artichokes 
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
3 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice 
1 1/2 tsp. dried dill

Instructions
Trim stems from artichokes.  With a knife or scissors, trim off the top 1/4 of the artichoke leaves and discard.
Bring 2″ of water to boil in a large pot.  Fit with steamer basket and put artichokes inside.  Cover and steam until leaves pull out easily and heart is tender, 70-80 minutes.  
Remove artichokes from pot.  
Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and serve with artichokes, dipping the thick wide end of each leaf into the aioli. 
Enjoy!

I will be out of the office the week of May 15th.  Lisa will be at the front desk from 9 am to 12 pm Monday through Thursday of that week to assist you with scheduling appointments, refilling supplements and anything else you need.  

This is a perfect time to do a spring cleanse!  The weather is becoming consistently warmer and new spring produce is becoming available.  It’s time to support the body’s detoxification systems to balance hormones, improve seasonal allergies, clear skin, lose excess weight and improve mood and energy.  I offer a 2-3 week cleanse consisting of diet changes to eliminate common food allergens and significantly increase vegetable intake in addition to several dietary supplements or a special protein powder that includes nutrients needed for our detoxification systems to function properly.  Detox support lifestyle recommendations are included as well. 
Let us know if this is something that you are interested in and we can get you started!

Hello Everyone, 
We are right in the midst of spring allergy season and I am seeing many patients with watery, red, itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, sinusitis, asthma, fatigue and brain fog.  For many allergy sufferers, there is a temptation to reach for a an antihistamine medication and just hang on until the season passes.  What I have noticed however, is that for some of you, identifying food sensitivities and eliminating those foods that the immune system is reactive to can reduce the total load on the immune system so that seasonal allergy symptoms are much less.  This seems to be especially important for those who are experiencing more severe or persistent allergy symptoms, sinusitis and asthma.  I have been using a blood test for food sensitivities from a lab called US Biotek for over 18 years and have found their results to be extremely helpful in identifying foods that are causing an immune response.  There can be many other benefits from eliminating food sensitivities including improvement in many digestive conditions, chronic inflammatory conditions and much more. 

Contact us if you have questions about allergies or food sensitivity testing or would like to schedule an appointment!

Hello Everyone, 
I’ll be out of the office from March 27th to the 31st.  Lisa will be at the front desk on the 27th from 9-12, the 28th from 1:30-4 and the 29th and 30th from 9-12 to assist you with scheduling appointments, refilling supplements and anything else you need.  I have extended the Health Fair Lab Special into the first week in April to make sure that everyone can take advantage of this great opportunity.  Give us a call if you would like to schedule an appointment!

Hello Everyone, 
Even though here in Colorado we still have snow on the ground with more coming this week, spring allergy season has begun!  Do you experience congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, nose and throat, runny nose, cough or fatigue at this time of year?  It’s time to get a jump start on preventing allergies from taking over your life.  In early spring, I find two things very helpful: 

1.  Doing a cleanse that eliminates common food allergens and reduces inflammation. 
2.  Liquid homeopathic Southwest Allersode drops desensitize your immune system to common local plant allergens such as sagebrush, juniper, cottonwood, pinion, etc. 

Additionally, I have several products in the office that can be helpful any time during allergy season to provide a natural antihistamine effect, such as Aller Dx from Plantiva, Quercetin and Vitamin C.  I also highly recommend a good probiotic to modulate the immune system via the gut bacteria to reduce over-reactivity to things in your environment.  Please contact me if you would like more help with seasonal allergies or would like us to set aside any of these products for you.
Take Care,
Abigail

Hello Everyone, 
For the month of March and first week of April, I am offering special prices on screening lab tests to check things like Red and White Blood Cells, Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, Thyroid, Iron, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and more.  Why is this important?  Screening blood tests help us do the following: 

1.  Determine Your Risk Status For Disease and Conditions 
2.  Check Treatment Success 
3.  Early Diagnosis of Some Conditions Before Symptoms or Complications Develop 
4.  Identify Treatment Side Effects 
5.  Monitor Chronic Disease Status and Progression 

If this interests you, give us a call with any questions or to schedule your blood draw.  The early morning time slots are filling up fast!

Hello Everyone, 
For the month of March, I will be offering the Health Fair Lab Special again.  This is a great time to have screening labs done for a reasonable price to check red and white blood cells, blood sugar, kidney and liver function, cholesterol, thyroid, iron and more.  Contact us to get on the schedule as those early morning time slots fill up fast!  
Looking forward to seeing you soon, 
Abigail