Tag: dr

It’s Time for A Spring Cleanse!

Posted on by abigailseaver

Would you like to reduce allergy symptoms, fit into your summer clothes, improve your energy and sleep? It could be time for a spring cleanse! I have put together a package which includes a 30 minute office visit, an anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar balancing and cleansing diet along with a custom-blended liver cleansing tea from Shining Mountain Herbs. In the visit I will review my diet, supplement and exercise recommendations for the two week cleanse, which will be modified to suit your needs.

Call my office if you have questions or to schedule an appointment to get started!

Passionflower

Posted on by abigailseaver
Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
 
You finally get into bed at night after a long busy day and expect to fall asleep the minute your head hits the pillow.  What occurs instead however is that your brain can’t stop ruminating about the state of your finances, what you should have said to your boss, what your kids are up to…..An hour later you finally fall asleep only to wake up groggy to your alarm clock at six AM.  Sound familiar?
My favorite remedy for this situation ( in addition to daily exercise) is the herb Passionflower.  The name sounds like something that might keep you awake in bed, but the herb is actually very calming to the nervous system and can effectively shut off the mental chatter, allowing you to fall asleep.  It is available in tea, tincture and capsules.  A typical dose of tincture is two dropperfuls under the tongue right before bed.

Green Drink

Posted on by abigailseaver
A delicious smoothie to use autumn apples and kale, adapted from “Eating Well Magazine”.  My two year old loves it!
1 apple or pear, cored and sliced
2 bananas
4 cups chopped kale leaves, stems removed
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup cold water
12 ice cubes

 

Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth and drink!

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Posted on by abigailseaver
Is your doctor having trouble getting your thyroid medication adjusted properly?  Do you need to change the dose of your medication every time you have a thyroid lab test?  Do you continue to have symptoms of low thyroid function even though your lab results are normal?  If any of the above statements are true, you may want to get tested for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  This is an autoimmune condition which is now the most common cause of hypothyroidism.  The immune system actually starts to attack the thyroid gland, which causes it to malfunction.  A simple blood test to check for thyroid antibodies can detect this problem.
I believe that the rise in this condition may be caused by a number of factors including exposure to environmental toxins and the dramatic alteration of our intestinal flora ( a very important part of our immune system) that occurs with antibiotic use.
What can be done about this?
The therapies which have been most successful for my patients include those that normalize immune function, aid indetoxification and reduce inflammation.  I may also change the type of thyroid medication to most effectively discourage antibody production.
What I see with effective treatment of this condition is that hypothyroid symptoms improve, need for thyroid medication stabilizes and immune function normalizes so that the likelihood of developing other autoimmune conditions is much reduced.

Dr. Seaver featured in The Watch

Posted on by abigailseaver

Check out a new interview with Ridgway, Colorado Naturopathic Doctor Abigail Seaver in The Watch.  Dr. Seaver was featured in the ‘Ask an Expert’ Section.

Here’s an except from the article:

“Each month Watch:Nurture will feature a Q&A with a different specialist from the region who can offer insight into children’s health and development issues. Here, Ridgway-based Naturopathic Doctor Abigail Seaver discusses her approach to children’s wellness.

Q: Why naturopathic vs. traditional Western medicine?

A: I chose to study naturopathic medicine rather than allopathic medicine because naturopathic medicine’s aim is to find the underlying cause of the patient’s symptoms and to use supportive, safe, low-force treatments to enable the body’s own healing mechanisms to correct the problem. For instance, I see many children who have received repeated courses of antibiotics to treat recurrent ear or sinus infections. In many of those cases, I have found that the underlying cause of the recurrent infections is an allergy to a specific food, and when that food is eliminated from the diet and some basic nutritional supplements are prescribed to support the child’s immune system, the infections cease and there is no further need for antibiotics. ”

Read the full article here: Watch Newspapers – ASK AN EXPERT Abigail Seaver Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Ridgway Colorado

Bitter Herbal Tonics

Posted on by abigailseaver

Bitter Herbal Tonics

In addition to the foods discussed above I also recommend an herbal formula containing bitter herbs to stimulate the digestive tract. Bitter plants stimulate the entire digestive tract to secrete digestive juices and are best taken prior to a meal but can also be used as an antidote to a large and heavy meal. These formulas are very effective at treating gas and bloating and can be used interchangeably with an encapsulated digestive enzyme supplement with the added benefit of stimulating the production of amylase, an enzyme found in our saliva which starts breaking down starches as soon as we chew our food.
I like our local Shining Mountain Herbs “Rocky Mountain Herbal Bitters” product which combines locally wildcrafted and organically grown herbs such as Aspen bark, Angelica root and Gentian root in a tasty formula. I usually recommend between 30 drops to one teaspoon up to three times daily before meals. This type of formula is contraindicated in acute gallbladder inflammation, intestinal blockage, for young children and in pregnancy.

Astragalus

Posted on by abigailseaver

Speaking of roots, another root that I am quite fond of at this time of year is Astragalus membranaceus, a Chinese herb that acts as an adaptogen to protect the body from stress, and protects and supports the immune system to prevent colds and upper respiratory infections.  It can be taken daily as a preventative and is safe for children.  It is available in my office as a liquid tincture or capsule.  If you have a medical condition or are taking any medications, please ask your doctor before adding this herb to your regimen.