Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Gallstones and gallbladder disease are very common women's health conditions best served by a Naturopathic Doctor unless surgery is required. Whether you are working to avoid having your gallbladder removed, or you have already had your gallbladder removed you will need to follow this gallbladder diet.
Patients with emergency clogged bile ducts must have their gallbladders removed as it is a true medical emergency. Whereas patients with gallstones their doctor is keeping an eye on are good candidates for this diet. When patients have their gallbladders removed they generally have chronic diarrhea without a pouch to collect their bile, and instead have bile constantly dripping into their intestines which triggers chronic diarrhea.
Signs of gallstones causing an emergency are sharp pain in the right lower rib cage, sharp pain in the right shoulder blader, fever, chills, and/or yellowing of the eyes or jaundice. Patients do not need to have all of these symptoms to need to go to the emergency room for surgery.
Your gallbladder is a “pouch” below the liver that stores a fat emulsifying liquid (bile) produced by the liver.
While a small amount of cholesterol in the bile is normal, bile acids and lecithin are necessary to keep the cholesterol soluble. When there is more cholesterol than the bile salts and lecithin can dissolve, gallstones begin to form. Gallstones can be a medical emergency requiring immediate removal of the gallbladder located within the liver, or they may be under "watchful waiting" with instructions to go to the ER for emergency surgery should they develop sudden sharp pain in their upper right shoulder blade, or pain under their right rib cage where the liver is located.
This type of gallstone, made primarily of cholesterol, occurs most frequently. There are also many types known as “mixed” because they contain varying amounts of calcium and bilirubin along with cholesterol.
Gallstones (cholelithiasis) and inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) are the two most common forms of gallbladder disease. Gallstones are usually present when there is an inflammatory process going on within the gallbladder, and there is a controversy as to which of these disorders occurs first.
What follows are dietary guidelines to decrease both the cholesterol saturation of the bile and the irritation and inflammation of the gallbladder. Since the two conditions are so closely related, the same dietary guidelines apply. If you feel any of them need to be modified for your unique situation, please ask your doctor.
Gallstones can be a medical emergency requiring immediate removal of the gallbladder located within the liver, or they may be under "watchful waiting" with instructions to go to the ER for emergency surgery should they develop sudden sharp pain in their upper right shoulder blade, or pain under their right rib cage where the liver is located.
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology, Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema, and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease.
She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan (not Medicaid) and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
"Is my house on fire?!?!" I panicked as I opened my front door to smoke. There was a really bad burning smell. I realized that something was burning and on fire in my home!! What was on fire? What was causing this horrible smell? It smelled like the Cadaver lab in medical school mixed with smoke. I could not decide which one. Either something died or something plastic was on fire.
Immediately I ran to check my pets first to make sure they were all okay, they were thankfully fine. Then I began searching for the source of the burning smell. I could not seem to find it. Everywhere I went it smelled really bad but nowhere I could see any flames or burning. I began to panic that my appliances were on fire and went through my house to unplug everything. But it still smelled bad. I opened windows and turned on fans to try to clear the air. It still smelled.
This is when I turned to Dr. Google who suggested something in my wiring or AC was on fire. That is when I really freaked out!
I ran outside in the middle of the night to turn off all my circuit breakers as I worried that maybe something in the wiring had caught on fire or my AC system was on fire.
Still no improvement.
I tried to fall asleep with the revolting smell and eventually did but then woke up in a complete panic at 4 am thinking I had made a mistake by not calling the Fire department. I was seeing more smoke in my bedroom. Something was definitely on fire. Something was clearly burning in my home and I could not find the source of the smell.
I could not believe I was calling 911 to my house but I did not know what else to do and did not want to leave for work with a potential fire. Shaking with stress I dialed 911. While I have called 911 many times in my career for patients, I have thankfully never had to do it for myself. The operator reassured me it was the right thing to do and said the fire department would be on its way soon.
Thankfully the fire department showed up 4 minutes later to investigate the burning smell. They used a machine to determine there was nothing actively burning and confirmed I had done everything correctly turning things off and suggested I follow up with an AC repairman and an electrician.
Happy I was not in any immediate danger, I began to call multiple experts to my home to figure out the cause of the smoke and burning smell. I began to spray orange air freshener everywhere to cover up the smell.
First, I had the AC repairman show up and he immediately confirmed that the AC was completely fine, despite replacing a part that needed to be fixed he did not think that was the cause of the burning smell and said everything was normal. He could not smell the burning smell because I had sprayed so much orange air freshener to cover it up.
I stopped spraying the air freshener to cover up the smell, as I realized that was making it nearly impossible for the experts to help me.
Next, I called an electrician to have him come to my house and check all the circuit breakers, appliances, and outlets. He meticulously went through everything, unscrewed every outlet, every light switch to ensure there was not a wiring issue... and also could not figure it out. He said everything was fine and had no clue what the smell was. But he did at least tell me that he could smell it too….
Have I gone crazy?
No, the electrician can smell it and also cannot figure it out. So you can't be crazy. You are not the only one that can smell it.
Multiple experts and specialists had been to my home and told me everything was FINE and NORMAL. I began to worry that I was going crazy. As a menopause doctor, I know that when women shift into menopause their sense of smell can change. I told myself maybe this is just the beginning signs of menopause and that I probably need something stronger than flaxseeds and some progesterone cream and I mentally committed to getting my hormones checked.
Finally, out of utter desperation, I put my 10-year-old child to the task when she got home from school. I decided I was over-complicating the problem with too many experts stuck in their heads and not seeing the "Forest for the trees," and needed a fresh young unbiased brain….and if she found nothing wrong I would concede to the fact I had either A) Lost my mind or B) Needed an estrogen cream for my new bizarre menopausal hypersensitivity to smells.
She walked into my bedroom and took 2 sniffs and 5 steps before pointing up at the ceiling.
“Mom, it's the ceiling fan!”
Sure enough, the motor of the ceiling fan had burnt up which is why I had seen so much smoke and explained the horrible burning plastic smell.
But the problem with all the experts that I hired to help me is that they weren’t looking at the ceiling….they were looking at the ground and the outlets. They were worried about an electrical fire in the walls. We were all so distracted by the outlets, the AC, and the appliances that we forgot to check for things that could be burning on the ceiling!!
I had also unwittingly made it MORE difficult for them to help me by covering up the smoke smell with air freshener.
I laughed when I realized it was THAT simple and then I realized...this is how a lot of my female patients feel with their hormones. I have heard many similar tails of whoa from my hormone patients. Women with hormone imbalance often see multiple experts and specialists to no avail and become frustrated. Some doctors even tell them it is all in their heads and prescribe anti-depressants.
Women often feel shamed and even ridiculed for complaining of their hormone imbalance symptoms. So I wanted to share this story as a PSA to help bring awareness to women. Women need to know that it is totally normal to some degree to have imbalanced hormones. It is inevitable for women to go through Menopause and Perimenopause.
Women with hormone imbalances such as Perimenopause, Menopause, PMS, Adrenal Fatigue, PCOS, Hashimotos, and Hypothyroidism often also get lost in a very similar mysterious silent world of hell. Many women come to me after seeing multiple specialists to no avail and begin to question if they have gone crazy just like I did trying so hard to find the cause of the burning smell. I was ready to even concede and decided I HAD gone crazy….
But the one thing I have learned from my Holistic Psychiatry and Hormone practice over fifteen years is that truly "crazy" people never bother to question if they have gone crazy. So if you are stopping to think you have gone crazy while suffering from an annoying myriad of symptoms from hormone imbalance then the odds are that you are NOT actually crazy. If you are questioning if you are a hypochondriac, you are likely not a hypochondriac.
In Latin, the root word for Hysterectomy is Hysteria. Hysteria is the ancient word used to describe the uterus! Because hormone imbalance can truly make women feel hysterical! Rest assured there are answers we just need to keep looking and check the right labs.
Many of my hormone patients before they see me often end up at a Psychiatrist or Psychologist also thinking they have gone crazy...many times I have been told this same sort of tale about their symptoms and the journey they have been on between their Internist, Endocrinologist, Cardiologist, Gastroenterologist and Psychologist before they think to hire me to investigate the ROOT CAUSE of their symptoms and we diagnose the hormone imbalance.
Women bring me a list of labs and reports from other doctors trying to figure their problems out yet have failed. Every day they tell me some other doctor has already "checked all their hormones and they are fine," when only 2 lab tests have been conducted to check their hormones and not the typical 4-5 pages of hormone labs that I always order to start with.
This is about as helpful as doing a mammogram on just one breast and assuming the other breast is fine!
But rest assured when it comes to hormones, as a Hormone Doctor I always think outside the box and look at the big picture so we can treat the cause. We must treat the cause with hormone imbalance or we will continue to struggle just as I did searching for the cause of the bad smell. Imbalanced female hormones are just as annoying and frustrating as a noxious smell of burning plastic.
Once we understand the unique hormone profile of each patient we can generally put them on a system with Naturopathic medicine that works my way out of a job….why is that? Because we are treating the cause. And when we can identify and treat the cause then we no longer need to keep spraying air freshener and wasting money on consultants that can’t properly help us.
So I hope you have learned 3 things from my frustrating story:
#1 We need to treat the cause. To treat the cause we must find the cause.
#2 I am the type of doctor that will keep investigating the cause and will not give up on you...until I know what the problem is….just like I didn’t give up on the ceiling fan…. My inquiring mind always wants to know what is wrong with each unique hormone patient that comes my way and I will meticulously keep working for you even if we need to think outside the box.
#3 Masking symptoms does not provide lasting results and makes it harder for your experts to find the cause. Sometimes when we cover up a “smell” or symptom with a prescription drug as I did with the air freshener, it actually makes it more difficult to study the symptom's pattern and determine the ROOT CAUSE.
When we cover up symptoms with prescription drugs we don’t know what is causing the symptoms because we are suppressing symptoms, and that makes it hard to study the pattern of the symptoms.
Please share this story my story with as many women as you can, because at some point they are going to reach hormone imbalance in their 40's or 50's and need to know ahead of time that they have not gone crazy. Hormone imbalance is totally normal, and a normal phase of every woman's life. With proper Hormone Testing we can determine the cause, especially when women develop a bunch of random symptoms at once.
Women deserve to have the best support during these hormonal transitions and should not have all their symptoms poo-pooed and told they have gone crazy and put on an anti-depressant. Some women even commit suicide from severe hormone imbalance from PMS, Postpartum Depression and Menopause, so we can preventively save women's lives by properly educating them on hormone imbalance!
If you need an experienced Naturopathic Doctor to help you with your hormones and help you feel AWESOME again, simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit! I promise to keep working as your hormone detective until we receive answers.
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology, Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema, and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan (not Medicaid) and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
PMS symptoms can be prevented with Naturopathic Medicine and balancing hormones. PMS in real life and on paper looks pretty ugly. I love to show women with "Biphasic Hormone Labs" what their PMS hormones look like so they can understand that a lot of what they go through every month with their imbalanced hormones is pretty severe. Anger, sadness, depression, pain, inflammation, constipation, anxiety, headaches, acne, and bloating are all common PMS symptoms.
The numbers don’t lie and when we rely on hormone lab metrics we can see exactly what a woman’s hormones look like when she is happy and balanced, and when she has PMS.
Which labs show PMS Symptoms?
A few months ago I got a frantic call from a very upset husband that did not know what to do with his wife and wanted to know if it sounded like she had hormone imbalance. He said I was his last hope before he signed them up for marriage counseling. They were actually contemplating divorce.
His wife was angry, crying, fighting with him and then laying on the floor crying hysterically. This went on and on getting worse for years until her husband did some research and decided she might have PMS symptoms from hormone imbalance. He wanted to know if she had hormone imbalance and to see if it sounded like she needed to have her hormones checked.
“Dr. Sundene, can you do anything to get my wife off the floor?” her husband frantically asked.
I told him I would try my best and ordered “Biphasic Labs,” which are first a comprehensive panel of her hormone and vitamin levels when she is at the best/worst part of her cycle, and then a follow-up estradiol, progesterone and total estrogen again at the high/low point of the cycle or Days 5-10 as the best and days 21-28 as the worst. Although that may be unique per each patient.
By testing her hormones when she was happy and then when she was fighting with her husband, it actually helped him to have more compassion for her hormone imbalance, and take her anger less personally. They ended up fighting much less. They started to keep a period tracker app and agreed to spend less time together when she was in her agitated and angry window.
She started herbs to balance her hormones, and began to spend more time at the gym with a personal trainer. She learned to take her anger out on Kickboxing. A gym membership, Kickboxing classes, and hormone testing literally saved their marriage!
They still went to marriage counseling only to realize that they get along just fine most of the month, and that it is this PMS window when they fight and want to get divorced. The marriage counselor helped them develop the above lifestyle plan for her PMS symptoms so there were less constant blow ups.
Her husband was happy to stay home with the baby while she went to the gym to work out her agression. She realized that she is less annoyed if he is at their cabin for the weekend when she is agitated. He was happy to go fishing once a month by himself when she was in her PMS window.
Today now that her hormones are better balanced she is doing much better mentally and she asked that I share her story and labs as an important PSA on PMS so that women can be constantly aware that some of the anger, anxiety, agitation, sadness, and general moodiness can be related to hormone imbalance.
When women are swinging constantly between exhaustion, sadness and anger their hormones may be to blame. If you are a man reading this please share it as well because the frustrated husband in this story is just as much a victim of PMS as women can be and everyone needs to know about PMS!
I have always wanted to give a man 6 tablets of estradiol with NO PROGESTERONE to oppose it just to see them become bloated, hysterical, weepy, moody, angry, constipated and exhausted. So far I have not been able to find any volunteers for my male PMS experiment, but I say this tongue in cheek as it is truly a CHEMICAL RESPONSE that women are experiencing causing these symptoms.
Women that struggle with their mental health and/or marriage should be aware of how their hormones are affecting their mood. We have a Pandemic of depression and anxiety going on right now. Patients that are concerned they have hormone imbalance can begin to track their moods with a free period tracking app. Understanding what is going on with your mood swings is the first step to getting off the hormone roller coaster and on to the hormone merry-go-round. It may be a little more boring on the merry go round but it is a much happier place overall with less drama and crying.
If you notice that your mood issues are occuring in a cycle every month then you need to SCHEDULE a Naturopathic visit with me.
Please share this important PSA on PMS and tell your friends to NOT SUFFER IN SILENCE. We can’t help anyone with their mood if they are not talking about it. It is okay to ask for help and to let your friends and family know that you need help. The 3 most important treatments for PMS are:
If you would like my help testing your hormones, I would be happy to help as that is my specialty, simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to set up your Naturopathic visit. Everyone reading this that is concerned they have PMS can begin to improve their PMS by eating healthier, taking iron and exercising to improve their mood, hormone balance and prevent PMS symptoms.
Please take good care of yourself and know that you are not alone if you are struggling with your mood right now. I have never seen my mental health patients more stressed out. Instead of telling people, "I am fine," or "I am hanging in there," please share how you truly feel with your friends and family and ask them for support!
Many women are ashamed to admit they are not doing well, and that needs to change. PMS Symptoms are completely normal to some degree for women and easy to manage with Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum Depression, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease.
She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Ladies, I refuse to tell you to eat an apple a day as a Female Hormone Specialist without sufficient evidence to support that apples aid weight loss, suppress appetite, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol, protect your brain, boost mood and prevent Osteoporosis! [1-6]
So please look at the summary of my fourteen research studies supporting why apples are an amazing superfood and consider them your healthiest “White Food” choice. The skin of the apple DOES impact its ability to help protect you from aging. I will reveal at the end of the blog which apple is the most powerful superfood full of flavonoids! Can you make a guess?
#1 BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM
The Vitamin C, Quercetin, Carotenoids, and Flavonoids found in apples help to naturally boost the immune system. [1,2,3]
#2 WEIGHT LOSS
Can you believe that eating THREE apples per day caused women to lose weight and improved their cardiometabolic markers? [14] A research study found that eating apples before meals improves satiety, therefore you feel full longer and eat less! [12]
The real issue women struggle with when trying to lose weight…that I see every single day as a Naturopathic Doctor that specializes in Bioidentical Hormones, Weight Loss, Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Insulin Resistance, and PCOS .....simply that women are not getting enough “Good Carbs” or complex carbohydrates such as apples in their diet. Some of my female patients oddly have strange food phobias like “Apples are high in calories,” and “I can’t eat carrots because they are too high in sugar, beets are bad. Potatoes are poison.”
We need to pair these good carbs with protein and good fats to keep blood sugar balanced and avoid binge eating. Binge eating happens when we get low blood sugar and end up grabbing the closest thing to eat and are not prepared and organized with the healthiest choice to make. [2,6,7]
The reality is that most of my female patients with hormone imbalance and weight issues actually need to be eating more fruit aka “Complex Carbs” and less junk food as the easiest trick to lose weight. Fruit can be just as much of a treat and satisfying!
Instead of snacking on chips, cookies and junk food try an apple or a smoothie as your bedtime snack. I thrive on eating an apple and nut butter or even apples dipped in warm melted chocolate as my bedtime snack because I know that while I am still getting a lot of carbs I am getting benefits from the apples that my junk food does not have.
By eating 2-4 cups of low glycemic index fruits that are high in flavonoids such as apples, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, pears, peaches, and plums my patients deserve to celebrate their day with a sweet treat. Those that choose fruit will actually lose weight! Just keep the portion of fruit in mind. While 2-3 apples per day sound like a lot it really is not when we use them to replace your white bread, carbs, and desserts that are devoid of nutrients and leave you feeling constantly hungry!
#3 IMPROVE CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, LOWERS CHOLESTEROL
The pectin in apples helps as a special fiber that works to lower blood pressure for women. [1,2] The fiber and potassium in apples overall enhances cardiovascular function while lowering total cholesterol.
Apples improve vascular function and also reduce the risk for women to form dangerous cholesterol plaques in their arteries that can cause stroke and heart attack. A research study found that 2 apples a day lowers cholesterol and improves vascular function. [10]
Women that ate apples every day had significantly lower cholesterol after 3 months! I see this often in my Women's Health practice when we add in superfoods and then recheck cholesterol numbers! [13]
#4 PROTECTS YOUR BRAIN
Apples boost brain health by protecting and nourishing nerves. With improved nerve function comes better memory and cognition. Apples are shown to reduce oxidative stress in the brain and remove free radicals and toxins responsible for neurodegenerative diseases and can be beneficial at preventing dementia and Alzheimers. [2,5]
Eating TWO apples a day boosts tyrosine and tryptophan production in the gut which are important amino acids needed to form neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine that help us feel happy! [11] Patients with mental health disorders, addiction disorder, chronic pain, impulse disorder and ADHD are often low in dopamine. Patients with low serotonin often have anxiety, depression, insomnia or all of the above!
#5 PAIN RELIEVING ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Apples help reduce inflammation via anti-oxidants. Less inflammation means less pain and swelling. Chronic pain and Autoimmune patients need to protect their cells from damage by free radicals with superfoods like apples. [1,2,3]
#6 MICROBIOME MAKEOVER
In Functional Medicine to have healthy hormones we must have a healthy gut! If you are not tending to your microbiome then you are at high risk for disease by not having a diverse flora in your digestion at all times. The fiber in apples is demonstrated to improve gut flora for optimal digestion. The pectin fiber in apples is known as a “Prebiotic” that is why you can take your probiotic as “Bonus Points” with your apple as a bedtime snack for optimal gut flora. [8]
#7 BUILDS BONE
Osteoporosis is the silent killer of women, and the good news is that apples are shown to improve bone density by improving mineralization of the bone. For women in their 20-40’s they should be working to build bone or “bank bone.” When women are perimenopausal they are estrogen dominant and this helps bank bone. For menopausal women it is important that they maintain the bone they have and do not lose anymore bone which typically happens with menopause as estrogen and tesosterone levels decline. Men don’t get osteoporosis because testosterone is also bone building. Do your weight bearing exercise, take calcium and other bone minerals for osteoporosis, vitamin D and pop an apple. [2,4]
#8 VITAMINS, MINERALS, PECTIN & FLAVONOIDS
I recommend women consider eating more apples and replacing them with their other “White Foods” as they are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, Quercetin, Catechin, Flavonoids and Carotenoids.
Patients are always complaining that eating gluten free is expensive….not when you are using apples instead of gluten free bread! Your gluten free processed foods do not have these built in magical plant chemicals and are not aiding you with the other immune boosting, cardio and neuro benefits I also found in the following research studies. While a piece of bread has roughly 100 calories and 20 carbs similar to an apple it does not contain the magical healing compounds found in the whole foods form of an apple! [1]
#9 NATURAL ANTIHISTAMINE
Natural allergy relief can be found with the natural compound quercetin which apples are a rich source of! You can read more about quercetin in my Seasonal Allergies Blog. [1,2,3]
#10 ANTI-CANCER
The anti-cancer, antioxidant benefits of apples have been shown to be beneficial in lung cancer while also improving lung functionality and removing toxins from the lungs [1,2,3]
Does "An Apple a Day Keep the Doctor Away?" Or is it just a myth?
Yes. My research concludes 1-3 apples per day shall keep your Doctor far away and you should eat an apple a day if not even 2-3 apples a day! My experience as a Female Naturopathic Doctor concludes you should simply switch your grains and desserts with 1-2 apples a day to see what happens. Add protein with your apple to balance your blood sugar or use apples as a substitute to white bread at lunch or toast at breakfast.
Does the Color of the Apple Matter?
Red Delicious Apples score the highest at 20.02mg of total flavonoids and 3.86mg of Quercetin, Granny Smith has 10.33mg of total Flavonoids with 3.69mg of Quercetin, and Golden Delicious had 10.3mg of total flavonoids with 3.69mg of Quercetin. So this is fantastic news for me since I detest Granny Smith Apples! Therefore Red Delicious are by far superior!
Can too many apples be dangerous?
Definitely do not eat the seeds. Only buy organic apples otherwise they are coated in nasty glycophosphates. Always work with an experienced Naturopathic Doctor when using new Functional Foods for your diabetes, high blood pressure or other chronic disease as your numbers may quickly change and you likely will need to be tapered down from your medications. If you have a Food Sensitivity or allergy to apples, pears and plums have also been researched to provide many of the same benefits.
If you need my help as an Integrated Women’s Health Doctor simply pop over to my appointment SCHEDULE page and I would be happy to help you fight your chronic disease with functional foods, herbs and Naturopathy!
Sincerely,
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is considered a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 22 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 27 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones and Naturopathy!
References:
Dr. Nicole Sundene
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Nutrition is very important in Women's Health. Proper nutrition helps balance hormones in a Functional Medicine model. When nutrition is optimal less bioidentical hormones are needed because healthy women make health hormones!
I love using rice vinegar for so many wonderful low-cal reasons. First of all, rice vinegar is a delicious and healthy vinegar type prepared from the fermentation of rice. There are different rice vinegar varieties based on the origin countries, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. It is commonly used in many Asian dishes due to its mild and slightly sweet taste. Although rice vinegar is not as popular as apple cider vinegar, it does contain various bioactive compounds responsible for various health benefits. In East Asia, people add rice vinegar to sushi rice, slaws, pickled vegetables, and salad dressings. Plus, the inclusion of rice vinegar in dishes does not alter the food's appearance. [1]
Rice vinegar is the acetous fermentation of sugars obtained from rice that contain potent bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds and organic acids. The phenolic compounds in rice vinegar are sinapic acid, ferulic acid, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, acetic acid, vanillic acid, dihydro-ferulic acid, and di-hydrosinapic acid. It also contains certain nutrients such as Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, and Phosphorus. [1]
Nutritional Information of Rice Vinegar
A credible source reported that one tablespoon serving rice vinegar contains zero calories and less than 1 gram of protein, carbs, fiber, fat, and sugar. [5]
Health benefits of Rice Vinegar
Medical research studies reported the following health benefits of Rice vinegar consumption.
Antioxidant and Anticancer activity
The active constituents in rice vinegar show potent antioxidant activity that relieves oxidative stress and improves cellular integrity. Moreover, animal studies reported that rice vinegar inhibits human cancerous cells' growth and reduces the risk of cancer. In the case of colon adenocarcinoma, it reduces the incidence and multiplicity of carcinomas. [1]
Help High Blood Pressure
Research studies also reported that rice vinegar helps high blood pressure and supports cardiovascular functions. It inhibits the activity of angiotensin-converting enzymes that regulate high blood pressure. Also, the acetic acid composition act on the renin-angiotensin system and may help lowering blood pressure. However, further research is required to investigate this beneficial effect of rice vinegar. [1]
Improve Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Level
Medical studies stated that consumption of rice vinegar improves high blood sugar and cholesterol level in the blood. It helps insulin activity and aid diabetes management. Plus, rice vinegar regulates and lowers the total cholesterol and triglycerides level that help cardiovascular and liver function. [1, 4, 5]
Support Weight loss
Studies suggest that regular consumption of vinegar increases the feeling of fullness and suppresses appetite that aids weight loss. Thus, rice vinegar also helps weight reduction and improves lean body mass. [4, 5]
Warnings
It is advised to consult your doctor before consuming rice vinegar in the following conditions.
Usually, rice vinegar consumption is safe; however, it may cause some severe side effects.
The composition of acetic acid can weaken and damage the teeth over time. Better to use rice vinegar combined with food ingredients. Also, it interferes with the absorption of potassium and decreases its level in the body, leading to osteoporosis. [5]
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
If you would like help with your nutrition simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit!
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is considered a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 22 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones she presents to women the best integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 27 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones and Naturopathy!
References:
By Dr. Nicole Sundene
Adrenal Fatigue is a condition of Hormone Imbalance caused by constant stress, worry, or anxiety.
When you are under stress do you go into fight, flight, or fright?
Fight, flight and fright are all normal responses to stress. Everyone generally has an anxiety pattern of what they lean towards or have a combination of a few. I am personally not a fighter so I tend to like to ride my bike when I am stressed or wrap up in a ball in bed in fright.
Understanding how we respond to stress is critical to addressing adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue, and burn out. Every time we are triggered by mental or physical stress our adrenal glands respond by zapping us with adrenaline, cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. In nature, the purpose of this is so that we can “Run From a Bear" as I explain in my last hormone blog.
But these adrenal gland stress hormones don't help our anxiety one bit and can make us feel even more anxious. One easy way to burn off high cortisol and adrenaline is to go running or do some type of endurance event for at least 45 minutes. Most long distance athletes end up with burnt out adrenal glands because long distance exercise generally depletes adrenal hormones over time. But if you need to blow off some steam and the stress is becoming too much make sure you exercise. As it is obviously the best choice in my picture above.
Excess cortisol causes weight gain around the mid-section and insulin resistance.
Conversely, those with severe adrenal fatigue that end up with low adrenal hormones and low cortisol should not do long distance running or cycling but anabolic activities that build hormones such as weight lifting.
Many women have PTSD from traumatic events and it is difficult to return PTSD patients with panic attacks back to baseline without addressing the adrenal response. When I volunteered as a Naturopathic Doctor for vets with PTSD I learned very quickly how important adrenal support herbs were in addition to counseling and medications. Once we addressed the adrenal glands my vets reported less random episodes of panic attacks and began sleeping better through the night.
Psychological worry will trigger the adrenal glands to create stress hormones just like running from a bear. Your body does not know the difference. This is why it is important to do a butterfly hug and gently tap your shoulders or tap your heart to trick your body into thinking it is receiving a hug so it thinks everything is okay. This releases Oxytocin the "Love Hormone" that helps us feel calm and like everything is okay.
If there is nothing you can do about the psychological stress I recommend visualizing a stop sign and telling your brain to stop thinking about it. Worrying about matters beyond our control is the #1 scenario I see as a Naturopathic Doctor causing adrenal fatigue.
With high cortisol and adrenaline surging in our systems, many of us are guilty of going into FIGHT MODE...and we should be doing much more flight and fright than spreading more anger and rage. Try excessive kindness rather than acting in anger as I discuss the mental health benefits of kindness vs gratitude.
Evaluate the activities and people that make you angry and put you into fight mode and try to eliminate and minimize them. Instead of starting the next fight...head out on a flight. You can go for a run, swim, bike, ski, walk or just drive outside to a beautiful lookout area and sit and enjoy the magic of nature.
Nature will heal and restore you!
When fighting happens too much in households it's important you give each other a break and get out of the house at different times. If you are struggling with your hormones and dealing with PMS, Postpartum Depression, Hypothyroidism, Hashimotos, Perimenopause or Menopause its time to work with a Hormone Doctor on balancing your hormones! Imbalanced hormones can cause depression and anxiety as I discuss in my "Hypothyroidism Causes Depression?" blog.
Make sure you work with a Holistic Hormone Doctor as most MD's are not trained in adrenal testing, don't know which tests to order, and won't know how to treat your adrenals even if they order some testing because there are very few medications that address the adrenals. Herbal medicine and nutrition are needed to repair this condition along with stress management and counseling.
Getting your hormones tested and balanced is the first step to healing from adrenal fatigue. Many different herbs are used for the three different stages of adrenal fatigue or "Maladaptive Stress Syndrome" and using cortisol lowering herbs when cortisol is already low or cortisol boosting herbs when cortisol is running high can result in a worse outcome. It is important to work with a skilled holistic hormone doctor that specializes in Holistic Psychiatry when battling anxiety, stress, and adrenal fatigue.
Amidst this ongoing mental health crisis, please send this important article on stress management to any friends or family members that can benefit from learning about their adrenal glands!
If you have signs of adrenal fatigue or hormone imbalance I would be happy to measure your hormone labs and help you. Simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit!
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is considered a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 22 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones she presents to women the best integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 27 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene
Breast Cancer Symptoms such as breast pain are always scary for women, as well as their doctors.
I have been worried as a doctor over many breast lumps and abnormal mammograms I have found over 23 years of working in Women's Health. Most concerning breast lumps in Women’s Health are breast cysts, fibroycystic breasts, or inflamed lymph nodes and generally not breast cancer. I hope to bring reassurance and clarity to women stressed about breast lumps and breast pain.
BREAST PAIN CAUSES
Breast pain can be very severely stressful for women as many of us have known women with breast cancer. I am writing this blog today to assure women that generally, breast cancer is painless unless it is severely advanced. Most patients I have found breast lumps on that actually have breast cancer tell me the lump does not feel painful when I press on it.
So if you do feel breast pain when testing your breast lump rest assured it is 99.99% most likely a breast cyst or an inflamed lymph node in the breast that could be reactive to a post-viral response. Both covid infection and covid vaccines are causing more breast pain complaints for women. Fibrocystic breast changes in women with dense breasts are one of the #1 things I see come back on mammogram reports when women have breast pain or a breast lump.
While I don't want women to ignore breast lumps, and hope they will see me ASAP should they find one, I am writing this to help decrease the anxiety that is associated with finding a breast mass.
Oftentimes women panic over a breast lump, make an appointment with me for an exam and a mammogram and ultrasound of the breast only to realize it is fibrocystic breast changes or dense breasts.
WHEN SHOULD I CHECK FOR BREAST LUMPS?
While I don’t want you to go into a total panic if you find a breast lump, you should still absolutely see your doctor. I don’t recommend checking your breasts while they are responding to high estrogen levels in your cycle. You should instead do your monthly breast exam on days 5-9 of your cycle, after your period is over and the high estrogen levels from ovulation have worn off.
The 5-9 days after your period is the best time to check your breasts to avoid confusing hormonal changes with something more serious. Breast pain that fluctuates with the menstrual cycle is usually benign.
Breast Cancer of course should be treated by an Oncologist that specializes in this such as a Breast Surgeon. Not me! I do not treat Breast Cancer eve though I am a Women's Health Naturopathic Doctor. While I am comfortable supporting your process with herbs for any side effects from chemo, radiation, Tamoxifen, and also provide post menopausal support.
I am not an oncologist and I do not treat cancer directly. I do have a lot of experience helping women through the process and after they have had a hysterectomy and cannot take hormones because of the cancer. This is when Naturopathy and Herbal Medicine can work wonders!!
So please do not ever sign up to work with me if you think I am going to treat your cancer, I do not treat cancer but I am highly experienced in helping women manage the side effects or breast cancer treatments, recover from breast cancer treatment, and well versed in treating menopausal women with herbs after they have had chemotherapy.
BREAST CANCER CHEMO SIDE EFFECTS
Women who have undergone chemotherapy or radiation commonly develop hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue, as these treatments can impact all rapidly dividing glands and weaken thyroid function, cause thyroid deficiency, precipitate Hashimotos symptoms in women that were previously asymptomatic, and also leave women anemic, nutritionally depleted in their b vitamins and iron.
So working with a Naturopathic Doctor after your cancer is critical to proper recovery and repair as well as remaining proactive about ensuring hormones, vitamins, and minerals are sufficient.
Women that are menopausal and on Tamoxifen after breast cancer can suffer from very serious hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, depression, mental health, bladder problems, as well as Yeast Infections due to hormonal changes to the vagina. Naturopathic medicine in this instance excels because women with breast cancer should not take any hormones.
BREAST CYST SYMPTOMS
Please do not assume your breast lump is caused by breast cysts or fibrocystic changes. If your lump is painful it is most likely benign, or non-cancerous. If your lump is painless that is the more concerning type of lump although neither should be addressed and we will need to then send you for a mammogram and ultrasound.
If you simply have breast cysts which is about 95% of the time I find a breast lump… then you should increase your cruciferous vegetables for sulforaphane and DIM to detoxify the bad estrogen or “estrone” that triggers these breast cysts. Doing this is also good if the diagnosis is breast cancer, as cruciferous vegetables are demonstrated in research to prevent cancer.
BREAST CYST TREATMENT
Breast cysts can easily be treated via nutrition, herbal medicine and hormone balancing. Hormone Testing is usually the first thing I do along with imaging when my patient has a breast lump. Patients with breast cysts should avoid: Black tea, sugar, and animal fats. Animal fats that are the highest sources of inflammation for fibrocystic breasts should be eliminated first and foremost such as from dairy, cheese, cream, red meat, and pork.
Trans fats and fried foods should never be eaten. Red meat and dairy can be consumed in moderation once your breast pain or cyst has resolved. But the arachidonic acid in the animal fat essentially becomes estrogen and inflammation that make breast pain worse.
So the moral of the story in breast health is less meat and more cruciferous veggies. I also always recommend a vitamin E supplement at 800 IU of Natural mixed tocopherals. Do not take synthetic vitamin E it is not healthy for women’s breasts! Make sure you get the mixed tocopherals that are natural.
That is a basic overview of what women should know if they find a new breast lump. Please do not get yourself too worried, but also do not ignore it. Please just remain calm and proactively get the tests you need.
CAUSE OF BREAST CANCER-RELATED BREAST PAIN
There is a rare form of breast cancer called Inflammatory Breast Cancer that invades the lymphatic ducts of the breast and is very painful. Generally, it only impacts one breast while breast pain from fibrocystic breast changes and cysts occur in both breasts and worsen prior to and during menses and then subside. Inflammatory Breast Cancer does not change throughout the cycle and remains painful at all times. Women can experience pain in their breasts, sensations of warmth, itching of the nipple, retraction of the nipple, and dimples all over the breast that are referred to as "Peau de Orange" or dimples that appear like the skin of an orange. This type of breast cancer is generally missed by mamograms and imaging and requires a breast biopsy.
You need to schedule an appointment with me or your doctor to address it immediately. In breast cancer cases, the sooner we can diagnose cancer the better the outcome for the patient.
So please never ignore a breast lump. While I am here to assure your breast lump is most likely a breast cyst, we also need to ensure that is true because breast cancer when caught early is highly treatable.
Yet, breast cancer from ignoring breast lumps and refusing to do annual mammograms generally has a worse prognosis as the breast cancer has advanced to the bones, lungs, brain and organs. Please share this important post, as many women have been neglecting thier annual cancer screenings, especially mammograms and it is time for everyone to get caught up on their screening tests.
If you need my help, simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit! I would be happy to help you with your breast pain symptoms.
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology, Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema, and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease.
She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan (not Medicaid) and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
By Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Osteoporosis symptoms do not occur until it is too late, therefore we will discuss very important tips today for preventing "The Silent Killer of Women." Osteoporosis is the silent killer of women because it often goes without symptoms until a patient has a bad fall or accident causing a fracture. The patient has an X-ray and their doctor says, "Wow your bones are very brittle and losing mass," and puts them on a medication for Osteoporosis such as Boniva, or another bisphosphonate medication that builds brittle bone that is more likely to fracture. Once we have found Osteoporosis it is somwhat too late and a realistic treatment goal is to prevent further progression. Occasionally I am able to reverse the Osteoporosis.
How do fractures kill women?
When a woman slips and falls and breaks a hip she is at high risk for a fat embolus coming out of the fracture site as it heals, further inactivity from fractures also further increases risk of blood clots. It is common for women to die after a bad fracture, and this can all be prevented with Naturopathy and Bio-identical Hormones.
Osteoporosis is best addressed by a Naturopathic Doctor as it is a complex nutritional issue that requires an integrated approach and a Female Hormone Specialist that can test and treat for Hormone Imbalance such as testosterone and estrogen deficiency that is common in Osteoporosis due to menopause and perimenopause.
Men don't get Osteoporosis at the same rate as women because of all the testosterone in their systems which is also bone building. Most women worry about their estrogen level but they should also be concerned about testosterone for Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis and Osteopenia are diseases characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue, both mineral and nonmineral matrix, leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequential increase in fracture risk.
In these patients, bone density has been reduced to 2.5 (or more) standard deviations below the young adult mean bone density on DEXA.
Diminished bone mass can result from a failure to reach optimal bone mass early in adulthood such as POF or "Premature Ovarian Failure," from increased bone resorption, or from decreased bone formation after peak bone mass has been achieved.
Presumably, in osteoporosis, the rate of bone formation is inadequate compared to the rate of bone resorption and so there is an inability to maintain the structural integrity of the bones.
In the United States, the estimated prevalence of osteoporosis is high, affecting 20-30 million people.
The major risk factors for osteoporosis are increased age, female gender, white or Asian race, positive family history of osteoporosis and thin body build. Other risk factors include decreased lifelong exposure to estrogen, low calcium intake (affected also by low stomach acid and Vitamin D deficiency), sedentary lifestyle (lack of weight-bearing exercise), cigarette smoking, diet, chronic alcohol and drug use.
The primary goals in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis are to:
(1) Preserve adequate mineral mass.
(2) Prevent loss of the protein matrix and other structural bone component.
(3) Assure optimal repair mechanisms to repair damaged areas of bone.
Note: At present, there is conflicting scientific information available regarding the benefits and/or risks of soy (or other phytoestrogen-containing foods) consumption by individuals with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer lesions. In such cases, consumption of phytoestrogen-containing foods (such as soy) by these individuals is a personal decision that their Oncologist and team of physicians can guide them in making. Many herbalists believe that phytoestrogens are actually protective against estrogen dominant conditions. The decision is ultimately up to the Oncologist.
For many women I have doctored they are cleared to use phytoestrogens after cancer treatment, and sometimes even bio-identical hormones such as testosterone and DHEA. Generally their doctor does not want me to give them hormones for their menopausal hot flashes, nor do I. Thankfully I have herbs to prescribe! Some Oncologists find testosterone therapy for Osteoporosis to be perfectly acceptable and give me permission to prescribe it after cancer, but we will leave that up to the Oncologist!
In some hormone triggered cancers we cannot risk any phytoestrogens, but I always leave that decision up to the Oncologist providing the cancer care. I have provided care for women in many different situations for their menopause after cancer, and many are only allowed to use herbs such as nettles for hot flashes and night sweats.
In addition, the dietary suggestions below include foods to which some individuals may have allergies, intolerances or sensitivities and, in those cases, those foods should be avoided. Dietary choices should be modified to meet your personal dietary needs.
Women taking medications for Osteoporosis should not consume any of the herbal teas described without first consulting your Naturopathic Doctor regarding potential interactions. See your Naturoapthic Doctor for further information regarding nutrition and your individual medical condition.
Dietary Considerations
Avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol.
Choose whole foods, especially organic, whenever possible. Eat a variety of them, vegetables and fruits especially, paying special attention to those foods that are high in bone-supporting nutrients: calcium, magnesium, boron and other minerals, Vitamins A, D, E and K, B vitamins, C, etc. The boron in pears, for example, helps to prevent osteoporosis. The vitamin E and calcium in almonds, also make this food a good choice.
Fresh foods are always preferable to frozen and frozen foods are always preferable to canned.
Avoid excessive intake of animal protein as well as overall protein deficiency. Daily protein goal is 0.8g/kg body weight. For instance, an average 150 pound woman should then consume 55g of protein daily. As protein deficiency is not good for the bones, nor is protein excess.
Excess protein can lead to a high metabolic production of acids that can leach minerals from the bones. Rely more on plant protein sources such as legumes, nuts and seeds, as opposed to meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
Use bone broth, collagen or gelatin if you do use animal protein, as collagen production is the precursor to bone formation and this helps push the pathway of bone production forward to simply throw a scoop of collagen in your smoothie every day for beautiful bones as well as beautiful hair, skin and nails!
Cold-water fish (halibut, mackerel, salmon, etc.) is still a good protein source and has other nutritional benefits, such as omega-3 essential fatty acids and Vitamin D. Tuna and Swordfish should not be consumed along with other high mercury fish as the mercury can displace calcium from the body and create a deficiency.
A diet high in vegetables and fruits favors an optimal physiological phosphorus/calcium ratio and acid/alkaline balance, is preventing the accelerated calcium loss that is observed in individuals who consume a diet high in meat, dairy products and grains.
Use organic low-fat or non-fat dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables that are high in absorbable calcium. The vegetables highest in calcium (in order of calcium content) include turnip greens, lambs quarters (herb), collard greens, rhubarb, spinach, broccoli, dandelion greens, mustard greens and kale.
Other non-dairy foods that contain significant calcium include oatmeal, fortified rice milk/soy milk/nut milk, soybeans and tofu, sesame seeds and tahini, sea vegetables, chickpeas, molasses, almonds, filberts, chestnuts, baked beans, oranges, halibut, flounder, clams, oysters, shrimp, canned sardines or salmon with bones.
Women should have three to four servings of calcium enriched nut milk, yogurt or kefir every day. Please count your calcium consumption and if you are not getting 1000mg daily you need to be taking a calcium supplement to fill in the missing milligrams.
Eat salads and dark green leafy vegetables with lemon juice or cider vinegar to help increase calcium absorption.
Some studies indicate that foods such as spinach, chard, beet greens and chocolate contain oxalates that bind with calcium, preventing its absorption.
Phytic acid found in wheat and oats will bind calcium and prevent its absorption.
Drink two to four cups daily of organic tea for trace minerals. Check out Amanda's Bone-Building Tonic Tea (recipe below).
Bone-Building Tonic Tea
Combine all herbs and make a decoction by simmering one ounce of this mixture in one quart of water, covered for 20-30 minutes. Strain and drink 2-4 cups daily.
Consult your Naturopathic Doctor for a comprehensive osteoporosis prevention or management plan that is tailored to fit your individual medical and personal needs.
Many women have digestive issues from IBS: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea or food sensitivities and allergies causing a malabsorption picture that should always be addressed when we are looking at miserable painful fractures tarnishing our "Golden Years."
Both of my Grandmas had terrible fractures that would not heal as they got older. This is a disease that can easily be prevented when women dedicate themselves to spreading the word on these important bone-building tips!
If you need help with your hormones, nutrition, and Osteoporosis simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page and treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit! I would be happy to help. Read more about calcium deficiency and nutrition in "Why Does My Eye Twitch?"
Dr. Nicole Sundene
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum Depression, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Most women are constantly busy and on the go, attaching stress management practices to everyday occurrences is not only practical, but serves as a reminder to RELAX throughout the day.
You can easily check in with yourself during boring times of your day such as a long work meeting, standing in line at the grocery store, or waiting on hold on the phone.
A simple breathing exercise to start with is called “Square Breathing”. First sit quietly, and remove outside distraction if possible. Gently clasp your hands in your lap. Now breathe in slowly to the count of five, hold your breath to the count of five, exhale slowly to the count of five, and then pause before repeating this sequence to the count of five.
Repeat this sequence five times, or as many times as needed until a calmer state is achieved.
Oftentimes we do not realize how stressed out we are until we take a few minutes to quietly check in with how we are feeling. The body does not function optimally while under stress, implementing simple relaxation tools should not only improve your attitude, but also help you experience a better state of health.
Wow don’t you feel better now?
If you need more of my mental health tips for anxiety or depression, check out these articles:
"Anxiety Disorder: My Favorite Anxiety Herb?"
"What is Holistic Psychiatry?"
"Adrenal Fatigue: Are you in Fight, Flight or Fright?"
"Are You Running From a Bear?"
"Seasonal Depression: Are You Deficient in Vitamin L?"
"10 Natural Medicines for Depression"
"Female Anxiety is Like Snowflakes"
If you need my help with your mental health, anxiety, depression or ADHD I would be happy to help! Simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit.
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum Depression, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology , Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
In Phoenix Arizona, did you know you can actually eat the fruit off the top of a Barrel Cactus if you were stranded in the desert? Today we did a little mountain bike forage and found a few Barrel Cactus fruit in season along our Phoenix mountain bike trails.
While my daughter wisely used pliers to play it safe picking fruit off a cactus, I actually just plucked them off with my bare hands! The ends appear sharp, they are not. You do have to watch for the rest of the spines and glochids on the cactus. The fruit of the Barrel Cactus has no thorns and may be forgiving, but the plant as a whole is not. It has very sharp spines so watch out! Otherwise, it is as easy as plucking meatballs off an appetizer tray! So this is an easily accessible life-saving snack if ever lost in the desert.
WARNING: I poked my finger pretty badly because I was distracted from making the Instagram video I linked below. I managed to stab my finger on one of the very sharp spine hooks that rightfully protects the magical yellow-orange fruit. So please do be careful when you are doing this with your kids. Definitely don't be distracted by making educational videos on Herbal Medicine!
When the Barrel Cactus flowers are in bloom they are also edible. I love how the flowers form a beautiful yellow or orange halo effect around the head of the cactus making it look angelic despite its somewhat evil protective spikes.
In Herbal Medicine and Naturopathy we always consider the "energy" or "temperature" of the herb. Cactus fruit and leaves are generally very cooling. If you have to survive in the desert you can safely eat this fruit to survive, a few fresh cholla buds, prickly pear fruit, and prickly pear paddles. Most species of succulents and cactus are cooling to apply to sunburns.
Aloe vera is not the only plant that helps burns, prickly pear and other cactus are also very soothing. When you cut the Barrel Cactus fruit open the inside is very similar to the slippery consistency of aloe vera gel. Cactus and succulents generally have "demulcent" and "mucilaginous" properties which is why we use them in Naturopathy to heal the skin and digestive tract. One of my favorite herbs for IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is Aloe vera.
Cactus overall is a nutritive herb that is rich in flavonoids, especially quercetin which helps seasonal allergies.
Cactus fruit is cooling and hydrating which makes it a perfect treat during seasonal allergies with everyone feeling dry and burning with their allergy symptoms. If you have allergies be sure to check out my blog on how to use "Stinging Nettles for Allergies." I love Nettles because they also help with menopausal hot flashes and female hair loss!
The herb is mucilaginous and therefore healing to the skin. When I cut open the fruit it has the same slimy texture of aloe vera used to heal sunburns.
I like to mountain bike forage so I can ensure I am not gathering too many fruits off one plant. The Barrel Cactus has to have a LOT of rain in order to grow flowers and fruit which we have had this season. Every cactus does not make fruit each year. I don’t want to be greedy and take away from our animals that rely on this important desert food.
Many chipmunks, squirrels, and birds rely on this rare desert fruit for their nutrition. So we always want to be responsible and kind to our wildlife when foraging. We make sure to take just a few fruits off each plant. We like to cover more ground foraging so we don't just strip one plant of all of its fruit. Going out foraging on mountain bikes makes it easy and fun to do. Be sure to throw some plyers in your backpack just in case!
Also in nature, the seeds would be dispersed via elimination by an animal as it travels, so we are saving the seeds inside the fruit and setting them aside for when it warms up a little bit more.
Once the weather warms up, we will then sprout the seeds and deliver them back to the desert in hopes of growing some new cactus after a harsh winter killed off a lot of our Saguaro cactus. This has been extremely sad because Saguaro cactus are one of the hardiest plants in the desert and yet still the latest victims of extreme weather and climate change.
In my neighborhood, we have suddenly lost dozens of giant Saguaro that were hundreds of years old. It is very sad that the cactus can defy the harshest conditions yet still cannot persevere in such extreme conditions as of late.
The best we can do is work now to start replanting cactus in our trails for the health of our environment and furry friends. Did you know Barrel Cactus only grow about an inch per year so it will take 10 years to grow just a tiny 10-inch Barrel Cactus?
The common 2 foot and 3 foot ones we see are 20 and 30 years old!
Today I am making a Barrel Cactus Fruit Strawberry Smoothie and trying a Barrel Cactus Salsa Recipe check out my Instagram page for the video to see how just how cool the fruit looks on the inside! I think they would also be delicious grilled. The spicy fruit would be tasty if brushed with oil and a little apricot jelly and grilled on the barbeque.
Barrel Cactus fruit taste like a spicy starfruit or a cross between a pear and a mild jalapeno. Let me know what you think if you end up trying it!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
(480) 837-0900
Dr. Sundene is a Naturopathic Doctor in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a Female Hormone Expert in Women's Health and Bioidentical Hormones. She specializes in Holistic Women's Health for Menopause, Thyroid, Hashimotos, PMS, Perimenopause, Autoimmune, Postpartum, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, Food Allergies, Digestion, Dermatology, Acne, Psoriasis, Eczema, and Adrenal Hormonal Conditions. In 1999 she began working for a Hormone Doctor prior to starting Naturopathic Medical School. With over 23 years of experience in both Prescription and Natural women's health and hormones, she presents to women the best-integrated health solutions for their Chronic Disease. She has been an Herbalist for over 28 years and enjoys teaching women how to use herbs to balance their hormones, nutrition and optimize their health. Dr. Sundene relies on blood testing for her hormone metrics. The hormone testing is covered per the patient's insurance plan (not Medicaid) and conducted at certain points in the woman's menstrual cycle. To learn more about Hormone Testing for Women Visit: Bioidentical Hormones. Follow Dr. Sundene on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more tips on Women's Health, Female Hormones, and Naturopathy!
