"What diet should I be eating for my depression?"
Megan H Scottsdale, AZ
Proper diet for depression is imperative to prevent depression, improve depression and reduce the need for antidepressants naturally.
Symptoms of depression typically include chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, headaches, backaches, digestive problems, irritability, loss of interest or pleasure in everything in general and feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy. Commonly there can be a preoccupation with death that sometimes results in suicidal ideation and/or attempts. Poorly controlled depression can be life-threatening, therefore the following "Depression Diet" I will discuss should be implemented under the direct supervision of a Naturopathic Doctor. Treatment options vary widely, though any given treatment does not necessarily work for everyone. Keep in mind even with traditional Psychiatry patients often are rotated through several antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications before the correct fit is found.
The Hallmark Sign that women are experiencing depression from Hormone Imbalance such as PMS, PCOS, Menopause, Perimenopause, Hypothyroidism, or Hashimotos is when we see a fluctuation or sudden shift in symptoms. For most women, it is monthly. Some women will have a mood crash in their 40's and 50's with perimenopause or menopause. I always find this more concerning when women with normal hormonal changes are put on antidepressants they don't need. Women with few situational triggers that fail to respond to traditional antidepressants and still feel flat, blah and lifeless are likely in need of Hormone Testing.
The same is true for Natural Medicine for depression. Most research studies on natural medicine and nutrition for depression show improvement around week 8. That means you should try something for a few months before deciding it does not work. It is not realistic to take a natural medicine one time and expect all depression to go away.
The Role of Diet in Depression
Diet greatly influences the brain’s behavior. The levels of brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which regulate our behavior and are closely linked to mood, are controlled by what we eat. Many of the neurotransmitters needed for a happy mood are made in the digestive tract. Therefore patients with GI symptoms may be more prone to depression and anxiety. The neurotransmitters most commonly associated with mood are dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances of these brain chemicals cause mental and emotional disturbances and affect our perception of pain and pleasure.
Neurotransmitters carry electrochemical impulses between cells. Serotonin plays a role in mood, sleep, relaxation and appetite. Dopamine and norepinephrine play a role in hunger, thirst, digestion, blood pressure regulation, heart rate, respiration, thermoregulation, aggression, and sexuality. Neurotransmitter Testing can safely identify via urine which Neurotransmitters are running low and causing depression or alternatively which excitatory neurotransmitters are running high and causing anxiety.
The production of neurotransmitters are dependent upon amino acid levels, B-Vitamins, minerals like magnesium, iron, copper, and selenium. Therefore deficiency in one or multiple "ingredients" that are required to make the neurotransmitter you need to feel happy can greatly impact your mental health and result in anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, or worsen PTSD.
Chronic anxiety can lead to a burnt-out depressed state due to "Adrenal Fatigue." Depression caused by adrenal fatigue does not improve with antidepressants and requires a completely different treatment plan. Patients with suboptimal hypothyroidism or poorly managed thyroid disease can experience "Thyroid Depression" which also does not respond well to antidepressants. In women's health hormone imbalance is often the underlying cause of mental health issues.
Adequate protein consumption and absorption (requiring proper digestion) is essential in order to have enough precursor amino acid building blocks in order to synthesize any neurotransmitters. Their production also requires nutrients such as fatty acids, Vitamin B3, iron, folate, Vitamin B6, copper, calcium, magnesium, and lecithin, among others. The absorption of precursor amino acids depends on the consumption of adequate complex carbohydrates.
Note: The dietary recommendations and guidelines below include foods to which some individuals may have allergies, intolerances and sensitivities. In those cases, those foods should be avoided. Persons taking medications should not consume any of the herbal teas described without first consulting with me or your Naturopathic Doctor, Psychiatrist or Holistic Psychologist regarding potential interactions. Dietary choices should be modified to meet your personal dietary needs. Consult your Naturopathic Doctor or Holistic Psychiatrist for further information regarding nutrition and your individual medical condition.
Depression Diet Guidelines
• Avoid sugar and both artificial and natural sweeteners of all types, even honey, molasses, and fruit juice. Stevia is the only acceptable “sweetener” in my humble opinion as a biochemist and Naturopathic Doctor. Alcohol sugars should also be avoided. Do not use splenda or aspartame.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and soft drinks. For each high, there is a low.
• Avoid junk food, processed and refined foods, foods high in saturated fats, or hydrogenated (trans) fats. Healthy fat choices include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and oils that are organic and cold-pressed. I generally cook with olive oil.
• Food choices should be whole foods (unprocessed and unrefined), organic whenever possible, including at least five servings daily of vegetables and fruits. Grains should be whole and unrefined, especially rice, corn, and quinoa. Fresh food is always preferable to frozen and frozen is always preferable to canned.
• Identify and eliminate food sensitivities. Gluten found in some grains has been linked to depressive disorders. Gluten-containing grains include wheat, spelt, rye, triticale, oats, barley and kamut. I have seen just this step alone be the only thing some of my depressed patients need. If you cannot afford the Food Sensitivity Test then go off gluten for at least 2 weeks if not 4 to really see the mental health impacts. To test gluten you must eliminate it properly and then challenge gluten by eating high amounts of it three times per day for three days. Gluten often gives my patients a "Mental Health Hangover" and they feel great when they are eating it, but feel more depressed and anxious the next few days
• Eat adequate lean sources of protein (0.8 g/kg body weight daily). Amino acids from protein are needed to make neurotransmitters that make us feel happy. The #1 issue I see commonly in my women's health practice is women not eating enough protein. I shudder every single time a depressed or anxious woman tells me they eat zero protein for breakfast and all carbs. Personally, I would be asleep by 10am if I did that and in a terrible mood. Many of you eat a diet of all fat, carbs and fruit and are truly starved of protein. How can a brain be happy like that? Instead, emphasize wild, cold-water fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel, etc.), legumes, nuts and seeds. Organically raised poultry and eggs are also good protein sources. Fermented dairy products are also acceptable (yogurt, kefir, cheeses, etc.)
• Balance blood sugar by "Stacking Your Macros" ie: every meal and snack should be balanced, containing some protein, fat and complex carbohydrates. Low blood sugar episodes trigger depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
• Increase Omega-3 oils via walnuts, fish, chia and flaxseed. Other nuts DO NOT CONTAIN OMEGA-3. You should NOT supplement with an Omega-6 or 9 supplements for "brain health" as that is totally useless marketing hype. You are getting enough of this in your diet and cooking oils. We are all notoriously deficient in Omega-3 and the lower your Omega-3 and higher your Omega-6 and 9 the WORSE your mood will be.
For more information on herbs used to treat depression check out my other mental health blogs: "9 Natural Treatments for Depression." and "Seasonal Depression: Natural Treatments." Always work with a Naturopathic Doctor such as myself and do not use natural medicines without the support of a trained "Holistic Psychiatrist" as this can be dangerous. Here are a few examples of teas that patients enjoy drinking for their mood:
Happy Days Tea: 1 part red clover, 1 part calendula blossoms, 1 part nettle leaves, 1 part oatstraw, 1 part basil leaves. Blend all herbs in a jar, Add 1 Tablespoon per cup boiling water. Cover and steep 15-20 minutes. Drink as desired.
Mood Lifting Tea: 2-1/2 cups cold water, 2 Tbl Ashwagandha, 4 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, a few slices of fresh ginger root. Place the water and spices in a pan and heat to nearly boiling. Cover and simmer for one hour over low heat. Strain and serve with nut milk and stevia.
Note: In addition to dietary interventions, adequate daily exercise, sleep, full-spectrum lighting and counseling or other mental/emotional support are important factors in reversing depression and are prescribed in conjunction with supplements, botanicals, and homeopathy.
Work on things gradually one at a time. Start one new natural medicine every 3-7 days and keep track on your calendar when you stop and start them so your Naturopathic Doctor can help determine if your plan should change. Most research studies on Herbal Medicine note improvement in the participants at 8 weeks. So please give natural medicine as much time to work as a medication. It is impossible to know if you will improve with any mental health medicine in under two weeks. Natural or prescription. I am super impatient so I want to remind everyone that this is a marathon and not a sprint.
Pick the Naturopathic improvements that you can most easily make and start with those first. Inform your friends and family that you are trying to eat differently so that you will feel better. Ask for their support while making these changes. Depression is a serious condition that requires support from a physician, counselor, or another qualified therapist. Be sure to check with your health care provider before making any changes to your health care routine to ensure that you get the best care possible.
Thank you for sending your Naturopathic Women's Health questions to me on a postcard so I can get something in the mail that is not a bill. Remember if it can't fit on a postcard you need to SCHEDULE an appointment with me!
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 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!
By Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Postpartum depression is a very serious Women's Health condition that is impacting many moms at an even worse rate than ever during the Pandemic. Please check on the new moms in your world as many are dealing with a lack of postpartum support from their friends and family.
Sofia asked that I share her battle with postpartum depression in the hopes of helping any other moms struggling. Sofia is a 37-year-old new mom that gave birth and quickly recognized after the birth of her baby, that Sofia was not her normal self, and her husband called to schedule her an appointment with me out of deep concern for her hormones and mood. He said, "Can you please check her hormones and vitamins, I am really worried!"
Upon testing Sofia’s hormones and vitamins I discovered she was deficient in progesterone, B-12, and Vitamin D. She was also extremely anemic with a Ferritin store of 11. Her adrenal tests for DHEA and Cortisol were low and her thyroid looked deficient. Sofia was completely exhausted, crying all the time and too tired to sleep even when she had the opportunity. She felt the need to stay awake and make sure her baby was constantly breathing in and out, and she feared falling asleep because as long as she knew the baby was breathing she felt less anxiety as a new Mom. So even when the baby was napping she was not able to take a nap and relax from severe anxiety.
Despite the physical and emotional frustrations, the worst disappointment for Sofia was how she was SO EXCITED for her baby her entire pregnancy until it arrived...She had made a baby book of all the baby’s milestones and ultrasound photos and meticulously planned every perfect item for the nursery. There was nobody more prepared to be a happy Mom.
When the baby came instead of feeling happy she felt flat and disconnected. She felt sad because she didn’t feel a solid connection to her baby and that made her even more sad and depressed. She felt like she was doing everything as a new Mom WRONG. She felt like everyone was constantly judging her and talking about her. She woke up in a panic every night to make sure the baby was still breathing.
She was so depressed and anxious she was becoming paranoid and even angry at times. Prior to having a baby she had never lashed out at her husband or experienced anxiety or depression, so when I diagnosed her with Postpartum Depression, she was truly shocked. She had never even heard of it before.
Sofia asked I share her story so other women can be made aware of this debilitating condition. Sofia wants you to know “It's okay if you don’t feel bonded to your baby at first. Your body has been through a lot and this is a normal feeling.”
A lot of what had Sofia so depressed and frustrated was fighting what are sometimes normal feelings for women to feel tired, exhausted, drained, and somewhat lifeless after giving birth. Your body has been through a lot, and that is why nobody expects anything out of you for about 6-12 weeks. I would say a year as a hormone doctor for most women to go back to normal. Older moms may need 5 years! It is okay to feel like this and it is normal to some degree. What is not normal is when we don’t talk about it or ask for help.
Symptoms of Post Partum Depression:
While postpartum depression is generally not dangerous to Mothers or their Babies….I worry as a Women’s Health Doctor that it is becoming a dangerous epidemic right now along with our epidemic of loneliness. Many Mothers are struggling and functioning in survival mode every day with little support from friends and family.
We all need to be aware of this issue and offer our help to new Moms. I bring this super important subject to everyone’s attention to PLEASE reach out to moms with new babies and see if you can help. Many new moms don’t have regular help from their family and friends and are adjusting to their new life with their baby, also feeling isolated and alone. Many of my patients cannot get help from their parents because they need to isolate themselves for their own health issues.
Lately, I have had an epidemic of new moms with postpartum depression coming in and felt inspired to blog about the importance of hormone balance and checking mental health vitamins as a Women’s Health PSA.
HOLISTIC HORMONE TIPS FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION:
Please share this important information on Postpartum Depression in case any of your friends or family are struggling and encourage them to see their doctor. Being a new mom is tough enough. If you have struggled personally with Postpartum Depression in the past you may also want to consider sharing your story as many new Moms are suffering and can use your support.
If you see a new Mom in your neighborhood, consider leaving a note on their door with your name and phone number and offer to help babysit if you can. You may never hear from that Mom and they may be fine and have support….but you really don’t know for sure and it is better to be safe than sorry with an epidemic of mental health issues on every doctor’s hands. I have cared for some of the same women for over 10 years and have never seen my patients doing worse with their mental health. My mental health patients are at their wit's end, and patients that normally are happy and have never known anxiety and depression are being tested to their max and living daily in survival mode. Mom's are barely surviving and rarely thriving per my own observations with my own eyes every single day.
We can all add new Moms to our list of "3 Daily Acts of Kindness" as it also will boost our own mental health per my research.
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I recommend that new moms struggling with their moods have their hormones, iron, and vitamin levels checked. In addition, it is very important to develop a support team and Nutritional plan as your mood and energy will not recover very rapidly without perfect nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep, family support, and fresh air.
If you need me to check your postpartum hormones set up your new patient visit on my SCHEDULE page. I am available by Telemedicine so you don't need to worry about a babysitter and can schedule your appointment during baby's nap time!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
www.ScottsdaleNaturopathic.com
(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!
“What can I do naturally for my ADHD without Adderall?” ~Maddie H, Scottsdale, AZ
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Adderall shortages have been challenging for doctors and patients. First of all, as someone that is often referred to as a "Natural Psychiatrist" I can assure you things will be okay without Adderall! Since I have been getting this question regularly since the October Adderall shortage began, I thought I would talk about how I use Naturopathy, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, and Hormones in my Holistic Hormone and Psychiatry practice. Conditions such as brain fog and ADHD are very common in Women’s Health. ADHD when left untreated can cause depression and anxiety from failing to execute tasks properly.
This blog will go over the most important nutrition, herbs, and lifestyle factors I use to treat ADHD naturally without stimulant medication.
Is there actually an Adderall shortage? Yes.
Doctors have been forewarned about this for a year, but I was still shocked to see it actually begin to happen in October and more horrified to hear it is predicted to continue due to an increased demand coupled with blunted production.
People cannot get the ADHD drug they rely on? WHAT?!?
As the “OG Ritalin Child of the 90’s” I hate to admit I slightly panicked when I heard there was an Adderall shortage. Then I laughed and thought, “This does not pertain to you. You no longer need medication for your ADHD like you did back then.”
Yet back in the 90’s if I was suddenly unable to get the medication I relied on for my ADHD it could have been devastating for my education. This is also a medication patients should not suddenly stop should they not be able to obtain it, and generally requires tapering especially when the patient has been on it for many years for their ADHD.
Sadly this Adderall shortage is impacting many women and teens in my practice as well as their families, and I am being asked often for ADHD alternatives. Of course Naturopathic Medicine is a bit more complicated than just popping a new natural pill for ADHD....so of course I had to write a blog about all the different factors that should be addressed between nutrition, herbs, supplements, and testing to find the "Root Cause."
Today, I wanted to share a bit of insight from my own journey of learning how to manage my ADHD symptoms naturally. As I shared in my story about ‘Why I Became a Naturopathic Doctor” I was going from different specialist to specialist all trying different medications out on me to see if it would help my symptoms. This specialist loop involved constantly going to a Psychiatrist every month for ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression.
Back in the nineties as my ADHD worsened and I progressed through the different options, dosing, timed release vs instant released, I grew weary of taking ADHD medications, and the cost continued to sky rocket as my insurance did not pay for it.
As time went on and that vicious stressful loop of doctor’s appointments failed me and I ended up at a Naturopathic Doctor’s office….I began to feel better on the nutrition changes and herbs, and gradually needed less and less Ritalin.
Now keep in mind this was back in the 90’s before Adderall, Strattera, and Vyvance were prescribed. The doctor prescribed either brand named Ritalin or methylphenidate. It was like Dairy Queen for ADHD patients back then, and we only had two flavors, chocolate or vanilla.
While I was grateful to finally have a diagnosis of my condition as a teenager, and a better understanding of how to cope with it, I frankly never liked the medication options. Thankfully now ADHD patients have other medication options they can try as well as pursuing my type of natural and nonstimulant Adderall alternatives I prescribe in my Naturopathic practice.
Did you know I am actually allergic to Adderall?
My doctor did try prescribing Adderall to me, but I had an allergic reaction to one of the food colorings used which is a common trigger or irritant in ADHD patients as I recommend avoiding ALL food colorings in my “ADHD Diet” that is 100% free for anyone to follow and use, and exactly what I do for myself, and my patients with ADHD. If you need further recipe ideas and eight weeks of meal plans, simply pick up my PGE-2 Diet program to implement easy recipes, meal plans, and weekly grocery shopping lists.
The worst thing about my ADHD Diet is when I fall off of it over the weekend and indulge in bad foods and cannot concentrate well on Monday.
So the Adderall shortage does not directly pertain to me, but it affects many ADHD patients as it is still one of the most commonly prescribed ADHD medications. Adderall became more commonly prescribed as I was tapering off Ritalin towards natural treatments for my ADHD.
My Psychiatrist stopped the Adderall and returned me to Ritalin as we worked together to lower the dose. It took us a very long period of time to taper me off Ritalin as I was on a very high dose. So if you are wondering if Naturopathy can be helpful for severe ADHD cases, my answer is yes, and it certainly cannot hurt mood and concentration. But please read my comments at the end of this blog to ensure you will be successful with treating ADHD naturally. Natural treatments for ADHD still require a daily regime and discipline.
The good news from my story about "How I Became a Naturopathic Doctor," is that I began to notice that when I followed the Food Trigger Elimination Diet my Naturopathic Doctor placed me on, my attention span was much better. Suddenly I had better energy, I got tasks done efficiently, I was no longer procrastinating! My ADHD was no longer this giant obstacle in my day. Getting things accomplished in an orderly flow became easy, and the more I improved, the more I naturally wanted to adhere to the nutrition and lifestyle choices that helped my concentration and mood the best.
Suddenly my brain was crystal clear, and I was no longer experiencing annoying ADHD fumbles from forgetting things or locking my keys in my car!
I graduated from college as I continued to work on my ADHD with natural remedies. The concentration demands of studying were ending and it was time for me to get a job. I realized the medicine I had been relying on for many years to help me focus on accomplishing tedious school related tasks was no longer really necessary. I often did not take ADHD meds on the weekends and just relied on them when in class, studying, and going to the library. I did not need to take them to concentrate at my job at the health food store, and suspected I no longer needed them at all. I also didn’t like how it made me constantly sweaty with a dry mouth, so I began to research nutritional treatments for ADHD. It became my final Biochemistry Thesis project for graduation, and was my final grade for spring quarter.
My final graduating Thesis was twenty eight pages about “Docosahexanoic Acid and Nerve Conduction.” I had compiled pages and pages of nutrition research studies on animals that demonstrated that the nervous system does not work well without this critical Omega-3 fatty acid. I broke down the biochemistry of how the fatty acid was needed to form healthy cellular membranes and concluded with my hypothesis that nerves in humans would likely not function as efficiently or effectively if deficient in this fatty acid. I worked extremely hard on the project and was very proud of my Thesis paper.
However, my biochemistry professor was a "Know it all" very grouchy bossy nerve conduction Kinesiologist that angrily scribbled across my paper “UTTER RUBBISH! What you eat has NOTHING to do with your nerve function! This is not a potential treatment for ADHD, depression, anxiety, dementia, Alzheimers, MS, or cognition. Animal studies are utter nonsense and cannot be extrapolated to human data….” Which went on for several pages in angry blue sharpie with a giant B- next to it! I was horrified to receive a B- and not the expected A+ for all my hard work compiling research studies, also knowing I had gone far beyond my other classmates and was hoping to get the special recognition he would give to his favorite papers.
Mainly though I was just really excited to share all of my ADHD research with my professor, and instead of him being glad.... I made the nerve conduction professor mad!
Considering we spent two full quarters just going over how a nerve makes an "action potential" or conducts energy, I should have known he would not be open to my nutrition research. But in that same time period we discussed the anatomy and physiology of nerve cell membranes and they were made up of these very fatty acids that were needed to make proper action potentials or in regular language “thoughts and movements.” The cellular membrane lacking Omega-3 is akin to a frayed electrical cord that cannot efficiently send electrical signals.
So I laugh about this twenty five years later as there are now a plethora of research studies cited on my blog about “Flax vs Fish: Omega-3” proving my crotchety angry biochemistry professor wrong. My ADHD nutrition theories were not so radical after all back in the nineties!
In 1999, after compiling all this research on fish oil as a fish hating Scandinavian woman with ADHD, I began experimenting with high doses of a particular extract of fish oil called DHA or docosahexanoic acid. Every day I took between 2000-10,000mg of DHA. On longer study or test days I needed the full 10,000mg.
For most children with ADHD I now start them at 1000mg, there are great chewable “DHA Juniors” that taste good and make it easy to give to children. This is the most important nutrient for patients with ADHD in my opinion.
My biggest pet peeve in Naturopathic Medicine is that I am seen as the “Crazy Witch Doctor” for using nutrition, herbs and fish oil for children with ADHD, when other doctors are giving children with ADHD stimulant medications known to stunt their growth as the main side effect, and somehow I am the irresponsible doctor here? If you or your child needs medication, that is okay, I get it, but we have our system in how we treat ADHD patients set up backwards, and in order to "First, Do No Harm," as the oath every doctor is required to take, we should look at these nutritional interventions as the start of treating ADHD, and not as the only remaining option when medications fail ADHD.
Lets use this Adderall shortage as an opportunity to turn DHA fish oil into first line treatment for ADHD in children. Especially children that are growing! Adults over fifty on stimulants are also risking their heart health, therefore natural medicine that is effective is clearly the best choice in ADHD.
While my ADHD methods are alternative, and not mainstream, I am confident they are effective because I rely on them myself, and also see the children with ADHD in my practice improving after just 1-2 appointments, to the point they do not even need to get to the Naturopathic lab stage of us working together. They are improved enough with just DHA and a probiotic that their parents text me that they don’t need to come back as their psychiatrist has already tapered them off their ADHD meds. So I am confident that my methods work. I know from experience that the only time they don't work is with an ADHD patient or parent that is too disorganized to implement them and adhere to them as a new daily routine.
WHAT IS DHA?
DHA or docosahexanoic acid is the precise extract of fish oil I recommend for ADHD, TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury, and for pregnant women to take with their prenatal vitamins to ensure their baby has the highest IQ possible per the latest women’s health research studies. Be sure to use only the finest brands free of heavy metals and parabens.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please just do me a BIG FAVOR and stop the Omega 3,6,9 nonsense if you have ADHD and ONLY use the DHA concentrate of an Omega-3 as a supplement. Read my full Omega-3 blog to find out more about the science behind the why. Otherwise most women are already getting plenty of Omega-6 and Omega-9 from diet.
Research studies demonstrate that too many Omega-6 and Omega-9's from nuts and grains can actually become inflammatory in excess especially during Omega-3 deficiency and essentially “clog” the brain and worsen ADHD symptoms similar to inflammatory trans fats and saturated fats. Not all patients can burn these types of fats for fuel and the ADHD patient needs way more Omega-3 than the average bear! This is why inflammation can persist even when vegetarian or vegan.
If you need a nutrition program with recipes that are chock full of Omega-3 rich foods, and lower in inflammation driving foods you can pick up my mind/body/spirit PGE-2 Diet program. There is a vegan version, and a meat containing version. There are eight weeks of meal plans, grocery shopping lists, and dozens of healthy recipes that follow the rules of my ADHD Diet. The yoga and aromatherapy meditations are also critical for learning to better control a hyperactive mind.
VERY IMPORTANT: Only use my trusted brands of DHA: Carlson, Arctic Omega, Nordic Naturals, Thorne, and Pure Encapsulations in Fullscript. Most other fish oil brands patients show me I find poor quality if not disgusting spoiled rancid fish oil full of mercury, lead, and arsenic that I would not even feed to my dog! If you are burping up bad smelling fish oil that means it is rancid and you should throw it away and get an above Naturopathic Doctor trusted brand.
Be careful with this supplement, as a poor quality one may cause more inflammatory damage to your brain, than be helpful. Inflammation is a huge trigger for ADHD symptoms which is why I recommend my anti-inflammatory PGE-2 Diet with all common trigger foods removed for my ADHD patients until they have been tested for triggers.
Please stick with a good quality brand especially if pregnant or using this as medication for ADHD.
In America anything can be put in a bottle and labeled DHA and sold for a high amount. This is perfectly legal, and why patients should stick with prescription grade supplements recommended by their Naturopathic Doctor to avoid falling victim to poor quality or fake products.
Oftentimes people state that Natural Medicine didn't work for them, when really they were not using the correct dose of the natural medicine, or a high quality enough form of the medicine.
Quality of DHA is especially important when looking at replacing stimulant medications with natural alternatives.
For me and many of my ADHD patients, taking this form of DHA fish oil in high doses is like watering a dying brain! Worst thing about fish oil is it causes blood thinning. So those on blood thinners need to check with their doctors as with anything otherwise a slight blood thinning effect is protective against “The Virus.”
Back in the nineties, the beauty of adding the high dose DHA omega-3’s in was that I began to actually need less and less DHA and Ritalin. My body did not become "tolerant" to the dose of the DHA and need it to be raised like Ritalin, instead I needed a higher amount in the beginning to extinguish the "ADHD fire in my brain", and now I just take 2000mg daily for maintenance.
The opposite happened when I was on Ritalin though and I needed to keep increasing the dose or it stopped working. When I first began taking Ritalin I only took 10mg. Then eventually I was on 20mg. Then 20mg twice a day. Then 30 mg three times a day. As I exceeded 100mg of Ritalin my brain was working right but my heart did not feel good, I had a racing pulse at times, I had drenching armpit stains that were embarrassing, and I feared I would get high blood pressure. Yet my concentration required that high of a dose.
So my brain was about 80% improved on DHA and Naturopathic Nutrition, but not quite at 100%, perfect, so I continued researching the herbs and vitamins in the health food store I worked in and began adding different well known memory herbs in for concentration. I recommend reading about my favorite ones: Ginkgo biloba and Rosemary. Check out my Rosemary Salmon recipe to treat your ADHD brain! Of course discuss with your Naturopathic Doctor before implementing anything new I will be reviewing today.
NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO ADDERALL
Certain mild sedative herbs such as California poppy, Passionflower, and Hibiscus…. can also help ADHD patients concentrate and focus as I discuss along with my ADHD Tea recipe on my “Hibiscus Tea” and “ADHD Tea” blogs.
Ashwaghanda is safe and effective for agitated women and angry children and teens with ADHD. Ashwaghanda is generally considered safe even in pregnancy but please always check with your Naturopathic Doctor when pregnant!
Curcumin helps with those suffering from postviral, Lyme, Long Covid, or Mold Exposure brain fog. Be sure to use curcumin for ADHD and not Turmeric as it is not nearly as potent. When tapering someone off stimulants, or treating ADHD naturally I am using the strongest version of the plant, in this case use curcumin.
Liposomal Glutathione is also great for those with toxic, or post-immune brain fog, shortness of breath, asthma, and in need of detox support, I like the Pure Encapsulations brand available via Fullscript.
Be sure to work with a skilled Naturopathic Doctor or Herbalist when treating ADHD. Many adverse consequences to improperly managed ADHD can occur such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, poor self esteem, and school or work disruptions. It is important to work with someone that is experienced and skilled and not just randomly throw your child or self on the above list of supplements I am discussing today.
In addition to supplements and herbs for ADHD treating “The Root Cause,” is also especially important. It varies between patients and there is never one unique cause otherwise I would just create an exact treatment plan everyone with ADHD should follow and post it here.
But the Root Cause of my ADHD is different from many of my patient’s ADHD, and we are all a little bit like snowflakes. The symptoms look similar, but the pattern overall is different.
As a female hormone specialist I am first looking to see if the mental health cause is physical such as hormonal or nutritional. Things like anemia, menopause, perimenopause, PMS, hypothyroidism, and Hashitmoto’s thyroid disease can often cause brain fog and trouble concentrating in women.
If no insurance based lab testing is helpful we may conduct specialty testing such as food sensitivities, organic acid testing, neurotransmitter testing, stool testing, and infectious disease testing….all dependent on each patient with ADHD’s symptoms, story, health and travel history.
CAN NATUROPATHY HELP EVERYONE WITH ADHD?
No. Naturopathy unfortunately cannot help teens, children or women with ADHD in the following circumstances. I want every patient that enrolls in my practice to be a success story, so I do not recommend signing up to work with any Naturopathic Doctor if the patient is:
I understand the forgetful nature and chaos of ADHD. I have it myself, but I also follow through on my plans and appointments by following a very strict nutrition, herbal medicine, hormone, and lifestyle program which includes my top ten most important lifestyle tips for ADHD patients:
LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR ADHD
#1 Always plan to show up for appointments early to compensate for any ADHD forgetful fumbles. Bring magazines, books, or something to do once arrived early.
#2 Make checklists for things you regularly need to remember when you leave the house, head to work, school, sports, or activities. Laminate the checklist so you or your child can check off things as you prepare for your day, then wipe it clean for the next day. Make one side for work/school and the other side for sports/activities.
#3 Bring a small notebook with you everywhere you go with your list of appointments and daily tasks for each day, as well as an ongoing “To Do” list for random tasks that you do not want to forget. Writing tasks with a bold marker and placing the list somewhere easily visible will help stay focused on the tasks in need of accomplishing, as well as the order to work on them.
#4 Text message yourself anything you need to accomplish quickly or don't want to forget. This is important when you are away from your ADD notebook. Then add the task to your "To Do" notebook and calendar. If the task is extremely important I leave it as an unread text message to myself so I continue to see the alert until the task is completed.
#5 Have an accountability partner to help hold you accountable to the tasks you need to complete, especially the ones you do not want to do. This can be someone else with ADHD that also needs to be held accountable or a friend or family member that is part of your mental health care team.
#6 Every night organize the things you are your child need to have a good day. I call this "Setting my tomorrow self up for a great day." Adults with ADHD or their children should stay committed every evening to creating an easy morning by laying out their clothes, packing their lunch, and organizing all their office or homework. This way in the morning it is all organized and ready to go. The sunglasses, keys, purse, and phone are all together and will not be a Stressy Scavenger Hunt. By creating this simple evening routine a lot of drama can be prevented each day. Especially for the ADHD patients and parents that are not morning people!
#7 Avoid "ADHD Overwhelm" by committing to completing at least three tasks each day you don't want to do. I like to always start with the easiest ones to get them over with. But by scheduling tasks, and remaining committed to keeping up with a busy schedule, ADHD patients can avoid the overwhelming anxiety and depression that can result from ADHD inactivity.
#8 Keep "ADD Stations" in each room that is a dish, or catch all tray that you commit to only setting your important items like keys, phone, jewelry, watch, wallet, or purse on.
#9 Invest in multiple sets of sunglasses, reader glasses, pens, notepads, and items ADHD patients frequently lose, and just keep them in every room in your "ADD Station." Consider adding tracking devices to important items like keys.
#10 Work on only one project at a time. Set an amount of time for the project and only work on that project. In college I kept a pretty canopy above my desk and would set a timer for an hour when I could get out of my "Study Cocoon" and take a break. Otherwise I would be up baking cookies, answering the phone, and washing dishes. By utilizing strong visual reminders, and keeping projects separate from each other, this is how we prevent the ADHD fumbles that annoy ourselves, friends, and family.
While treating ADHD from a holistic standpoint requires more work on the patient's end, the results are far more rewarding. Many of my ADHD patients state, “I am so happy to be off Adderall. I feel so much better physically without stimulants, and my brain is working better than ever.” So not being able to obtain a medication may also be an opportunity to explore Naturopathic Medicine!
Most of my adult ADHD patients are able to function completely without stimulants over a 6-12 month period of working together. While some of my severe cases are able to function 95% of the time without stimulants, yet reserve a small emergency supply for difficult adulting tasks like doing taxes or boring paperwork.
I hope you learned today that nutrition is the most important place to start with ADHD. The first thing I need my patients doing to improve their ADHD symptoms naturally is changing to a clean, Naturopathic diet. Proper nutrition is the foundation for a successful ADHD nonstimulant treatment plan.
The very best natural ADHD treatment is my "ADHD Diet" which involves eating a clean, anti-inflammatory diet free of food coloring and rich in Omega-3’s for proper brain health as I provide the recipes and grocery shopping lists in my PGE-2 Diet program if you need a full program.
My simple nutrition program is the exact recipe for success I follow myself! Remember my #1 Naturopathic Rule: Taking bottles of supplements without making nutrition changes is like throwing water bottles on a burning building. The bottles alone are not going to be strong enough by themselves! We must activate your "Inner healing power of nature" that every patient has inside of them via colorful and clean nutrition and herbal medicine.
If you need my expert help testing for your root cause of ADHD, improving your memory, concentration, or mood simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page. I would be happy to help!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
(480) 837-0900
Naturopathic Medical Doctor
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
Holistic Hormone Doctor
PTSD Symptoms can be greatly improved by addressing the patient from a holistic hormone Naturopathic approach in addition to proper counseling therapy and EMDR. As someone that specializes in Holistic Psychiatry, I highly recommend hormone testing for all patients suffering with PTSD symptoms.
I never fully understood how SEVERE PTSD symptoms were until I volunteered to help Veterans with PTSD in 2007. An elderly Veteran patient of mine asked me if I would consider helping some of the young vets returning from war with their anxiety and PTSD. At first I was very intimidated and thought, “What could I possibly know as a Naturopathic Doctor that can help this severely scary and traumatic condition?” Many of the veterans experienced such horrific scenarios they did not even want to trouble me with the details. I told them I needed to hear what they experienced and what was haunting them in order to help them.
Once I actually listened to the horrors of what they were battling... their nightmares, the panic attacks, depression, constant feeling of being on edge I realized that our war heroes are still battling a war in their minds even long after they return from war. It was so horrific to listen to that I began to have nightmares myself as I also worked to get the visions of what they described out of my own head.
As we worked on their nutrition and herbal medicine plans I began to realize how truly important Naturopathy was for their healing process. Many were adverse to taking psychiatric medications or had already tried them to no avail. Many appreciated the option to try something natural to help calm them down rather than rely on drugs as drug addiction is a common consequence of PTSD so prescribing anxiolytic medications such as valium is a double edged sword that may be more harmful than helpful. Never before had any doctor at the VA talked to them about their adrenal glands and how to work to reset them from the constant episodes of panic and stress.
Healing the adrenal glands requires herbal medicine and nutrition as there is not much in MD prescription land that helps to heal the adrenal glands. In PTSD, panic, and anxiety disorder the adrenal glands primarily get taxed from constant stress and can play a huge role in the cluster of symptoms related to PTSD causing a vicious PTSD Loop:
PTSD Trigger---> Panic Attack--->Paranoia ---> Hypervigilance --->Agitation-->Rage--->Self Harm or Violent Behavior---Overwhelming Guilt--->Depression---> Anxiety--->Insomnia----> Constantly Feeling on Edge---->Never Feeling Safe--->Hypervigialnce----> REPEAT
PTSD Symptoms Include:
Sadly many of our Veterans never receive proper help, and while many of them were super grateful for the Naturopathic service I provided them I realized it was all actually quite simple and makes sense from a biochemistry standpoint that we MUST address and tonify our Veterans adrenal glands with Naturopathy along with providing them with Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Counseling, EMDR, Yoga, Meditation, and Psychiatry.
Just like my female victims of domestic violence that have experienced rape and physical violence, often they complain that the psychiatric drugs used for treating anxiety symptoms in PTSD cause them to feel out of control which then makes them feel more unsafe when they are not in control. When the patient with PTSD symptoms is not in control of their body or situation that can ironically actually trigger their PTSD symptoms!
This is why Naturopathic Medicine is SO IMPORTANT FOR PTSD! As a Naturopathic Hormone Doctor I have tools in my toolbox to help tonify the adrenal glands that are completely out of whack with PTSD and overtaxed, fried and burnt out. I have B-vitamin shots to help “bathe” the adrenal glands and nervous system in the very cofactors needed to heal and repair these fried systems. And I have gentle “Herbal Sedatives” to offer that can ease anxiety and provide a calming effect while still allowing the patient to remain in control of the situation. Because NOTHING scares my PTSD patient more than being checked out on heavy drugs and not feeling like they are in control. When we fail to offer helpful treatments for PTSD symptoms we risk PTSD patients self medicating with drugs and alcohol. Which is why so many Vets struggle with substance abuse issues and even worse end up committing suicide because nobody can properly help them with their PTSD.
Today I am writing about Naturopathy, Hormones and PTSD to encourage anyone with PTSD to consider Naturopathic Medicine. Our country that has the FINEST health care system in the world has COMPLETELY FAILED its Veterans and every Vet battling PTSD deserves to have a Naturopathic Doctor in their VA Hospital to help them heal from a mind/body/spirit standpoint. If you have any ability to change how PTSD is addressed for our vets or you know someone that can get my information to the proper channels it is critical to the men and women that have bravely served our country that they get proper Naturopathic support!
Regardless of what the initial cause of the PTSD symptoms are, many men and women are left in a chronic vicious loop of PTSD Symptoms---> Trigger---> Panic Attack----> Generalized Anxiety Disorder--> REPEAT.... loop that can be broken with a proper holistic treatment plan to address the PTSD. We must use multiple modalities to heal patients from PTSD and sadly many of our young men and women are sent back to America after going to war with inadequate care because to truly break this pattern of PTSD we need multiple modalities. In 2007 I volunteered and helped many vets with their PTSD and quickly learned the importance of Naturopathic Medicine and the role it can play in helping our country’s heroes heal and repair from the trauma of war. At first I thought, “PTSD symptoms are SO SERIOUS….what can I possibly do as a Naturopathic Doctor to help someone with this severe of symptoms?”
But guess what?
My Vets with PTSD symptoms THRIVED with Naturopathy. They all improved within a few months. Symptoms they struggled with for years began to resolve within a few months of Naturopathic care! I hate to brag but sometimes Naturopathic Medicine even amazes me with its capacity to heal and repair the body. We just need to offer the PTSD patient the correct treatment plan to heal their body from the PTSD symptoms.
Without proper treatment many vets lack the coping skills needed to recover and can fall victim to drugs and alcohol as a suboptimal treatment course for their PTSD. Naturopathy truly excels at treating PTSD because there is not much in regular allopathic prescription medicine that addresses the adrenal glands aside from beta blocker medications commonly used for high blood pressure and anxiety such as propranolol.
While the beta blocker can stop the heart from pounding and block the adrenaline reaction that happens when the PTSD patient is triggered the medication is not nourishing or healing to this pathway as many of our “Adrenal Adaptogen” herbs have the capacity to heal. Ashwaghanda is one of my favorite adapogen herbs because it is mild enough that patients can take it during the day yet it helps stop the vicious adrenaline/PTSD pattern
Optimizing B vitamins is also important for the PTSD patient’s nervous system and adrenal glands. B vitamins are the food for the adrenal glands and are necessary cofactors for making neurotransmitters and thus can easily become depleted with each panic attack.
Anxiety, Depression and PTSD can all be improved generally with Naturopathic Medicine. When I first started volunteering for vets with PTSD in 2007, I learned the powerful importance of adrenal support for PTSD. Every time we have a stress response we tax our adrenal glands that then think we are actually “Running from a bear." Measuring the hormone levels to determine if they are deficient or running in excess or both.
Optimizing hormones and nutrition almost always helps my mental health patients feel stronger physically and emotionally. Its almost shocking to me as a doctor how MUCH Naturopathic Medicine can benefit my mental health patients.
Especially for women with mood swings. There is almost always a hormone imbalance piece I find as an underlying cause with PTSD
Thank you to our heroes for serving our country and working to keep us safe. There is nobody out there that appreciates you more than I do so I hope you enjoyed the information I have put together on PTSD and the adrenals today as my way of showing my appreciation for our vets. I hope this information can be shared and more awareness of the importance of Naturopathy for our vets can become common knowledge so that we can have a solid program to address the mental, physical and spiritual health of our vets when they return from war. We could save lives, prevent suicide, and prevent substance abuse with proper treatment and awareness of the need for adrenal support and mental health nutrition. Someday I hope we have Naturopathic Doctors at every VA to work in concert with counselors and therapists and that it is common knowledge that PTSD survivors need.
Happy Veterans Day to all of the amazing men and women who have served our country! Thank you for what you have done for all of us!
We love you and support you always!!!
If you or someone you know needs help with their PTSD simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic Consult. For those not in Arizona I am available via Telemedicine and would be delighted to help you with your PTSD.
Dr. Nicole Sundene
Naturopathic Doctor
(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!
Semaglutide is the newest “Naturopathic” weight loss fad I am already sick of talking about because it is not natural and it is not Naturopathic. So I basically wrote this blog so that when patients with just 5-15 pounds to lose ask me if they should try Ozempic for weight loss, I can just text them: “NO!” with a link to my research here that concludes we should take a “wait and see” approach unless it is for severe obesity caused by insulin resistance.
Let’s review the current existing research and separate the facts from all the false marketing materials I am seeing my patients bring me about the shot. Much of what these weight loss centers, even the Naturopathic ones, are stating about this shot is grossly untrue. We will also discuss the natural alternatives to Ozempic and how Naturopathic nutrition works to lower insulin naturally without medication.
NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO SEMAGLUTIDE
If you need the hormone balancing nutrition program I specifically designed to help balance female hormones and insulin you can pick up my Hormonal Diet Program. I should of course first disclose that I have my own hormone program, as a hormone doctor, and of course I think is much better for women's hormones and health, and safer than taking a weekly diabetes shot before we get started.
For my patients that are doing the shot against my advice we are in agreement they are working on their nutrition while using the weight loss shot so they have solid healthy habits in place for when they reach their goals and eventually go off the shot. Because Insulin is the "Mother of Female Hormone Imbalance" the diet program I have already designed does work to lower insulin over time. Nutrition and treating insulin resistance at it's root cause....nutrition takes time. Especially when diabetes runs in my patient's family, and they are genetically predisposed to higher insulin levels.
I must also admit that I never participate in Naturopathic fads. I never prescribed HCG, or HGH, I don't give my patients IV's because I am a classic Bastyr trained Naturopathic Doctor and prefer to treat my patients at their “Root Cause.” So I will offer a second opinion on the safety of this weight loss medication so that in the event women choose to use this shot they do so fully informed and not lied to as I see in the existing marketing hype.
There is no question about the weight loss shot's efficacy. I do see it helping my insulin resistant patients lose weight but we have to look at the long term side effects and existing research before you go signing yourself up for $300/month for the rest of your life as an Ozempic Test Bunny please read this blog!
WHAT IS SEMAGLUTIDE INJECTION FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
Semaglutide also known as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy became approved in 2021 for obesity. These weekly shots or pills are currently hitting every weight loss center near me, along with their marketing materials to my patients that are only 5-30 pounds overweight and are reading marketing materials that they are “natural” “thyroid boosting” “immune boosting” and “good for them.” So my “Norwegian Rant” today includes all the latest research on the safety and efficacy of these drugs to burst the Utopian bubble with the realities that the new “Skinny Shot” has REAL safety issues and potential long term consequences women should be educated on before remotely considering.
The take home message if you don’t want to read my entire rant about semaglutide injections for weight loss is to wait and see unless you are severely obese and have tried everything natural with me including testing your hormones, balancing your hormones, improving your nutrition, counseling , exercise, and stress management.
Grab a cup of herbal tea and let's go over this weight loss shot together and look at the pro’s and cons.
IS SEMAGLUTIDE SAFE?
I believe the safest option is to first do everything correctly to avoid taking weight loss medication, such as using my Hormone Balancing Diet program to naturally lower insulin. But that is just how I think and practice medicine and always use natural alternatives and herbal medicine before prescription drugs.
I also must be honest and confess that I do sincerely believe that whether you are going to do semaglutide shot or not you will need my program. My patients following my program on the shot are doing really well and I am seeing their insulin numbers come down over time with their weight to the point they are planning to taper off the shots and use my hormone program for maintenance.
WHAT IS #1 SIDE EFFECT OF SEMAGLUTIDE?
Otherwise the most clear cut side effect is dependency with semaglutide. We may never be able to get you off the shot if you do not adhere to a proper clean Naturopathic nutrition and exercise program.
DOES SEMAGLUTIDE MESS WITH HORMONES?
YES! Anything that stimulates receptors in the hormone system will somewhat “mess up” hormones. Here is what you need to know to protect yourself from the latest marketing nonsense about a new drug with a fresh black box warning for thyroid cancer.
Is it worth risking thyroid and hormone health as well as the other potential side effects of semaglutide medications? Not yet in my humble biochemistry opinion.
Let's separate the facts from the fiction so that women are fully informed up front of the potential side effects and risks of becoming dependent upon semaglutide therapy for the rest of their lives.
WHAT IS SEMAGLUTIDE MADE OF?
Semaglutide is a synthetic peptide drug that is manufactured in a lab. Semaglutide is made of amino acids and is a man made chemical that is NOT natural in my opinion as it has two different amino acid changes from the actual natural or endogenous form and only mimics it by 94%. So anyone purporting that semaglutide is “natural” or calling it a “natural peptide” is either intentionally lying or very stupid when it comes to biochemistry. Most likely they making fraudulent claims which is morally and legally wrong.
First off, calling semaglutide “natural” is like calling the thyroid hormone synthroid or levothyroxine “Natural” when it is chemically manufactured. Nor is synthroid derived from a “Natural source” so calling such a medication natural is a false statement and biochemical FRAUD. The synthetic thyroid hormone from the pharmacy does not come from a natural source like Armour thyroid, but instead comes from synthetic manufacturing. Synthetic manufacturing is also the case with semaglutide and thus is not actually “natural peptides.”
Semiglutide only mimics natural human GLP-1 by 94% and is not the same exact “natural peptide.” This is an annoying false claim that is inaccurate and misleading for women. I have zero respect for any Naturopathic Doctors that are purporting this as a “Natural Peptide” or “Natural and Safe” weight loss system. There are risks, we don’t know the long term consequences beyond a few years, and it's not 100% natural. So please consider these factors before deciding to shoot up with Semaglutide!
My gravest concern aside from cancer is the autoimmune research I found that we will discuss below. The fact that some patients are making antibodies to semaglutide and their own natural GLP-1 after receiving the shot is concerning and may result in some new form of an autoimmune disease at some point that doctors have never seen before. As a doctor with chronic pain from an autoimmune disease, I find this gravely concerning, because once the antibodies form, it is difficult to get them to stop. I know this very well because this is what many autoimmune patients seek me out to help with and it can take a solid 6-12 months to get Hashimoto's antibodies down if not longer.
SEMAGLUTIDE IS NOT NATURAL
Any Naturopathic Doctor, Endocrinologist, or Weight Loss Clinic falsely labeling their semaglutide weight loss shot as “Natural” or “Natural peptides” should have their license revoked for either being stupid or a scam artist. Patients are not medically trained to know the difference between natural and synthetic man made chemicals. This is the #1 sign you are being lied to by an unethical doctor that is desperate for money and now hopping on the Semaglutide Gravy Train.
Sorry if I sound rude but I am disgusted by the utter lack of ethics from some of the people in the medical industry that are capitalizing on something they have falsely led consumers to believe is natural. It only takes a few bad Naturopathic Doctors to make our entire profession look horrible to MD’s and the public. If someone wants to offer the shot to patients that is their professional choice, but they should at least be honest about the ingredients and side effects.
WHAT IS THE RISK OF PEPTIDE THERAPY, SEMAGLUTIDE, OZEMPIC?
Since early 2022 women are calling me, texting me and asking me daily thanks to misleading marketing scams in my profession about the latest weight loss shot or “Skinny Shot” semaglutide, or Ozempic I felt compelled to post the research of the “Other side” of the shot like Ozempic Face, Rebound Weight Gain, Dependency, Gallbladder Disease, Thyroid Cancer, Diabetic Retinopathy, Immune Response, Autoimmunity to endogenous GLP-1, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, GI Adverse side effects, loss of lean muscle, appetite control, eating behavior changes, intestinal obstruction, serious allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, increased heart rate, increased hospitalization for heart failure, potential kidney failure, unknown long term cardiac risk from stimulating the GLP-1 receptors in the heart and increasing heart rate over the long term, rats given semaglutide had increased thyroid and endocrine system cancer [1-13].
For most of my patients that is all they need to read and know that in my mind it’s a solid NO for the big O shot. For everyone else that wants to dig through these research studies that currently exist both bad and good I will break down each research study demonstrating side effects in detail. If you are going to choose to use semaglutide at least be properly informed and not a victim of marketing hype that is not true or supported by research, data, and facts we currently are lacking.
IS SEMAGLUTIDE WORTH IT FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
Any patient that knows me well knows I hate most medications, especially all new medications. This is because I have been working in Family Medicine for over twenty five years on both the prescription and natural side and I have seen all the shiny new drugs that were once regularly used by patients recalled. I have also seen bad side effects from drugs, that I have never seen with herbal medicine and nutrition in Naturopathy.
But dozens of times in my career have I sat at a “Drug Rep Lunch” with a fancy shiny new drug that sounds too good to be true, only for the FDA to recall it, or the company to recall it themselves just a few years later.
I can go on and on about watching Vioxx, Accutane, Fen Phen, Baycal, Bextra, Premarin, Prempro, Zantac/Ranitidine, come and go but we will focus on semaglutide today.
Doctors that have been around a while are generally less Utopian about a new drug and instead a bit skeptical of anything new, as we should be. Patient safety should always come first, and doctor’s have taken an oath to “First, Do No Harm.”
So the truth about semaglutide at this point, is that if you are taking a new drug that has not been tested long term, you have essentially signed yourself up as a “Test Bunny” for the drug as nobody really knows its long term effects until the Test Bunny group of people all try it for twenty years. This is why many new drugs do not survive the five year mark because they are shown to cause serious adverse side effects within a few years.
So we cannot just get sucked into the marketing as women, and we do not need to have unrealistic expectations of our perimenopausal and menopausal bodies and risk a potentially dangerous shot just to lose 5-10 pounds.
So today I will discuss the questions patients are most frequently asking about the weight loss shot semaglutide, what you should know about it’s risks and potential benefits.
Ok #1 as a Naturopathic Doctor that has been around since Herbal Phen Fen, regular Phen Fen, the HCG diet, the HGH diet, Keto Diet, Celery Juice, etc…. I must disclose up front that I never participated in any of those other weight loss programs as I see them as scams, and not in a woman’s best interest for her long term health.
I will admit I do have many patients on this weight loss shot right now, and they are doing it against my advice and we have just agreed to disagree about it. The one positive thing I do actually see happening to consider is that it does reduce hunger and cravings. A lot of my patients are using the appetite suppressant effect along with my hormone balancing diet program, knowing that the recipes are all designed to balance the female hormones and insulin resistance that naturally occurs with aging induced hormone imbalance in women.
This way when we do finally decide to take the semaglutide shot away they are eating in a manner that is continuing to balance their hormones and are already on a system that they can sustain to prevent the rebound weight gain that is the main concern I have for many of my patients that are severely overweight.
I worry my obese patiuents cannot afford to gain more weight back after they discontinue the shot, and the research studies indicate that discontinuing the shot may be the problem. Once you start the shot you may not be able to stop, you may end up twice as overweight as you started if you do stop the shot.
FREE COUPON FOR SEMAGLUTIDE? YOU MAY PAY FOR LIFE
Getting people hooked on drugs for free is the ultimate drug dealer scam. So are the first month of semaglutide shots really “free?” If the shot is something you may have to be dependent on for the rest of your life to maintain your weight, it is a bait and switch scheme.
This is the #1 bait and switch game that drug manufacturers play to get patients hooked on their medication, so they are stuck paying for it for the rest of their lives. At this point we don’t know how long you will need to take the semaglutide shot for, in order to maintain weight loss. Since most research studies are conducted for two years this is not a quick fix but something you may need to pay >$1000.month for two years or longer! The problem is that most research finds discontinuing the shot results in going back to being obese [13]. You may need to afford to stay on this medication for two years or even longer [14-17].
If you are rich and famous and can afford to potentially be addicted to a shot for $1000/month then that is one thing. Most of my patients cannot afford that risk financially. In a New England Journal of Medicine 2021 research study, semaglutide was found to be the inferior choice for doctors to combine with metformin in diabetes, which makes me wonder if some of this new weight loss shot push is because the manufacturer is losing out on diabetes business they once had.
Before starting this shot ask yourself if it is affordable for you to continue paying for it weekly for the rest of your life. If you can afford to be twice as overweight as you are right now should you experience “Rebound Weight Gain,” and if you can afford to risk the side effects that potentially include cancer.
SEMAGLUTIDE MISUSE OF “PEPTIDE THERAPY” IN MARKETING
Semaglutide is being misrepresented in a very clever biochemical way by weight loss centers. First of all they are categorizing the benefits of all peptides into one entire group of benefits. We cannot just refer to “peptides” or “natural peptides” as just one thing. Peptides can be natural or synthetic and are represented by many different drugs.
This is like me stating the benefit of all herbal medicines that have ever existed and say these benefits are for nettles. Just because nettles are an herbal medicine and other herbal medicines also have benefits does not mean that nettles share that same benefit for being in the same descriptive category.
Peptides are a description of a type of medication or a class of medications doctors refer to as “Peptide Therapy.”
Peptides are a category of drugs made from amino acids designed to treat MANY different conditions like Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis. Stating the benefits of all of these peptides as a whole when stating the benefit of using just one form of a peptide is fraudulent marketing and is happening at weight loss centers everywhere. Most women are not educated enough to understand they are being lied to.
While it is one thing for a weight loss center to honestly offer this shot, inform people it is synthetically manufactured and has a black box cancer warning with it but may be the only solution to stubborn weight loss…
What truly disturbs me as a Naturopathic Doctor are the other Naturopathic weight loss clinics that are upright lying to women and telling them these are “Natural peptides” or “peptide therapy” that is “good for their thyroid and heart” when there is a clear black box warning for thyroid cancer, and demonstrated research I will discuss that causes an increased heart rate and potential increased risk for heart failure.
Currently nobody knows the actual long term side effects of using semaglutide. So anyone purporting it as the safe and natural is crazy in my medical opinion.
Any doctor or clinic that says semaglutide is “natural” and “good for you” and acting like they actually know what is going to happen to you twenty years from now from taking weekly semaglutide shots is a liar, and clearly lacking good ethics.
PEPTIDE THERAPY IS A CATEGORY
Semaglutide is merely mimicking just ONE TYPE of peptide that occurs in the body. Many doctors and weight loss centers are using the word “Natural Peptide” incorrectly to mislead the patient into falling victim that this is 100% natural and safe. This is a chemically manufactured medication that does contain natural amino acids but they are manufactured in a lab into a protein sequence that is not “natural.”
This is NOT like how we give women bioidentical hormones from yams or soy. This is not manufactured as the exact same chemical your body naturally makes. Semaglutide is only 94% similar to the natural form. I believe doctors using the word “Natural” for semaglutide products are making false statements and misleading patients.
IS SEMAGLUTIDE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE?
Whether you have chosen to avoid semaglutide or are choosing to go against my advice and do it anyway, I do recommend to my patients on the injections that they follow my Hormone Balancing Diet designed to help balance female hormones, insulin resistance, and weight gain. By eating my hormone balancing diet you can lose weight without an expensive weekly injection and avoid its inevitable side effects.
While I originally designed the diet to treat my hormonal acne patients, I have since used it for balancing female hormones and insulin. So for those on the injections they still need a solid Hormone Balancing nutrition program in place or they will not be able to ever stop the shot, and will likely have the same “Rebound Weight Gain” that I had to deal with when patients stopped their HCG Diets that I also told them not to lose and then we had to work to help them lose eighty pounds instead of forty.
So this is why I approach this new shot with dread because ultimately patients may end up in the same metabolic mess after using HCG and diets that are too restrictive in calories!
SHOULD I TAKE SEMAGLUTIDE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
Moral of the story. You cannot cheat the system. When you try to cheat the system and lose weight without a solid nutrition plan in place, you will fail and either gain double the weight back, or never be able to stop the semaglutide injections and need to pay for them for the rest of your life. For a drug that has only been approved since 2017 we are already seeing gallbladder disease, intestinal obstruction, and cancer as potential consequences. The majority of diabetes drugs already have class action lawsuits related to cancer, so before I even looked at the existing research on semaglutide I knew that it would have cancer listed as a potential side effect.
IS THERE A NATURAL SUBSTITUTE TO SEMAGLUTIDE, PEPTIDE THERAPY?
The safer, more cost effective alternative to being an unpaid Lab Test Bunny for Semaglutide shots is using proper nutrition and herbal medicine for weight loss and hormone balancing. My Hormone Balancing Diet has helped many women achieve hormone balance and optimal weight in my practice and I trust it works when patients properly follow it. Whether you are going to choose to risk it and try the shot or not, my program will help you achieve success and you will STILL need a hormone balancing diet program that specifically lowers insulin like the shot in place in order to withdraw from the semaglutide shot without the risk of rebound weight gain.
So I do have a handful of obese patients using the shot with my program and planning to taper off the shot towards just my program. I do hear that it is easier for them to adhere to the program because they have less hunger and cravings. So I am going to state the positive about the shot without overinflating it.
One concerning side effect I am already seeing in my practice with these patients is higher than normal total estrogen levels. Since most hormone doctors just test the estradiol and not the total hormone levels, this is most likely missed and likely the mechanism behind increased endocrine cancer from semaglutide.
BEST NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO BALANCING INSULIN AND HORMONES
Proper nutrition and herbal medicine is the better natural alternative to risking dependency on semaglutide injections. I truly believe my Hormone balancing diet program is a safer, better, anti-aging option that has me looking and feeling my best at forty-seven.
My own Naturopathic health journey involves struggling with postpartum depression, anxiety, weight gain from insulin resistance after the birth of my daughter. So I have been through it and know exactly how to test and treat hormonal weight gain.
The best part about my hormone balancing diet program is the majority of my patients say it is super easy to follow, they are saving money on the recipes, they enjoy eating clean, and they look and feel amazing! Investing in nutrition is always the better alternative than prescription drugs. To follow my simple Mind/Body/Spirit Naturopathic program and improve your health and weight via nutrition and herbal medicine.
To pick up my Hormone balancing diet program visit: www.FHnaturopathic.com/hormone
If you need my help with using natural medicine, herbs, and natural hormones for your female hormones, insulin resistance, or weight loss I would be happy to help you! Simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit. For those doctors and nurses, and researchers that want to review the existing semaglutide research, we will dive deeper into the existing peptide therapy research studies.
REBOUND WEIGHT GAIN AND PERMANENT DEPENDENCY ON SEMAGLUTIDE
In clinical trials, semaglutide led to an average weight loss of approximately 15% at 68 weeks among participants without type 2 diabetes, with sustained results observed at the two-year mark. That is 15-20 pounds for the average woman. I see women in my practice losing that much weight a lot faster than over two years. Occasionally I hear my patients telling me they lost thirty pounds in just one month on my Hormone Balancing Diet Program. Very often women lose the 15-60 pounds they need to lose in three to six months of working with me using herbal medicine and natural hormones. So if we can use an alternative to semaglutide then we should because the weight loss may not be as dramatic as women expect.
Especially, when the main concern with semaglutide use is the potential for dependency and affordability. In a trial extension, participants who withdrew from semaglutide treatment regained 11.6 percentage points of lost weight by week 120, resulting in a net loss of 5.6%. Cardiometabolic improvements observed with semaglutide reverted towards baseline at week 120, indicating that ongoing treatment might be necessary to maintain weight loss and health improvements [1].
LONG TERM SAFETY OF SEMAGLUTIDE: LACKS RESEARCH
Semaglutide is a newer drug that has only been FDA approved for diabetes since 2017. While semaglutide has shown promise in treating Type 2 Diabetes and obesity, there are several concerns to consider before using it for weight loss. The long-term safety of semaglutide is still uncertain, as there is no complete Phase IV clinical trial investigating its side effects, efficacy, and safety in the long run. Until more comprehensive studies are conducted, it is advisable to avoid the risk of a new medication until the long term studies have been conducted. For mild or moderate weight loss the shot is simply ludicrous and should not be used.
SEMAGLUTIDE OZEMPIC RISKS BLACK BOX WARNING: THYROID CANCER
Semaglutide carries a black box warning for thyroid C-cell tumors in the US, based on rodent studies. Though medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is rare, regulatory authorities require additional monitoring of MTC incidence in the US for at least 15 years, with results expected by 2035-2037. Semaglutide is contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of thyroid disease, thyroid cancer, MTC and patients with multiple endocrine neoplasias (MEN) type 2 in the US [2]. As a doctor that specializes in Hashimoto's I would not recommend taking this drug as my Hashimoto's patients are more likely to have benign thyroid nodules. Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid function is also associated with thyroid nodules. However, nodules can sometimes become cancerous over time. Therefore I do not recommend any of my thyroid disease patients take Ozempic.
VISION: INCREASED DIABETIC RETINOPATHY ISSUES ON SEMAGLUTIDE
In the SUSTAIN-6 trial, an increase in diabetic retinopathy complications (DRP) were reported for semaglutide compared to placebo. In PIONEER 6, unadjudicated diabetic retinopathy complications occurred in 5.8% of oral semaglutide-treated and 4.8% of placebo-treated patients [2].
Early worsening of pre-existing diabetic retinopathy complications was secondary to the initial and rapid improvement in glycemic control in SUSTAIN-6. A large trial is ongoing (FOCUS trial, NCT03811561) assessing the long-term effects of semaglutide on diabetic retinopathy complications in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Until then, caution should be exercised when using semaglutide in patients with diabetic retinopathy complications [2].
SEMAGLUTIDE INDUCED AUTOIMMUNITY: ANTIBODIES TO GLP-1
Semaglutide can trigger an immune response, leading to the production of antibodies against the drug. In some cases, these antibodies may cross-react with endogenous GLP-1. Clinical trials revealed that 2.9% of patients treated with Wegovy, a semaglutide formulation, developed anti-semaglutide antibodies. Among these patients, 56% had antibodies that cross-reacted with endogenous GLP-1. The impact of anti-semaglutide antibodies on treatment efficacy and hypersensitivity reactions remains unknown and may potentially cause a new type of brand new unknown autoimmune disease, with unpredicatble symptoms [2].
DIARRHEA, VOMITING, NAUSEA, AND GI SIDE EFFECTS ARE COMMON
Phase 3 trials have shown that oral and subcutaneous semaglutide can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Higher doses of both formulations are often associated with more frequent stomach adverse effects. A dose escalation scheme is advised, starting with a low dose. Stomach complaints with semaglutide generally occur during dose escalation in the first 8-12 weeks of treatment and wane over time. Overall, the adverse effects are mild to moderate in severity and often self-limiting [2].
GALLBLADDER INCREASED EVENTS ON SEMAGLUTIDE
Although it is unclear exactly why, the patients in the research study receiving weekly injections of semaglutide had increased adverse gallbladder events. GLP-1RA treatment, including semaglutide, has increased the risk of gallbladder events.
In the SUSTAIN program, 1.4% of patients treated with semaglutide developed a gallbladder event, mainly cholelithiasis. In the PIONEER program, cholelithiasis occurred more often in the semaglutide-treated group (0.6% vs. 0.1% with placebo). Gallbladder events have not been linked to mortality. The cause of these gallbladder events is unclear, with several potential mechanisms being suggested [2, 3].
LEAN MUSCLE MASS LOSS AND RAPID WEIGHT LOSS CONCERNS
Another concern is the potential loss of lean muscle mass in patients experiencing more than 15% weight loss with semaglutide. This issue can arise when patients consume too few calories to maintain adequate protein intake, leading to muscle loss. This is why Ozempic face happens, and skin can look droopy, losing it's elasticity as is common with menopause and hormone imbalance such as hypothyroidism.
OZEMPIC FACE: FACIAL CHANGES FROM SEMAGLUTIDE WEIGHT LOSS
Individuals taking semaglutide may observe a decrease in facial fullness, referred to as "Ozempic face," due to rapid and significant weight loss leading to facial fat loss, looser skin, and more prominent wrinkles. Coupled by the fact that most insulin resistant weight loss patients in my practice eat a high carb low protein diet, so without correcting the protein deficiency and continuing to eat carbs their facial skin will become very saggy. At minimum take a protein shake if choosing to risk taking this drug. Especially if you are in menopause and already have lost a lot of collagen and skin turgor and elasticity from it.
Aggressive weight loss can also result in nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and collagen loss, which may contribute to the appearance of facial aging [6].
SEMAGLUTIDE APPETITE SUPPRESSION AND EATING BEHAVIOR CHANGES
Importantly, semaglutide may impact appetite control by interacting with specific brain cells and chemicals, potentially leading to changes in eating habits or food intake behavior. This alteration in the brain's appetite-regulating pathways could cause nausea or contribute to the development of eating disorders [7].
SEMAGLUTIDE AND INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION RARE SIDE EFFECT
Although no cases of gastric outlet obstruction have been reported with semaglutide, healthcare providers should be aware of potential risks and monitor patients closely for symptoms. A case of a 29-year-old male with type-1 diabetes experiencing symptoms of intestinal obstruction after a single injection of semaglutide highlights this concern [8].
SEMAGLUTIDE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE EFFECTS: SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR AND IDEATION
Clinical trials have reported mental health issues such as suicidal behavior and ideation with weight management products, including semaglutide. Healthcare providers should closely monitor patients for signs of depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual mood changes. Semaglutide should be avoided in patients with depression, or a history of suicidal behavior and discontinued in patients who develop depressed thoughts or suicidal ideation.
SEMAGLUTIDE SEVERE ALLERGY AND ANAPHYLAXIS: HYPERSENSITIVITY
Severe allergic hypersensitivity reactions, such as anaphylaxis and angioedema, have been reported in patients using semaglutide. It is advised to avoid its use in patients with a history of reactions to semaglutide and exercise caution in those with a history of reactions to other GLP-1 analogs [2].
SEMAGLUTIDE PANCREATIC SAFETY: PANCREATITIS AND PANCREATIC CANCER?
SUSTAIN 6 and PIONEER 6 trials showed no signals of pancreatic adverse events with semaglutide. A meta-analysis of available cardiovascular outcome trial data argues against any effect of GLP-1RA on pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer incidence. A subtle and asymptomatic increase in plasma lipase and amylase levels is consistently found but is not associated with pancreatic events. The FDA and EMA concluded that a causal association between incretin-based drugs and pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer is inconsistent with the current data [2].
SEMAGLUTIDE HEART RISKS: INCREASED HEART RATE AND HEART FAILURE
Semaglutide, like all GLP-1RAs, increases heart rate, as reported in research studies. However, it did not lead to an increase in cardiovascular outcomes. The effect of GLP-1RAs on heart rate is important in patients with heart failure. While the semaglutide cardiovascular outcome trial did not show an increased incidence of hospitalization for heart failure, studies with other GLP-1Ras, like liraglutide, in heart failure patients showed an increased incidence of serious cardiac events. The underlying mechanisms for the GLP-1RA-induced heart rate increase remain unclear [9, 10].
SEMAGLUTIDE KIDNEY FUNCTION: ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY REPORTS
Initial case reports suggested that GLP-1RA treatment could cause acute kidney injury (AKI) in some patients. In the SUSTAIN program, acute kidney failure was only reported in SUSTAIN 6, where its occurrence was similar between semaglutide and placebo. In the PIONEER program, acute kidney injury occurred in 2.0% of patients treated with oral semaglutide and 2.3% of placebo-treated patients [11, 12].
IS THERE A NATURAL SUBSTITUTE FOR SEMAGLUTIDE OR OZEMPIC?
For women with under 100 pounds to lose, they likely do not need semaglutide and can lose the weight with diet, hormone, and nutrition changes. My Mind/Body/Spirit Naturopathic Hormone Balancing Program works to naturally help balance female hormones, insulin, and inflammation similar to the benefits purported with the semaglutide shot. So for those of you seeking natural alternatives to semaglutide or needing a program to maintain the benefits of semaglutide without rebound weight gain please use my hormone balancing diet program.
CONCLUSION: IS SEMAGLUTIDE WORTH IT FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
Semaglutide, a peptide medication, is used for the long-term management of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity. As a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, stimulates insulin production, slows gastric emptying, extends satiety, and suppresses appetite. While semaglutide has demonstrated efficacy in managing blood glucose levels and promoting weight loss, it is crucial to be aware of its potential risks before considering its use for weight loss purposes. Semaglutide is approved for treating type 2 diabetes since 2017, and weight loss in those with a BMI >30 since 2021.
Nevertheless women that do not have much weight to lose are seeking to use it for mild to moderate weight loss. Many clinics now are helping some of these individuals engage in off-label use of the medication for weight loss, which can potentially harm their health in exchange for a quick way to drop a few pounds, which the research studies show will just return when you stop the shot.
SEMAGLUTIDE ALTERNATIVES: OZEMPIC, RYBLESUS, AND WEGOVY
Semaglutide is available in both injectable and oral forms. Ozempic, the injectable form, is administered weekly via injectable pens in doses ranging from 0.5 mg to 2 mg. Rybelsus, the oral form, comes in 7 mg or 14 mg tablets and is taken daily. Wegovy, another injectable form for weight management, is administered through a weekly pen injection at a higher dose of 2.4 mg.
CONCLUSION ON PEPTIDES, SEMAGLUTIDE, OZEMPIC, RYBELSUS, AND WEGOVY
Semaglutide has shown promise in managing type 2 diabetes and obesity, with significant weight loss results observed in clinical trials. However, it is essential to consider the potential risks associated with its use. The long-term safety of semaglutide remains uncertain,
and there are concerns about various side effects, including gastrointestinal disturbances, gallbladder events, diabetic retinopathy complications, and potential effects on the heart and kidneys.
Given these potential risks, patients and healthcare providers must carefully weigh the benefits and risks of semaglutide treatment. It is strongly advised to consult with a medical professional before considering semaglutide for weight loss or other purposes. As more research and long-term studies become available, we will gain a clearer understanding of the safety profile of this medication. Until then, it is essential to approach semaglutide treatment cautiously and stay informed of the latest research findings.
WHAT CAN BE USED INSTEAD OF SEMAGLUTIDE?
Of course I have to recommend my Hormone balancing diet program designed specifically to help balance female hormones, manage weight, insulin resistance, and inflammation through my years of research and experience helping women with hormone imbalance. Proper nutrition and herbal medicine is the tried and true, time tested way to lose weight properly, healthfully, and maintain it over the long run.
The eight weeks of recipes, meal plans, and grocery shopping lists put together by my nutritionist will ensure you have plenty of healthy ideas to help you reach your weight loss goals. If you need my help with your hormones or weight loss, simply visit my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic Hormone Consultation.
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!
References:
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
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
"How Do You Make Elderberry Syrup?" ~Holly Scottsdale, Arizona
Elderberry Syrup is easy to make, delicious, and makes for great gift bags to pass out around the holidays!
I have been passing out my pre-mixed Elderberry Gift Bags to all my patients to keep on hand for the second they feel that tickle of sickness in their throats and been hearing amazing feedback as to how well it works and even more important…how much better this works than a premade store bought elderberry syrup! Hooray, of course homemade is better.
Please keep your pretty elderberry bags in a dark cupboard and out of the window or they will lose potency in bright sunlight. These are great if you are fighting "The Virus" or any virus really!
The best part is you can invest $20-$50 in the bulk ingredients and then keep these Naturopathic bags on hand in your cupboard and they will be waiting for you when you need them. I would estimate one bag per 1-2 days per adult in your household. You can also check out my blog about more Immune Boosting Foods and Herbs in your Spice Rack in case you are stuck at home sick and need to rely on herbs and spices!
Elderberry Syrup Gift Bags:
1 Cup Elderberries
¼ Cup Licorice Root
½ Cup Ginger
6 Cinnamon Sticks
6 Star Anise
12 Cloves
Add 4 cups of water to the contents of the Elderberry Syrup bag. Then bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer for 45 minutes. Let cool. Add 1/2 cup Manuka Honey (Optional) or 8-10 packets of Stevia before straining. Remove the cinnamon sticks and Star Anise so you can press the elderberries through your strainer the best you can as the medicine is in the dark pigments from the elderberries or the “Proanthocyanidins,” so make sure you are getting as much of that benefit as possible.
If you are making these bags for someone on cardiac medications, high blood pressure, or a blood thinner, you cannot use the ginger, or licorice, and should substitute those out with Echinacea Root or Thyme. Thyme is an amazing antiviral, as I discuss on my Naturopathic Favorite Things Blog, and has shown the best evidence thus far via research against “The Virus.” Patients with heart conditions or on medications should always work with their own Naturopathic Doctor before starting any new herbal medicines!
Adults: Drink ¼ cup of Elderberry Syrup every 2-3 hours diluted in hot water or tea at the immediate onset of illness.
Studies show that herbal medicine works the best at the IMMEDIATE ONSET of your illness so make sure you are making this and starting the rest of the immune support regime I use the second you feel that funny tickle in your throat. “Treat the Tickle!”
Children: Check with your Naturopathic Doctor on dosing Elderberry Syrup based on weight and age. This is generally safe for children though, and my own daughter says it is "Delicious!"
Always buy organic bulk herbs from a trusted herbal medicine company such as MountainRoseHerbs.com and Starwest Botanicals are what I personally trust as a Naturopathic Doctor and Herbalist for my patients and myself! I do not buy bulk herbs on Amazon as a Naturopathic Doctor this scares me because they may be stored in hot warehouses and therefore lose their medicinal properties. Also, there is no quality control in the US so you must be working with a trusted supplier!
These Elderberry Syrup Bags are great presents to make up for those you care about and drop off with my instructions. My Immune Boosting Blog linked above also has the preventive plan that I am following myself right now, based on the best scientific evidence I have been able to find, which I will share very soon in my next blog! Make sure you are following me on Instagram.com/dr.nicolesundene to get my latest Naturopathic updates and Herbal Medicine Recipes!
Stay healthy my friends!
With Love,
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Naturopathic Medical Doctor
(480) 837-0900
By Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Female Hormone Expert
Hormones raging with PMS or Perimenopause? When women permanently feel agitated, or like they constantly have PMS, they are likely in Perimenopause, which commonly starts in the late 30's or early 40's or about ten years prior to actual menopause.
Perhaps you feel completely fine hormonally but you are a stressed-out public servant like I am, simply worn down by people raging at you? God forbid you are experiencing both, but fear not, I have the perfect herbal medicine for that!
It's time for my Anti-Rage Latte! Simply add ashwagandha to warm almond milk to calm you, cocoa stimulates PEA in your brain to actually make you feel happy, and a bit of little cinnamon and stevia makes it all delicious. Then sip this herbal concoction twice daily to protect you and your fried little adrenal glands from all the stress and hormonal rage constantly swirling around us. Let me know if you come up with a more delicious herbal recipe variation here if you are a culinary artist! The only way we will get through these tough times is together ladies!
ANTI-RAGE LATTE RECIPE
½ tsp Ashwagandha (2 capsules)
½ Tbl cocoa powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp Stevia
1 Cup Warm Almond Milk and drink
Today I am prescribing my “ANTI-RAGE LATTE” to the angry screaming masses. If you serve the public I call this "White Noise" right now so as not to tweak out into a PTSD panic attack.
Check out my latest blog on Adrenal Gland Health to determine if you are in Fight, Flight or Fright mode and therefore a candidate for an adrenal adaptogen herb like my favorite "QUEEN OF HERBS" Ashwagandha. For those of you that have been through way too much stress (myself included) please enjoy this simple recipe to treat your brain and adrenal glands to the RIGHT things you need to feel happy right now and not depressed.
While alcohol, Fast Food, and sugary treats are definitely a quick fix for constant stress they all have rebound effects that make you just feel worse, chronically fatigued, and weaker over time. When I feel like I have reached my max with stress and want to binge eat food to medicate my bad mood, then I know it is time for some Ashwagandha!
You can check out my latest blogs on "Ashwagandha," "Herbs for Anxiety" and the Adrenal Glands so that you can get yourself in check and start responding with excessive kindness when you feel like you are in a rage. Many doctors, nurses, health care workers, and public servants are totally FRIED and we simply cannot take any more people raging at us. We need people to drink their Anti-Rage Latte and give us a little bit of grace, extra time, kindness, and patience to get our jobs done that have never been made more difficult, more stressful, more inefficient, and more frustrating.
Please keep that in mind when you are calling my office or calling your doctor, nurse, or hospital. Whatever problems you feel you have endured, multiply that times 10,000 and that is what we have endured as health care workers. So today I am showing you my simple morning ritual so I can go to work and be in my “Ashwagandha Bubble” safe from angry hormonal women raging at me about things beyond my control, and instead of raging back at them, quietly working through each unique individual and oftentimes chaotic issue in the office without getting sucked into the drama, so I can continue to serve women as a Naturopathic Doctor.
I will be perfectly honest, I am NOT loving my job right now which is why so many nurses and doctors are quitting as we go on 2 LONG years working in a severely broken health care system that was not great before this all started. My day includes long wait times with pharmacies, counseling patients whose marriages are deteriorating, grief counseling every single day for at least one patient who has lost a family member, and battling the labs because they have messed up my patient’s hormone testing for the 9000th time! So this is what I rely on to keep me grounded. Before the Pandemic the month of 9/11 was the hardest time I had ever worked. But even back then when everyone was crying , hysterical, and traumatized they were still kind to their doctors and nurses.
The Pandemic Rage going around has simply been too much to bear, and as I continue on into my 20th month of 2020....(LOL) not even knowing or caring what date it is anymore, I am personally relying heavily on a LOT of Ashwagandha. You should definitely check out all of the latest research I just summarized on my favorite restorative herb because it is such an ALL STAR that provides a variety of benefits including Boosting mood, aiding sleep, lowering stress levels, decreasing anxiety, OCD, and ADHD. In addition to Ashwagandha let's not forget to use a lot of everyone's favorite herb cocoa as it helps to stimulate PEA in our brain to help us feel happy. I drink this AM and PM and sometimes mid-day when it is an extra “FUN DAY.”
Are you tired of feeling constantly anxious, stressed, or depressed? Is it time for you to start feeling your absolute best? Then treat yourself to a Naturopathic Hormone consultation with me by popping over to my SCHEDULE page so we can work together as a team to help you feel awesome! If you don't want to come into my clinic or are not in Arizona I am happy to help you by Telemedicine phone consult!
Dr. Nicole Sundene, NMD
Female Hormone Expert
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 at Bastyr University. 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, NMD
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Liver disease symptoms often start out with mild symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, and itchy skin. As the damage progresses it can cause hormone imbalance, perimenopausal estrogen dominance, heartburn, chronic fatigue, brain fog, difficulty concentrating, poor memory, ADHD, High Blood Pressure, Rosacea, easy bruising, sweating, hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, yellow nails, weight gain, bloating, abdominal pain, gallstones, pain in the right upper quadrant, constipation or diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and diabetes.
Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are also common. As liver damage progresses it can result in Fatty Liver, Cirrhosis, Liver Failure, and jaundice or yellow eyes.
Patients with Liver Failure will require a Liver Transplant.
Drinking too much alcohol, and eating fried foods, fast foods, processed foods and sugary desserts all impair liver function. NSAID medications such as advil, tylenol, naproxen, and certain medications can also tax the liver and elevate your liver enzymes.
If your liver enzymes are elevated that means that the cells in your liver are actually DYING and releasing their enzymes into your blood stream in the process.
Our livers are responsible for filtering out all the environmental toxins that we are exposed to as well as those that we ingest. Consult with your physician to decide what kind of liver support protocol is best for you. The following is a sample approach to optimizing the liver’s ability to detoxify the body from pollutants and toxins.
LIVER JUICE & TEA
Beet juice (1/2 cup) mixed with carrot juice (1/2 cup) once a day.
Dandelion root tea – steep 1 tsp. in 1 pint boiling water for 20 minutes, take once a day.
Nettles leaf tea at 1Tbl per 8oz of boiling water is an excellent anti-inflammatory.
Red Clover tea as a mild sedative and gentle detox aid at 1Tbl per 8 oz cup of water 2-3 times daily.
LIVER NUTRITION
Foods to Eat for a Health Liver – Artichokes, endive, cucumbers, garlic, onions, sprouted seeds, grains, tahini, vegetable products (raw or juiced). No condiments except lemon juice and only a little salt. At least 60-80 ounces of water a day, or the liver and kidneys simply do not function properly. Not drinking enough water is similar to running your garbage disposal without the water turned on. It does not work! Green juice (can be mixed with some carrot juice). Liquid chlorophyll or chlorophyll tablets can be helpful for those with heavy metal toxicity.
Foods to Avoid for a Healthy Liver – all processed and refined foods, salt, sugar, aspartame, splenda, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, drugs, synthetic vitamins, fats, oils, non-organic meats and dairy (due to hormones), coffee, heavy starches (processed versions of potatoes, rice, bread, cereal), milk or milk products. Do not use aluminum cookware.
Deep Breathing Exercise for Liver Support: "Square Breathing" and deep breathing will help your liver.
Exercise: Walking 30 minutes twice a day, or exercise with impact such as on a rebounder to also move lymphatics. Strength training also helps drain the lymphatics which become clogged with liver disease.
Sweating through exercise or sauna to eliminate toxins through the skin and alleviate stress on the liver.
Many herbs such as Milk Thistle have been shown to protect the liver as well as aid its natural detoxification process. Consult with your Naturopathic Doctor to determine if you need to start a supplement routine to support your liver.
If you need help getting your liver back on track Naturopathic Medicine and Herbal Medicine can be very helpful for detox support. There are few medications that can be helpful for liver disease. Most medications should instead be avoided as they have to be processed through the liver. Simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page, I would be happy to help.
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
Scottsdale Naturopathic Doctor
Asthma can be a frustrating condition, especially when there is poor air quality. Between the fires, humidity and monsoons… my asthma has been horrible. So let me show you how I make my “Coconut Cough Syrup” by grating up a bunch of organic carrots to combine with cinnamon, ginger, licorice, cloves and star anise… and bringing it to a boil in organic coconut milk to help soothe my irritated respiratory pathways. This recipe is for asthma prevention, and is not a substitute for medicine. Although there are studies for coconut helping acute asthma I do not recommend that and it can be dangerous!!
Carrots are rich in beta carotene and thus an anti-inflammatory agent for the mucous membranes, beta carotene is necessary for repairing damaged cells. I happen to have a beautiful bunch of organic carrots I need to use up but you can also use butternut squash, yams, sweet potatoes, or squash. Most orange veggies are rich in beta carotene and make a delicious and powerful therapeutic “soup” I like to sip throughout my day when my lungs are not happy.
Licorice- Is a potent demulcent herb that helps soothe irritated membranes. You can feel the slippery quality in your mouth as you sip it very similar to aloe vera. Unless a patient hates the taste of licorice, or they have hypertension or other conditions causing licorice to be a poor herbal choice, I believe licorice is one of the absolute best herbs for coughs, sore throats and irritated mucous membranes. Specifically because it is also an antiviral herb and those of us with asthma are more susceptible to viruses and infections. Licorice tea is an excellent preventive daily tonic herb for asthma.
Coconut Milk is rich in the Phospholipids, the lungs need to heal and repair, it is antiviral and antifungal. I also increase my Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, flaxseeds, and walnuts to reduce inflammation.
The more herbal medicine plants you can incorporate into your diet the less herbal capsules you need to take! As always, please check with your own doctor before implementing any new herbs as medicine. Or if you need a Naturopathic Doctor, simply pop over to my SCHEDULE page to treat yourself to a Naturopathic visit. I would love to help with asthma!
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!
