Integrative Health Blog

Macronutrients and Wellness: Regenerative Agriculture Farms Near DC

Posted by on Tue, Feb 02, 2021


Doctors prescribe micronutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin C, medications, and various healing techniques (e.g., acupuncture, physical therapy) – to name a few I prescribe frequently – but we don’t generally prescribe MACROnutrients. Sure, we prescribe carbohydrate restriction to kill yeast infections, and organic foods especially if your genetic profile shows that you cannot break down insecticides, and we restrict allergic foods that are discovered on food allergy testing e.g., gluten, milk, and eggs. But generally speaking, we/I have done an extremely poor job of prescribing non-toxic and highly nutritious foods mostly because we have never had the opportunity – until now!

Regenerative Agriculture

“Regenerative Agriculture” is a farming practice that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle. Woody Harrelson narrates the documentary on REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE entitled www.KisstheGroundMovie.com. It’s a full-length, professionally produced, Hollywood production that is becoming very popular with many millions of viewers. You and your friends and family will enjoy it, as you will be filled with inspiration and hope. I was crying tears of joy at the end.

Back to Nature

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Tags: holistic nutrition, integrative health

The Secret to Success in Health, and Anything

Posted by on Tue, Dec 08, 2020

I am a Type 1 diabetic and have always had a hard time with my blood sugars and with weight. 

I’ve tried low carb eating, watching glycemic index foods, tons of exercise: cardio and weight training.  They all have had a positive effect on me, but I could not sustain it because I was not getting the result that I was expecting.  The rewards of all the hard work were not enough.  Yes, my blood sugars were better and my weight would drop anywhere from 5-10 pounds over a three-month period.  But those rewards were not enough. 

So, I would slowly start slipping back into habits that were not optimal for me.  I would revisit these things over and over during my diabetic life.  I always thought this is what I will be stuck with as a diabetic: retaining weight due to insulin use and blood sugars that would never be absolutely controllable.

Then came the pandemic and I had a lot of free time to work on the things that I had always wanted to do. Two things I specifically focused on were my guitar playing and my diet.   One of my patients follows the ketosis diet.  We spoke for awhile and I decided that I would try to do this because I had the time to prepare meals and I needed to do something different.  Well…9 months later I am down 33 pounds and my daily blood sugars and A1c are the best they have ever been. Near normal in fact! This was amazing to me.  I thought to myself, why is this diet now so successful for me? 

On the one hand it is the diet, but there was something else- and here is my conclusion:

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Tags: integrative health, chiropractic, Dr. Coy Roskosky

Five Steps to Becoming a Healthier You

Posted by on Tue, Nov 24, 2020


Taking care of ourselves goes beyond eating healthily and working out regularly. While they are definitely part of maintaining good health, they aren’t the entirety. If you’re looking to improve how you feel from head to toe, here are some things you can consider.

Get Outside

When we spend all of our time cooped up inside, we may begin to experience some negative effects. If you have trouble focusing, remembering important things, or feel tired constantly, it may be due to a lack of nature. When we enter a green space, whether that’s taking a neihborhood walk, a short hike or sitting in your local park, we feel better. In fact, you may find stress diminishes, memory becomes clearer, inflammation reduces, and even symptoms of depression lessen. However, if you think walking through trees sounds boring, then add fun activities. It could be as simple as getting some friends to play tug-of-war, have a sack race, or go for a round of disc golf. There are endless ways to both socialize safely and explore nature at the same time.

Develop Your Hobbies

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Tags: integrative health

National Integrated Health Associates to Participate in Achieving Optimal Health Conference in Washington, D.C.

Posted by on Thu, Sep 21, 2017

Once again National Integrative Health Associates is partnering with BB&R Wellness Consulting and GUWellness to bring you the Achieving Optimal Health Conference.

This one day conference will be held on Saturday, October 14, and it is your chance to become the healthiest version of YOU: MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017

TIme: 9:00-4:30 pm

Location: Georgetown University

               Edward B. Bunn Auditorium @ Intercultural Center

               37th and O Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20007

We are happy to offer NIHA friends a 25% off discount on tickets this year. Just use the code "Health" when you are ready to check out.

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Tags: integrative health

Forget What You’ve Been Told About Salt

Posted by on Sat, Aug 26, 2017

The Surprising Secret About Salt

The health industry’s stance on salt since the 1950’s was that too much salt (sodium) caused hypertension (high blood pressure) and associated heart disease.   Doctors and nutritionists advised against salt consumption for hypertensives and cardiac patients. It was thought that excess salt would cause water retention leading to increased blood pressure and ultimately resulting in heart disease.  The reason for diuretic medication was to excrete more fluids to lower blood pressure.

But a new book questions the conventional thinking about salt.

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Tags: high blood pressure, integrative health

Top Integrative Health Blogs of 2016

Posted by on Wed, Jan 04, 2017

An important part of our mission at National Integrated Health Associates (NIHA) is to educate the public about an integrative approach to medicine and dentistry. Integrative health focuses on the whole person, using therapeutic approaches and therapies to achieve optimal health and healing.

NIHA'S Integrative Health blog delivers quality health advice and content on interesting and timely medical issues, dental issues that may affect the whole body, nutrition, detoxification, and the underlying causes of imbalance in the body. Oh, and we have wonderful, healthy recipes too.

Here are the top articles from NIHA'S Integrative Health Blog:

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Tags: integrative health

Give the GIft of Integrative Health Care This Year!

Posted by on Tue, Dec 08, 2015

Trying to find a meaningful gift this holiday season?
 
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Tags: integrative health, holistic dentistry

Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Posted by on Mon, Jun 15, 2015

Hormones play an important role in your life every day.

They are your body’s chemical messengers, traveling in your bloodstream to tissues and organs. They play a role in your growth, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction and mood. If you doubt the power of hormones and their ability to affect everything from mood, to weight, to bowel health – ask the nearest pregnant woman if she’s noticed any difference in these areas. Or, just for fun, ask the nearest 13 year old girl!

Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries. 

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Tags: thyroid, hormones, adrenal fatigue, integrative health, holistic approach

Golden Turmeric Milk

Posted by on Wed, Mar 11, 2015

Turmeric milk is one of my favorite night time drinks, other than hot tea. It is comforting and soothing at night and very nutritious. Nothing compares to the smell of turmeric milk warming up on the stove. Turmeric contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.  Warm beverages, both in the evening and in the morning, provide soothing effects to the digestive system.

Turmeric, The Golden Healing Spice

Turmeric has been around for hundreds of years and is known as the “healing” spice to the Eastern cultures. It is known to help with sore throats, colds, flus, stomach aches, wounds, skin problems and abrasions. Just like coconut oil, turmeric provides antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The combination of turmeric and peppercorn enhances the absorption of curcumin, the main ingredient found in turmeric.

Golden Turmeric Milk Recipe

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Tags: antioxidants, holistic nutrition, integrative health, recipe, turmeric

Why I love juicing and why it is important to me...and possibly to you?

Posted by on Wed, Feb 04, 2015

Vincent Renner, Guest blogger, Founder of Tasty6

Sensory Delights of Juicing

To an avid juicer like myself the benefits of juicing fresh fruits and vegetables seem endless – it is convenient, nutritious, great for the immune system, helps to detox, and on it goes… All of the above are true. For me, however, first and foremost the intense smells, flavors, and colors of the vegetables and fruits we juice connect me with all Nature’s goodness has to offer, and with memories of wholeness.  I love the taste and smell of fresh cut ginger and its vibrant yellow color. I love the unique aroma of freshly cut flat parsley. And the intense flavor of freshly pressed kale. I love the bright orange of our freshly pressed turmeric. Or the sound of a stem of celery snapping, as it announces it’s freshness and vigor. And the sweet-sour note and promise of health a fresh cut ruby red grapefruit carries.

Nature's Colors for Health

Yet it is specifically the unique and intense colors of many fruits and vegetables that announce their healing and nutritional properties. Watermelon and red grapefruit get their red pinkish color from a uniquely high concentration of the phytochemical lycopene, known for its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. Red beets’ betalain antioxidant pigments give them their red color and are a powerful and relatively unique antioxidant that helps to improve cardiovascular health and lower blood pressure. Red apples have a high concentration of anthocyanins key to lowering blood sugar.  

Kale, spinach, and parsley are some of the healthiest vegetables around. Their high levels of chlorophyll are responsible for their bright, full green color. They are powerhouses of concentrated vitamins, minerals, and a whole spectrum of phytonutrients – all essential to a healthy body.  Unbeknownst to many, one cup of raw kale contains more and often multiples of 100% of the daily recommended value of Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K.

As these fruits and vegetables are allowed to ripen to maturity, their nutritional content increases and their flavors intensify. Government health bodies now recommend to eat at least 5 or more cups of fruits and vegetables every day to increase health, improve longevity and prevent disease. By eating fruits and vegetables from a variety of color groups, we benefit from the unique array of phytochemicals, essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that each color group has to offer.

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Tags: juicing, holistic nutrition, integrative health