Integrative Health Blog

I have a friend who has instructions from one of her several physicians to slather herself with SPF 45 sunblock. Every day. All over.  

Apparently physical blocking like hats, shirts, long sleeves, etc. is insufficient, because of her autoimmune disease diagnosis. Her physician also said that she should plan to get all of her vitamin D from a bottle for the foreseeable future, since she needs to stay completely out of the sun. 

She asked: how do I pick a sunscreen product I feel safe using every day, all over? 

Good question. 

1. Make Social Connections with Others 

During this time of social distancing, most of us are spending much longer periods of time indoors, inside our homes.  As a pediatric physician, I always recommend spending as much time as possible in nature, but not every family has the benefit of a backyard that’s easily accessible. 

So, what can we do to improve our living space in the weeks ahead? 

One of my favorite studies exploring the relationship of indoor plants and air quality was conducted by NASA back in 1989.  I came across this study years ago, and often use it to validate to my husband any spontaneous purchases of Peace Lilies or English Ivy that I just had to have.

Anyway, this 2-year study entitled “Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement” was a joint effort with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America to see if houseplants could serve as a tool to combat indoor air pollution.  You see, at that time, something called “Sick Building Syndrome” was becoming apparent in American workers confined in newly constructed/renovated office buildings.  It was acknowledged during this study that various health problems (ranging from itchy eyes to headaches and fatigue) were due to the entrapment of toxic chemicals emitted from synthetic building materials, office equipment and office furnishings. 

This is heavy stuff, right? These findings were attributed to 2 things: super-insulation and reduced fresh air exchange.

The Power of Plants

The new 5G wireless promises to make our lives better with higher internet speed, larger bandwidth and smarter technology- but is there a downside?

Will increased electromagnetic exposure (EMFs) from 5G impact our health?

National Integrated Health Associates would like to invite you to an enlightening presentation on October 1, 2019, from Theodora Scarato, MSW, Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust in Washington, D.C.

Environmental Health Trust is a scientific think tank that publishes research, develops educational resources and briefs policymakers worldwide on environmental health issues.

Title: “5G, The Wireless Revolution and Your Health”

Date: October 1, 2019

Time:  6:30-7:30 p.m.

Location: National Integrated Health Associates, 5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, #402, Washington, D.C.

Speaker:  Theodora Scarato, MSW

Human beings tend to overcomplicate a lot of things. 

Many of us are guilty of thinking that anything worth achieving requires a lot of time and effort.   For example, if we want to lose weight, we must go on a complicated diet program designed by some famous doctor or health guru on the best sellers list.  Or, if we want to gain muscle, we have to work out every day for hours.  On the other hand, we think if it's easy it’s probably too good to be true or it won’t help, yet many of us want "easy" in this complicated, busy world.  The bottom line is, whether easy or hard, the basics of a healthy life need to be adhered to.  What are the basics?

• Healthy eating habits: Eat fruits, vegetables, proteins, minimize sugars

• Rest/Sleep: Get 8 hours of sleep per night, take naps and vacations

• Low stress levels: Minimize stress by setting boundaries at work, meditate and be grateful

• Hydration: Drink enough water (64 oz./day minimum) to sustain life in your body's tissue

• Personal: Do things that make you feel fulfilled, incorporate things that are your passion and inspire you

• Work: Do something that provides for the necessities in life, but also makes you feel like you are helping others or contributing to a greater good

But, there is one more important thing you must do for health and that is-

Food poisoning is most common during the hot summer months when temperatures soar and foods made with creams or dairy can become breeding grounds for infecting microbes. Additionally, many foods and contaminated water can carry parasites. Under-cooked foods, sushi, ground beef and unwashed fruits and produce such as lettuce can also harbor bacteria.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

Last Updated: July 14, 2021

Some time ago, I blogged about my friend who was instructed by her primary care doctor to use sunscreen daily, all over. At that time, the doctor suggested SPF 45, but he has since retracted that recommendation and now suggests using SPF 100. I have recently delved a little deeper into this issue for several reasons.

In my previous blog, I alluded to the fact that finding a sufficiently protective sunscreen isn’t always so easy for everyone. Active and inactive ingredients can pose problems for some (more on this below). Looking for SPF 100 products can narrow the field even further. Secondly, if physical sun screen creams and lotions leave you looking like an extra from The Walking Dead, you are unlikely to continue applying enough sunscreen.

On the other hand, according to my friend’s doctor, physical screening like hats, shirts, long sleeves, etc. is insufficient because of her autoimmune disease diagnosis. Her physician also suggested that she plan to get all of her vitamin D from a bottle for the foreseeable future since she needs to stay completely out of the sun. Lastly, sun screening technology continues to advance in ways that users should be aware of - and here I mean protective clothing, accessories and supplements. There is a lot online about choosing an appropriate SPF, so I won’t address that in this blog.

She asked: how do I pick a sunscreen product I feel safe using every day, all over?

Good question.

As a holistic physician, I get questions all the time about what may be a healthier alternatives for food, water, cleaning products, skin care products, etc. Enter Environmental Working Group, or EWG.org. The Environmental Working Group is an environmental organization that provides education and research on toxic chemicals, agriculture and public land. They offer Consumer Guides to skin care, pesticides in fruits and vegetables, home cleaning products and more with safety and hazard ratings for ingredients in each category.

What does opioid-induced constipation (OIC) have to do with the Super Bowl?

That’s because, in 2014, an estimated two million people in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain medicines². And nearly half of those on long-term opioids experience OIC³.

At a recent continuing medical education event, I was surprised to find an entire 90 minute session (plus a non-credit mini-session provided by a pharmaceutical company) devoted to opioid-induced constipation.

Apparently, as a nation, we are such avid users of prescription drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone and codeine, that we must now be concerned about people blowing out their colons because of severe OIC³. This goes far beyond stool softeners and every-so-often laxative use. Bowel perforation is certainly no laughing matter.

But the topic made me think of the common complaint of garden-variety constipation, and so I polled my colleagues at NIHA for their favorite approaches to constipation. 

Although we may eat and drink our way through the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, almost to a person, we wake up on January 1^st with every intention of doing things differently for throughout the coming year.

But what about just trying to clear the cobwebs, wash out the alcohol, get past the effects of all the salted and carmelized nuts, cheese plates, cookies and eggnog, and get moving after more than a few missed work-outs? You know, a jump-start to get to the lifestyle changes you plan to make for the year.

Here is a plan to obliterate the lingering effects of the Top Five Holiday Indulgences.