Valentine Greetings!

Greetings (from Doctor Erin)

This month's e-news is dedicated to all of us seeking and receiving the love in our lives we need and deserve! Dr. Liz and I have been buzzing away, working on multiple projects and preparing the new info for this e-news. Dr. Liz has also had quite a time speaking this winter; she's given several talks already and is being sought out to give even more. There is a full calendar of events up and coming (see below) that should not be missed!

The office has been very busy, despite my absence. Alissa is maintaining pace, as always and continues her implementation of new systems and projects. I haven't been missing the newfound COLD weather I've been hearing about up in Cleveland, even though I plan to come and experience it for myself. I will be in Cleveland, seeing patients the first week in March; please call to schedule soon if you would like to have a dual appointment with Dr. Liz and myself, as we expect the week to fill up.

Spring is a great time of year to do a detoxifying cleanse, because it is a time of transition and growth. Dr. Liz is gearing up to guide interested patients through a detoxifying cleanse this spring. We will provide more detailed information in our April Newsletter. Please let us know if you are interested.

Finally, as you know, we are also offering extended hours on Monday and Wednesday evenings until 6:30pm. While this is predominantly to accomodate patients who need appointments after the 9-5 workday, the office is also open for people who need to pick things up until 6:30pm. Please schedule appointments and orders with Alissa before 5pm whenever possible.

Call for QUESTIONS!

My time in Louisiana is turning out to be quite eye-opening with respect to my views, thoughts, opinions and rants on health and disease. After having been in practice for almost 10 years, it has been especially fruitful to take the time to review, reflect and read on what I have encountered in naturopathic medicine over the years. I feel I am gaining new clarity when it comes to why and how people become sick. I am actively applying these learnings to my everyday work with patients; and have started carving out time to get some of these thoughts to paper (or hard drive, as the case may be!). As many of you may have previously read, I am working on writing a book that details the particular version of natural medicine we use at Options Naturopathic Clinic. I am actively solicting basic questions to stimulate my writing. So if these words make you wonder, please share your wonderings with me. Please send your questions directly to me at doctorerin@gmail.com. I will not send a reply-to anyone directly-you must wait for the final draft! Some examples would be: "How does homeopathy work?", "Are there side effects?" and "What exactly do these therapies do?"
I appreciate your solicitations to inspire what needs to be shared!

An Alternative View on the Heart (a word from Dr. Liz)

As you know, it is important to take steps to care for your heart on a physiologic level. It is also essential to learn how to "listen to your heart" and what it is "telling" you on a daily basis. Rudolph Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, describes the heart as a sense organ and an organ for inner perception. He explains that communication involves rhythm and the heart moves in a rhythmic fashion enabling blood to communicate with every cell in our body. When a person has a problem with communication with his or her self this affects the rhythm of communication on a physiologic level. Thus, it is important to determine the cardiac imbalance on a physiologic level. And, if we seriously consider the writings of Rudolph Steiner, we realize it is essential to determine if issues of love, issues of the soul or issues of unmet passion need acknowledgement and attention.

People often shut down their heart or ignore their heart's "voice," to avoid loss, disappointment or uncomfortable feelings. It takes courage to listen to what your heart has to say. When a person is willing to learn how to listen to his or her heart, it can open up the possibility of living more fully and joyfully. Recently, researchers have been studying the affect of happiness and positive emotions on a physiologic level. What they are finding is that positive emotional states are protective against heart disease. One example is from the Institute of HeartMath, a research center that focuses on studying the heart and the physiology of emotions. The Institute has conducted numerous studies identifying the relationship between emotions and the heart. Their researchers have found that our emotions directly impact our heart rhythm patterns. When we experience positive emotions our heart rhythms produce a smooth and ordered pattern, like a lighthouse beacon. They have also observed that stress, anger, worry, or anxiety make the heart rhythm pattern look chaotic and uneven. Their studies have provided new insight into understanding how the action of the heart, on a physiologic level, is linked to our emotions, our health, our vitality and well-being.

Take the time to ask your heart if it has something to tell you. You may find that this step helps to lower high blood pressure, lessen the frequency of palpitations or release tension in the chest. Listening to your heart and doing what it tells you can also lessen the intensity of physical symptoms not related to the heart. It requires practice, so be patient with yourself when you decide to interact with your heart on an emotional level. One way to start conversing with your heart is to write in a journal on a regular basis. Another way is to draw a picture with your non-dominant hand. For instance, if you are right handed, draw with your left hand and see what unfolds. Music can also "open" your connection with your heart. There are numerous ways to "get in touch" with your heart. If you slow down and take the time it will let you know the tools you need to help you develop a stronger relationship with yourself.

In the News....

Texas Mandates Cervical Cancer Vaccine Gov. Rick Perry signed an order making Texas the first state to require schoolgirls to get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. Beginning in September 2008, girls ages 11 and 12 will be required to get the new vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus (HPV). "The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer," Perry said in announcing the mandate.

Dr. Erin's comment: I find this news incredibly disturbing, not to mention dangerous. Vaccines are no solution to cancer and such mandates are only a perpetuation of those same misunderstandings that have been misleading the fight against cancer for over 50 years. Viruses are not the sole cause of any type of cancer, despite a likely interrelationship. Until medicine begins to understand that there are more than a few forces at hand in the development of any cancer, and thus begins to address such illness on a comprehensive, or wholistic level, we will still be taking a shot in the dark. If such a trend were to continue across the U.S., the pharmaceutical industry could profit billions of dollars. Who is really winning here?
This article tells even more.

Upcoming Events

February

The Women's Health Series at WILD OATS-2 sessions left
Thurs Feb. 15th and 22nd. 6:30-7:30pm.
• 15th: Preventing Osteoporosis
• 22nd: Preventing PMS

March
Healthy Food: Healthy Eating
Thursday March 29th
Liz Cavin N.D. (with Ed Miller, M.D.)
Mustard Seed, Solon
5:30 Registration & Networking before talk begins around 6:45.
Members of MBSC (Mind Body Spirit Connected), first-time guests & full-time students $25; Non-members $30
Advance, paid reservations are due by Monday, 2/12
Register online here

Oregon Bread - GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN!

Dry Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

Spray pan with vegetable spray. Proof yeast in warm water while combining dry ingredients. Add olive oil, honey, vinegar and proofed yeast to a large mixing bowl. With mixer turned to low, spoon in dry ingredients. Check to see if more water is needed. Beat on high speed for 3 ½ minutes. Dough will thicken slightly while beating and should resemble cake batter. Pour the batter into a pan and cover and let rise about 25 minutes in a warm location. Dough should come to top of pan or slightly above before placing in over. Bake at 400 for fifteen minutes, then cover with foil and bake another 50 minutes. Bread can be tested with toothpick for doneness; crust should be crisp when tapped with fingernail. Turn the bread out of the pan for cooling and cool completely before slicing or storing.

Observations: If the dough is too moist, it will rise too much while baking, causing it to overflow and have large holes in the center. For best results, the bread should rise about an inch while baking. This is the trickiest part.

If the bread is cut before it is completely cool, it may still be gummy inside.
Refrigerate it after a day or two in the summer, because it will mold easier than wheat bread.

Using bread machines for this bread, including one with a “no gluten” setting, have not been successful.