Health Info You Need
Here you will find a wealth of cutting-edge and expert health resources. Instead of repeating generic health information easily found on many internet sites, I focus on presenting an assortment of research and information that is less accessible to the casual reader.
Browse the resources compiled here and contact me if you want more personalized assistance with becoming the healthiest you.
New categories and resources are being added all the time!
- CAM – Complementary & Alternative Medicine
- Cancer Prevention, Treatment, & Immunotherapy (including Bladder Cancer and Other Cancers)
- Digestive Health (including Gluten Sensitivity & Celiac Disease)
- Healthy Lifestyle (including Exercise, Food, and Vitamins / Nutritional Supplements)
- Healthy Weight / Detox
- Heart Health
- Holistic/Integrative Medicine
- Women’s Health (including Healthy Pregnancy)
- Miscellaneous
Complementary and alternative medicine has never been more popular. Nearly 40 percent of adults report using complementary and alternative medicine, also called CAM for short. Doctors are embracing CAM therapies, too, often combining them with mainstream medical therapies — spawning the term “integrative medicine.”
-Mayo Clinic Staff
Learn about life-preserving lifestyle changes, the importance of supporting your immune system, and new or alternative cancer treatments. Advocate for research into safer solutions. Make more informed treatment choices based on current research.
General
Advocacy
- annieappleseedproject.org is a non-profit helping us make more informed treatment choices by providing current research and information. Find out more about the woman who started this here.
Articles
- Cancer Today Magazine: About new research in immunotherapy against cancer (especially melanoma)
- Interesting perspective in this article on a sometimes controversial topic about taking vitamins and/or supplements during cancer treatment.
- Handout on natural evidence-based therapies to reduce toxicity, developed by Annie Appleseed Project.
Blogs
- Livingly Dying is a personal blog about living with terminal cancer.
Books
- Radical Remissions by Kelly Turner PhD: Presents her research with cancer patients who suddenly or unexpectedly experienced remission. She is speaking at the Annie Appleseed Project conference in Feb 2015.
- Life Over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment by Keith Block, MD: Comprehensive volume about integrative cancer treatment.
- Healthy Home by Wentz & Wentz: Helps us detoxify our homes, one room at a time.
- The Definitive Guide to Thriving After Cancer: A Five-Step Integrative Plan to Reduce the Risk of Recurrence and Build Lifelong Health (Alternative Medicine Guides) by Lise N. Alschuler & Karolyn A. Gazelle.
Innovative Cancer Treatments in use
The following protocols do not involve chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery (though perhaps they may be used in conjunction with traditional treatments):
- Low-dose Naltrexone
- Mistletoe (Iscador)
- IV Vitamin C
- Verthermia (in clinical trials) is an early stage hyperthermia treatment
Podcasts & Radio Talk Shows
- 5 to Thrive on w4cs radio: An innovative weekly radio talk show (online Tues 7pm) on health promotion for those living with cancer, translating key research and introducing you to leading experts of integrative healthcare.
Professional Associations & Resources
- Dr Keith Block: Referred to by many as the “father of integrative oncology”. I personally visited Dr. Block’s clinic in Chicago, IL.
- Environmental Defense Fund website about toxins in your home: They think differently about environmental solutions and value collaboration.
- Naturopathic Oncology: A professional society for naturopathic doctors who specialize in naturopathic oncology. These integrative oncologists understand how to integrate standard treatments with alternative therapies in a collaborative model of cancer co-treatment. They understand the science that explains why some supplements may make chemotherapy, radiation and other medical treatments more cytotoxic, killing cancer cells more effectively, and which supplements may prevent treatments from working. They seek out therapies that trigger apoptosis in cancer cells, that is trigger the cancer cells to commit suicide, destroying the tumor.
- Sanoviv.com: A fully-licensed hospital and medical facility that combines the best of conventional medicine and proven alternative medicine. I can provide more personal information about Sanoviv if you contact me.
- Society for Integrative Oncology and guide for using internet for medical information.
Research
- 2012 meeting summaries from the annual Annie Appleseed Project CAM For Cancer conference
- Exciting report of studies that found certain nuts can prevent cancer – top winners are walnuts and pecans.
Videos & Webinars
- in progress – check this page periodically for updates
Websites
- in progress – check this page periodically for updates
Bladder Cancer
Miscellaneous Resources
- Cystoscopies can detect cancer better with Blue Light technology or Narrow Band Imaging but doctors don’t change their methods. Insurance coverage has been an issue too for Blue Light technology (which requires anesthesia and an expensive drug).
- BCAN resource library http://www.bcan.org/learn/online-resource-library/
- Walk for Bladder Cancer: May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month. BCAN is leading the way to the cure.
Other Cancers
Miscellaneous Resources
- N.E.D. (No Evidence of Disease): 1-hour movie about gynecologic oncology doctors who formed a rock band and play music to raise awareness about the 5 women’s gynecological cancers, the importance of early diagnosis, symptoms, and the lack of diagnostic tools…thus the need for advocacy.
- CAM for Cancer annual conference
Learn how digestion is essential to overall health and what threatens digestive health. Expert and cutting-edge resources for common and difficult-to-treat problems with digestion and gut health such as IBS, heartburn or acid reflux, candida and bacteria imbalance (SIBO).
General
Articles
- Dr. Allison Siebecker created this website to empower people suffering from IBS and SIBO. The Natural College of Natural Medicine now hosts an annual SIBO symposium
- good overview article of what hurts our gut and why, informed by Liz Lipski @ a Maryland Univ
- Leaky gut (intestinal permeability)
- in progress – check this page periodically for updates
Books
- A New IBS Solution: Bacteria-The Missing Link in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Dr Mark Pimentel: Describes SIBO as the underlying cause of IBS for both constipation and diarrhea types. Includes recipes.
- Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet by Elaine Gottschall: Describes SIBO without naming it as such and presents the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as a treatment. Includes recipes. This was the first and only thing that helped me after years of GI distress – eliminating starch from my diet.
- Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride: Describes SIBO without naming it as such and presents the Gaps treatment protocol using a variation of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Detox and Supplements. Includes recipes.
Videos & Webinars
- NPR microbiome video: A fascinating and informative look at the links between healthy digestion, gut health, and your immune system.
- The Gut-Brain Axis video by Dr. Datis Kharrazian: This expert in GI health explains SIBO (small intestines bacteria overgrowth) and other digestive disturbances, especially about how the Vagus nerve is involved. He explains the brain connection to SIBO about 18 minutes into the video but you’d understand it better in context by watching the video from the beginning or reading his book. He also explains in this video that Parkinson’s Disease begins in the gut.
- Dr. Allison Siebecker does a Q&A session in this 30-minute video about treating SIBO. Very informative, and she names specific probiotics and prokinetics to use.
- David Perlmutter MD Vlog: A neurologist and author of “Grain Brain” who maintains a video archive of his talks on a variety of related topics. He also has a YouTube page.
Gluten Sensitivity / Celiac Disease
Articles
- Dr. Tom provides the latest information and resources concerning gluten on his website. The information I learned from attending the Gluten Summit had a profound impact on my knowledge and my health. I learned why gluten could be impacting me despite an absence of immediate symptoms and learned where to get the proper testing (Cyrex Labs) which revealed the underlying cause of certain undiagnosed GI problems.
- The Gluten-Free Society website is the ultimate resource for patients and doctors.
Blogs
- Teen’s blog about living with food restrictions
Books
- Feed Your Cells!: 7 Ways to Make Health Food Fast, Easy, And Gluten Free! by Naturopathic Doctor Andrea Purcell
Videos & Webinars
- Great 4-min video. Dr Tom explains gluten-related disorders including celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Learn why you can’t just take an enzyme and eat gluten anyway.
- Oatmeal for breakfast? Dr. Perlmutter explains in 2 minutes about gluten contamination as well as glycemic disadvantages of eating oatmeal.
Learn how to eat, move, and love life. Find how and why quality vitamins and supplements may play a role in your health and well-being.
Chronic illness is often developing while we have symptoms that we ignore and tolerate, but we’re told this is a normal part of aging. The good news is that you can probably feel a lot better than you do now; plus, making a few small changes may really do your body a favor in the long run. Preventing chronic disease contributes more to the quality of our life and not just the length.
General
Articles and Books
- 4-7-8 breathing: My favorite breathing exercise. I teach it to people every day!
- The Healthy Home: This book provides guidance about reducing toxins in your home. Surprisingly there are generally more toxins inside our homes than outside. Open your windows for fresh air when you can!
Exercise/Movement
Tips
- Move! Learn the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and 6 seconds of exercise for elderly
- Individuals study the Alexander Technique seeking relief from pain, stress, or injury and to improve the quality of their lives. My teacher in Richmond, Joy Paoletto, has been immeasurably helpful.
- T’ai Chi Chih is a moving meditation practice that reduces stress and relieves pain. Plus it’s fun! Deanna Rasch is the only accredited provider in Richmond, and she’s a great teacher!
Food
Articles
- Time Magazine admits they were wrong to vilify butter and saturated fats
- NY Times beautiful website to find healthy recipes for restricted diets
- infographic on healing powers of ginger
- Environmental Working Group: This organization publishes the Dirty Dozen and other guides to eating clean. They also have a new food shopping app based on their assigned food scores.
- Comprehensive scientific information about the risks of genetic modification of foods.
- Short video by Dr Jeffrey Smith (Institute for Responsible Technology). Explains the risks of genetically-modified (GMO) foods.
Books
Vitamins & Nutritional Supplements
Miscellaneous Resources
- A recent study found benefits for long-term multivitamin/multimineral users. Supplements vary greatly in quality, so invest only in supplements you can trust. USANA award-winning supplements are tested and guaranteed to: 1) match the ingredients with what’s listed on the label, 2) be free of contamination from toxins, and 3) disintegrate for proper absorption.
- Dr. Mark Hyman explains flaws in vitamin studies based on good science and why supplements have value.
- Dr. Christiane Northrup discusses the safety of supplements vs medications.
- http://www.pinterest.com/usana/
Healthy lifestyle solutions for you.
General
Articles
- WellBody: I offer a comprehensive program for learning how and why to eat low-glycemic as well as assistance with implementing these changes.
- Healthy convenience food: Dr Hyman suggests strategies for eating healthy and keeping it convenient.
Books
- Is Your Lifestyle Killing You? Eight Simple Steps for Lasting Weight Loss and Optimal Health by Dr Karen Wolfe: 8 simple steps for a lasting healthy lifestyle solution. Good reading if you are interested in my WellBody coaching.
Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, & Metabolic Syndrome
Education/Information
- Informative USANA infographic about eating low glycemic
- Dr. Hyman’s article on reversing diabetes and insulin resistance
- Can your fingernails reveal something about your health status? Dr Kara Fitzgerald writes about the symptoms of nails as the metabolic soul
- Give yourself a metabolic tuneup, courtesy of Dr. Mark Hyman.
Websites
- I think Dr. Mark Hyman does the best and most comprehensive work in this area – very accessible to the public with videos, books, etc. USANA foods and the WellBody Detox/Weight Loss coaching program that I offer teaches low glycemic eating and is very much in line withDr. Hyman’s recommendations.
Learn to maintain energy, well-being, and a healthy cardiovascular system.
General
Articles
- Dr. Ladd McNamara, author of “Cholesterol Conspiracy”, talks about a different perspective on cholesterol testing.
- Lisa VanOstrand, DMQ, writes a 3-part series focusing on how medical qi gong can benefit the physical, mental-emotional and spiritual aspects of the heart. The first article describes how to use posture, breath, and intention for optimal heart health. In Part II, she describes a healing exercise that focuses on emotional disharmonies. Part III provides several meditations (forgiveness, pain, connection) that focus on spiritual aspects of the heart.
Research
- A recent study found that people who had taken multivitamins/multi-minerals long-term were significantly less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, and this was even more pronounced for women. This apparent (preventive) benefit occurred only for people who took multivitamins with multi-minerals and for those who took these supplements for at least 3 years.
Websites
- Information on the latest Vitamin D news and research.
Learn from trusted sources what integrative, functional, holistic, and alternative medicine have to offer.
General
Professional Associations & Resources
- Naturopathic Physician’s professional association AANP: Aims to increase awareness and expand the body of knowledge.
- The Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine unites the many voices in integrative health.
- Functional Medicine
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at the National Institute for Health
- Learn Qigong at a retreat
- Chinese Herbs from a trusted source, Dr. Wong
- Jin Shin Jyutsu can help you get your body back in balance. This center in Scottsdale, AZ holds classes to teach self-help and to become teachers.
Websites
- Naturopathic Doctor News and Review (NDNR): This site informs and educates physicians on recent developments in the practice of natural medicine.
- Health Guides: Health guides make it easy to access data and articles from GreenMedInfo on various health topics.
- Acupuncture Today: News source for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Learn more about women’s health and the role of integrative and functional medicine.
General
Articles
- Resource links and information about the 5 major “below-the-belt” gynecological cancers which often are diagnosed late.
- in progress – check this page periodically for updates
Books
- Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom (Revised Edition): Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing by Christiane Northrup, MD:
Websites
- Dr. Christiane Northrup’s website: She is an authority on women’s integrative health and encourages us to think outside the box.
Healthy Pregnancy
Books
- The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility by Nancy Dunne and Bill Slater: Written by a naturopathic doctor and offers research on non-pharmacologic approaches.
Hormones
Here you will find some additional resources which don’t fit the above categories.
General
Articles
- Chapped Lips may be connected to problems with digestion: Dr Kara Fitzgerald describes her treatment of someone with chapped lips and SIBO (an under-diagnosed bacterial imbalance affecting digestive health), revealing a fascinating link between them.
Books
- Browse these books authored by naturopathic doctors. Please return to my website and use the Amazon search box in the upper right corner of each page if you decide to purchase something.
Websites
- Interactive bibliography of scholarly articles about neurofeedback and its clinical applications. On another website about neurofeedback there are short videos about how neurofeedback helps with various conditions, such as this one about insomnia. Finally, see eeginfo.com to learn more about training the brain to function more efficiently using these biofeedback techniques.
Check this page periodically for updates.
Please use the search box in the upper right of each page whenever you shop at Amazon. *Note: Jan Altman, PhD, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.