Our brains respond to stress of any severity and form (click here to read about examples of stress), from skipping a meal to a death in the family. A healthy stress response involves a message from the brain to the adrenal glands (located above your kidneys), followed by a release of cortisol and adrenaline throughout…
In practice over the past 10 years, the most common question related to food intolerances is “what is the difference between food allergies and food intolerances?” For me the answer brings me back to a research project and presentation on food intolerances that I completed during my residency at Bastyr University. Food allergies (as classically…
My allergy symptoms started at a young age with the spring time pollen in Oregon. I remember sneezing non-stop and sleeping with a roll of toilet paper when I was a Sophomore in college thinking “there has got to be some way out of this!” Soon after, living on coffee and scones to get me…
Ever feel anxious and overwhelmed while racing to appointments or rushing to finish one more thing? Of course you do, you’re human! Even I sometimes find myself stressed out, thinking negative thoughts or not feeling so good (overwhelmed, headache, nausea, or tired). The trick is to be aware enough to catch myself! I find that…
Lately, when people ask what it is that I do, I describe myself as a medical detective. I look for the root cause; the common denominator amongst a conglomeration of symptoms. That is what we are seeking after all, isn’t it? An understanding of the original instigator or instigators, the removal of which can allow…
The past month has no doubt been a clear reminder to many of us that “we are what we eat.” For me it was. While enjoying time with family in beautiful central Oregon, I drifted off my gluten-free, dairy-free diet a couple times and was quickly reminded of the impact of gluten and dairy on…
Read “Anxiety and Depression: It All Starts With Stress” by Dr. Doni Wilson in the June-July 2009 issue of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal Click here and visit page 42 of the June-July issue now to read the article It’s just a click away!
Healing, and living a healthy life, involve more then addressing symptoms on a physical level. Mental, emotional and spiritual well-being are paramount to achieving your wellness goals. As many of you know, my passion is in understanding how each of our bodies respond to stress, the health conditions that result, and how to provide the…
Isn’t it interesting how we find ourselves in situations that are often more challenging that we ever believed we could endure? And in that moment of tension, as we experience what it is that we never thought we could do, we find that we are stronger then we ever thought. I hear this from patients…
