Dr. Mark and Dr. Chip's Healthy Blogs

Hello Everyone in Natural Health Nation-                 I hope that you had a great weekend and were able to rest up for the big week coming up.  Christmastime can be such a great time of year as most people are in a good mood and we get to talk to friends and relatives more than usual.  The goal is to keep the stress down to a minimum and just be happy and grateful that we survived another year.  It’s a great time to put past differences behind us and move forward into a new year of positive goals and good feelings.  The past is the past so let it go.  And don’t forget about your health goals for 2024.  At Natural Health, we’re trying to change the Health Care paradigm from that of disease management, as it is now, to actual true and vibrant health for all.  A lofty goal but you have to start somewhere.                 In our Health Shop this week, we’ll be talking about Handling Holiday Stressors.  There are some simple things to do to help your body and mind handle the differen

  6 Days Till Christmas! (Or whenever you see this message) Hi Natural Health Family. We are winding down to the end of the year. I imagine everyone is doing well and ready for the times ahead. It seems like there has been many changes throughout the year and I’m sure it won’t stop next year. Now, this month we are talking about sugar since it can be present during a lot of our end of the year festivities.. With that being said, I want to explore another way we can look at sugar.     When talking about sugar we can talk about a wide range of topics. Let’s first start off on the aspect that as a society we have lost many of our traditional ways to make food. This could be for various reasons such as convenience and marketing schemes that direct us to buy certain products. When we transitioned from eating whole foods that were prepared by hand and a lot of care was put into it to machine manufactured made to preserve shelf life kind of foods we changed many ways of how we obtain eat our

  STORY AT-A-GLANCE A variety of spices helps to relieve bloating by improving gut motility, stimulating digestion and relieving gas Fennel seeds are considered a natural remedy for digestive disorders, including heartburn, bloating, gas and even chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Ginger also has a long history of use as a natural digestive aid, useful for relieving nausea, indigestion, bloating and more Cumin essential oil has even shown promise for relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, including stomach pain and bloating Pepper is traditionally used as a carminative agent to help relieve gas as well as stimulate gastric secretions Bloating and a distended abdomen are among the most common gastrointestinal complaints. The symptoms of trapped gas in your stomach along with abdominal pressure and fullness are often accompanied by distension, or an increase in your abdomen’s girth. 1  Bloating may occur on its own or alongside other gastrointestinal di

  Welcome back Natural Health Family! It seems like it has been a fast year with everything going on. We had our office Christmas party over the weekend and allowed me to reflect on all that this year has been. Today I wanted to give my appreciation and say thank you to all who have been with us throughout the year. Sometimes we just must stop, take a step back, and realize how extraordinary life really is. How has this year been for you? Have you had ups and downs? Have you had big accomplishments? Any fun moments that really stood out? Many times, going through life we can be in different phases such as accomplishing big feats, graduating school, starting a family, starting a business, going through loss, etc. However, sometimes we forget all that led up to that point. We can forget the small little things that really help to keep us moving in the right direction. Whether it was a kind gesture from a stranger, a random call from a helpful friend, a gift from a family member, having c

  Hello Everyone in Natural Health Nation-                 I hope that you have a great weekend and were able to get your Christmas shopping almost done.   It seems like we’re never completely done until the last day as we keep thinking of ways to help others be happy during the holidays.   It almost becomes like an obsessive/ compulsive disorder.   We’ve lucked out with some halfway decent weather but I’m sure it will get cold eventually.   We’re seeing several patients now with colds and flu which usually happens when they start with the jabs.   It’s just really important to realize that we have an immune system that can keep us from having problems if we strengthen it during the cold weather.   All that mainstream medicine wants to do is worry about the bugs and give no good information on strengthening your immune system.   It’s the opposite here at Natural Health, where we focus on how the body is supposed to work and the underlying causes of why a person gets sick.           

  STORY AT-A-GLANCE Colds and the flu are caused by viruses, which means antibiotics are not effective treatments and can actually lengthen the time you are sick There are many different ways you can shorten the amount of time you suffer with a virus and help prevent a recurrence Do not use over-the-counter remedies as they often contain substances now found to suppress your ability to fight the virus and will extend the time you suffer from a cold Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published February 6, 2017. Your nose is running, your eyes are itchy and watery, you have a low-grade fever and you've been sneezing all day. You probably have a cold. They are the leading cause of doctor visits and missed days at work and school. The average adult in America will suffer between two and four colds each year. Despite advancements in medical care and treatment, traditional western medicine has little to offer in the care and treatment of the common cold. That

  It’s December! How’s everyone doing in the Natural Health Family? I imagine everyone is doing well especially since this year has been mild regarding the weather. This time of the year can be challenging but it also can be a time of excitement. The holidays remind us that we can be joyous even when there seems to be chaos and issues in the world. Celebration is not only found in our holiday seasons but can be a choice for us every day of our lives. Let’s talk about how we can bring more joy into our lives. When was a time where you may have been upset, worried, overwhelmed, scared, etc? It may have been a year ago, a month, or even very recent. Now I ask you, where you are right now, can you say that whatever the circumstance or event that happened, did it work out? Many times, we can catch ourselves in the hustle and bustle of the world, the way we think it should go, the endless chatter of the mind, the minor issues that we sometimes complain about, and the list can go on. Howeve