We are moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and I’m purchasing an established business called Natural Health Services, Inc. When I least expected it, this opportunity appeared and after doing thorough research, it was too good to pass up! The current owner is selling the business, because his wife, who was a Doctor of Naturopathy (different than a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine), passed away last August. Natural Health Services currently offers colonics, NAET allergy elimination treatments, and biomeridian assessments. I start on September 4th and will work as an employee for 3-6 months as I pay for and learn the business end of things from the owner. I have a lot of learning ahead of me!ÌýÌý

Prospective students–when there’s a will, there’s a way! If you feel deeply called to study naturopathic medicine, follow your passion. Yes, the education is a long and it’s an expensive journey, but there is a tremendous need for what we do. I feel fulfilled daily and it’s extremely rewarding to help people reclaim their health.

Goodbye! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at mary.f.simon@gmail.com.Ìý

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I am crazy busy getting ready for the next step!Ìý I thought that by this point things would have settled down, but there are so many plans that are in progress that all require a lot of work. Here’s a quick overview of what I’ve been doing, and what still needs to be done to prepare for life after graduation.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was in California and got back last week Wednesday. Seeing other NDs in practice helps me sort out how I do, and do not want my future practice to look. One of the most valuable things I took away from observing experienced docs is how they break down complicated medicine into simple analogies that patients can grasp. “Doctor as Teacher” is one of theÌýnaturopathicÌýtenets, and the doctors that I observed truly embodied this.

Last week Wednesday night I returned from California. Thursday and Friday I was back theÌý911±¬ÁÏ Whole Health Center. After clinic on Friday, and also on Saturday, I was in Milwaukee to look for apartments. There were two great options that were close to where I’ll be working (details on that to come next blog post), but by the time we made our decision, both had already been taken. Therefore, I’ll have to find time to go back again soon, because graduation is on August 17th and we have to be out of our campus apartment on the 19th! Moving will be a huge process with having to sort through 4+ years of class notes, books, and stuff we’ve accumulated.

On Sunday we celebrated our daughter Jade’s first birthday. It’s amazing to think that a whole year has passed already! Coordinating all of that in the midst of everything else during the past few weeks was crazy, but it all came together at the end. We had her party at a park, and it was a lot of fun.

This week, in addition to my regular clinic shift I am doing my second week at the Chicago Salvation Army clinic. To complete my graduation requirements, I need to do two more orthopedic exams. I’m sure there will be the opportunity to do so here this week.

One thing that has been very lacking is self-care. I hope to be able to be treated as a patient and get some constitutional hydrotherapy sessions now through graduation to help rebuild and restore my body from all the stress, and to also get more sleep.

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Last week Thursday and Friday I was with Dr. Devin Wilson at Born Naturopathic Associates in Alameda. He prescribes and administers nutritional IVs as one of his top healing modalities. It was great to see this therapy, because we are unable to give IVs in the 911±¬ÁÏ clinic, as Illinois is a pre-licensed state for naturopathic medicine.ÌýAlthough IVs are higher on the therapeutic order, they are the fastest way to boost nutrient levels, and patients usually experience rapid effects.

Later this week I’ll observe Dr. Elizabeth Korza at Tara Natural Medicine in Piedmont, and next week Dr. Claire Glaser at San Francisco Natural Medicine; both of them have expertise in women’s health and endocrinology.

I not only came to California for clinical observation, but also to visit my sister, with whom my daughter Jade and I are staying for two weeks.ÌýMy mom also came with us to help with Jade while my sister and I are working. It’s been nice for all of us to spend quality time together, and I’m blessed with all their help taking care of Jade.

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911±¬ÁÏ a week and a half ago, all the 10th trimester ND students went on our 10th tri dinner with Dr. Louise Edwards. “Dr. Lou” is an elder in the naturopathic profession, and she was the very first professor we met on Monday morning of 1st trimester in the Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine class. The foundation was laid strong, and repeated over and over in all of the classes she taught, and I’m forever grateful to be truly rooted in the naturopathic principles and philosophy. Treating patients with these two aspects in mind will lead to a successful practice, and patients will improve.

After dinner with Dr. Lou, it really feels like August will be here in a flash. I’m in the home stretch, counting down to graduation…Forty-six days from writing this post. My plans post-graduation are starting to line up, and I’m excited to share my next step with you in a future blog post once things are solidified!

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While allopathic medicine is not the way I view healthcare should be, observing the internist was a worthwhile experience.ÌýLiving and working in my naturopathic bubble made me forget what most people are used to when going to a conventional medical doctor!ÌýI became more familiar with the most common pharmaceuticals to treat diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.ÌýMedical management of disease was done at every visit, with most patients having medications altered or added.Ìý

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The chiropractor I shadowed has his clinic connected to a day spa run by his wife, and his daughter leases space as an acupuncturist.ÌýHaving many healing modalities in one place is the way I envision my future practice. Some tools the chiropractor used were laser and ultrasound, along with spinal manipulation.ÌýDr. Kumbalek is also a functional medicine practitioner, but we didn’t see any patients seeking out functional medicine during my two days.

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I’m trying to fill my schedule with more clinical observation, because we are required to go on observation for 20 days before graduation.ÌýI have three more scheduled, and I’m going to keep seeking out more practitioners from whom to learn!

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The patients were so thankful for the chiropractic (and naturopathic) care offered to them.ÌýMany of the patients do jobs that require a lot of physical labor which causes them back pain and stiffness. I was able to help do a few orthopedic exams to rule out red flags and do spinal manipulations to loosen up and increase blood flow to the areas.

Other patients needed internal medicine support, such as assistance with managing diabetes, hypertension, and psoriatic arthritis.ÌýThe dispensary at Salvation Army has many botanical and homeopathic medicines which have all been donated so that the patients are not charged.ÌýPatients also receive the office visits free of charge, which allows them to access care as frequently as needed without any financial burden.

Last week was my first of two weeks at Salvation Army; I will return at the beginning of August for the second week. I look forward to going back and hopefully caring for some of the same patients again to see their progress!

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Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, usually in the pelvic cavity; however, it can occur in other areas of the body as well. With every menstrual cycle, the lesions bleed and activate pain receptors, causing immense pain and suffering.Ìý911±¬ÁÏ 10% of menstruating women are affected by this condition.

There are a few theories on how the condition comes about: retrograde flow, altered cell immunity, and environmental toxins.ÌýRetrograde flow is where menstrual blood flows backward and into the pelvic cavity and then the endometrial cells implant into other tissues.ÌýHowever, the problem with this theory is that over 90% of menstruating women have retrograde flow. Likely, there are other factors at play.ÌýAltered cell immunity is a theory that endometrial tissue of embryologic origin traveled through lymphatic channels and blood vessels to other areas of the body.ÌýThen, when activated, they secrete chemicals causing local capillaries to bleed, further causing pain.ÌýMany environmental toxins have been associated with endometriosis, especially dioxin and radiation.

Conventional treatments for endometriosis include laparoscopic surgery to excise the lesions, pharmaceuticals such as hormones to affect the menstrual cycle, and pain killers.

There are several naturopathic therapies that I used with this patient:

– Botanical tincture – to help balance estrogen/progesterone

– Kali phos and mag phos cell salts – to decrease menstrual cramps, stress, fatigue, and mental/emotional symptoms around her cycle

– Constitutional hydrotherapy – to tonify the autonomic nervous system

– Botanicals for liver support and castor oil packs – to support the liver’s metabolism of estrogen

– Cold laser for pain – cold laser has anti-inflammatory effects which reduces pain locally

– Gemmotherapy – specific gemmos have anti-sclerotic properties that can help break up endometrial lesions

Notice that with naturopathic medicine, several therapies can be used, and there isn’t just one protocol to stick to.ÌýIndividualizing care is key!ÌýThis case was a wonderful learning opportunity for me to be persistent and patient while utilizing a wide range of therapies to support the body.

If you have questions, comments, or ideas for future blog posts, let me know atÌýmarysimon@student.nuhs.edu!

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I started researching and reading information written by naturopathic doctors who specialize in environmental medicine, and the consensus was that there are two which are the best—IQAir and Austin Air. My husband and chose the latter, and it arrived a few weeks ago.

The first night that we had the air purifier, we left it in the living room, and our bedroom door was closed. The next morning when I opened our bedroom door, it smelled like I was walking into a forest. The second night, we moved the air purifier into our bedroom, and the next morning when I came into the living room, the air felt heavy and contaminated. I can’t think of any other way to describe it. Naturally, I was hoping that I would notice some difference after having spent $600, and I was blown away with the difference that it made! 

Indoor air pollution can be caused by the off-gassing of building materials, paint, furniture, flooring, carpets, and more. According to the 911±¬ÁÏ Park Service, these are the main :

• Mobile sources – Cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains
• Stationary sources – Power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories
• Area sources – Agricultural areas, cities, and wood burning fireplaces
• Natural sources – Wind-blown dust, wildfires, and volcanoes

Image source: nps.gov

The first one listed is the most prevalent in Chicagoland. There are hundreds of thousands (if not more) cars on the road daily and idling is common with bad traffic. Another source that will be arriving shortly with spring is pollen! I fully expect the purifier will help reduce misery and allow us to sleep well, even with allergens in the air. 

This is my last blog for the spring trimester. My next post will be in May. If you have questions, comments, or ideas for future blog posts, let me know at marysimon@student.nuhs.edu!

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The Process of Healing flowchart was made by Dr. Jared Zeff, ND, and it describes how the body is constantly adapting and trying to maintain a healthy state.

Ìý Source:Ìýwww.songofhealth.com

Health is constantly being thrown off kilter by imbalances in the determinants of health which cause disturbance of functions.ÌýThe determinants of health are things like nutrition, hydration, sunlight, fresh air, supportive relationships, exercise, etc.ÌýSigns and symptoms are compensatory responses that are indicative of disturbances in the determinants of health.ÌýThey should not be suppressed or covered up — they are signals trying to alert you that something needs to change!ÌýÌý

The compensatory responses can resolve through a discharge that restores health, or if the imbalance in the determinants isn’t corrected, a chronic reaction results.ÌýFrom the chronic reaction state, you can either move back into a compensatory response (and then hopefully discharge and health), or a degeneration of function or tissue.

The process of healing is fundamental to the success of naturopathic medicine. Many patients who seek out naturopathic medicine have chronic conditions that seem to be “managed” by conventional medicine, but patients want to restore health and not have to deal with the condition forever!ÌýUnderstanding that the imbalances in the determinants of health are what is driving the compensatory responses, and thus the chronic reaction allows us to find and remove the root causes of the condition.Ìý

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Source: mayoclinic.org

The medical terminology for tongue tie is and it is a malformation of the tongue that restricts normal movement. In babies, this can negatively impact the transfer of milk when nursing and lead to colic. If it isn’t corrected in a procedure called a frenectomy by either by an ENT doc who snips it, or a dentist who lasers it, future problems can arise.

After researching more, I realize that there are many adults with tongue tie ranging anywhere from mild to severe. Here are some health conditions that may be partially caused by it:

Poor dentition – Restricted tongue movements can reduce the flow of saliva in the mouth, thereby contributing to cavities.

TMJ dysfunction – During development, tongue movements impact the placement of teeth and jaw structure. When the tongue is tied down, the mouth and jaw tend to be smaller and more narrow which contribute to sub-optimal movements of the temporomandibular joint, which can cause pain.

Sleep apnea – Similar to above, limited tongue movements impact normal development and placement of structures and airways tend to be smaller than normal.

Speech issues – Intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles must work in harmony to form a variety of tongue movements to produce different speech sounds. When the tongue is restricted, certain sounds are harder to produce like l, r, t, d, n, th, sh, and z, as well as overall articulation of words.

In naturopathic medicine, we always try to find minimally invasive natural methods to improve health such as botanicals, hydration, hydrotherapy, etc. However, for some conditions, such as tongue tie, using high-force intervention like surgery may be necessary!

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