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Is your Sunscreen Causing CANCER? Find out!

June 4th, 2014 at 5:13 pm

Is this cancer causing ingredient in your sunscreen?

image courtesy of mensjournal.com

Recently, the EWG, Environmental Working Group released its annual report regarding sunscreens and the results were electrifying! Less than 8% of those studied-(approximately 500), held up to their claims and could be recommended based on the

safety of their ingredients. Since melanoma rates have been on the rise for decades could

Sunscreen be a culprit?

One controversial subject is the toxicity of their sun blocking ingredients. Another new topic is the presence of retinol palmitate or other retinols, which are forms of vitamin A, think Retin A a prescription drug, which is known to accelerate photosensitivity. In a recent animal study, 21% of mice pretreated with retinols experienced lesions compared to a control group.

The EWG is currently advising consumers to avoid sunscreens containing the substance.

An underappreciated dilemma with regard to sunscreen is that most consumers do not know how to use them properly. SPF just refers to the fact that it extends the time one can spend in the sun without burning as opposed to those with unprotected skin. Care must be taken to reapply every couple of hours. Even with a high quality sun block care should be taken to avoid the most powerful rays, reflection in water etc…

Chemicals to avoid:

To make it onto EWG's safe list, sunscreens must:

Be free of oxybenzone
Be free of retinyl palmitate (a type of vitamin A)
Provide a maximum of SPF 50, and
Protect against both UVA and UVB sunrays

Are You Drowning your skin in Toxicity?

Oxybenzone is one of the most troublesome ingredients found in the majority of sunscreens. According to EWG's findings, 56 percent of sunscreens contain this harmful chemical. Its primary function is to absorb ultraviolet light. However, oxybenzone is also believed to cause hormone disruptions and the type of cell damage that can provoke cancer. I also have major concerns with any chemicals that employ nano technology as these particles can leach into the systemic circulation.

My votes for sunscreens employ only physical mineral sunblocks such as: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and some essential oils.

Climb On! Mineral sunscreen was voted a number one off the EWG website and is the only sunscreen that we have offered ever in our natural pharmacy store. FREE shipping on all orders and 10-20% on freshest products and all orders over $99 We also have an AMAZING skin boutique with all natural products that I have carefully developed. Visit it here!

Wishing you safe sunbathing!

Best of Health!

Visit our Natural Product Pharmacy for top prices and FREE SHIPPING on hundreds of natural products from professional brands like: Metagenics, Douglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Integrative Therapeutics, Thorne Research, and Carlson Labs!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders! Please contact us for a free consultation! I do work long distance. Thank you from the bottom of our cart! We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals! They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

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Does your PET need a Probiotic?

May 14th, 2014 at 6:01 pm

Photo: TLCgroomingbyDanielle.com

Does Your PET need a probiotic????

Most veterinarians are dismissive on this subject and state that your dog or cat does not typically need a probiotic. As an animal lover, owner, and nutrition and immune, GI/Skin specialist for over 15 years I will respectfully disagree. I do not think however that all pets require a probiotic. Also, there is a huge disparity in the products themselves. Today

I will attempt to provide some guidance regarding this important subject.

I do believe that some pets require a probiotic… Dogs and cats with:

· Chronic allergies
· Low immunity
· Skin problems
· Yeast Infections
· Digestive problems chronic constipation-diarrhea
· Anal Itching
· Parasites

In my opinion, dogs and cats with any or all of these conditions will benefit from a great quality probiotic. There are other circumstances as well. If your pet is a rescue and was malnourished, or feral or was weaned earlier than normal your pet will benefit as well in my opinion. Pets that have taken antibiotics will also require supplementation.

Which ONE?

So, if your pet falls into one of these categories which probiotic should you give them? I am hearing some pet owners giving their pet Kefir or Yogurt. I don't think this is advisable. Here's why: dairy is unbelievably hard on people's systems and many pets do not thrive on these products. They may also excaberate skin conditions and allergies.

While some products can be shared between people and animals, animals require a different blend. Also, there is a HUGE disparity in the quality of probiotics and you definitely get what you PAY FOR. Most products never live past the stomach and are killed by stomach acids or get absorbed by enzymes. AMAZON and Ebay are terrible places to buy supplements of any kind since most of them are fraudulent, manufacturer's discards and have been shipped all over and are stored under terrible conditions making them worthless. Read about this HERE: You're Buying FAKE, Counterfeit Supplements!

Two products I have used and believe in are:

RX Vitamins RX Biotic….This is a convenient powder can be mixed easily in food and is appropriate for both dogs and cats. A jar lasts awhile and is $24.00 FREE Shipping!!!

Another is Vetri-Probiotic by Vetri Science for dogs. It is in chewable form and 120 are $75.20

While these products may seem taxing to your budget, consider the cost of vet bills.

We have an excellent array of professional PET products. Visit our Pet Aisle right here! FREE shipping

Best of PET Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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Can ACNE Scars be HEALED naturally? YES!

April 30th, 2014 at 5:54 pm

Healing Acne Scars Naturally!

photo acnepictures.org

Are you or someone you know troubled by red marks, ugly scars and pitting from acne breakouts? Have you given up hope regarding healing these marks short of costly laser surgery orpainful dermabrasion? Is there a safer and more natural way to heal these scars? In a word….YES! Read on to learn how to heal these marks naturally…

First…DO NOT attempt any of these interventions until your acne is fully healed. If you do not know how to fix your acne…call us or email us for a FREE consultation or appointment to address your acne problems. It is important to get to the root cause of the problem and to eliminate or dramatically reduce the attendant inflammation before even thinking about the scarring.

Once that is accomplished, the damage from the skin being chronically inflamed can be addressed. Healing the damaged skin is contingent upon two factors supplying nutrients to the dermal layers both internally and externally.

Internally: a very clean whole foods diet with specific nutrients that nourish the skin within these include: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, B-Complex, amino acids and essential fatty acids. This is a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, essential fats and lean protein. Proper hydration and avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, sugar, hydrogenated fats, and junk food are very important as well.

Supplementing the above nutrients can be helpful for 3-12 months depending upon the severity of the scarring. These can be taken in individual forms…link or in a formula like our DermaCare-FREE Shipping on all orders and Volume discounts from 10-20% on orders over $99.

The next step is exfoliating the damaged skin. This can be accomplished many different ways. Enzymes are one way to exfoliate mild to moderate acne scars. Glisten Up!, our pineapple enzyme scrub can be used daily to help to debride the damaged tissue. For more serious scarring Shape Up! Our pumpkin enzyme peel will work wonders in exfoliating the damaged skin. Very serious level pitting will require deeper peeling agents which require supervison for proper use.

The next step is providing nutrients topically to regenerate skin at the topical level. Initially, professional levels of retinol (20%) this is a concentrated form of Vitamin A, and 20% of Vitamins C and E can be used to help skin regenerate. Nourish Up!, and Fix Up! Are two of our products that provide these nutrients in high concentrations. Lastly, our Clear Up! Scar serum contains essential oils and herbs to help skin regenerate and smooth out. Visit our skin beauty aisle for our fabulous offerings here.

Please be advised that while you will see improvements in 30-45 days, it will take time, consistency and dedication to see perfect results. Still the effort will be worth it and you will have glowing, scar free skin in seemingly no time.

Best of Skin Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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Sleep Like A Baby, Top Tips for the best sleep ever!

April 23rd, 2014 at 5:51 pm

Sleep like a BABY! Top Tips for the BEST Sleep EVER!

Image Courtesy: DrFrankLipman.com

Sleep Like a Baby! Top Sleeping Tips to Get You Through the Night!

Due to stress and the current 24/7 culture, relaxing , rejuvenative sleep may seem like a thing of the past but some simple steps may have you sleeping better than you ever imagined. Read on….Adherence to this plan will have you on the road to great sleep in no time.

#1 Avoid chemicals.

Caffeinated products decrease a person's quality of sleep. Read my article coffee talk for more about this.

As pretty much we all know caffeine is a stimulant that keeps you awake. So avoid caffeine (found in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, and some pain relievers) for four to six hours before bedtime. Smokers and nicotine users, ( including the patch )should refrain from using tobacco products too close to bedtime. Alcohol may lull one to sleep but the downside is that it messes with sleep quality causing a person to sleep less soundly and wake up more often. Alcohol too should be avoided close to bedtime. Limit the number of drinks and do not drink within a few hours of bedtime.

#2 Cave, anyone?

Quiet dark and cool environments foster sound sleep. Animals create caves for this purpose. To develop this at home first, lower the volume of outside noise with earplugs or a "white noise" appliance if you are in an urban environment. Use heavy curtains, blackout shades, or an eye mask to block light, a powerful cue that tells the brain that it's time to wake up. Keep the temperature comfortably cool—between 60 and 70°F—and keep the room well ventilated either a fan or a partially open window is ideal. Also find a comfortable mattress and pillows and replace worn mattresses.

Pets are notorious for disturbing sleep so if your pet regularly wakes you during the night, you may want to consider keeping it out of your bedroom.

Keep electronics such as work and computers out of your bedroom, this includes phones.

#3 Relax before bedtime

Light reading, prayer or affirmations before bed are great ways to prepare yourself for sleep.

Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour or two prior to going to bed. Take a bath (the rise, then fall in body temperature promotes drowsiness), do yoga poses, read a book, watch television, or practice relaxation exercises. Avoid stressful, stimulating activities. If you feel overwhelmed, a journal or simple to do list may help.

#4 Go to Bed When You're Actually Tired

Struggling to fall sleep just leads to frustration and stress hormone surges. If you're not asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed, go to another room, and do something relaxing, like reading or listening to music until you are tired enough to sleep. Try to avoid looking at a clock. Try to stay in dim lights.

#5 Use Natural Light to set your clock

Natural light keeps your internal clock on a healthy sleep-wake cycle see last weeks article about getting in sync. So let in the light first thing in the daytime and get out of the office for a sun break during the day. Read more here:

#6 Keep Your Sleep Schedule Consistent

Having a regular sleep schedule helps to ensure better quality and consistent sleep.

Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day sets the body's "internal clock" to expect sleep at a certain time night after night. Try to stick as closely as possible to your routine on weekends to avoid a Monday morning sleep hangover. Waking up at the same time each day is the very best way to set your clock, and even if you did not sleep well the night before, you will consolidate sleep the following night. Wake at the same time each day if possible.

#7 Reconsider Napping

Many people make naps a regular part of their day. However, for those who find falling asleep or staying asleep through the night problematic, afternoon napping may be one of the culprits.

#8 Eat Lighter and Earlier

Eating too heavily too late is a surefire recipe for insomnia. Try to eat by 7 PM and if you find yourself too hungry to sleep have a very light snack. Likewise do not overload fluids a few hours before bed.

#9 Exercise…but not too late.

Exercise helps promote restful sleep if it is done several hours before you go to bed.

Exercise will help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly—but it is best three hours before bed or earlier otherwise it may overstimulate your cortisol levels and therefore you.

#10 Consistency is key

Allegiance to all the above takes some doing and practice. It may take from two to four weeks to implement all the above. After doing so, if your sleep is still troubled after a week or two see your MD, a Naturopath or Acupuncturist for help. Chronic sleep problems can indicate physical problems or disharmonies that you will want to address early and preferably naturally.

For occasional sleeplessness, herbal medicine may truly provide some balance. Some of my favorites are:

Check out our Sleep Aisle

Visit our STORE

We have many other excellent products at great prices! FREE shipping on all orders.

Best of Health and Best of SLEEP! Should you need help with your sleeping difficulty please schedule an appointment or FREE consultation.

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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by	Taryn DeCicco, ND

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Getting in Sync, Master Your Bio Rhythms Naturally!

April 16th, 2014 at 4:52 pm

Getting in sync-

Master your bio rhythms naturally.

Humans and all other animals are governed by cycles of darkness and light. Brain Activity is triggered by signals set off by light letting nerve cells know which activities should be amplified or wound down. You may be surprised to learn that even organ activity is governed by two hour cycles according to Chinese Meridian Theory. For example, liver activity is greatest between 1 and 3 AM, and large intestine activity is greatest between 5 and 7 AM.

Our overall clock internally is designed to function in twenty four hour cycles known as a circadian rhythm.

Numerous studies demonstrate that we function best when our internal rhythm jives with the external world. When this order is disrupted, (as with many people today), sleep, mood, and mental processes take a nose dive. Is it any coincidence that sleep is at an all time low and depression at an all time high?

From here, physical health plummets. The immune system gets suppressed, hormones go bonkers, digestive symptoms occur, and body temp as well as metabolism drop. Later on, cardiovascular stress increases leading to disorders like high blood pressure.

The simplest way to reset our circadian cycle is to get sunlight early in the AM and to avoid bright light at night. All electronic usage should be discontinued in the evening.

Cutting edge research shows that Seasonal Affective Disorder may be caused by disruption of melatonin secretion. Over time this can lead to major problems and even tumor development.

Checking for melatonin levels and adrenal function can be key here along with positive changes in lifestyle and light darkness exposure.

For more information please contact us for a free consultation by appointment. You may also want to see our testing options in our store.

Next week we will continue this discussion with an article about sleeping like a baby.

VISIT our store for amazing 10-20% discounts on professional brands like: Thorne, Douglas, Metagenics and more…

Until then:

Best of Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

We specialize in Acne, Skin, and Digestive disorders! Please contact us for a FREE consultation! I do work long distance. Thank you from the bottom of our cart! We truly appreciate your product purchases, visits, and referrals! They enable us to give people the help they need and continue our valuable work.

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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Coffee Talk, the REAL Scoop on the Caffeine Controversy

April 9th, 2014 at 5:59 pm

Coffee Talk, the REAL scoop on the Caffeine Controversy

The US is becoming an uber “yang” culture. Everywhere it seems, people are loud, anxious, rushed, aggressive, and sometimes hostile. Take the rise in horn blowing drivers as but one example. Folks in the US also tend to brag about how much they get done and how little rest they get.

It is interesting to then note that 90% of Americans also consume caffeine everyday, including children. Caffeine comes in many many forms, coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and smoothies and herbs like Guarana, Kola Nut, and Yerba Mate. Some herbs contain even more caffeine than coffee.

Coffee and caffeine research is confusing to most consumers. On its positive side, coffee and tea are major sources of antioxidants for some people. In very small amounts caffeine may be helpful in mental and sports focus and performance. Conflicting research suggests negative effects on cardiac health, blood pressure, sleep, diabetes, digestive disorders and liver health. Other research suggests it may be helpful in actual liver disease.

Fact is, most research on caffeine is observational that is: studies which attempt to establish relationships based on consumer surveys and disease tracking, not necessarily the best way to establish cause and effect.

Here's what I know for certain about it:

First, make no mistake, caffeine in any form is a DRUG. It is an addictive central nervous stimulant that is typically detoxified in 3 to six hours, sometimes longer but more about that later.

As is the case with ANY DRUG, usage becomes habituated over time, that is more and more of the substance is required to get the same effect. This impact is gradual and insidious for most people. When the amount ingested increases its side effects rise as well: increased blood pressure, anxiety, irritability, heart palpitations and insomnia or disturbed sleep, and fatigue.

Second, over time caffeine ultimately wears the body out. In Chinese medical theory caffeine is “false energy” as opposed to nutrition which is true energy. Again over time, caffeine will cause depletion of real energy.

Thirdly, while most authorities including the FDA state that 2-300mgs of caffeine per day are safe for most people everyone is different. I have also identified subsets of people in my practice who I believe are better off not consuming caffeine. These people are:

Adrenal Deficient People. People who have crashed and burnt after being under chronic stress for long periods will need to forgo the java in order to recover.

Gastro Intestinal Disorders. CNS speeds up every process in the body if you suffer from IBS, GERD, heartburn, or inflammatory bowel disorders like Crohn's and Colitis, avoid caffeine as it will worsen symptoms.

People who are insulin sensitive or resistant. Being a stimulant caffeine sets blood sugars and insulin on an aberrant ride. Getting these conditions managed properly involves avoidance of caffeine and most sugars.

People with inflammatory disorders, like ACNE. Unknown to most, caffeine is very heating to the body. While NOT the cause, it will accelerate inflammation in the body.

Anxious overwrought people should abstain from caffeine as it worsens this condition and perpetuates a negative cycle.

People who detoxify slowly due to other health problems like those above or due to a “sluggish” or slow liver or intestinal dysbiosis, an area I specialize in. These people are going to experience many more detrimental effects from caffeine. Also recognize that VERY few of you are using caffeine in the amounts recommended by health authorities.

A few months ago, my body began rejecting my AM espresso…it just didn't want it anymore and I heeded that. While I had no withdrawal symptoms many people can experience some symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, irritability, anxiety and even depression.

For some real energy enhancers, and the best in natural products please visit our store-FREE shipping on all orders. For assistance in regaining your health, please contact us for a free consultation. I do work by phone with distance clients as well.

Best of Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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Don't Detox Until you read THIS!

April 2nd, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Don't DETOX until you read this!

Image Courtesy Conscious.com

It is April and spring detoxification programs are very popular with celebrities and consumers. They seem to offer a speedy way to health according to the hype but is “detoxing” really worthwhile? Let's explore some little known facts about this.

First: Your own body has detoxification mechanisms. Believe it or not your liver, kidneys and colon do an incredible job detoxing troublesome chemicals each and everyday.

Second: Herbs used by most over the counter “cleanses” are considered harch purgatives and cause your organs to overwork and release even more toxins for your body to clean up….not the best idea. Also each company manufactures its own blend with an eye to marketing not physiology so there's no clear way for the consumer to understand what a product actually does…

Third: Many people cleanse and over “cleanse” when they are run down, unhealthy or otherwise dissipated . Again the harsh purgatives in most of these products will boomerang causing your body to overwork and for you to ultimately become even more dissipated.

Fourth: Superfoods while media stars have not been demonstrated to have a greater impact on detoxification than any healthy foods. Historically, the only foods demonstrated to detox the liver are brassica family vegetables, IE those in the cabbage family. They function in this way by stepping up Phase II Detoxification.

ALSO: be advised if you take medication, proceed with caution as detoxing can cause your body to metabolize your medication too quickly. Your MD will not usually be able to advise you on this.

Fourth: The right road to health is long and is consistent. No short term program is going to remedy poor diet and lifestyle choices. Since you are investing time money and effort consider directing these resources towards real health promoting behaviors like improving sleep, diet or exercise and stress reduction.

Fifth: Any weight loss is only temporary. Once you conclude your juice fast or cleanse, one immediately puts back the few pounds lost and maybe a few more. Deprivation breeds over indulging.

Lastly: Juice fasting can wreak havoc on your insulin levels and damage your gut. The gut is designed to eat high fiber whole foods and abstinence really is unhelpful except sometimes for short periods for Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis when it is important to have a complete bowel rest to stop the bleeding and severe inflammation.

All this being said, I do like some products that facilitate detoxification on a daily basis. Visit our detox aisle! For liver and colon detoxification I love our GreensFirst product. We offer the freshest refrigerated product containing live enzymes and probiotics. For Kidney and EMF detoxification I LOVE YES! YES was created to help victims of the Chernobyl disaster. Lastly, one Chinese herb that is helpful for liver health and detoxification is our RELAXX extract.

Check them out. We offer FREE shipping on ALL ORDERS!

Best of Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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TOP Foods for Health 2014!

March 26th, 2014 at 5:47 pm

Healthiest foods for 2014! As mentioned earlier this month March is National Nutrition Month. I'd like to close this month with the healthiest foods to eat for 2014. When I am counseling people with respect to diet in my clinic, it is an extremely individual affair. I believe that people's diets should be as individual as they are. I try to focus on what to actually eat since this is the information people are literally starved for.

That being said: there are some food “superheroes”. While all of these may not be appealing to everyone, most people will improve their health and nutrition by adding them to their diets.

APPLES: I didn't name my clinic Apple-A-Day Clinic for naught! While berries get all the good press, apples have been shown to reduce inflammation, and are credited with alleviating constipation, and ulcerative colitis. Don't overlook this awesome fruit.

COFFEE: While highly controversial, coffee is one of the best source of antioxidants in the world. It may be a challenge to be moderate. I will cover the caffeine controversy here in April.

TEMPEH: Tempeh and other fermented foods like sauerkraut help to fertilize health gut bacteria. Add these foods to your diet for better health. As a clinician who specializes in gut health you will be thankful you did.

BEETS: A shining star for troubled livers, high blood pressure, brain performance and more beets are delicious and easy to juice!

LENTILS: Anthocyanins in these foods reduce inflammation and fight chronic illnesses like arthritis, cancer and heart disease. They are also a delicious staple in many middle eastern and vegetarian entrees and recipes.

SPINACH and ARUGULA: Move over kale, these other fresh greens have just as many nutrients as kale especially vitamin K, Vitamin C and Beta Carotene!

TEFF: An ancient and gluten free grain, TEFF is high in calcium, vitamin C and tasty. Teff is considered a resistant starch with only about half being digestible.

SHICHIMI Togarashi: a non salt Japanese seasoning with a blend of orange peel, chili, sesame seeds and seaweed can be added tastily to many dishes.

I hope you will enjoy adding some of these fine foods to your diet this spring. For a TON of superfoods in one glorious shake visit our Store! Amazing FRESH products, BEST prices, FREE shipping on all orders.

Best of Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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TOP tips for SINUS HEALTH!

March 19th, 2014 at 6:48 pm

Source: Southern

CT.edu

Best Tips for Healthy Sinuses

Clogged sinuses are no fun as many of you know. Unchecked they can lead to PAIN, infection, sleep disruption and other health problems. Sinus congestion is predicated on two factors: mucus thickness or viscosity and or inflammation of the tissue itself.

Researchers have recently demonstrated a strong link between bacterium such as Pseudomonas and Staph Aureus and chronic sinus problems. I see this daily in my practice as part of my microbiology testing of various clients. (LINK) It seems that these bacteria may overstimulate the immune system creating too much inflammation and leading to chronic sinusitis.

The best treatment therefore is contingent upon proper testing and treatment of the cause. Should you wish to take this approach please contact us for an appointment to get started. ALL of our clients report lasting relief from their sinus woes taking this pathway.

There are other causes and treatments for occasional sinus problems. Let's take a look at these factors now.

DIET: A whole foods low sugar diet with few mucus producing foods like white refined flours and dairy foods as well as proper hydration will help to thin mucus keeping the channel moving. Additionally, hot spicy foods like Tabasco, Wasabe, and Horse Radish will help to immediately thin thicker mucus.

ALLERGENS: Avoidance of allergens like dust mites and pet dander will help reduce inflammation and keep things moving. Diagnosis of Food ALLERGENS or Environmental Allergens is extremely helpful for some people with chronic sinus problems.

STRESS: Facial Tension in the form of muscle contracture can put pressure on the sinuses. Learn to relax these muscles. Acupuncture can be really helpful here.

ELEVATION: Keeping the head of your bed elevated can keep sinuses open during the night.

AVOID Antihistamines: They cause thicker mucus which inflames the sinus cavity.

GET some unprocessed air. Taking an outdoor walk in unheated, non air conditioned air can be very helpful in reducing sinus pressure. 10 or 15 minutes can do the trick.

Warm Compresses also work temporarily to reduce inflammation and thin mucus congestion.

Oil of Eucalyptus on the cheekbones and in a steam bath can also reduce inflammation quickly.

Saline Rinse or NETI Pot can be very helpful as a daily practice but do NOT be overly aggressive or you will create REBOUND inflammation. ALSO always use distilled non chlorinated water. Warm water is best. Ditto: Nasal Decongestants and decongestant sprays will create rebound sinus problems with chronic use. One I LOVE & Ships FREE IS: Citricidal with grapefruit extract.

Hopefully these tips will help you LOVE your sinuses. We also have an aisle of products to help you!

Best of Sinus Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
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Quackupuncture? Don't be harmed. One state cracks down

March 5th, 2014 at 3:35 pm

Quackupuncture?

“Quackupuncture” is out there, doing harm not good. Some states are finally cracking down after collapsed lungs and other injuries have occurred from poorly trained practioners. Don't let you or a family member be the next victim.

For years, I have been astonished at people asking me for a referral to “someone just like me” in Colorado, or New Hampshire, etc…. like I am a commodity not a person with very unusual extensive training and experience. Kindly, practitioners are not toasters. There is a very wide range of talent and expertise even in people with the exact same credentials. Probably less than 10% of all credentialed practitioners are truly great at their craft even though they've chosen to specialize in it.

At a party last fall, I was speaking to a neighbor who was poised to go in for his 4^th back surgery. It is hard for me to talk about my work socially without seeming like an ambulance chaser but since he had gotten steadily worse with each surgery I asked him what would be different with this surgery. His wife came running over and saw where I was going. She said: “We've already gone the holistic route, he had acupuncture and it didn't help him”. I said: “who performed the acupuncture?” She said: “a chiropractor, he was covered on our insurance”. I thought to myself, I am pretty sure you got QUACKUPUNCTURE.

Though the masses do not realize it, politics runs alternative medicine just like it runs everything else. Insurance coverage of services has not one thing to do with efficacy. It has to do with lobbyists and politics.

Chiropractors have a powerful lobby affiliation. They have been able in most states to practice acupuncture with little or no formal training. 16 hours for chiros versus 4,000 hours for licensed acupuncturists. Due to some serious safety mishaps, the state of Oregon has rescinded acupuncture practice for chiropractors. After an exhaustive review, the court came to decide that acupuncture was not within the scope of practice for chiropractors.

Recently, Torin Yater-Wallace an Olympic freeskier was sidelined with a collapsed lung due to acupuncture being practiced by another health care provider who was not a trained acupuncturist. This injury resulted in much time lost in preparation of the Olympics.

While states may follow Oregon's lead and change the scope of practice laws due to injuries and even deaths, I am also concerned with people getting a false sense of acupuncture's power or lack thereof based on the questionable treatments of substandard practioners.

Reason people choose these practioners? Money and insurance, period. Problem is when you don't factor in number of office visits, copays, time off and length of time suffering it really just doesn't add up at all.

Who to choose? An LAc preferably board certified by the AAOM or NCCAOM.

Kudos to the state of Oregon, and to all of you who have been committed to yourselves and quality care.

Best of Health!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

Naturopath

Acupuncturist

Clinical Nutritionist

Professional Vitamins and Supplements

Chinese Herbs

Natural Skin Products

Arlington Heights, IL

www.apple-a-day-clinic.com

**Share the HEALTH!**
FREE Shipping and Save 10-20% on over 500 TOP Professional Products	Like US? Join us on FB!	We LOVE to Tweet! Join us on Twitter!	Visit our Natural Health Library for many GREAT Articles!	Don't Miss a thing! Subscribe now to get our new articles via email.	Send this article to a friend!

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by	Taryn DeCicco, ND

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