Naturopathic Medicine Archives

7 Tips for Aging with Grace

Aging is a natural process. In today’s modern world, with the chronic mental, emotional, physical and environmental stressors impacting us, we are seeing signs of premature aging in younger and younger populations.

From a naturopathic perspective, here are 7 tips to aging with grace:

Exercise – incorporate cardio, weight-bearing, stretching and balance for about 30 minutes 6 days a week.
Eat a whole foods, plant based diet – high in vegetables, moderate in fruits, whole grains, legumes, and high quality fish and meat, and very low in refined carbohydrates. Incorporate a rainbow of colorful, nutrient-dense foods, full of antioxidants- these nutrients help to prevent cellular damage, and can vastly decrease signs of aging. Decrease or avoid caffeine, refined sugars, and alcohol to avoid further oxidative damage.
Stress management – gentle yoga-based stretching, deep breathing exercises, meditation, visualization for 30 minutes 6 days a week.
Hydrate – if you don’t have kidney issues, drink ½ your body weight (lbs) in ounces of water daily. Many fine lines and wrinkles are exacerbated by dehydration. Better energy is also achieved through hydration.
Sleep – aim for 8 hours of sleep nightly. The hours of sleep before midnight are better quality sleep, so the sooner the bedtime, the better for your overall health.
Increase Omega – 3 fatty acids. Take at least 200 mg of omega 3’s daily. If taking Fish Oil, make sure it is quality tested for purity. Omega 3’s decrease inflammation, elevate mood, regulate weight, and support cardiovascular and brain health.
Adaptogenic Herbs – adaptogens such as Maca, Ginseng, Rhodiola, and Holy Basil help with energy, stamina and hormone balance.

Aging with grace is possible. For more individualized care, consider working with a naturopathic doctor to achieve your specific health goals.

How to Love Your Liver

By Dr. Juli Mazi, Naturopathic Doctor

This day in age, the liver takes on quite the burden with all of the toxins from our environment to which we are involuntarily exposed, as well as those toxins we voluntarily introduce. Our livers work harder today than they have ever had to work in the history of mankind. That is why it’s a great idea to start giving your liver some tender loving care.

The liver is one of the vital organs, meaning the body cannot survive without it. The liver is the body’s filter. It filters the blood and helps the body to detoxify. Cholesterol and hormones are synthesized in the liver. So if there is liver congestion, there may also be high cholesterol and hormone imbalance. The liver helps the body process medications, as well as poisons. It also plays a role in metabolism and the storage of cellular energy. Proteins are synthesized in the liver, including factors for blood clotting and fluid balance. The liver also produces bile, which helps in the digestion of fats and oils. It aids in immune function as well by producing much of the body’s lymphatic fluid. Responsible for many different functions, the liver deserves some love.

In fact, the liver is pretty close to the heart. It lives in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen beneath the rib cage. One way to support the liver is by applying Castor Oil topically to the liver. This can be done with a Castor Oil Pack, or simply by applying the oil right over the liver. It’s best to do this at night before bedtime and a heat pack can help drive the oil in. This treatment is most effective when performed multiple nights in a row. Castor oil supports efficient detoxification in the liver, and stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid. It enhances immunity and decreases inflammation in the body.

Other ways to give your liver some loving include vitamins, minerals, and herbs:

Vitamin C	1,000 mg/day	Antioxidant properties that are protective to the liver and prevent fatty deposits and cirrhosis.
Vitamin E	400 IU/day	Liver protective antioxidant which reduces inflammation and risk of liver cancer.
Zinc	30 mg/day	Reduces oxidative damage to the liver and assists in liver repair processes.
Selenium	200 mcg/day	Synergistic with Vitamin E, protective to the liver
Magnesium	400 mg/day	Crucial to one of the major detox pathways in the liver
Methylated B vitamins	B1: 3-8 g/dayB2: 300-500 mg/dayB3: 1500 mg/dayB5: 500-900 mg/day B6: 300-400 mg/day B12: 3,000-5,000 mcg/day	Especially protective to livers exposed to alcohol
Methyl Folate	800 mcg per day	Helps to prevent viral and alcoholic damage to the liver

Amino Acids that love the liver include:

Methionine and Cysteine- protect liver tissue from damage by harmful toxins
Carnitine- contributes to more effective metabolism of fats
Choline- important in cholesterol synthesis
Inositol- aids in healthy bile flow

Herbs and Spices:

Artichoke Leaf- supports cholesterol and bile metabolism, and helps improve liver function.
Ginger- tonifies the liver, decreases cholesterol and increases bile flow. Eat the root, use the spice, or use a tincture or capsule.
Turmeric- antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, helps detoxify the liver. Eat the root, use the spice, or use a tincture or capsule.
Dandelion Root- liver tonifying, and protective. Drink as a tea, or use a tincture or capsule.
Milk Thistle- This one is the Don Juan of liver lovers. Cures your hangover faster, and even regenerates diseased liver tissue! The most powerful liver herb we know. Grind and sprinkle the seeds over your food, or use a tincture or capsule form.

Remember, your liver works around the clock, (and works even harder during holiday splurges) to protect you from toxins; it helps your immunity, digestion, blood clotting, detoxification and hormone production. Supporting your liver so it works more efficiently will bring you more energy, stamina and vitality. Give your liver some loving today.

Food Hygiene: How to optimize your digestion and absorption of nutrients from your food

By Dr. Juli Mazi, Naturopathic Doctor

If you suffer from heartburn, malabsorption, constipation or diarrhea, you may want to know about a concept called Food Hygiene. Despite it’s name, food hygiene has nothing to do with the cleanliness of your food. It has everything to do with improving your digestion, absorption of nutrients from your food, the ease of your bowel movements, and your overall experience of eating food.

Here are 6 ways to optimize your digestion:

Spend time preparing your food. Digestion does not begin in the stomach, nor in the mouth during chewing. Digestion actually starts in the head with a cascade of nerve signaling and chemicals. The cascade is triggered in part by our experience of preparing our food- thinking about it, touching it, smelling it, tasting it…taking it in with all of our senses causes us to salivate, our stomach to create the stomach acid, our pancreas to release the enzymes, and our gallbladder to create bile needed for digestion. This cascade is not triggered with the same force by the opening of a package or by picking up an already prepared meal. If eating on the go, take a moment to take it all in (like you would if you were preparing it yourself), this will allow you to break down and absorb the nutrients from your food more efficiently and completely.
Enjoy ½ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (or other bitters) ideally about 15 minutes before eating. The smell and taste of the vinegar in your mouth will also promote the digestive cascade. Specifically, it triggers a digestive hormone, cholecystokinin, to be released and this causes the digestive juices and enzymes of the stomach, pancreas and intestines to be released. It preps the whole body to be ready to break down and absorb food. Sometimes patients who have experienced acid reflux in the past worry that it will be too acidic for them. This is not so. Although we think of apple cider vinegar as acidic, it is much less so than stomach acid. In fact, it often greatly improves reflux by tonifying the overall action of digestion. There are many approaches to treating the cause of acid reflux without proton pump inhibitors or antacids, which only cover up the symptom of an imbalance and can predispose you to osteoporosis and as well as other preventable conditions. The apple cider vinegar is not a permanent ritual, but one that if people do for a few months while digestion is getting back on track, and also at times when they are unable to prepare a meal, they can benefit from that stimulus to digestion. Apple cider vinegar is also an excellent source of minerals and has many other health benefits, so if you choose to make it a lifelong ritual, more power to you.
Drink fluids AWAY from food. It’s ok to take small sips of water as needed during a meal, but don’t chug a whole glass. Try to avoid drinking substantial amounts within 20 minutes before or after a meal. The idea behind this is very simple. It allows the digestive juices to stay concentrated and therefore better able to break down food. Better break down of food allows for better availability and absorption of nutrients. This is one way that conditions of nutrient deficiency, such as anemia, are linked to the way food is eaten. Still, please aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day; just try to do it between meals.
Eat in a calm environment, eat sitting down, take a few calm conscious breaths first, avoid stressful conversations and concentrate on your food rather than a newspaper, a computer screen or other work. These suggestions are all designed to relax your nervous system. Input from the nervous system extremely impacts digestion. So often, we’re eating on the go, and our bodies are in flight or fight, stress mode. That is a kind of a stressed out danger mode where your body is on alert; it is what kept our ancestors safe from predators. When in this mode, the body perceives that it has bigger priorities than digestion. In fact, the body shunts blood away from the digestive system and into the limbs, so that we can run for our lives if we need to. The opposite state has been referred to as “rest and digest.” In other words, for proper digestion to occur the nervous system needs to be calm and relatively stress free. Anything you can do to temporarily create this environment for yourself while you eat, will help a lot.
Eat regular meals around the same time everyday. This simply gets your body in the habit of anticipating food and beginning the digestive cascade. This can also help greatly with blood sugar balancing and cortisol regulation. Unbalanced blood sugar (too high, too low, or simply not even) can contribute to anxiousness, fatigue and light-headedness among other things. Cortisol dysregulation can have devastating long term effects on your energy, sleep patterns and immune system. Eating regular meals contributes to overall harmony and rhythm in the body, two things which are generally lacking and needing to be reinstated in people suffering from depression.
Put your fork down and CHEW. Chew your food until it becomes liquid in your mouth, then swallow it. Some people say chew each bite 31 times, but we don’t really want you to count each chew, that takes the fun out of eating. Chewing your food until it liquifies allows the food to begin being digested both chemically through the saliva and mechanically by your teeth before hitting the stomach. Thorough breakdown in the beginning means better absorption of nutrients from your food, and easier bowel movements in the end. When food isn’t properly broken down in the mouth, it can easily ferment in the gut, causing pathogenic bacteria to flourish. When you chew thoroughly you will be able to notice when you are full much easier, rather than shoveling in the food and overeating.

Start with fostering just one or two of these habits and eventually they will become just that, habits. You might start with eating breakfast at the same time every day, sitting down, taking a few conscious breaths and committing to chewing at least the first 5 forkfuls thoroughly. Over time you can add in more of these habits and your digestion, as well as overall health, well benefit greatly.

How to Get Insurance Reimbursement for Naturopathic Medical Services

By Dr. Juli Mazi, Naturopathic Doctor

A growing number of people in the United States wish to use more natural healing methods and are seeking out alternatives to conventional allopathic medicine. Naturopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing and most beneficial of these alternatives. Although many people would like to be treated by a naturopathic doctor, they are not because they think that naturopathic medicine is not covered by their insurance. This is not always true!

Many insurance companies do cover naturopathic medicine! Those companies that say they do not naturopathic medicine, may say this because they do not know how to handle the claims or the claims agents may be unaware of the licensed naturopathic medical profession. This will change only when enough people file claims or ask for coverage.

In the state of California, naturopathic doctors are licensed to practice medicine. Therefore, unless your insurance policy specifically excludes naturopaths, by law they must cover the services. Because naturopathic doctors are usually not included on the list of covered providers, the reimbursement you will receive will usually be an “out of network” reimbursement.

To find out if your insurance company will cover your naturopathic medical services, there are a few things you can do:

1. Look at your policy.

If the “Definition of Doctor” in your policy does not specifically either exclude naturopathic doctors, or limit the definition to specific providers other than naturopaths, then you should, by law, be covered for your naturopathic services.

2. Call your insurance company.

The following are a few suggestions of what to say/ask while on the phone:

Does my policy cover services performed by a licensed naturopathic doctor? (they will typically say no because many agents are unaware of what naturopathic medicine is)
Does the “definition of doctor” in my policy specifically exclude naturopathic doctors? (ask them to fax/email you a copy of the definition)
Does the definition limit services to specific health care providers? Which ones? Naturopathic doctors are primary care doctors licensed to practice medicine in my state. If necessary, I can provide you with a copy of my naturopathic doctor’s license for further documentation.

If your policy covers naturopathic medical services, simply file your claim as you would any other. Your naturopathic doctor will provide you with any necessary diagnostic codes, signatures, etc.

If your policy does not cover naturopathic medical services, you can try to modify your policy. Most insurance companies will write a plan to cover naturopathic medicine, but you must request the coverage. The more often such a request is made, the more often insurance companies will fulfill the request.

Individual Plan

Ask your agent to add coverage for naturopathic services. There may be a small charge for this service ranging from nothing to a few cents a month.

Group Plan

Most insurance companies do not charge anything extra to cover naturopathic services on a group plan. Tell this to your employer, union, or human resources director, and ask that naturopathic doctors be added to your plan. If necessary, organize and educate your coworkers or human resource department on the value and benefit if naturopathic medicine. Any of the doctors here would be happy to help!

How to Appeal an Insurance Denial

If your insurance company denies coverage for a treatment recommended by a naturopathic doctor, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to appeal the decision. Talk to the insurance company representatives and request an internal appeal. If that doesn’t work, you may have the right to go over the company’s head— to an external review board.

The following pointers will help make you a better self-advocate. They will also help us help you more effectively:

1. Learn what you’re entitled to.

A treatment may be just what the doctor ordered. But if your health plan doesn’t cover you for it, it may cost you out of pocket. Look at your benefits booklet to identify what you are covered for: No plan will pay for a heated pool to treat your arthritis. It might reimburse you for an exercise program, however.

2. If you receive the notice that your naturopath is not recognized on your plan as a definition of a doctor, please file a grievance with your company.

According to California law, all providers are eligible to receive reimbursement if they provide service within the lawful scope of their license. Naturopathic medical doctors are primary care providers in the state of California. Naturopathic doctor’s scope of practice is that of a primary care doctor, and as long as the services provided to the insured patient were those using typical evaluation and management codes, distinctly separate from any alternative services your policy may or may not exclude, payment on the claim for services dated ________should not be considered an overpayment or payment in error.

3. Enlist help.

Most health plan denials don’t require a formal appeal. They may require some creativity on your part, however. If your coverage is through your employer, for instance, ask your benefits manager to call about the denial. Because that manager is paying the tab for lots of employees, that person has got clout.

4. Write the right letter.

Even the best-written, most impassioned letter will fall short if it doesn’t address the health plan’s real concern. Save yourself some time by talking first to a health plan representative. Find out exactly what needs to go into the letter—down to the exact wording, if necessary. Then draft a letter, and ask a Naturopathic doctor to review it before sending it out. We are happy to help.

5. Do your homework before filing an external appeal.

This step is rarely necessary. However, if you’ve exhausted all your internal appeal options, be prepared to take your case to an independent appeals board. (Most states have provisions for an expedited or fast-track appeal in emergencies.) Among the resources that will help you prepare are:

A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan Update.
This free guide will give you a state-by-state breakdown of external review programs, eligibility requirements, and contact information. Copies of the guide are available at either: www.kff.org/content/2003/20030123a
or www.consumersunion.org/health/hmoreview or by calling the Kaiser Foundation’s publication request line at 800-656-4533.

Patient Advocate Foundation

Located in Newport News, VA. One goal of this organization is to mediate disputes between patients and their insurers. Contact the foundation at www.patientadvocate.org or by calling 800-532-5274

Disease-related groups and associations

Groups such as the American Cancer Society, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Diabetes Association, the Epilepsy Foundation, and the Lupus Foundation of America can help. Each of these groups can lend their expertise during an external appeal.

Employer patient advocacy programs

An increasing number of employers have contracted with companies like Health Advocate (www.healthadvocate.net), based in West Conshohocken, PA, to advise and, when appropriate, go to bat for their employees. Ask if your company makes this employee benefit available.

Remember, each request to insurance companies has a cumulative effect. So, going through this process may not only benefit you, it may benefit the greater good. Naturopathic medicine ought to be covered by insurance, it would be cheaper for the insurance company to do so! In other words, it’s in their best interest to make these policy changes as well. Hopefully, with all of these suggestions, you’ll be able to make some positive changes for all.

7 Tips for Aging with Grace

How to Love Your Liver

Food Hygiene: How to optimize your digestion and absorption of nutrients from your food

Here are 6 ways to optimize your digestion:

How to Get Insurance Reimbursement for Naturopathic Medical Services

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