Blog Posts

Tea Time Mindfulness Series: Beginner Meditation

10/29/2021

Dr. Smith and Heather are back with a focus on Wellness. This video is the first in a series on mindfulness. Get the basics of meditation, why it might be helpful, who should try it, and how to get started.

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How important is variety?

10/26/2021

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Pregnancy Nutrition Tips

2/21/2021

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I was recently invited to write a guest blog post for a photographer in Manhattan, KS. In the article, I walk you through the nutrition concerns of each trimester from nausea and vomiting early on to important nutrients like calcium and omega-3 fatty acids and where to get them.
Click the link below to read the post and check out Nikiti's portfolio while you're there.

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Let's get nerdy about fiber

2/8/2021

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Benefits of fiber
- less chronic illness, better health
- lower cholesterol
- lower blood pressure
- better heart health
- better diabetes management
- lower cancer risk
- GI function
Recommended amounts
- Kids - age in years plus 5
- Adults - 25-35g
Sources of fiber
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts, Seeds
Things to consider
- Increase fiber gradually
- Increase fluids as fiber is increased
- Taste! Convenience!
- Get help if this sounds hard/contradictory

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Holiday wishes for grace, patience, and peace

12/22/2020

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Tea Time: Evaluating the Evidence for Boosting Immunity

11/9/2020

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Recommendations for improving/boosting immune function

Sleep
- 7-9 hours for adults
- Sleep hygiene - blue light, bedtime routine, caffeine
Stress
- Meditation (counting breaths, guided meditation, imagery)
- Movement
- Sleep
- Self-care
- Nature/sunshine
- Therapy
- Medications
Exercise/Movement
Diet
- Adequate hydration
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Legumes
- Nuts/seeds
- Soy
- Fatty fish/flax seeds/chia seeds
- Gut health
  - Probiotics/Prebiotics
  - Garlic
  - Ginger
Avoid
- Alcohol/tobacco/drugs
- Sugar in excess
Supplements
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Iron
- Selenium
- Probiotics
- Omega 3’s
- Elderberry
- Echinacea
- Turmeric

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New Year's Resolutions that matter

1/9/2020

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It's New Years Resolution time
- Nothing wrong with self-improvement
- Does it feel like a hamster wheel?
- Do you keep doing the same thing expecting different results?
- Or do you keep trying different things and getting the same results?
Let's quit beating around the bush - we're talking about your weight, right?
- Every year you recommit to losing weight
- Sometimes it works for a while, sometimes it doesn't work at all
- Every year you weigh more rather than less
Is this about your health?
- Has your doctor told you your weight is affecting your health?
- Do you think you'll be healthier if you lose weight?
Guess what? It's not about health!
- Weight is poorly correlated with health
- What is bad for your health is having your weight go up and down as a result of extreme diets
- People can improve their health at any weight with healthy lifestyle behaviors (not smoking, eatings fruits and veggies, being physically active, managing stress, getting enough sleep, etc)
So, does me giving you permission to stop worrying about your weight help?
- Most people want to lose weight for reasons outside of health
- Diets don't work
  - 9 out of 10 people gain the weight back within 5 years
- diets actually make things worse
  - different diets have different rules and different facts!
  - people end up getting mixed up about what they should and shouldn't eat
  - people end up scared to eat
  - people learn that their bodies can't be trusted
My wish for you and everyone out there is that you discover the joy and freedom of Intuitive Eating
- It is truly life-changing to get out of the cycle of dieting and heal your relationship with food
- IE is about
  - listening to the wisdom of your body
  - eliminating guilt/shame with eating
  - removing the value judgment around food
  - exercising for the right reasons
  - and so much more
- Unfortunately, because weight loss is not guaranteed, most people are not ready to give IE a try
- If you can start to come to terms with your body as it is now, you'll be a big step closer
  - You don't have to love your body like Lizzo does (tho wouldn't that be great?!)
  - You just need to be ready to take the focus off of it while you work on other things
  - Try to quiet that mean voice in your head that shows up
    - when you look in the mirror
    - when you put on something that doesn't fit
    - even when you dare to feel good about how you look
  - Fight that voice enough that it doesn't dictate your actions
    - Now you are ready!
Does IE feel like giving up?
- Sometimes people feel that way
- In a way, I'm asking you to let go of an impossible dream
- IE is actually a positive step for your health vs another diet that won't work
- It's actually a focus on health instead of unrealistic expectations on your body
- I don't promise weight loss, but I do promise a healthier lifestyle and improved sense of well-being
  - Does that still feel like giving up?

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Message about self-compassion

12/19/2019

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Holiday time, treats everywhere (work, neighbors, parties, actual holiday)
How do you handle it? Tell me if any of this describes you
- With planned events, do you increase your exercise or decrease your eating to allow for the indulgence
- In the moment, do you eat impulsively or just decide you deserve it or you don't want to miss out on something special/delicious?
- Do you beat yourself up afterwards for indulging? Does that mean voice in your head say all sorts of things that make you feel guilt and shame?
- Do you then feel like you need to compensate with exercise or restricting your eating
If this is a typical thought/behavior pattern for you, working with me or someone like me can help you stop this cycle
Barring that, try something that disrupts those mean thoughts
- Talk to yourself the way you might talk to a friend (or anyone else!)
- Treat yourself with compassion
- Recognize this is a stressful time of year
  - you may not be getting enough sleep, you're not exercising as much as yo'd like, your eating is off, in general
  - If you tend to stress eat - you'll probably be doing that
    - don't beat yourself up over this - that's not helpful!
- Remind yourself that you deserve to eat, to enjoy food, to celebrate

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Tea Time: CBD Oil

7/26/2019

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Source: Emily Kyle, MS, RDN, CLT, HCP (Certified Holistic Cannabis Practitioner), www.emilykylenutrition.com
What is it
- CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of over 100 cannabinoids
- Derives from the hemp plant
- non-psychoactive, contains < 0.3% THC
- The Farm Bill passed in December 2018 both legalizes hemp as an agricultural commodity and removes it from the controlled substances list
Potential benefits (emerging research)
- Epilepsy and seizure disorders
- Pain and inflammation
- PTSD and anxiety
- IBD – Crohn’s disease & Ulcerative Colitis
- IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Opioid withdrawal
- Preventive health
How to use it
- Oils, Creams, Vaping
- Oils can be taken as a supplement (hold it under your tongue) or topically
- Find recipes on Emily's website
Cautions
- Dosing is individualized
- You can get too much, like anything else
- The industry is not regulated, like all supplements
  - Look for a safe, reliable brand
  - Emily offers recommendations
Side effects
- Nausea
- irritability
- increased INR (if on coumadin)
- increase other meds (like grapefruit juice)
How to Pick a Safe CBD Product
- Hemp Origin. Was the raw hemp used to produce the CBD produced in the United States? Ideally you want a product that was grown in the USA and organic, if possible (although nearly impossible to verify as USDA certifications are not yet available).
- Extraction Process - Was the product solvent extracted or CO2 extracted? Supercriticial CO2 extraction is the gold standard and safest extraction method. Solvent extractions leave behind unsafe and unwanted byproducts.
- Additional Ingredients - The only ingredients should be CBD extract and a carrier oil like MCT coconut oil or hemp seed oil. Avoid any additional artificial sweeteners, dyes, or unwanted ingredients.
- 3rd Party Verification - All products should come with 3rd party verification from an accredited lab and provide a Certificate of Analysis to prove that what is in their product is truly in the product.

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Tea Time: Kidney Stones

6/11/2019

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Symptoms
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain on urination
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent need to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
- Urinating small amounts
Types of stones
- Calcium
  - Oxalate (most common)
  - Phosphate
- Uric Acid (from gout or uncontrolled diabetes)
- Struvite (from infection, like UTI)
- Cystine
Risk factors
- Medications
  - protease inhibitors
  - antibiotics
  - some diuretics
  - seizure meds
- IBD (crohn's, ulcerative colitis)
- Gastric Bypass
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Renal Tubular Acidosis
Treatment
- Small stones - increased fluids, pain relievers, meds
- large stones - sound waves, surgery, scope, parathyroid surgery
Dietary interventions for prevention
- General recommendations
  - Increase water intake (and decrease sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol)
  - Follow DASH diet (increased fruits, veggies, legumes)
  - Use caution with weight loss (high protein diet, laxatives, loss of lean body mass, dehydration could increase risk of stones)
- Calcium Oxalate stones
  - Decrease sodium
  - Get enough calcium from foods
  - Limit animal protein intake
  - Avoid vitamin C supplements
  - Decrease high-oxalate foods (spinach, beets, swiss chard, nuts, peanuts, soy foods, sesame seeds, wheat bran, chocolate)
    - Eating high-oxalate foods with a calcium source can help
- Calcium Phosphate stones
  - Decrease sodium
  - Get enough calcium from foods
  - Limit animal protein
  - Limit phosphorus additives (preservatives)
    - fast food, ready-to-eat foods, canned and bottled drinks, processed foods
  - Cranberry juice to lower pH of urine
- Uric Acid stones
  - Limit animal protein
- Cystine stones
  - Increase water intake

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Video Blog Posts

Tea Time Mindfulness Series: Beginner Meditation

How important is variety?

Pregnancy Nutrition Tips

Let's get nerdy about fiber

Holiday wishes for grace, patience, and peace

Tea Time: Evaluating the Evidence for Boosting Immunity

New Year's Resolutions that matter

Message about self-compassion

Tea Time: CBD Oil

Tea Time: Kidney Stones

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