Importance of Fish Oil in Brain Health
Fish oil is a heavy duty anti-inflammatory and can interrupt the secondary injury cascade brought from a traumatic brain injury.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy (CST) can be used to address many complaints including symptoms from brain injuries or migraines, insomnia, stress, neck pain, fibromyalgia, PTSD, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety or depression.
The Science: Post Traumatic Headaches
All about the science behind post-traumatic headaches
Post-Traumatic Headaches
Headaches are the most common condition that occurs after any brain injury. Surprisingly, they are more common with mild concussion brain injuries. This headache condition is referred to as post-traumatic headaches (PTH).
How’s your head? Car accidents and brain injury
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 35% of non-fatal traumatic brain injuries are due to motor vehicle-related injuries. In a car accident, an impact or jolt to the body can cause injury to your brain. Simply put, you do not have to hit your head for a brain injury to happen.
Why is Brain Health so important to me?
I understand how it feels to just–not feel yourself. I also understand the nuances of the challenges you’ll face on this healing journey. I strive to listen to your story and experience so we can get to the root cause of your symptoms and onto your path to a stronger, healthier brain.
Traumatic Brain Injury in America
Our brains are our vitality. Many practitioners state our vital force comes from our adrenals or kidneys, but our brains manage all of our organs. It is incredibly important to address both brain injury and brain health.
Healing Allies: Oats
Oats, or Avena Sativa, is a nootropic herb. Nootropics are brain-specific verses a nervine that address the entire nervous system. The straw, seed, or milky stage are medicinally beneficial.
The Long Road Home
I knew that I’d found my medical calling, to help young athletes, military, and people that have been impacted by head injuries to recover their quality of life. Our brains are our life.
Healing Allies: Skullcap
There are many species of Skullcap, Scutellaria Lateriflora, American Skullcap, used in Western Herbalism, and Scutellaria Baicalensis, Chinese Skullcap, used in Chinese Medicine. Both are commonly prescribed by Naturopaths.
Healing Allies: Valerian
Valerian/Valeriana Officinalis benefits for insomnia & sleep disturbance was first prescribed during the Greek and Roman era. Valerian is best known as a sedative, nervine, antispasmodic, hypotensive, diuretic, and anticonvulsant. You can use it to soothe sleep disturbance, grief/loss, depression, neuralgic pain, dysmenorrhea, epilepsy, nervous headaches, and decreased cerebral circulation.
Big Exciting News!
From Little Things… Big Things Come! I’m seeing patients in Beaverton, OR at MediPro Holistic Health.
Healing Allies: Lavender
Lavender is a calming ally for an overtaxed nervous system. Lavender is a wonderful healer in each of her forms: essential oil, salve, tea, or tincture. Best used to relieve anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion, headaches, pre-menstrual cramps.
Healing Allies: Hawthorne
Crataegus Spp or Hawthorne is a powerful ally for the heart. It is often thought of as just a cardiovascular herb, but she is so much more than that. Hawthorne is available in multiple forms, tea from the leaves and flowers, tinctures, and extracts. The berries when eaten whole are a tangy-sweet snack. The berries and flowers provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and improve cross-linkage in the connective tissue of the blood vessels.
Whole-Person Healing: A Family Legacy
I always knew that I came from a long line of Osteopathic doctors. My great-grandparents were It wasn’t until I began my study of Naturopathic medicine that I realized just how deeply the philosophy and practice of whole-person healing runs in my blood. As part of my medical training, I was introduced to the true essence of Osteopathic medicine - healing the whole person.
Healing Allies: Passion Flower
Passion Flower is useful in supporting insomnia and nervous system disorders. The leaves ingested as tea or tinctures address; insomnia, anxiety, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, neuralgia, shingles, and nervous palpitations or headache. External use can address hemorrhoids, burns, or inflammation, especially when used in a neutral sitz bath. Passion Flower fruit has a sweet and sour flavor and can be eaten whole. When eaten it acts as a sedative, anxiolytic, antispasmodic, hypotensive, and nervine. It has an affinity for the heart and liver according to the herbalist, Michael Terra. Passion Flower is also helpful in decreasing amphetamine-induced hypermotility, aggressiveness, and restlessness.
Healing Allies: Lemon Balm
Another member of the mint family, Lemon Balm acts as an antiviral, sedative, carminative, hypotensive, uplifting agent, and antispasmodic. It can be used in a variety of ways. I love placing a few leaves in my water when I need a pick me up. Its lemony scent is enriching. It combines well with St. John’s Wort to treat viral infections topically. A bath with Lemon Balm and Rosemary can be helpful for low mood and motivation.
Healing Allies: Motherwort
As a member of the mint family, Leonurus Cardiaca or Motherwort has an affinity for supporting healthy cardiac and pelvic systems.
Healing Allies: Burdock
While writing the class about mental health allies, I hadn’t considered talking about Burdock Root in my teaching. Boy was I wrong.