Healthy Living

Easy Veggies to Grow

As we look forward to Spring, a healthy and wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and to get a little dirt under the fingernails is to start a garden. Here's some encouragement and some helpful hints for new or experienced gardeners.

Getting a Fresh Start in the New Year

Dr. Eric Lewis was featured in this January 2013 Laurel of Asheville article.

The Naturopathic Way: The Underlying Causes of Disease

This article is designed to map out the basic principles of what we feel are the most common underlying causes of chronic illness. These principles are an amalgam of our combined schooling, training, research, study, and years of working with patients.

The Naturopathic Way: Chronic Infection

Generally speaking, most people think of infections as something that happens acutely. "I caught a cold" or "I have a stomach virus"... these are most often illnesses that have a distinct beginning and end. We are sick, and then we are better- life goes on. In chronic infection, the pathogenic organism(s) persist- often in spite of or hidden from our immune systems- and contribute to diminishing health over time.

Naturopathic Myth Busters: Is Milk Healthy?

This food is a polarizing topic and many people have strong opinions for or against it. Here's our take on this popular food.

Asheville-area health experts offer tips on dietary cleanses

WNC health experts offer advice on dietary cleanup

Water, Water Everywhere...but what type should I drink?


We all know drinking water is not only good for us, but necessary for our health. But what TYPE of water should we be drinking? Is tap water safe? What about bottled water? Should you use a filter and if so, which kind?



Naturopathic Remedies: Strategies for Staying Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

How can you protect yourself from catching colds and flus and stay healthy during the winter months? Learn ways to minimize exposure, strengthen your immune system, and what to do if you get sick.

Breast-feeding may help protect children from developing type 2 diabetes

Dr. Kristina Lewis wrote this article as a guest columnist to the Asheville Citizen-Times. It discusses that one of the best ways to prevent type 2 diabetes in children is to prevent childhood obesity, and recently published research suggests breast-feeding infants could help reduce the risks of both.

More Good News for Chocolate Lovers

Getting your CRP levels down is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. This study showed people eating one serving of dark chocolate a few times a week had significantly lower CRP levels than those who didn’t. The drop in CRP was enough to decrease the risk of heart disease by one-fourth in men, and one-third in women.

10 Naturopathic Tips for Healthy Eating During the Holidays

Even the healthiest fitness instructor or naturopathic doctor is tempted by sweets and junk food during the holidays. Here are some tips for enjoying holiday goodies while keeping holistic health care in mind.

Holistic Health Care News: The Importance of Healthy Sunscreen

Did you know that a recent consumer safety study showed that 4 out of 5 sunscreens on the market contains harmful chemicals? And that up to 70% of sunscreens contained questionable or misleading claims on the bottle? What if the very sunscreen you are putting on your body to protect yourself from cancer contains carcinogenic compounds?

Sunlight: Friend or Foe? The Vitamin D and Sunscreen Debate

Vitamin D is getting a lot of attention from the media lately, and is the new "hot" topic in medical circles. Many people are having their vitamin D levels tested and finding out they are low in this essential nutrient. But what exactly is Vitamin D and why should you care about your Vitamin D levels? How does sunscreen use contribute to being low in this important vitamin, and what can we do about it?

Results-Oriented Exercise: A Key Component of Holistic Medicine and a Healthy Lifestyle

There are many experts out there with opinions and strategies to help people reach their exercise goals. But what if the scientists at NASA could shed some light on ways to put together an exercise plan to reach your goals?

Naturopathic Swine Flu Prevention Strategies

No one quite knows what to expect with Swine Flu this winter. The best way to stay healthy is to prevent getting sick in the first place. Here are the strategies we suggest that you and your friends and family can employ to make your immune system as strong as possible to fight off the flu.

Vital Choice-Organic, Wild, Natural, Sustainable, Pure Seafood, Berries, and Chocolate

 

Is Your Bucket Overflowing?

As naturopathic doctors, we spend a lot of time thinking about our patient's "buckets" in helping to restore health to the body. Our patients have told us they love our "Bucket Analogy" as a great way to explain an important concept in naturopathic medicine: why such seemingly small substances may make a big impact on your overall health.

Natural Weed and Pest Solutions for your Organic Vegetable Garden

Planting season is finally here! The time of year to get out in nature, get our hands in the soil and be part of the wonder of growing. Growing your own Organic Vegetables and Herbs has become more popular as we become more aware of the dangers in pesticide and chemical use. Learn more about some tried and true organic and natural ways to fight weeds and garden pests.

Naturopathic Myth Busters: Fiber

Fiber: A Bran New Study has Back-end Results that are Hard to Digest. A new study from UNC Medical School questions long-standing beliefs about fiber in our diets.

Gluten

The inability to digest gluten causes inflammation and damage to the mucosal linings of the intestines and other mucous membranes in the body. This is the starting point of problems for an individual with an adverse reaction to gluten.