Category: Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Nutrition, Pediatrics1 Comment

Cleaning House: Are Chemicals Impacting Your Kids’ Health?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Over a week ago I posted on Instagram about cleaning chemicals and that they can negatively impact our kids’ microbiome. The way that the microbiome was being assessed and studied was through the lens of childhood obesity.  Ultimately, kiddos who were exposed to more of the conventional cleaning chemicals (even a few times a week), had microbiome changes that seemed to also result in more obesity in those same kiddos. Additionally, it seemed like kids who grew up in households with ‘greener’ cleaning products had less of these issues: fewer microbiome changes and lower incidences of obesity. Some of the … Continue reading Cleaning House: Are Chemicals Impacting Your Kids’ Health?

Adulting, Fitness, Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Parenting, Self CareLeave a comment

Flossing…not just a dance move

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

You have probably been reprimanded, just as I have, by your hygienist and dentist to floss more.  The reasoning that we are often given is that it helps agitate and dislodge the tartar and plaque buildup, reduces the resulting and/or ongoing inflammation in your gums, and reduces the chances of gum disease.  All seems pretty true to me.  If you leave crusty crap bumping up against soft tissue, the tissue is going to get angry. What might not be part of the discussion is that flossing is also preventive for some downstream effects that we might not associate with it.  … Continue reading Flossing…not just a dance move

Food Introduction, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Parenting, PediatricsLeave a comment

This whole food allergy thing is nuts

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

If you were listening to NPR this week (listen here), you may have heard that feeding babies peanut products prior to 12 months of age is actually preventive in terms of developing true allergies to peanuts.  Not too long ago, we were recommending to parents that they wait until 3 years old to start nuts.  Then the advice and the guideline shifted to waiting until one year old.  Sound confusing? What can be frustrating and is fascinating to me is that what we ‘know’ about nutrition is always changing.  The world of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities (they are not the same thing … Continue reading This whole food allergy thing is nuts

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Women's HealthLeave a comment

What’s D got to do with me?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Vitamin D: why do we talk about it so much and what does it have to do with your winter time health? The way that our bodies make Vitamin D endogenously (on our own & without supplements) is through sun or UV exposure. If you can get outside for 15-60 minutes a day for some fresh air and sunshine, your body can start to make its own. However at the latitude of the PNW, we get next to nothing in the way of UV exposure in our winter months. And if you happen to be darker skinned and/or advanced in … Continue reading What’s D got to do with me?

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, PediatricsLeave a comment

My top 5 ‘get well’ tricks…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Many people ask me what I do with my own family, whether it comes to vaccinations, diet and nutrition, or managing illnesses.  I will confess that we have stayed incredibly healthy for the last 7 years, until now….these last two months have knocked us down and dragged us out. Since we have a veritable natural pharmacy in our kitchen and many years of practical knowledge, it makes it easy for us to whip up remedies at the first sign of runny noses or congested sinuses.  This isn’t always true or practical for every household.  In light of this, I thought … Continue reading My top 5 ‘get well’ tricks…

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, VaccinationsLeave a comment

Another round of applause for Probiotics…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Did you know that nearly 60% of your immune system lives in your digestive tract?  And that the more stockpiled and protected your digestive tract is by ‘good’ bacteria, the better your immune system can function?  These are the reasons your doc may be asking you to take probiotics (supplements that contain strains of live, ‘good’ bacteria) for your colds, allergies, digestive ailments, or even pre- and post-immunization. Check out this article to find out more about how it can reduce time and severity of your colds this season: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/probiotics-fight-cold-symptoms-article-1.1190890?localLinksEnabled=false – Dr. Sunita Continue reading Another round of applause for Probiotics…

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Parenting, PediatricsLeave a comment

Bacteria are our worse enemies…or our best friends?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

It’s not really news.  In fact, many of you probably take a probiotic, eat some yogurt or kefir, or use fermented foods in your diet because you know that ‘good bacteria’ is great for the digestion and immune system.  Maybe you have seen the benefits in your or your child’s own life and health or hope to. Healthy microbes are an essential part of a healthy immune system, as much of our immune tissue resides in our digestive tract.  This is so that we can identify the things that may do us harm right when it enters our body and … Continue reading Bacteria are our worse enemies…or our best friends?

Breastfeeding, Events, Healthy Eating, Parenting, Pediatrics, Women's HealthLeave a comment

Eastside Natural Medicine is making changes

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Many of you have had the opportunity to be in the (relatively) new space in the last five months and not only are we staying put, we are expanding! Beginnning July 1st we will be taking over Suite 104 and with this expansion will come some new faces…. In addition to Eastside Natural Medicine and my practice, there will be another family practice naturopathic physcian, a nurse midwife and lactation consultant, a massage therapist, a reiki and energy pracitioner, and nutritionists. All of these wonderful people are ‘hand picked’ and I am excited to have them in one place to … Continue reading Eastside Natural Medicine is making changes

Food Introduction, Healthy Eating, Parenting, PediatricsLeave a comment

Arsenic in Brown Rice Syrup?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Brown Rice Syrup Puts Arsenic In Organic Foods by Dan Flynn | Feb 17, 2012 http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/02/brown-rice-syrup-puts-arsenic-in-those-organics/ Brown rice syrup used in many organic foods as a substitute for the often-chastised high fructose corn sugar is causing problems of its own with high arsenic levels. That means danger for those consuming such products as “organic” infant milk formula, cereal bars or high energy foods that contain the organic brown rice syrup (OBRS) as an ingredient, according to a Dartmouth College research team led by Brian Jackson. Jackson is director of Trace Metal Analysis at Dartmouth’s Department of Earth Science. The team’s … Continue reading Arsenic in Brown Rice Syrup?

Healthy Eating, Parenting, Pediatrics, PregnancyLeave a comment

BPA Free Canned Goods

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Hello!  Thought I would share this link to a listing of some BPA-free canned goods that are out there: http://guide.thesoftlanding.com/2010/03/15/bpa-free-canned-food-options/ “We’ve talked extensively about BPA-based epoxy linings commonly used in aluminum cans, especially in regards to finding BPA-free tomatoes.  It was a difficult task because of their acidic nature, but we finally found Pomi.  Not even Eden Organics, the leader of the pack, has found a way to go BPA-free in the tomato category just yet. During our tomato treasure hunt, we gathered a small list of all BPA-free canned foods currently available.  Hopefully this list will grow quickly with … Continue reading BPA Free Canned Goods