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Please join me for my spring lecture series to learn how you can support your child’s optimal growth and development through healthy sleep, nutrition and home care. These talks will answer the most common questions I hear from parents who want to best support their child’s growth and development.  There will be an hour of lecture followed by 30 min of question and discussion.  All classes to be held at Heartspace Center for Healing in Lake Oswego, OR.

Sweet Dreams and Sleep – Is Your Child Getting Enough?  How Can you Tell?

Help your child get the restoration she needs.  We’ll discuss why sleep is so important and why modern kids just aren’t getting enough.  What are the consequences spiritually, mentally, physically?

Thursday April 5, 7-8:30 PM//RSVP by Monday April 2

Nutrition for Kids – The Most Basic Foods Your Child Should be Eating and the Supplements She Should be Taking and Why

We’ll explore lunchbox ideas, meal tips for kids and how to get picky kids to expand their palate.  Why is gluten such a big deal? We’ll also sample some tasty snacks.

Thursday April 26, 7:00 – 8:30 PM//RSVP by Monday April 23

Natural Home Remedy Kit for Families – What To Have On Hand for Illness and Injury

We’ll discuss homeopathics, herbs, ointments and home remdies.  Rest0ck your medicine cabinet!  There’ll be the opportunity to place a group order.

Thursday May 17, 7-8:30 PM//RSVP by Monday May 14

All classes are $25. Sign up with a friend and you each pay $20!

All Classes Held At Heartspace Center for Healing/1637 Laurel St (next to 7 Dees Nursery)/Lake Oswego, OR 97034

RSVP 503-804-0133 or kandersonrossnd@gmail.com

I am very excited to share with you the Weight Loss and Nutritional Detoxification program that I have been guiding patients through for the past couple months.  I have been searching for a detox/weight loss program for a long time.  I prefer this one because it involves flooding the body with nutrition and feeling satiated rather than a “diet” involving calorie restriction and hunger.  Because it involves replacing two meals/day with a whole-food based/nutrient-dense/high protein meal replacement shake, I find that my patients have better results as they don’t need to spend a lot of time thinking about what’s ok to eat.  As a result life is a little simpler, enabling participants to spend more time on exercise, meditation, fun and anything else that will enable them to stay on a modified diet.  Patients report increased energy, better sleep and increased motivation to meet exercise and nutrition goals.

We are bombarded with toxic elements in our daily lives from the water we drink, the air we breathe and the foods we eat.  The body’s water-based detoxification system is not equipped to manage the high number of fat-soluble toxic agents that we are exposed to in the modern world; as a result, the backlog gets stored in fat.  The more the detoxification system is backlogged, the more fat we put on.  The combination of the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is lacking in nutrition and high in simple carbohydrates and sugars, combined with a sedentary lifestyle and daily toxic exposure equals the perfect storm for weight and fat gain. The cycle of low energy, lack of motivation and cravings for the “wrong” foods continues.

When we flood our bodies with nutrient rich foods high in protein, minerals and vitamins, and low in sugars and carbohydrates, in combination with herbal and nutritional products that detoxify at the cellular level, we increase muscle mass and actually start to burn up our fat stores as a source of fuel, thus losing fat, weight, inches and toxins.  This “loss of baggage” results in an overall improvement of energy and mood, clearer thinking, more balanced hormones, resolution of chronic health issues, the list goes on and on.

Many folks who aren’t interested in losing weight find that by doing a whole body detox they sleep better, have increased energy and a better mood.  Imbalances that one has assumed are “part of aging” often resolve including irregular hormones, headaches, body aches and pains, allergies, skin rashes, loss of libido and brain fog.  Even people who don’t need to lose weight are often delighted to find that they have lost inches in stubborn places.

I invite you to call or email me to learn more about the program and schedule a complimentary 30 minute consult in person or over the pone to assess your level of toxicity and to explore if this program is for you.  I offer weekly check-ins either in person or by phone/Skype for weighing, measuring and overall cheerleading to support you in your detox and weight loss goals.

You owe it to yourself to strip away the barriers that prevent you from becoming the strongest, most energetic self that you can be.  Why not get started now?

Click here to watch a 17 minute video of my friend and colleague Laura Washington ND who discusses the details of this nutritional detoxification and weight loss program.

Just for clarification, this program is not to be mistaken with a “colon cleanse” which stimulates the colon to release waste resulting in a temporary weight loss and reduction in toxins.  Colon cleansing does not stimulate fat burning nor does it decrease the body’s overall toxic burden on a cellular level.

Krista Anderson-Ross ND; 503-804-0133; kandersonrossnd@gmail.com; www.wholefoodmatters.net

Heartspace Center for Healing has moved! We are still in Lake Oswego, only 1.4 miles from our previous location. We are still offering Naturopathic Medicine, Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture and Massage in a bigger, brighter environment.  Stop by to say hello or make an appointment to get the new year off to a good start!

Heartspace Center for Healing
1637 Laurel St.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
503-804-0133

Heartspace Center for Healing new location!

My parents were visiting recently when I sent them to the store to buy potatoes for dinner.  I insisted they buy organic, which puzzled my parents.  Why would you be concerned about pesticides in a food that grows underground?  Potatoes are sprayed several times with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in their short little lives: as sliced potato “seeds” before they are planted, the leaves are sprayed while the potatoes are growing below, and the mature potatoes are sprayed after they’re harvested.

This time of year, with farmer’s markets in full swing and the produce aisle of the grocery store bursting at the seams with beautiful fruits and vegetables, familiarize yourself with the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) helpful lists: The Clean 15 and The Dirty Dozen.  While it is best to consume organic produce as much as possible, when the budget is tight or organics are unavailable, it’s nice to know which conventionally grown produce receives the least and the highest amounts of pesticides.  For example, potatoes and strawberries are on the Dirty Dozen list , avocados and asparagus are on the Clean 15 list.

When my family and I travel, I am so thankful to whip out my smart phone and consult my Dirty Dozen app to advise my shopping.  The list can also be downloaded and kept in your wallet for quick reference.

The EWG estimates that by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the cleanest, consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80%!  So consult your list and with a clean conscience load up your basket with fresh, seasonal produce.

I cannot say enough positive things about the EWG.  With the EWG out there I feel as if someone “has my back.” They work tirelessly to keep us informed of threats to our health, as well as providing solutions.  If you haven’t already, check out their website.  It is loaded with consumer information from the chemicals in our water and foods to political action.  It is a resource that I use regularly.  See my post The Coolest App Ever for EWG’s Healthy Sunscreen Guide.

I have a vivid memory of being home sick as a child, back in the day when 7-Up and Ginger Ale were the panacea for all ills. I had strict instructions from my mother to take one teaspoon of 7-Up every half hour. I was thirsty, and the 7-Up wasn’t providing much hydration; the half hours became minutes, the teaspoons became tablespoons, soon I was drinking right out of the can…

Fast forward. I am home today with my youngest son who was sick with a stomach virus all night. As he feels better and I navigate the choices of what foods and fluids to introduce I’m reminded how confusing this process can be and how misinformed we have been by the “7-Up Cure.”

What to do for your child who is sick with a stomach flu or diarrhea?  The most important thing to keep in mind is to do nothing initially. The body is attempting to clear a pathogen from the body. The most we can do for our sick children is to make them comfortable enabling the body to do its job, be there when they need us and monitor for dehydration. Babies and young children who are still nursing can continue to nurse on command. Older children should refrain from all fluids and foods until the purging slows down. Introducing solids and liquids too soon can irritate and prolong the process. We have all experienced giving our child a seemingly harmless glass of water too soon only to regret it. My mother had the right idea by restricting the amount of fluid that was entering my body, but much to my children’s disappointment we now have many better choices than 7-Up.

Tips for Kids with Stomach and Intestinal “Bugs”

1. Do nothing initially. Help your child get comfortable. Add or remove blankets and clothing as needed. The most important thing you can do for your child is to monitor dehydration and offer fluids when the time is right.

2. Consider a homeopathic remedy if your child is in a lot of discomfort. (See my article Homeopathic Remedies for Common Ailments)

3. Once the initial purging subsides for at least three hours offer a few small ice chips. It is a very slow way of introducing fluids and is easier on the system than drinking water. If the ice chips are kept down for a half-hour you can offer some more. Limit the fluid intake to 1-3 teaspoons worth of ice chips at a time.

4. When it is clear that the ice chips are staying down you can let your child drink slowly small amounts of water (no more than 1/4 cup) for one to two hours.

5. It’s best to let the digestive system rest for as long as possible, but a child’s metabolism works so quickly you will soon be hearing requests for food. I prefer to start with electrolytes to help the body replace what is lost with the purging. Homemade chicken and bone broths are naturally high in electrolytes, as is unsweetened coconut water and miso soup broth. I would avoid Gatorade and other products that are full of corn syrup and sugar. Even Pedialyte should be considered with caution, some of their products are sweetened with Aspartame to which many people are sensitive, and most of their products contain artificial colors and flavors. There is a similar natural product called “Recharge” which is a better choice. If you don’t have any of the above in your home and your child refuses water you may dilute a small amount of fruit juice (1 part juice to 15 parts water) avoiding citrus juices due to their acid content.

When your child seems ready to eat I usually follow the B.R.A.T. diet: banana, (white) rice, applesauce, (dry) toast. These foods are “binding” – and as a result are the very foods to avoid when your child is constipated. I recommend starting with half a piece of toast or a few spoonfuls of rice to avoid the acidity of the applesauce and banana in an already sensitive stomach.

6. As soon as your child is keeping down water consistently introduce a probiotic to restore the bowel flora. It’s easy to stir some powder into applesauce, white rice or water.  Mercola recommends taking a dose every 30-60 minutes until symptoms resolve. It may mean going through an entire bottle in 24 hours and that is ok!

7. Let your child rest as much as possible. With sleep comes regeneration.

For more information about homeopathic remedies at home consult my favorite user-friendly homeopathy books: Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine by Cummings and Ullman and Homeopathic Medicine at Home by Panos.

I can’t resist a creative salad that integrates sweet and savory.  While on the road with my family this summer we stopped at my all-time favorite health food store, the Brattleboro Food Co-op in Brattleboro, Vermont.  They were sampling this delicious summer salad that knocked our flip-flops off.  I highly recommend that you give it a try on a sizzling summer day.

In my posting The Goods on Fat I wrote about the importance of including healthy fats in a well-balanced diet. One of the first nutritional suggestions I make to all my patients is to roast a chicken once a week. A roasted chicken is soul food – it is ridiculously simple to prepare yet yields a succulent main dish that is full of protein, minerals and healthy fat that is so exceedingly satisfying that you feel you’re getting away with something.

After the roasted chicken is consumed I make broth. My parents who tend toward the sarcastic used to joke about “consecrated chicken soup.” In my childhood naivete I didn’t understand why that was so funny, but later as I learned about the truly nutritive and healing qualities of chicken broth, and became aware of how it has been revered over time as a cure-all in cultures all over the world, the joke made sense. The old wives’ tales made claims of healing the sick and aiding digestion. Modern science confirms that chicken broth high in minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, does serve as an excellent mineral source and electrolyte replacer, and it contains enzymes that contribute to the immune process and aid digestion. Chicken broth also contains gelatin which is healing to the digestive tract as it aids in digestion and ultimately decreases inflammation.

A roasted chicken is an incredibly economical meal choice as you get at least two meals out of the chicken. Please see my very simplified versions of how to roast a chicken and make chicken broth.

And yes, you are getting away with something – an epicurian pleasure without guilt. Now how often does that happen? Enjoy.