Healthy Recipe: Thai Salmon with Asian Kale salad

I love experimenting with different recipes during the summer months when our community supported agriculture (CSA) is booming with fresh produce. It keeps me on my toes with learning how to cook different vegetables like kohlrabi or muu radishes. I will post some of my favorite finds this summer. Starting with these two yummy favorites my family loved.

RECIPE #1

THAI SALMON RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

6 x 6 oz wild salmon fillets, skin on/off

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce, divided (buy at grocery store Asian section)

2 – 3 tbsp green onions, finely chopped

Cooking spray (I use Misto)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large baking dish, add salmon in a single layer.

Each fillet: sprinkle with a pinch of salt and top with 1 tbsp of Thai sweet chili sauce.

Brush or rub with your fingers to coat fish with sauce evenly on top, bottom and sides. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight is the best (up to 24 hours).

Turn on oven’s broiler on High and position top oven rack 5″ – 6″ below the heat source. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and place salmon fillets skin side down (if any).

Coat with remaining marinade from the dish (if any). Broil for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once.

Remove from the oven and brush top of each fillet with 2 tsp of Thai sweet chili sauce.

Return to the oven and broil for another 5 minutes or until salmon has caramelized.Serve hot garnished with green onions, extra sauce (if desired).

RECIPE #2

ASIAN KALE SALAD

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALAD:

4 cups chopped curly kale, thick stems removed (be sure it's dry)

3 cups prepared shredded red cabbage

2 cups prepared shredded carrots

1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces

3/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DRESSING:

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon sugar

1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped

1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sriracha

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bake the almonds until lightly golden and fragrant, 5-10 minutes. (Keep a close eye on them; nuts burn quickly.) Let cool.

Combine all of the ingredients for the salad in a large mixing bowl.

Combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a food processor or blender; process until smooth and creamy.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve immediately.

BON APPETIT!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believes that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms. With her scientific background, Dr Fey uses science based natural approaches to treating disease.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center for Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Dr Fey is currently offering telemedicine for patients all across the US. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.  

Nutrition An Overlooked But Vital Component In The Treatment Of Mood Disorders

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and even though many forms of therapy exist, about one third of patients treated with conventional antidepressants do not experience a response. Diet is a common overlooked area in the treatment of many health conditions in the conventional realm of medicine. In the treatment of mood disorders, it’s an area that needs to be addressed. Here are some examples of how nutrition plays such a vital role in influencing our moods.

PROTEINS INFLUENCE ON NEUROTRANSMITTER PRODUCTION

A study published in 2018 showed that vegetarians were more neurotic and depressed than omnivores. This is likely due to the amino acids content in high protein foods. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which play a critical role in neurotransmitter production. Neurotransmitters (ie. serotonin, dopamine, GABA to name a few) are the chemicals that allow brain cells to communicate to each other. A simplified example of this is if you eat turkey your body breaks down the protein and makes the amino acid L-tryptophan. In the biochemical pathway of synthesizing the neurotransmitter, serotonin, L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid in this process. Your body can’t make L-tryptophan on its own. It is required through your diet; and therefore, if you aren’t getting adequate amounts of protein through poultry, nuts, fish, or dairy you may become deficient in serotonin. Low serotonin levels are associated with a whole host of disorders including depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive disorders, and headaches.

THE ROLE OF INFLAMMATION ON MOODS

Inflammation and mood disorders are hot topics in the research literature. Addressing the inflammatory process looks like a crucial area missed in the conventional realm of treating severe and mild mood disorders. An article published in 2019 in the journal Frontiers In Psychiatry discusses the role of dietary inflammation and mental illness. This article cites many studies that show diets consisting of high inflammatory foods like simple carbohydrates, processed sugars and saturated fats influence even severe mood disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

In addition, fish oil has been researched for years showing it’s beneficial for treating depression. Why? Fish oil contains omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which have strong anti-infammatory effects as well as beneficial effects on the cell membranes directly. Researchers point out that cell membranes are made up of omega-3s. Therefore by increasing omega-3 levels through supplementation or diet it allows for neurotransmitters like dopamine, for example, to pass through the cell membrane more easily directly affecting our brain biochemistry.

Curcumin, the principal curcuminoid derived from the spice turmeric, influences several biological mechanisms associated with major depression. In 2017, Journal of Affective Disorders published a study that showed curcumin dosed at 500mg 2x/day after 4 weeks was significantly more effective than placebo in improving several mood-related symptoms. Curcumin’s powerful natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties seem to be the driving forces behind its influence on brain biochemistry. Chronic inflammation can decrease levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine and can lead to degeneration in certain brain areas. It is possible that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin can restore these neurotransmitters and protect the brain, eventually leading to improvements in mood.

THE GUT BRAIN CONNECTION

The gut brain connection is a very complex area of research. Our diets can directly affect our microbiome, the trillions of microorganisms that live in our gut. The gut microbiota can actually produce neurotransmitters themselves. For example, Lactobacillus spp. produces GABA and acetylcholine; Bifidobacterium spp. produces GABA; Escherichia spp. produces noradrenalin and serotonin; to name a few. In addition, we know that 90% of the neurotransmitter serotonin is actually produced in the gut! So, how can what we eat NOT influence the production of our brain neurotransmitters?

The treatment of mood disorders can not be looked at as a one size fits all treatment. This is why many patients seek out alternative practitioners like naturopathic physicians, because their current treatment utilizing pharmaceutical medications and psychotherapy for their mood disorder is not giving them the results they were hoping to achieve.

Naturopathic physicians (ND’s) learn the same basic sciences as conventional medical doctors, but they are are trained in nutrition, psychology, and complementary therapies such as herbal medicine and homeopathy. Be aware not all naturopathic doctors are the same. NY State currently doesn’t license naturopathic physicians, so ND’s trained through accredited graduate level medical schools and are required to pass national board exams before licensure are lumped together with “traditional” naturopaths who don’t attend accredited graduate schools and do not receive licenses. Before choosing a naturopathic practitioner, be aware of their education and training before making your appointment.

REFERENCES

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29595331/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6529779/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31156486/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29254106/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25046624/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6389720/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22968153/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believes that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms. With her scientific background, Dr Fey uses science based natural approaches to treating disease.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center for Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Dr Fey is currently offering telemedicine for patients all across the US. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.  

Migraines and Gluten Intolerance

Carol was a 32 year old woman who had been suffering from daily migraine episodes for almost 10 years. She had been through all the standard conventional medical examinations and imaging procedures all indicating no pathology. There was a familial component to the migraines which in conclusion lead her to believe that migraines just ran in the family and this was something she would have to live with for the rest of her life. She was currently managing her symptoms using acupuncture and pharmaceutical medications. 

As with all of my patients, close examination of their daily diet is part of their naturopathic consultation. Specifically with migraine sufferers, I find there is a huge association between food intolerances and migraines. I have repetitively seen the removal of a food significantly lessen or completely resolve migraine episodes.  The most common food triggers I see clinically for many is not the typical chocolate, alcohol, aged cheeses, or MSG, but instead dairy, gluten, and eggs. As for Carol it seemed that gluten was the possible suspect. 

Gluten is a protein found in the grains: wheat, barley, rye, kamut, and spelt. It’s the part of these grains that gives dough its elastic consistency. Gluten intolerance is when the body’s immune system is intolerant of gluten and its sub-protein gliadin in the diet and is forming antibodies or displaying some other evidence of an inflammatory reaction. The symptoms of gluten sensitivity are so varied, many people who have health issues may be unaware that their suffering may be due to gluten.

For Carol, her health issue didn’t involve any gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms so it was hard for her to believe that gluten could be causing her migraine episodes. Since 1966, scientific evidence has been accumulating regarding gluten sensitivity without the classic GI symptoms. During the past five years, many scientists have begun to re-evaluate the notion that gluten sensitivity is solely a disease of the GI tract due to the overwhelming evidence indicating otherwise. Other organs suspected of being involvement with gluten intolerance include: joints, heart, thyroid, bone, brain, and neuronal synapses. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Huntington’s disease, autism, cardiomyopathies, dermatitis herpetiformis, dementia, and osteoporosis have all been shown in the literature to be connected to gluten.

While there is data to suggest that a certain percentage of migraine sufferers react to gluten, few medical doctors routinely test their patients for it. In 2003 a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology indicated that of the 90 patients who were diagnosed with idiopathic migraine, 4.4% had celiac disease compared to 0.4% of the 23 controls. The patients were treated for six months with a gluten-free diet and their symptoms decreased or were eliminated. The patients also showed an improvement in their cerebral blood flow on a gluten-free diet that was confirmed with diagnostic imaging.

There are many blood tests to confirm your diagnosis of gluten intolerance. If you do decide to ask your doctor and he/she agrees be sure to not start eliminating gluten from your diet until after the testing is done. The test could come back negative if you are not actively eating gluten. 

On the other hand, eliminating gluten from the diet is an easy way to determine if it’s the cause of your migraine episodes.  As in Carol’s situation this is what she did, and after 4 weeks of eliminating gluten she noticed a significant improvement in her migraines. They weren’t as frequent or long lasting. In addition to eliminating gluten from her diet she also supplemented with beneficial nutrients such as magnesium and riboflavin which have also been shown to be helpful in managing migraines. 

Like many patients that I see who have gluten intolerance, it may take months of not eating gluten before their symptoms completely resolve. Carol has been gluten free now for 8 months and on average experiences one headache every few months. In comparison to her daily migraine episodes in the past this a dramatic improvement, and for her a great enough reason to never look at gluten again!

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.

Essential Oils As Alternatives To Antibiotics For Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infections affecting millions of people each year. The biggest problems of urinary diseases are recurrences, increasing resistance to common antibiotics, as well as biofilm formation making them difficult to treat.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the main bacteria found in 80% to 85% of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Unfortunately, due to the overuse of antibiotics to these infections, the E. coli strains have now become resistant to many pharmaceutical prescription antibiotics; and therefore, alternative means to fight these infections are imperative to find.

A study published in the Molecules journal in March 2019 showed that essential oils from the plants Origanum majorana (oregano), Thymus zygis (thyme) and Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) all showed antibacterial activity to the uropathogenic E.coli strains. Whereas, the essential oils from the plants, Juniperus communis (juniper) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) ,did not show any effect towards E. coli.

More specifically, Thyme essential oil demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against the E. coli isolates, followed by Oregano and Rosemary. Furthermore, the essential oils also showed high biofilm inhibitory action with the Rosemary oil having the highest antibiofilm activity followed by Thyme and Oregano oil.

In conclusion, these oils showed very effective antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against E. Coli strains. Hopefully more studies will be done on other bacterial strains giving more validity to alternative medicine, and also give medical professionals more tools to use to fight the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance we are developing due to overuse.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30909573

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31136644

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.

The Effects of Plant Lectins on Autoimmune Diseases

Plant-derived dietary lectins have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. Studies show that the plant lectins act as a “danger signal” that can activate inflammatory mediators.

So, what are plant lectins?

Lectins are naturally occurring proteins found in most plants. Some foods that contain higher amounts of lectins include beans, peanuts, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, fruits, and wheat and other grains. Clinically, I hear a lot, “if I eat cooked tomatoes not raw I can tolerate them more”. This is likely because cooking the vegetables can breakdown the lectin protein making them less inflammatory to the body.

Research

Dr. Steven Gundry, MD has done a lot of research on how plant lectins affect disease. He found that out of 102 patients that he studied with autoimmune diseases, 95 of them went into complete remission after removing lectins from their diet after 9 months. The other 7 patients all had reduced inflammatory markers in their blood, but they were not in complete remission. And, 80 of the 102 patients were weaned from all immunosuppressive and/or biologic medications without rebound. He did also find most of his patients were low in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, so supplementation along with probiotics were utilized as well during the 9 months.

I don’t find that once you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease it has to be a lifetime problem. I find removing plant lectins from the diet as one of the useful tools in bringing patients with autoimmune diseases back to the state of balance and optimal health they deserve.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28087670

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/circ.137.suppl_1.p238

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.

Vietnamese Pho: My Most Favorite Soup During A Snow Storm

I love Pho! I first experienced it while at Naturopathic Medical School in Portland OR. On cold rainy days, I would frequent my favorite pho restaurant near Portland State University. Even today, 15 years later, it’s a favorite of mine to prepare for my family during the winter months.

My favorite recipe is below. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does when its chilly outside.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds (whole)

• 1 cinnamon stick (roughly broken)

• 4 whole star anise

• 4 whole cloves

• 1 quart beef broth

• 1 piece ginger (3-inch size, roughly chopped)

• 1 bunch scallions (or green onions reserve the green parts for garnishing the soup, white parts only)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 5 slices jalapeno pepper (fresh, depending on your spice tolerance)

• 1 handful rice noodles (soaked or cooked according to package directions)

• 1/4 pound flank steak (sliced paper thin)

• 1 bean sprouts (generous handful)

• scallions (sliced, or green onions to taste green parts only)

• 1 sprig fresh basil

• 1 sprig fresh cilantro

• 3 lime wedges

• sriracha

• hoisin sauce

Instructions

1. Place a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium low heat. Add all of the spices and stir them until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully add the beef broth; it will sputter quite a bit. Turn the heat to high and add the remaining broth ingredients. When it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Strain the broth through colander into another sauce pot or soup pot so all the added spices are removed and all that remains is the broth. Keep it at a simmer while you assemble your bowls and garnishes.

2. To assemble and garnish each bowl of pho: Lay desired amount of jalapeno slices in the bottom of each bowl (optional of course). Top with a generous amount of rice noodles. Drape the beef evenly over the noodles and pour the boiling broth over top. Give a quick stir to help cook the beef, then pile on bean sprouts, sliced scallions (green onions), basil, and cilantro. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges and let them rest in the broth to lend to the flavor. Serve with sriracha and/or hoisin sauce. It's best to serve this the traditional way: with chopsticks AND a soup spoon. Slurping is encouraged!

3. Feel free to have fun with it. You can also make it strictly vegan without the beef if you desire. I like to add in vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and green onions. Each member of my family designs their own bowl and then adds the broth. This works nicely especially for picky kids cause then they get to decide what they put into their soup.

Bon appetit!

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.

The Difference Between a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor and a Naturopathic Doctor

Sounds confusing, right? Well unfortunately due to the lack of regulation for Naturopathic Doctors (ND) in NY State; ANYONE can call themselves a Naturopathic Doctor (scary, right?)

So, let’s first talk about a licensed Naturopathic Doctor’s Education (that’s me :-))

 After receiving my bachelor’s degree in science (pre-med), I then attended a four-year, in-residence doctoral program accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME). The CNME recognized by the US Dept of Education and is the only accrediting council in North America that qualify graduates for licensure. 

The only Naturopathic Medical Schools in the US accredited by the CNME are as follows:

• Bastyr University-Washington

• Bastyr University-California

• National University of Natural Medicine-Oregon

• National University of Health Sciences-Illinois

• Southwest College of Natural Medicine-Arizona

• University of Bridgeport, College of Natural Medicine-Connecticut

While at Natural University of Natural Medicine in Portland OR, my education included all the same basic sciences as an MD, but also studies in clinical nutrition, pharmacology, homeopathy, botanical medicine, radiology, physical medicine, and lifestyle counseling. 

After graduation to become licensed, I had to pass a two-part national board exam (National Physicians Licensing Exam) which consisted of biomedical sciences and clinical medicine portions.  My current license is in Oregon due to NY lack of regulations. I chose not to do a post-doctoral residence because there weren’t many to chose from back in 2005. Today, there are many more opportunities and many licensed ND students do go to complete post-doctoral residencies all across North America. 

The Education of a non-Licensed Naturopathic Doctor 

• Certificates/Degrees are obtained online.

• Education is NOT accredited by the US Dept. of Education.

• Programs lengths are only a few months or up to a year.

• They are not taught the same medical sciences as MD’s.

• Their faculty are not required to have medical degrees.

In addition, non-licensed Naturopathic Doctors are not required (or even allowed) to take national board exams to obtain licensure. For that reason these ND’s choose to practice in unregulated states like NY where they can call themselves doctors (crazy I know!) and can place letters ND behind their name without even having a true accredited education. 

Practicing in NY State with an education like mine can be a struggle due to its limitations. Especially when other colleagues in the medical field are considering us as quacks! This is likely due to the non regulation of this medicine in NY State. Be aware of other practitioners in NY that call themselves Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine, make sure you see their credentials before committing to their service. 

It’s only a matter of time that NY will become regulated. More and more people are seeking out alternative medicine for complementary support to their health care concerns. It’s very important to have licensed professionals in the field of natural medicine become part of the American medical model. Without regulation, there is a great risk that patients will do harm by taking supplements that interact with their medication or aggravate their current medical condition. Remember, just because it’s a “natural” substance doesn’t mean that it can’t do harm. Don’t be fooled. 

About the author

Since 2005, Dr Fey has helped thousands of women, men, and children find real solutions to their health concerns. She truly believe that giving the proper care and nutrients your body has an amazing ability to heal. She is committed to finding the root cause of illness by utilizing a whole body approach not just focusing solely on presenting symptoms.

Dr. Amanda Fey is the owner and practicing Naturopathic Doctor at Complementary Medicine & Healing Arts, the Southern Tiers Center For Natural Healthcare located in the Binghamton NY area. The office website is www.naturallywell.us. Her personal website is www.doctorfey.com. To contact the office call 607-729-0591 or email cmhahealth@gmail.com.