5 tips for improving every day health.
Healthy Recipes
Herbal Preparations (from common household ingredients)
Supporting local businesses during the pandemic
Staying Rooted in Health Amid a Pandemic
Herbal Medicine Spotlights: Chamomile
Herbal Medicine Spotlights: Ginger
Herbal Medicine Spotlights: Lavender
Herbal Medicine Spotlights: Turmeric
Come join Dr. Carrie Wine each Thursday this summer from 12 to 1 p.m. on the first floor of the sycamore square building to learn about herbs and natural health as well as to create a bit of art. There will be herbs to sample, information about how to use the featured herb medicinally, recipes for using the herb, art supplies to create an herbal information card or to just creat something that inspires you!
Herbal Medicine Spotlights: Lemon Balm
Dr. Carrie Wine at Rooted in Health will be spotlighting a new herb each week in the foyer at Sycamore Square in Bellingham (1200 Harris Ave). Come join her from 12 to 1pm each Thursday this summer to learn about the weekly herb. After the event, she will post some information about the herb here in case you missed it. Herbal medicine is just one of the tools that naturopathic doctors use to create personalized health plans.
Fun Fall Picks for Families and Adults!
Fall is in full swing so get out there and enjoy all that it has to offer - pumpkin patches, corn mazes, fall colors, apple picking… Here is a list of some places to check out!
Pumpkin patches and corn mazes:
Bellewood Acres:
Pumpkin patch, corn maze, apple picking and much more. Live music from 6-9pm on Fridays this fall.
Location: 6140 Guide Meridian Dr - Bellingham, WA 98264
Stoney Ridge Farm:
Corn maze and farm activities - Open Fridays from 1 PM – 5 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM – 5 PM beginning Friday, October 12 to the end of October. Closed Sundays.
Location: 2092 Van Dyk Rd, Everson, WA 98247
Triple Wren Farms:
Pumpkin patch and more - Open Fridays and Saturdays, 10AM – 5PM October 6 – October 27, 2018
Location: 2424 Zell Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248
Dan Cramer’s Western Town:
Open Friday to Sunday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Petting zoo, train rides, pony rides, fun zone (hay jump, whole corn to play in, duck race with water pump) hay maze, horse drawn wagon rides to pumpkin patch, pumpkins naturally grown, hand led draft horse rides, hay toss, and more!
Location 956 Van Dyk Road, Lynden, Washington
Apple picking:
Bellwood acres:
Location: 6140 Guide Meridian Dr Bellingham, WA 98264
Apple Creek Orchards:
5 gallon bucket for $15 + all you can eat apples while you’re picking.
Location: 5367 Barr Rd, Ferndale, WA 98248
Sm’Apples:
9 am - 5:30 pm Monday - Saturday, Closed Sunday
Location: 1197 Willey’s Lake Rd Ferndale, WA 98248
Fall Events:
Oct. 6-7th at Cloud Mountain Farms:
Annual Fall Fruit Festival -10/06/18 - 10/07/18, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Location: 6906 Goodwin Road Everson, WA 98247
Various dates in October - Gore & Lore Tour
Join the Good Time Girls for Creepy tales from Bellingham’s crypts – unsettling hauntings, strange happenings and horrific true crimes! Downtown or Fairhaven. October only. BONUS - My office building is a part of the Fairhaven tour!
Oct. 19-20, 26-27, and 31, 2018 - Scream Fair Haunted House in Lynden
Located inside the Henry Jansen Building at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds.
Tickets are $12 adults, $10 kids age 12 and under
Address: 1775 Front Street, Lynden WA
October 26, 2018 from 5-10pm. Bleedingham Film Festival:
This is a film festival showcasing the works of local horror masters from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This is definitely not for the faint of heart and not for kids. Not sure what the official recommendation is but I would say this event is best for 18+ years of age.
Located at The Majestic Ballroom in downtown Bellingham
Oct. 26-27 and 31, 2018 The Nightmare on Railroad:
Boundary Bay Brewery and Bellinham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY) transform the Mountain Room and Beer Garden into spooky scenes filled with ghosts, ghouls, and surprises at every turn. The Nightmare on Railroad Haunted House will also feature live performances by the BAAY zombie dancers! All proceeds directly support BAAY’s mission to enrich the lives of children through exploration of the arts.
All ages from 6:00-9:00 PM, 21 + from 9:00-11:00 PM - $5 per entry
Located at Boundary Bay Boo-ery - 1107 Railroad Avenue Bellingham, WA, 98225
Trick or Treat Events:
Sat. October 27th - 4-6 pm
Ferndale - Bring your little ghosts, goblins, princess, ninjas and more to Downtown Ferndale! This event is sponsored by Boston Tea Room and the Downtown Ferndale Business Owners, in cooperation with the Ferndale DDA and Ferndale Area District Library!
Wed. October 31st
Downtown Bellingham- Come out for the annual Downtown Trick-or-Treat on October 31. Hundreds of families come downtown for a fun and safe alternative to neighborhood trick-or-treating.
Fairhaven - Annual event in Bellingham’s Fairhaven historic district, from 3 - 6 pm. Website
Is this post missing your favorite event? Post it in the comments below!
How to Boost Your Brain Power at Any Age!
Welcome to my blog series on how to boost your brain power!
Do you ever experience occasional brain fog? Do you sometimes feel like your brain would be amazing if only you had full access to it? Do you ever have difficulty focusing or getting work done later in the day? If so, the tips I will be revealing in this blog series may be crucial in helping you stay on target with school, work, and life, as well as help your brain age gracefully! And if you are reading this and think, “this is not me, I have an amazing ability to focus even under extreme pressure,” these tips can actually help you boost your brain power as well - even if your brain already exudes awesomeness!
I want to note here that there are many medical conditions that can cause “brain fog” or decreased focus that should not be overlooked. If you experience these symptoms often or have a new onset of these symptoms please come see me or another medical provider to rule out any underlying causes of these symptoms.
Brain Tip #1: Boosting Blood Flow to the Brain with Exercise!
Have you ever wondered how your friend Suzie manages to workout five times per week yet still checks everything off her list? How does she have more than 24 hours in a day? Is it coffee? Does she skimp on her sleep? What if it is actually the other way around? Maybe she is able to accomplish so much because she exercises! Research has shown exercise to be beneficial in many realms of our lives by improving mood, decreasing stress, and improving mental functions.
Why it works:
There are actually many reasons why exercise is beneficial for your brain and your ability to focus. These reasons include the regulation of hormones, improvement of sleep patterns (which in turn helps the brain), and improvement of blood flow to the brain. Studies using animal models have shown that exercise can increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor and other growth factors, improve learning and mental performance, and stimulate neural growth. (Cotman, 2002) Another study found that the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is involved in learning and memory, is more readily responsive to exercise. In particular, it is believed that exercise can help slow the decline of this part of the brain that occurs naturally as we age. (Singh et al, 2012) Multiple studies on children and adolescents have shown a positive relationship between physical activity and academic achievement (though there is some disagreement on how much or what type of exercise is actually beneficial) (Hamilton et al, 2015).
What to do:
The jury is still out on the duration and intensity of exercise needed to see these benefits and more research in this area is needed to give specific recommendations. Everyone is different, so I recommend trying some different methods out in order to see what works for you. I do not recommend jumping straight into intense daily exercise if this is not something your body is accustomed to. I do recommend talking to your doctor about your general health and to see what physical activity will best serve you. Your doctor should check your blood pressure as well as your heart, lung, and musculoskeletal function and may want to runs some labs to check your cholesterol, blood sugar, and other general organ functions. After you have been given the green light to start exercising, try out any or all of these ideas to see which work best for you.
1. Weekly goals:
Moderate to intense regular exercise: Find your best time of day for exercise. Some people swear by getting up and exercising first thing in the morning whereas others like the energy boost from doing it midday or early evening. The key thing is doing what is right for you and your schedule! Aim for 30 minutes of something that makes you break a little sweat. You can break this up into three 10 minute increments and spread them out during the day if that works better for you.
Ideas for getting in some brain boosting exercise 3-5 days per week
Go for a brisk walk while you listen to a podcast, audiobook, or music
Go for a run or bike ride
Do a yoga routine at home or find a class you enjoy
Check out Yoga with Adriene - she has several videos for all levels of yogis - this is a 10 minute one but she offers various times and levels for free on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnd5Slo02us
Turn on some music and dance
Find a class you like - you may find that you really enjoy zumba or spin classes. There are so many classes out there and most places offer a free trial… so try them out until you find one that gets you excited to workout.
Create an outdoor or at home program that works for you.
For the busy mom that can’t get childcare - try something like FIT4MOM’s Stroller Strides where you can actually have your kiddo with you while you get a killer workout.
Do whatever floats your boat - just move!
2. Daily routines:
Get up every hour and move for 3-5 minutes. As I am sure you know, our bodies are not really designed to sit all day at a desk. If your boss or teacher complains, tell him or her politely that it helps you stay more productive.
Walk down the hall to go to the restroom or get a glass of water.
Get up and do some gentle, full-body stretches.
Do a 3 minute vinyasa flow (yoga).
A slightly more gentle version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbCfTHz3mU
3. As needed fixes: feeling tired or foggy? Did you hit a mental block on a project or feel like you are lacking creativity and unique ideas for an essay or work proposal?
Take at 10-20 minute reset break: Go for a brisk walk outside for 10-20 minutes. Turn your phone on silent and try not to check it while on the walk. The increase in blood flow along with the lack of distracting notifications will help you be in a better place for brainstorming and planning out your next course of action. In fact, this is exactly what I did before writing this article and was able to be much more efficient with my time when I got back to my computer!
Want more help with boosting brain power and getting rid of fatigue? Make an appointment today - I would love to see you! Also, watch for more blogs like this one in the near future.
Note: This article should not be considered as medical advice. Every person has different physical and mental abilities and should be examined by a medical provider before starting a new exercise program. As stated before, there are many causes of “brain fog” or decreased focus so please see a medical provider to rule out any underlying causes of these symptoms.
Author: Carrie Wine, ND
References:
Cotman, C. (2002). Exercise: A behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity. Trends in Neurosciences, 25(6), 295-301. doi:10.1016/s0166-2236(02)02143-4
Hamilton, G. F., & Rhodes, J. S. (2015). Exercise Regulation of Cognitive Function and Neuroplasticity in the Healthy and Diseased Brain. Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Adaptation to Exercise, 381-406. doi:10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.004
Singh A, Uijtdewilligen L, Twisk JWR, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJM. Physical Activity and Performance at School A Systematic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012;166(1):49–55. doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.716
Up in Smoke - Tips for dealing with the poor air quality in Western Washington
Photo credit Dee Dee Wine
Are you feeling more fatigued, short of breath, light headed, or prone to headaches in the past week? Have you noticed your eyes are dry and itchy or that your allergies or asthma have ramped up all of a sudden? These are all symptoms from poor air quality caused by the recent fires in BC. The air quality in Bellingham and the greater Seattle area has reached “unhealthy” as the smoke continues to hang in the air. This is thought to be about the equivalent of smoking 8 cigarettes per day. Here are some tips for what you can do to stay healthy until the smoke calms down.
Get a HEPA filter for inside your home. It would obviously be best to have one in every room but since we can’t all afford that luxury, make sure you put it in the rooms you use the most such as the bedroom where we are hopefully spending 7-9 hours per day.
If you work outside wear a mask. Here is a resource for what kind of mask to get - please note that these masks filter out fine particles that can damage lungs but do not filter out other things like carbon monoxide: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/334-353.pdf.
Put your outdoor exercise on hold until things get better. Going outside in the smoke filled air is bad enough, but when you increase your breath rate with exercise, you are increasing the amount of damaging smoke that reaches your lungs. You are also putting yourself at risk for injury as there may be a greater chance of falling or making a mistake if you become lightheaded or dizzy. Opt for exercising indoors - go for a walk in the mall or use an indoor gym if you can. If those are not an option, just put it on hold for now.
If you smoke, quit… Okay, while you should quit, no one expects you to go cold turkey because mother nature started to take up the habit. If quitting is not on the agenda today, CUT DOWN the number of cigarettes you are having per day. Remember that this will also help the air quality of those around you. If you noticed any of the symptoms listed in the opening paragraph, hopefully this will be a reminder that smoking cigarettes causes similar problems on a daily basis, some of which you may have become accustomed to as part of life. Interested in quitting? Here is a free government resource: https://smokefree.gov/. If you want more support, make an appointment with Dr. Wine at https://www.drwinewellness.com/appointment/.
Reduce your own emissions output to help with the overall air quality! This should be on your mind everyday, but when air quality gets this bad it is a good reminder that our cars, gas-powered lawn mowers or leaf blowers add pollutants into the air that affect our health as well as the overall health of the planet. Some ideas: Work from home if your company can give you that option, carpool or take public transit to reduce the total number of cars, and do not have bonfires or campfires.
Check your or your child’s asthma action plan and make sure you know what to do if there is a severe asthma attack. Asthma sufferers are more sensitive to the smoke filled air and are at more or a risk than normal for getting an asthma attack. If you do not have an asthma plan talk to your doctor! The asthma action plan outlines how often you should use your inhaler or oral medications when there is an acute asthma attack and outlines when you should seek further medical attention. If in doubt, call your doctor or 911.
Take breaks and get your rest! The smoke takes a toll on your body and can leave you easily tired or dizzy. If you are feeling tired or dizzy, please sit down inside, drink some water, and rest until you are feeling better.
Check in on members of the family who may be more vulnerable to the effects of the smoke. Check in with any family members that have impaired lung function such as with asthma, lower respiratory infections, or COPD.
Keep your pets inside as much as possible! Now is the perfect time to call and check in with the grandparents.
Hang in there! The air quality is supposed to improve greatly by the weekend, so have patience and take care of your health!
Resources for this article include the American Lung Association and Washington State Department of Health.