Just signed my fourth lease in our apartment here in Lexington, and while I really do love our apartment, I long for my own piece of land and a space for growing our own food, even cut flowers and an orchard, some animals and a sweet little pond for Ruby to play with visiting turtles. Of course, I imagine growing herbs and teaching classes on botanical medicine, offering yoga, and a retreat of sorts for rest and restoration. There is so much to consider though. As I pour thro

When I am not seeing clients, doing yoga, or dancing, I am dreaming about my future garden. My dream, for most all of my life, has been to have some farm land to grow my own food and create a cottage garden I can meander through, gathering herbs as my family needs and flowers to display throughout my home. New to Lexington though, I chose an apartment so I could become more familiar with the area before purchasing. And of course, being self-employed makes purchasing property

Clinicians are always worried about missing what we call "the zebra" among the horses. Parotid cancer would be one of those zebras. It's rare and it's symptoms can be misleading. The parotid gland is the largest of the major salivary glands located on either side of the face, or rather both sides of the face, just in front of the ears and over the jaw. They produce a thin, watery saliva that aids in digestion by offering us the enzyme, amylase, digesting starches. The parotid

As we age and our bad habits and neglect catches up with us, our arteries can start to narrow because of plaque and calcium build-up. When the vessels that supply blood to our arms and legs become narrowed, and blood decrease to these areas, we call this peripheral artery disease. This usually refers to the lower legs, resulting in symptoms of claudication. Intermittent claudication is a symptom of ischemia, or insufficient blood supply. This is evident when our legs hurt wit

Herbs have been a mainstay in my clinical practice for several decades now. I grew herbs in my garden, created tinctures and other concoctions through the years. My children made ointments and sought out herbs for their ailments, but the more I dove into the literature, admittedly, the more overwhelming it became. I love the art of healing, but I am equally enchanted by the science. A desire to offer every client the most perfect remedy sometimes froze me up a bit, so this ye

Well into my peri-menopausal years, I am now always on the hunt for new tips and tricks for maintaining any and all youthfulness in my skin. Interestingly, galvanic current is quickly becoming a favorite in the world of skincare, thanks to its gentle yet effective approach to supporting healthier-looking skin. In fact, it might even be how celebrities get that glassy, poreless glow. You don't have to be leaning into menopause either to benefit; this is great for those with ac

My life was always too overwhelming to invest in self-care, most especially skincare so I can't even articulate how much it means to me...

As a holistic clinician, I get asked about my opinion on peptides often, especially the weight loss medications and while I'll admit I...

Chronic sweating, excessive sweating can substantially affect an individual's emotional well-being, and their social life. Therapies...

Taurine, also known as tauric acid, has attracted quite a bit of attention more recently because it has many health benefits. This may be...

Have you thought about utilizing hypnosis as part of your healing, or have you considered it more "woo woo?" Is there any evidence to...

Now considered a subtype of autism, pathologic demand avoidance (PDA) has been recognized for a few decades, initially by British...

There are a plethora of reasons why one would have lower back pain. More often this is related to having a weak core and tight hips....

This book, YogaBody , was written by physical therapist, Judith Hanson Lasater, and as a yoga instructor and teacher of new teachers, I...

Can't say that I learned a great deal about testing homocysteine in my clinical education, but it certainly has been a mainstay of...

Most are familiar with herpes, the sexually transmitted disease that is too easy to get and becomes a "friend" for life. This virus can...

There are many tools to assess Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but not any one of...

My senior year in high school I was part of the healthcare tract so earned my nursing assistant certification, then my hospice...

Cardiac health is a big part of primary care. Elevated blood pressures and elevated cholesterol, even diabetes all plays a role in heart...

Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds, if not worse. About thirty years ago when I was a newer obstetrical nurse, I remember a medical student,...