Is Poor Sleep A Root Cause for Your Symptoms?
Authored by Dr. Barrett American’s are underslept. I knew this before I read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, Phd but I didn’t fully grasp the health implications. Dr. Walker opened my eyes to the staggering statistics regarding sleep in our country and how insufficient sleep increases our risk for a whole host of health concerns. […]
Therapeutic Baths
Authored by Dr. Barrett Warm baths are actually good for your health. That’s right, a simple soak in warm to hot water actually has proven health benefits. These benefits include improving blood circulation, relaxing muscles, improving sleep quality, and reducing stress. When I prescribe baths for my patients I recommend adding 2 cups of Epsom […]
Calming Evening Drinks (Non-Alcoholic)
Authored by Dr. Barrett This is a follow up to my recent blog post on alcohol titled, “Are You Drinking Too Much?” That article prompted some interesting conversations with patients. Many folks use alcohol in the evenings as a way to ‘unwind’ after a long day. With so many of us working from home, pouring […]
Vitamin Nature
Authored by Dr. Barrett We are heading into my favorite season, Fall! It’s the time of the year I like to spend hours at a time outdoors. Being in nature feels good for my body, mind and spirit and science backs up that feeling. I have heard nature referred to as ‘Vitamin N’ and I […]
Are You Drinking Too Much?
Authored by Dr. Barrett Are you drinking too much? I know I’ve asked myself this question more than once during the pandemic. Like most Americans, during the pandemic my drinking dramatically increased. It’s so easy to unwind at the end of a long day with a glass (or two!) of wine. Once you start this […]
Hashimoto’s Research Update Summer 2021
What if you have elevated thyroid antibodies but your TSH isn’t elevated yet, ie it’s Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (HT) but not yet progressed to hypothyroidism? Conventionally patients are often told to just watch and wait. Wait until it turns into hypothyroidism, then you can take medication.
This study published in 2016 demonstrated that supplementing with vitamin D actually reduced thyroid antibodies and prevented the progression of HT into hypothyroidism. So there is something you can do instead of just watch and wait.
How to Safely Manage and Encourage a Fever
Authored by Dr. Barrett There is a common misconception that a fever is something that needs to be treated and controlled. Fever is a brilliantly designed mechanism for our body to fight infections. The fever induces a whole host of beneficial changes to our immune system. There is a trend of using fever reducers (antipyretics) […]
Overfunctioning
Authored by Dr. Barrett The balance between our hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals (HPA axis) is tightly linked to our health and well being. Many of us live in a hypervigilant state with a chronically activated sympathetic nervous system. An overactive stress response can lead to elevated cortisol, insulin, inflammation, and even autoimmune disease. It’s a […]
Autoimmune Disease Series Episode #7: Mind-Body Medicine
Authored by Dr. Barrett I saved this article as the last one in my autoimmune series because it’s arguably the most important. Autoimmune disease and mind-body medicine are tightly linked. Early on in my career I met a patient with mast cell activation disorder and chronic hives. She was so ill that she had been […]
Autoimmune Disease Series Episode #6: Environmental Exposures
Authored by Dr. Barrett Autoimmune disease occurs when our immune system starts attacking our own tissues. Autoimmune diseases are complex illnesses that develop when there is just the right combination of genetics, epigenetic factors, and environmental triggers (infections, chemicals, stressors, etc). In this article I will focus on a few chemical or xenobiotic exposures that […]