A Great Real Food Find - at Preschool
If you are new here, welcome to Almost Fit. This is a special edition of Thursday’s Real Food Resources. Usually This slot is reserved for books, sites, and so forth that are full of pointers to real food. In this case, it’s just one - based on a personal experience this week. If you enjoy this article, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing. Thank you.
You never know how the pathways that weave their way through our lives will converge. Yesterday while having a morning cup of coffee I was pointed to an excellent resource for figuring out what real food is. As I mentioned recently, I’ve found that sifting through the massive, slanted messaging that surrounds us to try to figure out exactly what I should be eating is a monumental, but critical, challenge.
Our son Jonah attends a cozy Montessori school here in Oregon 5 mornings a week. As part of the Montessori philosophy of community involvement, we often get together for what amount to “morning socials” with other parents. And although I tend to want to avoid them, I decided to go this time. (Ha..imagine that…a writer who just wants to sit at his desk and write rather than talking to, you know, people.)
In conversing with other parents at Jonah’s school, it has become increasingly clear that we’re not the only ones who are interested in finding whole food alternatives to industrial products. One parent has provided a resource for fresh milk; another for fresh eggs; and several of us are now sharing planting starts for our home gardens. Well it turns out that one of the parents that we are getting to know is also more than just interested in the subject; she has invested her life in the science of food, medicine, and health as a certified Naturopathic Physician.
Among many things related to health, Krista Anderson Ross, N.D., writes a blog called Whole Food Matters. Her new blog eloquently discusses things like eating real foods with an emphasis on healthy practices for raising children. She is very knowledgeable, sincere, and intensely interested in all matters relating to whole food consumption for health and enjoyment. Here is an excerpt from her bio:
“Krista Anderson Ross is a naturopathic physician and mother of three who is passionate about teaching parents to feed their families healthfully and simply. Dr. Krista’s goal is to provide updated information about the food supply and the food industry, provide helpful tips and recipes, and to empower parents to make good choices about the foods they serve their families.”
Krista’s site immediately won me over with one word: PIE. Any site that advocates eating Pie for good health has got me in their clutches. Here are some of her “pie” articles, complete with recipes that are in the queue of things for us to try in the near future:
Pie for Breakfast
Pumpkin Pie
Almond Pie Crust
In my book, THIS, is real food.
A word about Naturopathy
First, full disclosure: For me, Naturopathy has always presented kind of a conundrum that, in a lot of ways, was based on some essentially incorrect information. I have some family history of significant medical conditions that a handful of good people insist can be solved, cured, by abandoning traditional medicine in favor of something they read in a bulk email passed around on the Internet. That is not what I’m talking about here. I still believe in advanced medical science; the difference is, I also think there is a whole lot more room for augmentation to conventional medical thought than I was led to believe by a handful of folks with radical (albeit well-meaning) ideas.
When I was in my late teens and early twenties, I was introduced to some of the concepts of “naturopathy” (I would say, in retrospect, pseudo-naturopathy) from what I consider now to have been some semi-reliable sources. Lots of well-intentioned people passing around ideas on the latest natural treatment fads; I tried the dietary supplement du jour like B12 for insomnia, the random oil added to orange juice for dry skin or to de-oxidize your spare change - the lot. Nothing really made much difference (although I still like tea tree oil), except for one of the “all the rage” supplements that made the glands in my neck swell uncomfortably.
Not, good.
But as they say, that was then, and this is…the age of the supervirus, uncontrollable staff infections in hospitals, and the spiral of inoculating our feed supply to make food unnaturally cheap, and to cover up shoddy health practices in industrial settings. We are left with increasingly few options that are not rushed to market, only to be recalled later when we discover that our longer-term illnesses are caused by the foods that corporations successfully argued before the FDA that, well, no one can PROVE that it’s actually that bad yet…Thanks FDA. Great criteria for deciding what is legislated as safe.
I think one of the most compelling arguments in turning greater attention to alternative treatment is the rapidly diminishing returns on things like antibiotics, sad to say. The overuse of antibiotics is pushing us directly into an emerging crisis in health care, with no easy solutions. In many cases, trained naturopathic physicians can prescribe a non-toxic alternative that actually works, without the side effects of drugs produced by monolithic “it’s just business” corporations that buy their way through the approval process.
To be clear, let me say this again. I’m drawing a very deliberate distinction here: I am not talking about colloquialisms of magic fairy colloidal silver or faddish echinacea/goldenseal droplets as a medical panacea. I’m talking about trained physicians whose’ focus of study is on treating the body as a whole, balanced system using effective natural treatment. My apologies if that offends you; It’s how I feel after years of inundation with funky ideas that never really work; that said, I’m hoping to have that perspective changed by educating myself on the subject, rather than trying things that even my spam filter knows don’t make sense.
Certified Naturopathic Doctors are Physicians - literally
I know for some folks that Naturopathy feels like its kind of “out there” in terms of medical treatment, but I think some widening of thought might be worth at least considering. That is my approach. What I’m learning is Naturopathy is far from the incorrect perception of solving everything with wheatgrass and bee sting therapy; it is a well respected, documented, and educated discipline that is closely tied to what we think of as conventional.
Essentially, it’s more conventional in some of the important ways than you probably think, if you’re anything like me. Each N.D. receives the same core training as an M.D., with some key additions (such as nutritional science, which is not a requirement for most M.D.’s).
Here’s a quote from the National Association of Naturopathic Physicians Web site as to their educational requirements:
“A Licensed naturopathic physician (N.D.) attends a four-year graduate level naturopathic medical school and is educated in all of the same basic sciences as an M.D. but also studies holistic and nontoxic approaches to therapy with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, psychology, and counseling (to encourage people to make lifestyle changes in support of their personal health). A naturopathic physician takes rigorous professional board exams so that he or she may be licensed by a state or jurisdiction as a primary care general practice physician. Additional information on naturopathic schools can be found at http://www.aanmc.org/ .”
Oregon is one of the growing number of states (now 14, so far I believe) that recognizes the N.D. certification.
My conclusion
I know this comes across as a glowing endorsement for something that I am only now starting to really learn about. And in some ways it is. At the same time, I reserve my skepticism until I can learn more firsthand. The point is, I am very open to exploring the alternatives to what we think of as conventional medicine, particularly as conventional treatments get recalled for lack of reliable proof of safety, and our situation with antibiotics gets increasingly dire.
In truth, I’ve never formally been to a Naturopath for an evaluation; however, that is partly because I’ve only been to a doctor, period, 3 or 4 times in the last 15 years I think (I know I know…But I just went to an M.D. yesterday, literally, so I’m working on it).
My next visit may be to one of Krista’s referrals. I’ll let you know how it goes.
No related posts.
My captcha word for this comment was “dinner” - thematic spam control! We get our most reliable farm-fresh egg supply during farmer’s market season, which started for us this week. I have had two of the most transcendent egg sandwiches ever to celebrate. Thanks for the link through to Krista Anderson Ross’ blog - I’ll definitely be checking that out. I think it’s just what I’ve been looking for, or would have been looking for if I had taken the time to look.
The Corvallis market doesn’t yet have the bounty of the park blocks market, but we did get some wonderful looking collards, the aforementioned eggs, rhubarb and some very nice looking radishes. It was also about 35 degrees and raining, but still crowded, which was awesome.
Hi Anne-Marie!
That is funny on the captcha thing - At some point it was “salad”, which was also quite funny. We really thought that the Farmer’s Market would be our source for eggs too, but so far we’ve not been able to find eggs reliably at any of the Farmer’s Markets here. Maybe this year it will be different!
Very interesting article. I have become very suspicious of anything titled naturopathic, homeopathic or holistic. I guess that I have been sold some snake oil along the way. A lot of well meaning people have approached us about John’s cancer and have tried to convince us that everything from Goji juice to some kind of bovine hormones would cure John. Due to the kidney damage the Goji juice could have actually harmed him. There are warnings posted at the renal clinic about it. He has to check with his onocoligist and nephrologist before taking anything. There can be bad drug reactions with seemingly harmless things. Having cancer is a magnet for quackery. I did not know that some of these people are legitimate and have had a lot of education. I guess it is important to check credentials.
@Christine: I definitely agree on the cautious approach, thanks to a lot of what I consider bogus (and sometimes really dangerous) advice from well intentioned individuals. My mother, for her medical condition, was strongly encouraged at one point to use bee sting therapy, which amounted to sticking her hand inside a box of angry bees and letting them get their aggression out - that was supposedly the cure-all for her condition (as I understood it). It has since been proven completely false. Since then, she has basically stopped telling anyone about her illness because of all the wacko advice that it encourages.
That said, I attended a conference on her illness, and much to my surprise the question was raised to the panel of conventional medical experts in the field on whether alternative therapies were valid, to which a very lettered physician replied, “Well, if it works for you, keep doing it.” That is an oversimplification of the conversation to be sure, but the point is it was surprising to me to see the open minded nature of a conventional physician, and it made me think about the possibility of _legitimate_ alternatives.
But figuring out what “legitimate” actually consists of is the hardest part. I am willing to give a highly educated physician/certified N.D. the benefit of the doubt; but I am skeptical of the regulars at the health food store buying the latest supplements and system flushing weekend retreats giving valid advice. The snake oil has flowed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years in that context, and folks so desperate to preserve their health are easiest to be duped by big promises that are based on anecdotal evidence at best, and placebo-driven personal experience at worst.
When we’re talking about life and death as you are, you have to go with the thing that you feel offers you the best chance of survival, and quality of life.
The very, very best of well wishes to you, and thank you again, so much, for your voice on the subject.
Yes, it is quite difficult to sort out the good from the bad when it comes to alternative medicines.
That said, I know that there are some trustworthy folks out there… and a lot of folks who are either demented, deluded, or plain old out to get your money. To that end research is necessary. And referrals from the clueful.
My extent towards alternative stuff stops at chiropractors, herbal tea (though watch out—some of those “slimming” teas are not slimming nor healthy to drink in large amounts, yet are marketed as so—pfah), and neti pots. Though I don’t think the last one counts.
@Arachne: Its funny that you mention chiropractors — in my experience, they vary tremendously from one to the next. The “bone crackers” do nothing for me at all; I much prefer the gentle approach to realigning things. They are a good example though of a group of people that have been vilified by the mainstream. When you find the right one, they are a source of tremendous pain relief.
On herbal teas, I am a fan of Yerba Mate, but not for weight loss per se — I just like it.
For some reason I am seeing this for the first time today! Thanks for this glowing endorsement MetroKnow. I would like to add a couple things about the naturopathic profession for which Metroknow has already laid a solid foundation. There is a big difference between a “certified” Naturopath and a “licensed” Naturopathic Physician. In Oregon and many states across the country, ND’s who have been to a 4 plus year residential naturopathic medical institution are “licensed” by that state’s licensing board and are legally entitled to use the word “doctor or physician.” There are many folks out there who have received their training through correspondence who are also calling themselves “Naturopathic Doctors” or “Naturopaths.” They are not “licensed” although they may have successfully completed a correspondence course and have learned a lot in the process about natural medicine. Below is some more information regarding licensed Naturopathic Physicians from the AANP wesite
http://www.naturopathic.org:
“Currently, 14 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. In these states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from a four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to receive a license. For information about the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination Board (NPLEX) and the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE), please see our Education page.
Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and will have a specific scope of practice defined by their state’s law. The states that currently have licensing laws for naturopathic physicians are:
Alaska
Arizona
California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Kansas
Maine
Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
Utah
Vermont
Washington
United States Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands
are considered primary care physicians.
I hope this provides additional information to help to clarify the profession a little further. Thanks for initiating this MetroKnow!
Krista Anderson Ross ND
http://www.wholefoodmatters.blogspot.com