Finding a Naturopathic Physician

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Medicine Cabinet Part 3

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PS Please go to my Shopping Supplements page and shop at Emerson Ecologics!

I have consciously and officially started to train my hair to part in a different spot. I am not doing it for fun or to get a new look. I am doing out of pure necessity - to cover my ever growing gray hair strands.

How can I be feeling the best I have felt…really in my whole life ( and I have a few more than a couple decades) …. yet glance in the mirror and see someone completely different? It is complete craziness to look into the mirror, thinking I will see my 25 year old self, and actually see my gray hairs sticking up, slighly droopy eyes and many wrinkles. What has happend?

Life, I suppose…a pretty happy life in that. Yes, my life has been a complete roller coaster ride with as many ups as downs. And I get that, but how do you make that leap into fully accepting all the physical/outward changes? Actually it is all quite amusing to me….on most days that is. On the good days, I can look in the mirror and say, ” that freckle is from that amazing trip I took with my sisters’” and “those deep smile wrinkles ( or creases!) are from me laughing and giggling at my kids everyday craziness!” The bad days…well that brings me to my question for all of you

Should I start constantly colouring my hair to cover the grays?

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Medicine Cabinet Part Two

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PS Please go to my Shopping Supplements page and shop at Emerson Ecologics!

Medicine Cabinet Part One

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PS Please go to my Shopping Supplements page and shop at Emerson Ecologics!

My friend Eric Bonnici interviewed me a few months ago. We sat down for about an hour! - so he broke up the interview into 5 segments. I will be posting the interviews, one by one, in the next few weeks.

Hope you enjoy them and if you have any questions for me or Eric please email us.

Be well,

Daily Health Care for Children

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When I was in school one of my teachers (also a doctor) spoke of a child patient who had cancer. They came to him for some alternative therapies and my teacher suggested some visualization.

He had the child close his eyes and start describing the cancer in every aspect - colour, hairy, ball-like etc. Once that was established, my teacher had him describe his own warriors or defenses in his body. The scene was set, the battle visualized with the  cancer was being destroyed.

This didn’t occur in one visit but over many. The weeks that followed were full of imaginative creative stories on how his body was destroying the cancer. Not only did the child feel better after the sessions, he was physically better.

This story made a big impact on me. It actually is one of the reasons that led me to write my series of educational adventure stories called, Human Body Detectives. And when my kids are sick, I have them visualize their white blood cells destroying the bad bug. They really get into it, describing the bugs in full detail and the battle scene.

We don’t know for sure if creative visualization really boasts our immune systems but as a parent and a doctor, I see how it allows us to be physically and emotionally stronger and proactive in our health.

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 2009

Contact: Heather Manley, N.D.

HAWAII DOCTOR PUBLISHES SECOND KIDS’ EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURE STORY

Hawaii Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Heather Manley, announces the release of Human Body Detectives: Battle with the Bugs, the second activity workbook and story-telling audioCD in her Human Body Detectives (HBD) series, on November 18, 2009.

HBD is a series of educational adventure stories for 7-12 year olds where two young “Human Body Detectives,” Merrin and Pearl, magically enter different systems in the body to solve health mysteries. Through action packed fiction stories told on audio CD, listeners learn how the various systems work and what foods best fuel each system. The accompanying workbook filled with games and puzzles reinforces what kids have learned from the story and helps them further understand the importance of maintaining a healthy immune system.

In Battle with the Bugs, while on a family trip to Mexico, the girls are joined by brave cousin Sam on a learning journey through the immune system. They start out in the mucus-filled nose of cousin Max, who is suffering from a bad cold, and proceed to learn everything from what white blood cells do to what causes a fever. Trying to help Max, they even befriend a macrophage warrior named Quickster whom they help fight the bad bug invaders.

Battle with the Bugs follows Manley’s first story, The Lucky Escape, where Merrin and Pearl wind up in their baby brother’s digestive system and narrowly escape his poopy diaper.

HBD stories and workbooks:
• Engage kids in a fun way to learn about how their bodies work
• Encourage kids to make healthy food and lifestyle choices
• Inspire kids to take charge of their own health
• Support parents and teachers by enhancing science/health curricula

As a physician and a mother, Manley believes that if children understand how their bodies work, they are more apt to make healthy food and lifestyle choices. She came up with the idea for the HBD series after discovering a lack of books on the market that help kids learn, in a fun way, about how their bodies work. Manley’s goal is to expand the series to at least five books with corresponding DVD’s. Merrin and Pearl will next appear in the circulatory system, learning about keeping the heart healthy, in HBD: A Heart Pumping Adventure, set for press in spring 2010. Adventures through the nervous and muscular systems will follow.

The activity workbook, audio CD, and DVD packages are geared to serve as tools for families, teachers and home school parents, to supplement current science and/or health curricula. The HBD series is also highlighted on Manley’s website. The site provides a resource for people, especially parents of young children, to learn about preventative health care and taking charge of their family’s health.

Dr. Manley is a naturopathic physician licensed in the state of Hawaii. She is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Medicine and the Hawaii Naturopathic Medicine Association.

For more information, please visit the HBD site, or email drheather

A few weeks ago, my neighbour and friend interviewed me for his website, Living Uncondionanally/Holistic Human. His site connects and works with people in health, business and spiritually related fields. It is really a non profit  educational organization.

We sat in his office for about an hour as he asked me questions from everything from children’s health to Human Body Detectives to finding the right naturopathic physician. He divided the hour interview into 5 different segments. Below is the first segment on children’s health. You can watch the other segments by going to this link.

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I thought I would re-post this blog. It was one of my first blog entries and I was just thinking about this time in my life and how important this moment was to me.

I moved to Boston right after high school. I loved it! I immediately met 2 au-pair French girls and despite our language barrier ( I spoke a little French and they spoke a little English) we hit it off.

One of our first conversations was about “to have” and “to be.” They spoke how they noticed in America, that people had a “to have” mentality, whereas, in Europe it was more of a “to be” way of thinking. This had a huge impact on me and I still think about it today and how it applies to my lifestyle.

I have given a few lectures on how this relates to our health. Do we “have health” or are we “to be health?” It is somewhat of a combination of both but it definitely begins with being healthy. Your everyday awareness to the health  of your body is what will determine your having health. Our bodies want to be healthy but in order for the body to have health some conscious lifestyle choices are required.

I encourage everyone to make healthy lifestyle choices - finding ways to relief stress, breathing deeply, eating whole colourful foods and just, well, being present!

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I love how Michael Pollan is educating people about how our food ( at least in America) is grown, produced and consumed. His first book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, was a heavy, tough but highly informative read and most likely missing a very important demographic - kids ( this is my department - teaching kids about health with my series, Human Body Detectives). Now he has written  the same book but in a young reader edition. Brilliant!

In this edition, he has some real-food rules for kids ( but of course their parents too). I am not a fan of rules but these just make so much sense….away of living.

Here they are:

1. Don’t eat anything your great grandparents wouldn’t have recognized as food.

I love this! I sometimes talk to kids about acute and chronic disease and food, and how these things have affected us  - changed us - in the last 100 yrs or so. Kids are amazed with learning and understanding the evolution of acute to chronic disease and the evolution of our diets.

2. Don’t eat anything with more than 5 ingredients, or with ingredients you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce.

This is wonderful! Kids love to look at the ingredients and try to pronounce some of the words. I love kids being proactive and aware.

3. Don’t eat anything containing high-fructose corn syrup.

This is a good ingredient to have kids look for on labels. It will be a fast and easy lesson - it is in a lot of things!

This will definitely be a holiday gift to my kids ( and maybe many others!)

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On October 1st, my little Pearl begged me to take out all the Halloween stuff. This is her absolute favourite holiday. She was due on Halloween but didn’t come that day but she still stakes claims on it.

I grabbed the neighbours 6 foot ladder ( yes I am married to a general contractor but we have no ladder…?) and off to the attic I go. When I am poking my head into the dark space , I noticed a brown box and remember that is one of the Halloween decoration boxes. I go to grab it not noticing ( or really seeing ) the iron metal spider web wreath for our door, on top of it. The minute I grab the box the wreath comes full force towards me. It was a short distance and I had absolutely no time - it hit me just above my cheek bone. And it hurt and Pearl gasped.

Down the ladder I came as my husband walked in and saw my bloody face. He wondered about stitches but I was more worried about a black eye ( but happily relieved it didn’t hit my eye!).  I went straight to my medicine cabinet, grabbed homeopathic arnica ( 200c) and arnica cream. For the next 2 hrs, I took the arnica pellets and gently rubbed the cream into my very tender cheek. I was absolutely astonished ( as I always am when I truly put homeopathy to the test) that after 2 hours, I had no bruising or swelling. It is still sore but I am so relieved not to have a blue and black cheek and eye.

Everyone needs arnica in their medicine cabinet. I see arnica, over and over again, work these amazing miracles with kids ( and now me!).

Off to the store you must go or to Emerson Ecologics on my site!

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I am going to purchase this book although I may not need it but I have some friends who I think do!

I am all about teaching my kids to be proactive and independent in their daily life. I realized early on with my older daughter that they clearly give you signs when they are ready to be “left alone” to do things themselves. It first happened when Merrin refused to wash her hair so I just gave her the shampoo bottle and she preceded to wash her own hair and the second big memory is when she, at 20 months threw her diaper across the room and said, “NO!” That was a little scary for me as we were off to the park but I just went for it and she had very few accidents after that.

Now that the kids are older, the stakes are up. Should I let them walk home from school alone? Or with friends? It is a toughy but the more I talk to the girls and see where their comfort level is, I can see when the time is right. They really need and desire the independence and hard as it is for us to “let go” we need too.

If you entering this stage in life, this might be a great book for you to pick up, read and talk to your kids about.

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I really enjoy Michael Moore’s films. They are controversial, maybe with no middle ground but I believe it is super important for people to see his view on these hot topics. People either hate or love his films but those who walk out from watching his film learn something ~ and open their minds to what might be happening  in America.

The film will be released October 2, 2009 and will hopefully make it to my small town sometime soon after.

Let me know if you see it!

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When I spent my months in Kenya, I loved my trips to the local grocery store. It was always a fast and easy shop ~ there were basically no choices and I truly appreciated that!

Back here  in the states there are many and many choices in the grocery stores and while I appreciate most choices, some I just do not get. When I stumbled upon this article in the Washington Post, I visioned the long aisle of toilet paper (tp) in my local store. I do not think there is even  a choice for environmental friendly tp.

After reading through the article, I am thinking I really need to buck up and seek the out the friendly stuff. For one reason, my kids need to realize that soft tp is not so healthy for the environment and comfort can slide with this and second, anything I can do to help with the forests and trees I am all for.

So my question to all of you readers is… If you use environmentally friendly tp which brand do you buy?

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I have been wanting to write a blog about this but to be honest I keep forgetting to jot it down on my “what to blog about” list. Well, my sister helped by sending some information on the new Phillips rechargeable sonic toothbrush for kids. Pearl has been begging for her own electric toothbrush and this will be a perfect gift for her.

Let me back up a bit. This past summer, Pearl went in for her annual dental check. She loves going to the doctor, dentist or chiropractor so she considered it a fun activity. Although this visit was not such a great one ~unfortunately she had a few cavities. I feel like it is a bit my fault. In the last year I have let her brush and floss her own teeth. Brushing is ok but the dentist said that kids do not have the dexterity to floss their own teeth until they are 8. I had never heard of this! Since the cavities were between her teeth, we needed to take some serious action in the flossing department. I bought her some triple clean floss picks and I make sure to watch her do it. This new toothbrush will be the perfect addition to her dental hygiene routine.

This is a really good habit for her to get into now, as dental health is really important. The mouth is the gateway to the inside of our bodies so helping the immune system by cleaning and flossing our teeth can really help keep our bodies strong and healthy.

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I wanted to follow up on Warren’s Workshop with some more information. He will be in Waimea from October 9th  through October 11th with many lectures and cooking classes. Although I do not follow a macrobiotic diet, I think it will be a great opportunity to integrate more whole foods into my family’s diet.

Here is a link to the description on Facebook. I hope to see some familiar faces there!

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Some of you may know that I am an avid lover of animals. When I was little I spent hours, in the summer, catching painter and snapper turtles at the pond close to our cottage. I was pretty obsessed. I spent almost a year in East Africa working with elephants ( with Daphne Sheldrick) and traveling overland to Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas. In college, I worked for the state of Florida in the sea turtle department. Wildlife conservation was top on my list of career choices. Sometimes I find it quite amusing how my focus changed but I am very happy it did but I do hope in the future to get back to helping wildlife.

Well, I came across this article and was quite amused ~ the “Giant Squid.” What fun to discover it so unexpectantly although not too excited about the trolling and netting. It does give us a clue to how “clueless” we may be about the wonderful waters that surround us all.

This “Giant Squid” maybe a great topic to bring up at the supper table tonight ( hopefully with amazement and excitement versus being scared.)

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The other day I met up with a friend I had not seen in a while. She looked amazing!…so I told her. She mentioned that in the Spring she was having some health issues, nothing too serious but could become serious. She woke up one day and said, “enough is enough,” and decided to embark on a new way of eating and living.

She came in contact with Warren Kramer an internationally renowned senior macrobiotic educator and health counselor. I love learning about new ways of being healthy and my friend really looked and felt great. She did mention that she is in the kitchen all the time ( which is not my favourite place!) soaking beans, grains and creating meals for her family.

I pretty much follow the blood type way of living as my whole family has type O blood. We all feel better eating this way so I wonder how this would macrobiotic eating would have on our daily lives.

I would love any feedback from people who promote macrobiotic eating ( or who don’t!) or if people have tried to find a balance with this type of eating with others types.

Be well,

PS For all of you who live in Waimea, Warren Kramer is visting us! His macrobiotic class lecture and cooking classes are scheduled for the weekend of October 9th. The lectures will be about common Imbalances that “Health Conscious” People Make to Loving your Liver ( I love mine! this will be a great and important talk!) The cooking classes looked great too ( any help in the kitchen I could use!). If you are interested please email me and I will give you some more information!

Last Spring a friend of mine came down with an MRSA infection. She really thought nothing of it at first but then it wouldn’t go away and seemed to be  getting worse, so she went to the doctor. She was diagnosed with a MRSA infection. Luckily no long lasting sequelae occurred but there could have been.

I stumbled across this recent article on the National Geographic News and was happy to read that nature is showing its physical gifts to us! Also, made me really appreciate HoneyBee and all the things ( yummy too!) they do for us.

Be well,

My good friends Drs. Eckel and Nigh latest Nature Cures Clinic Health Chat is on the Swine Flu. They talk about the disease, vaccinations and the immune system. It is quite informative. Much of their date I had not heard of (for example; pharmaceuticals company being excempt to accusations to any side effects) but most of their researched based chat is very important for all to listen to.

Love the quote from them, “infection is infection.” Very true and really it is the health of the body. Yes, sometimes you need to be more aggressive with certain infections but in general treating diseases has the same protocol.

Basically increase your immunity by….

• Wash your hands
• Eat well and drink water
• Sleep well
• Be active
• Breathe deeply

And during the winter months….

• Check out you serum vitamin d levels
• Take a good quality multi vitamin
• Take vitamin c daily
• Take probiotics
• Have echinacea herbal tincture or some immune botanical medicine at home

Please listen to what these amazing doctors have to say and do your research so you can make the best decision for you and your family.

Be well,

PS check out my site for more information on supplements, hydrotherapy, homeopathy

Recently, President Obama went to the Cleveland Wellness Clinic to check out their Lifestyle 180 program. No wonder he visited because it is truly amazing. Here is an excerpt from their home page:

“If you are among the 25 million Americans with a chronic disease, your risks for death and disability are significantly higher than normal. In addition, you are most likely coping with ongoing pain, fatigue, difficulty moving, sleep deprivation or other obstacles to a vibrant, healthy life.

Each year that passes without you taking charge of your health is an opportunity missed - an opportunity to feel good, look good, enjoy greater energy and feel less stressed.

The good news is that if you are committed to making positive changes in your lifestyle, Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle 180 program can teach you how to reclaim your health and vitality.”

I love their program because it is teaching people to make lifestyle changes in order for them to be more proactive and confidant in their own health. There is no doubt about it, but diet, activity and not coping with your daily stress are the key reasons for not living a healthy life. This clinic will help, support and guide you through these changes. Even corporations are getting on board and sending their employees to the clinic. A happier, healthier employee cannot help but be more productive (and cost the employer less in health insurance!)

Let’s hope the President will really learn something from his visit and really try to implement the clinic’s successes for the rest of America.

Be well,

This is a bit of a hot topic right now, and I think it should be!

At this moment there is really no regulation from the FDA on supplements until they are on the shelf. The Council of Responsible Nutrition says that by-law a supplement company must put what is in the bottle on the label. This is a great start, however, some mis labeling can occur. For example, with Echinacea, it is the root that is highly medicinal. To keep costs down a supplement company may want to only use 5% of the root and 95% of the rest of the flower. With no real regulation, this type of business may occur.

I highly suggest that people visit their doctors - naturopathic, medical or chiropractic - and purchase their supplements through them. There are great supplement companies at the local stores but I would do some research on the companies first or even ask your doctor for a company he recommends. It will save you some money and most importantly, keep you healthy on the best supplement.

Be well,

I stumbled upon this website, natural doctors international, (actually I think I stumbled upon their video first – see below) and was blown away with what they are doing.

This is directly from their site:

“Natural Doctors International delivers natural medicine to underserved communities throughout the world and works with local peoples and international agencies to advance natural medicine and fully integrate it into global health care. NDI focuses on primary healthcare delivery, global health education, global health policy, research in natural medicine, and socially responsible volunteerism and service. Our medical rotations and global health courses are for licensed naturopathic physicians & acupuncturists, chiropractors, nurses, herbalists, midwives, and conventional medical doctors with an interest in natural medicine.  Undergraduate students and lay people are encouraged to apply to our programs as well.”

I wish I had known about this when I was in school. I love to travel and am always amazed at what the third world countries are doing for their healthcare. I love that NDI is helping them be more proactive (and even re introducing) in their own botanical medicines and teaching so much more. It is very empowering for these people and for the people of the organization.

If you have a moment, please watch their video and if you have some time to donate or have some monies, please contact them.

Be well,

I have never really mentioned where you can purchase my book! Human Body Detectives: The Lucky Escape can be found on Amazon or on my Human Body Detectives site ( where there are also some free downloads!)

The book includes a 24 page workbook ( full of puzzles and games), 2 pages full color stickers and an audio cd.

And please watch the book trailer!

Be well,