Bug bites go with summer like marshmallows go with campfires. As much as we cover, spray, and zap they are still out there annoying the hell out of us. Most bites are not anything to fret over but you need to know which ones require immediate attention. If you are in a wooded or high grass area, check for ticks. Ticks are sneakier than mosquitoes because they don’t buzz so you don’t know they are coming and they can bite … Continued
This summer month we are talking about bugs, sun, and fun. Don’t miss the posts on, “Bug Bite 101: 10 Top Tips to Do First”, “How to balance sun exposure with sun protection” and “Bikram Yoga and the crazy benefits of sweating your a@@ off.” My Aunt Sandy would make some awesome desserts. One of which is strawberry kiwi salsa. She had some downright complicated recipes but this isn’t one of them. This one is full of summer fruit and … Continued
I was walking through Trader Joe’s and I came across a new salad they now carry. The beautiful layers of white, yellow and green drew my eyes and the ingredients of cabbage, jicama, mango and cilantro made my mouth water. I had to get it, and it did not disappoint. It comes with a spicy mango vinaigrette that was too spicy for me. I didn’t miss it when I left it out. I would return to Trader Joe’s daily for … Continued
I could no longer ignore the benefits of fasting. I tried, really I did. When the studies came out about longevity associated with eating less, I promptly buried my head in the sand. It wasn’t until they kept coming, and kept coming, that I lifted an ear and then two. I love food. I love gourmet meals, street food, and everything in between. I think about food…constantly. So when I saw the studies and heard the doctors researching the health … Continued
Fasting has gotten a lot of press in the holistic (and not-so-holistic) world lately. Nutritional Fasting is going without food for an extended period of time. This doesn’t mean going without water. In fact, water is essential when you are fasting. Although the terms fasting, intermittent fasting, fasting mimicking diet, and calorie restriction are all different, for the purpose of this article we will not differentiate. Fasting is not an excuse to eat crappy. It is to enhance your health and … Continued
Emotions or Hunger? Out of all of the things that I have learned while on the Fasting Mimicking Diet the most enlightening to me was how much I eat when I am not actually hungry. I found it fascinating how small the amount of food it actually took to make me satiated when I was rationing what I was able to eat each day. By satiated, I mean how much food it took to take away that gnawing feeling that feels like … Continued
It’s not only men that come to me with men’s issues. It’s also the women who love or care about them. So whether you are a man or a woman, this post is for you. The three most common men’s issues that we see at the clinic are prostate problems, low libido, and erectile dysfunction. As a functional medicine practitioner, my goal is to get to the root of the problem. You will notice that the root of the problem … Continued
If it’s golf season, it’s also golf injury season. When the snow disappears and the greens dry up, I know to expect golfers coming through my clinic. It could be the one who has binge-watched all their favorite Netflix shows during those cold winter months. Suddenly they can’t stand up straight after golfing 18 holes. It could be the one whose grip was so tight that their hand has been numb for a week. It could be the one who … Continued
Oh Barbecue! When I think of summer my senses come alive. I feel the sand on my feet, see the rolling waves of the great lakes, enjoy the taste of watermelon, revel in the sound of a crackling campfire and swoon at the smell of a barbecue. Every year for the last 10 years my family has joined five other families camping all around Michigan. We have watched the kids grow as our tolerance for pitching a tent has dwindled … Continued
It’s no wonder that we celebrate Father’s Day in the month of June. It’s the time for golf and tennis and grilling. This month we are going to share great deals for dad, a BBQ recipe, a common sports injury handbook, and healthy solutions to those, discrete, manly problems. Let’s start with some great deals. Sometimes the men in our lives need some incentive to keep themselves healthy so we are offering $20.00 off an appointment with Dr. Francis if scheduled … Continued