By: Alyssa Kelly, ND

Seattle is in the midst of a smoke wave. A severe one, at that. Climate Central describes a smoke wave as two consecutive days with an EPA Air Quality Index of 67. Seattle’s AQI today is 185.

At AQI level 67, the particles in the air, called PM2.5, reach a concentration that can start causing adverse health effects. Some of these effects include “slowing blood flow and oxygen to the heart, developing plaque on the inner walls of arteries, and interfering with liver functions” (Climate Central). These are relatively invisible yet serious effects. One symptom of these effects can be feeling more fatigued than usual or lowered exercise tolerance. People are certainly experiencing other ill effects from the particles as well, such as cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing, headaches, and more. People who already have lung or heart diseases such as asthma, emphysema, COPD, angina, and ischemic heart disease are at risk of worsening of their disease due to the particles and their effects on blood and oxygen flow.

By: Jennifer November, ND

January 1. Time to exercise more, eat healthier, drink more water, drink less alcohol, read more, less television… I’m already over it.  What’s the deal behind new year’s resolutions? Ultimately, these are the things that if we change them about ourselves, we believe will make us stellar human beings. Business Insider says that “80% of new years resolutions fail by February”. Is this because they are goals designed to make us appear better on the outside?  Is it because they tend to be activities we don’t really enjoy?  Is it because we already cram too much into our day that adding one more activity will make the bubble burst?

Yes. To all of the above, yes.

By: Kim Hansen, ND

The menopausal transition is unique to each individual woman. Some women experience minor symptoms while others suffer from a variety of different ailments. These symptoms can impact their wellbeing and quality of life from the beginning stages of menopause through several years after its onset. Menopause occurs when the body is no longer in “reproductive mode” and the amount of estrogen and progesterone produced by the body begins to decline. Not only can this drop in hormones lead to uncomfortable symptoms, but it also puts women at a greater risk of developing certain diseases, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety and/or depression, vaginal dryness, thinning skin, weight gain, and urinary changes. Now that women are living 30 to 40 years after menopause, these effects can last months to several years after menstruation ends. A common approach to treating these symptoms is bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).