Melanie Rubin, M.Ed., associate director and Director of National Disaster Relief of Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) discusses how AWB provides disaster relief, recovery and support for building resiliency – to communities affected by disasters, human conflict, environmental devastation, poverty and social injustice. Unresolved trauma affects not only the health of individuals, but the well-being of families, communities and entire nations. Trauma often has repercussions for generations, preventing cooperation, co-existence and peace among the world’s people. AWB’s mission is to interrupt the devastating effects of trauma by reducing suffering and helping individuals and communities find greater balance and resiliency. We use community-style ear acupuncture as a powerful, simple, safe way of helping people “reset” their nervous systems to a greater state of calm, quiet and clarity. When a group experiences this relief from chaos, hope, determination and resiliency can begin to be restored, which allows communities to move forward.

Lyme disease affects more than 300,000 people in the United States, costs $1.3 billion to treat each year and is the sixth most common reported infectious disease in the United States. It is named after Lyme, Conn., where it was first discovered 40 years ago. Lyme disease, contracted through bites from a black footed deer tick and caused by the Borrelia burgdoferi bacteria, was once thought of as a disease only contracted in the Northeastern region of the United States. However with the spread of housing into once rural areas, the overabundance of deer and white footed mice (another carrier of the deer tick) and climate change Lyme disease has spread throughout the country and throughout the world. We need to be aware that one can contract Lyme in Oregon. Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. speaks with Dr. Tom Messinger about Lyme disease and its treatment. Dr Messinger practices naturopathic medicine in Portland, Oregon, specializing in the treatment of Lyme and chronic Lyme disease. Prior to becoming an N.D.,he was an RN for 23 years and spent most of his career working in inner city Emergency Rooms.

Advice from cancer specialists, psychologists, and other healers..... Amidst all of the doctors’ visits, unfamiliar treatments, anxiety, and fear that follow a cancer diagnosis, it’s crucial to maintain a sense of stability and peace during your journey. That’s exactly what An Inside Job: A Psychologist Shares Healing Wisdom for Your Cancer Journey offers readers. By combining scientific findings with integrative wisdom and the true, heartwarming stories of her cancer patients, Susan Apollon—a psychologist who has specialized in integrative oncology, grief, and trauma for nearly 30 years—provides a deeper, richer perspective of what we call “healing.” You’ll find a wealth of practical steps and insightful advice to help you shift to a more positive perspective, tap into hope, and pursue the possibility of a physical, emotional, and spiritual healing experience. - See more at: http://kboo.fm/media/57074-inside-job#sthash.JF2P6JS3.dpuf

Peggy Orenstein is the author of The New York Times best-sellers Girls & Sex, Cinderella Ate My Daughter and Waiting for Daisy as well as Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Kids, Love and Life in a Half-Changed World and the classic, School Girls: Young Women, Self-Esteem and the Confidence Gap. A contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, Peggy has also written for such publications as The Los Angeles Times, Vogue, Elle, Time, Mother Jones, Slate, O: The Oprah Magazine, and The New Yorker, and has contributed commentaries to NPR’s All Things Considered and the PBS Newshour Her articles have been anthologized multiple times, including in The Best American Science Writing. She has been a keynote speaker at numerous colleges and conferences and has been featured on, among other programs, Nightline, CBS This Morning, The Today Show, NPR’s Fresh Air and Morning Edition and CBC’s As It Happens. In 2012, The Columbia Journalism Review named Peggy one of its “40 women who changed the media business in the past 40 years.” She has been recognized for her Outstanding Coverage of Family Diversity, by the Council on Contemporary Families and received a Books For A Better Life Award for Waiting for Daisy. Her work has also been honored by the Commonwealth Club of California, the National Women’s Political Caucus of California and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Additionally, she has been awarded fellowships from the United States-Japan Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council. - See more at: http://kboo.fm/media/56419-girls-and-sex-interview-peggy-orenstein#sthash.Lw8U4ooH.dpuf

Sandor Ellix Katz is a fermentation revivalist. His books Wild Fermentation (2003, 2016) and the Art of Fermentation (2012), along with the hundreds of fermentation workshops he has taught around the world and helped to catalyze a broad revival of the fermentation arts. A self-taught experimentalist who lives in rural Tennessee, the New York Times calls him “one of the unlikely rock stars of the American food scene.” Sandor is the recipient of a James Beard award and many other honors.

The companion cookbook to Dr. Hyman's revolutionary Eat Fat, Get Thin, with more than 175 delicious, nutritious, heart- and waist-friendly recipes. Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac., interviews Dr. Mark Hyman on KBOO's Healthwatch Dr. Hyman's Eat Fat, Get Thin radically changed the way we view dietary fat, and proved that the key to losing weight and keeping it off is to eat ample amounts of good fats. Now, Dr. Hyman shares more than 175 mouthwatering recipes to help you incorporate these good fats into your diet and continue on your path to wellness. With easy-to-prepare recipes for every meal--featuring nuts, coconut oil, avocados, and lots of other superfoods you thought were "off limits"--you can achieve fast and sustained weight loss. Your health is a life-long journey, and THE EAT FAT, GET THIN COOKBOOK helps make that journey both do-able and delicious. Mark Hyman, MD, is the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, founder of The UltraWellness Center, and New York Times bestselling author whose latest book The Eat Fat, Get Thin Cookbook was recently published by Little, Brown.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Robynne Chutkan speaks with Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. on Healthwatch about living a little more dirty and eating clean as a way to heal your gut. With the prevalence of chronic afflictions like obesity, diabetes, food allergies, auto-immune disease, chronic fatigue, depression, acne & rosacea they'll talk about the connection to digestive health and the microbiome. Dr. Chutkan discusses her new book The Microbiome Solution: A Radical New Way to Heal Your Body from the Inside Out.

According to the United States Center for Disease Control, it is currently estimated that about 1 – 1.3 million people suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Known as IBD this disease involves chronic inflammation of all or part of the digestive tract. IBD primarily includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, potentially debilitating conditions. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a chronic condition that also affects the digestive tract and is often unrecognized or untreated, with as few as 25% of IBS sufferers seeking professional health care. Today Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. is speaking with Dr. Edie Vickers, naturopathic physican and licensed acupuncturist on KBOO's Healthwatch about IBD, IBS and the naturopathic and Chinese medicine approach to treating these health problems. Dr. Vickers is Director of the An Hao Natural Health Clinic in NW Portland. Her practice focuses on women's health, immune disorders, cancer, and chronic diseases. Dr. Vickers uses acupuncture, Chinese herbs, hydrotherapy, injection therapy, diet, and nutritional supplements to assist her patients in achieving better health and balance. She holds degrees from the University of Toronto, the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, and the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to her long time practice, she also is an educator teaching Chinese medicine students and as a NUNM Supervising Physician to naturopathic and Chinese medicine interns.

SCREENAGERS probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including the director's own, and depicts messy struggles, over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through surprising insights from authors and brain scientists solutions emerge on how we can empower kids to best navigate the digital world. Today, Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. interviews Lisa Tabb,co-executive and co-producer on the film Screenagers directed by Dr. Delaney Ruston. Dr. Delaney Ruston decided to make SCREENAGERS when she found herself constantly struggling with her two kids about screen time. Ruston felt guilty and confused, not sure what limits were best, especially around mobile phones, social media, gaming, and how to monitor online homework. Hearing repeatedly how other parents were equally overwhelmed, she realized this is one of the biggest, unexplored parenting issues of our time.

In 2014, the American Psychological Association deemed teens, during the school year, the most stressed group of people in the United States. Teens experience stress much the way adults do, but do not yet have the skills and mechanisms to effectively work with it. To address this dilemma, Peace in Schools launched the first for-credit high school mindfulness course in the nation in 2014 in collaboration with Portland’s Wilson High School to great success. Today their program is also available to high school students at Rosemary Anderson, Lincoln and Cleveland High Schools and will be available this coming school year in Madison, Franklin and Alliance Meek High Schools, all as for credit elective courses. Caverly Morgan founded Peace in Schools and leads the Peace in Schools teaching team, develops the secular mindfulness curriculums, and works directly with teens. Caverly has been practicing mindfulness since 1995, including eight years in a monastic setting. She also offers awareness practice for adults though her nonprofit One House of Peace. Caverly is known for the insight, passion and humor she brings to her transformative work with students of all ages. Listen in to learn about this innovative and effective semester long program for teens and the resources it provides. - See more at: http://kboo.fm/media/51016-peace-schools-bringing-mindfulness-teens-interview-caverly-morgan#sthash.x1DB0Cfs.dpuf

It’s spring in the Pacific NW and for many that can mean misery. If you suffer from seasonal allergies it is also the season of allergy medicine advertising, promoting many over the counter medications designed to ease your symptoms. If you suffer with allergies, you're certainly not alone. According to the US National Institutes of Health, more than 50 million Americans live with allergies. This represents the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States, is higher among children, and has rapidly increased over the past 15 years. But, did you know that the treatment of allergies with herbs is effective and one of the oldest medicines, going back on record over two thousand years. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some part of their primary healthcare. Today we are speaking about seasonal allergies, the symptoms, the causes and how herbal medicine can treat and relieve suffering. Dr Glen Nagel, is a naturopathic physician, a practicing herbalist, and all around herbal wise guy for Glen Nagel, ND, naturopathic physician, herbal medicinethe last 30 years practicing in Oregon. He has apprenticed with leaders in the field, Herbal Ed Smith and Sara Katz, founders of Herb Pharm, Ryan Drum Ph D and wise woman Cascade Anderson Geller. He has taught at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington and is an adjunct professor in botanical medicine at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. He is currently the lead naturopathic physician for Herb Pharm, a company growing and producing high quality herbal herbal extracts and, educating people on the safe and effective use of medicinal herbs.

Join Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. as she speaks with Jill Blakeway, L. Ac., CEO of the Yin Ova Center in New York City and author of Making Babies: A proven 3-month program for maximum fertility, co-authored Dr. Sami David, a reproductive endocrinologist. This book offers women and men a guide to fertility using the wisdom of Chinese medicine in conjunction with Western medicine. Fertility medicine today is all about aggressive surgical, chemical, and technological intervention, in Making Babies, acupuncturist Jill Blakeway and Dr. David draw on the best of both Eastern and Western medicine. By identifying your “fertility type,” inspired by the classical patterns of Chinese Medicine, you can focus in on the strategies most helpful in your particular situation, and avoid the things that may be causing you problems. Those strategies include: choosing fertility-promoting foods; properly predicting the best time to conceive (hint: the answer is not 14 days after your last period began); accurately pinpointing the cause of your fertility problems; making specific and sometimes surprising lifestyle choices, like exercising less; taking cough medicine; decreasing doses of fertility drugs; and getting acupuncture along with IVF. The book concludes with an easy three-month program designed to get your body in optimal shape to conceive. Think of it as “fertility book camp,” only without the scary drill sergeant. Some people will need additional support from a health care professional, whether conventional or complementary or both. Read this book for a clear and informative point of view on fertility.

Can you cure your child with food? Do you want to know what the hidden connections between nutrition and childhood ailments are? Listen in as Kelly Dorfman, M.S., L.N.D., one of the world’s foremost experts on using nutrition therapeutically to improve brain function, energy and mood introduces listeners to that connection. Her marvelous book, Cure Your Child with Food, offers parents the opportunity to become their family’s nutrition detective. Does your child suffer from recurrent ear infections, stomachaches, picky eating, anxiety, ADHD, behavioral issues or skin rashes? Kelly Dorfman’s scrupulous sleuthing uncovers problems with even the most “normal” everyday foods in a child’s diet. How important is nutrition really in improving health? A lot. Her book will open a door of understanding for you. From gluten, to sugar, to corn and dairy, modern food can present a highway of obstacles to optimal health in children. Kelly Dorfman helps you navigate the road.

Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry is about eating close to home. Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean and Southern Flavors Remixed Bryant Terry is a chef, educator, and author renowned for his activism to create a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. In regard to his work, Bryant’s mentor Alice Waters says, “Bryant Terry knows that good food should be an everyday right and not a privilege.” Bryant is the author of four books and and the host of Urban Organic-a multi-episode web series that he co-created. Bryant Terry’ s new book, Afro-Vegan offers readers a flavorful, artistic and cultural journey into the power of whole- plant based cooking. He brings familiar foods forward that are integral to African culture and have traversed the globe as the African diaspora has. His interweaving of traditions, his innovation and spice are inspired by his commitment to health and empowering people in eating close to the source to re-vitalize physical and spiritual health. Whether it be growing your own food, taking part in a community garden, shopping at a local farmers market or eating with others, Bryant is passionate about bringing healthy, plant based cooking into communities and connecting people to their traditions. Honoring heritage with whole foods is integral in addressing the crisis of obesity, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease affecting African-American communities in this country today. Part One of the interview explores the roots of Bryant’s philosophy in creating viable, health promoting, delicious food while bringing people closer to their traditions and heritage. This is food for all and all for food.

Parsely, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme are herbs for our health. Herbs for health, yes they are in your pantryThose simple cooking herbs in your pantry are there to add flavor to your meal yet they also help clear your ills, uplift your spirits and help you with that sore throat you may be getting. They have been used for millennia in cultures all around the world. Let’s not forget their benefits and that the power of nature is right at our finger tips. Today Ellen Goldsmith, shares some secrets from the kitchen in a talk about the benefits of sage, rosemary, thyme and a bit about parsley. Perhaps you simply put a little rosemary in with your soup or dinner, but did you know that rosemary has been used for centuries to lift one’s spirit? Next time you use your cooking herbs for flavor, remember that they might add a little health to your meal as well!

Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Bio-Medical Treatment, Part Two Dr. Valerie LaRosa continues the conversation about the bio-medical and naturopathic approach to treating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The bio-medical and naturopathic treatment takes a functional approach to each individual. Not all treatments fit all people. Dr. LaRosa takes us through what evaluation is like, and what treatments can be beneficial to children and families dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders are challenging and the Bio-Medical Approach to treatment is making a difference. Dr. Valerie LaRosa, naturopathic physician and former behavioral therapist speaks about what Autism Spectrum Disorder is, what underlying issues may accompany it, and what could be done to help a child and their family. The bio-medical approach to the treatment of autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder has contributed to a broader view on its underlying causes and its treatment.This podcast is part one of a two part series on ASD – its assessment and physiological treatment. So many children with ASD also suffer nagging health problems, which when addressed can support improved function. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. What can be done? Bio-medical and naturopathic treatment offer children and families options for addressing the whole child and their health. Listen in to learn more.

The 5 flavors in Chinese medicine exists in the food we eat as well as the herbs we may take. This is perennial wisdom. Let’s bring this wisdom into the future. Chinese Medicine, 5 Healing FlavorsChinese medicine offers us a way to understand food and its healing capacity. One of the most important elements is the therapeutic effect that a flavor of a food has. The action and the energy a flavor has on us is not simply the pleasure of taste but the action it has on our body. Did you know that the sweet flavor of food, not sugar, such as the sweetness of winter squash and carrots have a positive impact on our digestion and helps us to relax? Did you know that the bitter taste is important for detoxifying and cleansing? Or that pungent foods help lift our vitality and move our qi? Listen in as Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac. takes you on a tour of the healing actions of the Five Flavors from a Chinese medicine point of view. Then “energetic” components of food can be applied in any type of whole food diet to keep us healthy throughout our lifetime. This is a great introduction to the ancient wisdom that traditional cultures have held for thousands of years.

Sugar is it too much? Sami and Meredith think so.foracause Rowing 2400 miles to raise money and awareness on how sugar is detrimental to our health. Sami Inkinen and Meredith Loring are rowing from San Francisco, California to Honolulu, Hawaii as part of the inaugural Great Pacific Race as a mixed pair. fat chance row, sugar, Dr. Robert LustigWhy are they doing this, unsupported-meaning they will carry all their food (no sugar or processed foods) and gear? First, as they said, “Because we can and we like a good challenge.” Plus they will be promoting healthy eating and the fight against the proliferation of sugar in the global diet. Sami and Meredith are extra- ordinary. All funds they raise on this expedition will go to Dr. Robert Lustig’s Institute for Responsible Nutrition.

Sugar is everywhere. Sugar is addictive. sugar- hiding in plain sightSugar, sugar you are everywhere and we do not even know it. Wolfram Alderson, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Nutrition founded by Dr. Robert Lustig, is back on Health Currents Radio to talk about the progress made in bringing awareness to the toxic effects sugar can have on our health and how to find it in your food. But, it is hard to avoid if you do not even know the 56 aliases good ole’ sugar goes by. The World Health Organization has recommended only 25 grams of sugar daily for optimal health (approximately 6 teaspoons), that’s about one “protein bar” and less than a can of soda, which has 39 grams. The Institute for Responsible Nutrition has been working with organizations, governments, and individuals, as well as creating wonderfully animated short films to bring the ill effects of sugar to the public: Sugar is Killing Us and Sugar: Hiding in Plain Sight. Institute for Responsible Nutrition, Dr. Robert LustigAll money raised by this organization goes towards their mission: To End Childhood Obesity and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes. Wolfram Alderson shares what you can do, what is being done and what can be done to reduce the impact of excess sugar on our health.