Nutrition

Guiding our patient toward optimal nutrition is a high priority at Avenues For Health. Food is medicine! What we put into our bodies can nourish and protect our cells and support metabolism or it can damage and obstruct those vital systems we depend on for our well being. It is difficult to sort out the endless array of "information" about nutrition from the media, advertisers, best selling fad diet and the latest scientific studies.

There is no one diet that is right for everyone. Our approach emphasizes the basics of good nutrition and then individualizes the recommendations based on our patient's profile and goals. We stress a basic diet rich in vegetables, seasonal fruits, lean protein, whole grains, essential fats and pure water. We recommend organic products whenever possible especially for produce and dairy products. The specifics of a diet will depend on many individual factors such as age, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and family medical history. Specific disease conditions may require additional dietary modification. We utilize a variety of resources for patient education including our own informational handouts, videotapes, book recommendations, vitamin supplements and when appropriate referral to a nutritionist.

A complement to optimal nutrition is regular exercise. Most women benefit from both aerobic exercise 3-4 times per week and strength training exercise 2 times per week. Again the specifics depend on individual factors. We encourage exercise and provide guidelines and resources for our patients.

Herbs

Avenues For Health is an Integrative Medicine practice blending traditional allopathic medicine with complimentary therapies. We prescribe both Chinese and Western herbs when appropriate and safe. Herbs may be prescribed if a traditional drug therapy is not effective or is not tolerated by an individual. Herbs may also be prescribed as an alternative to a traditional medicine if there is a medical contraindication to a drug or because of patient preference. We prescribe herbs with the same caution as we would prescribe any medication. Potential side effects, drug-herb and herb-herb interactions must be considered. It is also important to utilize high quality herbs from reliable sources. To ensure the highest quality product and as a convenience to our patients, we carry a wide selection of herbal products in our office.

Our Chinese herbal formulas are from American companies that hand pick the herbs and test them for quality and purity. They include K'an Herbals formulated by Ted Kaptchuk, O.M.D., East West Herbs formulated by Giovanni Machiaocha, and Health Concerns Herbs by Andrew Gaeddert. They use both traditional Chinese herbal formulas and ones that are designed for the Western patient.

Our western herbs also come from American companies known for their high quality and standardized preparations as well as organic farming technique. These include loose herbs for teas from Healing Spirits, herbal tinctures from Herb Pharm and some herbal formulas from Tyler and Karuna.

Vitamins

Obtaining vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients from food is usually the best place to start. But vitamin and mineral supplements can be a valuable addition to food in order to better optimize nutrition. There are many vitamin supplements that have proven benefit. At Avenues For Health we can help you determine which vitamin supplements may be beneficial for you.

After careful research into quality we have chosen to carry two lines of vitamins that are not generally available in retail stores. These are Karuna and Body Wise Vitamins. Karuna products are made in California. They are free of preservatives, artificial flavorings and coloring. Karuna uses high quality natural ingredients. The vitamins are made from organic and vegetarian sources when possible. Karuna products are reasonably priced.

Bodywise International is described as a "Company For Life". Bodywise products are manufactured in an FDA certified laboratory, which dictates that what ingredients are listed on the bottle are indeed what is inside, and in the designated dosages. They are cold processed, avoiding the degradative effects of high pressure, heat producing manufacturing techniques which can result in decreased bioavailability of nutrients. They are aqueous (water) coated, without glues, or binders, to permit easy dissolution when in contact with water or saliva, making them easy to swallow and absorb. Right Choice AM/PM vitamins are divided into morning and evening portions, to maximize absorption and eliminate the problem of one nutrient interfering with the absorption of another. They are free of yeast, egg, dairy, wheat, artificial flavor, coloring, or preservatives.

While Bodywise manufactures many products, the most common ones Dr. Spain utilizes are Right Choice AM/PM multivitamins, Essential Calcium (a specially chelated calcium supplement), and Female Advantage, an herbal formula for menopausal symptoms. Feel free to contact Dr. Spain or Bodywise directly at www.bodywise.com with any questions you have.

General Women's Health Care - Menopause and Perimenopause Consultations
Comprehensive Gynecology - Medical Acupuncture
Nutritional and Herbal Therapies - Preventative Medicine
Urinary Incontinence Evaluation and Treatment