Posts Tagged ‘Dr. Greg Nigh’
« Older Entries |HealthChat Podcast: Seasonal Depression
Sunday, December 18th, 2011
In this edition of the HealthChat podcast, Dr. Greg Nigh and Dr. Greg Eckel discuss the naturopathic approach to treating and managing seasonal depression, also called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The discussion looks at internal and external factors as causes and treatments. Click here to listen to the Seasonal Depression podcast.
Tags: Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, healthchat podcast, Nature Cures Clinic, naturopath, naturopathic depression treatment, Podcast, SAD, Seasonal affective disorder, seasonal depression
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Water Can’t Prevent Dehydration?!
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
by Dr. Greg Nigh, Nature Cures Clinic physician
Sometimes a headline is so absurd that I have to read it a few times to be sure it isn’t a joke. Recently the following headline was sent to me by a friend:
EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration
The article goes on to note that a group of scientists actually studied this issue for 3 years. And in the end they concluded that there is no scientific evidence to substantiate the claim – which was being made by producers of bottled water – that water can prevent dehydration.
I realize that I’m not adequately trained to evaluate a complex issue like water and its ability to hydrate. However, I would humbly submit that I could have helped them answer the question in considerably less time than 3 years. In fact, I will be so bold as to say a definitive test could have provided an answer in as little as about 2 days.
Until the proper, very costly and time-consuming studies are done, I encourage everyone to do something unscientific: drink pure water, regularly, to prevent dehydration.
Tags: dehydration, Dr. Greg Nigh, water
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Depression: Treatments that go beyond medication
Monday, October 17th, 2011
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A number of imbalances in the body or brain could be the cause of depression. Naturopathic medicine seeks to find and change those causes.
by Dr. Greg Nigh - Nature Cures Clinic physician
October is National Depression Awareness Month. This is a good opportunity to reflect on the treatment for depression that our “health care industry” almost universally utilizes.
Sales of anti-depressant medications brings in around $12 billion in profits annually for the pharmaceutical industry. Approximately 30 million people are currently taking anti-depressant medication in the US alone. And while there is evidence that anti-depressants can improve symptoms for individuals with severe depression, there is virtually no evidence that the drugs work better than placebo in those with moderate or mild depression.
Naturopathic treatment approaches to depression shed light on causes instead of masking symptoms with meds.
Depression can be used to illustrate the difference between the conventional and the naturopathic approach to symptoms. The conventional approach is to prescribe a medication that hides the symptom. The conventional medical assumption is that depression is caused by an imbalance in brain chemistry, and that imbalance is corrected with the medications. In reality, though, anyone can read the mechanism of action of those drugs and discover that no one knows exactly how they reduce symptoms in some people.
The second and most dramatic aspect of conventional treatment of depression is what it lacks: in a primary care setting there is no thorough inquiry into why a given individual is experiencing symptoms of depression. Once the list of qualifying symptoms are expressed, the prescription very commonly is quick to follow.
In naturopathic medicine, depression is understood in much the same way that any other symptom is: it signals an imbalance. If the overall goal of medicine is to promote health and enhance vitality, it is essential to understand all the elements that lead to the depression experienced by each individual.
For example, diet and nutrition play a profound role in health generally and in the regulation of mood in particular. Dietary excesses of some foods deplete serotonin and dopamine, the brain chemicals associated with feeling good. Likewise, lack of specific nutrients can have profound effects on the body’s ability to maintain optimal function of the nervous system. Simply correcting these issues can lead to dramatic improvements in symptoms.
A much larger issue is the way in which our society has turned circumstantial feelings of sadness, grief, isolation or hopelessness into a diagnosis that requires medication to manage. When individuals experience profound loss, or feel trapped in relationships or jobs, or are unable to resolve past traumas, medications to mask those valid emotions are not addressing the cause of the depression.
A naturopathic approach to depression utilizes a comprehensive understanding of the history and circumstances that contribute to the depression. It can involve lab testing to determine metabolic imbalances. It will virtually always involve a close look at nutrition and the ways in which eating habits might be contributing to the ongoing symptoms. It can include recommendations for regular exercise, because that is a therapy that has been consistently found to relieve depression as well as medications.
There are many reasons that any given person might experience depression. Treating depression can only be done if the underlying cause is understood as clearly as possible, and therapies are used to re-establish balance in an individual’s life.
During National Depression Awareness Month, those who feel they may have depression should seek out a naturopathic physician. The most important thing to know about depression is that it is not simply a chemical imbalance in the brain that requires medication to correct. Depression is a dynamic relationship between an individual, their lifestyle, their circumstances and their way of thinking about their life. In the context of a naturopathic treatment plan, all of these factors are addressed to optimize an individual’s full capacity for optimum wellness.
Dr. Greg Nigh is available for free 30-minute consultations to discuss your health care. To set up an appointment, call Nature Cures Clinic at (503) 287-4970, or email info2@naturecuresclinic.com
Image courtesy: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino
Tags: anti-depressants, anxiety, depression, depression awareness month, Dr. Greg Nigh, imbalance, managing depression, mental health, Nature Cures Clinic, october, Portland, treating depression, treatments for depression
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Breaking the Stress Habit
Friday, July 15th, 2011
by Dr. Greg Nigh, Nature Cures Clinic physician
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Well, summer is finally here. That means everyone is feeling healthy, happy and very relaxed, right?
The sun is certainly nice to see. However, if you’re like most people you still have your stressful life happening, there’s just no rain to blame for your state of mind. In fact, stress isn’t just a sideline health issue. Estimates vary, but stress-related absenteeism from work costs employers billions of dollars annually. And while the societal cost is enormous, the toll it takes on each individual is, in many ways, beyond measure. Stress take degrades our physical health, our emotional well-being, our relationships, and our ability to concentrate and recall information. 
The typical approach to combating stress is through various kinds of stress management. This can include activities that range from vigorous exercise to quietly working in the garden. And such activities can certainly work to provide islands of relaxation in an otherwise tense life. The problem with these approaches is not that they can’t reduce stress. The problem is that they acknowledge the reality of stress in the first place.
Stress is an internal state, not an external one. There is no stress “out there” in the world. Rather, stress is in our *thoughts about* the world out there. Thus, if we ever hope to actually reduce our experience of stress in a lasting way, it can only be by changing how we think about our world.
Stress management is thought management, and stress is a decision we make each moment we continue to feel it. It’s the decision – either conscious or unconscious – to continue the thought that’s causing stress in that moment.
This is an uncomfortable truth, and in fact many people simply can’t accept it. “…but my job *is* stressful,” “…but my finances *make* me worry,” and on and on the list goes. As long as we believe that stress is something that happens *to* us, rather than something caused *by* us, we’ve relinquished control over it.
Changing how we think about our world is a much more daunting task than, say, going to the gym. Changing how we think is not a decision we can make first thing in the morning: “Today I’m not going to let myself get angry at my boss.” Such a one-time vow is guaranteed to be broken, and is sure to leave you feeling even worse about yourself at the end of the day for having failed at your goal.
Breaking a stressful pattern of thinking is a decision that has to be made constantly, throughout the day, even several times *each minute*. We each have to interrupt that crazy fictional story that is playing in our head, stopping it over and over. Each time we interrupt it and bring our awareness back to what we’re actually doing in that moment (“I’m standing on the floor, I can hear people talking, I can feel the pen behind my ear, etc.), we create some emotional distance between ourselves and that stressful story.
Over time and after *hundreds* or even thousands of intentional interruptions of that story, we are able to see it as just a story. It seems like a lot of practice before seeing results, but what is your option? Going through life stressed by some internal story you can’t get to stop?
In doing this practice we also find that we’re spending much more of our time and awareness in the present moment of our lives as we’re living it, rather than spending it lost in that stressful story while our lives pass us by.
Here is a simplified version of a practice that I have many patients do to help create that emotional distance from their anxious, depressing or stressful thoughts. A more comprehensive treatment of this topic will be the subject of an eBook that will be for sale in our Shop soon. If you try it and it has some benefit for you, please drop me a note at drnigh@naturecuresclinic.com and share your experience with me.
Thought control in 3 easy steps:
1) As often as you can remind yourself to do it, STOP what you’re thinking about. Literally, just stop. To assist you, set up a timer on your phone to “remind” you with a buzz every 20 minutes or so. As soon as it buzzes, interrupt whatever train of thought you were in at that moment.
2) CLASSIFY that thought, using very broad categories: “That was about me feeling incompetent.” “That was about me arguing with someone.” “That was about me thinking I’m stupid for some reason.” Etc. Whatever categories work for you. The point of this step is to show you that you really only have about 3 types of thoughts.
3) BRING your awareness back to the present. Simply start narrating (to yourself, of course) what your immediate experience is, “I’m sitting at my desk, I can hear the cars outside, I feel a slight breeze on my arms, etc.” Keep the narration going as long as you can. Remember, *that* is your reality, the life you’re actually living.
If you are like everyone else, you’ll stick with that present-moment narration for maybe 20 seconds, then you’ll get lost in your stressful story again. That’s just fine. In 20 minutes, your buzzer will remind you to do it all over again.
Repeat that exercise, every 20 minutes you are awake, for the rest of your life.
Dr. Greg Nigh writes regularly on the Nature Cures site, as well as producing a series of e-books on various health topics. Visit the Nature Cures Clinic store for more information.
Image courtesy Lululemonathletica
Tags: Dr. Greg Nigh, meditation, stress, stress management, summer
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Greg Nigh, General | 4 Comments »
HealthChat podcast: Naturopathic Treatment after motor vehicle accidents
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
In this audio podcast, Dr. Greg Nigh and Dr. Greg Eckel of Nature Cures Clinic discuss how you can use the standard Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance at a naturopathic health clinic following a motor vehicle accident. When you are in a car crash, seeing a naturopath and/or acupuncturist for wellness care may keep minor injuries from turning into chronic pain. Listen to the HealthChat podcast here.
Tags: Back pain, car crash, Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, motor vehicle accident, naturopathic spine care, neck injury, personal injury protection, pip insurance, spinal manipulative therapy
Posted in General, Podcast | 1 Comment »
HealthChat podcast: Radiation Exposure
Friday, April 15th, 2011
Listen to: HealthChat on Radiation Exposure, when Dr. Greg Eckel and Dr. Greg Nigh discuss nuclear radiation, everyday radiation and ways to prevent and counteract both.
Tags: Antioxidants, Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, free radicals, nuclear radiation, radiation
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Background Radiation and Everyday Cancer Prevention
Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
How daily choices increase our risk of cancer
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by Dr. Greg Nigh
Nature Cures Clinic physician
Radiation is all the rage. It is a danger that makes us all feel vulnerable, insecure. It conjures images of Chernobyl and atomic blasts. At a more personal level, the fear of radiation is the fear of the consequences we imagine it might inflict: mutations, burns, cancer, and ultimately an early death. In short, we fear radiation because we fear dying of the disease it most commonly inflicts, cancer.
There is a profound yet unspoken irony in the current frenzy to find protection against the real and poisoning effects of radiation. As a society we engage in behaviors every day that increase our risk of cancer dramatically more than the risk we will incur through possible exposure to low- level radiation from Japan.
The US National Institute of Health estimates that 50-75% of all cancer that occurs in the US are preventable, caused by one of three culprits: smoking, lack of exercise and/or poor diet. Cancer kills around 550,000 people every single year in the US. Somewhere between 275,000 and 412,500 of those deaths are preventable. One in 3 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and that number is rapidly approaching 1 in 2.
While we fret about a very slightly increased risk of cancer that might be caused by elevated background radiation from Japan, we also make choices that dramatically increase our personal risk of cancer. These choices include:
1) Excessive consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates
2) Excessive consumption of omega 6 oils (vegetable) without balancing omega 3 oils
3) Excessive consumption of chemicals in foods
4) Excessive consumption of processed foods that are devoid of basic nutrients and enzymes vital for healthy function
5) Sedentary lifestyle
6) Daily chronic exposure to electromagnetic waves emitted from wireless devices such as phones, computers, readers and other devices
Radiation has an ability to make us scramble for protection while these other risks have burrowed their way into our lives so discretely that we simply don’t see them anymore. We can each decide to lower our risk of cancer. Though radiation is real and could even reach US soil, it should be seen in a larger perspective of risks we all face and that we can all control. If you are worried about radiation, you are worried about cancer. If you are worried about cancer, you can make decisions today that change the odds in your favor.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a comprehensive cancer prevention or treatment program, please contact our clinic. We may not be able to stop radiation, but we can provide you with the therapies, information and support you need to promote a long and healthy life.
For more information about radiation exposure, read these other articles from Nature Cures Clinic:
Potassium Iodide and Radiation: A Primer by Dr. Andy Swanson
Radiation Protection: Practical Solutions Beyond Potassium Iodide by Dr. Greg Nigh
Image courtesy oparvez
Tags: alternative cancer treatment, Cancer, cancer prevention, Dr. Greg Nigh, natural cancer treatment, Nutrition, radiation
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Greg Nigh | 2 Comments »
Radiation Protection: Practical Solutions Beyond Potassium Iodide
Saturday, March 19th, 2011
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by Greg Nigh, ND, LAc
Nature Cures Clinic physician
The media has us all glued to our seats seeking more information about the radiation cloud that may or may not drift over US soils. In any case, speculation on TV about where it might drift is accompanied by frenzied searches for potassium iodide tablets that we are told might help protect us.
As our previous article by Dr. Andy Swanson noted, potassium iodide is not practical protection from long-term, low-level radiation exposure — the very type that people in the US could be exposed to. Potassium iodide is to be used to protect against high-level, short-term exposure to radiation. The doses that provide this protection, though, cannot and should never be sustained beyond about 5 days. Even in this amount of time, there are serious risks involved with taking iodide in such high doses.
However, this certainly doesn’t mean that, without potassium iodide, there are no ways to protect against radiation exposure. In fact, the scientific literature is filled with hundreds of studies showing that supplements you can find at virtually any grocery or drug store can offer substantial protection against low level radiation exposure.
First, it’s helpful to understand exactly what it is that radiation does in our bodies. Once this is clear, the ways to protect against it become more obvious. Radiation that passes through our cells can create high levels of something called reactive oxygen species (ROS), or free radicals as they are more commonly known. These free radicals have a damaging effect on cells through a process called oxidation. The best protection, then, is through substances that fight oxidation in cells. We all know what these substances are, because they are called antioxidants.
A wide range of antioxidants have been shown in scientific studies to provide significant protection against the damaging effects of radiation exposure. Just a few of the antioxidants that have shown this protection include:
1) N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)
2) Melatonin, the sleep hormone that is also has strong antioxidant capabilities
3) Vitamin C
4) Vitamin E
5) Resveratrol
6) Genestein, found in soy foods
7) Selenium
These are just a few of the nutrients that have been found in scientific studies to protect against the damaging effects of radiation exposure. Even better, these nutrients have a wide range of health benefits in addition to the radiation protection they provide.
Please note: there are therapeutic doses of each of these nutrients. Do not run out and purchase them and take them all in high doses without consulting with a health care practitioner experienced in their proper dosing.
These are uncertain times. While the media and the internet have people scrambling for potassium iodide as radiation protection, common antioxidants found in most grocery stores and pharmacies are much more sensible solutions for preventing damages that could be caused by low level radiation exposures. Maintaining adequate, sustained antioxidant status in your body helps protect you far beyond the few days of protection that potassium iodide might offer.
If you’d like some help sorting through the fog of information about iodine/iodide, radiation, antioxidants or other health issues now in the news, visit with one of the doctors at Nature Cures Clinic. Let us sort through the fog for you and give you a practical plan for protecting you and your family from a potential radiation exposure.
Tags: Antioxidants, Dr. Greg Nigh, earthquake, media hype, natural disaster, potassium iodide, potassium iodine, radiation
Posted in Articles by our Doctors | 5 Comments »
Men’s Health podcast
Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
Listen to: the Men’s Health Podcast, an informative look at topics related to men and their health care, including heart disease, hormone changes, and the male equivalent to menopause — andropause. Also available in video podcast format on the Nature Cures Clinic video page.
Tags: Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, health chat, Mens Health, Podcast, podcasts
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Sports Injuries: Treatment and Prevention Vodcast
Sunday, June 27th, 2010
Tags: Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Sports Nutrition, vodcast
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“I highly recommend Dr. Nigh. The changes that have occurred for me under his care have been nothing short of remarkable.”
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
I was feeling worse and worse all of the time. I wasn’t actually sick, i.e., I didn’t have an identifiable disease of some kind, but I felt awful. I was tired all the time, sleeping away the weekends. I couldn’t lose weight and instead was slowly gaining. I was taking anti-depressants but didn’t feel any less depressed. I was turning 60 in a few months and my objective was to feel better by that time. I was ready to try something new.
I made by first appointment with Dr Nigh and things started moving. After running initial blood tests and having several conversations with me about my health and my goals, he developed a course of treatment. He put me on an elimination diet that immediately began improving my chronic heartburn. We discussed the results of my blood tests and made a few other changes. He also started me on an acupuncture course. Dr Nigh has recently added a T-3 prescription for my thyroid. In addition we had numerous conversations; I really felt that someone was taking me seriously and listening to my health concerns and not just looking at test results and telling me “I was in the normal range.” His holistic approach and not treating just my symptoms have made an incredible difference.
It has been a little over four months. I have lost about 25 pounds, no longer rely on caffeine to get me through the day, my digestion has dramatically improved, and I am getting off my anti-depressants and feeling better than I have in years.
I highly recommend Dr. Nigh. The changes that have occurred for me under his care have been nothing short of remarkable. When I came in, I felt like I was slowly falling into a big hole that I would never get out of. I feel like a new person today and look forward to continued progress.
- Susan Bailey
Tags: anti-depressent, Dr. Greg Nigh, Elimination diet, Naturopathic medicine, T-3
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“I urge you to visit him [Dr. Nigh] – especially if you have an auto-immune complaint or a “mystery” problem.”
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
I was suffering from hyperthyroidism (and a few things I didn’t know about). When my regular physician wanted to kill off my thyroid with radioactive iodine in order to make me hypothyroid, because it was safer to take the medication for it than for hyperthyroidism, I thought I’d try a naturopath. Fortunately, a friend recommended Dr. Nigh.
Dr. Nigh diagnosed a number of physical complaints as related: they were all allergic reactions, including my thyroid troubles. He changed my diet, administered acupuncture, and also did several lab tests that narrowed down the allergies. By changing my diet, my thyroid levels changed to normal within three months — and have stayed that way, though it’s now three years later. This enabled me to get off hyperthyroid medication and one of the two blood pressure medications I was on. In addition to allergies, the lab tests revealed that I had roundworms and tapeworms (!), which were easily cured with medication, improving my overall health and digestion.
Dr. Nigh’s the best. He’s funny, humane, and very sharp. I urge you to visit him – especially if you have an auto-immune complaint or a “mystery” problem. Heck, he even helped me when I had a herniated disc.
-Benjamin Chambers
Tags: allergies, Dr. Greg Nigh, herniated disc, hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, iodine, Naturopathic medicine, thyroid
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The Naturopathic Approach to Colds and Flu Podcast
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Listen to: The Naturopathic Approach to Colds and Flu Podcast
In this podcast, Dr. Eckel and Dr. Nigh focus on issues surrounding the cold and flu season. Should you be running to your doctor to get a prescription that will only suppress your symptoms, or should you not do anything at all? They will answer questions like these, as well as explain to you what the naturopathic approach to treating these illnesses would look like, citing specific ways you can implement them at home.
Tags: Colds, Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Flu, Naturopathic medicine, prescriptions, virus
Posted in Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Podcast | 1 Comment »
Naturopathic Views on Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations
Sunday, January 17th, 2010
Listen to: Naturopathic Approach to Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations
In this podcast, Portland naturopathic doctors, Dr. Greg Eckel and Dr. Greg Nigh discuss the new USPSTF breast cancer screening recommendations that were released in November 2009. What should women do now? They will guide you through their thoughts on some naturopathic and alternative approaches women can take to protect themselves against breast cancer.
Tags: alternative breast cancer prevention, alternative breast cancer treatment, breast screening recommendations, Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Naturopathic medicine, Portland naturopaths, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, USPSTF
Posted in Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Podcast | 3 Comments »
“In my world of cancer, Dr. Nigh has by far become my most important ally”
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
After I was diagnosed with an aggressive malignant brain tumor, I began a desperate search on the internet to figure out exactly what I was dealing with and how I was going to get rid of it. It didn’t take me long to become discouraged learning that even with surgery, chemo and radiation, I was only given the hope of living for 3-5 years. Through the most fortunate set of circumstances, I crossed paths with Dr. Nigh. In my world of cancer, he has by far become my most important ally. I have six doctors that I deal with regularly. Five of these doctors mean really well when it comes to treating my cancer. Dr. Nigh is the only one who has taught me that my body must first become well, in order to treat this cancer successfully. I am still alive 6 years after my initial diagnosis and one year longer than what conventional medicine could offer me. Not only am I surviving with the treatments that Dr. Nigh is giving me, but my body is thriving. This clinic has given my family and I the hope that nobody else could.
-Charysse Hesse
Tags: alternative cancer treatment, astrocytoma, brain cancer, brain tumor, Dr. Greg Nigh, glioma, health education, natural cancer treatment, natural IV therapy, oligo-astrocytoma
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