Ring in the New Year and Detox with the Docs!

The physicians and staff Emerald City Clinic are going to be going through a detox plan together and you should join us! Your package would include:

An entrance visit with an ECN physician

Newly researched and formulated detox meal replacement shake with re-useable shaker cup

Liver supportive supplement to enhance energy and promote Phase I and II detox

Two infrared sauna treatments at ECN

Exit interview with an ECN physician

All for $300! (Ask about our payment plans)

Clear out the holiday sludge and usher in a new year of health with us! Call the front desk to arrange (206) 781-2206.

Happy Holidays

I hope you all have a relaxing, loving holiday season. We are open over the holidays. We will close for Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. Dr. Molly Linton is in the office on a very limited schedule the next week as I am enjoying my family, but there is medical staff at the office during all office hours and available 24/7 for medical emergencies. Please have a healthy (emotionally, spiritually, physically) end of the year. Thank you for your confidence in our care and being part of the Emerald City Clinic family.

Foreign travel preparation

Many of you have embarked on overseas trips recently and I found out that you were not aware that we actually will help you plan your trip to remain as healthy as possible with such advice as which immunizations, sleep regulation, which supplements to take and NOT take, how to have written prescription to carry things over international borders, and a individually designed first aid kit for you. We have on the website our General Traveling First Aid kit, but we can modify them for each individual. Please make an appointment at least 8 weeks before travel for us to give you the prudent advice you need to travel and maintain your health.

EOB: explanation of benefits

As everyone is rushing into Emerald City Clinic because they have met their deductibles, I wanted to address EOBs. If you do not fully understand why your insurance did not pay your charges, whether it be labs and/or service fees from here please bring them in so we can explain them to you and/or argue them for you with the insurance companies. Your insurance company is NOT a "not for profit" industry and they purposely want to confuse you and have you give up. Let us help you recoup as much as is coming to you. It made need a change of code, or a lettter of medical necessity. Please persevere.

Ostoeporosis and Large People

It has been thought that one positive health benefit from being large or overweight is less risk of osteoporosis. But new studies are starting to show that the visceral fat actually makes inflammatory products that are leading to bone disease. This affects my judgement about how often bone scans should be done or when the initial one needs to happen with larger people. FYI

Coconut oil

Coconut oil use has been associated with reducing Alzeihmers and dementia. One tablespoon/day is a great thing to add to your diet. OR eat fresh coconut.

Free Air Quality Home Assessment

Master Home Environmentalist Program and the American Lung Association are offering free home visits to assess the quality of air in your home. It does not matter if you own or rent your home.

Air quality assessments are beneficial for everyone, especially if you or your family has any symptoms of Asthma, headaches, stuffy nose, chronic sore throats, allergies or frequent illnesses.

Sign up for a free assessment by calling 206-441-5100 x 35

In good health,

Gretchen Imdieke ND

Emerald City Clinic Gifts: The Gifts of Health

We have a "stocking stuffer" gift table. It includes but not limited to: homeopathic emergency kits, our new T shirts :), recommended books (including cookbooks), detox baskets or spa baskets if you prefer, chlorine shower filters. Please come by and check it out. We recommend the Gifts of Health. You can also purchase gift certificates in any denomination.

Year End Deductibles

Please be aware that over the holidays there are some office hour reductions and combined with increased stress and more people wanting to take advantage of the fact that they have made their deductibles it might be hard to get an appointment. Please call early. Thanks

New York Times Vitamin D Article

Please do not stop your accurately prescribed vitamin D if you have heard or read the new studies saying vitamin D may be harmful. The concerns is that vitamin D might be the cause of kidney stones, osteoporosis, etc. The problem with this study is the lack of Naturopathic physicians advising people how to properly take all their nutrients in a whole picture. Most Americans are dehydrated and therefore will precipitate out kidney stones if they eat high levels of cow's milk dairy, high vitamin D and no water. They will not make proper bone matrix if there vitamin D is not balanced with other nutrients such as vitamin K which is found not only in dark green leafy vegetables but is also formed in a health digestive tract. There are hundreds of studies, literally, that demonstrate the value of vitamin D. Most of you have experienced the health benefits. Please follow the guidelines set out by your physician at Emerald City Clinic and rest assured we are guardians of your health.

Internet Dating Service

Many of my clients who are of mature age are finding their special someone by internet. I wanted to share that someone told be of a free service, with much nicer people and Seattle based called OKCupid.com. I have not checked it out but I like to share these types of resources with everyone. Happy Holidays and I hope you all had fun in the snow, relaxing and thankful weekend. Molly Linton

Thanksgiving

For those not in the Seattle area we are in a winter storm. It is quiet and beautiful (if you do not have to go anywhere). I love the winter as I think it promotes introspection and I really want to say that I feel better at the end of each day in my clinic and I am truly thankful for everyone who makes my life more joyous each day........ To each client, staff, family member and stranger with a smile that I meet I give gratitude. Over the weekend a colleague of mine, Louise Edwards, said she thinks that "Grateful" is spelled wrong. That it should be spelled Great Full. That we are greatly full. I felt that was worth sharing. Enjoy family, food, warmth and hugs over the holidays.

Emerald City Clinic is also here for anyone that finds this time of year difficult. We are members of your extended family and if you need us please let us know.

Flouride Use Now In Question

I Molly Linton) read Dr. Mercola's website pretty routinely. He has some good information and if you want to go there directly you can get these reports daily. But I read them and will be posting highlights and remove the sale "pitch" This is from Dr. Mercola's website:

A new study in the Journal of the American Dental Association finds once again that, contrary to what most people have been told, fluoride is actually bad for teeth.
Exposure to high levels of fluoride results in a condition known as fluorosis, in which tooth enamel becomes discolored. The condition can eventually lead to badly damaged teeth. The new study found that fluoride intake during a child's first few years of life is significantly associated with fluorosis, and warned against using fluoridated water in infant formula.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is of a similar opinion. According to their website:
"Recent evidence suggests that mixing powdered or liquid infant formula concentrate with fluoridated water on a regular basis may increase the chance of a child developing ... enamel fluorosis."

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Annie McCall resided in the building adjacent to Emerald City Clinic for numerous years until recently re-locating to a larger facility. ECN is happy to promote her fabulous services.


Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for impulsive and/or self-destructive behaviors, including cutting, suicide, drug use, and aggression. Youth and Family DBT of Seattle offers two DBT skills groups, for teenagers (13-18) and their parents. The group is 26 weeks long and teaches behavioral skills to increase effective coping and communication, with the goals of decreasing family conflict and problematic behavior. For more information, please call Annie McCall at 206-251-4013, or check out our website at youthandfamilydbt.com.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Annie

Annie McCall, MA, LMHC
Counseling for adolescents, adults, and families
206-251-4013

Dispose of medications and supplements responsibly

Do you know how to properly dispose of old or unwanted medications and supplements?
To keep chemicals out of our waters, please do not flush supplements or medications down the toilet or pour in a drain. To reduce accidental poisoning, misuse, and for environmental protection, please:
1) conceal all identifying personal information on prescription bottles using a black pen or marker
2) pour an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter into the bottle, add water and close the bottle.
3) dispose of the mixture in the trash. It is best to do this the night before trash pick-up so that it is taken away immediately.

Also, inquire at you local pharmacy or Group Health location about their medicine disposal programs.

Car accidents

If you have been in a car accident, your physician at Emerald City Clinic wants to know about it immediately. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Emerald City Clinic will be the Primary Care Physician for your PIP properly documenting both physical and emotional symptoms from the onset. We also make all the referrals to the necessary body work rather that be chiropractic, soft tissue, and/or physical therapy.

2. There is much better outcome if you start on Arnica and Naturopathic anti inflammatories in the first 24 hours.

3. When you have had a traumatic event you do not always think clearly, please let us be there for you and call us in any stressful event so that we can help you make good decisions.

Nail Toe Fungus

Recently one of my diabetic clients podiatrist cultured her toe nails and they are fungal free from using the product Saprox. It is a type of dirt that provides good bacterial growth and suffocates the toe nail fungus. It is good for so other skin disorders. It is available from Emerald City Clinic and we are pleased with the results.

How 2B Fit 4U

Emerald City Clinic's Dr. Molly Linton and Cannonbilt Studio's Peter Cannon are hosting a 3 week class called, "How 2B Fit 4U!" Whether you are a seasoned athlete or you have been dormant for a while, this class will enhance your quality of life. Build a solid foundation towards greater health and feeling more vibrant. The class is designed to help you connect to your own coaching instincts and define realistic goals.

There will be three evening sessions on December 2nd, 9th, and 16th at 7pm at Emerald City Clinic in Crown Hill. You may come to each session and pay $15.00, or sign up for all three and pay $30.00. We'd love to have you join us! Remember-- it's important to create time for yourself and your well being during the holidays so you don't get burnt out!

Session #1

a) Active-Isolated Stretching for

Thighs
Hips

Chest

Back

b) Basic breathing principles

Session #2

a)Review A.I. stretches

Plus:

Neck

Shoulders

b)Mobility exercises(2-3)

Session #3

Expand breathing principles with integrated movements to increase energy.

Energy exercises

a) Chakras 1-4(root to heart)

b) Hypoxic breathing for strength.

c) Personal aim

d) Goal setting

Call Emerald City Clinic today to reserve your place: 206-781-2206. We look forward to seeing you!

FDA Bands Teething Tablets

The FDA banned Hylands teething tablets.
They have been pulled off shelves at grocery stores because it contains
belladonna. The belladonna in these teething tabletst is homeopathic and so there is not a measurable molecule of belladonna in this product. These teething tablets are completely safe for children.
This was an interesting move by the FDA...

Donate Computers to the Guinea Bissau community

Donate your unused Computers!!

We are in need of computers with XP and microsoft office on them, so we can give them to a client who is sending them to Guinea Bissau in Africa.
The computers you donate will be used to teach computer classes to the community of Guinea Bissau.
We need them donated by November 7th, 2010.
The only computer monitors that we can accept are LCD screens. This is because the big monitors use too much electricity. Please only donate working computers and no printers or large monitors.
You can drop the computers off at Emerald City Clinic and we can have a tax deductible receipt sent to you if needed.

Thank you for your help!

Free Hormone Steroid Profile

US Biotek is offering our patients a free 24 hour urine hormone steroid profile !!!

If you are interested in doing the test please contact me by October 27th via email at gretchen@emeraldcityclinic.com

US Biotek is offering this lab at no cost so they can find a normal reference range for a new analyzer. Because of this all persons who do this test must not be on hormones and must not have a chronic illness such as diabetes, or and cannot be obese.

Email me with any questions!

Cheers,

Gretchen Imdieke ND

Open enrollment time

If you have any questions about which insurance to pick during open enrollment please contact Emerald City Clinic office manager, amanda@emeraldcityclinic or call the office 206-781-2206 for advice.

Insurance now available for certain labs

Neuroscience offers food allergy testing, adrenal stress tests and neurotransmitter tests that are billable to insurance. They are getting great coverage except for medicare from most insurances. This allows people to obtain tests they could not afford out of pocket. Please contact your physician or Emerald City Clinic if you want further information.

Pharmacy Inventory: Year End Needs

I know it is only October but I want to give plenty of lead time to let everyone know that we allow our pharmacy inventory to go to minimum amounts for year end inventory. In opposition, our clientele is buying more because they are trying to use up their health savings plans. If you have large pharmacy needs or buy unusual items, please email dispensary@emeraldcityclinic.com and we will make sure your needs are met. Please remember if items are purchased in quantities of 6 or more there is a volume discount, but you need to alert us ahead of time.

Entertainment Books

Each year the WANP (Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians) sell Entertainment books. We have them available at our front desk. They are filled with 50% off coupons for dining, hotels, events.... as good as GroupOns but on your time. They are only $25-- you use it once and you've made up the money! The proceeds go to the WANP. Please contact the front desk to purchase one and we will set it aside for you. They are good from 11/1/10 to 10/31/2011.

Influenza Season

It is flu season and I am never without an opinion:

1. I have seen multiple cases of high fever, aches/chills, with no sign of location of infection resulting in dry cough and sore throat. If you are faced with this type of infection, the best defense is "THE ZAP PACK": 100,000 IU of Vitamin D (1x/only), 100-150,000 IU of Vitamin A (not to exceed 7-10 days without talking to a doctor at ECN) and some herbal formula to address the microbe whether it is viral or bacterial. These are adult doses not to be used for pediatric, pregnancy or breastfeeding doses without consulting your physician.

2. Do NOT get the flu vaccine. This year's flu vaccine has the "leftover H1N1" vaccine from last year that they could not use up. If you want to discuss this with me then email Molly, but there is no good science for the flu vaccine. Better to improve your immune system.

3. It is time to contact us if an adult's fever is over 101 or a pediatric fever is over 103, if the symptoms have progressed to your lungs, or if you feel ill longer then 3 days. I have not yet figured out the exact homeopathic remedy, but I am sure that the Naturopathic community will spread the news the minute we find the right remedy for this bug.

Once again besides Molly's 5 Point Health Plan there is Molly's 3 Day Rule: If you are not better in 3 days from anything (eg flu, diarrhea, joint pain, insomnia, etc) it is time to let your doctor at ECC know. Thanks.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

A few things I want all my clients to know:

a. Thermography is a physiological examination of the breast tissue with NO side effects and gives us 6-8 years of prediction before any anatomical pathological changes develop. Seems like a smarter way to go then the radiation exposure to mammograms. Mammograms should be reserved for when we really need them.
b. If you are getting any biopsy of any tissue make sure you are on fractionated pectin/modified fruit pectin to prevent any possibility of metastasis.
c. Please be aware that when a doctors says they are leaving a marker with a breast biopsy it is a titanium implant in your breast. This is a toxic metal being placed in compromised tissue of the breast. Please discuss other options with any physician at Emerald City Clinic.
d. Iodine deficiency is one of the leading causes of breast cancer. This can be checked in a urine test, please ask Emerald City Clinic about it.
e. The types of estrogen fractions you have (2/16 ratio of estrone) can predict breast cancer or osteoporosis. If we have not discussed this with you please ask us.

Breast cancer can be prevented and we have ways to guardianship the health of our breast tissue.

Respectfully, Molly Linton

Dr. Molly would like to share this with all of her parent-clients out there-- a great online course to address the realities of parenting today. Check it out!


THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com



Dear Groovin' Parents...

Great news! I've been honored with the opportunity
to co-present with some of the world's most inspiring
self-help, spirituality, and parenting experts for a
special LIVE event:

The Happier Kids Now Online Expo!

The line-up includes some of my favorite bestselling
authors, like Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love),
Bruce Lipton (The Biology of Belief), and Marci Schimoff
(Happy For No Reason).

They, along with me and 20 other teachers, will be sharing
a variety of leading-edge strategies for enriching the lives
of our children and teens, from October 4th - 21st.

I'll be presenting a teleseminar (or "webinar") entitled
"Help! I'm Turning Into My Parents!" In other words
words: How to avoid the mistakes of our parents' generation
and keep your parenting aligned with your highest principles.

And the whole Expo is available for free!

Just CLICK HERE and enter your name and email, and
all the details and reminders will be emailed to you.
(If you miss a live presentation, you'll have free access
to the replay for up to 48 hours afterwards.)

Please forward this announcement to any friends
you believe would be interested. Or just send them
this link:www.happierkidsnow.com.

Thanks!

~Scott Noelle
_____________________________________________________

"Inspiration & Coaching for Progressive Parents"
http://www.ScottNoelle.com
http://www.EnjoyParenting.com


PO Box 19901
Portland, OR 97280
USA

Football Injuries: Please be forwarned!

With the start of football season and the increased awareness of how debilitating blows to the head and concussion can be during this high-impact sport, our communities are discovering just how seriously we need to take head injuries. Please read the following article as a warning.

College football player who committed suicide had brain injury-CNN.com



Emerald City Clinic

Laura Walton starts her own practice!!!!

Most of you have known Dr. Laura Walton over the past years and it is with mixed emotions of both excitement for her and sadness that I realize this is her last few days at Emerald City Clinic. She opens her doors to her new practice in a week, next Monday, October 5th. Her last day at Emerald City Clinic is this Thursday, September 30th. Transitions for all!!! You can contact her Tilia Natural Health (206)257-5817 and you can contact her by email laura@vitalityhealthcare.net. Everyone at Emerald City Clinic wishes her great success and will continue not only a collegial relationships but warm friendships. Molly Linton, ND

Build Relationships & Connections- for Parents of Young Children

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for sharing this with your colleagues and the families with whom you work.

Bringing Baby Home starts October 14th for expecting couples or those with a baby or toddler-strengthen your couple relationship and be a great parenting team!

PEPS/JFS group is a partnership offering the PEPS support group experience with an additional cultural component. All Jewish/interfaith parents of newborns are welcome to sign up!

Emotion Coaching: An Essential Part of Your Parenting Toolbox! on November 14th -guide your child through life's ups and downs in a way that builds confidence, resilience and strong relationships (more details posted soon).

Advance registration is required for these programs, so I encourage parents to sign up soon. They are welcome to email or call me anytime.
If you have any questions or need additional information on these programs, please feel free to contact me directly.

Warmly,
Marjorie Schnyder
Marjorie Schnyder
Director of Family Life Education
206.861.3146
mschnyder@jfsseattle.org

Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act

We'd love for you, as our loyal naturopathic followers, to take action in legislation! Read the following article and follow the link to write to congress about the importance of testing our environment for potentially harmful substances. Thank you!


Congress Returns

Follow this link: Take Action!


Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act

Congress reconvenes September 13, and is scheduled to recess on October 8 for the final campaign push. The amount of work left to be accomplished in this narrow time frame is enormous. And yet, Members of Congress are anxious to please their constituency, which poses opportunity when you have a simple and clearly stated “ask” of them. The Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act provides us with such an opportunity.

The Endocrine Disruption Prevention Act (S 2828 and HR 4190) would authorize the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct endocrine disruption research in order to develop assays that will identify endocrine disrupting chemicals and determine their safety. The program will rely on a panel of scientific experts, free of conflict of interest, to evaluate the findings and determine the level of concern. This information will be passed on to regulatory agencies (EPA, FDA, CPSC, OSHA, and the Dept. of Agriculture) who must propose a course of action in response to the findings.

Should this bill become law, the following protocols would be created for the purpose of developing reliable and reproducible methods to identify chemicals that can disrupt the human endocrine system.

* address the full range of possible health outcomes (including reproductive, behavioral, intellectual, metabolic, and endocrine disorders);
* be sensitive enough to detect effects at exposure levels relevant to human exposure (and not rely on the assumption that a lower dose produces less effect);
* consider the effects of exposure to multiple chemicals

Please write your Senators and Congressman today and ask them to cosponsor this legislation.

Two new links to check out from Dr. Molly!

10 Tactics for Overcoming Sugar Addiction

AND

Arch Foundation

What is the ARCH Foundation?

The ARCH Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation established to assist low income patients who do not have insurance coverage for the Mirena® intrauterine contraceptive system.

For patients such as these who meet specific eligibility criteria, the ARCH Foundation may be able to provide Mirena free of charge.

Assistance is provided on a patient-specific basis according to predetermined eligibility criteria. Patients and providers must complete a one page application form prior to purchase to be considered for assistance. Retroactive assistance is not available.

Assistance may also be available for qualified patients who require removal of Mirena.

THE CONTEGRITY APPROACH:

GENERATING CERTAINTY IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD

For the last 18 years, Contegrity has offered pathways to individuals and companies for developing powerful ways of approaching life and work.

The Contegrity Approach integrates what is inspiring with what is practical. It is a way to approach life that has the circumstances of your life become the playing field for developing your power at a satisfying pace. It is an approach that calls on you to understand your unique fit with life and to live consistently with that fit. It is an approach that calls on you to discern what is fundamental and important and that empowers you to do so.

Consider these truths:

· Life has its ups and downs.

· What will happen next is uncertain.

· Much of what happens is out of your control.

· What others say and do affects you.

Regarding all of that, you have little or no say. But you can have a say about your approach to life; and you can approach life in a way that generates certainty, power, and freedom.

You are invited to attend a two day workshop to introduce you to the Contegrity Approach. During these two days, we will consider:

· An alternative to the prevailing culture that calls on us for more and more and more (money, energy, relations, etc.) but never calls on us to consider what is sufficient and sustainable.

· Getting free from the suppression of “shoulds” and comparisons with others

· Discerning what to take on next that is the right fit for you so that you can enjoy both power and peace in your life

Please join us for this powerful workshop. The tuition is $300 ($450 per couple), payable by cash, check, or most major credit cards. We will meet on Saturday and Sunday, October 2^nd and 3rd from 10 AM to 6 PM. The program will be easily accessible just east of Seattle, Washington off Interstate 90.

If you have any questions, or to register, please contact Jane-Ellen Seymour locally (North Bend, Washington) at (425) 888-3806 or 941-2499 or janeellens@comcast.net or us directly at info@contegrity.com or call our office at (972) 387-9090. We look forward to being with you in our upcoming workshops.

Memory Products On Sale

We have a lot of memory products on the sale shelf because I forgot to sell them. :) There are things for studying, alzeihmers, ADD, and just general short term memory improvement. You should notice a difference in one bottle and if you are already on Gingko there are great sale items. Molly

School is starting

Parents and students: the summer is coming to an end and school is beginning soon. It is best if you start getting better sleep schedules now, eating better, getting back on your routine supplements because you will be exposing yourself (parent and students) alike to new germs, different stressors, etc. At the onset of school I often encourage people to take whatever they do to boost their immune systsems whether that is extra vitamin C or vitamin A or thymactive (homeopathic echinacea/thymus for younger children) starting over the weekend. But the best offense is a good defense: Dr. Molly's 5 Point Health Plan. This is just a gentle reminder for all school age students and their families.

Yours in health,

Dr. Molly

Check out this new link from Dr. Molly Linton!

Study Links Chronic Fatigue Syndrome to a Class of Virus - NYTimes.com

Community Involvement

I was inspired recently to take more responsibility for our planet. It may be that I am a Naturopath born or Earth Day but I decided Emerald City Clinic will adopt a street and help our neighborhood. Well we got 85th Ave. So we will be have our first cleaning day on Friday, Sept 10th. We will begin at 2 pm and we welcome anyone to help us clean up our neighborhood and enjoy camaraderie and community service. We will be doing this four times a year. Hope you can join us. Thanks Molly Linton and the staff at Emerald City Clinic

Miles for Midwives!

In early October there will be a "Miles for Midwives" run in Seward Park. Please come, invite your family and friends, and help raise awareness of the midwifery practice! Visit http://milesformidwives.org/ for more information about the event! See you there!

Washington State Insurance Commisioners Office: A GREAT resource!

I wanted to share this link with you all on the coattails of my survey response. www.insurance.wa.gov. This website has amazing resources for any discrepancies that you may notice, complaints that you have, or if you just need help in working out a claim. Search through the site (it's actually pretty easy to navigate!), and read about what they have done to help people receive the money they are owed. They also have many different comparison charts of insurance companies-- one even compares the amount of complaints for each insurance company in the state!

Good luck investigating......

Amanda Z

Survey Response: Running on time and Insurance information

Dear Emerald City Clinic Clients,

Although we didn’t receive as many responses to the survey we emailed out with our newsletter as we hoped for, those we did receive were quite enlightening. Our main question, “If there was one thing you could change about Emerald City Clinic, what would it be?” definitely received the most interesting feedback. The two requested changes that beat out all others hands-down were:

1. The doctors need to run on time, as they are consistently running late to their appointments
And
2. We need to start taking insurance.

To address the #1 issue first: the doctor’s hear you! They are going to make every possible effort to run on time for you. However, they do wish you all to recognize that their number one responsibility is the person in their office or exam room. We pride ourselves on the individualized care we provide, and this care may take more time than was scheduled. When the doctors ask their final question near the end of their visit, “Is there anything else you would like to discuss today?” patients often bring up an entirely new concern whose treatment cannot be postponed. I’m sure that you can empathize as most of you have been that person for whom the doctor extended the visit. So please, be patient with us and allow ample time for your appointment and check out. Come with a written list of your concerns and tell these to your doctor at the start of your visit! We will do our best to be right with you, and when you are face to face with the doctor remember YOU are their number one priority!

To address #2, I’d like to quote an excerpt from one of our recent newsletter articles by Dr. Molly, “I have struggled both professionally and personally regarding medical insurance. It is a crisis in our country. As a Naturopathic Physician, I cannot do my medicine and make a livable wage if I am a “contracted provider.” As a health care consumer I cannot afford insurance premiums. My financial advisor, Mari Lee, made the comment causally in my office that hit the nail on the head for me, ‘Medical insurance is not insurance; it is financing our medical needs.’ It is a poor investment.”

Unfortunately, as Dr. Molly voices, we will be unable to comply with the request to contract with insurance providers. However, many of our patients have had great success with their reimbursement rates. Here’s a quick guide to being reimbursed that I know will make all the difference for you if you follow these simple steps:

1. Make sure you receive your superbill after each visit. Remind the doctor and remind the front desk. If it is unavailable at that moment, we will mail it to you.

2. While you are checking out, begin filling out your superbill! It only asks for your personal information and your insurance information that is found on your card, which you most likely have right there in your wallet. If you have it filled out before you leave—we will hand you an envelope to address, and we will put it in our mailbox for you! Done!

3. Understand your benefits. Emerald City Clinic doctors are all “out of network” providers. Each and every insurance company has an out of network plan. Most likely you will have additional deductible costs, and then the carrier will pay a percentage of the “allowable” visit fees. This percentage will go toward your deductible if you haven’t met it yet, or will be paid to you once your deductible has been covered.

4. Be sure to follow up. If you receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurance and you do not understand it, call me! (Amanda 206-781-2206) I am more than happy to walk through this with you, and will even call your insurance company for clarification if necessary.

You all are making an investment in your health by coming to Emerald City Clinic, and our doctors here invest their time and energy into you in return. Why not collect from the insurance company in payment of your efforts? We’re all here to help.

We hope that you continue to fill out surveys that we may send periodically, as they do provide us with invaluable feedback. Thank you much for your time.

Sincerely,
Amanda Zuluaga
Clinic Manager

If you know someone looking for a space:

We have 6 beautifully remodeled treatment rooms in our building that are available for lease to healthcare professionals. All utilities and janitorial service are included. Amenities include furnished waiting room, kitchen with washer-dryer, 2 bathrooms, and plenty of free street parking. Private reserved practitioner parking is available at the rear entrance of the building. The largest space is 232 sq ft and has a private bathroom. The other offices range in size from 72 sq ft. to 93 sq ft. Ideal for Acupuncture, Massage, Counseling, and Chiropractic practices. Current practitioners are a massage therapist and a counseling practice. Monthly rents range from $350 to $1200, and we offer one month free for each year of the lease. Contact Roberta at 206-781-2206 or at offmgr@emeraldcityclinic.com.

Remember to Check out our Calendar for Community Events!

Remember that we have a link at the bottom of this page to our new calendar! Listed on the calendar will be ECN events and closures in black writing, and community events we are promoting to our patients will be in blue writing. If there are any questions about the classes that are listed, please feel free to contact Amanda at 206-781-2206 or amanda@emeraldcityclinic.com.

Our current community listings are for "Yoga for the Curious but Reluctant," a class for those who'd love to try yoga but feel they are not up for the challenge for many reasons. This class takes place on August 29th. Find more details at http://www.twodogyoga.com/yoga/workshops.shtml. The other two are classes in herbology taught by Crystal Stelzer from Bastyr. She is hosting, "Simple Home Remedies: How to Make Your Own Herbal Medicine" from early September through October (you can sign up for one class or up to ten), as well as, "20 Herbs Everyone Should Know," held in September and October.

We'll keep you posted on other new happenings in our community!

Calendar: http://www.my.calendars.net/ecncalendar/d31/05/2010?authenticate=&display=M&style=B

Emerald City Team
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Pharmacy Sale at Emerald City Clinic!

Hello dear friends and family of ECN,
We are having a summer blow-out sale of many of our pharmacy items with the hope of decreasing our present inventory. We have numerous items marked down 50% including a multitude of probiotics, cancer care supplements, anti-inflammatories, libido boosts, immune support, protein powders, allergy remedies and many more. Feel free to come in and browse the products for yourself, your family and your friends. We look forward to seeing you!
The Emerald City Team
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From the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians...

Dear AANP Supporter:

The AANP series on naturopathic medicine, produced by the American Health Journal's Discoveries in Alternative Health for PBS, is currently being syndicated to network affiliates around the U.S. Your generous donations made the production of this show possible. Thank you. Please look for a showing in your area next week (see below) and please look for further syndication notices from us.

As you may know, the series forms the base from which we continue our PR and media efforts. Consumer awareness is on the rise - over the past year visits to the AANP website have increased by 211% and www.naturopathic.org is now ranked in the top 95,000 U.S. websites. Media inquiries are also on the rise. Within one year, we expect to have placed NDs on over 100 network affiliate stations to talk about naturopathic medicine. It's all because of you. Thank you!

American Health Journal

7-20-10

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Update on Autism and Vitamin D from the Vitamin D Council April Newsletter

April 2, 2010

This is a periodic newsletter from the Vitamin D Council, a non-profit trying to end the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. If you are not subscribed, you can do so on the Vitamin D Council’s website: www.vitamindcouncil.org.

"Swedish Researchers on the Right Trail"

I continue to get encouraging emails – like the one at the end of this newsletter – from parents of autistic children. At the same time, some researchers in the USA continue to deride my theory while scientists in Sweden are starting to piece it together. Three Swedish papers were published this month that support the vitamin D theory of autism.

In the first paper, Dr. Mats Humble and his colleagues – at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm – measured vitamin D levels on 117 adult psychiatric outpatients. They found that the 10 adult patients with autism had the lowest 25(OH)D levels of any of the other groups, including the patients with schizophrenia and depression, an average of about 12 ng/ml, a level known to cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Even more interesting, they reported that some of the patients with depression and schizophrenia seemed to improve when treated with an average of about 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. They did not say if they treated any of the vitamin D deficient autism patients.(Humble MB et al. Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) among psychiatric out-patients in Sweden: Relations with season, age, ethnic origin and psychiatric diagnosis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2010 Mar 7. [Epub ahead of print)

"Mothers of autistic children have very low 25(OH)D levels"

The second paper, by Dr. Elisbeth Fernell and colleagues – from various institutions in Sweden – measured vitamin D levels in mothers about six years after they had given birth to a child now diagnosed with autism. The Somali mothers had very low vitamin D levels, less than 10 ng/ml. The trend was in the direction of lower vitamin D levels for Somali mothers with autistic children, compared to Somali mothers without an autistic child. (Fernell E et al. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in mothers of Swedish and of Somali origin who have children with and without autism. Acta Paediatr. 2010 Mar 5. [Epub ahead of print])

"Another scientist endorses the vitamin D theory of autism."

The third paper, an invited editorial in Acta Paediatrica by Dr. Darryl Eyles – of the University of Queensland – was more interesting, at least to me, as he issued an outright endorsement of my autism theory, not that it is proven, but that it is parsimonious, a word and concept I love. Darryl is a prolific researcher and was involved in many of the rat studies that showed gestational vitamin D deficiency damages the brains of the infant rat pups. It was the work of Dr. Eyles, together with that of Dr. John McGrath, which helped me formulate my vitamin D theory of autism. I wrote about their research in 2005, before I realized that the human brain damage I wrote about was manifesitng itself as the autism epidemic. Shortly after I wrote the newsletter below, I saw an autistic child at a shopping mall and started my research into autism and vitamin D. (Cannell JJ. The Tuskegee Experiment. Vitamin D Newsletter 7/17/05)

Anyway, this month Dr. Eyles said, “Low maternal vitamin D remains a highly parsimonious explanation for certain prominent features of autism,” explaining how well their animal data fits with human data on autism. Perfect parsimony is when one theory explains all the known facts, and if there is one major autism fact the vitamin D theory of autism cannot explain, I have yet to locate it. (Eyles DW. Vitamin D and Autism, Does skin colour modify risk? Acta Paediatr. 2010 Mar 8. [Epub ahead of print])

"Pregnant women need 5,000 IU/day"

Dr. Eyles discussed the crucial importance of all pregnant women having adequate amounts of vitamin D and said he was eagerly awaiting the results of the clinical trial Bruce Hollis and Carol Wagner of the Medical University of South Carolina have conducted. They have given 4,000 IU/day to pregnant women, comparing that to 400 IU/day (the amount in prenatal vitamins) and to 2,000 IU/day. However, several months ago in Brugge, Belgium, Dr. Hollis recently presented some of the data from his clinical trial, reporting that 4,000 IU/day in pregnancy is not only safe, but significantly reduces complications of pregnancy more than 2,000 IU/day does and a lot more than 400 IU/day does. All pregnant women should be on at least 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day and take neither cod liver oil nor any retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate (vitamin A).

Dr. Linton suggests this link:

http://www.cancerdecisions.com/content/view/414/2/lang,english

"Lead in Your Home," contributed by Evelyn Jarosz, ECN patient

If you are a client of Dr. Molly Linton’s and you are being treated with or considering heavy metals chelation therapy, you may be interested in potential heavy metal sources, current renovation laws, and what you can do to protect yourself, family, tenants, and pets from heavy metal exposure.

In 2008 a painting company failed to practice lead safe protocol on my home and it cost me a second mortgage in remediation costs, repairs, and attorney fees. There is a new law in enforcement to protect home owners from unscrupulous contractors, but if you are unaware of the law, or what safe practices are, you could be exposed to lead and other contaminants.

Most of us have heard that houses before 1978 are possible sources of lead. What you may not be aware of is just how likely your house is to have lead in the paint. According to the EPA’s Report On The National Survey Of Lead-Based Paint In Housing, “an estimated 64 million,” “or 83 percent of all privately occupied housing units in the United States built before 1980 have lead-based paint on some surface in or around the building.”

Renovation in a home built before 1978 can disturb this contaminated paint and expose anyone working or living in the house to lead and other contaminants. The EPA’s Report Lead Exposure Associated with Renovation and Remodeling Activities gives information that, in summary, states that construction creates contamination, and that the level of contamination varies depending on what is disturbed during construction. Many of us renovate over a period of time. As a homeowner you may replace a door one year, a few windows the next, update a bathroom or kitchen, remodel a basement or attic, and paint the exterior every 7 to 10 years. Unless what is replaced, repaired, removed, or painted, was installed or built after 1978 it is very likely that lead is being released.