SEASONAL HEALTHY EATING RECIPE
BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE HARVEST SOUP
4 - 6 servings (about 6-1/2 cups)
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
 1 tablespoon olive oil
 1/2 cup chopped carrot
 1/2 cup chopped celery
 1/3 cup chopped onion
 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
 2 medium Golden Delicious apples, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
 ground pepper to taste
 whole grain croutons to garnish
`
Preparation
1.
2.
In a large pot heat oil over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8
to 10 minutes or until tender and starting to brown. Add the squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boiling.
Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Cool slightly.
Puree the soup, in batches if necessary, in a blender or food processor, or with an immersion blender.
Season to taste with pepper and serve topped with whole grain croutons. Makes 4 to 6 servings (about
6-1/2 cups).
WINTER/SPRING 2012 NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the winter/spring newsletter!
Does it seem that at this time of year everyone around you is
sick? If you are like most people you are worried that you will
catch something from that coughing coworker next to you or
that your child will come home from school with the latest bug.
This issue is all about one of the most common problems I see
in the office every winter for adults and children alike…Ear
infections! Read on for tips on holistic treatment, prevention
and supplements to take not only to prevent but to help treat
middle ear problems that seem to be so prevalent this time of
year.
Be Well! Dr. Kristen Latona-Brzezinski
Nutrition Facts Per Serving Calories 185, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 2 g, Sodium
531 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Total Sugar 14 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 6 g, Vitamin C (DV%) 61, Calcium (DV%) 9, Iron
(DV%)
7
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
FEATURED IN THIS NEWSLETTER::
OFFICE HOURS AND INFO::
PATIENT TESTIMONIAL::
I have been a patient of Dr. Latona's for the past six months and am very lucky to have found her! The care Dr. Latona provides is
unlike any other Chiropractor. She genuinely cares about her patients, is personable and incredibly knowledgeable. Dr. Latona
goes above and beyond for her patients. She treats her patients holistically, looking at the patient as a whole and not just at the
site that causes pain. Dr. Latona has helped me manage my pain and I am so grateful! I have seen other chiropractors in the past
and would highly recommend Dr. Latona to anyone searching for a chiropractor. She has been a wonderful addition to the
medical community and we are lucky to have her!
~Amanda W. RN, NP
M 8:00am – 8:00pm
W 8:00am – 8:00pm
F 8:00am – 8:00pm
Call 716-505-1500 to schedule
your appointment!
6245 Sheridan Dr. Suite 116
Williamsville, NY 14221
(Located in the Sheridan Meadows
Office Park near Transit)
BE WELL : LIVE WELL::
 B COMPLEX AND OMEGA 3’S FOR EAR AND HEART HEALTH
 HOLISTIC CARE FOR EAR INFECTIONS
SEASONAL HEALTHY EATING RECIPE::
 BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE HARVEST SOUP
``
BE WELL : LIVE WELL
HOLISTIC CARE OF MIDDLE EAR PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN
Chinese Herbs
B-COMPLEX & FISH OILS…EAR FOOD!
Fish may be a brain food but it is also an ear
food says recent research. Researchers at the
University of Sydney evaluated data from the
Blue Mountain Hearing Study of 2956 adults
over 50. They found that people with
increased levels of omega-3’s reported 42%
reduced risk of hearing loss.
In a separate study, this team also analyzed
blood levels of the B vitamin, folate. Those
with low folate levels had a 37% increase in
hearing loss. Also tested was homocysteine, a
know risk factor for heart disease. People
with elevated homocysteine levels had a 64%
greater risk of hearing loss. Folate has been
clinically proven to lower homocysteine
levels.
Holistic care provides comprehensive treatment for the recurrent
or persistent ear problems that are so common in young children.
The symptoms of ear infections and fluid collection in the middle
ear often begin in a baby’s first year, and they can persist into the
toddler and preschool ages. Once children reach ages 5 or 6, and
their eustachian tubes are more developed, some tend to grow out
of these problems. The problems associated with fluid in the ears,
including hearing loss, chronic swelling of mucous membranes,
lowered resistance to infection and impaired eustachian tube
function, can all be addressed using a combined approach of
holistic methods.
Don’t expect fluid in the middle ear to resolve quickly, however. It
takes at least two to three months to resolve the issues that
contribute to the fluid buildup and facilitate drainage of the middle
ear. The following treatments, when used in combination, should
address the problems.
Lifestyle Changes
SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR THE INGREDIENTS
IN B-COMPLEX®
There are eight essential B vitamins, and they
work best when they work together.
Unfortunately, the typical Western diet doesn’t
provide enough whole grains, leafy green
vegetables, and fish needed to provide 100% of
the Daily Value. Shaklee B-Complex provides all
the B vitamins you may not be getting in your diet.
The eight B vitamins work to:
• Promote healthy cardiovascular systems by
helping to lower homocysteine levels in the blood.
• Help metabolize energy from carbohydrates, fat,
and protein
• Aid in the synthesis of DNA and new cell
Eliminate dairy products from your child’s diet. Milk products are
the most common reason for production and stagnation of phlegm
in children, and some children are allergic to dairy products. This
includes cheese, yogurt and butter.
Allergies, of course, can contribute to ear problems and chronic
congestion. In older children environmental allergens may play a
part, and at any age food sensitivities may be a subtle contributor
to these problems. IgG allergy testing can be helpful to assess
these sensitivities in children over 18 months.
Nutritional Supplements
Mucus collection in the ears or sinuses signifies an inflammatory
process; omega-3 supplements, in the form of fish oil, help to
relieve this state. Since infection is commonly a component of the
middle ear problem, a probiotic formula supplement can normalize
the flora and prevent infections. Other immune system activators
will also help prevent these infections. These include colostrum,
whey protein (in the absence of dairy allergy) and mushroom
formulas (reishi, shitaki, cordyceps). Chinese Medicine Works’
Resilience, a liquid extract of mushrooms, can be used for older
babies.
Additionally, vitamin D is essential for adequate immune system
function. During the winter months when there is minimal sunlight,
all babies should be given a 1,000 IU vitamin D supplement. Older
children should receive 2,000 IU.
Fluid collection in the ears represents just one aspect of the
phlegm dampness syndrome that plagues so many children. To
address the important issue of mucus production, they often need
Chinese herbal formulas as a part of their treatment program. Your
herbalist will be able to design a specific individualized program of
herbs to help your baby. These may include herbs to bolster
immune function, herbs to combat the heat and pathogenic factors
that contribute to recurrent or chronic ear infections and herbs to
relieve phlegm.
One very important formula for this purpose is minor bupleurum
(xiao chai hu tang). Blue Poppy Pediatric Formulas makes a
modified version of this formula (Bupleurum & Angelica) to
specifically target ear problems. The treatment addresses the
digestive dysfunction that leads to dampness and phlegm
production. According to Blue Poppy, the formula is intended “for
the treatment of pediatric food stagnation transforming into heat
and ascending through internal branches of the large intestine
channel to steam and fume in the region of the ear. This pattern is
commonly seen in pediatric otitis media characterized by pain,
fever, restlessness, ear tugging, but no purulent discharge.”
Other formulas, such as Grow & Thrive by Chinese Medicine
Works, promote healthy digestive function and a strong immune
system. Specific formulas may be needed to address mucus
production if it is a prominent factor in the child’s condition. There
are many such formulas for your herbalist to prescribe. Other
symptoms, such as coughing or accompanying allergies, may
indicate the need for a staged program of herbal treatments that
heal the various layers of a problem.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy provides a powerful tool for improving the
constitutional health of babies with ear problems. It also has
specific remedies for improving the function of the eustachian
tube. The most commonly indicated homeopathic remedies for
middle ear effusion, according to nineteenth century homeopathic
ear specialists (and confirmed by clinical experience since then),
are Kali muriaticum and Mercurius dulcis.
Kali muriaticum (potassium chloride) is more often called for when
children have a white or greenish yellow nasal discharge, enlarged
tonsils and a stuffy sensation in the ear with hearing loss.
Mercurius dulcis (mercury chloride), by contrast, should be used
when the child has thickened, retracted eardrums with more
scarring and a granular appearance to the tonsils. Merc-dulc shares
similar symptomatology with other forms of homeopathic
mercury, including diarrhea with greenish stools. A differentiating
point in older children is that cold drinks ameliorate the conditions
of Merc-dulc, but cold air and cold drinks aggravate the conditions
of Kali-mur.
Kali-sulphuricum is another important remedy for
consideration in middle ear effusion. Kali-sulph discharges
tend to be thin, yellow and sticky, accompanied by hearing
loss from the effusion. Noises in the ears are common in
older children, with itching of the ears and evening pain.
It is often important to treat the underlying constitutional
picture with a deep-acting homeopathic medicine that
addresses the entire symptom complex of the child. This
stimulates an adequate healing process and facilitates the
cure of the underlying immune dysregulation that
accompanies these symptoms.
Chiropractic Adjustment
Classical chiropractic theory recognizes that misalignment
of the spine in babies can pull on the muscles of the neck,
causing tension and dysfunction. Proper function of the
eustachian tube depends upon balanced head and neck
musculature. Correcting an imbalance in these structures
allows for healthy function of the eustachian tube,
draining fluid from the middle ear and distributing air to
the middle ear cavity. Correcting any misalignment of the
spine in the neck also improves immune system function,
since the first and second spinal nerves have a direct effect
on immune system responses.
The eustachian tube resides in a bony canal of the skull
and passes through the temporal and sphenoid bones. A
misalignment of these bones in babies can put pressure on
the eustachian tube. Cranial adjustment and restoration of
proper alignment of these bones and the cartilage of the
eustachian tube will take pressure off the tube and help
restore normal function.
These spinal misalignments also impair normal nerve and
immune system function, hampering a child’s innate
capacity for health. As part of a complete holistic program,
chiropractic care will work to normalize function of the
structures in the ear and bolster the health of the child’s
immune system.