Dr. Tracy's Blog

This soup is perfect for this time of year! Immune boosting garlic, onions and beta -carotene from pumpkin plus anti-inflammatory coconut oil, ginger and curry spices. Vegan Thai Pumpkin Soup Ingredients: 2 Tbsp coconut oil 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp vegan Thai red or yellow curry paste 1 Tbsp peeled minced fresh ginger 1 (3-inch) stalk lemongrass, bruised 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more to thin as needed 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin puree or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree 2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk, 1 Tbsp reserved for garnish 2 Tbsp lime juice, plus more for serving 1/3 cup shredded Thai basil or fresh cilantro 3 red Thai chilis, sliced or minced Directions 1. In a large pot, heat coconut oil and sesame oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, curry paste, ginger and lemongrass, reduce heat to ...

My Natural Approach To PCOS Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can impact many aspects of a woman’s health, from her moods, her weight, to her chances of conception. This surprisingly common condition can be difficult to diagnose and treat. That’s partly because conventional medicine practices are often geared towards tackling the symptoms without truly getting to the underlying reasons. Natural treatments for PCOS address this frustrating condition from all angles, addressing the whole system with a special focus on the root cause. What Is PCOS? Simply put, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal problem that can affect women during their reproductive years. It’s marked by irregular ovulation and higher than normal levels of the “male” hormones or androgens such as testosterone. The name refers to changes to the ovaries, which become filled with small cysts that lead to hormone imbalances. Because PCOS can be difficult to diagnose it’s a bit uncertain how commo...

  Surviving Burnout: How to Restore Balance in Your Life Are you feeling burnt out and overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Let’s face it: We’re all busy, dealing with endless to-do lists and struggling to balance it all. The result is often a day-to-day life that feels too hectic. We feel pulled away from the things that matter - and we may have even forgotten what those things are. Many people find their way to Advanced Health & Wellness at a time in their lives where they feel compelled to take charge of their wellbeing before it gets out of control. Perhaps they’re experiencing health problems that they just can’t shake, or they are ready to take their health to the next level because they know their health is their best asset. By seeking the kind of help a Naturopathic Doctor can provide, they’re claiming ownership of their current and future health. A Fork In The Road The inescapable truth is that good health is vital to living a rich and meaningful life....

Eat less, exercise more. You’ve probably heard that’s the secret to weight loss. So, it makes sense that if you want to lose weight quickly, or if you’ve hit a weight-loss plateau, you need to really ramp up the exercise, right? Unfortunately, many people experience frustration with this approach. Why aren’t they successful?   Research suggests that weight loss can be more complex than a simple “calories in/calories out” formula. In fact, our hormones play a larger role in regulating our metabolism than many people realize. As a result, maintaining a diet that encourages hormonal balance is often more effective than hours of exercise. Why Exercise Can’t Make Up for a Bad Diet Consider a woman training for a 5-K, like the Feaster Five . She runs from half an hour to an hour every day. With all of that exercise, she figures she should be losing weight and should be able to treat herself every so often.   However, she’s plagued by some remaining pounds that she ju...

Are you excited for fall? What’s not to love about the vibrant colors of New England in the fall? It’s a time to get out our cozy sweaters, enjoy the crisp fall air, cheer on the Patriots and Red Sox (if they get the AL Wildcard spot…) and for some people, sneeze a lot. Yes, unfortunately, many people experience watery eyes, sinus pain and other allergy symptoms when fall arrives. This annoying phenomenon can occur even if you made it through spring without sneezing. That’s because even though the symptoms of fall and spring allergies are the same, the triggers are different. So it’s definitely possible to enjoy one season allergy-free but suffer through another. And because there are more culprits to blame for fall allergies, many people experience the adverse effects. THE SYMPTOMS OF FALL ALLERGIES We tend to hear more about spring allergies, but fall allergies can be just as unpleasant. Symptoms often include: ●      Sneezing ●  ...

Spring Veggie Whole Grain Salad   Salad: 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 4 cups baby arugula 1 jar or can of artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 cup cooked whole grain: kamut is pictured in this photo, other options are farro, short grain brown rice, quinoa, amaranth or bulgur wheat Dressing: 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, basil) 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard zest of one lemon (I always use organic lemons when using the zest in a recipe) Juice of one lemon 1/4 tsp each sea salt and pepper or to taste Blanch asparagus in hot water for 2-3 minutes, add peas to hot water for 2 minutes if you are using frozen peas. After heating,place asparagus and peas in a bowl of ice water while you assemble the salad. Place the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drain asparagus and peas and add to salad. Mak...

~ POWER BOWL RECIPES ~ Plant Based Power Bowls are a great way to use up leftovers or make a full week's meals by preparing the ingredients separately then mixing and matching them throughout the week. I recommend making 2 grains, 2 sauces, having lots of chopped raw veggies and spinach/kale/cabbage as well having 2 proteins (beans, tofu, hummus) on hand to get a week's worth of meals. To make a balanced plant-based power bowl, mix items from each column and top with sauce. ½ cup 1 cup 1 cup ¼ - ½ cup Toppings Cooked Brown Rice Shredded carrots Roasted broccoli or cauliflower Edamame beans 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds Cooked Quinoa Shredded cabbage Roasted Brussels sprouts Black beans 2 tablespoons chia seeds Cooked Farro “Riced” Cauliflower Steamed broccoli Chickpeas 1 tablespoon toas...