Happy World Breastfeeding Week

Head over to Instagram to see my latest video about all things breastfeeding @drjesskeating or check it out on Facebook here.

Quick tips:

1. Keep taking your prenatal vitamin after you give birth.

2. Stay hydrated. Drink 50% more water than before you gave birth. (60 oz = 90 oz. 100 oz = 150 oz, etc).

3. Get support. Lean on friends, family and professional help from Lactation Consultants.

4. Try out a breast pump. Having someone else feed baby is good for you and baby.

5. Eat enough healthy foods. Increased caloric intake is important. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, protein and healthy fats.

Breastfeeding can be very hard. It can take time for you and your baby to really figure it out. Having lots of support is essential. Support can come from your workplace, Lactation Consultants, friends, family and your moon network. It is an amazing journey and it is so worth it but it is important to know that it can be very challenging.

Do not hesitate to reach out to friends, family or professionals for help so that your breastfeeding journey can succeed!

Research shows that the majority of new moms want to breastfeed but most of them stop earlier than they intended to due to a variety of challenges. Things that can hinder your breastfeeding journey include going back to work (time away from baby and lack of adequate time or pumping areas), supply issues (over or under), poor latch, exhaustion/sleep deprivation, sore nipples and balancing breastfeeding with caring for older children.

Get all the right gear. It can help to have a good breast pump so that your baby can take a bottle from someone else and you can get a break. There are electric pumps, manual pumps and basic suction pumps or shells. Get a good nipple cream to take care of your nipples (I’m a big fan of Motherlove.) Breast pads to keep your bra and shirt dry. Healthy snacks and hydration are also essential.

I am here to help! I am a naturopathic doctor and a chiropractor. I work with patients to optimize their health. Feel free to reach out with any questions. I offer free 15 minute consultation calls.

Share your breastfeeding stories, questions or favorite breastfeeding supplies below!

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #pregnancy #babybump #momjourney #babytime #parenthood #chicagoland #momlife #sheisyoumag #glenellyn #motherhoodishard #glenellynmomsvillage #breastfeeding #thistooshallpass #momstrength #worldbreastfeedingweek2022 #HappyBreastfeedingWeek #SpectraBreastPump #breastpump #medela #haakaabreastpump

Why choose telehealth?

Put simply, telehealth is here to stay. What explains its sudden popularity and seeming staying power?

Most important is convenience. It benefits both the patient and the doctor to schedule appointments around your own schedule. This system actually works well for both parties! Schedule at home, at work, on a lunch break, wherever, whenever.

Efficiency. Utilizing telehealth helps save time! You can do a visit from the comfort of your own home and save time lost traveling to an office. What a great concept! Plus, you can rest assured that you are not losing quality in these visits. For a majority of cases, the details you provide and the facts of your case are sufficient to reach an accurate diagnosis. Plus if lab work is needed, then all the preliminary information is gathered and labs can be ordered.

Safety. During COVID-19, safety was a paramount concern. Now even though the pandemic has largely begun to wane, we all still value safety. Perhaps you have a sick kid and would rather not bring those germs into the doctor’s office. Perhaps the doctor doesn’t feel 100% and is working from home. All of these factors combine to ensure that telehealth will stay around for the foreseeable future.

If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my website or bio to get in touch. I offer 15-minute complimentary consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #chicagoland

World Health Day

April 7th is World Health Day. This year’s theme focuses on building a fairer and healthier world.

As some of you know, beyond running Willow Clinic of Natural Medicine, I am also a clinical supervisor with NUHS (National University of Health Sciences) in the naturopathic clinic.

NUHS featured the Salvation Army clinic for a piece about World Health Day. Check it out here!

She is you Articles

I have two more articles up at She is You! Check it out here.

Topic is: HOLIDAY FAVORITES REMIX: SIMPLE SWAPS FOR HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPES

And HERE. Topic: KEEPING SYSTEMATIC INFLAMMATION AT BAY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

In January, the She is You community is doing a group program called “Better Year, Best You!” We will have guidance on revitalizing your career path, relationships, mental well-being and health journey! Joining with a group of motivated women to make positive change is a perfect way to kick off 2021! Check out the website in the coming weeks for further details.

Determinants of Health #13 Inborn factors

We have come to the end of our series investigating the naturopathic determinants of health. Ironically, this brings us all the way to the beginning of life. Each of us is born into a unique environment with an individual genetic code, which is modified by epigenetic factors. If that sounds like gibberish, let me clarify. We inherit genes from our parents but just because you have a particular gene does not mean it is “activated.” There are ways to turn on and off genes to determine which of them are expressed. This is the new field of epigenetics.

Beyond the genes, or hardware, there are many factors that we consider “inborn.” Birth order is one of them (first, last, in the middle), maternal health plays a role in baby health, genetic factors and the circumstances during your birth. Was it an uncomplicated birth, vaginal or C-section, simple or traumatic? How old was your mother when you were born? How many siblings do you have? All of these factors can impact your health.

For a deeper level of this concept, consider this: You as an egg existed in your mother when she was a baby in her mother’s womb! All of a woman’s eggs develop during gestation, which means the egg that would become you was also influenced by the health of your maternal grandmother during her pregnancy with your mother. This always blows my mind as it demonstrates an inter-generational model of health.

None of this is meant to be fatalistic – suggesting that you are doomed by your genetics. Rather these are just several more factors that play a role in determining the big picture that is you. Knowledge is power and the more we know, the better we can provide you a path toward excellent health.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #genetics #epigenetics #genes #birthstory

Determinants of Health #11 Past medical history

This topic is pretty straightforward. What happens to us, in part, determines our current health status. This is why doctors inquire as to past surgery, hospitalization, major trauma, etc.

Have you experienced past illnesses, toxic exposures, major surgery? All of these things will play a role in your current health. This is not to say that these factors will determine your health but rather to say that they matter. One reason why naturopathic doctors typically conduct a longer intake visit is so that we can investigate and address all the factors that impact your health.

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating  #willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #pastmedicalhistory

Determinants of Health #10 Social factors

This is a very large topic and I will briefly touch on its various parts.

Social determinants include large elements like what type of government rules the land, the economic system and access to education and healthcare. It also includes your family structure, connections with the community around you, supportive relationships and the physical environment where you live.

Social determinants can be visualized as the connections you have with your local and larger communities – these can be cultural, family, religious, etc. Do you have parks in your neighborhood, is it safe or high-crime, do you have access to free and fair elections or are you denied political representation?

Social determinants are often much larger than one person can change – such as the structure of the government or healthcare system. However, there are many ways to impact these determinants – civic activism, exercising your rights, reaching out to strengthen community relationships, finding new cultural or religious communities to participate in, voting and petitioning are all ways to engage with the social determinants.

How do you connect with your immediate and larger community (town, state, country?) Are there creative ways you can make changes to optimize your social determinants?

Naturopathic doctors take a comprehensive look at your health. We ask about the many factors that influence health, which we term “The determinants of health.” Taking a patient-centered approach lets us build a comprehensive plan to help patients achieve their health goals.

Are you looking for a new kind of partnership with your primary care provider? If you are ready to start or revitalize your health journey, you are in the right spot! Check out my bio to get in touch. I offer free 15-minute consultation calls to answer your initial questions. Convenient telehealth appointments are available from the comfort of your own home.

#naturalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #healing #drjesskeating#willowclinic #telehealth #holisticmedicine #healthjourney #foodismedicine #healthylife #health #socialdeterminants #civicengagement #healthcare #community