Catherine Stack, ND, CNM

FULL CIRCLE (an excerpt from “ PUSH Labor & Delivery from the Inside Out ”, by Catherine Stack ND, CNM ) Keri is a 40 year old Hospice nurse.  She worked hard for this pregnancy as she thought she was finished reproducing nineteen years ago.  Who could ask for more, a girl and a boy, a two years apart and life was good. That is, until last year when their 20 year old daughter was taken from them in a tragic car accident. I write this piece, in a most difficult chapter, almost in the moment.  This is one of those deliveries you feel that it was a gift to be at. I want to send the family a thank you note for allowing me the opportunity to be present at this birth. Beautiful is an understatement when describing this birth.  It was raw and powerful. It was miraculous and it was healing. It was absolutely one of the most touching births I have been privileged to hold to memory. A piece of Heaven was surely in the room.  Keri’s 19 year old son, su...

  I don’t often get the common cold and I have not ever gotten the flu (or flu shot).  Prevention  and early treatment are essential to get through the “sick” season relatively unscathed and I’m going to share my best tips and supplement protocols with you.  Prevention is always best, but having a plan for when illness creeps in will have you feeling better in no time. Keeping items in stock will help you turn things around rapidly.  You can’t afford to wait a few days for a delivery when you are ill and I’m sure you won’t be up to shopping. Prevention is Key Now I am not the girl who sanitizes everything as there is something to be said about building up the immune system, but hand washing is extremely important when it comes to spreading germs.  I know some people complain that their hands become dry and chapped (you might need more healthy fats in your diet), but this is not a valid excuse not to wash your hands frequently throughout the day...

There is so much confusion about hormones and their uncomfortable symptoms when imbalances occur.  What makes things even more confusing as the cause of the uncomfortable symptoms such as hot flashes is different depending on where you are in the complex menopausal timeline.  Menopause is official when there has been no period for one calendar year. For those who have had ablations, have IUDs or maybe had a hysterectomy with ovaries remaining, blood work would help to diagnose menopause as these women are no longer menstruating but not necessarily menopausal. The five to ten years before menopause can go well or can be an uncomfortable ride that makes you dread what comes next.  The most common symptoms of the peri-menopausal woman is anxiety, sleep disruption (specifically waking up between 1-3am) and hot flashes or night sweats.   The anxiety and sleep issues lead many to ask their providers for help only to land themselves on an...