Blog

Explore health topics, clinic updates, and practical tips for everyday wellness.

What is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP)?

Centering care around sexual and reproductive health allows WHNPs to go deeper into subjects we don't always talk enough about.

May 29, 2025

Are Ultra Processed Foods Addictive?

Over half the calories that the average American eats now come from ultra-processed foods.

April 23, 2024

telehealth-virtual-care

Telehealth — or telemedicine — is a healthcare solution that allows you to meet with your doctor virtually instead of going to the office. Our 100% HIPAA-compliant system uses a two-way, high definition video, so we can talk face-to-face as if we’re in the same room together.

February 20, 2024

early-winter-wellness-newsletter

Examine the impact of nutrition on chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, offering dietary recommendations and tips for patients to better manage their health.

November 30, 2023

New Mammogram Advice

Examine the impact of nutrition on chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, offering dietary recommendations and tips for patients to better manage their health.

July 13, 2023

Should You Get Another Covid Booster?

For most Americans, the threat of coronavirus has declined dramatically.

June 20, 2023

Why Gut Microbiome Health is Important

For most Americans, the threat of coronavirus has declined dramatically.

June 7, 2023

How a New Birth Control Pill Could Help You

The Food and Drug Administration’s advisers recently concluded that a birth control pill should be made available without a prescription.

May 25, 2023

Are you a Procrastinator? Part 2

When you are having trouble getting The Thing done, use this to see why you’re having trouble and what to do next.

April 17, 2023

Are you a Procrastinator? Part 1

Folks with executive function difficulties often worry about whether they are procrastinating a task out of laziness, mental health struggles, or if they are simply being a jerk.

March 21, 2023

Is Ozempic right for you?

Ozempic is one of a newer class of medications that is designed to help combat diabetes and weight loss.

March 19, 2023

Can Resistance Training Lead to Weight Loss?

There are many factors that contribute to weight loss and weight gain. Living with an unhealthy weight isn’t just a matter of an energy imbalance

February 15, 2023

Reducing TOTAL Calories May Be More Important For Weight Loss Than Intermittent Fasting

Reducing TOTAL Calories May Be More Important For Weight Loss Than Intermittent Fasting

February 7, 2023

How Does Stress Negatively Affect Patients with Obesity?

Stress is another obstacle in the journey of patients with obesity.

January 12, 2023

Can Changing my Diet Help Alleviate PCOS?

PCOS is a hormonal metabolic condition that affects between 5% to 10% of childbearing women in the U.S. Experts don’t know exactly what causes PCOS, but it’s believed that a combination of genetics and environmental, hormonal, and metabolic factors may apply.

November 28, 2022

Are You at Risk for Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common form of diabetes and in simple terms, means your body is not using insulin properly.

November 21, 2022

Benefits of Olive Oil in your Diet

A 2020 study found, consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day lowers the risk of heart disease.

November 14, 2022

Using a Keto Approach to Lose Belly Fat

Keto persuaded the world for two main reasons. First- It works.

November 7, 2022

Insulin Resistance Comes Before Prediabetes – Causes Problems for Weight Loss

Affecting over 40% of the United States population, obesity is a severe and widespread health condition.

October 31, 2022

What Does My Hemoglobin A1C Mean, and How Can I Lower It?

Your Hemoglobin A1C level shows the average of your blood sugar over the past 3 months. Hemoglobin is a protein found in your red blood cells which carries oxygen throughout our body. Sugar gets stuck and crystallizes on the red blood cell, which then becomes known as 'glycosylated hemoglobin', HbA1C, or A1C.

October 24, 2022

Back Pain and its Link to Obesity and Physical Activity

Most Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives, especially people who are obese and rarely physically active. This combination can exacerbate the strain that causes and leads to muscle spasms, and bulging or ruptured discs. Back pain is a common and costly condition that nearly 80 percent of adults can experience with around 8 percent living with chronic back pain.

October 24, 2022

How to Deal with Being Too Hard on Yourself

We all aspire to be flawless, or at least the best version of ourselves. But what happens when we make a minor or large mistake? We become extremely disappointed and can't stop thinking about it and blaming ourselves, believing that we should have done this or that.

October 22, 2022

What is Insulin Resistance, and How is it Related to Diabetes and Weight Gain?

Insulin is an important hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans which helps to transport and regulate the amount of glucose and amino acids in our blood to our cells. We need sugar as it is the basic unit of energy and plays an essential role in fueling our body. Just like a car needs gasoline to provide power to keep moving, our cells need sugar to provide us with energy.

October 3, 2022

Low Carb Asian Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Vegetables

Low Carb Asian Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Vegetables

September 26, 2022

Unlocking the Joy of Anticipation

Numerous studies show that having something to anticipate improves your mood and reduces stress. It can boost motivation, optimism, and patience while also lowering irritation. Many small things can make you happy. Anticipating a sprinkling of tiny, good experiences can be just as pleasurable as anticipating a single large one.

September 20, 2022

Does Metformin Help Weight Loss?

There is a suggestion that metformin, which is the main prescription for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, may lead to modest weight loss.

September 6, 2022

How to Increase Sleeping Habit

Although alcohol helps you fall asleep easily, it will disrupt your sleep, cause night sweats and nightmares, and leave you feeling much less restful.

August 23, 2022

Seven Ways To Beat/Prevent Cancer

In the United States, cigarette smoking is responsible for around 80% to 90% of lung cancer deaths. Smokers die on average 10 years earlier than non-smokers. Secondhand smoking might potentially increase your risk of cancer. This is cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoke from other individuals. The most important thing you can do to avoid lung cancer is to avoid starting to smoke or to stop smoking if you already do.

August 12, 2022

Recipe: Zuc Taco Boats

Recipe: Zuc Taco Boats

July 18, 2022

You Can Be Active Even While Watching TV!

Getting in exercise and staying active can often times feel tedious and is easily left on the back burner. It can be especially difficult if you are unsteady on your feet and struggle with balance. However, having balance difficulty does not need to be a barrier between you and your fitness goals! Through working to stay active and improve your fitness, it will even help improve your balance and stability, creating a positive feedback loop. In addition to this, studies have found that remaining active not only greatly helps reduce your mortality risk but also suggests it has an associated increase in your life expectancy by 0.4-6.9 years.

July 5, 2022

Can Topiramate Help Me Lose Weight?

Getting in exercise and staying active can often times feel tedious and is easily left on the back burner. It can be especially difficult if you are unsteady on your feet and struggle with balance. However, having balance difficulty does not need to be a barrier between you and your fitness goals! Through working to stay active and improve your fitness, it will even help improve your balance and stability, creating a positive feedback loop. In addition to this, studies have found that remaining active not only greatly helps reduce your mortality risk but also suggests it has an associated increase in your life expectancy by 0.4-6.9 years.

June 15, 2022

Gender & Obesity Effects on Bone Mineral Density

Men with obesity can experience a negative association with a bone mineral density even more so than women.

June 3, 2022

7 Ways to Increase Joy

Visualization is a kind of therapy. It can envision a serene place whenever there is stress. The distance and space are comparable to meditation but also engage the imagination in the process. It allows the mind to transform creatively, generatively, and dynamically rather than feeling uncomfortable. Based on anecdotal accounts of nurses, this is being used as a method of relieving pain, particularly for children.

May 11, 2022

How to Maintain a Low Carb High Protein Diet as a Vegan/Vegetarian

For many people, low carb, high protein means lots of meat, cheese, fish, and eggs; easy low carb protein sources that are generally tasty and satisfying. The only issue is that many of these typical low carb, high protein foods are not an option for vegans or vegetarians. Adequate protein consumption can be difficult with these types of diets in general, and especially difficult for those attempting to follow a high protein, low carb diet. With that being said, there are plenty of great vegan and vegetarian protein sources that either are or can be made low carb.

May 3, 2022

Sleep 101 (Part 2)

You may have heard that sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our bodies and minds. A few weeks ago we discussed some lifestyle changes that can help us get to sleep…or get back to sleep.

April 28, 2022

You Deserve to Smell the Roses - Tips & Tricks on How to Manage Your Allergies This Season!

The first line of defense that may come to mind is to start on an over the counter allergy medication such as Zyrtec (Cetirizine), Claritin (Loratidine), Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) or even Fluticasone (Flonase). These can all be helpful, and yes, feel free to start there! In addition to this, start doing a nasal wash twice daily. It may sound ‘gross’, but believe us, once you start seeing all the gunk that comes out, you’ll become a believer too. Plus, what doesn’t feel better than clearing out that nasal passage that’s been clogged up all day?

April 21, 2022

Sleep 101 (Part 1)

The first line of defense that may come to mind is to start on an over the counter allergy medication such as Zyrtec (Cetirizine), Claritin (Loratidine), Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) or even Fluticasone (Flonase). These can all be helpful, and yes, feel free to start there! In addition to this, start doing a nasal wash twice daily. It may sound ‘gross’, but believe us, once you start seeing all the gunk that comes out, you’ll become a believer too. Plus, what doesn’t feel better than clearing out that nasal passage that’s been clogged up all day?

April 8, 2022

Anemia or Low Ferritin: The Misunderstood Symptom

What many might not know is that anemia is a symptom of something else occurring inyour body. What this means is that it isn’t the cause, it’s happening as a result ofsomething else. This can occur through one of three ways:

April 4, 2022

How to Mindfully Manage Food Cravings

Food cravings are a normal part of the human experience; studies show that more than 90 percent of people have them. But how we deal with cravings can vary widely. Some people eat what they want and don’t worry about it, whereas others feel controlled by cravings and end up bingeing on favorite foods.

January 19, 2022

What is a Naturopathic Physician?

You may have heard that SW Family Physicians has welcomed two new Naturopathic Physicians, Dr. Khaleed Alston, ND and Dr. Alicia Hart, ND, to our practice. Naturopathic physicians are primary health care providers who are experts in the intersection of conventional practice and natural therapies.

November 16, 2021

What can I do to promote healthy aging?

There are many things you can do to help yourself age well: exercise and be physically active, make healthy food choices, and don’t smoke. But did you know that participating in activities you enjoy may also help support healthy aging? As people get older, they often find themselves spending more and more time at home alone. The isolation can lead to depression and is not good for your health. If you find yourself spending a lot of time alone, try adding a volunteer or social activity to your routine.

September 29, 2021

Feta and Pomegranate Filled Avacado

One of the simplest ways to improve your health is to eliminate ultra processed foods. Cutting back on white, flour, white rice, processed cereals, crackers, fries, potato/corn chips, baked goods, sweets and sodas can help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

August 26, 2021

The COVID-19 Vaccine: Common questions answered

The federal government has worked since the start of the pandemic to make COVID-19 vaccines available as soon as possible. This accelerated timeline is unprecedented. Some patients are concerned that vaccine safety may have been sacrificed in favor of speed. However, as with all vaccines, safety is a top priority in the United States and globally.

July 31, 2021

Insulin resistance: What is it and how does it contribute to diabetes and weight gain

Insulin is an important hormone in our body that helps us to regulate our blood sugar. We need sugar as it is the basic unit of energy that our cells use for fuel. Just like a car needs gasoline, our cells need sugar.

June 24, 2021

Phentermine: Managing Hunger within a Medical Weight Loss Program

Phentermine is one of the oldest and most useful prescription medications for medically supervised weight loss with eligible patients. It is generic and not expensive (about $10-$20/month, depending on dose). Phentermine is therefore one of the most effective and affordable options to suppress hunger, especially when included as part of a comprehensive, well-rounded medical weight loss program.

June 5, 2021

Vitamin D and COVID 19: What we know so far

What is vitamin D? Vitamin D is a necessary vitamin needed to keep your bones healthy. Calcium, which is the primary building block of bones, can only be absorbed when vitamin D is present.

May 13, 2021

Keeping Weight Off: The Struggle and the Good News

Losing weight is hard, and keeping the weight off can be even more difficult. However, the benefits of losing even just a small amount of weight can be incredibly beneficial to your health. In fact, research has shown that you can decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus by 50% by losing just 5% of your body weight. Unfortunately, one of the most difficult aspects of weight loss is keeping the weight off permanently. But there is good news! Research shows that anti-obesity medications can help keep weight off.

April 26, 2021

Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?

Great news: Type 2 Diabetes is absolutely reversible! And the cure can be simple: weight loss. However, although the solution is simple, it is by no means easy. That is why we at Oregon Medical Weight Loss are here to help you.

April 14, 2021

Intro to Yoga for ALL BODIES

Intro to Yoga for ALL BODIES Join Dr. Leasa Lowy, MD and Yoga Teacher for a 4-week yoga class series from January 11 - February 1, 2021.

December 16, 2020

Is Sugar Ruining Your Life?

Food is supposed to nourish us and give us energy to accomplish our daily tasks and move us forward in life. What happens when our food habits are holding us back, or even making us sick?

November 27, 2020

Why Are You Addicted To Sugar?

Our body loves sugar; eventually the food we consume turns to glucose (a fancy word for sugar) and that is what feeds and energizes our cells.

October 9, 2020

Easy DIY Fresh Pesto Sauce

You will need: a baking tray, a mortar and pestle (pictured). If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can use a blender or bowl and the head of a rolling pin as an alternative.

September 4, 2020

5 Ways to Lower Your Hemoglobin A1C

Your Hemoglobin A1C level shows the average of your blood sugar over the past 3 months. Hemoglobin is a protein found in your red blood cells. Sugar gets stuck and crystallizes on the red blood cell, which then becomes known as 'glycosylated hemoglobin', HbA1C, or A1C.

July 7, 2020

Why Choose A Midwife

A review published by The Cochrane Library shows that women who use a midwife have fewer pre-term births, are less likely to lose pregnancies before 24 weeks, and need fewer epidurals, episitomies, and assisted births.

June 25, 2020

What's the big deal about Vitamin D?

Vitamin D strengthens innate immunity and prevents overactive immune responses, which may be why researchers are finding Vitamin D helpful in fighting COVID-19.

June 2, 2020

Is there really a way to make weight loss easier?

This process is known as eating mindfully. Mindfulness can be defined as paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in specific moment, non-judgmentally.

May 28, 2020

What does diet have to do with COVID-19?

Most of us have concerns about the health and economic issues brought on by COVID-19 and the resulting circumstances. We are still discovering new information every day.

May 4, 2020

Why do healthy teens need Annual Wellness Exams?

Wellness Visits are important for teens to learn about taking health into your own hands and getting a chance to talk about personal concerns with a doctor. Remember we're here to support and accept you, no matter what! During your Wellness Visit, your medical provider will go over these topics with you:

April 16, 2020

What to do if you are sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19

What to do if you are sick with suspected or confirmed COVID-19

April 13, 2020

COVID-19 FAQs

Coronavirus disease 2019, or "COVID-19" is an infection caused by a specific virus called SARS-CoV-2. The virus first appeared in late 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China. But it has spread quickly since then, and there are now cases in many other places, including the United States.

April 13, 2020

A Message On Staying Healthy

Based on the best expert advice from the CDC, WHO and epidemiologists I will continue to keep my physical practice closed in order to slow the spread of Covid 19. Because of the fluid nature of the situation I will be updating you periodically with resources and clinic schedule changes.

April 13, 2020