By Marty Kernion, Ph.D.
No. That has nothing to do with letting your grey hair grow out or letting your curls go wild. Welcome to this new column featured in Bay Life! We will be investigating natural health topics that make a difference to the residents in this area and their everyday lives. How can I tell when the chemicals in sunscreen make it potentially more harmful than using no sunscreen? How do I know if I’m one of the estimated 40% of Americans that have an undiagnosed thyroid imbalance? What are healthy ways to increase energy by getting rid of the energy robbers in your life? These are some of the topics we’ll dig into. These are questions that I frequently hear. And I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you want to see here in this column.
Now on a personal note: I often get the question, “How did you get started in this field? Were you a hippie back in the 60’s?” Yes. I have gotten that one a lot! I could give you a long-winded answer, but I’ll keep it short. And by the way, I missed out on the hippie stage. I come from a conservative background. At the age of 40, I developed a heart arrhythmia in which my heart skipped every third beat. Even with three medications, I was constantly out of breath with no energy. According to my cardiologist, I had a long list of problems with my heart. A friend tried to convince me that I needed to see this Native American herbalist. In my ignorance, I was not ready for what I thought would be a woman in ceremonial dress, dispelling evil spirits around the campfire. A week later, I was desperate. I went to see her. What a pleasant surprise. She was a Christian with no ceremonial dress, and she looked like my youngest sister. I was impressed with her knowledge and caring. And I was exceptionally impressed when I took the herbal supplement that she recommended. Within 20 minutes I felt better than I had in years. I was truly shocked. It is now 28 years later and I recently got a glowing, perfect heart report from my cardiologist. I know. I just broke the cardinal female standard of not divulging my age. I was so impressed with the natural approach that was so successful that I started reading everything I could get my hands on. After a few years, I retired from my corporate job and went back to school for a master’s and a doctorate. There is a place for modern medicine, but isn’t it kind to our bodies to take the natural approach when we can?
So, forgive me the indulgence of a personal story, but I hope that it helps you see that there may be some natural answers to some of your health challenges.
Marty Kernion, Ph.D. is not a medical doctor. She has a doctorate in naturopathy. Naturopathy uses natural, gentle ways to bring our bodies back into balance so that they have the God-given ability to heal themselves. She is a retired professor of herbal medicine and nutrition and has written 39 college level courses in natural approaches to health and healing. Dr. Marty has published two books on natural Health and has traveled extensively across the country teaching classes. She can be reached on askdoctormarty@cox.net for scheduling a class or consultation or for sending in your questions for this column.
