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~Dr. Megan

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MEET DR. MEGAN LITTLE

Hey there, welcome to this exciting journey toward better health! As your Naturopathic Doctor and Health & Wellness Coach, I'm here to support you every step of the way. I take a holistic approach because I truly believe in building a strong, lasting foundation for your well-being. There are no quick fixes when it comes to feeling your best in the long run.

Together, we’ll use natural medicine and other holistic methods to create a personalized plan that’s just right for you, based on your unique needs. I'm excited to be part of this with you!

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Beauty routine complete, ready for Santa.

Merry Christmas, from Molly🎄

"Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible."

Katherine May

I am wintering.

I had a clinical consult today to review labs for a client today, and was reminded of how important it is to hold space - for those that we are serving and for ourselves.

We live in such a fast paced society and it is often hard to slow down and just sit and be present in the moment - both for others and ourselves.

Externally, I am a really calm person. I love being able to hold space for others. I feel deeply that it is my calling in life. But the last year has been H.A.R.D. (if I could make this bold, I would). And internally, it feels a bit like a storm.

And it has been a challenge to not let myself become hard with it.

Space is healing. Protecting and nurturing space is healing.

As we are headed into a new year, calendars can get filled quickly with goals and aspirations. Both, worthy things. But, before you start writing in your plans, think about where you can also create more space.

Space to serve

Space to grieve

Space to hope

Space to _____

🕯️

Wet socks, cold socks, warming socks. Whatever you call them...they are magical for congestion and colds. I am fighting a virus for the first time in YEARS and I am thankful for simple home treatments.

Is it going to cure my cold?

No.

Does it help me breathe better and have less congestion when I wake in the morning.

Yes.

Might be the single best thing I learned in ND school.
(Jk. Sort of.)

#naturopathicdoctor #hydrotherapy #nunm #naturopath #sleep

Moose was the life of the party for the last 6 years. He was always in our space. Always getting into things that he shouldn't have. He L.O.V.E.D. fetch, chasing squirrels, and being outside from sun up to sun down.

Almost a year ago, he had his first seizure. And since then, we've been trying to catch up and get them under control. This week proved to be too much.

We love you forever. We'll miss your energy, joy, and excitement. 💔

Finally have been able to harvest a few of these Black Krim heirloom tomatoes from the garden. We lost a lot to pests, squirrels, and maybe even some deer. They are the perfect acidic, but sweet addition to eggs. I don't love tomatoes (texture), but these are too good to pass up.

New skills in development!

I have L.O.V.E.D. coffee since I was a teen. Back then it was mochas and lattes filled with sugar. Today I actually enjoy good black coffee and tasting different profiles of coffee.

A new decade means new hobbies and skills to develop...roasting coffee, cupping, and making espresso from a hand powered espresso maker.

My house smells amazing, and I only set off the smoke alarm once 🤣

My favorite cough remedy!

I have a chronic cough that pops up every once in a while when a perfect storm of allergies, stress, too much gluten and dairy collide. After years of being worked up by by medical providers, allergy tests, x rays, and lung function tests the only solution I was given was steroids. Sometimes steroids are necessary, but, I don't want to make them the regular go to. Instead, I'm really focusing on reducing stress, some allergy support removing things that I know cause inflammation.

This cough support has been a game changer for the acute cough that won't let up....

For those of you who have kiddos, there is a kids version too!

#naturalmedicine #herbalmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #nd #stress

First attempt at a Reel!

Coffee is my secret ingredient....

I've been working to change my habits around coffee...again...for the 128th time. Habits are starting to form around not having caffeinated coffee first thing in the morning and making sure I have eaten before I have caffeine.

It is a s.l.o.w. process to change 24 years of habit. I am making the transition in baby steps, switching my first cup to decaf, and not having caffeinated coffee until after I've had some food, ideally a meal.

Second fermentation starts today!!! Going to leave them out for another couple days and then put them in the fridge. They should be ready by the time I get back from my conference next week!!!!!

A little rest at the end of the day...preparing for good sleep tonight.

Everyone should have a hammock that stays under a tree and a dog that is a weighted blanket and therapist all in one.

2/3...Finding joy in the little things....The gym at my hotel was completely empty at 5:30am this morning...it pays to still be on central time.

2/2...since January was so rough I am working to find a little joy every day. Today my gate at the airport was just a hop skip and a jump away from one of my favorite coffee companies in KC. Perfect way to start a day of travel.

This is 18...
Happy Anniversary....

Celebrating quietly this week as we're both recovering from illness.

When you set a goal and it doesn't work out do you think of it as a failure? Even with perfect planning and intentions, sometimes our health goals don't go the way we hope they will. Learning to reframe your thinking about your health goals is important to your success. Giving yourself grace, and learning from your experiences helps you to continue to grow and change, getting closer to where you want to be.

I did not meet my first week's goal of establishing a new bedtime routine. Between preparing for a major home remodel, lots of activity, and a holiday thrown in the mix, bedtime schedule and routine were all over the place. That's okay. I learned that I should take into account what my schedule looks like when creating goals that affect routines.

Next week I am going to keep the same goal but adjust it a little. My home remodel is still happening, we still have activities on our schedule for a few nights. However, I am going to pick just two activities to create a bedtime routine. Decreasing the difficulty of the goal, in this case, will make it easier for me to achieve, helping me to build success.

Happy Fourth of July! 🎆 Hundreds of thousands of people will be staying up past their bedtime today. And rightfully so, it is a celebration, right? I hope you are living a life that allows you the flexibility to stay up late on occasion and to indulge in some treats at the bbq. How are you celebrating this holiday? Let me know in the comments!

What is "better" sleep? More hours? Higher quality? Fewer interruptions from the dogs?

How will I know I got "better" sleep? Will I jump out of bed in the morning when my alarm goes off? Will my tracker say my deep sleep or REM sleep was higher? Will I have more energy throughout the day?

Making goals is easy and succeeding at them is more likely when you use a framework. This month I'm going to work on improving my sleep. It's not bad, but I know it can be better. I'm using a little bit of the SMART-EST framework for setting my goal as well as changing the focus each week to work on a different aspect of my sleep that could use a little work.

Week 1 will involve re-establishing a bedtime routine. Summer months have gotten me a bit out of habit and I've been staying up later and have been inconsistent with a routine. Why am I starting here? Research has shown that adults who have sleep routines have better sleep duration and better attention and focus the next day.

Do you have a sleep routine? What sorts of activities do you do?

On the blog this week I wrote a short article about the types of complementary medicine that are more common and how to start a conversation with your primary care provider.

YOU are your best advocate for your care. You have to speak up and make your desires known. You will have to do research and be prepared to be an active participant in your care.

Do you have an allopathic primary care provider that supports using complementary and alternative medicine?

78% sass and 15 lbs.

You've probably seen her around more than a couple of times. She is about 6.5 years, adopted from @ofosa in 2016 after I completed my ND program. She came at just the right time.

Dogs are good for our health in many ways, but here are a few of my favorites.
1. Dogs are good for our emotional health: They help us feel less stress and anxiety. We feel less lonely having a 4 legged companion around. Washington State University found that just petting a dog for 10 minutes a day can help to reduce cortisol, our major stress hormone.
2. We are more active with pets: They need exercise, just like we do. Getting out to walk together not only helps to alleviate stress but also helps with our physical fitness.
3. They change our microbiome: My immunology instructor was known for saying 'lick the dog'. (This isn't medical advice kids). Early-life exposure to household pets can decrease your risk for atopic diseases (allergies, asthma, and skin rashes) and being overweight. There are ongoing studies to look at the benefits of animal contact and the ability it potentially has to prevent certain types of disease.

Every day she comes upstairs with gets her post-breakfast treat and settles on to the couch to manage my work. It's good to work from home, we are not suited for the corporate world.

References
doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00073
doi: 10.1186/s40168-017-0254-x

Vulnerability alert.....

Winter term of 2014 I walked into the Dean of Students' office and said I can't do it anymore. I was in my 3rd year of ND school and arguably in too deep to quit. I had one quarter under my belt as a 'secondary' in the clinics - where we are student doctors seeing patients under the oversight of attending physicians.

As I went through that first quarter in the clinics, I realized that I wasn't happy with what I had signed up for. I loved natural medicine, I loved interacting with the patients, but, not how the school had it set up. Looking back, I now see that the field of natural medicine was undergoing a major shift. In my mind, it was getting away from a lot of the 'old' school healing modalities of hydrotherapy, homeopathy, botanical medicine, and becoming more like 'green' allopathy. While there were aspects of these traditional elements still woven into appointments, I believe the need to legitimize our medicine (be accepted as primary care doctors, be able to bill insurance etc.) forced us into beginning to look like many of our counterparts.

Fast forward....I didn't quit, but I also don't practice like I was trained to (a primary care provider). I think we have a lot to offer, focusing on the more natural modalities, without getting bogged down in the standards of care that many PCPs have to manage. For my friends who practice as PCPs, great! For those who have forged their own path - I'm happy for you too!

I ended up forging my own path. I currently live and practice in a pre-licensed state. I operate as a health coach (which is where my heart has probably always been). I don't diagnose anymore. I don't order labs. I don't prescribe any more. This could change if a bill in Missouri passes (it is currently pending), but for now, I'm happy as a coach.

Continued in the comments....

Alright! Week 3 is finished, and I'm closing out my June challenge of finding more joy. Although the month is not over, I feel like I've been able to add some new habits, being intentional about seeking joy for myself and in community with others.

This last week's goal was good, but potentially the most draining for me as a very strong introvert. It involved two coffee/tea dates, one dinner date, and one night out on the town with my husband. The week finished off with my regular home group with my church family. Even though they brought joy, they were also draining. Five events/ activities might have been a little too much, but I enjoyed the company, the conversations, and the time I had.

As I think about the last few weeks and the changes I've implemented here are my thoughts for the month-
*Having a list at the beginning of the month was critical to pull from. Building resources is important.
*Each week I made small easily attainable goals. Overall, I wanted to create more joy. Creating complicated in-depth goals might make it harder to achieve my desired result.
*It is easier to build on small things than make one big overhaul change. Had I gone from nothing to 'scheduled' activities of joy and intentional interaction with others It would have likely felt more like a chore than something to be enjoyed.
*My activities were things that I was already doing, things that I already enjoyed, but wanted a mindset shift around. Building on what I already was doing was easier than starting from scratch, trying to come up with all-new activities for creating joyful moments.

Do you need someone to help you to set and stick to your goals? Click the link in my bio for a free 20-minute consult.

Next month's focus will be around sleep health and wellness!

I wrote a short article for you to discuss some of the differences between complementary, alternative, integrative, naturopathic, and functional medicine. Understanding the terms and what they encompass is a foundation for being able to talk with your providers about what you desire out of your treatment.

When you seek medical care it should be a partnership, you and the provider (MD/DO/ND, NP, PA, DC, etc.) working together rather than them telling you what to do and you blindly follow them.

I truly believe that medical providers have the best intentions in taking care of their patients. But, you have the right and responsibility to advocate for the kind of care your want, and that starts with knowing what your options are.

Got a case of the Mondays?

Try getting outside if you can. Take a quick walk around the block. Put your bare feet in the grass. Touch some plants. Sit and feel the breeze on your face.

Spending time in nature has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, boosting mood and reducing cortisol (the body's major stress hormone).

Week two is complete!

It went well. I am glad that I was more intentional with my goal of adding some joyful things back into my life. I was pretty consistent throughout the week and was able to have a little joyful moment just about every day. Not all of them were long or elaborate events, which I think was key to helping make them happen. I did rearrange some of the days based on my schedule and some of the events that came up throughout my week. Swipe for highlights....affogato...ReFit dance class...and seeing my kohlrabi starting to take shape in the garden.

The ability to remain flexible with a goal (for me, this was moving things around on my schedule) was important to be able to accomplish my goal. Goals and the logistics (think SMART aspects of goals) that go into planning them are important because of the framework they provide you. It helps you set goals that are realistic for where you are at on your journey. But they are not set in stone and don't need to be treated as such.

You can make adjustments and still make progress.

Looking ahead to week 3, I'm going to work on bringing in some friends/ community into my joyful moments. A big part of Hygge is the community and experiencing joy together.

I'll check back in a week and let you know how it went!

I've been in and out of counseling most of my adult life. I think it is often important to have an outside perspective from someone who can be objective and will not take sides. For me, it has also been a place to learn (and unlearn) and understand some of the thought patterns and habits that I developed. It gives me a safe place to try the skills I am learning and the courage to keep growing when it is hard and I don't want to.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned in the last few years is the power of the word AND. Being able to replace the word BUT with the word AND helped me to change my thought pattern from negative to positive and allowed me to see the potential in many situations which I was not able to before.

Now, I'm not a counselor (and there is a good chance I'm going to have a vulnerability hangover tomorrow from this post), but I want to share with you that this can have a positive impact on your desire for health behavior changes too. Changing BUT to AND can help you change your thought patterns and behaviors around your health goals.

Let's look at this in the context of a person who is trying to get better sleep so they have more energy during their work day.

I love staying up late and watching movies. BUT, I need to be to bed on time so I get enough sleep.

Or...

I love staying up late and watching movies. AND I need to be to bed on time so I get enough sleep.

In the first sentence, using the word BUT frames the healthy behavior (going to bed) in a negative light. You don't get to do what you want to do (stay up and watch a movie) because you need to get enough sleep. Healthy behavior becomes a chore, something that is not looked forward to.

In the second sentence, changing the single word to AND allows you to stay positive, and honor, yes you like to watch movies, however, you recognize that it is not in your best interest to stay up late tonight to do it.

What BUTs can you change to ANDs this week?

If you want a little more - I wrote a blog post about it - tap the link in my bio to read more about the power of AND.

Take a breath. We are just about halfway through 2022. Where is this year going?! I love taking time to pause and look back on how far I’ve come in different areas of my life. I hold it with open hands, there is no judgment for where I 'should' be at this point. I want to take the time to celebrate the wins so far. Because it can be easy to dismiss our progress if we’re never taking the time to celebrate our wins. So, here are three things I’m proud to have achieved so far in 2022 (so far): hiring a marketing coach to help me figure out what I'm doing @nataliegensits.wellnesswriter picked up a ReFit dance class with @melissak_c to get some fun and joyful movement in and planned a trip back to Oregon to see friends and family. It has been a good year so far.

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