Contact - Dr. Orna Izakson

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Typing with sticky fingers to wish you all a sweet

Typing with sticky fingers to wish you all a sweet and joyous 5784.Shana tova!P.S. It’s even sweeter when the bounty is local: Washington Honeycrisp apples and maple honey from my friends at @tilthworks.#RoshHashanah #RoshHashanah5784 #JewishNewYear #ApplesAndHoney #SweetNewYear #EatLocal #KnowYourFarmer #FoodIsMedicine #CultureIsMedicine

Fog-frosted fireweed.Just a little bit of beaut

Fog-frosted fireweed.Just a little bit of beauty for your Sunday afternoon.#Fireweed #OregonCoast #WalkingWithOrna #FlowerPower #NatureFix #HerbalistsHaveFriendsWhereverWeGo.

Who else hides out at home during peak travel holi

Who else hides out at home during peak travel holidays?To avoid the crowds and still get your #VitaminN, take a walk through old outdoor photos. If they’re your own (and even if they’re not) try to put yourself as deeply into the place as you can. How did the air feel? What did it smell like? Was it quiet or loud?This photo is from a February 2022 full-moon writing retreat. It was weirdly warm and sunny for the season, but with all the briskness of windy salt air the Oregon coast is well known for. And, or course, it was loud. All night long. In the very best way.This kind of remembering (or imagining) offers many of the same nervous-system benefits as going in person — without the crowds or stress or expense.You know I’m not saying one should never have adventures. But I am a big fan of saving those for off-peak times as much as possible.If you’re staying home this weekend, try this trick. See if it doesn’t make you feel calmer and revitalized, too.#WildCascadia #WildPacificShore #VitaminSea #ByTheSea #OregonCoast #WalkingWithOrna #NatureFix #CNSReset #Staycation

Mullein on my mind and growing all over everywhere

Mullein on my mind and growing all over everywhere — including cracks in the city concrete.In smoky season (and respiratory sick season) mullein leaf always tops my list of easy, helpful lung herbs.It tastes mild, so it’s easy for folks to take. It’s super safe. And it helps gently relax and soothe angry respiratory membranes — even though it never touches the lungs directly.It’s also such a common and simple plant that we can sometimes overlook it.More intense herbs, or rare ones, can sometimes grab the spotlight. We need to fight that tendency in general, but also especially with mullein. It’s always the first herb I reach for with any kind of lung concern.I prefer mullein as a tincture because it’s so easy. Tea absolutely works, but make sure you strain it well. All those little hairs may make it look cute and fuzzy, but they can actually be irritating to mucous membranes. Resist the temptation to use mullein leaves as toilet paper!if you live in a place where mullein grows, say hi when you see it!#GardenMedicine #VerbascumThapsus #Mullein #LongHealth #WildfireSmoke #HerbsForLungHealth #HerbsForWildfireSmoke #HerbalistDoctor #HerbsForFireSeason #LungHerbs #AlaskaNaturopathicDoctor #OregonNaturopathicDoctor #PlantGeek #HerbalistHaveFriendsWhereverWeGo #ThisIsWhereMedicineComesFrom

Don’t let the rain fool you: east Portand’s ai

Don’t let the rain fool you: east Portand’s air is legit icky right now. The smell woke me up and I thought I was imagining things, but no.Time to close all the windows and bump up the air purifiers until this clears.Air quality like this is straight-up bad for you. (unhealthy actually means unhealthy.)This is not the day for strenuous exercise, hiking, or even heavy housework. Tea and soup and rest are your friends on days like this.Aside from following my nose, the main apps I’m using to track air quality are EPA’s AirNow, and the fire-tracking Watch Duty. Both are free and super useful.For ideas on how to stay safe in wildfire smoke season, check out by 🔥 highlights. I’ve also a comprehensive write up on my blog: drorna.net.Stay safe, y’all!#WildfireSmoke #OregonWildfireSmoke #AQI #WildfireSeason #TheWestIsBurning #ProtectYourLungs #HerbalistDoctor

This is your semi-annual reminder that “superfoo

This is your semi-annual reminder that “superfoods” don’t exclusively come from rare plants growing far far away.These seeded, Concord grapes are ripening in an alley two blocks from my house.They are 💯 a superfood by any reasonable definition. [PMID: 24007424, 34761204.]Because I hate typing into my phone, here’s a quotation from a 2010 scientific review about grapes’ health benefits:“The well-established health effects of grapes on cardiovascular disease risk, mainly on endothelial function, LDL oxidation, progression of atherosclerosis, and reduction in oxidative stress, have been clearly identified. Emerging research has also demonstrated that grapes have beneficial effects on other chronic-degenerative diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, age-related cognitive decline, and diabetes. Further beneficial effects of grapes on oral health, immune function, and antiviral activity have also been reported.” [PMID: 20961296.]Best of all, grapes grow in many regions of the US and are available on most grocery stores.Choose grapes with more pigmentation and intact seeds to get the most super from your food.#SuperFoods #FoodAsMedicine #FoodIsMedicine #GrowYourOwnMedicine #GrowYourOwnFood #FoodForest #FoodNotLawns #WalkingWithOrna #AlleywayGrapes #LocalSuperFoods

A little uplift for your day.#AlaskaAir #Kachem

A little uplift for your day.#AlaskaAir #KachemakBay #HomerAlaska #InFlight #LookUp #CNSReset #ByTheSea #Gulls #WalkingWithOrna #AThingWithFeathers #BeachSideBirding #MentalHealthMoment

With the days starting to get shorter, do you find

With the days starting to get shorter, do you find your sleep is getting better?If not, the heat may be partly to blame.When temps drop, we’re hardwired to snuggle up and shut down. At night our body temperature naturally lowers, and that’s one of our physiological sleep signals.Too much external heat at night diminishes our deep and REM (dreaming) sleep, or may prevent sleep outright. [PMID: 31105512, 22738673]It can be tricky in the dog days of summer, but keeping your bedroom cool will go a long way toward improving your sleep. Optimal sleep space temperatures are between 66° and if all eland 70° Fahrenheit.Some tricks to try if you don’t have a/c:🚿 Take a cool — not cold — shower before bed. (Cold will tell your body to heat things up!)🧊 Keep a cool beverage on your nightstand.🧊 Put your top sheet in the freezer and break it out at bedtime.🧊 Keep a damp cloth nearby to put over your forehead, or a spritzer bottle to spray yourself down. A fan will increase the cooling effects.You also can buy cooling mattress toppers. These work by running tubes of water or air through the pad, with an external unit regulating the temperature. ChiliSleep (now Sleepme) and BedJet are two examples. Some people swear by these.I tried the ChiliSleep pad last summer and hated it — it was lumpy, my sheets slid, and realized that I like cold in the bedroom but not in the bed.If you’re struggling to sleep in the summer heat, I hope some of these ideas can help you get better rest. If you have other great tricks, please let me know!And if all else fails, know that winter is coming.P.S. Looking more sleep suggestions? Grab my free Sound Sleep Cheat Sheet through the link in my bio.#SleepBetter #SleepingInTheHeat #GetYourBestRest #CoolBedroom #KeepYourBedroomCool #NaturalSleep

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