Category: Blog

 

Welcome to North Idaho!

 

Idaho 

                      

You’ve likely spent months planning where to go, packing up your entire life, and then hours and miles physically moving to your new house. Once you’re actually here there can be a gap of “what’s next” after the moving truck departs and you’re trying to develop your roots and feel at home.  

Many people have past experience setting out for large hub cities to complete academic programs, follow career opportunities, or just experience the bustle of metropolitan life. When moving to the Inland Northwest, and more specifically the unique cities and rural communities found in North Idaho, many people are coming home.

Couples who started their career in larger cities move back home to be closer to grandparents when raising their children. Some have taken the big tech transition to remote work to reside in an actual remote location.  Others are entrepreneurs, bringing in their businesses from other states specifically to cultivate their own sense of home in this beautiful region.

The cross-over between what you enjoyed on visits here and what will become part of your weekly routine can be a refreshing improvement on old habits. Rather than starting your morning with hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic, that time can be dedicated to a morning walk in the forest or next to the lake. Finding your favorite big-city grocery staples in our friendly natural and organic- focused food stores such as Natural Grocers or Pilgrim’s Market in Coeur d’Alene or the Flour Mill in Hayden is complemented by home-grown produce and delicious local foods.

You’ve settled the basics of your new life here and have been able to get some of your life unpacked. For many people, however, literal and figurative boxes remain packed up and put aside during the unsettled rush of moving. Has your previously established self-care routine, exercise schedule and daily vitamin/ supplement plan gotten boxed up? Like Swedish furniture, moving is often a time when people pack those up and struggle to get them assembled once again.

It is important to remember the basics you need for your health and wellbeing, and include those in your priorities when settling in. Many people move with the dream of an idealized lifestyle that they will lead when in their new place. Identify what that life will include, such as connection to your community, work-life balance and time spent enjoying nature. Also visualize how you will physically feel when leading that lifestyle. Most of us wouldn’t envision feeling just as tired, burnt out or overwhelmed when living in North Idaho as when living in Orange County! Part of enjoying the environment that you want to live in is to take the opportunity presented by this change in setting to set the habits that will nourish and cultivate your healthy lifestyle.

 What has worked for you in the past? What hasn’t succeeded? A home gym, fitness membership, or actionable plan to work out in nature or parks as well as a set time to do so could help you maintain and develop your physical fitness. If you have a history of joining gyms that you never use, consider trying a different approach. Completing a new local hike each week with your family could be an excellent place to start!

If your new house includes grand plans for DIY building, gardening and farming, you have likely done a lot of planning and mental preparation. How has your preparation for such physical activity gone? The proper cross-training and recovery strategies are very important to reduce the pain and injury caused by “weekend warrior” style sudden overuse.

Even without “homesteading” your new lifestyle could include regular seasonal alternations between golf or mountain biking and skiing or snowboarding. This is awesome! You moved here and should be able to fully enjoy the natural environment and plentiful outdoor recreation. However, it can be a lot compared to a schedule of infrequent golf weekends and ski vacations. The appropriate supportive care such as athletic training, physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy can help your body sustain such physical activities with strength and resilience.  

Develop your healthcare and wellness team to help you optimize this move and thrive (not just survive!) in North Idaho. Many of you are leaving established care teams, and some of that care can continue via telemedicine. Connecting to local healthcare providers is important for in-person ongoing care. It is best to establish care before an illness arises, rather than scrambling for an appointment during an urgent situation. Continuity of healthcare ensures you have a comprehensive wellness plan that can address your ongoing health concerns and adapt to new and changing needs.

In Idaho, a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor can be your primary care physician or act in conjunction with your primary care practitioner as a specialized expert in holistic health and wellness optimization.  If you’ve seen a ND or NMD in the past, you can continue to enjoy the personalized holistic medicine that you have previously experienced as you continue on your wellness journey. If you’ve been interested in functional and integrative healthcare and prefer a more natural approach to your health, moving to North Idaho is the perfect time to get started. Schedule your appointment with a Naturopathic Medical Doctor!

 

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Spring is time to reFRESH 

Your Diet! 

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Food as Medicine

Natural greenery is peeking through, and plants are perking up with recent rains. As we witness the local environment wake up from winter slumbers, springtime change is an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate your dietary practices.

As the season progresses, we can enjoy the increasing bounty of fresh and locally grown foods. This is a great season to reorganize the pantry and incorporate a balanced mix of shelf-stable staples with in-season fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Before jumping into a new dietary plan or overhauling your pantry, it can be useful to honestly evaluate your current symptoms and habits through a diet diary. This can be an opportunity to log your foods, mealtimes, beverages and any symptoms (such as afternoon fatigue or indigestion) that may occur periodically.

A dietary diary can provide a framework to build on and be eye opening regarding potential associations between foods and symptoms as well as actual food and beverage intake (many people are surprised by their actual water and vegetable intake, as compared to what they thought they were getting). 

For added insight, evaluation of potential micronutrient deficiencies and macronutrient imbalances as well as specific dietary practices that may be indicated to treat or prevent certain health conditions, a diet diary evaluation can be part of an appointment at Overland Wellness. 

Schedule a Phone Consultation with Dr. Overland to discuss your specific concerns, learn more about the treatment approach at Overland Wellness and get started on the next stage of your wellness journey!

 

 

 

Overland Wellness is Relocating to Hayden, Idaho

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North IDaho, Coeur d’Alene, Spokane

To better serve our greater Spokane and North Idaho patients, Overland Wellness is relocating to centrally connected Hayden, Idaho. Our new practice space has more treatment rooms, abundant free parking and the same high standards of exceptional quality and comfort that is expected from care at Overland Wellness. 

By practicing out of a freestanding building rather than a large downtown high-rise, Overland Wellness is now even more quiet and private than before!

Our location is easy to find and directly accessible just off of Highway 95 when coming from Sandpoint, Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

Telemedicine

For patients who prefer not to commute, Dr. Overland is still just a secure message, phone call, or video appointment away. 

Dr. Overland will continue to offer priority scheduling for telemedicine appointments to accommodate patients in remote locations. 

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Respiratory irritants are certainly not what we need right now. Here are some tips and strategies to help you cope!

Wildfires in the Time of COVID-19

Over the past few weeks, many of the patients who have come to my office have been suffering from respiratory irritation due to the wildfire smoke in the air. Some of my patients have been forced to flee their homes to get out of high-density smoke areas near the fires.  Symptoms vary and include the expected congestion and throat/ eye irritation, but also (perhaps surprisingly) include worsening of other conditions ranging from migraine to high blood pressure and even depression.

While we’re struggling with poor air quality and hazy air from distant (for now) wildfires, we’re also struggling with a respiratory pandemic, COVID-19. Coughing and sneezing is certainly not what one wants to be doing right now! There’s also the concern that wildfire smoke exposure could cause respiratory inflammation and damage that makes one more susceptible to respiratory illnesses (such as COVID-19) or could make concurrent infections worse or more challenging to treat.

Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that we have an overabundance of terrible news. While this situation is yet another cause for concern, it is not hopeless! Thankfully, there are some strategies you can implement even in the comfort of your home or office to help reduce your smoke exposure and improve your respiratory health.

With respiratory irritants such the toxins and particulate matter from fires, it is particularly important to work on reducing other irritants and protect your respiratory system. If you or a family member smoke, now is an excellent time to quit. Evaluate cleaning materials, household and personal fragrances, many of which contain harsh chemicals that are respiratory irritants. Keep your living and workspaces well-ventilated. Consider using an air filter fan (HEPA filter) to reduce the particulate and allergen content of your enclosed spaces.

While I am an avid outdoorsperson, now is a better time to plan outdoor adventures than to adventure outdoors. While waiting for the air to clear, spend some time indoors developing your go-to stretching and exercise routine. Gentle movement is ok! Sometimes, when our respiratory systems are under strain, it is best to incorporate slow, paced movement rather than the intense cardio you’d typically work towards. Set up a space in your house where the air is clear, and you have enough space to work-out. This is a good opportunity to catch up on those Tai Chi videos or bodyweight exercise webinars and develop your home exercise routine.

While you’re working out and reducing household irritants, it is also important to work on your internal environment. Having a balanced, varied diet with adequate nutrients is an important foundation to help your body better weather external irritants such as pollution, smoke, and illnesses. It is generally helpful to increase the quantity of colorful vegetables in your diet. Colorful veggies contain antioxidants and other compounds that may promote healthy circulation, appropriate immune response and even stabilization of the cells that tend to respond to allergens and result in the unpleasant sniffling/congestion symptoms. This is also definitely the time to pay attention to staying adequately hydrated. A key part of maintaining hydration for most people is choosing water or herbal tea rather than processed sugary beverages and alcohol.

If you’ve been working on these strategies, but still feel like you’re struggling, feel free to schedule a phone consultation with Dr. Overland to discuss your specific concerns and questions. A personalized wellness-plan can help you develop the strategies you need to stay healthy whatever the season. 

 

 

If your symptoms are disrupting your daily life or you’d like to talk more about in-office treatments such as glutathione or nutrient IV therapy, please call my office. I would be happy to set up a time for a complimentary phone consultation to discuss your concerns and treatment options.  The Overland Wellness approach is to use the most effective, least harmful, naturally rooted treatments that get you feeling better and able to enjoy your active life!

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COVID-19 Updates

As this pandemic impacts the world and our local community, we want to reassure you that Overland Wellness is here for you.

The State Department of health has local statistics denoted by counties as well as updated recommendations at their website. This information is updated regularly and reflects cases and considerations for our local communities. 

The CDC provides guidance and regularly updated information available at their website. Everyone should carefully read the guidance as well as the cited research and supporting data. 

Telemedicine

Using our messaging app, you can conveniently message Dr. Overland with after-visit questions. 

Automated Intake

Pre-screening questionnaires can be completed at your convenience before your appointment. 

  

Video Visits

Conveniently connect with Dr. Overland without having to leave your home. 

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Overland Wellness is expanding telemedicine virtual appointment availability.

You can now have a Naturopathic appointment or Acupuncture/ Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine consultation appointment from the comfort and security of your home.

As a patient of Overland Wellness, you have access to the highest quality vitamins and supplements. You can order them conveniently through our online dispensary and have them shipped directly to you. 

Current DOH and CDC recommendations for hand washing and providing adequate time for rest and recovery are in tune with principles of holistic natural medicine. With newly emerging illnesses, such as COVID-19, information is scant and continually being updated. With the limited information at this time, it is best to approach unproven potential treatments and interventions with caution.

While strategies to “flatten the curve” are the recommended approach, staying at home and social distancing can feel very isolating. This is a challenging time for many people. This is also a time to cultivate connection in innovative ways, such as using technology. 

Dr. Overland would be happy to discuss any questions and concerns that you have during a telemedicine appointment. It is helpful to discuss information you may be getting from a variety of sources with a physician. Dr. Overland can provide insight into how such information may apply to your health and whether specific treatment considerations are appropriate for you.

Sometimes even the simple experience of talking through your health concerns with a trusted healthcare professional, such as Dr. Overland, can be helpful. 

Vitamins & Supplements

Targeted nutritional interventions to support your body’s response to stress and illnesses. 

Herbal Medicine

Dr. Overland is trained in both Western herbalism and Traditional Chinese Herbal medicine. Traditional herbal medicine is best with a naturopathic physician’s understanding of safety, quality and pharmacology. 

IV Therapy

IV Nutrient and Hydration therapy appointments can be scheduled for in your home or at Overland Wellness. IV Therapy infusions provide you with hydration and targeted IV nutrients to support healthy recovery from illness.

IV Therapy

 

 

 

We’re gearing up for winter at Overland Wellness!

Are you ready for the excitement and stress of the winter season? We hope you have restful holidays, meaningfully connect with your loved ones and enjoy festive nutritious meals!

It is helpful to delegate time for meaningful self-care during this busy (and dark) season. Prioritize time outdoors and in the sunlight. Schedule a relaxing acupuncture appointment at Overland Wellness. Block time in your schedule for meditation and check in on how you’re physically and emotionally feeling as you move through winter. 

As wintry weather makes an appearance, it is important to address how your muscles and joints are feeling. Did you take a fall last year? How is your balance and strength this year compared to last? Are you ready to be active and engage in outdoor activities or are you already feeling like you need to bundle up by a fire and hide out for a few months?

Now is a great time to address those medical concerns, improve your energy, optimize your sleep and get your body feeling revitalized and ready for winter weather (and the year to come)!

 

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Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Summer Adventures

How do your winter dreams of summer’s adventures compare to the reality of how these months have gone so far? What is holding you back? 

With days spent at the lake and longer hours for work and play, how is your body holding up? 

 

Goal Check-In

Those yoga classes you planned to take, the farmers market fresh produce you planned to eat, what goals did you go into summer with? Has the respite of warm weather and longer days allowed you to accomplish and enjoy everything you planned to this summer? 

 

There’s Still Time

For many of us, this summer has flown by. For some, old injuries or feeling worn down has put a damper on enjoying the outdoor activities that are quintessentially summer. 

Don’t let low energy or pain stop you from enjoying the rest of this summer. Now is a great time to take charge of your health and develop a wellness plan that will get you back to the active lifestyle you planned for this summer. 

 

Explore A New Place

Summer is a time for adventures. Have you had yours? 

 

Summer Wellness Seminar

Overland Wellness is hosting a special wellness workshop event!

 

I will host an open session centered around developing a well-rounded wellness and self-care strategy that works for your active and busy lifestyle. We will talk about how routine exercise, meditative practices, wellness care and prioritizing your own wellness needs allows you to be a healthier and more balanced person.

There will be tea, stretching, a brief meditation and an opportunity to share and connect with the local community. 

 

Thursday May 16th from 4pm-6pm!

 

New Year’s Resolution Tips

  • Specify Goals
  • Plan How
  • Set Reminders
  • Stay Accountable
  • Restart (if necessary)
  • Keep Going
  • Enjoy Being the New You!

New Year a New You

 

How to help those New Year’s resolutions stick.

It is that season again where the gyms get really busy and everyone seems to be on a “cleanse.” Last month I joined a new gym and this month I set aside time in my schedule for barre class, so I am also part of this throng of awkward January gym-goers. Unfortunately, this burgeoning focus on wellness seems to taper off for most people as the year progresses. You can make this year different with strategies to turn a new resolution into lasting change.

Create an actionable plan for your resolution, for example transform a broad resolution of “I want to eat healthier” into one or several attainable goals. One such goal could be “I want to eat a new vegetable every week” another could be “I want to make lunches ahead of time so that I don’t eat junk food at work.” Next, develop your plan for how you will implement this goal, what do you have to do each day and what do you have to do ahead of time to prepare for it (such as grocery shopping or getting a lunch bag).

One key piece to any new resolution is a plan for how you are going to remember to do it. Whether it is an app, a whiteboard calendar or weekly agenda stuck to your fridge, some means of scheduling your resolution and monitoring your progress is going to help you stick to it. Check out your device’s app store or invest in that cute weekly planner and start writing out the things you plan to do and when they’re going to be done.

 

A strategy to turn a resolution into a change that sticks is to use the concept of habit formation. This involves using association, repetition and consistency to develop new automatic behaviors. When we do things over and over, such as buckle our seat belt before starting the car, it becomes an automatic action that you don’t even have to think about or remember to do. This automatic action with association (such as getting in the car) didn’t start right away, but likely took several repetitions and thought out actions before becoming a habit. When starting a new exercise plan such as stretching every morning, you will likely have to use reminders such as phone alarms or sticky notes to tell you it is time to do so. Soon you will associate getting up in the morning with having a second “time to stretch” alarm, eventually you will have the automatic response of stretching in the morning, and then it will start to “feel weird” to not stretch in the morning.

Disruptions to associated activities can definitely strain resolution success or habit automaticity. If you associate stretching with your morning alarm wake-up, you might just not remember ore even think of doing it when you’re on vacation. Eating a pre-planned lunch could become your regular routine but fall to the wayside if you rush out to work in the morning or your colleagues invite you out for lunch. This sort of disruption and return to your pre-resolution behavior are really common. One less-than ideal meal or missed work out doesn’t merit tossing out a new year’s plan entirely. These experiences can help you develop awareness of what things in your life are challenging your ability to successfully make a change. With that awareness you can restart your resolution, allow for a little flexibility and self-acceptance, and move forward.

 

Before starting a new exercise or dietary strategy it is a great idea to consult your doctor about your health and whether the new program would be a good fit for you. If you don’t currently have a doctor or would like the help of a wellness expert, feel free to schedule an appointment with me, Dr. Heather Overland. I can give you personalized dietary and lifestyle recommendations that will get you started on your optimal wellness plan and also provide you with regular reminders, a space for accountability and assistance with plan modifications to help you succeed in meeting your wellness goals.

 

Contact Dr. Overland

 

Dr. Heather Overland

Naturopathic Physician

Licensed Acupuncturist

 

 

 

 

  • Conferences to stay up to date on Restorative Medicine and Integrative Healthcare Topics
  • Navigating Changes and Trends in Diagnosis and Treatment
  • Coordinating Care with Top Local Doctors
  • Promoting Wellness at the County Health Fair
  • TBI, Post-Concussion Syndrome
  • Hormone Balancing
  • SIBO, Prevention and Treatment
  • Strategies in Pain Management
  • IV Therapy for Wellness
  • Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Promoting Mental Clarity

Fall Wellness Updates

Continuing Education

After years (decades) of schooling, the last thing many of us want is to go back to school. However, continuing education is both a requirement to maintain an active license as a doctor, and part of how to stay current in the continuously developing world of medicine. 

While my practice is rooted in traditional medicine and includes techniques such as acupuncture that have been used in some form for thousands of years, I feel that the practice of holistic modern medicine is rapidly changing and improving. I am quite happy for the opportunity to use the best new laboratory studies, sterile single-use supplies and diagnostic equipment that is leaps and bounds above what it was ten years ago (let alone 1,000 years ago).

One of the pleasant changes I’ve noted recently is the collaborative and truly integrative nature of many of the continuing education courses. Nowadays, many doctors and allied health professionals from differing backgrounds and seemingly different schools of thought are getting together to learn strategies and clinical updates to best help their patients. Our shared desire to provide optimal care for our patients has led DOs (Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine), MDs (Medical Doctors), and NMDs (Naturopathic Medical Doctors) like myself to get together, share our clinical experiences, and pursue continuing education focused on holistic and integrative therapeutic techniques.

Clinical Updates

I’ve focused on topics that I personally find interesting, and feel are highly pertinent to the active patients I see every day. Topics have included TBI (traumatic brain injury), integrative pain management, injury recovery, and IV therapy. One amazing thing about conferences is that I can not only refine my current practice, but I also gain the opportunity to learn about topics I may not see daily, such as SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and clinical applications for LDN (low-dose naltrexone) therapy. 

Naturopathic Doctor Montana Naturopathic Physicians

The opportunity to take disparate clinical focuses, such as gastroenterology or pharmacology, and incorporate their nuanced understanding about specific systems into a larger understanding of how an imbalance can contribute to the progression of commonly seen symptoms and diseases is one of the awesome things about holistic medicine. We get to treat the patient as an entire person, not just component parts or systems, and we also get to learn from the expertise and in-depth understanding of specific systems to best address the whole. 

 

Local Top Docs 

I recently had the enriching experience of pursuing continuing education and connecting with my colleagues at the Montana Association of Naturopathic Physicians fall meeting. While they may not have the high numbers of Naturopathic Physicians that Washington has, Montana, Idaho and Washington all have very high-quality practitioners who are dedicated to providing excellent healthcare and improving the wellness of our local communities. 

” Our shared desire to provide optimal care for our patients has led DOs, MDs, and NDs like myself to get together, share our clinical experiences, and pursue continuing education focused on holistic and integrative therapeutic techniques.”