tonya-cremin

How Can I Get to Sleep?

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:14 GMT

So many people struggle with insomnia – difficulty getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis.

It might not seem like a big deal, but getting inadequate deep and restorative sleep over long periods of time can have serious impacts on your health.

There are several sleep disorders which can make you feel like you never slept a wink, even though you’ve been in bed all night. Obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome are two medical conditions which can be diagnosed by your physician or a sleep specialist. If you are feeling tired on a regular basis, the first thing you should do is schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor and get a physical evaluation and lab work.

Let’s assume any serious medical disorder has been ruled out and you are healthy. Before you start researching sleep aides, such as supplements or medication, the next thing you should focus on is sleep hygiene.

What is “sleep hygiene?”

Sleep hygiene is the practice of making the sleeping environment as restful as possible. The first step is to limit your activity in the bedroom to sleep and intimate relations. When we perform other activities in our bedrooms, such as homework, hobbies, watching TV or scrolling on social media, our minds connect that space with activity, rather than rest. The light from our electronic devices also trigger our brains to stay awake. Extra activity trains our brain to stay awake when we are in our bedroom and can make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Consider moving your TV or computer to a public space, such as the kitchen or an office, or covering it when not in use. A good habit is to turn off all electronics an hour before bed, and keep the lights low to signal to your brain that rest is coming.

Take a look around your bedroom.

Is it a space that promotes rest and calm? Can you remove or cover any items that do not promote a sense of relaxation and make you want to curl up for a nap? Clutter in a bedroom, such as piles of laundry, work papers, etc, tug at your subconscious mind and can make it hard to sleep. If you don’t have time to address them before bed, cover them up with a sheet or towel or tuck them away in your closet. Likewise, bright colors and busy patterns may create a stimulus in your brain that says, “wake up!” A clean, neat space, and soft, restful colors and patterns are best for the bedroom. Whatever you can do to feel calm in your sleep space will pay off in “zzzzzzzz.”

Make sure there is no light seeping in… It is important to have the bedroom as dark as possible during the time you want to sleep. This prevents cues to your body to wake up. You can try room darkening blinds or drapery panels, hang a blanket over your window, or wear a sleep mask. Cover up or turn any bright clocks or other electronics away from your bed to make sure your room is very dark.

Is your bedroom quiet? Or do you frequently hear disturbing noises? Even low level noises may prevent you from getting into a deep sleep. This may include your loving bed partner’s soft snores, your dog, your refrigerator or a heat or AC unit turning on and off. These noises may disturb you enough to wake you up, but not so much that you remember them. Using ear plugs, or a white noise machine or small fan, can help drown out noises and promote a better night’s sleep.

Are your bed and pillow comfortable? Is the room too hot or too cold? Making simple adjustments can sometimes provide great results in getting a good night’s sleep. Some people feel much better with a weighted blanket, but these can get quite pricey. Layering a few blankets and comforters may get you the same benefit without the hefty price tag. Crack a window, turn down the heat, humidify the air in winter – all of these may be all it takes to be more comfortable.

Maintain consistent bedtimes and waking times.

This allows our bodies to get into a rhythm and to “expect” to get up and go to bed at the same time every day. It may take several days to get used to, but pick a specific time to get up in the morning, say 7 am, and a specific bed time, say 9 or 10 pm. Stick to these times, even going to bed if you are not tired, and getting up even if you don’t feel completely rested. Avoid the “snooze” button – those last few minutes (or hours) of light sleep won’t actually help you in the long run but will disrupt your natural sleep cycles. When the alarm rings, turn it off and get moving. Within several days, your body will adjust to this schedule and you will find the routine easier to deal with as the days go by.

Watch your caffeine intake

I know many of you won’t want to read this, and you will be tempted to say, ” I need it!” Or, “it doesn’t bother me!” But caffeine can keep us awake long after we take it in. The half-life of caffeine is over 7 hours. This means that if you drink a 10 ounce cup of coffee at 3pm, half of that caffeine is still in your system by 10 pm! This may make it difficult to fall asleep, of course. Less obvious is when we are so tired we can fall asleep easily, but as the night goes on and we get a little rest, there may be enough caffeine in our systems to wake us up! Coffee, tea and soda are obvious sources, but remember that chocolate has caffeine as well. Try to drink that last cup of coffee before lunch, or no later than 2 pm. Alternately, if you really need a pick-me-up in the afternoon, drink a tall glass of cold water and eat a small protein snack, such as a protein bar or a handful of nuts. If you really need the caffeine shot, go for something with less of a dose – the average 8 oz cup of tea has only about 47mg of caffeine, whereas a cup of coffee has about 100mg.

Some last tips

Daytime cues such as natural daylight early in the day, and dimming the lights about an hour before bedtime can help improve sleep. If you need to nap during the day, limit your nap to 30-90 minutes. Any longer and you can completely disrupt your sleep-wake cycles. In addition, developing your own bedtime ritual, such as a cup of hot decaffeinated tea and a bath, and consciously releasing any worries of the day, can become additional signals to your body that it is time to sleep.

Medication Free Approaches to Seasonal Allergies

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:13 GMT

Sniffles, sneezes, itchy, watery eyes….maybe even cough, congestion and a little wheeze. These can all be signs of allergic rhinitis, or “hayfever.”

You might routinely reach for over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines, decongestants or even inhaled nasal steroids, which all have their benefits, but often come with unwanted side effects, as well.

Did you know there are many medication-free ways to manage your allergy symptoms? Let’s go through a few simple and effective ways that anyone can use to help your symptoms.

Nasal lavage or nasal irrigation

Nasal irrigation is a commonly used treatment for symptoms of allergic rhinitis. It involves spraying or inhaling a stream of salt water solution into one nostril and allowing it to drain out of the same or opposite nostril. Traditionally, a neti pot is used, but there are also commercially available plastic squeeze bottles, or you can simply use a clean cupped hand and inhale into your nostril from there. Nasal moisturizing mists are not the same as nasal lavage and won’t have the same benefits.

Nasal irrigation has been well studied for use in allergic rhinitis. Nasal lavage clears nasal passages of mucus, pollutants, pollens and allergens. It also has been shown to reduce inflammation and moisturize nasal passages.

You can buy nasal irrigation solution, distilled or sterile water at any pharmacy. The solution usually comes in a dry powder to be mixed with the distilled or sterile water. Alternately, a simple home recipe for a saline solution is 1/8 teaspoon of non-iodized table salt dissolved in 8 ounces of lukewarm (body temperature) water. Use of boiled, distilled, or sterile water is important to ensure elimination of any bacteria or other pathogens.

How often should you use nasal lavage? Anywhere between 1 and 7 times per day is safe. It makes sense to use it after outdoor activities or at the end of the day to clear your nasal passages of any pollen or pollutants you’ve encountered during the day, at the very least.

It’s important to wash your neti pot or squeeze bottle with hot water and soap after every use to avoid bacteria or fungal growth. Dry it thoroughly with a paper towel to avoid contamination from kitchen or bathroom towels. Never share your neti pot or squeeze bottle with other people.

Wearing a mask

I know, I know. I can hear you all groaning already. But hear me out. The reason we experience allergy symptoms after being outdoors is due to millions of nearly invisible particles floating through the air and entering our nasal passages, eyes and lungs. Wearing a mask will prevent most of those particles from ever creating a problem in the first place. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?

Wash your face

Sometimes, this is all that is needed to make a big difference in how you feel. Time in the garden, on the soccer field, or walking on the trail allow particles to adhere to our skin, eyelashes and inside our noses – they may not bother you immediately, but after a few hours of exposure, you may find you get stuffy, itchy, and sneezy. Wash your face right after you come in and you may save yourself some discomfort.

Oolong tea

Several years ago, I read “The Allergy Solution,” by Dr. Leo Galland. I was surprised about some research he mentioned regarding oolong tea being used as a remedy in Japan for allergies. In addition, a study published in 2001, showed that people who drank oolong tea showed significant improvement in eczema that persisted despite use of standard medical treatments. Eczema and nasal allergy symptoms have similar mechanisms, so it makes sense that oolong might help nasal allergies as well. In addition, oolong tea has also been shown to reduce allergic symptoms in rats.

I have been drinking oolong tea for about 4 years to help with my own allergy symptoms and find it incredibly helpful. I have my first cup when I wake up and within minutes, my nasal passages are clear. I usually get by with one cup, but as the tree pollen worsens in the spring, I generally need 2-3 cups per day. The traditional treatment is 4 cups per day – a teabag steeped in boiling water for 5 minutes. I prefer organic Chinese oolong, which I have found at my local healthfood store and online.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a flavonoid found in fruit, vegetables, herbs and wine. It has been shown to reduce inflammation and histamine in some studies. Histamine is the compound that is released and causes us to itch, sneeze, and get congested when we have an allergic reaction. While some people use histamine for seasonal allergies with good results, we don’t have enough good scientific research to recommend it without hesitation. However, quercetin is generally safe, and if you want to give it a try, 500 mg twice daily would be the dose. Otherwise, increasing your intake of fruits and vegetable that are high in quercetin would be beneficial for your overall health and may help your allergies. These include cooked apples, cooked onions, red wine, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, and berries.

Local Honey

Local honey has become a very popular method used to address seasonal allergies. The thought is that the small amounts of pollen in honey cause a response similar to allergy shots and desensitize people to allergens. However, this theory does not appear to translate to clinical benefit in most research and results have been mixed. One interesting study showed that people who used honey in conjunction with loratadine 10 mg didn’t have any better improvement in their symptoms versus loratadine alone. However, those who used honey with the loratadine had relief from allergies which lasted for at least 4 weeks after discontinuation of the loratadine and the honey. Clearly, more research needs to be done in this area. Honey is generally recognized as safe and if you would like to enjoy some local honey to see if it helps your allergies, feel free to do so. Just remember, never give honey to infants under 1 year of age due to the risk of botulism – a bacterial infection that could be deadly.

To sum it up, seasonal allergies or allergic rhinitis can be problematic for many people this time of year. Over-the-counter and prescription medications or allergy shots (desensitization) can be helpful for many people but may have unwanted side effects. Prevention of symptoms by simple nasal lavage, face washing, and mask wearing may be all you need to do to get some relief and lessen need for other treatment. If you have mild to moderate allergy symptoms, some of these other remedies I discussed today may make a difference for you. Best of luck, let me know if you have any questions, and may you breathe easy!

Medication Free Ways to Treat Back Pain

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:13 GMT

There are so many ways to manage back pain and other types of muscle or joint pain without medication. Top 3 tips include:

1. Staying “Square.”
So much of back pain is due to poor alignment as we go throughout our day, whether it involves putting on shoes, picking a pencil off the floor or getting into the car.It’s important to face your object “head-on” (or “back-on”), keeping yourself straight ahead before you bend your knees to pick up a pencil, grab something out of a cabinet or sit down in the car.

When you are twisted in any way and then bend or reach, you strain your back and increase the odds that you will injure yourself.

“Stay Square,” and you can help keep your back healthy and pain-free!

2. Nutritional Supplements

SAM-e (s-adenosylmethionine) has been studied extensively for arthritis pain and has been shown to be quite safe and well tolerated in studies lasting up to 2 years. SAM-e has been shown to be as effective as aspirin, ibuprofen or other NSAIDs at relieving pain from arthritis. The usual starting dose is 400 mg daily, and it is safe in amounts up to 1600 mg per day. Most of my patients don’t need to go beyond 800 mg daily. It is best taken on an empty stomach, but it’s ok to take with food if you need to. SAM-e is generally well-tolerated, but side effects may occur at higher doses. Common side effects include stomach upset, nervousness, and loss of appetite. It should be avoided if you are pregnant, or take medications for Parkinson’s disease, depression or anxiety, unless guided by your physician.

3. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine
Osteopathic manipulative medicine, OMM, is hands-on care. It involves using the hands to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness or injury. With OMM, Dr. Cremin applies a very gentle and calming approach to subtly realign the bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues to encourage the body’s innate healing response. Patients have described the treatments as similar to a gentle massage and generally find them relaxing. It is even safe during pregnancy. Learn more about Osteopathy .

Treat Gout Holistically

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:12 GMT

Prevent and Manage Gout Without Medication

Did you know that over 9 million people in the United States suffer from gout? That amounts to about 4 out of every 100 people! But if you have a family history of gout, your risk goes up to 1 out of every 5! If you or someone you know has gout, you know the pain can be debilitating and gout “attacks” can be set off by the simplest of things, such as one beer too many, or a nice steak dinner. The typical treatments of gout include anti-inflammatory medications, such as colchicine, or uric acid lowering medication, such as allopurinol, but studies have shown that any anti-inflammatory medication can help. These include naproxen or ibuprofen.

Luckily, there are many ways to prevent and manage gout without medication. Top 3 tips include:

1. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

The medical community used to recommend a diet low in purines to help prevent gout attacks. Research over the years has shown that is no longer a necessary approach, although some foods which are high in purines are known to be more likely to bring about a gout attack by increasing the amount of uric acid in our blood streams.

Some simple approaches you can take to reduce the risk of gout or a gout attack include:

Maintaining a healthy weight and lose weight if that is appropriate for you
Drink at least 48 ounces of water daily – that means 6 medium sized glasses each day, at minimum
Avoid red meat and organ meats, such as liver. They are very high in purines which is are converted to uric acid in the body and can result in a gout attack.
Avoid most seafood for the same reason. If you like seafood, which has so many wonderful health benefits – stick to cold water fish, such as sardines, anchovies, and salmon in small amounts.
Drink coffee! 2 cups per day has been shown to help reduce the risk of a gout attack. It doesn’t have to be caffeinated to work, decaf is fine, as well.
Eat cherries! 10-20 cherries each day has been shown to reduce gout attacks by 35%-50%. The same benefit is seen by drinking cherry juice – 2-4 ounces every day should do the trick.

2. Nutritional Supplements

Quercetin is a flavonoid found in fruit, vegetables, herbs and wine. It has been shown to reduce inflammation and uric acid. Quercetin is generally safe, and if you want to give it a try, 500 mg twice daily would be the dose. Otherwise, increasing your intake of fruits and vegetable that are high in quercetin would be beneficial for your overall health and may help reduce the risk of gout attacks. Foods high in quercetin include cooked apples, cooked onions, broccoli, green beans, asparagus, and berries.

Bromelain is a group of enzymes found in pineapple. It is used to reduce inflammation and has been shown to reduce gout attacks as well.

3. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Osteopathic manipulative medicine, is hands-on care. With osteopathy, Dr. Cremin applies a very gentle and calming approach to subtly realign the bones, joints, muscles, and connective tissues to encourage the body’s innate healing response. Patients have described the treatments as similar to a gentle massage and generally find them relaxing. How can it help gout? OMM is known to help with overall health and well-being, improving blood flow and flow of nutrients in the body, which may help reduce flares and may help improve symptoms during a flare. Book An Appointment

Treat Your Anxiety Naturally

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:11 GMT

You don’t have to live with those feelings of stress

and anxiety

Here are a few simple ways to help yourself feel a little better: 

Make Yourself a Priority.

Most of us are extremely busy during the normal course of our days! Taking care of family, home, and working or volunteer activities don’t leave much time for us to take care of ourselves. Focusing the vast majority of time caring for others can leave us feeling depleted, tired, weak, and stressed. But finding even just a few moments each day to relax, refocus and re-energize can often make all the difference. We wouldn’t expect our cars to run without gas in the tank, so why do we expect it of ourselves? Think about the things you enjoyed before all of your adult commitments – was it reading? Painting? Spending time in nature? Playing with your dog? Having coffee with a friend? The key is to schedule some of these into your day – even just 5 minutes can feel like a mini-vacation if you do an activity that replenishes your soul. Maybe you need to put a 10 minute walk around your garden or street after the kids get on the bus, or around campus after you park at work. Maybe keep some adult coloring books in your desk to grab for 10 minutes when you’re on a call or at lunch. Pick something simple, commit to it and you will see benefits in no time!

Relaxation techniques.

Mental focus is what all relaxation techniques have in common. Meditation, yoga, guided imagery, breathing exercises and biofeedback are all techniques to help the mind focus away from stressful situations and events in our lives, allowing us to breath freely for a few moments and face our lives with a renewed sense of calm and peacefulness. Trying any one of these techniques may help reduce daily feelings of stress, anxiety and worry. The key is consistent practice. Find an approach you enjoy, and stick to it.

Proper Protein Balance.

Our brains require a continuous supply of glucose in order to function properly. Low blood sugar causes symptoms of anxiety, shakiness, heart palpitations, and even sweating. Adding more fiber and protein to your diet may help you maintain more even energy levels, keep your blood sugar under more stable control, and reduce your feelings of anxiety on a day-to-day basis. Eating high protein, high fiber, low fat foods at meals and snacks will help keep your blood sugar levels stable. You may find just adding some high-protein granola or protein powder to your morning oatmeal or smoothie helps your mood throughout the entire day. In addition, choosing yogurt or a protein energy bar instead of sweets or chips for your afternoon snack may help as well.

Exercise.

Did you know that regular exercise can be just as effective as medication or counseling to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression? Exercise increases natural endorphins, or “feel-good” hormones, and the levels of several other hormones in the body that affect mood, including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Walking has been found to help a variety of physical conditions, is inexpensive, and can be done anywhere, at any time. Make a walking date with a friend, your family, or alone, and you’ll get the benefits of social interaction, and nature, as well. Regular exercise may even help you lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, and blood sugars, if you have diabetes. Try something simple, such as walking for about 30 minutes 3-5 days each week. If you only have time for a 5 minute walk, that’s ok! All that matters is that you just get moving.

You don’t have to live with those feelings of stress and anxiety. There are so many simple ways to feel better. If you need help, Dr. Tonya Cremin is a board-certified family physician in Monroe, CT, who can help you determine the best ways for you to feel better. Dr. Cremin focuses on natural approaches to healing, including lifestyle and nutrition changes, herbal and dietary supplements, acupuncture, biofeedback, and osteopathic treatment. Dr. Cremin spends time getting to know you to find the right path to healing for you. To learn more about Dr. Cremin, give the office a call at 203-445-9060 or contact us via email .

Sciatica: What a Pain in the *(%$!

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:10 GMT

Managing Your SCIATICA

Sciatica is a common condition that affects up to 40% of people during their lifetime. It causes pain radiating along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the buttocks down each leg. In most cases, sciatica affects only one side of the body and can range from mild discomfort to severe pain.

Avoid combining motions such as twisting and bending at the same time , what I like to call “staying square.” When we twist and bend at the same time, we torque the spine and sacrum. If we spend a lot of time like this, the sacrum can get stuck in a position that places pressure on the sciatic nerve. The result is often sciatic symptoms, including pain in the buttocks and thigh. When bending to pick something off the floor, face it and bend or squat down to get it without twisting.

Keep your legs aligned throughout the day and when sleeping. When standing, avoid leaning on one leg. Instead, place your feet hip distance apart, and bend your knees slightly. This will keep your spine & sacrum aligned. When lying in bed, keep both legs folded up or extended out to avoid creating any type of twist in your spine and sacrum. Sleeping with a pillow between your knees helps keep your spine even straighter when on your side in bed.

Back up to sit in a vehicle, then keep your legs together and twist your whole body to get to the desired position. Do the reverse when getting out of a vehicle.

Don’t cross your legs! This is a big one! We learn to cross our legs from a very young age. Crossing our legs torques our spine & sacrum. This creates the perfect condition for sciatica to develop. If you have a hard time breaking this habit, cross your feet at the ankles instead.

Managing sciatica involves both self-care measures and sometimes professional treatment.

Maintaining good posture and regular exercise (such as walking) are cornerstones to healing sciatica. In addition, heat or cold on the low back may give you some relief.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can also help manage symptoms. One is not better than the next. Use whatever works for you.

Reclined Butterfly Pose / Frog Legs Position. This position can be a lifesaver when your sciatica is acting up. It softens the ligaments and muscles around the sacrum which hold it in the painful position. The butterfly/frog legs pose removes pressure on the sciatic nerve and relieves pain.

To get into Reclined Butterfly/Frog Legs, lie on your back on the floor or a firm surface. Bend your knees up and put the soles of your feet together. Let your knees flop out and relax.

If there is too much strain on your back or knees, you can tuck pillows under your knees for added support. Lie in this position for 3-5 minutes, at least once and up to 3 times every day.

Osteopathic treatment is just what the doctor ordered if you need help managing sciatica. Osteopathic treatment involves gentle pressure to realign bones, muscles and connective tissue (fascia). The principles of osteopathy are based on the body’s ability to heal itself, and treatments are designed to support and enhance this natural process.

When treating sciatica, Dr. Cremin will perform a complete exam to determine the root cause of your pain. This includes evaluating your posture, mobility, spinal alignment, and complete medical history. Dr. Tonya Cremin will then develop a personal treatment plan for you. This plan will take into account your activity level and goals. Book Your Appointment Now

Lose Weight with Lifestyle Medicine

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 18:52:08 GMT

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

It’s All About Balance

Forget the guilt-tripping and calorie counting. Lifestyle medicine encourages a balanced approach to nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. It’s about finding what works for you and embracing the joy of nourishing your body with wholesome foods, moving in ways that make you feel alive, and prioritizing rest and relaxation.

Say Goodbye to Crash Diets

Adios, crash diets! Lifestyle medicine is here for the long haul. Instead of hopping on the latest trend, focus on making sustainable changes that you can maintain for life. It’s like planting seeds of wellness that gradually blossom into a vibrant garden of health.

Move Your Body, Find Your Groove

Exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment. Whether it’s dancing in your living room, going for a hike in nature, or trying out a new yoga class, find activities that bring you joy. Movement is medicine, and when you find your groove, it doesn’t feel like a chore – it feels like a celebration of what your body can do.

Mindfulness Matters

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle. But taking time to slow down and practice mindfulness can work wonders for your health. Whether it’s through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply taking a moment to savor your morning cup of tea, mindfulness helps reduce stress and promote overall well-being.

Community Connection

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and there’s truth to that. Surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family who share your wellness journey can make all the difference. Whether it’s swapping healthy recipes, going for walks together, or simply sharing a good laugh, community connection adds an extra layer of joy to your lifestyle medicine journey.

Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Nobody’s perfect, and that’s perfectly okay. Instead of striving for an unattainable ideal, celebrate the progress you make along the way. Every healthy meal, every workout, every moment of self-care is a step in the right direction. So, be kind to yourself, embrace your journey, and celebrate the small victories along the way.

In conclusion, lifestyle medicine is not just a prescription for health – it’s a celebration of life. By embracing balance, sustainability, joy, and community connection, you can embark on a journey that nourishes your body, mind, and soul. So, here’s to living life to the fullest – one wholesome meal, one joyful workout, and one mindful moment at a time!

Learn More About Lifestyle Medication for Weight Loss - Book Your Appointment Now