Camden Whole Health

11/15/2025

Important research specifying “optimal” blood levels for vitamin D3 supplementation to lower heart disease risk- greater than 40-80 ng/ml (which for most participants meant taking 5000 IU or more daily). This closely follows my recommendations (50-80 ng/ml) for patients, which can also lower the risk of MS and breast cancer. I start patients at 5000 IU in the winter and check after a month or so to make sure they are achieving an optimal level. Be aware that some local labs use 50 ng/ml as an upper limit of the reference range. This is insufficient and an old reference range. Current reference ranges have an upper limit of 80 to 100. We use Quest, which has the updated ranges. So if your doctor tells you you’re getting too much vitamin D because your levels are over 50, please share this research with them. If you’re an adult in Maine and you’re not supplementing vitamin D3, I guarantee you are at a suboptimal level. Of the thousands of vitamin D tests I have run on patients, I find the only individuals who have optimal levels who are not taking supplements are the children in the summertime. Get your D3 tested!

Research Highlights: Adults with heart disease prescribed vitamin D in doses tailored to reach blood levels considered optimal for heart health (>40-80 ng/mL) had a reduced risk of heart attack by more than half (52%) compared to those who did not...

05/20/2025

Dietarily I’ve been encouraging patients to get about 1.4 grams of protein per kg body weight to assist the body with repair and muscle maintenance. This is in line with recent research on longevity. But we also have to tell our body how to use that protein and direct it to muscles. This article reviews some of the research on dietary protein and taking small exercise breaks, or “snacktivities”, especially if you have a desk job. So don’t be surprised to see me throwing in some lunges and squats at the office ❤️

At the crossroads of trying to be more active, losing muscle to low fitness and age, and long stretches of sitting lies the importance of dietary protein.

04/29/2025

We are hiring! Check it out:

04/10/2025

Check your butter, Mainers, if you buy Cabot brand salted…

A recall was just announced on 1,700 pounds of butter sold in seven states due to “elevated levels of coliform.” Here’s what to know.

08/25/2024

Prior to this study coming out, I admit I didn’t recommend the flu vaccine to healthy adults, only to immune compromised individuals who had high potential for infection. This study and its precursors have changed my mind, especially for those with a family history of Alzheimers disease.

Reference Huo X, Finkelstein J. Pneumococcal vaccination lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease: a study utilizing data from the IBM® MarketScan® Database. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2024;31

08/25/2024

I often measure homocysteine in my patients as it can be a marker of Insufficient B12. It can also increase with inadequate magnesium. I aim for 9 or lower as this is a neurotoxic compound. Are you getting enough magnesium. Past studies have shown up to 70% of women over 40 deficient in magnesium. Craving dark chocolate? Might need magnesium!

New research has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders.

05/10/2024

Why do people seek out the care of a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND)?

🌱 Some patients are looking for optimal health - not just “normal” lab values or merely the absence of disease. NDs are trained to treat the whole person. This requires taking the time to listen and understand the genetic, environmental, and behavioral/lifestyle factors that can affect your health.

🌄 NDs understand there is no one-size-fits-all treatment that works for everybody. After your visit with an ND, you’ll leave the doctor’s office with a treatment plan uniquely tailored to you, your health status, your health goals, and your lifestyle.

🎯 Sometimes sleep problems, aches and pains, difficult skin rashes, and stomach discomfort are symptoms of an underlying illness. While these symptoms can be managed, it’s more important to understand and treat the root cause—which is the focus of naturopathic medicine.

💪🏽 An ND will help you learn what your body needs to get well and stay healthy. Patients have the opportunity to feel empowered and hopeful when they are actively engaged in managing their own health.

🔥 Pain that lasts six months or more is more complex than acute pain and requires a holistic, long-term approach. NDs are trained to determine which combination of therapies may work best to heal or manage your pain safely so that you can resume daily activities.

🌿 Certain chronic health conditions with symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, or gastrointestinal distress can be difficult to diagnose and treat. NDs use diagnostic tools common in conventional medicine (detailed health histories and targeted laboratory testing/imaging, etc.), but are also trained in holistic approaches for when those methods do not get to the root of the issue. These approaches can open doors to new treatment pathways and options.

👉 Find a naturopathic doctor near you at FindANaturalDoctor.com or bit.ly/FindAnND

04/30/2024

Free educational events coming up next week at
Camden Whole Health….

Tuesday, May 7 @ 7pm:

Understanding GLP-1 for Weight Loss, Blood Sugar, & Heart Health

Whether seeking lasting weight loss, optimal blood sugar levels and heart health for yourself or others, you've likely heard about GLP-1 agonist medications Ozempic® Zepbound® Mounjaro® Wegovy®. While they are making headlines... what isn't, but should be, is the need to evaluate and optimize your natural GLP-1 hormone, whether adding a medication or not.
But how to optimize GLP-1? Join Ashley Koff RD, founder of The Better Nutrition Program, and Deb Moskowitz ND, founder of Camden Whole Health, for an in-person discussion to help you identify your better next steps on your health journey.

Wednesday, May 8 @ 7pm:

Optimizing Blood Sugar with a CGMs (Continuous Glucose Monitors)

Sweet tooth, family history of diabetes, reactive hypoglycemia, athlete or just wanting to optimize and learn more about how blood sugar impacts health? Join Ashley Koff RD, founder of The Better Nutrition Program and Deb Moskowitz ND, founder of Camden Whole Health, for an in-person discussion to help you identify your better next steps on your health journey. Resources provided for CGMs and personalized coaching for
understanding your body's unique response to carbohydrates.

These conversations are appropriate for teenagers as well as adults
(please leave younger children and pets at home).
Attendance limited to 30.

Please email camdenwholehealth@gmail.com to get your name on the list.

Location is Camden Whole Health, 91 Elm Street, Camden, ME 04843 (parking lot is off Park street), we hope to see you there!

04/16/2024

The Maine Association of Naturopathic Doctors cordially invites you to join us for our annual continuing education event. This year we are offering a virtual attendance option for $75, available to anyone who wants to tune in but does not require continuing education credits. Patients, students, anyone looking to learn.

Learn from our star-studded line up, including:

Tori Hudson, ND: author of Women's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine and Menopause: Maintain Health And Vitality, who will be speaking on updates in the research and practice of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Heather Zwickey, PhD: a research Immunologist and Microbiologist as well as educator at several academic institutions, who will be speaking on the interconnections between the microbiome, mitochondrial health and the immune system

Jacob Schor, ND: a nationally renowned speaker and educator on naturopathic oncology, who will be speaking on checkpoint inhibitor therapy in cancer treatment and connections with the microbiome

Aimie Apigian, MD: author of The Biology of Trauma, who will be speaking on the physiologic impacts of the trauma response on the immune system and nervous system

MAND's own Corina Dunlap, ND speaking on thyroid health through the ages and Corrie Marinaro, ND speaking on approaches to treating long-COVID.

https://www.mand.org/annual-conference-2024

02/01/2024

A good reminder about the benefits of potassium for high blood pressure. Potassium rich foods include avocados and bananas and this article makes a case for a potassium salt substitute, like “No Salt” that can be found at our local grocery stores. Potassium is also a component of many electrolyte powders….just get the lower sodium ones. For those with kidney problems, please consult your doctor first.

Potassium-enriched salt may be the missing ingredient in hypertension guidelines, and this small change could have a significant impact on global high blood pressure control, experts suggest in a paper published in the American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension.

01/24/2024

I’ve had lots of discussions with patients lately about getting their protein levels up. Not only do we need proteins for the continual turnover and repair of our body, it is also important for neurotransmitter levels, blood cells, immune function, and so much more. As we age, not only do we have a harder time digesting proteins, we often eat less of them. This forces our body to go into triage mode…it is no wonder it impacts aging. Don’t make your body cannibalize itself (ie muscle wasting) in order to have enough…get enough through your diet.

Getting enough protein, particularly from plant sources, in middle age was associated with better physical function later in life.