I decided to write today's blog post on some recent success stories that I have seen happen right before my eyes in my very own office. It is these moments that make everything I do, research, and fight for worth every moment of work. I often have patients come into my office when they have been told that they have to live with whatever symptom or condition they have because western medicine has no solution for them. These are the cases where I need to delve deep and look into the physiology of the body to address the root cause of the issue. I can confidently say, every time I do this, we see progress and improvement.  In some cases things completely resolve! Yes, these patients who have been told that there is no solution and have to live with whatever is plaguing them actually get better and in some cases their symptoms completely resolve! It is amazing and the most wonderful feeling on both of our counts.  

I had a patient that had been emotionally suffering with severe anxiety that was debilitating and had been taking over their life for years. They could no longer deal with the side effects from the anti-anxiety medications and decided they wanted to go the natural route. I not only offered nutritional, and supplemental support but more importantly, I offered my patient emotional support. An outlet for them to vent, express their worry and fears, and a safe environment for them to work through their thoughts. When I saw them only a few short months later, and they were so much more emotionally stable, they no longer need to take their medication and they were maintaining with safe, natural remedies, I couldn't help but share in tears of joy with them. Where there was once no hope, now lies a future of endless possibility and they have gained the tools to work through things when the going gets tough. 

The second case I wanted to share was a skin case. These cases can be difficult and stubborn and can sometimes take even years to resolve. This is because skin things are never actually 'skin' things. Often times when someone has eczema, psoriasis, hives, rashes etc. it indicates that something is going on with either their liver, kidneys, or digestive tract. Often times stress and the adrenal glands can also play a role in this. My patient had severe eczema and had been suffering with it for over 10 years. It had been spreading and getting worse. When they first came to me, they had tried conventional medicine, and also some natural remedies that they had read about. The problem with self prescribing is sometimes the products are not the right ones for you and sometimes the dosing may be incorrect and inefficient. We had to go back to the foundation to address the root of the issue. We started with dietary changes and some supplements to clear up the digestive tract, decrease inflammation and heal the gut lining.  We also did a detox of the liver and kidneys. These are two of our most important organs of elimination. Often times if they are sluggish or over burdened they don't function optimally and then our body will push toxins out of the skin. Adrenal support and some additional vitamins were added in to address stress and cortisol release. After just one month of implementing this treatment protocol the patient returned for a follow up visit and the results were incredible. The eczema was 90% gone! Their skin was clear and soft in areas that had been rough, red and flaky for years. My patient could not believe the results. They were so very happy and so was I. I believe in everything I do and when I see other people experience the amazing things that can happen when they follow treatment protocols it is such a rewarding and exciting feeling.  

Health conditions don't always improve over night. This is something that I spend a lot of time educating my patients about. We live in a society where we are used to instant gratification. When it comes to dealing with your health and addressing issues that have been long standing, you need to be patient and work hard. Often times life style changes need to be made and that isn't always easy, but it is always doable.  I offer as much support as I possibly can and encourage my patients along the way to keep them motivated and empowered.  In the beginning, patients need to trust me and really follow what I tell them, then once they begin to experience the effects and see symptoms improve, naturopathic medicine really speaks for itself! 

I, with the help of the earth's wonderful natural remedies, help people feel better and healthier everyday and that is why I love my job!   

Oh the good old flu...did you know that yearly outbreaks cost employers about 10.5 billion dollars in health care and absenteeism? Not only is this a huge financial burden on the company but on top of that you are at home feeling absolutely terrible! I am here to share some tips on how you can prevent getting the flu before it can even rear it's ugly head in your household.

1. Eliminate or decrease sugar intake- did you know that 75 to 100 grams of sugar (which is how much is in two 12oz pop cans) can actually decrease the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40% for up to 5 hours!!!!!

2. Eat lots of fruits and veggies- they are full of antioxidants and immune boosters- the more variety of bright colours the better. Also try to drink lots of water and add lemon to it when possible. This helps to flush toxins from the system and supports liver detox as well

3. Wash hands- In order for hand washing to be effective you must scrub your hands for 20 seconds because that's how long it takes to dislodge and remove stubborn germs (sing the Happy Birthday' song 2x) 

4. Get plenty of rest- It is important to sleep for at least 8 hours a night if possible. Sleep is when the body repairs itself and replenishes the immune system

5. Supplements- be preventative! Take your daily Vitamin D (immune modulator), probiotic (fills the gut with good bacteria so bad bacteria can't come in), echinacea (at the onset of symptoms take to help support healthy immune function and decrease duration of symptoms)....there are many more supplements and herbs that can be taken both before and during the flu--- ask your naturopathic doctor for more individualized support.

Quick reference to help you differentiate between the Flu and the common Cold:

Symptoms                                      Cold                                               Flu
Fever                                               Rarely or occasionally                    Common, high (39-40C) starts suddenly lasts 3-4 days
Headache                                        Sometimes but not severe             Common and can be severe
Muscle Aches                                  Sometimes but usually mild           Common and can be severe
Fatigue                                            Rarely, but usually mild                  Common, severe and may last 2-3 weeks
Sneezing & Nasal Congestion        Common                                         Sometimes
Coughing & Chest Discomfort         Mild to moderate discomfort          Common and can be severe

Naturopathic doctors are highly educated primary care physicians with a minimum of 7 years post secondary education. In addition to a university degree, naturopathic doctors must undergo 4 rigorous years of training at an accredited naturopathic medical school. In Canada, there are 2 of these schools, The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, Ontario and Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine in Vancouver, British Columbia. Rest assured we have all the necessary training to make sure you get the best possible care! 

It's January. A new year is upon us that holds so much promise, excitement and hope. I love January because it signals new beginnings. It gives us the opportunity to let go of things in the past that we may be brooding over or holding on to and it allows us to move forward and make changes. People use this new beginning as a time to resolve to do, or not do, certain things within the year. I think resolutions are great, as long as they are within reason, practical and people try to maintain their resolution past the month of January. For most people, January is a month to get back to health and wellness.  They are feeling guilty about things they may have eaten and drank over the holidays and so they use this new beginning as a way to start over and move on from the guilt. I think this is great, but the problem is that motivation to be healthy seems to be lost once February arrives. What are some ways we can ensure that our new years resolution to be healthy lasts the whole year? I have thought of 5 ways we can try to make sure we stay motivated all year long.

1. Set goals that are within reason. It is not reasonable to say you are 'never' going to eat this or 'never' going to drink that. Instead try to decrease the amount of unhealthy foods you are eating or maybe set up a cheat day so that you aren't completely depriving yourself, which will only make it harder to sustain

2. Try to incorporate more "I can's" or "I will's". Instead of focusing on all the things you can't have focus on some things you should be having. For example try to have one more fruit everyday or 1 more veggie. Increase how much water you are drinking by one glass every week. Small but manageable changes.

3. Set up a fitness routine that you know you will be able to follow. Instead of going to the gym every single day for 2 hours and only doing that for the month of January because you realize you actually don't have that much time every day or you are just burning yourself out, try to set yourself up with a half hour a day routine- 20 min of cardio followed by some weights, or maybe aim for 3 days a week if everyday is just not doable.

4. Focus on yourself and stop comparing yourself to other people. This just makes you feel down which is also very demotivating. The race is long and in the end, it is only with yourself. So stay focused, stay positive and most important stay proud and confident!

5. See a naturopathic doctor. I'm not just saying this because I am one. But seriously seeing a naturopath will help you focus your goals and address the ailments you want to address. We provide guidance and support to help you reach and maintain your goals. We provide diet advice, supplement recommendations and lifestyle counselling to help address the root of your issues and make reaching your goals that much more realistic.  Most importantly we emphasize prevention so that you don't have to get to that place you don't want to be. 

I look forward to seeing you! Let's make 2015 THE year!