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The Natural Way

4/27/2017

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It has been a while since I wrote a blog explaining naturopathic medicine, what it is, how it works, and what exactly I can do for YOU. So I decided to take some time today to do one of the things I love most about naturopathic medicine, teach.  I will teach you about this safe, gentle, alternative medicine, or just refresh your memory if you are already familiar with naturopathic medicine.  

I have been practicing naturopathic medicine for 6 1/2 years. What first drew me to this profession was my experience as a student while working as a pharmacy technician. I would see so many people coming in for countless amounts of medications. They would start with one medication and then end up on several more because they had to try to treat the side effect from the previous medication. I started to believe there had to be another solution out there. There had to be a way to help our bodies heal themselves without putting endless amounts of poisons in to our system. That is when I rediscovered naturopathic medicine. I say rediscovered because my mom had taken me to a naturopathic doctor when I was only 12 so I already knew the profession existed I just never realized how amazing it really was.  

The main principal of naturopathic medicine is treating the root cause of disease. Doesn't matter what condition or symptoms walk through my door, my mind is always searching for the underlying issue at hand. Symptoms are our body's way of communicating with us. I often describe them to patients as lights on the dash board of a car. The lights tell us there is a problem. Then it is our job to go and figure out where the problem is coming from, what it is and fix it. We can always just turn the light off, pretend it isn't on and that all is ok, but that would be a band aid solution. Even though we can't see the symptoms the underlying problem is still there. This is often times how medications can be used. Thus, years later the problem only gets worse because the root cause was never actually addressed and treated.  Now we end up with a whole host of other issues that we need to resolve.  Don't get me wrong I am in no way against using medications. There is definitely a time and place where we need them and are very blessed to have them. But it is their misuse that can cause a lot of problems for people.

My job as your naturopathic doctor is to find out the underlying cause of your symptoms and then put together an individualized plan for you. Every person is different so there is never one treatment for all. We all have different genetic make ups, that means we metabolize things differently, we react to things differently and it is important to keep that in mind at the time of treatment. Also things like environment, life style, diet all will play a role in determining your treatment plan. 

Another important fundamental of naturopathic medicine is treating the body as a whole. Our mind and body are connected. All of our organs work together and depend on one another. Therefore, it is important to treat all aspects of the body not just the one system where the symptoms may be presenting. There are lots of examples I have for this.  One is skin problems.  They often don't require treatment of the skin directly at all. I actually focus on treating the organs of detoxification, the liver, the kidneys, the bowels. These are our major organs of elimination. If our body cannot excrete toxins through one of these proper means, it is so smart, it will push them out through the next easiest way which is the skin. It has such a large surface area so it is a simple way to get things out.  This may present as eczema, psoriasis, hives, rashes, etc. I often tell patients I don't need you to come in with a diagnosis in order for me to help you. Conventional medicine works on the basis of a diagnosis equals the drug that is prescribed. Instead naturopathic medicine is based on the figuring out the physiology behind the disease state. The symptoms give us clues as to what system is affected and then we are able to treat those organ systems to help the body heal. 

I spend lots of time with my patients. I love to teach them about their body, and how smart it is. I teach them about their conditions, their symptoms or their disease state. I explain their blood work to them. I explain how and why they are taking the medications and supplements they are taking. Our body has the ability to heal itself. Sometimes it gets sluggish and overburdened and so it needs help. It is our job to support this amazing natural ability it has and guide it back to health. 

Treatments I offer include diet and nutrition plans, vitamins, herbs, homeopathics, acupuncture, Asian medicine, cupping, hydrotherapy (also have training in massage therapy, physical therapy and chiropractic manipulation but I often refer out for those services). As I mentioned before it is really important to me that my patients follow through with treatment plans so I make sure we work together to set up a plan that works for their lifestyle and their finances. I like to keep an open, honest relationship with patients so that we can make this work for them. My goal is to help my patients reach their health goals and resolve their symptoms not only by treating their symptoms but by treating the underlying cause of that symptom so that it is permanently resolved.  I support them every step of the way and motivate them if they should begin to struggle. 

The end results are so rewarding for me. I love being able to make a difference in the lives of patients that have been told they will just have to live with it, that there is no solution for them, that no one knows what they have. Naturopathic medicine is such a wonderful, time tested medicine. Unfortunately OHIP does not cover naturopathic medicine visits. But fortunately many third party insurance plans now offer coverage for the visits..YAY! 

Hope you were able to get a better grasp on what naturopathic medicine is and how it can be the solution that you have been looking for to reach your optimal health!

Dr. Claudia Truglia, BSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor
Stoney Creek Natural Wellness Center
50 King St. W
Stoney Creek, On
drtruglia@gmail.com
(905)906-9097
​stoneycreekwellness.ca
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Love your Liver!

4/19/2017

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Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It is a filter, responsible for metabolizing and detoxifying everything you breathe, ingest and essentially anything that comes into contact with your skin.  That means it is constantly working and working hard. On top of being our major detoxifying organ our liver also has lots of other jobs to do. It plays a role in hormone break down, cholesterol production, blood sugar regulation, bile production (to metabolize fats) and much more. That means that if the liver is not functioning optimally you will often have lots of signs and symptoms that start to arise.  Treatment and detoxification of the liver should be the first step in treating high cholesterol, diabetes, hormonal issues, infertility, digestive issues, skin problems, allergies, neurological disorders and several other diseases/illnesses. Often times a sluggish liver can be the root of the issue at hand.  The environment, alcohol, medications and stress can all contribute to damaging and overburdening the liver.  In order to be preventative, it is a good idea to do a liver detox, with both food and supplements, at least twice a year (usually fall and spring) in order to reboot and support this important organ. Below are some foods and supplements that support a healthy liver. 

Foods That Support the Liver:
Lemon water
Green leafy vegetables (arugula, kale, dandelion, spinach, chicory) 
Garlic
Beets and carrots 
Green tea
Avocados
Olive oil 
Turmeric
Cruciferous vegetables (ie. broccoli and cabbage)

Supplements/Herbs That Support the Liver: 
L- taurine
Milk thistle 
NAC (N-acetyl cysteine)
Curcumin (found in turmeric)
EGCG (found in green tea)
Dandelion
Alpha Lipoic Acid  

Signs and Symptoms Your Liver Isn’t Functioning Optimally
If you have recently noticed any of the symptoms listed below, you could be suffering from impaired liver function. It is particularly important to consider these symptoms if you identify with one or more of the risk factors mentioned above.
  • Bloating and gas
  • Acid reflux and heartburn
  • Constipation
  • Skin and/or eyes that are yellowish (a symptom of jaundice)
  • Inability to lose weight
  • High blood pressure
  • Moodiness, anxiousness, or depression
  • Dark urine
  • Rosacea 
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Excessive sweating
  • Bruise easily
  • Poor appetite
https://draxe.com/liver-cleanse/

It is always best to do any detox under the guidance and support of a health care practitioner. Supplements that target liver function can affect how your liver metabolizes (breaks down) other medications so it is important to ensure that nothing you are taking interacts with any of your supplements or herbals.  Check in with your naturopathic doctor and start loving your liver today. 

Dr. Claudia Truglia B.Sc, N.D
Naturopathic Doctor
Stoney Creek Natural Wellness Center
50 King St. West
Stoney Creek, Ontario
L8G 1H8
(905)906-9097
www.stoneycreekwellness.ca
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Magnesium= My Favourite Mineral

4/5/2017

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If I had to choose my favourite mineral supplement right at this moment my answer would be magnesium! This one mineral is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. That's right...over 300!! That means that if you are deficient, none of those reactions are happening properly. No wonder you start to feel all kinds of symptoms.  Magnesium deficiency can also be linked to hormone imbalance and PMS, fibromyalgia, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, constipation, tension or migraine headaches, anxiety and depression and chronic fatigue, just to name a few. 

Magnesium is a muscle relaxant. This makes it successful at treating anxiety, muscle spasms or twitches, sleep, headaches/migraines, high blood pressure and constipation just to name a few.  I have had such great feedback with patients when using magnesium for all these different ailments.  I personally take it every night before bed and I love it! 

Do you ever crave chocolate? Menstruating women often report craving chocolate as a result of PMS. Chocolate is actually high in magnesium which means that chocolate cravings could be a sign of a magnesium deficiency. Other foods that are magnesium rich include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas, dried fruit and more. Because our soil and therefore food is not as nutrient dense as it once was, we may not be able to get high enough quantities of magnesium solely through diet. Therefore, supplementation is often necessary. 

So what's the downfall of taking magnesium? Nothing really. At most if you take too much magnesium you may end up with some diarrhea as the body tries to excrete whatever it cannot absorb. Nothing to worry about. All you need do is make sure you are taking a well absorbed form of magnesium or decrease the dose and build up to a higher dose. However, be aware that not all magnesium supplements are absorbed the same way. One of the best absorbed supplements is magnesium bisglycinate.  The magnesium is bound to 2 organic glycine molecules making it easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Another bonus is that glycine is an amino acid that can cross the blood brain barrier and actually helps decrease anxiety.  

After reading above, do you think you may have a magnesium deficiency? I've read stats estimating up to 80% of Americans are deficient, so most likely you do! To learn more about this unique mineral, the dose you would require and how it can help lead you to optimal health, book your appointment with me today!

Dr. Claudia Truglia BSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor
50 King St W, Stoney Creek, ON
drtruglia@gmail.com
(905)906-9097
stoneycreekwellness.ca
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    Dr. Claudia Truglia

    I am a naturopathic doctor with a passion to help motivate and encourage people to feel healthy. My favourite part of my job, aside from watching people become healthier and happier before my eyes, is educating my patients. I love being able to spend enough time with patients that I can teach them how amazing the human body is and every part of our body ties into the next. It is so fascinating how our bodies have the ability to heal themselves and I love to watch people stare at me in awe as I start to make all of their health concerns make sense to them. It is the most rewarding feeling in the world to watch someone who is suffering so much come back and feel incredible after years and years of hopelessness. I love my job! It truly is my passion and my calling.

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