By Quinn McCutcheon, Hom With the winter months, comes cold weather, and with that comes cold and flu season. Cold and flu viruses thrive with less humidity and in cold weather. When this season is in effect, think Homeopathy. Homeopathy helps assist the body to relieve symptoms and support the immune system to return back to optimal health. […]
By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Are you considering a new diet for 2018? You may want to reconsider. A lot of diets restrict nutrients, which are essential for bodily function or increase nutrients that are unhealthy in high amounts over long periods of time. Health is found in balance, not restriction (although balance can sometimes feel like restriction!) The perfect place to start is with the macronutrients: Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates. Learning how to balance macronutrients will get you on the path to feeling better in 2018! […]
Managing the Cold & Flu naturally is about prevention and quick acute care at the first sign of illness. It helps to be prepared with these cold & flu packaged waiting in your medicine cabinet. PreOrder your supplement packages ahead of time with us and receive 15% off. Prevention Package Deep Immune Herbal Tincture 250 ml Unda Muccoccinum Chaga Blend or NFH Mushroom Blend Acute Care Package First Defence Herbal Tincture 250 ml Douglas Labs Zinc Lozenge Viriditas gargle or NFH Ascorbatate Innate Wellness Botanicals Cold & Flu Tea
By Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND This is the time of year that many of my patients ask about cold & flu prevention. With the holidays on the horizon the pace of life, pressure and late nights are increasing, which can increase your chances of getting sick. There is a lot that you can do to help defend yourself from getting sick and if you do get sick, help to lessen the duration and severity of the symptoms. There are two categories to address when it comes to cold’s & flu’s: 1) Prevention is the stage that we keep the immune system strong in order to prevent getting sick. 2) Acute Care is the stage that you have the opportunity to nip it in the bud and avoid a long, drawn-out illness! We begin treatment at the first sign of getting sick. […]
By Liane Wansbrough, Holistic Nutritionist Cranberries typically make an appearance at the dinner table during the holidays in the form of sauce. Yet the berries, which come packed with great health benefits, can definitely serve as more than just a side dish. In season from September to December, you can find inexpensive fresh or frozen cranberries at most supermarkets. While the berries have lots of vitamin C and fiber, their high polyphenol content can also dial down inflammatory pathways, making them a great addition to any diet. Roasted cranberries add a bright burst of flavour that lends well to meat, poultry, vegetables and salads. Roasting makes use of the entire berry as opposed to cranberry juice, which doesn’t include skin or flesh. […]
By: Taya Griffin, IBCLC – Taya Griffin is a Toronto Based International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She prepares mothers for their breastfeeding journey in the prenatal period and provides in- home and hospital postpartum breastfeeding support. She can be reached at www.tayagriffin.com. The breastfeeding breast is amazing! Indications of the first changes it will go through begin as early as weeks into pregnancy. Breasts can feel tender and sore, the areola may darken and the Montgomery tubercles around the areola may become more raised. Many mothers also begin to see a crust-like formation on the nipples. This crusting is a minute amount of colostrum which is seeping out ever so slowly and drying on the tip of the nipple. Milk production doesn’t truly begin until the placenta is delivered. The progesterone and estrogen levels drop and milk production begins. After the milk has transitioned from colostrum to more mature milk, in and around the seventy two hour mark, one of the most common issues with breastfeeding breasts that I see as a Lactation Consultant (after sore nipples and low milk supply of course!) is blocked ducts. […]
By: Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND Self-breast examinations are a very important part of self-care, as women need to know what normal is so they can detect changes in the quality of their breast tissue. “Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.” John Hopkins medical center WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? “Normal” breast tissue will vary between women and change throughout the month due to the menstrual cycle. Note what your breast tissue feels like during the different stages of your cycle, as breast tissue is sensitive to hormonal fluctuations and can lead to breast tissue changes. Important changes to note and if any of the following are observed please seek medical evaluation: New lumps. Most breast lumps are not cancerous but should be examined by a medical professional for evaluation. Changes, irritation or redness in the breast tissue, skin and nipple Dimpling or thickening of the breast skin Discharge from the nipple […]
By: Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND It is not a stretch to say that health begins with what you eat. This is true of breast health and hormonal health in general. Changes in breast tissue from benign cysts to breast cancer have been linked to estrogen balance within the body or “estrogen dominance”. “Estrogen dominance” is a term used to describe a high ratio of estrogen to progesterone or just globally high estradiol (one of the three types of possible estrogen). Estrogen dominance has been linked to many different types of women’s health issues besides breast health including PMS symptoms, menopausal symptoms, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, allergies, decreased libido, fatigue, fibrocystic breasts, headaches, infertility, irritability, and fat gain around the abdomen and on the top of the thighs. In addition, studies have shown a well-established link between excess estrogen and breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical dysplasia. The good news is that hormones are affected by nutrition. Modifying specific dietary and lifestyle habits can help to keep hormones balanced! The following list includes nutrition habits that negatively impact healthy estrogen balance and healthy breasts. […]
Q & A with Melody Yeung, Registered Psychotherapist and Teacher Back to school brings up a lot of ‘stuff’ for parents and kids. When tackling these thoughts – it can be helpful to get a little help from the experts. We sat down with Registered Psychotherapist & School Teacher, Melody Yeung to ask how she can help. Melody, what are some of the most common back to school anxieties that children face? It is definitely common to have back-to-school jitters, and from my experience, teachers get it too! It is hard to go back to a structured routine after a relaxing and enjoyable summer. Some of the most common back-to-school anxieties include: Who will be my teacher? Will my new teacher be nice? Will my friends be in my class? Will anyone be my friend? Will I fit in? Are my clothes cool enough? What if something bad happens to mom and dad when I’m at school? […]
By Andy Di Santis, Registered Dietician The start of the school year can be a hectic time for families. Between pick-ups, drop offs, homework and extracurricular activities, you could hardly be blamed for being crunched for time on a regular basis. There’s no doubt that time management and priority setting are crucial activities at this time of year, and my hope is that healthy eating, including packing a healthy lunch for your child, finds its way close to the top of that priority list. I understand that this may be easier to say than to practically achieve. That’s where I come in! In today’s article I will breakdown how to plan out your child’s school lunches in a straightforward manner and give you some great healthy snack ideas to support a balanced diet and productive day for your kids. What does a balanced lunch box look like? As a nutrition professional, I believe your child’s lunch should be comprised of 3 primary components: […]
