Blog | Wellness Insights and Naturopathic Advice

Acupuncture for Allergies Package

It’s finally that time of year where April showers start turning into May flowers. It is also the beginning of Allergy Season, which for many of us is the start of dealing with symptoms such as runny nose, sinus congestion, itchy eyes, sore throats, headaches and possibly skin reactions. Treat your allergies with acupuncture!! Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture has been treating allergy symptoms for thousands of years with great success. Paired with dietary and lifestyle changes, acupuncture can help treat your symptoms but will have long lasting effect reducing the chance of any symptoms returning in the future. This year we are offering an Acupuncture for Allergies Package to help you nip your allergies in the bud (literally!). This includes: Initial acupuncture intake 3 follow-up acupuncture sessions Price $350 (save $50). *Additional sessions can be bought at our regular package rate of 3 sessions for $255. Please call our High Park or Annex location to book an appointment or for more information.

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-19T03:09:40-04:00April 5th, 2016|Allergies, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture|Comments Off

7 Secrets of Successful Skin Aging

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Glowing skin is often interpreted as a sign of “well-being” and “health” in humans. Many anti-aging strategies target our desires to appear young and healthy. Aging is a complex process with different organs aging at different rates. Yet, it is the skin that shows the first obvious marks of passing time. Aging skin is a normal process and ‘successul aging’ should focus on healthy and active participation in life. Preventative dermatology looks at delaying aging through a combination of methods. The goal is to achieve healthy, smooth, blemish-free, translucent and resilient skin OR to get the skin “looking better” but not younger per say. This is the realistic goal of anti-aging techniques that people need to understand. The following seven steps will help you to achieve your best skin and delay age-related changes. […]

By Dr. Kathleen Regan ND|2024-06-14T03:14:01-04:00April 5th, 2016|ND Editorial, Skin Hair & Nails|Comments Off

Natural Pregnancy Free Spring Lecture Series

Join us for our free Spring Lecture Series on Pregnancy. Each week, one of our practitioners will be speaking on their area of expertise. T Whether you are thinking about getting pregnant, are already pregnant or are preparing for delivery, complementary care can be a great support! Contact us at Innate Wellness Naturopathic Medical Centre to learn more! 416.760.9424. Sign up to reserve your spot - space is limited. If you are just thinking about pregnancy and are curious about fertility check our Free Spring Lecture Series on Fertility at our Annex Location Week 1: Naturopathic Support for Pregnancy and Beyond! with Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Dr. Kathleen Regan, Naturopathic Doctor Wednesday, May 4rd, 7-8pm, 5 Quebec Avenue, Toronto Dr. Regan offers naturopathic support for moms-to-be through nutritional counseling, herbal medicine, supplementation and acupuncture. Wondering how your nutrition requirements change throughout pregnancy? Which herbs are safe to take and which are not? Are all pregnancy vitamins created equal? Join Dr. Regan for a short talk and open Q & A on all your pregnancy questions. Week 2: The Pregnancy Diet—Healthy Eating for Mothers To Be with Liane Wansbrough, CNP Liane Wansbrough, Holistic Nutritionist Wednesday, May 11th, 7-8pm, 5 Quebec Avenue, Toronto Holistic Nutritionist Liane Wansbrough is passionate about good food and helping you understand why it’s important to feed yourself and your baby well. As a mother of two children, Liane found most information about eating for pregnancy overwhelmingly focused on the negative: avoid this, avoid that. Her approach to diet is to educate women about how to capitalize on the many positive things food can do to promote health at critical points during a baby’s development. Join Liane [...]

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-11T09:52:05-04:00March 1st, 2016|Fertility, Post Natal Care, Upcoming Events at Innate|Comments Off

Naturopathic Preconception Planning

By Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND Preconception is an important, but often overlooked step, in pregnancy preparation. Naturopathic preconception planning can improve chances of conceiving and help ensure a healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby. Ideally preconception work should begin one year, to a minimum of three months before desired conception. During this time the menstrual cycle and ovulation will be tracked, helping us understand when ovulation is occurring. Factors influencing the menstrual cycle will be addressed, along with general health and nutrition. A period of detoxification may be necessary for some. The following is a detailed outline of areas that will be addressed during Preconception Planning: […]

By Dr. Angelina Riopel ND|2024-09-26T07:24:05-04:00March 1st, 2016|Fertility, ND Editorial, Nutrition|Comments Off

Acupuncture, Fertility & Labor with Matthew Richardson, R.Ac.

Matthew Richardson, Registered Acupuncturist at Innate Wellness, High park, is an experienced acupuncturist who has spent a lifetime studying martial arts, Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. One thing many people don’t know about Matthew is his experience in fertility, pregnancy, labor and delivery. Wondering about how acupuncture can help fertility? Concerned about the labor and delivery process? Matthew has personal experience and many tips to help you conceive and deliver your baby on your terms! Matthew Richardson, Registered Acupuncturist Q1. For those of us that don’t know – what exactly is acupuncture and how does it work? This is the most common question I get, and the hardest one to answer. The textbook kind of answer is this : Acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medical practice that has been practiced, passed down and improved on for over 2000 years and involves the insertion of very thin sterile stainless steel needles into very specific points on the body. The stimulation of these points have the effect of regulating blood pressure, reducing pain, regulating the nervous system and promoting proper organ function. These combined effects are useful for treating any pain, symptom or disease of the body. Put simply though, acupuncture stimulates the body to heal itself. Health is a state of balance. Your best health comes from you, and acupuncture is the means by which we can improve the body’s function when it has lost balance. As a side note, when people ask me about acupuncture I often suggest they come in to experience a session. There is a look that people have when you ask them to do something they have never imagined themselves doing before [...]

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-11T10:09:48-04:00March 1st, 2016|Fertility, Innate Wisdom Practitioner Q&A, Post Natal Care, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Women's Wellness|Comments Off

The Damiana Chocolate Love Liquor

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND I am a huge fan of herbal medicine. And sometimes I like to have a little fun with special herbs! With Valentine’s Day around the corner I thought we might spice up your evening with a homemade remedy. This natural aphrodisiac is tasty and easy to prepare ahead of date night. Adapted by one of my favourite herbalists, Rosemary Gladstar in her Family Herbal book. The main medicinal ingredient is ‘Damiana’, a herb known to relieve anxiety, improve libido and treat erectile dysfunction or even female impotence. 1 Ounce of Damiana Leaves 2 Cups of Brandy 1.5 Cups of Spring Water 1 Cup of Honey Vanilla Extract Almond Extract Rose Water Chocolate Syrup […]

By Dr. Kathleen Regan ND|2024-07-22T08:35:43-04:00February 4th, 2016|Nutrition, Sexual Health|Comments Off

Healthy Heart Superfoods

‘Prevention is definitely the best medicine when it comes to heart health’. By Dr. Kathleen Regan, NDHealthy hearts are predicted by:Normal blood pressure (~120/80mmHG),Balanced lipid profile (Low Total Cholesterol, Low LDL, High HDL, Cholesterol Ratio)Body mass index between ~18 and 24.Cardio-vascular problems such as hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity are caused by a perfect storm of poor nutrition, high inflammation and poor immune function. Much of this can be avoided or even remedied with diet and lifestyle.Balanced consumption of carbohydrates, protein and fat feeds a hungry heart, fights inflammation and balances the immune system. Specific vitamins and minerals are required daily for the heart to function and most of these can be found in food. But what do these ‘heart friendly’ foods actually do to protect our hearts? Whether you are in wellness mode or struggling with cardiovascular issues, understanding how your foods work will help you to make the right choices. […]

By Dr. Kathleen Regan ND|2024-08-28T03:37:28-04:00February 4th, 2016|Cardiovascular Health, Nutrition|Comments Off

Innate Wisdom Q&A: Travel Tales and Inside Tips with Dr. Angelina Riopel

Get to know us better! Each month we interview one member of our wonderful team of practitioners to glean wisdom from their personal experiences. This month we will be talking with Dr. Angelina Riopel, co-founder and naturopathic doctor at Innate Wellness about a topic near and dear to her heart, travel! Dr. Riopel has travelled extensively through Central America, Central & Eastern Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia. What is your favourite naturopathic travel tip? Having just returned from a beach vacation, I will have to say sun protection. The concern being, how to enjoy the sun, get our vitamin D but avoid skin damage and the nasty toxins in sunscreen? In order to minimize the need for sunscreens avoid the direct sun for long periods of time. Wear a hat and try to stay under an umbrella while at the beach. Thankfully there are now many effective, natural and toxin-free sunscreens available. Drink Your Sunscreen! A diet high in plant nutrients and anti-oxidants have been found to protect the skin from burning and sun damage. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) one of the main active compounds in green tea has been found to not only protect skin from sun damage, but it has been found to heal sun damaged DNA, having an anti-cancer effect. Drink vegetable juice (fresh is preferable) Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables Drink green tea Take green tea extract EGCG leading up and during your trip […]

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-26T07:23:46-04:00January 12th, 2016|Innate Wisdom Practitioner Q&A|Comments Off

Get Your Body On Board With Your Travel Plans

By Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND When travelling, changes in routine, sleep and diet can increase risk of susceptibility to infection, fatigue and digestive upset – the last thing one wants to experience while away. Prevention is key and is possible if you begin by preparing your body prior to departure. Two to three weeks before departure proactively addressing digestion, immunity and stress and continuing the protocol throughout the trip, will improve the likelihood of a healthy and enjoyable time away. […]

By Dr. Angelina Riopel ND|2024-06-26T07:11:12-04:00January 12th, 2016|Digestion, ND Editorial, Travel|Comments Off

Herbal Bitters for Digestive Drama

With Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND As we move into holiday season restrictive diets go out the window, and rightfully so. Unfortunately with holiday indulging many are plagued with digestive drama, such as gastric reflux, gas, bloating and bowel changes such as constipation and diarrhea. Alcohol, fatty foods and excess sugar put stress on the liver, leading to “liver stagnation” and large, complex meals can lead to incomplete digestion, due to insufficient gastric juices. Traditionally herbal bitters and digestive cordials were taken to prevent indigestion and improve digestive efficiency. The flavor of bitter is one that the western diet is lacking, culturally our preference being for sweet, salty and fatty. Traditionally and in many other cultures bitter herbs, bitter greens and bitter aperitifs are taken before or after meals to improve digestion and avoid the unpleasant digestive symptoms that follow heavy meals. […]

By Dr. Angelina Riopel ND|2024-09-26T07:22:24-04:00December 8th, 2015|Digestion, Nutrition|Comments Off