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Women’s Heart Health

By: Dr. Keara Taylor, ND Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among older post- menopausal women.  As women, the risk of cardiovascular disease is 2-3 times higher after menopause (1).  Statically, men are at a higher risk, however, as women age, their level of risk approaches that of men, and the lifetime risk for women may actually be higher because we live longer (2).  The risk of cardiovascular disease in women should not be underestimated, and because there appears to be a link between hormones and cardiovascular disease – we see rates increase significantly after menopause – we can and should be proactive in managing that risk, especially as we age. The average age of menopause in women is approximately 51, and is often accompanied by the immediate symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats. However, longer-term issues can also arise, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cognitive impairment. The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) looked at the correlation between a menopausal woman’s experience of vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes with cardiovascular risk factors.  It found that vascular aging, endothelial dysfunction and large artery stiffening seemed to increase in women during the menopausal transition and that women with hot flushes had higher rates of subclinical cardiovascular disease (1). As women enter menopause, treating symptoms with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may be a good option, and should be discussed with a health care practitioner. While the use of BHRT in menopause is beyond the scope of this article, here are some dietary and lifestyle practices that you can implement right now that have been shown in the literature to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events: […]

By |2023-04-28T10:16:01-04:00February 26th, 2020|Cardiovascular Health, Naturopathic Medicine, ND Editorial, Nutrition, Women's Wellness|Comments Off on Women’s Heart Health
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Connecting Cancer and Nutrition

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, NDI have always been intrigued by the connection between cancer and nutrition. I have written many articles on diet and health but have rarely focused on the relationship between food and cancer. It is certainly something I think about and talk about to patients in the context of prevention and adopting an anti-inflammatory diet.Recently, I have been affected personally by a number of cancer diagnoses in my own family where there was no prior family history. This has driven me to delve deeper into the connection between diet and cancer. The rising number of cancer cases worldwide is alarming, with the World Health Organization (WHO) predicting a 70% increase in new cancer cases over the next 20 years (1).Our modern lifestyle, including the chemicals we are exposed to and consume, farming practices, and environmental management, significantly influences our global cancer risk. Additionally, as our population ages, cancer, which can be an age-related disease, becomes more prevalent. Our immune system is a crucial defence against cancer, yet many contemporary practices weaken this vital system. Listing all potential cancer-causing elements in our environment can be overwhelming.This is why I like talking about lifestyle and nutrition. You can modify your habits (with a little support) and you can control your own kitchen. Positive change starts at home and nutrition is an impactful, empowering place to begin.So, what are the facts? An estimated one-third to one-half of cancers could be prevented by healthy lifestyle choices such as eliminating tobacco use, maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI), maintaining an active lifestyle, increasing fruit, vegetable and fibre consumption and moderating alcohol consumption (2,3).Tobacco Use:Smokers have an estimated 25-fold risk of developing lung cancer as compared with [...]

By |2024-08-16T05:06:46-04:00February 5th, 2020|Cancer, Naturopathic Medicine, ND Editorial, Nutrition|Comments Off on Connecting Cancer and Nutrition
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Understanding the Link Between Hormones and Mental Health

Hormones and mental health are closely linked, with hormonal imbalances often influencing mood, anxiety, and overall emotional well-being. Fluctuations in hormones like estrogen and progesterone can disrupt neurotransmitter function, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings, especially during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, or other hormonal transitions. A naturopathic holistic approach that includes assessing and addressing hormonal health can significantly impact mental health, offering more sustainable improvements by targeting the root causes of hormonal disruptions. This approach often involves dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments, and natural therapies that support hormone balance, helping individuals manage mood and anxiety more effectively.How Hormone Changes Can Cause Anxiety and Depression During the Menstrual CycleHormones and moods during the menstrual cycle can greatly influence mental health, leading to conditions like PMS (premenstrual syndrome), which includes both physical and psychological symptoms such as low mood, anxiety, and mood swings. These symptoms typically occur two weeks before menstrual bleeding, affecting daily functioning. PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) is a more severe form, involving intense mood and physical symptoms. (1) Hormones and anxiety are also prevalent in peri- and post-menopausal women (2), highlighting how shifts in hormones, such as a decline in estrogen or a rise in progesterone, can affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, GABA, and dopamine (3), ultimately influencing mood and mental health. Understanding hormone balance symptoms is key to managing these changes effectively.What is the Connection Between Hormones and Mental Health?A good way to determine whether hormones are affecting your mood symptoms is to track your symptoms along with your cycle. Hormones and moods during the menstrual cycle can significantly impact how you feel, and tracking your symptoms alongside your cycle can help identify patterns. There are many free apps out there [...]

By |2024-11-15T00:59:14-05:00January 28th, 2020|Hormone Health, Mental Clarity, Mind Body Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, ND Editorial, Nutrition, Post Natal Care, Self Care, Sexual Health, Women's Wellness|Comments Off on Understanding the Link Between Hormones and Mental Health
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Mental Health in the Workplace: Emotional Disconnection

Emotional Disconnection Between Leaders and EmployeesMental health in the workplace is significantly impacted when employees experience emotional disconnection from their leaders. For years, we have been bombarded with leadership mantras, motivational speakers, and gurus who espouse their innovative, evidence-based, best practices meant to marvel, inspire and drive productivity in the masses. Leaders who are excited to teach their employees new models, new strategies and new evaluations believe they will profit from greater teamwork, increase production, and yield greater economic results.What leaders ignore is the toll it takes on their employees. Employees are feeling an incredible amount of pressure to perform, are faced with more work and fewer resources, and have less emotional support. Consequently, there is a great emotional disconnection with leaders, managers and their employees. This emotional disconnection arises when employees sniff out their disingenuous leaders energetically offering new and improved strategies, but in reality, they are piling up more work and forcing employees to continually outperform themselves. This disconnect fosters anxiety at work, strains mental wellness in the workplace, and affects overall workplace well-being, leading to an unhealthy and unproductive environment.How Does Emotional Disconnection Affect Mental Health at Work?Employees often feel overwhelmed, leading to incompetence and extended working hours, while others adopt a “work to rule” mentality. This approach fails to alleviate mental health challenges in the workplace, with outcomes like depression and anxiety at work. Emotional disconnection between leaders and employees creates a tense, unhealthy work environment, impacting mental health and well-being.The disconnect affects employee mental health. Lack of support and pressure lead to burnout, stress, and symptoms of poor mental health. As work-life balance declines, mental wellness in the workplace suffers. Addressing mental health requires leaders to foster a psychologically healthy [...]

By |2024-11-13T07:15:41-05:00January 15th, 2020|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Mental Health in the Workplace: Emotional Disconnection
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5 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables for Mental Health

By: Dr. Kathleen Regan, NDHow Fruits and Vegetables Can Improve Mood and Well-BeingIn the coming decade, more attention will focus on the role of food in brain chemistry. Studies have shown that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables is good for mental health and is associated with a lower incidence of mood disorders and improved well-being. (1) The United Kingdom (UK) leads this research initiative, linking how what we eat influences how we feel. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables plays an important role in improving mental well-being, with ongoing studies showing a strong relationship between diet and mood.Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables in Diet for Better Mental HealthOne of the more recent studies to come out of the UK looked at the relationship between well-being and the consumption of fruit and vegetables by drawing data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), which includes information collected from 50,000 people between 2009 and 2017. In this ‘Lettuce Be Happy’ study, the authors concluded:Increased fruit & vegetable consumption can enhance mental well-being.Increasing how frequently you consume fruit and vegetables is as important as the overall quantity you consume.The relationship between food and mental health is meaningful across different measures of well-being.This study controlled for many variables, including age, gender, income, employment, etc. and the cause and effect between food and mood was still there! The authors noted that moving from unemployment to employment has an equivalent effect on life satisfaction as increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables by approximately 10.5 portions per day (2).The findings of this study are not unique. A similar study from Australia in 2016 demonstrated that increased fruit and vegetable consumption was ‘predictive of increased happiness, life satisfaction, and well-being’; improvements [...]

By |2024-11-13T07:19:44-05:00January 15th, 2020|Mental Clarity, Mind Body Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, ND Editorial, Nutrition, Self Care|Comments Off on 5 Servings of Fruits and Vegetables for Mental Health
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Harnessing Energy to Achieve Your Goals in 2020

By: Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Energy is the fundamental fuel you need to achieve your goals this year. In addition to discipline, focus, vision and other forces required to realize your goals, adequate amounts of energy are essential are essential for the endurance, focus and positivity needed to reach our goals.  The role energy plays in goal setting is paramount. Have you ever failed at a New Year’s resolution and experienced negative self-talk? ‘Lazy’, ‘Unmotivated’, ‘Unfocused’, ‘Depressed’ are some of the words people hear. Does this sound like you? If it does, ask yourself this important question:  […]

By |2024-08-28T03:49:50-04:00January 4th, 2020|Anxiety, Mental Clarity, Mind Body Medicine, Nutrition, Pain and Fatigue, Self Care, Women's Wellness|Comments Off on Harnessing Energy to Achieve Your Goals in 2020
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Chocolatey Chia Immune Smoothie

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Looking for a change from your fruity, summer smoothie? This chocolatey, chia blend can be eaten warm or cold and combines the perfect winter ingredients. The combined antioxidants, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D & probiotic will help to boost your immune system during the busy holiday season and all winter long. It also contains a balance of carbohydrates, fat, protein and fiber that make for a balanced meal replacement. […]

By |2023-04-21T02:40:48-04:00December 18th, 2019|Cold and Flu Season, Nutrition, Recipes, Self Care|Comments Off on Chocolatey Chia Immune Smoothie
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5 Tips for Glowing Winter Skin

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Looking for a natural solution to grey, dull winter skin? Remember that beauty begins on the inside. Try these simple naturopathic nutrition tips to keep your complexion glowing this winter season. Minimize Alcohol Choose Herbal, Skin Building Teas Don’t Cut Out All Carbs Cod Liver Oil Probiotics […]

By |2024-06-11T09:57:58-04:00December 18th, 2019|Naturopathic Medicine, ND Editorial, Nutrition, Self Care, Skin Hair & Nails|Comments Off on 5 Tips for Glowing Winter Skin
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Holistic Holiday Wellness

By: Sonja Smiljanic, BA, NNCP I’ve been surprised over the years by many opinion articles on ‘how to eat’ over the holidays. These pieces seem to use guilt as an underlying “motivation” factor and to be honest, who wants that? The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy the company of your loved ones and celebrate with food, drink, and socializing! To me, the holidays are more about working to let go of the associated guilt we often feel when we are out of routine. As a Holistic Nutritionist my scope stretches beyond food. I enjoy looking at how an individual’s wellness can be supported with food, but also with body movement, social connection, emotions, stress management, spirituality, sleep, and so much more. This year, I am offering this guide as an alternative approach to holiday eating. I hope it helps you to cultivate a positive sense of joy when it comes to nutrition and wellness this holiday season! […]

By |2024-06-14T02:57:43-04:00December 18th, 2019|Digestion, Mind Body Medicine, Nutrition, Self Care|Comments Off on Holistic Holiday Wellness
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Traditional Chinese Medicine for Weight Loss: Herbal and Acupuncture Approaches

By Xianmin Yu, R.TCMP & R.AcHow Chinese Herbal Medicine Remedies Can Help You Lose WeightTraditional Chinese Medicine for weight loss aims to propel the body's metabolism and burn fat effectively, leading to a reduction in body weight. These natural ways to lose weight through herbs can help balance the stomach and spleen, addressing the root cause of obesity and improving overall digestion. By nourishing the body and supporting a healthy weight, these herbal remedies provide a safe and effective approach to treatment for weight management. With the combination of acupuncture, it is expected to: Suppress your appetiteIncrease your feeling of fullnessReduce triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels in plasma.You may experience increased bowel movements and urination, which are signs that your body is increasing metabolism and harmonizing its digestive system. These changes can also help with weight loss as the body works to detox and manage extra weight effectively. Chinese Herbs for Weight Loss and WellbeingSimilar to Western Herbal Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine boasts an extensive collection of Chinese herbal remedies for weight loss, used effectively for thousands of years. Different herbs are combined to create a customized formula targeting specific complaints, such as weight gain, qi stagnation, and digestive issues.  At Innate Wellness, these herbal remedies are provided in powder form, easily dissolved in warm water.When Should You Drink Herbal Formulas for Effective Weight Management?Some formulas are designed to reinforce your body’s energy or qi and are often used before meals.  Others focus on detoxifying your body and are taken after meals. For Eastern medicine weight loss, formulas are recommended to be taken after meals to help reduce food cravings and manage unwanted weight.  Always follow the specific instructions provided by your Practitioner of TCM to achieve [...]

By |2024-11-13T06:16:19-05:00November 13th, 2019|Acupuncture, Weight Loss|Comments Off on Traditional Chinese Medicine for Weight Loss: Herbal and Acupuncture Approaches
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