Category: Anxiety

Wake Me Up BEFORE September ENDS!!!

9/26/2017

Well, it’s the last week of September. I know, I can hardly believe it myself. The kids have been back to school for almost a whole month already, it’s been back to after school sports/activities and everything else that comes with the hum of your and your family’s everyday life. Are you asking yourself yet, “Where did my September go?” I know I am, and I don’t have a family of my own yet.

If you’re feeling this way, and trust me I can relate, may I make a suggestion? STOP!
That’s right, I mean you Mom running around trying to get all the errands done before school lets out. That means you too Dad, organizing the kids for hockey while also trying to help the others finish their homework. Whatever your family’s particular rhythm, just STOP for a second.

Now that I have your attention. Please do the following:

Breathe in through your nose and count in your head 1,2,3, 4 ….. as long as you can inhale, then exhale through your mouth and count in your head 1,2,3,4, 5 …. as long as you can until you have exhaled fully. Now repeat this a few times, I usually recommend 5-10 deep breathes. Good, now how do you feel? A little more relaxed? A little less stressed? A little more focused?

So many of us fall into the trap of the routine. Routines help us function in our everyday life. If we had to make a new decision about everything, everyday we’d go crazy. However, when we fall into the trap of routine, then time can fly by without us noticing it and we miss being present in the moment. For anyone who practices mindfulness, or has read some Buddhist philosophy, you will know how important it is to be in the moment.

Especially now when the world is moving at such a faster pace. Even the big shot movie stars and other celebrities are talking about how they couldn’t be present or function optimally in their day without some sort of mindfulness practice. Now this blog post wasn’t originally going to be about mindfulness or meditation, it was actually supposed to be focused on getting back to school and balancing that routine with your health. However, considering how I too have noticed that September has flown by without having taken enough moments, enough time, to stop and simply breathe and enjoy the beauty of the world around me, I figured there were at least a few others out there feeling similarly to myself.

Therefore, please, take this as your little hint or reminder to find the moments. The moments when your child just runs up and hugs you spontaneously for no particular reason, the moments when your spouse comes home from work and kisses you and says I love you, the moments when your pet is bounding around like a maniac because they’re overjoyed that you’ve returned from wherever your were. These are the moments that make your life, your life. If we do not observe them, take part in them fully then we are not living, not in the truest sense of the word. Get off the “I’m busy being busy train” with me for a few moments now, and just breathe. Thirty seconds to a minute is all it takes to start cultivating more awareness. You can always grow from there, after all isn’t that what life is all about?

KEEP ON GROWING! If I can help you with this or any other aspect of your health you’re looking to improve, you know where to find me ;)

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Self Care for Mom: The Gift that Keeps on Giving!

5/27/2017

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In my practice I work with a lot of women, and many of them are Moms or will soon be Moms. Whether or not this is currently your situation, giving yourself the space and permission to care for yourself is important. There are so many women out there who are running themselves into the ground from exhaustion trying to be ‘superhuman’ or ‘super mom’. Is it any wonder that there are so many Canadians complaining of exhaustion, stress and burn out?

When women were surveyed about stress related to work these were the results:
Women were more likely than men to report work stress — 28 per cent said they had high-strain positions and 17 per cent said they had low-strain jobs, while 20 per cent of men reported high-strain jobs and 24 per cent said they had low-strain positions. (CBC News, 2007).
One-third of women surveyed said they were a bit or extremely stressed most days at work — versus 29 per cent of men (CBC News, 2007).

That’s not even including their potential sources of stress outside of work. Ask yourself or just try to imagine it: running a busy household with two or more kids, a husband/partner, and then your work demands on top of that. Is anyone else feel exhausted yet? I know I am and I don’t have a family of my own to care for yet! So why do so many women feel that they have to do it all? That nothing will get done if they don’t do it. That if they take a moment for themselves, they’re being selfish or self-indulgent.

I am here to suggest another way of looking at self care for you super powered women. Instead of seeing it as ‘it’s all about me’ time, think of it as a necessary task that deserves time and space on your to-do list in order for you to better care for your family. Take a moment and think about that for a second. I know, it seems strange to think of ‘me time’ or self care time as caring for your loved ones, but it’s true. If you are completely exhausted, no energy, nothing left to give of yourself, what kind of ‘care’ could you possibly be providing for your family?

I have these women come into my office with all manner of concerns: anxiety, depression, chronic stress, low energy, fatigue you name it. I can guarantee you all of them have been giving and giving of themselves with absolutely no effort or time being put aside for their own self healing and care. They’re giving everything they have to their various jobs: Mom, working woman, maid, cook, chaufeur, professional hugger, bedtime storyteller, the list goes on!

Then I ask them what’s the quality of that interaction? Do you have the time and space to be patient with your kids when they are attempting to drive you insane? What’s your relationship with your husband/partner like? If this at all describes you, you know what the answers are already. You lose your temper easily, when you don’t mean to. You love your kids, but you are at the point where you do what you do for them begrudgingly. What relationship with my husband? I’m lucky if I see him, forget spending anything that resembles quality time with him.

This is where I talk to them about self care. If you start to see this as a very necessary part of your day, your family will benefit from you taking care of yourself as much as you will. So in the spirit of Mother’s Day, even though it has already passed I challenge you to take a little you time. This doesn’t have to be anything monumental, it can be a bubble bath alone with a good book and glass of wine, or sleeping in while Dad or older siblings take care of everything downstairs for a little while. Whatever it is, do something you enjoy and rejuvenates you. You will not only feel so much better yourself, but your family will feel the difference in the present and giving mother you can be when you giving from a full cup instead of attempting to dredge up something from a long empty well.

Have more questions about what Naturopathic Medicine can do for you and your family?
Take advantage of our 15 minute consults to find out more today.

References:
CBC News: Technology & Science. (2007). Work stress leads to increased absenteeism, disability: StatsCan. Retreived May 27, 2017: http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/work-stress-leads-to-increased-absenteeism-disability-statscan-1.636782

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Probiotics and the Microbiome

4/14/2017

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There is so much more discussion about probiotics and the microbiome now than ever before. There is research about the benefits for infants, for mood, for digestion, for re-establishing a healthy gut after antibiotics, and so on. Even though there’s plenty of evidence to show that probiotics or good bacteria are good for us, a lot of people still ask me ‘does taking probiotics actually make a difference?’ Obviously, my quick answer would be yes they generally do. However, perhaps it’s easier for you to decide for yourself, with a little more information.

The Gut:
Generally when we refer to the ‘gut’ as a collective we tend to think of our abdominal area only. However, the gastro-intestinal tract or GI tract actually begins in the mouth and ends at the exit point, the anus. For our purposes let’s focus on the small intestine and large intestine since that’s where the majority of probiotics have their most beneficial effects.
In the whole GI tract there are over 100 000 billion bacteria. Different species in different numbers populate the gut. This is why it is actually important to change your probiotic on occasion because there are so many different species to be supported. If there are so many bacteria present, how could a few billion make a difference?

Well that has to do with the composition and state of the small and large intestine. There’s anywhere from about 10-100 billion microbes present in the small and large intestine. This helps us understand why giving a probiotic or eating fermented foods makes a difference, because there’s enough probiotics present in the average capsule to replenish and encourage growth of good bacteria. Also, the small intestine is approximate 20 ft long, so it houses about 95% of the bacteria that live in our intestines. The large intestine on the other hand is only 4 ft long, but because things are moving much slower through the large intestine the bacteria layer in the mucosa can be up to 200 cells thick, compared to 1 cell thick in the small intestine. This allows this shorter stretch of organ to still accommodate 10-100 billion microbes.

Research:
As I mentioned before there are many studies that have been done and are currently being done on the effects of probiotics and the microbiome as a whole. If you did a simple google or pubmed search you would come up with 1000s of results. I can’t summarize all of them, but here are a few highlights:

INFANTS AND PROBIOTICS
Eczema, asthma and allergy have become much more of a problem over the past few decades than they ever were before. In the Swansea baby Allergy Prevention Trial they looked to see if intervening with probiotics at an early age could reduce the incidence of allergy, and atopic conditions by extension. The intervention was given to newborns for the first 6 months after birth. The outcome was a follows:

Placebo group: Almost 10% of infants had atopic eczema at 6 months; Approximately 13% of infants had atopic eczema at 2 years.
Probiotic group: Approximately 3% of infants had atopic eczema at 6 months; almost 6% of infants had atopic eczema at 2 years.

The overall reduction of infants with allergy was 57% at 2 years. Remember, they only received treatment for the first 6 months. This demonstrates that the positive benefit of intervention goes beyond the intervention period.

PROBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS
Most people are aware that we should take probiotics when we take an antibiotic. However, how much, when and for how long make a difference? One study, The Cambridge Clostridium difficile trial looked at the impact of probiotics to prevent/reduce C. difficile infection and associated diarrhea in patients receiving antibiotics. The outcome was as follows:

Antibiotic/Placebo group: When tested at Day 28 they still had overgrowth or dysbiosis present
Antibiotics followed by probiotic: They had a growth of bacteria up to Day 7, but then at Day 28 there was a significant decrease in bacterial overgrowth
Antibiotics with Probiotics: There was no overgrowth of bacteria at Day 7 or 28 because the probiotics were present throughout antibiotic treatment

This study demonstrates that by taking probiotics while receiving antibiotics you can decrease the chances of bacterial overgrowth occurring at all. However, it is still beneficial to intervene with probiotics later on as it will help to bring bacterial overgrowth under control.

Gut/Brain connection:
One of the newer areas of study that’s been getting a good deal of attention is the impact that a healthy gut can have on our mood. More and more studies are coming out showing a positive impact of probiotics and healing the gut on issues such as depression, and anxiety. This work is still early, but promising. Promising enough that some companies are actually beginning to make probiotic products specially geared at mood.

Choices: Making sense of what’s available on the market
As happens with most things in the market, as they get more popular there tends to be more people interested in developing a product for it. Over the last few years we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of probiotics available at the store. Knowing you have all these choices, how do you make the right choice for you? Well, there’s no short and easy answer to that. There are a number of factors you want to consider:

Do you have any gut problems (eg. IBS or Ulcerative Colitis)?
Are you experiencing symptoms such as gas, indigestion, eczema, etc.?
Do you have any current allergies or sensitivities?
Do you know how many strains are best for you?
Do you know which strains are best for you?
Do you know roughly how many billion you need?

Knowing these things makes it much easier for you to select an appropriate probiotic. If you don’t know the answer to these questions or aren’t sure, then you may want to speak to a Naturopathic Doctor or other healthcare professional. When I go through this process with my patients, we figure out which probiotic (if any) might be best for them so it’s much easier to find what they need when they go to purchase a product from the health food store.

Have questions about probiotics or how to improve your gut health overall? Please email me through the website ‘contact’ page or get in touch with me directly.

Note: Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor today about getting assessed and treated if needed, and as always talk to your health care provider before beginning any new medication or supplement. This information is not meant to replace the advice/guidance of a medical professional, nor should it be acted upon by individuals unsupervised by the appropriate healthcare provider.

References:
Allen SJ et al 2014 Arch Dis Child
Plummer et al 2005, Int J Antimicrob Agents 26

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Are You In Sugar Overload?

10/6/2016

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Trick or treat! Give me something sugary to eat!

Halloween is just around the corner, which means the annual influx of extra treats into the house that are laden with sugar! Now I am not saying we need to do away with sugar altogether. In fact, if we had no sugar at all we would have some serious problems on our hands. However, we aren’t lacking sugar, we are drowning in it.

The rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and various other serious health problems are on the rise. Stats Canada has estimated about two thirds of Canadian adults and one third of children are overweight or obese. A major contributor to these health issues is poor eating habits, especially excess sugar. To further compound the problem, even when people are trying to make healthy choices it isn’t easy to do so. Presently, there are 56 different names for sugar, and manufacturers are not required to group them together on nutrition labels.

Why do we need to worry about sugar?

Sugar in the blood is not a bad thing on its own. In fact, without this important fuel we wouldn’t last very long. However, like most things, in the right amount we stay healthy, but when we have too little sugar or too much, that’s when problems arise. Our main method of procuring this fuel is eating and drinking. Anything we consume, our body breaks down into it’s most basic building blocks, glucose, which is sugar, being one of them. Once broken down, the body shuttles the glucose to where it’s needed. If you’re playing a game of tag, then you’re going to need glucose for your muscles. If you’re studying for a big test, then you need glucose for your brain. The blood is simply the highway system in your body that transports the glucose (along with many other things) throughout the body until it reaches it’s final destination.

This is fine when we have a good balance of fuel coming in, but what happens if there’s too much? When we have too much sugar in our blood, it needs to be stored away for when it’s needed, so the body converts the sugar into glycogen. However, like any storage unit we can only put so much away. So what happens with the excess that doesn’t fit? This is where problems can start. An important hormone that helps keep sugar in balance is insulin. Whenever sugar is detected by specialized cells in the pancreas, insulin is released. Think of insulin like a key to a door, in order for sugar to enter into most cells they need the key (insulin) to unlock the front door and let them in. Insulin is vital to making sure that we do not become hyperglycemic (too much sugar) or hypoglycemic (too low sugar). Conditions like Type II diabetes result from the cells becoming insensitive to insulin. Think of a toddler who keeps asking for the same thing over and over again, eventually you get tired of hearing them so you start to tune them out or stop responding to them altogether. Diabetes is probably the most well known to be affected by blood sugar levels, but it’s not the only one. Other conditions that are affected by blood glucose levels include: PCOS, ADD/ADHD, Autism, certain cancers, and so on. We don’t have time to go into all these conditions today, the point I want to make by mentioning them is that the correct balance of blood sugar is very important to our overall health and influencing various health conditions.

What can we do?

Eating Well
We know that balance is important, but what are some easy and crucial things we can do to improve our blood sugar balance. One, you may have guessed, is being mindful of what you eat! Proper nutrition is really a cornerstone of good health. Start with eating a diet focused on good whole foods, which includes 5-10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, whole grains (complex carbs), good proteins and healthy fats. Then avoiding excess sugar, like soft drinks. Did you know that there can be as many as 6-10 tbsp of sugar in 1 can of pop?

Another helpful trick is to have either protein or fat with each meal. Not only do they help you feel more full for longer, they also modulate the rush of sugar coming into the body. If we’re looking at a curve of blood sugar levels, this is what happens if we have sugar by itself, a big spike and then decline about an hour to a few hours later. This is why people who have a chocolate bar for their afternoon snack feel like they have lots of energy and focus for the first hour or so after, but end up feeling more tired later on when their blood sugar plummets. If you eat fat or protein with your other foods, it helps to temper this spike in blood sugar so you don’t have a huge increase and subsequent decrease of blood sugar and corresponding energy levels.

Exercise
Two, is exercise! We’ve all heard time and time again how important exercise is for our health and this is no exception. Even a short 20-30 min moderate pace walk most days of the week can make a big difference. For many other reasons, it’s good to balance out cardio and resistance training accordingly, but I want to just touch on why walking is enough to do a lot of good. There are receptors in our muscles call Glut 4 receptors and they are seriously hungry for sugars. Think of turning on the vacuum, and how that powerful vortex just sucks up all the dirt in site in no time, but if it’s switched off and in the corner it’s doing you no good. When Glut 4 receptors are activated, they suck up sugars much like the vacuum, but only when activated. The quads, these big muscles on the front of your legs, house a lot of Glut 4 receptors. Research shows even just 30 secs of squats will significantly activate Glut 4 receptors in the quads and can drop glucose levels by almost a full point on the glucose monitor.

Stress Less!
Finally, get your stress under control as best as you can. As many of us know, too much stress isn’t good for our health, and stress is very integral to blood sugar levels. If we have heightened stress, then our body is preparing for fight or flight mode. If you decided to run, you’re going to need fuel on the ready to help you run away from that threat. That’s fine if we were still running away from saber-tooth tiger, or a tiger in general, but the problem is most situations that cause us stress these days, we can’t simply run away from. Use meditation, use exercise, use whatever strategies necessary to moderate your stress, because all that free sugar floating around in your bloodstream not being used is going to eventually lead to problems.

Blood sugar levels have a story to tell about our health, and every choice you make with your diet and lifestyle habits writes that story. Make sure you make the right choices for you: eat right, exercise and modify your stress. Your family and your future self will thank you for taking steps to ensure that your blood sugar story is writing about a long and healthy future.

Have questions about how you and your family can reduce your sugar intake? Ask me about it by emailing me through the 'contact me' section or give me a shout at the office. I'm here to help you achieve your best possible health.

Note: Talk to your Naturopathic Doctor today about getting assessed and treated if needed, and as always talk to your health care provider before beginning any new medication or supplement. This information is not meant to replace the advice/guidance of a medical professional, nor should it be acted upon by individuals unsupervised by the appropriate healthcare provider.

References:
Silverthorn, D.U. 2010. Human Physiology An Integrated Approach. Fifth Edition. Pearson International Edition.
Stats Canada. 2016. Obesity in Canada: A Whole-of-Society Approach to a Healthier Canada: http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/sen/committee/421/SOCI/Reports/2016-02-25_Revised_report_Obesity_in_Canada_e.pdf
WebMD. Fit Jr. (2016). Just a Spoonful of Sugar Adds Up: http://fit.webmd.com/jr/food/pdf/pdf-sugar-adds-up

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Healthy Heart, Healthy Life!

2/6/2014

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February Is Heart Health Month

In the spirit of reminding everyone about the importance of keeping your heart healthy, this post is going to be all about heart health and how to recognize the warning signs of heart attack.

Did You Know?

Every 7 minutes in Canada, someone dies from heart disease or stroke (Statistics Canada, 2011c).

Heart disease and stroke are two of the three leading causes of death in Canada. These statistics are based on 2008 data (the latest year available from Statistics Canada).

In 2008 cardiovascular disease accounted for (Statistics Canada, 2011c):

29% of all deaths in Canada (69,703 deaths – or more than 69,500)
28% of all male deaths
29.7% of all female deaths

In 2008, of all cardiovascular deaths (Statistics Canada, 2011c):

54% were due to ischemic heart disease
20% to stroke
23% to heart attack

What Is Heart Disease?

Cardiovascular diseases are defined as diseases and injuries of the cardiovascular system: the heart, the blood vessels of the heart and the system of blood vessels (veins and arteries) throughout the body and within the brain. Stroke is the result of a blood flow problem in the brain. It is considered a form of cardiovascular disease.

How Can I Tell Someone Is Having a Heart Attack?

Common Symptoms
-       Pain in the chest/ arm, often the left arm. For women, a more common symptom is jaw/neck pain.
-       Stomach pain, can feel similar to heartburn
-       Shortness of breath
-       Anxiety. Some people actually describe feeling ‘an impending sense of doom’
-       Lightheadedness
-       Sweating
-       Nausea and vomiting

Are Symptoms Always Obvious?

Most heart attacks begin with subtle symptoms — with only discomfort that often is not described as pain. The chest discomfort may come and go. Don't be tempted to downplay your symptoms or brush them off as indigestion or anxiety.

Don't "tough out" heart attack symptoms for more than five minutes. Call 911 or other emergency medical services for help. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options.

Heart attack symptoms vary widely. For instance, you may have only minor chest discomfort while someone else has excruciating pain. One thing applies to everyone, though: If you suspect you're having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately.

What Can Naturopathic Medicine Do for Heart Health?

One of the central tenants of Naturopathic Medicine is teaching the principles of healthy living and preventative medicine. That means we work to help prevent heart disease BEFORE it happens. We can utilize many tools to help you achieve optimal health:

Optimizing healthy lifestyle habits:

-       exercise
-       sleep
-       stress

Good Nutrition:

-       plenty of fruits and vegetables
-       good fats
-       anti-oxidant rich foods

Decreasing Overall Risk Factors:

-       obesity
-       diabetes
-       high cholesterol
-       high blood pressure

We'll formulate an individualized treatment plan focusing on your particular risks and needs to significantly decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke.

That being said, there are also many things we can do after a heart attack or stroke to increase healing, decrease recovery time and maximize your quality of life.

Lifestyle Couselling:

-       Helping you mitigate the stress in your life

-       Gaining control of other contributing risk factors (eg. insomnia)

-       Identifying the right kind of exercise options for you

Diet/Supplementation:

- Magnesium helps heart muscles to function properly

- CoQ10 is essential for heart function

- Carnitine is an integral part of energy-production and fat breakdown for cardiac function

Healing Plants:

- Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) is considered a great cardiac tonic and nutritive for the heart

- Gingko (Gingko biloba) is a vasodilator of the small and medium arteries, meaning it will increase blood flow to many areas especially the brain.

- Motherwort (Leonarus cardiac) acts as a hypotensive (brings down blood pressure) and a nervine (calming for the nervous system)

Have more questions about what Naturopathic Medicine can do for you and your heart? Take advantage of our Free 15 minute consults to find out more today.

References:
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. ‘Health Information’. http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3484021/k.7C85/Heart_Disease.htm
Mayo Clinic. Heart Attack Symptoms: Know what’s a medical emergency. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/in-depth/heart-attack-symptoms/art-20047744
Murray M. & Pizzorno, J.. (1998) Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (2nd Ed.). Heart Disease, pg 500-507. Three Rivers Press.
Godfrey A. & Saunders P.R. (2010) Principles & Practices of Naturopathic Botanical Medicine: Volume I: Botanical Monographs. Cardiovascular System, pg. 81-138. CCNM Press.

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Health advice For The Whole Family

Wake Me Up BEFORE September ENDS!!!

Self Care for Mom: The Gift that Keeps on Giving!

Probiotics and the Microbiome

Are You In Sugar Overload?

Healthy Heart, Healthy Life!

Sarah Connors

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