All posts by Sushma Shah

Guidelines For Choosing Natural Supplements

Healthy Me,

These days, when you go into a health store or even grocery stores, you see aisles that are full of different natural supplements from various different companies and of course price ranges, so how are you to choose the right supplement for you?

While there are no guidelines out there or criteria to pick from, here is a list of guidelines you might find helpful the next time you are looking to buy a natural supplement, be it vitamins or other herbal or dietary / nutritional supplements.

  • Read the ingredient list and make sure the ingredients are therapeutic dose ranges in order to have an affect on the body. In other words, enough of an ingredient has to be in the supplement to make the ingredient effective. Majority of the times, I find that in chewable gummies or adult vitamins, the ingredients are added to supplements are in very insufficient quantities, usually far  below the actual required daily dosage but the ingredient’s name is put on the label to attract buyers with flashy packaging, but not enough of the ingredients is found in the supplement to have any effect. Buyer Beware!
  • If possible, choose a professional brand that your naturopathic doctor (ND) has recommended as they generally base their recommendation on your specific health concerns. Your ND will generally recommend high end supplements not only for their efficacy but also because the nutritional supplement has been tested and certified by companies that have been certified through the governing bodies.
  • If possible, try to make sure the raw ingredients are organically produced and come from clean, uncontaminated sources, however these types of supplements will be more costly due to the process and quality of product.
  • If you cannot read the label, and all the information you need is not on it, you might want to more cautious as you should know exactly is in the supplement and what you are putting in your body.
  • If you decide to take a natural / nutritional supplement, make sure that you are taking it for health promotion and that that supplement has ingredients that promote your health.
  • There are many wonder supplements out there claiming all sorts of miracle cures. The supplement industry has taking the markets by storm, making billions of dollars in all kinds of supplements that they say does this that or the other.  Make sure that scientific claims as to the effectiveness of the supplement are made for the supplement itself, not for similar supplements. Do your research, talk to your naturopath, and if they okay it, you might consider purchasing. Do not fall into multi level marketing schemes of purchasing health products.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Can Food Dyes Cause Hyperactivity In Kids?

Healthy Me, , , , ,

This is a debate that has been ongoing for a while with parents. As a naturopathic doctor, having treated many kids with ADD and ADHD, I would have to say ABSOLUTELY YES … 1 to 6 % of the children suffer from hyperactivity and or attention deficit disorder, and it can quite often continue to manifest into adult life, making life and life experiences for the parents, siblings and the child very difficult. Once you eliminate food coloring and dyes (red dyes to be more specific) that are found in food products, candy, cake mixes, and all sorts of junk food from the child’s diet, you can see an improvement in the child’s behavior and symptoms within days!

Of course, naturopathic medicine also addresses other deficiencies the child may have – such as essential fatty acids and vitamins, is needed. Counselling for the family is quite often suggested as well, to cope with the attention deficit and hyperactive behavior of the child and come up with strategies that may help the family.

With constant ingestion of food dyes and coloring from food products and candies, generally what I  see at our naturopathic clinic  in children in terms of symptoms ranges from aggressive behavior, rebellious behavior, to excitability, hyperactivity and restlessness. Food additives can also quite often cause or contribute to ADD and ADHD (HYPERACTIVITY) symptoms in children. It is thought that food dyes and coloring excite the neurons, creating them to fire uncontrollably just like sugar does, hereby causing the irrational behavior and impulsive behavior seen as mischief or misbehaving, often landing to the child into trouble!

If you know or are a parent of a child who suffers from ADD (ATTENTION DEFICIT) or ADHD (HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER), you can try to simply eliminate food dyes and colorings or products that contain these completely from the diet  for a period of time and see the difference for yourself.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Treating Spring Time Allergies Naturally

Healthy Me, , , ,

Spring time is finally here, and so are the allergens in the air that cause so many to suffer from runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing and other more dramatic  symptoms such as hives and eczema flare ups.  Majority of the people will run to the pharmacy and pick up over the counter allergy medication such as Aerius or Claritin, others may ride it out until it becomes unbearable and finally break down and pick up that allergy medication eventually. But wait, there is another option to treating seasonal allergies and spring time allergies, treat them with natural or naturopathic remedies / medicines. Really?

Natural remedies or naturopathic remedies / medicines work wonder when it comes to preventing and treating allergies. The treatment is two fold – to improve or relieve allergy symptoms and also to improve the reaction of the immune system to allergens, hereby reducing the mast cell production and histamine release. There are various homeopathic / herbal remedies that we use as naturopathic doctors that have immediate allergy symptom relief – in terms of improving sinus congestion, itching, runny nose etc. without the side effects that over the counter allergy medication leave behind such as dryness and drowsiness.

Naturopathic Medicine focuses on the person as a whole, hence the naturopathic approach to treating allergies is based on healing the person by strengthening / improving immune function so it does not react like it does when the you have allergy symptoms, the reactions are reduced and quite often completely gone in a year or two. Diet and Stress as well play huge role when it comes to how strong your reaction to allergens maybe, and naturopaths generally work on this aspect of your health as well.

So maybe this year, will be a year where you will be allergy free naturally.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Natural Ways Of Decreasing Stress In Life

Healthy Me, , , , ,

Life presents us with talks and turns which for most part are a learning experience and something to build on. If we had no ups or downs, no bends and turns, life would be boring or empty, which may be sufficient for some people, but not for most of us. We seek thrills and adventures in life, excitement and that rush, that drives us, but most of the time, they come at a price + interest- the interest being the amount of stress that these put on the body and the after effects. Most times I see patients who are stressed out because of work, family, kids, relationships, and so on. When asked about stress, most people say that they do not feel stressed, but when we test their bioavailable hormones using saliva, majority of the times, at stress glands are either overworked or fatigued.

So what are some of the simple ways of reducing stress in life?

1. Create a list of things to do weekly or every few days and make sure you schedule time for you in – even if its just for 15 minutes.

2. One task at a time or per day is okay. Most of us have a tendency to schedule too many things in our day, majority of the times this is unrealistic and then feel overwhelmed when we do not get them all done that day, so go easy on your self and treat yourself for that one accomplishment rather than stressing your self over not having finished all the tasks.

3. Tomorrow is another day, so if you did not finish something today, there is always tomorrow.

4. Try not to stretch yourself too thin in all directions – such as kids activities, work, extra curricular activities, additional commitments with friends and family. Its important to maintain good relationships with people, especially friends and family, but not at the cost of your health and peace. If you are not able to find time for you because of all sorts of external commitments, you will soon feel resentment towards activities that are generally supposed to be fun, such as spending time with friends and family, so try to find balance and a happy medium where everyone gets their share of your precious time, including you.

5. Its okay to say no! especially if you are so pressed for time.

Energetic treatments like acupuncture and Reiki work very help for relaxing the body and calming the mind.  Yoga classes can be very beneficial too –   especially if they have a meditation component to them. You can also look at our stress management program for more therapies and tips for stress relief. Come in for a relaxing deep tissue massage, which I find always does the trick.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto

Natural Treatment For Depression

Healthy Me, , ,

Anybody who has gone through a bout of depression knows the highs and the real lows that come with it. Moods and thoughts wander like the clouds and the winds chasing them, and during those deep valleys of low moments, nothing makes you feel better. NOTHING!! This is somewhat true. Depression could be caused by various factors, including a neurotransmitter imbalance or hormonal imbalance. Most often though, depression comes about as a result of circumstance or an unfortunate or unbearable situation that could range from bad acne in teenagers to the grief due to the loss of a loved one.

So how can we change that feeling of depression to feeling better, normal again? For most people, that feeling of depression is an abnormal feeling and they way to “fix” it, is by taking strong prescription medication that will numb your feelings and help you feel better again, but is that the right way of treating your body, your mind and your thoughts? For some people the answer maybe “Yes” anything that will make me feel better now. As humans, we have become so conditioned to immediate gratification that everything must happen now, but about those feelings that needed to be processed or dealt with? What happens to them? Most times they will get suppressed or compartmentalized to be dealt with later, but that later never comes, because of our lifestyles.

As a naturopath, one of my goals is to help heal individuals body, mind and spirit, hence my approach is quite a bit different. In order to treat depression naturally – you need to understand what precipitated this symptom in the client.  There are various natural remedies that work really well to balance the neurotransmitter and hormonal imbalance, once we know that this is the root cause of the problem by testing blood for neurotransmitters / hormones. However, if the depression came about due to an unfortunate event or circumstance in life, such as the loss or grief of a loss of a loved one the approach is different. Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy is been a great adjunct therapy.

Acupuncture is another energetic therapy that is great for treating symptoms of depression naturally. However, there are other treatment options that will be beneficial to help cope with the symptoms of depression outside of clinical therapies. Journaling your thoughts, emotions and feelings often helps to bring out the pain and suffering, talking to friends and family is great as well. Volunteering your services is wonderful way to give that love and care again to someone who really needs and appreciates it and makes you feel better.

There is no quick fix to deep rooted feelings and emotions, but taking things in stride, one day at a time, will help you get closer to that ultimate goal, which is regaining your emotional health back to balance.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.

Treating Diverticulitis Naturally

Healthy Me, , , ,

Diverticulitis is a condition where the diverticula are perforated and become infected and inflamed. Diverticula are little sac like pouches (grape or pea sized) that can protrude in the intestinal wall. Constipation sufferers generally suffer from these. Poor eating habits, smoking, stress, family history of diverticulitis, obesity, gall bladder disease increase the risk of this disease.  Having a diet that is low in fiber will generally contribute the formation of diverticulosis. Majority of the times, the patient is generally unaware of this condition, and are generally discovered during a colonoscopy. However, if they are infected or inflamed, the patient may experience cramping, indigestion, bloating or pain and tenderness in the lower left side of the abdomen depending on where they are located. Diverticulitis can be either acute or chronic.

The best way to keep them at bay or treat them is the natural way, as they are formed due to lifestyle and dietary factors. Some of the natural ways to treat or prevent these include:

1. Having a diet that is rich in fiber and lots of water. The daily required dosage for fiber is 25 – 30 grams per day. Most fruits and vegetables contains some amount of fiber so having a diet full of these will help you get the daily required dose of fiber. Remember that old saying – “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” – there is truth to that saying. Oat bran, ground flax and psyllium powder (not husks) are a good source of fiber as well, however, these can sometimes be gas forming. Drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of water a day to soften stools.

2. Having a diet full of leafy green vegetables and dark colored fruits would be ideal.

3. Having a low carb diet with good sources of protein and decreasing animal protein / meat from the diet or eliminating it entirely may be helpful in the long run to keep the colon healthy, as having polyps of any kind increases the risk of colon cancer, especially if your diet contains deli meat which is high in nitrates.

4. Nuts and seeds can also be problematic as they can be hard to digest, and quite often get stuck in the diverticuli, leading to pain, inflammation and eventually inflammation, so make sure if you have any they are ground up completely.

5. Not straining to get the bowel movement out as the forceful pressure applied can weaken the intestinal wall, leaving it susceptible to weakness, which in turn will increase risk or polyp formation and inflammation.

If you need more information, please call us at 416 913 4325 or visit our Naturopathic Clinic.

By:  Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Is Naturopathic Medicine Helpful For Treating Asthma, Eczema Or Allergies?

Healthy Me, , , , ,

Naturopathic medicine is alternative or complementary medicine that treats various health ailments with natural therapies. Naturopathic care of asthma, eczema and allergies is based on healing the symptom as well as identifying the cause of the allergies, asthma or eczema. Naturopathic doctors usually work to treat the root cause of the problem or symptoms, be it asthma, eczema or allergies.

Natural treatments from a naturopathic doctor for eczema and asthma are based on first identifying what the person is allergic to and eliminating that item from the diet or environment if possible. With naturopathic treatments, along with diet changes, various herbs and supplements are also used to improve the overall health of the person and rebalancing an overactive / dysfunctional immune system, which usually causes the symptoms of sneezing, itching, runny nose and eyes, and rashes.

In most cases that are treated with naturopathic medicine, we find that the symptoms improve tremendously and become a thing of the past as the individual adopts a healthier lifestyle and balances their immune system. As a naturopath, my approach to treating asthma or eczema has always been to first get to the root of the problem, and that usually involves testing for allergies to various allergens, once that has been established, I usually treat by modifying the diet and use additional nutrient or herbal supplements if necessary and generally the outcome has been great in terms of resolving the health issue.

Need more information or treatment for asthma, eczema or allergies, please call us or visit us.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Loss Of Hair Due To Loss Of Sleep?

Healthy Me, ,

Hair loss can occur as a result of many imbalances in the body, but can hair loss be effected by loss of sleep or insomnia? The answer to this question is YES. Usually a significant lack of sleep or chronic restless sleep will affect hair loss.

Why does loss of hair occur with loss of sleep?

When the you sleep, the body refreshes and replenishes it self with the essential rest it needs. This of course helps with balancing out your hormones and metabolic system, especially your cortisol or stress system, which follows a circadian rhythm – meaning its high in the morning and low in the evening. If you suffer from insomnia or chronic lack of sleep or are suffering loss of sleep, your body’s natural system of balance get “out of balance” which will then affect various aspects of your health, including loss of hair and general luster in skin. Generally lack / loss of sleep occurs due to various reasons, stress being a big factor, and stress is a big cause of hair loss as well.  Generally, you will notice an increase in hair loss when you wash your hair, or brush it, and some people notice hair strands on their pillows or bed on waking.

What can I do to reverse it?

As a naturopathic doctor, my recommendations are as follows:

1. Talk to your naturopathic doctor about your hair loss and loss of sleep. They will be able to identify the root cause of the problem and help you treat it naturally.

2. Try to identify any lack of minerals and vitamins that may also be affecting both your hair loss and insomnia or lack of sleep – Your naturopathic doctor should be able to do the necessary tests to help you with this.

3. If its stress that is keeping you awake, join our stress management program to handle your stress better or find strategies to cope better with your stress.

4. Get onto a really good schedule with regards to your sleep. Acupuncture and certain supplements are great to restore sleep to bring back the body to balance.

5. Trace back your steps to identify what came first – hair loss or loss of sleep? Improving your diet in either case will help tremendously, especially cutting back on the caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor at the Natures Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.

Can My Shampoo Or Conditioner Cause Acne?

Healthy Me, ,

Here is a question that has been boggling quite a few clients who have been suffering from acne on their shoulders, back and hairline. Can acne be caused by or worsen due to shampoo and conditioner use? The answer to this question is may be yes, especially if there are  waxy ingredients in the shampoos or conditioners that are used to give volume or tend to coat the hair with a thin layer of conditioner on, or give it extra shine. These products, if not washed out properly when washing your hair,will stay on the surface of the skin and clog up the pores, and if you tend to sweat a lot, and have a tendency to oily skin, it quite possible to get clogged up skin pores that will eventually result in acne or pimples with pus or infection.

Its also possible to get an acne like rash if you are reacting to some of the ingredients in the shampoo or conditioner, such as

  • sodium lauryl sulphate
  • sodium laureth sulphate
  • sulpha / sulphur
  • ammonium lauryl sulphate
  • ammonium laureth sulphate
  • selenium sulphide

These are some of the more common ingredients that you find in regular store bought shampoos.

What can I do naturally to treat/ heal the acne ?

If you are suffering from acne that you think maybe a result of the shampoo or conditioner you are using, you can switch you shampoo or conditioner to one that is more natural or hypoallergenic. This will help overtime, and the change will be seen in a few weeks.

If you have acne that is painful and infected, try using a tea tree based shampoo or conditioner. Tea tree oil is a natural anti- bacterial and anti- fungal.

If you are washing your hair with very hot water, you might want to bring down the water temperature a little.

There are various naturopathic treatments available for acne.

My recommendation is to talk to you naturopath or dermatologist and first get a proper diagnosis. Acne can be caused by various health imbalances and diet. If you need more information, please check causes of acne.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Naturopathic Treatments For Interstitial Cystitis

Healthy Me, , ,

Interstitial cystitis is a condition that causes recurrent pain / irritation in the bladder and quite often pain in the the pelvic region as well. People generally experience a sense of urgency to urinate, and an increased frequency to urinate as well. Interstitial cystitis is seen in men and predominantly women. Women may experience a burning with urination as well, and a severe discomfort in the lower pelvic region. Some women have no symptoms beside pain or burning on urination.

What causes interstitial cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis is a condition of inflammation as the name implies, hence any condition that can cause irritation or inflammation in pelvic region or bladder will cause it. There is no clear certainty as to what causes it. In my experience as a naturopathic doctor,  I have found that hormones and food allergies and food intolerances play a huge role in worsening the symptoms overall. Stress is another factor that can worsening symptoms of interstitial cystitis.

Natural treatments / naturopathic treatments for interstitial cystitis?

In order to treat interstitial cystitis naturally, one must first find out what caused it in the first place. There are various triggers that seem to make the symptoms worse such as drinking coffee and alcohol and of course, stress. Some of the natural treatments for interstitial cystitis are

– Eliminating triggers such as foods that may cause irritation of the bladder- such as coffee, alcohol, chocolate, among others. If you are not sure what might be triggering your symptoms, ask your naturopathic doctor to do a food allergy or food intolerance test.

– Since interstitial cystitis could be related to generalized inflammation in the body elsewhere, it would be important to manage that inflammation with diet and other natural supplements. This in turn will help improve your interstitial cystitis symptoms.

– If you are a female, your menstrual cycle may also have a bearing on your interstitial cystitis symptoms. Talk to your naturopath about maybe testing your hormones using saliva to get an accurate reading of your hormones and correct any imbalances.

Need more information? Please call us at 416 913 4325 to schedule an appointment.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.