All posts by Sushma Shah

Cold And Flu Prevention

This year the flu season seems to be worse than the ones we had in the previous years. I wonder if its related to the unusual weather patterns we have been experiencing or if whether people have been enduring more stress than usual this past year (due to work pressures, a lack of fresh air, lack of physical activity, or poor dietary habits) which has had a negative effect on immune system? Stress, remember, is anything or any situation that puts the body out of its normal state of being. Regardless of what / who might be the culprit, it would be good to:

A/ clear the organism responsible for the symptoms,

B/ shorten the duration of the symptoms,

C/ improve the immune system and strengthen it.

Here are some simple natural dietary suggestions for all of the above:

  •  Drink a minimum of 6 – 8 glasses of fluids daily, ideally at room temperature or warmer. Fluids help thin secretions making it easier to clear them out and in turn help to reduce congestion. Add a slice of lemon / lime to the fluids, which help with giving that extra little dose of vitamin C.
  • A constant intake of liquids in the form on teas / broths / soups also helps with keeping the lining of the respiratory tract moist, which helps with hoarseness, dry cough and that irritating tickle at the back of the throat, which can cause incessant bouts of coughing.
  • Herb teas such as ginger with a slice of lime, chamomile, dried oregano and thyme and a teaspoon of honey will also help loosen the mucus and heal the throat, bronchial tubes and nasal passages, along with being comforting and nourishing.
  • Some vegetable and fruit juices such as grape / coconut / carrot / beetroot / celery / lemon and parsley diluted with water will also help cleanse and promote healing, not to mention give you lots of vitamin A, C and electrolytes. Orange juice is something that I do not suggest it as it can be too sweet and also create more congestion. Grapefruit juice would be a good substitute for the Vitamin C content without the congestive effect.
  • As much as you can, limit your intake of refined sugars. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and some fruit especially berries, mandarins / clementine /apples/ kiwi / grapefruits / mangoes / pineapple among others.
  • Crushed garlic and ginger in soups and smoothies are great as they have antiviral and antibacterial properties.

 

Healthy Naturopathic Resolutions For 2015

Happy New Year Everyone!

Wishing everyone a Healthy 2015! I am sure everyone has some resolutions set out for them this year, here are the five that topped my chart for healthy naturopathic resolutions for 2015:

1/ Sleep well – It is very important for the body to get sufficient rest and recharge in order to have the energy to fulfill those resolutions. So try to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep if not more and keep a consistent schedule through out the week and weekend.

2/ Eat well – You are what you eat and think – so once the body is well rested, you do need to nourish it with healthy and nutritious foods so that the organs can function well, and work efficiently to digest, eliminate and assimilate that proper nutrients for the body from the quality foods you feed your body. Limit your intake of foods that will take more energy to break down, and create more toxins for your body to eliminate making you feel sluggish and tired after eating. Eat foods that nourish and vitalize your body and give you energy. Please make sure you chew your food well, eat slowly and avoid drinking water with your meals as it will dilute your digestive enzymes.

3/ Think positively –  Let this year be the cleansing year, where you let bygones be bygones and start fresh – thinking positively. Your heart will feel lighter and thank you for it! You will also feel less tension in your body and be happier! My previous blog talked about managing emotions in a healthy and positive way so if  you would like to work on this aspect, check this blog article.

4/ Stress less – If stressing more was helpful for your life in any way shape or form, then by all means stress more… The truth however is as follows – the more your stress about things that are beyond your control and worry excessively, it affects a hormone called cortisol, which in turn also affects another hormone called homocysteine, which can increase your risk of heart issues. If you want to learn more about these hormones, click here.

5/ Adopt a pet – If you own a pet, you know the benefits of having one. The unconditional love and companionship is just one of the many benefits I can think of. For dog lovers, the great benefit of adopting one is that you do not have to set special time aside for moderate exercise each day – you get that just by walking your pet each day! Here is a link to a great website for pet adoption: http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/adopt-a-pet.

All the best to everyone this upcoming year! Remember to make your health your top priority! Our naturopathic clinic in Toronto offers great naturopathic services for your health and wellbeing, so give us a call if we can be of service to you.

Managing Your Emotional Health In A Positive Way

As this year draws to a close and the weather is gets colder, people have a tendency to want to stay indoors and warm in their homes and cozy up close to the fireplace. The beginning of a new year is quite often gloomy for some as we reminisce the past year – the goals we set for ourselves and the ones we actually managed to attain and accomplish. Quite often it can be elating if we managed to attain our goals – health, wealth and personal goals, but most of the times unfortunately, it can be sad or downright depressing when we do not exceed or meet those expectations that we set out for the year. So as the year draws to a close, lets rewind a little and skim through the happy and sad memories / experiences we had through the year, and as opposed to reacting to them with an emotion, lets change our view on how we see things, and as opposed to focusing on the negative emotions of hatred, disgust, anger, sadness, irritability, among others, lets try to watch the experience as a life lesson.

Life presents us with many experiences in all range of emotions and most of them are set out for us as there is in fact a lesson in most of these. If we indeed stop feeling sorry for ourselves and actually take the experience for what it is, it may actually be helpful to manage the emotions that spring up better and as well, make sense of them. Here is a list of simple suggestions you can apply as well to better manage your emotional health:

1/ First and foremost: CLEAN THE SLATE. Let bygones be bygones. If your feelings were hurt and someone or something upset you, and you are still feeling the sadness about something that happened a few years ago, or a few months ago, you need to let go of those rotten emotions and start fresh, as they are only weighing you down and rotting away your emotional being.

2/ Forgive and Forget: There is no point carrying around the emotional baggage and the energy that you spend on feeling hurt. Remember to forgive, is Divine! Its bad enough that the negative emotions we carry create shoulder tension and back pain, and not to mention the headaches you suffer. So if the emotion you are carrying is not bringing a positive mental flow into your life, dump it, forget it, forgive the hurt and lets move on to bigger and better things.

3/ Finding positivity and staying positive: Remember the Yin and Yang circle, just as there is darkness, there is light, just as there is sadness there is happiness. Life is all about balance, so rather than feeling just the negative emotions, which affects the scale of balance, try to find a positive spin on what ever it is that you are feeling negative towards, as it will make you feel more positive and lighter in our heart. So try to be more positive this upcoming year and all the very best to you!  Have a very Happy New Year!

Managing Your Moods Naturally

Looking at the grey skies and snow today, i was wondering how everyone is feeling today? And how their moods are going to change with the shorter darker days, with snow and slush. A lot of people who suffer from SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder– can feel quite sad, low on energy, experience low moods and weight gain during the winter months especially in January and February.  If you do suffer from SAD – here are simple suggestions that will help you feel more positive and hopefully put you in a better mood.

1. Try spending atlas a 1/2 hour outdoors perhaps walking in the winter sunlight.

2. If you are unable to get enough sunlight, try to get a SAD lamp for at home phototherapy.

3. Talk to your Doctor about testing your Vitamin D levels as quite often low Vitamin D levels may also effect your mood and motivation.

Worry, depression and anger are toxic not only to your happiness but also to your immune system, sleep and your heart.  Everyone goes through ups and downs at times and its perfectly normal to feel sad or upset, however, chronic depression can make you very vulnerable to illness and aggravates various health issues such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Here are some suggestions that you can try to stave off these feelings:

1. Maintain an active social life and network and stay involved in living happily.

2. Go out and exercise a little which helps to raise your spirits and help raise your feeling good hormones or endorphins. Exercise and weight lifting in some cases is helpful in preventing depression in the first place! As low testosterone levels could also effect mood and your motivation, which can be improved by activities such as weight lifting.

3. Talk to your Doctor about sending you to a psychologist who is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

4. There are various natural homeopathic and natural herbs such as St. John’s Wort but these should be only taken under the guidance of a naturopathic doctor who would be familiar with drug and herb interactions especially if you are taking prescription medication for depression and other mood disorders.

5. Try some Acupuncture!

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

Natural Sources of Vitamin D

With the Fall setting in, the amount of sunshine we are generally exposed to is reduced significantly. Hence if you do get the winter blues or the seasonal affective disorder, it is very important to top up your vitamin D levels naturally or by supplementing with Vitamin D.

What are the benefits of Vitamin D:

-Helps regulate blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, helping to build strong bone and healthy teeth.

-Helps in the prevention of osteoporosis, a disease that causes porous bones and thus an increased risk of fractures.

-Important for a healthy immune function as well, may help in preventing prostate, colon and breast cancer.

– Helps with slowing down the progression of osteoarthritis in the knees, although it does not prevent it.

Here is a list of foods that are high in Vitamin D along with the amounts of Vitamin D they contain:

Fish

  • Herring or trout, cooked, 75g – 156IU
  • Mackerel, cooked, 75g – 80IU
  • Salmon, Atlantic, cooked, 75g – 225IU
  • Salmon, canned or cooked, 75g – 608IU
  • Sardines, Atlantic, canned, 75g – 70IU
  • Sardines, Pacific, canned, 75g – 360IU
  • Tuna, canned, light or white, 75g – 41IU
  • Tuna, canned, yellowfin (albacore, ahi), 75g – 105IU
  • Tuna, skipjack, cooked, 75g – 381IU
  • Tuna, bluefin, cooked, 75g – 690IU

Other sources

  • Milk, 1 cup – 100IU
  • Fortified rice or soy beverage, 1 cup – 80IU
  • Fortified orange juice, ½ cup – 45IU
  • Fortified margarine, 2tsp – 51IU
  • Egg yolk, 1 – 25IU

Overuse of Vitamin D supplements can result in elevated blood levels of calcium leading to weightless, nausea, and heart and kidney damage. Talk to your naturopath about testing your Vitamin D levels before taking supplements.

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

Treating Sinusitis / Chronic Sinusitis Naturally

Sinusitis or chronic sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses which may be caused due to various reasons such as colds, flu, infections, systemic fungal infections such as candidiasis, poor diets and often allergies ( food and environmental).

Symptoms of sinusitis include:

– nasal congestion and stuffiness with or without mucous discharge – which may be greenish yellow or whitish, and may also have a foul or musty odor depending on the cause of the infection in the sinus,

– pressure or pain in the sinuses

headaches

– fatigue

In order to treat the infection and eliminate the symptoms, you would need to clear the congestion and eliminate the cause of the sinus infection and inflammation. Here are some natural suggestions to treat sinusitis or chronic sinusitis:

1. Steaming with essential oils that have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti inflammatory properties such as eucalyptus, tea tree or rosemary. You can also add peppermint for circulation as well, to open up the sinuses. A Netti pot with probiotics and sea salts would be very helpful to drain the sinuses and clear out the infections as well.

2. Eliminate allergens – First identify what the allergen is – food or environmental – this can be accomplished by a simple allergy blood test. Once identified, if is a food allergen – eliminate if from your diet and this would help to reduce congestion and the stuffiness. If it is environmental, it may be more difficult to eliminate e.g. if you are reactive to certain grass or weed species which are native to your place of abode, you might be able to get rid of them – in which case, talk to your naturopathic doctor about natural supplements that help with allergy symptoms as well, improve your immune function so that you can breathe easier when exposed to your allergen. However, if you are reactive to house mites or dust, regular vacuuming and proper ventilation would be helpful. If you are allergic to molds however, it may be helpful to get rid of plants in the house, which maybe great to purify the air in the house, but not great as the soil they grow in maybe moldy.

In general, to reduce general congestion – eliminate foods that create more mucus in the body such as dairy products, bananas, wheat and oranges.

3. Hydrate often – Drinking luke warm to warm fluids such as teas and lemon water constantly help thin the mucus and relieve congestion.

4. Compresses for the sinuses – To encourage the sinuses to drain and to relieve the pressure build up in the sinuses, it would be helpful to apply hot compresses to your sinuses for 10 – 15 minutes a couple of times a day. You can add a couple of drops of rosemary or eucalyptus to help open the sinuses as well.

5. Improving / strengthening immunity – Allergies which cause congestion are due caused by a dysfunctional immune system, hence improving your immune system function by improving your diet, eliminating sugar, sleeping well, and improving lifestyle habits would be very helpful for overcoming sinus infections and sinus inflammation in general.

Talk to your naturopath to see what might be the best natural treatment options for you if the ones above are not helpful.

By: SUSHMA SHAH, NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, IN TORONTO.

Treating Bites, Stings And Rashes Naturally

With summer in full swing, most people send their free time outdoors doing lots fun filled activities such as gardening, camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming you name it. While being outdoors is fun and enjoyable, it can also be painful and itchy with all the bug bites, bee stings or rashes from touching the wrong plants. So it is very important to make sure you have the proper clothing, foot wear and sprays to avoid the suffering and the pain later. Bites, rashes and stings can cause a lot of discomfort and pain, not to mention severe allergic reactions in some individuals, which may also require medical attention. Here are a simple suggestions to speed up the healing process as well, reducing itching caused by various sources.

1. For Itching And Rashes:

-Make a paste with cosmetic clay and water and add a couple of drops of peppermint oil and then apply directly on the bite or the sting. The peppermint oil has a cooling effect on the skin and will help soothe the itching.

Toothpaste applied directly on the bite or the sting will also help relieve itching and the swelling.

– Homeopathic remedies such as rhus tox and apis m. are great for itching, swelling and burning. Have some in your emergency first aid kit if you are going to be hiking in an area which has poison ivy or for bee stings.

– If you have been exposed to poison ivy, wash the area thoroughly with tepid water and soap or shampoo, and apply a paste made with cosmetic clay and lavender or peppermint oil.  If a large area had been exposed to poison ivy, you could also do an oatmeal bath with some peppermint or lavender oil to soothe and heal the area for about 20 minutes and then pat your skin dry. The homeopathic remedy Rhus tox –  3 pills under the tongue may be quite helpful as well for the itching.

Aloe vera gel is also very helpful for reducing itching – as it reduces the histamine release associated with rashes.

2. For Stings and Bites

– First and foremost – remove the stinger with a pair of tweezers or using your fingernail. A bee sting would usually also cause a burning sensation, so rubbing ice over the area would be helpful to relieve the pain as well, localize the toxin. You can apply a couple of drops of undiluted tea tree oil with witch hazel extract as an antiseptic or aloe vera gel on the affected area.

Aloe vera gel applied directly on the sting or the bite would be helpful in reducing the pain and the inflammation. It will also be helpful for speeding up healing associated with any infection that may come about as a result of the sting or bite as it also has antibacterial and anti- fungal properties.

–  A spray made with Witch hazel extract, Peppermint and Lavender essential oil will also help not only to calm and soothe the inflammation, but also to help heal the area fast – as lavender essential oil is also antimicrobial, and helps with healing inflammation as well.

– You can also use the homeopathic remedy – apis m for bee stings by dissolving three tablets in a teaspoon of water and applying in on the affected area. It may be helpful for the healing the pain and inflammation associated with the sting.

– A cold compress with some ice in a towel over the affected area would be very helpful as well.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor.

7 Tips For Seasonal Allergy Relief

Seasonal Allergies

 

Seasonal Allergy

Most people suffer from various allergies especially when the Spring season rolls around, ranging from pollen to dust to weeds and grasses. Runny and red eyes, sneezing, coughing, itchy and congested noses and fatigue are all common symptoms of allergies.

 

Naturopathic tips for seasonal allergy relief:

  1. Hydration – Drinking water thin out mucus and helps with the congestion. Try to have at least 6 – 8 glasses of pure distilled water through the day. If you are constantly feeling dry and itchy, proper hydration is a must. Try half a lime or lemon in a glass of warm water in the morning on rising.
  2. Even though exercise such as running, walking, or biking helps clear congestion, avoid jogging or running outdoors on a smoggy and humid days especially, as the air is filled with all kinds of pollution ranging from exhaust fumes to various plant allergens making nasal congestion worse and making it difficult to take breathe. Instead try to walk in the evening or after rain when the pollen count is the lowest.
  3. Close the windows on windy days or in the mornings as the pollen count in the air will be high especially if you are allergic to pollen and certain grasses and weeds.
  4. Find out if you are allergic to certain food and environmental allergens. Food intolerances and allergies will cause the body to release higher levels of histamines, which in turn will increase the amount of congestion you experience as well, worsening your seasonal allergy symptoms. We offer simple, relatively inexpensive blood tests to test you for up to 200 + allergens.
  5. If you suddenly develop allergy symptoms that you did not experience before, they could be stress related, in addition to improper diet and sleep deprivation. If you are constantly feeling “tired and burnt out”, you might want to get your adrenal function tested, as adrenal fatigue could be the root cause of your allergy symptoms. A simple saliva adrenal test at the clinic would reveal the state of your adrenal function.
  6. Natural homeopathic remedies and supplements – such as pollens 30 CH or Quercitin – a natural anti histamine supplement may be helpful to alleviate your allergy symptoms. However, before starting on any health products, please come see us at the clinic for a quick assessment to determine what would be most helpful for your optimal wellbeing.
  7. For itchy eyes irritated by allergies, try a compress made with calendula flowers in hot water. Once the water cools down, you can dip a cotton pad in the solution and hold it over the irritated eye for 10 – 15 minutes to soothe the itchy eyes.

By: Dr. Sushma Shah – Toronto Naturopath

What Causes Adult Acne?

Do suffer from adult acne? Did you suffer from acne during puberty, which improved and has now returned with a vengeance? Do you suffer from cystic acne around the jaw and chin line which is painful and hard to treat?  Have you tried all kinds of medications and over the counter face washes and miracle cures and have not noticed any dramatic changes in the healing of acne?  You must then ask yourself the following question – what is causing your skin to react this way and how do you work with your body to treat it?

Here are some of the factors that maybe affecting the acne or may in fact be the primary cause of acne: 

1. Hormonal changes – As you get older, your body’s hormones fluctuate depending on the time of the month, your diet and stress levels. The hormones that usually affect acne are testosterone and DHEAS (both of these are male hormones) and of course the balance of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone). Talk to your naturopathic doctor about having them tested to see where your levels are at.

2. Stress – So school is finished and you are either in college or university in your early 20’s or starting of a career in your late 20’s right? Talk about the stress that we went through! With life and finances and relationships and exams and friends and the list just goes on and on! Yes stress is one of the biggest reasons for any kind of changes in the body. Stress causes the oil glands to overproduce sebum and cause a release of cortisol and testosterone.

3. Medications – especially birth control pills and medications which contain iodine may cause breakouts. On the other hand, low hormone based birth control pills are also used to control acne during teen age years.

4. Amount of sleep – Your body repairs and revitalizes itself during sleep. Every body varies in the amount of sleep they get and need to feel good and refreshed. General rule is at least 71/2 hours of sleep is important to rest and rejuvenate your body. So constant lack of sleep will affect your stress hormones and in turn your skin.

5. Facial care – In a previous blog, i talked about facial skin care, please read it for more information on how to take of your facial skin daily. The type of make up you use definitely affects the health of your skin pores. If you are using oil rich make up, these tend to clog pores and in turn cause comedones , white heads and black heads and of course acne.

6. Diet – Your diet has a huge impact on your skin. A diet high in saturated animal fats, refined carbohydrates and salt, and alcohol and caffeine will most likely worse adversely on your body. Try to have a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins and make sure you hydrate your body with lots of water. Remember you are what you eat and quite often even the good foods you may be eating may be affecting you if you are sensitive/ intolerant to those foods. Talk to your naturopath about testing you for these food sensitivities and intolerances.

If you are dealing with acne, try to treat acne naturally first before trying harsh chemicals and medications that can have other side effects on your body.

By: Dr. Sushma Shah – Toronto Naturopath.

 

Eating Your Way Out Of Colitis

Colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestine which can cause various symptoms such as constant abdominal pain with foods, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding and urgency to defecate unto 15 – 20 times a day. It can be quite severe in some individuals and can make life very difficult for those suffering from it. All age groups can be affected by it, and certain cultures are more prone to colitis than others. The less serious forms of colitis can be related to diet and stress, as well elimination habits of the individual.

Repeated use of antibiotic, parasites, diet and stress are some of the factors that contribute to symptoms of colitis.

If you do suffer from colitis, here are simple suggestions to find effective relief based on your diet and lifestyle:

1. Since everyone’s digestive system reacts differently to food, it would be worthwhile to keep a diet diary of the foods you consume daily and to record any abdominal symptoms and flare ups that came about as a result of certain foods.  You may also test your self for food intolerances and allergies and find that you might have been eating foods that you were either allergic to or sensitive to.

2. Stress has been implicated with colitis, so keeping a journal of your emotional state and the incidence of flare up would be helpful to understand better what emotions trigger your colitis, and committing to yourself to changing these behaviours or reactions would be helpful in reducing the number of flare ups as well.

3. Appetite is often affected when you have colitis flare ups, so it is very important to provide your body with the proper nourishment when you are not feeling well and fatigued, as well as making sure you are not staying hungry for prolonged periods of time.

4. Avoiding fibre during flare ups is very important as it may irritate the inflamed intestines further. Whilst fibre is very important for good bowel movements, it would be better to avoid it when you are experiencing bloody stools. Cooked and soft foods would be ideal for digesting food and assimilating the nutrients during flare ups. Baby foods on the go would great for individuals who have no time to prepare meals and are always busy as they are easy on the intestines and provide nourishment for the body.

5. Avoiding foods that are high in fats and oils is very important as these will make the diarrhea worse as well, along with dairy products, as quite often if you have colitis, you may also be borderline “lactose intolerant”. Try to avoid foods/ beverages with thickening agents such as carrageenan, which is found in ice-cream and certain alternate milks such as almond milk or brown rice milk, as this product has been implicated in worsening colitis symptoms.

As a Naturopathic Doctor, I do suggest that if you are suffering from colitis to try the above suggestions, but also get an individual assessment done to see what triggers your colitis symptoms as every individual reacts differently, and has to be treated as such as well. Please call the clinic at 416 913 4325 to get an assessment on your health and to start treating your health issues naturally.

By: Dr. Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor.