Tag Archives: stress

Healthy Resolutions For 2012 – The Naturopathic Way

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Happy New Year to everyone. The last year has been a difficult one for almost everyone in various aspects so lets hope this year is one that will bring lots of positivity and cheer to everyone. Here is how you can do your part to make this world and yours a better place naturally.

1. QUIT SMOKING.

Really it is time to kick of this dirty habit as its heavy on your lungs and your pockets. Try to quit smoking naturally using acupuncture, hypnosis and natural supplements. It works really well, but only if you are ready to quit!  You have probably wanted to do it for a variety of reasons: including health, family and friends, and the amount of toxins you accumulate in your lungs, and now is the time, so go ahead and take that step towards a new healthier and cleaner you ! Your naturopathic doctor can advise you on natural supplements and diets that will help your body with dealing with cravings, agitation and anxiety as a results of quitting and weight gain that can happen with quitting smoking.

2. GIVE UP DRINKING EXCESSIVELY

Having an occasional glass of wine here and there is fine, red wine is great for the heart, but anything in excess is not good. So you figured you drink excessively only over the weekends so its fine! No, as a matter of fact, that kind of drinking is more abusive and harmful towards your liver and harder to process than having a glass of red wine every second or third day, not to mention killing the few brain cells remaining. Its affecting your relationships in a harmful manner, and turning you into a person that people do not want to know anymore, so kick of this habit naturally or with the help of your naturopathic doctor. There are amazing natural supplements that will help you deal with the cravings and urges.

3. CUT OUT TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WEIGH YOU DOWN

We have all been through this. Its hard to break bonds with toxic people and abusive relationships as its just so much more easier to be miserable and unhappy as opposed to facing the unknown, right? No!  Unless you wish to live your life scared and unhappy, and always being put down, the alternative is easier and less painful, and frees you of toxicity in your life! If you are hanging on to the past and the relationships that failed and the disappointments, you are weighing yourself down the unnecessary emotions and stagnating energy that comes from it, so free yourself like the birds. If you find its hard to let go, try some free flow writing and write whatever comes in your mind, happy or sad, and when you stop, burn whatever you wrote about or tear it up and let the emotions attached to what you wrote go. If you practice this regularly, your mind and heart will feel lighter.

4. SLEEP MORE AND EAT HEALTHIER 

This is the easiest healthy resolution out of all of the above and you will feel so much better in terms of energy and mood once you apply it. If you are one of these people who gets about 4 – 6 hours of sleep a night and get away with eating whatever they want, and feel you do not need more sleep or improve their diet, well, think again. Even though you may feel invincible, your body is having to work overtime to help you feel that way and sooner or later, it gets fatigued, and then you will start to see all kinds of symptoms you did not have before such as weight gain in the waist, fatigue, waking up feeling not refreshed among others. If you are one of those people who suffers from insomnia or other sleeping issues, talk to your naturopathic doctor to see how you may be able to improve your sleep naturally.

You are what you eat, so remember, if you are putting in food into your body that is not healthy and nutritious, your body will lack vital vitamins and minerals that it needs to function optimally, as a lack of these key nutrients will cause various imbalances in the body, which in turn will cause various symptoms in the body.

5. STRESS LESS AND BREATHE MORE!

Stress. This word in it self is stressful! Do not get me wrong, there is healthy and positive stress too, but the majority of us seem to put undue amounts of stress on our bodies. Stress on the body can be caused not only by mental and emotional factors, but also by our environment, psychological, dietary and physiological factors. Learn to manage your stress better  naturally with moderate exercise, yoga and meditation, massage and acupuncture, and with the help of certain vitamins and minerals.  If you are under constant stress and there is no possible to change it, try to find strategies that will help you to manage your stress better and remember to breathe.

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

 

 

Natural Ways Of Decreasing Stress In Life

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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

Treating Diverticulitis Naturally

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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.

Natural Treatments For Vitiligo

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Vitiligo is a skin condition that affects 1 – 2 % of the population world wide. Vitiligo is a condition where there is de- pigmentation of the skin due to an imbalance in the melanin production, which gives colour to the skin create lighter spots on the skin that become more apparent when you tan. Vitiligo can show up at any time, but more so under conditions of stress and poor diet.

Various naturopathic treatments are available for the treatment of vitiligo, and naturopaths treat vitiligo based on the various factors: diet and stress being primary. To date, no one is really sure as to why one gets vitiligo, but in our naturopathic clinic, as a naturopath, I have found that in order to treat vitiligo naturally, its necessary to first evaluate the general health status of the individual. The immune system plays a huge role when it comes of the treatment of vitiligo and it is necessary to rule out any auto immune conditions, as autoimmune triggers may in effect cause an “flare up” of vitiligo spots, where you see a whole lot of new spots appearing or the existing spots getting larger.

Vitiligo is part of a larger group of skin condition called leukoderma.  Stress is another factor that may worsen this condition. Naturopathic medicine uses various natural therapies such as acupuncture, natural supplements and diet to improve the body’s reaction to stress. An imbalanced diet can also create stress on the body, along with food allergies that can create an imbalance in the immune system due the an antigen – antibody complex overload.

Various skin creams are available that may or may not help with vitiligo, depending on the cause of the vitiligo. Quite often leukoderma is misdiagnosed as vitiligo. UV treatments have been shown to be somewhat helpful for treating this condition. Natural supplement therapy targeted to balance the immune system, rebalance the body and produce melanin is usually most effective when it comes to halting new spots from appearing.

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

Is Arthritis Effected By Foods I Consume?

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Arthritis is a condition which affects joints and bones, depending on the type other areas may be affected and quite often deformed by it. The – itis stands for inflammation in the area. There are various types of arthritis. The most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is one that affects your joints, can cause deformities of the joints and is significantly affected by the type of diet an individual has.

The vegetables in the night shade family particularly has a significant effect on the swelling and tenderness of the joints. The night shade family vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers and eggplants. If you do suffer from arthritic type symptoms, and do have family members who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, you may experience some relief by avoiding the night shade family vegetables from your diet for a while. Another factor that may affect the amount of inflammation is how acidic your diet is. The more processed and meaty your diet is, the more acidic the body becomes, which can also impact how much inflammation your body produces.

A diet that is high in green leafy vegetables, good quality fruits and grains will quite often help reduce the inflammation in the body. In practice, I have quite often found food intolerances and mild allergies can also cause quite a bit of inflammation in the body due to histamine release in the blood stream. If you suffer from any type of arthritis, take a look at the following factors:

1. Diet – how is your diet – a weekly diet diary of what you ate and how your joints felt will help you narrow down possible triggers in food.

2. Stress – how stressful is your life and what relaxation techniques are your using to help deal with day to day life and other stressors. REMEMBER – stress is not only work and family related, stress is anything that puts your body out of its normal state of being – this could include mental, emotional, psychological, physiological, environmental and dietary factors.

If you are having difficulty identifying what might be making your symptoms worse, talk to your naturopathic physician or your doctor about possibly looking into other causes that might be affecting you.

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

Emotional Stress And Weight Gain Or Loss

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Weight loss is a tricky subject for most who have tried to yo-yo diet and follow starvation diets, with crazy workouts lasting hours on end.

Here are some things to think about when choosing a weight loss program that will benefit you holistically rather than just dropping the pounds. What caused the weight gain in the first place? What is the first factor that comes to mind – was it overeating? Was it a stressful event or turn of events that caused the weight gain, which also was compounded by other stress symptoms such as loss of sleep and fatigue? What was the stressor? Stressors could include anything that puts the body out of its normal state of being such as environment, diet change / modification, medications and emotional stress of varying degrees.

If in fact it was emotional stress related, here a few simple things that you can do that will significantly help improve your success at loosing the additional weight.

  1. Identify the emotional stress factor that caused this spiral with the weight and write it down.
  2. Rather than being stuck in past, come up with realistic strategies that are going to help motivate you to change your attitude towards certain things. Cognitive behavioral therapy would be great for this.
  3. Put your action plan to use. This might include a healthier diet change which will nourish your body with the nutrients that the body has a high demand for in times of stress. An exercise schedule might help, however, if there is a lack of motivation to start exercising because you have no energy, try to identify what you is causing the fatigue ( which could very well be hormone related if there was a prolonged period of stress), and talk to your Naturopathic Doctor about what tests need to be done to identify the root cause of the fatigue and weight gain.

Once this is established, and you start having more energy, you can get on an exercise plan, which will help with energy and stress management. Quite often however, its not so simple. The human mind is much more complex and we often need to change our mental behaviors in order to achieve some physical successes such as weight loss and break unhelpful and disruptive patterns that caused the problem in the first place and may cause a repetition in the future.

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

Eating Well For Stress Protection

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Stressful times call for healthful measures with regards to our diet to make sure that our adrenal glands work well and help our body adapt to stress well.

The adrenals are an integral part of the endocrine system of hormones, and optimal function is crucial for the functioning of thyroid and reproductive hormones.

Avoid foods that tax your adrenal glands, particularly sugar, alcohol and caffeine, the very things we crave when under stress.

Try to eat foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and essential fatty acids such as leafy greens, bright colored fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Keeping the body hydrated is extremely important as winter rolls around.

Try to get at least 8 glasses of water minimally.

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

Naturopathic Ways To Reduce And Treat Hypertension / High Blood Pressure

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HYPERTENSION – HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious condition that affects 50 million Americans – one in four adults. It is defined as an average systolic blood pressure above 140 mm Hg, a diastolic blood pressure above 90 mm Hg, or both. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, the first and third most common causes of death among Americans.

In the early and middle adult years, men are more likely than women to develop the condition, but as men and women age, the reverse is true; more women older than the age of 55 have high blood pressure than men of the same age. While hypertension generally develops in people older than 20 years of age, more than half of all Americans over the age of 65 have the condition.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Most people who have high blood pressure do not know they have it because they generally experience no symptoms at all. Occasionally, some individuals may experience a mild headache when their blood pressure is high. Serious cases of hypertension, which happen infrequently, may produce the following symptoms:

•   Severe headache

•   Confusion

•   Nausea

•   Visual disturbances

•   Seizure

CAUSES

There are two major types of hypertension: essential (primary) and secondary. Essential hypertension is by far the most common, accounting for more than 95% of all cases. The cause of this form of hypertension is not known for certain, but is likely a combination of factors, including:

•   Genes for high blood pressure

•   Low levels of nitric oxide, a naturally occurring agent responsible for the dilation of blood vessels (African Americans are believed to have low levels of this substance)

•   Insulin resistance

•   Obesity

The causes of secondary hypertension include:

•   Kidney disorders

•   Endocrine disorders, such as Cushing’s syndrome

•   Obstructive sleep apnea (episodes during sleep when breathing stops due to obstruction of the air passages)

•   Stress

•   Chronic heavy alcohol consumption (accounts for 10% of cases of secondary high blood pressure)

•   Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly in the elderly

•   Use of certain medications, including oral contraceptives, pseudoephedrine, hormone replacement therapy, and steroids

•   Heavy coffee drinking (5 or more cups per day), particularly in those who have previously had high blood pressure

•   Use of cocaine, nicotine, Ginseng or licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) can cause or worsen existing hypertension.

RISK FACTORS

The following factors increase an individual’s risk for high blood pressure:

•   Family history of hypertension

•   Alcohol abuse

•   High sodium intake

•   Inactive lifestyle

•   Being overweight

•   Mood disorders, particularly depression and anxiety (they may have a direct impact on blood vessels or they may lead to unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse or poor weight management)

Hypertension is more common among African Americans than Whites (this may be due to nitric oxide levels or to social factors such as chronic life stressors)

NATUROPATHIC HEALTH MODIFICATIONS TO HELP PREVENT HYPERTENSION:

1.   Maintaining a desirable weight

2.   Maintaining a normal body weight is one of the most effective ways to prevent high blood pressure. Weight reduction, therefore, in overweight individuals of any age should be a priority in the prevention of hypertension.

3.   Reducing salt intake

4.   Although population-based studies suggest a link between salt intake and prevalence of high blood pressure in particular groups of people (African Americans, for example), how each individual responds to sodium in his or her diet is quite variable. Since reducing dietary salt is generally considered safe, however, low-salt diets are recommended, particularly for those at risk for developing hypertension or heart disease.

5.   Increasing physical activity

6.   Several studies suggest that physically inactive people may be at an increased risk for developing hypertension. Moderate exercise, brisk walking, swimming, yoga and jogging may all be helpful in improving heart health and reducing the risk of hypertension.

7.   Limiting alcohol consumption

8.   Limit your alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day.

9.   Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

10. People who consume vegetarian diets have significantly lower blood pressure than those who do not.

11.  Keep your cholesterol under control.

LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS TO TREAT HYPERTENSION / HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

The same lifestyle modifications that help prevent hypertension are useful in treating it. The following steps are recommended for people with hypertension, regardless of whether they are taking prescription medications.

•   Lose weight if overweight.

•   Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 oz. of ethanol per day for men (this roughly equals 2 pints of beer, 2 glasses of wine, or 2 shots of 100-proof whiskey) and 0.5 oz. for women and lighter-weight individuals.

•   Increase and maintain aerobic physical activity (30 to 40 minutes most days per week).

•   Reduce salt intake to less than 2,400 mg sodium or 6,000 mg sodium chloride per day.

•   Improve overall cardiovascular health by quitting smoking and reducing saturated fat and cholesterol intake.

•   Reduce stress—since ongoing stressful circumstances, such as job dissatisfaction, may contribute to the development of hypertension, stress management may lower elevated blood pressure.

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

Arthritis And Foods

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Quite often I see patients in the clinic suffering from various types of arthritis, and majority say that they get flare ups quite often during this hot and humid weather. When i ask them more detailed questions about their arthritis and ask them if they see a connection with the coincidence of flare ups and what food they ate the night or day before, majority cannot recall if there is a connection.

Here is one for all the arthritis sufferers out there: if you are suffering from flare ups for no apparent reason, look at the foods you are eating. Especially for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, try to avoid the night shade family vegetables (green peppers, egg plants, tomatoes and potatoes) – these foods tend to make the inflammation in the body worse.

Also pay close attention to any other foods that could potentially be worsening your symptoms and if you are still unable to pinpoint what foods are causing the symptoms to get worse, it might be worth investing in the food Igg screen test which helps determine what foods you, specifically are reacting to.

Other parameters you want to look at are stress. A lot of times I find clients getting flare ups after stressful events, hence learn some techniques to help you ease the stress and improve the body’s ability to deal with stress, go for a swim or yoga or massage, alternatively learn some deep breathing techniques or relaxation methods.

Homeopathic remedies may help ease the pain and swelling in joints related to humid weather, ruta may help with bone pain, however you are much better of seeing a naturopath or homeopath for your specific remedy for your symptoms.

Some nut and fish oils are great as natural anti-inflammatory, along with ginger and turmeric powder.

Having more of a vegetarian diet would be quite beneficial initially to help reduce the inflammatory burden on the body as well.

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