HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Hello everyone! We really hope that this year is going to bring with it hope and health. This past year has been quite stressful for a lot of us in various ways, so we pray for more family time with our loved ones in a safe and happy environment without constant fear and worries.

This year is a perfect year to embrace changes and challenges that come our way, and of course make way for healthier habits for your mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Wishing you a healthy year filled with wellness, love and happiness!

In this newsletter:

• Clinic News


• Keeping Your Immune System In Top Shape Naturally


• How To Deal With Anxiety And Fears Related To The Pandemic


• Hearty Winter Soup Recipe

CLINIC NEWS

Our doors are open for in-person consultations and virtual appointments during the weekdays and weekends. We continue to offer Naturopathic Appointments, Acupuncture, Massage, Hypnotherapy and one-on-one Reiki courses. As a clinic,  we continue practicing sound COVID-19 safety protocols. We will continue to provide telemedicine for patients who are not comfortable coming into the clinic yet or who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

If you are in need of  a naturopathic consultation, lab testing, physical exams, acupuncture or massage treatment, please feel free to contact us for an appointment. 

For supplement refills, please call the clinic at (416) 913 4325 (HEAL) and we can have your supplements ready for pick up or delivered to you.

We are offering massage treatments on Fridays and Saturday, spots are filling in for the month quickly, so please call us to schedule your 60 or 90 minutes massage to avoid disappointment.

I look forward to seeing you soon. Wishing you continued health and wellness for the year ahead.

KEEPING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IN TOP SHAPE NATURALLY

Pathogens will always be present in one form or another. Whilst we all have perfected the art of sanitizing, hand washing, wiping down everything repeatedly, there are a few things we can do naturally for our bodies to keep our immune system strong and healthy on a day-to-day basis. Here is a list for you:

• Try to reduce stress as much as you can. Stress can be caused by anything that puts your body out of its normal state of well-being. Being in a state of constant flight or fight impacts our health and well-being in various ways. Meditation, Deep Breathing, Yoga, Acupuncture and Massage all help to reduce the stress hormone cortisol and improve your mental and emotional state naturally.


• Have a diet that is nutrient dense and packed full of vitamins and minerals. A diet that is balanced and high in good quality proteins, vegetables, and fruits. Processed foods are generally nutrient deficient and not recommended.


• Exercise regularly. Going for walks in nature is good for the mind and great for the body and helps to reduce stress as well. Exercise some form of moderate activity for at least 40 – 50 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week.


• Get an adequate amount of sleep. Try to sleep at the same time daily and get at least 7 – 8 hours of sleep to allow the body to recharge.


• If you smoke, quit smoking. With every puff, you inhale over 60 different harmful ad toxic chemicals directly into your lungs. If your lung health is compromised, your immune system is more susceptible to upper respiratory infections. Hydrate, drink plenty of water, and if you drink alcohol, decrease your intake of alcohol. We offer hypnotherapy and acupuncture for quitting smoking if you are having a hard time quitting.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ANXIETY AND FEARS RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC

Everyone has been affected by this pandemic is one way or another. A lot of people have been struggling with the stress and anxiety that the pandemic brought with it – from fears about health and getting sick with the virus, the stress and pressures with online learning for kids, whilst working from home, social isolation, not being able to spend quality time with friends and extended family, and of course missing gym classes and workouts. Here are some things you can do to deal with the anxiety and fears related to the pandemic:

1. Stop giving your control to the fears of the pandemic and what you hear about it. Yes, a lot of the anxiety and fears come from what we hear and see on various media channels. There has been a lot of fear focused news, and being exposed to it constantly, many times in the day causes anxiety, fatigue or sleeping issues. A survey from the American Psychological Association found that news consumption, especially if it is negative has a downside. When you view negative news, it heightens your own personal worries and fears, making it difficult to control and in turn creates more worry than they normally would otherwise. So please stop or limit watching and listening to negative news.


2. Focus on the positives. The one thing we can control when we are not in control of the external factors is our response to them. Here are a few ways on how to focus on the positive and be more optimistic.


3. Start your day with gratitude and optimism – how you start your day sets the tone for the day, so start your day with gratitude and with a positive mindset. We have so much to be thankful for in our lives and reminding ourselves of what it is we are grateful for makes it easier to remain optimistic. 


4. Live in the present. The past is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is the present for a reason. Focus on the now and how to make this present moment a memorable one and a happy one, for once you lose it, it is gone forever. Do not let a negative outcome tarnish all the happy moments you can have today and now.


5. Focus on the solution, not the problem. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been focused on the solution. Our daily routines are solution based as opposed to problem focused. Making sure we take our vitamins, having a healthier diet, keeping our immune system in check, wearing masks to protect ourselves and others, sanitizing and frequently washing hands, keeping our distance, quarantining if sick, working from home, the list goes on for us to prevent getting sick and infecting others. All the solution-based efforts have given us an opportunity to work with this pandemic.  I know we are tired and ready to throw in the towel, but remember every cloud has a silver lining, and I am sure there is one in the present situation too, but with all the negativity around, it is hard to see.

We will always have challenges in life, the secret is to move forward with a positive mindset and attitude and not get stuck in that state.

HEARTY WINTER SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 zucchinis, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500 grams of chopped canned tomatoes
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 can of turtle or black beans, drained
• ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crusty sour dough bread to serve

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add the cumin seeds, sliced leeks, bay leaves, garlic, and zucchini, and cook over medium heat, for about 7 minutes


2. Add the tomato paste and canned tomatoes, vegetable stock and turtle or black beans. Bring to a boil and lower the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes.


3. Season with salt and pepper. And sprinkle the parsley and cilantro on top.


4. Remove the bay leaves. Enjoy with the sour dough crusty bread.

For any questions, or concerns, or to schedule an initial naturopathic appointment, please contact us at 416 913 4325 (HEAL) or email us at [email protected]

* DISCLAIMER: The information on this article is the property of Dr. Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, and is not intended to treat, diagnose or cure any diseases or promote any services or products mentioned on the website.