A recent article titled "Enough is enough: stop wasting money on vitamin and mineral supplements" was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine with a conclusion that “supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful.”The good news is that this editorial used selective and biased research and thus does not give an accurate picture of the health effects of nutritional supplements.

As reported by Dr. Alan Gaby, M.D, “multivitamin-mineral preparations have been shown in published research to have a wide range of benefits, including increasing energy and stress tolerance, improving pregnancy outcomes, decreasing infection rates, slowing bone loss, and improving cognitive function in schoolchildren” Furthermore, various individual nutrients or combinations of nutrients have been used successfully for the prevention and treatment of many other health conditions, including migraines, congestive heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney stones, diabetes, and depression. (13)

With the right product, the right dose, and appropriate use, supplements and vitamins are not a waste of money. Ideally we could obtain the full spectrum of nutrients from what we eat, however this is made difficult by the quality of our food and increased demand of nutrients by our bodies when we are unhealthy. My goal as your local Naturopath is to bring you back to good health, and if that means using essential supplements and vitamins in the early stages, so be it!

13 Gaby AR, Nutritional Medicine. 2011; Concord, NH. www.doctorgaby.com.

Dealing with menstrual cramps without Advil

It’s that time of the month again, and you find yourself popping back advil just to get through your day. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Painful menstruation, or dysmennorhea, is a very common condition affecting more than 50% of menstruating women. Unfortunately the cause is unknown, however risk factors include smoking, obesity, heavy or prolonged menstrual flow, positive family history and early menarche (first period at age 12 and younger).

Secondary dysmenorrhea are menstrual cramps due to a specific pelvic or systemic condition and thus a proper assessment is important to rule these more serious conditions out. Whatever the origin of the pain, there are natural alternatives to dealing with it in the moment, and preventing it altogether.

As for pain management, herbs such as ginger, cramp-bark (go-figure), red -raspberry and Valerian are great options to soothe the excited pelvic muscles. Acupuncture, Hydrotherapy and Nutritional supplementation are also great options to relax those angry lady parts.

Prevention is key, and this is where I can work with you individually to attain posture and spinal alignment, stress reduction, weight management, avoidance of allergens and smoking, exercise and optimizing digestion and food choices.

Say no to advil, and bye to your cramps for good!

Detox: what does it mean, and why should I do it?

Detox is a very popular word used throughout the alternative community. Sometimes used too sparingly, Detox or Detoxification, refers to a process primarily preformed by the liver to get rid of metabolic and toxic waste. It is a normal process that the body undergoes, however is often overwhelmed by the increasing amounts of toxins from food, water and air (not to mention medications) that accumulate overtime. Some examples of toxins include polluted air, solvents, heavy metals, radiation and auto-exhaust that some of us encounter more than others.  Signs that your detoxification capacity is impiaired include, but are not limited to: Allergies, Fatigue, PMS, Asthma, Insomnia, Muscle joint pain, and skin disorders

Our goal in detoxification is to improve the functioning of the liver and other organs that aid in the elimination of these toxins. Some benefits include healthy skin, improved energy, weight loss, mental clarity, and better digestion.  A proper detoxification requires a supportive protocol before, during and after including specific supplementation, nutrition, herbals, and hydrotherapy that will help you feel better, for longer. 

Come see me for a protocol that will fits your lifestyle

The human body is made up of more than 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells making us MORE microbe than human.  We feed, water and give warm shelter to plentiful bacteria that work symbiotically with our systems in order to help us survive.  A large majority of microbes hang out in the large intestine, but they are also found in tissues exposed to external surfaces such as the lungs and gastrointestinal tract.  Microbes play a key role in developing immunity to help us fight off infections. Not only do they provide a physical barrier to incoming pathogens, but they also help with maintenance of our intestinal barrier, food metabolism (such as the absorption of vitamins and minerals), as well as brain development.

As the balance between GOOD and BAD bacteria begins to be altered, the permeability of the gut begins to increase. Gut wall integrity is crucially important in preventing allergies, auto-immune reactions and maintaining the health of the entire immune system as well! When our system becomes overly permeable, proteins that have not yet been properly broken down into amino acids may get absorbed into our blood stream. Once in the bloodstream, the body recognizes these larger proteins as trouble and may generate an immune response, or allergy, to them.  For some people this response is minor (itchy eyes, runny nose, hives, etc.) and for others it is life threatening (anaphylaxis).

Probiotics help to build and maintain the ratio of GOOD to BAD bacteria, keeping the intestinal wall strong and impermeable to unwanted peptides. As mentioned above, bacteria help us with many functions of the body and without them we couldn’t survive. Other ways we can promote good bacteria in our system is with stress relief, eating a well balanced diet and with supplemental probiotics. Come 

The jolt of energy you feel after ingesting some form of caffeine is really a triggered stress response. Caffeine prompts your adrenal glands to kick out the hormone adrenaline, causing overexcitation (palpitations, jitters, increased heart rate), increased stress and impairment of the relaxation response. Although this increases your state of alertness, it is only temporary. When the adrenal glands are overworked by excessive stress or high sugar diets, caffeine and smoking (to name a few), their ability to resist further stress greatly decreases and over time puts excessive wear and tear on the adrenal glands.

When the adrenals are worn out, they are unable to keep up and withstand prolonged stress. As a result, adrenal exhaustion will ensue and your energy levels, libido, sleep cycle and will suffer.

Too much caffeine can take a toll on your adrenals and therefore it’s important to limit its intake to prevent burdening of an already overworked system. Sufficient sleep, stress reduction, exercise, elimination of sugar and processed foods, as well as a balanced diet will further support your adrenals and improve your ability to handle stress on all levels.