• Nuts of your choice (I use almonds most often, so this recipe is suited to that)
• Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, etc) of your choice!

• Cook the nuts only until they start to turn a light brown and parts still appear raw - they will keep cooking a bit even after you take them out of the oven.
• Don’t let the nuts burn!

Hearing a lot about gluten these days?

Wondering what gluten sensitivity is?

• What is gluten sensitivity and celiac disease?
• How gluten may affect your health
• How to live gluten-free with ease

• Wednesday, May 15th, 7pm at Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Avenue East, 416-393-7657
• Wednesday, May 22nd, 7pm at Main Street Library, 137 Main Street, 416-393-7700

Have you ever done a detox (or wanted to)?

Wondering how to do a detox safely and effectively?

• Benefits of detoxification
• How detox can help treat many chronic health concerns
• Keys to doing a healthy, whole body detox

• Wednesday, April 10th, 7pm at Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Avenue East, 416-393-7657
• Wednesday, April 17th, 7pm at Main Street Library, 137 Main Street, 416-393-7700

• Types of thyroid dysfunction
• How to decode thyroid testing
• Naturopathic treatment options for thyroid health

• Wednesday, March 13th, 7pm at Deer Park Library, 40 St. Clair Avenue East, 416-393-7657
• Wednesday, March 20th, 7pm at Main Street Library, 137 Main Street, 416-393-7700

Do you want to feel vibrant and healthy?

Do you want to be empowered to care for your health?

Do you want to make your health and wellbeing a priority?

• Feel much better and have more energy
• Lost weight, fit into clothes that haven’t fit in years
• Made self-care a priority
• Learned much more about nutrition and how to make healthy meals
• Made simple habit changes to safeguard health
• Improvement in sleep quality
• Resolved digestive difficulties
• Noticed improvements in skin (and others did too)

• 3 one-on-one naturopathic visits
• 5 fun and interactive group coaching and support sessions
• Detoxification diet program and personalized detox protocol

• Group introductions and goals
• Why detox?
• Program overview
• Diet plan discussion and questions
• Demo tracking tools

• Check-in with group, questions, highs and lows
• Delightful drainage to support detox
• Water is wonderful: hydration and hydrotherapy self-care
• Diet tips and tricks
• Guest speaker: Tamara Green from Living Kitchen Wellness

• Check-in with group, questions, highs and lows
• Sound sleep secrets
• Stress busting tips and tricks
• Guided meditation/breathing exercise
• Guest speaker: Adriana Machado at Mahaya Forest Hill Integrative Health
• Guest speaker: Louise Doran, ND at Kew Beach Naturopathic Clinic

• Check-in with group, questions, highs and lows
• Food reintroduction planning
• Exercise is the best medicine
• Integrate exercise into your day
• Guest speaker: Jonas Eyford, DC

• Check-in with group, questions, highs and lows
• Safe skin care
• Lymphatic health and how-to’s
• Review and group feedback
• Guest speaker: Akari Yokokawa, RMT

• Weight loss
• Fatigue and lack of mental clarity
• Digestive issues
• Weak immunity and/or frequent infections
• Hormone balance at any age
• Skin conditions
• Allergies

Register now to get on the road to feeling fantastic again!

Space is limited and strictly first come, first served.

Deadline is Monday, March 25th, 2013.

Do you want to feel GREAT in 2013?

• The detox diet is more structured, more supported, and more effective. As always, we will customize your detox diet based on your needs.
• We will have more amazing guest speakers! In fact, we will have guest speakers for most weeks’ topics and they will come ready to take your detox to the next level.
• Group sessions will be more interactive, with more time for discussions and hands-on learning.
• Compliance and progress will be monitored more comprehensively to ensure you get the most out of your detox.

• Weight loss
• Fatigue and lack of mental clarity
• Digestive “issues” (constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, IBS, bloating, gas, and many more!)
• Poor immunity and/or frequent infections (cold, flu, sinusitis, yeast infections, etc)
• Hormonal balance at any age (PMS, period pain, menopause, fertility, the list goes on…)
• Skin conditions of all sorts (acne, eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin, hives, etc)
• Allergies (yes, these can be reduced and even eliminated!)

Register by Monday, March 25th, 2013, spots are limited!

• Colposcopy CIN I

• Pap HSIL
• Colposcopy CIN II/III
• Biopsy HSIL

• Had LEEP (loop electrosurgical procedure), HSIL

• Pap HSIL
• Colposcopy CIN I
• Biopsy HSIL
• Opted to receive HPV vaccine

• Colposcopy CIN II/III
• Began naturopathic treatment
• Was recommended to do laser ablation treatment (scheduled for November)

Do you want to feel GREAT in 2013?

• Weight loss
• Fatigue and lack of mental clarity
• Digestive “issues” (constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, IBS, bloating, gas, and many more!)
• Poor immunity and/or frequent infections (cold, flu, sinusitis, yeast infections, etc)
• Hormonal balance at any age (PMS, period pain, menopause, fertility, the list goes on…)
• Skin conditions of all sorts (acne, eczema, psoriasis, itchy skin, hives, etc)
• Allergies (yes, these can be reduced and even eliminated!)

• 3 one-on-one naturopathic visits to assess your health concerns, establish your goals, and track your progress.
• 5 practical and interactive group coaching and support sessions covering all aspects of detoxification (nutrition, elimination organs, stress management, exercise, safe skin care, and lots more)
• Detoxification diet program emphasizing digestive and liver support
• Personalized detox protocol of remedies chosen specifically to address your needs

Register by Monday, March 25th, 2013, spots are limited!

• Breast cancer incidence and mortality is highest in industrialized countries where exposure to light at night is highest.
• Human breast cancer cells implanted into mice exposed to light round the clock grew into measurable tumours quickly, while tumours did not appear in control mice who had 12 hours of darkness.
• Tumours in mice perfused with human blood samples taken from women exposed to light were much more active and grew faster than tumours perfused with blood samples from women exposed to dark.
• 20 years of night shift work was associated with a 79% increase in risk of breast cancer! Wow.
• Shift work that disrupts circadian rhythm is likely carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in human beings! Shift work is in the same risk category as anabolic steroids, UV light exposure, and diesel engine exhaust.

• Mice exposed to light at night gained 20% more (!) body mass than controls with the same caloric intake.
• Eating later at night leads to weight gain via disrupted metabolism - so that rule of thumb to eat lighter at night and stop eating several hours before bed is really good advice!

• Mice kept in the dark at night had a survival rate after heart attack of nearly 100% while in mice exposed to just 3 nights of dim light (such as we humans may be exposed to in a hospital setting overnight with all the monitors and machines!), survival rates dropped to just 30-40%.

• Mice exposed to chronic low levels of light at night exhibited a loss of interest in things they normally had enjoyed (one major sign of depression).
• On a positive note, these effects are highly reversible in a short period of time when darkness at night is restored, so there is hope for you if you’re feeling down - turn out the lights!

• Accept your status as a human being - to function well you need both light and dark exposure and a minimal amount of sleep and it is your responsibility to ensure you get what you need.
• Most research shows that health is optimal when people get at least 7-8 hours quality sleep per night consistently, so plan your day and night to give yourself this important rest.

• Black out your windows with opaque blinds or curtains.
• Get rid of night lights already! And cover sources of light, such as clocks and electronics.
• Wear a sleep mask to cover your eyes and block out light.

• Eliminate sources of blue light in the evening, such as TVs, computers, and other electronics that can suppress melatonin production for up to 90 minutes! So yes, the advice to avoid electronics at night is also true!
• Keep lights dim and warm in the evening using different lamps or dimmers.
• Emphasize red light at night, such as using candlelight or fire. Also good for romance!
• If you wake during the night, avoid bright lights (including those cursed electronics) and if you must have light, stick to dim red-toned light.

• Get outside in the light for at least 20 minutes per day.
• Use more blue light during the day, such as the light from compact fluorescent light bulbs.

• Seriously consider if shift work is right for you, and if not, start taking steps to change your work schedule.
• Plan a sleep schedule that ensures you get consistent undisturbed sleep when you are not working.
• Sleep in complete darkness and observe other tips for sound sleep.
• There appears to be some benefits to increasing light (ideally blue) while working and shifting to less light (and warmer colours, like red) once finished work to simulate nighttime.
• However, there is also research which aims to prevent the changing of the circadian rhythm in shift workers by reducing exposure to blue light which also shows benefit.

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 1 Tbsp ghee, melted
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1 lemon
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 1-2 pounds (approximately 2-4 cups) carrots, peeled
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• LDL (low density lipoprotein): Often called “bad cholesterol,” this type of lipoprotein carries cholesterol from the liver to tissues, so the thinking is that it can “build up” where it shouldn’t be (ie: arteries).
• HDL (high density lipoprotein): Often called “good cholesterol”, this type of lipoprotein does the opposite of LDL; it carries cholesterol from tissues back to the liver where it is broken down or eliminated from the body. HDL is considered to be preventative of disease.
• Triglycerides: These are literally fats in the blood. Extra calories in the body are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells for a “rainy day” when your body might need more energy.

• Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol do not correlate with coronary artery calcium burden or total plaque burden (calcified or not).
• The commonly accepted idea that saturated fat in the diet leads to atherosclerosis has been repeatedly challenged and is not supported by research literature. This article points out that “increased saturated fat intake leads to a beneficial decrease in small dense LDL, and greater intake in saturated fat was found to reduce progression of coronary atherosclerosis (4).”
• Lower LDL does not reduce the prevalence or progression of coronary plaque.
• Treatment with statins does not affect coronary calcification.
• For women, men over 47, and the elderly in general, elevated cholesterol is a “very weak risk factor” for coronary heart disease or “not a risk factor at all.”

• Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2): Can be a strong predictor of cardiovascular events (eg: heart attack, stroke) and can be reduced via omega-3 fatty acid intake and weight loss.
• Apolipoprotein (Apo) B: Can more accurately pinpoint the number of LDL particles and therefore can better estimate risk.
• LDL particle concentration (LDL-P): Another measure of the number of LDL particles, as above.
• Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)): Number of these molecules is a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk, especially in patients with strong family history.
• LDL and HDL subfractions: Seek to understand more detail about size, density, and cholesterol content of LDL and HDL. These measurements appear to be less useful than other tests listed above.

• Extent of calcified plaque in arteries (measured as described above via EBT or CT)
• Hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
• Diabetes and insulin resistance (which is the result of long-term blood sugar dysregulation)
• Smoking
• Being overweight or obese (result of long-term excess calories stored as fat)
• Inflammation in the body (can be measured using tests such as high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP))
• Lack of physical activity
• Stress (lots of evidence that stress plays a major role in developing heart disease)
• Mood (depression also increases risk of heart disease!)

• Nutrition and diet changes appropriate to the individual
• Weight reduction where necessary
• Consistent and challenging physical activity
• Appropriate stress and mood management
• Reversing conditions which promote heart disease, such as insulin resistance and inflammation in the body
• Healthy function of the liver, which produces cholesterol
• Treatment for other risk factors as listed earlier (eg: smoking cessation, blood pressure regulation)
• Appropriate nutritional and botanical supplementation for the individual

1. http://www.webmd.com/news/20110420/the-10-most-prescribed-drugs
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001224/
3. Ware WR. Does cholesterol drive coronary atherosclerosis? Integrated Healthcare Practitioners. 2011 Oct: 64-68.
4. Accurso A, et al. Dietary carbohydrate restriction in type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome: time for a critical appraisal. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008 Apr 8;5:9. PMID: 18397522
5. Habib C, Rouchotas P. Novel cholesterol subtypes. Integrated Healthcare Practitioners. 2012 Oct: 53-57.

Photos: 29 Oct 2012

I did some research and determined that what I had was most likely a filiform wart, which often grow on the eyelids. I couldn’t find any definitive treatment and I was concerned about getting it simply cut off as many warts just grow back, and sometimes worse. Because it was on my eyelid, I was also limited in what I could put on it topically.

Treatment:
Armed with the hypothesis that this was a filiform wart, I came up with a few ideas:

1. Anti-viral nutritional treatment consisting of a few supplements to help my body fight the virus that causes warts. I based these choices off supplements I use when treating cervical dysplasia and HPV infections in women (see my HPV Healing program), since certain strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) causes common skin warts as well.

2. Anti-viral topical treatment consisting of using green tea powder made into a paste and applied topically to the area (see my Green tea face mask). In practice, I usually suggest this duct tape wart remedy, but that wouldn’t work for the eyelid!

3. Homeopathic treatment, meaning I went to see my naturopathic doctor (Helena Ovens, ND) and asked her to help me come up with a remedy to treat this.

4. Matrix Energetics treatment from my colleague Louise Doran, ND. I believe that many physical ailments have a mental/emotional/energetic connection. For true, deep healing to occur, it is important to access this level while also supporting the physical body.

I started taking a few extra supplements immediately and doing the green tea application overnight every night. I only kept up the green tea application for about 1 week as it started to irritate my eye. I was prescribed a remedy and took my first dose on October 31, 2012. I also received a Matrix Energetics treatment on that day.

Results:
The photo below shows that the wart has already shrunk in size by about half. It is a bit brown/green discoloured I think from the green tea applications I was doing (although I had stopped them by this point). I kept up with the supplements and took a second dose of my homeopathic remedy on November 7, 2012.

Photos: 7 Nov 2012

By the weekend, the wart continued to get smaller and drier and began to feel like it might fall off. I waited until Sunday, November 11, 2012 when while washing my face I was able to just pluck it off with nearly no effort! The photos below were taken just after this, so you can see a bit of blood and redness where the wart had been.

Photos: 11 Nov 2012

Finally, a few days later my eyelid was nearly back to normal, with just a slight bump where the wart was. Now, less than one month later, the photos below show that the wart is completely gone and my eyelid has healed nicely with nearly no evidence that anything ever happened.

Photos: 3 Dec 2012

Just another great example of the power of naturopathic medicine!

• Fast: It is easy to use, with only a few seconds needed to enter foods or exercise. You can save meals and copy them easily across days with just a few taps, so once you have your basic info in there it is even faster!
• Easy: The interface is simple, clear, easy to navigate, and quick to understand. I have been using this system for months and I think I have tried every single feature and I have been able to sort out everything I need.
• Find any food: It has the best database of food information I’ve been able to find in ANY system, including lots of more obscure, health food store brands, Canadian brands, restaurant meals, and many other options. This means that no matter what you eat, you will be able to track it! It even has a barcode scanner so you can scan packaging and find exactly the right match.
• Recipes and custom foods: You can also enter your own recipes and custom foods, so if there is something you can’t find in the huge database, you can still track it!
• Syncing: It syncs between the app and the website, so you only have to enter info once wherever is most convenient for you at that time and it is updated everywhere.
• Free: This one is pretty self-explanatory!

• Tracking what you eat instantly makes you more accountable and in most cases, leads to instant behaviour change without all the thinking, agonizing, and sometimes procrastinating that most people experience when trying to change.
• It is educational to really understand what you eat - many people make healthy food choices but may be unknowingly eating more or less calories than they need or be missing out in key nutritional areas.
• You can measure yourself against concrete goals for things like calories, fibre, servings of vegetables, and anything else that matters to you - if you don’t know what you’re doing, it is hard to measure success.
• It makes it much easier to work with your naturopathic doctor to lose weight when you can review your diet in detail together - I work with patients to help improve their food choices and it helps a lot to look at their diet so I can make specific and helpful suggestions.

• Aim for a consistent sleep routine (even on the weekends) and encourage naps or “quiet time” on days when your child seems a little more tired
• Ensure there is variety of whole grains, proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet including in snacks sent to school
• With the support of an ND, consider giving your child an age appropriate multivitamin and pure fish oil supplement to give their brain and body a boost

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Monitor how much water your child is drinking to make sure it is optimal. Minimize or avoid too many juices (always dilute).
• Again, healthy sleep routines are essential for immune support.
• With the support of an ND, ensure your child is getting enough variety of protein sources as this is essential for immune function, consider giving your child an age appropriate dose of Vitamin D, Vitamin C and probiotic (“friendly bacteria”) supplements to support the function of their growing immune system. Also discuss the benefits of castor oil packs.
• If your child is ill, give them sufficient time at home to heal before returning to school

• Children experience stress too and cultivating relaxation strategies early on in their life is truly a gift you can give them. Teaching your child deep breathing techniques, visualization skills and encouraging regular exercise all aid in releasing mental and physical stress.
• Remember as the parent, you can set the tone and you are the role model so if you are stressed it can be a perfect teaching moment for them to see you find a positive solution.
• Learn some basic massage therapy techniques so that you can give your child a relaxing rub from time to time.
• With the support of an ND, consider giving your child herbal teas such as chamomile and/or lemon balm and an appropriate flower essence which can bring emotional balance. An interactive project for parent and child could be to make small herbal pillows (for instance filled with lavender) to create a positive and calming association with sleep.

1. Riso P, Klimis-Zacas D, Del Bo' C, Martini D, Campolo J, Vendrame S, Møller P, Loft S, De Maria R, Porrini M. Effect of a wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) drink intervention on markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial function in humans with cardiovascular risk factors. Eur J Nutr. 2012 Jun 26.
2. http://www.growingproduce.com/article/26272/2/trends-in-world-blueberry-production
3. Wilms LC, Boots AW, de Boer VC, Maas LM, Pachen DM, Gottschalk RW, et al. Impact of multiple genetic polymorphisms on effects of a 4-week blueberry juice intervention on ex vivo induced lymphocytic DNA damage in human volunteers. Carcinogenesis. 2007 Aug;28(8):1800-6.
4. Stull AJ, Cash KC, Johnson WD, Champagne CM, Cefalu WT. Bioactives in blueberries improve insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin-resistant men and women. J Nutr. 2010 Oct;140(10):1764-8.
5. http://www.lsuagcenter.com/agsummary/narrative
6. Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA, Kalt W, Vinqvist-Tymchuk MR, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph JA. Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):3996-4000.
7. http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/aganswers/story.asp?storyID=6738
8. Vendrame S, Guglielmetti S, Riso P, Arioli S, Klimis-Zacas D, Porrini M. Six-week consumption of a wild blueberry powder drink increases bifidobacteria in the human gut.  J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Dec 28;59(24):12815-20.
9. McAnulty LS, Nieman DC, Dumke CL, Shooter LA, Henson DA, Utter AC, et al. Effect of blueberry ingestion on natural killer cell counts, oxidative stress, and inflammation prior to and after 2.5 h of running. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Dec;36(6):976-84.
10. North Carolina, finally a state that produces blueberries. They produce almost 12 % of the US annual blueberry crop.
11. http://bangordailynews.com/2012/07/29/business/maine-blueberries-producing-biggest-crop-in-a-decade/
12. http://umaine.edu/blueberries/

1. My Immune Boost program
2. The Homeopathic Flu Prevention Program
3. Acute naturopathic treatment as needed

• How high a priority is your health?
• Where does health fit into the context of your lifestyle and other priorities?

For some of us, the first step might be to try to
experience what hunger feels like again…

Let’s look at the science: Note that there are cases that may prohibit long-term fasting, such as with young children, type I diabetics (on insulin medication), or in cases of clinical myopathy (muscle wasting).

So, how can fasting benefit you?
Scientists acknowledged three major mechanisms by which fasting benefits your body, as it extends lifespan and protects against disease:

1. Reduced oxidative stress – Fasting decreases the accumulation of oxidative radicals in the cell, and thereby prevents oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids associated with aging and disease.
2. Increased insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial energy efficiency – Fasting increases insulin sensitivity along with mitochondrial energy efficiency, and thereby retards aging and disease, which are typically associated with loss of insulin sensitivity and declined mitochondrial energy.
3. Increased capacity to resist stress, disease and aging – Fasting induces a cellular stress response (similar to that induced by exercise) in which cells up-regulate the expression of genes that increase the capacity to cope with stress and resist disease and aging.

So what could one eat while fasting?
This is not meant to be a harsh starvation diet and although most foods negate the effects of fasting, there are foods that can be safely eaten without compromising your fast. These include fast assimilating nutrient-dense foods such as quality vegetable proteins, green vegetables, and berries. It is also just as important to know how much to consume and how often.

Small servings (~100Kcal) of vegetable proteins (nuts, seeds & legumes), green vegetables and berries can be eaten very 3-6 hours depending on your level of physical activity when hungry. According to one advocate of such a diet Ori Hofmekler (the author of The Warrior Diet), one to two servings of whey protein should also be supplemented in the diet during the fast. I’d highly recommend this to those who have a difficulty in incorporating a fast assimilating (non-meat) complete protein throughout the day.

Note, although this diet is beneficial to the majority of us, there are those who may require alterations depending on their current state of health and their nutritional needs due to their occupation, hobby, or stage of life (i.e. athletes with high nutritional needs, pregnancy/breastfeeding, etc.). As always, please consult your health care provider before embarking on this therapeutic health program if you’ve got any health concerns.

References:
1. British Journal of Nutrition 2000 Sep;84(3):337-44

1. Combine ingredients and put in fridge overnight. It’s like rice pudding or tapioca!
2. I actually put it in the microwave for half a minute cause I like my cereal warm in the morning.
3. I added a diced apple and some gluten-free granola. You could add just about anything to it, like fruits and nuts.

• Digest for Success
• Hormone Harmony
• HPV Healing
• Immune Boost
• Thyroid Therapy
• Total Body Detox

• Blood type O individuals have significantly lower levels of a blood clotting factor call Von Willibrand factor and blood clotting plays a role in creating blockages. This connection is mentioned in this article that summarizes the findings of these studies.
• Blood type O individuals secrete significantly more intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), an enzyme that is key to the proper breakdown of dietary cholesterol. IAP is also associated with secretor status, by the way!
• Finally, there are differences in response to stress among blood types. For example, comparing type A and type O (the two most common blood types), type A individuals have consistently higher baseline levels of cortisol (a key stress hormone) that is also associated with a range of health risks.

• I used 1/8 cup vegetable glycerine and 1/8 cup agave syrup as sweetener to cut down the sugar a bit. Next time I may try more vegetable glycerine.
• I used a bit more peppermint extract/oil (nearly 1 tsp)

• I let the coconut oil sit at room temperature for a bit which made it more liquid and easier to mix.
• I froze the mixture for at least 15 minutes to get it hard enough to scoop into balls.
• I melted the chocolate and left it to cool for about 15-20 minutes - it is really important that it is as cool as possible (yet still liquid) or it will melt the patties and make a big mess!
• Make sure your patties are nice and hard before you dip them in the chocolate. I actually melted a bit more chocolate and dipped them again once the first layer was hardened as I like my chocolate and I found this made them look a bit nicer.

• Definition and causes
• Signs and symptoms
• Naturopathic treatment principles

• Definition and causes
• Signs and symptoms
• Naturopathic treatment principles

• For primary outcomes, the 13 studies were universally positive and, in 11 of 13, were statistically significantly positive.
• Quality of life was assessed in some way in 8 of the studies, and again, the outcomes were universally positive with 6 studies showing statistical significance in one or more scales.
• Cost-effectiveness was included in 2 studies. Again, the results were positive.”

• Celiac disease vs. gluten sensitivity
• Prevalence, signs, and symptoms
• Diagnosis

• Celiac disease vs. gluten sensitivity
• Prevalence, signs, and symptoms
• Diagnosis

• Arthritis (reduces pain and disability)
• Alzheimer’s disease (reduces dementia)
• Diabetes (reduces progression)
• Osteoporosis and fracture risk
• Anxiety and depression (higher dose more effective!)
• Risk of death
• Fatigue
• Obesity (duh!), but activity even if still obese still improves health!
• Heart disease (also duh!)
• And so many more... (like cancer, hormonal imbalances, insomnia, etc)

• Most research focused on WALKING, which is a great place to start for most people
• However, higher intensity and other types of exercise are also incredibly helpful
• 30 minutes per day minimum for adults (60 minutes per day for kids)

• Avoidance of other food sensitivities that may be a problem (which will differ by patient)
• Supportive nutrition to reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, rebalance gut flora, and support healing of the absorptive surface of the intestines
• Concurrent treatment of any other health concerns
• Whole body detox and improvement of elimination organ functioning

• Barley
• Bran
• Bulgar
• Couscous
• Durum flour
• Einkorn
• Emmer
• Farina
• Faro
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Matzo flour/meal
• Orzo
• Panko
• Rye
• Seitan
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Triticale
• Udon
• Wheat

• Ales, beers, lagers
• Bouillon cubes, soup base
• Breading/coating mix
• Brown rice syrup
• Communion wafers
• Croutons
• Candy
• Chips/potato chips
• Luncheon meats, hot dogs, salami, sausage
• French fries
• Gravy
• Marinades, sauces
• Pasta
• Rice mixes
• Seasoned tortilla chips
• Stuffing
• Self-basting poultry
• Soy sauce (soy sauce is made of wheat, tamari sauce is made of soy!0
• Thickeners
• Prescription and over-the-counter medications (check out www.glutenfreedrugs.com)
• Vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements
• Lipstick, lip gloss, balm
• Play Dough
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Toothpaste

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn
• Flax
• Millet
• Montina
• Oats (if gluten-free, such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• Potato
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sago
• Sorghum
• Soy
• Tapioca
• Teff
• Flours made from nuts, beans, seeds

• Why does stress matter?
• Tips for sound sleep
• The importance of exercise to bust stress

• 1 kg extra lean ground beef (organic, grass-fed, and fresh is best)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• Or, whatever spices you like best

• 1 kg ground turkey (organic, fresh, dark meat is best)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp ginger

• Sea salt: Add a pinch to your water bottle to prevent dehydration and electrolyte loss in hot climates
• Probiotics: Use daily to prevent digestive upset while travelling - I usually use Polyflora (type O for me) since it does not need to be refrigerated and I’ve never had an issue
• Deflect (type O for me): I use this when I eat out or while travelling to protect my digestion from foods not right for my blood type and just for general digestive support
• Digestive enzymes: Take with meals to prevent digestive upset (I’ve never used these, but I think for many people it is a good idea)
• Greens powder/protein powder: Handy for extra nutrition while travelling and in case you miss meals

• Natural electrolyte drink: For more serious fluid loss from diarrhea, vomiting, heat stroke, excessive sweating - if you can’t find every ingredient, that’s OK, just do your best
• Peppermint, ginger, chamomile teas: To sooth an upset stomach, frayed nerves, aid sleep and relaxation
• Tea tree oil: For cuts, scrapes, wounds to prevention infection - once, in a pinch, I put this in my ear and it worked to stop a painful ear infection (although I don’t recommend this use!)
• Oregano oil: For sore throats, colds/flus, infections
• Calendula cream: For shallow/superficial cuts, scrapes, and rashes (don’t use on deep, fresh, or open wounds)
• Grapefruit seed extract (GSE): To prevent or treat digestive upsets like vomiting and diarrhea - follow instructions on the bottle
• Aloe vera gel: For sunburn and minor cuts/scrapes
• Apis gel: For bug bites
• Traumeel cream and/or tablets: For bumps, bruises, sore muscles, etc
• Traumeel ear drops: For any ear issues (pain, infection, itch) - I’ve never actually used these but seems like a great idea and they come in single-dose ampules
• Oculoheel eye drops: For any eye issues (allergies, itch, dryness, fatigue) - love these and they come in single-dose ampules
• No Jet Lag: Great product to prevent jet lag - it really works!
• Melatonin: As a sleep aid and to treat or prevent jet lag (although I have always used No Jet Lag)
• Rescue Remedy: Use for anxiety, emotional upset, nervousness, panic attacks, shock, trauma - I like the spray

• Fevers, cold & flu, infections
• Frostbite
• Bug bites
• Bruises, strains/sprains, fractures
• Food poisoning
• Diarrhea, constipation
• Vomiting
• Pain
• Burns (sunburn and burns from heat)
• Jet lag
• Motion sickness
• Altitude sickness
• Sunstroke
• Wounds
• Poison ivy
• Hangover

• Why does stress matter?
• Tips for sound sleep
• The importance of exercise to bust stress

• Why does stress matter?
• Tips for sound sleep
• The importance of exercise to bust stress

• Kale (1-3 bunches)
• Oil of your choice (grapeseed, olive, walnut, etc)
• Seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika, ginger, etc)
• Any other ingredients you want! Eg: Tamari sauce, crushed garlic, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, etc

• 15 minute naturopathic consults (free)
• Well-child consults (free)
• Matrix Energetics intro sessions (free)
• Blood typing and blood type diet consult ($15 for blood type kit)
• Acupuncture for fertility/pregnancy consults (free)

• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 cup dried coconut
• ¼ cup melted ghee (I make my own ghee using organic, cultured butter, see ghee recipe here) or butter - ghee is wetter than butter, so adjust accordingly
• ¼ cup vegetable glycerine (very sweet but does not spike blood sugar - I get mine in large bottles from Azure Standard) or agave syrup - adjust according to desired sweetness
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

• Lose weight
• Improve energy and vitality
• Reduce and prevent seasonal allergies
• Address digestive issues
• Ease hormonal symptoms
• Heal skin issues
• Ease pain and inflammation

• Weekly focus on a different aspect of detox, including digestion, liver and kidney detox, skin health, lymphatic system, exercise, and stress management
• Group sessions Tuesdays 7 to 8pm, April 17 through May 15 held at Mahaya Forest Hill Integrative Health
• Group sessions Thursdays 7 to 8pm, April 19 through May 17 held at Kew Beach Natural Health Clinic

• Hypoallergenic protein source plus nutrients to support liver detoxification

• Biotherapeutic drainage remedies chosen specifically to address your health concerns and detox needs

• $430 for new patients, $360 for existing patients (savings of 20% off regular price!)

• Here is an article from the Globe and Mail: Tests for food allergies, sensitivities a ‘waste of money,’ doctor says
• And here is a video with a bit of a more balanced perspective from the CBC: Food sensitivity tests

• IgE testing (for food allergy) and IgG testing (for food sensitivities) are different things. For a great comparison, here is a presentation from Rocky Mountain Analytical, one provider of food sensitivity testing. For a good summary, check out the chart on slide 11.
• A skin-prick test, while considered the gold standard “allergy” test, is not a method that tests your response to food in the way you are actually exposed to food. You don’t eat through your skin, you interact with food via your digestive tract. And the response that your body makes to food can be an IgE response (quick, itchy, clear cause and effect) or an IgG response (delayed, vague symptoms, difficult to identify cause).
• Only a medical professional (naturopathic doctor ideally or a medical doctor well-versed in nutrition) can understand how to best administer the test to get the most useful results and use this information for effective treatment.

• This article summarizes some research on IgG allergy testing
• Food-specific serum IgG4 and IgE titers to common food antigens in irritable bowel syndrome
• Diet restriction in migraine, based on IgG against foods: a clinical double-blind, randomised, cross-over trial
• Serum IgG responses to food antigens in the italian population evaluated by highly sensitive and specific ELISA test
• Specific humoral response to cows' milk proteins and ovalbumin in children with atopic dermatitis
• Treating irritable bowel syndrome with a food elimination diet followed by food challenge and probiotics
• A critical review of IgG immunoglobulins and food allergy implications in systemic health
• I’m sure there is even more to be found - check out PubMed if you are interested.

• The test measures only one point in time. Human beings, however, are constantly adapting and changing. At the time of testing, results indicate a particular response to foods. But how might these responses change as your immune system is balanced such that it does not react to substances that are not harmful? I see changes in immune response all the time, most commonly when I treat seasonal allergies. I’ve treated patients who have progressed from constant anti-histamine usage (that was still not controlling symptoms) one year to nearly no symptoms and no need for medication the next.
• Nutrition is a major part of my treatment with most patients. My approach to nutrition is that there are no “bad” foods, just foods that work well for you (the patient) and others that don’t fuel your body in the best way to achieve optimal wellness. I look to personalized nutrition to identify what the best nutritional approach will be for each individual.
• There are several health concerns that warrant investigation into food sensitivities, such as: most digestive concerns (IBS, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux), asthma, migraines, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, allergy symptoms, skin issues (eczema, psoriasis, acne), arthritis), failure to thrive, and more. The question is, what is the best way to determine foods that may contribute to these conditions?
• Before testing, I encourage patients to do an elimination diet, which is considered the gold standard for identifying foods that may be contributing to symptoms. This approach is both diagnosis and treatment at once: patients usually experience a significant reduction in symptoms while in the elimination phase (confirming that eliminated foods contribute), they immediately begin to alter habits (perhaps the most challenging aspects of naturopathic treatment), and they gain firsthand experience of how foods affect them during the reintroduction phase.
• However, some patients prefer more objective information via a lab test and find this more motivating for changing habits. Also, some patients may find the elimination diet very challenging and would prefer a more focused elimination diet based on lab results. In either of these cases, it is important to use the test results as a guide and symptoms as feedback to determine if the treatment approach is effective.
• In the case of gluten sensitivity, I also find lab results more motivating for patients, since 100% avoidance of gluten can be challenging and having “hard data” as well as other lab results to monitor (one example would be anti-thyroid antibodies) can help ensure higher compliance and therefore improved outcomes.

• Excessively dry or oily skin, or skin itching
• Allergic reactions
• Chronic digestive issues, such as constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, IBS, bloating, and gas
• Chronic fatigue (despite sufficient sleep)
• Chronic pain (not due to injury or overuse)
• Frequent infections

• Lose weight
• Improve overall energy and vitality
• Reduce and prevent seasonal allergies
• Address digestive issues
• Ease hormonal symptoms
• Heal skin issues
• Ease pain and inflammation

• See below for specifics for each practice location

• Weekly focus on a different aspect of detox, including digestion, liver and kidney detox, skin health, lymphatic system, exercise, and stress management (mental/emotional detox)
• Coaching, support, and discussion for entire program duration

• Hypoallergenic protein source plus nutrients to support liver detoxification

• Biotherapeutic drainage remedies chosen specifically to address your health concerns and detox needs

• $430 for new patients, $360 for existing patients (savings of 20% off regular price!)
• This is an amazing price for a complete, personalized, supported, and supervised detox program!

• New patients: initial visit (90 minutes) and two follow-up visits (45 and 30 minutes)
• Existing patients: three follow-up visits (two 45 and one 30 minutes)

• New patients: initial visit (90 minutes) and two follow-up visits (30 minutes)
• Existing patients: three follow-up visits (one 45 and two 30 minutes)

• “Approximately half of the Swiss population have used CAM treatments and value them.”
• “About half of Swiss physicians consider CAM treatments to be effective.”
• “85 percent of the Swiss population wants CAM therapies to be a part of their country's health insurance program.”

• “Not only did this report carefully and comprehensively review the body of evidence from randomized double-blind and placebo controlled clinical trials testing homeopathic medicines, they also evaluated the "real world effectiveness" as well as safety and cost-effectiveness.”
• “This report evaluated systematic reviews and meta-analyses, outcome studies, and epidemiological research. This wide review carefully evaluated the studies conducted, both in terms of quality of design and execution (called "internal validity") and how appropriate each was for the way that homeopathy is commonly practiced (called "external validity").
• “some scientists and physicians conduct research on homeopathy with little or no understanding of this type of medicine,”
• “When such studies inevitably showed that the homeopathic medicine did not "work," the real and accurate assessment must be that the studies were set up to disprove homeopathy”

• “homeopathic high-potencies seem to induce regulatory effects (e.g., balancing or normalizing effects) and specific changes in cells or living organisms.”
• “The report cited 29 studies in "Upper Respiratory Tract Infections/AllergicReactions," of which 24 studies found a positive result in favor of homeopathy.”
• “Further, six out of seven controlled studies that compared homeopathic treatment with conventional medical treatment showed that homeopathy to be more effective than conventional medical interventions (the one other trial found homeopathic treatment to be equivalent to conventional medical treatment).”
• “All of these results from homeopathic treatment came without the side effects common to conventional drug treatment.”
• “In evaluating only the randomized placebo controlled trials, 12 out of 16 studies showed a positive result in favor of homeopathy.”

• Liver health and detox support
• Tips for healthy detox
• Naturopathic treatment for seasonal allergies

• Cook double or triple the portions at each meal so you have leftovers for future meals
• Cook a chicken/turkey/roast/soup and package and/or freeze portions
• Make veggies in batches to use throughout the week, such as blanching greens to make salads or as part of a meal
• Prepare snacks and store in small containers to grab when needed, such as cut and washed veggies (carrots, celery, peppers, etc), fruit (grapes, berries, mango, etc), nuts and seeds

• Walnutty chocolate: Amazing chocolate fudge as a vehicle for fibre and nuts
• Quinoatmeal cookies: high fibre oatmeal-like cookies, a hit with everyone
• Antioxidant brownies: dense, moist, dark chocolate brownies
• Ultimate chocolate chip cookies: a healthier take on a traditional favourite
• Simple almond cookies: great for elimination diet and tasty too

• Make your own granola using whole food ingredients like dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, coconut, and rolled oats.
• Crave crunch? Try high fibre crackers (I like Mary’s) and nut butter. I recommend homemade walnut butter for more omega 3 fats. You can also use almond, hazelnut, pumpkin seed, cashew, or peanut butter. Make sure to read ingredients and get brands without sweeteners or fillers.
• Make a superfood smoothie for your fruit fix.
• Buy fresh fruit and cut it up to make fruit salad (my personal favourite is fresh mango with raspberries).
• Like bacon? Try turkey bacon - not the greatest, but a better choice! Read ingredients carefully to avoid nitrites/sulfites, which are carcinogenic!
• Like chocolate milk? Try almond (or rice or soy) milk and chocolate protein powder!
• Bake your own banana bread or muffins.
• Like chips or french fries? Make your own at home or, even better, make kale chips or sweet potato chips or sweet potato or veggie fries.
• Like beef jerky? Make your own using a dehydrator!
• Do you miss ice cream? Make your own at home or, even better, make your own sorbet.
• Crave a burger? Make your own from ground beef/bison/turkey/whatever favourite meat and add onions, garlic, spices, etc to taste. You can freeze these and cook quickly for lunch or dinner. Also consider making meatballs!

1. Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. I do this by putting the lentils in a medium pot and running water over them, stirring occasionally.
2. While the lentils are rinsing, chop one medium onion and two cloves of garlic into small pieces, then place onion and garlic pieces into a food processor and chop/grind to desired consistency. I like to get the pieces as small as possible!
3. Add a bit of olive oil to a large soup/stock pot and cook the onions and garlic on low to medium heat until just golden.
4. Add the rinsed lentils and brown rice to the pot along with enough water or vegetable broth to cover.
5. Add any other spices you want to taste.
6. Simmer at low to medium heat (about 3-4 out of 10).
7. Stir regularly and keep adding water or broth as needed to keep desired consistency.
8. After about an hour, the soup is done! Let it cool down a bit then either eat or store in the fridge or freezer.

• At big meals, focus on proteins like red meat, turkey and fish
• To boost your metabolism, add green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach
• Avoid wheat completely, as well as most cow milk dairy
• To side-step weight gain, slash kidney beans, lentil and corn from your diet
• Engage in vigorous, sweat-enducing exercise at least four times per week

• Red meats are best avoided, but turkey is fine
• Soy is a good replacement protein metabolized quickly by Type As
• Load your plate with winter vegetables, particularly pumpkin, turnip and parnsip
• Pineapple will increase calorie utilization and aid in digestion
• Calming, restorative exercises like yoga and tai-chi will head off stress, which can exacerbate weight gain

• The biggest weight-gain offenders are chicken, corn and peanuts
• Like Type O’s, Type B’s should avoid the harmful lectins in wheat
• Load up on dairy and eggs to supercharge the metabolism
• Add licorice tea at the end of meals to balance blood sugar
• Try alternating days of physically rigorous exercise (3 days a week) with relaxing workouts (two days a week)

• Seafood is the protein of choice but turkey is also metabolically favorable
• Common winter fruits like figs, cranberries and plums are excellent for AB’s
• Make tofu a regular part of your diet
• A power juice for AB’s:  one apple, a few stalks of celery, 2 carrots and a few leaves of cabbage
• AB’s have a similar stress profile to Type As, so heavy exercise will only deplete the nervous system.  Try yoga and low-impact martial arts, walking and dance.

• Risk factors
• Prevention and treatment
• Key nutrition and lifestyle steps

• Risk factors
• Prevention and treatment
• Key nutrition and lifestyle steps

• Fresh or frozen fruit (choose beneficials for your blood type)
• 1/2 to 1 leaf swiss chard, kale, or equivalent amount of spinach (more veggies - these will just blend in, you won’t even know they’re there!)
• 1-2 tablespoons fibre (ground flax, hemp hearts, psyllium, etc)
• Protein powder (depending on your blood type, can be whey, vegan protein, brown rice protein, or you can use ground nuts/seeds)
• 1 teaspoon greens powder or spirulina (get even more green foods!)
• Juice/water to cover ingredients

• Wheat or all gluten grains (barley, rye, wheat, spelt, kamut)
• Refined sugar (including white/brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup) - no artificial sweeteners allowed either!
• Dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk, butter)
• Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, pop)
• Pop/soft drinks

• Replace your daily coffee with a green or white tea
• Replace pop/soda with water (or sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice or lemon juice, yum)
• Replace sitting on the couch through a half hour TV show with half and hour of stretching and yoga while watching TV
• Replace a packaged snack with a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts or seeds
• Replace the most toxic cleaning product in your home with a non-toxic alternative
• Replace sitting in front of the computer for an hour with reading a great book

• Park further away
• Take the stairs (even if it’s more than 5 floors, just take your time!)
• Skip a few subway stops
• Walk to the store, the restaurant, a friend’s house
• Take the long way home
• Walk around your house and clean

• Suppression of normal immune responses like fevers prevents the normal learning and development of the immune system. For more on this subject, see my blog Give me fever.
• Changes in management of minor illnesses (including the overuse of antibiotics) also impacts the normal development of the immune system. For more on this subject, see my blog Sick kids.
• Vaccinations at a young age supercede or alter the natural immune response to many common illnesses that we used to get during childhood. The subject of vaccines is large and is beyond the scope of this blog. However, I think is it clear that vaccines do not replicate the experience of actually having the same illness. Research in this area is constantly evolving, so there is still much debate about the long-term effects of vaccines.
• Finally, we simply do not get sick with the same things anymore! Our food and environment are highly sanitary, so we are exposed to many fewer pathogens and in North America, we are also far less likely than in the past to have parasitic infections. Again, this will effect the education of our immune systems.

• Junctions between cells lining the small intestine become permeable (due to factors listed above)
• This allows undigested food particles to enter bloodstream
• The immune system views these as “foreign” and creates immune response, causing inflammation and further damage

• Autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, thyroid autoimmunity, and likely many more)
• Bone disease (Osteoporosis, osteopenia, kyphoscoliosis, fractures)
• Anemia
• Infertility or repeated miscarriages
• Addison’s disease
• Down syndrome
• Intestinal cancer or lymphoma
• Lactose intolerance
• Thyroid disease
• Diabetes type I
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
• Liver disease

• “When you eat dead, processed, sugared, preserved crap, how could you possibly expect to feel good, lively, clear-headed and brave?”
• “You don’t know what real fun is until you’ve mastered yourself, learned to eat live foods and enjoy them, and sculpted for yourself the exact body you want.”
• “Learn to make yourself feel better with exercise, self-care, regular sleep and healthy, nourishing food.”
• “almost everyone would totally support your healthier eating if you honestly and seriously asked them to.”

• Key nutrition and lifestyle steps
• Preventing cold and flu
• Acute treatment
• Self-care techniques

• Key nutrition and lifestyle steps
• Preventing cold and flu
• Acute treatment
• Self-care techniques

• What is cholesterol?
• Where does it come from?
• Types of cholesterol and other fats
• Why elevated levels are detrimental
• How to monitor levels
• Treatment options

• Asthma
• Allergies
• Infections such as sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia
• Lung diseases such as emphysema
• Smoking cessation
• Natural treatments for respiratory health (including nutrition, self-care, acupuncture)

1. Improve the tone of the perineal muscles and pelvic organ support
2. Promote post-partum healing and comfort
3. Prevent urinary incontinence or regain bladder control

• Tightly contract muscles surrounding the vagina with an internal “pulling up”
• Release muscles and take notice of the relaxation
• Contact tightly again, hold, then release

• Now, descend, floor-by-floor, gradually relaxing the muscle. When you arrive at the ground floor (no tension), take the muscle group to the basement with a gentle blowing out breath through pursed lips. This should feel as if the perineum is bulging
• Complete the exercise by lifting up the muscle back to the ground floor level
• Repeat the entire exercise and remember to breathe normally as you tighten the pelvic floor muscles

• At red traffic lights
• While cooking
• During commercial breaks on TV
• During sexual intercourse
• While waiting at the grocery store
• While brushing your teeth

• Perform the pelvic floor exercises as often as you can. The more you perform them, the faster you will feel and notice the results.
• Select an activity you do often as a reminder. During commercial breaks while watching TV is an easy way to attain a goal of 50 sets daily (i.e. 2 sets of 5 contractions done at each commercial break). Find a behavioural cue to use as a regular reminder.

• Energizing at the start of the day
• Slough off dead skin cells, increasing rate of skin turnover
• Stimulate superficial lymphatic flow
• Increase circulation to the skin, speeding healing and regeneration
• Takes only 5-10 minutes per day
• Low cost

1. Hands: Starting with your palm, do 3-4 strokes from fingertips towards the wrist.  Turn the hand over and do the same to the back of the hand.
2. Arm: Using quick strokes, work your way from wrist to shoulder. Brush extra circles on the elbows and backs of the arms (where skin tends to sag). Wherever you do circles, finish with 4 straight strokes towards the trunk.
3. Torso: Raise your arms and do 4 strokes down through the armpits and then 4 strokes across the armpits towards the chest.  This helps to clear lymph nodes in the underarms.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 beginning with the opposite hand.
5. Foot: Starting with one foot, brush the bottom of the toes and foot towards the back of the heel and start up the leg.  Brush the top of the foot towards the leg.
6. Leg: Brush up the leg and over through the knee.  Brush extra circles on the knees (where many people have dry skin) and thighs (where cellulite tends to appear). Wherever you do circles, finish with 4 straight strokes towards the trunk. Brush the thighs, front and back, up toward the trunk. Brush the buttocks upwards towards the torso.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 beginning with the opposite foot.
8. Torso: Finally brush the torso upwards and towards the middle both front and back.  Go around the breasts and over them towards the neck.
9. Face: Brush lightly over the face in small circles, finishing with longer strokes across the forhead, upwards over the cheekbones, and across the chin.
10. Neck: Brush down the neck towards the torso front and back.
11. Brush down the neck towards the torso.
12. Hair: Finish by brushing hair with a hairbrush, using the bristles on the brush to give your scalp a gentle massage.

• Energizing at the start of the day or relaxing before bed
• Reduced anxiety and stress
• Improved ability to fall asleep and improved quality of sleep (including dreams!)
• Clears sinuses
• Improved focus and mental clarity
• Balances left and right brain hemispheres

1. Sit comfortably in a quiet place with your spine straight, crown of head raised toward the sky and buttocks rooted to the floor.
2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out.
3. Close right nostril with thumb and inhale through left nostril to comfortable count of 4.
4. Close the left nostril with ringer finger and hold the breath for a comfortable count of 4.
5. Open the right nostril while keeping the left nostril closed and exhale through right nostril to comfortable count of 4.
6. Hold the breath out for a comfortable count of 4.
7. Repeat the procedure, this time inhaling through right nostril with left nostril closed and then exhaling through left nostril with right nostril closed.
8. Once back to starting point (right nostril closed), you have completed 1 round.
9. Begin with 3 rounds daily and work up to 6 rounds or more.

• Create a mantra to repeat silently to lend a rhythm to your breathing. Choose a positive phrase to describe how you wish to feel or a goal you wish to achieve. Some examples: “I am rested and well”, “I am healthy and balanced”, or “I bow before my highest self”.
• End your practice by taking a deep breath in and chanting “Om”, ending with a long “mmm” sound that allows you to feel the vibration through your head.

• What is blood type?
• Digestion and immunity
• The weight loss connection

• Lectins
• Protective barriers in your body, including lining of your gut
• Bacterial environment, including relevance to choice of probiotics
• Stomach acid production
• Intestinal alkaline phosphatase and processing of fats in your diet
• Secretion of digestive enzymes and other substances

• Stress and response to exercise
• Blood clotting
• Disease risk (cancer, inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid, reproductive disorders, etc)
• Susceptibility to infection by bacteria, viruses, yeast, etc

• Improve immune function, avoiding common infections
• Lose weight by improving metabolism, increasing nutrient intake, and reducing toxic burden on your body
• Prevent chronic disease, such as cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, etc
• Slow down the aging process by improving overall health

• Seasonal allergies
• Preparing for cold and flu season
• Lung health

1. Set goals
2. Visualize and feel
3. Collect images/words
4. Collect supplies
5. Create and place

• I want to build my naturopathic practice and see more patients, so I made up an ideal weekly schedule in my calendar in which I put in how many new patient visits I want in a week and how many follow-up visits I want. I also put in there time to exercise, time for social events, and time off. Then I printed my schedule and put it on my vision board. When I made my vision board I was not that busy. The next month was my slowest month in practice ever, but then over the next 3 months I got busier and busier and now my weekly schedule looks like what is on my vision board!
• I went on MLS and searched for houses that fit certain criteria I want (number of bedrooms, neighbourhood, etc), but price was not a factor. I found a house I really liked and printed the listing and put it on my vision board. This house happens to be quite close to where I currently live, so it would be even better for me to go over there and take a look in person!

• Corkboard and pins
• Posterboard and glue/tape
• Wall in your home and some way to stick things up (like sticky tack)
• Magnet board and magnets (this is what I used)
• Large picture frame, piece of cardboard to go in it, and glue/tape
• Fridge and magnets (this is great for kids to play with!)