Tag: Naturopathic medicine

Lyme Disease Disconnect

Lyme Disease. I have a difficult time thinking of a more contentious health topic. The chronicity of the disease continues to be rejected by most of our medical professionals despite intense pressure from grassroots and non-profit organisations to remain more open minded about the thousands of Canadians suffering with chronic, debilitating symptoms.[i] Patients ask me: “How is this knowledge gap possible? Why aren’t our medical doctors prepared to treat these symptoms?” I have a few ideas.

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Reversing Pre-Diabetes

Perhaps you had a routine physical exam and blood testing with your Medical Doctor or Naturopathic Doctor and discovered that your blood sugar was uncomfortably high. Maybe you’re concerned about your family history of diabetes or heart disease and already recognize that prevention is key.  It’s a common scenario in my office, perhaps because an estimated 22% of Canadians have pre-diabetes. For the most part, type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle illness, but not always in the way we think it is.

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What is Insulin Resistance?

Insulin is a hormone produced by our pancreas that helps sugar (i.e. glucose) enter our cells. It has a major impact on our metabolism and how our body gets energy. When our muscle, brain and tissue cells stop responding to insulin this causes a condition called insulin resistance. If our cells become resistant to insulin then our pancreas needs to create even more insulin to get the glucose inside those stubborn cells. This can become a slippery slope

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Allergies From Stress

Stress allergies

Ever wonder why your seasonal allergies vary in intensity from year to year? What makes them so much worse this year compared to last season? It’s not as simple as environmental fluctuations that change how plants bloom. Your immune reactions against otherwise harmless things like pollen fluctuate and adapt according to what else is happening in your body. And unlike the growing season, your body’s reaction to this environmental stressor is one thing you have more control over than traditionally considered.

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Are Your Hormones Making You Tired?

sore throat, shown red, keep handed, isolated on white background

Fatigue and low energy is one of the most common concerns that patients come to see me for. Sometimes the fatigue is a new symptom but for the majority of people, it is something they have been struggling with for years. In many cases it presents itself gradually, like a slow but steady decline.  Now they find themselves with so little energy they can’t do the activities that they want and it is affecting their quality of life. There are many different root causes for low energy but one’s hormonal state is usually a major player. I want to briefly cover two hormonal issues that can lead to low energy.

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When Anti-Depressants Don’t Work For You

depressedBefore the year 2000, most medical approaches assumed that the adult brain continuously lost brain cells and was incapable of regeneration. We now know that the brain is incredibly plastic, meaning that it can adapt, grow, and heal. Up until 2 years ago, we believed that the brain was anatomically entirely separate from our immune system. However, the very recent discovery of lymphatic vessels that directly connect the brain to our immune system have incredible implications for our broader understanding of brain health. Add to this a growing body of compelling research linking aberrant immune function to mood disorders, and we finally have some serious tools to investigate alternatives to the traditional serotonin-promoting antidepressant pharmaceuticals that fail for so many people with depression. 

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Want Stronger Bones? Get Vitamin K2

Body Atlas, Human pelvic area

When it comes to bone health, calcium and vitamin D3 are considered “must have” vitamins but it appears there is a new kid in town that could be just as essential. Vitamin K2 has been in the spotlight for osteoporosis (i.e. degeneration of bones) research for the last two decades and there is a lot to say about it. Not to be mistaken for its very close relative Vitamin K1, which plays a significant role in blood clotting, vitamin K2 seems to make our bones stronger.

A report from the Nurses Health Study showed that women supplementing with at least 110 mcg of K2 are 30 % LESS likely to break a hip than women who aren’t supplementing[1].

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Insomnia Disorder

Hispanic woman looking at alarm clock

According to the Canadian Sleep Society, up to 40% of Canadians have insomnia symptoms and up to 13% qualify as having a sleep disorder. Generally speaking, if you’re distressed by poor sleep at least 3 nights a week for a minimum of 3 months, and there is no obvious explanation for your sleep problem (such as a drug side-effect or crying infant), then you qualify as having insomnia disorder. 

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Bio-Identical Hormones Information Session

Angela HuntBio-identical hormones offer treatment options for menopausal symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety. They also play a role in men’s health, and fertility. Dr. Angela Hunt, Naturopathic Doctor at KIHC, is pleased to announce the addition of bio-identical hormone prescriptions to her practice. For more information, please attend her complimentary information session next month, or visit our facebook page. Call or email to reserve your spot – registration is required for this event.

Tuesday September 27th, 7:00pm

Free Admission

Workshop Space at KIHC

Menopause: Navigating it Naturally

Menopause natural treatmentLet us start this off by reminding everyone that menopause is NOT a disease but a natural cycle in a woman’s life. This life cycle can be a bit rough for some, but there are ways to navigate through it more easily. The definition of menopause is one full year without any menstruation[i]. It is important to note that numerous women start to experience menopausal symptoms even before their period has completely stopped, a time called “peri-menopause”. Peri-menopause can start up to a decade before menstruation stops, making this whole process a drawn out affair. I want to cover some of the natural options women have for managing symptoms during their menopausal years but first, let’s review the most common symptoms. 

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We respectfully acknowledge that Kingston Integrated Healthcare is situated on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. Since time immemorial they have cared for these lands and waters, and we are grateful. We recognize that a healthy environment is essential to the wellbeing of all people and all life.


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