Is a Naturopathic Doctor a Real Doctor? Naturopathic Doctors are Real Doctors A common question that occurs among individuals who have not received care from a Naturopathic Doctor is “are Naturopathic Doctors real doctors?”. The answer to this question is yes; however, I have the impulse to clarify what this question is really asking. Are you asking if Naturopathic Doctors have a medical doctorate? Are you [...]
Exposed: The depression truth about 'The Pill' As a Naturopathic Doctor, who commonly treats mental health concerns, I am always looking for the underlying cause of depressive and anxiety symptoms and looking for obstacles which prevent symptom resolution. One of my first questions to women who suffer from mood and emotional symptoms is "are you on 'the pill'?" Oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, have been prescribed to women since the 1950s and [...]
Diet is one of the most important foundations of health. I believe in the concept of adding to the diet and filling your diet with health-promoting foods. One aspect of dietary changes which can be easily incorporated yet is often overlooked, are culinary spices. Culinary spices do not only provide flavor, but they are also herbs which contain active constituents which have medicinal properties. Nature has provided us with these natural therapies to address numerous health concerns, [...]
Your thyroid is an essential part of the delicate hormonal balance that regulates your health and happiness. This small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits in the front of your neck is responsible for producing the hormones T3 and T4, which regulate a wide range of body functions — from your metabolism to your reproductive health. And if you’ve been having unsolved health issues, maybe you’ve heard about hypothyroidism before, maybe you have been diagnosed with it, or told [...]
Mood and mental health are complex and involve many factors such as diet and digestive health, as mentioned in previous blogs. Another piece of the puzzle is hormonal balance. An imbalance of hormones can affect the health of men and women and can contribute to physical, emotional and mental well-being. An in-depth understanding of the connection between hormones and our bodies can provide us with a strong foundation for understanding our health. Female Sex Hormones Estrogen is a [...]
When you feel sad, or scared, or anxious, it is common to feel “a pit in your stomach” and I am sure you have heard someone talk about “a gut-wrenching feeling.” Those aren’t just idioms — there is some real truth to why you feel those feelings in your gut. Your digestive tract’s health is interconnected with your brain and affects your mood and mental health; when one is out of balance, chances are, the other is affected. Which is why, in many cases, [...]
Depression is one of the most common — as well as most disabling disorders — affecting Americans.1 The World Health Organization estimates that depression affects more than 350 million people across the globe.6 Unfortunately, depression is often either over-treated, un-addressed or treated with medications which produce side effects or simply do not help. Historically, depression was viewed as an imbalance in neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin — a neurotransmitter that helps regulate many things, including mood, social behavior, appetite, digestion, sleep, [...]
As a naturopathic doctor, I commonly recommend nutritional and herbal supplements to my patients, and when I do, I am particular about both the brand and exact product. The quality of the ingredients, as well as the processing and handling of the product, can make the difference of whether a product is effective or not. Supplement companies have many decisions to make with their product: the way they label their ingredients, the delivery form they choose, the type [...]
I was a chubby kid, I’ll admit it. I was teased at school about my weight, and it hurt my feelings deeply —I’ll admit that too. If it wasn’t for me being a chubby kid, though, I am not sure I would be where I am today. While I don’t condone fat shaming or bullying others about their appearance, my experience being chubby motivated me to learn about nutrition and exercise. I began by researching things on my own, exercising [...]
When you visit your conventional doctor, it is not uncommon that you would be prescribed a medication to suppress a symptom you have. Your symptom may or may not improve, but then you may notice that you experience some side effects from the medication, so you return to the doctor’s office. Your options are: 1) stop taking the medication, but then have your symptoms come right back or 2) leave the doctor with a new medication, this one to help with the [...]
