Vital Moments In Naturopathic Medicine

Dr. John and Beth Yim have a candid conversation about sleep, how it can negatively impact health, what individuals can do to get more sleep and what they are doing to improve their quality and quantity of sleep.
Here some Actionable Steps for Getting Enough Sleep

Ö Check in with your routine, do you have one? Go through the steps mentioned above, if you find you aren’t doing them, break the suggestions into smaller steps and do just one of the smaller items. For example, set the alarm at 9 pm to brush your teeth. Don’t worry about any other steps or going to bed, just start with this small step, do it consistently for 21 days and then add having a warm shower. Consistent changes reap big rewards.

Ö See your ND and get tested for food sensitivities; hormones with the salivary hormone test that includes cortisol; specific nutrient deficiencies with the hair mineral analysis and other tests as advised.

Ö If you do not have access to an ND, keep your diet simple by eating more vegetables, two cups of fruit a day, eating less animal products and limiting gluten grains.

Ö Avoid white products, including sugar and white flour, use yams more instead of potatoes and make your meal plate as colourful as possible.

Ö Follow his/her directions for avoiding sensitive foods and getting hormones and nutrients back in balance.

Ö Avoid caffeine after 2 pm and alcohol at night, it may put you to sleep initially but it also has a rebound affect, waking you up later.

Ö If you live in North America, more than likely you are deficient in magnesium. Talk to your ND about the right dose for you before bed.

Ö Learn some simple meditation techniques and use in bed. Progressive Relaxation can work wonders.

Ö Try soaking your feet in a warm tub of Epsom salts and water. It can stimulate a visit to the bathroom, preventing an annoying wake up later in the night and soothes muscles. Add a couple of drops of lavender and you are in for a sleepy treat.

Ö Avoid a heavy, fatty or sugary meal for dinner or before bed.

Ö Try having a banana before bed.

Ö Add 10 minutes every day to your time outside in nature. If you sit in an office with no access to nature, hang a picture of a tree. It releases feel good serotonin, relieving anxiety.

Ö Avoid exercise 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Ö Hang black out curtains and avoid blue light before bed.
Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bed.
FYI
See your naturopathic physician for products mentioned in podcast: Designs For Health, Insomnitol, SagoPro.
Tests: Salivary Hormone Panel

Lack of energy, blood sugar imbalances, low immunity are some of the symptoms of an Adrenal Gland acting up.
Dr. Yim talks about adrenals that are hyper or hypo, turned around and just plane tuckered out. The fall out of chronic stress is a taxed adrenal gland, Dr Yim gives practical and understandable information on how they get that way and what you can do to rebuild adrenals that have been overworked
The body has systems that work together, if one gets out of balance the whole body is impacted. Even the break down of wastes (metabolites) can be negatively impacted by tired out adrenals.
Steroid hormones start with cholesterol. Cortisol needs cholesterol. Naturopathic medicine likes getting to the cause and one of the tests Dr. Yim uses is new to the clinic.
CHI Test gives a comprehensive look at steroid and precursor production for a better more fine tuned program.
Salivary hormone test-taking samples at different times of day, either with saliva.
Include in program for rebuilding the adrenals:
Lifestyle
Meditation-Top Ten Meditation Techniques
Beth's Favourite-Seven Sighs
John's Favourite-Nature sound and mindfulness
Nutrients
IV Therapy-B Vitamins, 5, 6 and Vitamin C, Zinc, Magnesium
Ginseng-Adaptogen and Stimulating
Ashwaganda-used when overproducing cortisol, calms it down
Rhodiola-Adaptogen
Vitamins/Minerals
Pantothenic Acid - B5 need to add other B vitamins so balance isn't thrown off
B Complex
Zinc

One of the most common hormone imbalances in fertility care is progesterone.

Progesterone means to promote gestation --or the hormone that promotes a healthy preganncy.

You may have low progesterone if you do not ovulate, if you have fertile mucus during the luteal or post-ovulatory phase or if the luteal phase is less than 11 days.

Some symptoms of low progesterone include, but are not limited to:

-mid-cycle spotting

-cycles less than 25 days

-short luteal phase

-lack of a BBT temperature spike, or instability of temperatures during the luteal phase

-spotting before your cycle starts

-night sweats, hot flashes

-insomnia, especially in the luteal phase

-spotting just before your cycle starts for a few days

-long, heavy, prolonged menstrual cycle and flow.

Remember, it is the BALANCE of the progesterone --the YIN hormone and the estrogen ==the YANG hormone, that is important. You may have a relative estrogen excess or be in an estrogen dominant state, in which your naturopathic doctor can support your liver and digestive tract to detoxify the extra estrogen.

Genes

The gene that involves folic acid and a critical process in the body called methylation --is the MTHFR gene. When you have deficits in this gene you have a higher requirement not just for folate BUT for the right form of folate: L-5-MTHF. The folate from food. From dark green leafy vegetables mainly.....like Kale! For patients hoping to conceive, dark green leafy vegetables are their POWER food. Here are some symptoms that may indicate your MTHFR gene needs support:

-Hypothyroidism

-Low wbc count (white blood cells) most of your life

-required IVF to conceive

-required significant interventions to become pregnant and carry to full term

-recurrent miscarriages

-have a child on the austim spectrum

-have a child with Down's syndrome

-blood tests for folate or Vitamin B12 are elevated even though you do not take these suppekents

-do not tolerate alcohol of any type

-feel BEST after eating leafy green vegetables.

list adapted from page 75 of Ben Lynch's 'Dirty Genes'.
Refreshing Spring Greens Salad.

One of my family's favourite ways to get in the super greens....and the natural folate!! Adapted by Dr. Luterbach from Christmas Kale Salad from www.nourishingmeals.com
Salad:
1 large bunch of your favourite type of kale, chopped (remove large stems)
1/4 purple onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries 1 large, ripe pomegranate peeled1/2 small can of mandarin oranges
1/2 cup pecans, roasted
Dressing:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Place the kale in to a large serving bowl. Add the onions and cranberries; set aside. To make the dressing, place all of the ingredients into a small jar, cover, and shake. Pour dressing over the salad and massage into the kale to soften the kale and breakdown the cell walls. Massaging your kale with a salad dressing will partially digest it for you, increasing nutrient availability. Add the roasted pecans just before serving so they remain crunchy! Enjoy!

Did you know that being “addicted” to/sensitive to sugar can be the root of multiple health conditions including

Weight gain

Brain fog

Lightheadedness

Anxiety, Depression

Irritability, “Hangry” Sensations

Sleep disturbances

Fatigue

Hormone imbalances (thyroid, insulin, progesterone, cortisol)

Getting your sugar addiction in check can help address 3 key imbalances:

· Carbohydrate Sensitivity: by regulating eating patterns and avoiding foods that convert to sugar quickly (high glycemic index foods)

· Low Serotonin: by including protein and healthy carbohydrates at each meal to optimize tryptophan uptake in the brain (Serotonin is derived from the amino acid Tryptophan)

· Low (Beta) Endorphin: by avoid patterns and foods that stimulate excessive beta-endorphin release (which leave you feeling even more depleted)

Simple Steps you can take in recovering from your sugar addiction:

· Try these steps, IN ORDER, only moving on to the next step once the previous is mastered. The purpose of these steps is to address the imbalances in the body and to better understand your relationship with sweets.

· Once you grasp the role sugar plays in your life, it will become easier to moderate. Increased awareness, along with a healthy, optimally functioning body compensates for any predisposed weaknesses, making it less likely to succumb to sugar cravings and the addictive cycle that inevitably ensues.

1) Eat breakfast with protein: avoids beta-endorphin release that occurs when you skip breakfast, and also prevents the subsequent blood sugar crash and intense carb/sugar craving later on

2) Journal what you eat and how you feel before/after: this has 2 purposes: 1) it can help you understand motivations to eating (feelings, habits, etc...). 2) it can help to realize how you feel during & after eating particular foods (hyperactivity, fatigue, depression, etc...)

3) Eat 3 healthy meals per day with protein and a serving of healthy fat: providing regular protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels and increase tryptophan levels in the body. Healthy fat helps improve satiety and keeps you full longer.

4) Shift from white foods (bread, rice, pasta) to brown/whole grain foods: supports blood sugar stability and

5) Slowly reduce/eliminate sugars: to help balance blood sugar and prevent the hyper-hypoglycemia cycle that stimulates increase unnecessary snacking, binge eating, and can lead to metabolic syndrome, diabetes and numerous other health conditions

6) Create a new life: long-term management for new habits & patterns. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever have treats, but you will gain a better understanding of how your body and brain respond, allowing you to be in control, not the sugar

If you need support with this process or other help with managing your blood sugar/food addictions or eating habits, don’t hesitate to call the clinic to book your appointent with one of our Naturopathic Physicians. We are highly skilled in nutrition, dietary modification, helping manage blood sugar imbalance and prevent/manage metabolic syndrome/diabetes and weight loss strategies and would love to help you!
In health,
Dr Katarine Holewa, ND RAc

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