6 Reasons to Consider Testing for a Gluten Intolerance

1. You experience gastrointestinal symptoms after eating gluten (such as bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea).
2. Your energy is low despite eating and sleeping well (both physical and mental energy).
3. You have tried cutting out gluten from your diet and you still don’t feel well.
4. You have done conventional testing to rule out a gluten allergy and it comes back normal (ie. Blood testing for gluten antibodies and/or a bowel biopsy).
5. You have a family history of celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
6. You have been diagnosed with what seems like an unrelated condition such as an autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, an inflammatory disorder, headaches, mood imbalances or an unspecified skin condition.

Make 2014 your healthest year to date!

With the holidays over and the start of a new year upon us, why not take the opportunity to set some new health goals.  These can be small changes that you can make to your diet and lifestyle or more extreme changes such as considering a detox or modifying your supplement protocol.  Whatever you decide will help you feel more energetic and will likely make you look and feel younger as well.  If you are looking for guidance to help you through the process, please contact me to schedule an appointment.

Immune Boosting Soup

With the cooler temperatures approaching and cold and flu season upon us, why not warm up and stay healthy with this great immune boosting soup!  Here is the recipe:

1 astragalus root strip (available at most Chinese supermarkets)
1 burdock root
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
6 cups of vegetables cut into bit sized pieces (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, green peppers, parsley, potatoes, squash, string beans, zucchini)
1 cup of cooked barley

1)  In a glass or stainless steel pot, simmer the astragalus and burdock in the water with the thyme and sage for about 20-30 minutes.  Strain out the herbs and use the water as a broth for the soup.
2)  Add the vegetables and barley to the broth and cook.  Allow to simmer slowly for 1 hour.
3)  Serve warm.  The soup can be strained and served as a broth or served with all of the vegetables.  Make 6 servings.

Fats and high blood pressure

         Essential fatty acids are fats that our bodies cannot produce themselves and must be obtained through the diet.  These are used to produce factors called prostaglandins that influence blood pressure, keep blood vessels elastic and influence platelet stickiness.  Increasing linoleic acid from vegetable oils has a profound blood pressure lowering action.  Good food sources of linoleic acid are raw (not roasted), unsalted fresh walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flax seeds.  Saturated fats from animal fat/meats/dairy products, trans fats from fried foods, food cooked in oil, processed food and hydrogenated margarine, shortening and oils should all be avoided.  The unhealthy fats contribute to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure and compete with healthy fats for absorption.  Oils should be cold-pressed, fresh and kept refrigerated as they easily turn rancid if exposed to light and heat.  They should be used cold, drizzled over salads or vegetable and not used for cooking as the heat degrades the oil.  Increase omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid foods:  salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, raw walnuts, almond, sunflower seeds, pecan, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and avocadoes.

Take control of your stress before it controls you

Are you feeling overworked, stressed and burnt out?  Then likely your adrenal glands (stress glands) are exhausted and not functioning optimally.  Your adrenal glands release your stress hormones – adrenaline and cortisol.  Under mild to moderate amounts of stress, small amounts of these hormones are released, which is normal.  However if you suffer from chronic and severe long-term stress, the adrenal glands are releasing large amounts of these hormones and eventually they are overworked and then shut down.  That is where stress management is extremely important.  Exercise, deep breathing, meditation and massage are just a few stress management activities that are beneficial.  Eating a healthy diet and ensuring you get enough B vitamins are also helpful.  Some supplements that are great in supporting the adrenal glands include ADHS by Biotics, TAD+ by Genestra and Cortrex by Thorne.  These supplements contain a combination of herbs and nutrients that are formulated to directly target the adrenal glands.  Even though these are natural supplements, it is best to check with you healthcare provider to ensure that they are right for you as they could possibly interact with medications or other supplements you are taking. 

Saliva Hormone Testing with Labrix

What is the benefit of saliva hormone testing?

Testing hormones through the saliva is an easy, non-invasive way of assessing hormone levels.  For certain hormones, it has been shown to be a more accurate method of addressing hormone imbalance.

Who would benefit from hormone testing?

• Anyone who has experienced chronic, long term stress or short periods of intense stress
• Women who suffer from irregular periods
• Women who experience PMS
• Peri or post menopausal women who are concerned with an estrogen/progesterone imbalance
• Men and women who are concerned with changing hormone levels as a result of age
• Anyone experiencing the following symptoms:  weight problems, insomnia, fatigue, acne, blood sugar imbalance and decrease immune function

Which hormones can be tested?

• Estrogen – is the main female hormone and if imbalanced it can contribute to menstrual disruption in cycling women, unpleasant symptoms for menopausal women and possibly cause certain female cancers.
• Progesterone – is required to balance estrogen levels
• Testosterone – is a hormone that is essential for both men and women
• DHEA – is needed for energy production and blood sugar balance and is required to produce other hormones such as testosterone.
• Cortisol – this hormone level changes throughout the day and it is necessary for stress management, blood sugar metabolism, energy production and anti-inflammatory effects.

What is the process?

If you are doing the complete hormone assessment and you are a cycling female, then the test needs to be done at a certain time of the month.  Your naturopath can discuss with you when the right time would be.  Otherwise, the saliva collection is done any day, and 4 saliva tests are required – first thing in the morning, mid day, mid afternoon and evening. 

Natural Sunscreen Recipe

6 tbsp of coconut oil

2 tbsp almond or grapeseed oil

2 tbsp finely powdered zinc oxide (or less if you want a less white sunscreen)

3 tsp shea butter

2 tsp beeswax pellets

Combine the ingredients, in order listed, in a thick glass jar or measuring cup.  Create a bain marie, with a pot of shallow water and place the vessel in the water, being careful that the water doesn’t get into your ingredients.  Let it simmer until the ingredients have all melted together.

Mix thoroughly with a hand blender to ensure the zinc oxide is distributed evenly throughout.  Let cool before applying.