We often think about the immune system this time of year when colds and flus are becoming more apparent. I often get patients ask me, “Is my immune system as good as it could be?” This is not a simple yes or no answer. We know many things can affect our immune system. One thing that has a significant impact on our immune system is stress. Stress decreases our immune response, meaning that when we are exposed to different bacteria or viruses our body’s defences are not as strong. This has a significant impact on our body’s ability to fight off infection. So, what can be done to help decrease stress and to improve our defences? One of the best things is to tackle to the stress head on, meaning to deal with the source of stress.

There are two ways in which we experience stress, we have our ‘perceived’ stress, the stress we actually feel, and we have our ‘physiological’ stress, the stress response our body actually produces. One does not necessarily correlate with the other. We can feel as if we aren’t experiencing any stress but we could have high amounts of stress hormones circulating in our body. In order to deal with the perceived stress, lifestyle factors can be very effective, whether it be meditation, yoga, gentle exercise or even just going outside in nature. As far as tackling the physiological stress, herbs known as adaptogens can be very effective at decreasing our internal stress response, both at the physiological level but also the amount of perceived stress. These herbs, known to act directly on our adrenal glands (our stress glands) have powerful actions on the body and can be the solution to decreasing the stress. By decreasing the stress response, these herbs have the ability to in turn increase our immune defences during this time.

There are also some vitamins, specifically vitamins C and D, which are great at increasing our immunity this time of year. If your immune system needs a pick me, consider speaking with your naturopathic Doctor to learn more about how you can decrease your stress response and in turn increase your immunity.

As the weather begins to turn, one thing that comes to mind with the chilly nights is unfortunately, cold and flu season. During this time, we begin to see an increase in the amount of upper respiratory tract infections (common cold) as well as an increase in flus. One of the best ways to ward off these pesky bugs is to help prevent them in the first place.  Maintaining optimal immune function throughout the fall and winter months is essential to preventing colds and flus. There are some simple ways to help accomplish this:

Firstly, it is imperative to get adequate sleep. Sleep helps to rejuvenate the entire body including the immune system. When one does not get adequate rest, their immune system is less able to fight off infections and can lead to the development of a cold.

Stress has a significant impact on the immune system by depressing the body’s ability to mount an appropriate immune response during periods of stress. Ensuring stress is dealt with in an appropriate and effective way, whether it be through meditation, yoga, reading or simply eliminating things on the ‘to do’ list, stress management is one of the best ways to keep your immune system strong throughout the cold and flu season.

In addition, eating balanced meals that include adequate amounts of protein, fiber and nutrient dense fruits and vegetables is important to keep the whole body healthy, including your immune system. Avoiding simple sugars and processed foods is a great way to keep your immune system strong as pesky bugs feed off of these foods.

Getting regular gentle exercise is also very effective and has been shown to increase white blood cell counts – the cells responsible for fighting off infections.

There are also various natural remedies that can help to support a healthy immune system. Botanical medicine offers some fantastic herbs that can boost immunity, as well as some homeopathics and even a natural booster shot are all ways to support adequate immunity.

For more information on any of these or to learn more about your own immunity, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors.

With winter chills, colds and flu just around the corner here’s what we can do to boost our immune system as it is our first line of defense against viruses and disease. Our immune system controls how the body manufacturers our white blood cells which help fight infections. Now would be a good time to help boost our immune system by eating immune boosting foods containing nutrients such as Beta-carotene, Vitamins A, C, D, and probiotics. Consider these nutrients as a preventative step in our daily food choices which would give us the edge in fighting and resisting infection.

• Beta Carotene – In the body beta carotene is converted into Vitamin A which promotes a healthy immune response. Look for the fruits and vegetables which are orange and red in colour such as cantaloupes, apricots, red peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and carrots. The dark green vegetables such as watercress, dandelion greens, spinach, Brussel sprouts, kale and broccoli contain the carotenoids. Make a hearty soup by adding carrots and finely chopped kale.

• Vitamin D- This time honoured old standby, Cod Liver Oil, contains omega-3 fish oil, and a popular favourite for many years, continues to be more in demand now since it contains the immune boosting vitamin D which has now been named in recent times as the vitamin that we are not getting enough of. By consuming more vitamin D sources in our foods such as fish, milk, egg yolks, and oats we can give our bodies a head start in fighting infections.

• Probiotics- These friendly bacteria which populate our intestines are responsible for up to 70% of our immune health. Naturally occurring fermented foods such as Miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, Greek yogurt and kifir boost our good bacteria and colonize our intestines offering protection from invading viruses and bacteria. Use a tablespoon of kifir in your morning smoothie to boost your immune health.

• Vitamin C- This water soluble vitamin is the most popular and well known vitamin and antioxidant found in citrus fruits, berries, melons, cabbage, pineapples, watermelon, parsley and tomatoes. Vitamin C works best when synergistically combined with the flavonoids which are found in fruit with the skins and pulp such as grapefruit, lemons, plums and berries which all exist in the foods containing Vitamin C. To get the most of your daily intake of vitamin C, add fruits to your smoothies, berries on your breakfast cereal and between meals as a snack.

Here is an easy recipe to boost your Immunity.

Baked Acorn Squash with Apples and Cinnamon

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash cut in half 4 apples finely chopped with peel if organic

1 tbsp. Coconut oil 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 large onion finely chopped ½ teaspoon allspice

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the stems so that it lays flat in the dish. Scoop out the seeds and rub coconut oil on the insides of the squash halves. Sauté onions, apples and spices with the remainder of the coconut oil in a skillet until the onion is translucent. Remove the mixture and fill each acorn squash cavity to the top.

Place the squash in a glass baking dish filled with ½ inch of water. Cover and place in the oven at 350 degrees for approx. 40 min. Test to see if the squash is done by pricking with a fork to determine if it is tender. Enjoy!

If you would like more help in how to boost your immune system through diet or would like to get more tasty recipes for you and your family, call the clinic at 905-668-7987 for an appointment with Florence Caie, CNP (Holistic Nutritionist).

Over 3 million children in Canada are treated for ear infections every year. The goal of Naturopathic care is to safely and quickly remove the cause of inflammation and infection and to prevent future problems by building a strong immune system. Ear infections are more common in the winter when bacteria and viruses are out in full force. At this time of year, our natural resistance tends to be lowered by less exercise, fresh air and fresh foods. Indulging in sweets is sometimes the last push into an earache.
The underlying problem is often an immune system that has been weakened by diet, stress, inadequate early treatment of a minor cold or infection or an imbalance of the intestinal tract.
If ear infections are a recurrent problem, allergies are the #1 suspect. The root cause of allergies may be associated with food intolerances. These children may also suffer from other problems such as asthma, congestion, eczema, psoriasis, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, colics, diaper rashes, hyperactivity, recurrent sore throats, etc.

Antibiotics – the overkill treatment of choice
The problem with antibiotics is that they often have side effects (abdominal discomfort, stomach pain, and yeast infections) and they do not build the immune system. Antibiotics don’t only kill the bad bacteria (which is causing the ear infection) but they also destroy beneficial bacteria in our intestines, leaving fertile ground for the overgrowth of harmful yeast such as Candida. People not receiving antibiotics have less frequent recurrence of ear infections than people who receive antibiotics! The current belief is that antibiotics remove the opportunity for the immune system to develop itself in fighting current and future infections.

Treatments and Prevention
Nutrition – Breastfeeding is known to protect against ear infections. Studies have shown that the longer a baby is breastfed, the less likely they are to get ear infections. This seems to be partly because of the antibodies that mother’s milk contains, and also because it decreases the use of cow’s milk, a common food intolerance in young children.
If a child has been suffering with recurrent ear infections for a while and especially if s/he has taken antibiotics, eliminating dairy may not be enough. The child may need to re-establish a healthy intestinal flora to strengthen the immune system. During an earache, avoiding dairy products, refined foods and sweets will reward you with speedier recovery and a happier child. Keep the child well hydrated, providing water, teas and diluted fruit juices.
Hoemoepathic remedies are safe and gentle treatments for children. Their goal would be to strengthen the child’s immune defenses, and decrease their susceptibility for getting ear infections.

After the long days of summer, September has quickly arrived and kids are now due to return to the classroom. For many families, this means creating a new routine which means re-establishing an appropriate bedtime. Many children can have difficulty concentrating in the classroom and can struggle academically if they do not get enough sleep. This is often frustrating for many parents as kids can be resistant to new patterns and struggle to get out of bed in the morning.

The key to success is to be consistent. School aged children (5 to 12 years old) need on average 10-11 hours of sleep per night, so ensuring that they are getting to bed early enough to allow for enough shut eye is key. Create a bedtime routine, try reading a book together or doing some other non-stimulating activity before bed. Incorporating a bath before bed can be a nice way to relax your child both physically and mentally. Make sure the bedroom is reserved for sleeping; try to keep TVs and video games out of the bedroom. If you find that your child is still struggling to wind down and relax, try incorportating some physical activity into their after school routine, just make sure it’s not too close to their bedtime.

You also want to ensure that kids are eating a health-promoting diet and that they aren’t eating too many sugary drinks or snacks as this can affect their ability to sleep. Eating high quality foods is essential not only for their sleep but for their overall health. Certain herbs, whether it be in the form of a tea or botanical tinctures can be very effective for helping to calm your child and to help with their routine. As well, many homeopathic remedies can be safely and effectively used to help your child to sleep.

If your child is having difficulties with his/her sleep or with concentration in school, call the clinic for an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors

 at (905)668-7987.  We can talk to you about the many natural alternatives that can help your child.

Now that the weather is getting colder, everybody is thinking of ways to boost up their immune system and prevent any colds or flus (Influenza). A natural alternative or a complementary treatment to the conventional Flu Shot is the use of complex homeopathy. The specific combination of GRIPP and ENGYSTOL have been successfully used by many Doctors of Naturopathic Medicine since 2002. The Journal of Biomedical Therapy (Winter 2002 pg 14) published an article with the summary of the results of the study:

- The length of time from the last booster shot until the outbreak of the next case of flu or common cold was an average of 34 days, in contrast to 19 days for the placebo group.

- The booster shot favourably influenced the intensity of 11 of 16 characteristics of the flu or common cold; such as energy level, lack of appetite, thirst, insomnia, chills, sore throat, earache, pain in arms and legs, headache, nasal secretions, swelling of lymph nodes, runny nose, coughing, etc.

- The booster shot decreased the length of the illness compared to the placebo group.

These benefits have been largely confirmed in clinical practice.  The Natural Booster Shot has absolutely NO side effects.  In fact, if used together with the conventional flu shot, it can actually help to minimize the flu shot’s possible harmful side effects.

The Natural Booster Shot is most effective for the 34 days after the administration of the injectable form of the remedy. Most patients come in once per month for their injection during the winter months (usually starting at the beginning of October to May).  It is recommended to receive the shot every 3 weeks if someone has a compromised or lower immune system.

The drinkable form is also available for children or for those adults who prefer not to receive an injection.

If you would like to receive more information on the Natural Booster Shot or would like to make an appointment, call us 905-668-7987.

We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and this is especially true for our children who, with growing bodies, need wholesome nutrient dense foods to start off their day. By giving them nutritious breakfasts containing proteins, good fats and complex carbohydrates that together will boost their immune systems, children will be kept energized, with improved mood, and focused in order to learn.

Protein is what children need for their growth, to build their muscles, nerves and organs and to ensure mental development. As well, proteins build immunity to protect children from infections. Some excellent sources of breakfast proteins are:

- Greek yogurt or cheese (if your child does not have a dairy intolerance)

- Eggs (has the highest amount of choline- a must for brain health)

- Nuts and seeds

- Legumes

- Tofu

Children who have sensitivities to dairy can still get their breakfast proteins in the following way:

- Refried beans or black beans with organic barbeque sauce in a whole wheat tortilla wrap \

- Scrambled eggs with salsa coating in a brown rice wrap (if your child has a gluten intolerance)

- A highly nutritious protein smoothie- in a blender combine, milk (either rice, almond or hemp), Greek yogurt, whey or rice protein powder and your choice of fruit which provides the required antioxidants and vitamins.

Another excellent idea is to add to a bowl of yogurt with the following:

- Unsulphured chopped apricots containing the immune boosting Vitamin A

- Nuts – unsalted and raw slivered almonds or pecan halves, giving a source of protein and essential fatty acids for brain boosting nourishment.

- Drizzle a little honey or maple syrup. Delicious!

Complex carbohydrates are the main source of energy in our bodies. Energy derived from complex carbohydrates such as whole grains are preferable to grains which have been refined. Refined carbohydrates have been stripped from their abundant nutrients (such as B-vitamins and minerals). The high fiber content in a whole grain will make children feel fuller for longer. For children who have sensitivities to gluten, offer them the following:

- Brown rice buckwheat, millet and the popular quinoa breads.

- Gluten free waffles (such as buckwheat waffles) are a quick alternative. You can add pure maple syrup and fruit.

- Toast a slice of quinoa bread and add those essential fatty acids found in nuts and seeds by spreading a tablespoon of almond, hazelnut or cashew butter. For those children who have allergies to nuts, try spreading on a tablespoon of Sunflower or Pumpkin Seed butters on wraps and bagels. For added protein and good fats, try adding a teaspoon in blender smoothie for a nutty taste.

Food fats support hormones and the nervous system and are therefore crucial to the regulation of emotions and mood, brain function and nerve impulses. Children need essential fatty acids for breakfast to help with brain function. This will increase their ability to pay attention and focus in order to learn! Studies indicate that hyperactive children have improvement in mood and focusing when foods containing essential fatty acids are added to their diet. So when you prepare that morning omelet, use the good fats contained in coconut oil for sauteing. Other gluten-free ideas to add nourishment to the brain are:

- Add nuts and seeds to whole grain granola in rice or almond beverages

- Cinnamon spiced oatmeal in almond or rice milk

- Almond meal (ground almonds) pancakes with pure maple syrup

- Cottage cheese and eggs

Quick Protein Smoothie

1 cup of milk (vanilla almond, hemp milk or brown rice beverages)

1 scoop of whey protein powder (or rice protein if your child has a dairy intolerance)

- tub of Greek yogurt

- cup of berries such as blackberries or blueberries, organic preferred

- OR use a banana

- 1 tsp almond butter OR if allergic to nuts use pumpkin or sunflower seed butter

- 2 ice cubes

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until contents are smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

Almond Pancakes with berry sauce

- 1 cup almond flour

- 1 cup yogurt

- 2 eggs

- 1 tsp. baking soda

- 1 tsp. cinnamon

- 1 cup water, approx

- 1 tbsp. butter or extra virgin coconut oil

In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, yogurt and the water. Slowly add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients until combined. Heat the coconut oil or butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. With a large spoon dip into the batter and add mixture to the pan making sure that batter is not too dry or runny. Saute until the pancakes are crisp around the edges then flip them and continue cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes until pancakes are brown. Enjoy with chopped up bananas, applesauce for dipping or use the quick berry sauce.

For the berry sauce mix 1 cup mixture of fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries combo plus 1 tsp. honey or maple syrup to a blender. Add 1 cup of spring water or reverse osmosis water. Blend until you have a smooth berry sauce to pour over pancakes.

References:

*Stordy, L.J. (1997) Essential Fatty Acids and Learning Disorders

Holistic Health Journal October, 1997

Is Your Child’s Brain Starving? By M. R. Lyon, MD

Our digestive system harbours many different bacteria in order to help with digestion and to aid the immune system.  It is important that we have the right amount and the right type of bacteria present in the digestive tract in order to maintain health.  However it is very common for a ‘dysbiosis’ to occur, meaning that there is an imbalance between the amount of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ bacteria present.  This condition is becoming exceedingly more common due to the Standard North American diet which emphasizes processed foods, excess sugar and refined carbohydrates.  As well, the use of antibiotics can also alter the balance in the digestive tract leaving one more likely to develop a dysbiosis. The symptoms of dysbiosis often include:

• Gas, bloating, belching
• Constipation, diarrhea
• Indigestion, heartburn
• Undigested food in the stool
• Fatigue, lack of energy

Many people disregard the symptoms of dysbiosis as mild and do not address them, but if left untreated it can progress to a more serious condition known as ‘leaky gut syndrome’. This condition occurs when there is an increase in inflammation in the lining of the gut which can lead to the development of the ‘leaky gut’.  In healthy individuals the lining of the gut serves as a barrier that allows only nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates to enter the bloodstream, leaving the toxins, bacteria and larger molecules to be excreted in the stool.  However, when the gut is leaky, these larger molecules are able to seep into the bloodstream and can cause significant irritation and inflammation in the body.  In addition to dysbiosis, leaky gut syndrome may develop secondary to other conditions such as food allergies, stress, low stomach acid, candida overgrowth, celiac’s disease just to name a few. Several different health conditions have been associated with leaky gut syndrome including:

• Arthritis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
• Skin conditions:  eczema, hives, psoriasis, acne, dermatitis
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Insomnia, or mood swings
• Food allergies
• Autism

Many individuals suffering with the symptoms of dybiosis or leaky gut syndrome can benefit from healing the inflammation in the digestive tract.  This is done by re-establishing the proper balance of bacteria in the digestive tract through the use of various strains of probiotic supplementation as well as by avoiding any food that may be contributing to the inflammation.  Identifying the foods that are contributing to inflammation can be achieved by laboratory testing (Food Allergy Testing- IgG)  used to identify your unique food intolerances.  Once identified, following a unique dietary plan designed around your intolerances aimed at decreasing the inflammation in the gut is a very important part of treatment.  In addition to food avoidance, the gut can be healed by using many different herbs, nutrients or other natural agents to help soothe the lining and promote healing, thereby reversing the symptoms.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms or conditions above or feel that you may benefit from seeing one of our Naturopathic Doctors, call the clinic to set up your appointment today (905)668-7987.

Do you “feel sick all over”- yet all your test results come back as normal.

You may be suffering from “yeast overgrowth”.

Candida albicans is a yeast normally found living harmoniously in everybody’s intestinal tract (and vaginal tract in women) in small numbers. Under certain conditions, this fungus may overgrow and establish itself as a parasitic fungal form. At this point, it becomes aggressive and invasive. It penetrates tissues, disrupts membrane integrity and releases toxic waste products. The combination of these events leads to wide range of seemingly unrelated health problems in virtually every system of the body (immune, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, endocrine, and nervous system).

Symptoms that the patient may experience are:

• fatigue
• allergies
• depression
• digestive symptoms
• PMS
• menstrual complaints
• migraines
• vaginal infections
• skin problems

Many people with severe chronic conditions also have fungal overgrowth. Whether this parasite causes these problems or just makes them worse is unknown, but 80% of cases improve when the Candida problem has been eliminated. These chronic conditions can include:

• multiple sclerosis
• systemic lupus erythematous
• fibromyalgia
• ADD/ADHD
• chronic fatigue sydrome
• Crohn’s disease,  colitis
• IBS
• infertility
• eczema/psoriasis, etc.

Avoidance of factors that encourage the overgrowth of Candida albicans is imperative: use of antibiotics, oral contraceptive hormones, immuno-suppressive drugs such as steroids and chemotherapeutic agents, other immuno-suppressive considerations such as prolonged illness, stress, alcohol abuse, smoking, lack of exercise and inadequate rest, the typical North American diet (a lot of processed foods, high sugar intake, low fiber, high refined carbohydrates, large amounts of red meat, dairy and wheat). All of these food items is what Candida albicans likes to feed on. This type of diet promotes poor digestion and sluggishness in the intestinal tract and over a period of years, coats the walls of the large intestine with a thick layer of mucus and impacted, decayed food.

Approaches to treating this yeast syndrome that do not address the cause cannot offer a permanent cure. A comprehensive approach is needed instead of simply trying to kill the yeast with an anti-fungal drug. It is a bit like trying to weed your garden by simply cutting the weed, instead of pulling it out by the roots.

If you think that your health problem may be related to an overgrowth of yeast and would like to find out more on how Naturopathic Medicine can help you, call us for a free consultation 905-668-7987.