Achieve younger looking skin with cosmetic acupuncture

Nourish Your Spirit Spa Workshop at Le Nordik Spa

The Nourish Your Spirit Workshop is here!

Are you feeling run down? Tired of taking care of everybody else? It’s time to put yourself first and nourish your spirit!

The workshop includes:

Step by step guide to identify and clear out toxic sludge that is bringing you down. Both environmental and emotional toxins will be discussed.
Supercharged nutrition tips to give your body energy and recharge your batteries.
Practical tips to create your own spa experience at home so the pampering never stops!
Gentle relaxation exercises and a guided meditation to bring out your inner Zen.
FREE Same day admission to Le Nordik Spa!
Date: Sunday, November 13th, 2016
Time 10 am to 12 pm then we head to Le Nordik Spa for as long as you want!
Location: Meredith Centre, 23 Cecil Road, Chelsea, Quebec, J9B 0A5 in the Meeting Room.
Cost: $120 + HST

Register today! Space is limited.

Good-bye period cramps!

When it comes to ‘that time of the month’ most women have experienced menstrual cramps at one point in their lives or another. Painful periods are often accompanied by other symptoms such as headaches, breast tenderness, heavy/clotty flow, low back pain, mood swings and food cravings.

All of these PMS symptoms are due to a hormone imbalance called ‘Estrogen dominance.’ This basically means that your body has an excess of estrogen in relation to progesterone.

Excess estrogen could be caused by:

1. The build up of xenoestrogens in your body
2. Liver Qi Stagnation: a Chinese medicine syndrome where your liver cannot process and eliminate the xenoestrogens fast enough so they build up in your body causing symptoms.
3. Low progesterone: Your estrogen could be normal but if your progesterone is low it is not able to balance the effects of estrogen and creates a relative estrogen dominance picture.

How do you know if you have estrogen dominance?

1. Your symptoms fall under the estrogen dominance category (see above)
2. You do a blood test for estradiol and progesterone. Blood tests should ideally be done on day 5 and day 21 of the menstrual cycle.  Your hormones change throughout the cycle and this gives a more accurate picture of what is happening in the first half versus the second half of the cycle.
3. Saliva hormone testing: This test is run through a private lab such as Rocky Mountain Analytical and is usually ordered by a naturopathic doctor. Here is more info on their Female Hormone Panel.

What are some treatment options for estrogen dominance?

1. Minimize your exposure to xenoestrogens.
2. Support your liver through diet, herbs and acupuncture so it can clear out excess estrogens.
3. Boost your progesterone levels through diet, herbs and acupuncture. Or consider Bio-identical progesterone cream if indicated for your individual situation.

To learn more speak to your naturopathic doctor today!

Image from: http://www.rosannadavisonnutrition.com/eat-chocolate-to-beat-pms-oh-yes/

Kick the flu bug 4 week ONLINE program!

Introducing our 4 week ONLINE Kick the Flu Bug program!

The cold and flu season is here! Do you wish to boost your immune system naturally and prevent getting sick this winter?

I’ve teamed up once again with one of the best holistic nutritionists I know, Sonia Turingia from Kick Ass Nutrition.

We are offering the Kick the Flu Bug program at a special introductory price of $98 + HST.

What you’ll get from our Kick the Flu Bug program:

4 weekly podcasts providing you with the info you need to know to prevent getting sick this winter:

• Is the Flu shot right for you?
• Identify what foods you need to ADD IN to keep you and your family healthy
• Why you need FAT to fight a flu or cold
• Eliminate food evils like excess sugar
• Should I exercise when I’m sick?
• What’s the difference between PRE and PRO biotics and why are so important for immune function?
• The ancient healing wisdom or traditional Chinese medicine

FREE BONUS GIFTS! 

Register today and receive these awesome bonuses!

• 72 hour sugar kick!
• Magic Socks Treatment to reduce a fever
• Homemade cough drops
• How to use an onion to cure an ear infection!
• Tasty, quick recipes that will fuel your busy life

I hope you enjoy the tips in this program as you work towards achieving optimal health!

Dr. Ellen Simone, Naturopath

Image from: http://prestunseibel.org/flu-bug/

Stay warm through the change of season with Chinese medicine

Autumn is the time of year when temperatures become cooler, the wind picks up and the air becomes dryer.  In Chinese medicine, autumn is the season of the Lung organ.  The Lung in Chinese medicine represents your breathing patterns, immune system function and your skin.

Has anyone every told you to wear a jacket and put on a hat or else you’ll catch a cold? If this has every happened to you it is because the Lungs  (ie your immune system) are  susceptible to being invaded by the external cold, dry and windy weather.

When you catch a cold, Chinese medicine classifies your symptoms as ‘Cold Wind Invasion of the Lung.” This pattern of imbalance characteristically manifests as fevers alternating with the chills, but the person is mostly chilly, headache, sneezing, scratchy throat, body aches, and stuffy nose with clear mucus.

In order to support the Lung during the fall season, it is important to incorporate seasonal warming foods into your diet.  The warmer your Lungs are the less susceptible they are to becoming cold by the exterior weather.

Here’s my list of the top 5 seasonal warming foods to include in your diet:

1. Pumpkin

2. Squash

3. Onions

4. Ginger

5. Sweet peppers

How about making a Pumpkin and Butternut Squash soup? Enjoy!

Image from: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pumpkin-Butternut-Squash-Soup/

FREE health talk! Strategies to detoxify your body

This week I kick off a series of FREE health talks on ‘Strategies to detoxify your body.’

My goal is to increase your awareness of the negative health impact of toxin exposure.  I’ll provide  information on how to avoid environmental toxins in your home and work place.  You will learn practical tips on how to improve your body’s ability to detoxify using naturopathic medicine which includes clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and lifestyle changes.

These talks are part of the Ottawa Public Library Program guide.

Click HERE to register and find a library branch in your community.

Looking forward to sharing lots of great info with you!

Image from: http://mybestbadi.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html

Essentials for a Healthy Winter Season

Check out my latest article in Healthy Directions Magazine:

Essentials for a Healthy Winter Season.

Have a happy winter!

Foods to keep you warm this winter

Warm up this winter with a delicious meal!

According to the traditional Chinese medicine philosophy, it is important to eat with the seasons.  As the weather turns colder, it is important to balance the external coldness with warming foods to support your health in the winter.

The temperature of food is also important, so having more cooked meals in the form of soups, stews and chilli rather than cold, raw salads is essential to optimizing winter health.

Eat more foods that warm the body: ginger root, cinnamon, cumin, anise, caraway, garlic, onion, fennel, cloves, rosemary, basil, black beans, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, parsnip, sweet potato, squash, leeks, kale, beef and lamb.

Minimize foods that cool the body: peppermint, cilantro, marjoram, cucumber, celery, lettuce, radish, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, eggplant, zucchini, seaweed, citrus fruits, apple, pear, watermelon, tomato, banana, sprouts, mung beans, wheat products, millet, tofu.

Spicy squash and parsnip soup recipe

Image from: http://www.informededinburgh.co.uk/food-drink/butternut-squash-soup-recipe/

Feel free to share your warming winter recipes!

FREE Health Talk: Boosting your immune system naturally

This week I kick off a series of FREE health talks on ‘Boosting your immune system naturally in time for winter.’

My goal is to provide  information on how to boost your immune system using naturopathic medicine. You will learn how to prevent the flu and recover faster by strengthening your immune system using clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and lifestyle changes.

These talks are part of the Ottawa Public Library Program guide.

Click HERE to register and find a library branch in your community.

Looking forward to sharing lots of great info with you, just in time for winter!

Image from: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-more-2009-02-23

5 herbs to eat that will boost your immune system

Do you want to boost your immune system this winter to prevent suffering from the cold and flu?

Here’s 5 herbs you can add to your diet that will boost your immune system, kill bacteria and viruses as well as add some flavour to your meals!

1. Garlic: Known in Latin as Allium sativum, garlic contains an ingredient that kills bacteria called allicin.  Allicin kills both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria which encompass bacteria like E. coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis infections).  Garlic is also anti-viral making it a good defense mechanism against the flu virus and Rhinovirus which causes the common cold-like symptoms. RAW garlic contains more allicin than cooked garlic and 1-2 cloves per day added to the diet can be beneficial.  If your whole family eats garlic hopefully you won’t notice the odour 🙂

Image from: http://www.osteoarthritisblog.com/osteo-arthritis-treatment-option/weight-loss-osteo-arthritis-treatment-option/1235-knee-osteoarthritis-foods-that-reduce-swelling-garlic/

2. Onion: Part of the same family as garlic, Allium cepa aka onion, is also anti-microbial which means it kills both bacteria and viruses.  Incorporating raw onions into your cooking can help to fight off the cold and flu this winter.  An onion ear poultice is a traditional remedy for ear infection symptoms that is especially fun for kids!

Image from: http://pass-forward.blogspot.ca/2010/08/facts-and-fiction-onions.html

3. Thyme: Thymus vulgaris is a spice commonly used in cooking.  The oil extract of thyme contains an ingredient known as thymol which is anti-bacterial.  Thyme oil is commonly used in natural cleaning products.  Here’s a delicious ‘Chicken Lime Thyme’ recipe which also includes chopped garlic in the marinade.

Image from: http://www.immanence.ca/category/department/health-and-wellness/healing-herbs

4. Oregano: Oil of Origanum vulgare has gained popularity over the past few years for it’s anti-microbial properties.  Drops of the oil can be used acutely to treat sore throats and sinus infections.  Therefore, oregano is another great herb to include in your diet. Here’s an easy recipe for ‘Zucchini and Oregano Pizza‘. Enjoy!

Image from: http://completewellbeing.com/article/oregano-the-versatile-herb/

5. Mushrooms! Eating a variety of mushrooms including Shiitake and Reishi mushrooms helps to strengthen your immune system.  The medicinal properties of these mushrooms have been used for thousands of years by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors.  TCM even has an herbal tonic called ‘Change of Season Soup’ which is meant to support the immune system from fall to winter, prime time for colds and flus!  Traditionally it does not contains mushrooms, however it is a good soup base and you can add in your own mushrooms for added immune support.

Image from: http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/news/health/2012/02/17/3045.html

 

Feel free to share your ideas for incorporating these herbs into your diet!