As any good builder can attest, creating a strong foundation is imperative. Likewise, in health, we want to ensure that we are providing each bodily system with the key structures for proper physiology. See the thing is our bodies are very good at knowing what to do in the right circumstances. So, when we talk about health optimization, we are really talking about creating those “right” circumstances. Of course, we all have different needs depending on our dietary habits, current health status, environment, and genetic predispositions. That being said there are some universal principles we all need to take stock

What is blood pressure and how does it relate to my health? Blood pressure is a measurement of how hard your heart has to work to pump blood out to the body. It calculates the volume of blood leaving your heart (cardiac output) by the resistance it faces when it leaves (peripheral resistance.) There are many contributing factors to make up this number: How healthy is your heart? How much blood volume do you have? Did you lose blood? How strong and flexible are your arteries? How old and what sex are you? What is your genetic susceptibility or risk?

Cholesterol gets a pretty bad reputation in the self-care health circles but it may be time to revisit this ubiquitous molecule. Cholesterol is the backbone of steroid hormones, bile salts, vitamin D, and cell membranes. Without cholesterol, we would not be able to digest foods properly; our cell structure would not be able to withstand any changes in temperature, and a significant number of important hormones such as estrogen and testosterone could not be produced. So how can it be that bad? Well, like all good things it is best in moderation. High total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and trans fats

When you hear magnesium do you immediately think of sports performance or cramping legs? You are not alone. So often we are conditioned to think of minerals as having one function, but the reality is that many minerals, particularly magnesium are very diverse and can be used for many health conditions. In fact, magnesium has over 300 different functions in the body from electrolyte regulation, neurotransmitter production and yes,  you guessed it, muscle contraction. In fact, it’s not just related to skeletal muscle contraction but all smooth muscle contraction as well. That means those small smooth muscles in your gut

Butyric Acid Production Butyric acid or butyrate (the ester form) is a main short chain fatty acid produced by friendly bacteria in the human gut when they feed off of certain carbohydrates, particularly non-starch fibres as well as resistant fibres. These 4- carbon fatty acids are the preferred source of energy for colonocytes ( colon cells). It is used preferentially over glucose, maintaining colonocyte activity. Butyric acids have some impressive benefits both locally and systemically as it is rapidly absorbed.   Prevent and Treat Leaky Gut ‘Leaky gut’ is the term used to describe what happens when food sensitivities, food

Don’t let poor skin health keep you holed up inside. Find out how to approach skin health in a holistic way. What is the function of skin? Protection: from mechanical trauma, chemical trauma, or UV radiation Regulation: water and heat regulation through the skin. Sensation: skin contains sensory receptors for pressure, temperature, pain etc.  What factors affect the skin? 1.Environment: Sometimes the most obvious place to start is looking at what we are exposing our skin cells. a) External: ultraviolet (UV) radiation Pollution chemical irritation       trauma     b) Internal:      dryness, fine wrinkling and paleness genetic

In honour of Naturopathic Medicine week we wanted to give you some insight into this exciting field in alternative healthcare. First do no harm. Treat the whole individual. Address the root cause of illness. Doctor as teacher. Sustainable treatments. Support the inherent healing power of the body. Promote prevention. Naturopathic medicine provides individuals with an alternative primary health care system that blends scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. Naturopathic medicine recognises the body’s inherent ability to heal itself so treatment aims to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. A holistic approach also

Green tea supplements have come under fire recently following the release of a marketplace review.  The review focused on the adverse effects of green tea supplements on liver health and also highlighted the bigger issue of regulatory processes for natural health products. While the report brought up a number of valid concerns, it was somewhat reductionist. As proponents of natural health products we wanted to provide some insights into the complexities underlying this report and provide tips on what to look for in any supplement. Green Tea – The Wonder Plant Camellia sinensis, commonly known as green tea, has been

Metabolic dysfunctions are fast becoming major risk factors for cardiovascular incidents ie. myocardial infarction, stroke, and non-ischemic cardiovascular disease. The constellation symptoms indicative of metabolic dysfunction include: central obesity (apple body types), glucose intolerance and insulin resistance (eg. non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), hypertension, dyslipidemia, high markers of inflammation, and poor clotting (hyperfibrinolysis). Given the wide array of symptoms metabolic syndrome was often overlooked, though the current criteria have been established, with three of the five required for diagnosis: Criteria Defining Value 1. Abdominal obesity Waist circumference: Women >88 cm men >102 cmWaist to hip ratio: women >0.85 and men > 1.0

‘Tis the season for parties, social gatherings, and a whole multitude of social interactions. For some this may include indulging in a glass of wine or two, or three; perhaps an extra beer or cocktail du jour? While it is always important to understand your own limits with respect to alcohol, even when drinking responsibly your body produces a specific physiological response to alcohol consumption. Sometimes this response can lead to some unpleasant mornings after. Your Body on Alcohol: As mentioned above there are a large number of responses your body can produce in response to alcohol. The responses depend

Deaths related to fentanyl overdoses seemingly plagued headlines in Canada for much of 2016. It seemed every time you would turn on the TV or radio another alarming statistic about a string of deaths from misuse of this prescription drug. Emergency room visits, in Alberta, related to opioids rose a staggering 84% from 2014 to 2016. While the number of opioid overdose related deaths in 2011 was six it has dramatically increased to 257 in 2015. Canada’s Health Minister has even had to declare a “national crisis” with respect to opioid overdoses. The magnitude of this issue has really forced