A major focus of my training in Naturopathic Medicine school was in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and one of the very well-known principles of TCM is the balance of Yin and Yang energies. When that balance is lost, health is lost. Today, my reflection is on how that translates in our lives, as women, in the society we live in and how this could contribute to some common health issues we run into.
Addictions are very prevalent in our society, and some of those addictions severely punished, while others are totally socially acceptable or even praised. An addiction can be to a substance, thing, or activity. This could be a drug, alcohol, nicotine, shopping, gambling, sex, work, food, control, adrenaline, etc.
Brain health and mental health is directly related to our diet. I am a strong advocate for mental health through nutrition as I’ve read the research, seen it in patients and experienced it myself. This is true for general health through nutrition, actually. Food gives us the building blocks to produce our much needed neurotransmitters, keep inflammation low and support stable blood sugar, which are all needed for good brain function and mental health.
A healthy gut lays the foundation for a healthy mind and body. It’s been shown time after time that the digestive system can be a source of inflammation which is manifested anywhere in the body. Enjoy this gut healing smoothie to help decrease inflammation and heal your body.
One of the most difficult things about sadness and chronic illness is the isolation they bring. I’ve felt it before. You feel like you bring everyone down when you talk about how you’re feeling and what you’re going through, but it’s too hard to just smile and pretend like everything is ok. Or maybe it’s the really obvious elephant in the room that no one dares to bring up. So it’s easier to just avoid interacting with others in order to avoid having to bring it up.
Brain health and mental health is directly related to our diet. I am a strong advocate for mental health through nutrition as I’ve read the research, seen it in patients and experienced it myself. This is true for general health through nutrition, actually. Food gives us the building blocks to produce our much needed neurotransmitters, keep inflammation low and support stable blood sugar, which are all needed for good brain function and mental health.
The most common answer I get to the question ‘do you have PMS symptoms?’ is: ‘ask my partner…’ meaning, yes, I get irritable before I get my period. This isn’t surprising as up to 75% of menstruating women get PMS symptoms, even women who have had a partial hysterectomy (removal of the uterus only) get PMS symptoms, and there are more than 100 symptoms associated with PMS.
‘Why am I always tired? No matter what I do, I just don’t feel energized, I don’t have that ‘get-up-and-go’ feeling I used to have.’ These are things way too many people are feeling way too often, especially women Feeling less than optimal all the time means that we dragging ourselves through our days rather than enjoying life’s precious moments.
Working through anxiety does take courage and commitment. Facing anxiety provoking situations is not easy. As a person with anxiety, I try to push myself to face these situations. When I get up face to face with the situation, I always wonder it seemed like such a great idea at the time, think of not showing up, and then talk myself into just doing it anyways. It’s not easy, but so far, I’ve always come out alive! There are a few things I find very helpful in managing anxiety, and even taking it away completely.
As a naturopathic doctor, I have the great privilege of hearing people’s stories. How they live, what they worry about, what challenges they’re facing, their fears, what they hope to achieve or how they want to feel. Over the past 5 years, I’ve heard a lot of stories, not only in Canada, but in Colombia and rural Nicaragua as well. In these five years, I’ve sat down with people from all kinds of backgrounds, from those who work in the corporate sector, to entrepreneurs, government workers, stay-at-home moms, students, subsistence farmers, and so many others. Although every single conversation I’ve had with people when working as a Naturopathic Doctor started with a health concern, there is common thread that links them all, and that is the desire to be heard, the desire to be truly heard without any judgment.
Is ‘overwhelm’ a common feeling in your days? Do you feel like you hardly ever get any down time to recharge your battery? Do you feel like you're tired but wired all the time? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, firstly, you’re not alone, and secondly, you are most likely suffering the effects of chronic stress.
