|
If you have any feedback or suggestions for the clinic, please feel free to email us at info@bokhealingarts.com In this issue, you will find:
|
Clinic Holiday Hours |
|
The clinic will be closed from Friday December 25th through Monday January 4th – reopening Tuesday January 5th, 2010! |
Reminders |
|
If your extended health benefits go by the calendar year, you may have unused insurance dollars for naturopathic medicine, massage therapy or acupuncture. Take advantage by booking an appointment before the end of 2009. Then start fresh with more coverage in the New Year. If you have no pressing health concerns at this time, consider an Annual Physical Exam or Immune Booster* visit with one of our NDs, or get a stress-busting hot stone massage with our RMT. *Immune Booster is a 30-45 minute Naturopathic consultation focused on improving your immune system to prevent cold & flu. Additionally, your ND can provide information on H1N1 flu and vaccination options. We also remind you that all of our practitioners are available for speaking engagements and workshops on a wide variety of wellness-related topics (Immunity, Heart Health, Nutrition, and many others). We offer “Lunch & Learns”, Corporate Wellness programs, and lectures for groups and organizations of all sizes. Inquire by calling the clinic: 416-783-1800. Please watch for updates on our website in the New Year, including videos, additional patient resources, and an expanded set of links to resources we know you’ll find helpful. |
Announcements |
New Fee StructureThe clinic will be updating the fee structure. The new fee structure will be in effect starting January 1, 2010. Please check the website in the new year for the updated fee schedule. Winter WorkshopsIf your New Year’s Resolutions include losing weight, this workshop is for you… Lighten Up™ Group ($275 +gst for 8 sessions) Tuesdays Evenings (7:00-8:30 pm) with Jaty Tam, ND Space is limited. Call early to register and reserve your spot today! |
Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating |
|
1. Plan Ahead: Map out all the events or parties you know you will be attending. Examine who’s hosting them or where they’ll take place and what you might expect to be served. Once you’re clear on what lies ahead, use the other tips below to create a plan and put it into action. 2. Focus on Weight Maintenance rather than Weight Loss: It’s okay to enjoy yourself over the holiday season, and chances are you’ll indulge in a few higher calorie foods or perhaps a festive cocktail or two. Don’t psyche yourself out by stepping on the scale or beating yourself up when you do indulge. Set clear limits ahead of time (i.e. one cocktail or glass of wine per party) so that you can enjoy yourself without over-indulging. 3. Eliminate the Feast or Famine Mentality: Many people starve themselves all day in anticipation of a party. Any time you significantly deprive yourself, you’re likely to overindulge later. To prevent this, eat regular meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar more stable and have a light snack or meal a few hours before the party. Between events be sure to be more vigilant about diet – emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (nuts & seeds, avocado, olives or olive oil) and lean or vegetarian protein (legumes, organic soy, skinless white meat poultry, fish). 4. Take Initiative & Be Assertive: Don’t let others influence the decisions you make about what or how much you eat. Don’t be afraid to politely (but firmly) decline food that is offered to you. If people persist you can always say something like: “That does look delicious, but (insert food item) doesn’t really agree with me.” Another terrific strategy is to bring something with you or offer to host an event yourself – this puts you in the driver’s seat, and gives you some healthy options to choose from. 5. Practice Mindful Eating: When we bring a deeper consciousness to eating we not only tend to make healthier choices, we enjoy our food more. Consciously choose what and how much you put on your plate. Take the time to first “eat” the food with your eyes and nose. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and pay attention to the different flavours and textures of the food. When you don’t like something – leave it. When you feel like you’re starting to get full – stop. Then make the conscious decision not to eat anything else. Chew a stick of gum or sip on some sparkling water if needed. 6. Keep on Moving: I find that around this time of year people’s exercise programs get off track. The weather shouldn’t stop us from getting outside and going for a walk. Invest in comfortable, waterproof boots and the proper clothing – then get out there and enjoy the crisp autumn leaves, or the crunch of a new snowfall beneath your feet. Alternatively, make some indoor exercise plans for days that are too icy or cold. Exercise helps manage stress, burn off extra calories and regulate metabolism to keep you on track, even if you indulge a little. 7. Balance Your Plate: Allow yourself to enjoy some of your favourite holiday foods by limiting your portion size and filling the rest of your plate with healthier choices. Make sure to fill up on salads or vegetable dishes, and go easier on salad dressing, sauces, heavy meats and starchy side dishes like mashed potatoes, and stuffing. 8. Makeover Recipes: Consider replacing a few traditional foods with healthier versions. If you’re into creamed corn or spinach – try sautéed greens with garlic and olive oil. For mashed potato lovers – cauliflower is a delicious substitute that is lower in carbohydrates and calories, high in folate and fibre, and won’t send your blood sugar sky-rocketing. For a sweet-tooth, focus on simple seasonal fruit desserts – like baked apples (see recipes below). |
Water Cure: Rediscovering the Healing Power of Water |
|
Medical doctors often use hydrotherapy in the form of an ice pack to reduce swelling on a sprained wrist, or a hot water pack to loosen a tight muscle. Naturopathic Doctors take it one step further by using water to affect the quantity and quality of blood flow through a tissue or organ. Hydrotherapy can be used as a part of a Naturopathic treatment plan for a variety of conditions including cold and flu, sinus infections, chest infections, digestive disorders (constipation and diarrhea), arthritis, sprains, menstrual cramps, insomnia, anxiety, fever, pain, and the list goes on. The reason why something as simple as water can affect the body in such a profound way, is two-fold:
Let’s consider the effect that hot and cold water have on our bodies. When our body encounters hot water, the body heats up and stimulates blood to travel towards the skin to expel heat. When our body encounters cold water, the blood vessels first constrict and blood is kept closer to the heart. This is followed shortly by blood vessel dilation, which stimulates circulation of blood in order to warm the body up. When we are trying to stimulate circulation, we never want to apply more than 1 minute of cold because the body will constrict again to conserve heat, depressing circulation. Keep these properties of water in mind as I discuss a couple of hydrotherapy treatment you can use at home. Alternating Showers This is my favourite technique because it is free, requires no special equipment (not even a basin or bathtub), and can be incorporated into your daily routine. And, its effects are surprisingly profound. This technique can dramatically increase your immune system, helping you prevent infections and heal from illness quicker. It can also get rid of those cold hands and feet people tend to get in the winter, and generally make you feel warmer and ready to brace for the cold weather outside. The instructions are exactly as it sounds, to alternate the application of hot and cold water during a shower. By alternating hot and cold, we are producing a profound stimulatory effect on the circulation. For this technique, always start with hot and end with cold. The ratio for hot to cold is 3 to 1. That means, 1 minute of hot should be followed by 20 seconds of cold. Do at least 3 repetitions. This can easily be incorporated into your regular shower routine and can be done daily. This is how I do it every morning:
Warming Socks This technique will to give your immune system a super-boost when you are sick. The technique involves applying cold wet socks and allowing the body to warm and dry the socks. As discussed above, cold will initially cause our vessels to constrict, which is soon followed by a dilation which brings blood to the area and warms the tissue. This heat causes some of the water to evaporate, which brings about a feeling of cold. This coldness restarts the cycle again. This is a gentle self-modulating system which is similar to the alternating hot and cold applications of the “Alternating Shower” described above. This technique increases circulation throughout the whole body and can give a strong boost to the immune system, as well as decreasing congestion and improving the digestive system. This method is very simple to apply, requiring only a pair of thin socks (like dress socks), a pair of thick wool socks, and a warm blanket. The directions are as follows:
* Note: People with underlying health concerns, circulatory problems or a history of heart or vascular disease should consult with their Naturopathic Doctor before attempting treatments. Treatments may be modified in intensity, temperature or duration to accommodate your needs safely & effectively. |
5 Ways To Make Exercise Fun In The Winter |
|
The gym can be boring, so once a week make a conscious effort to make exercise more fun. So many people go to the gym day after day and do the same old boring thing. Exercise becomes a chore no one enjoys, and it is no surprise people get discouraged, don’t see results and stop working out. The solution: make exercise something you enjoy. This way you are more likely to actually do it. Here are some ideas: 1. Exercise with a friend. Make a gym date. This way exercise becomes an appointment you will not want to miss. Or make an exercise date with your significant other. Do a partner yoga class, go for a bike ride or go for a hike or snowshoe in the ravine. 2. Join a sports team or create a less structured “sports hour” with a bunch of friends. 3. Download a book or a pod cast onto your ipod so can have something interesting to listen as you work out. 4. Use exercise to accomplish something on your “bucket list”. Learn to swim, take a hip hop class or take fencing lessons. This is also a great way to meet some new people with a shared interest. 5. ENJOY winter!! Instead of feeling annoyed that we live in such a cold, snowy climate, learn to love winter sports. Chase the kids up & down the toboggan hill, learn how to ski or do your cardio by going to a skating rink. My last piece of advice is to set realistic and attainable goals. Don’t get caught up in making crazy New Year’s resolutions that you will not be able to keep. Create simple, attainable goals. Decide how many hours you can work out per week, and then make appointments with yourself and put those appointments into your calendar alongside the holiday parties and New Year celebrations. Kathleen is a guest writer for this issue of our newsletter. Kathleen Trotter is a certified personal trainer, pilates specialist, fitness expert, Iron(wo)man, and Masters student. To learn more about Kathleen’s services please visit: http://kathleentrotter.com/about-me |
Season’s Gratings: Getting the Most Without Coming Undone! |
|
That’s the number of hits you get by Googling ‘holiday stress’. What is it about the holiday season that turns dreams of a white Christmas into sweat-soaked nightmares? In a word – EXPECTATIONS. Anytime in our lives when we expect perfection we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. Stress is the distance between what we want and what we have. It is an unmet need. Birthdays. Graduations. Anniversaries. Weddings. All are opportunities for us to hope for some life-altering perfect experience. If we don’t get our expectations in check before the big day we are often disappointed. But those are – by and large – individual experiences. Imagine what would happen if almost everyone in your life had the same expectation of perfection at the same time? Well… you’d end up with the month of December – the perfect coalescence of several major religious holidays and the culmination of a year’s worth of expectations for a perfect Christmas, Chanukah, Diwali, Kwanzaa etc… That’s where the trouble begins. Unless you are immune to the wants and needs of others you quickly find yourself navigating the landmines of differing expectations of how to make the holiday season perfect. You go to parties you don’t want to attend. You buy gifts you can’t afford. And you turn yourself inside out and backwards to avoid ruining anyone’s perfect holiday – except maybe your own. And you do it with a smile. Cause you can’t let this tension put you in a bad mood lest you become the modern day Scrooge. 31,000,000 hits on Google. Does that surprise anyone? Bad news. We can’t change it. And for the most part we shouldn’t want to. It is a wonderful time of year where everyone truly does want to put their best foot forward. We want the best for our loved ones and hope for a few magical moments for ourselves. When we have a hand in making a good holiday great we know it was all worth it. Now I certainly didn’t review all the articles on surviving the holidays but I did read enough to know that you’re expecting some tips in that regard. In true holiday spirit, I will do my best to meet your expectations. Just don’t think this will make anything perfect – except for moments here and there that doesn’t exist. But a great holiday is yours for the taking! And here are some tips to help you with that.
It is a glorious time of year. And those moments when we find ourselves and others in the holiday spirit make it all worthwhile. Happy Holidays! Scott is a guest writer for this issue of our newsletter. Scott McGrath, M.S.W., R.S.W. is a Coach, Therapist, Consultant and Trainer working with individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations. Scott is also the founder and director of 4Square Group – a community of independent professionals dedicated to helping individuals, couples, families, groups or organizations set and achieve their goals. |
WINTER RECIPES |
|
Jennifer Baer, ND & Trained Chef Cauliflower “Mashed Potatoes”1 head cauliflower, leaves and stalk removed, cut into similar size pieces In a steam basket over boiling water steam cauliflower until quite tender (20-25 mins). Drain well and add to food processor with other ingredients. Puree until smooth, adjusting seasonings. Alternatives: add fresh herbs (basil, thyme, chives, oregano), roasted garlic, carmelized diced onion, or curry powder and 2 Tbs coconut milk for interesting flavouring options. Pecan Pie Bites(makes 4 servings – 3 each) 6 pitted date, halved 24 pecan halves Smush each ½ date between 2 pecan halves and enjoy! Baked Apple(makes 4) 4 cooking apples (Macintosh, Spy, Spartan), cored 1 cup water 2 tsp organic vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon 2 Tbs chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat oven to 400F. Remove peel from top centimetre of apple. And arrange in small baking dish. Combine water, vanilla and cinnamon in small pan and bring to a boil. Stuff apples with chopped nuts, and pour sauce over apples. Bake in oven until apples are soft; about 40-50 minutes, basting occasionally. Serve apples with sauce spooned over them. |
We’d like to take this opportunity to wish our community a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful Holiday Season. We look forward to providing you with ongoing superior service and care in the coming New Year.
As a Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist, I often hear a similar story around this time of year: “I always overindulge around the holidays. Every year between Thanksgiving and the New Year I manage to put on 5-10 pounds, and as I get older it’s harder and harder to get rid of it!” The holidays are filled with parties and delicious food that can put a real cramp on your weight management goals. Here are 8 great tips to help you better prepare for healthy eating this holiday season.
The foundations of Naturopathic Medicine are rooted in an old therapy called “Water Cure”, which is the use of water to treat disease and maintain health. Today, we call this hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is often overlooked by health practitioners in favour of more glamorous treatments like acupuncture, herbs, and nutritional supplements. I recently took a trip to Switzerland and Germany, where Water Cure was developed and where it is still actively in use, and found myself rediscovering the power and simplicity of the water cure.
Everyone knows exercise is important. It helps you have more energy, sleep better, have less anxiety, helps prevent a plethora of chronic diseases, helps ward off osteopenia and osteoporosis and generally feel better about yourself. The trouble is, winter can be a hard time to motivate oneself to exercise. It is cold, and as human beings we tend to want to hibernate. Many people who rode their bikes, walked or ran during the summer, no longer want to go outside; but at the same time, feel unmotivated to go the gym. I have come up with some strategies to fit exercise into your life during the winter. The main strategy that I suggest to all of my clients is to try and make exercise FUN, and to try to incorporate it into your life. If you involve your friends and family and incorporate your hobbies into your plan, winter workouts can be a blast!
31,000,000.WELCOME
At Body of Knowledge Healing Arts, we're thrilled to offer you the best in naturopathic medical care. Our registered Naturopathic Doctors provide assessment, education and support for the treatment and prevention of chronic conditions.
Our approach targets the underlying cause of disease or dysfunction and strives to support and strengthen the body's innate ability to heal, repair and maintain homeostasis (balance). Naturopathy is a comprehensive and holistic medical approach that attempts to revitalize our connection to our health, and the health of our planet.
We are located in midtown Toronto, and offer a variety of treatment options, which include:
Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling
Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
Herbal Medicine & Homeopathy
Hydrotherapy & Stress Management
Drainage & Detoxification
Our services are covered by most extended health plans.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES
Look and feel younger. A non-surgical method to lift, tone, tighten and reduce the signs of aging.
Nutritional Consultations & Diet Plans
Consult with trained chef, nutritionist & Naturopathic Doctor, Jennifer Baer, to assess your nutritional status and create a custom diet plan.
BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT
To book an appointment with one of our licensed Naturopathic Doctors or our Registered Holistic Nutritionist, call us at 416-783-1800. We offer Naturopathic Medicine, Nutritional Consultations and Diet Plans, Cosmetic Acupuncture and Acupuncture.