Four essential ways to use Turmeric

February 20, 2017 by Dr. Nicholas Anhorn, ND and Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND Leave a Comment

07:56:30Turmeric is a fascinating remedy that is nourishing, healing, and anti-inflammatory.

There are no real contraindications for taking turmeric at culinary doses (such as the Golden Tea recipe below and Cooking with Turmeric suggestions) but when you are taking isolated curcumin or potent turmeric supplements (or even when taking Turmeric Bombs or Turmeric Paste), then you will want to consult your healthcare physician, especially if you are on antiplatelet or blood thinning medication, have gallstones, bile duct obstruction, stomach ulcers or hyperchlorydria (high stomach acid).

It is also important to note that culinary turmeric will stain nearly everything in its path. So, if you don’t want yellow finger tips or yellow-stained hands, wear non-latex gloves when working with turmeric, use a cutting board you don’t mind having yellow marks, wipe your counter with cold water right away if it turmeric spills on it, and also your grater may turn yellow/orange & look like rust, but its most likely just turmeric.

~ Golden Tea – Turmeric Milk ~

There are many recipes out there for Golden Tea, otherwise known as Golden Milk, Turmeric Tea, Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk. All of the recipe names point to the fact that turmeric works as a natural anti-inflammatory, and it is gold in color, thanks to the active ingredient curcumin (*not to be confused with cumin*).

There are a few ingredients that you can add to the tea to help enhance the flavour, such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cardamum. But more importantly, there are ingredients you can add to improve the healing properties turmeric by way of increasing the absorption of curcumin: fat & black pepper.

Here is our recipe. Give it a try and tweak it to make it your own!

Golden Milk Turmeric Tea

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

15 mins

If you want a real decadent treat, replace your choice of milk with coconut cream (the thick part of canned coconut milk).

Author: Lyndsay and Nicholas

Cuisine: anti-inflammatory, gluten-free

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups milk alternative (coconut, almond milk)
1 Tbsp (packed) fresh turmeric, grated (or 1 tsp turmeric powder)
¾ - 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½-3/4 tsp tsp ginger powder)
1 Tbsp honey, or more to taste
1 Tbsp coconut oil
5-6 black peppercorns
a few dashes of cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a saucepan, heat on high until it's just about to boil, then lower the heat to simmer for about 5 mins.
Pour into a high powered blender and blend on high for about 10 seconds.
We don't mind a few ginger strands so we just pour into a mug & enjoy, but if you do mind the texture, strain into a mug and enjoy!

~ Cooking with Turmeric ~

Turmeric is a wonderful root to cook with – it has a mild, pleasant flavour and gives dishes a beautiful yellow colour. If you add more turmeric than a recipe calls for, it doesn’t really change the taste of your dish too much, but does increase the health benefits. Turmeric powder and fresh, grated turmeric substitute nicely for each other, and so, you can add both to any dish if you have them both on hand. Here are a few of our favourite turmeric-containing recipes:

Dahl is a highly nutritious, delicious & underrated dish! It’s so easy to make and is sure to satisfy appetites big and small! There are alot of recipes out there, but here’s our version: Delicious Red Lentil Dahl

Butter chicken is a crowd pleaser in our house. In this Butter Chicken recipe, we replace heavy cream with coconut cream, and add in 1 Tbsp turmeric powder.

When it comes to Indian cooking, we first think of Vij (a well-known Indian chef who has a Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver). He uses heavy cream in most of his dishes, but we replace it with equal amounts of coconut cream with good results. If you want to be the talk of the town, here are a two crowd pleaser recipes that go really well together to make a delicious & satisfying meal. And they are surprisingly simple o make! – Vij’s Marinated Lamb Popsicles & Turmeric New Potatoes

Lastly, you can also add turmeric to your Smoothies for added healing effect. It may stain your blender container a bit, but it is worth it! Here’s a recipe that we tried & liked very much (we swapped the frozen banana for frozen mango, and juiced the ginger along with the carrots) –> Creamy Vegan Golden Milk Smoothie

~ Turmeric Bombs ~

This is an inexpensive DIY supplement which contains fat & black pepper to help increase absorption. Honey can be added to improve the flavour and give it a desirable sweetness. You can chew these little bombs, let it dissolve in your mouth, or swallow it whole with water. There are recipes out there that also add quercetin, which may also increase absorption but we’ve created a simple recipe that uses ingredients that you likely already have on hand.

It is best to start by keeping your coconut oil at room temperature. If you store it in the fridge, take it out about an hour before you make these so it can soften a bit. If it is summer and your coconut oil is liquid, then you will end up with turmeric blobs instead of bombs – You will lose the aesthetics of having a bomb, but you won’t loose the medicinal aspect of the bomb.

We are in the midst of ‘fancifying’ a recipe for these, but here is the bare bones recipe for Turmeric Bombs.

In a medium sized bowl, add:

8 Tbsp turmeric powder
a few dashes of cracked pepper
3 Tbsp coconut oil (at room temperature)
3 Tbsp raw honey (if you don’t want to use honey, just add another 3 Tbsp coconut oil)

Mix all of the ingredients together well with a spoon. This may take a few minutes, as you work on mixing the coconut oil chunks with the other ingredients. When everything is well mixed together, get a small bowl with water in it to dip your fingers in while you make the small bombs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and clear some room in your freezer for the baking sheet.

Spoon out a small marble-sized ball, dip your fingers in the water, and roll the ball into a smooth ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue to do this until you have no mixture left. It will make 40-50 balls. Place the balls/baking sheet in the freezer for about 1 hour to let them set. Then, remove the bombs from the baking sheet and store them in a glass jar, in the freezer so they maintain a creamy texture.

Take 1-2 bombs/day for maintenance, and up to 4 to treat aches and pains. You may be surprised that you may start to actually crave these little golden nuggets!

~ Turmeric Paste ~

This method of preparing turmeric is very similar to turmeric bombs but you cook the turmeric powder with water to give you a potent turmeric supplement. If you experience gas & bloating when taking the paste, cut back on the dose until you no longer experience digestive upset.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup turmeric powder
1-2 cups water ( start with 1 cup and add more, up to 2 cups, if needed)
1/3 cup coconut, olive or flax oil
3 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Combine turmeric powder and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat simmer for 7-10 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking, and add more water as need to keep it to a paste consistency (this can be adjusted to suit your preference).

Remove mixture from the heat and allow it to cool until the pot is warm to the touch. Add oil & pepper, and stir thoroughly until they are completely mixed in.

Store in a clean, sterilized jar in the refrigerator for up to 10-14 days. If you see any signs of mold, or notice an ‘off’ flavour, discard immediately. If you know that you won’t use all of the mixture within two weeks, you can freeze some for later use.

Take 1/4 tsp 1-2 times daily, with food.

Easy, Every Day Spa Treatments to Enjoy at Home

January 9, 2017 by Dr. Nicholas Anhorn, ND and Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND Leave a Comment

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These days, it seems as though if you ask anyone ‘How are things going? How was your day? Or weekend?’, more than likely, they respond with “Busy”. And when I say anyone, I mean anyone… like you’re retired grandmother, elementary-aged niece, or enlightened friend. ‘Busy’ has become the new normal way of living in modern society.

Thus, there is no shortage of articles, books, blogs, magazines, and courses highlighting the fact that many of us would benefit greatly from slowing down, saying no more often, and carving out daily quality ‘me time’.

And, I agree. Personally, we have very busy (sometimes jam packed..) days, and it is essential to commit to making time to slow down & relax during the day, every day. This can be difficult. Society (and our mind) tells us that it is not productive, meaningful, or dutiful to make time for ourselves. But even if you can manage taking 5 minutes to relax, in whichever way works for you, can benefit your physical, mental emotional & spiritual self. You may even find that it feels so good to get into this relaxed state that you want to take an extra few minutes to enjoy feeling your body and mind reset.

Doing this can actually make you more productive, clear-minded, and energized.

It’s kind of like if you perform sustained exercise for a long time (such as running, swimming, or cycling), you may find yourself getting tired at some point in your journey, and you could just trudge through it, without stopping, to get it done, or you could stop to catch your breath. When you get started again, you may find that you feel refreshed & recharged to finish your exercise.

We wanted to share a few ways to invite relaxation into your day or night by taking a ‘spa’ bath. This can be done by taking a few key ingredients used in spa treatments and bringing them into your bathroom. You may even find that you have all of these ingredients in your home already!

Three main ingredients: Epsom salts, sea salt, & baking soda. Lavender essential oil is optional.

1. Hot Detoxing Bath

Draw a deep hot bath & while the water is running, add:

4 cups epsom salt
1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
30 drops of lavender oil (optional)

Light a candle or two, hop in the bath, lay back, and enjoy!

You may notice that you feel a little boyant from all of the salt. The epsom salts help relax your muscles, and the sea salt and baking soda make your skin feel soft and smooth. And if you’re using lavender oil, that is helpful, of course, for relaxation.

For a thoughtful gift idea, add all of these ingredients (minus the water) into a large bowl, mix together well and scoop into two 1 Litre glass jars. Decorate the bottle with some colourful twine and a homemade gift tag, and mix in dried lavender flower ‘petals’ if you have them – and you have a gift that will be greatly appreciated by whomever you gift it to. (This is #24 on our article 50 Ways to Use Lavender)

2. At-Home Sauna Treatment

Sweating is one of the ways that we detox estrogens, pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from our bodies. The key is to make sure that you rinse off after a good sweat in order to prevent reabsorption of these toxins through the skin. Taking a shower, bath, and rinsing with a wet cloth are effective ways to do so.

One way to create sauna-like sweating at home is by drinking a hot cup of tea while soaking in a hot bath. Combining these two therapies warms the internal temperature to induce sweating and detoxification.

3. Contrast Hydrotherapy in the Shower

Contrast hydrotherapy is also one of the few ways to move the lymphatic fluids, along with exercise (ie. jumping, walking), massage, and dry brushing. Admittedly, contrast hydrotherapy is not the most relaxing therapy but it sure is rejuvenating! Have you ever done a Polar Bear Dip (traditionally done on New Year’s Day)? That is the ultimate contrast hydrotherapy! It is believed to stimulate the immune system, metabolism, and overall vital force.

And, although you may need to build up courage to actually do contrast hydro, you won’t regret it when you do!

But you don’t need a hole cut into a frozen lake to get the benefits of hydrotherapy. A few ways to do this at home are: to take your regular warm-hot shower and then turn the water to full on cold for 10 seconds (don’t forget to breathe!) before you shut off the shower. You can build up to 1 minute of cold, over time.

The key is to let the body’s vital force warm you up after being exposed to the cold. You’ll experience this as you ‘pink up‘, and you’ll be surprised by how warm you feel a few seconds after you’ve been doused in cold.

Alternatively, if you have a removeable shower head, you can place the shower head over an area of the body (thyroid, adrenals, intestines, or an injured muscle) and alternate between a blast of warm-hot water for 10 seconds to a blast of cold water for 10 seconds for 2-3 rounds of each. Be sure to always end on cold.

Enjoy relaxing at your personal at-home spa!

What is Naturopathic Medicine?

February 8, 2014 by Dr. Nicholas Anhorn, ND 2 Comments

Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. Symptoms of disease are seen as warning signals of improper functioning of the body, and unfavourable lifestyle habits. Naturopathic Medicine emphasizes disease as a process rather than as an entity.

Treating both acute and chronic conditions, naturopathic treatments are chosen based on the individual patient – their physiological, structural, psychological, social, spiritual, environment and lifestyle factors. In addition to diet and lifestyle changes, natural therapies including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, naturopathic manipulation and traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, may also be used during treatments.

In Canada, the naturopathic medical profession’s infrastructure includes accredited educational institutions, professional licensing, national standards of practice, participation in many federal health committee initiatives, and a commitment to state-of-the-art scientific research.

Please click on the images below to discover more about naturopathic medicine treatments & principles.

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11 Tips to Improve Digestion: How to get the most out of what you eat

July 7, 2013 by Dr. Nicholas Anhorn, ND and Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND 2 Comments

1. Kick start your metabolism with breakfast

You can imagine that your digestive metabolism acts the same as a fire. When you start a fire, first you add kindling & newspaper to get the fire started, and then only after it gets going are you able to add bigger logs to the fire. Eventually, when the fire is really going, it’s so hot that it could melt a tin can!

Similarly with digestion, it is important to start your day with an easy-to-digest meal such as oatmeal with flax and blueberries, a fruit salad with hemp seeds, a nutritious smoothie, or quinoa with steamed kale and an egg. Then, once you get the fire started, you can add in foods that require more energy to digest such as meats, nuts, and beans during lunch or dinner.

Let’s look at this another way: have you ever tried to start a fire using logs? It takes long, long (long!) time to get a hot fire going. The same is true with digestion. If you don’t get your digestive fire burning strong first, then you are not able to fully digest the meats, nuts, and beans that you eat later on in the day. This can be experienced as heartburn, gas, bloating, food sensitivities, or lack of nutritional absorption.

2. Cook your meals at home

The smells and aromas released when food is chopped and cooked helps ‘prime the system’ by initiating the release of stomach acid and digest enzymes that are necessary for proper digestion.

3. Eat in a stress free environment

Create a nice environment for your mealtimes by sitting in a comfortable seat, turning off all stimuli (computers, TV, cell phone… except maybe some relaxing music), light a candle or dim the lighting, calm your mind, take your time, and enjoy your meal. Doing this can actually increase enzyme production by up to 70%! And you can get the whole family involved by creating a mealtime ritual that is relaxing, fun, and a time to connect.

4. “Prime the system” by starting your meal with bitter foods

To help increase enzymes so that your body is ‘primed’ to digest your meal, you can take 1 tsp apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 oz water or by eating something bitter before your meal. Our favorite way to do this is to have a green salad before meals with bitter greens such as arugula, kale, swiss chard, mustard greens, and endive. You could even enjoy these bitter greens with an apple cider vinegar dressing! You can find our favorite in our recipe section.

5. Do not over eat: “Hari hachi bu”

This wise Japanese saying translates into “eat until you’re 80% full.” The Okinawans’ say this before every meal to remind themselves to eat only moderate amounts of food.

6. Chew each mouthful at least 31 times

The mouth is a very important part of the digestive process. Chewing breaks up the food into smaller particles and mixes it with saliva and digestive enzymes. These smaller food particles now have a larger surface area for the acid and digestive enzymes of the stomach and intestine to work on. This allows complete digestion of the food, which is important for preventing food sensitivity/allergies and to ensure maximum absorption of the nutrients.

7. Put your fork down between each bite

Doing this helps you relax and slow down, which is just what the digestive system needs so that your stomach and brain can agree on when you are actually full. When you eat a meal, the distension of the stomach sends signals to the brain stating just how full it is. The brain then releases hormones telling you that you are full. However, this signal can have a 15 minute “lag time”, so if you’re eating too quickly then your stomach may be too full by the time the brain gets the signal and releases the hormones that tell you to stop eating.

8. Avoid drinking a large glass of water with your meal

The water you drink during a meal can dilute stomach acid and digestive enzymes, which reduces digestion and absorption of nutrients. It’s best to avoid drinking water for at least 30 minutes before or after your meal.

9. Add fermented foods to your diet

Foods that have undergone the fermentation process, such as sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha, have naturally high amounts of digestive enzymes and probiotics that are just waiting to get to work. Including these foods with larger meals, especially those with meat, helps reduce any discomfort or excessive fullness that often comes with eating harder to digest proteins.

10. Go for a gentle walk after your meal

The rhythmic movement of walking puts the body into parasympathetic mode (aka “rest & digest” mode), which is the best state for optimal digestion- 15 minutes is all it takes!

11. Address food sensitivities

If you feel that you’re doing everything right and are still experiencing symptoms of indigestion such as gas, bloating, cramping, lethargy, or intense food cravings, it would be worth your while to consider exploring whether you have a sensitivity to foods that you’re eating. Visit your naturopathic doctor for food sensitivity tests or other advanced lab testing.

just to be clear… these food choices aren’t exactly “digestion friendly”. Let’s see some greens, colorful fruits, whole grains, and lean organic meats in there!

50 Ways to Use Lavender

March 17, 2013 by Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND 35 Comments

Lavender... a beautiful garden plant & well-rounded, intuitive and resourceful herb.

Lavender… such a beautiful garden plant, as well as a well-rounded, intuitive and resourceful herb.

50 Ways To Use Lavender

Make a calming tea made with dried lavender flower heads, chamomile, oat straw & other calming herbs
Make lavender talc: mix together 8 parts each bentonite clay & arrowroot powder, 1 part each slippery elm & comfrey root powder. Shake well. Add 30-50 drops lavender essential oil, shake again and enjoy.
Make a lavender sachet by adding organic lavender buds to a muslin bag – gift it as a wedding favor
Make homemade lavender scented candles, by adding fresh or dried lavender buds and a few drops of lavender essential oil into the heated wax
Make a room spray with 2 cups water, 2 drops each lavender, tea tree & peppermint essential oils in a spritzer bottle. Use liberally.
Put a few drops of lavender essential oil in a warm foot bath to help ease your child into a peaceful sleep (this also helps them pee before bed so there are no/less wake ups at night)
With the abundance of lavender in your garden, make a beautiful lavender wreath
For a lovely salad dressing, whisk together 6 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp balsamic or apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 crushed garlic clove, 2 Tbsp honey, 1 tsp each mustard powder & organic dried lavender flowers
Crush fresh flowers and spread it on your legs & arms to help repel flies & mosquitoes while sitting outside in the summer
Use pressed lavender blooms to decorate homemade cards & gift wrapping
Massage lavender essential oil into aching joints and muscles for added pain relief
Tie a handful of fresh lavender flowers together with decorative string or ribbon, and hang it on a door for a cozy & fragrant décor
You can bake with organically grown lavender by adding it into scone, cake or cookie recipes – do a search online to find a recipe that appeals to you
Gift lavender seed bombs as wedding favors
Dab lavender infused oil onto itchy & dry skin – is especially good for children (see #42 for Lavender oil recipe)
Use organic lavender blooms as a garnish to add beautiful a purple hue to your cooking
Make lavender scented soap bars and give it for a wonderful homemade Christmas gift
A few drops of lavender essential oil on the skin can help soothe bug bites
For lavender infused vinegar, add a handful of organic lavender buds (dried or fresh) to 2 cups white wine or apple cider vinegar. Let sit for up to 6 weeks, shaking every few days. Strain before use.
Plant lavender in your garden
Place a lavender pillow in your linen closet & dresser drawers, to add a sweet scent to clothes and linens
Tie together a large bunch of dried lavender blooms with a few forget-me-nots, lily of the valley & small daisies for a lovely and elegant lavender bouquet
Rub lavender essential oil on the temples to ease headaches
Have a relaxing bath with your homemade lavender bath salt: Mix together 1 cup Epsom salt, ½ cup sea salt, 1/4 cup baking soda & 10-20 drops lavender essential oil. Mix well & store in a sealed jar. Use 1/3 cup per bath.
Sprinkle lavender essential oil on your pillow at night for a peaceful night’s sleep (this is safe for the whole family, babies & toddlers included)
Add lavender essential oil to your after-sun cream to help soothe sun-burned skin
Enjoy aromatherapy in your home by adding 5-6 drops lavender essential oil to a bit of water in an oil diffuser
Make this luscious Lavender Coconut Sugar Scrub for yourself, as a Christmas or bridesmaid gift: Mix together 1 cup white sugar, ½ cup melted coconut oil, 10-15 drops lavender essential oil, 2 Tbsp organic dried lavender buds. Store in a pretty glass jar.
Add a few drops of food grade lavender oil to your homemade lemonade recipe
Soothe minor burns with a few drops of lavender essential oil diluted with water and rubbed onto the skin
Use organic lavender flower blooms to decorate a cake
Add crushed dried lavender flowers to your homemade liquid soap recipe
Add organic lavender blooms to your homemade blackberry jam for a nice & fragrant variation
Make a Dream Pillow by stuffing dried flower heads into a sachet and place under the pillowcase at bedtime
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a carrier oil (light olive, sweet almond, jojoba) and massage over the lower abdomen to help relieve menstrual cramps
Homemade lavender potpourri makes for a great gift for yourself or a loved one
Stir crumbled organic fresh lavender blooms and a pinch of cinnamon into vanilla ice cream for a pleasant treat
Use your scrap sewing material to make a lavender eye pillow
Place fresh flowers in closets and any other storage space to deter moths & silverfish
Take a picture of your lavender bouquet on an old wooden table or other romantic backdrop, print it out, frame it & hang it in your house
Make your own lavender water by adding 5 drops lavender essential oil for every 5oz distilled water. Store in a spritzer bottle and enjoy as a refreshing facial tonic and as a room spray
Lavender oil: With a wooden mallet, bruise freshly cut organic lavender flowers, stems & leaves and stuff them into a 500mL mason jar, cover with oil (light olive, almond or jojoba) & let sit for 48 hours. Strain (repeat the above steps again for a stronger fragrance) & store oil in a dark glass jar.
Prepare a recipe a homemade lavender jelly & give it for a hostess gift
Dab a few drops of diluted lavender essential oil onto acne spots to reduce inflammation and inhibit overgrowth acne-causing bacteria to the skin
Add 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to your natural deodorant for a natural floral lavender scent
Add 10-15 drops lavender essential oil to 40oz of carrier oil (sweet almond, or jojoba) for your own relaxing & calming massage oil
To ease yourself into a tranquil night’s sleep, add 4-5 drops lavender essential oil to a hot bath at bedtime
Make a Soothing Lavender Salve: slowly heat ½ cup olive oil over low heat. Add ¼ cup organic lavender buds, turn off heat and let cool 20 mins. Strain into a glass measuring cup. Boil an inch of water in a pot, simmer & place cup in water. To the cup, add 2 Tbsp grated beeswax, 10 drops lavender essential oil, contents of 1 pierced vitamin E capsule. Let simmer, stirring until all is melted. Pour into a dark glass jar, cool, seal & store. Lastly…enjoy!
Make your own carpet cleaner by mixing together 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil to 1cup baking soda. Sprinkle this on the carpet an hour before vacuuming. Vacuum as normal and enjoy the fresh scent of lavender that lingers
Add this Lavender Vanilla Syrup to champagne, vanilla ice cream, or over mixed summer berries: Simmer 1 cup water & ½ cup raw sugar over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 2 tsp pure vanilla extract & 2 Tbsp organic dried lavender blooms, and simmer 20 mins. Remove from heat, let cool, place in fridge overnight. Strain blooms and store syrup in fridge for up to 3 months.

Seven tips for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels

March 7, 2013 by Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND Leave a Comment

Taking responsibility for one’s health is an important step to ward off disease… here we talk about keeping blood sugar levels healthy and diabetes at bay

1. Eat mini meals, always with protein

Eat 5-6 small meals per day; these meals should ideally be eaten while sitting down and consciously enjoying food rather than taking a bite here or there while driving, doing work at the computer, or walking around. Adding protein to all meals helps to slow the breakdown of food, which helps your body’s blood sugar levels stabilize.

2. Cinnamon

Ground cinnamon is tasty sprinkled on granola or oats in the morning, or on apple and almond butter as an afternoon snack. It also has the added benefit of lowering blood sugar levels.

3. Increase Fiber Intake

Increasing whole foods that are high in fiber, such as green leafy veggies, fruit (such as blueberries, raspberries & pears), ground flax and chia seeds (our favourite!), nuts and seeds (think raw almonds, sunflower & sesame seeds), whole grains (try quinoa, buckwheat, oats), and a variety of lentils & beans – all of these help to slow gastric emptying which allows more time for digestive juices to work on your food, so you get the most nutrients out of what you eat.

4. Reduce or eliminate refined sugar and carbohydrate intake

Refined sugars are very easy to digest, which explains why we get so hungry quickly after we’ve eaten a piece of milk chocolate, cookie, or pastry, for example. Reducing the intake of such refined sugars helps to maintain blood sugar levels and avoid large spikes and crashes in our energy throughout the day.

Blueberries and high in nutrients and fiber, low in calories and contain antioxidants – something that we all (diabetics and non-diabetics, alike) can benefit from!

Yes, even veggies and fruits can spike blood sugar levels. Veggies such as potatoes, parsnip & corn, and fruits such as bananas, watermelon, canteloupe & dates have a high sugar content. Try to substitute these with low sugar veggies (leafy greens, green beans, onions) and fruits (berries, peaches, plums).

6. Consider eating a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet

Visit http://www.glycemicindex.ca/glycemicindexfoods.pdf for an extensive list of foods (in alphabetical order) with their associated GI status. Or Search the ‘GI Database’ at http://www.glycemicindex.com/ to find out what foods are in a GI index category. Also, to find out more information and great resources on the GI index according to the Canadian Diabetes Association, visit http://www.diabetes.ca/for-professionals/resources/nutrition/glycemic-index/.

7. Exercise & physical activity!

Whether you enjoy jogging or cycling along a lakeshore, playing ultimate Frisbee, swimming, or lifting weights in a gym, the important thing is to get out and get active! Exercise helps reduce and stabilize your blood sugars naturally, without the need for medications, blood sugar lowering herbs or supplements.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Organ Times

February 17, 2013 by Dr. Lyndsay Wareham, ND 45 Comments

Yin & Yang are opposite energies, yet they are interdependent and could not exist without the other.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is an organ clock that represents the time of the day when each organ is functioning optimally and has the most energy. There are 12 organ systems and 2 accessory systems that are represented by this clock. Each organ system is also associated with an emotion, taste, sense organ, season, etc. but this is beyond the scope of this article. Here we will discuss the physical and emotional symptoms that arise if an organ is out of balanced. But keep in mind that if some of the symptoms don’t make sense (ie. kidney imbalanced showing up as premature greying of hair), just know that TCM is a highly developed and intricate form of medicine that differs from Western medical diagnosis.

Here is a brief discussion of the organ systems with their corresponding times, and how imbalances in these systems may arise both physically and emotionally.

3-5am Lung: The lung is responsible for moving the qi (energy) through the meridians and to the entire body, as well as providing immune protection. It is also emotionally associated with grief. You may find that wake up during these times if you are struggling with grief or sorrow. Imbalances may also show up as wheezing, coughing, asthma, or getting sick easily.

5-7am Large Intestine: This is the best time to have a bowel movement. The large intestine is all about ‘letting go’ physically and emotionally. Symptoms of malfunction include constipation, dry stools, skin rash, and feeling emotionally ‘stuck’ .

7-9am Stomach: The stomach’s function is digestion & breakdown of foods, so this is the best time to eat a healthy & hearty breakfast. If out of balance, symptoms that may arise include acid reflux, stomach ulcer, and bad breath.

9-11am Spleen: The spleen extracts nutrients from food, transforms it into energy and transports it to other organ systems. During this time, you can support the spleen by having a nice cup of warming tea, or a light snack. Foods that support the spleen include cinnamon, yam, dates, and lentils. Imbalances may show up as loose stools, bloating after meals, craving sweets, and low energy.

11am-1pm Heart: During these hours, it is best to relax, take a siesta, and enjoy lunch. The heart dislikes heat (emotional & physical), so try to avoid caffeine, stress, intense exercise, or anything that raises your blood pressure. Symptoms of imbalance are palpitations, shortness of breath, cold hands & feet, and insomnia.

1-3pm Small Intestine: The small intestine separates the clear and turbid fluids, and moves these to the urinary bladder and large intestine, respectively. If you haven’t drank enough water during the day, you are more likely to feel dehydrated during these times. When out of balance, conditions that may arise include duodenal ulcer, bloating with vomiting or gas.

3-5pm Urinary Bladder: This is a time of the day when you can feel a dip in energy levels, especially if you are not well-hydrated. The urinary bladder stores & secretes urine (clear fluid), and is nourished by salty foods so having a bowl of brothy soup, such as miso or veggie broth, during this time helps strengthen the bladder (and the kidney, which is it’s paired organ). When out of balance, you may experience burning when urinating, yeast infection, or urinary incontinence.

5-7pm Kidney: The kidneys are responsible for healthy reproduction, development, and growth. Some activities that support this are to have a healthy meal (but not too large) with a little salt for flavoring and love making, which keeps your kidney ‘essence’ strong! When the kidney meridian is out of balance, symptoms that may arise include sexual difficulties, low back pain, or premature graying of hair.

7-9pm Pericardium: This is one of the accessory organs systems. To support the pericardium, this is the time to do something gentle to help you ease into sleep, such as meditation, light stretching, reading, or cuddling.

9-11pm San Jiao (Triple Burner): This is the second accessory organ system. During this time, to best support San Jiao, we should think about going to sleep during this time – having an earlier bed time in the winter, and staying up a little later in summer.

11pm-1am Gall Bladder: Physically, the gallbladder stores and excretes bile, but emotionally, it is in charge of self-esteem and decision-making. If you’re not sleeping by this time, you are depleting your gall bladder’s energy stores, which over time, can lead to poor self-esteem, poor judgment, or difficulty digesting fats.

1-3am Liver: The liver’s role is to store blood for menstruation and to get us through the day. If you’re not sleeping at this time, you can quickly become deficient, especially if you are female because of the importance of blood for menstruation (even for those going through menopause). The liver is also emotionally connected to anger. You may find that you wake up between 1-3am if you have repressed anger or long standing resentment. Symptoms of liver imbalances include irregular menstruation, anemia, chronic fatigue, and headache.

Naturopathic By Nature

Healthy Eating & Healthy Living