 Our hormones can be a beautiful symphony, or they can be like a bull in a china shop.
When our hormones are in balance, we feel comfortable in our bodies, centered, intuitive, and can express our true natures. However many women describe that for most of the month, they have hormone related symptoms, making each week a different an uncomfortable experience. How did this happen? And how do we fix this? Our hormones are made and respond to various processes in the body. Stress, sleep, nutrition, and environmental toxins all play a role in their function and genetic expression. The organs affected and involved in their balance are the digestive and endocrine systems. Your body can restore hormone function without the use of external hormones. Even if you do take hormone replacement, for optimal wellness you may consider healing the underlying imbalances. Signs and Symptoms of a Hormone Imbalance • Acne • Mood swings like anger, depression,isolation • Constipation • Bloating • Fatigue • Weight gain • Food cravings • Insomnia • No sex drive • Mid-cycle spotting or bleeding • heavy periods • Anxiety and paranoia Causes of Hormone Imbalances Stress The most common factor that I see in a woman’s health history that causes a hormonal imbalance is long-term stress. This creates a problem with cortisol, the stress hormone, and taxes the adrenal, hypothalamus, and thyroid glands. High or low cortisol can have devastating affects on our hormones, skin, mood, sleep, weight, and libido. We are not all created with exactly the same Qi, Constitutions and Temperaments. Trying to accomplish, be, and do all the things everyone else is doing can lead to a burn out – of body and mind. Currently, self-care is in fashion and rightfully so! Respecting your boundaries is a way to renew depleted resources. Other stressors are not making enough time for rest and play, improper breathing, wrong diet, obesity, negative thinking, allergies and sensitivities, low grade infections, candida, toxins, and elevated blood sugar all act as stressors to the physical body. Chronic sleep deprivation Melatonin, the hormone released during sleep, modulates women’s menstrual cycles. This affects shift workers, those with insomnia, those who are exposed to strong electromagnetic fields, alcohol and caffeine consumption, stress, and just not getting enough sleep. Nutrition Eating foods that constantly trigger insulin, will affect the rest our hormones, and cause acne, pms, weight gain, and mood changes. These foods are sugar, soft drinks, alcohol, excess carbohydrates and animal fats, along with lack of exercise and chronic stress. A standard diet filled with processed foods, excess saturated and hydrogenated fats, dairy, and not enough veggies, fiber, quality protein, and essential fatty acids contributes to inflammation, poor digestion, and faulty liver detoxification pathways. Environmental Toxins These are pervasive, and disruptive to our hormones and physiology in general. Many toxins like mercury bind to our minerals, and stop us from absorbing these minerals from our food. Currently there are more than 80,000 (closer to 250,000) chemicals in use today, many of which are unregulated, and are associated with long-term problems on our health and the environment. Three key strategies to fix hormone imbalances These are usually the steps I take my patients through to soothe and nourish hormone imbalances like low progesterone, high estrogen, high and low cortisol, and high insulin. 1. Reduce Inflammation to Balance your Hormones Inflammatory compounds are associated with insulin resistance, tissue damage, chronic inflammation and other metabolic deficiencies. Once you start to reduce inflammation, the body in its’ wisdom will start healing your hormones for you! Some diet recommendations are: • follow the anti-inflammatory diet, with lots of herbs like turmeric and ginger, fish and flax oils, and flax seeds • keep gluten-free whole grains like quinoa, millet, and oats to a minimum • balance your pH with chlorella, spirulina, or fresh veggie drinks 2. Target the Gastro-intestinal tract to Balance your Hormones Secondly, targeting your digestive health is a good next step. This could involve regulating stomach acid, healing fatty liver (often undiagnosed until you go looking for it), helping the gallbladder not be so sludgy, restoring the flora and lining of your digestive tract. These organs help to process hormones, balance blood sugar, regulate mood, weight, and detoxification. In-office, we check all these things through urine or bioenergetic tests, questionnaires, and your health history. Hormone balancing programs should include the following to balance digestive organs: • a probiotic and fermented foods like kim chi and sauerkraut, fibrous foods like garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, oats, flax, seaweeds • brassica family foods – cabbage, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower • a liver supporting formula including Milk Thistle, Dandelion, and Artichoke or nutrients such as NAC or glutathione • B vitamins • If fungus or other pathogens are suspected, some deeper digestive work should be done. 3. Replenish Deficient Nutrients to Balance your Hormones Finally, it is time to replenish deficiencies like magnesium, vitamin D, anti-oxidants, and chromium. Now that inflammation has diminished and digestion has improved, you will be absorbing the nutrients from your food better, plus any other supplements. Herbs are another good option, as they have an affinity for the endocrine system along with containing minerals within them. They are plants after all! Some options include: • Magnesium, zinc, selenium, tyrosine, and anti-oxidants to promote progesterone and thyroid function • B complex including higher amounts of B5 and B6 • Herbs like Vitex, Ashwaghanda, and Guggul are nourishing and balancing. • other minerals and essential fatty acids Along with these strategies, a stress management program throughout is essential. If there is a stressor in your life that needs reframing or a new perspective, then counselling is a good option. We can support the adrenal gland, but if the perception of the stress remains, then results may not be as effective. Acupuncture is an excellent therapy to support the stress response, increase and decrease hormones, support digestion, sleep, and mood. Homeopathy is another good modality to help change the stress response. These strategies are a foundation to start rebalancing your hormones. Depending on your health history, signs and symptoms, and corresponding lab tests, other options may be helpful too. Written by Dr. Donata Girolamo, ND
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 Fatigue is such a common concern for the women I see in my Naturopathic practice. It is also a marker of health that Naturopathic doctors use as part of a health intake.
Being tired is often a catch 22; you know that eating better and exercising would make you feel better, but… you’re too tired to do them! With some targeted individualized solutions, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are the most common reasons I find women suffer from low energy and fatigue. Body acidity If our bodies become too acidic, this paves the way for malabsorption of nutrients, inflammation, allergies, and a build up of acidic waste in our connective tissue. Acids also cause hormones like estrogen to increase, as more is required to do its’ job. Our digestive enzymes and other energy hormones like thyroid hormone don’t work as well in an acidic environment. All these issues can leave us feeling tired, depleted, and bogged down. The Breath We need right amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood to have enough oxygen to nourish our cells. Many people breathe too much – chronic hyperventilation – leading to low levels of CO2 in the blood. When CO2 levels are low, haemoglobin molecules are less able to release oxygen from the blood. When there is enough pressure of CO2 in the blood and lungs, oxygen is released more readily. The way we breathe determines the amount of carbon dioxide present in our blood, and therefore how well our bodies are oxygenated, and energized. Build up of Toxic waste Everyone feels better after a detox. This is because our liver and kidneys do hundreds of functions per second. When they become sluggish from an acidic body or other toxins like environmental, water and food, from lack of sleep, nutrient deficiencies, prescriptions, and stress, then we can feel it in our sense of well-being or energy levels. Toxins can interfere with the energy production centers of the cell, causing fatigue but also a lowered metabolism, and other symptoms of disease. Blood Sugar Imbalances Chronic dips of blood sugar and surges of insulin can cause people to be on a roller-coaster of highs and lows of energy. This is true even if your blood work says your blood sugar is normal. Many women suffer with hypoglycemia without being diagnosed with diabetes. Acidic waste blocks glucose from getting into the cell and may lead to insulin resistance, along with nutrient deficiencies like chromium, calcium, magnesium, and others. Hormone Imbalances Long periods of stress are commonly combined with nutrient deficiencies, which then lead to hormone imbalances and fatigue. The hormones are often linked – too much stress hormone, lowered thyroid hormones, along with blood sugar balancing hormones are all closely related to each other, and fall under the umbrella of adrenal fatigue. If one system goes, the others often follow. If you feel like you don’t have enough energy to do the things you love, to achieve the goals you have set for yourself, or to be there for the people who need you, time to get things sorted! We also don’t want feelings of low energy to lead to worse symptoms or other conditions down the line. By Dr. Donata Girolamo, ND  If you feel down during the winter, it could be just a case of the “Winter Blues”. Or it could be something more!
Winter can be a time of fun for some of us, but for others, it can be a long season. The crisp weather and reduced daylight hours can combine to produce some nasty winter symptoms. Now, I’m not talking about the colds and flus that can hit us at this time of year. I’m talking about the mental and emotional changes that can occur for some of us during the winter season. This can simply mean a dip in energy or feeling a bit “down”, or it can be more serious. You may find yourself thinking “why do I feel so sad in winter?” But you’re not alone! Many suffer from a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short (one of the most appropriate acronyms out there). Neurotransmitters and SAD As the name suggests, the symptoms of SAD occur in certain seasons, namely fall and winter, and disappear in the spring and summer. One theory of SAD proposes that the reduced number of daylight hours during the fall and winter causes changes in the brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. The two neurotransmitters that seem to be the most important in SAD are serotonin and melatonin. This is believed to predispose a person to typical depressive symptoms like sadness and hopelessness and to “atypical” symptoms like excessive sleep, lethargy, cravings for carbohydrates (including sweets), overeating, and weight gain. Conventional Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder Since SAD is associated with depression, conventional treatment of SAD sometimes includes the use of anti-depressants. Some medical doctors and alternative practitioners may prescribe light therapy, which has been shown to reduce the depressive state of SAD. The idea is that increasing your exposure to light will normalize the brain’s melatonin levels - melatonin is normally produced in your sleep, when it’s dark. When your melatonin is normalized, it will help bring your serotonin into balance, which can help your mood. Bright white “full spectrum” lamps that emit 10,000 lux of light are used for this purpose. It is recommended that you sit 30-60 cm from the light source, not looking directly into the light, for 30-60 minutes a day. Alternative treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder A naturopathic approach to both SAD and to the less severe “blues” that may occur in winter, will be multi-faceted. 5-HTP, a pre-cursor to tryptophan, can help to stabilize levels of serotonin and melatonin in the brain, which, as I mentioned earlier, may help your mood. Vitamin D, in addition to being important for bone health and your immune system, may be helpful in regulating mood. Studies have shown that low vitamin D levels are associated with depression. St. John’s Wort has been extensively studied for its anti-depressant qualities. Acupuncture can be used to regulate energy flow in the heart and liver organs to address mood changes. And exercise, especially in daylight, is an extremely powerful way to improve one’s emotional state. Of course, any attempt to restore balance in the brain’s neurotransmitters to improve mood must also address any underlying inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, digestive problems, and issues with blood sugar regulation. These natural treatments, under the supervision of a naturopath, can make a big difference in how you feel during the winter! If you suffer from SAD and feel that alternative treatments may be helpful, make sure to consult with a qualified health practitioner. Only by addressing all of the issues that may be influencing an individual’s emotional state, will it be possible to cure the “Winter Blues”. Written by: Dr. Pat Nardini, ND  Is the Cooking Oil You’re Using Improving Your Health or Damaging it?If you like to cook, you probably have a favorite cooking oil - your go-to standard of choice. But the oil you think is the healthiest may not be healthy after all! There’s a lot of misinformation out there on the nature of oils, and which are healthiest for cooking. Unfortunately, much of it focuses on the use of refined, polyunsaturated oils, which are anything but healthy! As a Naturopathic Doctor, I’m naturally a big fan of cooking my own food. I’d like to set the record straight on which oils are healthiest to cook with and which ones you should avoid like the plague. Smoke PointWhat is an oil’s smoke point? It’s the point at which the oil will begin to vaporize in the pan, creating smoke. This smoke is made up of water, free fatty acids, and some oxidized compounds that are createdby the heating process. It can also contain toxic chemicals, like acreolin. If you heat oil past its smoke point, it suddenly becomes more toxic and less healthy for you than it would have been previously. It can even put the fats through a process called polymerization, which can increase the formation of damaging free radicals. But it’s important to note that break-down of the oil can occur before the smoke point as well. And some oils are refined by subjecting them to high heat and chemical processes to artificially increase their smoke point. This naturally reduces the nutritional value of the oil, and can add unnecessary toxins as well. Smoke point is a good guideline, but not the only thing you need to determine whether or not an oil is good for you. Top 5 Cooking Oils Below are five of my favourite cooking oils. They have proven health benefits, and are relatively easy to acquire or make. Coconut oil (Smoke point: 280-365°F) You’ll find experts across the internet speaking in favour of coconut oil, and I tend to agree with them. Coconut oil can aid weight loss, improve energy, treat fungal infections, and may even serve as a supplement to natural thyroid treatments. Of course, it’s also a great cooking oil. It’s primarily made up of saturated fat, which is highly stable and resistant to rancidity. Rancidification is a nasty chemical breakdown of the fats into potentially harmful substances called aldehydes and ketones. Exposure to oxygen and heat can speed up this process in unsaturated fats. Now you might see the word “saturated fat” and be surprised that a naturopathic doctor is suggesting the stuff. That’s not surprising. Saturated fats have been vilified by conventional medicine and the mainstream media for decades, but there is no good evidence to suggest that saturated fat is bad for you – in fact, evidence shows that it is good for your health! Coconut oil also contains high levels of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) that give it many health properties. Clarified Butter/Ghee (Smoke Point: 425-480°F) Butter, like coconut oil, contains a high percentage of saturated fat, making it resistant to rancidity. But it also contains a small amount of protein and sugar that can burn when heated. The clarification process removes that protein and sugar, leaving only the butter fat behind. You can buy ghee in most health food stores, or you can easily do it yourself at home. Ghee, if made from grass-fed cow’s milk, is a great source of Vitamins A, K2, D and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a fat that may aid in weight loss and blood sugar balance. Butter (Smoke Point: 325-375°F) Grass-fed butter, that is butter produced by cows who were given a diet of grass more in line with their natural diet than the cheap GMO corn many cows are fed, has a number of demonstrable health benefits. It can give you the same nutritional value as ghee, but is generally less expensive and more convenient, since you don’t need to worry about turning it into ghee. But because it still has the proteins and sugars, which would have been removed in the clarification process, it has a lower smoke point. Palm Oil (Smoke Point: 430-455°F) Palm oil, harvested from the fruit of oil palm trees in Africa and the Americas, is also high in stable saturated fats like the others above. They’re also high in nutritional value. The red palm oil contains natural anti-oxidants like vitamin E and carotenoids which further protect the oil from going rancid. But a caution is advised before you buy just any old palm oil. Make sure what you get is sustainably harvested, as much palm oil production leads to the destruction of wildlife habitat. Olive Oil (Smoke Point: 320-350°F) You’ve likely heard that olive oil is good for you, and it’s true. It’s different from the above oils, though, because it isn’t very high in saturated fat. It does, however, contain antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fats which have been shown to promote heart health. But despite these facts, as well as its undeniable deliciousness, it isn’t as resistant to break-down by heat as saturated fats are. It is best used for low heat cooking only, or as part of a vinaigrette on a salad. It’s also important to know where your olive oil is coming from. A lot of cheap commercial olive oil is cut with cheaper, refined oils like corn, canola, or soy oil, even if it says “100% extra virgin olive oil”. Cooking Oil For HealthNow that you know some of the healthiest oils out there and even one that may benefit your thyroid, it’s important to keep the following things in mind when choosing your oil.
Make sure to use organic oils, as conventionally grown ones often contain high levels of pesticide residues. Steer clear of refined oils, like peanut oil, corn oil, soy bean oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, and generic “vegetable oil”. These oils have a high smoke point because of the refining process, but they are also highly processed and often contain chemical solvent residues and harmful trans-fats. Avoid these at all costs! However, if you manage to find unrefined versions of sunflower oil and grape seed oil, these are acceptable. They do have lower smoke points than their refined cousins, so use them cold or for low heat cooking only. Keep an eye on the cooking oil you use. A simple change from processed oils to one of my top 5 can be a big step toward living a healthier lifestyle, naturally! Written by: Dr. Pat Nardini, ND  Coffee has its benefits and drawbacks. Does it fit in your lifestyle? Toronto naturopath Pat Nardini explains. Many people enjoy a cup of the dark stuff at least every once in a while. Others can barely function before their first cup of Joe. Much ink has been spilled about the benefits of coffee, but is it really a healthy way to boost your energy and mood? Certainly we feel better after knocking one back, but are the benefits worth the negative effects it has on the body? I feel it’s important for you to know the benefits and drawbacks of coffee, so you can make an educated decision about your health. The GoodAs you probably know, the major active ingredient in coffee is caffeine. A typical cup of coffee has anywhere from 65 to 120 mg of caffeine in it. A decaf coffee has 2-4 mg, and green or black tea has around 30-50 mg. Caffeine is the stuff that gives you that energy boost when you have a cup. From a biological level, caffeine stimulates your adrenal glands and tells them to maufacture the hormones cortisol and adrenaline (also called epinephrine). The adrenaline increases your heart and respiration rate as well as blood pressure, which delivers more blood to your brain and muscles. This also increases your alertness and energy. Meanwhile, the cortisol increases your blood sugar, making more fuel available to your brain, blood cells, and muscles. That’s where your caffeine boost comes from. Mood EnhancingCaffeine is known to enhance mood as well. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and GABA are affected by caffeine. These chemicals in your brain affect your mood, and caffeine can have a positive affect here. In fact, several studies have shown that brain function and mood can be at least temporarily improved with caffeine consumption. So if you’re feeling down, a cup of coffee may help. Natural and AntioxidantsCoffee contains a certain number of vitamins and minerals which your body needs. You can find vitamins like riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), as well as minerals like potassium, manganese, and magnesium. Coffee is also full of antioxidants. In fact, coffee has among the highest number of antioxidants available in any food. Antioxidants are nutrients that counteract the process of oxidation in your body, which has beenconnected to diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and others. One particular antioxidant in coffee, chlorogenic acid, has been shown to lower blood pressure and aid weight lossin overweight individuals. While the roasting process reduces the amount of chlorogenic acid in coffee beans, the amount in your typical cup of coffee is still quite high The BadWhile coffee does have its benefits, there are several drawbacks to coffee as well. Thyroid HealthOne of the biggest ones is the effect it can have on your thyroid. I have a special interest in thyroid health in my practice and, for this reason, coffee is a little concerningto me. Coffee has been shown to raise your cortisol levels, as we mentioned above. And cortisol has been shown to slow down the conversion of T4 thyroid hormone into T3 thyroid hormone. T3 is 4-5 times more active than T4 in stimulating your body’s metabolism, so reducing your T3 levels can cause fatigue, low body temperature, depression, hair loss, and weight gain. This is why regular coffee drinkers feel better after coffee, but their overall energy levels are low. And while elevated cortisol levels have their issues, elevated adrenaline levels can be dangerous as well. Symptoms of anxiety, like heart palpitations, racing thoughts, shaking, and shortness of breath have been linked to elevated adrenaline levels. InsomniaCaffeine also changes your cortisol curve, which can make it difficult to sleep at night. This is true even if you only drink coffee in the morning. And if you already suffer from heightened stress and anxiety, difficulty sleeping can make this worse. Digestive System EffectsYou may have noticed that you often need to visit the washroom shortly after drinking a cup of coffee. This is because caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it makes you urinate more. This can cause a loss in water-soluble vitamins and minerals from your body, which can cause malnutrition. As a result, our bodies often miss out on some of the nutrients coffee does contain. This can also lead to dehydration, which comes with all sorts of issues. Coffee also increases acid production in your stomach. This can actually help you digest your food better, but if you suffer from ulcers or gastritis, coffee is a nightmare. IBS, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel diseases can be aggravated by coffee too. Caffeine AddictionOf course, the rest of these issues wouldn’t be as bad if it wasn’t for coffee’s addictive qualities. Coffee is known to be physically addictive, meaning your body can become dependent upon it and experience withdrawal symptoms when you don’t drink it. Should I Drink Coffee?Although there are benefits to coffee, drinking it every day can increase its negative effects.
For many people, having a cup of coffee a few times a week, or even once a day, is alright. But if you’re suffering from anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, or thyroid problems like Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, or Wilson’s temperature syndrome, you should avoid coffee, and all caffeine for that matter, until these issues improve. Those worried about coffee’s negative effects can drink decaffeinated coffee. Decaf has the same levels of anti-oxidants and nutrients, but without the heavy stimulatory effects. It will still impact your digestive system like regular coffee does, but the effects are reduced. Also, most decaf coffee and tea is decaffeinated using toxic chemicals, like methylene chloride. Make sure to get decaf that is “naturally decaffeinated”, using a water or carbon dioxide extraction method. If you decide to cut out coffee, though, you should find a new source for your antioxidants. Consider clove or peppermint tea, since they have much higher levels of polyphenols, a potent type of antioxidant, than coffee does. Remember, it’s your choice whether coffee is right for you. Consider both its benefits and drawbacks when you decide whether or not to drink coffee, and how much. Written by: Dr. Pat Nardini, ND  What Can You do to Help Your C-section Recovery?At Dalhousie Health & Wellness we have a variety of options to help ease the discomforts associated with c-section recovery. Many women are eager to rush into activities that can harm their low backs, core and pelvic floors. Most women simply aren’t ready to go back to the rigors of life and physical activity at their 6 week postpartum checkup. YES, your tissues have healed... but the most important question is, how is your body functioning? Do you leak urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze, jump or run? Do you feel heaviness in your pelvic floor? Do you have a lumpy- bumpy scar, and tension in your abdominals? Do you have back pain, sciatica, pelvic pain or hip pain? Do you have the sensation that something isn’t quite right but you can’t really explain what you are feeling? Well, if you answered yes to any of the aforementioned questions then that is your body sending you a message that you are not yet recovered and you may need to slow down and get some help. At Dalhousie Health & Wellness we can offer the help you need. We can help you return safely to physical activity, and get your body functioning to tolerate the demands of your busy mom life! The First 6-10 Weeks PostpartumIt is essential to tap into your deep core muscles for a smooth c-section recovery. Dr. Hodges works alongside women and teaches them how to properly engage their core. This proper core engagement involves diaphragmatic breath and the ability to connect to ones pelvic floor muscles, as well as low back stabilizing muscles. Activating these muscles in the first 6-10 weeks postpartum can help retrain the mind-body connection between the deep core and pelvic floor that can be diminished with pregnancy, during delivery and with a c-section. Dr. Hodges works closely with women before, during and after delivery to ensure a proper functioning core and pelvic floor. Abdominal Massage and Scar Tissue ReleaseMany midwives and OBGYN’s refer to Dalhousie Health & Wellness for postpartum C-section and scar tissue care to help speed up healing. Once you are cleared by your OBGYN or midwives, massage therapy and gentle cupping are wonderful techniques to help release the scar tissue and help speed up the healing of the scar. Our Registered Massage Therapist Suzanne Hamm can preform gentle abdominal massage to help with c-section and postpartum recovery. Dr. Meredith Hodges can preform gentle cupping, acupuncture and abdominal release techniques to assist in your recovery. Easing Back into ActivityMost women are eager to get back to physical activity and loose their baby weight. This unnecessary pressure to rush recovery can have lifelong negative consequences. It is an essential part of the postpartum recovery (c-section or vaginal birth) to slow down, listen to the signs that the body is giving and gently ease back into activity with the advice of your Dalhousie Health & Wellness healthcare team. If you are really eager to get back to physical activity sooner than later, we advise that you work with a trained postpartum specialist. Dr. Hodges has taken extensive training in postpartum recovery and uses Pilates to rehabilitate the postpartum body. Dr. Hodges works one-on-one with women to retrain the breath, core and pelvic floor. Weather you seek help from our highly trained postpartum team at Dalhousie Health & Wellness or prefer to allow the body to recover naturally, make sure you take time, slow down and be patient. Your body will heal on its own timeline with a little patience and TLC.
 Many people suffer from back pain problems in their lifetime. There are many reasons you could be feeling pain or tightness in your back, even doing daily tasks, such as carrying in the groceries or shovelling the driveway, can strain your back and cause you pain. A chiropractor is known as a back pain specialist who can treat your lower back problems or constant lower back pain you are experiencing.
Why is your Back in Pain?When your back is in pain, many other parts of your body suffer too. It affects your movement, range of motion, and flexibility. Your back could be hurting for a number of reasons, you may have pulled it while lifting heavy objects or playing in recreational activities, for example. Your back can also suffer from wear and tear due to the stress of your everyday life or age. Ignoring your pain and lower back problems does not mean that it will just go away. Taking medication can mask the pain but you should consider visiting a chiropractor who can recommend a course of treatment for your back pain and alignment. Why see a Chiropractor? Chiropractors offer alternative therapies using non-invasive, drug-free techniques. Chiropractic methods stimulate the body’s self-healing abilities by performing spinal manipulation and spinal mobilization to treat your back pain and alignment issues. You may think that by simply taking some ibuprofen your back pain problems will go away, but that could actually be causing more problems and only provides short-term relief. A chiropractor will come up with a long term solution to your back pain. But this is not done in one visit, it requires a number of visits where a chiropractor can develop a treatment plan personalized for your needs. Get Back to Living Your Best LifeAt Dalhousie Health and Wellness, we have trained chiropractors who will help with your lower back problems in addition to any other pain you may have, such as neck pain or headaches. Call today to book your appointment to begin the healing process for your body.  Massage as an alternative therapy has a lot to offer to future mothers. It has been proven that massage therapy is beneficial to the overall health of a soon-to-be mom. Pregnancy massage will help you reduce stress, alleviate aches and pains, and reduce muscle tension. Keep in mind when you are searching for a massage therapist that offers pregnancy massage that practitioners must complete proper courses to offer this service. These additional courses teach the proper positions and techniques for pregnancy massage so you and your baby are comfortable, safe, and you receive a wonderful and relaxing massage experience.
Different From a Regular MassageThe goal of a regular massage and a pregnancy massage is essentially the same, which is to help you relax and relieve any areas of tension or pain. However, a pregnancy massage is tailored to the specific needs that you are experiencing while pregnant. This is a very exciting time in your life but it is also very demanding of your body. With those changes come new aches and pains that would need to be addressed differently from a regular massage. Benefits of pregnancy massageThere are many benefits to getting a massage while pregnant. Not only will it help you feel relaxed, but it also addresses any areas of tension or pain that you may be feeling, often in your lower and upper back and your hips. This alternative therapy has been proven to help expectant mothers, specifically in their second trimester, to reduce pain and swelling. In addition to helping with any physical pains you are experiencing, prenatal massage also helps to improve your mood, decrease depression and anxiety, and decrease stress hormone levels. Is Massage Helpful for Labour?Pregnancy massage will also improve the outcomes of labour and ease labour pains. It prepares mothers-to-be for an easier delivery with sedating effects on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and stress relief. This therapy is a safe, drug-free, and effective treatment that is a great compliment to the care you are receiving from your doctor or another healthcare provider. Experience the benefits of a pregnancy massageAt Dalhousie Health and Wellness, we offer pregnancy massage to expecting mothers and provide them with a soothing and safe alternative therapy to relief any pains or tensions that you are experiencing while pregnant. Call us today to schedule a consultation to see how pregnancy massage can improve your pregnancy  Cupping is an ancient Chinese therapy that is meant to enhance circulation, help relieve pain, and pull toxins out of your body’s tissues. This alternative therapy involves applying cups at specific points on your body to relax your muscles and promote blood flow. The cups can be made of glass, bamboo, earthenware, or silicone.
Benefits of cuppingThere are numerous benefits to cupping therapy that ranges from relieving physical pain to improving mood and mental wellbeing. By removing toxins from your body and stimulating blood flow, cupping therapyrelieves various conditions such as stress, pain, allergies, fatigue, flu symptoms, colds, anxiety, muscle aches, or fever. Pairing your cupping therapy with acupuncture will also help with the mental side of stress. It is important to know that this massage service should not be used on patients who bleed easily and/or cannot stop bleeding, have skin ulcers, or edema. Cupping methodsThere are two methods of cupping therapy: fixed cupping and moving cupping. Fixed cupping, also known as dry cupping, is the practice of placing the cups on a specific part of your body and left in place without moving throughout the treatment. Moving cupping, also known as wet cupping is the application of massage oil or cream on your body where the cups are to be placed, followed by the practitioner sliding them around that region of the body. With the oil or cream, the cups slide easily. What to expect afterSomething to keep in mind if you are going to try cupping therapy, after the treatment is complete you will have cup-size bruises wherever the cups were placed. Everyone’s skin is different, so the bruises can range in colour and the length of time it takes for bruising to heal may vary. These bruises can last from a few days up to two weeks and can vary in colour from red, blue, or purple. Even though it may seem like it would be painful because of the marks, it is not. These bruises appear because of the cups create blood flow and draw the blood to that area. Once the marks have cleared up, you can continue with your cupping therapy appointments until the pain or condition has resolved. Dalhousie Health and Wellness can helpAt Dalhousie Health and Wellness, we offer cupping therapy to help you relieve your various conditions and pains. Book a consultation with us where can answer any questions you may have about this massage service.  Chiropractors are best known to be back pain specialists, providing treatments that relieve discomfort. However, they can also provide an effective alternative therapy for rotator cuff injuries. A rotator cuff injury is one of the most common shoulder injuries. It is painful and can make your day-to-day activities difficult.
What is a rotator cuff injury?Your rotator cuff is made up of a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Most rotator cuff injuries involve the tendon but sometimes can affect the muscle as well. A rotator cuff injury is most often caused by repetitive motion that causes inflammation or a tear in that area. This type of injury is common in swimmers and tennis players because they are doing the same movement in their arms over and over again. But, this type of shoulder injury can also be the result of a fall with the arm fully extended, taking a direct blow to the shoulder, or having the arm yanked. Symptoms of a rotator cuff injuryThe most noticeable symptom of a rotator cuff injury is frequent pain in your shoulder. You may experience this pain both when your arm is resting and when it is in action. The pain may be more noticeable and you may feel a cracking sensation when you move your arm in specific motions. Other symptoms include feeling weakness in the injured arm or the inability to lift and move your arm to the side. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important to see a chiropractor as soon as possible to avoid causing any more damage. How can a chiropractor helpA chiropractor is the best non-medical alternative to treat shoulder joint issues that will help with a rotator cuff injury. They will focus on the pain and inflammation using an ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation, or heat and ice treatments. After an assessment, your chiropractor will do adjustments and targeted exercises to restore mobility and increase the range of motion in your shoulder. It will take time to get back to your normal activities — it can typically take six to eight weeks for a rotator cuff injury to heal. Your St. Catharines Chiropractic SpecialistsOur chiropractors at Dalhousie Health and Wellness will help relieve your pain from a rotator cuff injury. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan and have you feeling like yourself again soon. Book your consultation today to start your healing process. |
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