Vital Moments In Naturopathic Medicine – Details, episodes & analysis

Did you know that being “addicted” to/sensitive to sugar can be the root of multiple health conditions including

-        Weight gain

-        Brain fog

-        Lightheadedness

-        Anxiety, Depression

-        Irritability, “Hangry” Sensations

-        Sleep disturbances

-        Fatigue

-        Hormone imbalances (thyroid, insulin, progesterone, cortisol) 

Getting your sugar addiction in check can help address 3 key imbalances:

·       Carbohydrate Sensitivity: by regulating eating patterns and avoiding foods that convert to sugar quickly (high glycemic index foods)

·       Low Serotonin: by including protein and healthy carbohydrates at each meal to optimize tryptophan uptake in the brain (Serotonin is derived from the amino acid Tryptophan)

·       Low (Beta) Endorphin: by avoid patterns and foods that stimulate excessive beta-endorphin release (which leave you feeling even more depleted) 

Simple Steps you can take in recovering from your sugar addiction:

·       Try these steps, IN ORDER, only moving on to the next step once the previous is mastered. The purpose of these steps is to address the imbalances in the body and to better understand your relationship with sweets.

·       Once you grasp the role sugar plays in your life, it will become easier to moderate. Increased awareness, along with a healthy, optimally functioning body compensates for any predisposed weaknesses, making it less likely to succumb to sugar cravings and the addictive cycle that inevitably ensues. 

1)     Eat breakfast with protein: avoids beta-endorphin release that occurs when you skip breakfast, and also prevents the subsequent blood sugar crash and intense carb/sugar craving later on

2)     Journal what you eat and how you feel before/after: this has 2 purposes: 1) it can help you understand motivations to eating (feelings, habits, etc…). 2) it can help to realize how you feel during & after eating particular foods (hyperactivity, fatigue, depression, etc…)

3)     Eat 3 healthy meals per day with protein and a serving of healthy fat: providing regular protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels and increase tryptophan levels in the body. Healthy fat helps improve satiety and keeps you full longer. 

4)     Shift from white foods (bread, rice, pasta) to brown/whole grain foods: supports blood sugar stability and 

5)     Slowly reduce/eliminate sugars: to help balance blood sugar and prevent the hyper-hypoglycemia cycle that stimulates increase unnecessary snacking, binge eating, and can lead to metabolic syndrome, diabetes and numerous other health conditions

6)     Create a new life: long-term management for new habits & patterns. This doesn’t mean you can’t ever have treats, but you will gain a better understanding of how your body and brain respond, allowing you to be in control, not the sugar

 If you need support with this process or other help with managing your blood sugar/food addictions or eating habits, don’t hesitate to call the clinic to book your appointent with one of our Naturopathic Physicians. We are highly skilled in nutrition, dietary modification, helping manage blood sugar imbalance and prevent/manage metabolic syndrome/diabetes and weight loss strategies and would love to help you!
In health, 
Dr Katarine Holewa, ND RAc

Ever wondered why you couldn't lose those last few pounds? Or why your body seems to be resistant to loosing weight no matter how much you exercise or cut calories?
In this recording, Dr. Yim shares his insights from over 30 years of practicing as a naturopathic physician on how the health of your gut could be the answer to those two questions!!

Dr. Yim has reproduced his portion of the Metabolism: Everything You Need to Know seminar shared with Dr. K Holewa. Together they brought a stellar event to Nanaimo to discuss a growing epidemic of metabolic issues, breaking it down into understandable and actionable steps.

Important links:

What are functional tests?

Keep an eye on new blog for emerging topics and the latest in trends and health news.

Find out more about Dr. Yim, his areas of focus and educational background.

Want the powerpoint presentation from this episode?

-The secret weapon when it comes to immune regulating
-Safest way to calm a hyperactive immune system
-Boost a weak immunity
-What does the low dose in low dose naltrexone mean
-Side effects with this therapy
-How to access low dose naltrexone

This January at VitaCare Natural Health Clinic we put out a challenge to our staff and practitioners, to work at living their best life ever what could be better than considering a reset of your health, lifestyle and goals.  

And we are starting with a supplement review, that means going through our cupboards and drawers and getting rid of what we don’t need, what’s outdated, what might have lost potency, seasonal formulas and ones we might not even remember why we bought them in the first place. John and I did one over the holiday.

What is a nutritional supplement?

Does everyone need to take them? 

I want to add to nutrient depletion and soil vitality.  

Five years ago the US government suggested that land us changes over the past 50 years has contributed to reduced ecosystem function. What that means is that when you combine intensive agricultural practices and soil contamination there’s the potential to reduce microbial abundance. That impacts nutrient retention.

Another factor that’s having an effect on nutrient concentration in plants is elevated carbon dioxide levels (eCO2). Studies found that in the presence of eCO2 there are up to 18% decreases in levels of nutrients like magnesium and zinc in fruits, root and stem vegetables. And get this a staggering 31% decrease in iron!

What is the different between maintenance and therapeutic doses of supplements? 

What about quality? How can a consumer know that what they purchase has what it says it has on the label?

Everyone has such a unique physiological makeup, how do you determine what supplements and how much they should take?

What about a healthy individual? Should they supplement? What about for kids? How do you determine what and whether they should be taking certain nutrients?

Check out our clinic Facebook page @VitaCareNaturalHealthClinic
And www.vita-care.ca/blog

It may not be the most popular topic to discuss at the dining room table and it may just illicit a few giggles and blushes, but it is one worth talking about!!

According to the Canadian Cancer Society

It is estimated that in 2020:

• 26,900 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all new cancer cases in 2020.
• 9,700 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all cancer deaths in 2020.
• 14,900 men will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 5,300 will die from it.
• 12,000 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 4,400 will die from it.
• On average, 73 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer every day.
• On average, 27 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer every day.

You know you do it...everyone does. After a bowel movement you check the toilet for the results. But what are you looking for?

• undigested food particles
• colours, can be from things your eating, or from an infection or food not being properly digested
• red-blood low down, black-blood high up

Both constipation and diarrhea are causes for concerns as both have their own long term negative effects/

Stool sitting in the bowel for too long leaches toxins back into the system and loose, watery stools may mean nutrients don't have time to be absorbed into your system.

Good digestion means good health so if you have concerns make sure you speak to your primary care provider, either a licensed and registered Naturopathic Physician or a medical doctor. 

Enjoy! We did, once we got past the giggles!!

Magic of Magnesium!!

Magnesium is part of between 300 and 600 functions in body.

Forms Dr. Yim talks about and what he uses them for. Here is the list so you can add your own notes.

• Oratate
• Threonate
• Glyscinate
• Aspartate
• Taurate
• Malate
• Citrate

In Dr. Yim's formula, he also added B6 for added nerve calming benefits.

Dr. Yim's best test for determining Magnesium deficiency: Hair Mineral Analysis

www.vita-care.ca  for more info.

Heading back to school in 2020 is not the same as it has been in the past. Not only do we have COVID to consider but also an uptick in the frequency of colds and flus. 

Dr. Yim shares some insight about using Vitamins A,C,D and the mineral Zinc for supporting and optimizing immunity. 

For proper dosage for your needs, please see your naturopathic physician.

Brought to you by VitaCare Natural Health Clinic
250-585-2150

Lack of energy, blood sugar imbalances, low immunity are some of the symptoms of an Adrenal Gland acting up.

Dr. Yim talks about adrenals that are hyper or hypo, turned around and just plane tuckered out. The fall out of chronic stress is a taxed adrenal gland, Dr Yim gives practical and understandable information on how they get that way and what you can do to rebuild adrenals that have been overworked

The body has systems that work together, if one gets out of balance the whole body is impacted. Even the break down of wastes (metabolites) can be negatively impacted by tired out adrenals.

Steroid hormones start with cholesterol. Cortisol needs cholesterol. Naturopathic medicine likes getting to the cause and one of the tests Dr. Yim uses is new to the clinic.

CHI Test gives a comprehensive look at steroid and precursor production for a better more fine tuned program.

Salivary hormone test-taking samples at different times of day, either with saliva.

Include in program for rebuilding the adrenals:

Lifestyle
Meditation-Top Ten Meditation Techniques
Beth's Favourite-Seven Sighs
John's Favourite-Nature sound and mindfulness

Nutrients
IV Therapy-B Vitamins, 5, 6 and Vitamin C, Zinc, Magnesium
Ginseng-Adaptogen and Stimulating
Ashwaganda-used when overproducing cortisol, calms it down
Rhodiola-Adaptogen

Vitamins/Minerals
Pantothenic Acid - B5 need to add other B vitamins so balance isn't thrown off
B Complex
Zinc

 

Dr Yim introduces the importance of hormones to overall health. He also talks about what happens when hormones get out of balance and why!

Hormone Groups Discussed

• Reproductive
• Adrenal
• Thyroid
• Blood Sugar

Why do they get out of balance? Dr. Yim focuses on three potential areas:

• Toxicity
  • xenoestrogens
• Nutrient Deficiencies
  • don't forget to listen to the podcast on Magnesium!
• Stress
  • Check out our favourite meditation practices

Tests Mentioned
TSH
Free T3
Free T4
CHI Test-if you are interested in learning more about this test or if you would like to get started on a program to ensure optimal hormone health, give our office a call to arrange an appointment at 250-585-2150

Picture shows John and I picking up garbage at the beach, including estrogen disrupting plastics!!!

There is magic in magnesium! Just listen to Dr. Yim expound on its many benefits and you will agree. In this podcast Dr. Yim talks about eight different types of magnesium and how they positively impact your health.

With 45% of Canadians living with low or deficient levels of magnesium, this is a podcast well worth listening to.

Types of Magnesium mentioned in the podcast.

• Citrate
• Citramate
• Bisglycinate
• Malate
• Threanate
• Chloride

Want to learn more details about how magnesium can help you? Dr. Yim will be putting together an 3 part audio and video course on the magic of magnesium. For those looking for information about how this mighty mineral can help their health condition, this is a must listen to, for those interested in improving performance, overall health and living their best life ever...this is a must have course for you.

www.vita-care.ca

Noticeable mentions

Whole Body Healing and Getting to the Cause

Suffering with Fibromyalgia by Dr. Jesin