august newsletter

Heidi Rootes

Naturopathic Physician

Progesterone

Most of us know that hormones are important for a healthy, balanced body and some of us know that havoc that hormone imbalance wreaks on us.  Understanding the role each hormone places in this fine balance and how our hormones interact can be very helpful in determining whether your hormones are working for you! 

This is the first of a five part hormone health series.  Part 1: Progesterone

Who’s got it: both men and women but women have more

What releases it: Ovaries (women only), adrenal glands (men and women) and the placenta during pregnancy

Roles of Progesterone:

Regulate menstrual bleeding

Decrease fat storage

Anti cancer (especially breast)

Prevents hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis)

Improves brain function and memory

Increases metabolism

Helps regulate water retention

Important for fertility

Mildly sedating (helps calm nervous system)

Stimulates new bone formation

Anti aging to skin

Natural antidepressant

Facilitates healthy thyroid function

Normalizes blood sugar

Reduces anxiety

Functions to regulate the immune system

Increases libido (sex drive)

Precursor to steroid hormones (cortisol)

Blocks effects of excessive estrogen

Increases exercise endurance

Reduces carb and sugar cravings

Restores normal sleep patterns

Symptoms of Progesterone Deficiency:

Breast pain

Anxiety

Fluid retention and bloating

Weight gain

Irritability

PMS

Hair loss

Headaches/migraines

Sleep disturbance

Endometriosis

Hypothyroid

Infertility

Sleep disturbance

Irregular bleeding/spotting

Dr. Nicole Clement

Naturopathic Physician

Top 5 causes for aging skin

Wrinkles, jowls, age spots, loss of skin tone and texture… are all characteristics of aging skin.  These skin changes are the result of both internal and external changes.  Here are the top 5 factors causing the more pronounced changes. 

1.  Stress.  Ever noticed your skin breaks out when you freak out!?!?!  We live in a world where stress is a large constant in our daily life.  An important step for improving your skin health is to have quick stress relief strategies to help you relax.  Try a restorative yoga class, deep breathing, or a walk in nature. 

2.  Poor diet.  The old cliché ” you are what you eat” is still true today.  Your skin is a reflection of what you are putting into your body.  Refined sugars and processed carbohydrates lead to the formation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation ends products).  The accumulation of AGEs damages the collagen and elastin fibers that keep your skin firm.  The more sugar you eat, the more wrinkles you develop.  Start making healthy dietary changes today, eat more colorful fruits and vegetables. 

3.  Lack of exercise.  Exercise is known for its benefits of losing weight, building muscles and improving mood.  The increased blood flow during activity helps to bring oxygen, nutrients and remove toxins from the skin, helping you achieve a more radiant glow.  Try to get 20 minutes of aerobic activity on a daily basis.  Don’t forget to stay hydrated too! 

4.  Hormonal imbalance.  Hormones influence every cell in our body and the skin is no exception.  As we age, the level of hormones made by the body declines and skin conditions can be indicative of low thyroid, or low sex hormones.  Talk with your naturopathic physician about whether hormone testing is right for you. 

5.  Sun exposure.  Last but not least, the most destructive cause for our skin: UV rays.  The sun’s UV rays break down our skin’s cellular structure and can lead to development of skin cancer.  Don’t risk it!  Applying a SPF 30 lotion should be on your to do list every day. 

Dr. Judith Canlas

Naturopathic Physician

Beauty Can Be Skin Deep

Who doesn’t want to look younger than their age?  Busy lifestyle, stress, lack of sleep and poor diet all contribute to aging skin.  We understand that try as you might, life gets busy, stress is high and a perfect diet is not always possible so we have created our very own version of the Fountain of Youth: The Eternal Youth IV drip.  We have compounded a custom made concoction of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to help nourish the skin, rehydrate the cells and help you look (and feel) younger!  Here are some on the main players in this fabulous mix:

Zinc: helps decrease acne, sun damage and aids in skin repair

Vitamin C: helps with collagen production and improves elasticity in the skin as well as being a powerful antioxidant

B Vitamins: essential in the production of healthy skin cells and boost hydration to reduce redness,

Selenium: another powerful antioxidant that help protect against sun damage and decrease skin aging

Sarah McGuire

Registered Acupuncturist

What can Biopuncture do for me? 

What is Biopuncture? 

Biopuncture is a natural therapy that involves the injection of homeopathic substances into areas of acute or chronic pain to stimulate the natural healing response of the body.  The injections are done at very specific areas of pain and inflammation to promote a local immune response that stimulates the body’s innate ability to heal itself.  Biopuncture helps stabilize the inflammation in the musculoskeletal system by supporting the immune system. 

Why have I only recently heard about Biopuncture? 

Injection therapies have been used in Europe since the early 20th century.  Biopuncture was coined in 1991 by the Belgian family physician Jan Kersschot, MD.  It was not until 2008 that he brought this therapy over to North America to share with the medical community.  Biopuncture is safe and is based on decades of clinical experience.  It is normally used in conjunction with other therapies such as diet, supplements and exercise to enhance the body’s immune system. 

How does Biopuncture compare to conventional medicine? 

In conventional medicine pharmaceuticals are given to suppress your symptoms.  For example, painkillers suppress pain and anti-inflammatories suppress inflammation.  Therefore, high doses of chemicals are given to suppress symptoms, but as soon as you stop taking these pharmaceuticals the symptoms may return.  Biopuncture involves the injection of small doses of natural remedies whose purpose is to stimulate or “wake up” the immune system and the body’s innate healing process.  Therefore, it is not the products themselves that heal, but the stimulation of the body’s natural healing capabilities. 

Will Biopuncture help me as quickly as conventional medicine? 

The effects of cortisone injections are immediate and powerful; however, with cortisone injections comes potential serious side effects and the masking of symptoms.  Biopuncture, on the other hand, uses small doses that do not suppress the immune system.  Inflammation is viewed as a natural process that is a key component to tissue healing.  Biopuncture supports this inflammation and speeds up the healing process so that the body can fully heal injured tissue.  Biopuncture does not seek to mask your symptoms and when the pain is gone, it is gone for good! 

What conditions can be treated with Biopuncture? 

Biopuncture is predominantly used to treat musculoskeletal problems such as:

Neck pain

Back pain

Sciatica

Ankle pain

Shoulder pain

Tendonitis

Sprains & Strains

Joint pain

Nerve pain

Biopuncture can also be used to manage chronic inflammatory conditions such as: