Beat Winter Lethargy with Ayurveda

by Dr. Leena Athparia, ND

Have you every wondered why it’s hard to feel energized in the winter? Do you make excuses to avoid the gym or to avoid stepping out?

There are certain reasons why you might be feeling lethargic and slow in the winter. According to Ayurveda, an ancient system of wellness, the forces and principles found in nature also exist in humans.  For example, when it is cold outside, you feel cold more easily.  If you pay attention to your body, you will notice that you feel different during the various seasons. You might notice that health issues resurface more in one season than another, or you might notice that you feel more energetic in the spring than in the summer.

Ayurveda outlines three fundamental energies (doshas) that govern the outer environment and influence one’s physical and mental constitution: vata, pitta and kapha. In the winter season, kapha is dominant, characterized with these qualities: cool, slow, heavy, stable and soft. These qualities exist in nature but also within you, influencing your body and mind. You are more likely to feel the qualities of accumulating kapha during the winter which may manifest in different ways such as: difficulty getting up in the morning, low energy, low mood and other concerns.

 Signs of Kapha Excess :

• Lethargy: Do you have difficulty getting out of bed?
• Dullness: Do you feel like watching TV all evening?
• Lack of motivation: Do you make excuses to put off exercise?
• Cold: Do you need to wear lots of layers?
• Cravings: Do you crave sweet, salty, oily, creamy or heavy food, or bend towards emotional eating?
• Weight gain: Do you put on weight more easily in winter?
• Low mood: Do you feel more down, depressed or sad in winter?
• Respiratory or sinus issues: Do you have a tendency towards coughs, colds, sinus infections?

If kapha isn’t addressed, it can accumulate and lead to more serious health concerns. Think of it as a leaking faucet – one drop can go unnoticed, but once the bucket is full, it overflows and spreads. This same analogy happens in the body as well. When the first signs of imbalance are noticed, you need to act on it before it turns into a more serious health issue.

 Tips for Balancing Kapha :

Winter is the time when you need to play a close check on kapha. The good news is that if you take care of balancing kapha, you can prevent winter lethargy and minimize health concerns such as weight gain, low mood and lack of motivation. To restore balance, kapha management is centered around the qualities of warming, drying and lightening. Read below for more tips. 

• Eat a kapha balancing diet: To beat winter lethargy, avoid foods that are heavy, cold, damp and hard to digest (deep fried food, dairy) and include warm foods that are easier to digest (soups, broths, grilled veggies). Flavours that are spicy, bitter and astringent can help you feel lighter and more energized in winter. Some examples of spices that you can include in your cooking are: turmeric, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, black pepper, thyme, cloves and cinnamon. Speak to your naturopathic doctor to learn more about a customized diet for you in winter.

• Stay active: Schedule exercise daily - ideally early in the morning to move the stagnant quality of kapha. If you find yourself making excuses to put it off, join an exercise or yoga class that you can commit to, or make a plan with a friend to go together. Once you get moving, you will feel more flexible, energized and you will feel good about it. If you can get moving outdoors, you will have the added benefit of sunshine to boost your vitamin D levels. 

• Wear bright colours: Winter colours tend to be dark and heavy (brown, grey, black). Notice how you feel with the clothing you are wearing. Adding bright colours into your wardrobe can help you feel more energized and motivated. How do you feel in yellow, orange or red? If you're hesitant about making a bold change to your wardrobe, try adding a splash of colour such as a scarf, a tie, socks, a hat, etc. 

• Get motivated: This is a good time of the year to start a new project or hobby to help you get motivated. Find something that you are excited about. This is also a great time of the year to plan for the upcoming months and book appointments. For example, putting off your appointments with excuses such as "it's too cold" or "I'll wait until spring to detox", may be further adding to your lethargy.  If you plan your appointments now, you will feel more committed and motivated to stepping out.

• Declutter: You might be putting off your cleaning until spring, but winter is a good time to change things. You may want to change furniture around to create more space in your home. This helps cut through the dullness you may be experiencing, and remove old baggage from the past as you start the new year. 

Wellbeing, according to Ayurveda, is a delicate balance between the body, mind, spirit and the environment. If your constitution is dominant in kapha, try making some changes this winter and you will notice more energy and vitality! A kapha diet and lifestyle should be lively, full of energy and stimulation - this is the time to beat winter lethargy, start exercising, wearing bright colours, adding spices to your food and staying warm.

If you have tried the above tips and are still struggling with health issues such as low mood, weight gain, lack of motivation, it is best that you work with your practitioner to identify your imbalances and treat them. What you should eat and when you should eat, along with daily routine suggestions and therapies, can all be customized based on your unique constitution. Maintaining balance is essential to feeling healthy and enjoying the winter season!

Dr. Leena Athparia is a naturopathic doctor with advanced training in Ayurveda and can help you identify your constitution to guide you on a customized health plan – whether you have specific health concerns or just want to promote general wellness. Please contact Naturopathic Foundations Health Clinic at 905-940-2727 to book an appointment.

Healthy Habits to Relieve Constipation

By Dr. Ann-Marie Regina, ND

Are you feeling backed up? Bloated? In pain? Constipation can be caused by a number of different concerns. Your body excretes stool for a reason and when the bowels become sluggish health issues can arise. Reabsorption of hormones occur in the large intestine and if bowels are not emptied regularly, this can result in estrogen imbalances. Further, toxins  are processed first through the liver and can become water or fat soluble. Fat soluble toxins are typically eliminated through the bowels.  Toxins such as heavy metals, environmental chemicals, pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi) that can be eliminated  through the bowels are also being reabsorbed when there is constipation. The importance of understanding why routes of elimination are not functioning optimally, is integral to overall health.

Repercussions of Constipation

• Abdominal pain
• Gas & Bloating
• Haemorrhoids 
• Hernia 
• Varicose Veins 
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Intestinal obstruction
• Acne, Psoariasis & Eczema 
• Intestinal inflammation
• Exacerbations of existing symptoms & conditions  

Healthy Habits to Get the Bowels Moving

1. Drink Water! Water is essential for lubricating and hydrating the bowels. If you find yourself straining or having small, incomplete stools you may be dehydrated. Begin each day with a glass of warm or room temperature water to get your bowels moving. 

2. Healthy Fats & Oils. Healthy fats and oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, nut butters, avocado's will also help to hydrate the digestive tract and get things moving.

3.  Eat Your Fibre! Fibre helps to stimulate stretch receptors in the digestive tract that result in bowel movements. Not all fibre is the same. Ideally majority of fibre will come from vegetables, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, and to a lesser extent fruit. Avoid processed cereals & grains and dried fruit to stimulate bowel movements on a regular basis. 

4. Eliminate Food Sensitivities. Underlying food sensitivities can result in inflammation in the gut and the whole body. One of the symptoms that they can cause is inflammation among other things. Ask your naturopathic doctor about food sensitivity testing. 

5.  Eliminate Damp Forming Foods. Foods such as dairy and sugar can result in inflammation in the gut leading to constipation. In Chinese medicine, such foods are termed damp forming. They are difficult to eliminate and slow digestion. A sign that you may be eating too many damp forming foods is when stool stains the toilet bowl. 

6. Manage Emotions. Emotions such as anxiety, depression and stress can result in constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and aggravate other digestive conditions. Your digestive system slows down during stress as the fight or flight response becomes triggered and shunts resources to the muscles rather than focusing on digestion. Further, the large intestine functions to emotionally and physically "let go" meaning, if you are emotionally constipated, that can cause physical constipation as well. 

7. Movement. Lack of physical exercise can result in sluggish digestion. Exercise helps to stimulate food to move quicker through the digestive tract improving constipation. 

8. Optimizing Sleep. When sleep is off, everything in the body can become dysregulated including digestion. Sleep allows for the body to restore and regenerate. If sleep is a chronic issue, symptoms such as blood sugar dysregulation, weight gain, appetite hormone imbalances and heart burn can occur and contribute to constipation.

9. Eating Whole Foods. Eating a whole foods diet will maximize good quality foods and reduce processed foods. Processed foods contain less nutrients that are important for healthy bowel function, and typically are full of additives that result in inflammation in the gut and the rest of the body.

10. Avoid Snacking! Snacking between meals can slow down the body's natural flushing system. A system of nerves called the migrating motor complex (MMC) found throughout the digestive tract functions during a fasted state. The MMC stimulates the bowels to flush things out, but again it can only function when food hasn't been eaten for about 3-4 hours. If you find yourself constantly snacking, this can be contributing to constipation. 

Why Consider Individualized Care For Constipation?

The basics listed above can be very helpful for relieving constipation, but everyone is unique and has a different health history. Factors such as medications, health conditions such as diabetes, liver congestion, insomnia, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), IBS, stress, anxiety, depression and others can result in constipation and are treated differently. It is important to find the root cause of your constipation as that will be a much more sustainable and effective treatment. Using things such as stimulating laxatives everyday to ensure bowel movements can result in dehydration and dependancy. And without a proper assessment from a health care provider, it can be dangerous to self treat. Naturopathic doctors can provide other treatment options such as herbal formulations, acupuncture, cupping, homeopathics and dietary counselling if indicated to reduce constipation. 

Dr. Ann-Marie Regina, ND focuses on optimizing digestion and providing individualized nutritional counselling. She works with patients to make healthy lifestyle choices that are specific to them. Dr. Ann-Marie is now offering 30 minute nutritional consults focused solely on creating sustainable and effective dietary adjustments that address your concerns. During the nutritional counselling visits, Dr. Ann-Marie will assess your nutrition & diet with an assessment tool, review weekly food diary and provide meal plans if necessary. The assessment will also take your health concerns, activity level, hormones, food intolerances, age and sex into consideration. Most importantly, nutritional consults provide the support and education that will allow you to establish an eating regime that works for you that you can maintain long term.


To address your digestive concerns, please call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to book an appointment with Dr. Ann-Marie Regina, ND or to schedule a complimentary 15 minute "meet and greet."

The Naturopathic way to get rid of PMS

Dr. Jessica Nesbitt, ND, CFMP

Symptoms such as cramping, breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, headaches, changes in bowel movements, anxiety and fatigue are not only annoying, they are often debilitating. 

More importantly, they are not normal and you don’t need to suffer every month.

In my practice I see many women who go through their reproductive years accepting PMS symptoms as “normal”.  Some of these women have tried medications only to find that once the medication is stopped the symptoms return or worse, their cycle stops altogether.  Birth control seems to be the number one-go to for just about any variation of “normal” related to female hormones. If symptom relief is the number one goal, birth control can help some women.  My number one concern with using a hormonal birth control pill is that it does not correct the underlying imbalance. Additionally, over time these hormonal imbalances may make it difficult to become pregnant, cause hair loss, weight gain, changes to mood and headaches.

GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSE

PMS is a sign of  hormone imbalance and a full work up is needed to determine the root cause of your imbalance.  The two main hormones associated with PMS are estrogen and progesterone. I encourage my patients to test these hormones either through blood, urine or saliva testing in order to get an accurate picture to guide an effective personalized treatment protocol. Common factors that I have found that can influence hormones and contribute to PMS are: a diet high in sugar, simple carbohydrates, non-organic meats, dairy products, caffeine and alcohol. All of which can contribute to hormone imbalances. A diet that is high in healthy fats, clean protein, plenty of vegetables (especially the green leafy kind) and loads of fiber help to balance hormones.  Another factor that need to be considered is the effect of environmental pollutants.  One of the fundamental things I ask my patients to do is evaluate the ingredients in their skin care, make-up, hair products, deodorant and perfumes to ensure that there are no hormone disrupting chemicals in them.  

Other factors such as lack of daily physical movement and lack of daily bowel movement allow for estrogen to be recycled into your blood stream. Drinking alcohol over time may impair your liver’s ability to metabolize estrogen, all of which, again, keep your hormones imbalanced.

When working with my patients to restore hormonal balance and eliminate PMS, I start by reducing symptoms while at the same time looking to find the individualized root cause. These changes are pretty simple and after two to three cycles you should notice an improvement in your symptoms. 

Research has shown several natural agents such as ginger (PMID:31777743, PMID:2617793) help to decrease pain and cramping in students aged 18-25 years of age.  In another study (PMID:2349410) magnesium was shown to have a therapeutic effect on lower abdominal pain and back pain on the second and third day of menses, while also reducing the number of missed days from work due to cramping.

STRESS MANAGEMENT

When you are constantly in that “fight or flight” mode because of stress, your adrenal glands will produce cortisol and adrenaline. While this is a healthy and normal process, the issue is, that in order to make cortisol, your adrenal glands need progesterone. When progesterone is down and cortisol is up, you will likely see increased weight gain around the mid-section, breast tenderness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, painful periods and weepiness.

There is no need to stress about your stress! To read my article about nine ways to break free from stress, click here.

HEALING YOUR HORMONES

When working with women who are dealing with PMS, my goal is to provide individualized and comprehensive care. This means that I will do a full intake, looking not only at hormones but also addressing lifestyle factors such as sleep habits, diet, stress management and other organ systems such as the liver and gut, all of which can impact hormonal health. 

If you know someone who is suffering needlessly from PMS, please share this article with them or  invite them to schedule their complimentary 15 min consult with me to learn more about how I can help them stop their monthly suffering.

Agni (Digestive Fire) - How Is Yours?

Agni is known as the 'digestive fire' according to Ayurveda - it is the basis of all major functions in the body and is the foundation for health. Agni is what allows us to process nutrients from food while burning off waste products. Digestion is important and elimination of waste is equally as crucial to maintain health.

Agni refers to the principle of processing food, in addition to processing experiences, memories, emotions and sensory impressions. We not only physically digest our food, but we need to "digest" and process our experiences on a daily basis.

In an Ayurvedic assessment, your state of agni is assessed and treated accordingly. When agni is unbalanced, digestion weakens, toxins linger in the body, illness takes a hold and vitality diminishes. Balanced agni is essential for well being !

According to Ayurveda, we are each born with a different constitution - our tendencies in our agni is based on our constitution, as well as environmental and lifestyle factors such as climate, daily routine and the food we eat. Below are the four major types of agni and tips on how to help balance your agni:

Vishama Agni: irregular metabolism 

Often associated with excess vata, vishama agni is erratic with digestive patterns that alternate between fast and slow.  This may be evident in conditions such as IBS, diarrhea, constipation (or alternating between the two), gas and rumbling in the abdomen.  Appetite may be irregular and elimination may be irregular.

How to Balance Vishama agni:

• Establish routine: regular meal times & avoid overeating in one sitting
• A pinch of cumin and rock salt can be ground and chewed before meals 
• Add spices such as ginger and black pepper in the diet
• Vata care if present in your constitution (Vata pacifying diet & lifestyle)
• Regular abhyangas or Ayurvedic massage
• Herbs such as Triphala (dosage and timings should be customized by your practitioner)

Manda Agni: slow metabolism 

Often associated with excess Kapha, manda agni indicates slow, sluggish digestion. Only small meals can be eaten, and undigested food sits in the stomach and intestines leading to heaviness in the body and mind.  There may be associated kapha conditions such frequent colds & coughs, mucous, congestion, swelling, lymph congestion, oversalivation, excess weight, cold clammy skin etc. A thick white coat may be observed on the tongue first thing in the morning.

How to Balance Manda agni: 

• Tongue scraping in the morning
• Practise yoga that is invigorating and rejuvenating (surya namaskar, hatha yoga)
• Chew on fresh ginger before meals to stimulate agni
• Use spices such as cinnamon, clove, fenugreek, ginger
• Prepare food that is colourful, fresh and pleasing to all the senses
• Focus on 2-3 main meals a day: avoid snacking and make lunch the largest meal
• Kapha care if present in your constitution (Kapha pacifying diet & lifestyle)

Tikshna Agni: fast metabolism

Often associated with excess Pitta, tikshna agni is when digestion is too strong and fast.  Appetite may be insatiable, desiring large amounts of food which may pass too quickly through the digestive tract. Symptoms may include burning sensations, acid reflux, diarrhea, hot flashes, inflammation and low energy.

How to Balance Tikshna Agni:

• Follow a Pitta pacifying diet
• Avoid pungent spices such as garlic, chili and stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol
• Incorporate cooling foods and spices such as cumin, fennel, coriander, mint, dill etc.
• Drink lassi (Indian buttermilk) after meals - customize with spices suiting your constitution
• Herbs such as amla, licorice and aloe juice can be beneficial for Pitta balancing
• Meditation and rejuvenating yoga to balance and calm the system

Sama Agni: the balanced state 

When agni is balanced, you can enjoy healthy digestion and a clear state of mind. Individuals with sama agni can digest a reasonable amount of food in any season and enjoy balanced digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients along with a strong immune system and happiness in their lives.  They are also able to process and handle new situations, experiences and emotions with strength and balance. Unfortunately in our modern lifestyle, sama agni is rare : processed food, erratic & high-paced lives throw agni off balance very easily.  However, the earlier an imbalance in agni is detected, the easier it is to correct with ayurvedic guidance. 

Agni is the key to health. It is the force that processes your food, emotions and experiences. The four varieties of agni help you identify a healthy balanced state of agni versus factors that throw your agni off balance. It is important to understand that each individual will have a unique set of symptoms and need a customized approach to balancing agni. In an Ayurvedic assessment, state of agni is determined by looking at the tongue, pulse, abdomen and other key observations in the consultation. Yoga, meditation, wholesome food and state of mind, balance between work and life, relaxation and spending time with friends and loved ones can help keep agni strong through the winter months!

Dr. Leena Athparia is a Naturopathic doctor & Ayurvedic practitioner at Naturopathic Foundations. If you are healthy and looking into preventing disease or learning more about your constitution, Dr. Athparia can help you. Please call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to book an appointment.

Osteopathy For Concussions

By: Darryl Gomes  R. Kin., CAT(C), DOMP, D.Sc.O.

Concussions are often associated with contact sports, due to the forces transmitted between players during a game. As an assistant athletic therapist at Seneca College for 8 years, I treated my fair share of athletes with concussions. It was easily the most frustrating injury to treat, because it was hard to predict when an athlete would be ready to return to their sport.

As an osteopath who treats more of the general public, I am also treating individuals who suffer from concussions in non-sports related manners. Is this surprising? Not really. Concussions can happen at anytime to anyone, and not just athletes. Whether you slip on the ice and hit your head on the ground, bump your head on the lid of your car's trunk or were involved in a car crash, you may have received a concussion.

What Exactly is a Concussion?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces (Soomro, Withall, Cohen & Turner, 2018).

Do I Have to Hit My Head to Get a Concussion?

The answer is no. For example, getting rear ended in your car can cause whiplash. The head can move violently forwards and backwards, which causes the brain to impact the inside of the skull which can cause a concussion. Falling on your butt can also cause a concussion, as the force of the impact can travel from the pelvis, up the spine to the head where the brain can impact the skull.

What is Involved with Treating a Concussion Osteopathically?
There are a few areas of the body that I have to assess when treating a person for concussions:

• Treating the cranium/head is of utmost importance. Your head is made up of 22 bones: 8 cranial bones and 14 facial bones (Anderson & Al Kharazi, 2019). The bones act as a protective case for your brain, and provide attachment sites for the muscles that control the head and face movements. Additionally, the vasculature (blood vessels) and nerves travel along and through various parts of the cranial and facial bones that distribute blood and neurological signals between the brain and various parts of the body. The bones, muscles and vasculature need to work together in order to maintain the health of your brain and body.

• The entire spine (not just the neck) needs to be assessed for misalignments. Outside of the pain an individual feels in their spine from direct trauma, the spine needs proper alignment in order to maintain the neurological signals to the muscles/organs/glands that they innervate. 

• The muscles need to be treated in order to remove the muscle spasms that develop from whiplash. The neck is the area where most of the muscles are injured in concussions, but the upper back is also important in maintaining the alignment and support of the neck.

• The eyes need to be treated, as visual deficits can occur from concussions. Injuries to the occipital lobe of the brain (located at the back of your skull) can affect vision, because this part of the brain is responsible for controlling vision. Also, the muscles that control the eyes are innervated by various cranial nerves. Therefore, eye function can be affected by injuries to the brain. Additionally, the eye muscles need to be working properly (just like any other muscles in your body) in order to work efficiently.

• The pelvis needs to be centred and balanced, as the sacrum represents the bottom of the spine. Pelvic problems can potentially anchor the sacrum, which can have a direct effect on the top of the spine, which is where your brain is located. 

• There are other areas of the body that would also need to be treated, and that is usually dependent on the various conditions a person has. However, this is a general outline as to how concussion treatments work osteopathically.

Are There Exercises I Can Do to Get Better?

Yes, there certainly are. The exercises I give help to reinforce the areas that are being treated. For example:

• Neck exercises: various stretches and strengthening of the neck need to be performed in order to give it better support

• Upper back exercises: in conjunction with the neck muscles, a lot of the upper back muscles help to stabilize the neck

• Core exercises: stabilizing the pelvis and lower back requires a person to do Kegel exercises along with stabilizing their TVA (transverse abdominus) muscles before performing things such as planks and bridging

• Eye exercises: a series of specific tracking and other visual tasks are given in order to improve the eye muscles and overall visual field perception

• Cardiovascular exercise is also encouraged, so long as it is done at the right time under the proper conditions

How Do I Know if I Can Return Back to Work?

There is a return to work protocol that I follow, which is very similar to a return to play protocol that is used for athletes returning to their sport. The idea is that you gradually get a person doing things (whether it's reading/writing/typing on a computer) a little bit at a time over a few days to see how their body handles the tasks. If the person gets no symptoms, then they can potentially do more tasks for longer. If they experience symptom flare ups, then either their rest time is increased or some tasks are scaled down or removed. A modified schedule can help a person to integrate back into their regular work schedule. For example, working shorter days (say 4 hours) followed by a day off is ideal for allowing the brain and body to acclimate. Eventually, a person can work back up to their regular shifts. This is a general outline, but would be made more specific for every person.

If someone is experiencing concussions symptoms that linger for a long time, I will recommend the person follows up with a certified sports medicine physician. Sports doctors are trained to assess concussions and can determine if any medical imaging or other strategies need to be implemented.

Ultimately, a person has to be able to perform at their pre-concussion abilities without any lingering symptoms in order for them to be healed from their concussion.

If I Get a Concussion, When Should I Come and See You?

The sooner you can come in, the sooner we can start treatment and implement some strategies for your recovery. If you are experiencing symptoms, you should get someone to drive you to the clinic for safety reasons.

If you have any questions about how osteopathy can help you, call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to book a free 15 minute consultation or email me at: darryl@naturopathicfoundations.ca

Feel free to share this blog with someone you know!

Stay active!!

References:

Anderson, B. W., & Al Kharazi, K. A. (2019). Anatomy, Head and Neck, Skull. StatPearls. StarPearls Publishing.

Soomro, M., Withall, A., Cohen, A., & Turner, R. (2018). The evolving definition of Concussion over time. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 21, S96.

New Year ... New You?

By: Darryl Gomes  R. Kin., CAT(C), D.O.M.P., D.Sc.O.

Happy 2020 to all of you!!

Another year has come and gone. The beginning of the year represents a time for change and renewal. The quote by Mahatma Gandhi is a good way to implement change in your lives:

It takes a lot of willpower and time to cease the old habits and implement the new ones. It is ok to "fall off the wagon" ... you just need to get back on. You can fall once or fifty times, keep getting back up. Your body and mind time to adjust to the changes. This is a natural part of change.  Remember, you need to make the change for yourself ... because you want it.

What Do I Focus on to be Healthier?

Mind: This involves taking the time to plan out your day, so you are not rushing around. Taking the time to organize your closet/kitchen/home office can help not only to de-clutter your living space, but can help to de-clutter your mind. Solving crossword puzzles, memory games or pleasure reading are good ways to keep your mind sharp.

Spirit/emotional: Meditation is a great way to not only calm the mind, but it can help to keep your stress levels down, which will help you to become emotionally centered. Religion is also helpful for enriching our spiritual lives. Making the effort to socialize with friends and family (ideally over the phone or face to face) can also give you that emotional lift.

Body: A combination of cardiovascular exercise, weight training and eating the right foods is ideal for getting the body into optimal condition. Treatment to heal acute or chronic problems you are  dealing with is also important.

Besides Working on the Body, How Does Osteopathy Help Me?

The mind, body and spirit are incorporated into every osteopathic treatment. One cannot exist without the others.

Yes, addressing postural problems will allow the body to function optimally, which can reduce a lot of the acute and chronic problems you experience. Pain can prevent us from living our lives the way we want. Therefore, osteopathic treatment can help to remove those physical barriers that stand in our way. However, osteopathic treatment involves looking globally at all aspects of health. 

• Receiving the right exercises in your sessions is required to maintain corrected postures and muscle imbalances. The body needs that constant reinforcement, via exercises, in order to work efficiently. 

• An individual needs to be eating the right foods in order to provide the body with the necessary nutrients and fuel the body requires.

• Understanding that a person has outlets (eg. hobbies/friends they socialize with/counselor they can speak to about private affairs) that keep them going and motivated

• Sometimes physical problems have emotional components attached to them that need to be released. Whether through trauma (such as a car accident) or the loss of a loved one, our mind and emotions can stunt our bodies ability to function and heal. Often, people will get emotional releases when they receive osteopathic treatment, big or small. These releases need to happen in order to allow for a healthier mind and spirit.

Remember, your body isn't like a car that just needs mechanical/body work performed on it in order to keep running. All aspects of health need to be addressed for true health.

If you have any questions about how osteopathy can help you, call the clinic at 905-940-2727 to book a free 15 minute consultation or email me at:

darryl@naturopathicfoundations.ca

Stay active!!