Menopause: Suffer No More!

Last month, the New York Times published an article titled, “Women Have Been Misled about Menopause”. 

You’ll likely find the article behind a paywall, but this great little video by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, offers up a good summary:

  • Women are suffering needlessly
  • Healthcare providers are misdiagnosing and/or mistreating menopausal symptoms
  • One of the best tools to deal with this suffering is really not that risky

The CBC and many major news outlets picked up the issue and we applaud them for it! It’s time for women to know there is something that can be done about the symptoms they are suffering from.  

7 Menopause Questions We Have Answers For (And One Bonus Question)

  1. What is going on with my cycle? You might be bleeding too much, too little, or without any clear pattern. This is often one of the first signs that things are changing.  
  2. Why do I want to kill everyone (especially my husband)? A “prickliness” or irritability is a common complaint from friends and family of those of us entering this time of life. Anxiety that didn’t exist before is also common. Some women experience low moods.  
  3. What happened to my memory? The brain fog is reminiscent of “baby brain” for women who have had kids. But it feels more significant because you are closer to the age where memory loss feels scarier.  
  4. Why do I keep needing to pee? I can’t seem to laugh, cough, or jump without peeing myself!  
  5. What is happening to my body? Saggier skin, drier and thinner hair, and what is happening with this weight around the middle?
  6. Why is it so hot in here? Hot flashes and night sweats interrupt daily activity and nightly sleep. (And also make the crabbiness even worse.)
  7. What happened to my sex drive? Some women report that they are less interested in sex or have difficulty becoming aroused throughout menopause.  

The Bonus Question: What Can I Do About It??!!

Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is a real option to deal with many of these symptoms. But is it safe?  

In 2002 the Women’s Health Initiative study found an increased risk of breast cancer in women who were using hormone replacement therapy. But what did the numbers actually say? 

  • Yes, there was an increased risk, but specifically, the study found that among women aged 50 to 59, there were six additional breast cancers in 10,000 women. That is a pretty small increased risk.
  • More recent research suggests that HRT is highly beneficial and that it is underused to this day.
  • The Women’s Health Initiative was also based on using conventional hormone replacement therapy, which uses synthetic estrogen.
  • Another option is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which uses compounded hormones that more closely resemble what is naturally in our bodies. 

Does BHRT work as well? Our experience is yes. Do they confer less risk than synthetic hormones? We don’t know for sure, but there are studies that suggest yes

It’s International Women’s Day! Take charge of your health. Your hormones matter—they can be rebalanced, and you can feel better!

Naturopathic Doctors are well-trained in understanding, diagnosing, and treating perimenopause and menopause with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and other non-hormonal options. For help, support, solutions, and answers to all your questions, reach out anytime.

To Drink or Not to Drink?

Many happy wine-drinking Canadians woke up last month to find their world a little rocked by the release of new guidelines for alcohol consumption.

Conventional wisdom for years has been that drinking was fine up to a point—15 drinks a week for men, 10 for women.

There was even some thought that daily drinking—particularly wine—had some health benefits.  

Well, no more.

What we’ve always known is that alcohol at any dose is toxic to the human body.  The WHO released a position paper this year stating exactly that. It’s a bummer, but it’s true.  

A Focus on Risk

The new guidelines are about understanding and reducing risk rather than a simple cut-off number:

  • Zero risk = zero alcohol 
  • Low risk = 2 drinks per week. 
  • Moderate risk = 3-6 drinks per week 

Once you go over 6 drinks per week, the risk climbs with each drink.  

Risk of What? 

What risks are we talking about? The big ones include:

  • Cancer. There is no safe dose of alcohol when it comes to cancer, and its risk increases with each drink. Alcohol and cancer are so linked that there is increasing pressure to put warnings on labels just like we do with cigarettes.  
  • Heart disease and stroke. Increased risk at over 7 drinks per week, with risk increasing with each additional drink. 
  • Pregnancy. No safe dose.
  • Fertility. No safe dose.

It’s also worth mentioning addiction as a risk. Alcohol can be habit-forming. And that means the low-risk ranges can put some people at risk of moving up the risk ladder as their consumption increases.

Standard Drink Sizes

“Drink” is a vague term. Here’s how the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) defines a drink:

  • A 12-oz. (341 ml) bottle of 5 percent alcohol beer or cider
  • A 5-oz. (142 ml) glass of 12 percent alcohol wine
  • A 1.5-oz. (43 ml) shot glass of 40 percent alcohol spirits

Beer and cider tend to be easier to track as you drink them from a fixed-size container. Spirits and wine tend to be “free-poured” into glasses, and therefore harder to measure. If you’re wondering where you might be fooling yourself, that’s a good place to start.

How to Manage Your Drinking

It seems that, whether we like it or not, less booze is better, no matter which way you slice it. If you want to change your alcohol habits, this article from the CDC is an excellent place to start.

One recurring theme across all sources is to be conscious of your drinking—to set limits and actually count your drinks. An excellent tool for this is the TRY DRY app. (Apple/Android). It’s science-based, free, and has no ads. Give it a shot!

New You Week 3: Start Small

Last week we asked you to take your hopes for change and distill them into one thing. Trying to do everything at once is a quick way to sputter out.

Now that you’ve got one area to focus on, how will you change it? Our suggestion is to a) start small, and b) make it positive. 

1. Start small.

Tiny changes are sustainable. Big changes often aren’t. Can you make a change so small that it’s almost impossible to not do? 

For example, instead of deciding to work out for an hour every day at the gym, could you do a ten-minute walk every day? That may not seem like much, but a year from now, do you want to be the person who walked every day or the person who gave up going to the gym two weeks into the new year?

Keep it simple. Focus on something small enough that you think you can do it every day. In many ways, every day is easier. There’s no bargaining. There’s no deciding which days count as off days. There’s no game-playing. It’s impossible to fool “every day”; you either did it or you didn’t. 

Set the bar low. It’s easy to raise it as your habits solidify.

2. Make it positive.

It’s often easier to add something positive rather than take away something negative. Can you substitute a walk with a friend for watching the news? Can you replace one less-healthy meal with something you make yourself?

Keep it small, and make it positive. Tiny habits are sustainable, growable, and approachable. 

Your goal to transform your diet to the latest version of perfect is probably not sustainable. But what if you changed one meal? Can you do that? Can you choose to make your own lunch instead of eating out every day? Or, if that’s too big, how about you choose to eat a healthier lunch on Monday. That’s it. 

Can you add Tuesday? Of course you can.

Recommended reading: Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Coronavirus: What You Need to Know

Below are some of our most frequently asked questions about the coronavirus outbreak.

Both the CDC and the Canadian public health information pages are helpful if you want to stay updated and learn more.

What’s a coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe respiratory infections like SARS.

Currently, the term is being used popularly to describe the 2019 novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, originating in Wuhan, China.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, which means they are transmitted from animals to humans. There are many coronaviruses that circulate in animal populations that are not infective to humans, but occasionally they make the jump. For example, it was found that SARS coronaviruses came from civet cats to humans. 

The source of this current outbreak is still not clear.

What are the symptoms?

  • Fever
  • Cough 
  • Difficulty breathing

How does it spread?

The virus causes infections of the nose, throat, and lungs, which means it can be spread:

  • through the air by coughing and sneezing
  • by close personal contact like touching or shaking hands
  • by touching something with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands

What’s the risk?

Although there are reported cases of death due to this virus, the incidence rate here in Canada is low (four cases) and there have been no deaths here. The risk is low in the general population, and generally higher in people who are immunocompromised.

There have been three confirmed cases in Ontario. All cases were in people who had traveled to the affected area in China  

What should I do?

The risk is low for the general population. There’s no vaccine, but also little risk at the moment to Canadians. However, you should avoid:

  • all non-essential travel to China
  • all travel to Hubei Province, China, including Wuhan city

You can also reduce your risk to yourself and others by making sure you:

  • stay home and avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care centres if you are sick
  • cover your mouth and nose with your arm when coughing or sneezing to reduce the spread of germs
  • dispose of any tissues you have used as soon as possible and wash your hands after
  • wash your hands often with soap and water
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands

Again, there’s currently no vaccine, but the risk is low for Canadians. Your best approach is the take care of your immune system. We’ve written about it before–learn more here!

Lead in Grey County School Water: What You Should Know

In early November, a report was released on an investigation into the lead levels in the water of many Ontario schools and daycare facilities. Several schools in Grey county were listed as exceeding federal guidelines. You can find the list of local schools and more info here, or view the original news report based on the joint investigation by Global News, The Toronto Star, the Ryerson School of Journalism and Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism.

What follows is an overview of the acceptable levels (which varies depending on who you ask), why lead is bad for you, how testing works, and what to do.

What are Acceptable Lead Levels?

The province of Ontario sets the acceptable level of lead in water as 10 parts per billion. Federally, however, Health Canada sets the acceptable level to 5 parts per billion. Which is right? Arguably neither, as the World Health Organization says there is NO safe level of lead.

Of particular concern is that this is school and daycare water. Health officials say children are particularly vulnerable to the long term effects of lead, which can include negative effects on cognitive development, IQ levels, and overall health. This paper by the Canadian Pediatric Society agrees. This study, from Duke University, found that for each 5 microgram increase in blood lead, a person lost about 1.5 IQ points.

The best rule, then, is that lead is bad. Period.

The report earlier this month used the federal rating (the more conservative), and found that nearly a third of all schools and daycares in Ontario have been above the 5 pbb threshold for the past two years. Old lead taps and fountains are the main culprits.  

In Grey County, Owen Sound District Secondary School and Beaver Valley Public School top the list in our region with a lead level that’s 60 percent higher than the federal standard. That means they’re within provincial guidelines, but over federal ones.

How to Test for Lead Exposure

There are three main ways to test for lead exposure in the body–blood, urine, and hair. Each has its advantages.

Testing blood levels is easy, and is the gold standard for diagnosis of lead exposure. Urine tests can also show exposure, but they have some limitations because not all forms of a heavy metal like lead are easily excreted. With children, a urine test can be a good estimate to determine a current exposure, but not a substitute.  

Hair analysis is somewhat different in that it shows exposure over a three month period. Where a blood level or urine level might miss a chronic low-grade exposure, a hair test is more likely to pick it up.  

What to Do?

Dealing with environmental toxicity always starts with the same first step: avoid exposure. If you’re concerned about your school or daycare, don’t drink the water at school. Bring a water bottle from home. 

The body has natural systems for removing lead from the body–for a low exposure, this is often enough. A good diet and the right supplementation can help support those systems.

For greater exposures, a process called chelation can be used–you’ll need an experienced, regulated medical professional to help.

If you have questions about testing existing lead levels, or about detoxification and chelation approaches to lead exposure, contact the clinic at 705-444-5331 for more information, or book an appointment online.

Could Depression Be Caused by an Immune System Imbalance?

Here’s a different way of looking at a challenging problem, and one that fits with what naturopathic doctors frequently see in practice.

In her new book, This is Depression, Dr. Diane McIntosh MD presents the idea that depression could be caused by an imbalance in the immune system.

Here’s the gist: 

There are cells in the brain called glial cells, which act as the brain’s caretakers. They supply neurons with nutrients, clean up any waste, and fight infection in the brain. They do a lot to keep the brain ticking along and doing its job.  

Now, enter cortisol.  

Cortisol is the hormone we produce when we experience high levels of stress. Whether that’s physical stress (like running a marathon), or mental stress (like studying for finals), or emotional stress (like dealing with a sick parent), cortisol is the hormone that we use to weather such storms.  

Too much cortisol, however, causes those caretaker glial cells to stop working properly. Instead, they start spitting out proteins called pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are the signallers of the immune system; they tell your immune system to make inflammation. Those cytokines damage the glial cells, which causes them to release more cytokines, causing an inflammatory cascade. That inflammation in the brain results, in turn, in the neurotransmitters not working properly. 

The end result? People feel brain fog, tired and low. They feel depressed.  

With this explanation in mind, the research linking changes in diet and lifestyle to improving depression makes even more sense. Inflammation is your immune system doing its work, but sometimes that work has side effects. Lifestyle changes reduce that inflammation, and the result can be an anti-depressive effect.

In fact, as research shows, the outcome of lifestyle interventions can be better than a pharmaceutical anti-depressant. For example:

Dr. McIntosh’s premise is still just a theory, but it’s one of those theories that we like, because there’s no real downside to the intervention. Healthy lifestyle changes are only going to make your life better–the side effects of reducing inflammation are all positive.

As the article in the Globe and Mail says:

Depression isn’t the only illness found to be caused by inflammation. Heart disease, HIV, lupus, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, chronic pain and several forms of cancer have also been called inflammatory disorders.

It makes a compelling case to take your fish oils, move your body outside, and eat well!

Naturopathic Medicine Month – Week 4: Cancer Care & Connection

It’s our last week of Naturopathic Medicine Month–we’ve had a great time answering your questions and busting myths!

Just because the month is over doesn’t mean we don’t want to continue to answer your questions. We’re always open to hearing from you. If you have a question or are wondering if Naturopathic Medicine has a solution for you, drop us a line or book a 15-minute complimentary “meet-the-doctor” visit.  

Myth: “Naturopathic doctors undergo little training”

Many people believe that becoming a Naturopathic Doctor requires little to no training, especially compared with conventional Medical Doctors. The belief that you can take an online course, or read a few books and call yourself a Naturopathic Doctor couldn’t be farther from the truth. As one of the 25 regulated health professions in Ontario, Naturopathic Doctors have access to seven “controlled acts”. Only four regulated health professions have more.  

After completing pre-medical sciences in university, Naturopathic  Doctors, attend a four-year, full-time accredited naturopathic medical school. During those four years, they gain a thorough knowledge of biomedical sciences by taking anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, physical clinical diagnosis, and pharmacology courses, as well as learning the naturopathic modalities such as herbal medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, and physical medicine. Students also complete supervised internships, gaining practical experience with patients.  

In Ontario, an ND must then also obtain a license by first passing board exams, both written and practical and acquiring malpractice insurance.  

The College of Naturopaths of Ontario registers eligible naturopathic doctors, and ensures they maintain continuing education requirements and adhere to professional standards of practice.  

FAQ: “Can I see a Medical Doctor AND a Naturopathic Doctor at the same time?”

You bet! 

In fact, research has shown that those patients receiving naturopathic care alongside conventional care do better than those receiving conventional care only.  

For best outcomes, patients want both MDs and NDs on their teams. MDs are experts in how to diagnose and manage disease and pathology. NDs are experts in the healthy function of your body. When a patient has a plan to optimize their health along with managing their disease they can’t help but win. 

Solution: Caring for Patients with Cancer

A cancer diagnosis can be one of the most frightening events in life. Naturopathic Doctors who work with cancer patients help them navigate through this very stressful and confusing time, and empower them to make an overall plan for their health as they engage with their conventional treatment plan.  

With these patients, the focus is on helping to:

  1. Decrease the side-effects of conventional cancer treatments
  2. Improve the nutritional status of patients before, during, and after conventional treatment
  3. Support the patient’s immune system to avoid additional illness
  4. Increase the effectiveness of conventional treatments
  5. Improve overall health in an attempt to prevent the spread or recurrence of cancer
  6. Support the body’s ability to better heal itself

Dr. Ehab Mohammad, ND practiced oncology as a medical doctor for over 20 years before becoming a naturopathic doctor. Here at StoneTree, he works exclusively with patients who have received a cancer diagnosis. By applying the best evidence and understanding how conventional and complementary therapies work together he helps patients come up for the best plan of management.  

Healthy Living Tip: Connection 

Humans are pack animals. We need social connection to thrive, not just air, food, and water.   

Recent studies on loneliness suggest that being lonely for a prolonged period is more harmful to your health than smoking 15 cigarettes per day! Beyond causing heightened rates of depression, anxiety, and irritability, loneliness is now being associated with potentially life-shortening health issues such as higher blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity.

More and more Canadians are now living alone–some 28 percent of households, according to recent numbers by Statistics Canada, which also reports that one in five Canadians identifies as being lonely. 

Living along and being lonely also means eating alone too, and that’s unfortunate–eating together is one of the great secrets of health and wellness. Eating together usually results in eating better food, eating it more slowly, which usually means eating less of it, too!

Eat together!

Pancreatic Cancer & IV Vitamin C: A Case Report

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, nearly 5,500 new patients are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually. Almost 4,800 die from the same disease each year.   

Those are sobering stats. Why so high? In general, the further that cancers progress, the harder they are to treat. Since most patients present when pancreatic cancer is at an advanced stage, it makes disease management challenging.

That being said, progress is always underway. Here’s a look at the conventional approach, and an interesting case review from a 2018 issue of Anti-Cancer Drugs that covers the use of IV vitamin C.

Current Conventional Treatment 

For pancreatic cancer, the best course of action in conventional oncology is FOLFRINOX, which combines multiple chemotherapy drugs in a regimen.

The most recent review looked at a total of 13 studies comprising 689 patients with advanced cancer of the pancreas. The median overall survival time range was 24 months longer than that achieved by the solo chemotherapy medication Gemcitabine (6-13 months)

Complimentary and Alternative Treatment

In this case report, a 68-year-old man presented with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, with a mean expected survival of 4-6 months.

His treatment was IV Vitamin C administered 2-3 times per week.

The outcome: 

  • Weight loss reversed within 4 month
  • Liver lesion gradually diminished and undetectable after 1 year 
  • Primary tumour shrunk, but still present at 3.5 years after diagnosis
  • Patient felt well and was active 

Of course, this case report is just one patient. It only gives us an N=1, unlike the studies of FOLFRINOX, with an N in the hundreds. One patient story doesn’t give us statistically significant data to prove IV vitamin C’s value for pancreatic cancer.

But this case, along with others seen in clinical settings, raises the possibility that this treatment option may be valuable in those with this tricky diagnosis, where conventional therapy is improving, but still modest at best. Here’s hoping for more robust clinical trials in the future.

Questions about cancer? Dr. Ehab Mohammed, ND brings more than 20 years of oncology experience to the StoneTree in Collingwood. You can book a complimentary “meet the doctor” visit with Dr. Ehab to have all your questions answered here.

H1N1 is Back–Here Are Our Best Prevention Tips

This year’s flu season is in full swing, and according to authorities, it’s the worst since 2009. The predominant circulating strain this year is Influenza A-H1N1 (swine flu), and it seems to be hitting kids the hardest.

Whether or not you decide to get the flu shot there is much you can do to prevent the virus from taking hold in your kids and in yourself.

1.Decrease your exposure to the virus:

Influenza is a respiratory infection and is easily spread. Wash your hands often, and if you can’t, use hand sanitizer (triclosan-free please). Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. But most important: if you are sick, STAY HOME. Missing a day or two of work or school is better than spreading the virus around, but more important, it will help you heal.

2. Increase your body’s ability to fight potential infections:

  • GET LOTS OF SLEEP if you are feeling a little dragged out.
  • Get outside and go for a gentle walk in the fresh air. Clear out those lungs!
  • Drink lots of water and eat lots of soups, stews, and curries. Avoid sugars and white carbs. 
  • Supplement with daily vitamin D and vitamin C.

3. Boost your immune system, preventively:

Research during the last H1N1 pandemic demonstrated the value of the herbal medicine Echinacea for the possible treatment of influenza. In-vitro studies showed a decreased uptake of the virus by the human cells, and in mice models, the infected animals getting Echinacea got less sick.  

The research is not conclusive, of course, but Echinacea is a remarkably safe herb in both kids and adults. A daily dose through the cold and flu season may have some benefit.

If You’re Sick

If the flu has already got you, the best tool we have is IV vitamin C. This dramatic case study of its effectiveness in a case of swine flu in 2009 made it all the way to prime time:

We have seen IVC do wonders for all kinds of viral infections and it is a big player in our cold and flu season tool-box. 

Supporting your immune system can be different for each person. Book an appointment with your ND to determine the best plan for you.

Lavender: Reduced Anxiety with No Side-Effects

Lavender has long history of use for its calming effect. Anxiety, insomnia, restlessness—they’re all challenges that can often be helped with lavender.

In 2014, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study looked at the impact of the orally administered lavender oil preparation Silexan.

The study divided 539 adults into four groups.

  • A placebo group
  • A paroxetine group (a prescription anti-depressant, commonly known as Paxil)
  • An 80mg dose lavender group
  • A 160mg dose lavender group

The study measured results using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale before and after.

Great Results, No Side-Effects

After ten weeks of treatment, there was a reduction in anxiety in all groups, but lavender was the clear winner:

  • 63.3% in the lavender 160mg group
  • 51.9% in the lavender 80mg group
  • 43.2% in the paroxetine group
  • 37.8% in the placebo group

The best part? Unlike Paxil, which has many demonstrated side-effects, the lavender had none.

Another study comparing lavender to lorazepam showed similar results, and at the end of the trial, the remission rates were higher for the lavender group (40% for lavender, versus 27% for lorazepam).

A great, research-backed win for lavender!

If you’d like more information on the safe and effective use of lavender, contact the clinic.