2021: International Year of Fruits & Vegetables!

This year is the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV).

Proclaimed at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, IYFV is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the important role of fruits and vegetables in nutrition, food security, and human and planetary health. It also aims to reduce food loss and waste and promote sustainability.

As naturopathic doctors, we are ALL about fruits and vegetables. There isn’t a day that goes by that the StoneTree lunch table isn’t full of awesome veggies of all shapes and sizes.  

Of course, we all know that it’s one thing to say “eat your veggies” but an entirely different job to actually do it. This year, as part of IYFV, the StoneTree team will be bringing you their favourite tricks for getting more veggies and fruits into their family lives.

To kick things off, here are Dr. Maggie’s tips! 

  • Add spinach to my smoothie
  • Do my best to always have cut up veggies in the fridge that are easy to grab as a snack (usually with hummus)
  • Aim for a salad every day–if I’m not eating a salad for lunch, then I need to make a side salad for dinner

Kid bonus

  • Make a double serving of my smoothie (with spinach) that my kids also drink
  • Serve veggie ‘appetizers’ before pizza night (works every time!)
  • They always need to TRY (even just one bite) the vegetables that they ‘don’t like’ because after a lot of trying I’ve noticed that they eventually come around and decide it’s not that bad 🙂

Adding more produce to your diet is a habit change. And one that you can successfully make! If you missed our series on how to build sustainable, healthy habits this year, you’ll find it here.

WE’RE BACK!

What a week! We’ve spent the last few days preparing the clinic and doing trial runs in the IV suite and doctor’s offices. After a successful “soft open”, we’re thrilled to let you know that we’re back!

Ready for your appointment? Call 705-444-5331 or book online.

You’ll notice a number of changes to ensure you have a safe and comfortable visit, but here are the most important:

  • Do not come to the clinic if you have cold or flu symptoms. Instead, please book a secure call/video visit.
  • Please bring a mask for your visit. We have clean, reusable masks if you do not have one. 
  • The IV suite is open, although you’ll notice there a lot fewer chairs. Slots are far more limited, and we suggest you book in advance.
  • Our doctors are here for you! You can meet with a StoneTree doctor in person, but if you CAN do your consult by video/phone, that’s still the preferred method. Either way, we’re here to help.
  • Need supplements? We have a safe pick up process in place just inside the front door. For delivery, just call the clinic.
  • Have health insurance? We can bill directly. Hooray!

We’re so excited to be back, and even more excited to see you.

Stay well,

The StoneTree Team

COVID 19 PATIENT UPDATE

UPDATED MAY 3, 2023

We’re Open & Here to Help

As an essential health-care service, we’re here for you. Our office remains open, with a few caveats to keep everyone safe:

  • In-person visits are available!
  • Remote video and telephone consults are available as needed.
  • The IV suite is open, with ongoing screening, disinfection, and physical distancing protocols.
  • Supplements available in-person and via shipping.

Call 705-444-5331 or book online.

We look forward to seeing you!

Hormone Solutions for Women & Men: Welcome to Dr. Kristy Prouse, MD

Dr. Kristy Prouse MD, is the Medical Director of the Institute for Hormonal Health in Oakville.

An accomplished surgeon and leading OB/GYN with degrees in Psychology, Genetics and Cell Biology and trained in Functional Medicine, Dr. Prouse founded the institute in 2011 when her own experience with hormonal health issues connected her to a naturopathic doctor and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who helped her in a way that was missing from the standard of care in Western medicine.

Check out her story here: 

She’ll be bringing her expertise in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to the clinic on select dates this fall.

The therapy is great for symptoms of:

  • Fatigue
  • Weight gain / decreased muscle mass
  • Night sweats
  • Mood swings, irritiability
  • Decreased libido
  • Increased anxiety, stress, panic attacks
  • “Fuzzy thinking”, lack of confidence and memory problems
  • Sleep disturbances and insomnia
  • Peri-menopausal challenges for women such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness
  • Andropausal challenges for men such as hair loss, erectile dysfunction

Dr. Prouse works alongside naturopathic doctors integratively. When you book to see her for bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, you actually see a Naturopathic Doctor first. The two doctors work collaboratively to develop the best functional medicine plan to rebalance your hormones.  

Dr. Bronwyn Hill, ND and Dr. Candice Soldaat, ND are the StoneTree Clinic Naturopathic Doctors who will be working alongside Dr. Prouse this fall.  If you are a patient of one of the other ND’s in the clinic no worries, you can simply see Dr. Bronwyn or Dr. Candice for your BHRT consult and they will send you back to your regular STC ND for regular care.  

She will be making the drive up from her Oakville practice to join us for limited dates in the fall:  

  • Sept 13
  • Oct 11 
  • Oct 25
  • Nov 8 
  • Nov 22 
  • Dec 6 

Contact the clinic to book – 705-444-5331 or [email protected]. Spaces are limited.  

Dr. Candice is Back!

Dr. Candice is back from maternity leave starting June 17th.  A big thanks to Dr. Bronwyn for taking such good care of her practice while Dr. Candice was home with her son Owen. 

Her hours are: 

  • Mondays 10AM – 7PM 
  • Wednesdays 9AM – 12:30PM 
  • Fridays 8AM – 12PM 

Dr. Candice has a general practice, but her prime focus is on helping patients with infertility, PMS and other menstrual problems. She offers 15-minute complimentary “meet-the-doctor” visits.  

We’re thrilled to have her back, and she’s looking forward to reconnecting with her old patients and meeting all the new ones as well. You can book online to see Dr. Candice here

Don’t forget! StoneTree Clinic bills insurance directly in an effort to make care more accessible to those with insurance.  

Dr. Maggie’s Family is Growing!

If you’ve been to the clinic lately, you may have noticed Dr. Maggie’s growing belly! Her family is looking forward to welcoming their newest member this fall.

The rest of the StoneTree Clinic team is thrilled to have another STC baby about the clinic, but, as always, we’ll be sad to see one of our team members go on mat leave.

Dr. Maggie’s last day is Friday, October 4th. For all of you who need to see her before then, you can book here. She is expected back in May 2019.

In the meantime, we’re so pleased that Dr. Bronwyn will be caring for Dr. Maggie’s patients during her absence. Both these great docs graduated in the same year from naturopathic college and have worked together since they were interns there.

You can check out Dr. Bronwyn’s profile here.

Calling All Teachers!

Dealing with kids can put a real tax on stress glands and immune systems–it’s the kind of thing that can lead to constant colds and flu, sleep and mood issues, or that overall “tired” feeling that is so tough to shake.

For our patients who are teachers, the hustle and bustle of the school often has them completely worn out by the end of June. They rely on summer to rest and recharge.

The magic of summer, however, isn’t just in recovery. It’s in building a strong base for the coming year. Prevention really is the best medicine, and for teachers, summer is the best time to put that in place. Supporting the stress glands and boosting the immune system before school starts almost always makes for a healthier school year.

Simcoe County teachers have a wonderful extended health plan for naturopathic medicine, and the benefits restart at the start of their new year, which is September. Getting in during the summer months prepares you for the upcoming year, but also ensures you maximize the coverage you are entitled to.

We now make it even easier for our teachers to access care with direct billing to your extended health plan. This ensures you can come in without having to worry about cash flows during the summer months.

We love working with teachers and keeping them healthy and well during the school year. Teaching our kids is important work–please pass this on to the teachers in your life!

Book your appointment online here, or call the clinic at 705-444-5331.

Welcome to StoneTree’s Summer Food Guru!

StoneTree Clinic has a new team member. Welcome Bridget McMaster!

Bridget just finished a 4-year program in Food and Nutrition at Brescia College at the University of Western Ontario. She is joining us this summer to be our resident Food Guru at The Pantry.

Making diet changes is one of the most important things we ask our patients to do but it can also be one of the most difficult. Learning to give up dairy or gluten can feel overwhelming.

The Pantry is meant to help with that transition. It is filled with foods that are gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free, and now Bridget will be there full time this summer making sure that all your questions are answered.

Bridget has dealt with her own health issues and knows first-hand that food really is medicine. She’s a wonderful addition to our team!

Drop by and say hi to Bridget. She’ll be doing demos all summer in The Pantry–you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what we’re serving up!

Your Cold and Flu “GO-KIT”

It is not uncommon for the ND’s at StoneTree to get emails or messages over the weekend, after hours, or when they are away from home, from patients who are coming down with cold or flu symptoms and want to get on top of them right away. No one wants a full-blown cold or flu!

Of course, the first thing we always recommend is to get in as soon as you can for in IV Vitamin C drip.

(To learn more, check out this “60 Minutes” documentary on the benefit of Vit C in resolving infection, or this interview with Dr. Marik, MD on the value of vitamin C and sepsis.)

When patients can’t get into the clinic for the “big guns” the first question we ask is, What supplements do you have at home?

As you might imagine, not everyone has a fully stocked cold- and flu-fighting pharmacy at home, and most people didn’t have the best tools at their disposal when they really needed them.

Here is what we wish you had:

  • Zinc. Studies show that taking zinc at first sign of cold symptoms can decrease the duration of the illness. We have definitely seen evidence of this in practice. It’s important to note, however, that more zinc is not always better. Taking too much for too long can create trouble, but taking it acutely for a short period is okay.
  • Oil of oregano. It tastes like a spaghetti monster exploded in your mouth, but this herb is AWESOME at killing all things microbial!
  • Echinacea and Goldenseal. These two herbal medicines together are a double threat to winter illness! Echinacea is the immune booster and goldenseal is anti-microbial. Taking them at first sign of symptoms can often stop a cold before it even starts.
  • Vitamin C. Can’t get in for an IVC? Taking Vitamin C orally can help, too. Taking a 1000mg every hour to bowel tolerance is the way to go. Some people may get an upset tummy but for those who tolerate it, get a chewable option–it feels like you are popping like sweet treats all day.
  • Castor Oil. This magical oil moves lymph, which means it helps the immune system move around. Sore throat? Apply cast0r oil and cover with a scarf. Ear infection? Castor oil to the neck, topped with a gentle heating pad, gets the lymph moving and moves the congestion out.

Now You Can Have the Wishlist On Hand!

For the cold and flu season, we’ve put together a cold and flu “GO-KIT”. It contains:

  • Zinc
  • Oil of oregano
  • Echinacea-Goldenseal tincture
  • An immune booster called Pascoleucyn that is safe and effective for all ages

You can pick up your “GO-KIT” at the front desk for $74.99 + HST. (Bought individually the kit works out to $104.81.)

Questions? Stop by to pick up your kit, or contact the clinic at 705-444-5331.

Cancer Care Comes to StoneTree

For several years, we’ve been looking for an experienced naturopathic doctor whose sole job at StoneTree would be to work with patients with a cancer diagnosis.

We found him!

We are very excited to welcome Dr. Ehab Mohammed, ND to the StoneTree Clinic family. Dr. Ehab is a licensed naturopathic doctor, board certified from the College of Naturopaths in Ontario.

What’s really exciting for us, however, is Dr. Ehab’s long oncology history as a medical doctor in Egypt, where he obtained his medical degree, a master’s in ocology, and a medical doctorate in radiation oncology. Dr. Ehab practiced oncology for over 20 years, published 33 scientific research articles in recognized medical journals.

After graduating from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), Dr. Ehab spent a year on the adjunctive cancer care clinic shift where he managed patients under different types of conventional cancer care (chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care and surgery) with naturopathic supportive care.

If you know someone that needs support, our approach to cancer care strives to:
  • Decrease the side-effects of conventional cancer treatments
  • Support the patient’s immune system to avoid additional illness
  • Increase the effectiveness of conventional treatments
  • Improve overall health in an attempt to prevent the spread or recurrence of cancer
  • Help patients navigate the stress, information overload, and difficult choices created by a cancer diagnosis

StoneTree also offers alternative care for those patients who have exhausted all their conventional choices and are seeking new treatment options.

This is very exciting for us. Cancer touches lives every single day here in the Georgian Bay area, and this is something our patients need. We’re fortunate to be able to bring Dr. Ehab’s decades of cancer experience here to StoneTree!

Dr. Ehab will be starting at StoneTree Clinic, Thursday, November 16, 2017.  For more information, book an appointment, or contact the clinic at 705-444-5331.