Category: Blog

10 Reasons you need to see a Naturopathic Doctor

1. You want to maintain your health
2. You want to prevent getting a chronic health condition, such as, heart disease, cancer, mental health, Type 2 diabetes
3. You want to see how good you can actually feel
4. You want to become a “Super Senior”. A Super Senior is someone over the age of 85 that has never had or does not take medication for one of the following health concerns: cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, dementia/Alzheimer’s or pulmonary diseases (COPD, emphysema)
5. You are sick and tired of being tired and sick
6. You want to know if there is a natural alternative to the prescription medications you are taking
7. You don’t know what supplements to take, which ones are good quality or what does is necessary
8. Your doctor tells you your symptoms are all in your head
9. You are confused about all the diets out there and don’t know what to eat
10. The medications you take cause side effects, which require you to take another medication, which causes another side effect. You are concerned about this poly-pharmacy approach.

As naturopathic doctors, the following principles guide us:

 ~ Treat the cause: NDs seek to identify and remove the underlying causes of illness, rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.

 ~ First, do no harm: therapies should stimulate the body to heal in a gentle and effective manner, not causing unwanted side effects.

~ Treat the whole person: Health and disease involve a complex interaction of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors. NDs must treat the whole person by considering all these factors; therefore, a personalized and comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment is required.

~ Doctor as teacher: NDs educate and encourage patients to take responsibility for their health.

~ The healing power of nature: use natural therapies that encourage the body to heal itself.

~ Prevention: The ultimate goal of Naturopathic Medicine is prevention. This is accomplished through education and promotion of lifestyle habits that foster good health. The emphasis is on building health and using prevention as the best cure, rather than fighting disease.

 Get started on the road to optimal health today! Contact us at 587-521-3595.

New Services: Meal Planning, Kitchen Cleanse, Grocery Tours and Diet analysis

Meal Planning

How many of the following statements apply to you or someone you know:

• Do you lead a busy lifestyle and just don’t have the time to plan meals?
• Are you opting for take-out and restaurants more than you’d like?
• Does thinking about what to make for supper stress you out?
• Do you need some variety in your meals and snacks?
• Are you ready to make positive changes to your diet and lifestyle, but are unsure where to start?

If you want to feel healthier, have more energy, improve your digestion, lose weight or address a reoccurring or underlying health condition, We’re here to help. Let’s reduce some of your stress by saving you time and the effort to meal plan for your week.

After meeting for a 20-minute initial meal plan consultation and completion of a questionnaire to provide an overview of your dietary and lifestyle habits and to address any roadblocks to success, a one- or two-week meal plan will be created for you. Meal plans will focus on a balanced, whole foods diet, and your personalized meal plan will reflect your likes, dislikes and health goals as well as take into account any pre-existing medical conditions.

What’s included in your custom meal plan package:

• One personalized meal plan with recipes (including breakfast, lunch, supper and snacks)
• Full grocery list
• Tips and tools for success

Offered by Dr. Candace Haarsma who has a special focus in nutrition and has advanced training in nutrition receiving the designation of Culinary Nutrition Expert from the Academy of Culinary Nutrition.

Investment:

7 day meal plan- $150

14 day meal plan- $250

Kitchen Cleanse

• Do you wonder if the foods and ingredients in your kitchen are helping or hindering your health goals?
• Do you feel like you need more health guidance in your own kitchen pantry and fridge?
• Are you ready to transition to a whole foods household?
• Are you going gluten or dairy free?
• Do you or someone in your household have a food allergy or sensitivity that you need help navigating?

No matter what your health goals are, this service is designed to take out the guesswork. We will identify the items preventing you from reaching your optimal health and wellness—going through each item one by one, box by box and can by can. We will also help you understand why those items are undesirable and are hindering your goals, including label reading so you can feel confident when grocery shopping.

You will receive a personalized grocery list for your next grocery shopping trip containing healthful, nourishing alternatives and replacement items to re-stock your kitchen. Additionally, we will provide information and tips about food storage. By the end of the process, you will feel confident and empowered to make healthful choices about what food items and ingredients to bring into your home and stock your pantry with.

Includes:

• 90 minute in-home pantry and fridge assessment and makeover, following completion of a questionnaire identifying your goals and obstacles in the kitchen
• A kitchen cleanse re-stock shopping list
• Label reading and food storage tip sheets
• Three customized recipes considering your needs and preferences

Investment: $200 (locally in Edmonton)

For surrounding areas to Edmonton, please contact for pricing.

Offered by Dr. Candace Haarsma (mentioned above) and Dr. Lorraine McCarthy who is a Naturopathic Doctor who lives in a family with food intolerances. She is passionate about whole foods eating and living and has a keen focus on the role the environment plays in our food and health.

Grocery store tours:

Grocery shopping – love it or loathe it, it must be done. Often. However, with so many food choices available today, shopping is not simple, especially if you have optimal health in mind.

• Do you ever find yourself in a grocery aisle unsure of what item to put in your cart?
• Do you ever wonder if there is a healthier option than the one you are choosing?
• Do you ever feel confused reading the ingredient list or nutrition label?

Shopping doesn’t need to feel so confusing or intimidating. Helping people make healthy food choices is a passion of Naturopathic Doctors, so allow one of us to guide you. We will meet you at the grocery store to educate and empower you to shop for better health for you and your family. We can also help you navigate how to shop for a food sensitivity.

We will meet you at your preferred store. We will discuss:

• Tips for choosing healthy foods
• Which ingredients to avoid
• How to read nutrition labels
• Decoding ingredients
• Healthy snack and on-the-go options
• Organic foods which are the most important
• Natural and artificial sweeteners
• Which oils are best and why
• Alternatives for foods you may be avoiding– e.g. dairy, gluten, meat, grains
• Hidden sugars
• Meal planning tips

Relevant handouts will be provided at the tour. Tours are kept one-on-one or a maximum of two people so there is ample time to answer all the questions you have.

Tours last one hour. Personal tours are $175; a two-person tour is $200.

(Additional commuting charge may apply for surrounding areas.)

Please contact the clinic at 587-521-3595 to schedule your personal grocery tour with one of our amazing Naturopathic Doctors.

Diet analysis

Do you wonder if the food you are eating is meeting your nutritional requirements. We offer a dietary analysis which looks at the food you are eating from 3 perspectives: 1) a macronutrient persperctive 2) a micronutrient perspective and 3) an environmental perspective. Many holistic nutritionists only focus on the first two points, but Naturopathic doctors at the Natural Terrain Naturopathic Clinic have special training in all three areas – which helps to maximize your health!

Includes a personalized dietary outline of the your diet from the 3 perspectives mentioned above, as well as recipes and suggestions on how you can improve your health.

Investment: $75 (for existing patients only and patients are to provide a 3 day diet diary). Please discuss with your Naturopathic Doctor.

Please contact the clinic at 587-521-3595 to schedule any or all of our new services!!!

Is Adrenal Fatigue ruining your life?

Adrenal fatigue is largely the result of mental, physical and emotional stress – and it is an invisible epidemic. The most important thing that no one is telling you is that your exhaustion and lack of focus and mental clarity may very well be adrenal fatigue, a condition that is fast becoming an epidemic in this country, due to stress, poor nutrition and lifestyle.

The symptoms go far beyond just fatigue and can actually include difficulty falling asleep and insomnia (yes, you can have both), food and sugar cravings, the inability to control blood sugar, lack of mental clarity… this condition is brutally disruptive.

Even if a good night’s sleep is had, an individual with adrenal fatigue feels tired all or most of the time. The good news? It is also highly reversible with the right steps and solutions. In fact, what you don’t know about your adrenal system could literally change your life.

The Adrenal Reset Summit begins in just a few days, and I have been blown away by the list of event speakers and creative strategies that will be featured at this event. Here’s just a small sampling…

• Dr. Peter Osborne, Author of No Grain, No Pain
• Dr. Jack Wolfson, Author of The Paleo Cardiologist
• Dr. Izabella Wentz, Author of Hashimotos Thyroiditis
• Dr. Ben Lynch, Leading Researcher on MTFR (amino acids for growth and metabolism)
• Dr. Sara Ballantyne, Ph.D., AKA The Paleo Mom
• Dr. Aviva Romm, Physician, Herbalist and Midwife
• JJ Virgin, NY Times best selling author of The Virgin Diet
• Dr. Ritamarie Lascalzo, Founder of the Institute of Nutritional Endocrinology,
• Dr. Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN, NY, and Founder of Transforming Women’s Health Naturally
• Dr. Michael Murray, The Natural Medicine, Health & Nutrition Expert
• Trudy Scott, Nutritionist and food-mood expert

(And hosted by NY Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Alan Christianson)

What you don’t know about your adrenal system could literally change your life. Just add a little more energy to your life every day – and everything changes.

Click here to join me for “The Adrenal Reset Summit”

(AND get the cool opt-in gifts!).

https://uo178.isrefer.com/go/christinabjourndal/christinabjourndal/

Here’s to your best health and BEST life.

* Want to change lives AROUND YOU?

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Is your body a toxic wasteland? – Part 1

When comparing our modern-day lives with those of our grandparents, it is clear that our environment has changed greatly. Not just the natural world, but in our day-to-day lives as well. We are exponentially exposed to more chemicals, toxins, and different forms of radiation than the generations before us. At the same time chronic disease rates are soaring and researchers are making connections between what is in our environment and why we are getting sick. Environmental exposures are a serious concern not only for our world today, but for our health. You can take control of your health by paying attention to and limiting your personal environmental exposures.

Below is part one of a three-part series on environmental exposures and their solutions. The solutions are based on the questions posed in our Environmental quiz – please take the quiz today!

1. Problem: Full-sugar soft drinks and diet soft drinks

It is well recognized that sugary soft drinks are unhealthy for many reasons – they increase overall calorie intake, they create inflammation in the body and they disrupt proper insulin levels. All of this contributes to some of the most common chronic health problems of our time: obesity, autoimmunity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It is now also coming to our awareness that sugar-free ‘diet’ colas may be just as dangerous for our health. A large study in 2013 showed sugary and diet sodas both significantly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.⁷ Harvard Health concludes they also contribute to obesity by tricking the brain into thinking it’s not tasting sweet things, resulting in even higher cravings for sweet after drinking diet colas. Furthermore, it has been suggested and remains unclear if aspartame increases risk of cancer, urging researchers for more investigation.²

Solution: Cut down or eliminate full-sugar and diet soft drinks form your diet. Some new research suggests replacing these with drinks containing stevia or other sugar alcohols, such as xylitol. Although studies show that stevia does not raise insulin levels (a major risk for diabetes) as much as sugar, no long-term studies have been done on these sweeteners, and they have not been approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA).^{1, 14}

2. Problem: Plastic bottles and containers

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical present in most plastics and in the lining of canned foods. It is a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it interferes with the body’s hormones. It has been clearly linked with negative birth outcomes, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, increased risk of cancer, obesity and insulin resistance.^9,15,17 The most sensitive population to the negative effects of chemicals in plastics are pregnant women, children and infants. Phthalates are another similarly acting class of chemicals found in plastics.

Solution: Because plastics are used ubiquitously in today’s world the best solution is to reduce your exposure as much as possible. Use a stainless steel or glass water bottle, purchase products and canned food packaged with a BPA-free liner, use glass Tupperware or use activated charcoal filters for drinking water. This is an important topic to be discussed with your ND.

3. Problem: Storing hot food in plastic containers and/or heating food in plastic containers

When heated, plastics begin to break down. The harmful chemicals (discussed above) found in the plastic leach into food and liquids, increasing the harmful hormone-disrupting effect on your body. ^9,12

Solution: Use glass or lead-free ceramic containers to reheat food in the oven or heat food on the stove-top. Replace all plastic Tupperware with glass. Don’t let plastic wrap touch hot food. Avoid using a microwave as much as possible, but if you choose to use one, make sure all materials are microwave-safe and containers are vented before microwaving.

4. Problem: Non-stick frying pans

For decades, non-stick frying pans have been coated with polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE), otherwise known as Teflon. It has been shown that when heated, Teflon releases toxic fumes that can kills birds and cause humans to have flu-like symptoms, coining the term “Teflon flu”. Manufacturers claim this only occurs when Teflon is over-heated, but tests have shown that toxic fumes are released within 2-5 minutes of conventional stovetop use.⁶ Chemicals from the same family as Teflon are associated with smaller birth weight and size in newborn babies when pregnant women are exposed, elevated cholesterol, abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation and weakened immune defence against disease.

Solution: Skip the Teflon! There are much better alternatives. Cast iron pans for example, are not only non-toxic, but they even provide some of your daily iron. Stainless steel pans are also a preferable option. If you already have Teflon pans and want to know how to be safer when using them, be sure to use the fan in the fume hood, use the lowest possible temperature to cook your food, don’t heat empty pans as this can cause overheating very quickly and do not use your Teflon pan if it is scratched or damaged in any way.

5. Problem: Vitamin mineral water

These beverages are marketed as a healthy way to hydrate and get your vitamins, but many brands of vitamin-containing water are loaded with sugar. A bottle of the popular brand Vitaminwater, for example, contains 33g of sugar, almost as much as a can of Coca-Cola which has 38g.¹⁶ Other brands use sweeteners or fructose, which are known to disrupt sugar metabolism and alter blood sugar levels and contribute to diabetes and weight gain.⁸ The consensus is that these drinks confer no added benefit over water and only add calories and sugar to your diet.

Solution: Drink lots of filtered water to keep you from getting dehydrated. Splash some lemon or lime into it to get some flavour and vitamin C. Talk with your ND to discuss if your diet is giving you the vitamins you need or if you need individualized vitamin supplementation.

6. Problem: Microwave use

Microwaves emit a form of non-ionizing radiation (as opposed to x-rays) that vibrates water molecules to create heat. Although microwaves are under strict manufacturing regulation to minimize human exposure to this radiation, older and dirty microwaves and aging door seals can allow for large radiation leakage to reach us.¹⁸ Exposure from high leakage can cause DNA damage to our cells and even interfere with some early-model pacemakers. It is unclear whether the radiation changes the nutritional content or alters the safety of the food, unless it is being microwaved in a plastic container, in which case it is more dangerous.¹³

Solution: When possible, heat foods and liquids on the stove-top or in the oven. If using a microwave, check door seal for safety. Stand in another room when appliance is on, or at least 1.5 meters away. Make sure food containers are uncovered or vented to allow steam to escape and always avoid plastics in the microwave.

7. Problem: Cell phone use (>3hrs/day)

Computers and cell phones emit non-ionizing radiation into the body and cause DNA damage. A large meta-analysis of cell phone use shows a consistent association between mobile phone use and certain types of brain tumours – with the most amount of time per day using a cell phone correlated with the highest incidence of brain tumours.⁷ Another study shows the negative effect of radiation on the function of the thyroid gland, pointing to the broad impact of radiation on many tissues in the body.¹¹ When cell phones are used by children, the impact on the brain is two times higher and up to ten times higher in the bone marrow of the skull, compared with adults.⁴

Solution: Minimize use of a mobile phone for yourself and especially for your children. When possible, use a hands-free Bluetooth device to effectively reduce exposure. Don’t carry your cell phone in your pocket and leave it away from you on your desk. Take breaks from computer use and limit desk-time for many health reasons that go beyond limiting radiation. In addition, the stone shungite is purported to protect against radiation and can be worn as a necklace. Also available are electromagnetic frequency (EMF) neutralizers, such as the Bio-dot chips and pendants, designed to scramble non-ionizing radiation enough to reduce DNA damage. Please stop by the clinic to pick up your Bio-dot chip today!

Sources:

1. Anton, S. D., Martin, C. K., Han, H., Coulon, S., Cefalu, W. T., Geiselman, P., & Williamson, D. A. (2010). Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite, 55(1), 37-43.
2. Aune, D. (2012). Soft drinks, aspartame, and the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 96(6), 1249-1251.
3. https://authoritynutrition.com/5-reasons-why-vitaminwater-is-a-bad-idea/
4. Baan, R., Grosse, Y., Lauby-Secretan, B., El Ghissassi, F., Bouvard, V., Benbrahim-Tallaa, L., … & Straif, K. (2011). Carcinogenicity of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. The lancet oncology, 12(7), 624-626.
5. http://emwatch.com/microwave-oven-radiation/
6. Environmental Working Group 2013.http://www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-6-skip-non-stick-avoid-dangers-teflon
7. Fagherazzi, G., Vilier, A., Sartorelli, D. S., Lajous, M., Balkau, B., & Clavel-Chapelon, F. (2013). Consumption of artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages and incident type 2 diabetes in the Etude Epidémiologique auprès des femmes de la Mutuelle Générale de l’Education Nationale–European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 97(3), 517-523.
8. Hardell, L., Carlberg, M., Soderqvist, F., & Hansson Mild, K. (2008). Meta-analysis of long-term mobile phone use and the association with brain tumours. International journal of oncology,32(5), 1097-1104.
9. Harvard Health https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-drinks/artificial-sweeteners/
10. Harvard Health https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/magazine/winter10plastics/
11. Harvard Health http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/microwaving-food-in-plastic-dangerous-or-not
12. Mortazavi, S. M. J., Habib, A., Ganj-Karimi, A. H., Samimi-Doost, R., Pour-Abedi, A., & Babaie, A. (2015). Alterations in TSH and thyroid hormones following mobile phone use. Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences, 34(4), 299-300.
13. http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals
14. https://www.safespaceprotection.com/news-and-info/microwave-oven-dangers/
15. Shwide-Slavin, C., Swift, C., & Ross, T. (2012). Nonnutritive sweeteners: where are we today?.Diabetes Spectrum, 25(2), 104-110.
16. Soto, A. M., & Sonnenschein, C. (2010). Environmental causes of cancer: endocrine disruptors as carcinogens. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 6(7), 363-370.
17. http://www.sugarstacks.com/beverages.htm
18. Wang, T., Li, M., Chen, B., Xu, M., Xu, Y., Huang, Y., … & Liu, Y. (2011). Urinary bisphenol A (BPA) concentration associates with obesity and insulin resistance. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 97(2), E223-E227.
19. World Health Organization: Electromagetic fields and public health: microwave ovens. http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/info_microwaves/en/

“Remember you are going to be with you the longest. It is vital you get the relationship right with yourself first before seeking love from another” ~ Dr. Chris

I think it is important to start this article off with a disclaimer. There is a difference between religion and spirituality and for the purposes of this discussion, and in recognition that there are many religions in the world, I choose to honour and accept them all versus believing that one way is the only way. For me, what matters is that you are on a spiritual path but it is not my concern which road you are taking as all roads lead to the same place – that is my hope and what I choose to believe.

I wanted to share something that might be a little “out there” with you about one of my views about depression and mental illness. One view I have discussed in this book is modeled after the “western” or “scientific” view that mental illness is a biochemical imbalance in the brain and if you give the body what it needs – ie neurotransmitter balancing with pharmaceuticals or naturopathic methods (ie diet, supplements, botanical medicine) – you will improve the patients mental state. In my practice, I have seen this with every patient I treat that has an imbalance in the mental realm as there is no denying the physical and causal connection of neurotransmitters and one’s mood state.

On the other hand, my “out-there” view is mental illness is a way by which our spirit is trying to get our attention because some aspect of our life (be it school, our direction, job, a relationship) is not moving in concert with our spirit or divine plan. We are moving west and our spirit is trying to get us to go north. So by looking at ourselves and taking the time to be silent, talk to others, open up about what we are feeling etc, we can address the underlying root of depression, anxiety, addiction, bipolar disorder, eating disorders etc. Others believe that there is some underlying event that may have happened years ago (ie adoption, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, etc.) but I don’t think this is always the case. You don’t always need a reason to be depressed (hence the biochemical view).

Personally, I feel and have witnessed in my own life as well as the lives of my patients that there are four main areas that need to be addressed for healing: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Outlined below, is a discussion from the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine regarding the spiritual aspect of healing:

“in the process of healing we must first seek, then remove the cause. As the cause of illness is removed the natural tendency of the body is to improve function. The human being is not simply a physical entity. We have minds, we think. We have emotions, we feel and we translate these feelings into meaning. We are spiritual beings. Most of the early naturopathic writers, such as Lindlahr, Lust and Hahnemann, believed that illness began in the spiritual aspect of the person. I share this belief. Most of our education and therapeutic focus is on the physical aspect of the human being. It is crucial, in my opinion, that we direct more attention to the spiritual aspect. I believe we will see much more attention given to this area by our profession over the next few years. Causes of disease manifest in four groups or levels: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Of these four aspects, the spirit is the center; the next layer is the mental aspect of the person, then the emotions and the outermost layer is the physical. If there is a distortion on the spiritual level, it will create distortion through the system, like ripples from a stone thrown into a pond.

The knowledge of this spiritual aspect of reality is not well developed in our culture. We have no common language to discuss it. As a profession we acknowledge the existence of a spiritual aspect of the person, but do not teach a methodology to work with it. I believe that this is a peculiar phenomenon in our North American culture, with our freedom of religion (or freedom from religion). Our profession must develop a language with which to discuss the spiritual aspect of healing without reference to religion.

For now, it is incumbent upon us as naturopathic physicians to acknowledge and to work in our own ways to recognize and pursue healing in this aspect of our patients’ lives. We can discuss with patients the presence of peace and trust in their lives, their spiritual practice or absence of it and our perceptions of their health or happiness in these regards. This requires that we pursue our own personal spiritual development.

When a person refuses, or is unable to take those steps, which can lead to healing from a crippling or terminal illness, this may be primarily a spiritual issue. The extent to which we can successfully address this, and to which the person can accept change on a spiritual level, will determine whether healing can occur. Illness is a great teacher. Death is not defeat. It is neither our responsibility nor prerogative to prevent death or heal illness. It is our privilege and responsibility to work with the vis medicatrix and assist our patients in their healing process.”

It is my personal belief that a connection to a spirit, whatever your chosen practice is, is critical and vital to healing yourself and the current state of the planet. I define spirituality as believing in a power greater than yourself. Until my time is up on earth, I won’t know the answer to what happens to my soul. For many, the term “soul” or “spirit” is intangible or esoteric. I define your “soul” or “spirit” in you as your life form. When I studied anatomy, we dissected cadavers. The difference between you and a cadaver is life flow. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is referred to as “qi” (pronounced “chi”) or life energy. I hope you find resonance with the following ideas about your soul.

In 1994, I had a severe suicide attempt which left me in a coma with kidney failure. I was put on dialysis and told I would need a kidney transplant. After several weeks, lots of prayer and a moment of sincere surrender on my part, my kidneys made a recovery. My recovery from kidney failure was viewed as a miracle by my nephrologist given the amount of poison I consumed. I like to think it was as I had many people praying for me to make a complete physical recovery. I remember when I was recovering in the ICU, one of my friends asked me if I saw “white lights” and if I was sent back. As I was still in a state of recovery and I hadn’t had time to process what had happened, I just shook my head and the conversation moved on from there.

Now, over twenty years later, the answer I have for why that suicide attempt didn’t work when I think it should have is based on the concept of “soul contracts”. Basically, if I succumb to suicide in this lifetime, then my soul will not evolve spiritually. I first learned about the concept of soul contracts in Colin Tipping’s book called Radical Forgiveness and it is also illustrated beautifully in a children’s book by Neale Donald Walsch called The Little Soul and the Sun . I have come to understand the concept of soul contracts to mean that before we inhabit the human form our soul makes a contract with God about what our next life will be about – what our experiences will be, what challenges we will have to overcome, what we have come here to learn, who our parents will be, siblings, partners, children, etc. When we leave the spirit world to inhabit the body, we forget about the contract we made with God until we return back to the spirit world as a soul upon our death. Basically, the lessons we come to learn in this lifetime are agreed to in a soul conversation with God. The conversation we have with God as a soul might be along these lines:

• Soul: “God, in this lifetime I really want to learn how to forgive”
• God: “Are you certain? This means you will go through some painful experiences”
• Soul: “Yes, I am certain. I am ready!”
• God: “I don’t know. It may be hard – you may have to endure abuse, rape, death, trauma and betrayal”
• Soul: “I am okay with that as I trust in you, God. I really want to learn how to forgive on the deepest level”
• God: “So it will be”

I have mentioned one suicide attempt in this article, however, there have been other attempts and much too much energy on my part spent contemplating suicide. What shifts me from contemplation is recognizing that suicidal thoughts are the ultimate example of “stinking thinking” and being unkind to myself. By learning how to manage my mind with awareness of thoughts that no longer serve me and relaxing into the present minded awareness with my breath, I am able to break the thought emotion cycle that used to keep my spiraling further down the slippery slope into a suicidal state. Now, I am able to get outside of my head which gives a reprieve from these negative thought patterns. But before I learned how to do that, it was the single belief – that if I am to succumb to suicide in this lifetime that my soul will not evolve or graduate and I will have to endure this lesson over again – that has helped me stay here with you on the planet with you. My soul has come here to learn how to love myself, how to love others, how to live out a full life as God intended it and to not take my life. I believe that I probably did not survive suicide in a past life and if I die in this life by suicide then I may have to repeat this grade in soul school the next time around. If I die by suicide in my current life, I feel that my soul will not evolve or graduate when it comes to learning the lessons I’ve contracted with God to learn in this lifetime. For me, it is not about how much money I make, how successful I am as a naturopathic doctor or how decorated an athlete I was, it is about surviving mental illness and moving beyond the label into love and acceptance of myself and others. It is helpful to contemplate what the spiritual lessons might be for you in this lifetime. For me, the biggest spiritual lessons along the way have been acknowledging and accepting my shadow and core beliefs, forgiveness and letting go.

Ultimately, it is our feelings about ourselves and how we treat ourselves that is critical to our mental health and well-being. I ask every patient how they much they love themselves on a scale of 1 to 10 and it is rare for me to get a response over five. The most common response I get is “Now that is a tough question to answer”. This is the work we need to set about doing: accepting and loving ourselves. You are a gift to the world – a unique creation of God or the Universe – that is worthy of your love and acceptance. Recognize that. Feel that. Embody that. And give that love to yourself. Then give it others. Not acknowledging your strengths, gifts, accomplishments and achievements is a way of putting yourself down and keeping yourself small. The world wants to see your light. As Marianne Williamson writes in a Return to Love: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” If we learn to move through fear, self-doubt and criticism and learn to embrace love, then our true self can shine through.

The slow process of learning to love and accept myself started after that suicide attempt in 1994 when I read Marianne Williamson’s book “A Return to Love”. I have subsequently read many books on self-help and healing. Developing a spiritual practice has been the key to my recovery from mental illness and is an important element of healing that I bring into the clinical space with my patients. Spiritual practices are as a varied as people in the world. The main idea is to take a larger perspective of yourself and develop a daily practice of getting in touch with that which is greater than yourself.

Reference:

1. Journal of Naturopathic Medicine
2. Williamson, Marianne. A Return to Love.

Gary Chapman, a relationship counsellor, wrote a book called The 5 Love Languages. Here, he breaks down the ways that different people communicate with their significant other. These are true for romantic relationships as well as families and friendships. While we all typically speak to each of them during certain times, everyone seems to resonate with one or two especially. What is important to know is what the top languages are that you speak and what the top languages are that your partner speaks. For example, in my relationship, my #1 love language is acts of service and my last love language is physical touch. On the other hand, my husbands #1 love language is physical touch. So we have the opposite love languages. The key is you have to speak the others persons love language. And the problem is we tend to speak our love language to our partners. We have to learn to speak another language. What happened in our marriage is my husband started doing more things for me/acts of service and because of that I felt loved and become more affectionate because of it. It was miraculous for us. And so simple. If you aren’t already discussing this in your relationship, I hope you start to!

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words.  If this is your love language, unsolicited comments mean the world to you. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. Verbal compliments or words of appreciation are powerful communicators of love.

Quality Time

For this person, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. I don’t mean sitting on the couch watching television together. What I mean is taking a walk, just the two of you, or going out to eat and looking at each other while talking. A relationship calls for sympathetic listening with a view to understanding the other person’s desires.

Gifts

Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized about whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. There is also an intangible gift that can speak more loudly than something that can be held in one’s hand. Physical presence in the time of crisis is the most powerful gift you can give. Your body becomes the symbol of your love.

Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most wants to hear: “Let me do that for you.” People who speak this love language seek to please their partner by serving them; to express their loves for them by doing things for them.

Physical Touch

This language isn’t all about the bedroom. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face – they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care and love. Kissing, hugging, and sex – all of these are lifelines for the person whom physical touch is the primary love language. With it, they feel secure in their partner’s love. Sitting close to each other as you watch TV requires no additional time, but communicates your love loudly.

What’s your love language? How can you use these to foster compassion and growth in your relationships this Valentine’s Day, and every day? Take the quiz to discover your love language – it could save your relationship!