Blog Archives - Page 7 of 20

Healing is in the Feeling

When talking to my mom the other day, we were having a discussion about our family dynamics with particular reference to the current season of Christmas. This is often a time when emotions can be running higher than normal for many reasons: expectations, past hurts or disappointments, pressure to see and do too much in a short period of time, over indulgences in foods and drinks that we don’t normally consume outside our regular routines, etc. For me personally, Christmas was such a joyous time as a child. My parents did such a wonderful job at creating the magic of it all for my brother and I. I was always so excited for Christmas day and setting out the cookies for Santa and his reindeers. To this day, I find myself reminiscing about the traditions they created for my brother and I. From the “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree that my dad and brother would usually cut from our property or the forest, from me forcing the question of “Who is the Jesus character anyways and why is He so important?”, from the most scrumptious Christmas treats my mom would bake and the turkey feast we would eat, the meaningful decorations around the house, visiting with my family from both sides, and of course, waiting for Dad to have his morning coffee and something to eat before we could open any presents (and I should mention that I was usually up first, as the youngest member of the household and the rest of my family would tell me to go back to sleep until the more “reasonable” hour of 6 am).

When I was a teenager, I started to notice more things. My parents didn’t seem that happy in their relationship. My brother, who is 4 years older than me, seemed to be up to no good with his teenage antics and he served as a wonderful teacher to me as to what NOT to do when I was his age. Eventually, my brother went traveling when he was 19 to Australia for an indefinite period and my parents divorced that same fall – the year I entered another new school and started grade 11 at Senior High School (1983). And from 1983 until 1990, Christmas was really not much fun anymore for me. I felt torn between my dad and mom, I felt obligated to make Christmas a “joyous” time for my mom and I wanted everyone to get along.

Over time, my mom shared with me why Christmas was such a hard time for her. She grew up in an alcoholic home, with a father that drank away the income he earned and a mother that had to sneak out of the house to get a job to feed her children. She looked after her younger brother because of this and did most of the household chores so that her father would not take his anger out on them anymore. It is completely understandable why she has bad memories and equally understandable why she sought a better experience for her own children when they were young. Interestingly enough, my grandfather died in December 1967, six months after I was born and my parents adopted me, in a drunk driving accident at the age of 50. Thankfully, only he died and only the telephone pole and vehicle were the collateral carnage in the wreck. Emotionally, my mother was able to relax a little knowing the worry of her fathers antics were finally over and the healing of the first 21 years of her life could finally begin.
And, at the age of 66, she is still healing. As she said to me the other day on the phone, “I don’t get it, I keep busy, I keep on doing things and then out of the blue, the feelings just whelm up inside of me and the tears start flowing. I know where it stems from – my dad, and now your brother”. My response to her was this: “Mom, the wound from the memory of your dad is so deep that it cuts to the center of your being. The healing comes when you fully stop, let all the tears flow and on the other side, you will find joy. The reason you keep so busy is to avoid feeling. God forbid any of us should stop and truly feel the pain of life. The healing is in the feeling.

It takes time, sometimes it takes a lifetime, but you only have this one life to live – so it is your choice, keep on doing and running. Or STOP and feel it – all of it. Let the tears flow like a stream, river, lake, ocean, fountain or tsunami and trust in the healing process. Trust me, eventually you will feel better and the tears will stop flowing. Right now, it is like you have a dam or wall of protection built up inside you from the experience of your first 25 years on the planet. You don’t have to defend yourself anymore and you can release that pain for good. Visualize all the pain that these two have caused you like a sack of rocks that you have been carrying over your shoulders for 66 years. It is pretty heavy. Now, imagine setting that sack down, walking away and notice the lightness you are able to feel in your being when you sigh a deep breath of relief – just one breath – from letting go. Now is the time to let go of Grandpa and of my brother, Greg. May you finally have peace this Christmas, even if I am not there to hug you”.

And the best part of this story, my mom is taking my 3 year old step-niece to the neighborhood church in their Swedish town this Christmas to introduce her to the music and the true meaning of this season.

Peace and good will to all
May everyone create meaningful memories and traditions this Holiday season.

Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND Leader in Optimizing Health

Environmental Toxins – Do You Know Your Body’s Levels?

What does your Teflon frying pan, microwave popcorn, pizza box and lipstick have in common? How about a receipt from the store, a can of tuna and a plastic water bottle? Let’s not forget that cute rubber duck in the bathtub, anti-bacterial hand soap near the sink, Colgate Total toothpaste and the deodorant in the bathroom cabinet. The answer is chemicals – namely perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), bisphenol-A (BPA), mercury, triclosan and phthalates. According to the Canadian authors of “Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects our Health” – this is a bad news story with a positive outcome.

The bad news is that our bodies are affected on a daily basis by chemicals from environmental pollutants, medications, contaminants in our water supply, pesticides, hormones in our food supply, cooking utensils, pots and pans (Teflon and plastic), cosmetic products, alcohol, children’s toys, canned foods and the list goes on. The cumulative effect of these chemicals can contribute to a wide variety of health concerns, such as: reproductive problems, hormone imbalances, breast cancer, testicular cancer, fatigue, immune dysfunction, asthma, birth defects, liver damage, attention deficit disorder and dementia – to name a few.

Some of the chemicals mentioned above have a short life in the body and others are persistent which is a problem not only for you as an individual, but also for the planet. However, it is not a doom and gloom story. As the toxic load in our bodies continues to increase, detoxification is critical to maintain optimal health. The first steps include:
1) understanding your body’s natural detoxification processes
2) learning what factors in our everyday lives disrupt this process and
3) taking the necessary steps to get back on track. This includes a carefully designed nutritional detoxification program that is supported by research and science.

Keep in mind that your body’s ability to detoxify may be impaired by factors such as: prescription medications, constipation, poor kidney health, insufficient detoxifying enzymes, poor liver health and/or inadequate nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the liver and other detoxification systems need to perform effectively. At our clinic, we offer an Environmental Pollutants test which measures the level of parabens, phthalates, and volatile solvents in the body. Then based on the results to various pollutants, a treatment program is customized for each patient which supports the organs of detoxification (ie liver, kidneys, colon, lungs and skin). We also recommend the following simple steps to protect your family:

1. Read ingredients on products, as phthalates often are not listed; however, the word “Fragrance” or “Parfum” near the end of the ingredient list is your clue that the product contains phthalates.

2. Unplug air fresheners as many contain phthalates. Baking soda is a natural alternative that can be used to absorb bad odors.

3. Visit ecocenter.org to check out ingredients in the toys you own or want to purchase to ensure they are not harmful for your children.

4. Avoid too much fast food – hamburger, pizza or microwavable popcorn packaging may be coated with PFCs (perfluorinated compounds).

5. BPA leaches from containers into the contents and we end up consuming it. Containers do not need to be heated for this to occur. Switch to glass or stainless steel containers where possible. Do not microwave your leftovers in polycarbonate or plastic containers – use glass containers instead. Do not use a plastic lid cover in the microwave to prevent food from spraying. Better yet, don’t use a microwave.

6. Change cookware from Teflon (especially if its scratched) to stainless steel or cast-iron and change plastic cooking spoons and spatulas to wood or metal.

7. Buy flaked, skipjack or chunk light tuna instead of solid white (albacore) tuna, which has the highest amounts of mercury. Check out the US Natural Resources Defense Council tuna calculator to see how the fish you are eating affects your mercury levels. King mackerel, shark, swordfish and tilefish also contain high amounts of mercury so avoid these as well.

For more information see:
http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/fishshellfish/outreach/advice_index.cfm

8. Avoid products labeled “antibacterial” that contain triclosan (ie Microban, Biofresh, Lexol 300). Wash your hands the “old fashioned” way, with a good 30-second lather of soap and water. Colgate Total toothpaste also contains triclosan.

9. Check out www.cosmeticdatabase.com to find out what’s in your cosmetic products. If your products rate greater than 5 out of 10 on the toxicity scale, find healthy alternatives by visiting a health food store.

10. When puzzling over the small recycling numbers on the bottom of plastic containers, remember this pneumonic: 4, 5, 1 and 2; all the rest are bad for you.

11. Use cloth bags instead of plastic bags for shopping.

12. Encourage politicians to introduce legislation to phase out PFCs from food wrapper and other consumer products, to legislate for better control of triclosan, and to demand non-toxic toys for your children.

13. Refer to the Environmental Working Groups dirty dozen and clean 15 lists to see which vegetables and fruit contain the most and least amount of pesticides (www.ewg.org)

14. Get your levels of chemicals tested – Naturopathic Clinics can run an Environmental Pollutants Panel – ask your Naturopathic doctor if you need to be tested.

Earth Day and Detoxification

With the 51st anniversary of Earth Day just around the corner, we encourage you to make a positive change for your health and the environment. Here are a few tips for you:

1. Review the “dirty dozen” list (see below)– which is a list of the fruits and vegetables with the most pesticides – and commit to purchasing them organic. We know it is more expensive, however, you are what you eat, absorb and don’t excrete, right!?

2. Dispose of cosmetic and personal hygiene products that contain: chlorinated pesticides, heavy metals, PCBs and solvents. Visit the Environmental Working Groups cosmetic database to see how your cosmetics rate environmentally. Click Here to see the database.

3. Get moving! Dust off your bike or lace up your walking shoes and instead of driving to the store for a few groceries, walk or ride! Every trip where you do not turn on your ignition saves the environment by reducing emissions. And remember, no one wins when you idle your vehicle – not your pocketbook, not your children having to breathe in more pollutants and especially not the environment.

4. Stop buying water from the grocery store: watch The Story of Bottled Water and remember that a home filtration system and Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottles are great steps to take for the environment, your health and pocket book (in the long run).

5. We encourage patients to read “Clean, Green and Lean – Get Rid of Toxins that Make you Fat” – by Naturopathic colleague Dr. Walter Crinnion. Remember to take the environmental toxin quiz to find out the level of toxins in your body. If you are exposed to lots of toxins, book an appointment with Dr. Mason-Wood ND who can help you detoxify your body.

6. Along the detoxification theme, we are pleased to promote our colleague, Dr. Carol Morley’s ND new book titled: “Delicious Detox” – a cookbook to help you through the detoxification process”. Click here to buy the book. Congrats Carol!!

7. Participate in an event on Earth Day! For ideas to create your own event in your community check out https://earthday.ca/!

DIRTY “DOZEN” LIST:

PRODUCTS WITH HIGHEST LEVELS OF PESTICIDES
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Cherries
8. Peaches
9. Pears
10. Bell and Hot Peppers
11. Celery
12. Tomatoes

CLEAN FIFTEEN LIST:

PRODUCTS WITH LOWEST LEVELS OF
PESTICIDES

Avocados
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplant
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kiwi
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Honeydew Melon
Cantaloupe

Guidelines for Eating a Healthy Diet by Dr. Chris, ND

Diet is the foundation of health! You are what you eat, what you absorb and what you don’t excrete. Profitability drives our society and it, not your nutritional health, is the key motivating force behind the food industry. Many high-sugar, high salt, and high-fat foods are intensely marketed and often, the advertising influence of companies impacts our diet and health more than information from health professionals. As food technology has continued to advance, shelf life has replaced health life. Technological developments have provided benefits, but most often I find the time-saving, mass processing of food is not in the best interest of nutrition.

Many diets consist of a high intake of red meat, saturated fat, sodium and alcohol; such a diet provides less nutrition per calorie consumed than does a wholesome diet of natural foods. The decreased consumption of vegetables and complex carbohydrates means a lower intake of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Research has linked many well known diseases (i.e. obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer, behavioural problems, mental health issues) with poor diet. Perhaps you don’t consider yourself as being at risk for developing a serious disease, yet you experience the following symptoms: fatigue, headaches, mood swings, indigestion, constipation, skin problems, menstrual discomfort and weight problems. These symptoms not only interfere with your ability to fully enjoy life, they are early warning signs for future problems. Eating a healthy diet can improve these complaints, as well as, protect you against serious disease. The following effects are experienced when you make a consistent effort to eat well: more energy, decreased cravings, better digestion, improved concentration, increased ability to handle stress, glowing hair, skin and nails and painless menstrual periods. Prevention is the best medicine and as Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said: “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food”.

When it comes to food and eating right, I find many people are unclear about how to read food labels and what “types” of food to eat. Here is what I explain to my patients:

There are three macromolecules: fat, protein and carbohydrates. All three are important to our well-being.
Each macromolecule can be divided into two “micro-molecule” categories:
- fat = saturated “bad” fat and polyunsaturated “good” or “essential” fat
- protein = non-essential and essential amino acids
- carbohydrates = refined and complex carbohydrates
The idea is to eat more of the essential fats and proteins, as well as complex carbohydrates and limit the “bad” foods. We need to do this because our body cannot make these essential foods. That is why they are “essential” and we must get them from our diets or nature. The easiest way to do this is to shop only around the perimeter of the grocery store. Or if you must go up and down the aisles, choose boxed, canned or processed foods with 5 or less ingredients. When you are reading ingredients, start from the bottom of the list and read backwards. If there are many fancy words that you have never heard of – this should be your first warning sign that maybe this food isn’t such a good idea. You want your food to fuel you and satisfy your hunger, not burden your organs of detoxification and fill up your fat cells. It is also very important to chew your food thoroughly. I am finding that in our “fast food nation” many people forget that the digestive process actually starts in the kitchen with the sense of smell when we are cooking our food. This sense of smell triggers our brain and sends the message to our stomach that food is coming. The stomach, in turn, starts secreting all the digestive enzymes we need to adequately process our food so that it can be broken down into micronutrients or “fuel” that our body needs to survive.
The next challenge for patients is really a simple math equation. Food is measured in calories, but listed on labels as calories per gram. So, for the three macronutrients, you need to remember two numbers: 9 calories/gram for fats and 4 calories/gram for protein and carbohydrates. The problem with nutrition labels is that they list total calories as a percentage of daily value, but many of us have a different “daily value”.
My daily value for the three food groups is a balance of 30% complex carbohydrates, 30 % protein (ensuring more essential proteins) and 30% essential polyunsaturated fat (primarily omega 3) and the rest of my daily calories comes from “fun” foods. What this means is that if you want to eat an energy bar and the label reads as follows:

Total calories: 243 calories per 55g serving.
Label	Actual Calories Consumed	Food Nutrients
Fat 11 grams – sat fat 1.5 g – trans fat 0 g	11 grams of fat X 9 calories/gram = 99 calories from fat (most of this fat is the “good” or essential fat. This is a good thing.)	99 calories/243 total calories = 40.7%
Carbs 29 g – Fibre 2 g – Sugars 14 g	29 grams of carbs X 4 calories/gram = 116 calories from carbs	116 calories/243 total calories = 47.7%
Protein 7 g	7 grams of protein X 4 calories/gram = 28 calories	28 calories/243 total calories = 11.6%
		Total calories99+116+28=243=100%

The questions you have to ask yourself are: 1) Does this food choice fit into my overall eating objective? and 2) Will this food choice help me reach my goal? Even though this energy bar does not break down into the perfect ratio of 30-30-30, it meets my other food criteria: high in essential fats, high in complex carbohydrates, ingredients I understand and most importantly – I like this energy bar! In summary, my top seven tips for feeding your body what it needs includes the following:

Eat a good breakfast and don’t skip meals: It is important to have a small amount of protein (nuts, eggs, and yogurt) and a variety of fruit and hearty whole grains for breakfast in order to carry you through until lunch time. If you skip a meal, you increase the likelihood that you will be excessively hungry later in the day and more likely to eat too much of the “wrong” type of food.
Eat slowly: take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal as it takes this long for your stomach to send the “full” message to your brain. By rushing your meals, you can eat too much before you realize you are satisfied.
Shop smart: Nutritious foods are found around the perimeter of grocery stores, not in boxes in the food aisles. Do not go shopping when you are hungry and avoid buying obvious high-fat junk foods. Learn to read labels and do not buy items that have the following words listed as ingredients: refined, sugar, glucose, sucrose, hydrogenated, high fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohols (sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol) and artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame, Nutrasweet, Equal).
Prepare for times of weakness: recognize times or events that signal you to eat, such as an argument, hard day at work, talking on the phone, watching TV, being bored. Plan activities that don’t involve food for these times, such as exercising, taking a long bath or reading a good book.
Be your own best friend: if your friend makes a mistake, you don’t call them a failure or tell them to give up. If you stray from your eating plan, don’t be hard on yourself. Treat each lapse as temporary, not a sign of failure. Simply resume your program and don’t look back.
Drink plenty of water (filtered with minerals remaining): water flushes toxins from your body and helps keep your appetite under control
Exercise: You put on weight if your daily caloric consumption exceeds your caloric expenditure. By exercising, we influence an important part of the weight formula – so let’s get moving!!!

I Have a Leaky What? Leaky Gut Explained

Think, for a moment, of the intestinal lining in your digestive tract as a tile floor. For a tile floor to not leak, we put grout between the tiles. When the grout is damaged, the floor leaks.

The same goes for your intestinal lining. The space between the cells (called Tight Junctions) is like grout, ensuring that undigested food does not make it into your body.

Food must be digested all the way down to the most simple substances (glucose, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, phospholipids) in order to be transported across the cell wall, through the cell, back out the other side, then through the space between the intestinal lining and the blood vessels, and finally into the blood stream.

When the “grout” in the intestinal lining is damaged (due to stress, antibiotics, yeast or candida, gluten, to name a few causes), then partially digested food can get between the cells into the area where your immune system is “on guard” waiting to attack “foreign substances.” Stress reduces our ability to digest food as digestion is a parasympathetic nervous system function.

This is where IgG food intolerances develop. This is how we develop an IgG food intolerances. You have five immunoglobulins (Ig) at your defence: IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgD. For example, an IgE immune reaction is when you have an anaphylactic or life threatening allergic response (ie eat a peanut and you feel your throat closing). With food intolerances, IgG is mounted. In an IgG reaction, the IgG antibodies attach themselves to the food antigen and create an antibody-antigen complex1. These complexes are normally removed by special immune cells called macrophages. However, if they are present in large numbers and the reactive food is still being consumed, the macrophages can’t keep up. The food antigen-antibody complexes accumulate and are deposited in body tissues. Once in the tissue and the immune system is activated, it sends inflammatory signals throughout the body which play a role in numerous diseases and conditions. This is why symptoms of food intolerances and leaky gut can appear anywhere, not just in the digestive tract

Just as a drop of ink discolors an entire gallon of water, one exposure to an intolerant food can cause severe symptoms (usually within 1-4 days) after consumption. But not only that – the exposure becomes an additional stress on the body which perpetuates the susceptibility to illness. It makes sense that the immune system reacts to the foods that are coming through – which is often the foods that you regularly eat. In treatment, the priority is to heal the leaky gut, not just to avoid the foods that are triggering the reaction.

How do you know if you have leaky gut?

There are tests available that specifically measure whether substances that don’t usually traverse the intestinal lining, are getting through. The most common way to identify this is by doing an IgG food intolerance panel. Based on the number and severity of IgG reactions, as well as the types of foods that show as reactive (wheat, for example), we can determine that leaky gut exists.

How to heal leaky gut?

The treatment we suggest at our clinic is a five step process called “The 5 R’s” – 1. Remove the offending foods 2. Repair the GI tract 3. Reinoculate the digestive tract with good bacteria 4. Reintroduce the foods you initially reacted to. 5. Treat the Liver. Avoiding the foods that the immune system is attacking is the first step to healing leaky gut because it helps to reduce inflammation and to prevent the perpetuation of leaky gut.

The single best thing you could do to address the underlying cause is to avoid gluten because it directly causes leaky gut by disrupting the “grout” (by stimulating a substance called zonulin). Taking digestive enzymes and probiotics (and hydrochloric acid when needed) helps to ensure that all food is fully digested by the time it gets to the intestines.

It is also important to address intestinal yeast or candida overgrowth, heavy metal toxicity, and infection anywhere in the body (Lyme, Mono, tooth infection, etc) when it is present.

The second step in addressing leaky gut is to take nutrients and herbs that have been shown to heal it. These include, but are not limited to, L-glutamine, N-acetyl glucosamine, zinc, berberine, herbal licorice (Glycyrrhiza), quercetin and aloe vera leaf extract.
What is the impact of leaky gut?
While leaky gut (also known as Intestinal Permeability) is established in the medical community, and significant research on the subject is coming out every year, it is not often addressed in conventional medical care. Meanwhile, it is a major underlying cause of illnesses of all sorts, in every system of the body. From chronic fatigue, sinusitis, and interstitial cystitis, to anxiety, depression, hypothyroidism, autoimmunity (of all types) and cancer, leaky gut is both an originator of illness and a result of illness.

Stress and the adrenal response (cortisol and adrenaline) are both a result of leaky gut and a cause of leaky gut, due to suppression of digestion, immunity and hormone function. Supporting and rebalancing adrenal function is an important part of healing leaky gut.

How long does it take to heal?

Putting a stop to this snowball effect and vicious cycle associated with leaky gut is not done overnight. It requires diligence, consistency and changes both in diet and lifestyle over months to years.

The good news is that it is possible to heal. I’ve seen it in practice. Patients report a gradual decrease in symptoms over 1 to 12 months.

Overall, healing leaky gut is a TOP priority for achieving optimal health, which I am here to help you accomplish!

Reference:

http://rmalab.com/medical-laboratory-tests/allergy/igg-sensitivity

Mind Body Spirit – Give Yourself the Gift of Health

The reason I became a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) is simple: I was sick and tired of being tired and sick. I had a high profile job reporting to a high profile CEO in the investment management industry and had been diagnosed with several health challenges: cancer, depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure due to stress. In addition, I was recovering from an eating disorder and an addiction to exercise given my talent as a track competitor at the National level and Ironman triathlete background.

I was used to the “traditional” medical model – go to your MD, get referred to specialist A, B, C or D and stay in the “system”. After 15 years of being in “the system” and not getting satisfactory results, I conceded to my friends requests and agreed that there MUST be another way to address all my health problems – including my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states. I started seeing an ND in 1996, after waiting 2 years to get an appointment. And, I have not looked back. I even made an extremely difficult choice when I was 33 years of age and passed up an incredible job opportunity after asking myself one question: “If money didn’t matter, what would I be doing with my life, career-wise?” The answer came immediately to me: Become a Naturopathic Doctor and help people recover from the same illnesses you have dealt with using a balanced approach that involves more than simply suppressing symptoms with pharmaceuticals.

This issue of Connect is about your Mind, Body and Spirit – to date, Naturopathic Medicine is the only medical model that I know of, that addresses all these aspects in an individual. Naturopathic medicine refers to a distinct system of primary healthcare that uses natural methods and substances to support and stimulate the body’s inherent self-healing process. It is a system of medicine that is based on prevention and promotes the optimum health and wellness of individuals by taking into account the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of one’s life when diagnosing and developing a treatment plan.

Naturopathic doctors view individuals as an integral whole where symptoms are seen as warning signals of improper functioning or imbalances in the body and with one’s environment. The objective of Naturopathic medicine is to address the root or underlying cause of disease, rather than to simply treat or suppress symptoms and we work as leaders on your health care team, in conjunction with medical doctors and specialists, for your benefit. Give yourself the most important gift of a lifetime – the gift of health. Consult with a Naturopathic doctor today to optimize your health – do it for yourself, your family and perform better at work as a positive side effect!

Naturopathic Guidelines for Depression & Anxiety

Statistics report that 1 in 4 people experience depression or anxiety in their lifetime. The good news is that it is a very treatable condition. The naturopathic approach to depression and anxiety focuses on identifying and treating the cause using a combination of dietary, lifestyle and herbal/supplement recommendations, as well as cognitive-behavioural therapy.

Nowadays, the terms “depression” and “anxiety” are used loosely so both internal and external imbalances can be the cause. By internal influences I am referring to an imbalance in brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that leads to distorted moods, thinking, and behaviour. That is why a person who seemingly has everything going for them with no apparent reason to be depressed or anxious can be.

There are many alternatives to treating depression and anxiety. Our diet has a significant influence on our brain’s behaviour. A poor diet, especially one high in junk food, is often a contributing factor.

The levels of neurotransmitters in our brain are controlled by what we eat. One very important neurotransmitter is serotonin – serotonin plays a role in mood, sleep, and appetite. Low levels of serotonin may result from diets too high in simple sugars/ carbohydrates (e.g., white sugar, white flour, sweets, and processed foods) and lead to depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

Diets high in complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, help to increase serotonin and elevate mood. In general, eat a diet that is high in raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains (e.g., brown rice, oats, and millet), raw unsalted nuts and seeds, and legumes (e.g., chick peas, kidney beans, peas, lentils). Such a diet will ensure adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates to increase and balance serotonin levels in the brain.

One of the Seven Levels of Depression

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 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 of dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA, epinephrine, serotonin (via antidepressants and other drugs (pharmaceutical route) or niacin/folic acid/B6/tryptophan/EFA therapy (orthomolecular route)) – 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 depression 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, 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 ten levels of healing as I discuss in my book: Beyond the Label: 10 Steps to Improve your Mental Health with Naturopathic Medicine.

Outlined below, is a discussion from the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine
regarding one of these levels 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 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.

If one continually throws garbage out the kitchen window, there will eventually be flies to contend with. One can deal with the flies by spraying poison on them, and even spray the garbage pile itself. This is like using antibiotics or antidepressants. Or, one can clean up the garbage. Not only will the flies go away, but the kitchen will smell better. This is the naturopathic approach. Clean up the garbage. If you do, the flies won’t come back when the poison wears off. And the flies won’t build up a resistance to poison either.”

Orthomolecular Medicine Explained

Interview with Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Orthomolecular Medicine can be an effective treatment for mental and emotional health issues such as depression and anxiety – especially if they’re caused by hormonal or chemical imbalances in the body. This alternative healing therapy restores the optimum environment of the body by correcting imbalances or deficiencies in an individual’s biochemistry.

Here, naturopathic physician Dr. Christina Bjorndal, ND describes what Orthomolecular Medicine is, how it can effectively treat depression and other emotional health issues, and the impact it can have on mental health and well-being.

What is Orthomolecular Medicine?

By treating the “root” cause of physical or emotional health issues, Orthomolecular Medicine stabilizes the underlying nutritional/biochemical imbalances in the body. Natural substances, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, trace elements and fatty acids, are prescribed to restore optimal health and treat the hormonal or biochemical imbalances that can lead to depressed or anxious feelings.

“There are many levels to healing,” says Dr. Bjorndal, ND. “Orthomolecular Medicine works on a physical level, like pharmaceuticals. It’s a great, natural alternative to standard drug therapy for conditions in the mental realm, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.”

Getting help for depressed or anxious feelings can involve trying different types of treatments for depression, both conventional and alternative. The more individuals know about the ways to manage depression, the easier it may be to find the right treatment.

How This Natural Therapy Helps Treat Depression

Orthomolecular Medicine doesn’t just effectively manage feelings of depression, sadness, or anxiety. It can help with a wide variety of mental and emotional health issues. “I’ve incorporated Orthomolecular Medicine to successfully treat the following mental health conditions: depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder types I and II, eating disorders and insomnia,” says Dr. Bjorndal, ND. “For instance, I saw a 32-year-old male patient last summer who had suffered from depression for 15 years. After starting the Orthomolecular protocol, along with my counseling, his depression lifted within three months of treatment. He experienced his first ‘depression free’ Christmas in many years.”

Dr. Bjorndal, ND explains that nutritional biochemistry is a significant scientific factor in mental health issues. With regard to depression, serotonin is the “feel good” neurotransmitter, made naturally in the body from tryptophan, which many antidepressants seek to increase. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the human body can not manufacture itself; if individuals are deficient in that amino acid, they’ll also be deficient in serotonin.

“This is the basic science of how Orthomolecular Medicine can help with depression, and patients understand it,” says Dr. Bjorndal, ND. “Many people are tired of the side effects of antidepressants or other medications, and want a natural alternative that deals with the root of their depression or anxiety. They are tired of taking a drug that masks the symptoms but does nothing to change their underlying mental and behavioral states.”

Orthomolecular Medicine Also Incorporates Therapy or Counseling

Since physical and emotional health issues such as depression, bipolar, and anxiety are often multifactorial (more than one root cause), it’s important to address the behavioral, mental, emotional and spiritual levels of healing. Dr. Bjorndal, ND uses specific counseling techniques, such as Gestalt Psychotherapy, Compassion-Focused Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, to help people with mental or emotional health issues.

“This way,” she says, “optimal health is not only achievable, but maintained because people learn to change their underlying thought processes.” Effectively treating depressed or anxious feelings — or any emotional or mental health issues — can involve trial-and-error. For more information about managing anxious or sad feelings without taking antidepressants or other medications, read Natural Treatments for Depression.

The Sugar Roller Coaster

Do you find that you can’t get through the day without that sugary snack? You may be one of many people who are “addicted” to sugar. Signs of sugar addiction include irritability, headaches, mood swings and insomnia. Sugar addiction is, in part, a by-product of sugar’s purity – the body is not suited to accommodate this level of refinement. Simple sugars – found in white table sugar, corn syrup, fructose, honey, white flour or any other super-refined carbohydrate- are refined to the point that digestion is practically superfluous.

When you consume simple sugars, they are passed quickly into the bloodstream. Blood sugar levels skyrocket, and you experience a lift in energy. But that feeling of increased energy and mental alertness is temporary. As most of us can confirm, sugar highs lead to sugar crashes. And when that buzz wears off, the body cries out for more sugar. This dangerous blood sugar roller-coaster ride sets people up for future health problems, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Simply providing the body with more sugar does not address the root problem.

Some of the underlying causes for sugar cravings include: low endorphin levels, hypoglycemia, endocrine imbalances, candida overgrowth and nutritional deficiencies. In addition, sugar is also an antidepressant of sorts. Consumption of sugar triggers the release of the brain chemical serotonin, which elevates mood and alleviates depression. Sugar cravings are often a misguided attempt by the body to increase serotonin levels in the system and thus elevate mood. The good news is that there are many other foods that increase serotonin levels without setting you up for long term health consequences like sugar.
Withdrawing gradually from sugar is recommended as quitting cold turkey can lead to restlessness, nervousness, headaches and depression. A first step to get off the blood sugar roller coaster is to increase the amount of complex carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains and legumes) and protein in your diet – these take longer to digest and lead to a steady increase in blood sugar levels that decline gradually over time. Contact your Naturopathic Doctor to customize a nutritional plan for you today – visit www.cand.ca to find a practitioner near you.