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In this issue: How to protect your skin, a hot-flash case study, dairy-free ice cream and more....
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WOOOO HOOOOOO! June brings with it the first day of summer and we're all so happy to see it after a long and very cold winter.
Many of us are just dying to get our feet in sandals and our bodies in shorts and tank tops. That warm kiss of the sun is simply heaven.
It's also a great source of Vitamin D. The trick, though, is that getting vitamin D nature’s way is a balancing job. Too much solar radiation exposure sets us up for burns and increases cancer risk. What to do? Here are three tips.
- Eat LOTS of antioxidants. Managing the oxidative stress on your skin from the sun is very important. Eat good fats, and lots of fruit and vegetables--the fresher and more seasonal the better.
- Manage your exposure. Seek out shade and cover up with clothes when appropriate.
- Use a sunscreen when you're going to be in direct sun for longer than 20-30 minutes (depending on skin type). Try the EWG guide to sunscreen to make sure the one you're using is as non-toxic as possible. (We love the Green Beaver products – Canada’s equivalent of “Badger†products that are reviewed on the EWG site.)
Enjoy the sun!
- The StoneTree team
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Jacquie's "Blow Your Doors Off" Granola
Dr. Tara tried this absolutely wonderful granola made by a good friend and she was more then happy to pass on the love (Thanks Jacquie). It's gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free. ENJOY!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup chia
- 3 cups almonds (or 2 cups slivered/chopped almonds plus 1 cup almond meal)
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder
- cinnamon to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pulse 3 cups whole almonds in blender until partially chopped (omit if using slivered/chopped plus almond meal).
- In large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- In separate bowl/measuring cup combine all other ingredients. Mix into dry ingredients and stir.
- Spread mixture onto parchment.
- Bake in oven for ~40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned all through.
- Remove and let cool. (It gets crunchier as it cools).
Need more help with your nutrition? You can book an appointment with our resident nutritionist by calling the clinic 705-444-5331.
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Case Study: Severe Hot Flashes
Dr. Shelby had a 53-year old woman arrive at the clinic a few months ago who was plagued with severe and frequent hot flashes. Every hour, she’d experience a burning hot flash from her chest to her head that lasted a full minute and caused her to break out in a sweat.
Breaking out in a hot sweat every single hour of the day? That's disruptive and uncomfortable to say the least.
The Conventional vs. Naturopathic Perspective
The conventional medicine approach to this is to treat hot flashes as an unavoidable part of the menopause package. The treatment is either to take hormone replacement therapy, or to simply tolerate the symptoms.
Naturopaths see things differently.
As you age, your reproductive hormone levels change. It's normal. During perimenopause, those levels are in flux. Naturopathic doctors see discomfort during menopause as a sign that you're not finding your new hormone balance.
Diagnosis
But why the discomfort? After all, some women breeze through menopause symptom-free.
There are a few common culprits. In this case, Dr. Shelby suspected a liver that wasn't doing its job of clearing/detoxifying hormones, as well as excessive inflammation from food and imbalanced stress (adrenal) hormones.
Treatment Plan
To tackle those problems, the treatment plan used multiple approaches.
- Cut out the aggravators, including coffee and red wine, which made her symptoms particularly bad.
- Improve hydration to reduce body stress and support liver function.
- Look for other problem foods using food intolerance testing.
- Support hormone regulation and adrenal glands using supplementation.
What Happened
Within a few weeks we'd cut the frequency and intensity of the hot flashes in half. When the test results came in, we also discovered additional food intolerances, and were able to adjust her diet to compensate further.
A few weeks later there were only a handful of mild hot flashes per day, lasting a quarter of the time. Over time, we'll be able to reduce them further, and hopefully reintroduce some of those aggravating foods. Even the coffee!
Of course, every treatment has its side effects--in this case, there was reduced bloating and constipation, and people began to notice her looser clothes and whiter teeth! :)
Do you need help with hormone imbalances, peri-menopausal symptoms or other women's health challenges? You can book an appointment with Dr. Shelby by calling 705-444-5331 or emailing feelbetter@stonetreeclinic.com.
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Things We Love: The Yonanas Healthy Dessert Maker
What a great little tool this is. Got a kid who needs to be dairy-free but LOVES ice cream? This magic machine turns any fruit into a frozen dish of yumminess.
No dairy or no sugar added!
http://yonanas.com/
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Clinic Happenings
Collingwood Farmer's Market - Keep an eye out for Dr. Shelby at the market on June 28th!
CARP Health and Well Being Symposium – June 26th, Collingwood Legion
StoneTree has a booth at this upcoming show. Informative presentations, free food and great products, all related to healthy lifestyles. Admission is free! Details here.
Well Woman Visits - July 7, September 8
Complete breast/gynecological exam with Pap test. $135, space is limited. Call 705-444-5331 or book online here. Non-patients welcome! Learn more about this unique service here.
Building the Best Baby - July 8, 7PM, Nottawasaga Midwives. Join Dr. Kendra for her talk on pre-natal and neo-natal health.
Breast Thermography - Oct 25th - StoneTree
Breast thermography is back! Call 866-242-5554 to book your appointment. Limited space available.
Online Booking - You can now request your appointments online! Click here to try it out. :)
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