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Improving Skin Integrity

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Fall and winter are notoriously dry in Calgary. You can often hear about how people are experiencing dry hands and eyes, eczema flares, and constantly needing to put lotion on. This is a thing we just accept living in Calgary. However, did you know that you could support your skin, so it doesn’t have to feel the dryness that comes every fall through winter?

There are some healthy oils, and vitamins you can be taking to support your body through the fall and winter to keep them nice and hydrated. I’m sure you’ve heard of fish oil by now, and yes, that is one of the healthy oils I’m talking about. Healthy oils are important for you to be taking regularly during this time (and maybe a month before) to maintain the integrity of your cellular membranes. Cellular membranes are made up of fats, these fat produce a boundary that keeps your organelles where they need to be (inside your cells). This boundary is fluid, and moves. If you eat saturated fats, the fluidity of your cell is disrupted, and it isn’t able to operate like it can when it is able to move as needed. This is where the healthy fats come in: fish oil, olive oil, evening primrose oil, GLA oil, etc. The one I generally recommend is fish oil, along with suggesting you use olive oil in your salad dressings.

So now you have a strong, fluid cell membrane. That’s great! But is it nice and plump and hydrated? This is where making sure you are well-hydrated comes into play. Being well-hydrated keeps your cells working optimally, and allows them to eliminate waste effectively. Imagine working in a cramped factory, where you can hardly move. That is similar to what it would be like working in your cell if you aren’t hydrated. So make sure you are drinking your water, especially during this time. You can check if you are well hydrated by looking at the colour of your urine - is it clear, pale yellow, or dark yellow? The goal is to have pale yellow urine. Note: If you are taking a B Complex, your urine will always be dark yellow.

Moisturizing as soon as you are finished with your shower is a quick and easy way to lock in the hydration. Otherwise, your skin will feel dry afterwards, because the water on your skin is evaporating, stripping your skin of moisture. You can either use a lotion or oil (I like to use olive oil with some lavender essential oil when my skin is really dry).

Lastly, a good B Complex can also help keep the integrity of your skin. The different vitamins do different things, but together, they work together to work on a number of things in your body (I also recommend this to patients for an energy boost). Vitamin B1 can be helpful for irritated, acne prone or dry skin, whereas vitamin B2 can help improve your skin tone (fun fact: this is the vitamin that causes your urine to be neon yellow). Vitamin B3 helps your skin retain moisture and prevent water loss. Vitamin B5 also helps to retain the moisture of your skin, as well as helps to heal wounds. Vitamin B7 (aka biotin) is known to be helpful for your hair, skin and nails. Vitamins B9 and 12 help your red blood cells, which are essential for delivering nutrients and oxygen to your whole body. Remember that B Complexes will turn your urine dark yellow, so if you are dehydrated, understand what your body feels like when it’s hydrated, then start to incorporate a B Complex.

This fall, see for yourself how these can help your skin feel much better and more hydrated. Share below if you have other things you do for yourself to keep your skin hydrated during the fall and winter.

~ Dr. Charmagne

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Hypnotherapy and Skin Disorders

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Have you ever noticed that your skin flares up when you're experiencing a lot of stress? Do you pick or scratch your skin more when you're stressed or nervous? Have you noticed that you experience more pain from the same stimulus when you're stressed? Stress can affect your skin health, especially for those prone to skin disorders (eg. eczema, acne, etc). This is why the term psychodermatology was created to describe the interplay between the brain and skin, mediated by several systems (eg. neurotransmitters, hormones, and cytokines) (Shenefelt, 2021). 

Stress causes our nervous system to release different messengers to talk to our bodies. These messengers can be in the form of catecholamines (ie. epinephrine and norepinephrine from the Sympathetic nervous system) or cortisol from the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis). Together, these messengers increase skin inflammation, itching, impair skin barrier function and wound healing, and suppress the immune system (Graubard, et al, 2021). Stress also changes how we behave. We may not always be conscious that we are doing or experiencing these things, but we are. It's similar to how when experiencing nervousness, your heart rate, and breathing increase. You don't do that consciously - your body does it for you, but if you were to consciously slow your breathing down, your heart rate would also return to baseline. This is where mind-body medicine can shine because we are working with your mind to heal your body (ie. addressing your stress, behavioural changes, and perception).

Hypnotherapy is wonderful mind-body medicine that can be utilized for a number of different things. In today's blog, we're using it to reduce stress, and support your body to heal. Hypnosis is the intentional induction of trance to access the unconscious mind for a specific purpose (Graubard, et al, 2021). Hypnotherapy is very useful when the skin disorder is related to inflammation linked to stress (eg. eczema, psoriasis, etc) (Shenefelt, 2021). Some uses of hypnotherapy in dermatology include reducing discomfort from itching or pain, changing dysfunctional habits (eg. scratching), promoting healing, and reframing cognitive and emotional dysfunctional patterns related to skin disorders (Shenefelt. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28511826/). Hypnosis allows the mind to accept suggestions that are aligned with the person receiving it (eg. someone can suggest you rob a bank, but you wouldn't). For skin, these suggestions can include reducing pain and itching, reducing harmful behaviours (eg. scratching or picking skin), and aiding in healing the skin (Graubard, et al, 2021).

In a study for hypnotherapy and atopic dermatitis, there was a statistically significant improvement found in scratching, discomfort, and sleep disturbances. They also saw a 60% decrease in the use of corticosteroids in 16 weeks (Stewart, Thomas; 1995). 

If this sounds like something you would be interested in utilizing, click the link below to book a complimentary Meet and Greet.

How to Make a Kick-Ass New Year Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions are goals that we set for ourselves to accomplish by the end of the year - or at least that’s always how I’ve viewed it. So whether you said New Year’s goal or resolution makes no difference. The point is that you are seeking to become a better person in various aspects of your life. Different aspects that every person has is:

  • Physical - your physical body, includes your health, stress, and fitness level.

    • eg. to release 20 lbs by the end of the year

  • Mental - relates to your job and wealth

    • eg. to expand my knowledge by going to 3 conferences in areas I want to learn about (relating to your job) by the end of the year

  • Emotional - your relationships and communication

    • eg. to have 26 dates with my significant other by the end of the year

  • Spiritual - relates to your legacy, leadership, and contribution to community. You are NOT looking or asking for anything in return for this.

    • eg. to volunteer at community events 3 times by the end of the year

You can rate where you are at each aspect of your life out of 10, and work on the ones that scored the lowest, or you can do all 4 of them, which ever one you prefer. I make one for each aspect of my life. If you already have goals to run a half-marathon this year - awesome! That fits under physical goal. Have fun with brainstorming where and how you’d like to improve on these areas.

When you are making a goal, it is useful to use SMART goals.

  • S - Specific - exactly what do you want to do

  • M - Measurable - to help you track how you are doing, and when the goal is reached

  • A - Attainable - should be realistic, otherwise goals that are huge will set you up for failure. For example, if you just started a job, and you’re making minimum, buying a house by the end of the year is not a realistic goal - though a great one. What you can do is have $X amount in my savings, this money can go towards your bigger goal of buying a house

  • R - Risky - it should push you

  • T - Time frame - these one will be before or at Dec 31, but it will be different for other goals you may have

Look at the goals above. Do you notice how there is a measurable aspect to each of them? This is why. I want to have a better relationship with my Mom is a wonderful goal, but it’s not measurable. So find a way to make it measurable - hang out with my mom every 2 weeks for 1 hr, or talk to her 3 x week. These are measurable. It also allows you to connect with her and leaves it free so it’s not a set thing you’re doing with her.

So have fun making your resolutions, and remember these goals are for you to become a better person as a whole.

Until the end of Jan 2022, Dr. Charmagne is gifting you with a Complementary Empowerment Call to help you make your New Years Resolutions. Click here to book yours today!

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Understanding Food Sensitivities

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Food Allergies vs Food Sensitivities

They use different immunoglobulins of the immune system causing different reactions, causing different reactions. Food allergies use the IgE immunoglobulin and food sensitivities use the IgG immunoglobulin (side note: Immunoglobulin will sometimes be switched with the word antibodies depending on what you’re reading). IgE reactions tend to occur faster and is also known as Hypersensitvity type 1; whereas, IgG reactions tend to be delayed (can take up to 3 days to get a reaction) and is also known as Hypersensitivity type 3 (PEDIAA, 2019).

IgE Immunoglobulin

  • Reaction causes release of histamine

  • Itching, hives, anaphylaxis, red skin

  • Reactions happen very quickly

  • Test: Skin Prick test, IgE Blood test

  • Through an Allergist

IgG Immunoglobulin

  • Reaction causes release of inflammatory mediators

  • Chronic inflammation (eg. eczema, bowel symptoms (constipation, stomach pains, diarrhea, etc), migraines, etc)

  • Reaction can take up to 3 days to occur

  • Test: Elimination Diet or Food Sensitivity Test

  • Through a Naturopathic Doctor

IgG reactions can manifest in different ways, and since they’re delayed, can be a little trickier to track, and therefore has a higher tendency to become chronic reactions. This in turn can lead to chronic inflammation, which can cause a number of other symptoms. IgG immunoglobulins have been seen in patients with allergic-like reactions (Shakoor, et al; 2016, Crowe; 2019)

Gut Health and Your Immune System

Your gut is exposed to the outside world, which makes it a key player in regulating your health. 70-80% of your immune system is found in your gut through GALT (Gut-associated lymphoid tissue) receptors. These are receptors found all over your intestines that communicate to different parts of your body by presenting foreign bodies (eg. bacteria, viruses, etc.) to the immune system to start building up an immune response (Microbe Notes, 2018).

Discovering Your Food Sensitivities

Both of these methods should be monitored by a qualified practitioner

Elimination Diet

  • Pros:

    • Understand how your body reacts to different foods

    • 100% accurate with tracking and reintroduction phase

    • Cheaper

  • Cons:

    • Requires time and commitment

    • Takes 4-6 weeks of eliminations + the amount of time needed to reintroduce the foods

    • Can be difficult to see if a food causes a reaction if you are not in tune with your body or second guess yourself

Food Sensitivity Test

  • Pros:

    • Convenient

    • Good for people who like visuals or are analytical

    • Takes most of the guessing out of it

  • Cons:

    • Not 100% accurate

    • Is changeable depending on the health of your gut

    • Expensive

When I work with patients on these concerns, I ask my patients to fill out a questionnaire at the beginning before the eliminate the foods, and afterwards, so we can see things have shifted, and where they’ve experienced an improvement of symptoms. To better understand how to incorporate these into your life to discover your food sensitivities, book an appointment with your Naturopathic Doctor.

~ Dr. Charmagne

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Laser Therapy

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Summary

Light therapy is a non-invasive therapy that works by increasing the ability of the cell to create energy (ATP) to heal the area being treated. As a result, it can decrease inflammation, swelling, and pain in the area. Research in this area is expanding, with more in-depth research papers linked below for those who would like to learn more.

HIstory

Light therapy has been around for thousands of years and has been practiced in India and is seen in the Hindu texts (News Medical, 2018). In modern days, we still use light therapy, in cases like jaundice for babies, when they receive blue-green light spectrum therapy to help eliminate the excess bilirubin (Mayo Clinic, 2020). There is even evidence that shows that ultraviolet light therapy works on conditions such as eczema and vitiligo (Berthold E, 2019).

History of low-level light therapy

Experiments were testing Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) - or photobomb modulation as it is often referred to now - after the invention of the ruby laser in 1960. In the first experiment, Dr. Endre Mester, used shaved rats and observing how the laser affected their ability to grow hair compared to the group that was not receiving LLLT. He found that the group of mice receiving LLLT were able to grow their hair back more quickly than the group of mice that didn’t receive LLLT (Hoon C, et al; 2012). In a separate experiment involving mice, he also noticed that LLLT helped to stimulate wound healing. Dr. Mester started to apply these LLLT findings on humans, for nonhealing skin ulcers.

mechanism of action

The word Laser came about as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The energy released from the photos in light is referred to as electroluminescence - most of which is absorbed by the tissue and is responsible for the effects (Hoon C, et al; 2012). Though the mechanism of action is poorly understood; what the research has shown is that LLLT works in the cell’s mitochondria to generate more energy or ATP, modulate Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) (which can cause damage to cells), and induce transcription factors (Hoon C, et al; 2012). It has been observed the LLLT has a wide range of effects at the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels, causing an increase in cell number and movement, modulation of cytokines, growth factors, and inflammatory mediators, and an increase in tissue oxygenation (which is different from creating ROS) (Hoon C, et al; 2012).

Basically, LLLT has been seen to speed up healing by creating more energy in the cells, which affects molecular, cellular, and tissue processes by giving them fuel; and increases the body’s ability to decrease inflammation, swelling, and decrease pain through its ability to interact with messengers in the body.

Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT)

This therapy is termed this way to differentiate the difference between the lasers some professions use to cut (eg. in surgeries, or dental procedures). Low-level light therapy is painless, non-invasive treatment. It is used to decrease inflammation, swelling, and chronic joint disorders, reduce pain and accelerate wound healing of nerves and tissues (Hoon C, et al; 2012). In more recent literature, they have changed the term to photobiomodulation therapy, but I’ll be using LLLT for this article.

LLLT has a biphasic response, meaning that lower doses are generally seen to be more beneficial than higher doses. That being said, doses higher or lower than the optimal dose doesn’t affect (Hoon C, et al; 2012). For this reason, it can be difficult to have studies on LLLT with so many parameters. However, what has been seen is that wavelengths between 600-1200 nm have shown benefit in the studies (Thunshelle C, Hamblin M.R; 2016; Huang Z, et al; 2015). So it becomes important to know if the machine that is treating you is providing these wavelengths.

It has also been shown that LED treatment with similar wavelength and parameters to low power lasers produced similar results to LLLT (Hamblin M.R; 2016). Migliario M, et al (2018) noted that red and near-infrared portion of the light spectra can be used for biostimulation, and promote cell survival and multiplication. This was awesome news because that means a larger area can be treated, than just the narrow space that a laser can treat at a time. Some companies combined the two (LED and laser) to provide a more well-rounded treatment since lasers can penetrate deeper than LED and infrared light (Norman Doidge, The Brain’s Way of Healing, 2015).

During treatment, the area that is being treated is exposed to LED light from a BioFlex Laser, which is at 660 nm wavelength, followed by infrared light at 830-840 nm wavelength. Our naked eyes do not see infrared light, so it looks like the machine has turned off - but it hasn’t (fun fact: your cellphone camera can see infrared light). These wavelengths are important because these wavelengths have been seen to be absorbed more by our mitochondria.

LLLT has been used for various conditions, and some awesome studies are displaying their benefits for certain conditions. Below, I will list what has been studied, along with the link to go to the actual study if you wanted to read more about it. Note that there are most likely other conditions that can be treated, and haven’t yet. The research is still expanding!

Happy LASERING!

~ Dr. Charmagne

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Insect Repellents

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With summer here, people are wanting to go out and explore. This desire is even stronger since we've been isolating, social distancing, and not leaving our houses. Going out and enjoying the national parks by hiking or camping is a great way to get fresh air and a change of scenery. However, with being outside, and tall grasses, comes the potential of getting tick and mosquito bites.

Ticks can transmit diseases like Lyme's disease, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. These disease can literally change your life for the worse, and even if their rate isn't high, it's something shouldn’t risk getting. Lyme's Disease is incredibly complex, and we are still learning about it today. People who do have it are extremely passionate about educating other about it because of how dramatically their lives have changed. So the easiest way to prevent these diseases is to prevent them from biting you. This is were insect repellent and protective clothing becomes your friend.


In the event that you are bitten by a tick, you should extract all of it, including the head (this means nor twisting it off, because it might leave it's head in your skin). Do not irritate the tick by pouring alcohol, because you may cause it to vomit in you. There are tools you can get to help with this. After you remove it, you should keep it to be tested to make sure it isn't a carrier of Lyme's disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, etc.

I was researching different essential oils (EO) and their effectiveness against mosquitoes and ticks, so that you may be able to make your own. The problems arise because there isn't a lot of research on it, and of the research done, nothing is really definitive. One thing that is important to know if you decide to make your own is that the volatile oils are what makes it effective. So once the scent has evaporated, it is no longer effective. For most essential oils this is between 45 minutes - 2hrs. This means that you are going to have to reapply multiple times throughout the day.

Also, there are some oils that work well together and others that don't. This means they either boost each other's effectiveness, or the decrease the total effectiveness. So knowing which oils to mix together is also important. For example, there are articles that display that Mankua EO works well with oregano EO, while Manuka EO and clove bud EO don't work well together. You are able to combine these essential oils with 'fixer' to make them last longer. The one that pops up often in the studies is vanillin, which can be found in vanilla bean essential oil. It allows the effectiveness of other to last longer.

essential oils

Essential oils that have been shown to have insect repellent properties are the following (Asadollahi A, et al, 2019):

  • Oregano + Manuka essential oils - work together to repel mosquitoes. Clove bud oil works against these two oils, making their repellent action weaker (Muturi EJ, et al, 2017)

  • 2-undecanone - from the leaves and stems of wild tomato plants. It is able to repel blacklegged and lone star ticks (Cisak E, et al, 2012)

  • Carrot Seed essential oil - against mosquitoes, and works well together with DEET

  • Lemongrass +cinnamon bark essential oil - repellent against cool weather mosquitoes (Peach DHA, et al, 2019)

  • Lavender essential oil - against mosquitoes (Bedini S, et al, 2018)

  • Chinese lovage essential oil - has been found to be comparable with DEET, with complete protection from 9.1-11.5 hrs (Sanghong R, et al, 2015)

Please keep in mind that these are not hard and fast rules about essential oils. There are a number of other essential oils that have studies on them, but it can be difficult researching them with contradictory studies. These are some of the ones that I was able to find, but there are more. There are studies that display mixing too many oils together decreased their effectiveness, so make your mixtures as simple as possible.

Last thing to note, is that the studies were done all over the world, and believe it or not, there are a number of different mosquito species, and not all of them are repelled with the same oils. For example, the mosquitoes in Thailand are resistant to DEET.

Essential oils can cause skin reactions depending on how sensitive you are, and it is suggested that you mix them (can mix them in grain alcohol, I’ve seen people recommend using witch hazel as well), and to do a test patch to make sure that you are not allergic to it.

~ Dr. Charmagne

What you need to know about Coronavirus (COVID-19)

There's quite a bit of hysteria going on with the coronavirus (COVID-19). The coronavirus is a virus that affects the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs), and has similar symptomology to the common cold. Though it can be understandable why so many people are scared of it, it is important to inform yourself about the virus, and know how to prevent catching and spreading it. 

As of March 7, 2020, COVID-19 has infected 105, 981 people, since the infections start in December 2019; with 59, 916 people who have recovered, and 3, 586 deaths. This means that there is a 3.4% fatality rate; therefore, a large number of people who have gotten infected are recovering and have recovered. 

In Canada, there have been 28 confirmed cases in Ontario, 27 confirmed cases in British Columbia, 2 confirmed cases in Quebec, and specifically for Alberta (because I live in Alberta), there are 2 presumptive cases (meaning that they haven't been confirmed yet). 

Origins

It originated from Wuhan, China, most likely due to a high concentration of people and the animal that originally had it, along with possibly cramped quarters. This generally means it's harder to keep the area clean, and contamination occurs, allowing the disease to start infecting humans. This disease did NOT start because of eating bat soup. A number of diseases that jump from animal to human occur this way. 

How is COVID-19 spread?

The most common ways it spreads are:

  • respiratory droplets from the symptomatic person when they sneeze or cough

  • close contact (eg. touching or shaking hands)

  • touching something with the virus on it, then touching your face (aka nose, mouth, eyes) before washing your hands

This is why practicing proper hand-washing technique is important in preventing the spread of the virus. 

Symptoms

The most common symptoms are:

From the CDC

From the CDC

Other symptoms include:

  • runny nose

  • headache

  • sore throat

If you have traveled or been in contact with someone who has been infected with COVID-19 within 2 meters for 15 minutes, and you start to experience these symptoms, self-quarantine yourself for 14 days, and if you start to develop these symptoms, contact your Public Health Authority. They will be able to further advise you on what you should do. It is important to self-quarantine yourself to decrease the chance of infecting other people. If during this time, you experience these symptoms and get tested negative for COVID-19, continue your self-quarantine until you are no longer exhibiting symptoms. This is because there is still a chance that you have COVID-19 (you may have been tested too early, before there was enough of the virus in your body to be tested positive), or you have the cold or flu - which you can still pass on. Below is a summary of the actions you can do based on your exposure level. 

Based on the Government of Canada Public HealthUPDATE (March 13, 2020) - Everyone who is coming back to Canada from out of the country are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days (treat as high risk category)

Based on the Government of Canada Public Health

UPDATE (March 13, 2020) - Everyone who is coming back to Canada from out of the country are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days (treat as high risk category)

Face Masks


Face masks are not necessary for people who are healthy, in regions where there aren’t a lot of cases of COVID-19. They should be reserved for those who are working with people who have COVID-19, or have COVID-19. The reason for this is because if the person infected with COVID-19 wears a mask, the mask can prevent them from spreading respiratory droplets that can get other people infected. Whereas, if healthy people wearing it, the amount of protection it is giving is less because it is just protecting one person, instead of everyone (Government of Canada Public Health - point 10). The video below from the WHO, summarizes some prevention things (washing your hands often), and about masks.

Travel


It is advised to avoid non-essential travel to China and avoid all travel to Hubei province. If you are traveling to China, to consult the Travel Health Notice for China for more information.
To find out if your travel destination is being affected, check out the Government of Canada's Travel Advice.
When returning from an area with COVID-19, refer to the chart above for action steps to take once you come back to Canada.

Treatment


Currently, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, and the symptomatic person should focus on resting, eating food rich in nutrition, staying hydrated, and managing their symptoms (except for fever medication at the beginning, during the 14-day self-quarantine). The fatality rate of COVID-19 is 3.4%, so there is a very high chance that if you are affected, you will recover. However, while you are doing so, be considerate of other people, and do your best to decrease the risk of infecting others by self-quarantining, wearing a mask if you go out, cough and sneeze in a tissue (then throw it in the garbage) or your sleeve, and washing your hands.

Stigma

As a public service, this disease is not because of Asians, and just because someone is Asian, doesn’t mean that they carried it to your country. Even in this hysteria, please use logic. COVID-19 is not discriminatory, and can infect anyone, and diseases that are cross-species occur all over the world. The H1N1 was first identified in the United States, and no one is being discriminating to Americans. Before you start profiling someone, inform yourself.

Other resources

  • If you live in a dorm or place with tight quarters: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/interim-guidance-cases-contacts.html

  • Concerned about your pet catching it: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/frequently-asked-questions.html

  • More information on self-quarantining: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/interim-guidance-cases-contacts.html

  • The CDC's FAQ about COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

Practice proper hygiene techniques,

~Dr. Charmagne

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Self Love

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We’ve all heard about self-love. Some people say self-care instead, however, they essentially mean the same thing. If you practice self-love, self-care comes more naturally because you understand that you need it, and you respect and love yourself enough to practice self-care. What do you do for yourself to take care of yourself and lift yourself up? There has been some misconception that self-love looks like having a bubble bath, having a night out with the girls, or drinking some wine at the end of the day. Though these can be parts of self-love, ultimately, it’s doing something you know will help you feel better. This can include sleeping earlier, to make sure you're getting the amount of sleep you need. It can also be enjoying your favourite hobby, whatever that may be, going to the gym, or eating healthy. Everyone should be practicing a bit of self-love every day. We practice taking care of people around us, whether you have children or not, so take the time you need to care for yourself as well. Some of my favourite things to recommend to patients are below.

Do something new at least once a week

Some people, especially when they become parents, lose a sense of who they are. They don’t know what they like, they don’t have any hobbies. Their lives revolve around their family and work - and nothing outside of it. There is nothing wrong with that if you are happy with it. However, if it saddens you that you feel like you have lost who you are, then this is a great way to start to discover things about yourself again. Do you like soccer? You never know until you try. Scared of massages? The worse thing you can do is leave and never come back - however, what if you find out that you actually enjoyed it? Then you got over fear, and found something that you enjoy!

Practice positive self talk

The main thing is to practice talking to yourself as if you were talking to your best friend or loved one. The way we talk to them is often encouraging, sympathetic, and with love - which can be the opposite of how we talk to ourselves.

To read more about how to practice positive self-talk, click here.

Boundaries

We all have boundaries. Some of us know where they are, and others don’t. Knowing where your boundaries are, and staying true to them is a wonderful way to practice self-care. It’s also a practice of self-love because you are standing up for yourself. Are you an introvert, who has been invited to dinner? It’s okay to say no, especially if you need your lone time to recharge. That friend should be fine with meeting up another day, especially it wasn’t for an emergency. This includes saying yes to everything. At some point, people realize that they’re saying yes to too many things, and it’s all piling up on them and wearing them down. Saying no is okay, someone will step up to fill in the gap. It’s impossible to keep giving from an empty cup. You have to take care and give to yourself so that you can give to others.

With all things that come to self, don’t be hard on yourself. Change can be difficult, and building up new habits takes a while. Remember you are human, living and experiencing life. Sometimes, what you are planning doesn’t happen, and you falter. That’s okay. Pick yourself up, and do it again. With enough practice, and awareness, you can notice these things faster, and then you can actively choose if a certain thought is worth fixating on or not (meditation is a great way to practice that).

~ Dr. Charmagne

Start Off the Year With the Right Mind Set

The new years is always so exciting, full of hope and possibility - and rightfully so! Go charge towards your goals and resolutions, and practice shifting that 1% every day, and you will find that you are a different person by the end of the year. At the same time, if you do stumble on the way to your goals, don’t worry about it, and don’t beat yourself down. That happens to everyone - bad habits are hard to break. If they were easy to break, no one would have bad habits. So when you do stumble, pick yourself up, and acknowledge what happened. For instance, one of my goals for the year is to wake up at 5 am in the morning for at least 30 days - and it has not been going well. I’m still adjusting, and it’s taking longer to adjust than I thought it would. However, I have been waking up earlier than I normally would in an attempt to get to the 5 am, and I am still able to be productive during that time, so I am not going to beat myself up for not waking up at 5 am. Not any more. Many have mastered the art of beating themselves up, and making themselves feel terrible. All this does is dampen your mood and make you want to quit - so what good does beating yourself up do?

The other thing is perspective. Everything has perspective. How do you see your world? Is it all negative, positive, a combination? Which do you focus on more? Yes there are terrible things in the world that is happening; however, in your day-to-day world, can your perspective be shifted so that your days are full of gratitude and fulfillment? For example seeing everything as an opportunity instead of an obligation can be one way to shift your perspective. When you go to work, saying to yourself that ‘you get the opportunity to go to work’, can start to shift your perspective, and remind you that it is something to be grateful for.

Gratitude is a wonderful way to encourage a shift in your perspective. Writing down 3 things you are grateful for every day - making sure that they are always different - can be a great way to either start or end your day. There are other ways you can practice gratitude, including writing a letter and hand delivering it to them, or thanking someone mentally, prayer, meditation, etc. Find what works for you, and slowly, you may notice that your perspective of the world shifts.

As one of my favourite teachers use to say: “Be kind and gentle with yourself.” You’ve got this.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Breastfeeding During the Holidays

The holidays are here! And with that come excitement, stress, and a sense of being overwhelmed. Especially if you’re a new mom breastfeeding your little one. What things can and can’t you do? How are you going to be able to breastfeed with all the Christmas parties, and all the people around? Should you go to the washroom to breastfeed?

First of all, breastfeeding is meant to be a intimate way you and your baby get to bond and connect. Also, you are legally allowed to breastfeed in public without fear of discrimination (FindLaw Canada). If you are uncomfortable to, and choose to go else where, that is your choice, you should not be forced to feed else where.

Moms are also allowed to enjoy an alcoholic beverage. If you can drive, you can drink. The amount of alcohol that gets transferred to your breastmilk depends on the levels of alcohol found in your blood. So before you start enjoying your drink, you should breastfeed your baby. Alcohol levels in your blood peaks around 30-60 minutes after drinking a single drink, and 30-90 minutes if drinking a single drink with food, then these levels begin to decrease. This means, that after 2 hours, most of the alcohol will have left the mother’s blood, and the breastmilk - meaning that there’s no need to pump and dump. As the alcohol in your blood decreases, the alcohol in the breastmilk will also decreases (breastfeeding.support). However, drinking can affect how you parent, and that is important to keep in mind.

Moms also don’t have to have any food restrictions (for the most part, unless you have tested to see if baby is sensitive or allergic to something you have consumed). Unlike when you were pregnant, you are welcome to eat whatever your heart desires - which means you can thoroughly enjoy your family meals and outings without worry.

Supporting Your Liver

The liver works constantly to detoxify your body from everything from alcohol to hormones in your body. Though the liver does this by itself without any help from the outside, it can be often overburdened, especially in today’s urban environment with pollutants being rampant where ever you go. So how do you care for your liver?

Detoxification of the Liver

The liver has 2 phases of detoxification. Both of these phases require a number of various vitamins and minerals in order to have the pathway within the liver functioning and eventually have the metabolites excreted. The first phase metabolizes the various compounds or toxins that your body has been exposed to into an intermediate form that is somewhat broken down, but can still go through the body and cause damage. This is why some people turn red after they drink alcohol. It is because this phase is generally faster than the second phase or they may be missing an enzyme in this pathway to bind the alcohol properly. Phase 2 then binds these intermediate forms to become water-soluble, so that they can be excreted in your sweat, urine, and feces. Below shows another diagram of the phases, and some of the compounds that each pathway needs to function.

Clean Your Diet

You can get a number of the compounds needed to support your liver through your foods. The first thing you can do, is to decrease the number of processed foods you are eating. This actively decreases the burden you are introducing to your body. For example, eliminating alcohol automatically helps your liver function better by the sheer fact that your liver no longer has to metabolize another thing.

Increasing the amount of Brassica or cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, daikon, etc) will support your liver by providing sulforaphane, which is a compound that is needed to create detoxifying compounds in your body like glutathione, and is very important in the detoxification process of the liver. It is also an antioxidant, protecting your body from oxidative damage (Kapusta-Duch J, et al).

Other herbs and vegetables you can add to your diet, include beets and turmeric. Beets contain a compound called betalains, which is used to support phase 2 of detoxification in the liver (Krajka-Kuźniak V, et al), while turmeric supports both phases 1 and 2 (Hodges and Minich).

Ensure You Are Eliminating

As seen in the diagrams above, you also need to be eliminating your metabolites through your sweat, urine, and bowel movements to be detoxifying properly. If you do not eliminate regularly through these routes, you are most likely reabsorbing a certain amount of those metabolites into your body, and that would defeat the purpose of detoxifying. So make sure are you having a bowel movement every day, and that it is a substantial amount (eg. the length of your forearm), if your stool looks like pebbles, you are most likely constipated, and that stool has probably been in your intestines for a few days. To help you go more regularly, drink more water, and eat more fiber. If you clean up your diet, and eat more vegetables, you should get enough fiber to start going more regularly, though supplementing a healthy fiber would also be helpful to ensure adequate fiber intake.

See a Naturopathic Doctor

If you feel like you would like to do more to help support your liver by using herbs and supplements, and you feel like the results you are getting aren’t what you want, find a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who can guide you. You can find your local Naturopathic Doctor here.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Teas Safe in Pregnancy

Not all teas are safe during pregnancy, and pregnant persons will be told that they have to limit their caffeine to 200 mg a day. This is equivalent to a 12 oz coffee or 10 x 8 oz of black coffee or 5 x 8 oz of green tea. Caffeine during pregnancy has been associated with a decreased birth weight of the baby, and a higher risk of miscarriages. So it's easy to see why some people avoid it altogether!

There are some teas that are safe to drink during pregnancy, and they have additional benefits as well. These teas are listed below, along with a short description of what they do, and when it is safe to drink them because some of them are not safe to drink throughout the pregnancy. Note that these teas, while safe, should be enjoyed in moderation (ie. not drinking 6 cups of a single tea a day).

Ginger - throughout pregnancy

Ginger is one of the teas that are safe to drink throughout pregnancy. It is amazing for nausea and unsettled stomachs. As a root, you want to steep it for 20 minutes to get all of the good phytonutrients and contents from it.

St. John's Wort - throughout pregnancy

This herb is renowned for it's antidepressant or mood elevating properties. It should only be used for mild depression, otherwise seeing a health care practitioner is warranted.

Dandelion Leaf and Root - throughout pregnancy

The leaf has diuretic properties, which is really helpful for fluid retention during pregnancy. The leaf is also high in various minerals. The Root has a laxative effect, to help you have regular bowel movements. As a root, you want to steep it for 20 minutes to get all of the good phytonutrients and contents from it.

Marshmallow Root - throughout pregnancy

Both of these herbs are wonderful for heartburn symptoms. They help to coat the lining of the esophagus to decrease irritation from the acid that comes up during heartburn. As a root, you want to steep it for 20 minutes to get all of the good phytonutrients and contents from it.

Echinacea - throughout pregnancy

Is helpful for boosting your immune system when you think you are getting sick. It can be taken when you notice you are getting sick, and during depending on when you are able to notice it. It can be taken as a tincture, and you know you have found a good tincture if your tongue gets a tingly sensation afterwards.

Chamomile - throughout pregnancy

Can help with calming down the nerves and to improve digestion, especially if you notice that you are more gassy or bloated than normal. The trick to making it helpful for digestion is to cover the pot or cup and steep for 20 minutes, that way you are able to extract those compounds that are more helpful for digestion instead of just the calming effect this tea has with shorter steeps. However, if you have a history of hayfever, this is not the tea for you.

Red Raspberry Leaf - from weeks 18-20 and onwards

Wonderful for tonifying and strengthening the uterus. It is also rich in some minerals that can help to support momma. Add 1-2 tsp of the loose herb into your cup of hot water, and let steep for 10 minutes. Can drink up to 2 cups a day.

Nettle - from 20 weeks and onwards

Nettle is rich in minerals, and as a result, is wonderful for tonifying the body and uterus. It can help support kidney function and connective tissues. Best if you steep for 6 hours. You can put it in the fridge overnight, and drink it throughout the day.

Withania - third trimester

Is a very useful adaptogen and nourishing herb. It is able to help you respond to stress better (making it an adaptogen), and helps strengthen you up by nourishing various parts of your body. As a root, you want to steep it for 20 minutes to get all of the good phytonutrients and contents from it.

Note that there are Red Flags that always warrant medical attention, and should be treated by a Medical Doctor instead of with herbs. These include:

  • Edema or swelling of the hands and face

  • Continual vaginal bleeding

  • Initial outbreak of herpes blisters during the first trimester

  • Severe pelvic or abdominal pain

  • Continual, severe mid-back pain

  • Severe headaches, blurry vision, or epigastric pain

  • Rupture of membranes prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy

  • Regular uterine contractions prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy

  • Cessation of fetal movement (Aviva Romm)

Happy tea drinking!

~ Dr. Charmagne

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PCOS and Fertility

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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), is a condition that is often associated with infertility. Women who experience PCOS often have longer menstrual cycles that are greater than 35 days or them to have less than 9 cycles a year. They also experience “hyperandrogenism,” where they exhibit symptoms of high androgens, such having acne anywhere on the body (commonly back and/or face), or hirsutism, where they have facial hair along their jawline. Asian women are less likely to display facial hair due to PCOS. During Ultrasound, a String of Pearls is often seen, caused by 10 or more follicles that were not able to mature along the periphery of the ovaries (Merck Manual). People who experience PCOS often have a difficult time regulating their blood sugars, sometimes leading to later diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome.

Balance Hormones

This goes without saying. Hormones are how the body communicates what to do between different organs. Your brain sends messages to the pituitary gland, which sends messages to different organs to get things done. Every hormone if your body comes with a feedback loop, where the concentration of certain hormones is regulated. Balancing hormones would allow your body to regulate itself better and allow more regular cycles, and better regulation of insulin, and a decrease of hyperandrogenism symptoms.

One of the easiest recommendations to help with hormonal balance is by losing weight. A 5-10% decrease in body weight can be enough to regulate your menses, blood sugar, and allow you to get pregnant (Jiskoot et al, 2017). This might be all you need to balance your hormones and get pregnant; however, you may want to do more to continue enhancing your chances.

Regular Cycles & Ovulation

One thing that can happen from having irregular cycles or missing your cycle, can be not ovulating for that month. This is also known as anovulation and can be due to a hormonal imbalance between progesterone and estrogen. Women that do not ovulate can experience breast tenderness, fluid retention, PMS symptoms, and painful cramps with clots and heavy flow. These symptoms are also associated with estrogen dominance, which can prevent the body from ovulating and having regular cycles. Which brings us back to hormonal balancing.

As mentioned above, losing 5-10% of body weight can be enough to regulate hormones. However, if you are still not where you want to be, there are certain foods you can eat to help balance hormones. The Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane glucosinolates that can up regulate glutathione, which is the master antioxidant in the body. It helps bind metabolites and is able to stop reactive oxygen species from attacking the cells (Fahey J, 1999). As a food, you would have to eat a ridiculous amount of these vegetables to experience the benefits.

If you have thyroid concerns, specifically hypothyroidism, make sure that you are cooking these vegetables because they are goitrogenic. This means that they can interrupt the production of thyroid hormones (Paśko et al, 2018).

Playing with hormones without proper knowledge can be a challenge and be potentially dangerous, depending on how you choose to go about it. So before you start working on your hormones, make sure that you find a practitioner that will be able to guild you properly.

~ Dr. Charmagne

When Should I See a Naturopathic Doctor?

A Naturopathic Doctor (ND) is someone who has been trained and educated to become one. To become an ND, first one must have a Bachelors Degree, and meet the scientific prerequisites required to apply to an accredited Naturopathic College. Once accepted, one goes through a minimum of 4 years of rigorous academic studies, where they learn all about anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology, etc. (like in Medical school), in addition to learning about alternative medicine (botanical medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, homeopathy, nutrition, etc.). After all of this education, they must become licensed, and write the NPLEX (Naturopathic Physician Licensing Exam), which is a 2-part licensing exam.

That being said, NDs are well equip in supporting you achieve your health and wellness goals. Don’t expect a magic pill that is a quick fix. With the different therapies at the disposal of an ND, these improvements to your health tend to take some time, because most of what is being addressed is lifestyle. This means that it tends to take a while to obtain the results you want; however, the changes are long-term, this benefits you and your life. NDs see more than just your symptoms and diagnosis, they see you for who you are, because you’re the one that is going to be implementing the changes, and if you have habits that get in the way of your goal, that needs to be addressed.

So, when should you see an ND? You should see an ND when you want to become healthier and achieve wellness, and you are ready to take responsibility and take action in becoming healthier. NDs are excellent with working with people with all types of concerns, ranging from chronic illness to preconception care, and everything in between: digestive issues, hormonal issues, stress management, sleep issues, etc. It is amazing to have someone in your corner, wanting you to experience wellness for yourself, so that you can live your life fuller, and really LIVE your life.

People who have talked to their medical doctors and have been told that there is nothing that they can do for them, or people who want to get better, and their doctors haven’t been able to help them also tend to seek out NDs for another perspective. Especially since we look at everything (NDs are somewhat notorious for having extensive intake forms) and have the time to be with you to see how different issues may be tied together.

“Before you heal someone, ask him if he's willing to give up the things that make him sick.” 
― Hippocrates

~Dr. Charmagne

Self Talk

There has been quite a few people on social media talking about self talk - and this is great! We all talk to ourselves every day, and the way we talk to ourselves can really affect how we feel and behave every day. As much as I don’t like certain commercial products, I can’t deny that some companies are extremely good at making ads that get you to think or feel a certain way. Dove is a great example of this. They posted a video a few years back about negative self talk (take a look over here). The question generally is: You would never talk to another human the way you talk to yourself, so why do you talk to yourself like this?

We are often our worse critic, often expecting so much of ourselves - perfection. The beautiful thing is, we are all human, and perfect isn’t something we are meant to be. Yes, we are meant to push ourselves, and grow into better people, but that doesn’t mean you should tear yourself down on the way there. It can be a rough journey to where you are working towards, and you do not need to be your worst enemy on the way there. The best thing to do is to start practicing positive self talk - because just as you can be your worst enemy, you can also be your greatest ally.

Some ways to improve positive self talk is to become aware of your negative self talk, and work on talking to yourself like you would to your best friend. There may be times that your negative self talk will win, but it takes small incremental steps to improve your self talk. As long as you work on your self talk, day by day it will improve, and eventually, you will truly love yourself, and have a stronger relationship and respect for yourself. You will discover a more empowered and confident you, and when you bring this on your journey, things start to change.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Health Resolutions

Health and weight resolutions are the most common resolutions to start off the new year with. That’s one of the reasons why gyms do so well at the beginning of the year, and the reason they are so crowded. However, within the next month or sooner, the gyms are almost back to normal, and that huge rush of people aren’t there any more.

It’s awesome that people want to become healthier versions of themselves, that is something to be proud of - wanting to become a better version of yourself. But what is stopping you? When February comes rolling in, why do you stop going to the gym, or eating healthy, or drinking as much water as you should?

You obviously want this for yourself, otherwise, you wouldn’t have made it a resolution. It’s funny how we tend to be our own biggest obstacles when it comes to achieving goals. So get out of your way, and stop making up excuses as to why you have given up. Use some tough love on yourself - with love being the key word. You have to be your own cheerleader, and if you need a boost, look at all you have accomplished in your life. These accomplishments can be anything, from finishing high school, developing your talents, having your own business, building long lasting and strong relationships, having your own family, etc. Find and make evidence that you are an awesome person, and you are deserving of your goal.

Your self talk is extremely important when accomplishing your goals, and developing new habits. Start off small, and collect your evidence. If you make incremental changes in your life, everyday, and build them onto each other, you will change the trajectory of your life. And while going on your journey to accomplishing your goal, remember to be kind and gentle to yourself.

This is your life - you only have this one to experience and hold dear. So if you want to live a healthier life, then make conscious decisions to become a person who is healthy. For more inspiration, here is a list of amazing people, who can change your perspective about various things in your life, from habits, resolutions, and relationships:

  • James Clear

  • Brené Brown

  • Joe Dispenza

For further tips and tricks to accomplish your goal, check out last year’s blog: Another Year, Another Beginning.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Holiday Stress

The holidays are a magical season, where friends and families come together to celebrate, spend time together, and create memories. It is a season that is supposed to represent all of the qualities and values that we treasure, and have grown up with. And as children, this season is even more magical; however, as we have grown up - and seen the other side of it - it can become stressful. It becomes a time of immense stress: financially, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Especially if you don’t fill your proverbial cup as you go. There is a lot of people who experience burn out during the holidays, and it’s no surprise, when it’s such a busy time of year, with demand after demand. So how do you keep going during the holidays, and not burn out, or feel as stressed out? Let’s talk about some things you can do.

Know your Limits

There are times when your mind and body are going to tell you to stop adding onto your plate, and taking up more demands. These are the times that it is important to listen to your body. It is sending you these messages for a reason, and it is warning you that you are reaching your limit and need to recuperate; otherwise, you’ll burn out. Honouring yourself and your limits is the best way to support your mind and body, prevent burn out, and decrease any unnecessary stress. Once you learn your limits, and boundaries, you can take this with you throughout your life, because healthy boundaries are something everyone needs to learn and practice for your own health and wellbeing.

Ask for Support

If you do find that you have piled your plate full of responsibilities and duties, and are struggling to get everything done by the time they need to be, or you feel like you are at your limit, the best thing you can do for yourself is to ask for support. Ask your friends, family, and/or partner if they can support you in finishing a task. Dividing the work with people can be a great way of decreasing your stress load. In addition to asking for support, having your priorities set is helpful. Is it really important to pristinely wrap the presents or is it more important to spend quality time with your partner and/ or children? The gift wrapper is going to tear to shreds regardless of how nice it looks, while memories and experiences you gained spending time with your loved ones, can last a lifetime.

Self Care

You have to fill your cup, so that you can give it to others. If filling your cup looks like having a massage to relieve those tense muscles, or having a manicure and pedicure to feel like you’ve been cared for, then do it. If it looks like having a retreat, where you do all the activities you love, or do yoga, meditate, read, then do it. You know what refuels you, so listen to your body. Right now is the best time to use your benefits for what they’re suppose to do - benefit you. You can also see a Naturopathic Doctor so that they can recommend additional lifestyle changes, supplements, and therapies that can help rebuild you, prevent burn out, and make you feel more energetic. They’re your benefits, so use it in a way that will benefit you.

Have a Joyous Holiday Season!

~ Dr. Charmagne

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Padsicles!

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Padsicles are a great way of providing postpartum relief by helping the perineum heal after birthing your baby. In general, after birthing, the vagina becomes swollen and sore. So having something there to help decrease the inflammation, and provide some healing support is wonderful.

Padsicles are pretty much exactly as it sounds - pads that you put in the freezer to make them into padsicles. The only thing is that before you place these pads into the freezer, you put wonderful ingredients onto the pads, and let those absorb first.

Ingredients:

  • Witch hazel

  • Aloe vera

  • Overnight/super absorbant pads

  • Optional:

    • Essential oils - lavender and frankincense

Directions:

  1. Open up the pad. Don’t remove from the covering.

  2. Spread 1 tbsp of Aloe vera on to the pad.

  3. Pour some of the witch hazel into a 250 mL spray bottle, and add 1 drop each of lavender and frankincense into the bottle.

  4. Spray this mixture onto the pad until damp from the spray (should be around 1 tbsp)

  5. Package up the pad, and place into individual ziplock bags

  6. Place them into the freezer.

Make 10-20 of these pads before birthing, that way they are available for you right after you birth your baby.

~ Dr. Charmagne

Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding

This isn’t the typical type of blog that I post; however, having new fun recipes to test out and taste can be a lot of fun, especially if it’s something new that you really like.

I’ve been craving pumpkin so much (it’s just so yummy, and it’s autumn), I have been experimented with making Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding. I’ve tried making chia seed pudding before, and I found it to be quite powdery in texture, but I’ve been using sprouted, ground chia seed, and I don’t find it powdery. I have gotten a few of my friends to try this, and they’ve all like it. So I’m sharing the recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp of pumpkin puree

1/3 cups sprouted, ground chia seed (though regular chia seed is fine)

2 cups of coconut milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp ground ginger

A pinch of cardamom

Optional:

1/2 scoop of protein powder

2 tsp of maple syrup

Coconut Icing to top

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a mason jar, and mix thoroughly. Let sit for a few hours, or overnight for an easy grab-and-go breakfast! You can put some coconut icing on top as well.

Enjoy! <3

~ Dr. Charmagne

Boosting Immunity

School has started, and I know a number of my friends and family’s kids have already started to get sick - and because sharing is caring - it’s only a matter of time before everyone starts having symptoms. In this blog, I will be talking about 3 things that you can implement to Boost your Immune System, but first, let’s talk about the immune system.

Everyone talks about the immune system, but how does it work? The immune system is split up into 2 different parts: the Innate and Adaptive Immune System. The Innate System is the system that fights the infection first, it is the faster part of the immune system. It is made up of physical barriers (eg. skin, and GI tract, etc), defence mechanisms (eg. mucous, bile, gastric acid, sweat, etc), and a general immune response (eg. inflammation, complement system (where the pathogen is marked and then punches are holes into their membrane to kill the pathogen), and non-specific cellular responses). The Innate System is non-specific, and is the general response to foreign bodies (the “not you”) markers. It has a number of different types of white blood cells working for it (eg. macrophages, phagocytes, NK cells, etc.) (Khan Academy). The Adaptive Immune System, on the other hand, has fewer cells working for it, these cells would be the B and T cells, and it works with antibodies and cytotoxic cells. This response is slower to respond to a pathogen, and is more specific because your body builds up memories of a past pathogen and can create defence specifically for that pathogen - this is the system vaccines use to create immunity (Khan Academy).

Medicinal Mushrooms

I love medicinal mushrooms. They’re are absolutely amazing, and are able to regulate the immune system through their high concentrations of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is able to work with the immune system and enhancing the immune cells that kill microbes, and clean up the dead cells (Akramiene D, et al). Mushrooms work on the immune system depending on what it needs - making it immunomodulating. Also, the way the mushroom is extracted can affect the way it interacts with your immune system. Alcohol extraction of a mushroom inhibits cytotoxicity. This means that it decreases the amount of toxins released in your body. Alcohol extraction can also affect the number of receptors on a cell surface. While water extraction enhances NK cell cytotoxic activity - NK cells are the cells that act like assassins, and are able to distinguish which cells have been sabotaged (by a virus or becoming a cancer cell), and kill them via apoptosis. Water extraction also stimulates the expression and production of cytolytic proteins, which allows it to kill cells by “cutting them" (Lu C, et al; Journal of Hematology & Oncology). These mechanisms allow mushrooms to support your immune system and help them fight pathogens more effectively and efficiently, to decrease the chances of getting sick or decrease the duration of the illness.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is known for its immune-supportive abilities, especially since several immune cells need it to function. It supports the external barrier that we all have (our skin), by protecting us from environmental stress by acting as an antioxidants (Ströhle A, et al). When taking vitamin C, it can be interesting to see what your bowel tolerance is. Bowel tolerance is the dose needed to make you have looser stools or diarrhea, because taking too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea. This is interesting to know because when you are sick (Ströhle A, et al), your bowel tolerance increases. This is amazing, since your immune cells sequester vitamin C when you are sick, and it is able to utilize it more because they are working harder, and need more of it (Carr AC, et al). Taking vitamin C as a preventative measure, and in conjunction with treatment(s) can help support your immune system during times where several people around you are getting sick.

Astragalus

Astragalus is one of my favourite herbs when it comes to immune system health. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is seen to be able to defend the Wei Qi (the defensive barrier around us), and as a result, prevent anything from coming into your body to cause illness. However, saying that, if you do get sick, it also doesn’t let anything back out, and as a result, you should stop taking Astragalus when you are sick. As a herb, Astragalus has immunomodulating, immune boosting, and anti-inflammatory effects - though the mechanism is unclear (Qi Y, et al; Guo Z, et al). It is able to modulate the immune system systemically and through the GI tract - where 70-80~% of the immune system is (Lim JD, et al). It’s long history and use in Asia, and recent and ongoing studies make it a very promising herb that you can implement easily into your daily routine for this cold and flu season as a preventative tonic.

For more tips on how to maintain and promote a healthy immune system, check out Back to School - Strengthening Your Little One’s Immune System.

~ Dr. Charmagne

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