Are You in the Holiday Spirit or Holiday Stress? The spirit of the season is upon us. It began with counting our blessings during the Thanksgiving holiday. If we allowed ourselves to harness the physical and mental health benefits of gratitude, we likely felt rejuvenated, inspired, and refreshed from igniting this emotional state. [...]
‘Tis the Time of Year for Gratitude The American and Canadian tradition of Thanksgiving signifies a day to share our blessings with those we cherish. It is a time of gratitude and feeling appreciation for the gifts we have received during the year in passing. For some, the season of togetherness brings great [...]
Introduction: Gut-Related Period Pain & A Stressed Out Digestive Tract Oftentimes, female clients in my practice report an aggravation of symptoms around and during their menstrual cycle. Considering 90% of women experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and the widespread impact of hormones on many biological processes, this makes sense. Some of the most common [...]
Why “Yarrow is a Hit”: My Intuitive Hunch I used to keep it quiet that I get intuitive hunches when working with clients. I thought it was commonplace to receive a picture in one’s mind of a specific formulation, supplement, essential oil, or herb when speaking with an individual. I later learned that [...]
“All Disease Begins in the Gut.” This statement was touted by Hippocrates over 2000 years ago. Today, his ancient words of wisdom echo in many of the treatment rooms of modern integrative and functional medicine physicians. Was he (and are they) right? As the world’s population ages at a faster pace, it’s becoming [...]
Introduction: How Smell and Aromatics Affect the Mind and Body Imagine the scent of freshly baked cookies, a whiff of grandma’s apple pie baking in the oven, and the volatile compounds emitted from the pine trees tickling your nostrils as you take a brisk winter walk. It can be easy to overlook the [...]
Introduction Many are familiar with the role that hormones play in one’s fertility and with our reproductive system. Recently, I highlighted another fact about these chemical messengers that many may not be so aware of. This is how they affect our whole body, including our brain. In fact, hormones can have a large [...]
Introduction The world events weigh heavily on our minds. The past few years have taken a large mental and physical toll on all of us. Thankfully, there are various ways we can support ourselves during these trying times. For example, one may find comfort in knowing that, underlying all this turmoil, there is [...]
Introduction: You’re Not Just Human Not to make you paranoid, but scientifically speaking, your “gut-feelings” may not be solely of human origin! Rather, they may be mediated by the microorganisms that are inhabiting your gastrointestinal (GI) tract just as much, if not more, than your brain. It may sound creepy, but it’s true! [...]
