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Pregnancy and constipation: how to get things moving! #Naturopathic

Pregnancy and Constipation – How to get Things Moving!

// // Pregnant and experiencing a change in bowel habits? Just another one of the many wonderful “woes” of pregnancy! Constipation is a frequent complaint amongst pregnant women, even for those who don’t typically experience it! You can thank progesterone for that as it tends to slow everything down a bit! Laxatives may be contraindicated in pregnancy (especially in the 1st trimester), so finding ways to “get things moving” can be a challenge.  I like to focus on increasing soluble and insoluble fiber first, so here’s a quick breakdown of what you need to know about these two types of fiber, and...

Food cravings in pregnancy - what do they mean? #Pregnancy

Food Cravings in Pregnancy – What do they mean?

// // Pregnancy.  That time in a woman's life when she feels her body is not her own, and often feels like her food cravings are being driven by something other than her taste buds! We've all heard stories of late night trips to the grocery store, or impromptu stops at a drive-thru.  And, in my practice I hear daily accounts of insatiable cravings for fruit (especially citrus) and aversions to foods such as meat, among others.  I often joke that the first trimester should be labelled the "bread and cheese" trimester! Sound familiar? And then there are women who don't...

5 Tips for Naturopathic Pre-Conception Care

Planning a pregnancy?  If you’re thinking about trying to conceive in the next 3-6 months, you may want to think about a few things first. 1.  Folic Acid. Most women have heard about taking folic acid, but not all folic acid is created equal.  Some people carry a gene that makes it difficult to produce the active form of folic acid (5-MTHF) from supplemental folate.  This may be especially important to women over 35, or those who have had one or more miscarriages in the past.  Talk to an ND about how best to take folate and consider looking for a prenatal...

Naturopathic tricks to help your kids eat healthy foods.

Parents of Picky Eaters Unite!

  We've recently just overcome the "picky eater" stage at our house, and I've also been counseling a number of parents about how to add variety to their child's diet. Here's a typical scenario I hear about: "My child used to be such a great eater. She'd eat anything and everything we gave her. Now, we rotate between a handful of foods, and often end up making something just for her to ensure that she's eaten something. I feel like a short order cook!" Sound familiar? Children often start out as "great eaters" as young toddlers, but become more selective as they get older. It...

2 simple tricks to ease your baby's nasal congestion. (Breastmilk up the nose!!)

2 simple tricks to ease your baby’s nasal congestion

The baby boogers.  Of all things that are absolutely adorable when you have a baby, the boogers are not.  They are the first sign of a cold, and usually the last symptom to leave.  Which sometimes means weeks of nasal congestion. Why are babies so boogery? Doesn't it seem like babies and toddlers produce an inordinate amount of mucus? The main reason babies and toddlers seem to have excessive mucus is because they cannot blow their noses or clear it into their throat effectively like adults can.  Most children also experience the majority of their colds within the first few years of...

How to choose the best probiotic for your child. From Naturopathic Pediatrics.

How to choose the best probiotic for your child

Probiotics are a hot topic these days, among parents and doctors alike! Once thought to only influence gut heath, we now know that maintaining a healthy population of gut bacteria (a.k.a. microbiota) is essential to good health. There are many influences on our gut bacteria ranging from how we enter the world (vaginal vs. c-section) to the foods we eat and keeping them happy and healthy is important! Confused about which probiotics to use? You're not alone! While we'd like to find a "one size fits all" probiotic, that's probably not going to be the case as diversity is key to...

7 types of baby cries - How to tell what your baby needs

7 Types of Baby Cries – How to Tell What Your Baby Needs

Have you figured out your baby's cry language? Did you even know your baby had his very own language? Usually by 3 weeks or so most parents have figured out the basic cues from their child.  But with all babies, just as soon as you think you've figured them out, something changes.  They go through a growth spurt, they get teeth, they go through a wonder week, they learn how to poop (lol). I hope this guide will help out another Mom or Dad in the middle of the night when you just don't know - is she scared? Is he Mad?...

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Take Charge of Your Life.

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Ways to Get Motivated.

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BMI: Time to Measure Up.

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The Benefits of Detoxification

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Secrets to Regular Exercise Motivation

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Magic Yoga Moves

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What are Folic Acid, Folate, Methylfolate, and MTHFR, and Why Is Everyone Talking About Them?

What are Folic Acid, Folate, Methylfolate, and MTHFR, and Why Is Everyone Talking About Them?

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Most folks have heard by now that women need folate / folic acid, one of the B vitamins, to grow healthy babies.  Women who do not consume adequate folate run a much greater risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect (NTD). The neural tube closes very early in pregnancy (28 days from conception), so the folate must be consumed from conception, or, ideally, before conception. For this reason, the United States and other countries require fortification of cereal grains with folic acid (a synthetic, shelf-stable form of folate). Studies show that since the introduction...

Basal body temperature charting is your chart a crystal ball

Basal Body Temperature Charting – is your chart a crystal ball?

So, you're trying to have a baby and decide to start taking your temperature every morning. This common practice is often used to help understand a woman's menstrual cycle and has helped many couples successfully conceive (and avoid conception when used in conjunction with other methods!). As someone who frequently works with couples who are trying to conceive, I often rely on temperature charts to help guide our treatment plan, especially when incorporating the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Basics Basal body temperature charting (BBT) has been around for decades, and used as a method of family planning since the early...

Where Do Babies Come From? Teaching Kids about Real Life Sex

How do you teach your kids about real life sex? I was recently horrified by an article I read about the new sexual norm for teenagers: “That sending nude pictures via text or Facebook is the new flirting. That boys their age watch porn regularly, and demand from their girlfriends the sexual menu they see online – hairless, surgically-enhanced bodies, ‘girl-on-girl action’, and much, much more.” (Lost innocence: Why girls are having rough sex at 12) Imagining my two daughters having to deal with the pressure of shaving all their pubic hair before it’s even fully grown in makes me feel nauseous, but...

Foods to Eat When You or Your Child are Sick

As you may have heard, food is our best medicine. When you or your child are ill you definitely want to get the best foodpossible, but what are these mysterious healthy foods to eat while you’re sick? Go for foods that are easy to eat but pack a good nutritional punch. It is important to stay hydrated while ill, so make sure the patient gets plenty of liquids such as: water, coconut water, broths, soups, watered down organic juices (I suggest half water/half juice). If you are having a hard time getting liquids into your child I suggest having them use a straw...

Nursing alcohol naturopathic

Will I ever drink again: Alcohol and Nursing

The baby has arrived, you are home and beginning to think you may have settled a little in to this new parent thing.  You may even dare to think you are developing a bit of a routine.  Your body is healing and your baby is thriving.  Adult beverages have begun to sound appealing again.  But how does drinking affect nursing? Does it show up in breast milk?  What does it do to baby? What does it do to your supply? What problems might arise from drinking and nursing? Does alcohol transfer into the breast milk? Yes.  If there is alcohol in mom’s...

You CAN get pregnant with PCOS - a naturopathic approach to polycystic ovarian syndrome

You CAN Get Pregnant with PCOS! (A naturopathic approach to polycystic ovarian syndrome)

“My hormones are off.” Probably more than 50% of my intake forms for new female patients have this kind of sentence written in the “Reason for Appointment” section. There are a wide variety of hormonal problems that women experience and aside from PMS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common. What is PCOS actually? Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an inadequately named condition that affects much more than just a woman’s ovaries. Women with PCOS can experience a wide variety of symptoms including those of having high testosterone such as hair growth in abnormal places and acne, symptoms of insulin...

Naturopathic Pediatrics article: failure to thrive in a breastfed baby.

Failure to Thrive in a Breastfed Baby

If your baby has failure to thrive please read the first part of this blog post at: What to do if your child drops on their growth curve or is diagnosed with Failure to Thrive Contact an IBCLC first If your baby is breastfed and is not gaining appropriately I highly recommend working with a lactation consultant (IBCLC).  Click here to find a lactation consultant near you I also highly recommend checking out kellymom.com which is the internet’s best source for reliable breastfeeding information.  Here are some great articles: Kellymom guide to nursing your newbornKellymom guide to low milk supply When to (not) supplement First -...

Failure to thrive in babies and toddlers eating solid foods. Naturopathic Pediatrics article.

Failure to Thrive in Babies/Toddlers Eating Solid Foods

If your baby has failure to thrive please read the first part of this blog post at: What to do if your child drops on their growth curve or is diagnosed with Failure to Thrive Is it normal? First I want to say that dips on the growth curve are extremely common in exclusively breastfed babies who are transitioning to solids, especially around the 9-12 month mark.   It isn’t uncommon for babies this age to have some difficulty wrapping their heads (or mouths) around the fact that they need to start putting some effort into eating.  Some have issues with...