Take a breath: exploring deep breathing for pain management
What do belly breathing, alternate nostril breathing, singing, chanting, deep slow breathing (DSB) and other forms of resistance breathing all have in common? Interestingly enough, incorporating one or more of these types of breathing at the first sign of pain can greatly help with providing relief. As correlations are now [...]
Ditch the ibuprofen and read this: how ‘vitamin I’ can hinder your training
You’ve pushed your muscles to the limit after an intense workout, so you pop a couple of ibuprofen and wait for the aches to subside. Though research shows that ibuprofen is effective at relieving pain and inflammation, it can also affect your skeletal muscle and gastrointestinal tract tissue. So does [...]
All about U: Ubiquinol vs. Ubiquinone
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a natural antioxidant, and with everyone from health gurus to beauty aficionados extolling its benefits on the heart, muscles, skin and hair it seems like it's always on the supplement-du-jour list. But what is it, really, and why do we need it? The skinny CoQ10 is [...]
Expert Advice | Dosages and detoxification
Welcome to Expert Advice, a weekly series that features professional replies to your questions on natural health and wellness, and living a healthy life. Our in-house team of naturopathic doctors, homeopaths, nutritionists and other licensed health care practitioners help you to make better informed decisions regarding your health, natural health supplements, natural medicine [...]
What’s your tongue telling you? Anatomy of a tongue diagnosis in TCM
Rife with ridges and bumps, veins and papillae, the human tongue resembles some alien landscape. But a careful physical examination can tell a naturopathic doctor a lot about your overall health. The tongue tells all According to Dr. Cecilia Ho, a Toronto-based Naturopath and TCM practitioner, Tongue and Pulse diagnosis [...]
Natural Anti-Inflammatories
People relying on over-the-counter NSAIDs for pain and inflammation could benefit from natural alternatives instead. With the exception of boswellia, all of these natural anti-inflammatories are considered safe enough for long-term use. The list below can be used as a refresher on the safety of natural anti-inflammatories commonly prescribed by [...]
Practicing the art of self-care: How to cultivate balance in busy lives
Self-care can be simply described as the right and responsibility to take care of your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Care that is provided for you – by you. It is only when we care for and help ourselves that we’re able to care for and help others more effectively. Women especially [...]
What does Gluten Sensitivity Mean?
Gluten sensitivity has now earned the distinction of being a condition separate from celiac disease. A study conducted by a group of American and Italian researchers in 2001 found that a subset of patients made up of children and adults showed many of the same symptoms typical of celiac, but [...]
