Medical Monday 2: Nutrient Depletion

If you are taking pharmaceutical medication for a health condition, it can be very helpful to talk to a naturopathic doctor to learn about the nutrients in the body that may be depleted as a result of taking this medication. 

For example... birth control pills deplete B vitamins, statins (cholesterol lowering medications) deplete the essential energy shuttling molecule CoQ10, and antibiotics deplete your 'good' gut bacteria ...but luckily all of these depletion can be restored through diet and nutritional supplementation. 

CoQ10 helps transport electrons along the Electron Transport Chain in the mitochrondria (found of every cell in our body) to make energy (ATP). Image source here.

Contrary to popular belief, a naturopathic doctor won't tell you to stop taking a medication if it is indicated; instead he or she will learn about your condition and your medication regime, and then may recommend particular foods to be eaten or supplements to be taken in order to restore the body of nutrients that may be loss due to the medication. 

I'll take this time to remind readers naturopathic doctors are not anti medical doctors! We believe in an integrated system in which both fields of medicine (allopathic and naturopathic) work together to treat the whole condition. For instance, medical doctors are very good at treating acute and emergent conditions (Strep throat, broken ankle, appendicitis, etc) while naturopathic doctors excel at treating chronic, lifelong conditions (chronic pain, diabetes, seasonal allergies, etc).

Medical Monday 1: Mind and Mood

Today we're chatting about mind and mood.

Lately, I've received lots of questions about mind and mood, and what are some things that could be done to improve it naturopathically. This obviously isn't an exhaustive list and you should of course consult your own naturopathic doctor or health care provider to discuss an individual treatment plan, but here are a five mind and mood 'boosters'. 

1) Dietary Additions, like egg yolks. According to this article, titled "Eat Your Egg Yolks", the choline found in egg yolks helps healthy brain development (so eggs are very beneficial for pregnant moms). There are many other foods that help the mind and mood. Talk to your healthcare provider, dietitian, or naturopathic intern (find one here!) for more dietary support. 

2) Mood Gym. This website features exercises to help people who experience anxiety and depression. It's free, but you have to sign-up/create an account to start using the exercises. 

How about a life-size game of chess to boost your mind?

3) Mindfulness. Interested in learning more about mindfulness? I learned about mindfulness in school, but also with the help of this book.

4) Fatty Acids. The standard north american diet is heavy in omega 6 fatty acids and low in omega 3 fatty acids. The healthy ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 should be about 2:1, but research says the ratio is now more like 15:1. Yikes! Thankfully omega 3s are found in some yummy foods, like fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and even grass-fed beef.

Salmon has omega 3 fatty acids

5) Herbal Support. This Summer, second-year students will be writing NPLEx 1 and new graduates will be writing NPLEx 2. In preparation for this major exams, many herbal supplement companies were offering deals to students on herbal mind support. Herbs like Gingko and Bocoba were selling like crazy! There are lots of herbs to help balance mood or boost memory. Talk to your naturopathic intern to find the herb support for you.