Practicing The Loving "No" - Taking care of yourself before you give to others

The Loving “No," has been a theme lately with both my patients and myself, so I wanted to bring attention to it in the online world. This is such an important topic as it brings in aspects of both mindfulness and creating a good community around us. 

As a society we tend to take on too many responsibilities and activities. What do you have going on this coming weekend? How many tasks do you have on your to do list at work? We then can not think of the last time we did something for ourselves. 

““You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” 

It can depend on the place in your life you are at. If you are in the beginning stages of a new business, a new family, or taking on a bigger position at work, everything you are learning is big and takes time. Once you’ve settled into your routine, those things seem smaller and less overwhelming. However, whatever stage you are at, taking time for yourself is just as important. This is where practicing the loving “no” comes in.

We are wired to give. We are wired to be of service. We have been taught to put others first, to be the “yes man.” I know with myself, I think to have a great community around me, I need to spend time often with those I love. To give and connect, sometimes even bake, for those I love! You may be capable in theory of giving to others, but saying yes to too much, even if those demands are coming from within, we end up so depleted. We no longer have the ability to fill up our own bucket. 

In order to give, our own bucket needs to be full first. 

Practicing the loving “no” is challenging for a lot of us. If you are a compassionate person, you feel their overwhelm, their sadness, their confusion, and you immediately want to help. You may be a mother, a teacher, a leader in your business…but to give fully to others, we need to take care of ourselves first. 

It is not about what you are saying yes to, but what you are comfortable saying no to. 

It is uncomfortable to say no, especially at the beginning. Creating any type of boundary is challenging. However, if you don’t know how to say no to the things that matter less, than you don’t have time to give to those things that really matter the most. So practice saying no in a kind way. Customize it for each person and situation. Be respectful and firm. The answer is no…and here is why.  

You may even be caught by surprised with the responses you get. Setting an example of creating boundaries, carving out time for yourself, may be what was needed to inspire those around you to do the same. It only takes one person to create a ripple effect. They may mimic your behaviour and support you. So honour projects and commitments you hold dear, but start creating time for yourself to fill your bucket. Whether it be a simple meditation practice in the mornings, a cup of tea, a bath or yoga class after work, or time with your family if that fills you up. Practice the loving “no,” so you are capable of giving fully.

How do you fill your bucket? Let me know below! As always, I am here to help. If you need support because you already feel depleted, don't hesitate to reach out. 

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

Magnesium: The Relaxation Mineral

Magnesium is one of my favourite minerals and one I use a lot of in my practice due to the plethora of conditions it can help treat. Mainly it is a relaxation mineral, relaxing your muscles, mind and mood. It is a very simple mineral but a common definitely we tend to have. 

Magnesium is crucial to our bodies as it is needed in over 300 reactions as a co-enzyme. Basically if we don’t have enough magnesium our body doesn’t work optimally leading to several issues, including high blood pressure, migraines, cramps and even acid-reflux, just to name a few. Unfortunately magnesium is hard to get in our diet due to soil depletion and heavy food processing. It is also depleted from an excess of coffee or pop. It is found in foods such as seaweeds and other leafy greens, as well as nuts and seeds but it is difficult to eat enough of these foods to get sufficient magnesium levels. Multivitamins also don’t typically have enough magnesium to top up what we do get from our diet. Those supplements tend to have 0-70mg/tablet, which is far lower than the recommended dose. 

Wondering if you could use magnesium? What does magnesium help with:

• Muscle pain - relaxes skeletal muscle, which we use during exercise and which get tight during times of stress 
• Cramps - either muscle cramps like charlie-horses or hormonal cramps during your period
• Constipation - relaxes smooth muscles in your gut (magnesium citrate is the best form for this)
• Migraines - a great addition for migraine treatment plan 
• Insomnia - helpful to take before bed
• Stress - the more relaxed we are the better we can handle stress
• Hypertension
• fibromyalgia
• Acid reflux
• PMS - balances mood
• Metabolic syndrome - eg. diabetes
• Hypothyroidism 
• Osteoporosis - helps to build bone
• and so on!

I usually use magnesium bis-glycinate in my practice as it is more highly absorbable and has less side effects, ie. loose stools. Magnesium citrate is only helpful with constipation. The dose varies depending on the person and symptoms, however a good starting dose would be 400mg at night. working up from there if needed. Talk to your ND about what dose is right for you. Epsom salt baths are a great addition to your bath routine as well as they are full of magnesium. Myers intravenous therapy, which I do in my practice, is another great way to get a helpful boost of magnesium. It is a safe supplement to take however be cautious and speak to your doctor if you have hypertension, kidney disease or are pregnant. 

Crave chocolate? You might just be deficient in magnesium! 

In health & happiness, 

Dr. Karen

(Photo credit: www.purabotanica.ca; articles.mercola.com)

Hands-on Food Coaching Program

As you know good food is a passion of mine so I wanted to create a program that allows me to share that knowledge with you to optimize your health! Talking about food in my office isn't quite the same as talking about it while brewing up something delicious in the kitchen or seeing hands-on what foods are helpful for you. Whether you are trying to loose weight, suffering from chronic pain or depression this program can help you. 

All the details of my food coaching program are found under "Services" on my website but for your convenience I have added them below. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or if you feel like this is the right program for you! So let's have fun in the kitchen :)

In health & happiness, 

Dr. Karen

Food Coaching with Dr. Karen

In a food rut? Do you want to make a change but are not sure where to start? Are you struggling to lose weight and have tried too many diets? Are you suffering from anxiety, depression or chronic fatigue, where food could be the culprit?  I am here to help! 

Going through my own health concerns I have tried and tested many different "diets" and have come to the conclusion that not one diet fits all. We are all individuals, so food should have an individual approach. There is an abundant amount of information about food these days and a plethora of cookie cutter diets or cleanses. It can get confusing and overwhelming.

This is where I come in. I've created programs that cater to your individual food needs and are fully customizable. I can visit you in your kitchen or via Skype (so you can see mine!) and help break down those food barriers. Take a look at the packages below and we'll find one that fits you best to get you started. 

Package A - The Appetizer: 1 session - $170

• Intake and nutrition session - to discuss chief concerns, food barriers, goals and personalized nutrition session.

Package B - The First Course: 2 sessions - $245

• Intake and nutrition session - to discuss chief concerns, food barriers, goals and personalized nutrition session.
• Nutrition package - including several helpful handouts on diet and nutrition for your specific goals.
• Meal planning how-to and healthy recipes package.

* The first meeting will be done in office over 75 minutes. The second meeting can be done in office or via Skype over 30 minutes. 

Package C - The Full Meal Deal: Over 2 sessions - $330 (Most popular option)

• Intake and nutrition session - to discuss chief concerns, food barriers, goals and personalized nutrition session. 
• In home or Skype kitchen audit - A healthy diet starts with a healthy kitchen therefore having the right food and tools is important. 
• Nutrition package - including several helpful handouts on diet and nutrition for your specific goals.
• Meal planning how-to and healthy recipes package.
• Simple cooking session to get you started.

*The first meeting and intake will be done in office over 75 minutes. The second meeting will be via Skype of home visit over 75-90 minutes. 

Package D - The Dessert: 1 session - $200

• Short nutrition session - to discuss chief concerns, food barriers, goals and personalized nutrition session.
• In home or Skype kitchen audit - A healthy diet starts with a healthy kitchen therefore having the right food and tools is important.
• Meal planning how-to and healthy recipes package.
• Simple cooking session to get you started.

*Only available for existing patients. Can be done in your kitchen or both (via Skype) over 75-90 minutes. 

Personalized approach: (Do one of these options resonate with you? Let me know and I will cater your sessions to suit you.)

• HEALTHY LIVING- This is perfect for those who already have a grasp on a healthy diet but are looking to fine tune things or learn new tricks such as sprouting, using bone broth or the plethora of ways to use chia seeds or avocado. 
• LIGHTENING THE SCALE - This is geared towards those that are trying to lose weight for overall health and need that personalized guide or a different approach. Includes such things as a discussion on cleansing, portion sizes and intermittent fasting.  
• DOWN IN THE DUMPS - Did you know that gut health influences your mood? This approach is geared for those suffering from anxiety or depression. We discuss proper nutrition to improve gut health as well as lifestyle habits to help. 

*Direct billing can be applied for each package if applicable. 

*$20 travel fee for kitchen visits within the HRM. Outside HRM fee on an individual basis. 

Healing the Gut: All about the good bugs

Did you know that our body lives symbiotically with many bugs, called the microbiome? Did you know that many chronic diseases, such as allergies, skin issues, depression, obesity, hypertension and more are linked to a disruption of our microbiome? 

We are seeing a plethora of research today showing the benefits of a healthy microbiome, this being the collection of healthy bacteria in our body. The majority of this microbiome is located in our gut, which is why I discuss gut health with so many of my patients! Many of you may be familiar with the word “acidophilus” but that is only one strain of probiotics, or live bacteria, which lives symbiotically with us. Some other strains that are important are lactobacillus, bifidobacterium and saccromyces boulardii. Sound like gibberish? Luckily, it is helpful gibberish. 

A few important roles of probiotics:

1. They protect against pathogens: A spectrum of immune conditions, from simple colds and flus to chronic immune deficiencies, such as Hashimotos and Crohns, can occur if we have a deficiency in probiotics. This is due to the fact that more that 70% of our immune system resides in our digestive tract and probiotics help to strengthen it. Some germs are actually good for us in this case. If we wiped out all those bugs, from over sanitization or antibiotics we decrease our bodies ability to protect us from when we need them the most.
2.  They protect the gut lining itself: Heard of the term “leaky gut?” Our digestive tract is simply one layer of cells, with the blood stream directly beneath it. Therefore, it is quite fragile. An imbalanced flora can lead to permeability of these cells, by up-regulating a protein called zonulin, which has been shown to be correlated with auto-immune conditions, such as celiac disease, and other chronic diseases. This permeability leads to an increase in inflammation in the blood stream. Diagnosed with “IBS”? Probiotics may be the gut protection you need. 
3. They calm the nervous system and affects the mind: I have spoken before about the correlation of depression and anxiety and an imbalanced microbiome. By protecting the gut lining, probiotics decrease overall inflammation in the body. Probiotics have also been shown to stimulate neurochemical production such as GABA and serotonin, our calming signals, and also communicate directly with the brain through the vagus nerve (one of the largest nerve in the body, connecting the brain and the gut.) 

My tips to help your gut: 

1. Focus on Diet. The western-style diet of more carbohydrates and more sugar leads to higher levels of inflammation and gut permeability. They also feed the “bad” bugs, such as yeast and an imbalance ensues. By focusing on eating more vegetables and fibre and eliminating sugar and processed carbohydrates, the gut will thank you. 
2. Get some Vitamin D. This multifunctional vitamin decreases zonulin in the gut, ultimately helping our probiotics to function more affectively. Summer in Nova Scotia is a great time to increase your vitamin D, so get out in the sun...for a reasonable amount of time!
3. Eat your fermented foods. Kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut are all great ways to improve your gut flora with food.  **A note on kefir: Please read the bottle! All kefir is not the same. Avoid the flavoured versions with added sugar (just negates the effects). If you are sensitive to dairy, try coconut kefir, which actually has more probiotics per tablespoon (15 billion vs 2 billion). Finally, increase the dose slowly, starting with 1/2 tbsp, increasing to only 2 tbsp, added to other yogurt or smoothies. Too much all at once may cause more bloating. 
4. Take a probiotic supplement. In my practice I usually start my patients on a supplement form as a larger correction is needed or a certain strain is important. The dose and strain depends on their concern. It may be hard to get enough probiotics in food form before the imbalance is corrected. Ask your ND what is right for you. 

So there you have it, probiotics have several important roles in our body, especially in the gut. If you have any questions on these little bugs please don’t hesitate to ask or reach out to me in a 15 minute free consults. Happy to help!

In health & happiness,

Dr. Karen

(Photo credit: www.mindbodygreen.com)