Do You Have Metabolic Syndrome?

Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of conditions when combined together increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.  These conditions can include increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels and excess body fat around the waist and/or abnormal cholesterol levels.

If more than one of these conditions occur in combination, your risk is even greater than usual of having a heart attack, stroke or developing diabetes.

The causes of metabolic syndrome are generally interwined with a less than healthy lifestyle including smoking, drinking, eating a diet high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, fat and lack of exercising.  Metabolic syndrome also becomes more common in women around peri-menopause, menopause and is also more common in people with a sedentary livestyle/ work environment.

Symptoms To Watch For!

The symptoms of metabolic syndrome that every person should watch for:


  *   Obesity, particularly around your waist (apple shape)
  *   Elevated blood pressure
  *   An elevated level of the blood fat called triglycerides and a low level of high-density lipoprotein
  *   Resistance to insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate the amount of sugar in your body

Having one component of metabolic syndrome means you're more likely to have others and the more components you have the more likely you are to suffer from a serious, life-shortening disease in the future.


Blood tests to detect the amount of fatty deposits in your blood and your resistance to insulin can be conducted at our Pinewood clinic on Duncan Mill Road in Toronto, this test will help determine whether or not you may have Metabolic Syndrome.

Treatment
Aggressive lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication can improve all of the different conditions that characterize this condition.
In general the person will be advised to be more physically active, lose weight and quit smoking. This can help reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol and reduce blood sugar levels.

Walking half an hour to an hour a day is initially recommended to help you lose five to ten percent of your body weight, reduce insulin levels, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetes.

Smoking cigarettes increases insulin resistance and worsens the health consequences of metabolic syndrome. A naturopath can help you kick the cigarette habit.

If you have metabolic syndrome or any of the components of metabolic syndrome, you have the opportunity to make aggressive lifestyle changes. Making these changes can delay or derail the development of serious diseases that may result from metabolic syndrome. Our naturopaths and dieticians can recommend weight loss plans for reducing that apple belly as well as help you rethink your diet and lifestyle so you are less prone to developing diabetes or experiencing a cardiovascular related health crisis.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Spring Cleaning!

by Ana Nozari, BSc, ND

Naturopathic Doctor

After the long and harsh winter we have had this year we are all looking forward to spring, for warmer weather and seeing nature renew itself. Spring is also a great time for us to cleanse our bodies from all the waste and toxins which accumulate over months of inactivity and breathing stale indoor air.

Many of you are aware of our main organs of elimination and detoxification like liver, colon and kidneys which work hard round the clock to process and remove the endogenous (produced in the body from metabolic processes) and exogenous toxins (from what we ingest). Our secondary organs of elimination like skin, lymphatic system, and lungs are also important in removing unwanted toxins. Skin is our largest organ of elimination, but it also can be a route for toxins getting into our body by topical application of cosmetics, lotions and detergents. Therefore, it’s important to be very selective with what we put on and in our bodies to reduce the toxic load.

So what are some of the ways we can help our body cleanse itself this spring?

Watercress Cleanses the organs and system.

Nature gives us the answer as always! Some of the plants and vegetables that come around spring time have a great ability to stimulate and support our detoxification organs. These wonderful plants include dandelion greens, fiddleheads, watercress, cilantro and parsley which help our liver and kidneys to remove toxins more efficiently. So try to load up on these plants or use them in a vegetable juice cocktail.

Other than the specific supplements that may also be recommended to you by your naturopathic doctor, you will need to make sure to take extra fiber and clean filtered water to help with the elimination process, and avoid released toxins from recirculating in the body.

As the temperatures are rising try to get outside more and do deep breathing exercises to get more oxygenated blood to your tissues. Also open the windows to aerate your home or use good quality air filter to remove air toxins and pollutants.

Last but not least dry skin brushing and infra red sauna are great ways of aiding our lymphatic system and skin in the elimination process. Make sure to use a natural Bristol brush and gently brush your skin from extremities toward the centre daily before you take a shower.

If your seasonal allergies stop you from enjoying spring consider NAET treatments available at Pinewood. This therapy is very effective in eliminating environmental and food allergy/sensitivities.

Dr. Ana Nozari treats many different health problems using the principles of naturopathic medicine. She has a special interest in the areas of women's health and fertility, allergies, food and environmental sensitivities, as well as pain management. She focuses on prevention and health maintenance.

Give Yourself a Lift With Lycopene

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and it is found in most produce that is red, but it is especially abundant tomatoes and also products made from tomatoes.  Lycopene is also good for your sex life and may have actually been the original apple that Adam gave to Eve in the Biblical tale. At any rate, lycopene is found in things that are red and red is the color of romance and it is also the color of the heart and circulatory system.It seems suitable somehow that lycopene also supports the heart and the health of the prostrate gland. As a free radical fighter it can help prevent all serious diseases

Lycopene Is An Anti-Aging Food

Lycopene is that anti-aging food that keeps your skin looking younger.  There is some truth to that statement that sex symbol and screen goddes Sophia Loren made when she claimed, “Everything you see here I owe to spaghetti.” It is  the lycopene in tomato based spaghetti sauce that kept her skin loosing so supple, soft and youthful well into her old age.  That is because when you consume it, it is deposited everywhere in your body including the lungs, liver, colon, prostate gland and skin.

Classified as a cartenoid, this antioxident tends to retain itself in body tissues for a very long time.  When you eat tomatoes, it is like putting a healthy deposit in “the bank of your body” to supply your personal fountain of youth later.

There are many benefits to consuming lycopene but it is especially effective when it comes to the reduction of the incidence of all kinds of cancer. As well as helping an individual avoid prostrate cancer it is also helpful in the prevention of breast cancer and cancers of the digestive tract.

Lycopene may also help reduce your risk of macular degeneration, more commonly known as blindness caused by old age.

Getting more Lycopene Into Your Life

It is easy to get more of this wonderful antioxidant into your life.  Start making meals in which tomato sauce or tomatoes play a big role in one or more dishes. You will get the most lycopene if you consume it cooked so think about making vegan tomato curries and stews, lasagna, pasta and brochettes.  You can also get lycopene from eating raw tomatoes or drinking a glass of tomato juice.  If you want to feel especially healthy and rehydrated, squeeze the tomato juice yourself and drink it fresh. However eating tomatoes that are processed, cooked or even from a can is actually recommended in the case of lycopene because processing increases the presence of this free radical fighter in the food.  A study done at the American Institute for Cancer Research has reported that lypcopene is more readily absorbed by the body when the tomatoes or cooked or process.  Canned tomatoes are a tremendously beneficial source of lycopene.

The tomato is the all-star source for lycopene but you can also source the antioxidant from fresh fruits and vegetables such as guavas, rosehips, pink grapefruit and watermelon.  you can also find rich sources of lycopene in red peppers, roasted and pickled red peppers and sun-dried tomato products.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

The Fatter You Are The Hungrier You Get

Have you ever noticed that the more weight that you gain, the hungrier you get? One of the issues that can arise when you let your body fall into an unhealthy acidic state is constant hunger. That is why it is crucial for you to also correct your body’s metabolism, by putting it into a more alkaline state.  That is part of the point of embarking on the Healthy and Active Lifestyle that is offered, along with HCG loss and other strategies for weight loss here at the Pinewood Natural Health Centre. Through the use of a blood chemistry profile, you can determine what foods that you can eat so that you do not pack on the pounds because of cravings.

An Abnormal Hypothalamus Gland

A cross section of the human brain.

If your hypothalamus gland is abnormal you can experience more cravings than is normal. The hypothalamus is the body’s master gland that regulates metabolism and it controls the natural trigger response of hunger.  Constant cravings can signify that this gland has become toxic and that it needs to be reset. One of the programs that we offer at the clinic is the HCG program which has proven successful in helping people lose sixty in just a couple of months.

There are many reasons why it may be operating abnormally and there are natural treatments available to address each. These include:

• A fatty and clogged liver
• An overgrowth of candida yeast
• Lack of digestive enzymes
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Lack of fibre in the diet
• Toxic overload from sugar and especially high fructose corn syrup
• Toxic overload from artificial sweeteners and flavourings
• Toxic overload from heavy metals
• Chronic lack of oxygen
• Food allergies
• Parasites
• Too much fad dieting
• Lack of sleep

In Naturopathy there are measures that can be taken to address all or any of these symptoms.

Unusual Factors That Influence Cravings

Cravings are also worse if you eat a very bland diet. The hypothalamus thrives when it can sample all five tastes in one day including salty, sweet, sour, savoury and bitter.  The hypothalamus will also encourage you to seek out other types of stimulating sensations such as spiciness, blandness, astringency, coolness and foods with different textures and temperatures. This is why if you are on calorie deprivation diet, that it is important to use spices and also vary the temperature and textures of the foods so that you hypothalamus is always excited enough to stimulate weight loss hormones.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services. 

You can also read more about the Healthy and Active Lifestyle program that is offered world-wide in natural health clinics at www.hametabolism.blogspot.ca.