What is Natural Healthcare?

The human body is designed to work like a well-oiled, perfectly crafted machine. Each individual system, including the nervous, digestive endocrine systems to works with our organs in synergy to keep us in optimum health.

However, just like a machine needs maintenance and upkeep, so do our bodies. All too often, we wait until something “break” before we realize there is something wrong or take any steps to fix the problem. All too often those solutions are reactive. We take medicine, have surgery, visit multiple doctors, whatever we think will fix our issues.

However, there is a growing trend toward practicing natural, reactive medicine and taking steps to correct our diet and lifestyle that will prevent or slow down the development and medical conditions and the progression illness.  Around the world there is an increased interest in preventative medicine as well as an increased demand for Nutritional Supplements and Natural Healthcare Products.

In fact, 75% of Canadians currently use some form of non-drug therapy to manage or prevent a health condition.

What is Natural Healthcare?

So what does it mean to receive natural healthcare? Natural healthcare is holistic in nature meaning that the body and all of its systems are viewed a whole with the root causes of distressing symptoms being examined. For instance, many patients don’t simply have sore joints, weight gain and fatigue, they also have insulin resistance, a pre-diabetic condition that can be treated with diet and exercise. You can medicate the sore joints with Advil, work on the treadmill for hours and drink sugary caffeinated drinks to stay alert but in the end, you will end up treating a diseased pancreas that cannot process sugar any more with insulin.  In naturopathy, there are many interdependencies and the root cause of an issue is treated, as well as its symptoms with the intention of making the symptoms disappear altogether.

Natural Healthcare is More Popular Than Ever

To give you an example of how popular alternative health care services have become, in 2008, Americans spent $33.9 billion on complementary and alternative medicine practice and products.  According to NIH (National Institutes of Health New from information gathered from the National Center of Health Statistics this enormous amount of money was spent on herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic services, acupuncture services and similar.[1]

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com

For more information about The Pinewood Institute for the Advancement of Natural Medicine courses including course outlines, detailed descriptions of courses and information about upcoming training sessions, please go www.pinewoodinstitute.com.  You can also send us an email using our email form at http://pinewoodinstitute.com/contact.aspx or call us at 416-656-8100. If you prefer to fax the number is 416-656-8107.

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[1] Americans Spent 33.9 Billion Out-of-Pocket on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH NEWS, February 20, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2014. http://nccam.nih.gov/news/2009/073009.htm

Kiwi Fruit’s Healthy Impact on Weight Loss and the Immune System

The Kiwi is also known as both the Chinese gooseberry and also the “sunny peach.”. It is the large edible berry of a woody vine. Originally it was indigenous to the Easter Chinese “Shaanxi” province even though it is now widely grown in New Zealand.

In North America, the kiwis that are grown are generally the size of a Hen’s egg. This commonly available variety has a fuzzy brown skin and bright green flesh and is known as the Hayward.   A smaller North American type called the Blake is more smooth skinned and oval in shape.

Kiwifruit by species A = A. arguta, C = A. chinensis,

 D = A. deliciosa, E = A. eriantha, I = A. indochinensis,

 P = A. polygama, S = A. setosa;

Fruits of different species af Actinidia. A = A. arguta, 

C = A. chinensis, D = A. deliciosa, E = A. eriantha,

 I = A. indochinensis, P = A. polygama, S = A. setosa.

Golden Kiwi fruit, grown in China has lime green flesh with large black seeds and a red inner ring. Exotic varieties boast green to golden flesh with a red ring of black seeds inside. All kiwis have as small white ring inside the center.

Kiwis can taste different from batch to batch.  The taste is usually a hybrid of strawberries, lime, pineapple and a bit of banana with one flavour being slightly more prominent than another depending on where it was grown.

A Superfruit That is a Metabolic Bargain

Kiwi qualifies as being a superfruit because it is highly nutritious as each fruit is only 41 calories.  However, if you are trying to eat highly alkaline foods as part of special diet plan then kiwi is not for you as it registers quite highly on the acidic scale with a rating of 3.5.  Foods above 7 on the pH scale are considered to be alkaline.

Eating a kiwi can be compared to eating a very large organic vitamin pill. Kiwis are extremely rich in vitamin C, folate, potassium, carotenoids, chlorophyll, glutathione and pectin.  You can shorten the duration of a cold by eating kiwi.

Kiwi is also an unusually rich source of low fat and low-calorie Vitamin E. Vitamin E is a rare vegan sources and usually found in high-fat sources like avocado and nuts.

One serving of California Kiwifruit has more potassium than a banana. They are also a rich source of antioxidants, which reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Each Kiwi has about 2 grams of protein and 133 mg of Vitamin C.  They are 5% calcium, 3% Vitamin E and 3% iron. One kiwifruit has 30 mg of magnesium, which aids in muscle and nerve function.

Kiwi Fruit’s Many Health Benefits

Kiwi’s antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that cause inflammation and cancer.  The high Vitamin C content helps prevent asthma, arteriosclerosis, osteoarthritis and colon cancer.

The fruits high Vitamin E content helps lower cholesterol and boost immunity. Eating two to three Kiwi fruits a day can reduce the potential for blood clots and decrease triglycerides.

Kiwi is a well-known weight loss food because it has only 3.8 calories per fruit.  Only cantaloupes, papaya, strawberry and lemon have fewer calories. Diabetics can safely enjoy Kiwi Fruit. They have a low glycemic index of 52.  This is also beneficial for those looking for a fat-free, low-carb way to lose weight.

Kiwi also prevents colon cancer, optimizes metabolism and is a natural blood thinner and anti-depressant.

Where to Find Kiwi Fruit

You can find kiwi fruit is most grocery stores nowadays and definitely at Asian markets. Be sure to choose plump, aromatic Kiwi that yields to gentle pressure. Avoid those that are mushy or that have bruises or wet spots.

It is preferable to not eat the skin so it is best to peel the Kiwi before you slice it.   Don’t try to suspend it in gelatin. It has a compound in it that will not allow it to set.

For more information or to book a consultation about nutrition and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Centre 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.

Natural Treatment for BV

Vaginitis is a common and very persistent condition that can be very difficult to cure, especially if you have bacterial vaginitis.  Bacterial vaginitis, or BV as  it is known describes a chronic inflammation of vaginal tissues that never seems to go away.

The Vicious Cycle of BV

When you have bacterial vaginosis it seems almost impossible to get rid of and most women find themselves repeating these steps again and again

• It starts with itching and burning, along with a discharge with a strong odor.
• You treat it with over-the-counter remedies and a douche
• The odor, “slimy feeling” and discomfort remains
• You visit the doctor and he writes you a prescription for an antibiotic
• You take the antibiotic but before the course is finished you have develop a yeast infection and maybe even a urinary infection as well
• You are then prescribed an anti-fungal cream and antibiotic for the yeast infection and possibly a urinary track infection.

You are cure, but it only takes a few weeks until the whole painful, annoying and expensive cycle starts up again

Different Types of Vaginitis

There are three main types of vaginitis that women suffer from and at Pinewood Natural Health Institute we are experienced ridding you of the infection for good.

There is the bacterial vaginosis that is caused by bacteria and that usual evolves from a first episode of regular vaginitis.

Regular vaginitis can be caused by a number thing including fungus, vitamin B deficiencies, intestinal worms, irritation from douching, and the overuse of deodorant sprays, tight clothing, pregnancy, diabetes, antibiotics and oral contraceptives.

There is also as atrophic vaginitis that occurs in both menopausal women and in people who had their ovaries removed.

Often you are treated with antibiotics for these conditions. Unfortunately, antibiotics have all kinds of side effects including depression, fatigue, nausea, suppression of the immune system and most importantly – Candida yeast overgrowth.

The Role of Good and Bad Bacteria

Every time you use antibiotics, the good bacteria in your gut is diminished and needs replenishment. Otherwise, you are creating a breeding ground in your intestines for further illness. This is because antibiotics kill off lacotbacteria, which is your natural defense against candida yeast overgrowth.  Every time you take a course of antibiotics to treat a bacterial yeast infection it allows the candida to spread everywhere in your body.

If you are not actively replenishing your intestinal bacteria after a dose of antibiotics, both with supplements and contributing foods, you indirectly are providing to the recurrence of future health problems. An intestinal tract devoid of friendly intestinal bacteria is breeding ground for future illness. It also does not help that candida infections suppress the immune system which opens the door for the next bacterial infection to take hold.

Friendly bacteria is also necessary for the colon to maintain a proper pH or acid-based balance and if the PH is not under control then antagonistic bacteria can take hold and cause chronic difficulties

Antibiotics are chemicals that relieve immediate symptom but do nothing to eliminate the root causes of bacterial vaginosis. Women grow dependent on these drugs and use them as a quick fix for infections repeatedly until they develop a tolerance to them. The doctor continually switches the antibiotics often until none are effective at all.

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When no antibiotics work and when infections are not even showing up on cultures or in urine tests is squally when most women decide to treat their BV in another way, usually by visiting a naturopathic doctor. At Pinewood, we welcome your questions about treatment for this very common problem and we understand how you got to this point.

For more information or to book a consultation regarding any health problem that you may have, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Centre 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.

Avoiding Caffeine and Caffeine Withdrawal

As part of your natural prescription for wellness at Pinewood Health Institute you may be put on a particular diet plan or cleansing regimen that asks you to eliminate caffeine from your diet for a number of days. For some individuals this is an almost inconceivable concept as they depend on that first cup of java in the morning to wake them up and make them more productive.

However, caffeine is not just found in coffee. It is also found in energy drinks, dark chocolate, many pain medications and soft drinks. It is also found in tea, and in especially high amounts in green tea.

Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal

Withdrawing from caffeine can summon up the typical symptoms of withdrawal, which include fatigue, irritability, headache, anxiety, brain fog and anxiety.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that these side effects do not last long, usually between two to nine days for most people.

The other good news is that there are many people who do NOT suffer from any symptoms when they withdraw from caffeine. In fact some people experience benefits such as less indigestion, acidic stomach and feeling less jittery.  For some people, not drinking a lot of coffee helps them sleep better at night and makes them less distractible when they are focusing on a task.

Why Can’t I Have Caffeine?

Although caffeine makes us feel good, it only offers a temporary fix. In the long run it exhausts the body by over stimulating the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. This triggers us to experience the “fight or flight” response that is a biological reaction to stress.  When you experience stress, your body goes into overdrive producing cortisol, which is one of the main causes of excess belly fat.

Cortisol is not a complete villain or our bodies would not naturally produce it. It is only harmful when we produce too much of it. When the body produces smaller amounts it improves our awareness, performance and memory. In crisis situations, it is produced to create extra energy and lower our sensitivity to pain.

Caffeine artificially and unnecessarily causes our cortisol levels to rise which in turn triggers lowered cortisol levels, decreased thyroid function, cognitive difficulties, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, sky-rocketing blood pressure, inflammatory reactions and a lower resistance to disease.

Also if you have the proverbial “muffin top “you can probably blame that on cortisol overload as well.

Strategies for Avoid Caffeine

Aside from avoiding colas, coffee, teas and drugs that have caffeine you will likely have to avoid foods that are coffee-flavoured such as yogurt and ice cream. It is important to read labels.

Dark chocolate has the most caffeine. Even a small serving of dark chocolate can have up to 30 milligrams of caffeine in it, nearly the same amount as a can of cola (as compared with 90-150 milligrams in a cup of coffee and 30-70 milligrams in a cup of caffeinated tea).

The withdrawal symptoms from caffeine can be very real and for most people you have no real choice but to put up with them until your craving goes away. If you can do this you will be amazed at the sense of freedom you will feel from not having to rely on a beverage to kick-start your metabolism every morning and also how much money you will save from not buying a big designer coffee every day.

For more information or to book a consultation about our restorative diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may have ,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.