Blog

by: Petra Najafee, Registered Psychotherapist

Self- Compassion

Lately I’ve been doing a lot of work with clients on self-compassion. And often it’s a hard sell. We live in a society that teaches us to be hard on ourselves, as if that’s the only way we’re going to find the motivation to work hard and be successful. But what if there’s another way?

Most of us can imagine another way if we imagine talking to a good friend. Imagine that a friend got nervous during a presentation at work and left out a few points or stumbled over a few words. Would you tell that friend that he/she is an idiot? That they don’t deserve the job? That they’re a fake and surely they’re going to get fired? Most of us would be horrified to think of talking that way to a friend. We’d be more likely to say things like “Don’t worry about it. You’re smart, you do a great job every day and most of your presentations are fantastic. So you got nervous on this one and had one bad day, it’s not the end of the world. Everyone has a bad day once in a while. You’ll get ‘em next time.”

So, why don’t we talk that way to ourselves? The second way is likely to motivate us to keep at it, to keep going, maybe to get some help on our presentation skills. The first way is likely to make us want to hide in a corner and be even more nervous the next time we do a presentation. Being too hard on ourselves can impact us at home and at work. It can contribute to feelings of depression and anxiety.

If you’re interested in reading about self-compassion and how it can benefit you, I might suggest doing some reading by Kristin Neff and Chris Germer. They are researchers who have done a lot of work in this area and have had a positive influence on my work with clients.

So, the next time you find you’re beating yourself up over something, I invite you to try talking to yourself as you would a good friend. Try this over a period of time and see what kind of impact it has.

by: Dr. Tanvi Tijoriwala, Naturopathic Doctor

If you are having less than 3 bowel movement a week you are likely suffering from constipation. There are many reasons why we may experience constipation:

1.Hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland is responsible for our metabolism. When the gland becomes sluggish, it can play a huge role in altering digestion of food which can lead to constipation.

2.Stress. Stress can directly or indirectly cause constipation. During stressful times we experience cortisol hormone spikes which can cause digestive issues such as gas, bloating and constipation.

3.Diet. Several dietary factors such as lack of hydration, lack of adequate fiber in the diet or food sensitivities can cause constipation.

4.Side effects of medication. One of the most overlooked causes of constipation is the side effect of various medications. However, it is dangerous to stop taking prescription medications without consulting your healthcare practitioner.

At home-treatments:

• Castor oil packs - applied topically on the abdomen work very well for constipation. This is because it increases blood flow and nutrition to the area to get the bowels moving.
• Dietary changes - Increasing water intake to 7-8 glasses and increasing fiber in your diet can help alleviate constipation symptoms. Good sources of fibers include – flax seeds, leafy green vegetables and fruits.
• Hydrotherapy – like castor oil packs, alternating hot and cold water applications to the abdomen can increase blood flow to the area and get the bowels moving.
• Herbal teas – Several herbal teas catered to treat digestive symptoms can help alleviate constipation. It is best to ask your naturopathic doctor what herbal remedies are well suited for your condition.
• Exercise – Cardio exercises such as going for walks daily, swimming or biking can also be beneficial to your digestive health.

By: Dr. Melanie DeCunha, ND

Okay, so you’ve seen my previous recipes for homemade gummies (watermelon starbursts and lemon gummy bears), but here we’ve kicked things up a notch. On top of the gut-healing benefits of gelatin, you’re getting a double whammy with kombucha! Yup, that’s right.

New to kombucha? Kombucha is fermented tea that packs a mega dose of probiotics (good bacteria that your gut loves). It can be made in any flavour that you’d find tea, with most people opting for a nice fruity flavour.

You can use any flavour you’d like to make these gummies, however I’d recommend going with a strong fruity flavour as I find the taste gets dulled down a bit when made into gummies. You can also sweeten your gummies with a bit of honey or maple syrup (taste your mixture before refrigerating to get to your desired level of sweetness).

Who says Valentine’s Day has to be all about chocolate and cupcakes? Show you valentine (and gut) some love this year with homemade kombucha gummies!

Ingredients:

• 1.5C kombucha (flavour of your choosing)
• 1/3C gelatin
• 1-2T maple syrup or honey (optional)

Instructions:

• On the stovetop over low heat, warm the kombucha
• Very gradually, sprinkle in the gelatin in small batches, while whisking at a moderate pace (if you whisk too vigorously you will get a lot of froth)
• Continue whisking in gelatin until all is combined with no clumps
• Once combined, skim off the top froth (optional: you can leave it in if you don’t mind lots of air bubbles in your gummies)
• Using a dropper or syringe, pour the mixture into silicone moulds of your choice (heart-shaped would be ideal for v-day!)
• Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until set
• Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week