Last Friday I went to a moms group in Clarkson to chat about some common pediatric concerns and this time brought along Catherine Cabral-Marotta. She is my guest blogger today and she's chatting about one of the concerns she covered on Friday - colic. Here's her take on colic!
Dr. Paul Roumeliotis describes colic as a condition characterized by bouts of continual and intense, often high-pitched, crying in an otherwise healthy infant. These bouts are noted to last anywhere from 2-4 hours per day for several days at a time. These newborns often draw the legs up into the abdomen and can be seen clenching their fists as if in pain. Many infants will grow out of their colic within the first four months of life, however a number of children do not, and these are the babies who are often seen by the osteopathic practitioner. Factors that contribute to colic that can be addressed by the osteopathic manual practitioner include:
- labour complications that cause compression of the base of the infants skull (cranium)
- irritation of the vagus nerve as a result of the child beginning to lift their head up when on their tummy
- muscular tension or nerve irritation that may affect the contents of the thorax or gut, especially the diaphragm
Osteopathic treatment is a gentle, safe and effective technique for babies and children that utilizes very specific light-pressure techniques to assist that natural desire of the body to remedy mechanical imbalances and return the body to a state of health. For more information, please contact Catherine Cabral-Marotta at the Zawada Health clinic.
1. www.canadianparents.com/article/colic-and-babies
2. http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/integrativecare-therapies-os1
About Me
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Resistance Training Helps Anxiety
Exercise as medicine. Love it. Everyone needs to be reminded of how important exercise is. Of course most people recognize the importance of exercise and weight management, and decreasing risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, and most even realize how exercise can alleviate symptoms of depression and fatigue. But what kind of exercise is ideal? Aerobic, anaerobic, weight training, or a combination of everything?
Well a new study was presented at the recent American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting that shows resistance or weight training may be ideal. In a study of women suffering with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, remission of anxiety was 60% in the group that did resistance training in comparison to 40% in the aerobic exercise group. How fantastic!
Now I'm curious to see if there are any gender differences and exactly why..... The women perceived the resistance training as more intense than the aerobic exercise so maybe it's the intensity. Regardless this is more proof that everyone needs to get up and move EVERY day. The most common excuse I hear is no time. Everyone can do something for 10 minutes and even if that 10 minutes is some quick skipping or a quick power walk outside or even a little ab workout or just some pushups and situps. Anything works. Just do it!
Well a new study was presented at the recent American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting that shows resistance or weight training may be ideal. In a study of women suffering with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, remission of anxiety was 60% in the group that did resistance training in comparison to 40% in the aerobic exercise group. How fantastic!
Now I'm curious to see if there are any gender differences and exactly why..... The women perceived the resistance training as more intense than the aerobic exercise so maybe it's the intensity. Regardless this is more proof that everyone needs to get up and move EVERY day. The most common excuse I hear is no time. Everyone can do something for 10 minutes and even if that 10 minutes is some quick skipping or a quick power walk outside or even a little ab workout or just some pushups and situps. Anything works. Just do it!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Celery Salad?
Everyone thinks of celery as a veggie to dip into things. It gets little respect even though it can be a diuretic powerhouse and wonderful at lowering blood pressure..... This salad will definitely change your mind about plain old celery!
Last night was a big weeknight for our household! We stayed up past 10 pm! We had a little dinner party to celebrate Chris' graduation from the University of Toronto's EMBA program. We had a great day and then had family over to celebrate. Of course they say you should never try new recipes when entertaining but I rarely follow that rule as I think it's a great opportunity.... especially in this case because it was family. I tried a new tuna tapenade recipe as an appetizer that was delicious (but clearly not detox-friendly with Italian mascarpone as an ingredient!) and a new celery salad. Both were from Ina Garten's cookbook, Back to Basics.
Celery and Parmesan Salad
Yields: 4-6 servings
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
2 tbsp minced shallots
1 tsp celery seed
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp anchovy paste
Kosher salt and freshly group black pepper
5 cups thinly sliced celery hearts, tender leaves included, sliced on an angle (about 12 stalks)
4-ounce chunk aged Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Whole flat-leaf parsley leaves
1. At least 1 hour before you plan to serve the salad, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, ¼ cup of lemon juice, the shallots, celery seed, celery salt, anchovy paste, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
2. Mix 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt to celery before adding enough dressing to moisten well.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the celery to crisp and the flavors to develop.
4. When ready to serve, arrange the celery on a platter, shave the Parmesan onto the celery with a vegetable peeler, the sprinkle with walnuts, parsley leaves, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.
Last night was a big weeknight for our household! We stayed up past 10 pm! We had a little dinner party to celebrate Chris' graduation from the University of Toronto's EMBA program. We had a great day and then had family over to celebrate. Of course they say you should never try new recipes when entertaining but I rarely follow that rule as I think it's a great opportunity.... especially in this case because it was family. I tried a new tuna tapenade recipe as an appetizer that was delicious (but clearly not detox-friendly with Italian mascarpone as an ingredient!) and a new celery salad. Both were from Ina Garten's cookbook, Back to Basics.
Celery and Parmesan Salad
Yields: 4-6 servings
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ cup plus 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
2 tbsp minced shallots
1 tsp celery seed
½ tsp celery salt
½ tsp anchovy paste
Kosher salt and freshly group black pepper
5 cups thinly sliced celery hearts, tender leaves included, sliced on an angle (about 12 stalks)
4-ounce chunk aged Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Whole flat-leaf parsley leaves
1. At least 1 hour before you plan to serve the salad, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, ¼ cup of lemon juice, the shallots, celery seed, celery salt, anchovy paste, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
2. Mix 1 tbsp of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt to celery before adding enough dressing to moisten well.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the celery to crisp and the flavors to develop.
4. When ready to serve, arrange the celery on a platter, shave the Parmesan onto the celery with a vegetable peeler, the sprinkle with walnuts, parsley leaves, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Hypothyroidism Meds Increase Fracture Risk
Quite a few women I see in my practice have some degree of hypothyroidism. Some clinical and some subclinical. Many people have relatives with some kind of thyroid concern or know someone that is struggling with weight that eventually figured out their thyroid was the culprit.
Quick primer on what hypothyroidism is: the thyroid gland (sits close to the bottom of your neck below your voice box) doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone in this health concern. The thyroid releases hormones that control metabolism. Symptoms can include: sensitivity to cold, constipation, depression, fatigue, heavier menstrual periods, thin or brittle hair, and weight gain (everyone wants something to blame for those extra pounds!). A simple blood marker called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) can be a quick check along with its accompanying markers called T3 and T4.
There are varying degrees of thyroid concerns and various causes but for our purposes most people are prescribed a drug called levothyroxine to replace the thyroid hormone the body is lacking.
Levothyroxine dose is linked to fracture risk in older adults, according to the results of a case-control study reported online April 28 in the BMJ. The goal of the study was to see the effect of levothyroxine dose on fracture risk in older adults. Using population-based health databases in Ontario, Canada, the investigators identified 213,511 adults 70 years or older who were prescribed levothyroxine between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2007. Follow-up for fractures of the wrist or forearm, shoulder or upper arm, thoracic spine, lumbar spine and pelvis, hip or femur, or lower leg or ankle, continued until March 31, 2008 (mean duration of follow-up, 3.8 years).
Adhering to a very narrow range of TSH on bloodwork is important. Usually the range is from 0.5 to 5 but clinically I find the reference range is more narrow and should be around 2 or 2.5 consistently. This study just verifies how important that small little gland is..... I love how this study was done in Ontario as well!
So what can we do naturopathically for hypothyroidism? A tonne!! Of course dietary goitrogens are important to avoid: SOY is a big no-no for someone with thyroid concerns. Minerals like zinc and selenium are key cofactors in making the thyroid work efficiently. A herb called ashwaganda or withania is also fantastic at helping conversion of thyroid hormones. Ashwaganda is also a wonderful adaptogenic herb - a herb that helps your body adapt to stress - and can be used in tincture form or tea form. These are just a few things off the top of my head but important to note is that you don't want to just fool around with your thyroid and start trying things out thinking your TSH may be off. Always important to get that blood test done by either your ND or MD.
Ok now back to some online scouring of more Royal Wedding photos :)
Quick primer on what hypothyroidism is: the thyroid gland (sits close to the bottom of your neck below your voice box) doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone in this health concern. The thyroid releases hormones that control metabolism. Symptoms can include: sensitivity to cold, constipation, depression, fatigue, heavier menstrual periods, thin or brittle hair, and weight gain (everyone wants something to blame for those extra pounds!). A simple blood marker called TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) can be a quick check along with its accompanying markers called T3 and T4.
There are varying degrees of thyroid concerns and various causes but for our purposes most people are prescribed a drug called levothyroxine to replace the thyroid hormone the body is lacking.
Levothyroxine dose is linked to fracture risk in older adults, according to the results of a case-control study reported online April 28 in the BMJ. The goal of the study was to see the effect of levothyroxine dose on fracture risk in older adults. Using population-based health databases in Ontario, Canada, the investigators identified 213,511 adults 70 years or older who were prescribed levothyroxine between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2007. Follow-up for fractures of the wrist or forearm, shoulder or upper arm, thoracic spine, lumbar spine and pelvis, hip or femur, or lower leg or ankle, continued until March 31, 2008 (mean duration of follow-up, 3.8 years).
Adhering to a very narrow range of TSH on bloodwork is important. Usually the range is from 0.5 to 5 but clinically I find the reference range is more narrow and should be around 2 or 2.5 consistently. This study just verifies how important that small little gland is..... I love how this study was done in Ontario as well!
So what can we do naturopathically for hypothyroidism? A tonne!! Of course dietary goitrogens are important to avoid: SOY is a big no-no for someone with thyroid concerns. Minerals like zinc and selenium are key cofactors in making the thyroid work efficiently. A herb called ashwaganda or withania is also fantastic at helping conversion of thyroid hormones. Ashwaganda is also a wonderful adaptogenic herb - a herb that helps your body adapt to stress - and can be used in tincture form or tea form. These are just a few things off the top of my head but important to note is that you don't want to just fool around with your thyroid and start trying things out thinking your TSH may be off. Always important to get that blood test done by either your ND or MD.
Ok now back to some online scouring of more Royal Wedding photos :)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Another Delicious Detox Review By Colleague!
It's been a busy weekend. Friday I did another Delicious Detox seminar; this time in the newest of the Goodness Me stores. The Waterdown store is a beautiful spot and the 50 or so people that showed up for the talk and cooking demo were fantastic.
Saturday I saw patients at the clinic and then crashed at home with Chris where he made a delicious tomato sauce with kale for some brown rice pasta.
Today we went out for breakfast at one of our favourite spots in our area - Mitzi's. A cute little spot on Sorauren Avenue in Parkdale where I had some tasty scrambled eggs with fresh dill and sundried tomatoes. Palm Sunday at Church and then this afternoon flew by as we were prepping for my sister's visit. Cleaning, groceries, baking some cosmic cookies from the Planet Organic cookbook..... mmmmmm.
And last but not least I was reading this issue of The Pulse and found a colleague's review on my cookbook. So nice to read and hear how people are enjoying the recipes. Thank you Elmira Francinelli, an ND who practises in Woodbridge!
Saturday I saw patients at the clinic and then crashed at home with Chris where he made a delicious tomato sauce with kale for some brown rice pasta.
Today we went out for breakfast at one of our favourite spots in our area - Mitzi's. A cute little spot on Sorauren Avenue in Parkdale where I had some tasty scrambled eggs with fresh dill and sundried tomatoes. Palm Sunday at Church and then this afternoon flew by as we were prepping for my sister's visit. Cleaning, groceries, baking some cosmic cookies from the Planet Organic cookbook..... mmmmmm.
And last but not least I was reading this issue of The Pulse and found a colleague's review on my cookbook. So nice to read and hear how people are enjoying the recipes. Thank you Elmira Francinelli, an ND who practises in Woodbridge!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Artichokes Into a Stir-fry
Last night we made a quick stir-fry of veggies to go alongside our Crunchy Chicken Nuggets (from Delicious Detox). What started out as a quick mix of fennel, peppers, asparagus, and some olive oil, S+P, and red chili flakes turned out to be a wow mixture with just a fancy little addition of artichokes. This is a great reminder of how your fridge does not need 5 bottles of prepared stir-fry sauces from the grocery store that contain sugar, salt, and preservatives to make a tasty dinner meal.
I had a bought a jar of artichokes on the weekend with the intention of making some halibut with an artichoke sauce and decided to throw a few in at the end of the stir-fry. Sometimes I'll do the same thing but with sun-dried tomatoes.
Artichokes are definitely a veggie that I would love to use more -- too bad they are so much work to cook! From time to time I'll buy frozen artichokes or a jar of artichokes in olive oil. They are super liver friendly which is key for the Spring. They stimulate bile secretion and are included in many digestive tonics. They are wonderful to help lower cholesterol levels and help support the liver from alcohol damage. The latin name is Cynara Scolymus.
I had a bought a jar of artichokes on the weekend with the intention of making some halibut with an artichoke sauce and decided to throw a few in at the end of the stir-fry. Sometimes I'll do the same thing but with sun-dried tomatoes.
Artichokes are definitely a veggie that I would love to use more -- too bad they are so much work to cook! From time to time I'll buy frozen artichokes or a jar of artichokes in olive oil. They are super liver friendly which is key for the Spring. They stimulate bile secretion and are included in many digestive tonics. They are wonderful to help lower cholesterol levels and help support the liver from alcohol damage. The latin name is Cynara Scolymus.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Le Scandinave Spa
Sometimes it's nice to remember that we don't have to take a flight to escape and relax for a weekend. We are so fortunate to have so many great things to see and do in our own backyard. Last weekend was one of those weekends. We booted up to Collingwood for Saturday and Sunday to relax and check out Le Scandinave, a spa in the middle of the woods!
If you have come to see me as a patient and you have had a cold or sinus congestion you probably were prescribed cold wet sock treatment, a simple hydrotherapy technique to increase flow and decrease pain. I love hydrotherapy as it really matches my philosophy in how I practise Naturopathic Medicine: back to the basics. So at Le Scandinave after a nice massage, Chris and I trekked outside to the waters. They have 3 hot pools ranging in temperature from 102-104 degrees and then 3 cold 'plunge pools' ranging from 56-58 degrees. So we would sit in a hot pool for 5 minutes then plunge in the cold for a few seconds and then go to one of the 3 relaxation rooms where we would sit for 15- 20 minutes just sitting in silence and reading magazines. There was also a eucalyptus steam bath and a sauna that we rotated through.
Everyone was very respectful of the silence and the goal of relaxation. No talking, no blackberrys... it was lovely. Great spot that we'll for sure go back to and enjoy.
Chris was giving me grief though because although I was good to do these hydrotherapy baths I wouldn't let us do the traditional banya in Moscow or St. Petersburg 4 years ago when we had the chance. We spent HOURS looking for these damn baths in the confusing streets in Russia and after we finally found them and walked in I chickened out. Maybe the yelling in Russian and the neon signs scared me off. Next time!
If you have come to see me as a patient and you have had a cold or sinus congestion you probably were prescribed cold wet sock treatment, a simple hydrotherapy technique to increase flow and decrease pain. I love hydrotherapy as it really matches my philosophy in how I practise Naturopathic Medicine: back to the basics. So at Le Scandinave after a nice massage, Chris and I trekked outside to the waters. They have 3 hot pools ranging in temperature from 102-104 degrees and then 3 cold 'plunge pools' ranging from 56-58 degrees. So we would sit in a hot pool for 5 minutes then plunge in the cold for a few seconds and then go to one of the 3 relaxation rooms where we would sit for 15- 20 minutes just sitting in silence and reading magazines. There was also a eucalyptus steam bath and a sauna that we rotated through.
Everyone was very respectful of the silence and the goal of relaxation. No talking, no blackberrys... it was lovely. Great spot that we'll for sure go back to and enjoy.
Chris was giving me grief though because although I was good to do these hydrotherapy baths I wouldn't let us do the traditional banya in Moscow or St. Petersburg 4 years ago when we had the chance. We spent HOURS looking for these damn baths in the confusing streets in Russia and after we finally found them and walked in I chickened out. Maybe the yelling in Russian and the neon signs scared me off. Next time!
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