Blog

By Dr. Melanie DeCunha, ND

Seed cycling is a great way to regulate both estrogen and progesterone hormones as it aids in getting rid of irritating systems related to menstrual flow. Estrogen levels naturally rise during the first half of the cycle (from the first day of bleeding until ovulation around day 14) then begin to fall during the second half while progesterone rises.

When these hormone levels become out of balance, numerous symptoms such as PMS, breakouts, menstrual cramps, infertility and irregular monthly cycles to name a few, can occur.

Alternating the use of the recommended seeds throughout your menses can help bring balance back to both estrogen and progesterone levels, to naturally help in maintaining a regular menstrual period.

The concept is fairly simple: The seed hulls contain lignans, which are chemicals that help bind up excess hormones, while the seed oils contain essential fatty acids that provide the building blocks for making hormones.

It’s worthy to note the importance of using freshly ground seeds to ensure that they contain the optimal levels of the oils that are naturally found in the seeds. Also, it’s best to purchase whole seeds if possible (raw, organic and unhulled) and use a coffee grinder to grind them.

Once ground, make sure to store the seeds in an airtight container inside the fridge to help maintain its freshness, and only prepare the seeds several days in advance to prevent them from going rancid. You can choose to eat the seeds by adding them to smoothies, salads, soups, sprinkled on oatmeal, vegetables, or quite simply on their own.

The instructions provided are based on a fairly regular cycle. Speak to your Naturopathic Doctor if you have irregular cycles to determine the best time for you to begin and end each phase.

Day 1-14: Follicular Phase

• Freshly ground flax seeds – 2 tbsp mixed into applesauce, smoothie, etc.
• Alternatives to flax seeds: chia, hemp, pumpkin seeds
• Rationale: estrogen boosting

Day 15-menses: Luteal Phase

• Freshly ground sunflower seeds – 2 tbsp mixed into applesauce, smoothie, etc.
• Alternatives to sunflower seeds: sesame seeds
• Rationale: progesterone boosting

by: Dr. Kyle Etwaroo, Chiropractor

As a chiropractor, even though I “crack” joints in the body at times during treatments, my predominant focus is on muscles and the active treatment of them to get you into tip top shape. If you ask anybody what to do after you hurt yourself, you’ll likely get the “put some ice on it” answer. While in theory this is meant to help decrease swelling so you can function, is decreasing the swelling actually healing you?

A better question is also to consider why the inflammation is occurring. When you injure yourself, your body is very good at locating the site of injury and causing an inflammatory response. This response, despite being painful and swollen, is actually a great way for your body to clear out the dead tissue as a result of the initial injury, so you can lay down healthy, stronger tissue in the days and weeks ahead. A similar approach that I use to re-create this response in treatments is acupuncture. Inserting acupuncture needles into the site of injury can cause this inflammatory response locally, which helps create the same environment to lay down healthy tissue in subsequent treatments.

But, take it with a grain of salt. As stated previously, using ice is important at times so you can function, aka. get through your daily activities, because no one can do anything with an inflamed golf ball sized joint when you’re trying to walk or lift throughout the day. Therefore as a guide, a fantastic post recently by the BJSM Blog highlights what to do in the acute stage (PEACE) of a soft tissue injury when there’s more inflammation, and more importantly, what to do in the healing stages (LOVE) afterwards to lay down that stronger tissue.

by: Sarah C. Ilumin

For most of the year, sunscreens spend their days at the back of a cabinet somewhere, tucked away until the first signs of summer appear.

But did you know that even during the colder months, sunscreen should be used as part of your regular skin care regime?

During the winter, the snow on the ground reflects back the sun’s rays on to us. Autumn and Spring months can still cause sunburns (especially for those who spend a lot of time outdoors) if you have prolonged exposure to the sun.

Because the sun does not discriminate on age, gender, or skin type, regular application of sunscreen throughout the year becomes a protective measure against damaging the skin from the sun’s powerful rays, and lessens the chance of developing skin cancer in adulthood.

The sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, come in two forms – UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the rays most commonly associated with skin aging. This type of ray is what’s been known to cause premature aging, fine lines, wrinkling and age spots. UVA rays have the ability to pass through glass, so that even when you’re inside your car driving, or sitting in front of a window with the blinds open, your skin becomes susceptible to exposure.

Although UVB rays cannot pass through glass, UVB rays - just like UVA rays - are both carcinogens, and therefore choosing the right type of sunscreen is important in protecting your skin. Investing in an all-natural sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection from both types may seem like a pretty penny, but is most definitely worth it. Your skin will thank you for it!

Some make-up creams and powders come with the added benefit of SPF protection in them, but if they don’t (or if it's not enough, it’s always wiser to apply sunscreen anywhere your skin might be exposed to the sun.

Some basic guidelines when choosing and applying sunscreen:

Last but not least, make sure to dispose of sunscreen as per its indicated expiration date, or if you notice any changes in its color and/or consistency, in order to reap its intended benefits for safety usage.