Exciting News!

I am sure most of you have been wondering why I have been so quiet lately. I apologize for not posting a blog more regularly, but I do have some exciting news to end this drought.

The News!!

As of March/April 2018 I will be extending my practice to include the Plattsville Ontario area! The extension in my practice will involve the grand opening of my clinic, Plattsville Natural Health Clinic. The plans for this new clinic have been ongoing since July 2017, and will finally be a reality. As some of you know, I lived in Plattsville when I was quite young, and so, it holds a special place in my heart. An opportunity came up for me to start a clinic in the community, and I took it! How awesome would it be to provide naturopathic care to a rural area! It is my hope that I will be able to extend my reach and help more and more people by making this addition to my practice! We are not yet booking patients, but we are fast approaching an opening date! I am so thankful for everyone who has helped make this possible. This clinic would not have been possible without the love and support of my parents, sister, husband, friends and family. Thank you to everyone who has offered a kind word or a helping hand.

Coming Soon plattsvilee

What does this mean for my practice in Woodstock?

Nothing will change with my practice at Meyers Chiropractic and Health Specialists, and you can expect to see me there the same number of hours/days that I have been, but I will be using the “days off” to focus my attention to this new clinic that we are starting! With the support of the Meyers team, I am happy to be able to provide the same care I do at Woodstock to the Plattsville and surrounding area (Ayr, Drumbo, Tavistock, New Dundee, etc.).

Thoughts?

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me personally. Otherwise, please keep up-to-date on this new and exciting adventure (I have posted some snap shots of what the transformation process and journey has involved) by going to Plattsville Natural Health Clinic on facebook.

The 12 Days of Giveaways

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Join Dr. Elisha Cook ND in celebrating 2 years of practice at Meyers Chiropractic and Health Specialists! During the month of December, any patient who has a Naturopathic visit will be entered into a draw for a basket full of naturopathic goodies!

In addition, enter our facebook contest for the 12 days of giveaways by finding Dr. Elisha Cook Naturopathic Doctor on Facebook! We will be giving a gift everyday for 12 days, all you need to do is like the facebook page, share the post of the day, and comment “done” or anything else on the post.

Dates: 

The 12 Days of Giveaways: December 4-8th; December 11-15; December 18-19

Naturopathic Visit Draw Ends December 30, 2017

Please note that you must be a resident of Ontario Canada, residing between London Ontario and Guelph Ontario. You also must be able to claim your prize by coming directly to the Meyers Chiropractic Clinic to pick it up within 1 week of being notified that you have won. You must also contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND after being contacted regarding your win to confirm that you accept the draw prize. If you do not contact her within 24 hours of being notified of your win, the draw prize will be given to a subsequent winner. The prize is also not transferable or redeemable for the cash equivalent.

Thank you for the support over the last two years and I look forward to providing naturopathic health care to the Woodstock and surrounding area for years to come.

– Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Survey Time – I want to hear from you!

In my opinion, it is important to make sure I am providing my patients with the best care possible. As a result, I have seen a need for potentially more support in certain areas, and I want to hear from you. I want to see if there is a need and if we can help! I have provided a link for a short 8 multiple choice question survey that will take 2 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey provided by following the below link.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8X3TMZ8

Thank you in advance for your participation and for providing valuable feedback.

-Dr. Elisha Cook ND

Dairy Alternatives for going Dairy-Free

One of the most challenging foods to give up for various health reasons is dairy. It is delicious and there is really nothing that can compare to a good piece of cheese or glass of milk. However, as I mentioned, for various health reasons, throwing away the cheese may be more beneficial than some realize. For those who have to endure a diet without dairy, I have provided a list of items that may provide comparable substitutes. This chart is not comprehensive, but it does provide some good insight into options available to explore and try, based on my current knowledge of the industry.

Item to Give Up/ Avoid Substitution
Cow’s Milk Most of these options are fortified with at least calcium, and may prove to be just as tasty:

·         Almond Milk

·         Cashew Milk

·         Coconut Milk

·         Soy Milk

·         Rice Milk

·         Hemp Milk

Butter/Margarine The below options are ideal in different situations:

·         Olive Oil – when making a substitution in baked goods or other recipes

·         Avocado – when trying to “butter” a piece of bread or

Cow’s Milk Yogurt Some alternative dairy product companies such as “Silk” have options available that are dairy-free and taste similar to Greek yogurt:

·         Coconut Yogurt

·         Almond Yogurt

In addition, many different online recipes exist for making your own yogurt with items such as almonds!

Cow’s Milk Cheese Cheese is very difficult to replace and substitute for. Unfortunately I have not found a substitute that is as tasty or comparable. Some alternative dairy product companies have options available that are dairy – free that may be worth considering:

·         Cashew Cheese

·         Daiya Cheese

Creamer There are some brands of creamer available that are dairy – free that may work for those who are looking for a comparable addition to their coffee. I often tell patients to try to go for coconut milk as it tends to be thicker than other alternative milks.

·         Silk Brand coffee whitener

·         Coconut milk

·         Almond milk

·         Other alternative milks

Another option is to make a bullet proof coffee by blending coffee with coconut oil – this not only whitens the coffee, but also provides a smooth and creamy taste. For a great recipe, see one of my past blogs: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/bullet-proof-coffee-the-dairy-free-recipe/

 

Sauces For making soups, pasta sauces, etc., I will use canned coconut milk, and add in extra garlic or onions to increase the flavour. Canned coconut milk can be used as it, or can have the separated liquid removed from the top to make the sauce thicker. Try it out, you may be surprised as to how good it tastes!
Salad Dressing For substitutes to some milk – based salad dressings, you can choose to make your own home-made versions with the canned coconut milk. Another option is to go with an oil – based salad dressing that is void of dairy. If you are buying a salad dressing from the store, I would caution you to read all of the labels. You may be surprised at how many salad dressings actually contain milk.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!