Detoxification

What is Hydrotherapy?

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What is Hydrotherapy?Head shower while running water

Water can be a very powerful tool for healing that is often underestimated. As Naturopathic Doctors, we use water therapy, called hydrotherapy, which involves applying different methods of water to the body to promote healing. This might involve alternating hot and cold water applications to an area, or even using a sauna to nourish our bodies. Hydrotherapy has an added benefit of being inexpensive, because most of the time it is just a matter of applying water to an area. Though it is just water, some of the treatments may not be good for certain patient populations based on its effect and pre-existing medical conditions. Therefore, it is best to consult with your Naturopathic Doctor before trying any hydrotherapy treatments on your own.

What does it cause in the body?

Overall, various hydrotherapy treatments can be used to cause the following effects in the body:

  • Reduce pain
  • Increase circulation
  • Promote detoxification
  • Promote healing of organs/tissues
  • Stimulate brain function
  • Relieve fatigue
  • Boost Immune system functioning
  • Promote digestion
  • Increase metabolism
  • Relieve congestion
  • Relieve coughs
  • Promotes relaxation

What are the different conditions it can help with?

Hydrotherapy can be used to help many different conditions including:

  • Digestive concerns such as constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, fatty liver, colic, tenesmus, etc.
  • Menstrual concerns such as irregular cycles, premenstrual tension, cramping (dysmenorrhea), etc.
  • Musculoskeletal concerns such as joint pain, muscle pain, muscle tears, ligament instability, etc.
  • Respiratory concerns such as the effects of allergies, congestion, coughs, frequent colds and flues, compromised immune systems etc.
  • Many other concerns such as weight loss goals, fatigue, detoxification and improving overall health.

For more information on hydrotherapy or the services I provide, consider calling the clinic at 519-537-7058, or message me via the contact portion of this website.

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!

 

6 Ways to Treat Acne at Home

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Unshaven Middle aged man reading a prescription label in front oAcne has been a nemesis that many have battled for years. It can show up at the most inopportune times, such as before prom, before your wedding, before that family photo shoot, or even before a first date. It is my hope that this blog will provide you with some at home therapies or treatments to help you fight acne and win.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has many good medicinal properties to it that make it beneficial for acne. It can help fight infections and reduce inflammation that might be caused from the pimple. You can apply it with a Q – tip to the areas of acne. Myself, as well as others, have found that it helps to decrease the size, colour, and soreness of the pimple.

Changing Your Pillow Case

Changing your pillow case is an important habit to get into. By changing your pillow case more frequently your skin will be less likely to be exposed to dead skin, grime, etc. I tend to recommend changing your pillow case as often as possible – i.e. every day if possible. This can be unrealistic for some, and so changing it at least once per week is better than not changing it until a month goes by.

Green Tea Bag

Not only is Green Tea healthy for you internally, but it can also be useful externally as well. A green tea bag that has had time to soak in hot water AND cool down (so that it can be applied to the skin without burning), can be applied to the area of acne and help to decrease inflammation, prevent infection, and soothe the area from pain.

Green Tea Face Wash

Using a tea bag may be inconvenient and too messy for some. Alternatively, you can make a green tea face wash. This involves letting your green tea bag soak in hot water and letting the water cool down until you could comfortably apply the water to your skin. Once the water is cool enough, you can wash your face with this water, and then rinse off with your standard tap water. Doing the face wash has the benefit of being able to be applied to more areas of your face, however, may take longer to have effect over the green tea bag being applied to smaller areas.

Exercise

Acne can be caused from our body sweating and blocking pores. Therefore, by giving your body more opportunities to detoxify, such as through regular exercise, it may decrease the amount of acne flare-ups you have.

Drink More Water

Water can be beneficial for so many different things, including acne. I have found that when I am making sure to provide my body with the necessary water that it needs, acne tends to subside. This could be due to the detoxifying nature of water or the cleansing effect that water can have on your blood. Either way, it doesn’t hurt to drink water and try and achieve water consumption levels that are appropriate for you.

Have you benefitted 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, please contact Elisha Cook (on the contact portion of this website) for more information.

Power Food: Garlic

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Garlic ClovesGarlic has been used for many centuries to prevent and treat diseases due to its health promoting properties. Historical documents have found that garlic was used to keep working class citizens strong and productive, as well as keep them free of abnormal growths or tumours, diarrhea, worms, and cardiovascular difficulties.

Currently, we know that Garlic has the following therapeutic actions, which makes it such a “Power Food”.

  • Antimicrobial – kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms
  • Antifungal – kills or inhibits growth of fungus
  • Diaphoretic – promotes sweating
  • Hypocholesteremic – lowers cholesterol
  • Cholagogue – promotes bile flow and digestion
  • Hypotensive – lowers blood pressure
  • Antispasmodic – relaxes smooth muscles

As a result of these therapeutic actions, garlic has the potential to prevent and treat infections of the respiratory system such as chronic bronchitis, recurrent colds and influenza, and can even be used as a broader approach to treating asthma. Garlic also works on the digestive system by killing bad bacteria and supporting good bacteria within it. It also affects the Gall Bladder by increasing the amount of bile secreted and therefore aiding in digestion and making it work more smoothly. This activation of the gall bladder also helps with the detoxification of the body.

Many studies have also shown the benefits of using garlic to treat hypertension, and overall, lower blood pressure. Along with aiding those with high blood pressure, garlic also reduces bad cholesterol (low density lipoproteins [LDLs]) and increases good cholesterol (high density lipoproteins [HDLs]), and protects against plaque build-up in the blood vessels.

So you might be asking, what health conditions can garlic prevent and what can it be used to treat in my daily life? To begin with, Garlic could aid in preventing Atherosclerosis, Hypertension (high blood pressure), Myocardial Infarction (heart attack), and stroke. In regards to using garlic in every day life, not only can garlic be added to meals, but also used as a treatment for your skin. Garlic can be applied to the skin to treat ring worm, warts, and athlete’s foot (just do not use the garlic in your cooking afterwards).

The next time you see garlic, do not merely think of it as a vampire deterring bulb, but rather a health promoting addition to your diet!

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, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.

Spring: The Season of the Detox Part 3 – A Healthy Mind

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Healthy Nutrition Against DementiaAfter the long winter we had, as I mentioned in the last blog, our bodies might be in need of a good “spring cleaning”. This might be the same story for our minds. Our minds are very important and integral to our health. Simply thinking one way versus the other can have detrimental effects on one’s health. For example, have you ever known someone that was terribly afraid of getting cancer, and would think about it constantly, then one day unfortunately developed that diagnosis? According to Epigenetics, this could have been preventing simply by thinking health promoting thoughts (eg “I am healthy and whole”). You might be asking what is Epigenetics? Epigenetics refers to the theory that we can control our genomic expression. In other words, our thoughts can change our body on a physical level. Simply by thinking differently, you can turn off bad or unhealthy programs, and turn on good or healthy programs that your body is “coding” for, thus eliminating disease.

So I now put this out to you: what is your mind coding your body for? Health? Disease? Spring is a season for detoxification, not just of our bodies, but also our minds. Just like your spring cleaning, clear out the clutter of negative and disease – encouraging thoughts, and I challenge you to replace it with positive and health promoting thoughts. As I mentioned in the previous blog (Spring: The Season of Detox Part 1), a detox is not just for spring. These health promoting thoughts can be incorporated into everyday life and can be made into a lifestyle!

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, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.