Dr. Elisha Cook ND Archives - Page 12 of 24 - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

The End to 2016, the Beginning to 2017: What is to come?

January 3, 2017 by elisha

A Year in Review

What a year 2016 has been. We have had a lot of ups and downs in world events, and a lot has changed from when 2016 started. I know that for myself, I have seen a lot of changes within my own practice. Ultimately, I have learned a lot from all of my patients and I want to express that heart felt gratitude. Thank you to everyone who has walked through the doors of my office, opened up about your struggles, and allowed me to be a part of your journey. I am also grateful for all of those who have continued to keep engaged by reading my blogs, attending trade shows/events, and posting/sharing via social media. I encourage you that if you have any feedback you would like to provide regarding my blogs, posts, or doctoring, to provide that to me so I can better serve you! You can simply contact me through the contact portion of my website or via email.

Things to Come in 2017

In the New Year, I will have the opportunity to order blood testing as a pay-for-service for patients. What this means is you will not have to necessarily go through your medical doctor to get certain blood tests ordered. In addition, I will be promoting more of my own brand of teas for purchase, while continuing to make custom blends and sell supplements for patients. I have also given some thought into providing in-home visits to help make my services more accessible for some. Finally, I am hoping that with the New Year will bring some more opportunities to finish and finalize a book I have been writing for patient education purposes! I will keep you all posted with updates on it!

As always, thank you for staying connected, and I look forward to working with you!

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!

7 Tips to Stress-Less through the Holidays

December 13, 2016 by elisha

The holidays can be a very happy time, but it can also be very stressful. Many times we have such high expectations for ourselves and others, and over book and stretch ourselves thin that we are left feeling not so great. It is my hope that these tips would come to mind in those stressful moments during the holidays and help you work through them.

Pace Yourself

Many times we are rushing to get so many tasks done in a certain amount of time. If you are lucky, you get all of those tasks done, but find yourself feeling physically and mentally wore out. This can even lead to pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and ultimately stress. To avoid this, focus on one task at a time, take your time, and take breaks. I find it easier if I make a list of everything that has to get done (this may not work for everyone), and focus on the main things that need to get accomplished. I also consider what things I could realistically not do if it is going to compromise my own care.

Focus on what you Can Control

Let’s face it, control is such a nice thing to have. When everything works out exactly how we want and everyone says exactly what we want them to, then we are calm, cool and collected. Life seldom works like this though. What I often work on with patients is the piece of control. It is a good thing that you do not have control over everything. You have enough things on your plate, you do not need to control more things. So, focus on the things you can control, and leave the rest and let it go. An example of focusing on something you can control is, if you are stressed out, do some deep breathing and focus on your breath. You can control your breath, you can control your actions, you can control your words, and you can control your thoughts. Please note that deep breathing is not for everyone and you should consult your health care provider to get instructions on how to perform it as it may aggravate certain situations.

Don’t Over-commit

Part of the stress of holidays can come from promising to be at certain events and promising to make more than we can really afford time-wise. Make a plan as to where you need to go, space out travelling when possible, and opt for simpler things to bring for food. If you know you are going to have to travel multiple times in one day, opt for a food item you can purchase at the store, for example a veggie tray. Another option is to offer your time or a service if making something or bringing something is too much. It is also okay to say “No”. You are not saying “No” to the task, but you are saying “No” to wearing yourself too thin.

Self – Care

Often during this season we justify that, “If I can just make it through Christmas, then I will start eating better and exercising again”. It is best to do the self – care as per usual and make sure to incorporate it as often as possible to prevent burn out or stress. Self-care also provides an opportunity to check in with yourself and make sure you are following the rest of the tips on this list.

Make Realistic Expectations

This is not just for yourself, but for others as well. When we keep expectations to ourselves and expect people to hold up to that expectation, we can often set them up for failure and potentially cause an argument. With this being said, I do not mean you need to simply just tell everyone that you expect a 5 course meal that only Martha Steward would approve of. What is does mean is to be realistic and to acknowledge that we are all human and trying our best. This mind set is important when considering your own to-do list as well. You are human and trying your best. Set some more realistic expectations for yourself and check in, “Why am I stressing out? Is this a realistic expectation? Is it worth the stress?”.

Budget

As soon as I mention budget, I know that some people are rolling their eyes or running for the hills. Budget does not just mean money, but also time. Again, be realistic with your time, and budget it accordingly. In addition, financial stress is one of the biggest stressors out there; so budget for the holidays, plan for it, save for it, and stick to your budget. Discuss financial decisions as a family, and do not make outrageous purchases without discussing with your spouse if that fits with both of your expectations and plans.

Moderation

As always, moderation is important. Too much or too little of something may not be the best thing. Moderation can dive into the areas of meals, exercise, time, and even the amount of get-togethers. With meals in particular, make sure to portion yourself and not stray too much from your normal eating patterns. If you do, you may feel less than comfortable and this can even contribute to stress. When considering exercise, consider when we discussed self – care and making sure to incorporate that time for you. For time, again pace yourself, do not over-commit and say no when necessary.

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.

How to keep active in the Winter or Cold Weather

December 6, 2016 by elisha

Winter is not everyone’s favorite season. There are many different winter sports that one can partake in outside, but this is not always everyone’s cup of tea. This article will not include the various sports that you can partake in outside, but rather activities that you can do to keep active if you are not a fan of the season.

Walks: Walking outside can pose a challenge for some, but may provide the necessary activity needed to stay healthy. Always make sure to bundle up with a warm jacket, boots with traction, scarf, hat, mittens, and long johns (or janes). I find that my biggest motivation is walking my dog, and I tell myself it is good for both of us when I am feeling “too cold” for a walk. Self – talk is especially important here. Another option for walking is to go to a mall and do some laps around the mall to get your heart rate elevated. If you feel like the stores may be too much of a temptation, make sure to avoid bringing your wallet and just focus on the element of exercise.
Dancing: With the holidays on the way, it may be easy to dance around the house to your favorite tunes, or get up on the dance floor at a Christmas party. As long as you get moving and get your heart rate going this is what matters.
Stairs: If you really want to increase your heart rate, running or walking up and down the stairs repeatedly can be a good and tiring exercise to incorporate into your day.
Weights: Weight training is not just for people who want to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger. When you do weight training/resistance training, it actually puts your body into a fat loss state. This alone can help you to get that physique you may be wanting. Weights do not need to be done in a gym with all of the state of the art gym equipment, but can even be done by grabbing a can of soup and going through some basic exercises such as the classic bicep curl. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere, and it is never too late to start.
Work – out videos: Work out videos provide a great way to get some cardio in and in some cases have a little bit of fun without feeling like you are exercising. A word of caution is to use a video that is at “your level of fitness”. For example, videos such as P90X or Insanity are not appropriate for everyone and you should speak to your health care provider before starting a “work-out routine”.

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.

Three Most Powerful Therapeutic Tools for Mental Health (in my opinion)

December 1, 2016 by elisha

I am delayed in writing my blog because I wanted to have just the right timing. As some of you may know December 1 marks one year of official practice. I would like to take the time to reflect on three of the most powerful tools I have used and how they can help you get to where you want to go. I would also like to thank every patient that has walked through my doors. I have learned something from every person, and every story. I do not say this lightly and I truly mean it. It is through walking with each other that we ourselves can grow. Now, on to the three powerful therapeutic tools . . .

Control

Many people struggle with control and it can cause a lot of undo stress and anxiety. As some of my patients may know, having a type A personality can often result with these struggles with control. What I have found to be helpful is focusing on where your focus lies. If your focus is on what you cannot control, it can cause anxiety, fear, anger, and ultimately stress. However, if you focus on what you can control and shift your focus in these situations, it can help you to better manage these situations. A technique that I often use includes deep breathing and movement exercises (seat changes and hand washing). Control does not just stop here. Recognizing that you have the power to choose your mood should be a huge empowerment piece. You do not have to let your emotions dictate the day, but again shifting your focus can help (and yes I do recognize this is easier said than done, and some individuals may require further assistance in this area).

Positive Thinking

If you are a patient of mine, there is no doubt that you have heard about water, plants, crystal and sludge; and how our thoughts and words can either aid us or hinder us (i.e. Positive words cause crystallization on a molecular level where as negative words cause sludge). It is important to recognize that negative self-talk and thought is not without harm. Negative thought and talk can often lead to things such as increased blood pressure, stress, depression, anxiety, and inflammation – specifically in our neurons. When you have positive thought and talk, you can completely change not only your circumstances but how you feel about them. You can also decrease inflammation and make it easier to choose to be happy regardless of your situation.

Forgiveness

A lot of thinking begin to roll their eyes when I say the word forgiveness. However it is not always about forgiving someone else (though most of the time it can be), it can also mean forgiving ourselves. I find that more often than not there is an element of bitterness, anger, or resentment that people do not recognize is preventing them from having the life they want to have. In addition there are plenty of health effects that can manifest from an attitude of forgiveness (see my previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/forgiveness-and-health/). If you are struggling with this, whether it is forgiving yourself or another, we can work on some exercises in my office that may help.

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.