Skin Archives - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

6 Reasons Why Fish Oil is Beneficial for Health

May 24, 2016 by elisha

Fish Oil supplements are one of the main supplements you will find on the market today. Many people take them simply because “I know it is good for me”, but do not fully understand the benefits to their health. This article is meant to bring to light some of the research on the supplement, and some ins and outs that are important to know for choosing the right supplement. Of course, when in doubt, please consult a naturopathic doctor to determine what supplement would best help you with your specific health needs.

Ratios

If you are a patient of mine, you already know that I think ratios are important when it comes to fish oil. In short, children need more DHA as their brains are developing, and adults need more EPA to sustain it. As a result, the ratio of EPA to DHA needs to be 2:1 or higher depending on your particular health concerns. For example, if EPA is 200mg is a capsule, I would like to see DHA at 100mg or less. Some individuals may want to try to obtain omega 3s through vegan sources such as flax and hemp, but these sources tend to not be able to obtain the same ratio of EPA:DHA that fish oil can.

Sourcing

Ideally smaller fish sources, such as sardines, act as a better source for omega 3’s due to the lower mercury content in these fish. However, all supplements have to meet a standard in regards to mercury content, and so, if you are purchasing a high quality fish oil supplement made in Canada, they need to comply with this standard.

6 Health Benefits

Joint Health

One of the main uses of fish oil is for pain. Specifically, it can be beneficial for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc. Fish oil helps to lubricate your joints and decrease inflammation, both leading to decreased pain.

Heart Health

Fish oil can be quite beneficial for overall heart health by firstly improving the function of the heart muscle itself. In addition, fish oil may help to increase HDL (good) cholesterol, decrease triglycerides, decrease blood pressure, decrease atherosclerosis (i.e. plaque build-up), and prevent stroke.

Weight Management

Fish oil may help to improve weight by decreasing central adiposity when taking with exercise. It has also been shown to aid with conversion of muscle to lean muscle mass.

Mental Health

As mentioned above, EPA and DHA both have a role to play in brain development and health. In short, fish oil may be beneficial for the following conditions: depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and dementia.

Skin Health

Fish oil can be beneficial for various skin conditions through its beneficial properties in addressing inflammation. That being said it may provide some relief to those suffering from acne, psoriasis, SLE, and eczema.

Reproductive Health

In general, fish oil can help women who are trying to conceive, have conceived, and women who are not conceiving. In regards to pregnancy, fish oil may help increase chances of conception. Fish oil can also help to decrease inflammation overall which may contribute to premenstrual tension issues such as cramping. In addition, fish oil may prove to be beneficial for men experiencing erectile dysfunction due to is beneficial properties in heart health – specifically related to blood pressure, cholesterol, and atherosclerosis.

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!

Vitamin D

February 2, 2016 by elisha

Much media and research is spent exploring and shedding light on vitamin D. Recently I have engaged in several discussions about vitamin D, and have had requests to bring more information to light about it and its role in our health.

Sources and absorption of vitamin D

To begin with, it is important to explore how vitamin D is received, used, and processed by the body. There are not many food sources of vitamin D aside from fortified foods (meaning certain foods have vitamin d added to them in their processing and manufacturing). Additional food sources include oily fish, such as salmon or sardines, and cod liver oil. These foods are not adequate sources of vitamin D, but absorption of vitamin D from them can be enhanced through the presence of bile or fat in the intestinal tract. The ultimate source of vitamin D is from sunlight. The type of ray that is required to make vitamin D is UVB rays. This type of ray causes us to be more prone to burns, and so, it is important to have not just UVB light but UVA rays as well. Some individuals choose to obtain vitamin D from tanning beds. Though tanning beds do provide an equivalent vitamin D source, it is important to consider the risks and inquire as to whether or not the tanning bed has UVA combined with UVB rays. The World Health Organization does advice against the use of tanning beds, so please keep this in mind. For more information on the health benefits of sun exposure, refer to this previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/health-benefits-of-sun-exposure/.

Once the vitamin d is absorbed, it goes to the liver, and then the kidney, where it is converted into an active form. If an individual’s liver or kidney are not functioning up to par, this can alter our ability to make use of vitamin D. This active form is more commonly known as D3.

Conditions aided from vitamin D

Vitamin d is used in the body to influence cell growth, cell differentiation, insulin secretion, and calcium absorption (vitamin K helps with directing this calcium to your bones though). What this translates to is that vitamin d can be beneficial for decreasing tumor growth and tumor metastasis. In addition, vitamin D may be useful for the following conditions:

Autoimmune disease
Back pain
Burns
Cancer
Colds and flus
Congestive heart failure
Diabetes
Depression
Fatigue
Hearing loss
Infections
Muscle pain
Osteomalacia
Osteoporosis
Paget’s disease
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Rickets
Seasonal affective disorder

Though these conditions may benefit from vitamin D, it is best to consult with your health care provider before self – prescribing due to the potential for interaction with any supplements or medication that you may be taking.

Dose of vitamin D

The dose of vitamin D recommended really depends on each individual circumstance. For example, if someone is on certain medication or has a particular medical condition, they may require more vitamin D than another person. In order to attain the most vitamin D from the sun as possible, research has shown that exposure of 5% of your skin (i.e. hands, face and possibly your lower arm) for 15minutes, 3 times a week for 12 weeks to the sun, is equivalent to oral administration of 400iu/day of vitamin D. The greater the skins exposure to the sun the greater the amount of vitamin D that is absorbed. Ultimately, the best dose of vitamin D for you is best discussed with your health care provider.

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.

6 Ways to Treat Acne at Home

June 2, 2015 by elisha

Acne 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.