York Region Naturopathic Doctor | Aurora, King City, Newmarket, Markham-Stouffville, Unionville, Richmond Hill - York Region Naturopathic Doctor | Dr. Meg MacKinnon, ND

Non-Specific Signs of Hypothyroidism

25/2/2014

Many people are aware of the main signs of hypothyroidism, but what about those more abstract signs that aren't talked about regularly? 

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

2. High Cholesterol

3. Chronic pain, joint stiffness or other signs of chronic inflammation.

4. Infertility

5. Voice Changes

6. Menstrual Changes

7. Celiac Disease or other auto immune conditions.

What Causes Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS?

9/9/2013

Dr. Meghan MacKinnon, ND - York Region Naturopathic Doctor

Those who suffer from IBS may be afraid to eat because of the worry about how it will make them feel or feel apprehensive to go in public without knowing where the nearest washroom is. They may experience crippling pain daily and be told by their family M.D. that everything appears to be “normal”.

Argh – frustrating isn’t it?

People with IBS may have symptoms such as bloating, discomfort and changes in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea or both). If you’ve been told that you have IBS, it means that other conditions have been all been ruled out. This makes IBS a ‘diagnosis of exclusion’, or as I like to call it, the ‘we don’t really know what’s wrong with you or how to help you’ diagnosis.

At this point in time, the exact cause of IBS is still unknown and there are likely many different factors and events that contribute and co-exist with this digestive disorder. One thing that is now known is that many people with IBS also have some form of stress or anxiety or they notice their symptoms become much worse in a stressful situation. This has led research to look into more about the brain-gut connection as we now know that there are way more brain neurotransmitters in our digestive tracts than in our brain!

How Do I Treat IBS?
1.      Pain management with natural botanicals, teas, acupuncture or supplements.
2.      Identify any food intolerances through testing to see if there are foods that are upsetting the digestive system.
3.      Ensure that food digestion is happening appropriately. Ie. are you breaking down your starches, proteins and fats properly?
4.      Make sure that unwanted bacteria, parasites or yeast are not contributing to your digestive pain and if they are get them out of there with natural treatments.
5.      Closely examine the effect of stress on your digestive health, support the stress response and teach effective stress management techniques to prevent pain.
6.      Acupuncture is often a helpful tool because in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture treatments take the whole person into account.
7.      Rebuild the digestive system and protect it from potential future issues.

Can You Stop Taking Your Vitamin D?

8/7/2013

Can I Stop Taking My Vitamin D?

Our bodies have the ability to make this essential vitamin through sun exposure. Now that it’s warmer and you’re spending more time outdoors, you would think that this means you no longer need to take your vitamin D supplements that you’ve been taking all winter – but do you?

Well, like most things in life, it depends. Are you only taking vitamin D because you saw it on Dr. Oz or your family doctor told you it’s good for everyone to take? Have you had your levels tested? Are you actively trying to increase your levels, treat or prevent health concerns that have a connection with vitamin D? Ideally, everyone should get their vitamin D levels tested so you can know if you should continue to supplement. Even more ideal, would be a ‘peak level’ of vitamin D tested in the summer months and a ‘low level’ tested in the winter months to know how you should supplement to support your overall health. Since vitamin D is fat-soluble when taken in too high of a dose for too long it can build up in the system and cause health issues, so it's always best to work with a health care practitioner who understands how to properly prescribe vitamins.

Pumping Iron

15/5/2013

How To Increase The Absorption of your Iron Supplement
Meghan MacKinnon ND | York Region Naturopathic Doctor

Iron deficiency is, by far, the most commonly tested nutritional deficiency by medical doctors and naturopathic doctors alike. Indications that you may have low iron are fatigue, low energy, shortness of breath and dizziness among many other things. Iron is important because it helps our blood to carry oxygen, meaning that when it is low our ability to supply oxygen to our tissues is decreased.   Here are some tips about iron absorption and how to increase your stores.

- Oxalates and tannins found in tea and some fruits and veggies actually prevent iron absorption, so try     having your supplement away from food if it doesn’t bother your stomach.

- Calcium prevents iron absorption, so better to keep the milk and cheese away from your supplement.

- Vitamin C helps iron absorption, so take your vitamin C supplement with your iron or wash it down with    a small glass of orange juice.

- Our natural stomach acid peaks in the evening and into the early night, so try taking your supplement before bed instead of first thing in the morning.

It is possible to get too much iron and it is always important to work with a health care professional to determine if you need to supplement and to find the best form of iron that does not cause digestive upset or constipation. One of my favourites to recommend is the glycinate form. As a naturopath, it’s also important to always attempt to identify why you have low iron. Are your menstrual periods heavy and irregular? Are you not getting enough sources of iron in your diet or are you not absorbing it properly because of a compromised digestive system? Supplementing will help you to feel better by providing this essential building block, but true health comes from investigating why you are in this situation in the first place.

For questions about your current supplement plan please call Armata Health Centre at 905-773-7988.

December 31st, 1969

16/1/2013

Foods For Prostate Health

26/11/2012

If you haven't heard of Movember, you're probably very confused about the increased abundance of moustaches you've been seeing for the past month. While men are doing their part to raise prostate cancer funds and awareness, I thought I would do mine and share some of the best foods to prevent issues with the prostate.

1. Tomatoes: Tomatoes contain a component called lycopene which is a strong anti-oxidant and has been shown in research to prevent prostate cancer.

2. Broccoli: Broccoli has a constituent in it called sulphoraphane which helps support detoxification and is a strong antioxidant. Other veggies that are great for cancer prevention include others in the broccoli (brassica) family such as kale, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, swiss chard etc..

3. Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc which is an essential mineral for prostate health. Try eating 2 tablespoons of freshly ground seeds/ day.

4. Cut Back on the Dairy: Studies have found that men who consume large amounts of dairy to be at increased risk for prostate cancer- so staying away from milk, cheese and butter can likely help with prevention.

Mad About Matcha - My Favourite Superfood

19/10/2012

Superpower Green Tea
By Meghan MacKinnon, BSc, ND
Markahm & Aurora Naturopathic Doctor

Those of you who see me as patients, know that I am a green tea 'pusher', having a 'more is always better' approach. I wanted to share a few things about why I love green tea and my newest favourite - matcha! Green tea has long been know for it's health promoting properties, having links to cancer and heart disease prevention, weight loss, as well as preventing diabetes and dementia and even has anti-aging properties due to it's high anti-oxidant content. Most of the benefit from green tea has been linked to a component in it called EGCG. Matcha refers to green tea leaves that have been ground into a fine powder. When prepared this way, the tea has more amino acids and increases the amount of EGCG and other nutritional ingredients in it dramatically, making it a superpower green tea!

Does Green Tea Contain Caffeine? Yes, all green tea (including matcha) contains a small amount of caffeine (roughly half that of coffee), so it can be used effectively as a caffeine substitute. Green tea also has a component in it called l-theanine. L-theanine creates a feeling of relaxation, improves focus and concentration without agitating the nervous system, meaning that you should feel calm and refreshed after drinking green tea, rather than the jittery feelings often associated with coffee.

Where Can I Get Matcha? Most health food stores should carry matcha products and believe it or not, this is actually what's used at Starbucks to make their Green Tea Lattes (although I can't comment on the quality or amount of EGCG in their matcha)! Note: Yes, it really is that expensive, but yes it really is that good. Grinding the leaves is a slow and expensive process, taking up to one hour to produce one ounce of matcha.

Free Ticket to the Gluten-Free Expo!

28/9/2012

By filling out the form below and signing up for my monthly newsletter- you enter the draw to win one free ticket to the Gluten-Free Expo this Sunday Sept. 30th! You don't need to be a current patient to fill in the form, so feel free to pass it onto friends and family. There should be lots of free samples and new products to test out at this great event. The winner will be notified by email by 8 AM Sunday Sept. 29th, 2012.

See you there!

Dr. Meghan

This contest is now closed!

Is Organic Food Really Worth It?

17/9/2012

If you are confused and second guessing that trip to the health food store to buy your organic food, check out this response to the Stanford study which found no difference in nutrient content between organic and non-organic food. We should choose to buy organic food to reduce our exposure to pesticides and to promote environmental sustainability. Think big picture!

Don't give up on organic food, our experts urge
From: Consumer Reports.org
Sep 5, 2012 10:30 AM
A new review of previous research on organic food is getting a lot of media attention for concluding that the published literature "lacks strong evidence" that organic food is significantly more nutritious than conventionally grown food. But news reports covering the findings may be oversimplifying or distorting what the study really found, according to our in-house experts, and consumers shouldn't be misled into believing that there isn't a benefit to paying more for organics, particularly for certain populations.

The review, conducted by researchers at Stanford University, was a meta-analysis of data from 240 studies comparing organically grown versus conventionally grown food. Seventeen of the studies were done in humans; the rest looked just at the foods themselves. The researchers looked at three main variables: health outcomes, nutrient levels, and levels of contaminants, including pesticide residues. They concluded that "the published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods," though consuming them "may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

But the study has serious limitations, several of which the authors acknowledge. Among them:

The analysis included plenty of studies that did find a nutritional benefit to eating organic food, such as higher levels of phosphorous and phenols (a type of antioxidant compound) in organic produce and more omega-3 fatty acids in organic milk and chicken. Some other studies weren't able to identify a benefit, meaning the findings overall were heterogeneous, or mixed—which is very different from "no benefit" across the board.

Only three of the 17 human studies in the analysis looked at health outcomes, and two of those focused on allergies in children—an odd metric for comparing organic to conventional diets, since there's no reason that organic diets should correlate with fewer allergies. "That isn't part of what organic food production even is and it isn't surprising to learn there may not be any difference" in the rates of allergies between children who eat organically and those who don't, says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of consumer safety and sustainability for Consumer Reports, adding that it was interesting that the authors also found one study that did suggest a benefit, for childhood eczema.

It could take many years for the cumulative effects of pesticide buildup in the body from eating conventionally grown food to show up. Cancer risks, for example, are calculated over long periods of exposure to carcinogens. The human studies in the Stanford analysis lasted at most two years.

The study downplays the importance of the prohibition of antibiotics in organic agriculture, which can help counter the serious public-health problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Such bacteria have increased greatly in prevalence in recent years, possibly due to the routine use of antibiotics in conventionally raised farm animals. Indeed, the meta-analysis determined that conventionally produced chicken and pork had a 33 percent higher risk for bacteria that's known to be resistant to at least three antibiotics.

The perception of better nutrition is only one reason that people might choose to eat organically. Even if the research in that area remains murky, it's clear that organic diets provide less exposure to pesticides and antibiotics, two potential safety benefits, and that organic agriculture is better for the environment. A nationally representative poll of Americans conducted by Consumer Reports earlier this year found that 86 percent want their local supermarkets to carry meat raised without antibiotics, and the majority said they'd be willing to pay extra for that feature.

"Organic was meant as a healthier way of farming that is good for the environment—and that has been proven true," Rangan says. "Fewer pesticides and antibiotics, 100% organic animal feed (which cannot have poultry litter and other animal byproducts), hygiene management on the farm: These are all healthier practices for the environment and in some cases, humans too. In fact, we are learning more and more about the benefits that organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices can have on the health of people."

Bottom line: We stand by our long-held advice. It's worth it to buy organic versions of the foods that are likely to have the highest levels of pesticides when grown conventionally, as well as organic poultry and milk, to reduce exposure to antibiotics. Those choices are especially important for pregnant women and children.

Watch a video about when it pays to buy organic. Learn which items you should buy organic for babies and kids, and which you can skip.

Source
Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives? [Annals of Internal Medicine]
—Jamie Hirsh

The Truth About Sunscreen

18/6/2012

Does Sunscreen Really Prevent Skin Cancer?
Meghan MacKinnon, BSc, ND
Aurora | Markham Naturopathic Doctor
Summer is here folks. The countdown to the end of the school year and summer holidays has officially begun as my patients who are teachers work late finishing up report cards and parents prepare for holidays and trips to the cottage. Recently, a patient asked me how to pick the best sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, which got me thinking – does sunscreen actually prevent skin cancer or just burns?

There are a few different types of skin cancer, but the most deadly one is melanoma and with the changes in our atmosphere and the ozone, this cancer is on the rise. The current most accepted thought to prevent skin cancer is to block the sun and prevent sunburn which blocks the damage to your cells. This will help with the observable damage that can happen with sun exposure, but what about the damage to your skin that we can’t see? There are two main types of UV rays that can potentially cause harm, UV-A and UV-B. Many sunscreens block only UV-B which will prevent your burn and block natural vitamin D synthesis, while ignoring the more harmful, UV-A rays. In addition, most sunscreens contain many chemicals, some which are considered to promote cancer.   A 2002 meta-analysis from the American Journal of Public Health has shown that there was no association with sunscreen use and melanoma, but some research has shown that the sunscreen we are using, may actually incease your risk of getting malignant melanoma, especially if you live at northern latitudes.

What to Do???
1.    Check your sunscreen to see ensure that it covers against UV-A rays in addition to UV-B rays and to get a sunscreen that has fewest toxic chemicals. You can check your sunscreen here on the Environmental Working Group’s Sunscreen Database.

2.    Cover up and stay in the shade. Like everything in life, sun in moderation is okay, but know your limits and hang out under a tree.

3.    Antioxidants! We’ve heard this one before. By increasing your dietary consumption of antioxidants from fruits and veggies you are protecting your skin from the inside-out.