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 8 Simple Rules to Help You Through the Holiday Season By Meghan MacKinnon, BSc, ND Markham Naturopathic Doctor Tis’ the season to eat more sweets, drink too much and not get enough sleep. Our free time is mostly consumed by shopping, baking, decorating and entertaining; often stretching our time thin, leaving little for ourselves. If you are like most people this leaves our personal health on hold with plans of “getting back on track in the new year”. As Naturopathic Doctors we inspire our patients to take control of their health which often proves to be very difficult amongst the hustle-bustle of the holidays. The question arises; are you putting your health on your gift list this year?
A lot of people already feel stressed with work and home pressures, so when the holiday season arrives this existing low level of stress can easily become magnified. Not surprisingly, research has found that holiday stress has a greater impact on women who have a reputation to take charge of holiday planning, cooking and shopping. Additionally it has been found that during the holidays many people are more likely to have increased sedentary behaviours like watching TV, sleeping, eating and drinking to manage their stress. Unfortunately these behaviours often propagate feelings of stress instead of effectively managing them. Here are some simple tips to help you manage your stress so that it doesn’t impact your health during the holiday season. 1. Plan Ahead: The more you plan ahead, the less last minute pressure you will feel as the holidays approach. Start with a calendar and a check-list of things to do and when they need to be done by. 2. Don’t Abandon Healthy Habits: Now is not the time to completely let loose and wait for the New Year. Keep doing the positive things you’ve been doing to help you manage your health to avoid things getting out of control. 3. Sleep: Avoid staying up late to get things done. If you plan ahead this should allow for the 7-8 hours of sleep that we all need. 4. Let People Help: Remember, you don’t always have to do it all yourself. Recruit family members to help decorate, bake or organize potlucks to spread the work around. Your healthcare providers can also help manage your stress levels when life becomes overwhelming. 5. Have a Hot Bath: This can be one of the best ways to relax after a long day, so be sure to treat yourself! 6. Slow it Down: Chew your food and eat it slowly. Take deep breaths and remember “for fast-acting relief, try slowing down”. 7. Learn How to Say No: This is one of those things that can be a huge struggle for many people, especially around the holidays. 8. Supplement Effectively and Appropriately: If you are looking for ways to help balance your stress, reduce fatigue and improve your mood it is a great idea to seek the help of a professional to discuss how Naturopathic Medicine can help. It is important to remember that although they can bring stress, the holidays are first and foremost a joyful time that we share with loved ones, but we should not forget our own health and needs during this season. Remember, to take a deep breath and use this as a time to remind yourself that there are people in your life who are worth the hustle and bustle, and people to whom you are worth the same. American Psychological Association © 2006 Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, Holiday Stress. December 2006 If you want to know more about Naturopathic Medicine and it's approach to chronic disease and how it can help the Canadian Health Care Industry check out this video of Naturopathic Doctor, Jason Lee. Healthy Recipe Collection  By Dr. Meghan MacKinnon, ND
Markham Naturopathic Doctor Growing up I was lucky enough to spend many weekends visiting my uncle at the Big Carrot, where he was one of the founding members. For those of you who don't know, 'The Carrot' is pretty much the Mecca of health food stores in Toronto. They have a wide selection of organic produce, meat, beauty supplies, delicious healthy food and even their own health dispensary with Naturopathic Doctors! Although the memories are becoming scarce, I clearly remember that I always used to have carrot salad whenever we were there for lunch. This memory inspired me to try making one on my own, which actually turned out quite good! Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 lb carrots, shredded 1 ripe pear, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup of raisins (or dried cranberries) 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg Dressing: 1 tbsp of lemon juice 1/4 tsp honey 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup of almond milk Mix carrots, pear, raisins and sunflower seeds. Mix dressing and then pour over salad. Stir, toss, refrigerate and enjoy!  Why Am I Not Sleeping?
By: Dr. Meghan MacKinnon, ND Markham Naturopathic Doctor This is a very common question that many people have, because insomnia and poor sleep have so many causes. While we sleep, our bodies recharge so that we are able to do all the things we need to do in our daily lives. Poor sleep may be due to many things such as hormone imbalance, stress, sleep apnea or anxiety so it is important that you work with your Naturopathic Doctor to figure out why you are not getting a deep sleep. Sometimes poor sleep is simply a result of what we call ‘poor sleep hygiene’, referring to your sleep environment and what you do before you go to bed. Here are some naturopathic health tips to improve your sleep hygiene.
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Dr. Meg MacKinnon Naturopathic Doctor
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