York Region Naturopathic Doctor | Aurora, King City, Newmarket, Markham-Stouffville, Unionville, Richmond Hill
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Pumping Iron

15/5/2013

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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.


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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.
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Mad About Matcha - My Favourite Superfood

19/10/2012

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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.  

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Tips to Improve Sleep Hygiene

5/12/2011

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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.

  • Stick to a Schedule. Going to bed and rising at the same time, even on weekends and holidays can help improve sleep.
  • Keep your bedroom cool. A drop in body temperature can stimulate sleep.
  • Keep it work free. The bedroom is for sleeping. Remove all other distracting items like the TV, computer, phone and exercise equipment.
  • Start winding down an hour before bedtime. Do some light reading, quiet conversation, gentle exercise or listen to soft music and avoid watching the news or stressful interactions after dinner.
  • Keep the room completely dark with good blinds/drapes and no lights. This will help with the production of melatonin, the main hormone for balancing sleep cycles.
  • Recognize when you need something more.  There are many simple things you can do to help with you sleep but sometimes using herbs and nutrients such as melatonin, Valerian and Passionflower to help with sleep is appropriate.  If supplementing, it is important to make sure you are taking something that is right for you and to be monitored by your naturopathic doctor. 

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Do you suffer from insomnia?

1/11/2011

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Sleep is the foundation of health, yet there are an estimated 3.3 million Canadians who either have trouble falling asleep or maintaining a deep sleep.  Insomnia can be difficult to define, however if it takes you greater than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night or if you frequently wake throughout the night you are likely suffering from a form of insomnia.  This can have severe consequences such as:

- Impaired concentration and focus affecting work and quality time with family and friends
- Decreased productivity at work 
- Difficulties losing excess weight
- Decreased attractiveness when compared to those that are well rested
- Reduced energy and brain fog
- Connections with many other health conditions


There are natural ways to help promote and initiate sleep to improve your quality of life.  For more information on how naturopathic medicine can get improve your sleep contact me to set up an appointment.

Dr. Meg, ND
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    Dr. Meg MacKinnon Naturopathic Doctor
    Aurora
    Newmarket
    King City
    Richmond Hill
    Holland Landing
    Sharon/ Queensville
    Bradford
    Keswick/ Georgina

    Meghan has a passion for supporting others achieve their health goals.  She provides optimal care for her patients by applying a scientific approach to all treatments, while investigating all other factors that contribute to health and well-being.


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