Dr. Meghan MacKinnon ND Women's Health Naturopathic Doctor | Newmarket, Aurora, King City, East Gwillimbury, Keswick, Sutton, Georgina, Bradford, Richmond Hill
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Itchy and Watery Eyes?

17/4/2012

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Naturopathic Allergy Treatment Part 2
By Meghan MacKinnon, ND
Naturopathic Doctor in Aurora and Markham, OntarioThe blessing of an early spring has caused an increase in the amount of itchy, red and watery eyes for those who suffer from seasonal allergies.  This has people stocking up on things like Claritin and Benydryl to improve their symptoms, but why do some people have allergies and some don’t?

Allergies are caused by an immune reaction to a substance that is inhaled, ingested or that has come into contact with the skin.  When someone with allergies inhales something like pollen, their immune system identifies the pollen as a foreign invader and sends out the army in the form of increased phlegm, mucous, itchy and watery eyes, whereas the person without allergies doesn’t recognize these substances as being abnormal.

Natural Allergy Treatment
To successfully treat allergies it is first important to identify your triggers and to take some of the stress of off your immune system by identifying potential food sensitivities and cleaning up the home. Simple things that you can do to clean up your house are:

-          Remove carpets
-          Trash any scented candles or room fresheners
-          Don’t wear shoes in the house
-          Regularly replace your their furnace filter

As an Naturopath, I will work with my patient’s to help them determine if they have any food sensitivities and will suggest things to support the immune system.  If you suffer from allergies and would like more information please send me an email or call one of my practice locations.  
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Are Hormonal Birth Control Pills Linked to Prostate Cancer?

15/11/2011

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A new research finding proposes a connection between birth control pills and prostate cancer, which has many people talking.  Birth control pills containing estrogen and progesterone have become a standard in North America- almost a birth right for teenage girls and a standard treatment for any hormone imbalance.  One thing rarely thought about when we take our medications and supplements is that by-products can be excreted to re-circulate through the environment after we take them.  This means that  as more people take the birth control pill, there is more synthetic estrogen  released into our environment.  This can be difficult to filter out of our water supply, meaning it can affect us on a daily basis.  

For men, one thing estrogen may affect is their prostate.  The prostate gland is a hormone producing gland of the male reproductive system that makes secretions.  Interestingly, this study found that prostate cancer is much more common in North America and developed countries where usage of the birth control pill is high.  While an interesting link has been made in this study, it is important to note that this is preliminary research and it doesn’t mean that birth control pills = prostate cancer.  In fact, this is highly unlikely, because there are many other chemicals in our environment that also act as hormone modulators or ‘xenoestrogens’, perhaps creating an additive effect.  Some examples of these are bisphenol A (BPA), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalates which are used in most plastic compounds.  The Endocrine Society continues to provide up to date research on the health effects of these substances to identify the health effects that these chemicals have on animals and humans. They say that xenoestrogens have many connections to hormone health including adverse reproductive outcomes (infertility, cancers, malformations) with increasing evidence for effects on other hormone systems, including thyroid, weight and metabolism in addition to insulin and glucose homeostasis.

For more information on how to avoid environmental estrogen, hormone balance, prostate health or detoxification email me to set up an appointment or ask a question on my FAQ page. 

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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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