Inflammation is the body’s normal physiological attempt to defend itself against foreign invasions and repair it from injury. This blog shares what inflammation is and how to reduce chronic inflammation naturally! Acute Inflammation When describing what inflammation is to my patients, I always explain that there are 2 types; the acute and the chronic. Acute inflammation is important, especially if we experience an injury or infection—it’s what promotes healing. Heat (calor), pain (dolor), redness (rubor) and swelling (tumor), best describe the classic inflammatory response. Acute inflammation occurs as a short-term response to harmful stimuli such as a cut, sprain or burn. Ever notice that a wounded area swells up and becomes warm? That is the body’s way of protecting the area as it begins to heal. Chronic Inflammation When inflammation persists over time it becomes chronic. Chronic inflammation is the body’s response to ongoing lifestyle stresses like: poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, and lack of exercise. It occurs when the injury is ongoing or a predisposed immune system fails at counter-regulation, contributing to the onset of many chronic illnesses. Without getting too technical, chronic inflammation can be explained as an insufficient dampening or excessive up-regulation by intracellular proteins, kind Read more…
Last week we talked about allergies, this week we’re talking about a common symptom of allergies: sinusitis. Let’s be real, no one likes having a stuffy nose. Especially, a chronic stuffy nose. You sound funny, food loses its flavor, and breathing becomes a hassle. Not to worry, there are some natural ways to relieve this pesky problem. What is sinusitis? In a nutshell, sinusitis is when the tissue lining the sinuses becomes inflamed. Normally, our sinuses are filled with air, but when we have sinusitis our sinuses become blocked and filled with fluid and germs that can grow and cause infection. Sinus blockages can be caused by the common cold, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps, or a deviated septum. Sinusitis (or a sinus infection) occurs when the blockages become chronic. Symptoms of Sinusitis Include: Pain and tenderness over the infected sinus. A blocked nose or runny nose A high temperature Headaches or aches in the face near the nasal cavities Toothache Cough Pressure in ears Tiredness Are you one of the unlucky Ottawans suffering from Sinusitis? Try these natural remedies. Get Rid of Sinusitis with these 5 Natural Remedies 1) Flush Your Sinuses. You’ve heard of the Neti Pot, right? The little Read more…
Arthrosis or Arthritis – What’s the Difference?
Arthrosis or Arthritis, these words look alike however they have two different meanings. Many people are not sure what the differences are. Some professionals don’t even bother explaining the difference anymore, resulting in even more confusion. I will try to give some clarity between these two words, so in the future you’ll know how and when to use them. Let’s start by a little bit of etymology (word origins) The word arthritis comes from arthri- (joint) and –tis for inflammation. On the other hand the word arthrosis comes from arthr- (joint) and –osis for abnormal. This doesn’t help explain the difference but sometimes it’s helpful to know where words come from. Two words same meaning Arthrosis is also known as Osteoarthritis. Both words are used interchangeably to describe the exact same condition. To help you remember try thinking of “O” for Arthrosis and Osteoarthritis. So what is the difference Arthritis is not a specific condition; it is actually a regrouping of multiple conditions affecting the joints including arthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout and many others diseases you’ve probably never heard of. Some arthritic disorders can even affect the skin like psoriatic arthritis. So what is the big deal if Read more…
The North American lifestyle is one of the most fast pace lifestyles in the world. People often have excuses for not having enough time to exercise, sleep enough, eat healthy, or simply just take care of themselves period! The one thing that I think people really overestimate is how easy it is to cook a quick and healthy meal every day. It is 2015 and the sources for this information are endless. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and just googling the World Wide Web will suffice. Social media has had a huge impact over the years on how people find information. This also includes great information like healthy recipes anyone can easily find on any social media outlet. Here are a few quick ideas you can look up online. If you’re the type of person who loves to snack and has a sweet tooth, a great idea found on Pinterest is frozen yogurt-covered blueberry bites. Dip Blueberries in Greek yogurt then lay them out on a cookie sheet. Put it in the freezer for 15 minutes (it is recommended to keep them in there for 1 hour to insure they are all frozen) then pop them off the cookie sheet and put Read more…
How Processed Meats Can Cause Cancer
Have you heard the news? Processed meats including cold cuts, bacon, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, pepperoni, beef jerky and corned beef, to name a few, can cause cancer!….Is anyone really surprised? I think not. The American institute for cancer research (AICR) released an article about the link between processed meat and cancer in on August 7th 2014. On October 26th 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially identified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning the quality of the evidence firmly links it to cancer. Red meats fare a little better, falling into Group 2A (foods of substances that probably cause cancer), a category that also includes the toxic pesticide DDT, the chemical weapon mustard gas and the insecticide malathion. What is causing this? The problem with all these foods isn’t what type of meat it is (ex: white meat versus red meat, pork or beef) it is the way it is treated. Meat that’s been smoked, salted, cured or changed in any process to enhance flavor or make it last longer is what has health experts especially worried. Even in small amounts, eating cold cuts and other processed meats on a regular basis increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Read more…
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