doctor as teacher Archives - Quinte Naturopathic Centre

Welcome to our Blog

Your gut is your second brain

Did you know that you have more receptors for serotonin in your gut than you do in your brain? Also, the bacteria in our gut make more than 90% of important neurotransmitters, serotonin being one of them. Mental health is interdependent on gut health. It's biochemically that simple. Serotonin is often known as our happy […]

My top trick to decrease holiday stress

So many patients confide in me that even though the holidays are such a fun time of year they can also be quite stressful. More demands on your time, more opportunities to stray from good eating habits, more coordinating of schedules, and sleep deprivation can turn a wonderful time of year sour pretty easily. […]

Yes, we have healthy gut bugs!

Did you know that there are ten times more bacteria in your digestive tract than there are cells in your body? Called the gut microbiome, these tiny bacterial allies play a fundamental role in the immune system. When the delicate balance of these bacteria are disrupted, it sets the stage for inflammation, which is at the […]

Perfect take-out meal alternative

One of my favourite take-out meals used to be pad thai but I stopped eating it because of all the pasta. Even though it is gluten-free (rice pasta) there are still too many carbs in it to be healthy for my blood sugar (if you remember in a previous post, my thyroid is so much […]

Upcoming dates & items to remember

Welcome to November! Here are a few administration reminders for the month. Reminder Calls & Missed Appointments: We are changing our reminder calls to reminder emails beginning on November 1st. Please remember that reminders are a courtesy that the office provides to our patients. When you book an appointment you are responsible for showing up […]

A surprising symptom of iron deficiency

It’s amazing the number of patients that I work with that experience anxiety or list anxiety as one of the health concerns on their intake form. Many times in conventional medicine patients are just prescribed an anti-anxiety medication eg. Ativan, or an anti-depressant like an SSRI. Unfortunately just as commonly in alternative health care, patients […]

How I prepare for flu season

We’ve made it to that season again…flu season. We’ve all been brainwashed to start dreading it instead of preparing properly. Let’s think differently this year. I put this up on our facebook page last year and it got some of the most likes we’ve had all year so I thought I would share it with […]

Your wellness will be affected by this

How would you feel if all of a sudden you didn't have access to the supplements that made you well? Well, that is now within the realm of possibility. Health Canada has proposed a new regulatory framework for natural health products. Health Canada recently came out with a surprise announcement that in effect they want […]

Heal adrenal fatigue naturally

Have you ever experienced chronic tiredness (even first thing in the morning), trouble falling (or staying) asleep, or difficulty concentrating? If so, you may have come across the term adrenal fatigue. Not a proven medical condition, adrenal fatigue refers to a collection of symptoms thought to be caused by poorly working adrenal glands in response to chronic mental, emotional, […]

Best grain-free, low-carb substitute for pasta

Did you know that eating a bowl of pasta is like eating a bowl of sugar? One cup of pasta, even whole grain or even gluten-free is approximately fifty grams of carbohydrate. When this carbohydrate gets to your small intestine it becomes digested into several small molecules called glucose. Glucose equals sugar. […]

The most important thing to measure if you want to prevent a heart attack

Did you know that you have the only thing you need to measure the most important risk factor for developing a heart attack is right in your own home? That’s right! All you need is a tape measure. The most important and scientifically valid measurement that even you can do at home is called the […]

Beware of gluten-free advertising to protect your waistline

Today I have a guest article from my friend and co-founder of the Eat Real Food Academy, Carolyn Coffin. Since we co-founded this online community over four years ago we have had many upgrades. Does anyone remember the very first course we offered where all the videos were shared on a private Facebook group? The […]

What’s the deal with my thyroid?

Are you tired and cold? Do you have unexplained weight gain? Are your hair, skin, and nails not growing like normal? Are you constipated? If you answered yes to any of these questions, no doubt your thyroid gland has been considered a primary suspect.

My favourite way to eat kale

I wish I had pictures of my patient's faces when I suggest to them for the first time to eat more leafy green veggies in their diet like kale. I remember having kale for the first time myself in a smoothie and not really enjoying it. I'm sure this is exactly what they were thinking […]

Should I quit coffee?

I have had so many patients over the years come to see me and are scared that I am going to take their beloved coffee away from them. For some reason being a coffee drinker is equated with bad health, just like eating saturated fat. We know however that saturated fat, like that found in […]

How to drink like your naturopath this holiday weekend

So often I will have people ask me, or more often ask people who know me, “ does Michelle ever eat meat…have dessert…or have a few adult beverages…?” I think there is this preconceived notion that I don’t do any of these things, ever, and people are pleasantly surprised and relieved to find out the […]

My “go-to” healthy dessert

Does dessert and healthy belong in the same sentence? They do now! Here's my go-to dessert that fits the bill ... slow cooker blueberry crumble! It not only tastes delicious, it takes just 3 minutes to prepare. No joke. Here's a short video of me making this recipe with Carolyn from the Eat Real Food Academy while visiting […]

Why you tend to “fall off the wagon” with your good habits

How many times have you made a resolution to lose weight, eat healthier, or exercise regularly, but never seem to really get started? There is always an excuse, even if it is a really good one, it is still an excuse. Unfortunately we are creatures of inertia. Remember this from physics class? This means that […]