Understand & Overcome Stress

July 15, 20192 Comments

The concept of stress has become so ubiquitous that it’s become a weary competition of who has more on their plate, who is more tired, and who leads the busiest life. I’m sure I’m not surprising anyone when I say that a highly stressful lifestyles isn’t sustainable for our bodies.

I ask each of my patients to rate their stress level on a scale from 1-10. Most people rate their stress between 7 and 9, and then shrug and say “Well, this is life, right?”. You’re not wrong. However, it’s the next question I ask that’s infinitely more important: “What do you do to cope with your stress?”. This is almost always followed by an awkward shift in a chair, nervous laugh, and something to the tune of, “Nothing, I guess. I just push through”.

Let’s take a step back – why does it matter if we’re living in a constant state of stress?

When we experience a stressful event, our bodies respond by releasing a cocktail of hormones, including cortisol. This signals a cascade of changes in the body, all intended to help us cope with said stressor. You’ve heard this before; it’s called “fight or flight”.

The problem is that our bodies can’t tell the difference between being chased by a lion and our boss’ phone number showing up on our caller ID. In both circumstances, we release hormones that increase our blood pressure, increase blood sugar, divert blood flow from critical-thinking and memory areas of the brain, and suppress normal digestion. Great for running from a lion. Not so great for your fifth stressful call of the day.

This well-intended stress response is why the long-term impacts of high stress may include anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, weak immune function, weight gain, menstrual irregularities, heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Good to know, but I can’t quit life and live on a beach. How do I avoid the long-term implications of living a stressful life?

I like to think of it like having a cup of stress that is overflowing. If we can mitigate some of the controllable factors, we can reduce the amount of stress in our cup so that we’re not in a constant state of overflow. Here are my top six ways to drain your cup of stress.

1. Prioritize sleep – When we’re tired, we do not cope well with stress. Here’s my crash course on sleep: Decide what time you need to wake up, minus the number of hours you need to sleep (if your partner is male, it’s usually more hours than he needs), and set a strict bedtime. Turn off all electronics 30 minutes before bed. Wear a sleep mask every night.

2. Don’t over exercise – Over-training can raise cortisol levels, adding to the stress in our cup instead of doing the opposite. My rule is that if someone were to watch your workout, would they think a lion is chasing you? Try heavier weights with fewer reps, yoga (not hot yoga), or shorter/fewer workouts per week.

3. Keep blood sugar levels balanced – The rollercoaster of blood sugar highs and lows adds to our stress, as does digesting processed foods. Focus on having fat + fibre + protein with every meal and snack. Snacking on nuts and seeds, protein bars with low sugar (Simply Protein is great, not affiliated!), hummus, dried chickpeas, natural peanut butter, edamame, or guacamole will keep blood sugar balanced and your energy levels high.

4. Set the intention to ‘actively cope’- I love this one. Recognize passive coping strategies and turn them into active strategies. We all have passive coping strategies: things we do to unwind without realizing it. Examples include watching Netflix, having a glass of wine, calling a friend, or getting your nails done. Instead of passively engaging in that activity, set the intention that this is a coping strategy, and boom, you are actively lowering cortisol.

5. Set boundaries – This takes practice and commitment. I would suggest starting with recognizing when you feel stressed and then asking yourself if there should have been a boundary in place. For example, feeling stressed about responding to an email before bed versus setting a boundary about leaving work at the office. Sometimes boundary setting requires us to have difficult conversations, and other times it can be a private line you draw in the sand.

6. Take a deep breath – Our bodies have two settings: “fight or flight” (sympathetic nervous system) and “rest and digest” (parasympathetic nervous system). We cannot be in both settings at the same time, so we can trick our bodies into getting out of fight or flight. Take a slow, controlled breath in, hold for a second or two, and exhale slowly. Repeat a few times. You are now out of fight or flight and into rest and digest just like that. This one is my favourite tricks for stressful meetings, traffic jams, and spilled milk situations.

**BONUS TIP** 7. See your Naturopathic Doctor – I often run lab testing to get an idea of your morning cortisol (stress hormone) level. This allows us to use herbs and/or supplements to support and adjust your cortisol levels in a targeted way. Your ND can also provide you with a complete health plan to take the guess work and stress of “what should I eat” or “when can I find time to exercise” off of your plate.

Book an appointment with Dr. Chambers to assess and help you overcome your stressors.

In the meantime, we know that stress impacts our health. I encourage you to think about your cup of stress and what is filling it up. If there are changes you can make to empty your cup, now is the time to start. For the things that can’t be changed, take a deep breath and know that with less in your cup you’ll be able to overcome stress with a smile.

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

March 19, 2019March 20, 2019Leave a comment

Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture is a safe, effective, non-surgical and non-toxic method of reducing the signs of ageing. This treatment promotes a more youthful, glowing appearance by encouraging natural collagen production, increased circulation, and improved skin elasticity. Cosmetic acupuncture reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and skin imperfections to give you a younger look.

Benefits

Plumps up fine lines and relaxes wrinkles
Tightens pores
Reduces bags under the eyes
Evens and brightens complexion
Tightens and firms skin
Lip plumping

How does it work?

As we age, we lose natural oils and hydration in the skin, which causes a change in skin tone, complexion, and firmness. The skin matrix also changes, making it less elastic over time, leading to wrinkles and sagging skin. Studies have found that after facial rejuvenation acupuncture treatments, skin has increased water and natural oil content¹, and significantly improves elasticity and collagen formation in skin^2,3.

Research shows that cosmetic acupuncture also improves resting muscle tone in the face ^2,4. As muscles under the skin are toned, the skin over top of these muscles is firmed, which reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles⁵. This has a similar effect to that of Botox, without the injection of toxic chemicals.

Numerous studies have found that acupuncture decreases inflammation^6,7,8, and increases circulation^6,7,8,9. Improved circulation helps to eliminate toxins and provide vital nutrients to the skin, giving you a natural, healthy glow.

What to expect during your treatment

Our initial consultation is 75 minutes, where Dr. Chambers will conduct a brief health assessment and overview of your goals of treatment. We will then have your first Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture treatment, which involves the insertion of tiny, single-use, sterile acupuncture needles into specific areas of the face, head and body. Each treatment is a relaxing, spa-like experience, including facial massage using anti-aging serum, and a post-acupuncture skin care plan.

Results are typically noticeable immediately after your first treatment, and become long-lasting after five to seven weekly treatments. Monthly maintenance treatments are recommended to keep your skin looking young and vibrant.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Does it hurt?

A: We use smaller acupuncture needles than traditional acupuncture treatments, some are so small that we use tweezers to insert the points. This makes the treatment comfortable and relaxing – many patients fall asleep!

Q: Can I receive treatment if I’ve had Botox or fillers?

A: Yes, you can absolutely still receive treatments. It’s a great adjunctive tool to support your other cosmetic procedures. Please let Dr. Chambers know of all cosmetic procedures, and please do not book a Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture appointment within the 14 days of receiving Botox to allow the Botox to fully take effect.

Q: Can I receive treatment if I’m pregnant?

A: No, unfortunately we can’t do this type of acupuncture during pregnancy.

Q: What should I wear/bring to my appointment?

A: Please come as you are, although comfy clothing is always nice! Dr. Chambers will remove any makeup necessary before the treatment. If you’re heading somewhere after your visit, we recommend bringing any cover-up, foundation, or powders that you may use, as these are removed during your appointment. Typically, eye make up stays in place.

Q: Is it covered by my benefits?

A: Yes! Treatments are covered under most extended healthcare benefit plans, under the coverage heading of Naturopathic Doctor appointments.

Booking

Book your appointment to make Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture the central aspect of your anti-ageing skin care routine!

References

1 Donoyama N, Kojima A, Suoh S, Ohkoshi N, Cosmetic acupuncture to enhance facial skin appearance: a preliminary study. Acupunct Med. 2012; 30(2):152–153.

2 Yun Y, Kim S, Kim M, Kim K, Park JS, Choi I. Effect of facial cosmetic acupuncture on facial elasticity: An open-label, single-arm pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013. 2013:1-5.

3 Liao J, Zhang L, Ke MG, Xu T. Effect of electroacupuncture intervention on expression of extracellular matrix collagen and metabolic enzymes. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2013; 38(6):441-6, 510.

4 Le Louarn C, Buthiau D, Buis J. Structural aging: the facial recurve concept. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2007; 31(3):213-8.

5 Lee KM, Lim SC, Kim JS, Lee BH. A clinical study on facial wrinkles treated with miso facial acupuncture—measured by the facial skin photographing system. J Korean Acu Moxibustion Soc. 2010. 27(1):101–107.

6 Park et al. Therapeutic effects of acupuncture through enhancement of functional angiogenesis and granulogenesis in rat wound healing. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012:1-4.

7 Kuo TC, Lin CW, Ho FM. The soreness and numbness effect of acupuncture on skin blood flow. Am J Chin Med. 2004. 32(1):117-29.

8 Barrett JB. Acupuncture and facial rejuvenation. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 2005. 25(4):419–424.

9 Doran VC. An introduction to facial revitalisation acupuncture. Eur J of Oriental Med. 2007. 5(5):4-8.

Vitamin D: How much do you really need?

November 26, 20181 Comment

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that we primarily absorb from the sun. Living in Canada, we’re amongst the most deficient countries in the world when it comes to vitamin D. In this article we’ll explore the debate about adequate versus beneficial amounts of vitamin D in the body, and how to make sure you’re getting enough of this important nutrient.

Why do we need Vitamin D?

Bone health – vitamin D allows us to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Low vitamin D contributes to low bone density, known as osteoporosis, which leads to increased risk of fractures.
Powerful cancer prevention – vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased risk of breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
Important for mood – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is caused by low vitamin D levels, and primarily affects people during the winter.
Helpful in treating (and possibly preventing, although not all research studies agree) autoimmune disease, autism, chronic pain, diabetes and heart disease.
Required for immune system function, helping to fight infection and prevent illness.

Where do we get vitamin D from?

Most of our vitamin D is produced from exposure to the sun. We need about 15 minutes of our arms and legs exposed to the sun daily, during peak sunshine hours, without sunscreen, to produce adequate vitamin D levels.

People with darker skin tones don’t absorb vitamin D as well as those with lighter skin tones due to higher melanin content in their skin.

It is possible to get small amounts of vitamin D from fortified sources, including milk. However, Health Canada statistics still show that even people who consume the most amount of dairy (toddlers and seniors), are still not reaching adequate blood levels of vitamin D.

What should we be looking for on lab testing?

There is a lot of debate between Health Canada versus scientific research about how much vitamin D is “adequate”. When Health Canada runs its statistics about how many Canadians are deficient in vitamin D, they use the number 50 nmol/L as the cut off. Lab test reference ranges and Canadian MDs use 75 nmol/L as the cut off. However, most scientific literature showing significant benefit to human health promotes 100 nmol/L as the appropriate cut off for being vitamin D sufficient.

Research estimates we would see significant reductions of diagnoses of cancer, heart disease, dementia, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hip fractures due to osteoporosis, and respiratory infection. A study published in 2016 found that by increasing the standard to 100 nmol/L, Canadians would save about $12.5 billion annually on healthcare costs, and prevent 23,000 premature deaths per year.

As you can imagine, the low cutoff used by Health Canada skews the numbers to show that only 60-66% of Canadians are deficient (still a huge number!). When we use the research-supported cut off of 100 nmol/L, we find that about 93% of Canadians are falling short.

Is vitamin D testing covered by OHIP?

Despite this research vitamin D testing is not covered by OHIP. If I’m running labs with my patients, I always discuss the benefit of testing vitamin D ($33). If a patient is getting labs done through their family doctor, I always recommend they ask to pay out of pocket to be tested.

It sounds like the solution is to take lots of Vitamin D orally?

It’s very important to note that taking too much vitamin D orally is toxic, and this amount can vary from person to person. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, the body cannot simply get rid of any excess. Research also shows us that damage due to toxicity can occur in the body before we notice anything overtly in terms of symptoms – meaning we could be doing damage by taking too much before we notice anything is wrong.

The bottom line:

Have your vitamin D levels tested at least once per year.
Most of us need to supplement with oral vitamin D, at least during the winter.
Vitamin D can be toxic, so it’s important to know how much you need to take daily, and use lab testing monitor that you’re staying within a healthy blood-level.

References:

Alshahrani, F., & Aljohani, N. (2013). Vitamin D: deficiency, sufficiency and toxicity. Nutrients, 5(9), 3605-16. doi:10.3390/nu5093605

GrassrootsHealth – Scientists’ Call to D*action. http://www.grassrootshealth.net/epidemic

Greene-Finestone, L. S., et al. CaMos Research Group (2010). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Canadian adults: biological, environmental, and behavioral correlates. Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 22(5), 1389-99.

Janz T, Pearson C. Vitamin D blood levels of Canadians. January 2013. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-X http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-624-x/2013001/article/11727-eng.pdf

William B. Grant, Susan J. Whiting, Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, Stephen J. Genuis & Samantha M. Kimball. 2016. Estimated economic benefit of increasing 25-hydroxyvitamin D conzcentrations of Canadians to or above 100 nmol/L,Dermato Endocrinology, 8:1, DOI: 10.1080/19381980.2016.1248324

Vitamin D Society Press Release. 2013. Stats Canada Data: Canadians’ Vitamin D Levels Declining. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/2/prweb10380382.htm

Yummy Nutty Protein Bars

October 23, 2018October 23, 20181 Comment

I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times! Here’s why I absolutely love my recipe, and why I want you and your family to love it too:

It’s packed full of protein and fibre, and it’s free of common food intolerances like gluten, dairy, and eggs (it’s vegan, too!).
Since we’re all so busy, it’s made in one-bowl and doesn’t require baking, which makes it quick and easy to make.
They keep in the freezer, so if they don’t get eaten (lol…) they’ll last 6-8 weeks.
I freeze them little containers or ziplock bags so that my hubby and I easily can grab one or two and head out the door whenever we need a quick snack.
The absolute BEST part is that you can use the proportions as a framework, and sub different things in to create different flavours and keep them interesting for your family. No boredom here!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups gluten free oats (sub for more nuts/seeds to make this paleo-friendly)
3/4 cup almonds
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/3 cup freshly ground flaxseed
1/3 cup each: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
- Sub one or more of these out for different nuts, unsweetened coconut shreds, dairy-free chocolate chips/cacao nibs, dried fruit (not in my house, but no judgement if it works for you)
- Ie. Macadamia nuts, coconut and chocolate chips is a delicious combo!
- Adding 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg is a great way to switch it up, or 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Adjust wet: dry ratio accordingly.
1 cup almond butter
- Switch this up too! Pumpkin seed butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, etc.
1 medium banana
1/4 cup maple syrup (sub for another 1/4 cup almond butter + use a large banana to make this mostly-ish-sugar-free)

Directions:

Line a 9″x9″ baking pan for deep-dish bars, or 8″x13″ for thinner bars, with parchment paper
Combine almond butter, banana, and maple syrup in a food processor and blend until smooth. You can do this by hand, but I prefer the food processor.
Combine all other ingredients in a large bowl, add wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. It should all mix, but barely stick together. Add more nuts, seeds, or oats until reach desired consistency.
Transfer to pan, squish down evenly and very firmly. Place pan in freezer for at least 1 hour.
Remove from pan by lifting up paper. Slice into bars or squares and put into ready-to-go ziplock bags or containers (1-2 per bag), and store in freezer.
Makes 18 – 21 bars.
Tag me in your Instagram and Facebook posts – @drhilarychambers – Enjoy!