Information/Research Archives - Page 2 of 16 - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

Dr. Cook’s new book Stress Less and Weigh Less is now published and available to purchase!

June 20, 2023 by elisha

We are so excited to announce that Dr. Elisha Cook ND’s new book Stress Less and Weigh Less has officially been published, and has already made it to the Best Seller list on Amazon in several categories! Dr. Cook has compiled much of her clinical experience and research into the writing of this book. It includes practical guidance and a wealth of knowledge on the impact of stress on the weight loss journey. In particular, the struggle that chronically stressed individuals can face when it comes to weight loss.

In this book, you will learn

What stress is and determine if you are stressed
What weight loss approaches work based on research
What forms of exercise and dietary patterns help you lose weight when you are chronically stressed
Realistic coping techniques for stress
How to overcome common weight loss strategy pitfalls

To make sure we can get this book into as many hands as we can, reduced pricing will be in effect until June 26, 2023! It can be bought on amazon for $9.99 as the paperback and $0.99 as the kindle version until June 26, 2023. After this date the price will go up.

If you are interested in getting your hands on a paperback version or a kindle version of the book, see following link: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0C87VD1FD . We will have copies available at the clinic, and will make updates on social media when they are available.

In addition, if you subscribe to our blog, you will automatically be sent a PDF of the workbook to go with the book Stress Less and Weigh Less.

For a complete book description, please see below:

We live in a society of pressing deadlines, overwhelming schedules, and increasing demands. On top of keeping up with this lifestyle, we expect ourselves to have the body and physique of an athlete. It may be surprising for some, but chronically stressed individuals often have a very difficult time losing weight and keeping the weight off. There is a way to stress less and weigh less. You do not have to struggle to lose weight anymore.

In the book, we examine if you are truly stressed and what it actually looks like in all its facets. Once we know what stress really is, we can then begin to examine its impact on weight, and how it can contribute to weight gain. Dr. Elisha Cook ND discusses three key focus areas: exercise, diet, and stress management. With each section, we examine the strategies that increase stress and those that decrease stress on the body. When you manage your stress confidently and prioritize yourself, you can lose weight and keep it off.

In this book, you will learn:

What stress is and determine if you are stressed
What weight loss approaches work based on research
What forms of exercise and dietary patterns help you lose weight when you are chronically stressed
Realistic coping techniques for stress
How to overcome common weight loss strategy pitfalls

With the constant stress surrounding our daily lives, we need to be able to keep ourselves healthy and manage our stress. In this book, Dr. Elisha Cook ND hopes that she can help people identify sources of stress in their life, how it may be halting their weight loss journey, and how to overcome it. To find out more about her methods, grab this book today!

Want more information about our clinic or services?

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in trying any of our services, working with any of our amazing practitioners, or are simply wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact the Plattsville Natural Health Clinic by calling 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today!

Ways to Practice Self-Care Daily

February 14, 2023 by elisha

Today’s society is very go, go, go, and often, we put ourselves last due to the demands of life itself. Individuals can be left feeling burnt-out, tired, drained, and overwhelmed. When we over-burden ourselves and drive ourselves to the point of exhaustion, it can be difficult to bounce back. By practicing some “self-care” every day, it can help to prevent you from reaching this breaking point.

5 Ways to Practice Self-Care

Eat Well – your gut can be the gateway to overall health. By eating a well-balanced diet that is right for you, you can help your stress, mood, energy, sleep and overall health. By speaking to a naturopathic doctor or a holistic nutritionist, you can determine a plan of action on how to best eat for your health situation.
Exercise – exercise can be a great outlet for stress and aid with overall health. When we look at aerobic exercise (for example, walking), we see many great benefits including reduced stress, depression, and anxiety. In addition, exercise can give you the energy you need to accomplish your to-do-list that may be adding to your stress.
Ask for Help – Asking for help is not easy for a lot of people but it can make a big difference when you are feeling overwhelmed. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It provides you with the potential for more support when you need it most. Asking for help may also include going to see a health care professional, such as a Naturopathic Doctor, to help you with stress management, work-life balance, pain, mood, energy etc.
Pace Yourself – Many people rush to get things done saying that there are not enough hours in the day, there is too much to do, etc. If you constantly run in 5^th gear, you may find that you are worn out much quicker. Pacing yourself and accomplishing a set amount each day can provide space for you to recover. It is also important to forgive yourself for items you may not have accomplished especially if you take time for yourself. Time for yourself is necessary recuperation time and is justified. It is important to put yourself higher on your priority list.
Leave Work at Work – For some individuals that run their own business or feel like they mentally carry their work home, this is much easier said than done. Try not to bring the concerns of work home with you and instead leave it at the workplace. Use the commute home to be your dividing line or find other constructive tangible ways to create a separating point between work and home. This can help decrease the burden that you carry when you get home. It helps to separate work-life from home-life. Ultimately, we need to start to establish healthy boundaries between work and home, and this conversation may even extend itself to other areas of your life where you need healthy boundaries.

If you benefitted from this blog, Dr. Elisha Cook ND will have her book published soon that has information like this AND MORE. Contact us by emailing info.pnhc@gmail.com or through the contact portion of our website. Let us know if you want to be a part of her launch team and get early access to her book!

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share this article with someone who you think might benefit from the information and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling/texting 226-232-7665 and book your appointment today!

Foods to Boost Male Health

November 8, 2022 by elisha

Written By: Dr. Elisha Cook ND

November is generally known for promoting, encouraging, and discussing men’s health. With this in mind, what better way to celebrate with some foods that benefit male health! These foods are not only great for a balanced, healthy diet, but specifically help with prostate health, fertility, and balancing male hormones.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of fiber, and are high in magnesium and zinc. Specifically, in the research, pumpkin seeds have been linked to reducing the size of the prostate in BPH and reducing the consequences of it (improving erectile function and improving urine outflow) (1).

In the world of fertility, there is limited human research on the effect of pumpkin seeds on sperm characteristics, but in the animal world, it has shown to increase and improve sperm concentration, motility, and viability. With these promising improvements seen in the animal world, and the little to no side effects associated with eating pumpkin seeds, males looking to improve sperm parameters might consider adding pumpkin seeds to their diet (2).

Cooked Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain many great nutrients and are high in an antioxidant lycopene. As tomatoes are cooked, the lycopene content increases. Research shows that males that consumed a diet higher in tomatoes, also had a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer (3).

In regards to lycopene, it may reduce the growth of the prostate leading to reduced likelihood of BPH and cancer (4).

In addition, regular tomato juice consumption has been linked to improved sperm motility in those struggling with infertility (5).

Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice specifically is a great addition to a balanced diet, but when it comes to male health, it can also benefit fertility. Regular pomegranate juice consumption was shown to improve total motile sperm count (6).

Overall, the best way to improve one’s health is through a well balanced diet, but for males, adding these foods more often might produce greater gains in regards to factors concerning male health.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Resources:

What is the difference between a Holistic Nutritionist and a Dietician?

September 16, 2021 by elisha

Written by Christa Bakker RHN

I was recently asked, “What’s the difference between a Holistic Nutritionist and a Dietician?” To help answer, I have gathered some information provided by CSNN (Canadian School of Natural Nutrition), Cahn-Pro (Canadian Association of Holistic Nutrition Professionals), and CANNP (Canadian Association of Natural Nutrition Practitioners). As a Holistic Nutritionist, I can speak from my education, observations, and client experiences. CANNP has published an article highlighting the differences between a Registered Dietician (RD) and a Registered Holistic Nutritionist™ (also called, Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant™ Professionals, Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultants™, Certified Holistic Nutritionist™). They broke topic down into three categories: Education, Recognition and Approach.

Education

A registered dietician has no doubt spent more time in a classroom than a holistic nutritionist. A registered dietician goes through a university-level program and completes a one-year internship at a medical institution. I completed a college-level program, my ‘internship’ or practical experience was gained by real-life clients and case studies. The university courses that a dietician is required to take are much more science-based, emphasizing chemistry and biology. The university program focuses on conducting and interpreting food studies, research, global food-related problems, and the intricacies of micro and macronutrients; their dietary program is based on ‘Canada’s Food Guide’. The school that I attended, the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN), taught nutrition with an importance on the approach and information that a person can easily put into daily use. The holistic approach is that everyone’s body is unique, each with different circumstances and biochemistry. A holistic nutritionist will conduct consultations, use a client’s symptoms to guide and integrate alternative modalities. I build individualized programs using therapeutic dietary approaches. My education was ‘holistic’ in that it explored the connection between emotional, physiological, and environmental aspects of a person’s wellbeing. In short, the dietician’s approach focuses on the theoretical, where the holistic approach is more practical.

Recognition

Dieticians are a recognized and regulated industry in Canada; nutritionists are not. Rules set by the government monitor this regulation; this allows dieticians to work in government sectors, such as hospitals, while nutritionists focus more on the private sector. However, it is essential for a Holistic Nutritionist to belong to a regulatory body, such as CSNNAA, CANNP, or CAHN-Pro. They provide ongoing training and education and assurance that the nutritionist is working within their scope of practice. Not being regulated by the government means that nutritionists don’t get the same recognition from insurance companies, leaving clients to pay out of pocket for their services. This cost may deter some, but paying for individualized nutritional consulting and education makes the experience more meaningful for most clients. Clients who pay for the services of a nutritionist take the information more seriously, becoming more compliant and therefore successful.

Approach

The mainstream medical approach is to focus on chasing disease and reducing symptoms. The holistic approach concentrates on avoiding poor health and reestablishing good health, educating how to bring the body back into balance, and catching imbalances in the early stages. As a Holistic Nutritionist, I encourage my client to learn so they can be in control of their own wellbeing. A Dietician is often found in a hospital providing food guidelines to their patients once they have been diagnosed with an illness. A dietician is trained to lessen symptoms while a nutritionist is trained to seek out the root cause of a client’s symptoms, bringing their body back onto balance. Symptom control will often fail in the long term unless the root cause is sought out. The holistic approach focuses on the whole person, education on food choices, lifestyle suggestions, and supplement recommendations. Each client is unique and requires unique recommendations. A nutritionist will recommend whole, natural, and as high-quality food as possible. For example, butter, a dietician may recommend that a client use margarine in its place. A nutritionist would not recommend to a client a processed food made in a factory with chemical “ingredients” as better for you than something that comes from nature. If a client is allergic or intolerant of dairy, there are many more options that don’t include a chemically processed product. (for example, coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee)

Although there are apparent differences between a Dietician and a Nutritionist, I believe there is room for both. The important difference is that the client has the benefit of choice.

If you are interested in booking an appointment with a holistic nutritionist, call or text 226-232-7665, or contact Plattsville Natural Health Clinic to book your appointment today.