Patient Education Archives - Page 12 of 14 - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

Tips for Effective and Safe Strength Training

August 25, 2015 by elisha

How you approach strength training or exercise of any form can greatly impact the results you achieve and your safety while performing them. Here are some tips and strategies on how to avoid injury and get optimal results while exercising:

Always warm up and cool down properly. Examples of warming up and cooling down include cardiovascular training for 10 minutes prior, and stretching following exercise.
Use proper form to avoid injuries and maximize gains. If you are not using the proper technique, all of your hard work will be for nought! You can learn good form through a class or one-on-one sessions with a certified exercise professional.
Breathe out when you are lifting or pushing; breathe in as you slowly release the load or weight. Never hold your breath while straining. This action, called the Valsalva maneuver, can temporarily raise your blood pressure and can be risky for people with heart disease. It also puts more stress on the pelvic floor muscles, and can lead to some unfortunate conditions including hernias and organ prolapse.
Don’t lock your joints; always leave a slight bend in your knees and elbows when straightening out your legs and arms.
Don’t be so eager to see results that you risk hurting yourself by exercising too long or choosing too much weight. And remember that it’s important to rest muscles for at least 48 hours between strength training sessions. It might be useful for novice strength trainers to start with a shorter strength training session, and gradually work their way up to longer sessions. This might also include starting with one strength training session per week and gradually working up to 2-3 times per week.
If you’ve been sick, give yourself one or two days off after recovering. If you were ill for a while, you may need to use lighter weights or less resistance when you first resume exercising.
Strength training exercises should not cause pain while you are doing them. If an exercise or movement causes significant pain, stop doing it! When performing an exercise, stick with a range of motion that feels comfortable. Over time, try to gradually extend that range. This being said, if you have experienced a specific injury in the past, it is important to consult a health care provider such as a Naturopathic Doctor so that they can help you modify exercises to fit your body’s needs and strengthen necessary muscle groups.
Listen to your body and cut back if you aren’t able to finish a series of exercises or an exercise session, can’t talk while exercising, feel faint after a session, feel tired during the day, or suffer joint aches and pains after a session.

Have you benefitted 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 Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Source: Harvard Medical School

Naturopathic Approaches and Management of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

July 28, 2015 by elisha

When spring and summer come around, most individuals enjoy being outside. However, with the temperatures on the rise, many could potentially develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they are not careful. This blog is meant to provide you with preventative measures, signs and symptoms to look out for, and what you can do if you or another individual experiences heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Prevention

Ultimately, it is more beneficial to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the first place. The following is a list of things that you can do to prevent both:

Dress weather appropriate – not too warmly and lighter in colour
Wear a hat if you will be spending a significant amount of time in the sun
Avoid activities in the late afternoon when the sun is at the highest point in the sky
Perform activities in the shade when possible
Keep hydrated – make sure to have a drink of water every 15 – 20 minutes
Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol

Signs and Symptoms

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are quite different in their presentation and severity. Heat exhaustion is the lesser in regards to severity when compared to heat stroke. Heat exhaustion presents with the following:

Headache
Dizziness and Confusion
Loss of Appetite
Feeling Nauseous
Sweating
Pale clammy skin
Muscle Cramps
Fast and Weak Pulse
Shallow Breathing

Heat stroke on the other hand is slightly more severe:

Headache
Dizziness and Discomfort
Restlessness and Confusion
Hot, Flushed, and Dry Skin
Low Level of Response or Consciousness
Full and Strong Pulse
Body Temperature Above 40 degrees Celsius

Management

How you might manage either situation is very similar, but in the case of heat stroke, it is best to call Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for help in order to better aid this individual. Otherwise, the following recommendations could be made for both in most cases:

Get to a cooler place (eg. in the shade)
Have the individual lay down with their legs raised
Rehydrate the individual with cool water
Recommend that the individual seek Health Care regardless of how quickly they recover
If their condition gets worse, call EMS

In addition to the above recommendations, for heat stroke, it is wise to cool the individual down with cool clothes being applied to the body and a fan being placed near them. It is necessary to bring their core body temperature down to around 38 degrees Celsius.

Naturopathic Additional Tips

In addition to the above management, some additional measures could be applied AFTER the above management is followed:

Coconut water or aloe vera juice can be used to help rehydrate
Glonoinum homeopathic can be used to aid with symptoms from heat stroke
China homeopathic can be used for extreme fluid loss resulting in heat stroke
Applying an peppermint essential oil to the feet and cooling clothes to help lower body temperature
Applying an onion to the feet to help lower body temperature
Contrast showers daily to help prevent lack of acclimatization
Seek naturopathic care regularly to help your body be in the best shape it can be

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Source: http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/hot-and-cold-conditions/heatstroke.aspx

West Nile Virus – What You Need to Know

July 22, 2015 by elisha

Unfortunately, West Nile Virus is a concern in Ontario, and, as such, you should be aware of what you are up against.

Background Information

West Nile Virus is transmitted by Mosquitos. Not all mosquitos carry West Nile Virus, but they are the vector by which this condition is transmitted to humans. As a result, the Public Health Agency keeps weekly reports on how many cases of human disease exist for the week during the current summer. As of July 11, 2015, there have been no reported diseases in humans in Ontario for the summer. I would hope that this information would bring some relief to most.

Signs and Symptoms

Majority of people infected by West Nile Virus, 80%, do not develop any symptoms. The problem arises in the other 20% of people who do have some symptoms. These symptoms tend to be quite mild and mimic that of influenza. The symptoms include headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. However, the individual normally recovers completely, but may experience fatigue and weakness for weeks or months after. Unfortunately, some individuals, under 1%, are not so fortunate and may develop more serious symptoms, which include inflammation of the brain. This inflammation in the brain (also known as meningitis or encephalitis) can cause tremors, seizures, paralysis, and disorientation. Most of the individuals who are impacted by the more serious complications will recover within weeks to months. However, 10% of those impacted with serious symptoms (the under 1% who contract West Nile Virus), may die from the complications. Individuals who are more susceptible to these more serious consequences include those over 60 years old; and persons with cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and organ transplants. Many of these conditions are conditions where one’s immune system are compromised.

What can you do to minimize risk?

In order to minimize risk, it is important to first diminish risk. In order to decrease the risk of being bit by a mosquito carrying West Nile Virus, one should use mosquito repellent (whatever form that may take) and keep covered in light coloured clothing. In addition, in order to diminish risk, it is important to improve the immune system health and maintain good health overall. In addition, if there are any stagnant pools of water on your property, it would be beneficial to empty them. For more information on how to boost your immune system to prevent illness, please consult your Naturopathic Doctor for more information.

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Source: CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Public Health Ontario

The Importance of Consulting Your Naturopathic Doctor for Supplement Advice

July 14, 2015 by elisha

As most of you may know, I have been studying in order to obtain my license to practice as a Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario. As a result, I have had the opportunity to become more familiar with the side effects of many of the conventional and natural therapies. Yes, I did say side effects of natural therapies. It may come as a surprise to many, but natural therapies that are available may have some side effects that need to be known. Many individuals treat supplementing with nutraceuticals as if there are no potential ill effects from doing so. Unbeknownst to them, this is much like hearing a clunk in your car, and looking online for the solution, then fixing it yourself. Many steps are missed when this type of approach is made. For example: what is the quality of the part you are putting into the car, what if you put the part in wrong, are there extra parts that need to be changed or altered in order for the new part to function at its best, is the source a credible one for you to receive your information, and the list goes on. That being said, one should not simply look up their symptoms on – line, and supplement accordingly. Much like you would consult a mechanic for repairs to your vehicle, you should do the same in regards to “repairs to your body”. Whether it is a naturopathic doctor or another health care provider, their advice should be sought when it comes to taking supplements or changing doses in general. In addition, when discussing medications or supplements, it is important to be transparent and honest with your various health care providers about all forms of treatment that you are receiving. This mindset when dealing with health care providers ensure medications and supplements do not interact and cause you harm, and also ensures that you receive the most appropriate guidance in regards to your health.

In order to bring some context to the discussion, we will take a look at Aloe Vera Gel. The internet has been useful in discussing the beneficial effect of aloe vera gel on the digestive system and how it can aid in the digestive process, gastritis, irritable bowel disease, etc. However, individuals may not realize that this impact on digestion could also cause other medications to have decreased absorption if taken around the same time. As a result, it is best to seek the advice of health care providers such as a Naturopathic Doctor in order to guarantee that supplements are taken correctly. In addition, many do not realize that aloe vera gel can have an additive effect with medications for diabetes or increased blood sugars. So, if someone was taking diabetic medication and aloe vera gel, they could become quite dizzy or worse, unconsciousness, and lead to a medical emergency. As one can see, it is important to discuss all supplements with your Naturopathic Doctor or health care provider. A Naturopathic Doctor has had at least 8 years of training, which can provide a great deal of information, much beyond that of a google search.

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