I am continually amazed by how important one's gastrointestinal functioning can impact their overall health. Unfortunately, I am also continually amazed by the mismanagement of gastrointestinal concerns, which tends to create even more health problems somewhere down the line.
More specifically, it almost seems as though antacid medications are being dispensed like it were candy and this may likely be creating more problems than it is treating. If someone is having symptoms of reflux or burning in their stomach/esophagus, it is immediately assumed that they are over-producing stomach acid. It is possible to over-produce stomach acid, but it is actually quite a rare occurrence. In fact, it is much more common to find that these concerns may be a result of under-production of stomach acid and/or poor timing of stomach acid production.
If your reflux/indigestion is resulting from under-production of stomach acid, then antacid medications (designed to shut down stomach acid production) will cause you to be severely deficient in stomach acid, and this is where further health complications can arise. Adequate stomach acid is very important for you to digest your food and to allow you to absorb key nutrients, especially iron, calcium, and B-vitamins. Adequate stomach acid also prevents infectious organisms from colonizing the entirety of our gastrointestinal tract, because these organisms cannot survive in such an acidic environment.
Therefore, inadequate stomach acid levels can directly lead to both colonization ("dysbiosis") of the gastrointestinal tract with pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and fungi...as well as deficiencies of vitamins and minerals that are crucial for optimum cellular and physiological functioning. In many cases, antacid medications may provide short-term relief, but will commonly make a problem much worse. If you are using antacid medications, our Newmarket Naturopathic Clinic can assess your level of stomach acid production, help heal and repair any damage to gastric lining and also assess mineral and vitamin deficiencies and/or dysbiosis resulting from these medications.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, Ontario
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Colon cancer: early detection is the key.
If you are experiencing symptoms of abdominal pain, change in bowel movement consistency and frequency, blood in the stool, mucous in the stool, getting screened to rule out colon cancer is a good idea so that you can detect any polyps or cancerous changes early.
If you are 50 years of age and older, you should be screened for colon cancer regardless of experiencing those symptoms mentioned above or not. After screening, you will be given instructions on how to carry out screening in the years to come that is best suited for you. Screening for colon cancer involves colonoscopy, which is very effective for detecting cancerous and precancerous lesions in the colon and rectum.
Colon cancer is the 4th most common cancer in Canada, but it is the 2nd highest killer amongst all other types of cancer in this country. With proper prevention and screening methods, it is very likely that we can drastically reduce the incidence of colon cancer. One interesting finding is that the incidence of colon cancer, as a percentage of the population, is actually greater in Canada than in the United States. There are some theories as to why this discrepancy exists (eg. Vitamin D status), but there are no conclusive reasons for this.
I encourage all of you to have proper screening methods carried out, if necessary, because early detection is essential. If you would like to learn more about how Naturopathic Medicine can help you work towards cancer prevention, please feel free to contact me at my office (contact details below).
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
If you are 50 years of age and older, you should be screened for colon cancer regardless of experiencing those symptoms mentioned above or not. After screening, you will be given instructions on how to carry out screening in the years to come that is best suited for you. Screening for colon cancer involves colonoscopy, which is very effective for detecting cancerous and precancerous lesions in the colon and rectum.
Colon cancer is the 4th most common cancer in Canada, but it is the 2nd highest killer amongst all other types of cancer in this country. With proper prevention and screening methods, it is very likely that we can drastically reduce the incidence of colon cancer. One interesting finding is that the incidence of colon cancer, as a percentage of the population, is actually greater in Canada than in the United States. There are some theories as to why this discrepancy exists (eg. Vitamin D status), but there are no conclusive reasons for this.
I encourage all of you to have proper screening methods carried out, if necessary, because early detection is essential. If you would like to learn more about how Naturopathic Medicine can help you work towards cancer prevention, please feel free to contact me at my office (contact details below).
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Can my symptoms be related to heavy metal toxicity?
There are more and more people entering the doctor's office with seemingly unexplainable symptoms. These symptoms can vary from fatigue to weight gain to neurological symptoms, and they seem to come about out of the blue because there are no clear causes. The doctor will perform what seems like a very thorough analysis and will not come up with anything.
Heavy metal toxicity is becoming increasingly prevalent in our society and is a very common underlying cause of a wide array of conditions and/or seemingly mysterious symptoms. There are lots of heavy metals that we can be exposed to on a daily basis, depending on where you live, where you work, what materials you come in contact with at work/home, what type of foods you eat, where those foods come from, what type of drinking water you use, etc. All of these factors play a role in your total exposure to heavy metals that can include aluminum, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic, barium, and more.
These metals can deposit in different areas of the body and can affect different physiological functions (eg. disrupting enzymatic reactions, hormonal actions, neurological functioning). Depending on what functions are affected, there can be a wide array of symptoms that manifest.
The good news is that these heavy metals can be detected quite easily using specialized lab testing. Once certain metals are detected, we can then work towards both decreasing your exposure to these metals and pull or chelate these metals from where they are being stored in your body. If you are experiencing symptoms that seem unexplainable according to preliminary medical analysis, heavy metal toxicity may be a possible cause. If you are interesting in testing for these heavy metals, I encourage you to schedule a visit with me at Newmarket Naturopathic.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Heavy metal toxicity is becoming increasingly prevalent in our society and is a very common underlying cause of a wide array of conditions and/or seemingly mysterious symptoms. There are lots of heavy metals that we can be exposed to on a daily basis, depending on where you live, where you work, what materials you come in contact with at work/home, what type of foods you eat, where those foods come from, what type of drinking water you use, etc. All of these factors play a role in your total exposure to heavy metals that can include aluminum, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel, arsenic, barium, and more.
These metals can deposit in different areas of the body and can affect different physiological functions (eg. disrupting enzymatic reactions, hormonal actions, neurological functioning). Depending on what functions are affected, there can be a wide array of symptoms that manifest.
The good news is that these heavy metals can be detected quite easily using specialized lab testing. Once certain metals are detected, we can then work towards both decreasing your exposure to these metals and pull or chelate these metals from where they are being stored in your body. If you are experiencing symptoms that seem unexplainable according to preliminary medical analysis, heavy metal toxicity may be a possible cause. If you are interesting in testing for these heavy metals, I encourage you to schedule a visit with me at Newmarket Naturopathic.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Monday, September 20, 2010
How does diabetes begin to affect the eyes, nerves, and kidneys?
This is a great question as diabetes is a growing health concern in our society that can affect any age group. Many people know diabetes is a serious medical condition and are informed that it involves elevated blood sugar levels; however, many people are unaware as to how unpleasant this condition can become as a result of chronically high blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, most people find this out the hard way.
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Aside from the acute conditions that can result from diabetes, there are also some serious long-term consequences of this condition. Over time, diabetes will begin to damage the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.
When diabetes starts to affect the eyes, this is known as “diabetic retinopathy”. This condition can eventually lead to significant visual impairment. When diabetes damages the nerves it is known as “diabetic neuropathy”. This can include loss of sensation, numbness, and also burning or prickling sensations that may be mild or very painful. A large number of diabetic foot amputations result from this neuropathy. Diabetes is the leading cause of renal disease and this is known as “diabetic nephropathy”.
One of the main reasons why these areas of the body are targeted in diabetes is because these 3 tissues lack a specific enzyme. When other tissues experience a high level of glucose, they will use a special enzyme to convert glucose. When these 3 tissues experience high blood glucose levels, the glucose will not be converted and will build up in the form of “sorbitol”. This sorbitol then gets into the cells of the eyes, nerves, and kidneys. Once this happens these cells begin to swell and become damaged. When this occurs, there is lots of oxidative damage as well because antioxidants will pour out of these cells. When enough of these cells become damaged, the tissues themselves become less able to carry out their functions.
There are some medications that are aimed at addressing these complications; however, these medications may be very ineffective or they may have significant side effects associated with them. Fortunately, there are many natural treatments that can effectively manage these complications. If you would like to find out more, you can call or email us or you can visit our Naturopath Newmarket website.
Yours in health,
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Should I supplement with flax oil or fish oil?
There are certain fats that our bodies need to carry out many functions; unfortunately, our bodies cannot manufacture these fats from scratch and so we must obtain these fats from our diet. These fats are essential for good health hence “essential fatty acids” or “EFAs” for short.
The EFAs are divided into two categories, the Omega-6 EFAs and the Omega-3 EFAs. Both of these classes of EFAs are very important; however, our typical North American diet already includes plenty of Omega-6 EFAs, therefore, more emphasis is placed on obtaining EFAs from the Omega-3 category.
The image below is the Omega-3 pathway.
.gif)
As you can see, flaxseed oil is rich in Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which must undergo several conversions before ultimately becoming EPA/DHA. However, humans are not great at making these conversions, so we end up with very little EPA/DHA.
The EPA & DHA are the most useful EFAs in the body- wouldn’t it be amazing if we could obtain the EPA/DHA directly, without having make all these conversions? We can!
Fish oils supply us with EPA & DHA directly, without any additional steps. Please consult with your Naturopathic Doctor before supplementing with fish oils for proper dosage recommendations.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
The EFAs are divided into two categories, the Omega-6 EFAs and the Omega-3 EFAs. Both of these classes of EFAs are very important; however, our typical North American diet already includes plenty of Omega-6 EFAs, therefore, more emphasis is placed on obtaining EFAs from the Omega-3 category.
The image below is the Omega-3 pathway.
.gif)
As you can see, flaxseed oil is rich in Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which must undergo several conversions before ultimately becoming EPA/DHA. However, humans are not great at making these conversions, so we end up with very little EPA/DHA.
The EPA & DHA are the most useful EFAs in the body- wouldn’t it be amazing if we could obtain the EPA/DHA directly, without having make all these conversions? We can!
Fish oils supply us with EPA & DHA directly, without any additional steps. Please consult with your Naturopathic Doctor before supplementing with fish oils for proper dosage recommendations.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Can you handle the (blood) pressure?
High blood pressure (hypertension) affects one in every five Canadians and is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. Hypertension has been called the “silent killer” because it occurs without any symptoms. The good news is there are many things you can do naturally to help lower your blood pressure.
“Blood pressure” represents the resistance of the blood flowing through the arteries each time the heart beats. Normal blood pressure is 120 (systolic)/80 (diastolic) and high blood pressures are divided into 4 classes (borderline, mild, moderate, and severe). Blood pressure may normally be elevated during stress or physical activity, but in a person with hypertension, their blood pressure may be elevated even at rest. Dietary and lifestyle changes along with nutritional supplementation can successfully reduce blood pressure in those with borderline to moderate hypertension and prevent the need for a host of blood pressure-lowering medications.
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I typically find that hypertension must be addressed using a multi-faceted approach since this condition has multiple causative factors. Here are some heart healthy tips you can implement right now that will have a positive impact on your blood pressure:
Reduce excess weight – obesity causes your body to become desensitized to insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels, which can damage arteries and lead to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
Get moving! – exercise is an amazing way to de-stress, strengthen your heart, lose weight, improve your mood, and more. Walking is an easy way to get started, but you can do whatever you enjoy, make it fun!
De-stress – Stress hormones can cause your blood pressure to rise and can lead to atherosclerosis over time. Yoga, meditation, journaling, and exercise are great options for de-stressing.
No coffee – Your coffee is doing you more harm than good. Caffeine can impair your blood sugar regulation for hours and releases stress hormones that will raise your blood pressure. The more you feel you can’t do without coffee, the more you should be abstaining from it.
Garlic and Onions – Sulfur-containing compounds in garlic and onions have been shown to have blood pressure lowering effects. Eat lots of these and your body will love you for it...although others might not.
“Stalk” up on celery – Studies show that one of the compounds contained in celery may have blood pressure lowering abilities. If you have high blood pressure, celery should quickly become your favourite vegetable.
More fish – Cold water fish (halibut, tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring) 3 or more times per week can work wonders for cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. Consult your Naturopathic Doctor if you would also like to add a fish oil supplement.
Hawthorn – This herbal medicine, also known as Crataegus, is very well-known for its ability to improve cardiovascular health overall. It is known to lower blood pressure through its diuretic actions as well as its tonifying effects on the vascular system. Consult your Naturopathic Doctor before using any herbal medicines.
Adopting these changes mentioned above is a fantastic way to begin taking control of your blood pressure and cardiovascular health. There are plenty more naturopathic recommendations that may be very helpful and, if you are looking to reduce your blood pressure for good, at Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre we are able to provide you with a more comprehensive treatment plan.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
“Blood pressure” represents the resistance of the blood flowing through the arteries each time the heart beats. Normal blood pressure is 120 (systolic)/80 (diastolic) and high blood pressures are divided into 4 classes (borderline, mild, moderate, and severe). Blood pressure may normally be elevated during stress or physical activity, but in a person with hypertension, their blood pressure may be elevated even at rest. Dietary and lifestyle changes along with nutritional supplementation can successfully reduce blood pressure in those with borderline to moderate hypertension and prevent the need for a host of blood pressure-lowering medications.
As a Naturopathic Doctor, I typically find that hypertension must be addressed using a multi-faceted approach since this condition has multiple causative factors. Here are some heart healthy tips you can implement right now that will have a positive impact on your blood pressure:
Reduce excess weight – obesity causes your body to become desensitized to insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels, which can damage arteries and lead to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure.
Get moving! – exercise is an amazing way to de-stress, strengthen your heart, lose weight, improve your mood, and more. Walking is an easy way to get started, but you can do whatever you enjoy, make it fun!
De-stress – Stress hormones can cause your blood pressure to rise and can lead to atherosclerosis over time. Yoga, meditation, journaling, and exercise are great options for de-stressing.
No coffee – Your coffee is doing you more harm than good. Caffeine can impair your blood sugar regulation for hours and releases stress hormones that will raise your blood pressure. The more you feel you can’t do without coffee, the more you should be abstaining from it.
Garlic and Onions – Sulfur-containing compounds in garlic and onions have been shown to have blood pressure lowering effects. Eat lots of these and your body will love you for it...although others might not.
“Stalk” up on celery – Studies show that one of the compounds contained in celery may have blood pressure lowering abilities. If you have high blood pressure, celery should quickly become your favourite vegetable.
More fish – Cold water fish (halibut, tuna, salmon, mackerel, herring) 3 or more times per week can work wonders for cardiovascular health, including blood pressure. Consult your Naturopathic Doctor if you would also like to add a fish oil supplement.
Hawthorn – This herbal medicine, also known as Crataegus, is very well-known for its ability to improve cardiovascular health overall. It is known to lower blood pressure through its diuretic actions as well as its tonifying effects on the vascular system. Consult your Naturopathic Doctor before using any herbal medicines.
Adopting these changes mentioned above is a fantastic way to begin taking control of your blood pressure and cardiovascular health. There are plenty more naturopathic recommendations that may be very helpful and, if you are looking to reduce your blood pressure for good, at Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre we are able to provide you with a more comprehensive treatment plan.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Real weight loss begins with hormones.
Every summer, new weight loss schemes rush onto the scene making many claims and promises. This summer is no different, and many people are planning to exercise more and follow the newest fad diet. Why is it that these diets often fail even when their regimens are strictly adhered to? Let’s get a better understanding of this problem before we discuss its causes. Obesity is the accumulation of excess body fat such that it has an adverse effect on health. It remains a growing health concern and is a risk factor for many diseases. In fact, 23 % of Canadian adults are considered “obese” and 49 % are considered “overweight” (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/).
While many isolate genetic predisposition as the culprit, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Other causes include sedentary lifestyles, over-consumption of foods of poor nutritional value, underlying medical conditions and hormonal imbalances. Exercise is the most crucial aspect of any weight loss plan and is the best medicine for a healthy lifestyle. Exercise will burn calories, stabilize blood sugar levels, improve mood, reduce stress, and encourage detoxification. Consistently performing cardiovascular as well as resistance exercises will yield the best outcomes. There is now an abundance of information regarding dietary regimens and many people feel overwhelmed. Dietary books are created for the masses, not specifically for you, and so it may work for some but not all. Everyone is created differently and so our dietary plans must be tailored to our specific needs.
Achieving hormonal balance is such an important aspect of any weight loss program, but is often overlooked. When hormonal imbalance exists, it is nearly impossible to lose weight effectively and maintain a healthy body weight. Insulin, cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones control blood sugar levels, body fat storage, metabolic rate, and energy levels. These hormones all act in concert, and so one imbalance will affect the whole system. Cortisol is arguably the most important hormone for weight loss because it profoundly affects all other hormones. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands, secreted during times of stress to increase blood sugar levels. Cortisol elevation is beneficial in acute stressful situations; however, chronic cortisol elevation becomes detrimental. Chronic cortisol elevation eventually results in elevated insulin secretion, poor thyroid hormone function, and decreased production of estrogen and testosterone. This imbalance favours increased body fat storage, making your diet and exercise efforts obsolete.
Any weight loss plan that overlooks hormonal imbalance is incomplete as it is an important factor in obesity. At our Newmarket Naturopathic Clinic these hormonal imbalances can be identified through a health history and lab tests and hormonal balance can be restored naturally through personalized dietary changes, exercise, herbal medicines and nutritional supplementation.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
While many isolate genetic predisposition as the culprit, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Other causes include sedentary lifestyles, over-consumption of foods of poor nutritional value, underlying medical conditions and hormonal imbalances. Exercise is the most crucial aspect of any weight loss plan and is the best medicine for a healthy lifestyle. Exercise will burn calories, stabilize blood sugar levels, improve mood, reduce stress, and encourage detoxification. Consistently performing cardiovascular as well as resistance exercises will yield the best outcomes. There is now an abundance of information regarding dietary regimens and many people feel overwhelmed. Dietary books are created for the masses, not specifically for you, and so it may work for some but not all. Everyone is created differently and so our dietary plans must be tailored to our specific needs.
Achieving hormonal balance is such an important aspect of any weight loss program, but is often overlooked. When hormonal imbalance exists, it is nearly impossible to lose weight effectively and maintain a healthy body weight. Insulin, cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones control blood sugar levels, body fat storage, metabolic rate, and energy levels. These hormones all act in concert, and so one imbalance will affect the whole system. Cortisol is arguably the most important hormone for weight loss because it profoundly affects all other hormones. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands, secreted during times of stress to increase blood sugar levels. Cortisol elevation is beneficial in acute stressful situations; however, chronic cortisol elevation becomes detrimental. Chronic cortisol elevation eventually results in elevated insulin secretion, poor thyroid hormone function, and decreased production of estrogen and testosterone. This imbalance favours increased body fat storage, making your diet and exercise efforts obsolete.
Any weight loss plan that overlooks hormonal imbalance is incomplete as it is an important factor in obesity. At our Newmarket Naturopathic Clinic these hormonal imbalances can be identified through a health history and lab tests and hormonal balance can be restored naturally through personalized dietary changes, exercise, herbal medicines and nutritional supplementation.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Why do I get leg cramps?
We've all experienced some leg cramps during exercise, but what might cause leg cramping to occur unexpectedly? Leg cramps is actually quite a common occurrence in the population and can actually have a fairly large impact on one's overall health, especially if these cramps are occurring at work or during sleep. There are many different causes of leg cramps, including side effects from medications as well as disorders of the nervous and vascular systems, thyroid conditions and iron deficiency anemia.
One of the more common causes of leg cramps are mineral deficiencies. Skeletal muscles are muscles that our body uses to move our joints and include the muscles of the quadriceps and calf muscles, which are common sites for cramping to occur. These muscles require adequate mineral status in order to produce an efficient muscular contraction, particularly Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When these minerals are out of balance or deficient, your muscles can not perform properly and can eventually experience cramping.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to be deficient in one or more of these minerals. Consuming a diet that is calorie-rich, yet nutrient-poor continues to be extremely prevalent in our society and so many of us are simply not giving our bodies nearly enough vitamins and minerals through our food choices as we could be.
There are also those who are actually consuming the correct amount of nutrients from our diets, but are still deficient in one or more minerals due to poor absorption. For example, if you are inhaling your food rather than chewing it, if your stomach is not able to produce enough stomach acid, if your pancreas is not secreting enough digestive enzymes, even if you consumed a perfect diet full of nutrients, your body would not be able to absorb nearly as efficiently as it should be. Over time, this can lead to multiple vitamin and mineral deficiencies that may manifest as a multitude of symptoms, including muscle cramps. Other conditions that cause leg cramps (mentioned above) can also have digestive and absorptive difficulties as a causal factor.
Your capacity to digest and absorb your food is such an important part of optimal health and well-being. With that said, it is very valuable to have your Naturopathic Doctor identify and help you correct any digestive abnormalities. Remember, you aren't necessarily what you eat, but rather, you are what you absorb.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
One of the more common causes of leg cramps are mineral deficiencies. Skeletal muscles are muscles that our body uses to move our joints and include the muscles of the quadriceps and calf muscles, which are common sites for cramping to occur. These muscles require adequate mineral status in order to produce an efficient muscular contraction, particularly Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When these minerals are out of balance or deficient, your muscles can not perform properly and can eventually experience cramping.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to be deficient in one or more of these minerals. Consuming a diet that is calorie-rich, yet nutrient-poor continues to be extremely prevalent in our society and so many of us are simply not giving our bodies nearly enough vitamins and minerals through our food choices as we could be.
There are also those who are actually consuming the correct amount of nutrients from our diets, but are still deficient in one or more minerals due to poor absorption. For example, if you are inhaling your food rather than chewing it, if your stomach is not able to produce enough stomach acid, if your pancreas is not secreting enough digestive enzymes, even if you consumed a perfect diet full of nutrients, your body would not be able to absorb nearly as efficiently as it should be. Over time, this can lead to multiple vitamin and mineral deficiencies that may manifest as a multitude of symptoms, including muscle cramps. Other conditions that cause leg cramps (mentioned above) can also have digestive and absorptive difficulties as a causal factor.
Your capacity to digest and absorb your food is such an important part of optimal health and well-being. With that said, it is very valuable to have your Naturopathic Doctor identify and help you correct any digestive abnormalities. Remember, you aren't necessarily what you eat, but rather, you are what you absorb.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The most important meal of the day (part 2)
I previously emphasized the point that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. I also pointed out some common breakfast mistakes people make and what effect this can have on your body throughout the day. What good would it do you if I didn't follow that up with some useful information for you to implement and start making your breakfast work for you rather than against you.
As you noticed from my last post, blood sugar levels are a very important aspect of your overall health (I ain't just talking about diabetes here). Your ideal breakfast will give your blood sugar levels a boost, but will not cause them to spike and then crash. Ideally, you want your blood sugar levels to rise and fall in a very slow and gradual manner. This is why adequate amounts of protein and fiber as part of your breakfast meals are absolutely crucial!
When you are digesting your meal, adequate fiber content will cause this process to go at a slower rate and will allow you to properly digest your food and will result in a more gradual elevation of blood glucose over a longer period of time. Protein eventually becomes broken down into sugars as well, but it will take your body much longer to accomplish this compared to breaking down carbs. As a result, there is also a slow and gradual elevation in your blood sugar levels after protein.
When your blood sugar levels are gradually rising and falling over a longer period of time, your cells constantly have just enough fuel to execute their functions without their being any excess or deficiency of fuel. As a result, your cells are operating efficiently, you will not experience any fatigue or cravings, and you will have the right amount of energy to take you through to lunch-time (before you fuel-up again).
Please note that I equate food with "fuel". Would it help you to make better food choices at times if you thought of healthy foods as a "high-octane fuel" and junk foods as a poor source of fuel that will actually damage your car over time??
For more health information you can visit the Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre website.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
As you noticed from my last post, blood sugar levels are a very important aspect of your overall health (I ain't just talking about diabetes here). Your ideal breakfast will give your blood sugar levels a boost, but will not cause them to spike and then crash. Ideally, you want your blood sugar levels to rise and fall in a very slow and gradual manner. This is why adequate amounts of protein and fiber as part of your breakfast meals are absolutely crucial!
When you are digesting your meal, adequate fiber content will cause this process to go at a slower rate and will allow you to properly digest your food and will result in a more gradual elevation of blood glucose over a longer period of time. Protein eventually becomes broken down into sugars as well, but it will take your body much longer to accomplish this compared to breaking down carbs. As a result, there is also a slow and gradual elevation in your blood sugar levels after protein.
When your blood sugar levels are gradually rising and falling over a longer period of time, your cells constantly have just enough fuel to execute their functions without their being any excess or deficiency of fuel. As a result, your cells are operating efficiently, you will not experience any fatigue or cravings, and you will have the right amount of energy to take you through to lunch-time (before you fuel-up again).
Please note that I equate food with "fuel". Would it help you to make better food choices at times if you thought of healthy foods as a "high-octane fuel" and junk foods as a poor source of fuel that will actually damage your car over time??
For more health information you can visit the Newmarket Naturopathic Health Centre website.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
The most important meal of the day!
It comes as a surprise that so many of us are making a very simple mistake first thing in the morning. Many people wake up well-rested after a good night's sleep, but then fail to allow themselves to carry this energy with them throughout the rest of the day. What are they doing wrong?? Many of us are making very poor choices for breakfast or, even worse, many are in such a hurry that they skip breakfast altogether.
When you are sleeping you are essentially fasting. When you wake up, it is so important that you have a great meal to kick start your day and "break the fast". While you are sleeping, your blood sugar levels are dipping low...when you skip breakfast you are prolonging this fast and your blood sugar levels dip even lower, most likely causing you to feel very fatigued and causing you to crave some kind of sugary snack, coffee, etc. This is just your body's way of saying "I need sugar right now!".
When you are having a breakfast that is simply toast and jam or bagel and a coffee, you are eating simple sugars and you blood sugar levels will very quickly spike after breakfast and take an immediate dive once you arrive at work/school. This drop in blood sugar will also leave you feeling tired and craving food/sugar.
At our clinic (Naturopath Newmarket) we take time to perform a complete dietary assessment and we make dietary recommendations tailored to your needs because we believe your diet is your strongest medicine. Take a moment to re-evaluate what you are having for breakfast and stay tuned for more helpful tips.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
When you are sleeping you are essentially fasting. When you wake up, it is so important that you have a great meal to kick start your day and "break the fast". While you are sleeping, your blood sugar levels are dipping low...when you skip breakfast you are prolonging this fast and your blood sugar levels dip even lower, most likely causing you to feel very fatigued and causing you to crave some kind of sugary snack, coffee, etc. This is just your body's way of saying "I need sugar right now!".
When you are having a breakfast that is simply toast and jam or bagel and a coffee, you are eating simple sugars and you blood sugar levels will very quickly spike after breakfast and take an immediate dive once you arrive at work/school. This drop in blood sugar will also leave you feeling tired and craving food/sugar.
At our clinic (Naturopath Newmarket) we take time to perform a complete dietary assessment and we make dietary recommendations tailored to your needs because we believe your diet is your strongest medicine. Take a moment to re-evaluate what you are having for breakfast and stay tuned for more helpful tips.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Morsillo, B.Sc., N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Nature's Emporium
16655 Yonge St.
Newmarket, ON
905-898-1844
www.drmorsillo.com
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