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Weight Loss with Dr. Trgachef, N.D.

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Having trouble losing your holiday weight? Need inspiration for becoming healthier? Our newest addition to our team, Dr. Trgachef has an interest in assisting you, and there is no better time to start than now.

Our weight loss plans are:

  • Specific. No two patients are the same. We create a program that is specific to YOUR body and YOUR needs.
  • Measurable. The most successful programs are those that have specific goals in mind, including the amount of weight loss that is healthy for you.
  • Achievable. Our main goal is to create a lifestyle that is sustainable in the long term. We want you to be able to eat without feeling guilty, and to not feel as if the new lifestyle is a core, while still achieving results.
  • Realistic. Being honest with yourself is a very important aspect in becoming healthy. We help you identify what works for you, and what doesn’t.
  • Time sensitive. It is important that we create goals that can be completed in a specific amount of time.

If you have any questions about how this program can benefit you, or other conditions Dr. Trgachef treats, she is offering a FREE 15 minute phone consultation. Call Form & Function at (905) 604-9355 to book today.

 

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Be Thankful for the Health Benefits of Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving long weekend once again, a wonderful time to slow down and share good food with loved ones. It’s also a great time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Recent studies have shown that expressing gratitude has several health benefits including:

  • Decreased stress levels
  • Increased feelings of happiness
  • A more positive outlook on life
  • Better ability to cope with difficult times including traumatic experiences
  • Improved immune system function
  • Fewer visits to the doctor
  • An increase in other health-promoting behaviours like exercise and healthy eating

Here are some simple ways you can start expressing gratitude & improve your health this Thanksgiving:

  • Start a gratitude journal: Write 3 things you are thankful for every morning or night for 1 month.
  • Write a thank you note to someone. It could be for something big or small, something recent or from far in the past. Consider mailing it or even hand-delivering it to them with a hug.
  • Share one thing you are thankful for with your significant other, every day.

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to you & your loved ones,

Odette Bulaong, ND

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Sun Safety…Just in Time for Canada Day!

As we are well into summer, many of us are enjoying the hot, sunny weather. Please remember to enjoy the sun safely to reduce your risk of harmful effects of prolonged exposure to the sun which can include dry, wrinkled skin and skin cancer. Here are 3 easy tips that you can help you enjoy the sun safely:

  1. Reduce your exposure to the sun by covering up easy to burn areas. Hats can protect the nose and forehead; shirts with sleeves, or a light scarf worn as a shawl can help protect the shoulders. UV protective sunglasses are a must. There is even UV protective clothing available now.
  2. Apply a safe and effective sunscreen 15-20 minutes before sun exposure. Re-apply after water exposure and sweating, which breaks down the effective sun protection compounds. Re-applying sunscreen is important even if you wear a high SPF (greater than 50). Read this article to learn why SPF 50+ sunscreens may not be the best thing for you.
  3. Choose a safe & effective sunscreen with lower levels of chemicals that may cause unwanted health concerns which you can learn about here. Check out this link to the Environmental Working Group’s 2014 list of best beach and sport sunscreens. You can also search for how your sunscreen measures up in terms of safety here.

 

Enjoy the rest of summer & have a Happy Canada Day!

Odette Bulaong, ND

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Is your lipgloss making you sick?

If you suffer from skin, immune-related, reproductive or other hormone-related health conditions there are many nutritional, herbal and lifestyle changes that are helpful to restore your body back to health. One of the important lifestyle changes that often goes overlooked is limiting your exposure to chemicals found in everyday beauty products.

Women in particular can use multiple beauty products on a daily basis. In addition to lip gloss, women often wear foundation or powder, blush, mascara and that is often on top of a moisturizer and other skin care products. Unfortunately, many beauty products contain harmful chemicals that can have a negative impact on our health by:

  • causing allergic reactions (hives, rashes)
  • disrupting hormones (reproductive, stress, thyroid)
  • irritating the skin and worsening conditions (eczema, psoriasis, acne)

The good news is that there are many good quality make-up and skin care products that are formulated to be free of these chemicals. You can learn more about the top 10 most harmful chemicals in beauty products at the Environmental Defence website.

If you are looking to try natural make-up and body care products but don’t know what to start, you’re in luck. The Environmental Defence is hosting a FREE event called “The Just Beautiful Eco-Beauty Event” on April 4th where you can try and buy beauty products that are chemical-free making them healthier for you.

It was a great event last year and I was able to find some fantastic products.

Hope to see you there,

Odette Bulaong, ND

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Keep Calm & Stress Less!

Every day we are faced with stressful situations including financial, work, and relationships. We will never be completely free of stress but we can improve our body’s physical and mental-emotional ability to handle stress effectively.

This is important when you consider that many health conditions you may be experiencing are known to be worsened by stress:

  • Cardiovascular Health: high blood pressure, heart attack
  • Immune System:  rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, allergies, eczema, recurrent colds & flu
  • Pain:  migraines, neck tension, lower back pain
  • Digestive Health:  ulcers, constipation, heartburn
  • Mental Health:  insomnia, anxiety, depression
  • Reproductive Health:  female menstrual issues and infertility and male infertility

Fortunately, naturopathic medicine can provide natural, safe and effective therapies to help you feel more in control of the stressors including:

  • Nutritional changes and supplements
  • Acupuncture
  • Lifestyle counseling
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Herbal medicine

If you suffer from any of the above health concerns or have been feeling the stress of the holiday season, and would like to improve the way you handle stress, contact the clinic and ask about the  Keep Calm and Stress Less Program so you can start feeling more balanced again.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy 2014,

Keep-CalmOdette Bulaong, ND

 

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Health Videos

FAB 5 Glute Medius Exercise to Treat ITB Compression Syndrome

Ever Since Frederickson’s article in 2k, there has been  great deal of talk about how the Glute Mede and other abductors of the hip affect the ITB compreesion syndrome.  Some recent articles have also pointed out that ITB compression at the distal end of the femur may lead to a sensory feedback to fire the Glute medes.  So if the Glutes are weak, and inhibited, then it will lead to further lateralization of the hip during dynamic movements and then further  compression of the ITB.  Don’t forget, the ITB is a viscoelastic structure as described by Shleip, meaning when it gets loaded ballistically, it will come back and shrink due to hydration properties as well as actual contractile components.
We also know that the ITB does not have a great deal of ability to stretch, so therefore actual stretching of this compressive band to cure your problems is very unlikely.  Because the pain is due to a compressive force at the distal (further away) end of the ITB,  we also want to avoid compressing it even further.  So make sure if you are foam rolling to avoid the actual painful site by working the proximal end (as long as it feels good after you roll).  So if we can’t stretch it , massage it out, then that leaves us with modalities(laser, IFC, shockwave, acupuncture etc), and good ol’rehab.  So check out the FAB 5 exercise I like to start with my patients.  Most people get better with the basics, but for our active population, we make sure we introduce more sport and activity specific exercises to top it off.
This is my first attempt at using Final Cut on my Mac, I hope you guys enjoy.  Feedback welcome.
For more about how to fix this problem and many others, visit https://www.formfunctionclinic.com/#locations to make a appointment
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhzchA0KWjk