Healthy living has always been an interest of mine, even before I became a Naturopathic Doctor. I'm not always the first one to jump on any bandwagon, but I do get curious about new therapies and remedies, and excited to try them out. With health trends spreading like wildfire on social media I know that you are also hearing about all kinds of treatments as well, and I like being able to thoughtfully answer your questions about the latest craze. Of course, not every trend feels applicable to me personally, but here are the ones I've been testing out.
As we move into the organic shift back into routines next week, whether or not you are part of the "back to school" blitz, it's a great time to check in on your goals for the rest of 2025. Your goals might not even be health related, but when you feel great you can focus on what really matters to you.
See you soon,
Dr Christa
- Circadian Rhythm
- For some time I've been recommending getting outside for sunrise and sunset to maximize your red light exposure. I continue to make this a priority for myself as well. If you're not up for sunrise, just going outside within an hour of waking up helps to set your body's natural clock. This signal is important for sleep, reducing inflammation, and correcting cortisol patterns. Even if it means driving with your window down for 10 minutes on your way to work, you will notice the benefit of the sun's rays. When you think about it, we weren't designed to be indoors all day long. - Red Light Therapy
- When we move into the darker months, it can be trickier to be outside in natural light. I have a red light box that I find useful for offsetting the blue light we get from screens. I find it calming, and in the past it's helped me and my family get through injuries and pain. There's research to show that it can help with wrinkles and fine lines on the face and neck, there's fancy red light face masks and wands for this, but I haven't personally tried them yet. - PEMF and Grounding Devices
- I'm still playing around with this, and of course I haven't tried every option on the market. Some of my patients swear by grounding bedsheets, from various sources, while others don't notice a huge difference. I also think it depends on what your unique physiology needs for support. I suspect that if you are someone that is sensitive to walking barefoot in the grass, you might also notice an improvement with other grounding gadgets. PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) devices are designed to instil healing by influencing cell frequencies. Different tissues in the body vibrate at various frequencies, and the devices are created to target specific elements which can reduce pain, speed recovery, improve mental clarity, and benefit sleep. I have a grounding mat that contains crystals (amethyst and others) with multiple PEMF programs, and I notice a big difference in how I feel when I use the various options. For example, I'm glued to the mat after using the "sleep" program, and I feel more calm after the "anxiety" program. - High Dose MSM Powder
- You might not have heard of this one, but it's been getting attention in the practitioner community. Just like magnesium, it's estimated that plenty of us are actually deficient in sulfur. As the body's third most abundant mineral, sulfur is essential to life and plays an important role in many body processes like repairing DNA, metabolism, and digestion. While it's available in various foods, it's obtained in supplemental doses via MSM. You probably recognize MSM from being in several joint and arthritis formulas. A Naturopath from the US, named Kathleen Janel, has designed a protocol for using high doses of MSM after she found tremendous benefit with her toughest digestive cases (SIBO, chronic constipation, etc.), people that didn't respond to any of the regular digestive remedies. As someone that's had to do a ton of gut healing over my life, I thought I'd experiment and so far it's been pretty cool. One of my favourite benefits has been the changes I've seen in my hair and nails - my hair stylist has even asked what I've been doing! - Strength Training
- Not a new therapy but definitely getting a resurgence of attention, strength training is a game changer. From feeling more energetic and strong, to lowering blood sugar, to having better balance, I can't say enough about it. Some people have told me that it's helped shift their hormones (balanced menstrual cycles or increased testosterone), improve their sleep, and finally shift weight after cardio was no longer cutting it (or put weight on if that's what was needed). Grip strength is actually a way of predicting longevity, and holding onto weights will help this too. I understand that it might be challenging for people with arthritis or other pains, in which case I suggest a trainer that understands your unique needs. I'm also aiming for 10,000 steps almost daily, an approach that's just as beneficial to my brain (and my dog) as anything else. This is when I listen to podcasts, for my insatiable love of learning. - Cold Plunge
- I don't think cold plunges are for everyone. I used to have no trouble jumping in the lake as soon as the ice went out, but when my nervous system and adrenal glands got fried I had to take a break from pushing my body into extremes. After some time nourishing and calming, I've been better able to handle those challenges again but I pair it with a sauna to get the full spectrum of healing from hydrotherapy. If you can do it, cold plunges can boost dopamine, improve circulation, and lower inflammation. If you can't, consider investigating your iron levels, thyroid function, brown fat stores, and stress response. This is a perfect example of how it's more important to listen to your body, than it is to listen to "what's good for you" from your favourite podcaster. - High Protein Meals
- Being in my 40s has meant a reevaluation of some of my habits. Since I found out years ago that my body doesn't do well with eating gluten, I've been pretty dialled in with my nutrition, but lately I've been paying even more attention to getting 30 grams of protein at every meal. In doing so, I find that I have fewer cravings, more strength, and lasting energy. Read more about the benefits of protein here. And grab my high protein recipes here.
As we move into the organic shift back into routines next week, whether or not you are part of the "back to school" blitz, it's a great time to check in on your goals for the rest of 2025. Your goals might not even be health related, but when you feel great you can focus on what really matters to you.
See you soon,
Dr Christa
RSS Feed