In our families we might see trends of weakened systems: an aunt with breast cancer, a grandfather who had a heart attack, or a sister with rheumatoid arthritis. It's true that patterns of predispositions show up within blood lines, however it's not always clear to understand whether it is a subject of DNA inheritance, or one of patterned lifestyle choices. I believe it's a combination of both, and truly new research is showing an interaction of the two - since lifestyle can turn genes on or off and genes can drive our behaviours. Crazy! The field of epigenetics, simply put, the study of how our lifestyle impacts our DNA, is blowing up right now and I'm excited to learn as we scratch the surface on this new understanding of health.
One of the main reasons I was attracted to being a Naturopathic Doctor was the deep belief that many chronic health issues could be prevented (eg. type 2 diabetes and hypertension). The reality is that I don't always get the opportunity to work on preventative health care because most people I see have a current health issue to address.
Absolutely and for sure we need to work on what's affecting your day to day life. Sometimes it takes time to heal, and other times there are faster solutions. Once you are on the path to wellness over illness, and it can be a bumpy road with lots of detours, well, then what?
Maintenance plans are designed to keep you well. They are personalized to your needs and genetic considerations. It's also my goal to have you on as few treatments (supplements, herbs) as possible, so it's important to review them twice per year as your needs change.
Chronic diseases take years to manifest, and the best time to address them (if we can) is to catch changes before they progress. I completely understand that there are times we fall off the wagon and need help getting back on track.
Some of the ways we can optimize your body's function, and look at preventing common chronic illnesses are:
Would you like to stay well? What are your ultimate reasons for being healthy in the long run? Jot down your main motivators for living in wellness and bring them to your next appointment, I'd love to help design a plan to keep you on track.
Warmly,
Dr. Christa
One of the main reasons I was attracted to being a Naturopathic Doctor was the deep belief that many chronic health issues could be prevented (eg. type 2 diabetes and hypertension). The reality is that I don't always get the opportunity to work on preventative health care because most people I see have a current health issue to address.
Absolutely and for sure we need to work on what's affecting your day to day life. Sometimes it takes time to heal, and other times there are faster solutions. Once you are on the path to wellness over illness, and it can be a bumpy road with lots of detours, well, then what?
Maintenance plans are designed to keep you well. They are personalized to your needs and genetic considerations. It's also my goal to have you on as few treatments (supplements, herbs) as possible, so it's important to review them twice per year as your needs change.
Chronic diseases take years to manifest, and the best time to address them (if we can) is to catch changes before they progress. I completely understand that there are times we fall off the wagon and need help getting back on track.
Some of the ways we can optimize your body's function, and look at preventing common chronic illnesses are:
- Check Vitamin D levels
- Vitamin D is important for mood, immune function, bone health, and cancer prevention. It costs about $50 to check it, and since there are so many people low in Vitamin D, it's worthwhile to know where you stand. - Monitor specific markers & indicators
- for heart disease: C-reactive protein and fibrinogen tests tell us about inflammation in the blood, also keeping blood pressure below 120/80, measure waist to hip ratio (men ideally less than 100cm waist and women 80cm)
- for diabetes: check fasting insulin (not often done traditionally) to know if your body is having issues regulating blood sugar, also check HbA1c your 3 month average blood sugar reading
- for bones: pH readings (read more here) tell us whether or not your body will be needing to borrow minerals from your bones, Vitamin D testing as well
Would you like to stay well? What are your ultimate reasons for being healthy in the long run? Jot down your main motivators for living in wellness and bring them to your next appointment, I'd love to help design a plan to keep you on track.
Warmly,
Dr. Christa
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