Iron’s role
Iron has a myriad of physiological uses in the body. Its most important is the making of energy, which iron does in partnership with the oxygen you breathe. Oxygen can’t move to cells in the body by itself, so hemoglobin, made partly of the iron molecule, literally “wraps” itself around the oxygen molecules and enables them to be transported around the body. As a result, the oxygenated cells begin to produce ATP, or cellular energy. The net result: more energy, less fatigue. In iron deficiency, however, the reduced hemoglobin means reduced oxygen transported to cells, with resultant reduced ATP or energy production. This can lead to symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, which include fatigue, chilly extremities, dizziness, brittle hair, hair loss, breathlessness, and pale skin.

Why deficiency?
Why are so many North Americans iron deficient? One reason is the simple fact that many of us are not consuming enough iron-rich foods. Recent research shows that on a daily basis, almost 57% of North American women aren’t achieving their recommended iron intake from their diet. On a typical day, for instance, It’s recommended to intake 20 mg iron from your dietary sources to maintain healthy iron levels. However, a typical North American diet intakes 10 mg of iron daily, and sets the stage for iron deficiency anemia. Other reasons for deficiency include bleeding (internal/rectal, recurrent nosebleeds, hemorrhoids, recent surgery) or, in the case of some women, related to their cycle.

Dietary iron sources
So, what are the dietary, or food-based, sources of iron? There are two basic forms of iron, heme iron (found in meats and meat products) and non-heme iron (found in plant-based foods). Heme iron is better absorbed by the body, since It’s in its activated form and requires less conversion (and therefore waste) for absorption. The best sources of heme iron include beef, lamb, pork, liver, veal, and turkey or chicken (especially the dark meat of these). The “vegetarian” form of iron, non-heme iron, although less well absorbed, still provides the body with a healthy dietary iron intake. As well, the body does adapt, and if the main iron sources in your diet are non-heme iron based, the body will improve the conversion rate and absorption over time. Non-heme sources of iron include legumes, pumpkinseeds, dried fruits (raisins, apricots), dark green vegetables (spinach, swiss chard, beet greens), beets, and cereals fortified with iron.

To be deficient or not to be?
How can you tell “for sure” if you are iron deficient? The best and safest way to tell is through a simple blood test. You can have your hemoglobin levels tested (although these will be falsely elevated if you have eaten an iron-rich meal several hours prior to testing) and your ferritin, which is a measure of the iron your body has stored in bone marrow for future use (this latter is also a blood test). Depending on the extent of deficiency, you may be able to bridge the gap in your iron intake by increasing iron-rich foods in your diet, daily, for three months. If you are severely deficient, you may need to supplement with iron in tablet or capsule format, although this should be under the guidance of your health care provider. Iron supplementation, whether through increased dietary means or especially via supplement, should be accompanied by minimum 1,000 mg vitamin C to enhance the iron absorption in the body. Vitamin C can be from a supplement source, or from a food source (ie., an apple).

If you are experiencing fatigue, dizziness, pale skin and hair loss, you could possibly be iron deficient. Be sure to rule it out and enjoy the health you can have!

Katie D?Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

Think nutrition
Back to the basics, everyone! Impending surgery is a good incentive to do a reality check on your diet. Do you consume the recommended five to seven servings of fruit and five to ten servings of vegetables daily? Or do you pass on the lightly dressed salad and settle for a burger and fries? By providing your body with adequate nutrients, you’ll give it what it needs to be able to recover from surgery more quickly.

Prior to surgery, you should focus on front-loading certain key nutrients. Vitamin C helps with tissue and collagen repair and also helps prevent infection, so make sure you consume fruit rich in vitamin C (like oranges, apples, and berries). Some surgeons may also recommend additional vitamin C supplementation beginning several weeks before surgery.

Zinc is crucial for strong immunity, which is a factor in the healing process. It can be found in raw pumpkin seeds or organic organ meats; alternately, you can take a multivitamin or zinc supplement containing 15-30 mg zinc.

Protein is also a must for surgery patients. The ?building blocks? of protein?called amino acids?are used by the body to make new tissue and muscle, as well as repair damaged tissue. If You’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll be happy to know that plant-based proteins are just as effective; see this Health Matters article for ways to ensure that your plant-based diet contains adequate, whole proteins.

Think homeopathics
Another way to prepare your body for surgery is by supplementation with homeopathic medicine. Because homeopathics work on a minute-dose principle, they are routinely used in babies, children, and in situations where using other natural substances would be contra-indicated (ie., before scheduled surgery).

Arnica helps with pain relief and reduces the potential for bruising or swelling. The recommended dose is two to three pellets (200 ch.) taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Bellis perennis is a homeopathic remedy used to help prepare for surgery involving the trunk, like abdominal surgery or heart surgery; It’s not helpful for surgery involving other areas of the body, however (limbs, brain, etc.). The recommended dose is three pellets (200 ch), taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Finally, hypericum perforatum helps prevent nerve damage and associated nerve pain and trauma during surgery. The recommended dose is three pellets (200 ch.) taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Think mind-body connection
Yes, impending surgery can weigh on your mind. But there are ways to lessen this mental burden without supplementation (which is often contraindicated for surgery patients).

First, engage in meditation. Harvard University’s Mind-Body Institute has shown that five minutes of deep, conscious breathing has the ability to ?reset? your nervous system, letting the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system?which promotes feelings of relaxation and calms alpha wave production in the brain’take over. If anxiety over surgery is keeping you awake at night, try meditating for a few minutes; you’ll notice your sleep patterns beginning to change for the better.

Second, think practical; prepare for surgery by eliminating possible post-surgery stressors. Wrap up projects at work and inform your employer (or your clients, if You’re self-employed) of your surgeon’s recommendation for duration of recovery before returning to work. Get your time off in place now, and err on the side of caution so you don’t end up forcing your body to jump back before It’s ready. Depending on your health concerns and the estimated post-surgery recovery time frame, you may also want to get some pre-cooked meals in the freezer to ease your post-op burden. If you know you’ll be confined to bed rest?or are concerned that your activity level may be compromised?line up help; ask family members or friends to lend you a hand with meals, cooking, cleaning, babysitting, or whatever else you might need. Knowing you’ve got solid plans in place for adequate post-op care can help put your mind at rest.

Watch your supplements
One last caution: natural supplements are powerful, so make sure that you inform your surgeon of all vitamins, supplements, and formulas You’re taking?not just prescription pharmaceuticals. Some supplements or over-the-counter medicines might be contraindicated with drugs you’ll need to take post-surgery. Others might create complications during surgery or during the healing process. For example, supplements like omega-3 fish oil and turmeric (circumin) have a mild blood-thinning effect; even though they’re otherwise beneficial for health maintenance and disease prevention, you should discontinue their use about one week prior to your scheduled surgery to reduce any risk of complications. When in doubt, ask your surgeon and/or your natural health care provider. Hiding information of this nature can be detrimental to your health and recovery.

Impending surgery can be stressful, but preparing yourself physically, emotionally, and practically will increase the likelihood that it will all go well and that you will have what you need to bounce back more quickly after surgery. In the next installment of this two-part series, we’ll look at natural ways to help you heal better after your surgery has been completed.

Katie D?Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

This student nominated article was chosen as an example of the best of the advice type articles that The Voice Magazine publishes, with direct and practical advice in an area where, though nearly everyone might use it, either for themselves or a relative, you rarely see presented.

What is a Green Drink?
A green drink is a vegetable juice, made from fresh, optimally ripe vegetables. The base of such a juice is usually a leafy green, such as spinach, giving the juice a vibrant green colour, and hence, its name. There’s no hard-and-fast recipe to produce a “real” green juice, which makes it simpler if you are making these yourself, as there isn’t a strict list of must-have ingredients. Ingredients are also selected based on outcome (for instance, if you’d like to start a greens-based liver detox, you would add different ingredients, like beet and spinach, to your green drink, than you would if you were interested in an anti-inflammatory boost for arthritis or stiff joints, where pineapple would figure more prominently).

Health Benefits of Greens
The best way to describe what a green juice does to your body is a “nutrient blast” to your cells. Individual nutrients in their natural chemical form (not lab synthesized, as is the case with the nutrients in the majority of standard multivitamins available) have higher absorption potential, since these nutrients are often found in their activated (think ?ready-to-use?) form. Additionally, with a green drink boosting our day’s vegetable intake several-fold, there is the added bonus of excess nutrients flooding the body. A fresh green drink is also loaded with plant enzymes, aiding in digestion (think digestive enzymes, many of which have plant origins).

Higher intakes of fresh vegetables on a daily basis, research shows, leads to reduced risk of chronic disease, including cancer, heart attack, and stroke.

Do I need a juicer?
No, you don’t. Although the name “green juice” might imply the mandatory use of a juicer, I don’t personally use one, and don’t necessarily recommend the sole use of a juicer over a blender for certain juice blends. For a basic green juice, a juicer will extract the liquid and leave the fibre behind. However, a good-quality blender will blend this fibre into the drink, until it is imperceptible (if you are noting fibre in your drink, you may need to sharpen your blender’s blade, or purchase a higher performance blender). The benefit of fibre in the drink improves bowel function and regularity, as well as assists in blood sugar balance (even if You’re not diabetic).

How do I make a green drink?
Probably the simplest green drink to make is that of spinach + water. Spinach is the mildest-tasting of all greens, and this mild flavour is also imparted to the juice. However, you may want to add a handful of berries or mango (fresh or frozen), or a small serving of orange juice to the mixture if you wish to liven the taste up a bit. A green drink is a very adaptable item; you can mix and match whichever greens and whatever fruits you like, depending on your tastes. Some prefer a banana undertone (add ½ banana to the mixture); others prefer a “greener” taste and toss in a part of lettuce, or broccoli (although certain flavours, like broccoli, tend to exhibit flavour override), or kale (imparts a gentle sour-bitter taste to the shake), beet greens, or ¼ raw beet, cut into small chunks. I recommend the use of organic greens since certain greens (spinach, for instance) have been noted to contain higher levels of pesticides and herbicides.

A note regarding dry “greens” powders vs fresh green juices: the greens powders, depending on the company of origin, have the capacity for health benefits. I use the powder when traveling, since it eliminates my need for blender and grocery stores! However, when at home, I prefer the fresh juices since the nutrient content is higher, with the additional naturally occurring enzymes (the powdered greens contain digestive enzymes, but these are added to the mixture after the fact).

No Time?
No worries! Powering your body with green fuel in the morning doesn’t need to be laborious. My morning’s green “power shakes” actually take 3 minutes to complete. It’s as simple as dropping a handful of spinach or other greens into a blender, adding water and berries (note that the latter is optional), and blitzing with the blender. In my opinion, It’s a minimal time expenditure, with maximum returns.

Try two weeks of daily green drinks; you will be pleasantly surprised to notice positive changes in energy, skin health, and possibly sleep. I can truly say I was fascinated at the results in my own life.

Katie D?souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

Think nutrition
Back to the basics, everyone! Impending surgery is a good incentive to do a reality check on your diet. Do you consume the recommended five to seven servings of fruit and five to ten servings of vegetables daily? Or do you pass on the lightly dressed salad and settle for a burger and fries? By providing your body with adequate nutrients, you’ll give it what it needs to be able to recover from surgery more quickly.

Prior to surgery, you should focus on front-loading certain key nutrients. Vitamin C helps with tissue and collagen repair and also helps prevent infection, so make sure you consume fruit rich in vitamin C (like oranges, apples, and berries). Some surgeons may also recommend additional vitamin C supplementation beginning several weeks before surgery.

Zinc is crucial for strong immunity, which is a factor in the healing process. It can be found in raw pumpkin seeds or organic organ meats; alternately, you can take a multivitamin or zinc supplement containing 15-30 mg zinc.

Protein is also a must for surgery patients. The ?building blocks? of protein?called amino acids?are used by the body to make new tissue and muscle, as well as repair damaged tissue. If You’re vegetarian or vegan, you’ll be happy to know that plant-based proteins are just as effective; see this Health Matters article for ways to ensure that your plant-based diet contains adequate, whole proteins.

Think homeopathics
Another way to prepare your body for surgery is by supplementation with homeopathic medicine. Because homeopathics work on a minute-dose principle, they are routinely used in babies, children, and in situations where using other natural substances would be contra-indicated (ie., before scheduled surgery).

Arnica helps with pain relief and reduces the potential for bruising or swelling. The recommended dose is two to three pellets (200 ch.) taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Bellis perennis is a homeopathic remedy used to help prepare for surgery involving the trunk, like abdominal surgery or heart surgery; It’s not helpful for surgery involving other areas of the body, however (limbs, brain, etc.). The recommended dose is three pellets (200 ch), taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Finally, hypericum perforatum helps prevent nerve damage and associated nerve pain and trauma during surgery. The recommended dose is three pellets (200 ch.) taken under the tongue each day for one week before surgery.

Think mind-body connection
Yes, impending surgery can weigh on your mind. But there are ways to lessen this mental burden without supplementation (which is often contraindicated for surgery patients).

First, engage in meditation. Harvard University’s Mind-Body Institute has shown that five minutes of deep, conscious breathing has the ability to ?reset? your nervous system, letting the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system?which promotes feelings of relaxation and calms alpha wave production in the brain’take over. If anxiety over surgery is keeping you awake at night, try meditating for a few minutes; you’ll notice your sleep patterns beginning to change for the better.

Second, think practical; prepare for surgery by eliminating possible post-surgery stressors. Wrap up projects at work and inform your employer (or your clients, if You’re self-employed) of your surgeon’s recommendation for duration of recovery before returning to work. Get your time off in place now, and err on the side of caution so you don’t end up forcing your body to jump back before It’s ready. Depending on your health concerns and the estimated post-surgery recovery time frame, you may also want to get some pre-cooked meals in the freezer to ease your post-op burden. If you know you’ll be confined to bed rest?or are concerned that your activity level may be compromised?line up help; ask family members or friends to lend you a hand with meals, cooking, cleaning, babysitting, or whatever else you might need. Knowing you’ve got solid plans in place for adequate post-op care can help put your mind at rest.

Watch your supplements
One last caution: natural supplements are powerful, so make sure that you inform your surgeon of all vitamins, supplements, and formulas You’re taking?not just prescription pharmaceuticals. Some supplements or over-the-counter medicines might be contraindicated with drugs you’ll need to take post-surgery. Others might create complications during surgery or during the healing process. For example, supplements like omega-3 fish oil and turmeric (circumin) have a mild blood-thinning effect; even though they’re otherwise beneficial for health maintenance and disease prevention, you should discontinue their use about one week prior to your scheduled surgery to reduce any risk of complications. When in doubt, ask your surgeon and/or your natural health care provider. Hiding information of this nature can be detrimental to your health and recovery.

Impending surgery can be stressful, but preparing yourself physically, emotionally, and practically will increase the likelihood that it will all go well and that you will have what you need to bounce back more quickly after surgery. In the next installment of this two-part series, we’ll look at natural ways to help you heal better after your surgery has been completed.

Katie D’Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

What is the thyroid?

The thyroid is a gland located in the front of your neck, under the chin. It performs many vital functions, including controlling your basal metabolic rate (BMR)?essentially a measure of much energy you would expend if you remained at rest all day. It’s easy to see how this is tied to weight loss; if your BMR drops due to thyroid malfunction, you won’t burn as much energy during the day. You’ll have difficulty losing weight, and might even start gaining.

What causes the thyroid function to slow? Bodily changes like pregnancy or menopause can be a factor, but genetic predisposition plays a big part as well. Some symptoms of low thyroid function include lethargy, hair loss, swollen neck, poor sleeping patterns, and, yes, difficulty losing weight. You can also get a general idea of your thyroid health by checking your basal body temperature?the temperature of your body at rest (best measured upon waking, and before getting out of bed). Although a woman’s basal body temperature can fluctuate depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle, a consistently low number in the early part of the cycle (less than 36.3 degrees Celsius) can indicate subclinical hypothyroidism.

To assess your thyroid function, have a blood test done to detect levels of TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone. This hormone is sent by the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid to produce the thyroid hormone. A low-functioning thyroid will treat this ?message? like spam, ignoring it?which means the pituitary gland will keep manufacturing more and more TSH. Ideally, your TSH levels should be less than 3; if they are higher, it could indicate a thyroid issue. Note that in Canada, the acceptable level for blood-value TSH is less than 5; but recently US endocrinologists have determined that levels under 3 are the best marker for a properly functioning thyroid, and all US mainstream and specialist labs have accepted this. It is hoped that Canadian labs will follow suit, but in the meantime you should still treat thyroid levels greater than 3 as a subclinical hypothyroid concern. If your TSH levels come back greater than 2, don’t try to treat the problem yourself; you will need professional help to get your thyroid back under control.

What if TSH levels are normal?

But if your TSH levels appear acceptable and you still suspect a thyroid issue, there are a few things you can do to optimize your thyroid health. First, avoid excessive consumption of foods from the brassica family?these are also known as cruciferous plants, and include cabbage, broccoli, mustard seed, and rapeseed. Although these are considered healthy “superfoods”, they should be avoided or significantly reduced in your diet if your thyroid is compromised. Secondly, add seaweed to your diet; seaweed contains iodine and selenium, nutrients that are essential for adequate thyroid function.

Increasing your overall health is often a difficult journey, but your efforts might be blocked by issues like stress, cortisol overproduction, or a low-functioning thyroid. If you’ve yet to experience weight loss success despite hard work, check your thyroid levels and engage in stress and cortisol management?and get on your way to becoming a healthier you in 2014!

Katie D’Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

Stress: the Resolution-Killer
Stress, stress, stress: It’s become the scapegoat for many health problems. But did you know that stress is the number one killer of weight loss efforts? In fact, the more stressed you are, the more your body works against you. And the harder time you’ll have losing those unwanted pounds.

When You’re under stress, your body uses its resources to help you get through the stressful situation. You’ve heard of the ?fight-or-flight? reaction?should the body run from the stress or stay and fight it? To help you make the decision, your body stimulates the adrenal glands, which produce adrenaline (that hormone that can make people move heavy weights and perform other feats under stress)

So far, so good. It’s how the body protects itself. The problem occurs when a stressful situation is prolonged. When the issue doesn’t go away in 18 minutes?and modern-day stressors like family problems, stressful work situations, money woes, etc. tend to last quite a bit longer?the body turns to cortisol production as a long-term coping mechanism.

Cortisol may have been helpful during prehistoric times, but in today’s world It’s your enemy. It does three things: raises blood sugar, raises blood pressure, and alters your immune system, but It’s the first that really affects your weight loss goals.

When your blood sugar is high, your body produces more insulin (this is why diabetics, who have difficulty processing insulin, need to carefully regulate their blood sugar levels). Increased insulin production triggers increased activity of the lipoprotein lipase, which means greater fat storage. It’s a chain and cascade effect: more stress means higher blood sugar, more insulin, and more fat storage. And it keeps packing it on no matter how much time you spend at the gym.

As if cortisol production weren’t bad enough, your belly fat cells contain four times as many cortisol receptors as other fat cells. This results in what’s called the cortisol ring: that ring of tummy fat That’s particularly tough to dissolve.

The Mechanics of Fat Loss
Stress has another negative effect on weight loss: it makes fat loss happen less efficiently. Remember that fat loss, or lipolysis, doesn’t mean that fat cells disappear, they just empty and shrink. Normal, healthy fat cells open wide during lipolysis?up to 70% open. But when you are under stress, fat cells only open up 40%. That’s a big difference and can drastically slow down how quickly you drop those pounds or inches. It means you need to work harder for a diminished result (which, of course, creates more stress).

Attacking Stress the Healthy Way
Stress is a part of modern life, but it doesn’t have to destroy your health. These four strategies can increase your mental and physical well-being, lower cortisol production, and ultimately help you with those weight loss goals and healthy resolutions:

– Take care of yourself. According to the Harvard Mind-Body Institute, engaging in a relaxing, self-directed activity for fifteen minutes a day has the power to lower blood cortisol. This can be as complicated as a painting class or yoga session or as simple as a cup of tea and a book or a jog around the block. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as It’s self-initiated?and not something on your to-do list.

– Take your time. If you’re short on time and stressing out about it Then, for your health’s sake, It’s even more important to take those fifteen minutes to yourself. You’ll lower your cortisol levels and improve your mood, making it easier for you to handle the stressful situation in the first place.

– Focus on the good. It may be your least natural reaction, but focussing on the good in a situation can do a lot to lower your stress levels. For example, if your boss is being rude and demanding, try to think about good aspects of the situation: I have a job. I’m competent to do it, no matter what my boss says.

– Cut out alcohol. Experts keep going back and forth on the health benefits of wine, for example, but if You’re hoping to lose weight you should cut back on or cut out your alcohol consumption. This isn’t just because of the calories (around 100 calories for a glass of wine?and up to 500 calories for a frothy, sugary mixed drink), either. Research shows that one glass of wine turns up your body’s cortisol production, something you definitely don’t want to encourage.

If You’re struggling with insomnia, change your thinking: instead of “Help! I’ll never be able to sleep!” think “because I’m not sleeping, I have more time to meditate.” Sound too Pollyanna-ish? It’s okay to fake it until you make it; facing your stressors in a positive manner breeds positive adaptive strategies. Then your body feels like It’s in control, which means lowered cortisol, or stress hormone, production.

Next week, we’ll look at the role of the thyroid in enhancing and inhibiting weight loss. In the meantime, if you’ve made good resolutions and tried to stick to them without success, try reducing stress and cortisol production by taking care of yourself, focusing on the good, and cutting out alcohol. You might just have your weight loss goals within reach!

Katie D’Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

At Home

Our Mumbai apartment (apartments are called “flats” in India) was in the popular Vakola area, where some of my husband’s relatives also live. Housing costs have appreciated so extensively in India that in Vakola, a one-bedroom flat costs over $350,000 in Canadian dollars The flat we stayed in was relatively luxurious: about 800 square feet, with a small bedroom, shower room (no hot water unless you preheat the gas-powered water heater in the bathroom), washroom with toilet (a luxury, since many apartment dwellers share communal washrooms), sitting room, and kitchen.

The kitchen in particular was something I had to get used to. There was a washing line strung across the room to hang clothes to dry; otherwise they dry in the sun outside the window. The stove wasn’t your typical North American four-burner stove, complete with an oven. Instead, it’s a two-burner countertop stove, powered by gas, not electricity. Unlike gas stoves here, in India it’s rare to have a gas line from outside connecting automatically to such appliances; you have to purchase gas cylinders (a similar size to what you’d use to fuel your propane BBQ). The gas vendor is seen frequently about the neighbourhood, pushing his hand-cart filled with the large cylinders, and he’ll bring them up to your flat. He has to carry the cylinders up and down hundreds of stairs, since elevators are not a usual commodity. A typical gas cylinder for a family of four lasts just under a month, and the government subsidizes the purchase of a quota of cylinders per year.

Down on the street below our flat, there was a lot of activity. There was a convent across the road, operating one of the most popular Catholic girls’schools in the area. In fact, when admission time rolled around, the streets filled with hundreds of parents, anxious to secure school admission for their daughters. These lineups start outside the school several days in advance, with parents sleeping nights on the dusty pavement in order to hold their spot in line. This ordeal doesn’t guarantee school admission, however; rather, the lineups are merely to gain the coveted admission forms.

At the Market

One of the hallmarks of India is its myriads of tiny shops. A weekly grocery expedition at a major chain store isn’t necessary, and definitely isn’t the norm; instead, a one-minute walk down the road (or, in some cases, the lower outdoor level of your apartment building) yields hundreds of shops selling everything from fresh fruits to meats to candies to juice to made-on-the-spot lassi (sweet milk-and-yogurt shake). Although fridges are common in many homes now, daily shopping for fresh food is still a high priority; there’s always someone shopping the market for ingredients for that night’s dinner. In addition to standing shops, come-and-go vendors also display their goods at certain locations and key times. Indian entrepreneurship amazes me! The well-travelled church path near our flat was a popular vendor spot; as hundreds exited the church on Sundays and weekday evenings, vendors appeared like magic, selling coconuts, fresh fruits, and seafood, or dress goods and religious items.

Most of the market produce–fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood–is pick your own style; either you or the vendor handpicks the pieces you select. Pre-packaged produce isn’t considered fresh (although in my opinion, it keeps the flies off). Even eggs are handpicked, carefully slid into a plastic bag, and then wrapped with newspaper. It still amazes me that not one egg ever broke in transport to our flat.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Indian market without bargaining. If you’re looking for fixed price items, don’t visit your local market shops. Most shops carry items with no marked price, and haggling is an accepted (and fun) way to shop.

Around the City

Mumbai is a city with 20.5 million inhabitants, but in some parts there’s still a refreshing rural air. The neighbour a block away had goats and chickens wandering freely outside his house, and in the early mornings his rooster could be heard crowing loudly. In the fresh mornings, some of his more adventurous hens did the neighbourhood rounds, spending luxurious afternoons relaxing in the roadside dust. Every once in a while, a captive elephant would sway down the main street, pulling a load.

But lest you gain the impression that Mumbai is exclusively tiny shops, wandering chickens, and people everywhere, think again! Goregaon West, an up-and-coming section of Mumbai, is home to some of the most fashionable malls you’ll find. The prestigious HyperCity and Infinity make downtown Toronto’s Eaton Centre look humble. The floors are marble, the shops exclusive, expensive, and spotless, and the food courts are superb. The larger department-style stores have children’s play areas, where children can amuse themselves with all manner of large toys while their mothers shop. Additionally, modern strollers (a treat, since strollers are not common in India) are available for your complimentary use while shopping.

Next week, we’ll take a peek at some of the Mumbai inhabitants. From local customs to refreshing attitudes, our Indian experience was one to remember!

Originally from the May 03 issue (no. 16) of The Voice Magazine, this article was the first part of a four part series where writer Katie D’Souza gave us a unique look at India from the view of someone who’d never been, but was not there as a tourist. The whole series is worth a read to help us realize just how different, and similar, we all are from across the globe.

In my Ontario practice, I see many women struggling with infertility. There are many ways to evaluate your fertility, and these methods are usually used in combination with each other. Based on clinical experience, I’ve written some basic guidelines to help you evaluate your own fertility health. Take a look, and if you think you might be experiencing issues with any of these, talk to your naturopathic doctor or alternative health care provider.

? Physical health: Health conditions like ovarian cysts, uterine or fallopian tube scarring, or endometriosis can negatively impact fertility. Pelvic and transvaginal imaging can help provide a detailed description of the physical aspects of your reproductive system.

? Hormone health: Are your female reproductive hormones working as they should? Remember that hormone levels are not static; progesterone rises after ovulation (as estrogen levels reduce) and drops just prior to menstruation (while estrogen levels begin to rise again). Other hormones are active, too, like luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). And don’t forget important hormone precursors, such as DHEA.

? Thyroid health: The importance of a fully functional thyroid can’t be underestimated. For example, because the thyroid controls metabolism and body temperature, hypothyroid (low-functioning thyroid) conditions affect cervical mucus quality and can contribute to lowered luteal phase (post-ovulatory) temperatures. A basic way to assess thyroid function is to take your BBT, or basal body temperature; essentially, you want to compare the average temperature of your resting body before and after ovulation. The ?resting? quality is extremely important, since activity causes muscle motion, which generates heat. As soon as you wake (before getting up), check your oral temperature with a digital thermometer, and record it. Your temperature will vary, depending on your cycle (lower pre-ovulatory, higher post-ovulatory), but if It’s riding below 36.3 degrees Celsius before ovulation, then you may have a hypothyroid condition (called Wilson’s temperature syndrome).

? Ovulation health: Are you ovulating? If your body isn’t releasing an egg with your cycle, then It’s impossible to get pregnant. A basic way to tell your ovulation story is to watch for slimy, egg white-consistency mucus when you wipe. This mucus is considered fertile. Other mucus you may note, such as sticky, pasty, mucus, is not associated with the same high fertility levels.

? Mind-body health: How would you rate your stress levels, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being no stress and 10 being extreme)? Stress has a hugely negative impact not only on fertility, but also on menstrual cycle health in general. High blood cortisol levels (cortisol is a long-term stress hormone that your body produces) negatively affects all cells in your body. Ways to combat high stress situations and lifestyles include daily meditation or prayer, regularly doing low-stress activities (think of something you enjoy doing, such as reading, drawing, or hiking), and regular mild to moderate exercise.

? Cellular health: If your cells are healthy, your body will be healthy. What can affect the health of our cells? Long-term stress is a big factor, as discussed above. Another thing that can significantly impact cellular health is toxicity. Are you routinely exposed to environmental toxins? These can be either home or job-related. Do you regularly consume canned foods, which are known to contain high levels of BPA and other hormone-disrupting chemicals? Does your diet contain an abundance of antioxidant-rich (and therefore cell damage-reducing) fruits and vegetables, or would you rather pass on the carrots and grab a Big Mac instead? Do you smoke or breathe second-hand smoke on a regular basis? Do a lifestyle scan on yourself, and think about potentially toxic aspects.

There are many factors influencing female fertility. Women’s bodies are unique and complex, and deserve to receive the treatment they need.

Katie D?Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.

Fogging

Just prior to our departure from Mumbai, I noticed a strange odour in the air and a fog creeping through the open window. It took a moment to realize that mosquito fogging was underway. The fogging helps control mosquito populations, reducing the incidence of diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Dengue fever outbreaks are becoming increasingly prevalent in some parts of India, and the disease can be fatal; in fact, a popular Bollywood film director was a dengue fever victim just last year. The fogging method was a way to control the problem, but it is not the healthiest approach?It’s done without prior warning to inhabitants, and no protective gear (not even a mask) is worn by the fogging operator. The drainholes continued to smoke long after the operator had moved on, and little children played with the smoke, poking sticks inside the holes.

Off to Belgaum

My husband’s father’s family comes from Belgaum, a 15-hour journey from Mumbai. We took a coach bus there, since it offers comfortable seats for a long journey (especially important for our small children). These coach buses are no different than those you see here in Canada. In fact, the only differences were the bus’s name (?Vijay Anand,? not ?Greyhound?), the Hindi movie it played for the first two hours of the trip, and the pickup location: in front of many small shops on the side of a main road, under a bridge. It was actually hard to determine who was waiting for the bus and who was shopping, where the rats meandering about were headed, and who were the parents of the little boys tossing the tennis ball back and forth over us. The coach drivers desperately attempt to adhere to a rigorous pickup schedule, and although they slow down as they pass the pickup location, the bus won’t stop if the driver’s not flagged down by a would-be passenger.

The bus trip is a night one, since daytime traffic would double the travel time. Unfortunately, while travelling outside of Mumbai through rural areas yields amazing scenery and animals, little of this can be seen at night since there are no road lights. The trip involves travelling through mountainous areas alongside cargo trucks, and all night we could feel the bus pulling itself around and up the sides of these mountains, punctuated by the nonstop honking of the cargo trucks as they passed.

Punctually at six in the morning we exited the bus into a chilly Belgaum bus stop by the roadside. It’s a bus stop That’s shared by the local transit users as well, and there were many on their way to work. The unusual presence of a salwar-clad Canadian (myself) at the stop yielded distinct interest, and rickshaws packed with people slowed down to stare. The local transit bus also seemed to have trouble leaving the stop once the passengers were packed inside. Although Mumbai is a popular tourist location, Belgaum is the opposite; the presence of a ?foreigner? is a very unusual event, and people were looking twice to make sure it was really true.

In many ways, it seemed a whole different world than Mumbai. Although almost everyone can speak English, it isn’t widely used in Belgaum; Kannada is the official language of choice. It is distinct from Hindi, and even has its own script.

Belgaum is more rural than Mumbai. It’s not uncommon to see cows or buffalo on the road and steers pulling carts through the popular Khade bazaar marketplace. In the marketplace, the pricing is, as you would expect, much lower than in Mumbai, though of course bargaining is still the way to go (except in high-end British stores). Outside the marketplace, monkeys are a common sight, and many people live in large bungalows, not flats.

Overall, It’s a refreshing experience after the busyness and excitement of Mumbai, and the pace and attitudes of rural India contrasted with those of the big city present a multi-layered picture of India that so few North Americans really hear about.

This series has attempted to create an image of the real India, but there’s no substitute for an in-person visit. India is truly a fascinating place, with customs and practices so different from our North American norms. If You’re seeking a unique adventure, consider travelling to India. You’ll never forget your experiences there!

Ear map

Every organ in the body, and nearly all aspects of the musculo-skeletal system have been correlated with a specific point on the ear. Stimulating (pressing) specific points targets corresponding body parts; for example, stimulating the forehead point may reduce frontal headache pain.

Possibly my favourite energetic point on the ear is shen men, also known as the ?grounding point.? The word ?grounding? in this sense refers to re-centering ourselves, bringing us back into the present moment. It’s easy to become so caught up in working or studying that we don’t even notice the sun shining in our window, or our body’s thirst for a drink of water. Likewise, if we’re under stress (and which of us isn’t?), we lose the ability to enjoy life as it passes by. Stimulating the shen men point enables us to experience mental relaxation, even if only for a temporary period.

But the ear is tiny, and our body systems and parts so many. The points do indeed fit on the ear, but It’s crowded, and stimulating these points can be a challenge to someone who’s not trained in acupuncture methods.

Ear seeds

How are these fascinating points in the ears stimulated? Since acupuncture needles can cause pain due to the ear’s lack of adequate muscle (as contrasted to the painlessness of acupuncture on the rest of the body), practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine usually use ear seeds. Ear seeds are exactly what they sound like: tiny vaccaria seeds placed over the intended ear point and held in place by a minute band-aid. Pressure on this seed stimulates the point through acupressure.

Can you stimulate the points yourself without ear seeds? Certainly. It’s difficult, since the points on the ear are minute and many, and the ball of your stimulating finger is large, but It’s not harmful to try. A caution, though: don’t use any sharp object (like a pen) to press the point you’d like.

Seeds vs. needles

If the ears are a gateway to bodily health, then why not use ear seeds rather than regular acupuncture and needling? Although ear seeds can be powerful in some aspects, full acupuncture treatment does yield the best results, since the ear points tend to be organ-specific (for example, one might stimulate stomach function), while many of the points on the main body are condition-specific (for example, clearing stomach heat or tonifying blood). In practice I usually use a combination of ear seeds and traditional acupuncture points on the body.

If you’d like to learn more about ear points or try ear seeds, check out this map of acupuncture points and ask your natural health practitioner if ear seeding is right for you.

Katie D?Souza is an AU graduate and a licensed naturopathic doctor. She currently practices in Ontario.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for personal interest only; it is not intended for diagnosis or treatment of any condition. Readers are always encouraged to seek the professional advice of a licensed physician or qualified health care practitioner for personal health or medical conditions.