Eat for Life: Time Restricted Eating

What if there was one simple lifestyle change that could increase your lifespan? Researchers who study the science of longevity and disease prevention have found that there is indeed one simple lifestyle pattern that can decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and more: don’t eat at night. It turns out that our bodies are designed to process food better during the day, and when we eat at night, we rob our cells and organs of much-needed rest and repair. Studies show that while of course it matters what we eat, it also matters when we eat.

The human body evolved to eat during the daylight hours, when it’s safe to collect and prepare our food, and not to eat in the evening, when it’s dark and dangerous to be outside. Fifteen percent of the human genome works on a body clock, and about 50% of those genes are involved in the metabolism of food. We know the brain has a circadian rhythm, but so do the pancreas, intestines, liver and more.

Now with the advent of electricity and demanding work hours, we typically have our largest meal of the day in the evening and often snack after that. Our meal patterns are not in alignment with how we evolved to eat and can be detrimental to our metabolism and our cellular repair mechanisms. Does it really make sense to consume most of our calories within hours of going to sleep? It’s like showing up to a restaurant at closing time: the cooking staff will not be happy. Eating at night has been shown to raise blood sugar and insulin, increase inflammation, throw off hormones and decrease the important daily cellular clean-out called autophagy. Under these conditions the body can become fertile soil for disease.

As a naturopathic physician I regularly monitor these blood parameters and show people ways to lower their risk factors with lifestyle changes and natural medicines. One of those ways is to just change when you eat. Eating breakfast, lunch and dinner within the daytime hours, before 7 p.m., and allowing at least a 13-hour fast overnight is enough to show benefits. Some experts recommend extending that fasting window further by having a later breakfast and an earlier dinner if you can.

Time restricted eating has even been shown to reduce cancer rates. In one study, of 2,500 breast cancer survivors who tracked their food intake for seven years, a strong association was found to when they were eating. Women who had at least a 13-hour overnight fast had a 40% decrease in breast cancer recurrence and an over 15% decrease in all causes of mortality, regardless of whether they were overweight or not.

Other conditions that have been shown to improve from extended overnight fasting are gastric reflux, fatty liver, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Weight loss with this mechanism alone is modest, but it can add up over time. In a famous study, two groups of mice were fed the same number of calories, but one group was fed only during the mice’s daytime and the other could graze all day and night. The mice in the Time Restricted Feeding group lost more weight than the other mice. In similar human trials, weight loss is more significant because without even trying, people will consume about 200 fewer calories per day when they stop nighttime snacking.

Time Restricted Eating is a simple lifestyle change that anyone can implement. Your body is designed to thrive in those conditions. Pregnant women and people with blood sugar issues, eating disorders or other health conditions would be wise to consult with their naturopathic physician or family doctor before making any dietary changes.

To book a naturopathic medical consultation with Dr. Deidre Macdonald

Why am I so tired? Thyroid Issue May be the Cause

Every week people arrive at my clinic wondering if their thyroid is okay. They’ve often had their conventional doctor check their thyroid, and are told that everything is fine. However, they aren’t convinced. They feel tired, cold, achy, and gain weight easily. They have headaches, depression or constipation, all symptoms that may reflect low thyroid function. Experience has taught me that evaluating the thyroid is complex. Low thyroid function can be caused by the immune system itself and by the dysfunction of other hormone glands in the body. It can be also affected by stress, toxins, and nutritional deficiencies. Evaluation of the thyroid is so much more than just running one test. 

The thyroid gland is a small gland in the front of the neck that produces the hormone that sets the metabolic rate of every cell in the body. These hormones tell your body how fast to burn calories, influence stomach acid production, determines moisture levels in the skin and so much more. The thyroid gland is also the most common site of autoimmune disease in the body. The immune system can sometimes attacks the thyroid gland and interferes with its ability to provide the hormones needed for normal tissue function and repair. I had a patient who had gained 47 pounds in one year, despite good diet and regular exercise. Her doctor insisted that her thyroid was functioning properly, according to the one test, the TSH level, that he can run. We ran further tests which showed that she did indeed have antibodies to her own thyroid that were blocking her thyroid from making the hormones she needed to burn calories normally. Once that deficiency was corrected, she had to work hard to lose weight, but it was possible for her to do so.

Another patient came to the clinic already taking thyroid replacement medication but reported feeling as tired and achy as she had when she was first diagnosed as hypothyroid years ago. Again, her TSH test was normal. We dug a little deeper and ran a reverse T3 test. This test determines if her thyroid hormone was being converted to active T3 or a dud version called reverse T3. Elevations of reverse T3 are important if you are sick and need to conserve energy and rest. However, there are other conditions that can trigger this downstream activation of reverse T3. High stress levels, low iron levels, and chronic inflammatory states can all drive up reverse T3 and make you feel unnecessarily tired. In this case, the patient had experienced chronic stress and had an elevated reverse T3. We changed her thyroid medication slightly and gave her additional natural medicines to balance all her thyroid hormones, thus giving her back the vitality she was missing.

Naturopathic physicians prefer a full panel of thyroid hormones to accurately diagnose thyroid problems. This panel includes the relatively stable pituitary hormone TSH, free T4 (inactive thyroid hormone), free T3 (active thyroid hormone), reverse T3 and a thyroid antibody called TPO. Often we are able to unveil issues in the complex dance of the thyroid hormones, which can then be treated in a variety of ways, both holistic and pharmaceutical.

Dr. Deidre Macdonald is a naturopathic physician practicing in downtown Courtenay. 250 897-0235 or www.getwellhere.com

5 Strategies for Successful Weight Loss

If you have decided that it is time to get healthy, fit and lose weight, you will need a plan of action to turn your resolutions into reality. Too often, weight loss goals turn into a familiar roller-coaster of short term success and eventual rebound. Now is the time to get crystal clear on your strategy for long-term success. Through my experience of helping hundreds of people to lose weight, I have found that there are three main areas that must be addressed in order to achieve lasting weight loss. First, there are physical reasons why some people are prone to weight gain. Until these issues are addressed, weight loss can seem frustrating, even impossible. Second, most people sabotage their dieting efforts with emotional eating. Coming to peace with our relationship with food is often the key to creating change. Third, education about nutrition and effective eating strategies help us to make good choices and ultimately take pounds off.

 

Why is it that some people seem to be able to eat everything they want and not gain weight, and others seem to pack on the pounds if they even look at food? Low thyroid function is sometimes the culprit. When the metabolism is low, we don’t burn as many calories, so more are stored as fat. As a naturopathic physician, I often discover thyroid issues by running full thyroid panels on my patients who suspect low thyroid function, but have been told their tests are “normal.”

 

Blood sugar problems can easily set people up for weight gain, especially fat around the abdomen. Adult diabetes can cause excess insulin for years before a diagnosis. Excess insulin tells the body to store fat. Nutritional strategies that balance blood sugar not only reduce insulin, but also reduce cravings and bingeing. In order to lose weight without feeling deprived, it is crucial to learn how to regulate your blood sugar.

 

Imbalances in the intestinal microbiome can cause weight gain too.  Studies show that changing the microbial inhabitants of obese people’s intestines can help them lose weight, even if they eat the same calories.  It turns out that some gut bugs cause you to extract more calories from food than others.  Taking antibiotics, particularly for ulcers, disturbs the intestinal microbiome and has been shown to cause weight gain because important appetite regulating bacteria are lost.

 

I know that a person’s emotional relationship with food and their bodies often determines whether they make or break their weight loss goals. Eating well can be an enjoyable part of life, but nutrition needs to be the primary factor in one’s food choices in order to achieve good health. When food is primarily used as a tool to make you feel better emotionally, you will never be able to get enough, leading you to ride the weight roller coaster.

 

The key to overcoming emotional eating is to slow down. Before you eat, take three deep breaths. Take that time to check into your body and assess your feelings. I spend a lot of time in my practice counseling people on healthy ways to reduce stress and transform their emotional state – without using food as a “drug”.  Enjoy your food and be grateful for the nourishing goodness of whole, natural foods. Conscious eating takes practice and mindfulness, and it can lead you, not only to weight loss, but also to greater health, vitality and self-awareness.

 

Remember: our food becomes who we are. Let your food serve your health first and your taste buds second. Taking charge of your eating habits is an essential step to taking charge of your health. You have the power to lose weight, improve your health and optimize your energy.

Coconut Oil for Weight Loss? Facts vs Hype

Coconut oil is being touted as the new superfood. Dr. Oz says its “the miracle fat that fights fat.” Here’s the real skinny on coconut oil and weight loss. This oil is about 50% medium chain tryglyerides, which go straight to the liver where they are burned as fuel and raise the metabolism slightly. One to two tablespoons a day would cause you to burn about 60 more calories. But wait a minute. Two tablespoons of coconut oil contains about 200 calories. Do the math. Don’t consume extra calories in coconut oil thinking it will help you lose weight. Even in studies that compared people asked to eat two tablespoons of coconut oil vs the same amount of another oil didn’t show any difference in weight or waist line. The most successful method for lasting weight loss I’ve come across is to address emotional eating. Learning mental and emotional mastery through goal setting, mindfulness and relaxation techniques helps people lose weight and grow into a calmer, happier person at the same time. I love sharing these important tools with my patients and seeing make the real changes necessary to achieve their long term goal of great health.

Mitochondrial Function Key to Health

Have you ever wondered why the body ages or why you seem to have less energy as you age? It turns out the answer lies deep within the cells in a tiny organelle called the mitochondria. They are the energy producers of the body. They turn our food into the fundamental fuel that drives cellular activity. It is in the mitochondria that carbohydrates, protein, and fat are metabolized, producing cellular energy called ATP. The ATP provide the energy to allow cells to do what they do; it keeps the brain working, fires muscles, repairs tissues, and more.



The more energy a certain tissue requires, the more mitochondria those cells contain. The brain and heart have the highest concentration of mitochondria because they require large amounts of oxygen and energy. The heart muscle is packed with mitochondria. Any dysfunction on the level of the mitochondria has a significant impact on the functioning of these organs especially.
As we age, our mitochondria produce about 40% less ATP and therefore our organs feel the effects of decreased energy production. Mitochondria get damaged over time. The rate of their decline can be influenced by a number of lifestyle factors.



Malfunctioning at the level of the mitochondria has now been shown to be at the heart of a host of degenerative diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease; neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, as well as cancer. Mitochondria dysfunction has also been shown to be related to chronic fatigue syndrome and has implications for affecting athletic performance. Interventions to stabilize mitochondrial function and enhance ATP production will be the new medicine of the future.



The formation of ATP is dependent upon proper intake of vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and plant based nutrients. Deficiencies of these nutrients can alter mitochondrial function. Antioxidants like Vitamins C, E and A protect the mitochondria. Other nutrients like resveratrol from grape skins, green tea EGCG and curcumin from tumeric also have strong protective effects.
Exercise protects the mitochondria as well. A well-trained athlete has more than twice the muscle mitochondria than a sedentary person. Exercise stimulates the production of more mitochondria in the cells thus providing an anti-aging effect, especially where we need it most: the brain and heart.



However, those protective mechanisms can be overwhelmed by additional sources of bodily stress, leaving the mitochondria susceptible to damage. A diet high in processed food and high in fat as well as excess alcohol can all damage the mitochondria. Exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, and some pharmaceuticals, like statin drugs for cholesterol, can damage mitochondria.
The heart has to produce 13 to 35 pounds of ATP per day to sustain its approximately 86,000 daily beats. There has been extensive research to find ways to enhance mitochondrial function to maintain the ATP critical to heart function. In addition to exercise and high plant-based diets, natural medicines have been shown to help. CoEnzyme Q10 is a nutrient that fuels the pathway that makes ATP. In 2013, the European Society of Cardiology stated that it is the first “drug” to significantly improve heart failure in over a decade. This statement was based on research showing that there were very significant reductions in mortality in people with advanced heart failure who took CoEnzyme Q10. Magnesium and l-carnitine have also been shown to reduce death after heart attacks and more. In a recent Mayo Clinic review, acute heart patients who took L-Carnitine had a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality, a 65% reduction in arrhythmias, and a 40% reduction in angina symptoms.



Naturopathic physicians seek to understand the underlying cause of disease and use treatments that target those mechanisms. In the case of neurological disease, cancer, heart disease and more, interventions that repair mitochondrial function can help give the body the fuel it needs to promote healthy tissue function. There is so much more to health than managing symptoms with drugs. Take charge of your health with a great lifestyle and natural medicines.

Eight Important Lab Tests You Should Know About

Many of us go to the doctor and just get the basic blood work they recommend.  We may or may not hear back from the doctor regarding the results.  I recommend that patients take a more active role in their health by learning about blood tests and getting copies of their results.  (Locally, Lifelabs offers patients online access to most blood work.)  It is helpful to understand which tests to request from your conventional or naturopathic physician and optimal levels you should be aiming for.

Thyroid:  For patients dealing with fatigue or depression, I often recommend a full thyroid panel.  The thyroid governs metabolism, affecting energy and weight loss. Typically just a TSH test is run, but sometimes imbalances in the thyroid can be picked up by testing free T4, free T3 and thyroid antibodies.  If the thyroid hormones levels are borderline, I recommend supporting the thyroid non-pharmaceutically.

Ferritin:  Another important test for fatigue and depression is ferritin.  This test measures iron stores.  Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can cause fatigue.  It can also lower dopamine levels in the brain, which affects mood, motivation and food cravings.  Too much ferritin can be a sign of excess iron storage which can damage the cardiovascular system and many organs.

Insulin:  For patients with weight issues, dementia and some hormonal imbalances, checking fasting insulin is an excellent tool to understanding how the body is dealing with blood sugar.  Adult onset diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance at the cellular level.  Therefore, it takes a lot of insulin to help carry sugars from the blood to the cells.  Even before elevated blood sugar is detected, this high insulin can be a sign of insulin resistance.  High insulin levels promote fat storage and are hard on the circulation.  Programs that reverse insulin resistance can accelerate the process of weight loss, protect the cardiovascular system and more.

Homocysteine:  Patients who have a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease or dementia  / Alzheimer’s are wise to have their homocysteine levels checked.  This amino acid, if elevated, is a risk for increased strokes and Alzheimer’s. The “normal” range is stated as being under 11 umol/L, but studies show that the risk of Alzheimer’s is increased in people whose homocysteine is over 7 umol/L.

Vitamin D3:  The rate of vitamin D3 deficiency in Canada is staggering. Gerry Schwalfenberg, an assistant clinical professor in the department of family medicine at the University of Alberta, said testing showing that “the fact that 60 to 70 per cent [of Canadians] have inadequate levels [is] not good,” given that vitamin D insufficiency is being linked to so many chronic diseases.  Vitamin D is an important preventer of autoimmune disease, viral illness, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, MS and more.  Having your levels checked is therefore wise.  The optimal level of vitamin D is over 125 nanomoles/litre.

C Reactive Protein (CRP):  Inflammation is an important risk factor for cardiovascular events, like strokes and heart attacks, and it creates an environment that supports cancer growth.  It is a symptom of autoimmune disease, obesity, diabetes and other important health conditions.  The C Reactive Protein in our blood is a reflection of general inflammation levels.  While the normal range is under 5.0, the optimal range is under .8 for men and under 1.5 for women.  Breast cancer survivors are wise to monitor CRP since elevations are associated with higher reoccurrence rates.

Vitamin B12:  The levels of this important nutrient can diminish with age as absorption becomes more difficult.  Vitamin B12 can be depleted by many medications, such as metformin (diabetes), birth control pills, and antibiotics.  I am most concerned about acid blocking medications that many of my patients use for long term management of acid reflux.  I much prefer to treat the cause of this problem than to manage it with a medication that impairs the digestion and absorption of a number of important nutrients.  Acid blockers also can set up a more alkaline pH that promotes the growth of a weakened, dysfunctional set of intestinal bacteria.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Testing (SIBO):  SIBO is a condition in which the wrong bacteria are growing in the small intestine, creating abnormal fermentation of carbohydrates into methane and hydrogen.  SIBO patients suffer from gas, bloating, digestive concerns and many other health conditions.  When indicated, I test patients through a university laboratory in PortlandOregon.
Be proactive with your health care by getting the blood work you need to understand your health and take steps to prevent illness.

Dr. Deidre Macdonald is a naturopathic physician who has practiced medicine in downtown Courtenay for 17 years. For more information, contact The Macdonald Centre for Natural Medicine at 250 897-0235 or via www.getwellhere.com

Help with Cravings and Stubborn Weight

We all have trillions of bacteria, yeasts and fungi in our bodies, particularly in our intestines.  The mix of these microbes makes up our microbiome.  New research shows that this microbiome may have more to do with your weight than what you eat.  Farmers around the world have long known that feeding antibiotics to chicken and cows fattens them up.  Human trials have shown the same thing and scientists now have the research to find out why. Antibiotics, as well as certain dietary choices, change the bacterial lining of the intestines.  Those changes allow more calories to be extracted from food.  They also increase cravings and appetite by changing hormones.  This research gives hope to those who wish to bolster their ability to lose weight.  You can change your intestinal microbiome and therefore help your body lose weight.



We now know that our intestinal microbiome affects many important processes, such as digestion, destruction of parasites, mood and brain function, immune system regulation, and prevention of autoimmune diseases.  Naturopathic physicians have been working for decades to educate patients about the importance of the microbiome and now scientists around the world are using new technology to understand the microbiome and learn how to foster and protect it.



Why is it that some people seem to put on weight while others lose weight easily?  The answer may be that those who lack good bacteria in the intestines seem to extract more calories from food.  Recent research shows that thin mice who receive a microbiome transfer from obese mice, gain weight, despite being on a calorie controlled diet.  It appears that the microbiome of the obese mice has an increased capacity to harvest energy from the diet.



Another factor in weight gain is the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin. A healthy microbiome regulates appetite by reducing this hormone.  But using antibiotics that alter the microbiome increases ghrelin and is associated with weight gain.



So how do we encourage the growth of an abundant and diverse microbiome?  We need to begin at birth.  Babies in the womb are “sterile”.  The birth canal provides the baby’s first inoculation with the bacteria he or she will need to digest breast milk. Babies born by c-section, who miss out on that bacteria, may be more prone to weight problems as they age.  C-sections are a welcome lifesaver at times but I recommend all my c-section babies be given appropriate probiotic supplements (intestinal microbiome powder) as soon as possible after birth.



Humans given antibiotics are more prone to weight gain, just like chickens.  Of course antibiotics are another modern medical necessity in some cases.  The benefit of antibiotics is generally perceived to be much greater than it actually is for common infections.  There are natural medicines that can strengthen the immune system and fight infection without damaging the microbiome.  So try to avoid antibiotics and take probiotics if you can’t avoid them.



The foods we eat also cause our microbiome to adapt and change.  High refined sugar diets promote the growth of bacteria that influence ghrelin, the appetite-stimulating hormone.  Healthier diets help the healthier bacterial to grow.  Cats fed higher carbohydrate diets had kittens which ate more and became fatter.  (Since we are finding now that mothers can pass on their microbiome to their children, women are well advised to work on enhancing their microbiome even prior to conception.)  A whole food diet that is low in both refined carbohydrates and animal fat promotes the healthiest microbiome thus helping to regulate appetite.



I have found that many patients who had difficulty losing weight have an altered microbiome.  They often have related symptoms such as digestive issues, allergies, or depression. There are simple tests that can help determine the state of the microbiome.  If needed, I coach patients on how to use low carb nutrition and helpful supplements to re-establish the healthy microbiome.  When the microbiome comes into balance, cravings are lessened and weight loss is much more easily attained.

How Carbs Can Trigger Food Cravings

Are all calories created equal? A new study suggests that in at least one important way, they may not be.  The New York Times reported on research showing that sugary foods and drinks, bread, and other processed carbohydrates that are known to cause abrupt spikes and falls in blood sugar appear to stimulate parts of the brain involved in hunger, cravings and reward. The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shed new light on why eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates like sweet, bread, pasta, crackers etc. are associated with weight gain.  The more you eat, the more you want.



A much more satisfying nutrition plan is to eat healthy, lean protein at every meal, vegetables at almost every meal, and enjoy some fruit and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.  You’ll stay full on fewer calories, making it easier to shrink your waist line.

7 Low Carb Breakfast Ideas

Start your day with a low calorie breakfast that will keep you full for hours. No more mid morning carb cravings after a high carb breakfast of toast, cereal or pancakes. It’s a great way to not only lose weight, but ensure optimal energy throughout the day.



egg white scramble1. Egg white scramble:
Just stir fry some vegetables, like tomatoe, kale, spinach, onions, basil, celery – whatever you’ve got on hand, then add lightly scrambled egg whites and a bit of salt. I have come to appreciate the convenience of the egg whites that come in a small cardboard “milk” container. It is so easy to just pour about ½ cup per person. I put the scramble in a bowl and tell myself it’s a casserole, so I don’t miss the toast. I figure this filling breakfast comes out to about 100 calories, which is a great way to start the day if weight loss is your goal.



2. Egg white omelette:



Do the same as above, just don’t stir. Gently lift the edges of the omelette and tip the frying pan to allow some of the egg white to slide under the edge. If you can put your frying pan under the broiler for a minute you can speed the cooking of the top.



3. Hot Coconut Flaxseed Cereal:



½ cup coconut milk or your favorite “milk”
½ cup ground flaxseeds
¼ cup unsweetened coconut
¼ cup chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds
Ground cinnamon to taste
¼ cup sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
Combine the milk, flax, coconut and walnuts / seeds in simmer in a pot for 5 minutes (or microwave in a bowl for 1 minute if you prefer). Serve topped with cinnamon and berries.



4. Chickpea flour pancakes:

Chickpea flour comes from garbanzo beans / chickpeas and is a source of protein and vitamins as well as some carbs. It is gluten free and you can find it at Edible Island in Courtenay. I love it and use it regularly when I want to dial down the carb factor in muffins / zucchini loaf, and yes, pancakes. There are many recipes on-line for chickpea pancakes, which are also called Socca or Farinata.



5. Left-overs:



Chicken, fish, veggies, stirfry all make perfectly good breakfast food. Say what? That’s right, get outside the box and you’ll discover that healthy food tastes good at any time of the day.



6. Protein smoothies



Smoothies are a great way to pack a mountain of nutrition into a fast and easy breakfast. I always have chopped kale in the freezer ready to throw into smoothies. If that sounds strange, start with a little spinach and frozen mango. With a good blender and an adventurous heart, you can add carrots, beets, frozen broccoli as well as fresh and frozen fruit. We try and eat blueberries several times a week, so they always go in smoothies. For protein, you can add a protein powder, like the professional product we have at our clinic called Ultra Protein Plus (pea protein and vitamins) . You can also experiment with soft tofu, yogurt, almond butter, even sprouted raw mung beans! A couple of drops of Stevia sweetens up the smoothie without having to add the carbs and calories that honey or agave would.



We recently purchased a great little blender that works as well as a Vitamix (the gold standard of blenders, but expensive). It’s the NutriBullet, available for around $100 at Canadian Tire in Courtenay / Campbell River / Powell River.




7. Tofu scramble



My husband wasn’t sure the first time I served him a tofu scramble, but was a quick convert to the yummy flavours you can add to tofu to make it quite palatable. Here’s a recipe we enjoy:



Ingredients:
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 block organic extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
• 2 tbsp oil or margarine
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)



Preparation:
Slice the tofu into approximately one inch cubes. Then, using either your hands or a fork, crumble it slightly. Sautee onion, pepper and crumbled tofu in oil for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook 5-7 more minutes, stirring frequently and adding more oil if needed.



Serve with a bit of salsa or top with soy or dairy cheese. Serves two.



Experiment with spinach and tomatoes, curry powder and more.

My doctor says my thyroid is normal but…

Every week people arrive at the clinic wondering if their thyroid is okay.  They’ve often had their conventional doctor check their thyroid, and are told that everything is fine.  However, they aren’t convinced.  They feel tired, cold, achy, gain weight easily, have headaches, depression and more symptoms that seem to reflect low thyroid function.

As a naturopathic physician, I offer these patients a full thyroid panel.  When we test further, we often find that the thyroid really isn’t working optimally.  Why the different in approaches?

Our MSP system only allow conventional doctors to run one test to screen for thyroid problems.  Naturopathic physicians prefer a full panel to test for TSH, T4 (inactive thyroid hormone), T3 (active thyroid hormone) and a thyroid antibody called TPO.  Often we are able to unveil issues in the complex dance of the thyroid hormones, which can then be treated in a variety of ways, both holistic and pharmaceutical.

Our philosophy is to try to determine if your thyroid is working optimally, not just wait until it is diseased.


Curious about your thyroid? You can book an appointment by emailing back or calling Terry at (250) 897-0235.