2016 Real Food Reset with Dr. Karen
Come join me for the 2016 Real Food Reset!
Feeling like you need a little push to feel your best this year? Join Dr. Karen and your peers for a week long "reset". We will be eliminating the most common inflammatory foods, while focusing on real, whole foods and detoxification to support your body.
Dates: January 23rd-January 29th
Intro talk: January 21st, 7pm at Symmetry Wellness Centre
Includes: One weeks worth of delicious recipes, a suggested meal plan + 30 minute acupuncture treatment to check in (at a time chosen by you during that week - upon availability).
Cost: $60
Space is limited so reserve your spot via email (drkarenfrackowiak@gmail.com) or phone (902-444-6555). Please share with your friends.
Get excited about real, colourful, delicious food with me.
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen
(Photo cred: thefitink.com)
Bugs to avoid bugs: How probiotics can improve your child's immune system
The summer heat has finally arrived...just in time to gear up for school again! If you have small children going into day-care or school in a few weeks, consider improving your child's and your gut health to avoid those nasty bugs that inevitably go around.
Study time:
There is a plethora of research coming out recently proving that a healthy gut goes a long way to improve your digestion, mood and even your immune system. For children in day-care, that is good news, because there are things you can do as a parent to protect you and your child. There are little bugs, or healthy bacteria, that live in our gut that ward off the unhealthy bacteria that lead to illness. Probiotics are those healthy bacteria and you can add them to your child's diet, as well as yours in several ways. A 2014 meta-analysis looking at the impact probiotics have on children's immunity showed that parent and child pairs that took probiotics had fewer colds and flus, shorter duration of colds and less sick days. Taking a good quality, multi-strain probiotics is a great way to get probiotics, but also consider fermented foods, yogurt (if you or your child aren't sensitive to dairy) or coconut kefir. There are even specific children probiotics available in powder form that you can mix with juice, apple sauce or other easy foods. Also, any antibiotics (remember all those nasty ear infections), kill both bad and good bacteria so it is even more important to introduce probiotics back into gut after taking antibiotics.
But how does this work?
Surprisingly, the majority of your immune system resides in your digestion system. It is called your gut-associated lymphoid tissue, or simply GALT, and works to protect your body from invasion of any illness by producing immune cells that fight them off. It is proposed that probiotics adhere to gut tissue, in turn activating GALT. The stronger your digestion system is, the stronger your immune system will be. And remember, immune health is important at all ages so eat your probiotics!
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen
(Photo cred: www.sciencemag.com; www.todaysparent.com)
Bloating be Gone: Part 2 - The Mighty Gallbladder
The summer months are over, and fall is in the air this week! Fall is my favourite time of year, mostly due to the changing colours, cozy sweaters and fresh cool air. However, we still have many weeks (hopefully) of warmer temperatures to enjoy.
You may have noticed after your summer celebrations and indulgences, that your digestion just wasn't quite right. Were you feeling a little uncomfortable the next morning or knew you had to be careful with your food choices? This ties in nicely with the theme of digestive health and bloating that I started to discuss at the beginning of the summer. I addressed the issue of low stomach acid as a cause of heartburn and bloating, but let's continue our journey down the digestive tract. Another organ of importance is the gallbladder, a sometimes forgotten organ.
The Mighty Gallbladder:
The gallbladder is an organ I see many issues with in my practice. Many people have issues with digestion if the gallbladder is not working properly, or even after it has been removed! It sits just underneath the liver, under the lower rib cage on the right. The function of the mighty gallbladder is to concentrate bile that the liver produces and release the proper amount during digestion. More is needed with more fatty meals. Bile helps to emulsify fats, stimulate digestive enzymes, lubricate our bowels and eliminate toxins.
You may be familiar with gallstones as the major concern of this organ. Some risk factors for gallstones are oral birth control pills, low stomach acid, parasites and eating disorders. The gallbladder becomes more stagnant with some of these, but issues can arise even before gallstones are formed. Stress can cause stagnation in this organ as well.
If there is stagnation in the gallbladder its proper function will be impeded, and symptoms such as bloating, loose stools or constipation, morning congestion, abdominal pain, palpitations and even plantar fasciitis may occur, among others! I see a variety of symptoms relating to the gallbladder, depending on the patient.
As I mentioned, some of these issues may even arise once you have had your gallbladder removed! How you ask? The organ is there for a reason and if your body is not able to concentrate bile and release the digestive juice when necessary, problems may ensue. It isn't always as simple as just removing it...
Simple Naturopathic treatments can be done to heal this organ and its related symptoms. For example, eating smaller and more frequently meals, drinking an herbal tea blend or acupuncture to decrease stagnation. Consider seeing a Naturopathic Doctor if you have any questions or digestive concerns that may be related to this sometimes forgotten organ.
In health & happiness,
Dr. Karen