Functional Medicine: A Holistic Approach to Health

 In Western medicine, we have many specialists—each with their own area of expertise. When you go to your family doctor with a complaint, you will be referred to the specialist that deals with that health issue. Functional medicine doctors prefer to look at whole picture. They believe all your health

How Communities can Work Together to Prevent Suicide

 The death of comedian Robin Williams last month sparked a worldwide discussion about suicide, its underlying causes and how it might be prevented. With World Suicide Prevention Day taking place September 10, the subject is certain to generate more debate as people seek to understand this important health issue. Having

Enjoy Some Digital Family Time Together

 No negative behaviour associated with kids’ use of video games in households with strong parent-child bond We live in a digital age. Technology has become an integral part of how we see, learn about and interact with the world. From computers at the office, to televisions at home, to smartphones

Prenatal Stress Can Affect the Fetal and Infant Brain

 By Nicole Letourneau and Justin Joschko Prolonged exposure to toxic stress has been linked to depression, heart disease, diabetes and alcoholism Last month, it was reported that an Edmonton woman was badly beaten by her spouse. Though the attack put her in the hospital, the police offered a silver lining

Naturopathic Medicine 101: Care and Cost

 Health care: nothing fires up Canadians more than this topic. A recent Abacus Data poll found that it continues to top the list of priorities for Canadians and the cost of providing care continues to be a major concern for those who govern it, especially as Boomers age and make

Fake It Til You Make It: Perfecting Life’s Performances

 Self-help books are sold on the promise that they can fill the gaps between who we are and who we want to be. Who are we really, though, but actors?  If “all the world is a stage,” as Shakespeare famously wrote, then stage fright can be a real problem. This

5 Steps for Reconnecting in a World of Increasing Isolation

 Emotional isolation is a growing problem, with more than one out of three adults aged 45 and older describing themselves as chronically lonely, up from one out of five a decade earlier. The contributing factors are easy to identify: high unemployment; marriage rate at a historic low; increased reliance on

What Will Really Make You Happy? Research Reveals 4 Common Misconceptions

 The idea of a happy and meaningful life has become unnecessarily complicated in some circles, says author and certified positive psychology coach Lynda Wallace, who left a high-powered executive career with Johnson & Johnson to pursue her real passion – helping individuals and groups achieve greater happiness and success. “Happiness

Healthwise: Living with anxiety and depression

 I am honoured to be welcomed as the new Accredited Health Blogger for Ottawa Life Magazine. For my first post as such, I have decided to explore an illness that affects a significant number of adults: anxiety and depression. Because of this particular time of year, and given the recent