The Art & Practice Blog
From Carnivore to Colours: A Year of Dietary Experimentation
I wanted to share a recent story about my experience with the Carnivore Diet and Low Insulin Lifestyle. Maybe it's because I just finished watching Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar, but sharing my health experience feels strange: very health-influencer-esque. There is...
The Low Insulin Lifestyle with Dr. Ali Chappell, PhD on the Good Mood Podcast
I am excited to introduce a new podcast episode (I know it's been a while). I've been deep in the weeds of research about insulin resistance for a course I'm working on (for a health education platform that I'm very excited to tell you more about in the coming...
Pairing Wine and Weed: Exploring Santa Rosa’s Dispensary Scene
Santa Rosa, nestled in the heart of Sonoma County, has long been celebrated for its world-class vineyards and rich winemaking heritage. In recent years, the city has also emerged as a hub for premium cannabis, offering enthusiasts a unique opportunity to explore the...
What to Look for in a Napa Dispensary When You Value Craft Cannabis and Culture
Napa Valley is synonymous with craft. Known worldwide for its boutique wineries and artisanal spirit, the region has quietly become a destination for another kind of connoisseur—those who appreciate craft cannabis. If you’re someone who values carefully grown flower,...
From Grow to Shop: How Vista Is Shaping a Thoughtful Dispensary Experience
The cannabis industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, and Vista, California, is emerging as a standout example of how a community can thoughtfully embrace this growth. Known for its progressive approach to local cannabis regulation, Vista is fostering a unique...
Psychotherapy in Ontario is Now HST Exempt
On Thursday, June 20th, the Ontario government passed Bill C-59, exempting psychotherapy sessions from HST. This is excellent news! This means that from now on, HST does not need to be charged for therapy visits (it was removed from Naturopathic Medicine appointments...
A Work in Progress
The first time I saw a naturopathic doctor was a few years before I contemplated becoming one myself. I had finished my undergrad degree and was bumming around for the summer, working on film sets, trying to get help for some underlying hormonal condition which I now...
Navigating the Healthcare System
I, like most of my colleagues became a naturopathic doctor because of my own extremely disempowering experiences with the healthcare system. The healthcare delivery system has faced numerous challenges, leading many practitioners, including myself, to seek...
What I Learned from Camping at -5 degrees Celsius
From Thursday to Tuesday (yesterday) I was camping on Canada's East Coast in Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia (near Halifax, Cole Harbour, etc.) I was nervous about the trip. I've never winter camped before (in a tent, no less). I've winter surfed, but never without...
Microbial Wisdom: How your gut bugs can influence your levels of wisdom and loneliness
Hippocrates once said "all disease begins in the gut" and, even though as a naturopathic doctor I have internalized this to the utmost degree, I still forget from time to time. So, when I was having an increase in histamine symptoms (itchy eyes, runny nose,...
Spleen Qi and the Change of Season
What is your favourite season? Normally Fall is mine. Perhaps it's because I've spent so many years as a perennial student, but the wool scarves, crisp leaves and fresh air (and pumpkin spice!) has always held a special place in my heart.However, this year fall hit...
Rolling with the Times: a New Approach to Vitamin D and Iron Supplementation
Did you know it can take modern medical research 17 to 20 years before it reaches mainstream medical practice? Sometimes it takes us time to be sure and this means repeating study results over and over again with various populations. Sometimes, however it can...
Following the Science
Is medicine a science? The short answer is it's an applied science. We've been hearing quite a lot about The Science these days. So, what is science? How does science guide medical practice and naturopathic medicine? The science council defines science as, "the...
Health is a Complex System
Brett Weinstein and Heather Heying have a t-shirt that says "Welcome to Complex Systems" on it. Indeed. Many patients and biological reductionism want to know what caused my anxiety, depression, hormonal issues, and autoimmune disease? What did I do wrong, or that...
Stomach pH is a Chesterton’s Fence: beware of tearing it down
G.K. Chesterton described a scenario like this: "There exists in such a case a certain institution or law; let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, “I don’t see the...
Tallow Salve
It's been a long time since I've posted something about DIY natural skincare. I used to tinker in my kitchen, mixing up concoctions using beeswax, cocoa butter, and other ingredients to create natural deodorants, lip balms, and dry shampoos. It was a lot of fun but...
Some Like it Cold: the therapeutic benefits of “freezing your butt off”
In the winter of 2019 I took a surfing lesson in Costa Rica. I fell in love--the sun and salt water on my skin, the beautiful view of the beach, the spray off the back of the waves, the loud crashing of translucent turquoise, and the feeling of power, ease, flow and...
Killer Red Paleo Cury
You know how you just want the recipe and yet you have to scroll through someone's long story about their cat and their grandma and a blistery winter day? Forget all that. I made this curry. Here's the recipe (you're welcome 😜 ): Ingredients: 1 can coconut milk (full...
Put Yourself in the Way of Beauty: on sunsets, sunrises, water, and nature
"There’s a sunrise and a sunset every day and you can choose to be there or not."You can put yourself in the way of beauty.”- Cheryl Strayed, WildYellow and orange hues stimulate melatonin production, aiding sleep.Melatonin is not just our sleep hormone, it’s an...
Heal Your Anxiety in a 90 Second Wave Ride
It was a crappy week and I was chatting with a friend online. He said something that triggered me... it just hit some sort of nerve. I backed away from my computer, feeling heavy. I went to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water and collapsed, elbows on the...