The Art & Practice Blog
Sometimes we forget that the textbooks are about the people all around us…
I found this thought-provoking blog post from a 4th year North American medical student on the computerization of med school. As naturopathic medical students we like to think that we're the only healthcare professionals that actually "care" about people. However,...
Building Community with Cookies
While studying at the Lazy Daisy Cafe in Toronto's east end with some classmates, I came across this inspiring poster in front of the washrooms: As cities and bank accounts grow, we find ourselves becoming less social and our sense of community diminishing. We...
Body Love
This post was written in the summer of 2012. Although I hate Mayor Rob Ford, I have to hand it to the man; he must really have a strong sense of self to not get himself down over the very open disdain most Torontonians hold for him. I wonder if my ego would take that...
6 Tips for Mindful Eating
I eat fast. I love taking huge mouthfuls of food and I'm usually the first one finished at the table. Maybe it's because I'm Italian and have spent years becoming comfortable stuffing my mouth with large, heaping forkfuls, roped in spaghetti. Besides eating quickly,...
The Sunshine Award
I want to thank Leanne at Eat and Get Moving for my 3rd blog award: The Sunshine Award. Receiving this award today is fitting considering the fact that it's currently pouring rain outside. It's an honour to receive recognition from the blogging community, knowing...
Easy Pill
It's astounding when I reflect on the fact that three years of immersion in naturopathic medical philosophy haven't remedied the need for a quick-fix pill. The pill itself has changed, to become more "natural" (with the assumption that natural is far superior to a...
Autumn Colours
October 19, 2012 ends another successful midterm week at CCNM. Not including our NPLEX 1 board exam, which was written in August, our first midterm week of 3rd year ticks a grand total of 61 CCNM exams off our growing lists. This exam period was our lightest one yet...
Paleo Bread Recipe
Just for the record, I don't follow the Paleolithic diet, nor any diet for that matter. Not to a T, anyways. I enjoy eating legumes, I consume whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa, and I also enjoy eating root vegetables, most of which are eschewed on the...
Gluten and Dairy Free Berry Muffins
Now that it's midterm season, I'm officially on the baking wagon. Everyone knows that there is no better way to procrastinate than by filling your kitchen with the glorious smell of baked goods. After enviously eyeing a friend's Starbucks coffee cake, I decided it was...
7 Ways to Improve Your Health
While health magazines and other marketing campaigns often make it sound so complicated, the secrets to good health are simple: consume good food, drink water, exercise and reduce stress. We all intuitively know that obtaining great health is not found in a bottle,...
Paleo Pumpkin Pie
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! One of the my favourite holidays, Thanksgiving is about practicing gratitude while getting together with family for delicious seasonal food, warming spices and, of course, eating pumpkin pie! I thank my classmate, L, for this delicious...
The “It’s Still Summer” Strawberry Spinach Salad
Since the summer I've been obsessed with this particular salad. It consists of strawberries, a handful of almonds and baby spinach (or mixed greens) and is dressed with a simple vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. My summer go-to lunch for most days of the...
A Naturopathic Dinner For Busy People
For the next three weeks I'm house-sitting at my parents', 1.5 hours away from the school. Not only are classes at CCNM long and tiresome, my commute time has also increased. I also have the added stress of having a small dog waiting for me when I get home. This...
The Long Distance Tunnel
I have been in a long-distance relationship with J since August 2010. Here is my reflection. It's a rollarcoaster of emotions - the oscillation between being OK with it - the "it's better this way, we're both so busy we wouldn't survive if we were physically together"...
Forest Bath
Now that we're into fall it seems like I have a to-do list a mile long. Fortunately, even in a city like Toronto, there is still the opportunity to find the space between all the things that have to be done and slow down by doing some Shinrin-yoku, or "forest...
DIY: Calendula Oil Infusion
One of my favourite herbs to treat skin is calendula, or marigold. The bright orange petals from this pretty flower helps soothe and moisturize minor cuts, burns, bruises and scratches, helping to increase the speed of wound-healing and decrease infection. Calendula...
Allergen-Free Pad Thai
The Elimination Diet doesn't have to be just about chicken and brown rice. Here's how to enjoy delicious Asian food-cart food from the comfort of your own home, without sacrificing your diet. This pad thai recipe is not only safe to eat, it actually contains...
Naturopathic Medicine, EBM and the Skeptic
It seems that, for every person who embraces the idea of holistic medicine with open arms and an open mind, there is at least one skeptic who refuses to acknowledge that alternative medical practices not only exist, but are growing in popularity, helping thousands of...
Colombian Nature Cure Photography
Treat yourself to some visual nature cure with green scenes from Colombian towns around Bogotá and Medellín. 2012. Parque de los Pies Descalzos, Medellín. Piedra El Peñón, Guatapé. Guatapé, Antioquia. Chia, Cundinamarca. Santa Fe de Antioquia,...
Two-Wheeled Wings
Back in May, when the four glorious months of summer lay before me like a vast, expansive ocean, I had the luxury of fantasy. I imaged myself, summer skirts flowing and carrying a basket full of flowers, gliding over pavement on my bicycle. When the weather is...