Learning to Let Go: Why I Don’t Bother Memorizing the Actions Anymore
At CCNM we have an quarterly exam in Point Location, or acupuncture. The exam consists of memorizing all of the points on two or more acupuncture channels (usually around 60-70 different points), along with the underlying anatomy, contraindications and the depth and...
The Quickest Art History Lesson Ever
J recently posted this cute and hilarious picture on my Facebook wall. I'm sure it pretty much sums up a 4 year degree in Art History (without the tedious readings and essays) in one quick glance, not that I have a degree in Art History but, you know... I decided...
The NADA Protocol: mejor que nada!
The NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol for addictions recovery and detoxification consists of 5 acupuncture points on each ear. Developed by Michael Smith, it has been implemented in North America in various detoxification and addictions...
The Ecology of the Body: Extracting One Part from the Whole
Did you know that women who have a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) can suffer from lack of creativity and a decrease in overall motivation after the organ has been removed? According to Ayurveda, the uterus is an extremely Pitta organ. As an organ, it holds an...
“Eat Me”
In Alice's world there was a pill to make you smaller and another to make you taller. In the world we live, however, we have pills that cover us for virtually everything - even racism. My pharmacology group recently presented an article on how blood pressure...
Painting
Resist the urge to play music, to instead settle on silence, the only sound being the bristle of brush strokes on dollarstore canvas board (you buy paint supplies on a student budget, after all). You hope one day to be able to afford Series 3 colours like aquamarine....
Poetry Slam Semi-Finals
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending my second Toronto Poetry Slam at the The Drake Hotel on Queen West West. 12 poets went head-to-head in a spoken word competition. This weekend were the semi-finals (the finals are on April 20th at The Royal). The feature...
Saturday Morning Yoga
The Many Uses of Castor Oil
Castor oil is one of the best kept secrets of naturopathic medicine. Taken from the bean of the castor plant, this oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, an important active constituent that makes castor oil so special. The oil was originally ingested as a laxative....
Second Year Blues
I've been struggling lately. The weather has gone back to its windy, cold and moody self, after playing mind games with us for a week or so. I'm back to taking my vitamin D, since the sun isn't offering it up for free anymore. Maybe that's why I feel cheated. It...
Feeling Just Beachy!
There's something to be said for good company, sun and sand to bring you out of a dark, rainy slump. Last week was a particularly emotional one for me, which in part is due to my Reiki initiation, which can cause some energetic side effects, and some events happening...
Treat the Individual
I can't really say that I'm a creature of habit. I easily tire of routine and consistency. Maybe it was for this reason that I felt the need to take off from Canada for a few years and travel, why I remain a perpetual student (no two days are the same and we get a...
5 Ways to Boost Your Energy
It doesn't matter how many espresso shots I have before leaving the house in the morning, without fail, by mid-afternoon I am ready to hit the sack. Unfortunately for most of us with this problem, our day's responsibilities don't end at 3:00 pm. Head slumped over the...
Almond Shells
When I was small I used to sit in a shopping cart, eating almonds off of the pile in the grocery store, while Nonna shopped for food. She would hand me shelled almonds to snack on, but she would buy them in bulk, with their shells, and we'd crack them at home....
Knock Knock Knockin’ on Gabo’s Door
One of the realities of human suffering is the sensation of time passing us by. It is one of the pains of being alive and aware of it. Oftentimes we live on autopilot, bored with our present circumstances and rushing through life to the next good thing we have...
Spring Cleaning and Detoxification
Now that the chinook winds have begun to blow, allowing us to shed our black, down-filled coats to reveal our pale, doughy winter flesh, we know it's time to shed the clutter, dust and stagnation that kept us warm and comforted during the long Winter. The urge to dump...
Meet Giacomo
Meet Giacomo, my Italian neighbour. Giacomo enjoys gardening, making his own wine, cooking for himself and has recently undergone triple bypass heart surgery and is recovering fabulously. He has just celebrated his 92nd birthday. In our nutrition class, we watched...
An Exercise in Empathy
As mentioned before, naturopaths are not necessarily defined by our toolbox of modalities. What, then, does define us as a profession? As we witness a rise in the demand for complementary and alternative medicine, and with it, the rise in something called the...
Holy ‘Mole: Nature’s Perfect Food
I love guacamole. The smooth, slightly bitter taste of fresh avocado, cut with the sour, clean taste of lemon, the pure pungency of raw garlic (I love garlic, especially raw), the sweetness of tomato, all rounded out with a hint of salt. Guacamole, combined with some...
Defining Food Sensitivities
It seems that almost everyone is "gluten-free" these days. I often hear the following Frequently Asked Questions surrounding the gluten and dairy-free phenomenon: Is this a trend? If these people have gluten allergies, why don't they need to carry an epi-pen? Is...