by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 13, 2014 | Gratitude, Happiness, Health, Letting Go, Love, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Psychology
Losses and pivotal life changes can make us feel as if our world of comforts and familiarity is crumbling away beneath us, leaving us with a sense of emptiness and shaken emotional instability. However awful these times may seem, they can also offer us the gift of intimately knowing ourselves, and the opportunity to grow and learn. We are at our most vulnerable, our most creative and, in a sense, our most awake and alive during times of emotional duress. Our sensitivity is heightened, and although many of these feelings are extremely painful, our ability to experience this pain also leaves us open to the possibility of truly feeling everything the world has to offer: excruciating suffering but also the promise of immense joy.
When we think of healing we often think of taking medications, receiving treatments or long courses of therapy. We often overlook the importance of the little, comforting things we can do to help nurture ourselves through painful times. These rituals and small comforts are powerful healing facilitators; we only need the courage to turn to them and to trust that we are on the right path.
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 5, 2014 | Health, Motivation, Nutrition, Psychology
Creating a vision board is a great, right-brained way to identify your goals for the new year.
New Year’s Day has come and gone, meaning it’s time for me to dust myself off, put away the wool blanket I’ve been camping out under with a good book, wash my coffee cup, change out of my pyjama pants and move from a state of “being” to “doing” again (just a bit more doing). I’ve never been a huge fan of New Year’s resolutions; they’ve always seemed to me like a fatalistic fad that we have already given ourselves permission to break. Even before we set off on our trek, we know that most New Year’s resolutions are doomed to die out and so we often resign ourselves to failing before we begin.
That being said, the new year, while just a symbolic date on our calenders, does signal new beginnings. It’s the end of down time – most of us are heading back to school after a period of rest and rejuvenation. It marks the passing of the winter solstice; the days are beginning to get longer, the earth is gathering warmth and rekindling our inner fires, which bring with them the motivation we need to accomplish our deepest, most important goals. So, this first post of the new year is dedicated to goal setting. It’s one of the skills we naturopathic doctors (and naturopathic interns) implement often, because getting to the root cause of disease and walking the path of health is never as easy as saying “start running and eating kale”. It requires a certain amount of foresight and personal empowerment.
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 18, 2013 | Evidence Based Medicine, Health, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Politics, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
Nettle tea: a botanical with the potential to treat acne… and not cause sudden death. Sounds like a sweet deal to me.
How does naturopathic medicine treat acne? Well, it’s quite simple, really. We turn our focus to the root cause of disease. Is there a hormonal component? Is lack of hygiene an issue? Are food sensitivities at play? Is an increased toxic load on the body resulting in an elevated burden on the skin to detoxify? Is there a mental-emotional cause or result of this acne?
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 17, 2013 | Culture, Family, Health, Meditation, Mindfulness, Stress
It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to slowly ease into the holidays and enjoy it like I did before entering university, decorating the Christmas tree, sipping cinnamon spiced lattes, listening to Christmas music, taking my time with Christmas shopping and baking and acting in a holiday play.
However, for most people, the holidays are still a stressful time. The often commercial, faux-cheeriness of the season masks an underlying anxiety about being in close quarters with family, buying the perfect present, financial difficulties and all the work that must be done to meet the ever-increasing expectations we place upon ourselves at this time of year.
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 13, 2013 | Health, Lifestyle, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
When I hear the phrase, “So, Dr. Oz says…” in clinic, I feel like casting my eyes to the heavens and throwing up my arms. Hearing the successful cardiologist’s name means I either need to explain why this particular person doesn’t need to be on that particular supplement, why this caution is not applicable in this person’s case or why a certain treatment that this famous doctor recommends is probably not the best thing for this particular person at this particular time.
It’s great the there is someone in the media who is wildly popular singing natural medicine’s praises. It’s wonderful that people like him, watch his show and get excited about empowering themselves when it comes to their health. However, I have beef with hearing his name mentioned repeatedly in patient visits. The main reason: Dr. Oz is not a naturopathic doctor.
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 9, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Detoxification, Health, Preventive Medicine
Preventive medicine is a buzz-phrase that many medical professionals love to throw around. However, in the conventional medical system the term prevention is often used to apply to what should be known as screening. Tests such as PAP smears, mammograms and colonoscopies do not prevent cancer, they simply attempt to screen a large portion of the population to detect the presence of these cancers at an early stage, when treatment can be most affective. They are recommended for silent diseases that only produce symptoms once they are advanced, but they are screening exams, they do not, in and of themselves, prevent cancer. If one of these tests comes back positive, it means that the patient’s body is already along the course of disease and needs treatment.
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 19, 2013 | Colombia, Cooking, Food, Health, Nutrition, Recipes
Now that the first snowflakes are blowing our way here in Canada, I am missing the warmth of South America even more. Since vegetables in Colombia, South America are often hard to come by in traditional dishes, I often find myself piling on the “hogao”, a delicious vegetable salsa. I’ve since come to associate the taste with travelling, smiling friends and happy memories in the Andean sunshine. Here is a recipe for the delicious Colombian food staple that can be used as a dip for fried plantain, yucca, crackers or tortilla chips. It can also be used as a topping to meat, soups or sandwiches. (more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 15, 2013 | Cooking, Digestion, Food, Health, Nutrition, Recipes
There is nothing like a bowl of warm soup, with steaming vegetables, to help nurse the body through cold weather and a stressful season. Save the salads and cold wraps for summer and protect your immune and digestive system by indulging in easy-to-digest warming foods. This is a hearty soup with a healthy serving of protein and a decent helping of leafy greens. (more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 11, 2013 | Food, Health, Nutrition
In North America, we are faced with a problem that is unique to our side of the world: over-abundance of food. We lack the traditional foundations of eating, most of us have spent our childhood in classrooms and in front of televisions, not helping our grandmothers need dough for gnocchi or boiling tomatoes for canning for the winter. Few of us know how to make bread from scratch or ferment milk for yogurt. Our time is slim and the emergence of the empowered, working female has taken us out of the kitchen and into the supermarket or restaurant where food brands compete for our attention, promising us lucrative health claims, confusing the matter even more.
When I travel, people from other countries ask me what a typical “Canadian Dish” is. I, think of how my favourite food is Ethiopian injera and stews or how we often celebrate by going out for sushi, taking part in enjoying cuisine from two different countries I have yet to visit. This is one of many reasons why North Americans are confused about what to eat: we lack a gastronomical identity and, because we don’t have our roots to guide us, we’re left in the dark, reading labels and feeling utterly confused.
However, eating well is a simple equation coined by author Michael Pollen, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This healthy eating ideology outlines the importance of eating something called “whole foods”, the holy grail of healthy food, which basically include food that is minimally processed, in its whole, natural form.
Navigating the complexities of food choices can be daunting, especially when trying to maintain a healthy diet in a world filled with processed options. This is where meal kit services come into play, offering a practical solution for those looking to simplify their cooking routines while still prioritizing nutrition. These services deliver pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes right to your doorstep, making it easier than ever to prepare wholesome meals at home.
One appealing aspect of many meal kit services is their focus on accommodating diverse dietary preferences, including options like factor vegetarian meals. These meal kits provide a convenient way to explore plant-based cuisine while ensuring that the dishes are both delicious and nutritious. By emphasizing whole foods and seasonal ingredients, these services not only save time in meal planning but also help individuals forge a deeper connection with the food they eat.
Putting this philosophy into practice may not always be easy, however, so here are some simple rules:
(more…)
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 3, 2013 | Addiction, Alcohol, Health, Homeopathy, Politics, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
As many of you know, Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford, is in the spotlight again. It seems that the famous “Crack Video” that was reported on in May, 2013, does exist, as confirmed by Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair, who confiscated it in the drug raid, Project Traveller, a few months ago. From his numerous instances of public intoxication to his controversial, fiery politics, Rob Ford has always been a controversial mayor. He is being asked by colleagues – opponents and supporters alike – and the people of Toronto to step down from his role while he gets his life in order. While the jig seems to be up, he maintains irritatingly steadfast, refusing to take a leave of absence and even refusing to admit that he has a problem at all. It’s clear he needs some nature cure, ASAP.
Turning to one of the modalities of naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, I wonder if there isn’t a remedy that could help Mr. Ford un-stick himself from this awkward predicament and give him the strength to move forward.
(more…)
