The new Federal Budget was announced yesterday and amoung the new changes is HST exemption for Naturopathic Medicine.

Previously, clients needed to pay the added 13% HST fee on top of the cost of regular Naturopathic visits. This fee schedule was unlike other health care providers like chiropractors, dieticians, dental hygenists, midwives, massage therapists, optometrists, physiotherapists and most recently, acupuncturists that are a part of the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). 

Naturopathic Doctors are expected to move under the umbrella of the RHPA in the spring of 2014, a move that has been a long time coming. Up until 2007, NDs were regulated under the antiquated Drugless Practitioners Act. In anticipation of proclamation, NDs have now established a formal College of Naturopaths of Ontario and are currently legislated under the Naturopathy Act.

Bottom line: we are removing the barriers towards access of primary care for people in Canada... and we now have more options.

What's your New Years resolution?

We hear it all the time. I'm going to quit smoking, start exercising, be healthy, lose weight, be a better listener....all manner of things that are basically saying "I want to change who I am".

This year, I'm going to be real. 

I just had a heart-to-heart with one of my awesome colleagues. In our conversation, it came up that I tend to be different people in different situations. I think this is something that we all do from time to time, this wearing of different hats. But I think there is a large grain of truth to this. 

Frankly, it has been one heck of a year for everyone I know, this "2013 Year of Change". Personally, I went from career medical student, moving back to my hometown and in with my mother-in-law, to studying my butt off for NPLEX (our Naturopathic Licensing Examinations), building a business from scratch, testing out my clinical skills and learning to manage and treat conditions that I'd never seen before, networking and speaking to the who's who of Stratford... and my head has just not stopped spinning.

By necessity we compartmentalize parts of ourselves. I don't call my coworkers pet names like I do my cat, nor do I constantly talk about the importance of gut flora to every person I meet at a party. Well, maybe my husband would disagree. I'm working on that part, anyways. We like to think that we can blend in and apply relevant parts of ourselves to specific scenarios. A skill, to be certain, but how satisfying is it to feel like five different people at any one time?

For me, I think this means taking time to establish who I am. What am I like when I am alone, when nobody is watching? Do I feel the same about myself when I'm wearing professional clothing? Do I use my own language, talk up what I'm feeling, or talk down to someone else? What do I have to offer, besides my vulnerable self, when I am not actively giving advice to someone in front of me?

I don't mean to say that I will show up at work wearing my new one-sie I got for Christmas... merely that integrating things like sense of humour and a striving for understanding into health-related discussions in office should take precedence over attempting to appear knowledgeable/professional/superior/smarter or anything else.  Who are we, not as doctors, mothers, teachers, workers, musicians, but as human beings?

For my patients, I would say that being authentic, living YOUR unique purpose is worth its weight in fancy hats for every occasion. In practice, it is another story. We can work on it... and I AM working on it.

Rather than change who I am, this year, I just want to be me. You be you. 

There was a running joke in our family growing up: Don't mess with a German Sheppard while it's eating. By German Sheppard, we meant me. 

I don't mean to say that I was particularly clumsy with my utensils - on the contrary, my mother was very adamant about us knowing exactly which fork to use, how to use chopsticks, a la Emily Post.  Nor that I was the perfect family pet. 

The joke was that I am very serious with my food. I wake up excited about all of the delicious things that I want to eat in the day, my husband and I are addicts of Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course, and I am happiest puttering around the kitchen making food for my family. 

Also, that one might be taking their life into their hands by coming between me and my plate. 

My father actually called me "Spike" as a kid, and my uncle DID teach me to growl as a toddler... just capitalizing on my hungry dog status.  I digress.

In Chinese Medicine, there is the concept of "Digestive Fire" which is essential for us to be able to process the foods we take into our body, extract the nutrients and in turn be nourished. In me the Digestive Fire was quite strong. In fact, I would diagnose myself as having Stomach Fire, which can show up as extreme hunger, canker sores, lots of burping, and unquenchable thirst. Add to that a family propensity for hypoglycemia and not enough vegetables, and we had a recipe for a kennel full of hangry (hungry + angry, fyi) puppies at our house. 

That is, until I adopted a more Primal or WAPF way of eating. I used to go from craving starch, and carbs, and salt, and sugar... and did you just say cupcake???? ALL THE TIME to only having minimal food cravings and feeling more satisfied.  My secret? 

Chew the fat. 

Yes, you can discuss your day at the dinner table. What I really mean is that by increasing healthy fats in my diet I no longer am in danger of causing bodily harm to my loved ones in public because someone just wanted a bite (probably of my steak). Fats act to slow the digestion and absorption of sugar into your blood stream which means that you will feel more stable, energetic and full longer.  

Sugar is essentially a drug - we crave it because it gives us a high, and when the effect wears off, we feel a low. We get miserable, hungry, tired and generally unpleasant. And we are craving another fix.  I see a lot of people that get that 3pm slump where they could use a nap, or coffee and chocolate because they feel so tired! The first place to start, therefore, is with breakfast and lunch.  If you are consuming a lot of sugars in isolation with little protein and fats (think the classic TV commercial breakfast of a bowl of cereal, skim milk, a banana and orange juice) you will be experiencing this guaranteed. The same goes for my smoothie-loving friends out there that just have frozen fruit and OJ blended up with nothing else for breakfast.  Junkies, all of you! 

I can't judge, however, because I was there.  Since re-evaluating my food patterns this is no longer a problem.  My favorite go-to fat and protein snacks are almond/cashew/sunflower butter, nuts, coconut oil, avocados, bacon (make sure it is good quality), salmon, kippered herring, sardines, olive oil and of course... meat. 

Since then my Digestive Fire has gone from a burning inferno to gently simmering.  

Stay tuned for more Optimizing Your Digestion Tips!

Yours in health,

Dr. Roesner

p.s. Check out these awesome Cereal commercials!

At the end of my first week of clinic I felt a little off. Let's just say that in my enthusiasm for my new practice that I wasn't eating quite enough.  Add to that a little less time to prepare meals and I had a recipe for a few headaches and digestive unrest.  No emergencies or anything, just not a feel-good combination.

So what does a Naturopathic Doctor do when she gets sick? She opens her toolbox of course!

My go to for any digestive-related distress has always been a cup of peppermint or spearmint tea.  I can typically feel it working within a few minutes of having that hot steaming mug. Guaranteed.

I walked downtown to my favorite tea purveyor, Distinctly Tea, on York Street. They have the best teas around and even when I was in Toronto studying at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, I would make the trek anytime I came back home into the store to fill up my home herbal dispensary. Call me loyal or stubborn, but it's the only place I go for my tea.

Anyways, when I got there, I ordered a 100 g bag of my organic spearmint or, as I learned it in my training, Mentha spicata..  I also remembered that I was out of chamomile - another great digestive, calming herb that acts as a carminative. A carminative, for those not familiar with herbal medicine, is an herb that acts to release gas and settle an upset stomach. Highly recommended after any rich meal. I love Distinctly Tea's chamomile because it tends to be a lot less bitter than others that I've tried in the past. Did you know that the name "chamomile" is translated from the Greek words meaning "ground apple"? A good bag of Matricaria recutita  does indeed smell of apples.

Our amazing massage therapist, Samantha Mount, at the Stratford Health & Wellness Centre is a fan of Pu-erh tea.  I remember learning that pu-erh in particular is great for tummy troubles too. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is responsible for transforming the food we eat and sending the nutritional components of it out to the body, to allow good circulation of Qi (the vital force of the body) and Blood, nourish the muscles and promote good mental energy.  When the Spleen is distressed we can become fatigued, lethargic, have poor memory, have digestive upset and easy bruising.  Pu-erh tea helps to nourish the Spleen and dispel "Damp"...a perfect pairing with my somewhat empty and un-restful feeling belly. With its earthy taste and calming aroma... and my full shopping basket I was ready to check out.

I get home, make myself a combination cup of the pu-erh and peppermint.  Guess what? Within five minutes, I could feel things start to get better.

And this is what I love about being a Naturopathic Doctor: having the tools to treat all the little things that come up.  I teach my patients how to manage their symptoms at home. I am a real believer in having people feel empowered about their health care, and feeling like they are in the driver's seat. I act as a guide, steering people through their concerns, but ultimately it is up to each of us to step up and take control of our health.  Even if it's as simple as a making a cup of tea.

It was a cold wet day but inside St. John's United Church were lots of excited people.

Stratford's second Embracing Your Radiant Health Expo, organized by the multi-talented Nancy Telfer of Rawesome Nutrition , was a success in more ways than one.  The event boasted several speakers discussing topics ranging from natural perfumes, to Theta Healing and yoga. There was also a healer's room where people could sign-up for mini-sessions with a variety of different healers and receive personalized consultations. The Expo room was full of different practitioners, offering energetic readings, selling handmade products and so much more.  I met so many great people, all of whom were interested and curious.

I just couldn't resist Grasse Roots' amazing Revolution Lip Smack flavored with Revel Caffe's own coffee blend.. it was chocolate coffee heaven without the caffeine high. I am in love with it! Being a dabbler in kitchen beauty making myself, I loved Claire's approach to scent making. All of her products are handmade, using natural essential oils rather than the synthetic fragrances you might find in many other products. Her love of creating these beautiful scents really shows, and I will be a happy repeat customer. Bonus, because she's a local gal too!

Speaking of inspiring Stratford women, I had the pleasure of meeting Pam Gerrand.  Serenading the Expo room throughout the day, Pam wowed me with her hauntingly beautiful voice and beautiful spirit.  I've been listening to her CD "Pray Rain" on repeat ever since.

As for yours truly, I was offering mini Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) consultations with tongue & pulse analysis, along with dietary suggestions and ear acupuncture based on what I found. In TCM, one's constitution can be seen via the tongue - with different organs represented in different areas - and the pulse, which offers a more acute picture of someone's state of health. Many of my "customers" were surprised to find that such a story could be told about their health just by reading.  But that's just it. Everyone's body tells a story about their strengths, weaknesses and challenges.  My job is to work with these cues to help create a program specific to their needs.

In office, I do a more in-depth analysis, taking into consideration all symptoms, dietary patterns and mood to create an effective treatment plan that really targets the root cause of one's illness.  I also combine ear (auricular) acupuncture for quick results with whole-body acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary therapy to help correct the imbalances that are causing the symptoms for a truly individualized holistic treatment.

How can I help you to embrace YOUR radiant health? 

Day 1 accepting new patients at Stratford Health & Wellness Centre. I had my medical bag packed, white coat freshly ironed, my lunch packed and new patients booked for the day. 

"This is it!",  I thought. My new office looks beautiful, albeit a work under construction, and I AM READY.

In my first hour I had flowers delivered to me... all the way from California from the McCullough Girls. They were so beautiful and really helped to brighten up the room!

It was a total whirlwind of a day..and I loved every minute of it, meeting my new patients, settling in, chatting with the other great practitioners here.

Around 4pm, I remembered how awesome it was going to be to come home to my pot roast in the slow cooker. As a Paleo Diet/Cavegirl at heart, I truly value a good piece of red meat. 

Then I remembered that I forgot to remember to turn on the slow cooker!

"Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!" I don't think my voice reverberated quite as far as the Stratford city limits, but it had to have been pretty close.  I definitely scared a few birds into migrating early.

So what does a Naturopathic Doctor with a lust for red meat do in times of small appliance amnesia? She heads to The Butcher The Baker, of course!

Strolling in at six o'clock with a wild I'm-about-to-go-into-a-meat-frenzy glint in my eye, Rick pointed me towards the sausage.  I ordered ten of the big guys. Ever curious, I asked about the plain sausage in front of me. The ones that were begging me to eat them. Rick told me that they make all the sausage in-house and that all the meat is from the Perth Country area. The plain that I ordered truly was: pork, salt and pepper.  Bonus - local, gluten-free, no weird additives.

I practically skipped home with my bag of meat, and along with some oven-roasted beets, and leftover roasted pumpkin, we all ate dinner happily ever after. 

Next time, I'm trying the Beer & Bacon sausage!

Hi there! You! Yes, you!

My name is Dr. Keila Roesner and I'm a Naturopathic Doctor... and I want to know how I can help you!

With less than week to go before I begin seeing patients at the Stratford Health & Wellness Centre in my beautiful hometown of Stratford, Ontario, I'm feeling really excited.

I've been busy launching my website www.KeilaRoesnerND.com, attending networking events through the Stratford Perth Centre for Business, renovating my office with the help of my ever-wonderful husband and meeting so many new faces in the last few weeks.

What I've really noticed in this time is that everyone I talk to is curious:

• Curious about why they are waking up at night. 
• Curious about that article Dr. Oz mentioned last week.
• Curious about how to make healthy meals for the family in less time than it takes to watch the 5 o'clock news. 
• Even more curious about why their poop moved up a ranking on the Bristol Stool Chart this morning (believe me, I hear it all!)

Here's the thing.  Each and every one of us tick a little differently. What works for your neighbour's arthritis might not work for yours. But we're all still curious.

As a Naturopathic Doctor, my role is to help guide you through the overload of health information, and to weed out what works and doesn't. I am trained to assess, diagnose and treat patients from infancy to the nursing home, and together we create an individualized treatment plan that works for YOU.

I welcome your curiosity about your health. Bring me your random questions, that stuff you felt embarrassed to ask about.  Together, we can sit down and work it out.

I also offer FREE 15 minute consultations so you can decide whether I can help you - just call (519) 271-8323 and our fantastic receptionist Melanie will set you up.

Stratford Health & Wellness Centre
137 Albert Street 
Stratford, ON
N5A 3K5

(519) 271-8323

I look forward to working with you!

Forever curious,

Dr. Keila Roesner ND