In Traditional Chinese medicine cooler weather means we should select warming foods to nourish our body. Du La, ND gave us a short list of her favourite everyday warming foods and this easy recipe to incorporate them into your weekly meals. Enjoy!

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced – 6 full-sized
• Sweet onion, diced – 1 medium-sized
• Garlic, minced – 2 cloves
• Cashews, raw or unsalted – ½ cup
• Ginger, freshly grated – 1 tbsp (if you are like me, and LOVE Ginger, add more!)
• Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
• Coconut milk – 1 can
• Water, unsweetened almond milk, or vegetable stock – 1-1½ cups
• Maple syrup – 1-2 tbsps (or to taste)
• Ground cinnamon – 1½ tsps
• Ground cumin – 1½ tsps
• Nutmeg, freshly ground – ½ tsp
• Sea salt – to taste

Directions:

1. Warm the coconut oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced carrots, onion, garlic and spices and sauté until carrots are soft and onions are slightly caramelized.
3. Once the carrots and onions have softened add the coconut milk, cashews, ginger, and maple syrup.
4. Bring to a low bubble over medium heat, don’t let it boil!
5. Allow soup to simmer 20 minutes.
6. From here, place the contents of the pot into a high powered blender and start blending on low. Add your liquid of choice in small amounts until you have your desired consistency. If you do not have a high powered blender, you can use an immersion blender instead.

Love this recipe? You can find more recipes, and other fantastic food ideas on my Instagram!

Whilst posting the previous entry on Thyroid Health, we noticed we had prepared another article, more specifically on low thyroid function, that ultimately hadn’t been posted by the site we prepared it for, so decided to share it here. Enjoy.

Imbalances in thyroid gland function are relatively common, often tricky to diagnose and can cause a wide range of common symptoms. Low thyroid function affects approximately 10% of adults over the age of 65, mostly women.

Thyroid hormones are our main metabolism hormones, but also affect mental function. Symptoms of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) include:

• Low energy
• Coldness
• Weight gain
• Muscle aches
• Increased levels of “bad” cholesterol
• Infertility

In more advanced cases, a person may experience:

• Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
• Poor concentration and memory
• Constipation
• Menstrual irregularities
• Dryness of skin and hair
• Decreased heart rate and tissue swelling

The most dramatic effects of hypothyroidism are:

• Infertility
• Birth defects (to children born to mothers who have low thyroid function during pregnancy)
• Coma, in very advanced, untreated cases

Low thyroid function has a range of causes, including:

• Inflammation caused by an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the most common cause
• Pregnancy, which can trigger an autoimmune condition in some women
• Iodine deficiency, or iodine “excess”
• Side effects, or damage to the thyroid gland by medications (e.g., steroids, some mood medications) or surgery
• Hormonal factors involving decreased stimulation to the thyroid gland

Thyroid function is assessed by measuring the body’s levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The reason hypothyroidism can be tricky to identify, is that the symptoms are non-specific, and because many feel the “normal” range for TSH is too high, resulting in persons who actually have inadequate thyroid function to be assessed as healthy, unless their physician is willing to “dig deeper”. This situation is described as “subclinical hypothyroidism”.

Naturopathic medicine can be very effective in treating low thyroid function. The first step is identifying exactly what is to be treated by “digging deeper”:

• Confirming subclinical hypothyroidism by suggesting appropriate follow-up testing
• Identifying potential triggers for autoimmune activity using food allergen testing
• Identifying other potential hormonal causes by assessing a person’s entire health history. As an example: levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, are required for production the key thyroid hormone, T3. Stress levels, and function of the adrenal gland, which mediates our ability to adapt to stress, must be considered when working to unravel the thyroid puzzle. This is lacking in the conventional approach.

Once we know what the actual problem is, it can be treated. Possible courses of action include:

• “Rebalancing” of immune system by removal of dietary triggers for autoimmunity. Common triggers include dairy, eggs and soy.
• “Rebalancing” of immune system activity, and reduction of inflammation, using botanical medicines such as medicinal mushrooms, green tea or curcumin; and nutritional supplements such as quercetin, resveratrol or pycnogenol
• Supporting production of thyroid hormone production by use of botanical medicines such as Bladderwrack
• Supporting adrenal gland function by teaching use of guided meditation and use of botanical medicines such as Ashwaganda or Ginseng.

The conventional medical approach is to introduce synthetic thyroid hormone to the system, which is effective in the short-term, but effectively shuts the thyroid gland and results in worsening of thyroid function.

In naturopathic medicine, we seek to correct the underlying cause of the thyroid under-function, with the ultimate goal of restoring the thyroid gland to normal function.

References

Skugor S. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic; [cited 2014 Nov 26]. Available at: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/endocrinology/hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism/.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) [Internet]. Mayo Clinic; [cited 2014 Nov 26]. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/basics/causes/con-20021179.

Haugen BR. Drugs that suppress TSH or cause central hypothyroidism. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. Dec 2009;23(6):793–800.

James M. Thyroid health [Internet]. Women’s Health Network; [cited 2014 Nov 26]. Available at: http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/thyroid-health/thyroid-basics.aspx.

Phenekos C, Vryonidou A, Gritzapis AD, Baxevanis CN, Goula M, Papamichail M. Th1 and Th2 serum cytokine profiles characterize patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (Th1) and Graves’ disease (Th2). Neuroimmunomodulation. 2004;11(4):209-13.

Tomicić S, Fälth-Magnusson K, Böttcher MF. Dysregulated Th1 and Th2 responses in food-allergic children-does elimination diet contribute to the dysregulation? Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010 Jun;21(4 Pt 1):649-55.

Clinical aspect of TH1 and TH2 balance [Internet]. Allergy Clinic Online; [cited 2014 Nov 26]. Available at: http://allergycliniconline.com/2012/04/01/clinical-aspect-in-th1-and-th2-balance/

 

Posted: 2016 September 13

 

 

Here’s the copy we wrote for an article for our friend’s blog, Joyous Health. It’s hasn’t been posted yet, but we thought we’d share it here as well.

Check out Joyous Health for other articles we have written on children’s health and sun protection and, as well as other great content on healthy eating and lifestyle.

The thyroid gland is a small, but absolutely essential gland located in the lower portion of the front of the neck.

The main functions of the thyroid gland are to regulate metabolism, and in younger persons, growth of bones and sexual development.

Thyroid dysfunction can occur in two ways: over-activity of the thyroid gland, and, more commonly, under-activity. This dysfunction is defined by levels of thyroid hormones under laboratory examination, meaning that a person may be diagnosed with thyroid illness without necessarily experiencing thyroid-associated symptoms.

Over-activity of the thyroid gland, or hyperthyroidism, is relatively rare, affecting approximately 1-2% of persons according to laboratory results (with fewer than that actually experiencing symptoms).

Under-activity of the thyroid gland, or hypothyroidism, is more common, affecting approximately 10% of persons older than 65 years, women more often than men, again, with fewer than that actually experiencing symptoms.

Hyperthyroidism

The symptoms of hyperthyroidism are caused by anything that results in the thyroid gland producing excessive amounts of thyroid hormones (referred to as T-3 and T-4), most commonly:

• Autoimmune conditions (e.g., Grave’s disease, the most common cause of hyperthyroidism, in which the immune system stimulates the thyroid gland to produce excessive amounts of T-4)
• Adenomas (non-cancerous growths on the thyroid gland) that for unknown reasons, produce excessive amounts of T-4
• Inflammation of the thyroid gland (thyroiditis), which allows stored thyroid hormone to leak into the bloodstream

As mentioned above, a person may have abnormal levels of thyroid hormone detected by laboratory testing without experiencing thyroid illness symptoms. Symptoms that a person with hyperthyroidism may experience, can be conceived of as “speeding up” of body functions, and may include:

• Sudden weight loss, without a change in diet
• Rapid, irregular or “pounding” heartbeat
• Increased appetite
• Nervousness, anxiety and/or irritability
• Tremor – usually a fine trembling in hands and fingers
• Sweating
• Increased sensitivity to heat
• Changes in bowel patterns, especially more frequent bowel movements
• Enlargement of the thyroid gland (called “goiter”), which may appear as a swelling at the base of the neck
• Difficulty sleeping
• Skin thinning
• Fatigue and/or muscle weakness
• Changes in menstrual patterns

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism symptoms are caused by either under-production of thyroid hormones, or compromised availability of thyroid hormones that have been produced, by:

• Autoimmune disease (i.e., Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the most common cause of low thyroid function, an immune system condition that causes inflammation of the thyroid gland, but in this case the damage to the thyroid gland results in decreased production of thyroid hormones)
• Pharmaceutical medication use – a number of medications, including medications used to treat hyperthyroidism, can result in low thyroid function
• Radiation treatment of cancers affecting the head or neck (which may damage the thyroid gland)
• Iodine deficiency (iodine is a “building block” of thyroid hormones)
• Pregnancy

Symptoms of hypothyroidism are a “slowing down” of function, and may include:

• Increased sensitivity to cold
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Skin dryness
• Face “puffiness”
• Hair thinning
• Voice hoarseness
• Muscle weakness
• Elevated blood cholesterol level
• Muscle and joint aches, tenderness and/or stiffness
• Heavier than normal, or irregular menstrual periods
• Slowed heart rate
• Depression
• Impaired memory

Assessment of Thyroid Health

Usually, a problem with thyroid gland will be identified when person has some symptom listed above, and their physician orders blood testing to determine thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.

Thyroid function responds to a “feedback loop” not unlike a house thermostat. If the blood has high levels of thyroid hormones, TSH will be “turned down” (because the thyroid gland does not require “stimulating”); therefore, low TSH levels indicate hyperthyroidism.

High levels of TSH suggest increased attempts at “thyroid stimulating”, indicating low thyroid activity, hypothyroidism.

(Relevant to fertility, the conventionally accepted “normal” range for TSH is quite wide, and women planning to become pregnant should have “optimal” thyroid function, reflected by TSH values of lower than 2.5 mIU/L to minimize risk of miscarriage).

T-4 (T-3 often remains at normal levels until much later) is then measured to confirm that thyroid function is increased or decreased.

Other testing, including tests for antibodies that may be damaging or stimulating the thyroid gland or hormones are used to identify causes of compromised thyroid function (e.g., measurement of antibody levels to confirm an immune system cause for compromised thyroid function, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis).

Practical Assessment Thyroid Function

Sometimes, a person experiencing symptoms of thyroid dysfunction will have “normal” laboratory values for thyroid hormones (perhaps because of the wide “normal” TSH-range). In these cases, a naturopathic doctor may suggest measurement of basal body temperature (BBT).

Measurement of BBT involves measurement of one’s body temperature immediately on waking over a period of at least three days. If the average body temperature is higher than 37 °C, hyperthyroidism may be present, and if less than 36.4 °C, hypothyroidism is suggested.

Natural Treatment of Hyperthyroidism

Conventional treatment of thyroid over-activity includes use of radioactive iodine or surgery, both of which are used to reduce the mass/volume of the thyroid gland, but which may result in thyroid under-activity (itself requiring treatment).

Treatment of hyperthyroidism using natural medicines can be complicated, but the starting point, specifically in immune system and inflammation-related conditions, is to remove triggers of immune activity and inflammation in the diet, using IgG anti-body testing to identify potential trigger foods. Research also supports the use of meditation for reduction of inflammation.

Once excessive immune system activity and inflammation has been managed, herbal medicines can be used to further reduce inflammation, “re-balance” immune system activity to reduce propensity for immune system “flare-ups”, and reduce thyroid hormone production.

Natural Treatment of Hypothyroidism

Conventional treatment of hypothyroidism is use of synthetic thyroid hormone, levothyroxine.

Naturopathic treatment of thyroid under-activity, if caused by immune system “attack” on thyroid gland or hormones, will similarly begin with identifying and eliminating dietary triggers of autoimmune activity and inflammation; possibly with further support of a meditation practice.

Herbal medicines can be used in the to further manage inflammation and immune system dysfunction, but also to stimulate thyroid hormone production.

A final, important consideration in natural treatment of hypothyroidism may be supplementation with iodine, providing an essential “building block” of thyroid hormones.

Poor thyroid function responds well to natural treatment, particularly in preparation for pregnancy, or combined with conventional approaches as a means of minimizing or avoiding side effects of conventional therapies.

If you suspect you may have some thyroid dysfunction, or are planning to become pregnant, it is important to a professional assessment, as untreated, compromised thyroid health can have serious consequences, ranging from deceased quality of life to vision loss or even death.

References

Skugor K. Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education; 2014 Aug [cited 2016 Aug 25]. Available from: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/endocrinology/hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism/.

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) [Internet]. Mayo Clinic; 2015 Oct 28 [cited 2016 Aug 25]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/basics/causes/con-20020986.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) [Internet]. Mayo Clinic; 2015 Nov 10 [cited 2016 Aug 25]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/dxc-20155382.

Murray MT, Pizzorno JE. Appendix 7: Patient instructions for measuring basal body temperature. In: Murray MT, Pizzorno JE, editors. Textbook of natural medicine. 2nd ed. Toronto: Churchill Livingstone; 1999:1609-10.

Macdonald F. Mindfulness meditation linked to the reduction of a key inflammation marker: biological evidence for the power of meditation [Internet]. Science Alert; 2016 Feb 10 [cited 2016 Aug 25]. Available from: http://www.sciencealert.com/a-key-inflammation-marker-is-lower-in-people-who-meditate-research-finds.

 

Posted: 2016 September 13

 

 

Olka was the picture of health when it came to a pregnant woman. She ate extremely well, did prenatal yoga, took her supplements and meditated on a daily basis. Olka’s birth plan was clear: she did not want any form of augmentation (and even refused the membrane “sweep” the week of her due date). She trusted that her son would come when he was good and ready on his own time. “It’s not a rush”, she would repeatedly say. Her outlook on her upcoming birth was simple … trust her body, relax, and let things Be. And so we did …

I received a message from Olka that she had some spotting on Wednesday afternoon. Within 24 hours she was having 30-second contractions every hour, which had kept her up the night before. It was clear that Olka was now showing early signs of labour.

A few weeks before, we had discussed the length of time that a first baby could take. She was prepared for a long labour and didn’t rush anything. I instructed her to walk around to get labour moving along and she was happy to do so. She felt great and was comfortable and excited for what was to come. By 6:30 pm that evening, her contractions had progressed to five to eight minutes apart. Her husband Jon was an absolute dream when it came to supporting her before she needed me. He walked with her, gave her massage, and made sure she ate and remained hydrated. They wanted to remain at home for as long as possible before proceeding to the hospital. So there they stayed. “There’s no rush”.

By Friday morning, Olka’s contractions were six minutes apart, but she remained calm, focused, and Zen. Within a few hours, contractions were four minutes apart, but wanted to remain at home, which I felt was appropriate for someone trying to avoid unnecessary interventions at the hospital. I was so proud of Olka, who had already been in labour over 24 hours, for still trusting in the process, taking her time, and listening to her body.

By 12:30 pm, we arrived at the hospital to see how far she had progressed. When I saw Olka for the first time, she was smiling, laughing, breathing and coping well. Contractions were still four minutes apart. I thought for sure that she was still in early labour, approximately 2-3 cm dilated, and likely would be sent home (or at the very least told to walk around for a couple of hours and return for another examination). Surprise! She was already 5 cm! I am telling you, you wouldn’t have believed it if you saw it. We continued to walk the halls, stopping every once in a while to breathe through contractions, and provide hip and lower back support (which she actually laughed through, and described as “euphoric”).

At 7 cm dilation, Olka’s obstetrician had decided to artificially rupture her membranes, but nature took this birth into it’s own hands and her water naturally “broke” before the obstetrician arrived. Olka got into the shower at that point, which provided her tremendous relief. The warm water on her back was her savior. As her doula, I just remained present to her needs and supported her (and laughed along with Jon, who was such a joy to have in the labour: calm, funny and optimistic).

Olka, trusting her body and knowing her body so well, knew when it was time for her baby to come. The pushing phase of her labour was short, which I believe was due to her breathing into her pelvis and relaxing her pelvic floor (which is hard to do if you are fearful or anxious).

Then, Jayden came into our world: a bouncing baby boy, at 6:14 pm on May 13, 2016, and 6 lbs 14 oz.

Olka’s first words were “Wow, I thought that was going to be a lot harder than it was”.

I couldn’t feel more blessed to have witnessed such a beautiful birth. I truly believe that Olka’s birth is an inspiration for women who are looking to move forward with their first birth in a natural way. Her obstetrician actually said that he wished her birth was on video to show all expecting women who are afraid of birth that with the proper support team and preparation, a birth can be exciting, joyful and anxiety-free. It is a true testament to how beautiful a labour can progress if you are prepared and just wait, trust, and listen.

– Jessica Sangiuliano, ND, Birth Doula

 

Posted: 2016 August 11

 

Here’s the content of an article we wrote that was published in the fall 2016 “Education Issue” of EcoParent. 

They haven’t posted it Online, but this is how the article looks.

– Jonah Lusis, ND

As I write this, in a coffee shop, the next table is engaged in a particularly animated conversation. Until a few minutes ago, I was struggling at focusing on my writing and decided to meditate. See? It works!

Actually, it’s not that simple.

My father (who, it occurs to me, I have only heard raise his voice once in my life) meditates, and for that reason I’ve had an awareness of meditation my entire life. I began using meditation as a clinical tool around 15 years ago after completing a course offered by the Mind-Body Medical Institute (now called the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine), and used it on an “as needed” basis when I was feeling anxious, but only became aware of the potential of this practice when, for no particular reason, I decided to begin a daily meditation practice.

Within a month, I had noticed benefit. After almost a year, I am very aware of improved focus, greater patience, improved mood and emotional resilience and in general, a greater sense of calm, contentedness and optimism. Great for anyone, but specifically, the exact tools children can use to thrive in their studies (and “survive” the sometimes difficult emotional climate of the school environment).

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a term most people are aware of, but few can define.

Historically, meditation has been used as a means to spiritual growth and consciousness-raising: a path to one’s most-evolved self.

In the West, we are more prone to use meditation as a secular pursuit, for the purpose of stress management, and improvement of health and performance. There are many ways to “Western Meditate”, but at their core, all are mental exercises, the goal of which is to improve voluntary control over our thoughts and mental processes, the result of which is greater relaxation, calmness, concentration and the like.

Is There Scientific Support for Meditating?

Thousands of experiments have been published on the effects of meditation, including benefits in reducing discomfort from pain, reducing symptoms of depression, and relevant to school performance:

• A study of 60 adults participating in a three-month meditation program demonstrated that those having meditated were able to better maintain attention on mundane tasks (hopefully your child is inspired to learn and passionate about their studies, but in the event they are not …)
• A study of 50 adults having attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrated that mindfulness meditation resulted in decreased brain activity associated with ADHD symptoms; corresponding decreases in hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention; and increased “acting with awareness”
• In a study of 42 elementary school-aged children, eight weeks of meditation resulted in significant improvements in social anxiety and aggressive behavior, and decreased salivary cortisol (the primary hormone we release in response to stress) measurements

And meditation does not only result in changes in a subjective experience:

• MRI scans of persons who meditate compared to those who do not demonstrated that meditators have increased thickening (“brain mass”) in areas of the brain associated with conscience, long-term memory, sustaining attention and visceral awareness (e.g., breathing, heart-rate, muscle tension and other potential physiological cues of being “stressed”)

So, I’m Interested: How Do I Meditate?

There are many ways to meditate, but for the purpose of improved academic performance and stress management, “mindfulness meditation” is the most useful in the context of practicality and convenience.

“Mindfulness” may be defined as “bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis”, and can be achieved through a wide range of activities.

In order to meditate, there are only three requirements:

1. A distraction-free environment (not necessarily a silent, solitary environment, but a comfortable one in which interruptions will not occur)
2. Engagement in diaphragmatic breathing (strictly speaking not essential, but in my opinion, invaluable, particularly if relaxation is a goal)
3. The bringing of attention to a single object (e.g., breathing, muscle tension, a phrase or visual image)

Diaphragmatic Breathing

In a seated position, rest your elbows on your knees. Do you feel your belly expanding as you inhale? Do you feel your shoulders “drop” as you exhale? You are now “diaphragmatic breathing”.

Diaphragmatic breathing, sometimes described as “belly breathing”, refers to deep breathing in which the diaphragm, the large muscle at the base of the lungs, and primary muscle in breathing, is used most efficiently.

To practice diaphragmatic breathing: sit comfortably, with a straight back, and place one hand on your abdomen and the other on your chest. As you breath, imagine you are filling a balloon in your belly with air, allowing your abdomen to stretch and expand as you inhale. Monitor chest movement with your second hand: it should be minimal: a feeling of your ribs “widening”.

Exhale fully through pursed lips, allowing your shoulders to drop, and “releasing” muscle tension.

Diaphragmatic breathing feels awkward at first, and does not come naturally: do not be frustrated by this.

Maintaining Attention On a Single Object

Maintaining attention on a single object can take many forms, including practicing yoga or tai chi; repeating a mantra or engaging in prayer; or attending to the direction offered in a “guided meditation” (in which actions are directed by a recording).

My experience with yoga as a meditative pursuit was that it required almost a year of regular practice before I noticed I was attending only on my breathing during classes. Hundred’s of hours of yoga classes are not practical for most children and families.

Silent repetition of a prayer or mantra can be effective for more experienced meditators, but beginners often find it difficult to maintain attention on an internal object.

Other common techniques for centering attention include attending to:

• Breathing, by deep, relaxed diaphragmatic breathing, and attending to how air feels as it follows the path through your mouth and throat into your lungs; and then out again
• Muscle tension, via “progressive muscle relaxation”, in which attention is methodically moved through the body, from head to feet, simply noticing how every part of the body is feeling (and if possible, releasing tension as it is noted)

Because of the time investment required to “master” yoga, and the challenge associated with maintaining attention for beginners, guided meditations are the easiest and most practical place for beginners to proceed.

Guided meditations are readily available on the Internet, but two resources I have used and like are:

• An app called Stop, Breath & Think
• Podcasts available at Meditation Oasis®

Find a guided meditation that resonates with you (e.g., focuses on muscle relaxation if you have muscle tension; is not too “New Age” if you are annoyed by this), and maintain attention on, and follow the directions offered, actively, but gently (i.e., not laser-like focus).

As you meditate, maintain a “non-judgmental” attitude: if the instruction is to bring your attention to your shoulders, and you feel tension there, simply acknowledge the tension you feel. Do not “beat yourself up” over it (“I’m so tense. I need to begin taking care of myself. Why can’t I focus? …”).

When you (inevitably) notice your attention has strayed and you are thinking of other things, acknowledge: “I’m off track”, and return to the meditation.

After your meditation is complete, take a few minutes to gently “bring yourself back” to your environment and return to your day, rather than jumping directly into a board meeting or other stressful situation.

Anything Else Standing Between Me and Enlightenment?

Not really.

Although short meditations provide immediate benefits, to gain cumulative benefits (e.g., be a calmer, more focused person), meditation must be practiced at least 10 minutes daily.

As with any new habit, to successfully integrate meditation into a lifestyle, plan a regular time for it (rather than realizing at day’s end that meditation was missed again).

Many have a “best” time of day to meditate. In my experience, this is often on waking, or for those with children, after children have been dropped to school (usually the most frantic portion of a parent’s day). Meditation at this time allows the remainder of the day to be calm and optimally productive. Others having stressful jobs will find that immediately after work is the best time, in order that stresses can be left at the workplace, and family time can be enjoyed. In my opinion, if school performance is the goal, these are the best times for children as well. For younger children, before bedtime may be ideal, so they can be calm and relax into sleep.

As with any worthwhile pursuit, meditation requires commitment. Do not be frustrated when while meditating you find your mind wandering: this is a normal part of the process, and in fact a sign of success (unawares to you, your “monkey mind” is constantly jumping from concern-to-concern: when meditating you are becoming aware of the jumps). With practice, these will occur less often. Eventually you reach a point at which “time disappears”: you will immerse yourself in meditation, and 10 or 20 minutes will seemingly pass in only a few minutes.

Children in particular will find mediation challenging. I meditate with my six-year-old, for fewer than 10-minutes, and with the knowledge that mediation for her is primarily quiet time, and fostering of an interest in mindfulness (Meditation with my three-year-old is presently limited to my meditating to prevent her driving me insane – serenity now, hopefully not insanity later.)

I’d Like To Start Meditating, If You’ll Stop Talking (Writing)

In my humble opinion, meditation is the single most beneficial life skill we can teach our children. Although challenging, it is simple; the benefits are incredibly far-reaching; and it is truly egalitarian, one of the few completely barrier-free resources in the world, the only requirements being:

• A distraction-free environment
• 10 to 20 minutes-a-day
• Commitment and patience with oneself

Give it a try.

Good luck to you and your children in school and all your pursuits.

References

Walsh R, Shapiro SL. The meeting of meditative disciplines and Western psychology: a mutually enriching dialogue. Am Psychol. 2006 Apr; 61(3):227-39.

MacLean KA, Ferrer E, Aichele SR, et al. Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention. Psychol Sci. 2010; 21(6):829-39.

Schoenberg, Poppy L.A. et al. Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on neurophysiological correlates of performance monitoring in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Clinical Neurophysiology. 125(7):1407-16.

Yoo YG, Lee DJ, Lee IS, Shin N, Park JY, Yoon MR, Yu B. The effects of mind subtraction meditation on depression, social anxiety, aggression, and salivary cortisol levels of elementary school children in South Korea. J Pediatr Nurs. 2016 Jan 11. pii: S0882-5963(15)00372-3. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2015.12.001. [Epub ahead of print]

Lazar SW, Kerr CE, Wasserman RH, et al. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport. 2005;16(17):1893-97.

Marlatt GA, Kristeller JL. Mindfulness and meditation. In: Miller WR, editor. Integrating spirituality into treatment: resources for practitioners. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 1999. p. 67-84.

 

Posted: 2016 July 28

 

 

Soon after we purchased 475 Broadview for our new home and clinic space, Anja was conceived. There was much to do in preparation so we worked around the clock. Despite our contractor’s efforts, we didn’t meet our deadline of 2 weeks before the due date. So after much denial and many tears on my part, we decided to birth in my parent’s home.

And this is Anja’s birth story…

7 AM – Woke with mild menstrual-like cramps.

I asked my parents to take Esmé to my sister’s since there was a rainstorm brewing and I wasn’t sure how long the labour was going to be. I hemmed and hawed over whether she should be present for the birth but knew it would be a game-day decision. So away she went.

9 AM – Just going about our day.

Jonah and I decided to go about our morning and reconvene in the afternoon to wait for the baby’s arrival. He went to work to our previous clinic (180 Dundas West). I drove to our new home (475 Broadview Avenue) to attend a meeting with our contractor. While waiting in my car for him, I started to experience contractions.

9:30 AM – Active labour started!

With contractions every 3–4 minutes and pacing around our new yard, the contractor arrived. Between contractions, I quickly chose the stain for the hardwood floors for the clinic. While in active labour, I drove to my parents’ condo. (In hindsight, I don’t recommend this to anyone. I should have called a taxi!). While driving, I was still worried about a long labour so contemplated picking up some DVD’s from Bay Street Video but decided against it since parking is difficult in that area.

10:00 AM – Safe and sound.

I arrived at my parent’s place and called Jonah to come home since labour had begun. I then called our midwife Julie to let her know I was in labour, but made it very clear that I didn’t need her to come yet. A friend had warned me against calling my midwife too early with our second. This was the mistake she had made, and when her midwives arrived, she was only 4 cm dilated. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake.

10:15 AM – I am reminded that labour is intense.

The most comfortable position I could find was to sit on the toilet. So, when Jonah arrived, I was sitting and trying not to tense up while having contractions. I was caught off guard with how intense everything feels; we really DO forget. I went in the shower for some more relief.

10:30 AM – Midwives have a sixth sense when it comes to babies.

Julie, our midwife, called to check in. She knew I had a fast labour with our first and just wanted to see how things were progressing. Jonah asked her to come as soon as possible since labour was in full swing.

11:00 AM – 8 cm – YAY!

Julie arrived and assessed me, and I was 8 cm dilated. I breathed a sigh of relief because I knew I would be pushing soon. While Julie set up, I stood in a bathtub full of warm water, breathing and counting through contractions while Jonah squeezed my hips. I focused on staying as relaxed as possible, but was starting to push, involuntarily.

11:30 AM – The final push.

While pushing, I let out a deep grunt and bit on Jonah’s shoulder. I birthed a healthy little girl in the caul while on a birth stool in the bathroom. Moments later, we broke the amniotic sac which is completely intact. Anja took her first breath.

Our family grows to four and Esmé came back soon after to meet her sister. She helped us name her Anja, and we all had skin-to-skin as a family.

Happy birthday Anja!

– Du La, ND, Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Acupuncturist, Birth Doula

 

Posted: 2016 June 1