Dina Khorasanee - Toronto Centre for Naturopathic Medicine

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June is a great time of year to scour farmers mark

June is a great time of year to scour farmers markets and grocery stores for new seasonal produce!

Seasonal produce are not only more nutritionally dense, taste better, but also better for the environment, and local economy.

What's in season in June?
🍃Asparagus
🍃Strawberries
🍃Leafy lettuces and greens
🍃Cucumbers
🍃Stone fruits like peaches, plums, apricots
🍃Green beans
🍃Garlic scapes
🍃Snow peas and fresh green peas
🍃Cherries
🍃Raspberries

Tell us what’s in your basket with emojis below!

It’s Fiddlehead season! If you see these delicio

It’s Fiddlehead season! If you see these delicious coiled leaves at your grocery store, be sure to pick them up!

Here are some benefits of eating fiddleheads:
High in Nutrients: Fiddleheads are a good source of several essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C, iron, fiber, and antioxidants.

Low in Calories: Fiddleheads are low in calories, making them a great addition to a healthy diet.

Promotes Digestive Health: Fiddleheads contain prebiotics, which are beneficial for gut health. They can help promote the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract and improve overall digestive health.

Supports Immune Function: Fiddleheads contain high levels of antioxidants, which help protect the body against damage from free radicals and support immune function.

May Reduce Inflammation: Fiddleheads contain anti-inflammatory compounds, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, which may help reduce inflammation in the body.

This is the summer of self-discovery and authentic

This is the summer of self-discovery and authenticity, pushing our selves to explore our true selves and live intentionally.

Here is a full description of what an acupuncture

Here is a full description of what an acupuncture treatment looks like with Dina our resident acupuncturist:

👉A full assessment of your health history, goals, and target areas (You can use an image of the intake form)

👉Tuina: Tuina is a Chinese therapeutic massage that stimulates the different energetic pathways in the body through a variety of strokes that can disperse stagnation, increase blood flow, or tonify deficient in different areas of the body. Dina will base her techniques on your diagnosis and individualized treatment plan.

👉Cupping: Cupping uses negative pressure to bring toxins to the surface of the body so they can be released, relieves body tension, stimulate blood flow, or disperses stagnation. Cups can either be placed in fixed areas of the body where they help to bring out toxins, can be moving which helps to increase blood flow, or flash cupping which helps to tonify deficient areas or numbness or paralysis.

👉Guasha: Guasha is a scraping technique that helps to release toxins from the body. It is particularly good when there is excessive heat in the body and muscular tension, such as after a long run or vigorous exercise. It can also be great for allergies, or other respiratory issues.

👉Acupuncture: Acupuncture works by needling a specific combination of areas in the body with very fine single use needles in order to address your health goals.

Using a Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis, Dina will use a combination of modalities to ultimately help your body heal and bring your body back into a state of balance and health.

While Dina has experience in treating all types of medical conditions, her focus is on:
👉Digestive Health
👉Reproductive Health, and
👉Stress management and anxiety

Happy birthday to clinic owners, @dula.nd and @jon

Happy birthday to clinic owners, @dula.nd and @jonahlusis’s youngest Anja!

In the spirit of sharing positive birth stories, here is Anja’s home birth story written by Dr. La.

"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 strong 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......"

Read the full story on our blog - https://www.torontonaturopathicmedicine.ca/anjas-birth-june-1-2012/

Did you know that breast milk changes in compositi

Did you know that breast milk changes in composition as your baby grows? Here are the 3 main stages of breast milk production:

🍃Colostrum: It is produced during pregnancy and the early days after childbirth, usually for the first 2-5 days. Colostrum is a thick, yellowish fluid that is rich in antibodies, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial components. It acts as the baby's first immunization, providing essential nutrients and protection against infections.

🍃Transitional milk: The stage that follows colostrum. It typically lasts from around the third to the tenth day postpartum. During this stage, the milk gradually transitions from colostrum to mature milk. The composition of transitional milk changes, becoming thinner and containing more fat, lactose, and calories. It continues to provide immune support to the newborn and supports their growth and development.

🍃Mature milk: final stage of breast milk production. It usually begins around the tenth day after childbirth and continues for the duration of breastfeeding. Mature milk is thinner and more watery compared to colostrum. It consists of two distinct types of milk:

a. Foremilk: Foremilk is the milk released at the beginning of a feeding session. It is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and water content, providing hydration to the baby.

b. Hindmilk: Hindmilk is the milk released towards the end of a feeding session. It is higher in fat content, providing essential calories and promoting the baby's growth and weight gain.

Mature milk is tailored to meet the specific nutritional needs of the baby as they grow. It provides a balanced combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies, supporting the baby's overall health and development.

Milk changes and meets your baby's needs in the first 4-6 months of life. Many parents have questions about how and when to start solid foods. Our lactation team is here to support you and navigate your questions as you enter that new stage in your lactation journey.

Here is a delicious little treat, perfect for warm

Here is a delicious little treat, perfect for warm days and nights!

They are super simple to make and are completely dairy-free, gluten-free and can be made vegan!

Just cut a banana in half, peel it, put a popsicle stick through the bottom (flat part) and set aside.

Then melt some chocolate in a double-boiler and dip the bananas in the melted chocolate.

Place them single file on a parchment-covered baking sheets. Sprinkle toasted coconut or crushed nuts on top.

Freeze and enjoy in a few hours.

If the chocolate is too thick, feel free to thin it out with a wee bit of coconut oil.

Kids love this little treat!

Hey you, YES YOU! This is your Monday reminder tha

Hey you, YES YOU! This is your Monday reminder that you are loved and you are worthy💚

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