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Whole food diet update

Well, it's not been a good whole food week. Three breaks in it! Argh!!

The first was breakfast a couple of days ago. I ran out of granola so I had peanut butter on toast. I really could have decided to have oatmeal but with it so hot out, that option did not appeal to me at all!

The second, was when I came home to my darling husband's cooking - fish and chips. At least they were done in the oven. I made myself a plate of veggies to go with it.

And last night, I stopped at Burger Pit on Hwy 11. They make fantastic burgers and their fries are fantastic!! We are headed away for the weekend and in the hustle and bustle of getting ready, I did not plan dinner.

So, what have I learned?

Again, I realize the power of planning. I cannot count on my husband to have prepared a healthy meal for me when I get home on Tuesday's and Thursday's at 8:00pm. So, I will need to have something in the fridge and ready to go. I will have to make those two meals on Sunday or Monday.

If I'm going to eat granola everyday, I should really make more before I run out! And, make a double batch so that I don't have to do it every two weeks. It only takes about a half hour to make, but in the summertime, a half hour is sometimes hard to find in a crunch!

That leads me to my next realization. No matter how much I think that summer is going to be relaxing and that I'll have all kinds of time...I don't! Summertime is really busy! We don't have a single free weekend until Labour day. Then, I start working Saturday's again. Summertime is also filled with spontaneity, that lacks a bit more the rest of the year. So, again, planning has to take centre stage if I want to successfully follow a whole food diet. And let's face it, I'm a small business owner and a Mom - my life will always be hectic, not just in the summertime.

We leave today for a weekend in Tobomory. I packed my granola in little baggies for each breakfast. I also made three salads and put them into large ziplocks (I will do this every week - the ziplocks don't take up much room in the fridge, and I can put a paper towel in the bag and squeeze out the air to maintain freshness). My snacks are packed (1/4 cup of nuts into snack baggies) too so all that I have to worry about is suppers. Supper is usually easier to make whole food choices with because any restaurant that doesn't have a drive through has some kind of meat, rice, and veggie option.

The one thing that I am so pleased about, is that despite the three slip ups, I have not jumped off my bandwagon! Each day, I try again to make it a whole food day. That speaks volumes to my attitude change. The old Kerri would have said "this is obviously too hard to do in the summer, I'll start again in September". Yhea me, pat on the back, and carry on.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Chronic pain and Fibromyalgia

I had a fall down my bottom step on the weekend. With my son on my hip, I contorted my body to ensure his safety. Who knew bodies could twist like that?! At first, I was sure it was my knee that I needed to be concerned about. The next day, I discovered that it was EVERY muscle in my back and neck that I needed to be concerned about!


While my husband and I were driving into Barrie, I was very uncomfortable. He kept asking me if everything was okay. I began to appreciate my chronic pain and fibromyalgia patients in a whole new way.


I am certainly not trying to equate one painful weekend of mine to the suffering that my patients have endured. But I really felt the need to comment on some of my insights.


The biggest one was how difficult it was to enjoy my family and the activities we were doing. It was only grocery shopping and the like, but I was very distracted by how sore I was. My son wanted to be picked up to look at things or show me something down an aisle and I could not do it. It took the fun out of it, for all of us.

That was another big ah-ha for me. It must be so hard on the families of these patients. My husband only had to deal with a couple of days of my being apathetic. Some of these patients feel that disconnected everyday for years! I'm sure that their families miss the lively people they were before the pain set in.

I love cooking and being creative in the kitchen - but not this weekend. I had zero imagination for colourful, healthful meals. No wonder that these patients find dietary changes so hard to make despite the importance of a healthy diet to manage the inflammation.

There are many treatment options for fibromyalgia and chronic pain. If you, or someone that you know is suffering, I encourage you to seek help. Treatment needs to go beyond pain meds that can leave you feeling even more groggy and disconnected.

Often, fibromyalgia and chronic pain are symptoms of an overstressed system. Some people end up with high blood pressure, others end up in pain. It's not a disease that exists 'only in your head'. That pain is real, and it requires real treatment. When left untreated, it can lead to a whole host of emotional disorders like depression, insomnia and anxiety.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Food allergies

We were really careful when introducing foods to Patrick. He still, at 20 months, has not had an egg, any nuts, orange juice or cow's milk. We were particularly careful with him because his dad has so many sensitivities and I expected some issues. Despite our best efforts, Patrick broke out in a good case of eczema in early June. It started on his knee, and soon covered most of his leg. When it moved to the other leg, my heart broke. He would get out of bed and stand there scratching both thighs as hard as he could.

I was faced with two options. I could take out any possible allergenic foods (wheat, dairy, goat's milk, corn, barley, oats, kamut, spelt, etc) and start the re-introduction again (argh). Or, I could spend a couple hundred bucks and have his IgG testing done (a simple blood test that tells you what foods your body reacted to). Being a busy Mom, I chose option B - blood work.

Am I ever glad that I went with option B! I never would have guessed at a couple of these. His results came back with highly reactive foods of:

• wheat, barley, cheddar cheese, egg white, green peas (really?!?), lentils (come on!!), rye, spelt, sunflower, and kamut.

So, all gluten containing grains are out and two of my favourite legumes to feed him, gone.

His moderately reactive foods include:

• almond, asparagus, cow's milk, all other cheese, cucumber, egg yolk, oat, red tomato, sesame, soy, sugar, white potato, white rice, and yogurt

Thankfully the foods on the later list don't need to be eliminated. We can feed them to him every few days.

This then begs the question - what do you feed this kid?!?

When we're home, it's not that difficult. Thankfully, we eat a lot of rice anyway. He loves fruit so that makes snacks fairly easy. Cereals are pretty easy to find - corn flakes, corn puffs, oat squares, rice cereals. I can hold my own when it comes to baking, but need to learn how to alter my flours a bit (the muffins I made this weekend need some work!!).

Bread products are a whole other can of beans though. Gluten free breads are not very tasty - at least not the ones that I've tried from the market. They tend to be dry and crumbly. Good for toast, not so good on their own.

We found some bagels and buns for him at our last trip to Nature's Emporium in Newmarket. They sell Aiden's gluten-free bread products - they really are squishy! Other than being a little costly (four buns was about $7), they are fantastic. We cut them and put them in the freezer.

Waffles are something that we found long ago as an occasional treat. Van's can be found in the freezer section of the health food section at Zhers (wow, that was a mouthful!).

Of course, rice cakes and rice crackers work fine. They do tend to be low on the fibre side of things though. There is a company called Enjoy Life that makes products free of the top ten allergens. They have some higher fibre cereals, and bars that Patrick really likes. We will definitely be trying out some more of their products.

As I find more products that are tasty, I will continue to share with you. As I master my baking, I will pass along the recipes.

The really good news is that Patrick's legs are almost completely clear of eczema. It only took about five days of the new diet for his suffering to end. I've also noticed that his huge tonsils are starting to come down and not look so enlarged. Huh.

Yours in health,

Kerri Fullerton ND and now, gluten-free Mom

Gluten-free dinner for all!

Last night I made Millet Stuffed Portobello mushrooms for supper. Wow - delicious!

I had my business coach over, Kathy Hay, and since she's a vegetarian, I served the mushrooms with steamed cauliflower and the bean salad that she brought over. It was filling, tasty, healthy, and full of good fibre and protein. Paired nicely with the Shiraz we had too.

My husband, Brendan, believes that it would have been a lovely accompaniment to a grilled rib steak - and I happen to agree!

It didn't take long to get the millet in the pan and simmering. Then there is a 25 minute wait time - good time for preparation of the side dishes - before you can stuff the mushroom tops. Then, they are in the oven for almost half an hour, so you have time to get the table ready and actually cook any side dishes. So, not a quick crazy weeknight meal, but certainly not a slave-all-afternoon meal either. From start to finish, about an hour and fifteen.

It is always nice to find recipes that you can please the whole crowd with. Served as a stand alone healthy vegetarian meal, or as a side dish to round off a nice steak, these mushrooms hold up. I will definitely make them again (and Brendan said that he would happily eat them again - which is not often said about vegetarian meals!).

Happy eating!

Kerri Fullerton ND

Whole food diet update - two weeks in

Hello All. So it's the 15th of the month and I figured that was as good a time as any for an update.

It's been a lot easier than I was expecting! I eat the same breakfast everyday, my granola. A cup of that lasts me well until lunchtime. My lunches tend to be salad, only because it's really easy. It's a big salad with anything in my fridge. Dried fruit or chopped up apple, nuts and seeds and some cheese. I buy a variety of cheeses to change up the flavour as well. Not bored yet! I have a snack of nuts and fruit at some point as well. I eat all of this on my own so my family is not really affected at all.

Supper is when we eat as a family as much as possible. I am trying out new recipes but am aware that I have to introduce things slowly. I figure that Brendan can try out one new thing per week. So that leaves the rest of the week as meat, rice or potato, and veggies (which is what we ate most of the time before anyway!). Could be BBQ, could be stir fry, braised meat is a one-pot wonder...lots of variety.

My energy is amazing! I'm never hungry - in fact today I had to remember to eat lunch. And, I've lost 2 lbs. Not bad!!

The challenges are keeping good food on hand, and preparing as much as possible beforehand. If I'm making one salad, I might as well make three. I put 1/4 cup of nuts into snack ziplock's and keep them in the freezer so that they are easy to grab as I run out. And of course, dealing with the sad eyes of my husband when he says "man I could really go for pizza tonight!".
Anyway, I'd say that so far, so good.

I signed up for a Running Room program today. I used to run but since I got pregnant (two and a half years ago!) I've been unable to get back to it with any consisitency. Figured that I would start at the beginning again and do the Learn to run program on Monday nights. It will be so nice to get back into the groove again. Can't wait until August 2nd!

Yours in health,

Kerri Fullerton ND

Quick and healthy dinner

I got home later than usual last night and didn't have supper prepared. I did however, have a recipe on my computer for stuffed tomatoes that I found on http://www.vegetariantimes.com/.

This will become a staple for sure! It took about 5 minutes to put everything together, then I popped it in the oven for 30 minutes while my son had his bath and got ready for bed.

I lightly sauteed some zucchini and summer squash in some olive oil and salt to have as a side dish - presto! Healthy, filling, and most importantly, tasty.

for 4 stuffed tomatoes, you will need:

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed


• 1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)


• 3 green onions, sliced


• 1/4 cup of shredded cheese (divided in two)


• 1/2 tsp cumin


• 1 tsp chili powder


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 4 large tomatoes

1. cut the tops off the tomatoes (about an inch worth) and spoon out the centre.


2. chop the centres of the tomatoes and put into a medium sized bowl.


3. add the beans, corn, onions, 1/2 the cheese, cumin, chili powder and salt


4. mix well


5. spoon the mixture into the hollow tomatoes and top with the remaining cheese.


6. place in lightly oiled shallow pan


7. bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Yours in health,

Kerri Fullerton ND

Why a whole food diet?

I decided to start practicing what I preach (where nutrition is concerned) last October. After having my son a year earlier, I decided that it was time to stop having so many excuses. I wanted more energy, I wanted to sleep better, I wanted clearer thoughts again, and I wanted to be a healthy size.


I started with some simple changes (note that I said simple, not easy). As a general rule, I eat only three meals per day. I've never been comfortable with the 'eat every three hours' thing. If you're eating fibre rich foods, it's not necessary and snacking is where people tend to eat the most packaged foods. This is where blood sugar imbalances occur. I am not willing to go hungry though, so I allow myself one snack per day if necessary and I try to make it a handful of nuts and some fruit.


The other change that I made was that I stopped eating anything that I couldn't stop at one. For me, that means all sweets and some crackers (I can eat a portion of Triscuits but could easily eat the box of wheat thins!). For a friend of mine, it's bacon and chips. It's an evolving list as I go along. I've added a few things back in and taken a few more things out.


Since the end of October I've lost 24lbs, 3 inches off my chest, 4 inches off my waist, 4 inches off my hips, and 3.5 inches off my thighs.


Not bad considering that I've never gone hungry or eaten a bar or drank a shake.


Now, in the past, this weight loss would have been unnacceptable - taking 8 months to lose 24 lbs would have been too slow. I would have given up and decided that it wasn't working. Thank goodness that I had a new attitude this time.

Last week I did my monthly weight and body measurements so that I would have an accurate starting point for the whole food diet that I am embarking on for the summer. I will share with you what kind of changes happen with my body, my sleep, my energy, and my mood.


The first week (last week) of my whole food diet was a little rough. With the long weekend at the cottage and friends over for the week before, I was not prepared at all! No groceries, no meal plan for the week. This is key folks - planning makes healthy eating possible. So, I ate granola (recipe in this month's newsletter!) for breakfast, salad for lunch, and meat, rice and veggies for supper. Not exciting, but it worked.

Friday night we headed to my in-laws for the weekend. I learned another lesson - don't expect your husband to tell anyone about your new diet adventures! We arrived to pizza. Oops. Now they know what I'm not eating. I did eat the pizza since it was already ordered, payed for, and sitting there. Had it not been, I would have made myself something else.

What I will do differently next time is this - I will pack more of my own foods. I did pack my granola for breakfast, fruit and some nuts for snacks. Next time I will bring some salads too.

Already in a week, I have more energy and my bowels are very happy. Can't wait to see what this week brings!

Off to do some meal planning for this week. I've pulled a few recipes off of vegetariantimes.com to try. Stuffed tomatoes for tonight!

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton, ND

CBC News - Consumer Life - Back pain machine in use after losing licence

CBC News - Consumer Life - Back pain machine in use after losing licence

There are so many products and people out there making these types of claims. I find it very upsetting as it taints the whole profession of Chiropractors. Sadly, it then reflects on all of us who practice complementary and alternative medicine.

Share this story with anyone that you know who may be using this type of machine (decompression machine - used to treat disk herniation). At least they can then make an informed decision about whether or not they would like to continue with the treatments.

There are many treatments, effective treatments, that don't have scientific evidence to support it's use. That doesn't mean that the treatments don't work, just that our current scientific model hasn't been able to prove it. However, claiming that there is evidence when there is not - well, that's just fraudulent.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Healthy and natural cooking

A very dear patient of mine wrote a wonderful cookbook. It is full of delightful, healthful and (most importantly) tasty recipes.

She is having a book signing this coming Saturday, June 26th, from 11 - 1 at Lotus Natural Living Boutique, 125 Dunlop St. E Barrie ON.

Please go and check it out. Buy a book and say hello to Cathy.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton

Organic Gardening

I just wanted to say thank-you to the powers that be for a wonderfully beautiful day instead of thunderstorms.





I was able to go outside and pick my first batch of strawberries from our patch. Aren't they beautiful?

Patrick had given up on strawberries - after a few flavourless batches from the store, who could blame him? Last weekend we were able to sample our first berry from our patch - he's hooked again.

I can't wait until he's up from his nap so that we can share these lovely berries. I doubt that any will be left over after snack time!

Growing your own food is so rewarding. Knowing that there isn't a trace of chemical makes it even better. Picking when it's perfectly ripe and enjoying it the same day is such a treat. There is no better berry anywhere. I love knowing that Patrick will be connected to his food from the start. He takes so much pleasure in helping out - pulling weeds, taking them to the compost pile, and of course, picking the food. I hope that we are cultivating more than just good berries! An appreciation of where food comes from and how it's grown is such a gift.

If you don't have the space in your yard, plant in pots. It is just as delicious and just as it is rewarding.

Happy planting - and eating!!

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Whole Foods Diet - how realistic is it anyway?

Food engineering is a bit of a funny term. It does not refer to Farmers or to Chefs', but to scientists who try to find ways to make fake food taste good and make you think that you're getting the same nutrition as what real food has. They have been working hard, and been very successful.

When I started my practice over 6 years ago, I used to say 'eat more whole grains', and people knew what I meant. Now - that's not the case. When I say 'eat more whole grains', some people think that I mean buy Wonder Invisibles for their sandwich bread. I also used to be able to tell people to eat 35 grams of fibre each day and they could just read labels to know if the food had it. Now, there are all kinds of isolated fibres (like inulin) that do not have the same effects as intact fibres (like bran). But without a distinction on the label, people are lost.

So really, the safest and best diet to follow would be a whole food diet - one that does not include processed foods at all. But how realistic is it to eat only whole foods in today's world? With family obligations and work it does seem a little daunting.

Well, I'm going to give it a go. For the month's of July and August, I will eat only whole foods - fruits, veggies, legumes, meat, dairy, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. That means, no breads, pastas, crackers, cereals, baked goods - just whole food. I gave up sugar about eight months ago so at least I have that step down already.

I asked my husband if he would do it with me ... he laughed pretty hard. 'Not eat bread? Are you kidding?'. For the purposes of this experiment, his refusal actually works to my advantage. Most of my patients are faced with families that are not interested in changing their diets this much. So I will be able to tell you about what it's like to be the only one in the family eating a whole food diet. I will be able to share how I've been able to have family meals without cooking three meals!
I will blog about my experience and well as any body changes that may occur.

I will post here every Friday with a thorough update of how things are going, what recipes that I have discovered, and I will tweet more regularly about the day-to-day challenges and insights.

I hope that you will join me (or at least follow me) on this adventure and share your thoughts and questions as I go along.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton, ND

Alternative cancer treatments - not a 'one or the other' choice.

According to Statistics Canada, the cancer rate is on the rise. To be fair, we are better able to diagnose many forms of cancer now, and we are living longer than ever before, so more people are living with cancer.

The article that I read in the Montreal gazette quoted Heather Logan, spokesperson for the Canadian Cancer Society, as saying "that although the research is valuable, healthy living — such as not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight" and that "about 50 per cent of cancers could be prevented if we applied what we already know and made as many of those healthy choices as easy as possible to implement".

This is where Naturopathic Doctors using Naturopathic Medicine fit it brilliantly. We provide our patients with the time needed to implement these healthy choices. We take a holistic approach and work with our patients to reach their goals. It's one thing to tell your patients to eat more fibre, it's an entirely different thing to sit with them and educate them about how to do that.

More than half of all cancer cases were in the form of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. We know that these forms of cancer are hugely related to how we live and eat.

Naturopathic Doctors can not only help on the prevention side of cancer (that is where we shine though), but also on the treatment side of cancer. If a diagnosis of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or prostate cancer has already been given out, that does not mean that it's too late to see an ND. We are well versed with what natural treatments are safe and effective to use with chemotherapy and radiation. In fact, there are many natural remedies that actually augment the response to specific chemo's and reduce the likelihood of side effects.

A common misconception about Naturopathic Medicine is that it is not based in science. This is especially untrue with respect to natural cancer treatments. There is a growing body of evidence to support the use of natural medicine while undergoing more conventional treatments.

Educate yourself, and find an ND that is right for you. While I respect Oncologists and Radiologists for their body of knowledge, I also respect that natural medicine is my specialty. It's what I know, it's what I do, and I do it well.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Natural Insect repellent

It's that lovely time of year when the bugs are a humming! How do you protect yourself when you don't want to use the heavy chemical sprays? This is especially important to me now that I have Patrick. We don't want him inhaling all that stuff off of our clothes and hair.

Our first step to protecting ourselves is our dinning tent in the backyard. I bought one big enough to put his sandbox and water table in there with plenty of room for a couple of chairs as well.

Next step - we try to stay inside during the peak times (dusk and dawn).

But what about when you can't (or just don't want) to stay indoors? Or when you want to go hiking through the woods? What products are good?

I like to shop Canadian whenever I can. This year, we will try out Druide's Citronella insect repellent. Sadly, it is not recommended for kids under 2 - but nothing ever is. He will face another summer under a mosquito net - poor kid!

I will keep you posted as to whether or not it works for us.

And of course, we will all take (Patrick included) the homeopathic Ledum. I have had wonderful success, both personally and with patients, with ledum. Although it won't stop the bugs from biting, it greatly reduces the swelling and itching that goes with them.

Happy bug season!

Kerri Fullerton ND

My weight loss journey

I thought that I would share some of journey with you as the start date for the weight loss program Learn to eat, not to diet approaches.

I have struggled with food and weight most of my life. As I look back, my weight problems were really only perceived problems - meaning that what I had was a body image issue, not a weight issue. Nevertheless, my body image issue changed into a weight issue in my late 20's. It blossomed (along with my waist line) after my son was born a year and a half ago. I was horrified to realize that I had crossed the line into 'obesity'. My BMI was over 30.
It goes to show, that it doesn't matter what you know. I didn't have any 'new' information when I decided that I was tired of being overweight and over-consumed with food thoughts and body thoughts. I'm a Naturopathic Doctor for heaven's sake - I have more information about nutrition and healthy living than most people. So what changed?

My attitude. I finally decided that it was time to stop dieting and start living a lifestyle that would take me to my goal. I also gave up the notion of a timeline - I'm in this for the long haul, no matter how long it takes. This is forever. Abandoning a healthy lifestyle because it's not happening at the rate I'd like or because I've achieved my goal weight just won't do anymore. These lifestyle changes have to happen to keep me small, energetic, and authetic. I have lost 25 lbs so far and am still losing. I have the delightful problem right now that my pants keep falling down.

This is what has inspired the weight loss program at Rooted. I would like to inspire and coach people who are also tired of being overweight and are ready to make permenant changes in their lives.

If you can relate to my story, then you are someone who could benefit from this program. I will teach you how to live, how to eat, and how to think so that you can enjoy life again and stop the madness around diets, and deadlines.

Imagine if you hadn't given up all those times before - you'd be at your goal weight and feeling good by now.

Summer program begins on June 16th.

Fall program begins on September 8th.

See you there!

Kerri Fullerton ND

What Fish Are Safe To Eat?

We are told that eating fish is healthy and that we need our omega three fatty acids. But what fish are safe to eat and how much to eat can be confusing.
Here is a link to a comprehensive list of fish and their corresponding mercury levels. Although it does not get into the actual nutritional values of the different fish, it at least let's us know which are safe to eat regularly, and which fish we need to avoid altogether.

What Fish Are Safe To Eat?

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Breast Cancer Vaccine?

There is a breast cancer vaccine in development. It has been used in mice and they hope to start human clinical trials in the next year.

This vaccine is being developed by an immunologist named Vincent Tuohy. It would be given to women in their 40's, since it would detroy healthy tissue if the women were to lactate. The vaccine seeks out alpha-lactalbumin (a protein found in many breast cancers and in lactating breast tissue, but not non-lactating tissue).

Breast cancer affects so many Canadian women every year. It is scary, the treatments are invasive, and many women don't survive. If a vaccine can help save more lives, I'm all for it. But...

With so many looming questions about the long-term safety of vaccines I have some doubts. Guardisil was supposed to save many young women from cervical cancer by creating immunity to HPV strains. There are still a lot of questions about it's safety.

Western medicine is not know for it's patience. I know that women with high risk for breast cancer and reasearchers want these vaccines on the market ASAP, and I understand their point of view. However, what I would like to see is these clinical trials go for 20 years - follow these women and see what happens to them. Are they really healthier for having it or do they develop other conditions in a higher percentage than the rest of the population? Do these women start to develop other cancers? Once we know for sure that these women really are better off to have had the vaccine, then I say put it on the market and let's go. But without these answers, it's just another shot in the dark.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Suncreens - what you need to know

We should all be concerned about what we put on our bodies everyday. I have to admit though, I didn't pay that much attention until I became pregnant. Then, I was concerned about what I was absorbing and possibly passing on to my unborn child. Once Patrick was born, I then had to decide what I was willing to put on his little body everyday.

My sister-in-law directed me to the Environmental Working Group's website years ago. She was having issues with skin sensitivities and wanted a way to find out what products were safest. I linked it to my website because of how often I refer to it.

Here is their latest sunscreen report. Take the time, it's worth the read.

Our June newsletter will have an expanded article about sunscreens. If you're not getting it, sign up now!

Summary of Findings | Environmental Working Group

Posted using ShareThis

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Vaccination poll by Today's Parent

I need to do a little rant here - surprise, surprise, it's about vaccinations again.

When I was directed to the Today's Parent Poll to share my opinion about vaccinations, I was expecting to fill out a survey. But instead, I found three choices: for, against, don't know what to do.

Come on!!! When those results get posted, they will be slanted. What about all those parent's who educate themselves and decide that some vaccinations are appropriate while others are not? What about those parent's that realize that sometimes vaccinations are the right choice and that for some kids, they are not?

What's my point? Be careful when you read results from such polls. Make sure that you know what the questions are before you interpret the results.

Choosing whether or not to vaccinate your children is a complex issue. It is not a simple, for or against question.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Polyps, colon cancer, and omega 3's

Omega 3 fatty acids (specifically EPA) reduces the risk of precancerous intestinal polyps.The particpants taking the EPA had 22 percent less polyps, and the polyps they did have were 30 percent smaller.
The sutdy was performed on people with an existing genetic predisposition, so it is not clear if it would have the same effect on a population without the predisposition.

Another round of applause for fish oils!

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Puddles - what fun!

One of the best parts of motherhood is remembering how much fun life really is! We had to clean the bathtub after bathtime, but it was so worth it. Hours of fun in each puddle!

Lose weight this summer!

I am so pleased to announce that I will be running a 12 week weight loss program this summer.

"Learn to eat, not to diet" will commence on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:00pm. Each session will last for one hour.

Included in the registration fee of $300 is:
- blood work (at the start and end) for: cholesterol, sugar levels, inflammation
- personalized comments each week about your food journals
- blood pressure check at the beginning and end

This program is limited to eight participants to ensure personalized attention.

Register early so as not to miss out! Call 792-6717 to reserve your spot.

(Next start date will be September 8th 2010)

Yours in healthy weight loss,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Where do you keep your fish oil?

Did you know that your fish oils in capsule form should NOT be kept in the refrigerator? The cold will disrupt the gelatin in the capsule which will then allow the oils to oxidise and become rancid.
If your oil is in liquid form, it should be kept in the fridge, and used up quickly.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

PAP tests

Today was another PAP clinic day. I met a lovely young women, who is not a patient of mine. Her medical doctor didn't want to do a PAP for her and because she has a family doctor and is over 20, she couldn't get it done at the Community Health centre.

If you or someone you know needs a PAP done, please let them know that we do a PAP clinic at Rooted on the third Wednesday of every month from 9-12:00. The test is done by me, a registered Naturoapthic Doctor, and your results will be provided to you to take to any healthcare practitioner that you choose. The cost is $35 with $5 going to the Women's and Children's Shelter here in Barrie.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton

Ask for a copy of your results

I just had an experience with a patient that makes this post seem pertinent. She had her blood work done at the same time as her physical two years ago. When I asked her about the results she said, as most patients say, "they didn't call me so I guess everything was fine". We faxed over a release of records to obtain a copy. What we discovered, was that she has been anemic for two years, didn't know it, and wasn't being treated for it.

Please understand that I am not ranting about how bad doctors are these days! They are very busy, and have a lot of paper shuffled across their desks everyday. It will happen, by laws of statistics, that something will get missed once in a while.

This post is meant to encourage you to prevent your results from being the ones that get overlooked. Ask for a copy of your results. That way, you know they will be looked at.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Are you getting it 5-10 times a day?

Canada's Food Guide recommends getting 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Personally, I recommend aiming for 11 per day. But is that reasonable? How can it be done?

Three fruits: one with breakfast, two servings as snacks. (1/2 cup of fruit, 1/4 cup of dried fruit, one piece of fruit).
Eight vegetables: do a four cup salad at lunch and two cups of cooked veggies at supper (1 cup lettuce/greens, 1/2 cup cooked or raw veggies)
Not so bad eh? Building you meal around your veggies instead of the piece of meat usually helps.

Here is my favorite stir fry recipe. Makes it easy and tasty to get 2 cups of veggies in!

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
1 cup brown rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
340g skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp canola oil
6 cups broccoli florets, rinsed (any combination of veggies works well)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

1. Cook the rice according to package instructions.
2. Make the marinade: mix the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set the bowl aside (you can do this step before you go to work!)
3. heat a large deep skillet or wok over med-high heat. Add the canola oil and stir-fry broccoli until bright green, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and the marinade. Stir-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and remove from heat.
5. Garnish with cashews and serve immediately with the rice.
makes 4 servings.

Bon Apetit!!
Kerri Fullerton ND

PMS - are you still suffereing?

When I ask patients if they experience PMS, most of them reply 'Oh just the usual stuff, I manage'. When I probe a little deeper, many of them are needing to take a day off work, they say that they don't make decisions for a week every month, that there husbands just stay clear...you get the idea. When it interferes with your everyday life, it's a problem that needs to be addressed.

PMS may include many or just one of: breast tenderness, moodiness, change in libido, irritability, weepiness, bloating, swelling of hands and feet, fatigue, and brain fog.

The good news is that just because it's common to experience PMS, doesn't mean that it's normal and that you just have to 'deal with it'.

Naturopathic Medicine has a lot to offer including: balancing hormones, correcting vitamin deficiencies, and correcting gut issues.

If you've suffered enough, call and book an appointment.

Yours in health,
Kerri

Ashley's Angels

I had the pleasure of meeting Ashley and her mother over the weekend. What a story. Ashley, 3 years old, woke up one day, yellow. Within a few weeks, she was in surgery having a liver transplant. Perfectly healthy little girl before that day.

Sick Kids is an incredible hospital that saves so many lives everyday. I am especially touched by what they do because of my own son, nephews, and the many children I get to work with. I hope that I never have to take Patrick down there, but I am so grateful knowing that they are there.
To read more about Ashley's story and the foundation that has been set up to support Sick Kids, please follow the link. If you can, please help. you never know when you will be touched by such tragedy and miracle.

Yours in health,
Kerri

Travel with a 16 month old - what fun!

Well, we made it! Left our house (north of Barrie) at 7:20 am. Didn't arrive to our new destination until 7:00 pm. Wow!

I have to give cuddos to West Jet. The attendants were spectacular. The flight was packed and they were busy but they found time to get Patrick a little airplane book and to check in on us. Helped that I had an off-duty attendant sitting next to me too!

He did brilliantly. No tantrums or upsets. I have a little harness for him that has a little backpack - cute and functional. Let him run around the airport and get his ya-ya's out before we boarded.

Used Kali-mur (homeopathic) to help with the ear popping thing - didn't bother either of us. Packed lots of food and milk too and with a big eater like Patrick, that was the ticket.

We had gone to the Source and bought Patrick a pair of headphones meant for kids. They are great. No matter how high they turn up the volume, they can't blow out their eardrums - too bad he doesnt' like TV much. I'm sure he'll use them when he's older.

It has taken me almost to the end of our trip to finally get this post written! We'll be headed back on Thursday and I'm praying for a repeat performance.

See you all soon!

Kerri

Really? Another HPV vaccine.

I know that I'm biased when it comes to vaccines, but with still looming safety issues about Guardasil, Health Canada has approved another HPV vaccine.

At a price tag of $400 and a need for three doses, no one knows if it's any better than Guardasil. Really, is this the best way that our health care system can offer the best care?

Yours in Health,
Kerri

Cleanse Recall

Just found out that a cleanse is being recalled. Check out the Health Canada bulletin here.

It's a Complete 7 Day cleanse that wasn't approved for sale in Canada.

Physician Assistant's are coming to Ontario

I just read an interesting article. It outlines a new program being offered through McMaster University. A two year program for a Physician Assistant (PA's). They are meant to be the interface between doctor, patient, and nurse.

I have concerns. We as ND's are not supported by many MD's because of our (perceived) lack of training in diagnosis and clinical knowledge. However, these students, who only need two years of university education (that does not have to be in the sciences), are going to be responsible for taking histories, knowing what questions to ask, and what tests to order.

ND's are required to have a minimum of three years of university education, and that education must include the minimum science courses to have a base to learn medicine from. Then we go through a four-year full-time program, followed by rigorous examination process. we are a government regulated profession in Ontario which protects the public from harm (something that these PA's won't have).

So tell me, is hiring a bunch of unregulated PA's really the best way to bridge the gap? And aren't nurse practitioners already doing a pretty bang-up job already?

Yours in Health,
Kerri

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is more than the winter blues. Most of us feel a little less energetic when the sun goes down at 4:30 pm., but for those with SAD, it's so much more. They lose interest in their favorite things, they crave carbohydrates, they can't seem to get out of bed, or find anything to be happy about.

Current theories about what causes SAD seem to include three main ideas: dysfunctional melatonin production, dysfunctional seratonin production, and of course, lack of light.

For those who believe they may have SAD, please see a doctor. Medical or Naturopathic, there are treatments available. There is no reason for you or your family to suffer any longer.

Yours in health,

Kerri

Wheat free Zucchini muffins

Trying to reduce the risk of allergy development, we have been concious to rotate Patrick (and our) grains. We eat Kamut bread, use alternative flours in our home baking, buy wheat free/gluten free waffles. By reducing the frequency that we are exposed to each grain, we reduce the risk of becoming sensitive to it.
Here is a muffin recipe that I use a lot! You can swap out the zucchiini for any other veggie or fruit (like bananas of course!).

Recipe:

In large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

Then add:
one egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a separate small bowl, combine the following ingredients:
1 cup barley flour
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Add a 1/2 cup of walnuts.
(if I using pumpkin, I add raisins and walnuts; if I use bananas I add frozen raspberries and almonds).

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Enjoy!!

Our first trip to the ER

My son, Patrick, who is 15 months old had his first emergency this weekend. Little boy vs. coffee table - coffee table won this time. He's fine, of course. They are resilient little creatures. Mom and Dad however, not as resilient.

I got my first real challenge to the "we chose not to vaccinate" decision. It made me appreciate how truly difficult it must be for people to make this choice. We were instantly treated differently, and the conversations became dominated by the "we're really concerned about tetanus here..."

Let me say this - I appreciate that the doctors and nurses in the ER were doing what they truly believed to be in Patricks best interest. They were doing due diligence and educating us on what they thought was best.

Let me also say that the decision to or not to vaccinate is a conversation best had with the patients regular MD, who has all of the pertinent family history to advise on such a matter. Despite my explanations (which are, lucky for me, "good" ones even in the medical world) they continued to push. I cannot imagine how hard that would have been for people who are not as well versed in medicine as I am.

This post is not meant to blast the doctors. This is meant as a little rant about how sad it is that parents cannot make informed decisions in the best interest of their child without strangers poking their noses in it.

Yours in Health,
Kerri

Substituting eggs

When someone can't eat eggs anymore, baking becomes a nightmare! Does that mean that they can't have pancakes and muffins anymore? No way.

Here are some easy ways to use ingredients you already have to replace eggs in your favorite recipes.

When there is only one egg in a recipe, it's in there as a binder.
Try using 1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp warm water or 3 Tbsp of pureed fruit instead.

When there are two to three eggs in a recipe, it's there as a leavener.
Try using 1 heaping tsp baking powder, 1 Tbsp oil, and 1 Tbsp warm water instead.

Happy baking!

Kerri

Eggless Banana Bread

Delicious and moist, this is a recommended recipe for anyone!

Mix the following ingredients into a small bowl:
1 1/2 cup flour (I use 1 cup barley flour and 1/2 cup arrowroot flour)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Mix the following ingredients into a large bowl:
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar (less is still very tasty!)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk (almond milk works well too)

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Let cool before slicing.

Freezes really well so I always make two loaves!!

Enjoy

Kerri

In Defense of Food

The next point is to 'avoid foods containting ingredients that are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or d) that include high-fructose corn syrup.'

This is my favorite point because it's practical to take shopping with you. Next time you shop, read the ingredients on everything that goes into your cart. It will open your eyes.

Many people have learned to look at the nutritional facts part of the label, but don't bother to look at the ingredients list.

Bread is the most fasinating section to look at. The more 'nutritious' the bread, the more additives there seem to be. The white breads that are as healthy as whole grains...look back at my blog about fibre please. This is a marketing ploy!

How about cookies? Or go to the snacks section...scary stuff folks!

Let's get back to food and away from chemicals. You're body will thank-you.

Yours in Health,

Kerri

What is gluten anyway?

Many people are becoming aware of gluten-free products but are not always sure of what that means. Here is a breif summary.


Gluten is a protein found in many commonly used grains such as wheat, rye, spelt, kamut, and barley.


Oats are in a grey area because although they do not contain gluten, it is often contaminated with glutinous grains.





Why is gluten bad? It's not to most people. However, people who have celieac disease are destroying thier guts by eating gluten containing foods. The good news is, when it's completely avoided, their guts do heal up. Naturopaths can help speed this process up and deal with the associated complications from having celiac disease.





What grains are safe for celiac patients? Buckwheat, amaranth, rice, soy, millet (in the grey area with oats), corn, and quinoa.





An important note: if you are experiencing gastrointestinal problems, try to get a celiac test done before removing gluten from your diet. Once it's removed, the intestines start to heal and the tests can come back inconclusive or negative.

This is only important if a confirmed diagnosis is important to you. If you've removed gluten, and you are improving. Don't let a negative diagnosis deter your new dietary efforts. Your body is ultimately the final word.

Yours in Health,

Kerri

Lovely Tea Biscuits

This is my late Grandad's recipe for tea biscuits. The best around that's for sure!

Compared to a Tim Horton's plain Tea biscuit, it's nutrition is much more sound. They freeze well so make a batch, throw them in the freezer and take one with you instead of buying one.

Tims: 250 cal, 9 g fat, 590 mg sodium

Grandpa's: 105 cal, 2.7 g fat, 220 mg sodium

Recipe

4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

4 tsp cream of tartar

4 tbsp canola oil

1 3/4 cups 1% buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients in mixer. (this is the place to add cheese or raisins to the mix - old cheddar works best, I use almost a whole brick)

Add oil.

Add milk.

Spread dough over floured table to about 1.5 inches thick. Use circular cutter to cut out 24 biscuits. Place so that they are all touching on a cookie sheet (I preheat mine). Bake at 450 for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kerri

In Defense of Food

With New Year's Resolution's in full swing, I decided to re-connect with one of my all-time favorite books. Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it.

I was watching the Hour on CBC a couple of years ago. There was Michael Pollan talking about the twinkie that he's had for years. Still soft and squishy like when he first got it. He recommended making it a personal rule to never eat anything that won't spoil. If bacteria won't eat it, then it isn't food. That was what made me go and purchase his book.

The book is summarized by three points. Eat food. Not Too Much. Mostly plants. I will share his points, and some of my comments to go with them over the next few Mondays.

Sadly, Eat Food needs to be expanded on. As he discusses so well in part two of his book, food needs to be defined. We have been so diluted by the industry, that we no longer recognize what is imitating food.

His first suggestion is to not eat anything that your Great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food. His example is brilliant - yogurt tubes. Look at the list of ingredients. It's not yogurt!

Simple, whole foods have been replaced with highly processed foods. They are full of sugar, fat, and salt - things that we love. We eat more of them than we need. We crave more once we've stopped. And so our obssession with food goes.

I see this with many of my patients. A homemade meal has become a frozen meal they bought at the grocery store and put in the oven at home. This is not homemade - it's home cooked I guess.

Let's teach our kids about food. Let's make this next generation have the taste for food in it's natural state - without the additives. To me, that would be the best reform to health care that we could make.

Yours in health,

Kerri

Where to find recipes

Many of my patients need inspiration when changing their diets. My two favorite sites for finding recipes are

• http://www.epicurious.com/


• http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

I just type in the food that I'm trying to eat more of in the search bar, and away we go!

Happy cooking!

Kerri

Wonderful winter chili

I love chili to keep me warm in the winter! With all the goodness of beans and the warmth of chili powder, this is one of my favorites. The sausage adds a new twist!


If you stuggle at getting the veggies in, put a handful of baby spinach in the bottom of the bowl before you serve the chili. It wilts up nicely and is barely noticed! Or, make yourself a taco salad by putting it over a bed of lettuce, tomatoes, old cheddar, green onions - top it off with some crushed corn chips and a dollop of sour cream! Mmm mm good.

Recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 mild italian sausages
2 large onions, cut into chunks
2 large peppers (use orange, red, or yellow to add some great nutrition and colour), cut into chunks
1 Tbsp chili powder (add a tsp or two extra if you like heat)
2 tsp ground cumin
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
15 oz can of each: white kidney beans, red kidney beans, black beans - drained and rinsed


Heat oil in large saucepan. Remove meat from sausage caseing and place in pan. Crumble and cook through. Remove sausage. Add onions to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and saute for another minute. Add chili powder and cumin and stir until aromatic (half a minute or so). Add tomatoes and beans and sausage. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kerri

New year's weight loss resolution

I wanted to comment on the all-to-common New Year's Resolution of weight loss.

Although a noble one, it seldom works. Why not try a new approach? Why not choose to do what has successful worked for countless people?

So, how are people losing weight and (more importantly) keeping it off? Check out the National Weight Control Registry at http://www.nwcr.ws/default.htm.

They have gathered info from adults who have lost at least 30 lbs and maintained that loss for at least one year. Here's some quick facts:

• 78% eat breakfast every day.


• 75% weigh them self at least once a week.


• 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.


• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day


• 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight


• 94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking

What's the take home message here? There is a simple recipe for weight loss. Exercise more, eat less, and pay attention. You'll notice I said 'simple' not easy.

Yours in Health,

Kerri