Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone!I hope you are able to spend some time relaxing with friends and family and are too busy having fun to be on the computer and reading this on Christmas day - I typed this ahead of time and scheduled the post for Christmas morning!Thank-you to those who have been checking in regularly and providing excellent feedback.Have a safe and fun holid...

Christmas- A Needed Break

Maybe it was because it was the 9th exam in a week, or the accumulation of a 2 1/2 year mental marathon, but I was humbled by the difficulty of the questions on our final Botanical Medicine exam yesterday. I absolutely love Bot Med and it is never just about passing the course for me, so after the exam, I actually pulled out my notes and looked up the questions that I could remember.I do need to put the books down for a while and celebrate because...

Virtual Substitutes

The phrase, "Now that is a day at the Park" brings a lot of things to mind. For me, spending the day in front of a coloured, flashing box in the living room was not very high on the list. Yet, with Christmas approaching, and toy marketing fever beginning to peak, parents are lead to believe that the Fisher Price Smart Fit Park constitutes a day in the park. I don't mean to pick on Fisher Price particularly, as there are certainly other companies...

Quote of the Month

�Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience"Ralph Waldo Emer...

Formula has Risks

The slogan , "Breast is Best" over the last several years has formula companies comparatively recommending their product as a close second. Why anybody would choose to start their child on second best is interesting (I certainly understand those who are physically unable to breast feed). As Naturopathic Doctors promote patient education, informed choice in cases like this is what is important. I was surprised to learn in Maternal/Newborn Care today...

Stone Tree Clinic

As the start of clinic is quickly approaching, and graduation is just over a year away, I am beginning to seriously plan where and how I will practice. We have been very fortunate at CCNM to be able to hear perspectives from successful naturopathic businesses. Today, Dan Clements who operates Stone Tree Clinic in Collingwood Ontario with Dr. Tara Gignac, ND spoke to our class about the business model, operations and philosophy of their clinic.I realized...

Quote of the Month

�We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers.Carl Sa...

Canadian Thanksgiving

The pace of third year took me by surprise and Thanksgiving weekend could not have come at a better time. Next Monday, the midterm exams begin and the third year class has been so busy, with assignments and preparation for practicals, that it seems like we only have a week to prepare.A walk through the forest this weekend calmed my mind (reminded me of the many things we have to be thankful for in...

The Business Side

I have a huge interest in the business side of naturopathy. I think that if an ND can be successful in their business then they are able to help more people, positively impact their community, pay their share of taxes to this great country and donate to the charities they like. So when our business professor invited Dr. Eli Camp to speak about building a practice, I was sure to attend. Dr. Camp (a graduate of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine)...

Quote of the Month

�All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self evident.�Arthur Schopenhaur (1788-18...

The Disappearing Male

Silicon in hair products to make our hair shine, vinyl toys for our children to chew on, phthalates to make colognes last all day, flame retardants in our pillows... the list goes on. In fact there are thousands of chemicals sold that end up inside our house and almost none of them have been tested for long-term safety.CCNM was priveledged to have Rick Smith (who is the Executive Director of Environmental...

Book Review 9

The Truth About the Drug Companies by Marcia Angell, M.D.This is one of the most powerful books outlining some of the major problems in the pharmaceutical drug industry. It is written in factual, unemotional prose by the former editor in chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. As a medical doctor, she supports the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals but is outraged at many unethical practices of the industry including: how extensive marketing...

Quote of the Month

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."Albert Einst...

Celebrating halfway from the top

To celebrate the completion of the first 2 years of Naturopathic school and NPLEX 1, some friends and I decided to climb Mount Temple which is the highest peak in the Alberta Rockies (11,000 feet). The day had many memorable moments including seeing a grizzly bear relatively close as we hiked above Larch Valley. Then, in the face of continual discouragement from teams returning, we were the first...

Quote of the Month

�It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease then to know what sort of disease a person has."Hippocra...

Paracelsus Herb Garden

I have always appreciated this little getaway at CCNM as a place to clear my mind and enjoy Botanical medicine from a practical perspective. Although the school is surrounded by busy streets, this offers more than some consolation! I took these pictures on a study break today. Only 5 days until NPLEX. All the best to everyone who is writing it.View from across the yard. One Entrance Goldfish with...

Not all Green plastics are Created Equal

With the longest recorded strike by Toronto city workers coming to a close, city services will hopefully resume soon. Although city run daycamps and daycares were shut down and the Center Island Ferry did not run, it was the garbage accumulation that got noticed.Maybe now is a good time to take a serious look at our throw away society and cut down and look for alternatives. As such bioplastics have received a lot of attention lately. As with anything,...

Book Review 8

The Secret History of the War on Cancer by Devra DavisWith the 7th annual, 8th annual, 10th annual (depending on the city) weekend walk to end breast cancer, the topic of this book is currently quite counter to the popular culture. However, Dr. Devra Davis is one of a growing number of writers and health experts to point out that there needs to be a refocus in our effort in regards to cancer research. The breast cancer campaigns have due concern...

Quote of the Month

�DNA isn't destiny - it's history. Your genetic code doesn't determine your life. Sure it shapes it - but exactly how it shapes it will be dramatically different depending on your parents, your environment and your choices.�Sharon Moalem(Author: Survival of the Sicke...

Happy Canada Day!!

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Garbage In Garbage Out.

Toronto city workers are currently on strike. This affects many city services but most prominently in the news is the issue of garbage pick-up. Reports came in that people began dumping their garbage in rivers and parks after only one day of the strike!Certainly baby diapers in an apartment without air conditioning makes for a very uncomfortable situation. However, now is the perfect time to recognize how many other things we purchase that are...

HBBH Business Workshop

Naturopathic Doctors (ND's) face unique business challenges after graduation including the fact that, in Canada, Naturopathic Medicine is not covered by the Provincial Government's health care system. This means that in order for ND's to do what they were trained to do, they are required to become an entrepreneur. The latest statistics show that about 20% of ND graduates do not work in the field. What is really sad is when an excellent, caring...

New NPLEX study website

New this year is for ND students is, ND Online Learning Center (NDOLC).Before I was aware of the NDOLC, I paid for both NPLEX 1 prep courses offered. As I am detail oriented, I value classroom learning for providing me with the big picture. Additionally, I bought the Healing Mountain study manual. As such, I think that my bases are covered and am not going to purchase this new online learning package. However, if you are currently using NDOLC,...

New Journal for Naturopathic Medicine

The first publication of the International Journal of Naturopathic Medicine was just launched this June. The Journal's site states that subscribers will, "Receive an environmentally-friendly print journal and have access to state-of-the-art practice and research in the field of naturopathic medicine..." I'm familiar with at least 5 of the names on the Editorial Board (Faculty of CCNM or...

Naturopathic Movies 11

FOOD INC.This movie premiers on June 12 and from the looks of things, it will be a tremendous paradigm shift in the way many people view food. The timing is interesting for many reasons, one of which is that stocks in agriculture and agricultural loans are reaching an all-time high. Furthermore, people are becoming aware that their food selections do affect the availability of better food choices in the grocery store or local farmers market.To...

Naturopathy in Hawaii

My family and I just returned from the beautiful island of Maui where I had the privilege to preceptor with a Naturopath there. Naturopathic medicine is regulated in the state of Hawaii and the people are very receptive to preventative and complimentary medicine.On the beach we were talking to some amazing volunteers who were protecting the coral reefs, "for the future generations" by educating the...

NPLEX Preparation

Naturopathic students have 2 sets of licensing exams to write called NPLEX (Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations). The first one is written after completing second year and includes the Basic Sciences: Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry. Then, after completing the 4 year program, the final NPLEX is for the clinical sciences.This week, I am taking the first NPLEX prep course with many of my colleagues...

Naturopathic Medicine Week

Next week is Naturopathic Medicine Week in Canada (May 2-10).Check out your local Chapters/Indigo, Coles or favorite health food stores during this week for Naturopathic Doctors giving presentations. Click here for a list of free seminar locations across Canada. This is a great opportunity to learn what naturopathy can do for you and to ask questio...

It's been a year!

Although I did not have the time to post nearly as much as I would have liked, I was still surprised at the interest in this site. After one year, there were between 250-400 visitors per month and people asked some very good questions.It was an exciting year for Naturopathic Medicine in Canada. Nova Scotia was the first province east of Ontario to provide legislation for ND's, Ontario is transitioning Naturopathic Medicine under the Regulated Health...

A First

With some of the derogatory statements made lately by Medical Doctors about the training of ND's, I was beginning to wonder if there was something fundamentally missing from my training that would make me unable to practice as a primary care provider. My curiosity about what a GP learned about primary care that I was missing in my training abated after reading PalMD's final comments that arose from his "ND Challenge."Occasionally I find myself agreeing,...

B.C. will set a precedent for Naturopathic Doctors

It's nearly official: British Columbia's Naturopathic Doctors will expand their roles as primary care providers as they attain prescribing rights and the ability to work with pharmacists. What may be more important is that Naturopaths will maintain access to certain botanicals, supplements, amino acids and other treatments that fall under the area restricted to a prescription. In regards to prescribing pharmaceuticals, Naturopathic Doctors are...

Nature in the City

Education is something I believe a lot in especially when it comes to the betterment of us and our environment. Unfortunately, many people picture the environment to be this pristine place hundreds of miles from civilization and throw their Tim Horton's coffee cup into the ditch. However, there are no boundaries on the environment, it is there wherever we are.What I really liked about the presentation I attended the other day at school was the...

Toxic plastic toys

"Health Canada tests found three-quarters of soft plastic toys and children's items for sale in Canada contained toxic chemical additives known to cause reproductive harm in children."Here is the entire article, www.nationalpost.comMy little boy has been showered with gifts of plastic toys. I really appreciate the thought but can't help but wonder about long-term effects. We really need to get our children out into some fresh a...

Online learning

Recently I have seen a lot of advertisements for online naturopathic training in the US. I have even read where some people adamantly defend their online naturopathic diplomas. Although I am sure that they worked hard, and gained insight into some areas of natural medicine, I cannot see its applicability to becoming a doctor.In contrast to online naturopath education, accredited schools train naturopaths to be primary care providers. As an example,...

Quote of the Month

�Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einst...

Earth Hour

It is good to see the popularity of Earth Hour has hit mainstream. Although celebrity endorsements and more cities participating for the hour certainly help, more can be done to affect our choices on the remaining 8759 hours of the year.While riding the bus the other day, a child looked out the window and exclaimed, "look at all the litter dad." I was impressed by her concerned observation and agreeably replied, "it's awful isn't it?" Then to my...

Wild or Farmed Salmon?

With the tremendous health benefits offered by eating cold water fish, it is important to consider where the fish come from. Unfortunately, there are some major differences between Wild and Farmed Salmon. The arguments for Wild versus Farmed Salmon are somewhat analogous to that of Free-range versus Feedlot beef. However, the consequences with the fish may be greater. Both the Wild Atlantic and Wild Pacific Salmon are in danger from fish farms. As...

Is Naturopathic Medicine a difficult program?

This semester has been exceptionally busy and I have not had any time to spend on this blog. Last week we had 9 exams in 5 days with some of the exams worth 40% of our final mark. March's quote of the month captures some of that feeling!I have received a lot of questions recently asking if naturopathic school is easier than conventional medical school. Although I can't say for sure, because I haven't attended conventional medical school, what I can...

Quote of the Month

�There ain�t much fun in medicine, but there�s a heck of a lot of medicine in fun.�Josh Billi...

Finally some good Press!

The submission for prescribing rights has envoked some resistance against this opportunity for Naturopathic Doctors. After reading several negative articles over the past month, it was nice to get this positive outlook from New Brunswick. Take a look at The Daily Gleaner for their thoughts on how Naturopaths will help the Canadian health care syst...

Quote of the Month

"It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician."Meryl Str...

Naturopathic Movies 10

FLOWThis award winning documentary highlights an issue that we so often take completely for granted in Canada - WATER. Fresh, unplolluted, drinkable water to be specific. Without drinkable water, there can be no life. Unfortunately, this neccesity provides an opportunity for tremendous control and profit for unscrupulous companies. Can anyone really own water?I found that the film starts a little slow but end up presenting interesting perspectives...

CCNM Naturopathic Student Highlight

Rachelle de Jong is currently a full-time 3rd year student at CCNM. Rachelle was born on Vancouver Island, went to high school in Regina and then did her undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria in Biology.After competing at the elite level in rowing for 11 years, Rachelle made the pinnacle of athletic dreams - The Olympics! Rachelle took last year off school to represent Canada at the 2008...

Quote of the Month

"Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So, overweight people are now average. Which means you've met your New Year's resolution!"Jay L...