Formula has Risks

The slogan , "Breast is Best" over the last several years had 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 that most Medical schools have no training (zero hours) in their curriculum on breastfeeding. What was possibly even more surprising was the statistics on the percent of mothers who breastfed in Canada. In some provinces, only 65% of mothers attempted to initiate breastfeeding and only 20% exclusively breastfed until their child was 1 month old (BC is doing something right here as it's rates are substantially higher than this).

Research negating the benefits of breast feeding may include babies who have ever breastfed (even for a week) instead of comparing those who exclusively breastfed with those who were bottle fed. However, the evidence is now confirming what advocates have maintained for years that bottle feeding has risks. There is a growing body of research demonstrating increased rates of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes and even ulcerative colitis.

Note: Here in Toronto, as a result of the recent H1N1 pandemonium, the public breastfeeding support clinics were taken over as flu screening or vaccination clinics leaving new mothers who would access those clinics without any support. Certainly a situation without a perfect solution.

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 the importance of being exposed to a variety of practice models which will ultimately shape what my practice will look like and how well it will serve the public. As I have already said before, I could not agree more with the idea that the profession as a whole is stronger, and we are able to help more people, when naturopaths are able to be successful in their practice. I really appreciated Dan's encouragement and acknowledgement of our skills as primary care practitioners as well as the skills he highlighted that set us apart from any other health care provider.

What was most inspiring to me was that the Stone Tree Clinic operating model allowed for a balance in life, time for family, keeping healthy and options like taking a working sabbatical in South America to bring health care to the less fortunate.

Visit, stonetreeclinic.com to see a different approach to health care.

For those interested Dan's blog specifically about practice management visit, alternativehealthpractice.com

Quote of the Month

“We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers.

Carl Sagan

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 this beautiful country) and rejuvenated my motivation to study for the upcoming botanical medicine midterm - known for being one of the hardest courses in third year. I found photography a great way to trick myself into studying!

Salidogo odora (Goldenrod)

This herb grows abundantly in open meadows and fields. The leaf is usually picked in the fall and can be made into a tincture or tea. Common uses are as a renal tonic, diuretic and carminitive.

Maple Forest Trail

Although third year is much busier than I had hoped for, clinic (internship) is only 7 months away. There is light at the end of the trail!

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) provided us with an overview of the extensive planning and work it takes to set up a business. She instilled that this is not something we want to try to figure out after graduation as there is so much to know about what happens on the business side of being an ND.

The course was filled with plenty of tools and tips from her business experience.

Check out Dr. Camp's business website: www.biznaturally.com

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 (1788-1860)

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 Defence and author of, Slow Death by Rubber Duck) speak on the effects of common chemicals. As he made clear, pollution is not something out there like big smoke stacks, but right inside us: we are polluted!
The Canadian Government's recent 180 turn on the hormone disruptor Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an indication that, with public pressure, changing the influence of the chemical giants is possible. Removing BPA from baby bottles is an excellent start, but the problem is much bigger. The problem is about a regulatory system that failed, about 85% of chemicals that have never been tested, and about the unknown (since it will take decades to see the effects of this toxic legacy).

The CBC documentary, The Disappearing Male, showed that baby boys are the first ones to be effected by chemical hormone disruptors. Even in adulthood, male reproductive problems can be linked to petroleum byproducts. However, consumers have great power and vote everyday with what they purchase.

Check out toxicnation.ca for information on how to go toxic free. Naturopathic doctors are very educated in this area and can work with you towards removing the pollution from your body and providing you with resourceful ways to minimize your exposure.

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 is used to deceive people into believing new "me-too" drugs are superior to old ones, how doctors are given kick-backs, lures and bribes to sell drugs, how people are told that drugs are extremely expensive to pay for innovative research and development, and how clinical trials are biased and rigged by the drug companies who support the research.

Although some time in the book is spent on the unnecessary creation of drug markets, unlike other good books on this topic, the author does not allocate much space to side effects and harm many drugs can do, nor the potential for inappropriate drug dependence (especially with psychological drugs) - no conspiracy theories contained! Instead, the book, which is numerically tedious at times, highlights in great detail the outlandish "marketing" costs of industry. The author's point is supported by undeniable cases of corruption directly from within the industry. One of the main points of the book is drugs that work could be sold at a fraction of the cost and the pharmaceutical industry should be re-focused back to finding truly life saving drugs instead of creating and marketing dubious "me-too" drugs.

This issue is now directly important to naturopathic doctors in Canada as British Columbia's ND's have prescribing rights and more provinces will be on board in the future (some States in the US have also granted prescribing writes several years ago).

Quote of the Month

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

Albert Einstein

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 of only 2 teams to climb to the summit on what ended up being one of the most difficult and amazing adventures I have done in a day so far. Thirty-five to 50 cm of fresh snow took its toll on even the most fit mountaineers. Thanks to my brother and friends who maintained a positive attitude throughout the entire day, we worked as a team and completed our goal. Enjoy the pictures below:

Southwest Face of Mount Temple
with Sentinal Pass on the left

Navigating the Rocks

Open Slopes

Summit in Sight

Looking Down
Looking Up!

We Made it!