Wood Violets

Let’s go outside and play! Join me, Mahalia Freed ND, for an herb identification and plant story-sharing walk. The medicine we need is in our backyards, in our laneways, and in the green spaces throughout Toronto. Learn how to find it, and what deep healing it offers! From pregnancy tonic to allergy relief, heart medicine to liver support, our city is rich in medicine. This walk will cover plant identification, as well as the medicinal and energetic actions of the plants we find.

Please RSVP to Mahalia to reserve your spot.

Note that this is a repeat of the popular May 12th herb walk.

This walk will be held in a more central/east location in Toronto. It will be a different season (high summer! more flowers!) but as with May’s walk, it is intended to be an introductory herb walk.

Happy Soup

Seriously, this is the happiest soup I’ve ever made or had the pleasure of consuming. There is no other way to describe it. Perhaps it is partially the virtuousness I feel, eating local, wildcrafted herbs & greens in season. Mostly, though, it is just a great, simple soup. Click here to learn more about nettles (and allergies), and here for more about fiddleheads.

Recipe

(Based on the suggestion of the Friendly Happy Guy from Forbes Wild Foods at Dufferin Grove Farmer’s Market)

Ingredients

1/2 pound fresh local fiddleheads, soaked and rinsed in a bowl of water several times, ends cut off.

1 heaping, packed colander full of fresh wild stinging nettles, stems removed (remember to wear your gloves to avoid the sting!). (Sorry, didn’t weigh the nettles)

2 onions, chopped (plus green onion, or the green shoots growing off an old onion if that happens in your house)

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2-4 cups stock (I used veggie stock)

Water

Sea Salt

Pepper

Directions

Saute onions & garlic in olive oil until tender. Add water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add cleaned fiddleheads and continue sauteing. Add a bit of stock. Wait a minute or few. Add nettles. Pour stock over nettles, and add water to just barely cover the greens. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes, swirling/stirring to make sure nettles get wilted. About 10 minutes in, add the green onion. Add sea salt and maybe pepper. Blend. (I use a handblender, right into the hot soup in the pot).

Enjoy Happy Soup!

ps: some internet recipes for nettle soup swirl in cream at the end, but i really think this soup needs no enhancement.

Crateagus oxycantha, flower

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) is medicine for the heart on all levels. Indigenous to countries across the northern hemisphere, this small thorny tree has a long-recorded history of medicinal use in both Europe and China, as well as in North America. Poetically – and significantly – Hawthorn is a member of the Rose family.

Hawthorn’s place as heart medicine was noted by Greek physician, Dioscorides, in the first Century AD. Medical herbal research has validated this use, finding hawthorn to be effective for increasing the strength of heart contractions, increasing blood flow to the heart, decreasing blood lipids (ie decreasing bad cholesterol (LDL), and triglycerides) and modulating blood pressure (AltMedReview, 2010). A Cochrane review of trials on hawthorn for chronic or congestive heart failure found that Crataegus extract decreased fatigue and shortness of breath and improved exercise tolerance relative to placebo. And while the traditional context is different, the Traditional Chinese Medicine use of Hawthorne for fat or rich meal digestion highlights the ability of Haw/berry antioxidants to prevent cholesterol deposits from oxidizing.

Additionally, hawthorn is used in the form of an energy medicine for the heart.

As a flower essence, Hawthorn helps open the heart to giving and receiving love, and can help in healing heartache. It encourages self-love and self-acceptance. As with many heart-acting energy remedies, hawthorn helps us to develop courage. The very etymology of the word courage draws our attention to the heart: cor is latin for heart. And courage is truly an open-hearted state.

Hawthorne flower essence is further indicated for helping someone come into their strength and power (courage again?); and for calming a type A personality.

There is great lore surrounding hawthorn. Beltane and May Day rituals have long included hawthorn (or May) flowers and branches. For more about Hawthorn, magic and ritual, see http://www.whitedragon.org.uk/articles/hawthorn.htm.

Parts Used: Berries (or haws) and flowers. Sometimes leaves. Most species flower

Crataegus spp., berries

in May. Spring leaves and flowers may be eaten.

Actions: cardiac tonic, hypotensive/blood pressure normalizing, antioxidant (rich in bioflavonoids and proanthocyanidins – protects myocardium against oxidative damage, prevents oxidized cholesterol from accumulating in vessel walls)

Conditions Treated:

• Coronary artery disease
• Congestive Heart Failure (NYHA II and below)
• Post-Heart Attacks
• Elevated blood lipids (cholesterol, triglyerides)
• Heat, inflammation
• Restlessness, anxiety, AD(H)D (per Matthew Wood)

Energetics: for protection and healing of the heart, opening the heart, expressing, giving and receiving love.

Interactions/Side Effects

Hawthorn is a gentle medicine that  – when indicated – is safe and effective for long term use. It is also safe to use with common cardiovascular medications, although you should always check with your ND or medical herbalist before embarking on an herbal treatment plan.

Sources:

Pittler MH, Guo R, Ernst E. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD005312. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18254076

Thorne Research. Crataegus oxycantha (Hawthorne) Monograph. Alt Med Review. 15(2). 2010.

Weed, S. Healing Wise. Woodstock, NY: Ash Tree Publishing.

Wood, M. The Earthwise Herbal. Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books. 2008.

Summary of available information:

http://www.wisewomanherbals.com/herbmed/#param.wapp?sw_page=@viewHerb%3FherbID%3D97

Flower Essence Information:

http://www.lichenwood.com/essencesGP.html

http://www.fesflowers.com/fes-store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=94_96&products_id=1717

http://www.woodlandessence.com/essences.htm

http://www.allthingshealing.com/Homeopathy/The-Making-of-Hawthorn-Flower-Remedy/6148

Urban Dandelions

Yes, reported cancer rates have risen in recent decades. Cancer now touches many of us, be it through family members, friends, or our own health experiences. Understandably, this reality and the associated media attention has created a lot of fear. But what the media doesn’t emphasize is that the majority of cancer is caused by “diet & lifestyle” and environmental factors rather than genetic heredity, which in fact accounts for only 2 – 10% of all cancers.

In other words, there are many things you can do to enhance your overall health, and dramatically decrease your risk of developing cancer or a recurrence of cancer.

Join Dr Mahalia Freed, ND, to learn more about concrete ways that you can not only reduce your risk of cancer, but live a healthier, richer, more fulfilling life.

Register through Gilda’s Club, Toronto, to reserve your space. Call 416-214-9898.

Please RSVP to Mahalia to reserve your spot.

Learn the nuts and bolts of the pervasive effects of stress on your physiology, and take away empowering strategies that will help you begin to ‘Feel Your Way Forward’ to a state of total health. Implement some simple suggestions to find greater energy, vitality, creativity, joy; and decrease your risk of diseases from Crohn’s to cancer, IBS to Alzheimer’s.

In this workshop, you will:

• Discover how our emotional landscape is tied to stress;
• Explore the physiological and biochemical implications of stress and stress management;
• Learn how healthy processing of our emotions (through observation, acknowledgement, authenticity, and compassion) can improve physical and emotional health by altering our stress response;
• Discuss and practice specific strategies for ‘feeling your way forward’, including: cultivating a deeper awareness of our emotional landscape; healthy boundaries; and authentic yes’s and no’s.

RSVP via meetup or facebook to reserve your spot!

Contact: If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Erin at erin (at) erinbentley (dot) com; or Mahalia at mahalia (at) dandelionnaturopathic (dot) ca

Facilitators’ Bios

Erin Bentley, M.A., is a mentor, healer, writer and public speaker. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of British Columbia; and is a PhD candidate in the department of Sociology at York University in Toronto, Ontario. For five years, Erin has mentored the beautiful outsiders of the world to move from wounded to open-hearted by assisting them to leverage their deep yearning for life-change into epic self-transformation. By helping clients move through old pain and fear, Erin assists individuals to eliminate the energetic and mental barriers that cause them to feel stuck, broken, or shut down – shifting, forever, their stories of self and possibility. In this way, Erin helps clients to recover the clarity, freedom, and confidence to fulfill the promise of their relationships, their work, and their life purpose. For more information, see her website.

Mahalia Freed, ND is a Naturopathic Doctor, BodyTalk Practitioner, Writer, Speaker, Educator, and Kale Crusader. People who receive naturopathic care with Dr. Mahalia Freed feel better. Her clients get pregnant, get energized, find their healthy body weight, overcome anxiety and depression, and leave digestive health concerns behind. From allergies to PMS, IBS to fatigue, Dr Mahalia Freed listens – and you get results.

Mahalia is a advocate of ‘the New Holistic’. Using the depth and breadth of her training in naturopathic medicine, Mahalia can help you take your health to the next level, physically and emotionally. Her doctor’s toolbox includes herbal medicine, nutrition & supplementation, homeopathic medicine, counseling, as well as Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture – all complimented by energy modalities such as BodyTalk and Reiki.

If you are looking for healing that includes personal growth as well as care for body, mind and spirit, this is it!

In addition to her private practice in downtown Toronto, Mahalia is also a guest lecturer at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Eight Branches Chinese Medicine Academy, and the Institute for Traditional Medicine. A renowned speaker and workshop facilitator, Mahalia enjoys providing public education in areas including natural medicine for hormone balancing (polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, PMS, fertility); pregnancy; work / life balance; stress & digestion; you and the new holistic; and complementary care for cancer prevention and treatment.

For recipes, research news, health information and upcoming events, become a fan on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MahaliaFreedND or follow Mahalia on twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MahaliaFreedND

Naturopathic Doctor, BodyTalk Practitioner, Writer, Speaker, Educator, Kale Crusader

St John's Wort in bloom

Flower essences are energetic, or informational, remedies made from the flowers of plants.  They are gentle and deep acting, and are most commonly used to support emotional health and personal growth. One familiar example is Rescue Remedy, a combination of flower essences (from the Bach line) popular for anxiety and shock. Many people carry Rescue Remedy in their bag, finding it effective emotional first aid for calming down enough to drive home after a fender-bender, facing their ex’s divorce lawyer without breaking down, getting through a funeral. In my practice I use flower essences to support heart healing, move through grief or trauma, overcome tobacco addiction, develop healthy body image, allow for true personal expression, help someone find their life path, and so much more. The subtle, powerful healing of a correctly prescribed flower essence is magical to witness, and gratifying to experience.

These days, I often choose a flower essence as part of someone’s naturopathic treatment plan. It may complement a homeopathic, or fill in the gap between counseling regarding relationship patterns and a custom tincture for a lung infection.

Case example:

“Sally”(JG), a perimenopausal woman in her 50s who came to me for help resolving her hot flashes, digestive discomfort (bloating) and fatigue. When Sally first came to see me, she was depressed, but she had felt like that for so long, it had started to feel like all there was. As is common for people who are used to doing everything themselves rather than trusting others to help, she was not very expressive or open with me at first. We started out by improving her diet, increasing exercise, and ensuring that all her particular nutrient needs were met. For Sally, this meant more leafy green vegetables, less packaged food, and more variety in grains. She decided to begin yoga classes, and start walking more regularly. I prescribed a couple foundational supplements for energy and mood, and custom-formulated a botanical tincture to help decrease her heavy menstrual bleeding and eliminate hot flashes. I also suggested a journaling exercise. She came back and reported that she felt slightly more energy, as well as no more hot flashes, and no more heavy menstrual bleeding. Progress, right? Great, but her mood was still very “up and down”, and in my office she seemed down even while positive about the changes thus far. Next step: botanical formula for mood. Follow-up: helped a bit, but still “up and down”. Meanwhile, her periods continued to improve, and her bloating resolved once we identified and eliminated her particular food sensitivity.

When things are getting better on a physical level, but seem “stuck” on an emotional

Larch branch

level, a flower remedy can help. In Sally’s case, we started with Larch, a Bach essence for self-confidence and speaking your truth, often indicated for women with thyroid concerns as part of their picture. After one month on twice daily Larch drops, the effect was clear: Sally shared more with me than she ever had previously – confidence in speaking your truth. Amazing progress! We continued to incorporate flower essences into the treatment plan over the next 6 months, with consistent healing progress. Recent update: Sally and I are now working on the next level of her health. That is, with the help of the flower essences and the development of trust in our relationship, she is able to access deeper information from within herself regarding her true purpose. Further, Sally is now able to contemplate the changes needed to bring her current life into alignment with her passions and sense of what she meant to be doing. As she integrates this information and begins to make changes, I have seen her physical health concerns shift and lift even further. Witnessing her healing and that of many other clients affirms for me that personal growth is part of health. It is so clear that supporting personal growth must be part of truly holistic care, and flower essences are an ideal tool with which to provide this support.

Flower Essence Q&A

Q: How do flower essences work?

A: There is now solid science – from Einstein on forward – demonstrating that matter is energy. We know that the energy contained in a liquid can be used to influence human energy fields to help resolve ailments. This is what flower essence liquids do. When you take flower essences, the energy they contain affects your energy field, which in turn may shift your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state.

Q: Is this the same as essential oils?

A: No. Essential oils contain concentrated biochemical components of the plants from which they are extracted, while flower essences are closer to homeopathic remedies in nature, in that they are energetic imprints of their source.

Q: How do you make a flower essence?

A: A flower essence is made by infusing the blossoms of a particular plant, bush, or tree in water in the sun. The liquid is then diluted and “potentized” in a method similar to the preparation of homeopathic remedies, and preserved with brandy (or a nonalcoholic substance, if need be). The result is a highly diluted, “potentized” substance that embodies the energetic patterns of the flower from which it is made.

Q: Is there scientific evidence that flower essences are effective?

A: Yes, there is both clinical and double blind placebo-controlled study evidence that shows clear efficacy of flower essences. For example, this study http://www.flowersociety.org/cram2.html, titled, “Flower essences reduce stress reaction to intense environmental stimulus” found that two flower essence combos outperformed placebo in calming specific areas of the brain that respond to stress.

Q: How do I choose which essence or essences are right for me?

A: There are many flower essence repertories and guidebooks available. My favorite one is here: http://www.fesflowers.com/fes_books.htm#rep

You can choose remedies for yourself, based on the particular emotional state you are working with. In some cases, this can be amazingly effective. However, I strongly suggest working with a practitioner in choosing essences. Prescribing accurately requires a certain amount of objectivity that most of us cannot muster about ourselves. Despite my familiarity with the flower essences, and my training, I do not prescribe to myself, as I know I do not have the best perspective from which to do so.

It took me years of resisting and suffering to develop and sustain a regular meditation practice. I share my tips and lessons in this article, Confessions of a Reluctant Meditator, or Tips for Fitting Meditation into Your Life.

If you are the kind of person who likes to know the why of things, here is a very brief summary of why meditating will be beneficial for you, too:

The evidence

As a naturopathic doctor I am well-versed in the evidence and clinical applications for meditation. It is amazing how effective various kinds of meditation can be. An unsophisticated PubMed search on the term “meditation” yields 2, 215 studies. Depression? Meditation may be as effective as medication. Cancer? Meditation improves mood, sleep, immune system, quality of life. Stress? Meditate to lower blood pressure. Heart disease? Yup. Meditation helps. Indeed, mindfulness-based stress reduction for heart disease, chronic pain and many other conditions is taught at hospitals and in private practices across North America based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD.

Even more compellingly, my clients are a fantastic and inspiring bunch. They tell me that meditation practice helps them manage anxiety, gives them energy when their work involves long hours and traveling, keeps them happier, helps them connect more with their friends and family. So not only do I know about the benefits from reading the studies, I know about it from clinical practice.

The bullet points:

• It feels good.
• It is free.
• It can help restore emotional clarity and balance, making you feel better if you are stressed or sad.
• It can energize you when you feel tired (though it’s not a substitute for quality sleep, you type A’s out there!).
• It can help you tap your inner wisdom when you feel uncertain about a decision.
• It can reclaim stillness from the frenzied pace of modern day life, readjusting the skewed balance between being and doing.
• It can reconnect you with your intuition and creativity.
• It will give you unexpected gifts (for me this has included concrete reassurance when things felt dire, and recently, the name of a remedy I hadn’t consciously heard of that was the perfect fit for someone in my care with a complex clinical case).
• It doesn’t have to be hard.

Want some tips to help you find a way to integrate meditation into your full life? Get started here. And please share what works and doesn’t for you!

I am delighted to tell you that I proved myself wrong this year.

In the past 12 months I have gone from a firm, “meditation is for other people” identity, to being a person who strategizes to find that time in my day.

Huge shift!

Yup, despite ‘knowing better’ via the clinical evidence I saw regularly and the clear benefits in the research, I was sure it was something I couldn’t do. I truly believed that meditation was great for other people – but not for me. I couldn’t sit still, couldn’t quiet my mind, didn’t feel “good” at it. And you know, overachievers like me, we like to be good at things right away.

In effect, I was seeking less challenge, more comfort zone.

Sound familiar?

But, why leave the comfort zone? Well, you can’t grow in the comfort zone. And I got to the point where the benefits of growth outweighed my need for the ‘safety’ of the familiar. I felt like there was more within me but I couldn’t access it. I was frustrated. And stressed out. The tools I had weren’t enough to get me where I wanted to go. And then one more person told me meditation would allow me to get there, right after I finally found the type of meditation that resonates with me (see lesson #1 below). And I tried it. And I liked it. So I did it again. And again. Interestingly, leaving the comfort zone has felt great. So much for holding ourselves back to avoid hard, painful things. In retrospect, resisting meditation was a lot more painful.

I share this in case you – unlike myself – are gifted with the ability to learn from other people’s mistakes rather than needing to make them all yourself.

I hope you find the lessons I’ve learned and the tips I’ve gathered helpful on your own journeys. Why? Because meditation IS good for you (details and evidence via this link).

My two important lessons:

1)    There is no ‘one-size fits all’ with meditation, just like there is no one magic nutritional supplement that is right for everyone. Once I realized this, I stopped trying to fit myself into someone else’s favorite kind of meditation. I found one that was right for me. As someone with a short attention span and a tendency to be “doing” all the time, Shamanic journeying fits, as it gives me a focused something to do while I am breathing and observing. I found I really liked how I felt afterwards. And I liked the gifts it brought me, each and every time. Even when I approached it metaphorically kicking and screaming. Simple – and eventually kind of addictive, in the good way.

2)    Limiting my personal growth with pronouncements like, “meditation is for other people” is only as fun as laughing at myself is later on – when I prove myself completely wrong, again. I am now resolved to limit the limiting pronouncements.

Tips for incorporating regular meditation into your already full life:

1)    Most importantly, be a seeker. Be open and find the sort of meditation practice that works for you. Is it Transcendental? Mindfulness-based stress reduction? Guided meditation? Visualization? Chanting? Shamanic journeying? One of the many specific yogic meditation practices, from Kundalini chanting and breathwork to Sahaja yoga’s mental silence? One of many Buddhist meditation practices? Walking? Sitting in nature? Prayer?

Once you’ve found something that works for you,

2)    Schedule it into your planner. Block off the time or it will get swallowed by the many important tasks and even greater number of unimportant distractions that gobble up our days. Very first thing in the morning is the most popular time to set aside time for stillness. Interesting, isn’t it? Here is the tone for the day: Calm, still, centred, grounded. When you put it like that, why don’t we all do it?

3)    If possible, create a corner in your home that is set up for meditation. Having the space ready, welcoming and comfortable removes some practical and psychological obstacles. It doesn’t have to be a separate room, though it is helpful to have a door that closes if you share your house with others.

4)    Do it together. Meditating weekly with a group can help to deepen and reinforce your home practice. Or meditate with others in your household!

5)    Modern times, modern technology. Use YouTube and other electronic resources. Seriously. Whether you are looking for guided visualization or shamanic drumming, you can find it online, for free. Use those 10 minute clips as your company or motivation if this is helpful.

6)    Be flexible about the details. At the cottage for the weekend? Meditate on the dock. Meeting cancelled? Close your office door, close your eyes and breathe into your heart centre for 10 minutes.

For more about stress management and the impact of meditation on your brain, see for instance Alice Walton’s article, Eat, Smoke, Meditate: Why Your Brain Cares How You Cope.

Ready to take stress management to the next level? Want to use meditation as a tool for getting clear as you “feel your way forward” to total health? Join us for this Toronto workshop, Wednesday November 30th, 2011.

What works for you? What doesn’t? Share your meditation experiences on my facebook wall or via twitter. Change is possible, folks, and it feels good!

Lately it seems like pretty much everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Indeed, current statistics are that 1 in 9 women in Canada will get breast cancer in her lifetime, or 1 in 8 women in the US. Understandably, this reality and the associated media attention has created a lot of fear. But what the media doesn’t emphasize is that the majority of cancer is caused by “diet & lifestyle” and environmental factors rather than genetic heredity, which in fact accounts for only about 7% of breast cancer.

In other words, there are many things you can do to enhance your overall health, and dramatically decrease your risk of developing breast cancer or a recurrence of cancer.

Below is a list of my top 10 tips for proactive breast health and overall hormone-balancing. For more information, and for an individualized health plan, consult with Mahalia Freed, ND or your naturopathic doctor.

1.     Be in touch—know your breasts, be familiar with their changing lumps; get regular breast exams, consider baseline and regular screening via non invasive, non-radiating breast thermography.

2.     Go with the flow—Ensure optimal functioning of your lymphatic system by: wearing proper-fitting bras & wearing them less often, doing gentle dry skin brushing, and/or using therapeutic oils such as herbal breast/chest oil or castor oil.

3.     Get physical—Regular physical activity and minimal alcohol consumption are associated with lowered rates of breast cancer.

4.     Sweat it out—Regular saunas, especially infrared saunas, promote excretion of some of the cancer-causing chemicals we accumulate in our tissues.

5.     The clear choice—Minimize exposure to harmful estrogenic chemicals: do not microwave in plastic (or at all!), convert to storing food & water in glass or stainless steel, avoid PVC products, eat organic more often, avoid mainstream canned food (tin cans contain Bisphenol A in the lining).

6.     Spice up your life—Include turmeric, a classic Indian spice, in your cooking to decrease inflammation and inhibit cancer; include Rosemary for enhanced phase II liver detoxification & estrogen metabolism.

7.     Right for the gut—Freshly ground flax (1-2 tbsp daily in a smoothie/on salad/in cereal) is not only a great source of fibre (aim for 30 g of fibre per day), but will help to eliminate highly active estrogen, improve gut flora, and is clinically proven to decrease tumor size.

8.     B is for …Brassicas—A family of veggies, including broccoli, kale, cabbage, and bok choy that not only contain loads of vitamins and minerals, but also contain indole-3-carbinol, a substance known to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells and stimulate cancer cell death.

9.     Eat this up—Aim for a rainbow of colours in your 8 daily servings of vegetables and fruits; choose whole foods rather than processed foods; include lentils & beans.

10.  A well-oiled machine—Choose healthy fats: olive oil, fish oil, organic animal products (and grass-fed if beef, elk, venison, buffalo…)

Mahalia Freed is a Naturopathic Doctor practicing at Sage Health and Wellness Clinic in downtown Toronto. In her family practice, Dr Freed has a special focus in endocrinology, mental health, oncology, fertility, and perinatal care. For more information on cancer prevention, health news, and recipes, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MahaliaFreedND or on twitter: @MahaliaFreedND