The fact is that these days consumers are becoming more aware and health-conscious when it comes to deciding what goes inside their bodies. And with more and more studies linking exposure of pesticides to long-term health problems, the ever increasing numbers of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) and our soils becoming more deplete of nutrients the idea of buying organic becomes a more attractive option for many, despite their higher price.

To be clear, organically grown foods must be free of synthetic pesticides, grown in safe soil, and must not be genetically modified in any way.

Many people will tell you that organic foods are healthier because they contain more nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, the research on this is inconclusive and the majority of studies have failed to show any significant difference between the nutritional value of conventionally grown foods and organics. In other words, organic fruits and vegetables don’t appear to offer any nutritional advantage over non-organics.

But then there is the issue of pesticides. Generally speaking, organic fruits and vegetables contain less pesticides, and the ones they do contain are naturally sourced, meaning that they can be broken down more easily by our bodies and in nature so they don’t tend to accumulate and cause the same long term health issues attributed to many synthetic pesticides. Of course that is not to say that “natural” pesticides aren’t harmful (they are) and you don’t have to wash your organic produce (you do).

So what is one to do? Well, fortunately, every year the Environmental Wrok Group produces its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides which lists those foods with the most pesticide residues. It is an excellent resource to help you decide when you should be buying organic if you are looking to limit your pesticide exposure (and really, why wouldn’t you be?). When it comes to choosing fruits and vegetables that make the “Dirty Dozen” list, I always try to look for organic options. The 2011 list is as follows:

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines – Imported
7. Grapes – Imported
8. Sweet Bell Peppers
9. Potatoes
10. Blueberries – Domestic
11. Lettuce
12. Kale/Collard Greens

Of course there are other reasons why one might want to buy organic too. Organic farming is a more sustainable practice that is better for the environment, it is good to support organic farmers and organic foods just plain taste better (in my opinion, anyway).  Many people are still turned off by the fact that organic foods cost more. But as organic farming becomes more mainstream, the price difference keeps becoming smaller and smaller. In fact, for some foods there isn’t a difference at all any more.

For a list of Certified Organic Growers in the Hamilton Area, click here.

According to clinical practice guidelines issued by the American College of Physicians in 2007, acupuncture is one of several CAM therapies physicians should consider when patients with chronic low-back pain do not respond to conventional treatment. Recommendations like this are becoming more commonplace in North America as the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture accumulates.

A large, rigorously designed clinical trial reported in May 2009 found that acupuncture was more effective than conventional treatment for relieving chronic low-back pain.

Here in Canada, a 2005 study of 75 Canadian postal workers evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture versus standardized physiotherapy for chronic low back pain, Acupuncture was administered twice per week for 12 weeks. Participants were also counselled to eat a diet high in omega 3 fats, calcium and magnesium.

At the end of the study, participants in the group receiving acupuncture reported significantly lower back pain and improved low back range of motion compared to the group receiving only physiotherapy. The acupuncture group also reported a greater improvement in overall quality of life.

The authors of the study concluded that acupuncture provided significantly greater improvement than physiotherapy alone for chronic low back pain.

Acupuncture is generally considered to be a safe treatment option when performed correctly by a properly trained physician. Naturopathic Doctors are one of the regulated health professions that are trained and regulated to perform acupuncture in Ontario.

The Peach Festival is the City of Hamilton’s largest annual festival, with approximately 150,000 people visiting from the surrounding area every year. It provides something for all ages. There is a children’s stage, which provides family entertainment daily. The Arts & Craft section caters to young and old who take the time to stroll through looking and buying the crafts. The Main Stage provides different types of entertainment all weekend long. Another cant miss event is the ‘Peach of a Car Show’ that has allows local car groups to display their vintage cars. The Amusement area is always a big hit with the kids. Winona Peach Festival Food Court has something to suit every taste; the organizations provide a large variety of foods and beverages.

Young and old, there is something for everyone at the Peach Festival. I look forward to seeing all of you there!

Yours in wellnss,

Michael Frosina, ND

C. difficile is a bacteria that is spread by people who have been in contact with contaminated surfaces and spread it to susceptible patients. But not all hospital patients are likely to become infected with the bacteria. Infection occurs almost exclusively in patients who are taking antibiotics that kill the good intestinal bacteria, allowing C difficile to grow.

Thats right…C difficile is what is known as an opportunistic pathogen. That means that it can only set up shop and cause an infection when the conditions are just right and a healthy intestinal flora prevents C difficile from being able to do so. But antibiotics, and especially broad spectrum antibiotics, wipe the slate clean in your intestines creating the ideal environment for C difficile infection.

A recent meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners is the latest addition to the growing body of evidence demonstrating the usefulness of probiotics to prevent C. Difficile infections in a hospital setting.

This study reports that the concurrent use of probiotics and antibiotics decreases the risk of C difficile associated diarrhea by a whopping 71%!  This number may sound incredible, but it shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise given that these infections are virtually non-existent in people with a healthy gut flora.

But how do probiotics prevent infection? There are 2 main mechanisms.

First, probiotics prevent the invading bacteria from attaching itself to the walls of your intestines. They do this by out-competing a potentially pathogenic bacteria for nutrients, thereby limiting their ability to grow and thrive. Also good bacteria produce chemicals that are directly toxic to invaders, called bacteriocins and defensins.

Second, probiotics beef up your own natural lines of defence, improving the function of your intestinal barrier. When this defensive barrier is healthy and intact, it makes its own protective molecules (called cytokines) that help your immune system to fight off any nasty would-be invaders.

The value of having abundant, healthy intestinal bacteria is only starting to be understood by medical science, but already it is clear that its importance cannot be understated.

When it comes to C Difficile, we are not only considering the toll on the infected patients. C difficile is a huge financial burden on the province as well as on the health care system in general. One study estimates that each case of C difficile costs the province an extra $2500 in treatment costs. Compare that to a course of probiotic therapy at the cost of less than $100. You don’t have to be Dwight Duncan to figure out that probiotic therapy could be saving taxpayers a ton of money. And of course every patient infected means a longer hospital stay, taking up a bed in our already crowded hospitals.

Here in Ontario, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care released official guidelines on how to help control the outbreak. The document states that infection should be controlled by a regimen of meticulous hand washing, frequent cleaning of the patient environment and using narrow spectrum antibiotics whenever possible. Probiotics are not mentioned once in the 43 page report.

To completely ignore a preventive treatment option that has the potential to so drastically reduce rates of infection in a cost effective manner is short-sighted and misguided, in my opinion.

Its about time that we get serious about preventive medicine in Ontario and incorporating the use of probiotics along side antibiotics into hospital treatment plans. This is no longer “alternative” medicine, it’s just smart medicine.

There can be several possible causes for dark eye circles; lack of sleep, iron deficiency and aging for example. But the single most common cause is actually nasal and sinus congestion, usually related to allergies.

Your sinuses are literally empty spaces within your facial bones lined with a mucous membrane. When someone with allergies breathes in an allergen such as tree pollen, dust or animal dander, these particles get caught in the membranes of your airways and sinuses, causing allergy symptoms. And as anyone with allergies knows, one of the main symptoms is congestion.

It is this nasal and sinus congestion that causes the veins draining these areas to become engorged and dark. So when you see dark circles under your eyes, what you are actually seeing is the colour of the blood in these congested veins under the skin, kind of like a bruise. This is why you may hear pediatricians refer to them as “allergic shiners”.

Now the big question is what can you do about it? Well, if you know what sets off our allergies, you are already one step ahead of the game. Minimizing your exposure to known allergens is important, although complete avoidance is not usually possible.

There are many natural anti-histamines that can help to reduce allergic reactions and congestion such as quercetin, vitamin C and Stinging Nettle just to name a few. There are also over the counter options that can provide symptomatic relief when you’re in a pinch.

My personal favourite is a simple morning and night saline nasal irrigation. This can be done with a Neti Pot or other device to gently flush allergens out of the mucous membranes, keeping allergic reactions to a minimum. It is not uncommon to see dark eye circles disappear completely in a week or so with this non-invasive treatment.