I want to preface this post by saying I don't have a serious illness, disease, or any other ailments that have led me to a naturopath. Partially out of curiosity, and partly due to recent experiences, I wanted to see what kind of insight a naturopath might have for me.
At work we go through very busy and stressful periods. Every day is go-go-go, but there are certain times during the year where even THAT gets ramped up. Last time I went through this, I got pretty bad stress/anxiety. I was getting stress headaches, feeling fatigued all the time, and even feeling dizzy.
I decided to see a naturopath because I want to make sure I am well prepared for next time. Since I don't eat a lot of meat, I feel like maybe I'm missing some basic foundation so my body can thrive in these situations. I was mostly concerned about vitamin B's and protein.
I wanted someone who could look at my lifestyle, diet and other situations, and give me some tips for strengthening my body from the inside. I definitely looked in the right place.
I met with a doctor and we discussed why I was there, she asked many questions, and listened intently. She was super sweet, into a lot of the same things as me, and we gushed over how much we love the Oh She Glows cookbook. Is it weird that I kind of want to be her BFF?
Then we went through my normal diet. According to her, I have a pretty good foundation, I just need to introduce more protein into breakfast (vegan protein powder being her suggestion) and add more substance to my afternoon snack, especially if I have a yoga class that night and don't plan to eat dinner until 9pm.
She gave me a few supplements, explaining why/how each one would help. What I liked about this was that she gave options - vitamin D? Doesn't matter where you buy it. Magnesium? Doesn't matter what brand. The only one she particularly stressed was a certain vitamin B "stress blend", because of the high dose and my high stress/anxiety related to work. If I was going to spend the money anywhere, this is where, she said.
I'm very fortunate that I could make an appointment like this without a serious illness. I am extremely grateful for a healthy body. Now I feel that if something were to come up, it's the first place I would go again.
Time to get get hopped up on some supplements and hopefully get back on the right track! If you're looking for a naturopath in Ottawa, let me know :)
I'm so glad you explored this option! I really like my naturopath and am intrigued by the suggestions. I'm still working out some of the kinks of the new diet (some things are hard to quit!), but the vitamins have made a huge difference in my energy and my ability to recover when I have a flare up or feel sick in general. High five girl for taking care of yourself and your body!!
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