Dr. Ciera Fox, ND
101- 7056 Vedder rd. V2R 1E3 Chilliwack, BC, Canada

Happy holidays from my family to yours This year has been.... something. But I want to ensure you all know how deeply appreciative I am for allowing me to join in on your health and wellness journey. I’ve seen so much bravery, vulnerability, and determination despite some very uncontrollable life factors that have been thrown our way. So, though we have faced some challenging things , I’ve been privy to witnessing a lot of beauty and light Again, thank you. ... Now it’s time to take some time to rest, reset, indulge, and enjoy the slowness that is this Christmas

Alright, I’ve been all fired up about PMS lately because its something more and more women are coming in to see me about. But why the spike? I have a not so sneaking suspicion that our little viral friend coupled with a change in weather have A LOT to do with this. Translation: our STRESS levels are HEIGHTENED! If you have’t read my previous post, go back. There, I dive into what PMS is, common symptoms, and the 4 leading causes of PMS, STRESS, being one of them. So whats th...e deal with stress and PMS, how are they even related? Well, whether its chronic low grade stress, or an acute dramatic event, one of our hormone buddies name cortisol has, at times, this not so ideal influence over how our hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis functions. Likewise, if your sex hormones are off (progesterone, estradiol, testosterone), they can interfere with how your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (aka. Your stress response) reacts to stress. It’s maddening isn’t it! If your stressed, your hormones can be thrown off, and if your hormones are off, they can throw off how you respond to stressors. The good news: there are ways we can make these two axis’s work together harmoniously so that those 7, 10, or at times 14 days of the month can be lived out with a sense of ease. Some of my go too’s are..iiiiiiin my Tikity Tok post where I break things down in a matter of seconds. Note: the treatments noted above may not be right for everyone and can have side effects if not applied properly. Be sure to speak with a professional before integrating any of the above noted treatments into your personalized health plan. Andif you want to nerd out .here are my backup notes: cold hard RESEARCH PMID: 26889268 PMID: 16432622 PMID: 20155996 PMID: 24410911 PMID: 30918875 PMID: 2172272 PMID: 29392847 PMID: 28859530

THYROID HEALTH /// (PART 2): What tests are important when working up thyroid conditions? - A good base to start with is TSH, T4, T3, anti-TPO, and at times reverse T3 What treatment is available? - This all depends on the root causes of the hypothyroidism. I posted a few different causes, all of which would be treated differently than one another. But there are even more underlying causes, which means an ever broader range for treatment considerations. - For me, nu...trition, nutraceuticals, herbs, IV therapy, mind/body work, and prescriptions are general considerations. But its always individualized to each patients case and what they are personally able to handle. - If you are concerned you may be suffering from a thyroid condition, or believe that your current thyroid condition may be more complex and better managed with a detailed work uptalk to your primary health provider. Don’t wait. Life’s to short to be unnecessarily suffering with this condition! --------------------------- Please feel free to share this post if you feel you know someone who may benefit from it #thankyou #hypothyroidism #hashimotosdisease #chilliwackbc #healthoptimization See more

THYROID HEALTH /// (PART 1): Tired? Depressed? Constipated? Gaining weight? Cold? Is your hair falling out? These are just a few of the clinical presentations of hypothyroidism. Some others include: muscle pain, brain fog, forgetfulness, changes in menstrual cycle, and dry skin. Other than having to deal with these awful symptoms, why do you care if the thyroid is functioning properly? Well the thyroid controls the metabolic rate of every single cell in the body so if you ...have low thyroid function every single cell has the potential to be affected & slowed hence why the symptoms can be so vast! So what causes hypothyroidism? Many, many, many thingsbut here are some of the more common causes: - In North America, the leading cause is autoimmune thyroid disease. Unfortunately, a lot of people who are diagnosed with hypothyroid are never screen for thisand go their entire lives not knowing. If you haven’t been screened and know you have a pre-exhisting history of thyroid disease, GET CHECKED. Anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) is the lab you will needed to be screen with. - In areas where iodine is not sufficiently supplied through diet, iodine deficiency is more common cause. - A less well known causes of hypothyroid is Hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysregulation 2nd to STRESS!! Having chronically elevated levels of cortisol can reek havoc on the thyroids ability to produce the active hormone T4, and its conversion to T3, which is way more biologically active than its T4 counter part. In this case, the adrenal glands/stress response is the root cause of the issuethis is where naturopathic doctors shine in their knowledge and ability to support patients Doing testing beyond just TSH comes in really handy in these cases doing T4, T3, and a 24 hour cortisol panel is essential. - Other elements that may interfere with your thyroids ability to produce and convert active thyroid hormone are deficiencies in nutrients such as: iron, selenium, zinc, progesterone, B vitamins, vitamin A, and tyrosine. - Head on over to part two where I talk testing and treatment! #hypothyroidism #hashimotosdisease #chilliwackbc #holistichealth

Low vitamin D levels are also link to such conditions like eczema, PCOS, diabetes, restless leg syndrome, osteoporosis, certain cancer, SAD, and autoimmune disease!

ME !!!!/// Restorative Health has re-opened it’s doors as of this last Wednesday. As much as I’ve valued the ability to continue caring for my patients through telemedicine. I am over joyed that I will be able to offer aaaaaalllll the treatments that required us to be office that were put on hold since shutting our doors at the end of March. Here is what’s back on the table: - - IV nutrient therapy (drips and pushes) - Intramuscular injections (metabolic boos...t, B12, Vitamin D) -Acupuncture - - Cupping- - Pap smears - RAST/skin scratch testing (for environmental allergies) - Acute infection testing (ie. urinary analysis for bladder infections) If you are a current patient, or a prospective patient who is interested in any of these amazing natural therapies, give us a shout or shoot me a DM. Our team at Restorative Health have been putting in countless hours in order to allow us to get back to work in a way that keeps it’s patients and practitioners as safe as possible. So we are ready when you are! With that said, one of the good things that COVID19 has taught us is that virtual online appointments are such an amazing option not only for safety reasons, but also for convenience in certain situations. Which is why our Telehealth visits are here to stay. Whether you opt for an in office physical treatment or a virtual Telehealth call, we are here for you #eminem #guesswhosback #drfox #naturopathicmedicine #holisitchealth #longevity #prevention #lovewhatyoudo #foodasmedicine See more

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING (part 1) /// AKA deep belly breathing is a technique that has been around FOREVER, but hasn’t always gotten the attention it deserves. Not only has research supported its efficacy in reducing perception and symptoms of anxiety, but this tool has also been shown to help with the symptoms and discomfort that go along with various other conditions: asthma, heart failure, COPD, migraines, and recovery from surgery. - Common symptoms... that may suggest you are experiencing anxiety: -Respiratory: pressure or constriction of the chest, dyspnea (difficultly breathing), shallow respiratory breathing, hyperventilation, or increased respiratory rates. -Cardiovascular: tachycardia (increased heart rate), palpitations, and increased peripheral blood flow. -Other: racing thoughts, sweating, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, difficulty concentrating, low energy. --- NOTE: the symptoms noted above can be related to more serious, or even fatal health conditions. Before assuming they are anxiety speak to your health care provider. - Why is deep belly breathing so effective? Head on over to part two of this post to see why (I ran out of space as usual )