Dr. Meaghan Bradica, ND

C U P P I N G Thanks to stars like The Rock & Michael Phelps, this awesome technique has been getting the recognition it deserves! It’s one of my go-to treatments for patients experiencing muscle tension & pain... The cups create a suction that lifts skin & underlying tissue up into the cups, promoting a number of different benefits: relaxes tight muscles increases circulation & lymphatic flow removes toxins clears congestion/stagnation breaks up scar tissue Have you tried cupping therapy? Let me know

VITAMIN D: the SUNSHINE vitamin My poll last week showed that 90% of you haven’t had your Vitamin D levels tested recently Why should I test?The majority of us are DEFICIENT & deficiency is associated with:... depression & anxiety hair loss painful periods infertility thyroid dysfunction frequent illnesses osteoporosis cardiovascular disease & much more! Can’t I just assume I’m deficient & supplement with 1,000 IU?Most of us need a lot more than that!! Testing will indicate how much you should be supplementing with. How do I test?Through blood work. Your ND can fill out a requisition for you & then recommend the appropriate dose to get those levels back up! Send me a message if you have any questions!

From to Super excited to have my cousin join the HIH team as our new Osteopathic Manual Practitioner!! We’re so lucky to have ya, Lauren

Do you pay attention to the ingredients in your personal care products? Well if you don’t, you should! Our skin is our body’s biggest organ & has the ability to absorb whatever we put on it.... Many cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, makeup products, soaps & shampoos contain HARMFUL ingredients that are: carcinogens hormone disrupters toxic to the brain & other organs highly allergenic NOT GOOD! So here’s what you can do: Check out EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. Search your current products to see how toxic they are. Get rid of anything with a score of 2 or higher. Replace them with EWG verified products.

THYROID HEALTH Have you been getting the full story? If you’ve been told your thyroid is fine but you’re still experiencing common hypothyroid symptoms... fatigue, brain fog feeling cold... constipation weight gain hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails irregular periods ...CHECK TO SEE WHAT BLOOD WORK WAS DONE! If it was just just TSH, that’s not enough! I’m always drawing out this image for my patients to show them the many hormones involved in thyroid function. TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce T4 & T3 - the hormones that regulate metabolism, heart rate, brain/muscle/digestive function, growth, & bone maintenance. Is that production happening? T4 gets converted into T3 (the more active thyroid hormone). Is that conversion happening? Are there antibodies attacking the thyroid as in the case of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis? We won’t know unless we test. Your ND can run the FULL thyroid panel for you to make sure you’re getting the FULL story

TODAY at 1 PM! Can't wait to listen. Lisa Anne is AMAZING!!

SEED CYCLING FOR HORMONE BALANCE Seeds are important sources of essential fatty acids, lignans, & nutrients that have effects on certain hormones in the body. Seed cycling involves eating different seeds at specific times in your menstrual cycle to promote healthy estrogen levels in the 1st half (follicular phase) & healthy progesterone levels in the 2nd half (luteal phase).... HOW TO DO IT: 1 Days 1-14 (starting on the 1st day of your period): 1 tbsp each of ground flax + pumpkin seeds 2 Days 15-28 (or longer depending on your cycle): 1 tbsp each of ground sesame + sunflower seeds You can add them to smoothies, salads, oatmeal, eggs, or veggies! HELPFUL FOR: Irregular cycles, fertility, PMS, acne, cramps, & other menstrual-related symptoms! Give it a shot & let me know how you feel

Challenge accepted February is HEART HEALTH MONTH and in addition to staying active, there's a lot we can do to show our heart some LOVE! Did you know that 80% (!!) of heart attacks & strokes can be prevented with diet & lifestyle behaviours?... So here are my challenges for YOU: make 1/2 your plate veggies remember your healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish, avocados) ditch the processed foods move your body daily dedicate 20 min/day to self-care get 8 hours of sleep visit your ND for a cardiovascular assessment! What we do NOW can lower our risk of developing heart disease LATER.. so let’s get after it

We both love a good snowfall. If only she was able to see this one Have you been getting your daily dose of fresh air? If not, bundle up & get out there!!! Even just a few minutes each day can make a big difference in your overall mood & energy levels!

PLEASE HELP! * To make this campaign a success, to ensure that all of the children receive a Christmas Bundle, we Need Your Help! *PLEASE Share This with indiv...iduals or businesses that are looking for an opportunity to "Give Back" and would like to support this 100% not-for-profit campaign! See more

Exercise CAN and SHOULD be enjoyable! According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, we should be aiming for 150 min of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise each week. But achieving this goal doesn’t mean you have to hop on a treadmill 5 days a week.... Find forms of exercise that are fun & enjoyable for you! Maybe it’s going for a brisk walk with your dog, or swimming laps in a pool, or going for a bike ride with a friend. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to keep doing it One of my favourite workouts lately has been climbing the escarpment stairs (even in the pouring rain) - S/O to the best stairs buddies @cristinapaletta @alyssalancia3 @mel.palvolgyi What are some fun ways you’ll be moving your body this week?

If your plant was starting to die, what would you do? Paint the brown leaves green OR water the roots?... The answer seems obvious, doesn’t it? But how come it’s not so obvious when it comes to our own health? We have pain, so we pop a pill. We have eczema, so we apply a cream. We’re exhausted, so we drink a litre of coffee. Let’s stop masking our symptoms & looking for that quick fix, and start treating the underlying cause of the issue

Grab your girlfriends & come enjoy a beautiful evening at Flat Rock Cellars on Wednesday, September 23rd! It includes: yoga class in the vineyard some wine & snacks... tour of the vineyard wellness talk - I’ll be sharing my top 10 tips for a healthy immune system! Only a few spots left! Follow this link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stretch-sip-learn-tickets-1146 Can't wait to see you there!

Stress levels are likely high today with school starting & being back at work after a long weekend. So here’s a gentle reminder to stop &

Feelin’ like you need a BOOST? Have you had your vitamin B12 levels checked recently? Fatigue is a common symptom of low or suboptimal vitamin B12. Other symptoms may include:... mood & memory changes poor focus & concentration numbness/tingling of hands & feet vision changes weakness B12 injections are a quick & effective way to your B12 levels! It gets delivered directly into the muscle & can be used by your cells immediately. It skips the step of having to be absorbed by your digestive system (like oral supplements), making it a great option for individuals with impaired digestion/absorption! In addition to fatigue, B12 can be used to support: insomnia, depression, cardiovascular disease, dementia, asthma, infertility, migraines, shingles, diabetic neuropathy, chronic low back pain, & many other conditions!

5 SIMPLE SWAPS Trying to move toward a healthier lifestyle but don’t know where to start? Keep it simple! Swap...... 1. packaged foods for FRESH foods 2. sweetened beverages for WATER 3. riding the elevator for taking the STAIRS 4. social media scrolling for extra SLEEP 5. stressing over things you can’t control for focusing on things you CAN control A few small changes can go a LONG way!

happy Friday! make it a good one

We all deserve to understand WHY . . WHY we may be experiencing these symptoms WHY we were given that diagnosis... WHY certain tests or blood work should be done WHY those treatments were recommended WHY it’s important to make those lifestyle changes . . It’s my role as your naturopathic doctor to help explain those WHY’s . I promise to take the time to address all your questions, help you make sense of your health concerns, and provide you with a treatment plan that you feel excited & confident about See more

MAGNESIUM - the mighty mineral . . It’s found in foods such as pumpkin seeds, flax & chia seeds, nuts, leafy greens, black beans, avocados, & dark chocolate. .... Magnesium is needed for MANY different bodily functions, so if we aren’t getting enough of it, we may experience: fatigue headaches muscle tension/twitching/spasms sleep disturbances constipation anxiety or depression bone loss high blood pressure . What factors can lead to LOW magnesium? poor diet chronic stress medication use strenuous exercise GI disorders or kidney disease prolonged diarrhea pregnancy . . Many of us can benefit from supplementing with a high-quality magnesium product! Ask your ND if this is right for you!! See more

because matter most

Did you know that acupuncture can help prepare a woman’s body for labour & childbirth? . . PRE-BIRTH ACUPUNCTURE consists of weekly acupuncture treatments starting at 36 weeks. It works by: bringing blood flow to the pelvis... relaxing uterine ligaments encouraging optimal baby positioning preparing the cervix to soften & dilate reducing stress & anxiety preparing the uterine muscles to effectively contract when it’s time! . . What does the research say? Pre-birth acupuncture has been shown to: reduce the need for medical induction shorten labour time reduce epidural rates reduce emergency c-sections increase normal vaginal births . . It’s a wonderful treatment option for pregnant mamas as they prepare for the safe & healthy delivery of their little one(s) See more

Not all supplements are created equal . . The effectiveness of a supplement has a lot to do with the QUALITY of the supplement. So what makes a supplement high quality? 3rd party tested... free of additives & fillers contains medicinal ingredients in their bioavailable forms achieves therapeutic doses has research to support its use . . There are so many different products on the shelves and it’s easy to just opt for the cheapest one. I’m begging you not to do this!! . . Always ask your naturopathic doctor before starting a new supplement to make sure that it’s a quality product that’s appropriate for your unique needs See more

keep taking those baby steps