Dr. Carissa Bush, ND
25 Bruce Street. N2B1Y4 Kitchener, ON, Canada

Question for all my IBS people who menstruate, do you ever feel like your symptoms sync up with your cycle? Does your digestive tract tell you that your period is coming a couple of days before it does? Do you feel like you can’t seem to figure out what’s going on with your stomach because it keeps changing throughout the month? You aren’t crazy! I’ve been there too. Let’s talk about why it happens. ... Let’s focus on the two major hormones that impact your cycle: estrogen and progesterone. While they regulate your menses, they also play a role in your GI tract! Let’s talk about ovulation and the literal phase today. During ovulation estrogen levels peak, after rising steadily over the previous two weeks, and then dramatically drop. This can lead to an increase in constipation and bloating; due to slowing of gut motility. The luteal phase, which occurs between ovulation and menstruation, we see a drop in estrogen alongside a rise in progesterone, followed by a subsequent drop near the end prior to menstruation. This increases incidence of diarrhea (increased motility), bloating, nausea, and likely increased pain. All of these symptoms increase before menstruation. If you are experiencing any of these issues, working with a practitioner when will include a focus on hormonal health in your symptom management is important. Feel free to send me a DM if you would like more information or if you have at questions! Tomorrow we will cover the menstrual and follicular phase, so stay tuned.

You are what you eat feels a little too simple of an explanation for what happens. But, did you know that your diet and how your gut functions can impact your mental health and your body’s physical pain experience? It can also impact hormones, weight, skin, and cognition! Wild right?! ... So what do we do? I always recommend doing a self reflection of what you complain about most. What pains or problems have you adapted to living with? The first step is identifying those so we can work backwards and find the root cause and take care of whatever is stoking that particular issue. You don’t have to live in pain, your health doesn’t have to be a struggle, if you want to learn more, shoot me a DM and we can chat about what might be right for you! Happy weekend

The gut-brain axis is a real thing! When we are stressed, both consciously or unconsciously, it can affect our gut (...and our gut can actually talk back to our brain too, but that's another topic for another day!). Stress can cause poor digestion, weight gain, constipation and/or diarrhea, skin issues, fatigue, hormone imbalances, and numerous other physiological effects. This can progress to other diseases and illness. So how to we control how we deal with stress when w...e are busy leading awesome lives and striving to reach our goals? We plan it into our schedule. If you make self-care a part of your routine, it will become a non-negotiable. Now I'm not just referring to bubble baths and face masks, as much as I love both. Self-care includes: spending time in nature, drinking enough water so we are adequately hydrated, meditation, restorative movement, and gratitude; to name a few. One of my favourite self-care rituals is going out in nature, which is definitely much easier to accomplish in the summer and fall time! Another way to cope with stress is to start off your day with gratitude. This is one I'm currently building into a habit! When you shift your brain to a state of what you are grateful for and list them out and feel that gratitude you are effectively not only re-wiring your brain for success, but your body will also shift into a state of calm and joy! Stay with me on this. Commit to starting the next four days off with listing 5 things you are grateful for. Mix it up and it can be big things or small things. Feel those emotions of gratitude and then continue on with your morning routine. Small consistent steps can lead to BIG change.

Yesterday I touched on the types of stress that we look at when creating a whole assessment of your health. The main questions I get are, is all stress bad? And, if stress is causing the issues I’ve been experiencing, even partly, does that mean I’m stuck like this? Am I stuck having indigestion? Am I stuck having to run to the washroom anytime a big meeting or important event comes around? Am I stuck holding on to this extra weight and waking up feeling like I didn’t sleep a...t all? The answers are both a resounding No There are two types of stress. Acute and chronic. Acute stress is the fight of flight response that happens in a moment of need. It can help you perform or focus...or run away from a bear. Chronic stress is the consistent activation of the fight or flight sympathetic nervous system, both consciously and unconsciously. When our sympathetic nervous system is constantly active, it makes it harder for our parasympathetic nervous system to function, as it slows to conserve energy. Out parasympathetic system control digestion, sexual arousal, rest, etc. The good news is that we can activate our parasympathetic system! We can become resilient to stress and develop habits to pull ourselves out of the cycle of chronic stress! While we can never fully eliminate some conditions that cause stress, we can learn techniques and habits that can help and work to grow and develop them! How do we change this? With lives being so busy, how to we change up our stress response and build endurance? Check my instastory for one technique you can do today and check back in tomorrow to learn more!

Did you know that stress can impact your gut health significantly? I always ask my patients about stress in their lives, to rate it and give me an idea of what stresses they are experiencing. Sometimes it’s the usual culprits: finances, family, career, relationships, and the state of the world currently. But other times, patients can’t seem to pinpoint the source of their stress. The gut and brain communicate with each other via the vagus nerve and the endocannabinoid sy...stem which can relay stress to the gut and lead to motility issues, nausea, inflammation, etc. How can we identify the stresses that impact our gut health? There are 5 kinds of stressors we look at addressing. 1. Psychological: anger, sadness, anxiety, grief, frustration, negative thoughts, fear 2. Biological: chronic illness, allergies, pain, poor nutrition, hormonal imbalance 3. Socioeconomic: relationship changes, moving, career changes or difficulty, financial worries, worry over family, daily struggles 4. Physical: excessive exercise, overwork, processed food/junk food, injury/accidents/medical procedures 5. Environmental: pollution, toxins, noise pollution, temperature extremes Throughout this week I will be focusing on the stress and gut connection. To learn more and how we can work to reduce the effects of stress on your gut, follow along!

This last week has been a doozy. I don’t think I’m alone in expressing the feelings of overwhelm, shock, and fear that have seemed to vibrate through world this past week. I hope that you all have a restful Sunday where you can recharge and do things that fill you up emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. And if you work Sundays, I hope you find a day over this next week to give some moments of to yourself. Rest is very important to healing and to ensuring you are productive and your best self throughout the week. As for me, I’m going to brew a cup of herbal tea, grab my e-reader and a cozy blanket, and enjoy some quiet time to myself.

As most of us are slowly transitioning into more of a routine, many are finding getting back into normal motions more difficult. One of the most common concerns seen at Sprout Wellness is pain. This pain doesn’t disappear during a pandemic, in fact, stress and working from home can take an additional toll on our bodies physically. Not having ergonomic support working on computers, not being able to go to the gym, or even taking up a new physical hobby to pass the time, can lend to increased likelihood of injury and pain. If you are experiencing pain we’ve got you covered! Click the link below about how you can help relieve the pain you are experiencing at home and how I can help you in clinic with acupuncture! https://www.sproutwellness.ca/covid-pains-management-strat/

Happy Mother’s Day! Wishing a happy and wonderful Mother’s Day to all the beautiful mama’s out there, including my own. Thank you for all that you are and all that you do. Sending extra love today to...... The single moms who are doing it own their own Women who are struggling with fertility issues who long to become mothers The mother’s who have lost children or those who have experienced miscarriages Those who have lost their mother The new mamas and moms-to-be who are struggling or feeling overwhelmed Those without a mother Those with with strained mother relationships Those who are mother-like figures in other’s lives The grandmas, aunts, and step-mother’s I hope you all had a wondeful day #mothersday #happymothersday #wellness #wholebodyhealth #happylife #drcarisssabush #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #kitchener

How do we strengthen our immune system before we see symptoms of cold and flu? Focus on the foundations and build up from there. Some of the foundations for building a strong immune system are at the top: 1. Sleep - at least 8 hours a night 2. Exercise - 5-7x/week with a mix of cardio and strength training ... 3. Avoid/ Limit Alcohol Consumption - alcohol can suppress the immune system Below them are supplements that have been shown to strengthen and support the immune system 1. Vitamin C 2. Vitamin D 3. Astragalus 4. Zinc If you’d like to learn more, send me a message or book a virtual consult with me to see how we can integrate these best into your lifestyle! Important: The only way to prevent getting COVID-19 is proper hand-washing, good hygiene practices, and social distancing. However, having a strong immune system is paramount in fighting and recovering from any cold, flu, or infection. Which is why I always work on this area with my patients. This does not constitute medical advise. Always discuss with your Naturopathic Doctor or health care provider before starting any new supplements. See more

Officially accepting telemedicine patients! As always, your health and wellbeing remain my priority. For this reason and in keeping with guidance and recommendations from public health agencies, I have moved all of my appointments to a virtual model until further notice in efforts of maintaining the health of my patients and the community I service. These virtual appointments are performed on a HIPAA-compliant and secure telemedicine platform and will allow me to service a... farther reach in Ontario. I have openings this week! If you would like to book an appointment please click the link in my bio. It is no different than booking a regular visit and upon booking I will contact you with instructions for how to access the secure platform where our visit will be held. Please note that due to the platform I cannot, unfortunately, offer direct billing so patients will need to submit directly to their insurance companies; please check in with your insurance provider to ensure you have appropriate coverage. I apologize for this inconvenience and am able to answer any questions or concerns through direct messages or through notes on the booking. My focus at this time is providing continued care and support to my patients while improving the accessibility to naturopathic medicine for those who are quarantined or practicing social distancing. Yours in health, Dr. Carissa Bush, ND

****UPDATE******* Reposted from: @sproutwellnesskw Announcement: Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak the clinic will be closed March 17 and reopen on Monday April 6th. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and and understanding during this time. This was a difficult decision to make. ... Please refer to the link for information regarding supplement refills, upcoming appointments, and booking a phone or online consult via Doxy.me. http://www.sproutwellness.ca/covid-19-clinic-update/

Dear Patients and Community, My heart goes out to all of those currently impacted by the current pandemic of COVID-19 and I hope that you all stay safe. I’ve been keeping tabs on the situation currently emerging in Canada and Ontario and at this time. I am still seeing patients at Sprout Wellness at this time, however please do NOT come to the clinic if you: Are experiencing cough, fever, or difficulties breathing... Have travelled to an COVID-19 impacted area within the last 21 days Have been in contact with anyone with known exposure or with the above symptoms, within the last 21 days If you would still like to book an appointment, a follow up, or a consultation on boosting your immune health please feel free to send me a DM, book online or call Sprout Wellness to see me. When possible visits will be conducted over the phone during this time. Please know I’m always here to answer questions as an educated source of information and will direct to original sources/references of information when possible. I am also here as a support system and to help dispel fear and panic over the current situation. We will get through this time together. Yours in health, Dr. Carissa Bush, ND