Dr. Elizabeth Yaworsky, BSc, ND

Festive tea Tuesday! Taking some time each day to sit down, relax and appreciate a good cup of herbal tea has been an important part of my self care practice this year. Not every day is going to feel happy, but we can find happy moments each day through awareness & gratitude! And with Botanical Medicine we can get an extra benefit from our brew. ... Ginger & Turmeric: antiinflammatory, antioxidant & antinausea. These spicy flavours are warming, a great way to start your day in the morning, or after a meal to support digestion. Lavender & Lemon Balm: calm the mind & relax the nervous system with this lighter, mellow tea- great for reducing anxiety & to help fall asleep. Peppermint & Fennel: support digestion, soothe the gut, and reduce cramping, bloating & gas. The perfect after dinner tea! Stay warm, stay safe & stay bright! #tea #botanicalmedicine #herbalmedicine #gratitude #naturopathicmedicine #ginger #turmeric #lavender #lemonbalm #peppermint #fennel #antianxiety #antiinflammatory #antioxidants #digestion #digestivesupport #mindfulness #warm #cozy #holidaytea #health #wellness

Festive tea Tuesday! Taking some time each day to sit down, relax and appreciate a good cup of herbal tea has been an important part of my self care practice this year. Not every day is going to feel happy, but we can find happy moments each day through awareness & gratitude! And with Botanical Medicine we can get an extra benefit from our brew. ... Ginger & Turmeric: antiinflammatory, antioxidant & antinausea. These spicy flavours are warming, a great way to start your day in the morning, or after a meal to support digestion. Lavender & Lemon Balm: calm the mind & relax the nervous system with this lighter, mellow tea- great for reducing anxiety & to help fall asleep. Peppermint & Fennel: support digestion, soothe the gut, and reduce cramping, bloating & gas. The perfect after dinner tea! Stay warm, stay safe & stay bright! #tea #botanicalmedicine #herbalmedicine #gratitude #naturopathicmedicine #ginger #turmeric #lavender #lemonbalm #peppermint #fennel #antianxiety #antiinflammatory #antioxidants #digestion #digestivesupport #mindfulness #warm #cozy #holidaytea #health #wellness

Support each other & the environment this holiday season! Great ideas to reduce gift wrap waste- make it part of the gift! #environment #environmentalwellness #giftwrapping #reduce #reuse #recycle #rihanna

Do you follow Breathe Pilates and Fitness Studio yet? Checkout their page & join me for a free zoom pilates class tomorrow at noon! Do you follow Breathe Pilates and Fitness Studio yet? Checkout their page & join me for a free zoom pilates class tomorrow at noon!

Need a Monday night reset? This simple and relaxing exercise helps to reduce tension, prevent headaches and calm the mind- aaand is great to do during times of change (like at the end of the month & when there is snowy weather today ) What to do: Lie on your back with your head heavy in your hands... Use firm pressure to push with your thumbs at the base of your skull where the muscle that runs up the back of your neck attaches (on either side of the spine. Careful- it might be tender so start with a gentle pressure and work up!) Bend your knees and gently let your legs fall from side to side while taking deep breaths (if it would feel better, you can place a pillow on either side of your legs instead of coming all the way down to the floor) Continue to focus on your breath and repeat dropping the legs side to side for 1-2 minutes Thank yourself for taking some time for you! #acupressure #traditionalchinesemedicine #naturopathicmedicine #health #wellness #stressrelief #muscletension #headacheprevention #headacherelief #stretch #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #breathe #reset #restore #release #mindfulness

Students heading into exams: read that again A little bit of anxiety before an exam is perfectly normal, and actually helps with the motivation to study so we perform our best. ... But crippling anxiety that is negatively affecting your sleep, appetite and mood is detrimental to your health (and can have negative impacts on your test performance, creating even more anxiety after ). Try to focus less on the pressure to get an 'A', and more on what you're learning! Why do you want to know this information? How will it help you reach your future goals? Learning can be a fun experience when coming from a place of internal motivation to better ourselves, rather than focusing on the extrinsic motivator of an arbitrary letter grade. As a past nervous student myself, I know this takes some work to reframe and care less about the grade outcome. To reduce anxiety and support your mental health further try some (or all!) of the following: Journaling- writing out what you're worried about to get it off your mind, and always end with what you're grateful for too! Writing out 3 things you're grateful for (even if you don't journal anything else!) Move your body to release tension- gentle stretches, yoga, pilates, or going for a walk/run are great options while maintaining social distance Get your sleep Eat regular, balanced meals Reach out to friends for support & study breaks Stop & take 5 deep belly breaths every 30 minutes while studying- set a reminder if you have to! And before your test, take a second to breathe and repeat 'I am confident, I believe in myself, I got this' #happystudying #exams #student #mentalhealth #anxiety #mentalwellness #moodsupport #intrinsicmotivation #internallocusofcontrol #gratitude #nutrition #exercise #sleep #movement #support #breathe #naturopathicmedicine

Bodymind How are you feeling today? For many of us, this may be a stressful week. And that matters, because our mind and emotions are key players in our overall state of wellness. The mind is more than just brain-cell communication- the body and mind are one!... Our immune system has memory and the capacity to learn, and communicates with the rest of our body. The entire lining of our intestines is lined with nerve cells that contain neuropeptides & receptors (hello, gut-feelings!). Our body is communicating with itself at all times, and our emotions affect, and are being affected by, the information being carried. Emotions are just as valid as your physical health- the biochemicals involved (messengers along with their receptors) link all major systems of the body into one. Naturopathic medicine takes into account this interconnectedness, and treatments including botanicals and acupuncture are used to treat the whole person. So how are you feeling? Your emotions matter. #bodymind #emotions #mentalhealth #emotionalwellness #stress #physicalhealth #immunesystem #nervoussystem #endocrinesystem #gastrointestinalsystem #naturopathicmedicine #health #wellness

Students heading into exams: read that again A little bit of anxiety before an exam is perfectly normal, and actually helps with the motivation to study so we perform our best. ... But crippling anxiety that is negatively affecting your sleep, appetite and mood is detrimental to your health (and can have negative impacts on your test performance, creating even more anxiety after ). Try to focus less on the pressure to get an 'A', and more on what you're learning! Why do you want to know this information? How will it help you reach your future goals? Learning can be a fun experience when coming from a place of internal motivation to better ourselves, rather than focusing on the extrinsic motivator of an arbitrary letter grade. As a past nervous student myself, I know this takes some work to reframe and care less about the grade outcome. To reduce anxiety and support your mental health further try some (or all!) of the following: Journaling- writing out what you're worried about to get it off your mind, and always end with what you're grateful for too! Writing out 3 things you're grateful for (even if you don't journal anything else!) Move your body to release tension- gentle stretches, yoga, pilates, or going for a walk/run are great options while maintaining social distance Get your sleep Eat regular, balanced meals Reach out to friends for support & study breaks Stop & take 5 deep belly breaths every 30 minutes while studying- set a reminder if you have to! And before your test, take a second to breathe and repeat 'I am confident, I believe in myself, I got this' #happystudying #exams #student #mentalhealth #anxiety #mentalwellness #moodsupport #intrinsicmotivation #internallocusofcontrol #gratitude #nutrition #exercise #sleep #movement #support #breathe #naturopathicmedicine

Book your Naturopathic Appointments for the 2020 coverage year now, kids! I'll be in the clinic (for in-person & virtual appointments) until Dec. 18th Naturopathic treatments include: Acupuncture & Acupressure (including earseeds) Nutritional counseling & supplement prescriptions ... Botanical Medicine Stress Management techniques & Lifestyle counseling Exercise Prescriptions Individualized plans based on your needs (usually a combination of the above!) Call @nguyenchiro.ashiatsu at 519-255-7741 to book! #health #wellness #naturopathicmedicine #acupuncture #acupressure #nutrition #botanicalmedicine #individualizedcare #stressmanagement #sleep #exercise #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #emotionalwellness #useitorloseit

Happy Halloween! Grateful to work with the best ghouls & witches around who lift me up & make me laugh ... Remember to wear your mask, practice social distancing & stay safe! (Aaand eat some candy- it's a rule ) #happyhalloween #gratitude #skeleton #hauntedhouse #wheremywitchesat

Grateful for a gorgeous Thanksgiving weekend with family & friends in Walkerville! And extra thankful that @taloolacafe is open and I can feed my veggieloola & lavender fog addictions once again #thankful #thanksgiving #gratitude #taloola #grandcantina #twistedapron #theyogahousewalkerville #willisteadpark #walkerville #visitwalkerville #community #family #friends

Our brains trick us into the idea that if we only had some big treat (a new house, job, relationship, car, more money, whatever you desire at this moment that's better than what you have now) we will finally be happy. And stay happy. Forever. We did it! But I think we all know from experience that this is not the case. Hedonic adaptation describes the tendency for humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness, despite major positive or negative events ...or life changes. So when we reach whatever destination we were striving for, of course we are happy! But it is temporary, and we return to our individual happiness set point, often times much faster than we expect. So how can we work to support our mental wellbeing and mood in a positive way? Practicing mindfulness daily, recognizing and accepting our emotions (not just positive ones, negative too), practicing loving kindness, and practicing gratitude each day are sustainable ways to help us live in the moment and improve our mood So stop getting tricked into trying to be super happy all the time, and instead treat yourself to the present moment, whatever it may bring For support on your healing journey (virtual & in person Naturopathic appointments available), call 519-255-7741 or send me a message for more information #hedonicadaptation #happiness #gratitude #psychology #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #lovingkindness #health #wellness #doctorasteacher #naturopathicmedicine #mindfulness #emotions #trickortreat

Reduce Reuse Recycle Rihanna Loving my 'new' previously loved and artistically brought back to life & made awesome yoga shirt by @thevelvetarsenal Super comfy, cute and had the reminder to 'shine bright like a diamond'. Too perfect. And now, time for some yoga ... #reduce #reuse #recycle #rihanna #shinebrightlikeadiamond #environmentalwellness #spiritualwellness #supportlocal #shoplocal #tiedye #fashion #supportsmallbusiness #yoga #wellness #health

I get asked a lot about what we can do to support our skin, hair, and nails, but rarely am I asked about our awesome bones! @tarynsmithrmt posted a great image today about the anatomical skeletal system (checkout her page!) and inspired me to post about giving our often forgotten skeletons some love! There are some important supplements that can be prescribed on an individualized basis from your ND (oh heyy vitamin D, K, calcium, boron, magnesium and potassium), but some...thing we can all include in our weekly routine is strength training! What type of exercise is best? Using multiple forms of exercise to build core and muscular strength, as well as stress bone to prevent loss is what we want to aim for- such as weight-bearing activities, power training and balance/mobility training. These modes of exercise used together are currently recommended for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures as they have been shown to positively influence multiple skeletal and fall-related risk factors. Remember to always exercise safely (getting advice from a professional when needed) and at a level that is appropriate for you, listening to your body to prevent injury To talk more about exercise prescriptions, to try out Pilates Reformer as part of your strength training routine, or to book your Naturopathic appointment, send me a message or call @nguyenchiro.ashiatsu at 519-255-7741 Because skeletons aren't really horrific (we all have one!), so let's support your bones now to prevent a scary situation in the future For more details, checkout: Daly, Robin M et al. Exercise for the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: an evidence-based guide to the optimal prescription.Brazilian journal of physical therapyvol. 23,2 (2019): 170-180. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2018.11.011 #bones #skeleton #halloween #bonehealth #strength #strengthtraining #exerciseprescription #balance #osteoporosis #diseaseprevention #naturopathicmedicine #pilates #pilatesreformer #health #wellness

Easy like Sunday morning Nowhere to be. Nothing to worry about. Just be. Thanks @theyogahouse_walkerville for the restful, cozy yin yoga at home on this drizzly fall day ... #sunday #yoga #yin #yinyoga #meditation #restful #relaxing #release #breathe #letgo #health #wellness #yogafromhome

Meditation & everyday life are not separate There is no 'right' way to meditate. And you definitely don't need to sit perfectly still for 20 minutes to experience the benefits for your mind, body and spirit! Have you ever tried a walking meditation? It's as simple as going for a walk and paying attention to your surroundings.... Whenever your mind starts to wander come back to your walk: What do you feel? (The ground beneath your feet, the wind on your face, the warmth from your jacket?) What do you hear? (Leaves crunching, birds, squirrels, maybe other people or cars?) What do you smell? (The crisp fall air?) What do you see? (The leaves changing colour, and maybe even an adorable Halloween window display if you're really lucky ) Happy meditating! #meditation #walking #walkingmeditation #fall #leaves #mind #body #spirit #health #wellness #attention #focus #acceptance #patience #compassion #selfcare #naturopathicmedicine #halloween #october

Cast a spell over your mood this month by committing to a daily gratitude practice! Philosophy and religious practices have provided us with knowledge that scientific studies are now demonstrating (and linking the observed improvements in mood with changes in brain circuitry- so cool!): gratitude is associated with benefits to subjective well-being, increased resilience to trauma and benefits to social relationships. For health care practitioners in particular, gratitud...e is an effective approach to reduce stress and depressive symptoms. We all vary in how grateful we tend to be, and now we know that those who are more grateful show enhanced psychological well-being. So my witchy challenge to you is to think (and really feel with your whole mind & body) of 5 things that you are grateful for each day in October. Let the magic happen For more information on the positive effect of gratitude on mental wellbeing check out: Fox, Glenn R et al. Neural correlates of gratitude.Frontiers in psychologyvol. 6 1491. 30 Sep. 2015, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491 Cheng, Sheung-Tak et al. Improving mental health in health care practitioners: randomized controlled trial of a gratitude intervention.Journal of consulting and clinical psychologyvol. 83,1 (2015): 177-86. doi:10.1037/a0037895 #gratitude #grateful #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #spiritualwellness #stressmanagement #emotionalwellness #psychology #wellness #health #healing #gratitudechallenge #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #walkerville #windsor #castaspell #improveyourmood #october

We may only have one brain, but we have more than one mind! Usually we're busy listening primarily to our rational mind as it plans, organizes & critiques our day. Do you remember to listen to your somatic mind? It's important to pause and ask our body what we need, right now in this moment. Our bodies hold valuable information that we can explore with a loving kindness. Take some deep breaths and get in a restful position. Focus your attention & notice what you're body ...feels like- listen with a compassionate curiosity, trusting whatever messages & sensations you experience. You can then respond in a way that best meets your current needs Getting in the habit of listening to the information stored in our body (like tension building up in muscles, for example), helps us achieve a flow state where we can better nurture our personal ecosystem. Building a deeper connection and trust with ourselves also allows us to connect better with others and our outside life so everyone benefits! So practice developing a supportive presence. Allow your somatic, emotional and intellectual minds to work together to create more balance & the conditions for you to truly flourish #rest #mindfulness #somaticmind #intellectualmind #emotionalmind #connection #support #balance #trustyourbody #lovingkindness #health #wellness #listen #trust #respond #naturopathicmedicine #mentalhealth #physicalhealth

Happy October! And oh yeah- Boo! The beginning of the month is a great time to check in with yourself- how are you feeling? What do you need? Are you holding tension- in your back, neck, shoulders, jaw, chest, or stomach? What do you need to release? What can you let go of? Aaaand the beginning of October is a great time to get a little spooky! ... Naturopathic virtual & in-person appointments for acupuncture are available to discuss your wellness. Let's talk & make a plan to support your body and mind so you can feel your best #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #acupuncture #health #wellness #stressmanagement #digestivesupport #halloween #october #boo

What does your bedtime routine look like? Ok, so for you probably not sticking needles in your face (in fact- please do not try this at home, but acupuncture appointments from a trained ND like me can absolutely help with sleep! ). The point (haha needles!) is that if you're running around all day without any wind down time in the evening, it's not fair to expect your mind and body to fall effortlessly into sleep when you sprint into bed. ... So what can you do to help with a more restful sleep? Turn off your screens an hour before bed- it's extra important to resist doing any work/answering emails, or watching overly stimulating TV shows. Maybe take 5 minutes to write out what you need to do tomorrow to ease your mind- that way you won't forget or worry! Reading something you enjoy, colouring, meditation, gentle stretches or listening to relaxing music are great options. Or try journaling/expressive writing. Whatever feels best for you, just wind down and catch those s! For an individualized sleep plan or acupuncture to help with sleep, send me a DM or call @nguyenchiro.ashiatsu at 519-255-7741 to book an appointment #naturopathicmedicine #acupuncture #sleep #sleephygiene #rest #winddown #meditate #meditation #journaling #relax #relaxation #health #wellness #noscreens #sorrynotsorry #sleepbetter #feelyourbest

Heyyy to all my health care & teacher friends! , ! ? (yes, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying- for real. This emoji is the best) As a Naturopathic Doctor & educator, I try to utilize the power of laughter to improve health & enhance teaching and learning in the classroom (which can be an extra challenge now in an online setting). Aaaand as a human being, I try to laugh as often as possible for my own wellness! (Thanks to my awesome friends that keep me in stitches &... extra shoutout to @jillyoncesaid for capturing this moment ) Why is laughter such a powerful medicine & teaching tool? When used effectively, humour is documented to build relationships & enhance performance- by attracting & sustaining attention, reducing anxiety, enhancing participation, & increasing motivation. As a wonderful way to improve our well being, humour stimulates multiple physiological systems that decrease levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol & epinephrine, and increases activation of the reward system in our brain. To learn more, checkout: Savage, Brandon M et al. Humor, laughter, learning, and health! A brief review.Advances in physiology educationvol. 41,3 (2017): 341-347. doi:10.1152/advan.00030.2017 #mentalwellness #mentalhealth #laughter #laughteristhebestmedicine #knockknock #health #wellness #stressrelief #stressmanagement #stressless #humour #teachers #onlineteaching #healthcareproviders #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor

Hocus Pocus, wishing you all a week of focus- or whatever you're in need of Monday morning! Check in with yourself this evening, what would help you start your week off right? A walk outside? A virtual exercise class at home? Some quiet time reading your favourite novel? 10 minutes of meditation? Some yoga (making it to a class, or your own practice at home)? Calling a friend for support? Some extra rest- maybe scheduling in a 20 minute nap? Some creative time (painting..., drawing, playing or listening to music) Or not planning/scheduling anything at all and rolling with what the day brings? Whatever you need, you're worth it- so make yourself a priority! And probably make time for a good cup of coffee (or tea!) #hocuspocus #coffee #anchorcoffeehouse #coffee #tea #whatdoyouneed #rest #exercise #creativity #support #focus #motivation #checkin #physicalwellness #mentalwellness #spiritualwellness #health #wellness #yougotthis

Who needs a fortune teller when we have our marvelous brains to predict the future for us? Do we really know what will make us happy? Can we accurately predict our emotional reactions to future events? Experts in happiness psychology say no- and this can prevent us from taking risks that could be really great for us, cause us to alter our behaviour in a negative way, and leave us feeling disappointed with outcomes that don't meet our expectations. Working on being pres...ent and noticing our thoughts is crucial. So pay attention to the mystical predictions your mind is making as we enter the spookiest month of the year- and remember that future events likely won't make you as happy (or sad) as intensely or for as long as you think! To talk more about your gorgeous mind & mental health, book your virtual Naturopathic appointment by calling @nguyenchiro.ashiatsu at 519-255-7741 To learn more, checkout: Gilbert, D. T., Driver-Linn, E., & Wilson, T. D. (2002).The trouble with Vronsky: Impact bias in the forecasting of future affective states.In L. F. Barrett & P. Salovey (Eds.),Emotions and social behavior. The wisdom in feeling: Psychological processes in emotional intelligence(p. 114143). The Guilford Press. #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #happiness #psychology #impactbias #health #wellness #mindfulness #naturopathicmedicine #doctorasteacher #spooky #fortuneteller #mind

PLANTS CRY THEIR GRATITUDE FOR THE SUN IN GREEN JOY.~ASTRID ALAUDA Grateful for this beautiful sunny Saturday, pilates (join me Saturdays at noon on zoom with @breathepilatesandyogastudio ), iced lattes aaaand for my newest houseplant from @anchorcoffeehouse What are you grateful for today? ... #houseplants #houseplantsofinstagram #monstera #gratitude #joy #quoteoftheday #mentalhealth #spiritualwellness #weekend #sunnysaturday #visitwalkerville #anchorcoffeehouse

Have a boo-tiful first day of fall! What's in my spooktacular cup? Cafezia coffee ( @cafeziacoffee ) - coffee with herbs to increase mental focus, stimulate digestion and boost the immune system, all mixed in with the freshly roasted coffee to provide anti-oxidants! You can pick up your own bag from @brandnerfarms #fall #boo #coffee #cafezia... #brandnerfarms #antioxidants #digestion #focus #firstdayoffall #sweaterweather See more

Eating delicious food, drinking amazing lattes, spending time with lovely friends AND supporting a great cause. What are your Sunday pandemic picnic plans to support Muscular Dystrophy Canada? Big shout out to @cocolouise for organizing such a fun event with local restaurants to raise money & awareness for Muscular Dystrophy ... #MDCPandemicPicnic #TheFreshBee #weekend #turbocoffee #thymekitchen #brunch #saturday

Thank you for fighting for us so brilliantly, relentlessly, creatively, and fiercelyand for so long. Rest, Warrior. Tonight, we mourn. Tomorrow, we fight.

Happy weekend! Whatever you have planned, remember to be present and practice fostering a sense of play. Research looking at the psychology of play has established it is important to the well-being of children, a lesson we must not forget as adults! Potential immediate outcomes of play include positive affect, feelings of being accepted and valued, and reductions in daily stress. Long-term outcomes include improvements in psychological, physical and relational health-... particularly within close relationships. So be silly! Look for unicorns! Have a magical weekend full of wonder For more information on the research being done on the benefits of play in adulthood, check out: Van Vleet M, Feeney BC. Young at Heart: A Perspective for Advancing Research on Play in Adulthood.Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(5):639-645. doi:10.1177/1745691615596789 #ebwhite #play #wonder #quoteoftheday #behaviour #psychology #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #socialwellness #unicorns #silly #health #wellness #happyweekend

Cozy ginger tea from @healthymama_food Ginger is anti-inflammatory, reduces nausea, supports digestion and is a warming botanical. Perfect for a chilly fall night! #ginger #tea #cozy #antiinflammatory #digestionsupport #warming #botanicals #botanicalmedicine #itsfallyall

Grateful #gratitude #awareness #appreciation #medicine #wellbeing #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #naturopathicmedicine #spiritualwellness #braidingsweetgrass #indigenouswisdom

#yoga #pilates #visitwalkerville #breathepilatesandyogastudio