The Dracula of Hormones

I attended an Aikido seminar a few years back given by the highest ranked instructor in the world.

At the end of the seminar, we got a rare opportunity to sit in a circle and ask him questions about anything. Usually after a seminar like this, the instructor bows, changes and disappears.

A 4th degree black belt student asked, "Sensei, what is your favorite technique?"

Now keep in mind there are over 3,000 very complicated techniques in Aikido. I sat there anticipating which convoluted technique he would pick. After the interpreter told Sensei the question, he grinned. Then, in this soft Japanese voice he answered...

"Ikkajo."

This is one of the most primary techniques in Aikido. It is taught to the beginner student on their very first day.

"He can't be serious," I thought at first as did many others.

Then, he went on to tell us the secret of Aikido: "Master the basics."

If you are trying to follow a healthy lifestyle, you have to master the basics:

Sleep, water, sleep, fruits, sleep, veggies, sleep, exercise... Did I mention sleep?

It doesn't get more basic than sleep. On average, adults require between 8 and 9 hours of sleep for maximum health benefits. Most of us get 7 hours or less.

Getting a good night's sleep has been shown to give you more energy, better concentration, decreased blood pressure, decreased sugar cravings and will put you in a better mood. It will even help prevent cancer... As long as you make enough melatonin.

The pea-sized pineal gland in your brain makes melatonin when the sun goes down and darkness occurs. Since melatonin only comes out in the dark, it is often referred to as the "Dracula of Hormones."

If you're like 70% of my patients I saw last week, you're probably having difficulties either falling asleep or staying asleep. This can be quite frustrating.

You may not realize that there are certain foods that will help you produce more melatonin and assist you in falling asleep and others that will make it EVEN MORE difficult to fall asleep (as well as possibly wake you up during the night).

Making a few simple changes to your sleeping arrangements can drastically increase your melatonin levels.

Plus, if you get up in the middle of the night to go to the washroom, there is one common mistake you can easily avoid that will stop your melatonin levels from plummeting.

So, if you're not happy with the quality or quantity of sleep you're getting, we should talk. I'll give you simple strategies that will help you fall asleep quickly, rest deeply and wake up the next morning refreshed.

Call (519) 739 - 2402 to book a "Refreshing Sleep" appointment with me so that you can have more energy through the day, focus better at work and build a stronger immune system.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402

Frog Soup, Anyone?

On the weekend, I watched "An Inconvenient Truth", a documentary on global warming presented by Al Gore. One scene from the film got me thinking...

...first, you see this pot bubbling and steaming with water. Next, a frog appears and it jumps into the boiling water. Within half a second, the frog leaps out.

No surprise, right? Now check this out...

Next, the same frog jumps into a pot of lukewarm water. Then, it is slowly brought to a boil. Eventually the water starts bubbling and steaming again, and the frog just sits there until, well...it is rescued just in time.

The frog didn't jump out because of the gradual increase in temperature. Gradual is the keyword here.

Now, I didn't mean to sound like Dr. Frankenstein but that scene got me thinking of Mrs. Procrastinator. I'll let her tell you her story...

"Hi. I'm Mrs. Procrastinator. In my late twenties all my gut problems started. First, some minor indigestion, gas and bloating. A little embarrassing. After meals I always had to make some excuse why I needed to leave the room. My eating habits weren't the best but definitely not the worst.

Throughout my thirties things slowly got worse. I started to realize I'd go a day or two without a bowel movement. It was not a good feeling. I thought I might be lactose intolerant so I cut out milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream...

In my forties, despite the "milk-free" lifestyle, I started experiencing abdominal cramps. I went from constipation to frequent and urgent. I stopped exercising, and rarely ventured out into public.

In my fifties now, I feel like I can't eat anything. Everything makes me feel ill. Nothing shows up on any of my medical tests. They keep telling me that I'm normal and it's all in my head.

I don’t feel normal! My joints are aching, my skin is dry and I am fatigued all day long. I can't play with my grand kids, I don't bake anymore...all I do is sit in front of the TV and fall asleep."

Now, if a wizard came along and transported Mrs. Procrastinator from her 20-year-old body into her 50-year-old body, she'd be in complete shock. There would be no way she could tolerate her symptoms.

After experiencing the unbelievable contrast and then brought back to her 20-year-old state, I bet she'd immediately start getting her gut under control...which really isn't that difficult a chore.

Did you know that gas and bloating may be signs that bacteria in your intestines are getting out of control? This could be because you're not breaking down food properly, or you have too much 'bad' bacteria in your gut to start with.

So, if you ever think you are being a "worry wort" by dealing with minor things that aren't quite right with your health...remember the frog in the pot of slowly heating water and...keep on keeping on.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
http://www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402

P.S. If you, a family member or friend are experiencing abdominal bloating, gas or pain it should be dealt with as soon as possible. Don't be like the frog...the gradual increase in symptoms can go unnoticed for years which may seriously impair your gastro-intestinal system.

Certain foods cause different bowel problems. I know the typical culprits. What we'll do is line them up, and put each one on a "dietary trial" to find out what's upsetting your gut. Plus, I'll also show you foods and herbs that HEAL the gut and prevent future problems.

Call (519) 739 - 2402 to book a "Heal My Gut" appointment to help get your GI tract...back on track! A healthy digestive tract equals more vitality, increased mental sharpness and a stronger immune system!

Holiday Confessions of a Naturopathic Family

My kids rarely eat refined sugars (except the Smarties that their grandfather smuggles into the house).

Yet it seemed that every place we visited over the holidays, offered something sweet...especially for Alek and Ella.

It amazed me how quickly they became obsessed with sugar in such a short period of time. If you asked my two-year old daughter Ella what she wanted for breakfast...

BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS

...her answer would have been: "Toast, almond butter, jam and yogurt," with a cute grin on her face. If you asked her...

DURING THE HOLIDAYS

...she would exclaim: "Brday cake!" with a huge smile on her face.

You see, the only times she eats cake is at somebody's birthday party. So for Ella, there were many "brdays" over the holidays.

It has been well documented and you probably already know but I’ll tell you again...

SUGAR IS ADDICTING!!

The more you eat, the more you want.

Some would argue that it's even more addicting than heroin.

Letting your sugar cravings control you could lead to a very serious health condition...

...TYPE 2 DIABETES.

Studies show that having diabetes decreases life expectancy by 5 to 10 years. Why? Because diabetes is one of the most important risk factors for developing a stroke.

Now, I hope you'll never get diabetes, and that you are many years away from being at any serious risk.

Cutting back on the sweets may prevent disease for tomorrow. But it will also give you back more energy and vitality for TODAY.

If you're like most of my patients, you're probably trying to cut back on the sweets. A difficult battle for many.

That's because they don't know that…

There is another group of foods which most people consume two or three times a day that create unnatural cravings for sugar. When you eliminate these foods from your diet, sugar cravings start to diminish naturally.

Not only will I share this one strategy with you in a consultation but many others to help you get rid of the vicious round of sugar-highs and sugar-lows. I'll show you plenty of delicious foods you can eat that will give you energy all day long.

Call (519) 739–2402 to book a "Maximum Energy Without the M&M Fix" appointment to help get 2007 on track.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
http://www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402

Let’s Sit Down...and Talk

Imagine this...I'm 21 years old coming home at 2:00am after a night out with my friends. My dad is waiting up for me as he always did. I grab a drink of water and can’t wait to get in my comfy bed. On my way up the stairs my dad says "Eh, where you going? Come here...let’s talk."

Fortunately, I was blessed to have a father who loved to talk...especially to me. Whenever he would sense a symptom of uneasiness with me (or my brothers), he would quickly catch the problem early and say "Son, let’s sit down and talk. What’s bothering you?"

And that’s what we would do...talk...for hours at a time. We would do so until the problem got resolved or I would at least feel better about the situation. His talks always stopped my problems from becoming more serious.

At times, he sounded like a philosopher telling me that "there are so many problems in this world because people simply don’t sit down and talk."

"Divorces would decrease if husbands and wives would communicate their true feelings to one another. People at their workplace don’t get along because of lack of communication. At a larger scale, even countries are at war because their leaders don’t sit down and talk."

My dad passed away on September 29th, 2005 and I cannot tell you how much I miss him...especially his talks.

If you have lost a loved one yourself, you know exactly what I'm talking about. What I would give to have one more late night conversation with him...just one.

His advice and teachings throughout the years had a tremendous influence on me. Ironically, my profession as a Naturopathic Doctor requires me to talk to people all day, particularly about their health.

First you, communicating your health concerns to me...and then me, showing you how to help your body heal itself through natural medicine.

It is important not to ignore your symptoms. Remember, symptoms are mere warning signals that your body is out of balance. Many of my patients tell me that they have had their symptoms for many months...sometimes years...before bringing it to my attention or their medical doctor’s attention.

Don’t wait!

The sooner you bring your health concerns to my attention, the quicker we can get your body back to its natural, healthy and balanced state.

Call today (519) 739 – 2402 to book an appointment so we can prevent your symptoms from becoming something more serious!

"Let’s sit down...and talk."

Yours in Health,

Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.
http://www.thenaturopath.ca/feelbetter
(519) 739-2402

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DISCLAIMER: The contents of this email are not to be considered
as medical advice. Always consult a doctor before beginning or
changing any fitness, diet or lifestyle program to ensure it's
suited to your constitution.

All content copyright (C) 2007 Dr. Karlo Mauro, N.D.