Nurture Your Mind & Body.
Dr. V’s TEAS are a line of organic herbs with medicinal qualities. Either blended or solo, these loose-leaf organic herbs contain compounds that support the body’s healing process.
More details on available teas and how to order coming soon!
Contact Dr. Vincenza at: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com for more info.
Sharing 2 simple things you can do at home to keep your immune system strong and beat getting sick:
1.Magic Sock Treatment
Also called Wet Sock Treatment, this at-home therapy is effective at treating many different ailments. It’s one of my particular favourites to optimize immune function when fighting a cold or flu. It helps improve circulation, decrease head & chest congestion and helps break a fever. It is also effective at relieving aches and pains in the lower body from sore muscles or joints.
Wet Sock Treatment is a form of hydrotherapy that can be used by all ages. When I remember to, I will use this technique with my girls to speed recovery from head colds. The treatment involves putting on a pair of wet, cold socks at bedtime. Overnight your body works to warm your feet, drying out the socks and, as mentioned, boost circulation and relieve congestion. Here’s the simple ‘how to’:
What you need:
1 pair of 100% cotton socks
1 pair of 100% wool socks
Warm foot bath with epsom salts (optional)
What to do:
Just before getting into bed, run your cotton socks under cold water, then wring them out so they are not dripping wet.
Place the wet cotton socks on your feet
Layer with the wool socks.
Tuck yourself into bed and let the magic happen. Occasionally you may wake with your feet feeling too hot. That’s fine - you can remove both socks - your cotton socks will be dry!
Continue this for at least 3 nights.
Optional: Soak your feet in a warm foot bath for 10-15 minutes prior to starting the Wet Sock Treatment.
*Please note that if you suffer from circulation issues, such as with diabetes or Raynaud’s syndrome, always start with a warm foot bath.
2.Elderberry Elixir
Elderberry is considered a Superfood full of antioxidants including Vitamin C. It is one of the most effective herbs to prevent respiratory and sinus infections, fever and even constipation. It provides protection against several different viral strains by inhibiting viruses from entering and infecting human cells.
You can find a number of cold & flu remedies on the market that contain Elderberry extracts. Here is a version that I make and keep in stock at home; it is a simple, tasty and inexpensive way to keep your family healthy through the Winter. Spruce it up as you wish - there are many other variations you can find online!
What you need:
Dried Elderberries (available at Movement Health or most Health Food Stores).
Filtered Water
½ cup of honey
Optional:
1 - 2 inches of fresh, sliced ginger root
Cinnamon stick
Orange Zest
What to do:
Add 1 cup of Dried Elderberries to 4 cups of water (the ratio of Elderberry to Water is 1:4 so you can adjust the amount you want to make) in a large pot.
Bring to a boil, add ginger if you wish, then simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
Let the remaining liquid cool, then add honey and if desired orange zest and/or apple cider vinegar.
Add more honey to taste if needed.
Strain the liquid into a Mason Jar and keep refrigerated (it will last you a few weeks)
How to take it:
For Cold & Flu Prevention: Take 1 - 2 tsp daily.
At the first sign of illness or if those close to you are sick: Take 3-4 tsp daily.
Lately my social media feed has included clips of people in their 90s performing incredible feats like the 97 year old woman executing a gymnastics routine on the parallel bars, or people in their 90s completing half & full marathons, often finishing ahead of fellow runners 40 years younger than them!
If there is one pearl of advice we commonly hear from people older and wiser than us, it is to prioritize our physical health for optimal aging, allowing for continued independence and a healthy mental outlook as we get older.
Consistent exercise is one of the key factors in maintaining physical and mental health. Regular movement improves strength, mobility, weight and energy while decreasing the risk of stiffness, back pain, muscle rigidity and poor bone health (not to mention heart health, diabetes, cancer and more). Prioritizing your health and incorporating treatments to maintain healthy muscles and joints will keep you dancing into your 90s!
Most often our ability to move or chronic pain is a result of injury, surgery, illness or being sedentary. Spending hours on the computer? Commuting long hours for work? Marathon binging Netflix series? All these lifestyle factors take a toll on our health over time.
There are other factors that are less often addressed and can equally influence our musculoskeletal health. What we eat, how much and how well we sleep, anxiety, PTSD and long term stressors can all trigger inflammation and worsen our physical state.
It is important to understand which of these factors may be affecting your own mobility - or future mobility.
This is where the guidance of a Naturopathic Doctor such as myself can help. We help you understand how stress, diet and sleep patterns may be affecting you. We provide you with strategies to decrease tension, reduce chronic pain, manage stress and prevent injury. We educate on the need and benefit of pain medications, but also the potential side-effects and how to mitigate them and/or decrease your dependency.
A Naturopathic approach is part of a larger integrative system of care. The focus and goal is to support healing from within to maintain optimum function of your building blocks - for example, considering the physiology of your joints, we look at ways to support tissues like cartilage, tendons and ligaments and incorporate treatments to maintain good form.
Functional therapies including massage, chiropractic, osteopathic and fascial stretch therapy use manual manipulation and soft tissue massage to support mobility, reduce tension and help alleviate pain.
Together these therapies are essential support systems for moving smoothly into our golden years. Although your future goals may not include performing gymnastics or running marathons, you will undoubtedly improve your quality of life!
I offer complimentary 15-min consults for discussing a naturopathic approach to help you achieve your health goals.
Book with me today by contacting Movement Health at 519.567.2888 or email: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com
Most of us are aware that Vitamin D plays an essential role in maintaining healthy bones and mineral balance, but did you know that it has a range of other functions connected to chronic illness, muscle function and mental health?
It’s been discovered that there are Vitamin D receptors in various tissues in the body. As such, it acts as a hormone or chemical messenger directing a number of body functions. It is considered a ‘vitamin’ because it is essential for longevity and quality of life.
Decreased levels of Vitamin D can be involved in illnesses like cancer, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, high blood pressure, psoriasis, chronic muscle pain, weakness, depression and immunity. Incredible, right?
The number of conditions that are linked to Vitamin D status highlights the importance of knowing your levels! Signs and symptoms of deficiency can include:
Bone pain
Increase in fractures
Muscle pain
Fatigue
Slow wound healing
Depression, sadness
Infertility
Hair loss
Getting sick often
Sleep issues..
A simple blood test can tell you what your levels are (note that in Ontario, the test is not covered under OHIP unless you have a specific health condition that needs monitoring such as Osteoporosis).
Both naturopathic doctors and medical doctors can provide a requisition for this blood test.
How can you boost your Vitamin D?
The major source of Vitamin D is through sun exposure, hence known as ‘The Sunshine Vitamin’. Living in a region above the 37th parallel (if you wish to look at a map) with long Winters increases the risk of deficiency.
So, it is important to get adequate sun exposure during the Summer months. Other ways to increase your Vitamin D levels are through foods like fatty fish, cod liver oil, mushrooms and egg yolks - though foods in general do not contain a high therapeutic dose often needed to raise your levels - still, good to include in your diet!
Often recommended and easier to incorporate are Vitamin D supplements. This can come in the form of taking softgels or via injection (similar to getting a flu shot in your arm).
How much should you take? This depends on your Vitamin D level.
As mentioned, it’s easy to get checked so inquire with your Naturopath or MD.
To learn more about the importance of Vitamin D or to get a requisition for bloodwork or to schedule an appointment, contact Dr. Vincenza Rotulo, ND by email: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com or call 416.705.3289
Truth be told, it has taken me the better part of 2023 to sit down and write a blog about burnout because I am quite, well, burnt-out!
With two little ones in my life, working on finding balance as Mom and Naturopathic Doctor combined with a significant decrease in quality of sleep over the past 3.5 years; I find myself drained and often running on empty.
Previously I incorporated lifestyle habits that helped me stay focused, motivated, energized and keeping up with activities like running, swimming etc..
Challenging with kiddos to find time for that now! More recently I find myself having a hard time falling asleep, staying up too late and having a hard time getting out of bed. Previously enjoying but now relying on coffee for that mental jolt and increased energy (though it has the opposite effect on the body)! I have very little motivation for exercise. I start most of my sentences with “What was I going to say??!” Exhaustion has creeped in and I seem to catch illnesses more frequently in the past year while having a harder time recovering.
One of the most common health complaints I have seen in my practice over the past 10 years is in fact burnout - which translates to other physical, mental and emotional concerns - and an area of healthcare that I have helped many patients overcome. Now I relate to their concerns and state of being on an entirely new level!
So, what exactly is burnout, what causes it and how do we recognize if we have reached that state?
Our bodies continuously strive to maintain a balanced state, or homeostasis. There exist multiple different factors which disrupt homeostasis. Examples are environmental toxins, inadequate sleep, poor diet, over-exercise, unhappy work conditions, emotional trauma, surgery, chronic illness… all of which add up to stress. Regardless of the source, the body’s Hypothalamic - Pituitary - Adrenal axis (HPA axis) is triggered to release cortisol in response to stress. Cortisol (among other hormones) is released by our adrenal glands: small walnut-size glands that sit on top of our kidneys. You can think of them as our central powerhouse.
During a normal, short-term stress response, cortisol levels rise and fall fairly quickly. This is a healthy adaptation to stress. However, when stressors become long-term or chronic, cortisol starts to be released inappropriately and our HPA axis becomes dysfunctional. This has been commonly referred to as adrenal fatigue.
Symptoms of adrenal fatigue may include:
Wired but tired at night
Morning grogginess
Brain fog
Fatigue
Low libido
Frequent illness
Feeling overwhelmed, hopeless
Decrease in physical endurance
Muscle aches & pains
Digestive issues etc..
In addition to a clinical workup, there are additional physical exams and laboratory exams that can help with the diagnosis of HPA axis dysfunction.
Restoring the body’s adaptation to stress is multifactorial and can include a focus on
Lifestyle habits
Diet patterns
Nutritional supplements
Intravenous therapies
Herbal remedies
Acupuncture
..and more
If you can relate to or are struggling with any of the above symptoms, then I strongly encourage you to seek out Naturopathic care. Naturopathic Doctors have extensive knowledge on the body’s physiological response to stress, have access to specific laboratory tests that can identify the level of impact and are trained in the above mentioned therapies to help restore your vitality.
For more information on understanding and identifying burnout, or to schedule a consult with Dr. Vincenza Rotulo, ND, email: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com or call 416.705.3289
Intravenous (IV) Therapy is a method of providing nutrients to the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants, delivered directly into the bloodstream. From a holistic, naturopathic approach, nutrient formulas are custom made to support your specific health concerns.
IV therapy provides the body with high therapeutic doses of nutrients that you can't attain through food or the use of oral supplements. Since nutrients are introduced directly into the bloodstream, it alleviates work required by the digestive system to break down and transfer these nutrients into our bloodstream. Instead, the administration of IV therapy provides efficient uptake of nutrients easily ingested by our cells, supporting the body’s metabolic processes. It aids with energy production, supports immune function, helps speed recovery and stimulates the body’s healing for optimal wellness.
There are many conditions for which IV therapy is beneficial. These include:
Burnout
Chronic Fatigue
Athletic Performance
Immune Support
Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
Digestive Issues
Migraine / Headaches
Seasonal Allergies
Tissue healing & more..
Prior to starting IV therapy, it is necessary to schedule an initial visit with Dr. Vincenza She will conduct a thorough review of your medical history and current health goals. Recent lab work will be required to assess certain nutrient levels. With this information, she can determine if IV treatments are right for you. Specific nutrient formulas are created based on your individual needs. *Referrals for IV are also accepted through your MD or ND.
Dr. Vincenza offers IV therapy at Movement Health Clinic in Windsor, ON. IV formulas are compounded and administered in compliance with rigorous guidelines and regulations as set out by the College of Naturopaths of Ontario. Dr. Vincenza has been providing Naturopathy & IV Therapy for over 10 years in Toronto and has recently relocated her practice to Windsor!
Contact Dr. Vincenza Rotulo, ND directly at: dr.vincenza.nd@gmail.com
To book an appointment:
Online: movementhealth.janeapp.com
Call / Text: 519.567.2888
Email: info@movementhealth.ca
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