My Secret to Sustainable Weight Loss & Optimal Body Composition
By Dr. Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor
So many of us would benefit from a paradigm shift when it comes to weight + body goals.
Yes, I know most of us care about aesthetics. And that’s fine (although I would encourage the focus to be more on overall health!)
But guess what? You’re more likely to achieve those aesthetic goals if you focus on parameters relating to overall health + longevity.
Below are the labs + items I monitor when working on weight/body goals with patients:
Fasting Insulin + Glucose + Cholesterol Panel + HA1C Thyroid Panel HS-CRP (inflammation marker) Waist:Hip ratio % Lean Mass + % Fat Mass Muscle Strength (lbs/kg lifted) Protein + Fibre intake Sugar, Refined Carb + Alcohol intake Symptom Assessments (ie energy, mood, sleep)
Improvements in these items reflect positive changes to your physiology/ biochemistry, which will facilitate your weight loss/body goals.
Focus on MUSCLE, METABOLIC, and HORMONE HEALTH, and you will feel better, achieve aesthetic goals, and improve overall health + longevity.
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The Benefits of TMJ Massage
Massage therapy is a useful treatment option for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, a condition affecting the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. TMJ dysfunction can cause pain, clicking, limited jaw movement, headaches, and discomfort when chewing or speaking. Massage therapy focusing on muscles of the jaw, neck and face can reduce the tension that exacerbates TMJ symptoms, improving both pain and mobility.
One of the key techniques used in massage therapy for TMJ dysfunction is myofascial release, which involves gentle pressure applied to the muscles of the face, head, and neck. This helps relax the overworked muscles, like the masseter and temporalis, which are often responsible for jaw clenching and grinding (bruxism). Reducing tension in these muscles can alleviate pain, ease pressure on the jaw joint and increase comfort and range of motion. Improving function of the jaw muscles can also have a positive effect on stress related muscle tension held in surrounding areas, such as the neck and shoulders.
Intraoral massage, a more specialized technique, can be particularly effective for TMJ dysfunction. This method involves working on the muscles inside the mouth, such as the medial pterygoid, which play a significant role in jaw function. Intraoral massage is performed by a trained therapist who uses gloved fingers to apply gentle pressure to these internal muscles, breaking up adhesions and reducing tightness. This approach directly targets the deeper muscle layers that are inaccessible with external techniques alone, offering more relief from tension and pain associated with TMJ dysfunction.
Incorporating massage therapy, including intraoral work, can complement other treatments such as physical therapy, dental care, or stress management techniques, offering a holistic approach to managing TMJ dysfunction.
5 ways Osteopathy Can Help with Low Energy
1. Moves the fascia that surrounds our muscles and bones which helps fluid move between the joints, making motion easier.
2. Resets the tone of the nervous system between the sympathetic response and parasympathetic response, giving you a better quality sleep.
3. Aligns the diaphragms, improving each breath and therefore improving the quality of blood being supplied to the liver amongst all our other tissues.
4. Improves barriers to the limbs, increasing coordination and nervous impulse, making our muscles stronger.
5. Improves body mind connection through all of the above, which means hormone improvement with better energy and mood.
4 Ways to be Proactive to Optimize Your Fertility
By Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor
Whether you are currently TTC (trying to conceive) and have yet to achieve a healthy pregnancy, or are planning to TTC within the next year, these 4 items are key! 
You absolutely *DO NOT* need to wait an entire year before having some basic testing done to see if your fertility is being impacted by things such as: suboptimal metabolic health, thyroid function, hormone dysfunction, or nutritional status factors.
Here are 4 things you can do *NOW*:
1 – SCREENING BLOOD WORK
2 – CYCLE/HORMONE/HEALTH ASSESSMENT
3 – DIET & LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS
4 – INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPLEMENTS
In some cases, there is a true reproductive pathology (ie low ovarian reserve, low sperm count, severe endometriosis) that may require intervention from a fertility clinic.
However, in MANY CASES, the previously mentioned systems are dysfunctional, and it is a matter of determining which systems need targeted support (via diet, lifestyle, supplements, etc).
If you’re currently/soon to be TTC, I would be honoured to support you in your journey! BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
5 ways osteopathy can help with low back pain:
By Leann Mai (M. OMSc) Manual Osteopathic Practitioner
1. Redistribute the tension from the shoulders or legs due to exercise or stress
2. Realign anterior gravitational loading coming from ankles, hips, shoulders or head that is putting stress on the lower back to keep you upright
3. Reset the tension through the abdominal muscles that might be compressing the abdomen
4. Coordinate the spring-like design through the spine to make sure the curves are supporting each other from head to pelvis allowing open communication through the nervous system
5. Remove torsional patterns that have become fixed, from the top of the rib cage through to the bottom of the rib cage , pulling through the lower back and pelvis on uneven tensions
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