Natural Wellness and Integrated Healthcare
Call 416-456 HELP (4357) or email Alex Gellman for more information about Lifestyle and Wellness coaching and guidance, which Alex Gellman offers remotely and in-person in Toronto and via the new location in Nova Scotia (Wolfville).
For urgent matters requiring immediate attention, please email [email protected].
“Some of the tools that I use are homeopathy, nutrition, and emotional iridology—to help you reach your goals and realize your dreams!” Alex
MAKE THREE CHANGES AND IMPROVE YOUR LIFE—
Everywhere we turn today, we encounter guidelines and tips for improving fitness, increasing energy, fighting fat, how to live longer, etc., including here or in my newsletters. We can’t watch TV or explore online without coming across ways to get healthier, wealthier, and wiser. If you’re interested but feeling a little overwhelmed or not sure where to start, a good way to get a new lifestyle plan off the ground is to apply the rule of three.
Plan to isolate THREE things you will do to embrace greater health. This helps make your progress manageable and ultimately successful.
Pick three from the suggestions listed below. Let me know which three are on your list. Alex
Many of us heard a version of these phrases from a parent or guardian when we were kids. Though we may have protested, even our child-size brains knew they had a point. Your parent’s main concern was that you thrive and grow into a healthy adult. Somehow, despite ignoring their advice whenever you could, you’re now a well-rounded adult. Or are you simply, well – a little too round? Are you nostalgic for childish things, now you’re an adult and facing real life stressors? Are you longing for the simple days when your big decision was apple vs. cookies? Do you seek comfort from comfort foods?
We all do this sometimes. But we know, as adults, that the food choices we make affect more than our waistlines. Our choices impact all aspects of life. We know that we need the phyto-nutrients and antioxidants found in fruits and veggies more than ever to help fight adult-sized stress and free radical damage on our aging bodies.
Making the right food choices will give you a fighting chance against premature aging and illness; The right food can contribute to a good night’s sleep and keep your intellect sharp all day by staving off low sugar blues. Identifying food sensitivities and avoiding those foods can aid weight loss and alleviate digestive problems. Proper food choices can help women sail through menopause. It can help all of us prevent chronic illness and cancers, stave off depression, obesity, and even improve your sex life.
Stress can contribute to wrong choices and generally wreak havoc, so it’s important to manage your stress. The first step towards management is to recognize there are different types of stress and different stress responses, and for every type of stress there are specific foods that can help you manage. By following the food suggestions for different types of stress, you’ll find it easier to ignore the stress impulse to reach for ice cream, cookies, wine, or whatever. That route hasn’t really worked for you in the past, so now it’s time to learn about food choices that do work. (Please note that before making any changes in nutritional intake or life style choices you should mention it to your Doctor or Health Practitioner.)
What is stress? “Stress is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental, or emotional adjustment or response. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious. Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or “stressor.” Therefore stress is multifaceted and can lead to frustration, anger, nervousness, sadness, or anxiety, or all of the above.
Serving Suggestion: steam Swiss chard lightly and serve drizzled with cold pressed olive oil and pressed garlic. A sprig of parsley after will clear the garlic breath. Parlsey also supports kidneys and helps release built up acids and fluids. When we are under stress we often hold on to more water and experience edema type symptoms. Drinking a brew of parsley tea boiled in water will help relieve these symptoms. Other benefits of parsley:• neutralizes carcinogens in cigarette smoke and BBQ’d food• boosts energy in spite of stress because it has magnesium and calcium • helps sleep because it has tryptophan, an amino acid well know for its role in inducing relaxation and sleep (think: turkey dinner).
Fennel builds inner confidence through its aromatic constituents. Where there is stress and self-doubt, the stomach and digestive process will be affected. Fennel will calm that down. If your stomach is stable, you will find the strength within your abdominal core muscles to eliminate the self-doubt and take a stand. Fennel is a great appetite suppressant due to its high content of anethol volatile oil. This substance tells the brain you are full, and you may find yourself feeling satisfied with less food. In addition, fennel boosts the immune system to help overcome infections and help reduce inflammatory conditions. Serving Suggestion: Make yourself a raw fennel, beets, apple and kale salad. Sliver all thinly by hand or in a food processor. Dress with a generous dressing of lemon juice, flax oil and a dash of cumin. Apples also have a multitude of health benefits – eating just two apples a day can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Beets support the liver and skin cleansing.
• When we feel our loved one or loved ones shun us or turn their back on us, or our romantic partner leaves us.
We need to look within and examine our expectations. Most of the time the romantic and emotional expectations are unrealistic and the disappointment can only happen if your expectations are not realistic.
Example: I deal with a woman who dreams of her husband coming home for dinner.I ask her if he has ever come home for dinner in 15 years. She says, “Not yet.” But she continues to dream that things will change, and he will show up for dinner. Every night she sits at the dinner table until he rolls in around 1 to 3 in the morning. She leads with her unhappiness by living in a world of delusion.
You are aghast at this ridiculous example. You would be surprised how many people continue to believe the lies they tell themselves to keep themselves safe in dead end jobs and relationships. I often see the other side of the coin, too; There are people who only anticipate struggle, disappointment and problems. When good fortune comes to these people they are astonished and are waiting for the good thing to go sour and/or they begin to sabotage the situation to fulfill their belief that life is a struggle and wishes do not come true.
Emotional disappointments trigger a response that lowers immunity and often result in respiratory sysmtoms such as the flu, colds or other bronchial problems. Therefore, if your stressors are focused around emotional disappointments, it’s necessary to support the respiratory system. If you are experiencing this, eliminate all dairy products until the illness phase passes and add ginger and turmeric to your diet. Ginger acts a stimulant to improve circulation, it supports the inner lining of the digestive track, and helps overcome respiratory problems. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammtory that helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Serving Suggestions: • Use shredded or diced in stir fries• boil in water to make a tea• add to your juicer when making juice• remove core and seed of an apple, stuff it with ginger and bake• add to salad dressing with sesame oil• use in marinades and sauces
• When you are in a situation where another person is pushing you to change or go in a direction that is not familiar to you or is distasteful, or you find yourself in an argument or direct conflict.
Often conflict can be an internal argument. You find yourself endlessly mulling over things, weighing the pros and cons of a situation – such as whether to stay in a marriage or leave the marriage.
If your stress response is to express irritation or anger, then you need liver support. For this, look to
Artichokes and fresh lemons and limes.
Cooking an artichoke is simple, yet I meet many people who are intimidated at the thought and don’t know where to begin.
It’s easy – just steam for 45 minutes with a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary. (Reserve the cooking water! This important step will be explained further). To serve the steamed artichoke, remove the leaves on by one and dip the bottom of the leaf in hummus or a light mixture of cold pressed virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary, fresh lemon juice, pressed garlic, and dry mustard. When you get to the center there is a round area with thistles in the middle. Cut out the thistle area and you have now reached the heart of the artichoke. This part is regarded as a culinary delicacy – fill with your favorite dressing and enjoy. While this is a pleasurable experience for the palate that helps the liver, to amp up the detox, drink 2 cups of the water reserved from steaming the artichoke. You may find it bitter but, along with rosemary, an aromatic herb, it cleanses and supports phase 1 and phase 2 of the liver detoxification process. You can add lemon to the mixture.
• Sitting in traffic that is going nowhere for hours
• Waiting to resolve a court case that is taking years.
• You feel helpless waiting for things to resolve themselves
The common component that leads to stress in all the above examples is the self-talk that results after the event. That self-talk will become our reality.
For instance, when we feel criticized at work we may tell ourselves, “Yep, I am an idiot, just like mom always said.” And then it’s all down hill from there.
The solution to the slippery slope is to become aware of the TRIGGER that sets off the negative and destructive and usually untrue, internal message. Recognizing the trigger will help you pause for an honest moment and hopefully reassess that knee-jerk reaction and substitute it for a more reasoned outlook, such as “everyone makes mistakes” and/or “what different/better approach will help avoid a repeat?”
The food to help stress that frustrates is romaine lettuce – often overlooked as old hat but a great contributor to your well being.
Romaine lettuce is another good energy booster on stressful days – a salad a day will keep the stress bugs away!
Romaine lettuce delivers, since it has high doses of chromium. This mineral helps keep blood sugar stable. If you are experiencing a blood sugar roller coaster you will be significantly more affected by the slightest stressors. Romains also contains B1, B2 and tryptophan which help the nervous system deal with stress. Include hemp hearts, raw sunflower seeds and sesame seeds in a salad to boost healthy essential fatty acids. (Remember, toasted or sugared nuts hinder the benefit of the nuts.)
• Results in fear
The food for fear is celery.
Plain old garden variety celery is often over-stepped for more glamourous and trendy vegetables, but celery is a real star. Check out what celery offers:
• Eat five small meals a day, each consisting of a protein, healthy carbohydrate, and healthy fat
• Plenty of fruits and vegetables• 30 minutes of exercise or movement each day
• Healthy nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
• Fish three times a week
• Lemon and warm water at wake up
• Filtered water – 12 to 14 glasses per day
Now is the time to start taking preventative steps that will lead to reversing the biological clock of life.
Please contact Alex Gellman to arrange a remote or in-person consultation appointment.
Homeopathy is an incredible system that has the ability to heal and help all who call upon it. While deciding on my path there was a great debate whether to go the Naturopathic College or Homeopathic College.
My own years of personal healing made that decision for me. I experienced both protocols growing up and decided to pursue a career as a Homeopathic practitioner.
My principal reasons for embracing this path are simple:
1. Homeopathic medicine has the ability to deal with the skeletons in the closets, fears, obsessions and negative beliefs and thoughts that humans are plagued by.
2. This wondrous line of remedies has the ability to address the root cause of the problem and heal symptoms the individual is experiencing.
3. A well trained homeopath administering a remedy can expect a shift in the condition of the individual within a couple of hours or sometimes even less. Depending on the severity of the symptoms the condition can often take longer to respond.
4. Herbs, vitamins and other products of this type take days, weeks and often months for the individual to experience a shift in their condition.
5. Homeopathic medicines cost less than $10.00 each, so it can be accessible to all, even those with limited budgets.
Most, physicians believe over 90% of all healing takes place “between the ears”. Homeopathy helps with the necessary shift at that level. In a nutshell, that is why I believe homeopathy is one of the most effective and most reliable natural cures we have available to the human race.
The Greek physician Hippocrates is the principal father of homeopathy. He introduced the principle that “like cures like”. This concept means that a person suffering from violent vomitting, would be given a remedy that would produce that effect in a healthy person. The medical beliefs of the time embraced The Law of Contraries, which is the treatment of a condition with a substance that will create the opposite reaction.
Homeopathy and the principles of healing of Hippocrates are also based onthe belief of the vital force, Chi or Tao in the Oriental systems or the Kundalini in the Tibetan/India yoga systems. What this means is – that within every living creature there is an energy force that drives it and keeps it alive. As we proceed through life that vital force is disturbed by traumas, disappointments, and unmet expectations.
Think of an electrical cord and over the years a mouse has chewed little holes into the wires – after some time the light would no longer come on due to the electrical current being 
unable to flow through the slightly broken wires.
The homeopathic remedy has the ability to go in and repair the many wires at many levels to bring the individual back to their original force they were born to embrace.
The Father of Homeopathy who in 1790 documented the great works we use today is Samuel Christian Hahnemann. Hahnemann was a medical Doctor discouraged by the practices of the time so he began to explore new ways to treat patients. He discovered an article by Dr. William Cullen on the miracles of the Cinchona Peruvian bark, useful in treating malaria. He chose to experiment on himself and found to his astonishment that taking the Cinchona Peruvian bark in a diluted substance produced all the symptoms of malaria. He spent years testing his theories. The responses and reactions varied in individuals, but in everyone, the Cinchona Peruvian bark produced symptoms of malaria to different degrees.
He continued this process of multiple dilutions, and discovered that themore diluted the product the less reactions his patients experienced. In addition he introduced a concept called “succusion”. This process is achieved by vigorously shaking the remedy. There is research being done in the UK to support and show scientific evidence how the succusion process releases molecules of the original substance to increase the healing effect of the remedy. He believed that the homeopathic remedy has the ability to stimulate the vital force of the body and regain the body’s’ natural innate ability to heal itself. As the vital force becomes stronger, the body has the ability to fight illness and infection.
Hahnemann devoted his life to the investigation and development of remedies. He discovered that the greater the dilution the more potent the remedy became. This is a brief overview of the dilution process and effect of the remedies:
. Remedies that have an X after the number have been diluted in 10 ml of water
. Remedies with a CH after the number have been diluted in a 100 ml of water
. Remedies in number less than 29 have the ability to address the physical aspect of the condition
. Remedies that have been diluted 30 times address the physical and emotional symptoms
. For a physical ailment like a broken bone use a very low number like4 or 6
. Remedies diluted 200 times address the emotional and spiritual aspects of the person
. Remedies diluted 1,000 times and higher address the spirits and the hereditary code we received from our ancestors, both physical and emotional predispositions
After Hahnemann came Kent and Hering, who put together our Materia Medicas. This is an encyclopedia of every symptom a person could experience, and the remedies that will shift those conditions. Remedies are made from the minerals of the earth, animal and plant sources.
A homeopath prescribes a remedy based on a thorough fact finding process. The patient tells their story from their conception to the present. After hearing the personal history, the homeopath will ask questions that will begin to create a picture of the individual, including:
. Their personality e.g. extrovert or introvert.
. Their fears.
. Their goals, desires and wishes.
. What makes them feel better/what makes them feel worse.
. How they react to external stimuli like weather and stress.
. Food preferences and dislikes and/or reactions.
. Circadian rhythm – what is their best and worst time of day or night
. Whether discomforts in the body focus on the right or left
side, or travel from one side of the body to the other.
. Individual sleep positions.
. Temperature preferences.
. Particular habits and/or idiosyncrasies.
These are the external clothes of the body.
The homeopath also delves into an individual’s spirit realm with questions such as:
. What do they dream about.
. Childhood and present dreams.
. Aspirations.
. Emotions.
. Phantasmal perceptions – like a feeling somebody is standing behind you,
or the childs’ fear that somebody is hiding under the bed.
When all this information is compiled a remedy is identified that will support all the criteria, and also address the physical manifestations of the life force imbalance. To recap, if a person was totally healthy and they took a certain remedy, it would produce those mental, physical and emotional symptoms that the remedy would address in an unhealthy person.
Healing is incredibly fast. Often patients leave the office and phone when they get home to report that their acid digestion or depression feels better. It will come back perhaps the next day, and we will need to administer the remedy again, but eventually the old symptoms will dwindle away.
Homeopathy is prescribed based on as individual’s total life experiences. For example, Ryan (name changed) came to see me recently suffering from partial facial paralysis, excruciating hip and leg pains, colitis and depression.
I used Iridology first to read Ryan’s eye and get a clear picture of what was going on inside him physically, mentally and emotionally, without being clouded by anything I might hear from him later. I next took a comprehensive homeopathic history. I then put all the pieces together, much like solving a puzzle, to identify the precise homeopathic remedy Ryan needed.
Ryan’s eye structure revealed he was a Humanitarian (see Emotional Iridology), a person who under stress can withdraw and keep his emotions and feelings locked inside. These stored negative feelings had been eating away at Ryan for over fifty years, and in his case that lead to bowel problems.
Ryan’s eye structure also revealed tremendous emotional pain after the loss of first his father and then his mother. Ryan confirmed this finding.
Sometimes people can become so disconnected from their feelings that they might not themselves be able to articulate the feeling. That is when my eye reading can help me fully understand what is going on with a person.
Ryan’s father died seven years ago. His mother died two years before the paralysis on the left side of his face showed itself; and the left side of the body rules nurturing and other issues related to one’s relationship and interaction with mother. The grief experienced after the loss of a loved one is a very deep pain that will often bring other uncomfortable feelings to the surface that may include anger, guilt, or any unresolved past emotional issue. The good news is that it is always possible to resolve these emotional issues at any time with the help of homeopathic remedies.
I then took a comprehensive historical timeline of when each of Ryan’s physical symptoms first appeared, and when key mental and emotional traumas in his life occurred.
I treated Ryan with a specific customized homeopathic remedy that would help him change at a very deep emotional level and release layers of grief, guilt and anger.
The outcome was a healthier bowel and the face paralysis was completely corrected.
NOTE: Because everyone’s life experiences differ, the specific homeopathic remedy will differ, even though people may share similar physical symptoms. For this reason I never disclose personalized remedies because they are arrived at only after a thorough personalized consultation.
Homeopathic remedies are wonderful to have in the medicine cabinet for emergencies. As already mentioned it is best to put yourself in the care of a qualified practitioner, however, the basic potencies noted here are safe for home use.
A key remedy to have on hand is Arnica. This remedy is made from the leopard’s bane plant. Legend has it that mountain climbers in Switzerland nibbled on the bark of leopard’s bane to help ease aching muscles. This remedy can help heal all physical ailments after an accident such as: bone fracture, sprains, nosebleeds, eye injuries, and concussions.
Arnica works best if administered as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Use a basic potency of Arnica 30 CH, and take 3 pills every two hours until the pain eases. Continue taking Arnica as needed every two hours, reducing it to 3-4 times a day, for up to seven days depending upon the severity of the symptoms.
Hidden Food Sensitivities
A health consultation with me may involve testing with the Vega Allergy Testing System. This is a non-invasive (and painless) system for testing food, chemical, and other intolerances and sensitivities, and for isolating foods that contribute to inflammation and digestive concerns. It helps identify foods and substances to which you may be sensitive, although not allergic. (This may also help with determining eating for wellness, as in the FODMAP approach to diet sensitivities.)
When able to follow a diet without sensitivities, most people notice an improvement in how they feel and function. Vega testing may reveal food sensitivities that you never knew you had, but could be responsible for stubborn ailments or health issues that you experience – like candida – or simply general feelings of lethargy, bloating, fatigue, etc.
Good health and energy levels can often be achieved by simply being more selective in your food choices. The results of overconsumption of sugar, alcohol, and caffeine are well known to all of us. However, you may be surprised to learn that certain grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts you assume to be healthy can actually cause problems with your particular physical make-up.
The Vega tests an extensive array of food, including grains, dairy products, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meats, poultry, seafood, food additives, and miscellaneous foodstuffs such as caffeine, honey, sugar, yeast, alcohol, vinegar, etc.
To learn more about foods that might be triggering your ailments, and foods you need for optimal health, book an appointment for Vega testing by myself or another qualified health practitioner. Please let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll send a Wellness Questionnaire.
Embrace this year—as a time for renewal – a time to cleanse and regenerate. Happy health!
I had a woman ask me recently: “Why is my life so hard?”
She had experienced a string of stressful life events, including a health scare. Her problems were directly related to her lifestyle, though, and could be alleviated if not completely cured by a change in eating and introducing exercise habits.
How many of us suffer needlessly at our own hands, slaves to self-defeating habits?
An honest self-appraisal could be in order. Have you fallen into reaching for a “drug of choice” to boost your mood and help suppress uncomfortable feelings? Sugar, starch, alcohol, drugs (recreational or prescription), shopping—online or when the shops are open—even gambling can all provide temporary escapes. But what is that daily bottle of wine or weekly purchase of a big handful of lottery tickets or casino visit (if they’re accessible in your area!) doing to your physical, mental, and emotional state?
Realize there are many different tools to give you a meaningful and lasting boost, but one of the easiest remedies to feel better is to develop a new healthy habit. It
could be as simple as waking up fifteen minutes earlier in the day or substituting fruit for chocolate as your afternoon snack. Do an honest examination of what you’d like to change. Visualize your happiness at success, and then start small.
One small step – a new, productive habit – can improve the quality of your life. Easy, eh?
It takes 21 days to change a habit—that means in three weeks you could be living your new life.
Well, solutions are easy to come up with, but real change and life improvement can be hard and (sometimes!) painful and support and guidance can help with this.
In future blog entries, I’ll look at steps to help facilitate positive changes to create your whole new, happier life, or please let me know if I can help with office or online consultations.
Natural Health Practitioner and Wellness Coach Alexandra Gellman specializes in trusted, simple approaches to wellness, health, and nutrition that guide participants in how to improve lifestyle—and mental and physical well-being—in easy, do-able steps.
Alex offers over 30 years of experience transforming the lives of clients and patients. She is an experienced facilitator, practitioner, and natural health and wellness guide with a background in hospitality and association liaison. She is the author of three books, has published research on medically-based natural health studies, and appeared on major TV networks offering wellness guidance and advice. Alex opens the door to health and well-being for many with her Steps to Wellness Workshops and coaching.
Alex was one of the speakers at the Lifestyle Medicine Webinar in London.
Treatment always begins with a detailed assessment of your health/wellness, concerns, and personal goals, and Alex can draw on experience and training in many areas of natural health and integrated medicine to provide what you need—whether it’s diabetes guidance, nutritional or weight maintenance assistance, or personal coaching. Please get in touch with Alex for more information.
In the meantime, if you’d like to order natural health and nutritional supplements, please access via the Alex Gellman online store portal at Metagenics. If you have any questions about your needs or best options, contact Alex for information and guidance.
We’ll be offering two remote workshops in January 2022 to help everyone get a head start on turning your New Year’s Resolutions into reality. In sessions lasting two-and-a-half hours, you’ll create a vision board and start the journey to achieve goals, intentions, and dreams. We’ll provide an E Workbook to help you define and select changes you’d like to make on a daily basis or long term before we start. The fee is $36 plus tax to participate, and we’ll send a link to connect (Microsoft Team). The dates are January 2 or January 8 from 2-4:30. Contact to register/payment arrangements.
Not only does potassium assist in your weight loss goals, but it also fights off the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. Potassium helps reduce stroke risk and, in older women, may help avoid osteoporosis. That is amazing news as potassium can be found in our everyday meals. Ensuring you are getting the right amount will get you closer to your weight loss goals and improve your health in many ways.
So how is this mineral going to help you lose weight?
Electrolyte
Potassium is an essential mineral, and it is also an electrolyte. This means it is balancing the sodium in your body. Since sodium holds water in your cells, this increases the water you retain, which tends to increase your weight. Potassium helps balance the sodium in your cells enabling you to lose weight and decreases the risk of high blood pressure. Also, when you are exercising you excrete potassium through sweating. It is essential to replenish your potassium stores to have enough energy for your workouts.
Muscle development
Eating a diet rich in potassium helps build muscle. It aids in muscle development by converting your food into energy for muscle growth, which entails a boost in your metabolism. Having a higher ratio of muscle helps burn more calories and lose more weight. You will start shedding fat, and increasing your lean muscle tissue when you exercise.
If you are low on potassium, symptoms include:
Where can you find potassium?
21 potassium-rich food to incorporate in your diet:
Unprocessed foods have the highest amount of potassium. Stay clear of processed and packaged foods that are lab-produced. Processed foods generally have a high sodium content, which means not only are they displacing the potassium, they may also hinder your weight loss goals. You are meant to eat wholesome fresh food that your body can recognize. Once you incorporate whole foods, your body will thank you, and you will be closer to your weight loss goals.
This post was initially developed by guest blogger, Hiba Beyhum, a student of The Institute of Holistic Nutrition. Alex Gellman is Hiba’s preceptor.
