Green Tip - Coconut oil...and then some!!

I have been experimenting off and on with consuming more of a raw diet for the last few months now. I will admit some weeks are more raw than others, but even just getting more fruits and veggies into my diet has made me feel much better.

One of the main oils used in the raw culture is Coconut oil because it is not processed and completely natural. In one of the books I found the author noted that she uses coconut oil, not only as a moisturizing natural alternative to shaving cream or gel, but also that she uses it as an eye makeup remover!! So of course, I had to try it...and yes it works, extremely well actually. It's also used as a good carrier oil for massage. So instead of buying a bottle of shaving cream and a tube of makeup remover - you can save all that packaging and just buy a large tub of coconut oil and use it for many different purposes. A nice environmentally friendly natural resource!

I shared my new found information with a girlfriend a few weeks ago and she just sent me a really great article on coconut oil and some health benefits of using it...including help with weight loss, immunity, and skin irritations. I thought I would share the link for the article as well...it makes for some very interesting reading and potentially a few more naturally healthy people!

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

Happy reading!
Yours in health and wellness,
Lee Anne
The Healing Oasis Team

4 Weeks to Wellness

All I can say is WOW! What an amazingly beautiful day it was yesterday. The sun was shining brightly all day and the city was just basking in it's glory! We started our "trek" at The Healing Oasis and like usual walked along Kempenfelt Drive and then back along the old railway tracks.

It's such a beautiful opportunity for us to be able to walk out our driveways and immerse ourselves in fresh air, a clean atmosphere, and such wonderful surroundings - we are really quite lucky to live in such a great city. Clearly, I don't get out enough and enjoy it because every time I do it always amazes me this way.

And that's the reason for our 4 Weeks to Wellness. It's to help people like me who are so caught up in the every day hussle and bustle of "life" that a Sunday morning walk is the only time I can enjoy some peace and a little bit of nature. If you'd like to join me next Sunday I'll be there waiting. :)

I also brought some healthy snacks which I will share the recipe
with you on our facebook page along with some more pictures. See you next time! :)

Yours in health and wellness,
Lee Anne
and THO Team

Going Green tip #2

For a natural and environmentally friendly alternative to cleaning your teeth, skip your regular toothpaste and avoid the packaging waste. Instead try making your own.
Here's a recipe I found on http://www.howstuffworks.com/

Toothpaste: Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part salt. Add 3 teaspoons of glycerin. Add 10 to 20 drops of flavoring (peppermint, wintergreen, anise, or cinnamon) and enough water to make a paste. Spoon into a small, refillable squeeze bottle.

March Break Fun Skate

WOW!! What a fun time we had on Friday evening. Everyone at The Healing Oasis would like to thank our friends and family for coming out and sharing in some fun and light activity.

Not only did we have an amazing ice rink all to ourselves for an hour, we had an entire party room filled with kids and parents and friends...and SNACKS! All of which were a hit!! And we had SO many people ask us for our recipes we thought we'd share them with you to enjoy with your own friends and families. (Look for the recipes in our next blogs.)

We hope everyone had as much fun as we did and we look forward to seeing even more of you at our next client appreciation event....perhaps a summer BBQ!?

To view the entire photo album from our fun skate day simply find us on Facebook and become a fan.

With sincere thanks,

Lee Anne, Whitney, Jessy,
Anna, & Leslie
(The Healing Oasis Team)

Follow your instincts!

It's funny how some of us operate. I'll talk about myself because I know I'm pretty bad when it comes to doing the things that benefit me most....and yes, STRETCHING, is my least favourite thing to do. I know it's good for me and my muscles. And, yes, I know regular stretching will help decrease the chances of me getting aches and pains...but it's boring and slow and it takes time! :(

But...if I were to have observed Rigley (my little furry 12lb constant doggy companion and official "greeter" at The Healing Oasis) the other morning I would have noticed something...

Number 1. He LOVES sleep. I got up Sunday morning and made myself a coffee so I could read in bed for a bit and he had jumped up in my nice warm spot and grabbed a few more significant minutes of shut eye.... Sleep helps our bodies heal itself which is why it's important to get enough of it each night.

Number 2. When he finally decided to get out of bed, he jumped down, and just sat there for a few seconds taking in the day. Something that might actually be good for us to do; take a few deep breaths to welcome the day, take note of all our blessings, and be grateful for our good fortune... Seems like a nice way to start the morning off!?

And Number 3. He stretches! He lies flat on his belly and stretches both front and back legs out straight and just holds it there for a bit. And then he might tuck in his front legs and readjust the back legs for a better stretch. And then he sits up and stretches his neck way up and then he even does the downward dog with his bum up in the air and his front legs out in front of him!

So, yeah, this is extremely cute and amusing for me...but it's also something I (and everyone) should pay attention to; he's following his instinctual behaviour to keep himself limber and healthy. We, as humans, might want to follow in his "paw-prints" and give our bodies what they need. Proper nourishment, exercise, and stretching to help keep those muscles limber and avoid unnecessary aches and pains.

I have to say, I went for a walk that night and did stretch when I got home, and you know, I felt much better afterwards and I didn't have the leg pain or the low back pain I usually get after going for a walk. :)

For more information on proper stretching and form, please give us a call and we will be happy to spend a few minutes with you to show you how to stretch.

Yours in health,

Lee Anne & Rigley

How can we HELP YOU??

With the many different health services available to us now it's quite a difficult task of finding which one is the right fit for you...

We are pleased to announce that all of our practitioners now offer Complimentary 15 minute consults to help you in the decision making process.

If you're thinking of trying reiki or reflexology but not sure which one would be better suited to your symptomology - just call us to book your consult - we can even do a phone consult!

Are you wondering how a Naturopathic Doctor can help you? Just give us a call...

Knowledge and education is power... we aim to empower our clients to help them have an active role in their health and wellness care.

Yours in health,
The Healing Oasis Team

David Suzuki...Remember The Big Picture

I had the pleasure of attending the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors annual convention Nov 13-15 in Toronto. Furthermore, it was an honour to have David Suzuki kick off the weekend with a powerful presentation, which was open to the public.

David was passionate and eloquent as he described our earth and how humans are the species that have had the most impact on the planet. Some scientists say it’s too late and we have irreversibly damaged our home. However, David says to them “shut up and get out of the way,” it is never too late to make a change. And it’s important to remember the big picture – we should all have the same goal – to live in a healthy place. Governments need to listen to what Canadians truly want.

What kind of Canada do you want to live in? What do you want Barrie to be like in 25 – 30 years? Would you like to be able to drink from Lake Simcoe? Would you like to not worry about the air we breathe when we are standing within sight of highway 400? Would you like to know that your food is free from chemicals? Would you like to be sure that your health problems are not caused by environmental pollution, chemicals or even the houses we live in?

We can all agree that we want a beautiful, clean, healthy place to live, work and raise our children. If we all agree on that, then we have a common goal we can work towards.

The take home message for me?
There are small, simple things I can do at home and at our wellness centre to start making an impact on our environment and people’s health. Also, it is up to us to let our governments know that where we live and how clean it is matters to us and it should matter to them and their families as well.

I would like to encourage a discussion on our environment and our health. Please post a comment and become a follower of our blog to continue this conversation. Together, change will make a difference.

Yours in health,

Whitney Young, ND

Paying Thanks Forward

Thanksgiving is the tradition of giving thanks for what one has and the bounty of the past year. At The Healing Oasis we have many things to be thankful for; of which, our wonderful clients who continue to be dedicated to their own well-being, are who we celebrated and gave thanks for this October.

In celebration, we offered a gift of purple tulip bulbs to each of our clients as a token of our gratitude. And in the spirit of paying thanks forward, we also gave each client a thank you card which they could give to someone in their life to express their gratitude to and give them the gift of health.

We really enjoyed the feedback and the kind words from those we did see in October and we look forward to seeing you all during the winter months. If we didn't see you we hope you all enjoyed and gave thanks for the beautiful colours Mother Earth provided, we hope you all enjoyed a bountiful feast with friends and loved ones, and we wish you all the best of health throughout the year.

Sincerely,
Lee Anne and The Healing Oasis Team :)

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the
highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
John Fitzgerald Kennedy