by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 29, 2013 | Colombia, Community, Food, Human Rights, Nutrition, Protests, South America
Globalization has selected its next victim. In July, 2012, Colombia signed a free trade agreement with the United States. Fuelled by the desire to “develop” economically, i.e.: have access to the amenities and material goods of the first world, the initial reaction was quite positive. Citizens flocked to multinational brands like GAP and many excitedly awaited the promise of the arrival of Starbucks. On August 1, of this year, the free trade agreement with the European Union also came into effect.
Since signing the free trade agreement, imports from the US to Colombia have increased by about 70%, according to Counterpunch, “In 2011, Colombia imported 5,000 tons of rice from the US. In the year after the fta came in, 98,000 tons were imported.”
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 28, 2013 | Acupuncture, Health, Homeopathy, Meditation, Nature, Nature Cure, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Nutrition, Philosophy, Preventive Medicine
First things first: sunshine, fresh air and clean water.
Contrary to common belief naturopathic doctors are not just doctors who prescribe natural remedies to patients. (This means you can not avoid visiting a naturopathic doctor by going to a local health-food store and prescribing yourself a bunch of vitamins and supplements!) After all, as previously “naturopathic” therapies invade scientific literature, more up-to-date medical doctors are prescribing things like fish oil and probiotics to their patients. However, this doesn’t make them naturopathic doctors any more than prescribing rights make us medical doctors! Naturopathic doctors differ from the traditional medical model not so much in what we prescribe or our principles (do no harm, treat the whole person, prevent disease, doctor as teacher, support the body, treat the cause), which medical doctors arguably share with us, but in something called the Therapeutic Order.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 21, 2013 | Food, Hydrotherapy, Natural Body Care, Nature Cure, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Self-care, Women's health
It had been a while since I’d truly taken a vacation. After handing in 4 case management forms (CMFs) and writing 1 exam, and endless weeks of seeing patients in clinic, putting the health of others above and beyond my own, I decided that I would hang back from my rat race of assignments, expectations and obligations and indulge in a little self-care at my favourite hydrotherapy haven, Body Blitz.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 17, 2013 | Body Image, Health, Nature Cure, Philosophy, Women's health
I approach the summit of the mountain that we’re slowly scaling, 1 vertical kilometre of it, the air cold despite the heavy gaze of the South American sun. My thighs burn but carry me steadily, my breath laboured but sustained, having fallen into a natural, sustainable rhythm within the first few minutes. The altitude is 2700 m above sea level, roughly 10,000 feet, and although I’ve recently arrived from sea-level Toronto, my mitochondria-heavy thighs and I scale the mountain first, my boyfriend and his two able-bodied brothers, who’ve spent their lives at this altitude, lagging behind.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 14, 2013 | Acupuncture, Asian Medicine, Evidence Based Medicine, Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Naturopathic doctors employ a variety of healing modalities or, as we like to say, “tools in our toolbox”, to help the body heal itself. One of my favourite healing modalities is acupuncture. While I used to cringe at the thought of spending another 2 hours being poked and prodded by my classmates in acupuncture class I’ve since overcome my fear of needles and have come to embrace the amazing powers of acupuncture to gently restore balance and healing to the body. To pay homage to my favourite modality, I’ve answered some of your burning questions about this ancient healing art.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 8, 2013 | Health, Home Remedies, Natural Body Care, Outdoors, Skin health
When the summer sun begins to shine its light on the Great White North, Canadians shed their winter layers and soak up some much-needed vitamin D. However, as many of us learned from a young age, along with more skin exposure comes a risk of sunburns, rashes from plants like poison ivy, eczema, heat rash and, my personal favourite, bug bites. Don’t let the bugs deter you and from family from enjoying the gorgeous summer air! An easy way to relieve pain and itching from these minor, yet uncomfortable, skin ailments can be found in this simple, home remedy.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 2, 2013 | Beauty, Botanical Medicine, Health, Nature Cure, Recipes, Research, Self-care, Skin health, Women's health
Green tea, from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, with it’s metabolism-boosting, antioxidant and anticancer powers is now expanding its talents, entering into the world of skin care, especially acne treatments, and experiencing great success.
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