Going on any TRIPS or ADVENTURES this summer?
I will be! And since my little boys like to be outside and climb and run and jump and fall, these are a few extra herbal remedies I've added to my Travelling First Aid Kit. Maybe you will find some of them useful for your summer as well!

Peaceful Flight Glycerite for kids (with equal parts matricaria recutita, melissa officinalis, and nepeta cataria) – 1 tsp can be taken 3 times per day.

Antiseptic Healing Wash: (tincture of achillea millefolium and calendula officinalis) – mix 30 drops with 1 Tbsp water to wash cuts, stings, bites, or scrapes.

Summer Salve: (with plantago lanceolata, symphytum officinale, calendula officinalis, Vitamin E, aloe vera, tea tree essential oil and lavender essential oil) – apply liberally to sunburns, bug bites, chapped lips, or minor rashes.

Insect Repellant: Mix 1oz olive oil with 15 drops each of citronella, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, and lavender essential oils. Apply to skin or clothing.

Fever Tea: (achillea millefolium, matricaria recutita, mentha piperita, nepeta cataria, and sambucus nigra) – pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 Tbsp tea, steep 10-15min and drink 1 cup every 2 hrs bath, add to a bath, or use as a compress to bring down a fever.

Note: All herbs are not for everyone and just because something is herbal does not mean it’s safe. Please don’t use without the help of a qualified provider.
#TuesdayMorningTidbit #HealthTip #NaturalRemedies#HerbalRemedies #BotanicalMedicine #NaturalMedicine #Summer#Travel #FirstAidKit
@drkatherinemasters

Looking for vibrant skin, nails and hair this summer?

​This is one of the easiest recipes for collagen support - it takes all of 5 minutes to make! You can easily jazz it up or get creative with it but here are the basic steps:

1. Heat 1 cup of homemade juice or other on stovetop, removing just before it boils.
2. Add 2 TBSP bovine grass fed gelatin and whisk immediately.
3. Pour into silicone molds or muffin tins or any glass container.
4. Place in refrigerator until solidified. 
5. Enjoy!

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
​
#NaturalMedicine #HealthTip @drkatherinemasters

I have to say something towards the recent articles that have been coming out saying to throw out your coconut oil based off the AHA Advisory called "Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease". Here's my 2 cents:

1. The information isn’t new. What IS new in scientific research is the understanding that saturated fat is not the be all and end all link to heart disease. Even that statins (cholesterol lowering drugs) do more harm than good.

2. The article doesn’t say that coconut oil consumption has been linked to heart disease. It talks about the types of fats that have been link to heart disease (old news).

3. Saturated fat in modest amounts is not the enemy. In fact, it is a crucial component of our diet. Healthy fats and cholesterol are needed for brain health, hormonal balance, mood, Vitamin D production, nerve health, fat digestion and many other functions in the body. (see photo) 
Typically, people eat far more saturated fat than necessary (which I'm not advocating), but when it goes to the other extreme of Fat-Free or Cholesterol-Free Diets, our bodies start to fall apart.

4. What is important is that we keep our total diet in check (which the article discusses – the Mediterranean Diet is fantastic). For example are we eating healthy fats from good quality sources? Are we eating highly inflammatory foods? Are we eating large amounts of refined grains and sugars? Are we eating a colourful balanced whole food diet? These are essential factors when it comes to heart disease prevention.

5. Here are a couple ways to make sure you’re not eating bad fats: 

• Stay away from oxidized cholesterol (processed foods, French fries, grated cheeses, dried egg products, powdered milk...)
• Keep butter, dairy, meat, nuts, and oils refrigerated and in airtight containers.
• Minimize consumption of foods cooked at high temperatures. Boil, poach, or stew more often than you fry, broil, or roast.
• Stay away from trans-fatty acids.

6. Finally, it’s always interesting to note who funded the paper… (see screen shot)
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So I won't be throwing out my coconut oil just yet. And I in no way would recommend canola oil or corn oil in place of it! But what I will continue to do and recommend for heart health is a whole food, varied, colourful Mediterranean or anti-inflammatory diet, exercise, making sure to get enough omega 3's, not smoking, and reducing stress (those are the basics anyway).

#TuesdayMorningTidbit @drkatherinemasters

Antidepressants are no joke.
They come with a Black Box Warning about increased suicide risk. 

What if there was a less invasive way of healing mental health concerns? 

There is ample research out there that links a distressed gut -especially candida overgrowth- to anxiety and depression, amongst other things.

A holistic approach to gut healing can improve mood, clarity, and energy. This may include removing triggers, irritants, and harmful microbiota, replacing essential elements of digestion, reinoculating the gut with helpful microbiota, and repairing the GI tract lining.

Mental health concerns can be very complex and this may not be the best approach for you. A Naturopathic Doctor can help you find an individualized plan that will work for you.
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#TuesdayMorningTidbit @drkatherinemasters