On my last day of skiing for the season, Easter Sunday, I had a nasty fall. When I tried to standup, my knee buckled. I had to be carried down the slope by ski patrols.

I was hoping it was just a bad sprain. Unfortunately it turned out to be a major injury involving multiple ligament and meniscus tears.

I met with Orthopedic Surgeon, who said that he can surgically repair the damaged tissues and get me walking, although the recovery may be slow due to the complexity of the injury. As surgery was the only option to fix this, I was ready for it.

But what really stuck with me from that visit was him pointing out that studies have shown that ACL tear even with repair increases the risk of osteoarthritis. Combining this with my meniscus tears, the odds of developing arthritis was very high. It was frustrating that he had the statistics but no advise on how to reduce this risk.

Maybe it was the stress of surgery or the long road to recovery, I kept worrying about the increased osteoarthritis risk and what it meant - possibly another knee surgery in the near future.

It was definitely a dark period.

I had to remind myself that Naturopathic medicine has a lot to offer and I can get started early on with some of the preventive measures to reduce osteoarthritis risk or at the very least delay onset.

Even with my professional background, I needed this positive self-reminder to take action to regain control of my health rather than just worry.

This experience got me thinking about my patients who have been in a similar situation. Some of them had to wait 6 months for a diagnosis when a suspicious lump on their breast or cyst in their kidney was found, as they were too small for a biopsy.

During this waiting period, their Medical Doctor did not offer them any diet, lifestyle, herbs or nutrient support strategies to reduce risk. They felt "stuck", resigned to a period of inaction and worry.

No one should have to feel this way.

Whether you are currently going through the "wait and watch" period or dealing with a chronic health issue and tired of just receiving band-aid fixes, I hope my experience serves as a reminder that we owe it to ourselves to take ownership of our health, advocate for our needs and find the right resources to support our health journey.

​In this Newsletter, you will find

How to balance female hormones naturally? …..because every woman deserves to feel and be her best and no period related symptom should hold her back.

Crunchy Thai vegetable salad recipe: A tasty way to increase your cruciferous vegetable intake.

How to Balance Female Hormones Naturally?

If you are suffering from painful periods, PMS or irregular menstrual cycle, you can take simple steps to balance your hormones naturally. To find out more on the exact strategies that I personally use when my hormones go off balance, click the link below...

​https://jcnaturopathicwellness.com/how-to-balance-...​

Crunchy Thai vegetable salad Recipe

Salad Ingredients:

• Napa cabbage, thin sliced - 1.5 cups
• Red cabbage, shredded -1.5 cups
• Baby kale - 1 cup
• Red pepper, sliced- 1/2 cup
• Carrot, shredded- 1 cup
• Peanuts, roasted, chopped- 1/4 cup ( If you have peanut allergy, you can substitute with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds)
• Thai bail, leaves thinly sliced - 2 tablespoons (Substitute with basil leaf or mint leaves)
• Green onions- 1 tablespoon

Peanut Dressing:

• Peanut butter, creamy -1/4 cup (Substitute with sunflower butter if needed)
• Lime juice- 4 teaspoons
• Honey - 3 teaspoons ( you can use more if peanut butter is unsweetened)
• Dried ginger powder - 1/4 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon if using fresh minced ginger)
• Garlic, minced - 1 clove
• Apple cider vinegar - 3 teaspoons (Traditional recipes call for rice vinegar but I never miss the opportunity to use ACV)
• Soy sauce - 3 teaspoons (If allergic to soy, use coconut aminos)
• Sesame oil -1 teaspoon (Substitute with olive oil if needed)
• Siracha sauce- 1/2 teaspoon (can add more if you prefer spicy)
• Water- 3 teaspoons

Instructions:

1. Combine all the vegetables and herbs from the salad ingredients list.
2. Whisk the peanut dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Add more water to the dressing if you prefer a thin consistency.
4. Toss the salad with the dressing ( I usually serve the dressing in a separate bowl so people can decide how much they want to serve).

I have said it often but this bears repeating:

I am grateful to my patients for the lessons on grit and grace when it comes to navigating their life/health challenges or that of their loved ones. Thank You and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely

Dr.JC