As we head into another busy fall season, I wanted to update everyone on the changes to our BC naturopathic scope of practice. After much sustained effort from the ND community, we have been granted prescription rights in BC. While there are some exceptions to our rights, we are able to prescribe antibiotics, bio-identical hormones, [...]

Recently, I was excited to read about the work of Dan Buettner, an author who has researched the world’s “hot spots” of longevity and written a book summarizing his findings (The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest”). Each of the areas he examined have much higher rates [...]

Although we have decided that January 1 is the start of a new year, many cultures have and do celebrate the beginning of Spring as the true new year. It makes sense: On January 1st, we are still in the doldrums of a Canadian winter, making resolutions harder to stick to. Why not choose April [...]

Dr Handford is happy to announce that she has purchased Alta Vista Naturopathic Clinic in partnership with another up and coming doctor, Amanda George, also a graduate of the Boucher Institute. Dr Lurie, the previous owner, decided to retire on short notice and we were able to take advantage of this opportunity over a couple [...]

It is no surprise to anyone using the internet that the H1N1 flu virus, and the just-approved vaccine, is the health hot topic of the moment. Despite the far greater number of people who will become ill with seasonal flu viruses, H1N1 has been pronounced as “the” pandemic of the year, based on its similarity [...]

A recent study done in Spain of over 10,000 people has found a link between adherence to a so-called “Mediterranean Diet” and reduced incidence of depression. Once lifestyle, genetic and personality factors were eliminated as causes, those who stuck most strictly to the diet, high in fruits, nuts and legumes, had the lowest incidence of [...]

Thanks to the efforts of the doctors and staff, Alta Vista Naturopathic Clinic had a successful Open House this past Wednesday evening. Enjoying tasty vegetarian treats, visitors were offered free blood typing, along with information on Blood Type Diets, and blood pressure readings. Pictures of the event will be posted to this site soon. For [...]

In a study of nearly 13,000 BC women over 5 years, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, home births were found to be as safe as hospital births for low risk women, and may even reduce the number of complications such as post-partum hemorrhage. The study surveyed the experiences of three groups of women: [...]

The American Heart Association today set new guidelines for sugar consumption. The new guidelines suggest 6 tsp per day for women and 9 tsp for men maximum. The average American (and Canadians are no different) consumes 156 lbs of sugar a year, mostly in the form of soda and sweetened cereal, although sugar can be [...]

I am excited to hear of the provincial government’s recent decision to include prescription rights in our new scope of practice legislation. Far too often, we are forced to send our patients away when they need a prescription for antibiotics, for example, thereby duplicating services in an already overburdened health care system, and causing unnecessary [...]