Dr. Julia Christensen, ND

It’s Naturopathic Medicine Week and I’d like to take a moment to honour the inspiring and important people who make this profession what it is ❤️

Thank you to our elders who have paved the way for our profession, the schools that provide our education, the provincial associations that lobby and support us as practitioners, the colleges that provide regulatory framework and safety measures for the public, researchers who provide clinical data on the tools that we use, our fearless educators and leaders who remain curious to new ways of treating and thinking, my colleagues who have become some of my most trusted and cherished friends, and to all the lovely humans who show up in our clinics that find benefit and support in the medicine we provide. There is room for a variety of belief systems and this medicine and practice enables us to provide another lens for us to view and support our health and wellbeing. ❤️🙏

I love this medicine and this practice. I’m so grateful for the ever evolving nature of learning in this field of health as well as to share the deeply rooted wisdom in what nature provides our bodies for innate healing. ❤️🙏

It’s truly such a privilege to be a witness and facilitator using the powerful tools this medicine can provide as part of an individuals healing and transformation journey. ❤️🙏

Sending love ❤️ Happy Naturopathic Medicine Week!

PRACTICE UPDATE 🌿💕

What a wild ride this has been! A time of so much change, uncertainty, pausing, reflecting, going inward, surviving...phew! I’ve been feeling so much in this time and I’ve felt so grateful to be able to stay connected to all of my beautiful friends, family, and the patients I am honoured to support in my practice.

It is with sadness that I share that Sage Clinic Victoria has had to close indefinitely. I’m thankful for the opportunity to have spent the past 5 years practicing at this clinic and I am so grateful for all of the wonderful colleagues and staff I’ve had the pleasure of working with 💕

This does not change much in terms of how I am practicing and booking appointments with patients at the moment as we are still advised by our college and public health officer to continue with virtual (phone or video) consultations for now. In British Columbia these guidelines will be changing shortly and I look forward to updating you again soon and being able to see and connect with patients again in person 🤞😊

For now, the main difference is that I have a new booking site which you can find in my bio 😊 You are able to select your preferred length of telemedicine appointment when making your booking.

For supplement refills I am able to send you a link for an online dispensary called Fullscript which carries the majority of supplements I recommend. I am also able to offer you an alternative option for purchase in a health food store if you prefer.

Please do not hesitate to send me a message if you have any questions 😊

Sending you all so much love 💕
May you all be well, at peace, and attuning to your joy and happiness 🙌💕

Dr. Julia Christensen, ND updated their website address.

Our beautiful Earth is healing, the rain is falling, the sun is rising and setting, animals are roaming, spring flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing. Grateful 💛
Happy Earth Day 🌍

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks”. 🙏- John Muir

As this is a very common class of drugs that are used to treat heartburn symptoms, I felt it was important to share these findings. In these times of uncertainty and higher stress, heartburn symptoms might be experienced more frequently. There are some alternative remedies that are plant based that can be supportive in managing these symptoms as well as the option to dive a little deeper to determine the root cause of the symptoms (ie stress, foods, hiatal hernia etc). If you have any questions please be in touch :) Hope you are all staying safe and well

What did you do to nourish your heart and body today?
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I found myself back on this familiar and grounding hike that nourishes me physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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I am forever grateful for the beauty and nature that surrounds us and the sun felt extra incredible on my face while I basked in this view today. You’ll notice on the next picture a book that I’ve started reading by Christina Sell and I couldn’t agree more now than ever that our bodies are our temple. Let’s take the best care of them that we can.
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As we move through this time of uncertainty, here are a few ways to nourish yourself: express gratitude, loving thoughts, and kindness, stay hydrated with water, eat foods that energize your body, move your body in a way that feels good to you, connect with friends and family by phone, FaceTime or zoom, breathe deeply, meditate if that resonates (or try if if it’s new to you!), breathe in fresh air, prioritize sleep, take your vitamins 😊and trust that you are going to get through this- we all are
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I’ve certainly had my moments of ups and downs, feeling ok and happy one minute and the next in tears. We are a species that thrives on physical connection and touch. So for now I’m so grateful for the opportunity to stay connected digitally.
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This time can also be viewed as an incredible gift to get acquainted with ourselves. What a fabulous idea 😉 In a world that often supports operating from a yang (energy output) mode this is an opportunity to embrace our yin and truly slow down. It can be a time to get curious about ourselves, to acknowledge and hold whatever feelings and emotions arise, a time of healing, of learning to self-soothe, and an opportunity to attune to your own wisdom. What a gift.
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At a collective level it’s been so amazing to see countries, politicians, healthcare providers, scientists, and researchers all working tirelessly to slow the spread of the virus, to come up with treatment options, and to provide care and support for our human species. This is love ❤️

An update for my current and new patients that I will be changing to telemedicine or phone consults for the foreseeable future. I am here and available to continue to support you and your health as we all navigate this challenging time. Let’s honour ourselves and each other in this time with compassion, love, and kindness. Please take good care ❤️
Please feel free to call Sage Clinic at 250-590-7809 or you can book online through the link in my bio and you can have the option of doing a phone or video consultation. Please let us know what option you would prefer.
May you all be well and at peace, and stay safe. Much love to everyone ❤️

✨HEALING JOURNEY ✨

In the time I’ve had in practice, I’ve come to learn that healing is ever evolving and unfolding. We can often work to resolve one layer of health and with that resolution we may see a new layer or “symptom” emerge. Much like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly- we change and transform as we heal into something completely new and unique. I love this analogy.

As we continue to work through seemingly endless layers, this can sometimes look like the return of an old symptom or the emergence of a new one or the blend of a few. All of these scenarios are beautiful in the sense that our bodies carry the innate wisdom that can gently guide us where to go next.

This unravelling can provide an incredible opportunity to dive in a little deeper and explore new avenues within ourselves, expanding our potential in ways we couldn’t imagine possible.

If we can pause for a moment each day and pay attention and notice what our bodies are saying, we can experience profound healing. It just might not be in the form of a straight line 😉

Part of my role as a facilitator on this journey is to help each person tune into the wisdom of their own bodies and to notice when and what their bodies are communicating with them. The first step in healing is awareness and compassion for yourself ❤️

It is truly such an honour and a privilege to sit in my office and hear the beautiful stories of the lives of the people who choose to have me as a facilitator on their healing journey. Thank you for you for your bravery and courage to show up, to do the work, and to share your story. I am truly humbled ❤️

Happiest of New Years to all of you kind wonderful souls!

I’m feeling so incredibly grateful for a year that provided so many beautiful transformational opportunities in acceptance, letting go, surrendering, laughter, celebration, heartache, movement, connection, and the power of community and love. So grateful for it all ❤️
I’m also so grateful for this particular place where this photo was taken in late fall. I come here often to fill my cup and am in awe of the beauty every single time. Movement and stillness in nature can provide such grounding, nourishment, and wisdom. 🙏🌲
May you all experience peace, kindness, and love; and ride the waves of turbulence with grace, ease and self-acceptance in the coming year ❤️

Winter reflections ❄️✨

We have entered our most yin time of the year-it’s dark, cold, especially damp here on the west coast and yet it’s one of the most beautiful times of the year to savour and enjoy a slower pace and inward focus.
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In Chinese Medicine this season invites us to embody a time of stillness, slow movements, longer sleeps, and nourishing soups and stews.
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The organ system associated with winter are the kidneys which are responsible for regulating the “qi” or energetic force within our body. When our kidneys are nourished, our qi can move smoothly and with ease through our body to support our cellular function. ❄️
At a physical level, it’s important to keep warm especially in the areas of our back and feet. Think of warm wooly socks, a soak in a warm bath, or perhaps a hot water bottle placed on your back (this could feel so nice while in a belly savasana).
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Fear is the emotion associated with the kidneys so when the kidneys are depleted we may experience more anxiety and panic in response to stressors. It then becomes important to nourish the kidneys by slowing down, eating warming foods and liquids, and to adapt your activity to a slower pace- move your body with intention and feel the fullness of your breath as you do so. A beautiful time to get curious about your own body ❤️Conserving your energy to support your kidney qi might mean opting out of energy demanding events and staying home, staying cozy and warm, and getting to bed early 😊
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Wishing everyone a peaceful and restorative winter season ❤️

My latest article on ways to support children with restlessness, anxiety or difficulty sleeping is below 😊

http://www.sageclinic.com/relaxation-supports-for-children/

Relaxation Supports for Children - Sage Clinic Dr. Julia Christensen, ND Restlessness, feelings of anxiety, constipation, and difficulty sleeping are some common presentations that I see in children who come to my office. The underlying imbalance and unifying factor of these symptoms could be from an over-engagement of the sympathetic nervous sy...

I couldn’t be more excited to announce that Hailey and I are offering a day retreat at the beautiful Roundhouse Farm just outside of Victoria in an idyllic nature setting. The day retreat will be held Sunday December 8th from 9am to 4pm and will provide the opportunity to slow down, to learn and experience self-care tools, and to reconnect in preparation as we move towards our winter season. 🍂
The day will begin with a morning practice led by Hailey, followed by an educational health and wellness talk from me, then a nourishing and immune supportive lunch, and lastly a deeply restorative yoga practice led my Hailey that will include acupressure and acupuncture from me. 🍂
We so look forward to offering this accessible, restorative, and nourishing day retreat to you. Space is limited so if you’d like to join please DM Hailey .yoga through Instagram or email [email protected] 🍂

How can you make today a little more magical? To see the beauty and the joy that is around you and within you? How can you notice the seemingly “small” things that may put a smile on your face if you take just a moment to be with them?
This might be looking into the eyes of your loved one(s) a little longer and telling them something you love or admire about them. This could also be a smile to a stranger that you pass on there street.
Think of 2-3 things/people you are grateful for. If someone comes to mind in your gratitude practice or in general, reach out to that person and share this with them.
Stop to take in the beauty of a flower or garden on your way to work. Maybe take a different route and you might be pleasantly surprised to see something new to you.
Enjoy the feeling of the warmth of the sun on your face- or wind or rain - that can feel nice too 😉
As you take slow deep breaths throughout the day notice how it feels in your body and nervous system. This is a wonderful way to stay present with yourself and to check in with how you are feeling as you navigate your day and various interactions.
Take a moment to notice how it feels when you are present to the food you are eating. Chew slowly and fully and savour the flavours of your food. Helping our body to breakdown our foods in this way will better facilitate the absorption of nutrients and provide nourishment physically, mentally and emotionally. Do you feel energized by your food or tired and bloated after?
I’d love to hear any of the ways you felt a little more magic in your day 💗
Wishing you a most joyous day, today and everyday 😊
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Happy summer everyone! I'm happy to share my latest blog post on the potential benefit of progesterone therapy in treating symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Happy reading and please be in touch with questions or comments!!

http://www.sageclinic.com/progesterone-therapy-treatment-pcos/

Progesterone Therapy in the Treatment of PCOS - Sage Clinic Dr. Julia Christensen, ND Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a multi-faceted condition encompassing multiple hormonal and endocrine imbalances resulting in a multitude of symptoms. A PCOS diagnosis is often made clinically based on symptoms as well as with consideration of the results of specific...

Thank you for these magical words 💗 Have the most lovely Wednesday everyone 🤗

“Some of us are not born into it
We must be pushed into our wildness
By a wounded man
Or a broken heart
A lost dream

And when it happens
We die, but awaken
All at once, we are born again
Into something wilder, more free
Never again to be tied to someone, or someplace
Only our souls to call home

So we run barefoot in the woods
We build our own fires, and from time to time
Share warm nights with another warm soul
For brief moments, we surrender into the comforts of another
And just as soon, we ask to be released

Some of us are not born into our wildness
We grow into it
Through pain, through attachment
And the eventual recognition that nothing is
Nothing will ever be the same

And so our wildness is what carries us
Back to ourselves
Wild women with stories to tell
Fires in our hearts
Infinitely free

-words: of 💗
-photo:

Spring has arrived which means I’ll be frolicking in nature as much as possible 😁It’s my favourite season of the year 🌷

With the arrival of spring energy we have the canvas to support new beginnings, to cultivate and implement ideas, and to let go of frustrations that are no longer serving us.
From a Chinese Medicine perspective the element associated with Spring is Wood, the organ is the liver, and the emotion is anger.
I want to touch on anger as it is often thought of as a “negative” emotion but when we tap in and find out what is behind it, we can transform it into a productive charge that can invigorate change. Maybe the anger coming up is inviting us to let go, or to make a clear boundary.
Emotional signs of a healthy liver energy include decisiveness, assertiveness, happiness, joy, even-tempered, inspired, and a willingness to let go.
At this time of year we can physically “spring clean” our bodies and clean our homes with this renewed sense of energy after our slower contemplative winter months. It’s now time to take action and to focus on supporting the liver physically, mentally, and emotionally.
When the liver is imbalanced we can feel stagnant or stuck and moving our bodies physically can be a beautiful way to move this energy.
Some of the foods we can use to support the liver include:
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I’d love to hear what you are doing to cultivate and utilize your spring energy! I’m personally going to incorporate more dance into my life as a way to keep my liver energy flowing smoothly 💃💃💃

My latest blog post on testing you can do to help determine causes of hair loss. Please let me know if you have any questions! Happy Monday!!

http://www.sageclinic.com/lab-testing-consider-hair-loss/

Lab Testing to Consider in Hair Loss - Sage Clinic Dr. Julia Christensen, ND Hair loss can present in a variety of patterns including diffuse hair loss, brittle and breaking with a straw like texture, patches of hairloss, and receding hairline. There are many factors that must be looked at to determine the reason for these different patterns of hair...

HEALING IS NOT LINEAR

Life presents a consistent flow as we move through daily sleep and wake cycles that involve the sun rising and setting. Amongst these flows, we also have fluctuating hormonal levels (cortisol, melatonin, growth hormone insulin etc) that can impact how we feel. If you menstruate, you will also experience monthly ebbs and flows of hormones amidst the context of these daily flows. Life might also add in some curve balls which can really exacerbate any imbalances in our daily flows; and it is in these moments that we must be so gentle and kind with ourselves as we may feel chaotic, discomfort, and “not ourselves”. If the daily rhythms become imbalanced, we may find that our healing path may include more twists and turns, multiple highs and lows, and forward steps and backward steps. Any type of healing can look this way and it might not always make sense.

How then do we stay connected and grounded to knowing how we are truly feeling in any given second, minute, hour, day, or month? How do we manage when minor or major stresses show up in our life?

Impermanence shows us that nothing lasts so we can be assured that whatever we are feeling will pass and the sun will rise again.

However, should you find difficulty with fluctuating moods (irritability, sadness, anger, anxiety), pain (chronic pain, headaches, painful periods), low energy, or difficulty handling stressors, it might be a good idea to do a self-check in for that moment.

The following are great questions to ask yourself to get a sense of why you might be feeling a particular way:

1. SLEEP. How much sleep did you get? Did you wake feeling refreshed? Did you wake multiple times in the night? If poor sleep is a consistent issue, it’s certainly something to look into further but if it’s a one off it could be impacting your stress, moods and hunger cues that day. Take a siesta if possible, or check in on the rest of these questions to optimize elsewhere is that's not possible.

2. WATER. Are you hydrated? So simple yet so important. Our bodies are approx 70% water. Definitely a good idea to check in on your hydration status. In the colder months, non-caffeinated herbal teas are a great option for staying hydrated!

3. NUTRITION. Have you eaten high quality fat, protein, and mineral rich meals? Breaking your fast after sleep with a breakfast high in sugar and simple carbohydrates is hard for our bodies to manage at that time of day and can cause more stress than benefit. Getting a good quality fat and protein like eggs and avocado with some yams for carbs will help us to feel more satiated, energetic and better able to handle the stresses of the day. This is just one example, and your body may have differing nutritional requirements. There are so many practitioners that can help with individualized care in this area should you require more support.

4. BREATH. How are you breathing? Take a moment to close your eyes and observe the quality of your breath. Is it shallow? Quick? Deep? Slow and steady? Into the belly? Chances are that if there is any stress happening, the breath will often become shallow and quicker leaving our cells less oxygenated. Our cells love oxygen and function optimally with long, slow, deep breaths. As an aside breathing deeply can also help us to calm the nervous system and support digestion 🙂 All good things.

5. MOVEMENT. We are naturally designed to be moving machines. If you’ve been sitting for many hours, get out for a walk, do some simple stretches and observe the shift in how you feel. Just 10 minutes of movement can make a huge difference.

6. CONNECTION. Have you hugged anyone today? Have you smiled to yourself, a stranger, a co-worker, a friend, a loved one? Human connection is essential for well-being. Smiling at another human will not only evoke good feelings for that person, but for you as well. There is no need to force this if it doesn’t feel good to you but it’s certainly worth trying for yourself. You might want to think of something or someone you are grateful for instead in that moment, and then observe how that makes you feel.

I find it best to ask myself these questions by sitting still, closing my eyes and doing a body scan to get a true sense of how I’m feeling. I then feel better equipped to take on the day with more awareness, ease and peace. And then I drink some water if I discover I haven’t had enough, or have some nuts and seeds to regulate blood sugar if I haven’t eaten enough, or breathe deeply if I’m feeling a little anxious. I hope these suggestions help you to ride these daily ebbs and flows a little more smoothly ❤

🌊WATER ELEMENT - KIDNEYS ❄️

In Chinese Medicine the season of winter is represented by the element of water and the yin organ- kidneys.
An incredibly important organ from a Chinese Medicine perspective as it houses our essence or our jing which is the life force or Qi that we are born with. This forms the basis or our constitution and gives us our physical, mental and emotional foundation (no pressure there)!
When we keep our kidneys strong, we are better able to handle our fears and have healthy courage and willpower which are the emotions associated with this organ. Each organ in Chinese medicine have emotions that are associated with them which I will share more about in future posts 😉

If the kidneys become imbalanced, we may become overwhelmed by our fears and lack the courage to move forward and get comfortable with the unknown. Depression can also arise.
Physical signs of imbalance include:
- anemia, immune deficiency, poor memory, low back pain, constipation, and reproductive imbalances to name a few (remember how important the kidneys are)!
So how can we keep the kidneys and jing strong and nourished:
- acupuncture (my fave modality)!!
- hearty soups and bone broths, healthy fats 😋
- water!!! So simple yet so often forgotten! Our bodies our 70% water so stay hydrated 😊
- yin yoga - specifically child’s pose, forward fold, and my personal favourite savasana 💁‍♀️
- get comfortable with being still and going inward, you have all the wisdom inside 🧘‍♀️

*takemushrooms

Yes!! Canada's new food guide is a huge step forward!! Check out the great visual which shows a plate full of fruits/vegetables, protein and grains/starches.

The new guide promotes that half of the plate is to be full of fresh fruits and vegetables, encourages a whole foods diet, one quarter of the plate to be protein (eggs, legumes, meat), and one quarter from whole grains or starches (rice, potatoes, yams). I would also add that healthy fats like avocado, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, and fish and meats are also an important consideration for healthy nutrition and these foods do show up in most of these categories.

The biggest change getting the most attention is dropping dairy as a food group for Canadians. Calcium is highly bioavailable (easily absorbed) and found in high amounts in green leafy vegetables, seaweed, nuts, seeds, and quinoa. Dairy is still considered to be a source of nutrition for Canadians but within the context of protein sources making up one quarter of the plate.

The new food guide also discourages children from having juice and chocolate milk (both full of so much sugar) and instead promotes the consumption of water for health promotion in children.

The suggestions are pretty intuitive, and I love that we can share this widely to promote health through nutrition which is honestly our best medicine!!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46964549

Canada drops milk in healthy-eating guide Canada's new food guide urges people to cut back on juice and milk in favour of plain old water.

Finishing off the week with an intravenous vitamin and mineral infusion, followed by the powerhouse antioxidant glutathione!! 💪
And now I’m feeling energized and excited to head to my yin teacher training this weekend!
Hope you all have a restorative and relaxing weekend😃

This is from our holiday celebration with the Sage Clinic family and loved ones :) The food was absolutely incredible as is the case when you get a bunch Naturopathic Doctor's together ;) Have a beautiful holiday season everyone