Real Integrative Medicine with Dr. Jordan Robertson ND

I never had any fear about money until the pandemic. I always figured that I’d find a job, or “figure it out” if I needed to. I had a good education, great communication skills, and my hand in many pots I could turn towards if I needed to.  Then the pandemic.  My security turned to fear.  My husband was unemployed for 5 months, I canceled 500 appointments at my clinic and had to close aspects of our business because we couldn’t compete with Amazon.  2 years later, with the pandemic costing our businesses over 1 million dollars, I'm almost not afraid. Almost. When I heard April Stroink speak for the first time I knew I needed to hear more from her. She has a different strategy for supporting women when it comes to money, and strategies that acknowledge how our behaviour and beliefs impact our money choices. She wants to know how your story affects how you make decisions, and can teach you to take control of your own financial future.  We have a great conversation on the podcast this week about how we need more financially equipped females, how feminine leadership can support business, and how you can better understand your relationship with money. Financial health is deeply linked to the rest of your health. We unpack this in this week’s episode together.  You can find April and her offerings through her profile on Instagram or at AprilStroink.ca 

Today’s episode is about the use of botanical medicine and the symptoms of menopause. From hot flashes to low libido, menopause can show up in everybody system and women are often looking for solutions to smooth the transition. Botanical medicine offers a romantic solution for menopause, but does it have the clinical evidence to back it up? We’ll talk about it in today’s episode. You’ll find many promising products in the market that offer possible solutions to our hormonal woes, but are they choosing ingredients that actually work?  Today’s podcast episode is sponsored by Smart Solutions. I’ve worked with Smart Solutions as an educator for the last year and am encouraged by their continued dedication to provide evidence-based products and solutions to women to support their health needs.  Perimenopause and menopause can leave women feeling confused about their hormones, and without practical solutions to stop their symptoms from getting in the way of their day. Smart Solutions offers products that contain ingredients, like Chaste Tree and Sage, shown to improve mood & hot flashes in perimenopause & menopause. These natural ingredients can help smooth the symptoms women experience during this phase of life.  Use my promo code JORDAN10 at checkout on your next order at smartsolutions.com to receive 10% off. Thank you Smart Solutions for putting the information and products into the hands of women and continuing to educate women about what is possible for them in their health. 

“Are you stressed?” This question doesn’t usually elicit the kind of answer that we want from patients, and yet it’s the way we often screen for stress in a health appointment. When we ask patients if they are stressed they immediately compare their stress to others, compare their current stress to past stress, or compare their perceived stress against how they “feel like they should feel” about their life.  None of this is helpful.  When I asked my colleague and teammate Dr. Dominika Zarzenzny to join us on the podcast I had one goal in mind. I wanted you to deeply understand how your past stress influences your current health. Six years into clinical practice, Dr. Dominika stumbled on landmark research known as the ACE study that changed the trajectory of her work with patients. From that point on, she decided to dedicate her practice to understanding how early life events can dys-regulate one’s nervous system, and how a dys-regulated nervous system in turn influences health outcomes. Dr. Dominika furthered her studies by training with various psychologists and experts in the field of psychological trauma. She incorporates the principles of neuroscience, attachment theory, mindfulness and polyvagal theory in her inquiry process and counselling with patients.  She works with our patients at Clarity Health who recognize the impact of stress, experiences they have never recovered from and past hardship can have on your current  health journey, with many of our patients feeling relief and direction after a single 1 hour session.  The question of “are you stressed” is just the tip of the iceberg. We all have stress, past experiences, relationships and circumstances that have shaped how our nervous system sees the world. If you are a human, this episode is for you. 

Let’s be clear, there aren’t any magical nutrition solutions. If things “work” for people it’s because it’s a strategy that they can do and that makes a difference. The end.  So why does intermittent fasting get such a good review in the weight loss space? Lots of the claims about it aren’t evidence-based (meaning that we don’t have compelling human studies that show benefit). Fasting can also show some positive cellular benefits which have led us to make some pretty bold statements about the benefits.  In today’s episode, I share why I think people like fasting, what they misunderstand about it, and the side effects (yes, side effects) of this particular nutrition strategy.  If you’ve been mulling over your next nutrition decision, this episode will help you think more clearly about what you need.  My team at Clarity Health is ready to help support you with the next evolution of your nutrition. We’d like to see your changes last. You can book a 15-minute consultation (and a massage while you’re at it) to learn more. Ontario Residents Only.

When Dr. Anne Hussain was growing up in Pakistan, periods were not something that was talked about openly. When her periods became irregular, not only was there nobody to ask about it, but it prevented her from being properly assessed and diagnosed.  Fast forward to moving to Canada, Anne was able to be formally assessed and diagnosed with PCOS, but only after advocating for herself and learning about her hormones on her own.  Anne realized there was a gap in menstrual education not just in Pakistan, but also in Canada. She’s spent the rest of her career in Naturopathic Medicine creating accessible information for women and people who menstruate about what a “normal” period looks like.  Even if you think you know what normal is, this episode is for you if you’ve ever wondered:  If your spotting is normal? If your level of bleeding or cramps is normal? How to advocate for yourself at our doctor’s office? Whether the changes you’ve experienced as you age are normal? Have a listen, and be sure to follow Anne on Instagram. Her book on period literacy hits shelves in the spring of 2022.

The Very Real Consequences of Self Improvement Two total bosses get together on a zoom call and what do you get? A very real cost is about pursuing your goals, chasing your dreams, and risking everything for what you truly desire.  Lori Kennedy is a business coach that I have admired and worked alongside for years. We’ve talked to each other’s audience back and forth and shared our wisdom with each other’s respective clientele.  But never have we sat down and talked about our own journeys as female entrepreneurs. Never have we talked about the real cost of chasing what you want.  And there’s definitely a consequence. We share how the path to self-improvement includes setting boundaries, saying no, going to bed, letting go of relationships, and overcoming fear of judgement.  We also share how to find friends at “the top of the mountain” and how to stop looking for advice from those around you who haven’t taken the plunge towards self-improvement.  Today’s episode is a fresh look at how strong women need to lift each other up, how we need to normalize strength and the pursuit of success in women, and how we need you to overcome the consequences of change to model change for every woman around you.  You can find Lori on Instagram.

One of the largest barriers to health I see in women I work with is the amount of “stuff” on everyone’s plate. Women are overwhelmed by their work, family and other obligations. These same women are tired, not exercising and don’t have time to make themselves a meal.  If you want to get better, you need to do less. I know it’s scary, but today’s episode will give you the 3 strategies you need for more effective delegation.  It’s an episode that will help you if you    Feel like you’re the only one in your house who can do certain jobs or they won’t get done.  Feel like you keep adding and adding to your plate without taking anything off.  Feel like you don’t have any “wiggle room” in your day and couldn’t carve out more self care.  We’ll talk through my 3 steps to more effective delegation including how to communicate about your boundaries, what you really really want (insert Spice Girls) and how to leave space for others to learn as you delegate (rather than snatching tasks back because they didn’t do it perfectly the first time).  I want you to feel like you have the time to take care of yourself, and if you don’t, this is a great place to start.  Social Post 2 I’m always looking at my time. It’s my most valuable resource.  Your time is your most valuable resource too.  So why do we do so many tasks that don’t need to be done, or could be done with some help? It’s a fair question.  This week’s podcast episode is all about getting your time back through delegation and why being clear, communicating and allowing space for clumsy learning in your delegatee needs to happen for you to truly get shit off your plate.  I share a few examples of my own time management and the hard questions a ask my patients to think about so they can truly move towards better health. 

Do you overreact? Try and guess what your partner will say next? Do you withdraw over conflict? Do you vocalise your desires? Dr. Shyamala Kiru knew she had a book inside her. She sat down and thought about what was really (and we mean really) getting in the way of her female clients from excelling in their relationships, careers, and lives. She has written the book we all need. The book teaches us the skills we need to level up.  The skills of emotional intelligence.  With her debut book hitting stores this month, Shyamala and I share a deep conversation about our paths towards working on our emotional intelligence. We both share personal stories about our paths, describe practical tips for navigating hard conversations, and will leave you feeling like your emotional intelligence is something you can shape - regardless of the patterns you were modeled in your life so far.  You can grab a copy of Dr. Shyamala’s book here, or wherever books are sold. Connect with her free content on Instagram @dr.shyamalakiru

I’ve actually shied away from researching acne. I remember being taught when I was in school that if you had acne (which I did) that there was some special diet or special potion that needed to be discovered to help it heal.  I was always left feeling like I didn’t have the willpower to follow a strict diet, or that I had some weird deficiency that was getting in the way of healthy skin. I was always worried when a patient wanted help with their acne because I was a secret “professional failure” that couldn’t figure out my own skin.  I finally studied the topic in-depth so that I could present it to my peers and was shocked at the re-wiring I had to do with what I had been told about acne. Almost everything I had been taught was wrong, and I actually had the power to support my skin. In today’s podcast episode I share the 3 lessons I want you to know about adult acne, which will give you the tools you need to set yourself on a positive path. These 3 pieces of information changed my understanding of how to support my skin and informs my practice of how to guide adults who struggle with acne.   

Do you create your day? Or get swept along in the emotional vortex of it all? This week’s podcast is not just about your morning routine, it’s about the mindset you use to start your day and how that predicts your success. Mindset coach Adele Tevlin (who I’ve worked with personally in the last few years) joins me for a real conversation about how our mind can be harnessed to create the day we want.  We know what you’re thinking! “I can’t create my day, my day is ruled by my work and my kids and my obligations.” We hear you. And we still want you to create your day.  How your brain perceives the stressors and obligations you have changes your mental health and your ability to show up as your most vibrant self. So if you’re being swept along with what’s being “handed to you”, we want to offer you a different perspective. You can create your day instead.  Adele supports high performing women to achieve their optimal state through mindfulness and mindset training. Her courses and daily mindset club are designed to help you design your day and life. Learning how to think and control your mindset, even in difficult times, can truly change your life.  Adele’s free workshops can be accessed here. Follow her on Instagram for more information and your daily dose of a CEO mindset.