Dr. Tonia's Archived Blog Posts
natural Healing and Mind-Body Medicine.
Tonia Winchester Coaching
Need Help? Call or text us at
(778) 743-1277
Here is an alphabetical list. In case you want that. 😉
How to Get Yourself out of Overwhelm
What is the new normal? Isn't that the ultimate question these days? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 24, 2020•4 min read
Why Aren't You Eating Your Broccoli?
I had to laugh. I often joke that telling people to eat their broccoli is not the best & highest use of me. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 17, 2020•2 min read
Balancing the Thryoid Gland
Fatigue. Weight gain. Inability to lose weight. Constipation. Hair Loss. Dry skin. Depression. Anxiety. Period troubles. Brain Fog. Poor immune function. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 01, 2020•1 min read
Balancing Hormones at PeriMenopause and Menopause
Hot flashes, sleep concerns, mood issues, brain fog. Menopause is a normal transition in a woman's life but can come with a lot of uncomfortable symptoms. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 18, 2020•1 min read
Balancing Your Hormones for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle
PMS, cramps, cravings. Ugh. Being a woman! Your monthly cycle can come with a lot of distress, pain, and mood swings. But is it necessary? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 18, 2020•1 min read
Improving Digestion - What you need to know to have a healthy gut.
Digestive Distress. Gah! Bloating, gas, pain, constipation, diarrhea. This is all information that your body is not a happy camper. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 04, 2020•1 min read
Balancing Your Immune System with Naturopathic Medicine
These conversations with my colleague, Dr. Jeannie Doig, are so fun! In this chat we grabbed about how we support our patients to balance and boost their immune function. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 04, 2020•1 min read
Sleep Support in Stressful Times
My colleague, Dr. Jeannie Doig, and I chatted about how we support our patients who are having trouble sleeping, especially during times of stress, global pandemics, like self-isolation, and quarantin... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 23, 2020•1 min read
How Naturopathic Medicine Can Help Anxiety and Depression
My colleague, Dr. Jeannie Doig, and I chatted about how we've been using naturopathic medicine and telemedicine to help people with anxiety and depression during stressful times, like self-isolation a... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 13, 2020•1 min read
6 Ways to Stay Positive During Self-Isolation
My colleague, Dr. Jeannie Doig, and I chatted about our personal "Sanity Plans" during stressful times, like self-isolation and quarantine. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 13, 2020•1 min read
Love and Healing Meditation
In times of uncertainty, I find it helpful to come back to the things I know for sure. What do I know to be true? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 24, 2020•2 min read
Calling You Home - a Pep Talk for the COVID-19 Crisis
As I'm sure you're aware, things with COVID-19 are moving along very rapidly. There is a lot of uncertainty and a lot of unanswered questions. First and foremost, take care of yourself, and your lov... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 18, 2020•3 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 22 - Alexa Linton Interview
I'm excited to introduce you to Alexa Linton, is one of my oldest friends. Not oldest in terms of age, but longest-time. We met when we were 11 and danced in a youth modern dance performance company. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 27, 2020•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST- Ep 21 - Your Body Wants to Heal (MindBody Radio Interview)
A few weeks ago I was interviewed for Mind Body Radio. It's just a short segment and honestly (gulp!) ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 10, 2019•1 min read
A True Story of Humans Helping Humans
This is a heartwarming story. It's purpose is to offer hope and optimism about humanity. At the end of these words is the rousing conclusion told (and shown) via video. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 07, 2019•9 min read
What is the Root Cause of Illness?
In this video you'll learn how I dig in to a patient's case to discover the root cause of illness. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 30, 2019•0 min read
How To Guide: How to Get in Your Daily Water
We silly human beings have a tendency to make really simple things extremely complicated. For example, most of my patients come to me not drinking enough water. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 31, 2019•1 min read
Everything is Medicine: 3 Healing Herbs in My Garden
Recently while visiting my kittie, Maurice while he hung about outside I noticed all the beautiful, medicinal herbs in my front yard. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 30, 2019•1 min read
Why Ignoring Your Emotions is Keeping You Sick
"Don't cry." "There's nothing to be mad about." "Everything is fine. There's no need to worry." "Turn your frown upside down." ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 03, 2019•4 min read
Who's in Charge of your Health and Well Being?
Several weeks ago I saw a car accident. The man driving behind me changed lanes without looking and hit the woman in the lane beside us. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 21, 2019•5 min read
When Convenience Becomes Inconvenient
My friend and I went to a food truck festival (om nom nom). We found ourselves in the longest line for the truck that we thought would a) serve delicious food and b) provide us food that would make ou... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 27, 2019•2 min read
7 MORE Physical Foundations of Your Well Being
I've been talking about good food, good water, and good air as foundations for your physical well-being. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 23, 2019•7 min read
My 7 Day Food Experiment
Life is just one big experiment! Don't ya think? We're constantly trying things and seeing what happens as a result. Hopefully, we're doing this consciously. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 08, 2019•4 min read
Maximizing Nutrients - How to get the most out of your food
There are several phrases about food that are really useful when it comes to planning your food intake. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 02, 2019•1 min read
Water: Life's Not So Secret Sauce
Today I woke up with a headache and I know exactly why! ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 12, 2019•1 min read
Why Food Needs to be Part of Your Health Plan
Lately, we've been seeing a lot of resistance in our patients to making changes to their diets and lifestyles. It's interesting to me and I'm grateful because it invited me to go back to the foundatio... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 17, 2019•1 min read
Natural Cycles of Growth & Evolution
Our human lives seem to be made up of periods of distress or disorder, followed by times of discovery, then eras of integration, leading finally to lessons and growth. Here are two examples. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 15, 2019•3 min read
It's Called an Order for A Reason
As promised, here is a little video describing the remaining steps 5 in the Therapeutic Order. This is a systematic approach to taking the body out of disease mode and putting it into health or healin... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 14, 2019•1 min read
The Line of Fine: Measuring Below What We Can See
Have you ever had a medical test hoping you were finally going to get some answers about what is actually going on with your health? The reason for your headaches, or low energy or constipation? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 13, 2019•1 min read
How to Find Satisfaction (even in crappy situations)
I’ve been finding myself more and more dissatisfied with my job. I mentioned this briefly here. This seems ludicrous to me because I LOVE my work. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 30, 2019•8 min read
Knowing What Supplements to Take with the Reba Device
It can be tricky for patients to figure out what the best route to go when it comes to supplements. It can actually be a challenge for me and I've been practicing as a naturopathic doctor for over a d... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 29, 2019•1 min read
Is Your Extended Health Plan Keeping You Sick?
It was actually a bit of a shock. I was flipping through an old journal and came across a bunch of notes I had taken listening to free podcast. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 22, 2019•6 min read
Natural Therapies to Heal your Brain Injury
Brains are the best. They do a lot for us. More than we can think about, and more than we know. But what happens when the brain gets injured? Maybe it's a car accident, or a fall at work, or a slip o... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 09, 2018•4 min read
Dr. Tonia's Natural Sleep Support Compendium
Who loves sleep? I do I do! You do you do! Who gets enough sleep? Sadly, not most people. Statistics Canada reports that 55% of people ages 18 to 64 have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. Tha... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 09, 2018•1 min read
How to not feel triggered by the stupid things other people do
It was a dark and stormy morning. Wait. That’s a lie. I just wanted it to sound dramatic. Let’s start over. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 07, 2018•4 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 20 - Simple Tricks To Get a Good Night's Sleep
Today we tackle a big topic. It's all about getting your ZZZZZZZZZs. If you're too tired to catch what that means than you need this podcast more than ever. It's sleep baby! ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 08, 2018•2 min read
Where Following Led Me
I never thought I would be happy that someone said to me, "You're a good follow." I've spent most of my life priding myself on making alternative choices, voting for the underdog, and going against c... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 12, 2018•6 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 19 - Choice
What is choice? How do you know if you're making good choices? What does that even mean? How do your choices affect your health and well-being. Lets dive into these questions in today's podcast. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 12, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 18 - Birth Control
Kids are heading back to school and I'm finding myself more aware of issues facing teens and young adults. This episode of the Tonic Podcast we dive into birth control, and hormones. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 31, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - 17 - Mind Body Energy Healing
Do you feel tired, irritable, stressed or like you're not functioning at your peak? Or maybe you feel like something's not quite right, but you cannot put your finger on what it is? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 15, 2018•5 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 16 - 7 Lifestyle Tips to Supercharge your Health
In our last podcast, we talked about naturopathic medicine and shared the main tenants of it. One of the most important ones is preventative and healthy living. This podcast takes a deep dive into tha... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 01, 2018•2 min read
How to Learn New Health Habits with a Beginner's Mind
Our thoughts matter. Our words matter. How we talk about ourselves matters. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 25, 2018•4 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 15 - What is Naturopathic Medicine and How Did I Get Here?
What the heck is naturopathic medicine anyways? Fret not dear one... all will be explained here. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 18, 2018•1 min read
The Choice is Yours
You know when something is alive in your consciousness and you see that thing everywhere? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 11, 2018•5 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 14 - 5 Ways to Heal Your Brain Naturally
In honour of Brain Injury Awareness month in Canada, we decided to have a conversation all about brain health. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 27, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 13 - Healthy Tips for Summer
Next week is summer solstice - the longest day of the year. On the western edges of Canada we're still in June-uary, but in a couple short weeks, we'll be in the throws of summer. This podcast is in h... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 13, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 12 - How to Get Back to Your Goals
It's halfway through the year! Did you reach your goals? Did you keep the habit you start in January? If you've answered no to these questions, then you're in the right place. It's time to reassess yo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 04, 2018•1 min read
Choose to Be Happy and Watch Your Life Change
It was 1:24:34 pm, on Tuesday, May 15 when I decided to be happy. Just for the sake of it. Not because of anything. Just because. Through the magic of video, I've been able to witness the moment where... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 30, 2018•4 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 11 - How to Communicate
May in Canada marks Speech and Hearing Awareness month. That inspired me to have a conversation about communication. I see so many patients struggle with communicating their needs and expressing thems... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 18, 2018•2 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 10 - Heal Your Emotions to Heal Your Skin
Tomorrow is Canada's National Day of Mourning, when we remember those who died, or were injured or made ill from their work. This podcast addresses how our bodies handle losses. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 25, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 09 - Healing Your Skin Naturally
April 2018 marks Rosacea Awareness Month in Canada, and while we're not talking specifically about that issue in this podcast we are talking all about skin health and how to heal your skin naturally. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 13, 2018•1 min read
What Are You Committed To?
The title of this post could be the entire blog article, but I'll give you some context. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 04, 2018•5 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 08 - You and Your Thyroid
Thyroid health is a big topic, and a big part of my naturopathic practice. Today we explore it in Episode 8 of the Tonic Podcast. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 28, 2018•2 min read
8 Ways to Heal your Stress Once and For All
If you've been reading these blogs or listening to my podcasts for a while you might be wondering, "Why does that girl spend so much time talking about stress?" ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 21, 2018•5 min read
TONIC PODCAST - EP 07- How to Support Yourself through Perimenopause
Happy International Women's Day (even though it's a few days late, I think it's important we celebrate women and their health)! ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 14, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 06 - Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
In honour of Psychology Awareness Month in February, this Tonic Podcast is all about changing your thoughts so you can change your life. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 01, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 05 - Depression & Anxiety: a Naturopathic Approach
The World Health Organization defines health as, "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 19, 2018•1 min read
Train your Intuition in 12 Steps
Leaving the grocery store my eyes widened as the women’s produce rolled all over the parking lot, dozens of apples awkwardly bumping down the pavement, with gravity, that fierce mistress, as their acc... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 11, 2018•8 min read
Resolutions Don't Work. Consider this Instead.
I miss writing. I miss the habit, the practice, the publishing, the feedback and the growth that comes from writing. I miss sharing information that has improved my life, and very well might improve y... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 12, 2018•7 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 04 - Eating Healthfully
Healthy eating is the foundation of good health. If you don't have your health, then you don't have anywhere to live. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 02, 2018•1 min read
TONIC PODCAST – Ep 03 – Staying Healthy over the Holidays
Holiday crazy time! Wowzas. It's on. Personally, I have three parties this week alone! Oy. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 08, 2017•1 min read
Your Responses: What does HEALTH mean to you?
I have these posters up in my office that are also a collaborative art project. The big pieces of paper have questions on them. Beside the poster is a box of felts. When people come to my office, if t... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 07, 2017•1 min read
Your Responses - What is YOUR medicine?
There is a fun thing I do in the office. I post a question on a poster size piece of paper and conveniently leave some felts lying around. Our patients and clinic visitors fill the blank page with ins... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 06, 2017•1 min read
Preventing Stress: Avoiding Energy, Time & Money Drains.
I recently closed the chapter of an illuminating (and extremely stressful) situation. It required a lot of time, a lot of energy, and unfortunately some money. Even though it came out of the blue it s... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 29, 2017•6 min read
TONIC PODCAST – Ep 02 – The big "S" Stress, How it Affects Us, and How To Heal It
The Big "S" ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 23, 2017•0 min read
TONIC PODCAST - Ep 01 - What You Need to Know about Supporting Your Immune System
Blog 1 - Your Immune System ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 24, 2017•1 min read
I Have Nothing To Say, and Why That's Okay
I put my hand up and when he called on me I said, "I have nothing to say." After pausing for my retreat mates to stop laughing I continued speaking. But... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 19, 2017•5 min read
Your Intention Matters - More Than You Think
Love. Joy. Peace. Integrity. Kindness. Love. Joy. Peace. Integrity. Kindness. With each step I kept repeating these words. Love. Joy. Peace. Integrity. Kindness. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 18, 2017•3 min read
4 Steps to Easy, Relaxed Breathing
I finished my book and it was time for another one. I was standing in front of my bookshelf and nothing was jumping out. You know the, "I have nothing to wear," thing except for books. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 31, 2017•3 min read
The Most Important Thing To Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes
At a naturopathic conference at the end of April one of my favorite speakers presented on women's health. Dr. Jonathan Wright is a medical doctor practicing functional medicine (aka naturopathic medic... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 19, 2017•5 min read
Communication 101 - How to talk and listen with out triggering each other
A year ago I joined a women's dream circle. There are 6 of us, all healers. We meet once a month to witness and process each others' dreams. We call it "process" and not "analyze" because our approach... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 12, 2017•6 min read
What Moving Taught Me About The Healing Process
I moved. Blah. No one likes moving. Even if the new spot is your beautiful, rural forever home, (aka an awesome move!) it's still a lot. A lot of coordinating, a lot of phone calls, a lot of experimen... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 22, 2017•5 min read
Why You Get Sick on Vacation and How To Not
I've been out of town a lot lately. Once to Vancouver to become a God Mumma. A second time to Vancouver for a conference. Once to Seattle for a workshop slash many fun good times, and once to Toronto ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 31, 2017•6 min read
What Do You Truly Deserve?
Let's talk about the word, "deserve." Particularly around the topic of food. I find it interesting, the deserving of food. Especially food that doesn't make us feel good. This topic has been rattling... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 25, 2017•8 min read
What To Do With Your Negative Emotions
Isn't this picture cool? I took it the other day and I just love it. I adore how the shadows of the beams from the fence kept the snow on the ground. As soon as I saw this on my walk with the dawgy ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 11, 2017•6 min read
My Secret Intention I Say Before I Do Pretty Much Anything
May this article be a healing article. May it reduce pain and suffering. May it bring more love, joy, and health into the world. It was clinic moving day. I was at the new clinic alone getting the mo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 09, 2017•3 min read
Your Body Remembers How to Heal
I went salsa dancing last week for the first time in several weeks. It was over two months, which in the span of my 10- year salsa dancing stint is a pretty long time. Even over the course of my life... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 16, 2017•5 min read
Dr. Tonia's Favorite Things from 2016
This time of year always sparks nostalgia for me. And maybe for you too. Some questions I tend to ask myself (and you can ask yourself) include: What went well this year? What sucked? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 16, 2016•8 min read
How to Fly Smoothly Through Life's Ups and Downs
You know those moments in life when you think to yourself, "Gosh! Everything is going so smoothly right now!" ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 26, 2016•5 min read
Who Holds the Key to World Peace?
Facebook kindly told me today is the United Nations International Day of Peace. Ironically that platform is not the most peaceful place to me to spend time and I try to minimize it as much as possib... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 21, 2016•4 min read
5 Steps to Prevent Disappointment in Relationships
I recently took a little holiday to get some sister medicine. I love our visits. We laugh, craft, and generally get up to silly antics. One of the things I love about hanging out with her is actually... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 07, 2016•5 min read
What Doctors Aren't Telling You About Healing Pain
"HOLY SH**!" I looked up from what I was doing and I said, "Everything okay?" "How long to these injections normally take to have an effect?" "Often within seconds. Is it feeling better?" A patien... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 07, 2016•5 min read
The Easiest Way to Organize Your Supplements
When I first meet patients they often bring in a bag of supplement bottles that they have collected over quite some time. They saw something on Dr. Oz, which they decide to buy. Then at the health foo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 22, 2016•5 min read
Two Steps to Healing Miracles
You have probably heard a version of the quote, "That which is measured, improves." Quantum scientists recognize this phenomenon identified by Werner Heisenberg: When particles are observed their beh... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 08, 2016•3 min read
It's Not What You Know, But What You Do.
It's not what you know, it's what you do. I heard that quote from Todd Henry. I'm not sure if he said it first. When I google it all I get is people who said, "It's not what you know but who you know... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 22, 2016•7 min read
How Far Is What You Choose From What You Really Want?
You know when you read a line or a paragraph over and over again with out actually taking in what you're reading? Sometimes this happens when you're tired. The other day my eyes kept scrolling over ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 19, 2016•5 min read
How to Create a Healing Goal
Gawd I don't love running. For a number of reasons. It hurts. It's not in my blood. My short, stalky limbs just aren't designed for it. When I was in elementary school we had to run around the block ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 06, 2016•6 min read
One Stroke at a Time
Anything is Possible One Stroke at a Time - Zentangle. Hold the phone. I need to back up. About a year ago I rediscovered colouring. Or you could say I discovered adult colouring. I like to think... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 20, 2016•4 min read
Get Rid of Your Headaches Naturally.
A few weeks back I had a headache. I rarely get them and certainly feel for those who suffer for them on the regular. I have a number of patients who come to me for this very reason. And there are c... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 15, 2016•4 min read
How To Find Rest
I overheard an awesome conversation last weekend. While hugging her hello, he said, "I haven't seen you in so long." She said, "Yes, I've been in Mexico for five weeks." He said, "You don't do thin... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 08, 2016•3 min read
10 Reasons Why You Should Pray
My husband wasn't picking up so when she answered the phone, between sobs I was able to say, "CRISIS! HELP!" My mother-in-law said, "Who is this?" "Tonia." Breathe. Sob. "I can do this." Breathe. So... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 24, 2016•4 min read
Two Magic Little Words That Can Change Everything
Do you like Day Light Savings? Gah. I don't like time change day. It started a few years ago when I began to recognize that everything seem to be about 10° weird for the few days after time change da... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 18, 2016•6 min read
Are You Suffering from an Upper Limit Problem?
I can't believe I haven't written about this before. Wait. Let me back up. On the weekend my husband and I traipsed from the exotic rain forest where we live on an island in the Pacific to a differe... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 09, 2016•5 min read
3 Ways to Ward off that Nagging Cough
I just went for a walk to help my brain come up with a new article to write for you. While I was out tromping about with my dawgy, one of my besties texted, "Hey Dr. T! Do you have any recommendations... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 17, 2016•3 min read
A 5 Minute Practice to Increase Your Life Satisfaction
Gosh, I do envy the ability of my dog to shake off stress and move into the next present moment, wagging her tail and loving life. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 28, 2016•5 min read
SNEAK PEEK: Behind the Scenes of my Morning Routine
My sister was visiting recently and she was staying in my sacred studio space. It's the space that I go to as soon as I get up to do my morning routine - before opening my email, checking my phone, go... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 20, 2016•7 min read
7 Steps to Cultivate Happiness
Early December I drove for 2 hours to see Gabrielle Bernstein speak. If you're not familiar with her, I do recommend checking her out. She is a certified Kundalini yoga and meditation teacher, best-s... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 07, 2016•6 min read
What's Really Behind Bone Loss
In my head, I've been constructing a revamp of an article I wrote for the Plan Facebook page a few weeks back. I wrote it at the time because that week 3 patients asked me about calcium supplementati... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 13, 2015•6 min read
Repairing Relationships - Connecting Through Touch
I spent Sunday at a workshop all about touch, pleasure, giving, and receiving - topics I felt I had a pretty good handle on (yep, pun intended). I know how important touch is, so I was eager to go dee... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 30, 2015•6 min read
Make Art. Define Your Own Perfection. Lessons from Col. Chris Hadfield.
I had the pleasure of hearing Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield speak this week. There are so many nuggets of wisdom that have been rolling around in my brain formulating themselves into this ar... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 23, 2015•5 min read
Why I RARELY Recommend Fancy Allergy Testing
I get a lot of patients ask me about allergy testing. They say, "I just want to know what I'm allergic to." I hear that. Why wouldn't you want to know about the foods that are essentially poison to ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 14, 2015•5 min read
Are You Eating Reactive Foods? 14 Ways to Tell.
I'm going to tell you two stories about car trouble, which will segue into one of my favorite deserts, which will hopefully give you some giggles (because laughter is incredible medicine) and also sea... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 07, 2015•5 min read
What It Means To Really Heal
In the last two weeks I've had two people apologize to me for sexually inappropriate things they had said to me. Both men. One was four years ago, and the other was eight. I'm not talking yesterday. Y... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 04, 2015•5 min read
If It's Not Scheduled, It's Not Real
On the weekend I purchased a 2 week audio program to help me with an area that I've been struggling with. I almost didn't buy it because I knew it would take time each day to go through the program a... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 23, 2015•2 min read
What's Your Medicine?
A couple weeks ago, at a salsa dance event the organizer gave a little goodbye speech. He was leaving for some travels for several months. He said, "Dance is our medicine." ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 16, 2015•3 min read
I want to give this back to you
Recently I met a new patient, who has been struggling for a long time with some very serious health problems. When she came to me and said, "You're my last hope." And I bought into that. At first. F... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 01, 2015•3 min read
Listening to That Little Voice
I'm not sure if it's true where you are, but I've notice the air in the mornings has a hint of fall. There is more moisture, a sweeter smell, and chill that wasn't there last week or the one before. ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 01, 2015•2 min read
Everything You Need To Know Before Your First Acupuncture Appointment
If you're not getting any sustainable benefit from your medical doctor or other practitioner, read on. You've been investing a lot of time, energy and money but you're still in pain or you still haven... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 17, 2015•5 min read
A Hard Thing To Do
I've been thinking about favours a lot lately. As I've been moving clinics, I've been asking a lot of people - especially my giant husband for bucketfuls of help. I'm so grateful for everytime he or a... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 28, 2015•3 min read
Histamine: Your Body's Secret Frenemy - Part 2
A couple weeks ago I posted an article all about the effects of histamine in the body: Histamine: Your Body's Secret Frenemy - Part 1. I wrote about a certain type of histamine receptor and constrict... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 14, 2015•4 min read
Stomach Acid and Stress. It's Not What You Think.
A patient recently told me that her doctor, after prescribing a double dose of Nexium, said there is a connection between stress and stomach acid - and there definitely is one, but it's actually not w... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 07, 2015•3 min read
Histamine: Your Body's Secret Frenemy - Part 1
I spent the weekend at a naturopathic conference. It's always great to connect with my classmates and colleagues from all over Canada and be inspired by experienced mentors and teachers. My favourite... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 30, 2015•3 min read
Why You Can't Just Cleanse To Be Healthy
Several patients have asked me lately if they should "do a cleanse or something." My answer is yes. And no. From time to time we should give our bodies less stimulating circumstances, rest, and eat ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 16, 2015•4 min read
Is He The Right One? How to Know.
At a recent visit, a patient shared with me that she was experiencing a bit more emotional stress than normal. "What's going on?" She explained that her ex-boyfriend was interested in getting back t... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 09, 2015•3 min read
100 Reasons Why Your Healthy Living Plan Isn't Working Out
(And what to do instead) This post marks my 100th article published on my blog. I didn't set out to write 100 articles. I set out to write. More. Because I like it, and from what I gather people are ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 26, 2015•16 min read
The Massively Overlooked Thing You MUST Do to Truly Thrive in Life
My husband and I have needed a new mattress for a while. Since we've been together actually - seven years so far. I did a lot of research because, well, I'm the picky one of our pair when it comes to ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 19, 2015•5 min read
Why the Word Healthy Makes Me Cringe
I love getting people healthy, happy and doing what they love. But admittedly I have a love / hate relationship with the word healthy. I adore the definition of health according to the World Health O... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 12, 2015•3 min read
Using Nature's Wisdom to Heal From Injuries Faster
It's spring time where I live. When I drive parks on I see people out having a blast - playing tennis, shooting hoops, or chucking a ball around. Some of the people I see seem to be pretty seasoned. S... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 05, 2015•3 min read
Why ABSOLUTELY Nothing is Wrong with Your Body or Your Health
I see sick people. (Not like the little boy in the Sixth Sense who sees dead people - not like that at all.) What I mean is that in my naturopathic practice I see people who have physical, mental, an... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 28, 2015•4 min read
Supplements. Why You Need Them. When You Don't.
I have had several of patients ask lately, "Do you want me to keep taking these supplements?" It got me thinking. A lot. I realized something. That it's a complicated question. The bottom line is ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 21, 2015•4 min read
Why You're Not JUST What You Eat.
You've heard the old adage: "You are what you eat." While it's pure fun to picture people as giant, rainbow-sprinkled donuts and dancing hotdogs, the saying just isn't true. Well. It's not ENTIRELY ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 14, 2015•3 min read
If Laughter is the Best Medicine, Then Here. Have Some.
I don't have TOO many words for you today, but I do have an audio file for you. It's purpose? Solely to bring you joy and make you smile. It's just me laughing. For an entire minute. This post comes... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 07, 2015•2 min read
How to Talk to Your Loved Ones About Your Diet Changes
I love this scene from Madagascar 2: King Julien : "My sacrifice goes in the volcano. Then, the friendly Gods eat up my sacrifice. 'Mmmm, very nice. Thank you for the sacrifice.' 'Please, have anothe... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 31, 2015•5 min read
The Truth Is... Reductionism Isn't Reality.
In an earlier article I mentioned (okay, ranted) about how I don't love labels including medical diagnoses even as a doctor. Hold on to your toques ladies and gents, I'm about to get ranty (again) up... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 17, 2015•4 min read
4 Mind-Altering Ways Food Can Affect Depression and Anxiety
I see a lot of patients in my practice with mood disorders, specifically depression and anxiety. While there may be a neurotransmitter imbalance in these conditions, it's not the whole story, nor in ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 10, 2015•4 min read
Pour the Wax Out
Each morning I have a self-care routine - my Non-Negotiable-Tonia Time (my NNTT) which involves lighting some beeswax candles. One in particular is a tall pillar candle the diameter of a tea light. On... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 03, 2015•3 min read
Your Digital Permission Slip
I don't have anything particularly innovative to say. I just want to remind you that it's okay and safe to: ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 24, 2015•1 min read
Health Doesn't Really Matter. Here's What Does.
Health is a funny thing. It's not really that important. I know. That's an interesting claim for someone in my career. It's something we might work towards but may never actually see the benefits of... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 17, 2015•3 min read
Gratitude 201: Kicking Your Gratitude Practice Up a Notch
The power of gratitude. Boy oh Boy. I don't know of a more powerful power. I talked about just saying, "Thank you," here. But this article is different. I called it 201 because its a level up from th... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 10, 2015•2 min read
20 Ways to Attract More Joy into Your Life
I realized recently that no matter the title under which I am practicing, or the tool that I am using, or the condition I am treating, my work is all about reducing pain and suffering, and bringing mo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 02, 2015•1 min read
I Want to Live in a World...
I happen to really love birthdays, especially mine, which is tomorrow. I'm turning thirty-five-ulous. In the spirit of birthday wishes I wanted to share... My Birthday Wish For The World: ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 20, 2015•2 min read
Are the stories you're telling yourself true?
I had an important breakthrough a couple months ago. I busted through a belief system that I've been carrying around for 8 years. At least. A belief system is a conscious (or more commonly unconscio... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 14, 2015•6 min read
It's Okay to Change Your Mind
Someone I love recently told me that she had been waking up in the middle of the night panicking. I asked her what she was panicking about. "Oh, the band." "The band? I thought you liked being in the... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 13, 2015•3 min read
You Gotta Ask For What You Want
The last time I was at my hair dresser's, I had an interesting conversation. As my stylist was finishing up with her client ahead of me, she saw I was waiting and came over for a quick hug and a hello... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 06, 2015•3 min read
10 Natural Remedies for Depression
I've worked with a lot of people who are depressed, both in my personal life and in my professional practice. Depression comes in many forms. Sometimes it is circumstantial, sometimes it's biochemical... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 30, 2014•3 min read
Finding the Sacred in the Everyday (and in Every Day!)
In October I spent a weekend in retreat with some wackadoodle (their own term) tarot card readers and other spiritual outlaws. The event was called "Soulful Proprietor." I trekked to Milwaukee (of all... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 23, 2014•2 min read
Don't Give Up. It's Possible to Feel Better
A couple weeks ago, I corralled myself with hundreds of my ND colleagues so we could all keep our pharmacology prescribing licenses up to date. The location of the class was in a building in the midd... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 09, 2014•3 min read
Rethinking Your Diagnosis - Is It Really All That?
I've always hated labels. I never liked being categorized as a punk, or a raver, or a hip-hopper or whatever phase I was going through at the time. I've generally avoided putting logos on my body. Sh... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives ,IV Nutrient Therapy Injection
December 02, 2014•5 min read
Forgiveness Prayer - Ho’oponopono
I wrote an article reframing forgiveness. I wrote it because I’d been introduced to a new way of looking at forgiveness, and I thought it was important to share. Holding onto resentment is a big stre... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 25, 2014•2 min read
Can Anger Be A Graceful Emotion?
Considering all of the patients I've seen over the years, there is one emotion that stands out as being the hardest for people to deal with. It’s had to feel. It’s hard to express. It’s hard to let it... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 17, 2014•3 min read
There's Hope for Cancer - Radical Remission Book Review
I don't see a lot of cancer patients in my practice. It's something that I've found a bit frightening. And to be honest, it's not the disease itself, it's the way people seem to get disempowered with ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 14, 2014•3 min read
Why We Should Make Toddler Choices and Have Adult Tantrums.
I've been thinking about something I wrote a couple weeks back. This is the paragraph to be specific: It’s all just data. And with that data you can make an adult choice about what you’re going to ea... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 09, 2014•5 min read
The Lesson I'm Not Sure I've Figured Out Yet
I'm always looking for lessons in my daily experiences. For example, I've learned a couple things from public washrooms. Below is a personal encounter I had with an interesting fellow. I'm not sure I'... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 08, 2014•3 min read
A Fun Practice That Will Change Your Stress Forever
Orgasmic Meditation Hello! What a topic title! What is this exactly? Well, Orgasmic Meditation (OM) is typically done with a partner who lightly and slowly touches the upper left part of the woman's... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 08, 2014•1 min read
Why I Don't Believe in Night Owls.
Is there really such a thing as being a night owl? I’m a fan of sleeping, both for myself and for my patients. Sometimes I have my own challenges with it – especially when I have been consuming my fo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 07, 2014•5 min read
Curing your Stress Like a Ninja: Deep Breathing for Beginners.
Dr. Tonia Winchester, nanaimo Naturopathic doctor shows you how to deep breath even if you're a beginner, soon you'll be a ninjaI realized that for all the time and energy I have spent teaching how st... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 07, 2014•3 min read
How to Know if you have Allergies or a Cold
Dr. Tonia Winchester, nanaimo naturopathic doctor, describes how to know if you're suffering from allergies or a cold.Here in the northern hemisphere, we're very much aware of autumn setting in. The ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 07, 2014•3 min read
How I Lost 7 Pounds in 20 Days
Wow, I’m blown away by a new resource. It’s called, “The Plan” by Lyn-Genet Recitas. It came highly recommended to me by a patient who emailed saying, "I'm finally losing weight on 'The Plan.'" She, l... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 30, 2014•4 min read
What our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Healing Anxiety
After fatigue, anxiety is the 2nd most common symptom my patients report to me in my naturopathic practice. Why is this so common lately? We worry about money. About work. We stress over the most mi... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 23, 2014•5 min read
How to Say No When You Don't Want to do Something.
What if instead of saying, "Yes," your default response was, "No?" In a previous article (3 questions to ask yourself before you say yes to anything) I explained how we often over commit, and say, "Y... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 16, 2014•2 min read
3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Say Yes to Anything
You have a full calendar. And it's only getting more full. Your default response is, "Yes!" to what ever anyone asks. Have you paused to consider what this is doing to your health? ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 09, 2014•3 min read
How to Talk to Your Hunny About PMS
Does this sound familiar? Things in your relationship are going along tickedy-boo and then, BAM! Three little letters change everything and threaten to ruin it all. PMS. Premenstrual Syndrome. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 02, 2014•3 min read
Just Say Thank You
I met a beautiful woman this weekend. She was tall, dark with soulful eyes. She dressed perfectly for her body in flowing, colourful off-the-shoulder dresses. Six other women and I were gushing over h... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 26, 2014•3 min read
The Importance of Being Honest
I'm not sure about you, but I was pretty shocked to hear about the suicide of Robin Williams last week. His death is a collective loss. I'm sure we can all recall the crazy antics he would get up to d... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 17, 2014•4 min read
The Thing You Can't Lose Weight With Out
The fascinating truth about weight loss - and why it's not what you think Here's a question. What are you actually losing when you're dropping weight? A common response I hear is that we lose weight... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 12, 2014•3 min read
Why Joy is Overrated
We're half way through summer time here in the northern hemisphere. I just returned for a lovely weekend out in the wilderness. I saw a black bear, schools of salmon, several eagles and a beaver. Summ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 05, 2014•3 min read
Why Forgiveness Isn't What You Think
This past weekend I attended a personal development seminar as a part of the "Life Sciences" arm under the Brain-Based Transformational Coaching umbrella. I'm an ever-learner; this workshop was a nice... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 29, 2014•3 min read
Considering Meditation? My Surprising Secret About Where to Start Your Practice
This spring I discovered a consistent practice in meditation. Previously I'd done a little bit here. A little bit there. But never every day. The routine was everything. A game changer. I'm sleeping... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 22, 2014•3 min read
How to Prevent and Treat 3 Common Summer Ailments with Natural Remedies
As of today, summer is officially here in the northern hemisphere. I know, it's a couple weeks past the solstice, but every year my mom tells me that when it comes to weather, summer starts on July 15... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 15, 2014•4 min read
Do You Ever Feel Like You Need a Compass to Navigate this Crazy Human Life?
Ever notice that sometimes life is going along all tickedy-boo, and then all of a sudden you're feeling like you were thrown onto a boat in the middle of the ocean without a soul around, and no compas... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 15, 2014•1 min read
3 Mouth Watering Frozen Treats That You've Gotta Try This Summer
I do this thing on my Facebook page that I really love. I put up a word, and my peeps tell me the first thing that comes to mind. I do it on Wednesdays, so I have cleverly named it Word Association We... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 08, 2014•2 min read
The Healthy Secret Everyone Knows, But Few People Do Anything About
We're just over a week into summer. Ahhhh. I love the bright mornings, singing birds, and dancing leaves. There is nothing like a cool bevie on a hot summer afternoon. Don't you agree? Most people o... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 01, 2014•4 min read
25 Simple Ways to Overcome Burnout
Have you ever realized that the very thing you are trying to explain to others is what you yourself need to know? That old saying, "You teach what you need to learn," is real in a big way for me right... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 10, 2014•3 min read
Preparing the body and mind for a healthy, happy baby.
This is the third part of a 3-part series: Finding your Fertility - How to naturally conceive a healthy, happy baby. More and more couples are struggling to get pregnant. Not only is it heart breakin... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 03, 2014•5 min read
3 things to make sure you consume if you want to conceive a healthy, happy baby
I love helping couples conceive healthy, happy little ones. There is so much that is overlooked in mainstream medicine when it comes to pregnancy. Couples struggle to get pregnant, and they often get ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 27, 2014•3 min read
3 things to avoid if you're trying to conceive a healthy, happy baby
Last week, had the privilege of celebrating naturopathic medicine week and over 90 years of being licensed in British Columbia (to be clear... not me personally.) We organized two evenings of public ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 20, 2014•6 min read
9 Reasons to Pause Before you Slather on Sunscreen
I recently spent the weekend on the west coast of Vancouver Island in a surfing town called Tofino. It was a mini vacation filled with nature walks, beach cartwheels, and whale-watching adventures. T... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 13, 2014•4 min read
Women's Health Naturally - A 2014 Naturopathic Medicine Event in Nanaimo
On the evenings of May 14th and 15th, 2014, the North Nanaimo Medical Clinic Wellness Team is proud to present: Women's Health Naturally - a Naturopathic Medicine Week Event and Celebration. ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
May 06, 2014•2 min read
Just Be Unabashedly You
Last week I presented my 6th and final financial report to 400 of my naturopathic colleagues practicing in BC. I decided (okay the bylaws decided) that after three 2-year terms I would step down as tr... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 28, 2014•4 min read
5 Evil Ways Evil Sugar Messes With Your Program
My husband and I probably over did the chocolate this Easter weekend. It was a slippery slope. We started by buying some for the kids that collect our eggs every day. So cute of us to put chocolate eg... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 22, 2014•5 min read
Why Making Ice Cream Bars Was a Spiritual Experience
Seven Steps To Heaven When I was a teenager and young adult I worked at a chocolate company. Oh yeah. It was a great job, and I was good at it. Part of the reason why I loved it was because the compa... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 15, 2014•4 min read
8 Ways to Reduce Fear and Increase Joy and Confidence
How to Move from Fear To Joy I recently did a presentation for one of my dear friends, Jodine Buydens**. She is an equine behavior specialist and an equine inspired education facilitator. She works w... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 08, 2014•6 min read
5 Tested Methods To Decrease Seasonal Allergy Suffering
Tree pollens are out with a vengeance these days. You may be one of the 25% of the population that suffers with runny eyes, stuffy noses, headaches, or sinus pain. You feel like you're a victim to thi... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
April 03, 2014•3 min read
How to Delight Yourself First
This past week I was pretty bummed because I didn't end up participating in this cool dance performance project that happens over spring break every year where I live. The program involves learning t... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 25, 2014•4 min read
3 Reasons Why Your Loved Ones Don't Want You To Change and What To Do About It
You want to achieve X, Y, and Z by such and such date. For example, say you're working with your Naturopathic Doctor to drop the last 10 pounds, or cure your embarrassing acne, or just get more energy... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 18, 2014•4 min read
4 Proven Ways to Jump Start your Body for Bathing Suit Season
Ever wondered that? Why do we clean our houses in the spring? Why does the detox buzz increase in volume at this time of year? Stay tuned, I'll tell ya all about it. Acknowledged or not, rhythms an... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 11, 2014•5 min read
3 Tips to Survive this Awkward Time of Year
I find this time of year very awkward Where I live there are hints of spring infiltrating the landscape. Buds on the ends of branches, brighter mornings, and lingering daylight in the evenings. (All ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
March 04, 2014•3 min read
Why It's Best to Start Small
I was recently gifted a free goal coaching session. This lady was good**. She wouldn't let me get away with much. One of her first questions was, "How can you live your Brain-Based Transformation Coac... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 25, 2014•4 min read
How To Get Fit In Less Than An Hour Per Week
Can we please talk about exercise? And clean eating? And brain health? But mostly exercise? Years ago when I had just finished school and I was studying for my naturopathic medical licensing board... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 18, 2014•5 min read
Why Your Body is like a Bucket
John Mayer thinks your body is a wonderland. And I don't disagree. Sexy or not, our bodies are amazingly fascinating! That's part of why I love my work. But I also think of the body as a bucket. Less... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 11, 2014•5 min read
How Donating a Dress Opened My Heart
Lets Talk About Love, Baby As part of my personal growth this year I'm doing an experiment in De-Cluttering. You may have read my original post about it. You may even be following my progress. This ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
February 04, 2014•4 min read
Are You Taking the Wrong Fatty Acids?
Confused about all the hype? You've picked up from media, or your BFFs at yoga that you should be taking supplemental essential fats. YAY! Now you're super healthy. Good stuff. Hold on pard'ner. You ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 28, 2014•4 min read
How to Know If You're Consuming Too Much Caffeine
Is Coffee Actually Good For YOU? I bet you're already resistant to reading this article. Of all the things I kindly suggest people avoid to regain or strengthen their health, coffee (or caffeinated a... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 21, 2014•5 min read
What You Need to Consider About the 80/20 Rule
Have you heard of this? The 80/20 rule? My wiki search came up with this, "The Pareto principle (also known as the 80–20 rule, the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity) states ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 13, 2014•3 min read
Why I'm Purging 365 Things This Year
How To Declutter - One Day at a Time I mentioned in my article last week that I'm re-framing how I view the new year. In fact my exact words were, "I'm changing how I approach new years’ resolutions... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
January 07, 2014•4 min read
How My Perspective Shifted Over A Public Sink
I learn my lessons in strange places It has not gone unnoticed that this is not the first post about public washrooms I've written this year. I admit it's peculiar that this is a time for me to lear... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 31, 2013•4 min read
Why We Have the Holiday Season All Backwards
A few posts back, I wrote about cycles and natural rhythms. In that post I candidly described how I came to understand how crucial it is to love all the aspects of myself. I'm not saying I'm perfect a... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 17, 2013•3 min read
How to Poo More, If You're Not Pooing Enough
Do you poo enough? I thought I might as well just dive in. It is really important that our bowels move 1-3 times per day. For us our poo eliminates: toxins, metabolic waste products, microorganisms, ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 10, 2013•3 min read
How to Poo More, If You're Not Pooing Enough
How To Naturally Cure Constipation Do you poo enough? I thought I might as well just dive in. It is really important that our bowels move 1-3 times per day. For us our poo eliminates: toxins, metabo... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 10, 2013•3 min read
5 Top-Notch, Over-Looked Tactics to Fight Off Infections Like a Superstar
How to Supercharge Your Immune System TW was a female patient of mine. One day, a couple years ago, she and her husband spent the day visiting with her father in law. They didn't know it at the time,... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
December 02, 2013•5 min read
5 Questions to Ask Yourself if You Don't Want to Gain Weight This Holiday Season
‘Tis the season. I can feel your panic. Rainbow lights filling the neighborhood. Different Christmas carols in every store. Snow (or frost) on the ground. The urgent obligation to get the perfect gi... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 26, 2013•4 min read
How to Get Through the Holidays Without Going Up a Pant Size
Holidays are Here Coloured lights, Christmas carols, snow on the ground, a sense of urgency and obligation to fulfill social requirements. It is the most tempting time of the year. Parties, huge mea... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 25, 2013•3 min read
11 Ways to Eat More Veggies Than You Thought Humanly Possible
How to Eat Enough Vegetables to Win a Contest Or just be healthy. For a number of reasons, focusing our food intake on plants - especially veggies - is one of the most health promoting habits. Incre... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 19, 2013•4 min read
How to Make the Right Decision
A Lesson from my Puppy The other morning I was sitting in our kitchen doing something important like Facebooking. My dog, Achilles, had the audacity to put on her whiny pants. So I put her outside. T... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 12, 2013•6 min read
The 6 Steps I Take to Make Sure You Get Better
How Naturopathic Medicine Works I recently had the privilege of seeing an "elder" Naturopathic Doctor speak at a conference. An elder means that the doctor has been in practice for over 15-20 years. ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
November 05, 2013•4 min read
What Your Skin Is Trying To Tell You...
... If You Only Knew How To Listen I wrote candidly in a previous blog post about my journey with my skin - which started when I was very young although it didn't manifest in my skin until I was in m... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 22, 2013•6 min read
6 Secret Reasons Why Your Skin Isn't Sparkling
What is your skin trying to tell you? I know this article seems long... if you're pressed for time I'll give you the take home up front. Sometimes the simplest things make INSANELY huge differences.... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
October 15, 2013•7 min read
3 Rooms in Your Home That May Be Preventing Weight Loss
And I'm not talking about the kitchen. Nope. I'm not on glue. Although it's funny you should think that. Glue is a perfect example of what I'm talking about in this article. The truth is that often ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 30, 2013•5 min read
The Number One Secret to Sleeping 8 Hours a Night Like a Champ
Saving the world one sleep-rich person at time It's an epidemic. Society as a whole is under-slept. We're all walking around as stressed out zombies counting the hours of sleep we had on one hand. ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 24, 2013•3 min read
7.5 Tips to Supersize Your Nutrition WITHOUT Increasing your Waistline
Getting more food out of your food I distinctly remember a line in the movie 'Say Anything.' (You know, that classic movie publicized by the image of the guy holding the stereo up above his head?) A... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 16, 2013•4 min read
The Best Way to Create a New Habit
Folding 1000 Paper Cranes This coming Saturday my sister is getting married. It is my divine pleasure to stand up with her and officially witness her big day. The wedding is very DYI. My sister KNITT... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
September 03, 2013•4 min read
7 Ways to Maximize Your Health Outcomes
My husband and I recently picked some blackberries on the land where we live. Why? Because there were tons, and they are packed with fiber and immune supporting antioxidants, if you must know. The ex... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 27, 2013•6 min read
The Honest Truth about Overcoming Fear
Remember a couple weeks ago I wrote about teeny, tiny sticky notes? If you remember that - awesome! If you remember what that was actually about - even awesomer. The teeny, tiny sticky notes served... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 20, 2013•3 min read
Are you Missing this Opportunity for Joy?
This spring and summer, I have been doing a lot of learning about cycles and rhythms in nature. I've been delving into how darkness flows into light, life shifts into death, and how winter springs int... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
August 13, 2013•4 min read
How to Make the Most of your Peri and Menopausal Years
Rethinking Menopause at Ladies' Night Earlier this month I did a mini presentation to a group of women at a car dealership of all places. Funny, eh? Funnier? Once a quarter they host a fun event, ca... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 30, 2013•6 min read
4 Simple Tips to Enjoy Naturally Healthy Periods (and Shrink your Man Boobs)
Mastering the Estrogen Dominant Hormone Roller Coaster "My hormones are all over the place. They're totally out of wack," My patients will often complain. “Okay, back up,” I say. “What are you exper... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 23, 2013•2 min read
7 Ways to Know if Your Body Needs a Break
I call it the S-word. I'm not sure what's running through your mind, but I'm talking about the S-word:Stress. It is hard to avoid, and yet possibly the most important thing to avoid if you're hoping... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 16, 2013•4 min read
The Surprising Lesson I Learned From a Public Washroom
Yeah, but is it really working? Recently I was on a ferry to visit my home town. I parked my car on the vehicle deck and trekked upstairs to empty my bladder before settling back in on the car deck t... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
July 09, 2013•3 min read
The CRUCIAL Thing You Probably Know but Need To Remember About This Moment
I often walk on the land where I live. I normally take the same route up to this bluff. I endure a good amount of huffing, and a good amount of puffing to feel energized and alive. At the top of this ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 24, 2013•3 min read
The One Thing you MUST do Before you can EVER Consider Achieving "Work-Life Balance"
One morning I opened the container of my fave brand of protein powder so I could make my post-work out anti-oxidant rich smoothie and... Bleh. Something smelled off. Like plastic. Like toxic plastic.... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 14, 2013•4 min read
Possibly the Most Vital Thing We Can Ever Learn
Self love has come up a lot in conversation with friends and patients this week. This sparkled me to dig up an old article I wrote when I was in Naturopathic College. It is a candid reflection of suc... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 02, 2013•3 min read
A Cocktail You Might Actually Need
I admit that title might be a little misleading because this article involves no olives, fancy tuxedos or even any hours. It does however, provide information on an effective naturopathic treatment: ... ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 01, 2013•2 min read
3 Must Read Lessons for Grownups Who Are Kids At Heart
Clarity from a kid ...more
Dr. Tonia Archives
June 01, 2013•3 min read
I help every day folks
release the painful imprint of the past, Shift their perspectives, create healthy habits so they can Enjoy exceptional lives!
My clients are people stuck in their health or lives with burnout, insomnia , anxiety, or stress. After working with me they can calm their minds, sleep deeply, and find joy and energy again - all with out talk therapy or medications.
🧠💟💫
Mind-Body Healing & Coaching
Easily create and support new habits.
Lift your mood, heart, mind to feel good here and now.
Release and clear the pain of the past and go back into healing mode.
Free Content (Also helpful!)
Over 200 articles on Health, healing, natural medicine (2013 - 2020)
More Posts, podcasts, videos on mind-body medicine.
(2021-current)
Where we turn little life moments into big life lessons.
Free guided visualization to release old negative emotions.
FOR SUPPORT ISSUES OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL: [email protected]
Copyright @2022 - 2025 Tonia Winchester · All Rights Reserved
This site is not a part of the Facebook website or Facebook Inc. Additionally, this site is NOT endorsed by Facebook in any way. FACEBOOK is a trademark of FACEBOOK, Inc.