15th Annual Canadian Holistic Nutrition Conference – Toronto

Jessica Ward-King, BSc, PhD

Mental Health And Mental Illness - Why It Matters In Modern Practice

I should have known. In fact, I did know. As a PhD candidate in psychology, I knew, better than anyone, that the signs and symptoms that I was experiencing were indicative of mental illness. But it couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. Because the stigma against mental illness, particularly in the caring professions, is strong. Patients and research participants can have mental illness - not their practitioners. And certainly not the successful ones. Academics must publish, or perish - there is no time for mental illness. Clinicians must be removed, not persons with lived and living experience of serious mental illness. I resisted detection as long as I could, even hiding hospital stays and suicidality from my research supervisors. If anyone found out that I was struggling, everything I had worked so hard for: my research, my burgeoning career, my family - would be jeopardized. The stigma was so strong that I internalized it and carried it around with me inside my own head. There was no escaping it. I dealt in secret with the roller coaster that is bipolar disorder for as long as I could, until that fateful day when I realized that my strength was not in silence, but in crushing the stigma of mental health and mental illness openly and fearlessly. And in accepting and even embracing my diagnosis and treatment course, I was truly able to take control of my own journey. Since then I have worked hard to be the best version of me that I can be. I have taken every treatment option available to me, from neurosurgery to talk therapy, medications to alternative healing. I have worked - and continue to work - to create a healthier body through gastric bypass and changing my relationship with food. I have pursued career and life options that I am passionate about and prioritized pursuits that nourish both my mind and my spirit. Most importantly, I have crushed stigma fearlessly everywhere through my testimony and my research - at work, in the community and online.

Dr. Kimberley Ramberan, ND

The Glymphatic System: A Road Map to Cognitive Resilience

The glymphatic system is a recently discovered system in the brain dedicated to clearing soluble waste and toxins. It also facilitates the brain-wide distribution of several essential compounds. Waste removal from the central nervous system is essential for maintaining brain homeostasis across our lifespan. Maximizing our ability to facilitate waste-clearance by supporting the glymphatic system can be explored as a new therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disease states and cognitive resilience. Key Learnings:

• A review of the basic structural elements, organization, regulation, and functions of the glymphatic system;
• Understanding why the glymphatic system is so important for brain health and neurological conditions;
• Exploring key physiological processes that support glymphatic transport function; and
• Understanding the benefits of recently developed therapies that support the body’s natural healing process and removal of toxins.

©2023 Atrium Innovations. All rights reserved.
Seminars, teleconferences, and webinars are for educational purposes only and are intended for licensed healthcare practitioners. These therapies are not substitutions for standard medical care. Practitioners are solely responsible for the care and treatment provided to their own patients. The information provided by speakers in this educational program together with any written material do not necessarily represent the views of Atrium Innovations and are not intended as medical advice.
Dr. Kimberley Ramberan, ND, is a retained advisor to Atrium Innovations.

Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, LMHC, FNTP

Nutritional Therapies for Post-Traumatic Stress and its Physical Sequelae - livestreamed to Calgary

The holistic nutrition professional treats many clients with post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma, knowingly or not. Trauma is a dis/ease of disguise, presenting various physical and emotional symptoms. GERD, IBS, IBD, and disordered eating, especially bulimia, alongside anxiety, insomnia, depression, chronic pain, substance abuse, diabetes, and dementia, are all highly associated with a traumatic etiology. Knowing how trauma exposure affects mental and physical well-being provides nutrition professionals with an effective roadmap to aid their clients at every stage of health restoration. In this talk Dr. Korn will explore how PTSD affects the ability to enact self-care and how to address the special interpersonal needs of the trauma survivor to ensure success. Drawing on the Brainbow Blueprint as a roadmap to health, this presentation will review the numerous dynamic methods and interventions professionals can use to support their clients with PTSD and complex trauma. A brief overview of assessment, the effects of trauma on the HPA axis and mitochondrial function, and the impact of common PTSD medications on nutritional status set the stage to define the rationale for interventions using culinary medicine, diet and supplementation including vitamins, minerals, and (OTC) glandulars.

Dr. Jacqueline Cooper, ND

First Line Defense Strategies for Anxiety, Depression & Other Mental Health Concerns - livestreamed to Calgary

The incidence of mental health concerns accelerated through the pandemic. According to Statistics Canada, 1 in 4 Canadians screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress in the spring of 2021. # Pharmaceutical medications can help reduce symptoms in a percentage of affected individuals. But for some, this relief comes at a heavy cost with undesirable side effects and little-to-no improvement. There is so much within the scope of holistic nutritionists that can provide meaningful improvements in symptoms and quality of life by addressing key foundational issues. This lecture will discuss the powerful first-line approaches that can be implemented safely alone or alongside pharmaceutical treatments. Key objectives to be covered:

• The role of protein deficiency in anxiety disorders and depression, including the link between HCl and mood dysregulation
• How to mitigate the effects of stress on neurotransmitter production and function
• How do underlying issues like dysautonomia or systemic inflammation complicate a case and hinder improvement if not addressed
• How do these underlying conditions relate to long hauler’s struggle with sleep, energy levels, and mood regulation post-infection

# Reference: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210927/dq210927a-eng.pdf

©2023 Atrium Innovations. All rights reserved.
Seminars, teleconferences, and webinars are for educational purposes only and are intended for licensed healthcare practitioners. These therapies are not substitutions for standard medical care. Practitioners are solely responsible for the care and treatment provided to their own patients. The information provided by speakers in this educational program together with any written material do not necessarily represent the views of Atrium Innovations and are not intended as medical advice.
Dr. Jacqueline Cooper, ND, is a retained advisor to Atrium Innovations.

Cindy Spratt, R.H.N.

Holistic Strategies for Working with Dysfunctional Eating

As Nutritional Practitioners, we carry great responsibility supporting our clients by way of dietary and lifestyle guidance. The broader the extent of our ability to apply strategies beyond nutrition, the more comprehensive our approach may be. The term Dysfunctional Eating provides a broader spectrum than a specific or diagnosable term, such as an Eating Disorder. This term acknowledges the other thousands of individuals challenged with a negative and burdening relationship with food, that might not qualify as a diagnosable ED, yet just as deserving of compassionate and comprehensive support. As Holistic Practitioners, we have the advantage of combining Nutritional strategies with deeper soul work, supporting our clients in reworking ingrained habits and behaviours around food and body, while also providing a safe and supportive environment for these clients to be able to reflect, rewire, and heal. This presentation will provide practical strategies in supporting clients who struggle with Dysfunctional Eating. Cindy will cover common dysfunctions beyond classical Eating Disorders, signs, symptoms, and language. She will explore techniques for modifying behaviour, mindset shifts, emotional wellness, and nutritional strategies, and how to best support clients to cultivate a more positive, joyful, and health promoting relationship with food and body.

Ellen Vora, MD

The Anatomy of Anxiety - livestreamed to Calgary

In her presentation Dr. Vora will explore a paradigm-shifting approach to managing anxiety, based on the understanding that anxiety is not all in our heads, but also in our bodies. She'll discern the difference between avoidable anxiety and purposeful anxiety, and counsel listeners on how to eliminate unnecessary anxiety while allowing purposeful anxiety to guide us toward meaningful action.