Naturopathic Doctor Spotlight – Dr. Ashley Chauvin

 

We asked our Naturopathic Doctors in Mississauga at Erin Mills Optimum Health to give me their favourite meal/recipe, favourite treatment modality and to give us ‘a day in the life’ of themselves! Enjoy this one by Dr. Ashley Chauvin ND:

 

 

 My favourite meal is breakfast.  I wake up extremely hungry in the morning, so I like to prepare my breakfast the night before.

 

My staple breakfast is overnight oats because it is simple, nutritious, and tasty.  I frequently change the toppings, so I never get bored.

 

 

 

maple syrup and blueberries, peaches and blackberries, strawberries and banana, and nut butter and cocoa powder.  I eat these oats cold, straight out of the mason jar!

 

This meal keeps my body fueled until lunch time.

My Favourite Modaility

My favourite treatment modality is intravenous therapy (IV Therapy).  As a child (and for most of my adulthood), I was terrified of needles.  During one of my preceptorships as a student, the Naturopathic Doctor asked me if I wanted to get an IV in order to understand what patients experience.  Due to my fear of needles, I had no plans to add intravenous therapy as a modality to my future practice.  At this point in my life, I was struggling with fatigue.  I was taking supplements, eating healthy and exercising, and my condition was improving, but not as quickly as I would have liked.  I didn’t want to admit my hesitancy to my supervisor, so I consented to the treatment.  Not only was it not nearly as painful as I expected, I experienced a boost of energy afterwards.  This treatment motivated me to become interested in IV and injection therapy.

This is my favourite modality due to the ability to achieve results much quicker than supplements because the nutrients are forced into the cells by means of a high concentration gradient and higher doses of nutrients can be given than possible by mouth.  The nutrients are not affected by stomach or intestinal disease, therefore the total amount of nutrients is available to the tissues.  Each infusion treatment is made specifically for the patient, so nutrients and dosages can be altered depending on the patients needs.

I use intravenous therapy in my practice to help with fatigue, immune support, hyperemesis in pregnancy, tissue and wound healing support for pre and post surgery, and as part of an adjunctive cancer care treatment plan.

 

 During the week, I have a fairly set routine of working, exercise, relaxation, reading, and bedtime.  On my days off, I meal plan and meal prep so that I can have as much down time as possible.  On my weekends, I like to cook a leisurely breakfast.

 

My favourite breakfast to make is pancakes.  I blend 1 ripe plantain, 2 eggs, a splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon for the batter.  I cook the pancakes in coconut oil.  I eat my pancakes with John Redden’s mushroom coffee blend.  I like to listen to music or podcasts while I cook.

 

This summer, I have been taking advantage of all the Farmer’s Markets in my area.  I live in Toronto, but on my days off, I explore areas outside of the city.  During the summer, I spent a lot of time swimming at Scarborough Bluffs.

 

Lavender is my favourite scent (and colour!), so during the summer, I make it a priority to visit lavender fields around the GTA.

 

Rattlesnake Point and Forks of the Credit are two parks that visit for non-challenging hiking.  My exercise routine is constantly evolving.  To keep myself committed, I follow an exercise plan to make sure that I consistently challenging myself and not skipping cardio and arms (my least favourite things).  I enjoy Pilates and Barre exercises the most.  I also include some weight training.

 

I make time for meal prep and planning on my days off.  Although I find cooking relaxing, I don’t have much creativity in the kitchen so I rely on cookbooks and blogs for my recipes.  Currently, I have been inspired by the Insulin Resistance Cookbook for meals and Bakerita for healthy treats (I have a major sweet tooth!).

 

As long as I can remember, I always have a list of books that I would like to read.  As a child, I was an avid reader (I had a collection of Babysitter’s Club and Nancy Drew) and currently, I try to rotate between educational books and fun books.  Right now, I am reading, “I’m fine … and other lies”, by Whitney Cummings, one of my favourite comedians.

 

The least naturopathic thing about me, is my challenge with meditation.  I believe that meditation has such significant benefits, but yet, I have struggled for years with making this practice a priority.  I have tried various apps, games and styles.  What currently has been working for me, is first, acknowledging that it is a challenge for me.  I also carve out time in my exercise routine for mediation.  I find that my mind is most calm after a workout. Lastly, I try to mediate with or surrounding nature.  I find looking at or listening to water puts me in a state of immediate relaxation.

 

Although I strive to live a healthy lifestyle, I make sure to keep a balance that includes wine, chocolate and tacos.

By Dr. Ashley Chauvin – Naturopathic Doctor in Mississauga at Erin Mills Optimum Health