Dr. Tonia's Archived Blog Posts
natural Healing and Mind-Body Medicine.
Tonia Winchester Coaching
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Here is an alphabetical list. In case you want that. 😉
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
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
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.
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