Shelley Gibbs, Naturopathic Doctor

02/01/2026

I had a lovely time this week at The Westhill Retirement Living.

Women’s Circle Gathering - An afternoon of Learning & Connection.

Our Women’s Circle met on Monday and had the pleasure of welcoming Shelley Gibbs, Naturopathic Doctor for an insightful and energizing discussion on Optimizing Energy: The Role of Nutrition and Lifestyle.

Shelley explored common causes of fatigue and the important role nutrition plays in supporting energy levels. She shared valuable information about iron, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D, and how these nutrients impact our bodies as we age. She also empathized the importance of starting the day with protein and fiber, along with the powerful benefits of regular, exercise, quality sleep, and proper hydration.

Our residents truly enjoyed Shelley’s presentation and appreciation her knowledge, warmth, and personable approach. She sparked great conversation and left everyone feeling informed, inspired, and energized - we would happily welcome her back to our circle anytime!

Interested in being a guest speaker at our Women’s Circle? Please reach out to us here at The Westhill Retirement Living. We are always looking for engaging and informative speakers to join our Women’s Circle and share their expertise with our community.

12/20/2025

The clinic had a special visitor yesterday!

12/18/2025

Thank you very much to anyone who voted for me in the Waterloo Region Record’s “Best of Waterloo Region Reader’s Choice Awards 2025”. It is much appreciated. It’s an honour to work with you.

10/10/2025

Fire Cider!
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Have you made it before? Tried it before?
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I’ve always wanted to make it (and honestly don’t know why I haven’t) … until now! It’ll be ready in a few weeks, I’ll report back.
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Fire cider was created by Rosemary Gladstar, an herbalist/teacher/author, in the 1970’s. Gladstar wanted vinegar tinctures to take off, and created this concoction using readily available ingredients, that has a hot, sour, pungent & sweet taste. Hat tip to Rosemary for going with the name fire cider instead of vinegar tincture! The original formula calls for macerating fresh horseradish, ginger, garlic, onions, and cayenne pepper in apple-cider vinegar for three to four weeks, then finishing with honey. You will find countless variations/recipes online. I used (peeled & chopped) ginger root, turmeric root, garlic, and red onion. To that I added sliced jalapeno peppers, lemon, and orange. At the end I added a couple of cinnamon sticks, and a couple of sprigs of rosemary and thyme from the garden. I put all of the ingredients in clean mason jars, and then covered the ingredients in apple cider vinegar. You keep your jar(s) in a cool, dry place, and shake them every day or two. At the end, you strain your creation to remove the solids, and then you can add honey to cut the acidity. I wanted to include fresh horseradish, but couldn’t find it at two stores. If I make another batch, I will purposefully seek that out, in addition to trying different hot peppers (and whatever else strikes my fancy/feels like a good idea at the time!). The potential health benefits to Fire Cider (often taken a spoonful or shot per day, or mixed into salad dressing) are myriad and are related to the properties of the ingredients used: digestive aid, antimicrobial, immune tonic, circulatory/cardiovascular support, and anti-inflammatory.

10/06/2025

A big thank you to everyone who nominated/voted for me to be included in the final round of the Record’s ‘Best of Waterloo Region’ Reader’s Choice Awards 2025 in the categories of Best Naturopath and Best Naturopathic Clinic. Much appreciated. Voting in this final round ends on October 17th. 😊 🗳️
https://best-businesses.thereaderschoice.ca/o/waterloo/readers-choice-2025-voting

09/26/2025

Fiber Friday!

We started Fiber Friday posts talking about berries, fiber superstars. Now let’s talk about some other fruits that pack a punch when it comes to achieving your fiber goals.

Pears provide about 6g of fiber for a medium piece of fruit. Avocado? Surprise - half an avocado has 5g of fiber. And kiwi will give you 5g of fiber per cup of sliced fruit!

09/12/2025

Fiber Friday!

How might psyllium help you achieve your fiber goals?

Psyllium fiber/psyllium husk, which comes from the seed of the plantago ovata plant, is a common remedy used to treat constipation. But what if I were to tell you that psyllium isn’t just beneficial for constipation! Psyllium can help lower LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and ApoB (a substance that is also linked to heart disease). Psyllium has also been linked to helping people manage body weight and balance blood sugar levels. One of the beneficial properties of psyllium is that it is gel-forming, which is useful with respect to improving the quality of bowel movements (in constipation as well as in looser stools), reducing the likelihood of hemorrhoids and fissures, as well as absorbing bile acids and cholesterol so they can be eliminated via bowel movements.

09/05/2025

Fiber Friday! (Can’t stop, won’t stop).

How can legumes help you achieve your fiber goals? Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans) are high in both fiber and protein (win, win). They’re also rich sources of nutrients like folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. Plus they’re low in fat and fairly economical. They can be found dried, canned, frozen or ground into flour. (Friendly reminder that “convenience” options like canned legumes and frozen fruits & veggies are A-OK! These bad boys came straight out of my kitchen cupboard).

The two cans pictured above will provide you with 10g (chickpeas) and 12 g (lentils) of fiber per cup!

Do you have a favourite way to prepare or eat legumes? I’m a sucker for lentil soup, hummus, or having beans in things like chili or salads or bowls. 🥣 🫘

08/29/2025

Fiber Friday!

How can flax, chia & h**p seeds help you achieve your fiber goals?

Amount of fiber per 3 tbsp serving: flax - 8.7g, chia - 10.3g, h**p - 1.2g.

Flax, chia & h**p seeds provide both soluble & insoluble fiber. In addition to fiber, these seeds can also provide dietary protein, healthy fats, and minerals like magnesium & zinc.

How to: add to smoothies, salads, yogurt, cold or hot cereals/oatmeal. Make chia pudding. Add to muffins/cookies/bars or other baked goods.

How do you add flax, chia & h**p seeds to your diet?

08/13/2025

Have you had your ferritin level checked recently?

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Symptoms like mood swings, impatience, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulty remembering or concentrating, fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance (i.e. slow run times), insomnia, thinning hair and heart palpitations - while very common symptoms of perimenopause - can also be caused by iron deficiency.

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Did you know that Ontario changed the bottom end of the reference range for ferritin in September from 15ug/L to 30 ug/L? (Not frankly deficient and optimal are two different things, I’ll argue).

08/08/2025

FIBRE FRIDAY! Is that a thing? Can we make it a thing? I’m going to make it a thing!

Canadian women need 25 grams of fibre per day, and men need 38 grams of fibre per day. Most Canadians are only getting half that much. Have you ever attempted to track or be mindful of how many grams of fibre you’re getting in per day?

Not only can fibre improve bowel regularity, it can also lower cholesterol levels and keep you feeling fuller longer.

Berries (abundant this time of year) are a good choice to help you achieve your fibre goals. 1 cup of raspberries or blackberries has 8 grams of fibre. Blueberries will give you 4 grams per cup, and strawberries will give you 3 grams per cup.

Stay tuned for more FIBRE FRIDAY information & tips.

08/05/2025

I came across this interesting infographic/article on JAMA’s Internal Medicine website, directed at patients who are taking GLP-1 receptor agonist medications (like Ozempic). It’s packed with useful information that applies to people who have been prescribed a GLP-1 medication (or for those who may be in discussion with their physician about taking one), and for people who aren’t taking these medications but are interested in health goals like weight loss, blood sugar regulation, or improvement in other cardiometabolic parameters such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

It is true that GLP-1 receptor agonists can be effective at controlling blood glucose levels, reducing food cravings, increasing fullness, slowing digestion, and aiding in weight loss. It is also true that these medications can cause unwanted/unpleasant side effects like digestive upset (nausea, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn) and muscle loss (which is a tremendously detrimental side effect). Unfortunately, it is also common for there to be little if any counseling around nutrition and lifestyle by prescribing practitioners. There is some solid foundational advice here that is helpful for anyone looking to improve cardiometabolic health. Emphasizing dietary protein and fiber, hydration, and strength training comes with so many health benefits both with respect to cardiometabolic health, but also to hormone balance, energy, sleep, and mood!