With this months focus on detoxing and cleansing the body, we thought it would be appropriate to speak to Dr. Cyndi Gilbert; a naturopathic doctor, professor, author and body blitz client.
1. What is your career? What do you love most about it?
I’m a naturopathic doctor, professor, and author. I love working with patients to help them achieve their health goals from a holistic perspective, using natural therapies. I’m a synthesizer, so I enjoy the challenge of understanding patterns and the relationships between symptoms, whether those are physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. I love inspiring students to engage with philosophy as it relates to our definitions of health and illness. Most of all, I love having one foot in science and the other foot firmly planted in art.
2. Tell us about your first experience with body blitz?
In the summer of 2005, my husband and I traveled in Andalucía, Spain where we visited the ruins of ancient Moorish baths and soaked in modern hydrotherapy spa waters. I was excited to return to Toronto and hear that Body Blitz was opening. My husband, on the other hand, is still jealous that there isn’t a spa like this for men.
3. How do you do the water circuit?
For general health promotion and detox I follow the circuit as is or alternate between the infared sauna and the cold pool a few times. If I’m feeling congested, it’s all about the eucalyptus steam room. When I’m tired after a long day or just need to relax, I like to linger in the sea salt pool. But no matter how I spend my soaking time, I always follow the golden rule of hydrotherapy and end on cold.
4. How do you stay balanced with life, career, family, friends & health?
Knowing my limits and living within them. Between my career and motherhood, I have two jobs where I’m primarily giving and caring for others so I make sure to balance it out by making more time for my own wellbeing. It helps me be a better person, partner, mother, and doctor.
5. What is your best beauty secret?
A (mostly) healthy, whole food diet, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, water, stress management, play, and lots of love.
6. If you could, what advice would you give yourself 10 years ago? 5 years ago? 20 years ago?
Trust your intuition. Love who you are. Breathe.
7. What’s your favourite indulgence?
Dark chocolate and single malt scotch.
8. Worst detox ever done?
The hardest detox I’ve ever done is the Eubiotic diet, which limits foods that feed bad gut bacteria in order to make space for good bacteria to grow. For 4 weeks, I ate little more than leafy green vegetables, avocado, fish, chicken, fresh herbs, olive oil, and brown rice. It proved far more challenging than even a week-long water fast. I realized just how addicted to sugar we all are.
9. Most exotic place you’ve been to?
Luang Prabang, Laos and the tiny villages upriver along the Mekong.
10. Your ride? The rocket? Bike? Car?
All of the above. I couldn’t live without my double Chariot bike trailer for easy child transport around town. I ride the subway to the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in North York where I teach one day a week. And the car means regular family day hikes in the Niagara Escarpment.
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