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As we approach the end of the year, many of us feel a natural shift — a slowing down, a softening, a desire to look back at where we’ve been before stepping into where we’re going. 2025 has been a year of learning, unlearning, healing, and reconnecting. It has shown us what it means to care for ourselves and each other in ways that are real, sustainable, and rooted in community.


At Grassroots Health, this year has reinforced something we’ve always believed: health is not just physical. It’s emotional, cultural, relational, and collective. And the way we move through life is shaped not only by our habits, but by our environments, our histories, and the supports around us.


1. Slowing Down Isn’t a Setback — It’s a Strategy

Many of us entered 2025 carrying exhaustion, grief, or the pressure to “bounce back.”But what this year revealed is that rest is medicine. Slowing down doesn’t mean we’re falling behind — it means we’re finally listening to our bodies.

Whether through morning rituals, shorter workweeks, or intentional downtime, we saw people choosing pace over pressure, and their health responding with more energy, clarity, and balance.


2. Community Care Is Real Health Care

When access, equity, and wellbeing feel uneven, the community steps in.

In 2025, we saw:

• Neighbours supporting neighbours

• People sharing resources

• Families navigating health challenges together

• Communities holding space for grief, joy, and growth

What we witnessed over and over is that healing happens in relationship — not isolation. And that care is not limited to professionals; it comes from community, culture, and connection.


3. Food, Movement, and Wellness Are Cultural

This year reminded us that wellness doesn’t look the same for everyone — and it shouldn’t.

Traditional foods, healing herbs, land-based practices, movement rooted in joy, ceremony, storytelling, and spiritual grounding all played a role in strengthening health across our communities.


4. Mental Health Needs Space, Not Shame

More people than ever spoke openly about burnout, anxiety, depression, grief, and emotional overwhelm.And instead of dismissing these feelings, we learned to honour them.

In 2025 we collectively moved toward:

• Naming what we’re feeling

• Creating rituals for grounding

• Prioritizing nervous system support

• Asking for help sooner

• Choosing compassion over judgement

Mental health is not separate from physical health — it shapes the whole body.


5. Small Changes Add Up More Than Big Resolutions

This year taught us that transformation doesn’t need to be dramatic.It can come from everyday practices that feel simple and doable:

• a walk around the block• a warm meal• staying hydrated• a slow morning stretch• seeking culturally safe health care• setting one boundary• taking one deep breath before reacting

Small steps are the backbone of sustainable wellness.


6. We Are Stronger When We Honour Our Stories

Whether navigating diabetes, chronic stress, hormonal changes, grief, or transitions, 2025 reminded us that our stories matter. When we understand the context of our lives, we understand our health differently.

We show ourselves more compassion. We move at a pace that supports healing. We return to practices that resonate with who we are.

This year affirmed that health is not about perfection — it’s about alignment.


Looking Ahead to 2026

As we enter a new year, we’re holding onto these lessons and moving with intention.

In 2026, Grassroots Health is looking forward to:

• Expanding our community wellness offerings

• Introducing new holistic workshops and seasonal learning

• Continuing trauma-informed, culturally grounded care

• Deepening our connection with you — the community

• Creating tools that support sustainable, everyday wellness

We are grateful for every conversation, every appointment, every message, every shared moment of healing and care.


Thank You for Being Part of 2025

Your presence shapes our work. Your wellness matters to us. Your story is part of this community.

As we close this year and open the door to the next, we move gently, with gratitude and intention — together.

With care,

Grassroots Health- R.M


 
 
 

When we talk about diabetes, it’s usually framed as “eat better,” “exercise,” or “just have more discipline.”But if you are Black or Indigenous, you know there is more to the story.


Our communities didn’t end up with high diabetes rates by accident. This is connected to history, land, stress, survival, and the systems we’ve lived under.

So this conversation is not about blame. And it’s definitely not about shame. This is about context, care, and truth.


Why We’re Impacted More Heavily


1. Access to Real Food Has Been Disrupted

Before colonization and forced migration, our ancestors ate foods grown from land they tended themselves – fish, berries, corn, squash, wild rice, yams, roots, teas, herbs. Food was medicine. Food was ceremony. Food was community.

When land is taken, when food systems are interrupted, when grocery stores replace gardens–  the body feels that. That’s not “choice.” That’s disconnection.


2. Stress Lives in the Body

Black and Indigenous women carry a lot: Family. Community. Work. Grief. Survival. We know how to hold everything together, but we are rarely held.

Constant survival stress changes hormones, raises cortisol, and directly affects blood sugar. This is not personal weakness. This is the cost of being strong in systems not built for us.


3. Healthcare Doesn’t Always See Us

Many of us have felt the following:

•dismissed,• misdiagnosed,• told “you’re fine,”• or made to feel like we’re exaggerating.

This is why diabetes often gets caught late, when complications are harder to reverse.

And this is also why so many Black and Indigenous people experience preventable amputations. Not because our bodies are failing us–  but because systems are failing us.


4. Disconnection From our Healing Traditions

Plant medicine, ceremony, gardening, drumming, movement, auntie-wisdom, storytelling, kitchen-table care…Healing used to be collective.

So part of our wellness journey is returning–  not starting from scratch.

What the Research Confirms 

  • Diabetes Canada points to colonization and disrupted food systems, not “bad habits.”

  • Studies show trauma and stress play a direct role in diabetes risk.

  • Indigenous and Black communities face higher complications because of delayed care, not biology.

  • Clinical guidelines say diabetes care must be culturally safe, community-led, and relational.

  • Indigenous peoples are three times more likely to develop diabetes due to structural inequities, not genetics.

So yes it’s systemic. But that doesn’t mean we are powerless.


Our Communities Are Already Healing

And we don’t always name it as healing.

When we:

  • Share food with each other

  • Grow herbs on a balcony

  • Make soup for someone especially in times of stress

  • Walk with a friend after sunset

  • Choose rest

  • Tell old stories

  • Return to land and water

  • Make room for joy

  • Hold ceremony

  • Teach our children their names and songs

That is healing.That is resistance.That is wellness.

We have never stopped caring for each other.Even when systems wanted us to forget how.


Where We Go From Here

We deserve:

  • Healthcare that listens.

  • Spaces where we’re not rushed.

  • Food that comes from culture.

  • Rest without guilt.

  • Support that understands the context, not just the symptoms.

At Grassroots Health, we approach wellness from the whole picture — body, mind, spirit, culture, and lived experience.If you’re navigating diabetes or at risk, you do not need to do that alone.You deserve care that honours your story.


Closing

This is not just about managing blood sugar.It’s about returning to relationships — with food, land, community, rest, and self.

We are not starting from zero.


We are returning to what we’ve always known.


Citations:


Diabetes Canada. “Indigenous Communities and Diabetes.” Diabetes Canada Resources.https://www.diabetes.ca/resources/tools---resources/indigenous-communities-and-diabetes


Oster, R. T., & Toth, E. L. “Diabetes Among Aboriginal People in Canada.” Canadian Journal of Diabetes.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3830901/


Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). “Equity in Diabetes Care: A Focus on Lower-Limb Amputation.”https://www.cihi.ca/en/equity-in-diabetes-care-a-focus-on-lower-limb-amputation


Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines. Chapter 38: “Diabetes in Indigenous Peoples.”https://guidelines.diabetes.ca/cpg/chapter38


Young, T. K., Reading, J., Elias, B., & O’Neil, J. “Diabetes in Native Canadians: A Review.” Clinical Investigative Medicine.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2096702/


 
 
 

Menopause is a natural stage of life, but there is a lot of misinformation that makes it confusing and sometimes even scary. At Grassroots Health, we want to share clear, supportive information so you can feel empowered in your health journey.


1. Menopause happens suddenly

Menopause is actually a gradual process. The transition, called perimenopause, can last several years. Symptoms such as hot flashes, mood changes, or irregular periods often appear during this stage before periods stop completely.


2. Menopause only affects older women.

While the average age is around 51, menopause can begin earlier due to genetics, health conditions, or medical treatments. Some people experience menopause in their 30s or 40s, often referred to as early or premature menopause.


3. Hot flashes are the only symptom.

While hot flashes are common, menopause can also affect sleep, mood, memory, energy, sexual health, and bone density. Every person’s experience is unique.


4. Menopause means your health declines.

Menopause is not the end of health; it is a new chapter. With proper nutrition, movement, stress management, and regular check-ups, people can thrive during and after menopause.


5. There is nothing you can do about symptoms.

There are many ways to manage symptoms, from lifestyle shifts such as nutrition, exercise, and sleep, to medical support like hormone therapy or other treatments.


6. Menopause means the end of intimacy.

Changes in hormones can affect libido and comfort, but with communication and self-care, intimacy can continue and even grow stronger.


|Menopause is a natural transition, not an illness. Understanding the facts can help you embrace this stage of life with more confidence and less stigma. If you want guidance or personalized support, our practitioners at Grassroots Health are here to help you navigate this stage of life safely and comfortably.


Menopause Podcasts


Video Resource: The #1 Menopause Doctor: How to Lose Belly Fat, Sleep Better, & Stop Suffering Now Mel Robbins Podcast In this insightful video, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a certified menopause practitioner, discusses effective strategies for managing menopause symptoms. She covers topics such as dietary adjustments to reduce bloating, supplements to improve sleep quality, and exercises to aid in weight management during menopause. 



 Menopause Resources

The Menopause Society – Patient Education:

A comprehensive resource hub providing information on menopause symptoms, treatment options, and lifestyle adjustments.


Menopause Foundation of Canada:

A Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about menopause and its impact on women and society. They provide a comprehensive range of resources, including symptom trackers, guides for healthcare practitioners, and information on menopause-inclusive workplaces. Their mission is to eliminate the stigma associated with menopause and ensure it is fully supported by healthcare systems, governments, businesses, and communities.

Society for Women's Health Research – Menopause Preparedness Toolkit:

A guide to support women through major menopause milestones and prepare for conversations with physicians, families, and friends.


Citations

  1. StatPearls / NCBI Bookshelf. “Menopause.” Covers menopause symptoms including hot flashes, mood, sleep, and vaginal changes, and notes variability among individuals. NCBI Bookshelf

  2. NIH / MedlinePlus. “Menopause: What You Need to Know.” Explains stages, typical age ranges, and common symptoms. NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

  3. Mayo Clinic. “Menopause Facts vs. Fiction.” Myth-busting format addressing misconceptions, including early onset and symptom variability. Mayo Clinic MC Press

  4. NYU / NY Langone. “Five Menopause Myths You Should Stop Believing Now.” Discusses myths about symptom duration and misconceptions about menopause specialists. NYU Langone Health

  5. Canadian Menopause Society. “12 Myths.” Layout of commonly held myths and factual clarifications. Canadian Menopause Society

 
 
 
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