An interview with Amy Goldberg, editor-in-chief

Strength is often misunderstood as force, endurance, or pushing harder. But according to Dr. Olivia Rose, true strength is quieter, and far more sustainable.

With over 20 years of clinical experience, Dr. Rose has built her career around understanding how the body responds to stress, heals through balance, and thrives when systems are supported rather than overridden. As a naturopathic doctor, clinic director, educator, and wellness communicator, she brings science, compassion, and practicality together in a way that meets people where they are. In addition to her work, Dr. Rose serves as Clinical Education Manager at St. Francis Herb Farm, where she helps bridge traditional herbal medicine with modern clinical insight, playing an integral role in shaping innovative botanical solutions for today’s health challenges.

Dr. Rose and I explore what it really means to move more, manage stress intelligently, and build resilience from the inside out. From clinical insights to the innovative botanical formulations she’s helping bring to life, this conversation is about modern wellness that’s thoughtful, evidence-informed, and deeply human.

When you think about the word “strength,” how do you define it clinically—and how has that definition evolved through your years in practice?

Over the years, my definition of strength has evolved into something that is almost the opposite of how it is commonly understood. When I think about strength clinically, I define it as the capacity to draw on the tools you have access to in order to navigate life’s challenges with awareness, flexibility, and honesty. It is the ability to look inward, check in with yourself, and recognize when it is time to move forward and when it is time to rest. Strength is not about constant endurance or pushing through at all costs.

Connection has become central to this, especially after the pandemic. I feel more than ever that strength lives in community. The experience of isolation highlighted how deeply we need one another, and how resilience is often built through shared experience and support. Strength is not something we cultivate alone. It’s the willingness to ask for help and to admit that you do not have all the answers. 

Stress awareness is a major focus this month. What do you see most often when stress quietly becomes a root cause of bigger health issues?

Stress is at the root of many modern-day health concerns. In practice, what I see most often is that stress has become so normalized that people do not even recognize they are experiencing it. It frequently takes careful listening and reflecting their own thoughts back to them for that realization to occur.

When stress becomes a root cause, one of the earliest patterns I notice, even before discomfort or disease develops, is a gradual shift in focus away from oneself. Attention becomes directed toward everyone else, and the individual slowly gets lost in the process. I see this especially often in mothers.

But what’s interesting is that this shift happens quietly. There is less personal time, fewer moments spent on hobbies, less time preparing and enjoying nourishing meals and fewer activities that bring genuine joy. Over time, these small changes accumulate. Blood pressure begins to rise, blood sugar regulation becomes disrupted, sleep quality declines, and reliance on highly processed foods increases, ultimately leading to feelings of overwhelm, changes in body composition, hormones and overall health.

You work closely with digestive and immune health. How connected are these systems when it comes to resilience and long-term strength?

Digestive and immune health are deeply interconnected. A large portion of our immune system lives in the gut, including the gut associated lymphoid tissue or GALT, and our digestive tract is home to a diverse microbiome that actively helps regulate immune function and inflammation.

Because of this, a stressed gut often signals a stressed immune system, and the reverse is usually true as well. In my practice, I view the gut as a window into a person’s overall health. Digestive symptoms are rarely isolated and often reflect how the body is responding to stress, diet, and lifestyle factors.

Regular consumption of foods that do not agree with the body can drive ongoing gut inflammation and immune activation, diverting energy and immune resources away from supporting other areas of the body. Supporting digestive health is key for immune resilience, allowing the immune system to remain balanced rather than chronically reactive.

Many people are told to ‘move more’ without context. From a naturopathic perspective, what kind of movement truly supports the nervous system?

From a naturopathic perspective, simply being told to “move more” can be unhelpful. Movement that supports the nervous system should be tailored to where a person is physically and emotionally. To me, movement includes activities that challenge the body. This means incorporating both weight bearing or resistance exercises to build strength and stability, and cardiovascular movement to support circulation and metabolic health. 

Stretching is also an essential and often overlooked component. Gentle stretching helps improve mobility, reduce muscular tension, and provides calming sensory input to the nervous system. Stretching can support parasympathetic activity, especially for individuals who tend to hold stress in their bodies or feel chronically tense.

Functional movement and NEAT, or non-exercise activity thermogenesis, are equally important. Everyday activities such as walking, standing, carrying, gardening, or moving regularly throughout the day offer consistent, low-grade input to the nervous system. These forms of movement are often more sustainable and regulating, particularly for people who are already under significant stress.

As a clinic owner and practitioner, how do you personally manage stress while caring for others?

Stress and the seemingly never-ending demands of life will always be present. For me, managing stress starts with caring for the basics as consistently as possible. I focus on eating well, staying connected with family and friends, and unplugging whenever I can.

Laughter is also essential. I make it a point to have at least one good belly laugh each day, whether it is with patients, colleagues, or family. Having a therapist as part of my wellness team is something I deeply value, and prayer plays an important role in helping me stay grounded and centred. Together, these boundaries allow me to show up fully for others while protecting my own wellbeing and preventing burnout.

You’re deeply involved in clinical education and product development at St. Francis Herb Farm. When you’re helping shape new botanical formulations, what gaps in wellness are you trying to solve?

In my role at St. Francis Herb Farm, my primary focus is on providing practitioners and retailers with the tools, education, and guidance they need to support not just their patients’ health, but their own long-term wellbeing as well. When I contribute ideas around botanical formulations, it is always through the lens of what I am consistently hearing from colleagues in practice and where there is a clear, unmet need.

A major gap I see is the need for support that promotes a long health span, not just short-term symptom management. Herbal medicine is truly our first medicine. Cultures around the world have relied on plants for generations to care for their families, and it is essential that this knowledge and practice is protected and carried forward.

In a healthcare system that is increasingly driven by the pharmaceutical marketplace, our natural medicines are more important than ever. Herbal medicine offers powerful support for prevention and optimal daily function. It can help address concerns before they become chronic issues, and it can also work alongside conventional care to support healing and longevity.

Of course, conventional healthcare and life-saving emergency medicine are essential. But where I believe we need greater focus is upstream. We need to invest more time and education into nutrition, herbal medicine, and other preventative practices so that reliance on medication becomes the exception rather than the rule. My role is to help bridge that gap through education, ensuring practitioners feel confident and supported in using botanical medicine effectively.

Without giving away trade secrets, can you share what makes the products you’re developing at St. Francis Herb Farm feel like true game changers in how people support their health?

What makes the products we’re developing at St. Francis Herb Farm feel like true game changers is that we are always evolving with people’s real needs. We are constantly exploring unique herbs and carefully chosen ingredients, while staying rooted in the long tradition of herbal medicine.

By making high quality herbal medicine more accessible, we help people feel more supported and empowered to take an active role in their own health, in a way that is sustainable for everyday life.

How do you balance innovation with tradition when working with herbal medicine and modern wellness tools?

It is important not to forget where this medicine comes from. At St. Francis Herb Farm, everything begins with respect for the art and craft of herbal medicine and with a deep commitment to using organic and wild crafted herbs in every product we make. This foundation was set by our founders Monique and Jeremy Rivett-Carnac and continues to guide everything we do today.

We follow what we call our Holistic Herb™ Approach, which means each herb is treated according to its own unique nature. Some herbs are extracted fresh, while others are carefully dried first. Depending on the plant, we may use alcohol alone or a combination of water and alcohol, along with specific temperatures and extraction times to best capture its natural properties.

This process is informed by traditional herbal texts and refined through decades of hands-on experience. To ensure quality and consistency, we also support our craft with modern analytical testing and ongoing research, including a long-standing partnership with the Biopharmaceutical Department at the University of Ottawa.

Innovation, for us, does not mean losing touch with tradition. It means listening closely to how people live today, understanding the health challenges of modern life, and creating herbal products that honour where this medicine comes from while supporting the needs of our changing world.

What mistakes do you see people making when they try to ‘biohack’ stress instead of addressing it holistically?

One of the most common mistakes I see is people trying to “biohack” stress by focusing on a single trend or tactic instead of taking a holistic view of their health. Stress physiology is complex and cannot be fixed with one intervention or a quick solution.

In practice, people often jump into strategies like intermittent fasting, cold plunges, or heavy use of wearables while overlooking the basics that matter most. Sleep is a clear example. Many people focus on the perfect diet strategy while sleeping poorly. When sleep quality and timing are off, the hormones that regulate appetite, metabolism, and stress become dysregulated, making progress very difficult.

You’ve built a multidisciplinary clinic model. Why is collaboration such an important part of sustainable health?

Collaboration has been central to my work since the beginning of my career. Nearly 20 years ago, I naturally began referring patients to other practitioners such as psychotherapists, nutritionists, and massage therapists to better support their care. Early on, I received a letter from a patient’s cardiologist thanking me for my role in supporting his patient through atrial fibrillation and hypertension. That experience strongly reinforced the value of working together as a healthcare team, especially so early in my career.

I genuinely enjoy collaborating with practitioners from different disciplines because each brings a unique and valuable perspective to patient care and when those perspectives come together, patients receive more comprehensive support.  

As a mother, entrepreneur, and physician, what boundaries or non-negotiables help you stay well?

Sleep is my number one non-negotiable. I love being busy, but I know I can only care for others because I prioritize restorative rest and do not rely on caffeine to push through fatigue. Staying nourished is another foundation. We eat well in our household, I stay well hydrated with water and herbal teas, and I am consistent with my supplements, including herbal tinctures on heavy rotation, a vitamin D supplement and a quality probiotic.

Exercise and family time are also essential. Even on long days, I make space for short movement breaks and prioritize being present for my son. These boundaries allow me to stay grounded and well in both my personal and professional roles.

If someone wants to build real, lasting strength—physically, mentally, and emotionally—where should they begin?

I always encourage people to start with the foundations, the basic pillars of health. Real strength is built on what we do consistently. 

I know I’m saying it again but sleep—it’s the first place to look. Are you getting enough restorative sleep and waking feeling rested? From there, I pay close attention to gut health. Digestive symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, bloating, or heart burn are signals that the body needs support, and they are often connected to energy, mood, and immune function.

Emotional health is just as important. Unexpressed anger, stress, or pent-up frustration can take a real toll on the body. Speaking with a therapist, talking with someone you trust, or journaling can help release those thoughts rather than letting them build up internally.

When it comes to movement, start simple. If you are new to exercise, walking is a powerful place to begin. Aiming for daily movement, such as working toward 10,000 steps, and tracking it can help build consistency and confidence.

I also recommend understanding what is happening internally. Basic blood work can be very helpful. Checking vitamin D levels, iron status, and markers like hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to assess blood sugar balance can provide valuable insights. 

Thank you Dr. Rose!

Dr. Olivia Rose reminds us that ultimate strength isn’t about pushing past limits, it’s about understanding them. It’s about listening to the body, supporting its systems, and choosing approaches that work with our biology rather than against it. She reminds us that when wellness is rooted in balance and intention, resilience becomes something we can sustain, not chase.