After a winter of hibernation and comfort-food we often go a little crazy over March Break celebrating the arrival of spring, and wind up needing a vacation from our vacation.
Although it’s always good to blow off some steam, just remember that a “go-big or go-home” attitude is usually not in your body’s best interest. This year why not sign up for a new class (like our March Madness Boot Camp), de-stress with a relaxing massage or Reiki treatment, or talk to Sarah about healthy ways enjoy some springtime treats.
Yours In Health,
Dr. Karen Baker
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
BOOT CAMP
During the cold winter months many of us have a tendency to hibernate and throw out our daily exercise routines, but the importance of regular daily exercise should not be forgotten; not only can it lower our risk of heart disease or of developing Type II Diabetes; it helps control weight (decreasing the stresses and strains on the spine and other joints); increases muscle strength; helps us maintain our independence as we age; and much more. Movement is life - and when we stop moving our body, muscles stiffen and weaken, joints freeze up, and pain increases. Regular exercise improves appearance and self-esteem, lifts spirits, and provides added energy to our bodies.
To help you get back in the exercise groove this spring, Lifewise is holding a March Madness Boot Camp – in the Fit & Healthy style, of course.
Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, join instructor Julia Pilliar (Kinesiologist, Certified Personal Trainer and Holistic Life Coach) for a heart pumping, calorie burning, muscle toning workout. As usual Julia will bring her signature style using FUNCTIONAL exercises to help you build the strength that you need to live your life (not just isolated muscle bulk that looks pretty, but does nothing) and CORRECTIVE exercises aimed to equalize muscular imbalances that can lead to injury.
To get you started, we are offering a 5 class pass for only $25!
Call the office for more details.
During the cold winter months many of us have a tendency to hibernate and throw out our daily exercise routines, but the importance of regular daily exercise should not be forgotten; not only can it lower our risk of heart disease or of developing Type II Diabetes; it helps control weight (decreasing the stresses and strains on the spine and other joints); increases muscle strength; helps us maintain our independence as we age; and much more. Movement is life - and when we stop moving our body, muscles stiffen and weaken, joints freeze up, and pain increases. Regular exercise improves appearance and self-esteem, lifts spirits, and provides added energy to our bodies.
To help you get back in the exercise groove this spring, Lifewise is holding a March Madness Boot Camp – in the Fit & Healthy style, of course.
Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, join instructor Julia Pilliar (Kinesiologist, Certified Personal Trainer and Holistic Life Coach) for a heart pumping, calorie burning, muscle toning workout. As usual Julia will bring her signature style using FUNCTIONAL exercises to help you build the strength that you need to live your life (not just isolated muscle bulk that looks pretty, but does nothing) and CORRECTIVE exercises aimed to equalize muscular imbalances that can lead to injury.
To get you started, we are offering a 5 class pass for only $25!
Call the office for more details.
Another Dirty Dozen...
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood.
We now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to realize that we must make some changes to how we shop and eat to minimize our consumption of pesticides.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the those that do not . If consumers get their USDA-recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies from the 15 most contaminated, they could consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown produce ingest less than 2 pesticides daily.
EWG has been publishing guides to the "dirty dozen" of most pesticide contaminated foods since 1995, based on statistical analysis of testing conducted by the USDA and the FDA, as well as the “cleanest fifteen”. This list reflects measurable pesticide residues on the parts of the foods normally consumed after being washed and peeled. These lists change for year to year.
The 2010 Dirty Dozen Foods List (*buy these in certified organic)
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
The Clean 15 List (*these are the least contaminated with pesticides)
1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Mangos
4. Asparagus
5. Cabbage
6. Cantaloupe
7. Grapefruit
8. Honeydew Melon
9. Avocado
10. Pineapple
11. Sweet Peas
12. Kiwi
13. Eggplant
14. Watermelon
15. Sweet Potato
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood.
We now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to realize that we must make some changes to how we shop and eat to minimize our consumption of pesticides.
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the those that do not . If consumers get their USDA-recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies from the 15 most contaminated, they could consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally grown produce ingest less than 2 pesticides daily.
EWG has been publishing guides to the "dirty dozen" of most pesticide contaminated foods since 1995, based on statistical analysis of testing conducted by the USDA and the FDA, as well as the “cleanest fifteen”. This list reflects measurable pesticide residues on the parts of the foods normally consumed after being washed and peeled. These lists change for year to year.
The 2010 Dirty Dozen Foods List (*buy these in certified organic)
1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Bell Peppers
8. Spinach
9. Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes (imported)
The Clean 15 List (*these are the least contaminated with pesticides)
1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Mangos
4. Asparagus
5. Cabbage
6. Cantaloupe
7. Grapefruit
8. Honeydew Melon
9. Avocado
10. Pineapple
11. Sweet Peas
12. Kiwi
13. Eggplant
14. Watermelon
15. Sweet Potato
Managing Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Sarah Dobec, Holistic Nutritionist
Are you afraid to eat an egg because of its cholesterol content? Well what if I told you that the stress around your daily decisions could also be contributing to your rising cholesterol levels?
For years we have directly linked dietary cholesterol with serum cholesterol. It is important to be aware of what we put in our mouths on a daily basis and yes, to a certain degree dietary cholesterol will contribute to your serum cholesterol but there are many other contributing factors.
Raised serum cholesterol is a symptom of an imbalance in the body. Cholesterol is created in the liver and distributed through the body for a variety of essential reasons. Cholesterol is:
- the foundation of every hormone
- an essential part of every cell structure needed for proper brain and nerve function
- an antioxidant in the body.
Therefore, it is important for us to consider the root cause of high cholesterol levels. Why is our body producing more cholesterol than is considered healthy? Some root causes could be:
* High stress levels - Adrenaline is a hormone so when our stress levels are high, our cholesterol needs go up.
* Inflammation in the body - When we experience inflammation cells are damaged and require cholesterol to be repaired. Inflammation is a common ailment in North America. When we address inflammation we often see remarkable improvements in health.
* Lack of exercise and fibre in the diet. Exercise is essential for overall health and can contribute to lowering serum cholesterol. Fibre will help collect and remove cholesterol from the body.
Recommendations:
Eat a diet high in vegetable, fruit, whole grains, essential fatty acids, water and fibre. Eat moderately - organic meat, poultry and dairy products.
Exercise every day.
Address stress - easy to say, not so easy to do. Make this a priority.
Ensure you are getting enough vitamin C, as well as other anti-oxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables.
Talk to your health care providers about your concerns around cholesterol and create a plan to manage healthy levels and a healthy life!
Sarah Dobec, Holistic Nutritionist
Are you afraid to eat an egg because of its cholesterol content? Well what if I told you that the stress around your daily decisions could also be contributing to your rising cholesterol levels?
For years we have directly linked dietary cholesterol with serum cholesterol. It is important to be aware of what we put in our mouths on a daily basis and yes, to a certain degree dietary cholesterol will contribute to your serum cholesterol but there are many other contributing factors.
Raised serum cholesterol is a symptom of an imbalance in the body. Cholesterol is created in the liver and distributed through the body for a variety of essential reasons. Cholesterol is:
- the foundation of every hormone
- an essential part of every cell structure needed for proper brain and nerve function
- an antioxidant in the body.
Therefore, it is important for us to consider the root cause of high cholesterol levels. Why is our body producing more cholesterol than is considered healthy? Some root causes could be:
* High stress levels - Adrenaline is a hormone so when our stress levels are high, our cholesterol needs go up.
* Inflammation in the body - When we experience inflammation cells are damaged and require cholesterol to be repaired. Inflammation is a common ailment in North America. When we address inflammation we often see remarkable improvements in health.
* Lack of exercise and fibre in the diet. Exercise is essential for overall health and can contribute to lowering serum cholesterol. Fibre will help collect and remove cholesterol from the body.
Recommendations:
Eat a diet high in vegetable, fruit, whole grains, essential fatty acids, water and fibre. Eat moderately - organic meat, poultry and dairy products.
Exercise every day.
Address stress - easy to say, not so easy to do. Make this a priority.
Ensure you are getting enough vitamin C, as well as other anti-oxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables.
Talk to your health care providers about your concerns around cholesterol and create a plan to manage healthy levels and a healthy life!
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