This time of year is tough. We’re tired of the short days, the cold, and of shoveling snow. It’s easy to get tied-up in day-to-day tasks and responsibilities and forget to take time to relax – not only our bodies, but our minds too. “I don’t have time to relax”, I hear over and over again. Well, if you don’t do it for yourself, eventually, your body will do it for you! We cannot stay healthy under constant pressure; it is essential for our vitality and longevity to block-off some “down time” in those chaotic schedules. Give it a try it… I think you’ll like it!
Yours In Health,
Dr. Karen Baker
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
NOTICE – Re: Parking
Please note: The parking lot at 542 Mt. Pleasant Road (just north of our building) is unfortunately not available to Lifewise. We have been notified that cars parked in that lot will be ticketed or towed (even after business hours).
There is ample free one-hour parking on most of the surrounding side streets, as well as Green-P metered parking on Mt. Pleasant, and a public parking lot behind 477 Mt. Pleasant.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Please note: The parking lot at 542 Mt. Pleasant Road (just north of our building) is unfortunately not available to Lifewise. We have been notified that cars parked in that lot will be ticketed or towed (even after business hours).
There is ample free one-hour parking on most of the surrounding side streets, as well as Green-P metered parking on Mt. Pleasant, and a public parking lot behind 477 Mt. Pleasant.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
The Dirty Dozen
Even the most health conscious people may not realize that their choice of shampoo, soap or hand lotion may be impacting their health. However, some of the chemicals found in personal care products can, in fact, be quite toxic, not only to the environment, but also to our bodies. We often don’t consider it so, but our skin is actually an organ, the largest in our body; and chemicals applied to the skin can be absorbed directly into the blood stream.
U.S. researchers have now identified 10,500 industrial chemicals used as cosmetic ingredients, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxics, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers and surfactants. Recently, the David Suzuki Foundation identified twelve of the worst offenders and coined them “The Dirty Dozen”; all of these ingredients have been linked to health and environmental concerns, including cancer, reproductive disorders, asthma and severe allergies. Almost 80% of products on the market contain at least one of these Dirty Dozen ingredients.
Equally disturbing, loopholes in Canada's cosmetic ingredient labelling requirements result in incomplete ingredient lists on many products. Manufacturers are not required to disclose specific fragrance ingredients on the product label. Instead, the generic term parfum is listed, representing a mysterious mixture of potentially dozens of chemicals.
Personal care products regulated as "drugs" on the basis of therapeutic claims (e.g., tartar-fighting toothpaste, bacteria-killing cleansers, and face cream with sun protection) are not subject to the cosmetic ingredient labelling requirements. While products marketed as "fragrance-free" or "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients, in the form of masking agents that prevent the brain from perceiving odour.
Here is THE LIST of these top 12 culprits and their potential effects on the body and the environment:
1. BHA and BHT: Used mainly in moisturizers and makeup as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disruptors and may cause cancer (BHA). Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
2. Coal Tar Dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as "CI" followed by five digits. P-phenylenediamine is used in some hair dyes; other colours are used in a variety of cosmetics. Potential to cause cancer and may be contaminated with heavy metals toxic to the brain.
3. DEA-related ingredients: Used in some creamy and foaming products, such as moisturizers and shampoos. Can react to form nitrosamines, which may cause cancer. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
4. Dibutyl phthalate: Used as a plasticizer in some nail care products. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
5. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Used in a variety of cosmetics. Slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.
6. Paraben, methylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben: Used in a variety of cosmetics as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions.
7. Parfum: Any mixture of fragrance ingredients used in a variety of cosmetics. Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies and asthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity. Some harmful to fish and other wildlife.
8. PEGs (e.g., PEG -60): Used in some cosmetic cream bases. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer.
9. Petrolatum: Used in some hair products for shine and as a moisture barrier in some lip balms, lip sticks and moisturizers. Can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may cause cancer.
10. Siloxanes: Used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant (cyclotetrasiloxane). Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
11. Sodium laureth sulfate: Used in some foaming cosmetics, such as shampoos, cleansers and bubble bath. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer.
12. Triclosan: Used in some antibacterial cosmetics, such as toothpastes, cleansers and deodorants. Suspected endocrine disrupter and may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
As with the food we put in our bodies, we should also be reading the labels on the products we put on them!
Even the most health conscious people may not realize that their choice of shampoo, soap or hand lotion may be impacting their health. However, some of the chemicals found in personal care products can, in fact, be quite toxic, not only to the environment, but also to our bodies. We often don’t consider it so, but our skin is actually an organ, the largest in our body; and chemicals applied to the skin can be absorbed directly into the blood stream.
U.S. researchers have now identified 10,500 industrial chemicals used as cosmetic ingredients, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxics, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers and surfactants. Recently, the David Suzuki Foundation identified twelve of the worst offenders and coined them “The Dirty Dozen”; all of these ingredients have been linked to health and environmental concerns, including cancer, reproductive disorders, asthma and severe allergies. Almost 80% of products on the market contain at least one of these Dirty Dozen ingredients.
Equally disturbing, loopholes in Canada's cosmetic ingredient labelling requirements result in incomplete ingredient lists on many products. Manufacturers are not required to disclose specific fragrance ingredients on the product label. Instead, the generic term parfum is listed, representing a mysterious mixture of potentially dozens of chemicals.
Personal care products regulated as "drugs" on the basis of therapeutic claims (e.g., tartar-fighting toothpaste, bacteria-killing cleansers, and face cream with sun protection) are not subject to the cosmetic ingredient labelling requirements. While products marketed as "fragrance-free" or "unscented" may contain fragrance ingredients, in the form of masking agents that prevent the brain from perceiving odour.
Here is THE LIST of these top 12 culprits and their potential effects on the body and the environment:
1. BHA and BHT: Used mainly in moisturizers and makeup as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disruptors and may cause cancer (BHA). Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
2. Coal Tar Dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as "CI" followed by five digits. P-phenylenediamine is used in some hair dyes; other colours are used in a variety of cosmetics. Potential to cause cancer and may be contaminated with heavy metals toxic to the brain.
3. DEA-related ingredients: Used in some creamy and foaming products, such as moisturizers and shampoos. Can react to form nitrosamines, which may cause cancer. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
4. Dibutyl phthalate: Used as a plasticizer in some nail care products. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
5. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Used in a variety of cosmetics. Slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.
6. Paraben, methylparaben, butylparaben and propylparaben: Used in a variety of cosmetics as preservatives. Suspected endocrine disrupters and may interfere with male reproductive functions.
7. Parfum: Any mixture of fragrance ingredients used in a variety of cosmetics. Some fragrance ingredients can trigger allergies and asthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity. Some harmful to fish and other wildlife.
8. PEGs (e.g., PEG -60): Used in some cosmetic cream bases. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer.
9. Petrolatum: Used in some hair products for shine and as a moisture barrier in some lip balms, lip sticks and moisturizers. Can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may cause cancer.
10. Siloxanes: Used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten. Suspected endocrine disrupter and reproductive toxicant (cyclotetrasiloxane). Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
11. Sodium laureth sulfate: Used in some foaming cosmetics, such as shampoos, cleansers and bubble bath. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer.
12. Triclosan: Used in some antibacterial cosmetics, such as toothpastes, cleansers and deodorants. Suspected endocrine disrupter and may contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.
As with the food we put in our bodies, we should also be reading the labels on the products we put on them!
Tough Cookies!
Are you still trying to drop those few extra pounds from over-indulging during the holidays? Don’t give up. As tempting as fad diets sound in the ads, we all know that there is no magic bullet for weight loss. The formula is simple: food energy consumed vs energy expended; of course, the execution is much more of a challenge - it takes self-discipline, conscious choices, and let’s face it, hard work!
To lose weight, we have to eat fewer calories than our body uses. Calories are the amount of energy in the food we eat. Some foods have more calories than others. For example, foods (or drinks) that are high in fat and sugar are also high in calories. If we eat MORE calories than our body uses, the extra calories will be stored as body excess fat.
It’s easy to get into the habit of taking an extra helping or buying snacks in the check-out line, but before you reach for a second (or third) cookie, think about this: one pound of fat equals about 3,500 calories. To lose 1 pound of fat we have to eat 3,500 fewer calories, or "burn-off" an extra 3,500 calories than we require to maintain our existing weight.
For safe and lasting weight loss, slow and steady wins the race: by cutting 250 calories from our diet each day and exercising enough to burn off 250 calories, adds up to 500 fewer calories in one day. If we do this for 7 days, we can lose 1 pound of fat in a week.
In a society that where tempting treats are around every corner and our notion of portion size is so distorted, it’s easy to develop bad habits.
Becoming a little bit more aware of what we put in our mouth and choosing to move our bodies a little bit more each day, we can achieve lasting, healthy results.
Are you still trying to drop those few extra pounds from over-indulging during the holidays? Don’t give up. As tempting as fad diets sound in the ads, we all know that there is no magic bullet for weight loss. The formula is simple: food energy consumed vs energy expended; of course, the execution is much more of a challenge - it takes self-discipline, conscious choices, and let’s face it, hard work!
To lose weight, we have to eat fewer calories than our body uses. Calories are the amount of energy in the food we eat. Some foods have more calories than others. For example, foods (or drinks) that are high in fat and sugar are also high in calories. If we eat MORE calories than our body uses, the extra calories will be stored as body excess fat.
It’s easy to get into the habit of taking an extra helping or buying snacks in the check-out line, but before you reach for a second (or third) cookie, think about this: one pound of fat equals about 3,500 calories. To lose 1 pound of fat we have to eat 3,500 fewer calories, or "burn-off" an extra 3,500 calories than we require to maintain our existing weight.
For safe and lasting weight loss, slow and steady wins the race: by cutting 250 calories from our diet each day and exercising enough to burn off 250 calories, adds up to 500 fewer calories in one day. If we do this for 7 days, we can lose 1 pound of fat in a week.
In a society that where tempting treats are around every corner and our notion of portion size is so distorted, it’s easy to develop bad habits.
Becoming a little bit more aware of what we put in our mouth and choosing to move our bodies a little bit more each day, we can achieve lasting, healthy results.
What’s in a Serving?
The average portion size is much smaller than most people think. Portions are usually averaged out to contain between 90 and 160 calories. Foods that are calorie dense come in very small portion sizes. For example, one half (40 grams) of a small slice of cheesecake contains 130 calories. On the other hand, 40 grams of a food like lettuce or spinach barely contains 10 calories and fills a salad bowl. A plate of food at a restaurant is, on average, 4 to 6 times larger than a recommended portion size! Start paying attention to your portion sizes – at home use a smaller plate to make the portion appear larger, in a restaurant you don’t have to finish everything on your plate - enjoy it again for lunch tomorrow!
Here are some easy references for appropriate portion sizes:
3 oz. of meat = Deck of cards
Baked potato = Computer mouse
Bagel = Hockey puck
Potato chips, pretzels = Teacup
Rice = Cupcake wrapper
1 oz. of cheese = Roll of film
Nuts = Egg
Pasta = Lightbulb
The average portion size is much smaller than most people think. Portions are usually averaged out to contain between 90 and 160 calories. Foods that are calorie dense come in very small portion sizes. For example, one half (40 grams) of a small slice of cheesecake contains 130 calories. On the other hand, 40 grams of a food like lettuce or spinach barely contains 10 calories and fills a salad bowl. A plate of food at a restaurant is, on average, 4 to 6 times larger than a recommended portion size! Start paying attention to your portion sizes – at home use a smaller plate to make the portion appear larger, in a restaurant you don’t have to finish everything on your plate - enjoy it again for lunch tomorrow!
Here are some easy references for appropriate portion sizes:
3 oz. of meat = Deck of cards
Baked potato = Computer mouse
Bagel = Hockey puck
Potato chips, pretzels = Teacup
Rice = Cupcake wrapper
1 oz. of cheese = Roll of film
Nuts = Egg
Pasta = Lightbulb
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