Calgary Wellness Blog

5 EASY WAYS TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM

2011-12-20T16:26:00.001-08:00

Metabolism refers to the rate at which your body burns calories. Your metabolic rate is your personal “calories-per-hour” number. Your metabolism is lowest while you sleep and highest during and right after vigorous exercise. Here are a few tips for raising your metabolism:

1. DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST

The morning meal jump starts your metabolism and helps to prevent bingeing later in the day. A cup of coffee does not count – the caffeine and added sugar may give you a bit of energy and suppress your appetite for a little while, but generally backfires causing severe hunger and overeating later in the day. Breakfast should include a source of protein, fruits and vegetables, some complex carbohydrates like whole grain (granola or oatmeal), along with a source of healthy fat (olive oil or nuts) to keep your energy levels even and hunger in check. Think that's too much volume? Try a green smoothie with protein powder and omega-3 supplements!

2. EAT MORE OFTEN

Get into the habit of eating every three to four hours or at least four times a day. Eating frequently stabilizes blood sugar. When blood sugar drops too low you want to eat…a lot. By keeping your blood sugar stable you can control your appetite and keep you metabolic rate high. When you go many hours without eating your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy.

3. EAT PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL

Protein takes more energy and time to digest, and will leave you feeling full longer than eating carbohydrates alone. Research shows that eating more protein can help you lose weight without cutting calories. Try these protein possibilities: turkey on whole grain bread; hummus and pita; vegetarian bean chili; nut butter and veggies; or even biked eggs (6 grams of protein per egg). Avoid protein snack bars that are often loaded with unnecessary sugars.

4. HOLD OFF ON SNACKING

Many of us grab a snack for quick energy when we are feeling tired, but do not confuse true hunger with fatigue. If you are feeling tired go for a 15-20 minute brisk walk and stay hydrated with water. This will raise your heart rate and give you a boost of energy. If you are truly more hungry than tired, you may not be eating enough at your meals. Consider a protein snack like half a boiled egg or hummus and veggies.

5. CONSUME ENOUGH FOR YOUR BODY’S NEEDS

Eating too little slows your body’s metabolism the same way eating too infrequently does. If you want to lose weight, do not slash your calories. Instead, choose to eat an abundance of healthy foods and avoid things like soda, juice, packaged goods or candy. Processed foods tend to be high in fat and calories and low in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Also consider eating 3 servings of vegetables for every serving of fruit.

Although a healthy diet is one step towards a healthy metabolic rate, a healthy nervous system is even more important as it controls digestion, heart rate and the movement essential for a healthy body.

The Role of Antioxidants in Good Health

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone has heard about the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining good health. Similarly, everyone knows that they should be getting exercise - or at the very least adding more activity into their days. Getting a good night's sleep is essential - without it, you'll find that your immune system starts to slack off a bit and you put yourself at a greater risk for catching a cold or coming down with the flu.

We all know what we should be doing, but let's be honest: very few of us eat a balanced diet all of the time. Many of us make the choice to take the elevator rather than the stairs and we try to find a parking place that's as close as possible to our destination rather than taking the opportunity to walk a little further. We also tend to let stress, work, social gatherings and more interfere with the amount of sleep that we're able to get each night.

When we don't go the extra mile to take care of ourselves, and when our immune systems start to falter because of it, we may not feel it right away. Soon, sluggishness starts creeping in. This sluggishness not only slows us down, it also ages us prematurely.

Fortunately, there's something that we can do to counteract some of these effects. We can maintain our vigor and reduce the risk of disease simply by adding antioxidants to our diet.

What are antioxidants? The simplest answer is that antioxidants are plant-derived compounds that help prevent and repair cellular damage. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, lycopene and resveratrol are all examples of antioxidants that are found in fruits and vegetables. By making an effort to add antioxidants to our diet, we can slow the cellular damage that leads to disease.

Antioxidants are, in effect, sponges that soak up the free radicals in our systems. Excess free radicals are generated by the less healthy foods that we eat, alcohol that we drink, smoke that we're exposed, and stress that we endure.

Free radicals damage our DNA and other cellular structures at the molecular level. Antioxidants roam around the body inactivating the free radicals and also assisting in damage repair. Damage that isn’t repaired can cause a cell to die, malfunction or replicate uncontrollably (such as in a tumor).

You can fight back against free radicals by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Sleeping On Your Stomach!

2011-09-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

Research shows that sleeping on your stomach has numerous health benefits. Sleeping on your stomach causes you to slightly extend your neck, supporting the natural curves in your spine and opening the air passages. This is a great position for individuals who have snoring or breathing problems or for those who have a difficult time getting a restful sleep at night.

Sleeping on your back tends to flex your neck forward and places undue stress on your spine and airways. Research indicates back sleepers have a higher incidence of snoring, sleep apnea and cardiovascular problems like heart attacks and strokes.

A chiropractic doctor can evaluate your nerve system and may order x-rays to determine if there are any signs of stress on the spine. We may also educate you on correct sleeping positions and supports as well as provide specific, gentle adjustments to help you restore proper function of the spinal joints. Alleviating nerve stress in the neck can enhance communication from the brain to the muscles of the neck and upper extremities, the throat structures including the thyroid and parathyroid glands, your heart and your digestive organs, to name only a few. Since the neck also contains nerves responsible for calming your stress, chiropractic care may help with insomnia challenges and lowering your blood pressure as well.

Healthy individuals do not need to use pillows unless they sleep on their side. A common mistake for side sleepers is to use a pillow that is not tailored to support their spine. Check your pillow – when you sleep on your side, is your neck tilted up or down? Side sleepers need to support their neck so their spine lies like a straight line from their neck to their lower back. Putting a pillow between your knees will also help maintain proper side posture when you sleep.

If you currently sleep on your back, make sure your neck is extended back so your chin and forehead are parallel to the ceiling. Often people do not use their orthopedic pillows correctly and sleep with their neck in a flexed posture. Adjust your pillow and seek professional advice for custom fitting and positioning. The solution need not be expensive; sometimes a rolled towel is all you may need.

If your child uses a pillow, transition them to sleep on their side with a very flat pillow that offers good neck support.

If you are unsure about your family’s specific needs, contact us for a no charge sleeping consultation.

Backpack Safety Tips

2011-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

Choose a carrier that is right for your child. Backpacks must be worn over both shoulders otherwise it’s best to consider getting an alternative bag. Satchels can be worn with the strap crossing over the head and shoulder to distribute the weight across the body and not just on one side. Some backpacks can be wheeled about like luggage, the best option when you need to carry heavy loads.
Adjust shoulder straps to avoid compressing the delicate nerves and blood vessels that pass to the arms. You should be able to slide two fingers easily in the armpit areas.
Rest the bottom of the backpack no lower than the hips so your child can maintain a healthy posture and not arch their head and body forward to balance the load.
Stabilize side-to-side movement by choosing a backpack with belts that can be fastened across the chest and/or waist.
Pack your backpack so the heaviest items sit closest to the spine.
Find a friend to share your load. Take turns bringing texts home and do schoolwork together.
Use a small homework binder that will contain only essential information for your assignments instead of carrying all your materials home.
Complete assignments from heavy books before or after school or over lunch so you don’t carry these items home.
A full backpack should not weigh more than 10% of your child’s body weight (15% if over grade eight). Choose lightweight fabrics to further minimize loads on the spine.
Avoid twisting and lifting motions. Bend knees when lifting a backpack and rest it on a table so you can put it on properly.

Alarming facts about Cell Phones, TV’s & Computer Games!

2011-08-03T00:17:00.000-07:00

Research shows alarming facts when it comes to the effects of cell phones, TV’s and computer games on the brain. The brain and spinal cord are so delicate they are the only structures in your body completely encased in bone. Every cell in the body relies on a direct link to the brain, healthy nutrition and stimulation. Cell phones, TV’s and computer games should be avoided as they interfere with healthy development of the brain and can cause health concerns such as attention and hyperactivity disorders, obesity and even cancer.

When it comes to cell phones, children and teens are more at risk since their brains are still developing. Teens on cell phones are five times more likely to get brain cancer by the time they reach their mid-twenties. A two-minute cell phone call can disrupt the electrical activity in a child’s brain for up to two hours! If you have a child who has trouble focusing and paying attention, look at the time they spend on their phones. Research shows American teens spend an average of 43+ hours using their cell phones. How much time does your family spend?

As for TV, there should be no TV for children under the age of two! Yes this goes for educational programs as well! Research shows that for every hour a preschooler spends watching TV, their risk of developing  ADHD later in life increases by 10%. Children who watched TV for 4 hours or more a day have a higher ratio of body fat than those who watched 1-3 hours. Lowest body fat ratios were in kids who watched less than 1 hour of TV.

Your intelligent brain responds differently when playing sports on your WII versus really playing sports. Children playing computer games are on virtual autopilot and are unable to separate themselves from the game. They experience real life stress symptoms of increased heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature as if they are really part of the game. Watching violence reduces brain activity in the area that controls behaviour. Really, there is nothing healthy about computer games for children; general computer use should also be limited. Research shows there is no activity in the area of the brain responsible for planning, problem solving, short-term memory, behavior, socialization and altruistic behaviours, when playing computer games, no matter how complex. Again if you don’t use it, you risk losing it!

You may be thinking how do you undo history when it comes to your family’s exposure to these devices? First find comfort that no matter your age, you can always improve your brain! Anything that challenges balance and improves posture is a key in improving brain health. Eat well, sleep well, get regular spinal check ups and create opportunities to be outside with the family.

Also don’t look at making changes as taking “drastic measures,” Find ways to minimize exposure, Consider keeping cell phones off and set regular times in the day to turn them on to make quick calls when land lines are not available. Be responsible with social media, it’s easy to get out of control! Forward your phone and media messages to email so you reduce the number of devices you rely on. Limit your time on devices, whether for work, school or play, and bank unused time as currency towards bigger rewards. Get yourself checked to see if you need to invest in electromagnetic protective devices, although many may benefit, not everyone needs them!

Stimulating brain activity in appropriate areas is the key to nurturing healthy brains and raising smarter kids. I challenge every family to have a 48 hour electronic cleanse once a month - for health’s sake!

Calgary Choice Award Best Medical & Health Care Services

2011-07-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the anonymous individuals who have nominated us for the Calgary Choice Awards for Best Medical and Health Care Services.

Please consider voting for us at www.calgarychoiceawards.ca.

Leave a comment and help spread the word!

Voting ends Sept 1, 2011. One vote per IP address.

Thank you for recognizing our efforts in the areas of health and wellness care, community outreach and education.

What a privilege and honour to be nominated in this way!

Adapting to Stress

2011-04-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

Our ability to adapt to stress is a good measure of how healthy we really are!

Physical stresses can result from injuries like heavy lifting and motor vehicle accidents, improper walking and even poor posture such as from slouching at your computer! Nutritional stresses result from poor eating habits, pesticides, toxins and even eating vitamins you don't need. Emotional stresses might be the result of a bad relationship, being dissatisfied with the direction your life is taking, or even from grieving the loss of a loved one.

When physical, nutritional or emotional stress impacts your nervous system, it can effect how well your brain controls your body. Symptoms of low energy, chronic/recurrent pain, hormonal imbalances, body fat, poor digestion, anxiety and even poor sleep are just a few signs that there may be a problem in the brain-body communication system and in the body's ability to adapt.

Obtaining a correct diagnosis of the underlying cause of your stress is the first step in fixing communications. Removing the barriers to your healing is the next step in enabling all the parts of your body to work at their  best! 

Earth Hour

2011-03-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Earth Hour is Saturday March 26th from 8:30 to 9:30pm.

Earth Hour is a global event created to mobilize people around the world to turn their lights off for one hour, to show support for action on climate change.

Please join us in making a difference this year.

Earth Hour is more than just about turning out the lights for an hour, once a year.

It's a statement about how we each must change our behaviour in order to help our planet and everyone on it.

I spilled my chai

2011-03-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

I was on a conference call recently when I accidentally knocked over my cup of chai. My son Noah entered the room and saw the dark liquid all over my light grey carpet and this is how our conversation went:

Noah: “What Happened!”

Me: “I just spilled my Chai. Would you please get me some paper towels?”

Noah: “Are you sad?”

Me: “No Noah, it was just an accident. Now will you please get me some paper towels?”

Noah: “OK!” And he ran out the door.

Kids have a great way of dissecting problems to the core… what happened and how did it made me feel? It’s the basis of what is truly important and what drives our actions in life!

Discover the underlying cause of your concerns. How does living with this problem make you feel? Now let’s decide on a plan to make it right!

Chinooks Do Not Cause Headaches!

2011-03-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

Chinook warm winds have been linked to migraines, irritability and sleeplessness. Contrary to popular belief, these symptoms are not caused by Chinooks; rather they are caused by the body’s inability to adapt to the environmental changes these warm winds bring.

A healthy communication system is essential for a healthy body. Your brain sends electrical signals along the nerves to control and co-ordinate all the body’s structures and functions. A healthy body is one that can easily and quickly adapt to both internal and external stresses. When there is a problem with the transmission of messages to and from the brain, the body lets us know with symptoms such as fatigue, poor sleep, digestive issues and even “Chinook Headaches!”

Healthy posture is essential for healthy communication. Look in the mirror while standing. Is your head tilted? Is one shoulder higher than the other? Are your hips even? When you sit, do you slouch forward, cross your legs or favour one side? Do you find it hard to keep your eyes focused? Is your back tired at the end of the day?

A healthy spine and nerve system improves your ability to adapt to stress, by enabling you to have better control of all your body's cells, tissues, organs and systems. This reduces symptoms of poor health and promotes health and vitality.

Just think about what you could accomplish given the opportunity to fully express your health potential!

Designing Your Health for the Future!

2011-02-17T01:21:00.000-08:00

Draw a horizontal line across a blank piece of paper. This symbolizes a health continuum where on one side you have poor health and on the other side you have optimum health. Now mark a single line through the health line symbolizing where you are with your health status right now, physically, emotionally and nutritionally.

Are you happy with your grade?

In life, every action you take will move you towards optimum health or away from it. When there is inaction, your body creates defense mechanisms to help you cope. Your body doesn’t know when you will decide to act to correct a problem. It doesn’t know you have it on your schedule for next month, next week or even tomorrow. It only knows that it must adapt to all internal and external stresses, automatically, as a healthy body is designed to do.

Unfortunately, the toll of persistent neglect of your body’s needs presents itself usually as a crisis, when the layers of defenses and compensatory mechanisms can’t allow your body to cope anymore. That’s when nagging and recurring chronic symptoms, or worse yet, unsuspecting positive lab values surface, flagging concerns that could have been prevented had you just paid attention and made the decision to act earlier.

Your health status today is the result of all the actions you have made to date. Designing your health for the future requires action today.

If you are happy with where you are in your health status then I congratulate you and challenge you to set the bar even higher. Create a minimum of 5 new health goals that you will strive to achieve in the next 3 months, 6 months and 9 months; that’s 15 measurable goals that will move you further towards optimum health! And then share these with someone who will motivate you to stay on track.

If you are unhappy about your health status, or you are concerned about the trend you are setting for the future, then TAKE ACTION NOW! Call or email our office for a no charge consultation. Do it now, even if it’s after hours and you don’t have your schedule and you have to leave a message.

Let’s move forward together in dis-covering the underlying causes for your health concerns, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, consistently... It’s the only way to design your health for the future…

It is as simple as that.

Noah's Holiday Lesson

2010-12-20T21:42:00.000-08:00

Noah brought Christmas cards for his friends and was upset when his teacher handed them out and she didn't have one for him. "Where's my card?" he asked wondering why all his friends received one and he didn't. As much as his teacher tried to explain, I could see in Noah’s eyes that he didn’t understand and he was disappointed that he didn't get to take one of his cards home.

Noah taught me a big lesson that afternoon, one of sharing and one of caring for ourselves. How often do we make the time to help our friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, charities, etc. and in the end we run out of time and energy for ourselves? How many of us even put ourselves on the list?

The spirit of the season brings out the best in all of us and I know our hearts and intentions are pure... but sometimes, even though we mean well, like Noah we might feel disappointed, sad and even stressed! Many of us might be so busy pleasing others, we neglect to treat ourselves with the same consideration and care we show our friends and love ones.

I needed to show Noah the importance of both giving to others and himself. So that afternoon, when we came home from preschool, we made a special card from Noah to himself, wishing him health and happiness always. It's our plan to read that card along with a list of our family’s dreams and goals for 2011 on New Years Eve.

So this season, give yourself the most valuable gift you can, the gift of time... time reserved only for you, time you can use to do the things you love to do and recharge your batteries! You are only good to your loved ones when you look after yourself. So do it! And do it guilt free!

Exercise does not burn fat!

2010-11-25T22:37:00.000-08:00

Contrary to popular belief, working out does not burn fat. Working out stimulates the production of hormones that burn fat. It is only during sleep that these hormones become active.

If you find yourself having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, or worse yet you wake up more tired than when you went to bed, maybe that's where the weight loss challenge lies.

Chiropractic care successfully addresses the restful sleep problems faced by so many of our patients by alleviating stress on the spine and it's delicate nerve structures. This enables you to have better control of all your body's cells, tissues, organs and systems.

Who knows what you could accomplish given the opportunity to fully express your health potential!

Fall Colours & Winter Blues!

2010-09-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why the leaves change colour in the fall? Plants rely on sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and glucose, a nutrient that the plant uses for energy. As the days grow shorter, the green pigment in leaves either fades away uncovering a variety of yellows and oranges, or the excess glucose and waste trapped in the leaves are converted to red and brown pigments. Either way the result is the beautiful foliage we witness in the fall.

Sunlight has an effect on people too! Many of us feel more energy when it’s sunny, while we might feel like curling up in a warm blanket with a cup of hot cocoa on a cloudy rainy day. Although these mood changes don’t generally affect our daily routines and responsibilities, they can require us to muster up extra energy to get through our day. Some may experience recurrent mild clinical depression-like symptoms that are seasonal and that sometimes last until spring. This condition is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Many people ask me what can be done about winter blues? I think the better question is what can you do to become healthier so the shorter days don’t affect you? Every cell in the human body requires healthy nourishment, oxygen and stimulation so if you wake up more tired than when you went to bed, or you don’t have 14 hours of energy to help you through your 12 hour day, we need to examine why.

Give yourself a grade for each of the following areas of health (A+ for couldn’t be better, F for couldn’t be worse!) Is your digestion healthy? Do you eat a healthy diet? Do you take nutrients to supplement your diet deficiencies? Do you feel toxic or are exposed to toxins? Do you have allergies and sensitivities? How healthy is your posture? Do you struggle with energy or hormone imbalances? How well do you cope with stress? Do you form and keep healthy relationships? Are you at your ideal weight? How is your body image and self-esteem? Are you happy? Do you get a minimum of 7 hours of uninterrupted restful sleep?

If you scored less than A+ in any area then you may not be living your fullest health potential! Dis-covering the causes of poor health and fixing the basics in life is the first step for a healthier and happier you, and this resonates into all areas of your life.

The Truth About Calcium!

2010-07-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

If you think the main function of calcium in the body is to maintain healthy bones, you are not alone. Many believe we must supplement our diet with calcium in order to prevent osteoporosis and treat osteopenia (reduced bone density.) This unfortunately is a half-truth. The purpose of calcium in the body is for nerve signaling. If there is not enough calcium available for this purpose, the body will leech it from the bones. People who have low bone density usually do not show low blood levels of calcium because the calcium is taken out of the bones into the blood. In fact, one could argue that osteoporosis itself is a childhood disease that can be prevented long before symptoms of adulthood.

So why the need for calcium supplementation?

It is during childhood that our skeletal structures mature from soft cartilage to hard bone. Our bones reach maturity by age 25 so this leads to two challenges. What if our childhood habits did not promote optimum bone mineralization in the first place? Having a diet rich in carbonated beverages and minimal calcium rich foods may have lowered our baseline for healthy bone density from the start! Add to that a sedentary seated lifestyle that does not encourage upright, weight bearing activities that improve posture and bone mineralization and we’ve got a shaky foundation to start off our adult life.

Unfortunately a diet rich in dairy (milk, cheese, etc) does not ensure calcium being re-deposited into the bones. First, did you know that an abundance of available calcium doesn't guarentee it will be reabsorbed into the bones? It's upright weight bearing activities that help strenghten your bones. Second, there is no calcium in cow’s milk. Our dairy is “fortified” with calcium. Better sources of calcium are found naturally in dark green leafy vegetables. For calcium to be absorbed in the body we need an acidic environment (pH 2-2.5) which is found in our stomach. Thus leads the question of how well calcium is absorbed in the body when put into foods like milk and cheese.

If calcium is needed for healthy bones and milk is fortified with calcium, logically milk is needed for healthy bones right? See how this argument may not make the best sense? I think a better question is not whether you need calcium supplements, it’s whether you can name at least 5 dark green leafy vegetables you’ve eaten this past week?

Reap what you sow...

2010-05-05T18:54:00.001-07:00

We’ve all heard the saying, but how many of us consciously apply it in our daily lives in order to shape our world?

Can you relate to any of these examples?

The flowers you nurtured from seedlings in your kitchen window...

Pain, low energy and chronic inflammation from poor posture that is left unattended...

A people pleasing personality as a result of issuing time outs and rewards for your child’s behaviour...

Losing 14 lbs and 9 inches in 10 days from being committed to increasing your metabolism...

Changing a 45 day menstrual cycle to 28 days within a couple of weeks of changing how you eat to balance your hormones...

A healthier environment for our children from choosing to buy high efficiency light bulbs and recycled products...

A young child, who without your contribution, has no means of pursuing her education or providing for her family...

Happiness and healthy self esteem as a result of keeping the promises you make to yourself...

Every action has a reaction, every cause, an effect. We are either moving towards or away from our goals... There are no coincidences in life.

What are you planning to do today?

Life is like a game of cards…

2010-03-18T11:16:00.000-07:00

Imagine playing cards with someone in your life. Both of you each have only two cards to play, red or black. You both choose a card & place it face down on the table. When ready you both turn over your cards & score your points. The winner is the person who accumulates the most points.

Scoring:

Every time a player plays a red card, they have a chance of winning 5 points if the other person plays black, or lose 1 point if the other person plays red. Every time a player plays black, they can win 2 points if the other person plays black or lose 2 points if the other person plays red.

Player 1 Player 2 Score 1 Score 2

Red Red - 1 - 1

Black Black + 2 + 2

Red Black + 5 - 2

Black Red - 2 + 5

What is your strategy in playing the game? How often will you play the red card to get ahead even if it causes the other player to lose points? How often will you risk playing the black card & be vulnerable to the other person who might play red? Ultimately we can not control what cards others will play, we can only control our own choices.

So what is the best win-win strategy in life’s game of cards? It is to play those cards that help you move ahead while not compromising another’s progress. We must consider playing only the black card regardless of what the other person might do. And if we continue to keep losing points in our card games, let’s not retaliate & start playing red. Perhaps in this situation the winning strategy is to choose not to play at all.

Ultimately, it is not the final score that counts; it is how you choose to play the game.

Amazing!

2010-02-17T13:53:00.000-08:00

Just yesterday my husband came home, picked up our baby girl & exclaimed “Babies are just amazing! You can pick them up to more than 3 times their height & they don’t even flinch! Can you imagine if someone lifted you 25 feet up in the air, what would you do?” All I could do was shake my head. He was absolutely right!

Sara just started to walk a couple of weeks ago after many months of trial & error, balancing & wobbling back & forth until now she runs across the room effortlessly! She didn’t use an instructions book to teach herself how to walk nor did she feel discouraged & give up whenever her bum met the floor! She was internally driven & persistent. This is nature’s way, unstoppable!

So why as adults do we allow layers of self doubt & fear to cover up our true essence? Shed them & dis-cover your true nature!