Jo-Anne Richardson, RHNJo-Anne Richardson, RHN

Jo-Anne Richardson has almost a decade of experience managing a chiropractic office and educating patients on how chiropractic can allow your body to express optimal health. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and holds a Degree in Communications. She loves to experiment with raw vegan recipes, loves to salsa dance, travel and learn new holistic health information to share tips with everyone who visits the office.

“What exactly is Homeopathy?”

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homeopathy

As a certified Homeopath I am often asked “What exactly is Homeopathy”?

Many of us have heard the word and seen the small vials filled with pellets at the health food store but are still unsure of what Homeopathy exactly is.  Many people think homeopathic remedies are just another form of herbal medicine but in actuality most homeopathic medicines contain only the “vibration” or “memory” of the original substances and not the actual substance at all therefore making Homeopathy its own unique system of medicine.

Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician founded Homeopathy in the late 1700s.  The fundamental principle of Homeopathy is The Law of Similars, which means “like cures likes”.  What exactly does that mean?  According to Hahnemann, one can treat individuals with medicines that are capable of producing in a healthy person similar symptoms to those experienced in a sick person.  For example, drinking coffee can CAUSE insomnia but used in the homeopathic form, coffea is often used to TREAT insomnia.

Homeopathic remedies are made from either mineral, plant or animal substances where the original substance is diluted many times over and shaken (succussed).   This potentisation process allows the water to retain only a “memory or vibration” of the actual substance and no molecules of the original substance due to the dilution process are left. This is why many people believe it is a placebo effect. 

I know that it is hard to believe that a remedy with no crude substance can work but it really does!  In fact, the system of action that gives homeopathics their capability is multifaceted, and specialists are now studying quantum physics and the science of nanoparticles to more completely understand how homeopathic remedies work.  Keep in mind that homeopathy is used on animals, infants and children with great success where the placebo effect is absent.

According to the Homeopathic Research Institute over 200 million people worldwide use homeopathy on a regular basis.  Homeopathy is included in the national health systems of a number of countries including the United Kingdom, India and Switzerland.  Homeopathy is practiced in 40 out of 42 European countries.

Homeopathic care is individualized and involves assessing an individual’s body system disorders.  We take into account the person as a whole; the physical, emotional and mental symptoms.  Specific homeopathic interview methods are used, then homeopathic remedies are prescribed to stimulate, maintain or restore health.  Homeopathy is used to treat acute conditions such as the common cold or a sprained ankle as well as chronic and long standing conditions such as depression, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances and eczema to name a few.

Homeopathy is a gentle but effective path to healing and can be used with children and infants, adults, the elderly, and even animals making it a wonderful starting point for anyone new to alternative medicine.  Homeopathy is safe and a natural system of healing that will assist your own body to clear itself of any imbalance, restoring itself and improving your overall health. All in all Homeopathy works by stimulating your body’s OWN healing power.

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Blog by Guest Author:

Nanette BasicNanette Basic
Registered Homeopath, B.A., HOM
Homeopathy is an alternative system of medicine that stimulates the body to heal itself. As a homeopath, Nanette’s vision is to promote individualized health and healing in its most gentle, effective and natural form.  She treats a wide range of physical conditions such as digestive and hormonal issues as well as mental and emotional concerns. Nanette completed an intensive program at the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine, has a B.A. in Sociology and is fluent in French. She has a network of professional colleagues in the natural health field, with which she collaborates including homeopaths, naturopaths, chiropractors and massage therapists. Her services include homeopathic treatment, natural supplement recommendations if needed, lifestyle and nutritional counselling. Her purpose is to put the choice of health back into the hands of the individual to live a happier, healthier and better quality of life. 

Find Nanette at

www.Facebook.com/HomeoMedNaturalHealth

[email protected]

416.312.6208

The Brain in Your Gut

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You live your life through your nervous system. Every sound, sight and touch is filtered through your brain so you can make sense of the world. Your perceptions – filtered through your nervous system – are your reality. We hear a lot of talk about your central nervous system – your brain and your spinal cord. But think about the last time you felt sick to your stomach because you were nervous, scared or anxious. This is evidence of a whole other division of your nervous system at work, called your enteric nervous system, which is intrinsic to your gastrointestinal tract. Research is now bringing to light the critical role this system plays in pretty much every aspect of our health and well-being.

Just as we have nerve cells in our brain and spinal cord, we have nerve cells in our intestinal lining as well. In fact, the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system were created from the same tissue during fetal development and they remain connected through the vagus nerve. There are actually over 100 million neurons that line the intestinal walls, which have led scientists to label the totality of them as “the second brain”. Not only is this second brain regulating muscles, immune cells, and hormones, but it is manufacturing 80-90% of the serotonin in our bodies, which is our “master happiness molecule”.

The connection between your gut and your brain is bidirectional. Just as your brain is telling your gut how quickly to digest the food or when to secrete acid in the stomach, the neurons in your gut are also communicating to your brain about the environment they are encountering. When your body is faced with a substance or an ingredient it doesn’t like, it will experience an immune response. Chronic immune activation and resulting inflammation from these stresses can lead to chronic disease, including brain diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis.

We cannot talk about the brain in your gut without mentioning the role of the complex internal ecosystem that exists inside of us, called the microbiome. It turns out that your microbiome is just as vital to your health as your heart, lungs, liver and brain. It is responsible for multiple tasks, such as aiding in digestion and absorption of nutrients, acting as a detoxification machine, and producing important enzymes, vitamins and neurotransmitters. Perhaps the largest role the microbiome plays is in your immune response. Your gut represents 70-80% of the body’s total immune system. This supports what we have known for a long time: your food choices have a tremendous impact on the state of your microbiome and, therefore, the state of your health.

So what can you do to improve the health of your gut?

1) Choose foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt, kefir, kombucha tea, tempeh, sauerkraut or pickles

2) Avoid sugar, embrace high-quality fat

3) Enjoy wine, tea, coffee, and chocolate

4) Choose foods rich in prebiotics, such as raw garlic, raw leek, raw or cooked onion, raw asparagus

When looking at our health, it is important take a holistic approach. We know our body parts don’t work in isolation. All parts of our nervous system work together to determine how well we function. Taking care of yourself through proper nutrition, regular exercise, stress management, and regular chiropractic care is fundamental to living a healthy life.

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Blog by Guest Author:

Dr. Lesley EvansDr. Lesley Evans is a chiropractor in Kitchener, Ontario. She is the co-owner of Bruce Street Family Chiropractic, alongside Dr. Adam Brookes. She graduated from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, located in Toronto, Ontario. Dr. Lesley is passionate about helping others live the best quality of life that they can through chiropractic care and lifestyle choices.

Website: www.brucestreetfamilychiropractic.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brucestreetfamilychiropractic 

phone: 519 743 6339 

References:

1) Perlmutter, David (2015). Brain Maker. Little, Brown and Company.

2) Round, June & Mazmanian, Sarkis (2009). The gut microbiome shapes intestinal immune responses during health and disease. Nat Rev Immunology (May 9 (5): 313-323.

The #1 Thing Blocking You from Optimal Health

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Think about all the trillions of cells in your body for a minute. Just image the intelligence that is required within those cells to, for example, multiply and create a new life; a whole new human with all of its’ complexities. Our body knows how to do that…without ANY of our conscious help – isn’t that mind blowing? The point here being, our cells know what they are doing, they have enough divine intelligence within to know what healthy is, and in fact the natural state of our cells and our body is well being. That well being, is what we call homeostasis or being in balance.

The trillions of cells in your body know how to be healthy.

Okay so why are so many people in the world sick or struggling with physical ailments? There are a number of external conditions that throw us out of whack or off balance, the food we eat, the environment we are exposed to, our close relationships, but the one that is actually the most powerful and the one you have the most control over is what goes on between your two ears everyday.

What you think about your health makes a difference.

If you are here reading this article, I am sure you have heard before, there is a direct connection between body and mind, and if you are reaching for some element of greater physical health without attending to what goes on in the mind, you are missing half of the answer. Your reality is a reflection of what you believe to be true. You actually create your own reality based on your individual set of beliefs.

Have you ever taken a step back and asked yourself what you believe to be true about your physical body health or does it just feel like an automatic response based on what you have experienced and observed? Everybody gets sick in the winter; healthy food is expensive, it’s normal to get sick when you’re older, losing weight is hard.

These are all ideas that have been conditioned and accepted within us as facts. But I guarantee you these ideas are not true for every person in the world. There are people who go through winters without being sick, people living happily and healthy well over a century, and there are people at a healthy weight without sacrificing what they want, so what’s the difference?

What you say to yourself on a consistent basis about anything becomes a belief.

Beliefs are formed within us by years of repeating the same thought over until it becomes engrained, becomes a physical pathway in our brain, as well as our default. What most people don’t realize is their power in choosing a belief. Every individual has the power to choose to believe something or not – you are the one in control. And when you being to understand the connection between what you believe and what you experience in life, you suddenly start paying more attention to what you belief about health.

A belief is simply a thought you keep thinking.

New beliefs take time to take hold and it happens through conscious awareness and practice, but you can make a powerful decision right now and decide to be the one that chooses your beliefs about health. Start by asking yourself the question: What do I want to be true about my health? Actually make a list. You will be surprised at the invisible power that pulls you forward when you gain clarity on what it is you want to experience. How do you want to feel about your health? Do you want it to feel easy or stressful? You get to choose.

Our physical bodies are one of the most wondrous creations on this whole planet and you have the power to fully nourish or impede the healthy balance through your thoughts. What will you choose?

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Guest blog by: Ginny Gane

Ginny GaneGinny Gane is a shiny, fun Law of Attraction expert for people who crave more out of life and are ready to realize their full potential. She was raised with the belief anything is possible and we always have a choice.

Being involved in competitive athletics for twenty years allowed her the ideal opportunity to develop and practice the mental strength required for success, which lead to her passion for helping others understand their true potential as creators of their own lives. While backpacking around Australia for a year in 2009, she read Esther and Jerry Hick’s Emotions and felt a complete resonance with their teachings and message. From then on, everything could be explained and understood in vibrational terms and the possibilities of potential opened up even more.

Ginny lives her life based on the principles of The Law of Attraction, and inspires you to honour your own values and follow your dreams. Her wish is for individuals to break away from what one is “supposed to do,” tap into what one really wants to do, and let it flow easily into one’s experience. “I would love everyone to wake up in the morning and feel excited and in love with their life,” she says and holds the unwavering belief it can be done! Ginny knows that wherever you are, you can get to where you want to be, and the path can be as easy and as fun as you want.

Through her fun and easy courses, ebooks, and personal coaching, she reminds you of your incredible personal power while making it all feel like having an ice cold beer on a hot day. Ahh. Her rockstar followers and clients have called her “uplifting,” “a light,” and one woman even said “After a session with Ginny, you’ll honestly feel as though you can accomplish anything!” When she’s not playing with LOA or co-hosting the popular podcast Manifest It Now, you can find her indulging in sunshiny outdoor adventures, fun fitness exercise and practicing singing…along to the radio.

Find Ginny at

www.ginnygane.com

https://www.facebook.com/ginnygane/

Did You Know Memories Can Cause Pain?

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Did you know Memories can cause pain???

Memories are stored in every cell in your body, not just in your brain. Actively or Passively, you choose.

So why does it matter on how memories are stored? What does that mean for you or your loved ones?

Memories are either stored actively or passively in the chemical and hormonal receptors in your cells, tissues, muscles, organs, etc. When a memory is passive we remember the memory as a simple memory trace in the mind and store uncomplicated memory patterns without strong chemical reactions. The stronger or more interesting the memory is the easier it is to recall it. Pleasant scents and aromas, touch, colour, sounds can all contribute to this. Passive memory is a healthy, normal function of the body and the desired situation.

Active memory is a state where we store the memory with an active charge, or stress chemistry and this causes dis-ease!  Acrid disturbing smells (fire, smoke), touch (pain, wounds, trauma), colour and sounds can all contribute to this. Active memory is a normal however unhealthy imbalanced function of the body and the undesired situation.

Active memory occurs when we have not fully synthesized or processed the emotional component of an experience. The subconscious mind holds onto the memory and the body stores the emotion in the fascia (connective tissue), muscles, organs, or other locations in concordance with the bioenergetic nature of the body. For example FEAR is often stored in the ligaments around the knee ~ because fear courage are related to the kidney meridian (which flows behind the knee); or in the lower back (where the kidneys are).

However you are not stuck with this response forever, you are not a victim of this situation, and you can do something about this!! Reading “Feelings buried alive never die” by Karol Truman will give you much insight and awareness to release this yourself, or seeing a practitioner trained in Body TalkTM, Psych-KTM, or EFTTM, or NLPTM can relieve this faster, often instantly!

An example of Passive/Active memory could be this hypothetical scenario: 

Imagine, my friend and I are driving in a vehicle, and are involved in an accident which causes similar injuries in both of us. i.e broken collar bones, twisted knee, whiplash, crushed ribs… you get the gist so far, eh.  A year later after rehabilitation therapies, and medical care, we meet for coffee at an outdoor cafe. A car squeals by and we both have a reaction. I contract and go into pain response, my neck and shoulders spasm in memory of my accident, I am nearly in panic and have an anxiety attack. But my friend calmly sits there and sarcastically jokes “wow, he must be on his way to his funeral”. She notes his recklessness but without pain or contraction. She is calm and pain free. (She has healed emotionally and physically from her injury – lessons learned and processed).

I on the other hand am still in continuous pain, unprocessed Active memory! I respond emotionally and triggered the physical symptoms and will continue to exhibit the echo of dis-comfort until I heal these associations. This does not mean it’s all in my head, rather it triggers the memory and all associated feelings which flare up the body chemistry histamine and hormone release and relives and re-traumatizes the body!!! Trust me I speak from experience, I wish I had known about BodyTalk 35 years ago, I could have saved myself 6 years of agony.

Believe it or not, all this can also be triggered by watching a movie or TV show!

Your body doesn’t realize the difference between watching Jurassic Park safe on your couch, or living through the fear and drama of all 15 characters in the story being chased and eaten by dinosaurs!!!  There are many kids suffering from PTSD from playing hours of video games.

In my practice the traumatic memories can be cleared without the practitioner needing to know the details of an event. This is not talk therapy, this is energetic and consciousness healing. You can find relief in a totally all natural way, and without pills. Just by having a trained practitioner ask your body what the priority is.

If you have a nagging problem that has persisted for years, consider that a deep buried emotion is asking for release and awareness. Your body talks, it has all the answers you’re aching to know. Have you asked and listened lately? Need help? Call Jess to relieve your stress!

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Blog by Guest Author:

01Jessy headshotJessy Morrison

Jessy Morison  has tremendous success in helping those to whom doctors have given no hope of recovery at all to Reclaim their Life, Refresh their Mind, Reclaim their Body, and Renew their Spirit.
A Reiki Master Teacher, BodyTalk & EFT Practitioner, Soul Genesis Facilitator, Founding Member of the Ontario BodyTalk Assoc., and Founding Member of The Whole Life Learning Collective, and Transformational Tuesdays, Jessy is also a  contributing author to “The Joy of an Ex”, Women With Vision Magazine, and Another View Magazine.

You can contact her at
[email protected]
705-241-8680
www.jessymorrison.ca

What Meat Do You Eat?

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What Meat Do You Eat?

Are you a meat eater? On the paleo diet? Low carb diet? Atkins? A Carnivore?

If you choose to eat meat, there are several things to consider when you weigh your options for the best choice to consume.

Obviously, we want to choose a source of meat that is the least processed – that you can still see fat or bone present – such as a steak, ribs, pork chop, chicken leg or even the whole raw chicken.

Steer clear of the processed meats, such as hot dogs, deli meats, cold cuts, pepperoni, bacon and anything else that you know has undergone some sort of processing to get to its current state.

But when choosing the best meat for you and your family, it goes much deeper than just finding what is available at your grocery store that is the least processed.

Let’s consider for a moment the animals and animal products that we are consuming.

They have taken months or possibly years to get to their full size before slaughter. This gives them plenty of time to eat and eat and eat to grow large enough to be sent to market.

This also gives the animal plenty of time to gather up toxins in their bodies from the food supply they are given to eat when they are conventionally grown. Often, they are being fed genetically modified corn, soy and mixed feed that has been sprayed generously with many doses of pesticides. These pesticides are accumulated in the bodies of these animals and passed on to us when we eat them.

The animals are generally kept in tight quarters with several hundred other animals and can easily pass germs around to one another. This means that there is often antibiotics added to their food supply to control illness among the population. This is also passed on to us when we eat them, not to mention into the ground water supply from their excretions.

For these reasons and many others, it is important to choose meat that has been naturally raised to ensure that your family is getting a high quality product. When animals are raised in their natural environment and eat their native diet, they naturally produce meats that are higher in minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins. 

Look for labels such as:

• organic
• grass fed
• free range
• pasture raised
• wild caught
• antibiotic free
• GMO free

The best place to find the highest quality meat for your family are directly at organic farms, Farmer’s Markets, and health foods stores in your community. Talk to the famers, the producers and associates to purchase humanely raised, and as-organic-as-possible animal products. 

Including animal products in your diet can add variety to your diet and provide you with essential vitamins and minerals if you are mindful of selecting high-quality products. Pairing meat with a salad and lots of colourful vegetables can make a great meal filled with the nutritious fuel your body needs to function at its best.

The Brain Adjustment: The Shift You Must Make For Your Health

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The Brain Adjustment

When it comes to health, most everyone understands that it affects every part of life and so the desire is for more and better health.  What most people don’t understand is that every part of life affects health – that health and life are intimately linked.

See, going on a diet generally isn’t good for your health and the reasons are likely many.  For starters, let’s consider the first 3 letters – die… but with jokes aside, the main reason is that they are usually time bound.  One might say for example, “I’m going to eat a certain way until I get to a desired weight,” but once the weight target has been reached they will likely revert back to their previous lifestyle and almost invariably more weight “climbs” back on. 

This is largely because we as a society have become so near sighted and confused cause with effect.  We view symptoms like excess weight, pain, poor flexibility, even cancer as problems that need to be treated rather than symptoms of an underlying approach to living (the cause).  We are far too caught up with how we feel right now, giving little thought to what we’ve done to get there and where this current approach to life is taking us – are you regularly taking some time to consider your trajectory?  Quite frankly, we are becoming less and less responsible – less and less able to respond most effectively to the stressors and strains that all of us face in this life.

Take for example the world’s fastest growing chronic degenerative disease; type II diabetes.  In a nut shell, here’s how it’s caused: a person is consuming excess carbs and sugars so their pancreas produces insulin to convert it to fat and store it. As the excessive consumption of carbs and sugars continues more fat is stored and when their body (that is the amazing innate intelligence flowing through the nerve system) recognizes that they are too fat, it reduces their insulin sensitivity to stop more fat being stored because it doesn’t want the body to be any fatter (this is a protective mechanism just like pain is a warning to protect from further damage).  What most people do, rather than take responsibility and reduce carbs and sugars, is go to their medical doctor who prescribes insulin to help their body store more fat, meaning they take pills or injections to help them get fatter which is the reason the insulin sensitivity is reducing in the first place!

If we want to be healthy we need to be responsible and this requires self discipline – the proverb “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”  This is so true when it comes to health.  Optimal health requires taking a proactive approach to optimizing each area of our lives because we all come under attack from the 3 Ts (toxins, thoughts and trauma) right throughout life.

This makes sense yet why aren’t we as a society more proactive?  We’ve lost or allowed our VISION to be taken from us.  Without vision people will go with the flow and when a symptom or sickness arises they may take a healthier approach to life to get rid of it but that is an ‘away from’ motivation.  As soon as they are ‘far enough away’, there is no motivation to keep on with this healthier approach and they go back to their old way and often end up in a worse state.  Another proverb that rings true “without VISION people perish.”

So the key for health is having a VISION for your life!  Here are some examples; enjoying life with your grandkids, playing golf/tennis when you are 80, serving your community in your retirement or travelling the world if you want to.  Having a vision will enable you to do the less desirable thing and forgo the instant gratification (eat more of the spinach and less of the ice cream) and achieve a much greater reward.  Having a VISION, with targets along the way and a plan to carry you through is vital for the best life.  A final warning, the quick fix is far more costly… consistency is the driving force behind positive change and remember, your health will never exceed the VISION you have for your life!

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Blog by Guest Author:

Dr. Thomas EganDr. Thomas Egan – Gonstead Chiropractor.

Established Peninsula Chiropractic that is now located on East Main Street in Welland in April 2013 – a patient centered family practice with a loving caring team consisting of Lisa, Melissa and newest addition Jessica.  Lives in Welland with his wife Sarah, 1 year old son Malachi (who is brother of a yet to be determined boy or girl).  Born and raised in Australia and from there graduated as a chiropractor in 2004 from RMIT.  Practiced in Melbourne until 2013 before migrating to Welland, Canada.  Has been practicing the Gonstead method since July 2000 (half way through 1st year university) – a method geared around getting to the root cause of the problem and making the most specific correction/adjustment toward normal (vastly different from a manipulation) to help the person get as good as possible as quick as possible and doing it in a way that helps them stay that way for as long as possible.  Believes chiropractic, when applied in the most principled way, is gospel re-enactment on a physical level pointing to the ultimate adjustment given by Jesus who restores the relationship between the head (God) and the body (us). 

You Can find Dr. Egan at:
[email protected]
727 East Main Street Welland, ON. L3B 3Y5
www.peninsulachiropractic.ca
https://www.facebook.com/PeninsulaChiropractic

 

10 Desk Exercises You Should Be Doing Every Day

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9 Desk Exercises You Should Be Doing Every Day

A sedentary lifestyle has recently been coined the new smoking.

Can you imagine! The negative effects of sitting for a living are now rivalling the known health dangers of regularly inhaling deadly poisons! Wow. Let’s do something about it!

Yes, many of us have jobs that require us to sit long hours at a computer, driving, sitting in meetings, sitting at our desk, or sitting on the subway or train.

Let’s take a few minutes every hour or two, to move, stretch, and get our blood flowing. It will not only help your body feel better, but your mind will also reap the benefits of added oxygen flow and feel the joy of movement and stretching!

It is important to be mindful of your posture while at your desk or sitting in various positions. Try to sit up as straight as possible, and don’t lean in toward your computer.

If you are straining to see your monitor, make the font larger or reposition it, as the very last thing to want to be doing is tilting your neck forward to see your screen.

Over time, this can cause your neck to begin to curve forward and create a ‘forward head posture’. This is incredibly problematic for your body because your brain must be able to send all of the information your body needs to be able to function through your central nervous system. If your bones in your neck have shifted forward out of alignment from straining to see your screen, it puts an immense amount of pressure on your nervous system (which is encased by your spinal bones) and makes it very difficult for the information to get to all of the places it must reach to have your body function and heal at 100%.

Focus on stretching your neck and back muscles, arms, shoulders and legs when you take a few moments regularly to move that body! Get your coworkers involved, as they are in the same position as you – hunched over your screen for hours on end!

Businesswoman stretching herself or exercise while working at office - office syndrome concept
Stretch your arms and shoulders.
Portrait of a young smiling woman at the desk with books on her head, sitting straight, looking at the camera. Education concept photo
Can you do this? Can you balance a book on your head and continue working? This will help to train you to sit up straight and correct your posture.
Young attractive woman at modern office desk, with laptop, stretching, getting a little exercise during the day, office workout, completing difficult task, time for lunch. Business concept illustration
Stretch! Move your arms, reach for the ceiling and feel your blood circulating.
Young attractive woman at modern office desk, with laptop, stretching, getting a little exercise during the day, completing difficult task time for lunch. Businesswoman against white isolated background. Business concept illustration.
Arch your back and stretch your arms up, reach your neck back and up and hold for 10 seconds.
Young Happy Businesswoman Doing Fitness Exercise On Yellow Pilates Ball In Office
Stretch your arms and use your chair to rest on, extend your legs and feel a stretch.
male office worker,exercising during short break in work at his desk in office
Stretch your arms out and forward, and let your arms reach back to stretch your shoulders and expand your chest with your breath.
The image of business woman doing exercise at the office
Move your body side to side and let your spine move freely and stretch.
Portrait of smiling executive exercising in office
Stretch your legs and hamstrings with the support of your desk and feel the blood reach down to your toes.
Young Businesswoman Sitting On Chair Meditating In Office
Take a moment to centre your thoughts with a mini meditation over lunch. Focus on your breath and bring your thoughts back to your breath when they flit about to other ideas.
Portrait of young smiling woman wearing suit sitting at home office desk in front of laptop stretching with enjoyment after the work is done looking at screen with happy expression
Stretch your arms and wrists regularly throughout the day and remember to smile often! 

 

Are you still using crest toothpaste?

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Are You Still Using Crest Toothpaste?

Go into your bathroom and look around. How many products do you use daily? I’m betting it’s over 20. Maybe even over 30. And if you check out the ingredients on those products, do you have any idea what you are slathering on your skin, painting on your face or ‘cleaning’ your body with? Here, we check things out…

A typical morning routine may entail some or all of these items:

Shower: Soap, bodywash, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream

Post Shower: Toothpaste, Mouthwash, Face Cream, Body Lotion, Deodorant, Hair Gel, Hair Mousse, Hair Spray

For Ladies: Toner, Foundation, Concealer, Blush, Lipstick, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Mascara

That is a lot of products we are using to even be able to leave the house in the morning!!

And do we really have any idea of what is in all of these products that we are happy to slather on us?

Let’s investigate Crest ProHealth for Me Toothpaste.

According to Proctor & Gamble’s product safety department, these are the current ingredients1:

Active Ingredient: Sodium Fluoride

Inactive Ingredients: Sorbitol, Water, Hydrated Silica, Disodium Pyrophosphate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Flavor, Sodium Saccharin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polyethylene, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Blue 1 Lake

Now, let’s break down some of these ingredients and see what they actually are and how they can affect your body:

Sodium Fluoride: fluoride is an endocrine disruptor that can affect your brain, thyroid gland, pineal gland, bones, and even your blood sugar levels2.

There have been 100 animal studies and over 34 human studies and linking fluoride to brain damage and lower IQ in children. Fluoride toxicity can lead to a wide variety of health problems, including: arthritis, dementia, increased tumour and cancer rate, genetic damage and cell death, inhibited formation of antibodies, bone fractures and muscle disorders (among many others)2.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: SLS is registered as an insecticide and may have toxic effects to marine life, including fish, insects, and crustaceans3.

Polyethylene: Plastic – the same material used in plastic bags. Need we say more?

Blue 1 Lake: Also called FD&C Blue No. 1, is a synthetic colour that is subject to certification by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)4. The chemical is linked to cancer in animals and behaviour problems and hyperactivity in children5.

Disodium Pyrophosphate: Large amounts of disodium phosphate or other phosphate salts may cause upset stomach, constipation or diarrhea. People with heart failure, cirrhosis or any other condition that can cause edema should avoid disodium phosphate, as it may worsen the symptoms of these conditions6.

It is important to source out clean versions of your cosmetics, with ingredients that you know and can identify. Visit your local health food store to see the many options of natural toothpaste available.

With Sources From:

1 – http://www.pgsdscpsia.com/productsafety/ingredients/Crest_Pro_Health_Toothpastes.pdf

2 – http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/30/water-fluoridation-facts.aspx

3 – http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/09/09/toxic-toothpaste-ingredients.aspx

4 – http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/blue-1-and-blue-1-lake

5 – http://www.livestrong.com/article/322000-list-of-foods-containing-red-dye/

6 – http://www.livestrong.com/article/138968-the-use-disodium-phosphate/

What is the Best Type of Exercise for My Body?

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Best Type of Exercise for My Body

There is so much conflicting information about the best way to exercise. How do you know what is best for you?

Our bodies were designed to withstand the need to make surges of speed, but not to withstand long distance running. Our ancestors would run short distances to get out of harm’s way, to chase down dinner or to help a friend in need. We were not designed to run for great distances over long periods of time.

There are many forms of exercise that bring this principle into effect, such as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), where you work out as hard as you can for a short duration of time, potentially even for only 45 or 60 seconds (which seems like a lifetime when you’re doing as many push ups as you can!!) and then resting for the same timeframe or a little less. This kicks your metabolism into high gear, adds a significant surge of adrenaline into your body to keep up with this form of exercise and pushes your body to grow and develop muscle and improves your fitness.

The opposite form of exercise would be traditional cardio. You jump on a treadmill or hit the road for 30-60 minutes of fast walking or jogging until the time is up. Sustained movement for a long period of time, generally at the same pace and difficulty level to make your body move and cooperate. Cardio can help to lower your resting heart rate, increase your good HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure, as well as improving circulation, blood flow and lymphatic drainage.

But cardio can also cause your body to produce higher levels of cortisol which can stimulate your appetite, increase fat storage and inhibit recovery.

How is this possible when exercising is supposed to be helping you lose weight and/or get fit? It has to do with the hormones that are released with each type of exercise. Cardio can decrease testosterone production and HIIT can improve your growth hormone levels while lowering your insulin resistance to help regulate blood sugar and reduce fat storage.

What is the best form of exercise for me? How do I know?

The best form of exercise for you is the one that you will actually do!! The risks of a sedentary lifestyle are much worse than the risks involved with either HIIT or cardio. Additionally, there are many other forms of exercise that offer corresponding benefits and risks, such as yoga, pilates, rebounding, kickboxing, hiking, crossfit and many others!

So talk with your natural health practitioner about what he/she would recommend as the best form of exercise for your personal situation and do that! Fall in love with joyful movement – find something you love to do and do it often. Or mix it up and take on different forms of exercise to keep your body guessing and working toward your optimal fitness levels. Have fun!

With Sources from:

http://drhardick.com/say-no-to-traditional-cardio

Victoria Day BBQ Recipes

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Victoria Day BBQ Recipes

It’s that time of year! Summer Barbecue season is here and it’s time to fire up the grill!! But with so many choices of what to cook, it’s easy to get stuck in a hot dogs and hamburgers rut that don’t offer many nutrients.

Here are some taste-bud blowing recipes that will make your mouth water, but are also packed with nutrients to fuel your body for summer fun!

Zucchini halves stuffed with minced meat and vegetable

Zucchini Boats

Find the largest zucchinis that you can. Slice longways down the middle and scoop out the largest seeds.

Cook hamburger meat in skillet.

Cook onions, garlic, peppers and mushrooms in another skillet and add 2 handfuls of spinach when it’s almost done cooking. Add hamburger meat to skillet once it is cooked and mix together.

Fill zucchini boats with mixture and barbecue until the zucchinis are softened. Top with your favourite herbs and spices.

Chicken Kabobs

Chicken Kabobs

Slice free range, organic (if possible) chicken breast into chunks fit for a kabob skewer. Keep them fairly small so they don’t take a lot longer to cook than the vegetables also on the grill. Slide the chunks onto the skewer and sprinkle with pepper.

To other skewers, add a mixture of fresh mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, chunks of pepper, celery, zucchini, onion and pineapple. Add a very light brushing of extra virgin olive oil before they go on the grill to help them get a bit crispy.

(I like to keep the meat and veggie skewers separate due to raw meat juice contamination, and they tend to cook at different speeds).

Grill and Enjoy!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Grilled Corn on the Cob

There are two ways to do this, so experiment and see what you like best…

#1 – Grill with the husk on – just throw it on the barbecue and turn it often. The result is more of a steamed corn and just a little grilled-ness. Should be cooked in 10-15 minutes, or when you feel that a knife easily pierces the kernels.

#2 – Husk the Corn and then grill it. This creates a much more grilled effect, where the kernels become darkened and absorb more of the grilled flavour. Turn them often, and they are cooked in about 10 minutes.

You can drizzle with a little bit of garlic butter and salt for added flavour. Or lime and hot sauce. Or your favourite topping!

Refreshing LemonadeRefreshing Lemonade

Grab your high speed blender and fill with 1 L of water.

Cut the rind off of a lemon, leaving the white pith. Put the whole lemon into the blender and blend until smooth.

Strain the lemon-water mixture with tiny mesh strainer into a pitcher. This will catch the small pieces of seeds, etc that didn’t break down in the blender.

You don’t need to add anything to sweeten it, it is not sour, just pure flavour! Serve over ice and enjoy!