Recently the dangers of vaping has been all over the news and social media. Vocalizing the hidden risks after reports of numerous deaths and illness that incurred to seemingly healthy individuals.
Where It All Started
There have been many products developed over the years to help people quit smoking. In fact, vaping was initially introduced for that exact reason. However, recent reports are stating that;
E-cigarettes are designed to deliver nicotine to a user in the form of vapour. Typically via a rechargeable battery-operated heating element. Hence where the word vaping came from.
The cartridges filled with nicotine and chemicals inhaled by the user are replaceable. However, the FDA has not evaluated e-cigarettes for their safety.
Dangers Of Vaping
Originally, E-Cigarettes became popular because of their ability to provide a hit of nicotine. Supposedly without the worry of added chemicals and toxins found in regular cigarettes. However, vaping cannot be considered risk free. Reports are now surfacing stating that vaping can cause harm to the lungs and attribute to disease including COPD.
“More than a quarter of a million youth who had never smoked a cigarette used electronic cigarettes in 2013. This is a three-fold increase from 79,000 in 2011 to more than 263,000 in 2013.”
Here at Family Health Advocacy, we’re all about living the most healthy lifestyle that you can. Eating well. Enjoying movement. And eliminating toxins.
Are You Ready To Quit Smoking & Vaping?
Follow these tips:
1. Stop Buying Them!
They are harder to get your hands on if they’re not in the house. Also, the inconvenience of going to purchase them may allow you enough time to convince yourself not to buy them!
According to research, eating a diet high in antioxidants, especially those found in tomatoes can help to repair lung damage caused by smoking.
4. Talk To Your Natural Health Practitioner
Your natural health practitioner can put together solutions customized specifically for you. There are many herbs and natural remedies that can support your body through this difficult transition. Although natural, they are also very powerful to help you quit smoking.
Try these solutions for yourself. Avoid the dangers of vaping, smoking, JUULing. QUIT TODAY!
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.
We’ve all heard the phrase “eat your greens”. But, what we should really be eating is the rainbow. Phytonutrients come in all different colours—green, yellow-orange, red, blue-purple, and white. Different colours contain different compounds. Each of which have unique healing properties. In order to promote good health eating a variety of colours is crucial.
What Are Phytonutrients?
The term “Phytonutrients” refers to the several thousand healthful, non-nutritive compounds found in plants. These compounds are referred to as “non-nutritive” because they do not supply calories like proteins, carbohydrates, or fats do.
In the plant itself, phytonutrients provide many functions. They protect the plant from pests and environmental stressors, and impart colour and distinctive tastes and smells.
In the human body, phytonutrients;
Stimulate enzymes that help the body get rid of toxins
Boost the immune system
Improve cardiovascular health
Promote healthy estrogen metabolism
Stimulate the death of cancer cells
This is all pretty powerful stuff!
The Impact Of ‘Colour’
Organic fruits and vegetables are rich sources of phytonutrients. Same with legumes, herbs/spices, nuts/seeds, and teas. Aiming for one to two of each colour per day is a healthy goal to strive for.
Darker-coloured plants are generally higher in phytonutrients. However, fruits and veggies from the white family do have potent contributions to make.
What Do The Different Colours Mean?
Red foods contain phytonutrients that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and protect the brain, heart, liver, and immune system.
Examples of red foods:
Beets
Bell pepper
Blood oranges
Cranberries
Cherries
Grapefruit (pink)
Goji berries
Grapes
Onions
Plums
Pomegranate
Orange foods help protect the immune system, eyes, and skin. They also reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Examples of orange foods:
Apricots
Bell pepper
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Mango
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Yellow foods are beneficial because they contain compounds that are anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. They protect the brain, heart and vasculature. In addition to your eyes, and skin.
Examples of yellow foods:
Apples
Asian Pears
Bananas
Bell Peppers
Star Fruit
Squash
Green foods contain compounds that are anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. They too protect the brain, heart and vasculature, liver, and skin. In addition, green foods that help with liver function also help balance hormones.
Examples of green foods:
Avocados
Asparagus
Green Apples
Bell Peppers
Bean Sprouts
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Zucchini
Okra
Cabbage
Celery
Spinach
Kale
Cucumbers
Blue/Purple/Black foods contain compounds that are anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. They too protect the brain, and heart and vasculature. It’s interesting to note that out of all the colours, this is the category that most people eat the least of.
Too little blue/purple can result in issues with the brain. This is because these foods protect the brain from damage. In addition they also promote healthy cognition and memory.
Examples of blue/purple/black foods:
Berries
Eggplants
Figs
Plums
Prunes
Raisins
White/Tan/Brown foods – When thinking of white/tan/brown foods, processed foods may come to mind. Foods such as;
Bagels
Cereals
Breads
Pastas
Cakes
Cookies
Crackers
Avoid those and focus on foods that are beneficial to your health such as;
Nuts
Fruits
Vegetables
Legumes
Spices
Seeds
The compounds in these earthy coloured foods are anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. Additionally, like green foods, there are certain compounds that can assist with liver and hormone health.
Examples of white/tan/brown foods:
Ginger
Apples
Cacao
Onions
Garlic
Coffee
Coconut
Dates
Mushrooms
Nuts
Beans
Tea
Easy Ways To Eat Your Colours
Start by observing the colours you eat. Humans are creatures of habit. As such we generally tend to eat the same foods over and over again. This does our body a disservice.
In order to get more phytonutrients into your diet, you are going to have to mix things up! It has been estimated that 80% of people are missing one or more of the phytonutrient colours in their diet. Which sounds likely when you think that most people stick to eating processed foods that are brown, yellow, or white.
Think of a typical breakfast menu – waffles, pancakes, ready-to-eat cereal, sausage, and eggs. This doesn’t provide very many phytonutrients now, does it? Opting for a fruit smoothie with blueberries, peaches, raspberries and spinach would be way more beneficial. There’s four of the seven colours done for the day.
Note: When implementing this way of eating, keep in mind that fruits contain sugar. Even though it’s a natural form of sugar, fruits can still spike insulin levels. As such, be sure to load your cart with heaps of colourful vegetables and just a few fruit.
First, make it your goal to try one new plant food (fruit, vegetable, nut, seed or legume) per week. Explore ethnic stores for greater variety. Second, stock up on organic frozen vegetables for easy cooking or organic berries as they tend to retain their phytonutrients well. Third, keep fruits and vegetables where you can see them. This will help you to remember to eat them.
Next, keep a bowl or container of fresh cut vegetables on the top shelf of refrigerator. Always within easy reach. If you must eat something sweet after dinner, choose a fruit for dessert (fruit kabobs, berry compotes, fruit salads, etc.) Have dishes with lots of vegetable variety (e.g., soups, stir-fry).
Try and choose darker vegetables over lighter to maximize nutrient content. Make the switch from mashed white potatoes to sliced carrots or mashed cauliflower. Also, toss in red pepper, tomato sauce, garlic, onions or broccoli to omelets.
You can also add rinds of oranges or lemons to your water. Try a little bit of every colour at a salad bar. Be generous with your use of herbs and spice. Devote some time at the start of your week to prepare your meals and recipes. This will make eating whole foods throughout the week so much easier!
Make It Easy!
To make things easier for myself, I re-arranged my fridge to emphasize the food colours. Forget separating fruits and vegetables. I now separate things by colour. It’s made preparing my meals and shakes so much easier. I open the fridge and grab at least one or two items from each group. It’s a good reminder to add variety to my dishes and it looks pretty!
It is also a great way to teach kids about the importance of healthy, colourful foods. Make them choose which colours they want to eat. Try making it into a little game. Have a colour chart that they can check off each day to make sure that they are eating all the colours of the rainbow.
Now go on, eat the rainbow. Your cells will thank you for it!
Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp, B.Sc,. D.C.
Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp, B.Sc., D.C. is an Ottawa based chiropractor, a former professional natural figure/bodybuilder, a wellness consultant, lecturer and TV personality. She is the co-author of the published book—Wellness On The Go: Take the Plunge- It’s Your Life! and the author of the upcoming book Hack You Health Habits, scheduled to be released in the summer of 2017. She is the owner of Santé Chiropractic and Wellness Centre and the founder of the annual Ottawa Wellness Expo a community based event that gathers over two thousand people in Ottawa each year. Dr. Nathalie’s mission is to lead, educate and empower people to be the healthiest and best versions of themselves.
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!
_____________________________
Blog by Guest Author:
Dr. 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).
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.
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:
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.
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.
Today’s society has taught us the foundational habits that put us on the fast-track to obesity, chronic illness, disease and a shortened lifespan. One of the most dangerous habits practiced by nearly everyone you know and very likely you too, is poor nutrition. Ouch! But it’s true… Read on!
Our culture has fostered in each of us eating habits that has made us a society of heavy carb-consumers, carb-burners, carb-cravers and fat storers! And it’s these habits that have set the stage for many of the devastating plagues of the day – namely diabetes, heart disease, cancer and as a result, a shorter life.
So what does this have to do with burning fat and becoming a fat burning machine?
Everything! Yes, how we eat has literally programmed our bodies to crave fast fuel carbohydrates as our predominant fuel source and subsequently for many, to store fat on our bodies at an alarming rate.And we hate it because it makes us look and feel crappy. Possibly the most upsetting reality is that many of the‘experts’ have literally taught us it’s the right way to eat to be healthy.Well, not if you look at the science. In fact, research has shown countries who consume the highest percentage of fat, particularly saturated fat have been shown to have the lowest risk of heart disease! It’s the exact opposite of what we’ve been taught.
Truth be told, it’s very simple — you burn what you eat. If you keep eating sugar (carbohydrate)you’re going to burn sugar and sadly you’ll store the excess as – you guessed it! FAT!But if you consume more fat, much more fat – particularly healthy fats, you’re going to teach your body to preferentially burn fat as it’s primary fuel. And it’s not just the fat you ate at dinner, but also that unwanted body fat will start to burn away too. If there was a secret to this then that’s it. If you want to burn fat, you have to eat fat. Eating fat does not make you fat, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Eating fat makes you an efficient fat burner. It can actually make you leaner. Not only that, healthy fats are crucial for many body processes not the least of which is your brain function. In fact, your brain cannot function properly without fat.
All the while, many nutrition ‘experts’ still tell us to eat a low fat diet to stay lean and avoid cardiovascular disease and outright heart attacks. Unfortunately the science just doesn’t support that. Not only that, but observation and experience doesn’t support that either. After decades of avoiding fat we’re more overweight, even obese than ever before in history and cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer with the incidence going up, not down. What we’re doing is not working.
The next logical question would then be, ‘What kind of healthy fats should I be eating?’
Some of the best sources of healthy fat are avocados and avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil (but olive oil not heated to boil or smoke point), butter from grass fed (pastured) cows, MCT oil and organic pastured egg yolks are a great place to start. Healthy omega 3 fat sources (that are essential for optimal brain health) would be flax seeds and flax seed oil, and fish oils, particularly sardines, anchovies, salmon or krill oil. Fats to avoid would be the trans fats in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. Avoid these like the plague. Run, hide and be very afraid! They’re dangerous to your health. If you’re going to be consuming more fat, eating the right kind of right fat is key.
So now we know which fats to choose, the next question is how much fat do we need.
Although the simple answer is more, the latest science recommends that healthy fats should comprise anywhere from 50 to 85 percent of your overall energy intake. That is easily 2-4 times what that we’ve been told to eat!So definitely more. However, remember that fat is higher in calories but small in terms of volume so when you look at how much space it takes up on your plate, the largest portion should still be vegetables.
At the same time, it’s a good idea to cut back on those unhealthy carbohydrates – namely bread, pasta, cereal and baked goods, not just the obvious — cookies, chips, bagels, andfrench fries, sugar and sweets – the blatant no-no’s. Also avoid processed or added fructose, particularly high-fructose corn syrup which is staple in nearly every soft drink out there today. Do your body a favour — Read labels!
But remember, everybody is different and unique in their exact needs. While making the move to a diet that is higher in healthy fat, proportionately lower in carbohydrates and moderate in protein will make huge health strides for the vast majority of people, our specific needs are individual so it’s important to know there’s not an exact ratio that’s perfect for everyone. Getting to know how your body runs best can be measured with various tests, but also by how you perform and feel.
So if you’re like nearly everyone out there today that wants to become that fat burning machine to shed that excess body fat and body weight, while at the same time significantly lower your risk for conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, you’ll want to strongly consider upping your intake of healthy fats and and proportionately cutting back those unhealthy carbs. It truly can be the formula for you becoming a fat-burning machine, a you that is efficiently losing weight, feeling great and living a longer, healthier life.
Blog by Guest Author:
Dr. Mark Foullong has prided himself for over 20 years in delivering the highest quality of health care to Orangeville and surrounding areas. Dr. Mark graduated with honours from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic with a 4-year Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Prior to that, his studies were in Honours Biochemistry at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Because of his passion in helping families maximize their health and well being and also his love of children, he further completed 1 year of specialized training in Paediatrics granting him Fellowship status from the International Chiropractic Paediatrics Association (F.I.C.P.A.). He does what he loves and loves what he does.
Dr. Mark has been in private practice in Orangeville since 1995. He has built, and now alongside Dr. Trevor Middleton and Dr. Jess Willox, run the largest Chiropractic practice in Dufferin County. Dr. Mark and his team constantly strive to be the best they can for their patients and to stay on the cutting edge of the latest technology and information in health delivery. As such, the team is involved with regular continuing education and training. They travel thousands of miles and spending hundreds of hours every year to remain the health leaders in their community and their profession.
There is an old shaman’s tale that when you are in the Amazon jungle, and you are bitten by a bug, or a snake or some other equally scary incident, the antidote is always within arm’s reach.
Nature provides the healing remedy at the very location you need it most.
This may be a fair ideal when you are in such a densely populated area of herbs, plants and insects as the Amazon jungle, but what if the principle can be applied elsewhere?
What if you looked out into your backyard and realized that the very dandelions that you spend so much time trying to rid from your yard actually provide immense healing properties!
If this is true, maybe Mother Nature is onto something – she provides abundant sources of healing if only we know what to look for.
The Truth About Cancer website is an authority on all things cancer-related, most especially known for natural healing remedies and prevention principles.
They are reporting that dandelions are actually a potent cancer fighting medicine that is loaded with vitamins and minerals.
There are reports of people pulling out the dandelions, drying the roots and grinding it into an edible powder that boosts the immune system to help fight off cancer.
Currently, clinical trials are underway to study how dandelion root extract can help to treat blood-related cancers including lymphoma and leukemia.
Additionally, researchers from Windsor Regional Cancer Centre in Ontario are also in the midst of a study on dandelion root extract on a group of 30 patients with end-stage blood related cancers. So their findings will be very interesting to learn about.
How Can You Incorporate More Dandelions Into Your Diet?
For starters, you can pick dandelion leaves from your yard and add them to salads or juice them with other greens. Be sure you are picking leaves that have not been sprayed with pesticides or that you dogs may have been near. Or you can purchase dandelion greens at your local grocery store!
You can also make dandelion tea by pouring hot water over the greens and flowers and steeping for 10 minutes. And you can incorporate dandelion greens and flowers into your regular salads.
My favourite way to use dandelion greens? Juicing!!
I found huge dandelion greens at the grocery store this week (literally 18 inches tall) and added them to our weekly green juice regimen.
Dandelion Green Juice: (use as many organic options as you can)
2 English Cucumbers 4 zucchini 1 head celery 1 large bunch Bok Choy 1 large bunch Dandelion Greens 3 lemons (Just peel and put the whole lemon with pith through the juicer!) 3 Granny Smith Apples (sliced in half and cored)
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.
There is an abundance of information all over the web with suggestions about how to eat, what to think, what herbs and supplements to take and not to take. It’s confusing especially if you or a loved one is now battling a life-threatening illness.
It’s not knowing exactly what to eat to fight disease or create healing that is important. It is knowing how and why to change where you are at currently, to a healthy eating plan, make it stress-free, and a lifestyle change that is sustainable forever. However, here are some vital facts that apply to health and healing that are absolutely necessary to know. These are absolute truths, and apply to anyone, at any age, at any stage of health or disease, regardless of what treatment that individual may be receiving.
There are thousands and thousands of nutritional products, plans, diets, and advice out there that are accessible to anyone if you search for them. However we do understand that there are indisputable truths that are pertinent when it comes to creating better health and healing from within. There are nutrients and factors that are absolutely necessary to improve immune system function prevent disease and allow the body to Flourish.
We start our nutritional planning with one simple philosophical understanding: We don’t get sick because we have cancer,… We get cancer as a result of being sick.
Cancer is simply an opportunistic disease. It is the body’s natural response to adapt to an unhealthy environment. Although there are genetic factors involved, it has been largely proven that lifestyle plays a much bigger role than previously thought and a much bigger role than genetic factors ever will.
Therefore since the body created the disease as a result of an unhealthy environment, our first response is to change the environment by making it healthier to therefore stop, or reverse the progression of the disease.
We need to change the body’s metabolism from that of sugar burning for energy to a fat burning machine. This can be done completely with dietary changes. Cancer feeds on sugar. Sugar compromises a natural immune response. Fat cells are a storage locker for toxins.
Immune system function becomes week and damaged when the body’s environment remains in an acidic state. Our nutritional goals need to revolve around changing the pH of the body to that of alkalinity instead of acidity.
Most diseases proliferate in an environment that is lacking in oxygen. An effective plan should be designed to provide nutrients and decrease toxins that deprive the body of an oxygen-rich state.
Over the years, myself and our team have been extremely successful in helping people that have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses achieve a much better state of health and success in beating those diseases and building a better quality of life.
No matter what medical or invasive procedures the patient may be experiencing or have undergone previously there is always a way to improve the body’s innate ability to heal through natural methods.
When my sister was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 44, I immediately sat down and talked with her about improving her lifestyle choices. Her life up to this point was full of poor Nutrition, no exercise, and a great deal of stress. She had poor posture, and poor nervous system function because she never visited the Chiropractor.
She agreed that a change was necessary. Although she was very receptive, her and her husband made decisions to receive intense medical treatment including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Within two weeks of her first diagnosis she had surgery to insert a colostomy bag to her lower intestine. I know that fear was a major contributor to her decision.
Within weeks she was well into a process of radiation and eventually chemotherapy treatment. My sister became very ill as a result of the treatment and her quality of life went downhill very fast. She quickly lost her freedom and spent most of her days lying in a hospital bed.
I continued to watch my sister’s health decline rapidly and knew that we were losing hope.
Within two years of her initial diagnosis my baby sister lost her fight passing away at the age of 46. I know in my heart that things could’ve been different and I know that some of the choices that she made in her lifestyle including the aggressive medical treatment that she received accelerated the process eventually leading to her death.
The question that you need to ask yourself now is “If I were diagnosed with Cancer tomorrow, what changes would I make in my diet and lifestyle to help overcome the illness and improve my function?”
If change is necessary, do it today before you get the diagnosis. Disease like Cancer needs to be attacked proactively not reactively.
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Guest Blog by Dr. Colin Elkin
“Chiropractic is my life. The Principle of Chiropractic has changed the person who I used to be. The way I think, the way I care for myself, the way I care for my family, the way I eat, and the outlook that I approach every day with.
The major premise of Chiropractic states that there is a Universal Intelligence that exists in all matter. This is the basis on how I mange my life, my business, my patients, my wealth, and my future.
I love caring for my patients and sharing this principle with them. I have a deep desire to attract and care for those people afflicted with life threatening illness, especially Cancer diagnosis.
I have a beautiful, intelligent, and strong wife named Kim and 4 healthy, unsubluxated, unvaccinated boys, Austin, Carter, Harrison, and Curtis. My family has given me the privilege of becoming involved in many activities, sports, hobbies. When I am not in the office caring for patients, you can usually find me at the hockey arena playing or coaching, at the dirt bike track cheering on my son, or at home jamming on the guitar.
I owe Chiropractic my life. I suffered a near fatal motorcycle accident in 2013, that caused 4 severe cervical fractures. It was only by God’s grace that the surgeon who cared for me understood that the only reason I survived and had no permanent neurological injury was because my spine was in perfect alignment before the accident. The normal cervical curvature was able to withstand the impact and prevent any fractured bone from shifting and severing or damaging my spinal chord. Thank God for Chiropractic. Over the following year I have returned to full function and I am as strong as I have ever been and have my spine adjusted regularly…and yes, including my neck.
I am truly blessed to be part of Maximized Living. This is the future of health care in the world. My mission is to see this model gain world-wide acceptance during my lifetime.”
Although the label on a diet soda may indicate that it is a healthier version of its full sugar counterpart, when you look at the studies on how diet soda impacts your health, you’ll be thinking twice before indulging again.
First things first…this post is not a debate as to which soda product to consume.
Regardless of the type of soda that you may be consuming, I want to be clear that consuming this product raises very significant health concerns.
Soda of any kind is highly acidic and can contribute to tooth decay as well as affect the pH of the body. Consuming a diet that is high in processed foods and beverages creates an acidic environment in the body, which creates imbalances in the body. To counteract the acidity of the body, calcium can be leached from bones and teeth to raise the pH closer to neutral.
Living in a state of acidity also allows for diseases to form in the body including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, just to name a few.
This message is directed at those people that drink diet pop and truly believe that they are doing their body a service by not indulging in the more sugar-laden stuff. So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty on how drinking diet soda can specifically negatively effect your health and future wellbeing.
Tooth Decay
If you are concerned with keeping your pearly whites in good condition, then ditching your soda habits is imperative. The acidity from the pop eats away at the enamel and can cause tooth decay. Imagine how your teeth would hold up if submerged in battery acid. Well, the acidity of pop (pH of 2.5) isn’t far off from that of battery acid (pH of 1). Remember back to high school chemistry class that water is neutral with a pH of 7. With a pH of 2.5, there is no wonder that pop can wreak havoc on our body so quickly.
Cardiovascular Disease
As if there aren’t enough, lifestyle factors that can trigger the development of cardiovascular disease without a beverage that is marketed as “diet” and “sugar-free” to confuse consumers.Do yourself a favour and remove all sodas from your diet. The consumption of diet pop has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
Weight issues
Like many “diet” products that don’t help you to lose weight magically, the same is true of diet soda. The artificial sugars in soda also trigger insulin to be released, much like regular pop does, and initiates fat storage in the body. The best options are to replace pop with water and herbal teas.
Kidney Damage
Think of your kidneys as a filter responsible for cleaning out unwanted substances and excess fluid in your body and releasing it as urine. Now imagine what happens to a filter when it is full of “junk.”
It is believed that the sweeteners (“junk”) used in diet pop cause kidney function to decline with regular consumption of diet pop.
Now that you have the lowdown on diet pop, steer clear of it and any other beverage masking itself as “diet” or “sugar-free.”
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.
Have you ever been adjusted? Or are you terrified of going to a chiropractor because they will make you go forever?
Here, we’re going to break down what chiropractic is, how it can help your body, why you would go in the first place and if there are any legitimate reasons for going ‘forever’.
Let’s start off by explaining what the whole point of chiropractic is.
Your nervous system consists of your brain and spinal cord, which is protected by the bones of your spine. All of the messages that your brain must send to the rest of your body travels through your central nervous system and out to every single cell, tissue and organ in your body to tell it how to function properly and how to heal.
If there are any bones in your spine that have shifted out of position, from injuries, car accidents, falls, sports, stress, sitting on the couch, leaning forward to look at your computer monitor, and any other daily activity that we participate in, the bones put pressure on your nervous system and the messages can’t reach their final destinations to have your body function and heal at 100%.
A chiropractor locates these interferences and adjusts the bones back into place.
So I have to ask you, for how long would you like your nervous system to be free of interference?
Long enough to get you out of pain?
Long enough to allow your body to heal from the flu?
Long enough to prevent cancer, a heart attack, digestive dysfunction?
Or long enough to keep you living a healthy, thriving life through your retirement years?
So you can go to the chiropractor for as long as you’d like to express optimal health. The choice is yours.
[I’m not sure about you, but I’d like my nervous system functioning at 100% forever, so I have a standing appointment with my chiropractor. And I go more often if I ever get sick or run down, to support my nervous system and allow it to help me heal more efficiently and much more quickly.]
But I also have to ask you, how long are you going to brush your teeth for? For as long as you’d like to keep your teeth, right?
You must care for your body or your body begins to degenerate. Your teeth will rot and fall out if you don’t brush them, floss them, visit your dental hygienist for a deep cleaning and get checked by your dentist.
Thankfully our teeth are visible and easily accessible for maintenance.
But our spines are hidden, both on the back side of our body so it’s a little bit ‘out of mind’ but also on the inside of our bodies, where we can’t actually see the bones. This is why it is so important to find a local chiropractor that you are comfortable with and trust, to care for your most important health asset.
Remember, your body can go weeks without eating, days without water, but it can not function for even 1 second without your nervous system. So take care of it… forever!!
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.
How much processed sugar sneaks into your diet in a day? You may be surprised at how many grams of sugar you are consuming without even realizing it.
For example, a quick visit to Tim Hortons for breakfast, lunch or snack with a fairly routine order can tip the scales of sugar content at over 30 grams!! That is a lot of sugar for your body to process all at once, especially when the sugars are all processed, accompanied by equally processed foods around it.
A Tim Hortons Cinnamon Raisin bagel (11 grams) with plain cream cheese (2 grams), Double-Double Coffee (18 grams) = 31 grams of sugar
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre advises that women should consume no more than 25 grams of sugar per day, and men should consume no more than 37 grams of sugar per day.
So after one stop at Tim Horton’s you’ve maxed your entire daily recommended sugar intake in just one blow! Think about the rest of your day… how will that look? A sandwich for lunch? A granola bar for snack? Pasta for dinner? Your processed sugar intake is adding up to look mountainous.
So what is the problem with sugar?
Sugar is an anti-nutrient. It causes your body to leach nutrients in its attempt to clean up the damage that sugar leaves behind. It also directly feeds cancer cells, and causes serious inflammation.
Inflammation is the cause behind almost every single illness and condition, and sugar continues to fuel inflammation rather effectively once it has started. Because of its oxidative effect on the body, it can contribute to a whole host of conditions and issues that may be misdiagnosed as other illnesses or causes, but in actuality, the cause is actually the over consumption of processed sugar.
How can processed sugar affect your body?
According to Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., there are over 146 reasons that sugar is ruining your health. Here are the worst offenders, and if you’d like the full list and references, head over to http://www.rheumatic.org/sugar.htm
• Sugar can suppress the immune system.
• High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
• Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
• Sugar can cause heart disease.
• Sugar can cause appendicitis.
• Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis.
• Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
• Sugar causes food allergies.
• Sugar can cause cataracts.
• Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
• Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).
• Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer.
• Sugar can cause depression.
• Sugar can adversely affect school children’s grades and cause learning disorders..
• Sugar feeds cancer.
• Sugar can exacerbate PMS.
• Sugar can slow down the ability of the adrenal glands to function.
• Sugar can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
• Sugar can cause low birth weight babies.
• High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
These are very serious conditions and illnesses that are completely preventable! Reduce your processed sugar and processed foods intake by increasing your whole foods intake. Crowd out the bad foods with lots of delicious, colourful produce! Focus your diet on lots of leafy green vegetables, smoothies with berries and healthy fats, fresh fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, legumes and if you choose to eat meat or eggs, be sure they are from organic / grass fed / free range / wild sources.
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.
Dr. Thomas Egan – Gonstead Chiropractor.
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“Chiropractic is my life. The Principle of Chiropractic has changed the person who I used to be. The way I think, the way I care for myself, the way I care for my family, the way I eat, and the outlook that I approach every day with.
