The holidays are meant to be a time of great joy and cheer, but sometimes they can be downright stressful. Especially, when we aren’t planning enough time for ourselves. That’s why I wrote this week’s blog. While the holiday season will always be a little hectic, not sticking to your healthy habits can result in you feeling run down (or even worse…sick!) over the holidays. Here are a few tips to keep you working out and eating right this holiday! Tips for Working Out During the Holiday • Pencil it In. You are less likely to skip your workout if you make a point to pencil it into your calendar. Look over your plans for the holiday and figure out when and where a workout could fit in. • Keep it Short. You don’t have to run a marathon. Schedule a quick HIIT circuit or a walk with the family to keep your body moving. • Get the Family Involved. After all, there’s nothing like skating or tobogganing to get you in the holiday spirit. Tips of Eating Healthy During the Holidays • Try Your Best. Let’s face it, it’s hard to eat clean during the holidays. If you do happen to fall Read more…
With Canadian Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, I thought I’d share some thoughts on the topic of gratitude. Practicing daily gratitude holds many benefits. From lower our stress levels to increasing our happiness. Studies continue to show the tremendous power of giving thanks! Gratitude can be as simple as smiling or saying thank you. It can also be a more intentional practice, like taking time to jot down a few things that you are grateful for each day or practicing gratitude through daily meditation. Instead of giving thanks just one time a year, why not do it throughout? Here are 5 tips that I believe can help foster an attitude of gratitude all year long! Tip #1 – Use Gratitude to change your state of mind. When something isn’t going your way or someone upsets you, try to list 3 to 5 things that you are grateful for in that moment. It could be something as simple your kids being ready on time or a co-worker bringing you a cup of coffee. Focusing on a few good things will help put whatever annoyances or hardships you are facing into perspective. The best part – when you start thinking this way, Read more…
Pregnant? Experiencing Back Pain? Give this a Read!
5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SLOW AGING
Though some may claim they hold the key to eternal youth, when it comes to getting older, there’s really no magic pill. That being said, there are some things you can do to help slow down the process. SLOW AGING WITH THESE 5 TIPS #1– Stay Hydrated! The human body can go for weeks without food, but only about 3 days without water. Are you drinking enough? A good general guideline for water consumption is 8 – 10 glasses per day. And when we say water, we mean water—not soda or coffee. Water flushes toxins from the body and helps keep the skin hydrated, keeping cells happy and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. #2 – Eat Right and Take Your Vitamins! Eat a diet rich in good fats, moderate in protein and light in carbohydrates, and avoid sugar as much as possible. Why? Sugar causes inflammation, which breaks down collagen and elastin causing wrinkles and sagging skin. What’s more, sugar has been linked to numerous illnesses and diseases. Certain supplements can help slow down the aging process. Click here to learn about the 7 vitamins that can help! #3 – Exercise Regularly! Regular exercise produces long-term health benefits and in some cases, Read more…
With Canada’s 150th just around the corner I thought I’d pay tribute to one of my all-time favourite Canadians: Dr. Daniel David (DD) Palmer. Why is Dr. Palmer one of my favourites? He discovered the chiropractic profession! A Little Chiropractic History On September 18th 1895, DD Palmer delivered the first chiropractic adjustment to a man named Harvey Lillard. Harvey was a deaf janitor working in the same building as Palmer. He had lost his hearing years earlier after feeling a pop in his upper back. Palmer examined Harvey and found a misalignment in his spine. He decided to manipulate the misalignment, which ended up restoring Harvey’s hearing. Chiropractic was born! While Palmer quickly realized that chiropractic wasn’t a cure for deafness, he did discover that adjustments could relieve many of his patients’ pains and other symptoms. Symptoms like sciatica, migraines, headaches, and stomach complaints. Palmer continued to develop chiropractic and in 1897 established the Palmer School of Cure, now known as the Palmer College of Chiropractic. With his research underway, people became interested in Palmer’s new science and healing art. Most interested in chiropractic was DD’s son, Bartlett Joshua (BJ). BJ carried on his Father’s legacy and is often given credit for growing and Read more…
It’s that time of year again: allergy season. Are you one of the millions of Canadians suffering from: • Itchy, watery eyes; • A runny nose; • Constant sneezing; or • A wheezy cough? Common springtime allergens like mold spores, pollen and grass can cause an array of symptoms. When allergy symptoms strike, many people automatically reach for antihistamines but do they really work? The truth: Allergy medications serve to temporarily relieve symptoms, but do nothing to address the underlying cause. Ever wonder why some people are affected by seasonal allergies while others aren’t? An allergy is not caused by the allergen itself, but by the immune system’s inability to fight off the adverse effects of the allergen. In other words, the immune system is too tired, stressed or weak to fight off the allergen. So, allergies = poor immune function. The good news is, there are natural ways to beat seasonal allergies and improve your immune function. So, before reaching for over the counter meds, try some of the natural strategies below! Natural Allergy Relief 1. Eat Right. A healthy diet is key to a healthy immune system. Eat more fresh, whole foods and do your best to avoid sugar and Read more…
Stuck in the same old workout routine? Looking to change things up a bit? Why not try a fitness class? We asked some of our patients which Ottawa fitness classes they enjoy the most and here’s what they said: 1. Greco Fitness [Multiple Locations] You’ve probably heard of Greco Fitness before. Heck, you may even train there! There are 14 Greco locations across Ontario and that number keeps on growing. Their claim to fame is their ever so popular “Lean & Fit” class. The 45-minute full body conditioning circuit is offered 7 days a week at various times throughout the day. The circuits are always changing, so it’s unlikely you will do the same workout twice. The best part is that you set your own pace, so it doesn’t matter what skill level you’re at! Beyond “Lean &Fit” they also offer kickboxing, martial arts, HIIT workouts and personal training! 2. iNSiDE Out STUDiO barre [1416 Wellington Street West] Popular with celebrities, barre fitness is a unique combination of strength training, yoga, Pilates and ballet barre that allows you to work on individual muscle groups. Using tiny isometric movements, barre fitness allows you to burn fat and sculpt muscles—helping you achieve a long, lean, and toned body. iNSiDE Read more…
Best Fats for Cooking
Are you confused about which fats are good and bad? I do not blame you – there’s a lot of conflicting information about fats out there. Some myths just won’t die. The biggest one is that eating fat leads to weight gain. While recent studies show that’s not true, we still see books and articles advocating for low-fat diets for faster weight loss. Fats play a major role in weight loss and overall health. They help absorb other nutrients you consume, balance hormone levels, maintain cell structure and much more. However not every type of fat. Eating bad fats (trans fats, and hydrogenated oils) can lead to heart disease, high cholesterol, weight gain, depression and other diseases. Not only should you know which fats are healthy and which are not, but you should also know which fats are safe to cook with. Some fats are better consumed in their room temperature state as they react with the heat and become unhealthy fats. What are the Best Fats for Cooking ? When you’re cooking with high heats, you would want to use oils that do not oxidize or go rancid easily, as these can cause harmful free radicals that are damaging Read more…
Our bodies were not designed to sit at a desk for 8-12 hours a day. Sitting for extended periods can result in pain and stiffness all over your body. To help prevent this we’ve designed our easy 5-5-5 stretching routine. This sequence includes 5 stretches for your upper body and 5 stretches for your lower body. These stretches can easily be done at work and will only take about 5 minutes to do. For maximum benefit, try to take 5 minutes every hour to do these stretches, holding each stretch for 5-10 breaths. Your body will thank you. Easy 5 for Your Upper Body Easy 5 for Your Lower Body