Exercise
What is the best medicine?
22/Jun/12 03:50 PM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
Thanks to Dr. Mike Evans for his great website and his video 23 and 1/2 hours (which you can watch in less than 10 minutes!). And, thanks to Melanie Dechatelets for posting the video on her blog! Below I’ve summarized the key points I took away from this video.
So, what is the best medicine? EXERCISE. In fact, low fitness level is the strongest predictor of death, so improving fitness can have the biggest impact on your overall health!
What can exercise treat?
Thanks to Dr. Mike Evans for his great website and his video 23 and 1/2 hours (which you can watch in less than 10 minutes!). And, thanks to Melanie Dechatelets for posting the video on her blog! Below I’ve summarized the key points I took away from this video.
So, what is the best medicine? EXERCISE. In fact, low fitness level is the strongest predictor of death, so improving fitness can have the biggest impact on your overall health!
What can exercise treat?
- Arthritis (reduces pain and disability)
- Alzheimer’s disease (reduces dementia)
- Diabetes (reduces progression)
- Osteoporosis and fracture risk
- Anxiety and depression (higher dose more effective!)
- Risk of death
- Fatigue
- Obesity (duh!), but activity even if still obese still improves health!
- Heart disease (also duh!)
- And so many more... (like cancer, hormonal imbalances, insomnia, etc)
- Most research focused on WALKING, which is a great place to start for most people
- However, higher intensity and other types of exercise are also incredibly helpful
- 30 minutes per day minimum for adults (60 minutes per day for kids)
Comments
Stress management talk July 4th
19/Jun/12 03:42 PM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
Unfortunately, I had to cancel this talk (originally scheduled on June 13th) due to illness, but I’m pleased that I have been able to reschedule it to July 4th!
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, July 4th, 7pm at the Main Street Library (137 Main Street, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7700 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
Unfortunately, I had to cancel this talk (originally scheduled on June 13th) due to illness, but I’m pleased that I have been able to reschedule it to July 4th!
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, July 4th, 7pm at the Main Street Library (137 Main Street, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7700 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
- Why does stress matter?
- Tips for sound sleep
- The importance of exercise to bust stress
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
Stress management talk June 20th
15/Jun/12 06:30 AM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, June 20th, 7pm at the Deer Park Library (40 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7657 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, June 20th, 7pm at the Deer Park Library (40 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7657 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
- Why does stress matter?
- Tips for sound sleep
- The importance of exercise to bust stress
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
Stress management talk June 13th
10/Jun/12 04:30 PM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, June 13th, 7pm at the Main Street Library (137 Main Street, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7700 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS
I will be giving a free talk as part of my 4 Seasons of Wellness program called Summer: Stress Management on Wednesday, June 13th, 7pm at the Main Street Library (137 Main Street, Toronto). Call the library at 416-393-7700 to RSVP!
It’s at the root of all disease and you have the power to change it. Get a handle on stress and learn some simple and effective stress management techniques.
Topics will include:
- Why does stress matter?
- Tips for sound sleep
- The importance of exercise to bust stress
See my Events page for more upcoming dates and topics!
What is Kate Whimster reading?
04/Jun/12 05:07 PM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
This post is inspired by the website What is Stephen Harper Reading?, created by author Yann Martel to document his quest to influence Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s reading. It’s quite a fascinating website both for the 101 book recommendations (all accompanied by a letter to Stephen Harper as to why each book was chosen) and for the thought and debate provoked by the question itself.
Anyway, it’s been awhile since I’ve written a long blog and I assure you that some are in the works (hopefully to be completed during the traditionally less hectic summer months). In the mean time, I thought I would share 5 examples of what I’ve been reading lately and my thoughts on each. Even more book recommendations can be found under Resources, Reading List to your left. I continue to strive to add to that list but I am only one woman reading on the streetcar...
1. Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Tori Hudson, ND
Considered one of the foremost authorities on women’s health, Tori Hudson’s book is incredibly useful in naturopathic practice for treating every major women’s health issue, including PMS/period issues, cervical dysplasia, menopause, breast issues, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), infertility, pregnancy, and many more. I’ve been consulting this book regularly over the years but only just bought my own and I know I will use it for many years to come.
2. The Mindbody Prescription by John Sarno, MD
This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend (not a naturopathic doctor) as a suggestion to start looking at pain in a different way. It took me a long time to finish it, as Dr. Sarno gives you a lot to ponder (so I had to keep putting the book down and thinking!), but I’m glad I read it as it has already been an enormous help to several of my patients. If you have pain of any sort, I encourage you to read this book and to follow the treatment guidelines found at the end to start reframing your issue and healing your body by addressing your mind and its connection to your symptoms.
3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I’ve only just started this one but I can already tell I’m going to love this book and my thinking is already altered by this information! So far, not much about health in here, but it has been eye-opening with regards to how people become successful. The part that has struck me the most is the importance of income level (and thus parenting style and how that influences one’s perceived locus of control) on a child’s future. This is why we should all care about the health, wellbeing, and education of others around us because it does affect us and the society we live in.
4. The Dip by Seth Godin
This short, simple little book is great for getting you thinking about when to forge ahead and when it is smartest to quit. Yes, it is sometimes best to quit and this book will help you figure out when that is and where you should be putting your valuable time and energy! This book is helpful for both small business owners (ie: me) and employees and can also be applied in non-work situations. A quick, fun read with lots of interesting examples.
5. Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
I’ve actually been reading this book since 2009! It’s pretty worn now and I don’t think I ever actually finished it. However, over these years I’ve read every word at least once, probably twice! This book is all about how to make running fun and injury free and I think it is a must-read for anyone who runs. As you may remember from my post Got pain?, I have a long and storied experience with running and pain. This book has completely changed how I run with just a few simple techniques (that require lots of practice)!
This post is inspired by the website What is Stephen Harper Reading?, created by author Yann Martel to document his quest to influence Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s reading. It’s quite a fascinating website both for the 101 book recommendations (all accompanied by a letter to Stephen Harper as to why each book was chosen) and for the thought and debate provoked by the question itself.
Anyway, it’s been awhile since I’ve written a long blog and I assure you that some are in the works (hopefully to be completed during the traditionally less hectic summer months). In the mean time, I thought I would share 5 examples of what I’ve been reading lately and my thoughts on each. Even more book recommendations can be found under Resources, Reading List to your left. I continue to strive to add to that list but I am only one woman reading on the streetcar...
1. Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine by Tori Hudson, ND
Considered one of the foremost authorities on women’s health, Tori Hudson’s book is incredibly useful in naturopathic practice for treating every major women’s health issue, including PMS/period issues, cervical dysplasia, menopause, breast issues, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), infertility, pregnancy, and many more. I’ve been consulting this book regularly over the years but only just bought my own and I know I will use it for many years to come.
2. The Mindbody Prescription by John Sarno, MD
This book was recommended to me by my boyfriend (not a naturopathic doctor) as a suggestion to start looking at pain in a different way. It took me a long time to finish it, as Dr. Sarno gives you a lot to ponder (so I had to keep putting the book down and thinking!), but I’m glad I read it as it has already been an enormous help to several of my patients. If you have pain of any sort, I encourage you to read this book and to follow the treatment guidelines found at the end to start reframing your issue and healing your body by addressing your mind and its connection to your symptoms.
3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
I’ve only just started this one but I can already tell I’m going to love this book and my thinking is already altered by this information! So far, not much about health in here, but it has been eye-opening with regards to how people become successful. The part that has struck me the most is the importance of income level (and thus parenting style and how that influences one’s perceived locus of control) on a child’s future. This is why we should all care about the health, wellbeing, and education of others around us because it does affect us and the society we live in.
4. The Dip by Seth Godin
This short, simple little book is great for getting you thinking about when to forge ahead and when it is smartest to quit. Yes, it is sometimes best to quit and this book will help you figure out when that is and where you should be putting your valuable time and energy! This book is helpful for both small business owners (ie: me) and employees and can also be applied in non-work situations. A quick, fun read with lots of interesting examples.
5. Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
I’ve actually been reading this book since 2009! It’s pretty worn now and I don’t think I ever actually finished it. However, over these years I’ve read every word at least once, probably twice! This book is all about how to make running fun and injury free and I think it is a must-read for anyone who runs. As you may remember from my post Got pain?, I have a long and storied experience with running and pain. This book has completely changed how I run with just a few simple techniques (that require lots of practice)!
Guest post: Resolutions right for your type
17/Jan/12 02:24 PM
Guest post originally published by Maura Henninger, ND
What’s a list of New Year’s resolutions without the requisite ‘lose weight’ among the top five? For some, it’s not as much about losing weight as it is about adopting healthier habits and those can encompass eating better, exercising more, sleeping more soundly, reducing stress and a whole host of other wellness goals. According to research, more than half of people who make New Year’s resolutions will drop them by mid-year. Nevertheless, the same research also shows that just the act of making a resolution and sticking to it for even an abbreviated length of time lays the foundation for future positive change. The media overflows this time of year with advice on sticking to our resolve to introduce positive change. The best one, in my opinion? Buddy up. Find a friend who is also committed to make the change you seek. Research out of the University of Leeds shows that if you and a partner work together, better eating and exercise habits are bound to stick. So, grab your spouse, mom, sister, brother, best friend, or child who’s interested in eating and exercising according to Blood Type this year. Here are some tips to begin:
Type O
- At big meals, focus on proteins like red meat, turkey and fish
- To boost your metabolism, add green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach
- Avoid wheat completely, as well as most cow milk dairy
- To side-step weight gain, slash kidney beans, lentil and corn from your diet
- Engage in vigorous, sweat-enducing exercise at least four times per week
- Red meats are best avoided, but turkey is fine
- Soy is a good replacement protein metabolized quickly by Type As
- Load your plate with winter vegetables, particularly pumpkin, turnip and parnsip
- Pineapple will increase calorie utilization and aid in digestion
- Calming, restorative exercises like yoga and tai-chi will head off stress, which can exacerbate weight gain
- The biggest weight-gain offenders are chicken, corn and peanuts
- Like Type O’s, Type B’s should avoid the harmful lectins in wheat
- Load up on dairy and eggs to supercharge the metabolism
- Add licorice tea at the end of meals to balance blood sugar
- Try alternating days of physically rigorous exercise (3 days a week) with relaxing workouts (two days a week)
- Seafood is the protein of choice but turkey is also metabolically favorable
- Common winter fruits like figs, cranberries and plums are excellent for AB’s
- Make tofu a regular part of your diet
- A power juice for AB’s: one apple, a few stalks of celery, 2 carrots and a few leaves of cabbage
- AB’s have a similar stress profile to Type As, so heavy exercise will only deplete the nervous system. Try yoga and low-impact martial arts, walking and dance.
Resolved to eat better this year and follow your Blood Type Diet more closely? Send me an email or comment on this post. I’d love to hear your plans. Maura@dadamonutrition.com.
Simple changes = big results
08/Jan/12 09:59 AM
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
Another year and more New Year’s resolutions! This year I thought I’d share some really simple resolutions you can make to have major impacts on your health. These are all FREE things you can do that will improve your health more than any supplement, product, or procedure ever will. All those things are only icing on the cake (the cake being a foundation of healthy habits!).
Start your day with a smoothie
Most of my patients don’t eat breakfast (or don’t eat something healthy for breakfast - Egg McMuffins, Tim Horton’s, or Starbucks are not optimal breakfast choices). Most of my patients also don’t eat enough fruits and veggies. And, most of them don’t eat enough fibre. Doing all these things will prolong your life and prevent disease. Here is a simple, fun, and tasty solution!
I blogged about my favourite smoothie, but you can really make whatever you want for yourself. If you don’t already have one, buy yourself a handblender (or Magic Bullet or blender) and throw together a superfood smoothie each morning! Make sure you include:
Experiment with yourself
The best way to know if something works? Try it! I often recommend an elimination/hypoallergenic diet in which I have my patient avoid common food allergens/irritants for a month. During this month we can observe if their health concerns and symptoms improve (which they almost always do!). Then, I have them add back foods one at a time to observe how each food affects them and we learn what foods are contributing to their health issues. This is a great way to see quick results and learn something too. The challenge is that eliminating all these things at once can turn your diet upside down, although it does teach you how much healthy food is out there to eat!
Why not start with just one or two things to eliminate for a month and see how you feel? For the most effect, pick one or two of the following foods for your self-experiment:
Are you tired of being told all the things you should stop or avoid? I just gave you a bunch above! Whenever you want to stop one thing, you need to start something else. So, start by replacing some unhealthy (or less healthy) habits with healthier ones. Here are several examples:
Meditate every night before bed
However, meditation is also hard - hard to start, hard to make time for, hard to be good at, hard to remember, etc. But really, it’s so easy! You can sit, you can breathe, and you can count, right?
Try some simple alternate nostril breathing every night before bed. You will sleep better, de-stress, think better, focus better, and FEEL better. And, if you keep it up, your body will heal better, work better, lose weight better... You get the picture. Commit to 1 month of nightly meditation for 5-10 minutes minimum and then see how you feel.
Walk more
Remember walking? The easy, free transportation system that human beings are great at? I know you think you don’t have time to exercise, but you DO have time to WALK. It will get you where you need to go and even just a bit of walking every day has major health benefits - lose weight, prevent cancer/heart disease/diabetes, improve mood, get/stay warmer in winter, etc.
Try adding just a bit more walking to each day:
Another year and more New Year’s resolutions! This year I thought I’d share some really simple resolutions you can make to have major impacts on your health. These are all FREE things you can do that will improve your health more than any supplement, product, or procedure ever will. All those things are only icing on the cake (the cake being a foundation of healthy habits!).
Start your day with a smoothie
Most of my patients don’t eat breakfast (or don’t eat something healthy for breakfast - Egg McMuffins, Tim Horton’s, or Starbucks are not optimal breakfast choices). Most of my patients also don’t eat enough fruits and veggies. And, most of them don’t eat enough fibre. Doing all these things will prolong your life and prevent disease. Here is a simple, fun, and tasty solution!
I blogged about my favourite smoothie, but you can really make whatever you want for yourself. If you don’t already have one, buy yourself a handblender (or Magic Bullet or blender) and throw together a superfood smoothie each morning! Make sure you include:
- Fresh or frozen fruit (choose beneficials for your blood type)
- 1/2 to 1 leaf swiss chard, kale, or equivalent amount of spinach (more veggies - these will just blend in, you won’t even know they’re there!)
- 1-2 tablespoons fibre (ground flax, hemp hearts, psyllium, etc)
- Protein powder (depending on your blood type, can be whey, vegan protein, brown rice protein, or you can use ground nuts/seeds)
- 1 teaspoon greens powder or spirulina (get even more green foods!)
- Juice/water to cover ingredients
Experiment with yourself
The best way to know if something works? Try it! I often recommend an elimination/hypoallergenic diet in which I have my patient avoid common food allergens/irritants for a month. During this month we can observe if their health concerns and symptoms improve (which they almost always do!). Then, I have them add back foods one at a time to observe how each food affects them and we learn what foods are contributing to their health issues. This is a great way to see quick results and learn something too. The challenge is that eliminating all these things at once can turn your diet upside down, although it does teach you how much healthy food is out there to eat!
Why not start with just one or two things to eliminate for a month and see how you feel? For the most effect, pick one or two of the following foods for your self-experiment:
- Wheat or all gluten grains (barley, rye, wheat, spelt, kamut)
- Refined sugar (including white/brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup) - no artificial sweeteners allowed either!
- Dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk, butter)
- Caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate, pop)
- Pop/soft drinks
Are you tired of being told all the things you should stop or avoid? I just gave you a bunch above! Whenever you want to stop one thing, you need to start something else. So, start by replacing some unhealthy (or less healthy) habits with healthier ones. Here are several examples:
- Replace your daily coffee with a green or white tea
- Replace pop/soda with water (or sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice or lemon juice, yum)
- Replace sitting on the couch through a half hour TV show with half and hour of stretching and yoga while watching TV
- Replace a packaged snack with a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts or seeds
- Replace the most toxic cleaning product in your home with a non-toxic alternative
- Replace sitting in front of the computer for an hour with reading a great book
Meditate every night before bed
However, meditation is also hard - hard to start, hard to make time for, hard to be good at, hard to remember, etc. But really, it’s so easy! You can sit, you can breathe, and you can count, right?
Try some simple alternate nostril breathing every night before bed. You will sleep better, de-stress, think better, focus better, and FEEL better. And, if you keep it up, your body will heal better, work better, lose weight better... You get the picture. Commit to 1 month of nightly meditation for 5-10 minutes minimum and then see how you feel.
Walk more
Remember walking? The easy, free transportation system that human beings are great at? I know you think you don’t have time to exercise, but you DO have time to WALK. It will get you where you need to go and even just a bit of walking every day has major health benefits - lose weight, prevent cancer/heart disease/diabetes, improve mood, get/stay warmer in winter, etc.
Try adding just a bit more walking to each day:
- Park further away
- Take the stairs (even if it’s more than 5 floors, just take your time!)
- Skip a few subway stops
- Walk to the store, the restaurant, a friend’s house
- Take the long way home
- Walk around your house and clean
