Lifestyle
Cooking made easy: tips and tricks
12/03/12 21:51
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
The cornerstone of eating healthy is to prepare your food yourself! More and more people are eating out every day and sometimes multiple times per day and the result is that we eat processed foods that are exponentially higher in sugar, salt, preservatives, and fillers and much lower in nutrients than anything we could make at home!
So, here are some tips and tricks for cooking delicious homemade food quickly and easily.
1. Learn to live without (or with far less) sugar
Processed sugar is not a necessity of life and in fact is a food that we as humans are only made to have in small quantities occasionally. Sugar depresses your immune system, encourages accumulation of belly fat, alters your brain function, promotes inflammation (and pain!) and contributes to all major chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc). But this is a topic to be explored in another blog...
Luckily, there are so many ways to reduce the processed sugar we eat! One important step is to simply fill up on nutritious foods and stop eating desserts. Another is to get your sweet fix in healthier ways, by substituting other types of sweeteners, baking healthier, and using other foods, such as fruit, for that sweet fix.
My favourite substitute for sugar in baking in vegetable glycerine, which I use in many of my recipes on this site. Vegetable glycerine doesn’t spike blood sugar because it isn’t sugar, but it does taste very sweet so you don’t need as much of it to get that sweet taste. You can also mix it with other natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave depending on your taste. But remember, the idea is to significantly reduce your sugar intake!
2. Cook in batches
The first rule of cooking and eating mostly homemade food is to cook more than you need (sometimes much more!). For example:
3. Buy in bulk
This can mean literally buying bulk foods, but it can also mean buying a large amount of food and spacing it out. One way that I do this is to buy a roast chicken (which is way too big for one meal for me) then cut it up and place portions small ziploc snack bags. This makes a really easy meal if I need it - I can just pull a snack bag out of the freezer (which will thaw a bit within 10-15 minutes), reheat the chicken, and make a wrap or mix with rice for a quick meal.
You can do this with lots of different prepared foods you find at the grocery store or restaurants. You can even do this when you eat out - get a takeout container when you get your plate at a restaurant and immediately put half your meal in it to take home for leftovers!
4. Learn to make your own substitutes
One of the biggest pitfalls to a healthy diet is snacking - everyone has their favourite sweet or salty snacks that they can’t resist buying. For me, it is anything chocolate and even if I try to make healthier choices (that usually being chocolate covered almonds), I just don’t feel as good when I eat snacks that I buy at the store.
The solution that has worked best for me is to learn to make my own snacks that approximate/substitute for the snacks I love best. I have several recipes for baked goods that work well for me - give some of these a try:
Or, if you have a particular favourite food or snack, start experimenting with how to make it yourself. Here are some ideas:
The cornerstone of eating healthy is to prepare your food yourself! More and more people are eating out every day and sometimes multiple times per day and the result is that we eat processed foods that are exponentially higher in sugar, salt, preservatives, and fillers and much lower in nutrients than anything we could make at home!
So, here are some tips and tricks for cooking delicious homemade food quickly and easily.
1. Learn to live without (or with far less) sugar
Processed sugar is not a necessity of life and in fact is a food that we as humans are only made to have in small quantities occasionally. Sugar depresses your immune system, encourages accumulation of belly fat, alters your brain function, promotes inflammation (and pain!) and contributes to all major chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc). But this is a topic to be explored in another blog...
Luckily, there are so many ways to reduce the processed sugar we eat! One important step is to simply fill up on nutritious foods and stop eating desserts. Another is to get your sweet fix in healthier ways, by substituting other types of sweeteners, baking healthier, and using other foods, such as fruit, for that sweet fix.
My favourite substitute for sugar in baking in vegetable glycerine, which I use in many of my recipes on this site. Vegetable glycerine doesn’t spike blood sugar because it isn’t sugar, but it does taste very sweet so you don’t need as much of it to get that sweet taste. You can also mix it with other natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave depending on your taste. But remember, the idea is to significantly reduce your sugar intake!
2. Cook in batches
The first rule of cooking and eating mostly homemade food is to cook more than you need (sometimes much more!). For example:
- Cook double or triple the portions at each meal so you have leftovers for future meals
- Cook a chicken/turkey/roast/soup and package and/or freeze portions
- Make veggies in batches to use throughout the week, such as blanching greens to make salads or as part of a meal
- Prepare snacks and store in small containers to grab when needed, such as cut and washed veggies (carrots, celery, peppers, etc), fruit (grapes, berries, mango, etc), nuts and seeds
3. Buy in bulk
This can mean literally buying bulk foods, but it can also mean buying a large amount of food and spacing it out. One way that I do this is to buy a roast chicken (which is way too big for one meal for me) then cut it up and place portions small ziploc snack bags. This makes a really easy meal if I need it - I can just pull a snack bag out of the freezer (which will thaw a bit within 10-15 minutes), reheat the chicken, and make a wrap or mix with rice for a quick meal.
You can do this with lots of different prepared foods you find at the grocery store or restaurants. You can even do this when you eat out - get a takeout container when you get your plate at a restaurant and immediately put half your meal in it to take home for leftovers!
4. Learn to make your own substitutes
One of the biggest pitfalls to a healthy diet is snacking - everyone has their favourite sweet or salty snacks that they can’t resist buying. For me, it is anything chocolate and even if I try to make healthier choices (that usually being chocolate covered almonds), I just don’t feel as good when I eat snacks that I buy at the store.
The solution that has worked best for me is to learn to make my own snacks that approximate/substitute for the snacks I love best. I have several recipes for baked goods that work well for me - give some of these a try:
- Walnutty chocolate: Amazing chocolate fudge as a vehicle for fibre and nuts
- Quinoatmeal cookies: high fibre oatmeal-like cookies, a hit with everyone
- Antioxidant brownies: dense, moist, dark chocolate brownies
- Ultimate chocolate chip cookies: a healthier take on a traditional favourite
- Simple almond cookies: great for elimination diet and tasty too
Or, if you have a particular favourite food or snack, start experimenting with how to make it yourself. Here are some ideas:
- Make your own granola using whole food ingredients like dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, coconut, and rolled oats.
- Crave crunch? Try high fibre crackers (I like Mary’s) and nut butter. I recommend homemade walnut butter for more omega 3 fats. You can also use almond, hazelnut, pumpkin seed, cashew, or peanut butter. Make sure to read ingredients and get brands without sweeteners or fillers.
- Make a superfood smoothie for your fruit fix.
- Buy fresh fruit and cut it up to make fruit salad (my personal favourite is fresh mango with raspberries).
- Like bacon? Try turkey bacon - not the greatest, but a better choice! Read ingredients carefully to avoid nitrites/sulfites, which are carcinogenic!
- Like chocolate milk? Try almond (or rice or soy) milk and chocolate protein powder!
- Bake your own banana bread or muffins.
- Like chips or french fries? Make your own at home or, even better, make kale chips or sweet potato chips or sweet potato or veggie fries.
- Like beef jerky? Make your own using a dehydrator!
- Do you miss ice cream? Make your own at home or, even better, make your own sorbet.
- Crave a burger? Make your own from ground beef/bison/turkey/whatever favourite meat and add onions, garlic, spices, etc to taste. You can freeze these and cook quickly for lunch or dinner. Also consider making meatballs!
Comments
Cooking made easy: tools of the trade
10/02/12 11:02
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
I spend much of my time coaching and encouraging patients to eat healthy and a major part of that is learning to cook nutritious meals at home. Cooking healthy homemade meals can seem daunting at first, but it is simply a matter of learning basic skills and forming new habits.
April 2012 is my 10 year anniversary of eating right for my type (which has evolved from type O to type O nonsecretor to Hunter) and over this decade I’ve gone from eating primarily toast, milk, fast food, and packaged food (can you believe it?) to learning how to prepare healthy meals at home.
One of the keys to successful food preparation is having the right tools! So, I would like to share the most valuable kitchen tools/appliances I own. To equip yourself with all 4 tools will cost you about $126.96. To me, for years of cooking assistance and time savings, this is well worth it.
1. Hand blender
Cost = $55.99 (at Kitchen Stuff Plus, which I find to have very low prices)
Back in 2004 I got a Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender and it is still going strong today after daily (and sometimes twice daily) use! Last year it started to make some disturbing noises, so I bought a new one on sale (because I feared getting stuck without my morning companion), but I haven’t had to open the new one yet since my old one has hung in there! Long story short, I think this is one appliance worth a $50-$60 investment. I would recommend this brand over others - I previously owned another handblender brand that only lasted a year or two and was made of plastic rather than stainless steel.
Use your handblender to make a daily superfood smoothie, as well as blending sauces, dips, etc. Use the chopper attachment to chop veggies or grind nuts for homemade nut butters. Finally, use the whisk attachment for beating eggs to make healthy brownies at home!
2. Steamer basket
Cost = $6.99 (small) to $8.99 (large)
This one is new within the last year or so. Before owning a steamer basket, I just boiled or blanched veggies. However, steaming uses less water, is much faster, and retains more nutrients in your food! Simply place the steamer basket in a pot, add water to just below the basket, bring it to a boil and add your veggies. Steam for as long as you like to achieve desired texture. I now do my broccoli and kale for about 1-3 minutes to get the same texture as blanching.
You can steam literally anything quickly and easily! I find the steamer basket gives better results than an actually steamer appliance (which I find less even) and if you use a large steamer basket in a large stock pot, you can steam enough greens/veggies to keep in the fridge to eat all week. It’s all about efficiency and convenience!
3. Rice cooker
Cost = varies (at least $13.99)
Kitchen Stuff Plus has more expensive ones, but I bought my small rice cooker from Canadian Tire for about $10 on sale (regular price $13.99)
This is another recent addition to my kitchen (bought within the last year) and honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t get one sooner! My rice cooker makes perfect rice, quinoa, lentils, etc every time with no work! Simply measure the right amount of rice (or whatever), water (or use vegetable broth for extra nutrients), and seasonings, turn it on, and when it’s done it stops cooking.
Extra bonus: you can make oatmeal in a rice cooker and even steam veggies in some (if they come with a steamer basket)!
4. Indoor grill
Cost = varies (at least $49.99)
There are a lot of different grills on the market today! I think my dad has the Cuisinart Griddler ($99.99 at Kitchen Stuff Plus), I have a George Foreman grill they don’t even make anymore (with a temperature control, which I really like). Here is a similar George Foreman with temperature control ($59.99) at Canadian Tire and a slightly less expensive ($49.99) model here.
I’ve now owned 2 George Foreman grills and I couldn’t imagine my life without it! You can use the grill for burgers, steaks, fish, veggies, etc... The temperature control is nice for having more control over what you are cooking, and the cook time is really reduced since you cook both sides at once. For example, a bison burger generally takes about 7 minutes total to cook from frozen. They are also pretty easy to clean - I use only water and a special sponge that works perfectly to wipe the grill down after using and then I just dry it gently with paper towel.
I spend much of my time coaching and encouraging patients to eat healthy and a major part of that is learning to cook nutritious meals at home. Cooking healthy homemade meals can seem daunting at first, but it is simply a matter of learning basic skills and forming new habits.
April 2012 is my 10 year anniversary of eating right for my type (which has evolved from type O to type O nonsecretor to Hunter) and over this decade I’ve gone from eating primarily toast, milk, fast food, and packaged food (can you believe it?) to learning how to prepare healthy meals at home.
One of the keys to successful food preparation is having the right tools! So, I would like to share the most valuable kitchen tools/appliances I own. To equip yourself with all 4 tools will cost you about $126.96. To me, for years of cooking assistance and time savings, this is well worth it.
1. Hand blender
Cost = $55.99 (at Kitchen Stuff Plus, which I find to have very low prices)
Back in 2004 I got a Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender and it is still going strong today after daily (and sometimes twice daily) use! Last year it started to make some disturbing noises, so I bought a new one on sale (because I feared getting stuck without my morning companion), but I haven’t had to open the new one yet since my old one has hung in there! Long story short, I think this is one appliance worth a $50-$60 investment. I would recommend this brand over others - I previously owned another handblender brand that only lasted a year or two and was made of plastic rather than stainless steel.
Use your handblender to make a daily superfood smoothie, as well as blending sauces, dips, etc. Use the chopper attachment to chop veggies or grind nuts for homemade nut butters. Finally, use the whisk attachment for beating eggs to make healthy brownies at home!
2. Steamer basket
Cost = $6.99 (small) to $8.99 (large)
This one is new within the last year or so. Before owning a steamer basket, I just boiled or blanched veggies. However, steaming uses less water, is much faster, and retains more nutrients in your food! Simply place the steamer basket in a pot, add water to just below the basket, bring it to a boil and add your veggies. Steam for as long as you like to achieve desired texture. I now do my broccoli and kale for about 1-3 minutes to get the same texture as blanching.
You can steam literally anything quickly and easily! I find the steamer basket gives better results than an actually steamer appliance (which I find less even) and if you use a large steamer basket in a large stock pot, you can steam enough greens/veggies to keep in the fridge to eat all week. It’s all about efficiency and convenience!
3. Rice cooker
Cost = varies (at least $13.99)
Kitchen Stuff Plus has more expensive ones, but I bought my small rice cooker from Canadian Tire for about $10 on sale (regular price $13.99)
This is another recent addition to my kitchen (bought within the last year) and honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t get one sooner! My rice cooker makes perfect rice, quinoa, lentils, etc every time with no work! Simply measure the right amount of rice (or whatever), water (or use vegetable broth for extra nutrients), and seasonings, turn it on, and when it’s done it stops cooking.
Extra bonus: you can make oatmeal in a rice cooker and even steam veggies in some (if they come with a steamer basket)!
4. Indoor grill
Cost = varies (at least $49.99)
There are a lot of different grills on the market today! I think my dad has the Cuisinart Griddler ($99.99 at Kitchen Stuff Plus), I have a George Foreman grill they don’t even make anymore (with a temperature control, which I really like). Here is a similar George Foreman with temperature control ($59.99) at Canadian Tire and a slightly less expensive ($49.99) model here.
I’ve now owned 2 George Foreman grills and I couldn’t imagine my life without it! You can use the grill for burgers, steaks, fish, veggies, etc... The temperature control is nice for having more control over what you are cooking, and the cook time is really reduced since you cook both sides at once. For example, a bison burger generally takes about 7 minutes total to cook from frozen. They are also pretty easy to clean - I use only water and a special sponge that works perfectly to wipe the grill down after using and then I just dry it gently with paper towel.
Guest post: Resolutions right for your type
17/01/12 14:24
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
08/01/12 09:59
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
Learn from cancer survivors
03/01/12 13:22
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
I love lists, so in that spirit I wanted to share this blog on Crazy Sexy Life called 10 Things I Learned From People Who Survive Cancer. What do people who recover from major illness have in common? Here are a few of my favourite points:
“Don’t take sh*t from people”:
Do you ever find yourself getting annoyed over the most irrelevant things? Does it really matter if you don’t get your friend the perfect wedding/baby shower/birthday gift or someone de-friends you on Facebook? Didn’t you used to think that adults didn’t care about such petty, childish problems? So, you can either tackle the issue (probably my go-to approach too much of the time) or just stop caring! Spend your time and energy on the stuff that matters. And if you have enough left over for those petty things, reconsider just how good you have it!
“Take care of your body”:
If you’re reading this blog, you may have already gotten this message from me! And to go along with this point, I would add that you should realize the true value of your health and be willing to invest in maintaining it. In Canada we are accustomed to “free” healthcare. It isn’t really “free” but because we don’t pay directly out of pocket, it seems that way. However, this “free” healthcare does little to prevent your future disease.
Think for a moment of any nagging health issue you might have now… Pain, fatigue, medications you have to take, etc. What would it be worth to you to not have it? To just be cured of it right now, as if it never happened. A lot, right? That would mean you don’t have to work so hard and you would probably feel better every day. It takes a lot more to reverse a process that is already in motion (and has been for many years) than to prevent it! So, take care of your body.
Do you really need another purse, pair of shoes, car, house, toy, or whatever? What you really NEED is your health. Prevention will save you time, money, energy, and will give you a better return than any other investment you can make.
I love lists, so in that spirit I wanted to share this blog on Crazy Sexy Life called 10 Things I Learned From People Who Survive Cancer. What do people who recover from major illness have in common? Here are a few of my favourite points:
“Don’t take sh*t from people”:
Do you ever find yourself getting annoyed over the most irrelevant things? Does it really matter if you don’t get your friend the perfect wedding/baby shower/birthday gift or someone de-friends you on Facebook? Didn’t you used to think that adults didn’t care about such petty, childish problems? So, you can either tackle the issue (probably my go-to approach too much of the time) or just stop caring! Spend your time and energy on the stuff that matters. And if you have enough left over for those petty things, reconsider just how good you have it!
“Take care of your body”:
If you’re reading this blog, you may have already gotten this message from me! And to go along with this point, I would add that you should realize the true value of your health and be willing to invest in maintaining it. In Canada we are accustomed to “free” healthcare. It isn’t really “free” but because we don’t pay directly out of pocket, it seems that way. However, this “free” healthcare does little to prevent your future disease.
Think for a moment of any nagging health issue you might have now… Pain, fatigue, medications you have to take, etc. What would it be worth to you to not have it? To just be cured of it right now, as if it never happened. A lot, right? That would mean you don’t have to work so hard and you would probably feel better every day. It takes a lot more to reverse a process that is already in motion (and has been for many years) than to prevent it! So, take care of your body.
Do you really need another purse, pair of shoes, car, house, toy, or whatever? What you really NEED is your health. Prevention will save you time, money, energy, and will give you a better return than any other investment you can make.
Achieve your goals with a vision board
26/12/11 09:57
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
If you’ve read/watched The Secret or maybe other books about the power of attraction or intention, you’ve probably heard of a vision board. A vision board is simply a visual representation of your goals. It’s a tool to imagine what it is like to have what you seek and it can be a lot of fun to make! This time of year is when most people make New Year’s resolutions... How about this year, instead of making resolutions that you likely won’t keep, you instead set goals and make a vision board to help you manifest those goals? Here are 5 easy steps to making your vision board:
Step 1: Set goals
This is the most important step! If you don’t know what your goals are, how will you ever achieve them? You should probably spend the most time on this step because it shapes all the following steps. Your goals can relate to anything: career, relationships, health, finances, travel, investments, whatever. You might consider a different vision board for each if that suits you better.
Have you ever heard of that Harvard study on goal setting? Interviewers asked Harvard MBA students whether they had clear, written goals for their future and made plans to accomplish them. 84% had no goals, 13% had goals but they were not written, and 3% had clear, written goals and plans to accomplish them. 10 years later, the 13% with goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84% without goals. However, the 3% with clear, written goals were earning, on average, 10 times as much as the other 97%! This information is prolific in the business community as evidence of the power of committing your goals to paper. Unfortunately, this story has been debunked by Fast Company and several others!
However, that doesn’t mean that setting clear, written goals isn’t effective! There is actual research in this area, most notably this study by Gail Matthews. She found that those with written goals accomplished significantly more, those who shared their commitments publicly accomplished significantly more, and those who held themselves accountable accomplished significantly more.
This is all to say: goals are important, but so is DOING SOMETHING with those goals. A vision board is a key part of making your goals into something productive.
Step 2: Visualize and feel
This step is the most fun! All you need to do here is use your imagination! Remember that thing you used to use a lot as a kid when you played dress-up or make-believe? Time to pull it out of the dusty corner and get it working for you again.
Take some time AWAY from the computer, phone, office, kids, spouse, desk, etc to sit quietly and think about what it would be like to achieve your goals. What would your life look like if you got everything you wanted? How would you feel?
Write down some simple notes or even draw if that works better. You want to have some guiding ideas of what you need to put on your vision board that will show you what your goals look like and that will inspire you to feel the feeling of accomplishing your goals.
Step 3: Collect images and words
Now that you know what accomplishing your goals looks like and feels like, you need to find visuals that match. This step is also lots of fun because you get to be creative! When was the last time you did something creative? This step is like window-shopping for all the things you want in life.
Look in magazines for photos you like or even search online. Google Images is a great resource - simply type in what you want, like “cute puppy” and look through the images you get back for one that resonates with you. You can also use the web in other ways. Do you want a great car? Go to the manufacturer’s site and often you can design the car you want with all the features you want and print out the photo! Want a fantastic house? Go on MLS and search for the right house for you and print the listing! This also works for less material things, like a happy marriage and fulfilling family life. Look for photos of happy couples and smiling children. You can also use your own photos of yourself and others as long as they represent how you want to feel and what you want.
If you like to paint or draw, why not create your own images exactly the way you want? Why not use other things you love, like colours, textures, symbols, patterns, ribbons, paper, and great quotes or phrases?
I’ll give you a couple of examples of what I put on my vision board:
Your vision board can be made out of anything you want. First, you need something to put all your images and words on and this will determine what other supplies you need. Here are a few ideas:
Step 5: Create! And place.
Now that you have all you need, create your vision board! Arrange your images and words any way you like. Again, this is your chance to be creative in way you may not have been since primary school!
Place you vision board in a prominent place where you can look at it often, such as your office or bedroom. Use your vision board as a reminder of how your goals look and feel. Whenever you see it, take a moment to experience the feeling of realizing your goals. You can also use your vision board as a reminder to meditate on your goals.
If you’ve read/watched The Secret or maybe other books about the power of attraction or intention, you’ve probably heard of a vision board. A vision board is simply a visual representation of your goals. It’s a tool to imagine what it is like to have what you seek and it can be a lot of fun to make! This time of year is when most people make New Year’s resolutions... How about this year, instead of making resolutions that you likely won’t keep, you instead set goals and make a vision board to help you manifest those goals? Here are 5 easy steps to making your vision board:
- Set goals
- Visualize and feel
- Collect images/words
- Collect supplies
- Create and place
Step 1: Set goals
This is the most important step! If you don’t know what your goals are, how will you ever achieve them? You should probably spend the most time on this step because it shapes all the following steps. Your goals can relate to anything: career, relationships, health, finances, travel, investments, whatever. You might consider a different vision board for each if that suits you better.
Have you ever heard of that Harvard study on goal setting? Interviewers asked Harvard MBA students whether they had clear, written goals for their future and made plans to accomplish them. 84% had no goals, 13% had goals but they were not written, and 3% had clear, written goals and plans to accomplish them. 10 years later, the 13% with goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84% without goals. However, the 3% with clear, written goals were earning, on average, 10 times as much as the other 97%! This information is prolific in the business community as evidence of the power of committing your goals to paper. Unfortunately, this story has been debunked by Fast Company and several others!
However, that doesn’t mean that setting clear, written goals isn’t effective! There is actual research in this area, most notably this study by Gail Matthews. She found that those with written goals accomplished significantly more, those who shared their commitments publicly accomplished significantly more, and those who held themselves accountable accomplished significantly more.
This is all to say: goals are important, but so is DOING SOMETHING with those goals. A vision board is a key part of making your goals into something productive.
Step 2: Visualize and feel
This step is the most fun! All you need to do here is use your imagination! Remember that thing you used to use a lot as a kid when you played dress-up or make-believe? Time to pull it out of the dusty corner and get it working for you again.
Take some time AWAY from the computer, phone, office, kids, spouse, desk, etc to sit quietly and think about what it would be like to achieve your goals. What would your life look like if you got everything you wanted? How would you feel?
Write down some simple notes or even draw if that works better. You want to have some guiding ideas of what you need to put on your vision board that will show you what your goals look like and that will inspire you to feel the feeling of accomplishing your goals.
Step 3: Collect images and words
Now that you know what accomplishing your goals looks like and feels like, you need to find visuals that match. This step is also lots of fun because you get to be creative! When was the last time you did something creative? This step is like window-shopping for all the things you want in life.
Look in magazines for photos you like or even search online. Google Images is a great resource - simply type in what you want, like “cute puppy” and look through the images you get back for one that resonates with you. You can also use the web in other ways. Do you want a great car? Go to the manufacturer’s site and often you can design the car you want with all the features you want and print out the photo! Want a fantastic house? Go on MLS and search for the right house for you and print the listing! This also works for less material things, like a happy marriage and fulfilling family life. Look for photos of happy couples and smiling children. You can also use your own photos of yourself and others as long as they represent how you want to feel and what you want.
If you like to paint or draw, why not create your own images exactly the way you want? Why not use other things you love, like colours, textures, symbols, patterns, ribbons, paper, and great quotes or phrases?
I’ll give you a couple of examples of what I put on my vision board:
- I want to build my naturopathic practice and see more patients, so I made up an ideal weekly schedule in my calendar in which I put in how many new patient visits I want in a week and how many follow-up visits I want. I also put in there time to exercise, time for social events, and time off. Then I printed my schedule and put it on my vision board. When I made my vision board I was not that busy. The next month was my slowest month in practice ever, but then over the next 3 months I got busier and busier and now my weekly schedule looks like what is on my vision board!
- I went on MLS and searched for houses that fit certain criteria I want (number of bedrooms, neighbourhood, etc), but price was not a factor. I found a house I really liked and printed the listing and put it on my vision board. This house happens to be quite close to where I currently live, so it would be even better for me to go over there and take a look in person!
Your vision board can be made out of anything you want. First, you need something to put all your images and words on and this will determine what other supplies you need. Here are a few ideas:
- Corkboard and pins
- Posterboard and glue/tape
- Wall in your home and some way to stick things up (like sticky tack)
- Magnet board and magnets (this is what I used)
- Large picture frame, piece of cardboard to go in it, and glue/tape
- Fridge and magnets (this is great for kids to play with!)
Step 5: Create! And place.
Now that you have all you need, create your vision board! Arrange your images and words any way you like. Again, this is your chance to be creative in way you may not have been since primary school!
Place you vision board in a prominent place where you can look at it often, such as your office or bedroom. Use your vision board as a reminder of how your goals look and feel. Whenever you see it, take a moment to experience the feeling of realizing your goals. You can also use your vision board as a reminder to meditate on your goals.
As easy as breathing
14/10/11 14:28
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
How often do you hear the expression “as easy as breathing”? Breathing is pretty easy, but breathing well is a skill that requires practice! While reading Chi Running this summer, I learned more about breathing and its importance not only for fitness but also stress management and focus.
Most people spend most of their time breathing shallowly. When you breathe from only the top of your lungs, you don’t get as much air as you can. Most oxygen exchange occurs in the lower lungs, so you must breathe deeply to get the most oxygen into your blood. This requires not only breathing in fully but also exhaling fully. Exhaling fully ensures that there is space for fresh air. When you breathe deeply, you activate your parasympathetic nervous systems, which is your “rest and digest” mode. You need to spend time in this state to properly absorb and store nutrients from your diet and regenerate your body. In this state, your body releases pleasure hormones, such as serotonin and endorphins, and your heart rate and blood pressure are reduced. This state is protective of your body and helps prevent disease.
Shallow, rapid breaths activate your sympathetic nervous system, which is your “fight or flight” mode. Most people spend most of their time in this mode! In fight or flight mode, you release stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which increase your blood sugar for fuel and also store fat (rather than burning it). These hormones also increase blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, if you spend most of your time in this state, you will exhaust your adrenal glands, accumulate belly fat, and increase your risk of heart disease.
So how do you spend more time relaxed and breathing deeply? Practice makes perfect! Just like any skill, you need to practice it to become better at it. The more you practice, the easier it will be and the more you will practice...
My favourite breathing exercise is alternate nostril breathing! If you do this exercise nightly before bed, you will soon notice improved relaxation and sleep as well as improved mental focus during the day! You can do this exercise anywhere at anytime - use it liberally.
Caution, do not practice retention of your breath if you have high blood pressure or are in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Benefits:
How to:
Take it to the next level:
How often do you hear the expression “as easy as breathing”? Breathing is pretty easy, but breathing well is a skill that requires practice! While reading Chi Running this summer, I learned more about breathing and its importance not only for fitness but also stress management and focus.
Most people spend most of their time breathing shallowly. When you breathe from only the top of your lungs, you don’t get as much air as you can. Most oxygen exchange occurs in the lower lungs, so you must breathe deeply to get the most oxygen into your blood. This requires not only breathing in fully but also exhaling fully. Exhaling fully ensures that there is space for fresh air. When you breathe deeply, you activate your parasympathetic nervous systems, which is your “rest and digest” mode. You need to spend time in this state to properly absorb and store nutrients from your diet and regenerate your body. In this state, your body releases pleasure hormones, such as serotonin and endorphins, and your heart rate and blood pressure are reduced. This state is protective of your body and helps prevent disease.
Shallow, rapid breaths activate your sympathetic nervous system, which is your “fight or flight” mode. Most people spend most of their time in this mode! In fight or flight mode, you release stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which increase your blood sugar for fuel and also store fat (rather than burning it). These hormones also increase blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, if you spend most of your time in this state, you will exhaust your adrenal glands, accumulate belly fat, and increase your risk of heart disease.
So how do you spend more time relaxed and breathing deeply? Practice makes perfect! Just like any skill, you need to practice it to become better at it. The more you practice, the easier it will be and the more you will practice...
My favourite breathing exercise is alternate nostril breathing! If you do this exercise nightly before bed, you will soon notice improved relaxation and sleep as well as improved mental focus during the day! You can do this exercise anywhere at anytime - use it liberally.
Caution, do not practice retention of your breath if you have high blood pressure or are in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Benefits:
- Energizing at the start of the day or relaxing before bed
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- Improved ability to fall asleep and improved quality of sleep (including dreams!)
- Clears sinuses
- Improved focus and mental clarity
- Balances left and right brain hemispheres
How to:
- Sit comfortably in a quiet place with your spine straight, crown of head raised toward the sky and buttocks rooted to the floor.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and out.
- Close right nostril with thumb and inhale through left nostril to comfortable count of 4.
- Close the left nostril with ringer finger and hold the breath for a comfortable count of 4.
- Open the right nostril while keeping the left nostril closed and exhale through right nostril to comfortable count of 4.
- Hold the breath out for a comfortable count of 4.
- Repeat the procedure, this time inhaling through right nostril with left nostril closed and then exhaling through left nostril with right nostril closed.
- Once back to starting point (right nostril closed), you have completed 1 round.
- Begin with 3 rounds daily and work up to 6 rounds or more.
Take it to the next level:
- Create a mantra to repeat silently to lend a rhythm to your breathing. Choose a positive phrase to describe how you wish to feel or a goal you wish to achieve. Some examples: “I am rested and well”, “I am healthy and balanced”, or “I bow before my highest self”.
- End your practice by taking a deep breath in and chanting “Om”, ending with a long “mmm” sound that allows you to feel the vibration through your head.
Are you addicted to stress?
26/05/11 12:16
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
I want to share a great blog called “Addicted to Stress” over at Crazy Sexy Life. The title of this blog immediately caught my attention both because I see this every day in my naturopathic practice but also because I too can get addicted to stress!
“Every idea that we have about life, every thought and emotion we feel has a chemical reaction in the mind and body.” I sometimes feel like a broken record explaining this idea to patients, but it is so true! Every thought and emotion you have sets off a cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones that quite literally change the way your body functions via your immune system, digestive system, hormonal balance, and many other systems.
“When we’re used to being or reacting in certain ways, we experience a chemical addiction to those ways of being.” When you form thoughts, you create a neural pathway, and the more you use it, the stronger it becomes until you have entire neural networks that are like well-worn paths in your brain. And the themes of those networks become very influential in your thinking! We like the familiar. It is easier to do what we are used to because it requires less effort. And therefore we become “addicted” to certain thought patterns, sometimes just because they are familiar and easy.
“No matter how many stressors there are in your life, you can still be present, authentic, calm and loving.” Do you believe this? I think many people would like to, but they also have a lot of excuses why NOT. Remember, you have the power of choice! No matter what happened yesterday, today you are still making choices every second and you are not stuck in your pattern.
“We literally change the chemistry in our mind into a more harmonious environment.” Remember that practice makes perfect. The more you change your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, the easier it becomes.
I want to share a great blog called “Addicted to Stress” over at Crazy Sexy Life. The title of this blog immediately caught my attention both because I see this every day in my naturopathic practice but also because I too can get addicted to stress!
“Every idea that we have about life, every thought and emotion we feel has a chemical reaction in the mind and body.” I sometimes feel like a broken record explaining this idea to patients, but it is so true! Every thought and emotion you have sets off a cascade of neurotransmitters and hormones that quite literally change the way your body functions via your immune system, digestive system, hormonal balance, and many other systems.
“When we’re used to being or reacting in certain ways, we experience a chemical addiction to those ways of being.” When you form thoughts, you create a neural pathway, and the more you use it, the stronger it becomes until you have entire neural networks that are like well-worn paths in your brain. And the themes of those networks become very influential in your thinking! We like the familiar. It is easier to do what we are used to because it requires less effort. And therefore we become “addicted” to certain thought patterns, sometimes just because they are familiar and easy.
“No matter how many stressors there are in your life, you can still be present, authentic, calm and loving.” Do you believe this? I think many people would like to, but they also have a lot of excuses why NOT. Remember, you have the power of choice! No matter what happened yesterday, today you are still making choices every second and you are not stuck in your pattern.
“We literally change the chemistry in our mind into a more harmonious environment.” Remember that practice makes perfect. The more you change your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, the easier it becomes.
Happy weight, naturally
14/04/11 22:31
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
In my practice I meet a lot of patients who want to lose weight, whether it be 5 pounds or 100 pounds! Most people have an unrealistic expectation of how much weight they can lose and how quickly this can be achieved. I recently read an article called “Ideal Weight or Happy Weight” about the impact even a small weight loss can have on your health and the theory of a weight “set point.”
“If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease.” These are amazing benefits that not only pay off in the short-run when you feel so much better, but in the long-run by significantly improving your quality of life! A 10% weight loss is a great goal to start with and helps patients adopt the habits that will build the foundation for great health for the rest of their lives.
“Your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%.” Once you maintain a certain weight for a few years or even decades, it can be difficult to shift significantly outside of this “set point.” However, it is not impossible, it just requires more time, commitment, and consistency than most patients realize. You CAN lower your “set point” through healthy eating habits, exercise, and lifestyle strategies.
What else can I do to support healthy weight loss?
Naturopathic medicine is a great support for weight loss via a personalized nutrition plan, addressing underlying health issues obstructing weight loss, improving digestion, making the mind-body connection, and perhaps more importantly, supporting behavioural change at a deeper level using energy medicine. We’ve all heard that it is so important to address the REASONS behind habits to change them. In my practice I find homeopathy and acupuncture to be great stimulants for self-healing as well as useful tools to address food cravings, mood, stress, sleep, and motivation, all of which contribute to your ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
What can I do today?
You can start implementing some healthy weight loss strategies into your life right now:
• Eat a healthy, nutrient-dense breakfast every day
• Ensure you get adequate, quality sleep each night
• Eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
• Get outside and walk for at least 20 minutes per day
• Stick with it! As they say, “practice makes perfect!”
In my practice I meet a lot of patients who want to lose weight, whether it be 5 pounds or 100 pounds! Most people have an unrealistic expectation of how much weight they can lose and how quickly this can be achieved. I recently read an article called “Ideal Weight or Happy Weight” about the impact even a small weight loss can have on your health and the theory of a weight “set point.”
“If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease.” These are amazing benefits that not only pay off in the short-run when you feel so much better, but in the long-run by significantly improving your quality of life! A 10% weight loss is a great goal to start with and helps patients adopt the habits that will build the foundation for great health for the rest of their lives.
“Your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%.” Once you maintain a certain weight for a few years or even decades, it can be difficult to shift significantly outside of this “set point.” However, it is not impossible, it just requires more time, commitment, and consistency than most patients realize. You CAN lower your “set point” through healthy eating habits, exercise, and lifestyle strategies.
What else can I do to support healthy weight loss?
Naturopathic medicine is a great support for weight loss via a personalized nutrition plan, addressing underlying health issues obstructing weight loss, improving digestion, making the mind-body connection, and perhaps more importantly, supporting behavioural change at a deeper level using energy medicine. We’ve all heard that it is so important to address the REASONS behind habits to change them. In my practice I find homeopathy and acupuncture to be great stimulants for self-healing as well as useful tools to address food cravings, mood, stress, sleep, and motivation, all of which contribute to your ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
What can I do today?
You can start implementing some healthy weight loss strategies into your life right now:
• Eat a healthy, nutrient-dense breakfast every day
• Ensure you get adequate, quality sleep each night
• Eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily
• Get outside and walk for at least 20 minutes per day
• Stick with it! As they say, “practice makes perfect!”
The power of practice
14/03/11 18:15
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
Very often (probably daily) in my practice I discuss with patients the idea that whatever health goals they have require practice.
Nobody expects to be great at a sport or painting, or some other skill the first time they try it, so why do we expect ourselves to be perfect at eating healthy, exercising regularly, sleeping well, and implementing healthy habits immediately? Making great food choices for 6 days and then having a bad food day on the 7th doesn’t mean you can’t get back on the horse and make good food choices after that. It just means you need to keep practicing and the choices will get easier. The same goes for meditation. Most people try meditation a few times and give up because it is hard. But why did you expect it to be easy? Continuing to meditate regularly will help you get better and it will get easier. Yoga is called a “practice” because it isn’t about how well you do it, but the consistency of doing it... You get the idea...
Check out this blog from Crazy Sexy Life about the power of practice.
Very often (probably daily) in my practice I discuss with patients the idea that whatever health goals they have require practice.
Nobody expects to be great at a sport or painting, or some other skill the first time they try it, so why do we expect ourselves to be perfect at eating healthy, exercising regularly, sleeping well, and implementing healthy habits immediately? Making great food choices for 6 days and then having a bad food day on the 7th doesn’t mean you can’t get back on the horse and make good food choices after that. It just means you need to keep practicing and the choices will get easier. The same goes for meditation. Most people try meditation a few times and give up because it is hard. But why did you expect it to be easy? Continuing to meditate regularly will help you get better and it will get easier. Yoga is called a “practice” because it isn’t about how well you do it, but the consistency of doing it... You get the idea...
Check out this blog from Crazy Sexy Life about the power of practice.
Healthy household cleaning
19/01/11 21:18
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
I am a true believer in living as non-toxic as possible and therefore I seek to make the best choices I can for those things that are within my control (which is a lot!). This includes the substances I put on my body, in my body, and what I bring into my home. Today I’ll share with you my household cleaning choices.
First, I think good cleaning tools can go a long way and reduce your need to buy products, which saves money, conserves water, and minimizes adding wastes to our environment. I use E-Cloths a lot and really love them. I have the Glass and Polishing cloth for windows and mirror which works with just water and I use the General Purpose cloth for everything else. For tougher jobs I use a regular cleaning brush that I’ve had for many years.
My #1 most useful and favourite cleaning product is Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap! This stuff is really magic and they claim there are 18 uses. I’m not sure what all 18 are, but you can use it for all-purpose cleaning, laundry, dish soap, body wash, shampoo, and even toothpaste to name a few. I use it all over the house to clean surfaces, scrub the tub and toilet, or mop. It comes in lots of great scents and is organic, fair-trade, biodegradable, vegetable based. Apparently this is the top selling brand of soaps in North America! Who knew?
Something I’ve recently come to love is Nature Clean Oxy Stain Remover powder. I use it in the laundry for whitening, brightening, and stain removal, but I have also recently started using it to clean, as it works really well in the shower/tub and the toilet. I mix it with the Dr. Bronner’s soap and scrub the surface, then let it sit for a while before rinsing. This gets things very shiny clean!
Most of the time, these two products are enough for everything, but sometimes I like to use a spray cleaner, especially in the kitchen and bathroom if I’ve been procrastinating and haven’t cleaned in a while... Right now I’m using Parsley Plus spray, which literally has 3 ingredients! I kind of like the odd, parsley-like scent to this product and it works really great!
You may notice I don’t use any sanitizing or specific germ-killing products... For day-to-day life, I think these things are overkill and in fact prevent natural and useful immune “education.” Our bodies are incredibly well-designed to protect us from everyday exposure to pathogens like bacteria, viruses, etc. In fact, regular exposure to these things is incredibly important for our immune systems to develop and function properly. This is especially true for children, who are programmed to get themselves as dirty and grimy as they can! Basic good hygiene (like hand-washing), reducing the unnecessary spread of germs (like sneezing/coughing into your sleeve instead of all over the person next to you), and supporting the immune system (by eating healthy, getting enough rest, and dealing appropriately with illness) works with our body’s natural balance to keep us healthy. Exposure to man-made toxins and pollutants is far more disruptive to health than exposure to normal environmental pathogens!
There are some people who get sick easily/frequently and for those individuals it is important to investigate the causes behind that increased susceptibility (whether it be dietary intolerances, immune imbalance, overwork, energetic imbalance, unusual exposure, etc) and address that in order to solve the problem. This is what naturopathic medicine is all about!
I am a true believer in living as non-toxic as possible and therefore I seek to make the best choices I can for those things that are within my control (which is a lot!). This includes the substances I put on my body, in my body, and what I bring into my home. Today I’ll share with you my household cleaning choices.
First, I think good cleaning tools can go a long way and reduce your need to buy products, which saves money, conserves water, and minimizes adding wastes to our environment. I use E-Cloths a lot and really love them. I have the Glass and Polishing cloth for windows and mirror which works with just water and I use the General Purpose cloth for everything else. For tougher jobs I use a regular cleaning brush that I’ve had for many years.
My #1 most useful and favourite cleaning product is Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap! This stuff is really magic and they claim there are 18 uses. I’m not sure what all 18 are, but you can use it for all-purpose cleaning, laundry, dish soap, body wash, shampoo, and even toothpaste to name a few. I use it all over the house to clean surfaces, scrub the tub and toilet, or mop. It comes in lots of great scents and is organic, fair-trade, biodegradable, vegetable based. Apparently this is the top selling brand of soaps in North America! Who knew?
Something I’ve recently come to love is Nature Clean Oxy Stain Remover powder. I use it in the laundry for whitening, brightening, and stain removal, but I have also recently started using it to clean, as it works really well in the shower/tub and the toilet. I mix it with the Dr. Bronner’s soap and scrub the surface, then let it sit for a while before rinsing. This gets things very shiny clean!
Most of the time, these two products are enough for everything, but sometimes I like to use a spray cleaner, especially in the kitchen and bathroom if I’ve been procrastinating and haven’t cleaned in a while... Right now I’m using Parsley Plus spray, which literally has 3 ingredients! I kind of like the odd, parsley-like scent to this product and it works really great!
You may notice I don’t use any sanitizing or specific germ-killing products... For day-to-day life, I think these things are overkill and in fact prevent natural and useful immune “education.” Our bodies are incredibly well-designed to protect us from everyday exposure to pathogens like bacteria, viruses, etc. In fact, regular exposure to these things is incredibly important for our immune systems to develop and function properly. This is especially true for children, who are programmed to get themselves as dirty and grimy as they can! Basic good hygiene (like hand-washing), reducing the unnecessary spread of germs (like sneezing/coughing into your sleeve instead of all over the person next to you), and supporting the immune system (by eating healthy, getting enough rest, and dealing appropriately with illness) works with our body’s natural balance to keep us healthy. Exposure to man-made toxins and pollutants is far more disruptive to health than exposure to normal environmental pathogens!
There are some people who get sick easily/frequently and for those individuals it is important to investigate the causes behind that increased susceptibility (whether it be dietary intolerances, immune imbalance, overwork, energetic imbalance, unusual exposure, etc) and address that in order to solve the problem. This is what naturopathic medicine is all about!
7 keys to achieving your resolutions
04/01/11 19:54
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? A lot of people I know don’t, but personally I love it! Of course I don’t always keep them, but I love that feeling of having a fresh start and I find I get more momentum to make changes at this time of year. Here are some rules I abide by when making resolutions:
1. Keep it simple
First, don’t try to change lots of things at once! Choose a few things that will make a positive difference in your life and focus on those. Also, don’t try to make drastic changes all at once. Figure out some small changes that will start you on a good path. For example, I once resolved to floss every day. This resolution was not that hard to keep and it was a small step that has created a long-lasting habit.
2. Write it down
People who write down their goals are far more likely to actually achieve them. Think about what you want in life and why your resolutions will help you get there. Write down your resolutions and the reasons for them. This will help keep you motivated! For example, if you are trying to quit smoking, write out all the reasons why you want to do this (prevent disease, feel healthier, breathe easier, smell better, etc). When you find yourself having trouble keeping your resolution, go back to this list to remind yourself!
3. Get excited!
This is kind of a no-brainer... Choose things you actually want and hopefully that will be enjoyable to do or achieve! If you find you are resistant to what you are trying to do, ask yourself why? Maybe that choice is not right for you or (more likely) there are strong subconscious forces within you that really WANT to hang on to your old behaviour. Addressing this is key to success. For example, nearly every patient I see wants to lose weight and most of them know things they need to change to do this AND are capable of doing it. So what holds them back? Most often I find that there are many other factors at work that prevent patients from truly being able to make a different choice. Homeopathy is one amazing naturopathic treatment modality to help shift this and open up new choices.
4. Change your brain
Did you know that you can actually change the way your brain works? There are so many ways to do this, but here I’ll mention visualization and meditation, which can work together. Visualization is a tried and true tool for achieving goals. If you can visualize something, you can make it happen. Meditation can encompass so many different things, but at the root it is a way to become more conscious of your mind’s activities and exercise control over them. Meditation is a skill that you build over time that pays off in so many ways, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. A great book to start with is Meditation as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa.
And when you change your brain, you change what comes to you in life. The law of attraction is a powerful tool that you can use to achieve your goals. For more info on the law of attraction and the power of choice, check on my blog on this topic.
5. Plan, plan, plan!
Planning makes things happen. In addition to setting goals, you need to figure out HOW you will achieve them. Write this down too... For example, several years ago I wanted to reduce my stress levels and improve my mental focus, so I decided to learn meditation. If I had just made my New Year’s resolution “to meditate more” I would not have done much differently. Instead, I made the resolution “to meditate for 10 minutes every day” and I was successful in doing this the entire year! Having this specific plan in place helped me make time each day for this and it quickly became a new habit.
6. Get help
As part of your plan to achieve your goals, you might need some help from others. Support is a key factor in success, so write down what you might need to keep your resolutions. For example, if your resolution is to exercise more, your spouse can help you by taking care of the kids or cooking dinner so you have time to work out and a personal trainer can help you learn to make the most of the equipment available to you at the gym. If your resolution is to change your eating habits, your naturopathic doctor is a great support to teach you how to eat healthier and create a plan of action to help you accomplish this. One of the principles of naturopathic medicine is Docere - Doctor as Teacher.
7. Don’t give up!
Practice truly does make perfect! Nobody is ever good at something the first time they do it, so if you fall off the resolution wagon, climb back on and try again. The more you practice your new behaviour or habit, the better you will become and the easier it will be to continue! For example, getting to bed earlier so I can get more sleep has been a resolution of mine in a few different years. This one required (and still requires!) me to plan my time and get in the habit of doing my “going to bed” routine. And I’ve gotten better and better at this as years go by. Once you do something enough times, it is a lot easier to come back to, even if you stray.
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? A lot of people I know don’t, but personally I love it! Of course I don’t always keep them, but I love that feeling of having a fresh start and I find I get more momentum to make changes at this time of year. Here are some rules I abide by when making resolutions:
1. Keep it simple
First, don’t try to change lots of things at once! Choose a few things that will make a positive difference in your life and focus on those. Also, don’t try to make drastic changes all at once. Figure out some small changes that will start you on a good path. For example, I once resolved to floss every day. This resolution was not that hard to keep and it was a small step that has created a long-lasting habit.
2. Write it down
People who write down their goals are far more likely to actually achieve them. Think about what you want in life and why your resolutions will help you get there. Write down your resolutions and the reasons for them. This will help keep you motivated! For example, if you are trying to quit smoking, write out all the reasons why you want to do this (prevent disease, feel healthier, breathe easier, smell better, etc). When you find yourself having trouble keeping your resolution, go back to this list to remind yourself!
3. Get excited!
This is kind of a no-brainer... Choose things you actually want and hopefully that will be enjoyable to do or achieve! If you find you are resistant to what you are trying to do, ask yourself why? Maybe that choice is not right for you or (more likely) there are strong subconscious forces within you that really WANT to hang on to your old behaviour. Addressing this is key to success. For example, nearly every patient I see wants to lose weight and most of them know things they need to change to do this AND are capable of doing it. So what holds them back? Most often I find that there are many other factors at work that prevent patients from truly being able to make a different choice. Homeopathy is one amazing naturopathic treatment modality to help shift this and open up new choices.
4. Change your brain
Did you know that you can actually change the way your brain works? There are so many ways to do this, but here I’ll mention visualization and meditation, which can work together. Visualization is a tried and true tool for achieving goals. If you can visualize something, you can make it happen. Meditation can encompass so many different things, but at the root it is a way to become more conscious of your mind’s activities and exercise control over them. Meditation is a skill that you build over time that pays off in so many ways, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. A great book to start with is Meditation as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa.
And when you change your brain, you change what comes to you in life. The law of attraction is a powerful tool that you can use to achieve your goals. For more info on the law of attraction and the power of choice, check on my blog on this topic.
5. Plan, plan, plan!
Planning makes things happen. In addition to setting goals, you need to figure out HOW you will achieve them. Write this down too... For example, several years ago I wanted to reduce my stress levels and improve my mental focus, so I decided to learn meditation. If I had just made my New Year’s resolution “to meditate more” I would not have done much differently. Instead, I made the resolution “to meditate for 10 minutes every day” and I was successful in doing this the entire year! Having this specific plan in place helped me make time each day for this and it quickly became a new habit.
6. Get help
As part of your plan to achieve your goals, you might need some help from others. Support is a key factor in success, so write down what you might need to keep your resolutions. For example, if your resolution is to exercise more, your spouse can help you by taking care of the kids or cooking dinner so you have time to work out and a personal trainer can help you learn to make the most of the equipment available to you at the gym. If your resolution is to change your eating habits, your naturopathic doctor is a great support to teach you how to eat healthier and create a plan of action to help you accomplish this. One of the principles of naturopathic medicine is Docere - Doctor as Teacher.
7. Don’t give up!
Practice truly does make perfect! Nobody is ever good at something the first time they do it, so if you fall off the resolution wagon, climb back on and try again. The more you practice your new behaviour or habit, the better you will become and the easier it will be to continue! For example, getting to bed earlier so I can get more sleep has been a resolution of mine in a few different years. This one required (and still requires!) me to plan my time and get in the habit of doing my “going to bed” routine. And I’ve gotten better and better at this as years go by. Once you do something enough times, it is a lot easier to come back to, even if you stray.
Breast health and cancer prevention: risk factors
09/11/10 17:39
by Kate Whimster, BCom, MIFHI, ND
In October (breast cancer month) JD Kato and I did a presentation at a local library about breast health and cancer prevention. Here is a summary of some of the more interesting information we shared. This first part will cover risk factors, which JD discussed. There are several non-modifiable risk factors that most people are aware of, such as age, gender, family history, etc. Let’s focus on risk factors you CAN modify…
Radiation exposure:
Ionizing radiation such as x-rays can damage the DNA of cells promoting mistakes that could lead to development of cancer. The amount of radiation of a mammogram is considered small, but yes mammograms use radiation. Other sources of radiation may be from occupational accidents and radiation treatment.
Smoking:
Smoking raises your risk for many types of cancer: lung, esophageal, bladder, stomach, and others including breast cancer.
Alcohol:
Postmenopausal women who drank alcohol had a 22% higher relative risk of breast cancer than those who do not drink alcohol. It is estimated that every additional 10g of ethanol consumed per day (approximately one drink) was associated with a 10% increase in relative risk.
Recommendation for alcohol intake for women: 0-2 drinks per day, maximum 9 drinks per week
Estrogen:
Estrogen exposure can be a contributing factor to many breast cancers. Therefore, both exogenous (outside the body) and endogenous (inside the body) sources estrogen can increase risk.
Hormone replacement and birth control pills are exogenous sources that contribute to estrogen exposure that can be avoided.
Estrogen production within the body is also important. At puberty the brain (the pituitary) tells the ovaries to start to produce estrogen and because there are receptors in the breast tissue they are signalled to grow and develop. Although they grow in number, the cells of the breast tissue do not fully mature. With each monthly cycle there are fluctuating levels of estrogen, which can contribute to the cells that could possibly develop into cancerous cells. A first full-term pregnancy after the age of 30-35 contributes a slightly higher risk.
While a woman is pregnant, there are even high levels of estrogen and so the breasts enlarge to prepare for breast feeding – again putting a woman at higher risk. When a pregnancy reaches full-term and a woman breast-feeds, then the cells finish their maturation, which then helps protect against them developing into cancer. Breast-feeding for one year is protective against breast cancer. It does not matter if this period of breast-feeding is for one child, or combined over more than one birth.
Body fat and exercise:
After menopause a woman’s ovaries do not produce estrogen as before, so most of the estrogen come from fat tissue. Estrogen comes from testosterone and in fat tissue there is the enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone to estrogen. So having excessive body fat means you have more of these enzymes to produce estrogen which can stimulate cell reproduction in breast tissue and thus increasing the chance of tumour formation.
Excess body fat, especially around the midsection, promotes inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for many cancers. Chronic inflammation disrupts normal cell growth and development, which can promote.
Excess body weight and low physical activity together may account for one quarter to one third of all breast cancer cases! Contrast that to 3-5% of breast cancer caused by heredity…
Recommendations for exercise: 30 min 3-5 days per week (initially), then 30-60 min 5-7 days per week
In October (breast cancer month) JD Kato and I did a presentation at a local library about breast health and cancer prevention. Here is a summary of some of the more interesting information we shared. This first part will cover risk factors, which JD discussed. There are several non-modifiable risk factors that most people are aware of, such as age, gender, family history, etc. Let’s focus on risk factors you CAN modify…
Radiation exposure:
Ionizing radiation such as x-rays can damage the DNA of cells promoting mistakes that could lead to development of cancer. The amount of radiation of a mammogram is considered small, but yes mammograms use radiation. Other sources of radiation may be from occupational accidents and radiation treatment.
Smoking:
Smoking raises your risk for many types of cancer: lung, esophageal, bladder, stomach, and others including breast cancer.
Alcohol:
Postmenopausal women who drank alcohol had a 22% higher relative risk of breast cancer than those who do not drink alcohol. It is estimated that every additional 10g of ethanol consumed per day (approximately one drink) was associated with a 10% increase in relative risk.
Recommendation for alcohol intake for women: 0-2 drinks per day, maximum 9 drinks per week
Estrogen:
Estrogen exposure can be a contributing factor to many breast cancers. Therefore, both exogenous (outside the body) and endogenous (inside the body) sources estrogen can increase risk.
Hormone replacement and birth control pills are exogenous sources that contribute to estrogen exposure that can be avoided.
Estrogen production within the body is also important. At puberty the brain (the pituitary) tells the ovaries to start to produce estrogen and because there are receptors in the breast tissue they are signalled to grow and develop. Although they grow in number, the cells of the breast tissue do not fully mature. With each monthly cycle there are fluctuating levels of estrogen, which can contribute to the cells that could possibly develop into cancerous cells. A first full-term pregnancy after the age of 30-35 contributes a slightly higher risk.
While a woman is pregnant, there are even high levels of estrogen and so the breasts enlarge to prepare for breast feeding – again putting a woman at higher risk. When a pregnancy reaches full-term and a woman breast-feeds, then the cells finish their maturation, which then helps protect against them developing into cancer. Breast-feeding for one year is protective against breast cancer. It does not matter if this period of breast-feeding is for one child, or combined over more than one birth.
Body fat and exercise:
After menopause a woman’s ovaries do not produce estrogen as before, so most of the estrogen come from fat tissue. Estrogen comes from testosterone and in fat tissue there is the enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone to estrogen. So having excessive body fat means you have more of these enzymes to produce estrogen which can stimulate cell reproduction in breast tissue and thus increasing the chance of tumour formation.
Excess body fat, especially around the midsection, promotes inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for many cancers. Chronic inflammation disrupts normal cell growth and development, which can promote.
Excess body weight and low physical activity together may account for one quarter to one third of all breast cancer cases! Contrast that to 3-5% of breast cancer caused by heredity…
Recommendations for exercise: 30 min 3-5 days per week (initially), then 30-60 min 5-7 days per week
