Wellness Works!

The Many Faces of Candida (yeast!)

2009-11-11T08:59:44-05:00

Do you have Candida overgrowth? Read on to learn!

Candidiasis is a commonly seen condition and can have a host of symptoms. Candida albicans is a form of yeast that under normal conditions is confined to the lower bowel, skin and vagina. In healthy individuals with a strong immune system, it is harmless and kept in check by probiotics (friendly bacteria - I'm a huge advocate of taking a daily probiotic supplement!) However, certain lifestyle habits can cause this yeast to overpopulate the body and can cause many health issues - the difficulty is often problems arise with symptoms that mimic those of other conditions. As a result, this can make it difficult to diagnose and is generally overlooked.

Primarily, Candidiasis is due to poor nutrition and diet. Sugars, simply carbohydrates, foods containing yeast, alcohol and repeated antibiotic use are all major contributors. Here are some of hte most common symptoms related to, but not limited to, candida overgrowth:

chronic fatigue, esp. after eating
depression
inability to lose weight
gastrointestinal prooblems such as bloating, gas, intestinal cramps, chronic diarrhea, constipation or heartburn
allergies/sensitivities
PMS
memory loss, mood swings, 'foggy' feeling
recurrent fungal infections
extreme sensitivity to chemicals, smoke, odours
recurrent vaginal or urinary infections
sugar cravings

These symptoms may tend to worsen in moldy or damp places and after eating or drinking simply carbohydrate foods. But have no fear - there is hope! Candidiasis is a very treatable condition through dietary changes, supplementation & lifestyle modification. I'm always here to help - if you think this could be affecting you, email me at info@artofwellness.ca

This is It!

2009-10-29T09:14:10-05:00

This morning I am excited. Tonight I will be seeing the Michael Jackson "This is It" movie! And while I haven't thought much about the whole MJ death controversy lately, today I definitely had to stop and think...and so here are my two cents about it and the bigger picture (and how it relates to wellness!).

Whether you're a fan or not (I was and forever will be a huge fan of MJ), I think we can all agree that his death was tragic and too soon. But despite all the controversies, allegations and criminal investigations, what I am really thinking about (other than his three children who lost their father - I can relate) is about life and happiness.

It is clear - from the interviews and friends' accounts - that MJ was indeed a lonely, sad man. Not only did the media destroy him, but from a young age, he was troubled from his past. So here's the thing I want us all to consider/remember/ponder: Wellness, meaning physical & emotional well-being, CANNOT be fixed by fame, success or money. Clearly, all the money and fame in the world could not 'fix' or help Michael. And although he built Neverland to rekindle his childhood lost, in the end, it only became a conduit to attract more trouble.

And so, what I hope we can take away from this tragedy is that NOTHING is more important that our well-being - NO level of success and fortune can give you peace and happiness. Even for the King of Pop. I strongly encourage everyone reading to always keep their well-being first place (not last - after work, the house, the bills, the cars, everyone else...) because its completely in the wrong order. Whether it be physical health - get the best doctors/practitioners, clean up your diet, exercise, take time/money to improve your physical body. And likewise (and sometimes even more so) - seek professional help if need be for emotional/mental health - there is nothing wrong with exploring many avenues - be it counseling, books, therapy, spirituality - to help you find peace of mind.

I hope that from this tragedy we can learn and remember to cherish life, be happy, forgive, forget and live in the moment.

Restaurant Food Reviews!

2009-10-22T07:53:30-05:00

Today I thought I'd share a couple of quick reviews from a couple of local favourite restaurants! The first gets my thumbs up and is the Tuscan Linguini at Boston Pizza. It is made of 'whole wheat noodles with pomodoro sauce, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and sauteed spinach'. Yum! Now, its better than other pasta dishes - but not perfect.

One, its whole wheat, not whole grain (but definitely a step up from durum semolina, or 'white' pasta). Second, it can score pretty high in the sodium - which can be up to half a days worth of sodium content! That being said, still a better option than cream-based white pasta. I would add some chicken or shrimp for protein and ask for a half portion and voila, you've got yourself a healthy, restaurant meal!

Now here is one that is definitely not on my recommended list. The Cracked Peppercorn Burger from Kelseys is 'lightly coated with cracked black pepper-corns, topped with melted Swiss cheese and two crunch jumbo onion rings on a sesame bun brushed with basil mayonnaise'. Ok - it may have some of your mouths watering, but read on: its 1,100 calories pack over a day's worth of bad fat!! (24grams of saturated fat plus 1 gram of transfat, which occurs naturally in the beef and cheese - hence my strong stance on avoiding red meat and high fat cheeses!).

You won't believe this, but you could eat TWO McDonald's Big Macs or Quarter Pounders with Cheese and still be within range of this Peppercorn Burger! Its sodium content is a day's worth (1,560mg) - not to mention if you add fries! So please, take caution when ordering or better yet, don't!

Now Kelsey's obviously offers lighter, healthier options - such as the Roasted Veggie Wrap, Toasted Sesame Salmon Salad - so next time you're dining out, try those instead!

Happy Eating!

The Anti-inflammatory Diet from Dr. Andrew Weil

2009-10-07T23:22:22-05:00

Hello! This week I wanted to share with you some great information about the anti-inflammatory diet, which a nutritional guide to reduce inflammation within the body through better food & supplement choices. Inflammation, and more commonly, low-grade chronic inflammation is being a major factor that reserachers are now saying is responsible for many age-related disorders, including Alzheimer's, heart disease and even more cancers.

The following is from Dr. Weil's website: www.drweil.com so that you may all have the opportunity to learn about this very practical and sensible way of eating and living. Enjoy!

HEALTHY SWEETS
How much: Sparingly
Healthy choices: Unsweetened dried fruit, dark chocolate, fruit sorbet
Why: Dark chocolate provides polyphenols with antioxidant activity. Choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent pure cocoa and have an ounce a few times a week. Fruit sorbet is a better option than other frozen desserts.

RED WINE
How much: Optional, no more than 1-2 glasses per day
Healthy choices: Organic red wine
Why: Red wine has beneficial antioxidant activity. Limit intake to no more than 1-2 servings per day. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start.

SUPPLEMENTS
How much: Daily
Healthy choices: High quality multivitamin/multimineral that includes key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, mixed carotenoids, and selenium); co-enzyme Q10; 2-3 grams of a molecularly distilled fish oil; 1,000 IU of vitamin D3
Why: Supplements help fill any gaps in your diet when you are unable to get your daily requirement of micronutrients.

TEA
How much: 2-4 cups per day
Healthy choices: White, green, oolong teas
Why: Tea is rich in catechins, antioxidant compounds that reduce inflammation. Purchase high-quality tea and learn how to correctly brew it for maximum taste and health benefits.

HEALTHY HERBS & SPICES
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Turmeric, curry powder (which contains turmeric), ginger and garlic (dried and fresh), chili peppers, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme
Why: Use these herbs and spices generously to season foods. Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents.

OTHER SOURCES OF PROTEIN
How much: 1-2 servings a week (one portion is equal to 1 ounce of cheese, 1 eight-ounce serving of dairy, 1 egg, 3 ounces cooked poultry or skinless meat)
Healthy choices: Natural cheeses, lowfat yogurt, omega-3 enriched eggs, skinless poultry, grass-fed lean meats
Why: In general, try to reduce consumption of animal foods. If you eat chicken, choose organic, cage-free chicken and remove the skin and associated fat. Use organic, reduced-fat dairy products moderately, especially yogurt and natural cheeses such as Emmental (Swiss), Jarlsberg and true Parmesan. If you eat eggs, choose omega-3 enriched eggs (made by feeding hens a flax-meal-enriched diet), or organic eggs from free-range chickens.

COOKED ASIAN MUSHROOMS
How much: Unlimited amounts
Healthy choices: Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms (and wild mushrooms if available)
Why: These mushrooms contain compounds that enhance immune function. Never eat mushrooms raw, and minimize consumption of common commercial button mushrooms (including crimini and portobello).

WHOLE SOY FOODS
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup tofu or tempeh, 1 cup soymilk, ½ cup cooked edamame, 1 ounce of soynuts)
Healthy choices: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy nuts, soymilk
Why: Soy foods contain isoflavones that have antioxidant activity and are protective against cancer. Choose whole soy foods over fractionated foods like isolated soy protein powders and imitation meats made with soy isolate.

FISH & SEAFOOD
How much: 2-6 servings per week (one serving is equal to 4 ounces of fish or seafood)
Healthy choices: Wild Alaskan salmon (especially sockeye), herring, sardines, and black cod (sablefish)
Why: These fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which are strongly anti-inflammatory. If you choose not to eat fish, take a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement, 2-3 grams per day.

HEALTHY FATS
How much: 5-7 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 teaspoon of oil, 2 walnuts, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 ounce of avocado)
Healthy choices: For cooking, use extra virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed organic canola oil. Other sources of healthy fats include nuts (especially walnuts), avocados, and seeds - including hemp seeds and freshly ground flaxseed. Omega-3 fats are also found in cold water fish, omega-3 enriched eggs, and whole soy foods. High-oleic sunflower or safflower oils may also be used, as well as walnut and hazelnut oils in salads and dark roasted sesame oil as a flavoring for soups and stir-fries
Why: Healthy fats are those rich in either monounsaturated or omega-3 fats. Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant activity and canola oil contains a small fraction of omega-3 fatty acids.

WHOLE & CRACKED GRAINS
How much: 3-5 servings a day (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked grains)
Healthy choices: Brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, buckwheat, groats, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats
Why: Whole grains digest slowly, reducing frequency of spikes in blood sugar that promote inflammation. "Whole grains" means grains that are intact or in a few large pieces, not whole wheat bread or other products made from flour.

PASTA (al dente)
How much: 2-3 servings per week (one serving is equal to about ½ cup cooked pasta)
Healthy choices: Organic pasta, rice noodles, bean thread noodles, and part whole wheat and buckwheat noodles like Japanese udon and soba
Why: Pasta cooked al dente (when it has "tooth" to it) has a lower glycemic index than fully-cooked pasta. Low-glycemic-load carbohydrates should be the bulk of your carbohydrate intake to help minimize spikes in blood glucose levels.

BEANS & LEGUMES
How much: 1-2 servings per day (one serving is equal to ½ cup cooked beans or legumes)
Healthy choices: Beans like Anasazi, adzuki and black, as well as chickpeas, black-eyed peas and lentils
Why: Beans are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber. They are a low-glycemic-load food. Eat them well-cooked either whole or pureed into spreads like hummus.

VEGETABLES
How much: 4-5 servings per day minimum (one serving is equal to 2 cups salad greens, ½ cup vegetables cooked, raw or juiced)
Healthy Choices: Lightly cooked dark leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, kale, Swiss chard), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy and cauliflower), carrots, beets, onions, peas, squashes, sea vegetables and washed raw salad greens
Why: Vegetables are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, eat them both raw and cooked, and choose organic when possible.

FRUITS
How much: 3-4 servings per day (one serving is equal to 1 medium size piece of fruit, ½ cup chopped fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit)
Healthy choices: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges, pink grapefruit, red grapes, plums, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, apples, and pears - all lower in glycemic load than most tropical fruits
Why: Fruits are rich in flavonoids and carotenoids with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Go for a wide range of colors, choose fruit that is fresh in season or frozen, and buy organic when possible.

Additional Item:

WATER
How much: Throughout the day
Healthy choices: Use purified water or beverages made with purified water, such as unsweetened tea, sparkling water, or water with a small amount of fruit juice for flavor
Why: Water is vital for overall functioning of the body.

Too Busy to Exercise? Read This!

2009-10-01T09:16:15-05:00

This week's blogpost is short and sweet. I recently read an article in a magazine about President Barack Obama and his exercise regime. Did you know that President Obama succeeds at staying lean and healthy because he makes his fitness a priority? Well, he does. In fact, even on the campaign trail, Obama set aside 45 minutes a day, about 6 days a week to exercise!

Now, I ask you all to consider this thought: If the President of the United States of America can find time to hit the gym between dealing with two wars, a recesssion and all the committments involved with being the president, why can't we find/make/create the time for ourselves?

So from now on, every time you’re tempted to skip the gym, we want you to say to yourself, “I am busier than the President”!!!!

Hope that puts things into perspective for the week.

Buyer Beware: Fast Food Choices!

2009-09-24T09:05:45-05:00

In our busy, fast-paced life, we often need to make a stop for a quick bite or snack at our local fast-food restaurant (aka TIm Hortons for many of us!) So to help you find the best choices possible, here are some calorie values for some items - you'll see, some foods are cleverly disguised as healthy, but really aren't in terms of calories!

(and of course, nutrition is much more than just calories, but for today's blog, this will at least give you a glimpse of how things weigh-in calorically!)

Tim Hortons:

chilli 300 calories (and 21grams of protein)

vegetable sandwich 340 calories (not on the boards, but you can still ask for it!)

chicken salad 380

egg salad 390

turkey breast 390

carrot muffin.... beware: this snack has 400 calories! wouldn't you rather get a sandwich then?

And as for donuts...well, let's save them for another day, a very rare treat (if we want to call it that) - just for example, although they have less calories, a honey cruller which has 320 calories has a whopping 19 grams of fat of which 9 are saturated fat! That is a HUGE fat:calorie ratio...

So overall, if you have to make a stop for a lunch or snack - choose a sandwich on whole wheat, skip the cheese and mayo or go for a multigrain bagel with light cream cheese (or totally plain!) vs. the donut!

Happy Eating!

The Love Project - Week 4: Follow Your Bliss

2009-09-16T21:40:30-05:00

Well, we are on our last week of the Love Project - a four-week challenge to giving yourself a little break in life and shedding some love on yourself - hope you've had a great journey thus far! Even if you haven't thought about it everyday, the fact that you're reading this post and even if you thought about giving yourself a compliment or a pat on the back is a great accomplishment and I'm sure it felt darn good too!

So this last post to finish off the challenge is about Passion & Finding your Bliss. Unfortunately, many people end up in jobs or situations that are not fulfilling or satisfying - that leaves us without hope or that feeling of aliveness - when our vocation or hobby (notice it doesn't have to be what you do for a living) - but when that vocation or hobby align with your gifts and 'purpose' - magic happens. Truly. We see it all the time - in musicians, athletes, teachers, parents... people who love what they do and because of that passion - they are the best at it. Unstoppable.

So for you, I want you to consider what your passion is and take the first step towards making it a reality, rather than just a dream. Give yourself that gift. The journey is half the fun! And if you don't know what your passion is and feel lost, now is the perfect time to really sit back and take some time to think (and write down) what it is you LOVE - is it a sport, language or skill? Do you love to analyse data? Or help the less fortunate? Do you have a gift with animals? Or love putting things together mechanically? What makes you tick...?

Think about it and in the spirit of loving yourself, make the first move towards following your bliss!

Hope you enjoyed this four-week blogpost and you are a little lighter on yourself!

Till next time, I wish you wellness always.

The Love Project - Self-acceptance

2009-09-10T09:20:10-05:00

Continuing on with our 30 day challenge called 'The Love Project' - being unconditionally loving to yourself, your biggest fan, your best cheerleader - and watching the changes that unfold as a result, I wanted to blog this week about another key area of emotional wellness, self-acceptance.

If you remember, this Love Project began a few weeks ago because I was with a patient who is seeing me for weight-loss. Often times, emotional eating is a big factor - which was the case for her. And when you delve deeper at the whole weight-loss game, it seems to me that the problem is a lack of self-acceptance. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should throw in the towel and just be complacent with our bodies - no, you always want to strive for excellence in everything, especially with your health. But what I mean is the feeling 'not good enough' and the constant put-downs and criticisms we say to ourselves - all displaying a lack of acceptance.

I truly believe when we can accept things as they are first - be it relationships, our weight, our less than wise decisions, then and only then can true healing occur - from the inside out. And by healing I mean an emotional healing of the spirit - one in which you accept yourself - fully, completely with no conditions and then take a step forward in that attitude. Telling ourselves how fat we are and berating ourselves about all the times we've tried and failed - a no-win strategy. Instead, this week, remember self-acceptance - it goes hand-in-hand with the love you express to yourself. And without self-acceptance, any endeavour that is 'good for you' will end of feeling like effort and work - and that is no way to live.

Accept things for what they are, make peace with them and then step forward into a brighter future with you being right by your side.

The Love Project & Forgiveness

2009-09-02T10:11:01-05:00

Thank you for the overwhelming positive comments about last week's blogpost! I am so happy to hear that so many of you related to the subject matter - it certainly is commonplace that we are our own worst enemy at times!

I hope you all have had a fantastic week and have been a little more conscious of your self-talk and hopefully added in some encouraging words, compliments and supportive thoughts. I know this last week, I have definitely been very aware of my thoughts and have made it a point of not being so hard on myself (yes, I DO try to practice what I preach!) And I must say, at least for me, I've been in a better mood, have been able to get more done and overall feel even better than before... who woulda thought just being kind to yourself can have such an impact!! I do believe this could be the secret to life!

And so this week, I wanted to focus on forgiveness. Because truly, part of being able to love oneself unconditionally and be your own best friend is being able to forgive yourself. Fully and completely. We all make mistakes. All of us. And hopefully we all learn and grow from them. A wise friend of mine once said "You can only call it a mistake if you do the same thing twice". If you learn from it and move forward, then its not a mistake, but merely a life lesson. It's one thing to have people tell you what to do/not to do - but sometimes we just have to learn for ourselves. Wisdom comes with age, but so does bitterness. Be careful what you choose to bring along with you through time.

The point is, we all have a list of regrets or 'mistakes' (for some that list is long, others maybe a few things here and there) but regardless, if you are the type to hold on to your less-than-fabulous decisions and berate yourself (even years after the fact) - then that lack of forgivness is undoubtedly going to be a huge road block in your way. How can one have emotional/mental wellness without forgiveness? Not possible.

Before we can forgive, accept, love, cherish anyone else - we must forgive, accept, love and cherish ourselves. Sounds like a hallmark card, but its true. My hope for you this week is that you consider for a moment all the things that you are 'mad at yourself' about - and we all have them: bad relationship decisions, health behaviours, family drama, work politics - you get the picture. Now think about how good you would feel to just let that go. Forgive yourself and move on. Clean the slate.

Now doesn't that feel better?

Take some time with this and continue to join me and others on this joyful adventure with the Love Project!

Food & The Love Project

2009-08-26T21:09:13-05:00

Blogs are an interesting thing for me – as you know, some weeks I blog in a very information-based manner – reporting the latest news in health & wellness, usually taken from an article out of my pile of journals and research-based newsletters which sit atop my desk and dining table…and then there are those weeks where it’s deeper – usually something that occurs during my week that touches me or provides some insight about true wellness that I then want to share with all of you. This week is one of those weeks.

I was recently speaking to a patient who is seeing me for weight-loss. For those who know my perspective on this – it’s not always just a matter of diet & exercise (because by now everyone knows that exercise and eating healthy is a good thing and will promote weight-loss – nothing new there). To me, it’s all about the root cause of the weight (or shall I say, the emotional weight). We know it and probably know someone (ie. Oprah to name but one!) who struggles with emotional eating. This is what really needs to be addressed for permanent weight-loss. But let me say, it isn’t easy. And that is coming from first-hand knowledge.

So with this patient, food became her comfort when she felt ‘not good enough’ – which was most of the time because she is a classic perfectionist. As I listened to her, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘where is the love?’

I mean really, how often do we, in one day alone, make negative comments to ourselves – be it aloud or internally. Phrases such as ‘I’m so fat, dumb, slow… I’ll never be as good as (blank), I can’t do that, I’ll never make it…’ etc. - is it any wonder that emotional eating is so rampant in our society? In fact, if anything we should be thanking food for being there for comfort! Because when you stop and think about how we treat ourselves sometimes, it’s no wonder we need something to soothe us. And that’s often what food is doing – it’s soothing.

After a while, the pounds add on. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is the case for everyone with a few extra pounds – but it certainly is very common. If someone compulsively or emotionally eats, there is usually something else they are hungry for. (This could literally be a 10 page blog so I’ll leave it at that).

But its not over – because then comes the dieting – the yo-yo of weight and emotions nonetheless, which inevitably leads to falling ‘off’ the diet (usually via binge or pig-out session at 2am) and again goes the self-loathing…

So when does it stop? How does one break-free from this snow-ball of self-destruction?

Perhaps you’re reading this and have no idea what I’m talking about – never had a weight problem, have never eaten emotionally. To you I say, congratulations, you’re probably one of the very few people who this does not pertain to. But I’ll bet that many if not most of us can relate. It may not be ‘food’ per se (that’s simply the soother of choice in this example) but most of us have that ‘voice’ that tells us all the things we’re not good at. Unfortunately for some, that voice is much louder and more aggressive than for others.

Now ask yourself this: how many times in a day do you actually compliment yourself? You know, celebrate you. Give yourself a pat on the back. Are grateful for a special skill or talent or ability that you displayed? Odds are, rarely. It’s not our societal norm to be kind to ourselves.

That being said, what I told my patient, and what I want to convey to you this week – is a challenge of sorts. I call it The Love Project. I want to get back to basics. And no matter what you read, self-acceptance and self-love is always the foundation for sound emotional health and hopefully for many, an end to emotional eating.

So, for the next 30 days (and let me say, 30 days is extremely difficult for those who continuously put themselves down multiple times an hour – for them one day would be a victory). I want you to become conscious of all the times within one day that you say something negative to yourself. It will be hard at first because these thoughts sweep in like a flash of lightening and some are so ingrained in us through repetition. However, if you pay attention, you’ll start to notice when and how often that negative self-talk occurs and how it affects your mood. Maybe it’s a thought about your weight, your physical appearance, your performance at work, your parenting abilities and the list could go on for all the things we’re not good at.

Now, each time you catch yourself with a negative thought about yourself, notice the negative thought, be compassionate (don’t berate yourself about berating yourself! That will get us nowhere!) Just simply recognize it and then immediately think of an opposite statement that is a truth. The point is to change the negative thought into a positive, nurturing thought. That is loving towards yourself.

So if you’re first negative thought of the day is ‘I slept in this morning, I’ve ruined my morning, I suck’, perhaps change it to ‘although I won’t be able to have my ideal morning routine, its okay because I gave my body what it needed and apparently today that was sleep. And with this extra sleep I’m going to have a much more productive day!’ True, right? That’s just one example - your answer may be different – whatever works for you. The point is, The Love Project is about changing the negative thought patterns we have about ourselves into one of self-acceptance and self-love. Can you imagine how great you’d feel if you had a voice in your head that complimented you, supported you and loved you unconditionally? When you’re full of love, that emotional ‘hunger’ often disappears.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey – for the next four weeks I will do my best to focus my blogs around The Love Project. Email me at dr.shamira@artofwellness.ca and let me know if you’ll be embarking on this challenge! Have fun with it! Enjoy!