Okay, we are now well enough into the year that many people have given up, or forgotten, their New Year’s resolutions. I have done the same thing in the past, but this year is different and I would like to share a few tips. This year I have decided it’s time to get back into shape. What a Naturopathic Doctor strayed from the health path?! Admittedly yes. I am human, just like the rest of you. I have always been very active, but becoming a mom and working a full time job can really dig into your time and I struggled with how to balance it all. So my New Year’s resolution was to get back into shape and I am still on track.

The difference this year for me has been goal setting. The first thing ...]]> Achieving your New Year’s resolution.

Okay, we are now well enough into the year that many people have given up, or forgotten, their New Year’s resolutions. I have done the same thing in the past, but this year is different and I would like to share a few tips. This year I have decided it’s time to get back into shape. What a Naturopathic Doctor strayed from the health path?! Admittedly yes. I am human, just like the rest of you. I have always been very active, but becoming a mom and working a full time job can really dig into your time and I struggled with how to balance it all. So my New Year’s resolution was to get back into shape and I am still on track.

The difference this year for me has been goal setting. The first thing was to set some reasonable goals. No matter what you are trying to achieve, setting reasonable goals are a way to make them happen. I decided I would run a 10k race. It is a distance that requires some training for me, but not so much that I am going to feel stressed. Part of goal setting is to have long and short term goals. The long term goal can be the end result you are trying to achieve; in my case it is running a 10km in under 60 min. The short term goals are my weekly achievements like getting out running three times a week. I also keep a dream goal in the back of my head. This is beyond the long term, but still in the realm of reality. A good reason to have a dream goal is to keep you motivated, challenged and moving forward once your short and long term goals have been achieved. My dream goal is to run a 10 km in 42 minutes. Some of you may not think this is much of a challenge, but goals are relative to the individual.

The second thing I did this year was to sign up for a 10km running clinic. Sure I have been running for years and don’t really need the training component, but I do need the accountability, commitment and support. Generally, when we pay to be a part of a program we feel more committed. If you need the support be sure to seek it out by letting family and friends know your goals so they can encourage and support you. You can also find a buddy who has a similar goal and you can work together to achieve your goals.

The third component, which I am still working on, is to be gentle and encouraging with myself. I have not exercised much over the last two years, so I can’t expect to be in the physical condition I was in before I had my son. Whatever you are trying to achieve, it is important to encourage yourself, not put yourself down. Any step that is taken to achieve your goal should be seen as a positive. It is also important to be gentle with yourself. What I mean by this is that if you have a bad day or week and don’t stick to your plan, it is okay. Just get back on the program as soon as you are past whatever is limiting you. We all have to have flexibility in any program we take on. Illness and other unforeseeable events happen and we have to make room for them without creating more stress in our lives. Be careful though not to fall into the trap of making excuses for not getting back on track.

I’m going to be running in this year’s Vancouver Sun run and I am hoping to complete it in 55 minutes. There I have made it public so I have even more reason to stay on track. I will let you know how it goes.

Sleep Facts;

Sleeping well is one of the cornerstones of optimal health, and if you ignore your poor sleeping habits, you will, in time, pay a price. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition these days that you might not even realize you suffer from it. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 2010 few people get sufficient amounts of sleep. Only four in 10 respondents said they got a good night’s sleep every night, ...]]> Sleep Facts and Hygiene By Dr. Mercola

Sleep Facts;

• A quarter of married couples sleep in separate beds
• You can only dream about faces you have already seen, whether you are aware of this or not
• Koalas sleep 22 hours a day; giraffes sleep less than 2 hours a day
• 12 percent of people dream only in black and white — although that number was higher before the invention of color TV

Sleeping well is one of the cornerstones of optimal health, and if you ignore your poor sleeping habits, you will, in time, pay a price. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition these days that you might not even realize you suffer from it. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 2010 few people get sufficient amounts of sleep. Only four in 10 respondents said they got a good night’s sleep every night, or almost every night, of the week.

This year’s NSF poll specifically explored the connections between communications technology and sleep patterns. Forty-three percent of participants reported “rarely or never” getting a good night’s sleep on weekdays, but amazingly, 20 percent reported being awakened by phone calls, text messages or email at least a few nights a week, and a whopping 95 percent reported using some type of electronic device within an hour of going to bed.

Over the years, scientists have discovered just how far-reaching the effects of sleep deprivation can be, and more recently, they’ve started bringing attention to the detrimental effect technology has on sleep. Clearly, if you’re being awakened by incoming emails and voice mails, you may want to consider turning these contraptions off… Because as you will see, poor sleeping habits and sleep deprivation can have far-reaching effects on everything from your weight, to your physical-, mental- and emotional health and well-being.

How Sleep Influences Your Physical Health

Without good sleep, optimal health may remain elusive, even if you eat well and exercise (although those factors will tend to improve your ability to sleep better).

One of the explanations for why the health effects of sleep deprivation and sleep disruption are so numerous is that the circadian system “drives” the rhythms of biological activity at the cellular level.

Hence disruptions tend to cascade outward throughout your entire body.

For example, interrupted or impaired sleep can:

Furthermore, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), lack of sleep can further exacerbate other serious and chronic diseases, such as:

Sleeping Well Matters if You’re Struggling with Your Weight

Disturbed sleep can also impair your ability to lose excess pounds or maintain your ideal weight. Research has shown that people who sleep less than seven hours a night tend to have a higher body mass index (BMI) than people who get more sleep. This is likely the effect of altered metabolism, because when you’re sleep deprived, leptin (the hormone that signals satiety) falls, while ghrelin (which signals hunger) rises.

In one study, researchers found that people who received only four hours of sleep a night for two nights experienced:

• 18 percent reduction in leptin
• 28 percent increase in ghrelin

This combination leads to an increase in appetite.

Additionally, sleep-deprived subjects tend to eat more sweet and starchy foods, opposed to vegetables and dairy products. Researchers have suggested that these sugar cravings stem from the fact that your brain is fueled by glucose (blood sugar); therefore, when lack of sleep occurs, your brain starts searching for carbohydrates to keep going. If you’re chronically sleep deprived, consistently giving in to these sugar cravings will virtually guarantee that you’ll gain weight. Furthermore, sleeping less than six hours per night can also radically decrease the sensitivity of your insulin receptors, which will raise your insulin levels. This too is a surefire way to gain weight as the insulin will seriously impair your body’s ability to burn and digest fat. It also increases your risk of diabetes. In short, sleep deprivation puts your body in a pre-diabetic state, which can lead to plummeting health…

Your Mental- and Emotional Health also Hinge on Optimal Sleep

As mentioned earlier, the circadian clock—the biological cycles of waking and sleeping—affects biological activity at the cellular level, and this includes your brain. Hence sleep also has a tremendous impact on your mental- and emotional state. For example, a study published earlier this year found that mice whose sleep cycles were disrupted not only got fatter, but also showed less mental flexibility and were more impulsive than mice kept on their natural schedule. The authors found changes in metabolic hormones, and “loss of dendritic length and decreased complexity of neurons in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, a brain region important in executive function and emotional control.”

It appears this loss of emotional control applies to humans as well. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a national epidemic of sleepiness is one of the primary contributing factors of road rage.

Sleep disturbances and sleep deprivation can also affect your:

• Short term memory: Your circadian clock controls your daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness by alternately inhibiting and exciting different parts of your brain through regulating the release of certain neurotransmitters. The part of your brain known as the hippocampus must be excited in order for the things you learn to be organized in such a way that you’ll remember them later.
  If your internal clock isn’t functioning properly, it causes the release of too much GABA. According to a previous study, an excess of GABA inhibits your brain in a way that leads to short term memory problems and the inability to retain new information.
• Creativity and learning performance: Proper sleep enhances performance, learning and memory by improving your creative ability to uncover novel connections among seemingly unrelated ideas.
• Your emotional resilience and ability to release stress: Good sleepers and poor sleepers experience about the same number of daily minor stressful events, but good sleepers are less disturbed by them.
  Poor sleepers experience both their minor and major life events as being more negative than do those who sleep well.
• Your overall mood and mental stability: Sleep deprivation can lead to symptoms of depression, and can even cause changes in your brain activity similar to those experienced by people with psychiatric disorders.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

It’s important to remember that chronic lack of sleep has a cumulative effect when it comes to disrupting your health. You cannot skimp on sleep on weekdays, thinking you’ll “catch up” over the weekend. What’s needed is consistency.

Generally speaking, adults need between six and eight hours of sleep every night. However, there are plenty of exceptions. Some people feel fine on as little as five hours a night, while others need as much as nine or 10 in order to feel at their best.

The amount of sleep you need can also drastically change depending on circumstances. For example, most people need more sleep when feeling ill, or during emotionally stressful times. Pregnant women also typically need more sleep than usual during the first trimester. Overall, the answer lies with you ….. carefully and sensitively listen to your body. If you feel tired when you wake up, you probably need more sleep. Frequent yawning throughout the day is another dead giveaway that you need more shut-eye.

Optimizing Your Sleep Sanctuary

There are many factors that can influence your sleep, but one that many fail to consider is the use of light-emitting technology, such as your TV, iPad, and computer, before going to bed. These emit the type of blue light that will suppress melatonin production and hamper your ability to fall asleep. Ideally, you’ll want to turn them off at least an hour prior to bed time.

Next, making sure your bedroom is ideally suited for sleep can also go a long way to ensure restful and uninterrupted sleep:

1. Cover your windows with blackout shades or drapes to ensure complete darkness. Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin. Even the faint glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep. Also close your bedroom door, get rid of night-lights, and refrain from turning on any light during the night, even when getting up to go to the bathroom. If you have to use a light, install so-called “low blue” light bulbs in your bedroom and bathroom. These emit an amber light that will not suppress melatonin production.
2. Keep the temperature in your bedroom at or below 70 degrees F (21 degrees Celcius). Many people keep their homes and particularly their upstairs bedrooms too warm. Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite cool, between 60 to 68 degrees F (15.5 to 20 C). Keeping your room cooler or hotter can lead to restless sleep. When you sleep, your body’s internal temperature drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep. Scientists believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to sleep, since it mimics your body’s natural temperature drop.
3. Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can disrupt your pineal gland and the production of melatonin and serotonin, and may have other negative effects as well.
   To do this, you need a gauss meter. You can find various models online, starting around $50 to $200. Some experts even recommend pulling your circuit breaker before bed to kill all power in your house.
4. Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your head. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet.

If you’re feeling anxious or restless, you likely need more deep breathing, meditation or exercise in your life, which can help you address any emotional issues that might keep you tossing and turning at night.

Westcoast Integrative Health is introducing a brand new way to clear your allergy symptoms and finally give you the relief that you have been looking for! Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies, food allergies, environmental allergies or even more serious anaphylactic allergies, BIE (Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination) is a simple, natural and effective new approach that enables one’s body to recognize sensitivities or intolerances, allowing for complete recovery from all associated allergy-like symptoms, without the use of needles or drugs. That’s right, no needles, no pain and no drugs!

How can I be free of my allergy symptoms?

With the use of a unique scientific technology, BIE is a highly effective method for desensitizing food, dust, dust mites, mold, pet dander, pollen and chemical sensitivities, helping the body painlessly relieve annoying symptoms within minutes!

How long will I be free of ...]]> Great news allergy sufferers!

Westcoast Integrative Health is introducing a brand new way to clear your allergy symptoms and finally give you the relief that you have been looking for! Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies, food allergies, environmental allergies or even more serious anaphylactic allergies, BIE (Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination) is a simple, natural and effective new approach that enables one’s body to recognize sensitivities or intolerances, allowing for complete recovery from all associated allergy-like symptoms, without the use of needles or drugs. That’s right, no needles, no pain and no drugs!

How can I be free of my allergy symptoms?

With the use of a unique scientific technology, BIE is a highly effective method for desensitizing food, dust, dust mites, mold, pet dander, pollen and chemical sensitivities, helping the body painlessly relieve annoying symptoms within minutes!

How long will I be free of any intolerance once I have had it removed?

Once the intolerance is removed, you will most likely never experience symptoms from the same substance again.

How many sessions will I need?

This is dependent on the degree of intolerances, stress level of the client, amount of bodily toxins and the strength of the person’s immune system but generally it requires only 1 to 4 sessions to clear an allergy or intolerance.

What Can I Expect?

• Increase your tolerance to foods and other environmental substances
• Improve Immune system functioning
• Eliminate unpleasant symptoms and reactions
• Increased energy
• Enjoy a less restrictive lifestyle

For more information on BIE and how it can help you live allergy free,

please call us at 778-340-1114 or visit our website at www.westcoastintegrativehealth.ca

I have been developing my functional medicine practice over the last 5 years. Functional medicine is an amazing way to help individually asses and treat peoples health concerns. Using a functional medicine approach standard blood testing or specialized testing can evaluated with a very fine lens the best ways to treat a disease process well before symptoms develop. Essentially this is the way I practice medicine and have enjoyed many successful case outcomes when people are willing to put in the time and energy to determining the true cause of there health concerns.

On the show you will see medical doctors discussing the same methods of testing and treating patients that functional medical practioners such as myself have been using for years. This ...]]> This recent Dr Oz episode was amazing. Finally this approach to medicine is catching on in a big way!

I have been developing my functional medicine practice over the last 5 years. Functional medicine is an amazing way to help individually asses and treat peoples health concerns. Using a functional medicine approach standard blood testing or specialized testing can evaluated with a very fine lens the best ways to treat a disease process well before symptoms develop. Essentially this is the way I practice medicine and have enjoyed many successful case outcomes when people are willing to put in the time and energy to determining the true cause of there health concerns.

On the show you will see medical doctors discussing the same methods of testing and treating patients that functional medical practioners such as myself have been using for years. This is a true testament to the future of medicine today!

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-1

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-2
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-3
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-4
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-5
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-oz-s-disease-detectives-pt-6

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Certain foods and chemical additives disguised as food can aggravate or cause muscle and joint pain associated with arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia. Avoiding these foods can pave the way for reduced inflammation, stiffness and pain – setting the stage for ongoing relief, with increased mobility and a better mental ...]]> At Westcoast Integrative Health we believe that everything starts with diet, digestion and lifestyle. This article, originally posted at natural news by author JB Bardot, suggests that certain foods and food additives are a major contributing factor to some significant health concerns. I could not agree more with this author and have more often than not seen that by eliminating specific foods and additivies from the diet there is a notable decrease in pain symptoms and syndromes. All chronic health concerns boil down to chronic inflammation! I hope you enjoy the article!

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Certain foods and chemical additives disguised as food can aggravate or cause muscle and joint pain associated with arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia. Avoiding these foods can pave the way for reduced inflammation, stiffness and pain – setting the stage for ongoing relief, with increased mobility and a better mental attitude. Although it may be a challenge to avoid well-loved foods, keep in mind that many of those foods are causing widespread systemic problems that result in debilitating pain, so they are not your friends.

Nightshade Vegetables

The nightshade vegetables are lesser-known offenders; however, for some people, eating any nightshade can cause excruciating pain and disability. This small family of vegetables contains a natural substance called solanine; when consumed, it can produce severe pain in the joints and the soft tissue, giving rise to arthritis and fibromyalgia flare-ups. The nightshades include tomatoes, peppers, white potatoes, eggplant and tobacco. Because several of these vegetables are included in so many recipes, special attention must be given to eliminating them from the diet. Smokers suffering from arthritis might view the possible cause and effect relationship of tobacco on their condition.

Purine-laden Proteins

Purines are the byproduct of protein digestion, and they break down into uric acid, the main cause of gout. All proteins produce some purines; however, eating certain types of protein is more likely to create a gout flare. Red meats, organ meats and shellfish are considered particularly harmful. Some people are more sensitive to one protein, so each should be monitored for its effects on the disease. Vegetable-based proteins, lean organic poultry and fresh fish are excellent substitutes for those foods eliminated.

Wheat and Gluten

Wheat and wheat gluten are implicated in several diseases, including certain types of arthritis, fibromyalgia, and digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s and celiac disease. Wheat and gluten are especially harmful to the body when highly processed, as in white flour where nutrients are completely stripped from the grain. Less sensitive people are able to eat sprouted wheat products without negative effects; however, eating a gluten-free diet may help reduce most painful joint symptoms.

Trans Fats

Research has shown that eating trans fats can contribute to musculoskeletal pain and aggravate gout, arthritis and a host of other conditions. A diet including regular consumption of fat-laden proteins found in most fast foods may aggravate or cause pain for many people with these conditions. Replace bad fats with healthy fats found in avocados, olives, coconuts, flax seeds and their oils.

MSG and Artificial Sweeteners

Food additives and preservatives and artificial sweeteners are used in almost all packaged products; and they can cause a wide range of mental and physical symptoms including joint and muscle pain. MSG — in all of its disguises — is known to create a multiplicity of symptoms, especially in those who are sensitive to this chemical. Severe joint and body pain, cognitive dysfunction, dizziness and headaches are just a few of the side effects. Artificial sweeteners stimulate the pancreas causing an imbalance in insulin and blood sugar levels and can produce body aches and pains as well as severe digestive disorders and cancers. Replace MSG with spices to flavor foods and use natural foods like raw honey and stevia as sweeteners.

Most people should experience a reduction in their muscle and joint pain and an overall improvement in their conditions after a period of avoiding these offending foods. Always consult a health practitioner before making any major changes in your diet.

I have spent plenty of time working on myself over the last 20 years of my life, since I first become active in alternative medicine at the age of 16. I was sick at that time with an undiagnosed chronic stomach condition that left me lying in bed most of the time. I couldn’t go to school. I couldn’t eat. ...]]> Every year on January 1st, as most people do, I reflect on my life. What personal development goals did I achieve this year? I also reflect on what I would like to work on moving into the new year. I think most people tend to do this, but as we move forward into the final year on the Mayan calender and the year of my Chinese birth sign — DRAGON — this year some how feels a little different for me.

I have spent plenty of time working on myself over the last 20 years of my life, since I first become active in alternative medicine at the age of 16. I was sick at that time with an undiagnosed chronic stomach condition that left me lying in bed most of the time. I couldn’t go to school. I couldn’t eat. I had troubles sleeping because of the discomfort. Nothing like a “normal” adolescent lifestyle. This was the first time I went to see a naturopathic doctor. He did a food sensitivity test on me and I was found to be sensitive to several foods. He suggested I eat mostly veggies, rice and lean proteins. After about a month on this program I was completely well.

I also started exercising at that time. On Saltspring Island … where I grew up …. there was no gym, no yoga …. it was a do-it-yourself type of place ….. so that is what I did. I bought some old weights and set up my own small gym underneath the tree fort of my youth. I very quickly got myself into very good shape.

Why am I talking about all this? I exercise regularly and eat very well still to this day but I have decided to go a little more extreme this year. I feel like I am coming around full circle and I thought I would share my plan with however would like to read about it. The Paleo diet is a pretty trendy diet strategy right now and a diet that I already closely a dear to … I thought I would give it a try for several months with a large focus on calorie restriction.

From wikipedia ….

The Paleolithic diet is a modern dietary regimen that seeks to mimic the diet of preagricultural hunter-gatherers, one that corresponds to what was available in any of the ecological niches of Paleolithic humans.[1][4] Based upon commonly available modern foods, it includes cultivated plants and domesticated animal meat as an alternative to the wild sources of the original preagricultural diet.[1][3][56] The ancestral human diet is inferred from historical and ethnographic studies of modern-day hunter-gatherers as well as archaeological finds, anthropological evidence and application of optimal foraging theory.[10][57][58][59]

The Paleolithic diet consists of foods that can be hunted and fished, such as meat, offal and seafood, and can be gathered, such as eggs, insects, fruit, nuts, seeds, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and spices.[1][3] Some sources advise eating only lean cuts of meat, free of food additives, preferably wild game meats and grass-fed beef since they contain higher levels of omega-3 fats compared with grain-produced domestic meats.[1][3][56][60] Food groups that advocates claim were rarely or never consumed by humans before the Neolithic (agricultural) revolution are excluded from the diet, mainly grains, legumes (e.g. beans and peanuts), dairy products, salt, refined sugar and processed oils,[1][3] although some advocates consider the use of oils with low omega-6/omega-3 ratios, such as olive oil and canola oil, to be healthy and advisable.[56]

More moderately, Kurt G. Harris recommends avoiding fructose, linoleic acid, and gluten grains as the primary Neolithic agents responsible for modern diseases, and “the rest is just tinkering around the edges.” [61][62]

On the Paleolithic diet, practitioners are permitted to drink mainly water, and some advocates recommend tea as a healthy drink,[56] but alcoholic and fermented beverages are restricted from the diet.[3][56] Furthermore, eating a wide variety of plant foods is recommended to avoid high intakes of potentially harmful bioactive substances, such as goitrogens, which are present in some roots, vegetables and seeds.[1][57][63] Unlike raw food diets, all foods may be cooked, without restrictions.[1][64] However, raw Paleolithic dieters exist who believe that humans have not adapted to cooked foods, and so they eat only foods which are both raw and Paleolithic.[65][66]

According to certain proponents of the Paleolithic diet, practitioners should derive about 56–65% of their food energy from animal foods and 36–45% from plant foods. They recommend a diet high in protein (19–35% energy) and relatively low in carbohydrates (22–40% energy), with a fat intake (28–58% energy) similar to or higher than that found in Western diets.[56][67][68] Furthermore, some proponents exclude from the diet foods which exhibit high glycemic indices, such as potatoes.[3] Staffan Lindeberg advocates a Paleolithic diet, but does not recommend any particular proportions of plants versus meat.[1][57]

I have also decided to step up the exercise again. As an avid fair weather cyclist, I tend to ride my bike in the summer months 3 to 4 times per week but in the winter months my bike gets put away and I find myself every year at this time with a little bit of a void in my exercise regime. Last year I started the peak 8 program. It’s amazing and very time efficient for those of us who have a busy schedule. I’ll explain the peak 8 program further in just a second because I also believe in exercise and dietary diversity …. I do yoga once or twice per week for flexibility even though I am terrible at it. I go for a hike with my beautiful partner, Emily, every Sunday morning rain or shine. I also lift weights whenever time permits. This year I am setting up a schedule and I’m going to stick with it 5 days per week. Weights will take up two of my 6 am morning starts. Alternating a workout with chest, triceps and abdominals with back, biceps and shoulders. Of course I will be focussing on proper breathing with every lift. The “Peak 8″ program will take up the other 3 days of my work out week.

From Dr Mercola (www.mercola.com) ….

How to Perform Peak 8 Exercises

Here is a summary of what a typical peak fitness routine might look like using a recumbent bike (although you can perform this on an elliptical machine or treadmill, or with any type of exercise you prefer):

1. Warm up for three minutes

2. Exercise as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds. You should feel like you couldn’t possibly go on another few seconds

3. Recover for 90 seconds

4. Repeat the high intensity exercise and recovery 7 more times

Be mindful of your current fitness level and do not overdo it when you first start out. If you are not in great shape and just starting this you may want to start with just two or three repetitions, and work your way up to eight. You may need to start with just walking and when you do your 30 second bursts your legs would be moving as fast as possible without running – and your arms would be pumping hard and fast. Ultimately you want to exercise vigorously enough so you reach your anaerobic threshold as this is where growth hormone release is triggered.

Whatever activity you choose, by the end of your 30 second sprint period you will want to reach these markers:

• It will be relatively hard to breathe and talk because you are in oxygen debt
• You will start to sweat profusely. Typically this occurs in the second or third repetition unless you have a thyroid issue and don’t sweat much normally.
• Your body temperature will rise
• Lactic acid increases and you will feel a muscle “burn”

If you are using cardiovascular equipment like an elliptical or bike, you don’t need to reach any “magical” speed. It’s highly individual, based on your current level of fitness. But you know you’re doing it right when you’re exerting yourself to the point of typically gasping for breath, after a short burst of activity. Try and do this exercise two to three times per week, and you’re virtually guaranteed to drastically improve your human growth hormone (HGH) production.

Every morning I start my day with 500 ml of room temperature water before exercising. I follow up my exercise regime with a 10 minute guided meditation. I’m finished and ready to answer emails and have breakfast by 6:45am.

The only other major edition to my program this year will be to reintroduce sauna therapy along with a detoxification program several days per week. I do not have a sauna yet but I plan to pick one up soon as now a days infrared saunas are quite inexpensive (new or used) and will fit just about anywhere. It is very important to replace electrolytes when using a sauna regularly. I will be using a combination of magnesium powder with the addition of sodium and potassium bicarbonate salts. Sauna therapy real gets things moving out of your body, whether it be through the skin or through the liver and kidney.

I think 2012 will be a great year, but what that statement really boils down to is perception! I want to do something for myself this year beyond what I have done so far. I try to do this every year. Find a way to better my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing moving into the future. I also want to support other people to do the same!

When determining what dietary guidelines to consider, its safe to say that no sustainable diet should rely on processed orpackaged foods containing refined sources of sugar. Further no products that contain high doses of caffeine or laxatives, which can lead to dependancy, should be used, as these methods ...]]> As a naturopathic doctor, I have researched many dietary strategies to support the health of my clients. When it comes to choosing a dietary approach, I always consider individual metabolism, hormonal imbalances (such as thyroid function, fasting insulin levels, and stress hormones) and specific food elimination to provide the best overall long-term health benefits. I have found that individualizing the diet based on metabolic profiling allows people to reach their optimum weight, maintain energy and a positive mood, all while treating and preventing chronic disease patterns such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

When determining what dietary guidelines to consider, its safe to say that no sustainable diet should rely on processed orpackaged foods containing refined sources of sugar. Further no products that contain high doses of caffeine or laxatives, which can lead to dependancy, should be used, as these methods of weight loss are not sustainable long-term and may lead to increased risk of certain diseases. Food sensitivities to gluten or dairy products, among others, may also be considered in a comprehensive dietary strategy, as sensitivities to certain foods may lead to unnecessary bloating and water retention in some people. Finally, maintaining stable blood sugar by avoiding excess starch, tropical fruits and sweets, may be necessary to help reduce binge eating and food cravings. These simple strategies help people feel good throughout the day! 

The amount of food that is consumed (calorie intake) and the degree to which a person stabilizes their blood sugar are essential in supporting healthy weight loss. It is for this reason that almost all dietary strategies encourage the consumption of vegetables. When it comes to fats, simple carbohydrates and protein, individual considerations need to be taken into account. There are several ways to find out if your metabolism requires more of a carbohydrate, protein or mixed-type diet. Questionnaires are one way to determine your metabolism, but I find the most reliable method is through a blood test for uric acid.

Generally, when uric acid levels are higher than 300 umol/L one should move more towards a plant and lean protein (fish, chicken, turkey, eggs and protein supplements) based diet, while avoiding red meat, high fat dairy, and all legumes including nuts and seeds. When uric acid levels fall below 200 umol/L, a diet focused more on red meat, high fat dairy and the consumption of legumes is more appropriate and typically well tolerated. People with uric acid levels that fall between 200 and 300 umol/L may enjoy a diet that contains a balance of protein types, healthy fats and legumes. In general no dietary strategy should contain large amounts of refined grains, such as bread, pasta and rice, and healthy dieting should include local and seasonal fruits when available.