Healthy Eating For Summer

Summer is officially here. For at least three solid months, weekends will be jam packed with parties, BBQ's, weddings and gatherings of all types with one common denominator – food. If eating healthy is a priority for you, it does not mean that fun and enjoyment of good food have to go out the window. After all, a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. That being said, how does one go about finding balance between healthy choices and not giving up good-tasting foods? The following might be of help to you.  

Choose your ingredients wisely

If you are hosting a party, then you have almost full control of the menu, so take full advantage! To lessen the work for yourself, make it pot-luck format. Make a list of ingredients and either have your guests choose a category that they prefer to bring, or assign them. Either way, the point is to have a wide variety. The list should include: vegetables (salads, grilled veggies, or just veggie platters), protein (be sure to include chicken, fish and shrimp), carbs (corn, sweet potatoes count as carbs, not vegetables), fruits (fruit platter, salads, or even grilled fruits on skewers), and desserts to satisfy those with a sweet tooth. Make sure to leave dessert until the end. This way, you will already have filled up with healthy foods, leaving less room for sweets. Also, eating a little dessert after a healthy meal helps to take the guilt out of the pleasure. If, however, you are ambitious enough to take on the responsibility of providing for all the dishes, you would have even more control. In addition to what to cook the method of cooking also makes a significant difference. For example, steaming, baking and grilling, are preferred over deep-frying. When it comes to preparing desserts, you can choose to make fruit salads. However for those weekend dessert-chefs out there, it doesn’t mean you can’t make “real” desserts. You can just make a few changes such as the following: - replace butter with coconut oil - use whole wheat flour instead of white flour - add brown sugar where white sugar is called for - use less of sugar all together - replace sugar with stevia, guava syrup, maple syrup or fruits (banana, mango, pineapples etc.) - use dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate ones These are just a few ideas, those of you who are experienced with healthy baking, you would likely have even better tricks up your sleeves.  

Proportions is key

When choosing what goes on your plate, feel free to sample a bit of everything to keep things interesting. However, how much of each food item is what’s important. As a rule of thumb, ALWAYS ensure that ½ of you plate is filled with veggies, and no more than ¼ is carbs, (that is right, corn and potatoes, even sweet potatoes belong to this category, along with rice and pastas of course). When selecting your meats, cut off any visible chunks/strips of fat, and do try to resist the temptation of eating the chicken skin (this is why chicken wings should be avoided, or at least minimized).  

Control what you can

All the above being said, it is not always possible to have all the choices available. It is possible that parties only have chips, hotdogs, burgers, pies, cakes and alcohol. Also, what would you do if the menu is set for you, along with the portion sizes? In situations like these, two things you can do are as follows: First, don’t feel badly about leaving some food on the plate. Usually meals that have already been portioned out for you, contain mostly carbs (rice/ pasta etc.). Simply eat the vegetables, and the lean part of the proteins. And eat only half of the rice, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Second, if you know you will have very little control over what’s being served at an event, then make sure you don’t go there hungry. Eat something in advance, maybe a salad, with chicken strips or fish on the side. When ravenously hungry, you are much more likely to eat food higher in sugar and fat content, and less likely to be choosey. In other words, hunger will push you to eat whatever that is available, especially if they are NOT so healthy. Also, it will be so much easier to say “no” to foods on a full stomach. See, it is possible to have both a healthy and enjoyable summer!

Fish Oil & Cardiovascular Disease

Last night on the news, it was announced that South Korean published a study that concluded that fish oil (omega 3) has no effect on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This study was a meta-analysis, which means that a number of previously conducted studies on fish oil and cardiovascular disease have been taken into account to form a collective conclusion. Without knowing the details of each of the studies and their experimental designs, it is impossible to comment on the quality of the study. However, it is important to point out that the dosage of omega 3 may not have been sufficient.

Naturopathic doctors are trained to prescribe nutraceutical agents (such as fish oil) at therapeutic dosages. The majority of North Americans are highly deficient in omega 3 fatty acids, not just because of insufficient omega 3 intake, but also because of over consumption of omega 6 fatty acids. The optimal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is roughly 2:1, whereas the typical North American diet contains an omega 6:3 ratio of 10:1. As a result, even more omega 3 is needed to off-set this steep imbalance.

Furthermore, not all fish oil supplements are created equal. To help prevent cardiovascular disease, in general, one needs the right kind of omega 3. Don’t stop at the total amount of omega 3 on the nutritional label. Look to see how much EPA and DHA are in the supplement. Not all individuals wanting to prevent cardiovascular disease needs the same type of omega 3 supplement. If you are someone with a lot of anxiety (known to be correlated to increased cardiovascular events), you need more DHA in your supplement, if your hs-CRP reading is high, then EPA is to be more emphasized.

Lastly, it is of utmost importance to buy your fish oil from a reputable company, otherwise, you’ll do more harm than good. Fish oils may contain heavy metal contamination if not sourced from a good quality manufacturer. This applies to fish that you consume too. Be sure to get fish that have low heavy metal contamination risk. The rule of thumb to follow is the smaller the fish, the less likelihood of it containing heavy metals. At least this helps you to minimize the amount of ingested heavy metals.

A large number of studies have been done to show that fish oil (omega 3), when taken at the right doses is not only able to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, but also significantly benefits anxiety, depression and joint pain too. To read about them, find the articles on the following links.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=ajcn%201994%3B59%3A1060-8
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC99405/?tool=pubmed
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/102/18/2284.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22163304
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21784145
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110190/?tool=pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150191/?tool=pubmed

Your Dirty Bathroom

No, this article is not about fecal matter particles or mold growth in your bathroom. Rather, it is about the toxins hidden in items that we clean and pamper ourselves with.

Did you know, that body washing liquids and shampoos we use to clean ourselves contain toxins. The lotions and moisturizers we slather our skin with can lead to all kinds of chronic diseases, and the perfumes and colognes we use to feel fresh and smell great can be contributing to infertility. If you are surprised, then you definitely need to read on…

Sodium Lauryl sulphate
This chemical is found in body washes, shampoos, face washes. It serves as a foaming agent. It is easily absorbed into the skin, and can deposit onto organs such as our heart, kidneys and brain, which can lead to developmental issues if found in children. When combined with other chemicals (also found in the body washes, shampoos, and face washes), can form nitroamines, which are carcinogenic. Sodium lauryl sulphate itself is a mutagen, which in turn can also lead to cancer.

Mineral Oil & Petroleum jelly
This is found in the vast majority of moisturizers and lotions and lipbalms and lipsticks. Mineral oil is extracted from petroleum, therefore can contain traces of impurities such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This compound is also found in tar used to pave roads and driveways. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have been linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Most concerning of all, mineral oil is the base of baby oils.

Fragrances
Fragrances, whether they are found in colognes, perfumes, shower gel or lotions, consist of a long list (over 3000) chemicals, many of which pose health hazards. Phthalates, octoxynols and nonoxynols are only some examples. Phthalates act as hormone disruptors in the body, and the latter to can be metabolized to by-products that have similar effects on the body.

Talc
This white powder is found in baby powders, and a large number of cosmetic products such as face powder, eye shadow, blush etc. Talc can be contaminated with asbestos, which when inhaled can lead to respiratory concerns and when used for babies during diaper changes can be absorbed from the baby’s genital area into the body increasing ovarian cancer risk.
According to the Environmental Working Group… “Nearly 80 percent of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, the industry's own public research organization, the FDA or any publicly accountable institution.”

This Spring, while you do a detox from the inside (be it dietary or herbal), be sure to also detoxify from the outside too! Replace your chemical ridden lotions, shampoos, creams and make-up products with ones that are chemical free!

For products that are much more health-friendly, check out: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

References:
http://health-report.co.uk/petroleum_petrolatum_health_concerns.htm
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2879%2990357-X/abstract

Babies Anyone?

Just a couple of days ago, Global News discussed the legal fight in order to have IVF (in-vitro fertilization) treatments funded by the provincial government. Fertility has become more of an issue as the age of marriage and family planning has increased over the years. In 2009, it is estimated that in Canada, over 22% of couples experience difficulty in conceiving; this statistic is an increase of over 6% compared to it was in 1992. Infertility is a medical term that does not necessarily mean that either partner is absolutely, and physiologically unable to have a child. It simply means that after at least one full year of engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse, a couple has been unsuccessful with becoming pregnant.

Infertility is a highly complex issue, as it involves all aspects of health. Conventional medicine would assess hormone levels of both partners, ovulation and sperm production. Medication is given for the purpose of correcting hormone levels and increase ovulation. If this does not yield any success, then IUI (intrauterine insemination) can be used, often in conjunction of medication to induce ovulation. If IUI does not lead to successful pregnancy, then IVF (in-vitro fertilization) is often attempted. While the success rate of IVF is much greater, many couples can still be unsuccessful after more than one attempt with the procedure, leaving them financially drained, and emotionally frustrated.
While the conventional procedures mentioned above do help many couples successfully start families, one great down side is that it is highly expensive. Couples can easily spend tens of thousands of dollars and still be disappointed. The good news is lifestyle changes can be made to ensure the health of your reproductive system so that the chance of successful conception is increased.
Begin with losing any excessive weight that you may have. For women, extra pounds translate into hormonal imbalance, which has a direct impact on your reproductive system. In order to achieve that, a well-balanced diet is key. Regular exercise helps to not only achieve a healthier body weight, but also it helps to de-stress as well. Many couples put a great deal of stress on themselves when trying to conceive, which in turn influences sex hormone levels thanks to increased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). Because of this, effective methods to aid with stress management are also important, activities such as yoga and meditation are some examples.

Although the above has been mostly focused on what the woman can do, the male reproductive health is also important when it comes to fertility. The truth is, there are more treatment options available to issues pertaining to the female reproductive system than there is for men. So, it is even more important for the man to also ensure good overall health in order to maximize the couple’s chance of conceiving.

Both partners should do a cleanse about 3 months prior to attempting to have a baby. This would give the woman’s body a chance to achieve at least a couple of good menstrual cycles, and the man’s body enough time to make a whole new batch of sperms, which happens approximately once every 72 days.
In addition to lifestyle changes, herbal medicine is highly effective for the treatment of hormonal imbalance, while acupuncture has been found to regulate a women’s menstrual cycle with great success. The combination of lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, and acupuncture has shown great success with treatment female health concerns such as endometriosis, PCOS, and uterine fibroids.
Futhermore, acupuncture treatment prior to and after IVF treatment has been found to increase success rate of the procedure. Before spending tens of thousands of dollars on IVF, complimentary treatments such as acupuncture and herbal medicine are definitely worth a try.

Love Your Heart

February is heart health awareness month, the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves that the constantly hard-working muscle in the body may be in need of more TLC than we are providing.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada recently put a series of Make-Death-Wait advertisements, sending out a badly-needed message. Although heart disease has decreased by 25% over the last decade, it along with stroke is still the leading causes of death in Canada, taking a life every 7 minutes. Because of these statistics, heart disease and stroke cost our economy 20.9 billion dollars annually, as a result of decreased productivity, lost wages, and medical services and costs.

These alarming, and intimidating statistics can be changed drastically if each of us made small changes in our daily lives. This is not an overly optimistic statement, as the majority incidences of heart disease and strokes are preventable. Many people believe that if heart disease runs in the family, it means they will also suffer from these illnesses. While genetic inheritance can be a risk factor, it is certainly not the one and only determining factor. In fact, not only is heart disease and stroke largely preventable, physiological changes in the body such as cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis can reverse with the right lifestyle changes.

A study published over a decade ago, best known as the Ornish Study, found that by making lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking, increasing vegetables and decreasing fats from the diet and regular exercise, atherosclerotic lesions (plaque) have regressed by 82% compared to before these changes were implemented. It is important to point out that this dramatic change happened in just a year, and these patients were not treated using conventional medication.

Clearly the link between healthy lifestyle and the prevention and treatment of heart disease and stroke is not new. However, it is often neglected. While most of us understand the importance of heart disease prevention, many ignore it until it is too late. If you are think that you can afford to wait until you detect symptoms before you take action, then remember: the first noticeable symptom of heart disease is a heart attack, and possibly death.

It is never too early to prevent illnesses, it begins today, it begins now. How? A good place to start is to ensure that you get adequate sleep each night. Once you are well-rested, feeling more energized, you may be more motivated to make changes in other areas too, such as make a plan to stop smoking, start exercising on a regular basis, and examine your diet and find areas that need improvement. Lastly, but not least, good stress management is vital to protecting oneself from heart disease. The mechanism is simple, stress raises stress hormone such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body, which are hormones that, among other things, raise blood pressure, increase heart rate and blood sugar levels. These result in increased risks of not only heart disease but also diabetes.

This may sound like an overwhelming number of things that need to change, but remember that every little effort counts, and that every little change you do make, will have a greater impact than you may think.

Good luck and love your heart!

Stop Cleaning Your House!

During the winter months, we spend most of our time indoors. Therefore, it is of much importance to ensure that the home environment is conducive to good health. We know about the dangers of carbon monoxide, so we install CO monitors in our houses. We also know that keeping the house clean is important for warding off cold and flu. But few of us think about the toxicity of the cleaning products themselves. If we clean too vigorously, we just might be doing more harm than good.

Did you know that by using antibacterial soaps, detergents and wipes, you may be helping to breed “superbugs” in your house? The mechanism is similar to taking antibiotic medication too frequently. When we use antibiotic sprays and soaps, we kill most of the bacteria, leaving behind a few. The few bacteria that do survive did so because they have mutations that resist the antibacterial agent. When the survivors reproduce, they pass the resistance onto the new generation…

Granted, presently, more studies that confirm the severity of this theoretical risk are needed. However, correlation has been found between the usage of antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers and childhood allergies and asthma.

Resistant germs aside, when the antibacterial chemical in antibacterial products (usally Triclosan) mix with tap water, it undergoes chemical reactions with the chlorine in the water to form toxic by-products that are harmful to health. One category of these by-products are dioxins, which can also form upon exoposure to UV light (eg. when the sun shines on the kitchen countertop, after antibacterial wipe) Dioxins, at even small amounts can act as endocrine disruptors which can affect the human body in a very wide variety of different ways. Potential problems can be hormonal imbalance, increased cancer risk, ADD in children, fertility issues in adults, and even birth defects. Additionally, dioxins are chemically stable, meaning that they do not degrade very quickly, so if internalized, they can stay in the body for long periods of time. Prolonged exposure will cause it to accumulate in the body, increasing health risks even further.

That was just one example, what about the air freshener you use, the oven cleaner, the floor cleaning liquid, your bathroom sprays, glass cleaner? Do you take your clothes to the dry cleaner? We are, on a daily basis surrounded by thousands of chemicals (in our own houses!) Did you know that 18,000 new chemicals are produced each year? Worse yet, most of these have NEVER been tested on humans to assess for health risks? We don’t even know how harmful these substances are to our health in the long run!

It is important to clean your house, hygiene is certainly necessary for good health. However, we need to choose much safer substances to clean with. Some examples include:

1. Mixing 1 part of white vinegar and 1 part water to use as all purpose cleaning spray, and mirror cleaner

2. Pour 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/3 cup baking soda into the toilet bowl, scrub after letting it soak for 10 minutes.

3. Mix 10 drops of essential oil (lavender, for example) with a full spray bottle of water, shake to mix well. Use as air freshener.

Remember, a clean home is scent-free. If you prefer certain fragrances, you can use the natural air-freshener described above, or add a few drops of essential oil to your all purpose cleaning spray. You can also add pleasant fragrance to your home by baking cookies, or boiling a pot of water with cinnamon sticks in it, just to name a couple! Healthier options are numerous!

Enjoy cleaning in a more healthy manner!

A Gentle Approach To Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a musculoskeletal condition characterized by diffuse body pain accompanied by fatigue. Other associated symptoms include headache, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, rheumatic disease, anxiety, and even irritable bowel syndrome. It is more frequently found in women, often under a great deal of stress. Fibromyalgia can be attributed to other underlying problems such as arthritis or chronic fatigue syndrome or it can be idiopathic (from unknown cause).

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is symptom-based, and the prognosis of fibromyalgia is not malignant. A study published in Arthritis Care and Research followed fibromyalgia patients for three years, and found that symptoms decreased over time (regardless of treatment used). Regardless, it is a disorder that can significantly decrease quality of life in those suffering from it.

Treatment options from conventional medicine include: NSAIDs, anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications, and cortisone injections. Various combinations of these can be effective; however, they are not without side effects. Numerous alternative treatment options are also available.

As with any health condition dealt with naturopathically, treatment would depend on the culprit (which is unique to each patient). While a healthy diet is the essential starting point, fibromyalgia patients benefit from nutritional supplementation along with herbal remedies to gently help ease the pain. In addition, patients also see a great deal of relieve with the usage of intravenous therapy, where high doses of nutrients (including vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5 B6, B12, magnesium & Calcium) are delivered into the blood stream. These vitamins and minerals help to decrease inflammation, relax tense muscles, and boost energy and mood as well. Patients have notice improvement after as few as just one treatment.

If you, or someone you know suffers from fibromyalgia, naturopathic medicine is definitely the way to go for effective therapy with minimal side effects.