Healthy Life Lessons

I don't know about you, but I really need a break! Fortunately, we are on holiday as of tomorrow. My priority is going to be SLEEP and resting, mentally and physically. About a week ago, I started to feel super physically and mentally burned out. I love my job as a psychotherapist, but mental burnout is a big risk, so a week or so off is a good thing right about now. I've also been pushing myself physically the last couple months, because, well, I could. I've been feeling great and really strong and energized, so on top of amping up my workouts, I was also riding my bike to and from work as often as possible (until the snow hit). I was planning some workouts for while we are on break, but now I will just have to see how I feel. As I said, rest is the priority. No matter what holidays you are observing, I hope you have a safe and happy time and I will be back in 2018.

Aside from not smoking and limiting your alcohol intake, the best thing you can do for your health (and I am talking every freakin' aspect of your health, physically and mentally!) is exercise regularly. While I am sure you've heard this message before (like duh?), its not penetrating with North Americans. Only a minority get even close to the minimum recommended amount of physical activity. I know its challenging. For most of us, getting it in requires being completely purposeful about it because we have a designed a world that encourages us to be sedentary at every turn. Robots that vacuum for us, cars and public transport to get us places, and desk jobs that have us sitting on our butts for 6+ hour per day. Getting regular activity is something I encourage all my clients to do, not just the ones coming in for weight loss support. Self-care is something I question everybody about because our sleep habits, physical activity, and diet all play an important role in our me...

My apologies for the late post this week...its been BUSY. I guess people want to get in some counselling/therapy before the holidays? 😀😀 I'm not complaining though, I love my work. I am never happier than when I am busy with my work...except for maybe when my kids behave and get along (but that rarely happens). Today I have a healthy recipe for you: GRANOLA! Who doesn't love granola? Come on, sweet, crunchy, amazing with yogurt and fruit...I bet Donald Trump doesn't eat granola. He must eat lots of Cheetos, because otherwise, how did he get that colour?? Anyways, the problem with granola is it is usually very high in calories, with the calories being from sugar and oil. A 'serving' usually isn't enough for a mouse. The tricky part though, is to get the crispy, crunchiness without the sugar and fat. Well you are all welcome folks, because I figured out how to do it! Yep, since this granola has no added fat or sugar, it is much lower in calories than ...

Its so ironic that me, quite possibly the biggest gym-rat ever, who would happily spend all day every day in a gym, working out, teaching classes and personal training, now can't stand gyms. Yep, you heard me. I much prefer to workout in solitude now in my own home. I don't have to care about my appearance (hello no makeup, ratty spandex, and bed head!), and I don't have to worry about anyone getting in my way (I don't have any time or patience for that!), and I get have everything the way I like it (tv, music, temperature, etc.). I also don't need to waste time getting to and from some destination. I just stumble downstairs (it's 5am after all!) and shake of the sleepies with a good sweat. Almost all my workouts start with a video of some kind. Most of my favorites are from Cathe. I've reviewed a bunch of them before and I've continued to add to my collection. Here are a few of the latest (and I may have ordered a few more recently, that haven't...

One of the foods that many of my weight-loss clients identify as their weakness is potato chips. This doesn't surprise me since its one of the foods most highly associated with obesity. The problem with potato chips is that they are easy to eat in large quantities (who can eat just one?), and they are very calorically dense. People also tend to crave them because they hit all the right salty, fatty, sweet (a lot have added sugar), carby, notes that we find addictive. I never tell my clients to cut out a food altogether (although I recommend it for sugary soda!) if its something they love. I either tell them to work a reasonable amount it into their daily calorie limit, or find a healthier alternative that satisfies the craving. For potato chip lovers, a lower calorie alternative may be these new snacks, Spokes, created by a Canadian company. Spokes are an air-puffed potato snack that has just 40 calories a cup, compared to 137 per cup for regular potato chips. They are a...

As you must know, gluten-free is all the rage now. While only a small percentage of the population have Celiac disease, or even a gluten sensitivity, it seems everyone is jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon because they think its going to help them lose weight, gain energy, cure their bloating/rashes/brain fog/infertility/headaches/stupidity... Despite the ridiculous gluten-free trend, avoiding gluten is no joke for people who ACTUALLY need to avoid it. One thing that makes those folks despair, is the idea of having to give up their favorite comfort foods. If you are looking for gluten-free versions of your favorite recipes, 100 Classic Gluten-Free Comfort Food Recipes might be of interest. Written by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, both home economists and experienced bakers, the book provides gluten-free recipes for classics such as oven-fried chicken, stuffing, gravy, lasagna, mac & cheese, waffles, various types of breads and buns, muffins, cookies, brownies and donut...

Most people these days seem to have jumped on the omega 3 fatty acid bandwagon whether its making a point to eat lots of fatty fish, omega 3 rich seeds, or simply taking a supplement. But have you heard of omega 7? Its another essential fatty acid lacking in the Standard American Diet (SAD). Fear not, its now easy to get, from a vegan source no less, in sea buckthorn oil! I've told you all about sea buckthorn before, when I reviewed products from Seabuck Wonders . Well, now I have more to share about the benefits of this amazing plant. Like other fatty acids, the omega 7 from sea buckthorn oil is an unsaturated fatty acid with a myriad of health benefits. It promotes cardiovascular health, like other fatty acids, and sea buckthorn is also cytoprotective, anti-stress, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, radioprotective, anti-atherogenic, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial. Furthermore, one study found that sea buckthorn oil taken orally can help with dry eye...good news for m...

A few years ago when the girls' daycare announced there was going to be sugar-free gum day as a treat, I came in to pick them up, and caught a few moms lecturing the teachers on the dangers of artificial sweeteners and demanding that gum with sugar be allowed. Oh boy did I have to bite my tongue! While I can understand wanting to avoid aspartame, or whatever, there are lots of other sweeteners available that are better than sugar. One of them is xylitol, a natural sweetener (for those of you who find 'natural'  to be a meaningful descriptor). It has slightly fewer calories than sugar and rather than causing tooth decay (one of sugars' many negative health consequences), it is actually protective of teeth. Xylitol is available granulated and can be used in place of sugar in cooking and baking. It is also an active ingredient in many dental care products such as pastes and rinses. You can also find xylitol in gums, like this new product, Confadent Oral Techno...

I have to tell you, I am so over coconut bacon. As I have been very open about in the past, unlike many folks in the wellness world, I don't believe coconuts perform miracles. The oil is heavy and greasy. With coconut bacon, its the texture. I once threw a bunch into something I made for Adam and I and he told me it was like eating paper. I have to admit, he's right! I will stick with coconut milk thanks, and everyone else can eat all the bacon and oil. Anyways, I've seen people use various veggies to make bacon substitutes and decided I wanted to try making one with mushrooms since I not only love them, but they are naturally meaty. I have to tell you, I am completely smitten. I threw these into a pasta dish, but I am already fantasizing about using them in omelettes, salads or just shoveling them into my pie whole as fast as possible. They are ridiculously good. And super easy to make too. The only thing is, you need to get dried mushrooms. Fresh has too much moistur...

Good morning and welcome to a new week! If you are a fitness fanatic, or are just constantly on the move, or even an avid traveler, keep reading... Where has a SPIbelt been my whole life?? Who doesn't hate having to find a place to stash keys, phone, etc. when running outside. Personally, I have been stuffing my phone in my bra when I run the past few years, which isn't comfortable and I always worry I will destroy it with sweat. I do have a fanny pack thingy from when I did the 8 hour cancer charity walk a few years ago, but its huge and bulky, designed to carry 2 water bottles and a lot of other stuff. So I was more than happy to test a SPIbelt out when offered the chance. Its very small, light and sleek and adjusts to fit snugly and comfortably. It looks tiny but the stretchy material can accomodate a phone and other stuff very easily. Even if you are not a runner, its a great option for walking, hiking, cycling, and travelling. I am going to take it ...

Extremism is in. Whether its political views or diets, everyone is polarized these days. When it comes to food trends, people seem to be either going over-the-top decadent (the latest in Toronto is Asian ice cream and desserts...like this: ...or to the opposite end of the spectrum, such as raw, vegan food like this: If I have to pick a side, you know where I am going! The latter, of course!! But there is another diet trend in Toronto, which, I guess is sort of the happy medium: vegan comfort food. Now, personally, I have little interest in this because I find it tends to mean vegan junk food, and junk food is junk food in my book. It may be better for animals and the planet, but its not better for the body. Nevertheless, there is clearly a market for it, and I suppose its a good way to get carnivores who have previously given no thought to what they consume an accessible way of becoming more conscious of what they eat, if only for ethical reasons (though I don'...

Here are some things I've been loving lately... Soyganic smoked tofu! The siracha is spicy and delicious, but I also love the black pepper garlic. I've been throwing them into stir fries like crazy. The plain smoked makes for a delicious sandwich. Honestly, you can't do better for an affordable, healthy and yummy source of protein. Oh and this marinated tofu from Vegetarian  Gourmet is good too. I have only tried the Greek gyro variety so far, but really liked it and would gladly try the other flavours. My electric Oster spiralizer!! I got if for Mother's Day, but didn't use it a ton over the summer as I don't spiralize for salads much, but do like to make veggie noodles for hot dishes. I know I am going to be using it a lot over the winter and I made a yummy vegan zoodle dish last weekend that Adam and I both enjoyed. Is it obvious that I derive a huge amount of pleasure from cooking and eating?? I am also loving this hair conditioning treat...

Geez, how long has it been since I posted a recipe here? Its not because I am not constantly cooking and baking up new things, its just all going on my Konjac for Life website and Instagram page. But here is one for you. As you know, I adore roasted veggies, but a lot of fruits can also be roasted too for awesome results. This dish combines the two giving you a delicious sweet, savory recipe that's simple and flavourful. I've made it a few times now for dinner parties, because its a little different than the usual stuff. Its low calorie, nutritious, high in fibre, gluten-free and vegan! Roasted Cauliflower and Grapes 1 large, or 2 small heads, cauliflower, cut/chopped into bite sized pieces 1 tsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced Salt & pepper, to taste 2 cups seedless, red grapes 1/4-1/3 Balsamic vinegar (I used a cranberry pear balsamic, but regular balsamic, or even white balsamic work too!) Steam cauliflower a few minutes until tender crisp. Tran...

Oh my Monday! I say this not because it is Monday, but because we have been having endless days of 30 Celsius weather and our A/C is broken! Our air people came and patched it up as a temporary fix last Tuesday, but by Friday it conked out again. That means, for the whole weekend we fried our asses off! They are here now to install a new system, and all I have to say is that if it isn't fixed by tonight. I will seriously cry. Very hot tears! Anyways... As you know, I am a stalwart hardcopy reader. No Kindles, no e-readers, no reading things on devices, I like paper books, newspapers and magazines, thank you! Paper books seem to be sticking around, but print magazines and newspapers have been dying for a while now, much to my dismay. As I wrote about a few months ago, we gave up and went digital for our Globe and Mail subscription and will be going to the PDF version of the Toronto Star soon. Its just becoming prohibitively expensive to buy the print versions! I have al...

You know I hate heat so usually avoid the sun, but the summers here are so brutal, you can hardly be outside for minutes without feeling like a roasted chicken (though with all the rain this year we got off thankfully easy...unfortunately, fall so far has felt more like summer 😠). Not only do I hate heat, but I am concerned about skin cancer, so I do everything possible to avoid skin damage from the sun. Even in winter I always have sunblock on my face. Three of my close friends have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinomas, and a woman I went to highschool with has had melanoma twice!! I am also prone to getting uneven skin tone which can be exacerbated by the sun and UV damage. So I was thrilled to receive Nerium International  IllumaBoost TM  Brightening & Shield  to try. The product: Works to brighten the skin’s appearance and help even skin tone Helps shield the skin from environmental stressors Helps plump and moisturize the skin Fights the appear...

The causes of obesity are numerous. They also differ from person to person. Contributing factors include poverty, mental or physical illness, parents (their weight status, genetics, behaviour modelling, what they fed you, etc.), and, of course, lifestyle. Another contributing factor is culture. You've heard me say it before, we live in an obesigenic culture (i.e. is encourages obesity). How does it do so? Here are a few ways: 1. Abundance of high calorie, highly processed food available 24/7, that is cheaper than healthier food; 2. Mechanization of physical tasks (you don't have to churn your own ice cream now, you just open the freezer); 3. Social cues encouraging us to consume (advertising, social pressure, etc.) 4. Focus on productivity/consumption/materialism at the expense of spiritual/emotional/psychological fulfillment 5. Fat phobia Numbers 4 and 5 are what I believe fuels one cause of being overweight for a lot of people: emotional eating. Our culture has...

Its almost a cliche to say, but, man did summer ever fly by! My counselling practice was pretty busy all summer, which is fantastic, but also means I just cannot devote more time to posting here 😢😢 But I really can't complain, its been good. The girls were in camp almost the entire time. Mostly Harbourfront Kids Camp, but Little A also did a week of sleepaway camp, and loved it. She wants to go for a month next year. We gotta start saving now!! Both girls also went to Kingston and stayed with my parents last week. So last week was really the summer holiday for Adam and I. No driving the girls anywhere, no preparing food for them, no listening to them fighting...it was glorious! Tomorrow Big A starts grade 6 and Little a starts grade 3. I am probably more nervous than they are. There will be more homework, and so many extracurriculars, that just thinking about coordinating everyone's schedules makes my head hurt! Big A insisted on having us sign her up for 4 different...

If you are a mom, than you've probably heard of Jessica Alba's Honest Company. Just introduced in Canada a few years ago, the company sells products that are touted as all natural and non-toxic. They have lines of personal care products, household cleaners and baby care items. The company claims to use sustainable production methods, fair labour practices and has a commitment to social responsibility. In terms of their products, they offer the following explanation of their efforts to ensure safety: Our definition of safety Our Honest approach takes full consideration of potential chronic (long-term) impacts, exposure routes, unique windows of vulnerability and a wide spectrum of potential health impacts including carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, allergenicity, neurotoxicity and more. It’s a lot more to consider and weigh, but we think our children are worth it. We create meaningful lists. Some companies play on consumers’ fears by saying they don’t use certain c...

Good morning! I hope you're Monday is going well so far. Mine has not been stellar. Little A woke up as a total grumpy-pants, and the weather forecast calls for temps feeling like 37 Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit). Blech! I attended the Canadian Fitness Professionals World Fitness Expo this past weekend, but don't have much to share about it, frankly. A few of the sessions I did by TRX were extremely disappointing. I actually found great deals on clothes at the tradeshow so bought a bunch of stuff for Big A and I (she is now bigger than me and giving me hand me downs!). The most interesting thing I did was watch Jillian Michaels do a half hour Q&A. I mentioned hearing her talk for a few minutes last year and being surprised by how gracious she seemed. Well, even moreso this time. She really is humble and down-to-earth, which is so different from the persona she has in a lot of her videos. Also, loved that she reassured us she didn't vote for Trump! One thing there was a ...

If you workout regularly or play sports, than you know how funky athletic wear can get. After a while, they start to stink, even right after they've come out of the wash. Its a total bummer because it limits your workout wear lifespan, and that stuff isn't cheap! I will sometimes soak my clothes in vinegar and baking soda, or saturate in Febreze for fabric, before throwing them in the wash. But those are temporary solutions...and admittedly, you end up smelling like a pickle from the vinegar. Since Adam and I workout at home, we probably don't have to worry as much as folks who are around other people at gyms or are part of a team, but eventually we can gross each other out if things get too bad. So I was thrilled to take up the offer to try Fresh Back, which promises to get the stink out of your clothes and keep it that way for a few months, or even up to a year. It involves a 2 step process, with 3 different products that work together. First you wash your c...

Its tough to menstruate. While being capable of creating life is undoubtedly miraculous, the whole experience of menstruation more or less sucks. Even women who don't have severe PMS or menstrual disorders probably don't enjoy the monthly cramping, bloating, headaches, digestive upset, mood swings, and other lovely things that typically occur. And no one enjoys having to worry about leaks! I for one tend to wear black pants or skirts during my period every month, just in case there is a leak so it will be less visible. But depending where you are and what you are doing, it can be really embarrassing! Thankfully, new technology is now being developed to make managing your period easier, and make leaks a thing of the past. I was really excited when Knixwear , one of the companies devoted to creating period proof clothes for women, sent me some of their leak proof underwear to try. Specifically, they sent me a couple pairs made for teens, but since I am small, they fi...

A year or two ago my mom read a book about death, Being Mortal , that she raved about. She gave the book to Adam, who read it, and raved about it. They both told me I had to read it, but I put it off until now. Like many people, death is something I try to NOT think about. I am not concerned about what will happen to me after I die. I am more concerned with how and when it will happen. But because this is something I can easily get anxious about, I wasn't eager to read the book in case it got me all worked up. Fortunately, it did not. I even read it as my nighttime reading, which is unusual for me, because normally I reserve that time for fiction. But I am here now to rave about it and tell you you need to read it too! To be more specific, the book is about how we view death and how death is treated in Western Medicine. Its written by an American surgeon, Atul Gawande, who I now worship. It examines what is really important, and what we should really focus on at the en...

The topic of beverages is a hot one. Even when we are talking about cold ones (ha ha). You must live under a rock if you are unaware of the health risks of drinking sweetened beverages. Pop, and even juice are linked with obesity and Type II diabetes. Even diet drinks, however, are now on the hit list for many health conscious consumers. Some experts have raised concerns that artificial sweeteners may actually increase blood sugar, and promote overeating or weight gain, though the evidence is still weak. Just last week the media blew up over results of a new study from the University of Manitoba with headlines claiming that artificial sweeteners may "...cause weight gain and increase risk of heart disease." Here is the reality. It is a meta-analysis, which means it used past studies as units of measurement. Few of the studies done on this topic, and used in the analysis, are randomized, controlled studies, and even the researchers who conducted the review admit that th...

Indian food is SO DAMN DELICIOUS! Aspects of it are very nutritious: lots of veggies, legumes and spices. But Indian food can also be very high calorie thanks to liberal amounts of ghee, cream, coconut, etc., and very high carb, thanks to lots of rice and breads served with most meals. Its not always a good choice for those struggling to lose weight or manage Type II diabetes. Your best bet is to skip the Indian restaurant meals, and cook your own Indian cuisine at home, where you can control what goes in it. If you don't know where to start when it comes to Indian cooking, let alone healthy Indian cooking, a good place to start is with the Indian Cuisine Diabetes Cookbook, published by the American Diabetes Association . Its written by May Abraham Fridel, a food literacy advocate, author and spice company owner in the U.S. The book is a comprehensive guide to both popular and more exotic Indian dishes. It starts with a guide to the spices, staples and cooking techniqu...