Healthy Life Lessons

  There is no doubt most of us will remember 2020 as a traumatic year. Whether it's because of the pandemic, resulting economic hardship or loss of a loved one, any one of the many major environmental crises (forest fires, etc.), or the political situation. Trauma, unfortunately, is all around us. Of course it always has been. Trauma does not just refer to things which result in clinically diagnosed PTSD. Trauma exists on a continuum and it is also very individual. Two people may be in a car accident together and one may have no lasting psychological effects while the other could end up with serious PTSD.  I deal with trauma regularly in my counselling practice and do a type of trauma therapy called EMDR. The causal event can be anything from a difficult birth of a child to childhood sexual abuse to the loss of a loved one. Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience was written by Randall Bell, a consultant who specializes in disaster recovery projects a

 As you can tell by the lack of frequency of my posts, I am a bit busy right now. I think I am burning myself out trying to help my counselling clients with burnout 😏 It seems the pandemic has either forced people into extreme boredom or working 24/7 without any separation between work and home (since most of us are working from home!). Anyways, I pushed myself to read these 2 books because they are work-related and I am always trying to learn more as a therapist and I also like having books to recommend to my clients. Fight Back: End Cycles of Anxiety and Depression This book is written by a Hypnotherapy practitioner and life coach, Mike Oglesbee, who himself battled anxiety and depression for years. Though his approach to treating anxiety and depression is really just cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) repackaged, I did like this book. Oglesbee starts by explaining parts of the brain as well as the mind (unconscious vs conscious, critical and primitive). The strategy he employs is

Given that the world is a complete train wreck right now, it's more important than ever to focus on all the things we have to be grateful for. For me, there is a lot. I have a wonderful husband and kids, loving family, job I adore (that is busier than ever) and financial stability. Really from a personal perspective I have to complaints. But being in a pandemic in a world that was already on it's way to destroying itself has left me very anxious about the future, particularly what things are going to look like for my children. It's heavy. I am sure we are all feeling it. So here are a few of the things I am enjoying right now. First off, I am in love with the Armchair Expert Podcast ! It is hosted by Dax Shepard (husband of Kristen Bell) and Monica Padman. I didn't bother checking it out for a long time because I thought it was just interviews with actors and celebrities, which doesn't interest me, but I discovered they interview a lot of researchers, scientists and

  So how is your end-of-the-world life going? Things are pretty apocalyptic right now and it's downright terrifying. Are you wondering how to keep your shit together in the face of all this chaos? Let's face it, even before 2020, the world seemed to be moving in a not very good direction and as a therapist, I can tell you, lots of people were already struggling. Anxiety and depression have been a growing problem for a long time but now experts worry we are in for a mental health tsunami thanks to the pandemic. I am always looking for useful resources that can help my clients manage their anxiety and boost their mood, so I was happy to review Have a Magical Day - 7 Keys to Living Happy Every Day . Written by motivational speaker, Wendell Miracle, who I had never heard of, its a short little guide book with, you guessed it, 7 practices to bolster mental health.  Now Miracle looks way to young to be a motivational speaker, but hey, if he has a sound message, I am willing to keep a

Has the Covid-19 Pandemic made you worry about your immune system and wondering what you can do to bolster it? Well don't search for the answer in an expensive bottles of supplements. To some extent, immune systems vary from person-to-person because of genetics, and, of course, some people are immuno-compromised due to underlying health issues or medications. The best things you can do for your immune system are: 1. Do not smoke or drink 2. Get enough sleep/manage stress 3. Exercise 4. Eat a nutritious diet that includes lots of fruits and veggies Unfortunately, the pandemic has created the perfect opportunity for companies to exploit people's fears and convince them to spend large sums of money on unnecessary products. A good example of this is the immune shot package from BodyBio . For $69.99USD you get: 1. Vitamin C crystals 2. Liquid zinc 3. Liposomal (a gel like substance that is the same material as your cells which increases 'bioavailability' of the vitamin C and

Did you notice that since the Covid-19 pandemic started, there are stories about how to boost immunity all over the media plus ads for supplements that are supposed to increase immunity everywhere? So far, only Vitamin D seems to show any lick of connection with Covid-19 infections, and the very preliminary findings are that there seems to be a link between those who get the most severe cases of Covid and Vitamin D deficiency. Aside from that, the best way to keep your immune system in good shape is focusing on the macro-level lifestyle variables: don't smoke, limit alcohol, get enough sleep, exercise, and eat lots of plants. All of this also helps with stress management and yes, excess stress can strain your immune system. Differences in immunity, according to researchers, is, in large part, determined by genetics, so not much we can do about that. As I always tell my counselling clients, focus on what you can control, which is, lifestyle. In any case, there are other r

There are some silver linings coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic for some fortunate people. One is that those used to ordering in food or going out to restaurants daily have had to learn to cook for themselves (I know not everyone is happy about this...but think of all the money saved!). Also, with gyms and recreation centers closed, people have had to find ways to be active at home. Again, a lot of people are not necessarily seeing this as a good thing, but I do. I am always encourage my friends and clients to find ways to exercise at home since it is so much more convenient but many people resist, believing that they will get distracted or don't have enough space. Now that everyone has had to do it for several months, a lot of people I know have started to see the benefits of home workouts and have decided they will not return to their gyms. Nothing has changed for me as we have a lovely home gym and I have been exclusively working out at home for years now. So I was mo

It seems that since the Covid-19 pandemic began, people have been joking about binging on food and drinking copious amounts of alcohol. Not really that funny, I am afraid. As a registered psychotherapist, I don't find substance abuse or addition funny. I treat many people with binge eating and emotional eating. I do not treat alcohol or drug addiction in my practice, but since I work in mental health, it fascinates me. I think even if you have never struggled with an addiction or know someone who has, you can probably relate to an addict to some extent. Most of us tend to use some sort of behaviour to numb or distract ourselves from emotional pain. Maybe its just being a workoholic, or exercise, or shopping or something else that seems relatively benign. But avoiding processing pain will never make it go away, you have to face it. Recently, Sean McCann , founder of Great Big Sea, published a memoir about his experience of being sexually abused as a teen and his alcoholism th

I hope none of my future posts involve global health crises...here are a few things making social isolation suck less. All of us have been washing our hands more frequently than usual for the past 6 weeks or so and many people are experiencing irritation because of it. I cannot recommend this cream enough! Eczederm Protectant cream. My eye doctor actually told me about it because my left eye tends to water a lot in cold weather and causes a lot of irritation at the outer corner of my eye. I needed a water resistant moisturizer and this fit the bill. It's been very effective for me whenever I have a skin irritation like that and is perfect for over-washed hands. Just note that in my experience, you won't always find it on pharmacy shelves as it is sometimes kept behind the counter so you may have to ask your pharmacist if they stock it. I have curly hair which is naturally drier than straight hair and as I get older it has gotten drier, so I am always on the lookout f

Food has become a popular topic of conversation during this pandemic. Panic buying, changing habits (everyone is now baking their own bread?), food delivery, grocery store line-ups, shuttered restaurants, restaurants transitioning to delivery and take out only...and then you have all the memes poking fun at people suddenly becoming gourmet chefs for a few days until their resolve crumbles and they start eating cereal for every meal and everyone complaining they are gaining weight due to less activity and closer proximity to the fridge. Unfortunately, the situation has been tough for a lot of my counselling clients struggling with disordered eating, whether its restriction and dieting or binging. As I have stated many times, I am not a fan of diets and restrictive eating. That being said if you love being keto or whatever, you are healthy and not oscillating between restriction and binging - which is what happens to most people who try restrictive diets - than knock yourself out.

How is your pandemic going?  Are you bored yet? Or too anxious to be bored? I am sure you have seen enough of people's online workouts and tips for keeping fit while stuck at home (but for the record, try out www.fitnessblender.com for free workout videos that are great!). Perhaps fitness videos or apps are not your thing. Can I interest you in a fitness book? You know what books are right, those things made from paper...with a spine...and a cover...and you need to hold it in your hands and it has no battery or buttons? If books do appeal to you, than I suggest checking out Complete Calisthenics , by writer and personal trainer, Ashley Kalym. What are calisthenics? Bodyweight exercises such as planks, push ups, sit ups, pull ups, handstands, etc. You should know that THESE EXERCISES ARE HARD! They all start with basic versions for beginners, but as a personal trainer myself, I can tell you right now, a lot of people will not even be capable of the beginner version. For

I am finding I have less and less to share on this blog. Not because I am any less committed to my own personal health and wellness - I still exercise daily, cook and bake all my food and eat nutritiously, and prioritize sleep and wellness - but sharing health information has become less of a priority for a few reasons. First, since 2016 it has become clear that the world's terrible lifestyle is not our most imminent threat. Sure, the majority of us will eventually suffer the ill effects of being sedentary, overweight and eating a nutrient poor diet. But the more urgent dangers that have become apparent since the Sociopathic Orange Half Wit that is the current US President came into power are the rise of the alt right and hate mongering, anti-science/anti-vaxx movements, and climate change. I feel like every single day since that vicious, disgusting monster came into power its been just one terrible, tragic news story after another. The current Covid-19 pandemic is absolutely

When I was sent the request to review Honest Medicine , I did so really because I thought it would make my blood boil and I would enjoy ripping it apart. Thus when the author emailed to thank me directly and wrote a personal note in the book, I maybe did feel a tad lousy. The author, Julia Schopick, is a health blogger who due to personal experience became frustrated with the conventional medical system. But as you know, I am always completely honest about my opinions on this blog. Fortunately, the book is more benign than I expected. At the very least, it doesn't claim you can cure flesh eating disease with lavender oil or any crazy shit like that. It is really nothing more than a series of testimonials from doctors and their patients for two alternative treatments, Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) and Low-Dose Naltrexone (LDN). There is also a section on the keto diet for pediatric epilepsy. The claim is that ALA and LDN can treat and/or 'cure' MS, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthr

As an active family of four, we produce a ridiculous amount of laundry. We also suffer from the aches and pains that tend to go along with sports and fitness. For Adam and I its our daily workouts (and aging) that all too frequently lead to tendonitis or a muscle tweak. Big A dances for 5+ hours a week and does circus classes and Little A has soccer games and practices 3x a week and they often end up with sore muscles or a sprain. So we are no strangers to sports tape, topical pain creams and various body braces. Recently, Incrediwear offered to send one of its injury braces for us to try. Since she overdid the trampoline training at circus camp last summer, Big A has had on and off issues with one of her ankles. At the time the pain was so bad, her doctor thought it might be a stress fracture, but it was then determined to be a sprain. Big A now finds if she is not careful, she can easily re-injure the area. So I requested an ankle brace she could try. Incrediwear is distingu

If you do not know how to cook and would like to learn how to simple, health meals, thank look no further. The Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook  may be intended to help people cook diabetic-friendly meals, but really the book is good for anyone with little cooking experience who wants a step-by-step guide for creating nutritious recipes. Published by the American Diabetes Association, and written by Dietitian, Jackie Newgent, the book is chock-full, not only of easy-to-prepare, tasty recipes, but also everything you need to know to get you started in the kitchen if you do not already have the basic knowledge and skills. The chapter on a diabetes-friendly lifestyle provides advice some specific advice for diabetes but also some that really applies to everyone: exercise, choose whole grains, eat healthy fats, reduce sodium, and avoid sugary beverages. There is a step-by-step guide on diabetic-friendly cooking, which, again, can really be utilized by anyone looking for a st

I named this salad the Tel Aviv Salad because it is inspired by a dish I had while we were in Israel (at a restaurant in the Tel Aviv Carmel Market). The dish was roasted cauliflower with raisins in a beet tahini sauce...and there might have been some other things in it I am forgetting. I have incorporated roasted cauliflower, beets and tahini, but also added a whole bunch of other middle eastern flavours too. It is absolutely delicious and you can eat it warm or cold. Tel Aviv Market Salad Salad 1 large bunch kale, chopped 4 beets, diced and roasted 2 heads cauliflower cut into florets and roasted 6-8 dried permimmons, diced (or 1/4 cup raisins) 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds 1 can chickpeas, drained Dressing 1/2 cup tahini Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp ground cumin Season, to taste Whisk together dressing and set aside. Combine salad ingredients in a large serving bowl. Drizzle dressing over top, toss and serve.

Feeling stressed? Too busy, spread to thin? Isn't everybody? Or do you suffer from anxiety. Always worrying, having difficulty concentrating, sleeping, relaxing. As a psychotherapist I find the most common presenting issue my clients have is anxiety. Occasionally it's stress from some life circumstances. Stress and anxiety are not the same thing, but I will get to that later. If you are looking for tips on managing stress and/or anxiety, than this little book may be helpful. The Little Book of Game Changers , written by Jessica Cording, is a straightforward guide to making small changes to your thinking and lifestyle that can assist with stress management and reducing anxiety. Cording, a registered dietitian and health coach, has sections on mind, body and spirit. Chapters include topics ranging from self-reflection, to money management, to morning routines, to nutrition, to loneliness and food guilt. Stress is a response to a 'threat' and anxiety is a react

As a therapist and personal trainer, my advice to you is to never set new year's resolutions. I never do. Why? Because it is not an effective way to make changes in your life. For anyone. Most of the time resolutions fail, and then people blame themselves and assume its because they are lazy, lack self-discipline, are worthless, etc. Then people have even less confidence the next time, which pretty much sets anyone up for failure before they even start. The problem is people usually make resolutions around things they believe they 'should' do. But 'shoulding' is not usually a driver of action. Even if you really want a particular outcome (lose weight, spend less, etc.), unless you are 100% committed to the process required to achieve that outcome, you are never going to see it through to fruition. I see this all the time with clients of mine who say they want to see a change in themselves of their life, but really are unwilling to make the behavioural or per