Healthy Life Lessons

  Though my children are now 12 and 15, they both still love pillows, blankets and stuffies as a source of comfort. So when Lurera offered to send me their anti-anxiety pillow I knew I had the perfect testers in our house. The Lurera is a soft, plush covered throw pillow that comes with a heating pad and heartbeat machine that can be inserted inside.  I thought the heartbeat machine was a unique idea that does have some science behind it in terms of its ability to soothe.  One kid has a weighted blanket and a 5 foot teddy bear, the other has about a thousand stuffies and blankets on her bed. This kid, the 12-year-old, has been obsessed with soft, furry, plush things since she was an infant. She has just always gravitated towards them. So I guess I should not have been surprised when she snatched up the Lurera and immediately declared ownership. To my surprise, however, she tossed out the heating pad and heartbeat machine and just wanted the pillow as is. The pillow comes ...

I like reviewing supplements but not because I think it will do anything dramatic for me, more because I like to go look at the research and see if its all bullshit. After all, how soon can you see or feel a difference with most of these products anyways? Well, this time I was pleasantly surprised! Flexuron is a combination of krill oil (an amazing source of essential fatty acids (EFAs)), asthaxanthin, an antioxident derived from algae, and hyaluronic acid, which is thought to help lubricate joints. The product is supposed to promote joint comfort. Now my brother is obsessed with asthaxanthin supps for workout related aches  and pains and got me taking it for a few months but I didn't notice a difference...could be the low dose I tried. But within a week I noticed changes from Flexuron. Normally after my Saturday run, my knees ache (which is why I only run once a week). After one week on Flexuron, one knee was completely pain free and the other only ached for a few minutes. After t...

  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 proje...

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 ...

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...

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 ...

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...

It seems like winter has come early this year. Though I don't mind winter nearly as much as most people - since I hate summer and hot weather - it's still been disappointing because it means that autumn, my absolute favorite season, was cut short. No matter what the season, its important to fill your life with little pleasures, so here are ones I am enjoying right now. Once it gets dark before I leave the office, its very important for me to be visible on my bicycle while going home in the evenings. I was sent Runlites mittens to review a few years back, and I have to tell you, I adore them! The lights are extremely bright, and I love that they are rechargeable. They came with thin glove inserts but I lost one last winter, and, besides, they weren't warm enough for Canadian winters. So when it is super cold, I wear another pair of gloves or mittens underneath. I am often stopped by other cyclists or pedestrians who comment on how awesome they are. I am also taking...

I had an interest in counselling from an early age and looking to explore it a bit in high school, I got requested from my school permission to get a credit for tutoring other students. The experience for me was wonderful and I learned a lot of important lessons. One lesson was that a child's home environment has a massive impact on a child's academic potential. I remember one student, a girl several years younger than me, who I assisted, who was struggling with her classes. During our sessions together she admitted to me that she experienced physical and emotional abuse at home at the hands of her mother and step-father. This was so horrific to me. I remember coming home and asking my parents, "How can anyone in that situation be expected to succeed in school?" This poor girl had to think about how not to get the crap beaten out of her, so homework is not going to be a top priority. Of course, it takes more than just an emotionally and physically safe environm...

Meditation is totally trendy right now. Unfortunately, that's the problem. Though the relaxation technique is scientifically proven to have both physical and mental health benefits, for many people, it just feels like another 'thing' they believe they 'should' do.  Recently I have seen a lot of articles slamming the pressure women get to perform 'self-care', which really just makes them more anxious and self-critical when they fail to be able to make it happen. Typically, we think of meditation as sitting in lotus position, with our eyes closed and not moving for an extended period of time, our minds blissfully free of any thoughts at all. Though this traditional form of Buddhist meditation works brilliantly for many people, for the rest of us, myself included, it's a no go. I detailed here what happened to me a few years ago when I did an intensive mindfulness meditation course. It didn't work for me at all. I hated the meditation exercises...

Have you heard of emotional labour? It is the invisible labour done mostly by women to manage a family and household. It goes beyond just the physical tasks of cooking, cleaning, etc. and involves the planning involved in making meals, scheduling appointments, dealing with homework, registering kids for camp, activities, etc. Even in heterosexual couple-led households where men do a fair share of the housework, it is most often the women who do most, if not all, of the emotional labour. I am very lucky in that this is not the case in our household. Adam is more involved in the emotional labour of caring for our children and household than any other man I know, and probably takes on more than I do. But this is not the case for most of my friends nor my clients, and it can be a huge source of stress, frustration and resentment for women. The Manager Mom Epidemic , is a book that addresses the inordinate share of emotional labour women shoulder at home. I have to admit, I was q...

I am very happy. Very very happy.  I have finally gotten my hands on a fitness device I have been dreaming about for years. Have you heard of EMS training? Here's some info on it: Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS), is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses. The impulses are generated by the device and stimulate every major muscle group through electrodes placed near to the muscles being stimulated. The electrodes are generally pads that adhere to the skin. The impulses mimic the action potential that comes from the central nervous system, causing the muscles to contract. All muscle movement in the human body is activated by electrical nerve impulses originating in the brain and carried along the spinal cord. Each impulse causes muscle fibers to contract creating tension. The tension causes the muscle to flex, which creates movement. EMS uses electrical impulses that mimic the very same impulses from the nervous system, causing the muscle to con...

It seems that CBD oil is the new coconut oil. It can fix or cure anything (or so people claim). Evidence in many areas is scanty, but that has not stopped sellers for making all sorts of claims. That being said, I do know many people swear by it for all sorts of things. Both friends of mine and some clients have said they find CBD very effective for insomnia and anxiety. It did not work for me for my migraines, and I personally noticed no effect when I tried the CBD infused water (I reviewed a few months ago), but I was curious about its topical uses. So when Ignite asked if I wanted to try their Recharge Pain Relief cream and Calm Pain Relief roll-on, I was happy to accept. Recharge is lemon scented and Calm is lavender. Most of the ingredients in Recharge are non-toxic (hemp extract, aloe vera, arnica, essential oils, etc), though there are a few that some people may question such as tetrasodium EDTA. Calm contains just hemp extract, lavender essential oil, arnica flower extra...