Do It Yourself

Gratitude Practices

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GratitudeAs Thanksgiving approaches this weekend, it is important to consider what one is thankful for. However, as some may have heard before, an “attitude of gratitude” is a type of attitude that should be adopted year round. This type of grateful thinking on a regular basis can have many health benefits including, but not limited to:

  • Increased ability to achieve life goals.
  • Increased happiness
  • Strengthened and built relationships
  • Increase alertness and energy
  • Longer and better quality of sleep
  • Increased immunity
  • Increase overall physical health

For more detail on the mechanism and precise estimates on how much gratefulness can benefit your health, see my previous blog on the health benefits of being thankful. Now that we know what being thankful can do for our health, one needs to know how one can adopt this gratitude mindset. Different individuals may choose to do this differently. For some it will be more of an outward expression, for others it may be more internal. The bottom line is choose what suits you best, and go from there. The list below provides some examples of what has been researched and shown to have positive health benefits, but you do not need to limit thankfulness practices to these suggestions. Get creative and get thankful in the way you deem best! I challenge you to try and conduct a thankful exercise of your choice every day and see how it benefits you.

  1. Record happy events – improve well – being and positive emotions
  2. Express gratitude – improve well-being and positive emotions
  3. Give thanks to God for all you have both tangible and non-tangible – In some studies when expressed toward God caused decreased stress and improved health in stressful situations
  4. Record things grateful for – improve emotional well-being and interpersonal benefits
  5. Look in the mirror and say I appreciate you and am thankful for you – For the health benefits of positive self-talk and for some other self-affirmations you can speak over yourself, refer to my past blog on positive self-talk.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Sources:

http://ccn.aacnjournals.org/content/29/6/12.full

http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-XLKX200903022.htm

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/84/2/377/

http://roa.sagepub.com/content/28/2/163.short

 

Helping your child to perform optimally at school

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The school year is well under way, and many parents can become concerned about their child’s performance in school. Some children may benefit significantly from small changes to their lifestyle and diet. The following tips may help your child to perform optimally in school:

Sleep Recommendations

  1. Sleep – this tip may seem very straight forward, but many children do not get enough sleep. Sleep is so important for children because this is when we process information, grow, and re-energize for the day ahead. If a child does not get enough sleep, they may become quite agitated in the classroom and potentially cause disruption. They may also be unable to concentrate because of the fatigue. Provided to the right is a chart that gives you an idea of how much sleep your child needs according to their age group, as recommended by the sleep foundation (Source: http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need) . To further drive home the point, research has been done in regards to sleep and school performance. The research has shown that shortened sleep, disrupted sleep schedules, late bed and rise times, and poor sleep quality all negatively impact academic performance.
  2. Exercise – Exercise is very important for your child. Exercise provides a way to boost mood, boost energy, re-focus, and give a sense of accomplishment depending on the form. By encouraging regular exercise, it allows your child to get the energy release they need and gives them an opportunity to “collect” themselves before re-focusing on school tasks. Research has shown that exercise and physical activity in school aged children can actually increase Grade Point Averages (GPA).
  3. Fruits and Vegetables – no discussion would be complete without discussing the benefits of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables can provide significant amounts of B vitamins, which are beneficial for brain functioning, mood, energy, stress, and concentration.
  4. Reduce Screen Time – screen time (i.e. televisions, cell phones, I pads, computers, etc.) could have a negative impact on your child’s future educational achievement. Some research has suggested that the more a child spends in front of a television, the less that they will achieve in the future in regards to degrees and educational achievement. I want to point out that some individuals do benefit from the use of different software to help engage with learning, and so, this recommendation needs to be adapted to your child’s specific needs.
  5. Parenting Style – interestingly enough, the way a child is parented can impact their achievement in school. Research has identified five “processes” that contribute to school achievement. They are: “verbal interactions between mother and children, expectation of parents for achievement, positive affective relationships between parents and children, parental beliefs and attributions about the child, and discipline and control strategies.” Of these processes, discipline and control strategies were the most strongly associated with school achievement.

If your child still experiences difficulty with concentration and focus in school, it is important for you to seek the help of a naturopathic doctor, pediatrician, or other health care provider. Some of the causes can be as simple as a nutritional deficiency, and some may require further evaluation.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Source: http://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/STREPchanges_1.png

http://www.smrv-journal.com/article/S1087-0792(03)90003-7/abstract

http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/5/1/10/

Sauce-less/Salt and Pepper Chicken Recipe

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Having completed the elimination diet previously and restricted my diet from certain substances for my own health concerns, I found it challenging to find any sauces that fit my needs. I have also found that many of the sauces contain excess sugar and added preservatives, making them less than ideal for a healthy diet. Finally, my husband did something so simple to our chicken that we now use all the time! Simple, easy and delicious! Rather than using a sauce, we do more of a rub for the chicken that works out great! The ingredients below are rough estimates as it depends on your preference, health concerns and dietary restrictions. Most of the ingredients we do to taste.

Ingredients

  • Chicken (thighs, drum sticks, or breasts)
  • Approximately 1 cup of olive oil
  • Approximately 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
  • Approximately 1 – 2 teaspoons of salt
  • Approximately 1 – 2 teaspoons of pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Mix together olive oil and garlic powder in bowl.
  3. Coat both sides of the chicken with the olive oil mixture.
  4. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over all of the pieces of chicken.
  5. Place chicken on a baking pan with parchment paper or on a non – stick sheet.
  6. Place chicken in oven for 1 hour, then remove, let cool, and serve.

Like I said, simple but so good and void of excess sugar and “contaminants” to your diet!

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

 

 

 

 

Tips for Effective and Safe Strength Training

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Man running in a gym on a treadmill concept for exercising, fitnHow you approach strength training or exercise of any form can greatly impact the results you achieve and your safety while performing them. Here are some tips and strategies on how to avoid injury and get optimal results while exercising:

  1. Always warm up and cool down properly. Examples of warming up and cooling down include cardiovascular training for 10 minutes prior, and stretching following exercise.
  2. Use proper form to avoid injuries and maximize gains. If you are not using the proper technique, all of your hard work will be for nought! You can learn good form through a class or one-on-one sessions with a certified exercise professional.
  3. Breathe out when you are lifting or pushing; breathe in as you slowly release the load or weight. Never hold your breath while straining. This action, called the Valsalva maneuver, can temporarily raise your blood pressure and can be risky for people with heart disease. It also puts more stress on the pelvic floor muscles, and can lead to some unfortunate conditions including hernias and organ prolapse.
  4. Don’t lock your joints; always leave a slight bend in your knees and elbows when straightening out your legs and arms.
  5. Don’t be so eager to see results that you risk hurting yourself by exercising too long or choosing too much weight. And remember that it’s important to rest muscles for at least 48 hours between strength training sessions. It might be useful for novice strength trainers to start with a shorter strength training session, and gradually work their way up to longer sessions. This might also include starting with one strength training session per week and gradually working up to 2-3 times per week.
  6. If you’ve been sick, give yourself one or two days off after recovering. If you were ill for a while, you may need to use lighter weights or less resistance when you first resume exercising.
  7. Strength training exercises should not cause pain while you are doing them. If an exercise or movement causes significant pain, stop doing it! When performing an exercise, stick with a range of motion that feels comfortable. Over time, try to gradually extend that range. This being said, if you have experienced a specific injury in the past, it is important to consult a health care provider such as a Naturopathic Doctor so that they can help you modify exercises to fit your body’s needs and strengthen necessary muscle groups.
  8. Listen to your body and cut back if you aren’t able to finish a series of exercises or an exercise session, can’t talk while exercising, feel faint after a session, feel tired during the day, or suffer joint aches and pains after a session.

Have you benefitted from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Elisha Cook via the contact portion of this website.

Source: Harvard Medical School