Diet Archives - Page 10 of 17 - Plattsville Natural Health Clinic

Heart Healthy Habits

February 16, 2016 by elisha

As some of you may know, February is Heart Health Month. Your heart is a very important organ, and its health can be impacted by and impact many other organs. Rather than only including information on some heart healthy habits, I thought it might be interesting to provide some insight into the heart from a Traditional Asian Medicine perspective (please note that this perspective looks at more of a metaphorical heart and pathologies do not specifically correlate to physical heart issues, e.g. heart blood stagnation does not mean you literally have blood stuck in your heart). In Traditional Asian Medicine, the heart has a very important role in controlling personality, and joy. If there is an imbalance in this organ it can lead to excessive or deficient joy (mania, depression), anxiety, or insomnia. With this mental – emotional perspective in mind, it may give more fuel to the research findings below that connect depression with an increased risk of heart disease (this is of course in addition to much research between various other connections between depression and other factors which lead to heard disease). With that being said, below are some findings and habits that may help you to adopt a more heart healthy lifestyle:

Exercise: Exercise helps keep your heart healthy on many different levels. Firstly, it improves your cholesterol levels by increasing good cholesterol and decreasing bad cholesterol. In addition, exercise can also help to decrease blood pressure. All of these parameters can contribute to heart disease if left unchecked. Exercise also combats depression, which can be a risk factor for heart disease. For more health benefits of exercise, consult my previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/the-benefits-of-exercise/
Avoid Smoking: Smoking has several negative impacts on the heart which include stiffening the arteries and causing plaque build-up in the arteries, which could lead to atherosclerosis. By avoiding smoking, one can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease.
Laugh: Laughter can help improve heart health by decreasing blood pressure and helping to combat depression (as mentioned above, a risk factor for heart disease). Some find that laughing can help them to cope with stress as well. For more health benefits of laughter, consult my previous blog: https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/laugh-out-loud-health-benefits-of-laughing/
Eat lots of fruits and veggies: Fruits and vegetables provide a hefty source of antioxidants, fiber, and nutrients, all of which can decrease one’s risk of heart disease and improve heart health overall. Many of the nutrients can also protect arteries and help the body become more resilient especially with stress. In addition, fruits and vegetables can help to decrease blood pressure and promote healthy cholesterol levels.
Manage Stress: Stress can have a negative impact on the heart by increasing blood pressure, increasing blood sugar, increasing cholesterol, and increasing fat retention (which makes the heart have to work harder by having to pump blood further to more tissue). By managing stress more efficiently, one can decrease their risk of heart disease and improve heart health overall.

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 Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Keeping New Year’s Resolutions

January 3, 2022January 5, 2016 by elisha

It is estimated that 80% of individuals make New Year’s resolutions, but as many realize, very few keep them. It is easy to make plans of being healthier and living healthier lives when we have the spark of motivation, but when we are faced with the 5am alarm clock going off to go to the gym, the snooze button can become a more viable option.

This blog is meant to give you tips and encouragement to help you through the rough points when you want to throw in the towel on those New Year’s resolutions. In addition, it is my hope that these tips would help make your efforts more successful. Because the number one new year’s resolution is weight loss, many of the examples I provide below will relate to that realm.

Make realistic resolutions.

One of the biggest barriers to overcome in my opinion is the barrier of preconceived expectations of ourselves. Regardless of what you have achieved in the past in regards to activity level and healthy eating habits, start out slow. If you are not exercising at all currently, do not expect to simply be exercising every day for one hour. For some individuals this works for them, but it is important to work your way into a schedule that works for you.

Prepare in advance for your resolutions/changes.

Many individuals struggle with keeping their resolutions, because life gets busy and old habits tend to be resorted to. If one prepares in advance, it is easier to avoid resorting back to these old habits.

Be forgiving of yourself. When you fall short, get back on track quickly and keep going.

Ultimately, New Year’s resolutions require habit changes. Habits can be very hard to change, and so, slip – ups are common and happen. Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself if you fall short. The changes you are making could be very new to you, and it is okay to fall short. I like to give the example of babies that are learning to walk. When a baby is learning to walk they often fall. You wouldn’t yell at a baby and be unforgiving towards them because they fell. You would applaud the 3 steps that they made regardless how small. Treat your successes as such and be quick to get back up and try again.

Be patient.

Change takes time and the results you want may not happen overnight. Be patient with this process. If you are finding you are reaching a plateau in results, it may be best to consult a health care provider such as a Naturopathic Doctor to see if there may be something more preventing progress.

Have a source of accountability.

When we have someone or something that we make ourselves accountable to, this can help with success. Many times, individuals want to please others and if this acts as motivation, use it! Sources of accountability can include different apps, friends, family, or even your Naturopathic Doctor; especially if you are doing weigh in’s or measurements.

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.

Surviving Exam Season

December 15, 2015 by elisha

Exam time is a stressful and challenging time regardless of what educational institute you are in. As a result, healthy lifestyle and eating habits often “go down the drain”. Over the many exam periods I have had to endure, I have developed tips and tricks to help me stay “above water” when it came to my health and my needs. In addition to studying, it is my hope that developing these healthy habits will help you not only ace your exams, but survive the exam season.

Prepare healthy snacks in advance

Having snacks already made such as cut up vegetables and fruit will help you to avoid the temptation of going for “easy” snack food such as chips, candy, pastries, etc.

Prepare meals in advance

Similar to the point above, cooking meals in advance helps to avoid the temptation to eat out and grab that big mac as opposed to a salad. Often, I cook my meals on weekends in preparation for the week. This way, I know I have a quick and healthier choice to rely on.

Green tea

Green tea has a constituent in it called “theanine”. Theanine helps you to be able to focus without the jittery feeling that coffee can often give. As a result, green tea is great for those long study sessions.

Chamomile Tea (or a relaxing tea) before bed

Not only will this help you to sleep better, but it is also a therapeutic action that helps prepare your mind and body for bed. Which leads to my next point. . .

Sleep

Sleep is important not only for your health but also for your memory prior to exams. Research has shown that getting the 8 hours of sleep before an exam is more beneficial than “pulling an all-nighter”. So do your body and you a favor and sleep.

It is okay to take breaks

Giving yourself permission to take breaks is important. It helps change the way you are thinking and allows your brain to function better and be more productive.

Exercise

Exercise has many health benefits including helping our brains to function effectively, improving energy, and improving mood, all of which are important during exam time. As little as 20 minutes per day has shown to be enough to experience health benefits from exercise. Even if you go for a short walking around your residence or block for a break would be enough to help you refocus and gain a different perspective on your studying.

Deep breathing prior to exams

Finally, breathing is important. Deep breathing prior to exams can help calm you and focus you on what needs to be accomplished. With this in mind, remember to keep things in perspective by asking yourself, is this really a big deal? What would happen if I did fail (realistically)? Often putting things into perspective helps us when we are facing these challenging times.

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.

Sautéed Garlic and Tomato Sauce on Zucchini Recipe

November 24, 2015 by elisha

Those who are following a Paleo or Mediterranean style diet will love this recipe! This recipe is great for those who are trying to avoid gluten, dairy, and ultimately refined carbs. It can also be a vegan option if the meat/fish option is avoided. This recipe also requires a spiral sliver or spiralizer. The recipe is also best done in stages as opposed to adding all of the ingredients at once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil
2 zucchinis
approximately 625g of grape tomatoes halved – or more
1/3 cup of basil (or Italian seasoning)
Optional: Shrimp
Optional: Feta cheese

Directions:

Heat the oil on low – medium heat.
Add in the minced garlic and sauté until softened (approximately 5 min).
If you are adding in shrimp, add it to the garlic mixture and cook for approximately 10 minutes on medium heat.
Add in halved tomatoes and let cook for approximately 10 minutes (this also depends on the desired consistency of the sauce you prefer. For a “chunky” sauce, cook for less time.)
Spiral cut the zucchini, and add it to the pan, cooking for approximately 10 minutes or until “noodles” are soft.
Remove from pan and serve.
For extra flavour, you can add feta cheese to the top if this works with your specific 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.