Nutritional Counselling

Why a lot of quick – fix weight loss programs and supplements DO NOT work

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Girl - Weight LossBillions of dollars are made in the weight loss industry. Many people strive to gain the perfect physique and pay much in order to reap the gains. Unfortunately, amongst many programs that do work to help people lose weight and keep it off, there are many programs that do not work in the long run. As a result, I hope to help debunk some of the mythical ideologies that some of these programs purport to work.

The Myths:

You can lose weight without diet changes and exercise. 

In order to maintain weight loss goals, you need to change your diet and increase exercise to a level that balances energy in and energy out. This differs between everyone, and so, you may require more or less calories, and more or less exercise than another individual.

You can lose a lot of weight all at once and keep it off.  

Unfortunately, this myth is the worst one of them all. In order to achieve weight loss that will last, an individual should not exceed losing 1-2 pounds per week. That being said, when an individual initially undertakes changing their diet and exercise patterns, they may undergo more than 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week, which is normal. Anything beyond the 1-2 pound weight loss puts an individual’s body into what I call “starvation mode”. As a result of this state, the body is more likely to accumulate weight because of fear of when it will get its “next meal”. In addition, if the individual “falls off the tracks” in regards to their weight loss program and gains back the weight they lost, they will most likely gain back more than what they initially lost, because once again, the body fears that it will not survive if put into another “starvation mode” and so uses the increased weight to protect itself.

You can go back to the way you were eating after discontinuing the program.  

As was mentioned above, without appropriate diet and lifestyle changes, one cannot maintain weight loss. Therefore if you are eating more restricted and suddenly go back to the way you were eating before, you are more likely to gain weight. That being said, that does not mean you can never have a treat or have a cheat day. As I tell many patients, everything in moderation, including exercising and diet. You have to adopt a diet and lifestyle that will ultimately be realistic for you.

You can severely restrict calories for some time and still be healthy.  

Once again, this myth is debunked by the explanation behind the debunking of the second myth. You will put your body into a starvation mode with severely restricted calories, resulting in an overall weight gain.

You can take a pill and it will help you to lose weight and keep it off.

Anything that causes you to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week is not sustainable. This includes various weight loss supplements. In addition, many of the weight loss supplements that do have profound effects have ingredients in them that can be harmful when taken long term. A naturopathic doctor may choose to put you on a supplement to help you through a plateau season, but beyond that, supplements will not help you maintain weight loss in a realistic manner.

Bottom Line: Aside from changing your diet, exercise and lifestyle, you cannot be guaranteed to maintain the weight loss that you gain. In order to keep it off, you need to maintain a lifestyle that consists of healthy dietary habits; adequate exercise; and appropriate lifestyle measures including adequate sleep, stress management, and everything in moderation. If you are interested in achieving weight loss that will work for you, consider contacting myself, and let me help you develop a weight loss strategy that will help you maintain the weight loss that you acquire.

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.

Naturopathic Approaches and Management of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

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Tired Woman Sweating After RunningWhen spring and summer come around, most individuals enjoy being outside. However, with the temperatures on the rise, many could potentially develop heat exhaustion or heat stroke if they are not careful. This blog is meant to provide you with preventative measures, signs and symptoms to look out for, and what you can do if you or another individual experiences heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Prevention

Ultimately, it is more beneficial to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke in the first place. The following is a list of things that you can do to prevent both:

  • Dress weather appropriate – not too warmly and lighter in colour
  • Wear a hat if you will be spending a significant amount of time in the sun
  • Avoid activities in the late afternoon when the sun is at the highest point in the sky
  • Perform activities in the shade when possible
  • Keep hydrated – make sure to have a drink of water every 15 – 20 minutes
  • Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol

Signs and Symptoms

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are quite different in their presentation and severity. Heat exhaustion is the lesser in regards to severity when compared to heat stroke. Heat exhaustion presents with the following:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness and Confusion
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Feeling Nauseous
  • Sweating
  • Pale clammy skin
  • Muscle Cramps
  • Fast and Weak Pulse
  • Shallow Breathing

Heat stroke on the other hand is slightly more severe:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness and Discomfort
  • Restlessness and Confusion
  • Hot, Flushed, and Dry Skin
  • Low Level of Response or Consciousness
  • Full and Strong Pulse
  • Body Temperature Above 40 degrees Celsius

Management

How you might manage either situation is very similar, but in the case of heat stroke, it is best to call Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for help in order to better aid this individual. Otherwise, the following recommendations could be made for both in most cases:

  • Get to a cooler place (eg. in the shade)
  • Have the individual lay down with their legs raised
  • Rehydrate the individual with cool water
  • Recommend that the individual seek Health Care regardless of how quickly they recover
  • If their condition gets worse, call EMS

In addition to the above recommendations, for heat stroke, it is wise to cool the individual down with cool clothes being applied to the body and a fan being placed near them. It is necessary to bring their core body temperature down to around 38 degrees Celsius.

Naturopathic Additional Tips

In addition to the above management, some additional measures could be applied AFTER the above management is followed:

  • Coconut water or aloe vera juice can be used to help rehydrate
  • Glonoinum homeopathic can be used to aid with symptoms from heat stroke
  • China homeopathic can be used for extreme fluid loss resulting in heat stroke
  • Applying an peppermint essential oil to the feet and cooling clothes to help lower body temperature
  • Applying an onion to the feet to help lower body temperature
  • Contrast showers daily to help prevent lack of acclimatization
  • Seek naturopathic care regularly to help your body be in the best shape it can be

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://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/hot-and-cold-conditions/heatstroke.aspx

Healthier Snacking Tips

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Here are 7 tips for smarter snacking.

  1. Try a “hi-low” combination. Combine a small amount of something with healthy fat, like peanut butter, with a larger amount of something very light, like apple slices or celery sticks.
  2. Go nuts. Unsalted nuts and seeds make great snacks. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, cashews, hazelnuts, filberts, and other nuts and seeds contain many beneficial nutrients and are more likely to leave you feeling full (unlike chips or pretzels). Nuts have lots of calories, though, so keep portion sizes small.
  3. The combo snack. Try to eat more than one macronutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate) at each snacking session. For example, have a few nuts (protein and fat) and some grapes (carbohydrates). Try some whole-grain crackers (carbohydrates) with some low-fat cheese (protein and fat). These balanced snacks tend to keep you feeling satisfied.
  4. Snack mindfully. Don’t eat your snack while doing something else like surfing the Web, watching TV, or working at your desk. Instead, stop what you’re doing for a few minutes and eat your snack like you would a small meal. In addition, it is important to avoid snacking to compensate for boredom or cope with stress. Some things you can try instead are going for a small walk around your block or having a big glass of water.
  5. Take only a serving size. One area of struggle for some comes when they eat out of a bag for example. By pouring a serving size worth of your treat or snack into a bowl, it makes it easier to eat only as much as you should, without over – indulging.
  6. You can take it with you. Think ahead and carry a small bag of healthful snacks in your pocket or purse so you won’t turn in desperation to cookies or chocolate bars when out and about.

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, please contact Elisha Cook for more information.