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What happens when you start to put yourself first

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Autumn Girl enjoying nature on the field. Beauty Girl Outdoors rAt first glance, this blog title may seem suspiciously self – serving or selfish in nature, but let me give some context. I work with many individuals who are stressed out, burnt out, and are needing much care. The trend is not represented by one small act of not putting your health as a priority, but rather over the course of time it may be from putting your family first, your job first, or others needs before your own. From this article, I want you to explore your own life and consider: have I been putting my health and needs last? Finally, I want you to then consider what might happen if you start to consider yourself of value enough to put higher on your list of priorities. This article is not meant to condemn, to ridicule, or make individuals feel like they have not been taking care of their health, but is meant to inspire you to consider your own needs and do some more loving things for yourself.

I was that person

I would like to start out this article by admitting my own weaknesses: I was that person. I was that person that would make my husband a healthy lunch and neglect to make one for myself i.e. I would not eat at all. I was that person that put my career before my own personal mental and physical health. I would often go all day without eating and tell myself that “I do not have time to eat”. I would put off exercising thinking that my business needs needed to come first. I often put more efforts behind charity work than actually caring for myself and asking myself what my body needed for nourishment. To be honest, I did not think I deserved that type of care, and took my “health” and body for granted. As a result, I felt weak, emotional, burnt out, stressed out, tired, and depressed. My husband and I decided to make some drastic health changes – eat a whole foods diet and exercise daily. With these changes I made a comment to him that it was important I make his lunch and justified taking care of myself because it would help to take care of him. He then asked me, “Why don’t you do it for you”? For some reason, the question hit me differently this time and I decided to exercise for me. To eat for me. To take care of me, for me.

Why is it important to put your health as a priority?

There is an old saying “you cannot pour from an empty cup”. In short, you cannot take care of others if you have not been cared for or nourished yourself. You need to put your health as a priority to prevent burn out, but also to help you to better serve others.

Often, the excuse I hear is “I do not have time to take care of myself”. If you do not take the time for yourself now, it is possible that this time will be robbed from you in the future via doctor’s appointments, treatments, etc. due to poor health. By taking care of yourself now it does not necessarily prevent all illness, but it can help lessen the likelihood of becoming sick.  The other question I want you to ask yourself is, if you do not take care of yourself, who will? You are in charge of your health and no one can exercise for you or necessarily eat the right things for you. With this being said, some individuals need guidance as to how to best incorporate healthy changes into their lifestyle, and as such, it is important to seek help, but again at the end of the day, you are the only one that can follow through with the recommendations. (If you are needing help in this area please contact me).

What happens when you start to put your health first?

When you start to put your own health as a priority, you will start feeling better! It does not sound like this is an award-winning answer, but it is the right one. It may not be right away, but it will happen. When you start valuing yourself enough to eat, to eat well, to exercise, and to nourish yourself; your life will begin to change for the better. You will have the energy you need to help your family, to deal with your work load, and to take care of yourself. You may even begin to notice that you can handle stress better, thoughts are clearer, and your mood is more balanced. For others, you may expect to see better health outcomes that pertain to your particular case. Overall, you may even feel more motivated to achieve your goals.

Are you ready to make your health a priority?

If you are ready to take the plunge and take your health into your own hands, seek help. Contact myself or another health care professional today. Not tomorrow. Today. Find them on facebook or the internet and message them. Find their phone number and call. Results lie beyond the fence of excuses.

Have you benefited 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!

Health Benefits of Pet Ownership

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petsSome people choose to have pets for companionship and/or for work related purposes, while others choose to not have any at all. Many debate whether the stress of owning a pet is really worth all of the extra effort. The answer to this question is really dependent on the individual, but I will choose to focus on the potential positive outcomes that may come from owning a pet. Just because there are positive health benefits to owning a pet does not mean that just anyone should go out and get a dog/cat/fish/lizard/etc. Owning a pet requires commitment, patience, budgeting, and so much more. Also worth mentioning is that much of the research conferring that pets offer health benefits is based off of owning a cat or a dog. This does not mean that there are not any health benefits to owning fish, lizards, or other pets; but there may be different health benefits than those listed below. For example, there has been quite a bit of research behind fish tanks and how having one can actually decrease stress, promote relaxation and even decrease behavioural distress in children.

Owning a cat/dog can decrease:

  • Blood pressure by being in the same room as a pet or even just petting them
  • Cholesterol through even just petting your pet
  • Triglycerides
  • Feelings of loneliness
  • Risk of developing allergies in children by 33% but this is dependent on age and research is a bit mixed.
  • Stress
  • Depression
  • Risk of being or becoming obese (if you walk your dog and do not leave it to someone else)
  • Anxiety or behavioural distress in children
  • Doctor’s visits
  • Sick days

Owning a cat/dog can increase

  • Socialization
  • Chances for activity
  • Immune system strength
  • Recovery post – cardiovascular event
  • Empathy in children without siblings
  • Self – esteem in children without siblings
  • Participation in social and physical activities in children without siblings

Have you benefited 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!

References:

http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/health-benefits/

http://center4research.org/healthy-living-prevention/pets-and-health-the-impact-of-companion-animals/

http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/benefits-of-pets/

 

Healthy Snack Ideas for Back-to-School

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Lunch box with sandwich,fruit and stationery on pink backgroundIt’s that time of year again! Preparing your child for another year of learning can be challenging with keeping with all of the different trends and requirements. On top of all of this, you need to find healthy snacks that your children will actually eat and that are nut free. Hopefully this will help you with your preparing for healthy snacks and lunches.

  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Raisins or Craisins
  • Nuts and seeds (within what is allowed at the school)
  • Craisin Bars (or Pumpkin Craisin Bars) – look for the recipe in my blog
  • Mary’s organic crackers and hummus
  • Lara bars – even experimenting and making your own
  • Dried fruit – maybe making your own trail mixes with your child’s favourite dried fruits and seeds
  • Muffins – try to avoid making muffins that are high in sugar or sweets.
  • Kale or Beet Chips

The following tips might help you to be able to create a lunch that your child will eat even though it is healthy

  • Cut fruits and vegetables into fun shapes
  • Use bright coloured fruits and vegetables
  • Allow your child to help you make the lunch – more likely to eat it
  • Have fun with snacks – eg ants on a log
  • Mix it up – expose your child to a variety of different fruits and vegetables or snack in order to keep them from getting bored.

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 book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC (416-498-9763), and let me help you achieve your health goals.

 

 

Pumpkin Craisin Bars Recipe

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This recipe was inspired by the Craisin Bars recipe I posted several weeks ago. The changes I made were in the hopes of making it more “friendly” for those who might not like walnuts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons of Almond Butter (I like to use Almond and Cashew Butter)
  • 1/2 Cup of Brazil Nuts
  • 1/2 Cup of Dehulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 Cup of Dates
  • 1 Cup of Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
  • 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

Directions:

  1. Begin by using a food processor to grind the brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds. Set the Ingredients aside.
  2. Combine the Almond Butter, Dried Cranberries, Dates and Vanilla in the food processor and grind until it becomes finely chopped.
  3. Add the Nut mixture to the Fruit and Almond Butter Mixture, and mix well.
  4. Lay wax paper down in a casserole dish and put the mixture in the dish, making it flat and pressed down.
  5. Let the mixture set, then cut into bar shapes.
  6. Lay them flat in your freezer and let them harden.
  7. Pull them out of the freezer when ready to enjoy!
  8. Alternatively, you can use the mixture to make small “Energy Balls”, as opposed to the bars.

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 book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.