Our Best 10 Health Tips for 2020

health and wellness tips for 2020
How to Be Healthy

This year will be different. This year you will turn things around and realize your health and happiness goals. You’ve got this! How do we know? Because we’re going to work together on making sure that you know exactly what to do and how so that you can be your best self in 2020. Here’s our quick list of simple, proven tips and tactics that will make it easier to be healthier than ever this year.

It Takes Time

It’s important to start off with realistic expectations when you’re making changes like these. Remember that new habits take a while to “stick.” One study found that 66 days is the average time to establish a new habit, while other sources say it takes 3 weeks. There’s a wide variation so be patient with yourself. Don’t give up if you have little slips now and then. You’re only human, after all. Just keep regrouping. Tenacity is one of the most important success attributes.

Set Yourself Up For Success

Also, be sure to set yourself up for success by creating an environment that minimizes your distractions. For example, if you’re trying to cut back on alcohol, you might find it easier to meet up with friends on walks in a park or at a board game cafe instead of somewhere that exposes you to temptation, like at a pub. That’s an obvious example, but you can take that philosophy further by taking a good look at your routines, your companions, and your home to make sure that you’re supporting your goals. If your normal drive to or from work entails passing by a bakery that you just can’t resist, think about revamping your route. One of the best things that Starbucks ever did for me was to close the location closest to my home!

10 Health Tips For A Healthy, Happy 2020

Ready to start having the best year ever? Here’s how.

1. Keep your body hydrated

You’ve heard this many times. Despite all the urging to drink more water, did you know that many of us still walk around in a state of perpetual dehydration? It’s true. Did you also know that when we’re feeling tired or hungry, we often don’t realize that what we really need is just a big glass of water?

How much water should you drink? There’s no universal answer to this question. There’s never been research showing that we have to get 8 glasses per day. But, it doesn’t hurt to use that figure as a benchmark. Another good indicator is the color of your urine: It should be clear and the color of pale straw. Pay close attention to your thirst cues. Often by the time that we are aware that we’re thirsty, we’re already dehydrated. I find it helps people to get in the routine of drinking more water if they start their day with two cups of it first thing when they get up. It seems to prompt their thirst mechanism to cue them to drink more often throughout the day.

2. Take five minutes to meditate

If you find the concept of meditation too intimidating, focus on achieving just five minutes of stillness. Yes, just five minutes of mindful meditation makes a difference in your physical and mental health. Don’t believe me? Check out these studies:

  • Following 5-minute mindfulness, meditation participants experienced enhanced both mental state attribution and empathic concern
  • A brief mindfulness exercise, conducted in a routine office visit, produced a significant reduction in state anxiety for early psychosis patients, regardless of symptom burden
  • Even a 10-15 minute single training session induces sustained home meditation practice (of 5 minutes duration) that helped patients in recovery for opioid addiction and was associated with a lower risk of relapse.
  • A 3-minute mindfulness exercise, conducted in a routine office visit, produced a significant reduction in state anxiety for early psychosis patients, regardless of symptom burden.

Fit 5 minutes into your routine when you wake up in the morning or before you go to sleep at night. In the time it takes you to scroll through your Instagram feed, you could take an important step towards lowering your blood pressure, your risk of depression, your anxiety, and much more.

You can find many meditation apps and videos on the Internet, but here’s a short primer on how to meditate.

  1. Find a quiet spot where you are free from distractions or interruptions.
  2. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
  3. Close your eyes.
  4. Inhale through your nose and all the way into the bottom of your lungs.
  5. Ignore outside noises.
  6. Set your focus internally.
  7. Breathe all the way into your belly, use your diaphragm.
  8. Focus on rhythmically breathing.
  9. Focus your thoughts on inner tranquility. If you have difficulty not thinking about things, try repeating a meaningless word in your mind. An easy way to come up with such a word is to take a random word and spell it backward. Repeat this word over and over in your mind and bring your mind back to it if it starts to wander.

3. Focus on whole foods

Whole Foods. The world is full of complicated diet plans, but this one step is key. Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, instead of a piece of apple pie, have an apple.

Where to Shop. Think about your average grocery store trip. You want to buy as much food from the outside edge of the store as possible. This is where the grocery store places produce (fresh and frozen), meats, and fish. By shopping the perimeter of the store, you will buy more whole foods like produce and lean healthy protein, instead of processed food like crackers, chips, cookies and pop.

Buy Local. One thing that also makes this step a bit easier is to buy local as often as possible. Check out your local farmer’s market or farm store, for example. You’ll be eating produce that hasn’t traveled from who-knows-where, so it will be fresher. Fresh, local produce tastes better because it is picked closer to when it is ripe. Plus, you’re helping to reduce your carbon footprint and protect the environment.

4. Stretch!

It might feel like stretching at the end of your workout is a waste of time. After all, you’ve done the important stuff, like improve your cardio and build strength, right? However, stretching improves your flexibility and mobility, reduces your risk of injury, and reduces your stress levels. So take some time at the end of your workouts, or when you first wake up, to stretch out your muscles. Yoga is one of the best exercises because it incorporates strength, balance, and stretching for flexibility.

5. Unplug Yourself

What’s the first thing you do when your electronic device is experiencing problems? Unplug it. That’s also good advice for humans. When you’re stressed, overwhelmed, or just tired, consider putting your phone away for a while. You might be surprised by the results.

In fact, more and more research is pointing to the negative effects of screen time on our mental health, as well as our physical health. “Tech neck” is just one example. If you find device detox challenging, don’t hesitate to get help. This may be a bit ironic, but there are apps that can help you cut down on screen time. Personally, I have a timer on my Instagram. A pop-up flashes on my screen to tell me when I’ve hit my ten-minute limit.

6. Eat for gut health

Scientists are learning more about the importance of the gut-brain-axis connection. What does this mean? In simple terms, the bacteria in your gut influence your moods and vice versa. Did you know that you make more serotonin in your gut than you do in your brain?

When your gut microbiome is out of balance, you experience many health problems, including that annoying “brain fog” feeling. You also suffer from the effects of a weakened immune system.

Fortunately, the solution is simple and delicious. Eating fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and natural yogourt like kefir restore the balance of bacteria in your gut. Eating foods high in fiber helps to fuel that bacteria. Prebiotic fiber like inulin cultivates good bacteria, particularly Bifidobacteria that keep your colon healthy. Inulin is found in foods like chicory root and asparagus. You can also take inulin as a supplement. Our naturopathic doctors are the experts on rehabilitating your gut.

7. Rethink the sweet treats

The harmful effects of sugar extend far beyond damaging your teeth and your waistline. Your skin, heart, moods, teeth, immune system and hormones are all hurt by this tasty poison.

However, what makes avoiding sugar particularly tricky is that it’s often hidden. You probably know to avoid cake, but sugar is also found in everyday items like salad dressing and spaghetti sauce. So when you’re trying to cut down on sugar, start by reading the labels on all processed foods. Or avoiding processed foods altogether. It’s super simple to make your own clean salad dressing by combining lemon juice, sea salt, and olive oil or balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

The other reason that it is so hard to cut down on sugar is that it is highly addictive. Food is not normally considered to be a substance of abuse. Based on the similarities between the effects of intermittent sugar access and drugs of abuse on behavior and brain chemistry, sugar meets the criteria for a substance of abuse and may be “addictive” for some individuals when consumed in a “binge-like” manner. The effects are similar, although smaller in magnitude, to cocaine or morphine.

So how do you quit sugar? Similarly to how you would break any addiction. Read our tips for quitting alcohol. You can apply those same tips in your efforts to quit sugar or smoking or any other habit you are looking to change.

Keep your blood sugar stable to keep sugar cravings at bay. Cravings are very hard to plow through, save yourself that challenge by having a little protein and a healthy dose of healthy fats with each of your meals.

8. Help others

Looking for a way to improve your physical health, boost your overall life satisfaction, and reduce your risk of depression? The solution may lie outside of yourself. In other words, if you place more attention on helping others, you could be the one who benefits. Studies show that volunteering benefits mental and physical health, life satisfaction, social well-being, and depression.

9. Take a walk outside

Just a short walk outside every day improves your:

  • Circulation
  • Vitamin D levels
  • Blood sugar
  • Immunity
  • Cortisol level
  • Mood
  • Muscle tone
  • Cardiovascular health

Just 30 minutes a day is enough to reap the benefits. Look for excuses to get outside in place of driving, or start the day with a nice stroll. Walk to work. Run errands on foot instead of by car. Having a dog makes a walk every morning a no-brainer for me.

10. Smile and have fun!

Sometimes it feels like the road to health is paved with hard work and sacrifice. However, simply choosing to view a healthy lifestyle with an attitude of gratitude makes it easier to carry out your plans. After all, things like eating well, resting, and getting some exercise add to your life. Focus on the fun aspects: try new recipes, walk with friends, find a volunteer job that lets you explore a long-buried interest. You’ll be happy that you did!

Are you ready to have a great year? We are definitely ready to help you take charge of your health for a fantastic, healthy 2020! When you are assembling your healthcare team, consider adding an osteopath, psychotherapist, acupuncturist, dietitian, naturopathic doctor or chiropractor to your health experts. We can help with ANY health issue, no matter how big or small.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor


Health Tips Research:

https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2013/06/03/dc13-0084

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19306107

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28693551

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5504679/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2235907/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25329321

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31825240

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31758665

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.695.830&rep=rep1&type=pdf

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7a75/29a9e6401679016ab78f398eaaf4487aff84.pdf

Boost Your Metabolism Over The Holidays

this is a picture of a woman and a man doing planks to stay fit and boost their metabolism
Health and Metabolism Boosting 2020

Do you have big plans to boost your health and metabolism in January? Many of our patients say that they would like to take control of their wellness in 2020. These aspirations often include losing some of the extra weight that they’ve picked up over the holidays.

However, we know that it’s important not to get too caught up in the numbers on the scale. Instead, a good alternative goal is to focus on lowering your body fat, if that would help your overall health. Or, aim to raise your energy levels. In other words, your goal should always be to improve your quality of life, not to chase after an elusive number on a scale or a clothing size.

No matter why you want to lose weight, it’s important to approach your New Year’s resolution with a strategy. Having a concrete plan increases your odds of success. Here’s a sobering fact: About 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by February.

The Metabolism Run-Up to the New Year

Think about it. We often coast through December, eating, drinking, and neglecting our usual fitness routine. Then January arrives and we expect our body to adjust to an austere new regimen. It’s no wonder that many people either give up altogether or wind up injured.

Believe it or not, it is possible to prime your body and mind in preparation for January’s resolutions while still enjoying your holidays. That includes revving up your metabolism so that it’s ready to deal with the anticipated holiday dietary indiscretions. It’s even possible to get started on this during the busy month of December. Here are some steps that will help.

7 Ways to Avoid Packing On Extra Pounds This Holiday Season

Watch What You Eat

This is not just about how much or how many calories you eat. The macro and micronutrient choices that you make when selecting your food change how efficiently your body metabolizes fat. In particular, include a source of protein with every meal. One reason for this is that it helps your body to maintain its muscle tone. A second reason for doing so is to stabilize your blood sugar. A stable blood sugar means keeping cravings at bay. If you aren’t taking in enough calories, your body will turn to the protein in your muscle tissue for fuel. This means that you will lose muscle mass when you lose weight. Losing muscle mass slows your metabolism.

Sip on Herbal Teas

While you’re celebrating the holidays, consider switching some of that eggnog and champagne for herbal tea. Not only is it lower in calories, but you will be consuming more water. Staying hydrated is a great catalyst for weight loss. Warm water is soothing to your digestive system which also improves your metabolism. Some appropriate teas for the holiday season are:

  • Peppermint tea is particularly good for digestion. It will help a stomach that is complaining about the extra burden of rich or heavy food
  • Chamomile tea calms your nervous system and sets you up for a good night’s sleep
  • Rooibos tea is full of antioxidants as well as being a natural energy booster without caffeine.

Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods

Before you even start ramping up your healthy eating routine, get your gut in shape from the inside! Healthy gut bacteria help with weight control. In fact, the makeup of the gut bacteria or microbiome of overweight or obese people is typically different than that of people of a healthy weight. Your gut bacteria benefit from all of the same things that you do overall – good sleep, healthy whole foods, plant-based diet, exercise, and reduced stress.

In addition to consuming fermented foods like kimchi or yogurt, taking a high-quality probiotic supplement in December boosts your gut bacteria levels. Not only can probiotics pave the way for better digestion in January, but they also boost your immune system which makes for a healthier social season.

Sleep Well

Since we’re not technically moving during our sleeping hours, it doesn’t seem like that time would impact your base metabolism. However, researchers have found that getting enough sleep, which for most people is around eight hours, is essential to an efficient metabolism.

Get Enough Vitamin D

During the winter, and especially before you make any dietary changes, it’s a good idea to check your Vitamin D levels. In addition to its many other health benefits, new studies have found that vitamin D helps with weight loss. In one study, women with adequate amounts of vitamin D in their bloodstream lost more weight than women who were deficient in vitamin D.

Note that it is difficult, if not impossible, to get enough vitamin D through diet alone. At this time of the year with cloudy days and long nights, we often don’t get enough sun exposure to generate our own vitamin D. Supplementation is key this time of year.

Did you know that if your blood test shows that you are vitamin D deficient, you actually may be magnesium deficient? It’s true. There are many occasions where

Top Up Your Magnesium

Magnesium helps with many processes in your body. There is so much demand for magnesium that a deficiency of this mineral is quite common. Stress depletes your magnesium level. Our soil is also lacking magnesium, so plant foods that should supply you with magnesium, don’t.

Although it may not directly impact weight loss, having adequate levels of magnesium helps you sleep more deeply, regulates your moods, and controls your blood sugar. Those are all important elements to maintaining a healthy metabolism and sticking to healthy habits.

Good sources of magnesium include leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, and dark chocolate. For most people, particularly anyone with high stress, magnesium glycinate supplements are essential.

Keep Active to Boost Your Metabolism

Yes, it’s hard when you’re busy. However, continuing to stay active makes it easier to hit the gym when you’re ready to ramp back up to your usual routine in January. Not only will your muscles stay limber, but you’ll also be taking steps to prevent your mind from slipping into a winter funk. We have a tendency to get derailed in our fitness efforts when the holidays hit. The festivities mess with your usual schedule. Throwing off your routine lowers your self-discipline and motivation. This is unfortunate timing because the lack of exercise in January and February contributes to February blahs.

The good news is that it doesn’t take too much to maintain your base fitness levels. Think mini-workouts. Remember: It’s better to do even a little bit, every day than to be a weekend warrior. So, fit in some 10 to 20-minute workouts. Try a short YouTube cardio video. Meet up with some friends at yoga or even walk around the mall! Your metabolism will be grateful that you did come January.

If you’re focusing on sustaining your metabolism so that you can crush those New Year’s resolutions in 2020, make sure that you include strength training. Simply put, the more muscle you have, the more super-charged your metabolism will be. Even when you’re just sitting still or sleeping, you’ll burn more calories.

If you’re not sure how to begin with all these tips, the best plan is to speak with an expert! We’d be happy to help you create a unique plan that suits you.

Yes, improving your metabolism feels like a daunting task this time of the year. There are so many temptations and the instinct to hibernate kicks in. However, taking a few simple steps now helps you get ready to meet your New Year’s resolutions head-on! Call us at 416-481-0222.

Authored by Naturopath Dr. Pamela Frank


Health Research

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25926512

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25926512

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16840650

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23343670

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19043404/

Are You Happy?

Did You Know You Have a Baseline Level of Happiness?

It might seem like a simple question, but for many people, happiness feels like an impossible goal. In fact, studies show that only about one in three people consistently identify as “happy.”

If that seems a bit depressing, rest easy. The steps to living a happier life are easy. And no, those steps don’t involve winning the lottery. Believe it or not, most lottery winners have the same level of happiness as they had before hitting the jackpot. Researchers call this the “hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation”. What it means is that no matter what happens to us, we repeatedly return to a baseline level of happiness. This occurs whether there are positive or negative changes to our circumstances. Crazy right?!

What is Happiness?

Happiness is defined as feeling a sense of joy, well-being, or contentment.

Happiness Comes from Within

The simple truth is that living a happier life starts from within. Becoming happier involves a change in our internal circumstances. That may sound a bit far fetched, but the science of happiness has found consistent patterns in people who live their lives with joy.

What are the Health Benefits of Happiness?

There’s a lot of motivation to become a happy person. In addition to making our days more pleasurable, happiness offers many health benefits, including:

  • Better cardiovascular health through lowering your heart rate and blood pressure
  • Strengthening your immune system
  • Lower levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol
  • A better response to pain

What Makes People Happy?

Research shows that predictors of happiness and well-being include having high-quality social interaction, enjoying a better standard of living, and being satisfied with one’s own health.

Interestingly, a study on whether people equate happiness with social connections like friends, family and love, found that people with lower financial resources do so more than people with greater financial resources.

Another study analysed the association between household income and tendencies to experience 7 positive emotions that are central to happiness: amusement, awe, compassion, contentment, enthusiasm, love, and pride. This study confirmed previous ones showing that income contributes to patterns of attending to oneself versus orienting to others. Higher income was associated with greater feelings of contentment and pride, and with greater amusement. Lower income was associated with more other-oriented feelings of compassion and love, and with greater awe.

The Happiness Checklist

Take a look at this happiness checklist to see the areas of your own life that could provide a happiness boost.

  1. Is your gut healthy and happy?
  2. Are you surrounded by happy people?
  3. Are you connected with nature?
  4. How is your exercise?
  5. Do you get enough rest?
  6. Do you volunteer to help others?
  7. Can you forgive?
  8. Do you practice gratitude?

Is your gut healthy and happy?

When we say happiness starts from within, we mean it literally. More research is finding that our gut bacteria have a profound influence on our moods. Researchers call this dynamic the “gut-brain-axis.” In simple terms, when our gut is inflamed, we experience increased levels of anxiety and depression. That’s because your gut contains microbes that produce substances that control your mood like serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical called a neurotransmitter that helps us to feel happy. More serotonin is produced in your gut than anywhere else in your body, including in your brain. In addition, your gut and your brain are connected by a complex network of nerves. Inflammation in your gut means a great deal of stimulus being sent directly to your brain. It can make it difficult to relax, feel calm and sleep.

Diet Changes for Gut Health and Your Mood

What can you eat to feel happier? Try these 3 steps:

  1. Focus on high-fiber whole foods (broccoli, kale unprocessed grains)
  2. Eat foods with plenty of Omega-3 fats (fish)
  3. Enjoy fermented foods (yogourt, kefir, kim chi, sauerkraut). Fermented foods can positively influence your brain activity!

Are you around other happy people?

You really can catch a good mood. One study found that happiness can go viral. In other words, being around people who are upbeat and feel good about their lives can impact your own happiness levels. The study didn’t just consider the impact of your immediate family’s moods. It also took into account your neighbour’s moods. And being around a happy person has a domino effect. Your own increased happiness then influences those around you, and so on. The whole process is not unlike transmitting a cold – but much healthier!

This viral transmission of happiness may stem from the fact that even if you don’t feel happy, if you force yourself to smile, you will feel happier. Smiling back at those happy people can’t help but make you feel happy.

Positivity breeds positivity!

Do you get a regular dose of Vitamin N (for Nature)?

Spending time in natural environments boosts happiness levels in several ways. In one study, those who were more connected to nature had:

  • a more positive mood
  • greater vitality, and
  • increased life satisfaction

Nature enhances healing and enables growth. Interestingly, the effects of nature are stronger in women than men, and stronger in older adults than their younger counterparts.

Are you moving enough?

You probably know that exercise triggers the release of the feel-good endorphins that improve your mood. However, you may not realize that you don’t have to make a big investment in fitness to reap the benefits. In fact, endorphins can kick in quickly. One study found that it only takes 20 minutes of walking outside to experience a boost in your mood. Exercising outside versus inside, also helps to lower the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked to major depression.

Do you get enough rest?

It’s important to note that rest is just as important as exercise. Adequate sleep’s effect on our brain is to help us to focus on the positive. Being sleep-deprived makes us more sensitive to negative emotions. In another study, researchers found that people who don’t get enough sleep recall unpleasant memories much more quickly than people getting enough sleep.

Do you help others?

Acts of kindness are another way that happiness spreads. In other words, by making others happy, you feel happier. Doing something nice for someone else, whether it’s donating to charity, volunteering your time, or simply holding the door for another person, makes us feel better about ourselves. And if you think you’re too busy or too stressed to donate your time, consider this: One study found that 78 percent of people who volunteer say it lowers their stress levels. And in another study, people felt happier after buying something for someone else than they did after treating themselves!

Can you forgive?

Forgiving others may ultimately be a kindness to yourself. By forgiveness, we don’t necessarily mean letting bad behavior slide or turning into a pushover. Instead, focus on letting go of resentment and anger. Those negative emotions are not helping you. They often keep you stuck in the past instead of moving forward. And studies show that a more forgiving attitude leads to multiple physical and emotional benefits.

Are you grateful?

Gratitude for what we have also increases happiness levels. It makes perfect sense if you think about it. For example, if you keep a gratitude journal, you will look for things you’re grateful for to record in it throughout the course of your day. Over time, you’ll find yourself focusing on the positive.

How Can an ND Help with Happiness?

Our naturopathic doctors help people feel happier by:

  1. Balancing hormones. Healthy hormone balance is crucial to having a healthy mood.
  2. Helping you maintain a healthy gut. We are gut health experts. We can balance your microbiome and fix issues like IBS, leaky gut, Candida, SIBO, Crohn’s and colitis.
  3. Lifestyle counselling. Getting you on track with exercise, eating right, sleeping properly and spending time in nature helps you maintain a positive mind-set.
  4. Helping you achieve your health goals. Whatever your health goals are, we help set out a plan to take you there.

How Can a Psychotherapist Help with Happiness?

If you are feeling stuck, making a change, going through a life transition, having guidance and support can make all the difference. A psychotherapist gives you the tools you need to navigate difficult times successfully.

How Can a Massage Therapist, Osteopath, Acupuncturist or Chiropractor help with Happiness?

Well, if you are living with chronic pain, your mood will be negatively affected. In fact, that’s one of the causes of depression. Non-pharmaceutical pain relief from massage therapy, osteopathy or chiropractic does wonders for mood.

How did you do on the checklist? Are you interested in improving your happiness levels? As you can see, living life happily requires a holistic approach. If you’d like to work together for a happier, more fulfilling life, give us a call and let’s do this together. Science and nature are a powerful combination! Call 416-481-0222 to get started today.

5 Best Happiness Quotes

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” 
― Dr. Seuss

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” 
― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

Sources

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/10/161005102254.htm

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Safaria_Triantoro/publication/275025845_Forgivness_Gratitude_and_Happiness_among_College_Students/links/552f3cf00cf2acd38cbbf270.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458005002769\

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https://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/04/how-to-quickly-and-easiy-feel-happier-and-mor/#ixzz2b36XGs00

https://my.happify.com/hd/forgiving-others-is-the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-yourself/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3839572/

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Healthy Tips

picture top tips to stay healthy

Healthy Holiday Guide for Mind, Body, and Spirit

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc, ND

For many, the holiday season is the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ because it brings about family and social gatherings, opportunities to bring people together, outings and events, parties, and presents! At the same time, the holiday season also brings added stress, pressured work deadlines, the year ends, extra household and entertaining duties, changes to your nutrition and alcohol habits, and even a lack of sleep!

So, the most wonderful time of the year can also be accompanied by many factors that can put your health at risk – physically, emotionally, and mentally.

We all want to enjoy this time of year. Here are our healthy tips on how to manage all of the extra demands being made is critical to being able to relax, have fun, and truly be present this holiday season.

Body

Wash your hands often to help prevent the spread of germs.

The holiday season is also cold and flu season. And with all of your family and friends in close proximity, regular hand washing isn’t just a good health practice for yourself, but it’s also a way to help your most vulnerable loved ones (children and the elderly) stay clear of viral and bacterial germs. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds and follow up with an emollient hand cream to keep your skin moisturized and free of harmful dryness and cracks.

Bundle up to stay dry and warm.

Even if you’re just running outside to toss out the recycling, or picking up the kids from school, be sure to wear appropriate outdoor clothing: light, warm, loose layers keep you comfortable and insulated, while winter accessories like gloves, hats, scarves, and waterproof boots prevent you from rapid loss of body heat.

Be food aware, choose wisely.

Holiday foods tend to be full of extra delicious things like butter, sugar and wheat and while indulging in this festive season is not altogether bad, you must learn to choose your indulgences wisely to prevent bloating, weight gain, hormonal imbalance, dehydration, and digestion issues.

Make holiday treats healthy by sneaking in veggies

It might sound strange, but we love finding ways to hide vegetables in sweet treats. Feel better about serving your family their favourite cookies and cakes by finding recipes that use healthy pumpkin, zucchini, avocado, or even almond meal to replace wheat flour and/or sugar. You won’t taste the difference but you’ll all be healthier as a result!

Mind

Set limits

Performing well at work, caring for yourself and your family, AND pulling off a holiday feast can become extra daunting over the holiday season when more demands both personally and professionally are made on you. It’s time to learn that it’s good to say “No” to some things that spread you too thin, make you anxious, put you on edge, or stress you out. Concentrate on doing fewer things – and ask others to take on tasks to support the bigger picture – and not only will they come out better, but you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour too!

Take a break

When you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, or out of control – it’s time to breathe deeply and take a break. When all of the tasks at hand seem to carry the same weight and gravity, stepping back to get some perspective is a healthy and supportive way to manage stress. Figure out what you can let go of, find support for others that need to get done (but maybe not by you, this time), take time for social connection, and get plenty of sleep and don’t forget to breathe! Deep breathing and paying attention to your breath is a great way to lower stress and balance the body.

Wander

Let your mind wander! Turn on some of your favourite music, make yourself a hot bath and close the door, read a novel just for the pleasure of it. Even if it’s only for 15 minutes, giving your mind time to wander off allows your brain and body to process everything you’re experiencing throughout the day and leaves you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Spirit

Block off time for fitness and sleep – and make it non-negotiable

Extra stressors may not seem like a big deal at the beginning of the season but I bet you remember how harried and exhausted you were by the end of the season last year! NO-ONE can sustain a holiday rush without taking time for themselves to regenerate. This time is just for you. Make a promise to take yourself to the gym or on a run at least three times a week, and set a sleep schedule to make sure you have enough nighttime rest. Then? Keep that promise!

Get a head start on the new year with Holiday Resolutions!

There’s no need to wait for January 1st to start looking forward to the year ahead. In fact, when life is stressful, looking forward is a great way to increase your feelings of optimism and hope. In fact, you could try committing to just one or two of the suggestions in this post to help you feel your best during the holidays and you’ll already be on your way! We suggest the practice of gratitude for what you have now in the present and remind yourself of all the things that are amazing in your life. We waste too much time waiting for the next thing to make us happy when real happiness starts with you every single day.

Give yourself the gift of self-compassion

You deserve to enjoy the holidays as much as anyone in your family but it can be hard to accept that our realities rarely mimic a ‘Very Martha Stewart Holiday.’ Focus on self-kindness instead of self- judgement and accept imperfections with sympathy rather than critique or shame them. Let go of notions of perfection and enjoy what has been accomplished.

Make time for reflection and worship

This is a common time of year for reflection, but making a habit of it can help keep our mind and spirit connected and content. If you hold faith near, make time to experience community-based worship. The feeling of being together with your community is unparalleled for feeling connected, safe, and spiritually sound.

From our practice to you and your family, we wish you all the best for a healthy and happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.

happy holidays

Keep New Year’s Resolutions

woman thinking about fitness resolutions

7 Tips to Keep Your Fitness Resolutions in 2017

New Year’s resolutions date back to ancient Rome and the mythical King Janus, from whose name January derives. Janus became a symbol for resolutions because he had two faces and could look simultaneously back on the past and look forward to the future.  This January, look back on the past to see what you could do better, then look forward to a new and improved future.

Here are some pointers to help you keep your fitness resolutions in 2017:

  1. Set attainable goals and have realistic expectations.  If you’re new to exercise, planning to run a marathon may be a bit too ambitious.
  2. Find the sweet spot of balance between too much exercise and too little.  What that means is that you want to find the balance between where you get the benefits of exercise without overdoing and winding up injured or burning yourself out.
  3. Make a resolution along with a friend or spouse. Research shows that having someone you’re accountable to can almost triple your likelihood of sticking with exercise.
  4. One study showed that motivation to be physically active was higher when sports – instead of just exercise – were involved.  Sports can make exercise less like drudgery and more like fun. Plus there’s an added social benefit to team sports.
  5. Having a goal in mind helps.  For example, register for a 5 km run then train to achieve it or keep working on achieving your next belt in martial arts.
  6. Get the resources you need to achieve your goals, whether it’s a day planner, gym membership, group classes, fitness tracker app or a personal trainer to keep you in line.
  7. Establish a routine that you enjoy and stick to it.  Consistency is key with exercise.  If your work requires you to travel, do some kind of exercise that is portable like walking, running or stay in hotels that have a fitness room.

Tips for Your Best Year Ever!

health tips 2016

5 Tips for a Healthy & Happy 2016

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

  1. Find a new passion. Take yourself out of your comfort zone to try something you’ve always wanted to or something you’ve admired from afar.  Take up knitting, golfing, belly dancing, cricket, extreme frisbie, wake boarding, skateboarding, badminton, karate, learn circus feats or Mandarin the list goes on and on. Variety is the spice of life and keeps it interesting and fun.
  2. Challenge yourself.  Along the lines of #1, you never know whether you might be the world’s best juggler or rock climber if you never try. Setting new goals and accomplishing them provides you with a sense of self-satisfaction and confidence.
  3. Never overindulge two days in a row.  Everybody has a binge now and then, but the key is to regroup right after and get back on track with healthy eating habits. The gross feeling the next day helps reinforce the benefits of taking good care of yourself the rest of the time.
  4. Exercise your mind and body every day.  Physical activity reduces stress, and improves every aspect of your health.  Even 5 minutes per day of exercise is better than none, although a good goal is 6 hours per week of exercise.
  5. Plan adventures. Life can get mundane without something exciting to look forward to.  Planning a trip and finding interesting out of the way things to do while you are there adds to the anticipation and the end experience.  Happy memories are one of life’s greatest riches.