With the global pandemic, many of us have not been able to exercise as we are used to doing with gyms shutting down and more recently with the colder weather and less daylight hours. Consequently, this is impacting our health. I hear on the news alarming stories: that children aren't as active, the average person has gained something like 16 pounds because of less exercise and more comfort food, and not to mention the impact on our mental health with stress, anxiety and depression rates on the rise. Just because the weather is colder, gyms are shut down or are operating at a limited capacity, it doesn’t mean that your exercise routine should come to a halt. Exercise has so many benefits,...
For the past few years I have struggled with energy; I was finding it difficult to get out of bed, I was running for coffee at 3 pm, I was yawning non-stop, and just feeling exhausted overall. I finally went to see my doctor and a Naturopath to get to the bottom of it. I found out I was deficient in Iron (amongst a few other things, like hormone imbalances and nutritional deficits). Having a Kinesiology background, I know that iron deficiency is quite common in females, but I didn’t consider this for myself. Iron deficiency can have serious side effects; aside from the ones I was experiencing related to fatigue. These side effects include: concentration and memory problems, weakness,...
Protein is found in tissues and cells throughout your body. Protein from food sources is an essential macronutrient as it aids in muscle repair, synthesis and can be used for energy. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 types of amino acids; 9 of these amino acids are essential, meaning that they must be obtained from the diet. While not as big of an energy contributor during exercise as carbohydrates and fats, protein contains approximately 4 kcals per gram, which can be used as a fuel source. Should I take a protein supplement? We encourage you to determine whether or not you are getting enough protein in your diet by keeping a food journal. Record how...
Happy thanksgiving friends! We hope you can enjoy some quality time with family or friends. Are you spending time with a female loved one? Consider this article as food for thought! Vitamin D and Calcium, along with high impact exercise, have been shown to help prevent bone loss. Our bones are constantly remodeling, meaning that old damaged bone is resorbed and dissolved and then replaced by new bone. If there is disconnection with this process it can lead to decreased bone mineral density, or Osteoporosis (OP). Primary OP is bone loss that is most common in post-menopausal women due to decreased estrogen levels. Secondary OP is when there is bone loss due to diseases that affect metabolism. The risk...
With fall in the air, it saddens me that gardening season is coming to an end. I never thought I would get into gardening. Well that all changed last year when my boyfriend and I purchased our first home. We lucked out and got a beautiful newly built house, but there was absolutely no landscaping done. There was no garden so I had some bulding to do, but no clue where to start. With the help of my mom and my best friend’s Mom, my second Mom, Patti, we built a beautiful garden at the front of the house. We splurged at Home Depot for the foundation: soil, bushes, perennials (hostas and spirea) and some annuals (meri golds) to add colour....
