Author:Vancouver Health Coach

September 29, 2014 In Family Fitness, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Avoiding Choking Hazards: Family-First Fitness

Schedules are packed and parents are trying to do the best they can for their children and themselves while facing severe economic restraints. But some choices pertaining to fitness and healthy living are nonsensical; and by making smarter choices for themselves, parents will also be making safer choices for their children. Health Canada recently put out an advisory to parents regarding the Fisher Price “Little People” toys, as some of the figures produced prior to 1991 present a choking hazard.  While it’s great we have a government that tests and monitors consumer products for our protection, shedding light on the choking...

September 28, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

Does the Label Organic Deliver on its Promise?

What does the word “organic” conjure up for you in your mind? For me, ten years ago before I began to research food, “organic” meant over-priced, blemished fruits and veggies. I certainly didn’t understand why anyone would pay extra for what I thought must be subpar produce. Of course, I had never seen an organic apple at that time - I just believed they would be full of worms, since no pesticides were used. Later, after I’d actually gone into a store that sold organic produce, and found my first organic apple to not only be blemish free, but also to...

September 28, 2014 In Emotional Health, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Looking Through the Johari Window: At Self Perception

As Robert Burns famously (and with Scottish flair and inflection) put it: “O would some gift the Power gie us, to see ourselves as ithers see us”. Only slightly less famously, two psychologists, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham, developed their own tool for exploring the world of self-perception and perception by others. Taking the Brangelina form of their names, they called it the Johari Window, which they propose has 4 panes:     Known to Self     Not Known to Self   Known to Others    Open    Blind   Not Known to Others      Hidden    Unknown               The Open Quadrant represents information that is readily seen or easily inferred about someone: for example, walking past a stranger you...

September 27, 2014 In Food, Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Why Are Food Additives In My Food?

How much do we know about what we are eating? Ingredient lists the length of a children's short bed time story are really not uncommon in commercially prepared, boxed and fast foods. Being able to pronounce half of those ingredients at best is the norm and even if you can pronounce those ingredients- do you know what they are and where they came from? First of all, what are food additives & preservatives doing in our food anyways? As a teacher of mine once said, 'Convenience is the killer.' Food additives and preservatives are mainly in our food for the following reasons:  So food doesn't spoil...

September 27, 2014 In News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Yoga has Potential to Relieve Fibromyalgia Pain, Study Says

Yoga is proven to have a significant impact on managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia patients. Research conducted at Oregon Health and Science University indicates that a regular practice of Hatha yoga, combined with meditation, breathing exercises and the development of coping skills, relieves the severity of the widespread pain associated with fibromyalgia. Though it is still undetermined if fibromyalgia is a syndrome primarily manifesting from physiological causes or stemming from psychological factors, it is characterized by muscle pain and fatigue. Other symptoms include morning stiffness, tingling or numbness in the extremities, headaches, memory problems, issues with balance and trouble sleeping. Fibromyalgia...

September 26, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Gluten-Free Sesame Oatmeal Rolls

Give your eating habits a healthy and delicious twist with our Sesame Oatmeal Rolls. Fresh, hot gluten-free rolls take less time and effort to make than their wheat containing counterparts: mix up the ingredients, scoop the dough into a cupcake pan, let them rise, and then into the oven they go. In less than an hour and half you can have the delicious comfort of a whole grain roll at your table. Ours are enriched with oatmeal, sesame seeds and omega rich flax seeds and are perfect for eating along side your favorite winter soups and stews. We also like...

September 25, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Product Reviews By Vancouver Health Coach

Relaxation Drinks: Beverages Intended to Calm You

A recent article published in the Globe & Mail’s Health and Fitness section espoused a series of "relaxation drinks" such as ‘Slow Cow’ and ‘iChill’. For today’s fast paced environment where lunches are engulfed within minutes while driving or during a phone conversation, it would seem that the developers behind these new drinks should be applauded for their vision. For example, one of the marketing slogans from Quebec based Slow Cow is quoted to describe its product as "acupuncture in a can", as if the benefit of acupuncture is merely for relaxation. Some of the ingredients listed in Slow Cow include...

September 25, 2014 In Eliminating Toxins, Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Keeping Your Adrenal Glands Healthy with the Proper Foods

Do you suffer from fatigue or low energy? Do you eat healthfully yet wonder why you can't lose weight? In this post we will discuss adrenal health, and specific foods to eat to combat adrenal fatigue. Included is a VEGAN recipe: Slow Cooker Chickpea and Lentil Stew. If you answered yes to the questions above, you could be suffering from adrenal fatigue! Anyone can experience adrenal fatigue at some point in his or her life. Nutrient deficiencies, inadequate rest, a life crisis, or too much pressure can drain the adrenals of even the healthiest person. What are the Adrenal Glands? Adrenal glands are part...

September 24, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Getting Your Groove Back When Your Fitness Routine Gets Disrupted

Sometimes we can find a groove in our fitness routine, in which we're motivated to workout every day, we're feeling optimal and hitting our fitness goals - what could be better! - And then everything comes to a screeching halt. Any number of unforeseen events can come along and pull you away from your groove: Getting the flu, an injury, a family emergency, personal crisis, prepping for a special event, moving, your favorite running route getting blocked off, or a relaxing holiday that becomes extra relaxing. Returning to fitness after a disruption? Go easy on yourself. Many people tend to revert...

September 24, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Food Test: Are You a Part of the Collective Eating Disorder?

When was the last time you sat down to eat without worrying about carbohydrates, fats, or calories? We invite you to take our Ultimate Food test and find out if you are adding to the collective eating disorder in North America. Ultimate Food Test When was the last time you sat down to a special home–cooked meal with your family just because you wanted to? Do you believe that some of your first and strongest memories are of food? Do you believe the food you serve your family accurately represents your values? Do you eat for reasons other than to satisfy hunger? If you answered "longtime,"...