Author:Vancouver Health Coach

August 15, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Avoid Training Injuries: The Importance of Stretching

We all have been told that we must stretch-stretch-stretch before and after every workout. Yet many of us have no idea what stretching does for us, and don’t bother to do it. Worse still, we rush through a quick stretching routine that is not only ineffective but sets us up for potential injuries. Proper stretching does play a very important role in both overall health and performance in workouts or sports. The importance of stretching for our bodies? One of the primary benefits of regular stretching is that it can help prevent muscular imbalances. Because no one has perfectly symmetrical muscular development,...

August 15, 2014 In Emotional Health, Green & Healthy Living, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Choosing a Preventative Approach to Stress Management: Part One

Often we can tell when someone is stressed out simply by what they tell us: “I am so overwhelmed. I have too much on my plate. I can’t handle it right now. I can’t keep up. I’m frazzled” “I’m so stressed out. I’m so stressed out. I’m so stressed out.” Repeating these mantras can make the experience of stress a self-fulfilling prophecy. There’s no doubt about it: the business of life can be stressful. We aim to keep up and maintain a certain quality of life, and often lose our sense of balance in the grind of it all. Frequently we forget to...

August 14, 2014 In Editor's Picks: Must Haves for Staying Healthy, Food, Green & Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Benefits of Container Gardening

Do you know that gardening activities can burn 300 to 600 calories per hour depending on the level of work you are doing? It is an ideal form of exercise as it combines strength, endurance and flexibility. It helps in stress reduction, lowers blood pressure and relieves muscle tension. In addition to health benefits, gardening is a creator of beauty, wouldn't you feel a sense of fulfillment if you are the one creating it? One way of gardening that's becoming popular is container gardening. This is an approach to gardening where containers are used in growing plants. It's easy and simple...

August 13, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, News By Vancouver Health Coach

How to Deal With Seasonal Allergies

The prevalence of those who experience allergies has increased to the degree that many people believe it is “normal” for one’s body to respond in such a way to environmental stimuli. The CBC has reported that one in six Canadians suffer from seasonal allergies. Seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, are so common they are simply accepted. But allergies are not acceptable because they implicate a weakness in the body to adapt, respond and defend against outside stresses. The body’s inability to handle outside stresses appropriately and, therefore, produce an allergic reaction arises when one’s immune system is compromised (decrease in resilience), or...

August 13, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

What is Candida?

Candida albicans is a yeast that is normally found colonizing the digestive tract and other mucous membranes of the body.  After antibiotic use or periods of immune suppression, this yeast can proliferate, causing a yeast infection in the digestive tract, on the tongue ("thrush"), in the nasal sinuses, vagina, urinary tract and in the folds of the skin.  In addition to causing symptoms ranging from nagging to severe, chronic Candida infection can derange your immune system leading to allergies, frequent infections, and autoimmune conditions. Symptoms of Candida Infection: 1.) Bloating, gas, difficulty digesting many foods, heartburn, chronic indigestion, irregular bowel movements...

August 12, 2014 In Eliminating Toxins, Green & Healthy Living, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Quitting Smoking: Finally Kicking the Habit?

If one of your goals this year is to quit smoking you couldn't do anything better for your health. As you probably already know quitting is far from easy. Tobacco is the most addictive drug in the world, and nicotine is one of the strongest stimulants known. Several of the most successful methods - acupuncture, hypnosis, nicotine gum, cold turkey, support groups - can work, but are not for everyone. It is important to note that most smokers who quit successfully do it on their own after one or more unsuccessful attempts and most find that stopping cold turkey is better...

August 12, 2014 In Fitness, News, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Stability Ball Push Up: Exercise of the Week

Pushups using the Stability ball make a great exercise even better! By placing the ball underneath your feet adds instability to the pushup, it forces you to engage your core and transfers more weight to your hands increasing the resistance for your chest and shoulders. If you choose to position the ball beneath your hands, this will challenge your shoulder stability. It is important to keep your shoulder blades held down and slightly squeezed together when performing pushups on the ball. Goal: Hold tension through your core and stay in alignment. Muscles involved: Pectorals, Triceps, Anterior Deltoid and Lower Abdominals. Action: Kneel behind the...

August 11, 2014 In Emotional Health, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Increasing Energy Levels Naturally: Tip #1

One of the most common complaints I hear in my practice is about not having enough energy. Over the next few months, I will share simple practices that can be done to enhance your energy levels naturally. Some may be obvious - but worth restating, while other practices may give you new perspectives that you may not have considered previously. Increase Your Energy Levels Tip #1: Breathe By far, the most important tip I can share is remembering to breathe properly. Let me tell you why. Your body cannot heal and repair at the same time as being stressed. When we breathe...

August 11, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Five Reasons You Have a Bad Personal Trainer

If you’ve gone out of your way to hire a personal trainer it means you’re looking to have a professional teach you how to eat, exercise and help get you in great shape. Working one-on-one with a trainer is something I recommend to everyone even if it’s just for one session. You can learn a ton of information on proper movement form, which exercises are the best for your goals and what intensity to train at. Personal training costs more than going to group fitness classes and for the most part you’ll see better results as the training is tailored specifically for...

August 11, 2014 In News, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Outdoor Yoga: Go On A Field Trip

It might be difficult to fathom, but at one time yoga was done sans mat. It was even done in varying temperatures. I know – your mind is blown, right? Yoga has definitely evolved over time, and new forms such as Bikram’s, Anusara and Yin are reshaping the way we practice. And while purists might disagree, allowing anything to change and be improved upon from the generation of new ideas is beneficial. Above sarcasm aside, mats reduce injury; and with the advent of temperature-controlled studios, one can further customize the degree to which a practice challenges the cardiovascular system. But let’s...