Author:Vancouver Health Coach

December 16, 2011 In Emotional Health, News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

The beautiful benefits of Iyengar yoga: Helping both the mind and body

Iyengar yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga in the United States. Created by Shri B.K.S. Iyengar, this type of yoga is particularly well-suited for people with back problems and for people who suffer from stress (two conditions that often go together). Iyengar yoga has been around for over 60 years, and since it is a form of yoga, it is based on practices that are thousands of years old. It is one of the most effective yoga forms for people who want to cope with mental and spiritual stress. Excellent posture, balance, and relaxation are major...

December 5, 2011 In Eliminating Toxins, Food, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

The Wheat Belly: Diabetes and accelerated aging

I recently read an excerpt called “Wheat Belly” from the book “Wheat: The Unhealthy Whole Grain”, written by Dr William Davis, MD.  What I read in this book touched upon a new concept for me in relation to healthy eating for Type 2 Diabetics. Dr Davis explains how our current supply of genetically modified (GMO) wheat that is prolific within the North American diet actually acts differently within our body than the wheat that our ancestors ate.  While we tout eating whole grains rather than refined grains and starchy foods (potatoes, pasta, white rice, bleached white flour, etc), Dr Davis explains...

November 16, 2011 In Family Fitness, Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Benefits of coconut oil for pregnant mothers

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a powerful anti-microbial fatty acid that protects the immune system of the fetus and newborn. Pregnant and nursing mothers should eat coconut oil to increase the quality of the womb environment and breast milk. There has been a lot of research lately discussing how the environment of the womb can affect the long term health of the baby with respect to autism, allergies, asthma, food sensitivities and other chronic conditions. In past blogs we have talked about the health benefits of coconut oil but not specifically its protective properties for pregnant and nursing mothers. A healthy diet...

October 17, 2011 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

5 favourite gluten-free grains

There was a time in my life when eating gluten-free was mandatory to ensure the safety of my wife. Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity affects more people today in North America than ever before. There are several theories about why this may be happening, but I will save that subject for another day. I believe that the hybridization of wheat over the last 70 years has resulted in a grain with higher levels gluten (some have suggested that wheat today has 50 times more gluten than it did 100 years ago). Gluten is a very sticky protein and is difficult...

October 12, 2011 In Family Fitness, Food and Recipes, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Is your child at risk for Celiac Disease?

Below is a 15 question screening tool to help identify if your child is at high risk for celiac disease. It takes less than 5 minutes to complete and score but can make a lifetime of difference in the health of your child and your family’s quality of life. How accurate is the screening questionnaire? Research has concluded that the questionnaire is 87% effective in identifying children at high risk for celiac disease. However, the questionnaire results are not a medical diagnosis and the screening program does not replace a comprehensive exam by a trained physician. Does the questionnaire recommend treatment? No, the celiac...

October 3, 2011 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

A Personal Trainer’s Guide to Exercise Design

The benefits of exercise are heard everywhere.  Lose fat, gain muscle, improve cardio, look good, feel good, improve sports performance and so on are all reasons as to why people workout.  Many of us will go to the gym with the best intentions but arrive and stare at the large building like a deer in headlights.  For others, they want to get started but don’t know where to start.  How do good coaches help their clients to reach their goals?  Consider the following guide to help you along your journey. 1. Know what your goal is. This seems like a simple concept. ...

September 14, 2011 In Ask The Expert: Health & Fitness Advice, Fitness, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Elbow pain causes, symptoms and treatment

Ask The Expert is a health & fitness advice column. If you have a question for one of our Fitness Goop experts, please email info@fitnessgoop.com.   Lately, I have had a few people ask about pain that has developed on either the inside or the outside of the elbow. Their symptoms were pretty common such as tenderness on the inside or outside of the elbow and pain during any grasping, pulling or pushing of objects such as the following: Shaking hands Writing Lifting objects Holding objects Steering a car etc. Depending on the location, those people were suffering from either Golfer’s Elbow or Tennis Elbow.  Golfer’s Elbow (also known...

August 19, 2011 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Journey into grace with Anusara yoga

In 2007 a profound betrayal and subsequent loss of my best friend plunged me into the darkest years of my life. Despite my anguish, I somehow mustered up the strength to make the bold (or arguably stupid!) decision of moving across country to Los Angeles, in part to fight for love, only to find myself rejected and abandoned, jobless, friendless, and completely alone. The years that followed can only adequately be described as a truly “dark night of the soul”. After almost a year of endless tears, sleepless nights and an inability to eat much of substance, almost as an act...

August 1, 2011 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Supplements, Workouts By Vancouver Health Coach

Building Muscle Without Supplements? Part One

The supplement business is a multi-billion dollar business. From your local vitamin shop to your local grocery stores, there is at least one isle that contains some sort of supplement. All of these pills and powders help to promise lean looking muscle, a longer lasting “pump”, weight loss or weight gain. Some may work while others will not and cause adverse side effects. Many people can cash in on the supplement business because of  the fact that the government deregulated the sale of all of vitamins and pills you see over the counter today. Because of this deregulation, anyone can...

July 11, 2011 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Handstands for Energy

Yoga is primarily associated with calming the mind and inducing relaxation, but your mat is also a good place to turn when you need a boost of energy. Three o’clock rolls around so you resort to a shot of caffeine to get you through the last couple hours at work. A few hours later, you’re on the couch and coming up with excuses why you should just stay there for the rest of the evening instead of hitting the gym. Energy spikes and plummets throughout the day are very common with the “normal” high-caffeine, high-refined carbohydrate diet to which we’ve grown accustomed...