News

August 5, 2014 In News, Running, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

Getting Motivated to Go for that Run

There will often be circumstances that can derail you from your running schedule. Whether it be the weather, a bad mood, too much food in your stomach, childcare, a traffic jam, or sad news. So how do you maintain your best intentions in the midst of life's curve-balls? Establish a conscious intention to battle the de-motivators. Take inventory of what you've noticed that has taken you off course in the past, and create an arsenal of strategies to combat these factors. Some 'tools' in your arsenal could include: Have an all-case scenario 'kit': Energy gel-pack for hunger, wet and cold weather gear, alternate...

August 4, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

New to Type 2 Diabetes: Finding Peace with a Diabetes Diagnosis

The number of adults in the U.S. with Type 2 diabetes is climbing steadily. Over 25 million people have diabetes, and experts believe that as many as 7 million of them don’t even know it. If you are new to the world of Type 2 diabetes, adjustment to a new diet and lifestyle may be a difficult process. Instead of giving into despair or denial, kick-start your new life with these tips. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of avoiding medication. If you are “borderline” diabetic or if your numbers are considered low, you may be able to stave off...

August 4, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Crystal Di Domizio

Gluten-Free Living: Eating Healthy on a Budget

Has your grocery bill skyrocketed since beginning a gluten-free diet? If you’re living with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity, removing gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley) is an essential first step on your path to wellness. If your goal is to eat a healthy gluten-free diet then these tips are for you! In my experience, the most expensive part of eating gluten-free is the cost of pre-packaged foods which are specifically marketed as gluten-free: cereal, waffles, snacks, desserts, baking mixes, pizza crusts etc. These foods are high in cost and low in nutrients therefore the return on the...

August 3, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Quitting Smoking Successfully: Recognizing the Positive Intentions behind Your Habit

If you are planning on eradicating your smoking habit, consider what kinds of needs this ritual was meeting for you. Often we feel guilt or shame for engaging in unhealthy habits, yet if we look deeper within, we can recognize that the reasons why we do the things we do are primarily positive. Negative behaviors are born from positive intentions. Would you believe me if I suggested that at one point you began smoking to take care of yourself? If that sounds outrageous, especially in light of research indicating it is a major cause of heart disease and lung cancer, consider the...

August 3, 2014 In News, Pet Health By Vancouver Health Coach

Ear Infections: Cleaning and Medicating Your Dog’s Ears

A common complaint from dog owners is that their dog is shaking their head excessively, scratching at their ears or rubbing their head along the ground.  Often when the dogs ears are examined they are red, thickened, itchy, infected and painful. Dogs can be predisposed to ear infections because of a number of factors including recent swimming/bathing, allergies, ears that flop over and excessively hairy ear canals.  Ear infections are most commonly due to bacteria, yeast, a combination of both in a mixed infection or ear mites. To diagnose an ear infection, your veterinarian will look down the ear canal with an...

August 2, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight, Supplements By Rich Ralph

How Strong Are Your Bones?

  It’s no secret that calcium is the essential mineral required for strong, healthy bones. North Americans consume more dairy than any other country on the planet, with the exception of India. The women in our country have been consuming an average of 2 pounds of milk each day for the better part of their lives. Why, then, is osteoporosis and bone degeneration so prevalent in North American society? The answer to this is not clear, but there are various theories. One thought is the role Vitamin D plays with respect to our bodies ability to absorb calcium. Vitamin D is produced in...

August 2, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Is Gluten Free a Hot New Trend or Here to Stay?

I’ve worked with thousands of people over my decade or so in the health industry and I don’t think I’ve ever stopped being amazed at the dramatic effect going gluten free can have on someone’s waistline and overall health. Even if you aren’t gluten sensitive, allergic, intolerant, a celiac or even believe in all the gluten hype almost everyone can benefit from going gluten free or low gluten. Why? Well my reasoning might be different than what you are used to hearing… Recently I was involved in a conversation with a couple of trainers who were talking about gluten. Their take on...

August 1, 2014 In Fitness, News, Running, Spotlight By Natasha Linton

Got Shin Splints?

Runners and other athletes, as well as fitness enthusiasts get it. It is also very common in active people. The pain in the front of the lower leg known as shin splints. Many people use shin splints as an excuse to stop working out, but I am not going to let it stop you. Here are some causes: Exercising on concrete or uneven ground. Working out in shoes that don’t fit properly. Here’s exactly what it is and how to manage it. To prevent or reduce shin splints, you must find out your foot type so that you can purchase the right athletic shoes. Foot...

July 28, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight, Weight Loss By Vancouver Health Coach

How Much Exercise is Enough?

How Much Exercise is Enough? Dieting may get the scale to start moving, but exercise revs your metabolism. Learn why and find out how much exercise is needed. If one person just cuts calories and someone else just increases the amount of time spent on exercise, who will lose weight first? The answer--The person who cuts calories will lose weight more quickly, provided they cut out enough calories to get results. But that’s not to say that exercise isn’t an important part of your weight-loss efforts. Although exercise may take longer to show results on the scale people who exercise burn more...

July 28, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

Visualization and Our Immune System: Using Your Mind to Stay Healthy

The cold and flu season is here. Thankfully, however, there is something you can do to improve your chances of fighting off illnesses and staying healthy.  Long overlooked by conventional medicine practitioners, imagery techniques are an extremely effective, safe, and easy-to-apply healing tool. Promising research in the field of mind-body medicine has found that the brain has the ability to influence the immune system. Imagery techniques like visualization have great potential to affect physiology, and are a useful method anyone can use to help strengthen the immune system and promote healing. What is the immune system and how does it work? The immune...