Spotlight

August 26, 2014 In Fitness, Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Rich Ralph

How do Athletes Benefit from Good Nutrition?

When I was younger I used to think athletes had vastly different, mysterious, intense nutritional protocols in order to compete at their level. It is true that an elite athlete’s body typically has a much higher metabolism and increased demand for nutrients. However, the fundamentals of proper nutrition still need to be in place. Many people think that in order to become a great athlete, they need to drastically modify their diets right away. The tendency of many is to run out and purchase excessive amounts of protein powders, bars and shakes. I believe that in order to truly perform...

August 26, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

3 ways to make your workout fun

Are you bored with your workouts? Do you catch yourself counting down every minute on the treadmill? Your mind can play a major role in your workouts, and it's better when you find an activity you enjoy--you'll stick to it and have fun. Everyone who exercises knows how great it feels after the workout. This feeling can be explained scientifically--exercise releases endorphins which produce a natural high. That feeling is what gets a lot of people off the couch and into the gym, pool or court. Fun is another big motivational factor. Here are three ideas that are sure to spice...

August 25, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Gluten-Free Desserts: Warm Figs with Almonds

One of the first fruits to be cultivated by man, fresh figs are naturally sweet. Enjoy this gluten-free and vegan Warm Figs with Vanilla Maple Almonds Recipe. Fresh figs have arrived in the local markets and they delicious raw and baked. These luscious delicate, thin-skinned fruits may be purple, brown, or greenish gold. Choose unbruised, ripe fruits that yield to gentle pressure and eat within a day or two. Figs are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese. Enjoy this sweet fruit baked with Hail Merry Vanilla Maple Almonds in this gluten-free and vegan dessert recipe. Feed...

August 25, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

5 Good Reasons to Fall in Love with Healthy Fats

Quite commonly from time to time I will overhear conversations and various perceptions about an essential nutrient dear to my heart, Fat. “Eating fat will make you fat” and expressed fears of eating fats of any kind to avoid gaining weight are among the conceptions I often hear. In our society today, there is a strong focus on non-fat or low fat food products. Sometimes I almost catch myself starting to feel sorry for this lovely macronutrient. But in time, these impressions are beginning to turn around and fat is getting the recognition it deserves for being extremely important to...

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

Recipes for Health: Hummus Tofu Dip

There has been a great deal of scepticism about the health benefits of soy in recent months. This skepticism has developed because much of the research on soy was done using whole soy foods, such as soy milk and tofu. Scientists in the field are concerned about the untested effects of isolated isoflavones* from soy (whether natural or synthetic) that are sold over the counter as supplements in pill and powder form. These type of supplements may be more harmful than helpful. Why? The average intake of soy isoflavones from food among Japanese women is 50 to 200 milligrams a...

August 23, 2014 In Emotional Health, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Dial Down Your Stress Levels With Yoga

Yoga is one of the best ways of coping with the stress of modern life. It doesn’t involve drugs or great expense, and can be practiced by anyone of any age in any physical condition. Most adults spend their lives in a chronic state of being busy. Earning a paycheck, raising children, keeping up a household, and maintaining social relationships require effort and time, and the result is mental and physical stress. Chronic stress is harmful to health. Prolonged stress causes the secretion of various stress hormones, shallow, rapid breathing, and an elevated heart rate. Over time, stress can manifest...

August 23, 2014 In Emotional Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Living in Your Authentic Self

I’ve been blessed to have met a very interesting group of people lately who are having a huge impact on my life as I find myself going through a rather transitional time and personal metamorphosis so to speak. One of these people recently shared a story with me called The Two Wolves: There is a story about a Navajo grandmother who once told her granddaughter, “Two wolves live inside me. One is the bad wolf, full of greed and laziness, full of anger, jealousy and regret. The other is the good wolf, full of joy, compassion, willingness and a great love...

August 22, 2014 In Emotional Health, News, Spotlight, Yoga By Vancouver Health Coach

Yoga Breathing: Recharge Your Life Through the Art of Breathing Control

Breathing is the most basic activity of human life, and it is also the foundation of yoga practice. Yoga breathing is sometimes called pranayama. This two-part word contains “prana” which means “life force,” and “yama,” which means “control.” In other words, yoga breathing is about having control over the life force of breathing. Breathing, of course, is the most natural action, since nobody has to be taught how to do it. It is fundamental to life. Though people can technically go for days without water, and weeks without food, if breathing stops for even a few minutes, brain damage or...

August 21, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Superset Training: Boosting Your Workout Intensity

Have you been stuck in a rut lately at the gym? Maybe you have become bored of doing the same old workout routine and not seeing any results? Perhaps you are ready to increase the intensity of your workouts with Superset training. When you are just starting out for the very first time on a strength training program, following the basic lifting principles is a very safe path to take as your muscles need to adapt to the basic exercise movements being applied. Eventually, your body will adapt to these basic lifting moves and will need more challenging methods of...

August 20, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Benefits of a Carbohydrate Rich Diet

A very popular weight loss concept today encourages the avoidance of a high carbohydrate diet. By eliminating complex carbohydrates, which are broken down into sugar - or glucose-  we are restricting the body’s preferred fuel source. This leaves the body with no choice but to switch from burning sugar to burning fat so that faster and more rapid weight loss will be achieved. While having the body in this fat burning state may be considered beneficial as suggested by specific diet plans, there are definite concerns that arise when carbohydrates are being consumed in very minimal amounts or not at...