Author avisha Categories Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

Don’t Shortchange Your Workouts. Stretch!

Exercise is one of the cornerstones of good health. But do most people begin and end their workout regime to get its optimum benefit? Exercising is known to cause muscle shortening. Routine stretching counteracts this process, promoting flexibility in the muscles and joints, helping them move through their full range of motion.

When I first started going to the gym, I wanted to get my workout over and done with as quickly as possible. Little did I know that I was short changing all of my efforts by skipping both pre and post workout stretching. Doing a pre-workout stretch warms up the muscles and enables the them to control the stress placed on them. It also allows for increased flexibility. As an added bonus, it gets the juices flowing and sets the tone for your workout!

Here is an interesting tidbit.  What you eat may be able to improve your flexibility.  According to a post by Brenda Barron  leafy greens such as kale, spinach, swiss chard and watercress may help to increase flexibility because of their high water content as well as their ability to purge acid from the body. And of course hydration is an important part of a flexibility diet.

As mentioned earlier, exercising causes muscles to shorten. You may be in a world of pain the next day if you don’t add a post-workout stretch to your routine. While your muscles are warm, stretching will allow for an increase of blood circulation and will subsequently enable your muscles to recover faster. It will also reduce muscle fatigue.

All this being said, it is equally important to maintain proper technique; stretching should not be a painful process – its main goal is to reduce the risk of injury. So strap on those running shoes, warm up that body, work hard and finish strong with a solid cool down.

Author avisha Categories Lifestyle, Recipes Posted on 0 Comments

Sleeping…A Cancer Fighting Powerhouse

The science of sleep is fascinating.

Sleep is, or at least should, be a part of our daily lives yet we’re just beginning to understand all of the ways it affects our health.

Lack of sleep can effect our mind and our body. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk for health issues like diabetes and heart disease not to mention effects like slower metabolism, weight gain, hormone imbalance and inflammation. Lack of sleep can effect our mood, our memory and decision-making skills.

And how well we sleep may also have a vital role in how well our body fights certain cancers.  Studies have shown that sleeping irregularities may suppress our immune system decreasing our ability to fight cancer.  As well, inadequate or irregular sleep can result in a deficiency of melatonin. Melatonin has been shown to have anti-proliferative effects in certain cancers like breast and colorectal cancers.

It is clear that getting a good night’s sleep needs to be a priority.  As adults we should strive to get 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night.

Tips for better sleep

  • The biggest tip is definitely to try to get yourself into a consistent sleep schedule. Make it a priority and you’re more likely to achieve it. Go to bed at the same time each evening.  Get a routine going.  It signals to your body that it’s sleep time.
  • Balance your blood sugar throughout the day. Eat less refined and processed foods and more whole foods full of blood-sugar-balancing fiber.  Make sure you’re getting some protein every time you eat.
  • During the day get some sunshine and exercise. These things tell your body it’s daytime; time for being productive, active and alert. By doing this during the day it will help you wind down more easily in the evening.
  • Sleep in a dark, cool room and keep your electronics out of the bedroom!

Make your bedroom a sanctuary.  A place of peace and calm where you can retreat and sleep for your better health.

 

Additional References

http://www.thepaleomom.com/gotobed/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep

 

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, Lifestyle, Podcasts, The Health Hub Posted on 0 Comments

This Week on TheHealthHub with Todd White… What is Biohacking?

 

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

What is Biohacking?

with

Todd White

Todd White

Todd White is a self described Biohacker.  He practices daily meditation, Wim Hof breathing, cold thermogenesis, a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting and he is a fitness enthusiast. Todd has been the featured guest on many of the Nation’s leading health influencer podcasts including Dave Asprey’s Bulletproof Radio, Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint, Abel James’ Fat Burning Man, Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution, Drew Manning’s FIT2FAT2FIT and Jimmy Moore’s Livn’ Low Carb show.  He is the founder of Dry Farm Wines, a writer, speaker, and a leading authority on healthy organic/natural wines.

TheHealthHub is now on iTunes!

 

Subscribe and don’t miss a single episode!

 

 

Follow us on Social Media


 

How To Listen

Visit our website and learn how to listen live to our show each week.
http://www.radiomaria.ca/how-to-listen

Here’s how to connect with us:
Email: thh@radiomaria.ca

Twitter: @radiomariaCAN

Twitter: @cathy_biase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHealthHubRadioMaria/

Let us know!

If you have a health topic that you would like us to discuss or are a health care specialist who wants to be a guest on our show let us know!

Here is our email.  We would love to hear from you!
thh@radiomaria.ca

Author avisha Categories Blog, Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

How Important is your Waist Circumference to your Health?

Let’s look at your waist circumference.

What you weigh can matter but your weight circumference may matter more.

Waist Circumference (AKA “Belly Fat”):

Do you remember the fruity body shape descriptions being like an “apple” or a “pear”? The apple is round around the middle and the pear is rounder around the hips/thighs.

THAT is what we’re talking about here.

Do you know which shape is associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea, blood sugar issues (e.g. insulin resistance and diabetes) and heart issues (high blood pressure, blood fat, and arterial diseases)?

It’s the apple!

And it’s not because of the subcutaneous (under the skin) fat that you may refer to as a “muffin top”. The health risk is actually due to the fat inside the abdomen covering the liver, intestines and other organs there.

This internal fat is called “visceral fat” and that’s where a lot of the problem actually is. It’s this “un-pinchable” fat.

The reason the visceral fat can be a health issue is because it releases fatty acids, inflammatory compounds, and hormones that can negatively affect your blood fats, blood sugars, and blood pressure.

And the apple-shaped people tend to have a lot more of this hidden visceral fat than the pear-shaped people do.

So where your fat is stored is more important that how much you weigh.

Am I an apple or a pear?

It’s pretty simple to find out if you’re in the higher risk category or not. The easiest way is to just measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape.

Women, if your waist is 35” or more you could be considered to have “abdominal obesity” and be in the higher risk category. Pregnant ladies are exempt, of course.

For men the number is 40”.

Of course this isn’t a diagnostic tool. There are a lot of risk factors for chronic diseases. Waist circumference is just one of them.

Reducing the size of your waste circumference is a positive step for improving your health.  Here are some suggestions to get you going.

Tips for helping reduce some belly fat:

  • Eat more fiber. Fiber can help reduce belly fat in a few ways. First of all it helps you feel full and also helps to reduce the amount of calories you absorb from your food. Some examples of high-fiber foods are brussel sprouts, flax and chia seeds, avocado, and blackberries.
  • Add more protein to your day. Protein reduces your appetite and makes you feel fuller longer. It also has a high TEF (thermic effect of food) compared with fats and carbs and ensures you have enough of the amino acid building blocks for your muscles.
  • Nix added sugars. This means ditch the processed sweetened foods especially those sweet drinks (even 100% pure juice).
  • Move more. Get some aerobic exercise. Lift some weights. Walk and take the stairs. It all adds up.
  • Stress less. Elevated levels in the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase appetite and drive abdominal fat.
  • Get more sleep. Try making this a priority and see how much better you look and feel.

 

Recipe (High fiber side dish): Garlic Lemon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

1 lb Brussels sprouts (washed, ends removed, halved)

2-3 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

dash salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In a bowl toss sprouts with garlic, oil, and lemon juice. Spread on a baking tray and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Bake for about 15 minutes. Toss.
  4. Bake for another 10 minutes.

 

Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: Brussel sprouts contain the fat-soluble bone-loving vitamin K.

 

References:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/research-abdominal-fat-and-risk

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/visceral-fat-location

http://www.drsharma.ca/inspiring-my-interest-in-visceral-fat

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-definition/abdominal-obesity/

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/qa-qr-pub-eng.php#a4

https://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-ways-to-lose-belly-fat/

https://authoritynutrition.com/20-tips-to-lose-belly-fat/

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

Sleep and Your Gut Bacteria

Circadian rhythms are patterns of brainwave activity, hormones, cell regeneration and biological activities that occur on a daily basis. And sleeping well at the right time each day is essential to keeping the circadian rhythms functioning properly so we function properly too.

The fact that our microbes are actually the regulators of this function and that our sleep patterns are an issue for our microbes should not surprise us. They need us to rest so they can do their thing while we sleep and keep their balance as it should be.

There is also more news you might be interested in. Not having the right microbes may be lowering your metabolic rate while you sleep and this can lead to weight gain. This is based on a mouse study at UI Carver College of Medicine which found that mice given a drug that lowers beneficial bacteria, had a lower metabolic rate both when resting and when asleep, causing them to gain weight.

So what should you do? Should you work on sleeping better to help the microbes or should you work on your gut health to help you sleep better? The answer is to do both. There are number of strategies that can help.

To help reset your circadian rhythm:

  • Go to bed at a set time and get up at the same time as much as possible
  • Avoid bright lights near bedtime
  • Avoid eating or exercising close to bedtime
  • Sleep in a dark space as light tricks the body into thinking it is time to be awake
  • Develop a relaxing routine before bed whether it is taking a bed, deep breathing exercises or having a nice cup of herbal tea such as chamomile or valerian.

For those who have irregular work hours and therefore sleep schedules, consider talking to a practitioner about taking melatonin.

Diet also plays a role. In another mouse study, both high fat and low fat diets played a negative role in the function of circadian rhythms and they also altered the microbiome. Short-chain fatty acid production was lower, especially butyrate which is essential for circadian rhythm function. Butyrate is produced by beneficial colon bacteria from resistant starch found in complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, wheat, rice, legumes and sweet potatoes. To improve gut health:

  • Eat prebiotic foods, especially those with resistant starch
  • Take probiotics which can help melatonin levels and in turn, help restore circadian rhythms
  • Butyrate supplements are available if you are unsure as to how well you are producing it

Sleep is one more example of the potential problems caused by dysbiosis and why we should be focused on improving our gut health.

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