Digestion is something we rarely think about unless we are experiencing problems.  Taking this important body process for granted is one of the biggest mistakes we can make as far as good health is concerned.

It is important that our digestive system functions properly because it is indirectly responsible for almost all of our bodily functions.  When our digestive system isn’t working properly we do not absorb all of the nutrients we are eating.  Our body relies on these nutrients for brain function, movement, energy, sleep, hormones, etc. – all body functions need nutrients that we can only get if our digestive system is working optimally.  When digestion isn’t working that is when health problems start to happen.
How to keep it working properly:

1)  CHEW:  sounds easy, but it takes concentration.  The goal is to really mash up your food to make it easier to digest.  Chewing also starts your digestive juices flowing.  Did you know that carbohydrates begin digestion in your mouth?  Try counting your usual number of chews and aim to double this number.

2)  SIT DOWN: don’t eat on the run.  Meals should be pleasant, unrushed, relaxed times.  Take the time to enjoy your food and you will digest it more effectively.  Focus on eating – so turn off the TV and other electronics, put down the book/paper and really focus on eating.  Meals that are enjoyable are better digested.

3)  MANAGE FLUIDS: don’t drink 30 minutes prior or after a meal and limit drinking while eating to small sips.  Too many liquids dilute your digestive juices leaving some foods undigested.

4)  EAT MORE FIBER: eating foods high in fiber helps keep things moving through your digestive system.  Eat lots of fresh vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains.

5)  SPACE OUT YOUR MEALS: try to eat 5 or 6 times throughout the day – breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner or snack (optional).  Spacing meals out every 3 hours allows your digestive system finish the job before you add in more food. 

6)   EAT LESS: watch portion sizes.  The more you eat, the harder it is to digest.

7)  CHOOSE EASY TO DIGEST FOODS:  try to eat foods that are already partially broken down for you: fresh fruit/vegetables juices, smoothies, blended soups, broths & fermented foods.  Soak your legumes, seeds, nuts  & grains before cooking them.  Since these foods are already liquid, your body has less work to do to process the nutrients.

8)   EXERCISE:  movement of your muscles creates movement in your digestive system.  Try going for a walk after a meal to get things moving.  Just 15 minutes around the block will help.

9)  SLEEP:  sleep is very important for digestion as well as most of your other body functions.  Aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night.

10)  MANAGE STRESS:  stress shuts down digestion.  Our bodies go into “fight or flight” mode and your body turns its attention away from digestion.  This includes “good” stress such as exercise.  Let your body and mind calm down before you eat.  It is also a good idea to consume liquids/smoothies after exercise because they are easily digested and will replenish the nutrients you used up during exercise.

When your digestive system is working at it best, you can begin to feel the benefits in all areas of your health. 

Spring is finally here!  It is a time that we start to feel like cleaning up our homes.  The act of cleaning up your home can make you feel better, but it could also be causing your exposure to more chemicals, mold and dust.  How you clean and which products you choose can have an impact on your health.  Spring-cleaning the holistic way involves more than just cleaning up the clutter.  It means looking at all aspects of your life.  Following is a guide to some ways you can make your life cleaner and protect your health at the same time.

Spring-Clean Your Home:

• Toss the toxic cleaners:  Most household cleaners contain ingredients that are harmful for you (some even can cause cancer) and the environment.  Check your products out on ewg.org to see if they are safe to use.
  
• Choose healthier cleaning products:  Simply using vinegar and water or an anti-bacterial cloth (like Norwex brand) can get your home clean without the use of toxic cleaners.  For tougher dirt or mildew you can use one teaspoon of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle (make sure to avoid eyes).
  
• Dust everything:  Even the walls.  Use a damp cloth and keep rinsing it out as you go.  Don’t forget baseboards, trim, windowsills and the sides of furniture.  Dust can lead to breathing problems and make asthma and seasonal allergies worse.  
  
• Change your bedding: Strip the bed; wash all bedding on the highest heat.  Use washing soda or Borax instead of toxic dryer sheets/fabric softeners to freshen up mattress pads and sheets.  Air out comforters and wash if possible.  If they need dry cleaning, choose a company that does not use perc (perchloroethylene, a carcinogen and a neurotoxin that damages your vision).  Once the bed is stripped, vacuum the mattress.  Use the beater bar on your vacuum’s carpet attachment to better rid the mattress of dead skin cells and dust mites.
  
• Open the windows: Instead of using air fresheners that contain many toxic chemicals, simply open up all the windows and air out the house.  It doesn’t take long for the clean air to circulate through your home.  
  
• Wash the windows:  Inside and out.  Use a solution of water and vinegar instead of toxic commercial window cleaners.
• Empty the Fridge:  Take everything out.  Wipe down all surfaces with vinegar and water.  Never use a toxic household cleaner in the fridge as it may transfer onto your food and then into you.  Before your return anything back into the fridge, wipe down the bottles/containers, check for expiry dates and toss anything outdated or things you haven’t used in the last 6 months.  Line vegetable crispers with paper towel sheets.  This helps keep them cleaner and will absorb some of the humidity keeping food fresher longer.  An open box of baking soda placed at the back of your fridge can keep it smelling fresh for about a month.
• Empty the Freezer:  Repeat the above for the freezer.  When returning items, put the older foods closer to the front so you will use them first.  I like to make an inventory list of what’s in the freezer so that I don’t buy anything new if I already have it.
  
• Empty the Pantry:  Repeat the above for the pantry.  Now is a great time to clean out the things you never use.  If they are still good, donate them to the local food bank.
  
• Don’t forget about the outside of your home:  Tidy up the garden, front yard and garage.  These are some of the areas we see first when entering our homes.  If they are cluttered and needing attention it may be causing you more stress every time you come home.
  

Spring-Clean Your Body:

• Clean up your diet:  Take a look at how you have been eating and make a few small changes that are healthier.  Even small things can add up to big health benefits.
  
• Start the day with Lemon Water:  Drink one glass of room temperature water with the juice of half a lemon each day before you eat or drink anything else.  This helps to jumpstart your digestive system so that it can function better.
  
• Drink lots of water:  Water helps flush out any toxins in your body.  
  
• Try an Elimination Diet Instead of a Cleanse/Detox:  Cleansing and Detox programs are not safe for everyone.  Do not do them if you are pregnant (or planning on being in the next year), nursing, have anemia (or other deficiency), have cancer or diabetes or another medical condition.
  
• The following elimination diet is safe for most people (always check with your doctor first if you are unsure).  Eliminate the following foods from your diet for 2 weeks.
• Dairy:  Try unsweetened almond, hemp or coconut milk instead.  Avoid all milk, cheese, yogurts, cottage cheese, sour cream, etc.
• Wheat:  Substitute with other gluten-free grains: brown rice, quinoa or amaranth.
• Sugar:  Avoid all sugars EXCEPT those from fresh fruit.  Do not consume any sugar, products containing sugar or fake sugar substitutes.
• Alcohol:  Do not drink any alcoholic beverages.  
• Tobacco:  Avoid contact with cigarette (and other) smoke.
• At the end of the 2 weeks, evaluate how you feel.  When returning the above things back into your diet, do them one at a time and see if you feel better or worse when you do.  You may discover that one or more of the eliminated foods has been causing you pain, discomfort or digestive issues.  

Spring-Clean Your Life:

• Take inventory of your stressors:  Make a list of everything that is causing you stress or making you unhappy.  Once the list is complete, choose one item and plan how you can start to make changes that will eliminate or lessen that stressor.  Small changes here can have huge impact on your health.
  
• De-stress:  Find activities that help you unwind and distress and do them daily.  Stress is toxic and is linked to many diseases.
  
• Do something fun:  Phone a friend and plan an activity together that makes you happy.  Happiness can have an impact on your health.
  

By spring-cleaning the holistic way we can start to feel renewed motivation to make more healthy changes in our lives.  Remember that small changes can have huge benefits.  Happy cleaning!

You don’t need fancy workout clothes or an expensive gym membership to get healthier.  All you really need is a good pair of walking shoes and some comfortable, weatherproof clothing.  Unless you live in a really hilly area you should be able to simply go out your front door and take a walk.

Walking may be one of the most under-appreciated forms of exercise.  People think that because it is something that almost everyone can do, it isn’t a good enough form of exercise to make a difference in your health.

This is so untrue!  Walking may be the BEST form of exercise.  Just by walking for 30 minutes 3 to 5 times per week you can improve your health.

Now, for some people the idea of walking this much is daunting.  If you are starting from a point where you are not doing any form of exercise at all, you want to start slowly.  You can start walking 3 times a week for 15 minutes.  Gradually build up to 5 days a week for 15 minutes.  Do this for a few weeks.  Once you are comfortable and feeling unchallenged by this time, you can add on 5 minutes to each walk.  Add another 5 minutes every week until you reach 30 minutes. 

If you are finding it tough to schedule in the time here are a few suggestions:

• walk on your lunch hour before you eat
  
• walk during your commute to work – get off the bus a few stops earlier
  
• find a walking partner
  
• find a walking club – some shopping malls have walking groups that meet before the mall opens
  
• walk after dinner with your family
  
• skip a television show and walk instead

Now, 30 minutes is a great target for most people.  But, if you want to challenge yourself more and obtain even more benefit from walking, you can start to increase the time by 10 minutes each week until you reach an hour.  A great way to increase the intensity of walks without adding extra time is to walk faster, walk uphill or add in short periods of jogging.  This will help build more stamina and increase overall fitness level.

The key thing to remember about walking is that you need to treat it like any other form of exercise.  Start slowly and gradually increase the intensity.  If you start out too fast you may experience pain or discomfort which may cause you to stop walking altogether. 

Take the first step towards a healthier life.



Note:  Please consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

New Year’s Resolutions are great … if you keep them. 

Most people start out with the best intentions, then life happens and we get off track.  One of the problems is that we make broad termed resolutions that are not really achievable.  It is great to “want to lose weight” or “be healthy” in 2014, but what does that actually mean to you?  

Weight loss is a pretty common resolution.  Let’s say you want to lose 15 pounds – do you have a deadline? Do you have a plan?  Do you know what you have to do to be successful?  One of the main reasons people give up on making changes is that they haven’t really addressed these questions.  I believe that to be successful in achieving any goal, you need a plan.

When setting goals, I like to use a Goal Pyramid (see diagram).   Focusing on the end result can be a bit daunting, but by breaking it down into smaller chunks (by month, week and day) it becomes more manageable.

If you look at the example pyramid, a 3-month goal of losing 15 pounds then becomes a smaller 1-month goal of losing 5 pounds.  This already feels more achievable. Then we break that down further into goals to meet during the week.  Now the 15 pounds in 3 months becomes 1.5 pounds in a week, which is realistic.  Next you break this down into daily goals.  Daily goals should be simple and easy to achieve tasks, aimed at helping you meet the weekly goal.  I have provided some examples, but they will be different for everyone. 

After you have come up with your daily goals, you can take this one step further by making a list of things to do immediately.  These are things that will prepare you so that you can start working on your daily goals.  For example, you may need to find a fitness class, buy a pair of running shoes, enlist a friend to workout with you, or fill your fridge with healthy foods.  Don’t get stuck at this stage – you can still begin working on your goals even if you haven’t got all the things done yet.  You can always rearrange your schedule a bit.  For example, if you haven’t bought running shoes, try a yoga class instead (you don’t need shoes for yoga).

Once you go through all the steps of breaking down your goal on the pyramid (immediately, daily, weekly and monthly), you should have a good plan in place.  All that is left is to take that list and get started on it.  You are now prepared and on your way to achieving your long-term goal.

Goal setting is an important part of the Lifestyle & Wellness Programs offered by On-the-Spot Nutrition & Fitness.  Each session includes a review of your goals and adjustments that take into consideration your current lifestyle.  I help you break down your large goals into smaller, more manageable ones.  Together, we find ways to implement small, daily changes that will have a great impact on your health.

There are many, many things that I learned while studying to become a Holistic Nutritionist.  Some things I already knew about, but didn’t really understand.  Take water for instance.  We all know we need water, but do we know why?  You have probably heard that your body is made mostly of water.  That is great information, but kind of meaningless when you think about it.  If it is made of water, then it makes sense we need to drink water to replace any we lose during the day.

Our body loses water every day just doing the things it needs to do, to keep us alive.  Water is lost through breathing, sweating and through elimination – kidneys = urine and large intestine = waste (poop).  I think this is pretty common knowledge, but do you know what your body does to the water you drink before it is lost?

Our bodies are amazing.  There are many chemical reactions and other amazing things on a cellular level that we don’t think about much.  Your body needs water for many functions, some of which include:

Digestion:  dissolve nutrients so your cells can absorb them, moves food along the digestive tract

Elimination:  carries waste out of your body

Brain function:  transmits electrical messages from brain to body for all of it’s functions including allowing your muscles to move (remember that your heart is your most important muscle), allowing you to think, see, hear and do pretty much everything you do

Temperature:  helps keep you cool in the summer

Lubrication:  helps things move through your body and keeps your joints moving freely

So how much water do you need?  There is lots of conflicting information out there and it seems to change almost day to day.  Based on what I have learned I believe that the amount you need depends on a few things.  Where you live (hot or cold climate), your age, your health, how active you are. 

I follow the rule that the average woman needs 2 liters per day and the average man 2.5 litres per day.  This increases if you are exercising or are in a very hot climate.  If you are like most people, getting this amount of water each day isn’t easy.  Some things I recommend to help you meet this goal are:

- Start the day with a glass of lemon water (that’s 1 glass)
- Drink one glass of water at each meal and snack (there’s 5 more)

Now you just need 2-4 more glasses

- Keep a water bottle with and sip on it throughout the day
- Set an alarm on your phone/computer to remind you to stop and get a drink

While I still find days when I struggle to drink enough water, I now understand why I don’t feel so great on those days.  Sometimes it just takes a glass of water to make me feel better, get rid of a headache or give me more energy.  It is amazing how quickly you can feel the water’s benefit to your body.  

So, what are you waiting for?  Go get a glass of water.  Cheers!