11 Ways to Help Maintain Life-Work Balance and Mental Well-being

It's been a while since I last posted. I took a bit of a social media break, mostly because life has gotten a little crazier than usual, and I've been working really hard to be more mindful and to be present in reality.

Life-work balance isn't easy. For the last few weeks I've been feeling like I've just been keeping my head above water, but only just. If a wave were to come in, I'd be in real trouble.

I've talked before about my history with PMDD, and it has recently resurfaced - not to the same degree, but I notice it almost immediately after ovulating. I have to laugh a little bit, because in my head and my body, sometimes it feels like I go into this "empty uterus depression." I hate stereotypes of women being useless during "that time of the month," but to be honest, for me, there is totally a link between my fluctuating hormones and my ability to function optimally (Let me assure you, I can still function, but I know I'm better than this).

I don't know exactly how many other women feel this way. There are a lot of women out there who are so much better at functioning while their hormone levels are changing.

To be honest, without my own naturopathic and self care I would be drowning. And I think it's up to us to realize when we're starting to slip and to get help immediately. Here are a few things I've been working on - practices to help other women keep this balance and keep their heads above water.

1) If you're waking up early for work, go to bed earlier. My bedtime has been scaled back to around 9:30pm. That might sound fairly early, but I haven't been sleeping as well due to added life stress, so I'm more tired than usual.

2) Find out if you need extra nutrient supplementation and take your supplements regularly. This may include extra magnesium (especially magnesium malate), B12 injections, vitamin C, etc.

3) Get assessed and consider extra stress and nervous system support. Nervine herbs like oatstraw (Avena sativa) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) can be calming, support sleep, and mood.

4) Don't forget to exercise but it needs to be something you look forward to, and keep it shorter. I've been doing more yoga lately which helps immensely. Even 20-30 minutes of activity will make a huge difference in your mood. If you don't have time to do this everyday, take 5 minutes to stretch out on your floor. Or maybe just do a couple forward folds, moving with your breath.

5) Schedule 30 minutes each day for you. Read a book that you've been meaning to get through. Wind down for 30 minutes before your bedtime to you do an activity that calms you, brings you joy and that isn't work. I've been either reading or knitting, which has been a huge help for my own mental well-being.

6) Talk to a friend or family member. When I'm this busy and stressed out, I embrace my introvertedness (yup, I'm also making up words), and I don't want to go out anywhere. So instead, I'll call my mom or sister, or even just send them a text if I don't feel like I can talk. Partners/husbands are also great for hugs and cuddles. Petting your cat or dog can also have calming effects.

7) Cry. Seriously, go have a good cry. Then get your breath back and work on slowing and controlling your breath.

8) Journal. On days you don't feel like your 30-minute wind-down activity (see #5), then instead write down a few of your thoughts. What are you grateful for today? What do you need to do tomorrow? What are you looking forward to? What are things do you wish you could get done that aren't getting done? Write down anything. Just write for 5 whole minutes, then go to bed.

9) Once a month (or more frequently if you can swing it), do something bigger for you: go get a massage. Go for a swim. Take an exercise/yoga/support/meditation class. There are so many out there! Meetup.com has some great local options, for all interests.

10) Save time by setting up deliveries. For example, use services like MamaEarth Organics in the greater Toronto area and have groceries (and good healthy foods!) delivered to you automatically each week. Do all of your holiday shopping online to save you the time and stress of having to go to a shopping mall and dealing with crowds. Hire a cleaning service to come to your house maybe once or twice per month. Anything that can give you more time for the things you really need.

11) In general, set a schedule for yourself. Choose a time to stop responding to emails. Schedule time that is just family time. Schedule time for you alone. Set a schedule for both work and your personal/family life and do your best to stick to it.

Sometimes even one activity/class per month can be daunting when you look at your calendar, but I think we need to get back to taking care of ourselves. One day per month isn't a lot to ask. Nor is 35 minutes daily for you. That's 35 minutes out of our 960 minutes (16 daytime hours) per day. Of course, finances can also interfere in the above plan, so do only what you can manage.

And ever forget to ask for help when you need it. You may be surprised by how many people come to your aid when you reach out and ask for help.

Sometimes you have to be your own parent

Adulthood comes with multiple responsibilities. As kids we thought that grown-ups had it all. They could stay up as late as they wanted to and eat ice cream for breakfast. I'll admit I've done both, but neither were as satisfying as I hoped. The ice cream upset my stomach and left me feeling more hungry for actual real food. Staying up super late just left me more tired and grumpy in the morning.

In this way, being an adult, you have the freedom to take care of yourself how you want to. Your extra responsibility is the one you have over your own health and well-being.

Why is it that when it comes to our kids, we're all set to lay down rules and routines - and with good reason! - but when it comes to our own selves and bodies, we slack off and give in to the fatigue, the sometimes laziness, and lack of discipline; or we just don't make the time.

We know what's good for us, like eating healthy, avoiding sugar, fast food, and junk food; and exercising. So how can we advocate a healthy lifestyle for those that we love, but it's so hard to discipline ourselves?

The idea of self-discipline is huge. This doesn't mean that you have to punish yourself for eating candy, but it does mean that your decisions are contributing to your health status.

Today I want to motivate you to take control over your health and your body. Be your own parent.

Start with physical activity. This is something a lot of us have issues with, typically because we're either too tired or we don't have the time. But think about that... exercise is something that is vital to our physical, mental, and emotional health but we're too tired or can't make time for it? That's like saying you're so busy that you can't eat - which isn't uncommon! So how can we get around this?

[Journal assignment]: It's time to re-prioritize. For a couple days, grab a note pad or journal and before you go to bed, document everything you accomplished or did that day. What does that look like? First of all, can you remember everything you did during the day? Second, how many tasks are you completing that are for other people? How many items do you accomplish that are just for you and your own self-care?

If you find that list is void of anything that improves your overall health, it's time to re-evaluate your days. Start with something simple: schedule in 20 minutes for you every day. If you want this to be a workout or activity, maybe you give yourself 20 minutes for the activity, and 5-10 mins before and after for any "set-up" and/or "clean-up."

I have lazy days just like everyone else. Days were I feel tired and I'm way too comfortable to move. But I also realize how much worse I'll feel if I do nothing: within 3-4 days of being sedentary, I'm a moody mess. And that's when I force myself to get out there. Make a plan: Visualize what you think you can manage doing (yoga, a run or walk, workout video, etc), then get dressed and prep your space.

I've had to kick my own ass to get out for a run, or stay in for a workout, and by the time I'm finished, I'm incredibly grateful. There's nothing quite like the feeling of finishing something that is physically tough or uncomfortable. Even if it's only 20 minutes of yoga. Hold a plank pose for 60 seconds and see how you feel.

Second, take your To-Do list (if you have one... if you don't, start making them) and add on at least one activity that is solely for you. It could be anything such as:

• Meditation (anywhere from 5-20 minutes). Use a audio clip or YouTube video for guided meditations and body scans. 
• Brisk walk or jog (20-60 minutes)
• Journalling or writing (5-30 minutes)
• Creative projects, knitting, and crafts, etc
• Play a musical instrument
• Yoga or Tai Chi (15-60 minutes)
• Aquafit or swimming
• Read a book (not the internet)
• Try a new recipe for something healthy
• Walk barefoot through the grass
• Go for a bike ride (rent one in the city if you don't have your own)
• Make a pot of tea and invite a few friends over (or even just one awesome friend or neighbour)
• Play a sport: it could be an organized game, or just playing keep-up with a volleyball or beachball. 
• Take a class in the community (in whatever interests you)

20-30 minutes out of 24 hours per day isn't a lot to ask of yourself. Now, granted, you may be a parent with a child glued to your hip, so maybe a half hour really feels like too long. This is where a great support system comes in handy. Use the time when your little one is napping to take care of you; or ask for help 1/2 an hour per day and have someone watch your little one for you. Or, you can do your activity with them. If they're super little, they can roll around on a yoga mat, lay under you while you're in downward dog. You can use them as a body weight for doing Bridge work (lay on the floor with knees bent and feet on the floor; Sit baby on your pelvis. Keeping your upper back and shoulders pinned down, lift and tuck your pelvis, holding onto baby. This is a great quad and glute toner, and baby will think you're playing :)

Most importantly, you're also being a great role model for health and self-care. Your kid(s) will grow up aware of a lifestyle that includes healthy aspects and activities. My mom used to do workout videos all the time when we were little including those by Jane Fonda and Cher. I grew up trying to wear her ankle weights, drawing butterflies on her elevation 2x4" block of wood, and jumping and dancing to cheesy 80's background music. Fast forward to today and I have her old videos now on DVD and still use them religiously. 

All of these principles can be related to multiple aspects of our health and well-being. Self-discipline includes maintaining a healthy diet for you. Keeping up with your physio exercises. Flossing daily. Drinking an adequate amount of water everyday. Reducing alcohol consumption. Reducing caffeine consumption...

... These are all things we know are good for us but we tend to slack off more than we should. Now it's time to take care of you.

When the body (and gravity) says no

My most recent "learning experience" happened last week. I was having, in my opinion, a killer productive week. Correspondences were all caught up on; the house was cleaner than it had been in months; the yard was looking fantastic despite my lack of a green thumb and my constant anxiety of the power cord getting chopped up by the lawn mower. In addition to my research, writing and patient/clinic work, I was filling my day with tasks and getting a run or workout in almost everyday.

I knew that I should probably pace myself. I was really looking forward to a day (or 2) off this past long weekend. I wanted a day to do nothing! Maybe colour, read for pleasure, watch a movie, lounge around in PJs; a relaxing day with no tasks, jobs or obligations.

The universe, via gravity and my incredible clumsiness, made it quite clear that I was burning myself out, even if I was delighted and proud of my productivity. I took a hard fall while running. I was out with the dog, who is an excellent running companion. I took my eyes off of my path, tripped over my own feet, and fell. The right side of my body fell forward and laterally, while my left ankle decided to stay tucked where it was, and rolled.

I knew my legs couldn't get me up or hold my weight and that that was bad. I've gently rolled my ankles before but my recovery tends to be relatively instant: Give the ankle a little shake and keep going. But this time, that wasn't even a close option. So I sat. I sat in that catwalk pathway of our neighbourhood with the dog as she provided emotional support while we waited.

I had just listed to Tim Ferriss' podcast with Aisha Tyler. She described riding her bike to school and one day breaking her arm. Her dad wasn't able to come and get her so she rode her bike home - with a broken arm. Her mentality that no one was coming for her and having to get her self home with no complaints was something I channeled. I waited patiently for the initial trauma to subside, until I felt like I could actually stand and hold my weight up on my own. From there, it was a slow hobble home, with the dog still by my side, being completely patient with me.

It was only then, after sitting at home and reflecting, that I started to cry, and it wasn't from the pain. I was just disappointed. I was mad that I tripped, mad that I fell. Mad that I put myself out of running for a while. I couldn't do anything. There was no one to blame. Just my own clumsiness... and the catalyst of my own body weight subjected to the force of gravity.

First off, I'm incredibly grateful for the Canadian and Ontario medical system. Within 4 hours I had imaging (no brake or fracture, which put my mind at ease!), and was sent home with a highly fashionable (sarcasm) tensor bandage. By the time we left the hospital I felt like I could actually put weight on it again. I thought, this doc can't be serious about a 2 week recovery period. I can stand and put weight on it and unless something touches my ankle, I feel okay.

My sad ankle, all wrapped up

Then the universe chimed in again to hush my ego. I had the worst night of pain. I couldn't walk. I was cursing myself for not getting the crutches. I was so desperate that I took an ibuprofen (shocking for someone who avoids NSAIDs).

It's been a week now and I'm still frustrated that I can't be as active as I would like. What I took from this is that I need to pace myself. It's okay not to work at 100% everyday. I don't need to be busy all the time. I needed to slow down and this was the universe's way of making me do that. The same principles apply to healing.

Healing in all forms takes time. If you try to rush it, you'll get push-back. Do too much and deplete your resources, and you'll have nothing to run on later (pun intended).

The dangers and consequences of lack of sleep

Sleep is one of those funny things that most of us love, but we can never seem to get enough. On the one hand, anyone who is tired will tell you how much they desperately want more sleep. They might have to take naps, or just crave a decent full-night of sleep.

On the other hand, a lot of us also need down-time after work and into the evening. Maybe you have kids and you don't get time for yourself or alone time with your partner until after the kids are in bed. Maybe you take work home with you and work late, and therefore just don't get to bed early enough. Either way, we're pushing our bedtimes later, and our wake-up times aren't necessarily changing.

This balance of sleep, work, and time for yourself to decompress, can be really tough to achieve. Part of it is due to how we, as a North American society, view our daily expectations. Workplaces expect a 8-hour workday minimum, with more and more jobs requiring additional hours adding up to 60-80 hours per week. How on earth is that healthy for anyone?

Most of the research I have done in this area is eye-opening. Humans in general need a minimum of 7 hours per night. Anything less than 6.5 hours per night increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers such as breast cancer. (full article with references here: http://thenatpath.com/mind/sleep-deprivation-chronic-health-outcomes/)

I was reminded of these while listening to a fascinating podcast with Matthew Walker, professor of neuroscience and founder/director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science on the JRE:

(http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/matthew-walker)
I've posted a short clip below, but the full video is also found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwaWilO_Pig

Key messages were that in addition to the number of hours of sleep needed, the quality of sleep is crucially important. That evening glass of wine might help you relax, but the alcohol is keeping your system up.

As well, sleep isn't just for rest! This isn't just about letting the body go to sleep, but allowing your brain to solidify all the connections you were trying to make from your day. This is where the saying "sleep on it" comes from. Even for students who are studying - it is more beneficial for their learning and memory to sleep, rather than to pull an all-nighter. You might think you're giving your brain extra study hours, but the connections will not be made or stay the same way if you instead got a good night of sleep.

Studies have also looked at the mental and cognitive function of school-aged children, finding that children are better able to learn when school start times are pushed back from 7/8am to 9 am or later.

And what about our doctors? The ones who pull double or triple shifts at hospitals, or who have a ridiculous number of working hours during their residency? Aren't we supposed to be superhuman and push through it? Nope! The initial regimen of pushing medical residents started with one MD: a man who was able to follow these long working hours. But it wasn't because of his "mental strength" - it was because he was accidentally addicted to cocaine! And now we use this as our standard for medical students and hospital doctors.

This type of sleep deprivation can cause major issues of impairment both on the job and while driving, being equated to the impairment of drunk driving. Falling asleep at the wheel is no joke, and it's not uncommon. That's what makes this so dangerous.

These developments in sleep science should be unnerving for a lot of us. Sleep isn't something to take for granted. These aren't extra hours to allocate to whatever activities you deem important. This is about your chronic health, and the safety of those around you. Today you might feel okay with 4-5 hours, but 10 years from now your health could be facing the consequences.

Interestingly, Walker actually addresses the "4-5 hour sleeper". He says that the percentage of human beings that can actually get away with that amount of sleep per night with no repercussions is a fraction of 1% but even that number is rounded up!

There are multiple ways to help improve sleep. Walker goes into a few of them, though what's most important is keeping a routine and removing obstacles that can keep you from good sleep:

• Have a set bedtime, set an alarm if you need to remind yourself. 
• Avoid screen time, like smartphones and computers before bed. Put a blue-light filter on your devices if you must use them. 
• Avoid eating 2 hours before bed, and alcohol about 4 hours before bed (or just avoid alcohol altogether). 
• Refrain from caffeine after noon
• Keep the bedroom dark and do not allow light in from outside. Cover up electronics that have lights on them while you sleep
• Keep your bedroom cooler at night. Use fans, A/C or lighter pyjamas if necessary. 
• Work on stress management to regulate cortisol levels. This is crucial for those who find they're waking between 2-4am. 

The Mindful Bride: Part 1, Planning and Executing

I wanted to do this series on being a bride, mostly because I found my experience to be quite different than many other brides, but also to help others who may feel like they are going crazy with planning, executing, and trying to enjoy their wedding day. There are steps to health & wellness in the face of stress and change, and everyday life. Being a bride and planning a wedding is no different; It can still be busy-making, stressful, and time consuming, so we can't forget about our own wellness during this process.

Here is Part 1: Wellness Guidelines for Planning and Executing, which is more about maintaining a clear head, not getting overwhelmed, and picking your battles. Part 2 will talk about actual self-care and stress management.

***

When you're about to get married, other married people loved to give you friendly warnings about what all could and will happen on your wedding day. I was told, my wedding day would fly by! That I would barely get a chance to enjoy it; There will always be something that goes wrong or not according to plan... I listened nicely to all of these warnings but I still believed that I could influence my experience as a bride.

At my wedding a few weekends ago, I did just that. People told me I was the most organized bride they've ever seen. My florist commented several times that I was one of the easiest brides she's ever worked with. Even my photographers exclaimed that they wish every bride was like me. 

I don't want my ego spin out of control, but I had to reflect on all of this feedback. What was I doing that other brides weren't?!

I will admit that I was incredibly organized - but this was made easier when I decided how much "stuff" we needed for our wedding. Perhaps you have grandiose ideas with extremely specific visuals in mind... maybe you have family or traditional obligations that you have to bend to. The point was that my husband and I chose what was right for us, and we didn't go overboard.

Rule #1: Less is more
You might think that you need 2-foot tall centrepieces to create a proper atmosphere. I will tell you that you can get away with a lot less. I had short, skinny $2 vases from Ikea and 3 roses in each.
We could have gone overboard, which is why it's so easy to become overwhelmed. It's okay to take a few non-essential items off your plate!

Items that we passed on included:

- Specialty late-night food station. Instead the venue/caterers supplied fruit, cheese and crackers;
- Videographer. We had a family member record our first dance. It wasn't worth paying $4000 to someone to film the day for us; especially as we had made such a great connection with our photographer. Finding her took time and luck; and it was more intimate without a film crew hovering over us.
- Extra entertainment. We felt the only entertainment our guests needed was a loving ceremony, an excellent dinner, and a lot of dancing!
- Extra flowers. I asked that all the bouquets be half the size of a classic bouquet. It saved us a ton of money and no one even noticed. Remember, the bigger the bouquet, the more you/your dress is covered.
- Fancy lights or smoke machines. Extra equipment needs to be rented, delivered, set up, taken down... We were able to dim the lights at our reception after dinner. That with some amazing music (and an open bar) was all we needed to have an incredible party. No special slide shows, screens, flashing dance floor lights were necessary.
- A Calligrapher or specialty invitations. I hand wrote out all the addresses on envelops for our invitations, and I used VistaPrint for all of our stationary. We mailed out 2 cards and one return envelope. We had our directions and Inn booking information on the back of the invite. We saved paper and money! If you don't want to hand-write out your envelopes, use a label maker or your printer.
- Special DIY projects. I picked one and it was because I had made a huge mistake: I ordered twice as many invitations as I actually needed. I thought, How could I repurpose all of these card stock invitations? Then I remembered that my mom had recently bought me a book on making paper flowers. So I packed up the invites, drove to her house, and we spent a day together making flowers out of my invitations:

It started off fun, watching chick flicks and cliche wedding movies while we cut out dozens of stencilled petals... but by the end of the day we had only completed 10 flowers between the two of us. It was gruelling and time consuming. But the truth is that we were able to use them without needing 100 of them. They were accent decor, not "mandatory" at every table. I was totally happy with that... as were my blistered hands.

DIY projects are fun and great ideas in hindsight. Some of them might actually be quite doable. But don't feel like you need to put intricate work into something for every single guest - Unless you have the time, patience, and the passion for such a project.

It's okay if you want these things. It's your wedding and you can create the day however you like. But there are times when you need to let things go. They are seriously not worth it.

A friend of mine who is an incredible baker made cookies and brownies for the end of the night at her own wedding. Our venue allowed the same and I had planned on doing some baking for ours as well (otherwise what's the point of owning a Kitchenaid mixer?). But the week before the wedding my schedule got slammed - and not just with wedding stuff... but work, and family, and other commitments. I was exhausted and baking wasn't going to happen. At that point I really didn't care. I didn't even tell the venue until I arrived on the day-of. It wasn't a big deal, but I'm glad I made the decision to let it go.

Rule #2: Avoid overreacting. 

Things go wrong. People have very loud opinions and expectations.
Our planned outdoor ceremony ended up being moved indoors due to a freak ice storm in the middle of April. One of the worst storms in Toronto in years, with rain, freezing rain, snow, slush and ice all within 24 hours. We had an entire table not show up, and even our officiant was a little late to arrive. Shit happens. It wasn't going to stop us from getting married. Nothing would. There was no point in getting angry. We were still getting married, and everything in my eyes was still as perfect as it could be.

But even if something had gone wrong that was someone's obvious fault; there's nothing good that comes out of going full dragon. The important point is to keep a level head. Exhale a deep breath, and then find a solution. One of the best parts of being the bride? You have a team of people who are there for you to troubleshoot.

Our venue (which was also an Inn) made multiple errors with room bookings and didn't have the room I requested available for getting ready in. So as I had my manicure done, my sister went up to the front desk and fixed it all. I didn't stress for a second. The issue would be fixed, or we would somehow find a solution (or another room). There's always a way to make things work. The goal is to not fight the resolution.

And remember - you're getting married! This is a happy day of celebration and everyone is there in support of you and your partner! Create and nurture the positive energy that you want surrounding you on your day.

Rule #3: Let the experts do their job - and trust them!

So you shelled out a few thousand dollars on photography... perhaps hundreds if not thousands on flowers (You've seen these weddings on Pinterest!). There's a reason you're paying so much: You are paying a professional for their time and their skill. Sure, there's the cost of materials, but you sought out your specific vendors because you thought they were the best in your price range, and you seem to really connect with them.

I gave our florist an idea of what I wanted, with flower types and colours, but I honestly had no idea what was in season. She guided me to combinations that ended up being incredible. She put together the most beautiful bouquets, and they were all so simple and romantic. Even when it came to the ribbon around the stems, she made a recommendation and not only did I love it, but I trusted her that it would look amazing (and she didn't disappoint).

Trust your experts. Try to avoid harassing them with phone calls and emails with changes and demands. I'm not saying that you shouldn't stick up for what you want or what you're asking for, but keep an open mind and understand that these people work weddings for a living.

Even if it's not exactly as you had pictured it in your head, try to see the beauty in it. See the love and the handiwork that went into each piece from your vendors/experts.

Rule #4: Call upon your think tank, but avoid getting too many opinions

There were multiple times where I had to make silly little decisions (like, which font looks better for the seating chart?) and I got a little overwhelmed with indecision (mostly because I didn't care about seating chart fonts... I just wanted it to be legible for our guests). Instead of just picking something, I would call upon one of my bridesmaids, or my sister, or mom, or, if the decision was more crucial than fonts, I would bring in my fiancé. I would have 3-4 options ready, then I would ask 1-2 people for their opinion - never more than that. Any more opinions and you will second guess yourself, and now you're trying to please the crowd. Once a decision was made, we stuck to it and moved on.

There's no need to dwell on the tiniest details; but you're also allowed some help in making those decisions. Back to Rule #1: Less is more. You don't need your whole posse there for you when you try on wedding dresses or meet with your florist. Pick one person and enjoy the experience. If you find there's someone who's opinion on the matter would mean a lot to you, then go home and come back another day with that person.

For our wedding cupcakes I went by myself to put down the deposit and then brought home a few different varieties/flavours of cupcakes home for my fiancé so that he could help choose the flavour that we would serve. The point is that you don't have to do everything alone. It's okay to ask for help.

***

I understand that my situation will not apply to everyone, but I hope that these little tidbits of advice will help others beyond the typical "warnings" that women hear. A warning isn't always helpful but guidance on how to better manage the wedding planning and execution is. And that is my hope for today's blog post. I'll be posting again soon for Part 2: Self-Care for the Mindful Bride

6 products that most women would do best to avoid

I recently saw the swag bag that's being given out for those who participate in one of the Women's runs, here in Toronto. Now, don't get me wrong, I love a good swag bag. It's one of the perks of running a race.

What grabbed my attention was the number of items in this "Women's swag bag" that can actually sabotage a woman's hormonal health. Maybe not dramatically or from a single use/consumption, but long-term, or for those who already have hormonal issues.

Here are a few examples of products that most women should avoid, while trying not to call out specific brand names.

1) Commercial brand granola bars
           These are often laden with sugar; Both in the number of types of sugar and in the grams per serving. Upon reading the ingredients label you'll notice that a single product can contain all of the following: Brown sugar, Honey, Glucose, Sugar, and Glycerin. That's 5 different "types" of sweeteners in a single granola bar (as listed by a specific brand), with 5g of sugar and only 1g of protein and only 2g of fiber per serving. Shouldn't a granola bar be high in fiber?
           Additionally, we find chemical preservatives like BHT, artificial flavouring, and "modified milk ingredients." On a scale of healthy snacks, this one shouldn't even be an option.

2) "Nutritional" or Meal replacement shakes
           It makes me sick that we actually feed these to people. Sure, they're fantastic for helping certain people gain weight, but that's because each serving contains roughly 40g of carbohydrates with 1/2 of that coming from multiple sources of sugar and even more added sweeteners.

         Additionally, there are multiple ingredients that aren't well tolerated, especially as we age. 

→ Carrageenan is what researchers in animal labs use to induce inflammation. It can also be a cause of headaches and migraines for some women. 

→ "Vegetable oil" often contributes to high omega-6:omega-3 ratios in the diet - meaning more inflammation. This can manifest as IBS, joint pain, painful periods, depression, and brain fog.

→ Milk protein concentrate. Not a terrible ingredient for the average person, but as we age we lose our concentration of available lactase enzymes. Thus, as we age, we become more lactose-intolerant to some degree. For women specifically, I often recommend avoidance of all or most cow dairy as it is a common aggregator of digestion issues, hormonal imbalances, and increased inflammation.

3) Vaginal lubricants and wipes

      Vaginal dryness can often be a sign of a hormonal imbalance of estrogen. Avoid products that contain:

→ Glycerin: a sugar that introduced vaginally can lead to a greater incidence of yeast infections. 

→ Parabens like ethylparaben, methylparaben, etc. These are known hormone disruptors. 

→ Polypropylene glycol can be irritating, especially to sensitive tissue.

4) Commercially branded Hair and Body products that contain:

→ Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates: these are foaming agents that can dry out skin and can cause reactions for those with sensitive skin. 

→ Cetyl or Stearyl alcohols: avoid products that have alcohol near the top of the ingredient list if you have dry skin or eczema. Alcohol in creams or body products can be even more drying and cause eczema lesions to become painful.

→ Fragrance: fragrances that are not disclosed as essential oils are often synthetic and are known hormone disruptors. They can also induce headaches and other neurological symptoms, not just in the user, but in those around them. 

→ Parabens for the same reasons as above.

5) Anti-perspirants

       Using aluminum products to clog your sweat ducts stops you from being able to eliminate toxins from your skin in those areas. We're supposed to sweat. It's part of our homeostatic regulatory system, and part of the body's detoxifying system. If you're using products like the ones above, your body has to get rid of those chemicals like phthalates, and it does so through sweat, urine and feces. If you're excessively sweating, it's time to have the root cause evaluated. 

Read more on one of my previous blog posts and make your own deodorant! 

6) Tampons

    As a previous user, I can understand the frustration with me adding tampons to this list. But the problems that tampons can cause go beyond toxic shock syndrome. Tampons soak up everything they're in contact with; Not only menstrual fluid, but your natural vaginal secretions and discharges. This fluid is critical for maintaining proper vaginal pH (prevents you from getting bacterial vaginosis - itching, redness, and subsequent infections), keeping tissues moist and happy, and keeping your vaginal flora healthy. If you tend to get yeast infections frequently, stop using tampons all together. Some women who have other sensitivities or sensitive skin would also do best to avoid tampon use due to fragrances, bleaches and dioxins. 

The point here is to educate women and have people in general be more informed on the products they're purchasing and using in and on their bodies. 

Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie's book Slow Death by Rubber Duck discusses the environmental toxins that we expose ourselves to everyday, but also on the mechanisms our body has for eliminating them. It is an eye-opening read that I highly recommend. 

I also recommend EWG's webpage Myths of Cosmetic Safety for more information: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/myths-on-cosmetics-safety/#.Wr_BWmYZNsM

6 Ways to Prevent Knee Soreness and Injuries for Runners

So you wanna run, but your knees get too sore? I hear this frequently, and can understand the feeling. Most of the time, doing some training to start running can help but there are other considerations as well.

When I first started running I just wanted to get out there. I didn't have any accumulated running gear,  and I was hitting the concrete streets of Toronto. At first it was uncomfortable - like my body didn't quite understand how to run, or how to run properly. I thought I was in good shape, but my heart was racing, and I was sore!

Fast forward to today and my knees have become a non-concern. It takes conditioning, the right gear and the right type of run, but you too can run with less knee pain.

Here are my top tips for reducing the knee pain of running:

1) Wear really good running shoes and rotate them often.
        Purchase one pair of really great (and often more expensive) running shoes, but make sure to replace them within about 6 months - earlier if you're covering more distance in them. For runners hitting about 20-40km per week, your shoes might only last you 3-4 months. Or, you can purchase several pairs and rotate them frequently. Each pair of shoes will last longer in that way, though you may have to spend more in the short-term.

2) Strengthen your hips!
       You can relieve the strain on your knees by increasing the strength of your hips and glutes. This even extends into the pelvic cavity and low back as strengthening these muscle groups help to keep the body and joints more stable. Lunges, squats, hip adduction and hip abduction will all support this.
       Yoga can also act as a strengthening exercise for those muscles. Look for yoga videos or classes specifically tailored to runners. Christine Felstead has a great book called "Yoga for Runners" as well, and she often teaches at the annual Toronto Yoga Conference & Show.
       At the same time, beware of deep tissue work that can over relax major muscle groups. Using a foam roller on the legs - especially the IT band - is fantastic, and can help to decrease knee soreness. However, a really deep tissue massage of the low back, hips and glutes might actually set you back by a few days. It's not uncommon to feel a little too loose and wonky after a really tough massage, so be prepared to restrengthen those muscle groups.
   
3) Avoid running on concrete.
        Cement has very little give for a runner compared to a trail. If you can run on softer surfaces, opt for that! With a slightly lesser impact, your joints feel less of a shock. Myself personally, I find that I'm more sore the day after I've run on concrete versus a dirt trail or boardwalk.

4) Run with a mid-foot strike, or on the balls of the feet. 
       Running with a heel-strike may look good in an advertisement, but mechanically is murderous on your legs. When you strike with your heel, the impact of that strike shoots up the leg with a more compressive force on the knee and hip joints. By using the mid-foot or balls of the feet, the back half of your foot acts as a sort-of shock absorber. This allows you to bounce more gently, taking the pressure off the knee joint and putting it more on your muscles to catch you and propel you forward.
       The only downside to this is that some newer runners may notice shin splints when starting this technique. Doing a proper warm-up and post-run stretch can help alleviate that stress. As can magnesium, foam rolling, and using hot and cold water therapy as appropriate.

5) Consider additional joint support via supplementation. 
       Depending on your age and physical and medical history, this might include cartilage helpers like glucosamine and chondroitin; anti-inflammatory substances such as Omega-3 fish oil and curcumin; or other vitamin, mineral, and amino acid support such as vitamin C, hydrolyzed collagen, and bone broths.

6) Visit a physiotherapist
       If you're unsure about your running technique and you're getting pain or soreness, it might be time to go see a physiotherapist. They can assess your gait and stance, perform muscle testing, and then set you up with stretching and/or active motion exercises to reduce your pain and support proper body mechanics. (If you have insurance benefits for physio, this one is a no-brainer!)

How to properly take care of your feet

Our feet take us everywhere. Some of us stay on our feet all day, giving them the burden of our entire body against gravity. A lot of us love shoes, and often shove our feet into any pair that pulls at our fashion-heartstrings; But how much extra care do we take of our feet? I'm talking beyond the aesthetics of and the stress-relieving massage of a good pedicure.

Taking care of our feet can relate to taking care of the entire body. It comes down to the "use it or lose it" theory: Any muscle or combination of functions that aren't used after a period of time will degrade or atrophy. To make the body stronger, we have to use it; use our muscles, use our brain power, etc.

Think about how often you use your feet while they are bare, on a flat supportive ground, compared to when they are sheltered or braced by thick socks, cushioned running shoes, or constricting high-heeled shoes. How often do you get to feel your toes splayed out rather then squished together?

There are 19 different muscles in the human foot, and over 100 ligaments! And especially important ones seeing as how they support us while standing, propel us while walking, and catch us while running.

More of us could do with a little foot conditioning. Properly taking care of feet includes strengthening them, preventing the muscles from atrophying, and protecting other joints such as the knees, hips and all the muscles in-between that have to compensate when we have weak feet and ankles.

How can you better take care of your feet and lower body?

1) Spend more time barefoot. 
Being barefoot connects you to the ground. You can do it within your home, but it's even more beneficial if done on the earth or grass. There are actually mental health benefits to walking barefoot through dewy grass! Grounding also helps bring you to the present. It literally connects you to the ground and can be a part of a mindfulness exercise.

2) Yoga
 Yoga is an incredible practice into strengthening your feet. Allow the toes to spread wide. Plant your feet and/or practice your balance postures. A yoga practice can be a fantastic way to strengthen your feet and whole body.

3) Other exercises and recovery. 
For injuries such as plantar fasciitis, work to stretch and strengthen the feet by drawing out the letters of the alphabet with your feet/toes (one foot at a time), then roll a frozen water bottle or lacrosse ball under your foot between the heel and the balls of the feet. Drawing the alphabet requires you to use multiple muscles of the foot, while the ice or ball will help to loosen tissue stiffness, adhesions and will reduce inflammation (with ice).

4) Ditch the high heels
High heeled shoes are a menace for your feet, knees and hips. They can completely change the body's posture, and put more strain on the lower body. Additionally, most high-heels require the toes to be compressed together, completely eliminating their function in balancing the body, while significantly affecting blood flow to the feet and toes.

5) Foot massages and Epsom salt foot baths
For extra pampering, give yourself a quick foot treatment. Forget the nail polish and just give yourself (or get someone else to help you) a foot massage. Knead into your arches, and gently traction the toes. You can even precede this with a foot soak in Epsom salts to help relax the muscles of the foot (soak for a minimum 20 minutes).

Give your feet the attention and love they deserve. And even more, keep them strong so that they can prevent injuries in other parts of the body.

Changes in Digestion: Hope for those with IBS

I was trying out two new recipes last night: one was a Moroccan-style chicken stew (done in the slow cooker), and the other was this insanely good lentil recipe from "Oh She Glows, Everyday"

Three things crossed my mind during this process:

1) Is this stew going to be as good when I transform it into a "Low-FODMAP"-friendly recipe? With no onions or garlic??

2) Will these recipes taste as good if I omit the sugar (maple syrup, honey, etc) in both of them?

3) I can't believe I can eat lentils! This is amazing and weird at the same time; like when I brought back white potatoes into my diet a few months ago. 

First off, onions and garlic bring loads of flavours and health benefits to our food, so not being able to enjoy them - and even more accurately, having them exacerbate my IBS symptoms - has been a real struggle; for both cooking at home (especially for a fiancé who LOVES both garlic and onions) and when we dine out.

Staying disciplined as much as possible is not only empowering, but you're preventing the pain that these food compounds cause. Pain is a signal telling us that something is wrong in the body. And it's a signal that we shouldn't ignore.

For those with food sensitivities or reactions, you absolutely can omit ingredients that aggravate you, and still have amazingly tasting food. Both dishes turned out incredibly well, considering what was missing. In this case, the added sweeteners were completely unnecessary.

Secondly, our bodies change as we age, and what worked for you in the past may not work in a few months or years. I spent about a year on a strict paleo diet and loved it! I had a hard time digesting potatoes and legumes (in addition to gluten and dairy), so paleo was the perfect solution for me. Even my "hangry" moments decreased in frequency.

Fast forward 6 years, after the inclusion of gluten-free grains back into my diet:  My once great digestion had returned to being stormy. My body was giving me distinct signals that something was terribly wrong and that the foods I was eating were aggravating me. I had a gut feeling (pun intended) what was causing it... sugars, including certain fruits and honey, onions, garlic, cauliflower, and even too much sauerkraut which I thought was supposed to be a great fermented food for gut health. It bothered me that these things that I had eaten for so long were now a huge issue for me.

Following up with my IBS research and treatment protocols, I realized that all of the foods I was reacting to were high in FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, And Polyols), and started my plan to follow a low-FODMAP diet. This wasn't an easy feat. This is a crazy strict diet but I was tired of suffering.

And the truth is that I feel so much better than I did just 4 months ago, but it's not easy for many of us to completely change our diets. We get caught in habits and knowing what we have to give up can really bring a person down. It is absolutely a challenge.

But my point is that the gut changes over time. Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways always exist in the body, but we can modify their activation. The gut itself is a type of semi-permeable barrier that can become damaged. Our GI tract is like a whole other world, containing trillions of bacteria, all living within us. These are living organisms that secrete molecules that our body uses or obtains a signal from. They feed on what we ourselves are eating. There are so many factors involved that can change what your body reacts to and how it reacts.

There is always hope for IBS. There is always a chance that you may be able to eat things in the future that you're not able to now. But remember that there is a purpose for these signals - your symptoms - and it's your responsibility to truly listen to them and then modify your diet to best serve your body. Not only will your overall health improve, but you will actually feel better acutely. Seriously. Imagine eating a delicious meal and not feeling bloated, gassy, or having abnormal or painful bowel movements. That's what you have to look forward to :)

How to trick yourself into doing something difficult and loving it

Today I woke up with this feeling that I wanted to run hills today, and I wanted it to be a long run. I visualized what that would look like: What trail would I be happy on? What would that journey look like? And then I went out, knowing I was going to hammer out a minimum of 8km, but with a goal of 10km, starting at the end that has the greatest rises and falls in elevation. How did it go?

I did it. Of course I knew I would because I've play this same psychological game with myself every single run. The game is:

How to trick myself into doing something difficult and love it. 

Step 1: Figure out what your goal is. Listen to your body and your emotions and figure out what it is that you need. I have some days where I need to challenge myself with hill training. I have other days where I want a flat and easy path. I have days where I want a long but slow run where I can take my time, not caring about speed, but only the distance.

There are times I want solitude, and other times where I don't mind running into other people. There is typically an option for every mood and every need. If you're not a runner, that doesn't matter - you can still follow these steps for whatever your workout activities and goals are.

Step 2: Visualize the activity. Steps 1 and 2 can actually occur at the same time. It may sound hippie-dippie but the psychology behind visualizations are extremely important and lead to more positive outcomes. Before any run, I literally go through in my head what that experience is going to look like. I picture myself on the trail, moving along, in each section, hills, valleys, areas that have uneven or difficult terrain... everything. If I'm not satisfied that a particular route will be fulfilling for me that day, I try another route or another trail and see if that fulfils my goal. But the practice of mentally going through the route/routine prepares me for what I'm about to do.

Once I've made my decision and set my goal, it's set. Time to get ready.

Step 3: Get your gear on and make sure you're prepared. This step involves what I consider to be the "point of no return." Once I'm in my workout or running gear, there's no way I'm not going out. Even if it's pouring rain out, I know I'll still be glad I made the effort and got out there, but I'll dress appropriately for the weather. In this case, it also helps to visualize finishing your goal. For me, that means a yummy protein shake waiting for me at the end, a nice hot shower, warm fresh clothes and then a really awesome big meal (typically breakfast), all that will accompany my sense of accomplishment, feeling strong, and a runner's high. It's a pretty epic deal.

Step 4: Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Exercise isn't always going to be easy. It's not suppose to be. That's the whole point: you're training your body. But this is also an exercise in mental strength as well. Get yourself into a groove, relax your body where you can, and hold strong the areas that require your power (ie. for running, it's my core and hips that I hold strong, while my upper body is relaxed.) During the tough spots, tell yourself not to quit. You can quit if you want to... a lot of people do... but that doesn't have to be you. Can you go another minute? Another 5 minutes? Longer? Do you need to quit, or are you just tired of being uncomfortable? This is the game I play in my head: realizing that I don't need to quit yet. Get comfortable in your stride, get comfortable in your body, even though you're working hard! Then once you achieve your goal, you'll feel huge sense of pride and accomplishment.

Step 5: Always take that moment after you finish a workout or run to appreciate what you just did. Savour that moment. Stretch out your body and feel every single muscle. Feel your breath, and just how easy it is to breathe again. Enjoy every aspect of what you just did, and give yourself a high-five (not kidding, I do it all the time... when no one else is around or looking). Remember how good this feels. That way, next time, you can reflect back on this experience and let that be a driving force for repeating steps 1-4.

Taking a bath for your health

Baths are my secret weapon for self-care. When I bring this up to a lot of people, I often get the response of "but you're just stewing in your own filth." Obviously they haven't had a really good bath - one that is actually composed of the proper elements for physical and mental well-being.

But don't you just sit in a tub of hot water? No! If that's what you're doing, you're not giving yourself an optimal experience. It's like that old episode of Friends, "The one where Chandler takes a bath." Monica is able to create an atmosphere of relaxation with bath salts, aromatherapy, ambiance... But when Chandler tries to re-create this experience, his salts don't dissolve, the water isn't the right temperature. It's easy to overlook important details that can really make or break the experience.

Which brings me to my next point: There are different types of baths! Create the right conditions for your own personal needs. Here are some elements that can change the outcome of a self-care bath:

Elements of a Self-care Bath: Detoxifying and Relaxing

1) Water temperatures and application:

In general, hot/warm water in extended time periods (20-60 minutes) helps to relax the nervous system and your body. If you feel like you need help decompressing and getting to sleep, a hot bath is a great way to prep the body for bed.

If you're looking to invigorate your circulation and give yourself a bit of a "wake-up", follow that hot bath with 1-2 minutes of a cool/cold shower. The water doesn't need to be freezing, we're not looking to shock your system. We want it cold enough that it's a noticeable change from the bath, but not intolerable. For some individuals, even 30 seconds of cold water application is enough to change circulation, and at the least, the neck down should be exposed to the water.

Hot water tends to bring circulation to the surface, allowing your body to try to cool itself down. Whereas afterwards, if you apply cold water, you then force all of that warm blood back from your extremities and from the surface, back to central circulation.

2) Salts and Minerals:

Epsom salts, used externally, are a fantastic way of creating a mineral rich medium in which to soak your body. In particular, Epsom salts contain Magnesium sulfate. By soaking in this solution for 20-40 minutes, your body can absorb magnesium (and sulfates), which can act as a natural muscle relaxant. The trick is in adding the right amount of salts.

A full bathtub needs 2 full measured cups of Epsom salts. Other benefits of Epsom salts include a calming effect on the mind and nervous system, relaxing sore muscles and aches, and a detoxification effect on the body as it promotes pathways of elimination. Make sure to swish the salts around until they are fully dissolved into the water.

3) Oils (carrier/moisturizers and aromatherapy)

Oils are an excellent way of elevating the wellness aspect of your bath. Mix a handful of Epsom salts with some olive oil and rub gently over skin as a softener and exfoliator.
Essential oils can be added to the bath (just about 5-10 drops) as well for mood support and relaxation.

The Recipe for a perfect Detox-Relax Bath

We do a lot of detoxifying through our skin! Which is also why sweating can be beneficial and healthy. A detox bath can be accomplished just by using our Epsom salts, and by soaking for at least 30 minutes. The relaxation part will take a small amount of work on your part, to create the atmosphere you need. 

• First, you'll need to set up your bathroom: grab a big fluffy towel, light a few candles if you wish, brew a cup of tea or get a cup of lemon water to sip on while you're in the tub. 
• Try to eliminate distractions. Play relaxation instrumental music in the background, but avoid screens (tv, tablets, phones). Allow yourself this time just for you. It's your time to recharge - build up your Yin!
• Fill your tub with warm/hot water 
• Add 2 cups epsom salts, swished in bath and dissolved.
• Add 5-10 drops of essential oils
• Alternatively or additionally, you can add dried herb to your bath. 
• Add in calendula or chamomile flowers to help ease skin irritations, and ease an angry tummy; Add dried lavender if you don't have the essential oils on hand. 
• Note: I recommend cheesecloth to contain the flowers if you want to make clean-up easier in the end. You can use quite a bit of them, about 3-6 heaping tablespoons. 
• Soak and relax for at least 30 minutes. Up to 45 or 60 minutes if you're looking to relax more before bed. 
• Rinse off or just towel dry, making sure to be gentle on the skin. End with a slow gentle body massage with your favourite moisturizer or oil. Even if you don't have an extra set of hands to massage you, self-massage to apply a moisturizer will do just fine. 

One of the most dangerous things that we do in a doctor's visit

After having talked to multiple people, listening to stories over the years about people going to see their doctor, I realized that there is something crucially wrong about how we approach seeing a doctor. In fact, there is something that many people are doing - probably without realizing - that is extremely dangerous to their own health.

What is this crazy thing I'm talking about? Neglecting to provide information. I have a spot on my intake forms that asks for all previous diagnoses and medical conditions. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I spend roughly 90 minutes with my patients on a first visit and I try to get as much information from them as possible about their health and lifestyle.

What I noticed was that most patients left this area blank. However, when I asked the right questions, I got a lot more information than a patient originally disclosed - important information that I would have otherwise been blind to. Patients lie all the time. Sometimes on purpose, but often without even realizing it.

It's easy to do. We forget about things. Or we minimize them, thinking that some small detail doesn't matter.

When we withhold information from healthcare practitioners, we interfere with them making the best and safest choice for our personal health care. This includes occupation, recent travels, if you smoke or do drugs, your FULL past medical history. Even something as small as a bug bite can have huge implications.

You might not think it's relevant that you had a concussion 10 years ago, or that you had a UTI last week that has since cleared up, but to a clinician, it can make the difference in your treatment plan. That concussion from a head injury could have led to pituitary dysfunction, messing up your hormones. Or that UTI could have been caused by sexual practices that leave you susceptible to other vaginal infections like yeast or bacterial vaginosis.

I talk about this being dangerous because it is. There are some medical conditions and lifestyles that if unknown to your doctor, could leave you with a treatment plan that can do more harm than help. Getting swelling in your legs and you didn't tell your doc that you're a flight attendant? Being prescribed a heartburn medication but forgot to tell your doc that you're a vegetarian and your B12 is already abnormally low? Heartburn meds like proton-pump inhibitors can cause a B12 deficiency. Being a flight attendant with lower leg swelling may require compression stockings at work instead of just taking a water pill/diuretic.  All of these things matter.

We need to stop being afraid of being judged. If you feel put down by your doctor, judged by them, or if they make a comment to you that makes you uncomfortable, you have every right to say something and either mend the relationship, leave and find another doctor, or report them to their regulatory college. Not all health care workers are created equally. I highly suggest finding the right health care practitioners for you, so that you can feel safe enough to disclose your personal information to them.

This is also one of the driving factors of offering complementary 15-minute consultations in my office. I think it's a fantastic idea to go "shopping" for an ND. Meet with them, see if they can help you with what your looking for. Get to know their personality, ask about their education or their other experiences. And then go with your gut. Build a relationship with your health care provider so that you feel comfortable disclosing your personal information so you can get the best care - the care that you deserve!

How do you make a home gym affordable and user-friendly?

The home gym. I have to say it's probably my favourite gym. No line ups for machines, no sweaty men staring at you, no worrying about the A/C not working, or of it working too well.

The issue is that many people will argue that it's too tough to have a "home gym". They don't have enough space, or they can't afford big machines. The truth is that a home gym is what you make of it, and it can be so much more simple!

My own personal home gym is actually my living room. While in my undergrad, it consisted of a 3'x6' space between my bed and the wall where my yoga mat would fit. During my grad studies, it was my basement: a huge open space with a cold, tiled floor, and no furnishings. Just a makeshift table that my laptop sat on and oodles of basement space to do some kickboxing videos or animal flow.

Now, in my very own house, I transform my living room into a home gym. It's more affordable than you think and the only "set up" is moving the coffee table out of the way and rolling out my yoga mat:

The first thing to do is decide what you want to do at home. Maybe you just want to do yoga at home, or maybe you want to be able to do a variety of workouts. My collection consists of:

1) Yoga (P90X yoga, a few Rodney Yee videos, and Wanderlust TV's 21 days of yoga which can be streamed online for about $30 for full access anytime you want)
2) Weight aerobics: I love The Firm and all of their videos but their original ones from the 90's are by far the best workouts I've ever done!
3) Cardio: Cardio-dance-kickboxing fun, I have a collection of Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire DVD's from BeachBody's Chalene Johnson. Totally fun, and I can still manage it in a small space.

Building your home gym
The above workouts are just a small tasting of what's out there. I highly recommend visiting www.collagevideo.com to checkout a variety of workout videos. See what you like - what looks like fun and what you would be interested in doing. Based on what which workouts you want to add to your collection, you can start thinking about the equipment you need.

In general, start with a yoga mat. Something for you to work on, or stretch on. Any mat will do, though I'm in love with "The Mat" from Lululemon as it provides extra grip support and doesn't slip.

If you want to include yoga, invest in yoga blocks. These by far are my favourite accessories. They can help with posture and support, even with just sitting on the ground.

Beyond that, work up slowly with anything. Always start a new workout without any weights at all. Just go through the motions and get used to the new routine. Then work up in weight. Start with 1-3lbs. In the picture above, I have a set of 1 lb hand weights (pink), 3lb dumbbells (black), 5lb dumbbells (green), 7lb dumbbells (silver and pink), and 2lb ankle weights that used to belong to my mom.

The nice thing is that you don't need to buy 3-5 sets of dumbbells all at the start. For most beginners I suggest picking one super light hand weight (1-2 lbs) and one slightly heavier dumbbell (3-5lbs), depending on your physical strength and condition. That's really all you need to start. For a lot of videos and workouts, you might not need any weights at all.

To make things even more affordable, focus solely on body-weight exercises, (or hook up a TRX system). These don't require any hand weights at all, just your own body and your own strength. The goal is to find a routine that you love to do. That way, exercise isn't a chore, it's a part of your daily body maintenance, a fun activity, and part of your everyday life.
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Messy Spaces and Anxiety

Our environments have such a huge impact on our mental wellbeing but I find that sometimes we neglect to be mindful of our spaces due to being busy all the time. A simple example of this: a messy living space. Maybe it's your bedroom, your living room, your backyard, or your whole home. 

Things get thrown on the floor, maybe we get too caught up in work or our day-to-day and don't get a chance to vacuum or clean. Papers, books, documents pile up on counter tops or tables, and before you know it you're living in clutter. 

I experienced this first-hand over this past month. Moving into a new house (which is actually a 40-year old home) and having to fix it up and do renovations has been crippling on my own personal mental health. Worst of all, it took me too long to realize it. 

A messy, cluttered space sent my anxiety screaming at full volume, putting me into breakdowns and panic attacks on a regular basis over the past few weeks. I can't remember the last time I felt less like myself. 

When did it all click? As soon as my partner and I threw out the garbage, took out the recycling, cleared off the tables, and swept the floor. Garbage and dishes drive me nuts, but a dirty floor sends me spiralling! 

Maybe that's because I have a certain relationship with the floor. With most floors... and the ground. I have this thing where I feel better being grounded. I like sitting on the floor. I like being barefoot in the grass or on the sand. I like the option of being able to drop to the ground whenever I feel like it and doing a planck and downward dog, literally stretching next to our dog; Sitting on the kitchen floor giving her puppy massages and rubbing her belly. The ground is amazing because I have the power and strength to push myself back up again (whether with or without using my arms/hands).

The ground makes me feel steady. So having it covered in dust, debris, drop cloths, painting clothes, drywall, pieces of wood, and multiple empty cans of Perrier made me feel like my world was crashing. 

I didn't have a space -any space. Everything was chaos. And when our surroundings are chaotic we emotionally feel the chaos. 

Some of you might not understand this at all. Perhaps you're like my partner and just deal with it. You know everything is going to be fine in the end; It'll all get cleaned up eventually, right? So what's the problem?

The problem is with those of us who really are sensitive to their surroundings. Even if you're not, you might notice that just by cleaning and decluttering you feel better - almost lighter. 

Back in my undergrad and graduate studies, I would always do a huge house/room cleaning before studying. I couldn't sit and concentrate if things were messy or dirty. Cleaning my space and introducing some fresh air through open windows would make all the difference in the world. I could focus, I could concentrate, and I was at my best. 

Yes, there are things out of our control. I can't control how much drywall dust gets on our floors on a daily basis because of home renos, but I can clean up a space for myself. 

I encourage you to give it a try the next time you go to sit and work on a task, or even before you take some relaxation time. Clean and organize your space first; get rid of all the old shit you don't need. Clean out your closet(s), donate old clothes, and towels. File away all those papers or documents that have been piling up. Dust off shelves, or sweep/vaccum your floors. And lastly, if the weather permits, open up a window or door for a few minutes and bring in some fresh air. 

I don't want to encourage manic or obsessive cleaning here, but just an activity to try when you're feeling frustrated, unable to be at rest, or to concentrate on a task. Getting messy and dirty is amazing, and a ton of fun (like running outside in the mud and dirt or stretching on the ground), but a clean space can make a more clear happy mind. 

The Value of Naturopathic Care

I get it. We have free medical healthcare in Canada. Here in Ontario, our government pays for emergency room visits, surgeries, walk-in clinics, basic medical care, and for seniors, a HUGE portion of their prescription costs.

If you visit a walk-in clinic without your government "Health Card" and pay for services, a 10 minute visit with an MD can cost about $110. Yes, that's $11 for each minute you spend with that doctor. The doctor that must take your information, and very quickly use their clinical knowledge to figure out what (if anything) they can do for you.

As an ND, I realize that fees can be alarming if you're not used to paying for healthcare. However, the service you're receiving is much different than that of an MD, and we both paid about the same amount for our education (a 4-year undergraduate degree, plus 4 years of post-secondary medical education).

An ND (Naturopathic doctor) will:

• Spend 90 minutes with you on the first visit (This may range between 1-2 hours depending on the naturopath. My initial visits are 1.5 hours)
• Take a thorough health history including details on your: sleep, mood, energy, diet, appetite, stress, temperature, and more. 
• Whenever possible, treat the root cause, not just your symptoms. 
• Sure, we also want to give you symptom relief, but we focus on interventions or treatments that address the cause. 
•  Consider the big picture - treating you as a whole
• ND's tend to take all of you (your symptoms, your lifestyle, your views) into account when making a treatment plan. There is rarely a "one-size-fits-all" treatment. 
• Help you with positive diet choices for your specific needs
• ND's have a minimum of 4 years education in nutrition - a signifiant difference from the minimal training an MD gets. We can help you with hormone balancing, weight loss and specific diets for medical conditions such as IBD, PCOS, and weight loss. 
• We combine the medical aspect (blood work, physical exams, diagnosis) with the holistic: incorporating lifestyle choices to improve your health. For example, part of an ND's prescription might be 5 minutes of meditation, or daily puzzles for mental cognition and brain function. 
• We offer many additional services to your average medical care, including (but not limited to): IV therapy, acupuncture (based on Traditional Chinese Medicine), B12 injections, and infrared sauna treatment.
• Our goals are for you to live a healthier life, improve your feeling of wellness and allow you to age well. We want to you to optimize your health and be the best you. 

Our emergency medical system and public health is an absolute necessity for our healthcare, but there are times when conventional medicine doesn't have the answers, or there are no other treatments that can be offered. But there are more options available. There are always alternative treatments, whether it be from an ND, and osteopath, a chiropractor, or other practitioner.

Paying for your health now is like paying for a healthier future; paying for the tools to manage stress or anxiety; paying for someone to truly listen to you - and to everything on your list; paying now, so you don't pay in body pains and illness later. It's an investment in you. 

If you have ever said "no more junk food"...

I haven't had pizza in... it's gotta be about 4 years now, or something close to that. Even then it was a gluten-free pizza. Real pizza? I haven't had that in about 7 years. I can already imagine the looks of shock darting at me from all over the world. But pizza is everywhere! and it's awesome! Sure, it's a perfect combination of bread, sauce and gooey cheese, but for me, it'll - figuratively - make my stomach explode.

I saw the hashtag #nationaljunkfoodday and I thought it was a joke. How can anyone rationalize a day to put harmful toxins, sugars, and processed "food" into your amazing body? We only get one body in this life. You get one body to take care of, to nurture, to experience the world in. It goes everywhere with you!

Everything you put into your body is a signal. Your body does something with it. It interacts with receptors, sends chemical signals, alters your metabolism. Your body decides how to use it as fuel - burn it up in exercise, or store it in your liver. Your body takes whatever you give it and it has to deal. It has to break it down, use it and eliminate the waste.

Everything that goes into your body has an impact on your body - harmful or helpful.

I recently read a mom's blog post about how she always said her kids would never eat at McDonald's. Until one really tiring day she gave in because it was quick and it was there. I can understand the impulse to want something quick and easy when you have kids. Kids can be exhausting. But I also had a really hard time understanding the logic there.

For me, fast food is never an option. I can't even handle salads at Subway because their dressing will have me running to the bathroom. It's not real food. In my mind, fast food is not food. Junk food is not food.

The hardest part is getting to that realization and telling your body that. Your body knows that it gets "reward" signals for sugary and fatty foods, so we crave it. You've had it before. It tasted great in your mind. You were temporarily really happy. But then that feeling goes away. Maybe your body can deal with it. Or maybe you end up bloated, feeling heavy, your mind feels overwhelmed by brain fog, or maybe you go into a food coma. Food should't do this. It took me years to figure this out.

After my own gut issues, I went full paleo. For the first time in my life I couldn't believe how good I could feel after eating. I would eat vegetables, protein and a good size of healthy fats (usually avocados or a homemade olive oil and lemon juice dressing) and I felt great. I felt satiated but I wasn't bogged down. I wasn't bloated or gassy, I couldn't believe that this is what I was supposed to feel like after a meal.

I'm not here to judge anyone for their food choices, but I am here to bring awareness to our health, and to what food does in your body. #nationaljunkfoodday really makes no sense at all. It's like saying, let's have a #nationalhaveacigaretteday. One cigarette likely won't kill you, but it's terrible for you; full of toxins and carcinogens, irritating your lungs (junk food can irritate your gut), with the potential for addiction - junk food can also be addictive - sugar sure is!

The point is, as adults, we make our own decisions. You decide what goes into your body. A hashtag does not. And as for our children, we have to be the ones to teach them how to make good choices. They look to us for this information. They learn from watching us.

Dr. Bianca Garilli ND wrote a great article for the Natural Path regarding diet as the key to preventing chronic diseases in our children. I highly recommend the read!
http://thenatpath.com/food/diets/key-to-childhood-chronic-disease-prevention-resides-in-daily-lifestyle/

How to charge "light" and "dark" batteries

Okay, it's been way too long since I've posted. You'd think since it was summer that the "relax" factor would be cranked up, but as usual life gets busy, hectic, and I'm pulled in a dozen different directions.

I was sitting and trying to figure out how to juggle everything meanwhile realizing that I stopped taking care of myself the way I used to. Without a race to train for, I started putting more of my time and energy into my clinical practice but found that there was more on my "to-do" list than I had thought (a blog post being one of them - and one of the things that got sacrificed).

A friend and co-worker stepped in to offer support and I got a little Reiki treatment from her. Afterwards she told me, "You're mind is like a hurricane." And it was. I was all over the place - I couldn't keep my mind still. Everyone around me needed me for something and I needed myself. I needed to recharge my batteries. Both sets were empty and I wasn't getting the chance I needed to recharge.

What am I talking about? Charging two sets of batteries? It's how I like to think about my energy. In traditional Chinese Medicine you could equate a similarity to Yin and Yang.

My "Light" Batteries:
I consider Light batteries to be Yang in nature. Yang is movement and energy. We use these on a daily basis. Some people like coffee to help with their Light energy: caffeine gives you a boost, coffee improves mood to some extent.

Light batteries are easily charged just by listening to your body throughout the day and making sure your basic needs are met - both biological and social! Need a snack? Maybe some water? Want to go out and sit in the warm sun?

Ways to charge your Light Batteries:

• Literally spend time in daylight! Look out the window, go for a walk, get out in nature! Sit outside and get a little sun exposure. 
• Make sure you're well hydrated. When was the last time you had something to drink like water or tea?
• When was the last time you ate? What did you eat? Do you need a snack? Make it a good clean healthy one!
• When was the last time you were social? Do you need to go chat with a co-worker for a few minutes and take your eyes off your computer? Catch up with a friend; Even a quick phone call or text message to put you into touch with friends. 
• Do something that you find fun; Any activity that brings you joy. 

My "Dark" Batteries:
Dark Batteries can be harder to charge. I consider dark batteries to be more Yin in nature. They are substance/matter - your reserve energy. Like a back-up generator. When we try to take care of everyone else around us and stop meeting our own basic needs, those Light batteries run out quick and we start pulling energy from our dark batteries. If these become depleted, now we really start to feel it. Coffee alone doesn't do it. Our sleep might start to suffer, anxiety might start creeping around; we become exhausted.

How to charge your Dark Batteries - Stage 1:

• Get enough sleep (8 hours minimum). I would argue that we could all use at least one night of 9-10 hours sleep per week. Sleep is huge here. If you can't get it in during the week, make up for it on the weekend. 
• Spend time in a dimly lit room, especially before bed. Dark batteries sometimes require actual dark; away from stimulation. Keeping lights dim and screens away before bed can really help with sleep. 
• Learn to say "no". If you're being pulled in a hundred different directions or people are asking too much of you, make a list, prioritize it, and learn to say no to a few things. Other people will have to understand. This is your health we're talking about! 
• Quiet time and reflection time. Take a day to be less social. Have time for yourself. Stay quiet and just recharge. Read something for enjoyment, take a nap, do some Yin or Restorative Yoga, whatever you feel like you need. Don't push yourself too much or do anything strenuous. 

Charging your Dark Batteries - Stage 2:
For some people, Stage 1 is enough to feel better. But for others, if dark batteries have been depleted for too long, they almost forget how to recharge and need additional support.

• What have you eaten today in general? What about throughout the week? It can be worth doing a Diet Diary and look at your food trends over the past week. 
• Look to eliminate refined and added sugars. Avoid processed and fast foods. Focus on a variety of vegetables to make up the most of your plate, with healthy fats and proteins with it. Grains should be a side-dish only and I would argue that most people in this state would do much better to eliminate dairy, gluten grains and corn, as these tend to be more inflammatory. 
• Consider some nutritional support. Talk to your naturopathic doctor about adding a high-quality B-complex to your daily routine, or Magnesium malate, to assist in energy production. It might also be helpful (depending on your specific situation) to get a few weekly B12 injections. 
• Get additional support. Make sure you have someone to talk to. Find out if you would benefit from other therapies such as acupuncture or massage. 
• Pace yourself. Eliminate things that are toxic to you (food intolerances, negative relationships, etc), and then nurture your body. I'm a big fan of Kate Hudson's book, Pretty Happy, which describes the pillars of our well-being and how to re-gain that balance. Practice meditation, journal or create your own "Drawing Board" as described by Hudson. 

Remember that feeling...?

It's not uncommon for us to have issues with discipline, especially when it comes to food. That instant mouth-pleasure associated with sweet, salty or rich foods sends a signal to our brains, releasing dopamine and serotonin. We feel like we have been rewarded.

Not only do we feel rewarded, but we tend to use food as a reward. If I do (this), then I can have a treat. And we wire our brains to think that "junk" foods are rewards, even as children: "If you're good, you can have a treat." This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. If you eat healthy, your body will reward you with increased energy, good sleep, clear skin and more even moods - but our brains don't receive that signal as instantly as a huge sugar-inducing dopamine or serotonin surge.

We remember that feeling and make a choice. But what about the feeling of being bloated? Heavy and uncomfortable with an upset stomach; Maybe you feel lethargic or get brain-fog and can't work afterwards. You have to loosen the belt another notch or change into your stretchy clothes.

But there is another way to send great happy-inducing signals to the brain and through the body: physical activity. We've all heard of endorphins - that wonderful release of happy-feelings from exercise - also known as the "runner's high." If you're not used to exercise, it can take a bit to get to this point, but it becomes stronger each time you do it. The reason for that is because working your body can feel uncomfortable for a short period of time. When overheated or during sweating, we release dynorphin - a substance that helps to cool us down but that also increases the amount of opioid receptors that endorphins bind to. By increasing these receptor sites, each time you release endorphins, you'll experience an greater euphoric feeling.

Yoga is another fantastic example of activity that will give you that incredible feeling. But even yoga can be tough. Where most of us feel the greatest is at the end of the class during the final Savasana (laying on the floor). You're focused, lungs full of oxygen and the work is done. Exercising is work - it's not supposed to be easy! The point is to put your body through a little bit of stress and then as you recover your body gets stronger. You don't increase your muscle mass during the exercise itself, you "stress" out the muscles a bit and then with the proper protein and carbohydrates (and water!), they repair themselves and are stronger with that repair.

Where people tend to struggle the most with healthy living and weight management is retraining the brain. We need to learn to give up that instant gratification of "junk" foods - sugars, processed foods, processed carbohydrates like bagels, muffins, cookies, cakes, even pizza.

When you only feed your body whole, nutritious foods, you will feel better in the long run, guaranteed. One of the ways to improve your discipline with foods is to remember how you feel after those sugary or gluten-heavy foods, and this can take time. When a certain food makes you feel sick or gross time and time again, you begin to realize that it's just not worth it. Similarly, with exercise, if you make it a regular occurrence in your life (daily or 4x/week), if you stop, you'll notice a difference in how you feel. For example, if I haven't gone for a run or done any type of exercise in over 3 days, I know I get more agitated, irritable, and my body feels sluggish and stiff. So I go back and remember what it feels like to finish an awesome workout and that drives me to go and do it.

We need to reprogram our brains. Remember how good it feels to finish a workout, remember what it feels like when you've eaten clean for a week or longer. Then compare that to how you feel after bingeing on Oreos, or to how you feel after going to yoga once a week to not going at all. Get back to feeling good and don't let deceptive sugar trick your brain. Sugar should not be your reward. Feeling amazing and keeping diseases and illness away is the reward: Living your healthiest life and being able to share that with your friends and loved ones.

Do we really need to take supplements?

Supplements have gotten a bit of a bad reputation much to do with the lack of proper regulation. The media has reported that some products have been found to not contain the ingredients listed on the label, or in much smaller amounts than advertised. I like to believe that Canada is a little more restrictive than our neighbours to the south; It's common to find many "performance enhancing" supplements filled with steroids and sildenifil or similar drugs (the generic form of Viagra) at gas stations around the country.

Regardless of these incidents, there are still many great supplement companies who perform third party testing and whose products are standardized to contain the exact compounds and amounts of those compounds in each tablet/capsule.

As a naturopathic doctor I'm extremely picky with which companies I prescribe or recommend. But in recommending a higher quality product, the cost of certain supplements also goes up. So do we really need to spend hundreds of dollars on supplements? Do they actually do anything for you?

That all depends on you, your diet and your health status. Most people don't need to take supplements to survive, but they definitely have a role in optimizing your health.

Here's an example: do we all need probiotics? We need beneficial bacteria in our guts for proper digestion (and many other things!). Without a good gut microflora we experience gas, bloating, constipation or loose stools. Long standing, we may experience low mood or depression and a lower functioning immune system, including skin rashes. By incorporating fibre (vegetables) in your diet each and every day we eliminate the need to take high doses of probiotics as fibre helps to feed the good bacteria in your large intestine. However, if your gut bacteria has been out of balance for a while, taking a probiotic can help to repopulate your gut faster and crowd-out all the "bad" bacteria. In this example, taking a supplement (probiotic) will help you to feel better sooner.

Supplements in general aren't needed by everyone, but again, they optimize your well-being. Sometimes I forget exactly how many supplements I take daily - there's a lot of them! But I truly feel better on them. For most supplements, it can take up to three months to feel an effect. In some cases you might not even notice a difference but your blood work says otherwise. For example, using a high quality fish oil to manage cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

I would also bet that 90% of Canadians have less than optimal vitamin D status. Due to our winters, and decreased sun exposure, many of us don't get enough vitamin D.  You may or may not notice any differences, but when your vitamin D levels are in a certain range, you decrease your risk for cancer, bone fractures, heart attack (men), and multiple sclerosis (click here for references).

I personally would still rather take multiple supplements now than to be on medications later in life, or even right now. By taking certain vitamins and botanical formulas, I'm decreasing my need to take ibuprofen (generic Advil) or naproxen. These over-the-counter medications have been around for years and seemed benign, but we've recently learned that NSAID's such as ibuprofen may lead to adverse effects such as heart attacks and stroke, as reported to Health Canada. Now someone who takes ibuprofen maybe once or twice per year is less likely to experience this, but for females who take Advil for 1-2 days each month to handle menstrual cramps... it all adds up, and personally it makes me very uncomfortable.

Instead I'll keep up with my fish oil, B6 complex and botanical formula (and even acupuncture!) to decrease the need for these pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories and pain relievers.

So do we really need to take dozens of supplements and spend all this money on them? That's an investment I'm willing to make and I encourage you to have your supplements reviewed by a naturopathic doctor. An ND can tell you if what you're taking is the best for your health situation, and also if the product you're currently taking is the best one for your money. As an example, several B vitamins such as B6 and B12 are available as cheap synthetic forms, but also as more bio-available forms - forms where your body doesn't need to take it and turn it into the "active" form. So what's the point in wasting money on a vitamin that you might not be absorbing? This is also a huge problem with multivitamins - but that's a topic for the next blog post.

The other issue is that we confuse all supplements with being "natural" when in fact many of them come with their own "warnings" or contraindications. Your individual allergies and health issues can be exacerbated with certain supplements, so make sure that you'r not just grabbing anything off the shelf - a naturopathic assessment is crucial for your safety.

Don't let the media influence you in avoiding all supplements. There are terrible companies out there and there are fantastic, responsible ones as well. Supplements are for improving your quality of life, preventing disease and optimizing your body's overall performance. We don't all need them, but they can really influence our health and proper functioning of our bodies.