By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Movember and Physical Inactivity

November is here and so is the fundraising campaign Movember. For those of you who don’t know what Movember is, it is a campaign that involves growing moustaches to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. Why mustache? They are very visual and meant to start conversions about mens health.

One issue Movember raises awareness and funds for is physical inactivity. Here are some facts:
– Inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality
– 41% of men in high-income countries do not exercise enough
– Physical inactivity leads to higher risk of cancer and other diseases

The health guideline for exercise is a three times a week of at least 30 mins of activity. If you are not getting that amount of exercise, you should consider increasing your exercise level. If you have any questions about increasing your activity level, the health care professionals at Form and Function can help set up an exercise plan for you.

Furthermore, If you want to help raise funds for Movember, you can donate here http://mobro.co/manniwong

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Talk, Health Tips

Stay Fit While You Sit!

Join me tonight at 7pm at Cornell Community Centre and Library (3201 Bur Oak Ave, Markham) for my health talk on Staying Fit While you sit!

I’ll go over how sitting is essentially a disease which plagues our society, how this affects you, and how you can counter the negative effects of sitting. I will be taking all the participants through a stretch and exercise period at their chairs as well as a question and answer period afterwards!

Come on out and take charge of your health.

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Daily Balance Challenge!

Try to balance a few minutes each day!
Try to balance a few minutes each day!

Challenge yourself to balance regularly.  Not only will this prevent falls, it will increase the proprioceptive awareness of your body.  Meaning you will take better control of your body and improve your awareness within space.

It’s simple! I challenge you to take a few minutes out of your day and balance.  Try this while you wait in line at the grocery counter, wait for the microwave, or just when watching tv!  You can start off easy with simply putting your feet together, stretching your arms out and closing your eyes. Try to hold for at least 30 seconds at a time.  Once you get to 30 seconds you can try to make the movement harder.  Once you’ve mastered 2 leg balance you can try to balance like the image above:

1. Shift weight to one foot.  Keep your arms spread out to start

2. Press your opposite foot above your knee into your thigh

3. Keep a slight bend in the knee. Balance!

4. To make it harder; Hold, twist, take arms overhead, work up onto your toes, etc

 

The more you challenge yourself the more you will improve.  Remember balance is a learned skill so just keep at it and you’ll be amazed as to how much you improve trying everyday for a week.  Go outside, enjoy the sun for a few minutes, soak in the vitamin D and work on that balance!  If you want more progressions or examples feel free to email me at jleung@formfunction.com or come on into the clinic.

By Administrator 0 Comments Events, Health Talk, Uncategorised

HDL : How to Get It Up

A cholesterol test has several components, one of which is HDL (high-density lipoprotein), which is often referred to as “good” cholesterol. HDL is thought of as the healthy cholesterol because it removes excess bad cholesterol (LDL) from your body. Men should aim for an HDL of  > 1.1 and women > 1.3, or the value recommended by your doctor.

Higher HDL = Lower heart disease risk

Here are 5 tips to help raise your HDL cholesterol:

1. Eat more foods high in monounsaturated and omega-3 fats

•ex: soy foods, seeds, nuts, ground flax, fish, seafood, canola and olive oils

2. Eat more plant protein

•ex: chickpeas, lentils, split peas, beans, soy milk, tofu

3. Eat more vegetables and fruits

•Aim for 4 vegetables and 3 fruits per day

•1 serving= ½ cup cut up raw or cook fruits/vegetables OR 1 cup of salad greens OR 1 tennis-ball size fruit/vegetable

4. Avoid foods containing trans fats

• ex: commercial baked goods, hydrogenated margarines, deep-fried foods

• Look for 0% trans fat of the Nutrient Facts Table

5. Be more active

•Aim for 60 minutes of exercise per day including aerobic activities (i.e. swimming, walking) and resistance training (i.e. weight lifting)

HEALTH TALK REMINDER: NEW YEAR, NEW YOU–Nutrition and Exercise Tips for Weight Loss is coming up tomorrow, Saturday January 18th at 12:30pm in the aerobics studio at Club Markham with Registered Dietitian Anna Gofeld & Personal Trainer Akhil Dawda. Don’t forget to reserve your spot at Form and Function front desk by phone 905-604-9355 or e-mail reception@formfunctionclinic.com.

SEE YOU TOMORROW

By Administrator 0 Comments Uncategorised

FOOD RECALLS: ALLERGEN WARNINGS FOR PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, EGGS, MILK

ALLERGEN WARNINGS:

A recall has been added to the CFIA’s Food Recall Report.

Class 1
Reason for Recall: Allergen – egg, peanut, tree nut
Product(s): Wafers
Recalling Firm: Omega Food Importers Co. Ltd.
Distribution: Alberta, Ontario, Quebec

Product details are available at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/eng/1389657741809/1389657763237

Class 1
Reason for Recall: Allergen – milk
Product(s): Kinnikinnick Foods Brand products
Recalling Firm: Kinnikinnick Foods Inc.
Distribution: National

Product details are available at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/eng/1389652842049/1389652843190

*The above food recalls are from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and brought to you by Anna Gofeld, RD at Form & Function

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Talk, Health Videos, Weight Loss Program

Creative Ways to Control Eating

One of the most important tools in the weight loss tool box is PORTION CONTROL. Being able to control the amount we eat can allow us to enjoy a greater variety of foods–even the not-so-healthy kind–and still stick to weight loss or weight maintenance goals. Try some of the creative tips from the video below to curb your food portions:

1. Use smaller plates: Our eyes are often hungier than our stomaches. Using smaller plates will make your eyes feel like you’re eating more when you’re cutting down your portions

2. Eat with your non-dominant hand: Putting in the extra brain effort will help you eat 20% less

3. Drink from tall thin glasses: Humans are terrible at judging volume. Using tall thin glasses, instead of short wide ones, will help you consume less volume without even realizing it.

4. Place a mirror in your kitchen: Literally reflecting on what you’re eating will help you become more conscious of what you consume

5. Chew fruit-flavoured gum when feeling hungry: As we discuss in Craving Change, sometimes we just feel ‘mouth hunger’–the desire to fill our mouth without the organic need to fill our stomach. Gum can be a calorie free way to curb this craving

6. Eat slower: It takes your brain 20min to get the signal from your stomach that you’ve eaten. Slow down your eating to give your body time to process the satiety signal and avoid overeating.

7. Use red plate: Research shows red dishes make people eat less, maybe because the colour is associated with ‘STOP’. So if you have a choice, like when buying disposable dishes for your next party, go for red.

8. Turn off your TV: Watching TV at mealtime often leads to mindless eating because you can’t concentrate on both the screen and your food at the same time. Simply turning off the TV and tuning into your meal can help reduce intake.

9. Photograph your unhealthy foods: Just recording food intake has been shown to help people reduce the amount of unhealthy foods they eat. Keeping a photo-journal of your unhealthy food choices can help you become more conscious of them and reduce their intake.

10. Decrease food variety: Increased food variety leads to increased desire to try a little of everything, which can add up to a lot of food on your plate. Serving the same amount of food, but with less variety, can help cut down your eating.

httpv://youtu.be/0Whvs_gSAPw

10 Amazing Way to Stop Eating Too Much

For more help with your weight loss or nutrition goals, visit https://www.formfunctionclinic.com/#locations or call 905.604.9355 to make an appointment with a registered dietitian.

Don’t wait another day, start your journey to good health today!

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Setting Healthy Resolutions

It is that time of year when New Year resolutions are starting to creep into your head. If one of your resolutions is to become healthier, stronger and more fit, then being educated in properly setting exercise goals is key to success. Here are some advice in setting SMART exercise/fitness goals:

  • Specific: Your fitness goal should be specific. You should not just think I want to lose/gain weight. For example, a specific goal would be “I will lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks via increasing my exercise to 30 mins a day, 4 days a week of 2 sessions of cardio and 2 sessions of resistance training”. In this example, it is very specific in what you want to achieve, in what time frame and how you will achieve it. Usually, it is how you can achieve the fitness goal that is the trickiest. It is recommended to consult a personal trainer or rehabilitation professional (physiotherapist or chiropractor) to answer that question. If you want to try it alone, following the above example is a good way to start.
  • Measurable: Most people use weight loss as a measurement for their success in fitness resolutions. Although valid, I recommend using body measurements. Measure the circumference of your arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs with a tape measure before, in between and after your fitness program. In some cases, your weight does not change much but there is a drastic change in body measurements as you start to burn up fat and replace it with stronger muscles. If you still want to use weight as a measure of your success, take weekly measurements instead of daily.
  • Attainable and Realistic: This area is the KEY reason why a lot of people fail with their resolutions. Their fitness goals are unattainable. Losing 50 lbs in 2 weeks is unreasonable for anyone with a job or kids. If weight loss is your primary goal, be safe and aim for losing 2-4 lbs a week. Vice versa is safe for weight gain. Also be realistic with yourself and ask if working out 7 days is actually feasible with your schedule. Try not to set yourself up for failure by making your goal way too hard to achieve. A good start would be 3-4 days of 30-60 mins of exercise. Furthermore, be realistic with your body. It’s not healthy to be 5’6 and 100lbs. Use this link to determine your healthy body weight (http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html)
  • Timely: Make sure there is an check points and end date for your goal. Know that any good fitness program usually takes 6 weeks, give or take 1-2 weeks. Have check points spread out in between. I recommend every 1-2 weeks. At these check points, reassess where you are in your goal. Are you moving towards it? Away from it? Keep going if you are moving towards it. Consult someone if you are moving away from it. You may need extra guidance and that’s common. Exercise is part of the equation but diet is also another part. You may need to speak with a nutritionist or naturopathic doctor.

I hope this post helps you start make SMART resolutions/goal. Follow your SMART goals and you will be on your way to becoming a healthier you! Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and happy goal setting!

Manni Wong

Registered Physiotherapist