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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

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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!

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Osteoarthritis

As a large number the Canadian population ages, osteoarthritis will become an increasingly common condition. Here is some information regarding osteoarthritis.

What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that involves the wear and tear of cartilage between joint surfaces leading to exposed bone on bone rubbing. It generally affects people in their 60s or 70s but can also occur in those 50s or younger. It most commonly affects weightbearing joints like knees, hips, neck and back.

Screen Shot 2013-09-19 at 10.13.28 AMSymptoms may include:
– Pain, especially prior to weather changes
– Stiffness in joints, especially in the morning
– Swelling
– Redness
– Feeling of heat around joints
– Loss of flexibility and mobility
– Tenderness
– Grating sensation between joint

Predisposing factors may include:
– Overweight
– Poor joint mechanics/alignment
– Prior joint injuries
– High impact or repetitive occupations
– Female sex
– Other conditions (like diabetes)
– Lack of regular exercise

Treatment of mild to moderate osteoarthritis involves tailored individualized exercise program that:
– Increase strength to protect the joint and minimize unnecessary rubbing between joints
– Increase or maintain flexibility to help keep joint fully lubricated
– Increase endurance to help increase ability to do functional activities
– Splinting or bracing to offset pressure on joint surfaces
Treatment of severe osteoarthritis often involves surgical intervention if conservative management is exhausted.

If you are experiencing osteoarthritic pain, come in to Form and Function to get assessed by one of our healthcare professionals. We can determine the state of your osteoarthritis and prescribe an individualized exercise program to help you minimize your pain and increase your function. Even if you are not currently experience pain, you may want to get assessed for proper biomechanics to help prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. Being proactive is much better than being retroactive!

Manni Wong
Registered Physiotherapist

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

Importance of Proprioception in Rehab

What is it?
Proprioception is the sense of relative position between joints and body parts. This sense allows us to know where our limbs are in space subconsciously. It is very important in all every day movements but it is especially important in sports where often complicated, precise and coordinated movements are required.

How does it work?
Proprioception system is made up of sensory receptors in our muscles, tendons and joints. These sensory receptors pick up information regarding tension and stretch of tissues and send this information to your brain. The brain processes this information and automatically sense motor signals to adjust your muscles contraction or relaxation to achieve your desired movement.

Why is it important in rehab?
After an injury, especially if you have been immobilized, these sensory receptors can be impaired leading to a deficit in your proprioception system. Just like a muscle can shrink or atrophy from disuse, these sensory receptors can lose function if they are not being used. With an impaired proprioceptive system, your coordination is decreased leading to hindered athletic performance and a greater change of reinjury. It is the second injury following the initial injury that often causes more severe consequences.

There are ways of redeveloping your proprioception safely and it is a must if you sustained any lower limb athletic injury. Please feel free to contact the health care professionals at Form and Function to find out more about proprioceptive training following injury.

Manni Wong
Registered Physiotherapist