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 Health Tips

Be Thankful for the Health Benefits of Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving long weekend once again, a wonderful time to slow down and share good food with loved ones. It’s also a great time to reflect on what we have to be thankful for. Recent studies have shown that expressing gratitude has several health benefits including:

  • Decreased stress levels
  • Increased feelings of happiness
  • A more positive outlook on life
  • Better ability to cope with difficult times including traumatic experiences
  • Improved immune system function
  • Fewer visits to the doctor
  • An increase in other health-promoting behaviours like exercise and healthy eating

Here are some simple ways you can start expressing gratitude & improve your health this Thanksgiving:

  • Start a gratitude journal: Write 3 things you are thankful for every morning or night for 1 month.
  • Write a thank you note to someone. It could be for something big or small, something recent or from far in the past. Consider mailing it or even hand-delivering it to them with a hug.
  • Share one thing you are thankful for with your significant other, every day.

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to you & your loved ones,

Odette Bulaong, ND

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Don’t Be Afraid of Fiber: The Benefits Of Fiber And How to Get More In Your Diet

Don’t Be Afraid of Fiber: The Benefits Of Fiber And How to Get More In Your Dietwhole grains

What is Fiber?

Fiber is a nutrient found in a variety of foods and offers many benefits to all individuals in various ways. Having adequate fiber in your diet can promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation, especially when paired with exercise, which also provide this benefit. It does so by providing bulk and absorbing water in the gut. Additionally,  fiber might also help prevent and treat various diseases and conditions including cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and diabetes. Additionally, having fiber in your meal can help you stay full longer and is therefore beneficial for those trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight.

Where Can I Find Fiber?

You can find fiber in a variety of foods in most food groups including fruits and vegetable, grains (whole grain breads and cereals), and meat and alternatives (nuts, seeds and legumes such as dried peas, beans, soy and lentils).

How Much Fiber Is Recommended  Daily?  

The adequate intake of fiber for males aged 18 to 50 years is 38 grams per day and for women of the same age is 25-26 grams per day, according to the Dietary Reference Intakes set out in Canada. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_macronutr_tbl-eng.php)

How Can I Change My Diet to Get More Fiber?

  • Add a fruit and/or vegetable to your daily routine (can be fresh or frozen)
  • Choose whole wheat instead of white when selecting breads, pastas and rice.
  • Compare food labels when selecting breads, crackers and cereals to select the option which contains more fiber per serving.
  • Use dried peas, beans and lentils in dishes instead of meat once or twice a week. This can also reduce caloric intake and help with weight loss.
  • Add a serving of nuts or seeds such as almonds as a snack.

For more information and tips on how to add fiber into your diet or if you have a general inquiry about how to adopt healthier eating patterns, Registered Dietitian Arin Taub at Form and Function Health and Wellness Clinic will be happy to help. Do not hesitate to book an appointment at your earliest convenience.

Eat well and stay active!

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Don’t Be Afraid of Fiber: The Benefits Of Fiber And How to Get More In Your Diet

Don’t Be Afraid of Fiber: The Benefits Of Fiber And How to Get More In Your Dietwhole grains

What is Fiber?

Fiber is a nutrient found in a variety of foods and offers many benefits to all individuals in various ways. Having adequate fiber in your diet can promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation, especially when paired with exercise, which also provide this benefit. It does so by providing bulk and absorbing water in the gut. Additionally,  fiber might also help prevent and treat various diseases and conditions including cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and diabetes. Additionally, having fiber in your meal can help you stay full longer and is therefore beneficial for those trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight.

Where Can I Find Fiber?

You can find fiber in a variety of foods in most food groups including fruits and vegetable, grains (whole grain breads and cereals), and meat and alternatives (nuts, seeds and legumes such as dried peas, beans, soy and lentils).

How Much Fiber Is Recommended  Daily?  

The adequate intake of fiber for males aged 18 to 50 years is 38 grams per day and for women of the same age is 25-26 grams per day, according to the Dietary Reference Intakes set out in Canada. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_macronutr_tbl-eng.php)

How Can I Change My Diet to Get More Fiber?

  • Add a fruit and/or vegetable to your daily routine (can be fresh or frozen)
  • Choose whole wheat instead of white when selecting breads, pastas and rice.
  • Compare food labels when selecting breads, crackers and cereals to select the option which contains more fiber per serving.
  • Use dried peas, beans and lentils in dishes instead of meat once or twice a week. This can also reduce caloric intake and help with weight loss.
  • Add a serving of nuts or seeds such as almonds as a snack.

For more information and tips on how to add fiber into your diet or if you have a general inquiry about how to adopt healthier eating patterns, Registered Dietitian Arin Taub at Form and Function Health and Wellness Clinic will be happy to help. Do not hesitate to book an appointment at your earliest convenience.

Eat well and stay active!

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 Health Tips

Stay fit, one step at a time.

Did you know? Walking uses more than half your body’s muscles at once! Walking is an easy , fun, inexpensive and social exercise. For most people, aim to walk at least 30 minutes most days of the week to get the maximum benefits at a comfortable to brisk pace. It can be a safe and low-impact activity that among many things, can help to reduce stress, keep your heart healthy, give you more energy and get you from A to B. And the best part? All you need is a good pair of shoes. Happy walking!

If you haven’t been active or have a medical condition, speak to a health care professional to understand the amount of exercise that is appropriate for you before getting started.

 

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips

Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture by Jennie Cheung, Naturopath

In this week’s tip of the week, we carry on with our discussion regarding the acupuncture effect.  Acupuncture has the ability to regulate many of the body’s physiological mechanisms in nearly all systems from the cardiovasular and respiratory, to the digestive and nervous.

In heart disease and blood pressure studies, the positive effects of acupuncture are extensive.  ECG results post-acupuncture treatments typically show improved coronary circulation, greater left ventricular function, and normalisation of premature heart beats along with other arrhythmic patterns.

In addition, acupuncture has a dilating effect on blood vessels, primarily through vagus nerve stimulation, thereby a definite treatment consideration for high blood pressure and anginal pain. 

One of the main goals in naturopathic medicine is to restore what has been impaired and bring the body back to operate as a normally functioning and thriving entity – it is about living well, not just being symptom-free.  Acupunture is an excellent therapeutic and natural treatment tool that helps the body to achieve that re-balance.