Healthy Directions

FEB/MAR 2009

GET HEARTHEALTHY

HERBALCLEANSES

FEEL GOODRECIPES

Feed your Skin forNATURAL BEAUTY

FREE!

Ease STRESS and Increase HAPPINESS

y

The Top 10 FoodsYOUR HEART WILL LOVE

H E A R T H E A LT HLiving a Heart Healthy Lifestyle

10 T H E TOP 10 FOODS YOUR HEART WILL LOVECold Water Fish, Ground Flax, Tomatoes and More

18 “EGGZACTLY” THE RIGHT FACTS ON FATSNeed a Fast, Fat Fact Update?

2 0 SEEKING HEART HEALTH?Prevention Solutions at Your Fingertips

2 2 HEART FRIENDLY FRUITSResveratrol and Plant Sterols

3 6 BE STROKE SAVVYSamba with Fewer Risk Factors

N AT U R A L B E AU T YLook and Feel Your Best

5 4 FEED YOUR SKIN, STARVE YOUR WRINKLESFoods for Beautiful Skin

57 M A K I N G A N AT U R A L C H O I C ENot All Products are Really Natural or Organic

F I T F O R L I F EFitness Routines and Inspiration for All Ages

4 0 DEVELOPING MENTAL TOUGHNESSTraining for Peak Performance

4 2 S P E C TAC U L A R STRETCHINGAid Performance, Prevent and Relieve Pain

M A K E I T N AT U R A LMake Your Own Natural Products

4 6 AROMATIC DELIGHTSMake Your Own Body Products

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009

HEALTHYDIRECTIONSIn This Issue:

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8 EDITOR’S NOTE9 OUR CONTRIBUTORS

61 HEALTHY OPTIONS SHOPPING GUIDE65 COURSES AND EVENTS GUIDE67 CLASSIFIEDS

E C O L I V I N GHealthier Living in Environmental Harmony

5 8 STRAWBALE HOMES AND SHEDSAn Attractive Ecological Option

6 6 EARTH TALK Reduce Your Home Heating Bill

6 8 G R E E N E A R T H ECO EVENTSJoin the Green Movement

F O O D PA S S I O N SIgniting the Senses with Foods and Recipes

12 NUTRITION FACTS Almonds Help Support Healthy Fat Levels

3 2 H E A R T H E A LT H Y RECIPESFrench Roast Salmon Creamy Sweet Potato SoupLayered Tomato Salad

3 4 C R U N C H C R AV E R SAlmond Lover’s Maple GranolaCrispy Allergy-Free Cinnamon Cookies

3 5 A VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT TO SHARECaramelized Ginger & Almond Snack Mix

H E A LT H Y S TA R T SJoin the Journey to Better Health

14 HERBAL CLEANSEDetox for Weight-Loss and Better Health

2 8 DIABETES AND HEAVY METAL TOXICITYAre Heavy Metals Affecting Your Health?

3 9 MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR MULTIAbsorption is Essential

5 2 CALM ASSURANCE AGAINST COLD AND FLUReach Your Hand Out with Conf idence

6 2 HOMEOPATHYUnderstanding Ear Infections

6 9 AROMATHERAPYCan Scents Really Affect Health?

7 0 WELCOME TO MENOPAUSEHang on for the Ride

T H E PAT H T O H A P P I N E S SFinding Joy and Inner Peace

31 COPING WITH STRESSFood, Supplements and “You” Time

4 8 OPENING THE SACRED HEARTOjas, Life’s Nectar

5 0 TURNING WORK INTO PLAYA New Perspective for Joy and Productivity

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8 Healthy Directions Feb/Mar 2009

“Inspiration may at times seem elusive. OfGreek origin, the word inspiration

translates literally into meaning“breathed in”.

When the clouds come in,inspiration can seem lost behind

anxiety about: the economy,relationships, a smaller bottom line, health

issues, losing a job or making ends meet. While we can feel inspired by great art or the

words of great writers, here’s a breathtakingrealization. Inspiration is everywhere, all around us,

for everyone.Perhaps, it is tapped into most easily in silence. Maybe

there is a clue in the literal meaning of the word itself tofinding it. In a moment’s deep breath, exhale the thoughtsaway and inspiration can suddenly appear in a child’s smile,a new innovation, a cat’s purr, or a row of frost coveredpines.

Breathe some life into others by offering a helpinghand to those in need by volunteering. Who knows? You

just might even inspire others. Learning or tryingsomething new can also give you a lift and lead tonew joys and opportunities.

Simply indulging in one or two of life’s little luxuries like a cup of tea, or arelaxing bath can also be the catalyst needed to help change your perspective andfind solutions.

So, take a deep breath of life. It is through inspiration, that we can makeneeded changes, see the beauty around us, find the strength to start again, or findthe strength to keep going. What are you holding your breath for?

This issue we offer some inspiring ideas on how to: live a more heart healthylifestyle, ease stress, ease pain, improve work performance and joy, herbal cleanse,as well as, feel and look your best.

At Healthy Directions we offer researchedinformation that contributes to living

a healthy life in mind, body and spirit, as well as, a more

Earth-friendly existence.

Healthy Directions is an independent journal produced by Cousins Publishing, six times a year. All content is copyrighted by Cousins Publishing. ISSN 1488-6308

IMPORTANT : Always seek the opinion of your medical doctor before starting any complementary health program. Any information contained herein is intended towards that purpose; thus Healthy Directions and its contributing writers will not be held liable should this advice not be followed.

Feb/Mar 2009Vol. 10 No. 2Circ: 100,000

EditorCharleen Wyman

[email protected]

Advertising Sales:Jon Cousins

1-877-276-1849 [email protected]

Check out our website:www.HealthyDirections.ca

Become a fan or start a live discussion: Look us up at Healthy Directions Magazine

on www.facebook.com.

Editorial:Written contributions and photos are

welcome. However, all content is subject to editorial review.

E d i t o r ’s N o t e

Charleen Wyman BA Journalism, BA EnglishEditor, Healthy [email protected]

Yours in health and happiness,

Contributing WritersDoug Cook RD, MHSc, CDE, RoseMarie Pierce B.Sc.Pharm,

Cara Rosenbloom RD,Claude Gallant PhD Microbiology,

Michelle Honda PhD,Mark Schneider, Certified Nutritional Practitioner,

Thomas Nissen, Lisa Carlini,Joel Thuna, Norm Danniels,

Jason Selk M.Ed., LPC, NCC,Anne Clossen, Thai Massage Practitioner,

Trish Green, Matthew Remski,Kevin Carroll,

Tom Stokes PhD Biochemistry, BSc,Allison Tannis BSc, MSc, RHN,

Lyn Bosman,Russell Scott,

Raisa Weisspapir HD,George Shurepa N.H.C, H.T. and

Dini Petty

Healthy Directions Feb/Mar 2009 9

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Doug Cook RD, MHSc, CDE is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and Certified DiabetesEducator who currently works at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, and as a nutrition consultant.He practices a holistic and integrative approach providing science-based guidance on food anddiet along with nutritional supplements and natural health products where appropriate. Herecently co-authored Nutrition for Canadians for Dummies (Wiley, 2008). In addition, he hasserved as the nutrition expert for the Ministry of Health’s website: healthyontario.com. Visit hiswebsite: www.wellnessnutrition.ca.

RoseMarie Pierce BScPharm is a holistic pharmacist with more than 40 years experience inboth conventional and natural medicine. Currently, she counsels and lectures on holistic health,specializing in hormonal balance and mind/body vitality. Pierce began her interest in naturalmedicine during her university studies in pharmacy at Dalhousie University. Her enthusiasm forphyto-pharmacy, nutrition, and the use of vitamins and minerals to support the healing of thehuman body defined her early pharmacy career. For more information on this popular writer,lecturer and hormonal health specialist, visit her website at www.sunstreams.ca.

Matthew Remski is a certified Ayurvedic Health Educator (advanced level) through theAmerican Institute of Vedic Studies. He runs Canada's only Ayurvedic Health EducationCertification program, is co-director of Yoga Festival Toronto, teaches at the Canadian Collegeof Naturopathic Medicine (CE), and is co-owner of Renaissance Yoga and Ayurveda indowntown Toronto.

Michelle Honda PhD practices at Renew You Holistic Health in Ancaster/West Hamilton. Inaddition to her doctorate, she holds an advanced degree in nutrition (RNCP), is a MasterHerbalist and an IIPA Certified Iridologist. Clinic: www.renewyou.ca (905) 304-0111 Blog: www.michellehonda.com

Allison Tannis MSc, RHN is a nutritional scientist and author of the best-seller Probiotic Rescue(Wiley, 2008). and Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles (Fairwinds, 2009). Tannis is also a registered holistic nutritionist practicing in southern Ontario. Visit allisontannis.com.

Kevin Carroll is the acclaimed author of Rules of the Red Rubber Ball and What’s Your RedRubber Ball?. He travels around the globe speaking to businesses and to young people about theimportance of sport and play in life. Kevin Carroll’s blog is at: www.kevincarrollkatalyst.comand The Red Rubber Ball at Work web site is: www.rrbatwork.com. He is an advisor to manyorganizations that use sports and play as a transformative tool including: Nike, Disney/ESPN,Gap/Old Navy, Mattel, Proctor & Gamble, and Capital One, and he has spoken at the UnitedNations.


By Doug Cook RD, MHSc., CDE

The Top 10 FoodsYOUR HEART

WILL LOVEMaking heart-healthy food choices is a very important part of

the overall strategy when it comes to preventing or at least delayingheart disease and minimizing the impact of existing disease. Dietcan help to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and toraise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the two mostimportant diet-related risk factors, but diet can also help to preventheart disease by reducing other risk factors, such as, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, reducing the incidence of insulinresistance, and helping to manage existing diabetes (all of whichincrease the risk for heart disease).

Diet can help to protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation makingit less atherosclerotic, and antioxidants can help to maintain andimprove blood vessel health.

COLD WATER FISHSardines, salmon, herring and mackerel are by far the best

sources of the heart healthy omega-3 fats: EPA and DHA. Whilewhite fish, such as, halibut or cod is better than not including anyfish, the rule of thumb is, the fattier the fish, the better. Omega-3 fatshave been shown to reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke. Theyhelp to reduce inflammation and to help keep the blood ‘thin’ so thatit can flow through the arteries and veins more easily. Aim to have atleast 3oz of fish, three times a week.

GROUND FLAX AND CHIAThese seeds are a great source of fibre which can help to keep

blood cholesterol and blood sugar balanced in a healthy range. As abonus, the fibre helps to promote regularity. These foods are also a

great source of the plant-based, omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenicacid or ALA. ALA is an essential fat needed to optimize health

and flax and chia are also a great source of antioxidantswhich help to reduce LDL oxidation and oxidative

damage of the blood vessels. Aim to have 2 –3 tablespoons per day.

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TOMATO PRODUCTSCooked tomato products, such as, paste, sauce, and juice are a

great source of highly absorbable lycopene; a carotenoid like beta-carotene. Higher intake of carotenoids have been shown to protectagainst coronary heart disease. Lycopene, one of the strongestcarotenoid-antioxidants, reduces LDL oxidation. Oxidation isresponsible for making LDL cholesterol more ‘sticky”, enhancingatherosclerosis. Include tomato products weekly and/or at least fourhalf cup servings of tomato juice or vegetable cocktail a week.

KALE, SPINACH & COLLARD GREENS

Dark leafy greens like these including Swiss Chard are the bestsources of lutein, another carotenoid. Lutein, like all carotenoids, isa powerful antioxidant, but research is showing that lutein has theunique ability to reduce the thickness of blood vessels which is theresult of cholesterol build-up within the artery walls. Somethingreferred to as intimal thickness is the technical term for plaques. Insimplest terms, lutein helps to reverse some of the narrowing ofblood vessels. Aim to have at least three half cup servings per week.

DARK CHOCOLATEDark chocolate contains cocoa. Cocoa is a source of

phytochemicals called polyphenols. Some 4000 different types ofpolyphenols have been identified in nature and they are alsoabundant in tea, apples, berries, olives, olive and hemp oils, grapesand red wine. Cocoa polyphenols have been shown to increase bloodflow, reduce platelet aggregation (think less sticky), are powerfulantioxidants and like lutein have been shown to reduce intimalthickness. Just 40g of 70% dark chocolate a day will do. I prefer 85%dark chocolate for more bang for your buck.

COLD-PRESSED EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE & HEMP OIL

These oils are a great source of monounsaturated fats whichhelp to raise HDL cholesterol and both the green colour andastringent taste are due to the high levels of, you guess it, phenoliccompounds [more polyphenols]. Hemp is unique that it is also asource of gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, a heart healthy fat withanti-inflammatory properties. 1-2 teaspoons a day is a good start.Remember not to heat these oils in order to get the most benefit.

GREEN TEAAll tea has more of those awesome polyphenols but green tea

has the most. Matcha green tea is even better. This is what’s used intraditional Japanese tea ceremonies. The dried green tea leaves areground into a fine powder and because the whole tea leaf isconsumed, the amount of polyphenols one gets is enormously morethan that of bagged green tea. Drink daily.

BERRIESDark, richly coloured berries and fruit, such as, blueberries,

strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, as well as,purple grapes, acai and pomegranate are rich in antioxidants whichhave been shown to reduce LDL oxidation and reduce inflammation– key to reducing the risk for heart disease. Aim to have one half cupserving daily.

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Food can be an ally againstheart disease. Diet changes canhelp lower LDL cholesterol and

raise HDL cholesterol.


RAW NUTS AND SEEDSBy keeping them raw, nuts and seeds: maintain higher amounts

of vitamin E and the heart healthy oil MUFA, and are not degraded oraltered. Nuts and seeds are also a great source of phytochemicals andmagnesium, a mineral that helps to relax blood vessels, opening themup for greater blood flow. These are high in calories; so, the amountone can eat, depends on one’s energy requirements, but almosteveryone can afford to have a quarter cup each day.

WHEAT GERM & WHEAT GERM OIL

Wheat germ is the best food source of natural vitamin E. Try touse raw wheat germ where possible, vitamin E is heat sensitive.Vitamin E helps to reduce LDL and blood vessel oxidation. Wheatgerm oil comes as supplements. Wheat germ can be sprinkled onsalads, stirred into yogurt, smoothies or oatmeal. Aim for 2-3teaspoons per day.

Doug Cook, RD MHSc CDE is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist andCertified Diabetes Educator who currently works at St. Michael’s Hospital inToronto, and as a nutrition consultant. He practices a holistic and integrativeapproach providing science-based guidance on food and diet along withnutritional supplements and natural health products where appropriate. Herecently co-authored Nutrition for Canadians for Dummies (Wiley, 2008).Visit his website: www.wellnessnutrition.ca.

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American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Reports Almonds’ Impact on Triglycerides

The Almond Board of California, www.almondsarein.com,maintains simple changes in one’s diet can help overcome dietarychallenges. One way to improve heart health is to make dietarychoices that reduce triglyceride levels, an established risk factorfor developing heart disease.

With an invested interest in heart health over the course ofnearly two decades, the Almond Board funded its most recentstudy to investigate heart health risk factors, namely hightriglyceride levels. During the study, human subjects consumedmuffin products made with pieces of whole almonds, compared tothose made with oil. Researchers witnessed a delayed release offats from the almonds into the body, which resulted in a lower risein triglyceride levels.

“This new study published in the American Journal ofClinical Nutrition, expands upon previous cardiovascular researchby investigating not only how the plant cell wall may impact how

fats are absorbed into the body, but also the potential impact onacute changes in triglyceride levels,” noted Dr. Sarah Berry,Nutritional Sciences Division, Kings College London, UnitedKingdom. “The data suggests an intact plant cell wall, as foundin whole almonds, may impact on how much and how quicklyfat is released into the blood, contributing to a lower acute rise inblood triglyceride levels.”

Researchers at King’s College in London discovered that theincrease in plasma triglycerides levels was lower after eating ameal that included muffins made with pieces of whole almondsthan muffins made with oil-based fat sources, like almond oil andsunflower oil.

“These findings further indicate that almonds play a vital rolein supporting a healthy heart,” said Gina Sunderland, aRegistered Dietitian at the Action Physiotherapy & WellnessClinic in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “With the new year upon us,Canadians will be focusing on resolutions, such as, achieving andmaintaining a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating almonds into abalanced diet will help with achieving that goal.”

Eating Almonds Helps SupportHealthy Fat Levels

NUTRITION FACTS


Do you need to shed some extra body clutter? Body clutter is not just about weight issuesand the accumulation of fat! Toxins are stored in the liver and in fat cells; acids and cellularwaste can build up in tissues and organs causing swelling and edema. The intestinal tract,especially the large colon can accumulate vast amounts of fecal build-up adding 25 extra poundsof weight or more around the middle.

By consuming poor quality, low in fibre, refined and even toxic food the digestive systemis weakened. Food will not be digested properly, leaving remains that attract parasitic,pathogenic micro-organisms. Stress and drugs make the situation worse. The intestinal wallbecomes inflamed and weakened, allowing toxins and partly-digested food into the blood. Thiscan provoke immune system reactions and even exhaustion of the liver. The organs ofelimination can be overwhelmed. Following the excesses of the holiday season, many peoplebecome aware that they need a good detox or clean-out.

By RoseMarie Pierce B.Sc.Pharm

HHeerrbbaall CClleeaannssee ttooREJEUVENATE

Detox Aids

WeightLoss!

DO YOUR NEEDTO DETOX?

If you answer “yes” to three of more ofthe following questions, you couldbenefit from a detoxification treatment:

• Are you overweight? Do you overeat or crave sugar?

• Do you suffer from constipation, indigestion, bloating or gas?

• Do you have recurring colds or flu, excess mucous or congestion?

• Do your often suffer from headaches, fatigue or poor memory?

• Do you have food or environmental allergies?

• Do you suffer from itchy, flaky skin or scalp?

• Do you often eat instant foods,fast foods or fried foods?

• Do you often take prescriptionor non-prescription drugs?

Keep your first detoxificationexperience positive by making it fairlyshort in duration and not too drastic achange from your usual lifestyle.

Start by eating a cleansing diet forup to seven days, this will lighten thedigestive system’s load and help start thedetoxification process.

A cleansing diet usually includesfoods that are antioxidant and mineral-rich which helps to neutralize acidwaste.

HOW TOCLEANSE


CLEANSING GUIDELINES• Avoid starchy vegetables like white potatoes, corn, and mallow.• Minimize soy milk, dairy products and avoid cheese.• Go organic, or wash pesticide residues with a veggie-wash.• Eliminate all sugars, saturated fats, salt, additives, caffeine, alcohol, refined foods, andpackaged or processed foods for one week out of the month.• Avoid animal protein in favor of vegetarian protein, good choices: beans, soy that isfermented, hemp protein and sprouted ancient grains - quinoa, millet.• Avoid heavy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, crackers, chips - consume more whole grains:brown rice, kamut, spelt.• Use olive oil and omega-3 oils (flax seed and fish) and cook with coconut oil.• Drink eight to 14 glasses a day of pure water and herb teas.• Fill up on green vegetables, sea vegetables and colourful fruits they contain: soluble fibre,alkalizing minerals, chlorophyll and a wide variety of detoxifying antioxidants – fortify withgreen-food powders. • Include nutritious smoothies with berries or berry powdered extracts.• Enjoy the juice of one-half lemon each morning.• Chew slowly (as good digestion begins with the enzymes in your mouth) and take a goodquality, plant-based digestive enzyme with each meal.• Boost your body’s cleansing ability with cleaning herbs or a detox kit that supports the colonand the other organs of elimination.

If interested in clearing the internal clutter out of the body and achieving real, permanentweight-loss, take one week out of every month to focus on cleansing. Include a gentle exerciseroutine to help increase blood and lymph circulation. Consider, adding a gentle herbal detoxkit to your cleansing diet to support the organs of elimination.

For more information on the value of cleansing, see: www.recleanse.com. The following link containsreferences to yoga and healthy movement activities to help promote a balanced and enjoyable cleansingexperience, http://www.yogadirectorycanada.com.

RoseMarie Pierce, B.Sc.Pharm, is a holistic pharmacist with more than 35 years experience in bothconventional and natural medicine. She is a highly respected lecturer, writer, and media personalitywithin the natural health industry. Currently, she counsels and lectures on holistic health, specializing inhormonal balance and mind/body vitality. RoseMarie acts as a catalyst for individuals who wish toimprove their health, experience vitality and realize their potential. For more information visit herwebsite at www.sunstreams.ca.

HOW THE BODYDETOXIFIES

Normally, the body has its owninternal de-cluttering system, continuallydetoxifying, pollutants, cellular by-products, harmful chemicals and toxicwaste. Here’s how.

KIDNEYSThe kidneys eliminate fluid wastes,

maintain electrolyte balance and purify thebloodstream by detoxifying medications,free radicals and toxins found in the blood.

LIVERThe liver is our most important

detoxifier, as it neutralizes poisons. Whatit cannot render harmless, it stores -protecting the rest of the body from harm.

COLONThe colon eliminates solid wastes and

absorbs water from foods.

LUNGSThe lungs act as a site of blood

filtration and eliminate toxic gases witheach respiration.

SKINAs the largest eliminative organ,

every pore of the skin is an escape routefor waste material.

For ongoing cleansing support on a daily basis, incorporate the following morning routine upon rising.

INGREDIENTSone-half lemon16 oz of pure water1 ounce aloe vera juicea pinch of high trace mineral sea saltsweeten with pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONSSqueeze the juice of one-half lemon into 16 oz of pure water. Add an ounce

of aloe vera juice and small amount of high trace mineral sea salt. Sweetenslightly with pure maple syrup. Shake vigorously and drink.

A QUICK, DAILYCLEANSING RECIPE


If your knowledge about dietary fat comes fromthe same era that introduced neon legwarmers,breakdancing and Jane Fonda’s Workout, then it’s timeto update your information. In the 1980s, healthprofessionals recommended low-fat and cholesterol-free diets for optimal heart health. In the 25 years sincethen, our knowledge about fat has changed, but somepeople still rely on outdated information. This primeron fat will update your knowledge about this importantnutrient.

FAT IS ESSENTIALScientists have long known that fat is vital for a

healthy diet, but recommendations on the type andamount of dietary fat have changed over the years. In1982, Canada’s Food Guide encouraged people to“select foods with limited amounts of fat.” Since then,emerging science has taught researchers that while fatintake should be 20-35% of total daily calories (50-80grams/day in a 2000 calorie diet), it is the type of fatand not only the amount that impacts overall health.Data from Statistics Canada shows that Canadianscurrently eat about 30% of calories from fat, so; we’realready in line with the recommendations regardingquantity. The trouble is that many people still choosethe wrong types of fat.

Fat can be “good” or “bad” depending on theeffect it has on heart health. Studies show thatchoosing more “good” monounsaturated andpolyunsaturated fats instead of “bad” saturated andtrans fats can help decrease the risk of developingheart disease. In the 2007 Food Guide, Canadians areencouraged to “include a small amount – about 2-3tablespoons - of unsaturated fat each day,” a radicalchange from the 1982 advice.

By Cara Rosenbloom RD

“Eggzactly”What YouNeed to

Knowabout Fats!


STUCK INTHE 80s?

BAD FATSExcess intake can raise bloodcholesterol levels and increaseheart disease risk.• Saturated fat: found in dairy products(cream, butter, cheese), meat, poultry skin

• Trans fat: found in foods prepared withpartially hydrogenated oils, such as,donuts, fries, packaged foods

GOOD FAT Eating “good” fats can helpreduce blood cholesterol levelsand lower heart disease risk• Monounsaturated (omega-9): found inolive, safflower and canola oils, avocado,nuts (particularly almonds, pecans,hazelnuts)

• Polyunsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6): found in sunflower, soy and flax oils,walnuts, fatty fish

• Omega-3 fats are particularly hearthealthy, since they can help lower bloodpressure and triglyceride levels, two riskfactors for heart disease.

Get the New FAT FACTS

FAST!THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED

We should leave most of our 80s-learned fat and cholesterol knowledge in the past,along with hair-sprayed bangs and acid-washed jeans. However, it seems that mostCanadians aren’t ready to let go just yet.

In the recent Tracking Nutrition Trends survey conducted by the Canadian Council ofFood and Nutrition (CCFN), it was found that 63 percent of Canadians still erroneouslybelieve that the amount of cholesterol they eat is the major factor that affects their bloodcholesterol levels. This nutrition myth, which was held as gospel in the 80s is untrue. In fact,dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol levels. Blood cholesterol is raisedby diets that are high in saturated and trans fats, not by eating foods that contain cholesterol.

And, eggs are okay to eat! Dietary advice in the 1980s suggested a cut-throatelimination of eggs, since it was believed that the cholesterol-containing yolk was a majorcause of high blood cholesterol. This is another myth. A recently published study followedpeople over a 20-year period and found that regular egg consumption (seven eggs per week)did not increase cholesterol levels or the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

TRANS FAT FACTS In 1984, consumer advocacy groups campaigned against the use of saturated fat in fast-

food restaurants and, in response, most fast-food companies begin using trans fat instead.This was thought to be a perfect solution since trans fat, which is made from oil, wasconsidered “unsaturated.” Fast forward 25 years, and we now know that trans fat is evenworse for heart health than saturated fat, since processing oil to create trans fat changes itsstructure and health profile.

CCFN’s Tracking Nutrition Trends survey showed that 80 percent of Canadians try toselect foods that are low in trans fat, though less than one third knows that trans fat is as badas saturated fat (or worse). Education in this area is still needed, and CCFN’s 2009 mandateincludes continued consumer education about good and bad fats.

BOLDLY INTO THE FUTUREFat is not the enemy we once thought it was, and you can now confidently leave your

1980s fat knowledge in the past. You can still listen to Duran Duran cassettes or watch re-runs of Family Ties, but now you’re armed with the knowledge that you should eat moreunsaturated fats, limit saturated and trans fat, and enjoy eggs for breakfast once again (theomega-3 enriched kind, of course).


A majority of women (over 60%) think that breast cancer is thebiggest threat to their health where in fact heart disease is thenumber one killer of women by a large margin. Heart disease iscaused by a buildup of plaques (fats & cholesterol) on artery walls,narrowing them (called atherosclerosis) and slowing blood flow tothe heart.

As arteries age, they harden, lose elasticity and narrow. Plaquenarrows them further, preventing blood, oxygen and nutrients fromgetting to your heart. Severe partial blockages and full blockageslead to heart attacks, causing permanent damage to your heartmuscle. Other heart diseases include high blood pressure, stoke andrheumatic heart disease.

Women tend to have heart attacks in their fifties which is almosta decade later than in men. In addition, most women that sustain

heart attacks report different symptoms from men, such as, fatigue,sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, back pain, indigestion andanxiety whereas only 30% of woman have the typical male heartattach symptoms (chest discomfort, sharp chest pain). Because theyare typically older when they occur and they don’t recognize thesymptoms (and seek immediate treatment), women have a lowersurvival rate then men after heart attacks.

Over 80% of Canadians lead a lifestyle with risk factors forheart disease or stroke (smoking, alcohol consumption, physicalinactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol,diabetes, high sodium diet, high fat diet). Personal behavior andlifestyle modifications can dramatically lower your risk of heartdiseases.

Seeking Heart Health?

By Claude Gallant PhD Microbiology

The Answers for Prevention at Your Fingertips

Seeking Heart Health?


AVOID TOBACCO USEAvoid tobacco use and second-hand smoke because smoke

damages your arteries. Prevent and control high blood cholesterol(Adults should have their cholesterol levels checked regularly).Control your blood pressure (women with high blood pressure arefour times more likely to have heart disease than women with normalblood pressure). Achieve and maintain a healthy weight (over 50% ofCanadians are overweight and almost 25% are obese). If you areoverweight, lose weight by increasing your physical activity andreducing your caloric intake.

EAT A HEALTHY DIETEat a healthy diet with fresh fruits and vegetables (nutrient

dense foods, not calorie dense foods), rich in nutrients andantioxidants, generally the brighter the color, the better antioxidant,vitamin and mineral content.

Cut the salt. We eat too much salt (sodium). The average NorthAmerican eats almost twice the safe level each day. Packaged,processed foods are a significant source of sodium; so, be carefuland read labels before you buy.

Fill up on omega-3s. Omega-3s, specifically EPA and DHAreduce triglycerides (fats in your blood), increase “good” cholesterollevels, and are also anti-inflammatory, helping reduce plaquebuildup.

Bulk up on fiber. Virtually all Canadians are fiber deficient. Ithelps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, improving circulationand reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Experts suggest adaily intake of 25-38g of fiber daily, but a typical Western diet onlyprovides about half of that. Add fiber supplements to your foods toboost your intake.

HELPFUL FOODS AND SUPPLEMENTSIf you are deficient in vitamin D, then you are twice as likely to

have a heart attack or stroke. Adequate vitamin D also facilitatesabsorption of some forms of calcium, vital to women all throughouttheir lives.

Don’t forget your coenzyme Q-10. Also called CoQ10,ubiquinone, or ubiquinol. CoQ10 helps reduce your risk ofatherosclerosis and heart disease by improved energy production incells, inhibiting blood clot formation. Additionally, it is anexceptional antioxidant.

Drink your green tea. Numerous trials show that regularconsumption of green tea reduces risk of atherosclerosis and heartdisease. Tea lowers your total cholesterol and raises your “good”cholesterol.

Forget your breath, eat garlic. The active component found ingarlic is a sulfoxide called alliin which is further converted to allicinand other active metabolites when the bulb is ground. Many studieshave shown reductions in total blood cholesterol and particularly“bad” cholesterol with the regular consumption of garlic,particularly in those who regularly consume it raw.

OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDERManage your diabetes. People with diabetes have a much higher

risk of heart disease. Don’t drink too much alcohol. Drinkingexcessively increases your risk to have high blood pressure, heartattack and stroke. Even a single binge is dangerous. Reduce yourstress level at home and at work. Calm down, you’ll live longer.

Remember that heart disease is a silent killer, you may not knowyou have it until it is too late. Have regular check-ups and blood testswith your health care provider and make sure you check all yournumbers (weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterollevels).

Achieving a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be overwhelming.Everyone can start by introducing small changes in their daily habits.Follow a sensible, realistic plan to help you reduce your chances ofhaving a heart attack and keep you in good health. Every risk factoryou reduce is one step forward and you are the healthier for it!

Claude Gallant holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University ofCalgary. She also has post-doctoral training in Molecular Biology andBacterial Pathogenesis. She published research papers in well-respectedinternational journal in the field.


Studies abound today on the health sustaining compounds thatplants have to offer. Receiving a great deal of attention are thephytosterols (plant fats) and resveratrol (an antioxidant), in the areaof their enormous cardiovascular support.

Resveratrol is a phenolics compound possessing strongantioxidant properties. Some plants produce resveratrol in responseto environmental stressors involving injury, fungal and insectinfection. Resveratrol is a fat soluble compound, first noticed byscientists when its presence was found in red wine. Speculation roseamong researchers wondering if this was the key element as to theexplanation of the “French Paradox” in the area of cardiovasculardisease. In addition to being cardio protective, intense interest of thisantioxidant prevails following significant studies for its anti-agingand anticancer properties.

1

BENEFITS OF RESVERATROLResveratrol inhibits vascular cell adhesion. Atherosclerosis is

now viewed as an inflammatory disease directly associated withmyocardial infraction (heart attack). One of the precursors todeveloping atherosclerosis is the accumulation of inflammatorywhite blood cells, adhering to the arterial wall by “vascular celladhesion molecules”. Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit themanifestation of adhesion molecules in studies and assists inpreventing blood vessel damage.2

INHIBITS PLATELET AGGREGATIONPlatelets are part of our blood matrix, essential for the clotting

process when blood vessels are ruptured or their lining is injured.However, when they group together and form a mass this is one ofthe first steps in the formation of a blood clot that can obstruct acoronary or cerebral artery, resulting in myocardial infraction orstoke. Resveratrol has been found to inhibit platelet aggregation.3

REDUCES HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELSResearch indicates a definite risk factor of a heart attack

surrounding high levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine is an aminoacid derivative found in our body, but too much of it can generatefree radicals associated with injury to arterial walls, acceleratingoxidation and increases the cholesterol levels in the blood vessels allof which set the stage for cardiovascular disease and stroke.4

PROMOTES ARTERIAL RELAXATIONAn enzyme (eNOS) that initiates the formation of nitric oxide

(NO) by vascular endothelial cells is required to maintain arterialrelaxation (vasodilation) and consequently lowers blood pressure.When nitric oxide is inhibited or a decrease occurs, we then becomesusceptible to impaired vasodilation, associated with an increasedrisk of cardiovascular disease.5

The Health Benefits of Resveratrol & Plant Sterols

Heart Friendly Fruits

By Michelle Honda PhD


CARDIAC FIBROSISResearch at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of

Medicine and Ohio State University indicates that resveratrol hasdirect inhibitory action on cardiac fibroblasts and may inhibit theprogression of cardiac fibrosis.6

FOOD SOURCESResveratrol is found in the acai berry, Japanese knotweed,

grapes, wine, grape juice, raspberries, plums, peanuts and berries ofthe Vaccinum species including: blueberries, bilberries, lingonberryand cranberries.7

PLANT STEROLS, CHOLESTEROL AND CORONARY HEART DISEASE

Plant sterols and stanols (plant fats) are a promisingintervention when incorporated as part of a regular dietary regimeaimed at lowering cholesterol and reducing risk of heart disease.8

Phytosterols and stanols are natural compounds found in themembranes of plants. These constituents are present in fruit, seeds,nuts, legumes, vegetables and other natural extracts. Plant fatsresemble the structure of animal cholesterol. Cholesterol isnaturally manufactured by our bodies through liver synthesis. Plantsterols and stanols are obtained though dietary sources. For morethan fifty years, studies have taken place on the cholesterollowering benefits of plant fats in the diet.

Studies suggest that when plant sterols are present, the bodyabsorbs less cholesterol. These lipid constituents compete withcholesterol for absorption in the body. In addition to the ability ofplant sterols/stanols to block cholesterol absorption, there arespecial proteins that line the small intestine called “ATP cassettetransporters”. These proteins reduce cholesterol by pumpingabsorbed plant fats back into the gut. The absorption rate of plantsterols in comparison to dietary cholesterol shows direct contrast.Less than 5% of dietary phytosterols are systemically absorbedcompared to 50-60% of dietary cholesterol.9

A typical protocol for people with high blood cholesterol levelsis to consume a diet high in fibre and low in saturated fat along witha safe exercise program. Although this advice can be affective insome cases, often times other interventions may be neededincluding natural cholesterol lowering supplements and/or theaddition of phytosterols/stanols to the diet.

HEART DISEASE HEALTH CLAIMSFoods containing at least 0.4g per serving of plant sterols,

eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8gas part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce therisk of heart disease.10

NCEP RECOMMENDEDIn the Unites States, the National Cholesterol Education

Program (NCEP) suggests the use of plant sterols in conjunctionwith other lifestyle changes produces positive effects on cholesterollevels achieved through dietary means. The NCEP is a branch of theNational Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutesof Health.



References:1) Boocock DJ, Faust GE, Patel KR, et al. Phase I dose escalation pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers of resveratrol, a potential cancer chemopreventive agent. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2007;16(6):1246-1252.2) De la Lastra CA, Villegas I. Resveratrol as an anti-inflammatory and anti-agent: mechanisms and clinical implications. Mol Nutr Food Res.2005;49(5):405-430.3) Kirk RI, Deitch JA, Wu JM, Lerea KM. Resveratrol decreases early signaling events in washed platelets. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2000;26(2): 144-150.4) Dixion JB. Dixon ME. O’Brien PE. Reduced plasma homocysteine in obese red wine consumers: a potential contributor to reduced cardiovascular riskstatus. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002 Jul;56(7):608-6145) Duffy SJ, Vita JA. Effects of phenolics on vascular endothelial function. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2003;14(1):21-27.6) Olson ER, Naugle JE, Zhang X, Bomser JA< Meszaros JG. Inhibition of cardiac fibroblast proliferation and myofibroblast differentiation by resveratrol.Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2005 Mar; 288(3):H1131-8.7) Rimando AM, Kalt W, Mages JB Dewey J, Ballington JR. Resveratrol. pterostilbene, and piceatannol in vaccinium berries. J Agric Food Chem.2004;52(15):4713-4719.8) FDA Letter Regarding Enforcement Discretion with respect to expanded use of an Interim Final Rule about Sterol/Stanol Esters and Reduced Risk ofCoronary Heart Disease.www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-Irt30.html. Accessed October 4, 2006.9) Von Bergmann K, Sudhop T, Lutjohann D. Cholesterol and plant sterol absorption. Recent sights. Am J Cardiol. 2005 Jul 4;96(1A):10D-14D.10) Title 21- Volume 21, Food and Drugs Chapter 1- Code of Federal Regulations, Revised as of April 1, 2008, Cite:21CFR101.8311) Thompson GR. Additive effects of plant sterol and stanol esters to statin therapy. Am J Cardiol, 2005;96(1 Suppl):37-39

PLANT STEROLS IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHOLESTEROL LOWERING INHIBITORS (STATINS)The results of controlled clinical trials suggest consumption of 2-3g/d of plant sterols or stanols by individuals on statin therapy may

result in an additional 7-11% reduction in LDL cholesterol which is an effect comparable to doubling the statin dose.11

Many studies across the board show the benefits of incorporating resveratrol and phytosterols into a daily eating plan. Their combinedcholesterol lowering capabilities and powerful antioxidant action will not only enhance our quality of life through disease prevention butalso extend our longevity.

Michelle Honda PhD is a holistic practitioner practicing at Renew You Holistic Health located in Ancaster, Meadowlands. In addition, to her doctorate, sheholds an advanced degree in nutrition (RNCP), is a Master Herbalist and an IIPA Certified Iridologist. Visit her websites at: www.renewyou.ca andwww.michellehonda.com. Call: (905) 304-0111)


It goes without saying that maintaining heart health and a strongcirculatory system are vital to a healthy body. Scientists and doctors agreethat diet and exercise are the most important factors, and each stresspreventive measure today are preferable to invasive treatments tomorrow.

One of the major cardiovascular challenges is hypertension, or highblood pressure. It is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major riskfactor for heart disease, so it is very important that it is properly managed.

High blood pressure currently affects one in five Canadians, yet 43% ofCanadians with hypertension don’t even know they have it because there areno symptoms. Thankfully, it can be controlled, and nature has provided uswith an array of herbs and foods that have important cardiosupportiveeffects.

HAWTHORN FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTHHawthorn has been used for generations to support cardiovascular

health. In a German placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study, 30patients were given hawthorn leaf and flower extract at a dose of 160 mg perday for eight weeks. The hawthorn group showed a statistically significantadvantage over the placebo group in all parameters, including exercisetolerance, improvement of complaint scores, and changes in heart andarterial blood pressure. Both systolic (heart contraction) and diastolic (heartrelaxation) blood pressure were reduced. No adverse reactions occurred.

In another randomized, controlled trial, English researchers studied theeffects of hawthorn supplementation on type 2 diabetics with hypertension.After 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significantreduction in mean diastolic blood pressure compared to the placebo group.Although most of the participants (71%) were on high blood pressuremedication, no herb-drug interactions were reported.

Healthy Blood Pressure

Naturally By Mark Schneider, Certified Nutritional Practitioner


MOTHERWORT AS A RELAXANTAnother herb of note is motherwort, which has hypotensive,

cardiotonic, and antispasmodic properties. It is an effective relaxantand has been used safely as a daily tonic in patients who haveneuropathic cardiac disorders and cardiac complaints of nervousorigin. The Commission E approved motherwort for nervous cardiacdisorders and as an adjuvant for thyroid hyperfunction. Alkaloids inthe plant depress the central nervous system and lower bloodpressure in preliminary testing, and are considered responsible forthis herb’s benefits.

GRAPE SEED EXTRACTGrape seed extract appears to be especially valuable for

reducing blood pressure. Polyphenolic compounds in grape seeds arepotent antioxidants that cause a nitric oxide-mediated relaxation ofblood vessels. Preliminary research on a patented grape seed extractdemonstrates its ability to relax blood vessels after 4 weeks at 150mgper day. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures weresignificantly reduced after 4 weeks and plasma antioxidant levelsdemonstrated a significant short term increase. This extract alsosignificantly decreased cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 12 and16% in high cholesterol subjects, while normal subjects did not showany change in lipid profiles. This study strongly suggests that grapeseed extract protects vascular function, which plays a pivotal role inmodulating heart disease.

PROBIOTICS FOR BLOOD PRESSUREProbiotics and probiotically-cultured foods are well-known for

supporting digestive and immune health, but perhaps not so well-known is their ability to support healthy blood pressure levels.

Interestingly, recent research indicates that inactive wholebacterial cells and their metabolites provide unique health-promotingproperties that live probiotic cells lack. For instance, certain inactiveLactobacilli and Bifidobacteria cells and the metabolic substancesformed during their fermentation have the unique property of beingable to inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity.

The primary function of ACE is to help regulate arterial pressureby converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Angiotensin I by itselfis inactive, but when converted by ACE to the active form,angiotensin II, it causes narrowing of the small blood vessels intissues, which results in increased blood pressure.

High ACE levels in the bloodstream generate more angiotensinII, which makes it a marker for cardiovascular and respiratorydisease. Angiotensin II also stimulates the hormone aldosterone,which is a cause of hypertension. Research reveals that the ACE-modulating peptides (linked amino acids) in a vegetable-basedfermentation medium from Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus providea modulating effect on both blood pressure and CETP, a key bloodfactor in maintaining healthy HDL cholesterol levels.

For years we’ve been advised of the right things to do for healthyblood pressure; getting regular exercise, quitting smoking, avoidingtrans fats, eating more potassium-rich fruits and vegetables and lesssodium-laden processed foods. Good recommendations all, and nowwe can add the right herbs and probiotic formulas to our list of hearthealthy strategies.

Mark Schneider is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner(C.N.P) in theGreater Toronto Area. Call: 1-800-304-1497 x.104.www.advantagehealthmatters.com.


Diabetes – for many, the word brings to mind needles, insulin,lancets and blood-glucose meters; for many, the disease was one youheard little about growing up. Much has changed over the years –risk factors, treatment, awareness. Most of us now know the diseaseto be a growing health issue; perhaps, you even know of someonewho has diabetes in one form or another. The Canadian DiabetesAssociation reports that diabetes is the world’s 4th leading cause ofdeath and now affects an estimated 246 million people worldwide. Ifa further 7 million people develop diabetes each year as expected,the world total will hit 380 million by 2025.

There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2 andgestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a temporary conditionafflicting pregnant women. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed inchildren and adolescents and is the type most often thought of at themention of the disease, yet it accounts for just 10 per cent ofdiagnosed cases. About 90 percent of diagnoses today are for type 2diabetes. Type 2 is most often linked to heredity, race, age, weight,

lack of exercise, and pre-existing health issues. Did you know thatenvironmental pollution is also a contributing factor? Althoughrarely discussed, heavy metal toxicity is a risk factor directly relatedto both the cause, and to the treatment, of diabetes.

HEAVY METALS INCREASE YEAST GROWTHHeavy metals – in particular mercury – set the stage for the

overgrowth of yeast and fungus (candida) within the human body.Metabolic waste or so called mycotoxins released from fungusinhibit the absorption of insulin, thus may contribute to causingdiabetes.

In recent studies, some subjects with type 2 diabetes were ableto recover from their symptoms by treating their yeast infection. Weknow diabetes is linked to body sugar – patients control theirsymptoms by regulating their sugar intake. When you control thesugar in your diet, you control the yeast; you control the illness.

What many people don’t know is that if you deal with the heavy

By Thomas Nissen

DIABETES & Heavy Metal Toxicity

Test forHeavyMetals.


metal toxicity which may have led to the yeast problem in the first place, then you have achance at actually reversing the illness.

If you read about diabetes, you’ll discover many people have the disease and don’t evenknow it. The same is true for heavy metal toxicity.

SYMPTOMS AND CAUSES OF HIGH HEAVY METAL LOADPeople with high heavy metal load suffer from headaches, allergies, depression, brain fog,

irritability, digestive issues, weight gain, fatigue and pain, just to name a few. We are exposedto heavy metals, including lead and mercury, through the air we breathe, the water we drink,and the food we eat. The pollution of decades passed has taken a toll on our environment andour bodies. And, if that isn’t enough, we continue to expose ourselves to mercury via amalgamfillings and vaccines.

As early as 1974, the World Heath Organization suggested that at least 80% of all chronicdiseases can be attributed to environmental pollution in one way or another. Of allenvironmental pollutants, heavy metals pose the biggest threat to our health.

Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD, and author of the book Detoxify or Die states “It no longermatters what you call your disease. The label your doctor gives you is meaningless. Whatmatters is what caused it. The lowering of huge amount of hidden heavy metals has turnedaround the worst heart diseases, improved memory, mood and IQ. It is one of the mostimportant decisions of your life.” Certainly then, anyone at risk of diabetes, or any otherhealth issue for that matter, should be concerned about heavy metals.

TESTING IS AVAILABLESo, how do you find out if you are heavy metal toxic? Get tested. Ask your naturopathic

doctor or medical practitioner to test you for heavy metals. Or, test yourself using a heavymetal screen test.

A heavy metal screen test allows you to quickly and painlessly test yourself for heavymetal toxicity. Then, take control! Take measures to eliminate heavy metals from your body,prevent further exposure and treat the fungus (candida). Seek help from your healthpractitioner and educate yourself on metal toxicity treatments.

TOXICITY TREATMENT PROTOCOLS

• Take 3-5 tablespoons of essential fatty acids daily (ex. sesame oil, hemp seed oil) to increase bile flow

• Take an anti-fungal, anti-parasite supplement

• Take an oral heavy metal chelation product to get rid of the heavy metals

• Take probiotics to promote intestinal health

• Take trace minerals

• Take a zinc supplement 15-50mg/day

• Take a whey protein supplement

• Ensure good elimination and drink a high amount of low mineral water.(ex. reversed osmosis, distilled water)

• Reduce your carbohydrates

References:Canadian Diabetes AssociationCenters for Disease Control and PreventionDoug A. Kaufmann, “Infectious Diabetes”World Health Organization, Florence (Italy)1974


Stress is like our shadow – it follows us wherever we go. Everyday we are bombarded with ‘normal’ activities involving work,family, eating, and trying to squeeze everything else possible intoour hectic schedule, which all puts a certain amount of stress andanxiety upon each one of us.

Although a small, temporary amount of stress is okay, in today’sfast paced and hectic world, we’re in the complete opposite situation.Those short bouts of anxiety are replaced with long extended periodsof stress. If allowed to escalate and continue, that non-stop mental,emotional, and or, physical strain can and will lead to deterioratinghealth at a rapid rate. So, what can we do to alleviate or cope withstress in general? Three simple and effective ways: diet,supplementation, and ‘you’ time.

FOODS CAN TRIGGER STRESS IN THE BODYThere are foods that trigger stress in the body and add to that

already established strain and then there are foods that can reversethe damage that stress has on the body and strengthen the body’sdefenses.

First things first, avoid stimulants like caffeine which canworsen anxiety symptoms and depletes the body of B vitamins,which are needed to cope with stress. Processed, refined foodsloaded with chemicals puts a strain upon the body, taxes the immunesystem, and upsets neurological functioning, leaving you feelingmore tired and lacking energy. And be aware, during times of mentalstrain, the first thing we usually reach for is not the healthiest.Usually, it’s something sweet and loaded with sugar due to thesimple fact that our bodies are craving carbohydrates to counteractthe effects stress has on the body and supply itself with energy.However, the simple sugars loaded in junk food will deplete the body

of nutrients and leave us feeling more drained and unable to copewith the feeling of being ‘burned out.’

Eating a toxic-free diet is the first step to coping with stress andgaining better health in general. Foods that are a definite yes when itcomes to high bouts of anxiety are plenty of raw antioxidant-richfruits and vegetables, whole grains, omega-packed fish, and nuts andseeds. When your body is under stress, free radicals wreak havoc onthe entire being leading to numerous health problems. Antioxidantswill counteract the cycle of free radicals and protect your body’sdefenses from oxidative stress. The nutrients found aplenty in rawfruits and vegetables will feed every cell in your body exactly whatit needs to function optimally and thrive. Whole grains, such as,brown rice are packed with stress-busting B vitamins that will soothethe nervous system and enhance mental stamina, as well as, feedyour body the proper kind of carbohydrates needed for an energyboost. Essential fatty acids found in nuts and seeds and the ever soimportant omega-3s found in fish will help pick up your moods astouched on more below. So, make it your aim to have a colourful dietfull of healthy choices and make sure to avoid the nutritional no-no’s.

SUPPLEMENTATION IS SUPPORTIVEA clean, nutritious diet is very important, but supplementation

is key to ensuring that your bodies receive the adequate help neededto combat the ill-effects of stress.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for all of us, especially whenunder mental strain. Fish oils are the most potent in supportingmental health and offer endless benefits to the body. Consuming fishoils on a daily basis will help release a hormone-like substancecalled prostaglandin that will have a calming effect on the body,especially effective in fighting against stress. The main reason why

By Lisa Carlini

Coping with


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A harmoniousA harmoniousmind in amind in a

balanced bodybalanced bodyKama is a high qualityKama is a high quality

combination of adaptogeniccombination of adaptogenicherbs that aid the body inherbs that aid the body in

coping with stress from work,coping with stress from work,home or daily life. It has ahome or daily life. It has a

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Available at natural health food storesAvailable at natural health food storesacross Canada. Distributed in Ontarioacross Canada. Distributed in Ontario

by CLM Health: 905-828-8004by CLM Health: 905-828-8004

EFA’s are so necessary to supplement with when under stress is the fats EPA (eicosapentaenoicacid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) present in Omega-3s help maintain healthy serotoninlevels, which affect emotional states for the better and create a general overall sense of well-being in the body.

Simple nutrients, such as, vitamin C will help the functioning of the adrenal glands whilehelping to protect your immune system from the damage stress can create. Taking a B vitamincomplex is essential, as well as, vitamin D. Taking a calcium-magnesium supplement is veryimportant. Calcium will act like a natural sedative, and magnesium is the most critical mineralfor dealing with stress.

Herbs such as valerian, passion flower, oat straw, and chamomile will be helpful. Flowerpreparations can also be useful in relieving stress. Remember when using herbs to follow thedosage on the label and not to exceed the duration of use recommended.

FINDING ‘YOU’ TIME TO RELAXBeing on the go, go, go in itself can tire you out to the point of exhaustion. Having an

optimistic viewpoint and trying to be positive is always helpful. Set aside fifteen minutes a day(even just five, if that’s all you have) to quiet your surroundings from the outside world(including your disquieting thoughts). This short time of pure relaxation including deepbreathing and visualization can be effective in reversing the feelings of stress. Pick up a relaxinghobby, a sport, a favourite book - anything to keep your mind off of the anxieties of the day oranxieties of tomorrow. Go for a walk – better yet, exercise. Exercising will help you to properlyvent out frustrations while releasing those ‘feel good’ hormones throughout your body.Remember that we all have limits and can’t push ourselves beyond our means.

Yes, stress follows us like our shadow but with proper diet, supplementation, and takingtime out of our hectic schedules for ourselves, we can overcome the detrimental effects stresscan have on us. Just like your shadow – realize stress is wherever you go, but remember thatyou can always put it behind you!

Lisa Carlini is a colon therapist and a natural health advocate. She specializes in diet, nutrition, andholistic healing. For any questions or for more information, contact Lisa at: [email protected].

Stress


HEART HEALTHY RECIPES

This quick but sophisticated entrée isgreat for dinner with friends or for a familyoccasion. The salmon is cooked on high heat,a no fail method of cooking fish. Our recipesare shellfish-free, but if fish is an issue foryou, then replace with boneless, skinlesschicken breasts, which should bake for 12 to15 minutes or until juices are no longer pink.

There are enough vegetables with thesalmon to use as a side dish. If you haveherbes de Provence in your cupboard usethem instead of the rosemary and thyme. Iffresh herbs are available use 1 tbsp of each.

Recipe courtesy of EpiPen and Canadian foodwriter Lucy Waverman. She has created aselection of easy-to-prepare recipes which omitsome of the more common allergens, includingpeanuts, milk products, eggs and shellfish. Moreallergy-free recipes can be found at:www.EpiPen.ca.

MARINADE INGREDIENTS1 tsp dried thyme1 tsp dried rosemary1/4 cup olive oil2 tbsp chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes1 tbsp Dijon mustard1/2 tsp chilli flakesSalt to taste

SALMON DISH INGREDIENTS4 6-oz salmon fillets, skin-on2 oz snow pea pods, cut in half on the diagonal4 green onions, cut in 2-inch pieces6 cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded

DIRECTIONSCombine thyme, rosemary, olive oil,

sun-dried tomatoes, mustard and chilli flakesin a mini-chop (or by hand) and process untilcombined. Mixture should have a chunkytexture. Spread marinade over salmon andseason with salt.

Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Placetomatoes in an oiled oven-proof baking dishlarge enough to hold the salmon fillets. Bakefor 10 minutes. Remove dish from oven andtoss tomatoes with snow pea pods and greenonions. Place salmon on top.

Bake, uncovered, for 12 minutes or untilwhite juices appear and salmon is justcooked through. Serve salmon fillets withsome vegetables and any juices. Serves 4.

Salmon is asource of

heart healthyomega-3 fats.

FRENCH ROASTED SALMON ON A BED OF SNOW PEAS


HEART HEALTHY RECIPES

CREAMY SWEET POTATO SOUPThis healthy, creamy, mildly spicy soup can be served as a main

course with toasted baguette slices or in smaller portions as a firstcourse before an elegant dinner. Recipe courtesy of EpiPen.

INGREDIENTS2 tbsp vegetable oil1 cup chopped onions1 cup chopped carrots4 cups peeled, chopped sweet potatoes1 tsp chopped fresh ginger1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp ground coriander seeds1 tsp mild Indian curry paste4 cups chicken stock1/2 cup coconut milk Salt and freshly ground pepper2 tsp lemon juice2 tbsp chopped coriander

DIRECTIONSHeat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2

minutes or until beginning to soften. Add carrots and sweet potatoand sauté for 5 minutes more. Add ginger, cumin, coriander seedsand curry paste and sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chickenstock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low andsimmer for 18 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Pureewith an immersion blender, or food processor until smooth. Seasonwith salt and pepper to taste and stir in lemon juice and coriander.

Find more allergy-free recipes at: www.EpiPen.ca.

LAYERED TOMATO SALADThe great thing about this dish is that you can’t use the wrong Ontario

Greenhouse tomato; use the tomatoes you like the most. Serves four. Courtesy of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. Visit www.ontariogreenhouse.com

INGREDIENTS1 Ontario Green house heirloom tomato1 Ontario Greenhous beefsteak tomato2 Ontario Greenhouse roma tomatoes4 leaves of romaine lettuce4 balls of bocconcini cheese, sliced4 white asparagus spears2 tbsp (30mL) aged balsamic vinegar1/4 cup (50 mL) avocado oil

DIRECTIONSCut romaine lettuce into 5 pieces. Thinly slice the tomatoes and cheese, and

julienne the asparagus. Combine avocado oil and balsamic vinegar and marinatethe asparagus while you assemble the rest of the salad. Layer the lettuce first, thenfollow with one type of tomato. Continue this process using the different tomatoesand one layer of bocconcini cheese. Top the salad with the asparagus.Refridgerate for two hours and garnish with fresh herbs and balsamic dressing.


CRUNCH CRAVER RECIPES

ALMOND LOVER’SMAPLE GRANOLAINGREDIENTS3 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 cup maple syrup2 tablespoons honey2 cups oats1/2 cup slivered almonds1/4 cup chopped dried apricots1/4 cup roasted and salted sunflower kernels1/4 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed cookie

sheet with parchment paper. Combine butter, maple syrupand honey in a small saucepan and cook over mediumheat until butter is melted, but not boiling. Remove fromheat.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Pour in the butter mixture, and stir tocombine. Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet, bakefor 12 to15 minutes, stirring after 7 minutes. Remove fromthe oven and cool. Enjoy as a snack or with yogurt andfresh fruit. Store in an airtight container.

The Almond Board of California administers a grower-enactedFederal Marketing Order under the supervision of the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture. Established in 1950, theBoard’s charge is to promote the best quality almonds,California’s largest tree nut crop. For more information on theAlmond Board of California or almonds, visitwww.AlmondsAreIn.com.

These crispy cookiesare wonderfully quick andeasy to make. Japanesegyoza skins are dumplingskins that do not containeggs. If eggs are not anissue, use a regulardumpling or wonton skin.

INGREDIENTS1 package gyoza or wonton skinsVegetable oil for frying1 cup sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon

CRISPY, ALLERGY-FREECINNAMON COOKIES

DIRECTIONSSeparate gyoza skins and cut in half.

Heat one inch of oil in a wok or deep skilletover medium-high heat. When oil is very hot(about 350˚F 180˚C on a candythermometer or when a cube of bread turnsbrown within 15 seconds) add gyoza a few ata time and fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute oruntil brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in amedium bowl. Add cookie or cups and tosswith sugar mixture while still warm. Makesabout 60 cookies.

Recipe courtesy of EpiPen and Canadian foodwriter Lucy Waverman. More allergy-free recipescan be found online at www.EpiPen.ca.


A VALENTINE’S DAY RECIPE AND GIFT

CARAMELIZED GINGER & ALMONDSNACK MIX INGREDIENTS3/4 cup sugar1 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced1/2 teaspoon salt3 cups whole natural almonds, lightly toasted1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 cup dried banana chips3/4 cup dehydrated strawberries

DIRECTIONSLine a large baking sheet with

parchment paper; lightly grease thepaper and set aside. In a saucepan,combine sugar with just enough water tomoisten.

Cook over medium heat untilmixture comes to a slow boil andregisters at 240ºF (110°C) on a candythermometer.*

Remove from heat and stir in lemonjuice, ginger, salt, almonds andsunflower seeds. Return to heat andcook, stirring continuously, until sugarbecomes shiny and caramelizes, aboutthree minutes. Stir in butter. Spreadmixture on a sheet pan to cool. Oncecool, break nut mixture into pieces andcombine with banana chips anddehydrated strawberries.

*To test for this stage without a candy ther-mometer, drop a small amount of the sugarinto cold water, being careful not to touchthe hot sugar. Once in cold water, the sugarshould be firm enough that it comes togetherto form a soft, pliable ball between the fin-gers.

Courtesy of The Almond Board ofCalifornia. Visit: www.AlmondsAreIn.com.

Heart healthy almonds make a perfect Valentine’s Daygift. Research shows eating whole almonds contributes

to a lower acute rise in blood triglyceride levels.

A TrulyHeart

Felt Gift!


Strokes are “brain attacks,” the cuttingoff of blood, nutrients and oxygen to yourbrain, which causes brain cells to die. Mostpeople in Canada don’t realize thatcardiovascular diseases (strokes and heartattacks) are the leading cause of death forboth men and women, with more womendying from strokes than men.

About 80% of strokes are caused byblood clots. The buildup of plaque (fatty andscar tissue) is involved in most strokes.

How well and if you recover from astroke depends where and how severe yourbrain damage is, your age, and your healthbefore the stroke. While 85% of people willsurvive a stroke, 50% have moderate orsevere impairment.

More than 50,000 strokes occur inCanada each year. That’s one stroke every 10minutes.

THE RISK FACTOR, RUMBAEveryone has some stroke risk factors,

the greater the number, the more likely youare to suffer a stroke. Some stroke riskfactors are beyond control, such as, beingover age 55, being a man, being African-American, having diabetes, or having afamily history of stroke. However, with dietand lifestyles changes some risks can bereduced.

High blood pressureAlso called hypertension, this is by far

the most potent risk factor for stroke. If youhave high blood pressure, your blood ispumping harder than it should, which putsunnecessary strain on the vessels of thecirculatory system.

SmokingSmoking has been linked to the buildup

of fat in the main neck artery supplyingblood to your brain. Blockage of this arteryis the leading cause of stroke. Also, smokingraises blood pressure, reduces the amount ofoxygen your blood can carry to your brainand makes your blood thicker and morelikely to clot.

Heart diseaseCommon cardiovascular disorders (i.e.

artery disease, valve defects, irregular heartbeat, arteriosclerosis, and others) can resultin blood clots that can block vessels in orleading to the brain.

Warning signs or history of strokeHaving had a stroke or mini-stroke in

the past, it’s important to reduce your risk ofa second stroke. Your brain helps yourecover from a stroke by drawing on bodysystems that now do double duty. A secondstroke can be twice as bad.

DiabetesDiabetes causes destructive changes in

your blood vessels, including those in yourbrain. If blood glucose is high at the time ofa stroke, then brain damage is usually moresevere and extensive than when bloodglucose is well-controlled. Treating diabetescan delay the onset of complications thatincrease the risk of stroke.

ObesityBeing overweight or having a body

mass index (BMI) over 25 is a risk factor forstrokes, as well as, multiple stroke riskfactors (diabetes, heart disease, and highblood pressure).

ALL THE RIGHT MOVESFOR PREVENTIONKnow your blood pressure

High blood pressure is a leading causeof stroke. Have your blood pressure checkedat least once each year – more often if youhave a history of high blood pressure.

Increase your use of spices and use anatural low sodium, high potassium salt toreduce your sodium intake.

Eating a wide variety of fresh fruits andvegetables as a high portion of your diet willreduce fat intake.

Be Stroke Be Stroke

By Joel Thuna

Take some healthy steps

towards prevention

Danceto the

Beat ofLife!


Keep dancing to the

beat of life

with the

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If you smoke, stopSmoking doubles the risk for stroke.

If you stop smoking today, your risk forstroke decreases immediately.

Drink alcohol in moderationDrinking a glass of wine or beer or

one drink each day may lower the risk ofstroke (provided there is no other medicalreason to avoid alcohol). Alcohol isharmful if taken in large doses and caninteract with drugs.

Know your cholesterol Actively work to reduce cholesterol

levels. Ensure your diet is low in saturatedfats and has no trans-fats.

Your diet should also be high in bothtypes of fiber, but particularly solublefiber. Try adding a soluble fibersupplement (the tasteless kind) to foodsand drinks to ensure you get enough.

Include exercise in your daily routineA brisk walk, swim or other exercise

activity for as little as 30 minutes a daycan improve your health in many ways,and reduce your stroke risk.

Enjoy a lower sodium (salt),lower fat diet

By cutting down on sodium and fatin the diet, you may be able to lower yourblood pressure and, most importantly,lower your risk for stroke. Try usingspices or a natural low sodium, highpotassium salt to help reduce addedsodium.

Keep weight in checkCheck your body mass index (BMI)

at: www.nhlbisupport.com and try tomake small lifestyle and dietary changesto bring your BMI into the “normalweight” range.

SAMBA WITH SUPPLEMENTS3 B’s - Vitamins B6, B12 & Folic acid

Folic acid breaks downhomocysteine and allows it to be clearedfrom the blood. Vitamins B6 and B12 alsoinfluence homocysteine levels. It isbelieved together these vitamins bringblood homocysteine levels down. Whenthese vitamins are scarce, homocysteinelevels can build up over time and damageyour cardiovascular system and increaseyour risk of stroke.

SavvySavvySAMBA WITH FEWER STROKE RISK FACTORSKnow Your Blood PressureIf you Smoke, StopDrink Alcohol in ModerationKnow Your CholesterolInclude Exercise in Your Daily RoutineKeep Weight in CheckEnjoy a Lower Sodium (Salt), Lower Fat Diet


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Vitamin DPeople with low vitamin D have a higher risk for heart attack,

heart failure and stroke. The risk is particularly high among thosewith high blood pressure. Those with low vitamin D levels haveabout a 60 percent higher risk of heart attack, heart failure or strokecompared to those with higher Vitamin D, even with well-knowncardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol andhigh blood pressure taken into account. The risk for heart attack,heart failure or stroke is double in people with both high bloodpressure, also known as hypertension, and vitamin D deficiency.

DHA & EPAThe effects of EPA & DHA (the bioavailable omega-3s) on

heart, brain and nervous system health are well documented. Studiesshow significant reduction in the risk of stroke with DHA & EPA.Studies have also confirmed that DHA & EPA can offer up to a 31%reduction in stroke mortality.

When researching the effects of omega-3s on stroke risk,researchers discovered something they didn’t expect. They foundthat participants who ate between 20 and 35 grams of fiber each dayreduced their risk of stroke. For stroke sufferers they also found thatthe more fiber they ate, the less severe their stroke and the greaterthe chance they could resume everyday activities. Fiber’s greatestbenefit may be that there are no downsides to increasing fiber intake.

Live a long, happy and healthy life!

References:1) Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Statistics www.heartandstroke.com2) Besanger, A., et al . Dietary Fiber Intake Predicts Acute Stroke Severityand 6-month Functional Outcome. Stroke 2008;39;527-729.3) Ebbing, M., et al . Mortality and cardiovascular events in patients treatedwith homocysteine-lowering B vitamins after coronary angiography: arandomized controlled trial. JAMA 2008 Aug 20;300(7):795-804.4) He, K., et al. Fish consumption and incidence of stroke: a meta-analysisof cohort studies. Stroke 2004 35: 1538-1542. 5)Larsson, SC, et al . Folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and methionineintakes and risk of stroke subtypes in male smokers. Am J Epidemiol. 2008Apr 15;167(8):954-61. 6)Mozaffarian, D., et al . Fish consumption and stroke risk in elderlyindividuals: the cardiovascular health study. Arch. Intern. Med. 165(6):683,2005b. 7) Wang, T., et al . Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease.Circulation. 2008;117:503-511

More than 50,000strokes occur in Canada

each year. That’s onestroke every 10 minutes.

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Making the Most ofYour Multivitamin

The multivitamin has long been the cornerstone of manynutritional programs and rightfully so. However, getting themaximum benefit from a multi requires more than just taking a one-a-day tablet. Our understanding of nutrition is constantly beingrewritten, with old approaches changing to make room for the newadvances that are continually being discovered. The waymultivitamins are taken must now be re-evaluated as newinformation directly contradicts what was once believed to be thebest method.

There is no question that a high quality multivitamin shouldform the foundation of any supplement program. What we shouldquestion is how often a multivitamin is taken, what form thatmultivitamin should be in, and what can be done to ensure that ourbodies properly absorb the nutrients that it holds. Mounting evidencesuggests that despite its convenience, a high potency tablet takenonce a day is no longer our best option.

The old ‘one-a-day’ approach presents a huge disadvantage: asingle dose is incapable of any flexibility. This one tablet is intendedto satisfy the individual nutritional requirements of everyone thatconsumes it, which is impossible. Men and women have verydifferent nutritional needs. Those requirements change further as weage, and again if we have an active lifestyle. For example, post-menopausal women don’t need additional iron, yet a typicalmultivitamin tablet contains iron. Not only is the consumer thengetting a nutrient they don’t require, but valuable milligrams arebeing taken up in the multi that could be devoted to othercomponents that would be of benefit. As well, men over 50 needmore nutrients that strengthen heart function and lower the risk ofcardiovascular disease, while more active people have to worry aboutreducing free radical damage and minimizing recuperate time afterexercise. The list of examples is endless. A single formulation simplycannot satisfy the unique nutritional requirements of everyone.

In addition, our bodies aren’t designed to utilize nutrients in asingle large dose once a day. Research has proven that eating smaller,more frequent meals allows for better utilization of the nutritionalvalue of our food. The same principle applies to vitamins andminerals. Vitamin C, for example, is a water-soluble vitamin. Your

body has very limited means of storing it and its lifespan in yoursystem is relatively short. This limits the effectiveness of a one-a-daymulti and ultimately leaves you unprotected much of the time.

To complicate things further, tablets present a problem.Unfortunately, because of the hard, compacted nature of tablets theycan have a lengthy digestion time. This means that the window ofopportunity for optimal nutrient absorption in your digestive systemis often missed. Some vitamins and minerals are therefore leftunabsorbed, and in some cases the tablet travels through theintestinal tract almost completely in tact. Capsules offer the solution.With a faster and more thorough digestive rate encapsulatednutrients tend to be utilized much more efficiently by the body. It’swhat you absorb and assimilate from your multi that counts, notmerely what it contains. Capsules don’t miss the window ofopportunity; so, your body has a much greater chance of absorbingevery nutrient.

Also of note is the benefit of pure vegetable based hard shellcapsules. While capsules in general offer greater absorption,vegetable capsules eliminate the concern over the potentialimpurities associated with traditional beef and pork based gelatincapsules.

With the unfortunate erosion of the nutrient content of our foodsupply, as well as, our increased knowledge of how the human bodytakes on the challenges that it faces, it’s clear that a multivitaminprovides an important edge. However, choosing the bestmultivitamin requires a bit of thought. Does it take into accountthings like your age, your gender or how active you are? Is itdesigned to be taken in divided doses? Is it available in capsules,ideally vegetable-based capsules? Does it contain high qualityingredients that are readily utilized by the body? Ask yourself thesequestions before you make your next purchase and do your best tomake the most of your multi. It will only do you good.

Norm Danniels has over 25 years experience in the natural productsindustry and has lectured across Canada on a variety of wellness and activelifestyle related topics. Norm is considered one of Canada’s leading sportsnutrition specialists.

By Norm Danniels


Consider this quote by NFL Pro Bowl kicker, Jeff Wilkins,“When there are two seconds left on the game clock and thedifference between winning and losing rests on your ability, it trulytakes mental toughness to perform at your best.”

From a mental standpoint, pressure makes it very difficult tomaintain focus and concentration, in fact research posits that it isliterally impossible to perform at your best without an effectivemental training plan.

If a person wanted to get physically stronger, they would consulta trainer and the trainer would provide them with a strength programthat included a concrete and proven method of getting physicallystronger. The strength program would be something like 3 sets of tenof this exercise, 3 sets of 12 of that exercise and 3 sets of 8 of anotherexercise and so on and if the person follows the program they can’thelp but get stronger. However, when it comes to developing mentaltoughness most individuals do not know where to begin.

Whether you are trying to enhance performance in sport,business or everyday life, the following “mental workout” is aproven method of developing mental strength. It takes three minutesand forty seconds to complete and works best if completed one timeper day with a minimum of 3 times per week.

STEP 1CENTERING BREATH

Take a fifteen second deep breath where you breathe in for sixseconds, hold for two seconds and breathe out for seven seconds.This will teach you to physiologically control your heart rate andbetter deal with pressure.

STEP 2PERFORMANCE STATEMENT

Say to yourself a personally tailored self-talk statement thatreflects what is needed for a successful performance. For example,one of the major league pitchers I work with has this as hisperformance statement, “Weight back, arm on top, follow through.”

To develop your performance statement, think about all thetasks you complete over the course of a normal week and choose thesingle most important task you do that produces the greatest results.

For the major league pitcher, his single most important task ispitching. Once your single most important task is identified thinkabout the top three things you need to focus on when completing this

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task to ensure success. Be sure to avoid using the words don’t, not,or stop in your performance statement. This will help keep yourmind focused on what to do, rather than what not to do.

STEP 3PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT REEL

Complete three sixty second mental video clips (visualizations)in which you first remember about sixty seconds worth of highlightsfrom your last best performance, another sixty seconds imagininghighlights of how you would like to perform in an upcomingimportant performance, and a final sixty seconds imagininghighlights of how you would like to perform in today’s practice orperformance.

Be sure to do all visualizing in actual speed and emphasizewhat it feels like emotionally and physically to perform well. It willalso be helpful especially when imagining how you want to performin the future to visualize in first person, or as if your eyes are thecamera lens.

STEP 4IDENTITY STATEMENT

Repeat to yourself a statement that reflects your greateststrength and what it is you ultimately want to accomplish. Forexample the previously mentioned pitcher’s identity statement is “Iam strong and confident. I am a dominant major league pitcher.”

Even though when this pitcher began completing his mentalworkouts he wasn’t necessarily strong, confident or dominant,continually repeating his identity statement helped him to develophis self-image as such. In a short amount of time the pitcher’s desireto be confident and dominant increased and he started to workharder at making it a reality.

STEP 5CENTERING BREATH

Take another 15 second deep breath where you breathe in forsix seconds, hold for two, and breathe out for seven seconds toinsure that your mind is suited to deal with the pressure of theupcoming performance.

By completing this five step mental workout daily you willactually teach yourself how to deal with pressure and improveconsistency. You mind will become more able to maintain focus andconcentration whether you’re pitching in front of eighty thousandfans or doing a presentation for eight of your co-workers.Remember, that which you focus on expands. Completing mentalworkouts trains your mind to stay focused on solutions and avoidgetting lost in the problems. The real key is to get yourself into themental weight room as often as possible – in doing so, you willundoubtedly begin to develop your mental toughness.

Jason Selk M.Ed., LPC, NCC is the Director of Sports Psychology for the St Louis Cardinals, Author of “10-Minute Toughness” and President of Enhanced Performance. He can be found on the web at:www.enhancedperformanceinc.com.

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We never insist enough on the benefits of a good stretchingroutine. With our society focusing on how to obtain the perfect body,we seem to dedicate more time, energy and money on how we lookrather than how we feel. And one day, we find ourselves aching, stiffand unable do all the movements we took for granted. Our healthalways seems much more valuable after we lose it; the same goeswith our flexibility.

Stretching is not new. It is actually one of the most naturalimpulses. Animals, cats, dogs even birds stretch. We stretch as we getout of bed. We stretch after sitting at our desks. We stretch when wefeel stressed, tired, relieved or even happy. We stretch because it feelsgood.

With our busy schedules and lifestyles, we are becoming morepressured, and stressed, and we forget about the great benefits ofstretching. Aging doesn’t help neither. As we get older, we buildtight armors protecting our rigid bodies against all the mental,emotional and physical stress in our lives.

All of us know that stretching is an important part of training inany sport, yet many of us still ignore the rule. Traditional Thaimassage is a lot about stretching. In my Thai massage practice, manypeople come to me who have been weight training for years andcannot lift their shoulders any longer. Their muscles have got bigger

but shorter and they feel tight. They can no longer sit on the floorwith a straight back, or bend to tie their shoes without having to sit.They decide often very late that they definitely need some help withtheir lost flexibility.

Why do we seem to forget or skip our basic human and naturalneed for stretching? Perhaps, because unlike body building andweight training it does not seem to sculpt our body to perfection.

Most aerobic and strength training programs cause our musclesto contract and flex. For proper balance and long-term health, weneed to stretch those muscle fibers back.

Even for those of us who don’t like to commit to a sport, ourmuscles get tighter with aging. This unfortunately is a natural andnormal process. We get up out of bed feeling achy and sore with stiffneck and shoulders and a tight lower back. Our bodies are screaming“do something for me, something good …stretch me.”

EXPANDING YOUR POSSIBILITIESThere are many ways to stretch. Stretch on your own, at a gym,

or at home. You can attend a stretching, yoga or pilates class or youcan get a personal trainer to help you with your stretching. You canalso try a thai massage therapist who will first release muscletensions using particular techniques, and then will stretch you.

Stretching to Prevent and Relieve Pain

By Anne Clossen, Thai Massage Practitioner

FIT FOR LIFE


CREATE A CHAIN REACTION IN YOUR MUSCLES On the physical level, stretching increases your flexibility.

Flexible muscles not only improve your daily physical performancebut will help you with tasks, such as, bending to tie your shoe laces,lifting packages, or hurrying to catch a bus. Stretching improves yourrange of motion in your joints. It keeps you in better balance and lessprone to injuries, especially from falls as you age. Stretchingimproves posture. Weak muscles are strengthened and tight musclesare lengthened. Stretching increases circulation and blood flow toyour muscles, which speeds up muscular recovery, improvingcleansing, lubrication, nourishing and rejuvenation. Stretchingreleases scar tissues (fibrotic tissues). Stretching keeps your bodyaligned and in balance.

Stretching enables energy to flow freely through your body andspine, and meridian lines. Stretching helps realign muscle fibers,nerves and fascia (connective tissue surrounding muscles, bones, andjoints). Stretching helps with insomnia and nervous legs syndrome,especially if you stretch in the evening.

Stretching does have an esthetic effect on how you look!Stretching helps elongate muscles (think of ballerinas, their amazingstrength in their muscular but long and elegant legs). It straightens apoor posture by elongating the pectoralis major, elongating your neckand bringing your shoulders down.

STRETCHING WILL HELP YOU FEEL• Clear and calmer• Lighter• More grounded• Fully alive

Stretching facilitates focusing less on your aches and pains andlimitations and gives you a sense of freedom and empowerment.

THE PROBLEM OF SCAR TISSUESScar tissue can develop because of acute trauma to the tissues or

repetitive stress injuries. Scar tissue formation is a normal response toinjury, but excessive scarring reduces function and contributes tochronic pain and limitation of movement.

Injured muscles usually heal by forming scar tissues at the injurysite. The final scar is often dense and inflexible, limiting pain freemotion. To restore pain free motion, the scar tissues must be modifiedin some way. Many physical therapists will still rely on treatment,such as, ice, heat, ultrasound, and electrical muscle stimulation.These approaches are often effective in the early treatment of traumabut can do nothing once the scar tissues have fully formed. Some typeof manual therapy like massage or myofascial release is oftennecessary to effectively reduce the scar tissues and restore pain freemotion. In that case soft facilitated stretching used with manual softtissue therapy will increase the likelihood of safely and effectivelyrestoring motion to injured tissues.

Note that stretching and soft tissue massages can only be givenduring the chronic phase. During the acute phase, the best advice isto take the time to let the injury rest.

Essentials for Self-Stretching

•Warm up! Walk, jump or bicycle your legs up while lyingdown on a hard surface for 10 minutes.

• If you are not used to stretching start with dynamicstretches by moving into the stretch (no bouncing) andcoming back.

• Start with just a few stretches and build up.

• Get a good start with information from a physiotherapist,massage therapist, or chiropractor.

• Try a Thai massage session and get connected to yourbody. Experience what a good stretch can do for you andget a sense of which body parts need stretching most.

• Buy or borrow a book/videotape on how to stretch. Keep it simple first.

• Never bounce into your stretch.

• Start with gentle stretches.

• Isolate and feel the particular muscle you want to stretch,the rest of the body should not be aching.

• Don’t lock your joints.

• Stretching should not hurt. You should feel the stretch butbe able to keep it. Otherwise, back off.

• One side is always tighter than the other. Don’t worry,with your efforts your body will balance itself.

• Maintain the stretch for at least 30 seconds or 4 deepbreaths.

• You don’t have to stretch in the morning. I recommendstretching in the evening: you have more time, your body isalready warmed up from the day’s activities and stretchingwill facilitate relaxation, get rid of the tensions and stressand induce a good sleep.

• Never roll your neck, especially if you are older.

• Don’t overdo. You’ll lose all the benefits.

• Keep breathing during your stretches. I encourage myclients to breathe in through the nose and out through themouth as I find it more stress releasing.

• Honor your body while you stretch. Stretching is not acompetition against your will or to please your facilitator ortherapist.

• The day after stretching you may feel sore. This is OK.Keep stretching.

• You will notice results in about a month or up to 3 months,if you have never stretched before or if you are 50+.

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EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT STRETCHESIt is important to focus on your hips and legs

(to help the knees), which are the two largest andmost important and vulnerable joints in your body,to prevent injury. Stretching these joints is a greatalternative to high impact aerobic exercise thatoften can put too much stress on the hips andknees.

The psoas muscle is a muscle that attachesto the lower spine. It is often ignored and can createmany aches and pains in the lower back and the groinarea. The piriformis is also a very important muscle tostretch. It is a flat muscle almost pyramid in shape that lies almost parallelto the gluteus medius beneath the gluteus maximus muscle. When it gets tootight, it irritates the sciatic nerve that runs in that area, causing pain in the buttocksand along the sciatic nerve. Approximately 15% of the population is prone todeveloping this type of sciatica. Many strength and aerobic exercises specificallyfocus on the buttock area but few people are aware how much they need tostretch the piriformis muscle.

Many people stretch incorrectly, believing in the adage no pain, no gain.Stretching must be completed comfortably to be effective. If you stretch untilit hurts, the body’s natural response will be to tighten up to prevent anymore lengthening and possibly injury to the muscle being stretched. Iadvocate stretching the muscle up just to the point at which you are ableto feel some resistance to further stretching but no big discomfort.

Remember that flexibility varies from day to day and from joint tojoint. It is important to remember that stretching is not a contest againstyour body. Honour your body. Take each day as it comes and stretchas best as you can. We cannot measure improvement in flexibilitydaily but we are better off looking at our gains over the long term.Last and not least, you don’t have to be flexible to stretch!Stretching will make you feel wonderful, and beautiful.

Anne Clossen is a licensed Holistic Practitioner in Toronto. She is a certified Traditional Thai Massage Practitioner, Holistic Practitioner and Reflexologist. She is fascinated by bodymechanics and likes to help her clients become actively and fullyaware of their body, and the body/mind connection. Anne can be reached at: 416- 939-2570.

Stretching the quadriceps

Easy piriformisstretch on a chair

Stretching the psoas

Stretching theabductors and

pririformis


Today more and more of us are seeking simple, safe, naturalalternatives. From health care to cosmetics, aromatherapy is a downto earth, hands on approach to self-care and healing. The Greekphysician Hippocrates, considered the father of alternative medicine,advocated the use of essential oils in the bath and in a massage everyday for good health. Now, you can make your own bath and massageproducts with a few simple tools and basic ingredients. They are safeand simple to use for adults, children and seniors. Essential oils havewonderful restorative properties, which can calm stress and anxiety,soothe aches and pains, and increase vitality.

Before making your own products, there are a few things toconsider. First of all, always take care when buying essential oils.They are not all created equal in terms of quality. Ultimately, thequality will affect the aroma and therefore the outcome of yourproduct. Make sure they are pure, natural, not a fragrance and areundiluted. Better quality oils are in dark bottles and have droppersinserted in the cap for easy dispensing.

As all essential oils are highly concentrated, they cannot be useddirectly on the skin. A second consideration is what type of base touse. When applying essential oils to the skin, the best choice is awhite moisturizing cream base suitable to your skin type. For a bodyproduct, again an unscented cream, lotion or oil will do nicely.Aromatherapy suppliers usually carry a good selection of baseproducts for you to choose from.

Baths and massage oils do however require a little bit of adifferent approach. In the bathtub, because oil and water do not mixwell, the base agent is still required. My personal favorite is to usemilk, cream or honey. After all, Cleopatra loved it! The easiestchoice is to use sea salts and Epsom salts. With this base product

larger amounts can be made and stored very well in an apothecaryjar by the side of the bathtub.

The last type of base product to consider is organic, cold pressedvegetable oils. There are a variety to choose from, each one with itsown therapeutic properties. Selections may include grapeseed,avocado, sweet almond, calendula, peach nut or jojoba oils. Againthese are preferably in dark glass or plastic bottles as they are lightsensitive.

Having made your choices you are now ready to make yourproducts. Do take the time to familiarize yourself with the oils ofchoice as they do change over time and even more so when youblend them together.

AromaticDelights

“ The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and a scented massage every day.” - Hippocrates

Valentine’s Blend

1 pound of coarse sea salts14 drops of Neroli15 drops of Ylang Ylang6 drops of Patchouli

Mix the essential oils into the sea salts, stir well,shake if required. Store in a tightly sealedapothecary jar. Add three heaping tablespoonsto the bath.

Make Your Own Body Products

By Trish Green

AromaticDelights


DOSAGEThe recommendation for a healthy adult is a maximum of 3% of

essential oils in any carrier solution, vegetable oil, unperfumedshower gel, shower gel or moisturizer. This is equal to 12 drops ofessential oil in 20 mls of liquid. So, for example, if you are usingthree essential oils in a recipe, the total amount would be 12 drops.

For face creams use 2% of essential oils. Therefore, use 20drops in 50 grams of cream. If an extra drop or two should fall intothe recipe simply add a little more of the base product to dilute itagain.

Last but not least, sometimes it is better to purchase a readymade blend of pure oils made by a professional company. They areusually economically priced versus purchasing four or fiveindividual oils. For instance, with Valentine’s Day coming close, aromance blend that is ready blended for you could be used in a bath,in a diffuser and put into a massage oil for a relaxing massage.

Trish Green, a Homeopathic Practitioner is the director of Education at theBalnea Institute in Burlington. The school is a registered private careercollege offering many courses in holistic health, specializing in clinicalaromatherapy.

Headache Blend

Carrier Oils

5 drops of Lavender3 drops Eucalyptus4 drops Peppermint

Put the oils into 20mls of base cream and applyto temples or neck as required.

Moisturiser For Normal to Dry Skin3 drops Sandalwood3 drops Geranium3 drops Rosewood1 drop Ylang Ylang

Stir the drops into 50ml of base cream and apply a small amount morning and night.

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GRAPESEEDLight and easily absorbed as a massage oil. Very good for face blends for acne skin.

AVOCADOThick, luxurious and excellent for very dryfacial skin, dry cracked feet or body massage.

SWEET ALMONDA commonly used massage oil. Recommendedfor skin that is dry due to climatic change.

CALENDULAFor very sensitive skins that suffer with eczema or psoriasis. Rich, nourishing and healing.

JOJOBAJojoba has a thicker consistency, is nourishingand healing. Recommended for many skintypes and conditions.


The Ayurvedic tradition says that in the innermost chamber ofheart reside eight radiant drops of a substance called ojas, a Sanskritpoeticism which translates to something like ‘life’s nectar’. The oldbooks say it glows like honey and ghee and wafts a sandalwood-vanilla scent throughout the body and mind.

Ojas is said to be the distillation of our nutrition, the source ofour vitality, and the fuel of our immunity. It is squeezed out of thepith of experience by a happy digestive system processing a diet ofloving whole foods, regular cleansing of bodily systems, theapplication of rejuvenative substances, worship of the day’s rhythms,intimacy with the earth and others, pleasure in the spiritual journey,and ethics that make relationships clear and easy. The more of thesethings you’ve got going for you, the stronger your ojas tap isrunning.

Can you feel the light of ojas within you? Or if you don’t, canyou remember a time when you did? Does the mind ever glow?When was the last time you felt that confused riot of love within theupper chest, and feel it rise up to press tears from the outer cornersof the eyes? This is ojas – the juice of life, overflowing. Perhaps, asyou’ve aged, you’ve noticed that such emotional openness has wiltedat the same rate as your bodily vitality. This is in the order of things– ojas does not issue from an endless fountain. It wears out. It getsused up. It is fatigued by exertion, blocked by toxins, and destroyedby rage. Its fragility mirrors the fragility of our flesh, and itsradiance mirrors our radiance. You can build it.

This strange substance, responsible for so many functionsacross so many categories of experience, begs a question: is ojas anactual physical reality? Will it drip out onto the table during a triple

By Matthew Remski

Opening the Sacred Heart


bypass? Can it be transfused? But modernquestions will always be met with ancientsilence. Ayurveda speaks materially andesoterically at the same time, surely agreeingwith Emerson in “Nature” that “everynatural fact is a symbol for a spiritual fact,”but going even further to say: “everyspiritual fact is the projection of a naturalfact.” And so we understand several thingsat once when we see an icon of Jesus withhis heart exposed and encircled with flame.Love comes from the heart. The heart is afiery organ. Fire and love expand from thecentre to the periphery in search of the fuelof life. Passion flows through this heart, andthe interweaving of passion with wisdomand wisdom with compassion makes theheart incorruptible and enchanting.

Physical heart congestion begins on theemotional level with the incapacity to allowauthentic (as opposed to indulgent) feelingsto flow freely. Unresolved thought obstructsenergy, and obstructed energy clogs thechannels along which the elements flow.Conflicted emotions directly reduce thecirculatory capacity of the heart. Theseinclude: an inability to give or receive love,a grievance held in the breast, righteousanger that is suppressed because of socialconvention or a sense of powerlessness,apathy, grief over loss…. All of these createsubtle toxic tensions within the heart thatover time accumulate into the nervous,lethargic or irritable arrhythmias of one notat peace with the world.

The heartbeat should sound a deep,slow, steady commitment to thewonderment and joy of living. Simpleacknowledgement of your feelings allowstheir storm to pass quickly, and with littleresistance. A suppressed feeling is literallytoxic in the Ayurvedic book – a failure ofdigestion on the level of emotion and it cangrow and metastasize into a chronicpsychological blockage. What is a tumourbut a denser version of this? Indeed,suppressed emotions are a key cause of suchcomplex disorders as cancer.

Let’s end with an inevitable fact. Youcan nurture the heart’s warmth. You canpurify your blood. You can cut down onalcohol, give up on meat, and stopexercising to the point of exhaustion (if youleave a workout with less energy than youbrought to it, you’ve taxed the heart anddepleted ojas, according to Ayurveda). And,you should do all of these things – your

heart is a miracle deserving of utmosttenderness and respect. But for all of yourheart-care, for all of your work to expand itswarmth, for all of your ripening in love, thisheart of yours will definitely break.

Life itself will break it. A pregnancywill fail, a child will become ill, a child willmove away, a friend will become distant, afriend will perish on the highway, a brotherwill fall on hard times, a species will goextinct, a parent will lose her faculties, aparent will die. There may be a divorce, or alonging for an intimacy that never flowers.

And between these darker events, a

thousand times over, the heart will breakwith joy. Whatever the fate: you can’t protectyourself. Life will break your heart. If somehigher part of you rejoices tenderly as ithappens, your heart’s healing is assured.

Matthew Remski is a certified Ayurvedic HealthEducator (advanced level) through the AmericanInstitute of Vedic Studies. He runs Canada's onlyAyurvedic Health Education Certificationprogramme, is co-director of Yoga FestivalToronto, teaches at the Canadian College ofNaturopathic Medicine (CE), and is co-owner ofRenaissance Yoga and Ayurveda in downtownToronto.

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Think back to your childhood and to the years dominated byplaytime, when there were endless hours to fill and the only agendawas to be captivated in the moment, to have fun. But playtime wasalso productive time, even if as kids we did not realize it.

What we thought was entertaining was also instructive.Activities we called tea party, kick-ball, finger-painting, hide-and-seek, daydreaming, and tag were also exercises in planning, strategy,design, decision-making, creativity, and risk-taking.

In play we did not avoid obstacles, we looked for them byvoluntarily challenging ourselves. We eagerly tackledinsurmountable odds—height, speed, lack of money—to make ourdesires reality. Using imagination, we climbed Mt. Everest,competed in the Super Bowl, conquered the world, made a house outof a cardboard box, ran a restaurant. We voluntarily tested ourselvesand accepted failure as part of the play. We ran, stumbled, and got upto run again. When we lost a game we simply started a new one.When something did not pan out as intended, we came up with a newsolution until we were satisfied. When faced with an enemy or newchallenge—be it a competing team, a broken toy, or our friendplaying a cop to our robber, an ogre to our princess—we figured outhow to win, remedy the malfunction, or flee the imagined danger.

Far from frivolous time, childhood activities were constructivebecause they strengthened our resolve, as well as, our skills. Playgave us courage and instilled confidence. No doubt about it, themany forms of play—board games, sports, pretending, arts-and-crafts, exploring, building—required us to invent, analyze, innovate,socialize, plan, and problem solve.

These are among the very same skills required of us at work.Why, then, do play and work seem so contradictory? Why, as adults,do we relegate them to separate spheres, and why do so few workersand companies value play as a means to effective work? Perhaps, itis because we are brought up to believe that the two cannot coexist.At school, teachers insert play in between class time; play becomessomething we do after chores and homework. Over time, ourinstinctual play behavior is slowly replaced with institutionalprocesses and boundaries, such as classes, test taking, and structuredactivities, like sports and music that we practiced rather thanindulged.

By the time we enter the workplace we have effectivelyrelegated play to weekends and vacations. Worse, competition anddeadlines further stifle our ability to exercise many of play’s mostproductive instincts, such as creativity and imagination. It’s sad thatas adults we push play to the margins of our lives, forgetting thatplay is not frivolous at all, but highly productive.

We do not have to live this way. Adult responsibilities do notmean there is no place for child-like joys. Delight and productivitycan coexist, and it is possible to tap what I call the genius of youth;so, that the most engaging, entertaining, and even educationalaspects of play co-exist with our labor. Dr. Stuart Brown, founder ofthe National Institute for Play, points to the fact that we all have a“play history” (think: what was your favorite form of play as achild?) that has helped to shape many of our social and problem-solving skills that we use in our adult pursuits. Dr. Brown trulybelieves (and I do too) that everyone has the ability to play at work.

“The master in the art of living makes little distinctionbetween his work and play…”- James Michener

Turn Work into Play

By Kevin Carroll


As another childhood expert puts it, “We never outgrow play, we justhave to change what we call it.”

In other words, if playing capture the flag requires problemsolving – “How can I outwit my opponent?” – then why don’t weview problem solving on the job – “How do I out sell mycompetition?”– as a form of play? After all, both activities engagethe mind in similar challenges.

I believe that you can want to work just as you once wanted toplay. The result: jobs that feel more like fun than like drudgery,workplace satisfaction, increased employee retention, and,ultimately, more innovative, successful companies.

WHY PLAY?!Play is not just about having fun, it is serious business. Research

has shown that play – particularly unstructured, spontaneous gamesvs. scheduled activities like music lessons and football practice – isa powerful force in human development. Play experts such as Dr.Stuart L. Brown, early childhood professor and author Vivian GussinPaley, and Yale research scientist Dorothy G. Singer believe thatspontaneous play and fantasy play help children learn about theworld, cope with life’s pressures (like change), and process negativeemotions, such as, fear, anger, even worry.

They have found that role-playing prepares us for real-lifesituations, allowing us to practice, for example, making decisionsunder pressure, leading a group, or thinking abstractly. Group playteaches us to socialize and to cooperate. Play also encouragescreativity. Says Edgar Klugman, Ed. D. and author of Play, Policyand Practice, “Good make-believers are often better at imaginingthings,” and a good imagination is hardly reserved for childhood.

PLAY IS SERIOUS BUSINESS!In my search for how play and work can co-exist, I heard from

dozens of thought leaders and successful men and women abouttheir play backgrounds and current work. Almost always, a themeemerged that linked those two worlds.

Play was not narrowly defined for any of the individuals duringtheir childhood. In fact, many different activities were enjoyed, avariety of skills were developed, and a cluster of eclectic experienceswere accumulated and stored away only to be summoned forth laterin life for a completely different purpose other than for play forplay’s sake. My hope is that the readers of this short piece will beinspired to take a moment and reflect back on your own childhood,take a fresh look at your working life, and recognize howopportunities to incorporate play already exist in your job or cancome to exist. It may be as simple as isolating the core mentalactivities that stimulated you as a child – were you a planner, anorganizer, a leader, a problem solver, an analyzer, a writer – andfinding ways to further incorporate them into your current role.

Reawakening the kid-within-you can have a positive, productivepurpose in your life. If the info in this article isn’t motivationenough, then maybe this will work...I Triple-Dog-Dare YOU!

Kevin Carroll is the acclaimed author of “Rules of the Red Rubber Ball” and“What’s Your Red Rubber Ball?!” He travels around the globe speaking tobusinesses and to young people about the importance of sport and play inlife. Kevin Carroll’s blog is at: www.kevincarrollkatalyst.com and “The RedRubber Ball at Work” web site is: www.rrbatwork.com. He is an advisor tomany organizations that use sports and play as a transformative toolincluding Nike, Disney/ESPN, Gap/Old Navy, Mattel, Proctor & Gamble,and Capital One, and he has spoken at the United Nations.


A true cold and flu formula should go beyond just boosting theimmune system, it must also address the specific symptomsassociated with colds & flu.

Most cold and flu formulas are largely designed to enhance theimmune system and have little or no direct effect on colds or flu.

Although a strong immune system is key to keeping us healthyand less susceptible to cold or flu and helps to shortening theduration of such, choose ingredients and products that will benefitboth the immune system and the associated symptoms.

SAY HELLO TO N-ACETYL-L-CYSTEINE N-acetyl-L-Cysteine (derived from the simple amino acid

cysteine) is a safe natural ingredient that plays an important role inboosting immune response. N-acetyl-L-Cysteine is a precursor ofglutathione; that is, it raises glutathione levels. Llymphocytes (smallwhite blood cells) depend on glutathione for proper function of theimmune system.

In addition to playing an important roll in fortifying the immuneresponse, N-acetyl-L-Cysteine helps break down mucus, therebyrelieving that stuffy pressure feeling in the head, chest and sinuses.

REACH OUT YOUR HAND WITH CONFIDENCE, COLD FREE. DON’T LET LOST DAYSFROM COLD OR FLU DURING BUSINESS TRIPS OR HOLIDAYS DRAG YOU DOWN.

Calm Assurance Against

COLD & FLU

By Tom Stokes PhD Biochemistry, BSc

ProjectTrust, ColdFree!


PEAK PERFORMANCE WITH BETA GLUCANSTo fortify the immune response further, no formula should be without beta glucans. These

are likely the single most important consideration for boosting the immune response to germs,viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.

The immune system has two components, the innate immune response and the acquiredimmune response. In the innate immune system, beta glucans bind with macrophages (a typeof white blood cell whose job it is to detect intruders and coordinate the body’s defense againstthem). When activated by beta glucan, macrophages go on high alert and their ability toidentify and destroy invading pathogens is intensified. Research shows that macrophagesfortified by beta glucans are better able to rally the body’s defenses. The health and strengthof your immune system directly affects your body’s ability to protect itself. Beta glucan willsupport your immune system and help it achieve peak performance.

BEST SOURCES OF BETA GLUCANSWhat then are the best sources of Beta Glucans? Two equally valid schools of thought

support beta glucans sourced from either yeast or fungi (mushrooms). This of course begs theobvious question, which yeast source is best and which mushroom source is best? The shortanswer is baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and Agaricus blazei mushrooms. The betaglucan content in baker’s yeast is higher and superior to brewer’s yeast. Baker’s yeast has boththe 1,3-D1,6 branching, whereas, brewer’s yeast lacks the vital 1,6 branching. The Agaricusblazei mushroom (ABM) originally from Brazil and now transplanted in Japan has long beenknown for it’s immune boosting properties and superior beta glucan content.

ZINC, SELENIUM AND THE COPPER CONNECTIONIt is well documented that zinc and selenium are two of the most important minerals for

enhancing a healthy immune system. These two minerals are also a must have in your immuneboosting formula. Keep in mind that zinc tends to deplete the body’s supply of copper. It wouldbe advantageous to supplement with copper or look for a cold & flu formula that already hasthe correct amount of copper added to it.

KEEP ON THE GO WITH GINSENGGinseng is also known for it’s immune fortifying properties. The root of North American

ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) is superior and by far the most effective ginseng to fortify thebody’s immune response.

What about echinacea, vitamin C, pinecone extract, andrographis, arabinogalactan, etc?These are all good secondary choices to consider taking along with zinc, selenium, betaglucans, North American ginseng and n-acetyl-l-cysteine (N-acetylcysteine) for cold & flu andimmune system enhancement.

Remember prevention is always better than treatment; consider taking a good immunefortifying formula during cold and flu season before your catch something and particularly ifyou are traveling abroad or before you go on away on holidays or a business trip.

Tom Stokes, PhD Biochemistry, BSc. is a natural products researcher. For more information about Ah-Choo visit: www.therapeutx.info.

THE COLD FACTSA 2007 Decima Research poll found 79 percent of Canadians surveyed reported going

to work sick during the last year.Statistics Canada estimates Canadians call

in sick an average of 9.2 days a year.


It’s true – you are what you eat. The foods you eat arethe only resource your skin has to help it fight signs ofdisease and aging. The entire body needs nutrients in order towork properly and your skin is no exception. Stress, eatingprocessed foods and sunlight cause your skin to age faster,and increase the risk of developing skin conditions, such as,acne and psoriasis. Fight back against those undesirable linesand bags around your eyes by eating right. Arm your skinwith all the nutrients it needs to fight and enjoy beautiful,glowing skin.

FEED YOUR SKINEating the right foods can help

your skin have a youthful, plump,radiant, glowing appearance.

Researchers used data from theNational Health and NutritionExamination Survey to discoverwhether what you eat affects theway your skin looks. Those whoate higher amounts of bad fatand processed carbohydrates(like white bread and candy) had

more pronounced wrinkles. Thosewho ate a diet rich in vitamin C had

fewer wrinkles later in life; proof thatfood has a lot to do with the beauty of

your skin.

TAKING A BEATINGBeing the barrier between the body and the environment

the skin is subjected to a lot of abuse. Ultraviolet rays fromthe sun and tanning beds, cosmetics and cleaning productsinteract with the skin, drying it out, causing injury, making itred, inflamed and unattractive. Eating foods that are high inantioxidants can help protect your skin from these damagingdaily elements. Antioxidants are found in high amounts inbright coloured fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.

Feed Your Skin For

NATURAL BEAUTY

Let InnerBeautyShine

Through

By Allison Tannis MS RHN


SPOTTY APPEARANCERedness and blotches are another common skin complexion problem. These areas of

redness are caused by inflammation. Your skin has become irritated or damaged. Fight backagainst inflammation with foods like fish, yogurt and berries. These foods are all helpful inthe battle against inflammation and can help you ditch your concealer for good.

A LITTLE DULLIs your complexion looking a little dull? It could be because you have too many dead skin

cells on the top layer of your skin. The epidermis (outermost layer of your skin) is made up ofdead cells. They slough off over time. Eating certain foods can help encourage your skin toslough off dead cells faster and grow new, more beautiful cells too. Psyllium is a great food toinclude in your diet as it naturally encourages the skin to exfoliate. Vitamin A, found inred/orange fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, is one of the nutrients that support thegrowth of beautiful new skin cells. Folate and vitamin B12 are also needed for cell divisionand they can be found in Brewer’s yeast, mushrooms and wheat germ. Ditch your need formakeup with a diet rich in nutrients that can turn your complexion from dull to radiant.

BITE BACK AGAINST ACNEAcne is thought to be caused by a poor diet. In 2006, the Journal of the European

Academy of Dermatology and Venereology compared the differences between young studentswho had acne to those who did not. They found that those with acne were more likely toconsume soft drinks and chocolates. Ditch the bad diet and fight back against acne.

Acne is a skin condition that involves inflammation. If inflammation can be controlledand prevented than acne can be treated. Foods like fish can help reduce inflammation. Fruitsand vegetables such as lemons, grapefruit, raspberries and eggplants are rich sources ofantioxidants which stop free radicals from causing damage in your skin that triggersinflammation.


WHAT ABOUT CHOCOLATE? The Journal of Clinical Nutrition

reported in 2005 that chocolate has a blood-sugar regulating effect. Chocolate may helpcontrol blood sugar levels which affect sebumproduction (a cause of acne). However,research supporting the use of chocolate tohelp fight acne did not use conventionalchocolate bars. Chocolate bars are high inrefined sugar and saturated and trans fats.Rich, dark chocolate is the best chocolate tohelp in the battle against acne.

STARVE YOUR WRINKLESLines and sags are common place on our

face. Win the battle against wrinkles by firstidentifying the enemy: ultraviolet radiation,free radicals and hormones. Go farther thanprotecting your skin with a broad-brimmedhat and start fighting back from the insideout.

Can food really make a difference? Inone of the most amazing studies to date,researchers investigated people over the ageof 70 to see if their diets had influenced theyouthfulness of their skin.

The subjects were from all over theworld: Australia, China, Greece, Japan andSweden. Scientists examined the diets of2000 people through a questionnaire.

The researchers reported that the elderlySwedish subjects had the least skin wrinklingand the Australian’s the worst. Eatingvegetables, legumes, fish and olive oil wereassociated with younger-looking skin. Thesefoods include good fats that help maintainyour skin’s moisture barrier and reduceinflammation.

These foods also contain antioxidantswhich protect your skin from the damage thatcauses redness, sagging and imperfections inyour skin. Vitamin C is an ultimate anti-wrinkle antioxidant. The strength and rigidityof your skin is thanks to collagen and elastinwhich are made using vitamin C.

Changing your diet to include foods thatsupport healthy skin is easier than you think.Discover how the skin is built, how it works,what causes skin problems and ultimatelywhat nutrients help your skin lookbeautiful.

Allison Tannis MS RHN is a nutritional scientist,lover of food and, author of many books including“Probiotic Rescue” (Wiley, 2008) and “Feed YourSkin, Starve Your Wrinkles” (Fairwinds, 2009).Allison is a Nutritional Consultant with a practicein southern Ontario. Visit allisontannis.com formore information.


NATURAL BEAUTY

Hundreds of new internal cleansing formulas have entered themarket in the last decade. Most people are on the body cleansingbandwagon. Magazine articles and media reports on the effects ofbody cleansing and detoxifying have woken up a whole generation.Yet, we forget to treat the skin the same way.

The beauty business is worth billions and in growing demandby most women. The media has played a vital role in promotinggorgeous looking woman, many with layers of coated chemicals inthe name of beauty.

The beauty industry has now come under scrutiny however forthe amount of chemical components it is utilizing in its finishedproducts. This has brought the word natural, widely used forgenerating sales, under similar scrutiny. Those who now understandthat ‘natural’ can really amount to nothing if the bases of mostcosmetic products are 90% derived from chemicals.

Celebrities and some movie stars have begun to add their voice,with some reporting their awareness of the amount of chemicalsused in the makeup they had to endure during film shoots or events.Another ‘sister’ word, ‘organic’ has also surfaced in the cosmeticindustry – powerful ‘ad words’ that accelerate the selling ofchemically-based products with an add on organic ingredient.

Chemical components, such as, parabens, pthalates,formaldehyde, urea, propylene glycol, and iso propanal are just afew of the common chemicals used on a daily basis in the makeupof most women. Some synthetic colors also contain heavy metals,such as lead, which can put an extreme burden on the organs and theneurological system. Molecular chemical components found in

certain products can be absorbed by the skin and end up in the usersblood stream and/or organs. A few years ago researchers indicatedthat some hair dyes can be a contributing cause of bladder cancer.

Since ancient times tribes of Africa and Egyptians protectedtheir skin with natural occurring clays and earth minerals. This isnow becoming hugely fashionable and trendy in western society.

Natural oxides and micas can now color the eyelids as in eyeshadows and/or add color to the cheeks as in blushers. Annatto, beetpowder, alkanet and indigo are natural occurring plant colors and areoften used in combinations with other natural plant extracts to obtainthe desired colors for all over natural beauty of the body.

The newest in truly natural makeup technology is currentlysurfacing to replace the so called fashion concept of covering theimperfect skin. Mineral makeup contains a number of natural earthminerals such as zinc oxide, silica, magnesium stearate, titaniumdioxide, a natural sun protector, iron oxides, and micas. It containsno parabens, no phthalates, no lead, no artificial dyes, lakes orFD&C colors. With these hot new products we cannot go wrong tobeautify naturally without the worry of toxic elements entering thebody from the makeup that we use.

But consumers be aware that not all mineral make ups arecreated equally. Some brands still contain questionable ingredients,like bismuth oxychloride and others.

Learn to make your own natural-make-up and body products. Call LynnBosman 905-822-5094 e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.aroma.net.

Natural Choices for Make-Up,Hair and Body Products

CHECK YOUR INGREDIENTS, NOT ALL PRODUCTS ARE REALLY NATURAL OR ORGANIC.By Lynn Bosman


With colder temperatures upon us, many of us wonder if thereis a warmer home to live in. Other than moving to a hotter countryto find one, turns out there is… and it’s more natural, as well. It’scalled a strawbale house.

A strawbale home is built with straw bales stacked in alternatingcourses, much like bricks, to form the walls. The bale walls are thenplastered with 2 inches of cement stucco or a lime/earth plaster oneither side to finish the walls. When finished a wall of exceptionalstrength, beauty and thermal mass is created.

There are two types of strawbale structures: post and beam, orload bearing. With post and beam homes, the straw bales are used as“infill” to form the outside walls and the posts and beams providethe structural frame. In load-bearing homes, the strawbale walls arepre-compressed with tensioned cables and then once plastered, thestucco-skin on the outside becomes the load-bearing component.

HIGH R-VALUESThere are many advantages to this type of building. Stawbale

homes have high R-values. R-value is a measure of thermalresistance used in the building and construction industry. The biggerthe number, the better the building insulation's effectiveness. Studiesby Canada’s Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) haveshown that strawbale homes use 25-40% less energy to heat. R-values can be as high as R60 where most modern homes are R20.

FIRE-RETARDANTCMHC found that strawbale walls exceeded the standards for

fire retardancy and in fact gave them a rating equivalent to anindustrial firewall.

STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION

By Russell Scott


NO OFF-GASINGBecause the walls are made of a natural material, there is no

concern for the effects of vapours from resins, glues and paints usedin the building, polluting the interior air.

ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE Since straw bales are a natural material harvested near the site,

these homes use substantially less embodied energy to build andtherefore contribute less to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.Embodied energy is the energy required to manufacture andtransport building materials.

ADAPTABLEUnlike other alternative building methods, straw bale walls are

easily integrated into modern construction practices as only thewalls are different and, as such, the walls are easily adapted to allkinds of conventional foundation and roof building methods.Strawbale homes can look like any other stucco home and fit well inany neighborhood.

AESTHETICALLY PLEASING Strawbale homes can be very beautiful with large window

wells, round-corners and many possible available exterior tints usedin stuccoing. Because bales are malleable they lend themselves tohomeowners creating unique beautiful spaces.

NO MOISTURE OR INSECTSWhen built properly, there are no moisture or insect problems.

In addition, when you buy straw bales you will feel good aboutcontributing to the income of the local farming community, using arenewable resource and saving 25 to 40% of your energy costs everyyear.

Russell Scott is the owner of True Source Seminars specializing in Self-actualization and ecological awareness seminars. For more info: e-mail himat: [email protected] and request a free copy of the booklets“Blueprint for Green Living” or “Living from the Inside Out”. For moreinfo: read: “More Strawbale Building” by Chris Magwood and Peter Mack,New Society Publishers. Or click on: www.strawbalebuilding.ca. Forworkshops contact: www.TrueSourceSeminars.com.

ECO HOMESStrawbale homes, barnsand sheds are attractive,

adaptable, have high R-values are

fire-retardant and are environmentallly

responsible.


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Beautiful skin is just amouthful away. What you eataffects how your skin appears.Bite into some of the best foodsfor yours skin and let the beautyof your skin shine through.Discover some of the best foodsto eat to help you fight wrinkles,acne and improve yourcomplexion with Allison TannisMSc RHN, author of Feed YourSkin, Starve Your Wrinkles(Fairwinds, 2009). Plus, thereare amazingly delicious recipespacked with food-beautifyingnutrients.

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Children with acute or chronic middle ear infections greatlybenefit from homeopathic medicine. A recent trial in Washingtonfound that children between the ages of 18 months and 6 yearsrecovered more quickly when homeopathic remedies were given.

WHAT IS “GLUE” EAR?Children who have had repeated ear infections are more likely

to develop “glue” ear (a chronic condition in which catarrh builds upin the middle ear causing some hearing loss), which might requiregrommets – minute plastic funnels which are inserted into theeardrum; so, that the fluid can be drained. Afterwards, there can bea risk of infection from water getting into the middle ear, and theneed for repeated operations to have those tubes put back in if theyfall out. However, neither antibiotics nor surgery solve the mainproblem.

SEEKING SOLUTIONS HOLISTICALLYViewing each child individually and as a whole, homeopathic

medicine considers the roles both physical and emotional factorsplay in relation to health issues.

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Repeated ear infections indicate that the real problem lies muchdeeper. Perhaps, your child’s immune system is not strong enough tofight viruses and bacteria and is asking for help. Homeopathicmedicine can help strengthen your child's natural defense systems;so, that the pattern of repeated sickness will stop.

HOW EMOTIONAL STRESS CAN AFFECT A CHILDHave you ever heard about any medicine helping a child to cope

with the stress when a new sibling was born in the family? Forexample, when a child is experiencing a feeling of jealousy, it in turncan cause physical symptoms such as involuntary urination at night,earache, stomachache or eczema. A carefully chosen homeopathicremedy can help resolve those problems.

Moreover, careful observation of your child’s behavior can helpto understand how physical symptoms manifest emotional distress orvice versa.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT?Emotional stress can lower immune function. However, the most

common causes of ear infections are: an allergy (food allergy, allergyto animal dander, pollen, cigarette smoke or house dust), a nutritionalinsufficiency, an infection of the respiratory system, a nasalcongestion, or excessive mucous production.

Knowing the cause of your child's illness can help us to choosethe right homeopathic remedy. For example, if your child gets anearache after being out in a cold wind, then you can help him bygiving the homeopathic remedy aconite. Chronic ear infections canbe successfully cured by constitutional homeopathic treatment.

Visit www.homeopathytoronto.com to learn how homeopathy can helpduring flu epidemics or for more information about homeopathy. Thisinformation is not to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Pleaseconsult your health care provider with questions or if symptoms persist.

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Dear EarthTalk:This winter is shaping up to be one of the coldest inrecent memory where I live. What can I do to reduce myhome heating bill now and in the future?

-- Eric Lenz

Whether global warming is somehow to blame or not, much ofNorth America is getting walloped this winter. Besides the cold,another challenge this wintry weather presents, especially duringsuch trying economic times, is higher heating bills. Heating typicallyaccounts for about 28 percent of the average North American home’senergy use.

Homeowners who take a few simple steps to make their homesmore weather-tight, though, just might be amazed to see theirheating bills go down while they languish inside their toasty andwarm homes.

If you’re a handy person and your draft issues are minor, youmight want to go around and assess just where cold air seems to becoming in – and then caulk, putty or insulate to your heart’s content.According to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC’s)green-living oriented simpleSteps.org website, small gaps aroundwindows, light fixtures and plumbing are easy to cover with caulk.

Large drafty areas that are protected from moisture and sunlightcan be covered with expanding foam sealant, while a little weather-stripping around door jambs goes a long way.

Beyond these easier fixes, adding or updating insulation canpay dividends on your utility bills. NRDC says that if you do ityourself, be careful not to cover or close up attic vents, as proper airflow is key to keeping indoor air quality good. Replacing single panewindows with sealed double or triple pane windows will alsoimprove your home’s energy efficiency significantly. Other tipsinclude insulating heating ducts and your hot water tank, andupgrading to a programmable thermostat which allows you to heatyour home when you’re there and lower the temperature when you’resleeping or at work. Switching ceiling fans to rotate in a clockwisedirection will help circulate warm air throughout your home.

Older, inefficient furnaces can also lead to large heating bills.New models which qualify for the federal government’s Energy Starprogram will use far less gas or oil and reduce your utility billhandily.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098,Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/,or e-mail: [email protected]. Read past columns at:www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.


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Think of it this way. Let’s say that you live next door to pigfarm. Some days a light breeze will blow the odour into your opensummer window. After a month your good mood might be somewhatstrained, perhaps even greatly irritated. The constant distress wouldbegin to effect your physical health.

On the other hand, say you lived next door to a nursery whereroses, wisteria and a variety of other fragrant flowers bloom. A softsummer breeze would blow the elegant fragrances through yourwindow. You would inhale deeply as you smiled and comment onhow those scents are so wonderful. The constant elation wouldimprove your physical health.

The nose is packed with sensitive receptors called olfactoryhairs which determine whether foods are fresh or full of bacteria,objects are safe to handle, diapers need to be changed, etc. Somebelieve that a person's soul mate can be determined if their bodyodour is overly pleasant.

Scent marketing is on the rise. GM recently announced addingscent to their leather seats to amplify the new-car smell. Manygrocery stores have implemented bakeries that emit freshly bakedbread odours into the rest of the store.

When you smell a flower, the nose is detecting molecules ofvolatile essential oil found in the plant. These oils have a physicaleffect, soothing, stimulating and relaxing, which is why herbs andflowers can also change your mood so effectively.

Herbal fragrances that have been proven to help eliminatemigraine headaches are: lavender, peppermint, marjoram andchamomile. Herbal fragrances that have been shown to sooth achesand pains are eucalyptus, wintergreen, cinnamon and clove.Fragrances that are generally more pleasing to women are citrus,such as, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, orange, as well as, sage,

jasmine and rose. Most men like the smell of sandalwood,frankincense, pine, juniper and patchouli.

Aromatherapy is another area that can greatly determine goodhealth. Surrounding yourself with natural scents and fragrances isnot only a pleasurable endeavour but a healthy choice as well.

George Shurepa is a Natural Health Consultant and a Herbal Scientistwith over 30 years experience with healing herbs and is President andCEO of ECG Naturals.

Aromatherapy Can Scents Really Effect Health?

By George Shurepa N.H.C, H.T.

Aromatherapy


Hang on for the Ride, Welcome to

MenopauseBy Dini Petty

Marion Marshall, fabulous woman,brilliant herbalist and yours truly have doneabout one hundred seminars across Canada onmenopause, over the last four years.

A ROLLER COASTER OF SYMPTOMSThe following is a list of menopause

symptoms: night sweats, hot flashes, fatigue,depression, mood swings, low libido, vaginaldryness, irritability, anxiety, vulnerability,incontinence, urinary urgency, memory loss,forgetfulness, confusion, joint pain, dizziness,palpitations, poor skin tone, low energy,restlessness, and bad sleeping patterns.

WHAT A HEADACHE!Another thing we have heard a lot from

women experiencing menopause was the onsetof headaches. Although not listed as an officialmenopause symptom, they seem to be common.

Some lucky women get a few symptomsbut many of us, including me get most of themand find that it not only takes over your life butdevastates it. When there are younger women inthe audience, I explain menopause as a bad dayof PMS, which I figure most of us understand.

The only difference is that for some womenmenopause never quits. It can be like someonetakes a hammer and starts smacking you overthe head with it 24/7 until, you curl up in a ballon the floor crying, because you can't take itanymore. That's exactly what happened to meand in my travels across Canada, I've metwomen who were just like me, or worse.

THE ULTIMATE SWING STARThe prize, so far, goes to a lady I met in

Calgary at a drugstore event. She came to thankme for relief from her misery cause whenmenopause hit her she started crying 24/7 andraging at the same time. Needless to say peoplestarted avoiding her as quickly as possible. Oneday she got on the longest street in Calgary andlost it. She was driving like a maniac whileraging at anyone who crossed her path. Shescared herself so badly, that when she got home,she didn't go out for three weeks.

STOP THE RIDE! I WANT OFF!Two things to remember, most likely an

alternative product will work for you but youhave to give it time. Yes, you can expectimprovements within the first two weeks, but ittakes twelve weeks to rebalance your system.Then, you can try reducing your daily dosage.

Unfortunately, nothing works for everyoneand often those who have the hardest time arewomen coming off long duration use of HRTand that's because your adrenals have beendoing nothing for so long, it takes time for themto wake up and get back to work. So, don't giveup, it’s a tough hill to climb but for most of usthere are alternative products that will work.

Dini Petty is a well known broadcaster in Canada.Marion Marshall is a medical herbalist working inprivate practice in St. Catharines, ON. For moreinformation about Nutrafem contact the distributor at1-866-535-8474 or visit www.nutrafem.ca.

Stop the Ride!

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Healthy Directions

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