The Magnificent 7 - Seven Things We need to do Right to Stay Healthy

 #1. Think Right: Keeping a Positive Attitude Towards your Health and Life in General

Thinking positively!  There is the old saying "The human body has an innate ability to heal itself.”   But for this to occur it needs the right environment with the right support.  But even more importantly, the individual needs to be in the right state of mind.

Our minds are extremely powerful – to a large and certain extent, we can control our own health outcome.  You can be on all the right medications, supplements and make all the other "right” lifestyle choices, but without a positive outlook chances of recovery from any illness are reduced dramatically.  The more positive one can be about their health, the more likely one will succeed. Thus thinking right can either make it or break it for many!

So how do you begin to think right?  Surround yourself with positive, supportive people and take time to relax and really follow your passions in life.  Choose to believe you will get better!  You will be amazed at how just changing your perspective will impact your daily experiences and health.

#2. Drink Right: Replenishing your Natural H2O levels to Keep Hydrated  

Water, water and more water!

Often called "the elixir of life”, water makes up about 70% of your body. If you are not drinking at least 1 ounce of water for every kilogram of body weight every day, your body and mind are not functioning at peak efficiency.  You don’t have to drink this all at once!  In fact, it’s better not to. Try to drink water constantly throughout the day to maintain hydration. Unfortunately the water in coffee, tea and soda does not count.  The caffeine in these beverages actually promotes water loss, so you are causing more dehydration by substituting them for pure water.

Exercising also increases your need for water even more.  Always make sure to stay hydrated during a workout or any other strenuous physical activity.  Dehydration is linked to a wide variety of conditions, from low energy to allergies, headaches and even arthritis.  Even just being mildly dehydrated can cause low energy levels, poor skin tone, and poor concentration/memory.  Aim for a light yellow colour in your urine.

It is pretty amazing how something as simple as water is essential for just about every function in our bodies!

#3. Sleep Right: Rejuvenating your Mind and Body and Helping to Maintain Strong Immunity

Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to low energy, irritability, mood swings, depression and poor memory.  The standard western medical approach to managing poor sleep is to prescribe either a sleeping pill, an anti-depressant. an anti-anxiety medication and/or a tranquilizer.  While these might provide temporary relief, they tend to lose their effect in the long term, are likely to cause troublesome side effects and really do not promote a deep restful sleep. They have a tendency to "knock” you out and cause unwanted fatigue/grogginess the next morning.  Some possible underlying causes of poor sleep are:  stress, anxiety, depression, mental illness, adrenal fatigue, chronic pain or hormonal changes.

Our goal is to help you find and solve the root of the problem, so that the extended use of prescription medications can be minimized!

#4. Eat Right: Providing Fuel for your Mind and Body

We all know that we should eat right, and most of us believe we do! However, the modern lifestyle nowadays tends to be go, go, go, go! Consequently, many of us eat on the run - forgetting to put time into making sensible food choices with every meal or snack.  Sensible eating means being aware of not only what you are eating, but when, how and how much you eat!

What:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (aim for 5 servings/day)
• Have chicken/fish more often than red meat
• Keep fast/processed, sugary and junk foods to an absolute minimum
• Make sure not to overdo the carbs and to incorporate some good quality protein and healthy fats.
• In general try to eat a wide variety of foods and not overdo it with one particular food.

When:

• Eat at regular intervals!  Skipping or delaying meals wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels, and will cause you to tire more easily!

How:

• Digestion begins in your mouth!  Chewing food slowly and thoroughly is the first step in breaking food down and helping to maximize absorption.
  

How Much:

• Many of us eat too much in one sitting.  It is really not necessary to eat until you feel "full”, though you don’t want to feel hungry two hours later either!

Skipping meals, delaying meals, omitting a food group, eating too many sugary/junk foods, daily caffeine/alcohol consumption and just eating too much in general are the most common pitfalls we see people experience.

Use these general "Eat Right” tips to keep your blood sugar levels stable and lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, as well as to help maintain ideal body weight!

#5. Move Right: Exercising to Keep all the Body Parts in Prime Condition

Be more active and exercise regularly!  This can greatly reduce your risk for developing heart disease, cancer and other chronic health conditions while improving your mental well being at the same time!

"Moving Right” speeds up your metabolism, helps to maintain ideal body weight, manage stress more effectively and normalize blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.

Choose activities you enjoy and take a few simple steps to increase daily movement  Team sports and community programs are great ways to "move right” and have fun.

Some simple ways to add more movement into your daily routine:

• Move arms and legs more briskly while walking
• Park a little further away from work or the grocery store
• Take the stairs or a longer walking route
• Ride your bike instead of driving

Joining a yoga class or taking after-work walks are excellent methods for not only moving right, but for calming your mind and getting fit at the same time!

#6. Poop Right: Ridding your Body of Toxins and Waste

Regular bowel movements help your body eliminate toxins and waste. If you are regularly constipated, these toxins can accumulate in your body and lead to lethargy, fatigue, and other issues.

Some practitioners recommend at least two bowel movements a day to maintain optimal health. In addition to bowel regularity, the stool quality should also be considered when re-assessing one’s health. That is the stools should be well formed (smooth and soft), good colour (medium to light brown), S-shaped and have a natural but non-repulsive odour to them.

Patients with hypothyroidism or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lack of exercise are more prone to constipation.  In addition females who are not "pooping right” may be increasing their risk of hormone-related cancers. Xenoestrogens (toxic environmental estrogens) are everywhere, and without proper bowel elimination, they can build up in your body and cause long-term problems.

Stress, anxiety, prescription drugs, dehydration, lack of fiber or a magnesium deficiency are common causes of constipation.

Most laxatives are intended for short term use, and can be quite effective if used appropriately.  However, the key is to determine the underlying cause of the constipation.  If you are experiencing problems with "pooping right”, we can help address the issue in a holistic manner to get things moving, and allow you to feel more vibrant and healthy again!

#7. Talk Right: Expressing Yourself Clearly and Concisely

Clear and concise communication is important for day to day living.  Not only is it frustrating and stressful to be unable to express your thoughts to others, it also may be an indication that the brain is not functioning optimally.  Taking prescription medications long term, prior stroke, dehydration, poor nutrition, daily caffeine/alcohol consumption and lack of quality sleep are all possible causes of less than optimal brain health.

It is also quite common for women going through menopause to experience "brain fog” or feel "scattered”.  Words and names that were once trivial are much more challenging to recall now.  Bio-Identical Hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is one possible way to alleviate these symptoms for these women.  Please see BHRT (Who Benefits and How) to learn more.

"Balancing Your Health as Naturally as Possible"