1. Manage your blood sugar. If you have insulin resistance or diabetes this can increase your number of LDL particles. Reducing your intake of sugar and processed flour is the first place to start.
2. Exercise regularly. Additionally sit less and stand or walk more – this non-exercise activity may have a greater impact on your heart health than your scheduled exercise.
3. Sleep more and stress less. Both have a significant impact on heart disease.
4. Eat cold water, fatty fish and take a high quality fish oil supplement to get plenty of omega3 fats. I’m excited about this Omega MonoPure fish oil, which is 3 times more absorbable than regular fish oil. Call the office for an consultation to see if this is a good fit for you and we can provide you with a referral code to order.
5. Eat mono-unsaturated fats from olives, olive oil, avocado, avocado oil and macadamia nuts.
6. Consume antioxidant rich foods and supplements to prevent oxidative damage (a major risk factor for heart disease). That means eat a rainbow of vegetables and some fruits like dark, leafy greens and berries. Don’t forget that red meat and organ meats like liver are rich in antioxidants like retinol (vitamin A) and CoQ10 that you won’t get in plant foods.
7. Polyphenol rich foods have been show to have a variety of health benefits:

• Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity;
• Several studies have shown that hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in people with hypertension;
• Blueberries have been shown to lower blood pressure and oxidized LDL in men and women with metabolic syndrome.

   8. Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol to help your body eliminate excess and it improves insulin sensitivity. Soluble fiber is found in oats, vegetables like Brussels sprouts, turnips, carrots, sweet and white potatoes, squash and asparagus, and fruits like apricots, prunes, pears, oranges, grapefruit and mangoes. 
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Let us know if you have questions or have had improvements with any of these. We love to hear from you.

You don’t just “get” cancer or “catch” diabetes!  Our medical system is based on the premise that diseases just appear.  This approach came about due to the germ theory of disease which basically said that the germs and bugs were out there and some people just came into contact and got sick – the unlucky ones. When antibiotics came along as a way to kill bacteria they worked so miraculously that it seemed to confirm this theory and now society still looks for magic pills to cure every disease.

But here’s the problem….this completely ignores what is really going on!

Yes, antibiotics do kill bacteria but it is not just by a pure stroke of luck that some people get sick and others don’t.  An undernourished individual is more likely to pick up an infection than someone with a strong nutritional status.  Here the “environment” provided to the germs – the healthy or unhealthy body - plays a key part in the outcome.

In a similar way, the cause of most modern disease is a result of the interaction between our genes and the environment that we provide them. These diseases neither result from mystery bugs nor because our genes determine it but due to lifestyle factors that play into the environment that surrounds our genetic material.

It’s true - our genes are fixed! However, most people have an average of about 1000 genes that include a “typo” know as a gene SNP instead of the “normal” gene.  These SNPs can mean our genes are more inclined to express themselves in an unhealthy way BUT this only occurs if lifestyle factors provide a poor environment for the genes.  If we provide a good, healthy environment the genes behave well and we don’t get sick.  So even though we might know about various health issues that we have been prone to in the past, or perhaps we know something about our own or our family history, we still have control over the situation.

Your Genes are NOT Your Destiny!

Maybe that’s an inconvenient concept for some people who for example might prefer to blame their diabetes on their family history and use prescription drugs to manage things.  For those of us seeking optimal wellness though, this information is very empowering.  It puts you in the driver’s seat because instead of running to the doctor for a solution to your chronic ailments you can work on a healthy environment for your genes – aka a healthy lifestyle.

Take a look at the aspects of your lifestyle mentioned below and consider how you are doing.  Don’t let your genes dictate your destiny!

If you feel a need to make change and need some direction then please get in touch.  We specialize in empowering people with a healthy lifestyle by helping them navigate change in a realistic way.

Quick Lifestyle Review:

• Your exposure to toxins – Are you eating processed foods containing additives, preservatives and dyes? Are you eating foods that have been exposed to pesticides, hormones or antibiotics? Do you use toxic cleaning supplies?  Does you work expose you to toxins? Etc.

• Your stress levels – Think about your relationships, family, work & money.  Are you managing your stress levels well?  Do you have good ways to combat stress?

• Your exercise routine – Do you move your body regularly and incorporate stretching & strengthening to allow it to function in the way it was intended?

• What you eat – Do you eat whole foods that provide your body all of the nutrients it needs to function properly?  This is surprisingly difficult to do due to the quality of our food supply.

For most of us the holidays are a time for gathering with friends and family, enjoying special foods and drinking more than usual.  The shopping, cooking, planning, family gatherings etc. can add an additional layer of stress to your already full life.  Love it or hate it, this period poses a number of different challenges for your health and your weight.

When our body is stressed it actually responds by raising our blood sugar and putting us into fat storage mode.  Of course stress can also cause difficulties with digestion and abdominal pain, headaches, raised blood pressure and so on.  In other words, your health can really take a hit if you don’t pay attention!

So what can you do?  These are some of my thoughts and suggestions on how to support yourself so you can arrive at 2015 ready to tackle the New Year with enthusiasm and without an extra 5lbs of body fat to deal with.

• ·Don’t give up your exercise routine.   If you are away from home and can’t stick to your usual routine, do something!  I mean it!  Exercise should be top of your list!  This is one of the best ways to help your body handle stress and allows you to work off some of the extra calories.

• ·      Make sure you pay attention to how much sleep you are getting.  Sleep is so important for our body and if you don’t get enough sleep your body is essentially running on empty.  Typically people might use coffee or other caffeine containing drinks to get through the day when they don’t sleep.  Basically this just pushes your body more…. more stress!  Another go to is sugary food, which gives you a quick boost of energy but results in more fat storage.  If you do decide to stay late at a party, then try to catch up later whether by having a couple of early nights or a nap the next day.

• ·      If everything going on has you all wound up then you may need to find some techniques to wind down that are simple to build in to your day.  This could be listening to music that you enjoy, spending a few minutes quietly taking some deep breaths or calling a friend.  Make a plan for what you will do in stressful situations so that when you get there you don’t just eat ice-cream out of the tub and feel sorry for yourself.

• ·      Don’t set yourself unrealistic goals and deprive yourself.  The more you try to abstain from everything, the more you will want to indulge.  Then it’s just a case of how much willpower you can exercise, and most of us have a limited supply of that.

• ·      It is best to plan ahead for an event where there will be a lot of food and alcohol.  If you can, decide ahead of time where you will indulge because it’s worth it to you.  I have been gluten free for a year but at Thanksgiving I decided I would have a slice of pie because it was worth it to me.  I lived to tell the tale!!  But be moderate!  It doesn’t have to be a huge slice of pie, right?  The first two mouthfuls taste the best anyway.  And if you want to have a glass of two of wine maybe you should abstain from the bread.

• ·      Keep a regular eating schedule – our metabolism rebels if we starve it all day so we can pig out on a big meal in the evening.  Instead, make it a goal to have a lot of healthy options around that you like so that you can fuel up on those.

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• ·      I am a big believer in supplementation to support the body.  It is so hard even on a regular day to give your body the nutrition it needs.  At this time of year it is even more challenging.  My favorites for the holidays are included in my December 12th 2014 newsletter with a 15% discount by rebate as my holiday gift to you!  If you’re not on my newsletter list please contact me and I’d be happy to email it out to you.  We also offer complimentary sessions to help you design a healthy wellness focused supplement regime.

Have a Happy, Healthy Holiday!