​Why doesn’t this system work well?
 
In a nutshell, it is much too simplistic to be accurate since it does not factor in the numerous complexities found in both food and people. For example:

Where else does calorie counting miss the mark?
 
Calories do not measure nutrition. For example, if a person was choosing between an apple with nut butter or a rice cake simply based off calories – maybe they would pick the rice cake. But this snack will do zero for their body. Healthy fats, proteins and fibers will keep a person off the blood sugar rollercoaster of highs and lows and feelings of intense hunger and binging. These foods will provide actual nutrients that will be used for the proper functioning of the body and will actually keep them feeling satisfied for much longer than a low calorie alternative. Eating this way can even help with mood issues and energy.
Furthermore, calorie counting requires one's mind to stay focus on food
all . day . long.
​Thinking about food is the first process in digestion and triggers the salivation process to begin and before you know it your stomach is growling and you are craving food and feeling hungry all . day . long.

​What is more important than calories?
 
Well, besides the social and relationship part of food... 
What does the food do when it gets inside of you?
If it’s a large portion of refined grain or high sugar non-complex food – it will get absorbed straight away into your blood stream and all of that excess sugar will need to get shunted away into your fat cells.
However, if it’s a large portion of protein or complex carb, it will slowly work its way down your digestive tubes until it is mostly broken down and absorbed – slowly giving you energy and nutrients and using energy during this process to boot!
 
Give your body all the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and macronutrients it needs to function through the food you eat. Choose nutrient-dense food over low-calorie food. Enjoy the experience of your food, distraction-free, seated at a table, in a relaxing environment. When you are good to your body and take care of it, it will take care of you.

What is a sneaky way to get in some extra antioxidants and powerful nutrients without taking a boring pill? 

Powders can be an easy way to increase our nutrient intake – they can be added to hot drinks, smoothies, oatmeal, or various snack recipes.

Here is one simple and delicious recipe that is rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C and some other beneficial nutrients. What I love about this recipe is that it can be adjusted depending on what ingredients you have on hand – as long as the final result can be shaped into a ball!
The powders added can be substituted for any number of superfood powders. You can find some good ideas for these at harmonicarts.ca.

Blend the following ingredients in a food processor:
   ½ cup sunflower seeds (or other nuts/seeds) 
   ½ cup dried fruit (figs/raisins/dates) – soaked in boiled water and drained 
   ½-1 TBSP coconut oil 
   2 tsp blueberry powder 
   1 tsp rosehip powder 
   A sprinkle of cinnamon and salt.

Shape into balls and roll in coconut flakes or sesame seeds. 

Store in the refrigerator.

And don’t forget to drink plenty of water alongside these tasty treats!

​#healthysnackideas #letfoodbeyourmedicine #superfood

“Naturopathic doctors are meeting the growing consumer demand for whole-body health care providers, and they are delivering better health outcomes at lower costs,” said Michelle Simon, PhD, ND and Chair of the INM Board of Directors. 

“In addition to their ability to fill the growing shortage of primary care providers, NDs are sought out for complementary specialty care in oncology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, cardiology and other core fields.”
​
https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/community-news/naturopathic-medicine-growing-us-medical-centers-excellence

This post is for everyone everywhere, because this is something that affects us all. But now there is something we can do about it.

Heart disease continues to lead the way in death and disability in men and women with often NO signs or symptoms to hint that something may be coming down the pike.

In the past, we haven’t had a great way to predict cardiac events. The research is showing more and more that cholesterol is not the answer – 50% of people with normal cholesterol levels will still have a heart attack and 70% of heart attack victims have been found to have normal cholesterol levels.

Current research is now showing that the most predictable cause of a cardiac event begins with an unstable cardiac lesion from damage to artery walls (due most often to oxidative stress).

And here is the exciting news:
We are now able to offer a new test that can detect artery injury in otherwise asymptomatic individuals. The Cardiac PULS Test looks at 9 different biomarkers that are present at the site of injury on artery walls and can predict the likelihood of a cardiac event occurring within the next 5 years.

Anyone can take this test but it is especially recommended for anyone over 40 years old OR who has at least one of the following risk factors: smoking, diabetes, family history, elevated blood pressure, stress, high LDL/low HDL, obesity, physical inactivity, or elevated inflammatory markers.

Given the prevalence of heart disease in North America, I believe that this test is an excellent tool to assess our blood vessel health and to be able to provide individualized preventative care. I would love to see the stats on heart health improve in Canada and here's one way we can start screening for this silent disease!

#hearthealth #preventativemedicine #heartattack #heartdisease#coronaryarterydisease #silentkiller #widowmaker #tuesdaymorningtidbit

What’s wrong with it again?

Here is the information that the big corporations who use it don’t want you to find.

After you ingest aspartame, it gets broken down into methanol, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. Methanol gets further broken down into formaldehyde. What do these molecules do inside your body? Let me tell you.

Methanol is a suspected developmental toxin and may cause birth defects of the central nervous system when ingested by pregnant mothers.

Methanol is able to cross the blood brain barrier, which is a filter we have that keeps most toxins out of the brain. Once it is inside, it converts into formaldehyde. I will never forget the smell of formaldehyde from my weeklong cadaver lab. And it’s the same substance. :s

Formaldehyde interferes with the structure and function of nerve cells. It can also trigger our immune system to start attacking our own tissue. It is a known carcinogen and may be implicated in multiple sclerosis and autism.

The other two substances, phenylalanine and aspartic acid are also neurotoxic.
​
Yikes!

Aspartame may be linked to ADHD, ADD, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and seizures, to name a few.

But don’t take my word for it. Read this report from a clinical journal that states the following:
“…aspartame ingestion might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain mental disorders and also in compromised learning and emotional functioning.” 
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;62(4):451-62. Epub 2007 Aug 8

Or this one that states, “The study showed morphological alterations consistent with neuronal injury and biochemical changes of oxidative stress. These data therefore supports the need for caution in the indiscriminate use of aspartame as a non-nutritive sweetener.” 
J Chem Neuroanat. 2016 Dec;78:42-56. doi: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2016.08.006. Epub 2016 Aug 24.

Or this one that says that “aspartame and its metabolites, whether consumed in quantities significantly higher than the recommended safe dosage or within recommended safe levels, may disrupt the oxidant/antioxidant balance, induce oxidative stress, and damage cell membrane integrity, potentially affecting a variety of cells and tissues and causing a deregulation of cellular function, ultimately leading to systemic inflammation.”
Nutr Rev. 2017 Sep 1;75(9):718-730. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nux035.

!!!!!!!

Get out of the mindset of, “well it hasn’t killed me yet, I’ve had it already and I seem to be doing fine”. These are not fun disorders or issues to deal with. You have a choice in your future health.

Choose well, live well, and smile everyday.

#tuesdaymorningtidbit #aspartame #mentalhealth #neurotoxin

"It is never too early or too late to get the benefits of eating leafy green vegetables."
https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/70040

What's in them?
-calcium
-potassium
-magnesium
-folate
-lutein
-zeaxanthin
-carotenoids
-phytosterols
-Vitamin K
-Vitamin A
-Vitamin C
-Vitamin E
-B vitamins
-omega-3 fatty acids
-iron
-fiber

How to get more into you daily menu?

• Add them to your breakfast - for example, mixed with eggs or added to a green smoothie.
• Have them at lunch in your salad or soup or wrap.
• Make them an essential part of your dinner plate, adding them to any dish you're making! 

The great thing about greens is they can take on any flavour of whatever you add them to so they can literally be eaten at every meal!

What is cheap and easy to do for lasting health benefits??

• Eating your greens every day
• Drinking plenty of pure filtered water
• Getting daily fresh air and exercise

If you poop well, sleep well, and laugh well, then you're doing well!
​
#tuesdaymorningtidbit #eatyourgreens #livewell #brainhealth #memory#leafygreens 

"Around 2012, something started going wrong in the lives of teens. In just the five years between 2010 and 2015, the number of U.S. teens who felt useless and joyless – classic symptoms of depression – surged 33 percent in large national surveys." 
...
"Smartphone ownership crossed the 50 percent threshold in late 2012 – right when teen depression and suicide began to increase."
...
"We found that teens who spent five or more hours a day online were 71 percent more likely than those who spent less than an hour a day to have at least one suicide risk factor (depression, thinking about suicide, making a suicide plan or attempting suicide)." 
...
"Interacting with people face to face is one of the deepest wellsprings of human happiness; without it, our moods start to suffer and depression often follows. Feeling socially isolated is also one of the major risk factors for suicide."
...
"Teens are also sleeping less, and teens who spend more time on their phones are more likely to not be getting enough sleep. Not sleeping enough is a major risk factor for depression..."
-Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology
https://theconversation.com/with-teen-mental-health-deteriorating-over-five-years-theres-a-likely-culprit-86996

#mentalhealth #depression #iGen #millennials #smartphones#socialmedia #generationz #screentime #tuesdaymorningtidbit