97 Days and Counting

As of today there are 97 days left of the year. Have you achieved your health wellness goals you set for yourself last New Years Eve? Are you healthier or sicker? Have you made any changes at all and if so, how long did you stick to them for?

If you find yourself still holding onto those last 20, 30 or even 50 or more pounds you still have 97 days left of 2012 to do something about it. There is no need to wait until 2013 to get started or tell yourself you will get started and then find excuses to not improve the quality of your health.

Have you gained weight this year? Has a Doctor diagnosed you with a new medical problem that puts your health in jeopardy?

Are ready to invest in yourself, commit to your goals and make changes to your nutrition and lifestyle habits?

Here are 5 simple tips you can implement into your life TODAY to get you back on track. If you need more support and guidance please give me a call at 778-836-3831 and we can discuss your goals, want and needs. 

5 Weight Loss and Health Tips

1. Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up. This stimulates your metabolism and appetite. You should wake up feeling hunger. If you don't then start with this simple tip tomorrow.

2. Include 1/2 cup of any type of beans or lentils with your lunch. Research shows that those people who include 1/2 cup of beans or lentils report less cravings and consume less calories throughout the day.

3. PM snack is mandatory. Pack your PM snack with you when you are out and about. Keep snacks handy at your desk. If you have a late dinner then 2 PM snacks might be necessary.

4. Include 3-4 ounces of protein with lunch and dinner. Most people don't get enough quality protein throughout the day. Measure your portions!

5. Use spices and keep your meals tasty. Having the same old chicken and vegetable dish gets really boring and causes you to search for variety and flavour from other foods that might not be the best choices.

How will you use the last 97 days of 2012? You can achieve a lot in 96 days. Start using the steps listed above. If you want to take advantage of my expertise in helping clients achieve their weight loss goals give me a call at 778-836-3831 or email at northshorenutrition@shaw.ca.

In good health,
Cheryl Wahl, RHN

You hear it all the time: TV commercials and advertisements promote them and food-packaging labels claim to have them. They’re antioxidants, the greatest enemy to free radicals.

While antioxidants and free radicals are buzzwords these days, just what are they and what role do they play in your health?

Read on to find out what the hype is all about.

Getting Free Radicals

Free radicals are damaged cells created when your cells combine with oxygen. Practically 99 percent of the time, healthy cells form, but 1 or 2 percent of the time, cells get damaged in the process. These damaged cells are missing some sort of molecule and wind up being named free radicals. As their name suggests, these cells are loners and are up to no good. In order to find their missing molecule, free radicals attack healthy cells, injuring them and damaging their DNA. When healthy cells become mutated, they begin to quickly multiply and grow abnormally, setting off a chain reaction and setting the stage for disease.

Besides the damage caused during normal cell division, other causes of free radicals in the body include air pollution, cigarette smoke, asbestos, excessive sun exposure, contaminated food or drinking water, toxins, pesticides, and excessive alcohol. Over time, the damage caused by free radicals may lead to a weakened immune system (causing colds, flu, or infection); signs of aging; or chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, or Alzheimer’s disease.

“Canadians get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close.” - Joe Vinson

About Antioxidants

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other nutritious substances that wage war against the free radicals in your body. Different types of antioxidants have different jobs. Some, such as vitamin C, work to prevent and protect from damage caused by free radicals by capturing and neutralizing them. Others, like vitamin E, endeavor to put an end to the cell damage by breaking the chain reaction and repairing damaged cells.

Types of Antioxidants

In the war against free radicals, your body needs a strong defense system. Antioxidants are this natural defense. Important as one source of antioxidants is, your body needs a variety of antioxidants to do the job. You can’t just fill up on blueberries and expect them to take care of everything. Each type of antioxidant targets different body tissues, different cell parts, and different types of radicals. They all work together, so you need to eat a variety of healthy food.

There are two types of antioxidants. The main class is flavonoids and the smaller class is polyphenols. Antioxidants are divided further into various substances including beta-carotene; lycopene; lutein; selenium (a mineral made of antioxidant enzymes); zinc; and vitamins A, C, and E.

Finding the Goods

Many foods contain antioxidants. The main sources are fruits and vegetables; nuts, whole grains, and legumes; and some poultry, fish, and meat. Here’s a list broken down by type of antioxidant.

Beta-carotene is found in orange foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe, apricots, and mangos. It’s also in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and collard greens.

Lycopene is mainly found in tomatoes, guava, watermelon, papaya, pink grapefruit, and apricots.

Lutein is abundant in green, leafy veggies such as spinach, kale, and collard greens.

Selenium can be found in rice, wheat, meat, bread, and Brazil nuts.

Zinc comes to you courtesy of oysters, poultry, meat, nuts, beans, seafood, dairy products, whole grains, and fortified cereals.

Vitamin A is in foods including sweet potatoes, carrots, liver, milk, egg yolk, and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is found in fruits, veggies, cereals, poultry, fish, and beef.

Vitamin E, which some know as alpha-tocopherol, is found in almonds, mangos, broccoli, nuts, carrots, pumpkin, red peppers, sunflower seeds, papaya, and various kinds of oils.

Now that you know about the battle going on inside and how to fight it well, store up on the good stuff and watch free radicals be pushed out of your body!

Want to know how your diet stacks up? Are you getting enough of the nutritious foods that you need. Contact me for a FREE - 45 minute no obligation Nutrition and Dietary Analysis. Download the 5 Day Food Tracker using the link below or call me today at 778-836-3831 to schedule your complimentary Nutrition and Dietary Analysis.

I’m always getting asked for homemade salad dressings. Creating a homemade salad dressing is very easy and a great way to get some extra nutrition in and save on unnecessary calories and additives.

Below is a video I know you will enjoy on making your own creamy avocado salad dressing. It’s simple, quick and easy.

Don’t forget to forward this onto friends and family who like to experiment in the kitchen. 

click here to view the video and catch the recipe at the end.  Enjoy!!

Avocado Salad Dressing