My Raw Vegan Journey...

Last month, one of my daughters told me she wanted to go on a Juice Feast. Ten days of feasting on nothing but fresh, raw, organic juices. I'd already added green smoothies to my diet over a year ago and had a desire to go the next step and try a fully raw vegan diet. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity, within the supportive partnership of my lovely daughter.

We set a date, and I proceeded to eat up as much of the solid food in the kitchen that I could. I ate the flour tortillas, eggs, peanut butter, bread, corn chips, chocolate...anything that might tempt me during the 10 days. I went shopping and loaded up the fridge with celery, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, about 5 different fruits, and some young Thai coconuts. I bought some mesh produce bags, as I planned to make my vegetable juices in the blender and use the squeeze method for my juice, in place of a juicer.

Well, we're now on Day 8. Unlike Jenn, who has been drinking juice exclusively, I've been including green smoothies, a daily coffee, and a fresh fruit, once in a while. The blender's been getting lots of use.  I've also been getting some of my organic juices from Whole Foods, and mixing and matching my favourite flavours.

My husband has been eating his regular diet, and it's really interesting to observe my internal machinations as he chows down on some of my favorites. Like Ripple chips with dip, microwave popcorn, sausages, tuna, and fried chicken. Sure I was eating lots of salads, but always found the urge to munch on the tastier choices in his menu. For these last 8 days, I've watched all those foods go by...without a bite!

Whenever Jenn or I are facing a tough food challenge, we text or call each other for support. We've been keeping each other on the 'straight and narrow'...

Why am I doing this to myself, you might ask? For starters, I know that my food attachments have nothing to do with my health. And since I can't quit eating altogether, I wanted to have a really strong barrier that I could wrap my raw vegan convictions around. Once the 10 days are up, I plan to have a lovely raw vegan meal at Organic Lives.

I'm down 7.5 pounds and I enjoyed the way my jeans fit this morning.  You never know, I might just do another 10 days...

Oh That Poor Lonely Salt Shaker...over there...

Canadians eat a daily mean of 3,400 millligrams of salt, more than twice the 1,500 mg required by those aged nine to 50. Yet, along with causing heart disease, a high-salt diet contributes to stroke and kidney disease. 

If Canadians were to consume just the amount of salt needed, more than 23,000 heart attacks a day would be prevented, at a health system savings of $1.4 billion.

If you're waiting for the Food Industry to lower the total salt in their offerings, you will be waiting a long time. As with almost everything else to do with your diet (and your life), you are responsible for making the decision about how much salt to use in your food.

For years now, I've been talking about "The Yumminess Factor", which is the internal rating system by which most of us choose our foods. Yes I made this up, but it makes so much sense to me. If you need an example, I have many! 

Take the lowly hot dog...everyone knows by now that hot dogs are made from the lowest quality meats and meat by-products. But does that stop people from eating hot dogs? Not At All! The smell of an outdoor hot dog stand can be enjoyed for miles. The taste of a hot dog, complete with ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, sauerkraut, etc. is ingrained in most people's brains, from their childhood! Whether or not the hot dog offers any nutrition is irrelevant when most people are choosing to eat a hot dog (ie. see the long line of folks at lunchtime, in front of a Japa Dog stand!)...

A few years ago, I was helping to organize an annual public outdoor summer event. I wanted to offer a selection of healthy foods; salads, sandwiches, fruit and veggie trays, etc. Well, when people started to get wind of the fact that there weren't going to be any hotdogs, OMG, what an uproar! "What's a summer picnic without hot dogs", they bemoaned!

The average wiener contains about 320mg of salt. One cup of plain cooked chicken contains about 105mg, plus one teaspoon of salad dressing contains about 135mg. And it's not rocket science to compare the two types of meat for quality and nutrition.

So, if nutrition is on your mind, salt intake should be right behind it. Almost all processed foods are already heavily laden with salt...whatever you do, don't add salt! Leave the salt shaker on the table, looking lonely!

Measuring Your Fitness Output...

I am a total fresh-air lover; nothing makes me feel better than getting outside in the morning, before the traffic gets too heavy, and taking a good walk or run...rain or shine!

However, the drawback to jogging and walking, as well as to rebounding, kangoo jumping, skipping rope, and other forms of free-cardio, is that it's difficult to measure your fitness output.

My new favorite piece of gym equipment is the Precor CrossRamp. This is an elliptical machine, without the arm guides. I've always considered the arm guides a waste of time. First of all, being quite short, I never quite fit the machine properly. And I've noticed that using the arm guides reduces my calories burned per minute. And, since our biggest muscles are our legs, we burn more calories by focusing on increasing our leg work.

Hence my excitement about the CrossRamp. If you have one at your local gym, I highly recommend that you acquaint yourself with this great machine. In only 28 minutes, I burn just over 350 calories. That's only 8 songs on the i-Pod and I'm outta there.

So what about the fresh air? I still do an outdoor workout every other day, and I alternate days in the gym on the CrossRamp (and whatever else I like to do in the gym!).

Keeping in mind that my knee isn't ready for running yet, my outdoor workout includes:

• A 10-minute Power Walk
• High Knee Raises
• Squats (wide and narrow)
• Lunges (walking and stationary)
• Calf Raises
• Bus Bench Leg Lifts

I have no idea how many calories I burn on those days but I enjoy myself immensely, I love the fresh air and fresh dew on the grass, and the chirping of the birds! And that counts for a whole lot!

Don't Wait...Watch It Now!

Thanks to the internet brilliance of my son (I'm sure he'd be more humble about it than that!), I bring you a link that allows you to watch Food Inc. immediately, right on your computer.

Chances are that you, like the rest of us, are embroiled in a deep conversation, either with your family or yourself, about eating better, living healthy longer, and helping preserve Planet Earth. This film will give you many reasons to do just that...

I highly recommend watching (or reading) Food Inc. and, if you'd like a copy to show to friends and family on a larger screen, click through to Amazon.com here and grab your own copy now...

Meanwhile, here's the link: http://videogarden.webs.com

To your health and longevity! Billie

My Favorite "Lifelines" for Health & Wellness

People often tell me that either they want to lose weight or they want to feel better. That's why I share the resources that I do in this blog. I don't believe there's a holy grail system that works for everyone. ButI do believe that everyone can find a system that works for them.

Many companies are trying to save money on the health care expenses of their employees. Case in point, Whole Foods recently created a program for their employees to lose weight. Unfortunately, this did make some employees, who were not in great shape, pretty nervous about their jobs...read on...

http://lifestyle.ca.msn.com/real-life/work/hearst-article.aspx?cp-documentid=24116527

One of my favorite "lifelines" for heath and wellness is the ladies fitness franchise, Curves. I was the Manager at the West Vancouver location a few years ago. In the Lower Mainland, they are everywhere, making them the preferred choice for many ladies who aren't that comfortable stepping into the big-name gyms.

What do I like about Curves?

• They have a simple system, that is easy to learn and follow.
• You show up at your convenience, and your workout starts when you get there.
• 30 minutes plus a stretch - quick in and out.
• You work at your own pace, but you're encouraged to work harder as you get stronger.
• They play all different music styles throughout your workout.
• The gyms are small, and the staff are quite supportive.
• The same cost as the other gyms, which is a steal if you go three times per week.
• Many locations offer discounts and free trial promotions.

So do yourself a favor, and check out your local Curves location. And remember, the key to success at anything in life is FOCUS. Create a 90-day plan for yourself and stick with it.

If you'd like personal support from me, send me your comments or questions.

Beware: The High Fat Salad!

Many people believe that the lowly salad is the ideal diet food. In fact, many people believe that any salad is a healthy salad. As your local contrarian, and person who believes in telling the nutritional truth, here is the skinny on the high fat salad!

3 1/2 cups of lettuce contains about 15 calories. Now this is a lot of lettuce; in fact, it's quite a bowlful! Add some shredded carrot and red cabbage, some sliced green onion, a few cubes of orange and red bell pepper, and some cucumber slices, and you have a full meal.

What's missing here? Oh yes, the salad dressing. Have you ever measured a tablespoon of dressing? Probably not. Have you ever measured how much salad dressing you actually use? Probably not!

In my hand, I'm holding a bottle of Kraft Rancher's Choice Salad Dressing. A look at the label reveals that 1 tablespoon of dressing has 80 calories. Now go measure 1 tbsp of dressing...not much in there, huh?

Most people use salad dressing by the "pour method"...I would wager a bet that most people, for a 3 1/2 cup salad would use almost 1/4 cup of dressing (if you're not sure, go get a measuring cup and see for yourself)...

1/4 c = 4 tbsp. = 4 X 80 = 320 calories in your dressing

Now your 15+ calorie salad, is a 335 calorie salad.

Let's dig a little deeper...back to our salad dressing. Within each of those 80 calories, 72 of them are from fat, a whopping 90%. We multiply that by 4 tbsp = 288 total fat calories, and your meal calculates out at about 85% fat.

And did you now want to add some croutons (high fat)? Let's not go there...

I can hear you jumping up and down and yelling..."Who eats salad without salad dressing? Well, my friend, if you want to enjoy all the benefits of your salad, without all the health-destroying fat calories, never mind the highly processed mystery ingredients in a commercially prepared salad dressing, you might just want to start experimenting!

You might be surprised to discover how delicious real vegetables actually are! Go give it a try!

Creatures of Habit That We Are...

Most of us were raised with sandwiches and crackers...just about everything we had for lunches and snacks required one or the other.

Can you remember having peanut putter and jam in the house but no bread? Ham or bologna, and cheese? Mayo, mustard, and left-over chicken?...but no bread or crackers to put them on? Aaarrrggghh!!

Switching over to a High Raw diet requires quite a change of habits...and thinking!

So I headed out to find something I could put "stuff" on that was raw, ie. unbaked. No, I'm not ready to invest the time, energy, or funds into a dehydrator. Surely someone who finds this whole process a little simpler than I do has thought of this, and prepared something for me to buy, ready-made!

Rescue!!! So far, I have found three local retailers that make and sell "raw crackers" and I bet there's more!

Organic Lives (1829 Quebec @ West 2nd Ave) has 2 varieties:
* Vegetable Crackers made with mostly raw, organic: carrots, onions, cabbage, celery, flax seed, basil, oregano, dill, sea salt
* Sesame Onion Gaufrettes (French delicacy) made with mostly raw, organic: sprouted sesame seeds, oranges, red onions, dates, lemon juice, sea salt

Gorilla Food (436 Richards) - haven't tried them yet but will!

Eternal Abundance (1025 Commercial Dr) - haven't tried them yet but will!

And let's not forget the lowly Lettuce Wrap, first made popular by Milestones, which can hold all manner of yummy things, if you find yourself getting tired of eating your stir-fry, salad, or veggies on a plate!

I buy mine at Superstore and haven't found an organic source yet.

Today's lunch:
Organic Lives Veggie Crackers, smothered with mashed avocado, decorated with a tomato slice, and powdered with a little Spike!

Go Raw! (or keep trying...)

My New Favorite Veggie...Raw Corn!

The other day, my husband asked me to drop by Church's Chicken for some take-out. Yes, you heard right...my husband does not prescribe to my eating habits!

While I waited for his Fried Chicken, I checked out the menu board to see if there was anything I could possibly want myself. Hmmm, rice with veggies and chicken sounded OK and then, wow...they offered Corn on the Cob! So I ordered one!

When my order arrived, the corn was hot to the touch, and looked shiny and delicious, all wrapped up in a little bag of its own. I couldn't wait to get home to chow down!

Well, on first bite, the corn was a HUGE disappointment...soft and mushy with every bite, and slathered with some kind of grease...I'd like to hope it was butter, but I am highly doubtful.

I shared it with hubby, and he didn't like it much either...so into the compost the half-eaten cob went!

With my growing interest in all things raw, I asked myself if it was possible to retain that yummiest of corn flavors by eating my next corn on the cob raw. Off I went on a web search to see if others felt the same way. And alas, so they did!

I was able to buy 2 cobs for $1.49 on Fraser St at a little Asian market. At home, I started my salad fixings. I broke one cob in half and sheered the kernels off with a sharp knife. Then I added lettuce, cucumber, tomato, carrot, red cabbage, yellow pepper, and mushrooms, and a little dressing.

Heavenly! I am not kidding you! Right now, I cannot imagine another salad without raw corn in it!

As my 2-cob-supply was quickly dwindling, I headed out to Safeway to pick up a few more cobs. Well, much to my chagrin, they were charging $5.99 for 3 cobs...needless to say, I passed on that purchase...that was just too crazy expensive.

Tomorrow, I'll head back over to Fraser St...is it worth the drive? I think so...it's the principal here. While I'm at it, I'll check out Caper's too and, if they're charging a pretty penny for some organic corn, I might consider it...

The Transition to High Raw...

As some of you may know, I am currently in the process of transitioning to a High Raw Diet. In the future, I may yet go completely Raw Vegan, but that is a future chapter of my life. For now, I'm in the research phase, and am tasting and testing a lot of different things, preparing my grocery list for a full switch on May 1st.

And by the way, I LOVE carbs and starches, anything baked, BBQ chicken, and a host of other staples in the Standard American Diet (SAD)...so this is a big step that's been on my mind and in my plans for a long time.

So, about sprouting, here's a little something about my experience so far...

I bought some seed packets, and decided to sprout my radish seeds first...the seeds are really small, they required lots of work, such as frequent rinsing and being careful not to lose them down the sink drain! But they worked over about 3 days, they were cute and tasty, and my $2.99 investment netted me about 2 tablespoons of radish sprouts...a very tasty (albeit expensive and time-consuming) addition to my salad yesterday!

Onto garden peas now, which I purchased at 2 for $1 at Wonderbucks. I'll keep you posted!

RESOURCES

FILMS:
The Future of Food
Food Inc.
Super-Size Me
Fast Food Nation

E-BOOKS:
www.renegadehealth.com/highraw

BOOKS:
The Omnivore's Dilemma

No Room for a Fresh Veggie Garden? Try Sprouting!

Why Sprouts? Because sprouts are:

Nutritious - seeds are packed with nutrients, and sprouted seeds are even better. As each sprout grows, proteins, enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients increase while becoming more bioavailable. At the same time, toxins and enzyme inhibitors are reduced, increasing digestibility.

Fresh - sprouts grown at home and harvested at the dinner table are the freshest food you’ll ever eat. They won’t have lost their vitamins, like store-bought vegetables, or have travelled around the world. They will be organically grown, full of life and energy.

Cheap - sprouting is ridiculously cheap! You can get pounds of greens for pennies.

Easy - it all boils down to "just add water." With few resources and very little time or effort, you can supply yourself with an abundance of live food, in your home, all year round. If you travel, they can too.

Varied - you can grow many more young plants than you would find in the store; your salads and recipes will always have something new...diversity is the spice of life!

So what exactly is Sprouting? It's the practice of soaking, draining and then rinsing seeds at regular intervals until they germinate, or sprout.

One of the most common sprouts is that of the mung bean (Vigna radiata); other common sprouts are chickpeas, alfalfa sprouts, and barley sprouts.

The good folks at RenegadeHealth.com have produced a 10-minute YouTube video to help you get started. It's called How to Sprout Buckwheat, Oats and Sunflower Seeds; Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqv65dhRgD4

Or do your own Google search and see what you come up with. Make this a new adventure for your kitchen, and for your diet!

Think...and Grow Slim...in 90 Days!

In 1937, Napoleon Hill first published Think and Grow Rich, which was 25 years in the making. Since then, this marvelous little book has been read by countless thousands, many of whom claim that their personal and business success is the direct result of following Mr. Hill's template for achievement.

Here are the six steps, which you can find in full detail on Pg. 31:

1. Fix in your mind the exact goal you wish to accomplish.
2. Determine exactly what you are willing to give for this accomplishment (forget about something for nothing).
3. Establish a definite date when you intend for the goal to be accomplished.
4. Create a definite plan for the accomplishment of the goal, and begin at once (whether you are ready or not) to work your plan.
5. Write down a clear, concise statement of the goal, what you are willing to give, the exact date, and the plan.
6. Read your written statement aloud twice daily (immediately upon rising, and just before going to bed).

In November 2007, I competed in a Body Building competition. You can see some of my competition photos on my Facebook page. I owe my success as a competitor, and my personal success in my body transformation, to following the principles I've outlined above. I lost 20 pounds of body fat and, 15 days before my 50th birthday, I was in the best shape of my life!

If getting in shape and losing excess weight are your goals, please join me in my 90-Day Body Transformation Challenge. This is the right time of year to shed those unwanted winter pounds, and I have a proven plan to guide you with.

For your own copy of the downloadable e-book version of Think and Grow Rich, simply visit http://think-and-grow-rich-ebook.com.

For more information about the 90-Day Challenge, message me on Facebook, and let's get to work!

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet...by Dr. Weil

When my knee becomes tight and inflamed, of course I get worried. So I thought I'd take a few minutes and look up Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet.

Fortunately, my diet is pretty clean but even I can use a little reminder now and again! And just in case you're not sure about your diet, take a few minutes to review the image above, and increase food choices that are less inflammatory.

From Dr. Weil's website: "It is becoming increasingly clear that a host of illnesses - including heart disease, many cancers and Alzheimer's disease - are influenced in large part by chronic inflammation.

This is a process in which the immune system becomes off balance, and persists unnecessarily in its efforts to repair the body and repel pathogens. The prolonged process results in damage to healthy tissue as well.

Stress, lack of exercise, genetic predisposition and other lifestyle factors can all promote inflammation, but poor diet is perhaps the main contributor, and the ideal place to begin addressing inflammation. (Find more details on the mechanics of the inflammation process and the Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.)"

Cleanse with West Coast Boot Camp

Spring is the perfect season to undertake a cleanse. There is much research that suggests that, during the winter months, while we are attracted to thicker, richer, "comfort" foods, we naturally put on some insulation for the cold weather. Even in Vancouver!

A cleanse, often referred to as a detox, requires a period of time, generally from 7 to 21 days, when you give your digestive system some needed rest. This is accomplished by choosing foods that require less work of your digestive system, and supplementing with herbs that support the liver and kidneys.

The West Coast Boot Camp is a 14 Day guided cleanse. It includes daily e-coaching, group exercise sessions (up to 14), all of your supplements, and meal planning.

Although I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada, you can join the guided cleanse from anywhere in North America, as long as you have access to a gym. Join us this Spring, as we undertake this cleanse together.

The cost is $200 (Visa and MC accepted), and there are a maximum of 10 spaces. E-mail Billie at bsinclaircoaching@hotmail.com to reserve your space.

How to Get Organized for a Fitness Lifestyle Upgrade!

First of all, you might be asking yourself, "What is a Fitness Lifestyle Upgrade?"...

Many people say they want to get fit, get healthier, eat better, stop smoking, lose weight, etc, etc, etc...

As I've told many of my students, everything we say we want is just a good idea, until we make it a goal, complete with an action plan. Use the SMART acronym to guide your action plan, when you're serious about making goals that you intend to achieve:

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T - Time Sensitive

So a Fitness Lifestyle Upgrade is what happens when you decide to take your health and wellness "good idea" and make it into a goal...

Specific: I will run the Sun Run on May 9, 2010
Measurable: I will follow the Training 16 workout program (for the next 16 weeks)
Attainable: I will check in with my doctor, and confirm that I am healthy enough to undertake this physical challenge
Realistic: I have looked at my schedule for the next 16 weeks, and I can and will devote up to one hour per day on improving my fitness level
Time Sensitive: I have plotted the 16 weeks on my calendar (up to May 9th)

Once we have set the goal, we have to Get Organized to support this Fitness Lifestyle Upgrade...this is the planning stage and here's what you have to think about and prepare:

* If the workout plan suggests 3 workouts of 40 minutes this week, which days can I do this? Post the three days on your weekly calendar.

* Do I have my equipment all ready (laundered, laid out)? Runners, socks, workout clothes (different options available for different types of weather, or different times of day), hair elastic, baseball cap, headphones and music, vest/jacket with many zippers, tissue, house key, gloves.

* Decide exactly what time of day works for your schedule and plan it. For example:

Morning workout: set your alarm...do you need 30 minutes to wake up and get dressed? 60 minutes? Go to bed on time the night before! Do you need 6 hours to feel fully rested? 8 hours? Always drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up.

After work workout: Can you walk in the door and get to your workout, without distractions from your family, TV, or the computer? Or should you workout straight from work?

Evening workout: Can you eat a light dinner and conserve your energy, so you can be assured of getting out of the house, before you head for your bed?

This is how you get organized for a Fitness Lifestyle Upgrade. It's no longer just a good idea to make improvements. You are TAKING ACTION by getting prepared, and setting up a system that will work for you. Then you simply take the steps!

This is how you make sure that there are NO EXCUSES and that..what you say...is what you do!

Happy Upgrade!

Week One of Sixteen...Training to a 10K

1. Always have medical clearance from your Health Practitioner before embarking on a new fitness regimen.
2. Get the right running shoes for your foot type; this is crucial for comfort and injury prevention. Visit a running store to get expert advice on buying the right running shoe.
3. Before you start your workout, always warm up properly...walk for 5-10 minutes at a brisk pace. You should always end your workout with a cool down, and a full body stretch routine.

Week 1 of 16

Walk for 6 minutes, then jog at an easy pace for 1 minute. Repeat three times. Your workout should take approximately 40 minutes, including warm up and cool down.

Aim for three sessions, with this sequence, during Week One.

For me it works best to decide, at the beginning of the week, which days I am going to work out. I create a workbook to keep track of my activity for the entire 16 weeks.

Tip: It is always best to do your three workout days, with an alternating rest day in between each. For example, Mon Wed Fri... or Tue Thur Sat...

Tip: What you eat is equally important for your success. Increase your choices of fresh, raw, live foods. Reduce your reliance on food in bags, bottles, boxes, or cans.

Happy Training!

Canadians On An Unhealthy Path

Canadians are rapidly catching up to our unhealthy neighbors South of the border.

According to the results of a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), 19% of males and 21% of females (aged 20 - 39) in Canada are now classified as obese. This compares to our U.S. counterparts, with 34% of adults considered obese.

Back in 1981 when the research study began, Canadians were rather complacent about the direction of their health. What could have contributed to this physical weakening of the general population over the last 30 years?

Mark Tremblay, the project's lead researcher from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, has isolated some factors that may have contributed to our declining fitness levels:

* Increased screen time in front of TVs and computers at home and work,

* Our increased dependance on cars,

* The increased availability of convenience (processed and fast) foods, and

* Deterioration in the quality and quantity of physical education.

The fantastic thing about health is that the results are often a case of simple math...we are the sum total of what we eat, and what we do...x + y = z...

Eg. What We Eat + What We Do = Physical/Emotional Outcomes

Thus any desired change has a simple (not easy) solution...change one or more of the factors, and end up with a different result.

So based on Mr. Tremblay's factors, we must do the opposite.

* Spend less time in front of the computer and TV,

* Use other means of transportation sometimes, so that your body will have to move,

* Increase your consumption of real live raw foods (have I said this enough?), that is not in boxes, bags, packets, and cans...hmmm...could she mean vegetables and fruit?, and

* Increase your physical activity...get up a little earlier, put on the music, and crack a sweat before you get in the shower.

Don't make changes, just because it's the New Year...make life resolutions...getting older does not necessarily mean getting fatter and sicker. Resolve to do everything you can to be at your healthiest, regardless of the biological clock.

Implement change, starting today...remember, things can get better with age!

Preventing the Flu the "Natural" Way

Last Wednesday, Ottawa approved the H1N1 influenza vaccine. And on Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency.

But is the influenza vaccine the only way to prevent the Swine (and other varieties of the) Flu?

As a Natural Nutritionist, I have been taught that it is absolutely vital to have a strong immune system, which will help fight off diseases, colds, and flu's. But what does that really mean? What exactly is the flu and how do we "catch" it? Or is there another explanation, is the body capable of cleansing itself, with an annual flu-type ritual?

I have heard people say, "I hate that I have the flu but I'm so glad I got sick...I really needed the break from work."

So then ‘catching the flu’ is a modern excuse to blame someone else for our suffering (we caught it off someone else) and quickly escape it and get back to our daily routine of work work work.

What is really happening is the body needs a break to rid itself of stress and accumulated toxins and it starts to cleanse itself. It is the body's own natural defense mechanism against toxic build-up. Taking over-the-counter medications merely slows down or stops the cleansing response.(http://www.detox.net.au/)

In our North American society, we work long hours; we sleep for short periods; we eat de-natured, packaged, high-fat, processed foods; we drink sugar-laden beverages to make it through the day. Do you suppose there's a connection between the way we treat our bodies, and the way our bodies treat us?

About ten years ago, I became ill with the "flu" twice within a few months. Both times, my body ached, my head hurt, my nose ran and, the final assault, after about a week of coughing, I lost my voice to laryngitis. During the second bout with the "flu", I decided I needed to make some lifestyle changes and began researching healthier living practices.

I have been cold- and flu-free for over 6 years now, and have been sharing my simple strategies through this blog, and by speaking to any audience that will listen!

Here are my favorite Do's and Don'ts for strengthening the Immune System, and living a healthy life:

1. Eat live food at every meal. I eat fresh or frozen fruit at breakfast, and a variety of fresh vegetables throughout the day.
2. Eat lettuce in at least one meal a day. I have a salad with every lunch and every dinner, 7 days a week.
3. Cooked veggies are great, but they don't replace fresh live veggies. I eat baby carrots, snap peas, cut celery, cucumber slices, etc throughout the day.
4. Drink water first thing in the morning. When I wake up, the first thing I put in my stomach is fresh water. When I'm hungry, I drink water first.
5. Eat nuts in small quantities. I buy my nuts in the baking department or the health food store; not roasted and salted, but raw and unflavored. I mix nuts with dates or cranberries for added flavour.
6. Limit junk foods. I gave up chips, cheezies, hot dogs, pastries, donuts, candy, and desserts. I eat limited amounts of muffins, breads, and buns. When socializing, I will agree to eating pizza with salad.
7. Don't drink coffee when you should be eating something. Many people never feel their hunger because they drink so much coffee. Put off coffee, if you're not sure if you're eating enough live, fresh food.
8. Pack your own lunches. Taking food with you when you leave the house allows you to make your own choices about what you'll eat during the day.
9. When eating out, try replicating a good home-cooked meal. Restaurant meals are known to be high in fats and sugars; don't be tempted by too many nutrient-poor, high-calorie foods.
10. Take good quality vitamins and minerals daily. I do this to cover all of my bases.

Well, these are my suggestions for boosting the immune system. Making the decision to have the flu shot or not is personal, and I don't make recommendations of that nature. But I do suggest that, as an individual, you need to start taking a more personal role in deciding who is in charge of your health...the food industry, the pharmaceutical companies, or you?

When Will We Finally Get the "Sugar Message"?

The American Heart Association (AMA) journal, Circulation, has reported online that North Americans are swallowing 22 teaspoons of sugar each day.

Most of this added sugar comes from soda pop and candy. In fact, there is so much pop sold today in this continent that we all drink, on average, 597 cans per year.

This Summer, McDonald's introduced their Any Size pop for $1. And, for the longest time, the size of the 7-Eleven's pops and slurpies have been growing to enormous proportions... the Big Gulp is 32 oz. of pop, and the Super Gulp is 64 oz. of pop...Slurpies range in size from 12 oz. to 40 oz.

Is all this pop necessary? Does pop even quench thirst? Or does it just delay thirst, and hunger?

Rachel K. Johnson, professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington, lead author of the statement published online, says we need to "take a good hard look at our diet. Figure out where the sources of added sugars are and think about how to cut back on those items."

To check for added sugars, look for a variety of ingredients on labels, including sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, molasses or evaporated cane juice.

Remember that, on average, most women need about 1,800 calories a day and most men need about 2,200 calories to maintain their weight. And added sugar contributes no useful, nutritious calories...so, next time you're thirsty, drink a glass of water first.

Don't camouflage your hunger with a tasty soda...go get some real food!

What the Experts Say...Take Your Vitamins!

Joe Schwarz, the dirtector of McGill University's Office for Science and Society, recently wrote that "Most people are eating crap and thinking that they'll take a vitamin to equalize things. It's pointless. The problem with our diet is not a lack of vitamins. It's the fat, salt and sugar. Those issues are not addressed by taking more vitamins."

However, according to the World Health Organization, one-third of the world's population doesn't get enough micronutrients. And the deficiency is not just limited to developing nations.

A 2002 study found that 97% of Canadians are deficient in vitamin D through winter and spring, while University of Guelph researchers say 78% of Canadian children are low in omega-3 fatty acids. Many of us are also short on iron, calcium and - depending on whether you smoke, drink too much or are overweight - vitamins C and B as well.

"My view is that a supplement should never be taken as a silver bullet to replace a healthy diet or lack of exercise," says Brett Waslefsky, president of an Arizona-based company that makes supplements aimed at people in certain careers, such as nurses and teachers.

And Sherry Torkos, a Niagara-based pharmacist and author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Wiley, 2008) said, "The truth is that most people are not getting nearly enough fruits and vegetables. Supplements can be used to complement a healthy diet and lifestyle to make up for things that cause deficiencies, like smoking, eating food with a lower nutritional value and drinking too much."

Every week, I promote adopting better eating habits, getting physically active, and supplementing with a select group of essential nutrients. My favorite supplements are still the BodyWise products, manufactured in California by Vita Tech International http://www.vitatech.com/ .

For the everyday needs of you and your family members, I recommend the AM (multi-vitamin), the PM (multi- mineral), and the Beta C (Vit C from mixed carotenoids).

For more specific health concerns, such as sports performance or sports-related injuries, send an e-mail to bsinclair@mybodywise.org and I will be happy to provide a nutritional consultation and supplement recommendation.

Magnificent Mind - At Any Age...

According to Dr. Daniel G. Amen, author of Magnificent Mind at Any Age, most of us take our brains for granted.

But we can promote brain health by consuming the following foods:

• lean protein, such as fish, chicken, and turkey
• complex carbohydrates, that are low on the glycemic index, such as leafy greens
• salmon, tuna, avocado, and walnuts (foods that contain Omega 3 fatty acids)
• water, to avoid dehydration
• blueberries
• broccoli
• oatmeal
• oranges
• red bell pepper
• spinach
• eat from the rainbow...foods of many colors provide the most anti-oxidants
• fish oil supplements*
• multi-vitamin/mineral formulations**

And it's probably not a coincidence that those lifestyle habits that protect the brain also contribute to the health of all our other organs!

* Super Omega $24 One Month Supply
** AM/PM $42 One Month Supply
Ask about purchasing these great products today from:
BODY BALANCE Smoothie & Snack Bar (778) 229-9271