02/Apr/2020

These are unprecedented times. Whether you’re working from home or just plain-stuck-in-the-house, the isolation can make it tempting to slip into unhealthy habits. Being cooped up inside all day really does test one’s sanity, as time becomes a blurry concept. What day is it?

Since we’re all home anyway, why not use this time to get a start on your health goals that were put off BC (before COVID).

📢Introducing The Social Distancing Detox: A hands-on, start-right-away detox for the mind, body, and soul.

Let’s break it down:

Detox For The Mind: Given that most of us are forced to slow down, we may be experiencing a heightened sense of discomfort and uncertainty. Feelings of low mood, or just a case of the blahs are pretty common right now. We haven’t yet found a routine that works for us to keep us motivated and stimulated.

What you can do right now to detox a cluttered mind:

Read! Pick up that book you’ve been promising yourself you’d finish for months. Dedicate an hour of your day to just reading for fun!
Connect with friends and loved ones and do fun things (virtually)! Have a virtual games night! Some of my favourite games apps are Jackbox.tv and House Party App. (Let me know in the comments what your favourite virtual games apps are!)

Detox Your Body: Okay it’s been about 2 weeks, this is a PSA: hun, it’s time to get off the couch! Being home all day makes it easy and tempting to just grow roots in whatever chair or bed you spend most of your time in. Don’t do it! Side effects of moving your body include: feeling energized, motivated, and accomplished. While you’re at it, why not put that bowl of chips into its own isolation for a while.

What you can do right now to detox a cluttered body:

Exercise! (How surprised were you that this was the first tip?) Go for a walk, get some sunshine! Work out! You don’t need a gym to get your sweat on: stand up and do some jumping jacks! Drop and give me 20! How about 10 burpees? Full disclosure: I’ve started working out on the driveway. Pretty sure all my neighbours can see me struggling through my push-ups, but whatever! Exercise + sunshine? Winning combo!
Socially distance yourself from junk food (lol). All hope is not lost and we’ll be able to be out in society again. Continue eating healthy as to not feel the sluggishness. A clean diet doesn’t have to be fancy, why not try switching your commute-to-work-pastry with a fresh piece of fruit in the morning? Delicious!

Detox Your Space: Time to Mary Kondo and spring clean! Out with the winter baggage, all the stuff that’s cluttering up your space (and also your mind), in with the tidying up! If we’re gonna be cooped up all day, might as well have a nice space right?

What you can do right now to detox your space:

Clean/organize your space! Try starting with one small project and dedicate half an hour a day just to organizing that space, and then another space, and then another, and then… Woah! It’s like a whole new room!
Add some comforting additions like pants to the areas you spend much of your time in. Enjoy the nature indoors

There you have it! Quick and easy tips for detoxing while social distancing! If you liked this article, share it with 2 of your friends who are at home feeling the cabin fever too! We’re all in this together!

Stay healthy, stay safe!

I compiled a short list on how you can stay motivated and energized during these times.

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Dr. Anousha Usman

20/Jan/2020

Improving pregnancy outcomes for expecting mothers

Pregnancy is a major life event for nearly all women. What a woman puts into her body before, or during this time can greatly impact both hers and the health of her fetus. Whether meticulously planned or otherwise, there is a ton of information out there for maternal health during pregnancy and sifting through all that information can easily become overwhelming and stressful.

Why is it important to prepare for pregnancy anyway?

Pregnancy, birth outcomes, and the future health of the child are all impacted by the mother’s mental/emotional and physical health both before and during gestation. If the expectant mother has underlying health conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, or blood pressure issues, or even being older than 40 at the time of pregnancy, she may be monitored and treated as a high-risk pregnancy. High-risk pregnancies require more diligent care from health providers, physicians, and naturopathic doctors.

This post breaks down the prenatal vitamin and the purpose each nutrient serves for both baby and mama.

When to start taking a prenatal:

As soon as you find out your pregnant, but even starting a couple of months before you are planning to conceive all the way up to the postpartum period is encouraged. Ontario standards of practice for perinatal care advise women to take a folic acid supplement (or in their multi) prior to conception.

Vitamins:

Vitamin A

Required for the healthy development of vertebrae, spinal cord, limbs, heart, eyes, ears, and regulating the health of genes. Be careful though; vitamin A in doses of 10,000IU or more it can be toxic to the developing fetus (especially in the first trimester), causing malformations and defects in the heart and genitourinary systems. Better to stick with B-carotene.

Vitamin B

Also known as pyridoxine, helps with nausea and vomiting experienced by the mother during the first trimester of pregnancy.

B12

This vitamin comes in a few forms, methylcobalamin, hydroxycobalamin, and cyanocobalamin. Methylcobalamin is used by individuals who have impaired methylation while cyanocobalamin breaks down to cyanide and cobalamin in the body. Naturopaths and health-care providers prefer the first two forms of vitamin B12 when supplementing their patients, which helps with nausea/vomiting and low energy.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid supplementation may help prevent the rupturing of membranes by stimulating collagen synthesis. Vitamin C is also associated with a lessened risk of pre-eclampsia (a disorder of pregnancy, associated with marked high blood pressure and increased protein in the urine).

Vitamin D3

Deficiency is associated with low birth weight and pre-term birth, as well as a higher risk of developing MS or diabetes later on in life. Vitamin D is important for the development of a healthy immune system and lungs in utero. When expectant mothers increased their intake of D3, a decreased risk of asthma in 40% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 was observed. Vitamin D3 is important for bones and teeth development. Recommended dose: 400-1000 IU daily.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E does thin the blood, so your naturopathic doctor or MD will note to monitor the dose. This vitamin helps with the formation of cells and is used as an antioxidant.

Vitamin K

Important for making the components that develop into blood clots.

Zinc

Decreases risk of low birth weight (especially in malnourished women). Zinc important for protein synthesis and nucleic acid metabolism, and RNA. This nutrient may prevent congenital malformations. Recommended dose: 10-25mg/day.

Iodine

Expecting mothers require more to meet the demands of fetal needs. Maternal thyroid hormone decreases slightly during the first trimester to meet the needs of the fetal thyroid hormone and to make up for the increased excretion. Too much or too little iodine may contribute to the development of congenital hypothyroidism.

Calcium

Important for the development of the skeleton, tissues, and hormones. Usually given up to 1000 mg daily.

Magnesium

Magnesium is required for building body tissues and preventing the uterus from contracting prematurely. 500 mg daily.

Iron

Iron is imperative for hemoglobin production and is sourced from our diets (red meats and plant sources such as dark green leafy vegetables. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the blood for all of the tissues in the body throughout life. The growing fetus accumulates iron from their mother, who then experiences a decrease in her own iron stores. Iron-deficiency anemia is pretty common in pregnancy for this reason and these women may have a desire to chew on ice. Ferrous fumarate is a form of iron that is commonly used in over-the-counter prenatal vitamins however, it is not very well tolerated by the GI system. Some iron supplements like ferrous fumarate and succinate tend to also cause or worsen constipation. The most bio-available form of iron is iron glycinate.

Speak to your naturopath about how much iron is right for you.

Omegas and Essential Fatty Acids

DHA (an essential fatty acid) is important for the development of the brain and nervous tissue which is most significant from the 3^rd trimester to the first 3 months of breastfeeding and early childhood.

Working with the naturopath:

Pregnancy is an exciting and overwhelming time for most women so choosing the right prenatal vitamin shouldn’t be. While there are a lot of options out there, I focus on selecting vitamins that specifically provide therapeutic doses to best support the health of mama and baby throughout all stages of pregnancy. (Not all vitamins are created equal and it’s important to keep in mind that some may cause more harm than good).

As a naturopathic doctor, I always ensure that my patients are up to date and aware of which vitamins and supplements they should (or should not) be on, what lifestyle factors and other wellness habits can improve their health outcomes, and any other naturopathic modalities might best support them.

If you found this article informative chances are it’ll resonate with someone else too! So please share it with your friends and family, and comment below what other topics you’d love to learn more about!

Dr. Anousha Usman

14/Nov/2019

Anxiety is characterized as a state of hyperarousal. present in other anxiety-type disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, mania or bipolar disorder, personality disorders, PTSD, or phobias to name a few. Emotional symptoms of anxiety include nervousness, irritability, dream, insomnia or trouble sleeping, easily startled/distracted and difficulty in concentrating. Physical symptoms of anxiety are often overlooked; these include muscle twitching, restlessness, shakiness, fatigue, muscular aches or tension.

How does your body experience anxiety?

Anxiety is the heightened response of the Autonomic nervous system; the ANS controls the heart, gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems (including sexual health and libido), and parts of the Neurologic system. It is quite possible to suffer from heart palpitations (a fluttering feeling in your chest), shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating, a sensation of choking, heartburn/nausea/vomiting, stomach aches, frequent peeing, dizziness and or headache, while experiencing anxiety or an anxious episode.

Canadians are anxious.

In 2016, nearly 4 million Canadians had been diagnosed with a mood and/or anxiety disorders

In Ontario, about 10% of the population has a mental illness and receives only about 7% of health care funds

Don’t Panic! Anxiety is manageable and treatable. Check out these tips for managing grounding and managing anxiety:

Diet

Avoiding stimulants like coffee, caffeinated drinks, stimulating drugs
Stabilize blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar can trigger feelings of anxiety. Eat a meal or small snack every 2 hours if you find that feelings of “hanger” trigger anxiety.
Removing other foods that trigger anxious feelings

Mindful Activities

4-7-8 Breathing

Inhale for 4 seconds. Pause for 7 seconds. Exhale for 8 seconds. Closing your eyes if you feel comfortable, practice this type of breathing throughout the day and during periods of anxiety and stress, starting with 3-5 cycles. Exhaling for twice as long as inhaling reminds us that no matter how much we take in, we must always let go of more.

Toe Wiggling

In a standing, seated, or laying down position. Wiggle your toes; focusing on how they feel in your shoes or socks. Are you bare foot? How do they feel rubbing against each other? By bringing your attention downwards to your feet, you are bringing attention from your thoughts and into your body.

5 Senses

Name 5 things you can SEE.

Name 4 things you can TOUCH.

Name 3 things you can HEAR.

Name 2 things you can SMELL.

Name 1 thing you can TASTE.

Supplements, Vitamins, Minerals

Dr. Usman takes extra care when it comes to your health. She may recommend specific supplements or nutrients (individualized to your treatment plan) that will help you to manage your symptoms and to improve your mood and energy. Note: any botanical, herb, supplement, or vitamin that Dr. Usman prescribes, is specific to your health needs and takes into account any medications you’re currently on or underlying health conditions. Self medicating can be dangerous; just because its natural, doesn’t always mean its safe. Consult Dr. Usman, ND, prior to trying any new supplement, herb/botanical.

Acupuncture

Dr. Usman may recommend a course of an acupuncture treatment weekly for 4-8 weeks to help improve and stabilize mood, improve energy, and lessen symptoms of anxiety.

Yes, when anxiety happens it can feel like your thoughts, emotions, and sometimes your bodily functions are running away without you. There are effective ways to manage the underlying root cause while improving the uncomfortable symptoms. If this article resonated with you and/or you think someone else may benefit from it – please do not hesitate to share this blog! The better we understand anxiety and mood disorders and how they fit in the greater scheme of wellness.

Ready to take the next step in your health journey? Get back to feeling great, book an appointment with Dr. Anousha Usman today!

Dr. Anousha Usman

19/Sep/2019

I love a good grocery store, it’s like being a kid in a candy store for me! Whenever there is a new grocery store that pops up, I go check it out and always come out with something new! Especially going to the states, where they have difference products than Canada. Would you believe me if I told you that when I travel my carryon is full of American products (I swear, it’s true)? I get pulled over to be searched, Every. Single. Time. But I do realize not everyone is like me who loves to grocery shop, so here are the grocery store hacks to make it easy!

Never shop hungry. You know what I’m talking about – it leads to buying way more than you need, and more snacking too.
Make a list before you go of the must-haves and what you are planning to prep for that week. This way you don’t over or under buy. Pro Tip – organize your list into the sections of the grocery store so you are in and out quicker.
Go early in the morning, fresher produce + less people (win-win)
Shop the perimeter of the store first. Produce and meat (the essentials) then the other stuff you may need in the isles.
Don’t be afraid of the frozen fruits + veg, it makes it more affordable to buy organic
Shop the seasonal fruits and veg, that’s what our body craves.
Read the labels! Low fat, gluten free, sugar free – this doesn’t mean healthy! Read the ingredients and make sure you understand what is listed.
Use the dirty dozen and clean 15 list to buy organic foods. It can be costly, so don’t forget about the frozen option.
BYOB – bring your own bag.

Let’s break down a general grocery list. This will give you options of proteins, vegetables, condiments, etc. but is definitely an elongated list!

Meat based proteins:

Organic chicken and turkey. If you’re craving turkey slices, go for the nitrate free
Atlantic salmon or smoke salmon
White fish, shrimp, scallops if they are looking fresh
Grass fed beef/ burgers, but not very often (1 X per week)

Dairy and eggs:

2% plain Greek yogurt
Organic eggs
Cottage cheese
Feta/ goats milk cheeses
Grass fed butter/ ghee (I love Lee’s ghee)
Almond, cashew or oat milk – all unsweetened

Fruits and veg

Avocado
Carrots
Cucumber
Tomato
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Apples
Berries
Banana
Japanese sweet potato (can also do regular sweet potato)
Spaghetti squash
Zucchini
Your choice of greens (I prefer spinach and arugula)
Onions and garlic
Ginger
Lemon/ lime

Frozen foods

Berries
Avocado (for smoothies)
Stir fried veggies of your choice (stay away from corn)
Shrimp

Grains

Wild/ brown rice
Ezekiel bread
Mary’s crackers
Nuud crackers
Chickpea/ lentil pasta

Other fridge

Hummus
Sauerkraut
Mustard
Mother Raw dressing

For more information, Consult our best naturopathic doctor in toronto now!

Dry foods

Natural nut butters
Almond flour
Whole gluten free oats
Stock
Coconut milk
Spices
Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil
Raw, unsalted nuts

Dr. Anousha Usman

19/Sep/2019

What’s the difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder? It’s a fine line. It’s not a label of who you are, but it does bring awareness to the majority of the population who don’t know how to eat and have an unhealthy relationship with food. What, you may ask, is the determining factor between an eating disorder and disordered eating? How much these thoughts control you, your level of obsession with food, exercise, thoughts and behaviours.

Eating disorders that are diagnosed are labeled as as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, overeating. It excludes other types of disordered eating such as the behaviours listed below.

Signs of disordered eating:

Frequent dieting
Rituals and routines that surround food and exercise
Anxiety around certain foods
Skipping meals
Food guilt
Labelling foods as good or bad
Obsessive thoughts around food, weight, and body image
Negative impact on quality of life
Excessive exercise & food restriction (especially to make up for “bad foods” consumed)

The above can all be the precursor to an eating disorder.

The lack of understanding comes from society and the abundance of information out there. I am here to tell you, eating well can be really simple. It takes some mental strength and willpower to forget all you have learned, forget your fears about foods, the diets you have tried and what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and instead, listen and trust your body. Do the research on what works and what doesn’t, because the truth is – everyone is unique. But, let’s talk about some general guidelines to follow (*notice I didn’t say ‘rules’ to follow, because these are just that, guidelines with no set right/wrong). It is always good to consult with a nutritionist for a more specific plan.

Food is fuel. I say this all the time because so many people choose to believe that calories are bad, high fat foods will make you fat, and eating less means weight loss. When in fact, this isn’t the case. Calories are energy we burn energy all day just by breathing, we need calories.

Let’s talk ‘how to’s’ on eating properly.

Start your day with breakfast
3 meals + 1-2 snacks/ day
2-3 hours between each meal
Put your food on a plate (i.e do not eat out of a bag)
Make sure you have protein + fat + fibre at each meal
Take account quality vs. quantity of foods
Focus on whole foods vs. low fat/ low calorie
Drink at least 2 litres of water/ day
Eliminate nighttime eating/ emotional based eating

Many people suffer with disordered eating but do not even realize it. Disordered eating can be difficult to detect since each persons patterns are unique and may not be displayed at all times. It impacts both mental and physical health, to a point of real danger. These consequences include a greater risk of obesity and eating disorders, bone loss, digestive disturbances, low heart rate and blood pressure, increased anxiety and depression and social isolation.

Consulting with a nutritionist allows you to set a plan in motion specific to what your unique needs are.

Pawan K

01/Aug/2019

What is stress?

Picture yourself as a calm ancient human collecting berries about 50 meters away from your camp. The day is bright and warm and your basket of succulent ripe berries is half full. Ahh, peaceful.

Suddenly you see a FEROCIOUS BEAR coming towards you. You drop your basket, your heart races, breathing quickens, and with a surge of adrenalin you take off at full speed away from the bear.

Now at a safe distance, your heart rate and breathing normalize as you begin to relax from the above-mentioned frightening experience.

This is stress. An evolved response to a perceived threat to keep the body safe. Stress symptoms are biological (change in breathing and heart rate, sweating, an adrenalin surge) as well as psychological (fear, anxiety). Cortisol (the stress hormone) is responsible for the physiological changes we experience during these periods of agitation and threat. Cortisol and adrenaline quicken the heart rate ensuring that there is enough oxygenated blood being pumped to the brain (vital organ – necessary for survival from said bear) as well as the limbs which help you to escape.

Biology of stress – how it works

Stress can be broken down into 3 stages. (General Adaptation Syndrome by Hans Syele, MD).

Alarm (becoming aware of the bear – experiencing the fight or flight response. ).
Resistance (Where the recovery stage begins, your heart rate and breathing normalize, but your mind and body are still on high alert – what if the bear comes back?). In the resistance stage, the body is still releasing low levels of cortisol
Exhaustion – from the chronic levels of cortisol being released, even your stress adrenal glands become exhausted. Some symptoms of the Exhaustion phase include, depression, burn out, fatigue, decreased stress tolerance.

The brain has a system for responding to an unpleasant stimulus, known as the HPA Axis or, Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal Axis. The hypothalamus first receives a memo of a stressful trigger, which then causes it to release a chemical message to the pituitary gland. The pituitary responds by releasing another chemical that triggers the adrenal glands (tiny little glands that sit atop the kidneys) to release cortisol. Cortisol then acts on the body to prepare it for a fight or flight response. When the hypothalamus stops receiving any signal of threat, it halts the chemical message to the pituitary leading to downstream effects of decreased cortisol production. After this response the body returns to a state of rest and digest – where digestion is normalized and hormones rebalance. During rest and digest periods the body is able to have restful sleep, metabolize foods, experience a libido and other reproductive processes, and have enough energy stores for day to day living.

Now if the bear was constantly present nearby it’s safe to say that you would be anything but relaxed! Similarly, the presence of chronic stress (a bear or otherwise looming in the background) causes the body to feel on-edge in an unrestful state.

What are symptoms of stress that has become chronic?

Low energy
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping, insomnia
Changes in digestion: constipation, diarrhea, bloating and gas
Decreased libido
Unintentional weight gain or loss
Changes in dietary habits, cravings for sugar
Decreased immune system, falling sick often
Difficulty concentrating, brain fog
Changes in mood, irritability, anxiety, depression
Hormonal changes in women such as changes in period length or flow

Sources of stress symptoms:

Career and jobs
Home life
Finances
Relationships
Our own health, and the health of loved ones

The true dangers lie in the long-term poor management of stress symptoms and experiences of triggering events. Chronically elevated cortisol eventually leads to exhaustion and burn out.

Recognizing and identifying the root causes of stress is integral to learning effective coping strategies for life long wellness.

How to relieve stress:

Quick check-in: how do you feel right now in your body? Is your breathing deep and full or short and shallow? Do you notice any stiffness in your muscles or joints?
Breathing: when there is abundant oxygen going to the brain, your body is reminded that it is notin danger. Deep, slow belly-breaths helps put the body back into rest and digest mode. Try this! Sweet 16 breathing: inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, pause for 4 seconds, exhale slowly through pursed lips for 4 seconds, pause for 4 seconds. Repeat.
Spending time in nature: Unplug once a day and spend time going for walks in a nearby park.
Exercise: health guidelines recommend about 30 min of moderate physical activity daily. Movement is a great way to let off steam!
Seeking out support: reach out to loved ones, a compassionate friend, or a professional who can provide you with the tools to cope and decrease stress symptoms
Limiting junk foods: sugar cravings are a common stress symptom and too much sugar treats can lead to downstream ill health effects. Avoid reliance on coffee, alcohol, and nicotine.
Hobbies you enjoy: create and nurture areas of joy in your life daily!
Boundaries: create space between yourself and the stressful trigger by taking breaks throughout your day, learning when to say no, and prioritizing your self-care routine
Give thanks: an attitude of gratitude helps retrain the mind to focus on positive experiences and outcomes during your day. Positive affirmations help the brain to relieve stress and keep the mind form spiraling into stressful negative thought patterns.

Bonus!

Identify which habits work best for you. Keep a stress symptom journal to pinpoint:

Source of stress
How you reacted
How it felt
What you did to feel better

Monitor these over time as you test out the 9 different techniques to relieve stress.

Dr. Anousha Usman

17/Apr/2019

I often see cases of heartburn and indigestion in my practice.

Sensations range from a gnawing feeling in the upper-belly to acid burning up into the throat and even out the mouth, scorching the

lips. Heartburn can occur due to a variety of reasons including poor dietary habits, pregnancy, medication use (and abuse), tobacco use, low stomach acid, a hernia, and longstanding health conditions.

Symptoms can creep on you; “I’ve had this for so long”, “I don’t remember when it started, but now everything I eat seems to aggravate it” are what I hear frequently in my office.

Heartburn, acidity, indigestion, and even ulcers are achy (at best) and extremely distressful (at worst).

Here are 5 strategies to help reduce bloating and heartburn:

Diet

Symptoms of heartburn and reflux are commonly triggered by the foods we eat.

Foods that make reflux worse: acidic foods/juices, high fats, red meats, greasy foods, onion and garlic, spicy foods, tomatoes, and peppermint. If you experience heartburn after meals, consider taking these foods OUT of your diet.

Lifestyle

First, posture, posture, posture (while eating)! Maintaining an upright posture helps the food move downwards towards your stomach.

Second, longterm stress may also worsen symptoms of heartburn. Stress puts the body into a state of fight or flight; the opposite is rest and digest. This means that less blood flow is supplied to the digestive system and more supplied to the organs and muscles responsible for dealing with perceived threats. Less blood flow to the digestive system results in the lower esophageal sphincter (connects the esophagus to the stomach) staying open thus allowing for stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus. Re: heartburn.

I like practicing mindful eating techniques. Enjoying my meals when I’m the least distracted (stressed) in order to ensure that my food is digested and nothing splashes back up. To learn more, check out my tips for mindful eating.

Chronic NSAID use

NSAIDs are often used as a tool to help decrease pain and inflammation in the body. Unfortunately one of the side effects includes the erosion of the mucosal lining (protective layer) of the digestive tract; less protection = more injury from acid and digestive juices.

Luckily, there are plenty of alternative options for managing pain and inflammation that spare the mucosal lining; I often recommend options to patients who are looking for healthier solutions to managing their pain. (More on this soon, but my favourite go-to is acupuncture!)

Eliminate alcohol and coffee

These substances relax the tone of the LES and increasing the production of stomach acid. This can worsen symptoms of heartburn and reflux.

Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed

This goes hand-in-hand with maintaining an upright posture while eating. Waiting a couple of hours between your last meal and bedtime ensures that your meal has been digested and nothing is left behind triggering the production of stomach acid. (And of course, that nothing splashes back up!)

So there you have it! 5 easy strategies for decreasing the burning feeling after meals.

Tested these techniques out and looking for more individualized solutions? Book in with me and find out how Naturopathic Doctors in Toronto can improve your symptoms and prevent heartburn from “splashing up” again!

Dr. Anousha Usman

04/Mar/2019

Mindful eating habits for health

Retraining the mind to respond to the body’s hunger cues may seem like a daunting task, but actually begins with a few easy steps! Mindfulness-based eating techniques aid with managing and treating emotional eating, weight gain/loss, support energy and overall health.

Here are 6 tips to try today!

Have an attitude of gratitude: Give thanks before each meal
Be seated: sit in a comfortable position at a table
Chew 30 times: (an arbitrary number) mindful chewing sends messages to the brain that the body is refuelling and well soon be full.
No screens: Power down distractions during meals to fully focus on consuming your meal
Portion food: Measure foods according to guides with reference to your goals and use smaller plates (to visually see that you are indeed consuming a plate-full of delicious food)
Stop when full: Don’t polish off plates, listen to hunger cues. Your body will start to naturally tell you when it doesn’t feel hungry anymore – it might start off as a whisper, listen to it!

Dr. Anousha Usman

07/Feb/2019

Fats.

Here’s the skinny, fats are good for you! Our bodies are designed to store fat for a multitude of purposes. Vitamins such as A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble and that means that they can only be absorbed and stored in the body in- that’s right you guessed it – fats! Did you know that the human brain is 60% fat? Essential fatty acids promote healthy development of the nervous system in children and as well deter cognitive impairment in the elderly. Fats are the main component of cell membranes and are even an essential part of hormones.

But wont eating fats make me fat? Negative! It’s the type of fat that counts- check out some of these healthy fats to incorporate into your diet for your optimal and vital being:

Olive oil. Opt for cold-pressed. Olive oil makes a delicious substitute for store-bought/processed salad dressings. Additionally, studies have demonstrated the benefits of the Mediterranean diet and olive oil consumption for decreasing the risk of adverse cardiac events.
This delicious fruit contains MUFAs (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) and are associated with overall increased quality of diet and a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome.
My personal favourite are walnuts. These guys are rich in phytochemicals and PUFAs (poly-unsaturated fatty acids); the high amounts of polyphenolic compounds are a great source of antioxidants for the brain by helping to decrease inflammation and improve firing of nerve cells. Ever wonder how walnuts resemble brains?
Coconut oil. Probably the most versatile and accessible oil out there, the compounds in coconut oil help to decrease inflammation in the body. This oil is great for stir-fry dishes and even helps with dryness when applied to the skin directly.

What to avoid:

Deep-fried foods, processed foods, and saturated fats. These bad boys are a no-no!

The take home message today: don’t be afraid of fats! Aim for healthy nut butters to add to your morning power smoothies, avocados are tasty additions to salad that help fill you up,

and fatty fish such as salmon are light on the waistline but heavy on the nutrients. Healthy fats promote whole wellbeing. It’s a marathon friends, I encourage you to make the better choices today – your body will thank you tomorrow! For more, just visit to our website now https://thewellnesssuiteto.com/.

Sources:

Dalen, J., & Devries, S. (n.d.). Diets to Prevent Coronary Heart Disease 1957- 2013: What Have We Learned? The American Journal of Medicine.

Fulgoni, V., Dreher, M., & Davenport, A. (n.d.). Avocado consumption is associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake, and lower metabolic syndrome risk in US adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2008. Nutrition Journal, 1-1.

Poulose, S., Miller, M., & Shukitt-Hale, B. (n.d.). Role of Walnuts in Maintaining Brain Health with Age. Journal of Nutrition, 561S-566S.

📢Introducing The Social Distancing Detox: A hands-on, start-right-away detox for the mind, body, and soul.

Improving pregnancy outcomes for expecting mothers

Why is it important to prepare for pregnancy anyway?

Vitamins:

How does your body experience anxiety?

Canadians are anxious.

Diet

Mindful Activities

Supplements, Vitamins, Minerals

Acupuncture

Meat based proteins:

Dairy and eggs:

Fruits and veg

Frozen foods

Grains

Other fridge

Dry foods

Signs of disordered eating:

Let’s talk ‘how to’s’ on eating properly.

What is stress?

Biology of stress – how it works

What are symptoms of stress that has become chronic?

How to relieve stress:

Heartburn, acidity, indigestion, and even ulcers are achy (at best) and extremely distressful (at worst).

Here are 5 strategies to help reduce bloating and heartburn:

Diet

Lifestyle

Chronic NSAID use

Eliminate alcohol and coffee

Avoid eating 2-3 hours before bed

Mindful eating habits for health

Retraining the mind to respond to the body’s hunger cues may seem like a daunting task, but actually begins with a few easy steps! Mindfulness-based eating techniques aid with managing and treating emotional eating, weight gain/loss, support energy and overall health.

Here are 6 tips to try today!

Fats.

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