Lifestyle

Don't get sick on your holiday! The last thing you need is to have your vacation ruined because you got sick from eating foreign food.  Here are a few guidelines to follow to prevent and avoid this situation: at least 6 weeks prior to your trip, visit a Health Care Practitioner to find out about any required immunizations for your destination (you will not be allowed into certain countries that have a specific disease outbreak without having been vaccinated, in which case you may want to choose a different destination for your trip) avoid alcohol & caffeine and drink plenty of water during airplane trips to prevent dehydration take Probiotics before and during your trip: use a CFU (colony-forming unit) count of at least 10 [...]

One of the most common things we all use daily for body care, other than toothpaste and soap, is anti-persperant or deodorant. So our bodies get hammered regularly with whatever ingredients are in the products we choose. Sweating is an essential body function Sweat performs the following functions: regulates body temperature helps the body heal wounds excretes toxins like phtalates, arsenic, cadmium, lead & mercury sweat has no smell until it mixes with bacteria on the skin Keep this in mind when choosing products that mask unpleasant smells. You want something that helps absorb the odor but remember that everything you put on your skin gets absorbed by your pores and into your system. Standard cosmetics contain the following harmful toxins: Aluminum in anti-perspirants can [...]

Here are some basic guidelines for safe and healthy cooking: Appliances: Natural gas stoves need proper ventilation to avoid accumulation of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide & formaldehyde in the air Food Preparation: there is no benefit to using detergents like peroxy acetic acid or chlorine to inactivate E. Coli.  Washing food with water is sufficient there is no need to cool food before refrigerating as bacteria begins to multiply after 2 hrs or more at room temperature.  However, be sure to place a protective coaster under the hot container so as not to crack the fridge shelf AVOID frying, sauteing or broiling at high temperatures the light & oxygen resulting from cooking unsaturated oils causes a chemical reaction that allows carcinogens to form, especially in [...]

What's the #1 Ingredient in a shower or bath? Water! Your body needs water for survival but drinking it is not the only way it gets inside you. Your skin absorbs everything it comes into contact with. Pure water will nourish your skin while tainted water will cause it to react. Some reactions are quite obvious like rashes & other irritations while more often than not, you don't immediately see or feel the negative impact being done to your body. Water's External Impact on the body Bathing removes dirt & waste products from the skin Cool water reduces fever A cool ending to your shower will help wake you up as well as rubbing your face with a cold wet facecloth A hot bath will [...]

Change your eating habits! You should know that you can easily loose weight simply by changing your eating habits.  The only effort required is your willingness and determination to adopt and adapt to a healthy eating regimen.  NO DIETING and NO STARVING required.  And you can still enjoy TREATS occasionally which means you don't have to give up your favourite foods forever, as long as the majority of your meals every week are on the healthy side. It may be overwhelming and discouraging at first when you realize that the fast and convenient food diet you've been raised on is pretty devoid of nutrients, not to mention disease-causing.  There will be a learning curve to overcome as you become acquainted with all the foods you [...]

Most standard skin care products contain harmful ingredients that are allowed to be used due to the lax laws that exist in our country which favour chemical companies for the profits they bring in.  It is only after numerous ailments and deaths occur that the government will consider the findings of scientists' tests on various ingredients.  Further proof to show that certain ingredients are harmful is required before the government will take action to ban these chemicals.  It is very difficult to make any claims due to the slow process involved from absorption through the skin. So, as with food, it is up to you to be diligent and know what to look for to avoid harmful ingredients.  Look for the "Canada Organic" logo for [...]

DO get some sunshine! We need at least 15 min. of sunshine per day for our body to absorb the vital Vitamin D it requires.  Vitamin D deficiency leads to MS, lowered immune function and cancer.  Extreme deficiency can lead to rickets.  Since it takes 15 min or so for the sunscreen to absorb, it's fine to go out right away so you can soak up your 15 min. or so of Vitamin D. But when choosing sunscreen, BEWARE of dangerous ingredients: 3 Main Sunscreen Ingredients that CAUSE free radical damage found to be higher in people using sunscreen than those who don't! Octocrylene Octyl Methoxycinnamate Benzophenone Three more culprits to beware of: Oxybenzone is a hormone disruptor and linked to skin cancer Retinyl Palmitate [...]

Daily Habits for Health Your daily habits will ultimately determine your overall health.  Becoming healthy involves adopting a routine that contributes to this goal.  By replacing bad habits with healthier alternatives that work for you, reclaiming your health becomes a no-brainer.  It will simply require the time and effort (and willingness) to learn and adjust your schedule in a way that takes your health into consideration.  Humans are adaptable creatures and all it takes is motivation. What's your health worth? *I need to mention here that throughout this site, I often advise going to a health food store for healthier options.  However, you need to be aware that all items for sale in these stores are not necessarily free of chemicals or GMO's.  They are [...]