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Building A Healthy Child - Book Review

Many parents feed their children as if they are adults. The truth is, however, that organs and body systems mature at different times, which means nutrition needs at different ages vary.

In her new book, “Building a Healthy Child,” naturopathic doctor Melina Roberts outlines a revolutionary nutritional program that aims to change the way parents introduce foods to their children -- significantly improving the health of the future generation.

“If we introduce foods based on these key concepts, we can avoid common childhood illnesses like allergies, eczema and asthma, and also form the foundation of long-term health,” Roberts said.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of her book. Although I do not have children I have many clients who do so I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to learn and be able to give better advice to my parenting clients. Most parents want whats best for their children and there are a lot of misconceptions out there. This book is great for learning that up and I would recommend it to any mom or dad out there looking to raise a healthy baby.

She covers a wide variety of topics including: First foods, problem foods, solid food introduction, supplements, remedies, liver and toxins and even includes healthy recipes for different ages. So grab a copy and get reading so that you can have a healthy baby!

Melina Roberts, N.D., is a naturopathic doctor and founder of Advanced Naturopathic Medical Centre in Calgary, Canada. She is a graduate of University of Waterloo and the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, and is a leading authority in the field of naturopathic medicine. She currently resides in Calgary with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit http://advancednaturopathic.com.

Top Foods To Reduce Pain Naturally

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Food is loaded with natural ingredients that will help reduce inflammation and keep you healthy. These natural ingredients can help address what might be causing inflammation and pain in the first place. Keeping your diet natural can help increase mobility. By adding in natural health supplements like Genuine Health FAST pain relief+, your body won’t quit unless you do.

 

Ginger

Ginger fights pain and inflammation on two different fronts. It can stop inflammation before it ever starts by inhibiting the formation of inflammatory compounds in your body, and it has anti-inflammatory effects that can help reverse the inflammation process once it starts.

 

Pineapple

Pineapples are a super-rich source of vitamin C, which helps fight the free radical damage that contributes to the joint pain and disability that can accompany osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Salmon and Sardines

It’s the high concentration of anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids that make cold-water fatty fish like salmon and sardines effective pain-fighting foods. Omega-3s may reduce risk of inflammatory-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.

 

Garlic

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants. We’ve been growing it for over 5,000 years! Garlic is rich in sulfur-containing compounds that give it its distinctive smell, but also its health benefits. These sulfur-containing compounds help protect you against both inflammation and oxidative stress.

 

Avocado

Yes, the avocado is fatty, but it is mostly monounsaturated (healthy) fats. And remember, it’s not fat that makes you fat. Sugar does. Avocado is a perfectly balanced food! it’s got healthy fat, fibre and protein! Avocados even have a special type of fats (phytosterols) that provide important anti-inflammatory benefits to our body systems.

 

The important thing to remember is that not all natural supplements are created equally. Ever heard of natural eggshell membrane? Sometimes referred to as NEM? Only Genuine Health products carry Biovaflex, a form of NEM.

 

What is BiovaFlex? - It is a natural health ingredient found in egg membrane that includes collagen, elastin, desmosine, isodesmosine, glucosamine and chondroitin. In a nutshell, it improves cartilage strength and elasticity helping to joints to be more mobile without pain.

 

For mild joint pain, FAST joint care+ includes all that you need and of course contains Biovaflex. For more severe pain and osteoarthiris, Genuine Health has fast arthritis relief+ which also contains Avovida (from avocados) and Bromelain (from pineapple) which are proven to increase that joint space while the BiovaFlex builds the cartilage back.  They also have fast pain relief+ which is a great alternative to everyday pain medication and works in as little as two hours for headaches and cramps. All using whole food based ingredients!

joint pain

http://www.genuinehealth.com

 

FAST joint care+

 

FAST joint care+ provides effective relief from joint pain and inflammation – naturally. Made with the patented and proven ingredient Biovaflex® natural eggshell membrane, its formula provides the fastest, most effective way to improve mobility and range of motion due to osteoarthritis joint pain and joint stiffness.

Benefits:

·         Fast, natural pain relief that works in 5 days

·          Increases mobility and range of motion with noticeable reduction in inflammatory markers like C Reactive protein

·         Helps build joint cartilage, while improving long-term joint health

·         1 veggie capsule per day

 

 

FAST pain relief+

 

FAST pain relief+ is the latest all-natural, clinical strength supplement to help relieve acute pain, such as headaches, back pain, muscle aches and chronic flare-ups. Made with the unique combination of Biovaflex® natural eggshell membrane, Devil's Claw (a natural anti-inflammatory ingredient), and White Willow Bark (nature’s Aspirin), FAST pain relief+ gives you the fastest, most targeted and effective way to manage your pain.

Benefits:

·         Fast, natural pain relief that works in 2 hours

·         Targets acute pain and can prevent chronic flare-ups

·         Non-drowsy with no negative side effects reported

·         3 veggie capsules per day

 

Zespri Green and SunGold

If you guys are tuned into the Olympics like I am you must be feeling motivated to get your health and fitness not track! You don’t need to head to Rio for a taste of Gold this summer. Zespri® Green and SunGold Kiwifruit are a refreshing and nutritious snack that will keep you on top of your game.

 

I was lucky enough to find an amazing box full of kiwi at my door step this week! Nothing screams refreshing like fresh Gold Zespri kiwifruit! I was excited because my box came with a little kiwi scoop that makes eating them a whole lot easier! They even gave me a nice apron to wear will I cut up the delicious green fruit.

kiwi
kiwi

Did you know:

With just one serving of Kiwi there are over 20 vital nutrients and boasting more vitamin C than an orange, kiwifruit plays an important role in boosting your performance and maximizing recovery during athletic activity.

The green fruit are also power up with potassium. Any professional athlete will tell you an important factor in achieving a successful workout is remaining hydrated. As the intensity of the workout increases, key electrolytes (like potassium) are lost through sweat glands.  Two kiwifruit contain an equal amount of potassium as an extra-large banana, and will also improve performance while replenishing lost energy.

Kiwi also help with alkaline balance. Did you know it is essential your gut has the proper pH balance. Foods like kiwifruit, which are heavy in alkaline, allow you to neutralize your stomach’s acidity, which gives you more energy.

Kiwi fruit are also a good source of fibre. Not only does fiber lower cholesterol and help maintain a healthy weight; but a high-fibre diet is a big player in muscle growth, and will provide you with the energy you need to perform at your best. Two kiwifruit contain more fibre than a bowl of bran cereal. Now that's a lot of fibre!

To find out more about Zespri visit their website http://www.zespri.com

Thanks again Zespri for brightening up my day and refreshing my palate!

 

 

Larabar Lemon - Add Zest To Your Life

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What's Larabar?

Larabar was founded by Lara Merriken in May of 2000. She believed that food should be fun, enjoyable and good for you. She tinkered with recipes an d made her own Larabar bars. She discovered how natural foods enlivened her mind, body and spirit and wanted to share that with the world.

Trends have changed over the years and Larabar has become even more popular because people are actively seeking out foods that are not derived from artificial flavours, sugar or high sodium while they are still looking for great taste. The Lara bars are also gluten free, non-geo, dairy free, vegan and kosher! Each bar contains no more than 9 ingredients and they are minimally processes and as close to their natural state as possible.

larabar

I came home last week and to my surprise there was not 1 but 2 packages at my door. I was lucky enough to receive not only the new special edition flavour of Larabar Lemon, but a sample box of flavours including cashew, peanut butter, apple, coconut cream, peanut butter chocolate chip, cocoa coconut chew, chocolate chip, chocolate brownie and blueberry. On top of the samples I also got my very own lemons and tree! This was a little confusing. There also was a bag of dates, cashews and almonds in the box.

Why were all these things included in my package? Why to make my own bars! Thats how little additive ingredients there are in Larabars that I can literally make my own lemon bar with just a food processor, parchment paper, rolling pin and a knife! How cool is that!

There was a little instruction card telling me to place all of the ingredients provided in a food processor and pulse until blended. Once the dough is formed put it into a disc with my hands and roll out between two pieces of parchment paper to my desired thickness. Then cut off excess edges and slice them into bars!

Thank you Larabar for sending me this amazing package. My lemon tree is now soaking up the sun in my living room window and my boyfriend and I are going to enjoy the delicious bars and our homemade zesty lemon bars!

The lemon is available for a limited time only in local grocery stores and online. To find out more about Larabar visit www.larabar.ca 

superfood_alpha

The folks over at Freeman Formula recently sent this Organic High Frequency Superfood for me to try out. Since super foods and greens are in my prep meal plan this was great for me. This formula is for the health conscience individual that is striving for optimal health according to them. And I couldn't agree more.

This high-frequency superfood is a combination of three of nutrient dense alkaline ingredients. It provides your body with over 96 ready to use powerful nutrients with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, plant proteins, carbohydrates, heart healthy fats, fibre. What a crazy combination! One of my favourite ingredients is chia seeds. Chia leaves you feeling full and is high in satiety. Thats great for me since I am on prep and am constantly feeling hunger. This actually prevents that.

Besides the chia which holds 9 times its weight in water to help with hydration. High Frequency Super Food Formula has 9x Protein of Yogurt 15x Potassium of Bananas 25x iron of spinach and 17x calcium of milk.

According to research the ingredients help improve immune function and are anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial functions. They also are known to improve heart function, and circulation.

You can find out more information on their products and the superfood HERE. I really enjoyed the taste in my shakes and even mixed with just water!

 

Cubic Pharma’s Vitamin D For Indoor Lifestyles

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Cubic Pharmaceuticals is a brand from the United Kingdom. They have recently made their Vitamin D supplements available across the United States. I was lucky enough to get sent some to try! I used them every day and felt an increase in my energy and alertness. The line of Cubicole Vitamin D3 came in a variety of strengths. I personally preferred the higher dosage for my active lifestyle. I actually just ran out of them and need more! I made them part of my supplement stack for all of my prep's.

“Vitamin D is well known for helping your body in a variety of ways... For example, it helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus as well as support heart health.”

What I like the most is that all of the Cubic Pharmaceutical supplements are lactose, gluten, gelatin preservative, salt, and yeast free. It is also great for vegetarians and is Halal. Non of their products havebeen tested on animals.

For more about the brand, visit: http://www.cubicpharmaceuticals.co.uk. I personally can't wait to get my hands on some more of the D3!

salad

Joy McCarthy is a certified Holistic Nutritionist and founder of the hugely popular healthy living blog www.joyoushealth.com . She is the author of the Canadian bestselling book Joyous Health: eat and Live well Without Dieting. Her second book, Joyous Detox, comes out in December 2016.

I recently was sent a copy of the salad guide from Joy.  And since I am a figure athlete and I am in prep for a November show I have found it very useful in changing up my greens daily. The guide has beautiful pictures and the directions are easy to follow!

Get your free copy of Joy McCarthy's latest ebook, the 7-Day Sensational Salad Guide. It features seven all-new, exclusive recipes chock-full of superfoods, plant-based nutrition and all-around goodness! Something I know you probably appreciate.

Download your free copy at  http://www.joyoushealth.com/salad-guide/

CYREX ARRAY 2 PROVIDES CANADIAN CLINICIANS CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR ACCURATE
ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION 

 Cyrex Laboratories, a clinical laboratory specializing in functional immunology and autoimmunity, offers Array 2, an intestinal antigenic permeability screen. The Array 2 is the most advanced test on the market to accurately measure intestinal permeability or “leaky gut” as well as assess systemic Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)—a byproduct of bacteria. The Array 2 is unique among clinical testing in its ability to identify the route of damage occurring in the intestinal barrier.

Knowing the pathway of degeneration helps the practitioner narrow his/her focus in identifying the triggers causing damage and choose the most effective gut healing protocol for the patient. Dr. David Perlmutter, a renowned neurologist and leader in preventative medicine who recently released the New York Times Best Seller Brain Maker, said, “I consider the Cyrex Array 2 to be the most effective laboratory study available for evaluating gut permeability.”

Array 2 is recommended for patients who have food sensitivities, abnormal immune cell count and function, or who present multiple symptoms suggestive of autoimmune disorders, such as chronic fatigue, joint pain, skin issues and/or cognitive impairment.  Because of the significant correlation between the gut and brain barriers, Array 2 can also be used in combination with Cyrex’s Array 20, a potent tool for assessing permeability of the blood brain barrier.

"With gastrointestinal barrier integrity being a causal mechanism for so many autoimmune and metabolic diseases, there has never been a more important time for those practicing to quantify what is being observed clinically,” says Dr. Randall Gates, D.C, D.A.C.N.B. and Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist and Dr. Martin Rutherford, D.C., C.F.M.P and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. “Simply, the Cyrex Array 2 allows us as practitioners to ascertain and demonstrate to patients the problem at hand.”

Physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals, as well as patients, interested in learning more about Array 2, 20 or any of the Cyrex Arrays that are part of the Cyrex System, are encouraged to visit www.joincyrex.com for additional information.

About Cyrex Laboratories
Cyrex is a clinical immunology laboratory specializing in functional immunology and autoimmunity. Cyrex offers multi-tissue antibody testing for the early detection and monitoring of today’s complex autoimmune conditions. Cyrex develops innovative testing arrays through continuous collaboration with leading experts in medical research and clinical practice. Cyrex technology is built on four pillars of excellence, including the antigen purification system, optimized antigen concentration, antigen-specific validation and parallel testing technology. Cyrex is a CLIA licensed laboratory based in Phoenix, Arizona and holds a Medical Device Establishment License in Canada.

Sleep Like A Champion - Sleep Tips For Athletes

Sleep is so important! I never realized just how important it was until I started taking my fitness and health more seriously in University as an athlete and then when I started working full time as a personal trainer (5 am wakeup). Then I realized just how awesome naps are during the day. Thank you so much @casper for letting me try your very comfortable mattress and catch up on some of those precious ZZZ’s in your #snoozeroom in Toronto yesterday. And thank you for helping me learn more about just how to get the sleep I need. Look out for this traveling sleep room around Toronto for the next few weeks.

The following are some great tips from the folks at Casper on how to sleep like a champion - Sleep tips for athletes.

Casper_athlete_sleep_x2

HEALTHY GUMS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

Study Shows Connection between Gum Disease and Pancreatic Cancer

A new study presented at the 2016 American Association for Cancer Research meeting points to a connection between gum disease as a potential early marker for pancreatic cancer.  The study, from a group of researchers at New York University, could possibly pave the way for early detection of this deadly disease.

So, it’s more important than ever to keep our teeth and gums in good shape. And studies also show that smiles make us more attractive, lower stress, elevate our mood and make us look younger!

But, many of us don’ take good care of our gums.  Nearly 50% of adults 30 years old or older have periodontal disease in the U.S., and that number spikes to 65% in adults 65 years old or older.  Yet, it’s not a disease that’s readily discussed, despite the fact it’s 2.5 times more common than diabetes!  But, there’s good news.  Gum disease is preventable, or reversible, if you just “love the gums you’re with.”

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) encourages all Americans to understand the importance of periodontal health through its “Love The Gums You’re With” campaign.  The AAP hopes to educate us on the importance of good oral hygiene, and the need to speak to a dental professional about periodontal health because we all love the thought of a sparkling smile and fresh breath.

“Taking care of your gums shouldn’t be an afterthought,” says AAP President Dr. Wayne Aldredge. “Gum disease is preventable, or reversible. You just need to follow a few simple tips to ensure a lifetime of healthy gums.”

The AAP just launched a new tumblr page called GUMBLR (Gumblr.org) to help you take better care of your gums.  This engaging site is filled with valuable information to help you find a local periodontist, learn more about gum disease and take an interactive quiz. Check it out today!

To help us keep the gums we have for life, here are some fast facts from the AAP:

  • There are two types of periodontal disease: gingivitis, the mildest form, and periodontitis, or advanced gum disease
  • Periodontists specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease, and receive three additional years of training after dental school
  • Symptoms of periodontal disease include red and swollen gums, receding gums, bleeding when flossing, loose teeth, mouth sores and persistent bad breath
  • Gums may separate from teeth, forming pockets that become infected with bacteria
  • Gum disease can lead to social anxiety and discomfort from loss of teeth and bad breath
  • Here’s what helps according to AAP President, Dr. Wayne Aldredge:  “brushing twice a day, regular flossing, regular dental checkups and discussing gum health with a periodontist. If needed, there are non-surgical therapies or more advanced procedures based on the severity of the disease.”
  • In 2015, an AAP survey showed that 27% of U.S. adults lie to their dentist about how often they floss their teeth, with 15% saying they’d rather wash dirty dishes than floss.