Water is important in our lives because:

• Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
• Moisturizes the air in lungs
• Helps with metabolism
• Protects our vital organ and to to absorb nutrients better
• Regulates body temperature
• Detoxifies
• Protects and moisturizes our joints

It is necessary to replenish water removed to keep the water balance.

1. Drink before thirst. The sensation of thirst indicates some degree of dehydration. Only a 1% loss reduces the ability of performance. 6% can put lives at risk.
2. To consume half a liter of water or any drink specifically designed to train an hour before
3. Drink the same amount of training after 20 minutes but not water but a drink with carbohydrates and electrolytes.
4. We should consume a minimum of 1ml of water per calorie consumed. Intake 2000 calories required consumption of 2 liters. Admitting that the water supply of food to 50% of the total volume would require an absolute minimum of 1 liter a day to consume.

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Many of us are at a loss as to how to go about the job. There is no ready guide to follow but some tips can come handy. For example, the first most important thing to check for is whether the consulting nutritionist has a legal license or not. It is not mandatory for nutritionists to be certified which increases the chances of people getting duped. However, if the state in which you reside thinks it to be essential for practicing nutritionists to held a license then check with him or her first regarding that.

Look into his or her educational background to check for the authenticity of the degree. Try to deduce how much knowledgeable the person really is and whether he or she is confident enough to pass you an advice on nutrition. After all it is the matter of health and no compromise should be made on that front. At the same time, try and find out the working experience of the nutritionist. If he or she falls under good nutritionists in Vancouver, then the goodwill can be heard from some previous clients as well. Cross the references to silent the doubts.

However, it is unlikely to follow whatever the nutritionist suggests you. No one understands your health better than you and so be rational enough to question the nutritionist’s advice. The good nutritionists in Vancouver will not force anything upon his or her patient. Whatever the nutritionist prescribes you, see to it that it conforms to your health.

It is rightfully said that first impressions are the last impression. Whether it is a doctor or a nutritionist, a patient needs to trust the person in order to undergo a successful treatment. Comfort is a big factor and the trained and good nutritionists will try to be approachable and open. As the patient, if you can’t share, it is better to switch to someone else.

Money is also an important factor in the entire scenario. Good nutritionists in Vancouver make it a point to charge rightfully for their services. Before taking the service of one, check whether the nutritionist will charge a hectic fee compared to the services or his or her fee will be a part of any insurance policies that you have undertaken. Reputed nutritionists generally ward off any kind of hidden cost to keep their names clean of any blemish.

The secret to good health is correct amount of nutrition intake and it is only an experienced nutritionist who holds the key to a healthy life.

Meditation

Winter time is an excellent time for retrospection, meditation and exploration of deeper issues. To do this, we need to slow down. In fact, we are usually so busy that we are not even aware of how neurotic our thoughts and actions are. When we slow down through meditation, relaxation, or simply taking some time off, we may be overwhelmed by the recognition of how fast and full our lives really are. If we can take the time to truly relax and slow down, the winter season can provide a profound opportunity for internal insight and deep introspection. This process may naturally give rise to “stuff” that is stuck under the surface of our mundane activities; issues, thoughts or patterns we may have been avoiding with our ongoing busy-ness. Simply allow these issues to arise, unfold and slip away as you calm your mind with simple meditation and breathing practices. Allowing this process to unfold during the winter season can have a much different quality than the peeling process that we engage in during our spring and fall cleanse. The end result may be similar but different organ systems, emotions and patterns are involved. This level of mind/heart medicine is an integral part of true integrative health and the winter season is an excellent time to experience meditation’s holistic benefits.

Organs

According to the principles of TCM, winter is associated with the element of water and influences the health of the kidneys, bladder, adrenal glands, bones (including bone marrow) and teeth. In TCM, the kidneys are the primary source of vitality, energy and heat as well as vital essence. Energy is drawn from this source during times of stress and anxiety or when the body requires healing. During the coldness of winter, it is critical to maintain healthy kidneys and adrenal glands through proper diet and supplementation, good hydration, as well as energetic practices such as yoga and Tai Chi, which help keep your core warm and well nourished.

Emotions

According to TCM, winter is inactive, cold and damp in nature, relating to feelings such as fear and depression which tend to exert more influence during this season. In Western medicine, many people are diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a particular form of depression/anxiety that occurs during the darker months primarily due to lack of sunshine exposure. Women often experience this condition more than men and it results in poor mood, lack of energy, irritability, weight gain due to overeating and fatigue. In addition to supplementing with Vitamin D-3, I recommend opening your curtains during the day to allow any sunlight to come in and taking brisk walks (in the sunshine if possible) to improve circulation and blood flow. Meditation practices which help to calm the mind and heart are also extremely valuable during the winter season.

Warming, Nourishing Foods

In icy winter months, people tend to exercise less, remain more sedentary and crave calorie-dense comfort foods. It’s important however to pay close attention to the amount and type of food you eat during this time, in order to avoid unhealthy weight gain. According to TCM, it is also important to avoid too many raw foods during winter because they tend to cool the body and can deplete our digestive “fire” which is the ability to assimilate food efficiently. I recommend eating warming foods, while cooking them longer and at lower temperatures with less water. Emphasize soups and stews, root vegetables, plenty of dark leafy greens, kidney and black beans, walnuts, black sesame seeds, whole grains, and seaweeds. These specific foods help to fortify the kidneys, uplift the emotions, nourish the body, keep you warm and help you to conserve energy.

Supplements

Botanicals and nutrients which promote immune health during the winter are important adjuncts for surviving cold and flu season. High quality medicinal mushrooms are potent immune modulators, along with vitamin C, zinc and vitamin D-3. Other powerful immune supplements include Modified Citrus Pectin and a Tibetan Herbal Formula with over 3 decades of clinical research. Purified Honokiol (magnolia bark extract) can help with mood support and a comprehensive digestive formula can keep digestion strong and support nutrient absorption for optimal nourishment. Other herbs emphasized by TCM in the winter include tonifying root herbs, for their warming, grounding and strengthening properties.

Healing Practices

People are more susceptible to colds and flu during the winter season, as the cold weather challenges the immune system. The main treatment modalities in TCM are acupuncture and moxabustion (the burning of Moxa herb, mugwort, around specific acupuncture points), Qi Gong (precise exercises to enhance the flow of vital energy), specific dietary recommendations, as well an extensive pharmacopeia of herbal medicine. All of these therapies have great value during the winter, as they help to relieve stagnant energy caused by a lack of activity and the cold weather. Practitioners of TCM also advise resting as much as possible during the winter, which helps replenish the kidneys and restore essential energy. Getting to bed early and rising after the sun has risen will help you preserve your warmth and vitality.

Traditional Chinese Medicine reflects an innate connection to nature with each season presenting opportunities for transformation, healing and growth. The winter season allows for deeper introspection and nourishment, so that our seeds and intentions can develop internally before they blossom into the spring. So stay warm, hydrated and nourished, and give yourself the extra time and space to slow down, rest and meditate in this profound season of stillness. For more valuable tips to help you stay healthy this winter and beyond, visit www.dreliaz.org.

Each year like clockwork around the holidays we see patients suffering from health issues, including back pain, gastrointestinal problems, gallbladder attacks and depression. Many of these ailments are related to patterns of eating and lack of exercise.

For many people, overeating and under-exercising are year-round problems that are amplified over the holidays. For instance, we often see patients suffering from back pain triggered by stress this time of year. Stress affects the adrenal gland, triggering excess adrenaline that can weaken ligaments in the lower back that hold bones in place.

We also see a link between depression and increased sugar intake; and between gallbladder attacks and overindulgence in high-fat foods over the holidays. I have had patients who have gone to the emergency room with pain and tightness between the shoulder blades thinking they were having a heart attack. When, in fact, they were having an acute gall bladder attack. Gallbladder attacks can mimic heart attacks.

The holidays are a time when many of us get away from regular eating and exercise routines and overindulge in rich, fattening and sweet foods. It is also a time when people tend to eat foods that are not part of their regular diet and mix them in combinations that can cause digestive and other problems. For instance, mixing proteins and starches and in large quantities can cause severe indigestion. Enzymes released in the mouth to break down starches like breads and pastas can neutralize stomach acids responsible for digesting meat and other proteins. Food that cannot be digested completely literally rots in the stomach, releasing toxins and causing pain, bloating, and other symptoms.

Following are some tips for changing holiday habits to help people feel healthier and more energetic, relieve stress and avoid painful episodes of back pain and gastrointestinal distress:

1. Try not to mix many different kinds of foods, particularly carbs and proteins, at one sitting. Try eating one type of food, such as meat, then taking and break for an hour or so before eating another type, such as sweets and other carbs. The European style of eating small portions in courses is a good model.
2. Make regular exercise part of your daily routine. Getting up in time to work out in the morning can greatly relieve stress. Make it a point to walk, move and stretch frequently throughout the day, especially when you are going from party to party or meal to meal. A brisk walk and a couple of yoga moves can do wonders to help you manage stress, stay flexible and digest your food through the holidays.
3. Choose foods that promote health, such a fresh fruits, vegetables and yogurt, and avoid eating too much sugar and rich, high fat foods all at once. The stomach is responsible for 70 percent of the immune system and requires 1 trillion bacteria to properly digest food. Keep that in mind to help you eat a healthy balance of foods.
4. Slow down and chew food thoroughly.
5. Drink lots of water to aid digestion.
6. Avoid bombarding your system with unfamiliar foods. Over the holidays we visit the homes of friends, family and neighbors and eat foods that are outside of our normal eating patterns. Eating too many unfamiliar foods at once can cause all kinds of digestive problems, so take it easy and eat small quantities.
7. As you make exercise part of your routine, whether it is walking, running, yoga, Pilates or another form, pay attention to your posture and gait (walk). One of the ways stress manifests itself is through poor posture and improper movement. Improper gait makes exercise and even simple movements inefficient, and increases risks of injury.

To help patients correct improper gait, I developed the Chi Rope, a set of exercise handles that combine sound, weight, magnetism and vibration to enhance the body’s homeostasis (balance). The system can be used for walking, jumping rope or in conjunction with a daily regiment such as Pilates, yoga and running. We even developed an exercise called the stomach elixir to help relieve gastrointestinal problems. Restoring balance helps relieve stress and restore energy, vitality and efficiency.

After overindulging over the holidays, many people resolve to exercise more and eat healthier. Why not resolve to eat better and exercise going into the holidays, and keep it up in the New Year? It will be a huge step toward staying healthy all year.

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About the Author: Dr. John L. Lombardozzi is an expert in functional health and inventor of The Chi Rope, a patented exercise device to help improve balance and energy and correct uneven gait associated with pain, stress and fatigue. A lifelong athlete and inventor, Dr. Lombardozzi studied yoga, Pilates and martial arts while building custom motorcycles. Following a back injury, he became a chiropractic physician specializing in kinesiology and biomechanical movement. Dr. Lombardozzi earned a degree from Life Chiropractic College and has practiced chiropractic medicine for 14 years. For more information, visit www.ChiRope.com.

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Tis’ The Sneezing, Sniffling Season

Here’s 10 Easy Ways to Fight Off Winter Colds:

· Rest: Having a slightly less hectic day just won’t cut it. Your body needs lots of rest. Drop the laptop, skip the happy hour and forget the chores. Save your energy so your body can fight the cold.

· Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drinking fluids will help loosen congestion and keep you hydrated. You’ll need more fluids then usual so keep a fresh cup of tea, bottle of water or favorite juice handy at all times.

· Add Honey To Your Diet: Honey is an immune system builder as it has antioxidants help fight disease. Drop a teaspoon of honey in your tea or try a tea or juice with honey already added. A great option is one of Honeydrop Beverages Lemon Honey Ginger tea. It contains 100% Vitamin C and is void of all refined or artificial sweeteners.

· Use a Compress: Hot or cold compresses work great for relieving sinus pressure. Make your own with a microwaved damp washcloth (50 seconds does the trick) or use a pack of frozen veggies.

· Take a Hot Shower: The warm steam will moisturize your nasal passages to making breathing easier and more comfortable. Plus, a hot shower will relax you!

· Blow Your Nose Correctly: It’s not just about “getting the gunk out”. Blowing too hard can rupture an eardrum or cause an earache. To make sure you are blowing your nose correctly, hold one finger over one nostril and gently blow.

· Wash Your Hands Often: During cold season, it’s not enough to just squeeze in a hand washing before exiting the restroom. Wash your hands before meals, after blowing your nose, after making contact with others and after leaving public areas. Don’t forget to clean under your fingernails too! Lots of germs get stuck there.

· Replace Your Toothbrush: Your toothbrush can be a breeding ground for germs so while cold season is in full swing replace your toothbrush monthly. After a cold, immediately toss that germy toothbrush for a fresh start!

· Keep Stress in Check: Your body will have a much easier time fighting off a winter cold without stress weighing you down. Eliminate stressful activities from your schedule and make time for things that relax and calm you. Yoga, reading, watching a comedy and listening to peaceful music are all great options.

· Get Some Sun: Without sunlight, Vitamin D levels drop significantly in your body, which reduces immunity. If you cannot get a daily dose of sun, try Vitamin D pills as a substitute.

Winter is approaching and it’s that time of year when people head indoors to escape the cold – and too often escape their workouts! Eating more at holiday parties and skipping exercise can be a recipe for disaster. Instead of having a lot to overcome when the New Year arrives, follow these tips from the experts at Life Fitness and maintain your indoor fitness routine when the temperatures drop.

Take a tour. Request a tour of your local health clubs to be sure you’re aware of all they can offer – many gyms have private trainers, child care, team sports, swimming and spas. Look into a wide variety of fitness classes such as Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, strength training and kick boxing. By exploring the various ways you can utilize a gym membership, you may get more excited about going to the gym.

Try new equipment. Don’t let unfamiliar machines intimidate you – learning and conquering something new can be a huge boost to your enthusiasm and motivation. Set out to try a new class or learn about a new piece of equipment each week.

Don’t go it alone. Enlist a friend to join the gym with you. When you make a date to head to the gym with a friend, you are less likely to skip the commitment – even on those days when you don’t feel like exercising. Plus, you can share goals, compare results and have someone to hold you accountable.

Try it out. If you aren’t ready to purchase a new gym membership, find out if gyms near you offer free one-day or one-week passes, or get a buddy pass from a friend who already has a membership. Some gyms offer pay-as-you-go memberships so you only pay for what you use.

Just go a few days per week. You may think that getting a gym membership means you have to make an appearance every day. If you are just getting back to the gym, commit to what’s realistic and doable for you – two or three visits a week is OK to start with.

This is because it actually plugs the sweat glands that emit wetness. It has nothing to do with stopping odor. There are often other chemical ingredients in deodorants that do that.  However, since many people feel that wetness is undesirable, aluminum remains one of the primary ingredients since it is cheap and easily attained.

The problem with aluminum in deodorant is that it is fine enough to enter the body.  Studies have shown that aluminum can collect in the brain as well as in other organs.  It has actually shown a presence in breast cancer tumors as well, which has lended credence to the aluminum/breast cancer connection.

Since it has shown a presence in brain tissue as well in alzheimers patients, it has been linked to this memory-leeching disease. This and the fact that it has been linked to breast cancer and implicated in other types of cancer including prostate, has prompted people to seek out natural alternatives.  Aluminum free natural deodorant is becoming the choice of health conscious men and women.

Aluminum has also been linked to other health issues.  Of course, there are always going to be “experts” that say there is no conclusive evidence that aluminum is linked to any disease or disorder.  However, just the fact that this metal has been proven to collect in certain tissues should be cause for concern enough.

Any metal or mineral, even though derived from the earth originally, can be toxic to the human body. Even large amounts of iron or manganese can be toxic when delivered in large doses.  Aluminum does not even serve any purpose in the human body, and it is hard to eliminate once inside the body.

Since the particles found in antiperspirants and deodorants are so small, they easily penetrate the pores and enter the blood stream.  Women may be particularly susceptible to absorption of aluminum since they shave their underarms, and there is no hair acting as a barrier as there is with men. Men actually shave down a bit nowadays too, so many men are included in this as well.

Aluminum has also been implicated in prostate cancer and lung cancer.  It may also be a carcinogenic agent that instigates other types of cancers.  Basically, once in the body, it acts as a tissue irritant. Anything that irritates tissue can be a carcinogen as it can cause the cells to mutate and replicate abnormally.

Deodorant is unfortunately just one of the ways in which you can be exposed to this heavy metal.  You are also exposed through certain foods.  That’s right. Some foods you eat, particularly processed foods, may contain aluminum as a leavening agent.  This is why it is best to eat the least-processed diet you can. You never know what is lurking in boxed and canned foods with a long shelf life.

You can also be exposed to aluminum through the cookware you use.  Make sure your cookware is aluminum free, or try to cook in cast iron or glassware as much as you can.  Teflon and other coated pans unfortunately can add heavy metals and other toxins to your food that act as carinogens once inside the body.

Look for aluminum in cosmetics as well. Powders, mineral makeup, foundation, blush, eyeshadow and other popular types of cosmetics may contain aluminum as well.  This may seem inconsequential. However, when you use something every single day, it has a high chance of absorbing into your blood stream.

Danna Norek writes for several health, wellness and beauty blogs and sites.  You may find information on an all natural, aluminum, paraben and alcohol free deodorant as well as natural, SLS free body and face soaps (including an all natural acne soap), natural lip balms and a soon to be released all natural paraben and chemical free hand lotion here at Aura Sensory All Natural Body and Skin Care.

New research shows that regular walking can reduce the risk of breast, bowel and other cancers significantly. It has long been known that regular exercise can improve risk factors for many serious health conditions including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and more. Now researchers are saying you don’t have to be an athlete — that regular, moderate exercise can provide just as many health benefits by improving oxygenation, circulation, immune response and helping to flush out toxins.

Why is simple walking so effective at preventing cancer? Really, it’s not about the walking, but the movement. We find that any movement can help cancer, whether dance, yoga, even support groups, which can create movement between people. But sometimes, people who do high powered exercises and sports do not reap the same rewards. Why not? Because when we engage in such competitive, goal driven activities, we are not really allowing ourselves to be present in the moment, and thus we’re not allowing the movement to really happen. We are not relaxing into the moment.

On the other hand, when we are walking, particularly in nature, we are not trying to achieve anything. It’s about being present in the process. When we walk in nature, there is an ongoing exchange between us and our surroundings which offers great healing on its own. But the one thing walking does compared to other sports and exercises, is it creates a rhythm which we can follow effortlessly. Through the physical rhythm, which is the rhythm of the body, we have the emotional rhythm. We notice that when we walk, feelings often come up, and we have a chance to process them. There is also a psychological rhythm and a sense of well being, a certain expansion that happens when you walk enough. This can partly be attributed to the endorphins released by even moderate exercise. But there’s a deeper and more subtle process of healing that is also occurring.

The walking, because it’s rhythmic and repetitive, allows for the release of physical, emotional and psychological energies that are stored. It’s also important when we walk to pay attention to the movement our hands. Sometimes when we walk, we can shake our body in a non rhythmic movement to allow some of the less defined patterns that are not repetitive to come out, and this allows for a more unusual release.
So when we walk, we are walking on all levels, physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual. What ties it together is the breathing. As we walk, we naturally start breathing deeper. It’s a good idea (and sometime this happens on its own without our awareness) to start synchronizing our steps with our breathing. You will notice that the inhalation/exhalation starts being synchronized, and when we are running it’s hard to do this because we are moving too fast. Rhythmic breathing becomes the key.

With walking we can synchronize the movement of the body, the movement of the breath, which is called the speech level, or the throat chakra in Eastern philosophies, and the movement of the mind, through emotions, feelings, and thoughts. This is really the powerful value of such a simple exercise, where walking becomes more than just walking. It becomes a profound and harmonizing therapy benefiting us on all levels, body mind and spirit. For more practical health advice, visit www.dreliaz.org.