HEALTH HUB Latest Articles
Healthy Shopping List for Liver Lovers
Next time you go to do the food shopping, why not use the healthy shopping list below as a handy guide? Remember, if your cupboards are full of good, healthy food then there is not so much room for junk food! If possible try to buy produce that is locally grown and in season and is fresh and free of chemical preservatives. Organically grown produce is ideal if your budget allows this, but it is not imperative or possible to always consume only organic foods, so do the best you can. Raw fruits and vegetables. Vegetables that are highly liver [...]
The fork is mightier than the sneakers
By Margaret Jasinska, Naturopath Do you think today’s kids are overweight because they’re not exercising enough? It’s a common assumption and it certainly seems to be a big message in the media lately. Childhood obesity is largely blamed on kids spending most of their time playing computer games and less time running around outside with their friends. Exercise definitely does have an effect on a person’s body weight, but a far smaller effect than you may realise. Exercise really doesn’t burn as many calories as most people assume. A recent study in Portugal highlighted this point nicely. Researchers carried out [...]
The problem with gluten and other grains
Your entire life, you’ve probably been told that grains are good for you and should form a major part of your diet. You’ve been led to believe you need grains for their fibre content, plus vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, grains have the potential to cause harm to the digestive tract and immune system of some people. Specifically, they can cause or aggravate a leaky gut. Grains are a very recent introduction into the human diet, and some people seem poorly adapted to consuming them. Our ancestors survived very well without them. If you think of traditional diets in many parts [...]
Getting your kids active
Children are the ultimate copy cats. With all of the electronic devices and sugar-laden treats out there it is all the more important to set a good example by eating clean. But what about exercise? The best way to get your children active is to do it with them. Below is an example of how to integrate your children into your own workouts. There are also plenty of commercial groups out there for baby and me classes including strength training, stretching etc. Workout schedule Monday 25mins of swimming with breathing focus extend from breathing every 2 to every 5 to [...]
Do we really need to eat carbohydrate for energy?
By Margaret Jasinska ND If endurance athletes don’t need to, perhaps you don’t either. I’m sure you realise there is a great deal of conflicting dietary advice out there. There are thousands of different diet books advocating one diet or another, plus you can regularly hear opposing dietary views expressed on television or in the newspaper. This can leave the average person terribly confused. Dr Cabot and I have written several books advocating a low carbohydrate diet and this is the diet we place most of our patients on. We believe the average person consumes far more carbohydrate rich foods [...]
Set a great example and get healthy!
So, you find out you are going to be a grandparent . . . if you are anything like me, this news made your heart start to beat faster and your imagination start to race (pink, blue, one of each?). Whether it is news that you were expecting to hear or a bolt out of the blue, the thought of holding and loving a brand new baby and helping them find their way in this great big world of ours is a challenge that can really inspire us. Anyway . . . here is where things can get a bit [...]
And . . . stretch!
Stretching is one of the most forgotten parts of exercise, yet it is one of the most important. Stretching has many benefits including lengthening your muscle fibres, ligaments and tendons to allow them to move through their full range of motion for each desired activity. Periods of inactivity, hard training sessions, sitting down at a desk or in a position for too long can reduce the length of these soft tissues making movement harder. You should aim to complete a short stretching session after a training session or after a general warm up. A general stretching program is fine, but you should contact [...]
Protect yourself from the flu this winter
Protect yourself from the flu this winter By naturopath Margaret Jasinska Colds and flu are the most common cause of illness in adults and children. Although the terms are often lumped together in a sentence, colds and flu are very different illnesses. The flu is far more severe and can lead to death in immune compromised individuals. The flu is caused by a specific group of RNA viruses and can be spread by an infected person coughing or sneezing. You can also catch the flu from touching an item contaminated by the virus. The following are all typical flu symptoms, [...]
Are your fingernails trying to tell you something?
Changes in your fingernails may be an indication of a liver problem It is often only when there is an obvious problem with our health that we look more closely at our bodies . . . and even then, it is sometimes more about the clothes, shoes or other accessories that we choose to put on our bodies rather than actually looking at the clues that our physical bodies are showing! Your fingernails, if not covered up by acrylic nails or nailpolish, can reveal several details about your health - including the functionality of your liver. Although fingernails are not [...]
Here comes the cold – be prepared and power on!
As the weather changes, several things can start happening to our bodies. Colds and flu become more frequent, the weather can become less inviting to exercising outside and our joints can become stiffer and sorer with cooler temperatures. Living in Victoria, the cold mornings can make it hard for me to get my body moving and I struggle with stiff and aching joints. It is important to keep your body moving during this time, and I have found that taking Cabot Heath’s Natural Pain Manager capsules is a great way to assist with those particularly tough mornings. Remember to get [...]