Resolution Tips and a New Year's Wish

New Year's resolutions date back to ancient Rome and the mythical King Janus, from whose name January derives. Janus became a symbol for resolutions because he had two faces and could look simultaneously back on the past and look forward to the future.

Here are some pointers to help attain your fitness resolution goals:

• Set attainable goals and have realistic expectations. 
• Find just the right balance between too much exercise and too little, i.e. where you get the benefits of exercise without overdoing or burning yourself out.
• Make a resolution along with a friend or spouse. Research shows that having someone you're accountable to can almost triple your effectiveness.
• One study showed that motivation to be physically active was higher when sports - instead of just exercise - were involved.  
• Having a goal in mind also helps - eg. register for a 5 km run then train to achieve it.
• Get the resources you need whether it's a day planner, group classes, online fitness tracker or a personal trainer to keep you in line.
• Establish a routine that you enjoy and stick to it.
  

Here's a link to a beautiful New Year's Wish, enjoy!

There's a new recipe for Roasted Salmon with Potatoes, Peas and Parsnips on our website here.

Happy New Year!

Pamela

http://www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature

Phytoestrogens and Cancer Risk

Dietary "phytoestrogens" -- plant substances that have weak estrogen-like activity -- have little impact on the risks of developing hormone-sensitive cancers like breast and prostate cancer or colorectal cancers, new research suggests.

In a large study of some 25,000 British adults, researchers failed to find any "significant" differences in cancer risk related to dietary intake of these compounds.

Phytoestrogens are found in a wide range of foods including dairy products, soy foods, cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, flax and other seeds, coffee and tea.

In the current study, researchers assigned phytoestrogen values to nearly 11,000 foods following chemical analyses. For the first time, phytoestrogen values were assigned to animal products.

Phytoestrogen consumption was estimated for cancer-free adult participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk). EPIC-Norfolk participants, recruited between 1993 and 1997, filled out a diet diary for a week and provided information about age, height, weight, smoking, aspirin use, menopausal status, and family history of cancer among other things.

Cancers that developed within 12 months of study recruitment were identified from a cancer registry totaling 244 breast cancers, 221 colorectal cancers, and 204 prostate cancers. The diets and other relevant information from those who developed cancer were compared to information from other participants (controls) who did not develop cancer.

While acknowledging more study is needed, the authors concluded that there is "little evidence" that phytoestrogen intake is "associated with subsequent risk of breast or prostate cancer."

However, phytoestrogens found in eggs and dairy products "may influence the risk of prostate cancer in men and colon cancer in women," they report.

The associations are weak and without further study do not warrant changes in diet, said lead investigator Heather Ward.

It is worth noting that phytoestrogen intake within an Asian-style diet is more than ten-fold greater than in Western diets, without evidence of an increase in cancer risk.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2009.

There's a new recipe for Christmas Morning Gluten Free Apple-Cranberry Cake on our website.

Yours in health,

Pamela

http://www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/
Twitter: [http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature

Protecting the Liver

A study published Monday suggests that Milk Thistle may help reduce the liver damage caused by some cancer drugs. In a study of 50 children undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), researchers found that milk thistle appeared to reduce drug-related liver inflammation.
 

Liver inflammation is common among children undergoing chemotherapy for ALL -- with about two-thirds developing liver toxicity at some point during treatment.  That meant that doctors have had to lower patients' chemotherapy doses -- which, in turn, can lower the chances of seeing a complete remission.
 

That is where milk thistle comes in. The plant's flowers and seeds have been used for more than 2,000 years to treat disorders of the liver and gallbladder. In recent years, lab research has found that the active substance in milk thistle (an antioxidant called silybin) might help prevent body tissue damage by blocking toxins from breaching cell walls.

The herb should also be considered for preventing liver damage from other chemotherapy regimens for other cancers and is used to treat hepatitis, cirrhosis, and to aid in liver detoxification.  Along the lines of last week's email about eating asparagus to help with hangovers, milk thistle can help protect the liver from the season's over indulgences as well.

SOURCE: Cancer, online December 14, 2009.

There's a new recipe for Super Gluten Free, Egg Free Shortbread Cookies on
our website http://forcesofnature.ca/HealthyRecipes.htm#Super_Gluten_Free,_Egg_Free_Shortbread_Cookies

Yours in health,

Pamela

http://www.ForcesofNature.ca Forces of Nature Wellness Clinic
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca Naturopathic Doctor Pamela Frank
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/ Detox Blog
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/ H1N1 Blog
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/ Weekly Emails Blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd
Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature

What's the Best Hangover Food?

A recent study found that asparagus is a great food for helping to cope with hangovers.  We don't generally think of vegetables as herbs, but Asparagus officinalis is an herb that is used in the treatment of several conditions.  We usually consume the young shoots, but the leaves can be eaten as well and are much higher in amino acids and inorganic minerals. The two key enzymes that upregulate the metabolism of alcohol are more than doubled after ingestion of an extract of asparagus shoots and leaves.  That means that asparagus can be a safe, effective means of treating alcohol hangover and protecting the liver from other toxic insults.

Post party you also need to rehydrate and get blood sugar stabilized with veggies and good protein and fats.

There's a new recipe for Warm Winter Salad on our website here.

Yours in health,

Pamela

www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/ Detox Blog
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/ H1N1 Blog
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/ Weekly Emails Blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

The Perks of Eating Fermented Foods

Almost every culture cultures food - kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, kimchi, kvass, cheese and even wine.  Why? Practically speaking it was a way of preserving food, but it turns out that fermenting foods makes nutrients in the foods more accessible and has positive effects on our digestive tracts due to their probiotic properties.

Kefir consistently shows increased levels of folic acid, B vitamins and biotin depending on the strains of bacteria used.

Vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains subjected to fermentation also see increases in their nutrient profiles. For example the bioavailability of amino acids like lysine and methionine increases with fermentation.

For grains, sprouting prior to souring can also increase the availability of protein. Fermented vegetables as in the case of sauerkraut and kimchi, often see an increase in the activity of vitamin C and vitamin A. Sauerkraut is considered particularly healing to the gut due to the presence of l-glutamine and the probiotics used in the fermentation process.

Fermentation decreases the activity of phytates (or phytic acid) naturally present in grains. Phytates are anti-nutrients that bind to minerals preventing their proper absorption in the gut. People suffering from iron deficiency often do better if they decrease their intake of grains and therefore phytates.  Since souring grains reduces the phytic acid content, fermentation enables your body to absorb more minerals than you would be able to otherwise.  Research has also shown that fermentation reduces the gluten content of grains like wheat and the people with a gluten intolerance can sometimes tolerate sourdough bread.

There's a new recipe for Sweet Potato Squash Delight on our website
http://forcesofnature.ca/HealthyRecipes.htm#Sweet_Potato_Squash_Delight here.

Yours in health,

Pamela

www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/ Detox Blog
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/ H1N1 Blog
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/ Weekly Emails Blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature

A Refresher on Probiotics

The World Health Organization defines a probiotic as:

"Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host"

So there are 3 key components to this definition:

• Live
• Adequate amounts
• Of the type that confer a health benefit

The probiotics we recommend (Genestra, Metagenics, Innate Response) generally fall into the category of some of the priciest probiotics going.  But, they are worth the extra cost because you can be assured that you are getting live, viable probiotics whereas some of the other products will contain only dead bacteria. Another trick to watch out for: probiotic labels that say "x billion viable bacteria at time of manufacture."  What they contained at time of manufacture is completely irrelevant, it's what they contain when you consume them that matters.  What this is really saying is "we're not sure how much will survive until you take them."  The better manufacturers will usually test their products for at least 6 months beyond the expiry date to ensure that you are still getting living bacteria in the amount on the label.

1 or 2 billion bacteria per serving just doesn't cut it, when it comes to good bacteria the higher the amount per serving the better. Over 100 trillion bacteria of 500 different species live in the human gut, if you want to have an impact, you need to add more than a drop in the bucket. There are a few manufacturers promoting something called "soil based organisms" that are supposed to be what we naturally would have inhabiting our guts if we were eating fresh from the ground.  There has been very little research supporting their use and a few case studies of people who were severely immune compromised and suffered life threatening infections after consuming these products.  There is tons of research showing the health benefits of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacteria infantis and Bifidobacterium lactis.

Here are the benefits of healthy good bacteria in our digestive tract:

• Diarrhea prevention, especially when taking antibiotics or travelling
• Colorectal cancer prevention
• Immune system regulation and enhancement
• Asthma and allergy prevention
• Prevention of infection in the gut by Salmonella, Shigella, H pylori, yeast etc
• Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's and Ulcerative colitis) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Provide the host with vitamin B12 and K
• Moderation of immune system function to prevent severe complications from H1N1

Oh and by the way, a class action lawsuit was filed and won against Dannon/Danone in January 2008 in which the company stood accused of spending $100 million promoting clinical benefits of Activia and DanActive that its own tests had disproved.  To add to that, Bifidus Regularis is a made up name by Danone for Bifidobacterium animalis. Commercial yogurt is not an adequate means to obtain good bacteria.

There's a new recipe for Immune Boosting Soup on our website to view it click here.

Yours in health,

Pamela
http://www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature

What's So Special About Rooibos?

While doing my current detox I have had to forgo my usual soy chai lattés - soy, caffeine and sweeteners are all strictly out. In my search for an herbal tea alternative most were not very satisfying until I tried David's Teas Caramel Rooibos.  It was heavenly!  Rooibos tea is naturally somewhat sweet (without any sugar or other sweetener added) and slightly nutty.  The caramel flavouring blends well with the natural flavour of the rooibos and it's healthy too!

Rooibos is becoming more among health-conscious consumers, due to its high level of antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, its lack of caffeine, and its low tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or unoxidized green tea leaves.  Rooibos also contains a number of phenolic compounds, including flavanols, flavones, flavanones, and dihydrochalcones which give it potent antioxidant, immune-modulating and cancer preventive effects with zero adverse effects. Rooibos is purported to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. Traditional medicinal uses of rooibos in South Africa include alleviating infantile colic, allergies, asthma and skin problems.

The next few weeks of weekly recipes will be devoted to Immune Enhancing recipes to keep us all healthy over the winter.  On that note, there's a new recipe for Immune Boosting Salsa on our website to view it
click here.

Yours in health,

Pamela

www.ForcesofNature.ca
http://www.NaturopathToronto.ca
http://naturopathicdetox.blogspot.com/ Detox Blog
http://h1n1naturopath.blogspot.com/ H1N1 Blog
http://naturopathtoronto.blogspot.com/ Weekly Emails Blog
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pfranknd

Copyright 2009 Forces of Nature