by Deirdre | Mar 24, 2011 | Mindful living
So, in the spirit of taking something simple and making it complicated – looking at the health benefits of veggies inevitably leads to phytochemicals (What-o-chemicals??) Eat your greens quickly morphs into a science lesson. We all know that veggies are rich sources of the usual suspects, like vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. But they also contain a number of bioactive compounds – these so-called phytochemicals – that can help protect the body from environmental damage and aging. (more…)
by Deirdre | Mar 4, 2011 | Mindful living
Everyone tells us to get our greens and top up on our veggies. But, truth be told, most of us are popping a multivitamin for protection from the rough patches. It takes a very close relationship with your kitchen to get the 7 servings a day that Canada’s Food Guide recommends. For those of us with a little around the middle, that recommendation should balance heavily in favor of vegetables and not those tasty fruits.
Our reliance on today’s “mother’s little helper” has come under fire from two massive studies. (more…)
by Deirdre | Feb 15, 2011 | Mindful living
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone, bringing a range of experiences and emotions for those in intimate relationships and for those that are not. With the emphasis on mind-reading that the day brings, I admire the brave souls who dive headfirst into the celebration of this thorny day. My son was asking me what females (let’s be honest, girls) really want on V-Day. A little surprised, I was very honoured that he would consider me an expert. We decided was that the best thing for V-Day was a meaningful gesture that reflected the intensity of the relationship that was also fun and a bit out of the ordinary. (more…)
by Deirdre | Feb 11, 2011 | Mindful living
No drug, vitamin, mineral, or herb delivers as many health benefits as exercise. That’s quite a statement, isn’t it? Exercise, combined with rest and sleep, pretty much improves any of your daily activities, your health and helps you age gracefully.
But with the dizzying array of exercises available, which one to choose? How do you stick with your exercise plan through the dire winter days, when you’d rather watch a movie on the couch, when anything sound more interesting that putting on your running shoes? (more…)
by Deirdre | Feb 1, 2011 | Mindful living
I started a fantastic health balancing program under the direction of Dr. Natasha Turner, author of the Hormone Diet. Almost two weeks in, and I feel fantastic and well past the bumps and rattles of detox. Her program is a genius combination of good sleep, good food, good exercise and balancing supplements. Still, there are a lot of changes to my day and I have to check the schedule quite a few times to make sure I’m hitting all the high points. I pulled out a great change model we were taught at Duke for help – the Change Ladder. It reminds me to be patient with myself and the process and to appreciate the progress I am making on my goals.
Any change involves four steps (more…)
by Deirdre | Jan 4, 2011 | Mindful living
The bubbly’s gone, we’re down to the last few chocolate truffles and that incredible French cheese was happily shared with friends and family. The holidays were a wonderful, hectic time of fantastic meals, shared laughs and a few new sock monkey additions to the family. For me, the few pounds that arrived were collateral to strengthening our social connections and sharing the familiar holiday traditions. But if those few pounds (and a few of their friends) are still hanging around in March, as we’re packing for our sunny escape, I’m not going to remember why I was so benign about their arrival. A plan is in order. (more…)
