Rochelle Hanson/ARDEAN PETERS

By Rochelle Hanson

Balance. Seems like we’re always trying to find it, aren’t we? Life is an unpredictable animal, and sometimes it’s difficult to tame. All too often there are situations that come up in our lives over which we have absolutely no control. The fridge breaks down, the AC gives out, someone you love winds up in the hospital. When the stresses of life start to show their ugly heads, the healthy lifestyle changes you’ve been working so hard to achieve are often the first to go out the window. Don’t let stress push you over the edge, my friends. Being healthy is not about being perfect. Seek balance.

My grandmother is in the hospital right now. It’s not an easy thing to deal with. Although she’s been sick for years, she’s one of those people who always appear to be well and carry on with life regardless of what’s happening inside their body. I’m sure you know people like that; you may even be like that yourself. The sad thing is, the body can only take so much of that, and the older we get, the less able the body is to defend itself against the years of damage we’ve done to it.

This is why it is imperative to start your healthy lifestyle journey now. And if you’ve already started, don’t stop, keep on going! People use every single excuse they can think of as a reason to comfort themselves and throw away their goals. If it isn’t time, it’s money; if it isn’t money, it’s your social life. If it isn’t your social life, it’s because you just didn’t feel like it. There will always be one excuse or another for not achieving your healthy lifestyle goals. But tell me, what will be your excuse when you wind up at the end of your life and you are so sick that you can’t even take care of yourself? What will you say to yourself then?

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) and lung disease are the leading causes of preventable death and disability in this country. You can dramatically reduce the risk of these chronic diseases by changing the way you live. Take a look at their website for more information.

Friends, the reason I am dedicated to writing to you in this column every week is because I see that this world is becoming totally out of balance when it comes to health and wellness. More and more people are getting fatter and sicker. Very few people even care to find out why. I am here to let you know that you do have an alternative. You do have a choice, and you are still in control.

If you know that you need help with your diet and exercise, or lack thereof, why don’t you start by adding some green foods into your life? If you need recipe ideas, you can get them on my blog. I just wrote a new post called, All Things Green. Feel free to connect with me if you have any questions related to what you see there.

I know how stressful life can be at times. Just remember that you don’t have to give up. You can choose to be healthy if you want to. In fact, keeping up with your healthy lifestyle could actually help to reduce your overall stress load. When you eat better and you exercise, you will feel better, and you will be more able to handle the other areas of your life that demand attention. The next time stress tries to take control of your life, turn things around and take control of your stress. Have a green smoothie instead.

Rochelle Hanson is a Freelance Writer and Natural Health Enthusiast, offering practical tips on natural health and wellness. For recipes, motivation, and ideas on natural health, connect with Rochelle on Facebook, and subscribe to her blog, Simply Natural Ideas.

Dr. Anthony Sterling

By Jon Sarpong

Brampton’s health care community is hoping residents will show their best smile for a good cause. Sterling Dental, in partnership with William Osler Health Centre Foundation (WOHCF), is celebrating its 4th annual Brampton’s Best Smile Search, a fundraising campaign in support of Brampton Civic Hospital.

“We’ve had great success with the Best Smile Search over that last few years,” says Sterling. “We are simply looking for Brampton’s Best Smile. People can submit a smiling picture of themselves, their children, friends or a family member by visiting www.BramptonsBestSmile.com.  For each smile that is submitted, we are donating $1 to Brampton Civic Hospital.”

The winner of the Brampton’s Best Smile Search will be awarded at 12pm noon on Thursday, July 21, during a free celebration BBQ held at Sterling Dental, 10095 Bramalea Rd. The winner of the Brampton’s Best Smile Search will become the new face of Sterling Dental.

“Our winner will be featured in our upcoming advertising and claim the title of Brampton’s Best Smile. I encourage everyone to submit a picture and support strong health care services in our community.”

Visit www.BramptonsBestSmile.com for more information.

Rochelle Hanson/ARDEAN PETERS

By Rochelle Hanson

Trying to make healthy lifestyle changes? Good. So am I.  Although you may have good intentions, there are two obstacles that can easily get in the way. The first is time. The second is money. If you’re anything like me, you could probably use a little more of both. The only way to break bad habits and start seeing some real progress in your journey is to stop making excuses for yourself. Valid or not, these excuses are getting in the way of your success. If you need more time and money, don’t let this stop you from pursuing health. Follow the practical tips below.

How to save time and money on your journey to health and wellness.

1. Don’t believe the hype.

Health and wellness is a very popular trend. Every day there are new packaged shakes, smoothies, and and so called super foods introduced to the market. Be an educated consumer. Don’t just buy something because the person selling it says it is good. Only take advice from people that you trust.  If someone is constantly trying to sell you something, they may or they may not be telling you the truth. Be logical and balanced in your approach to health. Before you spend money trying out a new diet that promises extreme weight loss, ask yourself, is this something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life? If the answer is no, then it’s probably a good idea to save the cash and move on.

2. Eat real food.

A novel idea, isn’t it? Surprisingly a lot of people have forgotten what real food actually is. Summer is here! This is the perfect time to get reacquainted with fresh fruits and veggies. Go to your local farmer’s market. Save some money on produce. Go strawberry picking with your family. Being healthy can be a lot of fun! Forget about the food that comes out of a box, a bag, or a can. Most of us buy these foods out of habit, or because we think these foods will save us time and money. If that were the case, ask yourself, why do I still not have enough time to prepare meals? And why do i still find myself having to eat out for lunch? Perhaps the issue on saving time has little to do with the food we choose to buy, as that is still sitting in the cupboard. Perhaps the issue has more to do with the way we choose to organize our lives.

3. Be prepared

Most people who want to be healthy will choose a healthy option if it is readily available. Why not make things easy on yourself? Choose one day a week to prepare staple foods that you can use all week long. On any given Sunday, you’ll find me in the kitchen making dips, spreads, chopping veggie sticks, and making coconut squares so that I don’t have to worry about snacks during the week. If you need some simple recipe ideas, feel free to join my group on Facebook, Rochelle Hanson Wellness. When you bring your food home from the grocery store set aside the time to pre wash it before you put it away. Making a salad or smoothie is simple if you take the time to prepare beforehand.  When it comes to making lunch, be disciplined. Make it at night. When the morning comes, you’ll be so glad you did.

It’s time to face the facts. You can lead a healthy lifestyle if you choose to lead a healthy lifestyle. Don’t use the lack of time as an excuse. Shift your priorities. Everyone has the same 24hrs in a day. What you do with that time is entirely up to you. When it comes to money, remember that Summer is the best time to save on healthy foods. There is an abundance of it right now. Take advantage of that. You may even want to buy more than you need and freeze some of it for the winter. Be prepared, eat real food, and don’t believe the hype. Here’s to your health and wellness.

Rochelle Hanson is a freelance writer and natural health enthusiast, offering practical tips on natural health and wellness. To connect with Rochelle, join her on Facebook, or spend time on her blog at SimplyNaturalIdeas.com

Rochelle Hanson/ARDEAN PETERS

By Rochelle Hanson

The Reset Button. Press it Now.

Take control of your health.

Last week in this column we talked about breaking bad habits.

How’s that going for you? Achieving success with the 5 simple steps we discussed?

I hope so, but if you’re still having challenges, that’s OK. Remember it takes 30 days to break a bad habit so don’t give up.

If by chance you’ve already fallen off the band wagon, here is some practical advice. Get back up again. That’s really all there is to it. Make the choice to get back up again. When you set goals for yourself and you don’t achieve them, take some time to figure out why, make the adjustments you need to make, and start again.

Say, for example, you happen to be invited to a birthday party.  You go to the party with good intentions of enjoying your friends and family while soaking up the sun. Because of the article you read last week, you made up in your mind that you were NOT going to eat any junk food at this party. In fact, you even brought an apple in your bag as a healthy option to munch on instead of eating chips. You were totally prepared. When you got to the party, you ate your apple, but the chips were still in front of your face. The main course was taking a long time to come out and you were getting really hungry so you caved. All your good intentions somehow went out the window at that point and you started eating pretty much everything in sight. Then you went home and felt guilty.

Now tell me something, if you find yourself in a situation like the one above, is it the really the end of the world? Are you now a complete failure because you ate some chips and a piece of your cousin’s birthday cake? Let’s be real. Sometimes we fall short of our own expectations.

Feeling guilty and beating yourself up about what happened in the past is not going to help you more forward. Accept this truth: Giving up is not an option. When it comes to your health and well being, no one is going to take better care of yourself than you. So if you fall short of your goals, don’t continue down the same path. Understand the principals behind what it takes to get yourself back up again.

For example, after you eat junk food, and a number of other foods like milk, meat and bread, the environment inside your body will become more acidic by default. This is part of the reason why you may feel tired and grumpy or lazy and sick. Not to mention that an over acid body is the perfect stomping grounds for disease. I’m not here to tell you what to eat, but if you are going to make the choice to eat foods that will encourage your body to become more acidic, then you also need to make the choice to press the reset button when you do so. Correct the environment inside your body and take steps to make it more alkaline by adding more leafy greens into your diet like a healthy salad or a green smoothie.

The most practical quick fix to help you become more alkaline is probably the ever popular water with lemon juice, but have you ever tried drinking Aloe Vera? Most people turn up their nose at the thought of the bitterness, and a lot of people have never even given it a chance. From my own personal experience, I can tell you that Aloe Vera has the power to instantly correct any problems you are having with digestion or heartburn. It can also helps with menstrual cramps and it has a tremendous amount of other natural health benefits.

As for the taste… Don’t even worry about it. There are some simple ways to get rid of the bitterness. If you try one of my recipes you won’t even know you’re drinking it. We’ve been talking about aloe in my group, Rochelle Hanson Wellness, on Facebook. There is also more information on my blog at simplynaturalideas.com. You can find free recipes there, so don’t be shy. If you need some motivation or you’d like some practical tips on how to improve your health overall, feel free to look me up. But remember, you are the only one who can press the reset button on your life. Take action. Make the choice to pursue a healthy lifestyle today.

Rochelle Hanson is a freelance writer and natural health enthusiast, sharing practical tips on natural health and wellness. To connect with her on Facebook, join her group Rochelle Hanson Wellness. You can also get free practical tips on her blog at SimplyNaturalIdeas.com

By Rochelle Hanson

To be or not to be. Obesity is the question.

Ever thought about how much time you spend everyday just sitting? Me neither. Sitting just feels natural… so we do it without thinking. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends at least one hour of exercise a day. Unfortunately sedentary lifestyles have become the norm, and overeating comes right along with it.

The latest Statistics Canada study suggests that one in four Canadian adults is clinically obese, compared with one in three in the United States. So we have less fat people in Canada, but that statistic alone does not mean we are headed in the right direction. In 1978 obesity rates for children aged 14 and younger were at 13%. In 2006 the rate of childhood obesity doubled to 26%. Could it be that our sedentary lifestyles are rubbing off on our kids?

Obesity is the number one contributing factor to disease. If we rely on the school system or the government to ensure that our children are eating right and getting enough exercise, we are leaving our child’s health in someone else’s hands. No one cares about your children more than you. The issue of diet and exercise needs to be a priority at home.

Your kids should see you exercising. It’s summer. No more excuses. Go outside. Take the kids for a walk. Make it a family affair. Interestingly enough, most people don’t eat and walk at the same time. I wonder what would happen to your overall health if every time you felt like having a snack, you drank a glass of water instead, then walked up and down the stairs in your apartment building or took a 3 minute break from staring at the screen to zip around the block.

If you’re having trouble with motivation, think of it like this. It takes 30 days to form a new habit. If you start a new healthy habit today, by next month you’ll be doing it with your eyes closed. The choice is yours. Choose something simple. Instead of taking the elevator at work, commit to taking the stairs. When you get home from work you could park your car in the driveway, and before going inside, commit to going for a short walk, even if it’s just a few minutes.

You don’t have to become another statistic. Stay on the outside aisles of the grocery store and you’ll be just fine. The next time that bag of chips starts calling your name, grab a pair of ear plugs. You’re much stronger than you think.

Rochelle Hanson is a freelance writer and natural health enthusiast, offering tips and practical ideas on natural health and wellness. Join her group on Facebook Rochelle HansonWellness or send email to [email protected]

Rochelle Hanson

By Rochelle Hanson

Coffee. Tea. Juice. Pop.

It’s de-caff. It’s diet. It’s sugar free.

With so many beverage options on the market, it’s easy to forget about water. If the first thing you drank this morning was coffee, you’re probably dehydrated and you don’t even know it.

So, what is dehydration anyway? Is it really that big of a deal?

Dehydration is the loss of water and salts necessary for normal body function. Most people are aware that the body is about 60% water. Your body will not function properly when you are dehydrated.

Take your liver, for instance. Its main responsibility is to turn stored fat into energy. Without water, it simply can not do its job. Your liver also serves as back-up for your kidneys. The primary role of the kidneys is to filter toxins from the blood. Your kidneys also can not function without water. So if you’re dehydrated and your kidneys have to call on your liver for support, naturally your liver will be less productive because it’s doing extra work. So if you don’t give your body enough water, you’re setting yourself up to store fat.

But what happens if you don’t feel thirsty? Do you still need to drink water? There’s water in coffee, and tea is mostly water. Isn’t that good enough?

Simply stated, the answer is no. Nothing can take the place of pure, clean water. Caffeine is a natural diuretic. Which means it’s like a drug that reduces the amount of water in the body. Let’s not even bring up the fact that it’s an addictive stimulant which has a whole slew of other negative effects. You can read more articles about this at www.mercola.com

Don’t like the taste of water? Try squeezing a lemon into it. Not only will it taste better, it will help to alkalize the body. Not sure if you’re getting enough water?  Look at your pee. If it’s bright orange you’re in a bad state. It’s supposed to be pale yellow. Don’t rely on your thirst as an indicator.

As soon as you get out of bed, drink two glasses of water. We all get dehydrated overnight. Drink water before you eat, even if it’s just 5-10 mins before. Don’t drink while you eat, that will dilute your digestive enzymes. You can drink water after eating, just wait a while before you start. When you need a snack, drink water. The craving will probably pass. If it’s hot outside, drink water. You’re loosing water through your skin. If you have acne, drink water. It’s the best beauty treatment on the market. Got a headache? Drink water. Constipated? Drink water. Stuck in traffic? Always keep a bottle handy, and drink more water. And if you find that you need to use the bathroom far too often, don’t let that discourage you. You’re detoxing. This is good. Your body will soon adjust.

Please note: you may need to drink more than the typical 8 glasses of water a day, especially if you’re overweight. The larger you are, the bigger your metabolic load. We’ve already discussed that your body will not turn stored fat into energy if you are not getting enough water. Some doctors say you may actually need to drink an extra glass of water for every 25 lbs of extra fat.

Hmm. This could be why I can’t get rid of those last few stubborn pounds. Excuse me for a moment, I need to go drink some water. Join me?

Rochelle Hanson is a freelance writer and natural health enthusiast, offering tips and practical ideas on natural health and wellness. Check out her website at simplynaturalideas.com

Photo by Ardean Peters

Rochelle/Ardean Peters

Stress stinks. Try Aromatherapy.

By Rochelle Hanson

It’s summer. The kids are home from school. You still have to go to work. Schedules are constantly changing. You have to mow the lawn. The fence needs repairs. Let’s not bring up the fact that you never finished spring cleaning.

When your summer stress begins, don’t get yourself all hot and bothered.  Relax. Enjoy the sunshine. Consider aromatherapy. It’s a technique that combines the use of essential oils and the body’s sense of smell to help boost your mood, relieve stress, encourage better health, and healing. Oils from the mint, citrus, and floral families are perfect for summer stress relief.

Although the term was only coined in the 20^th Century, aroma meaning fragrance and therapy meaning treatment, dates back thousands of years to ancient civilizations. The Chinese, Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, all used aromatic plants and their distilled oils for well being, cosmetics, and beauty.

But is it really that simple? How does it work? Can you actually smell away your stress? The human body is so incredible. Scientists believe that people can actually recognize and remember well over 5 thousand different scents. When you inhale the scent of an essential oil, the aroma stimulates the brain and triggers a reaction. At the same time, the naturally occurring chemicals you breathe into your lungs can supply therapeutic benefits to the body.

So you’re at the grocery store grabbing those last minute items for the family picnic. You stand there waiting in line, frustrated. You have options. You could burn with emotion. Drop everything and leave it at the counter. Or you could reach into your bag, take a whiff of the tissue that you added a few drops of your favourite essential oil to that morning, and smile. If you choose the last option, people may look at you funny, but who cares about that when you’re being swept away by the scents of essential oil paradise. Do the right thing. Be a trend setter. The rest of the world will catch up with you later.

Please note: Essential oils are highly concentrated liquids. If you do not use them correctly, stress will be the least of your problems. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have other health conditions, there are certain oils that you should avoid. Never ever use essential oils in their undiluted form directly on your skin. Take some time to learn more about the safe way to use essential oils at www.aromaweb.com

Rochelle Hanson is a freelance writer and natural health enthusiast, offering tips and practical ideas on natural health and wellness. Check out her website www.simplynaturalideas.com or email [email protected].

On December 28th, 2008, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared the recognition of Sickle Cell Disease as a Public Health problem. Further, they commissioned June 19th of each year as World Sickle Cell Anemia Day as part of a system of increasing awareness, collaborations and research on Sickle Cell Anemia.

The goal of this year’s educational session is to educate on the impact of the social determinants of health on Sickle Cell Disease.Guest speakers include: Elizabeth Lee Ford-Jones, MD, Hospital for Sick Children and Graham Sergeant, MD, PhD of the Sickle Cell Trust, Jamaica

Founded in 1981, the SCAO is a nonprofit charitable organization of volunteers who are working to help individuals with sickle cell anemia live more productive and healthier lives. The SCAO provides confidential, one-to-one support and counselling to persons with sickle cell anemia, and their families.

Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited and potentially fatal disease that affects the red blood cells.Symptoms include, episodes of crises of severe pain, fatigue, infections and fever, resulting in frequent hospitalization and absences from school or work. At present, there is no cure. Patient and public awareness and education is the initial approach in the prevention of this disease and the promotion of health maintenance.

For more information about this event and The Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, visit www.sicklecellontario.com

Kids spend an average of 40 hours a week sitting in front of screens, and many of those inactive hours are right after school, warns the annual report card from Active Healthy Kids Canada.

Children and youth spend the equivalent of a full work week on videogames, television and Facebook, says the 2011 report, released Tuesday. For the fifth straight year, it awards a failing grade for physical activity and screen time.

It stresses that while the after-school window provides an ideal time for recreational sports or running around in schoolyards and parks, kids spend only about 14 minutes of the three hours between the school bell and dinner actually moving their bodies.

“These alarming numbers equate to a very sedentary child,” says Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer with Active Healthy Kids.

“What we’re trying to push is (the creation of) increased opportunities for kids to be more active after school, and particularly outside, away from screens and where they are less likely to eat.”

The widely-watched annual report card, introduced in 2005, shows little improvement from the bad news of previous years, which have highlighted the declining levels of daily movement and the need for policies to offset the trend.

It notes only 9 per cent of boys and 4 per cent of girls meet Health Canada’s recommended minimum of one hour a day of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. On a more encouraging note, 44 per cent of kids meet the one-hour guideline three times a week and four out of five get half an hour of exercise, but new habits and programs are needed to bump that to healthier levels.

The report card issued a D for active transportation, with only a quarter of kids walking or cycling to school, and a D-plus for family physical activity.

Tremblay says until there is leadership from governments aimed at making exercise a priority, there isn’t much chance of improving the dismal assessment.

“Grades are pretty much the same as last year and until we see some major (policy) changes, they will remain where they are,” he said in an interview.

Many advocates have called for a national plan to promote physical activity and improve health that would include policies, funding and public education. In the United States, measures spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama to fight childhood obesity and increase physical activity have raised the profile of the issue and been followed by $1 billion in funding.

In contrast, Ottawa spends less than $10 million a year on promotion and programs, with real dollars per capita half of what they were in 1986, says Tremblay.

The report card’s findings are in keeping with research released earlier this year based on the Canadian Health Measures Survey. The survey used accelerometers to track movements of 4,500 children and found they were inactive for 62 per cent of their waking hours, with only 7 per cent getting the recommended amount of daily exercise.

While the after-school period is the most logical time for kids to get off the couch, supervised and affordable programs are limited in communities like Toronto.

According to the Active Healthy Kids report card, 72 per cent of parents say their kids don’t have access to after-school programs that encourage physical activity.

The shortage exists even though some research has found kids would actually prefer to be active. For example, a recent study by the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy asked 600 Ontario students in Grades 4 to 6 what they would prefer to do after school.

Three-quarters said ideally they would choose something that involves moving around, such as pickup sports or dog-walking. Screen time was at the bottom of the list.

Originally Published on thestar.com Tuesday April 26, 2010

The Toronto Star

There is growing evidence that the calcium pills millions of older women take to save their bones are breaking their hearts.

A new study shows post-menopausal women who begin calcium supplement therapy to ward off or treat bone-depleting osteoporosis significantly increase their risk for both heart attacks and strokes.

The study authors say its findings warrant a reconsideration of the nearly universal use of the mineral supplement to treat the disease.

“If you treat 1,000 people with calcium for five years . . . you cause six more heart attacks or strokes and you prevent three fractures,” says Dr. Ian Reid, a University of Auckland endocrinologist.

“So you’re actually appearing to do more harm than good,” says Reid, the senior study author.

Jane Aubin, head of musculoskeletal health with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, called the study a thoughtful and careful analysis of the data, but said the risk findings would need to be confirmed by further research.

Aubin added the results do give greater impetus to groups like hers to promote calcium intakes through healthy diets.

The study shows older women who begin taking calcium — at any available dose — increase their risk of heart attack by 25 per cent in the first year. Their risk of stroke increases about 15 per cent over a longer period. The study was released Tuesday by the British Medical Journal.

The study, which looked at 29,000 post-menopausal women, was a follow-up to an earlier paper by the same group that showed similar cardiovascular risk increases. But the original paper looked at women taking calcium alone without the effects of a vitamin D additive.

For the current paper, Reid’s group accumulated data on women from around the world who had just begun calcium plus vitamin D regimens. These women were then compared to study recruits who had been put on inert placebo pills.

Reid says the cardiovascular risks with the vitamin D additive were identical to those in his original calcium-only research.

“We concluded it wasn’t anything to do with the presence or absence of vitamin D,” he says.

Importantly, Reid says women who take in the mineral through healthy, calcium-rich foods don’t appear to run the same risks as those who use supplements.

Toronto’s Maureen Colford, who developed osteoporosis eight years ago after ovarian failure, says the study would not cause her to quit her daily calcium supplementation.

“There’s a study out every five seconds that something is good or something is bad (in osteoporosis),” says Colford, 42.

Colford, who is lactose intolerant, says she can’t get calcium through milk, one of the richest natural sources. The only way for her to maintain normal levels is to supplement, which she says she will continue doing.

The obvious thinking has been that calcium, essential for hard bones, also increases hardening of the arteries, a primary cause of cardiovascular ailments. But Reid says the risk, especially for heart attacks, rises so fast after beginning the therapy that the supplementary calcium would not likely have time to build up on arterial walls.

However, calcium can also affect blood-clotting platelets and abnormalities in their production could be contributing to the heart-attack risks, he says.

Reid also says the heart risks rise equally regardless of the dosage.

There are also alternate and safe medicines available to reduce fracture risks in patients with osteoporosis, he says.

Osteoporosis afflicts as many as 2 million Canadians and strikes twice as many women as men. It is most common in people over the age of 50.

Originally published on healthzone.ca April 19, 2011