Lifestyle Shift 2012

Did you forget about your health over the holidays? After being surrounded by cookies, alcohol, and gravy it's likely that the scale has not been responding in your favour. Not to worry, it's the perfect time make some changes for 2012.

This blog is simply about thinking about your health again. It's not about drastic resolutions which are unlikely to be maintained. It's about thinking about your health daily and making the steps to include the following in your daily routine. It's not about a diet, but about a lifestyle shift that will continue for life.

Here are my top 5 weight reducing, health inducing tips for 2012:

1) Keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. This means:

• Beginning your day with protein! Protein is digested slower than carbohydrates and therefore sugar is released slower into the bloodstream. This controls your appetite and keeps you full.
• Watch your carbohydrates. Try to avoid all simple carbhydrates (white breads, pastas, pastries, cookies, crackers). Instead, opt for whole grain. My favourite grains are the gluten free ones: brown rice and quinoa.
• Watch your beverages. Did you know that a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks contains 95 grams of sugar. This is the same amount of sugar in 8 1/2 scoops of ice cream. Sugar is easily masked in drinks, beware.

2) Think about portions.

• This ties in with blood sugar but also emphasizes the role of vegetables in your diet. For each meal, 50% of your plate should be vegetables (or fruits if the meal is breakfast). This is where you truly are getting all your vitamins and minerals to fuel your body. Vegetables are also rich in fibre to keep you full and regular. The rest of your plate consists of 25% is healthy protein and the other 25% is starch (whole grains or potatoes).

3) Drink water and green tea throughout your day.

• Drinking between your meals will help control your appetite. It will also nourish your cells and help you detoxify. Green tea is an amazing antioxidant that has also been studied to aid in weight loss. Keeping your drinks to water and tea will make it so that you’re staying hydrated and not adding sugar to your diet with juices.

4) Exercise and breathe.

• This is a no-brainer. Exercise maintains your metabolism and produces chemicals which help with energy and mood. Breathing oxygenates every cell in your body. You will naturally breathe deeper with any type of exercise but consider doing yoga once a week. It truly is a workout for the mind, body, and soul.

5) Sleep before midnight.

• Improper sleep habits have been linked with weight gain and hormonal imbalance. Your deepest, most beneficial sleep is between the hours of 10pm and midnight. Going to bed early will most definitely improve your health!

I hope that these tips help you have a healthy and happy 2012.

Yours in health,

Sarah Oulahen, Naturopathic Doctor.