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Valentine Day Nutrition Tips

If you really want to show your Valentine how much your care, take some time to prepare a meal that will show you have a heart of gold.
Toast your love with a glass of champagne in place of wine. Champagne is higher in polyphenols that aid in circulation and regulating blood pressure.
Start your meal with a colorful salad and include heart healthy avocado and nuts.
Main entree should include lean protein and opt for sweet potato in place of white. This will please your palate and your heart!
To finish your meal, try a bowl of fresh berries drizzled with dark chocolate. Both are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals.
February is Heart Health month. The greatest gift you can give your loved one is a Healthy YOU!

Valentine Day Nutrition Tips

If you really want to show your Valentine how much your care, take some time to prepare a meal that will show you have a heart of gold.
Toast your love with a glass of champagne in place of wine. Champagne is higher in polyphenols that aid in circulation and regulating blood pressure.
Start your meal with a colorful salad and include heart healthy avocado and nuts.
Main entree should include lean protein and opt for sweet potato in place of white. This will please your palate and your heart!
To finish your meal, try a bowl of fresh berries drizzled with dark chocolate. Both are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals.
February is Heart Health month. The greatest gift you can give your loved one is a Healthy YOU!

January & February Health Talk

Foam Rolling 101

Foam rolling has been getting really big in the past few years.  I see more and more athletes and gym rats with some version of this valuable device.  However, I also see too many athletes grimacing at each pass and using this device incorrectly, or let alone knowing what they are using it for.  So let’s open up the flood gates and give you the facts and theories behind the Foam Roller.

9 min clip to better health

This youtube clip is about the best way to impact your health.  Dr. Mike Evans – a medical doctor from Toronto, uses an effective method to get his point across.  The clip already has 3 million views.  I have recommended this video to many of my patients, friends and family.  His message is simple and powerful.  9 Min well spent.

What do you think?

Nutrition Tips To Survive the Holiday Season

The average weight gain over the holiday season is between 5-10 pounds! You can beat the scale jump this Holiday Season by following a few simple Nutrition Tips over the next few weeks:
Do not go to Parties or Festive Events hungry!
Make sure you have had a decent serving of protein. This will keep your blood sugar levels stable and ease the cravings to binge. Make sure you do not skip meals.
Limit Portions!
Avoid filling your plate with the high fat foods. Take small portions and savor the foods by eating slowly. Before going for seconds, give your stomach 5 minute time out to catch up. Often, after the 5 minute break, the food has made its way to your stomach and you are satisfied. The key is not feeling “full” after a meal, its feeling “satisfied”.
Limit consumption of alcohol!
We often forget to include the liquid calories we consume in our daily caloric count. Enjoy a festive cocktail and fill the gaps with sparkling water and add a slice of lemon or lime for added flavor.
Don”t Skip your Exercise!
Your workouts will benefit in coping with the stress of the holidays in addition to help burn off a few extra calories.
Serve (or bring along) a Healthy Dish  you enjoy so that you do not feel deprived.
Follow up with me in Jan to get the scale back on track! All the best to you and your Family for a Healthy Holiday Season!
Mary

The best exercise is …. the Turkish Get Up

The old answer to the best exercise used to be the squat or deadlift; however the new answer most people will say is the Turkish Get Up (TGU).  The TGU is an exercise that is over 200 years old.  Strongmen of that era would not teach you complex lifts until you could do a 100 pound get up.  This exercise is simply the most effective way to go from lying to standing up and back to lying down again.

The TGU promotes the use of whole-body movement and reveals your weaknesses and asymmetries.  I use this exercise a lot in my own daily practice and in the rehabilitation of my patients.  There are 6 steps to a good TGU.  Each step almost acts as its own exercise and the transition between each step promotes good movement patterns.  There are many nuances to this exercise that make it great.

It has taken me months to learn to do this exercise well.  Currently I’m still working on my form and challenging myself with appropriate weight.  Also, I have used portions of the get up for my own shoulder rehab.  If you decide to learn this exercise I would advise you to learn from someone who knows how to do it well.  If you have any questions please send me an email (poh@formfunctionclinic.com), call (905-604-9355) or drop by.

The best exercise is …. the Turkish Get Up

The old answer to the best exercise used to be the squat or deadlift; however the new answer most people will say is the Turkish Get Up (TGU).  The TGU is an exercise that is over 200 years old.  Strongmen of that era would not teach you complex lifts until you could do a 100 pound get up.  This exercise is simply the most effective way to go from lying to standing up and back to lying down again.

The TGU promotes the use of whole-body movement and reveals your weaknesses and asymmetries.  I use this exercise a lot in my own daily practice and in the rehabilitation of my patients.  There are 6 steps to a good TGU.  Each step almost acts as its own exercise and the transition between each step promotes good movement patterns.  There are many nuances to this exercise that make it great.

It has taken me months to learn to do this exercise well.  Currently I’m still working on my form and challenging myself with appropriate weight.  Also, I have used portions of the get up for my own shoulder rehab.  If you decide to learn this exercise I would advise you to learn from someone who knows how to do it well.  If you have any questions please send me an email (poh@formfunctionclinic.com), call (905-604-9355) or drop by.

The Dynamic Warm-up

For all you fitness and sport enthusiasts, the dynamic warm-up is an integral component of any workout or pre-game routine. It is a series of dynamic stretches and sport specific movement patterns that help prepare the body for the demands of the activity. It is a short routine that primes the athlete for exercise by increasing; heart rate, respiratory rate, core body temperature, muscle elasticity, and blood flow to the working muscles. The warm-up will vary between individuals of different ages, physical condition, prior exercise experience and specific sport requirements. A proper warm-up routine can also help reduce the risk of injury when partaking in any strenuous form of physical activity.

Come visit us for a more in-depth focus on a dynamic warm-up that is most suitable for you!