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HEART
HEALTH
Marilyn St. Hill- Super Fitness Model/Spokesperson
On
February 20th and 21st 2009, the
Trillum Health Centre Foundation
held their annual 24-hour spin.
The spin is held every year to raise
money for the Hazel McCallion Centre
for heart health, "the Trillium
Health Centre's newly named, regionally
acclaimed, advanced cardial care
program" (www.24-hourspin.com),
in Mississauga. Advanced riders
and amateurs got
together and rode for twenty-four
full hours (some on teams and some
individually), while watching live
entertainment. I too participated
in this great event and was able
to give my contribution to this
productive program. So now, I see
a need to open your eyes on Canada's
heart health.
In
America, February is heart month.
One statistic states that the
"majority of heart disease
cases can be prevented with a healthy
diet and lifestyle".
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(www.health.com)
In Canada, heart health is also an important
issue. The Heart and Stroke Foundation
estimates that the country has spent close
to 20 billion on cardiovascular disease.
WHO KNEW?
The
canadian government conducted studies
over 25 years ago, and discovered that
"living in a society that tolerates
a large gap between the rich and poor
is bad for our health. It is evident to
us that cardiovascular disease was the
one disease most sensitive to the effects
of low income and social exclusion."
(www.precaution.org)
Unfortunately,
the less you make, the higher your chances
of acquiring heart diseases. Really? Yes!
Doctors have recognized that poor conditions
lead to poor health. Research has shown
that the most important life conditions
that determine whether individuals stay
healthy is their income. In Canada,
the top two killers are heart disease
and stroke. The Heart and Stroke Foundation
also uncovered that depending on where
you live (which province), you may be
paying more for heart-healthy foods.
HELP
MY HEART!
What
should we do to improve our heart and
keep it healthy? Simple, keep foods fresh.
Next, purchase dark-green and orange vegetables.
Grab more orange fruit. Chow down on kale,
broccoli, a sweet potato. Try a few carrots
or some canteloupe, all of these foods
are great for our heart.
Also, look for the Heart and Stroke Health
Check symbol on food products when you're
shopping or when you go out to eat, check
the menu. "The Heart and Stroke Foundation's
Health Check program is committed to helping
Canadians identify healthy food choices.
The Health Check nutrient
criteria was developed by the Heart and
Stroke Foundation's registered dietitians,
based on Canada's Food Guide and also
reflect the latest scientific evidence,
labelling regulations, nutrition trends,
eating habits of Canadians, market realities
and technology". (www.heartandstroke.on.ca)
Third,
exercise. Exercise helps your heart because
it:
*makes
the muscle thicker and stronger
*opens the heart chamber (ventricle) so
more blood pumps with each beat
*increases number of capillaries, which
decreases chance of heart attack
Exercise
can control a diabetic's need for insulin
and one's blood pressure. Regular physical
activity can help reduce coronary heart
disease. Being active also boosts your
HDL-cholesterol levels, the good ones!
The next time you're wondering what to
eat, grab something for your heart!
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EGGS!
WHAT'S UP WITH THE YOLK?
The
Egg. For years, it has been a myth
that the yellow part of the egg,
or yolk is high in cholesterol and
bad for you. Or is it a myth? Well,
the truth is, the yellow
part of the egg is indeed high in
cholesterol. However, it is high
in good cholesterol. "It's
not the amount of cholesterol...
Read More
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WHOLEFOODS
Whole
foods are foods that are as close
to their natural state as possible.
These foods are full of essential
vitamins and minerals that can help
protect our bodies from chronic
diseases like heart disease, stroke,
some cancers and diabetes. Whole
foods are also full of proteins,
enzymes...
Read More
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OVER
TRAINING
In
the beginning phase you learn the
level of fitness of the body. During
training "the targets level
of fitness decreases and training
becomes a catabolic process"
(www.wikipedia.org) The third stage
is the recovery process. The body
will enter a recovery stage and
will rejuvenate to the initial fitness
level...
Read More
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HYPERTENSION
How
important is it for you to know
your own blood pressure? Do you
know what your blood pressure is?
High blood pressure is the leading
risk factor for death in Canada.
Why? Mainly because there are no
symptoms. You will never know whether
your blood pressure is high or low
unless you check it...
Read More
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SUSHI
In
North America, western sushi is
the most popular. California roll,
dynamite roll, caterpillar roll,
rainbow roll, spider roll, salmon
roll, crunchy roll and seattle roll
all fall under the category of western
sushi. All sushi uses rice as a
base and compliments with other
ingredients...
Read More
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ELECTROLYTES
Electrolytes!
What are they? How important are
they? Given the amount of times
this word is mentioned in relation
to exercise, my guess? Pretty important.
My educated guess lets me assure
you that electrolytes are extremely
important for our bodies to function
correctly. Electrolytes are "substances
that...
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WHAT
ABOUT GLUTEN?
Gluten
is a protein included in various
foods like breads, flours, frozen
yogurt, cereals, salad dressings
and even dried fruit. People with
Celiac disease (also known as Coeliac
disease) have "an abnormal
immune reaction to partially digested
gliadin..."Read
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UNDERSTANDING
BODY MASS INDEX
BMI,
the acronym for Body Mass Index "is
defined as the individuals body weight
divided by the square of his or her
weight." (www.wikipedia.org)
Originating as early as the 1830's,
BMI really only became popular in
the early 1950's and 60's. At this
time, western societies were begininning...
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LETS
BEAT OBESITY
Maintaining
a healthy weight can mean life or
death. Obesity is a disease that
Canadians face. Statistically people
who are overweight, do not live
as long as those who maintain a
“normal” weight... Read
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ARE
YOU A VEGETARIAN?
Are
you a vegetarian? “A vegetarian
is someone who chooses not to eat
meat, poultry, fish or by products
of meat and fish, such as gelatin”
(The Vegetarian Cookbook, pg. 10)
There are different types of vegetarians.
For instance, lacto-ovo-vegetarians
allow eggs and dairy products in
their diets... Read
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PESTICIDES
Pesticides,
most commonly known as being used
in grocery stores and any other
company that manages food, have
been around for quite sometime.
As early as the 15th century, toxic
substances like arsenic, lead and
mercury were being used by farmers
who would apply these chemicals
... Read
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THE
DANGERS OF LOW-CARB DIETS
For
several years there has been a craze
called "the low-carb diet".
The assumption that follows low-carb
diets is that if you eat little
or no carbs, you will lose weight.
True? Yes! Effective? No? Best method?
No? Long-term? Gosh no! Lets look
deeper into why. Read
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THE
BENEFITS OF A PERSONAL TRAINER
The
article you are about to read is
a special story to me. As a
personal trainer, I consider it
my duty to inform the public about
how beneficial a personal trainer
can really be. Everyday I help,
educate and motivate clients. I
dish out efficient workouts that
help them get closer and closer
to reaching their ultimate goal.
Read
More
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HEART
HEALTH
On
February 20th and 21st 2009, the
Trillum Health Centre Foundation
held their annual 24-hour spin.
The spin is held every year to raise
money for the Hazel McCallion Centre
for heart health, "the Trillium
Health Centre's newly named, regionally
acclaimed, advanced cardial care
program" (www.24-hourspin.com),
in Mississauga. Read
More
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TIME
FOR AN ENERGY BOOST!
Improved
energy levels is the number one
desire for some. Attaining higher
levels is possible, but not without
knowledge, focus and ofcourse, change.
In this article, you will learn
ways in which we lose energy and
ways in which we can gain more.
Read
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ELIMINATE
CRAVINGS FOR GOOD!
Everyone
gets cravings. Whether it's late
at night or in the middle of the
day, there's a time in everyones
life when they just feel like chocolate,
or something salty or something
sweet. What is a craving? Well,
a craving is "a strong desire
for particular foods or types of
food." Read
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GO
NATURAL!
As
the winter months progress, so does
the chance of catching a virus.
Once a cold hits, most of us run
straight to the drugstore for a
quick fix. Is this the best solution?
Some might argue no. People such
as holistic specialists or ...
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STRESS
Consider
your stress level. Where do you
place on the stress scale? The anxious
feeling controls everyone at one
time or another. Stress can arise
from bad situations, but you can
also feel stress from good sitautions.
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STRENGTH
TRAINING: WHAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW!
Strength
training, also referred to as weight
training is one of the best things
you can do for your body and health.
There are a tremendous amount of
benefits to incorporating this type
of exercise. Regardless of age or
gender, everyone needs to lift weights.
Read
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SUPERFOODS!
Essential
for healthy living, superfoods should
be added to every diet. Adding superfoods
to your daily meals will change
your whole life! Superfoods have
been proven to prevent (and in some
cases) reverse diseases like hypertension,
cardiovascular disease, type II
diabetes and some cancers.
Read
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TO
SLEEP OR NOT TO SLEEP?
How many hours of sleep do you get
a night? Millions of canadians suffer
from lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation
is "a general lack of the necessary
amount of sleep." (www.wikipedia.com)
Meaning, the sleep that your body
should be getting, it's not getting!
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HOW
SAFE IS YOUR CHICKEN?
Chicken!
A popular choice by many at dinner
or lunch. High in protein, low in
fats and carbohydrates, chicken
has many benefits and is a very
important part of many peoples diets.
However, with several cases of illness
and death due to meat and poultry
consumption, there are some things
you should know! Read
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WHY
EGGPLANT?
Anyone
who decides to consume a healthy
and balanced diet, first struggles
with the question, What do I eat?
Eggplant, not always at the top
of the list, has many nutritional
benefits.
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