All in Education

Be Healthy They Say...How?

Be Healthy They Say...How?

Sarah Shoemaker
A Good Life, Education, Nutrition, Tips and Tricks, Vegetables, Wellness

We all know that being healthy is important.

But, what does that mean and how do you know if you are healthy?

How do you measure health and are you measuring up?

Health for one person is different for another. One person may think a measure of good health is following a strict diet, another may asses their health by their physical abilities or be completely satisfied with their physician’s all clear.

I don’t think it really matters, what grade you give yourself and on what metrics, but what is important is that you do, think about it.

Here are my 4 Must Haves (for myself) For Health:

Gut Health: Yes, It Is Really Important.

Gut Health: Yes, It Is Really Important.

Sarah Shoemaker
Digestion, Education, Mental Health, Nutrition, Tips and Tricks

Did You Know?

  • More than 40 diseases have been linked with bacterial imbalances in the gut ie) depression, IBS, Cancer, Arthritis, Colitis, Diabetes the list goes on

  • The gut produces 95% of your serotonin, this affects moods, energy levels, and sleep.

  • Our bodies are more bacteria than human

  • Over 20 million Canadians suffer from a digestive disease costing $18 Billion in health care and lost productivity.

Yes, the topic of gut health is definitely not glamorous and can be a bit embarrassing for some but for 2 out of 3 Canadians it is a huge deal and it is important we talk about it.

It is time, like with mental health, we start stripping away the stigma and shed light on issues that truly affect our health, like the importance of our digestive systems.

The digestion system is beginning to get the credit it deserves. Once thought as just mere vessels that broke down the foods we eat and move it along is no longer the only task it does. The whole digestive track and all its components are much more intelligent, sophisticated, and involved than originally thought!

The brain and gut send messages back and forth using the vagus nerve. The digestive system tells the brain stuff and the brain tells the digestive system stuff. How? Through the microbiota in the gut! Yes, the bacteria in the gut can communicate with the rest of the body, who knew?

Low FODMAP Substations For Onions and Garlic

Low FODMAP Substations For Onions and Garlic

Sarah Shoemaker
IBS, Digestion, Education, Nutrition

Sometimes our bodies can’t always digestion foods, even ones that are good for us, like onions and garlic.

Onions and garlic are very powerful antioxidants, very detoxifying and pretty tasty to cook with but some people have a hard time with them.

Instead try substituting for onions:

  • Green Onion Tops

  • Leek Leaves

  • Chives

And for Garlic:

  • Garlic Infused Oil

Every body is different and will react differently, so try these substations and let me know they work for you.

Time To Spring Clean Your Body

Time To Spring Clean Your Body

Sarah Shoemaker
Nutrition, Education, Digestion

Well it was the first day of Spring not too long ago. Time to do a seasonal cleanse!

I like to start a new season with a cleanse, it is a good way to signal both a change in our environment and a change with our bodies. With such as fast paced world we live in I feel that we have become disconnected from our environment, when in fact our bodies are very much connected to it. Eating seasonally is very important and is deserving of its’ own post, so stay tuned! So why cleanse? Here are just a few reasons

Inflammation 101: How inflamed are you?

Inflammation 101: How inflamed are you?

Sarah Shoemaker
Education, Nutrition, A Good Life

Let’s talk about inflammation and how it affects your health.

Major illnesses like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, mental heath issues and asthma can all be linked back to chronic Inflammation and, many of these diseases are within your control, through a balanced wholesome diet and exercise.

So how do you avoid chronic inflammation?

Firstly, inflammation is a natural biological response and is a good thing. We definitely need our inflammatory response when it comes to fighting infection or getting a cut or injury, this is ACUTE inflammation. This is how the body protects and heals.

Inflammation becomes a major issue when there is CHRONIC inflammation in the body.

Symptoms of Acute Inflammation are:

  • redness, swelling, pain and heat. Acute inflammation usually clears within a few days. Think about when you cut yourself, this is acute inflammation.

Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation are:

  • exhaustion, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, joint pain, weight gain, frequent infections, digestive disorders and excessive mucus production.

Now that you know about how to spot inflammation, here are 6 common causes of chronic inflammation that are controllable.

Men and Women are Different Why is Our Health Care Not

Men and Women are Different Why is Our Health Care Not

Sarah Shoemaker
Education, A Good Life

On the heels of February, Heart Month. I came across this article about how doctors may have been using the wrong metrics when taking women’s blood pressure. The metrics that are normal for men, which are the current ones being used, may not be normal for women.

Not until now, did I actually really think much of this.

Men and women, are very different and have different needs. Of course, this makes sense.

This is concerning for women because according to the study, the normal range of blood pressure may be too high.

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