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The Key Factors to Having a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is critical in the maintenance of our health, including keeping a healthy weight and reducing the risk of other conditions and diseases. When it comes to keeping your diet as healthy as possible, there are some important key factors that I recommend everyone take into consideration, and they are: • Eat an array of different foods • • Focus on incorporating more fruits and vegetables • • Include moderate amounts of healthy oils and fats • • Decrease salt and sugar intake • While a healthy diet should consist of plenty of fruits and vegetables, it’s important that these aren’t the only foods you eat. In addition to fruits…
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Stress and Gender
Both men and women experience stress, though it’s the latter that tends to take the biggest hit from it, according to research. In addition, women are also two to three times more likely to experience other mental health related problems, such as major depression, anxiety disorders, and even suicide attempts. As for why stress itself affects more women than men, there are many contributing factors. Compared to men, women tend to have higher fluctuations and imbalances in their hormones, which can cause a rise in stress level. These hormonal fluctuations and imbalances are common during puberty, menstruation, as well as pregnancy, though there are other external factors that can also…
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Protein-Packed Foods
Protein – also known as a macronutrient – is one of the most important parts of a healthy diet, as well as an important component of the cells in our body. Did you know your hair and nails are made of protein? Not only does the body require protein to help build and repair tissues, but it also builds enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals found in the body, and is essential in building bones and muscles, cartilage and skin, and even the blood. When it comes to getting protein from the foods we eat, the Dietary Reference Intake recommends getting approximately 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight…
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Common Summer Health Hazards
Warmer weather can be a nice break from all the rain we’re used to getting in Vancouver, but there are also certain hazards that come along with the summer and heat. Find out what some of those are below, along with what precautions you should take to protect yourself. Dehydration Staying hydrated is important. Not just during the summer months, but all the time. Drinking water not only keeps you hydrated and helps regulate body temperature, but it also increases energy levels and helps with muscle performance. Unfortunately, summer is a season where it’s not uncommon for physicians to see patients presenting with symptoms of dehydration – usually due to…
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Healthy, Natural Ways to Find Pain Relief
Thousands of Canadians suffer from pain every day. Pain can be acute and a result of something like a scraped knee, sprained or broken bone, which will get better over time, or can be chronic and much more severe – such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraines, or other pain disorders. Regardless of the cause, the goal is to find relief. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are typically the go-to medications of choice when it comes to those that are seeking pain relief. However, too much of these medications over a prolonged period of time can lead to other health complications such as kidney and liver problems, ulcers, and more.…
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How Food Can Impact Weight
Losing weight is something that many people struggle with. In order to know why weight loss can be difficult, it’s also important to know the way in which things have changed over the years – particularly with our food habits. In the 1970s, for example, meals were often prepared and cooked at home, while supermarkets sold foods that were mostly whole and natural, and very little foods that were processed. People were also a lot more active, had more jobs that were labor-intensive, didn’t eat or drink as much socially, and consumed smaller portion sizes – in comparison to now, where many people will buy their foods outside of home…
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Before-and-After Workout Tips
When it comes to physical activity, what you do before and after working out is important – from pre-workout stretching, to the type of food you consume. Below are some of the most crucial pre and post-workout tips to help you get the most out of your exercise routine. Food & Drink Having a healthy diet and consuming proper foods and beverages can improve your health in a number of different way – such as reduce the risk of diabetes, improve cholesterol levels, and help you lose weight… but did you know that what you eat and drink can also make a difference when it comes to your workout routine?…
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Fighting Food Cravings
Fact: When we feel hungry, we eat. Also fact: We eat when we aren’t necessarily hungry but have certain cravings for foods, like salty potato chips or sugary sweets such as chocolate, cakes, and candy; and sometimes these temptations can be hard to resist. However, these food cravings are often an indicator that our bodies are missing something. Below are some of the most common reasons as to why we might experience food cravings, and what you can do to crush them and ultimately replace certain unhealthy foods with ones that are better for you. LACK OF WATER: Also known as dehydration, this can often manifest itself as hunger. Common reasons…
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Healthy Summer Foods
When it’s warm out, the last thing anyone wants to do is stand over a hot oven or stove cooking – and the warmer the weather, the more tempting it can be to want to grab something quick and easy, which might not always be the healthiest. For example, getting something from a fast food restaurant, which could be loaded with grease, bad carbohydrates and sugar – all things you want to avoid to ensure optimal health and reduce the risk of potential health problems like weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Before we dive into the topic of food, it’s a good time to remind everyone about the importance…
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Medication Interactions
Whether you’re on medication long-term or short-term, it’s important to be aware of the potential interactions between medications that you have been prescribed by your physician – as well as possible interactions between prescribed medications and ones you would buy over-the-counter. What you also might not be aware of is the fact that certain foods can also interact with certain drugs, and vice versa. The effects of food and drug interactions can range from mild to severe – and, in some cases, if not taken seriously, could even lead to death. One way to avoid potentially harmful drug interactions is to ensure you let your physician know exactly which medications…