Reiki Principles

Reiki Principles

The secret art of inviting happiness.
The miraculous medicine of all dis-eases.
Just for today I give thanks for many blessings.
Just for today do not worry.
Just for today do not anger.
Honour your parents, teachers and elders.
Earn your living honestly.
Show gratitude to every living thing.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes energy healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's"life force energy" is low, then we care more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

Please see www.reiki.org for additional info about this treatment.

Sarah is a Reiki Level 2 Practitioner and has truly enjoyed working with clients in this energetic manner to help them heal and move forward towards optimal health and wellbeing.

Postural Workout for Parents - ACE Workouts - American Council on Exercise

A great addition to your weight workout:

Postural Workout for Parents - ACE Workouts - American Council on Exercise

Remember, we want stability under those beautiful muscles, so don't forget these exercises!

Sarah

30-minute Lunch Workout - ACE Workouts - American Council on Exercise

Great for beginners:

30-minute Lunch Workout - ACE Workouts - American Council on Exercise

Cheers,

Sarah

Total Body Workout Programs, Total Body Exercises, Total Body Workout Routines - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Classic exercises for those who have worked out for quite awhile but want a quick reference to do a circuit workout:

Total Body Workout Programs, Total Body Exercises, Total Body Workout Routines - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Please talk to Imagine Fitness if you have questions, some of these exercises need to be shown and/or monitored if you haven't done them before.

Cheers,

Sarah

At-Home with No Equipment Workout Programs, Home Workout Routines, At Home Strength Training - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

This is a good, general workout for those who haven't been to the gym lately:

At-Home with No Equipment Workout Programs, Home Workout Routines, At Home Strength Training - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Cheers,

Sarah

Workout Programs for Hip Exercises, Thigh Workouts, Hip Flexor Exercises, Thigh Toning and Slimming Exercises - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

A couple of exercises you may not have seen before:

Workout Programs for Hip Exercises, Thigh Workouts, Hip Flexor Exercises, Thigh Toning and Slimming Exercises - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Cheers,

Sarah

Core Workout Programs, Core Muscle Exercises, Core Strength and Stability - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Here are some great core exercises that we do within our in-home personal training sessions:

Core Workout Programs, Core Muscle Exercises, Core Strength and Stability - Get Fit with Fitness Workout Programs - American Council on Exercise

Enjoy!

Sarah

Candida Info from Dr. Jonny

Hi, Right now, deep inside your digestive track, you have bugs crawling about…LOTS of bugs. In fact, each of us is lugging around about 70 trillion of these, weighing in at about 3-4 pounds. Some of these are good bugs...some of these are NOT so good bugs. The bad bugs I am talking about include all sorts of things from bacteria to yeast to parasites and other germs...sounds rather disgusting, but most of us walk around without knowing they are even there. But, for the most part, your body's immune system is able to keep the bad bugs in check. HOWEVER, under certain, and surprisingly common conditions, one of those bugs, a particular type of yeast called Candida albicans, can go through a dangerous mutation that makes it wildly aggressive, destructive and hell bent on wreaking havoc throughout your entire body. This Fungus is Far More Common - and Dangerous - Than You've Been Led to Believe... Sound like a freakish incident that only happens in rare medical circumstances? Well, think again as nearly 3 in 4 women suffer (and many men) from some type of yeast overgrowth in one way or another…some with minor symptoms such as rashes, increased PMS symptoms and bad breath...some with much more serious conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, depression, joint pain and even chronic fatigue syndrome. In fact the calling card for a yeast overgrowth problem is a whole bucket full of seemingly unexplained chronic symptoms that just won't seem to go away no matter what you try. The worst part is that most mainstream health practitioners haven't a clue how to treat this potentially serious problem...and those who do treat it, use dangerous drugs that frequently make the situation even worse. And those naughty little yeast critters are a crafty bunch -- part animal, part plant, part bacteria, able to reproduce sexually (with a mate) or asexually (by itself), and can shift its shape and take 7 different forms while rearranging it's chromosomes as an adaptive strategy to insure survival. Wow - that's an amazing set of attributes...no wonder it's so hard to get rid of a yeast infection! How this Little Devil Does it's Handy-Work... Candida, found in its normal, simple and relatively harmless yeast-form looks like a small white egg, with a relatively consistent, smooth shape, living happily in your gut, essentially keeping to itself, feeding off of the food you eat. However, under the proper conditions, this innocent yeast can mutate and transform into a monstrous super-fungus that rapidly multiplies in its unrelenting quest to colonize as many parts of your body as possible. In fact, in certain areas of your body, if it finds a good food source - it absolutely LOVES sugar - it can double the size of its colony in less than an hour. This mutated fungus-form of Candida (technically called the mycelial-form) grows elongated, finger-like tentacle structures called rhizoids that then tunnel, burrow and bore their way through the walls of your gut, enters your blood stream, and blooms into a systemic infection that can appear in virtually every part of your body including your heart, eyes, kidneys, liver, lungs and even your brain. So next time you hear that you someone you know has a yeast infection, I hope you understand that this is really just a canary in the coal mine and that something much more dangerous and insidious is going on deep inside their tissues. A Broken Sidewalk in Your Belly? Have you ever seen a tree that's growing in or around the sidewalk where the roots of the tree have grown so thick, deep and wide that they have cracked the sidewalk, exposing everything underneath? Well, that's exactly what Candida does once it mutates into its more dangerous super-fungus form. Not only does it slip into your blood stream through these cracks in your gut, but the holes it opens up also allows all sorts of other things into your blood stream that are supposed to be restricted to your gut...things like undigested food, bacteria and other toxins...this is why a Candida overgrowth can make you feel so incredibly lousy and sick. It Can Literally Make You Drunk from the Inside Out... One of the most dangerous aspects of Candida is the by products it releases as part of its own life cycle. In fact, Candida has been found to produce 79 distinct toxins. When the yeast dies in its natural cycle, it releases the toxin acetaldehyde, which is converted into ethanol by the liver. This is the same chemical that leads to hangovers after drinking alcohol! As the Candida infestation continues to grow and more acetaldehyde is produced, your blood alcohol level actually rises, just as if you were drinking alcohol, resulting in symptoms like: brain fog impaired thinking lack of concentration irritability depression slowed reflexes fatigue and more Additionally, red blood cells find it difficult to flow into small capillaries, which can result in fatigue, migraines and muscle aches. In turn, white blood cells have difficulty in fighting infection, which can result in allergies, rashes, acne and slowing of the healing process. Moreover, just as bread rises from yeast due to carbon dioxide production from fermentation of carbohydrates, Candida also produces carbon dioxide in the intestine. The result is persistent gas and bloating. Mainstream Medicine Has it All Wrong... Unfortunately, the treatments that mainstream conventional medicine offer do absolutely nothing to get rid of this insidious yeast overgrowth and in fact can make things work. Topical treatments, creams, oils, lotions and rinses are only marginally effective wherever they are used and don't come close to addressing the systemic, body-wide nature of the infestation. Likewise, the "nuke it" approach of using powerful antifungals, while addressing the system-wide nature of the infestation, again only works temporarily as the remarkably flexible and intelligent yeast eventually develops a resistance to whatever anti-fungal treatment is used. How to Get At the Root Cause... But all is not lost as there is a proven, effective way of getting rid of out-of-control yeast overgrowth problems...one that that fixes the problem for good, once and for all. The REASON the yeast infection develops in the first place is because your body is out of balance in some way, shape or form. Somehow your immune system has been compromised allowing the yeast to flourish unchecked. Well, if that's the reason that the Candida overgrowth developed in the first place, then common sense says that the only way to rid yourself of those nasty little burrowing toxic critters is to re-balance whatever is out of balance and to restore your body's innate immune capacity. If you are plagued by... brain fog bad breath rashes, fatigue trouble concentrating weird allergies strange aches and pains or anything else you can't explain... it's a strong sign that something with your body's terrain has made it far too hospitable for Candida to flourish. To permanently cure yourself of a system-wide or even localized yeast infection, you must create an environment that's both hostile to the yeast and nourishing to your body's own natural healing powers. A Tried-and-True, Tested and Effective Program... Frustrated and at wits end, suffering from constant fatigue, heartburn, stomach cramps and brain fog, a certified nutrition specialist embarked on a 12 year mission to find way to beat Candida for good. After 35,000 hours of research, testing and trying, experimenting to find what works and discarding what didn't, this remarkable woman finally stumbled upon a holistic, multi-dimensional, all-natural approach that ended her yeast overgrowth in less than 2 months. She's decided to share her Candida killing blueprint with others and has compiled an A-to-Z blueprint for exactly what to do and when without resorting to drugs, without creams or lotions and regardless of the severity of the infection. You can read much more about her remarkable solution here as well as her 5 key facts about Candida/yeast infections that EVERYONE must know about before it's too late » I hope you enjoy - remember, do your own homework, use common sense and decide on what's best for you. Warmly, Jonny Bowden The Rogue Nutritionist P.S. Since 2004, over 138,000 people have successfully gone through this program with many of the remarkable and inspiring case studies available for you to read here. Many of these women (and some men), experienced the following benefits: Their external yeast infections were gone within days and often within hours... They became completely free from vaginal, male or oral yeast infections... Thrush, athlete's foot, and other types of skin yeast infections had vanished... Food allergies and digestive disorders like bloating, acid reflux, IBS and LGS had disappeared... They had no more joint pain, muscle aches, migraines, brain fog or blurred vision... They felt lighter, healthier and energetic... Their general health and quality of life had improved... I hope you enjoyed this info from Dr. Jonny. If you'd like additional info about candida cleanse please email info@imagineallergyfree.ca Cheers, Sarah

Shunning Wheat WILL Make You Skinny!

On the evils of wheat

Dr. William Davis on why it is so addictive, and how shunning it will make you skinny

by Kate Fillion on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 9:40am

Jean-Marc Giboux/Getty Images

William Davis, a preventive cardiologist who practises in Milwaukee, Wis., argues in his new book Wheat Belly that wheat is bad for your health—so bad that it should carry a surgeon general’s warning.

Q: You say the crux of the problem with wheat is that the stuff we eat today has been genetically altered. How is it different than the wheat our grandparents ate?

A: First of all, it looks different. If you held up a conventional wheat plant from 50 years ago against a modern, high-yield dwarf wheat plant, you would see that today’s plant is about 2½ feet shorter. It’s stockier, so it can support a much heavier seedbed, and it grows much faster. The great irony here is that the term “genetic modification” refers to the actual insertion or deletion of a gene, and that’s not what’s happened with wheat. Instead, the plant has been hybridized and crossbred to make it resistant to drought and fungi, and to vastly increase yield per acre. Agricultural geneticists have shown that wheat proteins undergo structural change with hybridization, and that the hybrid contains proteins that are found in neither parent plant. Now, it shouldn’t be the case that every single new agricultural hybrid has to be checked and tested, that would be absurd. But we’ve created thousands of what I call Frankengrains over the past 50 years, using pretty extreme techniques, and their safety for human consumption has never been tested or even questioned.

Q: What extreme techniques are you talking about?

A: New strains have been generated using what the wheat industry proudly insists are “traditional breeding techniques,” though they involve processes like gamma irradiation and toxins such as sodium azide. The poison control people will tell you that if someone accidentally ingests sodium azide, you shouldn’t try to resuscitate the person because you could die, too, giving CPR. This is a highly toxic chemical.

Q: Can’t you just get around any potential health concerns by buying products made with organically grown wheat?

A: No, because the actual wheat plant itself is the same. It’s almost as if we’ve put lipstick on this thing and called it organic and therefore good, when the truth is, it’s really hardly any better at all.

Q: A lot of us have switched to whole wheat products because we’ve been told complex carbohydrates are heart healthy and good for us. Are you saying that’s not true?

A: The research that indicates whole grains are healthy is all conducted the same way: white flour is replaced with whole wheat flour, which, no question, is better for you. But taking something bad and replacing it with something less bad is not the same as research that directly compares what happens to health and weight when you eliminate wheat altogether. There’s a presumption that consuming a whole bunch of the less bad thing must be good for you, and that’s just flawed logic. An analogy would be to say that filtered cigarettes are less bad for you than unfiltered cigarettes, and therefore, a whole bunch of filtered cigarettes is good for you. It makes no sense. But that is the rationale for increasing our consumption of whole grains, and that combined with the changes in wheat itself is a recipe for creating a lot of fat and unhealthy people.

Q: How does wheat make us fat, exactly?

A: It contains amylopectin A, which is more efficiently converted to blood sugar than just about any other carbohydrate, including table sugar. In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does. And then, after about two hours, your blood sugar plunges and you get shaky, your brain feels foggy, you’re hungry. So let’s say you have an English muffin for breakfast. Two hours later you’re starving, so you have a handful of crackers, and then some potato chips, and your blood sugar rises again. That cycle of highs and lows just keeps going throughout the day, so you’re constantly feeling hungry and constantly eating. Dieticians have responded to this by advising that we graze throughout the day, which is just nonsense. If you eliminate wheat from your diet, you’re no longer hungry between meals because you’ve stopped that cycle. You’ve cut out the appetite stimulant, and consequently you lose weight very quickly. I’ve seen this with thousands of patients.

Q: But I’m not overweight and I exercise regularly. So why would eating whole wheat bread be bad for me?

A: You can trigger effects you don’t perceive. Small low-density lipoprotein [LDL] particles form when you’re eating lots of carbohydrates, and they are responsible for atherosclerotic plaque, which in turn triggers heart disease and stroke. So even if you’re a slender, vigorous, healthy person, you’re still triggering the formation of small LDL particles. And second, carbohydrates increase your blood sugars, which cause this process of glycation, that is, the glucose modification of proteins. If I glycate the proteins in my eyes, I get cataracts. If I glycate the cartilage of my knees and hips, I get arthritis. If I glycate small LDL, I’m more prone to atherosclerosis. So it’s a twofold effect. And if you don’t start out slender and keep eating that fair trade, organically grown whole wheat bread that sounds so healthy, you’re repeatedly triggering high blood sugars and are going to wind up with more visceral fat. This isn’t just what I call the wheat belly that you can see, flopping over your belt, but the fat around your internal organs. And as visceral fat accumulates, you risk responses like diabetes and heart disease.

Q: You seem to be saying that aside from anything else, wheat is essentially the single cause of the obesity epidemic.

A: I wouldn’t go so far as to say that all obesity is due to wheat. There are kids, of course, who drink Coca-Cola and sit in front of video games for many hours a day. But I’m speaking to the relatively health-minded people who think they’re doing the right thing by limiting fat consumption and eating more whole grains, and there’s a clear subset of people who are doing that and gaining weight and don’t understand why. It causes tremendous heartache. They come into my office and say, “I exercise five times a week, I’ve cut my fat intake, I watch portion size and eat my whole grains—but I’ve gone up three dress sizes.”

Q: You write that wheat is “addictive,” but does it really meet the criteria for addiction we’d use when talking about, say, drugs?

A: National Institutes of Health researchers showed that gluten-derived polypeptides can cross into the brain and bind to the brain’s opiate receptors. So you get this mild euphoria after eating a product made with whole wheat. You can block that effect [in lab animals] by administering the drug naloxone. This is the same drug that you’re given if you’re a heroin addict; it’s an opiate blocker. About three months ago, a drug company applied to the FDA to commercialize naltrexone, which is an oral equivalent to naloxone. And it works, apparently, it blocks the pleasurable feelings you get from eating wheat so people stop eating so much. In clinical trials, people lost about 22.4 lb. in the first six months. Why, if you’re not a drug addict, do you need something like that? And of course there’s another option, which is to cut wheat out of your diet. However, and this is another argument for classifying wheat as addictive, people can experience some pretty unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Q: For how long?

A: Generally about five days. And once you’re through withdrawal, your cravings subside, your calorie intake decreases and your alertness and overall health improve.

Q: So do you believe food manufacturers are putting wheat into more and more food products, not just bread and crackers, because it’s addictive and stimulates appetite?

A: These are not stupid people. The research showing that wheat stimulates appetite didn’t come from some little alternative health practitioner. It comes from the NIH. It stretches credibility to believe they have no awareness of the evidence.

Q: If there’s all this evidence, why does the government encourage us to “eat healthy” by upping our consumption of whole grains?

A: That’s the million-dollar question. Wheat is so linked to human habit, it’s 20 per cent of all calories consumed by humans worldwide, that I think there was the presumption, “Gee, humans have consumed this for thousands of years, so what’s the problem?” I don’t think the misguided advice to eat more whole grains came from evil intentions.

Q: Wheat is a huge industry. What do you say to all the farmers who grow it?

A: To me, it’s reminiscent of tobacco farmers, who would say, “Look, I’m just trying to make a living and feed my family.” Nevertheless, tobacco is incredibly harmful and kills people. It could turn out that if we wind back the clock 100 or 1,000 years, and resurrect einkorn or some of the heritage forms of wheat, maybe that would be a solution. Of course, wheat products would then be much more expensive. Instead of a $4 loaf of bread, maybe it would cost $7 when grown with a heritage wheat. To me, it’s similar to free range eggs or organic beef 20 years ago. Everyone said, “No one will pay a premium for those.” But people do. And when it comes to wheat, my main goal is to inform people, including farmers, that the prevailing notion that cutting fat and eating whole grains will make you healthy is not only wrong, it’s destructive.

So guys, this article is an dramatic illustration of why we shouldn't eat wheat...give it a try and see how you feel!

Sarah

Environmental Sensitivities vs. Allergies

I happened upon this article in Alive magazine October 2011 while at the gym the other day. If you think you suffer with sensitivities but have been told you don't have allergies, take a look:

Environmental Sensitivities

An invisible disability

by Nicole Gottselig

Headaches, wheezing, skin flushing, and blurred vision—these are just some of the symptoms people with an environmental sensitivity may experience.
Triggered by something as common as vehicle exhaust fumes wafting through the car window in rush hour traffic, these symptoms may take hours or even days to subside.
For the approximately 1 million Canadians diagnosed with environmental sensitivities, symptoms range from mild to disabling.
What are environmental sensitivities?
Although there is no standard definition of environmental sensitivities, it typically describes the variety of adverse symptoms and reactions some people have to perfumes, fabric softeners, dust, vehicle exhaust, molds, and fluorescent lighting, among others.
Environmental sensitivities may develop suddenly after exposure to an isolated environmental incident, or they may develop slowly over time and by more than one cause.
The condition is often misunderstood and commonly believed to be psychosomatic. However, a study from Japan debunked this myth, showing that patients with a condition called multiple chemical sensitivity—an aspect of environmental sensitivities—did not have somatic and psychological symptoms in chemical-free conditions, and symptoms were only experienced when exposed to chemicals.
Common physical symptoms
People with environmental sensitivities may experience any number of the following symptoms:

• heightened sense of smell
• headaches
• difficulty concentrating or remembering
• lack of coordination or balance
• stuffy nose, blocked ears
• coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
• blurred vision
• heartburn, nausea, bloating
• fatigue, lethargy
• joint and muscle pain
• rapid or irregular heartbeat
• flushing, hives, eczema

What triggers them?
Chemical levels that are considered too low to cause harmful effects to most people may trigger adverse symptoms in someone with environmental sensitivities. Sources that trigger symptoms can be challenging to pinpoint and may vary from person to person.
Common triggers

• paints, varnishes, glues
• perfumes, personal care products, air fresheners
• household cleaning products and detergents
• furniture, carpets
• vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, wood smoke
• molds or bacteria in structures or ventilation systems
• fluorescent light bulbs
• video display screens
• noise

A recognized disability
Disabilities are often thought of as conditions with a physical impairment that we can see. In general, someone with environmental sensitivities may look fine because we can’t see the symptoms. It is, therefore, considered an invisible disability.
The Canadian Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. However, it wasn’t until 2007 that the Canadian Human Rights Commission issued a policy recognizing environmental sensitivities as disability—a victory for those suffering with the condition.
The policy encourages employers to accommodate people with environmental sensitivities with strategies to minimize symptom triggers. Such strategies include passing fragrance-free policies, reducing chemical use, and notifying workers in advance of upcoming remodelling and construction.
Prevent and cope
Individuals, too, can take steps toward a chemical-free living and work space and avoid exposure to triggers (see sidebar).
Once the trigger has been removed, it’s important to cleanse the body of toxins that have accumulated. Several natural approaches may help to eliminate toxins from your system.

• Drink plenty of purified water to lower your exposure to water-based contaminants.
• Engage in regular physical exercise, which may speed up the elimination of toxins.
• Try a regular or infrared sauna to relax and detoxify the body.
• Consult your health care practitioner about natural cleansing options with diets, herbs, and supplements.

Additionally, mind-body exercises such as prayer and meditation may ease symptoms and improve quality of life. Adequate sleep, diet, and support from family and friends may also help to cope with uncomfortable symptoms.
If you think you may have environmental sensitivities, it is important to consult your health care practitioner to get the treatment and support you need.

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Environmental sensitivities vs. allergies
Although symptoms of environmental sensitivities may appear similar to those of allergies, they are different because only true allergies trigger the immune system to produce antibodies targeted to a specific allergen. For example, when someone with environmental sensitivities is exposed to low levels of the chemical formaldehyde the symptoms may be similar to allergies—hives, red eyes, and runny nose—however, the antibodies are not present in the body.

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Where to learn more?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation offers useful and reader-friendly information and tips for fixing household issues such as humidity, mold, and ventilation. cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/co_001.cfm
The Invisible Disabilities Association of Canada is a nonprofit group that provides support and information to people with environmental sensitivities and other invisible disabilities. nsnet.org/idacan
The Environmental Health Association of Quebec is a nonprofit organization that provides services and support for people with environmental sensitivities. aeha-quebec.ca
The Green Vacation Hub provides tips and accommodation listings for travellers with allergies and environmental sensitivities. greenvacationhub.com

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Clean living and working
Here are some helpful tips for reducing environmental irritants at home, at work, and while travelling.
Home

• Use scent-free and biodegradable cleaning products.
• Use organic gardening methods instead of pesticides.
• Avoid plug-in air fresheners or deodorizers; instead try an aromatherapy room mist of lavender, eucalyptus, or peppermint.
• Take your shoes off before entering your home to avoid bringing in dirt and possible contaminants.

Work

• Use natural, nonflickering light in your workspace.
• Situate your workspace away from photocopiers, fax machines, and printers to keep noise and electromagnetic radiation at bay.
• Hang up your jacket in a closet that is designated for nonsmokers.
• Take short breaks throughout the day to access fresh air.

Travel

• Check with your hotel to make sure your accommodation is smoke free and to see if there is an option for fragrance-free cleaning or laundry products in your room.
• Ensure the room is not near or above busy urban streets with traffic congestion to avoid vehicle exhaust fumes entering the room.
• Bring a supply of immune-boosting supplements such as vitamin C, probiotics, and astragalus to take while you are away, as travelling can be stressful on the body and being rundown may exacerbate symptoms.

About the Author

Nicole Gottselig is a freelance writer in Vancouver.

The BIE method can eliminate all symptoms so please let me know if you'd like some help in managing your symptoms.

Cheers!

Sarah

ADD and ADHD Defined

Find out more about ADD and ADHD here from Coach Poliquin:

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Cheers,

Sarah

Vitalize Your Brain: Essential Supplements for ADHD

There are many helpful nutritional modifications that can help with the symptoms of ADHD. I am able to muscle test these supplements to determine suitability for your and use my natural, painless method of BIE to help with various other challenges and sensitivities that affect people with ADHD. Please let me know if you have any questions about the article, supplements or other methods that can help bring the body back to homeostasis.

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Cheers,

Sarah Mulaner
(905)483-1024

Going Gluten Free

We'll start here with Coach Poliquin, more info to come over the next few weeks. If you think you may be gluten-intolerant (you probably are!) then please read on:

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Cheers,

Sarah

Probiotics for Immunity: Options to the Flu Shot

Now is the time of year when many of us start thinking about ways to improved our immunity. There are many well-documented herbals that can assist with general resistance to illness and that improve immunity and gut health. Click below to read about how probiotics can help:

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Cheers,

Sarah

Tools: How Does Coaching Help with ADD?

How does coaching help with ADD

When I say ADD most people get a picture in their minds of a hyperactive school boy, climbing the walls and acting out. While most people do know that people with ADHD have hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, they don’t always know that it can be so much more subtle than that.

ADD shows up in varying degrees, in-fact no two ADD-ers are alike. We don’t all suffer with hyper-activeness, or impulsivity, in fact some of us can be way over at the other end of that energy spectrum. We may be inattentive only, or a combination of symptoms, which makes it sometimes difficult to diagnose ourselves. Also another facet that clouds the facts is that so many of the traits of ADD are common to all of us at one time or another. Have a look here at some of the traits

ADD-ers have problems with;

Sustained focus, organization, time management, self-regulation, procrastination, black & white thinking, perfectionism, impulse control, self-awareness, working memory, short term memory, emotional outbursts.

The fact is- all of us forget from time to time. Or procrastinate, or miss an appointment, or let our paper work pile up. So how do we know when our problems step over that line into an actual disorder?

I like to say you can define it by both degrees and impact.

For example, if you do all of those things just occasionally, and it has little or no impact on your life, career, school or family then I would say that by definition, it’s not a problem. If however you are constantly dealing with these issues and it does impact your life, then it has now stepped across that line into a problem for you.

ADHD can be devastating if it is undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to a whole host of other issues, like; Addiction, depression, failed marriages and careers, money issues, failing grades, lost friendships and low self- esteem. However, if it is properly diagnosed and treated, all of the challenges and traits can be overcome or managed.

When people come to me for coaching, they are usually at the end of their rope, and they’re often in some kind of crisis. Their children may be about to be suspended from school or failing with their grades, or they may be facing the prospect of losing their job. Or maybe they are stuck in a career they hate, and they are just overwhelmed, all the time. They are typically just getting through their day, surviving, rather than thriving. They have often, sadly given up on dreams or goals because it’s too hard to get there and just getting through the day takes up all of their energy.

So how does ADD coaching help? Well unlike talk therapy, coaching is a partnership and generally our focus is on the now and the future, as a coach I use my coaching skills to help to bring self- awareness and self- regulation, and by reflecting back to you what I see and hear, I also give you some accountability, and we work together to make sure that it is set up in a way that works best for you.

We also look at the systems for your life, to find ADD friendly ways to organize your time, stuff and thoughts etc.

We systematically go through your obstacles and find out what’s blocking you and together we find processes to put in place that help eliminate or minimise those obstacles. We also stay in touch in-between sessions to help remind you of your goals, and to tweak here and there when things aren’t working for you.

From a practical stand point, I may help you to set up accommodations at your school or work place that help you to do better. I may help you find ADD friendly systems to organize your time, home or work life, or to make your schedule more predictable. I can help you to find ways to deal with that mountain of paper work, or else we can find ways to change your life so you do not have to procrastinate. In other words we tailor the coaching to fit your specific needs and challenges

I believe in staying flexible about how I coach so that I can respond to my client’s needs, this isn’t common to all life coaching, but this is crucial for ADD clients. This may mean, home visits, tele-coaching, Skype calls, emails and texts or I.M. in-between sessions to help keep you on track.

Coaching has been proven in the last decade to make a considerable difference to ADHD-ers lives. All the experts in the field now know that although medication or other therapies can offer some or a lot of relief, pills don’t teach skills. At the end of the day it’s proven again and again in studies that a multi-modal approach is the key ingredient in order to achieve sustained success.

Multi-modal simply means combining treatments, such as medication and cognitive behaviour therapy, or medication and coaching, or exercise, diet, nutrition and coaching.

Either way the upshot of it all is that what you do about your ADD depends on what you want to get out of life. The more you would like to achieve, the more support you are going to need. Coaching isn’t however a crutch, most clients complete about 3- 6 months before they are able to begin to coach themselves. After that, dropping in for a session only as and when needed.

If you are curious about coaching and would like to learn more to see if it could work for you, most coaches give a free Discovery or consultation/coaching session. That way you can ask all your questions, find out if coaching would really benefit your situation and see if it’s a good fit for you.

Diane O’Reilly ACG is a professional ADHD coach, who trained at the ADDCA coaching academy, NY. She is also a member of the ACO (ADHD coaches organization,) CADDAC (the Canadian centre of ADHD advocacy) and practices in Oakville.

You can find out more about Diane at www.indigotreecoaching.com. 905 599 2485 and e.m diane@indigotreecoaching.com

The Meat and Testosterone Connection

Over the last number of months I've had many clients asking about the importance of protein intake. Many women don't intake enough, some clients are vegetarian. Please take a look at this article to find out more about the hormonal connection related to meat consumption:

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Cheers,

Sarah

Step-Ups: An Excellent Exercise for Leg Shape

Coach Poliquin shares a super exercise for functional strength to balance out development for maximum performance.

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Add this in with your regular leg routine and notice excellent changes in your leg shape, strength and stability.

Cheers,

Sarah

ACE Article: Kids in Motion

Check out this article from ACE to keep your kids fit:

Kids in Motion

By the time they reach high school, 64% of children are no longer physically active. Why?

If your kids fall within this group, you don’t have to sadly shake your head. You can set a good example, be a role model and do the right things so your kids will, too.

Get off the couch and get on a bike with your kids. Introduce them to exercise that’s fun. Eat healthy. Instead of high-calorie foods and snacks, turn to fruits and other healthy foods. And once you get kids moving in the direction of fitness, chances are they’ll keep going for the rest of their lives.

Start ‘em Young

Becoming a healthy adult starts with being a healthy child. Many chronic diseases of adulthood have their beginnings in childhood. For example, it is important for kids to build strong bones, so that by the time they’re in their 20s, their peak bone density will be higher and their risk of osteoporosis will be decreased.

There are also childhood diseases that can easily be prevented by proper diet and physical activity. Children can suffer from diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure—these aren’t just adult ailments.

An hour of physical activity per day is recommended for children. It is also recommended that screen time (TV and computer time) be limited to two hours per day. Children who are fit can avoid the above health problems. They also do better in physical-performance tests. They have a stronger self-image, more self-confidence, less anxiety and stress and they demonstrate greater improvement in skill- and health-related fitness.

When you consider the facts, it makes good sense to encourage physical activity when your children are young. Parents, teachers and fitness professionals all have a role to play. Each can help kids think positively about exercise and motivate them to make regular physical activity a lifetime pursuit.

Mom and Dad Are the Best Motivators

As a parent, it’s up to you to play the biggest part—bigger than a teacher, more important than a fitness professional. Your children look to you for examples on how to talk, dress, act and lead a physically active—or inactive—life.

Set a good example for your kids. Instead of spending the evening in front of the television, find some activity that will keep you moving. In warm weather, bike outdoors. If it’s too cold, get a stationary bike, a treadmill or a trampoline.

And it’s never too late or too early to help your kids build strength and endurance. Push-ups and pull-ups are an excellent way to build upper-body strength. Jungle gyms and monkey bars are great for kids because they utilize their own body weight. And they’re loads of fun.

Make sure your kids have the proper protective equipment, such as helmets and knee, elbow and wrist pads. Also make sure the athletic equipment they’re using is the proper size for them. You wouldn’t want to swing a bat as tall as you, so buy equipment to fit each child.

Keep in mind that kids are not always naturally limber and that their muscles may be tight and vulnerable to injury during the growth spurts that occur during the elementary years. Be sure to include stretching as a part of your fitness activities.

Make sure that you concentrate on the positive aspects of exercise. It’s a chance for a family to be together, to share good times and have fun. Avoid competition, discipline and embarrassment—things that can turn good times into moments of dread. Praise your children for trying. Encourage their interest in other sports and other activities, which will help them take ownership of their fitness.

It’s Really up to You

You can’t tell kids that being active is fun. You have to show them. So take your kids hiking, biking, dancing, sledding, swimming and in-line skating. Skip rope or shoot baskets with them.

Plan outings and activities that involve walking, like a trip to the zoo or the park, a nature trail hike or even a walk through the mall. Remember: If you want your kids to be healthy, happy teens and adults, it’s up to you to do something about it.

Additional Resources

ACE’s Guide to Youth Strength Training DVD
American Council on Exercise—Youth Fitness by Avery Faigenbaum & Wayne Westcott

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Healthy Youth!: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/physicalactivity/index.htm
American Heart Association—Exercise (Physical Activity) and Children: www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4596

Omega-3′s Reduce Stroke Severity

Dr. Johnny re-enforces the fact that Omega 3s are very helpful for many health issues.

Omega-3′s Reduce Stroke Severity

Cheers,

Sarah

Wheaties: Breakfast of Champions?

There are many reasons to choose a protein based breakfast, see the research below for the facts comparing cereal with protein as a start to the day:

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Sarah

DIM: The Cancer Fighter

See more here:
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Cheers,

Sarah

NSAID's: The Real Truth

Dr. Robert Silverman shares his knowledge with us at the Poliquin Strength Institure in Rhode Island, June 2011.

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Please ask me about which neutraceuticals might be best for your situation (i.e. post-surgical/post-injury, arthritic inflammation, etc.).

Cheers,

Sarah

Build a Better Beach Body: Part 2

More tips for best results:

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Sarah

Build a Better Beach Body: Part 1

Top tips to look your best:

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Sarah

Fish Oil Builds Muscle, Burns Fat!

Even more reasons to supplement with fish oil:

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Sarah

Breakfast of Champions: New Research

What does the research have to say about the ideal breakfast? Click here to find out:

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Sarah

The Meat and Nut Breakfast

Click below to see why this unconventional breakfast is worth trying:

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Cheers,

Sarah

German Body Composition Program

If you're looking for the fastest way to lost bodyfat, you've come to the right place. Charles Poliquin's German Body Composition program is the source, get ready:

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More details about the program soon, are you curious?

Sarah

Lose 20-60lb or more in 20-60 days!!! hCG WORKS!

I've recently seen a friend of mine drop 40lb in 6 weeks and I want to help others do the same. I was skeptical when I first heard about the hCG diet, it's a very low calorie diet (VLCD) that helps people who have a large weight loss goal accomplish what they need to in the short term and helps set them up for long term success.

The drops are used for 26 days (lose 20-30lb), 43 days (lose 30-40lb) or up to 60 days in a cycle (lose 35-60lb). This is done in strict adherence to a specific diet based on the work of Dr. Simeons.

Keep in mind, with the Imagine Fitness program you will be supported with regular meetings to accurately track your progress and keep you motivated to stay on track. You'll need support to stick to it, but we can help you and you will see amazing result! Also, injections are NOT required, our program uses sub-lingual drops 6 times per day. Painless, simple and super effective for those who need to see immediate results to stay on track. This program works best for clients who need to lose at least 20lb up to 50lb or more in 60 days (that's only 2 months!).

Check out this link to see what's being said about hCG:

http://youtu.be/3_vzMkD3xzE

The hCG diet is balanced, unlike many extreme "fad" diets out there. It consists of a healthy variety of protein, vegetables and fruit, with a small amount of starch. You eat them in specific portions and combinations as outlined by Dr. Simeons.

• Allowed proteins are veal (low grade), beef (95% lean whole cuts), chicken breast (boneless, skinless), crab, crayfish, lobster, shrimp, and any fresh, white-fleshed fish.
• Allowed vegetables are asparagus, beet greens, cabbage, celery, chard, chicory greens, cucumber, fennel, green salad, onion, red radishes, spinach, and tomato.
• Allowed fruits are apples, strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit. Limited starches include grissini (breadstick) or Melba toast. Vegetarian protein substitutions (may slow weight loss) are a protein shake, soy patty, egg (1 whole + 3 egg whites), cottage cheese or fat-free milk.
  

What foods are permitted on the hCG diet?

At least 2 litres of water each day.

Tea and black coffee in unlimited quantities are also permitted.

According to Dr. Simeons protocol, only Stevia, Xylitol or saccarin should be used for sweeteners.

In addition to that, 500 calories each day is made up of the following:

Breakfast:

1 grisini or fat free melba toast and choice of 1 fruit (such as apple, orange, 1/2 grapefruit, or 6 large strawberries)

Lunch and Dinner:

100 grams of very low fat beef, veal, chicken, white fish, lobster, or shrimp, and 100 grams of one of the following vegetables - onion, tomato, celery, cucumber, spinach, or green lettuce (there are more protein and vegetable options listed on the actual directions)

Snack:

1 grisini or fat free melba toast and choice of 1 fruit (listed above).

It is ideal to vary your fruit, vegetable and protein sources daily, rather than eat the same foods each meal or each day. It is also recommended to eat your fruit at least 6 hours apart.

If you would like more information about our new hCG program that's supported with our accurate fat loss tracking program please e-mail results@imaginefitness.ca

Cheers!

Sarah

Allergic to Pets? Try BIE!

Reactions to Pets? Consider BIE

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I was recently speaking with a client who mentioned that she would absolutely LOVE to have a pet. A cat, a dog, she wasn’t picky – she has even considered a ferret. I thought maybe she chose not to have one because she worked long hours, or maybe she didn’t want the mess of animal hair. Perhaps she was worried about her new hardwood floors?
I was shocked to hear her say that she “couldn’t” have a pet because of allergies! I’ve had close friends over the years that’ve grudgingly come over to my cat-friendly home, taking their anti-histamines prior to their visit.
There is a great alternative that is 100% natural, painless, quick, no needles, no drugs – it’s called BIE.
I’m a cat person, so naturally I choose to have cats in my home. I’ve recently taken in a foster-cat with her brand new babies, and a few weeks later found a few more kittens looking for a new home outside my in-laws’ house. Come on over…why not? I have the space and a little boy who has had a wonderful experience interacting with newborn kittens.
There have been times in the past where I have been unable to have a pet; when my boy was little and I didn’t have the energy, or when we lived in an apartment and I couldn’t spare the space. Now we have several extra rooms and we love having new furry friends to share our home. Now, our second foster is about to have her kittens, who knows how many!
To think that all of this may not have been possible due of allergies is unthinkable.
Regardless of how long you’ve tolerated your pet allergy symptoms through medication, or whether your symptoms are a new and unwelcome visitor (due to stress, perhaps?), BIE can help.
Living in the basin between Hamilton and Toronto, we are exposed to a staggering number of allergens which we refer to as "stressors". There are varying levels of sensitivities from the well-known stuffy nose and watery eyes to the more subtle symptoms of itchy skin, weight gain or sleep disorders.
There are many factors involved in allergies and sensitivities including stress, sleep, environmental exposure and foods. Holistic BIE practitioners help clients manage all of these aspects to live symptom free.
Testing is done using a non-invasive, painless method called “muscle testing” where the body tells us whether it reacts or not to the specific item being tested.
We can test people of any age: infants, children, adults, the elderly and even animals.
Muscle testing is very accurate and can tell us much about the state of the body. Bio-energetic intolerance elimination (or BIE) is how we help the body to recognize the stressor and to no longer respond in an reactive manner. A painless electrical current is applied to various acupuncture points to allow the body to achieve homeostasis where it no longer views the stressor as such and the related symptoms are eliminated. Relief is experienced immediately, no needles, no drugs.
Many of these symptoms can be related to stressors:

• Headaches/migraines
• Arthritis
• Digestive disorders
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Constipation/diarrhea
• Gas/bloating
• Depression/mood swings
• Weight gain/inability to lose weight
• Learning disabilities/memory loss
• Many other symptoms that may not seem to be related

My friend of 20 plus years has seen me for treatment, and her symptoms are gone! The same friend who “couldn’t” have pets is now the proud owner of a Cocker Spaniel, and she loves him!
I’ve recently begun treating pets for their stressors, too. Often pets experience “hot spots”, skin rash/irritation, digestive upset/diarrhea and various other symptoms due to stressors. Our painless testing is done with the pet owner (we need your help) and we can uncover food reactions, as well as symptoms related to grasses, pollens, moulds and much more.
Your pet can’t talk, but BIE is a quick way to determine and eliminate their stressors as well. You don’t have to suffer and neither does your pet, let me know if I can help.
Sarah Mulaner is President of Imagine Allergy Wellness specializing in holistic symptom elimination and hormonal fat loss. She has offices in Oakville and Burlington and is actively involved in volunteering with the Oakville Humane Society. Sarah has been involved in the wellness industry for 20 years and is passionate about helping clients achieve the energy and vitality they deserve. Please visit www.imagineallergyfree.ca, e-mail info@imagineallergyfree.ca or call (905)483-1024 to find out more about her natural symptom elimination and other wellness programs.
Please see additional posts from Brandon Forder at Canadian Pet Connection here:
http://www.canadianpetconnection.com/blog/