Content about Health

02.28.10

A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.
-Chinese proverb

An elderly man sits back against the down of his pillow and opens his eyes. The sparkle next to his bed causes him to turn. His young granddaughter sat quietly, waiting to bid her last good-byes. She smiles as he watches her. He could see that she had a question so he reached over and patted her hand. The young girl finally spoke, “Poppa, I was just wondering, why are you, you? What should I remember?”

02.28.10

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of food. When I was 6 years old and living with my family in suburban Toronto my parents sold everything we owned and bought a 27’ Shepherd Cruiser. The family (including my 3 year old sister and 8 year old brother) moved aboard in early spring. We spent the next few of months traveling through the Intracoastal Waterways with a short ocean crossing from Florida to Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island where we settled for a few years.

02.28.10

Understanding Diabetes

The term diabetes is one that is used to describe a wide range of conditions revolving around the body’s ability to appropriately manage blood glucose levels. Some involve a decrease in the body’s ability to produce insulin, which decreases blood glucose levels, while others involve a body’s inability to respond appropriately to insulin when it is released. They may be autoimmune, a result of a genetic predisposition, or secondary to diet and lifestyle but though they are all quite different, the many potential complications of diabetes are all related to one thing: poorly controlled blood glucose levels. Diabetes continues to become an ever-evolving problem, as it is predicted that 1 in 4 people born today in the U.S.A. will develop diabetes in their lifetime. It may be shocking but more importantly, it should be an indication of the role we must play in protecting future generations from this disease.

01.30.10

5 Must Have Supplements For Every Sports Enthusiast

Whether you’re a high performance athlete like Emily Brydon and her fellow athletes competing in the Olympics this month, or someone that simply enjoys being active, there are a variety of supplements that can help to maximize performance while minimizing the risk and repercussions associated with injury. None of these supplements will substitute for clean water, good sleep, a well-balanced diet and stretching before and after a workout, but they can give your training and performance a boost.

01.30.10

Bridging the Gap

“The world is a book and all those who don’t travel only read one page”. –St. Augustine

During a recent self-examination I realized that I am not yet ready to make life-changing decisions. The reader may interject. “You’re only sixteen! The only decisions you make are whether or not to eat Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes for breakfast!”

01.30.10

Get Inspired by the Olympics

The Olympics are an amazing display of fitness, health, determination, and talent (Go Emily!). You get to witness the elite excel in sports you may have tried yourself over the years. Hopefully you can use their inspiring stories to your advantage by being motivated to get back into sport. Here are a few tips to get you started.

12.30.09

Feeling Comfortable in the Gym

For many people the gym can be daunting. Common excuses include not being a gym person, not feeling fit enough, too many people, the age demographic, not feeling like they know what they are doing, or feeling like people are watching them.

12.30.09

FSS's International Flare

The date is September 2, and I am sitting in the Cranbrook airport nervously awaiting a sister I’ve never before met. Little do I know what an amazing impact she and others like her will have on my school, my community and myself.

12.30.09

January Immune System Boost

It’s winter, it’s dark, it’s cold, and we’ve all just come out of a season of excess only to be faced with numerous viral enemies: flu viruses, cold viruses, stomach viruses…and the list goes on. With few exceptions, most winter illnesses are the result of viruses, not bacteria and thus are immune to antibiotics.

11.26.09

Dealing with Sore Muscles

The first day of the ski season is usually followed by sore muscles. Even those of us who have trained diligently at the gym to get ready for the winter season often find muscle soreness after day one on the slopes, though usually for a much smaller duration. Here are a few tips to help you out.

11.26.09

In the Pursuit of Happiness

Last Remembrance day I attended an amazing presentation by Eva Olsson on the subject of the Jewish Holocaust during the Second World War. Her stories impressed me because I guess I hadn’t realized the depth that prejudice can reach.

10.27.09

Stress and Adrenal Glands

“Adrenal fatigue” is a condition that, although addressed by many naturopathic doctors, is not frequently treated by conventional practitioners. “True” adrenal disease is not often diagnosed until the adrenal glands are either in failure or there are noticeable tissue changes. Adrenal failure is also known as Addison’s disease, and typically is the result of autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex causing a halting in the production of the hormones generated by the adrenal gland.

09.27.09

Fernie's 100 Miles

In recent years, there is increasing knowledge and awareness about eating locally grown food. Not only does this effort help build more locally based, self-reliant food economies, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions released from the production, packing, processing, transport, preparation and waste of food.