Wake Up and Smell the Secrets to a Healthy Coffee

How do you take your coffee? (Fyi, this excludes specialty coffees.)
“triple, triple”
“double, double”
“2 milks, 2 sugars”
“2 sugars, 1 cream”
“1 cream, 1 sugar”
“2 sugars, 1 milk”
“1 sugar, 1 milk”
“1 sugar, 2 milks”
“black”
“3 creams”

…you get the idea.

I love coffee. In fact, one cup a day is necessary. According to the Coffee Association of Canada, research shows, from their 2013 Canadian Coffee Drinking Study, that approximately “two-thirds of adult Canadians (65%) consumed coffee in the past day” and coffee drinkers consume on average, “3.2 cups of coffee per day”. So where am I going with this? As a regular consumer, it is important to think about what you are putting in your coffee, as the condiments available are not always the healthiest, which are:

•       white sugar
•       creamers
•       2% milk
•       artificial sweeteners

So what are the alternatives?

You can substitute creamers and 2% milk with:

• soy milk: according to the Association of Dieticians of Canada, it helps with heart health, and breast cancer prevention.
• almond milk: is low in calories compared to other milk substitutes and contains some heart-healthy monounsaturated fat according to Dr. Weil.
• skim milk: contains lower calories than other milks.

You can substitute white sugar/artificial sweeteners with:

• cinnamon: which helps reduce inflammation, has antioxidant effects, and fights bacteria according to WebMD.
• stevia: can help with weight loss, high blood pressure and heartburn.
• nutmeg: has antioxidant properties according to Dr. Weil.

Optional, you can try adding a teaspoon of protein powder, such as Vega One Nutritional Shake, french vanilla flavour powder, which contains protein, fibre, omega-3, antioxidants and probiotics.

Next time you drink coffee, consider the condiment alternatives. Even though condiment portions are little, they add up, if you drink at least one cup a day! What coffee condiments do you use as an alternative?

3 Foam Roller Moves that can Remove Muscle Knots

Have you ever gone to the gym and seen one of these?

When you see people rolling around at the gym, do you have an idea of what this is used for?

First off, this is called a foam roller. So what can you do with it? Well, it has a lot of benefits; some people call it your “portable masseuse” because it can act like a cheap massage. It is great for stretching after running or a cardio workout, which in tandem can help reduce inflammation, scar tissue and joint stress. In addition, it can help with improved circulation and flexibility.

So where can you buy it? I got mine from Winners for $14, but you can also find them at your nearest Walmart, Target, or Shoppers Drug Mart store and they typically range from $12-$30 dollars.

So how do you use it? Here are three EASY moves you can incorporate in your workout regime, whether it’s after a workout or at work, to stretch out those muscles!

To help with stretching out your back, you can follow this video:

To help with loosening your quadriceps, follow this video:

I personally love this move, because you can really feel the difference, after 2-3 repetitions.

And lastly, a very common move, to help with your abductors or inner thighs, follow this video:

 

For each move, roll against your tight knots, on the targeted muscle, for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times, and the slower you roll, the more you will feel the stretch.

There are a few things to remember when using your foam roller (Source from: Gypsy Fit)…

1. Avoid rolling over bony areas.
2. Take some extra time directly over any knots or do trigger point yourself on the area.
3. Always stretch the area following foam rolling.

If you use the foam roller, what are your favourite moves?

5-Minute Workouts, to Get You in Shape for Spring

Are you too busy to workout? With competing demands from work, school, housekeeping chores, visits with family, birthdays, spending quality time (if you can) with your significant other, the list goes on…so, where does “gym” fit into the picture? Everyday, I’m finding it harder and harder to make time, as my list of commitments continue to expand. So, I’ve decided to give myself the challenge, to devote FIVE minutes, everyday (Monday to Friday), to do some active conditioning and cardio. Here are five workout videos I have researched, that are high intensity workouts, that will help burn calories, improve your cardio and conditioning, in the shortest amount of time. I challenge YOU to join me in taking care of your physical health.

So your homework (and mine too!), to keep fit, starting NOW, is:

1. Favourite these videos, so they are ready to play on your mobile phone or ipad.
2. Schedule in your calendar (with an alarm) a set time you will do these workouts. Early mornings are best for killing calories; so 6:30am or 7:00am, it is! Put it in your calendar now.
3. When commuting to/from work, always choose to take the stairs. Unless you are on the 14th floor 😉
4. Walk more and use less cabs.
5. Refrain from eating sweets, and drinking juice or pop. If you crave it, try adding fruit to your water, such as pineapple, lemon or strawberries to add flavour to your water (it’s delicious!).
6. Take regular walks during the day. If you sit at a desk all day, get up every 30 minutes; a chiropractor told me this will help mitigate from lower back and neck pains.
7. And as always, drink 8 glasses of water every day.
8. To complete the videos, you will need; a pair of dumbbells, a resistance band and a 4 to 6 pound medicine ball.

Here are some top favourite videos I’ve tagged, and that I’ve allocated to each day of the week:

Monday: “Metabolism-Boosting Workout” by trainer Geralyn Coopersmith featured on Dr. Oz 
For this workout, you will need a pair of 2 to 3 pound dumbbells.

Tuesday: “All-Over Toning Workout” created by senior fitness editor Jen Ator with Women’s Health
For this workout, you will need a pair of dumbbells.

Wednesday: “High Intensity Interval Training Workouts (HIIT)” by Fitnessblender.com
No equipment required for this workout. I personally like this one, as it’s similar to Tabata, which are exercises that help burn calories, even after your workout.

Thursday: “The 5-Minute ‘Bata Burn Workout” by Jessica Smith with Shape
For this workout, you will need a resistance band.

Friday: “Crossfit” by Kelsey Lee, host with XHIT Daily
For this workout, you will need a 4 to 6 pound medicine ball and a yoga mat.

Note, all the videos listed above, are FIVE minutes. If you miss a video, don’t get discouraged, as you can always put your hands up in the air and dance your favourite dance move. Just get moving!

 

If you keep to this checklist, along with a healthy diet; choosing lots of fruits, veggies, proteins and omega-3 fats, you are on the right track to maintaining good health.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes. I challenge YOU with FIVE minutes to feeling fabulous inside and out.

7 Things You Should Do Right Now, to Fight PMS Pains

When your menstruation rolls around, do you ever have to call-in sick from work because you are in too much pain? Are some months more excruciating then others, and are you caught by surprise with immense pain? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Here are 7 ways to include in your monthly routine to help “wave” off the pain and that really works.

1.) Take Advil or Tylenol as soon as you sense you will be getting your menstruation. (Dr. Oz  suggests taking it the day before you think you will be getting your menstruation.)

2.) Use a hot pad, such as a magic bag or hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to place over your stomach.

3.) Drink raspberry leaf tea. I swear by its benefits, and drink at least three cups a day, before and during your menstruation.

4.) Take vitamin B6 daily. According to a Livestrong article, vitamin B6 “allows the uterine muscles to relax, helping cramps to become more manageable.”

5.) If you can, try these yoga poses; my favourite one is the bow and camel pose, which helps with lower back pains associated with your menstruation pains.

Here are also some workout poses that could work too; my favourite is the forward bend pose. 

6.) Keep a diary, such as Pink Pad, a free application that can be downloaded on your mobile or ipad. This application helps you keep track of your PMS symptoms and predicts your next date (especially if you are irregular).

7.) Optional, take evening primrose oil during the week before your menstruation, which, according to Dr.Weil contains sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which helps “nourish the skin, hair, nails and even the joints.” This can also help with premenstrual syndrome symptoms.

What methods are you using, to help mitigate PMS pains?

2 Cold Buster Recipes You Need to Try at Home

Have you ever woke up with a terrible cold? Along with a headache, soreness behind the eyes, face, body, in addition to a stuffy nose?

Sound familiar?

Well, welcome to my Saturday morning. All weekend plans of “to do’s”, CANCELLED, as I battle my cold and exhaustion by staying in bed. Even though it helped knowing I could then have time to catch up with my daily dose of reality TV “The Bachelor”, my eyes started to hurt and strain from staring at the TV screen. And what I ended up doing is stare at the ceiling, wondering what can I do to make myself feel better without taking over-the-counter medications? And the last thing I wanted to do, was head out of my home, into the vortex weather (p.s. I am done with Toronto winter).

Just so you know. I love smoothies, so I came across a cold busting smoothie recipe on Oh Sweet Basil. And I have to tell you…it works!

My nasal passages opened from the orange peel, and I felt better infusing myself with high doses of vitamin C. Here is the quick and easy recipe:

Cold Busting Smoothie- That Works!

• Servings: 1
• Time: 10 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 orange with peel
• 3 baby carrots
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 small apple
• 1/2 cup ice

Instructions

1. Place the juice, spinach and remaining ingredients in a blender, ending with the ice. Blend until smooth.

Recipe adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

I also came across a lemon and ginger cold buster tea by Fresh Cottage and thought it was delicious. I drank up about 6 cups throughout the day and felt better. Here is the recipe:

Lemon and Ginger Cold Buster Tea by Fresh Cottage

• Servings: 4-6 cups
• Time: 10 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice (half a lemon)
• 1 tbsp of chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp of honey
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Place lemon juice, chopped ginger, honey and cayenne into a teacup.
2. Pour boiling water into cup of ingredients and stir.
3. Let steep for 5 minutes.
4. Enjoy.

Recipe adapted from Fresh Cottage

Other ways to beat the cold:

• Get lots of rest.
• Drink a lot of water.
• Drink orange juice.

So if you are looking for home remedies to battle the cold, try these two cold fighting recipes, as they really worked for me! Do you have a home recipe you like to share?