Happy New Year!!!

Most of us are back into the swing of things after the break of the holidays.  Not only are work schedules back to normal, but so too are sleeping and eating routines. It's nice to occasionally indulge in food and drink that you might not normally have, but with the new year often comes a new resolve to eat better, exercise more, and learn to control stress--generally to be healthier.  So, here I am as a reminder to you to take care of yourself!

But "I don't have the time", "I don't have enough money", "I have more pressing issues to address first", "I'll get to it later"...I know all of these excuses--I'm human too!  Here's the thing--and you may have heard me say it before, but it's worth repeating--you are the most important thing on your To-Do List.  If you've ever flown in a plane, you've heard the description of what to do should the ventilation masks drop down.  You must always place the mask on your face first before assisting ANY other passengers.  Yourself before your kids, before your grandparent, before the attractive guy/girl next to you :).  Why?  Because if you faint from lack of oxygen, then you are useless to the people that you are trying to help.  So maybe learning what foods are ideal for you, addressing your aching back pain, finally getting rid of those persistent headaches, or finding a great way to de-stress are not as pressing issues as getting oxygen, but they are important.  Yet, we consistently seem to let other much less important issues get in the way.  If you truly want to be able to take care of your loved ones, get ahead in your career, excel at a sport, and accomplish your goals, then keep yourself healthy and you will have the energy to do so and still be able to enjoy your time off instead of crashing onto the couch to watch reality tv reruns at the end of an exhausting day.  

Do yourself a favour and make your health a true priority and your body with thank you!   www.activetcm.com

Helping you help yourself! My goal: To work in partnership with you to bring you to your optimal health. My focus: Ongoing health, not just temporary relief. This is active health.

Popular New Years Resolutions

1.  "I will lose weight"
    This is the time of year that everyone tries to make up for all of last year's guilty food indulgences and lack of exercise.  My gym is already packed, but I know that in just a few weeks, it'll be back to usual with half the current attendees.  Every year new weight loss gimicks arise--supplements to speed up metabolism, reduce appetite, block absoption of fats or carbs.  Every year new diets come out--low fat/high carb, low carb/high fat, raw food, cabbage diet, etc.  Every year the average waistline continues to expand even though at the same time so too does the weight loss industry.  Yet, it always comes back to a few basics: eat more veggies; avoid processed foods, greasy food, and sugar; exercise more; get enough sleep; address health issues.  When asked if I do treatments for weight loss, my answer is "no".  Not because I don't, but because it is not my focus.  My goal is to help you to become healthier.  If your body is not in balance, we will work to bring you back into balance (TCM treatments), and obviously part of it is following the aforementioned principles.  It doesn't need to be confusing.  It doesn't need to be torture.  It can, however, be life-changing to regain control of your health.  

2.  "I will eat healthy foods"
    So, what exactly does that mean?  If you listen to the media, you are probably confused.  One moment you are warned about the dangers of coffee and then next its antioxidant virtues are exaulted. We are told to avoid soy products by some and eat more soy by others. We were once told to avoid fats and everything was available fat-free.  That then became passe and we were told to cut carbs.  Already that trend is now fading.  Should you follow California's raw food diet?  Should you be like Madonna, Joe Pesci, and Gwyneth Paltrow (before her pregnancy) and be on a macrobiotic diet or follow Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Love, and Cindy Crawford on the Zone diet?  Why all the mixed information?  Because we are all individual.  Just as one person's junk is another's treasure, so too is it for our ideal food plan.  Of course there are some general guidelines that can apply to us all:

• Peter Rabbit isn't the only one who should eat more veggies.
• If it wasn't avaible for food consumption 100 years ago, you probably shouldn't eat it.  An easy guideline is to shop the perimeters of the grocery store and avoid the aisles.
• Sugar should not be a "food group"--i.e. limit your sugar consumption and if you have a sweet tooth, try stevia leaf, a natural, non-caloric sweetener.
• Eat a variety of foods--broccoli may be healthy, but it's not meant to make up the whole veggie category.
• Emphasize foods that are locally grown as they will be fresher and more likely what your body needs.
• Eat until you are no longer hungry, not until you are full and certainly not until you need to loosen your belt!
• Eat regular meals--skipping meals only makes your body think it should store more of the next meal as fat on your body.
• Chew, chew, chew your food!  Enjoy it!  You'll help your digestion and likely eat less as you'll allow your body to recognize when you've had enough.
  

Then there are the things that differentiate us and that you may need help to determine what you should eat:

• Activity level
• Size
• Metabolism: Does simply looking at a chocolate bar make you put on pounds, can you cram anything into your gullet and never even need to change the notch on your belt, or are you somewhere in between?
• Ethnic background: All Asians are somewhat lactose intolerant (shoudn't eat much or any dairy), but can eat soy products.  Some Europeans react badly to soy, but can enjoy cheese without worry.
• Lifestage: Children are not simply little adults.  Teenagers, young adults, mature dults, and older adults all have varying dietary needs.
• Special state: Pregnancy and breastfeeding change dietary needs.  Disease and illness make some nutrients more important while others should be limited.
  

And of course there's also the ever-important matter of taste. While I learned to overcome my dislike of fish, I will likely never eat brussel sprouts no matter how good they may be for me.  That's fine.  Food should be something that can be enjoyed, even though we do have to remember more than just our tastebuds.

3.  "I will exercise"
    Don't like the gym?  Go outside for a brisk walk or run.  Don't like the rain?  Join a fun activity like intramural volleyball, dance class, or martial arts.  Injured or in pain?  Find an activity that you can do like tai chi (ask me about the tai chi class I'll be attending starting at Jan.22), get a trainer to help you rehab, and find someone to help you heal (ahem, acupuncture is very effective! click here).  We were built to move, so move!

4. "I will stop smoking"
    There are many methods to stop smoking and you need to find what works best for you, but one thing for sure is that if you want to stop, you can.  Acupuncture offers body and ear acupuncture to help curb cravings, improve lung health, eliminate phlegm, and reduce stress.  Food changes, herbs, and a support system are other areas that TCM is helpful here.

Please let me know your 2006 resolutions and goals and I may be able to offer you suggestions and support to make sure that at the beginning of 2007 you aren't just recycling this year's resolutions that you never followed through.

Best wishes and best of health to you for 2006!

And finally, let me know your birthday
so I can email you a birthday card and gift at the right time!