Fitness Tip of the Month

Achieving Balance: Eat Clean

What if I told you I had a little secret that would help you lose weight, improve energy levels and promote healthy skin and hair? No, it is not another infomercial touting a new product to buy, but a simple concept that anyone can benefit from: eat clean!

Eating clean refers to eating food in its most natural state. Clean foods are natural “whole” foods; they are not man-made or processed. Clean foods do not contain any sugar, bad fats (such as hydrogenated and Trans fats), white flour or any unnecessary artificial ingredients or preservatives. By eliminating refined, man-made food from your diet and replacing it with clean foods, you will notice remarkable changes in your body and overall health.

Symptoms such as headaches, bad breath, fatigue, joint aches/ pains and digestive problems are your body’s way of letting you know that it would benefit from eating clean. If you have been consuming a less than ideal diet your body is working overtime trying to process all the toxins that you consume. Our bodies are quite efficient at detoxing on a regular basis and this process occurs continually through eliminating, sweating and urinating. Unfortunately, due to the abundance of supersized unnatural food in the standard North American diet, toxicity occurs, resulting in the above-mentioned symptoms and a myriad of other health related illnesses.

The concept of eating clean is not that difficult once you understand the basic principles and learn how to fit it into your life. It is important to:

• drink plenty of fresh water throughout the day (a little freshly squeezed lemon juice will enhance the flavour and help detoxify your body);
• consume lean protein (egg whites, chicken, and salmon) along with a complex carbohydrate (vegetable, whole grains) with each meal or snack;
• eat food in its most natural state;
• Eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism revving.

Eating clean is a lifestyle, not a diet; you can and should eat this way for the long term. It does require some extra planning and organizing but once you understand basic meal and snack combinations, it becomes quite easy. Interestingly, you will find that you will be able to consume more food while eating clean.

If you believe that you would benefit from clean eating, please contact me for advice on meal planning and simple tips to incorporate this concept into your daily life. This is the perfect time of the year to “spring clean” your body and be able to enjoy the benefits.

Krista Cumming, Registered Holistic Nutritionist ext 631
This newsletter is for educational purposes only and not intended as a tool for diagnosing or prescribing

How to Stay Sun Safe

Myth 1: Sunscreen is all you need to stay safe. Reality: “Just slathering it on and doing nothing else isn’t going to cut it because, even with sunscreen, there’s still up to a 50 percent risk that you’ll burn.” You also need to seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when sunlight is strongest; cover up with clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses; do regular skin self-exams; and get a professional skin evaluation annually.

Myth 2: SPF measures levels of protection against both UVB and UVA rays. Reality: The SPF (sun protection factor) measures only the level of protection against UVB rays. Look for products labeled “broad spectrum,” which means they protect against UVB and UVA rays.

Myth 3: Some sunscreens can protect all day. Reality: “Regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every two hours,” Fusco says. “The active ingredients in most products begin to break down when exposed to the sun.”

Myth 4: Some sunscreens are waterproof. Reality: The FDA does not recognize the term “waterproof,” so don’t count on sunscreen to last through hours of swimming. The agency does recognize “water/sweat/perspiration resistant” (which means a product offers SPF protection after 40 minutes of exposure to water) and “very water/sweat/perspiration resistant”. To be safe, reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating.

Myth 5: A sunscreen can provide “total sun block.” Reality: “No sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays,” Fusco says. An SPF 15 protects against 93 percent of UV rays, SPF 30 protects against 97 percent, and SPF 50 wards off 98 percent. You should slather two tablespoons on your body a half-hour before going outside, so the sunscreen has time to absorb into your skin.