Yummy Whole Foods

Add two or all of these Yummy Whole Foods in your diet and discover the delicious benefits of a Whole Food diet.

Beans - High in iron, great source of fibre and keep you satisfied for hours.
Romano Beans + thinly sliced red onion + extra virgin olive oil + sea salt + freshly ground pepper = The best bean salad EVER (a.k.a. My mother's bean salad recipe)
Raw cashews - High in B Vitamins cashews are my favourite bad-mood busters! Try Raw Cashew Butter on toasted Ezekiel bread drizzled with Agave nectar.....yum!

Kale - This Superfood is high in calcium and B vitamins. Try replacing your boring iceberg lettuce with this delicious leafy green! Tip: if you shifinod the kale it tastes better. I don't know why...it just does.

Avocados - The Vitamin E powerhouse! Avocados are the best fruit source for Vitamin E, an essential vitamin that helps promote heart health. Add it to your smoothie, fruit salad, green salad, squeeze fresh lemon juice on it or just eat it as is. One of Jackson's favourite foods, mine too.

Goji Berries - This Superfood has 500 times more vitamin C per ounce than oranges. Not only are they a tasty snack ( I keep a stash in my purse) they are also a rich source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E and contain a full complement of protein with 18 amino acids and 21 trace minerals....and frankly, they have a cool name.

Raw Cacao- Not only is it delicious, the raw cacao bean is one of nature's Superfoods offering the highest source of Magnesium than any other food. Magnesium builds strong bones, balances brain chemistry, supports the cardiovascular and digestive systems and is associated with happiness. Need more reasons to eat raw cacao? These little pearls of Nature are great sources of Iron, Vitamin C, Chromium (helps balance blood sugar), Anandamide (The Bliss Chemical), Theobromine (Your heart's helper), Antioxidants (the immunity boosters) and a bunch more of Vitamins, Minerals and EFA's



Quinoa – Known as “the mother of all grains”, quinoa is gluten-free (therefore easily digested) is a natural complete protein (this means that it has all the amino acids). It is rich in magnesium, iron, calcium potassium and copper. Quinoa helps prevent cataracts, heart disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes and childhood asthma.



Blueberries - Rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C and soluble fiber. Blueberries contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable.



The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.

Move of the Month: The Clam

Target muscles – Posterior glute medius, gluteus maximus.

Who will benefit from this exercise – Anyone who wants to increase hip joint mobility and tone hip and thigh area. More specifically, Cyclists who tend to overuse anterior glute medius due to bike positioning and cycling motion. Runners for prevention of common injuries such as: Iliotibial Band (IT Band) Friction Syndrome at the knee (pain on the outside of the knee), Trochanteric bursitis or ITB friction at the hip (pain at the outside of the hip), Patellofemoral pain syndrome, pain at the front of the hip or the knee, and hamstring injuries.

Why strengthening posterior glute medius are important – Posterior glute medius aids in pelvic stability and the prevention of hip, knee and back problems.

Lie on your right, with knees bent to 30 degrees and resting on top of each other. Use your right arm to support your neck and head and rest your left palm on the mat in front of your chest for support. Inhale to prepare in your Neutral spine.

Exhale engage pelvic floor and transverse abdominals and outer thigh and lift the upper (left) leg, keeping your heels together, maintaining neutral spine and keeping hips still.Inhale to stay and Exhale maintain abdominal and leg connection and return to starting position.

Repeat 10 times each side.

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.

What is Pilates? How will it benefit me?

What is Pilates?
Pilates is an exercise method based on the work of Joseph Pilates. Its focus is on strengthening and stabilizing the core (the abdominals, back and pelvic girdle region), restoring the natural curves of the spine, rebalancing the muscles around the joints, increasing flexibility and improving postural problems. The focus is on quality of movement rather than quantity and involves concentration and the coordination of breath and movement, thereby helping to balance mind and body.

What are the benefits of Pilates?
· Develop longer-leaner muscles without bulk
· Improves posture
· Helps prevent injury
· Increases core strength and stability
· Heightens body awareness
· Increases flexibility
· Improves balance and coordination
· Improves performance in sports (golf, skating, skiing, tennis .etc.)
· Decrease in back pain and other general aches, pains and tension

How can Pilates benefit Runners and Walkers?
· Core stability and gluteus muscle stability will improve which will reduce any low back pain
· Breathing comfort will improve
· Increase in flexibility
· Improvement in posture ( so when you get to later miles you will be running or walking with good form)

How is Pilates different than weight training or other resistance exercise?
· Pilates is three-dimensional (exercises can be performed using all movement planes)
· The spring resistance of the Pilates Reformer more closely resembles muscular contraction
· Emphasis on concentric/eccentric contraction for injury prevention
· Customizable for special needs
· Emphasis is placed on rebalancing muscles around joints
· Corrects over-training and muscle imbalance that leads to injury
· Emphasizes balancing strength with flexibility
· Leads to an improvement in posture and body awareness
· Weight training and Pilates can be combined in your fitness program and are a great compliment to each other.

The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.