March 8th marks the date to celebrate women. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Read More→
Archive for Mindset
February marks not only the month of love but something even bigger it’s Black History Month. For 2021 the theme is, “The Future Is Now.”
“The Future is Now” is a chance to celebrate and acknowledge the transformative work that Black Canadians and their communities are doing now. For the month of February, there are many activities and resources that you can tap into to learn more. Check out the Government of Canada’s website to learn more about Black History Month. There you can find out past and present people that have helped shape and change our country. Let us do our part to bring change, to recognize, love, and stop hate.
My husband’s grandparents immigrated from Jamaica to Canada. We have three children, I want to ensure they are educated about their heritage. This week I said three words to my 6-year-old son, Black History Month. The questions came one after the other. I knew it was my time to do my part by educating myself more so that I can educate him better. Let’s do our part together to make this world a better and equal place. This month I will read, “Roots: The Saga of the American Family” by Alex Hayley.
A few other recommended reads are:
Frying Plantain by Zalinka Reid-Bente
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Mat Fitness
It’s December 31st and it seems like everyone is asking you what is your New Year’s Resolution? You think to yourself I don’t have one. You feel pressure to make something up when you really don’t want to give something up or change anything.
Resolution is defined as a firm decision to do or not to do something. It’s almost like when people make resolutions in a month’s time they have given up because what they chose to do was probably not even realistic in the first place. For example, I managed a fitness centre for many years, the gym was packed the first week of January, by mid- March it was back to the normal clients. The reason being is people chose a resolution of going to the gym each day that was probably not realistic for them. Instead, they could have made a goal that they chose to stick to like “I will go to the gym 3x a week.” Read More→
Christmas is around the corner and I know it will look a bit different for some of us this year, however, we can still make it one to remember. Here are my best tips for making Christmas an amazing one. Read More→
Staying Motivated and sticking with your workout plan isn’t always easy.
Here’s how to stay motivated into the cooler months. (Excuses & Solutions)
Excuse “It’s too hard to get out of bed on cold, dark mornings!”
Solutions:
● Create Heat – make sure the room is warm when you get up. Or better yet, put your workout clothes on the radiator so they are warm and ready to go.
● Find a Friend – find someone who will commit to joining you in the morning for walks or workouts and hold you accountable for showing up. Accountability can make all the difference!
Excuse “I may be out of bed but I still don’t want to workout.”
Solution:
● Dress the Part – the truth is there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices. If you’ve balked at the cost of higher-priced outdoor gear, just ask anyone who’s used them: The price is easily offset by the increase in enjoyment, comfort, and enthusiasm. Or, maybe it’s time to treat yourself: New gear might be the bribe you need to get outdoors.
Excuse “It’s too much hassle”
Solution:
● Keep it Simple, Smarty (K.I.S.S.) – the best way to overcome our excuses is not to create them in the first place. If you have to drive too far in the snow or ride a cold subway across town, you’re creating extra hurdles that will attract excuses.
Go for a 25 minute run around the office block at lunch, do 3 laps of your neighbourhood first thing, or switch things up at the gym by using only the machines you don’t have to wait for. You’ll finish a quality workout with less hassle and at a pace that feels rewarding.
Excuse “I can’t find the same passion or fire to do it regularly”
Solution:
● Use mini-goals for major rewards – set small targets that create the focus and discipline to stay on track. Always write your goals down, making them specific, measurable and achievable, and track progress so you can reward yourself for the results.
Excuse “I’m bored with my workouts”
Solution:
● Step out of the ordinary – take a Yoga or Pilates class. They are easy on the joints and provide great lasting benefits. Do you need a mental break from a tough season? Cross train with a different sport that doesn’t require a stop watch or a power meter. This will help ease your mind from information overload so you can stay active without stressing over stats.
Rainy dark days, shorter hours of daylight, less sunshine; November can be an emotionally challenging month for many people.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SADs) makes up about 10% of depression cases and woman seem to be more affected than men1 . Eating a whole foods diet, while avoiding refined foods and sugar can help to alleviate symptoms.
Common symptoms of SADs are: Read More→
Holiday season is upon us and along with joyous festive events comes the challenge in keeping a healthy YOU. Less time to meal prep, tempting goodies all over the office, social outings, alcohol and less time for exercise. This is not a good combination for staying healthy.
Below are some tips for managing the next 4 weeks and entering 2019 feeling fabulous!
- Eat a healthy snack or meal BEFORE you head to that party. A satiating bowl of homemade chili or hearty soup can curb the temptation for goodies.
- Make a healthy dish to take to the pot lucks. Bringing a red pepper hummus and vegetables to dip, spicy homemade nuts, or vegetarian chili means that you know there will be something that you can eat. This is especially important if you are on a restricted diet, vegan, vegetarian, celiac or gluten intolerant.
- Be aware of alcohol consumption: Have a glass of water or sparkling water between each alcoholic cocktail. This will help you to decrease the amount of alcohol you consume and it helps keep you hydrated. Or better yet, volunteer as the designated driver. This can mean a lot fewer calories (sugar) and a better morning! J Often food choices have a direct correlation with the amount of alcohol we consume.
- If you are suffering from digestive issues try having some apple cider vinegar or lemon water about 10 to 30 minutes before you eat. You can take a TBSP of ACV on its own or put it in a glass of warm water. Both ACV and lemon water aid in digestion.
- Plan ahead and use a slow cooker or crock pot for your meals. That way you can be out shopping and come home to a hearty ready to eat meal.
- Ensure you are getting quality sleep. Incorporate a sleep ritual which prepares you for the 7-9 hours recommended to support healthy immune and nervous systems. Turn off the screen time an hour before bed as EMF can disrupt sleep.
- Eat foods that support your immune system. Stress and a busy lifestyle can challenge our immune system. Incorporate garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric into your meals as often as possible. Start your day with warm lemon water with ginger and turmeric. Add fermented foods like kimchi or sauerkraut for healthy gut flora. Red peppers, citrus and berries for Vitamin C and antioxidants. Spinach and broccoli raw or lightly steamed to get the most from their packed nutritional value.
- Eat foods that support your nervous system and limit stimulant intake. Almonds, walnuts, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, kelp, leafy greens, cold water fish, ginger and basil are a few ‘nervine’ foods. Snack on some raw almonds, walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Replace coffee with green tea to decrease coffee consumption and increase antioxidants.
- Exercise! Don’t miss out on your exercise routine. It may have to alter slightly but if you plan ahead and schedule your workouts they are less likely to be missed. Exercise can be a great stress coping mechanism. Do low intensity if feeling especially stressed and ensure a post workout stretch, relaxation and rehydration.
- Incorporate realistic stress coping strategies. Your usual stress management routines may not be feasible at this time of year. Find moments for down time, deep breathing, walking in nature, gratitude journaling and ‘me’ time. Keeping a positive attitude is proven to decrease the negative effects stress can have on your health.
If you need more individual assistance please contact me.
Let the festivities begin! You are ready!
Happy and Healthy Holidays!
Nancy Coles RHN
nancy@curtishealth.com
Curtis Health is pleased to present a luncheon book launch keynote featuring Deborah Connors.
This fun, practical and informational session with speaker, author and founder of the The Better Workplace Conference, will provide you with daily interactions to use with your team.
Not only with you walk with insight on how to transform your workplace culture, you will also receive a copy of Deborah’s new book “A Better Place to Work.”
September 20, 2018
11:30am – 1:00pm
Vancouver Public Library
Lunch is included
Register Now to reserve your spot.
Click here for more details.
Deborah Connors is a captivating speaker, storyteller and workplace coach. She teaches leaders to radically shift culture so that people can flourish.
Attend to What Your Body Needs
What your body needs can change daily. If you are feeling sore or tired, don’t ignore it, it is your body telling you that it needs a rest. Maybe try a stretch class, roll out or take a walk instead of going for a run. Sometimes it’s better to give yourself a rest day and recover than push through. This will allow you to give 100% the next day and avoid potential injury or burnout!
Everyone at some point or another has experienced 
symptoms of stress. Stress is a word we use to describe both how we feel and what is happening around us. There are many levels of stress, both positive and negative. Some of the positive stresses include the anticipation of an exciting event, the pursuit of a goal, or even a challenging workout. Some of the negative sources of stress include the heavy pressures we can feel from the outside world and those we place on ourselves.
Why do we stress?
While we relate to the symptoms and triggers of stress, understanding what is happening on a physiological level is an important piece in better managing stress. Let’s take a closer look at the purpose of stress. Stress is a survival response. It is a programmed instinct to survive in the presence of danger. This is a valuable and necessary trait, but issues arise when this response is over productive, causing our health to suffer.
Our world has changed immensely over the course of human history. Our physical survival is not threatened the way it was thousands of years ago. However, our physiological response to stress remains the same.
Unfortunately, today’s high pace creates an onslaught of potential stress triggers. While we may consider stress a part of life, the fact remains that our physiology doesn’t understand the difference between some of these triggers and a life threatening situation.
The good news is we can use this knowledge as power and begin to take stress management more seriously. We can make stress reduction a priority and employ tools to act vs. react to situations. Stay tuned for much more on Mindfulness from Curtis Health!
by Caroline Cretien
Curtis Health
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