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There was a time in my life when I wanted to get healthier but instead I would drive to the Dairy Queen drive thru.

Then I'd feel like crap for my addiction to sugar and ice cream. This was long before I learned about the harm caused by dairy products. Fast forward to today. If you offered me a million dollars to hit that drive thru I'd say no.

What changed? My mindset. In the years since my food addiction days I changed my mindset around food, my body and what's really important to me. The techniques I used to get there are the same techniques that can help you get unstuck.

Awareness

Before you can transform anything you have to become aware. What's bothering you about your current state? How is it impacting your life? How is it making you feel?

It's very easy to be on auto pilot in life. In fact we're encouraged to be on auto pilot. That keeps things at the status quo. But when you start to think about what your real wants and desires are, you may find yourself wanting...

Two chocolate bars a day to keep the doctor away?

There was a time when I subsisted on two chocolate bars a day and meal at a fast food restaurant. Let's say I was fairly ignorant of nutrition and quite oblivious towards the effects that food choices had on my health. 

My parents never taught me about eating healthy foods. What did they know about food? Nothing. They were immigrants trying to carve out a new life in Canada. The food in our home was traditional South Asian cuisine which is loaded with butter, oil and dairy.

Outside of home, the foods I chose had more to do with the influence of advertising and my friends at school than anything else. It remained that way until I started a regular yoga practice. My time on my mat taught me to tune into my body. That was when I initially shifted the way I was eating. I stopped having so much fast food and sugar, preferring to focus in on fruit and whole foods.

It's a process.

No change happens overnight. It took me years of...

"Blame it on the juice... got you feelin' loose, blame it on the alcohol." Jamie Foxx

With the holidays approaching many people are thinking of ways to celebrate. Alcohol is generally included in celebrations and at times when there's not much to celebrate. I never really gave alot of consideration into how alcohol impacts health until I became a health coach and nutritionist. I became curious about the short and long term impacts of alcohol. I want to share some of that in this blog. I hope it inspires you to look at your own relationship with alcohol.

There's a gap between what's accepted culturally and the actual health facts. Alcohol is one of those things that many people turn to at different times in their lives. I used to joke with my husband that anyone in the alcohol business is in the perfect business.

Why?

Because when people are happy, they drink. When people are sad, they drink. The way that alcohol is marketed to us, you would think it's some kind of superfood. If you...

How much does weight have to do with health?

It's actually only one part of the whole. There are many aspects to health that matter more than weight. It's important to focus on those on the way to creating better health.

There are health risks associated with obesity. However that's not what I'm talking about in this blog. I want to talk about the problems associated with trying to live up to impossible beauty standards and the danger of diet culture. 

In my late twenties I was unhappy with my weight so I hired a personal trainer and embarked on a plan to lose weight. The amount doesn't even matter now when I think about it. After six months I managed to lose a bunch of weight. I was getting compliments on how I looked. Finally I was able to wear clothes that made me feel sexy. I could go to auditions without feeling self conscious.

But I was miserable! I was obsessed about every calorie on my plate. I thought about food all the time. Talk about torture!

When I embarked on my...

Nine years ago I was suffering from anxiety. This was long before I decided to train as a health coach and nutritionist so my wellness toolbox wasn't that big. 

Meditation and yoga weren't working to calm my frayed nerves. I was seeing this naturopath who had a pretty interesting piece of advice for me. She told me to go outside everyday and stand with my bare feet in the grass for 15 minutes. 

I didn't have to do anything except stand there. I was desperate. So I did as she suggested. I didn't do it everyday. But on the days I did I felt better. If she had explained the real science behind it I may have committed as religiously to Grounding as my daily meditation practice. 

I believe to the depths of my soul that when you discover something that has merit it will find you again. Now nine years later Grounding has found me and I'm definitely hooked!

The Science

Grounding aka Earthing has really solid science behind it. There are 25 peer reviewed studies that look at...

Is eating organic all the time a MUST?

As a nutritionist and health coach I strive to get as much organic food into my body as I can. However there are times when it's very challenging to get all organic. It helps to know which foods to always get organic and which foods it's okay if I can't find organic. 

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non partisan, non profit organization that compiles a list every year of the cleanest and dirtiest fruits and vegetables that are grown. It's good to check out their website every year to get a better handle on which foods you absolutely want to get organic. 

If you go to farmer's markets get to know the farmers in your area. For small farms getting the full certification to become organic may be cost prohibitive. From speaking with the farmer you may learn they use organic growing methods. It helps to get to know the people who are growing your food. 

What's the big whoop about pesticides anyway?

Many of the pesticides and...

You're eating healthy but still feel like crap. Why?

Nutrient absorption. A few months ago a client of mine was on an elimination diet. She was eating 100% plant based, mostly organic and still she wasn't feeling great. 

Turned out her gut was severely messed up. Micro-plastics and glyphosate in her gut was making it so that all the nutritious foods she was eating weren't getting absorbed. 

When it comes to creating health it isn't just about the types of foods you're eating. It's also about whether or not those foods are actually getting absorbed into your body. When your gut health is compromised then your body isn't going to be absorbing everything you're eating.

We're at a point now in human history that there is NO way that 100% of humanity isn't impacted by glyphosate. If you're not familiar with glyphosate, or haven't read some of my previous blogs, here's the run down. Glyphosate is a water soluble toxin that's found in Roundup. Right now 4 billion pounds of...

Food is just food right? It's all the same isn't it?

Not exactly. There are many foods that are a part of the modern diet that are lacking in nutrients. The obvious culprits are fast foods and processed foods. However outside of that it helps to also seriously think about where you get your fruits and vegetables.

In this blog I'm going to focus on produce. I'll cover meat and dairy in a subsequent blog.

The vegetables and fruit you get at the farmer's market or your garden are vastly different from what you get at the store. Why? Simply because of how food is transported, stored and brought to market.

Where It All Begins

Produce is at its freshest and most nutrient dense when it's first picked. Unfortunately in North America often times produce gets picked, then trucked to a warehouse. From the warehouse it eventually makes it to the grocery store. Then you drive to the grocery store to purchase vegetables and fruits.

Once you get your groceries home chances are that most of the...

Whether you're looking for better health or wanting to master a new skill consistency is QUEEN.

If it was easy to be consistent everyone would be crushing their goals. Right?  I'm going to share with you what I've been doing for years to get myself on track.

In a few days I'm going to be marking a very dark anniversary in my life. My husband died very suddenly on September 20, 2012. After his death my mental health spiralled out of control. All of my healthy habits went out the window. I know what it's like to be depressed and unmotivated. I know what it feels like to not want to do anything or feel there's anything to live for.

What made me get myself back on track? No one could make me want more for myself. I had to choose a better life for myself. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I missed the person I used to be. I knew I couldn't go back but I really wanted to do something positive with my life. I had many starts and stops on my road to health. I want to share...

In this, the strangest year ever I have many conversations with friends and colleagues about stress.

Many people are feeling it, understandably so. However if being stressed out fixed anything I'd tell you to load up on it. Stress fixes nothing, and instead robs you having some joy in your life. 

There are many things you can do to combat stress but in this week's blog I want to share some of the top ways (in my opinion) to bring down your stress levels. While a stress response is normal to life's challenges, most people live in a constant stress state that is damaging to their long term health. 

There are some simple and practical ways to bring your stress levels under control.

1) Sleep

I consider sleep to be a superpower. For someone who used to party late into the wee hours of the night this is quite the statement. If only I knew then what I know now. Sleep naturally helps lower stress in your body. It's so important for your wellbeing that when you don't get enough...