Tag: health

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Holy Shiitake: Can Mushrooms Actually Be Medicinal?

Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

Mushrooms are currently one of the most sought-after functional foods. We see them in every form, from teas, tinctures, chunks, and capsules, in some protein and greens powders. 

Over 270 different mushroom species have been identified to show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial (think penicillin), and immune support. These benefits are attributed to some of their vitamin and mineral content, but most of their benefit is derived from their fibre content! 

One such fibre found in high quantities in mushrooms is 𝛽-glucan (beta-glucan) which is known for lowering blood pressure and blood sugar and for its anti-tumoral and antioxidant properties. 

On top of all that, as we’ve discussed in our previous articles on the benefits of a healthy microbiome, the fibres in mushrooms help take care of our gut bacteria too! And to learn about all the good health our microbiome generates for us, read our article here. 

No wonder the interest in studying these functional foods has taken off. Studies done in humans are growing, but most have been done on mice. However, the human studies we have so far show some promising outcomes. Here are a few to date:

Shiitake Mushrooms:

  • Daily intake of about 5-10 shiitake mushrooms over four weeks 
  • Increased number of white blood cells (gamma delta = first-line defence, NK = kill cancer cells)
  • Lowered markers of chronic inflammation (C-Reactive Protein)
  • Can indicate improved immune function and anti-cancer potential

Reishi Mushrooms

  • Reishi supplementation and chemo & radiation showed a positive response in improving the quality of life but not on survival rates.
  • Improved tumour response rates when used with chemo & radiation therapy
  • No decrease in tumour size when used alone
  • Can indicate reishi as a safe and effective adjunct to conventional cancer therapy

White Button Mushrooms 

  • Done for recurrent prostate cancer at about 1 cup of mushrooms daily
  • Decreased PSA (an indicator of prostate cancer progression) levels and kept in remission 1 in 18 participants 
  • Of 36 participants, four saw a drop of over 50% in their PSA levels
  • Two had a complete reduction in PSA levels,  measuring at 0 (undetectable levels) even after 40 months
  • Can indicate a one in nine chance you can reduce PSA levels by at least 50%
  • Can indicate a one in 18 chance that someone can achieve sustained remission without any side effects or toxicity

Due to all the antioxidant healing properties that start in the gut when we eat mushrooms, or a diet rich in fibre, studies are also finding a correlation between mushrooms and colon cancer prevention. 

So, our takeaway, mushrooms can be a medicinal food – not to mention they are delicious. Whether you enjoy mushrooms in soups, chilis, sautéed or puréed, go ahead and incorporate them into your regular rotation. 

It’s best to cook your mushrooms for two reasons. One to break down their tough cell walls and access the valuable nutrients inside. Two, some raw mushrooms can be toxic, but the heat will destroy these toxins, making them safe to eat. 

For those strapped for time in the kitchen or who don’t like the taste of mushrooms, creative products like powders & capsules come in handy, so you don’t miss out on all their healing, health-promoting benefits!

References:

Dai X, Stanilka JM, Rowe CA, et al. Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Mushrooms Daily Improves Human Immunity: A Randomized Dietary Intervention in Healthy Young Adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 2015;34(6):478-87.

Jin X, Ruiz Beguerie J, Sze DM, Chan GC. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;(6):CD007731.

Popović V, Živković J, Davidović S, Stevanović M, Stojković D. Mycotherapy of cancer: An update on cytotoxic and antitumor activities of mushrooms, bioactive principles and molecular mechanisms of their action. Curr Top Med Chem. 2013;13(21):2791-806.

Roupas P, Keogh J, Noakes M, Margetts C, Taylor P. Mushrooms and agaritine: a mini-review. J Funct Foods 2010;2:91-8.

Tanaka A, Nishimura M, Sato Y, Sato H, Nishihira J. Enhancement of the Th1-phenotype immune system by the intake of oyster mushroom (Tamogitake) extract in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Tradit Complement Med. 2015;6(4):424-30.

Twardowski P, Kanaya N, Frankel P, et al. A phase I trial of mushroom powder in patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer: Roles of cytokines and myeloid-derived suppressor cells for Agaricus bisporus-induced prostate-specific antigen responses. Cancer. 2015;121(17):2942-50.

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Two Unique Ways We Can Help Ourselves Thrive

Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

We spend a lot of time thinking about and putting into place actions to support our health. We focus on nutrition and sleep to try and give ourselves the best odds to function well both mentally and physically. These factors alone are important influences that alter the trajectory for health, but we may be missing something here, as mental health and obesity continue to rise. 

There is growing scientific research showing that there is in fact something we can do to help build emotional resilience again. Something that hasn’t been a big topic of discussion or practice.

Step 1:

Science is pointing to the powerful benefits eating together! 

Gathering around the table may seem like a nostalgic concept, reserved for a simpler life with less busyness. But what COVID has taught families, even if it was a fleeting moment, was that we can muster and rouse ourselves from the vortex of life to spare 15-20 minutes to eat with each other. 

Teens who have dinner with family have lower rates of drug and alcohol use, compared to those who have fewer meals together. They also exhibit fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, better nutrition, and lower rates of obesity. The evidence points towards the same results for adults

So just what exactly is the number of meals needed to get these benefits? It’s difficult enough to organize various schedules, and it’s almost impossible to eat together for every single meal. Thankfully, studies show that it doesn’t have to be every single day or every single meal to see positive outcomes. Just 2-3 family meals together a week lowers rates of obesity, and there are better mental health outcomes compared to those who only get one or no meals as a family. Teens who eat meals together 3-5 times per week show an even more significant improvement in physical and mental health. 

The second way we can build resilience and create an inclusive, more positive environment for us is a more hypothetical thought experiment from yours truly. 

Step 2:

Expand the curiosity and experience of other cultures. 

Exposing ourselves to variety helps to open perspectives. With an increased awareness of life’s diversity, we begin to develop more empathy for lives that are not like our own. 

So when we combine step one and step two, I suspect we can create an engaging way to reconstruct meaningful connections that will offer more protection for us. Gathering for a few meals together and introducing a theme weekly or monthly about another country is a great example. Whether that’s simply listening to music, bringing forth an interesting piece of knowledge, or making and enjoying a cultural dish together can take meal gatherings to the next level. 

Enjoying meaningful meals together may just be a missing link in helping us thrive. 

Reference:

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html

Eisenberg. M. E., et al. (2004). Correlations between family meals and psychosocial well-being among adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 158(8), 792-796.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/485781

Berg. M. J., et al ( 2021). Are there protective associations between family/ shared meal routines during COVID-19 and dietary health and emotional well-being in diverse young adults? Preventive Medicine Reports. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8487301/
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Is your sleep increasing or decreasing information

By Tim Irvine

Everyone loves a good night’s sleep. The feeling we get is almost euphoric when it happens, so why wouldn’t we love it? Besides the conscious happiness we have with good sleep, so many subconscious, biochemical benefits help our health over the short and long term.

We have also come to understand the evidence linking inflammation to poor health is conclusive. Knowing what causes inflammation is critical if we want to avoid various forms of the disease, poor mental health, and an inability for injuries to heal well. That’s where the quality of our sleep comes in.

Is there a link between sleep and inflammation? You bet there is.

A recent Harvard Health article examines the effect of poor sleep on inflammation. Sleep deprivation, particularly that of deep sleep, leads to increases in inflammation for several reasons:

  • An increase in inflammatory molecules within the body
  • Cells in blood vessel walls that activate inflammation are triggered because blood pressure does not decline as it would with proper sleep
  • A build-up of protein in the brain creates inflammation

Twenty-five percent of Canadians suffer from sleep issues that prevent them from getting the quality sleep they need. Then there is the portion that doesn’t know they have issues. This means a good percentage of our population is not getting adequate sleep and are therefore prone to health-damaging inflammation.

If you have trouble getting to or staying asleep, you have a more concerning form of sleep deprivation. If you fall asleep easily and sleep through the night, that’s good. If you do so but sleep less than 7 hours, you may not get enough quality cycles in, which can lead to inflammation build-up.

Getting an understanding of your unique sleep patterns is important. After all, knowledge is power. If you are certain you have a sleep issue, consult a medical professional specializing in sleep. If you are uncertain and curious, do the same, or you can turn to sleep measurement devices like an Oura Ring to gain some valuable data. I am a perfect example of how objective data can be of benefit. I consistently had seven hours from lights out to my alarm going off but using one of these devices; I found out I was not getting the cycles of deep sleep I needed. I added a full hour to my sleep pattern and have felt much better.

Add this knowledge and habit to your anti-inflammatory toolbox, and you will experience immediate and long-term benefits. You will be happy you did.

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Eating Locally: Embracing Seasonal Foods

By Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

Eating locally is considered to mean food that has come within a 150 mile or 240 km radius. In contrast, the average produce can travel as far as 1,500 miles (2,415 km) which costs a larger carbon footprint. 

For sustainability reasons, many people are opting for locally grown produce. But what may keep local foods on the radar, and part of a regular practice are some of the deliciously big benefits. 

Nutrition Content:

Most foods that you find at a farmer’s market would have been picked within 24 hours of you purchasing it. This is important regarding the nutrient density of foods as once food is separated from its source of nourishment; the quality of nutrition begins to degrade. So, when we are eating blueberries for their antioxidant properties, they are at their most powerful anti-inflammatory abilities shortly after being picked.. 

Satisfaction Factor:

Foods are way more delicious when picked at their peak ripeness. The flavours and the aroma of freshly picked foods have much more depth and intensity than a food that’s been withering away for weeks. This is the experience when you pick herbs fresh from the garden and its smells delightfully fill the room as you prepare it.  

Diversity: 

Eating locally opens up your repertoire to seasonal produce andadds variety to what you’d normally put into your basket. You may see colour variations like purple cauliflower or realize that squashes are piling up at the front of the produce sections. This helps prompt you to diversify your diet which is half of the equation of what it means to eat healthily.

Community:

When you eat locally, you have more opportunities to meet and connect with the growers or distributors of your food. You get to see the actual supply chain from which your food is being delivered to you and that can build a sense of trust and pride in the quality of your foods. Sparking up conversations on variety, flavour, location are all great topics to dive into with your fellow shoppers, growers and sellers. 

Seasonal Spotlight: 

Beets reach their peak sweetness during the cooler months of fall and spring, and provide a visual pop to any dish. It can be as simple as raw and grated with your meals, roasted with salads, made into curries, or for the cooks out there, into a beautiful lasagna. 

Three types of beets

1. Red = rich and earthy great for roasting, grating raw, pickling

2. Candy Cane = crunch & sweet great raw

3. Golden = mild and starchy great for roasting, grilling, steaming

Pro Beet Tips:

• Selection: Choose smooth, firm medium-sized beets (giant ones can be more bitter)

• Storage: in a cool dry cellar for months, or the fridge for weeks. Trim off beet greens (see next tip) because the greens quicken the root rot

• Beet Greens: part of the spinach and swiss chard family, trim them 1 inch from the root and enjoy in any way you would spinach or chard. Examples include tossed in salads, stir fried with garlic, olive oil & lemon, folded into pasta dishes, simmered with stews, soups and curries. 

• Lock in the colour: cook unpeeled (use a vegetable brush to scrub the edible skin), peel and slice just before serving

Beet Recipe Inspirations: 

• Sliced in arugula salads, with roasted pecans, pear, goat cheese, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

• Sri Lankan Beetroot curry

• Rainbow lasagna 

Cappelli, Lucio, Ascenzo, Fabrizio D, Ruggieri, Roberto & Gorelova, Irina (2022). “Is Buying Local Food a Sustainable Practice? A Scoping Review of Consumers’ Preference for Local Food.” Sustainability, 14(2).10.3390/su14020772

Frieler, B. (2017, May 1). 10 benefits of eating local food. Bastyr University. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://bastyr.edu/news/health-tips/2017/05/10-benefits-eating-local-fo…

Honeycutt, E. (2017, December 21). Why buy local food? it’s healthier for you and better for the environment. Food Revolution Network. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://foodrevolution.org/blog/why-buy-local-food/

Rather, I. A., Koh, W. Y., Paek, W. K., & Lim, J. (2017, November 17). The sources of chemical contaminants in food and their health implications. Frontiers in pharmacology. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5699236/

Wunderlich, S. M., Feldman, C., Kane, S., & Hazhin, T. (2008, February). Nutritional quality of organic, conventional, and seasonally grown broccoli using vitamin C as a marker. International journal of food sciences and nutrition. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17852499/

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All Disease Begins in the Gut: Top 3 Foods For Gut Health

Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

The title of this article is in part a direct quote of Socrates, that the root cause of human disease may in fact stem from our gut health. Today’s scientific literature is revealing the “how” and “why” of something that was accurately observed over 2000 years ago. 

We see studies showing that chronic constipation may be linked with Parkinson’s, and that anxiety and depression go hand in hand with gas, bloating and other digestive symptoms. Those with multiple sclerosis, depression, and schizophrenia, show changes in the composition of gut bacteria. 

The microbes that live in our gut outnumber our human cells in a 10:1 ratio. So technically speaking we have more microbe DNA than we do human DNA. That’s worth some perspective. Think about it, we have evolved millions of years that cultivated this symbiotic relationship between human and bacteria. We house these bacteria in our warm, damp gut, where food magically comes down to feed them on a regular basis. They’ve got it so good inside of us! In return, they produce the most potent anti-inflammatory short chain fatty acids which help our body heal, serotonin for our happiness, and they make up 70% of our immune system. (Refer to our article on the importance of reducing inflammation)

Throughout human history we’ve eaten foods that were raw or minimally processed which allowed this relationship to flourish and become an integral foundation for human health. In no time at all, our food made a 180° turn. Most foods now are ultra processed, meaning they lack what previously supported our gut bacteria.

What exactly changed?

  1. Processing removes fiber
  2. Emulsifiers and gums added – understand how they impact our gut here
  3. Fewer ingredients and a lack of diversity

When we think about eating for our gut health, we need to first consider what the healthy bacteria need to grow. Their favourite foods are fiber. Fortunately, fiber comes from every food that grows from the ground! Unfortunately, conversations on nutrition focus in on carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. That’s because these are functional fuel sources for the human cell, but we’ve forgotten that we are also eating for our friendly bacteria as well. When we forget to feed them, they starve off and begin to die leading to reduced abundance and diversity which is associated with many diseases. 

When the population and diversity are re-established, we see positive impacts on health outcomes. For instance, an interesting study done on dark chocolate highlights the therapeutic ability of building a healthy gut. The researchers of this study wanted to differentiate why dark chocolate seemed to help improve people’s mood and lowered anxiety. They also helped define specifically, what type of dark chocolate (70% or 85%), and how much (30g daily for 3 weeks). Their results were illuminating in that dark chocolate had the ability to increase the amount of healthy bacteria DNA found in stool samples, and the diversity of species. 

Thankfully, the most nourishing foods for your gut don’t have to be bran buds and Metamucil. Here are three excellent, gut building sources to start adding or increasing in your diet.

  1. Fermented Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and kefir
  2. Fibrous foods like every single plant on this planet. Specific superstars are beans/ legumes, seeds, raspberries, broccoli, and oats just to name a few!
  3. Last, but not least, there’s the case for dark chocolate 85% or higher!

So, diversify your meals. It can be just one new type of seed added to your breakfast, sauerkraut with your salads, and dark chocolate as an occasional treat alongside berries and nuts. 

The most important component to eating healthy sustainably is that you enjoy it. Choose flavours and textures that interest you but also support gut health Be open to discovering some new go-to’s, and your gut will thank you for it!

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Are you Carb-phobic? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Be

By. Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

In my practice, I see carbs as a reason so many of us struggle with eating, feeling guilt, shame, and fear around food. Nutritional fads and diets that call for low carb, or severe carb restriction has made us weary of carbs. The long-term consequences, unfortunately, are that we are unknowingly limiting a crucial element of our nutrition. 

Blanket statements that come with low carb diets are unsustainable, but also to generalized and can cause more harm (mentally and physically) than good. When we are told to avoid carbs, we think, wow, that’s all my chips, crackers, cakes, cookies, bread, pasta… OK. well fine… I can do that… (when does it end again??) It also means reducing sweet potatoes, chickpeas, lentils, farro, black beans, oats, and delicious fruit. Now that’s just torture!

In our modern diet, the lack of fiber may be the most influential reason for poor gut health, chronic disease, and stubborn weight.  In a previous article, we discussed why insufficient fiber means we are starving all our good bacteria, putting them at risk for extinction, and severely hampering our ability to build a strong, healthy barrier to the outside world. That’s why your gut is so important and intimately tied with our immune system. We’re basically an elaborate tube with an outer and inner layer that faces non-stop external threats.

People are told to focus on cutting out carbs, but they may not realize that carbs can be good for you – if you know the distinction between healthful (real foods like lentils, legumes, vegetables and fruits and whole grains) vs. harmful (processed/ fake foods). 

  • Example 1: a cup of cooked steel cut oats is 10g of fiber, and 1 cup of raspberries give you 7g. A raspberry oatmeal = 17 g of fiber!
  • Example 2: A Hamburger can have 1 gram of fiber, and soda 0g. Total = 1 g of ifber.

We in the West have a fixation with proteins, fat, and carbohydrates. They are the main talking point when it comes to nutrition and are what diet trends fixate on, along with what the marketing on packages focus on. Yet with all this attention, we still have incredible issues with weight, bloating and other symptoms. Why is this? What’s missing?

The science is showing it’s because we are consistently forgetting about fiber. Fiber is a macronutrient too! Did you know that? Because our human cells don’t actually break it down or absorb it, the nutritional realm has passed fiber off as something that just… well you know, makes you poop.

We are all learning that we need fiber just as much as any other macronutrient to thrive. Just because our cells don’t use it doesn’t mean it’s not necessary. 

When you think of how many microbes live within us, you quickly realize how outnumbered our human cells are. There are 39 trillion microbes in and on us – making the ratio of microbes to human cells 10:1. That’s right. We contain more microbes than we do human cells.

Over millions of years, a symbiotic relationship evolved with these amazing microbes that produced anti-inflammatory chemicals for us, neurotransmitters like 90% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine, vitamins, and a plethora of other life-dependent functions that we are just starting to uncover and understand. Not to mention the most anti-inflammatory molecule short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which get absorbed into our bloodstream, lowering inflammation throughout our entire body, including our brains!

SCFAs are also the main energy source for the cells that make up your colon. When these cells are flooded with energy, they can then heal, regenerate, and proliferate, leading to a healthy, robust and happy gut. What is called “leaky gut” can be sealed once again when we have a strong defense of healthy cells that protect our inside selves from foreign molecules that are meant to stay out of our blood stream. 

On plant-rich diets, the gut produces more short-chain fatty acids. On animal rich diets, the gut produced more inflammation, carcinogens, and hydrogen sulfide which is a chemical that damages our DNA and produces gas. 

There is no fiber in eggs, dairy, or meat! This is not to say never eat animal products. Most cultures worldwide do consume them, but in much smaller quantities and frequency than we do in North America. Their diets are more balanced.

The Yanomami tribe of the Amazon jungle have the richest microbiome recorded, meaning they have an incredibly diverse ecosystem of gut flora. The key is thought to be from their high fiber intakes, which average 120 grams daily, that’s eight times more than the average North American. 

The average North American gets less than 3% of the daily recommendation of 30g. That is SAD (aka Standard American Diet)  in action. 

The point of learning to eat for your health is to trust in Real Food – avoiding or limiting processed foods with their labels and packages that sound like they are trying to convince you. A simple strawberry does not have to tout anything, it already knows it is the best. Each step of processing causes a food to lose its fiber. Fake Foods have to do a lot more work to do in order to convince us why we should eat these fiber depleted, shades of beige, bags of chemical concoctions. 

Yes, that means eating for good health may require a change in food choices, and what you put in your cart. It can also mean a reset on your thoughts about carbs. They are good for you, and the right ones are incredibly important for overall health, including fat loss. A change in what you choose to put in your mouth may include adding some roasted cauliflower to your taco bowls, trying out a thai chickpea peanut butter burger, putting lentils in with your oatmeal, and all the fresh peaches, berries, and mangoes you desire instead of luncheon meat sandwiches, chips, and cookies. 

If we give ourselves some time, our body has the ability to learn to enjoy food that gives you something positive in return. This is something that continues to surprise me in practice – how quickly patients’ palettes can change. Often finding processed fake foods to be too sweet or salty, and associating their feelings of better energy, skin, digestive health and weight loss when they are eating real foods more often.

Fun fact – our taste buds renew in just 10 days, so give yourself some time, because YOU DO have the ability to evolve!

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The Best Goal Setting Approach For Youth Athletes

By. Coach Danny Carrillo

Setting ambitious goals should be encouraged and we should not be afraid of taking a step back to add elements that might seem small but will ultimately make a big impact on achieving what we set out to do!

The concept of using a process oriented approach is based on my own experience, as well as learning from one of my favorite resources, The Language of Coaching by Nick Winkleman.

Goal setting brings purpose to your daily learning environment and ultimately, helps to define what you pay attention to in your surroundings.

Think about the last time you set a goal. Was it a short-term or long-term one? Was it focused on a single aspect of your life (i.e. health, career, personal development, etc.)? Was it focused on the achievement itself?

Odds are your goal fell under one of the following categories, and more likely the latter:

  1. Process- Oriented Goal
  2. Outcome- Oriented Goal

In our daily lives, we tend to set outcome-oriented goals because they can oftentimes feel like they’re easier to measure. For example, losing a certain amount of weight, or lifting a particular amount at the gym. However, I challenge you to start breaking bigger goals down into smaller process goals, so that you feel like you’re making regular, consistent progress. You may be wondering– why would that make a difference? Let me give you an example:

If the goal is to lose or gain 5 lbs and we only focus on a loss or gain as the measurement, we can get disappointed in not seeing progress regularly. Instead, if our goal is to visit the gym for 4 days throughout the week we have more flexibility. Going to the gym is part of the process. That way, the progress towards your goal can be attributed to the consistency of going to the gym, rather than taking drastic, unsustainable measures to hit your desired outcome.

This doesn’t mean timelines aren’t important when pursuing an ambitious goal, but I believe that taking a process-oriented approach makes the journey a lot more enjoyable since it provides you more flexibility on the journey.

These types of goals are also present in the context of strength and conditioning. A process-oriented goal is one that relates to a specific feature of the motor skill being practiced (ex. squatting). Whereas an outcome-oriented goal, is one that focuses on the results of the motor skill practiced (ex. Squatting with the intention of transferring the skill to learning how to jump to catch a ball).

As a coach, it is my responsibility to ensure that the goal/desired outcome my athletes are working towards is appropriate for their current skill level. It is also important to remember that once I have taught the desired skill, I need to take a step back and let my athletes figure things out for themselves in a safe and encouraging environment.

By taking a step back, I allow my athletes to embrace their own process in learning the skill while making sure to provide them the opportunity of becoming more confident in themselves and their abilities!

Ultimately, I believe that it is important to keep yourself accountable, but life happens, and goals may take a bit longer to achieve sometimes and that’s okay! I believe a process-oriented approach can extend to other areas of our lives because it not only lets us achieve everything we set out to do, but it also allows us greater learning opportunities and makes the journey that much sweeter.

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A Missing Link for Sustainable Fat Loss

By Dr. Tamara Kung, ND

One of the first relationships found between our health and gut microbiome came seventy years ago when low dose antibiotics fed to farm animals increased their body weight. Through further investigation, evidence pointed to the weight gain occurring, in part, because of the antibiotics impact on gut microbiome. Antibiotics are necessary, and have and will continue to save lives, but these findings help illustrate the impact bacteria have on our health.

One study discovered that there are eight species of bacteria (prevotella species) that are protective against weight gain. These species thrive with fiber, which is found only in plants. These healthful bacteria help us break down and utilize sugars more easily and help us burn energy instead of storing it as fat.

Obesity-promoting bacteria (bacteroids), which thrive on processed foods, animal fats, and cholesterol, increase the number of calories we absorb from food by further breaking down the waste in our colon, and releasing more calories than you would have otherwise had access to. 

For those of us who are interested in achieving a sustainable healthy weight, driving up the population of healthy, fiber-loving bacteria can help protect us from weight gain. In fact, the composition of our gut bacteria are better predictors than metrics like cholesterol, on how well we will burn fat.

Which foods help us grow more healthy bacteria in our gut? Fermented foods! This is a staple in many traditional cuisines but is often lacking in the Western diet. Sometimes we get a little freaked out by the idea of bacteria in our foods, but hopefully this article makes the case that good bacteria exist, and they are here to help you thrive. 

Try to incorporate one or more of these fermented foods in your daily routine.

·  ¼ cup sauerkraut OR kimchi <-brands just in case you’re open to trying

·  2 tbsp sugar-free Coconut Kefir here & here (or dairy kefir)

·  ¼ package of tempeh

·  1 bowl of Miso broth

You can use sauerkraut to help jazz up a salad or as salty flavourful side. Kimchi goes great with avocado, cucumber, and seaweed which you can make into a bowl. Kefir can be used in place of regular yogurt (it has three times more healthy bacteria than regular yogurt). Tempeh can be marinated and baked, grilled, or sautéed with stir fries. Miso is a simple soup you can make from paste and enjoy as is or as a base for stews!

So, treat your gut right. It will benefit you in so many ways, and it might just help you shed a bit of fat at the same time.

Crovesy, L. et al. (2017). Effect of Lactobacillus on body weight and body fat in overweight subjects: a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials. International Journal of Obesity 41, 1607-14. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2017161

Diener, C. et al. (2021). Baseline Gut Metagenomic Functional Gene Signature Associated with Variable Weight Loss Responses following a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention in Humans. American Society for Microbiology. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00964-21

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Summer Musts Before Labour Day

Tim Irvine

Summer is never long enough, but if we put our minds to it, we can maximize our enjoyment.

Everyone I know has their favourite things to do in the summer. People who do things they love that bring them joy are healthier.

Here are seven things you should try to get in before the end of the labour day weekend.

  1. Swing in a hammock.
    1. Research is sparse on the benefits of swinging in a hammock so let’s just go with the obvious. It feels great! To have all your weight supported and feel that gentle swing motion is just awesome. And since hammocks are almost always between two trees, you benefit from being below a big green canopy.
  2. Have a three-swim day, including one in the moonlight.
    1. The feeling of dipping or jumping into refreshing water is such a mental reset on a hot day. Doing it three times in one day takes it to another level. The feeling of the water on your skin, the temperature difference, the buoyancy. So many unique feelings to enjoy. You are best to find a lake or ocean for this one, but always have a partner for safety.
  3. Walk in the woods.
    1. There is ample research on the benefits of being in a forest. Time spent in and around trees naturally reduces physical and mental stress. We can all benefit from a break from the usual urban stresses.
  4. Go barefoot on the beach or grass.
    1. Many people swear by this practice. Some suggest a positive energy transfer from earth to the body, but the research is inconclusive. Conclusively, going barefoot on uneven surfaces like sand forces the muscles of your feet and ankles to work how they are supposed to. Even better, it feels so, so good on your skin.
  5. Soak up some sun.
    1. Getting direct sunshine has many proven health benefits. The most celebrated is the production of vitamin D. Dermatologists are right; too much sun can damage your skin, so make sure it is an appropriate amount for you. Choose the start or end of the day to avoid those intense mid-day rays.
  6. Play in the rain.
    1. When was the last time you did this? For most adults, we can’t remember the pure joy of playing in the rain. Kids love to do it and always have a blast getting wet and dirty. Let your guard down and go have some fun in the rain. The laughs and smiles will be worth the laundry.
  7. Watch the sunrise.
    1. Peace and quiet. We all crave this. There is no better time to get a dose than at sunrise in the summer. It’s also a great way to be mindful, which we all know is beneficial for our mental health.

You now have your checklist. See how many of them you can get checked off before labour day 2022 is in the background.

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Is Alcohol Good For My Sleep?

By Tim Irvine

The title of this article is a bit of a trick question. Those who consume would like to think it relaxes us and sets us up for better sleep. The former may be true, but from an internal perspective, the latter is false. The graphic below from sleepfoundation.org shows clearly how alcohol can affect sleep quality.

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In short, we sleep worse when we consume alcohol. Here’s why.

Issue number one is that alcohol is inflammatory. Inflammation will cause digestive issues and can lead to stomach pain and/or upset. Have you ever had a great sleep when your stomach is bugging you?

The second issue is this little thing called a diuretic. Alcohol promotes urination, and if you must get up a couple of times each night to pee, that takes away from getting deep, quality sleep. Plus, if you have enough, you become dehydrated and feel that fuzzy, hangover feeling.

Third, alcohol is fundamentally a bunch of easily digestible sugars, and we know sugar initially has stimulating effects. Since a lot of drinking happens in the evening, our sleep suffers.

Most importantly, however, it is the effect of alcohol on your heart’s efficiency. In an Outside Magazine article exploring the effect of alcohol on sleep, it is made clear that Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and resting heart rate (RHR) is negatively affected by alcohol. Both factors are measures of recovery and your readiness for activity. When we are in deep sleep, we see lots of important repair work. Alcohol reduces the amount of deep and REM sleep, negatively impacting your recovery. You may still be in bed for 7 hours, but it is highly likely that your quality of sleep will be reduced. And we know our physical and psychological capabilities decrease when sleep quality goes down. One important distinction that is made in the article is that each person has their own unique responses to alcohol. One person may have a dramatic drop in the quality of HRV due to one drink, and another will have hardly any impact. What is clear, however, is that alcohol will decrease quality for 100% of the population. Sleep trackers like Garmin’s Vivoactive 4, Whoop, or Oura Ring can help you determine how much you are impacted.

Does this make me want to give up drinking? No, of course not. What it does do is help me understand how it affects me so that I have better decision-making around alcohol when I need to be at my best, recover from illness or injury, or just have a restful sleep. Hopefully, this provides you with some of that decision-making power.