Chronic Fatigue Diet Recommendation

There is a lot of debate among chronic fatigue experts about what a chronic fatigue syndrome diet should consist of because each individual case is different. For example some chronic fatigue sufferers get better when they are on a diet that is all juices but other seem to have worsening of their condition.

However there are some general recommendations when it comes to eating that should help with the symptoms of chronic fatigue and maybe even act as a kind of cure for chronic fatigue in that they help prevent the condition from getting even worse.

Eat Raw!

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First of all it is recommended that you should eat a well-balanced diet of fifty percent raw foods and fresh “live” juices. The diet should consist mostly of fruits, vegetables and whole grains plus raw nuts, seeds, skinless turkey and some deep water fish.  These are quality foods that help renew energy and build immunity. Make sure you wash all produce well to make sure it is free of mould, which can make this aggravating condition worse.

Take Your Probiotics!

Yogurt Contains Probiotics

You should also add some form of acidophilus to your diet and regularly consume soured products such as yogurt and kefir.  Many people who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome also are infected with candida. Taking Acidophilus helps to keep the candida under control.

It also helps to consume plenty of water -- at least eight ounce glasses a day.  Drink a full glass of water every day. The water helps to flush out the toxins and also helps reduce muscle pain.

Avoid Certain Foods and Favour Others

You also should not eat shellfish, junk foods, fried foods, processed foods and you are advised to avoid drinking stimulants such as coffee, tea and soft drinks.  Sugar and products made out of white flour should also be avoided.  In fact if you suspect that your chronic fatigue syndrome is caused by candida albicans than you should really make the effort to avoid all white flours and refined products as well as alcohol and colas as these are foods that “feed the fungus” and make you even sicker.

It also helps to take chlorophyll in tablet form or obtain it from the liquid of vegetables in the form of a powdered green drink. Many of the protein drinks that are on the market today are also “green drinks.”

Many people who have this condition have also benefited from taking kombucha tea instead of drinking regular coffees or caffeinated tree. This is actually a mushroom that is brewed in liquid. When chronic fatigue sufferers drink this potent brew many of them experience an increase in energy and feel much better.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Why Some Vegans Stay Fat

You think that being a vegan would help you lose weight but this is not necessarily true. In general a plant based diet that does consist of whole foods can help you lose weight over the long term but the key words here are “whole foods.” Many vegans eat a lot of sugar and fat to make up for the lack of dairy and meat in their diets.

Consuming a low whole foods plant based diet will help you to lose weight and the best news is that the more you weight the quicker you will lose it once you switch to a vegan based diet that does not include things like so many refined carbohydrates. Many vegans eat and drink their nutritious zero calorie fruits and vegetables and then sabotage it all by eating a lot of oily, carb heavy sugars and starches.

Avoid Carbs and Sugar!

If you are going to be a vegan, the optimal diet is a whole foods, plant-based diet that does not contain a lot of carbs or sugar!

To lose weight you need to go on that strict vegetarian diet or you could turn into one of these fatter non meat eaters.   Some people become vegetarian and then load up on pasta and pastries made from refined grains. These are what have become to be known as the junk food vegans!   Even though they aren’t consuming meat they are consuming foods that are problematic for them and that might even cause them to gain weight. This is why you see so many heavier vegans around.

You can be as vegan as you wants but if you never take part in any type of physical activity you could be incredibly fat after all. You can still be a vegan and be fat and soft because you have not been exercising. Exercise in combination with the right diet is crucial as well, or you will simply be an overweight vegetarian.

The third reason you may not lose weight is because you have a genetic disposition to be overweight. If you were one of these individuals, who are becoming more and more common in all races across the world, then it would not take much of a lapse in diet to immediately cause an immediate gain in weight.

Keeping Weight Off Is A Lifestyle Choice

The point is that keeping weight off is not a gimmick nor is it ever going to be the result of simply staying off of meat dairy. . It has to be a long-term life style choice that includes exercise... Choosing a vegan diet is choosing health and dispensing with long-term pain like kidney problems, cancer, heart disease, and cancer and joint problems.

Vegans are quite prone to the psychological lows that come with gaining weight. They often blame their own bodies when it seems that “even the vegan diet” is not working. The next thing you know they are back in a vicious cycle of eating junk food in order to self-medicate for feelings of inferiority brought on by the condition of obesity itself!

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

How Your Feelings Fuel Food Addiction

There are all sorts of emotions that can affect our wellness and this includes worry, fear, anger, grief, sadness and guilt.  Feeling that you are not accepted, a personal failure or that you are being overwhelmed by large financial burdens. 

The bottom line is that who we are is always in a delicate balance between chemistry and energy and when any type of energy, even if it is just emotional, becomes blocked and we become addicted to emotional eating.

What is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating refers to people who eat because of the way they feel rather than when they are

hungry. Many people who overeat do so because they become obsessed with overeating a certain type of food. They associated gorging on this food with nurturing oneself. Yet others eat of anger or in defiance of someone who wants them to go on a diet. Some overeating behaviours are almost vengeful; the person is “biting back” at a world that they feel is swallowing them whole. 

Stuffing Your Anger

Many people overeat because they are “stuffing your anger.”  When we are infuriated we want to fill our mouths with something warm, salty and chewy.  This relates to the primal drive in us that evolutionary biologists say goes way back to our caveman days where we associated eating raw fresh kill with comfort. It is a very primal hard-wired urge that can help soothe us when we feel deprived. Many studies have shown that people who go on diets that are too strict do not tend to stick to themIn essence, you are an emotional eater if you find yourself using the eating of food (usually too much food or fatty, sweet and salty foods) to cope with the usual stresses of life. Many people eat every time they experience a rush in adrenalin.  They will give themselves the permission to break their diet because they associate the concept of celebrating with food with achievement.  This means that even extremely happy moments can lead a person to stray from their diet.Despite the fact that there are other ways of producing these feel good chemicals in our brains such as exercising, getting out to see friends and indulging in hobbies we like, many of us still become addicted to food.  Eating fatty, salty and sweet foods are there surest ways to change our brain chemical composition so that we feel  good” However the “high” does not last long and like an addict, we eat some more to get another hit of escapism through being a foodie.

By the way, meditation and exercise can go along way towards satiating the dissatisfaction that seems to come with going on a vegan diet at first.  .So if you can, it is best to try and deal with your emotional eating disorders and issues in other ways and consult with a dietician or naturopaathic doctor who can help you with this issue, which if left unchecked can lead to all kinds of health problems.For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Naturopathy, Diet and Low Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure is also known as hypotension and the good news is that it can be treated with diet changes, medication, homeopathy and other measures. Taking the naturopathic, holistic route towards prevention and treatment of this condition can be very helpful if you are feeling fatigued every day.

It is key to understand what your blood pressure reading is. Your blood pressure reading consists of two numbers. The first number in a blood pressure reading, this is the amount of pressure your heart generates when pumping blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.  The second number refers to the amount of pressure when your heart is at rest between beats. Usually they're written one above or before the other, such as 120/80. If your blood pressure reading is 90/60 or lower, you have low blood pressure.

Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure

Most people with low blood pressure have absolutely no symptoms.  Some people feel dizzy if they stand up quickly or lie down quickly.  Fainting, inability to concentrate, blurred vision, cold clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing and fatigue could be caused by low blood pressure. Severely low blood pressure can deprive the brain and organs of oxygen and cause severe shock.

Causes of Low Blood Pressure

People who exercise regularly tend to have lower blood pressure than do people who aren't as fit. So, in general, do nonsmokers and people who eat well and maintain a normal weight.

Low blood pressure is common in pregnant individual. As a woman’s circulatory system expands rapidly during pregnancy, blood pressure is likely to drop. During the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, systolic pressure commonly drops by five to 10 points and diastolic pressure by as much as 10 to 15 points.

Many medications can cause low blood pressure, including diuretics (and other drugs that treat high blood pressure. Heart medications such as beta-blockers, drugs for Parkinson's disease, tricyclic antidepressants, Viagra narcotics and alcohol can also cause severely low blood pressure.

Some kinds of heart conditions can cause low blood pressure including heart valve problems and a condition that slows down the heartbeat called bradycardia. These conditions may cause low blood pressure because they prevent your body from being able to circulate enough blood. 

Disorders of the endocrine glands, including an underactive or overactive thyroid can also cause low blood pressure as can Addison’s disease low blood sugar and diabetes. All of these conditions can be treated with hormone replacement therapy and changes ind diet.

Dehydration caused by fever, vomiting, severe diarrhea, overuse of diuretics and strenuous exercise can cause low blood pressure.  This is because dehydration reduces the volume of blood in the body.

A lack of the vitamins B-12 and folate can cause anemia, which in turn can lead to low blood pressure.  Sometimes vegans and vegetarians have this condition as a result of not eating enough meat and a dietician or ND here at Pinewood might recommend vitamin shots or supplements for you.

As people age they may experience low blood pressure after eating. This is caused by a large amount of blood flowing into the digestive tract.

Care and Treatment of Low Blood Pressure

Doctors usually try to address the primary health problem — dehydration, heart failure, diabetes or hypothyroidism, for example — rather than low blood pressure itself. When low blood pressure is caused by medications, treatment usually involves changing the dose of the medication or stopping it entirely.

If it's not clear what's causing low blood pressure or no effective treatment exists, the goal is to raise your blood pressure and reduce signs and symptoms. 

One way to raise your blood pressure is to add more salt to your diet but make sure that you are consuming the right type of salt. This is where consultation with a dietician or naturopath is important.

If your low blood pressure is caused by low blood volume then you need to drink more water.Low blood pressure  can managed with minor changes in diet – such as  adding salt to your food.

To book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

NOW IS THE TIME TO ADD MORE RAW FOODS

No, raw food does not mean eating sushi. Raw food is plant or animal food that has not been heated above 115 degrees fahrenheit.  Raw foodists believe that when heated above this temperature, the enzymes in the food are destroyed or denatured, and cannot provide the same nutritive value. So, eating food in its natural state allows the body to derive more nutritional benefit from it. Live enzymes and vitamins offer the best nutrition.  Adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet is one way to eat more raw food.  Now that summer is around the corner it is the best time of year to eat more local fresh fruits and vegetables.

Here are a few tips on how to add more raw food to your diet:

•  When you are hungry, snack on raw, unsalted almonds.  They will provide protein, healthy fats and fiber and help balance blood sugar levels.
•  Don't be afraid to eat healthy fats such as those found in avocados or nuts and seeds.  These fats leave you feeling nourished and can actually help you lose weight when consumed in moderation.
•  When craving sweets, try eating a few dates.  This may curb your craving and set you on your way to eating less processed sugars.
•  Snack on fresh fruit throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels balanced.
•  Freeze organic berries in season so you can quickly and easily make a smoothie.
•  As you get more comfortable with making fruit smoothies start adding green vegetables to increase the nutritional value.

To learn more about raw foods join me on Wednesday, May 27 at 6:30 for a Raw Dessert Workshop.  We'll discuss how easy it is to add more raw foods to your diet, especially dessert. Healthy, no sugar, no flour, but decadent! Cost is $50 per person. Bring a friend and save $5. Email karen@nutrilicious.ca to reserve your spot. Space is limited.