Have you ever considered what your posture might say about you?  Looking at someone’s posture can tell you a lot about what’s going on in their body, both physically and mentally.  When our posture is improperly aligned, muscles work harder than they need too which leads to increased injury, tension and strain.  Good posture will have us moving better, looking taller, slimmer and have us feeling our best!

Our bodies haven’t adapted to sitting for long hours slumped over in our chairs in front of a computer.  Tissue that spend most of the day in the same position (sitting OR standing) will adapt to those positions, making them somewhat “fixed”.  Not only does this contribute to poor posture, but also a host of other possible issues like chronic neck, back and shoulder pain, mobility issues, and even digestive and breathing problems.

Faulty posture occurs when muscles are imbalanced causing one muscle group to become too long/weak and the opposing group to be too short/strong.  In an ideal posture, the muscles on both sides of the spine and body would be working in balance.  This allows the joints and bones to be placed in proper alignment ensuring that the muscles are being used efficiently.

The best and most effective way to correct and improve posture is to strengthen underactive muscles and to lengthen the ones that are too tight.  In order for our posture and health to change, we need to change the way we move our bodies!  Following these exercise and movement tips will take you one step closer to a more neutral spine as well as better health and happier mood.

1. Get out of your Chair

The “shape” of your body is created by how you move, sit and stand.  It is constantly responding to and changing depending upon the forces put upon it i.e sitting still for hours upon hours at our desk!.  Sitting for prolonged periods of time not only shortens and creates a lot of work for the muscles at the front of the hip (Quads and Psoas), but it also puts constant pressure on the hamstrings. This affects the blood vessels running down to your feet, which can also impinge the nerves around your pelvis.

What can you do?  By making simple changes like taking frequent walking breaks and exercising daily, you’re adding more movement to your day.  Doing this will have an overall positive effect on your posture and decrease your risk for disease.  Change your positions frequently.  Sit, stand, and move around whenever and wherever you can.  Even adding simple ex at your desk can make a big difference over time.

2. Look up!

Take a look around and any given time and you’ll probably see people around you with their heads hanging down, slumped over their phone. We’re always going to use our devices, but try holding your phone directly in front of you instead of in your lap.  When we’re slumped over in a poor posture your lungs don’t have room to expand.  In order to breath properly the chest needs to be lifted to allow full expansion of the lungs and ribcage.  The way we breath does not only affect how we move and feel but directly impacts every function in the body.

3. Chill out for better digestion

Our bodies weren’t designed to eat and digest food in a slumped forward posture or in situations of high stress.  When our bodies are chronically stressed, blood flow is shunted away from the gut resulting in decreased stomach acid (which we need for optimal digestion) which results in poor and sluggish digestion.  Sitting and standing with good posture will help strengthen the diaphragm and core muscles which could have a direct effect on helping to prevent bloating and indigestion. 

4. Exercise for ultimate posture

Strengthening your core and back muscles and understanding proper alignment and awareness of where you are in space is key.  If your muscles are not balanced properly, finding your neutral posture will be difficult. Follow these points to properly align your posture from top to bottom.

• Line up your feet so the toes are pointing straight forward and not turned out
• Align the pelvis above the ankles (back your hips up!)
• Properly align the ribcage so it is directly above the pelvis (not shifted forward)
• Shoulders wide and chest open (but not leaning back or pinching shoulder blades)
• Head balanced nicely in between shoulders and ears in line with shoulders (not forward)

Good posture involves balance between all body parts.  Following these tips, you should feel centered over your feet with the weight not too far forward over the toes or too far back over the heels.

5. Get treated

I’m a firm believer that not 1 modality does it all. I used to get frequent and debilitating migraine headaches for years. After a week of daily headaches my mom begged me to see her Chirpractor and I was finally provided some relief. These days I regularly see an Osteopath (highly recommend you find one) for whole body adjustments, and I’m convinced that this has been a huge piece in balancing out my body. Adjustments are so gentle, full body and I’ve seen such incredible changes in the bodies of my clients who combine their regular pilates sessions with Osteopathic treatments.

Now Let’s Move! 

These exercises will both strengthen and lengthen to help achieve your most ideal posture.  They can be done using just a simple mat at home and some even at your desk throughout the day.  Remember to activate your core muscles as you perform each ex for maximum support and effectiveness.  

The Shoulder Stretch – Start standing in front (or behind) a chair with your hands on top of the backrest.  Feet should be hip distance apart and spine neutral.  Lean forward with your torso until you are in one long line from your head to your tailbone.  Keeping the legs straight, lower your chest toward the floor as far as your shoulder flexibility will allow.  Make sure to not push into pain.  This is a great way to help increase the flexibility around the shoulder, but one step at a time.  

What it’s not:  Completely collapsing or pushing aggressively into the shoulders to cause pain or strain.  Keep the abdominals engaged to support the back and listen to your body when it says “that’s enough!”

Seated Chest Raise – This is one of the simplest ex that can be right at your desk when you feel you need it.  Use it to help open your chest and strengthen your upper back.

Sitting straight on top of your sit bones with both feet flat on the floor.  Place one hand on your chest, the other can just rest on your lap. Make sure your back is not resting or slumping on the back rest.  While taking an inhale, press your chest up gently into your hand.  You can visualize a string on your hand connected to your chest gently pulling up to the ceiling.  This is a small movement that should create a lifting in your chest and a lengthening in your upper back in between your shoulder blades.  After repeating 5-10x, try and keep the last lift and see if you can maintain it while working away.

What it’s not: Lifting the shoulders up to the ears and creating more tension around the neck and shoulders.  Also be mindful about not extending the lower back to create the movement.

Hip Circles – Laying on your back, bend one knee and keep the foot on the floor/mat.  Lift the other leg into a tabletop position with the knee in a 90 degree angle from hip and knee.  Imagine you have a marker on your knee, start to circle the knee around as if you were drawing circles on the ceiling with your knee.  Complete 6-8 circles in each direction on each leg.  Try to keep the hip relaxed as you do this.  This ex should help relax all the muscles around the hip providing a nice release.  

What it’s not: Allowing your pelvis to move around and lead the movement will cause tension in the back. Keep the spine neutral and the moving leg as relaxed as possible.

Good Ol’ Plank – Planking (in any variation) is one of the best ways to strengthen your core.  Having a strong core is essential to good posture.  In addition to working the abdominals, a good plank will strengthen the shoulders, arms, legs and back, giving you more bang for your buck. 

Starting position:  On the floor or mat with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees just back of your hips.  Stabilize your shoulders and abdominals and extend legs back until they’re fully straight.  Legs can be together or apart, but you should be in one long line from head to toes.  

What it’s not:  Slumping or collapsing in the lumbar spine (lower back). Lift the hips and squeeze those glutes!

Kneeling Lunge – On your hands and knees on a soft mat.  Step forward with one leg until the shin of the front leg is vertical.  Make sure to line up your pelvis in a neutral position (hip bones at the front of the pelvis in line with the pubic bone so pelvis is also vertical).  Gently lunge forward until you feel a gentle stretch at the front of your hip.  You may feel like you have to gently tuck the pelvis under (posteriorly) as you lean forward to feel the stretch.

What it’s not: Leaning to far and letting the pelvis tilt forward (anteriorly).  This will cause the lower back to extend and compress and you won’t effectively stretch the muscles at the front of the hip which you’re targeting.

The Bottom Line – Good Posture requires a balance of movement, strength and stabilization.  Keeping the body strong and mobile will not only minimize tension and strain in the body, but optimize function in all the muscles and joints.  In no time you’ll have the posture of a Pilates Instructor and the freedom of movement for years to come.

If you’re one to be on top of the latest and greatest diet trends, you’ve probably noticed the topic of fasting to be making its way through the most recent cycle. As we dig deeper into the What’s, Why’s and How’s of fasting we’ll see that the concept is in fact not a new one.  Although the practice of fasting has somewhat been forgotten, it is actually one of the most ancient healing traditions that’s stood the test of time, practiced by almost every culture and religion on earth!  

Our bodies are designed to contract & relax, feast & fast.  With a constant supply of food all around us these days, and modern ideas of eating every 2-3 hrs. (plus snacks!), it’s now feast all the time!  This can be quite taxing for the body to be constantly working on digesting our food. Our bodies now never seem to get a break and haven’t adapted to this behaviour.  

Before we dive in to the details, let’s get a better understanding of what happens when we eat, and digest.

Without getting too technical, it works like this.. we eat, which causes our blood sugar to rise.  Insulin (a hormone made in the pancreas) transports glucose out of your bloodstream (lowering blood sugar) and stores it in your liver, your muscles and (you guessed it) your fat cells for future use. The more insulin in the bloodstream, the more fat is stored. 

All foods cause insulin to rise, but some (glucose) more than others. The goal is to avoid large fluctuations in blood sugar so that insulin doesn’t transfer too much into the cells.  We can manage this by choosing foods that don’t cause blood sugar to quickly spike but rather to keep it stable longer like fats and moderate amounts of protein over sugary & high carb foods. Our bodies have two main sources of fuel, glucose & fat.  If glucose is not available our bodies will switch to burn fat stores as fuel. What’s another way to keep insulin levels low? Enter fasting.

What is fasting?

Fasting is the willing abstinence from food for a specific period of time. Intermittent fasting cycles between shorter periods of fasting, and specific periods of unrestricted eating. Fasting times can range anywhere from 12-16hrs.  Longer Fasting periods can range from 24-48hrs or longer.

Why fast? 

Along with giving our digestive systems a much needed break, and the main attraction of weight loss, fasting comes with a whole host of added benefits.  

Benefits of fasting include:

• Lower insulin levels and stabilized blood sugar
• Detoxify and cleanse the body
• Give the digestive system/organs a break to free up energy so healing can begin 
• Weight loss as you begin to burn stores of fat 
• Reverse aging process 
• Improved concentration & memory
• Decreased appetite on non fast days 
• Alzheimer’s prevention 
• More mental clarity – on fast days people usually note that they experience less brain fog and increased focus.
• Decreased Inflammation, increased energy, better sleep and the list goes on.

Hippocrates, considered to be the father of modern medicine often prescribed fasting stating “to eat when you are sick is to feed your illness”.  Even Benjamin Franklin has been known to have said “one of the best medicines is resting & fasting”.  

What do the studies show?  Research is showing that fasting can reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism and in rodents protect against diabetes, cancers and heart disease.  In humans it’s shown to reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.  According to Dr. Jason Fung, author of The Obesity Code and world leading expert on intermittent fasting, “Once we understand that obesity is a hormonal imbalance, we can begin to treat it. The key to long lasting weight control is to control the main hormone responsible, which is insulin.”

The How to

Best thing about fasting is you can fit it into your life as you want…and it’s free!  Here are some of the more common ways to fast.

1. 12 hr. fasting – A shorter period of fasting but done every day. A 12 hour fasting period  would have you eat 3 meals a day for example from 7 am to 7 pm and abstain from eating anything from 7 pm to 7 am.  A simple fast that should be considered a normal daily practice to give digestive organs a break each night.  If we were to eat unprocessed food and reduce excess sugars this simple fast would be enough to ward off obesity. 
2. 16 hr. fasting – A daily 16 hour period of fasting and an 8 hour eating window. For example, this would mean eating from 12 pm – 8 pm, and fasting from 8 pm to 12pm. This means skipping breakfast each day. Some people choose to eat 2 meals during that 8 hour window where others may eat 3 thus can be implemented daily or a few times per week.
3. 24 hr. fasting – Fasting time is 24hrs from the time of your last meal to the next.  For example, if dinner ended at 8:00pm, then your next meal wouldn’t be until 8:00pm the following day, meaning breakfast and lunch would be skipped the day of your fast.  If your last meal was breakfast at 7:00am, then lunch and dinner would be skipped that same day and the next meal would be breakfast the following day 24hrs later. For optimal benefits this length of fasting can be practiced 1-2x per week as recommended by Brad Pilon who popularized intermittent fasting in his book ‘Eat, Stop, Eat’. 

What’s allowed on fasting days 

Water – still and sparkling – drink plenty to avoid dehydration (can add lemon or lime)

Tea – green, black, oolong, herbal are all allowed (cinnamon can be added)

Coffee – regular or decaf with small amount of milk or cream if needed (no sugar)

Bone Broth – home made (easy recipe below) or store bought (if store bought quality is key, canned broths are no match to a superior organic bone broth).  Can be found at health food stores and some organic butcher shops in freezer section. Beef, chicken, pork or fish as well as vegetable broth (although veg won’t have the high mineral content compared to the bone).

What’s not allowed on fasting days 

Food – unless taking medication required with food, can eat a small amount of leafy greens

Sugar – no sugar to be added to any drink consumed 

Juice – basically liquid sugar – do not consume on fast days 

Who should NOT fast?  Pregnant women and children need adequate nutrients for growth.  Type 2 Diabetics and people with high blood pressure should be monitored by their physician. Women have been shown to have better weight loss results with longer fasting periods.

Fasting Tips for success! 

-When hunger signals arise, drink water.  They will come and go but do subside.  

-If you experience a headache you can add a pinch of sea salt to water to replenish electrolytes. 

-If you experience cramping can take a Magnesium supplement or Epsom salt bath.

-Break your fast slowly, don’t binge.  Eat a nutritious meal as normal or break your fast with a handful of nuts, some vegetables or warm soup.

– Give yourself an adjustment period, with each fast it gets easier.

The good news?  We can have the birthday cake and the Thanksgiving dinner, but when we feast, we should fast.  

Easy Bone Broth Recipe 

3-4 Carrots 

2 med Onions  

4 ribs of Celery 

Organic animal Bones (Chicken backs, necks, legs, beef bones, or fish bones) 

Handful of Parsley 

Salt & Pepper to taste 

4-12litres of water 

Directions:

Cut celery, carrots & onions in big chunks, add to large pot and sautee in olive oil for 3-5 min.  Add bones and fill pot with water.  Add parsley and spices and bring to boil.  Turn down and simmer for 4-6 hrs (or longer).  After cooled, strain and refrigerate.  This step makes it easier to skim fat off top.  Can be warmed throughout day and used to drink or put into freezer for future fasting days.  This easy bone broth can also be made in a slow cooker and cooked for a longer time to extract more nutrients from the bones.

Our hormones control nearly every physiological process in the body and are involved in every aspect of health including our metabolism, reproductive system, and even our immune function.  In addition to playing a major role in controlling our weight, mood, appetite and sex drive, these chemical messengers also have a profound effect on our emotional & physical health, which is why we need them to be balanced for the body to function optimally. 

Maintaining hormonal balance is complex as hormones are often naturally in flux.  Different factors such as lifestyle, stress, poor sleep & an unhealthy diet high in sugar can cause hormones to become imbalanced. How do we know if we’re out of balance?  Ask yourself a few of these questions… Do I have sugar cravings, mood swings, PMS, am I overweight or carry excess belly fat?  If yes, chances are that our many health conditions may be a result of hormonal imbalance. 

Before we dive into why our hormones may be out of whack, let’s first get to know of few of these hormones, especially those related to our metabolism more closely. 

Insulin (“Storage” hormone): Secreted by the pancreas, this hormone tells the body how to use sugar and is highly affected by the diet.  Insulin picks up glucose and transfers it into your cells where it is used for energy. 

What happens when there is too much insulin in the bloodstream?  Cells no longer properly respond to insulin signals which can then lead to insulin resistance.  According to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the most notable effects of too much sugar is insulin resistance. Obesity, inflammation, diabetes and even heart disease are all connected. What’s the best way to avoid this? Reduce your sugar intake, limit alcohol consumption and cut down on refined carbs…but more on that later. 

Leptin (“Satiety” hormone) & Ghrelin (“Hunger” hormone):  Leptin signals the brain that there is enough fat in storage and prevents overeating. Ghrelin is released when the stomach is empty and stops when the stomach is full.  Including protein at every meal will help to promote satiety. 

Cortisol (“Stress” hormone): Produced by the adrenal glands when the body is stressed. High levels of cortisol can lead to overeating and are linked to belly fat and weight gain.  Cortisol levels often rise when there is an increase in blood sugar levels.  Feeling exhausted, wired and anxious are all side effects making us feel like stress is less manageable.

Estrogen: This female sex hormone regulates the reproductive system & helps optimize the action of insulin.  When estrogen is out of balance it can cause changes in weight, especially in pre-menopausal women. What can you do?  Broccoli, cauliflower and even flax seeds have been shown to help balance estrogen. 

Thyroid:  responsible for maintaining metabolism, cognitive function and body temperature.  This gland influences almost all of the metabolic processes in the body. 

The Sugar Link!

We’ve all heard about and even know of the negative effects sugar can have on the waistline, but a diet high in sugar can also lead to significant hormonal imbalance.   You don’t eat sugar you say?  This includes all refined carbs, like your morning muffin or bagel (sugar), lunchtime pasta (sugar) and dinnertime potato, rice, and wine (sugar!).  Sugar is hiding everywhere, and as a society, we are addicted! Sugar is in our tomato sauce, our drinks, our yoghurt, and even in lurking in “healthy” protein bars. 

In addition to wreaking havoc on our hormonal system, excess sugar consumption is also linked to headaches, brain fog, mood swings, exhaustion, PMS, cramps, digestive disturbances and even more sugar cravings.

Keep your hormones in check by cleaning up your diet

Food is information to the body and making sure it’s fueled with the right foods is essential to hormonal balance.  Simple lifestyle changes and healthy food choices can help reset and restore proper hormone levels.  A holistic nutrition plan can help you ditch the diet that’s leaving you exhausted, constantly hangry and help get your hormones out of overdrive!

5 Tips on getting those hormones back in check

1. Kick sugar to the curb!

Want to avoid obesity, belly fat and diabetes?  Break up with sugar.  This especially includes liquid sugars, even those natural ones in your beloved green juice (check the labels). To the body, sugar is sugar.  Highly refined carbs (bread, pasta, muffins) promote insulin resistance which can to lead to hormonal imbalance quickly.   

• Give your diet some much deserved attention

Eating a well-balanced diet of high quality protein (lowers hunger hormone ghrelin), healthy fats and fiber-rich carbohydrates will keep you satisfied, keep your hormones in balance and free you from constant cravings.  Eating anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, fatty fish and nuts improve sensitivity to leptin and help get appetite suppressors back in check.  See where you can start adding in an extra serving of vegg each day.  Eventually the good will crowd out the bad. 

• Manage your stress 

High stress levels wreak havoc on your hormones.  Over time, chronic stress causes cortisol levels to remain elevated which leads to that stubborn belly fat and hormonal imbalance.  Finding space to include massage, meditation, yoga and some quiet YOU time can all help normalize your cortisol levels.  

• Mage good sleep a priority

Getting good quality sleep may be among one of the MOST important factors for hormonal balance.  Even with a perfect diet and exercise routine, a lack of restorative sleep can lead to imbalance of insulin, cortisol, and important growth hormones necessary for repair. According to a study in the International Journal of Endocrinology, adverse effects of improper sleep may contribute to obesity, diabetes, and problems with appetite.

• Move your body (everyday!) 

A major benefit to hormonal health is regular physical activity.  According to Dr. Sara Gottfried, MD, author of The Hormone Cure, “muscle serves as another endocrine organ that play a key role in metabolism by talking to other organs and releasing hormones”. Exercise also stimulates production of testosterone which helps boost sex drive and increase muscle mass.  High intensity sweat sessions and heavy resistance training have been shown to do this best over endurance training.   

Keeping our hormones happy requires a combination of eating to stabilize our blood sugar, getting regular exercise and good quality sleep.  Practicing self care should include all of these as well as being kind to yourself.  See where you can make small changes at first, which can lead to bigger (and more permanent) changes later on.