Food sensitivities affect approximately 35-45% of individuals (Duke Integrative Medicine); unfortunately, many of those individuals are unaware that they have one. What they are aware of this that they struggling with a wide variety of physical symptoms that may include fatigue, headaches, weight gain, and digestive issues and traditional treatments are failing to make them feel better.

Food sensitivities are more common than allergies but are more difficult to diagnose because the body’s response to an offending food is often delayed, slower and milder than a food allergy. With food sensitivities you may not experience the effects until 4-6 days later; this makes it very difficult to find the connection between specific foods and the symptoms being experienced. Despite being milder, food sensitivities are no less harmful to one’s long-term health. Food sensitivities induce an inflammatory reaction in the body and create an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract. Because the digestive system is very closely linked to the neurological system a wide variety of symptoms occur with the presence of an offending food. Age plays a role in the symptom presentation of food sensitivities but as we age the long-term effects of inflammation begin to show.

To identify the offending foods, a naturopath will often perform an IgG test which involves a simple finger prick. Another method regularly used by Naturopathic doctors and other holistic practitioners is an elimination/challenge diet. This diet involves the removal of all common allergenic and inflammatory foods and then the gradual systematic reintroduction of them to determine how your body responds to each individual food.

If you are suffering from any chronic disease, you may benefit from identifying potential food sensitivities as many conditions – including arthritis, gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, depression and ADHD – have been associated with food sensitivities.

I have a confession to make…I am a hoarder of magazines. It hasn’t yet gotten so bad that my family and friends have to weave their way through floor-to-ceiling stacks of magazines to make their way through my home but I have come to realize that my “habit” is neither serving much use nor is it environmentally friendly. Thus my newfound resolve to give up purchasing new magazines and to use those that I currently have. I will be starting a pre-New Year’s Resolution to apply the 3 R’s to my magazine stash: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Reduce:

While I love the quick read of a magazine, especially while working out, I will not be purchasing any more when standing at the grocery store checkout or when relaxing with a cup of coffee at my local Starbucks/Chapters location. To get my “fix” I will either have to settle for an older magazine already present in my collection or visit my local library and borrow a “new” one from there.

Reuse:

Most of my magazines are fitness and health magazines so I am beginning to integrate some of the suggested workouts into my fitness schedule. Not only does this impart a challenge to my workouts and refreshes them but it also puts all those magazines to use rather than just having them take up space on my shelves.

Recycle:

For those magazines that are really out of date or no longer of use to me, plan on recycling or using for future craft projects…nothing better than a good vision board. I also think using the workouts in the old magazines is a form of recycling.

Today’s Workout (courtesy of Oxygen Fat Loss Special 2008)

Warm-up/Cardio:

-       jump squats 10 reps 3 sets

-       walking lunges 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       side lunge 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       high skip 1 min 3 sets

Strength Training:

-       seated hammer curl 10lb 10 reps 3 sets

-       lunge 10lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       stiff leg deadlift 15lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       dumbbell lying hamstring curl 10 lb 10 reps 3 sets

-       squats 10 reps 3 sets

-       1 arm row 15 lb 10 reps/arm 3 sets

-       dumbbell fly 15 lb/hand 10 reps 3 sets

-       1 leg calf raise 10 lb 10 reps/leg 3 sets

-       tricep dip 10 reps 3 sets

-       broomstick twist 10 reps 3 sets

-       bench crunch 10 reps 3 sets

Melt Fat Away full body workout

Last weekend I did something I have never done before; I played in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament known as The Goosebowl in Kingston, Ontario. I had never played in any sort of athletic tournament in my life…I was definitely not an athletic child and preferred art classes over sports teams. About 2 years ago that all changed; my boyfriend, Greg, encouraged me to take up recreational Ultimate Frisbee with him and a bunch of our mutual friends. At the beginning I felt completely useless on the field but very quickly got hooked on the game. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Ultimate Frisbee, it’s kind of like a hybrid of football, soccer, and basketball but played with a Frisbee.

What made this tournament so challenging for me, is that I have only played on recreational teams and never with people who play at a competitive level. This tournament challenged me to improve my game and learn from those playing at a much higher level than myself. On Saturday, we played 5 back-to-back hour and forty minute games and Sunday we played 2 games.  Not only was I challenged to improve my skill level and learn but I also really tested my athleticism and physical endurance. I will admit to feeling pretty discouraged on Saturday after our first games but Sunday I pushed myself harder and really enjoyed myself.

Limestone City Cupcakery, Kingston, Ontario

Also, while we were in Kingston we had the opportunity to drop by the recently opened Limestone City Cupcakery at 250 Ontario Street. This shop is adorable and cosy with bright pink and pistachio green walls and open kitchen so you can watch the owner as she decorates cupcakes. The Limestone City Cupcakery offers creative and unique cupcake flavors that rotate throughout the week, including Maple Bacon (which I have heard is one of the most popular flavours), PB&J and Bubblegum. Each month they choose one cupcake to be the “Cupcake for a Cause” and donate 20% of the proceeds for sales of that cupcake to a designated charity.  Not only does Limestone City Cupcakery offer delicious cupcakes but they also serve certified organic coffee and teas. I encourage anyone in Kingston to drop by and support this new business, try some cupcakes and support a local charity.