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Fall 2007Issue#1Welcome to the inaugural Zen-tai Wellness Newsletter!
We hope you have had a fantastic and restful summer and wish to guide you to have a very healthy and fulfilling autumn and winter as well. Our theme for this issue is hibernation.
Click on the following articles to find out how to harvest health and happiness:
Articles
Fun StuffHow to Survive the ColdTen Imperative Immune-Boosting Tips The first rounds of colds and flus have already started to pass through the city. They come in waves, and it is virtually impossible to avoid exposure to the viruses and bacteria that fester indoors in the cooler months. Guaranteed, you will find bountiful colonies coating door handles, communal pens, subway poles, bank machine buttons and especially on your colleagues friendly handshaking hands.
Wash your hands and use sanitizer they tell you...but if you did this as much as you needed to, your hands would become raw and dry. Plus, it's enough to drive you to paranoia!
Do try to keep your hands clean as best as you can, but instead of worrying excessively about your exposure to pathogens, an often overlooked tactic is to support your immune system. Your immune system is your body's natural defense system to fight off invaders. If it is functioning well, it will be able to keep you healthy even in the presence of bacteria and viruses.
Here are ten ways to maintain your immune strength:
Enjoy the colours and beauty of autumn! In health,
Makoto Trotter BSc(Hons), ND
Back to TopThe Sunshine VitaminDoug Deconstructs Vitamin D Dosage
Vitamin D has long been known as "the sunshine vitamin" because it is produced on the skin through the action of sunlight. However, because it's the UVB that is responsible for vitamin D production, anyone living in Canada is unable to produce it from about mid-October until mid-April because of insufficient UVB rays during the fall and winter months.
A review published in the July, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that in order to achieve the optimal blood levels of vitamin D, it would be necessary to consume at least 1000 international units of vitamin D per day from all sources to elevate blood levels to the minimum level that research has found to be advantageous for helping to preserve normal bone mineral density, and aiding in the prevention of periodontal disease, falls, fractures, and colorectal cancer.
They concluded that the most desirable serum levels of vitamin D began at 75 nanomoles per liter, and optimal levels are between 90 and 100 nanomoles per liter. These levels cannot be reached by most individuals with the current recommended intakes of 200 international units per day for younger adults and 600 international units per day for older adults.
Vitamin D experts are now recommending that adults get 1000IU from all sources: food and supplements.
Most multivitamins have 400IU, and individual vitamin D supplements are usually sold as 400IU or 1000IU. Taking the multi only during the summer months is fine if you manage to get about 20mins of sun exposure 4-5 days per week but the amount found in a typical multivitamin is not enough for the fall/winter. If you currently get 400IU from your multi, add an extra 400IU from a supplement. As well, aim to include a variety of vitamin D-rich foods such as milk, fortified soy, rice or almond beverages, oily fish like salmon, sardines or herring, almonds, dark green leafy vegetables or broccoli. If none of that appeals to you, take a supplement with 1000IU instead, everyday from October to April.
Note: Drinking milk is enough to prevent an overt vitamin D deficiency, however it is insufficient to raise blood levels to where research is now discovering it needs to be.
Doug Cook, RD, MHSc, CDE
Mother Earth's CelebritiesProfiling Brilliant B-VitaminsMost people already taking B-vitamins refer to it as "the vitamin that turns my pee fluorescent yellow!". Of course, it does actually have many health benefits besides its amusement factor.
B-vitamins are commonly recommended and taken as a "B-complex" because they include a mixture of B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin or aka Vitamin H), B9 (Folic Acid), B12 (Cobalamin). At one time, researchers believed that there was only one B-vitamin but further studies proved that there were eight distinct water-soluble vitamins that co-existed within certain foods. Foods high in B-vitamins include potatoes, oats, barley, wheat bran, bananas, lentils, liver, turkey, avocados, molasses and brewer's yeast (yes, that means beer is high in B-vitamins!). It is possible to contain higher sources of one B-vitamin over the other so make sure you eat a variety of B-vitamin containing foods to avoid deficiencies. B-vitamins are essential for proper cell growth and metabolism (remember memorizing the Kreb's cycle and glycolysis routes in high school?). A healthy dose of B-vitamins can nourish your immune and nervous system, improve your response to stress by manufacturing adrenal hormones and increase energy by boosting red blood cell production. Also, for the ladies, research has shown that oral contraceptive pills deplete your body's stores of B-vitamins, so make sure that you are replenishing them with a high quality source B-complex. Bottom line: Since B-vitamins are water-soluble, make sure you replenish your body's source by eating foods rich in B-vitamins or choosing a high quality supplement. Aileen Recommends: Thorne's B-Complex
 Aileen Lim-Trotter BSc, ND
Back to TopA Zen PerspectiveWinding Down to Winter
The temperature may still be bearable, but you will sense a subtle change happening these days: a winding down of summer energy.
After the exuberance of summer, nature prepares for the quiescence and inwardness of autumn and winter. This is a time for preparation, for harvesting and storing rather than growing, for increasing stillness, and for reflection. We humans mirror this change. We busy ourselves after Labour Day, holidays approach, our lives take place more indoors than out, and shortened days promote a feeling of urgency in us: What have we forgotten? What in our lives still needs to be done? To balance with your environment, eat what is seasonal and what is local. As the weather becomes colder, we have less raw food and more cooked; and cooking itself is longer and slower. Brown rice, barley, kasha are the grains of choice. We can use a little more fat in cooking. (The operative phrase is "a little more"!) Be sure to eat nourishing, unprocessed foods, get sufficient sleep, and balance activity with rest. This will keep your defensive energy, the "force field" that protects the outside of your body, strong and vibrant. When the cold winds blow, keep yourself well covered - especially the back of the neck. This is a vulnerable point, where "wind" of all kinds can enter. If your lungs are vulnerable, a simple "tea" of organic root ginger simmered in water will strengthen them and help discharge any excess. This is also comforting and warming for the whole body. Regular zen shiatsu sessions will optimize your defensive energy flow, dispel any stagnation, and keep you on guard against illness and imbalance. Traditional Eastern medicine reminds us that disease can't enter a sound body. Self-care and awareness are your keys to preventing illness this fall and winter.
Be in good health, T'ahwa David Roddis, ST Back to TopMassage MusingsRelax & Rejuvenate for the Cooler MonthsHello from your friendly neighbourhood massage therapist!
It is now September - bitter sweet isn't it ? As the fall approaches it signals the start of a very busy time for most of us; gone are the dog days of summer. The light begins to recede and it seems like we all crank into warp drive right up to the winter holidays. Toronto is a very fast-paced city. The winter blues set in as well as those familiar aches and pains from those long hours of sitting and slogging it out at work, which makes it harder to keep going. Am I right?
This year, why not try a new approach? You deserve regular workouts, down time, and a massage therapy treatment once a month to help you get through a stressful winter. Plan to make self-care a priority at the start of the fall this year by scheduling it in your day-timer as important appointments for you. Your body and mind will thank you and function better when you care for yourself in the midst of the chaos we live in. We all know how stress can accumulate and cause illness, keep it at bay this year by being good to yourself.
I will be happy to help you keep the balance Thursdays at Zentai. See you soon.
Chris Godi, RMT
Back to TopHolistic HumourThe Zen-tai Funnies Recipe for SuccessAileen's Awesome Quinoa SaladIngredients Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in cold water then pour into a fine meshed strainer and rinse again under running water (if not rinsed well, quinoa tends to be bitter). Bring water to boil and add salt, then stir in the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 15min. Taste the grain. There should be just a little resistance and the opaque spiraled ring of germ should show. If necessary continue cooking until done. Pour into strainer and set it to drain over a bowl. Toast all the nuts either in a dry pan or the mini oven works great too! Just put them on some foil in the mini oven, watch them carefully and stir often because they may burn. Combine the apricots, peppers, nuts and cilantro in a large bowl. Mix together the ingredients for the vinaigrette and add to the bowl of yummy apricots, peppers, nuts and cilantro. Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to the bowl. Give it a good mix and ENJOY!
Back to Top"Your heart is full of fertile seeds, waiting to sprout."Morihei Ueshiba from The Art of Peace: Teachings of the Founder of AikidoBack to Top |
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