Featured Article

The Problem with the Weight Loss Concept of “Calories in vs. Calories out”

The weight loss concept of “calories in versus calories out” is a greatly oversimplified way of looking at weight loss. There are other factors that greatly affect effective weight loss including the state of our digestive tract, the type of foods we are eating and the quality of the foods we are eating.  These all play key roles in our overall metabolism of calories.

The state that our digestive tract is in greatly affects how we breakdown and metabolize foods.  Often we have foods that are not completely broken down to be absorbed into the body.  This incomplete digestive means that the calories that you should have absorbed from your foods will instead travel through your digestive tract and then be excreted as waste and not be used by the body.  Therefore part of a weight loss plan should be healing the gut.

Eating a certain number of calories and not paying attention to the type of food, doesnT lead to successful weight loss either.  The reason is that there are 3 types of calories that our body needs, these include carbohydrates, proteins and fats.  Each has a unique role in the body therefore we need to get the right amount of each.  An example is if you eat too few proteins and too many carbohydrates, the work that the proteins do would not be completed and the excess carbohydrates would get stored in your fat cells.  We need to pay attention to the type of foods we are eating.

Foods that are more densely packed with nutrients will be metabolized more efficiently, it is similar to providing your body with high-quality fuel.  Eating foods such as quinoa, vegetables or fruits, foods that are closer to nature, will be more efficiently broken down in comparison eating processed foods like a fast-food hamburger that contain a number of chemicals whereby the toxic load on the body will be increased and very few nutrients would be absorbed.  Therefore eating high quality, nutrient-dense foods will improve our metabolism of foods and aid in effective metabolism.

I am not a strong believer in counting calories.  I am not saying to ignore calories completely, but we do not need to be obsessed with counting them.  I believe in focusing on eating high quality, nutrient dense foods that are close to their natural state; work towards balancing complex carbohydrates, lean proteins and healthy fats to help your body to function optimally; eat breakfast daily to jump start your metabolism; eat on a regular basis; listen to your body as you eat and stop eating when you feel satisfied, before you feel full.

Featured Therapy

What is Bowen Therapy, also known as Bowen Technique?

The Bowen Technique is a gentle, non-invasive and unique form of bodywork that balances the nervous system, releases muscle tension and improves structural and physiological function.  The Bowen Technique originates from Australia where it was developed by Thomas (Tom) Bowen. The technique consists of very purposeful, gentle, precise and sequential movements over nerves, ligaments, muscle and fascia that stimulates the nervous system and puts the body into a deep relaxed state so powerful that a few minutes pause is observed to allow the body to deeply relax and engage in its own self-balancing mechanisms.

As the body begins to correct itself and progresses through its own healing cycle, the body experiences release of tension, toxins and old patterning that inhibit the body from achieving complete health.

This bodywork is very gentle and addresses the whole body by restoring balance and harmony at a physical, emotional and mental level.  It is a very safe and effective therapy that can be used on everyone at any stage in life, from newborn to elderly and chronically ill. Bowen Therapy is also a wonderful complement to your conventional medical treatments.

Bowen Therapy is very effective treatment for the following:

Back pain

Stress/Anxiety

TMJ

Asthma

Headaches/Migraines

Sports injuries

Herniated Discs

Golfers/Tennis Elbow

In addition to pain relief, Bowen therapy improves overall health by improving your:

Posture

Range of motion/flexibility

Energy levels

Sleep

Digestion

Stress and anxiety levels

Detoxification

“I had the pleasure and privilege of having Bowen treatments from Dixie, an experience very new to me, a technique very different to anything I have tried before. I had several issues, neck, back, feet and sleeping problems which, after a few treatments, lessened and found it easier to function without as much pain. Dixie has a gift of touch and of foresight. The experience was a very positive one and I am pleased she was willing to introduce me to it. Thank you Dixie.”

J.M.

Your Health Questions Answered

How did I get a fungal infection?

Fungal infections are very common.

It is important to understand that fungi is a natural, normal part of a healthy gut flora.  The fungi naturally occurs in low levels in the body, but if the body becomes more acidic then this becomes a friendly breeding ground for fungi, which leads to an overgrowth of fungi in the body.  An example is “yeast”, which is a normal part of the gut flora, but when the pH becomes more acid in the body then there can be an overgrowth of yeast and the overgrowth is called a “fungal infection”.  Therefore, typically fungal infections actually come from our internal environment.  Fungal infections can also come from external environment such as exposure to molds.

The body can get more acidic due to inflammation caused from food intolerances, eating more acidic/inflammatory foods (ie. Wheat, cow’s dairy, sugar, caffeine) , infections, environmental toxins or heavy metals.

Since fungi is a natural, normal part of the gut flora, this is the reason that anti-fungal medications are similar to antibiotics and disrupt the gut flora by killing off “all” or “a lot” of the fungal aspects in the body which throws off the natural gut flora.  We use remedies that can specifically target the “fungal overgrowth” while not disrupt the natural levels of fungi in the body.

Featured Recipe

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

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