As an entrepreneur the work NEVER stops. Partially this is due to my brain always wanting to develop more, see more, connect more and see the success that I have already envisioned.

The connection between health and my success is something that I can't even joke about. It is AMAZING what I can accomplish when I fuel myself properly, get good sleep and stay hydrated. It got me thinking... 

Was this connection just me ? Or is there some correlative science to this success. To my suprise numerous studies have been done connecting health to productivity to $$$.

The way I see it is the body is AMAZING. You can treat it however you like and you may be able to accomplish certain goals each month/ year. So what happens when you LEVEL UP your health? The sky's the limit. 

Studies have shown that when health is made a priority in the workplace: "health-related productivity costs were more than four times greater than medical and pharmacy costs"(1)

Others...

This is an ongoing popular topic. The Question: Should we buy organic, or not? Many people have the assumption that organic is a waste of money or think it’s just too expensive. Then there are the people who will only buy organic fruits and vegetables. So what’s the truth about organic? Let’s dig deeper on the meaning of “organic”.

What does organic mean?

The definition of organic is “relating to or derived from living matter”. In terms of food, organic generally means the farming that avoids the use of man-made fertilizers, any use of pesticides, antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock, feed additives, and no GMOs (genetically modified organisms). 

However, organic can mean different things depending on the country - the term ORGANIC may not even be regulated. Fortunately, Canada has very strict guidelines and regulations on what can be labelled as “Organic”.

Organic farming in Canada...

There is nothing better than a warm cup of hot cocoa on a winter day – especially leading up to the holidays! While this beverage can be enjoyed while gift shopping, on long wintery walks or just sitting by the fire it also packs a serious calorie and sugar punch. The following are some of the most popular hot chocolate beverages that are consumed this time of year:

Tim Horton’s Medium Hot Chocolate: 300 calories with 49 grams sugar (that’s over 12 teaspoons!)

Starbucks Grande Peppermint Hot Chocolate: 420 calories with 61 grams sugar (that’s over 15 teaspoons!)

McDonalds Deluxe Medium Hot Chocolate: 400 calories with 55 grams sugar (that’s over 13 teaspoons!)

Nestle Hot Chocolate Mix with Milk: 325 calories with 21 grams sugar (that’s over 5 teaspoons!)

Too much sugar consumption ultimately means too much energy for your body to handle. The excess, unused energy will be stored as fat for “later”....

It’s ALMOST Thanksgiving this weekend, and now begins the season of festivities and (somewhat of) family gatherings. DID YOU KNOW...? If you were to gain 10lbs this year 80% of the weight is gained between October and December. For those who are getting anxious for the pounds that may start coming on - do not panic! I am here to support you through this crazy time. Here are five proven tips for minimizing the effects of your holiday indulgences:

1. Focus on the nutrient dense foods first to fill you up!

• 1-2 cups green or non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, green salad, etc.)
• ½ cup complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, carrots, squash, beets, etc.)
• 3 – 6oz protein (turkey, chicken, chickpeas, fish, etc.)
• Visually on your plate: ½ filled with veggies, ¼ protein and ¼ starchy carbs

2. Burn some calories the morning of!

• It’s not about being perfect – its about being proactive! Make sure to get in a workout...

The changing of the seasons can mean changing the diet for many of us. Typically we see warming, comfort foods such as casseroles and stews and all of the starchy carbohydrates including breads, pastas and potatoes. Unhealthy weight gain can start piling on during these months, but they don’t have to!

It is important to focus on consuming fresh local food as much as possible to keep our vitamin and mineral intake up, essentially boosting our immune system constantly and supporting a lean body! The weather may be getting cooler but the produce is hotter than ever this time of year! Here are my top 5 fall foods to help support a fit body during the fall/festive months.

1. Parsnips. These delicately sweet flavoured carrot-looking vegetables are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, calcium and iron. The best quality parsnips will be medium sized and firm to the touch. Traditionally, parsnips are boiled and mashed together with carrots, but they can be steamed, microwaved, boiled,...

Surviving Football Season Strong - An Article by: Onnit

Even in the world we live in today it is still that time of year! From Thursday to Monday football takes over the screens (well at least in my house). And that is not all it can take over - drinks on drinks and appetizer snacks can creep in day after the day with the excuse "my team is playing today" or "its the game of the week!"

I came across this great article with some tips and tricks on how to enjoy the football season while maintaining good mental and physical health. Check it out! 

 #1 Train Beforehand

If you’re going to eat big and drink hard during the game, squeeze in a workout earlier that day. “You’ll at least burn some calories,” says Chris Mohr, Ph.D., RD, anutrition consultant to the Cincinnati Bengals (mohrresults.com). “And working out will get your metabolism a little higher.”

That will help offset the calories you take in with the food and...

When most of us think CALCIUM we think dairy - specifically milk and cheese. This is probably because of the mass amounts of marketing that goes towards this food group. I often get people asking what my take is on dairy because of the conflicting information.

Here's my view: after the age of 4 years old the enzyme LACTASE (that breaks down all dairy lactose molecules) decreases and diminishes by 90%. This means that our bodies may not be apt to digest dairy properly - so some may experience bloating, headaches, weight gain etc. For myself dairy does affect my digestive system - but I do enjoy the finer cheeses because I love cheese!

When coaching my clients I go through a mini challenge - 3 days with NO DAIRY and we track a few factors. Then the client can decide on how much dairy they want to keep in the diet! 

So if you are choosing to not focus on dairy to get your calcium intake what even is Calcium? It's a mineral in our body that is essential in the formation of...

Heart health affects millions of North Americans and heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. A combination of exercise and diet can lead to a heart healthy lifestyle! Here are the top 3 nutrition tips to get you on the right track.

1. Choose the right fats

Contrary to what we have been lead to believe, rather than removing and avoiding fats entirely, replace with good fats:

• Zero tolerance to transfats. These fats raise LDL, (“bad” cholesterol), and lowers HDL (“good” cholesterol) which can put you at increased cardiovascular risk.
  • Trans fats are found in:
    • Commercially-baked goods
    • Fried food
    • Partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients, even if it claims to be trans fat-free
      
  • Limit saturated fats. Saturated fats = tropical oils (coconut), dairy, and red meat. Enjoy in moderation by choosing a variety of protein sources such as fish, skinless chicken, eggs, and beans/lentils.
    
  • Eat more healthy fats. Eating...

The Best of Beets

The origin of beets dates way back in ancient pre-historic times. Originally, it was only the beet greens that were consumed. Later on the beet root was discovered for its high content of natural sugar, and today are used abundantly for raw sugar extraction.

Now that I know so much about beets and how to cook them properly, I cannot get enough! There are so many people I run into that swear they HATE beets - most not ever trying them. Here is a little more information on how fantastic beets are for your health. 

Beets are highly diverse in their nutrition profile making them extremely beneficial for heart health AND they are a vegetable that is locally available us in February! The following are reasons you should add beets to your daily vegetable intake.

• Lowers blood pressure: the nitrates in beets convert to nitric acid in the body, which helps to relax and dilate blood vessels thus helping to prevent cardiovascular and heart issues
• Fights inflammation:...