All posts by Sushma Shah

Things Not To Say To Your Kids

Healthy Me,

Quite often parents think that tough love is the way to go when it comes to raising your kids, and that they know best how to do that, but the reality of the situation is that kids these days are very different and because of how much they are exposed to on a day to day basis at school, at home, with friends and relatives, they seem much more sensitive to what we say to them and how they feel about what was said after.

When we were younger, we never heard of teenagers committing suicide or the horrendous crimes they commit these days. With the changing world and the changing views of the world, all kids are trying to do is “fit into” a society and as well, find their niche. Many parents tend to be overly critical and harsh to their kids, hoping that this will help them correct their ways, just like their parents did when they were younger, but what they fail to understand is that children need love, understanding and care. Their level of maturity is very different than your own and having the expectation that they are thinking like you and have your understanding is wrong! Children are innocent in the way they think and do things, and they seek the love and affection from those who they look up to the most: their parents.  Some of the things not to say to your kids then are:

1. I don’t care – The way the child understands this is that parent really does not care and is not interested in what they are doing. This will affect the way your child carries out day to day activities, and yes, you may said it only once, but they will remember it for a long time.

2. Don’t you get it – Really? how long it take you before you understood something your parents said to you, e.g. doing simple chores around the house, mathematical issues, etc. Maybe your child has a ADD / ADHD, and by simply throwing your hands up in the air and saying “Don’t you get it”, will not cut it anymore. Get a naturopathic assessment for them to see if they do really have an issue with understanding you and focusing.

3. Are you that stupid? – This is an absolute NO NO, criticism will not make your child any smarter. Instead be loving and encourage your child to do better next time. This will help your child feel more comfortable around you, knowing at least you are there for them no matter what, and that you are not judging them, and will be more apt to coming to you when they have an actual problem.

The next time your child has done something you do not approve of or like, try to encourage them and teach them about how to do it better the next time, but keep in mind, they do have the maturity you have and they do not have the same stressors you do, and that it would be unfair to expect more.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic

 

 

 

Using Alternate Natural Remedies To Bear Bile And Improving Digestion Naturally

Healthy Me,

Each year, many thousands of bears go through a very painful process where humans try to extract their bile from their gall bladder in the name of traditional medicine, which they claim is very beneficial for the digestive system that is impaired. Where bear bile may have benefits, in this case, there are really no benefits for the bear, and it is not only unfair, but also inhuman to do this for our selfish purposes for what helped people centuries ago, and maybe barbaric behavior was acceptable at that time, although I strongly doubt that.  Such a majestic animal needs to be admired and respected, as opposed to being captured and tortured for something that may or not have any benefits, and especially there are so many herbal alternatives that will help improve the digestive system and the gastric juice flow naturally.

If you are one of these people who has been recommended to use bear bile, please read this blog so that you can better understand how you may treat your symptoms without taking it, and in the process save a bear from being tortured for your so called health benefits.

If you have liver congestion and are having issues digesting fatty and heavy meals, which is what bile helps with, try the following and let me know how you fared:

1/ Warm glass of water, with a 1/4 – 1/2 lime squeezed into it, with 1 tsp or 1 tbsp. of olive oil and a pinch of cayenne pepper before your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2/ Eat slowly and really chew your food well. 12 -1 3 chews per bite and avoid having any water with your meals as this will dilute your digestive enzymes and make your digestion even slower.

3/ Try digestive enzymes after your meals, with a content of lipase, a digestive enzyme that helps to digest fatty foods. Papaya and pineapple is also great for digestion as well and upset stomach.

4/ Try a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before meals, this really helps to create the right environment to digest heavy proteins and fats.

5/Try having smaller meals rather then engorging your stomach to a point where you can barely breathe or move as well, try giving your body a break and adopt for a more healthful vegetarian or semi vegetarian diet instead, your digestive system will thank you for it.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Treating Ulcerative Colitis Naturally

Healthy Me

Ulcerative colitis is one of the 2 main inflammatory bowel diseases that affects thousands and thousands of people worldwide, wreaking havoc on their lifestyles and pushing their stress through the rough trying to get some relief. It can be very frustrating for the individual, as well, on the family. Certain populations are more prone to this disease, and although the exact cause is questionable, naturopathic medicine has been extremely effective in treating the symptoms, as well, keeping it in remission for longer periods of time, if not heal it entirely.

Some of the symptoms of Ulcerative colitis include, and are not limited to:

1. Bleeding in the stools

2. Dull / Sharp pains in the lower abdomen that come and go or stay over a prolonged period of time

3. Bloating and indigestion, after meals

4. Weakness and fatigue along with weight loss due to loss of appetite

5. Abnormal bowel habits- diarrhea / constipation with urgency

6. Anal itchiness and joint aches and pains

7. Intermittent fever

The usual treatment for ulcerative colitis with western medicine has been various drugs that will help suppress the symptoms and decrease inflammation in the bowels. However, one must question the following: if I was not born with this ailment, am i supposed to take these medications for the rest of my life to suppress my body’s reaction to something that is imbalanced within the body and causing these symptoms? Or is my body trying to tell me something?

Well, as a naturopathic doctor – I usually urge clients to look at what has changed in their life over the time before the symptoms started – was there a big stressor in your life that you were not able to deal with very well? Had you travelled somewhere and picked up a parasite you are not aware of, after which these symptoms started? Had you made changes to your diet or was your diet a healthy balanced diet that supports your gastro intestinal tract to begin with? What changed in your life that might have affected your digestive system?

Here are some natural treatment suggestions that will be beneficial for helping with symptoms of ulcerative colitis:

1. Try to avoid the foods that you suspect might be worsening your symptoms – dairy and wheat are two culprits that have been shown to worsen symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

2. Foods that contain carrageenan – a thickening agent tends to worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms – so try to avoid foods such as ice cream, that contain it.

3. Talk to your naturopathic doctor to run an allergy / sensitivity test to see what foods you might not be tolerating, and avoiding these will provide quite a bit of relief to your gastrointestinal symptoms.

4. Try to follow more of an anti inflammatory diet, with simple and easily digestible foods to get optimum nourishment from the foods you ingest. An anti-inflammatory diet is also great as it helps reduce inflammation in the body and bowels, which in turn helps to heal the body.

5. Increase your intake of fiber in the diet, which will be helpful for improving the consistency of stools as well, make sure you drink plenty of fluids to prevent the body from getting dehydrated.

Need more information on ulcerative colitis, and treating it naturally? Click here

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.

 

 

 

 

Healing Shoulder Injuries Naturally

Healthy Me

Lots of people have had musculoskeletal injuries in different areas of the body at least once or twice or more in their life times. Shoulder injuries are quite often more common than the other types of injuries. These could be related to that fact that we use our arms and shoulders for almost everything – from writing, lifting things, exercising, you name it. Quite often the over use and too much activity can lead to shoulder injuries, or muscle injury affecting the shoulders. Frozen shoulder could fall into this category.

Underuse of shoulder muscle could lead to muscle flaccidity, which is a completely different issue – this can cause muscle wasting / atrophy in the area, leaving the muscles feeling weaker and weaker by the day, and this is something one should watch out for after a shoulder injury as doctors will usually recommend to rest your muscles, and the inactivity can make the muscles atrophy/ shrink.

Pain medication can quite often be highly addictive so it is very important to be mindful of the fact, and talk to you doctor if you are becoming addicted to it and feel that you cannot function with out it anymore, but here are a few natural suggestions on what you could do to heal shoulder injuries faster, depending on the severity of course:

1. CONTRAST HYDROTHERAPY 

Contrast hydrotherapy is simply the use of hot and cold water towels / bottles / pads in an alternating fashion – for a few minutes every day. If the injury is recent, I would recommend application of a cold compress over the injury for a week or two, until the inflammation subsides, and then starting the application of hot and cold water towel / bottles / pads. You can use the hot water application for 3 minutes – but make sure you do not burn yourself. The temperature of the water should only be as warm as you can tolerate it. Following the hot water, apply the cold water towel / pad for 1 minute. Repeat the whole process 3 times. This process is great for improving the circulation to the injured area, and helps a lot of clear out inflammation.

2.  ACUPUNCTURE

Yes… at our Toronto naturopathic clinic, I have found this to be one of the most beneficial therapies to help with pain, healing the injury as well as helping with the withdrawal from pain medications and addiction. Some may say its painful, and i say it really depends on who is doing the acupuncture and what method is used, and what type of acupuncture needles are used. The frequency will also depend on how recent the injury is and how much inflammation there is. I usually like to combine acupuncture and some natural supplements and homeopathic remedies, to see faster and effective results.

Like anything in life, healing injuries takes time, regardless of the type of injury, so the best thing to do while healing, is to take some time to relax and rest and enjoy that time for yourself. Try not to worry … I know its easier said than done, but having a positive attitude and trying to minimize the stress will go a long way to healing you faster.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

 

 

 

 

What Is The Best Body Cleanse For Spring?

Healthy Me,

With Spring in the air, its the perfect time for all of us to do some spring cleaning in the house as well as for the body. But with all the different cleanses available out there, it is quite confusing to pick one that will be the best one for you, so how do you decide on what cleanse you should do? Here are a few simple guidelines that will be helpful in making that decision as well, clarify what it is that you are cleansing.

What Are You Cleansing And Why?

With all the information that is available out these days, its easy to get caught up in the hype of doing a detox or a cleanse for the body, since everyone else is doing it. So it is first important to identify why you want to do a cleanse. In general, the reason to do a cleanse in the spring and winter are to eliminate toxins from the body that we accumulate with what we eat and what we are exposed to in terms of the environment, some more so than others.

Your naturopathic doctor may recommend doing a cleanse for various reasons – for weight loss, improving digestion, increasing energy levels, to improve various skin conditions, detoxifying heavy metals, among others. Most of the time when you walk into a health food store, the various cleanses from the various companies, all targeting to be better than the other, at all price ranges are available. These days you even see very specific cleanses, targeting / marketing a specific organ cleanse.

The question is:  which one do you need?

THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION – TALK TO YOUR NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR BEFORE DOING ANY CLEANSES AS THE Y ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND KNOW YOUR HEALTH HISTORY.

Although different cleanses maybe beneficial over a short period of time, they might be harmful long term because of what they contain and how they affect the body. For instance, your liver goes through more that one phase of detoxification, and if the liver cleanse you purchase over the counter only does part of the cleanses, the metabolites, which are produced from the toxins in the liver may not be cleared completely and will create other health symptoms and problems, due to improper clearing and lingering around in the system longer than they should.  So its important to first find out what needs cleansing before cleansing it.

What types of cleanses / fasts are safe and natural to do without harming the body?

Various simple cleanses or fasts are available that are safe to do and very beneficial for the body. Water fast or juice fasting may be quite beneficial for the body and the mind, done under proper supervision. The simplest cleanse that I like is having lime with warm water every morning before breakfast. This is great for gentle liver cleansing as well, stimulating the bowels, and also great for alkalinizing the body. You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp of maple syrup for greater benefits and it is quite inexpensive.

Should I be doing enemas and colonic irrigation often?

I do not recommend doing enemas or frequent colonic irrigation or hydrotherapy unless you are severely constipated and have not had a bowel movement in days ( 4 or more) or weeks. In this case, this method of cleansing will be helpful for a short period of time only. However, if you are suffering from chronic constipation, it would be important to find out what might be causing first and then treating it, and colonic irrigation maybe helpful over a short period of time only, but if done frequently may affect the bowel motility.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Treating Hypertension Naturally With Naturopathic Medicine

Healthy Me

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a silent killer and a leading cause of death in North America. High blood pressure can lead to various other health issues – such as stroke, kidney failure, sexual dysfunction and heart attacks. Majority of the times, hypertension goes undetected until you are in your Doctor’s office and they measure your blood pressure.

Symptoms of high blood pressure / hypertension 

Some of the major symptom that is caused by hypertension or high blood pressure is headaches that tend to worsen when you are quite a bit stressed, but generally there are no other symptoms, hence its very important  to get your blood pressure checked at least once or twice a year – especially  if you have a lot of stress and do not eat well, and have a lot of salt in your diet.

What causes high blood pressure / hypertension?

  • Foods – that high in salt and fats
  • Lack of exercise and inactivity
  • Obesity
  • Family history of high blood pressure
  • Stress and continual lack of adequate sleep
  • Kidney failure
  • Smoking

How can you treat hypertension naturally or with naturopathic medicine 

Having a healthier diet and lifestyle helps reduce, prevent and control your blood pressure. Having more of an active lifestyle – with some form of moderate activity – at least 45 – 60 minutes per day would be ideal for stress management – this could be in form of brisk walking, jogging, swimming or yoga.

If you are overweight, losing 10 – 15 lbs will help reduce your blood pressure.

In terms of diet, having a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, less salt and processed food, drinking filtered water and reducing your intake of meats would be very helpful. Try to choose fish and lean meats instead. Limiting your alcohol intake and quitting smoking would be great as well to improve blood flow to your body and heart in general.

In our naturopathic practice, I have also found acupuncture  and various natural supplements to be very beneficial for reducing hypertension. It is important to get a proper assessment done by a naturopathic doctor before you start on any supplements that you read or have heard about that help with high blood pressure.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto.

Treating PMS Symptoms Naturally Using Naturopathic Medicine

Healthy Me,

Most women complain of one symptom or another when it comes to that time of the month:  1 – 2 weeks before the menstrual cycle. These symptoms are part of what we call the premenstrual syndrome and comprises of a number of symptoms such as emotional upsets and sensitivity, irritability, weight gain, water retentions, sore breasts, acne break outs, which can be very tender to touch, sugar cravings or salt cravings, increased appetite, reduced energy, lethargy and fatigue, bloating, constipation among others. While most women suffer in silence, others take over the counter medications, which are okay at best to keep the symptoms at bay.

Naturopathic Treatments for Premenstrual Syndrome

Natural / naturopathic treatments for premenstrual syndrome are very effective in reducing and quite often eliminating the symptoms by treating root cause of the problem, that is balancing the hormones naturally as well, making lifestyle changes.  PMS symptoms are caused in part by our diet. Having foods that high in saturated fats, refined sugars and refined foods, salt, caffeine, alcohol, meats and dairy products that are not organic, are thought to have an impact on our hormones, estrogen in particular, and having high amounts of this hormone will cause various premenstrual symptoms such as weight gain, water retention, emotional upsets and sensitivity, among others. Talk to you naturopathic doctor about testing your hormones to see how balanced they are.

Here are a few natural suggestions that will help you treat your PMS symptoms naturally:

1. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco.  Instead try green tea, rooibos tea or other herbal teas, sparkling water or warm water with lime squeezed into it.

2. Try to have a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, as opposed to refined foods such as breads and pastas.

3. Stay hydrated – you need to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.

4. Try to decrease your salt intake – instead try natural alternatives such as kelp granules and other seasonings without MSG as well.

5. Exercise is key to improve circulation in the body as well, great for stress management. I recommend moderate physical activity for 30 – 40 minutes, 3 – 4 times a week. Try yoga, meditation or a pilates class for a change.

6. For those sugar cravings, try have frozen raisins or dates, which are great for iron – an element that is quite often low in women in tend to have heavier periods.

7. Feeling angry or sad? Instead of lashing out, try to do some free flow writing and then burn everything you wrote after reading it. This will help lighten your heart and mind, without hurting someone else’s feelings.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.

 

Treating Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Naturally Using Naturopathic Medicine

Healthy Me,

WHAT IS PCOS / POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME?

PCOS or Polycystic ovarian syndrome affects up to 10 % of the adult female population. Like the name suggests, PCOS occurs when there is formation of cysts on the ovaries. These cysts can vary in size, color and shape as well as what they contain. Some could be more solid, others more fluid, but most of them cause the similar symptoms. Most times, these cysts are found on pelvic ultrasound exams, and most females are generally aware that they have cysts.

SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY PCOS / POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME

For a minority  number of females, however, these cysts can cause all kinds of menstrual issues, such as mid cycle ovarian pain which feels like like a sharp pain on either the left or the right side of the lower abdomen, excruciating pain in the lower abdomen, if the cyst has burst, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, bloating, weight gain in the mid section and overall weight gain, hair loss, acne past teen age years, and increased body and facial hair. Additional symptoms include insulin resistance or the metabolic syndrome, in which case the female has insulin resistance and pre diabetic symptoms of high sugars and high body fat levels. It is possible for a very thin female to have PCOS.

WHAT CAUSES POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME?

Usually an imbalance in female and male hormones will affect the production of the cysts. Diet and lifestyle, i believe play a huge role in the formation of the cysts, and stress often worsens the symptoms and this condition.

TREATMENT OPTIONS 

Your medical doctor may choose to treat PCOS using the birth control pill, and for diabetic drugs such as metformin for obese or overweight patients along with changes in lifestyle.

Various Natural treatments for Polycystic ovarian syndrome exist. As a naturopathic doctor, I usually treat PCOS in patients using natural herbs, certain supplements along with diet and lifestyle modifications. Here are some very simple lifestyle changes that would be very beneficial for PCOS:

1/ Eat organic meats especially chicken and beef.

As mentioned earlier, this condition is caused by an imbalance in hormones. Meat and poultry that is not organic is frequently laden with hormones to plump up the animal, which do not break down with cooking and will have deleterious health effects when ingested such as girls hitting puberty earlier and earlier in life.

2/ Cut down on dairy products. 

Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, dairy products create more phlegm and congestion in the body – which in turn can effect the production of the cysts. You do not have to take my word for it, try eliminating milk from your diet for three months, and see if it makes a difference. Chances are, more that likely you will see quite a change with your cycle and congestion in the body.

3/Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco. 

I think this one goes without saying.

4/Increase your intake of leafy green vegetables and fruits, as well, as cruciferous vegetables in the Brassica family

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage contain a compound called indole 3 carbinol, which is great to detoxify harmful estrogens from the body and is very helpful in balancing hormones naturally.

5/Staying active physically. 

Moderate amounts of exercise 4 – 5 times a week for 30 – 40 minutes is great for health in general. Exercise has various added benefits of improving blood circulation, improving energy levels, as well as the beneficial effects on the heart. Exercise is a great way to improve your mental and overall health and a must for patients with PCOS.

Talk to your naturopathic doctor if you have been recently diagnosed with PCOS/ polycystic ovarian syndrome and want to treat it naturally. Your naturopath will most likely check your hormones in order to establish a base line of your hormones and may recommend various supplements and diet changes based on your intake.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

Healthy Resolutions For 2012 – The Naturopathic Way

Healthy Me, , , ,

Happy New Year to everyone. The last year has been a difficult one for almost everyone in various aspects so lets hope this year is one that will bring lots of positivity and cheer to everyone. Here is how you can do your part to make this world and yours a better place naturally.

1. QUIT SMOKING.

Really it is time to kick of this dirty habit as its heavy on your lungs and your pockets. Try to quit smoking naturally using acupuncture, hypnosis and natural supplements. It works really well, but only if you are ready to quit!  You have probably wanted to do it for a variety of reasons: including health, family and friends, and the amount of toxins you accumulate in your lungs, and now is the time, so go ahead and take that step towards a new healthier and cleaner you ! Your naturopathic doctor can advise you on natural supplements and diets that will help your body with dealing with cravings, agitation and anxiety as a results of quitting and weight gain that can happen with quitting smoking.

2. GIVE UP DRINKING EXCESSIVELY

Having an occasional glass of wine here and there is fine, red wine is great for the heart, but anything in excess is not good. So you figured you drink excessively only over the weekends so its fine! No, as a matter of fact, that kind of drinking is more abusive and harmful towards your liver and harder to process than having a glass of red wine every second or third day, not to mention killing the few brain cells remaining. Its affecting your relationships in a harmful manner, and turning you into a person that people do not want to know anymore, so kick of this habit naturally or with the help of your naturopathic doctor. There are amazing natural supplements that will help you deal with the cravings and urges.

3. CUT OUT TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WEIGH YOU DOWN

We have all been through this. Its hard to break bonds with toxic people and abusive relationships as its just so much more easier to be miserable and unhappy as opposed to facing the unknown, right? No!  Unless you wish to live your life scared and unhappy, and always being put down, the alternative is easier and less painful, and frees you of toxicity in your life! If you are hanging on to the past and the relationships that failed and the disappointments, you are weighing yourself down the unnecessary emotions and stagnating energy that comes from it, so free yourself like the birds. If you find its hard to let go, try some free flow writing and write whatever comes in your mind, happy or sad, and when you stop, burn whatever you wrote about or tear it up and let the emotions attached to what you wrote go. If you practice this regularly, your mind and heart will feel lighter.

4. SLEEP MORE AND EAT HEALTHIER 

This is the easiest healthy resolution out of all of the above and you will feel so much better in terms of energy and mood once you apply it. If you are one of these people who gets about 4 – 6 hours of sleep a night and get away with eating whatever they want, and feel you do not need more sleep or improve their diet, well, think again. Even though you may feel invincible, your body is having to work overtime to help you feel that way and sooner or later, it gets fatigued, and then you will start to see all kinds of symptoms you did not have before such as weight gain in the waist, fatigue, waking up feeling not refreshed among others. If you are one of those people who suffers from insomnia or other sleeping issues, talk to your naturopathic doctor to see how you may be able to improve your sleep naturally.

You are what you eat, so remember, if you are putting in food into your body that is not healthy and nutritious, your body will lack vital vitamins and minerals that it needs to function optimally, as a lack of these key nutrients will cause various imbalances in the body, which in turn will cause various symptoms in the body.

5. STRESS LESS AND BREATHE MORE!

Stress. This word in it self is stressful! Do not get me wrong, there is healthy and positive stress too, but the majority of us seem to put undue amounts of stress on our bodies. Stress on the body can be caused not only by mental and emotional factors, but also by our environment, psychological, dietary and physiological factors. Learn to manage your stress better  naturally with moderate exercise, yoga and meditation, massage and acupuncture, and with the help of certain vitamins and minerals.  If you are under constant stress and there is no possible to change it, try to find strategies that will help you to manage your stress better and remember to breathe.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.

 

 

How To Loose Weight Quickly Over The Holidays

Healthy Me,

With the holidays rolling in, there will be tableful’s of cakes and cookies in almost every household, and all kinds of other tasty temptations all around us, so how do we loose weight or avoid weight gain over the holidays? listed below are some wondering strategies that you can apply to keep the weight gain at a minimal this time of the year.

1. Do not deny yourself everything and almost anything.  With all the tasty treats  around, it is hard to say no. So one thing you can do, is whatever it is that you feel like eating, eat a small portion of it and by that I mean – just enough to satisfy your craving in the earlier part of the day, say about 100 calories worth. Treat it as a treat for you for the long busy day ahead of you and the calories you will burn running around all day.  This way you did not deny you wants and needs and did not over indulge in your guilty eating pleasures. its a win- win situation, but remember, only a SMALL portion.

2. Keep your regular meal times. Most people will have some time off over the holidays, and most people try to catch up on their sleep during the time off. Sleeping in is okay as long as you still have your breakfast at a decent time. If you are going to be out and about all day, try not to skip any meals because skipping meals leads to overeating all kinds of foods later in the day.  If you don’t have time for a full meal, try to eat a healthy snack or meal replacement bar instead. Try to take some snacks with you if you are going to be spending the better part of the day in the malls with all kinds of temptations.

3. Read food labels when you are purchasing food items.  It is very important to pay attention to the portion size, the number of calories in each portion, and the amount of saturated fat in each portion. Majority of the times our view of the “supposed ” portion size is very different from the “actual” portion size and the amount of calories that a portion size makes up and before you know it, you will have gained a pound of weight in a week by just adding an extra 500 calories in your diet per day. Reading and understanding the calorie count and where the calories these calories are coming from – carbohydrates, protein and fats, helps you make the healthiest food choices. With smart food choices, you will have no problems loosing weight without even thinking about it!

4.  Make small substitutions in your diet when eating out to cut out extra unwanted calories.  With so many family dinners and lunches to attend where you might have little choice over the food that is served, it is important to be mindful of what you eat especially because not many of us are going to run to the gym after to burn it off. So its important to remember to eat just enough rather than engorging your self with a lot of food. Make small substitutions for example, drink water, diet soda, or unsweetened iced tea instead of high-calorie sugary drinks.  Choose low-calorie and low-fat versions of salad dressing, cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise.  Go easy on fried foods – go for foods that are baked, broiled, poached, or grilled instead. This way you can enjoy a great meal, be a gracious guest and be discreet about what you put into your mouth without offending your host. Oh, and please skip the seconds!

5. Share an entrée with a friend at sit-down restaurants.  If you are  going to be dining at  a restaurant, you have a lot of choice over what you order.  Try to share larger more calorie laden meals but order a personal salad or side of vegetables.  Ask restaurants to: “Please hold the cheese,” “Leave the sauce on the side”, “Use low-fat salad dressing,” and “Please substitute vegetables for French fries.”  As always try to avoid fried dishes. As well, avoid alcohol laden drinks and mixed drinks, instead settle for unsweetened iced tea or sparkling water and you will have saved your self from weight gain due to extra calories, and if you keep up with this pattern, you will in fact start to loose some weight naturally!

6. Avoid situations that trigger eating – Replace the candy or cookies on your desk with fruit or avoid walking near the office candy bowl.  Avoid eating while watching television, reading, or driving.  Many people do not recall what they’ve eaten while doing other things. Place a bowl of healthy fruits on your desk that you enjoy eating, this way you can avoid the cookies and the cakes passed around at the office. If this is unavoidable, take a quick walk, or take the stairs and try to burn off and avoid the extra calories and in no time you will start burning off the excess weight with minimal input…

7. Avoid late night snacking at all costs! Feeling hungry at 9:00 pm? Munch on some popcorn or snack on some fruits, but do not go raid the fridge for that last piece of pie worth 350 – 500 calories. You can always have a small slice first thing in the morning.

Here are my simple natural suggestions for easy ways to loose weight and not gain weight over the holiday, However if your still need some help with weight loss, please check out our Toronto naturopathic weight loss center.

By: Sushma Shah, Toronto Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic, in Toronto.