Healthy BBQ Tips

Mmmm! It is the season! The warm evening sun, the chirping birds, children playing in the park, and your next door neighbour using his gas air blower at dinner time- it is summer!

If you’re like most people you might enjoy lighting the barbeque and cooking some beast over an open flame. While you’re cooking your lamb, free range beef, or salmon I would suggest grilling some veggies while you’re at it.

If you’ve ever tried slicing your zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, or peppers and laying them on the BBQ only to have them slide through the grill you could get frustrated and forget about your daily vegetable requirements.

I would suggest one of these BBQ woks or skillets. Just chop your veggies, throw them in the wok, lightly oil them, season them with fresh herbs, ground pepper/salt and put it on the barbeque over a medium high heat. I prefer having my roasted veggies slightly crunchy rather than an overcooked paste! Enjoy with your daily 10 minute dose of sunshine!

~Think Vitality!~

Summer Sunshine!

Ah yes, the summer is upon in beautiful Victoria! It has been the warmest I’ve seen here for quite some time. Today’s entry is a quick reminder to wear your sunglasses outside and while driving.

They are more than just a fashion statement, and a way to hide the fact that you are watching people! They protect your eyes from UV damage from the sun.

Studies show that unprotected exposure to the sun can lead to cataracts; which is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye. This can lead to obscuring, then loss of vision. Think about cooking an egg white.


So grab some stylish aviators, some speedster Oakleys, or some dollar store specials and enjoy the sun!

~Think Vitality!~

Micheal J. Fox

Last Thursday there was a prime time special on Michael J Fox, the actor from “Family Ties,” “Back to the Future,” and “Spin City.” When I think about him the first thing that comes to mind is the bouncy energy that he always seemed to have. It turns out that in 1991 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He has written a book called "Always Looking Up: Observations of an Incurable Optimist."

I really liked the title of his new book! I would imagine that it would be really tough dealing with a chronic illness that you know is only going to get worse over time. Optimism, attitude, and a positive outlook in life can really affect how well you live and when and how you die.

I must say that I feel disappointed when I think about how little integration we have between western medicine and eastern medicine in North American culture. I would think in this day and age that we would be wise enough to know that every practitioner has their role in maintaining and improving health. It is slowly getting better but not fast enough. A person like Michael J. Fox would benefit tremendously by an integrative approach to health and wellness. With the condition like Parkinson’s your main objective is not cure it, but rather to keep it from progressing any further.

In the TV special there was one scene where Michael J. Fox was in Asia and he noticed his symptoms were better than they had been in a long time and he was able to reduce his medication significantly. He didn’t actually know what was making the improvement but perhaps being out of the media spotlight and being surrounded by a culture that encouraged relaxation, happiness, and joy made that much of the shift in his health?

If you know anybody who has a family history of the degenerative illness or was even just beginning to suspect an illness like Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, or cancer, encourage them to have a look at their lifestyle and see what they can do to bring it back into balance.


~Think Vitality!~

The Brown Blunder

Have you ever had a luxurious latte sitting in your hand, ready for your ravenous consumption, only to be interrupted by a hint of guilt? Thinking that with all that full fat milk that was used it must be high in calories. Then, to make you feel better one might think, “Wait, I’ll make the healthy choice and use brown sugar instead of white sugar.”

Today’s little bit of health information is brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added back to it after it has been processed. Yes, unfortunately brown sugar has a minimal amount of minerals than white sugar.

Quite honestly, people do better with less of the real thing then trying to replace it with an imitation. This goes for sugar, meat, fat, chips, cookies, baked goods, pizza, fried foods, ice cream, etc.

If you just aim to have a medium instead of mammoth macchiato coffee you will feel that same satisfaction without as much of the negative health benefits. So, go forward and find an appropriate opportunity to spring out this little bit of water cooler information!!

~Think Vitality!~

Acupuncture Day?

While scanning the headlines I discovered that on April 16th, it is Acupuncture Day! It might be the day that acupuncture was born, but I doubt it. I believe it is a day to try to help bring awareness to the benefits of acupuncture to those who haven’t discovered it yet.


As I’ve been practicing for a few years, I often forget how amazing acupuncture is. I see miracles every single week! I am not exaggerating, every week I see patients that have regained energy, reduced stress, and found balance. But more importantly, I see patients reduce and eliminate pain. Pain can greatly reduce the quality of life. If you can stay pain free for life you are among a minority. There are two types of pain, acute and chronic.


Acute pain
Acute pain is “normal pain.” Acute pain comes from breaking an ankle, stubbing a toe, or hitting your thumb with a hammer. Acute pain is… well painful! It’s usually severe but it will heal with rest and time.


Chronic pain
Chronic pain can be referred to as “pain illness” which can last for days, weeks, and years. It is usually low grade, nagging, and difficult to deal with. Sometimes there may be no obvious reason for chronic pain. Western medicine aims to “manage” pain. Acupuncture aims to heal pain from the inside out.

If anyone has acute or chronic pain they should try acupuncture. It will greatly speed healing, decrease inflammation and swelling, and of course reduce pain. Sometimes just using 5-10 needles around the area of pain can give great relief (known as “ashi points”).


When dealing with chronic pain sometimes you can eliminate it completely, other times (as with treating severe arthritis) you can just manage it. Either way, one can have less pain and improve quality of life!


~Think Vitality!~

Mashed Faux Tatoes

Are you going to have a massive feast this weekend for Easter but you’re concerned about packing on the pounds? If you are on the low carb lifestyle and have a terror of tubers, try Mashed Faux Tatoes to replace traditional Mashed Potatoes.

When you read the ingredient list you might think “you’ve got to be kidding me!” I have experimented with several faux potato recipes and believe it or not cauliflower makes an excellent replacement. Honestly, I think it can taste better then low nutrient density potatoes.

First, a little info on cauliflower;
· It is a cruciferous vegetable and is in the same family as broccoli.
· It is high in vitamin C: 3 florets provide you with 67% of your daily requirement.
· It is also high in folate, which helps the blood work more efficiently, tissue regenerate and repair, and prevents heart disease.
· Most importantly, cauliflower is high in indole-3-Carbinol, or I3C. I3C has recently been shown to reduce excess estrogen in men and women and can help prevent prostate issues, and breast tumours. If you have a family history of breast cancer, adding cruciferous veggies into your diet is highly recommended.

Mashed Faux Tatoes
1 head of cauliflower, with green leaves removed
½ cup of skim milk (use higher fat milk if you want a creamier texture)
1 tsp of butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg

Bring a pot to boil with 1-2 inches of water. Wash, cut, and place cauliflower in a steamer basket and cook for 10-15 minutes or until it is tender. Remove from heat and put cauliflower in a bowl with spices, butter, and milk. Use a potato masher and beat the heck out of it! I prefer to use a hand blender- it gives a much smoother texture and makes more of a mess. Enjoy!

Try it, and feel free to leave a comment!
~Think Vitality!~

Qi gong vs. Tai Chi Round one!

I have had a couple people ask me in the last couple months about what qi gong is and how it is different from tai chi. Firstly, qi gong is pronounced “chee gong” and it basically means “energy work.” It can also be spelled as chi kung, qigong, or chi gong. I chose to use the “qi gong” spelling because it is phonetically most accurate in the Chinese speaking world.
Qi gong is a practice thousands of years old that helps to build the energy, health, vitality of the body. It helps to reduce stress, increase blood circulation, and slow the aging process. I have studied many different “healing” systems and have found qi gong to be one the most effective. It is helpful because it is easy to do, you don’t need any special equipment, and it uses the body’s own energy to bring itself into a state of balance.
So, what is the difference between qi gong and tai chi?

Tai chi is a martial art that is healthy to practice because of its “circular movements.” Circular movements have no beginning or end and increases circulation without stressing the joints. Tai chi is a martial art with self defence being its primary focus. Tai chi also requires quite a bit of open space to practice.

Qi gong exercises were developed specifically for building the health. The movements are not focused on self defence and they often mimic movements of animals and nature. It requires very little space to practice and you need to know only a few moves to get the health benefits from it. You can build a tremendous amount of energy in a very short amount of time.

Those of you who have heard me speak about qi gong know that I feel very passionate about it. I think that every senior, office worker, athlete, student, ADD/ADHD child or adult, a stressed, or depressed person should know basic qi gong and would benefit greatly from regular practice. Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming classes and workshops in the next little while.

~Think Vitality!~

Alert on Allergies

A very common question that comes up this time of year is, “What can I do about my allergies?” When I suggest moving to the Antarctic, it never seems to be much help.

The common symptoms of seasonal allergies are
· Stuffy, runny nose
· Asthma, difficult breathing
· Itchy, watery eyes
· Sneezing
· Skin reactions (such as hives, and eczema)

All of these symptoms are “histamine reactions.” A healthy body would have a normal reaction to allergens by flushing them out by sneezing once or twice, and slightly increasing mucous production. In an unbalanced body there is an “over-reaction” or histamine reaction which gives rise to the irritating symptoms of allergies.

How severe your allergies may be is determined by the pollen count. This year in Victoria, it has been lower than most years due to the strange spring weather we have been having.
You can check Pollen Forecast: Victoria, British Columbia - The Weather Network to see how we are fairing. While patients have complained about allergies a little bit, I don’t think we have seen the worst of the season yet.

What can you do to prevent or treat your allergies?
Well, it may seem obvious but the first thing is to try to reduce your exposure to pollens. You can check the pollen count and if your allergies are severe you may want to consider staying inside days that the pollen count is “high”. Other useful tips are:

Spice it up!
Eat some ginger, onions, cayenne pepper and other spices to help thin the mucous in the sinuses and flush out allergens. Ginger can also dilate the bronchial tubes and help breathing.

Get fat!
That is, get essential fatty acids such as flax seed, Udo’s oil blend, or fish oils. EFA’s are natural anti-inflammatories and can help with allergic reactions.

Query some Quercitin!
Quercitin is a natural flavanoid that counter acts the effects of pollen and has anti-histamine effects. You can get your dose of quercitin from an apple (with the skin on), red grapes, red onions, berries, and black tea.

Boost the Belly
Food intolerance and poor digestion seem to be connected with allergies. A healthy digestive tract will lessen the load on your immune system, thus reducing allergies. Simply add 18-24 ounces of PLAIN yogurt, preferably one with acidophilus in it. I mention “PLAIN” because sweetened yogurts do not have the same effect on the digestion because of the high sugar content. A recent study at the University of California showed that by adding yogurt into the diet reduced allergies symptoms up to 90%.

Of course, acupuncture is very helpful for when you are having an immediate (or acute) attack, or allergies that are a long standing (or chronic) problem. It can balance the immune system, reduce nasal stuffiness, and calm down the immune system. Until next time!!
~Think Vitality!~

Spring Swing

Didn’t it seem like such a wonderful day today in Victoria? The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the air was clean! It would have been a great day to get outside and go for a run, clean the deck, or straighten up the yard.

Most people have been in hibernation all winter and have been doing exercise as often as I have been doing my ‘daily blogs’!

But be careful of Spring injuries. The most common injuries of Spring are to the neck, shoulder, and back. So, before jumping on the tennis court, chasing the dog, or running around Elk Lake make sure to do a basic warm up.

It takes all of 5 minutes to gently stretch and warm up the neck, back, shoulders, hamstrings, quads, ankles, and wrists. Most seasonal injuries can be prevented by simply warming up. So go ahead, stretch, swing your arms wildly, weird out the neighbours and stay healthy!
~Think Vitality!~

Spring Forward!

Spring Forward!

As it is the eve of daylight savings time and we jump forward an hour, we’re reminded that spring is near! Even though we got a dash of snow today in Victoria, spring IS actually around the corner and according to Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture theory we are nearing the time of wood.

According to 5 element theory (which provides the basis of Chinese Medicine) every season can be represented by an element. Spring is represented by the element wood. Wood is the element of growth, change, and springing forward. Think about the cherry blossoms, and daffodils coming to life after the cold winter. In a sense this happens in our bodies as well.

We will soon start feeling the desire to clean, de-clutter, and prepare for the vibrant exciting summer. I have noticed every year that people tend to make a lot of changes as this time of year- new jobs, new relationships, rearranging the house, or the desire to move. So follow your innate desires to change, grow and cultivate vibrate energy!!
~Think Vitality!~

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing holiday and now that 2008 is behind us you are ready to look forward with excitement and anticipation to the New Year!

When I ask people in my acupuncture clinic if they make New Years resolutions most people say “Nah, I don’t bother!” or “Resolutions are ridiculous- if I want to do something I just do it!”

Setting goals are very important in health, relationships, career, personal achievements, learing, and life in general.If you think about it you never actually accomplish any goals if you don’t set any.

What is just as important as setting goals is to write them down. If you look at statistics people who set and write down their goals, are 70% more likely to accomplish them. You of course have to have a plan as to how to achieve your goals but it is significantly more important to determine ‘what’ exactly you are aiming for.

So today, tonight, right now grab something that you can write on- piece of paper, a napkin, or a tolerant small animal- and write down 10 goals you would like to reach in 2009. Write down what you want to accomplish and by when. When is very important!

Be specific, be realistic, and be bold! Keep the list and briefly review it once a week, and have a good look at it once a month. If you do this I can guarantee that you will be well on your way to a happy, and healthy 2009!

~Think Vitality!~