January 2004

This newsletter is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice

• Happy New Year
• A New Look
• New Staff at The Pacific Wellness Institute
• Why Crash Diets Crash
• Body Composition and Bio Impedance Analysis
• Detoxification
• Healthy Japanese Foods for Colds and Flu's

The Pacific Wellness Institute
80 Bloor Street West, Suite 1100
Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2V1
Tel: 416-929-6958
Fax: 416-929-6365
e-mail: info@pacificwellness.ca
website: www.pacificwellness.ca

Newsletter 

Pacific Wellness News
A New Look at Pacific Wellness

This year, The Pacific Wellness Institute celebrates having been at the 80 Bloor Street W address for 10 years now. Over the years, we have grown and expanded our facilities so that we may better serve your needs. More recently, you may have noticed the changes we have made to the reception area, which is now larger. Many clients also find this area more comfortable.

One important thing to notice is the new audio CD equipment that has been installed behind our relaxation chairs. These CDs contain scientifically encripted breathing exercises that are beneficial particularly for Dr. Tanaka’s patients who are practicing the 0.1 Hz Resonant Frequency Breathing Exercises. He recommends that his patients come 15 minutes earlier for their appointments so that they may practice the prescribed breathing techniques at the reception prior to treatment. For more details about the breathing exercises, please visit the Pacific Wellness website at www.pacificwellness.ca and click on ‘research. .

Welcome To Our New Staff!

The Pacific Wellness Institute has expanded its team of therapists! We would like to extend a warm welcome to 2 new massage therapists! Denise Dusome, RMT and April Boultbee, RMT are both graduates of the Sutherland-Chan Massage School.

Most insurance companies cover massage therapy and direct billing is an option available here at Pacific Wellness. Please call 416-929-6958 to book your massage appointment today. For details on the backgrounds and biographies of our massage therapists, go to www.pacificwellness.ca and click on the “about us” link. 

Why Crash Diets Crash

Most people want to lose weight for two reasons - to feel healthier and look better. Surprisingly, however, weight loss doesn't necessarily lead to better health or appearance. In fact, the opposite is often true. Sudden weight loss through crash dieting can result in devastating consequences such as a deterioration in body composition (decreased lean body mass)

It is important to note that deterioration in body composition (balance of muscle, fat, fluids) slows down your metabolism, thus increasing the likelihood of regaining the lost weight and making it far more challenging to lose weight in the future. Most diets measure success solely by the number of pounds lost. However in order to avoid the “yo-yo” cycle and metabolic slow down, it is important to focus on the amount of fat you lose rather than the amount of weight you lose. Researchers in gerontology (the study of aging) report that there is a significant co-relationship between the deterioration in body composition (muscle loss and fat tissue increase) and aging.

Measure Your Body Composition with Bio Impedence Analysis

Bio Impedance Analysis (BIA) is one of the most convenient and reliable ways to measure of your body’s composition and provides insight into your overall health. BIA works by estimating the percentage of lean muscle tissue in your body and other essential biological markers of health. Our research grade BIA equipment is the same as the ones used regularly by major hospitals and university facilities. It reveals the proportion and amount of fat and lean tissue and can be effectively used to indicate how much muscle and fat is being lost or gained as a result of physical or dietary changes.


Pacific Wellness Special Offer
For a limited time, we are offering Bio Impedance Analysis for only $18 to anyone interested in finding out their own body composition. This simple, non-invasive procedure is done in a matter of minutes with your clothes. Following the analysis, our Naturopathic Doctor, EeVon Ling, BSc, ND will review and interpret the results with you. Call us at (416) 929-6958 to schedule your BIA and consultation. This offer ends Thursday March 18, 2003.

Detoxing is Essential to Good Health
EeVon Ling, B.Sc, ND

You spring clean your house once a year. You change the oil in you car every few months. You take out the garbage every week. You take a shower everyday. You have followed a routine of regularly cleaning out the clutter in your life. Everything on the outside looks good.

But what about the inside? Do you have a regular routine of cleaning out your body and mind?

Do You Need to Detox?

Take this Quiz

Answer Yes or No

1) I have 1-3 regular bowel movements everyday
2) I regularly exercise or have saunas 3 or more times a week
3) I eat organic vegetables and meats
4) I drink 2 L of water everyday
5) I take high quality nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals) everyday
6) I have ways of expressing my emotions or relieving stress
7) I have not been exposed to pollution, radiation, chemicals etc
8) I don’t have any medical disease or conditions (such as diabetes, cancer, depression, PMS, acne, obesity etc)
9) I’m not currently taking any medications
10) I’ve had my liver function assessed

Add up the number of “No” answers.
1-3: A mild detox or fine tuning of you diet and lifestyle would benefit you.
4-6: A detox would improve your immediate health and help prevent developing future conditions
7-10: A detox is strongly encouraged to treat your current condition, help reverse or slow down the progression of your health problems.

What Goes In, Must Come Out

Everyday of our life we expose our body and minds to chemicals, toxins and negative energy. Physiologically, the normal processes of metabolism create free radicals that can potentially alter healthy cells. Abnormal cell function creates abnormal organ function.

Physically we eat, drink and breathe in artificial substances and we are exposed to negative energy such as radiation, electromagnetic waves and behaviours of others at home, work and in public. Mentally we house negative emotions, stress, false beliefs and potentially destructive ways of thinking and behaving.

Our bodies store toxins in our cells. Toxin overload disrupts proper organ function, depletes energy, affects our moods and decreases our health.

These kinds of toxins directly contribute to the most common conditions:

Cancer
Heart disease
Diabetes
Obesity
Skin conditions: acne, eczema, psoriasis
Women’s health issues: PMS, menopause, infertility, irregular periods
Men’s health issues: Erectile dysfunction, prostate health
Children’s health issues: Learning disorders, ADD and behavioural problems, low self-esteem
Depression and anxiety

Every Health Condition Will Benefit From a Proper Detox

There are many different ways to perform a detox. And there are different detox programs for different health conditions. Some detox programs require medical supervision to ensure patient safety.

As your naturopathic doctor, I will prescribe a safe and effective detoxification program that is specific to you--your current health condition, lifestyle and health goals. A successful detox can give you more energy, positively change your appearance and improve your health.

Detoxing is Not About Depriving Yourself

A successful detoxification program encourages elimination, movement and building on a physiological, physical and mental level.

These are examples on how we can achieve these things:

Elimination: Treat constipation, get rid of processed food, sugar and meat from your diet, ensure that organs are functioning properly, protect yourself from environmental sources of toxins, take homeopathic remedies to stimulate the body, express negative emotions

Movement: Increase water intake, add herbs to improve circulation, receive acupuncture to regulate organ function and increase energy flow, start cardiovascular exercise, do deep breathing exercises, be mindful of negative thinking

Build: Take vitamin & mineral supplements, add herbal tonics to build the immune system, eat nutrient rich food, start weight training, create positive affirmations and goals for the future.

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Healthy Japanese Foods for the Cold and Flu Season 
Haruko Ishihara, RNCP, CNP, CR.

Everyone wants to enjoy good health and people try to retain and improve it through exercise, diet and/or relaxation. Sometimes, however, disease comes to you no matter how careful you are or what you do to resist it. Winter is the time when people tend to unbalance themselves and catch cold or influenza. This could be because of the cold, dry air, fewer opportunities to get fresh air and less physical activity, or maybe it is because the body responds to the holiday diet and stress. Before your condition gets nasty, you may want to try to arrest its progress with foods and drinks you find in your kitchen. These are some old Japanese natural remedies, so called “kitchen remedies”.

Honey Ginger Lemon: Good at the beginning of a cold or the flu, particularly when you have a sore throat and/or cough. This, my favorite remedy, is soothing and has a warming effect. As you know lemon is abundant in vitamin C, which enhances the immune system and has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Ginger helps in enhancing circulation, lowering body temperature and is good for the digestion. Honey provides the body with anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties and yields quick energy.
Recipe: Grate a 1-1.5cm piece of ginger and put in a cup. Add 1-2 tsp honey. Pour in 1 cup of boiling water. Add fresh lemon juice (1/2 - 1 lemon) and mix. Sip before bed or whenever you feel like it.

Daikon and Honey: Excellent for coughs and sore throats. Daikon (white radish) contains vitamin C and has properties that relieve inflammation.
Recipe: Cut Daikon into small cubes. Put them into a small container and cover with honey. Leave it in fridge for a day or more until a clear juice appears on the top. Drink 1-2 teaspoon of the clear juice every few hours.

Soup of Green Onion & Miso: This comforting hot drink is suitable when you feel a chill. Green onion contains a powerful substance, allicin, which is produced when it is chopped and which has anti-bacterial and anti-biotic effect.
Recipe: Chop 1-2 green onions finely and put in a cup. Add ½ - 1 teaspoon miso paste (and ½ - 1 teaspoon grated ginger - optional). Pour in 1 cup of boiling water, mix them well and sip while it’s hot.

Kuzu-yu (Arrowroot gruel): You can drink this for any type of colds or flu but it is particularly good for fevers as both arrowroot and ginger encourage perspiration. Arrowroot is nourishing, warms the body and also helps in easing muscle tensions around the shoulder and neck. Recipe: Put 1-2 teaspoons arrowroot and ½ teaspoon grated ginger in a cup and mix well with boiling water. Add small amount of honey if you like. Drink when it’s hot.

Tamago-zake (Sake with egg drink): This is one of the most famous Japanese classic cold remedies. Eggs are high in protein and contain calcium, vitamin B2 and D. Alcohol promotes circulation and good sleep.
Bring ½-1 cup sake to the boil in a pot, add 1 beaten egg and turn off the heat. Put in a cup and add a small amount of honey and ginger juice. Drink while it’s hot.

All the above remedies don’t have a bitter taste or side effects - unlike regular drugs/medication and they are even tasty. The key to dealing with colds and flu is prevention. Gargling with green tea when you come from outside is a good habit. The antioxidant substance, Catechin, in green teas helps to resist virus and bacteria.

Nobody likes having a cold or flu. Let’s enjoy a healthy winter without staying in bed or being a friend of tissues.

Haruko practices reflexology and nutrition consultation at The Pacific Wellness Institute.

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