The Healthy Being Newsletter

We welcome everyone to the first issue of Mandala Massage and Fitness' "The Healthy Being" newsletter. This newsletter is designed to provide regular fitness, whole food nutrition and wellness information to clients and subscribers. We plan to produce the newletter on a bi-monthly basis. We welcome any feedback that you might have on the newsletter - suggestions and recipes will be most appreciated. Please feel free to pass it on to others that you feel might want to read it, or e-mail us if you want to unsubscribe.

Thanks - and Season's Greetings! Amaiah and Dennis Paradine

Whole Foods Over the Holidays or Sugar-Coated Holidaze?

What exactly are Whole Foods and why are they good for us? Whole foods are, well, just more ‘whole' – we eat them close to the way they come out of the earth (potatoes, legumes) picked from a tree (almonds, apples) or taken from an animal (eggs, whole milk, free range chicken). A whole foods diet is the way many of our Elder parents or Grandparents ate, especially pre-WWII, because that's what there was – they either grew it themselves, bought the grains, and seeds and meat from a farmer, market or a small store. Whole foods are coming back “in vogue” with fine restaurants leading the way, and consumers and cooks who are becoming more conscientious about the link between nutrition and health are demanding whole foods options in supermarkets and restaurants.

In a regular grocery store or supermarket, the Whole Foods are usually located in the outside aisles of the store. That's where you'll find the fresh produce, dairy section, eggs, meats and fresh-baked breads. Take a look next time you're in a supermarket --the middle aisles are mostly chips, candy, canned foods, and various “white-fluffy-flour-transfat-filled-sugary-things.” Many of these ‘middle-isle' foods are chock full of additives, preservatives, colors, ‘fractionated' or hydrogenated oils (trans fats), bleached or unbleached white flours and the by-products of the refining processes (e.g. solvents used in vegetable oil refining). These highly-refined processed foods are also missing many important vitamins and co-vitamins, minerals and enzymes, all needed by our bodies for proper metabolic function. If that's not enough, many refined foods are also lacking in fibre – thus contributing to intestinal stagnation and a host of chronic diseases from diverticulosis to cancer.

A whole foods diet is not the same as a raw foods diet, and it does not mean your food has to be bland or boring in any way. Minimal processing, such as cooking and fermenting is beneficial. For example, fermenting milk into yogurt makes it more digestible for many people (gets rids of the lactose) and contributes to healthy gut flora with its probiotic culture. Also studies have shown that cooking carrots increases its beta-carotene by over 30% and cooked tomatoes make the valuable nutrient lycopene available for the body to use. (Source: Drweil.com).

Whole foods preparation also includes spices and herbs (freshly ground or chopped often have the best flavour), nutrient-rich gravies and naturally leavened stone-ground breads some special bakeries on the Island are now producing. Check out yummy whole-grain breads from Wildfire, La Boulange or Cob's Seed Breads.

If you are not already a Whole Foods cook or consumer, try a few meals, snacks and desserts over the holidays to fill you up with healthier fare … your body and spirit will thank you!

Healthy Whole Foods Snacks

Feeling Sluggish? Exercise Ideas for the Holiday Season

For many people the Christmas holidays is a lot about socializing with family, friends and co-workers. This is wonderful, but often much of this time is sedentary – sitting for hours on end with a drink in one hand and a heaping plate of snacks in the other. The downside of this can be extra weight gain to deal with in January, feeling sluggish and tired and sometimes extremely irritable. Exercise is a great antidote to the problems caused from over imbibing – it stimulates the liver, thereby aiding digestion and helping the body detoxify. Exercise also burns extra calories and strengthens both the heart and cardiovascular system.

Some active socializing ideas that have been enthusiastically adopted by my family include hikes in East Sooke Park and Witty's Lagoon in Metchosin and even games of winter tennis (usually the outdoor courts are not busy!). A bike excursion along the Galloping Goose or Lochside Trail is also great small-group activity on clear, cool days (as long as you wear extra layers and a light toque under your helmet). A stop for a healthy soup or tea along the way helps warm you up for the return trip. If it is too inclement outdoors, check your local recreation centre for drop-in ice skating, fitness classes or guided walks and hikes.

I also make sure I get regular gym workouts for my ‘alone time' that I really need during this full and hectic time of year. I do one or two sets of weights and a moderate to intense cardio workout to burn calories – it makes me feel relaxed, grounded and much more energized. Is it time to renew your gym membership? Why not do it now before the January rush – everyone wants to start Jan. 2 with their New Year's exercise resolutions. Personal trainers and fitness instructors are much more available prior to Christmas to get you started on a personalized exercise program. (*If you are a beginner or sedentary, always start slowly on an exercise program and check with your physician, health care professional or personal trainer for guidelines specific to your health).

Another bonus of regular moderate exercise I've found is that Whole Foods taste incredibly good after a workout and I don't want refined, manufactured foods. Refined foods seem to taste rancid and ‘unreal.' Although it may take time and consistency for our bodies to feel the benefits, together regular exercise and Whole Foods nutrition have a great positive net effect on our health and wellness.

For the Person Who Has Everything – Give the Gift of Wellness & Relaxation!

For more relaxation and wellness gift ideas, please visit www.mandalawellness.ca and www.mandalawellness.ca/Satori.htm

Mandala Massage and Fitness. Studio: 250-592-9025 Cell: 744-9555
e-mail: amaiah at islandet.com or dennis_paradine at islandnet.com