Health Redesigned Blog

It’s that time of year when you start thinking about what to get for that hard to buy someone on your list. Here’s a list of must have’s for anyone who’s a foodie or anyone that wants to make an effort at eating better. Click the image to bring up the Amazon link for purchase information.

Vitamix 5200 Blender

This Blender is just what you need to do almost everything. It blends, chops, stirs, mixes, and grinds. I use mine just about every day. It can make smoothies, soups, sauces, spreads and probably some other “s” words. I like this model because it’s got enough features to adjust the blending speed without being overly complicated. The size is perfect- you can blend small or large amounts. My favorite thing about this blender is the durability. I literally choked when I saw the price of it the first time. However, when I consider that I was burning through other brands every year, I’ve actually saved money by investing in a Vitamix....

Checking your blood pressure may be one of the most important things you do today. As a nurse who works on an acute stroke unit, I see the impact of prolonged high blood pressure or hypertension, firsthand. It’s not pretty. The saddest part is that the damage from uncontrolled blood pressure is very preventable. Hypertension Canada states that 50% of Canadians stop taking their blood pressure medication within the first year of therapy.  Unfortunately, high blood pressure often has no symptoms, so it’s difficult to know when you have it. It can slowly creep up over time and you have no idea it’s been there. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. So what can you do to prevent irreversible damage?

Identifying Hypertension

The most important part of treating hypertension is knowing that you have it. “I feel fine,” is NOT an ok assessment of how your blood pressure is doing. Ever hear of the frog in the boiling pot of water? He...

It’s that time of year again. When the candy producers pull out all their marketing tricks to make you want to buy more treats. It’s all in the spirit of Halloween, but it’s gotten out of hand.

To start off- who’s got leftover candy from last year? Raise your arm high. Shout out loud and proud. I know you’re out there. What I want to know is, how much candy did you start with if you still have candy left over? And what do you plan to do with all of that candy? If you haven’t already bought your new stash for this year, consider giving it all away. Or throwing away your stale candy. But does it really go bad? Probably not for many years.

Consider that every treat or candy that you buy is just that. A treat. It’s not meant as an everyday indulgence. It’s not meant to be eaten all year. And what are you really eating? Wax. Food coloring. Sugar. Definitely not part of a healthy diet. Don’t be fooled by words like natural, fruit juice...

An article on the Forks Over Knives website talks about becoming a vegetarian. I couldn’t resist going through it. It’s called Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat. It describes the seven amazing benefits that you get when you give up meat.  Read it first and then pop back here! At least once a week I hear someone say, “I’m giving up meat to be healthier.” I love trying to understand why women are ready to give up meat forever, in the interest of better health. I’m going to offer my thoughts about their comments in favor of a vegetarian lifestyle.

At least once a week I hear someone say, “I’m giving up meat to be healthier.” I love trying to understand why women are ready to give up meat forever, in the interest of better health. I’m going to offer my thoughts about their comments in favor of a vegetarian lifestyle.

1. You’ll reduce inflammation in your body.

This point suggests that you will...

We all have goals of accomplishing things over our lifetime. Some of them are small. Some of them are big. Some are even bigger than you realize. Like writing a book- so I’ve come to learn.

Anyone who knows me well will know that I’ve been talking about writing a book for a really long time. Like, 10 years long. It’s finally coming together and I’m gearing up for my launch on September 19, 2017.  I really thought all the hard work was over once I had finished the editing process. I had no idea that there was so much involved in coming up with a cover design, marketing material and developing a launch strategy. I didn’t realize how much work it is to promote your own book, because that’s what you’ve got to do if you want it to sell.

But this post isn’t about me writing a book or going over all the things I need to do before September to make it a success. It’s about setting realistic expectations.  How many...

You’ve probably heard that you need to eat more fiber but you may not even know where to start. How much do you need? What foods have fiber? What is fiber? There’s so much to know! Let me help clarify things for you:

What Does Fiber Do?

• Decreases blood cholesterol, slows glucose absorption (keeping blood sugar lower)
• Eliminates waste products
• Keeps the “trains” running on time. Just make sure that you drink plenty of water with your increased fiber load or you’ll end up even more constipated. Think of what happens when you put only a bit of water into cement- it forms a giant, solid plug. Fiber is the same way. Thin it out with lots of water!

Types of Fiber:

• Soluble Fiber: Dissolves in water, broken down in digestion/absorbed (eg. Legumes, fruit, vegetables)
• Insoluble Fiber: Attracts water, adds bulk to the stool (Eg. Bran, beans, flax)

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

• Men: 38g/day
• Women: 25g/day
• Many people only get less than 10g/day (That’s not...