Living with Lifelong Wellness

Robert W. Horovitz, B.Sc., ND
Naturopathic Doctor
The Lifelong Wellness Company Inc.
Active Health Centre
5871 Hwy 7 E
Markham, ON L3P 1A3
Clinic: (905) 294-0454

e-mail: info@lifelongwellnesscentre.com
www.lifelongwellnesscentre.com
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Summer commenced with inspiring goals towards Lifelong Wellness. People everywhere finally awoke from hibernation and began venturing into the wonderful world of long walks and fresh, flavorful health foods. Stress began to plummet and energy was on the rise. Weight began to drop, and in some cases, remnants of 6 packs and lean muscle from a time long ago were suddenly rediscovered. With summer over and fall among us, I find it increasingly necessary to encourage people to continue their active lifestyles that they have maintained steadily over the last 4 months.

As the temperature begins to cool down, those daily long walks tend to become less frequent, and less time is spent on fresh meal preparations. Occupational time restrictions begin to impose on what was previously luxury time for the mind and body. Of course it doesn’t take a Naturopathic Doctor to realize that meal prep and exercise go hand in hand. As healthy eating begins to decline, so does energy levels. With diminishing energy levels it becomes more difficult to perform those mind boggling tasks at school/work. If people begin to feel more sluggish, they tend to have less reserve for exercise, which ultimately leads to a further decrease in energy. Muscles start to lose their size and stamina, joints begin to stiffen up, and decreased range of motion makes physical activity more of a challenge.

In order to keep you on the path towards Lifelong Wellness, here are some lifestyle tips:

1. Write down your daily schedule on a piece of paper consisting of working hours and other responsibilities. Highlight any empty spaces (if any) that you see on your schedule. Seeing empty time slots on paper can help you to identify specific times for advanced meal preparations as well as exercise training.

2. Cook enough food to last until your next available time for meal prep (typically 2-3 days worth).

3. Pre-pack lunches the night before to avoid skipping meals the next day or making rushed early morning food decisions.

4. If a full out exercise regime can not be accomplished that particular day, don’t give up! Make a point of at least going for a 20 minute brisk walk every single day; it will help to clear your mind, cope with daily stressors, and ultimately increase oxygen flow which will help you perform tasks more optimally.

5. Pace yourself! If feeling overwhelmed drains you of valuable energy, stop and take 15 full out deep breaths (breathing 4 seconds in and 4 seconds out for a total of 8 seconds per breath). Often, people have trouble breathing with their diaphragm. Ask your Naturopathic Doctor about proper deep breathing techniques.

Often motivation and setting priorities are enough to get things moving. Once realistic goals are created, a Naturopathic Doctor can be of further assistance in providing specific individualized dietary and exercise recommendations. For more information on how Naturopathic Medicine can influence your goals towards Lifelong Wellness, book your free 15 minute consult today with Robert W. Horovitz Naturopathic Doctor!