Heart health: eat well, move more, and live long

 February was Healthy Heart Month, so here are a few fun facts regarding our heart. Did you know that your heart is roughly the size of your fist; it pumps about 115,000 litres of blood a day and weighs less than a pound? Its most important role is to pump

How to beat boredom this winter: 10 ways to stay entertained

 As the darker days of winter start to draw in and the weather takes a colder turn, you may be wondering how you are going to keep yourself from getting bored over the winter months. So far, this year has been a challenging time for many. The COVID-19 pandemic means

7 benefits of being healthy

 Many people talk about the risks associated with being unhealthy rather than the benefits of being healthy. Being unhealthy, as we know, can cause a variety of nutrition and obesity-related health diseases. Chronic unhealthy habits result in 700,000 deaths in the US each year. How come there's less talk about

5 fun ways to stay active when you’re stuck at home

 With the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation, many of us have been ordered to work from home. Whether you fall into this category, or you are at high risk of getting complications from the virus and so are self isolating by choice, being stuck at home can take its toll

5 easy tips for investing in your health

 As we go about our daily lives, we need to be mindful of every aspect of the future. The dilemma of having stowed enough money away to retire comfortably, but also, ensuring that we can afford a hip replacement by the time we are 95 years of age if we

Starting exercise during lockdown? These are a few tips a beginners should know

 With the vast majority of the world’s communities in quarantine and with almost every business and nonessential workplace being temporarily suspended, getting into fitness is not only now a possibility, but rather, it is now a necessity considering the fact that older adults and people of any age who are

How you can be physically active everyday

 As you are probably aware, exercise isn’t just about losing weight or getting fit. No, regular activity benefits all areas of your life including your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Thus, you need to ensure that you are getting enough exercise each and every day. Of course, this can often

9 ways to get healthier in 2020

 There’s nothing like the new year to bring about resolutions to be healthier. According to research from last year’s New Year’s resolutions, about 71 percent said that their top goal for the 2019 was to diet, eat healthier, exercise more, or lose weight. Unfortunately, only about 10 per cent of

Hit the Ground Running

 Now that we are blessed with a few more daylight hours, it’s time to leave that treadmill in the dust and brace the outdoors for your daily cardio session. Studies have shown that exposure to the sun (Vitamin D) is linked to reducing colds and flus. Though the sun may be

Raising the Barre

 If you’ve ever done a fitness challenge, you know how daunting just starting can be. All you can think about is just how long 30 days can feel and whether you’ll actually be able to stick with the process and produce the results that got you interested in the challenge

Health Champions Gather at Glashan for ‘Healthy Me Week’ Launch

 All photos by Eric Murphy.  An alligator, a vegetable man, YTV’s Carlos Bustamante and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna met up in Glashan Public School this morning to launch Canada’s fifth Healthy Me Week. The week is a call for children and parents across Canada to step up their health routine.

The Wellness Mom Workout – Q&A with Fitness Chameleon Kate Laird

 Photos courtesy of Kate Laird.  This isn’t your average fitness class. When you first walk in, you might be a bit taken aback by all the kids running around as the super-powered moms partake in CrossFit-like activity. Medicine balls, rowing machines and weights are just a few of the tools

Staying Active Over the Holidays

 As the holiday season arrives, schedules can fill up with parties, dinners, shopping, and vacations. Although this is an exciting time of year, it can be stressful. When our calendars get overwhelming, in order to meet holiday demands, one of the first things people often reduce is exercise. Also, as

Stay Ahead of Pregnancy Posture

 Aside from the obvious belly growth in pregnancy, many lesser known changes occur within a woman’s body. The average healthy Canadian woman will gain about 30 pounds during pregnancy. Most of this weight is concentrated around the abdominal region. This added load puts extra stress on the back, hips, knees,

Why is Everyone so Happy, and I’m Not?

 If you are reading this, there is a good chance you, or someone you know isn't very happy. There are plenty of things you want to do with your life but the unhappiness, low motivation and lack of energy is too difficult to overcome. Not to mention the amount of

Get Inspired with Lorna Jane Clarkson

 Inspired, by active living advocate Lorna Jane Clarkson, hits shelves this month. It’s a great summer read for ladies looking to learn more about Clarkson’s philosophy and how to live an inspirational, active life. It’s got everything you need to kick start a healthier lifestyle. The book includes personal style

Burn Baby Burn at The Dailey Method

 New to Ottawa this year, The Dailey Method is a full body workout that will work all of your major muscles (and all of the other muscles that you never knew existed) in less than sixty minutes. The two classes offered, Dailey Basics and Dailey Barre are designed to help

Living With Anxiety

 Anxiety: that feeling of worry, nervousness and apprehension that grabs a hold of you, shakes you up and stops you in your tracks. Anxiety is overwhelming and pervasive, leaving you frazzled, constantly over-thinking and unfocused. For some, it becomes difficult to have a normal functioning day. Anxiety can also cause

Nine Steps to a Healthier You!

 Martine, 44, works for Statistics Canada. She is married with two children, Samantha, 13, and Gordon, 11. Both play high-level soccer, which means that both she and her husband Graham are kept extremely busy ferrying them both to practice sessions and games. This combined with a demanding job and shouldering

Try Orange Grove’s 14-Day Skin Care Challenge

 Are you in need of a spa day but don’t have time to make the trip? Orange Grove is bringing the spa to you with two weeks of easy tips and tricks! You’ll learn about everything from beauty to building flexibility with this online event. Starting on June 22, Orange

Using Mental Rehearsal to Bring Your Sports Game to the Next Level

 Every athlete, from the beginner to the professional, can benefit from using mental rehearsal to improve their game. This holds true for athletes and competitors in every sport arena including the weekend warriors or duffers, to the skilled martial artist, dancer, bowler, dart player, hockey and / or soccer player.

Do We Really Need to Stretch?

 We are all guilty of skipping our stretches now and then. But how important are they anyway? Stretching not only improves flexibility, it can be a tool to help keep your muscles healthy. When we stretch, we move our joints in full ranges of motion, which helps loosen up the

Walk Towards a Cure

 When you were a kid who was your favourite super hero? Batman? Superman? Wonder Woman? No matter who it was, you always admired them for their determination and courage. These qualities are equally demonstrated by the estimated 75, 000 Canadians living with multiple sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable illness that affects

Why is My Stomach so Bloated and Painful?

 Bridgette, 35, is an architect, single mum and had a busy an active professional and personal life.  Some two years ago she had caught MONO and had to receive a large dose of antibiotics, which had thankfully put her symptoms into remission. Two months later she noticed some unusual digestive

Travel the Fit Way

 Whether you’re hitting the road for business or pleasure, staying fit while travelling can be a challenge. Living out of a suitcase in an unfamiliar location with a packed itinerary, plans to squeeze in a workout can quickly fall to the wayside. But don’t give up hope; the secret to