The Living Healthy Blog

“You wait a lifetime to find someone who understands you and accept you as you are. In  the end – you find – that someone all along — has been you!” Hi, I’m Wonnita MacDonald and I am the Mindfulness Meditation Coach here at Blue Sky Fitness Studio. Have you ever felt that life is […]

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Big food companies don’t want their proprietary flavours to be known, so they’re allowed to say “artificial flavour” and leave the details out. That alone gets me upset. But what makes me more upset is what artificial flavours represent when they’re in your food.

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The odds are that you or someone you know experiences heartburn. Around half of North American adults experience it at least once per month. Somewhere between 10-20% have it at least once per week!  Heartburn, also known as reflux, occurs when the strong acid in your stomach creeps up into your esophagus. It can feel […]

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Glycemic this and glycemic that. Does it matter? You’ll notice that they both begin with “glycemic.” That’s one tip that they have to do with sugars and carbs. Not only how much sugar is in foods, but more importantly, how it affects your blood sugar levels. In general, diets that are high on the glycemic […]

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We all have some level of stress, right? It may be temporary (acute), or long-term (chronic). Acute stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and can even be life-saving. Then, when the “threat” (a.k.a. “stressor”) is gone, the reaction subsides, and all is well. It’s […]

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Inflammation. It’s not just for health headlines. It’s a fact. Scientists are measuring levels of inflammation in our bodies and finding that it can be pretty bad for our health; this is especially true when it’s chronic (i.e. lasts a long time). Inflammation has been linked to obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, just to […]

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When we think of “vitamins,” we know they’re super-important for health….but do we ever know if we are getting enough? It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D; vitamin D is, therefore, a very common deficiency. So, let’s talk about how much of this critical fat-soluble vitamin we need, and how you can get enough. The […]

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GUEST BLOG: INSTRUCTOR HEATHER WHITLA ON THE BENEFITS OF BLOCK THERAPY It was almost 3 years ago, when the Father of a friend of mine suddenly woke from a coma after 8 months. What he woke up to were lifeless arms, frozen stiff hands and fingers, and next to no blood flowing throughout the arms. […]

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You may have heard of the “paleo” diet. It was the world’s most popular diet in 2013. But what is it? Is it a fad? Is it right for you? Scientist and “Paleo Mom” Sarah Ballentyne, Ph.D. defines it as: “The Paleo diet is a nutrient-dense whole foods diet based on eating a variety of […]

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Oh, the words “blood sugar.” Does it conjure up visions of restrictive eating, diabetes medications, or insulin injections? Blood sugar is the measure of the amount of sugar in your blood. You need the right balance of sugar in your blood to fuel your brain and muscles. The thing is, it can fluctuate. A lot. […]

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Stressed? Tired? Craving sugar? Can’t sleep? All of these can be related to the constant stress we feel in our lives. We know that stress can have a huge impact on our health and wellness. And, since your adrenal glands produce stress hormones, adrenal fatigue (or “HPA Axis Dysregulation,”) is a popular theme lately. Your […]

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If there was ever a call for “digestive health,” this is it! Yes, it’s true. Your gut is considered your “second brain.” There is no denying it anymore. And because of the new scientific discoveries about the vagus nerve, the enteric nervous system, and the amazing influence your gut microbes can have, it’s no wonder […]

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