My top 6 foods for workout recovery

In case you missed todays show, I recommended some great workout recovery foods. Here they are:

Apples | The skin is high in quercetin which is a flavonoid with potent antioxidant action. This means that by eating an apple your body will be able to recover from the stress of your workout quicker.

Pineapple | High in bromelain, this enzyme has be shown to be anti-inflammatory and can even reduce the pain from osteoarthris.

Sardines | They can be quite tasty when cooked right and this little fish provides one of the highest sources of Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids can help you avoid or reduce chronic inflammation.

Sweet potatoes | Potatoes get a bad rap but sweet potatoes are high in a power house anti-oxidant called carotenoids. These reduce cell damage that can be caused by your workouts thereby aiding in recovery.

Ginger  | This is the superstar of anti-inflammatory foods. It contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols. Some studies have shown ginger to be as potent as NSAIDS [Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs] minus all the side effects.

Walnuts | This nut stands out for its high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, it has the highest Omega-3s out of all nuts. Studies have shown that walnuts reduce stress to your body during intense workouts therefore speeding up muscle recovery.

Don't let an injury get in the way of your 2016 fitness goals

With the start of the New Year, a common resolution is to get active. If you want your fitness regime to continue through the year, you need to stay injury free. Here are some steps you can take to decrease your risk of injury.

1.     Warm up before starting your workout. This can be done with some light cardio and/or dynamic stretching.  Examples: walking on the treadmill, jumping jacks, slow jog, arm and hip swings.

2.     Stretch after your workout.  Leave a good 10-15 minutes after your workout to stretch all the muscles that you have worked out. This will help speed up recovery, prepare you for your next workout, prevent injury and best of all it just feels good.

3.     Eat foods that help promote recovery and that are anti-inflammatory. Watermelon has been shown to lower muscle soreness while ginger and pineapple have significant anti-inflammatory properties.

4.     See a Chiropractor for a comprehensive assessment prior to starting your workout regime. By looking at your gait, assessing your movement patterns and evaluating your posture, a chiropractic doctor can make appropriate recommendations for you to prevent injuries. For example, many knee injuries can be avoided by wearing custom fit orthotics. If you sit at a desk all day, you may want to avoid heavy chest work to avoid shoulder injuries.

Tips to eliminate the stress this holiday season

As the holiday season quickly approaches and with all the parties, year-end deadlines and family time this period can be very stressful for many people. This stress has a negative impact on your mind and body potentially leading to headaches, neck, shoulder and back pain.

So what can you to relieve tension and decrease stress during the busy holiday season? 

1. Stop and breathe- you may not even realize that you are not breathing enough during the day. Not breathing enough has been associated with anxiety and depression and overall joint pain.

2. Exercise - your mind and body will thank you. Any form of cardiovascular exercise will get the blood pumping and endorphins up so not only will you feel better but you will be better equipped to cope with holiday stress. As an added bonus you can help burn off those calories from all the holiday treats. 

3. Stretch- stretching your chest, neck, shoulder and leg muscles throughout the day will have your muscles feeling better and can help prevent headaches, neck and back pain.

4. Treat yourself - take an hour out of the busy holiday season to get a massage or see a chiropractor. This is an extremely effective way to reduce stress. Plus you can buy gift certificates for everyone on your shopping list taking away the stress of present shopping.

Body Friendly Fashion Tips

Fashion can be painful but it doesn’t have to be. Picking clothes and accessories that not only look good but feel good can help prevent injury and painful conditions. Here are some of the common fashion pain culprits and tips to wear these pieces safely.

TINY TOPS AND JACKETS

If tops and jackets are too small you can injure yourself putting them on and taking them off. While you are wearing these tops that don’t fit you can also limit how much you can move your shoulders possibly leading to injury. 

Tips: Wear clothes that feel comfortable and that you can move in. Stretch your pectoral muscles throughout the day by clasping your hands behind your back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold this stretch for at least 10 seconds. If you can’t do this stretch in what you’re wearing then you need to put on a different top.

HIGH HEELS

Wearing high heels is a common source of foot, ankle, knee, hip and back pain for many women. Don’t fret, not all high heels are created equally and you can still gain some height while sparing your body.  

Tips: Rocker soles, wedges and platforms can give you some added height while minimizing discomfort. Wearing custom orthotics in your heels under 3 inches high can help provide some needed shock absorption and support.  When you go shoe shopping don’t be afraid to jump, run and squat in your heels before you buy them. If you are able to do these movements in the heels then there is a good chance your body approves.

WAIST CINCHERS 

Who doesn’t love outfits that make your waist look tiny? Some corsets, wide belts, blazers and high-waisted bottoms can cinch your waist dramatically. Unfortunately the pressure that some of these garments place on the abdominal area can slow digestion, decrease your ability to breath deeply, limit blood circulation and promote back pain.  

 Tips: Clothing with lycra/elastin is a good idea to minimize the impact on your body.  Wearing clothes and accessories that are stretchy means that you can still get the desired look while giving your body room to move.  Corsets don’t stretch and should generally be avoided. If you have to wear them limit the time spent in the corsets.

*** 

Dr. Liza Egbogah is a Chiropractic doctor and clinic director of the|fix|, downtown Toronto’s boutique comprehensive chiropractic and massage clinic. She is a sought after health and wellness expert and has provided expert opinions for numerous television programs, newspapers, magazines, radio shows, the Ontario government, workplaces, athletes and productions.

TIFF15 continued in pictures

Emmanuelle Chriqui, David Oyelowo, Kardinal, Stephan James, Ryan Guzman Judi Shekoni, Matt Murray, Aislin Paul and Noah Reid stopped by for a quick neck and shoulder fix at TIFF15.

My time at TIFF15 [Toronto International Film Festival]

The Property Brothers, Shannon Kook, Toronto Maple Leafs James van Riemsdyk, Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner, Benjamin Arthurm Jason RItter. Chloe Rose, Michael Eklund, Eve Harlow, Sophie Nelisse and Cleo Tellier were just a few of the celebs who stopped by for a fix. Many of the celebs said that their five minute treatment was the highlight of TIFF for them.

5 SUPERFOODS THAT AREN'T IN YOUR FRIDGE.... BUT SHOULD BE

Archibald Men's Magazine asked me which 5 super foods I would recommend to their readers to consume on a daily basis. Find my surprising choices below.

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The full issue of Archibald Men's Performance issue can be found here: https://issuu.com/archibaldmen/docs/archibald_men_issue_3_performance_2?e=0

My week without sugar

As a self proclaimed sugar addict I decided to try going 25 days without any added sugar [including honey, agave nectar etc...]. I would like to say that I am doing this for my health but my main motivation is to flatten out my abs, clear my skin and whiten my eyes. 

Day 1: Hmm... My coffee with only cream and no sugar is tolerable. I don't miss sugar until about 7:30pm when my craving for a sweet fix hits. I eat a banana with some raw organic peanut butter and am satisfied. Bring it on Day 2!

Day 2: 0.8 lbs down. Woohooo. I go through the day resisting the candy bar at the[fix], snacking on raw almonds and an apple. By the time I get home from work I was famished eat ate half a rotisserie chicken, salad and a sweet potato. No dessert cravings today!

Day 3: I've gone up 0.2 lbs ?!?! Well this is why you are not suppose to weigh yourself everyday, only once a week. Disappointed I wonder if giving up my delicious candy and chocolate is really worth it for such minimal gains.

Day 4: Yes! Overall down 2.2 lbs. Just the motivation I need to continue on. My breakfast of 2.5% organic plain greek yogurt with wild blueberries, banana and walnuts is satisfying and I don't even give the candy bar a second look. 

Day 5: Down 3 lbs overall. Feeling great about the pounds but I know that it is not solely from giving up sugar. A lot of processed foods contain sugar so by giving up sugar you are essentially eating a lot cleaner. I thought I would crave sugar more but by the evening I don't even want something sweet and just munch on some organic popcorn popped in avocado oil and topped with a sprinkling of himalayan pink salt.

Day 6: Amazing, I am down 4.6 lbs. I feel about the same and my skin hasn't changed but to be fair I felt fine to begin with.  I think I have a rotisserie chicken addiction now since that seems to be the only thing I'm craving. By this point I'm actually enjoying my coffee with cream and no sugar and now realize that raw almonds are actually sweet.

Day 7: After Bikram yoga this morning I stepped on the scale and am down 6.2 lbs overall. I couldn't be happier as I sip my delicious cream filled coffee. I have been eating a lot of fat this week in an effort to minimize cravings and hopefully lose fat. I have enjoyed raw cashews, avocados, organic butter, olive oil, full fat cream and yogurt and it is working like a charm. I have even been generous with my salt. Mind you I am using only black salt and pink himalayan salt NOT table salt.

For the second week I will be taking out all grains [except for my popcorn] and on the third week dairy goes.

Injuries I [fix]

Dinner idea

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