Alex Gellman

Natural Wellness and Integrated Healthcare

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Potassium – Is it the mineral miracle?

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Studies have shown that increasing your intake of potassium may lead to greater weight loss.

Not only does potassium assist in your weight loss goals, but it also fights off the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. Potassium helps reduce stroke risk and, in older women, may help avoid osteoporosis. That is amazing news as potassium can be found in our everyday meals. Ensuring you are getting the right amount will get you closer to your weight loss goals and improve your health in many ways.

So how is this mineral going to help you lose weight?

Electrolyte

Potassium is an essential mineral, and it is also an electrolyte. This means it is balancing the sodium in your body. Since sodium holds water in your cells, this increases the water you retain, which tends to increase your weight. Potassium helps balance the sodium in your cells enabling you to lose weight and decreases the risk of high blood pressure. Also, when you are exercising you excrete potassium through sweating. It is essential to replenish your potassium stores to have enough energy for your workouts.

Muscle development

Eating a diet rich in potassium helps build muscle. It aids in muscle development by converting your food into energy for muscle growth, which entails a boost in your metabolism. Having a higher ratio of muscle helps burn more calories and lose more weight. You will start shedding fat, and increasing your lean muscle tissue when you exercise.

If you are low on potassium, symptoms include:

  • Muscle weakness
  • Weight gain
  • Feeling constantly tired
  • Leg cramps
  • constipation

Where can you find potassium?

21 potassium-rich food to incorporate in your diet:

  1. Crimini mushroom 5 oz. 635 mg potassium
  2. Swiss chard 1 cup 960.8 mg potassium
  3. Banana 1 medium 467 mg potassium
  4. Spinach 1 cup 838.8 potassium
  5. Romaine lettuce 2 cups 324.8 potassium
  6. Celery 1 cup 344.4 potassium
  7. Broccoli 1 cup 505.4 potassium
  8. Winter squash 1 cup 895.9 potassium
  9. Tomatoes 1 cup 399.6 potassium
  10. Collard greens 1 cup 494.0 potassium
  11. Summer squash 1 cup 345.6 potassium
  12. Eggplant 1 cup 245.5 potassium
  13. Cantaloupe 1 cup 494.3 potassium
  14. Green beans 1 cup 373.8 potassium
  15. Brussels sprout 1 cup 494.5 potassium
  16. Kale 1 cup 296.4 potassium
  17. Carrots 1 cup 394.1 potassium
  18. Avocado  1 cup 874.5 potassium
  19. Beets 1 cup 518.5 potassium
  20. Papaya 1 small 781.3 potassium
  21. Asparagus 1 cup 288.0

Unprocessed foods have the highest amount of potassium. Stay clear of processed and packaged foods that are lab-produced. Processed foods generally have a high sodium content, which means not only are they displacing the potassium, they may also hinder your weight loss goals. You are meant to eat wholesome fresh food that your body can recognize. Once you incorporate whole foods, your body will thank you, and you will be closer to your weight loss goals.

This post was initially developed by guest blogger, Hiba Beyhum, a student of The Institute of Holistic Nutrition. Alex Gellman is Hiba’s preceptor.

Bone Density: Risk Factors and Renewal

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A few years ago, I injured my shoulder at the gym. It was so bad I couldn’t swim or weight train or even lift my left arm over my head for yoga poses for a full eight months while it healed. Fortunately, at the time I worked with a knowledgeable rehab trainer and awesome physiotherapist, Line Troster, and regained full mobility in my shoulder. The bad news was when I went for a bone density scan some time later, I was dismayed to learn I had gone from low risk to medium risk for osteoporosis. I’m sure the reason for this was my eight months of inactivity and isn’t just a given because I happened to be in my mid-fifties.

Osteoporosis is on the rise in North America – and while inactivity and obesity are factors, there also appears to be a correlation between cow’s milk and osteoporosis. Cow’s milk is not necessarily the bone-healthy option it was once considered to be, and prescription drugs are certainly not the answer. Our book. Passageways to Wellness covers this and also includes healthy proven options to obtain Calcium Without The Cow…

Back to my story, my shoulder injury forced me to give up my much loved activity that I thrive on and disrupted my life, but in the grand scope of things it was minor compared to the debilitating effects of chronic osteoporosis.

Spring is a wonderful time of renewals. And it’s also a good time to consider prevention as well as rebirth; with the pandemic, many of our normal health concerns have fallen off our radars–and one of those might have been what you’re doing to retain your bone density.

But spring, and especially this spring with the vaccination pace picking up and the possibility of returning to “normal” life not too far away, it’s a good idea to begin to focus on the health topics that we were concerned about before the pandemic. One of those with debilitating consequences in osteoporosis.

 

In the meantime, here is a recipe for bone-building Ginger Tahini Rolls to help stave off the symptoms of osteoporosis.

Zucchini Ginger Tahini Rolls 

 

Ingredients

1 zucchini

Filling

  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 2 dashes wheat free tamari
  • Fresh dill for garnish
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 baby carrot sliced for garnish

1.       Create horizontal ribbons of zucchini with a peeler.

2.       Mix the tahini with lemon juice, tamari, and ginger.

3.       Lay out a zucchini ribbon and spread the creamy mixture with a butter knife

4.       Roll and place on the serving platter

5.       Garnish with dill and one small piece of carrot

Health properties of Zucchini Ginger Tahini Rolls:

Ginger

  • Anti-inflammatory useful for aches and sprains, bursitis
  • High potassium and magnesium content important for bone building
  • Add to food or boil to make tea

Tahini

  • Great source of quality bone building magnesium, phosphorous, copper and manganese and zinc.
  • Zinc deficiency has been shown to be associated with fractures in older men and women

Zucchini

  • High phosphorous and magnesium content makes them winners with their ability to bring down high blood pressure, promote healthy weight and build strong bones

Dill

  • Effective antioxidant offers protection from free radicals
  • Contains the body’s most powerful antioxidant “glutathione” which neutralizes certain carcinogens.
  • Also shares some of the antimicrobial immune boosting qualities of garlic. So garlic move over and share the stage with DILL!

What is The Keto Diet?

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Most of us have heard about low carb diets including Dr. Atkins and South Beach. But the most popular one at the moment seems to be The Ketogenic Diet. The big difference, says Mayo Clinic, is Keto is a high fat and very low carb diet. Check with your medical professional to be sure this is right for you before you start it.

Here’s a summary of what Harvard Health has to say: the Keto Diet pushes your body into using ketones for energy, fuel produced by the liver from stored fat. In most diets, your body relies on sugar or glucose from carbs. A wide variety of foods contain carbs including legumes, fruit, vegetables, and grains. For the process to work, your body needs to be on less than 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day; too much protein can interfere with this; and it takes a few days to reach the state of ketosis. As Harvard Health also points out, an average banana has about 27 grams of carbs—so it’s not always easy to reduce your carbs to the recommended levels.

You would eat more fat at each meal than in a typical diet, and while the diet doesn’t forbid fats such as butter and coconut oil, you can also choose healthier unsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil. All fruits have carbs, but some have less than others–veggies also vary in carb counts. Below the ground veggies such as potatoes, for example, tend to be higher than those cultivated above ground. A standard size 100 gram serving of potatoes has 15 grams of carbs, sweet potatoes have 17, and carrots have 7. Spinach has one gram, a 100 gram serving of cucumbers has three, and so does cauliflower. A 100 gram serving of tomato has 3 grams of carbs and an average avocado has 2 grams of carbs. A nutritional guide/carb counter and nutrient information is highly recommended if you try this diet.

The benefits of the Keto Diet tend to be quick, which can be motivating in itself—and so help with continuing weight loss. Lost pounds tend to be in the abdominal area first, and the foods most people take out tend to be the easiest to digest such as white sugars, bread, cakes, and processed foods.  One study has shown that this diet appears to be a plus for brain health—teenagers with epilepsy suffered fewer seizures when on this diet.

More on The Keto Diet.

Contact Alex for more information on weight loss.

 

10 GOOD REASONS TO USE HOMEOPATHY

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Here are 10 good reasons to try Homeopathy:

1.  NATURAL ACTION

Homeopathy works by stimulating the body’s own natural defence mechanism to promote health and to resist infection and susceptibility to disease.  Although gentle, the results can be powerful and long lasting.

2.  HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Homeopathy improves health generally, rather than merely alleviating localized symptoms.  It treats the whole individual, acting on the mental and emotional levels as well as the physical level, providing a balance in overall health and an increased sense of well-being and quality of life.

3.  EFFECTIVE MEDICINE

When used correctly, homeopathy can be an extremely effective system of medicine, providing long-lasting relief from many acute and chronic conditions and illnesses.

4.  NO HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS

Homeopathic treatment offers a gentle and non-invasive approach to health, producing no toxic side effects, no dependency or addiction, and no withdrawal.

5.  COST EFFECTIVE

Homeopathic medicines are surprisingly inexpensive to purchase, especially when compared to over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

6.  FAST-ACTING FIRST-AID RELIEF

Homeopathy can be safely used at home or on the road to provide rapid relief for minor problems such as bruises, simple burns, sprains, insect bites, gastric upsets, etc.  However more serious or long-lasting complaints should be treated by a qualified homeopath.

7.  NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS

Homeopathic medicines are tested only on healthy humans in order to determine the range of action of each remedy.

8.  COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Homeopathic medicines can be used independently or along with conventional drugs and other therapies (with the full knowledge of your other healthcare providers).  It can often alleviate unpleasant side effects of conventional treatments (e.g., chemotherapy).

9.  ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Homeopathy has a low carbon footprint.  The manufacturing process follows environmentally sound procedures to minimize energy use, conserve natural resources and not contribute to air and water pollution. Packaging is minimal and it can generally by recycled. Homeopathy is truly a Green Medicine!

10.  MEDICINE OF THE FUTURE

Homeopathy is the second most widely used system of medicine in the world.  It is available in most countries and is gaining in popularity as an alternative to conventional medicine.

NOTE: This is a reprint. Reprints are approved provided there is acknowledgement and links to Canadian Society of Homeopaths at www.csoh.ca

Diane Louie, RCSHom, is the Coordinator of the CSH Homeopathy Awareness Team.

Discover Your Enneagram, Stop Worrying and Start to Flourish

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Open your heart and allow spring to transform your pain!
Painting created by Alex Gellman

“Learn from this universal truth: We are given more than enough energy to transform ourselves every day, but we waste 98 percent of it on tensions, on emotional reactions unrelated to what is actually occurring, and on daydreaming and mental chatter”. (The Wisdom of the Enneagram, pg. 348)

I can certainly relate to this quote on days like today; Since waking up an hour ago I’ve been chastising myself about my poor and too frequent food choices yesterday afternoon. My mind is preoccupied with worry about whether we’ll have enough money for retirement, and what if my health goes downhill and I can no longer work; I empathize with folks who come to see me complaining of minor ailments that they’ve blown up in their minds to be a chronic terminal condition. As Mark Twain said: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”

Yes we all do this ruminating on negativity, but where does all this negativity come from?

I do not want to fall into the cliché  of blaming my parents, although in my case it’s certainly true. I unfortunately only saw myself through the eyes of those who put me down and told me I was ugly, short and looked like a mushroom.

Even though I had a mother I adored, I grew up to have low self esteem and felt I would fail in all I would do.

It took hard work and much soul searching and education to recreate a positive foundation of beliefs about myself and about life in general. I’ve come to believe we grow more beautiful every day if we truly care for ourselves. Last week I treated myself to the theater to see the musical “Sister Act”. Although I went straight from a busy day at work,  when I caught my reflection in a mirror, I could honestly say, “Wow, I look hot”! I’m 55 but age doesn’t matter, spirit does  – and by the way, the musical was awesome!

Not enough emphasis is given to the benefits of getting to know yourself. Increased self awareness can help you define your own priorities, facilitate decision making and help you connect to your strengths to optimize your potential.

Because we’re bombarded with media images of what we should look like and how we should act and what food to eat, plus we’re surrounded by well meaning family and friends sharing their opinions, our own deep seated needs and wants can go unheeded, and may not even be acknowledged.

Everyone needs to know themselves, and one highly regarded and effective

tool for self discovery is the Enneagram. This test reveals who you were meant to be and who you became because of childhood challenges. It will help you better understand your own motivations and triggers, and you’ll start to recognize self sabotaging behavior – like negativity – and learn to stop it.

The Enneagram identifies nine different personality types by number. For instance, my Enneagram is an Eight.

Eights are driven, passionate and look out for the underdog. They will shut down emotionally to protect themselves from being hurt. Painful childhood experiences will lead them to want to be self-sufficient.

Their greatest opportunity for growth is to open up emotionally (like I am doing) and be vulnerable.

You can email me at [email protected] and I will send you an Enneagram assessment that you can do online for $10. Consider having a one on one consultation with me to review the results for greater understanding.

After you have determined your Enneagram I will offer you a 15 minute FREE consultation.

Your feelings of self worth are also affected by the food you eat – believe it or not. Food is fuel for the brain and the spirit as well as for the body, so make wise food choices. Here is a smoothie recipe that will bring you courage to face the truth and the tenacity to persevere.

Good food helps transform feelings of hopelessness, depression and low self esteem. It’s a step to feeling empowered and motivated to make the necessary change to achieve the life of your dreams.

ANTIOXIDANT Smoothie

1 fig

½ cp blueberries

½ pomegranate

¼ cup gojji berries

1 cup almond milk

2 scoops Ultra clear Sustain

Large sprig of fresh dill

10 almonds or ¼ cup ground almond meal

Mix all ingredients in your vita mix or in your blender. Garnish with a skewer of blueberries and a fig. Enjoy!

 

 

Detox Now for Improved Health and Sustainable Weight Loss

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Just as a car benefits from proper maintenance and tune-ups, so too can you. The tune-up you need for your body and soul though, is a detox.

Detoxification is a key component for good health, especially if you’re struggling with weight, digestive or inflammation issues. Your body fights every day to deal with toxins, and is well equipped to do so but just like a car that is subjected to extreme driving, your body can only deal with so much before the wheels start to loosen, and in the worse case, fall off. That’s right, the extra 30lbs. you’re carting around means your performance is like a car be driven with one tire almost flat.

If you partake of the typical North American diet, then every day your body has to deal with toxins such as white sugar, chemical additives, dyes and preservatives, and perhaps alcohol and cigarettes. If you follow a more rigourous and healthy diet, you still can’t escape the environmental toxins in our air and water, household cleaning products,  pesticides and second hand smoke, etc. Even that delectable new car smell is just a stew of toxic offgassing from the plastics and upholstery and adhesives inside the car.

Here’s a by no means comprehensive list of toxins your body deals with everyday:

  • Hormones and antibiotics in commercial meats and dairy and leached into our drinking water
  • Pesticides
  • Gluten
  • Mercury from fish and from fillings in teeth
  • Parabens, artificial dyes and fragrances in personal hygiene products and make-up – we douse ourselves in it daily! One of the greatest source of lead in a woman’s body is from lipstick.
  • Aluminum, established to be a neurotoxin at high levels, is found in pots and pans, cosmetics, sunscreens and antiperspirants.
  • Lead is also found in most paraffin (another toxin!) candles – burn bees wax or soy candles

Another reason to detox is because toxic overload affects your mental state.  You must be prepared that detoxification may initially trigger memories of old emotional wounds. The good news is the detox will give you strength, both mental and physical, to deal with negative emotions, depression and discouragement that may arise.

Your body responds to stress by triggering adrenaline, the “fight or flight” hormone, to help you deal with the challenge at hand. However, after the event, the liver needs to clear those hormones or they create havoc in the body by raising blood sugar that stimulates fat retention.

I often come across patients that suffer from the rose coloured glasses syndrome. They honestly believe they are not toxic, that they managed to be at the right place at the right time and hid from all toxins. Toxins will affect each person differently  – some actually feel no affect, while others are hyper sensitive and know immediately when they are exposed to certain toxins.

The symptoms experienced are often in the area of the body that may have a genetic weakness. For example, a person with a long line of respiratory asthma and lung cancer in the family tree may find toxicity symptoms affect the lungs with allergies, frequent colds and bronchitis.

Benefits of a Detoxification Plan:

  1. Cleans the blood by expelling toxins from the liver
  2. Decreases bloating and flattens belly, by stimulating the small intestine and colon to eliminate the waste stuck on the walls and colon pockets.
  3. Cleanse the skin – the bowel is the primary organ of elimination of waste and the skin is the secondary organ for elimination. IBS or constipation can cause skin problems.
  4. More energy to jump out of bed and embrace life
  5. New courage to tackle life challenges (the greatest confirmation of this is when I am working with a patient and they call to say “WOW I cleaned up a room I had not touched in months” or “I finally did all my taxes”.
  6. More positive thoughts and better quality sleep
  7. More positive dreams
  8. Immune system will improve
  9. Less mental fog and mental confusion
  10. Dark circles and puffiness under the yes will disappear
  11. PMS will improve (shorter periods, no bloating, emotional pms, or cramping)
  12. WEIGHT LOSS

 How to Detox:

Because every individual is unique, my favorite detox plan is Metabolic Balance; It offers a holistic approach that improves metabolism and taps into your natural “fat burning” ability and is also designed for a lifetime of healthy and satisfying eating.  The program is 100% personalized and actively supports your unique bio-chemistry and nutritional needs. Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two nutrition plans are exactly alike.

Your personalized all-natural nutrition plan balances your personal “body chemistry” with the right “food chemistry”. The research, over 25 years worth, goes to the root cause of how and why a person stores and releases energy and fat. It’s base assumption is that your body is capable of producing (on it own) the hormones and enzymes that are needed to function. In order to function, a body requires “building material” in the form of proteins, carbohydrates and nutrients that are obtained from the foods you eat. Your plan concentrates on the exact foods that possess the essential, vital nutrients your body most needs. Based on this in-depth scientific and innovative understanding, metabolic balance® develops your personalized nutrition plan to naturally balance your hormones, enzymes and your bio-chemistry. There is no artificial manipulation of your biochemistry by the usage of injections, shakes, pills or specialized foods.

The prescribed foods on your nutrition plan are uniquely designed to affect positive healthy changes while naturally diminishing your food cravings and hunger spells. A new lifestyle emerges that feels great, and allows you to maintain your ideal weight with no yo-yo dieting.

Plus, you are not alone! I am a qualified metabolic balance® personal Coach, here to support, teach, guide, encourage, and motivate you along the road to reaching your goal. Personal coaching is a substantial part of your success and is an integral part of every metabolic balance® program.

Iridology Reading Included! 
Learn the key areas of your body to detoxify, discover your personality type, and find out the special gift you were born with!

 

 

 

 

Learn Ways to Prevent Cancer

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Cancer Prevention

Would you like to learn ways to help prevent cancer?

If so, then you are cordially invited to attend my Cancer Prevention Support Group. Discover how your consumption of every day foods and the effects of certain things in your immediate surroundings can have an impact on your health. Let me enlighten your life with tips to help in prevention. I will educate you on how to still the mind and relax the body to boost your immune system.

Please join me from 6:00pm to 7:30pm on the dates listed below:

Cost —The Support Group is at no cost to cancer patients and/or survivors. For all other participants, a donation towards the cost to facilitate such support groups would be greatly appreciated. A tax receipt will be issued from Universal Oneness United Faith Canada, an organization that works to facilitate on-going Grief Support and many other support groups.

To be announced—or contact Alex

Gather an understanding as to why
 the body becomes so toxic and the immune system becomes overburdened and breaks down. Review where and how we absorb toxins from in our everyday lives. Presentation of the Anti-Cancer Challenge Protocol to help you get started making these changes in 
your life.

Part 1

Presentation on food and what foods help you to fight off toxins and boost your immune system and which foods you need to consume less of and why.

Part 2

The key food groups to concentrate on such, as the Brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli), potassium, antioxidants, etc.

Trauma and health

The role trauma plays on your health and well being. Introduction to the 5 phases of grief and how grief breaks down the immune system.

Healing

The healing benefits of meditation are simple and it is easy to do. Learn in this session how to still the mind, relax the body and boost the immune system.

Once confirmed, please RSVP one week before 
each event: [email protected]

or call (416) 456-HELP (4357)

Location: Office of Dr. L. Marcovitz, 960 Lawrence Ave West Suite 201, Toronto

Early Results are Promising in Seniors’ Health Study

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One of the seniors, named Murielle,  had this to say about the results she has experienced since participating in my health study:

“After just 3 weeks of following Alex Gellman’s homeopathic regimen for seniors, I am happy to report positive changes. Despite not being able to give up my morning coffee habit or the occasional glass of wine, my aches and pains and other afflictions are much reduced, I sleep soundly and have more energy. I truly believe Alex has put me on the road to better health and enjoyment of life”.

Murielle also reported these positive points:

            “• prior to this regimen my legs hurt all the time and now they rarely ache

            • I was able to keep active and busy gardening and walking

            • My carpal tunnel symptoms have reduced so they are practically non-existant

            • I had a headache every day previously – now I have had only one headache while on this regimen which could be attributed to having eaten popcorn

            • mucous in throat and nose is much reduced – perhaps due to elimination of dairy, producing more comfortable sleep

            • bowels are solid and more regular vs. having the runs after eating

            • sleep and energy levels have improved “

Based on her experience so far trust, I trust Murielle will be motivated to continue on the regimen, and I hope to soon have more success stories to share.

Call 416-456 HELP (4357)

Call 416-456 HELP (4357) or email your Toronto Wellness and Life Coach Alex Gellman for more information about Life Coaching Toronto. (Local services are now also available in Nova Scotia. Contact 902 542 5280.) Urgent matters requiring immediate attention email to [email protected]

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