Alex Gellman

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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.

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.

 

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!

 

 

 

 

Simple Steps to a Cleaner and Better Functioning Body

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A Simple Detox Plan!

Munch ‘n’ Learn Event – Sat. March 22, 2014, 10:30am – 12:30pm

You change your car’s oil in the spring, isn’t it time you perform maintenance on your most important asset — your body! Attend this short info packed event to learn the simple steps to a cleaner and better functioning body!

Why Detox?

  • Lose excess weight
  • Reduce bloating
  • Improve energy
  • Clearer skin
  • Regular bowel movements/Improve digestion
  • Increase concentration & clarity

After this Munch & Learn you will know:

  • Why spring is the best time for a body detox
  • How to eliminate cellulite with a body cleanse
  • The amazing power of water
  • 
The exact steps to a 3, 5, or 7 Day body detox …And so much more!

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

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Alex Gellman PhD, DHM, ROHP, RNCP, RBC Alex Gellman is the Founder and Director of Toronto based Guru and Associates Wellness Inc . Established in 1996 Guru and Associates Wellness Inc  has continued to keep the betterment of its patients as its main driving force. Alex is a sought after expert by print, radio and television media and can be recognized from her many television appearances such as on Style by Jury, Wedding SOS and BreakfastTelevision just to name a few.

Price includes lunch! Early Bird Ticket $28 to March 9 (Reg. price $32)

  • Date & Time: Saturday March 22, 2014, 10:30am – 12:30pm
  • 
Location: SEVEN44 Restaurant and Lounge, 
744 Mt. Pleasant Rd,Toronto, M4S 2N6 (Just South of Eglinton)

Questions? Please call Yvette at 416-785-6660 or email [email protected]

To purchase tickets: http://goo.gl/NbRke4 

Call 416-456 HELP (4357)

Call 416-456 HELP (4357) or email your Toronto Life Coach Alex Gellman for more information about Life Coaching Toronto. Urgent matters requiring immediate attention email to [email protected]

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