The Bacteria That Lives In Our Guts Is Good For Us

The little bugs that live in our guts and digestive systems do much more then help strengthen our immune system and regulate bowels. Researchers are now focusing on how the gut bacteria can be correlated with increased fatness. As a holistic practitioner I value the importance of quality gut flora. The good bacteria, as we know, help us to improve our immune system, provide vitamins and prevent other harmful bacteria from infecting us. These bacteria in our guts and digestive systems also regulate how well we derive energy from our food. Interestingly two strains of bacteria have been found to influence fat absorption almost regardless of diet: Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Lean people have more Bacteroidetes and fewer Firmicutes and vice versa for obese people. When people obese people...

Tags: good bacteria, gut flora, probiotics, weight loss

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Catastrophe!

BY MICHAEL EMMETT The French open is in desperate need of a makeover.  There are so many problems I don't know where to start. Yes, they had the good fortune to have witnessed history-changing moments on the final three days of their event: Sharapova winning a career grand slam in dominating fashion and Nadal capturing his all-time best 7th championship will be chronicled until the end of time.  But that doesn't change the fact that this tournament is stuck in the past. The biggest and most pressing issue is their scheduling decisions in the second week of the tournament.  How can Roger Federer playing against Juan Martin Del Potro and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Novak Djokovic be scheduled to play at the same time? Sometimes, tournament organizers run into weather-related problems...

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The Best Carbs for Weight Loss

Limiting calories is (unfortunately) essential to losing weight. Experiencing low blood sugar is also a nasty side effect and something most people experience on a regular basis. I used to have a lot of trouble with my own glucose levels going crazy and so did my client Michael. Michael would wake up in the morning, rush around while consuming his coffee with cream and sugar, fail to eat breakfast and grab a muffin and another coffee on his way to work. The muffin was low fat so he thought it to be a good choice. He started to notice that about 2 hours after he had the muffin he didn’t feel good. He would get shaky and couldn’t concentrate. A co-worker suggested he try some juice and it worked so he kept on doing that. Michael’s pants started get tighter and he felt really bloated...

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French Open Intrigue

BY MICHAEL EMMETT As we get nearer to the finish line in Paris, tennis fans worldwide must be licking their chops with all the juicy storylines about to be played out. As these matches are contested on the red clay courts at Roland Garros, whatever happens in the next 5 days could turn out to be the biggest events of the tennis year. What would be the bigger story? Djokovic wins his 4th straight Grand Slam Nadal wins his 7th French Open Federer win Grand Slam #17 Sharapova wins the career Grand Slam No matter what happens on the men’s side of things, one of these huge events is likely to happen.  And in my opinion, the Djokovic story is the biggest.  No man has won four in a row since Rod Laver did it in 1969.  Let’s suppose for a minute that Djoker is able...

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Indoors or Outdoors?

By Michael Emmett Why would the average tennis player choose to play indoor tennis over outdoor tennis during the months May through September? Many would find it ridiculous that I’m even asking this question!  It’s stunning to me how many people run for the outdoor courts and don’t return to the indoor courts until the middle of October. Quite honestly, I don’t understand the push to play outside when the game is far more enjoyable with no elements.  Outdoor tennis has too many variables that I can’t control, and I want my time on court to be as flawless and inspiring as possible. I want to feel satisfied and confident after an hour on the court.  I haven’t hit a ball on an outside court for over 10 years and I may never hit another ball in the deep blue sky – although...

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Let Us Introduce Ourselves - WOW! Weight Loss at Mayfair

Some of the members at the Lakeshore location may have seen me around the club.  My name is Terri Patterson and I am one of the Co-founders of Wow! Weight Loss.  My partner Lori Kennedy is located at the Parkway location and we are experts in weight loss, proper nutrition and weight gain. Lori and I started WOW! Weight Loss many years ago and have helped thousands of people achieve their health and weight loss goals by teaching them how to eat properly FOREVER.  There are no gimmicks, pills or magic potions to take.  Real food, real serving sizes and the best part is you get to eat the food that you like not the food that we like!  This makes WOW! Weight Loss one of the best and easiest plans to follow.  Each plan is individualized to each person based on their height, weight...

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The Dreaded C Word...Carbohydrates!

What is the body’s preferred fuel source? What is the most important element to regular bowel movements? What helps to keep blood sugar stable? What helps to keep you feeling full throughout the day? The dreaded C word…CARBOHYDRATES! We are on a carbohydrate revolution! Enough is enough and we are here to set the record straight. CARBOHYDRATES are not the evil villian they are made out to be. There is no reason why you should be so affraid of them. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about the type and amount of carbohydrates a person should eat. WOW! Weight Loss is here to set the record straight and eliminate all the confusion surrounding this vitally important macronutrient. Here is the real deal about carbohydrates. Carbs Include: Fruits Vegetables Flour Rice Cereal Pasta Bread Potatoes Grains Legumes/Beans Dairy...

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Blue is Beautiful

BY MICHAEL EMMETT In case you haven’t seen it yet, brace yourself – the clay courts in Madrid have had a major face lift – the rusty coloured clay courts have been dyed to a rich blue to match the colours of hard courts across the world. Is this ridiculous or innovative? Is this a good idea or is this messing with tradition?  It’s one thing to change the colour of a hard court, but what about changing the colour of a clay court – does this make sense?  Many tennis observers and players alike, feel this is going one step too far. For me, it’s absolutely brilliant. The creator, Ion Tiriac, is a genius.  This is going to revive tennis during the 6-week clay court season.  The tournament in Madrid has never been on my radar screen.  It has never been appointment television...

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Is Nadal on the Downside of his Career?

By Michael Emmett Before his thrashing of Novak Djokovic this past Sunday in Monte Carlo, many sporting pundits had written off Rafael Nadal, questioning his ability to win more major championships. How quickly they forget.  If he stays healthy, there is a good chance he’ll win one, perhaps two majors this year – and remember this is the year we have 5 major championships – with the Olympics taking place between Wimbledon and the US Open. Talk of his decline is ridiculous and ignorant. The Lefty from Mallorca is as good as he’s ever been. He is the heavy favourite to win in Paris later in May, and surpass Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg for the all-time lead in French titles, with seven. And don’t forget, he’s quite capable of pulling off the rare double, with a win a few...

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Who is Going to Win First – Tiger or Roger?

By Michael Emmett Over the next 5 months, fans of golf and tennis will get to see some spectacular shot-making as the two sports heat up just in time for the summer months. Seven major championships (including the Olympics) will take centre stage in North America and Europe, and will make for some dramatic viewing on your HD mega-sized television. As a sports fan I am looking forward to this up-coming season, and the potential for some jaw dropping entertainment. Tiger Woods and Roger Federer - both icons in the worlds of golf and tennis - are considered in many circles to be best to ever play their respective sport. And as we know, they share many things in common on the negative ledger - most notably, that neither man has won a major championship in quite some time. Their front page...

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