3/20: Healthy at 100 by John Robbins

Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of the World's Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples by John Robbins
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: In this revolutionary book, bestselling author John Robbins presents us with a bold new paradigm of aging, showing us how we can increase not only our lifespan but also our health span. Through the example of four very different cultures that have the distinction of producing some of the world’s healthiest, oldest people, Robbins reveals the secrets for living an extended and fulfilling life in which our later years become a period of wisdom, vitality, and happiness. From Abkhasia in the Caucasus south of Russia, where age is beauty, and Vilcabamba in the Andes of South America, where laughter is the greatest medicine, to Hunza in Central Asia, where dance is ageless, and finally the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa, the modern Shangri-la, where people regularly live beyond a century, Robbins examines how the unique lifestyles of these peoples can influence and improve our own.

Bringing the traditions of these ancient and vibrantly healthy cultures together with the latest breakthroughs in medical science, Robbins reveals that, remarkably, they both point in the same direction. The result is an inspirational synthesis of years of research into healthy aging in which Robbins has isolated the characteristics that will enable us to live long and–most important–joyous lives. With an emphasis on simple, wholesome, but satisfying fare, and the addition of a manageable daily exercise routine, many people can experience great improvement in the quality of their lives now and for many years to come. But perhaps more surprising is Robbins’ discovery that it is not diet and exercise alone that helps people to live well past one hundred. The quality of personal relationships is enormously important. With startling medical evidence about the effects of our interactions with others, Robbins asserts that loneliness has more impact on lifespan than such known vices as smoking. There is clearly a strong beneficial power to love and connection.

Another textbook done!
This was a good book with good information. The studies that were done for the longest-living cultures were fascinating but I didn't feel they were well related back to today's society. There were a lot of good points about the differences in diet and definitely showed WHY some cultures live longer than the average North American, I just didn't feel a connection. Perhaps because what was being said seems very basic to me. Eat whole, natural foods. Limit saturated and trans fats. Stay away from hydrogenated oils and fats. All things that people should do anyways.
I did enjoy reading the studies and the connection between food, mind and body. It was interesting, but nothing I haven't learned before.

What I did appreciate most about this book was the view on aging. It is a natural process that is feared by so many. We all age, but we have a choice whether we get old. There is a difference. I believe that when we are not afraid of aging, but embrace the changes, we are happier and healthier. The choices we make TODAY and in the future, will make a difference for how we age and how long we live.

Are you afraid to get old? Is it because of the media? Some cultures have the utmost respect for their elderly. They are not shoved away in a home, they are revered as wise and the most important resource in the community. We grow old because society tells us we have to. There is so much "ageism" in our world that as we age, we conform to the negative image ourselves. What would happen if we broke that image?

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2/20: The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition by Anita Bean

The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition by Anita Bean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: "The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition "is the definitive practical handbook for anyone wanting a performance advantage. This fully updated and revised edition incorporates the latest cutting-edge research. Written by one of the country's most respected sports nutritionists, it provides the latest research and information to help you succeed. This seventh edition includes accessible guidance on the following topics: maximising endurance, strength and performance, how to calculate your optimal calorie, carbohydrate and protein requirements, advice on improving body composition specific advice for women, children and vegetarians, eating plans to cut body fat, gain muscle and prepare for competition, sport-specific nutritional advice.

Really enjoyed this book for my course. It was informative in a way that took some knowledge I already knew and gave me reasons and justifications. It was simple to follow for anyone interested in sports nutrition. It's not a book for just the athlete, but for anyone that does some form of activity, whether that be once or twice a week at the gym or an occasional runner.

I especially liked the calculations and formulas it provided to calculate your calories needed as well as how much of those would be carbohydrates, protein and fat. It really puts a great perspective on things.

I did the calculations at the end of the book as a project for my course on my husband. He was shocked to find out he was trying to lose weight by eating way below his Resting Metabolic Rate. That means his body wasn't letting go of weight because it thought he was in a famine or starving. Eating below his RMR caused his body to hold onto everything it had rather than burning. Now that we have him on a different plan, I am eager to see what his results will be in the next 3 months.

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18/30: The Nutritional Bypass by David W. Rowland

The Nutritional Bypass: Reverse Atherosclerosis Without Surgery by David W. Rowland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From Goodreads: Did you know that there is a time tested, safe, non-surgical method of removing arterial blockages-without side effects? Severe arterial blockages do not have to lead to coronary bypass surgery or heart attacks. Inside this book is a complete program for successfully reversing and preventing hardening of the arteries. You may be surprised to know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease and that polyunsaturated oils may actually be doing more harm than good.

This may be a small book, but it was well worth reading.
The research that has been done on Bypass surgery, and other methods of clearing out plaque from arteries was very interesting. I learned a lot about the methods, what the rates of survival are, and if it really does prolong your life. It doesn't for most people, but only because after they have surgery, they return to their ways before. Without change, your health will return to poor again.

I didn't think that the Nutritional information was really far out there like you might expect. I was expecting a very limited diet that most people wouldn't follow. It was very easy, something most of us should be doing anyways. The supplement that he suggested had some great nutrients in it, that based on the studies and reviews, I would suggest to a couple people. It doesn't take a lot of change your diet and way of eating if you want to improve your health. Our heart runs our body, and we need to take care of it properly.

This topic is very near to me and I will be recommending this book to a few people.

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17/30: Diabetes & Hypoglycemia by Michael T. Murray ND

Diabetes & Hypoglycemia: Your Natural Guide to Healing with Diet, Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, Exercise, an d Other Natural Methods by Michael T. Murray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read from July 22 to 24, 2013
Format: Paperback

From Goodreads: Now You Can Combat Diabetes and Hypoglycemia—Naturally!
Struggling with frequent headaches, fatigue, irritability, or depression? Your body may be fighting a blood sugar imbalance. Diabetes and hypoglycemia, the major causes of blood sugar imbalance, are the most common of all diseases and can lead to chronic metabolic problems. Often, traditional medications treat only specific symptoms of these diseases without treating the whole body.

Another textbook done!

I enjoyed this one about Diabetes and Hypoglycemia. As someone who suffers from hypoglycemia, it was great to read about what foods to avoid, what foods to eat and other natural remedies that could help. It's great to know that even if you suffer from either of these blood sugar imbalances, you can get relief from a lot of the symptoms and minimize them leading to chronic metabolic problems.

The section on dietary suggestions was really interesting. It laid out a series of food groups, what is the best for someone with diabetes or hypoglycemia and includes a few recipes to go on. One thing I learned and didn't know before was that the recommended diet for sufferers is the HCF - High Complex-Carbohydrate, High Fiber diet. Most people, when they think of blood sugar, they think of cutting ALL carbs, which isn't what is best. Eating low on the glycemic index is a better idea as our bodies need carbohydrates. Starving your body of glucose will start to cause more issues. Did you know your brain's main fuel is glucose? You need it! But you need the right kind.

It was laid out really well for a non-medical person to understand and put into practice. It was written well with enough medical terms and layman's terms to get the point across. For anyone that has blood sugar issues this is a great little book to have around.

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16/30: The Metabolic Typing Diet

The Metabolic Typing Diet: Customize Your Diet To: Free Yourself from Food Cravings: Achieve Your Ideal Weight; Enjoy High Energy and Robust Health; Prevent and Reverse Disease by William Linz Wolcott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read from May 27 to July 09, 2013
Format: Paperback

From Goodreads: For hereditary reasons, your metabolism is unique. Cutting-edge research shows that no single diet works well for everyone–the very same foods that keep your best friend slim may keep you overweight and feeling unhealthy and fatigued. Now, William Wolcott, a pioneer in the field of metabolic research, has developed a revolutionary weight-loss program that allows you to identify your "metabolic type" and create a diet that suits your individual nutritional needs.

This is definitely a book a lot of people should read. Your body has a natural set point and a natural way to lose weight. This book helps you find out what that is so you can start a weight loss journey that will be effective (Effective /=/ instant). It's about effective weight loss. Things don't happen overnight, in a week or in a month. They take time, and I think a lot of people don't realize that. To be healthy, and ideal, you need to take time.

The quiz was enlightening. I am a balanced metabolic type (rather than a protein or a carbohydrate) which I probably could have guessed. Basically, I need to eat a balance between protein and carbs to reach and MAINTAIN my ideal weight. For me, that means keeping the weight on. Most people will read that last sentence and close the page. Keeping weight off and keeping weight on are both difficult depending on you as an individual. Eating the RIGHT combination of nutrients will help you do both.

This is definitely a book worth reading and putting into practice. No crazy diet, no extreme foods, just healthy eating based on what is right for YOU.

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15/30: Healing Arthritis by Penny Kendall-Reed

Healing Arthritis: Complementary Naturopathic, Orthopedic & Drug Treatments by Penny Kendall-Reed
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Healing Arthritis was a good overview of the different types of arthritis and natural supplements that can assist in healing and pain relief.

The way the book is laid out was good. They went through the types of arthritis, which I didn't know included so many! Then proceeded to different treatments that can be beneficial, who should stay away from what supplements and treatments and which ones were best.

The material is dry and the delivery is as well. I did like how they included case studies for a number of the supplements. It gave a nice finish and real world perspective of each one. It's amazing that more people don't take the opportunity to use something natural to reduce their pain and inflammation before turning to drugs that have a long list of side effects.

I would highly recommend this book for someone who is treating arthritis, knows someone living with the pain, or deals with it on a daily basis themselves. There are treatments to consider before drugs and surgery.

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14/30: Eating Alive by Jonn Matsen

Eating Alive: Prevention Thru Good Digestion by Jonn Matsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read from May 27 to July 08, 2013
Format: Paperback

This was a great book for describing how our digestive system affects our health and how we are damaging it.

It provides a very high level description of each portion of the digestive system, how it SHOULD function and how it DOES function, because for most people, those are not in sync. Matsen does a great job explaining things in terms that anyone can easily understand, using metaphors and examples. The high level explanations were perfect for an overview with as much detail as needed to get the point across. The illustrations I thought were comical and useful. Humour is a great way to get a point through to people and learning about the digestive system isn't exactly the most thrilling subject.

It's interesting to read exactly how much of what we eat and how our digestive system works keeps us healthy. The damage that we do to our systems every day is astounding. When you start to read about it, you really start to think about exactly what you're eating and what your body has to do in order to deal with it.

The only thing I didn't like was the patient letters. It seemed that the point of them was to show how Matsen is great and less about the patient success. I found that annoying and could have done without it.

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May 2013

May. Beautiful May. This month has been a whirlwind and I'm glad it's over.

Highlights of the Month

Received marks for two exams:

95% on Symptomatology I
90% on Anatomy & Physiology
Saw Balletlujah with my mom for Mother's Day - The Alberta Ballet was choreographed to the music of K.D. Lang. Absolutely stunning.

Happiness Project - I learned to lighten up a little.
Mostly learned to put things in perspective of what is important and what isn't worth stressing over.

Book Recap

I have read 13 books toward my goal of 30 books.

I am right on track!

Pages Read (month): 1510

Pages Read (year): 6238

What I Read
Just One Day by Gayle Forman (review)
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (review)
Essentials of Human Anatomy &Physiology by Elaine Nicpon Marieb (review)

What I'm Currently Reading

Eating Alive: Prevention Thru Good Digestion by John Matsen
The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Linz Wolcott

Monthly Book Spending:

Spent: $21.02*
Saved: $1.90

*textbook costs are excluded

12/30: Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology

Essentials of Human Anatomy &Physiology by Elaine Nicpon Marieb
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read from April 17 to May 08, 2013
Format: Paperback

From Goodreads: Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology continues to set the standard for short-course A&P texts. Its dramatically updated art program, more streamlined presentation of material, and integration of chapter objectives will help you better visualize and understand the structure and function of the human body. Elaine Marieb's clear and friendly writing style emphasizes the relevance of anatomy & physiology to your life and future career. The book clarifies concepts, defines key terms, and offers just the right balance of anatomy, physiology, and clinical coverage to make the content complete without being overwhelming. Elaine Marieb wrote this book specifically for the one-semester course and continues to carefully select a range of material that proves just right for the shorter course. New information on hot topics like the HPV Vaccine, Infantile Polycystic Kidney disease, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) draws students into the material.

Textbook #2! This book was required for the Anatomy and Physiology Subject of my Natural Nutrition diploma. Short course indeed! I burned through this material. My test is now handed in and I will wait 2 - 4 weeks for the results. Such a long time, but thankfully you don't have to wait to move on to the next module.

This book gave a really good overview of the anatomy system and all the interactions. I skipped taking biology in high school so with no background, I found this text really helpful. It was laid out well, the diagrams that went along with processes described really helped drive the information home. The "Did you get it?" questions sprinkled throughout the chapters were also great.

It truly amazes me how our bodies function. Every little cell plays a role and each organ is so interconnected. I especially loved the Lymphatic System (immune system) and it was very helpful to think of all our immune cells as a little army and what role they would play. I had no idea there was 5 types of white blood cells!
I have to say though, that people get really weirded out when you are reading about the Reproductive System (with drawings) on the bus. Come on people, it's not like you don't have those exact same parts.

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April 2013

April was supposed to be spring according to the calendar. Old Man Winter clearly didn't get the memo. It's been nothing but cold, snowy and miserable. Hopefully all that moisture will make May a nice month.

Highlights of the Month

Scored 89% on my first nutrition exam!

Submitted my second exam. (awaiting results)
Signed up for the remainder of the diploma. I'm committed now for the next 2 years.
Booked NFL Tickets for a 49ers VS Colts game in September (GO COLTS!!)

Happiness Project - April - Aim Higher
Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4

Book Recap

I have read 10 books toward my goal of 30 books.

I am right on track!

Pages Read (month): 944

Pages Read (year): 4728

What I Read
Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson Haas (review)

What I'm Currently Reading

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Essentials of Human Anatomy &Physiology by Elaine Nicpon Marieb

Monthly Book Spending:

Spent: ($0.00)
Saved: $0.00

I only read a textbook this month and its cost was included in my tuition so I'm really not sure how much the book ACTUALLY cost for me. 

10/30: Staying Healthy with Nutrition by Elson M. Haas

Staying Healthy with Nutrition, rev: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine by Elson M. Haas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Format: Paperback
Read from February 19 to April 17, 2013

From Goodreads: Decades of practical experience and scientific research are compiled into one encyclopedic volume that features newly expanded chapters on special supplements, lifestage programs, and breakthrough medical treatment protocals for conditions including fatigue, viral illnesses, weight management, and mental and mood disorders such as anxiety, ADHD, and depression.PART ONE gives a detailed analysis of The Building Blocks of nutrition: water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.PART TWO evaluates Foods and Diets, discussing every food group and most diets around the world. A special chapter on the environment and nutrition raises awareness and offers guidance about food additives, industrial chemicals, food irradiation, electropollution, and other health and ecological issues.PART THREE brings all of this nutritional information together, showing readers how to make wise and commonsense choices while Building a Healthy Diet. A personalized eating plan for the year, The Ideal Diet is both seasonally and naturally based, and a healthy lifelong diet.PART FOUR contains specific nutritional and lifestyle therapies for enhancing all stages of life and suggests treatments for common conditions and diseases such as aging, menopause, bone loss, weight loss, and cancer by focusing on Nutritional Applications: 32 Special Diet and Supplement Programs.Anyone interested in enhancing wellness, eating right, treating illness naturally, and living in harmony with nature will find Staying Healthy with Nutrition to be the ultimate handbook for optimal health and vitality.

As part of my Natural Nutrition diploma this was the first textbook. I made it through this entire textbook plus answering questions and writing two tests in 11 weeks.
This book is filled with some amazing information on ourselves and on our planet. The information provided is extensive and covers a wide range of topics.
My favourite portions of the book were definitely discussing how our earth and all the chemicals we put into it really affect our health. It makes you really think twice about what you're eating, breathing and touching.


Reading about preventative medicine really inspires me to be more proactive in my own health rather than reactive. There is something missing in our current medical system and I, like the author, believe it is preventative medicine. We function in a society where unless you're really sick or have some sort of disease, you aren't worth the time of a doctor. We need to start taking care of ourselves and prevent getting to that point. The more we take care of ourselves and prevent disease as best we can, the better our medical system will become in the future. It's a long way off, but we only need to start.

Definitely a must for my nutrition collection

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April Happiness Project: Week 2

This past week was a little tough and a little exciting.

Enjoy the fun of failure
I made a mistake a work that wasn't huge, but still got pulled into my boss' office to discuss. I hate that. As a child in school I always used to cry if I ever got in trouble, and it appears that hasn't changed much. I'm just better equipped to hold it in, which I'm not sure if better. I take things very personally and hate failure. My biggest fear is losing my job for some reason, and while I know that isn't something that's going to happen, it will always be in the back of mind. Fear is a powerful motivator even if it's just in your head. It also can cause undue stress which is terrible, so I guess it's a trade off.
I can't say I "enjoyed" the failure or that it was "fun", but I did try and remember that yes, I made a mistake, and yes it wasn't smart, but that's the end of it. Move on. Learn from it.

Ask for Help
I asked for help again at work with a problem I didn't know how to solve. I'm finding that asking different people is more helpful than my direct teammate. I get a lot of "I'm too busy" or "Not right now" that is very frustrating. I'm having to get creative in finding people for help and times that work for us both.

30 is long enough
All my hard work with my first course paid off. My first exam came back with a nice 89% mark on it! I'm super excited that I did that well. Gold star for me! This shows me that going at it slowly and steadily is the way to go. I get great amounts of time on the weekend to hammer through a lot of the material, just need to get more time during the week. I think this will be easier once I am in a different book and am not lugging around my 1000 page textbook.

Enjoy Now
This weekend I enjoyed my time on Sunday. I recently joined an NFP forum that has a lot of great women on it. It's inspired me to go back to Church and get more in touch with my faith again. It's been a long time since I've gone and I miss it. Part of it is my exhaustion and part of it is my anxiety about going alone. Frenchie may be a cradle-Catholic, but he's not much for going to Church. I need to re-think about going alone and put a positive spin on it. I will enjoy my alone time, be less of a nagging wife and strengthen MY faith rather than ours.
I felt more whole after I went this weekend and really took that feeling through with me all day.

Say hello to the next 2 years of books

I'm almost finished my last course in the introduction package of my Holistic Nutrition diploma. Rather than finish the intro package and then order the rest of the books, I decided to be proactive and order them early. That way I'll have no break and just continue on with the rhythm I've got working for me.
ALL the textbooks and course material came last night. A big heavy box on my doorstep.

The contents:

say AWWW puppy paws

I'm going to work my butt off to finish my intro package so I can dive into this pile. I also need to clear out some room on my bookshelf to put all these books.

Where are all the book reviews?

I miss reading!

To clarify, I miss reading fiction and zipping through books in a week. Where did all my book reviews go? I haven't stopped reading, I'm just reading different books that are taking a LONG time to get through.

In February, I signed up for a Holistic Nutritionist diploma through the Canada School of Natural Nutrition. I was able to sign up for the Introduction courses and decide from there if I want to continue through the program. (I am completely in love with this course and will be signing up for the rest as soon as I'm done the first two courses) Why in the world would I have taken on this journey? Because I wanted to. Because I have had a huge health change based on diet changes and the more I talk to people, the more anecdotes I hear of the same success. I love helping people, and I'm passionate about food. I cook breakfast and dinners every day. I hate overly processed food and LOVE the farmer's market year round. Epicure was my first look into nutrition and how to make meals healthier, and it's just going to continue.

This diploma also fits with our life plans. It's a goal to work towards that will allow me, in the far off future, to stay home with our children (God-willing) and still have an income. I plan to teach piano from my home and be a nutritionist. It will be a slow business to build, but one I can do for a long time. I can work from home, or from an office, such as a chiropractor, massage therapist, etc. There are a lot of options and it's out of the IT world, which I believe will make me very happy.

I just finished course number 1, and I am loving every minute of it. Between piano, day job and studying, reading non-school books is taking a backseat. I've been reading my GIANT textbook for the past 2 months, and it's awesome. Frenchie laughs at me every time I start a sentence or text with "Did you know..." and then proceed to tell him some nutritional information he probably didn't want to know. He is my guinea pig for the next 2 years.

The best part about telling people I'm doing this diploma? They typically look at me with a thoughtful expression and say "Yes, I can see you doing that and being really good at it" Having the support of my family, friends and people who just met me is a huge boost.

I set my goal for reading this year at 40 books. Then I modified it to 30 once I signed up for these courses. Reading is reading, and the monster of a text I'm chugging through WILL count as a book sometime this year. I am attempting to read one to two non-school books a month which seems to be all I can manage. I think once summer break hits and my piano students are done for a while, I'll be able to devour some more fiction. Until then, I miss writing reviews!

You can see the books in store for me on my Goodreads shelves.
Textbooks
Recommended Reading