After doing some research, I was surprised to discover that in 1984, two gentlemen were known to patent anti-bacterial soap. However, by 2013, manufacturers started phasing out the use of certain active ingredients, saying that they posed health risks, such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects.

If you google the FDA final rule on safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps, you will find that they have found certain active ingredients in the soaps are banned because they are not considered safe. Apparently, there may be many ingredients to be aware of, but the two most commonly used are triclosan and triclocarban. This does not apply to hand sanitizers or wipes, just soap. In a nutshell, there was never any scientific data demonstrating that over the counter anti-bacterial soaps are better at preventing illness or spreading germs. The name itself simply tricks consumers into thinking that they are helping themselves get rid of unwanted germs more efficiently. Not true!

As a naturopath, these anti-bacterial soaps never made sense to me. The chemicals added to these soaps just adds more toxicity to your body. I always encourage my clients to wash their hands well and use soaps or hand sanitizers with essential oils as much as possible. Is one way better than another to wash hands? One recommendation is to rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, but most importantly dry well. If you are in a foreign place outside your home, grab a paper towel to turn off the faucet.

Here is a great article with some nice essential oil recipes that you can easily add to your soap.

 

 

The opinions shared in this article are those of the contributor and not Total Gym Direct.

The post Can Anti-Bacterial Soaps Actually Do More Harm than Good? appeared first on Total Gym Pulse.

The World Health Organization says Congo's deadly Ebola outbreak is now the second largest in history, behind the devastating West Africa outbreak that killed thousands a few years ago.

Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor says she is "deeply concerned" by problems with implanted medical devices that have been been revealed by investigative journalists and has pledged to make changes.

In last week’s post we discussed the importance of understanding your body composition.  The scale only tells us our total body weight but not what are body is composed of.   We don’t want to have a very low body weight if we are weak, brittle and mostly made up of fat.  In this week’s blog, we’re going to discuss how you can measure your body composition, so you can have a better understanding of your overall health status.

 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Having an MRI is the gold standard for knowing your body composition.  The problem is it’s very difficult to get an MRI.  They’re very expensive tests and many hospitals and clinics often have very long wait times.  Don’t worry – there are other great alternatives that are much more economical and time efficient than an MRI.

 

DEXA Body Composition Scan

Most of us have heard of DEXA scans that measure our bone mass density, but you can have a DEXA scan that measures your total body composition.  It’s a low radiation scan, so it’s quite safe for women who aren’t pregnant to have.

What can you learn from a DEXA body composition scan?

1. Your total fat mass and where it is distributed within the body
2. The amount of lean mass you have and where it is located
3. The weight and general quality of your bone mass
4. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR)

How often should you go for a scan?

Most DEXA body composition scans cost around $100.  Some clinics will let you purchase packages of three or six scans at a discounted price per scan.  I know that can be a bit pricy for some, but you don’t have to go very often.  It takes awhile for your body composition to change.   Below is how often I recommend my patients, who can afford to, go for a scan:

1. Baseline

It is always good to know where you’re starting from and have measurements to go back to later if you decide to do any future scans.

2. Every 4 to 6 months

Body composition is slow to change.  You will see very small changes from month to month, but those changes add up to be significant changes in larger chunks of time.  As a result, going for scans too frequently can be a waste of time and money.

3. Feeling stuck

It is good to go for a scan if you start to see the scale creep up and you’re feeling nervous.  Often, we’re just gaining lean mass, which is great!  We want to be have strong bones and muscle to protect us as we age.  Having a body composition done during these times can give you a real peace of mind since you can see you’re losing body fat and gaining bone and muscle mass.

4. When you think you’re at your ideal weight

This is the only time I’m pushy with some patients.  A lot of them will come in and say they don’t’ want to lose anymore weight since they’ve reached their goal on the scale, but I know they still have a very poor body composition because of their metabolic numbers in their labs.  People who weigh very little can be extremely obese if they have a poor body composition.  Having a scan done can often be a reality check to encourage the patient to continue to fast but to start being more active in order to put on healthy weight.

Are there any limitations of DEXA scans?

While these scans are the next best thing to MRIs, they aren’t without flaws.  There are two major things to consider while interpreting your results:

1. They report a reduction in organ fat as muscle loss

DEXA scans interpret the fat in organs as muscle mass.  If you have a fatty liver, the scan is going to measure your large liver as a muscle rather than fat.  This is problematic for interpreting your results, especially if you do a repeat scan after losing liver fat.  Losing any organ fat is a great thing, but the scan will make it appear like you’ve lost muscle mass.  This is something to be cautious of.  I always recommend that patients have a baseline abdominal ultrasound to check to see if they have a fatty liver, pancreas or spleen.  This way we can help interpret the DEXA scan results more accurately.

2. Glycogen stores can make you look like you have more lean mass

If you have a wild, carb filled weekend, you’re body is going to store a lot of those carbs as glycogen in your liver and in your muscles.  This will make your liver and muscles appear to be much larger on the DEXA scan than they are, so you end up thinking you’ve got more muscle mass than you really do.  It’s best to wait a week or two after feasting on carbs to go for your scan to ensure you’re getting the most accurate reading possible.

Interested in getting a DEXA scan in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)?  A good friend of mine, Dr. Suleiman Furmli, who is a family doctor, came to shadow me in clinic one day.  He was never really taught about body composition in medical school, and he realized during our time together how important body composition is.  He went to try to book a DEXA scan for himself and realized that there weren’t many available in his area.  He was concerned that the lack of availability would prohibit his patients for going for this test, which he thinks is very important.  He went on to co-found DEXA.me with colleagues of his to try to provide more centres for body composition analysis across the GTA.

Watch this video to learn more about DEXA body composition analysis. 

 

Body Composition Scales

Not everyone has access to DEXA scans in their area, and I get asked a lot about body composition scales.  I’ve tried hundreds of them and have compared them to my DEXA scan results.  The expensive ones aren’t that much better or more accurate than some of the inexpensive ones.  You can often find a decent one on Amazon for around $50.  They have the same limitations as the DEXA scan, so be mindful if you have one at home and check your composition regularly.  Also, you always want to be checking at the same time of day, preferably first thing in the morning after you’ve fasted and have gone to the bathroom.  Keep in mind they’re not being calibrated by professionals on a routine basis.  I’ve found that they function the best for the first year but start to become unreliable after that.

Waist Circumference

Measuring and noting changes to your waist circumference is a great and affordable way to measure your metabolic health.  Its biggest limitation is that it can’t tell us how much dangerous organ fat (visceral fat) or less dangerous non-organ fat (subcutaneous fat).  If a patient doesn’t have a lot of subcutaneous fat, they may appear to be very slender despite having metabolic syndrome.  This doesn’t rule out any visceral fat, which is the biggest issue with taking measurements in this patient population.

I also encourage patients to take their measurements everywhere and track how much they lose all over their bodies over time. You might not feel like any weight is coming off but being able to quantify the size of your stomach, hips, thighs, arms, etc., can demonstrate to you that progress is being made.

Progress Photos

The cheapest and easiest way to note changes is to take progress pictures.   I encourage patients to take photos monthly so there is enough time to see changes.  It’s hard to tell how much your body is changing when you’re regularly seeing yourself in the mirror, but you’ll be surprised how much you’ve actually changed if you can go back and look at photos of yourself two months ago

The post How to Measure Body Composition – Women and Fasting Part 4 appeared first on Intensive Dietary Management (IDM).

At least 25 Canadian women have developed a rare cancer linked to breast implants — and almost all of them had the same type of textured implant, according to researchers. But Health Canada has no plans to remove this implant from the market or to directly alert Canadian women who have the implants, an investigation by Enquête and Radio-Canada has shown.

The holidays are upon us, which means loved ones are probably starting to ask what’s on your wish list this year. And whether you’re a full-on foodie, or you’d just like some healthy help in the kitchen, consider adding these basics to your top holiday picks this year, so you can make 2018 your healthiest year yet.

1. Measuring Cups
If you don’t own a good set of measuring cups, you should add them to your wish list this year—especially since incorrectly estimating portion sizes is a quick way to sabotage your slim-down. Already own a set? Consider adding a second set to your list. That way you can leave them in your desk drawer at work and beat portion distortion wherever you are. Just make sure you ask for dishwasher-safe options so cleaning them is a breeze.

2. iPad Fridge Mount
No more dripping ingredients on your iPad while cooking. Play music, watch a movie or read through a recipe while you cook with this handy device that lets you mount your iPad directly on your fridge. Tools like this will help make your kitchen a pleasant place to spend time—so you’ll want to keep up on your healthy cooking habits.

3. Dehydrator
Although you can create dried fruits and veggies in your oven, it can tie it up for several hours and you will have to keep checking on your treats. Dehydrators are great ways to have some fun with your fruits and veggies. From dried strawberries, apples and pineapples, to healthy fruit roll ups and sun-dried tomatoes, you can create all kinds of snacks and add-ons. And the best part is, you can just load it up and let it go, just like you would a crock-pot. No babysitting needed.

4. Herb Garden Starter Kit
There’s nothing better than having fresh herbs on hand—especially in the colder months. With an indoor herb garden, you’ll be able to help yourself to all your favorites whenever you’d like to spice things up.

5. Popcorn Maker
Skip the microwave in favor of a good old-fashioned popcorn maker. The little ones in your life will love watching the kernels pop, plus you’ll be able to top your treat with healthier extras you choose (think cinnamon, sugar-free chocolate syrup, hot sauce or black pepper).

6. A Good Blender
There’s no better way to squeeze fruits and veggies into your day than to pile produce into smoothies. Look for options powerful enough to crush ice and harder fruits like apples.

7. Julienne Peeler or Spiralizer
If you love pasta, than this one is a no-brainer. Both of these tools help you make delicious noodles out of your favorite veggies like zucchini, sweet potato, carrots and more. Some spiralizers even come with additional blades so you can create a variety of “noodles.”

8. A Self-Timing Slow Cooker
Whether you’re extremely busy or just feeling a little lazy, this convenient kitchen tool makes meal prep a breeze. Just toss a bunch of veggies and some chicken or veggie stock in the slow cooker in the morning along with some seasonings, and let it cook all day while you’re at work or running around. You’ll love the way your house smells when you return. The best part? You’ll have leftovers for days!

9. A High Quality Knife Set
Although perhaps a bit expensive, a good set of knives will last you a very long time, and will help you stay healthy, slicing, dicing and mincing your own foods. Tip: Before you buy a knife, always hold it in your hand—it should feel natural.

10. Cutting Boards
To prevent cross-contamination you should have one cutting board for raw protein and one for produce and cooked foods. Request two different colors for yours so that you can distinguish between them. You can choose extremely affordable plastic cutting boards made of polyethylene plastic. Polyethylene plastic is non-porous, meaning potential bacteria can’t penetrate the surface. Just be sure your boards are dishwasher safe.

11. A Salad Spinner
To stay healthy and lose weight, you’ll want to add in all kinds of greens. The salad spinner makes cleaning greens like lettuce easy and quick. After washing lettuce from the garden, farmers market or grocery store, just place it in the salad spinner to quickly and efficiently dry the lettuce and serve up a fresh salad for lunch or dinner.

The post Top 11 Gifts to Put on Your Wish List This Year appeared first on The Leaf.

There are benefits to “behaving badly on occasion.” That was the finding—and part of the title—of a study published in January in the Journal of Consumer Psychology that issued a license to cheat (sometimes) to anyone on a diet.

The researchers, from universities in Portugal and the Netherlands, came to that conclusion after 26 people followed a 1,500-calorie diet for two weeks. Those with built-in cheat days were able to exercise more self-control than those who didn’t have them.

The scientists said that cheat days—when you allow yourself the foods you avoid when dieting—help you beat the “failure cascade” that occurs when you go off your diet. You know the routine: You ate one cookie, decided you blew your diet and then finished the box.

But not all science supports the benefits of cheat days. Turns out, those “cheats” can sabotage your efforts to get back on track when the day is over. Dr. Deborah Clegg of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found in animal studies that high-fat foods trigger the brain to send messages to the cells in your body, telling them to ignore the appetite-curbing hormones leptin and insulin. In other words, your “cheat” shuts down the system that prevents you from cheating nonstop. Result: You undo all the hard work you’ve put into losing weight.

Other studies suggest that when you eat certain kinds of foods, it can be tough to not let one lead to another. Using high-tech brain scanning equipment, scientists have found that when people eat highly palatable foods such as chocolate, the regions of the brain linked to pleasure and reward “light up,” just as they do in people addicted to opiate drugs. When you stimulate your brain’s pleasure center with, say, a handful of M&Ms, chances are you’re going to come back for another hit. In susceptible people, that can lead to bingeing.

And as a binge goes on, says research from Virginia Tech University, the way your muscle tissue metabolizes glucose—the form of sugar your body runs on—changes in a way that could lead to weight gain and health problems.

Your muscles are the primary clearinghouse for glucose, which can either be used for energy or stored. In their study with college students, the Virginia Tech researchers found that after only five days of a high-fat diet, the students’ muscles no longer processed glucose as well. One potential result: As the results of the University of Texas study suggested, eating lots of cheat foods could make your body less responsive to appetite-suppressing insulin. Not only will you not get the “you’re full” signal, insulin resistance, as it’s called, can be a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

A better idea? Don’t cheat. But don’t create a list of no-no foods either because there’s really no need to deprive yourself of pleasure when you’re trying to lose weight.

Instead, incorporate some of those foods into a healthy diet—in moderation. Even better? Take advantage of all of the healthier versions of your favorite “cheat foods” Nutrisystem offers. We’ve got treats for sweet lovers, pizza for pie-lovers, pasta for carb junkies, ice cream for your frozen treat fix and so many guilt-free versions of all your guilty pleasures.

Or, check out our awesome Recipe Center, which is packed with hundreds of healthier recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert time!

Turn to options like these to feed your cravings and need for pleasure. And you can do it on a daily basis, so you don’t really need a cheat day. Why limit it to one anyway, when there’s a way to have your cake and lose weight, too?

The post The Truth About Cheat Days appeared first on The Leaf.