Q&A with Dr. Keara Taylor Dr. Keara is joining the Innate Wellness Team in High Park. She is a High Park local and a new mom with a general family practice. She will be taking over Dr. Regan’s maternity leave and staying on to build her practice at Innate. Learn more about her style of practice! […]
By Lindsey Danisch, RSW & Provider of Psychotherapy The phrase “self-care” was one of 2017’s mental health buzz terms, and for good reasons. As a society, we are working more hours, hooked into our technical devices longer, creating endless piles of to-do lists, and in a constant social media race of comparison and acceptance. It’s exhausting. To combat this reality, the term self-care pops up as a possible remedy. Between friends or colleagues, casual discussions of wine and Netflix binges are the beginner’s version of self-help. Perhaps the goal for 2018 is to take the concept of self-care to a new level. Let’s be clear, there is no right or wrong way to engage in self-care. But what if the new challenge is to engage in self-care that isn’t just for immediate release but a step towards meeting a larger need. For example: instead of always choosing a Netflix binge, pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. Instead of always choosing a glass of wine or pour of bourbon, go to bed early, so you can wake in time for a morning run. The idea is that self-care takes on a deeper meaning, and can challenge us to engage in behaviours that aren’t just for immediate relief, but to help our overall mental wellness become more sustainable. This can be accomplished in many areas on life. Yes, this is harder than it sounds. Yes, I struggle with this the same as everyone else. […]
By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND 1. Choose a weight loss goal that is realistic for you. Bring into mind your ideal weight. Or, use a Body Mass Index calculator to determine your healthy weight. Remember that lasting weight loss occurs at about 1 pound per week. If this seems like it will take too long, plan your weight loss goals in steps. If your healthy weight is 150 and you are currently 200lbs – this could take 50 weeks. So set your first goal at 190 for 10 weeks and when you reach this goal – celebrate! Our best achievements in life do not happen all at once. They are the accumulation of many small victories. 2. Identify the habits that are holding you back BEFORE you choose a weight loss plan. Bad habits are one of the biggest barriers to weight loss. They say it takes 21 days to change a habit. Pick a habit that needs to change and work at it until you can maintain the routine for a month. Yes, this may delay your weight loss plan but it will make you more successful in the long run. ‘Slow and steady wins the race.’ What kind of habits are we talking about? TIME MANAGEMENT. Eating well means planning well so that you can prepare meals at home or at least plan for healthier options. Taking some time on Saturday or Sunday to grocery shop & cook can set you up for the week. Or in today’s world, we have services like Grocery Gateway that bring the groceries right to you, or Blue Apron that bring you the prepped food for healthy meals. There are also healthy meal delivery services that provide you [...]
