Dr Kirk's Blog

Life without vision, without purpose is like trying to complete the most difficult puzzle you have ever done without the help of the box cover.

Can you imagine?!

The most difficult puzzle ever, without any picture to look at for guidance.  It makes sense that we need a mission, a purpose, a vision for our lives.

Purpose can be described as the compass that guides our life and keeps us on track, so we don’t get distracted by the day to day life that happens in between.

But how do you find your compass?

In his book, Jim Collins', “Good to Great”, he says that your purpose lies in the nexus or center of what you have passion for, talent for and get fulfillment from.  It is the thing you would do even if you didn’t get paid to do it (and maybe you don’t).  Viktor Frankl survivor of the Holocaust and psychiatrist stated in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” that the purpose of life is a purposeful life.  He found that it didn’t matter what our purpose was just as long as we felt as though we had one.

Finding purpose can take different amounts of time for everyone, the important thing is that you keep looking.  I would suggest it may not be your job; it may be your hobby or relationship or role in the family, it doesn’t matter what it is so long that you don’t give up until you find it or it finds you.

Finding purpose is so important because then you have a compass to help you in all of life’s challenges, you just ask yourself, by doing ___blank___ am I following my purpose and getting closer to my vision?

That brings us to vision, it isn’t enough to have purpose, we must also have vision.  Vision is what you see for your life or who you see yourself becoming.  That is truly the puzzle box, your purpose is deciding what puzzle to do, your vision is getting a good look at the box while working the puzzle.

That takes planning, it just doesn’t happen!  You must work on your vision in each area of your life; family, work, recreation, physical, mental…etc.  One by one figure out exactly what you want (goals are important) then imagine how the person who accomplished those goals would act what they would have done to get them done.  Who would that person need to BE in order to accomplish his/her vision.  Create a vision board and keep it posted so you can look at it every day.  Look for workshops coming in Ocotber on creating a Vision at our office.

 Yours in Health - Dr Kirk

Whole Grains- How Do Grains Affect the Human Body?

Grains are almost single-handedly responsible for the removal of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the modern diet.  That’s right, those little fats that have been getting tons of press lately are as important as suggested, and maybe even more so.  There have been over 2000 studies done on Omega-3 and for good reason: the Omega-3s in our diet (or the lack their of) have massive implications on our health.  It all boils down to ratios: the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids in your diet is so crucial, it goes down to the cellular level.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  Essential!
Here’s the breakdown:  There are certain fats that we need to get from our diet, called essential fatty acids, and they are used for many different things in our bodies.  One of the big ones is the way they make up our cellular membranes.  We have something called a phospholipid (phosphate + fat) bi-layer that makes up our individual cell walls.  The lipid part is made out of a delicate balance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats.

Cell Walls and the Magic Ratio
When the cell wall is made of more Omega-3 fats, they are flexible and permeable, allowing wastes and nutrients in and out very easily.  Cell walls made of more Omega-6 fats are rigid and less permeable, decreasing the amounts of wastes and nutrients that enter and exit the cell.  Think of a house built with more windows and doors (Omega-3) versus one made with more wood and brick (Omega-6).  The house with increased windows and doors allows for more activity, people coming in and out, and circulation or airflow, whereas the house with more wood and brick is much more structurally sound.  Now, obviously, a house built with too many windows and doors will collapse on itself, and if there are no windows in a house, no one would want to live or visit there.  So it really is the ratio that is key!  There must be a balance in the cell wall so that there are plenty of ways for nutrients to get in, but there must also be enough structural support that it won’t cave in or break apart with slight pressure.

Humans are designed to eat a diet that is contains roughly 1 or 2 parts Omega-6 to every 1 part Omega-3, and believe it or not, that is exactly what is found when eating natural, healthy, unprocessed foods from the earth (veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, wild animals and the occasional bug).  However, the typical modern diet is roughly 10 or 20 parts Omega-6 to every 1 part Omega-3 (Eaton & Konner. Paleolithic Nutrition revisited. European J. of Nutrition 1997: 51;207-16)!  Our houses (cells) have hardly any windows!  This makes our bodies very stew-like.

Grains (breads, pastas, cereals, wheat, flour, corn, barley, etc.) are the culprits for two reasons.  Grains are sturdy and are designed to survive harsh conditions and only sprout when the conditions are right, so they are loaded with structural (Omega-6/windowless/sturdy) fats.  So, when we consume grains, not only do we eat massive amounts of these Omega-6 fats, but we also displace all of the Omega-3 fats that we would have eaten.  Omega-3 fatty acids are found in green leafy veggies and the animals that eat these green leafy plants (wild-caught salmon, grass-fed cows, wild game, etc.).  Industrialized meats (animals raised on industrial farms - a.k.a. most meat found in grocery stores and any fast food restaurants) are made by feeding the animals GRAINS!!  That completely disrupts their Omega ratios and makes them as unhealthy for us as the grains they eat.  Great resources for healthy meats:  Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, www.eatwild.com.

"Fortified with Nutrients!"
One more thing to think about is that grains are processed.  The processing of foods is a harsh process, one only very stable nutrients survive.  This is why we fortify processed foods with vitamins and minerals, because most of these nutrients are destroyed during the process of processing food.  Omega-6 fatty acids are much more stable than Omega-3, which is why they are able to handle the processing much better, leaving a culture that consumes most of its food in the form of processed (food-like) foods, severely deficient in all nutrients, especially Omega 3 fatty acids.

Our recommendations:  add more veggies and healthy meats; do your best to stay away from grains; and give your body and the Omega 3 ratio in your diet a chance to take back its rightful place in your diet!

Insulting Your Intelligence

Water is life

and the better your water, the better your life. Dr F Batmanghelidj’s work on water is quite well known. In his book The Water Cure, Dr B says “you’re not sick, you’re thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication”.

Most of us know that we should be drinking more water, but don’t. If this wasn’t the case, you wouldn’t be reading this now, would you.

Water is the basis of all life, including your muscles, your brain, your lungs, your bones and your lungs. A fully hydrated body has more energy, increases it’s fat burning capabilities, has reduced hunger levels, better digestion and ages at a slower pace so you look younger while you’re feeling younger.

Most people reach for a coffee when they’re feeling low energy, when water would benefit so many other aspects of our health. As I see it, the problem is twofold – firstly, that we must understand the need for drinking more water on a daily basis and then secondly, find ways to incorporate more water into our lifestyle. It’s often as simple as creating a new habit and sticking to it.

Here are 50 ways to create a new habit and drink more water.

1. Drink water first thing in the morning. Start every day by drinking a litre of water. If you have to sit down and finish the whole thing before you move on – do it.

2. Drink a big glass of water right before bed.

3. Every time you go to the bathroom, drink a glass of water. Replace the fluids you just lost. Pre-fill enough bottles of water for your daily requirement in ounces. Keep them in various places around your house, office or workspace. Make sure they’re each empty before you go to bed.

4. Drink a glass of water each hour, on the hour while at work.

5. Set a countdown timer on your watch for a regular interval (such as an hour) and drink water every time it goes off.

6. Set a reminder in your electronic calendar to remind you to drink. Set your calendar or electronic organizer to remind you at noon and 3 o’clock. You should have consumed at least 1 litre of water by noon and at least two by 3 o’clock. If not, drink up right then and there.

7. Set “drink water reminders” around your house. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, turn over your salt shaker or other often used container. Have it remind you to drink a glass of water. Whenever you see a turned over salt shaker, drink a glass of water. Make it fun and mix it up – use something different every day so it catches you off guard. Set the reminder earlier on in the day before you even go to work.

8. Drink water while waiting in lines. If you know you’re going to be standing in line somewhere, take your water bottle with you and make it a point of drinking the entire bottle before you reach the front of the line.

9. Drink water in your car. Keep a bottle of water in your car and drink it while going TO work and coming home FROM work.

10. Drink more water while doing your skin care program. Drink, cleanse, moisturize, then drink again.

11. Take a glass of water to you when you shower. Drink half before you shower and half after you get out of the shower, but before leaving the bathroom.

12. Drink more water while you’re shaving. Drink half a glass before you shave and half a glass after you shave, but before leaving the shaving area. Reduce or Remove Dehydrating Beverages

13. Replace coffee with water – coffee may act as a diuretic and place a larger need for water on your body. Eliminate and replace your coffee with water.

14. Replace soda pop with water – At the very least, have a big glass of water before you have the soda. If you’re going to drink something non nutritional as soda, first be pro-active and reach for the water.

15. Drink water before your meals.

16. Drink 2 or 3 ounces of water after your meals – but no more. Where water is required to digest food, too much water can dilute the digestive juices and hamper digestion. Limit your water intake after a meal to a few ounces only. At the Gym

17. Drink a litre of water on your way TO the gym.

18. Drink a litre of water AT the gym.

19. Drink a litre of water on your way home (or to work) FROM the gym.

20. Drink enough water during your workout that you have to fill up your water bottle at least once.

Flavor Your Water You can put some things into your water to flavor them while improving your quality of life at the same time. Where coffee and soda pop are acidic to the body, lemon and lime are alkaline forming in the body. By allowing your body to be in an alkaline state more often, you allow your body to absorb vitamins and minerals more effectively while eliminating wastes.

21. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice to your water.

22. Add a slice of lemon to your water.

23. Add cucumber slices to your water.

24. Add Apple Cider Vinegar to your water – Apple Cider Vinegar has been highly regarded throughout history. In 400 B.C. the great Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing health qualities. Internally, Apple cider vinegar is rich in enzymes and potassium, supports a healthy immune system, helps control weight, promotes digestive and pH balance and can help remove toxins and lower toxicity. Dr Steven Gibb says “everyone in the world should be drinking Apple Cider Vinegar on a daily basis”

25. Add ginger to your water. Steep a little fresh ground ginger root in boiling water and then add it to your water bottles. You might also grate some fresh ginger and then simply put it into your cold water to cold steep.

26. Add salt to your water – however, use only sea salt. Dr Batmanghelidj of “The Water Cure” suggests: It is very important you balance your sodium intake with your water consumption. Take 1/4 teaspoon of salt per quart of water – every 4-5 glasses of water. Be sure to get sea salt. The best is Celtic sea salt or Himalayan sea salt, both of which are readily available at any health food store. Treat this flavoring with respect. Most people have too much sodium in their body as they’re getting salt from many many sources throughout the day. If you’re one of the rare individuals who does not add salt to their food, then this tip might be for you. On the other hand, if you already add salt to any meal at all, then I would not advise adding more salt to your diet.

When heat goes up or your exercise output goes up, so must your water consumption. If you’re more muscular, you need more water. Track Your Water Consumption Before you even begin the process of drinking more water, journal your water consumption for a few days or a week. Then set a goal number for ounces of water per day and continue to track it.

Log how often you drink beverages that are NOT water and how much of them you drink. It’s quite important to track that which you want to improve. Without knowing your starting point, or your progress, how will you know you’re getting results. Just as you track your body composition (body fat vs lean density) to understand your exercise and weight loss results, so should you track your water consumption. One idea is to tape some plain paper to your favorite water bottle and track how many times you empty it each day. Put enough paper on it to last a week and then use little tick marks for each bottle you drink. Seems easy enough.

User Contributed Water Drinking Tips

Now you may have noticed that there aren’t quite 50 ways to drink more water here just yet. I’d like this to be a user contributed entry. Submit your tip of how you incorporate more water into your day and I’ll add it to the list. What have you found that works for you? What habits have you created around drinking more water?