Lose weight this summer!

I am so pleased to announce that I will be running a 12 week weight loss program this summer.

"Learn to eat, not to diet" will commence on June 2nd, 2010 at 5:00pm. Each session will last for one hour.

Included in the registration fee of $300 is:
- blood work (at the start and end) for: cholesterol, sugar levels, inflammation
- personalized comments each week about your food journals
- blood pressure check at the beginning and end

This program is limited to eight participants to ensure personalized attention.

Register early so as not to miss out! Call 792-6717 to reserve your spot.

(Next start date will be September 8th 2010)

Yours in healthy weight loss,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Where do you keep your fish oil?

Did you know that your fish oils in capsule form should NOT be kept in the refrigerator? The cold will disrupt the gelatin in the capsule which will then allow the oils to oxidise and become rancid.
If your oil is in liquid form, it should be kept in the fridge, and used up quickly.

Yours in health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

PAP tests

Today was another PAP clinic day. I met a lovely young women, who is not a patient of mine. Her medical doctor didn't want to do a PAP for her and because she has a family doctor and is over 20, she couldn't get it done at the Community Health centre.

If you or someone you know needs a PAP done, please let them know that we do a PAP clinic at Rooted on the third Wednesday of every month from 9-12:00. The test is done by me, a registered Naturoapthic Doctor, and your results will be provided to you to take to any healthcare practitioner that you choose. The cost is $35 with $5 going to the Women's and Children's Shelter here in Barrie.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton

Ask for a copy of your results

I just had an experience with a patient that makes this post seem pertinent. She had her blood work done at the same time as her physical two years ago. When I asked her about the results she said, as most patients say, "they didn't call me so I guess everything was fine". We faxed over a release of records to obtain a copy. What we discovered, was that she has been anemic for two years, didn't know it, and wasn't being treated for it.

Please understand that I am not ranting about how bad doctors are these days! They are very busy, and have a lot of paper shuffled across their desks everyday. It will happen, by laws of statistics, that something will get missed once in a while.

This post is meant to encourage you to prevent your results from being the ones that get overlooked. Ask for a copy of your results. That way, you know they will be looked at.

Yours in Health,
Kerri Fullerton ND

Are you getting it 5-10 times a day?

Canada's Food Guide recommends getting 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Personally, I recommend aiming for 11 per day. But is that reasonable? How can it be done?

Three fruits: one with breakfast, two servings as snacks. (1/2 cup of fruit, 1/4 cup of dried fruit, one piece of fruit).
Eight vegetables: do a four cup salad at lunch and two cups of cooked veggies at supper (1 cup lettuce/greens, 1/2 cup cooked or raw veggies)
Not so bad eh? Building you meal around your veggies instead of the piece of meat usually helps.

Here is my favorite stir fry recipe. Makes it easy and tasty to get 2 cups of veggies in!

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
1 cup brown rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
340g skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp canola oil
6 cups broccoli florets, rinsed (any combination of veggies works well)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews

1. Cook the rice according to package instructions.
2. Make the marinade: mix the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, water, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set the bowl aside (you can do this step before you go to work!)
3. heat a large deep skillet or wok over med-high heat. Add the canola oil and stir-fry broccoli until bright green, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken and the marinade. Stir-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and remove from heat.
5. Garnish with cashews and serve immediately with the rice.
makes 4 servings.

Bon Apetit!!
Kerri Fullerton ND