Health Tips

Top your favourite whole grain cereal with fruit and yogurt.
Know your portions – not sure how many grains to eat in a day or how much dairy you really need? Click here for a copy of the Canada Food Guide and get your portions back on track.
Eat slower to consume fewer calories – when you feel physically full your stomach was probably truly full several bites before. Eat more slowly, give your brain a chance to know you are full.
Eat every two to three hours – eating every 2-3 hours helps to get your metabolism going, your blood sugars stable and reduces cravings.
Don’t drink your calories – be careful with calorie rich drinks like pop, sweetened teas, juice and specialty drinks. It is really easy to consume large amounts of calories and still feel hungry.
Choose foods that are lower in the glycemic index more often – lower GI foods are absorbed into your blood more slowly which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. Click here for more information.
Choose healthier fats - canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame), unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Have fish twice per week – healthy omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements.
Try different types of protein – beans (black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils), nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans), soy products (tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers).
Stick to the edges of the grocery store - In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products.
Make your own frozen yogurt – instead of ice cream treats try freezing your favourite yogurt in a popsicle tray.
De-butter your popcorn – instead lightly spray your popcorn with olive oil and add a small amount of your favourite seasoning.
Make healthy french fries – cut up potato or sweet potatoes and place in your oven with a small amount of oil and herbs and spices.
Drink water first – feel hungry? You might be thirsty. When you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first, wait 10-15 minutes and if you are still hungry then have something healthy to eat.
Read the list of ingredients – did you know that the ingredients are listed in order of weight, from most to least? This means that the food contains more of the ingredients at the beginning of the list and less of the ingredients at the end of the list. Make sure the healthy ingredients are near the start of the list.
Add some color to your plate – eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day.
Create your own, personal food guide - By entering personal information, such as age and sex, selecting various items from the four food groups and choosing different types of physical activities, you can create a tool that is customized just for you. Click here to get started.
Take your coffee/tea black – each teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories and one tablespoon of cream has 20 calories. If you take one of each per cup of coffee that is an extra 36 calories per cup. Over the course of a week that could be more than 1000 extra calories!
Start your day with cooked oats – oats are an inexpensive, filling, breakfast option. Whole oats can result in a reduction in cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Try quinoa - quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It is low in fat and high in fibre. It also contains iron, potassium, riboflavin, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese.
Limit foods that won't rot – foods that won’t rot when left on your counter likely have large amounts of chemicals and preservatives. Consume these foods in moderation and focus more on fresh, preservative free foods.

Look for community events such as walks and mini races. These can be fun and exciting and give you something to work towards.

Today, shoe manufactures design footwear specifically for physical activity. Make sure that you have shoes that fit your chosen activity.

Put your goals in writing. In our society, people seem to not take things seriously until they are put in writing. Write out your goal of 30 minutes of daily physical activity and out it in visible places around your home and work to remind you of your commitment to better health through daily physical activity.

Top your favourite whole grain cereal with fruit and yogurt.

Volunteer at your local school. There are opportunities for people to help with coaching sports teams or doing recreation with kids. This can be a great way to give back to the community and stay active at the same time.

Listen to music while you exercise. Find songs that are energizing and you'll be surprise at how much longer you can go and how much harder you can exercise.

By making your car and home smoke-free, you are taking an important step in protecting you and others from secondhand smoke.

Dynamic stretching is a great way to warm-up before exercise. Start at your feet move up your body by moving each joint through a full, pain-free range of motion. Do this in a slow controlled manner.

Delay. Delay the urge to smoke for at least five minutes, the urge will pass.
Deep breathe. Breathe slowly and deeply.
Do something else. Keep your hands busy.
Drink water. Take “time-out”, sip slowly.

Discover what is really in cigarettes - click here to learn what is really going into your body.

Don’t be a victim to tobacco marketing tactics – to become aware of the marketing schemes click here.

Make healthy french fries – cut up potato or sweet potatoes and place in your oven with a small amount of oil and herbs and spices.

Keep an activity log. Each day, write down what you did and how long you did it. This will help keep you motivated to continue with your physical activity.

Move more often. Look for practical ways to get you moving. Take the stairs, park a little further away, walk to the mail box, walk your dog. These are just a few of many ways to move more often.

What are your personal benefits and costs of smoking? Click here to find out.

Often times when people think of physical activity, they think of jogging or other structured forms of fitness. Simple household chores like gardening or yard work is a great way to stay active, and get things done around the house.

Ever notice that some people can eat all they want and never put on weight? Chances are these people have a high metabolism. Adding resistance training to your exercise regime builds lean muscle which raises your metabolism.

Get a pedometer. For most North Americans, just moving more will improve their health. Set a goal to take 10, 000 steps per day.

There is lots of variety with physical activity. Check out your local community recreation programs for lots of fun ways that you can get physically active.

Try something new. In our society, there are countless ways to be physically active. Find something you have never done before and give it a try.

Keep a bottle of water at your desk.

When setting goals, use the "SMART goals" acronym. Goals should be specific, measurable, action-orientated, realistic and time sensitive.

Plan for physical activity – Brown bag it, keep runners at work and walk at lunch, schedule your physical activity.

Dumbbells and barbells are not the only way to do resistance training exercises. Simple household objects like soup cans, milk jugs and suit cases can be used to strengthen and tone your muscles.

Drink at least 6 - 8 glasses of water per day. Cold water helps flush the nicotine out of your system.

You don't have to have fancy equipment to build strength. Just a simple pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bit of instruction can give you endless options to build strength and improve the quality of your life.

Set a quit date and a quit method – people who actually plan out how they are going to quit are more successful than those who don’t. For information on deciding on a date and a method click here.

Hard to find time to exercise? Try exercising in the morning. This gets it done before the rest of the day’s responsibilities arise.

Balance technology – Walk to your co-worker instead of sending an e-mail, five minutes per hour, chat face to face, trashcan basketball, stretch. Work in a standing position when possible, sit on a stability ball.

Make your own frozen yogurt – instead of ice cream treats try freezing your favourite yogurt in a popsicle tray.

Exercising on an empty stomach can lead to hypoglycemia. This is where your blood sugar drops and you feel weak, dizzy and lightheaded. To prevent this, eat a light meal about 1-3 hours before exercise.

Cross training means doing different things in your training. This breaks up the monotony of doing the same thing again and again and helps prevent overuse injuries. Make a list of as many different ways you can do physical activity and then enjoy the variety. After all, it is the spice of life.

Many people hold their breath as they lift. While this may be necessary when lifting extremely heavy objects, it can be dangerous. Breathe out as you lift.

Exercise helps with depression. Daily physical activity may be just what you need to feel better and improve your mood.

Check out ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). They have a wealth of health and fitness information and are one of the top organizations in the world for fitness information.

Accountability is a great way to keep on track with your fitness program. Tell as many people as you can that you are committed to do 30 minutes of physical activity a day and you will be amazed at how much better you stick with it.

Click here to get clear - make sure you know the facts about tobacco.

Get off the bus a few stops earlier and/or park a distance away.

Roller blades offer a fun way to get physical activity. They also provide a low impact workout done with different movements and muscles than are commonly used in jogging and walking.

Start your day with cooked oats – oats are an inexpensive, filling, breakfast option. Whole oats can result in a reduction in cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Make your car, home and/or office completely smoke free.

Eat every two to three hours – eating every 2-3 hours helps to get your metabolism going, your blood sugars stable and reduces cravings.

Try quinoa - quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It is low in fat and high in fibre. It also contains iron, potassium, riboflavin, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese.

Dress for success. Don't worry about the latest fashion, but make sure you are dressed appropriately for exercise. If the weather is colder, start with layers, then you can take off the outer layers as you get warmer. Look for loose, non-restrictive clothing that is comfortable. Cotton is a good option.

Go 8 hours without smoking – the oxygen levels in your blood will go back to normal and carbon monoxide levels in your body drop.

Group fitness classes can be a fun way to get physical activity, meet new people and have a lot of fun at the same time. Check out your local fitness or recreation center for a class schedule.

Learn how you can help someone else quit, click here for more information.

Climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

Take your coffee/tea black – each teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories and one tablespoon of cream has 20 calories. If you take one of each per cup of coffee that is an extra 36 calories per cup. Over the course of a week that could be more than 1000 extra calories!

Know your portions – not sure how many grains to eat in a day or how much dairy you really need? Click here for a copy of the Canada Food Guide and get your portions back on track.

Accountability is a great way to keep on track with your fitness program. Tell as many people as you can that you are committed to do 30 minutes of physical activity a day and you will be amazed at how much better you stick with it.
You don't have to have fancy equipment to build strength. Just a simple pair of adjustable dumbbells and a bit of instruction can give you endless options to build strength and improve the quality of your life.
After physical activity it is important to cool down. Your body needs muscle contraction to return blood to the heart. If you do not move when you finish exercise, you can often feel faint or dizzy. Plan on finishing each bout of physical activity with an easy walking (or equivalent) to let your body gradually return to normal.
Aqua fit is exercise classes done in a pool. It is a great way to get active without putting excessive stress on your joints. Also, don’t worry if you cannot swim, most classes are done in the shallow end of the pool.
Balance technology – Walk to your co-worker instead of sending an e-mail, five minutes per hour, chat face to face, trashcan basketball, stretch. Work in a standing position when possible, sit on a stability ball.
Bike, rollerblade, walk, run, or take transit to work.
Change your shoes regularly. Mileage adds up on your shoes and well-cushioned, supportive shoes can become sloppy and hard before you know it.
Check out ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine). They have a wealth of health and fitness information and are one of the top organizations in the world for fitness information.
Check out www.humankinetics.com for great books and resources to learn more about your favorite physical activities.
Check out your local community recreation center. You will be amazed at how many different ways it offers to keep you in motion.
Climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator.
Cross training means doing different things in your training. This breaks up the monotony of doing the same thing again and again and helps prevent overuse injuries. Make a list of as many different ways you can do physical activity and then enjoy the variety. After all, it is the spice of life.
Dumbbells and barbells are not the only way to do resistance training exercises. Simple household objects like soup cans, milk jugs and suit cases can be used to strengthen and tone your muscles.
Don't like getting sore after a workout? Gentle stretching after physical activity can help reduce muscle soreness.
Dress for success. Don't worry about the latest fashion, but make sure you are dressed appropriately for exercise. If the weather is colder, start with layers, then you can take off the outer layers as you get warmer. Look for loose, non-restrictive clothing that is comfortable. Cotton is a good option.
Dynamic stretching is a great way to warm-up before exercise. Start at your feet move up your body by moving each joint through a full, pain-free range of motion. Do this in a slow controlled manner.
Ever notice that some people can eat all they want and never put on weight? Chances are these people have a high metabolism. Adding resistance training to your exercise regime builds lean muscle which raises your metabolism.
Exercise helps with depression. Daily physical activity may be just what you need to feel better and improve your mood.
Exercising on an empty stomach can lead to hypoglycemia. This is where your blood sugar drops and you feel weak, dizzy and lightheaded. To prevent this, eat a light meal about 1-3 hours before exercise.
Family fitness. Many people lack time for exercise and quality time with the family. Why not combine the two? Take your family out and do something physical and fun.
Get a pedometer. For most North Americans, just moving more will improve their health. Set a goal to take 10, 000 steps per day.
Get a training partner. For many people exercise is more fun when you are doing it with a friend. Grab a friend and get moving. This will make the time pass faster and help hold you accountable.
Get off the bus a few stops earlier and/or park a distance away.
Getting in a pattern or schedule can help increase exercise adherence. Plan a specific part of your day for exercise. It could be in the morning, at lunch time or in the evening. The main thing is to find a time that works for you and get it done.
Going from not moving to intense physical activity is very hard on the body and can lead to injury. Take a few minutes for some gentle movements such as controlled arm circles and leg swings to warm-up the body. Start light and gradually increase the intensity of your exercise sessions.
Group fitness classes can be a fun way to get physical activity, meet new people and have a lot of fun at the same time. Check out your local fitness or recreation center for a class schedule.
Hard to find time to exercise? Try exercising in the morning. This gets it done before the rest of the day’s responsibilities arise.
If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. For best results with your physical activity, drink water before exercise, sip on water during exercise and then drink more after exercise.
If you are walking on sidewalks, be aware that they can be on a slant. Prolonged walking on a slant can cause hip and low back problems. Try to walk on level ground as much as possible. When not possible, try to spend equal time slanted each way.
If you have ever been to a walking track or a skating rink, you will note that people tend to favor the counter-clockwise direction. Over time this can lead to imbalances in the body. To prevent this, walk/run both ways on a track.
Join a sports team. This can be a fun way to stay active, meet people and add some excitement to your life. Just make sure that you have the fitness level to participate safely in your desired sport.
Keep a bottle of water at your desk.
Keep an activity log. Each day, write down what you did and how long you did it. This will help keep you motivated to continue with your physical activity.
Listen to music while you exercise. Find songs that are energizing and you'll be surprise at how much longer you can go and how much harder you can exercise.
Look for community events such as walks and mini races. These can be fun and exciting and give you something to work towards.
Many people do quick stretches, which have little to no benefit. Be sure to hold your stretches for about 30-60 seconds for optimal results.
Many people hold their breath as they lift. While this may be necessary when lifting extremely heavy objects, it can be dangerous. Breathe out as you lift.
Many people pull too hard when they stretch. Stretching should be gentle and comfortable.
Most people think of personal training as a luxury for the rich and famous. However, today, more and more people are getting into personal training. This offers the chance to get a program specifically tailored to your goals and specific needs.
Move more often. Look for practical ways to get you moving. Take the stairs, park a little further away, walk to the mail box, walk your dog. These are just a few of many ways to move more often.
Often times when people think of physical activity, they think of jogging or other structured forms of fitness. Simple household chores like gardening or yard work is a great way to stay active, and get things done around the house.
Plan for physical activity – Brown bag it, keep runners at work and walk at lunch, schedule your physical activity.
Put home exercise equipment in front of the TV. This will help pass the time faster and you can get the exercise you need while not missing your favorite show.
Put your goals in writing. In our society, people seem to not take things seriously until they are put in writing. Write out your goal of 30 minutes of daily physical activity and out it in visible places around your home and work to remind you of your commitment to better health through daily physical activity.
Roller blades offer a fun way to get physical activity. They also provide a low impact workout done with different movements and muscles than are commonly used in jogging and walking.
Set short-term goals, not just long term goals. For example, if you have a long term goal to run the Sun Run and you are currently not doing anything, set a short goal of running 1 mile.
Structured exercise is great for improving fitness, but just moving is essential for health. Look for a combination of structured and non-structured activity to make up your daily physical activity plan.
Talk about it! Sit down with everyone living in your home and discuss ways to make or keep your home and car smoke-free.
Get ready! Set up a smoking area outside. Remove any ashtrays from your home and close your car’s ashtray. Think about smokers who will visit and consider how you will ask them to smoke outside.
Go! Be polite but firm – Kids NEED breathing space! Say thank you to friends for helping keep you and your family healthy.
Talk to certified fitness trainers. They can give you practical ideas on how to improve your fitness level in a safe and effective way.
There is lots of variety with physical activity. Check out your local community recreation programs for lots of fun ways that you can get physically active.
Tired of waiting for the elevator? Make a plan to use the stairs instead of taking the elevator and you’ll be surprised at how much more activity you get.
Today, shoe manufactures design footwear specifically for physical activity. Make sure that you have shoes that fit your chosen activity.
Try something new. In our society, there are countless ways to be physically active. Find something you have never done before and give it a try.
Visit the washroom one floor up or at the other end of the building.
Volunteer at your local school. There are opportunities for people to help with coaching sports teams or doing recreation with kids. This can be a great way to give back to the community and stay active at the same time.
Watch less TV. Research shows that a high correlation between TV watching and obesity. Also, cutting down on television watching gives you more time to get active.
When it comes to physical activity, it is never too late to start and late is better than never. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, and then get some guidance from a qualified fitness professional and start enjoying the benefits of physical activity.
When it comes to physical activity, it is never too late to start and late is better than never.
When setting goals, use the "SMART goals" acronym. Goals should be specific, measurable, action-orientated, realistic and time sensitive.
While gentle stretching can be great for improving flexibility, it can also be used to relax. Stretching calms tight muscles and helps relieve the effects of stress.
Why not be a nice person and get fit at the same time? Instead of driving around for 5 minutes to find the closest parking spot, park farther away and enjoy a brisk walk.

By giving up smoking you, will be helping those you care about avoid the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Drink at least 6 - 8 glasses of water per day. Cold water helps flush the nicotine out of your system.
Start a money jar with the money you save from not smoking and invest for a rainy day or buy yourself a gift or go for a nice dinner.
Meet a real quitter - The following British Columbians agreed to share their personal stories to help others quit smoking. Watch their videos and read their stories to see how they have successfully quit smoking. Their real-life experiences may inspire you to quit or remain tobacco-free. Click here to meet real people who have kicked their addiction.
Start a craving journal - If you know when you are tempted to smoke, you can plan for how to deal with the urge before it hits. A free template is available here.
Find ways to manage your cravings – here are some tips to get you started.
Discover what is really in cigarettes - click here to learn what is really going into your body.
Make your car, home and/or office completely smoke free.
Learn about nicotine withdrawal symptoms and how to cope with them. Click here to learn more.
Click here to get clear - make sure you know the facts about tobacco.
Go two days without smoking - Your sense of smell and taste improves. You start to enjoy your food more. Your risk of heart attack begins to decrease.
Don’t be a victim to tobacco marketing tactics – to become aware of the marketing schemes click here.
Learn how you can help someone else quit, click here for more information.
By making your car and home smoke-free, you are taking an important step in protecting you and others from secondhand smoke.
Delay. Delay the urge to smoke for at least five minutes, the urge will pass.
Deep breathe. Breathe slowly and deeply.
Do something else. Keep your hands busy.
Drink water. Take “time-out”, sip slowly.
Fraser Health Authority’s Tobacco Reduction Coordinators are here to help you find the best free quit resources and direct you to local programs available for every age group.
It doesn’t matter how old you are or how long you’ve smoked. You become healthier and stronger each day you are tobacco free.
The ideal: stop smoking altogether. If nothing else cut down and reduce the risk to others.
To quit smoking takes hard work and a lot of effort, but you can quit smoking. It will be one of the most important things you will ever do.
Set a quit date and a quit method – people who actually plan out how they are going to quit are more successful than those who don’t. For information on deciding on a date and a method click here.
Discover the financial cost of smoking – using this online tool you can quickly and easily calculate what smoking costs you each year, the next five years and the next 10 years. Just think about all the things you could do with that extra money! Click here to calculate the cost.
Get support – you don’t have to quit alone. Find a smoking cessation support group in your community by clicking here.
How addicted are you? Knowing how addicted you are can help you decide if you need extra support or whether you need stop smoking medications to help you quit. To have the best chance of successfully quitting, you need to know what you are up against. Take this online quiz.
Click here to learn why it is so hard to quit.
Go 8 hours without smoking – the oxygen levels in your blood will go back to normal and carbon monoxide levels in your body drop.
What are your personal benefits and costs of smoking? Click here to find out.

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Health Tips