Category: GENERAL

September always feels like it’s time to hit the reset button. Maybe it’s all the years of going back to school that makes September feel like a fresh start. What are your September “New Year” rituals? We’ve compiled a list of 22 home, health and wellness tips for a fresh start this fall. Read more…

At INLIV, we believe in a collaborative approach to your health care. We believe in being your wellness partner. We believe in making it easy for you to get medical advice, support and appointments with your physician. We believe you should have easy access to your medical reports and test results. With our easy-to-use online health portal, we provide all this and more! Read more…

Stress is heightened during the holiday season for many reasons – our routines are interrupted, we eat more, exercise less, have work deadlines and end-of-year expectations for ourselves. Check out these tips from our INLIV team revealing their tips to ease holiday stress. Read more…

Passion for Play – the Kelly Blackshaw story

Kelly Blackshaw lives for, and works for, health and wellness. Looking at health from a holistic and lifestyle perspective, she knows that healthy living isn’t about the vegetables you eat, the hobbies you enjoy, or the positive habits you maintain – it’s about all of those things, and a whole lot more. Read more…

Halloween is just days away and many of us are striving to provide healthier treats for the visiting ghosts and goblins. Here are some simple ideas to help reduce or eliminate sugary treats and other tips to create a happy, healthy Halloween. Read more…

It’s a long weekend and for many of us, that means a family camping trip or driving excursion. The car rides can be long and often our food selection looks like a hungry, unsupervised, eight-year-old did the shopping. Try a healthier approach with our road trip hacks!

• Instead of chips and cookies, fill your cooler with fresh vegetables and fruit
• Apples and carrots last quite a long time, and hummus makes a flavourful dip
• Pack some hard boiled eggs for a quick snack
• Instant oatmeal can give you – and the kids – an energy boost in the morning before heading out for a hike
• Tuna is convenient, especially in the packet versus a can. You don’t even have to worry about finding the can opener!
• For a sweet treat, try grilling pineapple for dessert, instead of indulging in another s’more
• Freeze your drinks before you pack them in the cooler. They’ll help keep everything cold

Our INLIV INmates have also put together a list of their personal tips and road trip hacks for your long weekend travel.

• When planning a road trip, be mindful of where you’re going and how long it will take. If you know it’s a long drive with limited access to anything other than gas station snacks, try packing a small lunch box with healthy snacks like protein bars or bananas. Be careful when choosing your protein bars – make sure the grams of protein are always higher than the grams of sugar! – Zoë Saunders, Client Co-ordinator, INLIV Operations

• Pre-portion everything. Cutting up vegetables in advance and packing them in small sandwich bags works great. – Physician, Total Health Management

• I let my kids pick the snack for each other. And playing a game like ‘what’s behind door number one’ works well. All the doors might have broccoli behind them, but they don’t know that! – Steve Reynish, INLIV Client

• I pack lots of healthy fats and fibre to hold me over longer while I’m out camping. Almonds are great for that. – Omar Ibrahim, Personal Trainer, Fitness

• There are always ways to make your favourites slightly healthier! For your burger, wrap it in lettuce instead of a traditional bun. Skip the fries and choose veggies instead – and you’re good to go! – Zoë Saunders, Client Co-ordinator, Operations

• It can be tough to keep kids entertained in the car, On our road trip this summer, we played ‘count the trucks and name the colours’. We got to about 50 trucks before our little guy lost interest. – Ryan Hamilton, Innovation

• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Physical sunscreens are great – they don’t absorb into the skin, but sit on the surface and protect against both UV-A and UV-B rays. (Click here for more tips on sun safety) – Dr. Wendy Smeltzer, Medical Director at INLIV

• Don’t overlook the basics – water, a first aid kit – and bear spray! All great items to make sure you enjoy your time outdoors safely – Cary Bohnet, Business Development

• When I go hiking I always carry a knife, tape and first aid supplies, just in case anything happens. With these items in your bag, you can tape a sprained ankle or make a splint if you need to. – Cole Elliot, Personal Trainer, Fitness 

• After your hike, stretches are a must. You want to be able to walk tomorrow!  Click here to see a video demonstrating some suggested stretches for after your hike.

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, safe, long weekend – from everyone at INLIV.

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