Health in Guelph

Dive into the festive flavours with our latest podcast episode!  We’re unraveling tips and resources to maintain a balanced relationship with food during the holiday season while staying socially connected. From mindful eating strategies to creative ways of staying active and engaged, discover how you can savour every moment without compromising your well-being. I don't know about you but the holidays can bring out the best of us or the worst of us... I have been on both ends of the spectrum and one thing I know is that after finding I was an empath, it was easier to understand what I need to do to self regulate. Join us for a conversation that blends the joy of the holidays with practical tips for a healthy and fulfilling season!  #BalancedBites #HolidayEats #SocialWellness

What is your why? Why do you do what you do?

This question is similar to that feeling when you are in an interview and they ask yourself where do yourself in 5 years?

And your thinking to yourself. Well hopefully I am still here, farther ahead then I am now and....

Then I stop. I don't want to think to far ahead because well what if things don't come true. I don't want to be disappointed.

That is how I felt when I got asked the question, what is your why, Why do I do what I do, where do you see yourself..... ugh...... blank stare.

I want to lose weight because I want to feel better in my clothing. I want to feel confident. I want people to like me.

That is how my why started and to me at the time. That was all I needed to get my butt in to gear and that is what I want to talk about is how I started and how my why got deeper as I got older, transitioned, evolved, whatever you want to call it.

We know motivation dies, and that is where the why comes in.

I wanted to share my start on my journey to 'greatness'. It is in quotations because GREATNESS is always evolving and at the end of the day we all have our own version of what greatness is and as long as we are able to sleep with our own version of greatness then you and we are winning.

To follow Amanda: @amandagazzola

@healthinguelph_podcast

In this episode Erin and I reflect back on previous episodes with our amazing guests and talk about our own journey when it comes to pelvic health.

Understanding the body takes time and is a life long commitment. This episode is to share our thoughts and opinions. We are not doctors or medical professionals. Please do your own research when it comes to your health journey.

This episode for myself was not an easy one to record as it deals with some challenges I went through in my past but one thing I know for sure is that sharing and talking about these experiences helps people to not feel alone and that is why I continue to share my journey as well as Erin to share hers.

To follow Erin or to work with her: Please see her instagram handle:

@trainwithtusa

@rebelperformanceguelph

To follow Amanda and/or work with her

@amandagazzola

@healthinguelph_podcast

In this weeks episode Jaime and go over the in's and outs of insurance products.

What you need, what you dont, why some products may or may not be right for you.

If insurance is a topic that baffles you and you want to make sure you are protected, listen in!

You are not alone when it comes to difficulties with your children's sleep.

Christin will give you honest information about WHY sleep is so important for your child’s well-being and will lay out an easy-to-follow, step-by-step plan that lets you make some choices about what is the right approach for your child. 

There are many negative impressions to sleep changing and we will discuss what is best for the child and for yourself.

https://allinarowsleep.com/

On this week’s episode we have Dr. Alyssa Shepherd!

She is a mom who is passionate about providing care for families in Guelph and the surrounding communities.

When you visit her office, you will not only receive tailored health care to enhance your well-being in body, mind and spirit, but you will also be given the information and resources you need to make the best decisions for you and your family. What I found so fascinating about Dr Alyssa Shepherd was her holistic technique and how it addresses the entirety of the whole being and body.

Her methods include: Webster Technique and Neuro Emotional Technique - both of which she is certified in.

As a new mom with my body changing it was imperative to me that my body stay in harmony as much as possible especially with the growing pains such as round ligament pain, I needed relief and guidance. Dr Alyssa did just that, which is why I wanted to have her on this week’s episode!

I hope that you enjoy and find some good nuggets to take from it! With heartfelt gratitude, Amanda

https://www.dralyssashepherd.com/

In this weeks episode Jaime and I talk about investments such as RRSP, TFSA, RESP, RDSP, Pension , LIRA, Taxation, Mutual Fund, ETF, Stock, Bonds and GICs.

We go over the risk and reward of investing in each by sharing options and examples of each.

No matter what your goal might be and why you are investing, your investments should align with their overall financial goals.

Jaime is a mom, wife, active community member and a passionate Financial Advisor.

Jaime has a gift for helping her clients align their vision with their business and family life by discussing financial planning goals and guiding them on how to get achieve.

This episode is to help give you insight in to ways of learning to invest in your future.

Thank you for your expertise Jaime,

You are amazing at what you do.

On this week’s episode I talk with Jaime Power who is a mom, wife, active community member and a passionate Financial Advisor.

Jaime has a gift for helping her clients align their vision with their business and family life by discussing financial planning goals and guiding them to get there.

I don’t know about you but navigating this world as a new mom with the to-do list, activities, groceries, jobs, gas and crazy housing market feels NUTS!

It makes you wonder more and second guess your choices in hopes that you are following your dreams which can keep you up at night and stressing during the day.

That is why I thought it was important to do an episode that breaks down some financial barriers when it comes to budgeting and planning in hopes to help you make sure that you are on the right track and or to get you back on track.

Thank you Jaime Power for sharing so much knowledge, tips and insight.

Your value and contribution to our Guelph community means a lot

Welcome to season three of the Health in Guelph Podcast! 

Our first episode is talking about New Years Goals. 

Now before you start feeling guilty. Listen up. In no way is this episode here to make you feel bad. 

If anything I want you to feel understood. 

Erin and I live two different lives but feel the same way when it comes to feeling safe and connected to your whole self.

Today we are going to dig a bit deeper about New Years and why it should not be the end all be all. 

By the end of last year we were both in survival mode as most people were and January certainly was not like the previous years. 

We were no longer that person 10 years ago, 5 years ago, let alone 2 years ago. 

Priorities and lifestyles are completely different now.

As women we go through so many versions of ourselves such as being a mom, business owner, CEO, friend, wife, sister or grandma. 

Sometimes accepting where you are at is another thing. 

In this episode we talk about how learning from our past experiences can actually help us find that ebb and flow. 

The key is not to hold on to the "should have's" or keep carring that luggage of guilt with you.

The key takes aways from this episode are we are still in the beginning of the year. 

If you find yourself setting big goals for the new year only to find yourself falling off the wagon just months (or weeks) later, rest assured that you’re not alone.

This year both of us have had to change our mental mindset with ourselves. 

Learning to show up as yourself in the season you are in is so important. 

What makes it hard is to learn to love yourself in the season you are in. 

This is an important piece to recognize.

This is a powerful episode to listen to if you are struggling with your goals. 

Sometimes doing nothing is powerful because you are being more present with your thoughts, emotions and are keeping space open to allow things to come in.

Both of us are the type of people to go after goals and force it because we love to feel in control. 

What would life look like if you did the opposite and trusted in the process!?

Hope you all enjoy this episode!

https://www.reloveandrise.com

https://www.erintusa.com/

In this weeks episode we talk;

• interesting tips to help you switch up how to eat to feel more satisfied and other food myths that need to be ignored
• stress eating - why do we eat when we feel stressed or deprive ourselves and try and be good before the holidays
• the auto eating spiral and what would have caused the biggest spiral for Erin
• tips to feel more in choice and less stagnant with food and exercise

In this week’s episode of the Health In Guelph Podcast Erin and I open up about our struggles with disordered eating.

If you have been listening to the past couple episodes you will hear us chat about not knowing our body’s signals and how not knowing what we don’t know has impeded our struggles with weight, weight loss or carrying extra weight in our mindset because we feel guilt, shame or unsafe.

This type of eating becomes destructive when it’s the principal way of dealing with feelings. 

It is important when you are following any type of program or are trying to figure out your next steps that:  

  
1. The diet must serve the body
2. The diet must be sustainable

I learned of these terminologies from a fellow fitness coach, Scott Abel. 

His approach, I love, because with all the dieting mistakes that I have made, it is important to know your diet must be flexible, adaptable and be adjusted in order to compensate for real-life events that happen.

I hope that you are enjoying this mini series and if you have any questions or concerns, please know that we are available to assist you! If you know anyone that is struggling with any disorder please contact your doctor.

Where to start when it comes to intuitively eating?

One of the first places to start is to ask the question of ‘Why am I eating’ and ’Am I truly hungry? 

Appreciating the value of food as opposed to hurrying through a meal.What are hunger cues?

• Is your stomach growling?
• Do you have a headache?
• Are you feeling shaky or irritable?
• Do you feel stuffed?
• Are you aware of what you are eating or are you just plowing in the food while you do something else?
• Is your eating routine disrupted, you are upset because its a change in habit or because you are genuinely hungry?

Or have you ever wondered about your emotional cues:

• Are you anxious or stressed?
• Are you happy or sad?

Easy right???
Not so much. This is what we are going to go in depth with today.
Learning our body and its signals is important and one that we don’t pay attention to.
The hunger scale can play an emotional and physical havoc in your body especially if you are a busy person or are not in tune with your body.If you know of anyone who is struggling with eating. Please always seek medical help!
Sending lots of love and positive energy your way.

Welcome to our food intuition series!

This series is going to start from understanding eating disorders, disordered eating and food intuition. 

The goal of this series is to help you to navigate how to have a relationship with food and feel more confident in your choices. 

But to get there, especially if you are a chronic dieter is not so easy which is why we are providing this safe space to have an open conversation about the reward-restricted cycle and how these extremes really mess with our mindset.

In this episode we chat about where these patterns come from and our own experiences with disordered eating, how to understand the feminine and masculine mindset approach to fitness and nutrition and why it can hinder us from our goals and lead us to burn out.

With the holidays coming up our goal is to spread awareness when it comes to your approach to food and who is this you are doing it for.

This series is going to be broken up into four parts starting with understanding and awareness of your eating patterns.

If you know anyone who is struggling with this, know that you are not alone and please reach out to your doctor if you do have an eating disorder.

www.reloveandrise.com

www.erintusa.com

Today is a solo episode with Erin where she will be discussing:

• How she lost 100 pounds and still felt totally overwhelmed about how to be healthy
• How she did it while managing chronic back pain from here "on-again", "off-again" past
• The root cause of all or nothing eating
• The truth about becoming an intuitive eater, why we fail and what to do instead

www.reloveandrise.com

www.erintusa.com

Have you ever gone through something and did not know where to turn for help?

Have you ever suffered through something in silence because you did not know who to trust with your problem?

Since 2006, the Guelph Family Health Team has taken a team-based approach to patient care and wellbeing in every stage of life.

What makes the Guelph Family Health team so beneficial is that they have an array of FREE programs to help you navigate things you might be feeling or going through such as: 

Introduction into Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which is great if you are trying to work on your mindset and need help figuring out patterns and are struggling with feeling down, worried, dealing with a major life transition or a difficult life situation.

In the Let’s Talk About series- there is conversations about Anger, Assertiveness, Carb Counting and Diabetes, Caregiver Stress, Dementia, Food and Mood, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and sooo much more.

Listen to my conversation with Karen Cox who is a Nurse Practitioner of Guelph Family Health team as she leads us through more about what this team is all about and how these programs are for everyone in our community!

https://www.guelphfht.com/

Growing up with a competitive sports background in baseball, as a gym rat, and trying out as a member of Canada’s Olympic bobsled team, Tanya knows discipline, training hard, eating healthy and pushing through barriers.

In this week’s podcast episode Erin Tusa and Amanda Gazzola are talking to a very active local supporter in the Guelph Community and Co-owner of Pomegranate Grove, Tanya Azzopardi.

Becoming a mom in 2016, Tanya went from one life that had routine and structure to now sharing her life with her baby boy. 

With great joy came great challenge as her little boy struggled with colic and had severe acid reflux which kept her up every hour for almost 8 months and as you can imagine that brought on a lot of different stresses.

Just over a year later Tanya became a mom of two with the birth of her baby girl.

Routine, structure, habits, went out the window and it became survival mode.

Tanya has been balancing Momhood, owning a business, being a full time entrepreneur, having 2 kids going to school full time and on top of that, add in a pandemic, homeschooling and everything else.

Now in 2022, Tanya is finding peace within herself and has learned to let go of who she used to be and find acceptance of the person she is now. 

As we know, parenthood is not linear and learning to find resilience in a new role takes time, patience, understanding, love and surrendering.

Listen to Tanya’s story as she shares from her own perspective, the dance of motherhood.

• What alignment means to herself?
• How Tanya is scheduling her time and making time for herself
• What Tanya is doing to stay consistent with her decision making, while dancing with ‘balance’ as no days are the same, especially being an active parent and so much more

If you know of anyone that is struggling with momhood or in a caretaker role, this is a great episode to listen to!

Have you ever felt frustrated with exercise or unmotivated to keep going? 

Overwhelmed with what to do? 

Find yourself skipping it because you're not a morning person? 

Have the best intentions to get moving, and then by the end of the day have no energy and feel too tired to care? 

Tired of not getting RESULTS?!

In this episode Erin and Amanda sit down with Erin's client Danica to discuss her experience with exercise, expectation, worry, self sabotage and how things changed for her after just one year of getting some support. 

Specifically we discuss how our conditioning around movement, food and body image makes it hard to feel successful, and a few powerful takeaways to feel more in control of choice and consistentcy with exercise, not out of control or punishing. 

We talk about how exercise has very little to do with more discipline and willpower, and has a lot more to do with our issues around food, body image and emotional safety. 

We thank DANICA SO MUCH for coming on and sharing her more than relatable and rebel experience with exercise and her weight  loss goals - we hope you like this authentic conversation as much as we did!

If there is anything here that lands for you, please share it with a friend. 

If you have any specific comments or questions, please feel free to email us at amanda@reloveandrise.com.

We welcome your feedback as it give us more opportunities to support you on your path to food, body and health freedom. Sincerely - HIG GALS xo

https://www.erintusa.com/

https://www.reloveandrise.com/

Since January I have been chatting with some of Guelph’s most awesome health and wellness practitioners as well as our MPP Mike Schreiner.

We opened up about hard conversations when it comes to death and or struggle stories of people’s personal journeys!

Now I want to share in this special series, the foundation of self transformation and journeys of others with you.

Season 2 of the Health In Guelph podcast is here with a little extra spice of life thanks to my friend Erin Tusa who is going to be co-hosting with me.

Just a reminder that this show was created for:

- The person who wants to feel a sense of purpose when it comes to working out, eating and most importantly who wants to understand why they do what they do and where it comes from so that you can stop the yo yo cycle.

- The woman who has been trying to lose weight, feel confident, follow a diet, and maybe get that Kim Kardashian butt, but doesn't feel like they are getting ahead or any better and are always doing the all or nothing approach

- YOU! Our audience, who wants to feel connected and not alone because we are stronger together.

Today I open up about my own story, one that I hope can inspire others.

I have gone through the journey of transformation, diet, competing, entrepreneurship and so much more in my quest to find out what truly makes me happy and what makes me feel fulfilled.

I just wanted to share some of what has worked for me, what I have come across and what MIGHT help you as well.

Listen today to be inspired by a true story and what it really feels like and takes to transform yourself. It isnt simple nor easy, it's truly your own hero's journey!

www.reloveandrise.com

An amazing discussion with this energizer today! Erin Tusa is a trainer out of Vault Barbell here in Guelph.

If you are looking to make not just a physical transformation, but a mental and emotional one as well, she is your lady.

Learn about diet culture, how Erin helps her clients beat the trends and have more peace with themselves.

https://www.instagram.com/trainwithtusa/

Emily is a small business owner and mom to 2 kiddos. S

he lives, works and plays in the downtown area. 

She has a lot of love for Guelph and it’s downtown community of businesses.

Today we discuss consignment vs thrifting, community, charity, owning a business, owning a business during a pandemic and much more....

www.thewildrose.ca

Sylvia Plester-Silk, BSW is an intuitive counsellor who integrates traditional therapy with Akhashic Readings and energy work to help individuals transform to a life that is fully On Purpose. 

In 1998, she graduated from the Social Work program at Ryerson University. 

While working for multiple community agencies, she has assisted thousands of individuals through addictions, mental health and trauma to finding their way. 

While she was powerful in this work, her results became exponential when she added energy therapies to her work.  

In the mid-1990’s Sylvia brought energy work into the hospital she worked in and into mental health agencies to assist individuals to heal with ease. 

Since 2004, she has been working independently with individuals, groups and more recently, since 2010, organizations.

https://onpurposetransformations.ca

https://www.facebook.com/OnPurposeTransformations

sylvia@onpurposetransformations.ca

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylviaplestersilk/

Jon arrived in Canada with enough money to pay for his immigration papers, waiting over 18 months to be able to work legally here. 

Fast forward 8 years, Jon and wife Jana have been very busy helping thousands of people make positive and healthy changes to their lives!

Once a promising athlete, in his mid-twenties he found himself in dark place facing depression, addiction and ultimately a suicide attempt!  

In a miraculous twist of fate Jon was saved from a suicide attempt and given a second chance to choose life, take a new path and find his true purpose and happiness. Now together, Jon and Jana see their role in life as helping others overcome mental and physical health issues by using their experience and the strategies to teach others to create positive changes in their lives.  

Jon is passionate about helping others take their health back, find their own purpose and happiness in a time where there’s so much uncertainty in the world.

i: JMTraining 

i: Fitnessjunctionguelph

www.jmtraining.ca 

www.thefitnessjunction.com 

www.peakphysiquefilm.com

If you are suffering from or suffered from infertility, today's episode will hit home for you.

Alexie Reilly and her husband Tom are on an epic quest to have a baby of her own and it has now been many years, egg retrievals, implantations and she is hear to discuss all of the steps and struggles that occur and continue to occur.

Want to learn more about what infertility is REALLY like and what it involves, please give today's episode a listen.

i: @epicquest4babyreilly

Elaine Uskoski is a Speaker, Author and Online Coach for Video Gaming Addiction Awareness.

Are you experiencing yourself, or know someone who is suffering from video game addiction?

Are video games taking the place of daily tasks such as cleaning, showering, or going to work/school?

This was a nightmare that Elaine found herself in as her son became addicted to video gaming. 

What started as a fun hobby became a deadly crisis and started Elaine's journey on becoming an expert in video game addiction.

Today we talk about her story as well as signs of addiction to watch out for and steps that you can take to help someone in need.

elaineuskoski@gmail.com

https://eyespyhealth.ca/

i: elaineuskoski

Tessa is a leadership coach and human behaviour consultant helping teams and organizations create spaces of psychological safety.

Tessa specializes in making teams and their members feel valued and inspired to show up authentically.

Today we talk about overcoming fears that drive decisions such as insecurities, rejection, criticism or the need to be perfect.

Overcome these and you can just be your authentic self and not only will it feel great, others will notice and your communication will improve.

www.tessakampen.com

i: @inspired_tessa

Dara is a Guelphite through and through, with a passion for country living.

She is a doula and reiki practitioner with a keen interest in overall health.

On this episode she breaks down exactly what reiki is, what you can expect, common myths and misconceptions and more.

She is just a wealth of information and an all around amazing guest.

Enjoy!

https://www.daramussar.com

I: @daramussar

Want to transform from self-conscious to self-empowered? How about healing your mindset regarding money? Brenda is a subconscious strategist that can provide you with the tools to unlock a more powerful mindset to heal and liberate yourself.

She is the host of The Limitless Life podcast and can be found at:

http://www.brenda-johnston.com

@_brendajohnston

Today I chat with Lucy D'Aguilar, the owner of Fit and Eats. She is also a postpartum trainer specialist and physiotherapy assistant at Birthing Body Wellness in Guelph, Fergus and Elora.

She is a mom of three busy girls and knows the journey all to well of postpartum rehabilitation.

info@fitandeats.com

www.fitandeats.com

insta: @fitandeats

Today I interview Guelph's very own MPP, Mike Schreiner.

We discuss his plan to help increase access to mental healthcare in our community, something so sorely needed as too many continue to suffer from anxiety, loneliness and depression during the depths and aftermath of a pandemic. 

We also discuss what drew him to Guelph, to politics and his goals going forward

https://mikeschreinermpp.ca/

https://gpo.ca/mike-schreiner/

Alex struggled with endometriosis her whole life. It wasn't until she could no longer physically function that she turned into her own best advocate. 

She now empowers others to be their own advocates and is the founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of Canada.

instagram: yellowbowsxo

Today I am speaking with Debbie Stanley a Senior Estate Administrator. It can be uncomfortable talking about wills, estates, and death. Join us as we debunk some myths and learn some great insight into how to plan for you and your family's financial health. Debbie is ready to help you be comfortable talking about the uncomfortable.

http://www.debbiestanley.ca

https://www.instagram.com/deb_stanley/

https://twitter.com/debstanley7

Danielle Joworski is the host of C-Suites, a success coach and been to the top of the corporate ladder. We discuss setting boundaries, exploring your values and understanding any misalignment that may be present in your life. Get permission to explore who you are, with a healthy dose of self-compassion.

• danielle@daniellejoworski.com
• https://www.daniellejoworski.com
• @danielleajoworski

Welcome to the Health In Guelph podcast.

Get to know me, your host, Amanda Gazzola and what the Health In Guelph Podcast is all about.

This podcast is meant to bring the Guelph health community together, from practitioners, nutritionists, coaches, practices, nurses and more.

Listen in to learn about our nutrition, fitness, mental health and more from the very people in our community.