With school back in session, many of us are dealing with much more stress than we have been accustomed to in the summer. Packing lunches, checking in on homework, and shuttling kids back and forth between activities can be exhausting and often leads to stress. “Adrenal fatigue is a big thing we see in the clinic. People are over-secreting cortisol, which is your stress hormone, which leads to mild to moderate chronic stress,” says Dr. Joey Shulman. “Cortisol levels are supposed to be highest in the morning and then go lower throughout the day; unfortunately we have flipped that because we lead such a stressful life,” she says. According to Dr. Joey, the soaring levels of cortisol in the evening can lead to belly fat. Here are Dr. Joey's top seven ways to achieve natural stress relief: 1. Prevention The best way to deal with stress is to prevent it. Make sure you are scheduling time for yourself in order to keep your stress levels low. 2. Get rid of the caffeine If you are dealing with any anxiety or stress, cut out the caffeine. If you still crave that flavour in the morning, opt for decaf coffee instead. 3. Exercise “There is nothing better for lowering stress response like a good cardiovascular workout,” says Dr. Joey. Not only will this bring your stress levels down, but you will also have some alone time. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone! 4. Have some alone time “I’ve started to wake up an hour before my kids so I can have some alone/cortisol lowering/listen to your iPod time to bring down stress response," says Dr. Joey. Try fitting in some alone time in the morning or evening to relax. 5. Supplements “A good multi-vitamin with vitamin C is very good for stress response,” says Dr. Joey. Two other natural remedies she recommends are the herbs called Relora and Rhodiola. These herbs help the body relax and de-stress naturally. 6. Clean up your diet "Refined flours, sugars and inflammatory foods are irritants and will only raise your stress response,"  says Dr. Joey. Try to avoid these foods if you're dealing with lots of stress. 7. Spend time outdoors Spending time outdoors is a great way to lower cortisol levels. Even if you're living in the city, head to a local park or take your dog for a walk. "If your cortisol response is elevated, no problem, but don't let it get out of hand. We don't want to go into complete adrenal burnout," emphasizes Dr. Joey. There are many symptoms for complete adrenal burnout such as weight gain, irritability, intense anxiety, lack of sleep, hair loss, and exhaustion. Dr. Joey says to remember that it takes active effort to relax, so be sure to take the time to prevent and deal with your stress. To learn more about natural remedies from stress relief, watch the clip below! [embed]bcid:2632617291001[/embed]

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for kids when they have a full day of learning and fun ahead of them! When mornings are rushed, it can be hard to fit in a balanced and nutritious breakfast. Here are five essential breakfasts to have on hand this school year to make your morning routine a little easier. Dr. Joey's detox smoothie is simple to throw together and packed with nutrients to get everyone's day started off on the right foot! This makes a great on-the-go breakfast for drinking in the car during the morning commute to school. Dad's morning muffins Bake these up on the weekend to have on hand for a quick and packable breakfast. No one will say no to a little muffin indulgence in the morning! These are perfect for those mornings racing kids off to cross-country practice - they also make a great lunchbox snack. Perfect Omelette is a nutritious, protein-packed breakfast to get those little minds working before they even hit the classroom! Add in whatever veggies or cheese you want for a well-balanced start to the day. The customizable nature of omelettes means that even your pickiest eaters will be satisfied! Applesauce flax microwave muffins come together in the microwave in under a minute! Prepare the dry ingredients the night before and you'll have a healthy breakfast on the table in minutes. These are loaded with great fall flavours for those cool autumn mornings and pack a nutritious punch. Power pancakes While pancakes might not be a regular weekday breakfast, these make the perfect breakfast for a special occasion like a birthday or the first day of school. Packed with protein, these can also be frozen and reheated in the toaster. What's your favourite breakfast for weekday mornings? 

If you are watching your weight this summer, you do not have to feel deprived. The recipes below offer nutritious and tasty ways to enjoy summertime foods without the guilt! Dijon and soy cedar plank salmon Ingredients

• 1 cedar plank (6 by 14 inches)
• 2 salmon fillets (1 1/2 pounds total)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 6 tbsp soy sauce

Directions Soak cedar plank in salted water for 2 hours (i.e. in sink), then drain. Remove any excess skin from salmon and rinse under cold water. Mix Dijon mustard and soy sauce together and marinate salmon on both sides Place salmon on BBQ, cover and grill until cooked through (20-30 minutes) – medium heat preferred. Remove salmon and plank together from BBQ and serve salmon directly on plank. Serves 2 Parmesan BBQ'd broccoli Yes, it's true…broccoli is actually delicious on the BBQ. Simply follow the steps below and enjoy! Ingredients:

• 1 head of broccoli
• 3 -4tbsp of olive oil
• 3-4tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp of grated parmesan

Directions Cut up one head of broccoli into small pieces In a bowl, toss broccoli with olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinaigrette until well coated Put on a grill pan and mix occasionally for 10-15 minutes Remove from grill and top with parmesan if desired Note: The broccoli will get a little dark/burnt looking and crunchy – but this makes it even yummier! Serves 2-3 BBQ’d fruit kabobs Ingredients:

• ½ cup of strawberries (tops removed)
• ½ cup of sliced pineapple chunks
• ½ cup of sliced bananas
• ½ cup of mango, peach or nectarine pieces

Note: Ensure pieces are big enough to pierce onto wooden skewers Directions: Thread fruit onto 8 ten-inch wooden skewers (make sure to soak wooden skewers for 20 minutes or so in water to prevent charring) Alternate types of fruit for a colorful presentation With a pastry brush, paint the fruit with a light coating of olive oil Place skewers in a hot grill pan and turn occasionally on all sides Serve with vanilla frozen yogurt on the side and enjoy! Serves 4 Courtesy of www.drjoey.com Twitter: @drjoeyshulman For more great recipe ideas and healthy living advice, read Dr. Joey's blog, The Skinny On Health!

Looking to go grain free? This recipe is grain- and gluten-free, naturally sweet and crunchy. Endive spears with mango and peppers Ingredients:

• 2 heads Belgian endive (leaves separated about 24 leaves)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 mango, diced
• ¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 4-6 ounces of Woolwich Dairy low fat spread (plain)

Method: Separate endive into separate piece. Mix red peppers, mango, cilantro and olive oil in one bowl. Spread Woolwich low fat dairy spread onto individual endive pieces (i.e. ½ tsp per endive piece) Top with mango, pepper mixture and enjoy! [embed]bcid:2506117413001[/embed] Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman www.drjoey.com @drjoeyshulman

Dr. Joey Shulman shares an easy and healthy appetizer to serve at a summer picnic or at the cottage! Green olive and tomato bruschetta Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat baguette
• Woolwich Dairy big kick garlic low fat spread
• ½ cup of green olives, sliced thinly
• 1 red tomato and yellow tomato, sliced into small cubes
• ¼ cup of fresh basil, chopped
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil

Method:  Slice whole wheat baguette into thin pieces and lightly toast Once bread is warmed, spread Woolwich low fat garlic spread onto individual pieces. Mix green olives, tomatoes and chopped basil together in separate bowl. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to mixture Top bread slices with mixture and serve. [embed]bcid:2506117413001[/embed] Courtesy Dr. Joey Shulman www.drjoey.com @drjoeyshulman