The Basics of Healthy Living

I’m asked daily what we can all do to strengthen our immune systems and be healthier and here are my top suggestions for everyone. They are all quite simple and inexpensive but they can lead to a better quality of life and a healthier body.

1. Breathe! Every chemical reaction in your body depends on you breathing properly. Many people tend to hold their breath from stress and anxiety, sitting too much and breathing from our chest instead of our diaphragms. Taking 120 deep breaths a day can help facilitate better digestion, sleeping, brain function, energy, and lowers stress hormones which help prevent anxiety and panic attacks.

2. Get outside for 30+ minutes a day. I’m constantly telling my kids to go outside and play but I forget that I should be going outside and playing as well! There always seems to be something more important to be doing. Now that I have a lot more free time on my hands, I’ve been getting outside to do yard work, taking my dog for a walk and going to some parks and conservation areas that I haven’t been to in a while. The sunshine is so important for more than just vitamin D, although that is important as well. The fresh air also helps to detoxify the body from toxins that can be lurking in your house. The outside can help to reduce stress hormones and combat the “burnt out” feeling that so many of us feel constantly.

3. Have fun. What are you doing for fun? Simply doing something that you have fun with can boost your immune system and lower stress hormones. It doesn’t have to be something fancy or expensive. It can simply be reading a book or doing a craft or hobby. Just give yourself some fun.

4. Go to sleep on time. Issues with sleeping effect my clients more than any other issue. Insomnia is such a terrible condition and can create so many other issues. The body heals and repairs itself when you are sleeping and if you’re not sleeping, you’re compromising your body. Go to bed on time. I suggest between 10-10:30pm with lights out. Sleeping in total darkness is also important. Light in a bedroom can disrupt your circadian rhythms which in turn can disrupt your hormones and immune system. It can even disrupt your gut bacteria. Put your phone down and get some sleep!

5. Do some form of exercise. Every day. I know that you’re now giving me excuses for every reason in the book that you can exercise. I promise I’ve heard them all. Your lymphatic system cannot move unless you move which means that your body cannot get rid of garbage properly if you are not moving. If you’re just starting out with exercising, I suggest 30 minutes of walking a day. It doesn’t have to be brisk, it just has to be moving. If you combine it with 30+ minutes of being outside, you’ve crossed two things off your list!

6. Drink water. I’ve preached this one countless times. Water is also important for every single chemical reaction that goes on in your body. When you get the signal that you’re thirsty, your body is already at 1% dehydration. If you get headaches, feel tired and lethargic, and have digestive issues, you might just need to drink some water.

7. Diet. Food is everything! What you stick in your mouth determines whether your body will work properly or not. Whatever diet you choose, make sure that it’s made up of real food. Try to get as many varieties of fruits and vegetables into your body as possible. Thankfully, there are still plenty of fruits and vegetables at the grocery store.

8. Supplements. I’m not a big fan of people taking hundreds of supplements per day because I like them to focus on eating properly first, but supplements can be very important. Essential fatty acids, Vitamin D, and probiotics are difficult to get enough of in our diets so getting good quality supplements can help.

If you find this list overwhelming, I would start with one or two of them on the list and see how you feel!

Is there anything extra that you would add to the list? Let me know!

Dangerous Chemicals and Where They're Hiding

There are so many things to discuss when I get to see my clients that sometimes we get to the topic of household and environmental chemicals but usually we’re jumping to other topics.

There seems to be surprise when I start to talk about the dangers of certain chemicals that we use on a daily basis in our homes. There is the assumption that because it is available for sale, it must have gone through rigorous testing and be safe. Unfortunately, that’s not true. In 1959, there was a study done at Stanford University that found that a group of chemicals called PFAS bind to proteins in human blood. In 1965, they did another study that found the PFAS can cause liver damage and enlarged spleens in rats. There have been numerous studies done since then about the dangers of PFAS and how they are found in our organs, but unfortunately, the chemicals are still on the market and we buy them in the form of Teflon and non-stick pans.

Laundry detergents and especially fabric softeners and dryer sheets have been shown to cause irritation to the lungs, irritation to the nervous system and can cause headaches and dizziness.

Fragrances and candles can also be a source of harmful chemicals. Your cozy candle that smells like pumpkin spice is full of chemicals that are toxic to the nervous system.

Johnson & Johnson has recalled 33,000 bottles of Baby Powder after the FDA found trace amounts of asbestos. This comes after they’ve faced thousands of lawsuits because a few of their ingredients can cause cancer.

So now that I’ve officially scared you, now we can discuss the alternatives. I’ve talked before about my love of natural cleaning products and you can read about them.

If you aren’t sure of what you should change out first, I would suggest the laundry room. Start by throwing out your fabric softener and dryer sheets and using wool dryer balls instead.

The next step would be to get rid of any candles or fragrances. I use diffusers with essential oils to keep my house from smelling too stale. And bonus, they give you health benefits as well.

After that, I would start to change over my cleaners. If you don’t want to invest in some Thieves Cleaner, grab a bottle of vinegar and some baking soda.

Start small and work your way through your cupboards until you’re sure that what you’re using for you and your family is safe!

Meal Planning for Beginners

Meal planning helps me with my sanity. For years I would go to the fridge around 5pm and “hope” that I had enough ingredients to make a meal. I would grocery shop with vague ideas of what I wanted to create for the week but by the time it came to remembering, the meal would never happen.

A few years ago I started meal planning. I was working full time and my kids were starting extracurricular activities. I wrote down on a slip of paper what we were going to eat for each meal that week, and my goodness, it changed my entire outlook on grocery shopping. With every week that I meal planned, I noticed that my grocery bill was lower and I wasn’t running to the grocery store every night for the one item I was missing. It’s brilliant.

There are quite a few programs out there for meal planning but it doesn’t have to be difficult. I use a program that is meant for nutritionists called That Clean Life. It puts everything for me into a neat little plan with the recipes and the grocery list as well. Amazing!

If you don’t have a program that you use, I would simply suggest opening up a worksheet on your computer and putting meals under each day. I always pick my meals based on how busy I’m going to be that week. For instance, on Tuesdays I have to have my son to hockey by 5pm so I know that I need to have a meal that I can stick in to my Instant Pot so that it’s done on time. On days that I know I have a bit more time, I’ll pick a meal that might be more time intensive and use more dishes.

If you’re an existing client of mine, I offer my meal planning services as a part of your appointment. I can make one up for you quickly because I already know what your dietary requirements and restrictions are. If you’re not an existing client, I offer my services for $60 a month.

It’s time to save your sanity and start meal planning! Your family, stomach and wallet will thank you :)

Children and Cooking

I posted a picture of my daughter cooking us dinner on my Instagram a I got quite a few comments. My oldest daughter is 9 years old and she loves cooking. All three of my children love helping me out in the kitchen. They love helping me meal plan, choose the ingredients, stir everything together, and best of all, they love to eat everything they make.

There are so many kids out there that are picky eaters. It’s one of the big questions I get. One of the simplest things that you can do to get your child to expand their diet from chicken fingers and french fries, is to teach them how to cook.

Here are my reasons for getting kids more involved in the kitchen:

1. It teaches them about healthy eating. They’re more apt to eat healthier foods if they have had a part in making the meal. This can depend on the age. When my children were younger, I had them setting the table and making a salad. As they’ve gotten older, they started measuring ingredients for me. As they became more confident with knives and cutting, they started chopping vegetables and putting everything together in the bowls and pots.

2. It creates good values around food. Some of my favourite memories growing up were around our big kitchen table. I grew up in a large family and dinnertime could last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. We learned how to carry on conversations, enjoy our food, and create relationships around that big table.

3. They are more likely to carry these values on into adulthood. There are quite a few studies that show how important meal times are for families. They can help prevent depression, anxiety and eating disorders, especially for young girls but also for boys.

4. When they cook the meal, they will try lots of different foods. I have been able to get my kids to try so many different types of foods and flavours because they’ve put them together. Their current favourite soup is Masala Lentil Soup with lots of spices and flavours. I’m not sure they would have been interested in it if they hadn’t put it together themselves.

5. It prepares them for adulthood. I have so many clients and friends who don’t know how to cook. To me, this is so sad because it’s a life skill! Being able to feed yourself properly is such an essential part of living, but unfortunately most adults can’t do this and are limited to sticking a pizza in the oven. If you teach your kids how to cook when they’re younger, they’ll enjoy it and continue it on in to adulthood and eventually thank you for preparing them for the real world!

If you’re unsure of where to start, I would suggest going to your local book store and buying a recipe book that is appropriate for your child’s age. I bought my kids their first cookbooks when they were four and we still pull our favourite recipes from those books! Take them grocery shopping and get an idea of what they’d be interested in making. Even baking cookies together teaches them about the importance of measuring and temperature times. Resist the urge to do it all yourself because it’s easier. I promise it will get easier and less messy as you go along!

Are there any recipes that you and your family love to make? I’m always looking for new ones!

Did you learn to cook as a child? Let me know in the comments below.

75 Hard Challenge

We made it to day 57 of the 75 Hard Challenge!

The morning of day 58, my husband woke me up at 4:45am in a panic because yesterday we forgot to take a progress picture of ourselves. I would love to say that I freaked out, but I just thought “well, maybe I can get more sleep!” haha. But I didn’t, I still dragged myself out of bed and went for a 45 minute run-walk.

Our current favourite restaurant is Flame & Smith in Bloomfield, ON. You can get amazing steak and vegetables!

So we actually failed, but I’m not going to start back at day one because it was ridiculously hard. I knew it was going to be hard so I didn’t have any expectations of breezing through it, but this is extremely hard. There are very few people that I believe would benefit from something like this.

We decided that we were going to continue on with the diet, exercise, water, and reading portion of it until it ended on August 9th, but then we changed our minds. This type of challenge was starting to consume us and my husband had begun to lose weight. At that point, we decided that if it wasn’t making us healthier, there was no point in continuing.

Here is what I liked about 75 Hard:

1. It takes the decision making out of being fit and healthy. On our anniversary weekend, we knew that we had to eat healthy and work out so we planned that into our days. It wasn’t that much fun, but we did it. I knew that I have to work out twice a day, I just got to decide when.

2. I love how my body changed. I always thought I was fit before, but now I have abs and my stomach is flat all the time. Bonus!

3. I realize how much free time I had before. I always thought I was busy (and I was!) but I’m really enjoying my free time and not being consumed with what time I should work out and if I’m going to get food that is safe for our diet.

4. I love reading so the 10 pages of non-fiction wasn’t an issue for me. I’m now taking time to finish books that I’ve started but “never had time” to finish. I’m currently reading “The Life Giving Home” by Sally Clarkson and “Leonardo da Vinci” by Walter Issacson. Highly recommended!

5. It’s was great to spend more time with my husband and family being active together. We go for walks at the beach with our kids and get lots of fresh air and sunshine.

Here is what I dislike:

1. It is too much exercise for the average healthy human. My husband is quite fit and he lost weight with the amount that he was working out. Your body needs rest days if you’re going to be building muscle. I find that my weight has stayed the same, but I’m not getting drastic results because I’m quickly burning everything that my body would be creating. if you are trying to lose weight, this is a great option for you! For me, I’ve slowed my workouts to 4 times a week mixed in with some yoga, biking, and walking.

2. I had no free time. None. I got up at 5am and fell into bed at 9:30pm. I was tired and that’s probably why we forgot to take our progress pictures.

3. I missed out on some great summer experiences because the diet is strict 100% of the time. I love moderation. I normally eat healthy 90% of the time, but allow myself some wiggle room. It would’ve be nice to go out to a restaurant and not ask them to remove the feta cheese or enjoy some ice cream from Slickers.

There is another challenge that is a 30 day challenge which I think would be great and more achievable for most people. Perhaps in the winter I’ll do that, but I definitely won’t be trying 75 days again!

Beyond Meat - Is It Healthy?

There have been a lot of alternative meat products that have been coming out lately and they are all touting health benefits. So here I am to break it down for you!

The two biggest brands on the market are Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. This is not a slam on either company, this is simply a break down of their ingredients.

I decided to go with “Beyond Meat” since that one is the most popular one on the market at the moment:

The first ingredient is water. I have nothing against that!

The second ingredient is pea protein isolate. I have recommended to people that they take a protein powder made of pea protein, especially if they cannot consume whey or casein powders. (I rarely suggest this though. It’s best to eat real sources of protein!) Since peas are legumes, there can be a bit of an issue with people who have legume or peanut allergies. I would consult your health care professional or your nutritionist before trying this if you have an allergy.

The third ingredient is where the ingredients get a little iffy. Expeller-pressed canola oil is made from a hybridization of the rapeseed plant. Canola means “oil from Canada” and is not a plant that is found naturally in nature. It is higher in trans-fatty acids because of the omega 3 that is taken out of the oil. This allows it to have a higher burn temperature and be more shelf-stable.

The oil is removed by a combination of high temperature mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. Traces of the solvent (usually hexane) remain in the oil, even after considerable refining. Like all modern vegetable oils, canola oil goes through the process of caustic refining, bleaching and degumming–all of which involve high temperatures or chemicals of questionable safety. And because canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which easily become rancid and foul-smelling when subjected to oxygen and high temperatures, it must be deodorized. The standard deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fatty acids.

Source

I feel like I’ve come to a conclusion already with whether or not these burgers are healthy with just listing canola oil, but I’ll continue!

Refined coconut oil is the next ingredient. They do not tell how the coconut oil is refined so I’m unsure if this is a good ingredient or a bad ingredient. Some refined coconut oils are bleached with a natural clay and some are bleached with chemicals.

The next ingredients are Mung beans (not bad), Methylcellulose (probably bad since it’s usually made from chemicals), Potato Starch (I try to stay away from this), Apple Extract, Salt (is it table salt or sea salt? They don’t tell you), Potassium Chloride (is a food additive that can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea), Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin (can have some health benefits if processed properly), Pomegranate Fruit Powder, Beet Juice Extract (for colour).

My verdict is that this is not natural and you should not be consuming it. The reviews on it go from “it tastes amazing!” to “this is absolutely disgusting”, but that doesn’t really matter since most of it is not natural and something that humans shouldn’t be eating.

I’ll stick with my grass-fed hamburger that I make myself, thank you very much.

75 Hard Challenge (Week 1)

This blog post will be different than my ordinary posts but I hope you enjoy my personal ramblings!

I love a good challenge, especially when I know I can win, haha. My husband and I heard about this challenge from my brother in law and my husband was instantly intrigued. The name of the challenge is “75 Hard” and it was originally created by Andy Frisella (you can listen to the blog / do not listen if swearing offends you).

The challenge is one to mentally challenge you, although it is also very physical. You have to do 5 things every day:

1. Read ten pages of a non-fiction book.

2. Work out twice per day in 45 minute increments. One of those work outs has to be outside.

3. Drink minimum 2 litres of water per day (he has 1 gallon but I don’t necessarily think that is always healthy for everyone)

4. Follow a diet. (we decided on no wheat, corn, soy, dairy, sugar, or processed foods / there are a few variations for my husband)

5. Take a progress picture of yourself.

If you forget or fail at any of these things, you have to start back at day one. No cheating. Not even a little bit!

We decided that we were going to do it together starting on May 27th. It is unbelievably tough. I’ve always considered myself to be a very motivated person, but getting up at 5:30 in the morning is not my cup of tea. Neither is going to a birthday party and bringing your own food because you know there will be nothing there that you can eat. Over the course of the 75 days, we’ll be doing it through our anniversary, a few birthdays, and a vacation.

Those are the negatives, but there are some positives as well. I’m learning to appreciate a morning workout. There’s something about getting up before my kids are up that helps to set the tone for the day. I find that I have more time and I’m less stressed or hurried as I get ready for the day.

I’m also finding that my body is changing already for the better. The progress pictures are helping me to track this so I know it’s not just my imagination! I’m unbelievably sore from head to toe but even that I am learning to appreciate.

I will keep everyone updated on how we are doing. We’re headed to Toronto this weekend for our anniversary and that should be interesting for both the exercise as well as the diet! We are currently researching the healthiest restaurants to eat at and planning our days around that.

65 days left!

Your Microbiome Part 2 - For Teens and Adults

If you haven’t read Part 1, I would suggest that you go back and just do a quick read-through so that you can understand the basics of the microbiome)

The biggest complaint that I get from my clients is digestive issues. This can range from IBS to heartburn or just feeling bloated and gassy after you eat. Usually the first thought is that you have food allergies ( and yes, that’s a great place to start!), but usually there is a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract that needs some correcting before everything resolves.

Gas and bloating happens when the bacteria breaks down the sugars in the foods that you are eating. The bloating can happen almost immediately or even be a few hours later.

IBS can be ore difficult to fix since it’s a grouping of symptoms as opposed to a singular thing happening. There is a great probiotic called HMF IBS that can help with getting the bacteria to the small intestines and combatting the inflammation that is happening there.

Taking away processed foods and cutting out sugar, wheat, corn, soy, and dairy products is always helpful with resolving gut issues and feeding your beneficial bacteria.

Adding prebiotic foods to your diet can be helpful for some, but for others, it can make it worse. I would start slow and see how your body reacts! Kombuchu is one of my favourites. I do the “continuous brew” method. It seems a lot more complicated than it is. Check out this recipe if you’re interested in making your own. Other great fermented foods are kimchi, kefir, yogurt (homemade or no sugar added is the best!), sauerkraut, and homemade pickled vegetables (if you don’t do homemade, check the ingredients for added ingredients that are used as preservatives).

If these tips don’t resolve your issues, it would be a good idea to book an appointment with me to see what the state of your digestive tract is and make a personalized plan.

You don’t have to live with any digestive issues!

Your Microbiome Part 1 - For Infants and Children

Did you know that you’re actually made up of more bacterial cells than you are human cells? I know that I’m a nerd and I find that completely fascinating. For every one human cell, you have ten more bacterial cells. There are over 100,000 billion microbes in the body. That’s crazy!

The microbiome can be described as the population that resides within the human body. There is over 3 pounds of bacteria in the human gut, and it controls our immune system, hormones, brain health, and gut health as well as a host of other functions that we haven’t discovered yet. The human microbiome is throughout the body and covers the mouth, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, the skin, and the urinary and genital areas.

When you are in utero, you’re actually sterile. It’s not until you pass through the vaginal canal, that your exposure to microflora begins. This lasts throughout your entire lifetime, but the first two years of your life are the formative years. This is when your colonies of bacteria is fully formed.

When a baby is born by C-section it does not have the chance to pick up the bacteria from the vaginal canal. Babies who are born via C-Section have an increased risk of gastrointestinal conditions, weight management difficulties, and a 2-fold higher chance of atopy. In Canada, about 27% of births are C-section and most of them are elective. So what do you do if your child or you were born via C-Section?

AlFaleh, et al Cochrane Database of Sytematic Reviews 2011

Pistiner et al, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008

Kalliomaki et at 2008, Collado et al 2008

Whether the baby is vaginal or C-section, there are quite a few studies that show that when a baby takes a probiotic, it lowers the chances of upper respiratory tract issues, eczema, allergies, and asthma, and autoimmune disorders throughout their life.

Rinne et al FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 2005

Maldonado et al J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2012

The reason that this works is that the good bacteria provides a protective “barrier” in the digestive tract so that unfriendly bacteria types can’t fill the gaps and begin to take over. If they do start to take over, it can cause issues within the immune system. If the digestive tract gets compromised, that’s when the issues start!

There are a few probiotics that I suggest for kids. HMF Baby B by Genestra is for breastfed babies. It has the correct compounds to compliment the probiotics that they’re already receiving from their mother’s milk. HMF Baby F by Genestra is for formula fed babies. It compliments the bacteria that they wouldn’t be getting from breast milk. For children that aren’t being breast fed or formula fed, I suggest either HMF Powder or HMF Child by Genestra. My kids love HMF Child and grab it out of the fridge to take with their breakfast every morning.

Some other ways that I strengthen their microbiome is by letting my kids play in the dirt. They get really, really dirty. There’s dirt on their faces and under their finger nails. Yes, I do make them wash up for meal times, and they do take regular showers, but for the most part, they get to be normal kids who play outside and make mud pies. I also don’t clean everything like a fanatic. I don’t love cleaning so this is partly me (haha!) but when you sterilize every surface, you’re not giving their immune systems a chance to regulate bacteria on its own. I clean my house with essential oils and never use bleaches or commercial cleaners (Look at my last blog past for some more recommendations!).

In my next post, I’ll be talking about how the microbiome works in adults and what you can do to improve your digestive health!

Natural Cleaning and My Favourite Products

First off, let me just state that cleaning is not my favourite thing to do. I enjoy having a clean and organized house, but I don’t really enjoy the work that it takes to get there.

Ok, now moving on. Next to the food that we eat, our environment impacts our health the most. What we put on our bodies and clean our houses with will either help your body, or cause a host of other problems. There are over 60,000 chemicals that are used in cleaning products and most of them are not tested for safety, efficacy, the effects on the environment, or the effects of accumulation in humans. That’s pretty scary. It’s also scary that when they tested the umbilical cords of babies, they found a number of these dangerous chemicals.

So here’s my solution. You need to know what is in your cleaning products. Don’t search for products that have a green label or say “natural”. That’s called “greenwashing”, which means that the company is trying to look natural to sell more products. You want products that are actually safe. There are is an app called Think Dirty and a website called the EWG that you can use to determine how safe your products are but here are some of my favourite products.

Thieves Cleaner. I cannot say enough about this stuff. I use one bottle of cleaner to clean my entire house. Floors, windows, walls, showers, toilets, literally everything. It is very concentrated so you only need to add one capful to a spray bottle of water. It also smells like cinnamon, clove and lemon.

Attitude Dish Soap. I’ve tried numerous dish soaps and they all make my dishes feel greasy afterwards. This has no dangerous chemicals in it, and gets everything nice and clean.

Thieves Laundry Detergent. I love this stuff. I use this hack to make it last a lot longer. It’s also extremely concentrated so I can get a lot of bang for my buck, this means that I’m not paying for water and it’s better for the environment.

For mopping my floors, I use a Steam Mop. I have very dark floors that show every bit of mud and dirt (if you’re thinking about dark floors, I would advise against it!). I end up mopping my floors once or twice a day so it comes in handy. I uses steam to kill any bacteria on the floors and lift away dirt and grime. Sometimes I put a drop of an essential oil into the water container so that my house smells amazing afterwards.

For more information, I suggest taking a look at this article by the Environmental Workers Group.

Happy Cleaning!

Sugar Substitutes

First off, donuts are delicious. I’m not going to argue with anyone on that score. But that being said, sugar can be extremely dangerous to consume on a daily basis. It can raise your risks for heart disease and cancer. It causes weight gain, depression, anxiety, acne, and can accelerate cellular damage. It also depletes your body’s stores of magnesium.

So in an attempt to lower your sugar content, you might reach for your sucralose, your aspartame or your Twin Sugars and think that you’re doing a good thing for yourself, but actually you might be causing more harm than sugar does. Artificial sweeteners can cause Type 2 Diabetes, memory impairment, mood disorders, headaches and migraines,

Don’t get frustrated. There are alternatives that are healthy for you and won’t give you a chronic disease.

Stevia is one that is overlooked by most people. It comes from the herb Stevia and is prepared either by drying the herb or by preparing it in an alcoholic tincture. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar so a little goes a long way. It has zero calories when used as a sweetener so it is great to use for people who would like to lose weight. The downfall to it is that it can cause digestive issues if you use too much. It also has a bitter aftertaste that a lot of people don’t like. Look for an organic brand.

Honey is one of nature’s miracles. It is naturally antibacterial and can be used for many things besides just adding a bit of sweetness to your life. It can be used in hair masques, skin masques and salves for skin issues. If taken internally, it has antioxidants and nutrients that support the body. It has 64 calories per tablespoon so you’re not going to want to over use it if you’re looking to lose weight. It doesn’t raise blood sugar levels as quickly as sugar does so it can be great for diabetics. It also helps to regulate cholesterol in the body and improve athletic performance. If you’re planning on adding honey to everything, just remember that if you heat it, it loses most of its enzymes and is not as potent. It is best to use raw, organic and local.

Maple syrup is another of nature’s miracles. It is full of antioxidants as well as nutrients including zinc, potassium, manganese, thiamine, calcium, iron, magnesium, and riboflavin. Maple syrup has properties that may protect the body against certain types of cancers. It also has a lower glycemic index which means that it is safer for diabetics in small amounts.

Coconut sugar is one of my personal favourites for baking recipes. Coconut sugar is made from the sap of the cut flowers of the coconut palm. It contains quite a few vitamins and minerals as well as inulin which helps to keep the glycemic index low. It is quite high in calories but you’d have to use a lot of it to experience any issues. It is great for substituting in recipes that call for sugar. In small amounts, this is a great sugar alternative.

Medjool dates are always in my trail mix and there are some great reasons why. First, they taste amazing. Like little soft caramels. They are great for digestive issues, the liver, strengthening the bones and muscles and are full of nutrients. It is easy to add them in to your recipes or include them as a healthy snack. These were my go-to snack food a few years ago went I went two months without having any types of sugar, even honey or maple syrup. They are a life-saver.

A few other sweeteners that didn’t make the list are blackstrap molasses (great for iron content!), bananas, and monk fruit.

If you’re looking for recipes that might include any of these, click on my Pinterest Link. I have a board that is No Wheat or Sugar Foods. I think there’s even a donut recipe on there.

Enjoy!

Hormones for Men - Part 2

So now we understand the impact that low testosterone might have on a man, let’s talk about a few other factors that come in to play.

Stress is one of the biggest causes of low testosterone. When stress levels are high, cortisol and adrenaline (two hormones) raise and the body goes in to “fight or flight” mode. When this happens long-term, testosterone can be put on the back burner since all the body is concerned about is getting out of that stressful situation. Trying to minimize stress levels is a great way to raise testosterone. Instead of working late, try to take more vacations and set boundaries. Turn off your phone when you’re not at work if you don’t want to be disturbed. Plan for fun things in your life if you find it hard to find time. You’ll have time for it if you schedule it in.

On of the other big factors for low testosterone is poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Choosing a diet that is high in fruits in vegetables, good sources of protein and fat, and low in processed foods is extremely important! Not only will it help to regulate insulin levels, but it will help to regulate testosterone levels.

Exercise is another important one. Getting plenty of exercise can help to you to lose weight, balance stress, raise testosterone and build muscle mass. if you have low testosterone, weights are better for you than high amounts of cardio. I would save the excessive running for when your levels have regulated themselves.

Certain supplements can also help with low testosterone. One of my favourites to use is Quercus pedunculata (English Oak Bud). It can help with chronic fatigue, help to build muscle mass and raise testosterone levels naturally. Another great natural product is Idaho Blue Spruce essential oil. It has gone through some preliminary testing for raising testosterone (nothing peer reviewed yet unfortunately!) but the testing shows some exciting results. Either inhaling or putting it on topically is the best way.

If you ‘re worried that your levels might be too low, go to your doctor and get them to run some tests. It might be a good time for your partner to get their hormone testing done at the same time!

Always consult your doctor or health care provider before starting any new diet, exercise program or supplements.

Hormones for Men - Part 1

There always seems to be more of a focus on hormones for women. I’m not sure if it’s because men don’t like to admit that there’s a problem, or if they feel a little silly about talking about their hormones, but I get more women coming to me and admitting something is wrong in that area.

With the Valentine’s season upon us, I thought it might be nice to focus on men’s hormones for a bit.

Testosterone is the key hormone for men. Women also have testosterone, but in much lower amounts. Testosterone regulates fertility, sex drive, bone density, immune system, muscle mass, and fat distribution as well as red blood cell distribution.

After the age of 25, a man’s testosterone can drop by 1% every year. By the time they hit their forties, their levels can be quite low and push them in to what we call “men-opause” the mid-life crisis or the correct term, andropause. Andropause happens when the male sex hormones become deficient. This can cause depression, anxiety, erectile dysfunction, heart issues, hair loss, and prostate or testicular cancer.

Low testosterone can also happen to men who are younger. This can be caused by the elevated estrogen in the environment, it’s in our food and water, the chemicals we smell (hello candles!), and household cleaners.

So what’s a guy to do?

It’s all about lifestyle. One of the most important things that you can do is exercise. Most exercises will boost testosterone levels and human growth hormone. This can lead to better muscle mass, lower levels of depression and stress, and more energy.

Another important aspect is what you put in your environment. Laundry detergents, candles, cleaning supplies, and soaps all contain chemicals that can interfere with your hormones and lower your testosterone while raising your estrogen levels. Switching out for healthier alternatives can not only help your hormonal levels, but they are better for all parts of your body!

The candles that you are using to “set the mood” might be giving you a good dose of estrogen instead. Maybe skip it and put on your diffuser instead!

In the next part of the series, I’ll be talking about stress and the impact that it has on hormones as well as nutrition, because yes, the food that you eat influences your testosterone levels!

Let me know if you have any questions!

My Favourite Books

There is so much information out there about health and nutrition. It can be overwhelming and discouraging to see so much contradicting information.

One of the questions that I get asked the most is “have you read this book?”. I try to make it a part of my job to read as many of the new books that come out. I have a list of about ten to work through at the moment! But here are some of my favourites that I recommend.

The first book is my absolute favourite. “Death By Food Pyramid” by Denise Minger is an essential if you’re wanting to understand the politics behind nutrition. She has a very direct way of writing while still managing to find humour in it. Definitely a good read!

“Eat The Yolks” by Liz Wolfe is another one of my favourites (ok, they’re all my favourites). She has such a great sense of humour and helps to dispel many of the myths of nutrition. This is a great read for people who are confused about what diet might be the best for them.

“Food, What the Heck Should I Eat?” by Mark Hyman, MD, is another great one for simplifying nutrition. There are always new studies that say a type of food is healthy for you and then two weeks later tell you it will give you cancer. Mark helps to break it down into simple terms.

Dr. Josh Axe is a big name in natural health and he has an awesome book called “Eat Dirt”. This book talks about the digestive tract, the microbiome, and why being hyper clean might not be the best for our health. It gives some great tips throughout the book for what you can do to strengthen your digestive tract. This is a must read if you suffer from any digestive issues at all.

I know I’m going out of nutrition a bit with this next book, but if you really want to know what is on your food, then this book helps with that. “The Myth of Safe Pesticides” helps to teach why pesticide use is not great for us or the environment. I know it is a very complex subject and can be frustrating but this book helps to break it down.

“Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon has been around for a while but it is still one of my favourites. She talks about the Weston A. Price diet and the best traditional recipes to help with infertility, digestion, and general health.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these, are planning on reading any of these, or what your favourites are! I’m always adding to my list of books to read.

The links for these books are affiliate links. I do make a small commission if you purchase them through these links. If you don’t like that, please just feel free to buy through somewhere else!

My Favourite Kitchen Gadgets

I am not a person that enjoys cooking. If it takes longer than 30 minutes and uses multiple dishes, I’m not interested. That being said, I do have a family and we do need to eat real food. If you are trying to enjoy cooking, it’s extremely important to have some good kitchen appliances and gadgets to make your life easier and the experience a little bit more enjoyable.

My favourite kitchen appliance of all time is my Instant Pot. I bought mine about three years ago, and it is used for about 6 out of 7 meals. I have a slow cooker, but I rarely use it and now it’s in storage. The Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker. It cooks things in record time while preserving the flavours and nutrients of the dish. I love it mostly for the ease. A lot of times I make my supper before I start work so that when I am done work, I’m not rushing around trying to feed my family before we head off to whatever activity we have planned that night. It’s brilliant. Just trust me. You can buy one here or from Canadian Tire. I do suggest the Instant Pot brand since I’ve never tried any of the other brands. They also make great gifts!

Coming to a close second is my Oster Personal Blender. I don’t actually use this one at all (I have another blender that I prefer), but since this one gets used by my husband at least twice a day, I thought I should mention it. We’ve had ours for about two years now and it just keeps going. It doesn’t make the most perfectly blended smoothie but its fast and there is minimal clean up or mess. I’ve found mine on Amazon, but I’m sure you can find it in stores as well. You can also buy extra bottles to go along with it.

Getting good pots and pans is essential. I’ve had too many pots that have loose or missing handles or are cheaply made. It’s also important to not have pots or pans that have nonstick coating on them. When you heat a pan or saucer that is coated with polytetrafluoroethylene, it releases a fume into the air and can cause whats called Teflon flu or polymer fume fever. Pans that are older than 2013 can also have a chemical in them called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOA exposure has been linked to many health issues such as thyroid issues, infertility, liver disease, kidney disease, and testicular cancer. Instead of struggling with scraping things off my pots and pans, I’ve changed mine over to ceramic versions. I usually buy them from Canadian Tire (they have awesome sales!) but they are also available from other stores as well as Amazon.

My coffee machine is also up high on the list of my favourite gadgets, if not my favourite. Don’t tell the Instant Pot. I have a Cuisinart 2-1 coffee machine that also has a hot water dispenser. It is brilliant. I know its not new or groundbreaking but I love mine. I can make myself some good coffee in the morning, as well as instant cups of tea throughout the day. I save huge amounts of money by not buying a coffee every day and its better for my health as well. Again, I bought mine on Amazon because I’m obsessed with them, but I know that you can buy it in stores as well.

My fifth favourite kitchen gadget is unfortunately not available in Canada at the moment but I thought I would mention it anyways. In the summer I bought myself an Ace Blender from the US. It is made by Instant Pot and is only available through Walmart in the US. I went ahead and ordered it because of the price, the reviews and I figured that if I loved my Instant Pot so much, I would probably love this just as much. It is very similar to a Vitamix but is only $100 USD. It can makes smoothies, soups, ice-cream, nut milks, and many other things. It also cleans itself. Brilliant. I’ll let you know as soon as it becomes available in Canada. (Hopefully soon!)

I hope you’ve enjoyed my list. A few more honourable mentions are my hand mixer (I have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and I never use it), good quality cutting mats, and my Reverse Osmosis water machine. I know that one is not a kitchen gadget, but I love it and how it keeps my water safe to drink for my family.

Do you have any favourites that you can’t live without? I’m always trying to find ways to make my life easier so let me know!

Full disclosure: my amazon links are affiliate links and I do get a compensation. If you aren’t ok with that, please feel free to buy them anywhere else. I only recommend them because I completely love them!

My Favourite Supplement Brands

There are so many supplement brands out there that it can be overwhelming. Too many people assume that there are no differences between supplements and a product that you buy from Costco or Walmart are just as good.

Canada is getting better at regulating their natural supplements, but we still have a way to go.

Here are some of my favourite brands that are regulated like pharmaceutical medications. That means that what’s in the bottle, is actually in the bottle!

Genestra dietary supplements are compliant with FDA and Health Canada Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) requirements. They are also dairy free and gluten free and many of their products are also vegetarian or vegan.

Pure Encapsulations are also certified GMP and NSF-certified. Pure Encapsulations’ supplements are certified to be free from wheat, gluten, eggs, peanuts, glazes & coatings, GMOs, hydrogenated oils, and many more common allergen.

Douglas Laboratories is GMP and NSF International registered, ISO certified and ISO accredited for in-house laboratories, approved to produce certified organic products, and NSF Certified for Sport®. This means that you get the highest quality supplements.

Metagenics has worked with many of the top institutions on studies and publishing papers. They produce top-notch supplements with a clinical nutrition background.

Where to Buy:

Many of these supplements can be purchased through a naturopath, a nutritionist, a chiropractor or a select few health food stores. They can also be found online through several distributors. Always talk to your health care provider if you are interested in adding a supplement to your regime.

Meal Ideas for People Who Are Busy (Supper Edition)

The biggest thing that I hear from people is that they are too busy to cook. I get it, I promise. I have three kids, hockey, work, a husband, and a life. I don’t like spending all my time in the kitchen finding recipes and making a huge mess. The dream is to some day have a fairy that comes after me and cleans up, but until then, here are some of my quick and easy recipes that are on my meal plan rotation:

Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

The first time I made this meal, I did not make enough. My son doesn’t normally like sweet potatoes and even he ate it. I cook the chicken breast in my Instant Pot and then shred it with a hand mixer. So easy! There was even some chicken left over that I through into a soup the next day.

Slow Cooker Indian Stew

This is another recipe that I wasn’t sure of but it became a staple. I have a slow cooker but it goes into my Instant Pot instead. If you’re going to use canned chickpeas, make sure that you buy them organic and rinse them really well! I put this stew over some rice and it makes a nice quick dinner. I love one pot meals.

Cabbage Rolls for the Slow Cooker

Cabbage rolls were one of my favourite meals growing up. It is still my comfort food but I can’t buy them from the grocery store. I take one look at the ingredients and I inwardly cringe. I used to make this one in the slow cooker as well but (surprise!) I now make it in my Instant Pot. I set it to Manual and 25 minutes on High Pressure. The key to good cabbage rolls is putting lots of garlic and Worcestershire sauce in. Instead of soy sauce, I put Coconut Aminos in.

Everything Vegetable Soup

I love soup and we end up having it about once a week. It is my “everything that is leftover in the fridge, goes in the pot” meal. This recipe is for a vegetable soup but I usually have a bone broth as the base and there is leftover meat in there as well. I love my protein! My soup never tastes the same twice, but it always tastes wonderful. I use the Vitality Oils from Young Living for the spices and add one or two drops of Black Pepper, Rosemary, Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Basil, and Thyme. It is so flavourful!

I hope you get a few good ideas from these. If you’re looking for an Instant Pot, you can grab one from Amazon. I’ll be doing a post about my favourite kitchen gadgets in the future and that one will be at the top of the list! If you try any of the recipes, leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Personal Body Care

Did you know that what you put on your body is just as important as what you put into your body?

Unfortunately, cosmetic and skin care products have very little regulations and can be quite dangerous.

Most people assume that you absorb in everything that you put on your skin, but that is not true. If that were true, you would blow up like a balloon every time you sat in the bathtub. Instead, the body has an amazing mechanism for blocking substances from overwhelming the system. That being said, the body does still absorb quite a bit of it, but it is eliminated by the kidneys and liver. You could argue that because the liver and kidneys can eliminate these ingredients that it doesn’t really matter, but unfortunately, you have to think of toxic burden as well. Maybe one toxic ingredient will not hurt your body, but we rarely use just one cosmetic in a day. Most women use an average of 12 personal care products per day, while men use an average of 6.

So, all of this is to ask, do you know what is in your cosmetics and skin care? There are some great companies out there that are trying to bring safe yet effective products to the market. A good way to tell if your products are safe is by putting them through the Skin Deep Database or by downloading the app on to your phone.

I love using Savvy Mineral Makeup by Young Living. I’ve also switched all of my household cleaners over to essential oil and plant based cleaners and they still work! I use recipes that I’ve found on Pinterest to make our body wash and hand soap (they are extremely easy!)

So what have you been using? Do you have any products that you love? Share below!

Why Do I Need an Antioxidant?

Antioxidants are a big buzz word in the natural health world. We all know that we need them, but sometimes it's unclear why we do. 

To understand antioxidants, you have to understand first what free-radicals are. Free-radicals are atoms with unpaired electrons. These are created when oxygen splits them. These free-radicals then go around trying to find an unpaired electron which causes more damage. 

What this means is that they are natural byproduct of living. The more movement and energy you expend, the more free-radicals are created. This does not mean that it's best to sit on a couch doing nothing all day long, but you do have to take in to account that the more you are moving, the more you need to make sure you're getting enough antioxidants! Especially since they slow down the aging process! 

The best way I have heard of it being described was with a car engine. Free-radicals would be the exhaust fumes from an engine. You need to have the exhaust fumes, but you also have to get the exhaust fumes out of the engine or else the engine will break. That's where antioxidants come in! Antioxidants help to release the free-radicals from the body. 

The best source of antioxidants always come from foods. Making sure that your'e getting 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day is extremely important! Wolfberries (goji berries) have the highest amount of any foods, followed by pomegranates and blueberries. Taking them in juice form is also an excellent way of getting them in. I drink 2oz of wolf berries per day. 

Taking antioxidant supplements can be helpful, but please remember that the body will always use food sources more efficiently than anything found in a pill! 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/ 

Ningxia Red 30-Day Challenge!

Ningxia Red is made from the Wolfberry (Goji) super fruit from northern China. This superfruit has one of the highest percentages of fiber of any whole food and contains zeaxanthin—a carotenoid important to maintaining healthy vision. It also contains polysaccharides, amino acids, and symbiotic vitamin-mineral pairs that when present together promote optimum internal absorption. By using whole wolfberry puree—juice, peel, seeds, and fruit—Young Living is able to maintain more of the desired health-supporting benefits in every bottle of NingXia Red.

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Ningxia Red also is made with Young Living’s pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils: Orange, Yuzu (not sold as an oil), Tangerine, and Lemon. These oils are carefully selected because of their maintenance of normal cellular regeneration, not to mention high levels of of the antioxidant d-limonene, which is important for overall well-being. These pure and potent essential oils blend synergistically and deliciously with the other components of Ningxia Red to support normal digestive health, healthy immune function, normal brain function, a healthy cardiovascular system, and much more. Ningxia contains grape seed extract that may help support a healthy cardiovascular system. Additionally blueberry, plum, aronia, cherry, and pomegranate juice contains naturally high levels of anthocyanins and polyphenols, which block oxygen-based free radicals from damaging body tissues.

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Lastly, you will see on the Ningxia Red bottle and pouches, that it contains Stevia as a sweetener. Stevia is a zero-calorie sweetener and is 300 times sweeter than sugar, allowing for a delicious beverage with lower overall sugar content. We recommend you drink 2-4 ounces daily with confidence knowing you are not consuming excess calories and sugar.

https://ningxiared.com/benefits/

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Drink 2oz daily (I usually drink it around 2:00pm instead of a coffee, but most drink it in the morning) and it is equivalent to eating: 
• 34 large onions 🥟
• 100 oranges 🍊
• 814 blueberries 🔵
• 22 medium carrots 🥕
• 10.85 pounds of spinach 🥗
• 55.33 pounds of almonds 🥔
• 59 broccoli florets 🥦
• 73 medium strawberries 🍓
• 93 apples

Let me know if you're doing the challenge with me and my family! If you're looking to buy some of this amazing drink, let me know and I'll point you in the correct direction!