The Starter List
Posted by admin in my favorite things on April 12th, 2010
A list of things I’ve tried and liked that support a healthier lifestyle.
Nature Clean Calcium and Lime Remover
Sprouted Ground Flaxseeds
Organic Food Bar - Chocolate Chip
Organic Food Bar - Active Greens
Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil
Pretty much any tea from David’s tea. I’ve tried Romance, Secret Weapon and Coco Chai Rooibos and they were all fantastic.
Seventh Generation Lavender Dishsoap
Boiron Homeopathic Allergy Kit
Lara Bar - Coconut Cream, Key Lime, Banana Cookie Dough, ChocoCoconut Chew, Cinnamon Roll, Pecan Pie, Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, . All the flavours are delicious and they are very clean — no additives or chemicals or filler/junk. Just nuts and dried fruit — they are dense and somewhat high-calorie, so unless you are highly active, I don’t recommend them everyday. But they are great when you’re on the go or at a conference/seminar and you need something to keep you going until lunch/dinner.
Vega Bars - clean bars. Not as tasty as Lara Bars, but they have protein powder added so these are definitely a great choice if it’s going to be a little longer until “real food” comes along.
Natracare Organic Tampons
Chef Robert’s Private Stock Mango Poppy Seed Dressing — perhaps not for everyday, but it’s a fairly healthy salad dressing treat and is great for when guests come over.
Burnac Frozen Sour Cherries — great in protein shakes!
Go Raw Spicy Flax Snax
Go Raw Pizza Flax Snax - these are amazing; all natural with easily absorbed nutrition from the sprouted seeds. Crunch and delicious, as are the spicy ones.
Yogi Tea Women’s Energy - a great blend. Only available in the US as far as I can tell.
Organic India Tulsi Tea — all flavours are great. Tulsi reduces stress hormones, so even the caffeinated blends don’t cause agitation or hyper-ness. I didn’t find any increase in energy with the caffeinated blends. Tulsi can reduce blood sugar — great for diabetes and those with abdominal obesity, but those who tend towards low blood sugar should not use regularly. It takes a few weeks (approx) of daily usage for this effect to bother those with low blood sugar.
Pretty much any bread by Little Stream. They are located fairly locally (Perth) and their breads are made within 72 hours of grinding the flour. I think this is why their breads are so good! I love both the Quinoa Loaf and Buckwheat Loaf. They are both gluten-free and dense breads (so not for everyone). Toasted I think they are great with eggs in the morning or with hummus. They also make a Rice Raisin which is so delicious, I’ve banned myself from buying it ever again. They have other breads and bakery products as well: http://www.littlestream.com/
North American Herb and Spice — Royal Power — 3x concentrate royal jelly capsules. A great adrenal food. I find my memory is incredible when I take this regularly.
Lorna Vanderhaege Adrenasense Tea
Simply Organic Tumeric Powder
If You Care — !00% Unbleached Parchment Paper
Seventh Generation Shower Cleaner
Seventh Generation Tub and Tile Cleaner
Seventh Generation Dishwasher Powder — I tried another one that was next to it on the shelf by accident (I was in a rush and just grabbed it). My dishes were soaked when I opened the dishwasher and then dried with tons of water spots. I thought perhaps it was my dishwasher flaking out, but as soon as I switched back to Seventh Generation — voila! Dry dishes with no water spots.
Seventh Generation Dishsoap — both the Lavender Floral & Mint and the Lemongrass & Clementine Zest are wonderful scents. Much easier on hands than regular dishsoap (not to mention lungs) for those days when you can’t be bothered with gloves.
Ecover Cream Scrub (bathroom and tile cleaner)
Intaba — Rooibos and Rooibos Lemongrass Tea
BIJA Rooibos Rejuvenating Tea
Good Earth — Decaf Green Tea Lemongrass — divine!
Neal Brothers Organic Salsa
Banditos Organic Salsa
Natural Factors DGL — one of the only DGLs out there without artificial sweeteners or alcohol sugars.
Lumiere de Sel Fine Herbs Himalayan Salt – delicious!
Workout DVDs: WalkStrong by Leslie Sansome. These videos are easy to slow down or pump up depending on your fitness level.
Apricot Kernel Oil or Sweet Almond Oil - I buy the ones from NOW foods, but just about any one will do. Use instead of shaving cream. The oil softens the hair and I have it on very good authority that this is a much, much better way to get a smoother, closer shave that will last longer.
Soledad Nut and Dried Fruit Combos - I can’t remember which flavours I’ve tried, but they were all delicious. I’ve seen them at Whole Foods, The Big Carrot, The Sweet Potato and All The Best Fine Foods. They are addictive!
Progressive Harmonized Vegan Protein - tastes better than a regular rice protein, mixes smoother and has enzymes and liver support to help digest the protein.
Nasaline Sodium Chloride USP — 1/4 tsp per neti pot and you’re set.
Top Meadow Farms Inside Round Beef Cutlets from Highland Farms - naturally raised beef, perfect for cutting into fast-fry strips. Most tender if cooked medium rare or rare.
Nature’s Gate Organics Grapefruit and Wild Ginger Hand Soap — great scent, non-drying and way less chemicals than regular soaps. Last winter it looked like I was developing a bit of eczema on my hands — they were incredibly dry and lotions didn’t help. I switched my soaps to Nature’s Gate and made sure I wore rubber glove when doing the dishes and that was all I needed.
Quinoa — red or white. Yum! cooks in about 20 minutes or less. I recently bought a big bag from Costco Downsview!
Ella’s Botanicals - I’ve only tried the bar soaps so far, but I love them! The lather is rich and creamy and the scents are divine! I love Chai Latte and Morning Buzz. The latter contains ground coffee beans. I don’t like coffee (Gasp! You read that right…), but I do like the smell of coffee and this bar smells great!
Nujima Yacon Root Slices — A dried vegetable root that is slightly sweet. A different kind of snack, but I think they are great. Tastes like you are eating dried apple slices, but slightly chewier and less sweet. They are also pre-biotic — ie. they feed the good bacteria in your intestines.
Goji Berries - Yum! They are still dried fruit and still high-calorie, so ration them. I’ve tried a number of brands at different price point and they all seem the same to me.
Greens+ pH paper
Deep Steep hand wash and Body Wash — the Grapefruit Bergamot scent is wonderful!
Organic Oven Almond Flax Lemon Poppy Cookies — cookies made from almond flour. Sold 1 or 2 at a time, so you only get 1 serving. A delicious treat!
Stash Creme Caramel Tea Naturally Decaffeinated — a dessert tea!
Europe’s Best Frozen Wild Blueberries — they actually taste like blueberries! I’ve tried a number of brands, including organic ones. So far, I think these are the best. The Burnac Sour Cherries haven’t been at Highland Farms lately, so I’ve been using these in my pre-workout protein shake instead.
Stash Tea - Chakra 1. Basically a naturally flavoured strawberry rooibos. Great tasting tea.
Whew! What a list!
TC
Detox: What Is It and Who Needs It?
Posted by admin in Lifestyle, Nutrition, Recipes, balance your body on April 9th, 2010
Just as many people spring clean their homes, spring is a natural time to detox your body.
Caveat: Over the years I have noticed that patients who are really run down and exhausted or have trouble with thyroid hormone production/uptake tend not to benefit as much (in general) as others. With these patients I usually focus on regulating thyroid hormones production/uptake or generally strengthening their system before we get to detox.
Am I a good candidate for detox right now?
To get the most out of detox it’s important that you are:
1) Eating a clean, detox friendly diet. Food and beverages such as sugar, caffeine, most dairy, alcohol, fatty meats, processed meats, fried foods and processed foods/junk will all work against your detox efforts. Lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains and water are where’s it’s at food-wise when it comes to detox.
2) Are not currently experiencing a high level of anxiety or stress or tension. While detox can help patients feel less stressed and tense, the hormones your body pumps out in times of increased anxiety, stress and tension are viewed as toxins by your body and will usually interfere with your results.
3) Are not smoking. Cigarrette smoke is nothing if not toxic. With such a large quantity of toxins going into your system, detox will probably only make you nauseated or feel sick at best.
4) Are having daily bowel movements that are not too small. Detox can help with bowel function, but it’s also important to have some measure of a good bowel movement every day before you detox. As stool sits in your colon, toxins get reabsorbed. Some patients tell me that having bowel movements every 2-3 days is just the way their body is. Sorry, but no. As I tell them, “If you are eating every day, you need to be having bowel movements every day.”
Here are two former blog posts that explain everything else:
What is Detox??
TC
Pollen, Pollen, Everywhere: What You Need to Know
Posted by admin in balance your body on April 9th, 2010
If you have summer allergies that are yet to start, now is the best time to start treating them. Allergies are best treated by balancing out your body before they actually start.
Achoo!
If however, you have early spring allergies (eg. trees) you are probably already having symptoms. These include:
-sneezing
-itchy eyes, ears, nose, throat
-increase nasal discharge
-scratchy or sore throat
-shortness of breath also known as “air hunger” (the uncomfortable feeling that you can’t seem to get enough air)
-increased asthma symptoms/attacks
-fatigue
-sudden increase in acne along with other allergic symptoms
Is the solution in a pill?
Allergies are a sign that your immune system is disordered, so taking medication or a supplement to decrease symptoms is not the best long-term answer.
This includes natural supplements such as quercetin. I will prescribe quercetin to patients who are miserable with their allergies to provide some short-term relief. But this won’t change the fact that your immune system isn’t balanced.
Why is this a problem? I just want to feel better now
Here’s the problem: The underlying dysfunction that has resulting in your allergies will continue and will cause you more health problems down the road. Auto-immune diseases and cancer are two diseases that also involve an immune system that is not functioning well and that are all too common.
Always balance short-term comfort with long-term goals and perspective.
So what can I do?
Allergy treatment involved multiple areas and is best tackled by a practitioner. I have outlined a few steps below to get you started.
Dietary changes which include food intolerance elimination (done through a simple test), supporting your immune system and balancing your brain chemistry are all important steps towards making it through allergy season comfortably.
Also, using the neti pot twice per day has been shown to significantly decrease allergy symptoms.
Here is a great instructional video on YouTube. Some people think it looks intimidating, but it really isn’t — it’s so easy.
Once you get used to it, not using the neti pot before you go to bed is just as yucky as not brushing your teeth before bed.
TC
Indonesian-Style Sweet Potatoes
Posted by admin in balance your body on April 9th, 2010
This is a yummy recipe that I made up one day with some dressing I had leftover from another recipe (from a cookbook, so I can’t reproduce it here).
It turned out delicious and so I offer it up for your taste buds to enjoy!
If you are trying to lose weight, sweet potatoes are a great alternative to white potatoes or rice at dinner. Sweet potatoes have carbohydrates (which you need,) but are also chock-full of vitamins. Many of my patients have found it easier to lose weight when they substitute sweet potatoes for other carbs/grains at some of their meals. One serving size is equal to approximately 1/2 medium sweet potato for a 130 pound woman (or less) or 1 medium sweet potato for just about everyone else.
Wondering why there aren’t any measurements? I don’t know what the measurements are. I’m an experimental cook and I combine ingredients on a whim whenever inspired. Everyone’s taste buds are different; so experiment in your own kitchen and cater to the taste buds of you and your family!
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes - 1
Celery - 2 stalks
Parsley - chopped
Green onions - 1
Red bell pepper - 1/4 to 1/2
Ingredients for dressing
Olive oil
Lime juice
Orange juice
Soy sauce
Garlic - minced or organic ground
Ginger - fresh grated
Preparation Instructions
1. Cube and roast sweet potatoes until done.
2. Chop celery, parsley, green onions and red bell pepper.
3. Combine dressing ingredients to taste.
4. Mix chopped veggies with roasted sweet potatoes, add dressing and stir.
Enjoy!
TC
Why You Need More Vitamin D
Posted by admin in balance your body on January 13th, 2010
If you live north of Atlanta, Georgia, you’re probably Vitamin D deficient.
And vitamin D is definitely important! It’s involved in cancer prevention, your immune system, depression, thyroid hormones, cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) and the strength of your bones.
You will need to supplement vitamin D. What you have in your multi-vitamin is not enough and there is no amount of time you could spend outside during the gray days of winter to get enough.
Before you start supplementing it is important to get your blood tested. The test to ask your doctor for is:
25-hydroxy-vitamin D
It is important to get tested because without knowing what your current blood levels of vitamin D are, it’s impossible to know what the best dosage for you is.
I have seen patients with blood levels as low as 25 and as high as 100. Normal range is considered from 75-100, with some alternatively-minded medical doctors saying that 140/150 is optimal.
First step: Go get your blood tested, the sooner the better. If you are a patient of mine, once you get your results, come on in and we’ll talk dosage.
No, it’s not enough to simply supplement with vitamin D without getting your blood tested. Without knowing your blood levels, it’s impossible to get the best dosage for yourself. If you take too little, you won’t get all the benefits that you could. And if you take too much, you can make yourself sick.
Call your doctor today and make that appointment!
TC
Oh, Those Wintertime Blues
Posted by admin in Exercise, Lifestyle, Nutrition, balance your body on January 13th, 2010
Just because it’s cold and gray outside, it doesn’t mean you have to feel blue. Or depressed. Or blah.
Many people do feel blah or blue or depressed throughout the winter, however. Fortunately, there are lots of reasons for this — and if you can find the reason(s), you can find the solution.
Read more…
Where, oh where, has my vitamin D gone?
Many people are vitamin D deficient all year round, but when the sun goes away during the winter, this gets worse.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with depression. Many people feel an emotional lift when they bring their vitamin D levels up to normal. I know I did.
Click here for the vitamin D test to ask your doctor or naturopath for.
Winter couch potato syndrome
For some people, any excuse not to exercise is a good excuse.
Whether you go outside for a walk, a run, join a gym, play sports or use a DVD and workout in your TV room exercising is key.
It helps to boost your mood and your self-esteem. Don’t think too much about it — just go for it.
I like to workout as soon as I get up. Before I leave my bedroom, I put my workout clothes on, I go to the kitchen for a quick protein shake and then start exercising. Since there’s no time to think about it, there’s no time to come up with any excuses.
I have other patients who like to go straight to the gym after work. When you make it your routine to go straight from the office to the gym, it’s much easier. If you go home first, the chances that you won’t go back out are pretty high.
Lonliness will not make you happy
When it’s cold and dark or maybe drizzling icy-cold rain, it can be very tempting to just stay in by yourself.
Resist the urge and go outside. Plan a get-together with friends, drop by a friend’s house for a short chat, or visit family. Worse case-scenario, go hang out in a coffee shop or bookstore.
Make sure to plan regular get-togethers with friends in advance.
At the end of that get-together, suggest scheduling the next one so you always have something coming up. I do this with a couple of my friends and it works great — we’ve always got something with each other on the calendar and since it’s the last thing we did at our previous get-together, making plans is almost effortless.
Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun
If you can, go south. Soak up some sun and you’ll feel better for a while for it. It will give you something to look forward to and you’ll feel great while you’re there.
A nice, sunny locale in the middle of three months of gray and brown is just what your naturopath ordered.
Take a bunch of pictures, put them on your screensaver and let yourself remember how great it felt to be there.
Grief, grieving, grieved
Unresolved grief is aggravated by the above factors. Unresolved grief is grief from your past that has not been properly worked through.
Grief can easily get stuffed into our body and stay there, until we process it in a healthy way.
This is a huge topic and one that I will cover in another newsletter. But know that if you never cry or easily cry (movies, commercials, sad stories etc.), you’ve probably got unresolved grief that needs to be dealt with.
TC
Recipe: Simply Delicious Swiss Chard, Cherry Tomatoes and Beef
Posted by admin in balance your body on January 12th, 2010
This recipe sounds simple and it is simple. But it’s delicious too!
The simple flavours in this dish come together to provide a complete meal that is not only yummy, but quick and easy to prepare.
When I say this dish is complete, I really mean it. There is protein, a green leafy vegetable and another colourful vegetable that is also starchy, so there is no need for bread or rice or pasta with this dish. In fact, adding another starch would increase the carbohydrate level of this meal too high.
Believe it or not, some vegetables are starchy and carrots are one of them. I tell my patients that carrots are fine to eat, but they don’t count as a vegetable because they are so starchy. But they are healthy and delicious and are a great substitute for other carbohydrates such as rice, bread or pasta (The Starchy Three). Having carrots instead of The Starchy Three will help you to lose weight.
To season the beef I use the Fine Herbs Salt from Lumiere de Sel. It is the most delicious flavour combination I’ve come across in a long time and is much, much better than other fine herbs seasoning salt I’ve tried. Also, it is 100% natural, does not have any MSG and the salt portion is Himalayan salt, which is one of the best salts to use.
Use regular Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt (without herbs) to season the vegetables.
Ingredients:
Very lean beef — 3- 4 oz per person; not ground
Swiss chard — 2 large handfuls per person; tough parts of steamed chopped off
Carrots - 1/2 cup (most women); 1 cup (most men)
Cherry tomatoes - halved
Garlic - minced and lightly sauteed in a little olive oil or organic garlic powder
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt - 1. Fine Herbs salt from Lumiere de Sel - available at most health food stores and Highland Farms
2. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
Instructions:
1. Season the beef with Fine Herbs saslt and cook as desired (poach, roast, stir-fry). Let rest for 10 minutes — on a plate, off the heat and covered.
2. Steam the swiss chard and the carrots. Steam the carrots for one minute and then add the halved cherry tomatoes and swiss chard on top. Steam for 2-3 minutes or until swiss chard is bright green and tender. If it turns a dark or khaki green, you know you’ve overdone it.
3. Cut beef into thin strips.
4. Assemble meal on plate as follows:
- place swiss chard on plate with carrots and cherry tomatoes on top.
-drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- season with garlic/oil or garlic powder and Celtic or regular Himalayan salt.
- top with beef slices
Enjoy this super-healthy, delicious and easy meal!
TC
Recipe: Mexican Sweet Potato and Chicken
Posted by admin in Nutrition, Recipes, balance your body on January 12th, 2010
Wintertime is a great time of year to use sweet potatoes — they have a wonderful warmth and comfort to them.
If you are trying to lose weight or tend to gain weight easily, it’s important to remember that starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes are just that — starchy. At a meal with 1/2 to 1 sweet potato per person, you don’t need more carbohydrates such as pasta, rice or bread.
If you are used to eating pasta/rice/bread with each meal, this might sound startling. Almost every woman I see in my office who wants to lose weight is eating too many carbohydrates throughout the day. Carbs are not bad for you, but too many will definitely lead to weight gain.
Too few carbs (eg. Atkins diet) may help you lose weight quickly, but it will (a) cause other imbalances in your system and (b) be temporary because low-carb is extremely difficult, as well as unhealthy, to maintain long-term.
Here’s a simple recipe that I conjured up one day with what I had in my fridge and it turned out delicious. As always, there are no measurements. Don’t forget to cook a non-starchy vegetable on the side!
Ingredients:
Sweet potato - 1/2 to 1 per person; chopped into small cubes
Chicken breast - 3-4 oz per person; cooked without oil or with minimal oil (roasted, steamed, poached, stir-fried) and sliced
Fresh cilantro - chopped
Garlic - minced or organic garlic powder
Cherry tomatoes - halved
Extra virgin olive oil - 2 teaspoons per person.
Salt - Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt - to taste
Organic salsa — I especially like Banditos Medium and Neal Brothers Medium. (I buy at Highland Farms.)
Instructions:
1. Steam the sweet potato cubes.
2. Mix steamed cubes with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, garlic and salt to taste.
3. Add salsa to taste and mix.
4. Top with sliced chicken breast (cooked any way you like from the above options) and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil.
Enjoy!
TC
Roasted Rapini with Garlic
Posted by admin in balance your body on January 6th, 2010
Rapini is really great steamed as well, but I hated the mess I always seemed to make and the big pots to clean. So I started doing it this way and am now hooked. Because the garlic gets roasted along with the rapini, it comes out with a fairly mild taste. White balsamic vinegar is milder than red balsamic; if you like the red, you will love the white! Note: The first time you make this recipe, watch the rapini closely so that it doesn’t burn. Then the next time you make it, you will know the ideal time for your oven.
NOTE: over the summer, when rapini seemed to be larger, I was roasting for 7-9 minutes at 400F. Now, with the smaller winter rapini that I am finding at the store, I am roasting at 350F for 5 minutes. I am also brushing the cookie sheet with coconut oil and then drizzling olive oil once the rapini is on my plate.
Rapini - washed and thick ends of stems cut off. I usually cut just above the twist tie from the supermarket.
Garlic - 1-2 cloves
White balsamic vinegar (If you like lemon juice, it is a healthier substitution, but balsamic vinegar is my vice!)
Sea salt
Black pepper
Coconut oil
Olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
There are 2 ways to go about the step; either one is fine. The first one is lower fat.
2. (a) Lightly brush baking sheet with coconut and place rapini on sheet OR
(b) Place rapini on baking sheet and drizzle with coconut oil.
I usually keep my rapini somewhat dense on the sheet, but in a single layer. Usually this works out to about 1/3 of a rapini for a regular-sized baking sheet.
3. Mince or crush garlic and place on top of rapini, spread out.
4. Roast for approximately 5-7 minutes until rapini is bright green and the edges of some of the leaves are a bit crispy. The first few times, make sure to watch since every oven seems to cook at a slightly different rate.
5. Remove from oven and using tongs, place on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
So delicious!
TC
Bioidentical Hormone Specialists
Posted by admin in balance your body on January 6th, 2010
My office receives quite a few phone calls looking for someone who prescribes bioidentical hormones.
Naturopathic doctors in Ontario are not legally able to prescribe bioidentical hormones, but here is a list of some medical doctors in the GTA who do.
Agnes Schlanger
2917 Bloor St. West
1383 Wilson Rd North (Sobey’s Plaza)
Oshawa, ON L1K 2Z5
905 440-4444
——————-
That’s all I have for now, but I will be adding more as I find out about them.
TC