LivHealthy Blog

Happy Earth Day!

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0400

For Earth Day, I thought I would give our humble planet a happy earth day gift. For 2008, I pledge to be a faithful and diligent composter and the fruits of my labour will be given back to mother earth, in the form of compost.

Although I’ve been composting for 9 years, I have yet to harvest any “black gold”. There are still big chunks of egg shells, etc. that have not yet broken down, mixed in with the compost at the bottom of my composter. After recently speaking with a composting expert who has designed a worm composter (I’d love to get one!), I have learned where I’ve gone wrong.

You see, as I was growing up, we didn’t have a composter exactly, just a compost pile where we dumped fruit & vegetable waste, leaves, grass clipping and other garden waste. Every 5-10 years we would move the pile, and eventually everything would break down- nature would do the work. I took the same approach to my composter, but have discovered that there are tricks to getting results faster.

Here’s what I am committing to:

Aerating my compost pile, giving it a good turn every week or so.
Layering the contents properly, putting newspaper, dried leaves or grass between layers of fruit and vegetable waste.
Breaking down everything that I put into the compost into smaller chunks so each piece breaks down faster.

By adding these 3 steps, I hope to generate more compost for my garden and truly give back to the earth.

What are you doing for Earth Day?

You can find great Healthy & Eco-Friendly links in our Healthy Links resource!

Going Green From the Inside Out

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Do you eat enough fruits and vegetables?

This is something that I know that I am working on, especially with my husband and kids. One thing I didn’t realize though, is how many servings of green vegetables we should be eating. You see, last week I attended the Healthy Moms Connect health and wellness session called Detox: Spring Clean Your Body. The session was led by my naturopath, Dr. Carissa Doherty of the Natural Care Clinic. Although I have done several detoxes, I learned a lot at this session, especially about things we should and shouldn’t eat. (Also watch for an upcoming Vitamin Junkeys episode, Detox 101, with all you need to know about detoxes)

The main thing that I took away from this session is that we should be eating 10 portions of greens each day- and lettuce doesn’t count! Wow! I know that I don’t eat anywhere near that many green vegetables each day! I’m happy if my kids eat 2 servings of vegetables per day! I am going to focus more on incorporating more greens into our diet.

In the past few weeks, I have been steaming spinach and adding it to my dinner (this is great, because 3-4 servings of steamed greens doesn’t seem like so much to eat). The question is how to get my kids to eat more greens?

My younger son will eat different greens. He’ll eat spinach, kale and beet greens, so I’m not so concerned with him. My older son only eats romaine lettuce, so I could see this would be a challenge. Yesterday at dinner, I combined some romaine lettuce with crunchy kale. I was very excited to see him happily eating away. After he finished his dinner, I asked him how he enjoyed his salad. He said that he liked it a lot! Hooray! I will be able to sneak more “good” greens into him!

So I challenge you to try some different greens: kale, dandelion, bok choy, beet greens, wheat grass, seaweed, swiss chard, collards, cabbage,spinach… You can add a variety of greens to your:

sandwich
salad
pasta
stuffing
casseroles
soups
dips
pizza
stir frys
and more!

So remember- eat your vegetables!

Mother's Day Eve

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

One beautiful May afternoon, a few years ago we we're playing outside with our neighbours and their families. My older son was getting into lots of mischief, so I explained to him that he better behave himself, especially on Mother’s Day, and on Mother’s Day Eve. “Mother’s Day Eve?” he asked.

“Yes,” I told him, “You know that there’' a Christmas Eve right?”

“Yes, it’s the day before Christmas.” he said.

“And there’s a New Year’s Eve the day before New Year's Day,” I continued.

“ Yes.” he conceded.

“Well, children all around the world need to be good for their Moms both on Mother’s Day and Mother’s Day Eve. This is when they must be on their best behaviour.” I explained.

Yes, I know it’s a little white lie, but let’s face it, if it wasn't for mothers, none of us would be here today.

Mother’s Day Eve is finally catching on! This morning, when my kids came bounding in our room waking us up at 7:00 am, my youngest son tried coaxing us out of bed saying “It’s morning up!” in his cheerful voice. Why can’t they get up this easily on a school day? That’s another story.

My older son came in and said “Wait, leave Mom alone and only wake up Dad, it’s Mother’s Day Eve you know!”

I had the biggest smile on my face, hidden by the covers as my husband got up with the kids and I got to sleep in.

And so began our family's tradition of celebrating Mother's Day Eve. I encourage Moms everywhere to embrace the concept of Mothers Day Eve. We work hard all year long - we deserve it!

Happy Mother's Day!

Green Bag Lady

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The other day I saw someone who inspired me.

It was a woman with a green bag. She was next to a church on a busy street in my community. She would walk a few steps, then bend down to pick-up something. She did this along the boulevard and in front of the church. I thought she had dropped something and was picking it up. Then I realized that she was picking up garbage. “She must work or volunteer for the church,” I thought to myself.

Then, I saw her cross the street and continue to pick up litter as she walked along.

I was so impressed by this green angel, not just because she was helping to clean up the community, but because she did it with a smile. She was proud to do her part. And she smiled at me, as she walked by my car.

I felt guilty, because of the many times I have passed by garbage, not wanting to pick it up because I didn’t want to get dirty, nor did I want to carry it all the way home. Her act of kindness has inspired me to also bring a bag with me when I go for a walk, to pick up litter I see along the way. And those walks where I don’t need to use the bag, will be absolutely beautiful days.

Understanding Bisphenol A (BPA)

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, the Canadian Government became the first country in the world to complete a risk assessment of bisphenol A, also known as BPA. The government is in the process of determining whether or not to ban the importation and sale of baby bottles containing BPA.

So what is BPA? According to the Government of Canada's website:

"Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used to make a hard plastic called polycarbonate and to make epoxy resins.

Polycarbonate is used in a number of household items, including baby bottles, reuseable water bottles, pitchers, water carboys, tableware and storage containers.

Epoxy resins are used as a protective coating in metal-based food and beverage cans. It serves an important role in the composition the thin coating applied on the interior surface of the can. The coating prevents corrosion of the can and contamination of food and beverages with dissolved metals. It also plays an important role in preserving the quality and safety of the canned food.

Plastics and resins made from bisphenol A can also be used in a range of other products including:
• medical devices (e.g. blood oxygenators, incubators, and respiratory devices)
• dental sealants
• sporting and safety equipment (e.g. hockey helmets)
• electronics (e.g. alarm devices, mobile phone housings, and computers)
• automotive parts (e.g. headlights, bumpers, and inside lights)

Bisphenol A is not found naturally in the environment."

Did you notice in the clip above that BPA can also be in dental sealants?

I found a very technical news release that was sent to dentists about how they should answer patients' BPA questions on the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) website. It was difficult to understand.

Another document titled "Bispehnol A: Facts & Arguments" also on the CDA website, was easier to understand. This document, states that Health Canada is preparing a database listing the products that could potentially contain BPA, however, until then, it recommends that dentists look at the Material Safety Data Sheets from their suppliers to confirm if their sealants contain BPA. So, if you want to get an answer as to whether or not a sealant containing BPA has been used in your mouth, you will have to contact your dentist and hopefully they'll have the information recorded to provide an answer!

On another note, have you checked your cupboards yet?

I am surprised at how many people still don't know about BPA. I know I was becoming confused with what products were safe, and which were not, as not all containers/ bottles bear the appropriate recycling symbols. I came across Dr. Mercola's website where he has a comprehensive list of resources to help you determine what to keep and what to throw out. One big question I had was whether or not my Brita water filter system contained BPA. Dr. Mercola's website confirmed that it does not.

I have finally gone through all of my cupboards, and thrown out the questionable kids dishes, replaced my many water bottles with glass or stainless steel bottles and traded the individually packed organic apple sauce containers (which are marked with the #7 symbol) with apple sauce in glass jars.

So, what happens to the BPA as those products land in the garbage dump?

Note: You can find all of the details on the Government of Canada's Chemical Substance ecoACTION initiative on their website.

Liquid Lunches

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

For the past 2 weeks I've been indulging in liquid lunches.

I've been doing this for several reasons:

They are quick to prepare
They go down real easy
They are easy on the stomach and fill you up
I'm going raw for a week this summer and I thought that having a raw meal once a day, in the form of a smoothie, would be a good first step to introduce more fruits and vegetables into my diet.

The green smoothies I've been making is based on a smoothie Raw Food Chef Robin Gregory made for me. You'll meet Robin in an upcoming episode of Vitamin Junkeys. My smoothie includes Essential Fatty Acids, a green protein powder, water, baby spinach and fruit... some days I have used strawberries and blueberries, other days mango, pineapple and melon. Surprisingly, you don't taste the spinach, just the fruit!

Raw food experts suggest gradually adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a good way to transition to going raw. Getting 7 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day is a good start and gradually add more until you are fully raw.

I have been thinking about what I will eat when I go raw. Robin's site Rawketscience, has some great recipes. I have come to realize how little raw food I actually eat. I cook most of the food I eat. That's not bad right..... everyone does!? You see, when food is cooked though, it destroys some (all?) of the enzymes that comes with the food to help your stomach digest it. So, when you eat raw food, your body has everything it needs to digest your meal.

Raw foodists notice so many changes in how they feel, including:

Increased Energy
Improved Health
Perfect Body Weight
Optimism, Happiness, Bliss and Awareness

While going raw is going to be challenging, I'm looking forward to seeing how my body reacts. There is a history of colon cancer in my family, and I know that I have digestive issues, so I'm very interested to see the impact going raw is going to have on my life. Because it is more than just about what you are eating.

B.O. The Stinking Truth

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Have you ever had to work with someone who stinks? Literally stinks? I'm not talking about someone who wears too much cologne or perfume. At least with those people, you can gently have a conversation with them about their application techniques. I'm talking about people who have bad body odor.

One of my first jobs after university was working in a funky loft office in downtown Toronto. It was a neat building, but it didn't have any air conditioning. To say it got hot, was an understatement. For those who are not familiar with Toronto summers, they tend to be hot and very humid, making it feel like you are in an oven. At this office, there was someone who came in part-time to do the books. He was a very nice man-funny, cleaver. But, boy, did he stink.

This experience has made me very self conscious of my body odor. I admit, I sweat a lot. I used to think this was bad, but now I accept it as a way for my body to detoxify. I used to use antiperspirants to help, but after reading articles linking antiperspirants to breast cancer, and having a friend in her early 30's survive breast cancer, I decided to switch to natural deodorants.

I've tried lots of different products. Some were too sticky, some were too smelly, but none of them seemed to keep me smelling fresh. Last fall, an advertisement in a local health and wellness magazine, caught my eye. The ad was for a natural deodorant called Dr. Mist. It proclaims it is the winner of the Geneva Award in the medical category for its invention of a natural Body Odor Cure. It says it "will work effectively for 3 days even if bathing is not possible."

I was intrigued enough to call the number in the ad to find out more about Dr. Mist. I was so impressed by distributor's product knowledge and passion for Dr. Mist, that I had to give it a try. That week, I purchased Dr. Mist and put it to the test. I did the sniff test at the end of the day (we have all done this at some point- right?), and I smelled fine. I also asked my husband if I smelled bad, just to get another honest opinion... he said no. I have been using Dr. Mist faithfully ever since.

Last weekend, I put Dr. Mist to the test! I went away to a cottage for the weekend, but I forgot to pack my deodorant. I am very pleased to announce that after 2 days of beautiful warm weather, I still smelled fresh:)

Stubborn Kids

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0400

My oldest son is stubborn as a bull sometimes. Whenever there is anything planned, it takes a lot of negotiating and bribery to get him into the car.

It can even be something that he wanted to do, something he signed up for... but if at the moment that it is time to go, he doesn't want to do it, then forget it. You think I would have learned by now to add in extra time to convince him to get into the car, but I haven't. If we aren't meeting someone, then I won't bother fighting him on it, but this weekend I had made arrangements to meet up with some friends that I haven't seen in months.

We went strawberry picking with a friend and to a waterfront festival with another friend. These are both activities that I knew he would enjoy, and yet he dug his heels in and did not want to go.

Of course, the same thing happens each time and this past weekend, we even talked cash... let's go, it's time to go... no, I'm not going..... yes you are... no, you can't make me.... yes we're going and I know you'll even have fun... no I won't have fun, stop telling me what to do...I tell you what- if you don't have fun I'll give you $1....no $50... no $1... no $50... I'll give you $2 if you don't have fun.... O.K. ....and off he goes in to the car.

Then sure enough, he has an awesome time! We made giant bubbles, he got to play nerf tag, face painting, and playing with guk. In the afternoon I did the fun check- are you having fun?

He responds with a smile on his face and sheepishly says "no" (of course he wants his $2).
Oh come on now!
Yes, I'm having fun!
Good!

As a Mom, I look for fun things for us to do as a family, but I know that I need to be careful of how much I plan. While these activities may be fun for the kids, sometimes they just want to hang out at home and play with their friends. And that's o.k. too.

Officially Launching Liv Healthy Website and Contest!

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0400

I am pleased to announce that Liv Healthy will be officially launching our business and website on Saturday, July 5th from 10:30 am-12:00 pm at Whole Foods, Oakville, Ontario, Canada. At the event we will be having our "bottle opening" ceremony to officially launch the site, as well as:
• samples and coupons from Pita Break
• samples of the new O'Dough's gluten free products
• The Healthy Shopper Coupon Books, to help you save money on natural and organic products
• the latest issue of Open Magazine
• an opportunity to try out our Amethyst Bio Mat
• a chance to visit the Liv Healthy Website and watch the latest episode of Vitamin Junkeys

You will also be able to enter the Discover Liv Healthy contest, where you can win 4 tickets to the Canadian Open in Oakville, Ontario. To enter, you will need to answer the question ' What is the Vitamin of the Day in the Vitamin Junkeys Detoxification episode.' (Contest is open to Canadian residents only. Retail value- aprx. $400). Good Luck!

Please join us at the launch, and don't forget to enter the Discover Liv Healthy contest!

Liv Healthy by Living Naturally

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0400

On Saturday, July 5th, I officially launched www.livhealthy.tv at Whole Foods Market!

At the launch I shared my experience in bringing Liv Healthy to life, and acknowledged the many people who helped along the way. I was so inspired by the people who attended the event; people who are focused on their health and ultimately, making the world a better place.

We often don't slow down long enough to reflect on everything we've accomplished, when we know that there is still so much more to do. It is an important step, especially when we've taken on something that we thought that we couldn't ever possibly do. Sometimes we come up with an idea and then dismiss it, because we think that we can never achieve that goal: it seems too huge to tackle or we just don't know how we're going to do it. The reality is, that Rome wasn't built in a day, and you don't actually need to know how to do everything. You just need to know how to find the right people to ask.

If you told me a year ago that I would be launching my website and announcing the new health and wellness show that I have co-created- I would have told you that you were crazy. Because, last summer, this was all just an idea. And then I asked lots of questions, did lots of research and discovered that there are a lot of people out there who want me to succeed. And when there are those moments when I'm feeling low and not sure why I'm doing all of this, I think of them, and I think of the people who have taken steps in their lives to Liv Heatlhy. It's their words of encouragement and their accomplishments that keep me going. We are all human and we are all capable of greatness. We're all capable of making the world a better place.

So, what are you going to take on today?

Getting Active

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0400

I just realized something the other day. I've been very proud of myself that I have money budgeted for alternative therapies. I recognize the value that various therapies offer. Chiropractic care, network spinal analysis, massage therapy, and acupuncture to name just a few. I often use these therapies to help my muscles get back their mobility after being stressed out. Now, I must admit that since I've started doing network spinal analysis, that my muscles have not been as tense, but I think that there is still an even better approach.

While I have money in the budget for alternative therapies, I have no money or time allocated for physical fitness, nor peacefulness. I bet you, if I were to invest more time and money here, that I would need less of the other therapies. This would be for a number of reasons:
1. my body would be physically stronger and able to take more
2. my body would be more limber and able to heal more quickly
3. I would be better at breathing, and using the breath to work through stress
4. I would be burning off steam, and detoxifying as I sweat
5. I would actually relax for a period of time and become more in tune with my body.

Money need not be the issue. As there are so many things that I can do for free: walking, running, roller blading, hiking, bike riding. And the best part of these activities is that I can do them with the kids, which would then help with the time issue, because I'd like to be active and be spending time as a family.

So I will begin by committing to doing one of the above activities with the kids twice per week. The biggest challenge here will be getting them to come out with me instead of playing with their friends, but that can easily be fixed by inviting a friend along.

I'll keep you posted on how I do!

On another note, congratulations to Cheryl of Toronto for winning the July Discover Liv Healthy Contest. You can win too! Enter by clicking the Contest link on the Liv Healthy home page.

Don't let the Bugs Bite!

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Although "black fly season" is over in the Muskoka's, there sure were a lot of bugs. I tried a new natural bug repellent, and I'm not sure if it made much of a difference, as I could constantly hear the buzzing of insects around my head, looking for a good place to land. It contained lots of citronella, because you could certainly smell it, but I didn't find it over powering. I prefer to use something without DEET. Maybe next year we will consider investing in bug gear with the mesh to keep the bugs at bay.

My youngest son got eaten alive with over 40 bites, at least 10 of them from being easy prey while he was sleeping. I got 25 bites, my older son got 13 bites, and I'm not sure how my husband faired.

The bites are so itchy, it's hard not to scratch. We've been applying calendula cream to the bug bites to help soothe the itching and speed the recovery. I also read that Aloe Vera can help.

My sister told me that she read an article that said if you take lots of Vitamin B1 before and during the camping trip, that the bugs will bother you less. Apparently, the B1 causes you to give off an odour when you sweat that is undetectable to humans, and unattractive to insects.

I've read conflicting reports on how effective it is. I would say, try taking B1 and see if works at keeping the bugs away for you. If it does, then keep using this strategy, and if it doesn't then find another solution. The reality is that each person is different, and a solution that works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone. So, while that bug spray didn't seem to make a difference to me and my youngest son, it may be what helped my older son get fewer bites.

On another note, One interesting thing that both my husband and I noticed is that we both slept really well while we were away- better than we usually do when we go camping. I wonder if it had anything to do with just being in nature, with no cell phone towers, or big electrical fields nearby?

Water - Are You Drinking Enough?

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0400

I have found that in the last 6 months I have become more in tune with my body. I'm getting that some of the most simple things have a huge impact. Drinking water for instance...when I don't drink enough water, I feel it in my head and in my stomach. In fact, every time I don't feel good, I start off with drinking 2 glasses of water and then assess how I feel. A lot of the time, water is all I need to start feeling better.

I guess it shouldn't be all that surprising, since our body is 75% water. And if your body doesn't have enough water, it starts prioritizing what parts of your body will get the water that is available.

I've started reading the book "Your Body's Many Cries For Water" by F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. His website is www.watercure.com. The subtitle of the book is "You are not sick, you are thirsty!" I encourage you to visit the website.

In this book, Dr. Batmanghelidj shares a case study of a young man who was doubled over in pain because of an ulcer. The man started to feel the pain after lunch, and had been in pain for 10 hours. He tried having cimetidine and a whole bottle of antacids and didn't get any relief. The doctor proceeded to help the young man by simply giving him water. After two glasses of water and about 15 minutes, his pain began to subside. After another glass of water, his pain was gone.

Dr. Batmanghelidj shares another story of a young woman who managed to loose 35 lbs over the course of the year simply because she stopped drinking soda pop and started drinking water. I'm not surprised, because my friend's husband also lost about 10 lbs after he stopped drinking pop for 1 month.

The book includes more letters and testimonials of how people have had asthma, chronic headaches and even allergies cured with just water.

You need to read his book to get the full story and a better understanding of how water and dehydration affects your body. It is absolutely incredible how such a simple as drinking water can have such a huge impact.

So, how much water should you drink? Is 8 glasses of water enough for everyone? How much water should children drink? According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, you should drink half of your body weight in ounces of water. So, a child weighing 40 lbs should drink 20 oz of water or 2 1/2 glasses. Someone weighing 160 lbs should drink 80 oz of water, or 10 glasses. This should be just water, not juice, not pop, not coffee, not tea- just water. Anything else also has dehydrating components which will make you loose more than the fluid you just consumed, which in turn will dehydrate you more.

A good strategy for making sure you get enough water is to fill a pitcher up with the amount of water you need to drink in a day. When it's empty, you know you've had enough. Or, you can also get a water bottle, and figure out how many of them you need to drink to get your daily quota. I find this easier than trying to remember to count how many individual glasses of water I have had. I use an 800mL VOSS water bottle, that I refill and I drink two to three bottles per day.

Do you have some strategies that you use to make sure you drink enough water? Please share them!

Drink up & enjoy!

Going Raw

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

This week I'm going raw.

Why?

I want to see if it will make a difference in how I feel and I want to try a new challenge. You see, there is a history of digestive issues in my family. My father had rectal cancer, and because of that my siblings and I have to go for colonoscopies every five years. A couple of my siblings have had polyps. It's become very clear to me that good digestion is the key to my good health.

For the last few weeks, I've been incorporating more raw foods into my diet. It made me realize how often I cook my vegetables instead of eating them raw. Most of the fruit I eat is raw, which is a good start.

I started by having one completely raw meal per day, plus consciously adding more raw vegetables, nuts and seeds into my snacks. Then I increased it to 2 raw meals per day, and I'll go 100% raw for at least a week.

Now, I know this isn't a very long time. Some friends who have gone raw for years have told me this is more like a detox. However, it is a first step and I know it will make an impact on my eating habits.

I have already noticed that my body needs greens. It feels better when I eat more greens. If I don't have a raw breakfast, I start to feel funny by lunch time. I don't enjoy eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast anymore.

So what does it mean to go raw?

It means that I will only eat fresh or dehydrated fruits, fresh vegetables, raw or sprouted nuts and seeds and sprouted grains and beans. Food can be warmed, but not heated over 118F, because they say that food becomes "dead" at this temperature. Foods in the raw state are said to have all of the digestive enzymes necessary for your body to digest them. This makes it easier for your body to process these foods. For more information, check out the website Rawket Science created by raw food chef Robin Gregory. She is a wonderful person and a source of inspiration.

I have found some great recipes for cold soups (gazpacho- yum!), 'burgers" different smoothies and salads to give me some variety from typical green salads. I decided to try a raw diet in the summer time when there is lots of local produce to choose from. It will take some time to prep food and to get into the swing of things, but I'm up for the challenge!

I will let you know how I progress, and how this impact my lifestyle!

My Raw Experience

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Going Raw- Day 6

Last Thursday I began a raw food diet. I have been eating only fresh and dried foods. In some ways this has been easier than I had anticipated. In some ways this has been more challenging than I thought it would be.

Robin Gregory, raw food chef and bloggist, suggested that I find a couple of good recipes to get me through the week. So I did. I found a great broccoli salad, beat salad, gazpacho, and chocolate truffles, as a base to get me through the week.

The team at Sequel also kindly provided me with some of their fantastic Vega products to help me with my raw experience. The Vega product line was formulated by Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman Triathlete. I have been enjoying a green smoothie loaded with Vega Complete Whole Food Optimizer and Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend every day to have an easy protein rich meal that tastes good.

What I have found easy is the fact that being summer time, there are so many amazing fresh foods in our markets. It's easy for me to grab an apricot, plum, peach, melon, carrots or peppers for a snack. Eating raw doesn't really have to be complicated.

What I have found challenging is having to create a completely raw meal for me from scratch in addition to what my family is eating. My kids are not adventurous enough to try the broccoli salad (which is delicious, although it seemed strange making a dressing with 1 cup of cashews), but my husband will have some of what I prepare for myself, and has enjoyed some new dishes.

The other challenge I have is eating enough protein. I did stock up on seeds and nuts, but I would really love a piece of chicken, or some fish. The crunch and texture of seeds gets a little boring, and I wasn't willing to invest in a dehydrator to prepare my own crackers or pizza to offer more variety. I know that I could try sprouting beans for my protein, and I did have intentions of doing that, but wow, look at that-it's almost been a week and that's how long I said I would do this for. I may do a few days more if the recipes I have tempt me enough.

Now, I have to admit, that I have not been perfect. On the first day, there was some hummus in the fridge that was calling me.... and I knew that if I didn't eat it, that it would go bad.. so I did. I also baked a delicious peach-blueberry pie, the best one I've made yet, for my husband. I couldn't resist and I did have a small sliver. I was also enjoying some of the Vega Whole Food Energy Bar (I really like the berry flavour), as a tasty and filling raw snack. The ingredients are amazing and it really does taste good! Then I reviewed the ingredients and saw that it contains almonds, which I have an intolerance to. Darn!

So what have I noticed in myself since I've been eating raw? Well, I'm definitely detoxifying. I have the pimples to prove it. On day 3 I wasn't sure I was going to keep going. I felt so nauseous. I wasn't sure if I needed to eat more, drink more or not eat anything. A good nights rest helped me feel better. I kept telling myself that it's just part of the detoxification process.... it will pass. I have also noticed that I have been feeling more positive, and with that positive energy, more great things have been coming my way.

I think that my experience would be different if I had also created some quiet time for myself, and taken more time for reflection.

I think I will continue with eating raw for a few more days, with the intention of going to bed early, and also taking 15 minutes of quiet time for me every day. Let's see what that opens up!

The Most Important Things I Learned From Going Raw

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

I just completed my first raw food experience. I went raw for a total of 9 days. Not a record by any means, but still enough time for me to get something out of the experience.

Although I had intended to add more of a spiritual aspect to the last few days of my raw experience... some quiet time to myself for reflection- it didn't happen. My husband can attest to the fact that I don't slow down very often. What I did do, however, was I did exercise more. We went for hikes, bike rides and played dodge ball with friends in the neighbourhood, and at a family function. It was a lot of fun!

The biggest benefit I saw from going raw, is I finally got rid of the redness in my cheeks. I have had red cheeks for years, and I have been determined to get rid of it. I have tried talking to my MD about it years ago, and my naturopath in recent years. Both said it wasn't really bad, but whenever I went for a facial or spoke to someone in the "beauty" industry, they commented on it.

In the spring I got a free mini make-up makeover from Vickie Balazs using her awesome all natural Canadian product line from Jaydancin. Now, I don't typically wear much make-up to begin with, just concealler under my eyes to hide the dark circles, and eyeliner. When Vicki was applying my make-up she gently commented how she often sees women who apply make-up to try to cover a "flaw" that seems to stand-out to them, but to everyone else, it's not a big deal. For me, this was the dark circles under my eyes. I've left the redness in my cheeks alone, because I didn't want to apply anything to aggrevate the redness. She suggested that I not worry so much about the circles under my eyes, but rather focus on the treating/covering my red cheeks. This is quite a paradigm shift for me, and I confess that I didn't have much success with it. But now, the red cheeks are GONE!!! I noticed this on day 6 that my cheeks looked better and I had to continue for a couple of more days to see if it would clear up. It did!!! Now the question is, will coming off of the raw diet bring it back?

Now, while this was a big "accomplishment" for me, whenever I try something new, there is always something I carry forward from that experience. From this experience of trying a raw food diet, I will:

1. Continue to eat more raw food, aiming for an 80% raw diet. I will continue with the green smoothies, as they are so simple to prepare, easy to "eat" and easy to digest. I will look for more raw salads, other than the typical green leafy salad. I actually didn't have very many green leafy salads while I was raw. I used the core recipes I had (beet salad, broccoli salad, gazpacho, honey ginger coleslaw) to give me lots of variety, and help cut down on the prep time.

2. Consider a raw food diet for future detoxes. It really takes you back to the basics, consuming fresh live foods.

3. Probably never have cereal for breakfast again. I used to eat granola or some sort of flake cereal for breakfast almost everyday. The thought of eating that now, just turns my stomach. I could still eat oatmeal though in the winter.

I'd love to hear about your raw food experience too! Please share what worked for you, what didn't and what you got out of it.

A Fresh Natural Approach to Doing Laundry

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400

There's nothing like the smell of the clean, laundered clothes, fresh off of the clothesline.

I love hanging the laundry out to dry on the clothesline. It reminds me of when my Mom used to do it when I was little. It makes me feel like I'm doing my part to help the environment by not using my dryer. Plus, I save money by not using my dryer.

When we moved into a house, one of the first things we bought was a clothesline. I was excited to be able to hang my clothes outside to dry. Unfortunately, this summer has been very wet, so I have not hung my clothes out to dry as often as I would have liked to.

My neighbour takes things a step further and when the weather doesn't co-orperate, she still hangs her laundry on drying racks in her basement. She does this year round. It's just become part of her routine. I haven't taken that on, since two extra large loads of laundry would probably take about 10 drying racks and my whole basement. However, I do use less laundry detergents, bleach and stain removers.

About three years ago I bought magnets as an alternative to laundry detergents to wash my family's clothes. The magnets do the same thing as laundry detergent does- they break the surface tension of the water to loosen dirt from clothes. It took me about a year to actually start using them in every load. Not using laundry detergent is such a paradigm shift, and I was reluctant to give it up. I couldn't comprehend how magnets could get my clothes clean. I started with just using the magnets for one load a week, carefully selecting the relatively clean dirty clothes. I stopped buying laundry detergent and when I ran out, that was it, I didn't buy any more.

Now I have to admit, that I need to be more diligent about scrubbing stains, because I'm not using a detergent that has the stain removers built into it. I am better at pre-treating any stains to help prevent them from setting. I found some Himalayan soap nuts, eco-friendly bleaches and stain removers to use when the clothes are particularly dirty or stained. My sister is a miracle stain remover. She showed me with enough elbow grease, you can remove almost any stain.

I have noticed several things since I stopped using laundry detergents. First, It seems as if the chemicals in the laundry detergent were causing a lot of the static, because I don't notice much static in the clothes anymore. I have found some reusable "dryer sheets" that I use in the dryer, but for the most part it's not really necessary, unless there are towels or sweaters in the load.

Secondly, I realize how much I hate the smell of laundry detergents- it makes me nauseous. I love natural scents and I sometimes use some herbs in the laundry to give it a nice smell. If anyone is sensitive or allergic to laundry detergents, I suggest they consider laundry magnets.

I love cleaning my clothes naturally. I have saved a lot of money by not buying laundry detergents. The magnets paid for themselves in a year. I also don't pollute the water as much, because there are no chemicals in the wash water. Laundry magnets really are an environmentally friendly, easy to use solution!

Here's to doing the laundry au naturel!

Raising a Healthy Family

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

I vividly remember an afternoon about 5 years ago when I was going through my cupboards and getting rid of some food that I no longer wanted in the house. I got rid of convenience foods with food colourings, additives, and ingredients I couldn't pronounce. And it dawned on me at that moment that I was responsible for my family's health. If I wanted them to eat well, I needed to make sure there was good food in the house. It was up to me to cook healthy meals. This is such a simple thing, and yet has so much impact.

It was quite a shift for me. I remember my sister-in-law, who is a healthy vegetarian, saying she'd rather that her daughter not have all of the cookies that were being offered to her. And I remember saying "what's the harm if she has it once in a while?" I just didn't get it, that 1 cookie can be a treat, it doesn't have to be 2 or 3. Now I get it. And now I'm the person getting frustrated when people offer my kids a lot of "treats". My son recently went to a camp, and the last day of the week they had donuts, cookies, and candy throughout the day. Ugh!

My naturopath, told me that a good rule to live by is eating healthy 80% of the time and indulging 20% of the time. These are words that my co-host, naturopath Dr. JJ also recommends.

To achieve this, I try to make as much of my own meals as possible. I have created or adapted recipes to create easy healthy meals. I admit, I do reach for a flavoured rice, or frozen french fries when I'm running short on time, but I choose natural and organic products and I always read the label. I've been fooled a couple of times. I have bought some crackers or a sauce that looked healthy, but when I read the ingredients, there are several types of sugar, or the main ingredient is white flour. So, now I make sure I read the label before putting a new item in the shopping cart.

I love to bake and I tinker with traditional recipes, reducing the amount of sugar, or swapping out different types of flour (spelt, rice or bean) for white flour. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have an amazing recipe for multi-grain pancakes, and also chocolate chip cookies made with bean flour.

It's taken several years, but I've come up with my own list of "staple" ingredients. It's incredible how easy it can be to make simple healthy meals. My cooking style is evolving, as I adapt to my food intolerances like gluten-free, egg-free and dairy-free cooking. I try to make the meals for the family simple, so I don't end up making two completely different meals for me and the rest of the family. It's getting easier as my kids are getting older and willing to try a few different things.

I'll share some of these recipes in the weeks to come. I also ask you to submit your favourite simple healthy recipes, especially those that can be made in less than 30 minutes.

Mulitgrain Pancakes

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Last week I promised to share with you some of my favourite healthy recipes I've come across, created or adapted over the last few years. This recipe is for multigrain pancakes, honestly the best pancake recipe you will ever try. They are so fluffy and delicious, that everyone who tries them, asks for the recipe. I've also included the secret to cooking perfect pancakes. Enjoy:

1/4 cup organic oats
1/3 cup organic spelt flour
1/3 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup of organic white flour
1 tbsp aluminum free baking powder
2 tbsp organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of organic milk- your choice of type
1 organic free range egg
3 tbsp of grapeseed oil

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Then add wet ingredients. Stir until just moist, but not too lumpy.

Grease pan with coconut oil (this gives a lovely subtle flavour, and it doesn't create trans fats when heated) and preheat pan over medium heat. Pour a large spoonful evenly into the centre of the pan, and turn down heat to medium low- this is key! Let the pancake cook until you start to see at least 10 bubbles. Then flip- it should be golden brown. You will know the other side is done when it starts to form a bubble in the centre- the pancake starts to rise like a dome. That's it- perfect pancakes!

Get creative when serving your pancakes too.. real organic maple syrup is best, but also consider trying apple butter, jam, peanut butter, tahini, and even fresh fruit! You can make pizza pancakes using cashew butter as the sauce and pieces of fruit as the toppings. My kids also like to use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the pancakes and eat them like that.

Left over pancakes are a great snack too. If you add extra milk, the pancakes are thinner and you can make pancake roll-ups with cashew butter and apple butter. Yum!

Contest Winners Sept 1, 2008

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Congratulations to Holly of Grand Forks British Columbia and Angelique of Orlando, Florida, our latest winners of the Discover Liv Healthy.tv Contest!

Holly won a $50 Gift Card for Whole Foods Market and Angelique won a $75 online gift certificate to send flowers anywhere in the world courtesy of Brant Florist.

Thank you to all of those who entered. Our next contest closes on October 30th. Good Luck!

An Inside Look at the Canadian Health Food Industry

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Canadian Health Food Association's (CHFA) Expo East trade show. This is an incredible event where all of the top companies with natural or organic health food products showcase their product line and unveil their new wares. It is an industry event open to health food store employees, health care practitioners, suppliers and media. Attending Expo East was exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I now have a new appreciation for the industry, as I learned more about the standards and regulations that companies in this industry must comply with.

The show took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and included over 550 vendors. The trade show is open for 2 full days, and as a rookie, it wasn't enough time for me to take it all in. In addition to the trade show, the expo educates attendees through informative sessions and an inspiring keynote speaker. This year, former Canadian Olympic athlete, Silken Laumann motivated the audience to focus on the incredible things we want to accomplish. She shared her personal experiences in the Olympics, and in life to encourage us to follow our dreams. She reminded us that if we truly want something, we can make it happen, just as she did... winning a bronze medal for rowing at the Olympics despite seriously injuring her leg just weeks before the olympic games. With a vision and determination, you can truly accomplish anything.

My goal at this event event was to gather more information on detoxification, gluten free living and natural make-up/personal care products. You see, I get more and more people asking me for advice or looking for more information on these topics, so I wanted to find experts to interview, so I can learn more about these areas. I met so many knowledgeable people that are ready to share their expertise and experience. You'll see lots of articles and information in my blog in the coming weeks on these topics as I share my discoveries with you. :)

I welcome your questions as well! If you have a specific question on detoxification, gluten free diets or natural make-up that you would like me to ask the experts, please email me by September 30th.

Discovering a Great Natural Make-up

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

At the Canadian Health Food Association Expo East trade show I recently attended in Toronto, I had the opportunity to get a mini-make-over from Pure Anada, an all natural make-up company based in a small town just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I confess, that I really don't like wearing make-up. I get that from my Mom, who always goes au naturel because she has sensitive skin. I also couldn't be bothered with spending more time in the bathroom. I'm a no-nonsense kind of gal, and I like to keep it simple. I don't look in the mirror very much and I often have to remind myself to take a look to make sure I look presentable.

For me, make-up needs to be made from natural ingredients, feel light on my skin as if I have nothing on, be easy to apply, and look natural. I have had a hard time finding a natural make-up that was affordable, available in a variety of shades of colours, and easy to buy- I don't want to have to go to downtown Toronto to buy more when I run out. Pure Anada covered all of these bases for me.

I was greeted at their booth on Saturday by Clarissa, a kind, beautiful young woman, who is the sister of the company's founder, and proud ambassadors of Pure Anada. Clarissa provided me with an overview of the company, and I was impressed with the love, and attention to quality put into the products. You may think that this is just a small Canadian company, but then you learn about how much of their business is done online, and that they have a huge following in the Phillippenes- so much so that they developed new colours to suit the needs of this market.

I was taping a video on Saturday for Organic and Wellness News, so I had already slathered on some other make-up for filming, but it was a product that I didn't really like, but I wanted to get my money's worth out of it before I went and bought something new. I made an appointment to return to the booth on Sunday with a clean fresh face, ready for the full Pure Anada experience.

I had the honour of having my make-up done by Candace Grenier, the company founder. She is also very kind, and sweet with that "girl next door" look about her, but don't let that small-town image fool you. Candace is a smart business woman who is committed to providing quality products in a growing market. She knows all about her competition, and is always looking for new ways to grow her business. What I admire most about her is that she's found a way to build her business while being a Mom too. She'll be sharing some tips on what to look for when searching for natural make-up, in an upcoming article on Liv Healthy.tv

Now, back to the make-up, Candace gave me a full tour of the product line as she expertly applied foundation, eye make-up, blush and lip gloss/lip stick. I shared with her my ignorance on make-up application, and she gently coached me on how to apply it, sharing some tricks of the trade, like tapping the foundation brush before applying it to my face. Pure Anada also includes make-up application tips in their catalogue, so clearly I'm not alone-others are looking for this information too.

I really liked the look of the make-up at the end of our session. I didn't feel like I was wearing anything, because the make-up felt so light. It looked natural and highlighted my eyes and my lips (the secret for the lips is in the application of both a lip stick with a bit of lip gloss on top, just at the plump part of the bottom lip).

Pure Anada passed my test of looking natural and being easy to apply. There are over 40 shades of eyeshadow, which I was really excited about- yes, the girl who doesn't like to wear make-up likes eye shadow. Who would have ever thought that so many colours could be made from minerals. The purpose of Pure Anada attending the show was to find new stores to carry their product, so they will be available in more locations closer to home. Plus, I can buy the product online. And as I share my experience with my friends, we can all place a big order together, which will save on the shipping costs (there's free shipping on orders over $50) and give me an excuse to get together with them too!

Are you looking for natural make-up too? Liv Healthy fans can get a discount of $5 off of their order of Pure Anada products by visiting the Pure Anada Boutique and entering the coupon code:

livhealthy

Enjoy and Liv Beautifully!

Harvesting Compost: Black Gold

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Well, I finally did it! I got some black gold out of my compost! It is dark, rich and lumpy.

Earlier in the year I shared with you some things I learned about composting, particularly what I was doing wrong. I was treating my compost like a natural garbage bin and dumping mango seeds, branches and avocado pits into the compost with my leaves and vegetable waste. I couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting anything out of my compost, especially since I have been contributing to it for over 8 years.

I learned that I need to put smaller pieces of natural matter into my compost bin and turn it regularly. While I did follow these instructions, I still wasn't noticing a difference in my compost bin. It wasn't until my aunt who is an avid gardener came to visit me that I discovered what the problem was.

My aunt put on some gardening gloves, got out a hand shovel and got to the bottom of the issue. She worked away in the garden while I worked away on my computer, and when it was time for lunch, we had a talk.

While I was doing well with putting smaller pieces into my compost this year, there are still all of the big sticks and pits from the past that will take years to break down. My aunt pulled out a big pile of sticks from the compost that were simply taking up room. With those removed, my compost bin will work more efficiently and I should be able to harvest compost every year.

She made sure that I knew what to put in, and what not to put in, to keep my compost bin working for me.

I had to promise NOT to put in the compost any:
avocado seeds
mango seeds
branches
any chunks of fruit or vegetables bigger than 2 inches

(All of the above items can go in either the city "green bin", or garden waste pick-up)

I promise to put into the compost:
leaves
grass clippings
rinds or stalks that have been cut-up into small pieces
all small bits of fruit and vegetable waste
crunched up egg shells
dried leaves
some soil to balance out the amount of green material
empty paper towel rolls cut in half
empty toliet paper rolls

(Apparently the worms like to travel through the "tunnels" of the empty rolls- it's a little tip my aunt swears by. )

After my aunt left, I proudly opened the bottom of the compost bin and pulled out some lumpy compost. It will get better next year as the old waste works its way through the system. It's wonderful to see the rewards of my efforts and to put that goodness back to work in my garden.

On another note, Natural Moms Talk Radio is celebrating their 100 podcast next week! The show's host, Carrie Lauth is kind and inspiring. She interviews so many incredible women. I had the privilege of being on one of her shows in August.

Gluten and Dairy Free Apple Crisp

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0400

About a year ago I discovered I have several food intolerances: almonds, peanuts, diary (cow's milk and goat's milk), gluten, eggs, kidney beans, pinto beans. (Click here to see my allergy test results.) For Christmas last year I received a glutenfree cookbook, which has some fantastic recipes. It's called: Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook by Donna Wishburn & Heather Butt. The book includes over 150 recipes that are gluten-free, lactose free recipes with lots of egg-free variations. I really like this book because it talks about the gluten-free pantry and various types of flours that you can use instead of wheat flour. For those who are new to cooking gluten free, this is a fantastic resource to have in your cookbook library!

It is because of this cookbook that I discovered quinoa and how to use ground flaxseed as an egg substitute (A guideline is 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed, put into 1/4 cup of warm tap water and let sit for 5 minutes- you will need to experiment with this), however, there are instances where you simply can't replace the egg- like when you make a cream or custard filling.

I have to admit that I love desserts. I tried several desserts from the cookbook, and they were good (for a gluten-free dessert), about a 6 out of 10. This is not because the recipes are not good, it is simply because gluten free flours produce a very dense cake, and since I only tired the recipes that didn't use eggs either, it made the desserts even more dense. Ugh! Sometimes it's very frustrating following an egg-free, gluten and dairy free diet!

So I have taken a classic fall recipe, substituted some gluten free ingredients and turned it into a gluten free dessert that is also vegetarian, healthy, easy and it tastes good!. Now, that makes living gluten free much easier!

Dairy and Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Topping:
1 cup Gluten free Oatmeal
1/3 cup Rice Flour
3/4 cup Brown Sugar, lightly packed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 cup Melted Butter Substitute

Apple Mixture:
5 large Peeled & Sliced Cooking Apples, like Granny Smith
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease (with coconut oil or butter substitute) an 9 inch sqare glass baking dish.
2. Topping: In a bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Apple mixture: Place apples in a bowl. Toss with lemon juice and brown sugar. Place apples in baking dish, spreading out evenly.
4. Sprinkle crumb mixture over apples.
5. Bake 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown.

Enjoy!

P.S. I will be sharing more healthy gluten-free, dairy free, egg free recipes in the weeks to come! Please feel free to share your favourite easy, quick and healthy recipes too!

Turkey Nuggets

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0400

My mother-in-law showed me how easy it is to make a lot of the pre-packaged foods I used to buy. I had no idea how easy it was to make pancakes from scratch until she showed me. Since then I adapted my favourite pancake recipe and made it into a fluffy multigrain pancake recipe, which I shared in an earlier blog entry.

This week, I'll share with you my recipe for turkey nuggets. You can use this recipe for chicken nuggets, turkey nuggets or even homemade fish sticks. It's a great way to get a different form of protein into the kids, and turkey is more readily available throughout the year than it used to be. I use tilapia to make the fish "sticks", I can usually get about 3 fish sticks out of each fillet.

I used to make the nuggets by dipping the meat in an egg mixture first, but after I found out I was allergic to eggs, I experimented and discovered that you can just spray or brush the meat with olive oil and then dip it into the breading mixture. This healthy recipe is so simple, and it is a great way to get kids involved with the cooking process. My oldest son can make these nuggets himself!

I must admit that this is one of my favourite kid-friendly healthy recipes. We typically have turkey or chicken or fish nuggets once a week.

For those who really want to have control over what you eat, then you can make your own bread crumbs from "day old" bread that they sell off at the grocery store. This is a great way to get multigrain bread crumbs, rather than the ones they make from the mystery bread at the grocery store.

Multigrain Turkey Nuggets:

1 lb boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into chunks

1/2 cup multigrain breadcrumbs

1/8 tsp seasoning like Herbamare

olive oil to spray/brush the meat

Directions:

Mix together the breadcrumbs and seasoning.
Spray or brush the meat with olive oil, to give it a light coating.
Dip the meat into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides thoroughly.
Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 350 F for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes.

Serves a family of 4.

*To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free bread crumbs.

*Detox friendly recipe- if you use spelt or gluten free bread crumbs.

3 Trends in Natural Products Industry 2008

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0400

Last week I attended the Natural Product Expo East trade show in Boston, MA, USA. This is a huge industry event with over 1,300 companies and 2,100 exhibits. Companies from all over US and Canada come to showcase their product line and launch their latest creations.

With over 30 aisles to explore, it is difficult to really see the entire show. I attended the full three days and did not make it up and down every aisle. Based on my impression of the booths and products that I saw, however, I noticed three big trends at this event:

1. Super food or Functional Foods
A superfood is a nutrient dense food that is unique to a specific country. It is very complex and when it is consumed, it has immediate benefits.

Every country in the world has their own super foods. Jorge Urena, President and CEO of Uhtco Corporation provided me with a crash course on what super foods are. He is particularly knowledgeable on the Super Foods from South America, as Uhtco has been rescuing the traditional methods of preparing these foods so more people can enjoy their benefits. In fact, there are more super foods in South America than any other area in the world because this area is relatively untouched.

Superfoods from South America include:
Maca
Camu Camu
Purple Corn
Yacon
Sacha Inchi
Cat's Claw
Lucuma
Quinoa
Amaranth

How do we know these are super foods? These are foods that have been used for thousands of years by the Incas and passed down through generations.

These foods have a wide variety of benefits. For instance, Maca helps with balancing hormones, increasing energy and enhancing general well being. I had a dose of this as I was interviewing Jorge, and while it's intense flavour is a little hard going down, it did help me get through the last exhausting day of the tradeshow.

Yacon is known to be a pre-biotic and to help balance your blood sugar levels. It can also help reduce cholesterol levels.

Cat's Claw is widely known in Peru for it's immune system boosting qualities. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Other superfoods include acai berries, gogi berries, cacoa (raw chocolate), blueberries, probiotics and flax seed. At the show there was an abundance of decadent chocolates, drinks laced with probiotics and berries and even body lotions infused with acai and goji berries.

2. Gluten Free
I was amazed at how many gluten-free products were at Expo East. There were yummy gluten-free desserts, breads, pastas, candies, crackers and snacks. It's clear that more and more people are discovering that they have a gluten intolerance and are demanding more and better quality products.

The best gluten-free bread hand's down is O'Doughs. Their tagline of "Too good to be gluten free" is very appropriate. I was at their booth stopping by for a snack when Marcie Harvey, President of Lil's Dietary Specialty Shop tri ed their bread for the first time.

"This is PHENOMENOL!" she said over and over as she tried the different breads and cakes. Marcie is passionate about gluten-free products, as she has a totally gluten-free health food store in Chicago and is well known in the Celiac community around the world.

O'Dough's bread is the only gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free bread I've tried that you don't have to toast in order to eat it. You can eat it like a regular slice of bread without it crumbling in your hands. I actually have to tell my husband not to eat it all, because he enjoys it so much. If you are looking for an amazing gluten-free bread, you MUST try it. It is available in more in more stores across Canada and the US and you can even order it online through O'Dough's and soon through Marcie's store.

I also stopped by Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods booth for a bite to eat. I had a delicious rice pasta salad that was full of flavour. Maplegrove is the largest producer of gluten free pasta with a new facility in Fontana, California. Rice pasta is often a staple in most celiac's kitchens, since it is so easy to prepare and versatile. Maplegrove's growth in the last few years is an indication of future of the gluten-free sector.

3. Healthy Pet Food and Supplements for Pets

There are two big contributors to the growth in this segment. Number one, the pet food scare experienced a few years ago has made pet owners more cautious about what they feed their pets. Secondly, as more and more people are being proactive about their health, it is impacting what they buy for their pets.

Debbie Eddy, Director of Sales for Halo, Purely for Pets shared with me the story behind their product Spot's Stew. Andi Brown, Halo's founder had a cat named Spot that had a series of health problems. After exhausting the premium cat food options available at the time and the recommendations made by her vet, a friend brought to Andi's attention that the problem was what she was feeding Spot. That night her friend whipped up a yummy stew that they all ate, including Spot. Spot lapped it up and continued to enjoy Spot's Stew for another 14 healthy years.

Halo's product line for cats and dogs includes wet food, dry food, supplements and natural treats. Spot's Stew is still the best product in their product line, but they created a dry food using a holistic approach, to provide a convenient option for pet owners.

It's wonderful to see so many new natural products available for our pets. Uhtco also has a new product to support pet's joint health. Reparapet is a unique combination of two superfood's- Maca extract and Cat's Claw extract. They have had customers report fantastic results, including an 8 1/2 year old Rottweiler that could not walk because she was in considerable pain, who is now racing around the yard with their neighbour's 2 year-old dog.

These are just a few of my discoveries at the show. You will start to se more and more of these products on your store's shelves. Please let me know what your favourite products are in these categories.

Contest Winners Nov 1/08

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0500

Congratulations to our latest winners in the Discover Liv Healthy.tv contest:

Jennifer A. from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan won a $100 online gift certificate from Brant Florist- she can send flowers anywhere in the World!

Margaret I. from Toronto, Ontario won an awesome $50 git pack from Hey Jute.

Becoming An Early Riser

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0500

I have been contemplating getting up earlier for a while now. A few people have told me that I should try it, including my naturopath, and a new friend, inspirational bloggist, Leo Babauta from Zen Habits. They say it can help your productivity, your sleep patterns and give you a chance to have some time to yourself before the others in the house rise.

Leo gets up at 4:30 am every day. He has created a routine where he's able to get a lot of work done, spend time with his family and have some time for himself. He shares his routine on www.zenhabits.net and offers some tips on how to become an early riser.

Since I discovered this about Leo last summer I've been telling myself, "I should get up earlier every day," but have not been able to pull myself out of bed.

My naturopath told me that our bodies function best when we are up before 7am and go to bed by 10 pm and actually have our head's hit the pillow by 10pm. Having enough energy is a big issue for me and the occasions when I've listened to this advice, I have felt much more well rested. If only we would do the things we know we should do!

Last week I started getting up an hour earlier and forcing myself out of bed to get some work done. It hasn't been as productive as I would like (I really need to get up at about 5:30 am, not 6:30), as my kids seem to wake up a bit earlier too. However, I must admit that I seem to feel better.

I realized that now is the perfect time to get into the routine of getting up earlier, since we just turned the clocks back 1 hour, so my body is on the "old time". Getting up early this morning was really easy. I could have gotten up about half an hour earlier if I wasn't so cozy in my bed. I think the key for me is to just get up before I have a chance to think about how comfortable it is to just lay there.

It felt amazing to have my things sorted out and be organized for the day so early in the morning. It helps to set the tone for the day. I like the peacefulness of the house too.

I'm actually looking forward to keeping up this habit into the summer and even sneaking away for a bike ride or a walk in the morning before everyone is awake.

They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit, so here's to a great month of early mornings filled with peace, exercise and productivity!

A Different Kind of Trick or Treating

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0500

Halloween has come and gone and all that is left is a pile of candy and empty wrappers. I managed to throw out about 1/3 of the candy that night without the kids noticing, but since they are only allowed to have one treat if they do a good job having their dinner, the treat bag hangs around for months.

While part of me would love to say "no more trick or treating", I know it was a tradition that I enjoyed when I was little and I don't want the kids to feel left out. I did however, just learn about a different approach that may give the kids the satisfaction of both going out trick or treating and helping the community.

Today I read an article about four wonderful young ladies in the community who went trick or treating for non-perishable food items. They were inspired to do this after learning about Free the Children, an organization dedicated to freeing children from poverty and exploitation and freeing young people from the notion that they are powerless to effect positive change in the world. Free the Children provides domestic empowerment programs and leadership training to inspire young people to develop as socially conscious global citizens and become agents of change for their peers around the world. Each year Free the Children runs a Halloween for Hunger campaign across Canada and the United States. Young people sign up for the program and collect non-perishable food items by trick or treating on Halloween. These food items are then donated to their local food bank to fight hunger. Through their efforts, the young ladies in my community collected 450 non-perishable food-items.

I'm going to share this article with my kids tonight and see if it sparks any interest in them. I'm also going to keep this article with the Halloween decorations, so we can talk about it again next year as we prepare for Halloween. Let's see what seeds of inspiration we can plant!

Note: You can learn a bit more about Free the Children and their Me to We initiative in Vitamin Junkeys Ep #21 Making a Difference

Gluten, Dairy and Egg free Chicken Parmigiana

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0500

This is a fantastic dish that tastes amazing served with rice pasta. You would never even know that it is made to meet your special dietary needs!

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free Chicken Parmigiana

1 lb organic boneless, skinless chicken breast

Olive oil in a atomizer

1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs

1/8 tsp your favourite seasoning like Herbamare

1 cup gluten free spaghetti sauce, warmed

1 cup rice or soy cheese shredded

With a tenderizer, flatten the chicken breast until it is about 1 cm thick (1/2 inch). You want to have 4 portions. Spray both sides of each piece of chicken with olive oil.

Mix bread crumbs with seasoning. Coat all pieces of chicken with bread crumb mixture.

Bake on parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 375 F for 10 minutes. Flip then cook for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, and top each piece with 1/4 cup of sauce and 1/4 cup of cheese (adjust to your personal preference). Cook under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Serve with your favourite pasta.

Enjoy!

Do Not Give Into Temptation

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

I admit it, I'm not perfect. I know I shouldn't do it. I always regret it when I do, but I seem to give in to temptation every now and again.

Today I indulged in some "treats". Yesterday I made a delicious chocolate birthday cake and today I had a scrumptious piece... even though it has egg, wheat and dairy, (which I have food intolerances to, you can even see the results of my IGG food allergy blood test. NOTE: food allergies are difference than food intolerances watch Vitamin Junkeys Ep 07). I was also tempted by a yummy cinnamon roll earlier this afternoon. Boy these treats tasted good, but now I'm paying for it.

My stomach feels like there is a knot in it- it's having a hard time digesting all of these "treats". While they may have tasted good, it isn't much of a treat for my stomach, which now is so bloated that I look like I'm 3 months pregnant (bloating can be a symptom of a food intolerance). A friend of mine who is a nutritionist, Kim Bowditch, shared an interesting analogy about white flour... have you ever taken a slice of white bread and rolled it into a ball? Well, when you eat foods with white flour in it, that's pretty much what it turns into in your stomach- a doughy, gluey ball. That's what I have in my stomach right now.

I feel tired, nauseous and I have a post-nasal drip. My face will break out with little hives that look like pimples, but they don't come to a head like pimples do. That's how I can tell the difference. This is so not worth it.

Perhaps it is good that I do this now and write down how I feel. The Christmas holidays are fast approaching with lots more temptation to come. I also know that when I avoid the foods that I have a sensitivity to, that I don't get colds, or if I do, they don't last very long. It's nice not getting sick over the holidays.

What's interesting is that as I reflect on how I feel, it also makes me more aware of these symptoms in others particularly, my kids. Both of my sons were sick (giving the cold to each other back and forth) over the course of about 6 weeks from the beginning of October to mid November. My youngest son would get better, then go to daycare and get sick again. I finally took him off of wheat and dairy at home and at daycare, and the lingering "post-viral" cough he had cleared up.! You see, wheat and dairy are mucous forming foods, and eliminating them from your diet when you are sick, will help your body to recover faster. (For more tips on surviving the cold and flu season, check out this week's episode of Vitamin Junkeys.) I have also suspected that he has a wheat intolerance, because his little tummy bloats up just like mine.

I'm off now, to write out 100 times "I will not eat foods with gluten, dairy, eggs, almonds, peanuts, kidney beans or pinto beans." Hopefully this will help me learn my lesson!

The Curious Guinea Pig

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

Do you like trying new things? I am fascinated with alternative holistic therapies. I enjoy attending alternative health events and learning more about different approaches of how I can live a healthier life. It is interesting how many schools of thought there are on different approaches to health. Sometimes I feel like a bit of a guinea pig with how many different modalities and therapies I've tried. I've learned something from each experience.

There are a few modalities that I've tried, that I'm not really sure about... I think that trying to judge something on one session is very difficult, because you often have to experience several sessions of a therapy in order to experience the benefits.

Here are some of the different modalities and therapies I've tried and a bit about my experience:

Acupuncture: I've used this for muscle relief and to help with sinus infections.

Botanical Medicine: I use this regularly, as part of a comprehensive detox, and for getting over colds and viruses

Homeopathy: I use coffea cruda to help me get a better night's sleep when my mind is restless. I use the homeopathic equivalent to the flu shot, and may use homeopathy to help get over colds depending on the symptoms.

Hydrotherapy: I've used this to stimulate the immune system to get over colds. My favourite is the "wet sock" or warming sock treatment: Wet some cotton socks with cold water, wring them out and put them on. Then put on a pair of wool socks, wrap your feet in a towel (so the bed doesn't get wet) and go to bed. This helps to clear the sinuses. My kids will ask to do wet socks when they are really stuffed up, because they know it works!

IV therapy: This is a powerful healing tool. I tried it on an episode of Vitamin Junkeys.

Ear Candling: I remember one cold day over 10 years ago where I was caught in the rain. It was so windy, it blew right into my ear and chilled me to the bones. After that day, I found my right ear in particular to be very sensitive. At one appointment my naturopath commented that I had old wax in my ears. So I tried ear candling. I was surprised at what came out of my ears. I have noticed that my right ear is not sensitive any more. I know Dr. JJ isn't a fan of ear candling though.

Elimination diet: An elimination diet is when you eliminate foods that are often irritating to our digestive system to give our body a break and detoxify. I use this on an ongoing basis as part of my semi-annual detox.

Bowel Clense: This is the first type of cleanse to do before cleansing any other organs.

Liver cleanse: I'll do this about once per year.

Candida Protocol: This is probably the most difficult change to my diet that I took on. It was very restrictive. I lost so much weight, that my family was quite worried about me. I felt like I couldn't eat anything, so I didn't eat much. I ended up doing this diet for twice as long as I was supposed to, I misunderstood the instructions. The candida imbalance was fixed in the end. Not all practitioners believe in a Candida protocol. (You can learn more about Yeast infections in this episode of Vitamin Junkeys)

Colonic Hydrotherapy: I've done this several times. The first time I tried it, not much came out. It was interesting to see how much my emotional well being impacted this therapy. I tried again about a year later and eliminated a lot. The colonic therapist was the person who suggested I may have a wheat allergy... she was right!

Detox Footbath: I tired this, but I'm not quite sure the impact it had on me. When I did it, it showed a lot of signs of mucous and liver cleansing, but I didn't really feel much different afterwards.

Far Infared Sauna: This is a great sweat session, that is very detoxifying. I can also do a far infared detox on my Amethyst Bio Mat, but I haven't tried it yet. I need to schedule some quiet time when I can do that.

Chiropractic Adjustments: My family and I see a chiropractor on a regular basis. The adjustments help to keep the nervous system communicating effectively.

Massage Therapy: I love massages. I love the pampering, but usually I go when I'm really stressed out and need to get some kinks worked out. One thing I realized, though is that massage may treat the symptoms, it does not get to the root of the issue.

Network Spinal Analysis (NSA): I was very skeptical of this type of chiropractic care when I was first introduced to it. Once I got to know more about it, I really liked the spiritual aspect of this therapy and the focus of your body healing itself. When I first tried this therapy, I was so stressed out that I couldn't turn my neck properly to do a shoulder check when driving. NSA taught me how to breath and work through the stress to keep my neck from getting that tight again. Of all of the therapies I've tried, NSA has had the longest and most impact on my health.

Ashtanga Yoga: I started taking yoga just before I got pregnant with my first son. I continued pre-natal yoga during both of my pregnancies. I found that it helped me get through labour. When I had my first son, my husband coached me through the yoga breathing techniques to help me through labour pains.

Kundalini Yoga: This is a totally different yoga experience. It is more spiritual and focuses on the flow of energy in your body and the different chakras. I find it very relaxing, caring and grounding.

Pilates: Thanks to Pilates that I discovered that I have abdominal muscles again! Pilates helps build your core strength which is so important to good posture and fitness. I love Pilates!

I usually check in with my naturopath before trying something new. This has helped me avoid doing silly things like detoxing while I was nursing or trying a juice fast when I have 2 small kids to chase around.

I'd love to hear about the types of therapies you've tried and your experiences!

A Simple Start to the New Year

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0500

As 2008 comes to an end, it is a time to reflect on what I've accomplished and what my goals are for 2009. 2008 was an incredible year. Dr. JJ and I launched Vitamin Junkeys, www.livhealthy.tv and www.vitaminjunkeys.com. We have released 30 episodes of our video podcast, Vitamin Junkeys to help teach and inspire others to consider a natural approach to their health. And we've certainly touched many lives, as the podcasts have been watched over 25,000 times by people around the world, although our biggest fan base is right here in North America.

We have learned a lot. With the support of some fantastic friends and colleagues we learned all about podcasting, filming and social media. It sure has been a lot of fun!

With this experience under my belt, my goal for the coming year is to have simply the most fantastic year ever, with an emphasis on simply. I believe that all too often we let life get too busy and complicated and it passes us by before we get a chance to breathe (pause and take a deep breathe here). In 2009 I'm going to follow the advice of fellow blogger Leo Babauta - I'm going to slow down and simplify my life and thrive on less. I'm going to focus on what's most important to me and truly enjoy those things and savour each moment.

Here's to a year of good health, joy and happiness.... here's to Living Healthy!

Saving Money on Natural and Organic Products by Using Coupons

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0500

I've been a big coupon clipper since I was little. I remember the weekly Saturday morning routine with my Mom. We would make our grocery list and focus on all of the specials. I would write out the list with the prices to make sure we got the right product off of the shelf and to double check what was charged at the cash register. Then we would check our coupon organizer to see what coupons we had for the products we were buying that week.

I remember one time when we went to the grocery store, there was something wrong with the scanning system and the cashiers had to enter all of the prices manually. Since we had all of the prices written down, our order went through smoothly, unlike our fellow shoppers.

At the time, I never really realized what my Mom was teaching me. She taught me how to compare product prices and ensure I get good value for my money. She taught me to always use coupons and sometimes she would even let me have the money she saved with the coupons, once that was $12!

These are wonderful strategies that I still use today. With the way the economy is, you really need to be careful with how you spend your money. I'll stock up on staple items when they are on sale, buy in bulk, and grow some of my own herbs and produce. You can see more money saving ideas to go organic without blowing your budget in my recent article.

This is especially important now that my focus is on buying more organic and natural products. I always bring my coupons with me and I usually use at least one every shopping trip. For me, the best source of coupons for natural and organic products is the Healthy Shopper. This is a Canadian coupon book that is released once a year. The best part is that when you use a coupon, you can get more copies of it online! Some retailers don't like to accept online coupons, but I find if I have an old Healthy Shopper coupon book with me, the store manager can see the online coupon is from a reputable source and they honour the coupon.

The Healthy Shopper coupon book can be found at health stores across the country or you can print coupons at www.thehealthyshopper.ca.

Here's to more healthy shopping and keeping your money in the bank!

Gluten free and Diary Free Trail Mix Oatmeal

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0500

When I checked the thermometer this morning, it was a chilly -25 C! When it is this cold I like to have a hot breakfast and oatmeal is one of my favourites. I love how warm it is and that it keeps me full all morning. In this version of Trail Mix Oatmeal, I've added nuts, seeds and raisins to give it more protein and more fibre. I've done this because my naturopath told me that I need 88 g of protein a day. This recipe contains about 22 g of protein, compared to 5g of protein in just the oatmeal.

You could literally throw in a trail mix to the oatmeal, but since I have an intolerance to almonds and peanuts, which are typically in a trail mix, I added my favourite nuts and seeds. You can add 2 tbsp of shelled hemp seeds to boost the protein even more. The ground flax and Udo's oil help ensure I'm getting my daily dose of essential fatty acids.

1/2 cup Gltuen-free, organic oatmeal

1 cup organic soy milk

1/8 cup raw organic sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw organic chopped walnuts

1/4 cup organic raisins

1 tsp organic maple syrup

2 tbsp organic ground flax seeds

2 tbsp Udo's oil (or flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, whatever your choice Essential fatty acid is, although I wouldn't use fish oil)

Put all ingredients EXCEPT the ground flax seeds and Udo's oil into a pot and cook according to the oatmeal's directions. Once the desired thickness is reached, remove from heat and add the ground flax seeds and Udo's oil (you add these at the end so the fragile EFA's retain more of their health benefit and don't get oxidized). Makes 1 serving of oatmeal.

Enjoy this hearty oatmeal loaded with protein, fibre and EFA's. It's a great way to start your day!

Getting Out of a Cooking Rut

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Do you ever get stuck in a cooking rut, where you feel like you keep making the same meals week after week? That's how I felt yesterday when I was preparing my menus for the week. So how do you get out of it? Get some help!

First, I asked my kids and my husband for suggestions, but they just suggested items I already had pencilled in for the week.

Second, you can ask a friend for their favourite recipes. A friend of mine suggested a lazy cabbage roll casserole recipe that I tried last week, and it was really good and relatively simple to make. I'm also looking forward to this month's Healthy Moms Connect session is on Healthy Kids Meals. Nutritionist Christine Ng will share some suggestions on some great healthy kids meals.

There are also a number of great online resources where you can see how to actually prepare the meals. A new video podcast in our Healthy Podcast Directory is called Harvest Eating, where Chef Keith Snow shows you how to cook with what's in season.

The next option is to take a look at cookbooks and any (or in my case the many) recipes torn out of magazines, that you've simply had no time to try. This is often where I get the most inspiration.

The new recipes have to meet my food sensitivities (or be easily adaptable to suit), be kid friendly and be quick to make. As I flip through the pages I always find some old favourites that I just haven't made in a long time, like shish-kabobs- we'll be having those on Wednesday. This time I not only found ideas for this week, but also a few ideas for the next few weeks, which will make meal planning that much simpler. Here are some of the recipes that I found that I will be trying or revisiting again over the next couple of weeks (all are gluten free, dairy free, nut free)

Crunchy Citrus Chicken

Sheppard's Pie

Peachy Chicken

Meat Balls

Ginger Chicken

Tilapia baked on a bed of Broccoli, corn and red pepper

I must admit that I do like planning the meals for the week. Then I never feel like I'm in a panic because I don't know what to make. This also saves money, because it avoids trips to the grocery store for a rotisserie chicken because I have no time to think of anything else. One thing I'm bad at is I often forget to look at the best before date when I buy meat. Then I sometimes run into the problem of having a meal planned around some ground turkey, that will be bad 2 days before I prepare that meal. So if I forget to check the date at the grocery store, then have to make sure I check it when I get home. Then, I can easily change around the order of the meals or throw the meat in the freezer so it will keep for a few more days.

I'll share some of these recipes with you in the coming weeks, to help you when you're in a cooking rut.

Bon appetit!

5 Steps to Easy Delicious Salads

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Do you ever find yourself making the same old salads day after day? Then you go to a restaurant and have an awesome salad, and ask yourself, why can't I make a salad like that? The truth is you can! Just follow these 5 easy steps to making fantastic salads and you'll never make a boring salad again!

Step 1. Pick your greens

So many people stick with iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, while there are lots of interesting greens offering unique flavours that pack more of a nutritional punch. One of my favourite bases is spinach, but I actually find a salad kind of boring unless there are at least two different greens. There are lots of great organic salad mixes available at the store, which make creating great salads even easier. When greens are in season locally I love picking them up fresh from the farmer's market.

Here are some different greens (and not so greens) to consider in your next salad:

Kale

Beet Greens

dandelion

raddichio

cabbage

argula

swiss chard

Step 2: Make it colourful

Pick at least 3 fruits or vegetables to give you variety of tastes and textures in each bite. There are so many options to choose from. Adding fruit to salads give a nice sweetness and change of pace from just having vegetables. As you start to experiment with different combinations you begin to discover different flavours that go particularly well together. Here are my favourite fruits to sprinkle on my salad:

blueberries

strawberries

grapes

pomegranate

orange chunks

apple

Step 3. Add some protein

You can easily make a salad a complete meal by adding protein. Chicken and egg immediately come to mind, but you can also consider:

nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds)

seeds (hemp, pumpkin, sunflower)

cheese

fish

beef

beans (kidney beans, chick peas, romano beans)

4. Add the good fats

Olive oil, hemp seed oil, flax oil, they all offer you a dose of essential fatty acids. Making a basic dressing is quite simple. I like to use 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and a sprinkle of my favourite seasoning mix. You can also substitute lemon juice for the vinegar. There are also lots of fantastic natural and organic salad dressings available to add some pizazz to your salad.

Step 5. Enjoy!

Now that you've prepared your fantastic salad, sit down, relax and enjoy it. And next time, try something new!

Why I Stopped Using A Microwave

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0500

About 2 years ago I stopped using a microwave, and I've never looked back. I've replaced it with a toaster over (which some may say is not much better, but that is another topic). It took me a while to get to this point. I've heard from a number of sources that a microwave isn't good, but I wasn't ready to accept that an appliance that I used all the time wasn't good for my health. Here are some of the things that nudged me along the way....

About 15 years ago I was visiting some of my friend's family. Before they used the microwave, they always made sure that grandma wasn't in the room. When I asked why, they said it was because she had a pacemaker and the microwave could affect it. Hmmm....

Four years ago I attended Herb Faire in Toronto. This is a wonderful event with lots of information about herbs, alternative therapies and alternative products. I remember having lunch with this woman, who at the time I thought was looney. She was very eccentric and proceeded to tell me how bad microwaves are because they give off such horrible energy. She refuses to be in the same room with one when it was on. At the time, I just sat there and nodded my head politely, while I quickly finished my lunch. At that time, I used a microwave all of the time to reheat lunch, warm up my tea, and defrost meat. I wasn't ready to accept what she was trying to tell me.

About two years ago I received one of those chain emails that showed a picture of 2 healthy plants. One was then supposedly watered with water that had been boiled in a kettle and cooled, and the plant's water had been boiled in the microwave an then cooled. The plant watered with the microwaved water died. I'm not sure if that email is true or not, but the image still sticks with me.

I also came across an article that said that in Russia they have to wear goggles when they use a microwave .

Then there are of course the studies that talk about how the nutrients are destroyed in food that has been microwaved.

You can also read Debra Lynn Dadd's article on Microwave Ovens and The Healthfulness of Microwaved Food.

I talked to my husband about getting rid of the microwave, but he just laughed. So I stopped using the microwave and started finding other ways of re-heating food. Finally, I declared that I was getting rid of the microwave. My husband wouldn't let me throw it out, so I put it in the basement and replaced it with a toaster over. In the last 2 years my husband has used that microwave twice. He still continues to use a microwave at work, but has gotten used to living without one at home.

It's not really that hard to live without a microwave. It takes me back to the days before we had one when I was growing up. We simply warmed things up on the stove, or in boiling water. I've also changed my cooking habits. I prefer to have freshly prepared meals rather than left overs, so I don't need to reheat food as often.

So, what do you think? Could you live without a microwave?

Teas for Good Health

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love trying different teas. My big brother introduced me to the world of teas. We would try mostly black teas like Darjeeling, Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey, but since those days, the variety of teas available has exploded. Right now in my cupboard I have 16 different types of teas. I have Earl Grey in the cupboard for when my sister visits, that's her favourite. I keep some orange pekoe tea on hand for when I have guests, who simply want a cup of tea. The rest of the teas are ones that my family and I enjoy.

There are a few teas that I always keep on hand:

Camomile tea

Ginger tea

Echinacea tea (sometimes a few different varieties including a throat coat tea)

"Sleepy time" tea

and a special herbal mix of strong "sleepy time" tea

I consider those teas to be part of my tool box to keep my family healthy, because there are so many uses for them. In my books, a good cup of tea benefits just about anyone. If someone has an upset stomach, the first thing I reach for is Ginger tea, (camomile tea works well too). If someone has a sniffly nose, then we brew some echinacea tea. And for those nights when you want to just relax and get a good night's sleep, we have a cup of camomile tea or "sleepy time" tea.

I keep my special strong "sleepy time" herbal medicine tea for those nights when I'm stressed out and I know I really need a good nights sleep. Or, if I've been sick and not sleeping well and I need a solid night's rest to help my body along the road to recovery. This mix I picked up from Thuna Herbs in Toronto, a herbal shop that was recommended by my naturopath. Here's the recipe if you are interested in getting it from a herbalist in your community:

1 oz Jamaican Dogwood

1 oz Hops Flower

1 oz Lavender Flower

1 oz Tonga Root

1 oz Skullcap Herb

This mix cost me about $40, but is has lasted a long time. I've even shared some of this loose tea with friends and family who have a hard time sleeping. Another friend was taking sleeping pills to get to sleep. He's now off of them, and uses this tea when he needs to. To brew the tea fill a tea ball with the tea leaves. Steep covered for 3-5 minutes, even longer if you can. This tea doesn't taste very good, so I like to add a bit of honey. It is important to drink it warm, because the warmth is part of what helps you to settle down. One of the effects of this tea, is it helps you to get a very deep sleep. So even if you only get a few hours of sleep, you will feel rested.

For those looking for a tea source online, I made a new friend recently that may interest you. Neeta Khanna has a premium tea website where you will find tea, including black tea, white tea, green tea, oolong tea, herbal tea, decaf tea and Rooibos tea. Her family has a long history with teas and she is sharing her passion with the world through www.languageoftheleaf.com. Neeta personally travels to India and around the world to secure the highest quality ingredients for her teas. She is skilled in the art of tea, combining interesting blends. She offers sample packs for those who want to try a variety of teas.

I'll sign off now.... I'm off for a spot of tea!

Why I'm Participating in Earth Hour

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0400

I like to think that I'm energy conscious. Nothing irritates me more than walking into my son's room and seeing the light left on.... especially if it's a gorgeous, sunny day, and the curtains are wide open. I feel like a broken record reminding my family to turn off the lights when they leave a room. My husband is probably the worst of the bunch, insisting he likes to leave lights on "to make my home seem more inviting."

This is why I'm looking forward to Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 pm. Everyone around the world is invited to turn off the lights wherever they are, for one hour to make a statement about climate change. I'm excited about my family being part of a movement to make a difference in the world. It also provides opportunity to discuss how a small act can make a huge impact when a large number of people participate. In fact, cities across Canada reported a drop in energy consumption ranging from 8.7% in Toronto to a 14% in Newmarket.

This makes you think about how much energy (and money) you can save by just getting into the habit of turing off the lights on a regular basis. And that is the message I want to drive home with my family. I guess this would be best illustrated by determining how much energy each light uses for an hour and calculating the energy cost when the lights are left on. When you see the financial impact and set a goal then perhaps that will motivate them. Maybe we could put the money saved aside for a special camping trip our day out!

For more information on Earth Hour visit their website and watch the videos below to find out how you can vote in the first global election between the earth and climate change and to see how Earth Hour began.

5 Minutes for Mom- join the blog party!

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0400

As a Mom, I find that it's often hard to take 5 minutes to myself, without feeling guilty, like I should be doing something else. In fact, on one of my recent coaching calls, I had to confess to my coach that I did not take the 5 minutes for myself that I said I would that week. The 5 minutes to breathe and stretch. The 5 minutes I deserve. The 5 minutes I need.

Well- not this week! This week I'm joining the 5 Minutes for Mom Blog party. I'm going to connect with other incredible women who are blogging in the cyberworld and see what I can discover. There are so many people out there doing mazing things so this week, I'm going to take 5 minutes for me every day and check out a new site.

How about you? Are you going to check out the party? If you do, be sure to check out the great prizes.... here are my favourites:

INTL 63 — “Silver Leaves” Earrings from Acorn Accessories

INTL 67 – $35 gift certificate to The Soft Landing

USC 10 — The Big Combo Pack from Mabels Labels (i love their labels!!)

USC 22 — 1 Free Amber Alert GPS child safety unit with one year of service.

Provided by: Amber Alert GPS

For those who are visiting for the first time, I'm a mom with 2 boys and an amazing husband. I've been interested in health and wellness for over 7 years and it's grown into a passion. I created Liv Healthy about a year ago, as a place to inspire people to be proactive about their health and their impact on the environment.

I'm a huge fan of alternative therapies and I always love learning about and trying new modalities. I truly believe that each and every one of us are responsible for our own health. It's incredible how what we put into and onto our bodies impacts the way that we function. One example is after having my second son, I would have days where I swore I must have been pregnant again because my belly was so big. Then a few years later I discovered that I have several food intolerances and when I eat wheat (or other forms of gluten), I get bloated. When I don't eat gluten (or dairy, or eggs, or almonds, or peanuts, or kidney beans), I feel great and look better. It makes me wonder how many other people out there are cursing their bodies, while they could simply eliminate one food from their diet and look and feel better about themselves.

I invite you to explore, submit your personal "simple steps to Liv Healthy" on the home page and check out the latest episode of Vitamin Junkeys on Sugar Addiction or even take a quiz to see if you are sugar addict!

Here's to healthy living!

Earth Hour & Birthday Cake

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Last Saturday was Earth Hour. I wrote in a previous blog post how excited I was that it was coming up. Then we were invited to a family birthday party, for that very same day. I asked my husband if he thought it would be o.k. if I asked the hosts to turn off the lights at 8:30 so we could participate in Earth Hour. My husband said "but our lights at home will be off, so we will already be doing our part." While he was right, it wasn't the point.

So there we are at the birthday party and Earth Hour had arrived. I looked at my husband, he looked at me... that look like, you're not really going to do this are you? And just as I was about to go ask if we could turn off the lights, my niece announces it is Earth Hour and proceeds to turn everything off, lights, TV's game systems, everything. I was so proud of her. She turned everything off and rounded up some candles with her mom so we could still see and move around safely.

I really enjoyed Earth Hour, although I know that not everyone else shared my enthusiasm. Other guests were counting the minutes until they could turn the lights and the TV back on (they were watching a hockey game). They moaned "this is the longest hour of my life." The grown-ups were complaining more than the kids.

I shared with my sister that I'd like to see there be an Earth Hour every month. Now that would make a huge impact.

We closed of Earth Hour with a birthday cake. The candles were so bright in the dark house.

How about you? What did you do for Earth Hour?

Our Contribution for Earth Day

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Today my son and I went for a walk in our neighbourhood. We live in a nice neighbourhood, but it was a windy day and lots of garbage had collected along fences and on the boulevards. Windy garbage days are even worse as papers, and containers get blown out of people's recycling bins and into our neighbourss yards. We often see garbage and pick up one or two things and carry them home or put them in a nearby garbage can. We always have good intentions of bringing a bag with us the next day, but since we're often rushed to get out the door and off to school, our good intentions are often not fulfilled. To celebrate Earth Day we helped to clean up our neighbourhood.

As we walked along with our shopping bag, it became clear that the bag I brought was not going to be big enough. Thankfully (?) there was an empty big black garbage bag caught in a bush that we filled up along the way home. I was absolutely amazed that over 2 short blocks, we were able to fill that big garbage bag with empty shopping bags, bottles, cans, coffee cups, boxes and wrappers. This is a picture of the full garbage bag we picked up. The sad part is that we didn't pick up everything. We probably could have filed another bag with litter, plus there was still the other side of the road that was full of garbage.

What did you do to give back to Earth today?

My 5 Favourite Things About Spring

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Spring is my favourite season. It is when everything comes to life again. We start to see animals in the neighbourhood that we haven't seen in months. Our neighbours also come our of hibernation as all of the kids come out to play again.

I love exploring the garden and seeing what new plants are coming up, as the tips of the spring bulbs peek through the newly thawed soil. The tree buds start to open and the branches begin to regain their fullness as the buds gradually turn into leaves.

Here are my favourite things about spring

1. No more snow!! (and you don't have to shovel rain)

2. Spring bulbs start to bloom- my favourites are hyacinths

3. The robins and other migratory birds are back, singing their sweet songs.

4. The clothesline can come back out.

5. We spend more time outside and can feel the warm sun on more of our skin.

What are your favourite things about spring?

"Healthy" BLT sandwich

Tue, 12 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Do you ever get cravings for something you haven't had in a long time? Sometimes your tempted into just having a bite and paying the consequences, and other times if you are creative you can actually come up with a new version of an old favourite.

I recently discovered that I could enjoy something I haven't had in about 2 years- a BLT sandwich. I've avoided them because of the gluten, dairy and pork....but I have found some great substitutions that I'll share with you!

Healthy BLT Ingredients:

Your Favourite gluten free bread (I like the taste and texture of O'doughs)

3-4 slices Organic Turkey Bacon, cooked (I bought mine at the farmer's market)

1/2 ripe organic avocado

sliced organic tomato

your favourite greens (I like Swiss Chard)

Toast your favourite gluten free bread. Spread the avocado on both pieces of the toast. Layer the bacon, greens and tomatoes. Top with the second slice of bread. Cut in half and enjoy with a green smoothie or some fresh vegetables!

I have also tried making the sandwich with a vegan "mayonaise", but I was surprised that I actually prefer the flavour with the avocado.

Enjoy!

Exercising Early

Fri, 15 May 2009 09:00:00 -0400

Today I did something I haven't done in a long time. I woke up early, dusted off my elliptical trainer and exercised for about 20 minutes. I listened to a recording of a conference call I missed and felt like I was getting a great start to the day.

The kids were even up and ready for school early. They were outside playing with their friends about 20 minutes before it was time to go. Usually I have to lure them away from their toys and negotiate getting dressed and out the door. It was a pleasant change:)

This gives me hope that I will be able to implement my new routine more easily than I realized. I've been telling myself for the past few weeks that I need to get up earlier and get some exercise first thing in the morning, but I've been lazy and reluctant to get out of bed. I've also used the excuse that the kids are going to bother me, but it wasn't an issue this morning.

It goes to show that a lot of times what is stopping us from moving forward is ourselves and the little voice inside our head. When you can say yes to something and ignore that little voice, some great things can happen.

The Crappy Part About Drying Your Laundry Outside

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Today is a perfect spring day for hanging laundry to dry outside. It's beautiful and sunny, with a nice steady breeze. I love this time of year, but last week, for the first time ever, I got an unwanted surprise.

It was a sunny spring day, just like today and I had hung my sheets outside to dry in the breeze. I went into the yard to check the laundry and see if it was ready, and sure enough it was dry. Then as I reached up to take the clothes pins off, I noticed a white stain on my brown sheets. My nice clean sheets were not so clean any more, thanks to the robin singing his song and doing his business on the branch right above my clothes line.

Luckily, just the one item got soiled. Then the question arises of how do I clean it? You see, I don't use laundry detergent any more, and somehow the thought of my laundry magnets or Himilayian soap buds doing the trick just didn't cut it. Poop from another animal just seems so dirty. So, I confess... I caved and I searched my shelf for a free sample of laundry detergent to "properly" clean the sheets of the vile dirt. The funny thing is, the moment I poured the laundry detergent in, I regretted it. The perfumey smell of Ivory Snow almost made me vomit. Not to mention my poor conscious thinking of what I was putting into our lake.

I held my breath as I took the sheets out of the washing machine and put them into the dryer (unfortunately it was raining), hoping that some of the scent would tumble out of the clothes. After the laundry was dry I lay it out around the living room to air out before putting it away. I just hope that I can sleep on the sheets without feeling sick because of the smell. I've become so sensitive to the artificial scents since I don't use them anymore.

Next time that this happens, I think I will put on a pair of cleaning gloves and do my best to rinse out the poop and treat it with a natural stain remover. Then I'll toss it in the washing machine with some extra vinegar or natural bleach in the load. That should do the trick!

Gluten Free Chickpea Salad

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I'm always looking for some great easy recipes that take into consideration my food sensitivities (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, almond-free, no kidney beans and no pinto beans). This super easy salad fits the bill! The extra hempseed/flaxseed adds more essential fatty acids, and texture.

Chickpea Salad:

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked organic chickpeas (or drained and rinsed from a can)

1/2 organic red pepper seeded and diced

1 small organic tomato, diced

1/2 organic avocado, diced

1 tbsp hemp seeds or shelled flaxseed

1-2 tbsp your favourite organic Italian or Sundried Tomatoe salad dressing

Directions:

Toss all of the ingredients together and enjoy!

It CAN be cheaper to buy organics!

Sat, 23 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I think that most people know that in general organic products are better for you than the non-organic equivalent. Although we know it's better for us, many don't buy organic products because we simply can't afford it. But did you know that sometimes organic products can actually be cheaper?

When I go grocery shopping, I wander through the produce aisle and check out the prices of the conventionally grown fruits and vegetables before visiting the organic produce section. This week, as I scan the price of apples, I am pleasantly surprised to see the organic gala apples cost $1.49/lb, while the conventional apples are $1.69/lb. I also always review out the price of bagged organic apples, as they are often priced cheaper than loose apples.

So I smile to myself and pick-up a few pounds of apples. Then I do my good deed for the day and wander back to the "other" apples to share my find with other grateful shoppers.

Now, the price of produce varies just like the stock exchange, so this week, my score is apples, and next week, it may be cauliflower. I always check the prices and even if the organic option is 20-30 cents more, I'll opt for the organic produce.

Next we move on to the meat section. This shopping trip, I need some ground meat to make some meat balls. It's not on special this week, so I pick up a pound of ground beef from the meat counter, before visiting the Organic section. I was again surprised to see that the organic meet was cheaper than the ground beef I was going to buy. This time, the difference was only a few cents per pound, but still cheaper nonetheless.

A good friend of mine, Holistic Nutritionist Kim Bowditch, told me that while organic meat is often more expensive, it doesn't shrink as much when you cook it, so it ends up being a more cost effective choice. I decided to put this theory to the test. I recently bought some boneless, skinless chicken breast on sale at the grocery store for $4.99/lb. I also bought some free range chicken (o.k. it's not organic, but close), boneless, skinless chicken breast at $7.99/lb from an organic farm. I needed 4 chicken breasts, so I cooked 2 of each. Unfortunately, I didn't have the weight of the free range chicken to do a better comparison, but the breasts were about the same size raw.

I was absolutely floored at the difference in size of the cooked chicken. The cooked conventional chicken breast was about 1 cm smaller in length and width than the free range chicken. It appears that the chicken breasts on sale are not such a good deal after all, as they must be pumped full of water.

So the next time you are grocery shopping, wander through the organic section to see what deals you can find this week. You may be in for a surprise!

Second Opinions

Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Have you ever received medical advice that just didn't seem right to you? I have and I decided to get a second opinion.

I recently had my right ankle covered with red bite like marks that itched like crazy and caused my ankle to swell up. My ankle throbbed from the swelling and it was so itchy that I couldn't sleep. The mere touch of the fabric on my ankle made it itch. We had recently been in an area where there was poison ivy, and after some preliminary online research, I wanted a doctor to confirm that I didn't have poison ivy.

I went to a walk -in clinic and fortunately, I didn't have to wait very long to see a doctor. He was very kind and told me he felt that the bumps were indeed bug bites and proceeded to share with me what lead him to his diagnosis, which I really appreciated. He then went on to prescribe some cortizone cream and an antihistamine to reduce the itching and swelling. He was very good and explained why he was prescribing those items.

Of course, I asked him if there were any natural solutions for my ankle. I remembered that in one of the past episodes of Vitamin Junkeys that Dr. JJ recommended Quercitin as a natural antihistamine. The doctor told me that unfortunately there were not any natural solutions for my ankle. I could let everything run it's course or take the items that he prescribed. I thanked him for what he offered and left.

Later I went to a vitamin store to find some Quercitin. It was my lucky day, because there was a naturopath on-site that concurred with the MD's diagnosis and she was able to recommend the best dosage of Quercitin. She also suggested a homeopathic cream and homeopathic Apis Mellifica to help relieve the itching.

That evening, I loaded up on everything the naturopath recommended and was able to sleep that night. The next day, the swelling had decreased and the itching had subsided. By the second day of using the natural remedies my ankle was well on the road to recovery, with no swelling and very little itching.

I find the fact that the doctor said that there were not any natural options disappointing. What would have been a better answer was that he didn't know of any- which is only a slightly different answer, but it is less dismissive. It leaves things open for the possibility that there could be a natural option. The crazy thing is, that the vitamin store I went to was literally across the hall from the walk-in clinic. He could have even referred me there himself!

I realize that my itchy ankle was really an insignificant health concern compared to what some people are faced with, however, it still serves as an example of the differences of opinion for treatment options.

As more people are becoming more conscious of what they are putting into their body they need to start to question what the doctors are prescribing and really take charge of their own health. Opinions vary between medical doctors, naturopaths and other healthcare practitioners, although, a natural healthcare practitioner will offer a different perspective on a health issue and typically will help you get to the root of the matter. If something in the medical advice you are given doesn't seem quite right to you, ask more questions. If it still doesn't feel right, then go with your gut and get a second opinion.

Spring Greens and Beans

Fri, 29 May 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Guest Blog Post by Digestive Expert, Megan Groves:

Green vegetables are delicious, versatile, and chock full of vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system. Asparagus is just now coming into season so it’s a great time to take advantage of the fresh harvest. For an additional nutritional kick, this recipe includes lemon juice for liver support, olives for a tasty source of healthy fat, and chickpeas for fiber and slow-burning fuel to get you through a busy day. Enjoy!

2 cups dried chickpeas (or about 3-12 oz. cans)

1 large bunch asparagus, sliced diagonally

1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1" sections

1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

handful of fresh, loose-leaf spinach

4 tablespoons lemon juice

6-8 tablespoons olive oil

pinch of cayenne

black pepper and salt to taste

Put the chickpeas in a pot and cover with filtered water. Let soak overnight, then drain off old water and replace with fresh, then cook until fully tender. Drain, rinse, and set aside. Slice the asparagus and green beans, then set aside. Sauté the garlic in olive oil until it turns light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the asparagus and green beans and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas and sautéed vegetables. Stir in the raw spinach, lemon juice, sliced olives, and olive oil, and season to taste with cayenne, salt, and pepper. It should be light, flavorful, and refreshing with a slight kick to get you going! Serves 2-3

Megan Groves, LMP, MAM, HHC is an expert in digestive health offering nutritional counseling, abdominal massage, and public classes. Visit www.wholefoodstherapy.com for comments or consultations.

Camping Without Style

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0400

I enjoy camping. In fact, some of my favourite memories I have growing up are camping with my brothers and sisters. It was so much fun swimming, fishing having campfires and checking out new areas we had never explored before. Camping is a time to get back to the basics in life and enjoy nature.

So I have to laugh as I look at the Canadian Tire Flyer and see all of the new "cool" camping gear that is available. To me, portable pop-up kitchens with sinks, hot water on-demand systems and mini-bar cooler systems defeat the purpose of going camping. Who needs on-demand hot water for your morning coffee when part of the purpose of going camping (I hope) is to be on vacation and enjoying a slower pace.

I admit that my style of camping includes flush toilets, but I can live without electricity and a cell phone.

I've reserved our campsite for our camping trip this summer and I won't be bringing my kitchen sink.

How to Stop Kids From Eating So Much Junk

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I remember a conversation with my neighbour a while back. She said to me "I don't know how to get my kids to stop drinking soda pop."

And I shared with her the secret to success in achieving this "Stop buying it."

It is such a simple thing to do: if there isn't soda pop in the house they will be forced to drink something else. And as long as you provide them with healthier alternatives (water being the best option), then they will have no choice but to make a healthier selection.

Now this doesn't mean that if they are at a friend's house or a party and they are offered pop that they won't drink it, but I bet that after a month of not having pop that they won't enjoy it so much and may even feel sick afterwards.

You see, we tend to make things more complicated than they need to be. We say "I'm trying to exercise more." or "I'm trying to eat less junk." And then sabotage ourselves by doing the very opposite.

Yet, the fact of the matter is that we are in control of our bodies. We are the ones who pick-up the bag of chips, put it in the shopping cart, go to the check out, pay for it and take it home, put it away and reach for it when we get the urge. Those chips don't just jump into our mouth!

One of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is to get rid of the word "trying" for things that you really want to achieve. Here's an example:

"I'm trying to exercise more."

"I am exercising more."

Do you see the difference? The second phrase is full of confidence and is more empowering.

And you know what? Our kids also learn by our example. So if we tell our children not to drink pop while we are sipping on a root beer, we won't be very convincing. However, if they see that everyone else in the house is drinking is water, then they are more likely to drink water too.

So that friend of mine that couldn't figure out how to cut out pop, is now a huge juicer! And she's shared with me about her experience juicing and how much her kids love it!

See... it can be done!

Photo Credit: Cleaver Cupcakes

Healthy Employees- Your Competitive Advantage

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0400

Have you ever watched the TV show Survivor? Whenever I watched it, there always seemed to be one team that was stronger and won more challenges. In doing so, they won more rewards which allowed them to eat better, sleep better, or even indulge in a little pampering. Now, it’s no surprise that one team tends to dominate the challenges. Since they are better fed, they have more energy and are able to think better. They are able to get the tools to build better shelters and then sleep better, which again contributes to their energy level and brain function. This dominant team clearly has a competitive advantage.

Now, let’s apply this example to the corporate world. Would you say that a company that has healthier employees, has a competitive advantage? Most certainly! The way employees function at work is similar to what you see in the Survivor challenges. Employees who eat well, sleep well and take time to take care of themselves, will perform better. And companies that create an environment that fosters a proactive, healthy lifestyle will reap the rewards.

What does a healthy workforce mean:

lower absenteeism=lower cost for sick days, fewer delays in projects
lower workplace injuries=lower WSIB costs & disability claims
lower employee turnover = lower training costs, less stress on other team members
lower long-term disability claims = lower WSIB and disability costs
less stress=more productivity, fewer employee health issues

Still not convinced? In a recent Toronto Star article that talked about the contributing factors to General Motor’s (GM’S) demise, it referred to a statement that GM’s former chairman, Rick Wagoner made in 2006 to US congress about the state of the company. He told congress that in 2005 alone GM spent $5.3 billion US on healthcare- more than they spent that year in steel. In other statements, Mr. Wagoner also commented that GM’s healthcare expense was one of their biggest competitive disadvantages, amounting to a $1,500 handicap on every vehicle produced.

While there were multiple factors that have contributed to GM’s current situation, perhaps they would be in a better position right now, if they had could have seen the correlation between employee health and corporate health.

Source: The Toronto Star, “The road from icon to bankrupt” by Dan Neil. June 6, 2009.

My Spring Detox

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

It's that time of year again! It's time for my spring detox. I figure I deserve it, I've been cheating lately (on my body, not my husband), eating some forbidden food and my body just needs a break. I was struggling trying to find the "right time" to do my detox, but there really is never a "good time", I can always find an excuse- so let's just do it!

Spring is the time for detoxifying your liver. For this year's spring detox, I have taken on eating raw for 10 days, plus doing castor oil packs every-other day, taking a botanical my naturopath made for me and the homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica. These are all to help give my liver a break from the hard work it's been doing all year and pull out toxins that are being stored.

I kept several recipes from my last raw food experience, including Asian coleslaw with ginger, beet salad and broccoli salad with a cashew dressing. I have also discovered a video from Raw Body Makeover Coaches that shows how to make raw "spaghetti" with a delicious tomato sauce. Zucchini is used to make the noodles! I'll be having that for dinner tonight! You can watch the video here:

I have also stocked up on lots of nuts, seeds and fruits and vegetables to munch on throughout the day. One new thing I'm going to take on is sprouting grains and beans for more protein, because this was something I struggled with last time. I was able to load up on protein in my morning smoothie, but I didn't get enough to last me throughout the day.

In addition to detoxifying my liver, my goal is to get rid of the redness in my cheeks and to discover the right balance between raw and cooked foods for my body.

I'll keep you posted on how I do!

Yummy Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I love this time of year! The Farmer's Markets are open and we can now get more fresh local produce. To me, summer is truly here when strawberry season has begun. My oldest son loves making smoothies with fresh strawberries. This is his recipe, which he can practically make blind-folded!

Yummy Strawberry Banana Smoothie:

1 organic banana

1 cup of fresh local strawberries

3/4 cup of goat's milk (or whatever type of milk or liquid you would like to use as your base)

1/2 cup of organic vanilla yogurt (optional)

Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. For an extra healthy kick, you can also add extra probiotics, ground flax seed, hemp seeds, protein powder and or baby spinach.

Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Robb & Jessie Stankey

5 Sources for Vendors for Health and Wellness Fairs

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

So your committee has prepared your workplace wellness strategy and now it's your responsibility to take the lead in finding vendors for your health & wellness fair. By now you would have done your research to determine which vendors you want to invite (through employee surveys, your benefits provider and current health statistics), and now you just need some help finding the actual vendors. Here are 5 possible resources for you to consider:

1. Traditional Search: Yellow Pages and the Internet

The phone book is one way to start. You will definitely find local health care providers here. You can consider looking under Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, Naturopaths, Health Care Services, Fitness & Exercise Services and even Reflexologists.

Of course, you can go online and simply enter your city, the type of health care provider you would like to invite and see what comes up on the searches. By reviewing websites, you will be able to get a better idea of the services provided at a particular health care provider's location and even see their credentials.

The problem with finding vendors this way is that you really don't know the organizations, practitioners, nor their reputation. I've heard horror stories of companies who have invited "strangers" into their wellness fair, only to have employees comment about the practitioner's credibility.

2. Contact local associations

You can contact the local chapter of a particular field's association to find out about practitioners in your community. (Try the Find a Practitioner link to find some associations close to you). One example is the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors. With this option, you know that the healthcare professional you are inviting is accredited and meets certain standards. Unfortunately, you still don't know the individual, and you do not know what sort of information they will bring to the fair.

3. Ask your colleagues for recommendations

This is a great way to find healthcare representatives with references from someone you can trust. However, you also want to ensure that you are not inviting someone whom many of your employees are already seeing. One of the goals of a health and wellness fair is to introduce employees to different approaches to their health concerns. You want to ensure that they are learning something new at the fair.

4. Visit other Health & Wellness Fairs in the community

By attending other health & wellness fairs in the community, you get an opportunity to see health care professionals "in action". You will have an opportunity to see what their booth is like and a sample of the information they can provide. You also get to speak with them live and interact with them in the same manner that your employees will at your health and wellness fair.

Timing is key for this, and hopefully there are some events taking place when you are doing your vendor search.

5. Work with a local Workplace Wellness Consultant

A local Workplace Wellness Consultant knows the various health and wellness resources in the community, personally. They will be able to help you determine what health information would be most beneficial to your employees. Then, from their connections with local health and wellness associations and practitioners, they will be able to seamlessly plan your fair. This will save you the many hours of interviewing potential vendors and co-ordinating the fine details of the event.

Some Workplace Wellness Consultants can work within your budget, taking on as much or as little of the health fair as you need. Whether you just need help securing vendors or if you want to have a team on-site to manage the event, the level of service would be up to you.

And if this is your first time planning a health and wellness fair, a Workplace Wellness Consultant can take many of the worries off of planning the fair off of your committee's hands. This allows you to focus on the objective of the event, and the many other responsibilities of your role in the company.

Getting Kids to Try New Foods

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

This summer I'm encouraging my kids to try new foods. My older son is more open to trying new things, but my younger son is quite reluctant.

I took them to the library to pick out some children's cookbooks and find some recipes they want to try. My older son was good and looked through some different books and chose three to sign out.

My younger son became entranced with the many yummy desserts he saw. It's funny how he has no trouble trying a new type of cookie! I've managed to urge him a long and he's picked breaded chicken drumsticks for dinner tonight. He's very excited about making dinner. Overall, I can see he will need a little more encouragement, but I have faith!

7 Steps to Making Healthy Desserts

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

There was once a commercial where it was a boy's birthday and the Mom was such a health nut that instead of a birthday cake she served him a beautiful birthday cauliflower with candles in it. While I'm not that bad, I do prefer to bake my own healthy birthday cakes than buying one from the store as it's impossible to find one that is half decent. Once I tried to find a black forest cake for my brother's birthday made with real whipped cream and I had to go to about six stores before I found one.

I love baking. I have some amazing recipes that I still love to make (lemon squares are a favourite). The trouble I found was that when I started to review my old recipes, I didn't like a lot of the ingredients. What I realized though was that I could still make great healthy desserts by substituting some healthier ingredients. There are lots of easy substitutions, with things that are new staples in my cupboard.

Changing some of the ingredients may alter the taste or texture of the dessert, so you will need to experiment. I once tried to make my lemon squares with whole wheat flour for the bottom crust and it didn't taste as good, so I varied the ratio of white flour to whole wheat flour until I found the right balance.

Here are 7 things you can change in your favourite recipes... and then you will be baking healthy desserts!

1. Choose organic ingredients.

Organic milk, eggs, flours etc. When you choose certified organic products you will know that it is more natural as organic foods are not allowed to contain genetically modified ingredients. Genetically modified ingredients contain organisms whose genetic DNA has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination.

According to the article Lack of GMO Labeling Turns Canadians Towards Organic Foods
by Neville Judd, consumers, environmentalists and some scientists worry about risks to human health and the environment. Among their concerns are that GM crops that rely upon high amounts of pesticides and fertilizers could cause toxic or allergenic effects and large scale elimination of indigenous agricultural and natural species.

2. Change the flour.

There are so many different types of flours available including whole wheat flour, spelt flour, bean flour, rice flour, potato flour, hemp flour and more. As you can see from the lemon square example earlier, you cannot substitute white flour for an alternative flour 100%. Each flour has a different taste, density and amount of gluten which will affect the recipe. You can typically substitute up to 50% of a recipe's flour for an alternative flour. I would start with whole wheat or spelt flour first before venturing to other flours. They tend to blend in better. As you get more experience you can be more adventurous and add other flours.

I have an amazing recipe for multigrain pancakes. The original recipe called for 2 cups of white flour, and I just tweaked the recipe each time I made it until I got just the right combination. I knew the recipe was perfect when my cousin tried them and said "These are the best pancakes I've ever had!"

Now if you want to make healthy gluten free desserts, that's a bigger challenge. I was able to make the lemon squares with rice flour- but that was because the base of the squares are dense, and it doesn't rise. You can't simply change rice or bean flour for white flour, it won't work. For easy healthy gluten free recipes, I suggest a good cook-book like the Complete Gluten_free Cookbook by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt.

3. Change the oil.

If your recipe calls for butter, I would leave it (unless you have a dairy or lactose intolerance). If your recipe calls for margarine, canola oil or vegetable oil I would change it to ghee (clarified butter- when you melt butter it separates into a creamy layer of milk fat and a yellow liquid which is the ghee), coconut oil (if this flavour will go well with the recipe) or grapeseed oil (this is a great light tasting oil- perfect for baking).

4. Change the sugar.

There are so many sweeteners available in place of sugar. I would NEVER choose an artificial sweetener. I would use a natural option like organic cane sugar, stevia, agave nectar, honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup. You can do a straight substitution for white sugar with organic cane sugar. Other substitutions will require some experimentation. Honey, for instance is sweeter than white sugar, so you would use less.

5. Go Aluminum Free.

Choose an aluminum free baking powder. Also try using bakeware without aluminum. There is circumstantial evidence that links aluminum to Alzheimer's disease. Enameled bakeware or ceramic or glass bakeware would be better choices. If you must use aluminum bakeware, or if you are not sure, consider lining them with parchment paper to help protect yourself. It also makes clean-up easier.

6. Choose the real deal.

Use fresh, natural ingredients instead of artificial ones. For instance, if a recipe calls for lemon juice, use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Or if you need vanilla, use real vanilla instead of artificial vanilla flavouring.

7. Add some healthy extras.

Consider adding some extra healthy ingredients to your recipes to give them a nutritional boost. What you add will depend on the recipe, whether it is baked, cooked refrigerated or frozen. Some delicious add-ons could include: Acidophilus (for refrigerated items like a pudding), hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds or nuts.

For healthy desserts that are easy to make check out some of the recipes on my blog!

Choosing Natural Hair Colouring

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I remember when I visited my 70 year old aunt, who still looks amazing, I asked her what the secret was to looking young. She said "Colour your hair."

Since then I've noticed that it's true. Older women who colour their hair seem to look about 10 years younger than they actually are.

If you had asked me 10 years ago if I would ever get highlights, I would have told you that I would never colour my hair. A friend's mother always insisted that she thought I did but I just had natural blond summer highlights. That all changed after having kids. That's when the dirty blond hair became my prominent colour. It doesn't suit me.

I started getting highlights about 3 or 4 years ago. I always hated the smell of the colouring. I know it's not good for me or the hair stylist. I've asked several times about whether there were any natural options and I had always been given the answer -no, but I knew there had to be some other options.

Toxic Hair Dyes

A study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical Schools suggested that women who use hair dyes five or more times a year have twice the risk of developing ovarian cancer. (check out what they say on the Guide to less toxic products)

And if that's not scary.....my friend's hair grows so quickly that at one point she was going to get her hair coloured every six weeks. She stopped after a few months because her hair was falling out.

Yikes!

A natural option at the salon

A few weeks ago I saw an ad in my local paper for a salon that now has organic hair colouring. Whoo hoo! I was so excited, I went and booked my appointment.

It was wonderful. When the hair stylist was putting in the highlights, it didn't stink like it usually does. And I was really impressed with how the colour turned out- it looks fantastic!

I will definitely go back again the next time I need highlights. I've already told several friends.

Look for salons that carry natural hair colour in your community! I bet you will find it, if you look hard enough.

3 Reasons to Buy from the Local Farmer

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Today is a beautiful summer's day and we did one of my favourite summer things: go to the farmer's market. When we got to there, my son asked me, "Why do we buy fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market?"

"There are lots of reasons why." I told him.

1. To support our local economy. When we buy a piece of corn from a farmer all of the money goes into his pocket, and he often doesn't make a lot of money. So, to me, it makes sense to support the good people close to home that feed us.

2. Locally grown food is more nutritious. A farmer once told me that once a piece of fruit or vegetable is picked, it starts to gradually loose it's nutrients. When I buy produce at the farmer's market, it has often been picked that morning or the day before. Whereas, at the grocery stores, the produce may have been sitting in the fridge or on the shelves for a couple of days. I see it as getting more bang for my buck.

3. To cut down on greenhouse gases. Did you know that 94% of greenhouse gases created by the transport of imported foods can be eliminated by buying local foods produced within 250 km.

As we made our first purchase, from a farmer who we always buy from, the farmer turns to my son and says "Thank you so much for supporting us. We really appreciate it."

And my son replied, with a big smile, "You're welcome." I think he got it. And I think she has helped create a conscious consumer of tomorrow.

Photo credit: Mogmismo

Gluten Free Black Forest Trifle

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I love making trifles. They are so easy and taste very yummy. This one is perfect for when sweet cherries are in season. It's so easy to make that even my son can make it.

Ingredients:

500 mL of organic whipping cream

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 O'Dough's Gluten-free chocolate cake, cut into 1-1/2" cubes

4 cups of fresh sweet cherries, pitted and cut in half (keep about 6-8 whole with stems for garnish on top)

1 cup of grated organic dark chocolate

1. Whip the whipping cream with vanilla and sugar until it forms stiff peaks.

2. Put 1/3 of the chocolate cake into the bowl. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cherries. Then add 1/3 of the whipped cream. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated chocolate.

3. Repeat step 2.

4. Top with chocolate cake, cherries and most of the remaining cream, reserving some for garnish.

5. Garnish with dollops of whip cream around the perimeter. Put whole cherries on top of the dollops and sprinkle remaining dark chocolate.

Refrigerate until ready to serve (should be eaten with 1-2 days, if it will last tha long!)

Note: If you want to get really fancy, you can drizzle some kirsch over the cake before you assemble it.

Enjoy!

Note: This dessert contains dairy and eggs (in the cake).

5 Low Cost/No Cost Corporate Health and Wellness Initiatives

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Many organizations recognize the importance of a healthy workforce, the challenge is finding affordable initiatives to implement at a time when so many businesses are slashing budgets.

Here are 5 ways your organization can foster a healthy work environment without blowing your budget:

1. Bring in a healthcare professional for a day and have the employees pay for their services. Many employees would love to see a massage therapist, naturopath, or chiropractor, but they simply don't have the time in their schedule for their appointment. You can bring in a practitioner for a day and let them meet with employees in a private meeting room or office. Employees will be provided with a receipt for the appointment, which they can then either submit to their benefits plan, or wait and submit it with other healthcare receipts with their income taxes.

2. Start a walking club. It takes one person with initiative to issue this invitation. Those who want to participate can create a route throughout the office, or in the neighbourhood. They decide collectively how often they want to walk and for how long. It's a great way to build relationships within your team and to get people moving!

3. Bring in a fitness instructor to the office on a regular basis and offer classes that employees pay for. First, you need to survey your employees to find out what form of exercise they are interested in (e.g. yoga, pilates, weight training) and how often they would want to participate. Classes can be offered before work, at lunch or after work, depending on what is most convenient for the employees. If enough people sign-up for the class, then it can sometimes end up being cheaper for participants, than it would if they were to go to the class on their own.

4. Negotiate corporate rates at the local gym. Many fitness facilities will offer discounted membership rates for corporations. There is no cost to you, and big benefits for your workforce!

5. Add healthy options to your vending machines. Instead of offering empty calorie snacks like chips, candy bars, make the move to healthier choices like granola bars, energy bars, pretzels and fruit leathers. These options offer the nutritional punch that people need to get them through the day.

These are small steps that can not only help create a healthy work environment but also inspire employees to make healthy choices in other areas of their life.

Why You Must Read the Labels on Fruit!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Over the last few years, I've become pretty good at reading product labels. I've learned what ingredients to avoid and what ones to look for. I've discovered that products labelled "natural" or "made with organic ingredients" are not the same as ones that are certified organic. But did you know that you even need to check the labels on the fresh produce you buy too?

That's right, you know the little sticker they put on fresh fruits and vegetables? That little sticker actually has a wealth of information. It is a PLU code that grocery stores use to help them track their inventory. It is typically 4-5 digits and by looking at the code, you can determine how the produce is grown.

Here's the key to crack the code:

Conventional Produce: 4 digits

Organic produce: 5 digits beginning with a 9

Genetically engineered produce: 5 digits beginning with an 8

So, be sure to steer clear of the 5 digit produce beginning with an 8.

Genetically modified foods are supposed to be safe, but the reality is no one knows for sure. Heck, years ago they were drinking out of lead goblets, because they thought it was safe! I recently had my water tested to make sure there wasn't any lead in it....

I think it is wise to err on the side of caution.

Gluten Free Breakfast Quinoa

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

About two years ago I attended a Gluten Free event at Whole Foods. One of the sessions offered was a cooking class where a nutritionist whipped up a quick and yummy batch of quinoa for breakfast. Since I had always served quinoa as a side dish, I was very intrigued about the possibility of having it for breakfast. It was simply delicious! The nutritionist added a bit of honey, vanilla and cinnamon when she cooked it, but I've added a few more of my favourites in the recipe below.

This is a perfect breakfast now that the cooler weather is approaching!

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups of brewed hot ginger tea (or you can substitute for another one of your favourite teas- Chai also adds some nice spice)

1/4 cup of walnuts

1/8 cup of raisins

1/8 cup chopped dried apple

pinch of cinnamon

honey to taste

4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed

Directions:

In a saucepan, put quinoa, tea, walnuts, raisins and apple. Cover and cook according to package directions, typically 12-15 minutes over low heat. At the end, all of the tea should be absorbed into the quinoa.

Remove from stove and serve in 4 bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed and let each person sweeten to their personal taste.

Variation:

Instead of sweetening with honey, consider using an organic fruit spread to make a lovely, fruity breakfast treat.

What is Healthy Workplace Month?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

Healthy Workplace Month is an initiative led by the National Quality Institute and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety that encourages employers to provide a healthy work environment. It takes place every October with the intention of encouraging employers to develop, promote and execute programs and activities to benefit their employees.

This year focuses on taking action to improve the health of our minds, bodies and workplaces. Each week highlights a theme relating to feeling Great about life - at work, with family & friends, at play and giving back to communities.

Companies can register their group initiatives and employees can track their participation, earning companies points towards different awards. Overall, it's a fun way to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

For more information, visit http://www.healthyworkplacemonth.ca

For ideas and support on how you can implement some great programs in time for Healthy Workplace month, contact the Liv Healthy team!

The Perfect Leaf

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400

I love the fall. I love the crisp air and the beautiful colours of the leaves.

I remember when I was in kindergarten, we did a craft where we laminated some fall leaves. I enjoyed picking the leaves and arranging them before they were preserved forever. Last year I decided to do this craft with my boys. Of course I also wanted to create a masterpiece of my own.

So we set out in search of the perfect leaf. My image of the perfect leaf was a beautiful leaf that was bright yellow, a vibrant orange or deep red. It would have no holes, no tears and no dried edges. We would look on the ground on the way home from school or on our hikes to find this perfect leaf. We would collect leaves along the way awaiting further inspection. Sometimes I would pick up a colourful leaf, only to discover it had a brown spot on it, so I would throw it away. Then my older son would exclaim that he found the perfect leaf, but upon inspection, its edges were dry. This happened over and over. Every leaf I would inspect would have some sort of flaw, so to me it was not worth preserving. We didn't do the craft last year.

This year, we began our search for the perfect leaf a few weeks ago. We decided to laminate for my aunt as a going away present. As we collected leaves this time, I decided to let the children pick their own perfect leaf. And as I saw their leaves, I realized that they were beautiful, even with their little flaws. All of this time I was looking for something more, and not accepting the beauty right in front of me. I also realized that I do this in other areas of my life, looking for something bigger or better than what I have right now.

We found our beautiful leaves. My boys took great pride in creating that special gift for their auntie. It's something that she will treasure forever. Something that is perfect, because they made it for her with love.

Fall Pumpkin Pie Hot Smoothie

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

First, I have to confess, there is no pumpkin in this pumpkin pie smoothie, but I guarantee you that it does taste just like pumpkin pie.

As we transition into the fall, I find that I like to start my mornings off with something warm. Last year I tried changing up my smoothie by using hot tea for the liquid in my smoothies- this was delicious. Plus, if you use a tea that is high in antioxidants like green tea, then you are getting an added nutritional boost.

I got the inspiration for this smoothie from a Sweet Potato pie recipe that I have that tastes just like pumpkin pie, without the bitter after taste. The sweet potato gives the smoothie a nice consistency.

I've listed two variations to consider. One uses Vega's Vanilla Chai Whole Food Health Optimizer for the spicy flavouring. The second option uses Chai tea and a little extra cinnamon to give it the pumpkin pie taste.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:

1 handful clean organic spinach

1 1/2 cups brewed hot ginger tea

1 cup sweet potato, cooked

1-2 scoops Vega Vanilla Chai Whole Food Health Optimizer

Put tea and spinach into a blender. Pulse until it is liquified and smooth. Add sweet potato and Vega Vanilla Chai Whole Food Health Optimizer. Blend until smooth.

Variation:

Substitute brewed chai tea for ginger tea and a "plain" protein for the Vega Vanilla Chai Whole Food Health Optimizer. Add a dash of cinnamon.

Enjoy!

Top 3 Picks From the Canadian Health Food Association Expo East 2009

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

One of the things I love about my job is the opportunity to learn about the latest research and the most interesting new products in the health food industry. I recently attended the Canadian Health Food Association's Expo East in Toronto. This event is where organizations showcase their latest products to the industry buyers.

These are my personal top pick's:

1. Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss

Eight years ago I went to Hawaii for my best friend's wedding. While we were there, we enjoyed many bowls of coconut ice cream. Since I've discovered that I have a dairy intolerance, I've dreamed of this ice cream. Well dream no more....

At Expo East I had the pleasure of sampling Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss. This delectable treat is made with organic and fair trade ingredients plus a lot of love.

Luna and Larry first created the ice cream with a humble hand crank ice cream maker they bought from Goodwill. They were not happy with typical ice cream's ecological impacts nor how it made their body feel. So, they decided to try to make their own ice cream with coconut milk and agave syrup. When they sampled their creation they exclaimed "This isn't just good, this is bliss!"

They have grown so much since then, with their product available at thousands of natural food stores across the United States and they will be available in Canada in 2010. They have 11 flavours including Naked Coconut, which tastes like a spoonful of the creamiest coconut cream pie you have ever had and my favourite, chocolate hazelnut fudge- you just have to taste it to appreciate this mouthful of heaven.

2. O'Dough's Gluten Free Pizza Kits

Now I have to admit, I'm a little biased here- I love O'Dough's products. When I found out that they were launching gluten-free pizza I was absolutely thrilled. Finally! A gluten-free pizza crust that tastes good!

I'm not sure if you've ever tried a gluten free pizza crust, but they typically taste like cardboard to put it politely. O'Dough's crust reminds me of foccacia bread- very light and soft. It's like they say- too good to be gluten free.

O'Dough's pizza crusts fit perfectly in your toaster oven and even come with gluten free pizza sauce. Just add cheese and your favourite toppings and you're set!

The pizza kits are found in the frozen section and are due to hit stores in the coming months. Each kit comes with 4 pizza shells and 4 pizza sauces.

3. ReserveAge Organics Red Wine Antioxidants

For the last 200 years they have been saying that drinking red wine is good for your health. This is something I haven't paid much attention to personally, since I prefer to drink white wine. In 1997, with the growing interest in the French Paradox, (they drink lots of wine and eat baguettes and high-fat foods such as creamy sauces, red meat, butter and cheese and still stay slim and have less heart disease), research uncovered a key ingredient in red wine,Rresveratrol, that seems to be part of the missing link.

Since then, there has been over 2000 research studies on resveratrol, including work out of Harvard, that has shown that reservatrol has anti-inflammatory properties, is good for your heart, can help prevent and treat cancer, and can delay age-related disease. Trans-resveratrol in particular has been found to be more bio-available. It's this research and a family history of cancer that prompted me to learn more about ReserveAge Organics' product line.

ReserveAge Organics has 7 different supplements all containing varying amounts of resveratrol, with 3 more products to be launched soon. All of their products use reservertrol containing trans-resveratrol found in grapes organically grown in the south of France. The core of their product line is The World's Finest Resveratrol in 500 mg, 250 mg and 100 mg formulas. Their other blends, including Collagen Booster and Active Ubiquinol contain anywhere from 20 mg to 100 mg of trans-resveratrol. A dose of 20 mg/day is recommended for general health benefits, but the clinically recommended dose is 250 mg/day. You would need to drink between 2-10 bottles of red wine per day (resveratrol concentration varies between grapes and regions where the grapes are grown) to reach 20 mg/day.

What intrigues me most about this product line is the commitment to product integrity. They have researched and sourced the top organic ingredients. Plus they clearly state on their products not just how much resveratrol is in their product, but also how much trans-resveratrol is in their products, which is what you really need to know.

Gluten Free Salsa Quinoa Salad

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

This is one of my favourite recipes to whip up for lunch especially when I have left over quinoa in the fridge. Quinoa is such a great food that a lot of people don't know about. It's high in protein and iron and low on the glycemic index. I like how quick it is to cook, just boil the water and cook covered for about 12-15 minutes.

I often bring this salad on picnics or to family gatherings, just to make sure I have a good gluten free starch and protein that I can eat.

This salad is so versatile that you can adjust it based on whatever you have in your fridge!

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup gluten free salsa

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1/4 cup cooked corn

1/2 cup blanched green beans

1/8 cup chopped green onions

1/2 cup hemp seed hearts

Mix everything together and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavour of the salsa to be absorbed by the quinoa. Add extra salsa to taste.

Gluten Free sugar free and Dairy Free Fall Butternut Squash Soup

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400

This recipe is absolutely delicious. It is perfect for lunch, piping hot, just after you have come in from raking the leaves. I cooked the squash the night before dinner and it seemed to cut down on the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

1 large butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped

1 onion chopped

1 large potato peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons of butter substitute or ghee

1 clove of garlic minced

1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 1/4 cup of coconut milk

3 cups gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

Place butter substitute or ghee into a large pot and warm over medium-high heat. Cook onion, potato, squash for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until everything is golden brown. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute longer.

Reduce heat to medium. Add broth and boil low for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender. Add salt, pepper and coconut milk. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes longer on medium-low heat.

Allow mixture to cool slightly off of the heat. Ladle soup into a blender 1/3 at a time and puree until smooth. If you don't have a blender, you can use a potato masher- the soup won't be quite as smooth.

Enjoy with your favourite gluten-free bread.

Photo credit: Rooey202

3 Steps to Give Your Cosmetic Case a Natural Make Over

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Photo Credit: Bitca on Flickr

Many people are becoming more aware of what they are eating the the products they use everyday. One important place not to overlook is your cosmetic bag. Remember, your skin is your largest organ and what you put onto it will get absorbed into your body. It's scary to think that something that is designed to make you look beautiful on the outside may not be beautiful for your insides.

With 3 simple steps, you can give your make-up case a natural make-over:

1. Check it

Have you ever read the ingredients in your make-up? You should.

You see, the cosmetic industry in the United States does not have any government regulations. The US government does not require health studies or pre-market testing for personal care products. Instead, the industry has a self-funded Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel, whose responsibility is to ensure that the ingredients for cosmetic and similar products are safe for consumer use. (Remember where their funding comes from).

According to research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public health and environment watchdog, "the CIR has reviewed the safety of just 13% of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products. The FDA does no systematic reviews of safety. That means that nearly 90% of ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by any publicly accountable institution. And as people apply an average of 126 unique ingredients on their skin daily, these chemicals are raising concerns, for their potential impacts to human health and to the environment."

So, if your make-up doesn't list the ingredients or if you need help deciphering anything listed, then check the EWG Cosmetic Database which rates over 25,000 personal care products. The lower the score the better. They also have a "What Not to Buy" list which names products that contain ingredients of primary concern.

You can keep a copy of National Geographic's the Green Guide's "Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics" in your purse, so you can review a product's ingredients before you buy it.

2. Toss it

You should create a routine to review your cosmetic bag every 3 months. Check the expiry date and shelf life of your make-up Really take a look at it and even smell it to make sure it is safe to continue to use. Keep in mind that natural products tend to have a shorter shelf life than conventional products. Consider marking the date that you opened the package on the container with a permanent marker or making a note on a small card that you keep in your cosmetic case. This way you're not trying to remember how long it's been in your cosmetic bag.

Jennifer Ettinger from Fit Your Style recommends you follow these guidelines when reviewing your make-up:

The shelf life for eye products is shorter than other skin-care and cosmetic products due to the risk of getting an eye infection.

Replace your mascara every 3 months. The eye can be contaminated by the opening of the mascara case and the removal of the wand. If the mascara becomes dry, it's time to throw it out!

Look for expiration dates on your products and do not “stretch” them passed this date. Products have preservatives (natural ones too!). There is a time line as to when these preservatives will be most effective. If you use a product after the expiration date, you may create a risk of getting a rash or irritation.

Most importantly, store your skin-care and cosmetics in a cool, dry place. Avoid sunlight and high temperatures which can alter the chemical makeup of the formulas. If a product has an odor and discoloration, discard it immediately!

3. Clean it

When was the last time you cleaned your make-up brushes or make-up case? You should put your make-up case in the laundry every season, each time you review your make-up case.

As for your brushes, Jennifer suggests that you "Clean your brushes every week with your skin-care cleanser or baby shampoo."

It's easy- here's how:

Mix a few drops of shampoo or cleanser with some water in a small container. Carefully clean your brushes in the solution then rinse the. Then,

gently roll each clean brush between your fingers or in your hands to remove excess water from the bristles. Stand the brushes upright in a glass or toothbrush holder, to allow the bristles to dry. Jennifer says, "a common mistake is to clean the brushes and then lay them down on a towel. Unfortunately, this is an excellent medium for bacteria growth."

When your brushes are looking tired, then consider replacing them with a more eco-friendly option like EcoTools. These earth-friendly synthetic make-up brushes won the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Best Cruelty-Free Makeup Brushes Award. I love the bamboo Mini Brushes and the retractable Kabuki brush- the perfect size for my little make-up case.

By following these 3 easy steps: Check it, Toss it, Clean it, your make-up case will be ready for you to shine with natural beauty.

Are you Busy?

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Everyone deserves to be healthy. It takes time to invest in our health and take care of ourselves. Yet so often we get busy. Busy taking the kids to school, helping them with homework, busy going to our Mom’s house and helping her rake the leaves or cut the grass, busy taking a course so we can build our skill set and get a promotion and pay raise, busy connecting with friends, or doing hobbies, maybe scrap booking, busy with our associations. Life is busy busy busy busy. And often times we forget to take care of ourselves! We forget to just stop and relax. We get so caught-up in the busy-ness of life that we neglect the thing that is really most precious our health.

The crazy thing is that we are the only ones who can take care of ourselves. We are responsible for our health. The stress we put on ourselves, what we eat, how we sleep, how much we exercise it’s all in our control. We know what to do, but our bodies are often last on the list of priorities. And it’s time for it to move up to number 1.

So what are you going to start doing to take care of yourself?

The Secret to Live Healthy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

The secret to good health is all in your head, it is about your state of mind. The little voice in your head is what can make or break your success for anything you take on, including your journey to good health. For those who are saying to yourself, what little voice, I don't have a little voice! That's the one I'm talking about. This voice sets the tone for how you will proceed.

Let me give you an example. A neighbour of mine recently discovered through trial and error that she and her daughter have a gluten intolerance. There was a day at the beginning of the summer when we were talking and she was telling me how hard it was to lead a gluten-free lifestyle. There's so much temptation out there, and then I have to cook different meals for us and the rest of the family. She was really trying, but it's so hard. She had herself in a tizzy over how difficult it was going to be to eat gluten-free.

I looked at her straight in the eye and I told her that it's actually all very simple. All she needs to do is to choose gluten-free options. She shouldn't have to make totally separate meals for her family. There are lots of gluten-free ways of preparing meals that the whole family can enjoy. I know, because I also have a gluten intolerance. I told her that she needs to stop trying and start doing- then it will become easy. Once she changed her vocabulary and her attitude everything will fall into place.

Later in the summer, she thanked me for our talk. She said it made a big difference in how she approached her special needs and that she had found a way to accommodate everyone's diet and tastes.

I want you to think about this every time you discover something you would like to incorporate into your routine, but have that little voice popping up saying how you could never do it. I don’t have any time, I have kids, I have take care of my parents, I don’t know where to start, or I can’t afford it.

Think about how you can do it. Think about how to control that little voice so it shares positive messages. Remember that little engine who could? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can- well so can you! That simple phrase is so empowering and I know that you can do it!

Setting Health Goals

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Have you been meaning to exercise more, eat better, meditate or even just slow down, but find you never make the time for these new habits in your life? Before you get started with any project, including creating a healthier lifestyle, it is important to see where you are starting from and decide where you are going.

Take some time to sit down and take inventory of what you currently do, and how you feel. I remember the first time I did this, I began to make note in my agenda everyday- I looked at:

What I ate

What vitamins and supplements I took
How much water I drank

What time I went to bed and what time I got up

How much exercise I did

And how I was feeling.

This was so enlightening for me. I learned that I wasn’t drinking enough water. And I found that by writing down what supplements I was taking helped me to remember to take them, I discovered I wasn’t eating enough protein in the day. And I hated getting up in the morning. I felt like I had to drag myself out of bed.

I shared this information with my naturopath and a simple urine test confirmed I had adrenal fatigue. Your adrenal glands help your body deal with stress, and when they are overworked, the rest of your body will suffer, with a weakened immune system, excessive tiredness, general sense of being unwell and difficulty getting out of bed.

Accoring to Dr. James Wilson, author of Adrenal Fatigue the 21^st Century Stress Syndrome, At one time or another, adrenal fatigue affects an estimated 80% of people living in industrialized countries.

My naturopath helped me come up with a plan to get my energy back. We established a sleep routine, exercise regime and eating plan. We set goals of how I would like to feel and what we would like my test results would be, so I would know when I achieved this.

That’s what I’m recommending you do: take inventory and set goals. Any way you can enlist the support of your personal health the better- your doctor, naturopath, nutritionist, massge therapist, pilates instructor- whatever. They want to help you reach optimal health.

Deep Breathing Techniques

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500

We all know that we need to breathe to survive. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the integrity of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. The functioning of all systems of the body depends on delivery of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide. In fact, if the brain does not get enough oxygen, all vital organs in the body will degrade. We can survive for weeks without food and for days without water, but without oxygen, we will die within a few minutes.

Although we breathe every minute of every day many of us do not breathe properly. We develop unhealthy habits overtime and shallow breathing is one of them.

Learning how to breathe deeply can rejuvenate both the body and the mind. . It’s a fantastic stress buster that can be done anywhere without any special equipment.

Doctor Andrew Weil developed a Relaxing Breathe Exercise called 4-7-8 to help us learn how to breathe deeply again. It’s a technique that you can use whenever you are feeling stressed, when you need to slow down, or it can be incorporated into meditation.

For those who are not familiar with Doctor Weil, he’s a medical doctor, a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine. He’s a regular contributor to TIME Magazine and Prevention Magazine.

You can do this exercise in any position, Dr. Weil recommends that you sit with your back straight while learning the exercise.

As described on Dr. Weil’s website, to begin, you sit tall, and place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.

4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. Or a set of four.

Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time, you will get used to it! Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; but the ratio of 4:7:8 is. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. For example, you could try 3:5:6 instead. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply. Dr. Weil recommends that you practice at least twice a day, but you should not do more than four breaths in one set for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish and as you become more accustomed to this breathing technique, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; as you get used to deeper breathing you will no longer get this feeling.

Breathing exercises are a wonderfully effective way to reduce stress, regulate mood, and feel energized. If your not quite ready for the 4-7-8 technique, you can still promote deeper breathing and better health is by exhaling completely, with another simple technique recommended by Dr. Weil. Try it: take a deep breath, let it out effortlessly, and then squeeze out a little more, kind of like squeezing out that last bit of air from an air mattress. Doing this regularly will help build up the muscles between your ribs, and you will find that your exhalations will naturally become deeper and longer. Start by practicing this exhalation exercise consciously, setting some time aside for deep breathing every day. Eventually it will become a healthy, unconscious habit.

How Much Sleep Do We Need?

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Do you get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis? How long do you typically sleep for?

Less than 7 hours?

7-8 hours?

More than 8 hours?

While they typically say that a person needs 8 hours of sleep each night, the National Sleep Foundation of America says the number of hours of sleep a person needs will depend on their basal sleep need – the amount of sleep our bodies need on a regular basis for optimal performance – and sleep debt, the accumulated sleep that is lost to poor sleep habits, sickness, or waking up through the night.

Two studies suggest that healthy adults have a basal sleep need of seven to eight hours every night, but things get complicated when someone has a sleep debt. For instance, you might get your 7 or 8 hours of basal sleep that you need, but if the week prior, you had been up late and stressed out with work you would still have an unresolved sleep debt that may make you feel more sleepy and less alert at times, particularly in during the circadian dips, those times in the 24-hour cycle when we are biologically programmed to be more sleepy and less alert, such as overnight hours and mid-afternoon (Hmmm that's why we always get sleepy around 3pm!). You may feel really tired suddenly during these times, shortly before bedtime or feel sleepy upon awakening. The good news is that some research suggests that the accumulated sleep debt can be worked down or "paid off."

To learn more, you can watch the episode of Vitamin Junkeys that talks about how to get a good night's sleep.

7 Tips to Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0500

To ensure a good night’s sleep there are several things you can do that is commonly referred to as good sleep hygiene

1. Use Your Bed Only for Sleep or Sex. Naturopath Dr. JJ Dugoa suggests that you avoid eating and watching TV in bed, as it can make it harder to associate your bed with sleep.

2. Avoid Caffeine, Nicotine, And Alcohol. These should be avoided mainly in the afternoon or early evening. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and they can make it hard to get to sleep. And while I find that alcohol helps me fall asleep, it is has been known to disrupt sleep in the early morning hours.

3. Exercise. You know the days when the kids run around so much that you just know that they'll sleep well? Well, the same applies to you! Exercise can help tire the body out, but you should schedule your workouts at least three hours before it’s time for bed. That gives your body time to wind down and relax.

4. Create Your Routine. Go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. This will help to reinforce your brain’s notion of when it’s time to sleep, and time to wake. One piece of advice that my nautropath gave me was to go to bed by 10pm and be up by 7am at the latest.Turn the lights down and then off to signal to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep. Also, many parents try giving their babies a warm bath to relax them and get them ready for bed.

5. Keep your bedroom a little cooler at night. I know I like to feel the weight of the blankets on top of me.

6. Keep your room dark. You shouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of your face.

7. Some people are sensitive to electronic devices particularly EMF's, so keep stereo’s, computers and TV’s out of the bedroom.

8. Journal- write down your thoughts and empty your mind before you go to bed. I find that if my mind is racing with a list of things that I need to do, or incredible ideas I have, I write it down. It helps to free my mind, so I don’t feel like I have to study it to make sure I remember it the next morning.

Good night!

Photo Credit: PlanetChopstick on Flickr

What to do if you cannot get to sleep

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0500

It's 12:34am and you have an important presentation tomorrow and your mind is wired- you cannot get to sleep! What can you do without resorting to sleeping pills?

There are several things you can do:

• Try drinking chamomile tea, or a sleepy time tea. These are natural sedatives.

• There are homeopathic remedies like Coffea Cruda and Passiflora to help you relax and get to sleep Coffea Cruda is for "sleeplessness due to brain hyperactivity"

• Magnesium is a mineral that we need that acts as a muscle relaxer and gentle sedative. If you take a good calcium supplement, it will have magnesium in it, so you can take it at bedtime to get a good night's sleep on a regular basis. Naturopath, Dr. JJ Dugoua suggests that you take magnesium citrate, as it is easier for your body to absorb.

• I also use an Amethyst Bio Mat to help me get a good night’s sleep. It is a large mat with 28 pounds of amethyst crystals and far-infra red abilities to help the amethyst rays penetrate the body. Amethyst is a healing crystal that is very relaxing and helps your body get into the delta state. I find that if I have a night where I only get 3-4 hours sleep, but I’ve slept on my bio mat, I can still function the next day, whereas I would normally feel like Fred Flintstone with toothpicks trying to keep my eyes open.

Consider keeping some of these remedies on hand for those sleepless nights. For more info on the Amethyst Bio Mat, contact me!

Photo credit: isnoop on Flickr

5 Healthy and Natural Stocking Stuffers for Her

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0500

It's Christmas time and in the frenzy of the Christmas rush, stocking stuffers often get overlooked, leaving you to make a mad dash to the store to find things to fill it up that big sock. I cringe when I look at some of the toxic things that are offered up as stocking stuffers. This year, instead of heading to the drug store, consider going to your local health food store for some great finds!

Here are my top picks of 5 Natural, Healthy or Green Stocking stuffers for the special women on your list:

1. All natural hand cream

During the winter months in the colder climates, the dry air and warming up our hands in front of the car heater takes a toll on our hands. A bottle of rich hand cream is the perfect thing to slip in her stocking. For a long lasting cream to help soothe cracked hands, consider looking for a cream that contains shea butter.

2. Tea or Coffee

Treat your lady to fair trade and/or organic teas or coffees. There are so many different varieties to consider. I love Four O'clock teas and Traditional Medicines. If your lady has trouble getting to sleep at night, then consider Traditional Medicine's Organic Nighty Night tea that contains passionflower, chamomile, catnip and hop strobile to help her get to sleep.

If she's more of a coffee drinker, there are many different brands of fair trade coffee. Look for one that is locally roasted for the freshest flavour, and to support your local community!

3. Chocolate

I don't know of many women who do not like chocolate. Christmas is a wonderful time to splurge on some organic and fair trade chocolates. A good brand that has fantastic flavour is Theobroma Chocolat. They gave me a sample of each of their different products and I must admit that I'm hooked on the raspberry and coconut bars. The raspberry flavour explodes in your mouth as you get chunks of real raspberry in every bite. It's absolutely fantastic! I keep some on hand for when I get a craving. And it's dark chocolate, so it's good for you!

4. Natural Nail Polish

This is a beautiful treat to slip into her stocking. Instead of slicking on a coat of chemicals on her nails, she can use a natural alterantive! A natural nail polish.

Suncoat offers a rainbow of colours. They provided some product samples for my Healthy Moms Connect sessions earlier this year and they received rave reviews. The nail polish has staying power. My pedicure last summer lasted a long time.

5. Natural Lip Balm

This is a winter staple, something she's sure to use! Don't forget to read the ingredient label and avoid products with petroleum, instead look for a lip balm with shea butter or bees wax as the base. You can check the Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s Cosmetic Database to find a good product.

So when you are doing your last minute shopping, be sure to remember this list. Then you will make some good choices, naturally.

Photo credit: Jek in the Box on flickr

The Importance of Reading Product Labels

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0500

I read the labels on EVERYTHING. I find that when I’m lazy, I get burned and buy products that I regret buying. In the last 6 years I’ve learned so much about good health. And one of the most important things I’ve learned is to read labels and be aware of what I’m putting into my body and what I’m giving my family. When I look at a label, I want to ensure that I understand what the ingredients are. I want to be able to pronounce them and understand what they are used for. If I don’t know I ask or look it up on-line.

You cannot rely on the outside package of a product either. So don’t be misled by the words “Natural” or “Organic” appearing on a product’s label. Do the research to make sure it really contains good ingredients.

As I started on my health journey, I remember reading various articles on personal care products. There were certain ingredients to avoid in lipstick- like lead, and there’s the dirty dozen to avoid in personal care products, including parabens and sodium lauryl sulphates. So I made a list of all of the ingredients to avoid. I then read another article in this health and wellness magazine that was recommending several personal care products. I was looking for a lotion to replace the Vaseline lotion I had used for years, because it is petroleum based. I decided to try one that was recommended in the article I was absolutely floored when I picked up the lotion at the store and read the ingredients – it contained parabens. How could the magazine in one article say that you should avoid these ingredients, then in another article recommend a product that contains some of the nasty ingredients.

Get into the habit of reading the ingredients on the products you buy. Your body will thank you for it!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Bread with or without nuts

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

It isn't easy finding a decent gluten free dessert, so when you come across one, sharing it is the only right thing to do!

I've adapted this recipe from one that I found. I love walnuts and chocolate in my banana bread, so I add that too- I like the flavour and the crunch!

I've tried an egg-free version of this recipe using a store bought egg replacer and it tastes o.k., but I find it a little powdery. The next time I make it, I will try using flaxseed as an egg replacer. I'll let you know how that version turns out!

Ingredients:

1 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/4 cup Hemp Flour

3/4 cup Bean Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

2 Eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups Ripe Bananas, mashed (about 5)

1 cup Organic Cane Sugar

1/2 cup Grapeseed Oil

Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup shelled hempseeds, 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F Baking time: 1 hour

1. Grease a medium bread pan with Ghee or coconut oil.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and then make a well in the centre.

3. Add eggs, banana, sugar and oil to the centre- mix before folding in to the dry ingredients.

4. Pour or spoon the batter into the bread pan. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pan, and then cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

3 Tips to Creating Healthy Kids Lunches

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Do you sometimes feel at a loss for what to pack in your kid's lunches? Do you struggle with what to include to help ensure they are getting the nutrients that they need?

I think that it's valuable to include your children when packing their lunches making process. And give them choices to help them feel in control of what they are eating. By engaging them in the process, it also gives you an opportunity to teach them about why it's important to have a healthy lunch.

Of course, packing a healthy lunch is one thing, getting them to eat it is another story. Here are 3 Tips to get your kids to eat a healthy lunch:

1. Make it fun

Between TV and peer pressure influencing them, their lunch needs to have kid appeal. A TV commercial can make any junk food look like fun- so this is what you are up against.

For young children, you can get some cool cookie cutters and cut their sandwiches into different shapes. A fruit kabob is a fun way to add fruit to their lunch.

Dips are also popular for children of all ages. Whether it's hummus for your pita or vegetables or yogurt to dip your fruit in, by choosing the right dip, you can add extra protein or another food group into your son's or daughter's lunch.

2. Make it nutritious.

As a parent, you want to provide your kids with fuel to grow and learn. Remember to look at nutrition labels and choose foods that help them achieve their daily nutritional requirements:

Fibre

According to the Dietary Reference Intake (RDI), kids need:

Age 4-8 25 grams of fibre/day

Age 9-13 girls 26 grams, boys 31 grams

Age 14-19 girls 26 grams, boys 28 grams

Protein

According to the Dietary Reference Intake (RDI), kids need:

Age 4-6 .5g of protein per pound of body weight

Age 7-14 .45g of protein per pound of body weight

Age 15-18 girls .36g of protein per pound of body weight

boys .4g of protein per pound of body weight

Fruits and Vegetables

Children need 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables at all ages, however, the portion sizes change. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has a great tool for you to calculate how much fruit and vegetables you need to eat based on your age, gender and level of activity.

For instance a 5 year old boy who gets 30-60 minutes of physical activity per day needs 1.5 cups of fruits and vegetables.

Try to choose foods with the least amount of packaging as possible. If it must be a in a package, then focus on natural or organic. Don't be misled, just because something is labelled as natural or organic doesn't mean you shouldn't check the ingredient list and nutrition panel. For example, granola bars are often loaded with sugar, so choose wisely. Or, better yet, bake your own bars or muffins and add some extra ingredients like hemp seeds or ground flax. Then, you know exactly what's in it!

3. Make it Easy to Eat

Whatever you pack, it should be easy to eat. My son will sometimes say that he didn't have enough time to eat all of his lunch, so I try to make things easy for him to eat. I cut up his fruits and vegetables, choose easy to open containers and if I include a treat then I make sure he can open it.

GoGO squeeZ Apple sauce is a good example of an easy to open treat. My son just twists the cap off and sucks out all of the natural treat. That means no spoon to lose and no mess!

These simple strategies will help to ensure your kids bring home an empty lunch bag!

The Secret to Doing Less Laundry

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

When I was a little girl, I would change my clothes 3 or 4 times a day. At the end of the week, my mom would sort through my massive laundry pile and determine what clothes I had actually worn for more than 5 minutes. Since I started doing laundry myself and our family has grown, I've always been on the look-out for ways to reduce the amount of clothes I had to wash. It was after my mother-in-law babysat for me one day that I finally realized what I needed to do.

It was the morning after she babysat that I discovered a small pile of clothes left out on top of my son's dresser. His t-shirt and pants were folded neatly in the pile, while his spaghetti sauce stained shirt was in the laundry pile. She simply did the same thing that my mom did- she looked at the clothes to see what was really dirty and folded up the clothes to be worn again.

Now while I wasn't as bad as I had been when I was a little girl, I did often wear clothes just once and then would toss them in the laundry. And I had passed this habit on to my kids. Some weeks I would do up to 10 loads of laundry for a family of 4. This had to stop!

Here are the new habits I'm teaching my kids... before you toss that item into the laundry pile:

1. Look at it- is that item stained? Can you seen any areas that are particularly dirty. If yes, then put it in the laundry pile. If not, then either put it on your chair to wear the next day or put it away to wear later in the week.

2. Sniff it- is it stinky? Yes, smell the underarms, but also smell the garment in general. If they were doing a stinky science experiment in school, some of the smell may be in the clothes. If the garment is clean, with just a slight odor (I'm thinking some lingering scents of tomatoes from making dinner), then hang it up to air out. Do a sniff test again before putting it on though (nobody wants to smell like stale tomatoes).

In our house, pajamas are worn for at least a couple of nights unless someone had a messy breakfast or was very hot at night. Each family member has their own bath towel that they use for the week and keep in their room.

Just think, if each member of your family put just 4 items less in the laundry, then that would be one less load to wash! You will benefit from:

lower hydro bills
lower water bills
less detergent to buy
clothes lasting longer (they won't get as worn out in the washer & dryer)
feeling good doing your part for the environment since less laundry detergent, water and hydro is being used.
and most importantly- more time for YOU (or whoever is on laundry duty), since there will be less to sort, wash, hang up or put in the dryer and put away.

Photo Credit: Corie Howell on flickr

Provencal Beans with Vegetables and Garlic Crumb Crust

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

The flavours in this dish are absolutely amazing. I first discovered it in the LCBO magazine, and made a couple of tweaks. I've made this using green house tomatoes, which have more flavour in the winter. This dish would taste even better at the end of the summer with tomatoes fresh from the garden.

3 tbsp olive oil

2 cups chopped spanish onion

4 tsp finely chopped garlic- or pressed through the garlic press

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 tomatoes

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 large bay leaf

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 zucchini

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 cans (19oz) white kidney beans, or chick peas or navy beans, rinsed and drained

Garlic Crumb Crust

1 1/2 cups gluten free bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or unti lsoftened. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated.

2. Halve the tomatoes (like you are cutting the tops off) and squeeze out the seeds (this is surprisingly easy). Chop the tomatoes and add it to the pot with the thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise and thickly slice. Dice the peppers and add to the pot with the zucchini. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender crisp. Gently stir in beans. Spoon mixture into a 10 cup (2.5 L) shallow baking dish.

4. To make garlic crumb crust, combine bread crumbs, parsley and garlic in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss.

5. Preheat oven to 350F. Sprinkly crumb topping over beans. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden.

Serves 8

Cola Will Eat Through the Can

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

First, I have 2 confessions:

1. We have a small bar fridge.

2. We have soda pop in our house (or did).

My husband enjoys a mixed drink every now and again. About 5 years ago, he bought a small case of cola, which he has very slowly been making his way through.

On the weekend I went to get some juice from the fridge and discovered a big mess: there was a brown liquid all over the bottom of the fridge, and under the unopened cans of pop.

There were no broken bottles. Nothing had exploded. What appears to have happened is the cola ate through the bottom of the aluminum cans and slowly leaked out. O.k. so, we should not have kept the pop in the fridge for that long. Heck, we shouldn't even have it in the house in the first place. But, I find it very disturbing that cola can eat through metal. If it can eat through that, what does it do to the insides of your body?

Gluten Free Dairy Free Chickpea and Apple Slaw Sandwiches

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

This is such an easy and tasty sandwich to make. I like the colour, texture and the blend of sweet and tangy flavours.

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 can 14 oz of Organic Chickpeas (Navy beans also work well) Slighly mushed

1 carrot, peeled and grated

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp grapeseed oil

salt and pepper to taste

4 slices of your favourite gluten free bread, toasted

1. Toss lemon juice on grated apple.

2. Mix apple, beans, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and carrot together.

3. In a separate dish, mix apple cider vinegar together with oil, salt and pepper.

4. Add dressing to bean and apple mixture.

5. Spread on your favourite toasted gluten-free bread.

Enjoy!

Makes 2 sandwiches.