We thought we would share some tips on how to liven up your smoothie and raise it to a whole new level!
Smoothies are very versitile and can be used as a meal replacer, an easy way to include more nutrient-dense foods, a post-workout drink, or simply.. a nice refreshing snack! When "cleaning house", it's important to ensure that you're consuming adequate amounts of vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. When days are a little hectic and mornings are rushed, smoothies are a great way to achieve this balance. When we think of smoothies, we often think of fruit and forget about all the other good stuff. Although many fruits are nutrient dense (and tasty), the high fructose content spikes our blood sugar the same way that regular sugar does. This is not to say that we should all avoid fruit! However... it's all about finding balance and new ways to enjoy your smoothie without having to spike your blood sugar or sacrafice the taste. This can be accomplished by adding protein, healthy fats, fibre...and of course, limiting the amount of fruit!
The FODMAPS "Diet"
provides a good reference to foods containing carbohydrates that quickly move through the digestive tract to the large intestine (colon), where they can draw water into the colon. They are then rapidly fermented (digested) by naturally-occurring gut bacteria, producing gas and other by-products. When choosing fruits to add into your smoothie, be weary of these high FODMAP foods, especially those who suffer from digestive ailments. Click here for some more information on the FODMAP diet.
Below are 7 ways to invigorate your smoothie!
Natural Sweeteners
fruit (try to choose only one and cut the portion. You would be surprised at how little you really need to taste the sweetness!)
medjool dates (1-2 dates per serving. If they're a little tough, try soaking them in a bit of warm water before tossing them in your blender)
stevia (This is a great alternative for those with a sweet tooth. Stevia is a natural sweetener, not artificial, that does not influence the blood sugar. Click here for some more information. Tip: it's extra sweet! Start with about 3-5 drops, or half a package, and adjust accordingly)
vanilla
raw honey or local maple syrup (use sparingly!)
prefer something bitter? Try adding in a couple of organic coffee beans for a little kick. This pairs well with a chocolate protein powder!
* If you're using a flavoured protein powder, such as chocolate, berry or vanilla, try no sweetener and only add if needed! Read the label of your protein powder as they generally sweeten it themselves already! *
2. Consistency
1/4 to 1/2 avocado (depending on the size -- avocados will make the consistency buttery and smooth!)
nut butters
cooked quinoa
oat flakes (great to add into post workout shakes)
1/2 frozen banana (counts for consistency AND a sweetener!)
Kefir or unsweetened greek yogurt (read the labels!)
ice (I add about 6-8 ice cubes, adjust to your liking!)
3. Fibre
chia seeds
ground flax
dark leafy greens
fibre blend
if you juice, keep the leftover fibre and add it into your shake!
4. Daily Supplements
omega oil (ie. fish oil, flax oil, hemp oil, borage oil. Promise you won't taste it!)
probiotic (breaking open one of your daily servings of probiotics is a great way to enhance the advantages of your supplementation. In doing so, you can reap the benefits of good oral health as it makes its way down)
chlorophyll (great blood cleanser! Try adding in some mint flavoured chlorophyll to make a chocolate mint smoothie!)
* This is a great way to get your daily supplements in one dose. If you're breaking open a capsule, we recommend you give it a little sniff first to make sure it's not too potent as this may change the taste of your smoothie. Try starting off by experimenting with breaking open a single supplement each time so if there's something funky tasting, you know who's to blame!) *
5. Protein
whey protein (there are SO many different kids out there and they ALL vary drastically in quality! Be cautious of proteins containing artificial flavouring, colour, sweetener, sugar, added amino acids and poorly sourced whey. Just to name a few, some of our favourites include: AOR Advanced Whey, Progressive and Desiel)
vegetarian protein blend (some of our favourites: Manitoba Harvest hemp protein, Metagenics, Genestra, Progressive)
hemp hearts, nuts, seeds, etc.
6. Base
seed milks (ie. hemp milk)
nut milks (ie. almond milk)
organic goats milk
water
coconut water
* generally about 1/2 cup of "milk" with 1/2 cup of water or coconut water is a good combination. *
This is a pretty hefty smoothie. If you're just looking for a snack, keep it in the fridge and enjoy later. If you want it a little thicker again, just add more ice and water then toss it back in the blender! Easy peasy.
We've known for a while now that exercise is good for you. It’s good for everything from strengthening your body to increasing your mood to helping you sleep better. With all that said, is it possible to get too much of a good thing?
Let's turn to Dr. Michael Murry to discover the proper dosage for all you joggers out there..
Background Data:
Regular exercise protects against the development of CVD and also favorably modifies other CVD risk factors including high blood pressure, blood lipid levels, insulin resistance, and obesity. Exercise is also important in the treatment and management of patients with CVD or increased risk including those who have hypertension, stable angina, a prior heart attack, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure or are recovering from a cardiovascular event.
Despite the benefits of exercise, throughout history there have been reports of people dying from running too much or too far. The most famous case is that of Pheidippides, a running courier who in 490 B.C. is believed to have run from Marathon to Athens, Greece, a distance of approximately 25 miles, to bring news of the Athenian victory over the Persians. Upon reaching the Athenian Agora, he exclaimed “Nike!” (“victory”), and then collapsed and died.
One of the most famous studies on the effect of exercise and jogging on heart health is the Copenhagen City Heart Study. One analysis of this study was performed in a random sample of 1,878 joggers who were followed for up to 35 years and compared with 16,827 non-joggers showed that the increase in survival among joggers was 6.2 years in men and 5.6 years in women. This particular analysis also indicated that jogging up to 2.5 hour per week at a slow or average pace and a frequency of ≤3 times per week was associated with the lowest mortality. Those who jogged >4 hours per week, at a fast pace, and >3 times per week appeared to lose many of the longevity benefits noted with less strenuous doses of jogging. These findings were not entirely unexpected by the researchers as some other studies had shown that excessive exercise was just as bad for the heart as too little.
New Data:
In an effort to better evaluate the ideal dosage of jogging to improve longevity, researchers looked at a different set of data from the Copenhagen City Heart Study that used 1,098 healthy joggers and 3,950 healthy non-joggers being followed up since 2001. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between jogging and long-term, all-cause mortality by focusing specifically on the effects of pace, quantity, and frequency of jogging.
The joggers were divided into light, moderate, and strenuous joggers. Light joggers had a slow or average pace, approximately 5 miles per hour, <2.5 hours of jogging per week with a frequency of ≤3 times per week. Moderate joggers had a slow or average pace, ≥2.5 hours of jogging per week with a frequency of ≤3 times per week or fast pace, ≤4 hours of jogging per week with a frequency of ≤3 times per week or slow or average pace with a frequency of >3 times per week or fast pace, <2.5 hours of jogging per week with a frequency of >3 times per week. Strenuous joggers had a fast pace of more than 7 miles per hour and either >4 hours of jogging per week or ≥2.5 hours of jogging per week with a frequency of >3 times per week.
Compared with sedentary non-joggers, 1 to 2.4 hours of jogging per week was associated with the lowest mortality (71% reduction in risk). The optimal frequency of jogging was 2 to 3 times per week (68% reduction in risk) or less than 1 time per week (71% reduction in risk). The optimal pace was slow (49% reduction in risk) or average (62% reduction in risk).
The highest reduction in risk for mortality was found in light joggers (78%) followed by moderate joggers (34%). The strenuous joggers actually showed a mortality rate that was not statistically different from that of the sedentary group.
Commentary:
As someone that is extremely active and believes in the value of regular exercise, this study on the surface seems to go against that practice. However, as usual in these types of studies, there is more to the story. What do we really know about the value of exercise in the promotion of health? Quite a lot actually and there is significant value with regular exercise, but excessive exercise may be quite harmful as this study suggest.
First, higher intensity and dosages of exercise is associated with many health benefits including improved cardiovascular and respiratory function, reduced body fat percentage and in particular reduced abdominal adiposity (belly fat), improved blood sugar control, and better cholesterol levels. Exercise intensity may also improve mood, sleep, and self-esteem in a dose-dependent manner. So, this study does not represent the end-all in terms of evaluating the effects of exercise on longevity.
Other studies that have looked at exercise have also reported this U-shaped curve showing that too much exercise had the same risk of early mortality as too little exercise. In terms of running, it was suggested that the limit of health benefits started to erode when people started running more than 35 miles per week or walking more than 46 miles per week.
It is thought that the detrimental effects of excessive exercise are due to the fact that exercise promotes inflammation and oxidative damage. Yep, the very things linked to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). However, a little dosage of exercise stimulates the body to produce anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substance. That is a great thing, but at an excessive dosage exercise may lead to damage to the heart and blood vessels in a way that accelerates heart disease and hardening of the arteries.
So, what to do? You love your workouts and don’t want to give it up, right? Here are a few tips on how to protect yourself from the "cons" of exercise, while still reaping the pros!
1. Get PLENTY of sleep, REST and RECOVER
2. Maintain a healthy and well-balanced diet consisting of:
Antioxidant (AO) Rich Foods (An easy trick: eat a rainbow of food colours as each provides specific protection)
Heart Health Promoting Foods (antioxidants, EFAs, cacao polyphenols)
3. Hydrate!
As soon as you realize you are thirsty, you are dehydrated! Aim for 2L of water per day, and an additional 500ml/hour of exercise.
4. Supplement When Necessary
Preventative measures: fish oil, theracurcmin, flavonoid-rich extracts, probiotic and others depending on the type of exercise and your specific lifestyle.
5. Swap one of your intensive workouts (such as running) for a GENTLE yoga class or nice outdoor WALK
I'm sure you've heard it before, but it may have left you wondering... what on earth is candida? Candida is a fungus that is well known for invading the intestinal tract and reproductive organs.
Many people have suddenly realized that their body has been overcome by a yeast organism overpopulating the gut, Candida albicans. We normally have yeast in our body. Yeast is a type of fungi. We’re exposed to yeast all the time. I never met a yeast I wouldn’t eat. Yeasts are fine, healthy, ecologically safe, and balanced substances. The problem arises when any substance in the body gets out of balance; then it becomes harmful. An overgrowth of Candida albicans in the digestive tract is reported to create severe allergy symptoms: headaches, skin eruptions, chronic fatigue, digestive distress, and general immune-system frailty. An overgrowth of Candia albicans occurs because Candida is an opportunistic yeast organism. Only when kept in check by competing microorganisms will yeast stay in a balanced population. With nothing competing with or protecting against it in the gut (or vaginal tract, where it is a common cause of yeast infections, a common side effect of antibiotics), it begins to flourish, and it expands higher up in the GI tract. The primary question is not how to kill this invader, but where were the protective factors? The protectors, acidophilus bacilli, bifidus, and acidophilus yeast, were probably destroyed by antibiotics, chlorinated water, and constant consumption of junk foods. A diet high in sugar would also spur further yeast growth because it is such a simple carbohydrate food that the yeast can thrive on it.
Contributing Factors:
Poor gut ecology of the mother – our gut ecology is passed on by our mothers, and if our mothers have a challenged state, then we will be born with a pre-disposition toward candidiasis.
Poor eating habits – sugar, alcohol, vinegar, wheat, corn and peanuts are the main culprits contributing to feeding this fungal infection.
Stress – can lead to acidosis, which creates a perfect environment for Candida to flourish.
Acidosis – can occur from long term stress, acidic foods, medication consumption, inadequate water, coffee drinking, poor gut ecology, and most certainly antibiotics.
Antibiotics – kill the probiotics in the intestinal tract. As a result, the more aggressive parasites and fungi in the gut will take over the parking spots in the colon. This can have long lasting results.
Birth control pills.
Sluggish bowels – when the bowels are not moving at least once per day (preferably twice), what ensues is fermentation in the gut. This fermentation is a perfect environment for candida to flourish.
Possible Symptoms: Click here for a comprehensive questionnaire.
Candidiasis can present a wide variety of symptoms, the exact combination and severity of which depend upon the individual case, biological terrain, foods eaten, and condition of the elimination organs. By nature of their vast diversity, the symptoms have heretofore appeared unrelated. They are usually chronic and include, but are not limited to, the following:
Allergies: to foods and/or airborne chemicals, especially if these are acquired in adulthood. The number of offending substances keeps increasing until many individuals become so sensitive to the everyday environment that they must live in isolation.
Fatigue: continual, but often more noticeable after eating.
Nervous System: anxiety without apparent cause (often worse after eating), carbohydrate cravings, irritability, mood swings, headaches, migraines, "fogged-in" feeling, inability to concentrate/mind "wanders off", poor memory, confusion, dizziness, M.S.-like symptoms (slurred speech, loss of muscle co-ordination, vision affected), paranoia, without apparent cause, not in total control of one’s actions (know right thing to do but unable to execute), mental incompetence (sometimes leading to institutionalization), a variety of other behavioral disturbances.
Respiratory: resistance problems (catches anything going - flues, colds), hay fever, mucous congestion, postnatal drip, asthma, bronchitis, chest pain, frequent clearing of throat, habitual coughing (usually non-productive) that will not respond to anything, sore throat, earaches.
Skin: athlete‘s foot, jock itch, skin rash, hives, dry brownish patches, oily skin around the nose and chin, rough skin on sides of arms which gets worse at certain times of the month or under increased stress.
Miscellaneous: feel bad all over, cold extremities, arthritis-like symptoms, white coating on tongue upon arising (non-fasting state), standard blood parameters between normal limits.
IMPORTANT: Not all individuals presenting some combination of the above symptoms will have a Candida problem - but the likelihood of it is immense.
Now What?
Seeking out a professional health care practitioner, such as an ND, MD, Homeopath or Certified Nutritionist, when dealing with Candidiasis will be beneficial. Depending on the severity of the issue, it can take from 2 months to 1 year to resolve this issue, however, every step of the journey will be well worth it!
What can YOU do?
Join Holistic Nutrition in a candida cleanse! This Sunday, we will be taking the challenge ourselves and getting rid of all those little critters. We will blog, tweet and instagram different tips, recipes and our overall experience. If you have ANY questions or comments, please feel free to email us for assistence: [email protected] or pop by the store and speak with one of our professional staff members (all staff is trained AND certified as holistic nutritionists or homeopathic practitioners).
Before returning back to your childhood memory of the dickie dee strolling down your street.. stay strong and let's recall the repercussions of that mouth-watering ice cream!
So, what’s the scoop?
Dairy isn't always our friend.
Our body requires the enzyme “lactase” to break down “lactose”, which is the sugar found in milk. As we get older (around 18 months to 4 years old), 90-95% of this enzyme is actually depleted. As we get older, we are unable to properly digest dairy products and it opens the door for a wide range of issues such as mucous, acidity, allergies and much more.
A culprit for acne.
Ice cream, along with other dairy products, has been shown to increase production in the insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF-1. This rise in free IGF-1 is linked to stimulating unregulated growth tissue. When growth tissue occurs in the follicle, it traps the sebum and is likely to cause acne lesions.
It may bring out the grumpy gus in you.
While eating ice cream may have you may feel all warm and fuzzy, the aftermath may leave you feeling the opposite. Ice cream contains protein which is broken down into amino acids and eventually dopamine (your feel good hormone) has been increased. Initially, you may feel energized and alert but shortly after, it will all come crumbling down when your blood sugar crashes.
And the list goes on…
Constipation, gout, cholesterol, high blood pressure, headaches, etc.
So does this mean your love for ice cream has to be restricted to a childhood memory? Of course not! At Holistic Nutrition, we're all about balance. Treating yourself is important. That said, so is making healthy choices for a healthy terrain. Like many other treats, there are some great alternatives that are not only dairy-free but do not contain preservatives, refined sugar and all the other ingredients that we don't want to pollute our body's with.
My all time favourite alternative..
All I can say is…this recipe is sooooo yummy!!! Besides the divine taste, this recipe is simple to make, nutritious and dairy free! The consistency is JUST like ice cream and no is machine required or even necessary.
Ingredients
400ml Organic Full Fat Coconut Milk
1 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves
1/3 Cup Raw Organic Honey (we love & sell Leitch's raw honey which is made locally in Guelph, ON.)
2 Tablespoons Organic Vanilla Extract
¼ Cup Raw Organic Chocolate Nibs
Preparation
Heat coconut milk on low heat until steaming. Do not boil.
Add mint leaves, cover and turn to low heat. After 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow leaves to steep an additional 50 minutes at room temperature.
Pour coconut milk with leaves, honey and vanilla into blender and blend thoroughly.
Pour into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Remove cubes and put them in the blender. Blend until smooth and mixture peaks.
Add nibs at the end to mix but do not blend
Pour into freezer safe container and freeze overnight or serve immediately
ps. test out your creativity with flavour. Instead of the "chocolate mint" flavour, I've tried alternate recipes using flavours such as mango (shown in the image above), masala chai, blueberry lavender, chocolate and toasted coconut.
Regardless of what you call yourself; a vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or a meatitarian, our bodies all require sufficient protein and a balance of macronutrients to ensure optimal performance. Although protein is a vital part of your daily diet, choosing a healthy source of protein is important for many reasons. According to the U.S department of Agriculture and Mayo Clinic, the average person consumes double the recommended amount of poor protein choices. Insufficient protein intake weakens the body's terrain by impeding it's ability to perform day-to-day functions.
Why do we need protein?
Proven by physicists, nearly 98% of our atoms get replaced every year. Every six months, the liver replaces its cells, our stomach lining is regenerated every fives days, our red blood cells have a lifespan of 120 days and so forth. This means that protein is essential to aid in the growth and repair of each and every type of cell. Proteins are made up of many amino acids. Although our body is able to produce non-essential amino acids, we depend on essential amino acids to come from our everyday diet. Below is a brief list of important roles protein plays in our body:
Proteins are building blocks in our body. Our nerves, tissues and bones are all made up of proteins, making it vital for growth and repair (premature aging, organ function)
An easy way to estimate your protein portion is simply by the size of the palm of your hand. To calculate your daily protein requirement, it is determined as one gram of protein per two pounds (or one kilogram) of body weight.
Grams of protein per meal = (your weight in pounds divided by 2.2) divided by 3
Common sources of complete proteins
Fish
Chicken
Turkey
Beef
Tofu
Eggs
Protein powders (whey protein or a vegetarian based powder with a natural sweetener such as stevia)
Protein bars
Cottage cheese
Ricotta cheese
Protein breakfast cereal
Wraps, bread, or bagels made with protein flours
Vegetarian sources when combined properly (see below)
How much protein am I getting in eggs?
2 whole eggs or 4 egg whites – 15 grams
3 whole eggs or 6 egg whites – 20 grams
4 whole eggs or 8 egg whites – 25 grams
Common sources of incomplete proteins (vegetarian sources, high carbohydrate, low protein)
Legumes
chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, green peas, split peas, pimento beans
Stuffy nose, sore throat, watery and itchy eyes. Just when we thought this year was going to be “the year” with no allergies, they seem to be worse than ever.
Well, you’re not fighting this battle alone. More than one in six Canadians suffer from hay fever, or seasonal allergic rhinitis. A survey commissioned by Johnson & Johnson found that Ontario suffered the highest rates of seasonal allergies while Atlantic Canada was at the bottom of the list.
An allergy is a powerful immune response to an allergen (eg. animal dander, tree pollen, ragweed, dust, etc.), which causes the body to react to the perceived threat entirely out of proportion by triggering a production of allergen-specific antibodies. When produced, these antibodies migrate to mast cells which line the nose, eyes and lungs and release chemicals called histamines which then irritate the lining. With this response brings the notorious symptoms of a running nose and streaming eyes of hay fever.
What Can You Do?
1. Heal Your Gut
Immune system recovery, restoration of intestinal integrity and healthy flora are the most important and most effective strategy. Probiotics are an essential, if not the MOST essential, pillars of health. Accordingly, research has proven them to be especially beneficial for those who suffer from acute or chronic allergies. A study performed by the Department of Immunology concluded that the use of the probiotic strand, lactobacillus, aided in the management of allergies and reduced the incidence of atopic eczema (common skin condition that is often a result of underlying allergies). A study, which used mice, found that a common gut bacteria called Clostridia helps prevent sensitization to food allergens. In fact, immune responses to food allergens were reversed once Clostridia bacteria were put back into the mice. Using genetic analysis, the researchers determined that Clostridia instructs immune cells to produce a signaling molecule called interleukin-22 (IL-22), which is known to reduce the permeability of the lining in your intestines. In other words, it helps prevent leaky gut syndrome—a condition that allows allergens to enter your bloodstream, thereby producing an immune response. The researchers suggest this discovery may eventually lead to probiotic therapies to treat food allergies.
2. Get a Little Sweeter
Raw, local honey is not only delicious, but it can reduce or eliminate allergies all together! Choose any raw and local honey that is harvested nearby to ensure that the same sort of plants are blooming at roughly the same time. Honey that is raw will still contain all the living enzymes needed to protect your body from a histamine overdose. You may also choose to skip the honey and go right to the source by using pollen on its own instead. A very small number of people will have a reaction to this powerful remedy so it is important to start with just a grain at first. If you don’t have a problem then you can generally use ½-1 tsp of pollen daily. Try adding pollen to shakes or simply taking a spoonful.
3. Clean Up Your Dietary Habits
There are many common foods which create inflammation or sensitivities in the body, which in turn, compromises the immune system and makes you more susceptible to allergies. Cleaning up the diet is essential when attempting to strengthen the body's terrain. We have a great low glycemic meal plan that can be found here.
4. Listen to Mother Nature
She has out-done herself again and provided you with a natural substances to combat allergies. There are many natural remedies out that that have been proven effective. Aside from the essential trifecta to maintain a healthy terrain (probiotic, fish oil and vitamin D3), a basic allergy "care package" may involve Vitamin C (Progressive does a nice formula "Vitamin C Complex" which has some other nutrients such as quercetin to assist in the histamine response) and a homeopathic remedy such as Unda's Allergiplex. This is a fabulous little remedy that may be taken acutely, 1 tablet a day, or chronically as a preventative with a "Sunday dose" (one tablet a week).
5. Brush Away the Stress
Stress also plays a major role in allergies by dysregulating immune functions and by weakening adrenal response. Stress can also directly influence our digestive function, which can be a core factor in allergies. Chronic stress may lead to a reduction of hydrochloric acid output ) and digestive enzyme function, so that we do not break down our food properly. Absorption of larger food molecules into the blood may lead to increased antibody responses and subsequent allergies. Furthermore, the effects of stress on our immune system can lead to an increase in infections, which contribute to both environmental and food allergies. According to a study carried out by the Ohio State University-Columbus, stress may cause more severe and longer lasting allergy attacks. Try calming the nerves with some deep breathing and throw in some vitamin C which will not only support your adrenal glands, which controls the stress hormone cortisol, but it will also reduces the histamine response which causes allergy flare-ups. If you're having a tough time managing your stress, try discussing the myriad of natural options available with a natural practitioner.
6. Hydrate
Support your body’s natural cleansing system by drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day.
Spring is a season for change and renewal. During the long and bitter winter months, its easy to fall into poor habits. Warm weather is just around the corner and the emergence of spring fever is in the air. With the copious amount of detox “diets” available to us at the tips of our fingers, it can often become overwhelming and confusing as to which route to follow. What’s good? What’s bad? What works? What doesn’t?
At Holistic Nutrition, we believe in going back to the basics. For us, cleansing isn’t about a 3 week plan that has a start and an end date, but is an opportunity to start making life changes that are sustaining. It is about establishing roots to help us thrive for the summer and fall months to come. This April, help change and renew your health by committing to detoxify and rid your body from all the stuff that makes you sick. For the next few months, we chosen to become your partner in health by dedicating ourselves to help you clean house with daily tips, encouragement, advice and recipes. Starting internally and working our way out, we will help you detoxify your body, mind and space. We hope that you’ll join us in this journey.
SO — what’s first on our list? Sugar.
Detoxing can and should be done through dietary means and supplementing only when necessary. This week, begin with the appropriate phase below and check in with us later for a more comprehensive look at dietary suggestions.
Holistic Nutrition has been waging a war on sugar for quite some time now. A sweet tooth is not cute. Sugar addiction is exactly that… an addiction…and one that we’re seriously hooked on. It has become an epidemic world wide and the processed food industry has been complicit in this for decades. This is the first garbage can that needs to be emptied during our spring cleaning process. First and foremost, you need to be aware of the many dangers sugar poses.
What Is The Bitter Truth About Sugar?
After decades of silence, there is new scientific research linking the increase in sugar consumption to all kinds of chronic diseases. And, no, we're not just talking cavities. Over time, our sugar addiction can lead to some not so sweet chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's disease and breast, endometrial, and colon cancers. One new study found that normal-weight people who loaded up on sugar doubled their risk of dying from heart disease. Other research pinpoints excess sugar as a major cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to liver failure.
Many of us have been led to believe that there’s a hierarchy of sugars, as if some are better than others. We tend to forget that sugar is sugar. Generally speaking, no matter what form it comes in, sugar negatively impacts the body in the same way. Unfortunately, manufactures have caught onto this misunderstanding and have dominated the game of disguising sugar in most of the foods we eat. Always read your labels and learn the long list of synonyms that are used to mask plain ol’ sugar:
Agave Nectar, Barbados Sugar, Barley Malt Syrup, Beet Sugar, Blackstrap Molasses, Cane Crystals, Cane Juice Crystals, Castor Sugar, Corn Sweetener, Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup Solids, Crystalline Fructose, Date Sugar, Demerara Sugar, Dextrose, Evaporated Cane Juice, Florida Crystals, Fructose, Fruit Juice, Fruit Juice Concentrate, Galactose, Glucose, Glucose Solids, Golden Sugar, Golden Syrup, Granulated Sugar, Grape Juice Concentrate, Grape Sugar, High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Honey, Icing Sugar, Invert Sugar, Lactose, Malt Syrup, Maltodextrin, Maltose, Mannitol, Maple Syrup, Molasses, Muscovado Syrup, Organic Raw Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Raw Sugar, Refiners’ Syrup, Rice Syrup, Sorbitol, Sorghum Syrup, Sucrose, Table Sugar, Treacle, Turbinado Sugar, Yellow Sugar.
To face this challenge, we are going to follow a 5 phase process of eliminating sugar … for good. Some of you may be starting at different phases, but to be successful, it is important to remember one thing… like overcoming any addiction, it’s tough… and it’s a process! Take your time. Set Goals. Be accountable. Don’t give up.
Check in with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to help you with daily tips, support, reminders and recipes. Share your experience with us. Ask questions and get answers.
If you would like to educate yourself further on the evils of sugar, please be sure to check out this documentary called The Secrets of Sugar by The Fifth Estate (CBC News). You'll be amazed at the truths unmasked!
PHASE 1:Eliminate Sugary Beverages
If you're anything like the average, you slurp down nearly 40 pounds (70,000 calories!) of liquid sugar per year. Sipping sweet, fiberless beverages (think soft drinks, sweetened waters, coffee drinks) spikes your, insulin levels and cues major cravings. Over a period two weeks, cut out all such drinks. If straight H2O bores you, sip seltzer water or unsweetened teas or coffee.
PHASE 2:Quit Sugary Junk Foods
Cakes, cookies, candy bars—give 'em the heave-ho. Also press pause on secretly sugary fare such as granola bars. When you can, opt for fresh food over processed snacks—nearly 80 percent of the latter contains loads of added sugar. First, ID the foods you have the hardest time avoiding (um, cupcakes?) and quit those first, one at a time. Over the next two weeks, edit out all sugary junk. Sub in fruit when your cravings start up. (Try to stick to low fructose fruits to avoid spiking your blood sugar. Some examples are blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, grapefruit, honeydew melon)
PHASE 3:Reduce Simple Carbs
Chances are, by this point you've halved your sugar dependence—and shed some serious pounds. Next, tackle simple carbs, which act just like straight sugar in your body. Make a list of the refined foods you typically eat (e.g., crackers, white breads, white pastas) and, again, reduce them one by one over the next two weeks. Try starting with pastas: Instead of making two cups of spaghetti, make one cup and top it with a protein-packed lean meat; the next time around, replace that remaining cup with a veggie such as spaghetti squash.
PHASE 4:Sleuth for Hidden Sugars
This one's the trickiest and could take a full two weeks to master. Because hidden sugars are, well, hidden, you could still be ingesting lots of sweet stuff. Keep a critical eye on ingredient labels on condiments, sauces, and salad dressings—all sneaky sugar sources. Also, be leery of "sugar-free" offerings; many are packed with simple carbs instead. (Remember when you’re reading labels, look at the serving size. Also keep track of your DAILY sugar intake, not just that isolated serving. It adds up quickly!)
PHASE 5:Keep It Up (Realistically!)
It's all right to indulge every now and then, but pay close attention to your cravings. A slice of cake might be okay for one woman, but it could push another woman over the addictive edge. If a sweet snack leaves you yearning for more or, worse, bingeing, you'll know you're particularly vulnerable to sugar's powerful lure. Major bright side: Once you've kicked the habit and your taste buds are back to normal, fruits will taste supersweet and satisfying—and massive amounts of added sugar will taste like what they are: sickeningly sweet.
Nourishing your body with real food is a beautiful form of self-love.
This past Wednesday evening, we had the pleasure of learning the ins and outs of making homemade bone broth from the expert herself, Jill Weaver, Founder of Stock Exchange in Waterloo. If you didn't get a chance to make it out, no need to fret because we will be holding another Stock Talk with Jill on September 23rd, 2015 @ 7:00pm. Additionally, check out this fabulous blog Little Letters for some pictures and a brief summary from the evening.
"Let Food Be Thy Medicine"
Bone broth dates back to Hippocrates and has traditionally been used as a functional and nourishing food. Besides teasing our taste buds, bone broth is considered a functional food insofar as it may be used therapeutically to compliment your healing regime for a laundry list of ailments such as leaky gut syndrome, arthritis, allergies, digestive diseases and high cholesterol (to name a small few). For more information on the healing benefits of bone broth, click here for a more comprehensive overview.
After learning more and more about the superfood properties of bone broth, it's safe to say that anyone and everyone can benefit from consuming a cup a day. As much as we would all love to make our own, it's always nice to have a little back up plan for those busy times in our life.
If it's important to you, you'll find a way.
Stock Exchange Bone Broth conveniently delivers Mindful Nourishment to the Waterloo Region and surrounding area.
Following a traditional approach, each artisanal batch of broth is slow simmered for 24 hours, using responsibly sourced ingredients direct from local ecological farmers - resulting in a delicious, rich concentration of nutrients that our bodies can easily assimilate. With each batch, we can trust that we're getting the equivalent high-quality nourishment that would otherwise come from our own stovetop (or perhaps even higher, coming from an expert!).
Bone Broth is the Original Comfort Food, consumed as a source of nourishment for humankind throughout the ages. It is a traditional remedy across cultures; a classic folk treatment for colds and flu, it has also been sipped historically for ailments that affect connective tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, the joints, the skin, the lungs, the muscles and blood.
Far from being old-fashioned, broth and stock continue to be a staple in professional and gourmet cuisine, due to its unsurpassed flavour and body. It serves as the base for many recipes including soup, sauces, gravy and can be substituted as a cooking liquid for rice, grains and pasta. Broth is a valuable food and a valuable medicine, much too valuable to be forgotten or discounted in our modern times with our busy lifestyles.
Jill Weaver, Founder of Stock Exchange Bone Broth, started making her own bone broth as a way to nourish her young family and over time saw the additional positive effects that bone broth was having on their health, from overcoming food intolerances to digestive support, postnatal replenishment to baby’s first food. After participating in local food swaps, ’dealing' broth on the school yard and sharing with family and friends, Jill took her passion to a new level (and out of her kitchen) and started her company, Stock Exchange Mindful Nourishment Inc. Now you can purchase Stock Exchange Bone Broth and bring slow food conveniently to your home, or spend some time with Jill at one of her ‘Stock Talks,’ where she teaches family cooks the ins and outs of making traditional bone broth at home.
In addition to empowering the family cook, Jill is passionate about building sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships with local ecological farmers, supporting the ‘nose to tail’ philosophy and has become a liaise with health care practitioners who believe that ‘food is medicine’.
Stock Exchange Bone Broth is Mindful Nourishment - and contributes to a Mindful Lifestyle.
Resource: Traditional Bone Broth in Modern Health and Disease by Allison Siebecker
We have another exciting complimentary seminar coming up for you!
Join Jill Weaver, Founder of Stock Exchange, at 7pm on June 24th at Holistic Nutrition in the Bauer Marketplace for her discussion on bone broth. Learn about the benefits from holistic nutritionist Chelsea Cybalski and hear from the expert herself on how to make your own nutritious stock within a realistic budget and busy lifestyle.
Sign up for free!
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (519) 579-2220
Or come into the store located in the Bauer Marketplace Waterloo: 191 King St. S., Unit 108
Is broth a food or a medicine?
It has traditional use as both. As a food it is generally incorporated into other dishes, serving as a base structure to make soup, stew, sauce or gravy, or to cook grains and beans in, instead of water. Broth is not a complete protein, since it only contains three amino acids. A complete protein needs to contain all 8 essential amino acids. Therefore it is not a meat replacement, but it can be used as a meat extender. Since glycine is used to make other amino acids, it is considered protein sparing. In addition, because glycine is used to make energy in gluconeogenesis, consuming glycine spares your own body protein from being broken down to make energy. Broth is not a meal replacement, which is why it is used as a starting point for soup, or as the first course of a meal. As a medicine, it is often used alone, sipped at intervals or drunk much like a tea. The word tea, besides referring to the popular beverage, also refers to a form of herbal medicine. "Tea" can be used to describe an infusion or a decoction. To make an infusion, pour boiling water onto herbs, let soak for 5–10 minutes, discard the herbs, and drink the tea. This is how black tea, is made. A decoction differs in that it is made by directly boiling the herbs in water, for 20–40 minutes. This method is used on substances that are tougher, like roots, or bones. Broth is a bone and cartilage decoction, or tea. What this process is doing, with herbs or bones, is removing the active chemical ingredients into the water by means of heat, time, and acid, making the nutrients immediately available to absorb. (Vinegar is also used to remove the minerals from plants when making extractions.)60 Using the standard of herbal formulation, broth qualifies as a medicine. Being both a food and a medicine, broth has some distinct benefits. In general, food is a form of medicine that has few side effects and is difficult to overdose on. There is less likelihood of forgetting to take the medicine, since eating is a part of a normal daily routine. This is especially true if the medicinal food can be incorporated into established eating patterns, such as using broth to cook grain for a patient who eats grain on a regular basis. Using leftover meat and vegetable scraps to make medicine is a pretty smart form of recycling. It is an example of using the entirety of what Nature provides. Most importantly, broth tastes good, it's a delicious food that people enjoy eating, and that makes the best medicine.
Broth can be thought of as a protein supplement, and a calcium supplement. The chemical ingredients extracted from broth are glycine and proline (collagen/ gelatin), calcium and phosphorus (minerals), hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate (GAGs), and other minerals, amino acids and GAGs in smaller amounts. It's time we reclaim broth making from the past. The All New Joy of Cooking describes broth as inherently calming, consoling, and restorative to our spirit and vigor.61 Brewing broth fills a home with an aroma of indefinable goodness. That, in itself, is medicine. Because it's easy to absorb, tastes good, and contains a rich concentration of nutrients, broth makes a distinctively good medicine. In conclusion, rather than revisiting the disorders broth may be applied to, a review of definitions associated with broth may illustrate its benefits more accurately: To 'support and strengthen' the function of connective tissue. To 'support and protect' the function of bone. To 'store energy,' the function of yellow bone marrow. To act as a 'shock absorber and reduce friction,' the function of cartilage. To be 'flexible and strong,' the function of collagen. To 'hold it together' and 'keep it together,' also the function of collagen. To 'soup up,' to increase the power or speed of. To 'put stock in,' to trust.
Conditions that Broth Benefits
aging skin
allergies
anemia
anxiety
asthma
atherosclerosis
attention deficit
bean maldigestion
brittle nails
carbohydrate maldigestion Celiac Disease
colic
confusion
constipation
dairy maldigestion
delusions
dental degeneration
depression
detoxification
Diabetes
diarrhea
fatigue
food sensitivities
fractures
Gastritis
grain maldigestion
heart attack
high cholesterol
hyperactivity
hyperchlorhydria (reflux, ulcer)
hyperparathyroidism (primary)
hypertension
hypochlorhydria
hypoglycemia
immunodepression
increased urination
infectious disease
inflammation
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis) insomnia
Join us at Holistic Nutrition in the Bauer Marketplace Waterloo on Thursday June 4th, 2015 @ 7pm to learn about detoxification and the green smoothie challenege with homeopathic practitioner, Andrea Hauser.
RSVP: [email protected], call (519) 577-2220, leave a comment or come into the store. Hope to see you there!
So, what’s the scoop?
protein sparing. In addition, because glycine is used to make energy in gluconeogenesis, consuming glycine spares your own body protein from being broken down to make energy. Broth is not a meal replacement, which is why it is used as a starting point for soup, or as the first course of a meal. As a medicine, it is often used alone, sipped at intervals or drunk much like a tea. The word tea, besides referring to the popular beverage, also refers to a form of herbal medicine. "Tea" can be used to describe an infusion or a decoction. To make an infusion, pour boiling water onto herbs, let soak for 5–10 minutes, discard the herbs, and drink the tea. This is how black tea, is made. A decoction differs in that it is made by directly boiling the herbs in water, for 20–40 minutes. This method is used on substances that are tougher, like roots, or bones. Broth is a bone and cartilage decoction, or tea. What this process is doing, with herbs or bones, is removing the active chemical ingredients into the water by means of heat, time, and acid, making the nutrients immediately available to absorb. (Vinegar is also used to remove the minerals from plants when making extractions.)60 Using the standard of herbal formulation, broth qualifies as a medicine. Being both a food and a medicine, broth has some distinct benefits. In general, food is a form of medicine that has few side effects and is difficult to overdose on. There is less likelihood of forgetting to take the medicine, since eating is a part of a normal daily routine. This is especially true if the medicinal food can be incorporated into established eating patterns, such as using broth to cook grain for a patient who eats grain on a regular basis. Using leftover meat and vegetable scraps to make medicine is a pretty smart form of recycling. It is an example of using the entirety of what Nature provides. Most importantly, broth tastes good, it's a delicious food that people enjoy eating, and that makes the best medicine. 
