There are so many changes that occur when a new season arrives. Autumn brings many wonderful treats, the magnificent colors of changing leaves, marvelous sunsets, the refreshing crispness to the air and a bountiful harvest of delicious nourishment. Eating with the season benefits our bodies, our environment and our wallets! When we choose to eat seasonal produce we end up eating fresher, tastier and more nutritiously. Vegetables like butternut squash are more dense and rich in flavor, and are packed with antioxidants and beta-carotene. Seasonal produce provides our bodies with the energy, vitamins, minerals and fiber we need. Eating seasonally supports our local economy, what is in season is more readily available, and we end up cutting out the premium costs of foods that are more scarce or those that travel far distances to reach our stores. Our environment is also loving that we are reducing the energy cost of growing and transporting "out of season" foods. Some of my favorites for the season include:
pears, apples, nectarines, plums, pomegranates and figs
almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, chives, coriander, oregano and rosemary
Here's an idea for a tasty fall inspired breakfast:
I use a wheat and gluten free pancake mix, crumble some walnuts into it and serve the pancakes with either cinnamon dusted pears or poached pears. It's a satisfying breakfast that will warm you up from the inside out!
Looking to boost your immune system before we head into cold and flu season? One simple way to do so is taking a high quality Pro-biotic on a daily basis. Pro-biotics have gained a lot of attention in the media lately and with good reason Pro-biotics maintain a delicate balance between the gastrointestinal tract and immune system. Companies claim their products (bread, yoghurt, cheese) are rich in Pro-biotics, yet most fall short of any therapeutic benefits.
In the late nineteenth century, microbiologists identified microflora in the gastrointestinal tracts of healthy individuals that differed from those found in diseased individuals. They named the beneficial flora “Pro-Biotics.” Pro-biotics literally means “Pro Life”.
In 1994, the World Health Organization deemed Pro-biotics to be the next-most important immune defense system when commonly prescribed antibiotics are rendered useless by antibiotic resistance.
Unfortunately most of us will not be able to get therapeutic benefits from eating yoghurt alone, therefore I supplement with Genestra’s HMF Forte. It is important to take a Pro-biotic if you have been on anti-biotics in the past. In this case I would suggest taking more than the recommended daily dosage.
The next time you visit Glow, be sure to ask your practitioner how Pro-biotics can benefit your health.
One of my favorite things about summer is visiting the farmers market. Have you checked out the Gastown Farmers Market? If not, spend your Sunday meeting the fabulous people that grow your food. You can visit anytime between 11am and 3pm and you are sure to find wonderful, in season produce to inspire your Sunday night eats. Why not host a pot luck and encourage the guests to get their ingredients from the market to create a their dish? Allow yourself to be swept up in the passion that exudes from your guests as they talk about their culinary masterpiece.
As September approach’s it’s a good time to think about cleansing our bodies, clearing our minds and setting up healthy eating and lifestyle habits.What better way to do this than a quick and easy cleanse!
In the last 50 years our environment has become increasingly more polluted.This has resulted in a greater human toxic burden than ever before.With all of the toxic chemicals that have been introduced into our environment, plus the use of tobacco, alcohol, (although I’m sure non of the readers of this blog consume alcohol or tobacco) prescription and non-prescription drugs, and hormones and pesticides added to our food, you can start to see the challenging task that has been created for our bodies to rid itself of all of these substances.The liver carries the greatest burden of detoxifying foreign substances, as well as substances our bodies create (like hormones).
So, if we are exposed to toxic substances or if we make unhealthy dietary and lifestyle choices, we can build up many potentially toxic substances in our bodies.This can leave us feeling lethargic, moody, depressed, anxious, bloated and gassy.
A wonderful way to reverse such symptoms would be to do an overall body cleanse.There are many different kinds out there, herbal, restriction diets and vitamins.In my experience I find it best to do all three.I am currently doing a three week cleanse that where I will be excluding certain foods such as, wheat, dairy, sugar, corn, tomato and a few others.I will increase my intake of water, herbal teas, eat lots of fruit andveggies, fish (Click on fish to be directed to a website that will help you make healthy, sustainable seafood choices), chicken (free range), nuts (except peanuts) cold pressed oils such as olive oil, flax seed oil, Vega Oil, and pumpkin seed oil.I will also eat lots of whole grains such as rice, quinoa (click on quinoa for info and tasty recipes) and millet.
To give my cleanse an extra kick I have decided to take a product made by Thorne, called MediClear.This product comes in the form of a powder that you mix with water, fruit juices or add to smoothies (click for an abundance of smoothie recipes).MediClear acts as a nutritional support for inflammation, allergies, detoxification, and gastrointestinal integrity.The formula contains rice protein, vitamins, minerals, and specialized nutrients and botanicals.Its high concentration of rice protein aids in tissue repair and regeneration.The green tea extract in the formula provides potent antioxidant and liver-protecting activity, and MSM helps detoxification and joint function.
During the next 3 weeks I will provide you with updates on how I make out on the cleanse.I very much look forward to my coconut, pineapple, MediClear smoothie tomorrow for breakfast.
If you would like to take the 3 week challenge to a healthier body, healthier mind, come on over to Glow and we can set you up with all of the essentials and support.
In the meantime here are some pretty stellar recipes.
Enjoy!
Black Bean Salsa
In a mixing bowl combine 1-1/2 cups prepared black beans (drained), ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, and one clove of crushed or minced garlic.Add cayenne and salt to taste.You may also add 1 small minced jalapeno pepper without seeds for more zip.Mix and lit sit for a t least on hour to develop flavors – serve over grilled chicken or fish.
Baked Apples
Place 4 medium apples that have been washed and cored in a large glass oven proof bowl (with lid). Place a strip of lemon rind, ¼ of a whole vanilla bean, 1 cinnamon stick, and some currants or raisins inside each apple.Drizzle apples with ¼ cup lemon juice and scatter remainder of currants around them.Bake covered at 350 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes.Serve warm or cold, you can also drizzle with almond milk.
A few years back I attended a conference on the therapeutic benefits of medicinal mushrooms, and about half way through the lecture, I thought my head was going to explode! The amount of information and scientific data that was offered to back it all up was astounding. I left thinking “This is it! Could it be that we have stumbled upon an organic form of the Holy Grail?"
In the years that followed, I had integrated medicinal mushrooms into my life on an inconsistent basis. I would use New Chapter's Life Shield mushroom spray http://www.newchapter.com/product-categories/ lifeshield-mushrooms when flying, spraying it in the back of my throat to block all of the wonderful things one can catch when seated in a relatively small space, with only recycled air to breathe. (Yes, yes, I know, on a fundamental level, all air we breathe is recycled to a certain degree and yes, it is probable that you are breathing the same air molecules that the late, great Albert Einstein once did, but airplane air seems so much more unromantic and contagious.)
I must admit, since using the mushroom spray I have never caught anything from flying, and as a result have been able to enjoy my vacations with a clean bill of health.
It was recently though that I rediscovered the many wonders of mushrooms when watching TED talks. I stumbled across a lecture on mushrooms by Paul Stamets, a mycologist who’s focus has been the Northwest’s native fungal genome, mycelium. His credentials include 22 patents for mushroom-related technologies, including pesticidal fungi that trick insects into eating them, and mushrooms that can break down the neurotoxins used in nerve gas.
In this particular lecture, Paul discusses how mushrooms can save the world. I encourage you to take 16 minutes out of your day to have your mind blown and to perhaps explore a possible new passion for sustainability and good health.
Welcome to Glow Acupuncture and Wellness Center, located in Yaletown, Vancouver. Our goal is to provide the finest holistic health care as a pathway to health, longevity, and well being.
