Food and Recipes

April 16, 2011 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Can Yogurt Help Alleviate Pain Associated with IBS?

April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness month, and nutritional and medical experts are working to raise the public's knowledge on how to diagnose and treat this digestive disorder, which affects approximately 45 million people. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a problem that affects the large intestine. While no medical cure for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has been discovered, a diet that reduces pain from inflammation and bloating can be an important management technique for IBS sufferers. IBS is one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders, with as many as one in five Americans suffering from its symptoms, which include chronic abdominal pain,...

April 1, 2011 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Rich Ralph

Nutritional Tip: Drink Lemon Water in the Morning

This is a simple tip with huge effects! Squeeze the juice of a quarter of an organic lemon into a glass of water. You may need to start with less lemon and work up to a quarter if you find it too sour in the beginning. Try drinking this immediately upon waking, about 20 minutes before you eat anything. Simple enough for you? The lemon water has various benefits to your health. First, this will stimulate hydrochloric acid production which will allow you to digest your food better. Second, your metabolism receives a nice kick-start from the lemon-water which will set...

March 16, 2011 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Rich Ralph

Dehydration: Do You Drink Enough Water?

You may already know that the human body is over 60% water. And you may have been told that the average adult should drink about 8 glasses of water every day. But did you know that by the time a person actually feels thirsty, their body has lost roughly 1 % of its total water? Dehydration can have a physical effect on our bodies before we even experience thirst. Once the body loses only 0.5 % of its water, there is already an increased strain on the heart. Obviously dehydration has a wide range of severity depending on the total...

February 18, 2011 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Recipes for Health: Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Quinoa, native to South America, is the grain of the moment - much like brown rice in the 70's, wheat berries in the 80's, and couscous in the 90's. Pronounced "keen-wa," it was a staple of the ancient Incas, hence the name "the mother grain." Mild, nutty-tasting and packed with high-quality protein, fiber, and iron, it cooks quickly, has a fluffy texture, and is available organically grown, packaged, and sold in whole food markets and many grocery stores. We see quinoa recipes everywhere: in food magazines, cookbooks, and on diet "yes" food lists. Quinoa is a dietician’s dream. A third of...

February 11, 2011 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Can Eliminating Gluten Be Unhealthy?

Gluten is a special type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It helps give baked goods elasticity, providing them with that chewy texture so familiar in good bread. In addition, gluten provides strength and structure to baked goods, and as a result, it is found in varying quantities in almost all of them, breads in particular. But you can also find it in most types of cereals, crackers, and pasta. Ever since Elizabeth Hasselbeck's best-selling book The G-Free Diet: A Gluten Survival Guide (Center Street, 2009) hit bookstores, there has been an uptick of articles about gluten and going...

January 21, 2011 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Recipes for Health: Lentil Soup

Perhaps you’re still feeling a bit full from the holidays. It's time to think about eating food that is rich in flavor but lighter than some of our traditional holiday fare. Our hearty vegetarian supper is a good place to start. When you’re ready for the main course, dish up steamy bowls of lentil soup and surprise yourself with how satisfying a bowl of beans can be. It is chock–full of tender lentils, vegetables, and savory seasonings. A slice of hot, crusty bread or a warm, just–out–of–the–oven corn muffin is a perfect accompaniment. Serves 4-6 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves garlic,...

August 30, 2010 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Health Effects of Drinking Soda

At any given lunch period at Old Union Elementary School in Southlake, Texas, 28 cans of carbonated soda (many wrapped in foil to keep cool) are being consumed amongst 106 third graders. In other words, 26% of the class is drinking soda at lunch. By the end of the day, 60% of all the third graders will have consumed at least one soda. Soft drinks have replaced milk as the drink of choice for these children. As parents we willingly comply, but the health effects to our children, and the financial burden to our health care system will be enormous. How...

July 26, 2010 In Food and Recipes, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

Gluten–Free Breakfast Burrito

A burrito, also named taco de harina, is a type of Mexican food. It often consists of a flour tortilla wrapped or folded around a filling. Southwestern cuisine, New Mexican cuisine, and Tex-Mex in particular, has popularized the breakfast burrito, in which elements of an American breakfast are wrapped inside a flour tortilla with green chile. While Tia Sophia's, a Mexican café in Santa Fe, New Mexico, claims to have invented the original breakfast burrito in 1975, Fitness Goop offers this gluten-free mouth watering option. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Without it your metabolism will slow...

June 28, 2010 In Food and Recipes, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Gluten – Free Almond Crisps

These light, crispy almond cookies are perfect for an afternoon snack, but special enough to serve for dessert after dinner with homemade applesauce. Almonds are available year round in grocery stores and specialty shops and they are an excellent source of Vitamin E and B2 (riboflavin), tryptophan (an essential amino acid), dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium. So grab a bag of slivered almonds and make a batch of these scrumptious cookies today. Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 2 cups brown rice flour mix* 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon...

May 17, 2010 In Food and Recipes, News By Vancouver Health Coach

Gluten-Free Lemon Pound Cake

This is the perfect little cake to serve with coffee and tea. Made with yogurt instead of butter, it has a bright lemon flavor, a tender crumb and a velvety texture. This recipe is a great choice for anyone making healthier food choices, but still craving a treat. Serve it with fresh berries, peaches or plums you find on farm stands all spring and summer and you’ll have a simple, delicious cake that you’ll want make again and again. This recipe makes a 9-inch bundt shaped cake. Ingredients: 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour mix* 2 1/2 teaspoons...