Food and Recipes

November 3, 2014 In Emotional Health, Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Preventing Childhood Eating Disorders and Food Anxiety

Childhood obesity is a hot topic in North America, but we should also be discussing the increasing rate of all eating disorders in school age children. Eating disorders such as compulsive eating, binge eating, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia make it harder for our children to experience academic, athletic, and social success. Disturbingly, researchers have found that early dieting puts children at risk for developing these disorders. About 40% of 9 and 10 year old girls are trying to lose weight, according to a study in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. What frightens some researchers is that many...

November 3, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Living Healthy Tip: Natural Toothpaste with Coconut Oil Recipe

Detoxifying and cleansing your body is in- Dr. Oz has a 48 hour Weekend Cleanse, Oprah has a 21 Day Consciousness Cleanse, and juice bars are sprouting up everywhere to help rid your body of unwanted toxins and weight. But when was the last time you looked at ingredient labels of the common household products you use everyday like toothpaste, deodorant, lotion, sunscreen, even cosmetics? Is it time to purify and detoxify your environment, both inside and out? If so, try this non-toxic, clean Coconut Oil Natural Toothpaste made with just three natural ingredients: coconut oil, baking soda and an...

November 1, 2014 In Food, Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

The Scoop on Fats: The Good and The Bad

Everywhere you look these days, labels and commercials shout the absence of Trans fats in our favorite foods and the presence of “good” fats instead. Our bodies need some fat for optimal functioning. But we need the right kinds of fat, and we need to practice moderation. Some fats are actually good for you, and others should be avoided at all costs. How do you know which is which? There are two kinds of fats, commonly considered "bad" and "good" fats: saturated and unsaturated fats. While both unsaturated fat and saturated fat are in a variety of foods, studies have found...

October 29, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Think like a Hunter-Gatherer: Preparing Food for Your Next Meal

No, this is not about the nutritious scrumptiousness of “Raw Cuisine.” Unless you have a full time cook at your beck and call, it is the highest maintenance, labor intensive diet on the planet. (We predict it will soon take its' rightful place along-side "Nouvelle Cuisine"). This is about using our brains; brains that have benefited from cooked food through the millennium. Cooking made all those beans and vegetables we gathered and the meat we hunted easier to digest. Because they were easier to digest, our bodies were able to absorb more nutrients. Our brains grew and we became smarter....

October 28, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Healthy No Bake Nut Butter Protein Bar

These homemade protein bars only have a few ingredients in them, they are super easy to make and are way healthier than bars you’ll find at the store. The main two ingredients are the nut butter and the protein powder. You can experiment with different nut butters like Peanut butter, Almond butter and Sun Butter (sunflower seed butter). They all work really well and taste great! You can also experiment with different types and flavors of protein powder. I tend to switch between a high quality whey protein and a great vegan protein like the ones from Vega. If you come up with...

October 27, 2014 In Eliminating Toxins, Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

Back To School Food Ideas for Avoiding the Flu

Back to school season is around the corner, which for many of us means an increased exposure to colds and flu. Viruses can spread very easily, so it’s important to boost your immune system to guard against these common diseases. The first signs of a virus sends many people reaching for the nearest over-the-counter medications that merely treat the symptoms without ever addressing the cause of the illness. A healthier option to potentially harmful medications can be found in a number of immune-boosting foods that will help you avoiding the flu and stay healthy through the fall and winter months. Chicken soup It appears...

October 26, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

GMO Crops, Safe or Evil?

If you haven't heard of GMO, I really encourage you to just stop what you are doing and google GMO because if you haven't noticed it's kind of a problem.  It is a world-wide issue that has caused a lot of up-roar, controversy and frustration between the government and big corporations and the people and little guys who are just trying to do the right thing. GMO= are genetically modified organisms that have been created using new techniques of recombinant DNA technology.  GMO are viewed with concern because of public debate over the safety of the products and the fear that GMO foods...

October 23, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Recipes for Health: Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

Here is a sunny, pantry-friendly soup to get you through the cold winter season, or any time you start longing for a little tropical spice. Our Caribbean Pumpkin Soup is a richly-flavored, vegan, antioxidant-dense meal in a bowl that you can savor for lunch or dinner. Pair it with our chewy, crusty bread-sticks for a delicious vegetarian meal that will nourish you and those around your table (see Gluten-Free Baking column on this website). Serves 4-6 Recipe can be doubled Ingredients: 1 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped green pepper 1 tablespoon...

October 21, 2014 In Food, Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Should I take supplements or not?

Some would say that even if you eat a "balanced diet" you should still take supplements because there are not enough vitamins and minerals in the soil. What do you think? There is some truth to the assertion that supplementation has become necessary due to the fact modern agricultural practices don't preserve the quality and nutrition of the soil, and hence, the abundance and diversity of nutrients in our food has declined since the introduction of synthetic fertilizers. This is bolstered by evidence that organically grown foods have been shown to have a greater density of nutrients. Thus, my recommendation is...

October 18, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Lisa Virtue

Is Soy Really Bad for Your Health?

There we North Americans go again, enjoying too much of a good thing. I’m talking about soy products. But the Japanese have been eating soy for centuries, and they seem so lean and old, and healthy. This is true. However, upon further examination, we notice that the soy consumed in Japan is often fermented, in the form of tempeh, miso, natto, and soy sauce. Fermented soy is better for us, because the nice bacteria break down all the hard to digest phytic acid coating the beans. These troublesome phytates also block mineral absorption, leading to osteoporosis. But more good news:...