Spotlight

October 7, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Trying the Raw Food Diet? Raw versus Cooked Food

A few months back I addressed the issue of veganism in my blog, and provided a series of snippets and references from my book, suggesting that a long term vegan diet – especially in women and children – can be dangerous. This post generated a fair amount of reaction by vegans, but it also opened up the possibility of a more nuanced, well-reasoned approach to this issue. Today I want to continue this debate, by addressing the issue of raw foodism and the raw food diet. The following is taken from my book, Food As Medicine, and is a compilation...

October 6, 2014 In Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Celiac symptoms in children

Are there common childhood symptoms in undiagnosed children with celiac disease? Do boys and girls present with different signs and experience a different set of symptoms? The answer to all three of these questions is YES. If you think your child is at risk for celiac disease read on. Celiac disease is the most under diagnosed, chronic pediatric disease in the U.S. affecting one in 100 children and one in 22 for those associated with risk factors. Amazingly, 95% of all cases are undiagnosed. The disease is a genetic intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. When...

October 5, 2014 In Food, Food and Recipes, Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

A Question About Pea Protein…

I recently posted an article to the urbandiner.ca website on the subject of the legumes ("Beans, beans, the magical fruit?"), in part taken from a chapter of my upcoming book "Food As Medicine" The Theory and Practice of Food". In the last part of my blog I discuss the issue of the vegan protein powders that seem all the rage these days. I have spent some time on medline researching these ingredients, chief among them being pea protein isolate. If you do a google search on it, most of the "information" is marketing, about how it's well-tolerated, well-digested and hypoallergenic....

October 5, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

4 Easy Steps to Eternal Youth

The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for memory and certain types of learning. Beginning in our twenties, this area starts losing an average 1% of volume each year. As the years go on, our immune systems weaken, our muscles lose mass, our joints feel sore, and our brains shrink by the day. These, among other potential declines make aging a frightful thought. Contrary to popular belief however, aging is not the inevitable downward spiral that we once thought it was. Research in a vast array of complementary fields shows that lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, learning, and...

October 4, 2014 In Editor's Picks: Must Haves for Staying Healthy, Eliminating Toxins, Emotional Health, Green & Healthy Living, Holistic Health, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

8 Tips For Better Digestion

Digestive disturbances can be irritating and uninvited, like your in-laws. Symptoms like  bloating, flatulence, constipation and acid reflux can be your body’s intelligent way of trying to to let you know when something isn’t peachy. Proper digestive function is essential to optimal health and vitality, energy and prevention of disease. It is intimately connected to weight loss (or weight gain), your mood and how you feel overall on a regular basis- which should be fantastic for the most part. Here are 8 simple and effective tips to help promote digestion. ** If you do experience these symptoms frequently on a regular basis, it’s...

October 3, 2014 In Emotional Health, Family Fitness, News, Spotlight, Weight Loss By Vancouver Health Coach

Stress and Weight Gain – What’s the Connection?

Ongoing stress results in the production of cortisol, a steroid hormone produced from the adrenal glands. Cortisol mainly functions to regulate energy production and mobilization; it does so by selecting the right type and amount of macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat or protein) that is needed by the body to meet the physiological demands (eg. stress) that is placed upon it. This hormone mobilizes energy by moving the body’s fat stores from one location to another to provide fuel for muscle tissues. Under stressful conditions, cortisol can provide the body with protein for energy by converting amino acids in muscle into useable carbohydrate (glucose) in the...

October 2, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight, Uncategorized By Vancouver Health Coach

5 Ingredient Plantain Pancakes

  If you’re in search of a gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and grain-free but off-the-hook delicious pancake recipe, look no further. Plantains are becoming increasingly popular by many who experience food sensitivities and discomfort when eating grains. They are similar to a banana, although starchier and less sweet. Being slightly higher in calories they contain more minerals than a banana and can be enjoyed in several different ways. This recipe is fool-proof and you will not be dissapointed. Unlike some, these pancakes are easy to flip and stay together. Make them as obnoxiously large as your pan or as tiny and cute as you’d like....

October 2, 2014 In Food and Recipes, News, Spotlight By Crystal Di Domizio

Health Benefits of Eating Local

Have you ever taken a bite out of a big red strawberry, only to find that the inside is white and it lacks the rich and juicy flavour that you remember as a child? Chances are this strawberry was grown thousands of kilometers from your home. The main reason for this flavourless phenomenon is that the fruits and vegetables that are shipped from other parts of the world are usually harvested prematurely in order to sustain the long journey around the globe, from farm to plate. When produce is picked before it’s had a chance to fully mature, the nutritional value...

October 2, 2014 In Fitness, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Bring Your Own Boot Camp

Boot Camp programs are popular this time of year as a means to prepare for the very dreaded BATHING SUIT SEASON. Sure, it’s great if you can convince yourself that this is the Summer you’re not going to allow a few rolls and dimples to ruin your day at the beach. But let’s face it – unless you gave it your best shot before pouring yourself into Spandex (a material obviously woven by Satan’s handmaidens), you’re not going to fully enjoy the warmth of the sun on your Back of Many Creases. It’s not necessary, however, to hand your money over...

September 30, 2014 In Green & Healthy Living, News, Spotlight By Vancouver Health Coach

Is Natural Choice Always the Best Choice When it Comes to Health?

My dog has fleas. Creepy crawlies are getting me in the night! Despite my best efforts to deter fleas from my dog, she got them. I can’t SEE them, but she has bites and is scratching. And I have bites! I recently got back from a trip to California, during which time I stayed at a not-so-swanky hotel, so my initial fear was that I brought bed bugs home with me. But no – thank God – we’re just dealing with fleas. That said – Still very gross! Upon moving to the Lower Mainland, I did everything a yogi dog owner...