10 (Everyday) SuperFoods

These days, "superfoods" are all the rage. In every health food store, you'll see all kinds of fancy (and often very expensive) superfoods that are supposed to restore health, vitality, and have you living to 105 years old (they don't actually make those specific claims, but claims pretty close to these). Some recent and popular superfoods to hit the market include chia seeds, irish moss, goji berries, acai berries/powder, spirulina, maca... plus many, many more.

But what about everyday "superfoods"? Can I eat like a superhuman without breaking the bank? Why, yes, yes you can! Here are some of my top "everyday" superfoods (in no particular order):

Superfood loving: let's see, we have some sweet potatoes, onions, and broccoli! Three everyday all-stars. 

1. Oats - known for their soluble fiber, which keeps you full, your blood sugar regulated, and lower cholesterol by binding to excess cholesterol. I also love their versatility in cooking and baking. Gluten-free too, if you buy certified g-free oats. 
2. Spinach (and other greens) - greens are important for fiber (roughage), tons of vitamins, and loads of minerals. The healthiest vegetables are the greens. 
3. Grapefruits - we all love citrus for the vitamin C, but grapefruit is said to boost metabolism. 
4. Blueberries (and other berries) - high in antioxidants like vitamin C, fiber, and generally a "dark" fruit. Similar to the greens, the darker the fruit or vegetable, the more concentrated the nutrition. 
5. Almonds (and other nuts) - healthy fats and protein. An easy snack to have on hand. Almonds in particular are a source of calcium. 
6. Salmon - good old healthy fatty acids are found in salmon. These essential fats are good for our brain, skin, and mood. 
7. Seeds - flax, sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower are all awesome. Phytoestrogens are found in seeds, which help regulate our hormones and help our body deal with the synthetic hormones lingering due to all the plastics that are abundant in our modern world. 
8. Onions - anti-microbial (awesome to eat when sick), lower blood pressure, and have anti-cancer proprieties. 
9. Sweet Potatoes - lots of vitamin A. You can even eat the (cleaned) skin for extra fiber. A good source of complex carbohydrates. 
10. Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables) - high in calcium, vitamin C, and anti-cancer. Aside from greens, I'd say the cruciferous veggies are the best for your overall well-being. 

The Twelve Hour Eating Rule

Good morning! Time for your bagel (but only if it's been 12 hours since your last meal :P). 

The Twelve Hour Eating Rule is when you wait twelve hours between your last evening meal or snack and breakfast. I've talked about this before on the blog, but decided to re-visit the topic now that it is Spring and Liver time (and it is also detox time for some). Fasting for 12 (up to 16 hours) overnight is one of the easiest and gentlest ways to detox the body. It is important to wait for twelve hours between your last dinner meal and breakfast the next day to let the migrating motor complex (MMC) to be activated. The MMC is activated when the gut is done digesting. It is a series of waves throughout the digestive tract to clean-up remaining food, bacteria, toxins, excess hormones, etc. Imagine a broom and it gently sweeping the gut lining; that's what the MMC is like. 

So try remember when you finished dinner and try to don't have breakfast until at least twelve hours has passed. By remembering this rule, you may be less likely to engage in night time snacking because you won't want to break the (detoxing) fast! For those trying to lose weight, my weight-loss expert professor told my class that following this simple rule can be helpful. 

*Obviously take this advice/rule with a grain of salt. Breast feeding mothers, pregnant women, diabetics, the elderly, children, those who exercise in the morning, etc, should eat when no matter when; eat when hungry and as needed. Also ignore this rule if you wake up starving! This is a sign that the tummy needs to eat, not detox! This post is not meant to be medical advice. 

**The photo above is a New York style bagel that I consumed while in New York city! Gluten-overload, but a delicious treat :)

Goodbye Food Boutiques

A famous vegan shop closed shop closed late last year. This shop was located in Montreal, Quebec. They only sold vegan foods, but mostly treats like veggie "beef" jerky, a variety egg substitutes, dairy free "milk" chocolate, cheese-less cheese, and other goodies.

When I became vegan in 2007, I really longed for some sort of cheese substitution. After reading about this product called Daiya on food blogs over and over again and hearing about its "amazingness", I really, really wanted to try it. I searched online and came across the recently closed vegan shop who not only sold it in Canada, but shipped it to anywhere in the country. I ordered 5 lbs of the stuff (luckily it can be frozen) and had it shipped with ice packs to Nova Scotia (where I was living at the time); the total delivery cost somewhere between $60 and $80. Yikes.

I now find this story hilarious. That "brand new" cheese-product that I died to try, Daiya, is now sold at my local convenience store. No joke. For about $5. I can't believe I once had to have it shipped from across the country and pay an exorbitant price in order to taste it. And now, even though it is super accessible, I don't even eat it anymore. Funny that.

Now, I was never a vegan "veteran", but apparently I still started my vegan journey at a time when it wasn't all that well-known or popular. I can't imagine how vegans functioned in the eighties or nineties  A time when the only way you could get tofu was to find an Asian grocery store I'm sure. I bet these vegans were a heck of a lot healthier though; they didn't fill up on all the junky "fake" foods that now exist.

While some vegans cried out at the closure of this shop, I think it was a positive development. Does the closure of a large vegan food vendor mean that the diet is fading away? That fewer people are vegan? Not necessarily.

I think that the shop's closing is positive because it means that vegans (and those who can't eat eggs, dairy, certain forms of meat, Celiacs, follow restricted diets, etc) no longer have to order fake foods from thousands of miles away and pay ridiculous fees for said foods. They don't have to search online for special treats because they are now offered at Starbucks, Second Cup, Loblaws, Metro, on airplanes, and in convenience stores.

With the rise of food intolerances and allergies, big box stores and large food chains are taking notice and making non-allergenic foods available to their customers (obviously they are doing it for profit reasons as allergen-friendly food is a growing market, but whatever).

The three-aisle convenience store by my house sells almond milk, tofu dogs, and gluten-free flour (to name only a few special-diet foods, they sell many other awesome products). And this isn't so just because I live in the big city of Toronto. When I visited relatives over Xmas, who live in a very rural town, I still managed to find Daiya, coconut milk yogurt, and even a whole shelf devoted to Udi's gluten-free breads in the bakery section of their small grocery store.

A whole shelf devoted to Udi's gluten-free breads, muffins, and more.

While I am very sad for the owners of the vegan shop and worried for small business owners everywhere who have to compete with big corporations, I still like to think that the closure of niche food boutiques like this vegan one is positive. I think it is a sign that it is becoming easier to be vegan and easier to follow a diet that is dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, etc).

Goodbye niche food boutiques, hello more accommodating grocery stores!

Women's Health Week: Concluding Thoughts

Women’s Health Week 2013 took place from March 11^th to 15^th at CCNM (my school). During that period, women’s health took the focus, through a variety of events. The loose theme this year was to address the more controversial aspects of women’s health, such as natural birth, body image, alternative menstruation management, abandoning fad-diets, and the glamourization of our health concerns.

On Monday, the Canadian documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc, was shown. This film critiqued pink ribbons movement, discussed pink washing, and featured women with breast cancer who don’t appreciate their disease being turned into something that is ‘pretty, pink, and perky’.

On Wednesday, at the Moms’ Panel, six CCNM students shared their birth experiences and gave advice to the future moms and health care practionners (who will be caring for new moms) in the audience. DivaCups were also handed out. Thank you to DivaCup for donating! 

Finally, on Thursday, Meghan Telpner, Nutritionista, gave us ten simple steps to share with patients to improve overall health. Immediately after her talk, members of the CCNM family shared their body monologues at the first ever BMcompanion event. It was full of both tear-jerking and laugh-out-loud moments. If you missed it, you can hear more body monologues at the downtown Toronto, April 11^th show. Learn more about this show here. 

A big shout-out to the volunteers that helped with WHW and to all who attended the events. Thanks!

This board featuring women's health research was displayed in the school lobby all week long. 

Why Juice, Pop, Coffee, and Beer Don't Hydrate

When we are thirsty or dehydrated, it is tempting to reach for a refreshing glass of orange juice, soda pop, or a can of beer. However, these beverages do not help hydrate the body and can even increase thirst and decrease overall hydration.

When someone suffers from diarrhea, especially a small child, it can also be tempting to serve them a glass of juice to keep them hydrated. But the sugars in fruit juice (and in pop) have an osmotic effect, requiring water (H2O) for their utilization in the body. These sugars (carbohydrates) are not all absorbed (because juice contains sooo much sugar/carbs), thus the excess sugars/carbs enter the large intestine. Once in the large intestine, they are excreted through feces, but for every sugar molecule that needs to leave the body, so does a water molecule, which leads to diarrhea or excessively soft/watery stool. Read more about this phenomenon, and why recommending juice to kids can be troublesome, here.

As for beer (or any type of alcohol), it reduces the body's level of anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), i.e. the hormone that in normal quantities, prevents us from peeing too much. But since beer decreases this hormone, we have to pee more than usual, resulting in more fluid loss and thus decreasing hydration.

I promise this beer was preceded and proceeded by glasses of water!

As for for coffee, it is a diuretic, meaning it increases your urination. But when you pee more, you become more dehydrated! So coffee is also a no-go when it comes to increasing hydration.

So, when you are thirsty and dehydrated, drink a glass of plain old water. If you still want some juice, pop, or alcohol, then at least make it a one-for-one deal (one glass of water for everyone one of these beverages).

Salty Suds

Epsom salts (which aren't actually salt but minerals, specifically magnesium sulfate) are salts that when added to bath water. They help relax, physically and mentally, by relaxing both the mind and muscles (see below for a more thorough explanation). The use of Epsom salts originated from observing the use natural mineral baths or soaking in hot springs to treat conditions in Europe.

Directions: Simply add a 1 cup (or 2) of the salts to a warm bath. Those with high blood pressure or those taking blood thinning medications should talk to their doctor before initiating this treatment.

Mental Effects: The body's magnesium levels get depleted during stress, causing fatigue both mentally and physically. When the salts are dissolved in the bath water, they are absorbed through the skin. When absorbed, they increased the level of magnesium in the body. Magnesium is a cofactor in the enzymatic reaction that produces serotonin. Serotonin is a bodily chemical that helps regulate our mood and improves overall energy.

Physical Effects: Magnesium is a known muscle relaxant. When absorbed into the skin from the bath water, the magnesium relaxes the muscles, making Epsom salt baths great for menstrual cramps, sports injuries, body pain, upper body muscle tension, and even constipation (especially if the constipation is linked to stress and an inability to "let go").

I was at Dollarama last month and saw them on the shelf for $1! So they are an extremely cheap treatment option. The one at Dollarama something looked like this:

Source here. 

Around the time that I saw these cheap (and effective!) salts at the dollar-store, was also when I had a disagreement with a teaching assistant (TA) over the cost effectiveness of naturopathic medicine.

I had said "Naturopathic Medicine is very cost effective" and the TA thought this was false. I still disagree. While some naturopathic treatments can yes be very costly and while seeing an ND ($100-150 for the initial visit, $80-100 for follow-up visits) is pricey, a good ND should be following the doctor as teacher principle: teaching the patient ways to take care of their health without relying in their ND for every ache and pain for the rest of their life. There are many, many frugal and sustainable health tips that a doctor can teach a patient during the first few visits that the patient can use throughout the rest of their life. Take my Naturopathic Pantry post for instance. Once a patient has been educated and guided by their doctor about simple and cheap home remedies, and aside from follow-up appointments with the ND, naturopathic medicine should be very cost effective as it relies heavily on lifestyle changes, and using items straight from nature to heal.

Next year, students will complete rotations in clinics that serve low-income and even homeless individuals. If we are able to help these patients, then cost-effective treatment strategies must exist!

Anywho, just my thoughts now. I'm curious to see how my outlook on the cost-effectiveness of my profession may change as I enter clinic starting in May!

Did you know that there are organs on your face?

In Chinese Medicine, the face can be mapped by organ systems. This is may be useful for understanding the cause of acne, moles, wrinkles, sun spots, etc. First, a naturopathic doctor or doctor of traditional Chinese medicine determine will determine where is the acne/mole/wrinkle/spot is located on the "TCM Face". Second, the doctor will ask questions to see if the corresponding TCM organ is dysfunctioning. For instance,   for chin acne, they may ask about urination frequency, urine color, urine smell, the amount of water you drink, etc. 

Obviously this is one theory behind face "imperfections". At CCNM, we actually aren't trained in face reading; the image below is just something I came across online that falls in-line with Chinese Medicine principles and I personally like the theory. So please don't go thinking that all NDs are hokey-pokey, fortune-telling, face-readers because they most definitely are not trained to act this way!

I have heard from a Western perspective, however, that jaw line acne is a result of hormonal imbalance. Evidence comes from research on polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); a disease in which androgen hormones are in excess and jaw and chin acne can be symptoms (note that there are other defining PCOS symptoms; please talk to you doctor/health care provider if you are curious about the diagnosis of PCOS). 

Image source here. 

Beware of Red Velvet

Red velvet cake and cupcakes seem to be all the rage these days. These goodies are basically chocolate cake, but have a reddish (or red velvet if you will) colored hue. Flavor-wise, they don't taste very different than chocolate cake (despite the tricky coloring, there isn't any strawberry or raspberry flavoring added to the cake batter). So what gives red velvet baked goods their color? Nothing more than a whole whack of red food dye. You need roughly a whole tablespoon in order to achieve a true red velvet cake batter color. That's a ton of dye!

Those who are concerned with healthy eating should be wary of red velvet cake. Red food dye (also known as FD&C #40 (this dye can be used in food, drugs and cosmetics, hence the name FD&C)) has been linked to hyperactivity in children, can cause rashes, liver and kidney damage, cancer, and are generally considered to be toxic. Evidently, the consumption of red dyes should be limited, especially in children.

But red velvet cakes are pretty! What's a baker to do when they want red velvet cake but don't want any artificial food coloring? Make the cake batter with beets, strawberries, pomegranate juice, or raspberries of course (as discussed in my post on natural food dyes). Fruit juices and purees make great natural food dyes. I recently came across this blog post on red velvet pancakes that are made with beets.

Look at how beautiful a naturally colored, red velvet (pan)cake can be!

Image source: The Edible Perspective

Fatigued?

We have learned that when a patient walks into your office and says "my chief concern is fatigue", we have to ask a bunch of questions to understand what they actually mean by fatigue.

What does fatigue mean to the patient? Does it mean:

 ...tired? ...sleepy? ...physically exhausted? ...apathetic? ...depressed? ...is there lassitude?

The descriptors above would each point the doctor towards a different diagnosis so it is very important to ask the right questions to make that sure he or she is going in the right direction when a patient presents with fatigue. 

Several examples of questions that may be asked to help determine the diagnosis: 

- Are you still fatigued after a good night of sleep?

- Do you feel well rested in the morning?

- Do naps help the fatigue?

- Tell me about your sleep. Is your sleep of adequate quantity and of good quality?

- Does the onset of the fatigue happen at the end of the day?

- How is your mood?

- How is the fatigued changed by exercise? Increased or decreased?

- Tell me about your diet. Are you consuming adequate calories, nutrients, and iron?

- Do you drink caffeine? How much and when?

- Etc, etc...

Kids Food Makes Me Sick... Literally.

I don't have children, but you might think that I do, given how passionate I am about feeding children well.  It all started in first year, during my first week at CCNM, when Dr. Jason Lee discussed the problems with "kids food" with our class.

The thought of "kids food" makes me sick. What is this crazy concept and where did it come from? How is it that children today eat PopTarts and Captain Crunch for breakfast, Pizza Pockets and Lunchables midday, guzzle kiddie 'juice' boxes and pop to quench their thirst, and get rewarded with Gushers, ice cream, and other kid-sized treats on a daily basis?  When and why did we decide it is OK to feed kids crap? Synthetic, sugar-laden, artificial garbage now passes as kids food.

Wait, back up a second, why do we even have kids food?  Why not just food? Children don't have compromised digestive tracks; they certainly can digest "adult foods" like asparagus and wild rice. Where did this great divide (adult vs kids) come from? Healthy food like veggies, beans, and grains go to the adults, while all the junk goes off to the kiddos.  Just take a look at a restaurant menu!  The adults have a huge variety of entree contenders while the kids' menu (why it exists at all is beyond me...) features such delicacies as chicken tenders, hot dogs, grilled cheese, and fries. Where is the fiber? The vegetables? The flavor? No wonder so many adults don't like vegetables. When are they suppose to develop a palate for vegetables; sometime between their SweetTarts and McNuggets?

I see the kid-adult food divide even within my own family. Every year at our annual family pot-luck, we always make sure that there are enough "kid dishes" at the table. And no, we're not talking about meals for toddlers (which are indeed a bit different than adult food, not in terms of content but in preparation). I remember one year we even had a separate cake for the kids, because the adult cake wasn't good enough with all its sugar and butter... it needed to have sprinkles in order to be kid-approved!

What disturbs me most of all is that society's eating philosophy should be the complete opposite.  Children, who are rapidly growing beings, need all the nutrients they can get in order to thrive and grow; therefore they should have the best quality food available! Their metabolisms are on fire and need tons vitamins and minerals to act as co-factors for the metabolic reactions that are taking place at lightening speed. Their brains need good nutrition for all the learning they are doing in school each day. Give kids wild salmon and kale, and leave us oldies with the crap! ha ha

In my Clinical Nutrition class, we've been talking a lot about the connection between poor childhood nutrition and mental disorders like ADD, ADHD, autism, bipolar, anxiety, and depression, to name a few. Other pathologies seen in children that are related to nutrition: obesity, type 2 diabetes, asthma, eczema, seasonal allergies, chronic ear infections, and many more. It is unsettling how many children are on medications for said conditions when maybe all they needed was to have their junk food replaced by a good wholesome meal. Did you know that there are cases of autistic children talking for the first time in their lives, after 4-6 years of not speaking, once gluten removed from their diet?! That to me is so, so crazy!

Furthermore, I read this last year on one of my favorite blogs. They were talking about feeding their daughter and their comments really stuck with me:

"Elsa is turning 20 months soon. She has still never had any red meat or poultry and she has never eaten any sugar, candy, cookies or ice cream. Around here that counts as something pretty spectacular, and not only in a good way. Many people seem to think that we are exaggerating about health. ”One ice-cream every now and then won’t hurt her”. You wouldn't believe how many times we heard that sentence. And sure, they are right, she eats an ice cream and life goes on. But why? Elsa has never asked for ice cream, she doesn't even know how it tastes. During a child’s first two years we as adults choose what food our children should eat. And they learn from this. It’s a responsibility. If someone wants to give Elsa an ice cream, it’s not because she wants it, it’s because they want to give it to her. Remember that."

That's right: wee little children don't ask to be fed junk!  It's just us adults thinking that giving a baby a treat is a good thing and those who "deprive" their children of treats are the bad parents. We need to change this thinking. It is backwards!

Despite all of my ranting, I have hope.  I have hope that things will change and go back to the good 'ol days of porridge for breakfast, soup or stew for lunch, and a hearty, balanced dinner for supper. Treats only on special occasions. I have several great classmates, friends (M!), and professors who are leading the way, inspiring others with their healthy, veggie loving children. Miss Kendra and Dr. Donna are also teaching kids about healthy eating. Books like Outside the Box are starting conversations. Naturopathic doctors are teaching patients about good nutrition and how it starts at birth. Times are a changin', my friends!

Nonetheless, despite all of the complaining I did in this post, I must say that a fed child is a lucky child. I recognize that for far too many children die daily due to starvation and malnutrition. This breaks my heart more than any kiddie food ever can. Food must not be taken for granted, regardless of its nutritional content.

Potato Chip Hierarchy

With Halloween on the horizon, junk food can be found all around. I had been thinking about doing a post about potato chips for awhile now, and what better time to finally write it with the junkiest of all holidays less than a week away.

Potato chips are without a doubt one of the most popular junk foods in North America. What is it about that crunch, grease, and salt that makes them so appealing to the public? Grocery stores have whole aisles devoted to them, they are always served at parties, and they've wedged their way into being the perfect side dish for otherwise healthy sandwiches and subs.

But as much as society loves chips, they are just no good for the body. They are too high in salt, fried, and contain empty calories. Nevertheless, for so many people, giving up potato chips 'cold turkey' is simply not going to happen. They are a comfort food, a social food, and a commonly craved food.

Since I know that late-night snacks aren't going anywhere (society loves them too much), I have created this list to highlight some of the best and worst chip options.  Next time you are buying chips, please consider my hierarchy when selecting a variety.  Where are you on this list?  Is there a chance you would consider moving down a level?

In order of worst to best:

Party mixes --> seasoned chips --> plain chips (+ 'baked' chips) --> organic tortilla chips --> organic plain --> root veggie chips --> lentil or bean chips --> salted nuts or seeds --> rice crackers --> organic popcorn --> kale chips

In order of worst to best (plus the reasons behind their rankings): 

10. Party mixes - the worst snack food because of the gluten in the pretzels  the fake 'cheeses', the heavy seasonings full of monosodium glutamate (MSG), and all sorts of other mystery ingredients.
9. Seasoned chips - BBQ, All-Dressed, Ketchup, etc are big no-nos because of their artificial flavorings, food dyes, and especially their chemicals like MSG.
8. Plain chips - If you want chips, plain or salt & vinegar are the cleanest varieties. They usually contain only three ingredients: salt, oil, and potatoes (and vinegar). Plain and simple, no hidden chemicals. Also clumped into spot #8 are any sort of 'baked' potato chip because even they often don't even contain potatoes (instead are made of potato 'flour' and a bunch of other fillers).
7. Organic tortilla chips - corn chips/tortillas are slightly worse than potato chips because corn is a common allergen. Lots of people are sensitive to corn without even knowing it. Since the majority of corn today is genetically modified, be sure to buy organic because that ensures that it is GMO-free (in Canada, organic means GMO-free).
6. Organic chips - potatoes are on the dirty dozen list, so technically any time you buy potatoes, they should be organic; same goes when buying potato chips.
5. Root veggie chips - you can buy all kinds of nifty root veggie chips like beet, sweet potato, and taro root chips. These will give you slightly more vitamins, but remember  they are still junk food and don't count towards your five-to-ten fruits and vegetable servings a day!
4. Lentil or bean chips - you can buy chips made out of lentil and bean flours which give you a bit of protein during your munching. Some chips pack in a lot of seeds too, like flax and sesame, which is an added plus.
3. Nuts or seeds - how about snacking on (lightly) salted nuts or seeds instead? This snack will give you some protein and a good dose of healthy oils. However, portion control is super important when snacking on nuts and seeds. Aim for no more than a 1/4 cup when snacking.
2. Plan rice crackers - now while rice crackers are nutritionally empty (they just contain rice...), the reason why I placed them so high on the list is because rarely do people eat rice crackers alone. They are usually paired with either hummus, cheese, salsa, or guacamole... making this snack a source of protein and/or vegetables!
1. Organic popcorn - popcorn is awesome because it satisfies the salty craving and the crunch, but it won't break your caloric bank, which is important to consider because most times snacking is out of boredom or sociallness and not hunger. Organic is important to keep it GMO-free.
0. Kale chips - and the ultimate winner of the chip countdown is the kale chip. Kale chips are tasty, chip-like, and super nutritious (kale is one of the healthiest foods ever). I would eat kale chips everyday if I had access to them. Unfortunately, they are expense to buy...but thankfully they are extremely easy to make. Recipe coming soon!

Supplementing, Part 1.

In honor of my Clinical Nutrition midterm exam today, let's chat about supplements!  Part 1 of 3. 

First of all, have you heard of Biochemical Individuality before? Everyone is different; we all have different genetic backgrounds, metabolisms, and biochemistries, thus we all have different, yet specific nutritional, needs for our own optimal well-being. The theory of biochemical individuality is that even though there are recommended dosages to follow when supplementing, these doses can vary from individual to individual.

So, why supplement at all? 

Problem 1 Food Quality: Why can't I get all I need from whole foods? Unfortunately, our food today is not what it used to be. Even whole foods purchased from the store that appear nutritious can be deficient in nutrients due to poor soil quality, genetic modification, pre-mature/un-ripe harvesting, and continent to continent transportation, to name a few. The vitamin and mineral content in the foods we eat today are not as high as they were fifty years ago.

Problem 2 Absorption Issues: We don't absorb food as well as we used to. Why all the absorption issues? Because we eat too much sugar, throwing off our whole digestion and metabolism; because we eat on the run, we don't "rest and digest", not giving our body the time and atmosphere in order to fully digestion; we eat the wrong foods, confusing and degrading our bodies; we at the wrong times and even when our body doesn't even want food (i.e. boredom hunger).

Much more to come, stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3! 

Prescription Sushi

Blob of wasabi, paired with pickled ginger: typical sushi adornments. Image source here. 

It is unfortunately cold, flu, and asthma season (...and still allergy season for some).  If you are finding yourself at all congested, you might want to get yourself some sushi!  Sushi for congestion? Yes! But not because of the rice, nori, or soy sauce, but because of the wasabi. Wasabi is that little green blob of goo that comes with sushi; it typically is nestled beside the pink pickled ginger. Wasabi is good to eat when sick because it is an excellent decongestant, meaning it helps open up nasal passages and decreases mucous production. Wasabi is a member of the cabbage family (Brassica). You may also know its spicy cousin, horseradish.

The wasabi root is often ground into a paste and it is this paste that is paired with sushi. However, the wasabi plant is actually hard to grow and very expensive, so most "wasabi paste" sold in grocery stores and served at sushi restaurants is actually horseradish root in disguise.  That's not OK for sushi connoisseurs who want the real stuff, but it is OK for those looking for some congestion relief because as I said above, horseradish and wasabi are cousins and have the same decongesting effects!

...and if sushi isn't your thing, then how about some beef with horseradish sauce instead? It has similar decongesting properties.

Scarfs for all Seasons.

Image source here.

I used to think that people only wore scarfs to be fashionable, but I've since learned that they actually have health-protecting benefits. 

For instance, late last winter, I posted the Chinese Medicine theory regarding scarfs on the blog.  (To remind you: the theory is that scarfs protect against colds and flus that enter through our vulnerable 'wind gate'). 

Yesterday, I learned another reason why wearing a scarf is a great idea during colder months in my Physical Medicine class: scarfs keep neck muscles warm. 

During colder months, it is important to keep neck muscles warm. When muscles are warm, they are also relaxed. On the other hand, when muscles are cold, they are tensed. Chronically tensed muscles lead to neck pain and even headaches. Other symptoms such as jaw pain and vision problems have even been linked to tense neck muscles; crazy!

Scarfs can be worn in Summer months too, especially in you work/live in drafty offices/buildings or ones with blasting air-conditioners. My professor explained how air-conditioners have been linked to neck problems because the frigid blowing air makes exposed neck muscles cold and tense (possibly leading to neck pain and headaches). Good thing scarfs are fashionable in the Summer too! :P

P.S. Happy Love Day to my Momma and Papa!

Urban Gardens.

Urban gardening: apparently it can be done, and done very well. While I haven't really succeeded (I have yet to develop a true green thumb, despite my efforts), I love to admire the fruits of [those who] labor over their own urban gardens. Here are some urban gardens I have spotted in Toronto this Summer:

This garden is situated in the middle of a neighborhood, with neighbors sharing the garden tending-tasks and harvest.

Carrot Love!

A true URBAN garden: plants planted in a car.

University of Toronto student garden, located in the heart of the campus.

One Pill to Rule them All.

Question:  

Why can't I just take a pill instead of eating meals? I don't want to worry about getting enough protein, carbohydrates, fruits & veggies, and healthy fats; I just want to take a pill each day and get my 'daily nutritional needs' over with.

Answer:  

It is impossible to replace a healthy diet with a cure all (and prevent-all) pill. Reasons why I don't think you'll ever be able to simply take a pill and call it lunch:

Image source here.

1) Size. Pills are too tiny to contain all we need. Think of the average sized pill: it weighs about 1 gram.  Now think of the amount of protein that a 150-pound male needs in a day (~70 grams). That means you'd need 70 pills just for your PROTEIN for the day.

2) Hydration.  Food is full of water (especially fruits and veggies). It is recommended that we drink 2 liters of water a day in addition to food.  Most people struggle in getting these 2 liters. If we then take food-water out of the equation, these people are going to be parched!

3) Absorbable. Many foods are digested and absorbed differently in the body, so cramming them all into one neat-little package will make digestion difficult.  Carbohydrates, for instance, begin to be broken down in the mouth... so taking them in a swallow-able pill means this digestion step will be skipped.  Also, some foods need fat for absorption, others need loads of water... and what about those foods that compete with each other? Like the phytates in green vegetables and iron; they would have to be contained in separate pills and taken at different times.

4) Fiber. Sort of along the same line as the hydration, you need fiber to get those bowels moving! And not just for number twos... our good gut bacteria depend on fiber to feed them. We also need fiber to help other nutrients be absorbed and removed (e.g. excess cholesterol leaves the body this way).

5) Bulk. We need to have mass amounts of food flowing through our digestive system at all times.  Even when our stomach is empty, the intestines are full. That's the way the body is happiest because when the stomach and the intestines are nearing depletion, then we get hunger pangs like no other.  Stretch receptors in the stomach tell the intestines that food is coming and stretch receptors in the rectum tell us it's time to use the potty. In addition, the actual chewing and saliva interaction with food in our mouth activates all kinds of other processes (in order to prep for the food's arrival) further down the digestion pathway.

6) Variety.  We need variety in our diet to prevent food allergies and/or intolerances, and to make sure we are getting enough nutrients (including those we don't quite know about yet (see #7 for more)).

7) Mental/Emotional/Culture.  Our brains enjoy the act of eating.  How would we change as a culture, society, or species if we no longer fussed over food?

8) Synergy? The crazy, complicated, and confusing thing about food is that we still don't really know how it works. For instance: eating a whole orange is much better than just drinking the juice. The juice is missing fiber, water, and special compounds like flavonoids, which---even though they don't belong to one food group---do wonders for the body. But it is the synergy between the orange's sugars, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, waters, fibers, enzymes, that is best for the body, and this healing and health promoting combination is what we can't quite figure out. 


Note: there are many more reasons why we won't be dining on pills (instead of real food) anytime soon... those above are the ones that make the most sense to me.

The Skin We're In.

We're talking all about SKIN thanks to my NPLEX studying this week; here are some tidbits that I have learned:

- Caucasians are mostly 'white' in appearance due to their melanin-poor skin.  Without a lot of melanin covering the skin and giving it pigment/color, the white-colored collagen---lying under the surface of the skin---tends to shine through, giving the skin a pale or 'white' color.

- The skin is thickest on our feet, palms of our hands, and on our lower back. The thinnest skin we have is on our eyelids.

Image source here.

- Some parts of our skin are extremely sensitive to temperature, pain, light touch, etc. (e.g. the skin on our face). This heighten sensitivity is due to the presence of free nerve endings lying near the surface of the skin.

- Each hair on our skin has a muscle near its shaft (the arrector pili muscle).  This muscle contracts and makes our hair stand on its end when we are cold (producing what we commonly refer to as 'goosebumps').

Image source here.

 - The purpose of the raised hair shafts (goosebumps) is to create tiny grooves or pockets on the skin in order to trap warm air, helping our skin warm-up.


P.S. Check out this info-graphic on the benefits of spending time outdoors (produced by the creators of the 30x30 Nature Challenge!). Cool stuff.

Canadian Pride?

Warning: this is going to be a monstrous post.

Savory and Sweet: Edible Canadian Flags

Yesterday was Canada Day, but boy-oh-boy did it not feel that way. I really tried to make it feel like Canada Day in that I dressed myself head-to-toe in red and white (literally, I had red/white on my head and feet).  I also packed picnics made of these beauties I alluded to yesterday on the blog; this made sure that my eats were at least festive.  

Feature above and to the left: savory Canadian open-face sandwich. Made with this lentil bread as the crust and topped with sundried tomato spread (not homemade, from a farmer's market) for the red, and half goat's feta cheese and half dairy-free sour cream-style spread (Vegenaise) for the white. 

To the right, we have a sweet version of the same lentil bread (just added some cinnamon replaced 2 tablespoons of water with maple syrup), topped with cashew cream (minus the lavender) for the white and strawberries attached with some strawberry jam for the red.

However, my Canada Day still did not feel very Canadian. This flag sort of sums-up how the day felt:

Image source here.

This flag represents the day not just because it represents Gay Pride and because July 1 was also the PRIDE Parade (more on that later in the post), but because I like to think that it also represents the diversity of Canada, especially Toronto.  I saw so very few people celebrating Canada at all.  No fireworks, no "Oh, Canada" song, no abundance of red and white.  Toronto really is a hub of all cultures... and maybe "Canadian culture" has been since placed aside? Or has become the norm that "Canadian culture" means celebrating everything and therefore nothing? Hmm...

In all fairness to the city, yesterday was jam packed with other events. While I didn't see a lot of red and white, there sure was a TON of people dressed in rainbow clad (and not just at the parade!) and even more people wearing either Spanish or Italian soccer/football jerseys. After the Euro Cup final game concluded, the streets downtown became instantly rowdy; with all the Spain-team worshiping people cheering and honking their horns in delight. Moreover, while I was celebrating my friend L's birthday last night, we went to the most culturally unique restaurant that I've ever been to in Canada (one in which you weren't allowed to wear shoes, practically sat on the floor, and had no idea what food you were ordering or eating, food pictured below). Enjoy some stereotypically-Canadian cuisine on Canada Day... nope, not this year.

I guess it just boils down to me being a little sad that the celebration of Canada got a little lost in the kerfuffle of yesterday's events. Maybe next year, Toronto. Anywho, here are three pictures from the PRIDE Parade (which was a HOOT, by the way. Very fun times indeed) and a picture of the strange dish I ordered at L's birthday dinner (it was a hard boiled egg, wrapped in acorn squash, and topped with Thousand Island salad dressing... weird, but surprisingly tasty).

There was LOTS of dancing and people scantily clad. Oh, and even some full-on nudity.

Loblaw's float: a rainbow of fruit and veggies!

There was even a wedding on a float. Beautiful.

Stress & Fat

The relationship between stress and fat is an interesting one.  First of all, let me say that it is a bit too easy to say that those extra pounds are simply "due to stress".  Yes, extra weight could very well be due to stress (because the "stress" is making you eat more, crave junk food, be lazy (and thus not willing to exercise), etc.), but I don't think we can blame excess weight on stress alone.  Anywho, I'm here today to (very briefly) talk about a physiological relationship between stress and fat.  

When we are stressed, our cortisol levels shoot-up.  Cortisol is basically our stress-regulating hormone; it tries to keep the body balanced even though we are experiencing stress. Some of the ways in which cortisol helps us survive during a stressful period is through immune system suppression (no time to fight invaders! We need to conserve resources to simply survive!), make glucose (gluconeogenesis) and dump it into the blood stream (must have sugar on hand for energy during this stressful time!), decrease bone formation (no time to build! We can use that calcium elsewhere!), and it redistributes fat (must preserve the central core during this stressful time!).

I'm sure you all know about belly fat, right?  Well, cortisol likes to specifically store fat around the stomach/abdomen because that is where the central organs are located.  If the body is super stressed out, cortisol wants these organs to be protected and preserved, and thus is directs fat build-up here. 

This stress-fat relationship is important to consider when it comes to relatively thin people who still tend to have a bit of a stomach "pudge". Similarly, this comes up during weight loss stories when people just have those "last ten pounds" to lose, but have a difficult time doing so. This may be due to their stressful life and thus their cortisol "hoarding" fat in their stomach area and preventing the last bit of weight loss. 

Image source here.

The F Word.

...no, no. Not that word, silly.  The Father F word. 

Love the cogs in this graphic! Image source here. 

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers!

I don't know about other children out there, but I always have a particularly hard time finding father's day gifts/cards/mementos/celebration ideas.  I think this is probably because of the stereotypical depiction of Fathers and their 'day'.  When we think about the way Father's Day is portrayed by the media (in the form of cards, gift ideas, etc), we think of neck ties (the big one!), golfing, sports, fishing/hunting, cologne, gadgets, cars, beer, and tools. In contrast with Mother's Day, which is all flowers (the big one!), perfume, chocolate, jewelry, stuffed animals, and sentimental goods. Is it unfortunate that fathers are stereotyped as 'manly' and 'tough'? Should fathers instead be given more delicate, pretty, and warming gifts similar to the mothers?

With my own father, most of the stereotypical father's day gifts and ideas just didn't apply to him; making celebrating his day more difficult.  But what is this day all about? Showering with gifts? Reminding pop of his 'manly and tough' role? Nahh, it's about saying have a great day, you mean a lot, I appreciate you, I care about you, thanks for everything, I love you, etc. And no stereotypical gift can ever represent that.

Given today's rant, I had a hard time finding a graphic to display today on the blog that didn't represent fishing, sports, or neck ties (so, so many neck tie-themed father's day things!).  I settled with the one above.  Maybe the cogs/gears represent the insides of gadgets, machinery, or the mechanics of a car. 

...but let's say instead that they represent something deeper, like: the interworkings of a mind; a mind that is shaped by the support of a father; or let's say that the different shapes and sizes of the cogs represent the diversity of fathers in the world; or that they represent the necessity of parental love to keep a child motoring along.  

Whatever the cogs/gears represent, let's assume that it is something deeper and more meaningful than a gadget or car.