Winter Snow Salad

It's Winter, but you want salad. What's a salad-craving yet Spleen-health* conscious individual to do? Make a salad full of hearty, Winter-y foods of course! This snow salad (note: my salad plate is actually sitting in a pile of snow in the above picture) contains:

Lightly Steamed Kale

Chopped Figs

Whole Hazelnuts

Crumbled Goat Cheese

Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and Sea Salt

*Remember that the Spleen prefers warm foods during cold months; therefore ice-y iceberg lettuce salads are a no-go. But this salad is OK! Kale is a Winter vegetable and is thus a great base for salads in colder months. You can also lightly steam it to help with digestion.  Figs (and dates) are warming fruits, according to Chinese medicine (TCM) theories. As for goat cheese, it is not as "cooling" as Cow dairy in TCM. Lastly, nuts are neutral and good all year round. 

Ten in Ten

It's been ten days of third-year, semester two, Winter classes. What's happened in those ten days? Quite a bit! School and life have been busy, but I am loving it. It's the last time that I can be a student in a classroom setting so I am trying to soak it up!

Ten things that have happened in the last ten days of school:

1) I attended the most gourmet potluck of my life after class to celebrate my friend C's birthday. There weren't any boring veggie trays or chips + dip at this potluck! Instead there was homemade gourmet salsa, sushi, edamame, sweet potato falafels, pomegranate salad, lentil dahl, roasted chicken, veggie stew, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, and a blueberry-banana cake. 

2) I learned how to draw blood from a vein. Phlebotomies are cool! 

3) I started volunteering at a raw chocolate company in Toronto. They 'pay' their volunteers in chocolate. How awesome is that? Their vanilla chocolate is divine. 

4) I was the Scribe (i.e. note taker and case write-up compiler) in a disc herniation case in my Primary Care class. 

5) I preformed my first spinal adjustment/manipulation. I also had some done on me by my classmates. 

6) I had my first clinic shift (fun, scary, exciting, and tiring because it made for a 12+ hour day). 

7) Attended my first pediatric appointment (I need to attend one to gather information to write a paper on the experience for my Pediatrics class). 

8) Got 90% of the work done for Women's Health Week (a week of events taking place in March at CCNM; I am the primary coordinator for the week). 

9) Attended CCNM's Annual Suppliers Show at which I got to talk to some of my favorite supplement companies. 

10) Helped a friend by helping out at the business class I took way back in first year. Just sitting in on one of these classes got my all fired-up for creating my own future practice! 

Winter Exercises

Source

How to Exercise in the Winter
(don't forget to bundle up first!):

Go for an after-dinner stroll
Hike in a snowy forest
Ski or snowboard
Skate or snowshoe
Shovel the driveway
Go sledding
Have a snowball fight
Walk midday, when the temperature is warmest


Other Ways to Stay Active 
(without having to go into the cold!):

Exercise at home with an exercise-DVD
Join a gym or take a fitness class
Swim in an indoor pool
Attend a hot yoga class or do yoga at home
Wander around a mall (not for the shopping, but for the walking!)
Take the stairs as much as possible

Orange Peel Tea

Image source here. 

According to TCM theories, orange peels can help with digestion when we've overeaten. Chen Pi (which is Chinese for Tangerine Peel) prevents stagnation, dries dampness, and descends stomach Qi; three actions that help moderate overeating.

Apparently the medicinal properties in the peel will help you feel less bloated, stuffed, and lethargic (you know, all those awesome feelings that come after eating a giant meal). Since oranges are in season in December, I am going to make this tea to have after my Xmas dinner meal. I'm excited to see if this orange peel theory has merit...

My Xmas dinner* recommendation: one mug of Orange Peel Tea

(*because everyone overeats at this meal)

Take tangerine or clementine peels, dry them out (let them sit in the sun, bake them, or let them dry out on the counter), then place them in boiling water, let steep for 15 minutes to make tea, then finally, drink this tea after a big meal! 

Wish all Mondays featured free food...

Monday of this week was quite exciting! Highlights include:

Supportive new chairs. 

On Monday, the school's hallways overflowed with new chairs! Some of the school's classroom's got their crappy old chairs replaced with these new and lumbar-supportive chairs. They didn't look comfy to me upon first glance, but once I took a seat in one, I was totally won over. They support my back so well!

Lunch. I had seconds too. Love kale salads!

Later on Monday, there was a talk by the author of the new book Your Brain on Nature, written by a CCNM graduate and practicing naturopathic doctor! The first 50 people into the talk got a free copy of the book, everyone who attended got a free lunch (gluten-free avocado and tofu wraps for me and winter veg and chickpea salad, yum!), and everyone got free supplements of greens powder at the end of the talk. In addition to all of these sweet goodies, the talk itself was very good!  We talked a lot about vitamin G (G for greenspace). More talk reflections will be posted in a separate post. 

The book! Love the tree/brain graphic. 

Brrrrr and Babies.

Today I dug out my Winter jacket and made myself a mug of Gingerbread tea.  It felt a bit early, but it is November. I guess it is an appropriate time to start wearing Winter gear, especially since the temperature today was only 2*C. Brr, 'tis the season for warm outerwear! Anyone start listening to holiday music yet?

In my Clinical Nutrition class last week, we talked a ton about vitamin C.  One super interesting tid-bit taken from the class was that some incidents of Shaken Baby Syndrome are not necessarily due to child abuse, but are hypothesized to be due to a deficiency in vitamin C.  You can read some research on the topic here. It's obviously a very controversial hypothesis; nonetheless it was an interesting topic to have discussed in class.  

Cold Weather Protocol.

Here are some tid-bits to maximize your health as we enter the colder months of the year:

Vitamin C - now is the time to boost the immune system. Consider eating more vitamin C rich foods or tablets/capsules. Learn more about this vitamin here. When buying vitamin C, beware of ones containing artifical sweeteners or dyes, such as aspartame or sucralose. One cool product on the market is Emergen-C electrolyte powder packages. They are basically powdered vitamins and electrolytes that you can mix with water to create a sports-drink type of beverage.  The packets are portable so you can instantly turn any water into a vitamin-rich cocktail. Talk to your doctor about the best vitamin D dose for you.

Vitamin D - behold the sunshine vitamin! Learn more about it here. Take this vitamin from October until April to beat Winter blues, decrease your risk of cancer, and to optimize the immune system.  Talk to your doctor about the best vitamin D dose for you.

Scarves - I've already talked about their importance here (Physical Medicine theory) and here (Traditional Chinese Medicine theory).  Don't forget to wash them periodically during the  colder months to remove any pathogens that may have taken up camp.

Warming foods - goodbye salads, hello soups and stews! The warmer the food, the easier it is to digest and the more nourishing it is to the body this time of year. When our body spends time digesting, it has less time to spend repairing.

Hot tea - drink it up! We may not crave cold glasses of water or other beverages now that it is no longer hot, but keeping the body hydrated is super important all year wrong. Switch ice cubes for herbal tea bags. Bonus: herbal teas have many medicinal properties too!

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!

Formal Pictures.

The CCNM Winter Formal was a week ago. It was held at the Liberty Grand. I was on the planning committee and second in charge, so it was a special (albeit stressful) event for me! The theme was Las Vegas. Here are some pictures of the night (click to enlarge the pictures to get a better look as they appear tiny). Starting clockwise, top right, are pictures of: a champagne fluet with raspberries (mmm), a Chipendale's handmade table centerpiece (each table was decorated differently), my half eaten vegetarian entree (not bad especially since it contained protein and wasn't pasta!), the 'card shark' table centerpiece (made by yours truly), the specialty drink choices at the bar, a Liberty Grand napkin with appetizer spring roll, and lastly a handmade viva Las Vegas sign. 'Twas a fun night.

Note: I added two congee pictures to yesterday's post.

It's that "Change of Season" Time Again.

According to TCM theories, we are smack-dab in the middle of the another Change of Season (the changing of Winter to Spring). The last 18 days of a season are transition days and are also Earth element days, which may be why my Spleen has been acting up (Spleen is an Earth organ).

This time of year is hard on our bodies because the weather is very wonky (it was +14 and sunny on Wednesday, then today it was -2 and snowy), confusing our bodies and immune systems. Try to take extra care of yourself until Spring starts (March 21). With all of the wild wind these days, don't forget to still wrap yourself in a scarf before leaving the house. Now is also a good time to make a batch of Change of Season Soup if you have it on hand (I hope to sell packages of this soup mix at my future practice; it is tastes surprisingly pleasant and is very soothing).

In celebration of the Earth element, I decided to try making congee. One classmate of mine has this porridge-style dish every morning and I've been wanting to try it for awhile now. Another classmate recently posted a savory version of the dish here. Well, my troubled Spleen (see above) finally gave me the kick-in-the-butt I needed to get into the kitchen and make it myself! Congee is a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made of rice and water. It is a popular dish in Asian cultures. Rice is cooked very slowly and for a long time to fully cook the rice; cooking it until it resembles... mush. The point of this dish is that the rice has been cooked so long that it is basically digested, making it very easy to eat when the Spleen (the organ responsible for digestion) needs a break. When served warm with some spices (think cinnamon and ginger), it is very soothing and warming. Comfort in a bowl!

Basic Breakfast Congee

1 cup brown rice
10 cups water

Bring the water and rice to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Cover (leaving a tiny gap for steam to release) and let it cook on low for five hours. Serve warm with cinnamon and ginger (chopped fruit--like dates or raisins--and nuts or seeds are all optional toppings). Makes 6 servings. Reheat leftovers before serving (the Spleen likes warm foods!).

Sans Cafe.

I don't drink coffee. In my entire life, I think I have only had three real (meaning caffeinated) coffees (one time was in France just to say I had a cafe-au-lait). I don't drink coffee because I don't need it. Some sleep and perhaps green tea are the only things I need to keep me awake and perky (those things, and fortunately I am a morning person). But the weird thing is, I love coffee.

As an outsider looking in, I romanticize coffee probably too much. The aroma, color, and flavor tantalize me. The idea of waking up to a brewing pot of the good stuff sounds (ironically) dreamy. Coffee shops/cafes are adorable and I love them so, even though I rarely frequent them.

Don't get me wrong, I love my coffee independence. It is a drug, you know, and it can be quite the expensive indulgence. But on those rare occasions that I do purchase a decaf coffee (for the taste!), something inside me wishes I did it a bit more often. Something wishes that I knew those cute cups of Joe (to the right) a bit better. Maybe one day I'll become a coffee connoisseur, but for now, I'll start my day with a teacup in hand, and sans cafe. Image source here.

100%.

I got 100% on my Acupuncture exam. Hooray! I am pretty happy with this result, especially since Acupuncture exams are always my most terrifying exams.

Now, I really don't mean to sound complain-y (especially since I just did so well on an Acupuncture exam!) but I do have some nit-picky problems with Acupuncture exams that I for some reason feel like addressing, so here goes:

1) Never Needle Under Pressure. I don't like these exams because I'll never have to do this in the 'real' world. Needle a patient under pressure, while the clock is ticking? Nope, not in my office. They don't accurately reflect the true skill of the practitioner because he or she is rushing and not taking the time to listen to/watch the patient's body as he or she inserts the needles.

2) Luck of the Draw. These exams have a lot to do with luck. You could pull points with easy-to-remember anatomy and easy-to-find locations, or you could pull ST 11 which has over 5 different contraindications. Same goes for Actions (Mind or Menses' points? No problem!)

3) Silly Actions. Why-oh-why do I need to memorize all those Actions? I am simply coming up with strange (yep, you can ask Tony!) memory techniques to remember sets of three numbers that do a particular action. But I am not really connecting the points to the action, I'm just memorizing numbers. And it is a drag.

4) Which TAs? All of the TAs are good, but some are truly sweet hearts and do everything they can to help you through the exam. My examiner today was such a gem, giving me a "pep talk" right before the exam started, and complimenting me on my performance. Past TAs have been almost emotionless, providing no positive feedback which makes you leave the exam doubting your skills.

And with that, my fifth acupuncture exam is over ...and I've already forgotten all those silly actions. Good Stagnation points? I've got no clue :P
_______________________________

Brain Shift

I had two exams today, and two tomorrow. Which means that over the course of today (Thursday) I had to study four different subjects. Lots of focus-shifting required! Ah, the beauty of a wholistic program ;)

Chocolate Fix.

"Whoever said laughter is the best medicine had clearly never tasted chocolate".

Exams start today, so you can imagine what I've been eating way too much this past week in preparation: CHOCOLATE! I've got to thank/curse my tired-of-studying spleen for that one.

Here are three chocolate bars that I am currently loving and recommending:

My go to chocolate bar is Lindt 90%. It is heavenly if you love dark chocolate. Rich, smooth taste, with just enough sweetness. Most people consider me crazy for eating 90%, so I will also recommend the Lindt 70% because it is also super good and I think more people would like it. Lindt chocolate bars are great because they are cheap (usually 2 for $5 when on sale) and available everywhere (even my neighborhood convenience store sells them).

For milk chocolate lovers, I want to recommend the Terra Nostra Ricemilk Chocolates. These bars are crazy because they taste just like regular milk chocolate, but they are made of rice milk. Very cool that dairy-free milk chocolate exists, and they even happen to be organic!

And last, but not least Endangered Species Chocolate. Recommended to me by reader M, this is my new favorite chocolate for a number of reasons: they are ethical, have clean ingredients yet an amazing taste, and are sugar-free chocolate (sweetened with beet sugar). The Extreme Dark variety is the best, but the Chocolate with Mint is a close second. I would eat this chocolate everyday if it wasn't so hard to find (I need to travel to fancy health food stores to find them).

Pictured above: a chocolate bar that my Momma bought me over the holidays. Loved the caption!

Scarfs.

Well, I am really late posting this entry, seeing as Winter is almost over
...but better late than never, right?

Today, I have two things to say about scarfs: first, why they are important and second, why we should take care of them. These two ideas based on my TCM and Microbiology training, respectively.

Image source here.


First: According to TCM theories, scarfs are important to protect the "wind gate". The wind gate is located at the top of the back, around the neck area. This area of the body vulnerable to invasion by "wind". In TCM, wind (representing cold, damp, chilly, and of course windy weather) can cause illness by entering this gate.

Wind invasions in Western terms are colds and flu symptoms, like chills, coughs, runny noses, aches, fevers, etc. You can protect your wind gate by wearing scarf. It is especially important to protect the wind gate during changes of seasons, so pull out your scarfs at the first sign of chilliness in the Fall (hence why this post is late, I should have reminded you all then!) and keep wearing them all well into Spring (at this time feel free to swap your warm, wool scarfs for lighter, maybe even more colorful and floral, scarfs).

Second: Half way through Winter (January is a good time, hence why this post is again late!), make sure to wash all your scarves if you don't already wash them every now and then. We remember to launder our socks regularly, but sometimes we forget about "accessory" clothing. Scarfs can harbor lots of bacteria, viruses, and spores. Especially since we often use scarfs to cove our nose and mouth (points of entry into the body by pathogens), we want to keep them clean.

Ottawa Recap.

Did you miss me? Sorry I didn't post yesterday; I was too busy in Ottawa! Tony and I went for the weekend, to visit the Blue Prince, cousin K-L, and friend M. Here are some pics from our weekend away:

On Friday, we saw ice sculptures and ate at The Works (which sadly wasn't as amazing as I remember).

On Saturday, M and I toured the Byward Market, had tea at The Tea Party, and then played with some beads.

Also on Saturday, the boys and I feasted on incredible vegan, gluten-free, Middle Eastern food. Look at that mountain of food for only $11 (it really was big, that 'lil pic doesn't do it justice)!

Albeit the very cold weather, it was a nice visit.

Product Review and January Posting Recap.

When I started blogging again in January, I mentioned some future topics that I would be discussing during the month. Here is a recap:

- How to gently cleanse DONE

- How to get more sleep DONE

- The TCM Lung (the last TCM organ to discuss) DONE

- A recap of some of my delicious meals over the holidays (my family members have really developed a skill for a healthy, yummy cooking!) DONE

- A review of some interesting new products available at all major grocery stores that I think you should try

- An introduction to my new courses: Pharmacology (think drugs), Clinical Nutrition (think diet), and Manipulation (think chiropractic medicine) DONE

Not too shabby! I achieved all of my January blogging post goals ...other than the highlighted review, which I will be discussing today.

Product Review: I am going to review several of Bob's Red Mill products (from their line of gluten free products) that I tried over the holidays. With more and more people identifying gluten/wheat sensitivities and/or intolerances, these products can be lifesavers. Their are easy to find (available at all major grocery stores), contain wholesome ingredients (not a lot (if any) synthetic or funky ingredients; relatively whole foods-based), easy to make (even people who don't cook can make these; just add one or two ingredients and you're done), and taste good (good gluten-free options do exist!). Below are three products I have enjoyed:

Cornbread - Delicious straight out of the oven, slathered with Earth Balance. Just add milk (I used water), oil, and an egg. It is also awesome sliced thinly, toasted, and spread with nut butter.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - My Mom made these for me. Tastes just like a 'regular' chocolate chip cookie. Mostly made of chickpea flour, so provides some protein. Not only gluten-free, but dairy-free and (optionally) egg-free too.

Pizza Crust - So happy with this product! It makes a lovely, doughy, white pizza crust. Lovers of thin-crust pizza will likely hate this product, however. It was thick, but I found that this gave it a great chew.

One final reason why these products are good: They get people into the kitchen. Connecting people to their plate. These products are definitely novice-cook friendly. In just a few minutes you'll have yummy 'homemade' goodies. Who knows: maybe these packaged goods will spark a full-fledged baking obsession!

January Blues.

My Winter Blues are at an all-time high during the month of January. First, I've left my love ones and the good times behind to go back to school. Second, a hard, new semester has begun, which brings a whole slew of work and challenges. This semester is very similar to last semester, only that my two easier classes from last semester (Philosophy and Psychology) have been replaced with much harder classes (Clinical Nutrition and Pharmacology). Boo! Third, Toronto is very cold and grey, making it hard to get motivated, and it keeping me huddled inside instead of exploring the great outdoors. These reasons always make January a challenging month.

So what am I doing about: One, relishing the memories of my fabulous Winter break (I have lots of pictures to remind me of the fun) and keeping in touch with loved ones via the world wide web. Two, learning to love school again thanks to my energetic classmates. Three, taking lots of my Sunshine Vitamin (hello Vitamin D! If you are experiencing Winter Blues, this is the supplement for you).

Moral of the story: take a negative situation and find some solutions!

The above is a funny picture for those trying to start up an exercise regime as a New Years Resolution. Got to poke fun at challenges, right?

I'm Baaaaaaaack!

Welcome to 2012 on Navigating Naturopathy! Hope you all had an enjoyable Winter vacation.

.

I absolutely loved my two weeks off: no books, no blogging, no classes, no exercise, no uber healthy diet, no structured bedtimes, no stress, and no worries! It was the most unnaturopathic two weeks, but it was exactly what I was craving. It was pure bliss, but not sustainable. I am completely ready to get back to the real, authentic life of "Becca, (future) ND".

.

As for the blog, what can you expect this year? Well, about a post a day (including the Summer because I'll be studying this Summer... more on that when it comes time) and even more pictures (are you loving the featured pictures as much as I am?). Here is a sneak peak at posts that are in store during the next couple of weeks on Navigating Naturopathy:

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- How to gently cleanse

- How to get more sleep

- The TCM Lung (the last TCM organ to discuss)

- A recap of some of my delicious meals over the holidays (my family members have really developed a skill for a healthy, yummy cooking!)

- A review of some interesting new products available at all major grocery stores that I think you should try

- An introduction to my new courses: Pharmacology (think drugs), Clinical Nutrition (think diet), and Manipulation (think chiropractic medicine)

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Thanks for reading in 2011; I hope you'll stick around for 2012!

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~Becca

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Image source here: http://blog.flickr.net/en/2012/01/02/a-new-year/

Clemmies.

I don't know about you, but when clementines make their grand appearance in grocery stores, it is officially the holiday season. Clementines (aka "clemmies") remind me most of my Xmas stocking (I got one in my sock each year) and of my grandfather. Whenever we visited Gram and Gramp's over the holiday season, we would eat lots of clemmies together. My grandfather first introduced me to clemmies and taught me how to best un-peel them (roll them in your hands first to loosen up the peel!).

Clementines are perfect this time of year not just because of nostalgia, but because they provide a hefty dose of vitamin C. I'm sure you know the connection between vitamin C consumption and a strong immune system, but do you know about the connection between vitamin C and stress? When you are stressed (such as during this time of year), the body needs much more vitamin C for normal functioning. I feel like the clementines know to ripen just in time for our cold/flu and our holiday crazy-busy seasons ;)

So, eat 'em up! Clemmies do the body a ton of good this time of year.

Image source here.

Soup for the Spleen.

Yes, that title is correct. In TCM class, I learned all about the importance of feeding the SPLEEN in addition to the stomach. Remember that the TCM spleen is not equivalent to the Western medicine spleen.

The TCM spleen is responsible for:

- Governing the transportation and transformation of food
- Keeping blood in blood vessels
- Housing the intellect (which we use for thinking, studying, focusing, memorizing, and concentrating)
- Controlling the muscles and limbs

Other notes on the role of the spleen:

- The spleen needs to be functioning well for the patient to fully heal. If the patient isn't digesting food well and absorbing all the nutrients, the body won't be as nourished and energized to heal the particular health problem.
- The roles of the TCM spleen explain why when you eat better, you think better (the spleen controls our digestion and our intellect, when digestion is working well our body focuses its energy on thinking).
- Sugar (in excess) damages the spleen, however a wee bit of sweetness actually helps the spleen and thus digestion. This is why we crave sweets after dinner, even when our meal was big and we are full. Having a very small amount of dessert or something sweet after dinner is actually good for digestion (too big of a dessert will impair the spleen and digestion). Think a square or two of dark chocolate, a small homemade cookie or square. Molasses is awesome because it is sweet but also contains lots of nutrients, including calcium and iron. Just a bit of sweetness will spark the spleen, priming it for digestion.
- A raw foods diet is hard on the spleen as it takes away too much energy to digest all those raw foods that are full of roughage and require lots of enzymes to break them down.
- In the Winter months, we should be eating easy to digest foods in order to conserve our energy and preserve our immune system during the colder and more cold/flu laden months (note: while you are digesting the immune system is not quite as sharp). Also, as the body temperature is warm, it is easier to fill it with warm food so that it doesn't have to expend energy heating the food up to body temperature. As such, we should be eating lots of soups and stews as they are warming, nourishing, hydrating, and are predigested as they are cooked. I won't give you a recipe for a soup or stew because the easiest way to make stew/soup is to take all your favorite veggies and protein sources, throw them in a pot with some herbs and spices of choice, and then simmer until cooked. It is as simple, delicious, and nutritious as that!

Image source here. Seriously, how adorable are plush organs? ;)