January 20, 2012

What To Do When You’ve Eaten Too Much

We’re nearly three weeks post-New Year’s resolution time. How many of you are still hanging in there?

Statistics show that about a third of us will throw in the towel by the end of the month, and 80-90% of us will fail overall.

Which is why I don’t believe in the magic of January 1st. I’m all for goal setting and self-improvement, but I believe waiting for some arbitrary date to make a change is just plain silly. And frankly, I think it just encourages the excessive eating, spending, and drinking we do over the holiday season. “It’s ok,” we say with aching bellies, grabbing five more cookies from the tin, “I’m making a resolution in the New Year to get healthy.”

On January 1st, we begin like martyrs. Eating like rabbits, yet still guilty for the previous month of indulgences.

And then we get hungry.

When you make a strict resolution, every deviation, every pastry, every cigarette, every missed trip to the gym becomes a failure, and when the “failure” label creeps into our self-identity, the most natural thing is to give up.

So what do you do when you slip? How do you pick yourself up after falling into an abyss of chocolate, peanut butter, and ice cream?

The easy answer? Just start again. It’s really that simple. The best way to achieve a goal is simply to keep trying. But if that’s too simple, here are my top three tips to help you reduce your risk of slippage, and how to pull yourself up when you fall.

1) Forgive Yourself Every Time & Start Fresh Every Bite.

Know the difference between discipline and commitment. Discipline is hard and unforgiving; it is the driver behind fad diets. Commitment is loving and understanding; it is what steers long-term positive change. Commit to your health, but have compassion for yourself. Accept that there is a natural ebb and flow to emotions, appetite, and life that affects the way we eat.  If you eat a french fry (or 16), not all is lost. You can always put down the fork, and start over. Every day, every meal, every bite is fresh and doesn’t have to be tainted with the guilt of a previous indulgence. One of the most common scenarios I hear about in my office are cyclic episodes of overeating and restricting.  We eat too much, feel guilty, then eat like a mouse for a few days to “make up for it”. When we eventually crave non-mouse food, we binge again. This cycle of crime and compensation is endless unless we stop one of them, because one always leads to the other. Forgiving ourselves after a binge can be scary because it requires trust and blocks our usual coping response (calorie restriction), but I believe it’s the most important step to ending this exhausting cycle.

2) Don’t Hide; Seek A Confidante.

Many compulsive eaters are ashamed of their eating habits. They eat when every one else has gone to bed, or behind closed doors. When I was dealing with an eating disorder, I kept it a secret for years, despite having a wonderful family and amazing friends. I felt so disappointed with myself that I didn’t want to let anyone see what I thought was such a horrendous flaw. One of the best decisions I ever made was to tell people. I started with a counselour, then group therapy (sometimes it’s easier to admit your struggles to strangers than to tell your loved ones). Then I told one friend. I felt mortified every time I told someone, but I was always surprised at people’s reactions. Where I expected others to respond with disgust and judgment, I found kindness and support. Use your judgment on who is safe to tell (not everyone fits that bill), but if you have someone if your life that you can call a true friend, tell them. And don’t hide. Eat in plain view, enjoy your food, and leave shame out of eating.

3) Eat With Emotion, Don’t Eat Your Emotions.

Food is pleasurable. There is no denying the link between food and emotions. Some of us eat when we’re stressed, some of us eat to celebrate. It’s perfectly normal for emotions to be a part of your meal. However, many of us use food to cope with feelings that overwhelm us. Addiction to food is no different from addictions to alcohol, shopping, exercise, sex, or gambling. In all cases, we have stopped paying attention to what is going on inside, and in order to avoid diving into sometimes painful emotions, we distract ourselves with external attractions. Pay attention. What is food stopping you from paying attention to? Sometimes we eat because if we don’t, we’re afraid we will cry, go crazy, get bored, feel angry, or take responsibility for something we’ve been avoiding. Do any of these apply to you? What are you afraid will happen if you don’t distract yourself with food? Eating is something to be grateful for, something to pay attention to. Healthy eating is not done in front of the TV, standing in front of the fridge, or while driving. The next time you catch yourself mindlessly eating, bring your attention back to your food, and enjoy it. If it’s not enjoyable, ask yourself why, and give yourself space to process your emotions.

To anyone striving to repair a broken relationship with food: Keep trying. Let life be delicious :)

Take care,

Alex

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Filed under Acceptance, Body Image, Diets, Mental Health, Motivation

December 19, 2011

You Really Need This One Last Holiday Cookie Recipe

Ok, maybe you’ve got cookies coming out of your ears at this time of year. But do you have healthy cookies coming out of your ears? Do you have sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan cookies coming out of your ears? If not, I think you should have this recipe. It’s versatile and sneaky (meaning, no one will know it’s healthy).

I am a firm proponent that no food has to be unhealthy, even treat foods. There is no reason that cookies, cake, chocolate, pasta dishes, and rich dips can’t be tweaked to avoid cream, refined flours, or refined sugars, without compromising taste.

Give these cookies as a gift to friends or coworkers without feeling like a saboteur, and serve them to your family without guilt. Take a break from your hectic holiday schedule, do five minutes of deep breathing, and have a cup of tea and some cookies. Ahhhh.

And if you’re trying to stay out of shopping malls, homemade gifts are awesome. Other ideas for homemade presies include: Artisan bread, spiced nuts, superfood chocolates, or homemade deodorant.

Amazing Sugar-free, Gluten-free Cookie Base (recipe variations below)

1 cup oat flour*

1 Tbsp arrowroot flour/ tapioca starch

1/4 cup ground flax seed

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, liquefied

1/3 cup date paste**

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

*If you can’t find any in stores, you can grind your own from rolled oats in coffee grinder, food processor, or blender.

**To make date paste: In a high-speed blender or food processor, 1 part water to 2 parts cooking dates (eg. 1 cup water and 2 cups of dates). Blend until smooth. I do this in larger batches and then store the rest in the freezer where the paste will stay soft and ready for use.

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 C.

-In a large bowl, mix flour, arrowroot flour, flax, and salt. Add dry add-ins if using.

-Add coconut oil and mix well until dry lumps disappear.

-Mix in date paste. If the date paste is cold, work quickly as the coconut oil hardens fast.

-Drop generous tablespoon sized dollops of dough onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Smush dough down a bit with the back of a spoon.

-Bake for 12-14 minutes and let cool before consuming. Enjoy with a warm mug of tea or some nut milk :)

Variations:

-Chocolate Chip: Add 1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate chips.

-Ginger Spice: Add 2 tsp of ginger powder and 1 Tbsp cinnamon.

-Apple Cinnamon: Use apple butter instead of date paste and add 2 Tbsp cinnamon.

-Pistachio Cardamom: Add 1/2 cup shelled pistachios and 2 tsp cardamom powder

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! Eat salads when you can, catch up on sleep, and enjoy this cozy season with family and friends :)

And watch this video for some holiday hilarity!

Take care,

Alex

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Filed under Baked Goods, Diets, Nutrition, Nuts & Seeds, Recipes

November 16, 2011

Pink Bras & Mustaches: Cancer Prevention

You probably don’t have to look too far to find someone in your life who has dealt with cancer. My grandfather died with prostate cancer, and recently my aunt battled breast cancer (she is winning).

Blueberry Movember :)

Along with pumpkins and flame-hued leaves, October is becoming synonymous with the colour pink in support of breast cancer, and November with flamboyant mustaches in support of prostate cancer. I wonder though, how helpful synthetic-dyed pink toilet paper and paraben-laced pink ribbon lipsticks are. Do people stop to consider the cupcake they bought at the cancer awareness bake sale is doing less than nothing for their own health? What about the aftershave and anti-perspirants containing known carcinogens that slap pink ribbon stickers on their products, and use mustached-men as Movember models? If you start paying attention, you will notice there is a lot of irony during the months of October and November.

Don’t get me wrong: I am completely supportive of raising awareness. It is so important that we consider our health. BUT, it’s also important that we DO SOMETHING. Something in our own life. Something proactive and health-promoting. Something you can do RIGHT NOW.

Maybe you could start your day with an antioxidant-rich blueberry smoothie mustache? ;)

According to Harvard Health Publications, your chances of preventing prostate cancer are improved if you a) Consume less red meat, b) Consume less dairy, and c) Eat more vegetables. According to the National Cancer Institute, your chances of preventing breast cancer are improved if you a) Drink less alcohol, b) Don’t take the birth control pill, and c) Eat more vegetables. Simple, right?

The prevention tips I’d like to add to both of those lists are a) Make sugar and refined flours strangers to your diet, b) Eat dark leafy greens (eg. kale, collards, swiss chard, spinach, etc) EVERY SINGLE DAY, c) All animal products consumed should be organic, and d) Detox your non-comestibles (meaning cosmetics and cleaning agents).

Healthy food is really my passion, but what we are putting on our skin, spraying into our air, cleaning our clothes and floors with, are all relevant. Many ingredients found in commercial cosmetics, perfumes, air fresheners, and cleaning products act like hormone disrupters, compromising the intelligent hormonal balance of our bodies. And guess what? Both prostate cancer and breast cancer are diseases where hormonal balance has been disrupted, particularly by synthetic estrogens (aka. xenoestrogens), which not coincidentally abound in commercial house & body products. I speak in more depth about the yucky ingredients in conventional cosmetics here, but today I’d like to offer you one of my all-time favourite recipes for preventing cancer.

This recipe is not for eating, although technically, you could (which in my opinion is the best kind of skin product). This is my response to the ridiculous anti-perspirant companies that claim to be supporting cancer eradication and continue to make products with toxic, carcinogenic ingredients. (Shame on you, Dove and Speed Stick!) This is a tried-and-true recipe, which works on me, my boyfriend, and my smellier friends, through gym sesssions and periods of high-stress. It works!

Remember: We won’t need to find a cure if we prevent it first!

Non-Toxic Deodorant

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup tapioca starch (or other starch)

1 Tbsp (15 grams) of beeswax (only necessary if making solid stick deodorant)

10 drops of favourite essential oils (optional)

1 small jar or clean empty stick deodorant container

Directions:

-If making the stick deodorant, melt coconut oil and beeswax together over low heat and then let cool (but don’t let it solidify!). Then, add baking soda, starch, and essential oils and mix together until all dry lumps are dissolved. Pour into empty deodorant container (can recycle and clean an old container, or some health food stores sell new empties). Allow to set, then apply as regular deodorant.

-If making deodorant in a jar (will yield a thick paste without the beeswax), mix liquified coconut oil, baking soda, starch, and essential oils together until smooth paste is acheived. Apply to armpits with fingers.

Extra Prevention Resources:

- Ingredient database (allows you to search any cosmetic ingredient and assess health risk): http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

- Proactive support for those with or without cancer: http://crazysexycancer.com/

- My favourite CLEAN cosmetic company: http://www.livinglibations.com/

-My favourite blogs for healthy veggie-based recipes:

http://meghantelpnerblog.com/

http://www.veganculinarycrusade.com/

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/

http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/

http://g0lubka.blogspot.com/

What will you do today to prevent cancer?

Take care,

Alex

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Filed under Controversy, Cosmetics, Diets, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetables

September 19, 2011

How to Karate Chop A Cold

Back to school!

Well, not for me, but that doesn’t mean I get excused from the onslaught of new germs that spread enthusiastically at this time of year. Working directly with the public means I have a VIP pass to get first dibs on this season’s new virus. I know you’re jealous.

So, how does a nutritionist keep from getting sick? I will give you some insider tricks in a moment!

But! The first thing I tell anyone, regardless of what their goals are, is to eat well! I’m talking about a whole foods diet! Most of your meals should look like the veggies are taking over the plate. The magic formula is: 50% veggies, 25% whole grains, and 25% proteins, often from plants (eg. beans, lentils, tempeh, nuts, etc). I’m not interested in weighing or calorie counting, just eyeball it. And try to make your sauces and dressings from scratch, as commercial stuff often has hidden immune-depressing sugars and nasty chemicals. Plus, homemade always tastes better.

The following tips are best used as prevention or at the very first signs of a cold. Once you actually have a full-fledged cold or flu, the best thing to do is to follow the old advice: Rest as much as you can, and drink plenty of fluids. If you are feverish and sweating a lot, add a pinch of sea salt, a lick of raw honey, and a good squeeze of lemon to replenish lost electrolytes.

If you are feeling run down and are beginning to have a tickle in your throat, act fast with these tips, and put yourself to bed early!

Tip #1: Put Your Finger in Your Nose- With Oil

This one is going to sound strange but I’ll break it down for you.

Part of the reason we have a tendency to catch a bug when the temperature drops is because the air also gets a lot drier in the fall and winter. The body’s mucous membranes (which includes the nasal passage, mouth, and throat) prefer to be moist and sticky, with a protective layer of mucous which traps foreign invaders and prevents them from infecting the tissues. When these membranes dry out, germs have one less barrier to overcome to infect the host (you!). Aside from walking around with a humidifier, another way to combat this membrane dryness is to oil up your nostrils. Ayurvedic tradition recommends using raw sesame oil, but I would say coconut oil is probably a good option too.

***How to: Put a drop of raw sesame oil on a clean finger and gently coat the inside of one nostril. Repeat with other nostril. Best done in the morning before you leave the house.

Tip #2: Gargle with Salt Water

Real sea salt (not table salt, which has sugar in it) is an amazing food. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and contains all kinds of trace minerals. At our house, we keep a bottle of salt water by the bathroom sink to be used as a mouthwash. And at this time of year, we are also gargling with it. Gargling with salt water disinfects and washes away any germs that may be trying to adhere to the throat. This is even effective after you get sick because it prevents the infection from getting worse and also relieves pain.

***How to: Dissolve 1/2 tsp of sea salt in 1 cup of warm water. Gargle and spit! Repeat three or four times. Kids love this because gargling is a hilarious sound. Rlalalalarrrggle!

Tip # 3: I Call It, “Magic Socks”

Because “Cold, wet socks” sounds very unappealing. But that’s partly what this trick involves, so for the first few minutes, it feels rather unpleasant. In addition to the cold, wet socks, you will also need a big pair of dry wool socks. The cold, wet socks go on first, covered by thick wool socks. The magic happens when, in an attempt to warm and dry the feet, the body has to increase circulation and raise the body temperature, which stimulates the immune system and helps prevent illness from occurring. If head is already stuffy, this trick also works to draw congestion away from the head. As a bonus, this trick also makes the body feel sleepy and can help with insomnia. I like to think that it draws overactive thoughts from the head too :)

***How to: You will need a thin pair of cotton ankle socks, and a thick pair of wool socks that go above the ankle. First, warm your feet! Give them a good, stimulating foot massage, prop them up near a heater, or soak them in a warm tub for awhile. Once feet are warmed, soak your thin cotton socks in cold water, wring them out so that they’re wet but not dripping, and put them on. Screech if you need to. Then put your wool socks on. Snuggle up under the covers and drift off to sleep. Your feet will be dry within a couple of hours and you will wake up feeling toasty and invigorated. You don’t have to wait until you’re sick to do this! This is a neat thing to include as an occasional health booster any time of the year.

In case that wasn’t clear, here’s a video:

Of course, there are many other things you can do to avoid getting sick (I talk about some other options here), but I thought I’d share some of my simple home remedies! Sometimes the simplest tricks are the most effective!

Also, don’t let anyone sneeze into your mouth.

Take care!

 

Alex

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July 25, 2011

Reach for the Top, Ladies!

As a result of hard work and good fortune, my boyfriend and I have been blessed with the summer off.

The past couple of weeks have been spent relaxing and spending time together, traveling a bit and spending time with friends when we’re in the city. Pretty sweet, eh?

This focus on life outside of the computer has meant that I am blogging less during these warm months. Also, my camera recently broke so I can’t upload any pics of the recipes I have created for you all recently (don’t worry, I’ll post them eventually when I get a new camera). However, I don’t want to abandon my blog-world completely, so I thought I’d share something that has been giving me a lift everyday for the past couple of weeks:

WISH stands for the Women’s International Summit for Health, and was created by the incredibly brilliant and GENEROUS Tera Warner. When you register (it’s free, no strings) you get an email everyday for 40 days with a link to an interview featuring a different person in the field of wellness, speaking about issues (mind, body, spirit) relevant to women. Every single interview I’ve listened to so far has sparked at least one little “Aha!” moment, and has left me feeling wonderfully inspired, and deliciously glad to be a woman…

We really are so lucky, ladies! We’re magic!

Each interview is about an hour long and you have the option of downloading the mp3 file if you want to transfer it to your iPod to listen when you’re on your commute to work, in the bath, at the gym, baking blueberry muffins, or while breastfeeding…whatever’s taking up your time these days.

I am really excited to share this and do hope you check it out. Big hugs and big thanks to Tera for creating such an amazing event and offering it for FREE! Here’s that link: http://www.wishsummit.com/

Word to lady power :)

Take care,

Alex

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Filed under Acceptance, Body Image, Diets, Mental Health, Motivation, Nutrition