Thursday, March 31, 2011

Read This Blog!

Wow! A big thanks to all of my new readers. The number of readers has doubled each week this month! And, now is attracting readers from Canada, the United States, and Europe. Thanks for tuning in!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Spring "Cleansing"

Enough with the snow and wind chill. Bring on the warm weather. Its time for tulips, warm sun and...well, spring! And, with spring comes that urge to clean. Windows, closets and gardens aren't the only places many of you may be cleaning. Ever wondered about doing a spring "cleanse"?  Here's the 101 on spring cleansing.

Cleansing generally means you're allowing your body a chance to clean up. It's like slowing down to clean off your desk at work. Every day your body has to deal with toxins in our air, food and cosmetics. Your skin, liver, kidneys and blood can't really keep up, so toxins build up in our body (similar to the pile of papers that continues to grow beside me on the desk).

First time cleansers may want to try a cleansing kit. Look for ones with milk thistle extract (silymarin 80%), as this liver supporting herb is key to a happy cleanse (note: the liver takes the toxins in your blood and puts them into your bile for excretion from your body).

Make sure there is lots of fibre in the kit (or in your diet) to help trap the toxin-filled bile. And, look for a cleanse with a colon-mover like cascara sagrada (or I perfer magnesium hydroxide as its less aggressive).

Meanwhile, try to eat a clean diet for the duration of the cleanse. Skip the lattes with whipped cream, and drive past the drive-thru. Try to eat organic. Drink lots of water. And, get lots of rest. And, don't worry, a good cleanse kit will not strap you to the porcelain thrown, or ask you to stand on your head.

My confession - I know the benefits of cleansing can include fewer headaches, a happier digestive system, more energy, clearer skin and more...but, I am terrible at remebering to do them twice a year (spring and fall) as most holistic folks suggest. Now, if there was only a "cleansing kit" for closets - that would be fantastic!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Eat Steak for a Quieter Baby?

Grab a knife ladies and beef-up your diets during your first trimester. A new study published in the journal of Early Human Development has reported that a mom's intake of vitamin B12 (found in meat) may affect how much her baby cries.

Here's more details...
Researchers in the Netherlands measured the amount of vitamin B12 (found in animal meat and products, and less prevalent in vegetarian foods) in the blood of approximately 3000 pregnant women at the end of their first trimester. The researchers then measured how much the babies cried after birth, and how long. Babies whose mothers had the lowest amounts of vitamin B12 in their blood stream during their first trimester, were eight times more likely to cry for prolonged periods of time.

What foods contain lots of Vitamin B12?
Fish, fortified cereals, yogurt, beef, chicken.

My Confession of the day? Always take science with a grain of salt.
Here's why. Sitting in an upbeat dinning room at a local restaurant, I was excited to spill the beans about my pregnancy to my childhood girlfriends, when the waiter came with a succulent slab of steak for dinner. I didn't bock at the plate. Instead, enjoyed every juicy bite despite comments from my already-mommy girlfriends about how they were almost vegetarians during their first trimesters. I was a meat-eating preggo and my daugther was not a crier. Mind you, some of my veggie-preggo friends also had happy babies. Its not a perfect science - there are many factors involved in why your baby might cry. If you're having trouble with a little one who is crying a lot try reading up on probiotics and colic, switch the formula you're using, ask for help, take time for yourself, and never give up.

For more great information on what to eat during pregnancy, check out my book "The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy" (Fairwinds 2009).

Monday, March 21, 2011

Guilty Eating

Why does food make us feel so guilty? It's not really fair.

It's Monday again. Anyone feeling a little guilty about what they ate this weekend?  Even if it was just one bad meal of pizza, wings and potatoe chips on Saturday night, we can be feeling terrible about falling off the healthy wagon. Do we feel the same amount of emotion about eating right? Maybe we should!

We should feel elated, joyful and excited everytime we eat something healthy. If we did, we'd be much happier people. If we did, we would spend most of our wakeful hours in a fantastic mood. Hmm, maybe that's some real food for thought!

My confession of the day - I am a nutritionist who doesn't feel very guilty about eating the odd unhealthy food. In fact, I like to use the "One Treat A Day" rule. I'm allowed one small guilty pleasure a day - but, without any guilt. Trust me - it works. Give it a try. I'm a terribly happy person because of it. Try it - and, go ahead...love your food and your mood!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Buffet Blues

Many folks are heading to the sunny south to sit on the beach, soak in some sun rays and stuff their faces at the buffet. Beautiful displays of bountiful flavors, colours and textures. Buffets are home to thousands of options, leaving your mouth watering and stomach growling. But, will your buffet adventure leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable?

There are two types of buffet eaters: The Grazer and The Creator. The Grazer likes to try a little of this, and a little of that. The Creator finds the various parts to create a meal (e.g. smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese, tomato slices and onion). Which are you?

The Grazer may get lucky with a combination of food choices that sits well in their stomach. But, not likely. The Creator may fair better - that is only if they stick to one plate...many creators go back for more. Its just so hard to resist!

My confession today - I'm a creator who is really a grazer since I just can't stop at one plate. And, everytime I go to a buffet - I regret it.

A Solution - pack lots of probiotics and enzymes into your beach bag this March Break.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

You Really Are What You Eat!

We can all hear our mom's saying it, "You are what you eat!". But, is there more truth to this saying than you may have originally thought? Donuts are round and dense. Gravy is dull looking and slow moving. Celery is crisp, slender and sturdy. Fish is quick and agile. Hmm...maybe we really are what we eat.

Sure, we all know that after stuffing our faces with with a super sized burger and fries we tend to feel sleepy, stuffed and sluggish. But, after tuna sandwich with some cheese and veggies on a delicious, fresh hunk of bread we feel satisfied, positive and refueled. So, what's do you feel like having for lunch today?

My confession of the day - I just can't bring myself to eat at super size places.I know too much about what it does to your insides. Yes, its true...ignorance is bliss! Too bad I don't have that luxury.