Can you say YUM? With Valentines Day right around the corner, my thoughts turn to chocolate! Yes, of course I enjoy a chocolate moment from time to time! I'm even more excited if the chocolate isn't full of refined sugar and nasty oils. I follow a great blog, Elana's Pantry, and she posted this one today! I have to share it...homemade nutella. I'm going to make it this weekend, let me know how it goes for you!
Homemade Nutella
1 cup hazelnuts
¼ cup cocoa powder
5 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
pinch celtic sea salt
1.Roast the hazelnuts at 350° for 8-10 minutes until they darken a bit and smell fragrant
2.Transfer the hazelnuts to a towel and rub off the skins if you can (I didn't have a lot of luck with this)
3.In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed
4.Add the cocoa, agave, vanilla, oil and salt and process until well blended, about a minute
5.Store in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator
6.Bring to room temperature prior to serving
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Cholesterol lowering drugs inhibit Vitamin A absorption
Wouldn't it be great if all prescribing doctors were aware of drug-nutrient interactions? One of the most common overlooked issues with cholesterol lowering drugs is their direct interference with the body's ability to absorb Vitamin A. What's the big deal? Vitamin A is a catalyst (helper molecule) on which innumerable biochemical processes depend. It is involved in countless chemical reactions, so if we aren't absorbing it properly, every body system is affected!
Did you know that Vitamin A:
- aids protein digestion by stimulating gastric juices
- is critical in the formation of bone and blood
- is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps reduce the signs of aging
- boosts our immunity
How we can get it in our diet?
- Preformed Vitamin A (retinol) is found in egg yolk, liver and organ meats
- ProVitamin A or carotene is found in all yellow , red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables. Carotenes are converted to Vitamin A in the upper intestine. However, infants, children, diabetics and those with poor thyroid function cannot make this conversion! Also of interest, are studies that show our bodies cannot convert carotenes into Vitamin A without the presence of fat in our diet. So make sure to add olive oil, butter or coconut oil to your veggies!
High doses of synthetic Vit A can be toxic, but high levels of natural Vitamin A from food have no toxic effects, despite what we have been told!
Did you know that Vitamin A:
- aids protein digestion by stimulating gastric juices
- is critical in the formation of bone and blood
- is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps reduce the signs of aging
- boosts our immunity
How we can get it in our diet?
- Preformed Vitamin A (retinol) is found in egg yolk, liver and organ meats
- ProVitamin A or carotene is found in all yellow , red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables. Carotenes are converted to Vitamin A in the upper intestine. However, infants, children, diabetics and those with poor thyroid function cannot make this conversion! Also of interest, are studies that show our bodies cannot convert carotenes into Vitamin A without the presence of fat in our diet. So make sure to add olive oil, butter or coconut oil to your veggies!
High doses of synthetic Vit A can be toxic, but high levels of natural Vitamin A from food have no toxic effects, despite what we have been told!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Top 10 Facts you may not know about your diet!
These top 10 facts are borrowed directly from www.nourishingourchildren.org. I'm posting them because they challenge our modern nutritional dogma, and may stir some controversy among even holistic nutritionists. That's always fun! I happen to agree with all 10. So here goes nothing:
1.Eggs are healthy: Eggs are nature's perfect food, providing excellent protein, as well as the gamut of nutrients and important fatty acids that contribute to the health of the brain and nervous system. Americans had less heart disease when they ate more eggs. Egg substitutes cause rapid death in test animals.
2.Butter is good for you: Butter contains many nutrients vital to growth and brain function. Butter has nourished healthy populations throughout the globe for thousands of years.
3.Saturated fats and cholesterol are vital for optimum health: Cholesterol helps babies and children develop a healthy brain and nervous system. Saturated fats provide integrity to the cell wall, promote the body's use of essential fatty acids, enhance the immune system, protect the liver and contribute to strong bones. Saturated fats do not clog arteries, nor do they cause heart disease. In fact, saturated fats are the preferred food for the heart.
4.Foods from grass-fed animals are important for good health: Red meat is a rich source of nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system, including vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, phosphorus, carnitine and Coenzyme Q10. The fats of grass-fed meats contain vitamins A, D, E and CLA, a substance that prevents obesity and protects against cancer.
5.Lean meat and low-fat milk should be avoided: Lean meat and low-fat milk will cause depletion of essential vitamins A and D, needed for protein and mineral assimilation, proper growth, thyroid function, healthy brain and nervous system and normal cell function.
6.Modern soy products are dangerous: Modern soy foods, such as soy protein powders and soymilk, block mineral absorption, inhibit protein digestion, cause endocrine disruption, depress thyroid function and contain potent carcinogens.
7.Hydrogenated and liquid vegetable oils contribute to heart disease and many other health problems: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined, but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. Processed vegetable oils have also been linked to cancer, bone problems, growth problems, learning disorders, autoimmune dysfunction and infertility.
8.A vegan diet leads to serious nutritional deficiencies: Vital nutrients found exclusively in animal foods include complete protein, cholesterol and vitamins A, D, B6 and B12. We can't get sufficient true vitamin A from plant foods, nor can most of us get enough vitamin D from the sun alone. Vitamin B12 is not absorbed from plant sources, and modern soy products actually increase the body's need for B12. Those who do not eat meat can have a healthy diet by consuming eggs and raw dairy foods from animals on pasture, and by avoiding modern soy foods.
9.Not all "organic" foods are healthy: Organic pasteurized milk, breakfast cereal, chips, cookies, crackers and fruit juice are highly processed, refined convenience foods lacking vital nutrients. Although the organic label for meat and milk ensures the absence of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, such products may still come from animals in confinement and therefore lack vital nutrients for growth and immune function.
10.Breakfast cereal is a junk food: Cold breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion, which causes the deformation, disruption and dispersion of the proteins in grain. Unpublished studies indicate that these chaotic protein fragments are toxins, causing havoc in the gastro-intestinal tract and nervous system of test animals.
Is anyone scratching their head? Check out www.nourishingourchildren.org to learn more!
1.Eggs are healthy: Eggs are nature's perfect food, providing excellent protein, as well as the gamut of nutrients and important fatty acids that contribute to the health of the brain and nervous system. Americans had less heart disease when they ate more eggs. Egg substitutes cause rapid death in test animals.
2.Butter is good for you: Butter contains many nutrients vital to growth and brain function. Butter has nourished healthy populations throughout the globe for thousands of years.
3.Saturated fats and cholesterol are vital for optimum health: Cholesterol helps babies and children develop a healthy brain and nervous system. Saturated fats provide integrity to the cell wall, promote the body's use of essential fatty acids, enhance the immune system, protect the liver and contribute to strong bones. Saturated fats do not clog arteries, nor do they cause heart disease. In fact, saturated fats are the preferred food for the heart.
4.Foods from grass-fed animals are important for good health: Red meat is a rich source of nutrients that protect the heart and nervous system, including vitamins B12 and B6, zinc, phosphorus, carnitine and Coenzyme Q10. The fats of grass-fed meats contain vitamins A, D, E and CLA, a substance that prevents obesity and protects against cancer.
5.Lean meat and low-fat milk should be avoided: Lean meat and low-fat milk will cause depletion of essential vitamins A and D, needed for protein and mineral assimilation, proper growth, thyroid function, healthy brain and nervous system and normal cell function.
6.Modern soy products are dangerous: Modern soy foods, such as soy protein powders and soymilk, block mineral absorption, inhibit protein digestion, cause endocrine disruption, depress thyroid function and contain potent carcinogens.
7.Hydrogenated and liquid vegetable oils contribute to heart disease and many other health problems: During the period of rapid increase in heart disease (1920-1960), American consumption of animal fats declined, but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. Processed vegetable oils have also been linked to cancer, bone problems, growth problems, learning disorders, autoimmune dysfunction and infertility.
8.A vegan diet leads to serious nutritional deficiencies: Vital nutrients found exclusively in animal foods include complete protein, cholesterol and vitamins A, D, B6 and B12. We can't get sufficient true vitamin A from plant foods, nor can most of us get enough vitamin D from the sun alone. Vitamin B12 is not absorbed from plant sources, and modern soy products actually increase the body's need for B12. Those who do not eat meat can have a healthy diet by consuming eggs and raw dairy foods from animals on pasture, and by avoiding modern soy foods.
9.Not all "organic" foods are healthy: Organic pasteurized milk, breakfast cereal, chips, cookies, crackers and fruit juice are highly processed, refined convenience foods lacking vital nutrients. Although the organic label for meat and milk ensures the absence of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, such products may still come from animals in confinement and therefore lack vital nutrients for growth and immune function.
10.Breakfast cereal is a junk food: Cold breakfast cereals are produced by a process called extrusion, which causes the deformation, disruption and dispersion of the proteins in grain. Unpublished studies indicate that these chaotic protein fragments are toxins, causing havoc in the gastro-intestinal tract and nervous system of test animals.
Is anyone scratching their head? Check out www.nourishingourchildren.org to learn more!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The merging of two philosophies....
This past week I was thrown into the world of acute, conventional medicine. My mom was in a car accident, requiring extensive acute care at the University of Alberta Hospital. Thank God for conventional medicine and the ability to save lives through surgery and other interventions. However, when it comes to convalescence and healing from injury, naturopathic medicine can't be beat! Merging the two together - and the results are spectacular! Take for instance the moment she was delivered her first meal post NPO (nothing by mouth). She was given a cup of coffee and jello. Are you kidding me?! Her digestive system hadn't seen any food in over a week, so she needed nutrient dense, easily digested purees and phytonutrients to aid the massive healing process occurring in her body, not processed jello! Eeks..I was mortified. We've been bringing her fresh food and organic purees daily. Our entire family has witnessed the ability of homeopathy to accelerate the healing of her bones and muscles. Rescue Remedy, by Bach Flower has been particularly amazing. It works instantly to help transition someone into parasympathetic relaxed state...precisely where she needs to be in order to heal. I wish all patients on her trauma ward were able to have the remedies that my Mom has had. We really need Naturopaths, Osteopaths and Holistic Nutritionists on staff in acute care settings...the merging of the two would be so powerful!
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Heart for Haiti - join us this Thursday!
The earthquake in Haiti has opened the hearts of people everywhere. I am so grateful that all of my extended family from Port au Prince are safe, however I know this is not the case for so many families! At Integra, we decided to donate $1500.00 last week to relief efforts, but we just didn't feel like we have done enough. This Thursday at Integra we are donating 100% of all of our service and product revenue to the Red Cross. Come join us to raise as much money as possible! Book an appointment or pick up your supplements this Thursday and help us help those who need us most.
Every bit makes a huge difference!
Arnel Beaubrun
Every bit makes a huge difference!
Arnel Beaubrun
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Earthlings - a must see
My friend Carol emailed me today about a documentary that profoundly moved her - Earthlings. I remember hearing about it awhile ago, so I decided to download it this evening. You can view the entire documentary for free at www.earthlings.com. The unedited, raw footage in this film brings to light the suffering of animals in factory farming, for medical research and entertainment industries. I think it's so important for all of us to be wise, ethical consumers! Watch this film, tell your friends and family to do the same! It is difficult to watch, which makes it all the more imperative that we get outside our comfort zones and become aware of the realities among us.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Auricular Medicine - treating the cause
Arnel and I just finished up a refresher course in Auricular Medicine. Our colleague, and friend Dr. K.C. Bateman is a leading practitioner in this technique, and we were fortunate to spend the last few days refining our skills with him. It was unbelievable!
We often use the analogy of peeling an onion when describing naturopathic medicine to someone. Our therapies are meant to allow the body to heal and move through various layers in order to reveal the root imbalance. Auricular medicine uses the ear to quickly and precisely identify those root blockages in the body! The results were amazing. Identifying areas that are preventing the body from moving in the direction of cure makes all the difference! When you are evaluating your own health plan for the New Year, make sure you treat the cause.
Now off to cook some Christmas goodies...
Happy Holidays!!!
We often use the analogy of peeling an onion when describing naturopathic medicine to someone. Our therapies are meant to allow the body to heal and move through various layers in order to reveal the root imbalance. Auricular medicine uses the ear to quickly and precisely identify those root blockages in the body! The results were amazing. Identifying areas that are preventing the body from moving in the direction of cure makes all the difference! When you are evaluating your own health plan for the New Year, make sure you treat the cause.
Now off to cook some Christmas goodies...
Happy Holidays!!!
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