Smoothie Love

I've rekindled my relationship with smoothies and it feels great! It's a great way for me to get the protein and pack a drink full of nutrients. I often make them in the morning and take them with me when I'm on the go, drinking them several hours later. I like letting them sit to room temperature especially on cooler days.
I keep them pretty simple. They go something like this.

I always add:
Fruit-something like mango, strawberries, blueberries, maybe 1/2 banana, or handful of spinach
Unsweetened almond milk, although I may add some boiling water to warm the smoothie, especially on these cooler day.
Genuine Health fermented protein powder or vanilla whey protein powder. 1 scoop. The fermented protein is really easy to digest and helps feed the friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. I love it. The whey vanilla is super smooth and tasty. It's kinda like dessert :-). I also add the whey to pancakes, muffins etc...
Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts- a heaping tsp. This adds healthy fats and fiber to the smoothie.

Depending on my mood I may add Ashwaganda powder, Amla Berry, Cacao, or Probiotics.
Ashwaganda 1 tsp. It is amazing at helping the body balance stress and has a calming effect to the nervous system.
Amla Berry. 1/2 tsp. Super high in vitamin C. Great for those days I need an extra boost.
Cacao is high in magnesium and isn't everything better with chocolate?
A few times per week I add a capsule of Genestra HMF forte, for some good ol' tummy love.

I like to top them with goji berries. These are high in vitamin C and become re-constituted in the smoothie,  cacao nibs (high in magnesium), cinnamon (balance blood sugar levels) or hemp hearts.
This is really for the wow factor!

 mango peach with cinnamon, hemp hearts and cacao nibs

 strawberry, spinach, cacao powder with cinnamon, goji berries and cacao nibs

 strawberry, banana and i used coconut milk instead of almond milk (just because the store was out). 

topped with unsweetened coconut flakes, goji berries and cacao nibs

bluberry, banana, cacao with goji berries on top

This is your brain on stress

I see so many people that are stressed. Heck, I'm stressed! Constantly multi-tasking, running from one place to another. I had written this post last night and saw this post this morning. How fitting. Stress actually shrinks parts of our brain. Awesome. 

Here are a few tips that just might help you, help your brain. 

There is nothing more soothing than a bowl of oatmeal. This is one nutrient rich food! It is calming to the nervous system, high in fiber, lowers cholesterol, protects the heart and balances blood sugar levels. It’s like a superfood! I will encourage you to cook your own the old fashioned way, on the stove and avoid those flavoured quick cook packs that are full of sugar. If you want your oatmeal sweet, add a swirl of maple syrup. Delicious!

Begin focusing on magnesium rich foods. Magnesium has several important functions. It regulates the absorption of calcium, which we need for healthy bones and teeth. It also regulates the contractility of the heart, a deficiency could cause heart palpitations. It also has a relaxing effect, and it’s for this reason that it is a great stress buster. Some excellent food options are; dried figs, almonds, chard, brown rice, avocados, bananas, oatmeal and dark chocolate.

I love herbal teas. There’s something so nourishing to me about a warm cup of tea. A simple cup of chamomile tea is relaxing to the nervous system as well as the digestive system.  If you’re not a fan of chamomile, give lemon balm a try. This is an aromatic herb that reduces anxiety and has relaxing effect.

Eat some chocolate daily! Isn’t this the best news ever? But before you get too excited, it has to be dark chocolate, fair trade or organic, and it can be a max of 2 squares per day.  This is a calorie dense food that can pack on the pounds if you eat a package a day, which just might give you something else to stress about.

If all else fails supplement. One of my all time favorites is ashwagnada. This is an excellent herb for people that have a lot of nervous tension, mixed with insomnia and are fatigued in the day. You can purchase it in a powdered form and add it to a smoothie or some warm almond milk. Alternatively, you can buy it in a tincture from and add some drops to water.

Lastly, don’t forget to breathe! Deep breathing has been shown to reduce anxiety, blood pressure and slow down the heart rate.  A few deep breathes can go a long way!

Dissecting granola bars and a healthier option.

Store bought granola bars are often full of sugar and perservatives.  Let's dissect.

All those underlines, of which there are 10! are all forms of sugar! and sucralose is an artifical sweetener!

Caramel colour; an artifical colouring agent making golden granola bars. Mine are golden without it. 
BHT; a perservative
Artifical flavours; i don't know where these are from, but safe to say they're artifically made :-)

Another Option! Make some.
I promise these homemade granola bars are super quick and easy to make and are such a healthier option than the packaged ones.

Here's what it looks like, fresh outta the oven!

4 cups oats
2 scoops of protein powder (I use GH vanilla whey)
1/4 cup brown sugar (it needs a little sugar for it to stick together)
Variety of nuts/seeds ie. pumpkin, almonds, hazelnuts, flax. I tend to avoid nuts and just uses seeds so i can send them to school.You can also leave this out if you're working with allergies.
Spices such as cinnamon, ginger. allspice
Optional. A handful of chocolate chip (everythings better with chocolate!)

In a separate bowl whisk; 1/2 cup olive oil with 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 tsp vanilla.
Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Bake on parchment paper at 325F for about 30 min (my oven runs hot).

Let cool and break into desired pieces. enjoy!

something about sleep

The pineal gland, also known as the “third eye”, as it is located deep in your brain between your eyes, is responsible for secreting melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleep and is secreted at its highest amounts around 3 am. What’s interesting about this gland is that the more light it absorbs during the day, the more melatonin is secreted at night and the darker the room is you sleep in, the more melatonin that is secreted.

As you get older your pineal gland shrinks, this we can’t control. However, if you wake up at 3 am to go to the bathroom and turn the light on, you have now decreased your melatonin production for the night. So try walking to the bathroom, carefully, with your eyes half closed and avoid turning the light on, in order to support your melatonin production.

There is research connecting low melatonin production to insomnia, as well as to increased cancer rates ie. nurses with shift work and increased breast cancer rates and male shift workers with an increase in prostate cancer.

So, to summarize, focus on supporting your melatonin production. You can do this by getting outside daily, and sleeping in a dark room at night (so dark you can’t even see your hand!).

homemade applesauce and muffins

so i went a little crazy with the organic apples we picked from avalon organics.
the kids are eating tons, and if you happen to come for a personal or patient visit, you will likely leave with a tasty snack.

so today, i made some applesauce.
i did not have a recipe. i chopped up a pot full of apples. added some cinnamon, a splash of water and a glug (i love how jamie oliver uses this term) of maple syrup. i cooked it until the apples looked done and then pureed with my stainless steel braun handblender. easy and tasty.
i then used a cup of this applesauce into these muffins.

1 1/2 cup spelt flour (you can use a gluten free blend)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
mix all of the above dry.
in a separate bowl mix 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 cup applesauce.
i then added in some vegan chocolate chips, which then melted as the applesauce and coconut oil were hot. kids didn't seem to complain.
i baked at 375 for about 12 minutes.
enjoy.

the juggler.....

i'm not sure when i mastered the art of juggling. i don't mean the kind where you juggle 3 balls. this kind of juggling i'm doing is alot harder. it's the kind where you toss endless responsibilities into the air and try to carefully catch each one as they descend. not letting a single item hit the ground.

this is what i believed the "art" of being a perfect working mother was all about.

i thought this september would be easier as the kids went back to school. nope. it was crazier. timely drop offs and pick ups. playdates and programs. perfect lunches and healthy dinners. homework and assignments. and then one day your son gets bit by a mink and you spend the night in ER. ahhhh.....

oh, and let's not forget i work. i am so fortunate to love being an ND. september was a super busy month. 3 natural births, patient visits, corporate work and teaching at CCNM. and then there's social media to keep up with. i know it's the busy energy of the fall and i'm grateful, but it adds to the art of juggling.

we also experienced 2 sad losses this month. an old friend (as in years known) and our old dog (as in aged). it's only been a few days without our beloved dex, but adjusting to our house without the sounds of the clickety clack nails is harder than i thought.

so, all this being said, i thought i would share 5 simple tips that deal with stress and bring forth calmess.

herbal teas: i love tea blends. i usally go to a health food store and pick up loose herbs and mix them together. my favorites are chamomile, oatstraw, lavender and nettles. these help calm the nervous system, aid in digestion and are rich in vitmains and minerals, which are in higher demands when your body is stressed.

exercise: i don't seem to have enough hours in my day, but i can't go without being active. for me, it's yoga and tennis. it can be anything you like. just find something you enjoy and move your body. it calms the mind, releases endorphins (happy hormones), and keeps your blood and energy moving at a time when things feel hectic. i prioritize these.

healthy food: a good friend teases me for all my chopping. it's true. i chop alot. i find it therapeutic and enjoy making heathy eats. it's not fancy food, at all. it's simple and fresh. cutting up fresh fruit or vegetables, making a quick stir fry, or soup. i'm mindful of sugars, processed foods and additivies. when our bodies are fueled with good nutrients it helps us power through the tasks at hand.

adrenal support: our adrenals support our bodies in times of stress. a simple b-complex taken daily can help maintain energy levels and keep us balanced in stressful time. there are endless herbs and products for the adrenals so ask an expert for what is best for you.

learning to let things fall. i try to be the perfect mom for my children. i try to be the best and most attentive ND for my patients. i'm realizing, i can still be those things without pushing myself to my limit.

i'm now practicing the art of not being the perfect juggler and realizing it's ok.

herbal infused oils

i really love these "DIY" herbal home creations. they are super simple to make and are very useful. so, i wanted to share my creations here! If you make anything let me know how it goes and feel free to share.
This week......i made some infused oil. Once you have the tools (ie. mason jars) and ingredients (herbs and oil), really quite simple, you are set to go.....

I picked up this organic olive oil at costco. I believe it was 13$ for 2 bottles. can't beat that price.
the lavender i collected from the cottage we were at in august. the 3 other herbs i picked up at Noahs at bloor and spadina (my old stomping ground)!

i decided to make 2 separate jars. 

one soothing, the other more healing

the first is calendula and lavender, both soothing. 

calendula is bright yellow/orange and is very well known for its healing properties to the skin. it is wonderful for inflammation, cuts, bruises, burns and even diaper rash. i mixed it with a bit of lavender for its aromatic and soothing properties. once the herbs are in the jar (fill them to the top), cover the herbs with olive oil until it reaches the top of the jar. done.

the next jar is 3/4 comfrey and 1/4 chickweed. comfrey brings healing to any part of the body in about half the normal time it would take. so topically, it is wonderful for minor wounds to the skin, bruises, and even to broken bones. it also has wonderful facial benefits as it is able to tighten and moisten the skin, really acting as a wonderful anti-aging agent. chickweed also reduces inflammation for minor burns, skin irritations and also speeds up the healing process. i then did the same and topped this jar with olive oil.

i am going to let the jars sit for the next month so the herbs can infuse as i'm not in a rush. if you wanted to speed the process up you could place them on the base of a heat plate for a few days or place the jar in the oven on a low heat ie. 200F for about 3-4 hours.
once the oil is infused, you can cheesecloth the oil out and use it as is. you could also combine it with some shea butter or cocoa butter to make a salve. i will get to that part when my oil is ready!