Healthy Life Lessons

Thank goodness it is Halloween because Little A has been asking when it will finally arrive since September. This year Big A is going as...I am so not kidding...a hotdog!  I have to admit the costume, which I absolutely did not make myself, is pretty awesome.  Little A is Rapunzel.  Sigh.  Hopefully she'll outgrow the this whole princess thing.  She did originally want to be a bat, but I was having trouble finding a bat costume that she found acceptable in her size.  So then she spied this Rapunzel one and the rest is history. They are having dinner with some neighbourhood friends and then trick-or-treating with them, so that will be extra fun.  This leaves me to give out candy.  I guess I am a whole Halloween Scrooge or something, but I've started to hate it.  The doorbell ringing every few minutes.  Bratty teenagers too old to be out, demanding candy and leaving with nary a smile let alone a thank you.  Sorry, not much fu...

Good Morning! Please check out my latest article in the Huffington Post about secondary infertility .

A lot of bloggers participate in this link up started by Peas and Crayons .  What I eat may not be all that thrilling to some - I am not into haute cuisine or really complicated raw vegan dishes that take a long time to make or anything else that extraordinary.  But I thought it would be a good idea for me to share an example of what I eat because a lot of people don't seem to understand what being a healthitarian means (that's the label I give myself).  I am into promoting my health and well being through proper nutrition.  But this does not mean I am vegetarian or vegan, gluten-free or grain-free.  I just try to eat mostly whole, real foods. People are also flabbergasted to see just HOW MUCH I eat.  I have always had a healthy appetite...and seeing how my kids eat, that must be partly genetic.  Being super active helps, especially weight lifting.  Muscles demand fuel to grow!!  Nonetheless, I guess I eat a whole lot for such a ...

When making my last batch of almonds for Adam, I realized I hadn't made curried ones before.  Even though Adam is pretty happy with repetition (he eats the same breakfast and lunch EVERY day during the week), I always like to change things up.  These are very yummy and you can make them spicy or mild, depending on the curry powder you use. Curried Almonds 2 lb almonds 1 tbls olive oil 1 tsp salt 2 tsp curry powder (mild or hot) 1/2 tsp turmeric Toss almonds together with oil and seasonings and spread in a single layer on 2 baking sheets.  Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes, rotating position of pans half way through.  Be careful not to burn.  Let cool completely and then transfer to airtight container. This recipe has been shared with Urban Naturale's Happy Green Healthy Blog Hop .

Good morning! Or is it?  Chances are, if you didn't get a good night's sleep, it isn't such a good one  for you. I know I spend a whole lot of time talking about the importance of exercise and nutrition, but I truly believe that adequate sleep is just as critical to our health.  If you are not getting enough sleep it compromises your cognitive abilities, increases the chances you will be in a driving accident, negatively affects your mood, increases stress and decreases your coping abilities, impairs your body's metabolism, drives hunger, and increases your risk of developing obesity, and the list goes on. All last week while Adam was away, I didn't sleep too well.  I was having nutty dreams, as always, but was just not getting the deep restorative sleep I need.  Even this weekend, my sleep wasn't ideal and I totally felt it.  By yesterday I felt ruined.  Last night though, despite some really wacky dreams, I had a great sleep and I am...

  This has been quite a week!  Adam was away in Ottawa since Sunday and is only getting back tonight.  In case you didn't hear, there was a soldier killed in Ottawa , near Parliament Hill, right where Adam was having his meetings!  Luckily he's just fine and sent us a message almost immediately to reassure everyone he was okay.  Unfortunately, the soldier's family now have to deal with his loss.  Such a senseless crime, regardless of whether it was politically motivated or not, an innocent life was lost. It certainly put into perspective the minor challenges I faced being alone with the girls this week.  There were good times and bad (each of them had to be put into their rooms because of major screaming fits Monday evening), but overall this annual trip Adam takes is becoming much less traumatic for me as the girls get older. But I am still very glad he's back tonight!    I am also very frustrated by the girls' sense of entitl...

Who says peanut butter and chocolate can't be for breakfast?  Not my kids, that's for sure.  No surprise, but these were an instant hit with them.  Again, I am loving oatmeal squares as a quick, healthy breakfast and they are loving them too.  Its a total win-win! I made these with quick cooking steel cut oats.  No, that is not an oxymoron.  I found them at Costco...Bobs Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats ! These make a hardy baked oatmeal that is sure to satisfy all your chocolate cravings and power you through your morning. Peanut Butter Chocolate Baked Oatmeal 2 cups quick cooking steel cut oats (gluten-free, if necessary) 4 tbls flax meal 1/2 cup natural peanut butter 1/2 cup non-dairy milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup stevia, xylitol or erythritol (or 1/2 cup coconut sugar) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably stevia-sweetened) Place oats and flax meal in a large bowl  Pour ...

Back in my addicted-to-sugar days, I ate a lot of licorice.  Not the red kind.  That's just gross candy, its got nothing to do with licorice!  No, I'm talking the real stuff.  Black. Soft.  Oh, and sweet...not the weird European, salty kind.  That stuff is just nasty! While indulging my sweet tooth, I don't think I ever wondered what licorice actually is.   I knew it was a botanical thing, but not much beyond that. As it turns out, this yummy (in my opinion, anyways, I know there are lots of haters out there) plant has a whole heck of a lot of health benefits.   Not in candy form, unfortunately, but in its natural form. Licorice root is an anti-inflammatory.   It is often used to treat stomach ulcers, heartburn and chronic gastritis.    It is also used to treat a sore through, coughs, and both bacterial and viral infections.  Some people use licorice for sore throat, bronchitis, cough, and infections caused by b...

I fell off the orange veggie wagon for a while.  For some odd reason, during my child bearing years I lost my taste for squash and sweet potatoes just like I lost my taste for pink fish.  Weird huh?  I was into red meat and white potatoes.  Did my body need stuff in those things?  Who knows??  Fortunately, I am back to my normal self and have now lost my taste for red meat again...white potatoes I no longer crave, but squash and sweet potatoes?  Oh yeah baby!! I've mostly been gorging on sweet potatoes, but I have also recently been demolishing mass quantities of squash.  When I was a kid, my mom made squash a lot, but usually only Butternut and Acorn.  Always mashed with a bit of butter and cinnamon.  I loved it.  But now there are so many more varieties widely available.  I've heard so much about Delicata and Kabocha, both extra sweet varieties with skin you can eat, but didn't often see them around.  ...

Its Monday.  For some people, this means 5 days of stress and anxiety.  Others may feel this way 7 days a week. I have openly discussed my struggle with anxiety.  I has been there since I was a child.  Its been better at some points and worse at others, but it will probably always be an area of vulnerability. I am certainly not alone.  So many of my counselling clients describe themselves as 'worriers'.  Worry and anxiety lay along a continuum.  Some anxiety, believe it or not, is a good thing.  It is a motivator.  It encourages us to be vigilant.  But too much wreaks havoc on your mind and body.  It can cause panic attacks, chronic insomnia and even generalized anxiety disorder.  I have had the insomnia and I've had the generalized anxiety disorder.  It ain't fun. Part of what often fuels anxiety is the fear of uncertainty.  Few people cope well with it.  We all feel better when we feel we are in contr...

Source Good morning and happy Friday! Wow, if I look at the glass half empty, I will tell you we had a crazy-ass, massive thunderstorm last night.  I got caught in it on my bike on the way home from work and (waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!) I think my new (and favorite) leather boots were completely destroyed.  It was the heaviest rain I have ever been in on my bike ever.  By the time I got to our street, there was flooding everywhere.  The water at one point was up to my knees.  I think my bike is probably in rough shape too. The glass half full perspective would be at least I didn't get hit my lightening.  Really!  There was a whole lot of it and I was kind of getting worried.  Riding your bike is not what you want to be doing in a Thunderstorm. Well, hopefully my boots and bike survive but if they don't, I will try to be positive and focus on the fact that they're just things and I made it home unscathed.  It truly was quite a storm! F...

It's chili season!  As soon as it gets chilly, is there anything more comforting?  Okay, forget the fact that it almost feels like summer this week... I am always trying to come up with variations on recipes...as they say, variety is the spice of life!  It took me a bit of thinking with this one but one meandering down the aisles of Fiesta Farms and it struck me like lightening.  Aha! Cactus, you say?  Yes, absolutely!  Now, I used the jarred kind, but maybe you could use fresh, if you can find it.  Don't worry, they aren't prickly, and the taste is quite mild. Serve this alone, or over brown rice, quinoa or millet, or stuff into a tortilla. Cactus Pineapple Chili 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp salt 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (optional) 1 green pepper, diced 1 red pepper, diced 1 carrot, diced 2 zucchini, diced 1 cauliflower, cut into small ...

Are there any foods that make you think of your childhood?  In terms of purchased foods, for me, its bran muffins.  My parents weren't strict about junk food, but they didn't buy us Hostess Twinkies or that kind of thing.  They did, however, buy us Sunmaid raisin bran muffins from the locally grocery store in Kingston.  Oddly, I never saw them sold elsewhere, and I haven't seen them sold in many years.  Nevertheless, they were a family favorite. They came in packs of 4, and even though we were a family of 4, we always fought over them.  Despite the name, like most muffins you buy, they weren't remotely healthy.  Sure the bran and raisins gave them fibre, but they were full of white flour, sugar and trans fat.  We just weren't aware, at that time, how bad they were for us. If they were in the house, you can be certain I was grabbing one for breakfast.  I remember them being very moist and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon.  Mmm! I th...

Well well, its Tuesday and the girls and I are home safe and sound.  I did it!  I drove to Kingston and back, with just the 3 of us! Its interesting...now that my parents sold our house and live in a downtown condo, I get a different perspective on the town.  I mean that both literally and figuratively, of course.  They have great views from their 12th floor condo of the waterfront and they are in the centre of the downtown core.  For some reason, I found myself marvelling over what a lovely town it is.  It used to be the capitol of Canada before Ottawa.  Its absolutely full of historic, beautiful buildings.   It seems like a lifetime ago that I lived there, and yet in some ways like only yesterday.      So the drive there was pretty seamless.  Very little traffic and the girls were very well behaved.  Nevertheless, every muscle in my body was sore when we arrived from tensing the whole time....

Hello!  It is Friday.  Before a long weekend.  The weather is beautiful!  Life is good. I am both excited and nervous for the weekend.  I am driving with the kids to Kingston alone!  This will be only the second time I've done this drive alone and the first time with the girls in the car with me.  Gulp! Adam needs some time to catch up on work but the girls are dying to visit my parents and see their new condo (and check out the indoor pool!).  Funny thing though, I used to adore traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but seem to have lost my taste for it.  I told my mom not to bother doing the whole turkey thing, so we're going out to this cute gourmet pizza restaurant instead.  Besides, the girls will prefer it to turkey, etc. So even though I'm really scared for this trip, I am glad I am doing it.  I actually like challenging myself.  It always pays off in the end.  Even though its a cheesy tag line...often found on...

Say hello to my new favorite salad! This is going to be on the menu for lunch a lot I think.  Quick, easy and incredibly delicious!! I serve it with a roasted sweet potato or pile of winter squash on the side.  Mmm... Salad 8 cups greens (I used baby kale) 1 pint grape tomatoes Bacon (I used turkey, but you can use coconut bacon, tempeh bacon, etc.) Combine salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Avocado Buttermilk Dressing 1 ripe avocado 1 cup buttermilk (or non-dairy milk + 1 tbls lemon juice) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 garlic clove 1 tsp salt 1 tsp salt-free seasoning blend Cracked black pepper, to taste For the dressing, place all ingredients in food processor or blender.  Puree until smooth.  If you find it too thick, add a bit more buttermilk.  Pour desired amount onto salad.  Store remaining dressing in the fridge for up to 1 week.  I have submitted this recipe to Urban Naturale's Healthy, Happy, Natural, Gree...

It's time to think pink.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Rethink Breast Cancer is an awesome organization aimed at providing information and support to young women dealing with the disease.  Here is some info on their latest offerings:                              RETHINK BREAST CANCER LAUNCHES ONLINE SUPPORT FOR BREAST CANCER PATIENTS THIS OCTOBER WITH BOLD NEW DIGITAL CHANNEL Breast Cancer Awareness Month marks the launch of two new online resources for women: the LiveLaughLearn video series and Cancer Fabulous Diaries 'zine  ( Oct 1, 2014 – Toronto, Canada) Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off today with the launch of the first ever digital breast cancer channel. Rethink Breast Cancer ’s “boob-tube,” hosted on rethinkbreastcancer.com and YouTube , will focus on inspirational...

Since the oatmeal squares went over so well, I had to make them again.  Big A has had cross country practices twice a week at 8:15am and this is the perfect thing to give the girls to eat for breakfast when we are rushing to get out the door early.  This time I changed things up with berry good results! Blueberries & Cream Baked Oatmeal Squares 2 cups non-dairy milk (vanilla or plain, unsweetened) 1/4 cup granular stevia 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup flax meal 1 scoop(28g) berry flavoured vegan protein powder (I used this one ) 2 cups oats 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries Bring 1 cup of the milk, stevia and vanilla to a boil in a small pot over medium heat.  Remove from heat and whisk in flax.  Set aside. Combine oats and baking soda in a large bowl.  Pour in flax mixture and remaining 1 cup of milk and stir until well mixed.  Scrape batter into greased 9x9 square pan.  Bake at 350F for 18-20 minute...

  Does the fact that its Monday have you wishing you could run away to a Buddhist monastery? Ah, the irony of the times eh? We have created a world for ourselves so full of stress that most of us struggle with serious mental and/or physical health issues. Modern medicine has led to some miraculous treatments and cures, but in many cases, it still has a long way to go.   When Western medical practices fail us, we often turn to what are considered to be alternative treatments.   Some, like acupuncture, have begun to be integrated into conventional treatment protocols as evidence of their value and efficacy increases. One area where Western medicine often falls short is in dealing with stress, anxiety.   When we report struggling with such issues, as most of us do, we are usually given a prescription for medication.   When we are struggling with another health concern, often the treatment itself causes additional stress and anxiety.   It rarely tak...

Its Friday and its also Yom Kippur.  I am working tonight, but Adam is taking the girls to Kol Nidre.  Tomorrow morning we will all attend synagogue. Adam will fast and the girls have decided they will do a kids' fast (i.e. giving up one thing they enjoy).  Sunday the girls have Hebrew School while I'm teaching my spin class, then Big A has a birthday party, then we are all going to a Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur/Sukkot celebration with all the Jewish families in our neighbourhood.  Its going to be a busy but wonderful weekend. Now that the girls are really old enough to participate, I am experiencing a new found appreciation for the Jewish holidays. Being Jewish has never been a religious thing for me, always a cultural thing with the significance being around family and community.  I am so glad the girls are growing up in such a diverse and multicultural environment, which is very different from my own experience being Jewish in a small city where it just made...