I wanted to give you all a few simple “swaps” that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. By making these switches, you’re detoxing your current routine and moving towards a more healthful approach! Might I add, that these are all quite cost effective as well (save a $ here, spend it somewhere more useful!)
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Why would you want to make these switches, you ask? Read on to find out…
1. Ditch the “table salt” in favour of Himalayan Pink Sea Salt.
Why?
Sadly, table salt has been processed enough that it no longer contains all the wonderful minerals that salt should – pink salt is rich with 80+ minerals. Your table salt has been enriched with Iodine and often times sugar is added to it – check your labels!
2. Toss out your chemically-laden moisturizer in favour of coconut oil.
Once again, I can’t say enough good things about coconut oil. If you haven’t tried it yet, get yourself some next time you’re at the grocery store! It can be found in the health food section.
3. Make your own household cleaners!
Why?
Store-bought cleaners are full of chemicals. These chemicals are harmful to you, and everyone else who lives in or visits your house. These seemingly harmless products can cause skin irritation, allergies, respiratory irritation, hormone disruption… The list goes on and on and on.
D.I.Y – It’s beyond easy once you’ve invested in the supplies (and will save you $ in the long run!!). Get a squirt bottle; vinegar; baking soda; some essential oils… etc.
5. Swap out store bought salad dressings for homemade dressings
Free of additives, preservatives, and nasty gunk – a homemade salad dressing tastes better and is more cost effective. You can keep it simple with this recipe from Vega, or go with something a little more complex!
Today is already April 12, and I’ve been on a little ‘detox‘ since April 1.
I thought it would pass by slowly, but to my dismay it is flying by so far!!!!
The rules that I’ve stuck to quite rigidly include; no dairy, no gluten, no refined sugars, no chocolate, no processed foods, no alcohol… In addition, getting a GOOD sweat on 6x/week with some new workouts squeezed in, and drinking more and more lemon water everyday(although that’s not hard, seeing as I LOVE my morning start of 1/2 a lemon squeezed into room temp. water)
Quick little survey about my progress thus far;
I feel…
GREAT! The times that I haven’t felt 100% were the times that I slipped up and had a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie, or that mega-beer at the Blue Jays game… Go figure, eh !?
I’ve eaten…
LOTS of delicious foods. Lucky for me, this cleanse did not steer me too far away from my regular/routine diet. However, for some people this type of detox might involve a complete overhaul of their pantry! That is why it’s important to start with only what you can handle & want to take on…
Above: Detox friendly quinoa porridge. My complete protein is topped with blackberries, coconut flakes, walnuts, chia, and almond milk
Above: This was a weird random meal that I threw together last weekend. It includes free-range chicken from my mama, sauerkraut topped with nutritional yeast, edamame, and a homemade chickpea flour bread (Besan) with spinach – LOVE this recipe.
3. Noticeable ‘side-effects’ of the cleanse…
Good = Better skin, less bloat after meals, weight loss
Bad = Hard to remain social, temptation is all around us – In addition, I miss chocolate…
4. Plan for the next 13 days?
Keep to the original plan!
Try not to wander too far off from what I originally wanted to achieve
Cut out a couple more foods to see if I can identify any more food sensitivities
*Sorry for the lack of posts lately, life has been busier than usual*
I’ll get back on track soon enough with more recipes, fitness routines, and holistic living tips!
In the meantime;
–> Try this granola recipe that I just popped into the oven. Mix up cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, pure vanilla extract, melted coconut oil, a mashed banana, and maple syrup in a big bowl – add in oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chia seeds and dried cranberries. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes: stirring every 10 minutes.
Three (3) quick, simple, nutritious and yummy breakfast ideas for you tonight (to make tomorrow a.m. perhaps !?)
1)
Quinoa Porridge
Made with white quinoa, chopped apples, lots of cinnamon, walnuts, blackberries, almond milk.
Other things that you could add to spice it up; chia seeds, almonds, maple syrup, banana, coconut pieces.
2)
Tropical Smoothie
In a blender; apple, grapefruit, orange, almond milk, water, coconut, walnuts, spinach, ice, tofu, cinnamon
Grapefruits are just so photogenic !
3)
Tofu + Egg breakky scramble.
Sautee your tofu in coconut oil, add in kale and kale stems as well as any other veggies that you’ve got on hand. Add in eggs, top with salt& pepper + cumin
5 Tips for your next Breakfast
If you don’t eat a good, hearty breakfast – chances are that you might overeat later in the day
Make sure that your breakfasts contain some protein and complex-carbs to keep you feeling full and energized longer. Carbs are not the enemy 🙂
Choose whole grains, and if you’re gluten sensitive avoid Barley/Rye/Some Oats/Wheat/Spelt
Make you’re breakfast a meal you enjoy, something that you’re happy about eating first thing in the a.m.
Wake up early enough to have time to enjoy your breakfast, along with a coffee or tea. Mornings can be enjoyable, if you’re not in a panic!
A product that I can’t get enough of and fully support is the topic for this post.
I’ve been meaning to write up a post about Vega Plant-Based Nutrition for quite some time now, but my writers block has been getting the best of me (does this happen to all bloggers?)
Over the past 6 months, I’ve been playing around with my diet to try and find what works best for my body. Whether it be an omnivore type diet, vegetarian, vegan – I was open to experimentation, and still am. I naturally have moved away from eating all meats (except for the occasional free-range/organic/antibiotic free bit). I’ve also started to shy away from much dairy, unless it’s all natural as well. I do feel strongly about these choices, but take into account that I live in a society that eats anything and everything. I am only human, and it’s useless to pick a title for my dietary habits because they are always changing. I may not fall under the label of veg/vegan etc. but I do now call myself an informed consumer who makes a conscious effort to know what’s going in to my body.
Ever since I’ve made these changes in my diet, I’ve noticed a few things…
Ensuring that I have enough protein in a day can be HARD (especially when avoiding meat/dairy and teaching exercise classes 2x/day)
I don’t miss meat, at all…
Dairy + Sugar upsets my stomach
I feel my best when I eat a fruit and vegetable based diet
I am not bloated/cramped/gassy when I eat clean/raw foods
And much more, but those are a few that came to mind.
Without diving too far into my personal eating habits today, I’m really here to express my thankfulness for a 100% natural plant-based protein powder called Vega.
They have so graciously sent me a whole whack of their new (and old) products, and I am happy to endorse them because I use these products myself in everyday, busy/crazy/chaotic life.
(I am not being compensated to write this post – all opinions are my own from personal experiences)
What I love about their products is that they have abseloutly nothing to hide. No fillers, no chemicals, no artificial colours or flavours. These products are built for the athlete, but usable by ANYONE. One scoop of their Nutritional Shake provides you with 50% of your daily vitamins and minerals (covering MANY key nutrients that you may otherwise be lacking through your diet), and their products can help you achieve the energy levels necessary for optimal sports performance (or even just for feeling better in your every day life)
That being said, as a student studying Holistic Nutrition – I always look to FOOD as my first source of daily nutrients. Again though, I am only human and often lack the time to whip up the type of nutrient rich meals that I need to teach a high energy spin class. These shakes are especially good to me at 6a.m. when I can barely even think about cooking breakkie. So, shake it is…
(Pictured above: Vega One All-in-one Nutritional Shake in Berry flavour)
A scoop of this stuff offers you…
15 grams of protein (the same as 2.7 eggs)
1.5 grams of Omega-3 (same as 2.3 servings of salmon)
1 billion Probiotics (same as 1 cup of yogurt)
6 grams of Fiber
3 servings of Greens (same as 3 servings of veggies)
2.7 cups of Antioxidants (same as 2.7 cups of blueberries)
50% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamins & Minerals
Not bad, huh?
All kinds that I have tried have tasted great. I normally don’t like ‘fake’ flavours, so I was hesitant to try these ones – but the natural flavoring is bang-on. Not to sweet, just subtle enough to be enjoyed.
Call me boring though, I still like the ‘Natural’ Nutritional Shake the best. The rich yet mild taste goes perfectly into a banana + kale smoothie.
Protein powders are not for everyone, so do your research before you go drop $ on a tub of this.
Those of you with soy/gluten/dairy/sugar allergies – not to worry… Vega One is free of all of them. You’re good to go!
Other goodies that you should try from VEGA!…
Sacha Inchi Seeds.
Never heard of them? Well listen up!
These bad boys are the richest plant-based source of Omega-3’s on the planet! What a perfect healthy indulgence. They come in Karmalized, Natural or Choc-o-lot flavours.
Vibrancy Bars.
A combo of raw and sprouted ingredients and 180 calories, these make a great on the go snack. In fact, I chowed down on Chocolate Decadence one today after my workout.
Maca Chocolate.
Eat it sparingly, and enjoy it. Yes, there are health benefits to eating this organic chocolate bar.
In addition, you can explore Brendan Braziers (the creative mind behind Vega)‘Thrive Forward” program which introduces you to plant-based eating, and cleaning up your diet. Heck, even if you’re not interested in the program it’s still a pretty website with some fabulous recipes.
Have you tried Vega products? Which are your favourite?
How do you like your Protein? Food sources or supplement sources?
No, not a luscious forest with overgrown trees (I wish that was part of my day…)
The common theme to my day so far has been the colour green. It keeps popping up and it’s only 9:30am in the morning! I don’t think it’s any coincidence though….
Aside from my post-workout breakky (which contained rapini, kale, banana, chia seeds, almond milk, coconut water, multivitamins: shown above) – I gave a little bit of tender love and care to my plants today (green). Sunlight, water, and a new location in my room.
It made me think of something that my teacher mentioned in class, comparing plants and humans…
When you think of your plants – what do they need in order to stay alive and look healthy?
Here’s a few things off the top of my head.
Provide them with consistent water (keep them hydrated)
Provide them with the right light (some need more than others)
Feed them (with some sort of fertilizer)
Love ! If you don’t give the plants some love, who will? Break your plants heart, and they will probably wilt away as revenge!
These can apply directly to humans as well. If you don’t nourish YOURSELF with all 4 of these steps – you too will wilt away, or become ill.
Keep hydrated EVERY DAY.(On the “Green” Theme – Green is the colour of my lemon water glass today)
This does NOT include consuming coffee, beer, processed fruit juice, diet coke, etc. Drink clean, fresh water – and drink it liberally!
2. Provide yourself with LIGHT. From the sun, not indoor lights or tanning beds.
If you spend time in nature, you’ll spend time in the light – it can make the world of difference in your mood.
3. Feed yourself with something HEALTHY.
If you pureed a Big Mac and fertilized your plant with it, what do you think would happen? I have no idea, but I imagine that it’s better to puree some fresh carrot if you’re going to try anything…
If not, I highly recommend that you do! Though I am not a big movie-watcher, the odd documentary really gets me excited.
The premise of the movie is basically to give the viewers an overview of the billion dollar food industry – and how it is no longer focused around the farmers and food itself, but rather the business and money that these corporations are pulling in. Of course, that’s life – but it’s pretty gross to see what supermarket food items have come to be.
Profits > Quality in our world today… More reason to support local, small scale farmers.
A quote from Michael Pollan that was in the movie…
“There are no seasons in the American supermarket. Now there are tomatoes all year round, grown halfway around the world, picked when it was green, and ripened with ethylene gas. Although it looks like a tomato, it’s kind of a notional tomato. I mean, it’s the idea of a tomato”…
So on that note, a few tips for your weekend shopping adventures.
Look at where your produce is coming from – the tag under the fruit or veggie should tell you what country it came from. Make it your mission this weekend to NOTICE where your food is coming from, and make conscious choices whether you really want to buy those oranges from Mexico or not…
Support local farmers markets if you have the chance
Purchase organic meats – if you don’t see the point, watch Food Inc and then reconsider. Try and include at least 3 or 4 nights per week that are vegetarian as well.
Eat with the seasons when possible! Right now, you SHOULD be able to find some Ontario produce if you look hard enough – you might find Beets, Leeks, Carrots, Parsnips, Sweet Potato, Apples, Squash and Regular Potatoes… Oddly enough, these are all the perfect ingredients for a fabulous SOUP recipe!
It’s amazing how on my days off, I can literally consume myself in nutrition blogs/articles /websites. There is SO much information out there, you barely have to actively seek it – it just seems to find you once you dive in! And my problem is, that there is no way out once I start… but hey, that’s what days off are for right?
After teaching spin class today, I decided I wanted to check out a fabulous bakery that I had been to back in November. It’s called Cobz in the Kensington Market of Toronto.
It is abseloutly phenomenal – especially if you’re a baked good addict like me (it was nearly impossible not to buy out the ENTIRE store once I walked in!)
I ended up picking up loaf of freshly baked (still hot) loaf of whole grain chia bread. It was pure bliss when I tried it before, so I knew I had to get it again…
This bread is literally the best thing since… well, since sliced bread…
(I guess that expression doesn’t work in this case!)
Besides the chia seeds and whole wheat flour, it contains dates, raisins, sunflower seeds and cinnamon. Dreamy combination, I know!
Besides the fact that you should go out and splurge on a loaf – I also wanted to blog about the after effects of me eating this…
I try to avoid Gluten on a regular basis for a few reasons…
It’s a commonallergen for many people, though you may not even know it
It makes me feel bloated
I enjoy the taste of Gluten-Free products, often more so than regular versions
My Mom is Celiac so I’ve become accustomed to eating GF products, and think that I might have a sensitivity to it as well (though not necessarily a full blown allergy like my Mama)
Oddly enough, I did have a Gluten Allergy test done about 3 years ago (I was curious if I had it, like my Mom)
Problem was that I had cut Gluten almost entirely out of my diet for the months leading up to this test (because I knew it didn’t make me feel the greatest), and of course what I didn’t know at the time was that you actually have to be EATING whatever you’re getting tested for in order for the results to be accurate.
Seems obvious, right?Clearly not for me at the time. It would have been nice for the doctors/nurses to specify that!
The test came back negative. So I figured I had no problem with Gluten – and went on consuming it at my leisure…
But lately, I’ve noticed that often times when I do eat baked goods made with regular flour – or have a beer… My stomach is noticeably upset with me!
Without further detail, here are some signs that you might be Gluten-Intolerant…
Digestive Upset after consuming products which contain Gluten (Soy Sauce, Beer, Bread, Muffins, Lunch Meats, CousCous) – without being too descriptive this could include gas, bloating (looking like you’ve got a baby on the way, perhaps?!), and problems in the bathroom
You’re tired and lethargic after consuming it (this could be a result of many foods, gluten is a potential culprit though)
Your moods change after eating it – possible feelings of sadness or anxiety
Inflammation in your body (puffiness, joints swell up, etc.)
On the topic of inflammation, I read a really great/moving/sad/happy article from the NY times. It’s really long, so clear some time to read it though if you can. It’s about a Mom whose son was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 3 (sad, right?) and was put on medication at such a young age. She basically refused to see her son dependent on medication for the rest of his life, so she started to seek out Alternative Medicine. After much heartache, there was triumph… and they were able to treat his arthritis WITHOUT MEDICATION, and through diet and natural supplements instead.
Anyway, if you do suspect (like me) that you are either Gluten Sensitive or Intolerant – you can look into doing an Elimination Diet (on my to-do list) or you can get an IgG or IgE test which will examine all foods, and show you every allergy that you have.
My Mom did one, and found out that she was extremely sensitive to eggs – but never knew it all her life. It’s best to cut out these foods, since they are likely causing inflammation in your body (which is not pleasant for anyone)…
Anyways… that’s just more food for thought, I guess. Take it with a grain of salt and choose your battles of what bandwagon to hop on in regards to dietary choices.
