Hwo spring 2015 single by Judy Field

spring 2015

Kathy Smart

All About Gluten-Free our special feature

Hiking the Rideau | Live Longer! | For the Birds

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Editor’S Corner

Serving the greater Ottawa area since 2007

spring 2015 publisher

Judy Field EDITOR

Kinneret Globerman CONTRIBUTorS/writerS

Ethel Archard Abe and Tara Cartland Prema Gaia Sindy Hooper Devinder Kaur Samantha Maloney Nicola Maule Cynthia Paquin Kelly Reid Karen Secord Laurel-Lea Shannon Kathy Smart Jennifer Tiller DESIGN

Sandy Lynch Cover design

Character Creative PHOTOGRAPHER

Jamie Kronick

pring cleaning resolve. That’s probably top of mind for many of us this season. We usually think of it in terms of cleaning our abodes, but what about cleaning our interior “houses” — our own bodies — by considering our diets and our exercise routines (or lack of them)? This issue of Healthwise Ottawa can help you plan your body tune-ups. Our special feature on gluten-free diets includes articles on gluten sensitivities and myths, food labels and how to interpret them, an item on a local gluten-free champion and celebrity, baked goods recipes from local bakers, and a sampling of cookbooks. Our popular yoga series has something for runners, those wanting to find time for their practice, and one person’s personal journey. And our S.W.E.E.T Ambassadors are back to share their individual motivation boosters with us. Spring cleaning resolve can also mean taking up a cause. One woman’s fundraising efforts for pancreatic cancer while battling it, at the same time training for Ironman and marathon competitions, will not fail to inspire, as will local bird-savers and their efforts to rescue our accident-prone feathered friends. By the way, this issue marks the beginning of our 8th anniversary. Putting together a magazine that is informative and motivational has always been our raison d’etre and “inspiration” our battle cry. We hope this anniversary issue will inspire you to take up a battle cry of your own — whether a cause, a new or improved exercise routine, or a “cleaner” diet. Good luck! Kinneret Globerman

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She’s media savvy, entrepreneurial, and tireless. Meet Kathy Smart, Ottawa’s own gluten-free expert and cookbook author, in our feature on all things gluten-free, page 32.

Gayle Weitzman recipe contributors

bez gluten free bakery Kulture Foods The Joy of Gluten Free Voilà! Gluten-Free Bakeree Healthwise Ottawa is published seasonally by Healthwise Publications Inc. and is printed by The LoweMartin Group in Ottawa.

Cover P hoto

Jamie Kronick

Editorial Comments healthwiseottawamag@rogers.com Advertising Enquiries 613-858-4804 or healthwiseottawa.ads@rogers.com www.healthwiseottawa.com @HealthwiseOtt

All rights reserved. Reproduction of content in any form is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent of the publisher. The information provided in this publication is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice of a qualified and licensed health care provider. The views expressed herein are those of the writers and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Healthwise Publications Inc. Occasionally, Healthwise Ottawa receives unsolicited material for publication. Healthwise Publications Inc. may edit, use, or publish such material in whole or in part without compensation to the writer, unless otherwise prearranged.

4 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

s p r i n g 2 015

W H A T ’ S IN S ID E

6 Hiking on the Rideau Trail It’s right on our doorstep 10 You CAN Increase Your Healthspan Exercise really does keep your body young!

16 Finding Hope and Running With It Sindy Hooper raises awareness for pancreatic cancer 22 The S.W.E.E.T Ambassadors Revisited Their year is up; what it’s meant to them 26 Healthwise Ottawa Goes Gluten-Free Our feature includes myths exposed, food labelling, sensitivities, a profile on a champion of all things gluten-free, and gluten-free baking (recipes included) 44 The Parkdale Food Centre: Eating Safely A local food bank that accommodates health issues

49 Yoga Ed Making time for yoga — runners, too — and a personal journey 52 A Bird in Hand FLAP is taking care of the birds 56 It’s Almost Summer at the

Wild Bird Care Centre

Which means it’s aflutter with activity!

59 Health Wise Books Go all out with these gluten-free cookbooks and wow them!

Enter to win the

Spring Foodie Contest! Delicious dining at 3 local eateries

See contest details on page 63. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 5

Hiking on

t Pho

o: H

o dR

so b in

Hikers on the Arkon Loop in Frontenac Provincial Park By Ethel Archard

astern Ontario abounds with excellent hiking opportunities, but you don’t have to stray far to get to one trail that tops the list: The Rideau Trail passes through some of Eastern Ontario’s loveliest scenery, including hidden gems like Mud Lake, within the National Capital Region, and historical highlights such as the cemetery where Sir John A. Macdonald is buried. 6 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

With 387 kilometres of hiking between Kingston and Ottawa, the scenic Rideau Trail network at the Ottawa end is relatively flat, and runs mostly on paths and back roads. As it approaches Perth, the Trail becomes rougher and more remote, until it again flattens out as it enters Kingston. Difficulty levels vary from one part of the Trail to another. The Ottawa section is fairly easy, whereas some of the more rugged sections to the south are intermediate. The main route is marked with orange isosceles triangles. It goes through public land such as Frontenac Provincial Park, the Gould Lake Conservation Area, and Ottawa’s Greenbelt; it also runs along unopened road allowances and country roads. Many private landowners along the way generously allow the Trail to cross their properties. Several Blue Loops (so named because these trails are marked with blue triangles) supplement the main trail, offering an alternative route or leading to a feature of interest.

The Rideau Trail Association The Rideau Trail Association (RTA) is a not-for-profit, totally volunteer-driven organization and a founding member of Hike

the Rideau Trail Ontario. An important part of its mandate is to look after the Trail. Membership fees of $25 per year support the ongoing maintenance, improvement, extension, and protection of the Rideau Trail network. Hiking is the other major part of its mandate. Three local RTA clubs — Kingston, Central (Perth), and Ottawa — correspond to the three sections of the Trail. The clubs offer a wide range of day hikes for adults, both on the Trail and in other local areas, all volunteer-led. Outings are scheduled yearround (with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter), mostly on weekends and on Wednesdays. The Ottawa Club also offers a Tuesday evening program from mid-March through October — an ideal way to end a workday.

several days in a row to complete the Endto-End. The Kingston, Central, and Ottawa clubs also organize shorter End-to-Ends on their sections of the Trail. A good way to hike the Trail is to go with an RTA leader who knows the way and organizes the car shuttle. Of course, you can go independently, too. First, visit the RTA website and either download the trail maps for free or purchase a full set on waterproof paper. Then, plan your route together with at least one fellow hiker. You’ll likely want to go from point A to point B, so take two cars, leaving

The hikes suit a wide range of abilities, from an easy-paced urban walk to a vigorous tramp through challenging terrain. Nonmembers are welcome to try one or two hikes to decide if they want to join; the website (www.rideautrail.org) lists current outings for each club.

Go in a Group or With a Friend Once or twice a year, the RTA organizes End-to-End hikes on the 327-kilometre main route between Kingston and Ottawa. These take place over several weekends: one hike per weekend, or a series of full weekends. Local members often host other members overnight. Occasionally, seasoned hikers take

Photo: Claude Bouchard

In mossy, shaded sections of the Marlborough Forest, Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper orchids bloom during late May and early June SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 7

of Merrickville, to the canal locks in Ottawa. Each member is responsible for three to ten kilometres of trail.

Photo: Claude Bouchard

Trail maintainer Claude Bouchard built this footbridge himself. It crosses an area that floods in the spring, near Roger Stevens Drive (note the orange Rideau Trail marker) one at your end point; or, arrange for a dropoff and pick-up (there’s good cell coverage). If you need overnight accommodation, most of the parks along the way offer camping, or you can reserve a bed and breakfast. Hiking the Trail can also be a fundraising opportunity. Last July, two Kingston men, both certified personal trainers, hiked the Trail in twelve days for the Boys and Girls Club, camping along the way at designated campsites.

Maintaining the Trail RTA volunteers keep the Trail cleared, wellmarked, safe, and walkable. Ron Arsenault is the trail coordinator for the Ottawa Club. His team of twenty maintains a 125-kilometre section from Rosedale, south 8 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Arsenault’s maintenance volunteers remove fallen trees, trim overgrown brush, and ensure trail markers clearly show the way. They identify major problems such as flooding, boardwalks or bridges in need of repair, or noxious weeds that can injure hikers (wild parsnip is the latest). Sometimes, they need to reroute a section of the trail. Or, they may open new trails: last year, a spur trail leading to the largest erratic rock on this side of the Ottawa River (uncharacteristic to the area) was added to the trail at Mud Lake. Other volunteers then map route changes and incorporate them into the official maps. Flooding is a common problem. Arsenault explains: “Water is not static. A new beaver dam some distance away could cover the trail with four or five inches of water. We may not know why the water table has gone up, but we have to make the trail accessible.” When a major expenditure is required, the RTA seeks outside funding. For example, Stony Swamp is on the Rideau Trail and is also part of the National Capital Commission’s Greenbelt. A couple of years ago, when part of that trail flooded, RTA volunteers constructed a 100-metre boardwalk and the NCC provided the materials.

The Joy of Hiking Long-time RTA member Bill Murdoch has hiked the End-to-End nine times. He especially enjoys hiking the Trail in winter because the snowy walks bring back childhood memories. In 2013, he celebrated his eightieth birthday by doing a winter Endto-End in twelve and a half days.

HIKE SAFELY!

When Denise Hall, vice-chair of the Ottawa Club, did her first End-to-End, two things impressed her. “A big part of it is the people,” she says. “The hikers are interesting to talk to, and the power of the group keeps you going. Plus, some of the places you go through are so beautiful.” She notes that on some days you have to battle the elements, but completing a personal goal to walk all the way gives one a real sense of accomplishment. “It’s amazing that you can walk on a safe trail all the way HWO between Kingston and Ottawa!”

Since joining the Rideau Trail Association (RTA) in 1998, Ethel Archard has enjoyed exploring the Ottawa area on foot, including the Rideau Trail, Gatineau Park, and many other local attractions. She is one of the RTA’s volunteer hike leaders and, until last year, was the activities coordinator for the Ottawa Club.

Hike with a buddy. Who you take can add to the enjoyment; your hiking buddy can also help with navigation or emergencies. As for what you take, it all depends on how far you intend to go, the terrain, and the weather. Remember to check the forecast; thunderstorms or a high humidex should make you reconsider. Finally, let someone know where you’re going and when to expect you back. What to take Here’s the minimum: ✓ nutritious, high-calorie food and water (the warmer the weather, the more water) ✓ insect repellent ✓ emergency items, such as a first aid kit, duct tape (to protect blisters or repair almost anything), and a pocket knife. What to wear For summer day hikes: ✓ a summer-weight, long-sleeved shirt ✓ lightweight long pants so you aren’t tempted to wear short shorts, a tank top, or sandals ✓ light-coloured, breathable clothing, which is comfortable in the heat while protecting you from sun, scratches, and insects such as the ticks that carry Lyme disease a good sun hat and sturdy, ✓ comfortable hiking boots.

Photo: Holmes McCullough

What to pack Carry: ✓ a map (before you set out, use the map to plan your route) ✓ a compass ✓ your cell phone.

Bill Murdoch celebrated his eightieth birthday with an End-to-End hike — in winter!

For information on the Rideau Trail Association, visit www.rideautrail.org. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 9

You CAN Increase Your Healthspan By Laurel-Lea Shannon

e all think we know what aging looks like. It starts with grey hair and wrinkles, then continues down a slippery slope of fatigue, sore joints, and a list of chronic health problems that multiply with each birthday. None of us wants to go there.

But what if that picture is wrong? Recently, researchers from King’s College London and the University of Birmingham looked at how exercise affects health and physiology as we age. Their theory is that the decline we see in the physiological functioning of older people is not caused by longevity but by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle that has become the norm for most of the population. In other words, we’re not moving enough to stay healthy as we grow old, so our healthspan isn’t keeping pace with our lifespan. To prove their point, the researchers studied 125 highly active and healthy men and women between the ages of 55 and 79. The volunteers, mostly members of a cycling organization in the United Kingdom, were all serious recreational cyclists. To meet the criteria for the study, the men had to be able 10 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

to regularly cycle 100 kilometres in six and a half hours and the women, 60 kilometres in five and a half hours. Each participant underwent a broad spectrum of tests to measure their cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neuromuscular, endocrine, and cognitive functioning, as well as bone strength and general health and well-being. When the researchers tallied the results of the tests they found that there was no reliable way to state the age of the participants. On paper, they all looked young. That’s good news because it means that how we age isn’t set in stone. It’s malleable. The researchers were still careful to point out that aging depends on many factors: our genes, how nutritious our diets are, and access to good health care. But activity plays a significant role. How Much Is Enough?

How much exercise is enough to increase our healthspan? By moving just a bit more each day, can we tip the scales in our favour? “There’s a big body of research that shows that inactivity makes people age more quickly,”

says Kevin Wilson, an exercise physiologist, kinesiologist, and co-owner of the Peak Centre for Human Performance in Kanata. “Will an individual benefit from just moving more during the day” — by walking for 30 minutes three times a week, taking the stairs, using a standing desk rather than sitting all day, for example? “Yes, but the benefits will be minimal,” says Wilson. But if that same person increases those walks to 45 or 60 minutes a day for four, five or six days a week, you start to see significantly better health outcomes: improved fatty-acid utilization, better glucose regulation, and body weight management, which in turn bring about even more health benefits.

“I see it on a daily basis…people in their 50s or 60s with way better fitness and health than people in their 20s or 30s,” says Wilson. But it takes dedication to an active, healthy lifestyle to get there. How much activity? That’s highly individual, which is why Wilson recommends first visiting your doctor for a blood profile and then doing a fitness assessment that includes a lactate analysis. From that report, a personalized exercise and nutritional © Lightpoet | Dreamstime.com

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 11

program in line with your health and fitness goals can be developed. That way, you’ll be training at the right levels to improve your aerobic capacity, strength, and health, while avoiding injury. Three months later, have another blood test to measure important health markers such as triglycerides and cholesterol levels. © Typhoonski | Dreamstime.com

According to Wilson, there are three questions you need to answer to increase your healthspan: “What am I willing to do? What am I willing to give up? And what am I willing to moderate?” For example, how much exercise are you willing to do for how many days a week? (Wilson recommends exercising six days a week.) Are you willing to give up habits that aren’t conducive to your health, such as frequently eating out or eating dessert every day? If you’re not ready to give up certain habits, are you willing to moderate them? According to Wilson, alcohol is an issue for many people. If you’re not willing to give up drinking every day, are you willing to cut back to just a glass of wine on the weekends? Wilson’s take-away message is that most of us can increase our healthspan as we age but how much depends largely on the effort we make to exercise adequately and to eat a healthy diet. Find a Role Model

Those two steps — healthy eating and regular exercise — can have a huge impact on health. Take, for example, 74-yearold Les Humphreys. In 2014, he cycled 8,045 kilometres, cross-country skied 600 kilometres, and swam 24 kilometres. Humphreys, who heads up the Almonte © Diego.cervo | Dreamstime.com

12 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

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Increasing the Healthspan Odds Do something you enjoy:

Bicycle Club, has been cycling since he was 13 years old and raced competitively in the 1970s. A sedentary job working with computers motivated him to exercise as an adult. “I had to do something to stay active, so I cycled 40 kilometres back and forth to work and, at lunchtime, I’d go for a run,” he says. Humphreys starts his day with 30 minutes of floor exercises to strengthen his back. And he takes his dog for two brisk 2.5-kilometre walks a day. But that’s just a warm-up for his other activities, such as cross-country skiing and, in summer, regularly cycling distances of 100 to 130 kilometres in hilly Lanark County. How is Humphreys’ health? “Good. I’m not on any medications,” he says. And he’s looking forward to another season of cycling this summer. “Everybody has the potential to be healthier, more aerobically fit, and stronger,” says Wilson. The body has an amazing potential for change if you do the right things. And while Humphreys may have a genetic edge, there’s no doubt that his highly active lifestyle has contributed to his long healthspan. That’s a simple recipe most of us can follow. HWO

Laurel-Lea Shannon is a writer, the publisher of www.womenscycling.ca, and a serious cyclist. When not sitting in front of her computer, she enjoys keeping active, avidly cycling the many highways and byways found in Lanark County — no matter the distance. 14 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

• Walk briskly, run, cycle, row, swim, cross-country ski, skate, snowshoe. Find ways to exercise more throughout the day:

• Cycle or walk to work. • Exercise on your lunch break. • Take the stairs. • Use a standing desk. • Walk if you don’t need to drive. • Take up dancing. Focus on healthy nutrition:

• Eat lots of vegetables. • Choose lean meats. • Eat beans and lentils. • Add some fruit to your diet. • Minimize pasta, breads, rice, and grain products. Eliminate or moderate unhealthy dietary habits:

• Eliminate pop and fruit juices. • Moderate your alcohol consumption. • Go easy on sweets. Start an exercise program:

• Information is power; take the guesswork out of training and get evaluated. • Visit your doctor for a blood profile. • H ave a fitness assessment that includes a lactate analysis. • Work with qualified professionals who will customize an exercise program for you based on your current fitness, your goals, and what you enjoy doing; this ensures that you exercise at a level that’s right for you so that you get results, without risking injury.

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Photos: Jamie Kronick

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 15

16 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Finding Hope and Running With It By Sindy Hooper

[Editor’s note: Sindy Hooper was a main speaker at Bushtukah’s S.W.E.E.T event in April of 2014. After her address, there was not a dry eye in the house, and attendees were left with utmost admiration for the strength and courage displayed by this impressive, brave, and determined woman. We asked Sindy to share her story with Healthwise Ottawa readers.]

y name is sindy. I live in Ottawa and spend most of my time as a mom, wife, and triathlete. On January 2, 2013, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, less than a month after my fiftieth birthday. I had none of the risk factors, no significant family history of cancer, and I was in the best shape of my life, in the midst of training for the Ironman Canada 2013. Although there’d been few signs or symptoms, I’d had a tough December — first, trouble with my lumbar disc; then, a nasty cold; then, a bunch of vague gastrointestinal issues starting around Christmas. Around New Year’s, it became clear that there was something wrong; stomach cramps, diarrhea, itchy skin, weight loss, running at a 6:04-kilometre pace and feeling wiped out!

My husband Jon, a physician, saw that my eyes were jaundiced yellow, so…a whirlwind of tests ensued: ultrasound, CT scan, blood tests, and consultations. Three days after my diagnosis, I received the incredible news that my cancer had not spread from my pancreas and I was “operable.” I underwent a seven and a half hour Whipple surgery that removed half of my pancreas, one-third of my stomach, my gallbladder, part of my small intestine. It left me with a 7-inch scar down the middle of my stomach. There were microscopic bits of tumour left behind so I was scheduled for chemotherapy from mid-February until mid-September, with a break in May for 28 days of radiation. Through the spring and summer of chemo and radiation, it was swimming, biking, and running that gave me some relief from feeling like a cancer patient. I was registered for Ironman Canada; I wanted to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, make the trip out to Whistler in August with my husband and friends and, at least, do the swim! August came during my seventh month of chemotherapy and it was time to see what I could do at Ironman Canada. Jon stayed with me to make sure I didn’t push myself into an “unsafe” place and our plan was to swim,

Photo: Jamie Kronick

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 17

Photo: Courtesy of Sindy Hooper

Sindy and husband Jon cross the Ironman Canada finish line seven months after Sindy’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer bike, and jog/walk from one aid station to the next for as long as we could. I did manage to finish the 4-kilometre swim, 180-kilometre bike ride, and the 42.2kilometre run — in sixteen and a half hours, just 30 minutes shy of the midnight cut-off. It was an incredible day and an unforgettable experience. We came back to Ottawa for my last two rounds of chemotherapy, with the last one 18 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

on September 12, 2013. The previous eight and a half months had been a whirlwind of diagnostic tests, hospitals, fear, surgery, pain, chemotherapy, needles, IVs, doctors’ appointments, radiation, blood tests, and cancer centres. It had been the most exhausting, painful, scary time of my life. Since then, I’ve run a bunch of road races, raced three half-Ironmans, had another three-hour surgery, and raised just over $47,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Canada.

Customized wealth management solutions If there’s one positive thing that cancer does for you, it reminds you to live life to its fullest. Every six months, I go for a CT scan of my abdomen, pelvis, and chest, hoping that my cancer hasn’t returned. Each time doesn’t get any easier; in fact, it gets worse. With a five-year survival rate of only six per cent, I feel like each month that passes is another month that I’ve cheated death. The fear of having just another six months to live continues and cancer is never completely absent from my mind. I no longer think about the distant future; I think about today, this week. Each time I get a clear scan, I plan like crazy all the things I can pack into the next six months. Let’s just say that when my cancer does come back, I’m not going to look back with regret at the time I didn’t spend with those I love or something I didn’t do. So many of my moments now seem to have this slight shadow of darkness attached to them. The surgeries, radiation, and chemo are over, but I’m still fighting cancer. In 2013, 4,700 Canadians like me were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; 4,300 have already died. The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is only six per cent; there are no 10- or 20-year survival stats and these stats haven’t changed in 40 years. Why not? Because pancreatic cancer patients don’t live long enough to become advocates and to set up lobby groups. We don’t live long enough to generate any concern about the disease. Pancreatic cancer receives less than one per cent of national research funding.

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Pancreatic cancer does not respond well to the current treatment regimes of chemotherapy or radiation. A new treatment is desperately needed! In May 2014, I heard about Dr. John Bell’s oncolytic virus research at The Ottawa Hospital, and it’s given me a lot of hope (see sidebar on Dr. Bell). In September 2014, I decided to merge my two passions — running and helping to find a better treatment and cure for pancreatic cancer. I started a running group called Marathoners Gone Viral. My goal was to get 100 people to run the Ottawa Race Weekend marathon in May 2015, while raising awareness of pancreatic cancer and $50,000 for Dr. Bell’s research. Another very important goal for me was to inspire people to reach beyond their perceived limits; hence, the marathon. So far, we have 116 marathoners. For almost half our team, this will be their first marathon, eight are new to running, and just over 20 are training to qualify for Boston. My goal for the Ottawa marathon is to qualify for both the Boston and New York City marathons by running faster than 3:51. After the Ottawa marathon, I hope to be strong and fit enough to train for an Ironman and race one in the fall. Pancreatic cancer desperately needs a treatment that works. With the help of Marathoners Gone Viral, I will do what I can in 2015 to raise awareness and funding for this terrible disease. The fear and the hope sometimes come in to my life at the most unexpected times and catch me off guard. I begin to cry when I should be happy. I’m thankful for the smallest of things. Every new day is a gift. So as I try to reach my goals — as an athlete and as a fundraiser — I make every moment count. 20 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Please don’t put things off. Travel to the places you’ve dreamed of visiting. Work toward a goal you previously thought was not possible. Spend time with the people who make you smile. Don’t waste time being upset about things that really don’t matter. If you don’t like something in your life, change it. Be positive. Be thankful. Love your life and make every moment count! [Editor’s note: If you’d like to follow Sindy’s progress on all fronts, you can read her blog HWO at http://lifetri.blogspot.ca.]

Pancreatic Cancer: The Facts › Pancreatic cancer is Canada’s fourthleading cause of cancer death and is projected to be the second-leading cause by 2030. › 13 people are newly diagnosed daily. › It affects men and women equally. › Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of all the major cancers, with an average survival rate of 6 months (75 per cent die within the first year of their diagnosis; 92 per cent die within 5 years). › 85 per cent of patients diagnosed are not eligible for surgery. › The 5-year survival rate is only 8 per cent; for breast cancer it’s 88 per cent (breast cancer’s 10-year survival is 82 per cent). › Pancreatic cancer receives less than 1 per cent of national research funding. For more on pancreatic cancer, visit www.pancreaticcancercanada.ca.

Local Award-Winning Scientist Spearheads Cancer Virus Research Here in Ottawa Dr. Bell is a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He and his team of over 30 clinical researchers assembled from across Canada are selecting and engineering viruses that can kill pancreatic cancer tumour cells (as well as other types of cancers), without affecting normal cells (called oncolytic viruses). Instead of receiving chemotherapy for seven months and experiencing all the devastating side effects — low blood counts, anemia, risk of infection, a compromised immune system, fatigue, vomiting, hair loss, etc. — a virus would be administered only a few times, with a couple days of feeling flu-like symptoms (muscle pain, fever, headache, chills, fatigue). This method would replace chemotherapy, be more effective, and have substantially fewer side effects.

Jeff Greenberg SALES REPRESENTATIVE

The new treatments being developed from Dr. Bell’s research are directly benefitting our community by giving cancer patients in our region access to the latest clinical trials and innovations in cancer care. He is also attracting and training the next generation of Canada’s top medical researchers. These up-andcoming, locally-trained researchers, who share Dr. Bell’s determination to find new treatments that give hope to cancer patients, will no doubt also make significant contributions to the field and to our community in years to come. Dr. Bell’s research endeavours, and those of colleagues in the United States, are explored in a 42-minute video narrated by Ottawan and co-founder of Vice Media Shane Smith: http:// killingcancer.vice.com.

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aerator to cut water consumption by as much as half. • Get a high-efficiency or dual-flush toilet. • Do you have teenagers? A shower timer will help cut back water usage. • Update lighting with either compact fluorescents or LEDs; both last longer and use far less power than incandescent lighting.

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 21

They’re Back! The S.W.E.E.T Ambassadors Revisited Remember our S.W.E.E.T Ambassadors from the winter issue? They were the five local women chosen by Bushtukah out of about 100 hopefuls to inspire Ottawa women to get fit and get active. We’ve caught up with them to find out what kept them motivated throughout their year-long experience, and for any fitness tips they might have for the rest of us. The five S.W.E.E.T Ambassadors of fitness

Photos: Jamie Kronick

Erin Gagné “Set small fitness goals. Once you accomplish them, it will encourage you to set new fitness goals. Don’t ever set goals that you can’t achieve; you don’t want to set yourself up for failure. Small goals can be simple things like walking three times per week or signing up for a spin class once per week. “Find a fitness buddy to get you started. Keep each other motivated and accountable. This buddy can be your dog, spouse, child, or friend. Make a deal with them; write it down if you need to. Once you feel the “high,” so to speak, then encourage others to become active with you. Other people’s success is very addictive! “This might sound cheesy, but I love reading inspirational quotes. My favorite is: ‘If I quit now, I will soon be back to where I started, and when I started, I was desperately wishing to be where I am now.’” 22 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

S .W. E . E .T A m b assa dor s

Virinder Kasbia “Buy a blank book, a pedometer or fun gadget (iWatch), a nice workout T-shirt. Having something fun may be motivational. Then start a goal. MyFitnessPal is a free app which allows you to track your exercise and calories. And you can reach out and gain support, not only from the app, but you have the option of connecting with others with similar fitness goals and nutritional goals. You become part of a community, you motivate each other; you will make each other accountable! “Do things as a family such as hiking, biking. If you like to travel, have a fitness event at your destination or make your destination active. Make workout music playlists, attend live sporting events, be a spectator. I also think that along with fitness comes good food choices; they go hand in hand. “I make sure that where I travel, there are paths, routes, or a local pool/gym. I’m trying new things and setting new goals.”

Jocelyne Letain “It’s hard for me to be motivated. This is definitely a challenge for me, as I haven’t conquered the mental aspect. I agree with Vince Lombardi who said: ‘The good Lord gave you a body that can stand almost anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.’ Especially this winter, I don’t even want to leave the house! If that happens and I’m sitting on the couch, I’ll convince myself to…jump on my bike trainer…beside the couch, and it’s just as easy to watch the TV from there. “I get my workout gear together the night before or the morning of, so when I get home I’m more likely to hit the gym, head out for a run, etc. “Friends…help get me out the door. They’ll give me a shout every once in a while to go for a hike in Gatineau Park, do a trail run at Mer Bleu, or go kayaking on the Ottawa River.” SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 23

S .W. E . E .T A m b assa dor s

Lauren McCusker “Find something you enjoy and expand on that. It’s a lot easier to stay motivated…when you’re enjoying what it is you’re doing! “Join clubs, or hiking clubs, running/walking groups, cycling clubs. It’s a great way to make new (and active!) friends, make fitness more fun, and motivate yourself to keep going. “To making fitness a lifelong habit, it’s important to be realistic about what you can conceivably fit in to your day-to-day life! We all have very busy lives, with families, work, and other responsibilities. It can be difficult to figure out how to squeeze activity into an already jampacked schedule. So make it easier for yourself. Do you have a gym near your office? Can you get outside for a walk or run on your lunch break? By incorporating activity in to your day-to-day, it’s a lot easier to see the benefits quickly, which will keep you motivated and make fitness a lifelong love!”

Tamara Tarasoff “It can be intimidating to set fitness goals. We see ultrafit people on the cover of magazines; we learn about their demanding, long, daily workouts, and it may make us think that a fitness goal has to be something impressive, like running a marathon or doing a triathlon. The most important thing is to set a goal that works for you. I tell myself to simply start now. It does not matter if I missed a day — or even a week, or more. “ I think it’s important that people remember that any type of activity counts and that you have to find something that fits your life stage and life situation. I think it is important to be flexible. You don’t have to be in a gym and you don’t have to take two hours out of each day. A walk, a hike, a few stretches — those are all great activities.” HWO

24 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

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Healthwise Ottawa

Goes Gluten-Free

“C

eliac disease” and “gluten-free” (GF) were unfamiliar terms not so long ago. Those unlucky enough to be Celiac or have gluten sensitivities had to contend with unappetizing or bland diets. Not so these days. With many people on the GF bandwagon — whether by necessity or by choice — there is now a wealth of products to enjoy and eating GF can now be an appetizing experience. But with its new-found popularity, myths abound. As does the overwhelming accessibility of information and processed products. To help our readers find their way through the maze, we’ve put together a feature on the subject. International maven on all things GF, local resident Kathy Smart has made it her life goal to champion GF cooking and eating, and busts the myths that surround this type of diet. You’ll also read about how to decode food labels, the challenging “journeys” of three local women with gluten sensitivities, a local food bank that accommodates food issues — GF included, and salivate over some tasty recipes that you can whip up on your own. We also give you a small sampling of some of the terrific GF cookbooks on the market. GF has never been this easy!

26 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Busting Those Gluten-Free Myths By Kathy Smart

here was a time when the words “gluten-free” were rarely used in mainstream talk and media, and uttered only in medical circles and by those diagnosed with Celiac disease. Not so many years ago, few of us even knew what gluten was, let alone how to say it! Now, from actors to athletes, individuals are touting the benefits of the gluten-free diet to lose weight and feel good overall. And now, too, more and more grocery aisles, blogs, recipes, and cookbooks are dedicated to the subject. Celebrities and athletes are even endorsing gluten-free eating as a way to improve athletic performance. They tout many benefits — from enhanced sleeping and better digestion, to increased game recovery and mental clarity. Quarterback for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints Drew Brees and even top tennis player

Novak Djokovic are among those who have been vocal about how being gluten-free has helped them to up their game. The Myths Like anything that goes mainstream, many questions arise, and myths and folklore abound. Let’s cover the top four myths of the gluten-free diet and shed some light on this much-needed clarification.

You will lose weight on the glutenfree diet.

This isn’t entirely a myth: If one focuses on eating healthy gluten-free whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and lean sources of protein as a healthy adaptation to the gluten-free diet, one will lose weight. Any time the body is rendered in a state of balance or health, weight loss will occur. Losing body fat and losing weight are

Photos: © Marekuliasz | Dreamstime.com

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 27

a side effect of becoming healthy and adapting to healthy, gluten-free eating. But, if you decide that eating gluten-free means gorging on gluten-free white breads, white pasta, cupcakes, and cookies laden with sugar, you will not lose weight. A gluten-free cupcake is still a cupcake.

Gluten-free options are healthier… always.

This just isn’t true; it’s a common misconception and myth. Just because a product declares itself to be “gluten-free” on the label, do not automatically assume it is healthier. Always take a look at the ingredients list. If you see white rice flour in the first three ingredients, it is a high glycemic product. “High glycemic” means that it will cause your blood sugar to skyrocket, only to have it crash a short time later, leaving you craving more sugar and sweets. Many gluten-free processed products use white rice flour and white sugar as a cheap filler, and are devoid of muchneeded protein and fibre to leave you satiated. Whether gluten-free or not, if it is a highly processed product, it is not healthier. Look instead for gluten-free products that are made with healthy gluten-free whole grains such as quinoa, teff, amaranth, sorghum, chickpea flour, and others.

If I avoid bread, I am not ingesting gluten.

This is a very common myth; people unfamiliar with the gluten-free diet assume that bread is the only product in which gluten lurks. Adapting a gluten-free diet means recognizing the ingredients in which hidden gluten can occur. • Malt is derived from barley. 28 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

• Hydrolyzed vegetable/plant protein (HVP/ HPP) is sometimes made from wheat starch. • B aking powder contains wheat starch, which contains gluten. • Spices and seasonings may contain flour if not listed individually on a label.

Gluten-free foods are tasteless and dry.

This is absolutely false! There have been many meals that I have cooked for family and friends who had no idea they were eating gluten-free dishes and were shocked when I told them after the fact. The trick with gluten-free cooking is to follow a gluten-free recipe and ensure in your baking that you are using eggs or a vegan egg substitute so that the recipe remains moist. The Last Word So now you know the myths and why they don’t tell the whole truth about what it means to eat a gluten-free diet. Whether you believe the athletes who claim the diet helps them perform better, or the celebrities who swear by the diet’s resultant feelings of physical wellbeing, a gluten-free diet is a healthy way to HWO eat. Take my word for it! Kathy Smart is a certified nutritionist, holistic chef (who hosted the first-ever gluten-free show), fitness trainer, and contributor to Global Television Network and Chatelaine magazine. She recently launched her own food line, which is carried locally by Metro, Whole Foods Market, and natural food stores. Find out more at www.livethesmartway.com.

Five Easy Steps to Going Gluten-Free 1. S witch the classic spaghetti dinner wheat pasta for brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta. Make sure to rinse the pasta very well for better results.

2. S kip the bread rolls and opt for a baked potato or sweet potato, instead, for a healthier gluten-free option.

3. Choose healthy, gluten-free grains like quinoa, brown rice, or amaranth instead of a side of pasta or bread and cook them in your rice cooker in vegetable broth for a simple gluten-free side dish. Or, look for products made with these healthier gluten-free ingredients.

4. F ind a healthy, gluten-free bread and switch out your regular wheat bread for a gluten-free alternative. (Look for at least 4 grams of fibre per serving.)

5. S ee it as an exploration of new recipes and foods to try. Above all, remember to live life deliciously!

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 29

Be an Ingredient Reader for the Good of Your Health By Jennifer Tiller

owadays, many shoppers check food labels for salt and sugar content in an effort to make smart food choices. However, if you are someone who suffers from Celiac disease or have a gluten sensitivity, knowing how to read ingredient lists is an essential tool to maintaining your health. Following a gluten-free diet is the only way those suffering from Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity are able to avoid symptoms or health complications. Wheat, rye, and barley — the cereals that must be avoided on a gluten-free diet — are common ingredients added to foods but can also be present as a result of cross-contamination. Wheat, especially, is surprisingly used in a wide variety of unlikely foods. In order to avoid adverse health effects, consumers required to follow a gluten-free diet need to review food labels carefully. Shopping for gluten-free products used to require more detective work. Now, thanks to Canada’s new allergy and gluten labelling regulations introduced in 2012, ingredients affecting those with Celiac disease are required by law in Canada to be listed on food labels. These ingredients have to be identified either in the ingredients list or the “contains” statement. All packaged food sold in Canada, regardless of where it was manufactured, must adhere to the new regulations.

30 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) offers many helpful tips for label reading on its website (www.celiac.ca). The CCA advises shoppers to start by reading the warnings on labels and look for wheat, rye, barley, oats, or gluten. If any of these are listed in the “contains” or “may contain” statements, the product does not fall under the glutenfree category. If there is no such statement, shoppers must check the ingredients list and look for wheat, rye, barley, or oats. Again, if any of these products are listed, the product is not gluten-free. Oats, it should be noted, present some problems regarding whether or not they can be considered part of a gluten-free diet. If oats are listed, people have to assume they may be contaminated with gluten unless they are identified as pure, uncontaminated oats. However, as regulations stand now, even pure, uncontaminated oats cannot be called glutenfree in Canada. A proposed amendment by Health Canada may soon allow pure, uncontaminated oats to be considered safe for a gluten-free diet. The CCA reminds consumers that manufacturers do change ingredients every so often, so it is necessary to check labels every time you buy a product. Also, there are foods

that people may not expect to contain gluten but do. Again, reading the label removes any guesswork. Marion Zarkadas knows first-hand the challenges of shopping glutenfree. She was diagnosed with adultonset Celiac disease in 1989. Before she retired from her job as a food specialist with the Canadian Food © bst2012 - Fotolia.com Inspection Agency in 2001, she was instrumental in developing Canada’s A shopper checks ingredients for gluten position paper on allergy and gluten labelling that became the basis for the new product to save the package and report it to labelling regulations. She also co-authored the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. the CCA’s gluten-free pocket dictionary with Dr. A. J. Campbell, a Canadian pioneer Zarkadas acknowledges that buying glutenin Celiac research. The dictionary was an free can be expensive, and that processed essential resource for people shopping gluten- gluten baked goods often contain large amounts of fat and sugar in order to maintain free before the regulations came into place. their shelf life. Fortunately for Zarkadas, Zarkadas says people who are shopping and she likes to cook and bake, and makes the eating gluten-free have to be wary when majority of her food from scratch. making food choices. Wheat, as mentioned, Following a gluten-free diet is not easy at is used in a wide variety of foods many people first, Zarkadas says, and she encourages would not expect such as artificial crab, bacon people to get help from a dietician or through bits, prepared meats, soy sauce, and licorice. resources provided from the CCA. She adds “If you are not sure, it is best not to take that her extensive research on the impact of chances,” she says. a gluten-free diet among the thousands of Her rule of thumb is to only buy products people with Celiac disease shows the huge labelled as gluten-free, and she advises anyone health benefits of following a strict gluten-free who experiences a reaction to a gluten-free diet, making all the effort worthwhile. HWO

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 31

32 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Gluten-Free the Smart Way By Nicola Maule

“Y

ou can change your life if you change what you eat…one bite at a time.” So says Ottawa’s own Kathy Smart, who is on a mission to help people everywhere live healthier lives. And people everywhere have been listening to her — whether by reading her blog, taking her online course, using her cookbook, watching her cooking show on RogersTV or as a special guest on The Dr. Oz Show as North America’s gluten-free expert. So how did Kathy Smart, who is sometimes called Canada’s answer to Rachael Ray, turn into a successful gluten-free entrepreneur with a passion for helping others feel their best? The story begins when Smart was a young child growing up in Cornwall, Ontario. At the age of twelve, Smart became very ill and was in and out of hospital with conflicting diagnoses. It was not until her mother took her to a naturopathic doctor that Celiac disease was considered. “Once I was diagnosed with Celiac and I knew there was a way for me to feel better by becoming glutenfree, I was so happy,” says Smart. “However, in the early 1990s, there were not many gluten-free options in the stores that were palatable, so I started researching and making up my own tasty recipes.”

Smart’s passion to help others in need was fuelled by her parents from a young age. They were both ministers of the church, missionaries in Central America, and wonderful role models. On several occasions, Smart would accompany her parents abroad for weeks at a time, viewing extreme poverty first-hand. This made a lasting impression on her so that she was always looking for ways to help those less fortunate whenever possible. After graduating from high school, Smart moved to Ottawa and worked at various jobs, including at a health food store. She began talking to customers and realized that many people were interested in gluten-free eating but did not have much knowledge about it. “In those early days, I recognized that I got great satisfaction from sharing my experiences with customers and some of my tried-andtrue, delicious, gluten-free recipes made with easy-to-find ingredients.” She then worked in fitness and nutrition with the City of Ottawa and took courses to become a registered nutritionist, holistic chef, and fitness trainer. While at the City, she again saw an opportunity to help people eat better so they could feel better, and a light bulb went off. “I started to toss around the idea of creating a gluten-free cookbook and

Photo: Jamie Kronick

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 33

was encouraged to do so by my mother,” The trend today in food is to get back to says Smart. “At this point, I was married and basics, which means making meals from had taken my husband’s last name ‘Smart.’ fresh food, with no preservatives, as this We found out we could not have children is the best fuel for one’s body. This has so I needed something to keep me busy. The always been Smart’s approach and in the timing was perfect to take on the cookbook next five years she hopes to continue to help project.” In 2006, she and her husband others adopt back-to-basics cooking by mortgaged their house and Smart created hosting Live the Smart Way Expos in cities her Live the Smart Way cookbook filled with across North America. She would also love healthy and delicious gluten-free recipes, to have her own television show on Food and nutritional facts and tips. It went on to Network Canada and an expanded glutenfree line of food products in become a best-seller and is now in its second edition, with over 90 “To me, cooking is mainstream grocery stores. gluten-free, as well as vegan and an art form and “On a personal level, in five years vegetarian, recipes. I would like to be living closer to

I use a palate

my parents, in a log house along Smart has always created her of flavours.” the river in Wakefield, with own recipes and she says her kitchen can get a little messy when her two huskies. I am enjoying the travel and the creative juices are flowing. “To me, cooking recognition I have earned as North America’s is an art form and I use a palate of flavours. I gluten-free expert, but really I am a down-tohave the toughest taste-tester, my dad, who is earth homebody at heart.” a meat-and-potatoes eater. If he gives me the The demand for gluten-free food is growing thumbs-up on a new recipe, then I know I and it is a trend that is not going away. With have a winner.” Smart — a picture of health at the helm of Things really started to take-off for Smart in 2011 when she became a sought-after international speaker and hosted the world’s first gluten-free cooking show on RogersTV. In 2013, she was invited to appear on The Dr. Oz Show. Smart now has an Ottawa-based team that runs like a well-oiled machine to help her develop and deliver online webcourses, and the new Live the Smart Way Expo that debuts in Ottawa in April. “I have been able to branch out in many ways to spread my healthy living message, thanks to an amazing team of experts who are creative and professional,” she says. 34 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

the gluten-free movement, with her glowing skin, energy, and fitness trainer body — she and her team will no doubt continue to inspire others to change what they eat, be HWO more active, and feel better.

For more information on living the smart way, visit Smart’s website at www. livethesmartway.com or Smart’s Facebook page Live The Smart Way. You can also follow her on Twitter @Smart_Kitchen.

Live the Smart Way Expo April 18 to 19, 2015 Shaw Centre (55 Colonel By Drive) This health and wellness show, presented by Sobeys, is a one-stop-shop for people looking for ways to maintain or take the first step toward a healthy lifestyle. The Expo will feature over 165 exhibitors showcasing their healthy living products and services, as well as a variety of informative speakers who will inspire you to improve your lifestyle this spring. Speakers include Ottawa’s fitness guru Tony Greco, ultimate marathoner and adventurer Ray Zahab, raw food expert and TEDx speaker Natasha Kyssa, nutritionist and cookbook author Michelle Vodrazka, and gluten-free expert and nutritionist Kathy Smart. Entrance tickets are free online before April 18, 2015 and $10 at the door. A portion of the entry fee will be donated to a local charity Kathy Smart co-founded called Ottawa People in Need (OPIN Concept, www.opinconcept.com). If you are looking to be motivated to eat smart, move smart, and live smart, visit www.livethesmartwayexpo.com for more information on the speaker schedule and list of exhibitors.

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1:30 - 3:00 pm Nutrition and Health: The Fundamentals: Holistic Nutrition for Optimal Health With Ann Gilvary, NNCP

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www.instituteofholisticnutrition.com SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 35

Have Your (GF) Cakeâ&#x20AC;Ś and Eat It, Too! By Samantha Maloney

luten-free food has a bad rap, especially the baking. In the past, it commonly tasted like sawdust or cardboard, was dense or gummy, and terrible-tasting overall. Sadly, the rap was well-earned. When I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy 15 years ago, I was only able to find one kind of wheat-free bread, heavy as a brick, and a brand of rice noodles that clumped together as soon as they hit the water. No amount of salt or oil could prevent the pasta from looking like a malformed brain. Fast forward to 2010 when gluten-free bakers began to surface with fabulous products and stores started carrying better varieties of goods. Now, in 2015, while those of us who are Celiac or have gluten sensitivities must still read labels, we also 36 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

find ourselves standing in the food display aisles wondering which delicious gluten-free goodies to take home with us. Baking is a science. Add too little or too much of something and your dessert is ruined. Gluten-free baking is even more finicky. Wheat is the ideal grain for baking, with perfect density, rise, airiness, some natural starch, and the right amount of gluten for stickiness and some more rise. Without gluten, bakers are left to use a combination of gluten-free flours and starches to mimic wheat flour. In the past, this posed a few problems: the flours were not always easy to find, they were expensive, and they were needed in the right combination. If you wanted to bake, you

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NEW We also offer an extensive used what gluten-free flours and starches you could find. If you couldn’t find one, you may have substituted another and crossed your fingers for success. You would have done the same if you were a little short of one flour or starch. Unfortunately, no gluten-free flour and starch on its own mimics wheat. A little of this and some of that is needed for the perfect combination; otherwise, the result can affect density and taste. Cost also remains a major hindrance with gluten-free baking. Today, ingredient prices are still considered expensive, so I can only imagine what it was like 15, 20, or 40 years ago. That wheat-free bread back in 2000 cost $8 — a one and a half hour’s worth of minimumwage work!

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It was a frustrating time. As someone who grew up with my Nana’s delicious banana bread and sugar cookies, I refused to eat the gluten-free garbage I found. Instead of feeling sad and sorry for myself, I got quite annoyed. If I paid $8 for a loaf of glutenfree bread that tasted like cardboard, it was a waste of my money. I believe some bakeries at the time thought, “Well, they’ll still eat it because it’s better than nothing.” Sorry, I don’t think so! If I’m paying $3 for a cookie, it had better knock my socks off. And I wasn’t alone. Over time, those who wanted their gluten-free sweets demanded they tasted good and if the items tasted awful they were going to say something about it. And some people, like me, knew they could make better baked goods than what was commercially available. The availability and variety of gluten-free flours and starches has improved over time. And although they are still much more expensive than wheat-based products, glutenfree products now cost less than before. In one sense, the current gluten-free fad may have helped with supply and demand — with the public’s desire to follow a celebrity’s gluten-free diet, for example. With lower prices, bakers are more likely to be persistent when experimenting with different flour and starch combinations. Gluten-free cookbooks are more numerous now, too, and most include “flour blends.” Back in 1990, Bette Hagman gave Celiacs a flour blend that consisted of two cups of white rice flour, two-thirds of a cup of potato 38 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

starch, and one-third of a cup of tapioca starch. It worked perfectly. Cookbooks since have used a similar variation of that gluten-free flour blend, some swapping starches for healthier flours like sorghum, millet, quinoa, and chickpea. There is only one criticism I have of Hagman’s blend: it’s all white. Switch it up and use brown rice flour for more nutritional value. Now, many commercial blends use a variety of different gluten-free flours and starches. It’s easier to find one you like. If you are a frustrated gluten-free baker, it may not be your fault. It may be the glutenfree flour blend or the recipe itself. I once bought a gluten-free baking book by a very reputable American cooking school, but after six disastrous recipes I threw it out — and I had never thrown out a cookbook before! Gluten-free baking has gotten easier and tastier. Its bad-rap days are thankfully over and we’re all reaping the rewards — even those of us without gluten-free sensitivities. HWO

Samantha Maloney was diagnosed with gluten intolerance in 2009 — years after her wheat allergy was diagnosed. She is the owner of bez gluten free bakery (w w w.be z glutenf ree. com) and coordinator of Gluten Free Utopia, which takes place May 31, 2015 at the Ukrainian Banquet Hall (www. glutenfreeutopia.com).

ou’ve read the articles and learned about labelling and how easy it is these days to be gluten-free. Now, here are some recipes for you to try. We’ve asked local bakers to give us some of their favourites. Whether you’re Celiac, have a gluten sensitivity, or just want to try something new, we’re sure you’ll find these baked goods “sweet.” Gluten-free never tasted so good!

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bez gluten free bakery

gluten-free recipe

www.bezglutenfree.com

Photo: bez gluten free bakery

Lemon Blueberry Loaf Makes 8 to 12 slices

½ cup butter, softened ½ cup sugar 2 eggs Grated rind of one lemon or 1½ teaspoons lemon extract 1½ cups gluten-free flour blend ¾ teaspoon guar gum ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ to ¾ cup blueberries ½ cup milk

40 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in eggs, then add lemon zest. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add blueberries and toss to coat in flour mixture. Add the flour and milk to the butter mixture using 3 dry and 2 wet additions. Mix well. Pour into an 8-inch x 4-inch loaf-pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Note: This sweet loaf isn’t our most popular at shows, but it is our most custom-ordered item. We prefer using frozen blueberries because they pop when they bake, releasing juices and flavour. Stock up on local blueberries in the summer to freeze throughout the year.

Kulture Foods

gluten-free recipe

www.kulturefoods.com

Photo: Kulture Foods

Cheddar Biscuits Makes 12 biscuits

¾ cup white rice flour ¾ cup sorghum flour ¾ cup potato starch 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon psyllium powder (or ½ teaspoon xanthan gum) ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces 1 cup shredded, sharp cheddar cheese 2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat® (a silicon, reusable baking mat). In a medium-size bowl, combine rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, psyllium powder or xanthan gum, baking soda, and garlic powder. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives criss-crossed to cut the butter into peasized crumbs (or measure flours into your food processor and pulse to combine, add butter, and pulse until pea-sized crumbs). Put the mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in the cheese, then the buttermilk. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drop large spoonfuls onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are golden. Do not over-bake! SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 41

The Joy of Gluten Free

gluten-free recipe

www.thejoyofglutenfree.com

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins Makes 18 small or 12 large muffins

2½ cups of JOY all-purpose flour* 1 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini 1 cup cooking oil (sunflower, safflower, canola, etc.) 3 eggs (substitute ¾ cup applesauce if you are unable to tolerate egg) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup of chocolate chips Optional: ½ cup nuts or dried fruit, such as cranberries Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium-size bowl. Mix the zucchini, oil, eggs (or egg substitute), and vanilla extract together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stir with a spatula until just mixed. Add the chocolate chips, along with the nuts or dried fruit, if desired, and mix. Grease the muffin tins well with margarine, or use a paper muffin cup. Scoop the muffin mixture evenly into 18 muffin cups for smaller muffins, or into 12 for larger ones. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when the muffins are done. The egg-free applesauce “vegan” version will need a few minutes extra in the oven. *JOY all-purpose flour is available at The Joy of Gluten Free’s two locations (617 Bank St. and 250 Greenbank Rd.). The flour works in all wheat recipes and substitutes cup for cup. It is made from certified flours and has xanthan gum already in it.

Photo: The Joy of Gluten Free

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Note: Susan Phipps, owner of The Joy of Gluten Free, prefers the egg-free applesauce version of her chocolate chip zucchini muffins best, and ate a few too many while testing this recipe.

Voilà! Gluten-Free Bakeree

gluten-free recipe

www.voilaglutenfreebakeree.com

Photo: Voilà! Gluten-Free Bakeree

Chocolate Vegan Cake Serves 6 to 8

2 cups white sugar ¾ cup organic fair trade cocoa powder, sifted ¾ cup white rice flour ½ cup sweet white rice flour ½ cup arrowroot flour ¾ cup cornstarch 1 tablespoon egg replacer (you can use cornstarch, potato starch, or guar gum) 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon xanthan gum ½ cup vegetable oil 1 cup rice milk 2 teaspoons vanilla ¾ cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Chocolate Icing 2 cups organic powdered sugar ¼ cup vegetable shortening ¼ cup rice milk ¾ cup cocoa powder ½ teaspoon vanilla

Trim the edges of both cakes. Once the icing is ready, spread it evenly on top of one of the cakes. Carefully place the other cake on top and add the remainder of icing to cover the rest of the cake.

Mix together sugar, cocoa powder, flours, cornstarch, egg replacer, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a bowl. Pour vegetable oil, rice milk, and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients, turn the electric mixer on to low, and gradually add the hot water. Keep the machine on a low speed for roughly 2 minutes, until it reaches a smooth, shiny texture. Pour into two 8-inch, round, greased cake pans evenly. Bake for 28 minutes. In a mixing bowl, cream the powdered sugar with the vegetable shortening until the mixture is thick but well-combined. Add the rice milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and continue to mix until smooth.

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Photos: Jamie Kronick

44 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Eating Safely By Karen Secord

onia Rocque winces when she recalls the week her body turned on her.

“I was so sick. I couldn’t eat for five days and I had no idea what was wrong with me,” she says. Concerned that her health wasn’t improving, Rocque visited her family physician, who suggested that she slowly reintroduce food and report back on the results. “The next morning, my family was enjoying a pancake breakfast. I was really hungry so I tried a very small amount.” The effect was immediate and severe: intense stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Fortunately, Rocque’s doctor recognized the signs and prescribed a gluten-free diet. “I didn’t know anything about gluten-intolerance or Celiac disease, and I sure couldn’t afford the test,” admits Rocque, a low-income earner. “But I knew I had to do something.” Until then, she had always blamed her escalating “tummy troubles” on PMS or hormones. Francine Courville has a similar story. “I suspected that gluten was responsible for my ongoing health issues since 1984,” she says. Recurring yeast infections and then a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome deflected from the real source of the problem.

Already a slight woman, Courville admits to getting to a point where she actually feared food. Eventually, she shrunk to a shockingly low 95 pounds. “It was so discouraging. Nothing doctors told me to do made a difference. I had no energy, terrible indigestion, bloating, and cramps.” I can relate to both Rocque’s and Courville’s stories, and their frustration. One of my most powerful memories of travelling in Europe in 2006 is of popping Imodium like candy and guzzling Pepto-Bismol. Both became this odd security blanket — an attempt to mask my digestive problems and enjoy eating without the “unpredictable” consequences. I didn’t have a clue what was causing my daily bouts of diarrhea and dizzying exhaustion. I only knew that it happened each and every time I ate. Just like Rocque and Courville, it took years before I woke up to the unexpected source of my stomach woes. Fortunately, I have relatively easy access to the good food I need to stay healthy. If I feel like bread, I might spend eight dollars for a loaf made of rice and potato starch. And if I feel like making oatmeal muffins, my pantry contains wheat-free, worry-free oatmeal. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 45

Unfortunately, it is not always that easy for Rocque and Courville and countless others who struggle to eat real food within the confines of a restricted diet and limited income. What if the pasta, cans of chicken noodle soup, and packaged cookies food banks traditionally distribute make your stomach bloat, your head ache, and the bathroom become your second home? What if coming to a food bank to stave off hunger makes you sick? Providing a place where our neighbours with special dietary requirements can access appropriate and nourishing food has become increasingly important at the Parkdale Food Centre. Located in Hintonburg, the Centre is part of the Ottawa Food Bank’s distribution network and serves Hintonburg, Mechanicsville, the Civic Hospital, as well as the Wellington West neighbourhoods. It provides an emergency food service and cooking programs. “We believe we can and must do better than provide people who are struggling in poverty with food that makes them ill,” explains Registered Holistic Nutritionist Sue Hall. “We really do our best to offer ingredients

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that are useful in preparing meals rather than just handing out processed meals, which often contain wheat as a common filler.” Thanks to the power of social media, local Canadian Celiac Association members, bez gluten free bakery, and other generous donors make regular and significant donations to the Parkdale Food Centre’s “special diet” area. “We tend to focus on fresh foods anyway,” says Hall, a Centre board member. “Our ‘Market’ always showcases several kinds of fruits and vegetables. We also make every effort to have eggs, milk, yogourt, beans, and meat on hand. And we feature a ‘Food of the Month’ that is good for most diets.” Today, both Rocque and Courville report feeling healthier and having more energy. “I now treat food as medicine. It helps prevent illness and maintain good health,” says Courville, after two decades of working to understand this complicated relationship. “To a large degree, the Parkdale Food Centre has played a role in how I feel. I definitely have access to appropriate food here. The crockpot and the cooking workshops have been really helpful, and I have gained 20 pounds.”

On this day, Chef Patrick Garland, owner of Absinthe Café and Ottawa’s 2014 Gold Medal Plates winner, is working with a group of 23 participants at the Centre to create a menu of homemade focaccia bread, carrot soup, chicken cacciatore, and chocolate chip cookies. The atmosphere is lively. There are lots of questions. When they sit down to enjoy the meal, Rocque and Courville forgo the bread and cookies, concentrating on the main course. The chef has slightly adjusted the recipes to suit their needs; while the rest of the workshop participants are given wheat flour to recreate the days’ recipes, Courville and Rocque are given rice flour. “The information I’ve received at the Parkdale Food Centre is priceless,” says Rocque. “I’m learning what to do with healthy alternatives through the classes, and I love coming here because it’s very social.” “No one wants to be sick,” says Hall. “At the Centre, food access also means good food education and active participation. It’s not hard to listen to the needs of people and to respond with kindness.” HWO

Karen Secord manages the Parkdale Food Centre — a place where people come together to access good food by sharing, contributing, cooking, learning, and eating.

Good Food Helping Good People Located within the Somerset West Community Health Centre, the Parkdale Food Centre is committed to engaging people of all economic and ethnic backgrounds in a conversation about poverty reduction. To learn more about the Centre, visit www. parkdalefoodcentre.ca. You can sign up to receive the Fresh Press e-newsletter, learn about their services, or find out how to get involved in their diverse programs.

Absinthe Café’s Chef Patrick Garland (in tuque) leads a food preparation workshop at the Parkdale Food Centre — one of the Centre’s many food education activities

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 47

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Obstacles — Gems of Wisdom in Disguise! By Devinder Kaur

magine waking up each morning at sunrise, stepping out onto the patio that overlooks the ocean, surrounded by lush flowering plants, and unrolling your mat in the warmth of the sun to start your daily yoga practice. It paints a nice picture but perhaps not a realistic one for all of us in our day-to-day lives. Patanjali’s yoga Sutras described that there are nine obstacles on the path of discovery. These are things that pull you away from your practice. Sometimes they appear one at a time, sometimes one leads to another. Some are things you notice physically in your body; for instance disease, dullness, and laziness. Others are attitudes and movements of the mind such as doubt, carelessness, detachment, and false perception. Many students tell me that they feel pressured by not having enough time to practise. Time is short and precious. But time doesn’t run out; it is spent according to the choices we make. It is important to prioritize uninterrupted personal time for yourself. To work yoga into your life more often, commit to attending one or two yoga classes per week. Group classes and private lessons are motivating and supportive of your goals. Spending 30 minutes at home twice a week for your own yoga practice requires more selfdiscipline than a group practice, but it can

offer greater scheduling flexibility. At home, set a timer for a small amount of time to begin and let your family know that you will not be available until the timer goes off, unless there is a real emergency. Notice if this is difficult for you to do and create awareness around this observation. Your practice doesn’t need to be on the mat. Consider the quality of your time spent. Five to ten minutes of surfing the Internet could be spent sitting in silence at your desk, in quiet reflection, or doing some chair yoga. Take mindful moments in the day to pause and breathe deeply. Listen to guided meditation and relaxation recordings or have tranquil music playing in the background. Notice how you feel on the days you’ve taken a class or done a small practice versus when you’ve opted to head to the couch, TV, fridge, and Internet to decompress. The ability to stay with something that you know is good for you will make you feel good about yourself and give you the motivation to keep going. Devinder Kaur is a certified hatha and kundalini yoga teacher and lead teacher trainer in Ottawa. She is the director and owner of PranaShanti Yoga Centre. For more information, visit www.pranashanti.com. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 49

Love Running? Love Yoga! By Abe and Tara Cartland

t is in our nature as humans to run. Have you ever seen toddlers discover that they can run for the first time, and how much joy it brings to their faces? As adults, many of us are able, still, to tap into the exhilarating high that running can bring. Yet it’s surprising that such a basic human movement is linked to so much discomfort: it’s estimated that every year, upwards of 50 per cent of runners will experience injury. Running, like most physical activities, requires our muscles and joints to be both flexible and stable. A runner often experiences joint pain and tightness or shortening in the muscles, especially in the varied muscles of the legs, hips, and lower back. As the tension builds and is not relieved, the chances of injury increases as the musculoskeletal system becomes out of balance. Repetitive stress injuries are common. Many simply give up the joy of running because of the discomfort, but what if they were to add in a practice that can enhance their experience, reduce the tensions in the body, and improve their running times? Yoga is the perfect complement to running. Known for its ability to increase range of motion, yoga is a well-sequenced practice that can also help develop strength in a balanced way to the body, and increase stability for a safe and smooth run. Yoga teaches us breathing techniques to increase our lung capacity and optimize our breath for increased efficiency and relaxation. 50 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

Best of all, yoga trains us in mindfulness, mental control, and relaxation, even during times of physical stress or tension. When we are in a tense state of mind, the body isn’t able to use its resources efficiently. By learning to relax into movement, we conserve strength and energy, giving us the gift of more endurance. A relaxed runner is a faster runner! There are so many varied styles of yoga offered that you can tailor your practice around the seasons of running. Clocking heavy miles training for a marathon? Then slow down your yoga practice to include more relaxing yin postures and allow your body the time it needs to recover from a heavy run. When you aren’t running as often, then cross-train with a stronger, more intense hatha yoga practice. Add yoga to balance your running routine and discover how much stronger, happier, and more relaxed your body and mind can be!

Abe and Tara Cartland are the owners of Rama Lotus Yoga Centre. They believe that yoga is a lifestyle that can bring peace and greater enjoyment to our lives. It is a great honour for them to be able to share it with others.

My Journey With Yin Yoga By Prema Gaia

oga has played a profound role in my personal journey of healing, awakening, and embodiment. When I went through a life transition that brought me through waves of depression and anxiety, yoga was there to catch me, to ground me, and to help integrate the whirl of challenges, changes, and uncomfortable emotions. At a time when it took all I had in me just to get myself onto the mat, yin yoga was a modality that incorporated such an essence of nurturance, stillness, and deep release that it was powerful “medicine” for me, not just on a physical level but also on emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle speaks about the “pain body” and how, by observing sadness, grief, trauma, and fear arising in the body without identifying with it or getting caught up in a mental analysis of it, we can transform and release this suffering and come into deeper peace and balance. Yin yoga — a gentle, meditative form of yoga that holds poses for three to five minutes or longer, and helps students come more fully into their bodies and cultivate inner stillness — can be a profound tool in this process. I felt such resonance with what I was learning and experiencing that when I discovered that yin yoga teacher training was being offered at my yoga studio, I felt

sparked by the opportunity. Because yin yoga is a more simple form of yoga than other more traditional styles, the training is very accessible and is generally two weekends long. This felt like a perfectly aligned fit for me. The course was taught by Abe Cartland and Greg Kaps and, within 90 minutes of being in the training, my eyes were already welling up with tears in resonance with what was being shared. When I had the opportunity to teach a sample class at the end of the training, the positive feedback and beautiful affirmations I received made my heart soar. This spring, I was honoured to be invited to teach a community yoga class. I look forward to beginning to share the gifts that have benefitted me so greatly in my own journey with yin yoga. HWO

Prema Gaia is a magazine writer, yin yoga teacher, visionary feminine leadership advocate, dancer, world traveller, and Shamanic Priestess. Her writing can be found in Spirituality & Health, SageWoman, Conscious Dancer, and South Africa’s Odyssey Magazine. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 51

By Cynthia Paquin

hey say you never forget your first. For me it was a little Magnolia Warbler, breathtaking in his breeding plumage, sitting completely still at the foot of a glass-encased building in downtown Ottawa. The scene was familiar by now — another bird had collided with the glass above and plummeted to the ground. But this one was different: he had survived both the hit and the fall! His eyes were closed tight, as if in equal parts trying to make the world disappear and willing the pain to stop. People scurried by on their way to work but none gave him a second glance. A few came close to crushing the little guy underfoot and still he sat, not twitching a feather. It was May 15, 2014. I had just found — and rescued — my first official, live FLAP bird. I was hooked. My story actually started one September a few years earlier, when birds were migrating through Ottawa’s core and, unfortunately, a considerable number were hitting my office window. Some days, I would hear a thud or a co-worker would let out a groan every 20 minutes or so. My heart would sink and I’d race down to the street, hoping to find a stunned survivor. Of the dozens that hit over a period of about three weeks, I was able to save only three: a Brown Creeper, a Downy Woodpecker, and a Black-capped Chickadee. Then late in 2013, I saw a post on the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club Facebook page from Anouk Hoedeman, asking if anyone would be

Photo: Anouk Hoedeman

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The Magnolia Warbler Cynthia Paquin rescued

A Bird in Hand interested in a local bird-collision initiative. She and Sarah Kirkpatrick-Wahl of Nature Cedar Waxwing Canada were launching the first “Wing” of the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) Canada and I wanted in! Finally, I could actually do something concrete about this problem, which kills millions of birds every year in Canadian cities. Since that first meeting, I have led training sessions, logged hundreds of hours patrolling, and even helped the FLAP team win their first pub trivia night. I have rescued many birds but found far more dead. I have photographed and recorded the details of collisions — date, time, location, etc. I have let some survivors recuperate before releasing them away from buildings and brought others to the Wild Bird Care Centre. I have collected little bird bodies so their deaths would not be in vain: We must document window collisions in order to understand and address the issue here in Ottawa.

Photo: Cynthia Paquin

A not-so-lucky White-throated Sparrow

Photo: Cynthia Paquin

This Black-capped Chickadee — another window casualty SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 53

Photo: Cynthia Paquin

A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (successfully rescued)

I’ve met some truly remarkable people through FLAP. I look forward to seeing them at get-togethers or, in the mornings, when we cross paths on our routes and stop to compare notes, discuss “hot spots” and rare finds, or try to figure out the effects of weather on migration patterns. Then we continue on our patrols, scanning the nooks and crannies for birds, hopefully alive. One perk of being a FLAP volunteer is that I’m becoming a much better birder. When I started, my bird identification skills were a little…weak. Songbirds came in four categories: red, blue, yellow, and drab. Now I can identify most of the 68 species that comprised the more than 500 window strikes we documented last year. I can even identify most of the “confusing fall warblers,” which, as any birder will tell you, is a feat! Mind you, I have the advantage of seeing them up close. On the other hand, I don’t get to identify them by their songs. I’ve even discovered new species! I can distinguish between a “Coffee-Cup-Lid Bird” and the elusive “Crumpled-Napkin Sparrow” from 30 paces, although my skills at identifying the common “Fall Leafbird” and the “Banana-Peel Warbler” still need work. There are hard days, really hard days; like when I’m tending to one bird and see another fall to the ground beside me, gasping its last breath. But all it takes is one little bird looking up at me with wide eyes to remind me that, 54 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

without me there to scoop it up out of harm’s way, it would likely hit another window as soon as it tried to fly away. Or worse, be taken alive by an opportunistic gull looking for a fly-by meal. Such moments are ingrained in my mind forever. Hearing of a successful rehabilitation by the amazing folks at the Wild Bird Care Centre or seeing a video of a release — that’s why I get up at 5 a.m. to patrol during spring and fall migration. Trust me, that’s quite an accomplishment for someone who is far more night owl than early bird! But like most FLAP patrollers, when the alarm rings, I jump out of bed because I know there are injured birds waiting to be rescued. I feel like I’m doing HWO what I’m meant to be doing. Cynthia Paquin is a volunteer for the Ottawa Wing of FLAP Canada. Last year, she spent hundreds of hours of her free time patrolling downtown Ottawa to search for birds injured or killed from collisions with glass buildings.

HOW YOU CAN HELP FLAP Canada’s Ottawa Wing works to safeguard migratory birds in the urban environment through education, research, rescue, and rehabilitation. You can help by patrolling problem areas, rescuing injured birds and recording fatalities, transporting injured birds, helping with education and outreach, or making a donation through the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (www.ofnc.ca). To learn more, visit www.f lap.org/ ottawa, check out the FLAP - Ottawa Wing Facebook page, or follow @FLAP_Ott on Twitter.

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Photos: Barbara Adams

By Kelly Reid

s i sit here whiling away the afternoon, slowly typing but mostly just petting the chicken on my lap, Jen is in the midst of a Mallard Duck turf war, Patty is evicting the vulture from the Raptor Room so she can scrape poop off the floor without the bird adding any more, and Mae is “reverse hurricaning” the storage closet. That’s the term I use when she deconstructs an area with maximum force, turmoil, and field of debris, and then puts it all back together again in the same manner. She calls it “reorganizing.” Why the state of controlled chaos in early February? Because there are really only two actual chaotic seasons in Ottawa at the Wild Bird Care Centre — summer and “almost summer.” February, which most would consider to occur in late winter, is, in fact, early spring and generally falls within late

“almost summer” most of the time but has been known to crop up in early summer every once in a while, just to keep things interesting. If the dating game going on in the flight cage is any indication, Valentine’s Day may only be really late or slightly early this year. In other words, we really have no idea when the baby birds are going to start rolling through our doors, and we need to get a move on. The type of bird we get at the Centre as the first baby of the season is always a subject of great debate and a wee bit of gambling. There is a pool that I won once by guessing Mourning Dove, but the species has since been disqualified from the running; the reason for which, as far as I can tell, is because I won the pool once. I have since called for a ban on Northern Cardinals on the same grounds but to little effect, unless you count eyerolling. Pigeons, of course, are automatically A Wild Bird Care Centre volunteer releases a young American Bittern

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It’s Almost Summer at the Wild Bird Care Centre disqualified because not only would they always win, but those love machines have been known to go about their sexy business year-round and the line between summer and “almost summer” could get confusing. If admission to the Centre can be used as any indication, early nesters in the Ottawa area include the aforementioned Mourning Doves and Northern Cardinals, as well as House Finches, Common Ravens, American Robins, and Great Horned Owls. These birds can begin to start the nesting process with snow still on the ground. But don’t go thinking the rest aren’t too far behind! After one appears, two, five, twenty, and eighty are pretty quick to follow. It is not unusual to open the front door after a weekend off in early May to be slapped in the ears and then mobbed by a hundred or so screaming nestling European Starlings that weren’t there three days ago.

After almost a decade of caring for these heartbreakingly adorable but voraciously hungry, intensely unruly, and unceasingly vocal babies, I have come to the conclusion that birds evolved flight for the sole purpose of getting away from their young for a quick moment of peace. Luckily, we have closedtop incubators at the Centre, and some of us staffers have cars and nights off. Most nestlings come in after having fallen from a nest when either the babies themselves have hit the ground or the entire nest has come down. Surprisingly, babies often survive these disasters unscathed and can be placed back into, or provided with, a new or re-hung nest. It is a long-standing but ultimately harmful myth that parent birds will automatically reject their eggs or young if touched by humans…not all young birds found out of the nest fell from it. The little screamers jump. Young American Robin SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 57

Feeding a young hawk at the Centre Most spend a period of time out of the nest and apart from their parents and siblings before they can really fly or have learned to recognize humans and their pets as threats. While it is always a good idea to keep cats indoors, it is especially true during migration and breeding seasons. Birds that have come into contact with a cat are at risk for death even if they manage to get away with minor injuries: cats have bacteria in their saliva that can be devastating. In the midst of all this baby-bird preciousness, we still receive a large number of injured adults. Spring migration is extremely perilous, even without the added dangers of human activity — the “big three” reasons an adult bird will be brought into the Centre are cats, cars, and windows. The general rule of thumb with adult birds is that if you can catch one, there’s a problem. This is not true, however, of the young songbirds. Fledglings (preteens in human-speak) can easily be mistaken for

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injured adults — they are usually the same size as their parents and differ only in the length of their tails and wing feathers — and are often taken away from their families by well-meaning but mistaken people. If you are unsure if a bird is a naive fledgling or an adult in distress, watch it from a distance and see if any other birds come down to it. Parents, at this point, are busy finding food for all of their babies and will often only visit each one — fledglings included — for as long as it takes to stuff a bug in its mouth…and get it to HWO stop yelling.

Kelly Reid has been at the Wild Bird Care Centre since 2005. As much as she would have loved to have composed a fitting conclusion to her article, Mae, Jen, and Patty were throwing her dirty looks for sitting on her behind for so long. She will be picking Mourning Dove for the pool this year, so there.

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By Kinneret Globerman

Gluten-Free Cooking Spree There’s a wealth of books on the market these days that focus on gluten-free cooking, with recipes fit for those who aren’t even on gluten-free diets. So even if you’re following a gluten-free eating plan, you can still have company over for dinner and they’ll rave about the cooking. Here’s a sampling of some innovative gluten-free cookbooks. Think you can’t have decadence when you’re baking gluten-free? Well, think again. Flourless. Recipes for Naturally Gluten-Free Desserts by Nicole Spiridakis [Raincoast Books, ISBN 978-1-4521-1955-7] is a feast for the eyes and taste buds, full of gorgeous dessert recipes befitting any fancy occasion. The ingredients are easy to find and uncomplicated to make — rather refreshing for a book on gluten-free baking. Many of the 75-plus recipes use natural sweeteners such as fruit, honey, and maple syrup, and some include substitutions for people who are lactose-intolerant or can’t have eggs. The fullcolour pictures will make you want to run to the kitchen to immediately begin

baking one (or three!) of the cakes, cookies, tarts, puddings, and candies you’ll find in this visually beautiful book. So you or a family member or friend has just been diagnosed with Celiac disease. Where do you begin to understand and read up on what it means to live glutenfree? You can begin with Jax Peters Lowell’s book The Gluten-Free Revolution: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know about Losing the Wheat, Reclaiming Your Health, and Eating Happily Ever After [Raincoast Books, ISBN 978-0-8050-9953-9]. Endorsed by a physician who’s also the director of the Jefferson Celiac Center in Philadelphia, and written by a diagnosed Celiac, this is one comprehensive book that really does cover

SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 59

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everything from current research on Celiac disease and gluten intolerance, to advice on cooking and travelling and even dating, to pesticides and genetically modified organisms (a.k.a. GMOs), and everything in-between. Included in this bible are recipes from star chefs, Lowell’s recounting of her own journey, reading labels, cooking safely… and the list goes on. It’s also highly readable, funny, and entertaining. One doesn’t normally equate gluten-free with “bold” or “amazing.” Enter the Lagasse sisters. Jessie is gluten-sensitive and Jilly is Celiac, and both grew up in a home with celebrity chef dad Emeril Lagasse (known for his Creole cooking), unaware they had this “relationship” with gluten until they were much older. Their latest cookbook The Lagasse Girls’ Big Flavor, Bold Taste — And No Gluten! [Publishers Group Canada, ISBN 978-07382-1787-1] offers comfort-food recipes not often associated with gluten-free; recipes like the New England clam chowder or broccoli and cheese soup, enchilada pie or chicken wings, strawberry shortcake or sugar

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cookies. The recipes are adaptable to portion size, are neatly laid out, and easy to follow. Nice full-colour pictures, too. What if you’re glutensensitive, maybe Celiac and vegetarian, or vegan? Don’t despair. There’s a cookbook specifically designed for you. The Deliciously Conscious Cookbook by Belinda Connolly [Raincoast Books, ISBN 978-1-4019-4580-0] includes more than 100 vegetarian recipes — many glutenfree, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and low in sugar. A trained chef with a fascinating career, Connolly has put together a very eclectic collection of recipes in both metric and imperial measurements. Many of these recipes offer options…from dairy-free and nut-free, to vegan, and with ingredient alternatives. And they are rather innovative in their collection of ingredients. You’ll find recipes like the Tropical Parsnip & Polenta Cake, the Beetroot & Chocolate Cake, Thai Butternut & Root Vegetable Pasties (she is a Brit, after all), and Pina Colada Flapjack, to name a few. While illustrated with black-and-white photos — unusual for a cookbook — the recipes are easy to follow and

presents

very well-explained. Connolly also provides a handy chart detailing whether a recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, low in sugar, etc., and what options are available for each. No wonder the pictures in Erin Scott’s yummy supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious & Honest Recipes from a {Gluten-free} Omnivore [Raincoast Books/Rodale, ISBN 9781-60961-544-4] are so beautiful to look at. Scott is a photographer and blogger, and a Celiac herself. She’s a self-professed omnivore who is extremely healthconscious and really loves to cook using seasonal and fresh ingredients. You’ll find some really hearty dishes in here, like the Pistachio Kebabs and Bourbon-Braised Short Ribs (with brown sugar and coffee); loads of sides, like the Parsnip Crisps and Skillet-Fried Potato Coins (in duck fat); desserts, like the Brown Butter Almond Tea Cakes; and confections, like the Quick and Easy Peppermint Bark. As with Connolly (see the previous book), Scott uses surprising combinations that will have everyone — on gluten-free diets or not — clamouring for more. HWO

Spring Into Health Sunday, April 12, 2015 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nepean Sportsplex Hall F 1701 Woodroffe Avenue (Entrance #3 at the back of the building)

Join us and Dr. Yoni Freedhoff as he talks about his newest book The Diet Fix, and offers tips for healthy eating for your family. Fitness Component: Learn How to Strengthen Your Body Without Equipment Dress Code: Fitness Chic Light healthy eating (lunch and snacks) Cost: $36 in advance, $40 at the door For more information or to purchase tickets, email otzmachapter@gmail.com © Kaktus2536 | Dreamstime.com SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE

OTTAWA 61

A D V E RTI S E R S ’ a l p h a b e t i c A l IN D E x Bastien-Prizant Optometrists

Ottawa Veg Fest 2015

www.bastienprizantoptometry.com . . . . 55

w ww.vegfest.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Dovercourt Recreation Centre

Oueis Dentistry

www.dovercourt.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

www.oueisdentistry.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Healthy Bra Boutique

Planet Botanix

www.healthybraboutique.com . . . . . . . . . 62

www.planetbotanix.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Institute of Holistic Nutrition

Prana Shanti Yoga Centre

www.instituteofholisticnutrition.com . . 35

Jeff Greenberg, Royal LePage Team Realty www.jeffgreenberg.realtor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

letellier shoes www.letelliershoes.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Mother Earth Natural Health www.motherearthnaturalhealth.ca . . . . 39

NutriChem Compounding Pharmacy & Clinic

www.pranashanti.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Rama Lotus Yoga Centre www.ottawayoga.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Ristorante La Dolce Vita www.ladolcevitapreston.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Run for Reach www.reach.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

TD Wealth

www.nutrichem.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

http://advisors.tdwaterhouse.ca/ thomsonadvisorygroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Ottawa Farmers’ Market

Watson’s Pharmacy & Compounding Centre

www.ottawafarmersmarket.ca . . . . . . . . . 29

Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre

www.watsonspharma.com . . . . . Back Cover

Wellington West Business Improvement Area

www.oicc.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

w ww.wellingtonwest.ca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Finally! A Bra That Offers Comfort and

Support Without Underwires Le Unique

✦ Improved breathing and posture ✦ Better circulation and lymphatic flow ✦ Excellent for sports and everyday wear ✦ Custom fit in sizes ranging from 30B to 46KK

FOR A FREE FITTING AND CONSULTATION CALL

Certified Bra Fitter Lynne at 613-225-2296 www.healthybraboutique.com 62 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA SPRING 2015

READER’s CONTEST — Enter to win

o o F d ie Cont g n i r p S est! e Here’s your chance h T to win gift certificates to Ristorante La Dolce Vita, So Good, and Zolas Restaurant. The lucky winner will enjoy a delicious dining experience at each restaurant…all offering a wide range of gluten-free options. Simply look through the ads in this issue to answer the following questions, and email your entry to healthwiseottawa@rogers.com by May 19, 2015. Indicate “Reader’s Contest” in the subject line. Please include your name, mailing address, and telephone number (your information is kept strictly confidential; we do not share mailing lists). Note: One entry per person, please. The selected winner will be contacted by phone or email. Good luck!

Which advertiser… 1. Has a spring program book available now? 2. Provides spring tips for renovating your bathroom? 3. Is located at 645 Lyon Street South? 4. Can discuss your financial goals with you? 5. Offers early bird pricing until August 19th? 6. Welcomes Dr. Valérie Savoie to their practice? 7. Carries shoes that are perfect for the avid city walker? 8. Has a lecture on nutrition and the environment on May 2nd?

ebecca Knowlton is the lucky winner of the Reader’s Contest in the winter 2014/2015 issue of Healthwise Ottawa. Rebecca and her family will certainly enjoy the four weekly fruit and vegetable baskets delivered to their door from Ottawa Organics & Natural Foods. SPRING 2015 HEALTHWISE OTTAWA 63

Watson’s&

Scott Watson

Professional Compounding Centers of America

We’ll take good care of you. Family-owned Watson’s offers an integrative, holistic approach to your health, combining the best of traditional medicines and complementary therapies. We can even formulate customized medicines to meet your specific needs in our in-store compounding labs. For quality dispensary services, organic products, nutritional supplements, and health advice, visit us at one of our two charming Ottawa locations.

Old Ottawa East 192 Main St. 613- 238-1881

Wellington Village 1308 Wellington St. 613-238-1882