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SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021
I MMUN I T Y & YOU Are You Self-Sabotaging Your Immune Health? 8
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CONTENTS G OOD
Feature
5 Immunity & You: Are You Self-Sabotaging Your Immune Health? By: Jen Casey
11
G OOD 16
Health
The Mind-Immune Connection: How Mental Health and Immune Health Affect Each Other
By: Kelly Aiello, rhn
19 The Problems with Low-Calorie Diets By: Lisa Kilgour, rhn
21 The New Standard in Omega-3s By: AquaOmega
13
GOOD
Fitness
23 Kick Tightness to the Curb
By: Tammy Uyeda, BSc(PT)
G OOD
Food
8 Pantry Staples for Immune Wellness 11 Recipe: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
By: Robin
13 Back to School: Diversity in Their Lunch
23
By: Laura Spencer
Recipe: Buckwheat Chocolate Banana Bread 25 Lunch Boxes By: Jen Kossowan
27 Lunch Box Staples for Toddlers By: Chantelle Nuttley
I N EVERY ISSUE 4 Get the Good Stuff 30 NEW Good Stuff In-Store
27
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 2
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3 | September/October 2021
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LISTEN THE MODERN HOMEOPATH by Sarah Dunjko Episode 9: The One Where Sarah Uncovers Picky Eating & How To Reduce The Stress Burden In this episode Sarah is joined by Leigh McSwan, certified Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Educator with a background in psychology. Leigh has a wealth of knowledge about picky eaters and uses her passion for clean, all-natural products and real foods to share tips on how individuals and families can reduce both the emotional and physical stresses surrounding picky eating. Leigh McSwan
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 4
GOOD
Feature
I MMUN I T Y & YOU Are You Self-Sabotaging Your Immune Health?
BY JEN CASEY, cnp, nncp
Think of your body as your home, being supported by four pillars. The pillars should be solid, all working together to hold you up on a strong foundation. You can survive if one pillar is compromised, but you will not function as optimally as you could. With one or more weak spots in one pillar, the others tend to take on more of the load and, eventually, your house will become unstable.
E
ach of these pillars represents sleep, diet, movement, and stress management—all aspects of daily life that require balance to keep your house stable and a safe place to call home. When you are well-supported, you have energy, are nourished, and you feel good emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
When out of alignment, you might experience sore joints, digestive issues, sugar cravings, fatigue, depression, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, or frequent illness. This happens because our immune system is our complex defence system, inspecting, sorting, and protecting against infection, invaders, inflammation, and toxins every
minute of the day. Since each of the pillars of health directly affects our immune function, this might explain why you might be suffering with symptoms and are constantly fighting to feel good. Let’s have a closer look at ways we might inadvertently be sabotaging our most precious investment.
JEN CASEY is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Health Coach through Next Bite Nutrition Coaching. She’s also an Academic Advisor at The Institute of Holistic Nutrition. Book a free, 30-minute online nutrition appointment with Jen or one of our other nutritionists at naturesfare.com biteclubnutrition.ca 5 | September/October 2021
1/LACK OF SLEEP
Sleep is important for each of our body systems. As a Holistic Nutritionist, I always remind my clients that you can eat all the colourful salads, do all the HIIT workouts or yoga classes, and meditate daily, but if you do not get quality sleep every night, your house will come crumbling down. We simply cannot function on little sleep, optimally. Over time, the body sees lack of sleep as a stressor and produces excess cortisol to help us get through the day. Unfortunately, chronically high cortisol suppresses other body systems, including your immune system. Health professionals suggest getting 7–8 quality hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. A sleep hygiene practice of a routine bedtime, herbal tea, Epsom salt bath, a dark bedroom, sleep mask, white noise, and a comfortable bedroom temperature are helpful tools.
A Nutritionist’s tip to improve your
A Nutritionist’s tip to improve your
SLE E P
DI ET
Avoid eating dinner just before bed to allow your body time to digest. This gives your body and mind a chance to rest and repair during sleep, instead of trying to break down your last meal.
4 grams of sugar listed on a product label is equal to one teaspoon. First check the grams of sugar in a serving size on a package, then scroll through the ingredients list to find the source of the sugar. If it is coming from real fruit with fibre, it is a better choice than many of the alternatives.
2/POOR DIET
We know that fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and quality lean fish and meats are nourishing and support our immune health. What we do not always consider is which foods sabotage our well-being. The worst culprit, sugar, leads to inflammation in the body and suppresses our immune system for up to a few hours after consuming large amounts. Once in a while, a little sugar is not a problem, but a diet high in processed, refined carbohydrates can wreak havoc on your immune cells by slowing down your body’s ability to fight bacteria and illness. Sugar doesn’t only come labelled as such and often hides under the guise of many other names. Best practices are to read product labels and get to know the hidden aliases for this immunosuppressant.
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 6
3/LACK OF MOVEMENT
A sedentary lifestyle is a recipe for a poorly functioning immune system. Lymphatic fluid runs through our body to collect toxins and send them to our lymph nodes and liver for processing, but, unlike blood, it does not have a built-in pump. In order to keep this fluid cleaning up our body, we need to move muscles and joints, and that is where daily exercise plays a role. Deep breathing during exercise also helps to tone and flush toxins from another one of our detoxification organs, the lungs, and helps to decrease stress— which, remember, is a form of inflammation that affects our immune health.
A Nutritionist’s tip to improve your
MOV EMENT A Nutritionist’s tip to improve your
Stay hydrated during exercise with a refined sugarfree homemade electrolyte drink of water, a splash of pure cherry juice, a pinch of sea salt, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup.
STR ES S M A NAG E M E N T If you are experiencing stress, despite feeling the need for sugar or caffeine to help get you through, avoid them at all costs. The best thing you can do for yourself during stress is to eat three balanced meals which include healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. Stay hydrated with plain water, and avoid stimulants like alcohol, caffeine, and sugar that will only contribute to your inflammation and lead to a suppressed immune system. 7 | September/October 2021
4/POOR STRESS MANAGEMENT
Let’s face it—despite our efforts, we cannot wave a magic wand and make stress disappear. The stress will exist, but it is our response to stress that really matters. When we are emotionally stressed—similarly to when we do not get enough sleep, we eat a diet high in sugar, or we live a sedentary lifestyle—our body produces a hormone called cortisol to get us through. This is a wonderful, efficient mechanism that our body relies on, but if we do not manage stress and our cortisol remains high regularly, we suppress our other systems to make room for survival first. You might relate to working overtime before your vacation, with sleepless nights and skipped meals, just to get in those last few tasks. You arrive at your beach destination, put your feet up, exhale, and realize you might be coming down with something. The elevated cortisol got you through your last week of work like a champ, but your digestion was impaired, your sleep cycle was off, you didn’t make time for exercise or proper refuelling. As soon as you found time for yourself, you got sick. This was your body responding to stress and your immune system paid the price. The bottom line: Build your home up with strong pillars. If you spot a crack, fill it with nourishing food, quality sleep, gentle movement, and daily self-care. You only get one body to live in so make it the best, and healthiest, you can.
GOOD
Food
Pantry Staples for Immune Wellness
Inflammation and Immunity
I
nflammation is your body’s response to a threat, like an injury or an infection—a signal to your immune system to heal, repair, and defend itself against invasion. Without this physiological response, we wouldn’t heal.
Many of us rush to boost our immune system during flu season or when we feel a bit of a scratchy throat. But building your best immune system is a way of life—consistently taking care of your health and wellness by building great habits like quality sleep, hydration, stress management, exercise, and hand-washing, and stocking your pantry with a variety of delicious, immune-boosting foods. First, let’s talk about inflammation and immunity.
Inflammation is effective as a quick, short-term response, but causes problems if it becomes sustained and chronic; it is linked to many illnesses like cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, heart disease, and stroke. New research is now looking to see if elevated inflammation contributes to an increased risk of depression, and how it impacts brain health.
The Gut Connection The microbiome—a community of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms in our digestive tract—breaks down food and is the warning system to trigger our immune system. It works at its best when it is balanced and fed properly on nutritious, anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3s, fresh fruit and veggies, and healthy fats—and less red and processed meats, dairy, sugars, refined carbs, and trans-fat foods. Your best immune defence is a body that functions at its best, fed with a diet rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 8
Fresh Food Eat an organic rainbow of colours:
LEAFY GREENS Kale, chard, and spinach, loaded with vitamins K and A and fibre, are tasty raw in a salad or smoothie, or cooked in entrées. Think omelettes at breakfast, soup at lunch, or stir-fries at dinner.
An Ayurvedic Perspective
BELL PEPPERS Delicious raw or cooked, they’re packed with vitamins C and A and potassium.
In Ayurvedic medicine, sturdy immunity results from a combination of strong and balanced digestive, liver, and hormonal function and metabolism. Our body is susceptible to infection and disease when it lacks vigour (Ojas) and is filled with toxins (Ama), especially during seasonal changes. And while there are a number of tonics and supplement formulations to address specific imbalances, and restore balance and well-being, here are a few you can try at home:
MUSHROOMS Umami, rich, and earthy, they’re a great source of vitamins B and D, selenium, and ergothioneine.
Turmeric
BERRIES Sweet, juicy, loaded with vitamin C and potassium, go for blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries.
This anti-inflammatory, antioxidant powerhouse gets even better when paired with black pepper. Blend into smoothies or golden milk and add to just about any savoury dish for flavour depth. Honey Rich in anti-microbial and antioxidant immune-boosting properties, healing honey has many benefits including help with digestion, sleep, wounds, and allergies.
GARLIC Raw or cooked, with antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory power, garlic is being studied for its ability to not just support but to stimulate the immune system.
Amla
MANGOES & PAPAYAS They’re packed with digestive-friendly papain, as well as vitamins, C, A, B6, and K.
9 | September/October 2021
Also known as Indian gooseberry, this powerhouse multiplies the antioxidant power of goji berries 75x, pomegranate 60x, and raw blueberries 50x. Super-high in vitamin C, it helps to fight infection, and limit free-radical damage. Ashwagandha Also known as Indian ginseng, this adaptogen reduces inflammation, and helps the body deal with stress and anxiety.
GINGER With anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and antioxidant properties, ginger soothes an upset stomach, a sore throat, or inflammation in the body. Add fresh to dishes or steep into tea with honey.
Pantry
Golden Mylk
¾ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp ground turmeric (or 2" piece fresh, thinly sliced)
¼ tsp ground cardamom or 2 pods, cracked
1" piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 ½ tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
Golden mylk can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to five days. 2 SERV IN GS
source of avenanthramides, a unique group of antioxidants believed to protect against heart disease. Great for breakfast (add cinnamon for more immune-boosting power), ground into flour, or as a binder in savoury dishes. Slow-cooked, steel-cut are best. HERBS & SPICES Throughout history, antioxidant-rich herbs and spices have been used for food and medicine. Stock up on antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic herbs like rosemary, oregano, thyme, and sage; digestive-soothing chamomile and peppermint; and stimulating, anti-inflammatory spices like cinnamon, black and red pepper, and cardamom.
GREEN TEA Full of polyphenol antioxidants and flavonoids, green tea reduces inflammation with its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. It’s also a prebiotic benefit to gut bacteria.
SEEDS A great source of protein, fibre, healthy fats, and minerals like magnesium and zinc, seeds—pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, sesame, chia, or flax—can be sprinkled in or on just about anything savoury or sweet. Some are delicious puréed into butter.
1 tsp organic, cold-pressed coconut oil ¼ tsp black pepper
Add all ingredients to a pan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Strain into mugs.
NUTS High in nutrients like magnesium, manganese, vitamin E, and heart-healthy fats, a little goes a long way. Snack on a handful, toss in a salad, or get creative with nut butters to add to smoothies, salad dressings, and soups.
1 cup water
LEGUMES Gut-friendly, protein- and fibre-full, there are many to choose and so many ways to use! Black, kidney, pinto, butter, fava, soy, and mung beans. Peas, chickpeas, and brown, puy, black, green, yellow, or red lentils. The more colourful are higher in antioxidants and, depending on the type, are great sources of B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Purée them into a dip, or add to salads, savoury dishes, and baking recipes.
2 cups unsweetened mylk (coconut, almond, oat, or hemp)
OATS Prebiotic, high-fibre whole oats—high in protein, vitamins, and minerals—is the only food
Sources www.eatingwell.com/article/7821952/the-6-best-pantry-staples-for-a-healthy-immunesystem/ www.today.com/food/joy-bauer-s-favorite-immune-boosting-produce-superfood-pantrystaples-t175998 www.eatthis.com/immune-boosting-pantry-staples-to-buy/ www.theayurveda.org/ayurveda/top-7-home-remedies-boost-immunity www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/top-8-ayurvedic-formulations-that-can-bolsteryour-immunity www.masteringdiabetes.org/amla-definitive-antioxidant/
www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-modern-brain/202105/inflammation-link-betweencovid-19-and-depression cancercenter.arizona.edu/news/2021/03/immunity-inflammation-and-aging-link-buildingbetter-defenses-against-disease www.bulletproof.com/gut-health/immune-system-in-gut/ www.livescience.com/52344-inflammation.html www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/oats www.eatingwell.com/article/291160/eat-these-herbs-and-spices-to-boost-immunity/ www.health.com/food/benefits-green-tea
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 10
GOOD
Food
N
STUFFED SW��T POTATOES Roll into the fall with these simple, yet hearty sweet potatoes baked to perfection using only a few ingredients. They’re stuffed with crispy kale, garlicky chickpeas, and topped with creamy vegan cashew sour cream.
ROBIN is the creator of the blog Greens, Eggs, and Yams. Her passion is creating vegan and gluten-free foods that don’t compromise on taste. She loves being in the kitchen, creating recipes that everybody can enjoy!
G R E E N S , E G G S A N D YA M S greenseggsandyams
11 | September/October 2021
INGREDIENTS Serves 2 | Vegan POTATOES
CASHEW SOUR CREAM
3–4 medium sweet potatoes
3–4 tsp avocado oil (divided)
4 tbsp water
1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and dried)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper
½ cup raw cashews
pinch sea salt
1 cup finely chopped kale ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 green onion
1 lime
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 1 hour. (Option to cover with boiling hot water and soak only for 20 minutes.) 2. Wash, scrub, and dry the sweet potatoes. Use a fork to poke a few holes. Lightly coat with 1 tsp oil using a brush or your hands. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. 3. Drain and rinse can of chickpeas. Pat dry with a clean towel. Toss the chickpeas in 2 tsp of oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Once the sweet potatoes have baked for 15 minutes, add the chickpeas to the baking sheet (spreading out in an even layer). Continue baking 30–35 minutes, until golden and crisp. 4. Remove the stem of the kale and finely chop. Toss with ½–1 tsp of oil. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the kale and cook, stirring often. Add red pepper flakes. Cook the kale until crisp but still green, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
MEATS
5. Finely slice the green onion. Set aside. 6. Drain the water from the cashews. Add all the sour cream ingredients to a high-speed blender (this works best in a cup-attachment blender). Blend until smooth. If you want a thinner texture, add an additional 1–2 tbsp of water. 7. To assemble, cut the sweet potatoes in half. Use a fork to mash the inside. Divide the kale and chickpeas evenly between the sweet potatoes and top with the sour cream. Garnish with the green onion and lime wedges. Best enjoyed fresh.
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 12
GOOD
Food
Back to School: Diversity in Their Lunch BY LAURA SPENCER
As a new school year approaches, an old question arises: what to pack for school lunches to support our children’s rapid development and also meet their high-energy demands?
O
n average, school lunches provide around 26% of daily calories—not a small number if we think of their cumulative effect on a child’s weekly diet. It is also the meal that generally contains less nutritionally dense food such as leafy greens, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. From ages 6 to 12, it is common to see a spike in children's appetites, which can lead to more snacking between meals, making it even more important to offer a balanced school lunch that meets their growing demands. It is easy and convenient to default to “healthy” processed foods, in some cases unavoidably, as there is simply not time to do it all in the morning rush. Parents are doing a great job, though, at providing alternatives to sugary foods and drinks, and the level of awareness on this topic is growing in the right direction. Schools are also playing their part by limiting or restricting access to overly processed, sugary foods, especially since the number of diabetic and obese children has tripled in Canada in the last 30 years; however, there is room for improvement.
Children should consume less than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, or 5% of their total energy intake, which averages around 60 calories. The over-consumption of sugar can not only impact their weight, but it has also been linked to cognitive impairment, negative neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt to new environmental changes), and risk of tooth decay, inflammation, sluggish immunity response, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance.
Start Small
Worried about the best sources of these types of foods?
It is easy to let enthusiasm carry us away and implement all the ideas and tips we encounter, but children are rooted in routine and changes need to be made gradually. Start small and expose them to a diversity of foods consistently and slowly.
Don’t be. When we focus on providing a variety of foods, we are generally providing a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals needed by our children’s bodies, although supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals might be necessary with certain restrictive diets.
Seemingly unrelated, but with great causative effect on hunger levels and a child's readiness to eat their school lunch, is to provide a balanced breakfast that includes protein, healthy fats, and fibre, and not only simple carbohydrates. These foods provide a steady source of energy without disrupting blood glucose levels too rapidly, which allows them to develop healthy hunger cues and a willingness to eat their own lunches.
Simply do your best to make diversity your best ally when designing your children’s plates. For example, pay attention to seasonal vegetables; they are high in nutrition and are most likely to be local—great qualities in a food. Branch out from the familiar whole grains like oats and quinoa to explore new options such as buckwheat, amaranth, or millet, and of course, make colour a fun element as well.
LAURA SPENCER is one of Nature’s Fare Markets’ vitamin specialists and a passionate foodie. She believes we can be as happy, healthier, and fulfilled as we allow ourselves to be. As a certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant, she works with people to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle by focusing on modifying behaviours and eating habits that are not working. 13 | September/October 2021
Protein is required for the formation of new muscle, organ, and bone tissue. Fat is fundamental for brain health, hormone protection, and nutrient absorption. Fibre helps with longer satiety periods and maintaining a steady glucose level, as it slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, which also have a very important role in providing the body the necessary energy for its demanding activities.
bonfirenutrition.ca |
bonfirenutrition
Buckwheat Chocolate Banana Bread
At the same time, consciously incorporate healthy fats such as coconut, almond, sunflower, or pumpkin butters to the eating routine. Fibre such as flax and chia can be added to fruit smoothies to minimize spikes in blood glucose levels. Lastly, protein can range from animal- to plant-based, according to your needs and beliefs. ”Back to School” can be a great opportunity to get your kids involved in the process of deciding what to eat and how to properly pack their own lunches. A few tips on this:
Pack with Diversity 1 GET THEM TO HELP
Display a variety of foods on the kitchen counter and let them choose and pack their own lunch.
2 PAIR NEW WITH FAVES
Offer new foods that you would like them to try, alongside foods they already love.
3 TIMING
Offer new foods in the morning and lunchtime.
4 TEACH ABOUT FOOD DIVERSITY
Develop a conversation around the idea that foods are neither good nor bad. They all have a place to be enjoyed.
5 BE BALANCED
Avoid tension or stress when doing this lunch packing exercise. It might be helpful for you to play with the notion that it is your responsibility to provide the structure and the foods, and they can be responsible for what they choose to eat.
The main focus when providing a healthy, yet delicious school lunch resides in making the process fun, while providing the necessary foods for them to properly perform during their academic day. Consistency and not perfection is the name of the game.
INGREDIENTS
3 bananas
2 eggs
1/3
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 360°F. Grease a 5" x 9" baking dish with coconut oil.
cup coconut milk
¼ cup maple syrup 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cups buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for decoration
Sources www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763418308613 www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/childhood-obesity/childhood-obesity.html www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212267220300654
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until you create a smooth texture. Add eggs and gently mix. 3. Add coconut milk, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Gently whisk until well incorporated. 4. Stir in buckwheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon until well incorporated. 5. Fold in the chocolate chips. 6. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve with almond butter, whipped coconut cream, chopped walnuts, or anything you like!
www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/school-nutrition-support www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthy-eating/schools-and-communities
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 14
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GOOD
Health
The Mind-Immune Connection How Mental Health and Immune Health Affect Each Other BY KELLY AIELLO, rhn
What do Alzheimer’s, anxiety, brain fog, diabetes, asthma, and allergies have in common? The answer may shock you. It may also help explain the connection between mental health and immune health. Yes, there is a mindimmune connection. But what is the driving mechanism linking the two? In a word: stress!
KELLY AIELLO, rhn is one of Nature’s Fare Markets’ nutritionists and provides free half hour one-on-one nutrition consultations in our stores. Check out the nutrition consultation schedule on page three and book your free appointment today at naturesfare.com. Learn more: happihuman.com
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 16
It can be mental, environmental, physical, emotional, or nutritional. It may be shortlived or have long-lasting effects. How we manage that stress, how we allow it to dictate our thoughts, actions, and feelings, and how well we can overcome life’s challenges are primarily dependent on the state of our mental health. Though none of this may come as a surprise, what may surprise you is that any time we experience stress, regardless of where it comes from, the result is the same: inflammation. Stress and the inflammation it creates are the main links between our mental and immune health. Together, they determine our overall wellness. You may have experienced the physical inflammation created after a sprained ankle or fractured limb. Swelling (and often pain) is the first indication that something is wrong. This is also our immune system’s way of protecting the damaged area to allow healing. This type of inflammation is a critical part of the immune response that happens instantly, without any effort on our part.
T
hink about it: You wake up in the morning after having hit the snooze button a few times. You’re running late. You know you have an early morning meeting and a fast-approaching work deadline. You hop in the car only to face more traffic than usual. You can feel your mind racing, your palms sweating, and your stomach starting to ache. You know that if you walk into another meeting late, your job is on the line. So what do you do? First you try to quiet the rumbling in your stomach and wake yourself up by swinging through the drivethrough for an extra-large double-double, breakfast sandwich, and donut. You know you need the sugar to make it through yet another hectic day. But what happens? You end up feeling terrible! Your energy levels plummet, your head
17 | September/October 2021
feels foggy, and you can’t focus on anything presented in the meeting. You may even experience a stuffy nose, an allergy flareup, or end up with gastrointestinal issues to add insult to injury. After the meeting, you feel mentally and physically exhausted, anxious, and unproductive. Have you ever gotten caught in this vicious cycle? The one between stress, inflammation, anxiety, physical symptoms, and poor nutrition? This is the MindImmune connection. We have all dealt with stress. It’s part of life. Perhaps, as in the example above, it may even be a leading driver in yours. Stress comes from many different sources: a twisted ankle, a time deadline, an illness, a loss, a sick child, an ageing parent, or financial woes.
In fact, every time the immune system is called upon to work—whether to immobilize a sprained ankle, help you recover from a cold, or manage food intolerances— it sends out molecules (cytokines) to get the job done. Cytokines create inflammation in the process. However, the immune system doesn’t only work when we face an injury. In our modern, stressful world, it’s always turned on, yet we usually have no idea. This silent inflammation has usually lurked under the surface for years, creating chronic low levels of stress. You may be familiar with the effects of stress, as in our original example. Stress taxes our nervous system, and when it becomes chronic or mismanaged, it negatively affects our mental health. You may also know that stress creates cortisol. But did you realize that cortisol also creates inflammation?
Inflammation can be considered the root of all illnesses—from Alzheimer’s to diabetes to asthma to anxiety and brain fog. How else does the Mind-Immune connection work? We now know the cells in our immune system communicate through molecules called cytokines. In our nervous system, the molecules that allow neurons to communicate are called neurotransmitters. The problem is, both cytokines and neurotransmitters look and act similarly. This allows cytokines to pass information to the nervous system and vice versa. This means when we’re struggling with an illness like a cold, flu, or allergies, not only are our immune defences down, but we are also likely to have no energy or desire to do something we may otherwise enjoy. We may also find ourselves unusually moody, sluggish, or irritable.
Top foods to help boost immunity and optimise brain health Wild fatty fish Berries Avocados Raw nuts and seeds Green leafy vegetables Other colourful fruits and veggies
You may also find supplementation from omega-3s, curcumin, bromelain, or resveratrol helpful. Ask the friendly folks in the vitamin department of your local Nature’s Fare for help. Bottom line: Anything that stresses the body creates inflammation, weakens our immunity, and compromises our mental health. Whether you’re trying to fight an acute infection or heal from a chronic illness, your body can’t effectively do either if your mental health isn't strong enough to manage it. Engaging in stress-management and inflammation-reducing techniques can keep both your mental health and immune health strong. The combination can lead to overall improved health and wellness!
So it’s safe to say that when we’re under the weather, our brain doesn’t perform as it usually does. Similarly, when we’re struggling with a mental illness, our immune system doesn’t work optimally either, leaving us feeling tired or generally unwell. It’s also common for people dealing with mental health disorders to be more prone to weakened immune health or reduced overall wellness. So what can we do to lower inflammation, improve our immune health, and optimize our mental health? Reduce inflammation! Interventions that reduce inflammation in the body can also reduce inflammation in the brain, and they all revolve around stress management. Finding good stress-management techniques that work for you is key! They may include meditation, breath work, guided imagery, exercise, yoga, improved sleep, and of course, eating well. Focus your diet on healthy, whole, nutrientdense foods loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and quality proteins. These foods will keep your blood sugar levels stable and your brain balanced to help you manage stress better.
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 18
G OOD
Health
The Problems with Low-Calorie Diets BY LISA KILGOUR, rhn
This is a question I often get: “How many calories should I be eating in a day? Is it 1,200? 1,500? Even 1,200 calories feels like a lot to me some days.”
H
ave you ever been on a lowcalorie diet? Or, have you ever attempted an ultra-low calorie diet, like 1,200 calories or less?
Chances are high that if you have, then eventually you got ravenously hungry. Super ravenous. Or had crazy cravings. Or maybe your energy plummeted. Here’s the truth: 1,200 calories is way too low for the average human body to function properly. Waaaaaaaay too low. It’s actually the caloric needs of a toddler. Yes, I said that correctly—it’s the caloric needs for a 2to 3-year-old child, not a fully grown adult. But almost every diet and meal plan uses this number as the magic weight loss number. It’s so common that many people I talk to see 1,200 calories as something to strive for every day. They feel that 1,200 calories is the most they should eat in a day.
For many people, a 1,200 calorie diet is a starvation diet, So why is 1,200 calories seen as something to strive for every day?
In reality, your body needs at least 1,200 calories to function properly if all you did was sit on the couch and watch TV. If you, say, walked to the kitchen and prepared a meal, then you’d need to eat more to deal with that energy output. Add a walk around the block or a trip to the gym and
LISA KILGOUR, rhn is one of Nature’s Fare Markets’ nutritionists and sought-after speaker and educator who helps people heal from diverse and complex health issues. She has spoken at TEDxKelowna and is the author of Undieting: Freedom from the Bewildering World of Fad Diets. Check out the nutritionist schedule on page three and book your free appointment today at naturesfare.com. Learn more: lisakilgour.com
19 | September/October 2021
now your body thinks you’re starving. Most people need 2,000 to 3,000 calories for their body and metabolism to function properly. Yes, for most of us, a 1,200 calorie diet is a starvation diet. Cutting calories this low to lose weight is setting your body up for failure. Your body becomes desperate to get out of starvation mode and starts to entice you with food. Research has found that restrictive diets like this are the best predictor of weight gain in the future (I’m sorry).
Most people need 2,000 to 3,000 calories for their body and metabolism to function properly. So, where did this magic weight loss number come from? This was first proposed in 1920 by Dr. Lulu Peters, who recommended that all women count every morsel of food they eat and to eat no more than 1,200 calories. Countless health experts have followed Dr. Peters’ regime over the last 100 years, making it quite ubiquitous. This means your grandmother, mother, and maybe even your great-grandmother lived under this terrible dieting “rule”. No wonder it’s so ingrained into our collective psyche. New clients often show me calorie counting charts because they’re trying to lose weight
and they don’t understand why the scale isn’t moving. They bring them to me for help and advice. And, on pretty much every single one of them, the most they’ve eaten in a day is 1,200 calories. Often much less than that.
In the book Intuitive Eating, authors Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch urge readers to embrace the goal of developing body positivity and reconnecting with one’s internal wisdom about eating—to unlearn everything they were taught about caloriecounting and other aspects of diet culture and to learn about the harm of weight stigma.
This always breaks my heart. This is the chart of a very determined person, who is feeling hungry most of the day in the hopes that the scale will change. They’re doing what they were told to do perfectly, but it’s not working. Sure, at first you will probably lose weight on this very low-calorie diet…until your body decides enough is enough and slooooows your metabolism down so you’re not starving anymore. At that point, your weight plateaus and you might find it very easy to gain that weight back. Your body won. It didn’t like starving, so it rejigged its energy output to work under this low-cal regime. It can be hard to tell the difference between healthy eating and dieting because the dieting industry has been around for 200+ years and it has influenced all parts of our food conversation. But, you can have a bit of a laugh at them too. If you take a look at all of the diets at once, you’ll see how ridiculous they are. Health “experts” have told us: • To eat only rice, potatoes, and vinegar • That ladies should never eat in public unless it’s lobster salad and champagne (yes, this was an actual recommendation and yes, it was made by a man) • To only eat cabbage soup • To trade potatoes for bacon, bread for fried chicken
Lulu Hunt Peters (1873–1930) was an America doctor and author. She recommended that all women count every morsel of food they eat and to eat no more than 1,200 calories.
• To eat bars, shakes, and other expensive supplements instead of cooking real food When you look at all of these diets all at once, it’s easy to spot (and, frankly, mock) a fad diet. But when you’re desperate to lose weight and/or feel better, it can be much harder
to steer clear of the latest shiny new fad diet when it promises such an easy “solution”. There’s a much better way—let your body guide you. No counting or starving, just eating whole food that you enjoy.
Your body won. It didn’t like starving, so it rejigged its energy output to work under this low-cal regime. To start, tune in and be curious about what your body is craving. There’s a reason your body is craving chocolate, potato chips, or candy. Sometimes it’s a nutritional deficiency like magnesium, sodium, or carbs. Other times those cravings pop up because your body is tired of feeling deprived and starving and it knows it can tempt you to eat those foods. Adding more nutrient-dense whole foods to your day can curb your cravings…but so can saying yes to those foods. Saying no creates a stronger urge to eat them and you tend to eat more (to learn more about this idea, check out the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch). A pleasurably enjoyed square of chocolate can calm many cravings. This is Undieting. This is real-life healthy eating. And this is heavenly.
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 20
G OOD
Health
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GOOD
Fitness
Kick Tightness to the Curb BY TAMMY UYEDA, BSc(PT)
I
remember the first time it happened. It was only a month and a half into lockdown. After a morning full of online tele-health clients I went to stand up from my chair. Suddenly, the front of my hips protested. My low back protested. My joints groaned as I willed my lower body to release me from the tight grasp that threatened to keep me frozen in a Gollum-like stance. A grunt escaped my throat reminding me of my grandpa getting up after teatime. Whaaat?! Stretching instantly helped me to regain my fluidity, but over the weeks to come I started to notice a new tightness and ache to the back of my hip niggling away at me. The effects of stretching were frustratingly temporary. Other odd stiffnesses started to become a part of my daily life and I suddenly felt…older.
T I G H T AREA 0 1
Hip Flexors
You feel stiffness at the front of the hips or low back when standing from prolonged sitting. STRETCH: Seated Hip Flexor Stretch
Side sit on a chair. Extend one leg behind you while reaching above your head. Feel the stretch to the front of your hip. STRENGTH EXERCISE: Banded High-Knee Marches
Place a mini-band around your feet. March slowly, bringing your knee up to waist-level while pulling your foot toward your shin.
After a couple of weeks of going around the tightness and stretching merry-go-round with no real lasting benefits, the realization hit me…I had grown weaker. Even though I was spinning/running and stretching almost daily, I had not performed much in the way of regular, resisted, or weighted activity in nearly two months. My physical life, like most everyone else’s, had been significantly altered and the heaviest thing I was now lifting was a basket of groceries once every two weeks. This new stiffness and tightness was my body’s way of sending me a warning—and I was now ready to act.
Seated Hip Flexor Stretch
TAMMY UYEDA, BSc(PT) is a clinical Physiotherapist, certified group fitness instructor, and owner of FitSpark Health. She is passionate about motivating and inspiring people to live an active lifestyle and can usually be found shuttling her three pre-teen and teenaged sons between soccer fields. She shares workouts, exercise tips, and her favourite fitness-related finds on her Instagram page. 23 | September/October 2021
Banded High-Knee Marches
tinkam
TIGHT AREA 02
Pectorals/Chest
You feel pinching at the front of shoulders, and have tightness in the upper back. STRETCH: Open Book Stretch
Lie on your side with your top knee bent to waist level. Anchor the knee with the opposite hand and reach back to rotate through your torso with your top arm. STRENGTH EXERCISE: Banded External Rotations
Stand with a mini-band looped around your hands, palms facing up. Elbows stay by your sides as you rotate your hands outward, pulling against the band. Hold briefly then return to start with control. Repeat. Open Book Stretch
TIGH T AR EA 0 3
Hamstrings
You have an achy low back while standing and stiffness when you bend forward. STRETCH: Standing Hamstring Stretch
Take a small step forward and straighten the front knee. Keep the rear knee bent as you fold forward from the waist and increase tension to the back of your leg. STRENGTH EXERCISE: Single Leg Bridge
Lie on your back with knees bent, both feet flat on the floor. Grasp one leg and hug it toward your chest. Push through the heel of the other leg to lift your hips a few inches off the floor. Alternate sides and repeat.
Banded External Rotations
Tight Doesn’t Always Mean Short It is a common assumption that if a muscle is tight that it is simply short and needs to be stretched to relax it. More often than not, it’s not that simple. Muscle tightness is more often the symptom of two other key causative factors: 1. weakness in that muscle group and/or 2. over-compensation of a secondary muscle doing the job of a primary one. Think: The biceps lifting the jug of milk up to the counter by bending the elbow (correct action) versus the upper trapezius shoulder muscles shrugging the jug up onto the counter (compensatory action). Stiff neck muscles anyone?
Stretch and Strength Stretching is one of the most powerful tools we have to unlock tightness, but by strengthening the weak muscle or activating the primary muscle groups again you are boring down to the root of the tightness for a longer lasting result. For each stretch, take three deep breaths. Release tension with each exhale. Repeat going further into the stretch with each exhale. For each strength exercise, perform enough repetitions that you feel you might be able to do three more if you had to, but stop and rest at that point. Repeat for two or three sets, three times per week. If you are not sure what to stretch or strengthen, see your physiotherapist or health care provider for an assessment and exercises specific for you. As for me, banded, weighted squats were my ticket to hip and buttock happiness and resisted exercise is back in my weekly routine.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Single Leg Bridge the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 24
GOOD
Food
Lunch BO X E S BY JEN KOSSOWAN
Back to school means back to packing lunches for many of us. If you’re someone who packs lunches for kids, you know that coming up with what to pack can sometimes be the trickiest part. We want our kids’ lunches
VEGGIE & NOODLE
SALAD ROLLS
This is a favourite that packs surprisingly well in an airtight container with one little trick!
MAKE IT Dip a rice paper wrapper into a bit of lukewarm water to soften then lay out on your work surface. Sprinkle on sesame seeds, add noodles and your favourite toppings, and roll them up. Try cucumber strips, carrot ribbons, thinly sliced peppers, mango spears, edamame beans, and tofu strips—but anything goes! If you wish, pack along some simple dipping sauce. Mix up a little bit of nut or seed butter with soy sauce, a little garlic powder, and some hot water. TIP To prevent the rolls from sticking to themselves or to the lunch container, rub the tiniest amount of oil onto the outside of each roll.
to be nutritious and easy enough to make, but most of all—we want them to be eaten! (There’s nothing more deflating than having a lunch
PIZZA ROLLS
come home untouched, am I right?) Give these five fun bento box-style lunch combos a try this school year.
JEN KOSSOWAN is a kindergarten and grade one teacher and mama of two gorgeous kiddos. She’s passionate about play, loves a good DIY project, and can most often be found in her kitchen whipping up recipes that taste delicious while meeting her crunchy mama criteria. She started Mama.Papa.Bubba. on a whim in 2010 while living in the Middle East and has been sharing her recipes and activities there ever since. 25 | September/October 2021
mamapapabubba.com |
mamapapabubba
PASTA SALAD
Do your kids love pasta too? Turning pasta into pasta salad is an easy way to make it super lunch box friendly! Have fun experimenting with combinations. Pack along a fork and you’re good to go!
MAKE IT Cook up some pasta and let cool (or better yet, use noodles left over from dinner). Add chickpeas or beans, chopped veggies, a drizzle of olive oil, your favourite seasonings and herbs, and toss together. TIP Garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt makes a great basic seasoning combination. A blend of Italian seasoning, dried basil, and chili powder is excellent too. TRY THESE COMBOS 1: Bow tie pasta, chickpeas, cucumbers, and red pepper with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and a little salt. 2: Rotini pasta, black beans, red pepper, and corn with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a little salt.
MAKI
An absolute favourite! Pick up pre-made ones in the bistro or make a very simple version at home. MAKE IT Cook rice according to the directions on the package. While the rice cools, prepare your fillings. Long strips of cucumber, pepper, mango, and tofu work well. Cut nori sheets in half. Place one horizontally on a bamboo sushi mat, and press a small amount of rice onto the seaweed, leaving a strip along the top bare. Place your fillings on top of the rice horizontally. Use the sushi mat to roll everything up tightly. If needed, run a wet fingertip along the strip of bare seaweed to seal the roll up. Cut into small pieces with a sharp knife. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and include a little container of soy sauce if you wish.
These are like cinnamon buns, but pizza style! They are delicious, easy to make, and last several days in the fridge. MAKE IT Start with your favourite store-bought or homemade pizza dough. Roll it out into a large horizontal rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread on a thin layer of your favourite pizza sauce, leaving the top edge of the dough bare (just as you would when making cinnamon buns.) Sprinkle on a your favourite shredded cheese and some small chunks of veggie pepperoni if you wish. Roll the dough up, pressing the edge to seal, and slice into individual buns. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 9 to 12 minutes at 500°F. Allow to cool completely before popping them into lunch kits.
MINI BEAN & CHEESE
BURRITOS
These are so easy to make. While we often think of burritos served hot, they’re actually really delicious enjoyed cold or at room temperature.
MAKE IT Mix canned refried beans with a little garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt to taste. Spread a bit of the bean mixture onto small whole-grain tortillas. Top with your favourite shredded cheese and roll them up! If you’re feeling fancy, add corn, diced peppers, or shredded lettuce too. Pack along a little container of salsa or guacamole for dipping if you like, and lunch is served!
G OOD
Food
Lunch Box Staples for Toddlers BY CHANTELLE NUT TLEY
THE MENU These recipes are pe rfect for large batch cooking . Plan for a day of prep yielding a couple weeks of supply!
Mini Spinach & Banana Oat Pancakes Pumpkin Waffles Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Tots Chicken or Turkey Bites Now that your little one has mastered sampling all the purées, it’s time to graduate to finger foods. For me, this stage has been the most fun so far. You can create nutrition-packed bites that their chubby little fingers and tummies can handle. Plus, for many this is when daycare starts, and packed lunches become a daily (and never-ending) routine.
Teriyaki Rice with Quinoa & Veggies Cups Banana Oat Power Bites Cheesy Broccoli Bites
CHANTELLE NUTTLEY is the marketing manager for Nature’s Fare Markets and new mom. She is passionate about cooking, baking, and natural wellness.
27 | September/October 2021
RECIPES Mini Spinach & Banana Oat Pancakes 2 medium ripe bananas 1 cup oats 1 cup milk of choice big handful fresh spinach 1 tsp baking powder
Scan to get the full ingredient and equipment list
Mini Spinach & Banana Oat Pancakes
Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Tots
1 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp maple syrup ½ cup fresh blueberries coconut oil
1. Add all ingredients except coconut oil and blueberries to a blender. Blend until smooth. Stir in the blueberries. 2. Melt 1 tsp of coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. For each pancake, spoon 1 to 2 tbsp of batter to the pan, using the back of a spoon to spread into a circle. 3. Cook about 3 minutes. Flip over and cook the other side until lightly brown. Repeat until all batter is used.
Pumpkin Waffles 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp salt ½ cup pure pumpkin purée
2 large eggs ¼ cup coconut oil (melted) 2 tbsp applesauce ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 ½ cups milk of choice
1. Preheat waffle iron on medium heat. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, eggs, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and milk. 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. If the batter is too thick, add more milk in ¼ cup increments until the batter resembles cake batter. 5. Pour ½ cup of batter onto the waffle pan and cook according to your waffle iron directions. Repeat until all batter is used. 6. Let cool slightly before cutting into sticks along the waffle pattern. Serve with a small bowl of yogurt, applesauce, or maple syrup for dipping.
Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Tots STOCK YOUR FREEZER Let the food cool completely. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer with no overlapping. Transfer to the freezer. Freeze for 20 minutes or until the food is frozen. Fill labelled freezer bags and return to the freezer. Take out what portions you need the night before to thaw in the fridge.
1 cup cooked sweet potato ½ cup cooked red lentils ½ cup chicken bone broth ½ tsp paprika
½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp garlic powder 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 tsp oil
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Use a fork to mash the sweet potato. 3. Add all ingredients except oil to a mixing bowl. Mix well. 4. Using a small scoop, drop mixture onto the baking sheet spacing 1" apart. Once all scooped out shape with hands into classic tot shape. Spray or brush oil over each tater tot. 5. Bake 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They should be slightly crispy on the outside and lightly golden.
the good life The Magazine of Nature’s Fare Markets | 28
Chicken or Turkey Bites 1 pound ground chicken or turkey 1 large egg 1 avocado 1 large carrot
Banana Oat Power Bites ½ cup kale ½ cup breadcrumbs 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder
3 cups rolled oats 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Dice avocado. Grate carrot. Remove stem from kale and finely chop. 3. Add all ingredients to a bowl. Use a fork to mash together. 4. Using a medium scoop, drop mixture onto the baking sheet spacing 1" apart. Gently press down to form patties. 5. Bake 20 minutes.
Teriyaki Rice with Quinoa & Veggies Cups 2 cups cooked rice (cooled) 3 eggs ½ cup peas (frozen or canned) ½ cup cubed carrots (fresh or frozen)
Cheesy Broccoli Bites
¼ cup almond flour ¼ cup onion ¼ cup low sugar teriyaki sauce 1 tsp ground ginger
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. 2. Finely dice onion. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. Stir in almond flour, teriyaki sauce, and ginger. Mix in remaining ingredients. 4. Fill each muffin tin cup just over halfway full. 5. Bake 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
1 cup ripe banana 2 tsp cinnamon
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Mix until fully combined into a thick, slightly sticky mixture. 2. Scoop 1 tbsp of the mixture and roll into a ball. Repeat for the rest of the mixture. Store in the refrigerator.
Cheesy Broccoli Bites 2 ½ cups broccoli (fresh or frozen) ½ cup cheddar cheese
2 large eggs 3/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Grate cheddar cheese. Gently whisk eggs. 3. Chop broccoli into tiny florets. Steam broccoli 2–3 minutes until tender. 4. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 5. Using a small scoop, drop the mixture onto the baking sheet. Gently press down to form patties. 6. Bake 25 minutes, gently flipping halfway through.
Looking for more recipes? Visit naturesfare.com/recipes
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