a lt e r n at i v e +
LOCAL + independent
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thejasperlocal.com
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wednesday, june 1, 2016 // ISSUE 74
RAIN DANCE // ESTELLE BLANCHETTE MAKES HER WAY UP “FREE DIVER” ON THE RAINY DAY SLABS IN THE MEDICINE LAKE AREA. // SEAN PROCKTER
ATCO to pull plug on locally-sourced power Jasper’s natural gas-fired electricity plant will shut down and the community will connect to the provincial power grid, ATCO Electric has confirmed. Representatives from the utility provider hosted an information session on May 26 to inform residents of the Jasper Interconnection Project. The main thrust of the presentation was to explain why ATCO has decided to connect the community to the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (AIES), and how that process will take place. “We evaluated the alternatives,” said Chris Clark, VP of Planning and Operations with ATCO Electric’s transmission division. “From an economic perspective we determined the best way to supply the community was to provide new transmission lines.” The Jasper Interconnection Project will see approximately 45 km of 69-kilovolt transmission lines strung in the park,
mostly along existing right-of-ways. The transmission lines will lead to a new substation at the existing Palisades site, said Clark. The current plant will be decommissioned and removed. The other option would have been to replace the Palisades Power Plant. Some local jobs will be affected, Clark said. Nearly two years ago, The Jasper Local reported on this same story; at that time, ATCO representatives confirmed their decision to replace the Palisades plant but in a subsequent interview with another newspaper, denied it was a sure thing. The Jasper power plant has been in operation since 1974, when it was built to replace another plant which burned down. That plant was built in 1942. Construction on the new infrastructure will begin in August 2017, subject to approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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page A2 // the jasper local // issue 74 // wednesday, june 1, 2016
editorial //
Local Vocal Here we go again. In our forests, elk calves are dropping, bears are searching for an easy meal, wildfire risk is heating up and ticks are ticking us off. On our roads, traffic is thicker and drivers are more thick-skulled. If road construction doesn’t grind your gears, getting stuck behind a bear jam will have you seeing red. In town, hotels are busier, restaurant rushes are longer, buses are stinkier and one-way streets are more...two-way. During work, staff shortages are more acute. After work, partying is rowdier. Before work, housing is more cramped. Welcome to summer in Jasper! Although it’s not officially crazy time yet, chances are, like most Jasperites, you’ve been seeing signs all around you that this place is starting to get a little kooky. Maybe you’re a server and you just rang out more in a shift than you have in six months. Maybe you’re a driver and you had to wait at the Moberly Bridge junction for a seemingly endless line of vehicles. Maybe you were trying to get to the bank and had to dodge a gaggle of ice cream eaters. Maybe you got chased by a hormonal elk. It’s tough on a community to go from zero to 100 in so little time. If you’re not used to it, it’s kind of like learning to catch one day and then being required to juggle the next. Even if you’ve experienced plenty of peak seasons in Jasper, there’s only so many balls you can keep in the air at one time. That’s why it’s important for Jasperites to try to all work together. Last week, I found myself adjacent to an area that had been suddenly closed by wildlife officials. Figuring I knew better and not wanting to hike around, I proceeded to duck the tape and walk on through. While I might not have been in any immediate danger, I caused a certain amount of hassle for the Parks Canada staff who had to deal with me instead of going about their business. In hindsight, it was ignorant for me to assume that because I live here, I wasn’t obliged to follow the rules. That’s just the type of behavior that makes it difficult for all of us to manage summer stress. Make no mistake, the wave is coming. By the looks of it, it might actually be a tsunami. Our advice? If you can’t surf it gracefully, start practising your duck dives.
bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
Follow this guy The Jasper Local’s social media platforms are riding a little higher these days thanks to a new collaboration with Instagram guru and mobile maven, Jake Daly. The 30-year-old Steelheader, bass-plucker and Delica driver, originally from Smithers, B.C., is already enhancing our reach to new markets, producing engaging content and creating eye-catching images. Don’t be alarmed if he gets in touch with you. He’s a nice guy. Welcome aboard, Jake. See you in the funny pages!
The Jasper Local //
Jasper’s independent alternative newspaper 780.852.9474 • thejasperlocal.com • po box 2046, jasper ab, t0e 1e0
Published on the 1st and 15th of each month Editor / Publisher
Bob Covey.................................................................................... bob@thejasperlocal.com Art Director
Nicole Gaboury.................................................................. nicole@thejasperlocal.com Advertising + sales
Rachel Bailey........................................................................rachel@thejasperlocal.com cartoonist
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Local wildlife //
wednesday, june 1, 2016 // issue 74 // the jasper local// page A3
Aggressive bear shot by officials A food-conditioned black bear was destroyed by wildlife experts after the animal was deemed to be a threat to public safety.
On May 21, officials received a call that a black bear had approached a group of fisherman near the fifth lake on the Valley of the Five Lakes trail. The bear had accessed one of the group member’s packs while the group was preparing their boat for the water, said wildlife specialist Mark Bradley.
The bear also had a history of bold behaviour towards humans. The week before, it had been spotted by Parks Canada staff approaching cars, looking for hand-outs. When Parks Canada staff shot at it with paintballs—a non-lethal hazing technique—instead of running away, the bear began to rummage around where the paintballs had hit the grass “as though it was used to people throwing food at it,” Bradley said. decision to
The report came in at 10 a.m. When officials arrived on scene approximately an hour and a half later, “The they interviewed the put it down was reporting party and based on the obtained information about the encounter. bear’s immediate Suddenly, another group behaviour.” began shouting that the bear had come back. “[Parks Canada staff] were walking towards the bear, yelling and readying their firearms,” Bradley said. “The bear continued to walk toward them. At that point it was deemed to be a high safety risk.” A resource conservation staff member discharged his weapon, a 12-gauge shotgun, bringing the animal down. “The decision to put it down was based on the bear’s immediate behaviour,” Bradley said. “Since it would not leave, it was deemed to be food-conditioned and therefore highly unlikely to be amenable to teaching it to fear humans.”
“We had some evidence it had been fed from cars on the highway.”
The bear, a 200-pound male, was approximately six-years-old, according to its tooth wear. The bear was in good physical condition, Bradley said. While no food-conditioned bears were destroyed in 2015, in 2014, Parks Canada was forced to destroy two problem black bears. Similar to this recent incident, one bear was approaching hikers on the Valley of the Five Lakes trail. Another had been getting into coolers at Kerkeslin campground. “It’s almost guaranteed when a bear starts to associate people with food that eventually we’re going to have to shoot it,” Bradley said. Bradley said that the main takeaway for park users is to never feed bears, but also to travel in groups, keep dogs on a leash, carry bear spray and have control of any food or snacks they might be packing. He also added that when erected, closures should be respected. “In this case the closure was put up because another bear might have happened by and wanted that carcass,” he said.
FED BEAR = DEAD BEAR // BEARS WHICH LEARN TO ASSOCIATE HUMANS WITH FOOD OFTEN TURN INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT. // BOB COVEY
The carcass was moved to a place off trail where humans will not encounter it. b covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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page B1 // the jasper local // issue 74 // wednesday, june 1, 2016
Local food //
Coming full circle at Jasper's oldest dining room From the riverstone fireplace that greets you upon entering, to the custom-milled wooden ceiling tiles, to the heritage font on the signboard above the front door, Tekarra Restaurant is steeped in history. But it’s not just the room, nor the stories of its famous guests (Marilyn Monroe, anyone?) which help make time stand still at the cabin in the woods. It’s the fact that for more than five decades, the restaurant has been a staple in Jasper’s culinary culture. “In 1989, when my daughter Skye was born we had standing reservations for Sunday night,” said Jasper restauranteur Mike Day. “That was our family dinner.” Two years before that, Day was part of a theatre troupe which would perform once a week to then-owner Nick Pitoulis’ guests. Then in 2006, Day worked at Tekarra, serving guests creative dishes dreamed up by Chef David Husereau. Now everything is coming full circle for Day. In March, together with his wife, Cyndi, he bought the lease to the heritage dining room. On May 20, the Days opened the doors to another summer season at Tekarra. “We want to continue that tradition that was started in the 1950s,” Day said. “There’s a sense of place here. Everything is at a different pace.” To help execute that mission, Day has enlisted the services of Chef Dale Nutt, formerly of Overlander Lodge’s Stone Peak Restaurant. Nutt, too, has a connection to Tekarra’s past: he cooked at Fiddle River with Husereau. Nutt’s current menu pays homage to that relationship—the duck tart is a take on Husereau’s famous “Archie’s Delight,”
for example—as well as Tekarra classics from menus past, such as the lobster roll (reincarnated as the nori trout roll) and the local favourite, banana-crusted chicken. “[Husereau] has played a big impact on the culinary scene in this town,” Nutt said. To be certain, Nutt is putting his own stamp on the menu. Devilled eggs with bacon jam, quinoa risotto and panseared wild boar belly are a few such items. While the menu is pared-down from recent years, Nutt is hoping the flavours will do the talking. “It’s simply written,” he said. “I’m not trying to wow you from reading it. I want to wow you with flavours.” Out in the front of house, the most notable change to the room, perhaps, is the art. Day and Mountain Galleries’ Wendy Wacko have collaborated to feature landscape artist Charlie Easton’s works which showcase familiar yet dramatic Jasper scenes. The large, dynamic compositions are striking for their vivid colours and unexpected perspectives. “All of the Jasper pieces create a different vitality,” Day said. “They brighten up the room.” And if they don’t do the job, front of house manager Jesse Lent will. Lent has been charming guests at various Jasper bars and restaurants for the better part of 20 years, including (of course) a short stint at Tekarra 10 years ago. He and Day have concocted a classic cocktail list they believe will hit the mark in terms of giving guests that “back-intime” feeling. After nearly a month of biking out to the property preparing for the upcoming season, Lent said it’s nice to finally lift the curtain. “It’s such a fantastic room,” he said. “What an easy place to come and dine.”
DON’T FIX WHAT AIN’T BROKEN//TEKARRA’S FAMOUS BUTCHER PAPER-COVERED TABLES AND CRAYONS AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE. // BOB COVEY
NEW OWNER MIKE DAY, CHEF DALE NUTT AND MANAGER JESSE LENT ALL HAVE PAST CONNECTIONS TO TEKARRA RESTAURANT, THEIR LATEST ENDEAVOUR.// BOB COVEY
This is not the first time Day has taken over a restaurant from Husereau. In 2007, he and Cyndi bought Evil Dave’s. Last week, on a night when Tekarra was expected to serve a dozen diners, Day’s staff at Evil Dave’s were preparing to seat more than 120. “Evils is more cosmopolitan, more up-tempo,” Day said. “Here everything slows down. It’s nice to have that contrast.” bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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Spring weekend at Fairmont JPL goes to the dogs Guests of the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge were “ruffin’ it” over the May long weekend. For the third year in a row, the hotel invited canines and their owners to take part in an im-paw-sibly cute promotion.
Dog Days of May tailors to guests with pets; upon arrival, pups have their own guest check-in area where they’re greeted with a gift basket and treats. The rest of the weekend unfolds in similar fashion: think canine stylists, dog-focused hikes, organic dog food cooking workshops and on-site obedience training. “People forget that we’re a dog-friendly hotel,” said Robin Linden, Fairmont’s Rocky Mountain region events manager and the brains behind Dog Days of May. “We want to get the word out.” Apparently, word is spreading. Fairmont capped the number of four-legged guests at 50 this year; the quota filled up fast. “Next year we’ll open it up and see where the bookings take us,” Linden said. In North America, the pet-industry is worth a billion dollars. But never mind the demand from guests for Dog Days of May, the wait-list for JPL staff members to work the event was almost 90-people deep. “If you’re a dog lover, it’s a great event for staff,” Linden said.
The main priority, however, is the furry friends. The hotel brings in professional trainers who put the pups through their paces on a custom-built agility course, complete with see-saws and slides. “One guest told us when she left on Monday her dog got into the backseat and cried the whole way home.”
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An Obscure peek at Jasper climbing culture Rock climbers have been snapping up Northern Exposure, Francois Leplante’s recently-released guidebook to Jasper National Park sport climbing. for a window into the less-known, more esoteric world of Jasper rock, however, look no further than Rockies Obscure.
The website is the strange and idiosyncratic brainchild of former Jasperite Greg Cornell. Cornell, who lived and played in Jasper in the late-80s to mid-90s, created the site to share some of his weird and wonderful explorations over the years, and also to have an outlet for his journaling compulsion. “I’ve always kept a journal,” he said from his Calgary home. “It was kind of a family habit.” Thanks to Cornell’s addictions—both to writing things down and to exploring seldomclimbed nooks and crannies—rockiesobscure.com is a vault of rock, ice and bouldering routes as random as they are gnarly. The site covers a fair swath of the Alberta Rockies, but it leans on its Jasper content, not only because Cornell spent seven years here as a rock jock, but because for most Alberta climbers, Jasper is still obscure. Cornell says he misses the low key vibe and uncrowded crags of his former stomping grounds. “When you come to the cliffs in Canmore it can be a zoo,” he said. “There’s often 50 ropes on the wall…it looks like an indoor gym.” Moreover, he misses the rock in Jasper: more chossy, and less glossy, is how he put it. “I love the loose rock and moss,” he said. “That’s part of the mountain.” Cornell came of age in an era of Ray-bans, lycra and cutoff jean shorts. His hero in those days—like most Jasper rock climbers, he said— was legendary North Rockies climber Ken Wallator. “Wallator used to look like Grizzly Adams,” he said. “He had this super long beard. He was just a badass.” Working at Beckers Gourmet Restaurant, before his shift Cornell would bike to nowforgotten climbing areas such as Wabasso Slab and Chuck’s Corner. There he’d set up a solo top rope and practice his smears.
CORNELL DESCENDING THE WEST FACE OF MT. EDITH CAVELL IN 1993.//SUPPLIED
When he could round up a partner, he’d head to the Rock Gardens, Hidden Valley or Morro Mountain. His forte, however, was in the obscure. His were the first bolts on Ribbed For Your Pleasure above Medicine Lake. Similarly, he provides good beta for Shredder Reef, a climb that holds some Jasper lore for its hidden-in-plain-sight quality. Rockies Obscure isn’t all rad routes and first ascents, however. A good portion of the site
GREG CORNELL LIVED IN JASPER FOR SEVEN YEARS WHERE HE CLIMBED AND EXPLORED. TODAY HE HAS A FAMILY IN CALGARY. HE CREATED ROCKIESOBSCURE.COM SEVERAL YEARS AGO. // SUPPLIED
is dedicated to rainy-day options, Rockies trivia and fun, funky hikes. Cornell even lets the reader in on some of his more unique ideas—goofy yet practical outdoor tips like how to avoid toilet paper flying into your face in a drafty loo, advice on DIY ski basket replacement and, for disc golf enthusiasts, instructions for setting up a portable outdoor course. While the website is handy for those wanting to get off the beaten path, it’s practically drowning in nostalgia—which makes it all the more charming. From musings about his favourite bands, artists and Rockies-filmed movies to trips down memory lane with his kids, Rockies Obscure traverses a strange but stirring route in Jasper’s mountain culture. “Other things I fondly recall about my time in Jassy town are watching the British military start bar fights when they were stationed south of town; seeing legendary local Hans Schwartz instruct beginners at Morro Slabs…and taking the keyboard player from the 80s rock band Boulevard caving at Cadomin when he was touring solo.” Obscure indeed. Find your next random adventure at www.rockiesobscure.com. Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
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LOCAL FEATURE // STORY BY BOB COVEY
The bite
Fish-crazed Jasperites hook, line
ANTICIPATION FOR THE OPENING OF JASPER NATIONA AN UNUSUALLY WARM SPRING HAD INSECTS BUZZIN
AT MALIGNE LAKE, ICE-OFF OCCURRED IN EARLY MAY, MEANING ANGLERS WERE RARIN’ TO GO FO
“THREE MORE DAYS UNTIL WE ALL GET TO ENJOY A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN!” ONE FISH HEAD WR FACEBOOK GROUP. When May 21 finally arrived, Jasperites Laurent Bolduc and Mimi Ferron occupied the first boat on Maligne Lake’s glacial waters. Their fishing craft, along with a dozen or so others, spent the morning moving between hotspots on Home Bay. Recentlyspawned rainbow trout and eastern brook trout— introduced species which thrive in Maligne’s cold, oxygenated waters—eagerly took whatever flies were presented to them. Seven months of not having seen a lure make fish forgetful, apparently. At the end of the day, when they packed up their rods and parked their freighter, they’d landed more than 20 fish. “I’m afraid I’m going to get desensitized,” Bolduc laughed. “Normally catching five fish is an awesome day.” Maligne wasn’t the only lake producing right out of the gates. Several in-the-know locals made their way to Pyramid Lake on opening day. For most fisherfolk, at most times of the year, Pyramid is legendary for its stinginess. Its easy accessibility means it gets pounded by every Joe Six-Pack with a five-of-diamonds, making resident trout wary. More often than not, anglers leave Pyramid with their tails between their legs and the distinct smell of skunk on their lucky fishing hats. David Thomas, however, knows a few things about luring leery lunkers. The long-time Jasperite is among a select number who understand how and when to target the large lake trout which inhabit Pyramid’s dark depths. On May 21, to avoid the crowds he knew would be lining up at the Maligne Lake boat launch, Thomas slipped his 14-ft, recently-refurbished aluminum Lund into Pyramid Lake. A late start didn’t seem to matter. He and his girlfriend got into half a dozen fish, including one chunky six pounder Thomas
caught on a minnow pattern that he tied himself. “I thought I was snagged—we were only in 14 feet of water, which is usually a no-no when you’re using fast-sinking line. I killed the motor, but then I felt the head shaking. It went for a couple runs and I said ‘this might be a hog.’” Other fishy waters which start out hot and then subsequently cool, in terms of fish gullibility, are the pothole lakes on the Valley of the Five Lakes trail. Online Sport and Tackle’s Donny Sutton was happy he brought his fly rod to lake four last week, because the small bead head fly he presented to the cruising brook trout was the ticket to a dozen or so takes. Fellow anglers with spin-cast set ups could only watch with envy. “The fish were ignoring every lure that went by, but they were attacking every fly I put in front of them,” he said. Sutton’s co-worker was also finding some action. Making his way to the tucked-away Moab Lake, off Hwy 93A, Mickey Durhack and a couple buddies were drifting chironomid fly (midge) imitations to unsuspecting lake trout, rainbows and even a cisco—a rare species closely related to the more common mountain whitefish. The former Manitoban has been using his downtime getting to know the park’s most productive holes. “The fish are nicer looking, and the scenery’s way better than back home,” he laughed. Back up at Maligne, there wasn’t much to see on the Sunday of the long weekend. A storm rolled in, obscuring the surrounding peaks and making sailing anything but smooth. Bad weather often means good fishing, however, and fish guide Courtnall Durrant
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e is on:
take to opening day and sinker
AL PARK’S LAKE FISHING SEASON WAS HIGH THIS YEAR. NG AND ICE MELTING WEEKS EARLIER THAN USUAL.
OR OPENING DAY.
ROTE ON MAY 18 IN A LOCAL FISHING
was making the most out of the chilly opportunity Mother Nature presented him. “Snow and fishing always mix,” he said after reeling in the 20th fish of the day (a week later he had 48). Indeed, early season fishing means the potential for big numbers: rumour has it Jasperite Ryan Oxley and former Curries Fishing guide, Valemount resident Curtis Pawliuk, had more than 60 to the boat on one particularly hot day. Meanwhile Ryan Catherwood, who takes clients out for Online Sport and Tackle, had 12 fish on 12 different lures. When the bite is on, he likes to experiment with different tackle, he said. “I started off using a streamer that I tied and went to some really crazy lures. They all worked,” Catherwood said. Down in the valley bottom, Jeff Whitman was having a blast showing his daughters India (nine-years-old) and Anica (seven) the fun of pike fishing on Talbot Lake. The trio had a bend in their rod all afternoon, he said, landing nine pike in just four hours. “The really enjoy fishing and riding in the boat, and had a blast reeling in some decent size pike all by themselves,” Whitman said. Even on the Athabasca river, where spring runoff has muddied the clear winter waters, Hinton’s Joe Batraki was finding willing bull trout, including one 10-pound dinosaur. “Caught between Jasper and Hinton,” he winked. Eventually, the lakes will turn over and trout will move to deeper waters. But although the fish won’t seem quite as hungry, local anglers’ appetite for wetting a line isn’t going anywhere. bob covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
Fish On! Tips to finding Maligne magic Local fish heads will tell you figuring out the hotspots on JNP’s largest lake is a life-long study. But you can make the learning process easier by first getting set up with the right gear. Most Maligne anglers find success by setting up a five-weight fly rod with a mediumsinking (wet) line and a 10-foot leader. Popular flies include leech and shrimp imitations in red, black, green and chartreuse. The art of “ripping” flies is key. Observe local anglers for a proper demo, but suffice to say the horizontal jigging motion is designed to induce a predatory strike. Trust us, that first feisty take is worth the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrist. Troll at a walking pace along structure and weed beds, about 15 feet down. To make releasing fish easier—on you and the trout—always pinch your barbs. -Bob Covey
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The bear necessities: Spring cub scouting
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU SAY AWWW.// LOCAL PHOTO-SNIPER SIMONE HEINRICH CAPTURED THESE PLAYFUL BABY BLACK BEARS FROM A SAFE DISTANCE—MOMMY WASN’T FAR AWAY. // SIMONE HEINRICH
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PARTY program hits home for local students
CRASH COURSE // JASPER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GOT A TASTE OF HOW DRINKING AND DRIVING CAN SHATTER AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHEN ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES’ PARTY PROGRAM, TOGETHER WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES STAFF MEMBERS, PARTICIPATED IN A MOCK-ACCIDENT SCENARIO MAY 20. THE PARTY (PREVENT ALCOHOL AND RISKRELATED TRAUMA IN YOUTH) PROGRAM PROMOTES INJURY PREVENTION THROUGH VIVID CLINICAL REALITY, ENABLING YOUTH TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES ABOUT ACTIVITIES AND BEHAVIOURS. STUDENTS HEARD FROM LOCAL POLICE, JASPER’S VICTIMS’ SERVICES COORDINATOR AND DRINKING AND DRIVING SURVIVOR DERRICK WINTERS, WHOSE OWN ACCIDENT TOOK THE LIFE OF HIS FRIEND AND LEFT HIM SEVERELY INJURED.// VALERIE DOMAINE PHOTOS
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wednesday, june 1, 2016 // issue 73 // the jasper local// page B6
inside out //
Eight steps to mastering your spring cleanse Spring is a time of Your body will need renewal, extra rest during sparking a this time of change in the earth detoxification and and within regeneration. us. After a long winter of indulgence and self-reflection it is our time to clean the body and mind of anything that doesn’t serve us. It is a time where we tend to start moving more and crave a lighter and fresher diet. Naturally, spring is the best time to do a cleanse, but we must do it safely while listening to our bodies. Here are eight ways to master your spring cleanse, safely and effectively:
1 Do your research: A lot of cleanses include a drastic calorie count change. If you have a busy life you cannot put on hold, calorie restriction is going to put a lot of stress on your body. Cleanses such as a whole foods challenge, or a sugar-free cleanse are great places to start without having to restrict calories. You will still be able to put up with the demands of busy life and still reap the benefits of a cleaner diet. 2 Do a pre-cleanse: It’s a lot to ask of our bodies to go from eating a diet of whatever we please straight into a juice cleanse the next day. The side effects will not be pretty. Start small and eliminate processed and packaged foods from you diet, slowly increase your vegetable and fiber intake and use more whole foods. This will help stabilize blood sugar and make for an easy transition into the cleanse with less side effects like headaches, fatigue, constipation and irritability. 3 Increase your water intake: Without enough water our body is unable to excrete toxins properly. If we are dehydrated the toxins will be re-absorbed by the bloodstream. About one liter per every 100 lbs of body weight is a great starting point. 4 Daily elimination: The whole point of a cleanse is to eliminate toxins
from the body and that is a job for our channels of excretion: sweat, urine and bowels. In some cleanses, for instance a longer juice cleanse, there is no fiber to provide bulk for a daily bowel movement, leading to constipation. Juices make a great addition to a cleanse protocol to get the extra antioxidants and phytonutrients vegetables have to offer. I recommend incorporating soluble and insoluble fiber and some gentle liver herbs to keep elimination happening during your cleanse. 5 Down time/ sleep: Your body will need extra rest during this time of detoxification and regeneration. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine during our night’s rest is when our organs do the most regenerating and detoxifying. Meaning, our organs’ regenerative modes are triggered by the Para-sympathetic nervous system, also known as ‘rest and digest.’ Our rest at night is the only chance for some of us to give this time to our organs, so make sure to set aside a little extra time to sleep during a cleanse. I suggest eight hours per night with a focus on going to bed around or before 11 p.m. 6 Exercise: Sweat is another channel of excretion and it is a great way for a little extra detox during a cleanse. Sweating helps us detox our largest organ—the skin. Exercise also decreases insulin resistance, decreasing our sugar cravings! Moderate exercise during a cleanse is plenty. 7 Foods for the liver: Focus specifically on foods that play a role in phase 2 of the liver detoxification pathway. Our liver has 2 stages of detox, the second being the most
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important as in turns toxins into a water-soluble form for excretion. This pathway requires sulfur containing amino acids. Foods high in sulfur are broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale and other brassica family vegetables, eggs, garlic, onions and brazil nuts. 8 De-stress: Stress causes inflammation in the body, disrupts the delicate flow of your hormones’ insulin resistance and studies have shown that it actually increases weight gain, especially around the midsection of the body. During your cleanse implement a routine that involves some destressing activities. Some of my favorites are yin yoga, meditation and being in nature. Deep breaths cleanse all parts of the body and mind. Jenna completed a 3-year program of Holistic Nutrition at Pacific Rim College, an industry-renowned school of Complimentary and Integrative Medicine. There she developed a strong understanding of Diet Therapy, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and some Western Herbal Medicine. She works with clients to find a permanent and sustainable fix to their health concerns using natural approaches that take into consideration each person’s bioindividuality. Find her at alpenglownutrition.ca