Vista issue #116 January/February 2018 by Vista Magazine

No. 116 January / February 2018

Health Food Trends to Try p50 Your Meditation Match Quiz! p58 Spicy Peanut Zoodle Bowl p56 Rethinking Fitness in 2018 p34

Recipe to Reset with bestselling vegan cookbook author, Angela Liddon

T HE O R GA NI C ENTR EPRENEU R

Chantal Plamondon Talks Life Without Plastic p28 P R I N T E D I N C A N A DA

C A N N A .M ED.ED

Weeding Out Pain with Medical Marijuana p32

A DAY IN THE LIF E OF

How Eva Redpath Stays Strong and Energized p62

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EDITOR’S NOTE

KIM D’EON PHOTO BY @PHILCROZIER

No. 116 While turning over another calendar year may not have the power to magically wipe last year’s slate clean, it certainly inspires the hope of renewal for most of us. I, for one, am welcoming 2018 with open arms and lots of intention setting. I never, actually, make resolutions, but I think I’ll make an exception this year. Drumroll please…this year, I’m going to be kinder to myself. Sounds simple, but for many of us, it’s easier said than done. If #kindness is new “cool”, surely we can turn some of that goodwill inwards and practice a little self-compassion this year. For me, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, this is one resolution I can (need to) really get behind. Turns out, being hard on yourself can be one of the unhealthiest things you can do that no amount of green smoothies can save you from. So, forget extremes this New Year; did they ever really get you anywhere besides locked into a vicious stress-disappointment cycle? Let’s make a pact to practice some self-kindness as we set out on this next trip around the sun. Why vow to get up at 5am for pre-dawn workouts if the idea makes you miserable? (Read Change The Way You Think About Fitness, pg. 34) Why choke back a kombucha if you hate the taste? (There are

plenty of other ways to get your probiotics.) If you find meditation too hard to stick with, try approaching it differently (pg. 20) Let’s ditch the one-size-fits-all resolutions and, instead, practice “heart-centred goal setting” (pg. 15). Maybe we think about simply taking our time with things this year, avoiding distractions, noticing new details in old environments, or congratulating ourselves for the little wins instead of focusing on our perceived shortcomings. Listen, even sitting less is a great start! In this issue, you’ll find lots of inspiration on different ways to hit that proverbial reset button and feel refreshed this year including interviews with renowned vegan cookbook author, Angela Liddon (pg. 41), learning to live with less plastic from the founders of Life Without Plastic (pg. 28) and a peak into A Day In The Life of high-octane fitness guru, Eva Redpath (pg. 62). Maybe read the mag with a glass of wine, while taking a bath when you feel you “should” be doing something else. Cheers!

EDITOR IN CHIEF RHN, B. JOURNALISM HONS. Follow me on Instagram @KIMDEONCOM

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No. 116

January/February 2018 PUBLISHER

Trent Nellis EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Kim D’Eon ART DIRECTOR

Eric McBain PALEO EDITOR

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Deliciously Dairy Free Organic Creamy Drinking Chocolate

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Correct ions from issue #115: Please note, you c a n fi n d Coc ooning Nat urally aut hor, Heat her Ross, on In s ta g ra m @nat utaleclect ic. Ali D avies, who wrote on S impli fyi n g , c an be found at alidav ies.com

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The Bitter Truth about Detoxification

Support your natural detox processes with bitter greens

18 WHOLE FOODS

Hello Schizandra!

Stress-fighting super berry to the rescue

22 Refreshed Skin in 3 (Holistic) Steps

Contents

Getting Enough Iron? Look for the signs of deficiency

NO. 116 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

28 ORGANIC ENTREPRENEUR

Life Without Plastic Taking steps to protect the planet

Weeding Out the Pain

The latest on cannabis for pain management

5 Health Food Trends to try in 2018

Change the Way You Think About Fitness

Broiled Grapefruit with Coconut Yogurt

Adjust your thinking for a fitness breakthrough

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Getting Your Glow On This Year

And other whole food recipes for a fresh start

Refresh Your Relationship with Meditation Take our quiz to find your dosha!

Q+A with Oh She Glows, Angela Liddon

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BREATHING ROOM

How to Practice Heart-Centred Goal Setting “If your goals aren’t synced with the substance of your heart, then achieving them won’t matter much.” – Danielle LaPorte We know that goal-setting can provide clarity and focus for the year ahead. However, sometimes we choose goals that are unrealistic, causing unnecessary stress and shame when we don’t achieve them. But what makes a goal unrealistic? Aren’t we supposed to aim high and dream big? Oftentimes, our goals are unrealistic because they don’t align with our true desires. As a result, we aren’t really motivated by them. And when we aren’t really motivated by them, we consciously, or unconsciously, don’t set ourselves up for success. Break the pattern this year by setting heart-centred goals!

1. Visualize Close your eyes and picture your life in several years’ time. Imagine the details of potential scenarios and events with as much detail as you can muster. Notice what makes you feel energized, peaceful, curious, fearful, and so on. Journal about the feelings you link with the various possibilities you visualized.

2. Start Small Create goals based on the most positive possibilities you uncovered through visualization. But ensure that they are measurable, shortterm goals, rather than vague and overly ambitious goals. Research has shown that when you pull off a small task, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that fuels motivation. That means those small successes are actually making you much more likely to keep meeting the goals that will, over time, help you to realize your biggest dreams.

3. Write Them Down Once you have identified a few simple, shortterm goals that connect to positive possibilities that truly excite you, it’s time to write them down. Include specific details about when, how, and with whom you will accomplish these goals that reflect your true heart’s desires.

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WHOLE FOODS

Arugula Arugula is known as the “rocket green” because it tends to grow rapidly. With its oat-shaped leaves and peppery flavour, it’s a popular salad green. Its high levels of vitamin K boost liver function, helping this detoxifying organ to cleanse the blood. Arugula is also rich in chlorophyll, otherwise known as known as “liquid sunshine”, which aids your body’s natural detoxification processes.

Radicchio Radicchio is a plant with firm purple and white leaves that looks very much like red cabbage. It’s a specialty Italian vegetable that works well mixed with other greens in a salad or sautéed in dishes that call for a touch of bitterness. In addition to being rich in liver-boosting vitamin K, radicchio is packed with antioxidants that fight freeradical damage.

Dandelion Greens One person’s weed is another person’s nutritional goldmine. Served up sautéed with garlic or mixed into salads, dandelion greens offer up large amounts of vitamins A and K. They are also a vegetarian/vegan friendly source of calcium for stronger bones. And while you might cook dandelion greens to take the edge off their bitter flavour, why not challenge your taste buds? Their bitterness stimulates your salivary glands, which encourages extra bile production in your liver, aiding detoxification.

Rapini Sometimes called the Italian turnip, rapini is a vegetable with long, slightly frilly leaves. Its bitter, bold-tasting leaves are usually sautéed, oftentimes with garlic, and enjoyed as a side dish. One cup of chopped raw rapini serves up 112% of the daily value for the liver-supporting vitamin K.

Bitter Greens For Detoxification

One of the best way to refresh and reset yourself is by supporting your body’s detoxification processes. Eating bold-flavoured, bitter greens boosts your liver and digestive system, both of which work to cleanse your system naturally. What could be sweeter? V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

STATS

10 Reasons to Love Your Liver

1 The liver is the only organ in the body that can completely regenerate itself and it only

The liver is one of the most amazing organs in the body! This powerhouse organ is your body’s main detoxification control centre, but it’s often overlooked in Western medicine. We hope these statistics will help you better understand why supporting the liver should be high on your priority list this year.

needs 25% of itself to do so 2 The liver cleanses your blood by metabolizing and neutralizing alcohol and other drugs and toxic chemicals. 3 Your liver produces bile which carries toxic wastes away from your body and aids in digestion (especially of fats) 4 Manufactures many important proteins, including the ones that help us fight infections. 5 Converts excess glucose (sugar) in the blood into a form of storage called glycogen which can later be used for energy. 6 The liver functions best when you get plenty of antioxidants like C, E, and beta-carotene

vitamins; zinc and selenium minerals; and B-vitamins that help support alcohol metabolism 7 Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day helps to boost the liver’s detoxifying powers and rid the

Your lovely liver is the largest organ in your body (well, besides your

body of waste 8 Acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure 9 Several studies indicate that substances in milk thistle could protect the liver from toxins,

skin); about the size of a football! This organ of detoxification deserves to be understood and supported—especially during and after a season of major holiday indulgences! It works by processing nutrients and toxins from your digestive organs into substances that will be passed

including medications like Tylenol 10 Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver disease in Canada, affecting over 7 million people

back into your blood or released by the bowel or kidneys. It’s your body’s main filtration system. Think of it like your own internal engine for natural detoxification.

To learn more about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease visit VISTAMAGAZINE.CA

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WHOLE FOODS

Schizandra: A StressCleansing Super-Berry Schizandra has been called “the quintessence of Chinese herbs”, a tonic that supports overall health, wellness, and vitality. Schizandra is an adaptogenic berry that grows on a climbing vine native to northeastern China and parts of Russia. Like all other adaptogenic herbs (e.g., ginseng), it supports your health by helping your body better adapt to mental and physical stress. Schizandra has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 2,000 years. Traditional practitioners believe that the berry possesses all three primary life energies needed for supporting overall vitality: Jing, Qi and Shen. It is famous, above all else, for its ability to help the liver cleanse the blood of toxins. While it is a berry, Schizandra is valued more for its medicinal properties rather than as a super-food snack like gogi berries. That’s because its unique flavour profile includes sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and

V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

pungent tastes. In fact, Wu Wei Zi, its Chinese name, means “five flavour berry”. You can harness this powerful tonic by eating a few dried berries a day, or by taking a supplement that includes its active components, schizandrins. Research suggests that Schizandra can have the following health benefits: • Supports liver’s detoxifying function • Reduces inflammation • Boosts immunity • Prevents artery hardening • Balances blood-sugar levels • Enhances tissue repair • Supports adrenal function • Improves physical endurance • Improves mental performance • Boosts moods • Prevents digestive disorders • Reduces stress hormones • Lowers blood pressure • Improves blood circulation

WHOLE SELF

The What, Why, and How of Meditation If you don’t have a meditation practice going, you’ve probably been encouraged to start one at some point. Perhaps you’ve attempted to meditate in the past and been discouraged by the experience. Or maybe you even have a hard time defining what meditation is. The truth is that meditation takes many forms. Some practitioners meditate while chanting, walking, dancing, knitting, and so on. Some feel their practice gives them a heightened spiritual awareness, while others meditate to reduce their stress. Generally, meditation can be defined as an exercise that focuses your thoughts, helping you quiet your busy brain and truly be in the present moment. Research shows that a meditation practice can reduce stress and its negative impacts on the body, decrease anxiety and depression, improve attention and concentration, improve sleep quality, and decrease blood pressure. Still, it can be challenging to get into a meditation practice. Need a few easy and practical tips for getting started?

Try different techniques. When it comes to meditation, just remember that one size does not fit all. Start with a breathing meditation, where you simply focus your attention on your breathing for two-five minutes. If that simple approach doesn’t suit you, try out other techniques, which could include speaking mantras, using visualizations, or focusing on small, unnoticed details of your surroundings like a plant or tree.

Don’t get discouraged. Meditation focuses your thoughts and connects you to the present moment. But if you get easily distracted during your meditation session, that doesn’t mean you’re “doing it wrong”. In fact, if you notice how busy your brain is, that means you are getting value from the practice. Don’t judge your busy brain. Be kind and gently move back to stillness. They don’t call it a “practice” for nothing.

Sources: National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

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HEALTHY SKIN

3 Holistic Practices to Refresh Your Skin Caring for your skin is an important daily routine, right up there with brushing your teeth. If you don’t already have this self-care ritual in place, make 2018 the year to honour the skin you’re in. After college, AMANDA BEISEL travelled extensively in Asia and became inspired by Eastern medicine. She began her initial training as a registered

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and requires specific skincare ingredients and nutrients as well as self-care to preserve and restore its health. Just as your body needs food as fuel to function, your skin need nutrients to thrive— malnourished skin is a real thing.

acupuncturist and then went onto study Mei Zen cosmetic acupuncture in California. Ten years later, Amanda is a skin care expert and founder of an

Choose the Right Topical Hydration When beginning a skincare routine, your main focus should be on hydration. Generally, when we think of hydrating our skin, the first thing that comes to mind is a moisturizer; however, this is only part of the hydration equation. Since our skin is comprised of multiple layers, moisturizer only addresses the outermost layer; the epidermis, and simply cannot penetrate deeper. The second layer is called the dermal layer, which is home to collagen, elastin, and our precious hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid retains 500 times its weight in water—resulting in plump and

award-winning skin care clinic, SKN holistic rejuvenation clinic, based in Vancouver, BC. She’s been one of the first to combine the powers of Eastern medicine, medical esthetics and skin nutrition. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

very well hydrated skin. Over time our hyaluronic acid stores decline, so daily topical application is key to hydrated, healthy skin. The only type of product that can penetrate the dermal layer to create deep hydration is a water-based serum—no moisturizer or oil can ever reach it. This is critical information and the reason why a well-formulated water-based serum should be the foundation of any effective skincare routine. Not only do water-based serums prevent and resolve dehydration, they bathe and nourish your collagen, keeping it supple and moist.

Nourish Your Skin From Within

Practice Daily Meditation

Honouring our bodies with cell enlivening, nutrientrich foods will not only awaken your natural glow, but they will elevate your overall well-being. Remember, Mother Earth provides the most nutrient abundant foods for our bodies so, when shopping in the grocery store, focus on filling your cart with plant-based foods, which provide an abundance of antioxidants to protect your collagen from oxidative damage. Eating high quality nutrients with lots of fibre helps to keep our internal systems running smoothly and to eliminate any buildup of toxins. Since our skin is our largest organ, and an organ of elimination, when our bodies are over-burdened with poor quality foods, we can see the impacts of this on our skin. This can result in acne, dull complexion and other skin related issues. Try starting your day with a fruit and veggie enriched smoothie and incorporate lots of soups, stews and steamed veggies, which are all great ways to stay hydrated and nourish your skin during these dry, cold winter months.

Along with a healthy diet and active topical care, radiant skin requires inner self-care too. Intuitively, we know a plant won’t flower if it’s not healthy from root to leaf. Our beauty is like that flower—there is an undeniable connection between our emotional selves and our skin’s health and beauty. If mind, body or spirit is unhealthy, we can never bloom. Nothing takes a toll on the skin like prolonged, untreated stress. Meditation is a wonderful antidote to this. Begin by simply sitting in silence for five-ten minutes a day, placing awareness on your breath, knowing that each moment of presence brings you closer to your own true beauty.

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ELLIE BIANCA FOR VISTA SPONSORED CONTENT

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Shea nut harvest

Skin Care With a Social Conscience Evelyne Nyairo was inspired by her daughter to create Ellie Bianca, an allnatural, environmentally sustainable, socially conscious skin care line that recognizes beauty in all forms and supports the empowerment of women through business and education. The Inspiration Behind Ellie Bianca: the journey that led me to Ellie Bianca began in Kisii, Africa, where I was born and raised. It is difficult to explain what it felt like to be a young girl rejecting the notion that women were less valuable in a society where everywhere I looked, that’s what I was being taught. But always I heard the voice of my mother FOUNDER EVELYNE NYAIRO, M.SC., P.BIOL.

telling me to pursue my dreams with tenacity. Years ago, I found myself doing fieldwork among the most beautiful wild mango trees in Chad. I was introduced to a family where the mother and the kids expertly climbed the trees in the hot sun to harvest mangoes for me to eat. As I went to hand the money to the wife I was told; “You must hand the money over to the father as a sign of respect”. The women and children were never paid directly. I felt a knot of anger and frustration in my heart as I customarily handed over the money to the father and thought to myself, “This happens everywhere around the world in different ways, and it’s wrong.” What makes Ellie Bianca unique? Ellie Bianca is a proudly Canadian Social Enterprise, allnatural, environmentally sustainable, socially conscious skin care line that recognizes beauty in all forms. We strongly support the empowerment of women through business and education. When formulating our products, we consider both environmental and social factors, and we are simply passionate about making all-natural skin care accessible.

“It is difficult to explain what it felt like to be a young girl rejecting the notion that women were less valuable in a society where everywhere I looked, that’s what I was being taught.”

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NATURAL HEALTH

Getting enough iron? BY LORNA R. VANDERHAEGHE

Hair loss, dark under eye circles, peeling fingernails? You may need more iron! You can’t open a newspaper or magazine without seeing advertisements for hair loss solutions for men, but very few options are offered to women who are losing their hair. Over twothirds of women have hair loss, and hair loss can be quite extreme – from thinning to bald patches. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

“Your doctor may advise you that your iron levels are normal, but lownormal levels of iron have been observed to cause hair loss.” Low Iron and Hair Loss One of the least known causes of hair loss is low iron. Your doctor may advise you that your iron levels are normal, but low-normal levels of iron have been observed to cause hair loss. We see this in women after childbirth and in women during the perimenopausal years when heavy periods may occur resulting in lost iron. Many women who have low iron often go undiagnosed. Due to higher iron requirements as a result of menstruation, women need 20 milligrams of elemental iron daily, yet most of us are only getting 8 milligrams per day from our diet. Because hair follicles contain ferritin (a storage form of iron), when these iron stores decline it affects the ability of the hair to grow and can cause nonpigmented fine hairs to develop. These hairs are often mistaken for androgenic alopecia. Low ferritin can also cause the hair to change structure, become dry and break easily. Hair loss can be gradual; a general thinning out over the years, or it can be sudden and startling.

Besides hair loss, there are other symptoms of low iron including: • • • •

Fatigue or breathlessness upon minor exertion Thin or peeling nails Dark under eye circles Dry, brittle hair

If you suspect you may be iron deficient, you should have your levels tested by a healthcare practitioner since too much iron can be cause for concern too. I recommend always asking for your test results! Keep in mind, there are two iron blood tests: hemoglobin and ferritin. For hemoglobin, the test range suggested as normal by your doctor is 117-160g/L for women. Yet, my recommendation is that hemoglobin levels below 140g/L can cause significant hair loss. Ferritin, which is your iron storage, has a suggested test range of 15-160ug/L, but to prevent hair loss and

ensure thick hair, I suggest you aim for a reading above 70ug/L. If you are, in fact, low in iron, try increasing your dietary intake with either organic, grass-fed red meat or legumes like lentils, organic soybeans, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. (For a full list of foods high in iron, visit VISTAMAGAZINE.CA) If you’re looking for an iron supplement, I suggest looking to liposomal iron as it does not cause constipation and raises ferritin quickly. Tests conducted on liposomal iron have found that two hours after ingestion, its absorption is five times greater than ferrous fumarate, the standard doctorprescribed iron. After 12 hours, the total absorption of liposomal iron was double that of all other forms of iron tested. I suggest 10-30 mg of elemental liposomal iron for fast results. If low iron is the cause of your hair loss, getting your iron levels back to normal mid-range levels should result in renewed hair growth.

LORNA R. VANDERHAEGHE has been researching and writing on nutritional medicine for over 35 years. She is Canada’s woman’s natural health expert and author of 13 books including A Smart Woman’s Guide to Hormones.

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Chantal Plamondon, Co-founder Life Without Plastic

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Chantal Plamondon Co-founder: Life Without Plastic Q+A WITH

One easy way to adopt healthier habits in the new year is to rethink your relationship with plastic. Just ask Chantal Plamondon, and husband Jay Sinha, who founded an online retail business selling plastic-free alternatives 14 years ago before reusable, eco-friendly housewares were easy to find. As the eco-movement has evolved, so has their mission-based business. The couple has recently published their first book to continue to help raise awareness about this important health and environmental issue. Here, Chantal shares some of her valuable insight to help you on your own life without plastic. 29

Q: Having your son in 2003 was a pivotal moment for you and your husband Jay in the creation of your online company Life Without Plastic. How did becoming parents spark your mission to help others reduce their dependence on plastic products? When becoming responsible for another person’s health and well-being, parents often seek advice and research information on how to give their child the best possible upbringing. This is what Jay and I were doing when our son Jyoti was born. We came across a magazine article that discussed new research showing adverse hormonal effects on children in contact with some types of plastics. We looked around us only to realize that our apartment at the time was filled with plastic products, including baby dishes and toys that our son was exposed to every day. So, we started searching the Internet and looking around for nonplastic replacements. Back in 2003, this was a difficult endeavour, as very few alternatives existed. So, we decided to find what we needed and bought extra stock for other parents who might be going through the same kind of questioning search. This is how LifeWithoutPlastic.com was born. Q: It seems that you can find products labeled “green” and “eco friendly” everywhere these days. How can consumers spot “greenwashing” easily and effectively? We are at the age of the informed consumer. So much information is now available at one’s fingertips. When consumers are informed about the chemistry of plastic additives, the recycling processes, the way that V I S TA M A G A Z I N E . C A

plastics degrade in nature, then they can start making their own assessment of the value of a product that claims to be environmentally friendly. This is why we’ve written our book. We explain all these concepts in simple logical terms so that consumers can detect the greenwashing from afar. A prime example of greenwashing is neoprene used for lunch bags and clothing. It is a plastic-based material that is made of toxic additives, is not recyclable, and degrades slowly into millions of microscopic plastic particles that infuse the air we breathe or end up in the soil or in our waterways. Yet, it is described by many retailers as eco-friendly because it is lead-free, vinyl-free and PVC-free. It is deemed eco-friendly not for what it is intrinsically, but rather for what it is not. An informed consumer would be able to see through the smoke screen easily and decide against this product.

Chantal with husband, Jay Sinha

Take plastic straws, for instance; about 500 million are used in the U.S. every single day. That’s 175 billion annually in the U.S. alone. While many hope these types of plastics are recycled, the reality is that most are actually not.

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Q: Beyond your retail business, you both work hard to educate and inform consumers about the negative impacts of plastic products. You just released a book, fittingly titled “Life Without Plastic: The Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Avoiding Plastic to Keep Your Family and the Planet Healthy”. Tell us a bit about the book and who you hope it appeals to. The book is an accessible primer on the plastics issue from both the health and environment angles - providing solid references from the top researchers around the world - and it’s an easily actionable how-to guide chock full of tips and tools for living with less plastic. We show you how to do a plastic audit of your life and home, and then we go through each room of the house, and various activities in life - school, gym, office, travel - offering up suggestions on ways to avoid and use less plastic. We also offer up ways to radiate a plastic-free existence by getting involved in awareness-building activities, such as beach cleanups, citizen science initiatives, and found plastic art projects. We think it will appeal to both those who are completely new to the issue and wondering how to get started on reducing the plastic in their lives, and to the seasoned plastic avoidance experts. We stress easy, one-at-a-time, individual actions to be taken without feeling overwhelmed from the global nature of the issue, or guilt from not feeling like one is doing enough. These are simple steps toward meaningful goals.

ORGANIC ENTREPRENEUR

Q: What are the top three worst plastic offenders that we should aim to eliminate ASAP and why? The worst offenders are single-use disposable plastics. Things like plastic bags, plastic water bottles and plastic straws. All of these are generally used for minutes and then discarded. Take plastic straws, for instance; about 500 million are used in the U.S. every single day. That’s 175 billion annually in the U.S. alone. While many hope these types of plastics are recycled, the reality is that most are actually not. In fact, only about 9% of all plastics are recycled. Many plastics end up in landfills, or as we are seeing more and more, as environmental pollution. In the marine environment, this plastic may well be eaten, or nibbled at, by wildlife, slowly poisoning them. All three of these major plastic pollution culprits are so easily replaceable with reusable alternatives like cotton bags, and glass or stainless steel bottles and straws. Q: There’s a lot more awareness about the negative environmental and personal health impacts of using plastics. Yet, the population continues to swell and cheap/disposable products continue to flood the market. Big picture: is it getting better or worse? On the bright side, as you mentioned, consumers in general are so much more aware. When we started ten years ago, people bringing their own reusable grocery bags was still rare. Now it’s a generalized habit. We hope the same phenomenon will happen with reusable utensils, straws and containers. We’re happy to see more see zero-waste grocery stores popping up across the world... On the other hand, we’ve also witnessed large companies switching their packaging from glass to plastic (i.e.; mayonnaise and ketchup packaging). Glass is inert and safer for your health. It is also infinitely recyclable, which makes it an ideal packaging alternative. But, with the lower demand for glass containers, glass recycling is diminishing so that more of these environmentally friendly containers actually bypass the recycling plant and go straight to the landfill. Unfortunately, plastic containers can only be down-cycled for a limited number of times and into lower quality products, meaning the material resulting from the recycling of plastic cannot be used to make another complete food package.

The amount of plastic being produced globally still increases every year. We need to decrease the demand for plastic by avoiding it and using alternatives. And, we need to move toward a circular economy where plastics never become waste; rather they re-enter the economy through reuse and recycling. Q: You describe yourselves as activists for a ‘plastic-free planet’ – what gives you hope? Ah, there is so much reason for hope and optimism. Waves of awareness about plastic pollution and toxicity issues are building all over the world, in schools, businesses, newsrooms, public policy think tanks, research labs, United Nations conferences, government departments, villages and urban metropolises - and of course in homes. Awareness is literally exploding as people see videos and news reports of whales and turtles dying excruciating deaths caused by plastic they mistake for food which strangles them from the inside by filling their intestines. And they hear about microplastic particles now being present in our air and water and as a layer across the surface of the Earth, from the Himalayan peaks to the ocean depths. All of this disturbing information, and the stunning images, are jolting people into action like never before and the zero-waste movement has become a global phenomenon. An enormous source of hope is the younger generation who are taking action to find solutions to plastic pollution and toxicity problems. For example, Carter and Olivia Reis, who started the non-profit One More Generation, have created a whole plastic pollution education curriculum they distribute to schools all over the world. And then there is the annual Plastic Ocean Pollution Solutions (POPS) Summit organized by Algalita Marine Research and Education. It’s a three-day educational program that convenes 90 students from around the world to lead the charge to launch and implement action-oriented solutions to reduce plastic waste in their home communities.

See the extended interview with Chantal online at VISTAMAGAZINE.CA and find out which plastics Chantal can’t seem to avoid as well as how she and Jay make the business work within their marriage.

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Weeding Out The Pain BY FABIAN DAWSON

While the science is still unclear, an increasing number of Canadians are turning to medical marijuana to ease their pain. When doctors removed a cancerous tumour in Daphnée Elisma’s breast, she got a new lease on life. The surgery, however, left her with a legacy of pain. “I just couldn’t function,’ said the 41-year old Montreal-based jurist, who was being prescribed opioid painkillers to deal with her suffering. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

One time, Elisma says the opioid pills paralyzed her. “It was a terrifying experience…the doctors said I had Complex Regional Pain Syndrome,” said the former Federal Government training coordinator. The constant stabbing in her arm and chest and migraine attacks were to be a fixture in her life. Elisma then turned to cannabis. “I began using a CBD-based oil and it helped to ease the pain…I can function like a normal person,” said Elisma, who has put her legal career on hiatus to be the voice for CFAMM or Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana. Today, Elisma’s ordeal reverberates across Quebec as she champions patients’ medical marijuana rights to help shape the legislation that will soon govern our country. Like Elisma, Rachel Janzen of Kingsville, Ontario was desperate for a solution for her arthritic pains. “Medical cannabis is an answer to my symptoms,” she says “Facing a lifetime with rheumatoid arthritis is frightening, to say the least.” Janzen’s story is being used on social media, by the Arthritis Society of Canada, to highlight that two out of three Canadians authorized by Health Canada to use medical cannabis are doing so to manage arthritis pain Barinder Rasode, the founder of the National Institute of Cannabis Health and Education (NICHE Canada), said that the patients that she has consulted with across the country overwhelmingly feel that they can manage their pain better with cannabis. “Now knowing what we know, and given the safety profile of cannabis compared to opioids, cannabis appears to be far safer,” said Rasode, who leads the not-for-profit group established to support the development of public policy and research, to assist all levels of government in managing legalization. Karen Parent, who has an extensive background in health care and health services research, said while there is increasing evidence to show that medical marijuana is helping people deal with pain, there hasn’t been enough high-quality research to produce conclusive evidence of the benefits of the plant for pain. “However, more and more doctors are prescribing marijuana for pain management as they see their patients benefiting from it,” said Parent, the divisional manager for Zenabis Ltd., a Delta, B.C. based company. The company is researching a Cannabis-based product for pain management. “Currently there aren’t enough well-defined recommended doses available,” said Parent. Cannabis sativa has a long history of utilization

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as a fibre and seed crop in China. Its achenes (“seeds”) as well as other plant parts, have been recorded in Chinese medical texts for more than 2,000 years, according to research published by Frontiers in Pharmacology. The ancient applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine include treatments for pain and gout, among other ailments. Prof. Cedric Cheung, president of the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada said the Chinese were the first civilization to cultivate and use the plant extensively. Cheung says that he has been seeing an increasing combination use of acupuncture and marijuana to treat addictions and pain. “While acupuncture stimulates the better functioning of damaged body functions, marijuana alleviates stress, discomfort and pain…some of my patients ask for this,” said Cheung. A Canadian research team led by Dr. Mark Ware from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montréal found that patients with chronic pain who used cannabis daily for one year did not have an increase in serious

adverse events compared to pain patients who did not use cannabis. However, two research reviews published this month said there isn’t much proof cannabis works for pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which are among the most common reasons that people use medical marijuana. The studies were conducted by a team of researchers at the U.S. Veterans Health Administration and published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Commenting on the U.S. study, Dr. Winfried Hauser, a pain specialist at Klinikum Saarbrucken in Germany, said the cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabiol (THC) affects regions of the brain involved in regulating pain, emotion, stress, and memory. However, Dr. Hauser stressed that until more research is done “medical cannabis is no magic pill”. Magic pill or not, for users like Daphnée Elisma and Rachel Janzen, medical marijuana has changed their lives. For them, and thousands of others in Canada, medicinal cannabis is the most effective treatment for their pain.

FABIAN DAWSON, is an award-winning journalist and author and is the media director for the National Institute of Cannabis Health and Education (NICHE Canada)

PHOTOS BY DAVE LAUS

This Year, Change the Way You Think About Fitness BY BRENT BISHOP

When many flock to the gym this time of year to begin their New Year’s resolutions, most lose motivation some time in February. But, when it comes to sticking to your exercise goals, Brent Bishop tells us how your mental resolutions can be just as important. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

We’ve all had those times where our workout routine becomes stagnant; we perform below our potential, decline in program adherence or drop it all together. But, resetting your mindset around fitness to include mental motivation, a sense of purpose and inspiration can significantly impact your results.

FITNESS

Change the Stimulus If your exercise routine is not interest-driven you will not be motivated for long. Additionally, if you’ve been sticking to the same weekly routine you’re eventually going to hit a physical plateau. More detrimental is the associated mental plateau that can coincide with physical adaptation. When your routine becomes predictable and monotonous, you will inevitably become bored and discontinue. Try taking a seasonal approach to your exercise program: change it every 3 months. This ensures that your fitness plan has a new focus each quarter of the year, keeping things fresh and minimizing plateaus. FOR EXAMPLE This may involve preparing your body for snowshoeing in the winter, running in the spring, hiking in the summer and cycling in the fall.

What’s Driving your Priorities? Knowing what’s most important to you at each particular stage of your life is critical. In our early 20’s, our fitness goals may be driven by the desire to look fit, attract a partner or improve performance in a particular sport. As we move into our 30’s and 40’s there’s often a shift of importance towards leading a balanced lifestyle, warding off injury and keeping up with our kids.

Get Focused If your goal is to become stronger, lose weight, or enhance your overall level of fitness, then you need a true focus. Have an action plan to help move you towards your goal. This year, spend the time to make realistic goals, with timelines, in which to achieve them. If you want to dramatically increase your fitness success, align your goals to specific events or accomplishments that you’re interested in. FOR EXAMPLE If you sign up for a 10km running event it can do wonders for keeping your fitness routine focused and on track for the deadline. The sense of accomplishment when you finish that race also helps to motivate you for future goaloriented exercises.

Enlist Support No one achieves success on their own. Some studies show that when you have support during your path towards a specific goal you can increase positive outcomes by over 40%! Additionally, when you share your fitness goals with those who are close to you it provides a level of accountability that helps you stick with it. Not to mention, those who care about you want to see you succeed and therefore they often adopt behaviors that support you in achieving your goals. FOR EXAMPLE Once you’re clear on your goals, share them with your partner, close friend or family member and perhaps even get them to join you along your journey.

FOR EXAMPLE Try setting aside 15 minutes to brainstorm on what your health and fitness priorities are at this stage in your life. Identify your top 3 and then align your goals with them.

Find your ‘Why’ and make it a Challenge Whether your goals are aesthetically driven, performance driven or purely health related, we all want to look, feel and perform at our very best. One of the largest obstacles to making your fitness goals a reality involves a lack of meaning or purposefulness. You can’t maintain motivation without inspiration. The problem is, the initial inspiration of losing weight, gaining muscle or rehabilitating an injury is short lived. Once we lose that initial inspiration, momentum is stifled and we often fall short of our goals. As mentioned previously, attaching your fitness goals to an event can help to keep you focused. Further aligning an altruistic purpose to your event brings a much deeper meaning to your physical preparations and can help you stick with it. There’s nothing more rewarding than pushing yourself to achieve a physical challenge that you’re inspired by. Supporting a much greater cause is a wonderful byproduct of your efforts. So, what’s your next challenge? This year, take some time to think about causes that you believe in and choose an event of interest that supports that cause and aligns with your goals. This event-based goal, and renewed purpose, will evoke long lasting inspiration and will guarantee to change the way you think about fitness and your health!

BRENT BISHOP is a national on-air fitness expert, celebrity trainer and published author. He is also the founder of Think Fitness Studios, performanceinspired, personalized fitness centres in Toronto. With over 22 years experience in the fitness industry, Bishop dedicates himself to inspiring the active lifestyle through fitness, adventure and media. Find out more at IAMBISHOP.COM V I S TA M A G A Z I N E . C A

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BY DR. KAREN JENSEN, ND

Sad but true – the number of people with memory disorders are growing yearly in both the elderly and middle-aged adults. Approximately15-25% of people aged 65 or older have some degree of cognitive impairment. There are several possible causes of memory and depressive disorders including stress, inflammation, imbalances in the gut microbiota, allergies, undiagnosed thyroid disorders, chemicals, and pesticides. In addition, diabetes is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and it is very common for people with dementia to experience depression as well.

Depression and anxiety disorders are becoming more and more prevalent in people of all ages. Sadly, those with the highest rate of depression are under 20 years of age, and those with the highest rate of anxiety symptoms are 20–29 years of age. Stress and inflammation have a profound impact on mental health disorders. Researchers have found that chronic stress is associated with the body losing its ability to regulate the inflammatory response which can lead to the development and progression of disease. The adrenal glands and the two-way communication between the gut and the brain are involved in the stress response. Antioxidants such as N-acetyl-cysteine, alphalipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine are an important part of preventing free radical damage which causes inflammation. Supplements such as phosphatidylserine, ginkgo and vinpocitine have been proven to help with cognitive declines. All of these ingredients can be found in 3 Brains™ Memory Boost. Studies also show that people with depression have up to 46% higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP - a lab measurement of inflammation). For those people who are experiencing symptoms of depression, and are not taking a prescription antidepressant, supplements such as saffron and 5HTP have been proven to be very helpful. Studies show that saffron supplementation significantly reduced depression symptoms in those with major depressive disorder compared to the placebo control. Cloud Nine from 3 Brains contains both 5HTP and saffron.

Don’t forget the importance of probiotics Studies show that depression scores are significantly reduced in the probiotic group compared to placebo along with lower plasma insulin and CRP. In addition to nutrition supplements let’s get back to the basics: food, water and exercise! Diet and lifestyle choices are very important in helping to support and prevent dementia and depressive disorders. The traditional Mediterranean diet has shown tremendous benefits in fighting and preventing inflammation. Water prevents dehydration and increases blood circulation – factors that contribute to cognitive decline. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise has a positive role in maintaining and enhancing cognitive functioning as well as improving symptoms of depression. With healthy lifestyle choices, stress reduction, and nutritional supplementation, we can help prevent and support many health disorders including depression and memory disorders. This is not an alternative approach - it is fundamental to optimal health.

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Q+A

OH SHE GLOWS, ANGELA LIDDON

Getting Your Glow On This Year As we step into the new year, many of us are looking for ways to feel bright and refreshed. Who better to turn to for advice than best-selling vegan cookbook author, Angela Liddon and expert in all things ‘glow’. This busy mom of two also tells us about creating happiness, success and embracing chaos. 41

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Q: We’ve just come out of the holiday season, a time when many of us are feeling that holiday food hangover. What are your best plant-based tips for getting your ‘glow on’ in the new year? Everyone is different, but my sure-fire way to get back on track (in less than an hour) is making certain I kick things off with a great sweat and a nourishing breakfast. I feel like a new person after a spin class: it’s the fastest way for me to feel myself again, and the endorphin boost motivates me to eat healthy all day long. Afterward, I make sure to enjoy my favourite green smoothie bowl packed with energizing greens like kale, wheatgrass, and broccoli sprouts. Through the day, I also love to sip on a big mug of Healing Broth from Oh She Glows Every Day and whip up homemade tea charged with fresh ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and lemon. But you’ll never see me give up my favourite dark chocolate or chips! I think there’s room for small indulgences even when making an effort to eat healthier. Q: This is the time of year when the Internet explodes with stories, advice and tips on detoxing. What are your thoughts on this approach to achieving wellness? I’ve found that when I’m eating my plant-based recipes I don’t really feel the need for a new year’s detox because the foods I love tend to already have the added bonus of making me feel great. If I overdo it on sweets (which usually happens at least a couple times over the holidays), I simply try to cut back on treats for a while, increase my veggie intake, and make sure that I’m sneaking in exercise whenever possible. As a rule, I don’t do extremes. I prefer not to vilify sugar and tell myself that I can’t have it at all because that drives a vicious cycle of making me want it more. Q: Talk to us about your personal relief in transitioning from “vegan” to “label free” and how that has impacted your day-to-day in a positive way. Let’s face it, the eating journey we’re all on is ever evolving, and if it doesn’t include a little flexibility, then what’s the point? With a vegan label, I began feeling mounting pressure—internally and externally—to be perfect all the time. Without a label, I feel much more at ease and confident in trusting my own instincts. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

“Let’s face it, the eating journey we’re all on is ever evolving, and if it doesn’t include a little flexibility, then what’s the point?” Q: Your food photography is beautiful and your recipes look like works of art. How closely does what we see on social media reveal your real-life mealtime? Thank you! My real-life mealtime is utter chaos with a three-year-old and a one-year-old at the table. It’s loud and there’s often more food on the floor than on their plates! I really love Instagram stories because they’re a place for me to share these real-life snippets of our life. I love to share photos of my daily food go-to’s, things like: undecorated smoothie bowls (yep, I often eat them naked because we’re so time-crunched in the morning), two-minute avocado-sauerkraut flax wraps, or reheated, leftover soup. Honestly, I’m kind of over the picture-perfect images on social media. It’s a fine balance to strike, and I don’t think I’ve quite figured it out completely, but I definitely find myself gravitating toward the more real and “instant” forms of sharing. Q: As a creative entrepreneur with a family (including two little ones) life can be stressful and unpredictable, which can make self-care challenging. You’ve obviously got things sorted in the nutrition department, but you also incorporate daily “happiness habits” like making the bed daily and turning off your email push notifications. How did you realize that creating these habits was imperative for you and what advice would you give for people looking to create their own happiness habits this year?

Q+A

Well, it looks like I blew the bed-making commitment a long time ago! Bed-making definitely doesn’t happen since having kids (but boy does it feel good when it does). I can say that I’ve successfully stuck with disabling email notifications on my phone. It was one of the best work-related things I’ve ever done. Another trick I’ve been keeping up is one borrowed from my OSG editor, Terra. She suggested finding pockets of time during the day to incorporate small goals that help chip away at mastering a bigger achievement. For example, since I wait three minutes for my French Press coffee to brew each morning, I learned to dedicate this three-minute pocket of time to doing push-ups. It’s just a few minutes each day, but I’ve already noticed an improvement in my arm definition and strength. For anyone who is looking to create a happiness habit, I would look at the area you most want to improve and then start with a very small, achievable goal. If you need stress relief, maybe commit to doing a few minutes of a meditation app each night while in bed. If you want to improve meal planning, commit to spending just an hour each Sunday to cook. I find—for myself, anyway—small, attainable goals tend to stick, whereas big, lofty ones often become forgotten within a few weeks. Q: Your first cookbook: Oh She Glows was a runaway hit; an award-winning bestseller that won over veggies and non-veggies alike. Your latest book, Oh She Glows Everyday, was recently awarded a Taste Canada Gold Medal Award for best health and special diet cookbook! What do you attribute your success to? So much of the success I’ve achieved can be credited to the amazing people I’ve connected with along the way, and who have inspired and motivated me to keep going. I really believe the Oh She Glows community is made up of the kindest and most inspiring people in Canada, and around the globe, and I’m so grateful for it. There’s also been a heck of a lot of hard work over these past nine years. Quality has always been one of my most important goals, and my blog readers have told me that they have a huge level of trust in my recipes and what I do. Earning and keeping that trust with each new post, recipe, or book is so, so important to me.

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“Since I wait three minutes for my French Press coffee to brew each morning, I learned to dedicate this three-minute pocket of time to doing push-ups. It’s just a few minutes each day, but I’ve already noticed an improvement in my arm definition and strength.

Q: You’ve built such an amazing platform over the years. Besides your success as a published author, you still run your world-renowned Oh She Glows blog, you have a recipe app and a flourishing social media following! What’s your advice for others who are building their dreams or working on manifesting their destiny?

feel like a ton of hard work, but that’s okay! It’s not all rainbows and sunshine.

If you can find a thing that, to you, is worth it all—living, breathing, and giving up evenings and weekends for—then succeed in sticking with it for several years without getting bored of it, it’s probably a real passion. I’ve been burned out at times over the years, and I think it’s important to allow yourself time and space to take a step back, but there were also many years early on when I just put my nose to the grindstone and worked around the clock. If you find something you love enough, go for it and give it all you’ve got. I also have to add that I don’t entirely agree with the saying “when you’re living your passion, it doesn’t really feel like work”. Pursuing your passion is definitely a ton of hard work, and it can

Yes, babies and books seem to go hand in hand in our household! (Now that’s one sentence I never thought I’d be writing!) I don’t seem to do “balance”, all that well. Now that we have kids, I find I can have one, MAYBE two, things in balance in my life at the same time. I don’t even bother to try to have everything running smoothly because I know it’s unrealistic at this stage in my life. I’m learning to embrace the chaos. One big step for me in 2017 was hiring more help for the business (I now have my first full-time team member), and I hope to continue to look for ways that I can ask for help in 2018.

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Q: With two cookbooks and two babies being “delivered” back-to-back two times over, what are your plans for achieving balance in 2018?

Q+A

Quinoa Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette

Yield 5 Servings, Prep Time 15 Minutes, Cook Time 15 Minutes This hearty quinoa salad incorporates raw carrot, zucchini, and yellow bell pepper for a satisfying crunch, while a homemade Garlic-Dijon vinaigrette gives it a tangy punch. I’ve used grapeseed oil in the vinaigrette as it has a very neutral (virtually undetectable) flavour, but feel free to use another light-tasting oil if need be. I love to add toasted and salted pepita and sunflower seeds for a delicious roasted, nutty flavour, but raw seeds work well, too. This salad was inspired by a prepared salad I picked up from a local grocery store; I knew immediately that I wanted to make my own wallet-friendly version at home. Feel free to change up the vegetables as you see fit.

Ingredients Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette: • 1 small garlic clove • ¼ cup (60 mL) apple cider vinegar • ¼ cup (60 mL) grapeseed oil (or other light-tasting oil) • 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice • 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard • Fine sea salt, to taste • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • 1 ½ to 3 teaspoons (7.5 to 15 mL) pure maple syrup, to taste

For the Quinoa Salad: • 1 cup (200 g) uncooked quinoa • 1 ½ cups (210 g) diced yellow bell pepper (1 large) • 1 cup (72 g) julienned peeled carrot (2 medium)* • 1 ½ cups (140 g) julienned zucchini (1 medium)* • 1 cup (35 g) stemmed kale or baby spinach, finely chopped • 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed • 1/3 cup (53 g) pepita seeds • 1/3 cup (50 g) sunflower seeds • Fine sea salt, to taste • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • Garlic powder, to taste • 1 large (200 g) avocado, pitted and sliced/chopped

Instructions 1 For the vinaigrette: Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients into a small food processor or blender and process (or blend) until smooth. Adjust to taste, if desired. Set aside. 2 For the quinoa salad: In a medium pot, add the quinoa along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Increase heat to high, and bring to a low boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low-medium, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir, and cover with the lid again. Let “steam” for a few more minutes and then remove the lid to cool. 3 Meanwhile, prepare the veggies. Roughly chop the julienned carrot and zucchini into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Place into a large bowl along with the bell pepper, kale (or spinach), beans, and seeds. 4 Stir a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and a pinch of salt into the cooked quinoa until evenly distributed. Add the quinoa into the large bowl with the other ingredients. Toss to combine. Taste, and season with more salt, as well as a generous amount of pepper and garlic powder, adding a little bit at a time. 5 Spoon the salad into bowls, and top with sliced avocado and more Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. The dressing should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. NOTE: You can spiralize the carrot and zucchini instead of using a julienne peeler.

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FITFORTWO

Rejuvenating Mandarin Orange Banana Smoothie BY BROCK AND MARTA PICKEN

Ring in the New Year with small, healthy changes like incorporating a daily smoothie to boost your health.

MARTA & BROCK PICKEN are happily married new parents, who bring a fun and simple approach to inspire others to lead happy and healthy lives through plantbased recipes.

Has the new year got you feeling like you need to be a “new you”? Have you made resolutions in the past, but failed to stick it out? We want to help you prevent that from happening this year. Instead of focusing on large, unrealistic goals, making small, daily changes - like incorporating a daily smoothie - can make a significant impact on your long-term health. We’re going to help you kick things off this year with our stress-reducing Rejuvenating Orange Banana Smoothie recipe. Bananas provide a nice base for many smoothie recipes not only because they’re sweet and creamy, but also because they’re full of potassium and magnesium, which are both important minerals to reducing our overall stress load. And, who doesn’t love the sweet, tanginess of mandarin oranges this time of year? Not only are they loaded with vitamin C - a powerful antioxidant - but also, just the smell of oranges is a natural mood-booster. Since stress impacts all of our body systems, including our endocrine system, we’ve made sure to include cashews for healthy, hormone-balancing

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fats. And when our nervous system is focused on our fight-or-flight response, digestion becomes compromised, so we’ve included digestivesupporting, probiotic-rich coconut yogurt (this is especially important if you found yourself overindulging this past holiday season). And, when it comes to balancing your overworked adrenals, we’re all about adaptogens! So, we’ve included a holy basil smoothie booster here. Holy basil is a powerful adaptogenic herb, which is a fancy way of saying that it provides healing balance for your body just where you need it. Adaptogens work differently on each individual based on your unique needs. These herbs, literally, ‘adapt’ to each of us. Holy basil has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine for its stress-reducing qualities, so we think it makes a great addition to this smoothie. By starting every day with this powerful blend of ingredients, you will be well on your way to reducing and managing daily stress and moving into the new year feeling more relaxed and energized. I’ll drink to that!

Ingredients • 1 cup non-dairy milk • 1 cup water • 1/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water • 3 large dates, soaked in water • 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed • 2 tbsp coconut yogurt • 2 bananas, frozen • 1 tsp chia seeds, ground • ½ tsp Organic Traditions Holy Basil Smoothie Booster • 3 stalks kale, stems removed • 1 mandarin orange, peeled

Instructions 1 Cashews should be soaked for a minimum of one hour, up to overnight in your fridge. 2 Drain and rinse cashews before adding to blender. 3 Dates can be soaked for 1-3 hours. Make sure to remove any pits before adding to blender. 4 Combine all of the ingredients in your blender, and blend on high until smooth. Enjoy!

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PURESOURCE FOR VISTA SPECIAL PROMOTION

Taking control of your sugar cravings BY DR. THALIA CHARNEY, MA, ND

We all know that sugar is bad for us. Too much sugar puts us at risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and even some cancers. Here are some tips to help you manage your temptations and cravings around the holidays. Eat following the glycemic index (GI) Low GI foods can stabilize your blood sugars, reducing the sugar lows that make you crave unhealthy snacks. GI is a ranking on a scale of 0 to 100. Foods with a high GI, greater than 70, will spike your blood sugar and cause the inevitable crash and cravings. Foods with a low GI, under 55, like oatmeal, will keep your blood sugar levels stable and steady. GI lists are easy to find with a simple Google search.

Use Low Calorie Sugar Substitutes

DR. THALIA CHARNEY is a Naturopathic Doctor, public speaker and the author of “The Confident Food Shopper: The Guide to Food Labels and Fables”. As the Nutrition and Health Education Manager

Nowadays there are so many great sugar alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth. Avoid potentially harmful artificial sweeteners like Ace-k (Acesulfamepotassium), Aspartame (Equal, Neotame, Nutrasweet), Cyclamate (Sucaryl), Sucralose (Splenda, LifeSmart) and Saccharin (Hermesetas). Instead, try Stevia Leaf extract, alcohol sugars like xylitol, inulin powder (from chicory root), Monk Fruit Extract (Luo Han Guo) or my personal favorite, Yacon Syrup.

Add More Fibre

at Puresource (NOW Health Group Canada), she teaches how natural health products can support optimal health and wellness. She also blogs and posts about food ingredients, food security and politics on a regular basis @THECLASSROOMDOC. For more info visit THECLASSROOMDOC.COM. V I S TA M A G A Z I N E I S S U E N O . 1 1 6

Taking extra fibre can also help manage your sugar spikes and reduce cravings. Aim for a minimum of 10 grams of fibre per meal. Great options include ground flaxseeds, ground chia seeds, psyllium husks, inulin (from Jerusalem artichoke) and glucomannan (from Konjac Root). Start slowly and increase the dose gradually to avoid bloating and gas.

Consider Additional Supplementation. Chromium picolinate is a mineral that can be helpful to curb cravings and reduce high blood sugar levels. You might also try a multi-B vitamin to aid with general metabolism. If you identify as an emotional eater, herbs like Ashwagandha and/or Holy Basil may help stabilize both your mood and your blood sugar levels.

Track Your Intake In my experience people grossly underestimate how much sugar they consumer on a daily basis. Don’t guess… calculate. Aim for no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar daily. Look for the number of grams of sugar on the Nutrition Facts Label. Let us assume 32 grams. Next, convert grams to teaspoons by dividing by 4 (32/4). In this example the answer is 8, or 8 teaspoons of sugar per SERVING SIZE. Next, don’t forget to check the serving size. If you are eating two serving sizes then you need to double your answer!

Avoid triggers Take reasonable steps to minimize triggers. Get your friends, family and coworkers to help. Avoid leaving snack foods in places easy to see and grab. Carry around healthy and filling snacks, like nuts and seeds, to avoid being caught on a sugar low near a convenience store.

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HOLISTIC NUTRITION

5 Health Food Trends to Try in 2018 BY KIM D’EON

Whether you’re looking to get more superfoods into your busy lifestyle or to find a healthy alternative to your favourite snack foods, these latest health food trends are worth a test drive. As a holistic nutritionist, I love talking about health food trends for the coming year because their rise in popularity means more people are focusing on incorporating healthy, “new” foods into their diet. Last year, seaweed enjoyed the spotlight. The year before, awareness around adaptogens exploded. This year, the health food industry picks up more steam than ever with inventive and tasty ways for consumers to stick to their healthy habits.

1. The Rise of Superpowders Superfood supplement powders are nothing new, but the sheer breadth of options on the market is. If you’re looking for a health boost, but your diet is missing the mark in a few areas, it’s now easier than ever to find a whole food superpowder to help. Whether you want to reduce inflammation, improve your immune system or heal your gut with collagen, there’s a superfood powder for that. This year, you’ll be able to find everything from fermented fruits and vegetables to dehydrated mushroom/cacao elixirs, matcha sachets, fermented turmeric and packaged proteins like grass-fed collagen.

2. Flower Power Our love affair with irresistible floraled foodie pics on Instagram might account for the rising popularity of edible flowers and all things floral-flavoured in general this year. 2018 ushers in a new kind of flower power where more and more of your favourite drinks, snacks and desserts are infused with a variety of floral flavours. Whether it’s in your favourite hibiscus rose kombucha, a lavender infused almond milk latte or raspberry geranium popsicles, this trend might just be your gateway experience to the real thing! When it comes to edible flowers, those deep pigments contain the same types of powerful phytonutrients, flavonoids and antioxidants that we talk about in brightly coloured foods like berries, carrots and tomatoes. Studies have shown the various benefits of consuming flowers; like the anxiety-reducing effect of chamomile and that consuming hibiscus can lower blood pressure. We may not know exactly how many of these beneficial compounds are contained in your favourite floral-flavoured snacks, but it’s certainly a tasty step in the right direction.

4. Bubbles 3. Popped + Puffed Snacks Chips are getting a much-needed makeover. We know potato chips and other fried vegetables aren’t good for us; they’re full of inflammatory trans fats and skyrocketing amounts of sodium. As many of us look for healthier alternatives, manufacturers have stepped up with convenient and tasty popped and puffed products that offer a healthier way to crush that crunch craving. This year, you’ll see lots of light and crunchy alternatives popping up at the health food stores and specialty grocers this year like: seaweed fava chips, fajita chickpea puffs, beet puffs, Brussels sprout crisps and (of course) many organic varieties of cheese puffs too. Sure, an apple would be a healthier choice, but for the love of a balanced life that includes treats, we now have a lot of healthier options when we want to bring a bag of munchies to a party or just want to Netflix and crunch.

Thankfully, more and more Canadians are ditching their soda pop habit as awareness swells about the health dangers of excess sugar. Did you know that one can of pop usually has about 10 added teaspoons of sugar? Thankfully, alternative bubbles are making a big splash this year so you can easily quench your craving for a fizzy drink without all that sugar, artificial flavour or colouring. Besides plain sparkling mineral water, my favourite carbonated beverage these days is kombucha. All those bubbles come from the good bacteria metabolizing the starter sugars in the fermentation process. So you’re literally sipping on probiotics when you enjoy a ‘booch’! Not a fan of kombucha? Try sparkling bitters this year: a drink made by blending sparkling water with the highly concentrated liquid extractions of herbs, roots, and fruit. Bitters are a great aide to stimulate digestion, so this would make a great pre-meal drink. Or, you can simply choose from the new lot of no-sugar, fruitinfused carbonated water options.

5. Transparency I’m so happy about this trend, which is emerging strongly in 2018! As more health-conscious Canadians carefully evaluate products for both what they contain and also for what they do not, food manufacturers are responding with a new level of transparency in their ingredients. Look around this year and you’ll be seeing a lot more simple, natural and ethically sourced ingredients. I’ll raise of glass of kombucha to that!

KIM D’EON is an award-winning television host and wellness advocate. With a broadcasting career spanning over 15 years on national TV, she now merges her journalistic background with her passion and expertise

TIP Look for puffed or popped snacks that are free from anything artificial, are non-GMO and use whole grains or organic ingredients.

NOTE If the product is sugar free, look for the natural flavours to be derived from pure fruit essential oils.

as a holistic nutritionist to empower others to take charge of their health and eat more real food. She appears regularly on television as a nutrition expert and is the Editor in Chief of Vista Magazine! KIMDEON.COM @KIMDEONCOM

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Vista issue #116 January/February 2018

Articles inside

Editor's Note