Holistic Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching in Toronto Canada

No willpower when it comes to sweets? You are not alone! We all crave sweet foods. Here's why: our tongues have a large amount of sweet taste buds, and they demand to be satisfied. As well, highly sweet foods trigger reward centres in the brain, and create an automatic drive for them when triggered (by a taste of sweetness, or by places, people, activities, emotions, etc, that are associated with sweet foods). There can also be underlying factors (such as candida overgrowth) that can contribute to strong sugar cravings (a natural healthcare practitioner such as a Naturopathic Doctor or a Holistic Nutritionist can help you assess this, and prepare a personalized protocol to help you cleanse candida if it is a factor for you). So how can we satisfy a sweet tooth without resorting to a date with Oh Henry, Mr Big, or Ben & Jerry?

One strategy that works beautifully for my clients is, rather than focusing on removing sugary foods, focus on adding naturally sweet foods to their diets every day. Sweet buds become less demanding when they're getting their daily fix. So what are naturally sweet foods? Fruit, of course. Root veggies such as sweet potatoes and squash. And, surprise surprise: Grains! The longer you chew whole grains, they sweeter they taste, and they keep your blood sugar steady, and keep your gut-friendly bacteria happy too!

How else can we tame the Cookie Monster who lives within? After you've added sweet foods to your daily diet, look for ways to add sweetness to your life. We often settle for sweet foods when what we really want is a hug, a nap, a walk, or a laugh with a good friend. This is particularly true at night. If you find your sweet tooth consistently talking to you around 8 to 10pm, it may be rearing its head to cover up feelings of loneliness or anxiety. Or it may have become a habit to help you relax, or reward yourself after a long day. The next time your PM craving hits, ask yourself what you really, truly need. Then do your best to give it to yourself, and watch the sweet cravings fade away.

Wellness quick tip:
Sleep cures sugar cravings! Sound simplistic? It is, and it works! Check out how much sleep you're getting. If it's less than 8 hours a night, you may crave sugar (and caffeine) during the day to make up for the recharging sleep you missed. Start going to bed a half hour earlier each week until you're regularly waking up refreshed and watch your cravings disappear.

So a new product is about to start appearing on our store shelves - Truvia. It's a product manufactured by Cargill and Coca-Cola, that takes extracts of the stevia plant to produce a highly sweet substance with zero calories. Another alternative to sugar. You'll start to see diet pop and other beverages that will be marketed as health products, as well as the product itself available for purchase in the not too distant future. There is also some word that Pepsi Co. has its version coming out as well, coined Purevia.

Anything in that paragraph got your Spidey senses on alert? It should. The first thing to raise my suspicions is the fact that the product has been manufactured, based on extracts from the Stevia plant. Stevia has been available for many many years, and in fact has been used for over 1500 years in South America where the herb originates. The second thing that triggers questions for me is the fact that it has been patented (and by Coke, no less). Why do we suddenly need a patented product to make this available to us? It turns out that Stevia itself, while available for purchase as a "nutritional supplement" has not been approved for "regular use" as a food additive, as not enough testing has been done for it to be recognized as safe. There are concerns that it may disrupt hormone levels in some individuals and may become a factor in infertility (in fact some evidence does point that it may have been used as a contraception in some South American tribes), as well as potentially having negative impacts to the cardiovascular and renal systems. These potential side effects need to be explored.

Meantime, Cargill and Coke have now taken the active ingredient of Stevia, and combined it with other chemicals, to create Truvia, and somehow THIS has been found to be GRAS (generally recognized as safe). And it is going to start appearing in products that are being consumed often in large quantities. That's convenient... and profitable! Lucky Cargill and Coke!

It's yet another experiment I will choose not to take part in. I'd rather take my chances with the pure whole leaf, than with an extract of it. As we know, often it is the synergistic properties of different parts of a food that not only enables its healthful properties, but also helps to mitigate or prevent its possible dangerous properties. Although, frankly, to my lips, Stevia tastes a little "asparatame-ish" so I tend not to use it anyway. I'd really prefer to stick with the old fashioned whole stuff if I really need a sweetener - maple syrup (heaven on earth!), honey, and maaaaybe agave nectar (maybe).

By the way, you may be wondering, why Stevia can be purchased as a "dietary supplement" in health food stores if it hasn't been approved as GRAS? The reason is that natural health products are not regulated by the government. And while there are definitely consumer and human rights that come into play with regards to the issue of whether the government should or shouldn't be regulating these substances (a whole other topic... after all, they are also the ones that approve aspartame and splenda or MSG, etc etc, as GRAS), this is an example that does serve to illustrate that we need to take responsibility for ourselves by researching our choices and learning about them before blindly accepting what marketing gurus, the government, and even health food proponents tell us.

References
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/29/cargill-rolls-out-stevia-based-sweetener.aspx
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/stevia-is-sweet-but-is-it-safe/article1333389/
http://www.cspinet.org/nah/4_00/stevia.html

Aah, it's that time again. We in Toronto might be experiencing a bit of an "Indian Summer" but we all know what is right around the corner... When the air is brisk, the sky is gray, the land is frozen... and so are we! HELP!

Rest easy, we've got your cure for the winter blues, which often start to take hold this time of year. Sometimes known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the blues usually begin when the days get shorter and the sky clouds over into perpetual gray. If we were bears, we would follow our natural instincts and go into hibernation until the temperature warms up again. But, we humans have to keep functioning, even in winter. So, without further ado, our Top Ten Tips to help make your winter - yes, it's possible - wonderful.

1. Go outside and walk briskly with your face in the light - even if it's gray outside -for 20 minutes every day. Both the light and the exercise will kick up your feel-good serotonin. If the wind chill outside will deep-freeze your face, find a health club with windows, locate a treadmill or stationary bike in the brightest light, and hop on.
2. Try a sunlamp specifically designed to improve SAD. Use it just 15 minutes in the morning to reset your circadian rhythms.
3. Hit the hay! Be like the bears and give in to the dark nights. Don't push yourself to stay up late.
4. Eat warming foods like whole grains, free-range organic meats, root veggies, and soups.
5. Add warming spices like cayenne, garlic, and ginger to your foods.
6. Take a quality fish oil supplement to raise your spirits.
7. Avoid foods that stress your body in the cold like ice-cream, too many raw foods, cold smoothies and too much sugar.
8. Drink warm herbal teas to get your water quota. Try immune-stimulating Echinacea Special Formula from Yogi tea.
9. Try a hot water bottle. Sounds a little 1800s, but it works! You can get a hot water bottle at any drugstore. Toss it in your bed to warm up your sheets, or use it on an achy, crampy belly or back.
10. Health-up your comfort foods. We all crave comfort foods in winter - our serotonin levels are lower due to lack of sun. So the body compensates by craving carbohydrates and sugary foods to naturally boost serotonin. Remake your favourite foods with the highest quality ingredients, and savour them slowly after playing in the snow!

Wellness Quick Tip
The secret weapon for winter wellness may be Vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced when the sun's rays hit our skin, making deficiencies common in winter. It has also been found that SAD tends to be prevalent when Vitamin D stores are low. Many people report improvement in mood with only 1000 mg per day. Check with your doctor to see what dosage might be right for you.

Recently I had a question from a reader about alternative modalities for weight release, and specifically about hypnosis... Not being an expert in hypnosis myself, I decided to reach out to a professional hypnotist I met some time ago to get his take on this topic. Here's what he had to say:

We are living in such a great time. We’ve come so far, are so advanced. We fly around the globe – even to outer space! We communicate with people all over the world in an instant. And yet, when it comes to health, dieting, and losing weight, something that in most respects is within our power, we are often lost. You would think by now we would have discovered something that can make us happy, living with purpose, in our perfect careers, with our perfect relationships, in our perfect lives and perfect bodies. But from generation to generation we have passed down belief systems of fear, lack, suffering, and limitation. Now is the time collectively when we are waking up. If you don't get the subtle nudges and hints to wake up to start living your full potential, to live your dreams, you’ll get the hard rough ones. We do have the potential of living in that dream world. It’s no longer a dream for many people, it’s their actual reality. Never in the told history of humanity have we ever had so many options and powerful modalities to turn our lives around. There are many powerful yet misunderstood modalities and healers out there who are making miraculous transformations. These modalities include NLP, energy healing like reiki, and hypnosis, amongst others. Today, we’re focusing on hypnosis.

So, why hypnosis, and how does it work? Ellen de Generes says it saved her life when she unexpectedly did a session with a hypnotist on her show to stop her from smoking, and she has never smoked since. Even Oprah invited a past life regression therapist to her show. There are many misunderstood facts about hypnosis, too many to cover here. One of the key concerns people express is the fear of losing control. I want to dispel this myth: You are in full control the whole session. In fact, throughout the day, we are in and out of a state that you can call hypnosis: day dreaming, automatic driving, watching tv, reading a book, all these things induce a natural state of hypnosis.

Let me walk you through what you can expect. When you call me, we will go over all the problems (which I prefer to call “challenges”) you want to address. We go over all your concerns and fears about hypnosis, addressing each one until you understand the process and feel comfortable with it, have no fears, and are very excited about the session. You can get a good feel for who I am over the phone, and know that you are talking to someone who sincerely loves helping people and is well qualified to do so. When you come for a first session we first determine if you can get hypnotised (90% of my clients can easily do so). Some of the ways you can determine if you have experienced hypnosis include feeling that the session was much shorter than it actually was, a very heavy or very light/floaty feeling in the body, tingling sensations, or your eyelids may flutter. For those who are not ready or willing or feel unable to be hypnotised, I offer a hypnosis cd to listen to as you go to sleep at night. A one-on-one session is most powerful as the hypnotist is there to ask your subconscious questions. It is also especially helpful when you don't have a specific and clear goal you are working on. In one-on-one sessions there are no limitations or restrictions to what we can work on. On the other hand, the audio programs are great if you are clear on your challenge, and every time you listen to the program you clear/heal more layers and strengthen the positive suggestions. It’s like having a full time hypnotist with you guiding you through your challenge.

In the session I guide you to relax your body from head to toe, and then relax your mind through a guided visualization. I count down from ten to zero. By the time you hear zero you are in a deeply relaxed state. This may seem similar to meditation, but it’s deeper and the impact of the healings is more powerful. During the hypnosis session, we are able to access the back recesses of your mind which are more open. This is more extreme than stating suggestions or affirmations while in meditation. In that case, your conscious mind can still get in the way and can block the suggestions from sinking into the most powerful part of your mind, your subconscious. In the hypnotic state, your mind is at complete peace, you escape time, you are connected to your higher self, or subconscious mind. You receive information or solutions to your problems with ease and precision, and are tapped into the infinite knowledge that is all around us.

We then ask your subconscious mind what needs to be done. For example, when the goal is to lose weight, most of the time you will be shown something from your past, perhaps a painful experience. I then guide you to find out where in your body you are holding on to that energy or emotion. These emotions or blocked energy may be deep rooted - fears, beliefs, memories, hurt, guilt… it’s all there at the back of your mind waiting to be released and healed. Once it’s released you are ready for permanent changes to happen, with a lot less effort. In a session you may become aware of the subconscious emotions that have blocked you until now, or you may not become aware, but in either case, they will be released and healed. Through visualisations, using colours for healing, and breathing techniques, you completely clear that energy and replace it with a lighter, loving energy. Sometimes an immediate shift takes place. Once it’s cleared - and it will completely be cleared – it’s cleared for good. At this point clients often start to tear, laugh, feel a weight lifted off... And ultimately the result is you start losing weight more effortlessly, you feel more peace, love and joy. Some clients clear all their blocks in one session, others require several sessions or on-going as they progress toward their goal. Typically weight-loss clients will come to a session every other week until they reach their goal weight, and typically they lose about 2 lbs per week, a very healthy and sustainable rate.

If you are ready and willing to explore your subconscious and make changes in a deep way, I am willing and ready to help and assist you to transform you life for good. Let’s bring heaven to earth where it belongs one being at a time.

Tarek has been practicing hypnotherapy for 3 wonderful years. You can meet him through his youtube videos at www.youtube.com/esotarek. Sessions can be conducted in person or by phone. As a friend of Spring nutrition, Tarek has a special offer for you: A free session! Tarek also offers a weight loss audio hypnosis program. Contact him for more information. riseandshinehypnotherapy@gmail.com / ph: 647-340-5774

I have been purposely avoiding talking about the H1N1 (aka: Swine Flu) issue. I wanted to avoid feeding into the hype that has been created around this so-called "approaching pandemic." But by not addressing it, I'm not doing my part in representing the "alternative" view of this disease, so, here we go!

Did you know...This is not the first time there's been a panic about a Swine Flu pandemic? The first time was in 1976. And similar to this time around, big-pharma companies quickly sprang into action to create a vaccine, and amidst all the hype and fear-mongering, got it on the market swiftly. The result? Following vaccination several hundred people - including healthy young people - developed Guillain-Barré Syndrome, ending up paralyzed and even paraplegics, and 25 people died. More people died from the Swine Flu Vaccine than died from the Swine Flu. And, in the end, the pandemic never developed.

Let's get some perspective. The "regular flu" has killed over 13,000 people in the US since January. The swine flu has killed 27. In Canada there have only been 4 deaths due to H1N1 and under 3000 total reported cases (you can get the latest stats HERE). And while “[p]eople are easily infected as it is a novel virus and there is no immunity against it [and] it also spreads quicker than the seasonal flu (influenza),” says Dr Christopher Lee, consultant physician and head of infectious diseases at Sungai Buloh Hospital, it is also relatively mild virus, and is no more deadly than the regular flu.

So why all the hype? Well, I'm not one to usually buy into conspiracy theories, but the speed with which the pharmaceutical industry has responded to put a vaccine on the market just smacks of corporate greed. The media supports this by reporting sensational headlines; would they sell so many newspapers or get as many viewers for their advertisers were they to report that "well, someone else has recovered well from the swine flu, it was a great day in Swellsville."

As for the vaccine, it is controversial. Side effects include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Cough

Basically a mild version of the flu itself (not surprising since the whole premise of vaccination is to administer small doses of the infectious agent itself to stimulate an immune response). However, more serious side effects can include convulsions, delirium or delusions, and it has in fact resulted in deaths in children. And the "proven results" it produces is really only a reduction in flu symptoms by 1.5 days. Doesn't seem worth the risk to me. Especially when there are other approaches I can take that can help me avoid catching this (or any) flu in the first place, and quicken my recovery if I should succumb to it. And, surveys and focus group reports are indicating that most health care workers won't accept the vaccination themselves... that's pretty telling.

The Alternative?
Anything that will enhance our immune system will help us fight off any infection, including the H1N1 flu virus. Steps to boosting your immune system are:

Vitamin D - studies are showing that Vit D is a key nutrient in boosting immunity against all infections, and deficiency in this vitamin may be the real cause behind seasonal flus. Most people in Canada in the non-summer months are deficient in this vitamin unless they supplement with it. You can get your levels checked through a simple blood test.

Avoid/reduce your intake of sugar and processed foods - these have an almost immediate effect of weakening the cells that fight viruses.

Get enough rest - your body needs sleep to recover and repair from the day's stresses and strains. During sleep is also when your body does its detoxifying. Without adequate rest, your body and all its systems become run down, overburdened, and sluggish and immunity will be compromised.

Exercise! The lymph system, which is integral to the immune system, removes foreign cells and proteins, and stores cells that help destroy foreign invaders. The system does not have a pump to help circulate the lymph fluid that transports these , like the circulatory system does, so it requires mechanical effort for its proper function. The contraction of muscles during activity accomplishes this.

Wash your hands well and often - don't think I need to say anything about this!

Eat lots of garlic! Garlic has natural antiviral properties

Eat good sources of fats, especially those high in Omega 3 (such as flax), monounsaturated sources (such as Olive Oil or avocado), and Coconut Oil which in addition to providing a healthy source of saturated fat also has antibacterial, antiviral, and immune boosting properties as well. All of these fats help to support cellular structure and integrity.

Drink your water! It helps flush toxins out of the body and keeps the metabolism strong (metabolism refers to ALL body reactions, not just the rate of caloric burn).

Eat your protein - this stimulates the immune system and antibodies are a form of protein in the body, so amino acids from your protein are critical to fighting infection.

Important vitamins for the immune system include: Vit A, B6, B12, E and C

Important minerals include: Zinc, Iron, Copper, and Selenium

Herbs that can help boost the immune system include: echinacea, goldenseal, ginseng, and licorice

There are LOTS of ways to keep your body healthy and strong. They require proactive efforts, and making yourself a priority. It's always your choice though... My view is that you can make time for health now, or for illness later....our choices do have a way of catching up on us. The benefit of choosing health is not just the absence of illness, but the energy, vitality, vigour, and joy that results from the cumulative effects of small changes that add up. It doesn't have to be hard, just choose to make one change toward health each week, and before you know it, you'll be realizing how much better you're feeling... and maybe you'll even look back next spring on this winter and realize that you managed to avoid the cold and flu season altogether. Wouldn't that be worth it?



References
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/04/28/US-seasonal-flu-kills-13000-since-Jan/UPI-64801240974841/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/28/Swine-Flu.aspx http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/6/28/focus/4214386&sec=focus
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/health/091012/x101215A.html

Well it's been a while since I've posted something new here... I've had a busy couple of weeks attending a workshop called "Get Out of Your Own Way" facilitated by the wonderful Jennifer Hough. Jennifer is a highly intuitive teacher, who really helps you get to the core of the obstacles you are creating that block you from reaching your goals whether they be health, financial, relationship, or any other goal. It's a very experiential course in an intimate and supportive group setting. And since health and vitality are about more than just what you eat or how much you exercise, today's article is all about the power of the mind in creating our experiences.

Most of us have become aware of the Law of Attraction (LoA), often referred to in pop culture circles as "The Secret." In a nutshell, LoA is a universal law that states that we draw to ourselves what we focus on. If we accept the premise that we, and everything in this world, are really just balls of energy in solid form - that everything has its own vibrational energy - and you understand that like attracts like, then you understand the premise of the LoA. We create our own reality by what we put our attention on, and the vibrational energy of that attention and the feeling that goes with it draws more of the same to us. So for example, if we focus on how much we hate our jobs, we won't notice the things that may be satisfying to us. We may notice that we want something different, but instead of focusing on the joyful possibility of it manifesting in our lives, we focus on the fact that we don't have it, and simply draw to ourselves the continuation of not having it.

If you've felt stuck in a situation for a long time, perhaps after several attempts to change it, but still finding yourself stuck, that is an indication that your focus has been on lack. If you're wondering what you are a "vibrational match" for, just look at what you have... that is what you've drawn into your life so far. The key to creating something different is to focus on what makes you feel good... create "good feelings" in yourself, and carry those with you throughout your day. This brings your energy to a new vibration and will draw to you things and situations that match the new vibration.

I know this sounds very Pollyanna. But consider that every feeling you have is the result of a thought. If you have a thought of "I'm not good enough" doesn't that change the way you interact with the world? From the actions you're willing to take to the opportunities you may choose to ignore, even the way you carry yourself and hold your head or make eye contact with others (or not) will all be affected by your thought that you're not good enough. You will continue to see evidence that you're not good enough. But these types of thoughts are so faulty. They tend to arise from experiences (often misunderstood) when we were so little and young and didn't have the capacity to question or be aware of other possibilities. And then, they persist, because they become a very well practiced habit. If you think all day long for 20 years "I'm not good enough" that tape will play on automatic every opportunity it has. So in the beginning we have to start addressing those automatic thoughts, and challenging them, and reminding ourselves that there are other possibilities that are just as valid, and that really feel so much better. And if they feel better, then THAT is the place we want to put our focus. The more we choose to place our attention on what feels good, the more things that make us feel good will come to us.

As Thanksgiving approaches here in Canada, now is a perfect time to start practicing generating positive good feelings through the practice of appreciation. Take a few moments to consider what (and who) you are so grateful for, and bask in the beauty and joy you are so lucky to have!

This is really just scratching the surface and is a very simplified explanation of the LoA. There is a lot of material out there that you can read (check out Jerry & Esther Hicks, for example) to get deeper into this. Or consider taking the Get Out of Your Own Way course to experience it at a deeper level. If anything about this resonates for you, or if you feel like you've been in your own way and whatever you've been doing so far hasn't been working, maybe it's time to try playing with this a little... What's the worst that can happen? You might just feel a little better for a while? Sounds like a good bet to me.

So, readers of my blog who have moseyed over to my website and checked out the "Meet Audrey" page (oh, ok, I'll make it easy for you to check it out: Meet Audrey ), will know that I coin myself as an "obesity survivor" and "reformed binge eater." I once weighed 227.5 pounds (well, that was the highest weight I ever saw on the scale) and was a size 20/22. OK here's a picture:

It wasn't the result of any medication I was taking (although I'm sure the antidepressants didn't help my cause), it wasn't a genetic disorder (although there is a little bit of overweight on my mom's side of the family), and it wasn't even an issue of monthly PMS cravings (although the many rounds of antibiotics I had to take for various dental issues over a couple of years may have tipped the balance of yeast vs bacteria in the favour of yeast, which can definitely turn you into a cookie monster).

No, it was none of those things. Simply put, I ate... and ate, and ate and ate. I started my days with coffee and donuts or on a good day, a muffin or bagel with butter. I often skipped lunch, or if I had lunch, it was something greasy from the cafeteria at work. Mmmm chicken fingers and fries, that was always my favourite. With plum sauce, mayo and ketchup for dipping. Oh, and of course with a Diet Coke to wash it all down (it was "Just for the taste of it!"). Being in a stressful high paced demanding corporate job, I did often skip lunch (not to mention would even put off going to the bathroom until my bladder was about to burst, there was just no time to waste!!! You KNOW something is out of balance if you can't even take time to pee.). So by mid afternoon, I'd be ready to eat my right hand. Since I needed it to type with, I would instead opt for a coffee, and a chocolate bar (or two). Finally, when it was time to go home, I'd have formulated which version of fast food I felt like for dinner (pizza? chinese? wings? McDonald's?), and what to get for snacks later (Zesty Cheese Doritos and Haagen-Dazs were big in my rotation). Oh and again, don't forget the Diet Coke. I remember when they had Vanilla Diet Coke on the market. That stuff was GOOD, it was like a vanilla float. I could easily drink 3 of those in a night to wash down all the junk food. So I would put on my favourite reality tv shows, tune out the world and my worries, and have a little party for one. This was probably easily at least a twice weekly (maybe 3 times?) ritual.

I may have been self-medicating to deal with some buried (and not so buried) emotional traumas. But at some point, whatever started me on that downward spiral was no longer the driving reason that I continued. At some point, the food addiction took over and I got stuck. I tried to think my way out of it, to find the reason I couldn't seem to get a handle on my food intake. I sought counselling. I worked on my "stuff." And somehow I got more and more depressed and more and more stuck.

Obviously I found my way out. I share a little about that process on my "Meet Audrey" page on my website. It's been a long, slow journey, with many lonnnnnng plateaus. And really, I'm still working on it... all in good time. If I've learned anything, it's to honour the needs of my body, and my Self, and to trust in myself enough that I can have patience to let it take the time it needs to take. I've never had one of those giant "change your life in an instant" Aha! moments. It's been a series of little "Ohhhhhhhh's" and "Hmmmm, interesting's" that have all added up, so that when I look back now, I can recognize that I've in fact made real changes, and that I myself am a different person. I'm not stuck anymore. I'm amazed how much changing your diet and lifestyle can act as a catalyst to open you up in mind and spirit as well.

BUT enough about all that. My point today was to tell you about the New Binge. In this "post-obesity" life of mine, among other revelations, I've recognized that old habits die hard. I trained my brain to make those tv-and-binge-night connections strong and resistant to any wonderfulness that Kale Chips might be able to deliver. So occasionally, the urge to binge does still come over me. Usually it's when things have gotten very stressful and I'm anxiety-ridden. Often times, it's simply when I've got a great line-up of Must See TV to catch up on on my PVR. Earlier this year, in fact, going through a particularly stressful time in my life, the Zesty Cheese Doritos and Haagen-Dazs got me again and I even gained about 12 pounds over the winter and spring. Finally I'd had enough and I gave myself a good talking to. "Hood," I said (that's what I call myself when I'm talking in my head), "You're back in the stuck place. You started this because of stress and anxiety, and now the addictive components of these foods have got you hooked again. It's time to start walking the talk, and use your own strategies on yourself and get out of this mucky place." It wasn't easy, but I did it. I used my own strategies (which I cover in my "Inspire Yourself!" workshop this Thursday, Sept 24!) and I re-released those 12 pounds, and broke the allure of the junk food. This is not something I'll ever be "cured" of. It's something I have learned over the years to manage, to the tune of keeping me in that small group of 5% of people who successfully keep off 30+ pounds for 5+ years. I'm pretty proud of that.

SO, last night, after a trip to my favourite store (Whole Foods in Oakville), where I had stocked up on lots of nutritilicious fruits, veggies, whole grains, and some no-antibiotic/no-hormone chicken and fish, I settled in to watch the Emmy's (it seems I'm really on the minority side of people who don't get why 30 Rock is so amazing, aside from the most amazing Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin). And, I wanted something snacky. And something sweet. Uh oh. I should mention at this point that while I don't buy or keep in my house those trigger foods like the Doritos and the Haagen-Dazs, in my condo building there happens to be a vending machine downstairs. And it has Doritos, and Peanut Butter Cups, and a smorgasbord of my old junk food party foods. So what did I do?

Well, first I sat myself down and I said "Hood, what's up? You just came back from Whole Foods where you found all these amazing delicious WHOLE natural foods and have a fridge and pantry stock full of fabulous options. Why are you thinking about Doritos?" Well, I didn't know why, other than that my "Watching TV at night and wanting to unwind" old habits were associated with junk food, and so driving me to want that, even though I no longer prefer those foods. So I said "OK Hood, you can have it if you want it. But let's play this out. If you eat it, how are you going to feel after?" My answer to myself: "Like crap. Disappointed in myself. Bloated. Zombie-brained. I'll probably sleep terribly. I'll wake up full of regret." So my next question to myself was "OK, and what if you don't eat that crap, but find something you have in the house to have as a snack? Then how will you feel?" And my answer: "I'll feel the same as I do now (steady energy, mentally sharp and alert, no "grumblies" in the "lower belly"), but less hungry. I'll feel in control, I'll feel peace of mind for not eating junk food, I'll wake up feeling motivated to eat healthfully and will know my workout tomorrow will not be just to make up for today but will actually move me forward. I'll sleep better. And I'll feel good about nourishing my body."

So, the verdict? What did I end up doing? Case closed. I put away the loonies and twonies. And I wish I'd taken a picture but I didn't realize I'd end up blogging about this (or how long this blog post would be! If you're still with me, thanks for reading!). Here's what I had:

• small bowl of Organic Blue Corn tortilla chips with organic salsa
• small (about the size of 2 dominos) piece of raw milk gruyere cheese
• about 10 Raincoast Crisp whole grain crackers (fig & olive) with some organic red pepper jelly and the aforementioned cheese
• small single serving (about 1/3 cup) of creme brulee (my favourite dessert in the world, which I had purchased at the prepared baked goods counter at Whole Foods)
• sparkling mineral water with fresh squeezed lime

Does that qualify as a binge? Certainly not compared to my past habits. So let's see. I didn't eat until I was sick, or even until all the food was gone (I have leftovers of everything except the cheese, which I had purposely bought in a small amount). My hunger was satisfied, and my belly felt comfortable. I didn't even feel compelled to eat more, so my appetite (different from hunger, appetite is really the desire to eat) was satisfied too. I went to bed comfortably (although I admit I did notice my heart beating a little bit harder, something I used to feel to an extreme after binging on foods laced with MSG... And I was a little gaseous... Both reactions probably due to the cheese and cream in the brulee, since normally I'm dairy free, and had in fact just come off 5 days of vegan eating). This morning, I woke up well rested and without cravings, and without remorse. I noticed my fingers felt a wee bit "puffy" (and in fact noticed my feet felt a bit puffy last night), so probably the sodium in the cheese and chips were making me retain a little water. Otherwise, I felt and feel good and am not craving for anything.

So no, I don't think that was a binge at all (I might add too that my dinner was just one very small piece of chicken and about 1/8 of a cup of couscous so that food was not really on top of a big meal, but perhaps to supplement a small one). And, what I'm most pleased about is that my choices did not lead me to want more, and more and more. I had good quality WHOLE foods, with healthful nourishing ingredients, including a good dose of healthy fats and whole grain carbs (and some protein in the cheese). My body was FED, so I'm not left looking for something else to fill a gap in nutrients. And my spirit was FED so I'm not left looking for something else to fill up the lack that deprivation based diets would have created.

So, thanks for reading this "confession" of a former binger. I hope in the reading you might have taken away a little something... about how food really does change your brain, and about the very key role your MIND plays in changing your lifestyle (and maybe your life as a result)... And maybe a little inspiration and reminder that if someone who was as stuck and lost and mired as me can make this happen, no matter how stuck or lost or mired you're feeling, you too CAN make this happen. (((((HUGS & PATS ON THE BACK & CHEERS TO YOU ALL)))))

I'm quoting my new favouritest Nutritionist, Meghan Telpner here: I think diets with ‘cheat days’ are just lame. The chocolate chip won’t leave your shoulder until you stop dusting it off and putting it back there come Friday and then bemoan its effects the remainder of the week.

So well put. So many diets propose the idea of a cheat day as relief from the pain and drudgery of the deprivation and restriction that the diet imposes... they suggest by having a cheat day, you get to indulge in those treats that you have to avoid the rest of the week... a little reward for your efforts, and a way of staying sane. I have a problem with the cheat day concept on several counts.

First, "cheating" means you've broken the rules and can run wild and fancy free... whether for a day, or a meal, you're inclined to just go crazy and cram in as much of the yummy stuff as you can before you have to go back to your boring, restrictive diet. So we can easily overdo it, and end up wiping out the progress you made the rest of the week. Heartbreaking, and what a waste of energy and effort.

The cheat day also implies that the rest of the week, your "diet" food isn't so tasty, but rather something you HAVE TO eat to lose weight. People, that is the exact problem with diets. You can't stick to a dietary program that isn't feeding you wholly - body and spirit. If you're eating stuff because you HAVE TO and not eating other stuff because you're NOT ALLOWED, well, I will tell you from painful first hand experience, it's not going to be something you can maintain for life, or even for long... unless you're willing to live a pretty bland life full of deprivation? Eating healthfully can be very rich, very flavourful, and sooooo nourishing to both body and soul... and when it is, every meal can be another opportunity for a treat so that we don't feel this overwhelming need to eat as much as we possibly can before time runs out. There's another meal coming just a few hours away! Woohoo!

The other problem with cheat days, as Meghan so aptly put, is that we actually make it harder on ourselves to really enjoy healthy foods. The foods we "cheat" with tend to be high-sugar, high-fat, and high-salt selections... junk food, fast food, and highly chemicalized in a way that makes the flavours very intense. They "hit" your brain and biochemistry in a way that lead you to never be able to get enough. Each time you indulge in foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, you are reinforcing a bio and neurochemical response that triggers you to want more. So let's say you get through 6 days of healthy clean eating ... most of which tasted like cardboard because it's low-fat, low-carb, and because compared to our Day 7 (aka: cheat day) food, it's really bland (our taste buds have been trained to expect intense sugar and fat and salt and we can't even really distinguish the layers of flavours in more natural foods anymore). So on Day 7 we have our cheat day, and we just reinforce to our brains, bodies, and taste buds to respond to those types of foods, making the rest of the week a painful experience. The next 2-3 days after our cheat day, we have to go through a whole new period of withdrawal where high sugar, fat, and salty foods are calling our names. That's HARD to resist. So in the long run, it's pretty rare that the cheat day doesn't turn into cheat dayS (plural) and eventually we return to our old ways. We regain any weight we lost, and feel hopeless and a failure and that it's impossible to stick to any diet long enough to get real lasting results.

What's more, studies have shown that the brain's response to these foods (which in fact is the same response it has to cocaine, heroine, and morphine!) is MORE INTENSE when reexposed to it after a period of abstinence! So by not having these foods for most of the week, and then eating them again, we make the reaction of the brain stronger, making it that much harder for us to resist them when something triggers us to want them (seeing the food, smelling it, being in places, or with people, or doing activities, or feeling emotions that have previously been associated with those foods).

I'm not a fan of cheat days. What I do like, as we're moving toward a more whole foods, natural, healthful diet, is using a good amount of healthy fats in most meals which helps keep me satisifed and is excellent for my brain, my heart, and every cell in my body, and which helps me not continuously crave for more. I like also having a "treat" (not a "cheat") every few days... something made with whole food ingredients, but maybe a little sweet or indulgent in some respect - in portion controlled amounts. This keeps balance for body and soul, and helps me let go of that "diet mentality" that just adds stress and makes my body hold onto fat even more.

So that's my two cents. Anyone think otherwise? Has the "cheat day" worked for anyone out there? I'd love to hear other opinions on the matter.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that if you are interested to learn more about the body and brain's response to sugar, fat, and salt, and about the impacts of stress on our body's metabolic activity, AND get practical PROVEN strategies for how to override those responses so that you can make lasting changes, you'll LOVE the workshop I have coming up on Thurs Sept 24 at the Toronto Healing Arts Centre at 7pm. Take a look at http://springrenual.ca/services.aspx for more details or contact me directly!

Oh boy is there anything better than an avocado? Yes, I know it's high in fat, that's what makes it so GOOD... and so GOOD FOR YOU! One whole cup of avocado has about 235 calories, and somewhere in the neighbourhood of 80% of that is fat (180 calories). Two-thirds of that fat is monounsaturated (oleic acid), which has been shown to reduce LDL (the bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (the good cholesterol). Oleic acid has also been shown to help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Healthy fats are important for transporting and absorbing other nutrients, and the avocado provides a perfect little package of these fats in combination with carotenoids and tocopherols (other nutrients that are health promoting, including reducing the risk of prostate cancer) that work together to promote good health in a way that can't be replicated by each nutrient on its own. By adding avocado to meals with other vegetables, you can increase the absorption of nutrients from those vegetables too!

So don't fear the fat - just consume avocado (and other high healthy fat foods like olives, olive oil, butter, coconut milk and oil, nuts, nut butters, and seeds) moderately, and in combination with other lower fat selections, and it will all balance out in the end. In addition to the heart friendly benefits mentioned above, healthy fats will also give your complexion that youthful glow, lubricate your joints, AND, certainly not to be discounted, make your food sooooo much more tasty so that you'll be SATISFIED with eating less of it.

Back to avocados ... They are also exceptionally high in potassium (higher than the much touted banana), which helps regulate blood pressure and guard against circulatory system diseases. They're also an excellent source of folate, a nutrient many people are often deficient in and which is also excellent for cardiovascular health.

How to enjoy an avocado:

Have you ever wondered how to cut an avocado or how to remove the pit? Here's a little tutorial for you (ok I tried to do this by video but my camera is having technical difficulties, so a picture tutorial it is!):

Step 1 - Pick your tools: Your avocado - If you want to eat it right away, a ripe avocado will be slightly soft (but not mushy, that's overripe), and have no dark spots or cracks. If it has a slight "neck" (like a pear) rather than round top, it was probably tree ripened so it will have more flavour. If it doesn't give when you squeeze it, it's not ripe enough, and won't come out of the rind easily, and won't have any flavour. ** Your knife - something with a bit of weight to it, this is important for removing the pit. Your "scooper" - a butter knife or a spoon.
** If you want to buy one to eat later, you can buy it harder, and ripen at home on the counter or in a paper bag over 2-4 days. Once ripe you can then store in the fridge for up to a week.


Step 2 - Cut in a circle around the outside the avocado to create 2 halves:


Step 3 - Now take your knife, and give the pit a "whack" and a slight twist, and out will pop the pit!
Step 4 - Remove the fruit from the rind by using a butter knife inserted between the rind and the flesh and dragging your knife around the edge. It should glide fairly easily around the rim, and free the flesh in one solid piece. Alternatively you can use a spoon to scoop it out.


Step 5 - Now you can slice or cube the avocado as desired!


Step 6 - Eat! Some different ways you can eat avocado:

• sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and just eat it!
• slice or cube and add to salads
• blend it with some vinegar or lemon juice, olive or flax oil, and herbs of choice to make a creamy vegetable/salad dressing
• cube it and "sprinkle" over black bean soup
• mash it and use it to top a baked potato
• if it's soft enough, mash it and use it as a sandwich spread
• mash or blend and mix in spices/herbs and use it for a vegetable dip
• use it as a base for a creamy pudding
• or of course, you can always make GUACAMOLE (see my recipe below) that you can eat with veggies, on the side of chicken or fish, or with whole grain tortilla chips or crackers!

Audrey's Famous Guacamole!
This guacamole recipe is a hit at every party I make it for. Play with the amounts of ingredients to make it the way you like it - spicier or milder, chunkier or smoother...

1 avocado, mashed, but slightly chunky
squeeze of a slice or two of lime
a couple tbsp of red onion, finely chopped/minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
half a plum tomato, diced
small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and enjoy! Soooooooooo yummy!