Healthworks

Spiced Raw Cocoa

It happened.  It has snowed.  And with that comes my desire for warm stuff... especially warm beverages.  Warm chocolate beverages, to be exact.  However, not wanting to indulge in too much of the sweet stuff I decided to whip myself up something a tad more healthy.  It actually turned out quite well, so I decided to share...

Erin's Spiced Raw Cocoa

In a Vitamix, blend together (keeping in mind I was not measuring, so these are as close to exact as I can get):

• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 2-3 tbsp raw cocoa
• 1-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• pinch chili powder
• pinch sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups water

Blend until smooth.  Try a sip before serving, you may want to spice or sweeten it up a tad more.  With a Vitamix, you can blend on high until it gets warm (which is what I did).  It should serve 2, but I chose the big mug and served it all to myself.

 

 

 

Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates - What is the Difference?

When it comes to a healthy diet, you can make or break it with the carbohydrates.  Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy carbs can help you to succeed in obtaining your health goals, whether it be prevention of illness and disease or weight management.

Simple carbohydrates break down into sugar very rapidly, taxing your endocrine system by creating huge swings in your blood sugar levels.  Overconsumption can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.

Simple Carbohydrate Examples:

refined sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice, pastries, candy, cake, white flour and any product made with white flour, packaged cereals, white rice, pasta, jam/jelly, white potatoes, pizza dough, soda pop

Complex carbohydrates are high-fiber and help to improve digestion.  They help to stabilize cravings while maintaining steady blood sugar levels, thereby improving mood and energy.

Complex Carbohydrate Examples:

vegetables (excluding white potatoes), fruit - though you want to keep your veggie to fruit ratio at about 3:1, whole grains such as buckwheat, amaranth, and oats.

These lists are by no means exhaustive.  Our goal is to get you on the right track when considering your day-to-day food choices.  At Healthworks, we are not proponents of crash dieting to achieve desired results, but rather lifestyale changes that will follow you through the rest of your long (& healthy!) life.

Make sure to always read labels and, whenever possible, choose fresh over processed or frozen.

Hemp Seeds

 

I love this recipe.  {Thanks to Sarma Melngailis, who published a couple of incredible books on raw food: Living Raw Food & Raw Food/ Real World.}

Hemp Milk Recipe

• 1 cup hemp seeds
• 4 cups filtered water
• 1 banana
• 3 tbsp raw agave nectar (or sweeten to taste w/ other natural sweetener)
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• pinch sea salt

Add all ingredients to high-speed blender and mix until smooth.  Enjoy!

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The following facts are according to Rocky Mountain Grains, who are our Hemp Heart (seed) distributors:

Hemp Hearts are about 1/2 Oil and 1/3 protein - For Extreme Cellular Health and Energy

• Greatly exceeds most energy bars for energy and provides this energy in a better form – not sugar and saturated fats.
• Greatly exceeds most energy bars for protein and provides a complete spectrum of vital, natural proteins.
• Five tablespoons (55g) contains 314 calories of energy from 20 g protein.
• Contains 23.2 g unsaturated fats (14.9 g Omega 6 and 4.7 g Omega 3), and 2.7 g saturated fat.
• Serving also contains 5.9g carbohydrates, 3.3 g fiber, 2.6 mg iron, 40.6 mg calcium, 5 mg sodium, 5 mg Vitamin E, .55 mg vitamin C, .07mg vitamin B6, .18mg vitamin B2, .76 mg vitamin B1, 1200 IU vitamin D, 2.2 IU vitamin A, .38 g Potassium, .4 g Phosphorus.

Contains all the Required Proteins in the Best Proportions for Human Nutrition

• More digestible protein than meat, whole eggs, cheese, human milk, cows milk or any other high protein food.
• Better spectrum of available proteins than soybeans--without the soybean anti-nutritional factors.
• An excellent protein product for everyone – mothers, babies, body builders, convalescents, old folks.
• Can be eaten by those unable to tolerate nuts, gluten, lactose or sugar; there are no known allergies to hemp foods.

The Oil Component Consists of Preferred Ratios of All Essential Fatty Acids (EFA'S)

• With 78% essential fats, hemp oil greatly exceeds soy oil @ 40%, canola oil @30%, olive oil @ 10% and other oils.
• Hemp oil contains more "Omega 3" EFA components (19%) than are found in any fish and in most fish-oil supplements.
• Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fats may reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, coronary heart disease and stroke.
• The ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 EFA’s in hemp oil is thought to be the best in nature for promoting cellular health.
• In reducing inflammation, hemp foods may be beneficial to those with arthritis, eczema, psoriasis--even tuberculosis.
• In improving circulation and reducing inflammation, hemp products may be particularly beneficial for diabetics.
• As a rare source of GLA, hemp foods may be beneficial to those too ill to synthesize this EFA from other fats.
• Hemp oil contains plant sterols which may reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer.

Time For a Detox!

Yikes!  It seems our blog has taken a very long hiatus.  Well, we are finally back!!!  I would like to say that "Spring has Sprung", but it seems that winter has decided to hang on for a bit longer.  Don't let it get you down.  Don't go back into hibernation mode.  The wind and snow may be blowing, but the sun is staying up longer... and spring will come (no matter what it looks like outside).

This time of the year is perfect for doing a detox.  As you think about spring cleaning, and getting your house in order again, you should also be thinking about your body.  What is more important than your health?

The body is always in a state of trying to better itself but, from time to time, it needs some help.  Depending upon what you eat, where you live, how often you exercise, and a variety of other factors, how often you detox can vary.  If you lead a healthy lifestyle, you may need to detox only once or twice per year.  If you do not watch what you put into your body, and/ or how your body is performing, you may need to detox more often.

The colon is the body's sewage system.  If the sewage systen gets plugged up, or does not work efficiently, it can begin to collect toxins and becomes a breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria.  Toxins are then reabsorbed into the bloodstream from along the colon wall.  As a result, the overall performance of the body is lowered and serious health problems can arise.

Detox programs come in all different shapes and sizes.  So that you do not get bogged down in all the choices, I want to provide some simple rules for detoxing.

1.  Eat foods that will help to cleanse the body.  Raw veggies and fruit, and lots of water.  Be strict.  No dairy, sugar, flour products, caffeine or meat.  It is about giving your digestive system a break and cleaning it out.  Try juicing/ smoothies, lots of salads, raw seeds/ nuts and herbal teas.

2.  Add fibre.  Make sure you get your body eliminating properly.  You should be having a "good" bowel movement everyday -- you will feel light and free from gas/ bloating if you are eliminating properly.  Although eating the raw fruits and veggies will give you a good dose of fibre, you should add extra fibre for more "oomph!".  Grind up flaxseeds and spinkle them on your salads or add them to your drinks.  Or buy some psyllium seeds/ husks and add it to a drink (adding bentonite clay will help to soak up toxins). 

3.  Do not start detoxing other organs unless your colon, or "sewage system" is eliminating efficiently.  Dumping toxins from other systems into an already backed-up colon will just perpetuate the toxin cycle.

***Sometimes a very backed-up system will need some extra help to get things moving.  We carry a product called "Bioxy Cleanse", which will help to get things moving.  :-)

If you are the type of person who would prefer a kit, with a definite program, we also carry a detox by Wildrose called Herbal D-Tox.  It also has a corresponding cookbook to help out with eating and diet recommendations. 

My final words of advice:  be positive.  Think of all the good you are doing for your body.  When you feel a craving coming on, remember the ultimate goal.  Instead of focasing on what you cannot eat, focus on finding the things that you can eat.  Be creative!  Explore new ways of eating!

Start your day off right!

As the first meal of the day, and the most important for starting your day off on the right foot, breakfast is often rushed or completely skipped.  In looking for some good, wholesome breakfast ideas I came across this article.  It has some great ideas for breakfast, as well as some ideas for making the switch to better meal choices.

Why Organic?

Organic vs. non-organic continues to be a hot topic of debate.  Although organic eating is on the rise, there is still a hesitance towards it, mainly because of cost difference and a misunderstanding of the importance of organically grown or raised foods.  For this reason, we will attempt to give you the facts you need to make a decision on what you feed you body.

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic goods are produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.  Organically produced foods do not include artificial additives, preservatives, or colouring.

In a number of worldwide studies, research indicates that organic foods are higher in certain nutients, including vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Eating an organic diet is an easy way to decrease exposure to known toxins, such as pesticides.  According to one particular study, 192 different pesticides were found on 46 popular fresh fruits and vegetables.  Check out the Organic Trade Association website to find more specific details on the studies.

All this said, organic farming in Canada, up until this point, has been completely voluntary.  There have been no strict guidelines on what can be labelled as "organic".  The good news is that on Dec. 22, 2006, Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, announced final publication of the Organic Products Regulations that will protect consumers against false organic claims and will govern the use of a new Canada Organic logo. 

Phased in over the next two years, the Canada Organic logo will be permitted for use only on those food products certified as meeting the revised Canadian standard for organic production and that contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Following this phase-in period, it will be mandatory that all organic products be certified for interprovincial and international trade.

Right now, the best option is to buy from companies that you trust.  Research who you are buying your organics from, if it is local.  If you are buying certified organic products imported from the US, know that you are getting food that has been tested and strictly adheres to tough USDA regulations.