Photo: Flickr nmjeeptours

A couple of months ago, I was traveling to the gym in the 5AM winter darkness when I saw a large, opalescent moon dominating the inky black sky. I’ve always loved gazing at the moon and marvel at it’s stunning array of performances. I also like to share these moments of marvel with those I love. My Mom, Dad and brother in Toronto (over 2000 km from where I currently nest), are often missed and at that particular moment, I wanted to share this with them, so they all received this text message from me: “I saw in the dark pre-dawn sky a beautiful moon, and on it placed kisses for you.”

My brother, Omar quite the introspective, spiritual guy, but forever my goofy and geeky little brother will once in a while shock me with a beautiful piece of poetry.  I later received an iMessage from him with where he had taken my text and expanded into a beautiful little piece of verse. I love it. I hope you do, too.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Under the Same Moon by Omar Asfour

The kisses you placed on the moon

Fell from the heavens upon a field of dreams.

Nourished by the light of love; washed by tears of sorrow and joy

They flourished and merged into the tree of life.

The winds of crisis and change blew through the tree of life

And carried with them the seeds of hope and inner strength

Where they found renewed life in fertile hearts and minds in lands unknown.

Inspired by these seeds of loving kindness

These hearts placed kisses on the moon for countless others.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Words can have a powerful effect on our hearts and minds. Do you have a favourite poet or piece of inspiring poetry? I’d love for you to share!

Photo: Robert McDon

It’s time to talk shite. Get the giggles out, or shake your head in disapproval, if you must, but like the title of a famous children’s book declares, Everyone Poops!  It’s the final frontier of our digestive journey. And sometimes, when the ecosystem that regulates our poop gets compromised, issues can range from a passing nuisance to a very real health issue. Healthy bowels are very important for overall health. As a matter of fact, it has been said that 80% of our immune system lies in our gut! Bowels that are stuck in the colon are a problem, firstly, because the old contaminated, rotting fecal matter leaks toxins  into the body and can cause a whole host of inflammatory responses, and additionally slow moving bowels prevent proper absorption of vitamins and minerals from the food we take in.  I’m a big believer that taking care of digestive health is the cornerstone for healing and health.

Generally speaking, a healthy body should eliminate at least once a day. I know this goes against most “conventional” medical advice, but all you need to do is look to the rest of the natural world – all other mammals poop shortly after a solid meal, they don’t hold onto it for days, and neither should we.

Now, there are many reasons for a stubborn poop pipe, such as stress, food allergies/intolerance, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, and certain prescription medications. If you generally have a clean bill of health, the following tips are guaranteed to get your bowels moving like smooth jazz.

1. Hydrate.

Start the day with a wonderfully simple and naturally detoxifying drink: juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 cup cold water, 1/2 hot (just off the boil) water. Optional additions are 1/4 tsp of turmeric and 1 tsp of unpasteurized honey.

Drink pure, filtered water and caffeine free herbal teas throughout the day. Intake should be about 1-2 litres per day depending on your body composition and level of activity.  I talk about different ways to “dress up” your water in a previous post.

Reducing or omitting (at least for a short period) alcohol and caffeine will ensure all the good hydration doesn’t get wasted.

2. Increase fibre.

My favourite ways sources of easily digestible fibre are ground flax seeds, chia seeds, dark leafy greens, apples, pears and berries. At least one of each should be included daily in a nutrition plan.

1 tablespoon of ground flax seed mixed in a tall glass of water (drink before it gets gelled up), or add ground flax or whole chia seeds to your smoothies or in your bowl of oatmeal.  A great fibre and anti-oxidant rich smoothie idea is: 1 cup frozen wild blueberries, 1 small banana, 1 large handful of baby spinach or kale, 1 scoop (plant-based) protein powder, 2 Tbsp whole chia seeds, 1 cup almond milk + water to desired consistency.

3. Give food a “time-out”. 

Give the body a break from the hard work of digestion and peristalsis (fancy word for the muscle contractions in the organs of digestion). The easiest way to do this is by eating your last meal 3-4 hours before bed. If you eat your last bite of dinner by 7:00PM, in bed by 11, then have breakfast by 7:00 or 8:00AM your body would’ve been  in a fasting state for over 12 hours without you even trying! New research is suggesting a whole world of health benefits of intermittent fasting, a major one is improved digestion and elimination.

When battling constipation, it is best to avoid heavy and hard-to-digest meals such as a big steak or greasy pizza. Focus on easily digestible foods such as nutritious home-made smoothies, quinoa, teff or brown rice-based dishes, oats (if they agree with you), and steamed veggies.

4. Nourish your adrenals.

Adrenal glands are the “stress glands” and they secrete the hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol over time leads to dense slow moving poop. So not only are you eventually full of angst, you’re also full of shit! Since stress and anxiety is part of our modern-day lives, constipation can be precipitated by these factors.  Managing stress can be full-time gig for a lot of people.  My top tips are:

a) eliminate highly-caffeinated drinks (yes, I’m serious and speaking from personal experience).

b) Yoga! (get a DVD, join a free Sunday class at Lululemon, just DO IT).

c) include adaptogenic herbs such as holy basil (I like the tea), maca root powder, and ashwaganda root powder.

5. Move your bod to move your bowels.

Yes, this is a recurring theme and the concept of being active for optimal health is not going anywhere. A stagnant body will contribute to stagnant bowels.  Do some sort of activity every day. It doesn’t have to be complicated, overly challenging or expensive. Go for a walk, go dancing! Even giving your house a good cleaning is movement as far as your body is concerned. Heck! I often have a dance/jam session while cleaning house (what the neighbours must think ) Just get off that couch, lounge chair or Lazy Boy and MOVE; our marvelous bodies were designed for it!

Happy 2013!  It’s the beginning of a new  year. Full of hope, promise and many, many, New Years resolutions to lose weight and get healthy.  A detox is a great method to re-set your body and mind to allow it to do what it was intended to – be an efficient, magnificent system that has boundless energy, experiences great joy,  with strong defenses to to ward off illness. I talk more in-depth about what is meant by “detox” is a previous post.  Over the past several years, I have done 14-day detox 2-3 times a year using the Wild Rose Detox kit.  It’s a great system based on clean whole foods and detoxing/cleansing supplements, but it can be quite harsh for first-timers.  I have also used detox-type diets to help heal inflammation from a sports injury and inflammation from food sensitivities. This year I’m doing a 30-day detox of my own design, starting with a 10-day vegan detox designed by the fantastic team at Joyous Health.  I have done many detoxes over the years, each one brings with it a unique experience.  Here are some tips to get the most out of your detox journey.

1. Set a Clear Intention – Your “Why”.

For most,  simply “loosing weight” or “getting fit” isn’t a long lasting motivator to maintain lifestyle changes. Think about how peak health can improve your life. You may want:  More energy and stamina. Control over your allergy symptoms. To get fewer colds. Reduce chronic pain. Manage depression and anxiety. But the real question you have to answer for yourself is WHY. Why do you want more energy? Or to loose weight, or be pain free? How will having more energy, less pain and less illness improve your life? What will you be able to accomplish with by reaching your peak level of health?  Get a journal. Write it down. Be as detailed as you can, this will create a strong connection to your WHY. Read this every night before bed or first thing when you wake up. I’ve known some people have created a personal mission statement of their “why”, and tapped it to their bathroom mirror so they can recite it out loud every day, might sound cheesy and over the top – but it works.

2. Believe that you are worth it.

At the risk of sounding like a advertisement for women’s beauty products, this is such an important part of making and sticking to positive lifestyle changes.  I don’t notice this as much with men, but many women really struggle with putting themselves first. Women are evolving, but it’s still a large part of female socialization to be pleasers, and a lot of women struggle with making their health a priority. The bold truth is this: no one else can take care of your health but YOU.  No one is going to take your hand and give you a magic pill that will help you loose weight, increase your energy and improve your outlook. Yes, partners/spouses and family are important, but you are much better parent, friend and lover when you are healthy, vibrant and happy. Make yourself a priority. Schedule it, and work your self-care into your life as you would any other very important thing in your life.

3. Get Your Home Detox-ready.

Unless you have super awesome will power, it’ll do you good to get rid of all the “not allowed” stuff in your kitchen. This includes all junk food; chips, cookies, ice cream – anything that will tempt you during your detox. Then, stock up on detox friendly foods such as brown rice, raw almonds, green veggies, quinoa, lentils, and the list goes on. Detoxing doesn’t have to mean punishingly plain boring foods, in fact, so many detox-friendly meals are exploding with flavour! Open up your spice cupboard – spices not only add flavour, but many of them are superfoods, such as turmeric and fresh garlic, key ingredients in delicious and warming curries. Consider planning out your meals, a meal plan is convenient as you can plan the items you’ll need for the week ahead which saves money and time and will prevent any “cheating” .

4. Buddy Up.

It always helps to feel like you’ve got company when you’re embarking on a new challenge. Ask a friend or family member to join you. Having someone walk with you on this journey, is not only comforting, but will definitely help with your accountability, this is true of any lifestyle change.  Hiring a professional for regular follow-ups  is also another way to increase adherence to a new program and ensure long term success.

5.  Dress Up Your Water.

Drinking a lot of water is important during a detox. For most gentle detox’s filtered water from a Brita or Mavea is just fine. You may choose to decide to use distilled water depending on the type of detox. However, since distilled water is devoid of any minerals, it’s best used for short periods only. I personally love drinking plain water, but I know a lot of you out there find water “boring” which makes taking in the necessary amount of water difficult. Here are some great detox-friendly ways to dress up your water:

- slices of lemon

- slices of cucumber

- slices of orange and a few crushed fresh or frozen cranberries

- muddled fresh mint leaves, with lime and a few drops of liquid stevia (think mojito!)

6.  Clean up your sleep.

Proper sleep is an important part of every day health. It helps reduce anxiety and depression, turns on the body’s fat-burning metabolism, and is when our bodies restore and regenerate which is especially important during a detox. Sleep hygiene is a widely researched topic with more information than is intended for this post, but here are a few helpful tips to ensure quality 7 to 9 hours of regeneration.

- Avoid caffeine at least 4 hours before bed time, this includes coffee, black tea, matcha, and for some even a mild green tea too late in the day can prevent a restful sleep.

- Establish a pre-sleep ritual. This could include reading a book, doing a relaxing yoga routine (like yoga nidra), or having a warm bath or shower. Establishing pre-sleep ritual at least 30 minutes before you get under the covers helps you shed the days hassles to properly unwind, relax and get the mind and body for sleep.

- A cool, well ventilated bedroom (not too cold) is the most conducive to a good, uninterrupted sleep.

- The darker the better. If you can’t afford to get good black-out curtains or blinds, try a sleep mask.

7. Get a move on! 

A detox will by it’s nature, stimulate the movement of toxins out of the body, through the bowels, urine and through the skin (yes, you may break out a little if this is your first detox, – but it will pass and make way for beautiful glowing skin!!). Unless you are on a detox that is severely restricting calories, you can still stick to your regular exercise routine. Regular movements of the body i.e. “exercise” help to stimulate all organs and systems of detoxification. Yoga is especially great during a detox as it focuses on the breath, increasing oxygen to all cells in the body and is not as taxing as say, a high intensity interval training workout. Yoga also has the additional benefit of quieting the mind allowing you to be more present and focused.

I wish you all an abundance of love, happiness and health in 2013! xo

While I may have missed getting this out there before, both Canadian and American Thanksgiving, there are only 30 days until Christmas / Winter Solstice /Kawanzaa and only 12 days until Hanukkah! I love the smells and tastes of “holiday” foods and don’t think they should be reserved for just the holidays! The idea for this recipe came to me a few weeks ago when at the office, the distinct aromas of someone’s turkey dinner teased my senses. I really love stuffing, but my belly doesn’t tolerate wheat in large quantities, so I decided to experiment with quinoa and came up with this delicious gluten free but oh-so-tasty recipe.  And since quinoa offers up all essential amino acids, pair this with a green salad for a wonderfully nutritious and complete meal!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa – rinsed.

1 large celery stalk finely diced

1 small onion finely diced

¼ cup finely chopped parsely

1 tsp poultry seasoning (or herbes de provence)

½ tsp sea salt

1 bay leaf

1 small apple (any kind) diced (leave skin on)

½ cup loosely packed dried cranberries (apple juiced sweetened is best)

½ cup chopped raw walnuts

1 cup + 3 Tbsp vegetable broth (I used Pacific Foods Organic)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ¼ cup water

Method:

In a medium saucepan warm 2Tbsp of broth and 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 1 minutes. Add onion, celery, poultry seasoning, and salt. Cook until onion is translucent and celery is slightly tender. Add parsley and 1 Tbsp of broth, stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add quinoa and coat with onion-celery mixture. Add 1 cup broth and 1 ¼ cup of water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low (3/10), cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add apple, cranberries and walnuts. Cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff with fork – and voila!!

*If you prefer a less sticky version, reduce the amount of liquid.

For some strange reason when thinking about writing this post the song “War” by Edwin Starr echoes  in my head. Unlike the anti-war message (which I of course love) in the 1970 song I am definitely pro-running. Maybe I just like the soulful beat and the emphatic James Brown-esque grunts in the chorus.

As many of you reading this may know, I recently completed my first half marathon on October 7, 2012.  It is an accomplishment that has been on my wish list for over 15 years and after 3 failed training attempts due to injury, I decided to try again.  So, In June I signed up with my local Running Room‘s half-marathon clinic and put my best foot forward (quite literally!).

The Why:

I have a desk job. And since moving to Nova Scotia, I rely on my car to get around; almost never walking to accomplish my day-to-day activities as when I lived Toronto.  A regular fitness routine is a no-brainer, but I was bored and disenchanted with the gym and needed a new goal to keep me engaged and accountable.

I kept myself expectations humble. Since in the past, running more than 12K resulted in injury, I decided to take my time, listen to my body and not let my ego push beyond a healthy limit.

The Bigger Why.

To bring even more accountability to this endeavor, I needed a reason larger than just finishing a race. I needed something that would put a fire under my ass (ya I said it), and get me out for a long run in the pouring rain or hill training against gale-force winds. That’s when I made a promise that if I made it through training and all was on-point that I would raise funds for charity: water.  On September 8 I launched the “21K for Clean Water” campaign to fund water projects in Rwanda. I set a goal of $2100.00 and as of the date of this post, this campaign has raised $2466.00!!! Much gratitude to the overwhelming support and generosity of those who have donated!

The Mob is so boss.

The Halifax Running Room clinic was fundamental in my training success. The clinic is designed for all levels of running capabilities and my coaches, Jen Brenton and Sherri Robbins were warm, encouraging and great advocates of John Stanton’s running program.

I go on record stating that I would not have been able to get through the long runs or hill training without the group (aka Mob) support. I am definitely grateful and would recommend these clinics to anyone who is still on the fence about getting involved in a walking or running routine.

I will also go on record to state that the 10:1 method (running for 10 minutes, walk for 1 minute) not only got me fit to complete a half marathon – it got me to the finish line in 1:57 minutes! In my younger, more “type A” years I eschewed this type of training, but now – I’m a believer.

One of these kids is doing his own thing.

I took liberties with my training program to prevent any injury or pain and enhance my performance. Instead of the recommended  5 day a week, I ran only 3-4 times a week and supplemented my training with yoga, cardio on an elliptical machine and resistance training.  I contended with tight IT (iliotibial)  bands on my long runs, which lead to knee pain and stiffness. It did however, improve with massage and “rolling” the tissue along the side of the thigh and stretching sessions and Epsom salt baths.

Food for flight.

I changed up my diet to enhance my training and my body’s ability to recover. I cut back on caffeine, not because I had an unhealthy caffeine habit, but because it can be used to enhance performance and I didn’t want a daily intake of caffeine to build up a tolerance and interfere with my body responding to it for performance enhancement. I also avoided foods that contribute to inflammation in the body such as sugars, alcohol, wheat, dairy and focused on leafy greens, pseudograins, spouted nuts and seeds, and occasionally some fish high in omega 3.  The focus on nourishing not only for health but for performance is a post all to itself. But special mention goes to my pre long run smoothies that were a body-loving combo of spinach, blueberries, vegan protein powder, and chia seeds.  I definitely felt a dip in performance the the one day I skipped it.

So, what IS it good for?

In my case I would say I’ve experienced an increase in overall fitness, cardiovascular health, comradery,  a sense of accomplishment, improved sleep, a lot of fresh air and natural vitamin D, improved mood, improved digestion….I could continue, but it’s time for me to lace up my kicks and enjoy a run on this crisp, sunny fall day.

Hello friends! Summertime was wonderfully busy. I’ve enjoyed spectacular weather in Nova Scotia – the best I’ve experienced in my 3 years living here, actually.  After playing Nova Scotia tour guide to my friend, Jay and then my brother Omar, and a quick visit to my hometown, Toronto including a fantastic Health and Fitness Conference,  I’m back with a brand new blog post on one of my favourite and most-used foods – Quinoa! I get a lot of requests for quinoa recipes, so I thought I’d share my favourite ways to use this delicious and versatile grain.

Before I get into the recipes here’s a little information on this great food:

- It’s pronounced “keen-wa”.

- The taste is similar to rice…I say the taste and texture is a mix between brown rice and couscous, but I’ll let you decide for yourself.

- Quinoa may be a new food to North American tables, but it was cultivated in the mountainous regions of South America over 3000 years ago.

- Quinoa is actually a seed, or “pseudograin” and like it’s pseudograin sisters, amaranth, millet and buckwheat, quinoa is naturally gluten-free and easier to digest than other grains and wheat.

- Quinoa is a good source of iron, calcium and potassium and is high in B vitamins.

- Quinoa contains all 8 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein!

- 1 cup of cooked quinoa has approximately 200 calories, 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fibre.

Now for the recipes:

Basic Cooked Quinoa

Quinoa-Brown Rice Breakfast Bowl – delicious, filling and warming. A great breakfast idea anytime, but oh-so-perfect for those chilly fall and winter mornings.

Roasted Garlic Quinoa – adapted from Brendan Brazier‘s book ‘Whole Foods to Thrive’

Roasted Eggplant Quinoa Pilaf – my favourite quinoa recipe of the summer!

Quinoa Tabbouleh – adding an nutritional boost to this traditional Lebanese salad.

Leila’s Quinoa Salad – jam-packed full of goodness, this is my basic go-to quinoa salad all year long.

If you’re a quinoa “virgin” – I promise that adding quinoa to your diet is easy and tasty!

I hope you’ll try some of these recipes and let me know what you think!

As always, wishing you nourishment, wellness and happiness!

Leila

This is my basic go-to quinoa salad. The specific ingredients change depending on what’s in season and what is in my fridge. The one in the picture has radicchio, but that isn’t something I have on hand all year long. Here’s my basic recipe – I encourage you to add, subtract or multiply to make it your own!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 cup broccoli florets

1 cup cauliflower florets

2-3 carrots (depending on size) chopped carrots

1/2 of small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 avocado chopped or sliced (your choice)

Dressing:

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

Sea salt & black pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes (optional)

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to incorporate.

*I recommend adding the avocado just before serving so that it doesn’t get too mushy.

Yield: 3-4 servings

However you spell it, this is a great gluten-free way to amp up this delicious and popular Lebanese salad.

Ingredients:

2 bunches of parsley, washed, dried and finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes or 2 large hot house tomatoes diced very small
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 small onion finely chopped (white or red)
juice of 1 medium-large lemon
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP dried mint
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients to a bowl. Mix well and let sit for about 20 minutes to let the flavours incorporate.

*I like to add diced English cucumber and avocado to this salad also!

Yield: 4 servings

What I did here was nothing short of genius, IMHO – I combined  roasted garlic quinoa with some summer fresh, in season eggplant. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

2 cups of roasted garlic quinoa (or plain cooked quinoa)

1 small-medium sized eggplant sliced horizontally, 1/2 inch thick (into circles)

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted.

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/8 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F. Place sliced eggplant on a cookie sheets and coat both sides with coconut oil. Place in oven for 6-8 minutes, turn slices over and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Eggplant should be tender, but not too mushy.

Meanwhile, to toast pine nuts: place pine nuts in small pan over medium heat. Move the pan around or use a spoon/spatula to keep the pine nuts from burning. Once they are slightly golden brown, remove from heat.

Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. When cooled, chop the roasted eggplant into bite-sized pieces.

In a saucepan, on medium-low heat, add the cooked quinoa and the roasted eggplant and the remaining coconut oil (if desired). Stir gently to incorporate and heat for 3 minutes, until quinoa is heated through. Add the chopped parsley and stir to incorporate.

Garnish with toasted pine nuts. (not pictured).

Yeild: 2-3 servings

Infusing quinoa with the flavour of roasted garlic is soo delicious! Roasting garlic makes it sweet, and almost buttery…YUM!

(recipe is adapted from the Branden Brazier’s book ‘Whole Foods to Thrive’)

Ingredients:

1 whole head garlic

2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp sea salt

*optional garnish ideas: chopped parsley, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh thyme leaves.

Method:

Roast the head of garlic; heat oven to 400 F. Cut off the top peak of the head of garlic. Place inside aluminum foil and drizzle with about 1/4 tsp of coconut oil. Fold foil loosely and bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Once the garlic has cooled, squeeze the cloves out of the peel into a small bowl. Add the rest of the coconut oil and lemon juice, mix well.

Heat the garlic and coconut oil mixture in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the cooked quinoa and sea salt. Stir to incorporate the garlic mixture and until the quinoa is heated through.

Garnish with fresh green herbs. (optional)

Yeild: 2-3 servings.