What to expect with winter running

I've been in super lazy mode since back from vacation and now with the holiday's coming up. Blogging has definitely taken the backseat and I apologize, but sometimes it's nice to step away from the computer.

I've realized how hard it is to keep up with technology and that sometimes, I just don't want to. I mean, think about it, your cell/smart phone is outdated after having it for 2 years. There have been about 4-5 operating systems that have come out since I bought my MacBook.

Our society is so reliant on technology that sometimes - although I do love Netflix - I have to take a break from it; not look at my computer screen for a while. Or if I do, it's to play a game.. on my own time. I signed up for Twitter about a month or two ago and have barely used it. I don't get the point of it. It's so much work! And there's so much information out there that it's overwhelming.

So instead, I went running out in the snow. I'm starting a "Toronto-winter-can-suck-my-lady-balls" movement. I'm rebelling against the -15 degree weather, the windchills, and the fact that the city doesn't like to clear all sidewalks/roads of snow, by still running.

Of course it has it's ups and downs. I tried running in my hometown which isn't far from here, but on that day, the -15 windchill really did kick my ass and after 10 minutes out on the snowy streets I had had enough.

Yesterday was a fairly good success. Here's my list of things you should know before running on the snow:

1) Do not get confused... you're not running THROUGH the snow like a kid on a snow-day in their winter boots and snow pants who's ecstatic. That kid doesn't need to go very far... I needed to run 6.5km. So I was running ON snow; Slippery packed snow that is.

2) Try to stay on a level surface and don't get off your trail. One minor sideways slope paired with a mis-step and you're falling over - guaranteed. The only positive thing is that you're likely to fall over into a snow bank which is great for breaking your fall.

3) Running on slippery snow is like running in a dream. You're putting in much more effort and not going as far. It can be super frustrating, but hang in there... remember how pretty the snow is, and leave extra time for your run.

4) Most people don't like running or hiking on snowy trails, so they'll be less people to get into your way. This is a bonus. However, watch out for cross-country skiiers. Tripping over one will leave you tangled and bruised.

5) Bundle up appropriately. Good idea: a few thin layers with long socks, running hat and mits/gloves. Long socks are the greatest thing in the world... next to actual leg warmers.

6) You know that feeling after you've jumped on a trampoline and then you try to jump on the regular ground and you feel so much heavier? Well, expect a similar but opposite feeling when you go from running on slippery snow to the pavement. It's like all of a sudden your feet have traction. Like you're running faster and with less effort! But don't be fooled; it doesn't last long and Toronto apparently doesn't like to have all of their sidewalks cleared of snow or salted.

7) Bring Kleenex.

8) Have a great playlist. It'll distract you from the cold.

9) Know when to give up to save yourself from frostbite. I might be a little crazy, but I'm not stupid. If it's truly too cold out, it's best to opt for an indoor workout and save your nose and fingers from going necrotic and falling off.

10) Don't try to switch songs on your phone/player while you're in motion. Taking your eyes off the trail/road will leave you vulnerable to the slippery and uneven ground; making it 80% more likely that you will slip and fall (The 80% is an estimate... that's what it felt like).

I'm going to keep going as long as possible into the winter. I know it's going to get worse here and there are days I really won't be able to go out. But running outside is still so much more superior to running on a treadmill. Get outside even if you don't run. Be that kid in snow-pants running through snow, making snow angels, having snowball fights. Go skiing or sledding! Don't let snow be the pain the ass that it is when it's covering your car and your driveway and causing accidents all over the highway. This weekend, get out and have some fun :)

I'm back! And with a new Hot and Sour Soup recipe

After vacationing in BC, it's taken a while for me to get back to ... well... being me I guess. Lack of sleep is NOT my friend. I'll post more about my adventures on the West coast a bit later, but for now, it's time to cozy up with a warm cuppa soup, and here's today's "cooking experiment gone amazing!"

This was a recipe I just made up on the fly. I was going for a mushroom/vegetable soup, but then I got hit with the inspiration of garlic... and then I thought I should spice it up a bit with some chilli flakes, and before I knew it, I was adding apple cider vinegar and it was a Hot and Sour Soup - the best I've ever made! I never actually measure anything, so everything listed is an estimate.

Mushroom Hot and Sour Soup
(this might seem like a lot of ingredients, but half of these items are staples in my kitchen, and the others are extra veggies I picked up and had in my fridge... and I was craving bacon)

1 tsp butter
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 a small/medium sweet onion, chopped
1 slice uncooked bacon, chopped
2 baby Portabello mushrooms, sliced and chopped
1 package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3-1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
2-3 stalks/"leaves" of Kale, with center vein removed and kale chopped
1 tetrapak (900mL/4 cups) chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes (depending on how hot you like it)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (depending on how sour you like it)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, as desired to taste

Add oil and butter to large/wide soup pot and heat on medium-high heat. Add onions and let cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until they begin to soften.

Add bacon and mushrooms. Stir and let cook another 5 minutes.

Add remaining veggies and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken broth to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add minced garlic, chili flakes and honey and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Add apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Then serve!

Too early for Christmas?

It's that time of year... apparently Christmas starts in the middle of November and carries on until New Years. I've been having those moments; the ones where you become that type of adult that doesn't really care about the Holidays and doesn't want to hear Christmas music right now.

It's been a depressing realization for me. Usually I LOVE Christmas music. I love hearing it as early in November as possible. But with everything that's been going on in my life, I just can't seem to devote any attention to the upcoming holiday season. I've become one of those grownups that complains about Christmas stuff in November.

There are certain aspects of this time of year that I despise: crowded malls, impatient people (in public and on the roads), that last cram of trying to get all school work done before the end of the semester (5 case reports, a presentation and a business plan -while trying to manage all of my patients and treatments- you can suck my lady balls).

But then I try to remember all of the bubbly things that I love so much about the holidays: Christmas lights... I'm in love with twinkly lights. I love when people wrap the trees on their lawns with lights. I love big light spectacles with inflatable snowmen and penguins. I love the smell of real Christmas trees and of fires in fireplaces. I love how beautiful it looks when big fluffy snow falls at night and in the morning when you wake up and everything is blanketed with a layer of fresh snow, like the world has been frosted with icing.

I know I'll get to that point when I'm excited about the holidays, but for the first time, I also understand what all of those grown-ups are talking about when they say it's too early for Christmas right now. And work Christmas parties and Santa Clause parades in November are like a big fat holiday tease. So I'm joining forces with the grown-ups of the world and boycotting all holiday things until at least December.

Lastly, I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder that there's no reason to be offended by people's use of different words for the holidays. If someone wishes you a "Merry Christmas" and you don't actually celebrate Christmas, just say thanks and return the greeting. This applies to ANY holiday (except if someone wishes you a happy birthday, and it's not actually your birthday... then you might want to correct them). That person isn't trying to piss you off or offend you. They're being friendly. So don't be a dick and take offense to it. This is Canada... many people from many different cultures celebrate different holidays around this time of year; So it should be a time to celebrate and be happy - not to take offense to a friendly greeting. My biggest piece of advice for this season (and in general): Don't be a dick... especially if someone is actually being sincere with you. 

Soon to come: more ways on how NOT to be a dick.

Finding Balance: the yin with the yang

I've been away from writing for the past while. I found myself in a mid-school-year slump and was fairly deficient in life. What I mean by that was that I just felt so depleted. I've spent so much time on patient research, and reports... putting way too much pressure on myself and forgot all about balance.

I was getting palpitations, my anxiety was an everyday occurrence and although I thought I was still managing self-care, I realized (too late, mind you) that it was the wrong type of self-care.

I forgot all about balance! I was drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day trying to perk myself up, but it wasn't working as well as it had in the past. I was running as much as I possibly could, forgetting all about my yoga.

It was a sit-down with my clinic advisor that reminded me what I was totally forgetting: The yin/yang balance of energy. And it's totally ironic because I use this model with my patients on my Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia clinic shift. But we're all vulnerable to this pattern!

The Yin Yang Theory:
Yang represents movement, heat, motion, fire. It is adrenaline; masculine in nature. Whereas Yin is nurturing; it is substance, water; female in nature. Where Yang is energy and activity, Yin is matter and rest.  They are opposites, but neither can exist without the other.

For example, coffee and other stimulants are Yang in nature. So is a cardio workout (like running). Whereas sleep or a restorative workout is Yin in nature.

Although your Yang will go up and down, there are certain aspects of our lives that contribute to a depletion of Yin: overwork, poor diet (not eating enough or not eating enough nutrient-dense foods), lack of sleep, and chronic/daily stress.

So we try to get through our day with caffeine to keep us awake, or we keep busy and run around like crazy with tasks and work, but if we don't nurture the Yin side of our energy balance, we start making more and more "withdrawals" from the Yin piggy bank to make up for our spent energy on the Yang side. And over time that piggy bank gets more and more empty (or "less full" if you're an optimist). 

I recently fell into this imbalance and needed a reminder to take care of my Yin side, otherwise I'd have nothing left to give of myself and I would ultimately crash.

How to restore Yin to avoid burnout:
There are many things that we can do to help rebuild our Yin side. The key is to think "restorative". Just because Yang is motion, movement and energy doesn't mean that we have to stop exercising, but we need to balance how we exercise and how we take care of ourselves.

• Restorative or Yin Yoga - as it is actually called. I went to a hot yoga class and felt amazing afterwards. Slow movement and deep breathing can do wonders! The best part is at the very end where you lay on your mat in the beautifully warm room and breathe. This is time for just you. Don't think of anything or anyone else. Your yoga instructor should remind you of this during your class. 
• Qi gong - another Yin building type of exercise that matches breath work to slow and controlled movement
• Hydrotherapy: I spent 2 hours at Body Bliss, an amazing hydrotherapy spa. But don't worry, for those of you without access to Toronto's therapeutic waters, you can easily make-shift your own at home.
• Take a nice warm epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are made from magnesium. They help to relax your muscles, especially if you're feeling any strain.
• Do contrast showers at home: 3-5 minutes hot water, alternating with 30 seconds as cold as you can tolerate. Repeat for 3 cycles. This will improve circulation and help boost your immune system. After the cold you can bundle yourself up in a nice warm robe or big fluffy towel and rest to allow your body temperature to regulate. 
• Use the saunas or steam room at your gym. Just remember to end your treatment with a cold shower (at least 30 to 60 seconds). 
• Ditch the stimulants, and drink more water, or tea like Nettle tea. It's nourishing and contains vitamins A, C, K and minerals like calcium, potassium and iron. 
• Pace yourself. I got a little too crazy with my workouts. Running makes me feel so good that I was going for runs too often. Give yourself a break from the cardio every so often and focus on stretching or holding yoga positions. 
• Get some sleep! There are many options out there for those who have a hard time going to sleep or staying asleep. There are botanicals (teas) and things like melatonin that can help assist your body in falling into it's natural circadian rhythm - talk to your ND about the best course of action for you.
• Get nourishment through food. Eat nice hearty, warm foods like stews or soups. Avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol ... though I wouldn't say no to a small glass of wine once a week :)

And lastly remember that it's always okay to say no to someone. If someone asks a favour of you and you really need time for yourself, it's okay to say no and to take care of you. Give yourself permission to rest - you don't need to justify yourself to anyone.

My first official 5K "race"!

I've been puppy-sitting with my boyfriend this week and it turns out puppies are pretty demanding. Puppies don't understand blogging. They don't understand how to not jump in front of you when you're trying to go for a run. And they also apparently loose bladder control when strangers see them walking and want to pet them. The excitement of getting attention is just too much to handle!

I took a little tumble while trying to run with the puppy (who is now about 6 months old). Granted, I usually have problems walking in a straight line, but this time it was definitely not my clumsiness that caused my fall. And although I scraped up my knee pretty good, my Lululemon running pants remained indestructible! I can only imagine that superheros also use "Brushed Interlock Power Luxtreme" fabric for their costumes.

I'm proud to announce that I finished my very first official 5K run! Our school hosted the annual grad run on Sunday, with funds going to this year's graduating class. It was a chilly morning, but I layered up, had a great playlist ready and was on my way. The run was amazing! I was in such a good mood and so proud of myself for doing it that I stopped off at my usual trail on my way home and did another 4K! - like a victory lap... it was glorious.

This was my first year ever really running and it took some practice to build up my endurance. But now that I'm at that point - running up to 6.5km without needing a break, or running up a hill and not needing to stop to catch my breath - running has become so enjoyable and so much easier.

If there's ever something you've wanted to do but don't think you're fit enough for it, don't let that stop you! Just give it a try. They call it "practice" for a reason. Work at it and don't give up. It's all worth it!

Taking advantage of the outdoors

So it's October - my favourite time of year! Although I'm more partial to hot humid weather, I love the crispness of fall, cool breezes, trees rustling and of course LEAF CRUNCHING!

I'm pretty sure my body is fighting something because my internal temperature has been pretty messed up lately. I'm finding it rather enjoyable to sit outside on deck/balcony in the evenings which is pretty ridiculous for me, so to compensate I've been bundling up with blankets and slippers. It's the greatest thing next to running through the leaves.

We spend so much of our days indoors that it's depressing. The lecture theater in our school has absolutely no windows so we've spent most of our CCNM days in a room that reminds me of a very cold dungeon.

It's important to take advantage of the outdoors as much as possible. I know for my own sanity, I need to escape the "little boxes full of ticky tacky" and enjoy nature while there's still no snow on the ground and the overnight temperatures haven't hit freezing yet.

There's something so magical about the fall. This is why I drive 40 minutes to do my run. I've also been running a trail near my house (which requires no driving at all), but it's paved which makes me a little sad. When I'm running a dirt or grassy trail my whole body gets so bubbly! Every time my foot hits the ground it's like it's kissing the earth. My legs bounce like they're on clouds - such a different experience from running on a paved trail. Yes, my feet have more grip - but where's the fun in that? I want to jump over rocks and tree roots; I want to run through a blanket of yellow, orange and brown leaves. There's something so refreshing about leaving the city and enveloping yourself in nature.

As a bonus, I also encourage dewy grass walking. Yes okay, you could call it a "hippy" thing, but I love it. Just walk through dewy grass in your bare feet. It's liberating and grounding at the same time.

My point today is that our warm weather is limited. Soon the winter will be upon us which means freezing rain, snow storms, and WIND CHILL! Get out while you still can and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe it'll even keep the winter blues at bay just a little bit longer. And don't forget your vitamin D. So many of us are deficient here in North America, so as the days get shorter it's always a good idea to maintain your D levels with 1000IU per day.

So go get your daily dose of fresh air! Get outside! I know many of you might be gym rats, but try a workout outside: whether it's walking, cycling, running, kettle-bells, yoga, or just your dewy grass walking, get out there and breathe in some of nature's oxygen! And don't forget your leaf crunching! I love the sound and the feeling of a good crunchy leaf - just make sure to watch out for snails!

Power snack muffins!

I've had a request to post this recipe for a good "portable" snack that's full of nutrients (vegetables and nuts and healthy fats). It's a great snack for on-the-go as well as a post-workout boost when you've just depleted your energies.

Today was one of those amazing fall days, perfect for running in shorts. The trails that I run on were ridiculously busy today and I usually get super annoyed with people who take up the whole entire path and who ignore my running footsteps, but today I saw it as a pretty awesome obstacle course.

I was zipping past people like my legs just couldn't be stopped. What? There's a mountain up ahead? That's not going to stop me. Watch me run up it while you leisurely stroll along with your entire extended family and your individual walking sticks. Today I was unstoppable. I got to the top of that hill and just kept going. It's days like this that give me the motivation to run as often as my legs will let me.

I think we all need that. That success of working out and feeling amazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what you do to get that feeling. Maybe you get it after an hour of hot yoga when you're laying on your mat at the very end of class; All sweaty and your muscles are buzzing with happy vibes. Find it. Find that happy post-workout bliss and remember it!

Now after you have that amazing blissful feeling, it's time to recharge and give back to those muscles that just worked so hard for you. Here's my post-workout portable snack, full of deliciousness.

Veggie power paleo muffins

Makes 6 muffins (for 12 muffins, double all ingredients, but use 3 extra large eggs instead of 2 large ones)

1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (OR substitute for 1/2 cup diced strawberries)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: 1 scoop protein powder - add a splash of almond milk to the mix to make up for the extra powder/dry ingredient

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add zucchini, carrot, apple/strawberries and combine well.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, honey and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups (right to the top) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The tops will be nice and toasted brown.
Remove from pan and let cool.

The muffins can be stored in the fridge (the muffin cups peel off nicer when they're kept in the fridge, but the muffins themselves stay softer and more moist at room temperature).

As pictured, I like cutting them in half or thirds and smearing almond butter on top. Delicious!!

Dealing with Cravings

The hardest part of changing your dietary habits is exactly that: getting used to the change. Our bodies often give us signals of what it wants - sometimes those signals come from an emotional place. Sometimes they're from a "biological need" type of place, and other times it's the bacterial flora in our guts that is speaking to us.

Many of us have grown up as "emotional" eaters. We seek comfort foods to comfort our souls.
This isn't always a terrible thing. The smells from a kitchen remind us of being younger. Maybe your relatives had a secret family recipe that still makes you smile. And I think it's fine to give in to that "comfort" on occasion. More detrimental issues seem to come up when we start using food too often as a crutch for safety or as a shield for our emotions.

So how do we protect ourselves?

1) Treat yourself on a special occasion. Thanksgiving is this weekend in Canada. I tend to move away from paleo and indulge in gluten-free stuffing with my turkey. And I might do a bit more baking than I normally would. The point is that it's okay to give yourself a special occasion in which to enjoy a tradition or a comfort food. Each year on my anniversary with my boyfriend we go out to an amazing restaurant in Toronto and I actually order and eat restaurant dessert. For some reason, when I pair it with digestive enzymes and I keep myself low-stress that day, knowing that I can "cheat" for one day, by body is generally okay with it. The point is not to guilt-trip yourself over one cheat meal.

2) First things first, take care of your basic needs: When did you last eat an actual meal? Like with veggies and protein. Do you need real food first? Do you need to drink some water first? Do you need to put your feet up and rest with eyes closed for 5 minutes before running to the fridge? Take a breath and ask yourself what you actually need in that moment. Sometimes I find I just need comfort, and that could be in the form of a hug or contact with a loved one. Check in with yourself before going to the kitchen.

3) No slippery slopes! Maybe you're craving salty or sweet. If you need to curb that craving, do so in small amounts. When I'm feeling like I need chocolate so badly, I only get dark (dairy-free soy-free, 70-85% cocoa) chocolate and I break off only small squares and fully enjoy one piece at a time. Let it melt in your mouth, or chew slowly. Mindfullness eating will help you to not scarf down massive amounts of sweet or salty. I also find it helps to "cleanse your palate" in between. Drink water or herbal tea between bites. By "rinsing off" the chocolate residue from your tongue, you tend to crave it less and less.

If I crave salt, I go for a healthier alternative: Homemade kale chips or slices of cucumber lightly sprinkled with salt (or with homemade guacamole).

4) Don't make one cheat day into everyday cheat day. So you've had a really rough day. Like a seriously shitty day and you just want to go home and forget about the rest of the world. That's totally cool, but fill your personal space with things that will make you bubbly and not just weigh you down. This is especially true if you're finding that every day seems to be a really shitty day. Try not to form habits of going straight to foods that satisfy those cravings everyday. Otherwise your body may start to expect it and it will make it harder for you to resist!

5) Don't listen to your bad gut bacteria and yeast: As mentioned above, the more sugar you consume, the more you tend to crave it (this also goes for bread... grain carbohydrates get broken down into sugars!). This is when your bacterial flora - if populated by Candida yeast or bad gut bacteria will start to feed on the sugars you consume and they LOVE it! The more you give them, the more signals they'll send you to keep it coming!

We all have cravings, and it's okay to satisfy them occasionally. It's how you do it and what habits form from those cravings. Stay in full control of your body, but also make sure to tune into yourself to find out what you might actually need. And as always, other means of stress reduction always helps! Although it's easier said than done, just keep an open mind to other comforts than food and think about what your cravings might actually be telling you.

What about cravings to food sensitives like gluten and bread??
It helps that if there is a food that you don't react well to (ex. gluten), yet you keep having cravings for it (like bread), remember what it feels like to consume that food. For me, gluten makes me bloated, gassy, heavy; I feel like I have less energy, and it often comes with abnormal bowel movements. Remembering how terrible that all feels makes me not want bread and pasta. Give yourself those reminders if you need them.

The secret to losing weight

I'm so proud of myself for how far I've come. After having gained the "freshman 15" and another 5-10 lbs on top of that in the years that followed, I've put to use the secret of losing weight.

Want to know what it is? You're not going to be super impressed. It's not a cleanse, or a fad diet. I never starved myself or purged with laxatives. I never even stepped on a scale all summer because I was afraid of being obsessed with my progress.

The secret is a lifestyle diet and exercise. I called it a "lifestyle" diet because I HATE the word "diet". When I was a kid, the word diet was used to describe the types of foods that animals ate to live. For human beings, the word diet has become just the opposite: it's all the food you either do or don't eat, that is so far from our naturally required foods.

Let me explain and then I'll tell you how I got myself back to a healthy weight and body composition.

Here's an example:
The diet of the black bear: berries, fruits, insects, plants, fish, and sometimes small rodents
The diet of the gardner snake: small rodents, frog eggs, slugs, worms, amphibians, lizards
The diet of North American humans (what it should be): plants, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, birds/poultry, other mammals such as elk, deer, cow, bison.
The diet of humans (what it actually is in North America): maltodextrin, canola and/or corn and/or soybean oil, corn syrup, preservatives, caramel colour, artificial flavour, natural flavour (WTF??)

That last list is what is found in Cheez Whiz and in pretty much anything packaged on the shelves of your grocery store. There isn't even cheese in Cheez Whiz. Just some whey and "milk ingredients". I remember eating that stuff as a kid, putting it on celery and on crackers.

I also remember packing Fruit Gushers for school. Want to know what's in them? Pears from concentrate, sugar, dried corn syrup, corn syrup, modified corn starch, fructose, grape juice from concentrate, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, maltodextrin, cottonseed oil, carrageenan, citric acid, glycerin, monoglycerides, sodium citrate, malic acid, ascorbic acid, natural flavor, potassium citrate, agar-agar, Red 40, xanthan gum.

You can bet that no self-respecting bear would ever eat "Red #40" And yet this is what we feed our growing children.

The reason we're all gaining those pounds is that we're eating something that's not even real food. Processed foods shouldn't even be called food. They're addictive and destructive substances and just like the music industry is exploiting Miley Cyrus, the FDA, government subsidies and companies like Kraft and Betty Crocker are exploiting your taste buds by making you addicted to this garbage.

The police want drugs off the streets?! What about getting processed foods out of our stores! The biggest addiction out there isn't to a street drug, it's to processed foods, and the result of this nationwide addiction has left our health care system crumbling over the costs of obesity and all of it's consequences.

What I did to lose my 25 lbs in a slow and controlled manner (meaning, over several months to a year): I went 80% paleo - sticking to as natural of foods as possible, and giving myself the treat of gluten-free bread occasionally, or using baking soda to make gluten-free/dairy-free zucchini and carrot muffins. I put almond milk in my coffee, which has xantham gum in it, but you won't find canola oil or corn syrup in there.

And most importantly: exercise. I found the secret to making my body strong and building muscle without bulking: throughout the week I alternate yoga, weight aerobics/weight lifting, and my cardio (running). Mixing it up throughout the week allows me to increase my endurance but also my strength.

So the real secret to anyone wanting to lose the extra weight and to get strong again is simple:

1. Stay away from processed foods and eat a more natural diet focusing on vegetables and limiting your grains. Grains help you keep on the weight. And don't forget your healthy fats like coconut, walnut, avocado and fish - they'll support your body's tissues - NOT cause you to gain more fat.
2. Exercise: a good combination of cardio, weights and balance (with flexibility as a bonus!)
3. Give yourself some days to rest and work on your ability to manage and adapt to stress. 

I'm living proof that it works. Don't expect Dumbledore to appear on your doorstep, wave a wand and give you a healthy body by magic. This takes dedication and will-power - the power to overcome the addiction to garbage foods.

Your metabolism doesn't rule you. You rule your metabolism. Eat a protein-rich breakfast every morning and exercise regularly (4-5x/week) and you will begin to gain control over your body. And most importantly, don't starve yourself! If you start calorie-counting and depriving yourself of food, your body will go into starvation mode and you will hang onto every ounce of fat as a protective mechanism.

You gotta work work!

The internets finally decided to work for me and I was flooded by new school information the other day. I was pretty upset to find out that CIBC has decreased their maximum amount for their professional student line of credit for naturopathic students, from $140,000 to $80,000.

Okay, granted 80 grand is still a lot of money, but when you factor in that tuition is $21,000 each year and this is a 4-year program, I'd like to ask How are students expected to pay for living expenses?? Not to mention the fact that you either need a co-sign for the loan OR you need to be working in the first place. The first time I went in to apply, CIBC expected me to have close to a full-time job in order to get this line of credit. I sat there dumbfounded that they expected me to have a full-time job while in a full-time med school program. I'm sorry... did I miss something? Am I not suppose to sleep? Or am I required to clone myself so that I can work and go to school simultaneously?

A fellow new Torontonian stated something interesting to me the other day. She said that making it in Canada isn't as easy as everyone thinks; that you need to have money to make money. Unfortunately, she has it right.

What do you do when you're a student, not living at home, with transportation expenses (newsflash: a monthly TTC pass costs as much as monthly parking), having to buy healthy groceries so that you can "practice what you preach" and stay healthy? Not to mention that as someone who is intolerant to so many foods (dairy, gluten, corn, msg, and soy - just to name the big ones), I have to eat as natural as possible and eating KD and $3 frozen dinners will literally kill my GI tract.

I have been one of those people that has worked the entire time that I've been in school (since the age of 16... through high school, undergrad and now in med school). Most of the time I've had 3 part time jobs going at once. However, in my 3rd year here at CCNM, I finally crashed. I had a breakdown and realized I couldn't do it anymore. My sanity and my coursework were both suffering and I made the hard decision of having to quit all of my jobs.

Only this month have I realized how crucial it is to have money coming in all the time. I can't rely on money from student loans because you go through it so fast. Living in Toronto is ridiculously expensive, but I've also made decisions on how I want to spend whatever money I have. I'm so happy that my old Honda is finally paid off, but what about rent? And hydro? and phone and internet? And groceries cost money.

I know that graduating with $200,000 of debt isn't ideal - it's the reason why CIBC has changed it's funding amount. Actually it makes me want to cry. But at least I can pay my rent each month. And I never have to worry about not having food.

So the bank decided that students should work even harder and make money to pay for their living expenses. Which is all fine and dandy, until someone realizes that's it's just too damn hard and has a breakdown like me.

Just as I'd like to see Rob Ford bike across Toronto to realize how much we're in need of proper bike lanes, I'd like to see the president of CIBC last a semester at CCNM, keep up with the workload, write 10 midterms, 12 finals, pass all practical sessions and do so with only 1 semester's worth of OSAP (provincial loan) funding and still live to tell the tale. Now multiply that by 9 semesters and tell me how can you live with the fact that you're not granting funding to students who will become naturopathic doctors and help to change the world by encouraging preventative healthcare and alleviating the strain on our current healthcare system.

I'm trying to be positive pig here but this is ridiculous. It's not just our profession, but for any student trying to get an education and a career. Without the start-up costs of tuition and living expenses, where do you see Ontario in 10 years time when NO ONE can afford education anymore?

We need more help for students, especially those who don't qualify for OSAP or who don't have money saved up from their parents. Don't cut off students when they're trying to get into grad school, but encourage them to pursue further education.

Setting boundaries: learning to say yes and no

Recently I wrote about saying yes to life. But today I wanted to address saying no. These past few weeks have been really draining on me. I'm not sure if my body is just fighting off the viruses that are being passed around right now, or if I've just hit my stress tolerance.

Either way, it doesn't matter. What does matter is what I'm doing right now. Ironically I'm giving a presentation today on Stress Management and Boundaries. Last night while trying to work on incorporating stress management techniques into the presentation outline, I crashed. I realized that having been in clinic since 8am, my body and mind couldn't take much more.

I fell asleep next to my notebook at 7:30pm; woke up abruptly when my boyfriend got home at 9pm and then after watching one of our favourite shows together, I was back asleep by 10pm, and didn't roll out of bed until almost 9am.

I knew that I needed to listen to my body and I totally realized just how badly I needed rest. I also knew when to say no. I said no to my work - even though my presentation was the next day, I couldn't give it the attention it deserved in that moment. I also knew that spending just the 40 minutes with my boyfriend was all I could do. He was all ready to stay up and watch a movie, but my priority was on rest.

It didn't bother me, having to say no, because I'd rather say no then be full of resentment.

I read a comment on Jacki Carr's twitter that said "Resentment is like drinking a poison and waiting for the other person to die. Don't drink the poison."

If you say no to someone, what's the worst that could happen? Now ask yourself how likely it is that that situation will occur.

Sometimes we are so busy trying to do everything, and be everything for everyone else around us that we forget to think about what we need.

Remind yourself that it's okay to say no. Friends and family might be a bit ruffled for like 60 seconds, but they'll get over it. And then you'll realize that it was no big deal at all. They're still your friends and family, but you'll feel better knowing that you've taken care of yourself.

Favourite Paleo Salad

Today's post is a recipe. This salad tends to be a favourite of mine, as we often make it while on vacation. That's because it's super easy to make and it's inexpensive. 

Salad is NOT just lettuce. Anyone who thinks that salad is rabbit food is just crazy... or perhaps I'm half rabbit... if rabbits ate garlic and avocado. 

Avocados are full of healthy oils- great for your skin too! And garlic is totally antimicrobial - a lifesaver when colds and flus are still going around.

I also love the difference in textures: the mixture of crisp Asian pear with the mushier ripe avocado. Sometimes a bowl of raw veggies just doesn't cut it. Especially when some restaurants drench your salad in disgusting canola or soy-based dressings with all of their sneaky milk ingredients, sugar and preservatives. 

The great part is that if you want it as a meal, just add some chopped grilled chicken or salmon.

What you need for 2 servings:

1 bunch of Red leaf lettuce, washed and chopped

1 avocado, scooped out of the rind and "chopped"
1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped

2-3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice from 1/2 lemon
few globs of olive oil

about 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper

Toss everything together and enjoy. Oh! you could also add a small handful of sunflower seeds or hemp seeds for some extra protein, which would make it even better! And if you're really more partial to sweeter dressings, you can add a small drizzle of honey.

That's all for today fox friends. Happy Wednesday!

iPhone shuffle all... it's like a magical musical surprise

There is something so magical and wonderful about music. It's ability to change your mood or influence you is incredible.

Every time I get into my car, or go for a run, I try to decide what I want that run or ride to be like and I pick my music based on exactly how I feel or how I want to feel. I actually ask myself "what kind of running experience do I want today?" Maybe I want a nice calming slow playlist, or some 90's and 2000's pop; or maybe I need extra motivation and need something with a good base and a fast beat.

Some days when I'm stuck in shitty traffic, or the black hole known as Hwy 401, I blast Alanis Morrisette or Amanda Palmer and rock out to the angry chick tunes.

When I get anxious, sometimes I lean on a few indie favourites or good ol' T Swift. If I'm in a jazzy red-wine type of mood, Michael Buble is the man. If I need some cheering up, I go for the best of the Barenaked Ladies or a little Kangaroo Court by Capital Cities... or Wham! ... or George Michael in general... or Walk the Moon... okay, so there are too many genres and artists that could easily cheer me up.

There are very few times I need complete silence and my mind will tell me when it needs that calm. Sometimes near the end of my run, through the last leg of forest, I'll take off my headphones and just listen to the trees.

But there are other times when I don't want to think about what I want to listen to. I might not even know, but I'll let "fate" take it's course and decide. And by "fate" I mean the iPhone "shuffle all songs" button which is now my new favourite button. I never know what's going to play next! and sometimes my iPhone just knows what I need to hear, or just has the best timing ever.

No matter what type of music you enjoy, it is magical. Use it as a tool to change your mood or to help deal with stress. Create a playlist for your day, even if you need to schedule some silence in there too.

Making changes part 3 - Say Yes to Love

In saying yes to love, I'm referring to love in all respects:

1) Love yourself,
2) Accept love from others, and
3) Fall in love with the universe

The first two are probably the hardest. Loving yourself goes hand-in-hand with finding joy in your life and wanting to take care of yourself. If you're having a difficult time with this one it's probably time to look a little deeper.

I read an interesting article on how childhood experiences and traumas can lead to chronic illness. This might bring up a lot for you, but if you can't find a way to love yourself, then that marks a great opportunity to talk to someone (a friend or family member and especially a health care professional, such as naturopathic doctor/intern). Discussing any issues with someone on the "outside" is a great way to get a different perspective and to find the barriers that are preventing you from loving and growing.

Being able to accept love from others also falls under this category. Like a protective wall that isolates you, the guard is up and maybe it's time to explore just what that wall is actually doing for you. Ask what you are protecting yourself from. What feelings come up? Again, this is all best to talk through with a professional who can guide you through this journey.

How amazing is it that these lions are spooning?!

Keep in mind that this isn't magic and that changes take time, but I commend anyone who goes out and seeks help - even if it's just to talk things out. I've been lucky enough in my life to have that support system through my own naturopathic interns at the college as well as from our amazing student counselor. I'm pretty sure I would have gone crazy had I not had an outlet to get my thoughts and feelings out.

Fall in love with the universe:
I hate Toronto. I can't wait until the day that I can get out of this city. Away from the GTA, away from the 401 highway... I just can't stand big city life. But all of that aside, if someone were to drape a blanket over the whole city... if all the lights were extinguished and the sounds were silenced, you'd be left with a section of the planet, and you'd be able to see the sky and space above you.

Every so often, take a moment to appreciate our world. Seriously be grateful for all that we have. Be thankful for the stars, for the moon, for the way the sky lights up in pinks and purples while the sun sets. Be thankful for great bodies of freshwater. Appreciate all of the species that live in that water and for the circle of life that keeps all of those species procreating over decades. Fall in love with fresh farmed vegetables and appreciate farmers who properly take care of their animals, letting them graze in pasture and who decline to inject them with growth hormones and other fake atrocities.

Lastly, let me leave you with this: It's funny how we always turn to talking about the weather. It's a classic small-talk conversation, but maybe that's a reason for it. How amazing is it that our weather can be different every single day and we really don't have any control over it (not including global warming, but just in general). There's no button you can press that can stop the wind from blowing, or a rope you can pull to make the sun "stay in the sky" longer. If it starts raining... you're screwed. Or maybe you'll take a moment to have that perfect kiss in the rain.


The world is always better when it is filled with love and appreciation.

Going Braless

I love Thursdays. Thursdays are my day off of clinic and it brings me so much joy to not wear clinic clothes. Especially with the heat wave we've had... dress pants and white lab coats are totally counter-productive when it comes to letting my body breathe.

I've always been the type of person to love comfy clothes. I love coming home, putting on pajamas, or wearing track pants all winter long. But new trend I've started with myself is going braless. I call it "Braless Thursdays".

I almost forgot what it was like to not have an underwire constantly nestled under my boobs... to not have straps on my shoulders all day long. Leaning back on a chair or couch and all I feel is my back - not the clasp digging into my spine.

Then there's the sports bra. I wear one at some point almost every single day when I workout. And it's not just any sports bra, but the most heavy-duty Lululemon bra that straps down the girls better than duct tape could. Like a tight elastic that holds them so close to my body that sometimes I'm afraid they'll disappear into my chest cavity. But it sure does hold up to the bounce test!

Sometimes the girls just have to breathe and so I have given them that freedom. It's not for attention, or to seem overtly sexual in public, but more for just comfort and to remove the restriction that's there the other 6 days of the week.

You could say I'm still "young and perky" and with my breast reduction, no longer have all of that extra weight pulling down from my chest, pulling at my shoulders and back. So I'm lucky in that respect.

I think we're all entitled to our braless days -without any judgement. And if you do stare at me in public, the thought in my head is that you're sad that your bra is clasped tight around you and mine is left in a drawer at home.

There's no bra-burning party about to happen, but maybe a good ol' fashion high five for comfort!

Making changes Part 2: Say yes to laughing

They say laughter is the best medicine. I would argue that healthy food is actually the best medicine, but laughing is a very close second.

Some days I force myself to smile and somehow my mind catches up to the smiling and I just feel happier. So, does smiling set off some sort of neurotransmitter cascade that makes you happy? Like a Pavlov's dog for emotion? Smile and a switch turns on in your brain making you happy?

One of the greatest sounds is a genuine and "hearty" laugh from one of your friends. Take a second and try to hear it in your head. It makes you want to laugh. Maybe it's because you know they're laughing at something truly funny. Maybe they just have a really funny laugh. Or maybe it brings back a happy memory for you.

If that isn't working for you, maybe you know someone with a baby. Now imagine the sound of that baby laughing; Like truly laughing in that hysterical baby way. Does that not make you want to laugh?

There is something about laughing that makes you feel so much better about everything. And if it fills you with an overall sense of well-being and happiness, then of course it's going to be a wonderful type of medicine. Maybe it won't cure all medical conditions, but it sure does improve quality of life.

I think laughing can work like a Care Bear Stare. The more you smile and laugh, the more you drive away negative energy.

Laugh every day. And add some smiling and dancing in there too.

Making changes Part 1: Say Yes to Life

Say Yes to Life

Many of us get stuck in that "day-to-day", following the same routine which feels safe to us. But when you think about it, time is precious, so shouldn't it be important what we do with that time? It's okay to stay in a place where you feel safe, but we shouldn't restrict ourselves based on fear of the unfamiliar.

My aunt once told me "Yes! You have to say yes to life!" And what she meant was say yes to opportunities when they come up. If there's something you really want to do, don't let someone hold you back from it (even if they're not saying it to your face).

I hate sayings like "YOLO" or "life is short". Of course it's short. We all know that, and "YOLO" shouldn't be an excuse to do something stupid or potentially dangerous. But when a new opportunity arises, well... it's kinda nice to think that you're filling your own life with new memories and creating your own adventures.

My boyfriend and I are flying out to BC this fall/winter, somewhere I've never been, and I'm so excited. It'll be an adventure on it's own, but it comes with the possibility of falling in love with BC and moving there. The unknown is exciting. Just because I was born and raised in the Greater Toronto Area, doesn't mean I have to stay here. Having roots is amazing, but I also like knowing that I'm not permanently fixed in one place in my life. Who says that you can't do something?

On a smaller scale, I used to look up to women who ran and did yoga. They were always so relaxed, so happy, so fit. I thought, I want that to be me. I want that endurance, that strength, that serenity. So I made the choice to try. I've been practicing yoga on and off for 4 years now and this summer was the first time I started running. It's a feat of endurance and each time I go out, it gets easier: I can run longer without feeling tired or getting out of breath. I decided to make that change in my life and try something new, and it has been incredible!

Another example: my sister wrote a children's book. She's a stay-at-home mommy with two amazing, beautiful children, and baby #3 on the way, and she took the initiative to have her book bound and made available on Amazon. (Click the link or search for the Bubble Dragon on Amazon.com).

The Bubble Dragon. Graphics by Laura Ireton

She made the choice to invest in her creativity. She reached out to one of my friends who is an incredibly talented illustrator, and she made her vision come true.

The idea of freedom is liberating. We make choices everyday and those choices shape our lives. I just like reminding myself of that: I make the choices that shape my life. It's a very powerful responsibility... with the potential to have amazing adventures, no matter how big or how small.

Paleo cooking adventures: Okra and more recipes

I was in a kitchen adventure mood yesterday and decided to try okra for the first time. There are about four okra recipes in my Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook and as I happened to see it at the grocery store, I thought it's time to try something new.

So I modified the recipe in the cookbook (because my instincts are usually better) and made delicious okra. Surprisingly, it was a very mellow greeny vegetable seeing as how it looks a little... let's say "rough". I expected it to be tough and tarte but was pleasantly surprised with how those things turned out. Even more surprising, they're filled with these cool little pods which tasted just as delicious! Total score on the dinner front!

I apologize for the bad presentation on the plate, but honestly, it was so good that I started eating and completely forgot to take a picture of it before I starting cutting into my pork rib eye.

Today's paleo dinner in 30 minutes:

Spiced pork rib eye steak and okra with sauteed zucchini, kale chips and a tomato basil salad

Preheat oven to 400 C

Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat with about a tbsp coconut oil. Add a couple chopped shallots and a chopped zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften.

Meanwhile, make your spice blend (and make enough for both the pork and the okra):
In a small bowl toss together some paprika, dry mustard, cumin, a pinch of curry powder, a bit of powdered ginger, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne if you like.

Sprinkle over pork steaks and massage it in a little, making sure to get both sides. Once your zucchini and onions are starting to soften, add the pork to the skillet and sear nicely on all sides. Then just pop the cast iron skillet (with the pork and veg) right into the oven for about 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork and how long you seared it.

Okra: Wash okra, pat dry and place in a mixing bowl pour about 1/2 cup or so of olive oil over the okra and toss to coat. Lay out on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend.
Cook in oven for about 10 minutes - flipping them after 5 minutes.

Tomato basil salad:
Take one package of grape tomatoes and slice each tomato in half. Add to bowl. Take a nice handful of fresh basil, chop and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I used a fig balsamic which is so ridiculously delicious). Season with salt and pepper, then gently toss to mix, and serve!

This was an extremely satisfying meal and somehow the meat gods smiled on me and allowed the pork to come out of the oven cooked perfectly! Hence why there's already a bite out of it on the plate in the picture. I will definitely be experimenting more with okra in the future!

Take a breath

It's funny how we, as humans, often neglect our bodies and how we control them. I think we take for granted that we can actually control our breathing. I mean, think about it. At any point in time you can consciously change your breathing rhythm and rate until you decide to give up control to your autonomic system.

So is there a point to us being able to do this? Of course there is! We just get so busy that we forget. Which is totally silly because we use the expression "Take a deep breath" when we want someone to calm down.

Your breath, and the filling of your lungs with air is the result of your diaphragm contracting and pulling downwards, changing the pressure within the lungs and forcing air in. The diaphragm (not to be confused with the birth control device... that would be a terrible misunderstanding) is a giant muscle! A beautiful, intricately designed muscle that weaves around your esophagus and descending aorta which works constantly to keep bringing in new air into your lungs.

It is on the exhale that this muscle relaxes and "pushes" air back out. On average we take between 12-16 breaths per minute. Which means, that's how many times the diaphragm contracts! Then add in the fact that our bodies let us turn off the autopilot to control our own breathing... and... is anyone else as amazed as me?  Pretty cool, eh? Now that we have a little perspective, what is the point of being able to control our breath?

Well, first off, we can hold our breath when we go underwater... or if we're shielding our olfactory receptors from some unhappy-making odour in the room. But I really wanted to talk about two amazing things you can do with your breath:

1) Relax. Seriously. Anytime you get worked up about something, stop, put your feet on the ground, close your eyes and take 4 slow deep breaths. Now tell me how you feel after that.

If you need more instructions, I suggest the box method: imagine drawing the 4 sides of a box with your breathing. Inahle 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds. Repeat that a couple times.

It'll help manage stress, and help you to relax. It also forces you to concentrate on your breath - a key component in both yoga and meditation, so you actually can clear your mind for those few seconds and stop yourself from thinking about whatever it is that made you upset in the first place.

2) Strengthening exercises: Want to support your muscles during your workout? It's so important to breathe while you workout (I hope this is a no-brainer), but also to match your breath with your weight lifting. Each time you do a strengthening exercise you want to exhale during the "lifting/pressing" of any weights and inhale as you release them.

I swear, this isn't phoney bologna. Remember when I said that as you inhale, you're contracting your diaphragm? Well, this is a nice big muscle located just under the lungs and above your abdominal organs. So when you contract this muscle, forcing it to pull down and push up, you're actually also adding more strength and stability to your core. When you isolate certain muscles to work on (ex. bicep curls), you want the rest of your body to be stable and static. You wouldn't slouch ... you want a nice straight spine with shoulders and hips aligned. Well, matching your breath to your weight lifting helps with that.

The bonus is that it forces you to breathe. I know, it sounds silly, but many of us forget to breathe when we workout. We're so caught up in our heads, straining to lift our weights, wanting to bench press just a little more, thinking that we're super strong, but that moment is so intense that we hold our breath! Well, stop it! Or rather, resume breathing!

Make it a goal to just take notice of your breathing each day. Just sit for a few minutes and concentrate on your breathing. Take a few deep breaths, and appreciate just how wonderful the diaphragm is. Feel the muscle contract, feel the air filling your lungs, feel your chest and abdomen expand with each inhale and then pull your abdomen in as you exhale. Brilliant.

Smoothies and protein powders

Colleagues and friends often ask my opinion on protein powders, and many patients are always looking for smoothie recipes. I don't even understand why you would need a recipe when you're just blending a bunch of yummy stuff together. It's not like you're baking the smoothie afterwards or are serving it to your Ladies Who Lunch group. But regardless, everyone needs a starting point, so I'm today I'm teaching the basics on smoothie-making.

A smoothie is your quick protein and carb fuel after a good workout. Your muscles need that fuel to repair themselves after any damage that might have occurred from workin' them so damn hard (relative to each person's individual fitness level, of course).

First things first, you need a Magic Bullet or a blender. I love the Bullet because it's fairly inexpensive ($30 at Canadian Tire right now), and it makes a nice sized single portion. Plus, you drink out of the container that you're blending in, so that's one less glass to wash later - total bonus! (especially if you don't have a dishwasher like me).

Here is my post-workout smoothie with "variations." I'm not listing a bunch of recipes because that's stupid... you can easily swap ingredients in and out of a smoothie and it's still going to be delicious, and it's still going to do it's job to fuel your muscles.

Start with your Magic Bullet "cup".
Fill halfway with Silk True Almond milk (original or vanilla - vanilla is much sweeter if you really like your sugar)
Add in 1-2 handfuls of frozen fruit
Add 1 scoop of protein powder: I prefer either Sunwarrior Protein Powder (natural or vanilla), or Arbonne Essentials Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
Add 1 heaping tsp or 1 tbsp of almond butter
Fill remainder of cup with either water or pure (no sugar added) orange juice.
Blend for about 10-15 seconds and enjoy!

Both protein powders listed are vegan, which is great for us non-dairy/non-casein people. Some people love their lactose-free whey powder, so if you're fine with milk protein (casein) but just not lactose, then I'd opt for Provitalex by Cytomatrix.

What about if you just ran out of protein powder?! What a crazy world we live in... but you can still make a smoothie even if you don't have protein powder on hand:

3-4 ice cubes
Almond milk (chocolate, vanilla or original), or water
2 tablespoons of almond butter
2-3 handfuls of frozen fruit
top with water and blend away.

Feeling like shakin' it up a bit? Add a 1/2 banana! Have protein powder but not almond butter? Leave it out and make your smoothie anyway! Get in your kitchen and pretend you are Bill Nye! Experiment! As the Frizz would say "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"

We need to stop being afraid of cooking and making food. We live in a world so filled with "conveniences" that sometimes we forget to actually work at something and take the easy road. I'm not saying to boycott Booster Juice for the rest of your life, but paying $10 for a smoothie that you can make at home is just not as rewarding (for you or your bank account).

CCNM Survival Guide

I was logging onto my blogger account and glancing at my stats - the part where it tells you what words or phrases people use to visit my blog with. One of the ones that caught my eye was "CCNM survival guide." With the new school year coming up, my first reaction was: Awww, that's so cute. And then quickly realized that there's not much of a survival guide out there for new first year students, or the 2nd and 3rd year ones that are entering the thick of it.

So here is a short version of my "Guide to surviving Naturopathic Medical School"

1) Get an intern and start going to the clinic as a patient.

• Trust me, this is one of the best things you can do for yourself to help with self-care. 
• You get to try out all of the modalities on yourself before prescribing them to patients
• You'll be more prepared for acupuncture tutorials if you've already become familiar with the process and have had it done to you before. 
• Your intern will be full of knowledge and have lots of resources for you - especially with stress management. 
• Want a massage during exams? Get an intern. 
• Visits are covered through your student health plan (up to a maximum amount).

2) Stay ahead with all assignments.  The sooner you get them completed, the less you will freak out when midterms are coming up and everything is due.

3) SELF CARE! Get outside, walk around, go sit in the botanical garden, use the meditation room; whatever it is that you need to take a break from the classroom, do it.

4) Give yourself at least 2 weeks to study for exams. Not going to lie, you'll be cramming for a few of them regardless, but starting sooner will help reduce the number of exams you cram for.

5) If you're a heat person, go use the sauna room in the basement and do your own hydrotherapy. I used to go down there after the last class of the day and just sit in the heat and sweat out everything. There is also the gym if you prefer.... and the Don River trail across the street if you're feeling adventurous.

6) Prepare your friends and family for the fact that you are now in a graduate medical program and your social life - although still there - will not be as available as in undergrad.

7) Take advantage of school events to get to know your classmates better. This isn't undergrad where you're in competition with everyone. Your class in naturopathic med school is more like a family. You will see each other every single day. You will massage your classmates' bottoms. You will help them out of a tub of water in bikinis (not a bathtub, but an actual round bin that you can easily get stuck in). You will be putting an acupuncture needle under their eyeball. It's time to get friendly, earn trust and invest in your CCNM relationships.

8) Carry lots of snacks with you and drink lots of water. The days are long. You need food. The cafeteria closes at 5pm and the BMS store can often run out of rice chips and hummus. I recommend carrying "emergency chocolate" with you at all times.

• Emergency chocolate is a staple for any potential hypoglycemic events. When you're stuck at the school on a Monday until 7pm and common time seems like a distant dream you had, you will be happy to reach into your bag for a snack that will allow your brain to continue to function. For me, that is dark chocolate.

9) The cafeteria, although delicious and gluten-free, is also a tad expensive for the medical student. Bring a lunch. And bring an extra in case you get hungry later. Welcome to the 4-year marathon.

10) Talk to upper years about what textbooks to actually buy. You'll save money in the long run. For example, everyone should have access to Netter's Anatomy. But not everyone needs the Organon (sorry Hahnemann) - it's online... for free!

11) Get a laptop for class. Having the internet at your fingertips is a must... even if there's the potential for "too many connections" on the internet server.

12) Dress in layers.  Classroom #4 is known as the "menopause" room because the temperature fluctuates so much and about every 10 minutes. There were many times I found myself wearing my winter coat, mittens and scarf during class.

13) Need to get off of campus and go for a walk? Walk over the bridge to North York General Hospital. They have Starbucks, Subway and some other stuff that makes a great excuse to leave the building while you're on break.

14) In reference to #11, visit seventyequalsnd.tumblr.com frequently for a good laugh and the honest truth.


15) Go to all of the classes that you really need to go to, and when it comes time (you'll know when that is), you can start skipping the classes that you can afford to in order to get more sleep in the morning. Sleep is key. I'll say it again, make sure you are getting enough sleep.

16) For all of you new first years, go to Unity Summit! You'll appreciate this piece of advice after you've gone and have heard the amazing inspirational speakers they bring in. Truly a key experience in this program and a great way to get to know your classmates.
For all of you 2nd and 3rd years, volunteer at Unity Summit! It's a nice break from the classroom for 2 days and it'll remind you why you're working as hard as you are through this program. Play games, enjoy free food, get to know your fellow students.

Take a deep breath. The next 4 years will fly by. It's hard work, but the best part is knowing that you are never alone. There is no real competition. Just a family of people who want to help others and be healthy. Good luck and feel free to approach me around the school if you have any questions.

Paleo adventures... making up recipes

I'm one of those people who lives off of sunshine and heat. I love it. I love to sweat. When other Canadians complain about the humidity and heat warnings in the city, I smile, prance about (well, not quite), and take advantage of the fact that there is no snow on the ground. Seriously people... don't you remember what freezing rain looks like? Do you remember how much it sucked to drive after a snowfall? So I've been taking advantage of summer, and blogging has taken the back seat.

However, the good news is that in addition to taking advantage of the outdoors, I've been doing some paleo experimenting in the kitchen. A few recipes for my fox friends:

Slow Cooker Paleo Chili with microgreens

1 lb grass-fed lean ground beef 
1 jar of paleo-friendly tomato sauce (I used a roasted garlic one)
3 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 package mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
dried basil and oregano (about 1 tsp)

Sprouts or microgreens (the ones in the picture are red cabbage sprouts)

1) Cook ground beef until mostly brown. Drain some of the fat off and put beef with all other ingredients in a slow cooker (if you don't have a slow cooker, just use a really big pot).

2) For slow cooker: Set to low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours 30 minutes.
For stovetop: Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for an hour.

3) Season with salt and pepper and serve with microgreens/sprouts.



Salmon Salad

This isn't a typical recipe. I didn't really measure out anything. I just felt like salmon salad and mixed together some flavours that I thought would go nicely together.  This is an approximate, but the point is that you don't need a recipe to make something. Experiment!

1 can wild-caught pacific salmon (skinless, boneless)
1/2 tsp lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
2 tbsp EVOO (I really didn't measure this out.... just drizzled a bunch of olive oil over it)
1/4 tsp dried dill (or use fresh dill)
A splash of date-infused balsamic vinegar (optional- bought this from an oil and vinegar store in the states... so ridiculously delicious).
Smallest drizzle honey (for a bit of sweetness)
Salt and pepper
Microgreens or sprouts

Flake salmon with a fork to break up any huge chunks, then just gently toss everything together!

It's delicious just on it's own (as pictured above) or you could have it as a spread for rice crackers, with your favourite gluten-free bread (if you're not paleo)... You could even turn it into a "Salmon Melt" by putting it on toast, top with tomato slices and goat cheese and place under a broiler for a few minutes to warm through.

I also made a soup, but sorry, there's no picture.

Leek and Mushroom Soup

1 tbsp goat butter
3 leeks, chopped (remove ends)
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
1 tray/pkg of white mushrooms, sliced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 tetrapak chicken or vegetable broth (one without tomato in it)
1/3 cup almond or coconut milk

1) Melt butter in large pot on medium heat. Add leeks and celery. Cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until leeks have started to soften.
2) Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes until mushrooms have reduced. (don't let the onions burn! Add a smidgen more butter or 2 tbsps of water if the pot is starting to burn the leeks.)
3) Add all other ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, uncovered.
4) Remove from heat, add almond or coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to blend some of the soup, keeping a couple mushrooms as bigger pieces.
5) Reheat through, season with salt and pepper and serve.

I think this soup would be amazing with bacon in it or on it... that will be the next experiment.

Happy Kitchen Adventures!

Kicking Fruit Loops in the face!

It's really sad to walk through a grocery store and realize just how many wheat-based breakfast options there are. Just glance down the cereal aisle and look at the ridiculousness that we feed our children each morning: A box full of sugar, artificial flavour, artificial colour (reminds me of that song "Fruitcake" by the Superions - YouTube it... it's hilarious!) and wheat.

I never questioned it growing up and no one knew any better. I grew up with Kool-Aid, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops and Kraft Dinner as household staples. Everyone did at the time.

Well my fox friends, there is a much better way to do breakfast but first you need to reinvent the idea of breakfast. First off, it doesn't have to be the "smallest" meal of the day. Nor do you have to wake up an hour early and slave away in the kitchen, taking away from precious sleep.

Last night before bed I chopped up a bunch of veggies, seared some stewing beef and threw it in my slow cooker with some organic chicken broth (by Pacific Foods - one of the only broths without all the extra garbage in it). I set it on low for 8 hours... and when I woke up, the smell of yummy beef stew filled the house and I had the most amazing breakfast waiting for me.

 A small bowl of this before leaving the house and my tummy was warm and happy! I got my protein and my nutrients and a great start to my day. Not to mention the fact that something as hearty as this is really filling. So I won't be having a carb crash at 10 or 11am... nor will I crash at 3pm.

This is what I love the most about Paleo: I have energy back in the morning, and I feel so much better throughout the day. Not to mention the pride I get from making and eating something this good. My stew kicks Toucan Sam in the face!

Think this is too much work? I'll break it down:

1) I set up my cutting board and my chef's knife and lay out all the veggies that I need, while my stewing beef is sitting on the countertop.

2) I keep a compostable bag next to my "work station" to throw peels and scraps in for easy cleaning up as I go along.

3) Chop veggies, throw them in the slow cooker. In this batch I used:
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Turnips
- Zucchini
- Garlic
- Mushrooms

4) Sear beef on all sides in a pan/pot to lock in the juices, then toss into the slow cooker.

5) Take my tetrapak of chicken broth and pour it over everything. (Okay, so maybe it's more of a soup than stew, but seriously... look how hearty it is... I'm calling it a stew).

6) Set the timer for 8 hours on low. Wake up, season with S&P, and eat a bowl of deliciousness.

There's no reason why breakfast needs to be wheat-based or sugar-based. It's time to boycott sugary artificial cereals and think outside the box (haha). Breakfast can be any food you want!

Paleo challenge accepted

I feel like IBS is a lifelong battle. Most days I feel great (owning to my already 90% clean diet), but that other 10% is so variable. As far as gluten-free grains go, my body can tolerate it's fair share, however, my body has been putting up a fight recently.

The worst part is that I don't actually know what I'm reacting to. Sometimes it's nightshades, and other times I can eat tomato sauce without any consequences.

So least to say I'm getting a bit frustrated. And there's only one thing to do when I get this frustrated: Go back to Paleo.

My "modified paleo" from an earlier blog post is getting an upgrade to "semi-serious paleo".

It means going back to preparing and cooking most meals. My glorious burger at Paradise Farms Beef Bistro will have to be bunless (not even the gluten free buns will suffice). My Mennonite-raised chicken plates will now have to be rice-less. My breakfasts will no longer light up my morning with brown-rice toast. I am toastless.

I'm going back to my paleo recipe books, and a grocery shopping "spree" at Ambrosia in North York has fulfilled my breakfast woes.

Paleo Rules:
1) No grains. At all. Not even rice (which is super heartbreaking... almost as heartbreaking as when a clinic colleague told me that rice is contaminated with arsenic. Not meaning to start a revolt here, but if anyone has this research info, please pass it my way.)

On the upside, just found a company that makes Grain-free cereal. I'm not kidding. Ironic since the company is named JK Gourmet. I saw the packages on the grocery store shelf and it was like I had found the holy grail of cereal. Just nuts, seeds, figs with hemp and chia... pour a little almond milk on top and I have a little bowl of protein and fiber heaven. 

2) Legumes are out. That's an easy one since I really don't appreciate being really gassy and bloated. It's just not my style. I still crave hummus, but it's not worth it if I can't digest it properly. GI tract, you win this battle.

3) Eating lots more fresh veggies. I crave them daily anyway, so now it's just about committing the time to go to farmer's markets and picking up fresh produce every few days.

4) No dairy. Easy peasy. My dairy replacements have always held a special place in my heart... which is basically attached to my stomach... metaphorically of course. I'd be pretty worried if they were anatomically connected. No one wants a hiatal hernia with two fused organs. That's serious BNB (bad news bears).

My latest dairy replacement joys: 

• Cultured coconut milk - just like yogurt, only better.
• Silk True Almond milk - all varieties. The dark chocolate flavour is so delicious! You can even use it when making a protein shake
• Coconut Bliss chocolate coconut ice-cream bars. Dairy Queen, you can't even compare... go drown yourself in the pool. Seriously. If vanilla soft serve is Justin Bieber, then Coconut bliss bars are a genetic hybrid of Rosemary Clooney and Justin Timberlake. Bieber... you are way out of your league. Plus apparently he keeps spitting on people which I really don't understand. Perhaps he's just watched "Titanic" one too many times and is practicing how to "spit lik'a man."

5) Keeping out the potatoes, and limiting tomatoes. Except for sweet potatoes of course. Yams make excellent meal additions or snacks on days when you've had a great workout. Work up a sweat, eat a yam (make sure to sprinkle with cinnamon! Because really, you'd be crazy not to.)

6) Be creative with eggs. I'm so used to eating eggs over-easy with toast that now it's time to switch it up. They're a great source of protein and are Gaston-approved (though I do not recommend eating 5 dozen eggs.... or raw eggs in general... that's just ridiculous.)

7) My goal is to stick to only the following oils: coconut, olive, and walnut

8) Try my best to only buy meats from one of my butchers. Or try to find someone that sells like 1/4 of a whole pasture-raised cow. If anyone knows where to get meat from happy farm animals in the greater Toronto area, let me know :)

So this is what it has come to. I'm going to commit to this challenge as much as humanly possible, but we all know that life is unpredictable. I'll post anything that I find to be ridiculously delicious, and I may blog about any failed meals - just to be fair.

It's hard when your GI tract runs your life, but really, how is the body suppose to run (figuratively and literally) properly if it's not fueled properly? Or if it's chronically damaged and doesn't get the chance to heal properly? It's not rocket science to figure out... just a tough battle with food habits. 

The Great Cardio Debate

There is something to be said about accomplishing a goal. No matter how great, or how small or insignificant, when you decide you want to do something and then finally do it, it's empowering.

Of course there are always things that try to stop us from getting there. Sometimes it's self-doubt; sometimes it's other people doubting us; Or it could be something that just needs more practice, or to work hard enough at.

I had one of these small victories yesterday during my run through the forest. I made it up this ridiculous hill that, to me, is like a mountain, but to others might just look like a speed bump. (I know there are no actual speed bumps in the forest... how ridiculous would that be? Like, how many animals need to be running in the same area to require speed bumps and even then I'm sure the deer would just jump right over it. And if it were an actual speed bump, I'm sure I would have tripped over it.)

But back to my story, I recently read The Oatmeal's comic on "The Terrible and wonderful reasons why I run" . I realized that I am still by no definition a "runner" and that The Oatmeal is far more experienced in this realm. In fact, I think he's a bit nuts, but I also realized that running and exercise in general is a slippery slope - in a good way! So I'm probably not too far from there.

I say it's a slippery slope because the more we exercise, the more tolerant our bodies are of it. Our muscles increase in size and we can lift heavier weights; our cardio endurance increases and we can maintain an 80% max heart rate for longer. The more you "practice" at working out, the more your body adapts and the more you can do over the next few weeks/months.

So why do I run if it's torture? Because really, I'm not running away from anything. I'm not trying to get somewhere faster. I run because in a sick twisted way, it feels great. First off, I run through a forest. There's nothing greater than nature. Who needs to spend hundreds of dollars on therapy when I can just be in a forest, walk on the grass with my bare feet, sit on a rock and put my legs in the creek.

When I run I can think about things. I can process things. I come up with blog ideas... unfortunately as soon as I get home I realize that my blog ideas weren't nearly as good as I thought they were in the forest. Maybe that's because forests are magical. Or nature is magical. Either way, there is universal magic at hand.

When I run, my legs are like energetic puppies and unfortunately my lungs are like an old, wise, asthmatic dog. My legs are hyperactive and caffeinated and want to keep going. They're full of energies and love the impact on the dirt floor. My lungs however, can just never keep up for long. They're learning, but every once in a while I come to that moment where the old dog just needs a break, regardless of the little puppies nipping on him, telling him to keep going (only 2K more!). I can often hear this interaction in my head, but of course, not wanting do die alone on the forest floor, I listen to the old dog and tell the puppies to hold their horses.

We can't forget the whole cardio debate... when you do cardio for long periods of time, you're basically enabling the flight of flight response. You're secreting lots of cortisol to deal with this "stress". But exercise is so good for you! So where am I on the cardio debate? I think running is amazing, but we also need to realize what we're doing physiologically. To some, it feels great to run 10K without stopping, but I'm actually a fan of an interval-style of training. Every once in a while stop, let your heart rate go back down and then do it all over again. OR, make sure to not to limit yourself to just running (no matter how addictive it is... because seriously, it is... ask any runner). Throw in some days of doing weights or resistance training. I love throwing in days of weight aerobics. Doing both within the same week helps to tone muscle as well as increasing endurance. It's a win-win. Otherwise you'll end up like The Oatmeal and have the legs of the Hulk, but the body of... well... just read the comic and you'll understand.

Dance like no one's watching

I've always supported the idea of dancing like no one's watching... and literally doing it. It's one of the ways I deal with the stress of city driving and being in a car for far too long. If I drive alone, I'm usually playing my music at a volume loud enough that I can't hear the squeaking of my car's link stabilizers. I'm wearing my super fun purple Florida sunglasses. I'm dancing in my seat with hands moving (except for the one on the steering wheel), my head bobbing back and forth, singing along as I please.

Well, I finally got caught... by two guys in another car, one of which gave me a huge thumbs-up and completely approved of my car dancing behaviour. And the thing was that I really didn't care. I actually laughed at the whole situation and gave the guy a thumbs-up in return, then continued to enjoy my singing/dancing car time.

Maybe that's one of our problems... why some of us are so self-conscious. When it comes to self-expression, why do we always care what other people think of us?

On Wednesday, some friends and I drove up to Peterborough to see Walk off the Earth at the music festival. Usually concerts are pretty lively, however, due to the nature of this being a free concert in a small northern-ish city (well, it's north of Toronto... so to all the city people you could call it "northern"), it was packed with families and older couples. I have never been to a concert where the crowd was so stagnant. I mean, a lot of people were standing, but hardly anyone was moving, or dancing or really seemed to be enjoying the music. So I danced, because I couldn't not. I think I would actually feel more awkward standing completely still during a good song.

It's liberating to be able to move however you want. And I really couldn't care less what anyone else thought. I actually thought it was soooo weird to have a crowd that huge gathered around to listen to music and no one really looked like they were fully enjoying it.  If they weren't so attentive to what was going on on the stage, you would have thought they were bored. As OMC once said, "How Bizarre"?!

I think there is actually something mentally and emotionally different between those of us who feel free enough and comfortable enough to dance in public, and those who are just too shy or embarrassed. I'm not quite sure where it all stems from, but that whole mentality can be changed. The next time you get the chance, you should try it and notice the difference in yourself on the Bubbliness scale. Dancing to music you love is totally bubbly-making.  I mean, geez... even my Nana does it, and she's one of the most hilarious and happy people I know.

I've just gotten to the point where although I'm trying to maintain a professional image, I also need to keep my soul healthy and happy, and that comes through self-expression. 

Case and point: the president of our school just walked past the student lounge, where I alone am laying on one of the couches laughing out loud while watching How I Met Your Mother on my laptop (and yes, I'm on clinic shift right now). And although I was pretty surprised to see him in this area of the school, it didn't stop me from continuing my morning lounge time.

Sometimes (and I mean everyday) you need to do something that makes you happy, no matter who may be watching.

Dance, because it feels amazing. Laugh, because it will make you live longer.  Put them both together and that's bubbly :)

Weighing in on the clothing size debate

There's been a lot of talk lately about how angry and upset women are getting that popular clothing brands don't carry sizes above a 10 or 12. The latest one I've heard of is a girl getting upset that Lululemon doesn't make pants larger than a size 12 and that their size 12 is actually smaller than women realize.

I've heard much debate and wanted to give my two cents.

First off, I should tell you the story about my own similar problem. Back in the day when I was a 38DD bra size, going shopping was an absolute nightmare. I cried every single time I was in a dressing room. Everyone at my school shopped at LaSenza and could get really cute underthings and all I wanted was to not be stuck in granny bras. You know what I'm talking about. The flesh coloured bras with 4-5 clasps at the back and straps that were as wide as the ones on my backpack.

It might be shallow, but they were the least attractive things I've ever seen. I remember going into Jacob one day and after frantically searching their bras, realized they didn't carry anything larger than a 34C. I was so upset. I mean, they weren't even fancy designed bras, just ones that didn't look so dated. And of course, I went to LaSenza, which luckily had a few in my size, but of course, they all have extra padding for that push-up effect. At 19 years old, and DDs on my chest, I really didn't need any pushing up.

So I can totally appreciate the fact that younger women want to feel attractive and not wear their grandmother's bras. As well, I know how heartbreaking it is when you go into a store that doesn't even make a size large enough for you. But walking out of Jacob that day, I made peace with the fact that I could never shop there. And as you know from an older blog post, I decided to change my body. Because of that change, I've also lost 20lbs (not including the boob tissue from the surgery).

One listener on The Edge radio commented that Lululemon is technically active wear and that (remember, these aren't my words) perhaps these women either don't need fancy expensive clothes to wear while doing yoga, or they should use these sizing limitations as a goal to lose weight in order to fit into those sizes.

This debate can take many sides:
1) Does everyone really need the opportunity to spend $110 on Lululemon pants? When I first started working out post-surgery, I was wearing a sports bra that I had bought from Sears as well as old tank tops and shorts. My comfy pants came from Old Navy... and they were $15.

2) Sometimes we need to get over the fact that a brand isn't made for us. Just like me with Jacob lingerie. It's not the end of the world. There are alternatives.

3) You can't get mad at a company for not catering to every single body type and size. They are running a business, and people come in a bazillion different shapes and sizes. It would be impossible to to make every single human look like a rockstar in one clothing line.

4) The goal is to find a piece of workout clothing that fits you like a champ and stick to it. Lululemon makes many different types of sports bras, but only one style of theirs actually fits me well and stops my boobs from bouncing while running. So I had to make peace with buying one style of bra in a few different colours, because not all of their styles fit. It's the same with other companies.

5) If wearing Lululemon really means that much to you, like it's the end of the world if you can't wear Lululemon pants, then make it a goal to get down to that size. If you take offense to that, then there are probably deeper issues at hand that need to be worked through.

6) Abercrombie and Fitch made some pretty terrible comments regarding who their target market was (only the cool kids in school) and about not making XL sizes. They apologized later for their remarks, but if a company's CEO is a complete asshole, why on earth would you want to support that company in the first place? It's called a boycott, and it's pretty easy to do when their stores wreak of cologne from 50 feet away. How do you not get a headache from just walking in there? (Ditto with Hollister).

Sometimes it's just not worth the energies to fight with these companies. Recognize that we're not all built the same, and that we all can't fit into the same clothing. This isn't Starfleet... Lululemon isn't a uniform that all humans must wear. We should stop letting clothing companies define who the "cool kids" are. Just be yourself, and be happy with yourself. If you're not, then find some help to get to a place and a body size that you're comfortable with.

As the wise Dumbledore once said, "Help with always be given [at Hogwarts] to those who ask for it."