Have a look at this article from the UKs Telegraph

I thought that UCLA’s Dr. Arab made a great point that “if we can find a way to prevent the stroke, or prevent the damage, that is simple and not toxic, that would be a great advance.”

I am not opposed to conventional medicine, but if there is something natural that works, it’s a great thing.  For example, if I have a bad headache, I take advil or tylenol…but I wash it down with a cup of strong tea.  For me, the heat of the tea is very comforting.  Plus, if I have a bad headache I’m sensitive to some smells so anything strong smelling or sweet smelling (like some herbal teas) make me feel nautious.  I drink less tea since the cleanse, I think three cups of tea sounds reasonable…especially if it reduces my chances of stroke!

Thanks to Flickr for this pic!

I may be picky, but decaf coffee is a little bit like washing-up-water, no?  I was totally disappointed.

I love the idea of decaf–all the flavour of real coffee without the caffeine, but it does not have the same flavour at all!

Much like “cheese” and/or “meat”, I would rather go without coffee then have “coffee.” Plus, decaf coffee is expensive!  1 kg of ground regular breakfast blend at Timothy’s sells for just under $9, while the decaf equivalent is just under $11.

$2 may not seem like a huge deal, but I would rather just monitor my caffeine intake and enjoy the real thing.

Final verdict: Decaf coffee gets a hearty two-thumbs down!

Thanks to Simply Photo on Flickr for the pic!

I know a lot of people hate Starbucks, but I have to commend them for providing some healthy food.  Fortunately, there are a lot of healthy alternatives to the donut.  Not only do they have raw, unsalted nuts, but they also let their customers customize their drinks.  This means that you can elminate fat and calorie-laden extras like cream, flavour shots and syrups.  2%, skim and non-fat milk are always available and can make a difference of up to 300 calories.  

In addition to the usual breakfast foods like the healthy cookie, yoghurt and fresh fruit salad, Starbucks is now offering oatmeal!  

I have yet to find nutritional information online for this new treat, but I can tell you for sure that it should be low in fat and full of fiber.

I’ll try to find out how they make it–hopefully it’s just with hot water and not milk.  If it is made with milk, try  nixing the dried fruit that they put on top, don’t add any sweeteners save for honey or raw sugar.  And, if you must top it with something, try cinnamon.

If you have info, pass it on!

It’s fairly easy to stick to the guidelines of a cleanse when you’re in the safety of your own home.  Things get complicated if you’re leaving for a mini-vacation and even a day-trip.

If you can find a vegetarian/vegan spot then you’ll have no problem, but other options include Asian and Indian restaurants because they tend to offer a lot of veggie options.

If it’s only a day trip, the best option is to pack your own food.  Here’s a list of what I tend to bring with me if I’m out for the day:

 Raw (unsalted) nuts like almonds or cashews.  I do not recommend pistachios or peanuts since they tend to absorb a lot of toxins in the soil and so do not offer the same nutritional punch as other varieties.

Hard fruit: Apples are a safe bet.  They may get a bit bruised after bouncing around in your bag for a few hours, but will still be edible–unlike a banana.  If you’re careful, tangerines are also a good option.  I tend not to bring veggies with me because I don’t like them at room temperature. If it doesn’t bother you, carrots, celery and radishes are great on-the-road options.

Dried fruit offers contrast in texture and flavour to trail mix, but beware that it is very high in sugar and harmful for your teeth.  The other problem is that it’s harder to gauge how much fruit you are eating when it’s dried–this can leave you feeling bloated and constipated.  Remember to drink extra water if you indulge in dehydrated fruits and veggies.

Granola: Nature Valley bars are a great treat. Since they’re individually packed, they are not messy.  While they are processed, the ingredient list is bearable and they do come in a variety of flavours. The best bet is to make your own granola, but if you don’t have the time and are willing to shell out a bit of cash, then opt for the bar. 

If you can eat bread, try to find one made from whole grains. If you’re off wheat, try a gluten free version, rye or substitute a rice cracker.  Bring some organic peanut butter along and you have yourself a tasty lunch.

Water, water, water:  Pack more than you think you’ll need–even if it’s heavy.  If you’re sitting in a car, bus or plane for any length of time, you will get dehydrated–especially due to air filtering, cooling and heating systems.  It’s great to have extra water on hand in case you have some sort of spill or want a bit of freshening up before you arrive at your destination; a splash of water to the face can make a huge difference.  Another bonus of drinking water is that keeps breath fresh—you never know who you might meet!

If you have any suggestions, please pass them on!

It’s hard to cut out caffeine, but if you’re looking for a quality, tasty alternative, head to Blue Banana in Kensington Market.  Tea 4 You has a stall in this market and they sell a variety of loose-leaf teas in convenient 100 g bags. Prices range anywhere from about $5 to $21 (I tried Madagascar Almond tea, $12/ 100 g).

I’m a big fan of black tea (usually taken with milk), but on Jen’s advice, I also tried the red, caffeine-free Rooibus Cappuccino.  It has a strong, rich flavour and if you’re in the first few days of a caffeine-strike this is definitely the way to go.  You will probably still suffer from some physical withdrawal, but at least you’ll  get some authentic coffee-ish taste without having to resort to decaf, which tastes no better  than dish water.

I’m quite picky about herbal teas; I despise ones that taste like hot juice.  I was really impressed by this brand, though, and highly recommend it to you.

Thank you to all those who offered suggestions both on kicking cravings and cold remedies. 

It feels like all I eat these days is soup, but if I pair it with a great salad (like the one above) it feels like a real meal.  I’m dressing my salads with hearty dressings (olive oil, almond butter and garlic), avocado (thanks Steph) and toasted nuts (thanks Breanna), I feel satisfied (getting some good, heart-healthy fats and salts) not deprived.

I am really missing my black tea with milk, but the ginger tea recipe that Meghan  described in yesterday’s comments is a fantastic substitute and it’s like an instant air freshener…just in case I get any visitors.

I am on the mend and plan on making Jen’s soup tomorrow (also from yesterday’s comments).

I am writing today to let you know that in spite of a few triumphs over my holiday (no turkey, wheat-free bread, etc.) there were also a few hiccups.  Since it was Christmas, I did allow myself some treats.  For example, on Christmas day I had a cup of orange pekoe tea…with a splash of milk.  Over the next few days, other infractions no longer seemed so bad: another cup of tea here, a piece of buttery toast there.  The problem is, the more treats that I allowed myself the more treats I craved.  I found it so hard to go to other peoples’ houses over the break and not eat what they had provided.  That’s not to say that I had a bowl full of beef chili just because it was on offer (I quite happily ate the veggies and fruit), but I would allow myself a glass of wine.

Yesterday, on my way back to my home in the city, the guilt started to set in. I know that associating guilt with food is not good for me–it only makes me want to eat more of my so-called ‘forbidden’ foods. While I had a great holiday,  I am glad to get back to my own place. It is incredibly difficult to sustain this sort of diet while living in someone else’s house…at least I found it difficult. Now that I’m back home, it’s time to get serious about rehab and to take back some control over what I eat.

I’ve had a hard weekend food-wise.

I was doing really well until Friday morning. I had an early start and my dad took me for breakfast.  I looked at the menu for ages trying to find something without eggs.  There were a few options, but I didn’t think they were very good alternatives.  Low-fat yoghurt, for example, is often filled with loads of unnecessary additions like aspartame and artifically produced vitamin additives.

I had a difficult decision to make.  Do I eat an egg, or do I keep my vegan lifestyle by eating a muffin and yoghurt with unknown and unnatural ingredients?

I chose the egg. I had it poached and fruit on the side.  I’m not sure that I did the right thing, but my logic was that a whole food would be better than one that is processed.

When I was offered a coffee, I declined–but only after considering that since I was eating an egg, the diet was pretty much shot.  And then from somewhere I heard a little Meghan voice telling me to “that just because [I]…something that isn’t necessarily in the plan, doesn’t mean [I] have to assume the day is shot and go all the way to the other side.”

I stuck with water and green tea but I feel like a bit of a failure.

Other than that, things are going well.  I’m still excited about cooking and I always have fresh, organic fruit and veggies around for snacks.  I still have to make a conscious effort to drink more water and I realized that I have to take a bottle of water with my everywhere (not a plastic bottle tho!)  since it is very easy to fall behind if I spend the day outside.

Thanks to the Inadvertent Gardener on Flickr for the photo

After going to The Big Carrot on the Danforth and spending an afternoon in Noah’s of Toronto’s Bloor Street, I was surprised by how much junk food I found in these health foods stores.

I’ve learned from Meghan to be a much more discerning grocery shopper; just because a label reads ‘organic’ does not necessarily mean it’s good for me.  If a product is made from whole ingredients it is not automatically healthy.  One of the problems with health food stores, is that they trick buyers into purchasing the ‘healthy’ version of the food offenders that they should be eliminating. One of my weaknesses–a ‘forbidden food’–is chips. I love them.  Lay’s BBQ chips WERE one of my favorite indulgences. They are salty-sweet with a hint of spice–perfect for my hormonal cravings.  Noah’s and The Big Carrot both sell “healthy” versions of these BBQ chips.  I don’t believe that chips should be outlawed, but I do think it is contradictory to dress up a chip bag in a ‘health food’ costume; even if the chips are fried in sunflower oil, they’re still fried, some of the flavouring is still artificial and the salt and sugar is high on the ingredients list.

Part of entering Diet Rehab is about eliminating the foods without much nutritional value and replacing them with vitamin-filled, highly nutritious foods.  Diet Rehab is not about substituting my junk-food with low-fat or low-calories snacks.

I’m not saying that it is easy; it’s an on-going process with which I sometimes struggle. On Monday, I did a lot of running around and by the time I got home I was hungry and tired. The old me probably would have boiled some pasta, topped it with a jar of ready-made sauce, parmesan cheese, salt and thrown a few greens in a bowl. Since I no longer have those products (apart from my sea salt) in my cupboards, I had no choice but get my sorry self up and out of the house and over to the Depot to buy some carrots so that I could make another pot of Meghan’s Carrot-Ginger soup.  At the end of the day, I saved money (2lbs of carrots for $0.99! That’s about 10 carrots!)

Learning to eat well is better for me, for you…and my wallet.

Thanks to Noah’s for the pic

Recently, I attended a music recital where most performers were young children.  My piano teacher (yes, I take piano lessons) asked us all to bring a treat to enjoy after the recital. I could not resist taking a picture of the table full of “treats.”. These treats may taste good, but they are usually packed with hydrogenated fats, salt, preservatives, MSG and artificial colouring and flavouring. We need to find an alternative because it is dangerous to associate treats with junk food–especially with children.

If I had not been in diet rehab, I wonder what I might have brought to the recital for the kids to munch on? Asking myself this question led me to think about my history with food. So, when a friend of mine started asking questions about the kind of foods I ate as a kid, I thought it was a topic that I should explore.

My friend wanted to know the type of foods that I grew up on, whether or not my parents involved me and my siblings in preparing meals and what I ate prior to rehab.

I grew up in a farming community so my mum fed us a lot of fresh veggies and fruit and I would describe my childhood diet as healthy.  My mum is not a fan of baking so cakes, pies and cookies are saved for holidays and special occasions.  As family, I would say that we much prefer the entree to dessert. I think I was raised with a healthy attitude towards food.  Both of my parents like cooking, trying new things and appreciate quality food. They are not fast-food junkies and there is rarely junk food at our house.

So where did I go so wrong that I had to detox and enter rehab?

I hesitate to say that I ever went ‘wrong’, but I certainly made some poor choices. I think it started after I left home; I stayed up late, I partied and I became good friends with the LCBO.  After I left home, I sort of rebelled against the structure of my childhood.  I no longer observed a  ‘bed’ time and I was responsible for grocery shopping. I never went crazy at the store, but I tried sugared cereals like Life and Frosted Flakes. I had a lot more toast (with butter, peanut butter, nutella) because it was quick and easy.  I ate pasta a couple of times a week and consumed less fresh fruit and vegetables than I had at home. I started eating out more, had late night snacks and always went for food after a night out.

[For those of you familiar with Kingston, Ontario, there is a lovely (dirty) little diner called Bubba's. I will not go into too much detail, but I will say that I enjoyed their poutine on more than one occasion...it was delicious].

I could have done worse things, but I know now that I didn’t always make the best decisions when it came to food and nutrition. I think the  biggest mistake I made was that I associated ‘treats’ and ‘comfort’ with food.  Unfortunately, thousands of Canadians are making the same association.

I remember the first meal I ate at home after I finished my first year at university.   My mum and I celebrated with a fantastic meal: poached salmon with a lemon, leek and mushroom sauce, fresh potatoes, fresh asparagus, a salad and fresly picked strawberries for dessert. It might sound a bit chees-y, but it was such a treat to enjoy a great meal made at home full of fresh food…especially after months of my high-fat, carbohydrate-filled cafeteria meal plan.

The pic of the treat table is above is mine–can you guess what I brought?
Ps. I’m looking for something really tasty to do with SPELT–any suggestions? Please comment!