Loving the Guelph Farmer's Market

A posting of gratitude for my favourite place to buy fresh whole foods, the Guelph Farmer's Market. Farmer's Markets are a fantastic source of locally grown produce, often direct from the growers; healthy prepared foods; local crafts; and a place of community. The Guelph Farmer's Market is back in its original home with new-and-improved-roof, and seasonal green things are once again available in abundance!

What might a naturopath pick up at a Farmer's Market, you ask?  Here are my week's pickings:

• organic dandelion leaves (!!!) - perfect green diuretic addition to a cleansing smoothie!
• organic kale (gone to seed, it looks like a tall, slim rapini)
• 1 lb carrots
• 3 turnips
• free-range chicken from Matt and Armando's farm - some for baking this weekend, some for freezing
• cabbages: 1 green, 1 red
• thick-shelled eggs generously produced by happy hens

Looking forward to using these fresh veggies this week in some rice and lentil dishes...an egg in my gluten-free pancakes...and dandelion and kale in some energizing green smoothies. Health is delicious!

BONUS POINTS for anyone who can name 3 veggies above that provide a dose of the natural cancer-fighter, I-3-C (Indole-3-Carbinol)! (Hint: two are green, one is red).

Thanks again, Guelph Farmer's Market and especially Guelph Farmers!  See you next week.

Gluten-Free Apple Apricot Pancakes

Ever get that hankering for some good old fashioned, made-from-scratch pancakes, but worry about feeling too sleepy afterward to get on with your Saturday?  
Here's a gluten-free version I've developed that's flavourful yet not sugary, satisfying yet won't put you into a Carbohydrate Coma.

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Photo: E. Cherevaty 03-12-2011

HOW TO MAKE 'EM
Dry ingredients:
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*
1 TBSP ground flax seed1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup chopped pecans or other nuts (set aside)
Slice apple into thin horizontal slices, so that the middle of the apple gives you its pretty star cut-out. Remove seeds. Drizzle apple slices with fresh lemon juice and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients (EXCEPT apple and nuts) together in a mixing bowl.

Wet ingredients:
2 dried apricots, finely chopped (yes, they're a "dry" ingredient  but they'll soften nicely with a bit of a presoak here)
1 organic free range egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup grapeseed and/or coconut oil**
1/2 cup rice milk
3/4 cup water
1-2 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  
Preheat skillet to medium heat, adding just enough coconut and/or grapeseed oil to lightly coat it. It's ready when you can place a tiny drop of batter in the pan and hear it sizzle.
Make a small well in the dry mixture and add wet mixture to dry. Stir until just combined. Fold in nuts. If you'd like to thin the batter, add water or rice milk a small amount at a time. Pour about 1/3 cup amounts of batter at a time into the hot skillet to form four pancakes of 3-4" diameter. Once small holes appear on the surface (approx. 3-4 mins), place an apple slice on top of each and then flip 'em!  Cook on the apple side for 4-5 minutes or until golden. 
Yield: Makes about 6 hearty little pancakes. Enjoy them with an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, a drizzle of maple syrup or spread with almond butter.

BONUS: NATUROPATHIC KITCHEN-EY TIPS 
Wouldn't be an naturopathic doctor's blog without 'em, so here goes:

Gluten-Free Cookbooks

Looking for helpful and tasty gluten-free recipes?  Look no further! I've compiled this cookbook list to make things easier for those of you exploring gluten-free cooking for the first time...or looking for ways to change up your same-old gluten-free meal plans. 

I'll be the first to admit that going gluten-free is new and challenging...necessary for those with Celiac disease...and totally worth the effort for many others who suffer from gluten sensitivity symptoms.  Hang in there and have fun trying out some of these recipes!   

Your feedback on these or other gluten-free cookbooks is welcome - post your comments below or email drliz@guelphnaturopathic.com...And, click here for more healthy cooking resources. Eat well, be well!

1.  Rawcliffe P, Rolph R.  The Gluten-Free Diet Book: a guide to celiac sprue, dermatitis herpetiformis and gluten-free cookery. Toronto: NC Press Limited, 1985.

2.  Hills HC. Good Food, Gluten Free.  New Canaan: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1976.

3.  Savill A. The Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Cookbook.  Hammersmith, England: Thorsons, 2000.

4. Plant S. Finally Food I Can Eat. http://www.gsph.com/index.php?ID=488&Lang=En

5. Segersten A, Malterre T. The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. http://www.wholelifenutrition.net/id5.html

6. Turnbull W. Gems of Gluten-Free Baking: breads and irresistible treats everyone can enjoy. http://glutenfreegems.com/book.htm

Top 3 Nutrients for Kids

Excellent child nutrition is important to learning capacity, behaviour, growth and development. Here are three key nutrients to make sure kids are consuming daily:

FABULOUS FAT - It's true, kids need fats and oils in even higher proportions than adults. Think eggs, raw olive oil, avocados, organic butter, organic full-fat dairy products, coconut oil, raw nuts and seeds. Fats and oils support the health and development of the brain, skin, cell membranes, and are required to enable kids to absorb their much-needed vitamins A, D, E and K. These foods also help kids feeling satisfied between meals, giving them extra fuel for learning and physical activity, and less chance for sugar cravings. Having a some healthy fat and protein (see below) in a bedtime snack can help prevent kids from waking during the night due to low blood sugar levels.

REMARKABLE RETINOL - Known more commonly as vitamin A, this fat-soluble nutrient is required for good vision and healthy skin. The immune system also requires vitamin A to support anti-infection and barrier functions of the mucus membranes such as the inner surfaces of the mouth, throat, nostrils and lungs. Vitamin A also supports the production of white blood cells, the body's anti-infection cells. Bone growth also requires adequate levels of vitamin A.  Egg yolks and liver from free-range animals are healthy sources of vitamin A. Kids won't eat liver? Try chopping finely and cooking into soups, stews or gravies.

PERFECT PROTEIN - Providing the building blocks of muscles, bones, hair, nails and even teeth, protein is an essential nutrient that many kids, especially more finicky eaters, don't get enough of, especially when sugars and other carbohydrates take up a higher proportion of their food intake. Most children over 1 year tolerate poultry, meat, egg, soy, nuts, seeds, cow's milk and/or goat or sheep milk proteins. Offering protein choices at all meals and snacks helps to keep kids' blood sugar balanced, supporting their ability to learn, focus and behave well at school. Kids also need protein to support growth. In addition to animal products, complete proteins are also available from combinations of legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. 

Sharks: Why They're Not Health Products

Alternatives to Shark Oil

Shark liver oil has been used for centuries by fishermen as a general tonic and folk remedy. Shark oils do contain many of the beneficial compounds that are also found in cold water fish, such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D, which are important for optimal immune function. However, I do not consider shark oils to be appropriate substances for use in a health context.  As a naturopathic doctor I have never, and never will, recommend the intake of shark products to any of my patients. The risks are simply too great.

Why take such a stand on the shark-as-medicine issue? The naturopathic doctor's oath includes to "First, do no harm" and to "preserve the health of our planet for ourselves and future generations".  This means that the medicines I prescribe must be ecologically friendly.  Many of the world's sharks have come under survival pressures due to human activities - from intense demand for their fins for shark fin soup, or their cartilage for the mythological anti-cancer effects, to tragic bycatch losses whereby sharks are unintentionally caught in nets set for other species like tuna (a whole other issue), to spills and disasters, shark populations are particularly vulnerable to human follies because their slow rates of growth and reproduction and predator status makes them fewer in numbers relative to the "prey" species. Sharks are needed as predators to keep prey species healthy. Incidentally, dozens of "prey" species are also eaten by humans, so in helping sharks we would be helping ourselves maintain access to sustainable, healthy fish stocks (J. Sabau, Wake Shark & Ocean Educator 2009). A World Fishing & Aquaculture article published today noted that one third of Europe's shark species are currently considered threatened and the European Parliament has called for stronger policies against shark fin-removal on board ships.

Medicinal Properties of Shark Products Available From Alternative, Less Toxic Sources

Green Energy Drink

It's Kale Season!

So you know this wonderful green leafy veggie is good for you. What to do with it?  Here is a quick, delicious green drink that even the kids might enjoy!  (I admit, my inspiration from this one comes directly from a veggie drink by Dr. Oz....but this is a much simpler and I believe, tastier version). Enjoy with breakfast or as an antioxidant-rich afternoon pick-me-up.

Ingredients:

2-3 fresh kale leaves, washed, chopped, stalks/stems removed

1/2 apple*, washed, skin on, chopped (*honeycrisp variety works well due to its lovely sweetness)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 cup water

Directions:

Blend all ingredients on high until smooth. Enjoy immediately - drink in the green energy!
Total Prep Time:
5 minutes

Looking for a few more kale recipes? Check out these suggestions from Brookfield farm: http://www.brookfieldfarm.org/kale.htm

Probiotic Dosing

How Much Probiotic Should I Take?

The number of colony-forming-units (CFU), species/strains, and frequency of taking your probiotics should be based on the individual needs and health history of each person. As a general preventive dose, 2 to 10 billion CFU of a mixed strain probiotic is likely a good place to start for children over 1 year of age. There are special probiotics for infants up to 1 year. For adults, 8 to 20 billion CFU is a good daily preventive dose.  

Treatment doses and strains, e.g. for post-antibiotic complications, parasitic infections, immune system dysfunction, urinary tract infections and yeast infections (candidiasis), should be determined in consultation with your health care practitioner. Based on an ever-growing body of medical research, your practitioner can also guide you in the use of specific probiotic strains for particular health effects.

Special Uses for Probiotics

What Should I Take Probiotics For?

There are many different uses of probiotics, a.k.a. "friendly bacteria". They can be taken preventively all year round to ward off food poisoning-type infections, coughs and colds, to improve digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and to aid the detoxification of excess hormones and other toxins from the body. A 2009 randomized, controlled study showed that children who took probiotics twice daily had significantly decreased fevers, coughs and runny noses. 

Probiotics are also important for helping to prevent complications in pregnancy; this may be in part due to prevention of group B strep and urinary tract infections, which can bring about pre-term labor. 

Probiotics with Antibiotics

Probiotics should definitely be taken during and after antibiotics to prevent antibiotic-induced diarrhea and opportunistic yeast and Clostridium difficile infections. Probiotics do not interfere with the efficacy of antibiotics in killing the infective germs, but should be taken as far apart in time from antibiotics to preserve their survival. This is because antibiotics are non-specific: they kill the infective or "bad" bacteria as well as the good guys.

Probiotics for Travel

When traveling or camping in a new area, you may have low natural resistance to the microbial life in that environment and in the food and water you consume. When probiotics are in good supply in your gut with supplemental extras on the go, you'll be in better shape to have a trip uncomplicated by traveler's diarrhea.

Probiotic Prevention

Should I be Taking Probiotics?


Great question! and one I field often in my practice.  Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that normally colonize the human gastrointestinal system - in particular the colon or large intestine. In the gut, probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis, help to prevent and treat a variety of conditions through several mechanisms:

Make Your Own Almond Milk

Is the cost of almond milk, or the thought of trucking litres upon litres of mostly water from California to your doorstep, or perhaps its thin blandness dragging your enjoyment of a dairy-reduced diet into the mud? Here's an easy and cost-effective way to make your own fresh almond milk and can be adjusted to suit just how you like it. I've developed this quick recipe based on a single serving, so multiply as needed based on number of servings desired.

RECIPE

What you'll need:

1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup water (nice and local); or to taste
1/4 tsp. natural vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 tsp. honey or maple syrup (optional)

Soak almonds in water overnight to activate the nuts' natural enzymes. Blend on high. Strain by pouring through a wire strainer* into container or glass of choice. Pour over cereal, into tea or coffee or drink on its own.  Homemade almond milk is a yummy, digestible, cleanse-friendly way to get your calcium boost!

*Tip: use leftover nut bits as a base for pesto, mix into oatmeal, a protein shake or something you're baking....those proteins and fibres are highly nutritious and versatile!

VARIATIONS

Substitute raw cashews or great Canadian hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) in the same proportions in this recipe for an even creamier texture.  Play with the proportions of nut/seed to water to make your homemade "milk" thinner or creamier and to vary the flavors.  Nuts and seeds are good sources of protein, beneficial oils, and minerals. Enjoy!

Healthy Hot Chocolate

Treats can be Tasty AND Healthy

As a naturopathic doctor, I enjoy finding ways to make favorite indulgences healthier. Here's a quick recipe I've developed for making a healthy hot chocolate that you can enjoy as a 100% guilt-free treat that also satisfies hunger.

26 grams (1 "scoop") vanilla rice protein powder* (altenative: soy would also work well)
1 tbsp organic cocoa powder**
1/4 tsp natural vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1-4 drops stevia extract (or to taste)
Boiling water

In your favorite mug, combine protein and cocao powders and mix well to eliminate any clumps. Add just enough hot water to mix the powders into a paste. Add the almond milk, vanilla extract and stevia extract and mix well. Top up your mug with hot water and stir again.

Each 1-cup serving provides:
Protein: 9.75 g, Carbohydrate: 15.25 g, Fiber: 4.75 g, Fat: 3.75 g, Calories: 115, plus an array of vitamins and minerals from the enriched protein powder.

*I like Metagenics UltraMeal (Rice) Protein powder
**Try Cocoa Camino Fair Trade, Organic 100% Cacao powder (Canadian company!) or pulverize raw cocao nibs into a powder.

Seaworthy Veggies

Getting Our Marine Greens

Those of us living away from the seaside can find many different types of seaweeds available in natural food stores and Asian markets. For their high nutrient value they are relatively lightweight and can be transported and stored in dried form. Great ones to try include arame, spirulina, dulse and wakame. Each seaweed will have its own unique flavor, color, texture, nutrient profile and saltiness. These varied characteristics make sea veggies a fun "food group" to add to soups, stews, rice, legume and vegetable dishes. The sodium in sea vegetables is balanced by a host of other trace minerals, including iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium and selenium, that we require for optimal health. Seaweeds also supply a good proportion of B-vitamins and folic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin K. Sea veggies are made up of about 25% carbohydrate and 25%-50% protein, with a trace amount of fats. Sea algae provide a non-fish source of the essential fatty acid, DHA (docosahexanoic acid).

Wondering how to incorporate sea vegetables into your diet? Here are a few fun ways to get your marine greens:

• Soak dried seaweeds, such as stringy arame, in water for a few minutes until they soften and plump up. Then add to cooked dishes or sweet-vinagery salads.
• Pulverize dried seaweeds in your blender by simply tearing them into smaller chunks and blending (dry) on medium to high setting. About 4-5 sheets of the typical 8"x10"-ish size sold for rolling sushi will fill a spice jar when pulverized into shakeable flakes. Shake these onto foods as a tasty garnish and a salt alternative.
  
• Mix a few teaspoons of dried sea veggies like chlorella or spirulina into your breakfast smoothie or post-workout protein shake. They give a "green" boost and go great with fresh or frozen fruit blends.
• Use sheet seaweeds as wraps for noodles, veggies, rice, beans or meats, and turn dinner leftovers into nifty next-day lunches.
  

For more sea veggie recipe ideas and info, check out my favorite healthy cookbook, "Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook" by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre (featured in my Book Club).

Bowel Basics 1.1: Getting Unstuck from Constipation

Constipation isn't fun.

The straining, the cramping, the frustration. For those who experience constipation, defined as the inability to comfortably pass a complete stool at least once daily, the associated feeling of general malaise, i.e. "yucky all over" will be all too familiar, and signifies the buildup of toxins in the body that aren't being eliminated normally through the stools. When the movement of waste products in the intestines slows to a halt, these toxins are then reabsorbed through the intestinal walls back into the bloodstream. That's why we can feel so ill if we get constipated: we are going through re-toxification! Headaches, nausea, irritability and fatigue are all sufferings that can result from even a few days of constipation.

Constipation + Hormonal Imbalance = Worse Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal conditions in particular are sensitive to constipation, because excess hormones and hormone-like chemicals that our bodies are trying to excrete are readily reabsorbed from the gut into the circulatory system, which allows them to access and re-stimulate hormone receptors on various types of cells.

Constipation and Hemorrhoids

Constipation is a common cause of hemorrhoids because of straining to pass stool. Hemorrhoids are dilated, sore venous blood vessels in the rectum that may protrude outside the body or may rupture and bleed.

Start with Some Basics

To help get your bowels moving regularly again, here are some simple suggestions for daily use:

• Drink 2-3 litres of water daily (sometimes this is all it takes, really!!)
  
• Consume 35-40 g of fibre daily, especially soluble fibre like from apples and oats
• Work your abdominal muscles and get cardiovascular exercise daily
  
• Relax and give yourself a time-out; the digestive system functions in a "rest and digest" state, but shuts down when "fight or flight" dominates.
  
• Avoid foods you may be sensitive to - as a starting point, try replacing cheese and meat with fibre-rich plant protein sources like lentils, beans, nuts and seeds.
• Massage castor bean oil into the abdomen in a counter-clockwise circular direction (up on the right, down on the left) once or twice daily or go to bed with your tummy coated with it.
• Get your daily dose of probiotics through yogurt, fermented foods or a supplement. If you're unsure which one suits you best, ask your ND.
  
• Try a gentle, super-affordable and easy laxative that also provides you with some omega-3 fatty acids and protein: mix 1-2 tbsp. ground raw flax seed in a glass of water; or blend into your breakfast shake or morning cereal, and always drink an extra glass of water or two to allow the gel-like laxative flax fibre to form and do its good work.

When It's Time to Seek Some Help

If you are doing all of the above on a daily basis and are still not having a normal daily bowel movements, then it's a good idea to see a naturopathic doctor or other health care professional to help determine the root cause. We may introduce acupuncture, herbal medicines, homeopathics, specific dietary recommendations and exercises into your individualized program.

Note that cathartic laxatives like senna should only be used on an occasional basis because they irritate the lining of the intestines and can also train the bowels to become dependent on the laxative - which is exactly what people with constipation don't want to happen. Stool softening-suppositories can also be effective, but again, are treating only the symptom rather than clearing away the root cause. Similarly, enemas can be used on occasion to clear out the colon, but are more labor-intensive than you'd like for daily use, and need to be followed up with appropriate probiotics to replenish what they wash out.

Helping patients get on track with healthier digestion is one of my clinical priorities as an ND. Feel free to contact me with any additional questions you may have about how naturopathic medicine can help you develop a healthier digestive system.