Sugar—it’s everywhere and in everything. We crave it and once it’s been in our daily routine for a while, we even get headaches from not consuming it. But, being the anti-nutrient that it is, we need to stop the insanity and stop eating so much of it. A perfectly ripened strawberry is sweet enough. It’s […]
Category Archives: Self-Health Survival Guides
20
Sep
Sep
Many of us have long agreed in the connection between the condition of our gut and the health of our entire being. Theories of the direct, symbiotic harmony between a flourishing gut microbiota and its ability to affect all other facets of our health used to be reserved solely for alternative medicine practitioners and “kooky” […]
19
Sep
Sep
Sounds dirty, doesn’t it? Well, quite honestly, it can be…until you grab a brush and do some scrubbing. Obviously, I’m talking about beets. After all, the beautiful beet is the main ingredient when it comes to getting your kvass on. Kvass has humble origins in Eastern European countries, such as Russia, where it has been […]
13
Sep
Sep
I grew up with a very British grandmother who felt no meal was ever complete without something sweet at the end (I assume this view was likely from both generational and regional influences). To her, dessert could be as simple as sliced fruit or as decadent as a dense chocolate mousse. But I always remember […]
12
Sep
Sep
I refuse to believe I’m the only parent who fights the get-out-of-bed-now battle every school morning. I long for the days when my kids were little and got up all on their own with time to get dressed, eat a leisurely breakfast, pack a lunch, and still have time to play. Man, those were the […]
06
Sep
Sep
I’m sure some of you may be wondering why I call this dish “sort of” succotash. In my house, we just call it succotash, but I added this disclaimer purely so that the succotash purists will give the recipe a try. It’s “sort of” succotash because I omit one ingredient crucial to true succotash: lima […]
05
Sep
Sep
In a conversation with a friend the other day, I mentioned one of my favorite financial gurus. “The reason I’m drawn to him,” I tell her, “is that he doesn’t talk about depriving yourself to live within a specific budget. Rather, he tells you to approach money with an attitude of what can I do […]
30
Aug
Aug
My daughter started school today, which I guess means summer is officially over, at least in Colorado. Back home in BC, we always started school the Tuesday after Labor Day—a concept that makes sense to me. And because of that, I still refuse to admit summer is over until that first long weekend in September. […]
29
Aug
Aug
Labor Day weekend is typically seen as the last hurrah of summer, as the days get shorter and kids get back into the routine of school. It offers many of us an extra day of rest to celebrate our hard work over the past year. Chances are good you’ll be firing up the grill … […]
23
Aug
Aug
I can’t believe I’m writing a chowder post in August. But here we are, on our second week of almost daily downpours (not just passing monsoon summer thunderstorms, but rain showers as regular as clockwork) and it feels like autumn. Though my tomatoes are likely screaming for respite, I’m actually enjoying the weather. Must be […]
22
Aug
Aug
I am a firm believer in recruiting experts to help us along our self-health journey, but limited funds shouldn’t keep you from living with optimal health. Of course, ignoring nagging little issues (or your health in general) can end up costing you more in the long run and living within your means is also important […]
16
Aug
Aug
It’s that time of year again: when many families increase our efforts to squeeze every last drop of summertime in before the new school season starts. It happens every year for many of us—this “Holy cow! What happened to summer and how did it fly by so fast?!” thing—yet for some reason, this year, the […]
15
Aug
Aug
Like it or not, the world we live in is now online. It allows us to reconnect with friends we haven’t seen since high school graduation and lets us see what’s going on around the world any time of the day. And it houses several tools that can keep your health headed in the right […]
09
Aug
Aug
As I write this, it’s a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning. I’m in the tail end of my vacation hangover (you know, that somewhat blurred period between “responsibility-free” and “real life”) and in the midst of the subsequent lapse of time, space, memory, routine, and full brain function. The trip back home to British Columbia was […]
08
Aug
Aug
Unbeknownst to me, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics declared August “Kids Eat Right Month” four years ago. While it’s essential for kids to eat well year round, prioritizing it for an entire month can be just the right catapult to making it actually happen. It seems the perfect final lesson of summer before your […]
02
Aug
Aug
I’m writing this article from a little breakfast nook, cup of tea in hand, at my mum’s house back in British Columbia. Finally starting to settle in and regain my energy—and sanity!—after the long, arduous journey, including sixteen hours of delays and rerouting from cars to planes to ferries. A challenging situation for any average […]
01
Aug
Aug
Dogs have been a big part of my life as long as I can remember. Their excitement when I walk through the door is such an ego boost. And their willingness to listen, without judgment, to whatever I need to share is therapeutic. As I watch our pup, Cleo, pass the days being her doggie […]
26
Jul
Jul
It’s hot. Damn hot. Oh, and did I mention I have no air conditioning?! Yeah… In scorching weeks like these—if I have an appetite at all—I take as much of my cooking out to my deck as I can manage. To avoid my oven or stovetop, I’ll try pretty much anything on the grill: whole […]
25
Jul
Jul
One of the hottest hot button topics out there is alternative medicine. And most of us aren’t exactly wishy-washy about our opinions—we either believe in it or classify it as voodoo medicine. Heck, the very idea that nutrition can heal our bodies and minds has led to heated conversations and strong resistance from people I’ve […]
19
Jul
Jul
In the thick of the hot summer months, my appetite declines drastically. It’s not just that I don’t eat as much, but what I want to eat changes as well. Unsurprisingly, I don’t crave heavy, hearty foods like slow cooked winter stews, but I do hunger for juicy, ripe fruit and crisp garden produce. Perhaps […]