Ingredients
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond butter
6 dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
3/4 cup coconut, shredded unsweetened
1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
2 eggs, beaten*
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup dried fruit (cherries, currants, raisins, cranberries, etc.)
¼ cup chopped nuts or seeds (walnuts, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, etc.)

*Alternative to eggs – to replace 2 eggs, soak 2 tbsp ground flax seeds in 5 tbsp of room temperature water. Let sit for 5 minutes or until becomes an egg-like consistency.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350o. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the coconut flour, almond butter, and dates in a food processor or blender. Process until well combined and the dates have broken up into small pieces, about a minute. Add the shredded coconut, applesauce, eggs or ground flax, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and baking soda and process for 30 seconds until a wet dough forms. Add in the remaining ingredients, and pulse once or twice until the fruit and nuts are just incorporated into the dough.

Using an ice cream scoop or large tablespoon, drop the dough in heaping spoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Dip a metal spatula in water, and use the bottom to lightly press down each ball of dough. These cookies will not spread or rise so make sure to make them the shape you want them prior to baking.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are golden on top and slightly brown along the edges. Serve immediately or store in the freezer, thawing for 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to serve them. Makes 12 cookies.

Adapted from Danielle Walker, nourishedkitchen.com.

Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients

Almonds – Almonds are called the king of nuts because they are high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid, EFA’s, and protein. Loaded with phytonutrients, they are called the anti-cancer nut.

Coconut - Coconut has been part of a healthy tropical lifestyle for thousands of years. The oils from the coconut are monounsaturates of the omega 7 family. Contrary to popular belief, coconut oil actually helps raise good HDL cholesterol levels. Thailand, where coconut and its products are found in virtually every dish, has the one of the lowest cancer rates in the world.

All-Goodness Cookie – Print PDF

Being in a natural health and food based profession, there’s not much of a separation between what I do at work and what I do at home. (It’s not like being an accountant, who probably don’t go home and count the dry goods in the cupboard.) More and more I’m reading books and watching documentaries and learning all about different ‘food value systems’ (let’s call them that instead of diets) – vegan/vegetarian to hunter/gatherer – that are (can be) whole foods based (yay!) but at different ends of the spectrum. Why does one diet work for some and not for others? What does our individual body need? What do these food value systems have in common? So many questions. I figured you had them too so that’s the topic of my next Nutrition Workshop.

I think it’s important to develop your own personalized ‘food value system’ to be the underlying decision-maker for your choices. If you can’t ‘stomach’ literally or figuratively red meat, then going to a high-meat framework probably isn’t going to last long. If beans and legumes give you gas (a sign that you are not digesting them fully and therefore not absorbing the maximum amount of nutrients) or if you are gluten intolerant or sensitive, a vegetarian diet would be quite difficult to follow. But what if you’re somewhere in the middle, and generally most whole foods work for you – what do you call that? I can that ‘Your Personal Food Value System”.

My ‘What to Eat – Designing Your Personal Whole Foods Value System (Your Personal ‘Diet’)’ workshop held at TWP on May 10, 2012 is going to be a ‘cut and paste your personal food value system together’ format. Never heard of that one before? Funny, thought it would be more common. We’re going to dissect many of the ‘healthy lifestyle’ diets, find the pros and cons, determine what they have in common, talk about the importance of an individual’s digestion, allergies, and intolerances, and put together your own personal whole food value system. All in two hours!

With this and any ‘diet’ we are always looking for the long-term, lifestyle foundation – without feeling deprived of anything you actually want. It’s defining what you actually ‘want’ that can take some time. My current favourite quote is about switching our mindset from ‘I want that but I can’t have it, to I can have it but I don’t want it.’ Takes something from a diet and makes it a lifestyle. Fantastic.

Bring your friends and family, come with an open mind, and determine what is right for your own body! May 10th, 6:30-8:30pm, members and female non-members,$20 including tax. Please register at the front desk or by calling 250-762-7255. See you and your questions there! See poster here.

Aztek warriors would eat chia seeds to sustain them during battle. I don’t know about you, but sometimes my whole day seems like one battle after another. Great for getting through those spin classes or long run!

Ingredients

10 oz            drinking water

1 tbsp           chia seeds

½                 lime

honey, agave, or maple syrup to taste

*Note – to make this more of a sport drink, add 1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt and about 1/2-1 tsp of the above sweetener.

Directions

Pour water in glass and stir in chia seeds. Let sit for 10 minutes until it becomes gelled. Squeeze in juice of ¼ lime into glass; taste to see if you would like more lime. If you want to cut the tartness, add a small quantity (1/4 tsp to start) to taste. Stir and enjoy!

Serves 1.

Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients

Chia Seeds – The Aztecs ate this seed to power them through battle, as they are high in protein, essential fatty acids, and fibre. An ounce contains 4 grams of protein, 5000mg of omega 3’s, and 11 grams of fibre! Great soluble fibre source for slowing down glucose entering the blood stream and for binding to toxins for removal out the colon.

Limes – The phytochemicals in limes boost the immune system, prevent heart disease and cancer, lower blood cholesterol levels, and lower high blood pressure.  They may dissolve gallstones and protect against scurvy, as they are high in vitamin C.

Chia Fresca – view pdf

Hormone panels can find imbalances in your adrenal function or sex hormones. These can help you define which endocrine organ is at the root cause, and therefore how to go about bringing it back into balance.

Here’s the Align Eudamonia Price List 2012 for more information and pricing. Contact me for more information.

Take Control of your Diet
Modern life isn’t easy – we’re rushed off our feet, we’ve got bills to pay, and technology is encroaching on our personal space. It’s time to take a step back and return to a simpler way of living. And while you might not be able to address all these issues at once, one thing you can do is take a look at your diet. When it comes to PMA (positive mental attitude), good nutrition is vital. Not only does the food you eat have an effect on your mental wellbeing, it also effects your physical wellbeing too – and if you’re suffering from sleep problems and your diet is poor even a tempurpedic mattress might not be able to solve your issues.

So eating a balanced, nutritious diet packed with whole foods is important. If you’re tired, don’t reach for the chocolate. Whole foods are great as they’re unprocessed or unrefined so they’ve had very little human interference. Fruits and vegetables are whole foods as are unpolished grains and beans. And these foods are beneficial to you because they’re a source of complex micronutrients, are a good source of natural fiber, and they include protective substances like phytochemicals.

So if you’re hungry, don’t pull into a diner and stock up on fatty foods, try a grocer’s instead.

Think Long Term
Today’s society is all about quick fixes – we live on credit, spend our lives trying to repay debt, and often fall prey to the advertising industry. When a new product comes out, we want it. And we’re like this with our health, too. Got a headache? We pop a pill. Got a sore stomach? We pop another pill. Feeling depressed? We reach for a drink.
The thing is quick fixes are just that – they address the surface problem quickly but don’t get to the root of the issue. And as anyone who’s suffered depression will know, cover-ups only last for so long before everything comes to the surface.

So when you realise you have a problem you’d like to address, don’t just think short term. Investigate what it is you’ve got a problem with and see if there’s a better way of dealing with it. Perhaps you suffer from tummy pains. Instead of downing the Pepto-Bismol, why not start to keep a food diary and see if you can point a finger at the food that might be causing you trouble. You could also try going to a kinesiologist who may be able to tell you certain foods you are allergic to.

If you’re in a period of mild depression it’s also worth having a look at your diet. High fat, sugary foods might be just what you crave if you’re a comfort eater but they can result in sugar highs and then sugar lows which can leave you feeling worse off than you did before you ate those Krispy Kremes.

Look Deeper
Once you start living a healthier lifestyle you’ll often find you have more energy, and more energy leads to new paths to follow. At this stage you might be looking to embrace not just a healthier diet but a healthier way of being. Maybe you’re seeking balance, or time out from a hectic lifestyle, or a chance to switch off and just be. If this is the case, then meditation is an incredibly helpful tool to use.

If you’re completely new to meditation, have a look at this website which offers tips on How to Meditate. It’s interesting to note that although you do need to set aside some time to practice meditation, meditation in itself can give you a sense of having more time as it helps to clear your mind and focus yourself on what really matters.

Although often in life there are no immediate answers and mistakes have to be made in order for us to learn, having a healthy and balanced diet can really help us stay on track. And when we couple that with other positive ways of living, one thing’s for sure: we’re giving ourselves the best positive chance to succeed. Onwards!

Katie Pullman is a freelance author based in London.

Bioclinic Naturals is a Canadian company that has a great detox kit, and at only seven days, anyone can fit it into their schedule. More details can be found about the product here on their website, but in general it’s shakes and a meal each day with a couple of supplements and lots of snacks. I finished one myself last month, and found I was able to carry on my regular routine without a change in energy or being stuck in the bathroom.

If you are considering doing a cleanse in the next two months, I have a limited supply of the ReduceXS cleanse on for 25% off the regular price as they expire March 31 2012. That’s seven days of providing 2-3 of your meals a day – and for the sale price of $41.25 plus hst.

Pick your cleanse kit up today at Orchard Chiropractic and Wellness, at #110-1980 Cooper Road in Kelowna, before the sale supply ends. For more information or to have one set aside for you, email me or call the clinic at 250-717-7732.

And happy cleansing!

Ange

7 Day ReduceXS Cleanse Sale

Ingredients
4 pounds mixed bones (heads, feet, marrow, knuckles, etc) chicken, beef, fish, venison, etc. (ensure to skim all fat off broth if using venison)
1 carrot
1 onion
Splash raw apple cider vinegar
1 litre + filtered water
Sea salt, peppercorns, bay leaf to taste

Directions
Place all ingredients in a large stock pot and set out at room temperature for hour. This begins the process of leaching the minerals from the bones. Move pot to the burner and place over medium heat to create a low simmer. Ideally around 180˚F, where just barely bubbling. Keep at this temperature at least 8-12 hours but as long as 72 hours! Scum will collect on the surface and remove as necessary with a spoon.
Strain out the bones and vegetable material and move liquid to storage containers. Feel free to remove the fat from the surface and use for cooking! Bone Broth freezes well in ice cube trays as well as larger quart containers.

Alternatively –
Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Simmer on low for the day. From this, one can remove and filter the liquid into jars, then add more water and simmer for another day. Repeat until bones are falling apart.

For more bone broth information, visit http://nourishedkitchen.com.
Adapted from www.bambuclinic.com and www.nourishedkitchen.com.

Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients

Bones – Homemade broth from bones is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals. The minerals in broth are easily absorbed by the body. Bone broth also contains glucosamine and chondroitin. Homemade bone broths are often rich in gelatin, an inexpensive source of supplementary protein that also shows promise in the fight against degenerative joint disease. It helps to support the connective tissue in your body and also helps the fingernails and hair to grow well and strong. Bones are also good for the immune system, as we can benefit from the marrow of the animal.

Bone Broth – View PDF

¾ cup quinoa
½ apple, chopped
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp walnuts or almonds, chopped
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tbsp ground sesame and/or flax seeds
1 tbsp flax or hemp oil
maple syrup or honey, to taste

Directions
Rinse quinoa under running water for a few minutes. Cook quinoa in 1 cup of water until water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes). Once cooked, mix in apple, raisins, nuts, cinnamon, ground seeds, and oil. Add maple syrup or honey to taste, and rice milk if desired.

Adapted from Darko Prce.

Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients

Quinoa – Quinoa is called a “super grain” because of its high nutritional value. It provides all the essential amino acids, and is also high in iron, vitamins B3 and B6, and phosphorus. It is gluten-free, makes an excellent substitute for rice or pasta in recipes, and can also be made as a breakfast cereal.

Cinnamon – Cinnamon has antiseptic properties, is a digestive aid, has anticancer properties, and is beneficial for the heart, lungs, and kidneys. It also helps lower blood pressure and makes insulin more efficient.
Walnuts – Walnuts contain beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids that are great for the brain and lowering cholesterol. They are high in protein, fibre, minerals, and vitamins.

Raisins – These powerhouses of energy contain iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins, plus fructose that give us that little boost of energy via natural fruit sugars.

Apples – Very high in fibre, apples help detoxify the body, stabilize blood sugar, and protect against the effects of radiation. They are high in many vitamins and minerals.

Flax oil – This is one of the richest sources of omega 3 fatty acids, the kind that is deficient most people’s diets. It can aid in reducing cholesterol and slow the progression or rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis.

Sesame Seeds – By weight, sesame seeds are higher than liver in iron. They are also high in calcium, magnesium, protein, fibre, other vitamins and minerals, and EFA’s.

Breakfast Quinoa – View PDF

6 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
¾ cup carrots, coarsely shredded
¾ cup raw beets, coarsely shredded
¼ cup red onions, finely chopped
1 large apple, shredded
6 tbsp mayonnaise
¼ cup plain organic yogurt
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tbsp honey
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, beets, onions, and apple. To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, and honey. Pour over vegetables and toss until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Adapted from Rosie Schwartz, The Enlightened Eater’s Whole Food Guide.

Nutritional Value of Select Ingredients

Cabbage – The king of the cruciferous vegetable family, cabbage provides many anti-cancer nutrients. It increases the rate at which the body breaks down excess estrogen via the liver. It also helps improve digestion and helps in the treatment of peptic ulcers.

Carrots – Carrots are one of the best sources of beta carotene, which balances the immune system and reduces the risk of many cancers. They also guard against cardiovascular disease, reduce inflammation, slow the aging process, and are great for digestion disorders. Contain fibre, calcium, iron, and many other vitamins and minerals.

Beets – The beetroot is an excellent source of folic acid, and a great source of fibre, manganese, and potassium. It is an excellent tonic for the liver, has anti-cancer properties, increase bowel function, and decrease cholesterol levels. The greens are even higher in nutritional value than the roots; they are rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.

Onions – Because they are high in sulfur, onions help lower cholesterol, inhibit cancerous tumor growth, help manage diabetes, and are an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal food that are also a blood tonic. Eat them daily – raw or cooked.

Apples – This fruit is very high in fibre, helps detoxify the body, helps stabilize blood sugar, and protects against the effects of radiation. Apples reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. They are high in many vitamins, minerals, and phytoestrogens. Choose organic or wash thoroughly before use though – conventional apples can be sprayed with pesticides as many as 17 times before they make it to your table.

Yogurt – Fermented food such as yogurt have been eaten for their health benefits for over a hundred years. Lactobacillus acidophilus found in yogurt helps to maintain intestinal microflora balance and keep harmful bacteria in check. It can help with treating and preventing diarrhea, lowering blood cholesterol, preventing cancer, and enhancing immune function.

Cabbage, Beet, and Apple Slaw – View PDF