Monsanto Cucumbers Cause Genital Baldness -- Immediately Banned in Nova Scotia | The Lapine

One more reason to avoid Genetically Modified Foods 


Monsanto Cucumbers Cause Genital Baldness -- Immediately Banned in Nova Scotia | The Lapine

Nova Scotia became the first province or state in North America to ban a Monsanto GM food product.

Do you believe GMO's have a place in our world?

Homemade Sugar Scrubs

Homemade sugar scrubs are fast and easy to make.
Use the scrub in the shower or bath for wonderfully smooth skin.



RECIPE:

• 2/3 cup sugar (white, brown, sucanat, coconut etc.)
• 1/2 cup sweet almond oil or other unrefined oil
• 1 vitamin E capsule
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

      Combine ingredients in a bowl. Store in a tight fitting jar. 

DIRECTIONS : scoop some of the scrub onto your hand and massage gently onto your skin for a minute then leave on for 3 to 4 minutes before rinsing. 



If you are the creative type you can make great gifts by decorating glass jars.
Here are some cool examples that i found online....enjoy!


http://www.tipjunkie.com/all-crafts/sugar-scrub/






http://tidymom.net/2009/sugar-scrub-recipe/

Avocado Pudding

What do you do with ripe avocados...well, today i made avocado pudding.
So simple, quick and nutritious!

I have submitted this as a So Delicious recipe contest entry ...you can do the same
 

 

Avocado Pudding

1/4 cup cashew flour*

2 medium avocados, mashed

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup raw agave syrup

1/2 cup  coconut milk  or almond milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt 

Make cashew flour by adding cashews to a coffee grinder and processing until it resembles a flour.

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process.

Spoon into dessert dishes.

Best served chilled

Makes 2-4 servings

NOTE:Cashew flour or meal is made by placing cashews in the food processor, coffee grinder or a high-speed blender and process until it is a fine powder (cornmeal texture).  Be careful that you don’t over process and start making cashew butter.  

 

NOTE: for nut allergies, substitute any other nut or seed  flour can be substituted. (flax, chia, sunflower seeds etc.)

 

Healthy Bacteria

They say there are about 100 trillion bacteria in your gut!

So for a healthy digestive tract it makes sense to improve the ration of good bacteria to crowd out the bad bacteria.  This is done through foods and supplements that contain probiotics (various types of healthy bacteria).

Probiotics, which include lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, keep the lining of the colon healthy and may improve gut motility and sensation. While much of the research has centered on intestinal health, studies point to potential positive effects on the mouth and stomach, too.

Where do you find these good bacteria? 
Of course, you can easily go to your health food store and purchase capsules or powders containing healthy bacteria (probiotics), but i thought i would share with you some other ways to get healthy bacteria in to your body through foods.

• MISO - my favorite miso paste is made by Cold Mountain.  They make a RAW, UNPASTEURIZED paste which i make into a salad dressing and of course miso soup.  

Pasteurized miso paste does NOT contain beneficial bacteria.

This miso dressed salad recipe comes from my cookbook .  For the recipe click here.

• YOGURT - of course we probably all know that yogurt contains probiotics or healthy bacteria, but what does someone do when avoiding dairy products?

This is just one example of a cultured yogurt which is made from coconut milk instead of cow's milk. Find out more here

These yogurts are great as a snack or in a smoothie!

• CULTURED VEGGIES like sauerkraut 

Cultured vegetables, like sauerkraut are found in the refrigerated section of your health food store.  Pasteurized sauerkraut you buy in the supermarkets does NOT contain any enzymes or friendly bacteria.

I personally eat some everyday and i really love how i feel after eating it !

You could think of the friendly bacteria in raw cultured vegetables as little enzyme powerhouses.  By eating the vegetables, you will maintain your own enzyme reserve and use it to eliminate toxins, rejuvenate your cells, and strengthen your immune system – which all add up to a longer, healthier life.

For a list of of other cultured vegetables visit this website

• KOMBUCHA TEA

This year's hottest cool beverage is a fizzy, fermented drink with a tangy taste and a strange name!


Kombucha (pronounced kom-BOO-cha) is the latest elixir to elicit claims of a stunning array of health benefits, everything from improving digestion and immunity to lowering cholesterol and fighting cancer.


Kombucha can be traced back to ancient China where it was worshipped as a remedy for immortality. According to lore, the tea was introduced to Japan by a Korean physician named Dr. Kombu who gave the bacteria-laden liquid to a Japanese emperor as a healing tonic.


I personally start my day with a glass of kombucha tea and really enjoy this brand.  It tastes sort of like a flat gingerale but others say its more tart...try some and let me know what you think!

• BIO-K

This is a great probiotic drink.
This company now makes dairy-free version made from organic rice.
It contains 2 probiotics and approx. 50 billion active bacteria per container.

You can easily find this at any health food store...just make sure to purchase the dairy free version for those avoiding dairy products.

For more information on Bio-K click here


Try some of the above products and let me know which ones you like!

Joint Pain

Millions of people take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like tylenol daily for arthritis and related inflammatory conditions, but are completely unaware that far safer, and at least as effective, natural alternatives already exist!

For example Turmeric is an easily accessible and inexpensive spice found in most kitchens.
 

A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found 2,000 mg of turmeric extract was as effective as 800 mg of ibuprofen in reducing symptoms of pain and inflammation.



Things to consider...

• Turmeric supplements are considered safe when taken at the recommended doses. However, taking large amounts of turmeric for long periods of time may cause stomach upset
• Because turmeric may act like a blood-thinner, you should stop taking it at least 2 weeks before surgery.

Enjoy the benefits of some turmeric in this wonderful recipe for  Moroccan Chicken

 Acupuncture is also another wonderful tool to help alleviate pain.

Based on acupuncture's long history of use as well as the available research, both the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified many conditions for which it may be recommended, not just pain.

Learn more by visiting www.OasisHealth.ca

Have you tried acupuncture yet?

What other natural remedies have you found effective for pain?

Cholesterol

I read a very interesting article today on Cholesterol.
Most of my clients and those who attend my workshops know that cholesterol is not the enemy!
I have clients who were told to take cholesterol medications by their physicians as a preventative...this is not the way the medication was intended nor is it wise to block cholesterol production in the body when it has a number of important roles in the body.  Further more drugs do not take the place of healthy eating and lifestyle habits

Did you know of all the people who have heart attacks, that only a small percentage of them has any clogging or constriction or plaque in their arteries!

As a holistic nutritionist, i use food and supplementation including homeopathics to bring the body back into balance and that includes cholesterol levels.

Soluble Fiber
Slow the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines by consuming foods such as oats, legumes, prunes, apples, carrots, broccoli and yams, all high in soluble fiber. Five to 10 grams daily can produce a 5 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol.

Guggul lipid is an herb native to India and has been used for a long time in Ayuvedic medicine to help maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels

Green tea has also been show to lower total cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol levels.





These vegan oatmeal cookies can be found in my cookbook



What are your thoughts on cholesterol?

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Cooking-Class-Reminder.html?soid=1102893682626&aid=ZiQBKDxNClA

Don't forget to sign up for tomorrow night's class

This cooking class will focusing on dairy free recipes which are high in calcium !

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Cooking-Class-Reminder.html?soid=1102893682626&aid=ZiQBKDxNClA

Making the Connection

I just listened (couldn't stand to watch it) to the documentary called Making the Connection while creating dishes for my next cookbook.  Marlon will be here tomorrow for a photo shoot and have been cooking for hours!


It mainly speaks about a vegan lifestyle, the benefits, ethics and some very disturbing information on animals are treated.

The documentary can be found at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/making-connection/

I myself am not vegan.  I follow a mainly plant based diet but due to my food sensitivities to legumes, it makes it difficult to be vegan.  So for myself, i would call myself a pescatarian which means it eat fish on occassion.  I do not drink milk or milk products nor do i eat eggs.

I thought i would share this documentary for those of you who may be interested in a vegan lifestyle or want to know more about veganism.

Anyways, for tonight, i will stick with my plant based diet.

Here is my veggie burger and baked onion rings....yummy

Be Alkaline!

I have been promoting alkaline diets and foods for a long time and yet, i still find clients who are not aware of this concept.  So, today i want to explain the benefits and dangers of being alkaline or acidic.

Lets start with the basics!
Acidity and alkalinity are opposing  states in your body, and are a major system that controls your body’s function, health and risk of disease.  They are measured in pH (potential hydrogen) units; 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic, and more than 7 is alkaline.

Measuring you alkaline levels is very simple.  All you need is some pH paper which can be found at any health food store.  I have my clients test their urine with pH paper to get an indication of whether their bodies are acidic or alkaline....it's that simple.

So why is being acidic so terrible?
If you have a health problem, most likely you are acidic. Research shows that unless the body's pH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself. So, no matter what type of modality you choose to use to take care of your health problem, it won't be as effective until the pH level is up. If your body's pH is not balanced, you cannot effectively assimilate vitamins, minerals and food supplements. Your body pH affects everything.

Other things to consider...

• Excessive amounts of acid deplete oxygen, which is needed by every cell in your body to function properly. (Cancers love an acid body).
• Excessive amounts of acidity need to be eliminated or acid will be stored in tissues and joints, causing damage over time. (joint pain and fibromyalgia is a common symptom of being too acidic) 
• when acid levels are excessively high it creates a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. (frequent colds / flu) 
• It depletes alkaline mineral stores in the body, particularly calcium from bones and magnesium from muscles. (osteoporosis)

Ok, so what should you be eating to be more alkaline?


All natural, raw, vegetable and fruit juices are alkaline-producing. (Fruit juices become more acid-producing when processed and especially when sweetened.)

This salad is my favorite...look for the recipe in my cookbook



What should you stay away from?
The worst offenders are going to be Coffee, Tea, Beef, Artificial Sweeteners, Peanuts, liquor, Eggs and processed cheese.

Although conventional doctors believe that increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables and reducing one's intake of meat, salt, and refined grains is beneficial to health, most conventional doctors do not believe that an acid-producing diet is the foundation of chronic illness.

If you are interested in knowing more about acid / alkaline diets or are interested in a 30 day alkaline diet feel free to contact me or visit my website

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Went shopping with my hubby the other day and he could not understand my excitement for the most beautiful heads of organic cauliflower at the store.  My mind was racing with all the different things i could make with them.  The first recipe that came to mind was this roasted cauliflower soup.
A little twist on a simple vegetable soup....Enjoy :)

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 cauliflower

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400. 

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place them into a large baking pan along with garlic and onion. 

Toss and coat all vegetables with oil.

 

Bake for 40  minutes or until tender, stirring once halfway through. Once cooked remove from oven.

Reserve 1/2 cup of cauliflower for garnish.

In a large pot, heat the vegetable broth and add the chopped potato and roasted vegetables..

Cook 20 minutes or until potato is cooked through.

Serve as is or puree it, in batches, in the blender until very smooth. 

Return it to the pot and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with reserved roasted cauliflower bits.

Serves 2-4

for more recipes visit  www.oasishealth.ca