2017 Fall Favorites

Here are some things I've been loving lately...

Soyganic smoked tofu! The siracha is spicy and delicious, but I also love the black pepper garlic. I've been throwing them into stir fries like crazy. The plain smoked makes for a delicious sandwich. Honestly, you can't do better for an affordable, healthy and yummy source of protein.

Oh and this marinated tofu from Vegetarian  Gourmet is good too. I have only tried the Greek gyro variety so far, but really liked it and would gladly try the other flavours.

My electric Oster spiralizer!! I got if for Mother's Day, but didn't use it a ton over the summer as I don't spiralize for salads much, but do like to make veggie noodles for hot dishes. I know I am going to be using it a lot over the winter and I made a yummy vegan zoodle dish last weekend that Adam and I both enjoyed.

Is it obvious that I derive a huge amount of pleasure from cooking and eating??

I am also loving this hair conditioning treatment from Pantene. My hair is ridiculously dry so I am always looking for good moisturizing products, however, I have to avoid things that are too oily or heavy, because my hair is fine too. This stuff does a really good job of smoothing down my frizz, though I don't find the effect lasts after you shampoo the next time.

We have had more summery than fall-like weather so far, which has sucked for me because my favorite time of year when the air cools and the leaves change. Fortunately, today is the first day when the forecast is for actual autumn weather. Happy hump day!!

Nerium International IllumaBoost Brightening & Shield: Product Review

You know I hate heat so usually avoid the sun, but the summers here are so brutal, you can hardly be outside for minutes without feeling like a roasted chicken (though with all the rain this year we got off thankfully easy...unfortunately, fall so far has felt more like summer 😠). Not only do I hate heat, but I am concerned about skin cancer, so I do everything possible to avoid skin damage from the sun. Even in winter I always have sunblock on my face. Three of my close friends have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinomas, and a woman I went to highschool with has had melanoma twice!!

I am also prone to getting uneven skin tone which can be exacerbated by the sun and UV damage. So I was thrilled to receive Nerium International IllumaBoost^TM Brightening & Shield to try.

The product:

• Works to brighten the skin’s appearance and help even skin tone
• Helps shield the skin from environmental stressors
• Helps plump and moisturize the skin
• Fights the appearance of discoloration, uneven skin tone and skin damage caused by air pollution
• Can be mixed with: Age-Defying Night and Day Creams, foundation or sunscreen
• Is ideal for all skin types (dermatologist tested)

The key ingredients are:

Phytolumina
A proprietary blend of plant-based ingredients, alpinia officinarum root extract, physalis pubescens fruit juice and bidens pilosa extract, which helps skin look radiant and brighter.

Niacinamide
A well-known ingredient for more even-toned looking skin.

Kombucha Ferment
A unique ingredient derived from fermented tea that offers a host of skin benefits.

Green Tea
A well-known antioxidant that guards against environmental damage.

Glycerin
Derived from lipids, this skin humectant absorbs moisture and supports skins natural barrier.

Hydrolized Sodium Hyaluronate
Naturally present in the skin, it binds water to the skin for volume and firmness.

Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Helps shield skin from environmental stressors.

Is there research proving this product's efficacy? No, nor is there any for most non-prescription products. The only thing I can tell you is that my skin tone does seem more even than it does by the end of every summer, and even more importantly, I did not have any adverse reaction to it. I have super sensitive skin so products with a lot of active ingredients can often irritate it. The company did do its own 4-week consumer study, which they say upheld their claims.

Do I recommend IllumaBoostTM Brightening &Shield? Hey, if you're cool paying a premium for skin care products and you are concerned about environmental/UV damage to your skin, go for it! Just don't forget the sunblock!

Disclosure: The company sent me the product to try but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Well Nourished: Book Review

The causes of obesity are numerous. They also differ from person to person. Contributing factors include poverty, mental or physical illness, parents (their weight status, genetics, behaviour modelling, what they fed you, etc.), and, of course, lifestyle.

Another contributing factor is culture. You've heard me say it before, we live in an obesigenic culture (i.e. is encourages obesity). How does it do so? Here are a few ways:

1. Abundance of high calorie, highly processed food available 24/7, that is cheaper than healthier food;
2. Mechanization of physical tasks (you don't have to churn your own ice cream now, you just open the freezer);
3. Social cues encouraging us to consume (advertising, social pressure, etc.)
4. Focus on productivity/consumption/materialism at the expense of spiritual/emotional/psychological fulfillment
5. Fat phobia

Numbers 4 and 5 are what I believe fuels one cause of being overweight for a lot of people: emotional eating.

Our culture has created widespread depression and anxiety among even the privileged classes. Being the consumerist society we are, people are sold a bill of goods about what they should have/who they should be/what they should be doing, however, even if people achieve it all, they are left feeling empty. To fill the void, they turn to consumables such as alcohol, drugs, and FOOD and numb their negative emotions. Food, of course, has less stigma than the others, but is harder to control, because you can't abstain from eating. Nor can you really ever get away from food or encouragement to eat.

Our veneration of fat is an integral part of the vicious cycle people get stuck in with emotional eating. While food, in and of itself, isn't shameful, being fat certainly is! We treat overweight people terribly! Fat discrimination is rampant. Unfortunately, this means that individuals who are emotional eaters start to develop extreme guilt, shame and anxiety over it, especially if it contributes to weight gain (which is usually does!).

But one of the biggest things that stands in the emotional eater's way of getting control of it is the self-sabotage. Everyone wants and needs unconditional acceptance from loved ones. We don't want to feel we have to look a certain way to get it. So I find many of my clients develop so much anger and resentment over feeling shamed by their weight, that they continue the behaviour spitefully, almost out of rebellion. Unfortunately, they ultimately hurt themselves the most. I often wonder whether emotional eating would be as much of a problem if we lived in a culture of size acceptance. Unfortunately, I don't think we will ever know the answer to that!

The good news is, if you struggle with emotional eating, I have a book for you!  Well Nourished, was written by Andrea Lieberstein, a dietitian and mindfulness eating instructor, among other things, who resides in California (where else?).

The book is like a guide to develop nourishment within the realms that are relevant to our general sense of well-being and commitment. A dearth of these things is what I believe are huge contributors to emotional eating, She includes:

• Physical nourishment
• Emotional nourishment
• Psychological nourishment
• Social nourishment
• Intellectual nourishment
• Creative nourishment
• Spiritual nourishment
• Worldly nourishment

Now, if you are the scientific type, and this all sounds a bit to "energy and crystals" for you, fear not! What I love most about this book is that it doesn't just tell you what may be causing your emotional eating, it provides exercises and instructions for overcoming it by maximizing your nourishment in the defined areas.

I think this is a great book and I will definitely be recommending it to my emotional eating clients!

Disclosure: This book was sent to me to review, but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Happy New (School) Year!

Its almost a cliche to say, but, man did summer ever fly by!

My counselling practice was pretty busy all summer, which is fantastic, but also means I just cannot devote more time to posting here 😢😢

But I really can't complain, its been good. The girls were in camp almost the entire time. Mostly Harbourfront Kids Camp, but Little A also did a week of sleepaway camp, and loved it. She wants to go for a month next year. We gotta start saving now!! Both girls also went to Kingston and stayed with my parents last week. So last week was really the summer holiday for Adam and I. No driving the girls anywhere, no preparing food for them, no listening to them fighting...it was glorious!

Tomorrow Big A starts grade 6 and Little a starts grade 3. I am probably more nervous than they are. There will be more homework, and so many extracurriculars, that just thinking about coordinating everyone's schedules makes my head hurt! Big A insisted on having us sign her up for 4 different dance classes this year. Little A is doing gymnastics again, they both do swimming and Hebrew school too. Big A also joins virtually every school sports team and club.

Adam's work also gets crazy between now and the Christmas holidays, so I suspect somewhere around November we will all likely lose our minds. Then we'll go to Florida over the holidays.

Even more exciting is Adam and I finally booked our trip to Israel for February. This airplane hater is going to have to drug myself to sleep for the flight. I am already having nightmares about it. Nevertheless, I am excited. And no, we are not bringing the kids.

My 43rd birthday is coming up. Not a major milestone, and not a nice even number either. But the only alternative to aging for humans is not a good one, so I will take it. I am also grateful to be strong and healthy. Really strong. I can kick ass! I also feel like I have slipped into a more peaceful state of mind. I have finally been able to let go of a lot of the nagging woulda, shoulda, coulda, negative self-talk that used to consume me. That, I think, is the advantage of aging...the wisdom that comes with it!

So yay, for a new school year, another birthday and waking up each day to a new opportunity for health and happiness!

Fresh Back: Product Review

If you workout regularly or play sports, than you know how funky athletic wear can get. After a while, they start to stink, even right after they've come out of the wash.

Its a total bummer because it limits your workout wear lifespan, and that stuff isn't cheap!

I will sometimes soak my clothes in vinegar and baking soda, or saturate in Febreze for fabric, before throwing them in the wash. But those are temporary solutions...and admittedly, you end up smelling like a pickle from the vinegar.

Since Adam and I workout at home, we probably don't have to worry as much as folks who are around other people at gyms or are part of a team, but eventually we can gross each other out if things get too bad. So I was thrilled to take up the offer to try Fresh Back, which promises to get the stink out of your clothes and keep it that way for a few months, or even up to a year.

It involves a 2 step process, with 3 different products that work together. First you wash your clothes with the detergent. Next, you leave your clothes in the machine and wash again (with cold water) using the freshener and bonder. Than you dry as per usual. It can be used in any kind of washing machine, and even with hand washing.

Of course, one of my first questions was, what's in this stuff? Having sensitive skin, I always worry I will get an allergic reaction. The answer is as follows:

Premium Detergent: Sodium Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Metasilicate, Trisodium Citrate Dihydrate, Sodium Percarbonate, Dodecylbenzenesulfonic Acid, Sodium Salt, Alcohol Ethoxylate, Amorphous Silica. 

Freshener: Water, Color Stabilizer 

Bonder: Citric Acid, Anhydrous 

While some of these ingredients may sounds scary, I looked them all up, and none are anything to worry about. Just don't eat the stuff or rub it into your eyeballs. If you are one of these folks who obsesses about toxins, then you probably would never use this...but then again, you probably stink and don't care anyways.

In any case, I got no adverse reactions from it and I threw my entire workout wear drawer into the washer with it.

So does it work? Well it hasn't been a few months yet, but after the initial wash, everything did come out stink free! The clothes I have worn since definitely smell fresher, though perhaps not like a lavender sachet.

Do I recommend Fresh Back? Absolutely! Thrown away clothes just ends up in the landfill, and having to replace your workout wear frequently is a huge expense. I think its a great idea!

They also sent us their outdoors version, which I will for sure be using when Little A returns from sleepaway camp. Heck, her sleeping bag, and everything will go in!

Disclosure: I was sent the product to review but all opinions on this blog are my own.

Knixteen/Knixwear Period Proof Underwear: Product Review

Its tough to menstruate.

While being capable of creating life is undoubtedly miraculous, the whole experience of menstruation more or less sucks.

Even women who don't have severe PMS or menstrual disorders probably don't enjoy the monthly cramping, bloating, headaches, digestive upset, mood swings, and other lovely things that typically occur. And no one enjoys having to worry about leaks!

I for one tend to wear black pants or skirts during my period every month, just in case there is a leak so it will be less visible. But depending where you are and what you are doing, it can be really embarrassing!

Thankfully, new technology is now being developed to make managing your period easier, and make leaks a thing of the past.

I was really excited when Knixwear, one of the companies devoted to creating period proof clothes for women, sent me some of their leak proof underwear to try. Specifically, they sent me a couple pairs made for teens, but since I am small, they fit me perfectly anyways.

They do warn that they are meant to fit snuggly, but that's how I like my underwear to fit. Having no waist or hips to speak of, if mine don't fit snuggly, they'll slide right down to my ankles.

I loved these the moment I slid them on. They are thin and sleek and feel a lot like the Lululemon underwear I have, which are my favorites.

At first I still wore a tampon with them because I was skeptical that they were really leak proof. Eventually I gave them a shot and found them to do the job. In fact, I wore them overnight without anything else one night, and they still came through!

Whether you are a teen a 20-something or a pre-menopausal 30, 40 or 50 something, I definitely recommend Knix wear. On top of peace of mind, they also allow you to save money by using fewer tampons and pads, as well as save the environment from all that waste!

The company also makes bras, and I am tempted to try them too. I am such a rare size (big cup, small band), that its hard for me to find things that fit and are comfortable. Their sizing is much more flexible.

You definitely pay a premium for these undies, but its very worth it I think. Thanks Knixwear!

Be a Freezer Fanatic

My long time readers know I am a Freezer Fanatic. If you care about your health, and time and money, you should be too.

Filling your freezer with the right foods means you always have ingredients on hand to make healthy, tasty meals. It is also a great way of reducing food waste.

Here is what to stock up on:

• Frozen fruits and veggies (they are just as healthy - sometimes even better - than fresh)
• Meat and fish (I mostly buy fresh and then freeze, but also buy frozen chicken breasts from Costco and frozen seafood)
• Whole grain bread, pita, wraps, etc. that you are not using immediately. (They will get moldy quickly at room temp, and get stale in the fridge)
• Leftovers (if you've made a huge batch of chili, pasta sauce, soup, etc., freeze in individual or family serving size containers for a meal when you have no time to cook)

Basically any food you aren't using can be frozen instead of letting it go off and then having to throw it away. This includes fruit and veggies (cut up first), milk and other dairy, eggs (crack into ice cup trays), sauces (freeze pesto in ice cup trays for quick access) and more.

Honestly, if you are not using your freezer, you are wasting a lot of time and money on food (and wasted food).

This ends my series on how to stock a healthy kitchen. So throw away those takeout menus (or apps, I guess is what people use now), and start cooking!!

What's in Our Fridge

Is your fridge bare except for a 6 pack of beer and an old jar of pickles?

Or is it full of a carton of sour milk and 50 bottles and jars of 3 year old condiments?

We are a family with a full fridge. Always.

Its usually over-full on market days, twice a week, but really its only empty when we go away on holiday.

I don't understand how people live without fresh food available, if they can afford it. When our contractor doing our renos last summer recommended we unplug our fridge and live without it for a few weeks it was no deal. NO WAY JOSE!

So what takes up all the space in our fridge?

Here are the things we always have on hand:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cheese, veggie meat, tempeh/tofu, etc.
• Milk, eggs, egg whites, yogurt
• Miso, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar-free ketchup, salsa
• Non-hydrogenated margarine
• Minced garlic in a jar, pickles, olives
• Salad dressing, sugar-free bbq sauce, maple syrup
• Shirataki noodles

Many of my weight loss clients say they stop buying fresh fruits and veggies because the end up always throwing half of it away uneaten. OMG, wasted food makes me CRAZY! There is an easy way to prevent this. First, plan your meals. Before we head to the market, I plan the meals I am going to make and buy accordingly, so I don't buy stuff that will languish too long in the fridge. Second, if you do end up with stuff you can't use right away, cook or bake with it for the future, or at least freeze it.

Many of my clients also admit their weakness is a lack of motivation to cook at the end of the day and giving in to take-out. But if you have a well stocked fridge, it can take just minutes to whip up a healthy, yummy meal such as a main course salad, omelet, or sandwiches.

Fill your fridge, cook at home and your body (and your wallet) will thank you!!