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CATNIP, Benefits, How to Identify & Harvest this Medicinal Herb

7/30/2020

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Catnip; this medicinal herb is not just for cats. It offers great benefits to humans too. It is excellent for digestion and offers relief from bloating and acid reflux. It is also a mild sedative, a great herbal remedy for those who suffer from anxiety. 

In this short video, I show you how to identify the herb, harvest it, dry it and make tea. It’s simple, beneficial and rewarding. 

Stay healthy, 
Jen

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Jen’s Delicious, Nutritious, Easy Pesto Recipe using Garlic Scapes

7/20/2020

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Jen’s Delicious and Nutritious Easy Pesto Recipe.

I absolutely love a good, fresh, homemade pesto sauce, who doesn’t?! I also love using garlic scapes in my pesto as opposed to garlic. You may not know what garlic scapes are, and their many health benefits, so read on and watch the video to find a great new recipe, and to learn about garlic scapes and their great benefits. 

Garlic scapes are the tender stem and flower bud of a hardneck garlic (hardneck garlic is the kind of garlic that typically grows in Canada and the U.S.). 

Garlic is one of the few plants with two harvests; the scapes are harvested in the late spring, early summer, and the bulbs are harvested later in the summer. Harvesting the scapes is an essential step in growing your own garlic. If the scapes aren’t cut off, the garlic bulb doesn’t grow and will dramatically lack in flavour. The scapes should be cut when they start curling. 

Garlic scapes can be eaten and used in recipes just like garlic. They are a great source of calcium, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium. and antioxidants

The most tender parts are the tops of the stem. The buds are delicious chopped up raw. Sauté, roast, grill, BBQ, add them to omelettes or soups, pasta, stir frys, make dips, scape garlic butter, pesto, or just pickle them. 
To make my delicious, nutritious, nutrient-rich Garlic Scape Pesto you’ll need the following: 

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cup garlic scapes
  • 2 tbsp pecans (you may substitute with other nuts or seeds for a nut free option)
  • 2 tbsp hemp hearts
  • 1/2 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced 
  • 1/2 Pink Himalayan salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast.

Directions:
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.
  2. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Note:
Makes 3 - 250 ml mason jars
The pesto can also be frozen. Use within 3-6 months.

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July 12th, 2020

7/12/2020

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Why Stay Hydrated?!

7/9/2020

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As we reach peak temperatures, it’s easy for us to reach for something other than the most obvious to quench our thirst. And although there isn’t anything wrong with periodically indulging in our favourite cold summer beverage or gelato, we must do a better job of consistently staying hydrated. Most people don’t drink enough water. I see this a lot in my practice. Our bodies are mostly made up of water, and so is the earth. We could not survive without it, and chances are most of us are not getting enough. 

Water’s benefits include:

Carries oxygen throughout the body
Enhances brain function
Aids in digestion and weight loss
Flushes body waste and detoxifies
Boosts skin health
Significantly affects energy levels
Regulates body temperature and mood
helps maintain blood pressure


On average, we should drink between 8-16 8 oz cups a day. The amount of water we need depends on many things. Lifestyle; how active we are, our climate, our weight and height play a key role. As well as how many fruits and vegetables we eat each day, as they contain water. Alcohol and caffeine consumption play a role too. Drinking alcohol and caffeinated beverages dehydrate us. We need to compensate, one cup of water for every coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverage.

Dehydration can have serious side effects, and although most of us don’t ever get to that level, we still see minor symptoms like dry mouth and skin, headaches, fatigue, sugar cravings, etc. Our vital organs are first to take the water they need for survival leaving secondary systems and organs, like skin, starved. 

Keep in mind that not all water is created equal. Avoid Tap and bottled water. Tap water contains chlorine, flouride, lead, mercury, radon, nitrates, arsenic, and pharmaceutical drugs. Water that comes from plastic bottles contains high amounts of BPA, known to disrupt hormones and clog up our liver and kidneys. Plastic is also bad for our planet. 

Good sources of water include spring, filtered, and distilled water. Springwater is probably the best source of water but also the hardest to come by. Ask around, though; there may be a natural spring not too far from where you live. Filtered water is something you can achieve at home. There are some great filtration systems out there, 
www.consciouswater.ca, https://waterfilters.mercola.com/, A more budget friendly option is a Brita or a Zerowater filter. These will remove metals like lead, copper, and mercury and chemicals such as chlorine and pesticides.

Filtration systems such as solid carbon block will remove fluoride, bacteria, parasites, pesticides, solvents, possible heavy metals without removing basic minerals.  

Reverse osmosis or distillation will remove fluoride, bacteria, parasites, pesticides, and heavy metals. Both processes will remove basic minerals which you will need to add back into your water. 

The bottom line is, get your water in. You will feel better for it and your body will thank you. 

Stay hydrated. 
Jen
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July 07th, 2020

7/7/2020

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Walnuts are one of the best nuts to consume for heart and brain health. They are a natural whole food, great in moderation and only for those without allergies to them. Their super benefits include:
 

Improved brain health;   Walnuts are rich in antioxidants (richer than any other common nut). They are in Omega 3’s and polyphenols counteracting oxidative stress and inflammation.

They are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals - Copper, folic acid, phosphorous, iron, Vitamins A, B6, C and E

They help combat heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing inflammation, improving blood vessel function, therefore reducing the risk of plaque buildup in the arteries

And they are rich in protein, fibre, and monounsaturated fats

They can be eaten as is, roasted or added to salads, yogourt, cereal, rice, etc. Get creative and enjoy. 
Jen

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10 Healthy & Effective Weight Loss Tips!

7/2/2020

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For many, weight loss can be a struggle, a lifelong journey. A common misconception is that there is a one size fits all solution. There isn’t. Weight loss is very individual. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. And I can guarantee, successful and healthy weight loss is not one thing, or one lifestyle change, it’s a combination of things.

Below, a list of some critical changes, if properly adapted, will help you make significant improvement in your weight loss journey.

1.  Adopt a whole food high nutrient dense lifestyle. 

2.  Eat till you're 80% full. (may want to eat from smaller plates)

3.  Intermittent fasting. Try eating in an 8-10 hour window.

4.  Be accountable (have a food log) 

5. Stick to 3 meals a day, less insulin spikes.

6. Keep a routine, this may mean prepping meals.

7.  Substitute soda pop and juice for water. 

8. Aim at getting 10,000 steps in of activity daily, to help regulate your metabolism.

9. Need to eventually add in 3-4 days of 30 mintutes of exercising.  (Weight bearing exercises, resistant  training, high intensity interval training, calisthenics. These exercises will build muscles, improve endurance, support your bones, burn fat,  (When you exercise it helps balance your hormones.

10. Eight hours of good quality sleep.

I design customized weight loss programs with proven success. I would be happy to discuss how I could help you reach your weight loss goals, healthily, and maintain long lasting success. Reach out. Let’s talk. 
Jen

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