Category: Guest Post

  • The silent health saboteur

    The silent health saboteur

    The silent health saboteur

    Stress, deconstructed

    The mere mention of stress is enough to cause our muscles to tighten, breath to quicken, and heart rate to soar. We’ve all experienced stress—whether in our work, relationships, health, legal matters, or some other aspect of life. While it’s inseparable from living, it takes a toll on our health when it intensifies or becomes chronic.

    What is stress?

    Stress is the body’s natural reaction to changes or challenges, which includes many different physical, emotional, and behavioural responses. While it is a normal bodily function and an inevitable part of daily life, chronic stress and its effects can be destructive if they’re not managed.

    Impacts of stress on the body

    Chronic or severe stress can have a serious impact on a number of different parts of the body, including the brain, gut, heart, skin, and joints.

    Stress on the brain

    Stress triggers the release of the body’s primary stress hormone, cortisol. Research has established that, over time, elevated cortisol levels can lead to shrinkage of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and learning.

    Not only does stress have long-term impacts, including increasing the risk of dementia, but it also affects us in the short-term. Because stress has been linked to impaired functioning of both the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the brain, it can exacerbate depression.

    Digesting stress

    Research has shown that the quantity and nature of beneficial bacteria found in the gut can affect the brain. In medical circles, the gut is sometimes referred to as the “second brain” because the health of the two organs are linked, a connection often called the gut-brain axis.

    That link between the digestive system and the nervous system can be directly impacted by stress. We know stress can be a causal factor of gut issues like heartburn, abdominal cramps, or loose stools; but stress, anxiety, or depression can also be the result of gut issues.

    A heavy heart

    Perhaps the least surprising effect of stress is its detrimental impact on the cardiovascular system. Studies demonstrate that high levels of cortisol can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure—some of the risk factors for heart disease.

    Stress-skin connection

    Stress can exacerbate skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and psoriasis, and it can also disrupt the epidermal barrier that moistens and protects the skin from harmful microbes.

    Stress effects on joint health

    Chronic stress can also aggravate inflammation in the body, exacerbating joint conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Stress-activated inflammation can even lead to increased pain sensitivity, creating a vicious cycle of stress, inflammation, and pain.

    Decompress and de- stress

    Before you become stressed at the mere discussion of stress, remember to break the cortisol cycle by slowing down, stretching, and reflecting. There are many great natural remedies as well as prevention and management strategies that can help; but, first, you just have to breathe.

    By Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Do You Really Need to Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day?

    Do You Really Need to Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day?

    Do You Really Need to Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day?

    New research shows that every step counts

    The health benefits of walking are well known—as is the adage that you must walk 10,000 steps every day to achieve them. We wanted to find out how many steps you actually have to take in order to reap the rewards of walking. The answer? Far fewer than you might think.

    Where did the 10,000-steps goal come from?

    In 1965, a Japanese company called Yamasa Clock released the Manpo-kei, a pedometer with a name that translates to “10,000 steps meter” in English. Although the name was merely intended to be used as a marketing tool, the concept of 10,000 steps is still synonymous with good health more than 50 years later.

    What are the primary benefits of walking?

    Walking is a form of cardiovascular exercise, which means it strengthens your heart, improves blood circulation, and increases your heart rate. Regular walking has been linked to a reduced risk of many health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and obesity.

    Research has also shown that a regular walking routine can improve mental health. Walking can even reduce joint pain, help maintain healthy immune function, and improve bone density (in conjunction with resistance and flexibility exercises).

    Does a smaller step count still offer benefits?

    You might be surprised to learn that the number of steps needed to glean the rewards of walking is significantly smaller than 10,000 steps. In fact, researchers behind a 2023 study conclude that the number of steps needed to reduce the mortality risk of any disease is only 3,867 steps. Only 2,337 steps per day are needed to reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

    How to make your walks count

    Feeling inspired to step up your daily step count? Whether you want to hit 4,000 or 10,000 steps (or somewhere in between), there are endless ways to elevate your walking routine.

    Use a pedometer to make your steps count

    Step counters or pedometers are simple yet effective tools that can be used to help reach your fitness goals. If you’re in the beginning stages of your walking journey, take the first week to establish your baseline step count. From there, you can gradually begin to increase the amount.

    Add more steps as you adjust

    The key to building a stronger walking practice by adding more steps? Consistency. Try adding 300 to 500 steps per day, eventually moving up to 2,000 extra steps per day. With each passing week, aim to add more steps until you eventually reach 10,000 (or whatever number you want to achieve).

    Keep up the pace (any pace!)

    Whether you prefer a leisurely stroll or a power walk around the neighborhood, the health benefits of walking can be felt at any pace. For optimal protection against hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, work on increasing your walking pace to a moderate-intensity level.

    By Ashley Linkletter

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ripe banana peeled
    • ¼ cup unsweetened cashew butter
    • ½ cup oat milk
    • ½-¾ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
    • Plant-based protein powder optional

    Method
     

    1. In a blender, add banana, cashew butter, oat milk, strawberries, and protein powder, if using.
    2. Blend at high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour smoothie into a glass and enjoy!
  • Detox Salad

    Detox Salad

    Detox Salad

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ pound green cabbage
    • ½ pound broccoli florets
    • ½ bunch dino or lacinato kale
    • ¼ pound carrots
    • ½ cup roasted almonds
    • ⅓ cup sunflower seeds roasted
    Maple-Tahini Dressing
    • ⅓ cup tahini
    • 5 tablespoons water
    • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt

    Method
     

    1. Thinly slice cabbage and broccoli. Remove kale from stems and roughly chop. Peel and grate carrots. Add vegetables to a mixing bowl.
    2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
    3. Pour ⅓ of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine, adding more dressing as needed.
    4. Roughly chop the roasted almonds. Top salad with almonds and sunflower seeds. Enjoy!
  • Chimichurri Sauce

    Chimichurri Sauce

    Chimichurri Sauce

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup Italian parsley leaves from one bunch
    • 3 large garlic cloves
    • 1 medium jalapeño ribs and seeds removed
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

    Method
     

    1. Finely mince parsley, garlic, and jalapeño pepper and place in a small mixing bowl.
    2. Stir in olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
    3. Allow sauce to rest for 1 hour to allow flavors to develop before using. Enjoy!
  • Gingerbread Coffee Syrup

    Gingerbread Coffee Syrup

    Gingerbread Coffee Syrup

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings: 3 cups
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups brown sugar
    • 2 cinnamon sticks
    • 8 allspice berries
    • 6 whole cloves
    • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger sliced
    • 1 teaspoon molasses

    Method
     

    1. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
    2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool the syrup.
    3. Strain and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    Notes

    To Use: Add to brewed coffee or lattes as desired, start with a tablespoon of syrup per 10 ounces of coffee.

    Recipe Provided by INFRA

  • Frangipane Toast

    Frangipane Toast

    Frangipane Toast

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings: 10 slices
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 10 slices brioche bread
    • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
    • ½ cup cane sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 tablespoon almond extract
    • Pinch of salt
    • ½ cup almond flour
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • ⅔ cup sliced almonds
    • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting

    Method
     

    1. Brush brioche slices with melted butter on both sides and place on two parchment lined baking sheets. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. Cream softened butter and cane sugar together until pale. Stir in egg, almond extract, and salt. Stir until combined.
    3. Add almond flour and all-purpose flour and fold in just until combined.
    4. Spread 2 tablespoons of almond mixture on each brioche slice and sprinkle on sliced almonds.
    5. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until the edges are golden in color. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar.

    Recipe Provided by INFRA

  • Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

    Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

    Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups wild rice
    • 8-12 cups water
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 pound apples cored and chopped
    • ¾ pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and thinly sliced
    • 1 bunch scallions green and white parts thinly sliced
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup toasted pecans roughly chopped
    • ½ cup avocado oil
    • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup honey or agave syrup
    • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
    • ½ teaspoon marjoram (optional)
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Method
     

    1. Cook wild rice with water and salt in a pot, simmering for about 50 minutes or until tender. Drain any excess water and cool.
    2. Toss cooled wild rice with apples, scallions, Brussels sprouts, pecans, and cranberries.
    3. In a small bowl, whisk together avocado oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, marjoram, and salt until emulsified. Toss with salad and serve.

    Recipe Provided by INFRA

  • Why gratitude matters

    Why gratitude matters

    Why gratitude matters

    Improving your quality of life

    What is gratitude, and does it really matter?

    What is gratitude?

    Meaningful gratitude, the kind that can actually enhance our quality of life, is more than saying please and thank you. It’s more than a rote recitation of things we should appreciate. And it’s more than routinely entering something in a gratitude diary.

    Of course, all of these things are aspects of gratitude. However, if we genuinely want to understand and get the most from practising gratitude, we need to appreciate its nuances, depth, and impact.

    Gratitude, in this light, is part of a positive attitude where we’re intentionally and consciously present to our lives. In this state we may notice, for example, how our bodies function, what nature is capable of, how the sun warms our skin, the miracle of birth, and the inevitability of death.

    Gratitude is not blind optimism. It’s the choice to be pragmatic, noticing the ups and downs, and striking a balance that favours possibilities rather than limitations.

    Why does gratitude matter?

    Diana Brecher, EdD, a clinical psychologist at Toronto Metropolitan University, works in the area of positive psychology. She trains students, faculty, and staff in resilience―and gratitude is a key component.

    Does gratitude practice have a scientific basis?

    Brecher says that gratitude can support resilience and an increased sense of well-being. She notes that well-accepted research as far back as 2005 has shown the effect and lasting impact of interventions aimed at increasing individual happiness.

    In the 2005 study, five exercises to promote happiness (two specifically focused on gratitude) were administered over the course of a week. Impact was assessed immediately post test, at one week, one month, and six months. The exercise with the greatest impact of all five at the six-month post-test mark was focused on gratitude.

    Gratitude practices

    Some easy and effective gratitude practices include the following:

    Write a gratitude letter

    • Think of someone who had a positive influence in your life.
    • Consider the deeper impact of this influence and what this says about who they are and how they’re living their lives.
    • Write these thoughts down and share directly with the person if possible; if not, share with someone connected who can understand.

    Savour awe

    • Notice when you experience awe and learn to seek these experiences out. This may be anything from soulful music to old-growth forests or a meteor shower.
    • Take in this experience with all of your senses so that you can remember it, recall it, and share it.
    • Intentionally share an experience of awe, including all of the sensory information as well as how you felt.

    Now, take a leap of faith and try something. It’s up to you to decide where you will focus. And it begins with an action.

    By Carole Ames

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Cultivating sustainability

    Cultivating sustainability

    Cultivating sustainability

    A look into the future of farming

    The work Elijah Goerzen does as a farmer conjures times past. His Deep Roots Farm, set in Maple Ridge, BC, is small by modern Canadian farming standards. The eight-acre parcel near Vancouver is worked by hand rather than machine, resulting in healthy, nutrient-rich soil that’s fertile ground for vegetables to grow and for beneficial organisms, such as earthworms, to thrive.

    Goerzen doesn’t spray his heritage lettuce, microgreens, and vegetable crops with toxic pesticides or infuse them with chemical fertilizers either. Instead, he chooses to nurture biodiversity by planting flowers between his kale to attract hungry ladybugs that keep any aphid infestations in check or to serve as beacons to pepper-propagating pollinators.

    The future of farming?

    Really, though, the regenerative agriculture methods he uses to tease crops from his soil every growing season are considered by some to be the future of farming.

    It works out well for the planet, too. Unlike conventional agriculture, regenerative farming is rooted in harnessing the power of natural processes to produce food rather than dominating them with human-made inputs and interventions.

    The sky’s the limit

    Vision Greens, a vertical farm in Welland, Ontario, is proving him right. Set in a southern Ontario rust belt city abutting Niagara’s shrinking tender fruit belt, Vision Greens is putting stock in growing up rather than out to help meet a demand for food that the UN projects will increase by 60 percent by 2050.

    It’s disrupting the imported lettuce market with its controlled environment agriculture that marries continuous food production with sustainability.

    Vision Greens’ headquarters in an industrial park is filled with towers of hydroponic trays loaded with organic seeds grown by a computer-controlled system that regulates LED lighting, organic nutrients, reverse osmosis water filtration, air flow, and carbon dioxide levels to meet crop needs. The result: perfect, nutrient-dense lettuce harvested every 26 days, winter, spring, summer, or fall.

    Those crops are perfect because they aren’t exposed to insects, disease, or weather fluctuations, eliminating the need to spray.

    Harvests are delivered to a warehouse, often on the day they’re picked, 76 km away. Meanwhile, most conventional and organic romaine sold here must travel more than 4,300 km from California’s Salinas Valley, where growing and shipping conditions vary and make produce vulnerable to dangerous bacterial contamination.

    The very nature of their production and transport methods means Vision Greens lettuce will never have to be pulled off store shelves in the name of safety. And with plans to build one-acre vertical farms elsewhere in Canada that have 60 times the growing density and 135 times greater crop yield than field lettuce, the company is poised to play as significant a role in building secure local food systems as Deep Roots Farm.

    By Tiffany Mayer

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine