Category: Supplements

Over the past two weeks I have been writing about carbohydrates, and just what’s so bad about them. Week one was about grains, last week vegetables, and this week it’s all about fruit.

Fruit is delicious! It’s naturally sweet, most of the time. It is naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. Fruits contain many essential nutrients that are often under consumed, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid). And just like raw veggies, fruit is another one of nature’s fast foods. But, just what’s so great about it, and what does it do for us?

Let’s take a look at some of those ingrown added benefits!

Potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure, help to decrease bone loss, and support against kidney stones. Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

Fibre is also naturally found in fruit, and is part of a healthy diet. Fibre can reduce blood cholesterol levels, lower the risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. It also is important for proper bowel function, as it helps reduce constipation. The fibre in fruits helps provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. A recommended dietary consumption of fibre is 35grams/day. Most people consume about 10-15grams/day.  Please remember, that is not just from fruit, but from ALL whole food plant life.

Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, as this reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida during fetal development.

There is so much goodness in fruit, but just like anything else, too much of it can do you wrong. So, where does fruit consumption go wrong?

When weight loss is a goal you are striving for, I recommend eating no more than 2-3 servings/day. We have to remember that fruit is a simple sugar, so digests easier than complex sugars. Please make sure you consume the skin whenever possible. That is where a high percentage of the fibre is. This is the good stuff that helps you feel full longer, and regulates your bowels. Commercially canned fruits are another area to be mindful of. These are often packaged in fruit juices (some add syrup) which brings the sugar content higher. Dried fruits naturally have a higher sugar content as well, so please be mindful. And sorry but, fruit juice is pure sugar. One 8oz glass of this can be up to 25grams of sugar. There’s not chewing required. There’s no fibre to slow down digestion. It’s a straight shot of sugar into your body. This needs to be avoided as much as possible.

When “fresh” fruit is out of season the nutrients are naturally less. Eating fruits when locally grown is always a high priority. Coming fresh off the plant is so much better for you than opting for produce from far away. Let’s face it, a strawberry that is flown or driven to Ontario from California often doesn’t even taste or have the same texture of a fresh strawberry. Buy local! It’s better for you, and it supports your local farmers!  I do totally understand how desiring some berries in the dead of winter can be tough craving to satisfy. In these times I recommend buying frozen produce. This is picked, flash frozen and packaged, so likely the nutritional value is still there. These are great for smoothies and mixed with yogurt.

Go eat your fruit! Replace most of your sweet snacks with it, because as you can see, it has a whole lot of goodness in it for you!

Water is so boring! Yes, this may be true, but it is vital to our health. Is carbonated water an alternative? Well, let’s take a look.  But Sparkling water is basically water with an alteration to it. On its own it is clear, colourless, has no taste or fragrance to it, and it gets its bubbles by being infused with carbon dioxide.

So, how then would you know if the sparkling water you are drinking might be considered “natural” and healthy? When it comes from a mineral spring that naturally contains minerals and is naturally carbonated, as the sparkle can result from gases that are naturally occurring in the water. However, mineral water companies may still add carbon dioxide to the water to give it those lovely bubbles.  Mineral water naturally contains minerals that can be beneficial to your health, such as magnesium and potassium. However, in order for the mineral water to contain minerals, it has to be collected from a spring that actually contains them.

Seltzer water is the man-made or artificially created version of sparkling water. Seltzer is simply water plus carbon dioxide and is a cheaper alternative to sparkling mineral water. If you have a Soda Stream machine at home, this is what you are making, water that has been injected with carbon dioxide.

To compare club soda or tonic water to the bubbly water versions on the market, club soda and tonic water both have additional ingredients added to it, and tonic water is high in sugar. I personally recommend opting out of these two, and switching to mineral or regular bubbly water. One more thing you need to be aware of though, is when these bubbly waters are flavoured. “Natural flavour” really isn’t all that natural! It is flavour that is chemically made for your flavour driven palette. Choose plain carbonated water instead, and add some fresh fruit to it. A few mixed berries, a wedge of lemon, lime or squeeze of orange goes a long way in true natural flavour.

However, if it is flavour you want, and don’t care about the bubbles, a wonderful option is AXIO, a powdered product that conveniently comes in individual packets that can be easily added to water. It is highly beneficial fluid for your brain and provides much needed antioxidant support, without the crash from sugar or high caffeine. Rather, it contains B Vitamins, Magnesium, Green Tea Extract, Pine Bark and Quercitin. Click on www.shirleyvanegmond.ca-en.lifevantage.com/products/axio-locaf/ to find out how this truly is a great option!

Another potential issue concerning your health and carbonated drinks, is the effect on the enamel of your teeth. Apparently the problem lies in the fact that carbon dioxide bubbles change into carbonic acid once it is in our mouths. It lowers the pH of water, making it more acidic, which, similar to acidic foods, can cause dental erosion. I believe this though, would be a problem if you consume higher amounts of carbonated waters. If it’s a treat, or a weekend substitute for pop, a sugary drink or glass or two of wine, it’s not that bad.

So, if it’s the fizz you love, bubbly mineral water still appears to be the best option, carbonated beverages would be second….providing that it contains no added sugar, artificial sweeteners or flavours. As always, I would still recommend plain old filtered water the majority of your fluid intake. These too can have fresh fruit or a favourite herbal tea added to it for a dash of flavour. Or make ice cubes with bits of fruit in them. Pour that into a pretty wine glass and with or without bubbles, it can be beautiful thing!

Salt, so much more than the box in your Oma’s cupboard! Not only that, it comes in various forms now too. How do you know which one is best? Which ones are for cooking? And, which ones have benefits outside of the realm of food?

Everyone is familiar with table salt. Most will be familiar with sea salt, and a number of you will have heard of Himalayan salt. All of these are options to flavour food, create a scrub or to gargle with warm water to aid a sore throat.

The added bonus of sea and Himalayan salts is they have not been treated and cleaned to the level that table salt has. In the process of making table salt, all the minerals aside from sodium and chloride are stripped from the salt, and as well, it is bleached and refined to look like it does as it comes out of its box. Since 1924, table salt has had iodine added to it as a preventative of iodine deficiency, which is a known cause of hypothyroidism.

Salt is often perceived as unhealthy, especially in large amounts, because it can bind water in the bloodstream and raise blood pressure. The daily recommended intake of sodium for Canadians is 2300 mg. This equates to approximately a single teaspoon amount. A very high percentage of sodium found in the Standard American diet comes from processed foods, so be mindful. You may not be adding it to your food, but eating a lot of processed and packaged foods will already contain it. If you make sure the majority of your foods are wholesome, homemade and unprocessed you should have no problems with taking in too much sodium.

Sea salt is made by evaporating sea water. It too is mostly sodium and chloride. One thing we need to remember however, is the oceans have become quite polluted so sea salt can also contain trace amount of pollutants, such as lead. Sea salt is often less ground than table salt so therefore provides a more granular texture and more flavour, and can contain small amounts of minerals.

Himalayan salt is harvested in Pakistan. It contains small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium, and lower amounts of sodium than regular salt. Some will notice a difference, as the flavour is often a bit milder. The main difference is noted in the colour. The pink hew that you see is a from the trace amount of iron oxide.

There appears to be no scientific evidence that shows Himalayan salt provides more health benefits in comparison to either table or sea salt. It does however, contain several minerals, though the doses are small and therefore some believe it is unlikely to bring any notable health benefits.

Both sea salt and Himalayan salts are wonderful for a nice soak, regardless of what part of your body is soaking in it!  Feet, hands, or all of you! Epsom salt as well is a great option. Here’s a fun fact….epsom salt isn’t actually salt at all! It’s a mineral found in water that contains high levels of magnesium and sulfate, which is what is primarily made up of. Any of these above options create a wonderful relaxing at-home spa experience. They will help draw out toxins, cleanse the skin and most importantly, help you relax. Add some essential oils or bubbles to have a wonderfully scent filled experience! Not much beats a hot soak with a good book and a glass of your favourite beverage to sip on! Self-care at its best!

Aaahhhh, the golden hue of flax! Some call it one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet as it shows some evidence that it may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Whether you consume this as a seed, or its oil form, flax has benefited many people in a variety of ways. Not bad for such a small seed that was around as early as 3000 BC.

Flaxseeds contain a group of nutrients called lignans, which contain powerful antioxidant and estrogen properties that may help prevent breast and prostate cancer, as well as other types of cancer. In fact, flax seeds contain up to 800 more lignans than other plant food sources.

Flax is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the two essential fatty acids that you have to obtain from the foods you eat, as your body doesn’t produce them. This makes them a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, especially if you are a vegetarian or don’t eat fish.

Studies done on animals have shown that the ALA in flaxseeds prevented cholesterol from depositing in the blood vessels of the heart, reduced inflammation in the arteries and reduced tumour growth.

Just a single tablespoon provides protein, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals.

Another great fact about flax is, in its ground up form, it’s a fabulous fibre source, containing both soluble and insoluble fibres. These are beneficial in supporting the colon and achieving regular bowel movements. The insoluble fibre also supports digestion keeping you feeling full longer, as well as reducing blood sugar, which is beneficial to diabetics.

Keep in mind though, flax seed oil and ground flax seed are both very vulnerable to both light and heat. Keep the oil in the fridge and do not cook with it, as heating it makes it rancid. Rather drizzle it on foods after cooking, or use it in a salad dressing. Ground flax ideally should be ground and consumed, but seeing that most of us don’t have too much spare time, an alternative is to grind some up and store it in a container in your freezer, taking it out as needed. Add some to a smoothie, your bowl of yogurt or cereal, or sprinkle on your foods once cooked. Its nutty taste is fantastic and its health benefits are astounding!