by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 22, 2015 | Dessert, Diet, Food, Gluten Free, Health, Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes
It’s hard to please everyone nowadays. Some people won’t eat grains, others want to protect the animals. Still other people prefer to cut down on their sugar or avoid foods cooked over certain temperatures to preserve nutrients. How do you satisfy this diverse group of foodies with one one-size-fits-all dessert? The search ends here. These chocolate mint squares are raw, vegan, Paleo, low sugar – the only thing they aren’t is hard to make. They take a few minutes to prepare and all you need are the ingredients and a decent food processor or blender.
Ingredients:
1 cup large dates, pits removed
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup walnuts
3 small avocados
coconut oil
1/4 maple syrup or honey
bakers dark chocolate, or dark chocolate baking wafers (available at Bulk Barn)
2 tsp of peppermint extract
Directions:
Base layer:
Lay some parchment paper on a small baking pan. In a food processor blend together the dates (add a little water to the mixture), cocoa powder and walnuts. Spread the blended ingredients over the parchment paper and place everything in the freezer so that it hardens.
Middle layer:
Blend together the avocados, 2 tbs of coconut oil, the maple syrup and 1 capful of peppermint extract. I like to squeeze in a little lemon to keep the avocados looking nice and green. When the base layer is hard, pour the middle layer on top, then return to the freezer for minimum one hour.
Top layer:
In the microwave or small sauce pan, melt a handful of chocolate, 1 tbs coconut oil and 1/2 capful of peppermint extract. Mix together until everything is liquid and uniform. Pour a thin coating of the chocolate layer on top of the frozen avocado layer then return everything to the freezer.
When everything is set in place, carefully cut the recipe into small squares. They will be hard to cut if the top chocolate layer is too thick, as it cracks when hardened. It helps to heat the knife with hot water and slowly cut the squares. Store everything in the freezer and serve cold.
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 21, 2015 | Diet, Digestion, Food, Health, Healthy, Weight Loss
Now that we’re in the throes of January, I imagine that even the most committed of us have long ditched our New Year’s resolutions. Gone is the overwhelming desire to get in shape, eat healthier and lose weight because, well, leftover Christmas cookies! Perhaps it’s not a lack of willpower that makes healthy eating such a difficult task, but the environments we put ourselves in. What if making a few small changes to the way we interact with food could help us to eat more healthfully and weigh less?
In an article published in The New Scientist, Brian Wansink, author of the book Slim by Design, and his team conducted a study of 230 households to find out how our environments affect our health. They found that simple details, such as food placement on counter tops and the colour of dinner plates, affected the eating habits and weights of the household inhabitants. Based on what they found, here are some of their recommendations.
Eat off of dark plates.
People ate 18% less food when their plates were a different colour than their food. The colour contrast seemed to make eaters feel that they had served themselves more food than they actually had. Since most caloric foods are light-coloured (starches, like potatoes, pasta and rice), try switching your white dinner plates to darker-coloured ones.
Hide your cereal boxes.
Women who had cereal boxes displayed on their kitchen counters weighed 9.5 kg more than those who didn’t. However, women who had fruit on display weighed 3 kg less on average. Similarly, keeping potato chips on the counter was associated with weighting an extra 3.6 kg compared to those who hid the chips from plain view. The take home message? What we can’t see doesn’t tempt us. Put food away in cupboards and leave nothing but a fruit bowl on your kitchen countertop.
Serve yourself buffet-style from the kitchen counter.
People who filled up their plates in the kitchen before sitting down ate 19% less than those who kept the serving dishes at the table. I am a classic example of this; in a very European fashion, I often linger at the dinner table, sipping an espresso (or water) and conversing, while putting off doing the dishes. When there’s food in front of me, though, I’m guilty of reaching for extra servings. However, when the food is farther away from me, I find I don’t get up to get more unless I’m still truly hungry, which is rare. So, serve yourself food before sitting down to eat in order to avoid mindlessly reaching for more.
Use smaller serving spoons.
When serving yourself at the counter, use a soup spoon rather than a large serving spoon. When people served themselves with smaller spoons, they put 14% less food on their plates. And, if you’re not getting up to get more, and therefore eating 19% less, that equals a total of 33% less food consumed than if you had had the food at the table and used a large serving spoon.
Keep only your salad on the table.
You’ll eat more greens if they’re right in front of you. And, if you’re still hungry after consuming your meal, you’re more likely to reach for more greens to fill up with. Sometimes we can use our laziness to our own advantage. Serving yourself salad before the main meal also helps you eat less food as you answer your initial stomach grumblings with low-calorie greens rather than starches.
Sit down at the dinner table.
Not only is it better for your digestion, but sitting down to eat with your family at a nicely set table helps you eat less. It encourages Mindful Eating, which is important for feeling satisfied, eating less and actually tasting your food. Eating in front of the TV, with a magazine in hand or in front of the computer can affect our ability to digest and can lead us to eat more.
Serve your wine in tall glasses.
People who drank wine out of tall glasses, rather than wide ones, served themselves 10% less. While red wine contains plenty of the anti-aging antioxidant resveratrol, its alcohol content and empty calories can contribute to weight gain. Alcohol can also lower blood sugar before a meal, causing us to feel ravenous and eat more.
In a restaurant, choose the window seat.
Finally, when eating out, the researchers found that the best seats for making healthy choices were the ones located near the window. Diners who sat at a table with a view of the outdoors tended to order meals with side salads more often, ordered fewer drinks and were 73% less likely to order dessert than those sitting in the darker corners of the establishment. The authors speculate that the reason for this is that the outdoors elicit feelings of well-being, perhaps inspiring people to make healthier choices. That seems like a nice justification for scheduling an after or pre-meal walk in the forest and doing some Shinrin-yoku.
Reference:
Wansink, Brian. “Easy as Pie”. The New Scientist: 36-38. 10 Jan 2015.
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 12, 2015 | Family, Finding yourself, Healing Stories, Health, Letting Go, Love, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Philosophy, Poetry, Relationships, Self-care, Self-esteem, Self-reflection
I’m grateful for endings
that merge into new beginnings,
karmic cycles and their painful lessons
and excruciating yearly rituals that often end
in transformations.
I’m grateful for long late-night horizontal conversations
tiny loving gestures
unity
and the Universe announcing her timing
loud and clear.
For experience.
For strength and resilience
reflected
in the mirror.
For friends and family who linger
around the corner
ready to reemerge
when you call them.
For cold winter winds that bring loss
and change
and propel us on.
For memories that needn’t be analyzed;
they’re simply gifts to cherish and remember.
The winter winds push us
on through the frigid night
into spring.
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 4, 2015 | Balance, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Diet, Evidence Based Medicine, Health, Medicine, Nutrition, Preventive Medicine, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Science
My family waste no time making illusions about their lack of acceptance of my form of medicine. If left unchecked, dinner table conversation can quickly lead to arguments about the efficacy of the flu shot, why Cold FX is unnecessary and whether “eating in moderation” includes microwave pizza. Lately I’ve decided it’s not worth the bother to champion my cause; I now simply remain silent, keeping my eyes on my gluten-free toast. Having a family that is not well-versed in natural medicine, however, is educational. It removes me from the naturopathic medicine bubble of my colleagues and ex-classmates and brings me back to reality. The truth is that many people don’t know or can’t appreciate what we naturopathic doctors do. There are several myths I’ve been confronted with, ranging from critically negative to unknowingly innocent, that need to be destroyed.
1. Naturopathic Medicine is not scientific.
The main criticism against naturopathic medicine is that it is unfounded and unscientific. “If alternative medicine worked, it would just be called medicine,” once said Tim Minchin, a comedian that skeptics love to quote. While there are several political reasons for the fact that there are not as many studies on natural therapies as there are on conventional medical therapies, the body of evidence that supports natural therapies is growing. Naturopathic doctors use conventional medicine to diagnose, request laboratory tests and perform physical exams on our patients. We follow many conventional medical guidelines, all of which are evidence-based. In naturopathic medical school, we were taught to consult a wide range of scientific journals for developing our treatment plans. Throughout our education we were required to write research reviews and case studies. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and its affiliate centres such as the Ottawa Integrated Cancer Centre conduct many research studies and offer research residency programs for graduates of the naturopathic medicine program.
Further, the notion that nutrition is unscientific is ridiculous. We know that what we put in our bodies can either improve or diminish our state of health. Herbal remedies and therapies, such as acupuncture, have been used for millennia. Most drugs are derived from the medicinal properties of herbs.
Additionally, there is an increasing number of medical doctors employing natural therapies in their practices; the reasons being that they are safe, gentle and they work.
2. Naturopathic doctors are anti-pharmaceutical, anti-surgery and anti-vaccine.
The practice of naturopathic medicine involves adhering to the Therapeutic Order. This order is a loose guideline for developing a treatment plan that begins with establishing the conditions for health: a healthy diet, lifestyle and environment, and ends with more invasive therapies not performed by naturopathic doctors, such as powerful medications and surgery. For example, if you break your arm, a medical doctor will set the bones back into place, manage your pain and immobilize the bones by using a cast and sling. However, drugs and surgery do not fuse your bone back together. This magical feat is performed by your body, or what we naturopathic doctors term the healing power of nature. Surgery would not work without it. Our job as naturopathic doctors is to help your body do its job of healing, enabling your bones to heal faster.
Like natural therapies, some conventional therapies are better than others. Some heavy medications are necessary for temporarily managing pain or stabilizing life-threatening acute conditions, such as anaphylactic shock. However, preventing these health crises or working alongside conventional medicine to help the body better recover is the job of the naturopathic doctor.
Naturopathic doctors are not anti-vaccine. Some vaccines are more effective than others and, like many therapies, some vaccines carry with them risks, however small. Naturopathic doctors have medical knowledge and time to spend with patients. We believe in taking the time to share our knowledge and research with patients to help them make informed choices about their health and what goes into their bodies, vaccines included.
3. Patients need to choose between naturopathic and conventional medicine.
There are numerous studies that show that, when practiced together, naturopathic medicine and conventional medicine achieve better outcomes than conventional medicine alone. Naturopathic cancer care, for example, is not about curing cancer with green smoothies; it aims to keep patients feeling healthy and strong while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation so that they can complete their treatment. Many patients with cancer experience negative outcomes because the treatment cannot be completed due to diminishing health or debilitating side effects. For any condition, naturopathic doctors work alongside medical doctors to benefit our patients. The job of the naturopathic doctor is to help strengthen our patients’ health and support their bodies through disease, not compete with medical doctors. Many people term naturopathic medicine Integrative Medicine because it aims to integrate the existing body of medical knowledge, both conventional and natural, to better help patients.
4. You can go to a supplement store; you don’t need a naturopathic doctor.
Natural health products are a complicated issue because, like Advil, they can be acquired without a doctor’s prescription. However, this means that patients become consumers, subject to marketing schemes and misinformation. A naturopathic doctor is a doctor. We take your health history (spending up to 90 minutes doing so) and then spend time developing a comprehensive treatment plan that fits you as an individual. This is far more powerful and effective than simply buying health products on a whim or shooting in the dark. We recommend products at the correct dose and for the appropriate duration. We can also tell you which products have the most evidence behind them. We have studied medicine for 8 years and develop treatment plans, as doctors, to treat your condition. This is vastly different from self-prescribing fish oil because you heard it’s good for you.
5. You should only visit a naturopathic doctor if you’re willing to make drastic lifestyle changes.
There was a time when naturopathic doctors put all of their patients on an extreme diet, such as the Anti-Candida Diet or some facsimile. While many people felt better on this diet – it eliminated many noxious foods such as fast food, processed foods and sugar – it served to intimidate many who didn’t feel ready for such a drastic change. Fortunately for patients, those days are over. While the practice style of the naturopathic doctor can vary, my personal style is to start slowly and not overwhelm. The treatment plan your naturopathic doctor prescribes you will depend on your readiness for change; you will not be pushed into doing anything you are unready for. Naturopathic doctors are also trained in counselling and are able to assess your readiness for change and help motivate you to make health changes at a pace that you feel comfortable with. We are also trained to support you through the process of making changes, ensuring your success and health outcomes.
6. Naturopathic medicine is for the rich.
It is an unfortunate truth that naturopathic visits are not financially accessible for all Canadians. I charge between $95 to $150 for a visit and, even if the visit lasts 90 minutes, this is certainly not cheap. However, the cost of medicine is not cheap, even if it is covered by the government. There is evidence to show that naturopathic medicine saves the individual and the tax payer money; it is far cheaper to prevent disease than treat it. The average patient at my clinic spends $500 a year on naturopathic visits, most or all of which is covered by extended health benefits. In 2014 the Ontario government removed the need to charge HST for naturopathic visits, slightly reducing the cost of naturopathic medicine. Lastly, while supplements and therapies need to be paid for out of pocket, naturopathic doctors tailor their supplement recommendations to your treatment plan and are trained to take your financial situation into consideration when designing a treatment plan.
When we consider all of the things we channel our money towards, I believe that we as a country could afford to dedicate a little more of our salaries to our health. The average Canadian woman spends $1200 a year on cosmetics and personal care products. However, real beauty comes from being healthy—cultivating a healthy glow from the inside out. Health is your greatest asset; perhaps we should invest in it if we have the means. For those who simply cannot afford naturopathic medicine there are free satellite clinics staffed by interns and cost-effective options such as community acupuncture that provide natural medicine at a more affordable price.
7. Naturopathic medicine is for granola-munching hippies.
Even though my website and business cards are covered in flowers (flowers are beautiful!), naturopathic medicine aims to include everyone, no matter what their value system is. Naturopathic medicine is for people who value their health. It is for those who believe that healing is more than suppressing symptoms and remaining medicated for the rest of their lives. Naturopathic medicine offers an option to anyone who wonders how their lifestyle and diet may be affecting their health. We believe in empowering people to lead healthier lives and to take a more active role in how they feel mentally and physically. We use science, clinical experience and traditional therapies to help people feel better. You don’t need to be a vegan to appreciate what good health is worth.
What other natural health myths have you heard that require destroying?
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jan 3, 2015 | Gratitude, Health, Holidays, Medicine, Mindfulness, NPLEX, Professional Development, Relationships, Volunteering
2014 has been a year of beginnings and endings. I ended two major relationships: one with the school I went to for 4 years and another with a long-term boyfriend, and began two new ones: I embarked on my own career as a naturopathic doctor and started a new relationship. The past year for me represents the tail end of several important life-cycles and the promise of exciting new beginnings.
It was the year I turned 28, starting a new 7-year karmic cycle. I broke up with my now ex-boyfriend of 5 years and finished my studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. I dedicated a large portion of my time to social activities, self-expansion and personal growth. I got out into the world and made new friends while strengthening old friendships. I became a little more daring and a lot more open. These changes helped groom me into a better doctor.
I spent the summer working, dating and studying for NPLEX II. I embraced new opportunities and made many new friends with co-workers, ex-classmates and complete strangers. I became more artistic.
I went to India in August and September after finishing NPLEX II. After 4 years of constantly doing, it felt wonderful to relax into the chaos of India and become an observer for a month. Simply being felt foreign and very uncomfortable at times, but also balancing. I relished the long train rides, the heat and the variety of cultures, smells and colours – especially the food. India contains a furious energy about it. It was a wonderful experience and a brilliant way to open myself up further to new experiences while exploring a different corner of the world.
When I arrived home from India I was ecstatic to find that I had passed NPLEX II and my Ontario board exams. I applied for my naturopathic licence and began looking for clinic spaces. When I met Heather Osler at the Bloor West Homeopathic & Wellness Clinic, I immediately knew that the space was an excellent fit. So far, I’ve been right. The calming, healing energy of the space and the wonderful staff have been amazing. I have been blessed with a practice that has been slowly and steadily building from my first week. I am grateful for the wonderful patients that have booked with me in 2014. I have learned a lot from them and have had the opportunity to help them feel better, something that I love to do.
2015 brings with it the promise of more successes in private practice as I grow my existing patient base and eventually add more practice days to my week. I look forward to connecting with my ex-classmates and new colleagues, to giving talks and writing blogs and connecting with the community. I will be taking a course in Motivational Interviewing (MI) at OISE at the University of Toronto this January and February. I also hope to take more courses in psychological methods to strengthen my ability to treat mental health conditions; I plan to find ways to bring my love for art and writing to the therapeutic experience.
I have the opportunity to volunteer 1-2 days a month at the Yonge Street Mission health clinic and am looking forward to spreading naturopathic medicine to the community, a passion of mine. Between my private practice and volunteer work, I hope to quickly expand the number of people I help with naturopathic medicine.
2015 will bring with it creativity, in the form of exciting new writing projects and an effort on my part to make time for painting and consuming art.
I hope 2015 will be a year of love, bringing with it more fulfilling relationships and the opportunity to strengthen my existing ones with friends, my significant other, my family and, of course, my Colombian yorkie, Coco. I learn so much from my relationships and they remain the most important part of my life. They encourage me to grow and continue to challenge me to become a better person, writer and doctor. I hope to find mentors both inside and outside my profession that challenge me to continue to grow and provide me with needed guidance on my journey.
I plan to travel in 2015, to Puerto Rico, to visit the home of a dear friend and his growing family and back to Guatemala, to see my best friend in her tiny, bohemian village. I would also love to do a silent meditation retreat this year, finding more centring and balance.
I also know that 2015 will be about my own personal health. I have resolved to cut out sugar, drink more water and dedicate myself to becoming physically fitter by engaging in more yoga and strength training. I also resolve to strengthen my mindfulness practice and meditate more regularly, which I believe will help me become more conscious and present, both as a human and as a healthcare practitioner.
Most of all, I hope that 2015 will be about gratitude. As I become older, time seems to pass all the more quickly and I find this to be an alarmingly unpleasant realization. As a lifelong student and now a professional running her own business, I often find myself consumed by future goals, wants and needs, which interferes with my ability to live in the present moment, be reflective of and grateful for all the blessings I have been given in my life and currently enjoy. Dedicating myself to counting these blessings helps to anchor me to the present moment and feel happier with the wonderful life I’ve been given and the wonderful people who surround me.
2014 was an amazing year of transformation and growth. While Back to the Future II promised us a 2015 of flying cars and 80’s-style sneakers that automatically lace themselves, I believe the real 2015 will be an even better year filled with strength, opportunities for further growth and development and love. I hope to build more confidence and wisdom this year, develop more confidence in myself and add more stability to my life. 2015 will be about building strength and foundation.
I wish all of you the best this 2015. What are your reflections, hopes and resolutions for the coming year?
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 16, 2014 | Family, Gifts, Health, Relationships, Tea
It has been two years since I wrote this popular post. While we’re still strapped for cash, I decided to create an updated version of gift ideas for naturopathic students, doctors and people alike. These gifts are designed to fit the tastes and lifestyle of a health-conscious individual and are geared towards creating a minimal impact on the environment and your wallet while supporting local business and artisans. Happy Holidays!
Supplements:
I have decided that this year my family is receiving vitamin B12 shots and vitamin D drops. I love the d-drops that Shopper’s Drugmart sells. They are inexpensive and have only medium-chain triglycerides and flaxseed oil as additives. This provides the fat needed for vitamin D absorption. Each drop gives you 1000 IU so it’s quick and easy to dose. Vitamin D deficiency can result in autoimmune disease and decreased immunity, hair loss, fatigue and increased risk of certain cancers. So supplement daily from fall until spring. Other great go-to supplements are fish oils, probiotics and herbal tinctures. Talk to your naturopathic doctor about quality brands and the correct dosing and indications.
Teas:
This is a fan favourite. You can visit David’s Tea or Teavana or other local places for ready-made, delicious loose leaf teas. I found some great teas at Adagio Teas and ordered a massive bag. Or you can shops at Perfect Herbs (for practitioners), the Herbal Dispensary or Clefs de Champs, and mix and match herbal concoctions according to the personality and health needs of your family members. Is your brother suffering from premature hair loss and work-related stress? Mix in some Fo-ti and liquorice root. Is your father always on edge? Add in some chamomile and lavender to calm his nerves. Put the containers in a mason jar and create fancy labels and instructions for them. Consider infusion teapots of these Libretea glass mugs, recommended by a friend and colleague.
Natural Body Care:
You can make your own (start with my recipes page or wellnessmama.com), which I prefer, or you can buy from local businesses and artisans; you can start with some amazing products from these lovely herbal ladies or visit a crafts or health fair. Alternatively, Winners often amazes me with some of the organic and natural products that they sell for decent prices, including a face cream with hyaluronic acid made in Italy and argon oil serums. If you’re pressed for cash, I’ve made a great face mask out of matcha green tea powder, castor oil and coconut oil.
Natural soaps, snacks and healthy baking essentials:
Bulk Barn is my new favourite natural haven. I found $1 handmade soaps of evening primrose oil and goat’s milk. I also saw $3 bags of kale chips with vegan seasonings like hemp cream and chives. You can put together a body care and snack package, hooking your loved one up with a selection of gluten-free flours, cereals and even protein powders. You can even purchase glass jars for creating pretty packaging.
Castor oil:
Seems silly, but this really is the gift that keeps on giving. Include a package of instructions on how to create castor oil packs (you can even include a hot water bottle), hair masks and full-body massages. I love castor oil and use it in some way everyday. Alternatively, you can also buy your loved one a quality coconut oil.
Books:
Always a great idea for a gift and the prices range dramatically, making them appropriate for any budget. On my wish list are, Healing Depression Naturally, Motivational Interviewing 3rd Edition, Narrative Practice and Food and Healing. Ebooks are often free or very inexpensive. They are another great option and easily accessible on any tablet, smartphone or e-reader.
Coffee Passports:
Toronto Indie Coffee Passport: just because that’s what I want for Christmas (and out of life in general).
A session (or two) with a naturopathic doctor:
Intakes are $150 and covered under most extended health insurance plans. Give your loves ones the gift of health while supporting a local professional. Related options are a package of massages, a gift certificate to Body Blitz or a series of yoga or meditation classes.
Handmade items:
I love Etsy. Also check out Christmas markets and one-of-a-kind shows. Or get in touch with crafty friends who are selling their handiwork. Last year I bought “magic bags” for the whole family, which were made by a particularly crafty friend. Now whenever anyone has sore muscles, indigestion or a headache, we microwave or heat up a bag and enjoy the warmth.
A night out:
This is usually my go-to gift for my father who much prefers quality time over material items. We take him to a movie that he wants to see, a comedy show at Second City ($15 a ticket for students), Art Battle Toronto (held one Tuesday night a month) or Toronto Poetry Slam and out to dinner. Or you can cook a nutritious and delicious dinner at home. And in that case, you’ll need to buy:
A bottle of local wine or a case of craft beer:
I love Ontario wines and they are usually pretty inexpensive, sometimes organic and local. Light a fire, put on some wool socks and Christmas music and enjoy a bottle of red with some organic chocolate from ChocoSol (the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in a long time) and enjoy each others’ company.
A homeopathic first aid kit:
A must-have for any natural health nut, these kits contain a variety of acute, low-potency homeopathic remedies for any health occasion. These contain remedies for a variety of acute conditions including post-surgeries, bruises, bug-bites, coughs, colds and headaches. You can also consider a drainage kit or homeopathic detox kit.
Wall art:
Another personal go-to. I took pictures of mossy, graffiti-covered walls while traveling in India, printed them in 8×10’s and framed them for my brother’s new house. It adds colour, love and memory to your walls and transforms a space while being a meaningful yet inexpensive gift.
Plants:
Decorative or practical (herbs, spices, vegetables), plants are always a natural go-to for the lover of all things green. I’ve seen cool bags for making living walls at local nurseries, which can reduce the carbon footprint and increase the feeling of nature and tranquility to any indoor space.
What about you, what are your favourite go-to gift ideas for the healthy and environmentally conscious individual?
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 10, 2014 | Asian Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Cooking, Digestion, Food, Gluten Free, Nutrition, Recipes
Finding the time and energy to cook during the winter can be tough. However, one of the best things you can do for your health (and wallet) is cook meals at home. Knowing a few slow cooker recipes is essential for getting through a cold, dry winter. Soups, stews and curries are warming and easy to digest; these healthy comfort foods help us feel energized and keep our immune systems strong. Slow cooking is a great way to prepare healthy, hearty meals while you watch the Mindy Project or spend the day working or hiking in the forest. This recipe makes a good amount of eggplant masala, which is perfect for leftovers and lunches. The meal is gluten free (if served with rice) and dairy free as well as vegan. It is high in healthy fibres, healthy fats (if cooked in coconut oil or avocado oil) and protein. The recipe is an adaptation from one I learned at a cooking class I took while traveling in Northern India.
Eggplant Masala (from North India)
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized eggplants
4 large tomatoes (or a can of diced tomatoes)
3 white onions
10 cloves of garlic
1 can of chickpeas or lentils
5 tbs mustard oil, coconut oil or another heat-stable oil (I had avocado oil on hand)
4 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp red chilli peppers
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seed (I couldn’t find fenugreek when I was in the grocery store, and my dog was waiting, tied outside, so I didn’t include it in this recipe. The recipe still tasted lush without it).
a blender, stove and slow-cooker (optional)
Directions:
Heat oil on medium heat, add in the spices to release the flavours.
Blend together tomatoes, onions and garlic. Chop eggplants into 1 inch squares.
Add all the ingredients – eggplants, oil + spices, and vegetable blend, including the lentils/chickpeas – to a slow-cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4. Take a walk with your family, meet your friend for coffee, ride your bike, have a bubble bath or leave for work. Another option is cooking the ingredients on a covered pan over medium-high heat for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until eggplants are soft.
When ready, serve over rice or with chapati or naan.
Enjoy!
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 9, 2014 | Dessert, Diet, Digestion, Food, Gluten Free, Nutrition, Recipes
Perfect for fall, this simple, easily-adapted recipe nourishes a tired digestive system. When the weather gets cold and dry, it serves us well to compensate with foods that are warm in both temperature and constitution. Eating naturally sweetened foods and healthy fats also helps nourish us through what is looking to be a long winter.
SPICED APPLES
Ingredients:
2 apples of your choice
a small handful of nuts: walnuts or pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch each of nutmeg, cloves and ginger
1 tbs of oil: olive oil or coconut
Directions:
Chop apples into slices. Put pan on medium heat, add in apples, oil, nuts and spices. Mix ingredients together, adding small amounts of water to reactivate the oil and coat the apples and nuts with spice. Heat until the apples have the desired softness. Allow to cool and enjoy.
This recipe can be consumed as a healthy snack, a dessert or a healthy breakfast (if paired with a protein source such as eggs or steal-cut oats).
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Dec 8, 2014 | Diet, Health, Medicine, Mental Health, Nutrition, Stress, Vitamins, Weight Loss
One of my favourite vitamins, after B6, is vitamin B12! (Magnesium is my fav mineral). I have recently bought 1000 mcg and 5000 mcg bottles of injectable methylcobalamin for my clinic. The vitamin contains no preservatives or additives. $15 gets you a quick burst of energy in your deltoid muscle.
Here are 12 things you should know about this snazzy, red vitamin.
1) Vitamin B12 is a water soluble B vitamin. It is excreted through the kidneys.
2) It is found naturally in animal products (meat, eggs, fish, dairy). Vegans do not get this from their diets and need to supplement.
3) Excess amounts of B12 are stored in the liver for up to 10 years.
4) B12 deficiency can result in neurological symptoms such as neuropathy: numbness and tingling, depression, dizziness, anemia and fatigue. Suboptimal levels can result in fatigue.
5) B12 absorption can be impaired in the elderly, those who have had gastrointestinal surgery and those with low stomach acid. It requires intrinsic factor, excreted in the stomach to be absorbed in the intestine.
6) B12 is cobalamin. Supplements of B12 come in three main forms: cyanocobalamin, hydroxycobalamin and methylcobalamin.
7) Methylcobalamin is the active form of B12, which is easily absorbed and passes the blood brain barrier, making it an effective treatment for depression and mental fatigue. Cyanocobalamin must be converted to hydroxycobalamin, which is then converted to methylcobalamin. Many people have inadequate enzymes to convert cyano and hydroxycobalamin to the active form. Therefore, supplementing with methylcobalamin is the best option. It also helps support methylation, which our bodies need for detoxification and mental functioning, among a myriad of other biological pathways. Getting a dose of methylcobalamin is like a 2-for-1 deal: you get a bioavailable form of vitamin B12 AND a methyl donor. Who wouldn’t want to get in on that?
8) B12 levels of under about 200 umols/L of blood is termed a B12 deficiency, where neurological symptoms begin to appear. However, for health, naturopathic doctors prefer B12 levels to be at least above 600 umols/L of blood, ideally 1000. Symptoms are often used as the primary guiding force for B12 supplementation. Some genetic variations result in impaired absorption of B12, resulting in high blood levels, but low levels available to cells. Therefore, testing serum B12 is not a very reliable marker of B12 status in the body. Other markers such as homocysteine and methlymalonic acid can help tell more of the story, or you can choose to supplement and listen to your body, seeing how B12 injections make you feel. B12 is non-toxic and there is no known upper limit.
9) Injections of B12 can be used to treat depression, obesity, weight gain, fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis and dementia among other conditions. In most people, B12 injections provide a welcome energy boost. A series of shots of 5000 mcg of methylcobalamin is a powerful treatment for depression; B12 helps the body make serotonin, the happy neurotransmitter.
10) People taking Metformin (a glucose-lowering medication for type II diabetes) should supplement with B12 as this medication depletes the vitamin.
11) Vitamin B12 is required to make red blood cells. Deficiency can cause anemia.
12) B12 also keeps homocysteine low. High homocysteine is an independent risk factor for heart disease and can cause inflammation in the body.
Contact me to learn more about getting B12 injections and injecting some energy into your holiday season!
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 22, 2014 | Detoxification, Evidence Based Medicine, Genetic testing, Medicine, Mental Health, Preventive Medicine
Rosalind Franklin: She might have been left out of the Nobel, but at least she gets the honoured spot as the featured image of this post. Lucky her. (Sorry, readers, just a little inside joke for the molecular biologists out there). Image source: wikipedia.org
“Do you find yourself easily able to bounce back from emotionally-charged situations?” Dr. Emily Fitzgerald, ND, asked while sitting across from me at her white desk. “The fact that this part of the gene is present and not deleted means that you are the ‘cool and collected’ type, the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’, if you will.” She went on, “We find here through our testing that most naturopathic doctors have the other version of this gene.”
Great, I thought, I was genetically unfit to practice naturopathic medicine; it was like something out of the movie GATTACA. I couldn’t help but feel let down by my genetic coding. I had always thought of myself as an empathetic and caring person and yet science was telling me the opposite. Wolf of Wall Street? Seriously? I hated the movie. In fact, I felt more at home sharing a collective vegan lunch with protesters occupying Wall Street than bidding on stock options. Surely this doctor must be mistaken. But alas, it wasn’t her fault. She was simply a messenger, reading out to me what was clearly spelt out in my nucleic acid.
Genes are funny things. We inherit one set from our mothers and another from our fathers. They don’t change throughout our lives and they are responsible for coding all of the proteins, enzymatic reactions and cellular structures that make up our beautiful bodies. However, I once read that interpreting the human body through genetic code is analogous to interpreting Shakespeare’s works by studying the alphabet; it’s not even a recipe, but a mere grocery list.
Dr. Mohammed, the CEO of YouNique Genomics, a Canadian lifestyle genomics company, will also assert that “genes aren’t everything.” Our environment has a lot to do with how they are expressed and this simple fact can explain why, despite the fact that I am missing part of the “emotional gene”, I am still able to regard my patients with positivity, appreciate literature and cry at sappy love stories.
Despite the Nature vs. Nuture debate, there is still a lot that can be garnered from looking at genetic coding. By studying my expression of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms), or small variations in DNA, on only 14 of my 23,000 genes, Dr. Fitzgerald was able to tell me that I am a passionate person, I am capable of regulating my emotions when confronted with difficult situations, I can drink espressos after dinner without affecting my sleep and the Paleo Diet will only lead me to overeat. She told me how dopamine is metabolised in my brain, how my liver detoxifies and how my body digests cholesterol and lipids, giving me information about my long-term risk for heart disease. And she did all of this without looking at her crystal ball, not even once.
I previously associated genetic testing with detecting the risk for diseases such as early-onset Alzeimer’s or breast cancer. I had always thought that knowing one’s genetics was dis-empowering. After all, you’re born with your genetic code; what is the use of learning about something that you can’t change? It seemed to me as useful as tying yourself to a set of train tracks, powerless to stop yourself from being crushed under the freighter speeding towards you.
My mind changed when I learned about functional genomic testing like the kind offered at YouNique. Functional, or lifestyle, genomics don’t predict disease risk but rather only test for genes whose expression can be affected by lifestyle. The test I received was called the SNaP Shot. It looks at 14 genes, including those that code for dopamine metabolism, liver detoxification, methylation pathways and cardiovascular health.
One of the noteworthy pieces of information I learned was that my detoxification pathways are like a leaky faucet with a clogged drain. The enzymes that run Phase I liver detoxification, which make many toxins more toxic, are over-expressed, meaning that they work better than the average person’s. However, I have less than optimal Phase II detoxification, which is responsible for neutralizing these toxins and allowing them to be safely eliminated from the body. This means that I need to start supporting my liver and increasing my production of glutathione, an important antioxidant. If I don’t do this? It’s written in my DNA, and perhaps that stars, that my risk of cancer from toxin exposure could be higher than normal. I bought a bottle of milk thistle the next day.
I also learned that my body has a 30% reduced ability to use folate, meaning that I need to increase my intake of this vitamin or else risk problems with inflammation, which has wide-spread affects. I also found out that I respond poorly to saturated fat intake: it makes me hungrier by stimulating ghrelin, the appetite hormone, and can lead to weight-gain if my diet is uncontrolled. This is relevant in the natural health world because the Paleo Diet involves eating a diet high in saturated fats to achieve the exact opposite aim: controlling hunger. Genetic testing is the future!
What was the immediate result of the information I received by donating a vial of blood and an hour’s consultation time to YouNique? I learned that I need to support my liver (hence the milk thistle) and increase my folate intake. The truth of my long-term disease risk is there, written in my genome, which won’t change, that much is true. What I hadn’t considered, however, is our power to rewrite the future, by using naturopathic medicine to work with the building blocks we inherit. Our genes will always be the same but what we learn about how they are expressed will continuously evolve. Genomic testing, as Dr. Mohammed pointed out, is a living and breathing test. With the same test results, our treatment plans can evolve as our knowledge in the area grows. The more science learns about how lifestyle affects our genes, the more we can work with what we’ve got.
To end off, Dr. Mohammed told me a story in which he was examining a rather unfavourable genetic report before meeting the patient it belonged to, a naturopathic practitioner. When the ND entered the room, Dr. Mohammed was taken aback. Surely this healthy, spry, attractive individual was not the same person whose genes indicated an increased risk of obesity, inflammation, toxic exposure and heart disease? However, this individual had chosen to “walk the talk”, as we say in the field, and live his life in a healthy and holistic way. And, by doing so, he was able to change the course of his own personal health history; a great novel whose prologue began being written moments after his conception but whose conclusion he will be able to co-write. Shakespeare was given the alphabet. We are given a crazy combination of four nucleotides. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. Through lifestyle genomics, I’ve come to realize that what we write with the information we’re given just might be up to us.
To learn more about lifestyle genomic testing and how it can help you affect your own health, contact me.
