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.
They somewhat resemble their tooth-achingly sweet cousin, the Nanaimo Bar, with their pretty layers and chocolate finish, but with a health-promoting twist. While these still count as a dessert, they contain healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil and walnuts), fibre and, well, chocolate. We all love chocolate. They’re also decadent with their bright green middles.
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 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.
While vaccines play a critical role in public health, it’s important to acknowledge that, like any medical intervention, they come with potential risks. Some individuals may experience mild side effects, while in rare cases, more serious reactions can occur. It’s crucial for patients to have access to accurate information about these risks so they can make informed decisions about vaccination. Naturopathic doctors are committed to educating patients about both the benefits and potential risks associated with vaccines, allowing individuals to weigh their options carefully.
In cases where someone does experience an adverse reaction, understanding their rights becomes essential. This is where seeking guidance from professionals, such as My Vaccine Lawyer, can be helpful. These experts can provide the necessary legal advice and support for individuals who feel they’ve been harmed by a vaccine. While the occurrence of serious side effects is rare, having access to legal resources ensures that patients are protected and informed throughout their healthcare journey.
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 | 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 | Jan 17, 2014 | Balance, Detoxification, Diet, Digestion, Food, Health
Eat up those whole foods, just save the raw until spring.
A month’s worth of holiday excesses, combined with this wet, soggy weather can contribute to feelings of bloated, puffy lethargy. I feel that, at this time of year, everyone is shunning the scale and examining their side profiles in the mirror, lying down to button up jeans and secretly blaming life’s woes on apple pie. For many, weeks of over-doing it in December, mean a January of self-induced deprivation to get back on track and re-emerge as svelte and bounding again.
It seems intuitive to balance a period of indulgence with deprivation. If weeks of unrestricted treats pushed us off track, then surely a firm, hard shove in the other direction should get us back on the rails. However, as any winter driver or horseback rider knows, sometimes all we need is a gentle nudging to steer our stead back on to the right path.
This year I’ve held myself back from diving off the cleansing deep end. I’ve decided that this year I need gentle nourishment, not another nagging voice in my head, moulding my behaviour one way or the other. I need far more carrots (cooked delicately in stews, not raw) than sticks. I’ve decided to nurture my relationship with food using diplomacy, not by summoning the cavalry.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 10, 2013 | Diet, Digestion, DIY, Food, Food Sensitivities, Health, Nutrition
The only beauty product you need, really, is a jar of coconut oil and a few ingredients from your kitchen. This delicious-tasting oil is great for cooking because of its high melting point, allowing it to be used in stir-frys or other foods cooked and baked at higher temperatures without oxidizing. It’s also unique in its possession of a healthy saturated fat called lauric acid and its medium chain fatty acids, known for their tendency to be used directly as fuel by the body, rather than being stored as fat. Coconut oil also boasts of antibacterial properties and has a low molecular weight, allowing it to absorb silkily into skin and hair. Here are 10 healthy uses for this oil for the inside and outside of your body.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jul 30, 2013 | Animals, Diet, Elimination Diet, Food, Food Sensitivities, Health
“Moooo! Our milk is for our calves!”
As far as Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating is concerned, naturopathic doctors differ in their views. In terms of a general guideline, I believe that it does a pretty good job of promoting a healthy diet: focusing on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, meat and protein. It even suggests adding healthy oils to the diet and supplementing with vitamin D. Not bad. But, as they say in my family, “Close, but no cigar.” I have one piece of beef with the Food Guide, and it’s not the beef, but rather another cow product that offends me: the outrageously huge influence on dairy.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jul 23, 2013 | Allergies, Autoimmune, Detoxification, Diet, Digestion, Food, Health, Nutrition, Skin health
There are many types of immune cells in our bodies and various groups that they belong to: leukocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, etc. Some of the major contenders, and the ones that are involved in autoimmune disease and allergic conditions, are a type of lymphocyte called the T cells. T cells can be divided into more groups: among them cytotoxic, “killer” T cells and helper T cells.
The helper T cells have a role in presenting inside invaders to B cells and other cells of the immune system, while the killer T cells kill the bad guys directly. The helper T cells can be divided into two more groups: Th1 and Th2 (the h stands for “helper”). Th1 cells are involved in the first part of the immune system, showing the invaders to macrophages, which eat the invading pathogens, Pacman style, while also sounding the call that the body has been invaded and recruiting more immune cells to the scene. The Th2 cells show the invaders to other lymphocytes, the B cells, which make antibodies, providing the body with memory of what to do when the same invader strikes again.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jul 15, 2013 | Dessert, Diet, Elimination Diet, Food, Gluten Free, Health, Nutrition, Paleo, Recipes, Summer
I never thought I’d enjoy ice cream again. During the 4 months I spent volunteering in Costa Rica, I became obsessed with ice cream. It wasn’t my fault; it seemed that the whole population was obsessed. At the end of a long work day, one could spot businessmen nursing a McDonald’s soft-serve cone, leaning their bodies back from the drips that threatened to send their suits to the dry cleaners early.
This obsession with ice cream, which is damp and cold, is probably not the best thing for people of Kapha constituion, but I knew very little about ayurvedic medicine back then. I also had no idea that one could be intolerant to dairy, which I now know that I am. My almost-daily ice cream treat contributed to a 40-pound weight gain in those 4 short months.
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