by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 11, 2013 | Food, Health, Nutrition
In North America, we are faced with a problem that is unique to our side of the world: over-abundance of food. We lack the traditional foundations of eating, most of us have spent our childhood in classrooms and in front of televisions, not helping our grandmothers need dough for gnocchi or boiling tomatoes for canning for the winter. Few of us know how to make bread from scratch or ferment milk for yogurt. Our time is slim and the emergence of the empowered, working female has taken us out of the kitchen and into the supermarket or restaurant where food brands compete for our attention, promising us lucrative health claims, confusing the matter even more.
When I travel, people from other countries ask me what a typical “Canadian Dish” is. I, think of how my favourite food is Ethiopian injera and stews or how we often celebrate by going out for sushi, taking part in enjoying cuisine from two different countries I have yet to visit. This is one of many reasons why North Americans are confused about what to eat: we lack a gastronomical identity and, because we don’t have our roots to guide us, we’re left in the dark, reading labels and feeling utterly confused.
However, eating well is a simple equation coined by author Michael Pollen, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This healthy eating ideology outlines the importance of eating something called “whole foods”, the holy grail of healthy food, which basically include food that is minimally processed, in its whole, natural form.
Navigating the complexities of food choices can be daunting, especially when trying to maintain a healthy diet in a world filled with processed options. This is where meal kit services come into play, offering a practical solution for those looking to simplify their cooking routines while still prioritizing nutrition. These services deliver pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes right to your doorstep, making it easier than ever to prepare wholesome meals at home.
One appealing aspect of many meal kit services is their focus on accommodating diverse dietary preferences, including options like factor vegetarian meals. These meal kits provide a convenient way to explore plant-based cuisine while ensuring that the dishes are both delicious and nutritious. By emphasizing whole foods and seasonal ingredients, these services not only save time in meal planning but also help individuals forge a deeper connection with the food they eat.
Putting this philosophy into practice may not always be easy, however, so here are some simple rules:
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 30, 2013 | Asian Medicine, Detoxification, Digestion, Exams, Food, Health, Mindfulness, Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Spleen organ can be more closely equated with the pancreas, rather than the western spleen, whose main function is simply to store blood. The TCM Spleen is responsible for digesting food and converting it into energy, much in the way the pancreas releases insulin to allow the body’s cells to absorb ingested glucose, providing the cells with energy. Unlike the pancreas, however, the TCM Spleen is also responsible for providing warmth and vitality to the body, providing energy for immune function and the mental energy to produce industrious and creativity work. The Spleen belongs to the Earth Element and its main season is late Summer and early Fall, right around the time that students dust off their backpacks and head back to school.
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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 | Sep 3, 2013 | Cooking, Education, Food, Gluten Free, Health, Nutrition, Recipes, Student
Welcome back to school, everyone! Thankfully, being a 4th year intern, my days of sitting in lecture are over with for now. For the rest of you tireless scholars, I find that long days in class are made more bearable when I have something yummy and nutritious to nosh on. Just in case you’re bored of the old soup, sandwich, salad lunch rut, here is a new take on portable nutrition. This recipe is low-carb, high in protein and contains a serving of leafy greens. Kale is one of nature’s most perfect foods. Chock full of vitamins and minerals, this versatile leafy green can be added to anything that you used to add spinach or lettuce to: smoothies, salads, soups, sauces, steamed or sauteed on the side, or in this wonderful frittata recipe!
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 29, 2013 | Colombia, Community, Food, Human Rights, Nutrition, Protests, South America
Globalization has selected its next victim. In July, 2012, Colombia signed a free trade agreement with the United States. Fuelled by the desire to “develop” economically, i.e.: have access to the amenities and material goods of the first world, the initial reaction was quite positive. Citizens flocked to multinational brands like GAP and many excitedly awaited the promise of the arrival of Starbucks. On August 1, of this year, the free trade agreement with the European Union also came into effect.
Since signing the free trade agreement, imports from the US to Colombia have increased by about 70%, according to Counterpunch, “In 2011, Colombia imported 5,000 tons of rice from the US. In the year after the fta came in, 98,000 tons were imported.”
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Aug 21, 2013 | Food, Hydrotherapy, Natural Body Care, Nature Cure, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Self-care, Women's health
It had been a while since I’d truly taken a vacation. After handing in 4 case management forms (CMFs) and writing 1 exam, and endless weeks of seeing patients in clinic, putting the health of others above and beyond my own, I decided that I would hang back from my rat race of assignments, expectations and obligations and indulge in a little self-care at my favourite hydrotherapy haven, Body Blitz.
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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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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jul 6, 2013 | Diet, Food, Health, Nutrition
For some weekend inspiration I compiled a simple poster on how to eat. What has become very complicated by popular diet books, Dr. Oz and billions of dollars of weight loss fads is really quite simple: eat real food. Follow these simple principles, one day at a time, in moderation, and I know you’ll do great things for your health and general well-being.
And finally, remember, “it’s not always what you eat, but what might be eating you.” Diet and exercise have their place but dealing with the mental and emotional stuff is just as important too.
