An interesting roundup of the most toxic fish and other seafood by Mother Jones.  It not only takes mercury and pollutants that can affect us humans into account but also the environment.    Worth a read for anyone who eats seafood, the article also contains links for those who would like to know more.

12 Most Toxic Fish (For Humans and the Planet)

My friend Samantha has been a vegetarian for more than half her life, and, as you will read, it’s been quite an interesting journey.  Making a decision like that is never easy, but when you are from a religiously meat-eating culture like Ireland, it’s especially tricky.  However, she has found what is right for her, and as an interested observer, I have to say, her steadfast resolve amidst judgmental carnivores is nothing short of admirable.  As we each explore what is right for us, sometimes we find our answers come from the least likely places: like strangers in the supermarket who comment on the contents of our trolley...

With love,
Gabriela

I really am proud of being a vegetarian. Finally.

At 16 years of age I gave up meat (won't bore you with the long story involving a row with a boyfriend, a field, and a cow) and there followed about two decades of apologies for being the difficult one: ‘no honestly, it’s fine, I’ll just scrape the ham off.’ Or, ‘no don’t worry, I’ll stick to the bread.’ And the holidays? Oh, the holidays -- eating nothing for days on end but bowls of cereal and pizza – Yum!

Hardly healthy, you’d agree. And definitely not fun.

Slowly I learned to stop apologizing for my choices, probably about the same time I started to notice how what I ate made me feel. Cheese and chips are tasty but they won’t sustain you through college/work/heavy socializing!

In the last 20 years there have been the odd weak moments. But if the mouth-watering smell of sizzling bacon or the temptation of dropping two easy stones on a steak-heavy Atkin’s diet didn’t turn me, then torturous ‘meet-the-parents-who-haven’t-been-told-you’re-veggie’ dinner parties and cracks about my washed out skin tone were never going to either. I am very proud of sticking to my meat-free principles.

And how times have changed… in the supermarket the other day the checkout assistant commented: ‘oh that’s a healthy basket’. Chatting to her as she scanned my over-salted fake meat products I discovered her perception of my sin-free basket was precisely because of the lack of meat. The heavy reliance on ‘fake’ chicken and sausages told her I was veggie and so health conscious. Blimey!

It is a common perception that today’s vegetarians are a healthy, health conscious bunch. Instead of lacking in energy from the lack of cow, we’re ethically considerate citizens with cupboards full of quinoa and tofu. Yes, I probably eat a higher amount of veg than the average person, but I have to work hard to balance the lack of meat.

And while the meat substitutes I find myself turning to at times are advertised as low in fat and high in fibre, they’re also factory produced and rely a little too much on salt and sugar.  They’re my guilty pleasure, my own version of convenience food, and they only make up a very small part of my diet.

Because after the wilderness of what I like to call my Cheese Sandwich years, I have finally found balance, especially when it comes to my protein intake. It wasn’t easy; it took a lot of research, trial and error. And a food diary that even noted my mood and energy levels, with as much nutritional information as I could cram into each entry.

Each person can figure out what works for them, but some things that I have found to work for me include adding a handful of lentils to homemade soups – it won’t change the taste or texture but will up the protein content as will using chickpeas as a ‘thickener’ rather than always relying on potatoes for example; yoghurt and nuts with fruit at breakfast; a handful of seeds and nuts on salads and veg dishes; some soy beans tossed into a stir-fry. It all helps.

What I won’t do these days is waste a gorgeous, precious eating opportunity on something I don’t like or will make me feel rubbish. I adore food and I especially love sharing meal times – and while you are tucking into your stew/fish pie/beautifully succulent piece of whatever, why should I make do with the rather lazy ‘veggie pasta’ option?

And I make no apology for that :-)

Dear Friends;

I am fascinated by synesthesia.  And while I have by no means been gifted with this strange “affliction,” I do associate tea with melodies.  Each tea, be it the fruity, flowery kind, the harsher blacks or their less-militant green cousins are, to my mind, like melodies.  Tea pours through us, soothing, awakening, revitalizing as needed.  It can be like a Japanese string instrument, or a bagpipe, a viola or a trumpet depending on its notes: earthy, sweet, astringent, bitter.

Like food, tea can be a potent source of vitamins, minerals and energies that can help strengthen our weaknesses – from immune function to a sluggish liver, tea offers remedy as well as respite.

Who doesn’t love a cup of tea? 

(disclaimer: people who don’t like tea are as much of a mystery to me as people who don’t like cats).

A couple of years ago, DW and I had just heard about the very sudden death of a family member and had been trying to digest such tragic, incomprehensible news.  An hour or so after receiving the news, we’d fallen silent, each ruminating on the terrible sadness and repercussions of this person’s demise when I realized that I was terribly thirsty.

“I’m sorry to ask this right now,” I said, feeling the senseless mundanity of such a question in the face of what we were dealing with, “but would you like a cup of tea?”

He raised his head slowly and the expression in his eyes was one of pure gratitude.

“Peppermint please,” he replied.

Though our tea didn’t change the grave facts of the situation or ease our grief, the cheery smell of peppermint combined with its healing properties did provide a moment of relief followed by a newfound energy to accomplish what we needed to -- like buy plane tickets and notify other family members.

Much like pieces of music can imbue situations with different atmospheres or moods, so teas can bring a day to a quiet close or kick-start a great morning.  Tea can be a relaxant and a stimulant, a dreamcatcher or a flu-kicker.

When was the last time you tried listening to classical music?  Or rap?

Next time you reach for that routine earl grey or chamomile (or even coffee), how about giving something new a try?

I love herbal teas for their taste, but the fact is that that they offer numerous health benefits in addition.  Here are a few of my favourites:

Fennel

Fennel tea is known to be soothing to the intestinal tract, helps relieve gas and bloating, calming to an upset stomach as well as abdominal cramps.

The tea, made from the seeds of the plant is also a source of B and C Vitamins, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

Nettle

Stinging nettles were one of my biggest fears as a child.  Little did I know that those rash-inducing bastards would one day become one of my go-to hot drinks.  Rich in iron, folic acid, and calcium, nettle tea also -- surprisingly – contains protein.  Nettle tea really is a wonderful thing: from PMS to seasonal allergies, it is used to treat a myriad of ailments as well as stimulate milk production in women and help them regain their strength after giving birth.

Verbena

Often drunk in conjunction with mint tea in the Middle East, Verbena has potent properties of its own.  Mostly, it is soothing in every way: it helps calm everything from colic to nerves from digestive complaints to fevers, and its lemony flavour is incredibly comforting.

Dandelion

Dandelion tea can be made from both the root as well as the leaves of the plant. 

Known as a liver tonic, dandelion tea has a strong earthy taste.  It is also one of the most effective herbal diuretics, and is a great source of vitamin A, B12, calcium, zinc, iron and potassium.  I love combining it with the Vitamin C-rich Rosehips as their flavours really balance each other out.  And did you know that dandelion leaves contain more beta-carotene than carrots?

With love,
Gabriela

When I first encountered Meghan through our wonderful and talented mutual friend, Catherine Farquharson, I had a hard time believing anyone could really be that cheerful.  But as I got to know her through her writing and later in person, I came to enjoy and respect Meghan’s sunny personality and attitude.  Because you see, although Meghan is quick to find the humor in every situation, she takes health very seriously indeed.  Like many of us, she came to the field of holistic health because of her own battles, and she shares her experiences with positivity, candor, passion, and did I mention humor?

Meghan is a certified nutritionist (C.N.P.), a member of the Canadian Association of Natural Nutritional Practitioners and also works as a holistic lifestyle consultant and digestive coach.  She is based in Toronto, Canada where she runs classes and workshops and writes wonderfully informative eBooks, which she sells on her site.

Below, you will read part of her inspiring story about how she got to where she is – enjoy this taster and I highly recommend you keep reading J

With love,
Gabriela

My Story: How I Got Here

Apr 5th, 2009 by Meghan Telpner

http://meghantelpnerblog.com/

I was on the phone with a client today talking about what her goals were and what she hoped to achieve by working with me. She made a comment that struck me. She said that she wants to gain a healthier relationship with food, eat more whole and more organic.  She went on to say, “I will never be where you are”.

What struck me about this comment is that lately I have become so caught up in what I am doing that I seem to have forgotten where I came from, forgotten that it was only a short time ago I was in a very different place.

It began in 2003, after graduating from university with a degree in fashion, I hopped on a plane with the intention of backpacking for several months around Africa on my own. I would joke that I was going to be a hippie in Africa with a fashion degree. My parents couldn’t work out why I was going and kept saying that I was going to get sick. I insisted they had no idea what they were talking about.  No matter how old you are, it’s always a little annoying when your parents are right and you are wrong.

I was sick from the time I got my vaccinations, before I even left. After backpacking through Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa and Senegal, I couldn’t handle the way I was feeling anymore and so returned home after just ten weeks and there began a three year nightmare.

I was working in advertising, and spending most of my free time trying to work out what was wrong with me. I was going from doctor to doctor and they kept telling me different things- IBS, stress, depression… I started doing my own research and after reading Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care, I knew exactly what I had. It took half a dozen more doctors before I found one who would look past my teary and terrified eyes and take my complaints seriously.

A month later, in the summer of 2006, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, and that diagnosis was later changed to Crohn’s Disease, an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus. This disease can cause severe pain, bleeding, malnutrition and nervous system disorders. My doctor gave me a list of medications I could take and suggested I come back in a few months to discuss surgery.  He said to me- “You’re young, have fun.  Go ahead- eat your cheeseburgers and drink your milkshakes”. He told me there was not much I could do, that there was no cure for what I had and to just learn to live with it.

I couldn’t believe this was my life and that this was what my future was. At 26, I was looking at a lifetime of medication and surgery. Intuitively, I believed there had to be another way. I believed in my heart that if the body, mind and spirit received what it needed, health would be the inevitable result- that health and happiness were the natural birth right of all human beings.

Going against the recommendations of all my doctors, I took a holistic approach to my healing. I quit my job, put my life in storage and moved down to California. While there, I underwent intensive acupuncture treatment, where six days a week for three months, I was turned into a human pin cushion, being stuck full of needles. I made healing my full time job. I knew that if I was going to recover and be well, I had to believe that it would happen with every itty bitty part of me.

From the moment I landed in LA, I was dedicated to getting better. Everything I did was for my health. I walked on the beach every morning and got around the sweet beach town of Santa Monica by bicycle. I went to yoga every afternoon, meditated twice a day and ate only whole, organic food that I prepared myself. There were definitely times when I felt wholly overwhelmed by the burden and responsibility of what I was doing. I had taken total and complete responsibility for my health, and should this ‘alternative’ approach fail, I would have no one to blame but myself. I was terrified.

Should I succeed, however, I knew that I would understand the true meaning of empowerment.

I remained in high spirits through most of this time as I knew instinctively that a lightness in my heart was integral to getting better.  I was living by the beach where the sun shone everyday, eating seasonal organic food, making wonderful friends, reading every health book I could get my hands on and had a sweet boyfriend who kept me giggling. In amongst those three months, however, I did have bad days. Days when I didn’t feel well and days when I just wished to return home to my friends and family and be ‘normal’. I often felt overwhelmed by the burden of having to be mindful of every thing I ate, what I thought, how much I slept… There were times I felt completely alone, that no one could understand what this was like for me; no one could understand the fear I had that this would not work and that I would be sick and suffering the rest of my life.

In these three months, I learned the importance of the simple things. I learned that without our health, we have nothing. I learned that a cute outfit means nothing if we feel like shit. I learned what true love and true friendship was and I learned what it was to be well. These are the greatest lessons of my life.

I succeeded in my quest. I returned home three months later healed, vibrant, and happier than I could ever remember.

Two weeks following my return, I found myself sitting in a fundamentals of nutrition class, wondering how I went from advertising to nutrition school, working towards my certification as a holistic nutritionist. In December of 2007 I graduated with first class honours and was elected class valedictorian.

Just three years ago I was sick, I was tired and I was so afraid that this was as good as it was going to get. I didn’t know how to cook, had done maybe a handful of yoga classes and was surviving on rice cakes and margarine. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that this is where I would be today, healthier, stronger and happier than ever before in my life- living a dream I never even knew existed.

I now have the greatest job in the whole world. My job is to give people hope that they might live their best life possible, and provide the skills, knowledge and support to help them achieve this.

I am now over two and a half years symptom-free from a disease that is believed to have no cure. As far as I’m concerned, I am cured. With the support of my family, and the help of my acupuncturist, yoga teachers, spiritual guides, friends, pure determination and a little sunshine and bicycles, I cured this disease. Without a doubt in my mind, I know that anything is truly possible.

Get Meghan’s Full Story on her blog
http://meghantelpnerblog.com

Or read her book: The Healthy Cookie: Unbaked
http://www.meghantelpner.com/shop/the-healthy-cookie-unbaked

Dear Friends;

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.

Chocolate evokes passion, adoration, even veneration.  We crave it, seek it out, consume it raw, cooked, liquefied, pureed.  Historically, chocolate has even been used medicinally to treat fatigue and to aid digestive issues.

The Incas considered it a food of the Gods.  Some migraine sufferers call it the devil’s fare.  Studies have been conducted to prove that it can cure or prevent pretty much anything. I know of people who lock it up, throw it away half-eaten, hide it, some are unable to keep it in the house or even walk down that isle in the supermarket.

But, it seems, nobody is oblivious to the powers of chocolate.

What is it about chocolate that makes us feel the way we do?

Of course there are the physiological components: The cacao bean is the highest natural source of magnesium, iron and chromium available.  It provides tryptophan and serotonin – said to regulate mood, appetite and sleep – and Theobromine, which gives life a little kick similar to that of caffeine only without the come-down or the spike in blood sugar.  And what about the PEA, or Phenylethilamine, a chemical that is also present when we are in love?  All in all, not a bad package.

However, not all chocolate is created equal.  (You knew that was coming, didn’t you?)  Milk chocolate offers much less, if any, nutritional benefits – unless you count blood sugar and mood swings among them.  And, like anything else, cheap chocolate is usually diluted, flavoured, over-processed and so might taste like chocolate, but that’s only because your tongue has forgotten about the real thing.

It’s kind of like comparing instant coffee with freshly ground beans made right.

Na-uh, friends, I won’t let you get away with it.

I would like to introduce you to my personal chocolate preference: raw chocolate.

When people assume I don’t eat things like chocolate, I can only laugh because they couldn’t be more wrong!  In fact, rarely does a day go by when I don’t eat chocolate.  I have it in my morning smoothies, I make raw chocolate bars and biscuits, I even add it to savoury dips on occasion.

Raw chocolate is unheated and less processed than traditional chocolate and so has retained many nutritional benefits such as the vitamin C, which gets destroyed by heat, or the oils – which cacao is rich in – that go rancid when exposed to higher temperatures.

While cacao is heralded as a Superfood for all of its nutritional benefits, it is also the ultimate comfort food as many of us.  Remember celebrating birthdays with chocolate cake?  Chocolate chip cookies were a childhood favourite for pretty much everyone.  And who doesn’t still love slurping that steaming cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter night?

But the beauty of this day and age is that it doesn’t need to be one or the other – you can have your cake and eat it too!  Not every piece of chocolate is created equal, but we have the choice about which kind we put in our mouths and whether it will simply be another sugary treat, or whether we want to make use of that moment of indulgence to enhance our lives.

Go on, I dare you!

With love,
Gabriela