Eating Paleo in Kingston September 24, 2014

Eating out and being a good little Paleo “life-stylist” is not impossible. Here are a few rules to help you along the way.

Paleo Rules for Eating Out:
Avoid anything breaded, wrapped, or sandwiched in some way. Many sandwiches and burgers are plenty to eat without the added bread/bun. You don’t need it…really you don’t! Gluten free is not paleo either…nice try.

Sauces – Almost all foods come with some kind of sauce and unless everything is homemade (like mayo and ketchup etc) it isn’t considered Paleo. However, as a treat, we think you can let this slide as it is the lesser of the evils. If you are a truly religious, dairy free and sugar free Paleo eater, good for you, go sauceless!

Cheese – Mmmm cheese makes everything better but it is NOT Paleo. While some people can tolerate cheese, and other dairy, many can’t. If you can tolerate it, lucky you, you can enjoy a bun-less cheese burger. If you can’t, simply ask for your item without. Be careful also of “cream” sauces.

Deep fried – No, No, NO! Deep fried = Cancer, cancer everywhere! Even non-paleo eaters know this is bad news! Don’t give in. You are strong!

Dessert – So far no restaurants in Kingston are offering Paleo desserts…sorry but you will just have to make your own at home.

Below you will find Paleo friendly menu options from some of our favourite Kingston Restaurants.
This is not an extensive list of what’s available, just a teaser.

Dianne’s Fish Bar (195 Ontario Street)
Located just steps from the waterfront, a classic East Coast kitchen meets the flavours of Baja Mexico! Dianne’s has a lot to offer the Paleo eater from mussels, oysters, crab, lobsters and even chicken and steak. Just avoid anything breaded, taco’d or sandwiched.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Tequila Shrimp – Sautéed jumbo shrimp with garlic and citrus juices.

Ceviche – Vallarta – Pacific cod, avocado, red onion, cucumber, green olives, jalapeno,
clamato and lemon.
– North Atlantic Sea Scallop Aguachile – Orange, lemon and lime juices, mango, jalapeno, sweet drop peppers, red onion, avocado and toasted coconut.

Surf and Turf – Grilled 10oz. Chile Rubbed AAA Strip Steak with your choice of blackened jumbo shrimp or spicy roasted ½ NS lobster.

Harper’s Burger Bar (93 Princess Street)
Featuring ‘flat top seared’ burgers handcrafted from fresh ‘AAA’ local beef from ‘Enright Cattle Co.’, raised using sustainable methods, on pasture. This is a paleo meat lovers Paradise! Pasture raised meats and no bun options with endless variety of toppings….yummm. “Patty” options are; beef, turkey, chicken, salmon and lamb. Ask for no cheese if you are unable to tolerate dairy or know it’s best to avoid it.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Lettuce Wrapped Bull’s Eye Beef Burger – Monterey Jack, local fried farm egg and bacon, jalapeno, with S.Carolina BBQ sauce.

Lettuce Wrapped La La Land Lamb Burger – Goat cheese, roasted red pepper, avocado spread and arugula pest mayo.

Lettuce Wrapped Greek Chicken Burger – Feta, sautéed spinach, green olives and sundried tomato pesto.

The Keg Steakhouse and Bar
Well this restaurant is an easy pick for Paleo eaters. Meat, meat and more meat!
Menu features tender, juicy steaks, slow roasted prime rib, succulent shellfish and the freshest of salads.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Escargots – Stuffed mushroom caps with garlic and herbs

Filet Classic – Wrapped in applewood smoked bacon, served with salad and sautéed mushrooms.

Sirloin Oscar – Grilled top sirloin topped with shrimp, scallops, asparagus and béarnaise sauce.

BBQ Chicken and Ribs – Basted with Keg BBQ sauce

Woodenheads (192 Ontario Street)
While the classic Kingston restaurant is known for their gourmet pizza, the paleo lover can also find some amazing eats here as well so don’t be afraid, unless you are easily tempted by the pizza…
Favourite Paleo Options:
Satay Kai Tapa- Bamboo skewered Thai marinated chicken with coconut cashew lime & Thai cucumber sauces

Mixed Mushroom Salad – Grilled smoked oyster mushrooms, marinated button and fresh portabello mushrooms served on mixed greens in balsamic vinaigrette, topped with feta cheese

Mandarin Mixed Nut Salad – mixed nuts & fruits with baby oranges on fresh greens with mandarin vinaigrette

Verdure Arrostite – Wood fired roasted mixed vegetables on baby spinach with port balsamic reduction & goat’s cheese

Red House (369 King Street East)
The Red house is unique restaurant that will not let you down with its casual yet sophisticated atmosphere. They have unique menu options using only the best local ingredients. For a night out with friends you can find great munchie options along with gluten free beer (as an occasional treat) and a fantastic wine list.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Arugula Salad – pear, roasted walnuts, chevre, vincotto

Smoked Almonds – Made in house

Roasted Olives – citrus, chili, herbs

Braised Short Rib Arancini – chipotle aioli, marinara

Roast Chicken with spinach and orzo salad, tomato concasse, fresh basil

Local Trout with spinach, lemon, sauce vierge

Hwa-Ki (269 Princess Street)
Hwa-Ki is a Korean and Japanese restaurant with great decor and delicious paleo friendly options which are hard to find in the world of rice and noodles but you can stay Paleo and enjoy authentic Asian flavours. There are a lot of Paleo options here, just ask them to hold the rice or noodles where applicable.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Seaweed Salad – No it does not taste fishy and is great source of Iodine.

Sashimi – Fresh, raw and thinly sliced fish (salmon, tuna, snapper and shrimp)

Korean Hot Pot – choice of beef, lamb, chicken or vegetable with mixed veggies in an anchovy based broth. This is a do it yourself soup which you cook right in front of you on the table, so much fun!
(Skip the noodles)

Golden Damrei (850 Gardiners Rd)
The Golden Damrei hosts a combination of Cambodian and Thai cuisine. The flavours and quality you will experience here are the best in Kingston! Again it is hard to enjoy this style of food without being tempted to eat the rice. Just say no to the rice and add on some extras like sweet potatoes or veggie mix.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Sweet Potato Soup (spicy) – A thick red curry broth with green beans, eggplant and sweet potatoes

Zesty Coconut Soup – A rich creamy broth with basil, lily-sprouts, abalone mushrooms, & freshly squeezed lemon

Steve’s Number Six – Spicy golden curry with extra chicken, mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, green beans), button mushrooms, & freshly chopped ginger.

Ginger Beef – Beef, button mushrooms, & freshly chopped ginger in garlic oyster sauce. Garnished with spring onions. (Add the veggie mix!)

Kelsey’s (650 Gardiners Rd)
Before the movie at the theatre nearby you might want to stop at Kelsey’s for dinner. A wide variety of options on the menu means there is something for everyone to enjoy, even the well behaved Paleo eater.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps (starter) – Sautéed Korean chicken breast, green apple coleslaw, onions, celery, peppers, garlic and sambal with crisp Boston leaf lettuce.

Sonoma Salad – California Greens with red peppers, tomatoes, feta, raisins, seeds and nuts, with spicy honey citrus dressing topped with grilled chicken. (Comes with croutons so ask for it without)

The Big What Stuffed Burger (without the bun, who needs it?!) – Double stacked 4oz sirloin patties, double smoked bacon, goat cheese, caramelized onions, apple butter bbq sauce, crispy onions strings (say not to these!) and chipotle mayo.

The Loyal Oarsmen (1724 Bath Rd)
In the west end of Kingston you will find this traditional English pub with a warm atmosphere and hearty menu. They even serve breakfast which is usually the most important meal of the day for the Paleo eater who believes in a filling start to the day!
Favourite Paleo Options:
It’s Magic Jimmy – New York sirloin sandwich steak with scrambled egg, fried mushrooms and home fries (But you know you have to skip the home fries right?)

Grilled Chop Salad – Grilled chicken, steak and peameal bacon with shrimp over crisp greens, vegetables and cheeses.

Grilled Liver and Onions – Served with rashers of bacon and sautéed onions. Served with potato and vegetables. (May want to ask for an alternative to the potato if you’re truly following Paleo 100%)

The Pork Chop – A large, bone-in, pork loin, served with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Le Chien Noir Bistro (69 Brock Street)
Le Chien Noir features French bistro classics & modern ‘Farm to Table’ comfort food. All dishes are prepared using fresh, high quality, seasonal and whenever possible local ingredients. The food is ALWAY delicious here and there is lots to satisfy your Paleo cravings.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Baby Kale ‘Caesar’ – ‘Seed to sausage’ bacon, shaved ‘monteforte dairy’, egg mimosa and roasted garlic dressing. Add your choice of meat and make it a meal; Grilled marinated chicken,N.Y. striploin,
sea scallops, rare yellowfin tuna, fresh 1/2 N.S. lobster.

Fresh Oysters – Served on the Half Shell with different toppings – featuring east & west coast varieties

Duck Confit – potato, peas, leek, spinach, mustard vinaigrette

Yellowfin Tuna Nicoise – Bibb lettuce, ‘reinink’ organic egg, olives, radish, onion,
fingerlings, capers, herbs, red wine vinaigrette

Olivea (39 Brock Street)
Olivea is a family-run traditional Italian trattoria serving local foods with freshly made in store ingredients. While most Paleo people would steer clear of an Italian restaurant due to the undeniable pull of the pasta that will surround you, remember that Olivea also has delicious non-pasta options that you cannot miss.
Favourite Paleo Options:
Warm Roasted Olives – Appetizer

Mediterranean Seafood Salad – Chilled shrimp, scallops, mussels and squid lightly marinated with lemon, olive oil and parsley.

Tuscan Pork Belly with Rhubarb Mostarda – Slow roasted with fennel and rosemary and served with vegetables (Also served with beans but not Paleo!)

Tango Nuevo (331 King Street East)
Tango is all about Tapas which are small plates of food meant for sharing and bringing people together. The variety and quality here is perfect for the real foodie and even better for the Paleo eater. Always using local foods whenever in season and cooked with a creative flare that will have your taste buds dancing and asking for seconds, and thirds and fourths…
Favourite Paleo Options:
Tuna Taki – Rare, pan-seared tuna served with a spicy ponzu sauce & dressed, local mustard greens

Aceitunas – Mixed olives marinated in lemon, coriander, thyme & chilli

Asian Spare Ribs – Tender pork ribs with a ginger, soy, honey & anise glaze

Pan Seared Pickerel – Pickerel fillets with a spicy ponzu sauce, topped with arugula

Gambas Al Ajillo -Tender shrimp sautéed with garlic & white wine, served with grilled baguette (No, no baguette)

Mussels – In a shallot, garlic & white wine broth, with grilled baguette ( Just drink the broth, don’t use the baguette.)

And there you have it. There are always Paleo options you just have to look for them and be strong enough to say no to the side of bread, mounds of rice or tempting desserts.
When possible chose organic and local sustainable foods which are beneficial to you and your community and when you aren’t sure just stick the basic paleo principals: Eat Quality meats, veggies, fruits and healthy fats. Steer clear of grains, processed foods, vegetable oils and sugar. And, once and awhile cut yourself some slack. You are doing your best after all right?

Paleo Chocolate Fudge Haystacks July 2, 2014

Ingredients

2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked and dehydrated)

2 cups dates

1 package coconut cream concentrate (you can also you coconut butter)

1 TBSP organic vanilla extract

1/4 cup grassfed butter or ghee

1/8 cup cacao butter

4 TBSP organic cocoa powder

pinch sea salt

1 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut

 

Directions

1. In your food processor combine the dates, cashews and coconut cream (I had to do this in 2 batches given the amount) and blend until dates are smooth and cashews in are fine pieces

2. Place a medium sized pot on the stove on low heat and transfer your cashew-date-coconut mixture to the pot

3. Add the vanilla extract, butter/ghee, cacao butter, cocoa powder and sea salt to the pot

4. Allow the butters to melt and stir to combine the ingredients

5. Once well combined turn off the heat and add the finely shredded coconut to the mix

6. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray/sheet

7. Form 1-1.5″ balls with your hands and place on the parchment lined baking tray (see images)

8. Place the tray in the fridge and allow to cool for approximately 2 hours

 Thanks  to Pure and Simple Nourishment!

Crunchy Coconut Shrimp June 26, 2014

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. raw shrimp

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup coconut flour

Zest of 3 limes

1.5 Tablespoons chilli powder

1 egg, beaten

Coconut oil

 

Directions:

1. Clean, shell and devein the shrimp (if needed).
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the shredded coconut, coconut flour, lime zest and chilli powder.
3. Dip the shrimp in the beaten egg.
4. Coat the shrimp well on all sides with the coconut mixture.
5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt some coconut oil until very hot (but not smoking).
6. Fry the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side without overcrowding the pan. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
7. Sprinkle the shrimp with a pinch of sea salt and eat while hot.
8. Squeeze lime juice over the top for more lime flavour.

Thank you to stupideasypaleo.com!

Eat Local Food! May 12, 2014

Spring and summer in Kingston = Farmers Market. Fresh. Local. Delicious!

We support our local farmers and believe eating locally is better for your health and better for the community.

Read this article by Chris Kresser on Why Local Trumps Organic for Nutrient Content. 

Where can you find Local food in Kingston?

The Kingston Public Market runs from April-November on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Get more information on vendors here.

On Sundays you can also find great selection at the Memorial Centre Farmers Market.

Now get out there and get some real food!

 

Nutrition in 100 Words March 6, 2014

Eat Real Food, NOT Cheerios! March 5, 2014

So Multi-Grain Cheerios has a new campaign which is a great idea. This is the main idea behind it: “Take the Never Say Dieting Oath and let’s make the next generation healthy – mind, body, and spirit.” Love this idea! You can read more about it here.

BUT…BUT… Their “balanced approach” to healthier eating is going to hurt rather than heal. 2 of their 5 points we take an  issue with:

1. Each day, make at least half of your grain products whole grain

WHAT?!?! Watch a little video here, in case you have forgotten about grains, and as to why encouraging grains is a bad, bad idea. Please, do your own research about grains, read books, search on the internet and inspect the scientific evidence against grains. It is there!

2. Choose lower fat milk and lean meats (or their alternatives) prepared with little or no added fat. 

It is 2014 people!! More and more studies have proven that we actually need fats from real foods like meat.
Read here why low fat diets are hurtful rather than harmful.

Sorry Cheerios, love the campaign, but your “healthy” eating approach and your product filled with GM ingredients, sugars, starch, food colouring, miscellaneous chemicals and fake vitamins leaves A LOT to be desired.

Feed our future generations REAL food and they will undoubtedly be healthier in mind, body and spirit.

Books we recommend for your educational pleasure:

Seared Scallops with Pancetta and Brussels Sprouts February 28, 2014

 Wondering what to have for dinner tonight? Look no further! This is healthy and full of anti-cancer fighting foods. Mmmm Mmmmm

 Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

¼ pound pancetta, cut into ½-inch cubes (bacon can be used as substitute)

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1 pound brussels sprouts, roughly chopped or shredded with a mandoline (about 6 cups)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

12 large scallops

 

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

 Add pancetta and cook, stirring, until most of the fat is rendered and it begins to crisp, about 2 minutes.

 Add shallots and brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until browned, about six minutes.

 Stir in vinegar, scraping up any brown bits, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.

 Pat the scallops dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

Return skillet to medium-high heat and add butter.

 Heat until foaming subsides, then add the scallops and allow to cook without moving until golden brown on first side, 2 to 3 minutes.

 Flip, return the brussels sprouts mixture to warm through and continue cooking until scallops are barely cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

 Serve immediately and enjoyyy!

 

Thank you to seriouseats.com for the recipe

Bacon Wrapped, Walnut Stuff’d Dates November 26, 2013

While the idea of this treat may not seem appetizing the results are absolutely incredible and delicious. Everything really is better with bacon!

Ingredients:

10-12 Fresh Medjool Dates

10 Walnut halves

6 Slices uncooked bacon – cut in half

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F

Carefully slit each date lengthwise, open gently and remove pit.

 Place walnut half inside date.

Gently reform date around walnut.

Wrap a half slice of uncooked bacon around the walnut stuff’d date and secure with toothpick.

Arrange on greased baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes each side or until bacon is crispy.

Let cool slightly and enjoy.

Tips for Beating the Winter Blues (S.A.D) November 12, 2013

SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder: Could there be a better name for it? Literally, you are SAD and it is due to the season. Clever. But it is real and even hits people during the summer months. However, this is the time of year when most people affected by SAD start to feel it creeping up on them. But there are answers and solutions that don’t require anti-depressants.

 First Step:

Stop dwelling – Stop with the negative feedback running through you head. We know it is cold and crappy and it sucks, A LOT! But stop thinking about it. You cannot control the weather or when the sunsets, but you can control your thoughts and your actions. Chose to think yourself happy, chose to be positive and chose to do things that make you happy. This is not always easy and you may need to speak to someone who specializes in this area to get you started. There is no shame in that. There is shame in not trying and choosing to just stew in misery because it takes less effort.

You deserve to be happy all year long and reading this is the first indication that you believe that too. If you do all these things with 100% effort and your depression is still severe enough to affect your relationships, ability to work and function on a daily basis, your depression may require further investigation from a qualified health care professional.

Read on for more ways to beat the winter blues:

See a Naturopathic Doctor – Sometimes your vitamin levels need to be checked and supplements adjusted during the winter months. Also good to rule out other issues such as thyroid or hormone imbalances.

Get out – No matter how cold it is, or even if it’s cloudy, a  short walk will lift your mood. Better yet, get involved with winter sports, take the kids or grand kids out and build a snowman. Just get outside!

Take Naps – Getting enough sleep and staying on a consistent sleep schedule is always important but sometimes a little nap, (less than 45mins) can make you feel rejuvenated and give you that extra energy for the day.

Have more sex – Do I need to explain why this boosts your mood? Even if you are not in the mood to do it in the first place, just do it!! You always feel better afterward and you will be happy you did. (And so will your partner *wink wink*)

Lighten up – Literally, lighten up your home. Open the blinds turn on lights, light candles. Also changing out drabby or dark colours for brighter ones like yellows, greens, pinks etc can really brighten your home. There is enough white and grey outside already!

Try light therapy – There is some debate as to whether this works, but just Google it and decide if it might work for you. Literally, buy a special light and sit in front of it. Or just go outside!!

Change your diet – Stay away from carbs and refined sugars. When you are feeling down these are the things you turn to in the cold months but it will NOT help in the long run.  Fresh fruits and veggies, omega 3 rich foods and good fats are they way to go.

Ease up on the uppers and downers – Reduce your alcohol intake and don’t overdo it with caffeinated beverages.

Buy yourself flowers and plants – Turn your home into a little jungle. Buy some plants and add some green and life into your surroundings. Buy yourself flowers every week or so to give you that feeling of spring.

Make Plans – Just because it is cold and gloomy doesn’t mean your social calendar needs to be. Make plans to get together with friends/family on a weekly basis. Book a spa session. Get a manicure/pedicure.  Get your hair done. Go to a movie. Start a games night or join a bowling league. Go away for the weekend!  But please, don’t wait till BBQ and patio drinking season to be social again.

Throw a summer or Hawaiian themed party – Crank the heat up at home, wear your summer clothes, swimwear, and make some cocktails and cook on an in home grill. Voila, summer fun in February! (Or whenever).

Smile – Yes for no reason at all, SMILE. This tricks your brain into feeling happy and before you know it, you will actually start feeling better. You are trying it right now aren’t you? Good!

The Gritty on the Grains and Why you Should go Against Them September 25, 2013

       Despite what the ill informed Canadian Food Guide believes there is actually no good reason to eat grains.  Nope, not even for fibre so don’t even ask, “But what about Fibre?”  Sure we all have been disillusioned to believe we need fibre from grains to keep things moving along but that is not exactly true.  Scientists found that high-fibre food bumps against cells lining the gastrointestinal tract which can rupture their outer covering and cause holes in your intestine. Umm holes? I personally don’t want anything my body is digesting leaking out!

So where can you get fibre if not from grains? Fruits and Veggies of course and lots of them!

Oh but now you are thinking, “But what about all the important vitamins and minerals?” True we need vitamins and minerals, no argument there. But we don’t need to source them from grains which now are genetically modified, and usually found in processed foods full of synthetics, sugar, and carbs to mention a few illness causing culprits. Let’s be honest here, there is no amount of grains that can give you a vitamin and mineral punch like a giant salad full of different leafy greens, and veggies.

This is the biggest reason of all why grains are not what everyone has been fooled into thinking; they are nutrient robbers! They are considered by those in the know, Anti-Nutrient. So all that fibre, those vitamins and minerals they apparently contain are being taken with them as opposed to being absorbed by your body. So then what’s the point of eating them if what we thought was the reason for eating them is, well, a big fat lie! So what makes grains anti-nutrients? Well they contain these pesky little things called lectins, gluten and phytates. Most of you are probably familiar with the word gluten but may have never heard of the other two. So let’s look into all three.

Lectins: The scientific wording is that these lectins bind to insulin receptors causing leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone that makes you feel full and without it will lead to over eating and ultimately weight gain, obesity and for a lot of individuals also diabetes. You know what happens on the inside when you eat Lectins? Your body actually views them as dangerous invaders, which puts your immune system in overdrive trying to get rid of them. So our bodies are saying NO! Perhaps we should listen. Living things generally do not want to be eaten by other living things. Grains are no exception. Grains actually produce a life preserving mechanism of being indigestible so when birds, for example eat them, they will not be digested and can pass through spreading the seed and discouraging other pests from eating them because it messes with their digestion. Unfortunately most of us have yet to take the hint.

Gluten:  We hear this word a lot now due to more and more people having an allergy to gluten. This is a sticky water soluble protein that breaks down your small intestine allowing food to enter your blood stream. Again with the holes in my intestine, no thank you! This is what causes “leaky gut syndrome”, allergies, digestive upset and autoimmune problems. This is your body’s way of telling you it is not happy with the food you are feeding it. Gluten is worse than lectins! You may be thinking, “Well I don’t have a gluten allergy.” Or have never been diagnosed as celiac but this does not mean your digestive system is not incredibly angry with you. No one is immune to gluten damage! When you eat gluten your body suspects a threat and attempts to flush it out. Again, we are not absorbing any nutrients from the grains and our body views their components such as gluten as major toxic threats.

Phytates: These make minerals bio-unavailable meaning they are unable to be absorbed by our bodies preventing the absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc by binding to them and taking them out! A diet high in grains can lead to bone loss and serious mineral deficiencies along with irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut and many other long term effects. Once again, the vitamins and minerals contained in the grains are NOT actually available to our bodies and therefore our bodies reject them. So just remember when you are reading about how healthy and nutrient rich grains are, while that is true, our bodies cannot absorb the nutrients in the first place.

Remember this version of the Canadian Food Guide?

Grains are highlighted as being a major food group. WHAT?! Seriously?! Any research will show you a major increase in weight gain, diabetes, chronic illness and cancer since the early 90’s as the food guide recommended 5-10 servings per day of grains. Coincidence?

The most recent food guide has changed since then, (guess somebody put two and two together) and now fruits and vegetables are the first category but there are still some major changes needed. The hype about grains is just that, hype. Did you know cereal has the highest price mark up margin of any product in the supermarket? Major profits are being made by cereal companies, promoting their “healthy” whole grain cereal.  If the Canadian food guide radically changed there would be a lot of upset companies out there and who’s to say they don’t have a strong influence over the food guide in the first place?

Here’s the skinny folks, grains are making us fat and making us sick. Grains, generally found in processed foods like bread, chips, cereal, granola bars, cookies, crackers etc are also accompanied by empty carbohydrates, sugar, synthetic vitamins, chemicals, genetically modified ingredients and MSG. When carbs enter the body they are broken down into glucose (sugar) and the extra glucose we do not need for energy is stored as fat. If carbs are excessively consumed, (which they are by most people eating processed foods) our bodies use cortisol and adrenalin to handle this heavy load. This crazy dance of hormones causes inflammation in the body which more and more Dr’s are accepting as the leading cause of heart disease, cancer, infertility and many other common illnesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non grain diets have been shown to:

Lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Reduce inflammation

Increase weight loss

Alleviate skin problems

End digestive disturbances

Improve energy

Improve heart health

Increase fertility

Reverse diabetes

 

You are probably wondering why your doctor or nutritionist never told you any of this about grains. Well most have no idea and zero knowledge on the subject of anti-nutrients or how they impair body function and promote many diseases. As you can see from the Canadian food guide, even agencies that determine and influence nutritional policy have not bothered to investigate these types of toxic recommendations. Do some of your own research and you will find the undeniable truth that eating grains increases your risk of digestive problems, heart disease, arthritis, infertility, obesity, diabetes, cancer etc. What a lovely cocktail of ways to serious shorten your life span. I assume that is not your goal. We all want to live long happy, healthy lives and die peacefully of old age. Right? So what are you doing? Stay away from the bread and processed foods and deny this lure into the whole grain hype.

Take the grain free challenge and you will see for yourself that there is an answer to better health. I dare you to go against the grain.

By: Nova Health Naturopathic Centre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

The Paleo Answer by Loren Cordain

www.wellnessmama.com

www.huffingtonpost.com

www.realdose.com

www.foodmatters.tv

www.med.uottawa.ca

www.cancer.ca

http://baby-boomer-depot.com

 www.buzzle.com

www.theglobeandmail.com

www.suhanijain.com