February 2021

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Healthy Recipes

Warming Curry Delight

This zesty curry is delicious and warms the body.  The fresh ginger and spices make it so delectable, the water chestnuts are a nice touch and the green beans add a big crunch. Ingredients: 1-2 Diced onions 1 cup of green beans – small pieces cut (bite size) 1 package of sliced cremini mushrooms 2 sliced carrots 2 celery stalks diced 1 can of slice water chestnuts 1 can of coconut milk 1 Tbsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp curry powder 1 Tbsp garam masala ground ½ tsp of ground black pepper 1 tsp of tamari sauce ½ cup of organic veggie stock 1 large piece of fresh ginger peeled and ground 5-6 cloves of fresh garlic pressed Directions: Cook onions, mushrooms, carrots and celery in a pot with veggie stock.  Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms start to soften.  Add in all the spices, tamari, garlic, ginger, and pepper

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Max Brennan February 26, 2021
Health

Safe supplements for insomnia

Having trouble falling asleep? Not getting enough sleep and suffering from stress and anxiety? Here is some guidance on safe supplements for sleeplessness. Sleep is essential for the body to heal and for most people how we feel and perform the next day depends on how well we’ve slept the night before. I personally am not at my best if I don’t get a good night of sleep. So, what can you use for insomnia without creating a dependency on medications or supplements? In my clinic of integrative medicine in San Jose CA, I usually recommend a few supplements as a starting point for insomnia. These tend to be safe for the general public and people taking them need not worry about becoming dependent on them. My top three favourites are theanine, magnesium and 5-HTP or L-Tryptophan. Theanine is an amino acid that helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation

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Dr. Julie T. Chen February 24, 2021
Longevity

Best Podcasts for Canadians over 48

If you’re already into podcasts, hopefully there’s some interesting ones on this list. If you’re not into podcasts, well, hey, here’s a great list to get you started. Listening to podcasts is easy. You can get them through your smartphone, Android or iPhone, a tablet or laptop and even from a smarthome speaker like Echo, Google Home or Apple HomePod. If you use a smart speaker, just holler at it to play the podcast you like. Nice and simple! They can be great to listen to when driving, walking or just relaxing on the couch. Dear Seekers This is a really cool podcast by Toronto-based journalist Sasha Xiao who explores the intersection of life, creativity and spirituality. She interviews women primarily. It’s an inspiring anthology. You can her podcast here. Nighttime This is a great Canadian podcast, with stories from across the country, mostly based on mysteries and interesting events.

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Alex Hurst February 22, 2021
Travel

Quebec spiritual retreats

Does your soul need a break from your busy life! Try a spiritual retreat au Québec. What if, say, you want to get away from it all and you don’t happen to have your own cottage? And what if wanting to get away from it all includes getting closer to your inner self? What if you wanted to do this in one of the oldest cultures in North America, indigenous people aside? Let’s says, Quebec? Given the deep, historical roots of doctrine-oriented religious practice in Québec, it is surprising that present-day Québec is so genuinely interested in non-traditional forms of spiritual quests through a true diversity of offerings. Or perhaps it is because of its long religious history that so many diverse and distinct spiritual centres are operating in the province, and have been for many a year.  Shivanada Ashram Camp, Val-Morin The Shivananda Ashram in Val-Morin, in the Laurentian

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Bruce Sach February 19, 2021
Health

How to keep your immune system strong

Our immune system is one big puzzle, each piece working with the others to create a strong immune defence to keep invaders out. Support the four pillars of immune health—nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and sleep—to boost your immune system. NUTRITION Nutritional imbalances have been linked to decreased immunity and increased risk of illness. To help the body identify, break down and dispose of invading bugs, our immune system relies on a diverse collection of nutrients. Macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fat help our system build antibodies, which function to identify and remove viruses and bacteria. To perform to its fullest, the immune system also requires micronutrients like folic acid, vitamins A, C, E, B6 and minerals including copper, zinc, selenium and iron. It’s best to get your nutrients from a rounded diet of whole foods, but lifestyle and dieting habits can often result in nutritional imbalances. Consider adjusting your supplement routine during cold

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Michelle W. Book February 17, 2021
Fitness

The benefits of working out in water

Water can make a deep impact on your workout by eliminating potential injuries. Especially if you’re over 50. IT has happened to almost all of us. We train hard all year, looking forward to a successful season in our favourite sport only to be stopped short by an injury. The thought of losing our hard-won fitness while waiting to heal has sent many of us back into training before we are ready, only to suffer a more serious injury. If this is you, maybe it’s time to try water running. Merina Farrell is an age-class duathlete who qualified for the world championships in 2013. Farrell suffers from a herniated disc and has used water running exclusively for her running training. “Water running lets me continue my training program without further injury to my back from high-impact running,” Farrell says. In fact, water running might actually improve your speed. Sue Watson, a

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Alex Hurst February 12, 2021
Health

What are functional foods?

Do you want to live longer, have a higher quality of life and reduce risk of disease? Are you part of the “food as thy medicine”movement? If so, you fit the profile of consumers who want to learn more about functional foods. Today’s wellness-minded consumer has a keen focus on refining dietary choices. There are more healthy choices than ever and more cutting edge-research—not all of it consistent. Functional foods are an essential part of the mix. To benefit from this food category, you need to differentiate between real evidence and health claims based on shaky science or murky labeling. According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, functional foods provide benefits beyond basic nutrition and may play a role in reducing the risk of certain diseases and other health conditions. Examples include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, forti- fied foods and beverages and some dietary supplements. Oatmeal, with soluble fibre that can help lower cholesterol levels, is a familiar example.

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Alex Hurst February 10, 2021
Mind

How pets help with loneliness

Having a furry companion in dark times can make the world of a difference. I spend a lot of time alone. Even before this whole social distancing thing. My husband works away and I work from home. I work out at home. Home is my haven and my biggest comfort comes from my two adorable cats — I often call them “my coworkers.” If loneliness is starting to have a negative effect on you, it may be time to get a pet. For one thing, I promise you, it’s not weird to recreate the regular day-to-day coffee chat with a pet that can’t talk back. It’s more fun because you can design the whole conversation – both the question and the reply! Wait — does that make me sound crazy? I’ll chat about it with my co-workers on our next coffee break. To give you some background, I rescued my

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Jessica Clerke February 8, 2021
Travel

Mood Boost: Your old travel pics

With the winter blahs upon us and with the pandemic putting the kybosh on pretty much any travel this year, things can seem glum. One way to boost your mood a little bit and feel more relaxed is to look at past pictures from your travel adventures.  Leading UK behavioral psychologist Jo Hemmings says: “Taking the time to look back on our treasured memories can be truly beneficial for our wellbeing as it can help to evoke feelings of positivity and happiness.” He did some research into looking at old pictures and while for some, it can evoke feelings of sadness, for most, they bring back good memories. Especially when we look at them with the person we went on holiday with or had some great adventure. Research has shown that the place in the home with the most pictures immediately triggers a happier sense of wellbeing and is often

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Alex Hurst February 3, 2021
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