All in A Good Life

Plastic In Our Tea Cups

Plastic In Our Tea Cups

Sarah Shoemaker
Education, Mis-information, A Good Life

I came across this article on line and was quite horrified, my English Gramma is rolling in her grave, “What is the world coming to?”

I made a commitment last year to switch to loose tea from the convenience of the tea bag, because the waste seemed unnecessary. I had no idea there is plastic in tea bags.

The BBC has a video testing a few of the most popular teas in England for plastics. The scientists soak the various tea bags in a solution of cooper ammonia for 5 days to allow for everything to dissolve except plastic!

Winter Can Be Hard For Some People

Winter Can Be Hard For Some People

Sarah Shoemaker
Mental Health, Nutrition, A Good Life

We are well into winter now and the clocks have fallen back which means we are in the dark a lot, and that can be hard for some people. I want to touch on a few tips to help keep the winter sadness to a minimum, yes there are things you can do on a daily basis to help not feel so bad during the dark months of winter.

I want to focus on just 2 neurotransmitters: Serotonin and Dopamine, both make us feel good but there are a few differences.

Dopamine:

  • Is triggered by short term pleasure ie) on-line shopping, dating apps, eating sugar

Serotonin:

  • Is triggered by acts of long term satisfaction ie) maintaining a regular exercise program, self care practices, healthy relationships

Dopamine:

  • Touches 5 brain receptors

Serotonin:

  • Touches 14 brain receptors

Dopamine:

  • Can be addictive and can leave you wanting more

Serotonin:

  • Non addictive and can make you feel happy and content with what you have

Don't Plan to Fail: Tips for Preparing, Storing and Eating Vegetables

Don't Plan to Fail: Tips for Preparing, Storing and Eating Vegetables

Sarah Shoemaker
Tips and Tricks, Nutrition, A Good Life

Eating a diet low in processed foods and high in whole foods is pretty basic and common knowledge.

Easier said than done, I know. If it was easy 61% of Canadians would not be obese or overweight, 2.3 million people would not have Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease would not effect 1 in 12 adults in Canada.

But, it does. I find that in my own personal life, if I don’t roughly plan what I will be eating throughout the week, I eat badly. Then I feel worse and there goes the cycle!

So here are a few tips that may take some time up front but totally worth it in the long run. You will be less frustrated, less stressed and you will be fuelling your body properly for the day to day stresses.

Gardening: How it Can Affect Your Health and Wellness.

Gardening: How it Can Affect Your Health and Wellness.

Sarah Shoemaker
A Good Life, Nutrition, Vegetarian, Tips and Tricks

As a vegetarian I take my vegetables very seriously so when the summer hits you can imagine how happy I am to be eating super fresh and LOCAL fruits and vegetables!

Not much is better than going to your local framers market for fresh produce but, growing your own food is pretty awesome!

For those of us with no access to the ground and are limited to container gardening there is still lots you can do. I bought a package of mixed lettuce seeds from one of those temporary stands at Canadian Tire just for fun and I got quite the haul of all kinds of leafs that ranged from kale to arugula, to romaine.

A Few Advantages to Growing Your Own Food:

Food Rules That You Need to Start Breaking

Food Rules That You Need to Start Breaking

Sarah Shoemaker
Mis-information, Nutrition, A Good Life

It has taken me a long time to figure out what works for me in terms of how to eat, what to eat and when. It’s only because it has been a struggle for me all my life!

I have been graced with not only a small frame but also the metabolism of a sloth! UGH, I can gain weight just by looking at food, I swear to God!

So, you can imagine I have followed “rules” on how to eat for some time and most of them are not helpful. I want to save you time and energy on debunking a few rules that are out there. Maybe you are following these rules for no other reason than someone hasn’t told you its ok to stop.

I have only 2 rules:

  1. Only do things that work for you.

  2. Practice good eating hygiene

Load More