All in Nutrition

Allergy Part 3: Steps to Take to Avoid Allergy

I was a wheezie, sneezie asthmatic kid. I suffered terribly with allergies, they started in late spring and lasted well into September. I would buy the bulk packs of allergy pills and would often switch mid summer to a different brand because they were no longer working for me. I will spare you the details but, be certain it was very uncomfortable and I was miserable most of the spring and summer.

As an adult, I thought I was doing all the right things, I ate fairly well, exercised and I assumed that these allergies were something I needed to accept and live with.

I was wrong!

Part 1: Allergy: Symptoms

Any symptom or condition of the body anywhere in the body at any time can be allergy. Caroleen Bateson-Koch DC ND

It is hard to reconcile this since we associate allergy with seasonal allergies. You know the symptoms, itchy, water eyes and a runny nose.

But, allergy is far more insidious than that.

Often the food we eat is the very thing we are allergic to but the connection is missed because of the time between eating the food and symptoms appearing is too long.

Food is suppose to be nourishing, why is my body reacting?

Dr. James C. Breneman estimates that between 60-80% of the population has unknown food allergies/intolerances.

Allergy, Symptoms and Detoxification: A 3 Part Series on everything you may not know about Allergy

Everyone’s body is different, we all have different genetics, different tolerances, our exposure to toxins are different, and our ability to metabolize toxins, pollens, and foods will be dependent on our individual biochemical makeup. So everyones symptoms will be different and varied within each person.

Our bodies have a tremendous capacity for balancing, making adjustments and compensating for our lifestyles, diet and both our internal and external environments. When these factors push the body to one end and it becomes too much to balance, symptoms appear. If nothing changes, irritating symptoms will turn into exhausted systems causing disease and illness

Eat Your Greens: A nutritional a guide and the affects on your health

So we have heard over and over again to eat more leafy greens.

The reason this is common advice is because most people don’t eat enough of them.

The recommendations is 3-4 cups per day of just leafy greens, and according to a UBC study Canadians’ vegetable and fruit consumption is down by 13%.

Leafy greens are the superstars of the vegetable kingdom, they are the most nutrient food of the all the vegetables.

They are packed with nutrients, fibre and are naturally low in fat.

People who consume the daily recommendations of vegetables are generally healthier with less chronic health concerns.

But, not every leafy green is created equal. YES, even poor old iceberg has some serious nutrients and is worth considering.

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

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.

Beets: Not Just Your Gramma's Vegetable

All the vegetables are so delicious now its easy to have a plant based diet!

Eating what is in season is important to not only our bodies, but our carbon foot print and our local farmers. Can’t say this enough: SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS!!

Beets are one of those vegetables that are so underrated. They just don’t get enough credit.

There are so many different varieties ranging from a run of the mill deep red beet to golden or to a pretty marbled bullseye colour, they are all tasty! And make for an interesting salad when combined together.

When they are small and in the earlier part of their season there is no reason to cook them.

When they are young and tender, eat these guys raw maintaining all of their nutrients.