Comox Valley Archives - Page 115 of 129

Clean Eating Recipe: BETTER THAN MAYO

A great spread on crackers or sliced veggies, used as a dip or salad dressing, or as a topping on Sunburgers.

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cup raw cashews

– 3/4 cup water

– 1 tbsp olive oil

– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

– 1 1/2 tsp Italian spices

– 1/2 tsp sea salt

– dash of cayenne

Place all ingredients in a blender. Can blend right away, or soak 1 hour for a smoother texture. Blend until smooth. Store in fridge. Stays fresh for several days, but is so tasty you’ll probably eat it sooner.

Uncooking with RawRose – rawrose.com. Your guide to Raw Foods, book available at Rawthentic Eatery.

Clean Eating Recipe: Strawberry Chia Jam

Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. They will absorb several times their mass in liquid, creating a jelly-like substance in the process. Instead of cooking fruit down, relying on pectin, and adding sugar to help it set, all we need to do is mash up some fruit and stir in a few tablespoons of chia seeds! So easy! Ingredients: 2 cups chopped strawberries, 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp chia seeds. Cook the berries on medium heat until they start to break down. Mash the fruit with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, leaving it as smooth or as lumpy as you like. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp of the honey and lemon juice. Stir in the chia seeds. Let stand until thickened. If you’d like a thicker consistency, stir in more chia seeds 1 tsp at a time. The jam will thicken further and become more set once completely chilled.

Mental Health Resources

Did you know that the Canadian Mental Health Association has information online regarding different mental health issues? As well, your local Canadian Mental Health Association branch can answer any questions you may have and provide services to the public. Workshops and courses are another great way to learn about these issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association along with other organizations in your community offer this service. Research what organizations are around you and call them to find out times, dates and whether courses are available for free at a cost. Visit your local library to take advantage of free resources or head to a bookstore or shop online to purchase.

5 Reasons to Eat Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are the richest sources of Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the world! 5 Benefits of consuming this super food are 1. High in Fibre – Fibre aids in digestion, prevents constipation and suppresses hunger. 2. Women’s Health – The lignans present in them help in battling high levels of estrogen and assist in balancing hormonal levels. 3. Healthy Hair & Skin – The ALA fats in flax seeds benefits the skin and hair by providing essential fats as well as b-vitamins which can help reduce dryness and flakiness. It can also improve symptoms of acne, rosacea, and eczema. 4. Lower Cholesterol – The soluble fiber content of flax seeds trap fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it unable to be absorbed. 5. Weight Loss – Since flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss.

Book Club: Is Your Child’s Brain Starving?

By Michael R. Lyon MD and Christine Laurell, PhD

Michael Lyon went from overweight academic underachiever to graduating as the top male student in his high school a year later, thanks to a total change of diet and lifestyle. He ultimately became a medical doctor involved in research on nutrition. This book is an inspiring guide to better brain function through diet and lifestyle changes. The minor downfall is the promotion of supplements he has helped to develop, but it is still a valuable book for parents and has a good recipe section.

IQ and Nutrition

What if you could increase your child’s IQ with nutrition? Inhabitants of a tiny island off the coast of Japan have the highest IQ scores in the world and produce seven times as many geniuses as any other place in the world. Seniors living there don’t seem to struggle with cognitive decline either. The secret: DHA, an essential fatty acid found in fish, krill, squid and some algae. The brain is made mostly of fat, 60% of which is DHA. DHA is found in mother’s milk and has long been recognized as aiding IQ scores in children. Almost everyone nowadays is deficient in DHA. This may be one of the reasons for the increased rates of ADHD, learning disabilities and autism as well as increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive problems.

Natural Approaches to Depression in Children and Teens

Part 1: The Role of Zinc

According to the Centers for Addiction and Mental Health, in 5 Canadians experiences a mental health or addiction problem in any given year. 70% of mental health problems have their onset in childhood and adolescence.

It is therefore imperative that childhood mental health problems be treated safely and effectively, not only to address current suffering but to prevent long-term mental illness as well as untimely deaths.

In 2012, suicide accounted for 17% of deaths among children aged 10-14, 28% among teens aged 15-19 and 25% among young adults aged 20-24.

Conventional treatment of depression focuses on antidepressant medications. These can have serious side effects and in some cases even increase suicidal behavior. They also don’t address the underlying reasons for depression. Nonetheless, one in ten Canadians is taking antidepressant medication, including children.

Non drug based approaches can be far safer and more effective and tend to address the root causes of depression. There are many possible causes of depression in children and youth, including inherited predispositions, nutritional factors, exposure to toxins and infectious agent and emotionally traumatic events. Most commonly, depression is a multifactorial condition. This article is the first of a series and will focus on the role of nutrition, especially the role of zinc.

Malnutrition in children

Children often suffer from undiagnosed malnutrition. With the many processed foods in their diets most children’s nutritional status is poorer than those of adults, although they require increased nutrients for growth and development.

I have cringed numrous times watching some of my daughter’s classmates walking to school clutching a fistful of gummi worms for breakfast, or eating bags of fruit loops or a dry Mr. Noodles for lunch.

I fought with the administration of every school she attended to stop the selling of pizza lunches served with donuts and chocolate milk as fundraisers, and the continuous bombardment of the children with sugary treats brought almost daily by well-meaning parents and teachers.

These foods offer mostly high fat, high sugar, empty calories devoid of minerals and vitamin, not exactly brain fuel. I believe that diet contributes to the fact that one in six children is now being diagnosed with some sort of developmental disorder.

Hair mineral analysis and zinc levels

One simple way to assess nutritional status is with a hair mineral analysis, a simple and inexpensive test available through most naturopathic doctors.

I have literally run hundreds of these tests over the last 25 years and have rarely seen one come back with a normal zinc level, a testament to modern food production methods.

Children tend to be especially low in zinc, a crucial trace mineral that is involved in more than 200 enzymatic reactions in the human body. The highest concentrations of zinc are found in the brain.

Zinc levels can affect the function of the blood-brain-barrier. As the name implies, this barrier controls what can enter or exit the brain, including how much aluminum is allowed to enter the brain. Aluminum is highly neurotoxic and has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, autism and OCD symptoms among others. [1]

Zinc also plays a role in neurological signaling pathways and other important brain functions. Approximately 10% of the total zinc in the brain exists in the synaptic vesicles, little bubbles full of neurotransmitters at the ends of neurons. In fact, zinc may act as a neurotransmitter. [2]

Zinc and neurological disorders

Zinc deficiency in certain regions of the brain such as the hippocampus, has been linked to an increased risk of neurological diseases, including epilepsy, as well as depression, ADHD, learning disabilities and olfactory dysfunction. [3]

Would it not stand to reason that medical doctors, pediatricians and psychiatrists should investigate zinc levels in cases of mental health concerns?

Sadly, this is not the case as they are not trained in nutrition and most just don’t have time to peruse journals on molecular biology or neurotoxicology and instead are being indoctrinated by pharmaceutical reps advocating Prozac and other SSRIs, best-selling drugs.

A real no-brainer, with the entire population being deficient in zinc and other important nutrients, pun intended.

Zinc and immune system function

Zinc is also an extremely important mineral for normal immune system function and has many roles in controlling inflammation. Certain acute infections, including streptococcal and Lyme disease infections, may trigger the sudden onset of anxiety, depression and OCD symptoms in children and probably adults. Low zinc levels can make it harder to fight off such infections.

Chronic, low-grade infections have been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome and auto-immune conditions, both of which can manifest as depression. [4]

Zinc also has powerful effects on the hormonal system, including testosterone production. Low testosterone levels are linked to depression and low confidence in adult males, which appears to be far more common than previously thought.

Zinc, hormones and depression

I think all male teens with depression should be evaluated for testosterone and zinc levels. I have seen plenty of lethargic young men perk right up with some basic supplementation of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and zinc.

Teens in particular are fond of junk food as well as the liberal use of alcohol and other intoxicants which further stresses nutrient requirements. Pubertal nutrient status is important for all aspects of normal growth and development. [4]

Considering that 70% of mental health issues start in childhood I think it should be routine to evaluate all children and youth for zinc and other nutritional deficiencies.

This evaluation could constitute a major break-through in preventative medicine and be a great benefit to society due to reduction of costs, suffering, disability and premature death, not to mention increased happiness and productivity for all.

This really is a human rights issue and I am sure we will see these ideas realized in the future.

Meanwhile, look to dedicated naturopathic physicians to investigate and treat the many causes of depression now. Your child is worth it.

Dr. Anke Zimmermann, ND, www.drzimmermann.org

References:

[1] The Toxicology of Aluminum in the Brain: A Review. Yokel, R.A. Neurotoxicology, 2000 Oct; 21(5):813-28

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11130287

[2] Zinc Homeostasis and Function of Zinc in the Brain, A. Takeda, Biometals, 2001 Sep-Dec; 14(3-4):343-51

ink.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-017-3728-9_9

[3] Lower Serum Zinc and Higher CRP Strongly Predict Prenatal Depression and Physio-somatic Symptoms, Which All Together Predict Postnatal Depressive Symptoms.

Roomruangwong C, Kanchanatawan B, Sirivichayakul S et al, Molecular Neurobiology, 2016 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12035-016-9741-5

[4] Lower serum zinc in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS): relationships to immune dysfunctions and relevance for the oxidative stress status in CFS.

Maes M¹, Mihaylova I, De Ruyter M., Journal of Affective Disorders. 2006 Feb;90(2-3):141-7. Epub 2005 Dec 9

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16338007

[5] Nutrition and Pubertal Development. Ashraf Soliman et al, Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2014, Nov; 18(suppl 1):S39-S47

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4266867/

Stay Healthy with Massage

The summer months are a great time to be active outdoors. But is massage therapy in your plans? Here are 3 ways massage therapy can help you stay balanced—both mentally and physically—this season. 1. Stay Active- Whether you’re training for a hike up the mountains or participating in group sports, massage therapy can reduce muscle tension, improve exercise performance and prevent injuries. Massage will also help you reduce recovery time after a big training session or a weekend warrior event. 2. Relax Your Mind. Summer is often busy, so take care of your mental health and wellness. Studies show that massage therapy can reduce stress significantly on physical and psychological levels. 3. Keep Pain-Free. Is physical work bringing you down? Massage therapy can reduce low-back pain, ease the symptoms of repetitive stress and help chronic conditions such as arthritis. You only get 1 body… so take care of it!

Katie White RMT, HTP, CYT, www.courtenaymassagetherapy.com

Trust in Your Partner

Imagine this… You’ve walked into your counsellor’s office with your partner, you’re feeling nervous but confident that with some help, you and your Most Important Person are getting back on track, and “boom!” Your partner drops the “Trust Bomb” onto the table. Be honest, would you like to simply say “I’m sorry” and move on? Though saying “I’m sorry” may help. Unfortunately, it’s generally not that simple. Trust is about putting in the time. It’s built on consistent, ongoing interactions that say over and over again, day after day, “I’ve got your back,” “I see you,” “You matter.” As humans, we like to know we matter! With our Most Important People, trust tells us we are emotionally and physically safe. And when we start here, good things can happen.

Caroline Bradfield, MaCP, RCC, Comox Valley Family Counselling, www.comoxvalleycounselling.com

Ask The Expert

Q: I’ve suffered from allergies this spring that really made my eyes water and itch, as well as my nose and sinuses. Everything seems better now except for my eyes, they still feel sandy. What’s going on? A: This is very common. While you may have had some temporary springtime ocular allergies, your condition evolved into some persistent irritation. It’d be a good idea to treat your eyelids with a warm compress for a few minutes every night to clear out the glands which are necessary to lubricate your eyes. Rubbing your eyes from allergies can introduce even more bacteria to the area. A hot moist washcloth is good to use, but a heating pad or mask can hold the heat longer. Oftentimes, extra lubrication from eye drops is helpful. Relief is usually slow-going. It can take several weeks (or even months) before the eyes start to feel normal, so diligence is key.

Dr. Alex Kennedy, Mosaic Vision Care, www.mosaicvisioncare.com

Knee Pain Spoiling Your Game?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of joint pain and disability. OA is a degenerative disease affecting the cartilage and bone surfaces of a joint. With age, injury or just wear-and-tear, joint cartilage will become thinner allowing more pressure between bones. This causes pain, which could stop you from doing the things you enjoy most. In the early stages of OA pain, a knee brace has been found to be very successful in pain management and improved mobility. Knee braces have improved tremendously in comfort, function, and ease of wear making them more enjoyable to wear for daily activities and sport participation. Having your bracing needs assessed and fit by a Certified Orthotist will ensure you have the best chance of success. If you suffer from OA knee pain, you owe it to yourself to check out how knee bracing could help you enjoy being active again.

Aaron Amar, BSc, Orthotist, B.D. Mitchell Prosthetics and Orthotics, www.mitchellpando.com