Cooling Cacao Mint Protein Balls

By Brittany Darrah, CNP In the heat of summer I often want to plunge into the freezer and dig out a treat to help me cool down. For that reason, I created these cooling cacao mint protein balls--they are extremely easy to make and melt in your mouth! Being stored in the freezer, these can be enjoyed in small portions throughout the summer whenever an ice cream or chocolate craving hits; they satisfy and deliver a healthy combination of nutrients, fat, protein, and fibre. Please note that different protein powders will affect this recipe, for that reason I recommend using Vanilla Raw Vegan Protein by Garden of Life for the best results. INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cup of oats 1/2 cup of vanilla raw vegan protein powder by Garden of Life  1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 3 tbsp. coconut milk 1/3 cup raw cacao 1/2 - 1 tsp. mint extract METHOD In a food processor, blend oats until you get a fine powder. Add protein powder, salt, sunflower seed butter, pure maple syrup, coconut milk, cacao, and 1/2-1 tsp mint extract to taste (this amount will slightly vary). Put mixture in fridge for approx. 30 mins to let harden. Take mixture out of fridge, scoop with a teaspoon, roll into balls and place on a baking sheet. Allow balls to set in freezer for approx. 1 hour, remove, and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer. These balls soften quickly and don't completely freeze. 

By |2019-04-08T19:51:43-04:00June 28th, 2015|Nutrition, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Cooling Cacao Mint Protein Balls

4 Tips to Reduce Exercise-Induced Inflammation

by Dr. Jon Cartile, DC Summer is upon us and we should all take this time to get outside and get moving. We are designed to be creatures of motion, so while we have the longer daylight hours we should be taking advantage. With exercise we are overloading the body and breaking down tissues - this is part of how we loose fat and build muscle. With tissue breakdown comes inflammation. Controlling and minimizing inflammation in our body is one of the most important things we can do to maximize our benefits from training and to prevent injury. In the long run this adaption to training is what makes our body healthier and fitter and more able to adapt to other stressors in our life. In the long run, it will actually lead to a reduction in overall body inflammation. The important thing is to help your body optimally deal with the overload using the following basic tips: Warm up – Start with dynamic movements of the activity you want to do in a controlled manner. So if you are going to run, start with leg swings, standing jumps and slow jog. If you're going to golf, start with slow body twists and arm swings. This increases the pliability of your tissues and decreases the amount of micro-damage. Drink water – This is straight forward, anytime you increase activity you will lose moisture. This will keep better blood flow and move the tissue waste created from exercise. Omega 3 – Omega 3 is important for our bodies own anti inflammation production. It's important that we get our omega 3,6 and 9 in the right ratio, unfortunately most of us our diets are high in omega 6, [...]

By |2015-06-27T16:39:55-04:00June 27th, 2015|Uncategorized|Comments Off on 4 Tips to Reduce Exercise-Induced Inflammation

Beat the Heat with 10 Tips to Keep Cool!

  Summer is a natural time of expansion, growth, activity, light and creativity. From wild forest blooms to fresh farmer’s fields we see Mother Nature hard at work. To stay cool, we must be in harmony with the summer atmosphere. When we are out of natural rhythm in the summer it is easy to become over-heated with profuse sweating, sluggishness, fatigue and even heat exhaustion.  Stay in natural rhythm to beat the summer heat with these 10 tips! Wake early with the morning sun and get active! This is a perfect season for a morning yoga class, jog or gardening session Play, travel and be joyful Be sun-safe. After you have had healthy sun exposure (20 minutes or so depending on your skin pigment), cover up! You will keep cooler in some lighter linens and cottons. And remember to cover your head. We gain and loose heat in the body quickly through the top of our head. Try plenty of brightly colored foods. These are naturally joyful and full of fresh, summer antioxidant power! Cook lightly and add spice. The stomach is able to handle lighter cooked foods at this time of year. When sautéing food, cook on high for a short period of time. Steam foods lightly. Adding a bit of fiery spice will help to naturally disperse heat. Drink warm liquids and take warm showers to cool the body. It may seem practical to take a cold shower when you are hot but cold water shunts blood to the body’s core sending a message to the body to increase it’s internal temperature. A warmer shower will send a message to cool the body down. Avoid cold foods (yes…. nix the ice cream) on [...]

By |2022-09-14T10:09:30-04:00July 31st, 2014|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Beat the Heat with 10 Tips to Keep Cool!

DETOX @ HOME

By Lisa Holowaychuk, Holistic Health Coach + Life Stylist Spring is here and summer is fast approaching, and with that EVERYONE wants to find their glow, ditch the winter blues (and for many those holiday pounds that aren’t budging) and overall just feel lighter, more energized and happy. You can start doing some very simple things now, so when the temperatures start to rise you are feeling your best, inside and out. Never forget it’s the little things that you do every. single. day. Not the big things that you embark on. Feel the compassion, love and gratitude for each step along your journey as your body and self will thank you. Whip out the juicer. Aim for at least one alkalizing green juice daily (minimize fruit). If you only have a blender handy, green smoothies can be a tasty little vessel for an abundance of green veggies and superfoods (some of my favorites – maca, chia seeds, Vitamineral Greens, spirulina, camu camu, goji berries, raw cocao…) Dust off the spice rack. Turmeric, cayenne, rosemary and cumin are abundant in antioxidant compounds. It will set your metabolism on fire and will help you stay away from salt (which can give you bloating and major water retention) Get fermenting. Chop some cabbage, rub in a little salt, add a probiotic capsule and pop it in a jar for a few days. Tending to your inner garden is a vital part of a gently cleansing diet! Sauerkraut, kimchi, are incredible additions to your kitchen. Get a water alkalizer. Then bump up the hydration with at least two liters daily, with a wee pinch of sea salt added for extra minerals. I use this santevia model and absolutely [...]

By |2014-04-26T12:32:25-04:00April 26th, 2014|Detoxification/Cleanse, Mind Body Medicine, Uncategorized|Comments Off on DETOX @ HOME

Detox Demystified Part 1

Article By: Dr. Nadia Kumentas ND Although you may be familiar with the term “detoxification” do you really know what it entails? Most people link doing a detox with weight loss and while this isn’t necessarily false, there is a lot more to consider when we want to partake in a full body detox.To start off, is doing a “detox” even necessary? The short answer is YES. In today’s world we encounter around 2.5 billion pounds of toxic chemicals (including 6 million pounds of mercury alone) each year. Did you know that the average newborn baby has 287 known toxins in his or her umbilical cord blood? You can only imagine how many toxins you have been exposed to by this point in your life if we started with that level of toxic load! Here are some, but not all, of the factors that can contribute to your total toxic load (i.e. total amount of accumulated toxins in the body): Heavy metal exposure ex. Mercury, lead, petrochemicals, residues, pesticides, and fertilizers Allergies ex. Food allergies, environmental allergies, molds Poor diet ex. Eating a standard American diet that includes processed, high fat, high sugar, high salt foods Medications ex. Remember what goes into the body has to get processed; most pharmaceuticals have a toxic load on the body Internal toxins ex. bacteria, fungus, and yeast inside our own systems and intestines as well as hormonal and metabolic toxins that we need to eliminate Mental, emotional, and spiritual toxins ex. stress, anger, loneliness, irritability, hostility, etc. all have a profound effect on our body chemistry and all of which translate into toxins in our system A little scary right? The good news is our bodies are well equipped to eliminate toxins on a [...]

By |2019-04-08T19:51:49-04:00April 26th, 2014|Detoxification/Cleanse, Digestion, Nutrition, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Detox Demystified Part 1

Five Tips To Help You Survive The Holidays

  By Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND   ‘Tis the season where rich foods, cocktails and late nights are aplenty, yet we still need to look and feel our best! Stay hydrated  Skip the morning coffee and try drinking plenty of lemon water or the Re-Hydrating Drink to wake you up.  The dreaded hang-over is largely due to lack of sleep and dehydration. Sleep well  Take advantage of early nights when you can and nap if you need to.  This does help to make up for the late ones! Increase consumption of green and antioxidant rich foods   Consume plenty of deep dark colored fruits and vegetables.  If you have a juicer this is a great time to put it to use. Fruits and vegetables will help to keep your liver and digestion healthy, and anti-oxidants help to battle those free radicals that accumulate from the seasonal indulgences. Try not to over do it  There are many events and family functions that will demand your time.  Choose ones that will be enjoyable and won’t add unwanted stress to this busy time of year. Have fun! Enjoy the all deliciousness of this season - family, friends and holiday soul food!  The new year will be here soon enough.   Re-Hydrating Drink: Blend 2 sticks of celery ½ cup of spinach ½ cup of fresh pineapple A coin size piece of fresh ginger ½ of a lemon juiced 1 cup of water  

By |2013-12-10T10:50:07-05:00December 10th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Five Tips To Help You Survive The Holidays

Announcement: Rate Changes and New Chiropractic Service

Dear Clients, Change is in the air! You may have noticed some changes at Innate Health Centre in the past few months. New owners Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND and Dr. Angelina Riopel ND have been working together on new programs and services for the clinic. Stay tuned for a newsletter and email regarding some upcoming changes! In the meantime, we will be making some adjustments to our rates this coming July, 1, 2013 for Naturopathic Appointments and Massage Therapy (see Below). In addition, we are pleased to offer Chiropractic services with Dr. Jon Cartile, DC starting June 4, 2013 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Please let us know if you have any questions, Innate Health Centre Team   Naturopathic Medicine: Our rates will be remaining the same for the most part. We will be moving from a time-based fee schedule to a service-based fee schedule. We are making these adjustments to give our doctors flexibility with the timing of appointments as many assessments run over-time. Our service-based schedule is as follows: Initial Assessment (60-90min) Follow-up Assessment (30-45min) Acute Check-In Assessment (15-20min)  Our fees per service will be as follows:  Initial Appointment: $200 Follow-up Visit: $110 Check-in: $55   Massage therapy: Our massage therapy rates will be adjusted as follows: 30 minute appointment: $50 45 minute appointment: $70 60 minute appointment: $85 75 minute appointment: $105 90 minute appointment: $125 Chiropractic Rates: We are pleased to be introducing Chiropractic services with Dr. Jon Cartile, DC starting June 4, 2013. Dr. Cartile will be in practice Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during regular business hours. Please call ahead to book to ensure an appointment. Drop-ins are welcome. Our Chiropractic Rates will be as follows:  Initial Assessment (30 minutes): [...]

By |2013-06-12T20:22:53-04:00May 23rd, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on Announcement: Rate Changes and New Chiropractic Service

The Power of Relaxation

Do you feel like you’re constantly fighting food and your weight? Or feel stressed from what you should be eating or doing to achieve your weight goal? Next up in our free monthly lecture series, our Holistic Health Coach chats about the power of relaxation and your metabolism.   Come on out and learn more! It's free! Check out our website, www.innatehealthcentre.com, for more information.    

By |2019-04-08T19:52:13-04:00February 19th, 2013|Uncategorized|Comments Off on The Power of Relaxation

Need More Sleep??

Elizabeth K. Dawson, Holistic Health Coach at Innate Wellness: Sleep can have an enormous, and sometimes surprising, influence on your mental, emotional, and physical health.  Do you recognize any of these signs below from your life?  IN THE NEWS: Two recent Huffington Post articles highlight how diet affects sleep patterns and the reverse – how sleep patterns affect diet.  ….Yes, there is a bit of ‘what comes first, the chicken or the egg‘?  Whatever it is, we do know for certain that food/health choices affect sleep, and sleep affects food/health choices.  …and this is why I always look at rest, relaxation, and sleep with health coaching clients… it’s SO important.  Check out these surprising signs from Huffington Post: Surprising Signs You Need More Sleep from the Huffington Post 1.  You’re Ravenous If you find yourself hungry all day (and not because you skipped breakfast or have recently amped up your gym routine) it might be because you’ve been skimping on sleep. Research presented at the 2010 meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior linked little shuteye with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, the same one that triggers hunger, HuffPost reported. This uptick in the hunger hormone seems to lead to not only increased snacking, but also a hankering for high-carb, high-calorie foods, according to a 2004 study, which may help explain why people who don’t get enough sleep are at a greater risk of obesity. 2.  You’re Weepy Ever find yourself tearing up over an embarrassing TV commercial? While women might be quick to blame PMS, it could be a lack of sleep sending your emotions into overdrive. A 2007 study found that sleep-deprived brains were 60 percent more reactive to negative and disturbing images, USA Today reported. “It’s almost as though, [...]

By |2019-04-08T19:52:13-04:00February 13th, 2013|Mind Body Medicine, Self Care, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Need More Sleep??

Use This Holiday to Get a Leg Up on Longevity!

By Elizabeth K. Dawson, Holistic Health Coach Do you ever read about those societies that have the ‘secrets to longevity’ (like inner Sardinia) and are racking up centenarians like crazy – and you start to think that, by comparison, your future might be bleak?  Well, what if I told you to stop being such a sad panda and get started on gaining longevity points right now. With these six essentials below, it’s not completely necessary to relocate!  What those societies have are not 'secrets' as much as models for good living that you can focus in on right now.  Festive and family-oriented, December is the winter month that you can choose to put to its best use: taking time to implement some good habits of the longest-lived folks on earth. And may I add: this is not the month to drag yourself to endless events that drain you, despite the list of kind invitations.  Rather, t’is the season to be choosy about how you’re going to spend it!  If you truly want to extend your health and life like the Ikarians of Greece, here are some ways you can start, based on evidence from longevity experts: 1)   Start over with family dinners.  Use the season to resume togetherness over home-cooked meals with your loved ones.  If you have children, commit to a daily or weekly sit-down dinner at home, uninterrupted by TV or electronics.  And - *gulp* - just talk. (this can add years to your life expectancy and that of your family). 2)   Experiment with what rejuvenates you.  Select 3-4 free mornings this month to wake up and ask yourself what would bring you energy and joy that day.  On these precious mornings, don’t [...]

By |2012-12-13T09:05:30-05:00December 13th, 2012|Mind Body Medicine, Self Care, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Use This Holiday to Get a Leg Up on Longevity!
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