Nutrition | Innate Wellness Naturopathic Medical Centre

Herbal Bitters for Digestive Drama

With Dr. Angelina Riopel, ND As we move into holiday season restrictive diets go out the window, and rightfully so. Unfortunately with holiday indulging many are plagued with digestive drama, such as gastric reflux, gas, bloating and bowel changes such as constipation and diarrhea. Alcohol, fatty foods and excess sugar put stress on the liver, leading to “liver stagnation” and large, complex meals can lead to incomplete digestion, due to insufficient gastric juices. Traditionally herbal bitters and digestive cordials were taken to prevent indigestion and improve digestive efficiency. The flavor of bitter is one that the western diet is lacking, culturally our preference being for sweet, salty and fatty. Traditionally and in many other cultures bitter herbs, bitter greens and bitter aperitifs are taken before or after meals to improve digestion and avoid the unpleasant digestive symptoms that follow heavy meals. […]

By Dr. Angelina Riopel ND|2024-09-26T07:22:24-04:00December 8th, 2015|Digestion, Nutrition|Comments Off

Stomach Healing Holiday Recipe

With Liane Wansbrough, CNP Looking for a digestible recipe for your holiday potluck party? This delicious salad is warm and filling like a gratin but without the cheese hangover. Not to mention, the nutrients in this recipe are great stomach healers. The rich zinc content in pumpkin helps to heal the stomach lining. Garlic, natures’s great natural antibiotic, helps to combat bacterial overgrowth. While all-spice contains herbs which warm and strengthen digestion. If chickpeas give you gas, substitute with 1 cup of soaked and peeled almonds. […]

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-14T03:17:10-04:00December 8th, 2015|Nutrition, Recipes|Comments Off

Darkness, Rain & Cold. Prevent the Weather from affecting your Health.

by Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Did you know that weather has a huge impact on health? From ‘catching cold’ to winter blues, the fall & winter bring darker hours, damp/cold rain and eventually, dry cold weather that can compromise our health if we aren’t prepared. Understanding seasonal changes is one of the most important steps you can take in cold & flu prevention and in maintaining health all-year long. Darkness We have evolved with the 24 hour light-dark cycle of our planet. Our exposure to sun and darkness influences all of our biorhythms from temperature regulation to sleep cycle to hormonal balance. Long-dark days are notorious for causing us to sleep longer, feel more fatigued, and ‘out-of-sorts’. Tip#1 There are always beautiful, sunny days in the fall and winter. Get outside during these times and expose yourself to the light. This will help to boost mood and physiological balance. Tip#2 Supplement with adrenal support. The adrenal gland sits on top of the kidneys and is responsible for the secretion of cortisol, which is one of the hormones affected by long-dark days. Depletion or imbalance in cortisol secretion can leave us feeling, tired, and overwhelmed with poor stress tolerance. Taking adrenal support will help to nourish this gland and regulate production of stress hormones helping us to manage our stress better. Tip#3 Supplement with melatonin as the season changes. Sometimes the worst part about change is our inability to adjust. The dark days come and we never really make the natural transition. Taking melatonin before bedtime sends a message to the brain that darkness has come and it is time for sleep. This helps us to achieve a deeper state of [...]

By Dr. Kathleen Regan ND|2024-06-24T08:50:36-04:00September 7th, 2015|Cold and Flu Season, Nutrition, Self Care|Comments Off

The Family Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

By Dr. Kathleen Regan, ND Looking for a quick, simple, healthy, delicious breakfast solution for the whole family? A breakfast smoothie is a great way to boost breakfast nutrition and get the family off to a great start! Understand the nutritional benefits and enjoy! […]

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-13T02:49:09-04:00July 25th, 2015|Nutrition, Recipes|Comments Off

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 Innate Wellness|2024-06-25T04:36:39-04:00June 28th, 2015|Nutrition, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Lymphatic Drainage Smoothie

With Brittany Darrah, CNP For optimal lymphatic drainage it is recommended to consume one meal in the form of an alkalinizing and nourishing green smoothie. Replacing plant milk or water with herbal tea often increases the healing properties of smoothies. Cleavers is a herb commonly used for detoxification of the lymph system; it can be purchased by request as an organic loose tea at Innate Wellness. In addition to cleavers, pineapple provides anti-inflammatory properties, digestive benefits, and enzyme content that improve lymphatic function to promote natural, everyday detoxification. Ingredients - 1 cup chopped pineapple - 1 tbsp. of lime juice - 3 leaves of romaine lettuce, rinsed and torn - 1/2 cup frozen ripe pear (used instead of banana as a lower glycemic thickener) - 1 cup cleavers tea - 1 serving of preferred greens powder (optional) Method Brew the cleavers tea in advance, allowing it to steep for 10-15 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator. You may wish to make tea in bulk and drink it on its own, or incorporate it into other beverages over the course of a few days. Put ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large glass or mason jar and enjoy!

By Innate Wellness|2024-06-24T08:48:12-04:00May 29th, 2015|Detoxification/Cleanse, Nutrition, Recipes, Skin Hair & Nails|Comments Off

Winter Warmer Squash & Kale Quinoa Salad

with Lisa Holowaychuk, Holistic Health & Life Coach Looking for a FRESH & HEALTHY recipe for the holidays? Look no further. This dish will keep you feeling warm and is a great addition to any holiday spread. Makes 4 to 6 servings as a main dish. Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups quinoa 3 cups water 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cups peeled, cored and diced butternut squash 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped kale (previously washed and cleaned) 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped vinaigrette Directions: In a large pot, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered until all the water has been absorbed (about 20 minutes). Remove from the heat, fluff with a for and place in a large bowl to cool for 20 minutes. In the meantime, heat one teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet, add the onion and cook until it turns translucid. Add the garlic, butternut squash and kale. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat. Remove the lid, check that the butternut squash is tender but not mushy or hard when you poke a piece with a knife. Add the thyme and continue cooking until the all the liquid creating by the cover has evaporated. Let cool to room temperature. Gently fold the cooked quinoa and the cooked vegetables together along with the vinaigrette. Serve room temperature or cold.

By Innate Wellness|2024-04-18T10:00:46-04:00November 27th, 2014|Nutrition, Recipes|Comments Off

Get Exposed to Sun Smart Tips!

The sun can be harmful but it is also healing. The benefits of sun exposure often get overlooked due to the risks. This why we need to be sun smart and treat our skin with a balance of skin supportive diet tips, healthy sun exposure, and toxin-free sun protection. We have been told for the last century about the hazards of sun exposure. UVA radiation penetrates deeply into the skin, where it can contribute to skin cancer by promoting DNA damage. Sunburn is caused by too much UVB radiation; this directly damages DNA and can promote various skin cancers. Both forms can damage collagen fibers, destroy vitamin A in skin, accelerate aging of the skin, and increase the risk of skin cancers. However, excessive ultraviolet ration exposure accounts for only 0.1% of the total global burden of disease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), according to the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) report The Global Burden of Disease Due to Ultraviolet Radiation. In contrast, the same WHO report noted that the annual disease burden of 3.3 billion worldwide might result from very low levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure. What are the Benefits of Sun Exposure??? […]

By Dr. Kathleen Regan ND|2024-06-19T02:59:54-04:00June 3rd, 2014|Nutrition, Skin Hair & Nails|Comments Off

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 Innate Wellness|2024-07-22T08:36:12-04:00April 26th, 2014|Detoxification/Cleanse, Digestion, Nutrition, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Ginger and Cinnamon Winter Tonic – Recipe + Health Benefits

By: Andrea Sarjeant, CNP Here’s a great recipe for a winter tonic that will warm you up wherever you take it! If you read Dr. Kathleen’s last post, you know that plenty of warming and immune boosting spices already live in your kitchen cupboard. Here’s a recipe for a steeped tea that you can make with simple ingredients. It will keep you warm and healthy during this cold weather: Ginger is a peripheral circulatory stimulant, which means that it’s great for people with cold hands or feet. Adding ginger to your food or sipping on ginger tea can even increase nutrient absorption. Cinnamon is a warming spice that will help to keep you from getting sick, thanks to its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. And cinnamon can help to boost your mood. Ancient folklore says that the smell of cinnamon helps to ward off the winter blues. Ginger and Cinnamon Winter Tonic In a large mason jar or teapot, combine: 1” piece of ginger, sliced (peel it if it’s not organic) 1 cinnamon stick Honey, maple syrup or stevia to taste (although I don’t find that it needs it) Cover with boiling water and allow to steep until cool enough to drink. You can continue to top up with boiling water for several steeps. Enjoy!

By Andrea Sarjeant CNP|2024-06-19T03:07:31-04:00February 3rd, 2014|Cold and Flu Season, Nutrition, Recipes|Comments Off