Thursday, March 31, 2011

An ancient treasure By Valerie Hould-Marchand

Chia, is familiar to most as the often-ridiculed seed of the « instant pet ». Little is know, however, of the seeds tremendous nutritional value. They were used by ancient mountain and desert-dwelling Native American civilizations. In fact, Aztec warriors used the carbohydrate-rich chia seeds as an energy booster. They called chia their « running food » because messengers reportedly could run all day on just a handful. However, when these civilizations fell, the importance of the seeds was forgotten.
But now, after a half millennium, Chia seeds are back, and can be found in most health food stores. So what is it exactly that makes the tiny seeds so powerful ? For starters, they are nature’s richest vegetarian source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. In fact, chia seeds have the highest percentage of alpha-linolenic acid of all vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
Chia provides the highest percentage of complete protein, averaging 22 percent protein per seed, with all of the essential amino acids present.
They are also very high in soluble fiber, which improves blood sugar control by slowing the absorption of glucose ( which also increases energy levels), and has be shown to lower cholesterol.
Here are a few additional benefits you should know about these tiny seeds:

• Three times more iron than spinach
• Fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli
• Six times more calcium than milk
• No trans fats
• Gluten Free
• Hypo-Allergenic


FUN FACT :

Chia seeds love water ! The seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. Do this fun experiment… Put one tablespoon of chia seeds in a cup of water and stir. Wait a few hours and see what happens. When inside your body, the seeds help you stay hydrated longer, and retain electrolytes in your bodily fluids, especially during physical exercise.

Another unique quality of the chia seeds is their ability to blend in perfectly in all of your favourite recipes. And unlike other seeds and grains, chia does not require grinding for the body to benefit from the wide range of nutrients hidden in the seeds. Their mild taste makes it easy to put in sauces, smoothies, breads, puddings, and whatever you can think of. They won't really change the taste, but will add to your nutrition!

Until next time,
Heal yourself
Heal the planet

Sources :
Prescription for Dietary Wellness
www.naturalnews.com

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Chips de Radis Noir

2 large black radishes
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt, pepper
red pepper flakes
Serves 4.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Grease a baking dish (unless it is non-stick).
Wash and scrub the radishes. Peel them with a vegetable peeler, leaving half of the peel in stripes if desired. Slice the radishes thinly - very thin slices will be more chip-like, slightly thicker slices will be moister - and put the slices in the baking dish.
Pour a little olive oil, a little vinegar, sprinkle salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Toss with a wooden spoon to coat. Pour and sprinkle more if necessary, until all the slices look comfortably dressed - but not drenched.

See it live! Local Bin is now on our website!

For the month of March , switch your order option to the local bin and receive a free local pear puree
(limit one per customer)
Keep your taste buds changing with the Ontario growing season.
Choose local and take advantage of the season. In order insure you remain organic and local throughout the year, GEO introduced our 100km bin in the summer. New last week it has just been posted live on our website! Get the best of both worlds: Its 100% organic (as always with us) and 100% local! That is a $40 bin option. Though our policy is always choosing as much local as possible, this bin will be 100% local, which means you might not see as much fruit at this time of year but when we do get it, you will have abundance. In the winter you can expect to see lots of apples and delicious root vegetables. In order to provide you with a larger selection, you cannot make substitutions on this bin option. As you may know, the local produce does come at a higher premium, since our Ontario farms are a little smaller than most California farms that produce a higher quantity of organics. Buying local supports a more sustainable food system because true sustainability goes beyond the methods used in food production to include every step that brings food from farm to plate. This means buying food and goods that are grown raised and produced close to home whenever possible. Buying local products not only supports local farmers and business, it provides you with peace of mind knowing where your goods are coming from and that they must conform with all Ontario government guidelines in their production and farming methods. Your food will be fresher and more nutritious, your goods made by your neighbours and you will be contributing to a healthier economy and less fossil fuel being used to transport items long distances. You pay for freshness and taste, not packaging, and freight. You are supporting local jobs for local people. We have also added our 100km Grocery Isle to our website that is sorted by Fresh Local and Packaged Local, though not included in this isle is our dairy, meat and brick street bread, you can rest assure that it is as well local.
We already know you find the value in choosing organic, but if you are a locavore this one’s for you! If you are interested please give us a call or email to switch your bin option.
Giselle

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

WINTER BLUES BY VALERIE HOULD-MARCHAND

It is so easy to sink into the ¨winter blues¨ as winter continues to crawl on, and the temperature refuses to rise. But if you are continually dragging your feet in the morning, having a hard time concentrating at work, and then finding yourself simply too tired to get out of the house in the evening, it could be more than a case of the ¨blues¨.

We all feel tired from time to time, but continuous fatigue could be a sign of underlying health issues. Once you have ruled out the possibility of conditions such as anemia, diabetes, a low thyroid, or other serious illnesses, homeopathy can help.

What is homeopathy you ask? It is a system of medicine that treats illness by stimulating the body’s own healing mechanism.

And like most remedies in natural health, results will vary depending on the individual, so choose a remedy that suits you best, or find an experienced homeopath to help you out.

Listed below are a few homeopathic remedies.

ARNICA
For physical exhaustion with muscle aching after strenuous activity, jet lag, feeling dazed, weary, and sore. It is also the first remedy to administer after surgery or injury.

GELSEMIUM
For feelings of exhaustion as if coming down with the flu, chills, trembling, and headache in the back of the head. Also used when recovering from the flu is slow and fatigue lingers. Gelsemium is the main remedy for weakness from anticipation before a performance, when unable to think, or shaky.

NUX VOMICA
For irritable exhaustion as a result of working too hard for long hours along with poor eating and sleeping habits. Also used when feeling stressed or tense.



PIRIC ACID
For mental exhaustion and sluggishness, trouble concentrating, lack of willpower, and feeling confused when trying to focus.


In addition to homeopathy, you can support your body with a few easy diet and lifestyle changes.

 Have a cup of maté tea for an energy boost minus the caffeine
 Replace all processed foods with organic whole foods
 Use Stevia instead of sugar
 Limit your daily usage of PDAs
 Take a stroll and exercise on a regular basis outdoors to increase oxygen and energy ( snow, rain or shine )
 Treat yourself to organic dark chocolate! That’s right ladies… Eat up for your health!
 Practice regular sleep patterns
 Meditate or spend a few minutes alone each day to improve energy and reduce stress.




Until next time,

Heal yourself
Heal the planet


Sources : ALive Academy, Natural Health Fundamentals