Where have I been?!

This blog really has been taking a back seat in my life...I haven't posted since August. My, much has changed. Well since then,

-I got a job-[I went back to my old firm that I worked at as a student last summer.]

-I graduated from university!!

Hmm that's pretty much it, but starting to work was a hard adjustment...from making every meal from my kitchen to trying to cope with making lunches and staying away from buying lunch, to the time adjustments, and energy levels, and balancing an exercise routine...etc.etc. But I think I'm back!

Anyways, I'm gearing up for the new year to be a good one since my life has changed quite drastically in the past year. Let's see, in 2009 I...

-traveled to a new continent for the first time

-swam in the dead sea

-finished my first degree(one more to go)

-introduced green smoothies into my diet

-started kickboxing

-started hot yoga

After school finished, I have tried to put a focus back to myself and see what I could do to make my skin/allergies better. My regular routine consists of eating whole organic foods, raw green smoothies, integrating omega 3 fatty acids, a probiotic on an empty stomach, exercising at least 3 times a week, using an infrared sauna, and moisturizing my skin all the time! I'm trying new things all the time, and I hope that if I continue to treat my body better, it will heal itself.

Happy New Year and while others toast the new year with their champagne, I will say no thank you, and sip on my organic sparkling apple cider! =)

Fruit Addict.

I have a confession...I'm addicted to fruit. I know I could be addicted to something worse, but believe it or not, too much fruit is actually harmful. In my case anyways. I stay CLEAR away from any sweetners, white sugar, artificial sweetners, even honey or maple syrup.

So since the sugars in fruit is natural, I therefore binge or overeat fruits, justifying to myself that natural sugar in fruit is ok. But it isn't. Not in high amounts anyways. After undergoing an food intolerance test, the list below are the results...

Severe Intolerance Fruit:

Pineapple, honeydew melon, fig, date, papaya, strawberry, kiwi, orange, mango, watermelon, banana, grape, grapefruit

Moderate Intolerance Fruit:

Nectarine

Mild Intolerance Fruit:

Blueberry, peach

Safe Fruit:

Apple, apricot, cherry, pear, lemon, cranberry

I'm also very intolerant to fructose...and after reading this post, I began to question my over bingeing on fruits. For me, I think the sugar swells my lips, a sign of food intolerance. And sometimes I feel as though it swells my whole face!

After doing some research, I think I may have fructose malabsorption. Which in short means that my small intestine cannot break down the fructose as it enters my system.

"The physiological consequences of fructose malabsorption include increasing osmotic load, providing substrate for rapid bacterial fermentation, changing gastrointestinal motility, promoting mucosal biofilm and altering the profile of bacteria."

Which is a fancy way of saying bloating. Everyone has different symptoms, but mine is bloating, and getting itchy(eczema). Because of my already short list of fruits I am able to eat, I need to make sure from now on that I limit the number of fruits I eat and stay away from the ones high in fructose. Apples unfortuantly, are on the list, but I think 2 a day(including the one in my morning smoothie) will be ok. Hopefully I can transition into 1 fruit a day. Which is so hard for me because I could easily eat 6 fruits a day! (I know...how shameful).

*sigh. I am on a fruit redux as of right now. Wish me luck.

My first coconut!

So I picked up my first organic coconut at the health food store the other day! I've never really liked coconuts as a child...but ever since I read about the health benefits of coconuts, I've slowly transitioned into a coconut lover! I used coconut oil to cook and to use on my skin...it is fabulous I must say.

So first I drilled some holes into the coconut with an electronic screw driver, and then let the coconut water drain into a measuring cup as seen below.

And then I scooped out all of the meat and put it all in the blender, with the coconut water, some ice and made my first ever coconut smoothie!! It was perfect along side some almonds as a post-gym snack.

It was my first coconut and definetly not my last! I can't wait to have another coconut experience! I've also discovered some coconut water in mini juice containers at Whole Foods! It is quite expensive...so I treated myself to 2 for $4. I drank one right away, and saved the other one for an experiment the following day...I poured half of it into a bowl and mixed in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. I patiently waited for about 15 minutes, stirring every so often...

And presto! Instant coconut water jelly! It was delicous! Without any added sugar...or sweetners, it was PERFECT. I cannnot wait to make it again.

I love big salads and I cannot lie!

Hmmm Salads, oh how I love you! Today is day one of my rotation diet...and although I do not follow it 100%, today was the perfect day for the humongous salad I created for dinner.


It was lightly sauteed spinach and swiss chard on top of a bowl of romaine lettuce that was tossed in flax oil and lemon juice. On the side went some roasted beets and some freshly made Lemony Pesto Goodness courtesy of Meghan's recipe! All that was missing was an avocado which unfortunately is still very green on my kitchen counter. I wish avocados would ripen faster!

The recipe is SUPER simple! I went grocery shopping this weekend and they had fresh organic basil soaked in water with roots and all. It smelled so good, I could not resist! So I picked some up and used it in the pesto.

Into my magic bullet:
-fresh basil
-1/4 cup sunflower seeds
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-juice from one lemon
-2 cloves of garlic
-a stub of ginger
-dash of salt

I've been having lots of spare time on my hands, so I've been experimenting with different recipes and trying new foods. It is fun and exciting! My next mission...to crack open a coconut.

I need some vitamin D please!

On a recent blood test review and trip to the doctor, he informed me that my vitamin D levels are extremely LOW. I'm not an expert, but he tells me that my level is 75, when they should be at 120.

I never realized how important vitamin D actually is for our health. It is vital and helps prevent osteoporosis, and many cancers. But more importantly, it just regulates your body from absorbing nutrients. Living in Canada, where we only get "beach" weather between July and August, there isn't much chance to get vitamin D from the sun.

So my doctor recommended that while the weather is hot, I should sit outside for 20 minutes, 10 minutes on my front, 10 minutes on my back and soak up the vitamin D. But it has to be done around the noon hour because that is when the sunlight absorbed by the body has the capacity to make vitamin D. Of course, there is the thing called SKIN CANCER. In my 21 years of life, I've only got burnt twice. I'm not a skin burning type of person...so for people who burn easily, obviously it is unsafe.

But for me, I think it will help with my vitamin D deficiency which will in turn help with my skin condition. In the winter, I will have to take vitamin D supplements to maintain the level as the foods with high vitamin are mostly fish. It is not that I do not like fish (I only eat wild salmon), it is the high mercury content in fish that I am concerned about.

The picture is from my time on the Tel Aviv beach about a month ago...oh how I miss the consistent 30 degree weather. Toronto has been having a weird summer...on and off somewhat warm weather , mixed with a 40% POP almost everyday! What is going on?!

Anywho-time for me to soak up some vitamin D.

My food situation.

So I decided to make a post on my current food 'situation' as I would like to call it.

Rotation Diet
Well for about a year and a half, I've been on a 4 day rotation diet. Meaning, eating different foods every 4 days, which is planned out so that no 2 days have the same food families. When my holistic doctor recommended it to me, I thought...that is going to be so much work! But once you make a list of each day with all of the foods you can eat, it isn't that hard. The combinations can be made according to dishes or foods that you already eat or like together, so it was not that big of an adjustment. It is supposed to help in easing food allergens so that if you are allergic or sensitive to something, you will not eat it for another 4 days...therefore lessening the load on your digestive system.

No-carbs
So after I came back from my month of travels from Italy and Israel, I decided to take out all of the grains in my diet. Before then, I rotated on organic brown rice, millet, and buckwheat, with one day no grains. My doctor recommended me to try to take out my grains because it will help with my eczema. So it has been about a month sans-grains. Difference? I have noticed that I am more "regular" in going to the washroom, if you know what I mean. I think it is because grains are harder to digest.

Green Smoothies
I've also since I've come back, introduced fresh green smoothies into my diet. I've experimented with tons of different recipes...but because I'm allergic to certain fruits still like pineapples, melons, strawberries, mangoes, and banana, I've made up my own smoothie.

It consists of:
-half a cucumber
-half a lemon
-1 fuji apple
-a small piece of ginger
-a handful of spinach/romaine lettuce/kale
-2 teaspoons of chia seeds
-half cup of water

I love it for breakfast! It is a huge serving, but I manage to finish it feeling full, healthy, and refreshed! So now I try to inhale one of these green monsters every day..while doing the rotation diet as well with my other meals. While still avoiding all of my allergic foods...it will take a while, but I truly think foods have the ability to heal.

Achoo!

Ah...seasonal allergies. My worst enemy! The time has approached when pollens, dust, and other allergens fill the air, go into my nose and eyes, and cause discomfort words cannot describe. And as my garbage can fills with tissues....I can't help but dream...wouldn't it be great if I didn't have allergies?

2 summers ago, my eyes got so swollen in the mornings, I could not open them. I am not even exaggerating here...I COULD NOT OPEN MY EYES! Now I can, thank goodness. But still, the itchiness, dryness, and watering of the eyes is still not gone! I really try not to rub them, but it is very hard. What I've learned and tried over the years for my eyes is to use an ice pack, wrap it in paper towel, and gently cool down the itchiness with coldness. Just closing my eyes, not taking a nap, but just consciously giving them a rest from exposing them to the air also helps.

Now the nose. My nose has generally improved, but sometimes it gets so itchy, I can help but rub my nose too! What I found that has helped is something called Nasaleze. It is a powder that it put up your nostril that protects you from allergens entering your nose. I am not a fan of nose spray, or anything that your inject up your nose, but this does help! You can buy it at your local drug store and it is fairly cheap.

One thing I have yet to try...the Neti Pot. Looks sorta strange...but some people swear by it. I might do so this year.

It is unfortuanate that our environment is so polluted today...and for people like me who are so sensitive to everything, staying indoors seems like the best option. But if you take such precautions and protect yourself, the outdoors isn't all that bad.