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Monday Mornings with Claire: Fieldstone Granary
Monday Mornings with Claire
My name is Claire Monahan. I work at Nature’s Fare Markets on a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives, coordinating our employee training, writing content for our quarterly newsletter, and now I have become our in house blogger!
I am going to be embarking on a series of blogs that focuses on the local producers that we have in our area. Each spring and summer we are so lucky to have fresh, delicious, local produce coming right from our backyard. To celebrate this, I will focus on one local producer each week. To kick things off, I am starting with Fieldstone Granary, British Columbia’s only certified organic grain handling facility, located in Armstrong. Fieldstone’s mandate is “to provide wholesome, accessible, organic whole grain products and services for consumers and businesses alike.” What began as a local cooperative started by Tony Van Den Tillart and Willem Roell has now joined forces with local growers to become a group of individuals determined to grow additive free, non GMO, organic crops and produce and prepare them for market. Fieldstone is committed to reconnecting the bond between the land, its yield, and the people who depend on both. As strong supporters of local based business, the people behind Fieldstone decided that all grains must be grown exclusively in Western Canada, and preferably British Columbia.
They are constantly sourcing rare ancient grains and seeds to add to their already expansive list of products. Fieldstone takes in the grains, seeds, and legumes for cleaning, de-hulling,...
Stress, Anxiety, & Insomnia Solutions
Dr. kate rhÉaume has been lecturing on the connection between insomnia and belly fat for several years. Many people say they have used her advice to stay asleep and overcome their sweet tooth. Email her at: www.DoctorKateND.com
By Dr. Kate Rheaume and Natural Factors
We all experience stress of one kind or another. Most people associate stress with a negative event, but it can also be felt at positive times in our lives: the birth of a child, a promotion at work, or even a marriage proposal. Stress, in small doses, can help to move us forward or motivate us, but when left unchecked, stress can become detrimental and in some chronic cases, even deadly. The body has control mechanisms to counteract everyday stress. Often a stress response is so mild it can go unnoticed. However, if stress is extreme or long-lasting, these control mechanisms can be overwhelmed. Chronic stress over long periods sets the stage for serious, long-term damage.
Signs of Stress
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Weight Loss/Gain
- Irritability
- Cravings
- Fatigue
- Severe Behavioural Changes
- Memory Loss
Although some of these symptoms can be caused by other issues (improper diet, allergies, cold, flu…), be aware of your body’s “out-of-the-norm” responses, especially those that appear following a significant positive or negative event.
The Three Phases of Stress There are three phases the body goes through in reacting to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. These phases are largely controlled and regulated by the adrenal glands that sit above each kidney and produce adrenaline and other hormones.
- Alarm Phase: usually short-lived; the body produces a “rush” of adrenaline and...
The Ugly Truth About Makeup
There are a seemingly infinite number of options available when it comes to makeup. From mascara to eye shadows, concealer to foundation, not only are there a staggering number of brands and formulations offered for any given item, there are new products breaking into the marketplace each day! The commercial makeup industry is a $160 billion per year market that capitalizes on individuals’ desires to experiment with new products and create different versions of themselves. While it can be fun to try new makeup items, it is also important to be aware and understand what these products may contain.
Studies have shown that conventional makeup can result in fifty pounds or more of chemicals being added into our bodies each year. This is because our skin acts as a gateway for toxins to enter our bodies. When makeup is applied to the skin, the ingredients in the makeup are quickly absorbed. They are not passed through the digestive system, which could provide a method for removing potential toxins. Absorption through the skin generally means that whatever chemicals are present in the makeup will be present in the bloodstream without being detoxified.
According to the British Skin Foundation, the average woman applies 175 chemicals to her skin each day! Although this number sounds very high, consider the average woman’s morning routine. First a shower: involving shampoo, conditioner, soaps, and moisturizers. Then the makeup: she applies foundation, concealer, blush, eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. The hair: she may apply mousse or heat protector before...
Monday Mornings with Claire: The Superbug
Monday Mornings with Claire
The Superbug: Antibiotics, and Natural Alternatives.
My name is Claire Monahan. I work at Nature’s Fare Markets on a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives, coordinating our employee training, writing content for our quarterly newsletter, and now I have become our in house blogger!
I read an article today about the lack of new antibiotic creation in Canada and the United States. Apparently we are in great danger of contracting bacterial infections due to the growing strength of superbugs and without new antibiotics there may be many lives lost as a result. According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, only two new antibiotics have been created since 2009. My thought on this is that the overuse of antibiotics led to the creation of the superbug in the first place, so will the manufacture of even more drugs really solve the problem? Not only have antibiotics been overused for treating human conditions, but they have also been widely misused in farming for reducing the number of bacterial infections in animals. As a result we have found ourselves with bacteria that are now super resistant to any type of drug that we throw at them. A recent study conducted by the United States government found that doctors in the US are prescribing enough antibiotics to treat 4 out of 5 Americans each year. Although its true that antibiotics have proven to be successful at treating a number of ailments in the past, it is the recent over prescribing of these...
What Should I Eat Now? Dissecting the Diet Dilemma
Whether it’s a diet, fad, craze, or trend, it seems like new methods of managing our food intake are popping up all the time, each one promising greater health and longevity, as well as a number of other benefits like increased energy, weight loss, and overall happiness.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen a plethora of diet plans achieve overnight notoriety following celebrity endorsement or after having been featured on Dr. Oz. Each new diet promises that it has the answer to help us shed pounds, gain energy, and achieve optimum health in record time.
Dr. Atkins promised us lean bodies and sharp minds if we loaded up our plates with proteins and fats, and kept our carbohydrate intake below 40 grams per day. The South Beach Diet also mandated a protein-heavy diet with limited carbohydrates, but also banned unhealthy fats. The Zone Diet encouraged us to divide our plates into sections, with ⅓ allocated for protein and ⅔ allocated for vegetables. The Skinny Bitches told us to avoid animal products altogether and eat only plant-based foods. Weight Watchers devised a system whereby we could eat any foods we wanted, as long as we didn’t go over a daily limit of food points. Each of these diets promises the same outcome, but offers drastically different ways of getting there. And what’s more, it’s not clear whether any actually deliver on their promises for the long term. It is no wonder that consumers are confused. How are we to navigate through the...
Are You Getting the Most from Your Multi? by New Chapter
New Chapter one-a-day multivitamins take a whole-food approach, delivering fermented whole-food nutrients and medicinal herbs.
Why Take a Multivitamin?
Most Canadians would agree that it can be a challenge to eat a well-balanced diet every day. Our bodies need a variety of healthy foods for basic nutrition, but it’s not always easy to keep track of our food choices. Do you make sure at least half your daily grains are whole grains? Are you eating one dark green and one orange vegetable every day? A reliable multivitamin can help fill nutritional gaps, delivering key nutrients for your daily health and convenience.
Choosing the Best Multi for You
It’s important to know what you’re putting into your body, including your daily multi. It helps to ask: “Where do the nutrients in my multi come from?”
Is your multi delivering only processed chemicals?
Many multivitamins on the market are basic blends of chemical isolates. Chemical isolates are synthesized by processing the complex profiles of foods, such as corn, into single chemicals, such as Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). The result is a completely man-made, simplified vitamin or mineral compound. Selected isolates are then combined to create a multivitamin product.
Is your multi delivering fermented whole-food nutrients?
Fermenting vitamins and minerals with whole foods is an innovative process that takes multivitamins another step. During the fermentation process, vitamins and minerals are cultured in a matrix of beneficial probiotics, fruits, and vegetables. Why ferment? Fermenting foods with “good bacteria” to enrich them is a practice that goes back thousands of years. Fermented foods...
March Against Monsanto is May 25th!
Why We March?
This march is a worldwide March Against Monsanto. The purpose is to raise awareness on how genetically modified food (GMOs) can negatively impact the environment and our health.
What solutions do we advocate?
- Voting with your dollar by buying organic and boycotting Monsanto-owned companies that use GMOs in their products.
- Labeling of GMOs so that consumers can make those informed decisions easier
- Calling for further scientific research on the health effects of GMOs.
- Some of the Solutions are simple
- Support your Local Ethical Farmer
- Support your Locally Owned Businesses.
- Demand that Big Corporate stores bring in our Local Ethical Produce and if they don’t let them know that you cannot support at this time but will try you again in a month. If we do this by the hundreds and thousands they will have to comply
Locals Supporting Locals. It Just Makes Cents !
For more information and to find an event near you visit: http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/
Monday Mornings with Claire: Mouth Feel, Maximum Bite Force, and Sensory Specific Satiety: Food Industry Methods to Keep Us Coming Back For More
Monday Mornings with Claire
My name is Claire Monahan. I work at Nature’s Fare Markets on a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives, coordinating our employee training, writing content for our quarterly newsletter, and now I have become our in house blogger!
It’s no secret that refined foods are bad for us. The same is true for excessive salt, sugar, and fat. Regular consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars is linked to obesity and diabetes, and eating too much salt and fat is linked to heart disease, stroke, and cardiac arrest. Since we know the dangers, one might wonder why we are still tempted to consume large amounts of these foods. It may be because the food industry is silently manipulating us to consume more and more. Food industry scientists are toiling away to determine the exact ratio of salt, fat, and sugar that will trigger a craving response in our bodies. Its not as simple as adding an extra teaspoon of salt to a recipe, or an extra dollop of butter, it is a complex science that is aimed to ensure that consumers continue to want more and more and more. Food industry experts use regression analysis, math techniques, and advanced science to determine the exact combination of ingredients that will keep you craving more. More is the operative word in this case, as the more consumers eat, the more they will crave, and the more products they will buy, which along with lining the pockets of large food companies, also...
Monday Mornings with Claire: Dentist uncovers Sugar Industry’s Secrets
Monday Mornings with Claire
My name is Claire Monahan. I work at Nature’s Fare Markets on a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives, coordinating our employee training, writing content for our quarterly newsletter, and now I have become our in house blogger!
I read a very interesting story on CBC this morning about a dentist who has dedicated a significant amount of time to exposing how the sugar industry has used tactics similar to those used by Big Tobacco in efforts to manipulate media coverage and health reports. Cristin Couzens first began to question the sugar industry’s motives at a dental conference where a key speaker indicated that sugary drinks may actually be a healthy choice for those with diabetes or gum disease. Her disbelief caused her to begin her research, which consisted of searching library documents for over 15 months. She finally found her break at the Colorado State University library – a swath of cofidnetial documents detailing how the sugar industry’s public relations representatives would handle confilict of interest with the press. The documents also described industry lobby efforts to support scientific research, silence critical reports, and block dietary guidelines for sugar intake. Couzens also discovered documentation of the sugar industry’s board of directors, which included members of prestigious universities like Harvard, Yale, and M.I.T, all of whom received sugar industry money. Funds for the public relations campaigns and for funding scientific research came from large companies like Coca-Cola, Hershey, General Foods, General Mills, and Nabisco, all of which would...
Monday Mornings with Claire: L-Carnitine in the news
Monday Mornings with Claire
My name is Claire Monahan. I work at Nature’s Fare Markets on a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives, coordinating our employee training, writing content for our quarterly newsletter, and now I have become our in house blogger!
It’s come to my attention that there has been some recent negative press surrounding L-carnitine, an amino acid present in red meat. A study was published in a prestigious medical journal, Nature Medicine, which discussed a possible link between l-carnitine and cardiovascular disease. The research was undertaken to show that long term ingestion of l-carnitine shifts the metabolism of cholesterol and causes more cholesterol to be deposited on artery walls rather than being removed from the body. The study’s researcher, Dr. Stanley Hazen, head of preventative cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, recommended people reduce the amount of red meat consumed on a daily basis, and reconsider supplementing with l-carnitine.
Obviously this type of research is of extreme importance to everyone here at Nature’s Fare, so we contacted one of our suppliers to get a second opinion. They agreed that the study thoroughly showed that higher levels of TMAO are linked to cardiovascular disease, (by the way, TMAO is a compound that is formed from the digestion of certain nutrients, including l-carnitine). That being said, there have been opposing studies and clinical trials that have shown l-carnitine to be extremely efficient in a number of areas, including:
- Increased survival after heart failure
- Increase exercise tolerance for those patients with angina
- Increased conditioning...
