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Urban Composting
For those families that eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, organic scraps like apple cores, wilted lettuce leaves, or orange peels may end up taking up most of the room in the garbage can. Organic waste contributes to the amount of garbage ending up in landfills, meaning more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. To reduce the amount of garbage that your family sends to landfills, try composting! Even in an urban setting it is possible to separate organic scraps and recyclables from your garbage to cut down on your waste.
While composting may seem complicated, it is really a simple process. You will need to dedicate some outdoor space to the process, preferably close to your back door, or easily accessible from the kitchen. Next, you will have to decide whether to use an open or closed container. Open bins can be constructed with wood, chicken wire, or recycled plastic. Enclosed containers can either be upright boxes, or rotating drums. While open bins tend to be convenient and easily collect rain water, they will also attract rodents and other scavenger animals. In addition, they can be difficult to stir and can become an eyesore for your neighbors. Closed containers will rarely attract pests and can be easier to turn and manage, however they will require that you add water periodically. You will also need a pitch fork and a shovel to help turn and stir the compost.
The key ingredients for successful compost are water, air, and food. Air...
Take the Efamol 90-Day Challenge with FLORA
Efamol® 90-Day Challenge:
What you get from the 90-Day Challenge
- Firmer Skin
- Improved Skin Moisture
- Better Elasticity
- Smoother Skin
Top 10 Foods for your Skin
We know how important diet is when it comes to healthy looking skin. That’s why we have come up with the Top 10 Foods to help you along the way.
Exercise Tips for Great Looking Skin
Did you know that just 30 minutes of exercise a day can work wonders for your skin?
Take the Efamol® 90-Day challenge and get beautiful skin now!
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Is your body being fooled into gaining weight by xenoestrogens? By Brad King
You may already know that estrogens are critical elements for maintaining health and balance in the body. But did you know that there are estrogen mimickers in our environment that can lead to hormonal imbalance, weight gain and disease?
Estrogens are hormones, chemical messengers that turn on or off various functions, especially in women. For instance, they are largely responsible for preparing the lining of the uterus in the middle of a woman’s cycle in order for it to be able to receive and nourish a fertilized egg. Fluctuations in estrogen levels are what women experience as hot flashes before and during menopause.
Estrogen produced by the ovaries helps prevent bone loss and works together with calcium, vitamin D and other hormones and minerals to build bones. The lack of estrogen brings on osteoporosis.
But what about estrogen mimickers? These are called xenoestrogens and come from a large group (tens of thousands) of foreign compounds derived from synthetic materials such as pesticides, plastics, body creams, detergents, food supplies and our environment. Xenoestrogens have the ability to disrupt our natural hormonal systems, creating hormonal havoc that can possibly lead to conditions such as prostate enlargement (BPA), prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, breast cancer, perimenopause, PMS and menopause, as well as weight gain – especially in the abdominal area.
Why xenoestrogens lead to weight gain
The problem is that the majority of these xenoestrogens are fat soluble, which means they have a greater potential of becoming lodged within our fat cells, and once there they are very difficult to...
Avocado Wasabi Rocket Salad by myvega.com
Perfect spring salad ideas from www.myvega.com. Do you have a favourite spring meal idea? Share it!
If you love avocado and wasabi then your in for a treat!
Ingredients:
- Greens of your choice, for 4-6 people ( I used arugula, aka. rocket)
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 2 TSP EFA Antioxidant Oil Blend
- 3/4 CUP Celery, chopped
- 1 Mango, chopped
- 1/3 CUP Toasted Slivered Almonds
- 1 Recipe Wasabi Chickpeas, below
- 1 Recipe Avocado Wasabi dressing, below/li>
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Wasabi-Tamari Chickpeas:
- 2 TSP EFA Antioxidant Oil Blend1 CUP Chickpeas
- 1 TSP Wasabi Powder
- 1 TSP Sugar
- 1 TBS BRAGGS Soy Sauce
Avocado Wasabi Dressing:
- 1 Ripe Avocado, diced
- 2 TSP White Wine Vinegar
- 3 TBS Hummus, plain or garlic
- 1 TSP Stoneground Mustard
- 1/2 TSP Salt
- 2 TSP Wasabi Powder
- 1/3 Cup EFA Antioxidant Oil Blend
Directions:
- Whisk dressing ingredients together, except for EFA oil, until smooth.
- Slowly add EFA oil until emulsified and smooth, refrigerate.
- Toast almonds, set aside.
- Mix wasabi-tamari chickpeas and set aside.
- In large bowl, add your salad ingredients and wasabi-tamari chickpeas (leave some almonds and chickpeas for garnish).
- Toss with dressing to lightly coat.
Dish salad, garnish and crack fresh black pepper over the top. Serve immediately!
Not a morning person? Here are 5 easy tips to give you a blast of energy!
by www.PGX.com
Not a morning person? Here are 5 easy tips to give you a blast of energy!
I am not a morning person. Plain and simple. I love the quiet of the morning and the idea of waking early to watch the sunrise, but when it comes right down to actually waking up and getting out of bed, I am not a morning person. I do not just naturally wake up at 6 am, and if I do? I promptly go back to dream land.
So what can we night owls, and anyone else feeling sluggish in the morning, do to get that much needed energy boost?
Here are five fabulous tips from Real Simple to wake us up in the morning!
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- Enjoy a pop of colour! Bright colours like yellow and orange are known to have invigorating effects on your mood and can give you that shot of energy. So be bold and don that bright yellow raincoat or use those fuzzy orange towels!
- Let in the natural light! When you wake up, resist the urge to keep your room dark. Throw back the curtains, open the window and blink in the light! Enjoy breakfast outside. Dr. Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D. says, “If you can go outside within 15 minutes of waking for 20 minutes and face east, even on a cloudy day, you’ll get enough light to energize yourself for the day.”
- Need a morning shower to wake up? End it with a blast of cold water! That will definitely wake you up!
- Laugh! Laugh and...
Earth Day Canada offers activities to kick start healthier habits for Earth Day 2012
Simple, good-for-you actions that everyone can do for the environment
This April, Earth Day Canada challenges everyone to do something that’s good for people and the planet. To help, they’ve launched two campaigns to get everyone involved (running now until the end of April) and have offered up top ten actions people can start doing right now and all year-round.
“We know that beyond air, food and water quality, the types of products we use on a daily basis, as well as how much time we spend exercising outdoors can have substantial effects on our health and the environment,” says Jed Goldberg, President of Earth Day Canada. “These actions help people learn more about the environmental and health impacts of the decisions they make and encourage them to adopt behaviours that will improve the health of their families and communities.”
For kids, classrooms and schools, the kid-friendly campaign Act for the Planet, with prizing from Sony Canada, offers step-by-step guides with fun and easy actions like
- Creating window decals to prevent bird crashes
- Making planters to clean inside air
- Bringing their own water bottle
- Making something new out of something old.
For youth, adults, families and businesses, the Take It Up for Earth Day campaign challenges the rest of us to take up one (or more) of these pro-environmental behaviors
- Eat and prepare plant-based foods at home
- Drink tap water and get water wise
- Care: Detox your personal care routine
- Move: Activate your lifestyle with outdoor, unplugged activities.
In addition to taking up new healthy habits with others through the campaigns, Earth Day Canada recommends these top ten easy actions that...
Plant Protein Myth Busters by Brendan Brazier
Properly balanced plant-based protein can offer several advantages over more traditional animal-based options.
It was once thought that only animal protein was complete and therefore a superior source to plant-based options. Complete protein is comprised of all ten essential amino acids. By definition, essential amino acids cannot be made by the body; they must be obtained through dietary sources. And, in fact, there are actually several complete plant protein sources. However, to obtain all amino acids in high quantities, it’s advantageous to consume several complementary sources of protein on a regular basis. For example, hemp, yellow pea and brown rice protein make up a superior amino acid profile that rivals any created in the animal kingdom.
Additionally, one of the big advantages of properly balanced whole food, plant-based protein over animal protein is its slightly neutral pH. In contrast, highly processed foods are acid forming, and even more so are animal based foods. Whey protein isolate for example, is highly acid forming. Whey, strait from the cow, would be numeral and even slightly alkaline. However, whey undergoes two steps of processing which lowers its natural pH. Once the protein is isolated (therefore rendering it no longer a whole food) and then pasteurized it becomes more acid-forming. Other animal sources of protein such as meat, pork in particular, are also highly acid forming.
It is advantageous to maintain a neutral pH. Eating too many acid forming foods will promote inflammation, reduce immune function and cause calcium to be pulled from the bones to keep...
How to Choose Supplements
Tips that can help you decide on which type and brand of supplements to buy
By Nelson Narciso www.keepwell.ca
How do you decide which type and which brand of supplements to buy?
With the myriad of choices available on the market today it’s no wonder that so many consumers don’t know where to begin. Within almost every category of supplements (multivitamins, minerals, greens, herbs) you may have dozens of different manufacturers to choose from.
What should you be looking for to help filter through the seemingly limitless number of products? This article outlines some key points you should look for and some to avoid when choosing your supplements.
Look for individualized formulas
For starters, consider using supplements that are individualized. Men, women, active individuals and seniors all have unique needs. Studies have clearly shown that based on your age, gender and level of activity, your needs can vary quite dramatically. Yet with this knowledge there are still so many formulas that use the dated one-formula-fits-all philosophy.
It has been known for some time now that athletic individuals have a greater need for free radical fighting antioxidants and B vitamins. Consequently a multivitamin that’s used by someone athletic should contain greater concentrations of both.
Most women under 50 should use a multivitamin/mineral providing some iron, whereas women over 50 should consider using multivitamins that are iron-free. Excess iron can increase oxidative stress (free radical damage) to the body as well as increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Look for supplements that are as specific to you...
8 weeks to wellness finalist: Renee Team Langley
Contests
I am very interested in your “8 Weeks to Wellness” program which I have recently read about on your facebook fan page. I am really excited about this contest and hope that after reading my story, you might find me a suitable candidate for this amazing opportunity! I really NEED to take back charge of my health and body!
A few years ago I was really unhealthy and at my highest weight. I tried to lose weight, but was having a hard time. After much searching and lots of hard work I got myself onto the straight and narrow by completely changing my life (with help and support from a naturopathic doctor, personal trainer, friends and family) and lost almost 40 whole pounds! I was exercising regularly and had eliminated gluten, dairy, wheat and yeast from my diet (which I had found out I had sensitivities to. Eating this way continues to be an ongoing, daily challenge.) I was doing really well until a surgery (not able to exercise) and vacation (very little exercise, poor eating habits and being in a small town that wasn’t able to accommodate my food sensitivities) derailed me, and sent me off track. I struggled at the beginning of last year (2011) but seemed to get some “mojo” back by springtime. I took up running and competed in the “Warrior Dash” race up in Whistler. Although I was very proud of competing, an injury from the race set me back (and put a halt to me participating in...
