10 Nutrition Tips for Preventing the Winter Blues

1. Even marginal deficiencies of the B vitamins have been associated with irritability, depression, and mood changes. If this sounds like you, be sure your diet is stacked full of foods high in vitamin B6 such as meat, fish, poultry, whole grains, bananas, and potatoes.
    
2. Low sun levels mean it's harder to get the vitamin D your bones need to stay healthy. Eat food rich in vitamin D, including oily fish, egg yolks and margarine. A daily supplement (1000IU) might also be recommended.
    
3. As well as boosting physical energy levels, bananas have a beneficial effect on mental and sexual energy. Bananas are stuffed full of serotonin, a feel good, mood lifting substance that peps you up, and dopamine, which is important for emotional balance.
    
4. It may be pouring buckets and you may be cold, but keep glugging back the water. Staying hydrated assists in flushing toxins out of your body, metabolizes fat more efficiently and allows the nervous system to work more effectively, helping you feel better all around. Warm water or a decaffeinated tea is also a good option.
    
5. When the sunshine goes, so too does the "happy hormone" serotonin which causes the body to cry out for carbohydrates. Go for wholegrain bread, oats, and brown rice.
    
6. Go easy on comfort foods. Mac n’ cheese and apple pie might make you feel better in the short term, but a high intake of refined foods will zap your energy levels.
    
7. Omega-3s can elevate mood and reduce depression. Fatty fish and fish oil supplements should be part of your winter diet. However, it does take time—several weeks at least—to benefit from dietary omega-3s, so get started now, be a bit patient, and look forward to feeling better and having more energy.
    
8. Prevent, or get rid of, cold and flus by taking garlic, vitamin C and yogurt with probiotics.
    
9. Colourful fruit and vegetables are high in immune-enhancing antioxidants. Aim to eat orange root vegetables, citrus fruits or broccoli every day.
    
10. Eat seasonally. You'll get the freshest produce containing the healthiest minerals and vitamins - and you will save a bit of money too. 

"My Fav Things' Giveaway" (valued at over $250)

Subscribe to our mailing list and enter for your chance to win 'My Fav Things' Giveaway - valued at over $250!

Thank you for the generous contributions from: Rootcellar Market, Church & State Wines, AJ's Organics, The Village & Jusu Bar.

Giveaway prize includes:

Rootcellar Market - Gift Card, Jute Bag, T-shirt ($40 value) therootcellar.ca
Church & State Wines - Red & White ($50 value) churchandstatewines.com
The Village - Free Lunch ($20 value) thevillagerestaurant.ca
AJs Organic Cafe - Free Lunch ($25 value) ajsorganics.com
Jusu Bar - Gift Card ($20 value) jusubar.com
Dani Health Nutrition Consultation ($120 value)

'My Fav Things' Giveaway will run from November 7 - December 15, 2016.  
Winner will be drawn on Dec 15, 2016 and contacted via email.

The Lunch Salad

Salads can be super boring, and are only a healthy lunch if they contain the right things.  Here's a quick guide you can follow to make your lunch salad taste great and pack some fat and protein to keep you going. 

To make a balanced Lunch Salad, simply follow the guidelines below:

Start with 3 cups of salad greens/lettuces

Add one protein choice:

• 1 hardboiled egg, diced or sliced
• 1/2 can tuna, packed in water, drained
• 85g leftover cooked chicken breast
• 55g leftover cooked salmon
• 1 small can flavoured tuna
• 30g cheddar cheese, diced or shredded

Add vegetables and/or fruit:  

• 1/2 - 1 cup diced vegetables and/or fruit (anything you have on hand)

Add a healthy salad dressing:

• 1.5 Tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette or an oil & vinegar dressing

Add 2-3 yummy extras:

• 8 almonds, chopped or slivers
• 1 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbsp raisins or dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp chickpeas
• 1/2 avocado, diced or sliced
• 1 Tbsp crumbled feta or goat cheese

Don't Let Your Meals Suck!

It's often one ingredient or one extra step that can transform your sandwich, salad or the whole meal. Take the extra second in front of your cabinet or fridge and ask yourself 'what would make this taste better?'. Meals are only boring if you make them that way. 

Here are a few things I do to make meals tasty and interesting.

1. Always keep green onions on hand. You would be surprised how much flavour they can add to your sandwich or a simple salad. 
2. Peel your carrots. A lot of people keep the peel on. There is nothing wrong with this if you like the 'taste' from the peel. But overall I think more people would dig raw carrots if they didn't leave the bitter peel on.  And, no you are not sacrificing much in the way of nutrients and fibre. 
3. Grainy mustard. You will always find this ingredient in my house. It can liven up a veggie sandwich or add to your oil and vinegar dressing. 
4. Let your meat rest. After you've cooked almost any type of meat, whether it's on the bbq or in the oven let it rest i.e. leave it alone. Don't cut into it right away or all of it's juices and flavour, flow out. 
5. Toast slivered almonds. Prep a batch of slivered almonds for the week. Toast them in the oven or on the stove in a pan. But be careful. I've gotten sidetracked and came back to black almonds more than once :) These little toasted bits of deliciousness add some healthy fats and protein, and can transform your plain green beans, rice, quinoa or even plain cut up fruit. A fav of mine is yogurt, cinnamon, orange and toasted almonds, mmmmm.

5 Reasons to Love Avocado

1. High in monounsaturated fats. That's the “good fat”.
2. Source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folate, and Fibre
3. Mashable, spreadable, whippable.  You can substitute this “good fat” for a not so good fat.  Substitute it for mayo, add it to salad dressings and you can even use it in chocolate desserts.
4. Satisfying. A lot of time we keep eating because our brain isn’t satisfied if there is a lack of taste or fat in a meal. The fat in the avocado can give your brain the message that says “mmm fat”. 
5. It's easy to work into your weekly diet. Just add salsa, salt, lime and mix and you have a great “guac”. Or you can  just slice on some grainy toast with tomato, salt and pepper. Mmmmmmm. 

Some of My Weekly Food Staples

Here are some of the things you will find in my house every week.

Mineral Water – San Pellegrino or Gerolsteiner after yoga is so delicious and thirst quenching

Almonds – 12-20 is an easy snack that packs a protein punch.  Plus they go on just about anything from yogurt, fruit, cereal to cooked green beans

Drawer Bars – I store energy, protein bars, and grainy bars like a squirrel. You will find them in my office desk drawer, glove box and workout bag. You have to make sure your Blood SUGARS are BALANCED.

Smoothie – I’m knocking back a smoothie of some kind at least 4 days a week. My favorite smoothie is called Happy Belly Smoothie created by Jillian Raycroft. Check it out on her awesome website www.makelovetoyourlife.ca or email me and I will send you the recipe.

Hummus & Crackers  - My go to right now is caramelized onion hummus with Mary Crackers or Nut Thins.

Dark Chocolate & Red Wine – Because it’s Dark Chocolate & Red Wine :)

5 Sweet Tooth Cures

1. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
   Heat 1-2 squares of your favourite chocolate (preferably dark) in a pan until melted. Dip washed and dried strawberries in melted chocolate. If you can wait, put them in the fridge for a few mintues so chocolate can harden.
    

2. TeaPops - www.deebeesorganics.com. One of my new favourites!

3. Intensely Dark Almond Hot Chocolate
   Heat a cup of Almond Milk (original, not unsweetened) in a pot. Add a 1-2 Tbsp of Cocoa Camino Intensely Dark Drinking Chocolate. Heat and stir. 
    
4. Warm Berries & Greek Yogurt
   Warm frozen berries (or mixed frozen fruit) on stove top, or in the microwave. Top with plain 0% greek yogurt and a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. 
    
5. One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
   Here’s how to make it: Peel 2 very ripe banana. Cut them into small pieces. Freeze for just 1-2 hours on a plate. Blend, blend, blend - scraping down the bowl when they stick. Enjoy the magic moment when they turn into ice cream! 

Energy Boosters

1. Increase Your Magnesium Intake
   Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your vitamin and mineral needs are met. But if you still find yourself tired all the time, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency. To make sure you're getting enough magnesium:
   • Add a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet.
   • Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal.
   • Eat more fish, especially halibut.

2. Take a walk – even if it’s only 5 minutes
   While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast -- or Any Other Meal
   Studies show that people who eat breakfast report being in a better mood, and have more energy throughout the day.

4. Reduce Stress
   I know we’ve all heard it before, and it is easier said than done BUT I’ll say it again, one of the biggest energy zappers is stress. Stress is the result of anxiety, and anxiety uses up a whole lot of our energy. Figure out one or two things that help to reduce your stress – be it, yoga, exercise, or simply letting go of something that’s stressing you out – and do these more often. You will feel so much better!

5. Water
   You may already know that it's easy to confuse signals of hunger with thirst but did you know that thirst can also masquerade as fatigue? Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic. The solution is simple: a big glass of water! This is particularly important to boost energy after exercise, when your body is likely to be craving fluids.

6. Eat More Whole Grains and Less Sugar
   The key here is keeping blood sugar balanced so energy is constant. When you're eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy. But that's followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out. Do that enough times a day, and by evening you're feeling exhausted.

7. Have a Power Snack
   Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Choose a treat that combines protein, a little fat and some fiber -- like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts. The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last.

8. Make It a Latte
   Pair a quick caffeine hit with the sustaining power of protein by having a low-fat latte instead of just a cup of coffee. All that milk turns your java into a protein drink. Combine it with an ounce of almonds - the healthy fat will really tide you over.

What to buy organic...and what to save your money on!

Dirty Dozen *Buy these Organic

1. Strawberries
2. Apples
3. Nectarines
4. Peaches
5. Celery
6. Grapes
7. Cherries
8. Spinach
9. Tomatoes
10. Bell Peppers
11. Cherry Tomatoes
12. Cucumbers

Clean 15 *Lowest in Pestisides

1. Avocado
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbage
5. Sweet Peas
6. Onions
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Papayas
10. Kiwi
11. Eggplant
12. Honeydew Melon
13. Grapefruit
14. Cantaloupe
15. Cauliflower

For a full list and more information, visit www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php