flu remedies...

Cough, cough, sniff, sniff. Yup, it's that time of year. Half of my office is out with something or other.

I came down with some sort of bronchial disaster this weekend. Late last week, I started to feel woozy. By Sunday night, I was a fevery, coughy, sniffly mess.

A few years ago, I was very prone to a lovely combo of bronchitis + pneumonia + nasal infections. I'd be out for a week and overly-medicated with antibiotics and puffers. Sometimes they were necessary, sometimes they were not, but always they destroyed my stomach for months to follow.  I desperately wanted to avoid antibiotics this time around... so I got to work.

I cured myself (almost!) with these very simple, natural remedies.

Nature's medicine cabinet.

Lemon Elixir: 

• Lemon - juice from 1 whole lemon 
• Ginger - big piece finely chopped or minced 
• Honey - 1 heaping tbsp, the more natural and raw, the better
• Hot water - 1-2 cups
• Cayenne pepper (optional, it can be a bit much for a sore throat)

Place all ingredients in a mug, stir, let sit for a minute or two, and drink! 

This is pretty much all I drank for days. Lemons are packed with vit C, ginger is nature's antibiotic, and honey has awesome antimicrobial properties. Best part: this is delicious! Drinks lots and lots of it!


Grandma's Onion Cough Syrup (version 2.0):

• One whole onion, peeled and sliced into thin, long pieces
• Lots of honey (or traditionally, sugar) - I used raw honey and coconut sugar

In a mason jar, layer onions then a glob of honey/ sugar, onions then glob of honey/ sugar, onions then glob of honey/ sugar, etc. Seal and let it sit on the counter for 6-8 hours (or overnight). Drink 1-2 tbsps as needed to calm the coughing. Use it up in a few days as it's got to be fresh.
 
If you have a Polish grandma, you have probably tried (a.k.a. been subjected to) this deliciousness before! You'll probably also remember that while it smells horrendous, this syrup actually tastes quite nice (I hate onions and even I like this syrup) and it works like magic. Onions contain a compound which helps reduce bronchial constriction and they help eliminate mucus (gross). Sugar is ok but honey is far better as it'll kick bacteria to the curb.


Chicken Soup + Less Junk:
When you're sick, it's important to avoid the foods that cause inflammation (as your body is already trying to fight inflammation). So, no alcohol, coffee, dairy (mucus-producing), sugar, processed stuff, etc (sorry!). Instead, you need lots of green veggies and chicken soup.

Why chicken soup? Chicken contains compounds that thin out mucus so it's easier to cough out (how many more times can I say mucus in one post?!) :) If you're veggie, just have broth with lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients like onions, garlic, carrots, etc. Oh, and did I mention garlic? Yes, eat LOTS of it.

Truth: I'd be feeling much better if I had avoided the home-made cake and chocolate truffles left over from my hubby's birthday this weekend!


Rest:
Ha, betcha didn't see that one coming! :) But really, it's the most essential one. You need to slow down, sleep ridiculous amounts, and stay in your pjs until they start to smell a bit suspicious. The main reason I'm not 100% better is because I made the "daft", to quote my British colleague, decision to go into work today. Don't be me - no one wants sick coworkers around. You're not a brain surgeon and even if you are, you need to rest! I certainly don't want a sick brain surgeon coughing into my open skull!


That's it! And here's the thing, if you try all of the above and they don't work, no harm done. You can always go to the doc after, but I suspect you won't need to.

Happy healing!
mxo

simple...

Happy Tuesday! My body is humming from another sweaty hot yoga class - what a perfect treat in the winter!

A few days ago, in the midst of an email discussion about health and happiness, my brilliant husband wrote this:

"the constant ability for humans to ignore the obvious solution staring them in the face never ceases to amaze!"

 
It's true! We do tend to ignore the obvious and we certainly don't want to hear it. Case in point:

Who wants to hear AGAIN that you should eat more vegetables, exercise and unplug?! It's just so booooring. But, alas, it's also true.

I get it. Trust me, I have looked in every nook and cranny for a magic solution but there isn't one. Health takes commitment; it takes hard work. But eventually, when you start feeling truly awesome, this hard work becomes fun! And the beautiful upside of all of this is that it's also simple - we can feel so much better just by taking small, itty bitty steps.

So, based on the Doc's prescription, what kind act can you do for yourself? What work can you put in towards your health? As for me, I need to ditch my computer!

Be kind to yourself.
mxo

healthy on the cheap: thrive in 30

 

Truth: I have a bit of a crush on Brendan Brazier. He's a vegan Ironman, general health-atarian, and founder of the amazing Vega products.

He has also written many books like Thrive Diet,  Thrive Fitness, Whole Foods to Thrive, etc.

But here's why I'm writing about him on this Thrifty Thursday: Thrive in 30!

For absolutely free, you can access free videos of Brendan covering content from his Thrive books, such as:

• How to combat stress using whole, plant-based foods and
  high net-gain nutrition
• The whole food truth about protein, fats and carbs—
  and how balancing your diet will help you build a younger body
  
• How you can alkalize your body’s pH to combat disease,
  improve sleep and lose weight
• What superfoods to use to balance hormones,
  detoxify body or lower cholesterol
  
• How to identify common foods that cause unexplained, mystery illnesses
  
• How to use nutrition to strategically fuel your body so you’ll have greater endurance, maximize the return from your workouts and recover faster
  
• Why nutrition, exercise and sleep are the secret
  to empowered mental health
  
• Long-term strategies that will help you transform your health for life

It's pretty darn amazing, and it doesn't cost a penny. Not one.

What are you favourite healthy on the cheap tricks?

Happy tumbling & stumbling!
mxo

healthy on the cheap: Qi Herbs & Nutrition

Fact: It's Thirfty Thursday.

Fact: I just discovered Anthropologie where I bought the cutest flapper-style dress.... but it was 50% off!

So sue me! :)

For serious though... I realize that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can add up. Eating organic and buying superfoods + vitamins + random healthy goodies certainly can! But it doesn't have to be ridiculous.

Here's one of my not-so-secret healthy secrets: Herbs & Nutrition (Qi Natural Foods) in the Annex.

From BlogTO

This place is a mecca of fresh, healthy deliciousness at very reasonable prices. Something is always on sale and even when it's not, it's easily 20% cheaper than anywhere else I've come across. The owners work directly with farmers and companies to keep costs down.

They have a massive selection of vitamins and superfoods, bulks grains and dried fruit, beauty products, etc... AND bonus: they recently added fresh organic produce and meats! 

I adore this super happy healthy market... and my wallet does too. 

Check out BlogTo for more info.

Where do you like to shop for healthy things?

Happy tumbles and stumbles,

mxo

Crazy Sexy Week

I disappeared again - sorry about that!

Here's what happened in the last week, in rough chronological order:

1. I had a physical and emotional breakdown over Easter.
2. I got so frustrated with my dismal state that I decided to take my health and happiness into my own hands. 
3. I started a mostly raw, very green cleanse (inspired by one of my role models, Kris Carr).
4. I had a follow-up session with Joy McCarthy (read about my first session here).

1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = the perfect reset at the perfect time, and the start of a new direction.

What I have known intuitively for awhile, and what Joy confirmed today, is that I need to focus less on dietary restrictions and labels (raw foodist, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, etc), and instead focus more on my emotional health, especially when it comes to food. 

So many of us desperately cling to diet after diet, food trend after food trend, and we do "all of the right things", but we continue to suffer. What we often ignore is all of the other toxic aspects of our lives: jobs we might hate, bad relationships, maxed out schedules, etc. 

Here's what I've realized recently: health and happiness are holistic. We each have a perfect blend of where we need to be mentally, physically and spiritually to be happy and healthy. But you can't be happy or healthy if one of these elements is drastically off balance. You can take all of right supplements and eat all of the right superfoods, but if you're not addressing the other elephants in the room, you're not going to get very far.

I believe the key pillars to health are:

1. Nutrition - are you eating foods that truly nourish your body and enrich your soul? how is your relationship with food?
2. Exercise - are you moving your tush every day? are you pushing yourself too hard?
3. Stress - what are you doing to curb stress in your life?
4. Sleep - are you sleeping a solid 7-8 uninterrupted hours each night?
5. Job - do you like what you do? are you stressed about your finances?
6. Relationships - do each of your relationships support you? are there toxic relationships you can let go of?

While each needs to be addressed, it can be overwhelming to tackle everything at once! In the spirit of breaking things down into manageable pieces, start with the one pillar you know is the most off balance.  Personally, I'm going to attempt to tackle my guilt-ridden, misguided relationship with food.

So here's what I propose (for me): I'm throwing out all rules, labels, and 30-day challenges that I've set for myself (because they didn't come from healthy places). Instead, I will listen to my body, provide it with the nourishment it most desires, and I will try to enjoy every single morsel. Generally, I'm going to start being good to myself holistically.... oh yes, and I'll share my journey with you!  

The road may be bumpy but I'm not afraid of a little hard work! 

What do you most need to do right now, what one step can you take to steer you towards your most perfectly happy and healthy self?

Happy tumbling & stumbling!

xo

P.S. Phew! What a long post! Oops... :)

april of meatless mondays and tuesday and...

It's April. Yay!

Fun fact: I love spring because it is synonymous with cleaning, cleansing, detoxing, lightening, rebirth, etc... I love all of these things!

Fun fact: The past weekend of absolute gluttony (and often quite meat-heavy gluttony) has left me longing for a cleaner, lighter, completely plant-based diet.

Combine the fun facts above and you get this: a month of meatless Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (otherwise known as a meatless month)!!
Now, last time I was a vegetarian, I wasn't particularly wise about it. I have always consumed lots of veggies, but my protein intake was replaced by copious amounts of carbs. Not ideal. A plant-based diet can be extremely healthy if you do your homework (I love homework!)... and this homework is non-negotiable. You need to plan your meals to ensure that you are getting all of the right nutrients. Hopefully, through doing my own homework, I can help.


For today's Meatless Monday, I am sharing one of my favourite and easiest veggie recipes: hummus!

Hummus is a nutritional power house. The chickpeas are a great source of protein, complex carbs and fiber. The healthy oils in the tahini and the oil you blend with will make your hair shiny and your skin glow. Tahini is also loaded with iron and calcium. Hummus is a vegan superfood.


Hummus Recipe:

• 1 can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil (or any other healthy oil like flax, walnut, hemp seed, etc)
• 1 tbsp tahini
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1-2 crushed garlic cloves (more if you like it garlicky)
• 2 tsp cumin (optional, as I often forget this step)
• Pinch of salt and dash of pepper.

Combine in a food processor or blender, and whirl into healthy deliciousness. Enjoy with veggie sticks, crackers or pita bread, or just with a spoon (my favourite method).


You can then make a moat for some extra oil with lemon juice and/ or sprinkle some paprika and parsley on top. How pretty!

This hummus tastes great on its own and it also works amazingly as a base for any sassy additions you can dream up (perhaps some maple and chipotle or some beets or peas for colour, or how about some curry for international flare).

Happy Monday of tumbling & stumbling! :)
xo