In our modern day life, we are over-working our brains. We spend our resting time before the TV screen or our PC monitor. Our brains are constantly analyzing, calculating, worrying, and searching. And, at the end of the day, we wonder why we find it hard to sleep despite our exhaustion. Popping a sleeping pill or a calming sedative won’t do the trick. Studies show that these sleep-inducing medications interfere with your natural sleeping cycle. In other words, they may improve the quantity, but not the quality of your sleep.
 
Why do you need to sleep?
Besides relieving fatigue and restoring alertness, sleep has been proven to improve memory by consolidating, organizing and re-structuring the information you learn during your waking hours. It replenishes your brain performance and regenerates neurons. Sleep also lowers inflammation, boosts cells regeneration, and curbs oxidative damage. It improves your stamina, helps you better manage your daily stresses, calms down the fight and flight response, and increases your emotional stability. So much for such a ‘relaxing’ activity… isn’t it?
 
Essential fatty acids
Recent research has been studying the role of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in improving sleep. Essential fatty acids are pretty safe and well tolerated by most people. They are linked to many health benefits like reducing systemic inflammation, improving heart performance, relieving asthma symptoms, and helping in autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, Crohn’s and colitis. They are linked to improving immune function, skin integrity, mood and hormonal balance.
EFAs have also been shown to mediate pain response by controlling the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines. They have been proven effective in conditions like chronic pains, joints aches, carpal tunnel and fibromyalgia. They lower the risk of Alzheimer, dementia, cognitive degenerative diseases and even help with depression. Low levels of EFAs are linked to increased risk and symptoms of ADHD in children and adults.
 
Can essential fatty acids help you sleep?
EFAs improve our sleep through direct and indirect mechanisms of action.
Direct connection:
EFAs are proven to stabilize and harmonize the complex mechanism by which our body initiates and maintains sleep. [1]
Omega 3 levels, specifically DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), have been linked to better quality of sleep, reduced severity of sleep apnea and improvement in melatonin (your sleep hormone) level. [2]
In a study conducted by University of Oxford in the UK, supplementing 600 mg of DHA significantly improved children sleeping habits.
 
Indirect connection:

• EFAs mediate stress response calming your brain chatter and regulating hyperactivity.
• EFAs mediate pain response, which makes it easier for chronic pain sufferers to retire at night.
• They manage the inflammatory reaction and cell oxidative damage, which again controls pain reaction.
• Deficiency in EFA is linked to children hyperactivity
• EFAs supplementation has been shown to lower anxiety, lower elevated cortisol levels, improves fatigue symptoms and balance mood.[3]
• EFAs supplementation has been shown to be helpful in case of depression, another cause of insomnia.

 
Types and Sources of EFAs
We cannot synthesize EFAs, we need to get them from food. Our body needs a constant supply of two types of fats: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Our Standard American Diet is highly loaded with omega 6 at the expense of omega 3, which shifts the balance towards more inflammatory reactions, hormonal imbalances, mood and sleep disturbance. The balance between both types of fats is very critical for brain structure and function. Omega-3 deficiencies are widespread. We all seem to consume more omega-6 (mainly from common vegetable oils), than omega-3 (present in nuts, seeds and fatty fish and fish oil supplements).
 
So, do you have trouble sleeping at night? Try adding more cold-water fish to your diet and supplementing with some good quality EFAs.
Vegetarian sources of EFAs include seeds like flax and chia seeds; nuts especially walnuts; green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and vine leaves; seaweeds like spirulina; cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts; and other vegetables like winter squash and leeks.

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[1] Yehuda, Rabinovitz, & Mostofsky. (1998). Essential fatty acids and sleep: mini-review and hypothesis. Med Hypotheses;50(2):139-45.

[2] Montgomery et. Al. (2014), Fatty acids and sleep in UK children: subjective and pilot objective sleep results from the DOLAB study – a randomized controlled trial. J Sleep Res, 23: 364–388.

[3] Yehuda, Rabinovitz & Mostofsky. (2005). Mixture of essential fatty acids lowers test anxiety. Nutritional Neuroscience Vol. 8 , Iss. 4
​

Bella’s symptoms started 5 years ago. After the birth of her second child, Bella was always exhausted; she couldn’t shed off her pregnancy pounds and kept gaining weight as years went by. Her continuous fatigue threw her in such a bad mood that her doctor had to put her on antidepressant.

 
Bella tried many diets, went on various detoxes, joined a local gym and even enrolled in an evening meditation class. Yet, her symptoms kept getting worse. Her brain was foggy. Her weight was steadily creeping up along with her anxiety. Her period became irregular. She was now chronically constipated. Her skin was dry and her beautiful hair was falling with every morning shower.
 
Thyroid foundation of Canada estimated that 1 in 10 Canadians suffers from thyroid problems among which around 50%, like Bella, remain undiagnosed for years.
 
After 5 years of suffering in silence, Bella was finally diagnosed with hypothyroidism and she was prescribed thyroid hormone. She immediately felt better, but, with time, her symptoms were creeping back… What was going on here?
 
Your thyroid gland sets the on and off switch for your metabolism. It plays a major role in controlling heart, digestive, brain and muscle functions as well as bone health.
What Bella, and many women I see, do not know is that their Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) level could be totally within the normal range, yet still suffer from all hypothyroid symptoms. TSH is an essential piece of the puzzle, but it is far from being the whole picture.
 
Other Players in the Field

• For your thyroxin hormone (T4) to be active, it needs to be converted to T3. This conversion takes place in the liver.  A healthy liver is crucial for thyroid function.

 

• Efficient digestion, absorption and a healthy bacterial flora are essential to supply the nutrients needed for the whole process.

 

• Oestrogen dominance resulting from the use of birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, plastics, and synthetic oestrogens in our environment affect the availability of active thyroid hormones.

 

• Stressful lifestyle is another factor. Cortisol continuously pumped by your adrenal glands down regulates thyroid hormone secretion.

 
 
Is your immune system angry?
 
Hashimoto thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that goes largely un-diagnosed. In Hashimoto, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the thyroid.
Lots of evidence pinpoint the link between gluten intolerance and autoimmunity. Gluten is the protein present mainly in wheat, barley, rye, and spelt. The best way to know if gluten or other food sensitivities are factors, is to go on a well designed elimination diet removing gluten, dairy and other suspected food allergens, then strategically re-introducing them while tracking your symptoms.
In Bella’s case, her immune system was indeed on fire.
 
Where do you start?

• If you suffer from any of Bella’s symptoms, start by asking your doctor for full lab tests for your thyroid function including thyroid antibodies to rule out Hashimoto.
• Check for vitamin D, B12, and iron deficiencies.
• Try supporting your thyroid function with nutritional supplements: vitamin A, D, Selenium, zinc and iodine (Do not take iodine if you have Hashimoto).
• Support your adrenals with B vitamins, vitamin C, essential fatty acids and herbs like ginseng, ashwagandha, and ginger.
• Balance blood sugar levels by increasing fibres in your diet, eating at regular time intervals and avoiding refined sugars and carbohydrates.

• Restore gut integrity and healthy bacterial flora with green leafy vegetables, fibres and probiotics.
• Support liver functions with bitters, antioxidants and lowering toxic load.

 
Listen to your Body Whispers
Body Whispers® are those subtle warnings your body is sending you to tell you that something needs to change in your life. Bella’s fatigue, brain fog and random aches and pains were whispers that she brushed aside until they turned into screams. She had this subtle need to be nurtured and cared for as she was nurturing and caring for everyone around her. Her voice was trapped, as if she wanted to scream for attention but couldn’t. It was this feeling of un-ease and hunger for more out of life.
Along with supporting her body, Bella started to listen to her heart and soul. She pursued her passion for photography; she set some ‘Me’ time in her schedule and learned to ask for help around the house whenever she needed. Luckily, her husband was very supportive. Together, they managed to set their life back on track as Bella steadily but surely restored her health and vitality.


Check out Healing Body & soul consultation today


​

Our brain is the most complicated organ in the universe. It is estimated that we have more synaptic connections between our brain cells than there are stars in the skies.
 
Yet, do we take proper care of this valuable asset of ours?
 
Depression, anxiety, brain fog, dementia, mood swings, phobias, ADD and loads of other mental and psychological complaints and illnesses became so common…We've become experts at labelling our conditions, yet we've failed miserably at healing them…
 
Here is a scenario I see so often… a story of everyday life: Michelle is stressed, tired, and depleted. As soon as she wakes up, she turns on the autopilot mode and rides the hamster wheel. Between her husband, her house, her kids and her work, she does not have the time to feed her body needless to say her heart and soul. She eats on the go, mainly processed carbs and sweets. She has no time to exercise, no time for social support, hobbies or leisure. Her pastime is watching the depressing news or chatting on Facebook. She bottles up her frustration and anger and swallows her pains with her morning and afternoon coffees.

No wonder her cholesterol levels shoot up. Her doctor puts her on statin. No one mentioned the side effects… her cholesterol levels become normal, but her energy goes down the drain, brain fog, fatigue, low libido and poor fat digestion… For her heartburn, an antacid was added… Again, no one mentioned any side effects. With no acid in her stomach, protein digestion and absorption became compromised. Proteins are essential to build the neurotransmitters, those magic molecules Dr. Candace Pert calls ‘molecules of emotions’… Another prescription was now essential, an antidepressant for her low mood, poor motivation and foggy brain…
 
It is my firm belief that our body and mind have a tremendous ability of heal, we just have to give them what they need… we need to properly feed our body, mind, heart and soul. Today, I will focus on my 7 essential rules of feeding your body so that you can heal your mind:


1. One-man food is another man’s poison.
I meet people with food intolerances and sensitivities everyday in my practice. You need to listen to your body: Is there any specific food that eating it makes you feel tired, depleted, anxious, irritable, moody, or makes your brain foggy? The best way to find out is to go on a well-designed elimination diet while closely monitoring your symptoms.
2. Skip that doughnut.
Refined sugars and carbs throw your blood sugar level out of balance which not only increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease, but also pumps up your fight and flight response, increases inflammation and messes up your hormones. Alzheimer's disease is now known among nutritionists as type III diabetes. Depression, anxiety and ADD have well-established links with increased refined sugar consumption. To balance your blood sugar level, you need to choose whole unprocessed grains and carbs and fiber-rich foods; you also need to eat on regular interval and include some form of protein with every meal and snack (egg, nuts, seeds, lean chicken, turkey, fish and veal are good choices).
3. We’re basically ‘fatheads’.
60% of the solid brain mass is fat… But not any kind of fat. Your choice of fat is essential for your brain health. Good choices are olive oil, coconut oil, avocadoes, nuts, seeds and fatty fish.
4. Water is the essence of life.
70% of our cells is water. I have seen cases of serious fatigue and brain fog resolve by simply hydrating properly. Make sure you drink at least 8 cups of water daily.
5. Your ‘emotions’ are made from protein.
Serotonin, dopamine and nor-epinephrine are your brain neurotransmitters. Dr. Candace Pert calls them ‘molecules of emotions’ as they are the ones responsible for your feelings of happiness, wellbeing, uplifted mood, focus, and motivation… Another close relative, melatonin, regulates your sleep cycle and heals brain cells while you sleep.
Those neurotransmitters are made from protein, or more specifically from amino acids found in high quality protein.
6. Turn off the furnace.
As we live in a highly polluted world and we are leading a pretty stressful life we set on an inflammation process in our cells. This low-grade chronic inflammation is like a low heat furnace that is cooking our cells at a very slow yet efficient pace. We need to turn this furnace off. The best way to do that is by integrating anti-inflammatory herbs and spices in your every day diet. Spices like turmeric and ginger are amazing anti-inflammatory. Other great choices are green leafy vegetables and colored fruits and veggies like berries, red bell pepper, pumpkins, and carrots…
7. Give your liver a boost.
Your liver is the primary detoxifying organ in your body and since the brain is highly susceptible to toxins, supporting liver detoxification is an essential tool in brain protection. Foods that boost liver detoxification are cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, kale, collard, broccoli…), artichoke, burdock root, green leafy vegetables and spices like turmeric and ginger.
 
Data shows that the rate of antidepressant use in US increased by almost 400% between the late 90s and early 2000s.[1]
 
No one of us want to be among those statistics… do we?
 
It’s time to move forward… it is time to take back responsibility of your own health…
 
Finally, it is essential to note here that to achieve mental and emotional health, you need to look at all of You: Body, Mind, Heart & Soul. Yes, you need to fix your diet and make better food choices, but you also need to dig deeper into your heart and soul, to listen to your Body Whispers and to reclaim your responsibility over your health and your life…
 
Let today be the beginning of your health and happiness journey.

​Grandma was right… Eat your vegetables!!! From a health standpoint, vegetables are unbeatable foods: naturally nutrient-rich; better tasting than a vitamin pill; low in calories; high in fiber and packed with disease-fighting, anti-oxidants and anti-cancer phytonutrients. Although fresh is best, still all types of vegetables are nourishing and delicious – fresh, frozen, canned or juiced.
 
To maximize your health with vegetables, nutrition experts suggest at least 3 to 5 servings per day – but why stop there? With so many ways to enjoy this goodness, you could easily eat vegetables at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.  Here are a dozen daily ways to treat yourself to good health!

•  Asparagus: Saute in olive oil with garlic and a hit of lemon zest for a refreshing and seasonal dish. Roasted asparagus is a great finger food for snacking on!
  
  
• Broccoli and cauliflower: Versatile and very healthful – eat them raw (with dip if

            you like) in a salad or even a slaw or cooked (boiled, steamed,, stir-fried, grilled or sautéed)

• Carrots: Sweet, crunchy, good for your teeth, eyes and heart! Perfect raw (as a snack or salad) or cooked in a stew, soup or casserole.

 

• Peppers: Green, red, yellow, orange or even purple!  Enjoy peppers in a salad, stir-fry, or casserole or as a snack.

 

• Spinach: A salad of baby spinach leaves with pears or apples can turn anyone into a real spinach lover. You can mix it with yogurt for a fresh dip or cook it with tomato sauce and cilantro.

 

• Onions: The zesty onion family (scallions, leeks and garlic, too!) offer powerful antioxidant nutrients that boost your immunity and fight inflammation.

 

• Peas: Fresh, frozen or even canned, peas are a treat to eat and they are very popular with small children.

 

• Beets: If you’ve never liked beets, try them in a new way – like roasted, grilled or lightly steamed in the microwave.  They greatly reduce inflammation and fight oxidation and cancer-cells.
  
  
• Mushrooms:  Although not strictly vegetables, just a mushroom or two adds rich flavor to a casserole, soup, stew, stir-fry or even a tossed green salad.

 

• Leaf and romaine lettuce: Rule of thumb for a healthy salad – the darker green or red the lettuce leaves, the more nutrients you get.

 

• Green, yellow or purple beans: Like their pea ‘cousins,’ beans offer some fibre and a little bit of protein, along with a lot of vitamins and minerals.

 

• Tomatoes: Cooking increases the availability of some tomato nutrients – so enjoy sauce, paste and soups.

 
 
Many people don't eat vegetables until dinner. Make a commit to your health - Check off the new ways you want to try to enjoy more veggies during the day:
 
I can add vegetables at breakfast by:
 
□ Adding vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, onion, green or red peppers to an omelet
 
I can add vegetables at lunch and snack by:
 
□ Adding leafy greens, cucumber, or peppers to sandwiches
 
□ Adding different vegetables to a green salad, like broccoli, green beans, asparagus or peas
 
□ Adding a bag of sugar snap peas, carrots, peppers, celery and/or zucchini sticks to my snack

□ Adding extra vegetables to soup
 
□  Choosing kale chips or nori instead of potato chips
 

Salad Jars are one of my best tip to get a healthy lunch every day at work in minimum time. If you use mason jars with their tightly fit lid, your salad could be prepared up to 5 days ahead of time taken freshly to work, college or school everyday.

Layering here is very crucial for the salad to remain fresh.

• First layer: at the bottom of the jar, put the dressing: 1 Tbsp olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper with any herb or spice you fancy: oregano, rosemary, peppermint, sumac... It is important to avoid mixing this bottom layer with the remaining of the salad (especially the green leaves and sprouts) until just before serving.
• The second layer should be hardy vegetable that will withstand being in the oil/vinegar dressing for 2-5 days. Basically any vegetable that can be pickled is good to add here: baby carrots, cherry tomatoes (whole not cut), zucchini, turnip, sun dried tomatoes...
• After that comes any other still hard vegetables (cucumber, celery, broccoli, cauliflower...), beans or fruits (pomegranate, cranberries -fresh or dried),
• Following layer is the protein. This could be animal-based protein like left over chicken, veal, tuna, salmon, smoked salmon, shrimps, eggs... Or, plant-based protein like lentils, beans, quinoa, nuts and seeds.
• you can still add perishable vegetable on top of that if you have place: cut tomatoes, bell pepper, avocados...
• the final layer should take at least 1/3 of your jar and this should be the green leafy vegetables and some sprouts if you want.

​At time of serving you can just put the jar upside down for 2 minutes for the dressing to infuse the whole salad. Then eat straight from the jar. Or, you can empty the whole thing in a big bowl. Mix and serve.

Bon Appetit.

Do you know that you can protect your brain with simple diet and lifestyle changes? 

 January is Alzheimer Awareness month... ​

In 1997, 678 nuns participated in a study for mental power and function at old age. One nun’s story stood out, Sister Mary.

Sister Mary taught thousands of students during a career that spanned over nearly 70 years. When she retired from the classroom at age 84, she continued her mission as an educator until her death 17 years later. “In her "retirement" she continued to be active in her community and concerned about world events. She was an avid reader and was often seen poring over newspapers and books with her magnifying glass.” During her last functional assessment at the age of 101, sister Mary was mentally alert, aware and her memory, reasoning and knowledge were perfectly intact.

But, this is not the most important finding of the study. The most fascinating thing was sister Mary's brain scan. When scientists scanned her brain after she passed away, the scan showed the presence of lots of Alzheimer's lesions. Sister Mary’s brain actually had all manifestation of an Alzheimer’s patient brain, yet she showed no degenerative symptoms at all. She lived to a very ripe age with perfectly intact brain function, good memory, excellent orientation to her surroundings and awareness of current events.

Sister Mary was different from the rest of the nuns. She had a mission, a life meaning, and a passion. She remained passionate learner. She continued to be active in her community till her last days in life. She was known for her joyful spirit and laugh that boomed out of her room at all hours of the day and night.
Were these the characteristics that saved her brain? Scientists truly believe so.

​When we talk chronic degenerative diseases, prevention is always better that treatment. Alzheimer is now known as type III diabetes. It is a case of brain starvation where brain cells are unable to use glucose efficiently to generate the energy they need. This results in gradual brain degeneration.

Scientists believe that Alzheimer can be avoided years before it starts by balancing blood sugar levels, avoiding refined sugars and integrating healthy anti-inflammatory, brain boosting herbs and spices into our diet. Five herbs stand out here:

1. Sage
2. Rosemary
3. Turmeric
4. Ginger
5. Gotu kola

These herbs are available in most supermarket and health food stores. You easily Integrate them into your daily diet as teas, food spice, salad dressing, curry sauce or meat marinades.

Coconut oil is another amazing addition to your diet. Try integrating it into your daily recipes. It is great in cooking, baking, sandwich spread instead of butter, salad dressing mixed with olive oil and your favorite herbs… Studies show that the medium chain fatty acid content of coconut oil provides brain cells with the needed energy when they lost their ability to use glucose efficiently.

Hello!
Are you up to a food challenge... There are 5 foods that you MUST add to your diet... Let's start 2017 on a healthy tone... I will post one every week on our women community on Facebook and your challenge is to eat this one at least 3 times this week...

You can join the conversation with our women community on Facebook here

This week's addition: LEAFY GREENS & CABBAGE FAMILY!

You can find some of my favorite broccoli recipes here.

And, this is my favorite cauliflower recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced carrots (I used a mix of orange, yellow and red carrots)
• 1 cup diced avocado
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• For the dressing:

- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. cumin powder
- Salt, pepper to taste
 
Preparation:

• Process the cauliflower in the food processor till it gets to couscous consistency.
• Prepare the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar and shake well till well mixed
• Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving

​Bon Appetit!

To learn more about the 4 other 'Must Have' healthy food you can join our FREE Heal your body Nurture your soul 2 week health challenge HERE

Hormonal issues are among the main complaints I see with my clients… And a major one is hot flashes… I see it starting at earlier and earlier ages of women life cycles… I even see it in young non-menopausal women non-surprisingly giving the high levels of environmental toxins and xenoextrogens (synthetic harmful estrogens) we are subjected to on a daily basis from plastics, cosmetics and aerosols…
 
But, in my humble opinion, this is not the main reason for hot flashes… Yes… I will say it again… Your body is whispering… you need to listen! Your body is trying to deliver a message and no one can decode this message for you… you need to listen!
 
Emotional root of hormonal imbalance:
 
Emotionally, sex hormonal imbalances signal the need for more pleasures, joy, intimacy, sensuality and creativity in your life.
Hot flashes, in particular, are signs of bottled anger and resentment over how your life has unfolded and where it is heading.
They signal a hidden feeling of being oppressed, unable to express your true feelings, your high functioning anxiety… an anxiety hidden under a perfect fake smile, under piles of achievements, long to-do lists, perfect cardboard image and an un-ending busyness
They signal a desperate desire to be nurtured, cared-for, appreciated and recognized… a desperate desire to be seen and heard…