Stewed summer vegetables

Okay summer's almost over but there's still time to make this easy stew. This recipe incorporates zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes on the vine. You’ve likely tried a version of it before but this one has no onions. Now I love onions, but if you have an intolerance to onions, you will appreciate this recipe. And even if you like onions, you will be surprised how good it still tastes without them. Of course, there's no saying you can't add them if you wish. 

Although it breaks my one-pot rule, this recipe is simple to make and well worth the extra dishes. Eventually, all the ingredients make it into one pot to simmer on low heat.

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 2 zucchini, also cubed
• 3 large vine tomatoes, chopped roughly and with vines retained
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed, left whole
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper

Method

1.    Heat up a large frying pan. Now put the eggplant into a colander and sprinkle with salt, then set over a bowl.

2.    Put a little oil into the pan and fry the zucchini for a couple of minutes, browning each side. Set aside in a bowl. Do the same with the red pepper.

3.    Quickly rinse the eggplant of the excess salt under running water, spread out on a tea towel and pat dry then fry and add to the rest of the veg.

4.    Lastly, cook the tomatoes in the pan for 3 minutes, then add the garlic cloves and all of the vegetables back into the pan with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover, turn down the heat, and cook for 20 minutes.

5.    After 20 minutes turn off the heat, lift the cover, season with salt and pepper, then throw in the reserved tomato vines for a minute before serving.

Enjoy this amazing stew as a side dish or a meal on its own. You won't be disappointed.

Sally's six tips for healhy eating

For some, eating well can be an overwhelming and formidable prospect. But it doesn’t have to be. The following tips for good nutrition are my top six choices to get you started.

1. Eat mindfully
2. Drink more water
3. Eliminate soft drinks
4. Prepare/ cook your own food
5. Buy high quality meat and produce
6. Eat to 80% full

By eating mindfully, I mean be conscious about your food choices. Mindlessly grabbing whatever is within reach is not a good strategy. Hopefully the food choices you make are healthy ones, but at the very least the food that you put in your mouth should be a conscious decision.

Drinking more water is a no-brainer. We hear this all the time but it remains an important element to good health. The body is composed of 80% water and as such we need to keep it well hydrated. The best way to do this is to drink water. There is much debate about tap water vs bottled and distilled water but the main goal is to get water that is free of contaminants. Tap water is safe to drink but you can make it better by filtering out the chlorine and fluoride. Most bottled water is the same as water from your tap and it is an abomination to the environment.

Eliminating soft drinks and other heavily sweetened drinks is a must for the health-minded individual. Soft drinks are responsible for sky-rocketing rates of obesity and diabetes in North America and contribute significantly to rapid tooth decay. These drinks have no redeeming nutritive value. While water is the best alternative, even fruit juice is preferable to soft drinks as they contain vitamin C and they do not contain the added chemicals found in soft drinks. Also, many drinks are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, a refined sweetener that is even worse than ordinary cane sugar. Avoid this cheap alternative to sugar at all costs.

Preparing your own food – as in making up a salad or a sandwich – and cooking your own food is a big step to healthier eating. By doing so, you know what goes into your food preparations and you can control the quality of the ingredients. Eating well is all about making high quality food choices: buy fresh, local produce whenever possible. Organic is ideal when budgets allow. Buy local meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics from animals that are raised and butchered in a humane manner. Preparing your own food also means you will be ingesting fewer chemicals, preservatives and other harmful additives that are hidden in packaged foods.

Not overeating at any one sitting is not only essential for maintaining a healthy weight but will ease the burden on your digestive system. This is especially important as we age. Overwork of the digestive system is one of the most common digestive difficulties in North America. Many people of advanced years have attributed their longevity to purposeful under-eating.

By following these six tips, you can make signifcant improvements to your health. For a more personalized approach to improving your nutrition, please contact me for a private consultation. 

Looking ahead to the fall

Happy September everyone! It has been a quiet summer in terms of blogging but I hope to get back at it. I thought I'd start by sharing my plans on the fitness front for the coming fall season. Last fall Stronger You Martial Arts opened their brand new larger training space on Strandherd at Cedarview. I ran three classes a week, each focusing on different modalities: kettlebells, bodyweight, and clubbells. Those who came enjoyed the classes and feedback was positive, however enrollment was limited to a few committed individuals.

This year Stronger You and Fit Forever are joining forces. We have hatched a new plan aimed at filling a perceived need from the community: cardio-kickboxing and circuit training are coming to Stronger You! Participants will get a good cardio workout and in the process will get a big stress release in the form of punching and kicking heavy bags to the beat of high-energy music. Fun and fitness all in one package.

Circuit training will entail stations set up throughout the training space, ranging from battle ropes, rings, kettlebells, clubbells, bosu and thera-band balls, dumbbells and bodyweight exercises. You will move from station to station in regular intervals. 

Other days you might come in and do a challenging strength and core workout on a suspension trainer.

There will be 5-6 classes per week to choose from. Come to as many classes as you wish. The more time and effort you put in, the more you will notice an improvement in your fitness level – cardio and strength - and you will leave feeling energized and good about yourself for your efforts. As your stress decreases, so too will your weight as these classes will burn calories like nothing else. But you won’t notice how hard you’re working because you’ll be having too much fun.

These three flavours provide a broad base from which to fulfill your fitness goals. Choose the ones which best fit your schedule and which appeal to you the most. We provide the motivation, the equipment and the space, and the instructors. All you have to do is register, show up and do your best.

So bring your friends and have a good time getting in shape this fall at Stronger You Martial Arts in Barrhaven. Classes will be taught by yours truly; by Janet Heffernan, co-owner and head instructor of Stronger You; or by one of our qualified assistant instructors. My classes will include the unique Fit Forever signature joint mobility exercises and strength building tools - kettlebells and clubbells.

Keep your eyes open for the schedule which will be available shortly. Classes begin Monday, September 14th. Contact me directly or Stronger You Martial Arts for more information.

Rain, rain go away

Come again another day, about a month or two from now. Yep, it’s been raining a lot. Since we got here (to the Catskills) it has rained almost every day. Sometimes just a quick shower, other times a heavy downpour. In the first week, we got caught in the rain on our bikes twice. To put this in perspective, we haven't been caught in the rain in almost two years! Both Thursday evening group rides from Woodstock we got rained on.

Saturday morning we got out for a two-hour ride in the morning, returning home before noon. It rained 45 minutes after we got back. We timed that one well. The rain continued for the rest of the day, into the evening and heavier through the overnight. It rained all day Sunday but for one hour. With a dismal forecast for Monday, a little bit of cabin fever, and the blues, begin to set in.

Pleasant surprise! Monday morning we awake to blue skies. Temps have been cooler than normal so the 16 degree morning is fine.  Hottest day so far was 30 degrees but mostly it’s been in the mid-twenties. It’s amazing what a few rotten weather days will do to lower your expectations. The skies were clear and the day was warming up nicely with a cool breeze as we headed to Woodstock to ride Meads Mountain.

It felt good to be out riding in the warmth and sunshine after being cooped up for two days. The streams that snake along the length of so many of the back roads underneath the tall canopies – often dry this time of year – were gushing. Some patches of pavement still showed signs of last night’s rain. The legs felt fairly good after very little riding over the past three days, zipping up the steep sections of Whitfield and Upper Bone Hollow with ease. The sweat starting to trickle.

Some new pavement on Krumville, a road with a downward tendency in the direction we are headed, made for a fun blast into the town of Olive Bridge. As we continued on the road to Ashokan Reservoir, which the locals just refer to as “The Res”, the skies are clouding over. Still, the Res is always a feast for the eyes and some sunlight pokes through the clouds and shines a spotlight on the distant mountains across the water. It is a heavenly sight.

Once in Woodstock, we stop at Overlook Mountain Bikes, a shop that has been beacon of hospitality since we’ve been coming to this place for vacation. Billy, the shop owner, a young man in his thirties, has made a real go of this store since buying it from Vinny many years ago (I know it’s been at least 13 years because Billy helped Paul get his bike fixed up after his bad crash in 2002). Billy is the nicest guy among many nice guys in this area. In fact, we frequent three bike shops all within a thirty mile radius and each one of the owners are super guys. This is not a quality typical of bike racers but obviously there are exceptions.

While at Billy’s shop, our friend Bruce offers us cupcakes left over from his niece’s graduation. As luck would have it, we are in need of some sustenance for our impending climb. They are organic and, according to Billy as healthy as you’re going to get. Chocolate with white icing. Works for me! 

And off we go. Meads Mountain is only 5 minutes down the road. Paul takes off ahead and I go at my own take-off pace, after hitting the interval button on my bike computer. Twenty minutes and 3.1 kilometers later, the work is done. Not my best result but I gave it the best I had on the day. Legs were fairly good, lungs less so. Fitness needs some work.

Back down we go. The wind is a little chilly with the body still sweaty from the effort of the recent climb. Once at the bottom it starts to rain lightly. We beat it back to Billy’s shop and before long the rain stops, the roads dry up. With dark clouds looming, we decide to take the shortest route home to guard against further wet insults, but none appear. After a quick shower (of the indoor variety) we drive to New Paltz, a distant but favoured town, for dinner. Amazing: The sun is shining and nary a cloud in the sky. The evening is lovely and warm. It’s supposed to rain for the next two days. Will the forecast play out? All we can do is wait and see.

Psoriasis and allergy

Allergy is a grossly misunderstood condition that is rarely diagnosed. And it is becoming more common. It is related to environmental factors, food additives, diet, digestion, body chemistry, addiction, yeasts, molds, parasites and childhood illnesses. Very often, an allergic reaction manifests by releasing toxins through the skin resulting in any number of skin conditions from eczema to psoriasis. Being diagnosed with a particular skin condition is a first step but it does not tell us anything about why we have that condition. Taking drugs to mask the symptoms may provide relief but the underlying condition still exists.

The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown. However it is one of many conditions and diseases associated with leaky gut, a term which describes an increased and harmful permeability of the intestinal lining. Leaky gut is caused by inflammation. Once the gut becomes inflamed or damaged, proper function is disrupted. The spaces between the cells of the lining become enlarged, allowing large protein molecules and other substances to be absorbed through the intestinal wall.

Intestinal inflammation can be caused by any, or a combination of, the following:

• Bacterial, fungal, viral or parasitic infections which create tissue damage either directly or through the toxins they excrete
• Drugs
• Allergic reactions created by foods, beverages and or chemicals in foods and beverages
• Nutritional deficiencies created by diets high in sugar and refined foods
• Incomplete digestion
• Heightened exposure to environmental toxins
• Stress

Intestinal permeability is corrected by following three steps:

1. Rid the digestive system of all known irritants such as unfavourable bacteria, fungus, food allergens, chemicals among others.
2. Repair the intestinal lining through proper diet, herbs, and supplements.
3. Replace the beneficial colon bacteria with probiotics in food and supplement form.

Psoriasis is associated specifically with protozoal infestation. This type of parasitic infection is usually transmitted in the form of a cyst. The cysts are small, light, and easily ingested. Human digestive juices do not destroy the cysts. They are capable of infecting every tissue in the body and they have an intensely rapid reproduction rate. Protozoa generally reproduce in the intestinal tract and migrate to other organs and tissues or to the red blood cells. Those with weakened or stressed immune systems are at higher risk.

Parasites are one of the three most commonly overlooked conditions leading to allergy, yeasts and molds, and digestive difficulties being the other two. When these are removed or improved, allergic symptoms tend to disappear.

These associations with psoriasis are not definitive. Each person is unique. But these connections provide avenues for investigation when searching for root causes of this increasingly common skin condition.

Allergy is multi-symptomatic, and has no single cause. Allergy is an inflammatory condition in the body. If the immune system can produce inflammation and allergy, then the immune system can also correct it. But you cannot recover from allergy by treating one part of the body. You treat allergy by normalizing body functions. In other words, restoring balance in your body's systems.

Benefits of barefeet

On the weekend I got into a debate with an old friend about wearing shoes while working out. She noticed that in the pictures of my classes and seminars, people were primarily barefoot. I said that I encourage going barefoot. Generally speaking, it is healthier for the feet. She disagreed and said she would prove it to me. This blog is my attempt at putting forth the argument in favour of training and being barefoot as much as possible.

Being barefoot is our natural state of being. I am lucky because I have perhaps more opportunity than most to be barefooted: martial arts and strength training (indoors and out). Leave it to the martial artists of old to pass on the practive of training barefoot; they knew it to be optimal for the human body. Read on to find out why.

There are countless reasons for going barefoot as much as possible. Putting shoes on confines your feet and over time results in restricted movement. If you’ve ever tried to move your feet through their full range of motion through mobility exercises such as such as toe curls, arch flexing, and foot pivoting, you probably found out some movements weren’t possible. Or your feet hurt like hell. These are all natural movements everyone should be capable of but most of us are not. My mobility teacher calls shoes coffins for the feet.

Your feet provide the foundation for your entire structure, which, if not stable and strong, can result in problems further up the body. The soles of your feet have hundreds of nerve endings and joint motion receptors that send constant feedback to your brain about the environment and your body position. Without these signals, you risk ending up with pain and fatigue throughout your body, and an increased likelihood of injury when you push your limits. Often knee and back pain stem from improper foot mechanics. Artificial support from shoes can place unnatural pressure on the knees, spine and neck. Foot mechanics affect our whole posture.

This feedback system also effects balance. Your brain is constantly comparing your desired and current balance, and enacts changes accordingly through your motor neurons to achieve and maintain your desired balance condition.

Shoes hurt this system because they limit the motion the joints in your feet experience, they cause your muscles to atrophy, and they reduce the quality of the sensory input that your feet return to your brain. Because your feet are bound to the same surface all day long, the signal your brain receives about the current state of your foot activity is flattened. This will also cause your muscles to over- or under-react when an adjustment to your balance is needed, and it actually causes the brain to work harder.

Yes, going barefoot can affect your mental functioning by as much as 10%!

Beyond proprioception, injury prevention, balance, and mental performance, following is a short list of advantages to being barefoot.

• Strengthens the stabilizing muscles of the ankle and foot and makes them stronger
• Improves muscle alignment
• Strengthens the arches of the foot
• Greater mobility and flexibility of the foot
• Healthier feet: shoes often lead to bunions, corns, athlete’s foot, hammer toes, ingrown toe nails and fallen arches.
• Grounding: receiving potential energy from the earth. Living in direct contact with the earth grounds your body, inducing favourable physiological and electrophysiological changes that promote optimum health.

So there you have it: Bare feet can affect mental and physical performance on many levels. Shoes are prisons for the feet. They weaken, restrict and deform the foot. If your feet are declining due to over-wearing of shoes you may want to consider increasing the time you spend barefooted. Please do so gradually. Your muscles, tendons and joints will take time to adjust and but they will strengthen and eventually feel much better. Enjoy – we are entering the best season for bare feet!

Spicy chick peas and sweet potato

I'm not cooking as much these days. The change of seasons means a change in habits and eating more salads. But I recently discovered a tasty and nutritious way to cook chick peas that I just had to share. Combined with sweet potato and spices, this is no ordinary dish. The key to the unusual and irresistible flavour is the apricots. The sweetness from the fruit offsets the heat from the red chili peppers, making this a very delicious and satisfying vegetarian meal. And of course as usual, this recipe is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp red wine cooking sherry
1 red onion chopped
1 sweet potato - cut into bite size chunks
1-398 mL can chick peas - drained
1-398 mL can apricots
1 tbsp garlic
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp red chili peppers (to taste)
1 tsp paprika
Pinch of salt
One cup (250 mL) liquid: water, liquid from chick peas, juice from apricots, or a combination

Melt the coconut oil on low heat. Cook the onion, garlic, ginger and cooking sherry over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the spices and cook for another minute. Add the sweet potatoes and your choice of liquid.  Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 15 minutes. Add the chick peas and apricots and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until chick peas are heated through.

Makes enough for 6. Enjoy!