Food

Healthy Back to School Lunches

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Lunch box with sandwich,fruit and stationery on pink backgroundGoing back to school can be a stressful time of year for parents and children. Making healthy lunches that are school approved can often add to that stress. This article will provide some healthy options for lunches, but one of the best things you can do for your child is give them a choice. Giving a choice does not mean giving them free range, but it does mean allowing them to choose between two options. Options help empower your child and increase the likelihood that they will eat healthy. For more ways to encourage your child to make healthy choices, please see my previous article “How to help picky eaters pick healthy options” https://www.plattsvilledoctor.ca/how-to-help-picky-eaters-pick-healthy-options/.

Healthy Back to School Lunches:

  • Salads – salads can include Greek salads, lettuce based salads, taco salads, bean salads, etc. Salads do not have to be boring and can include quite the variety.
  • Rice Crackers – rice crackers with tuna, salmon, egg salad, or hummus with cut veggies. This lunch includes not only a protein and carb, but more importantly the veggies.
  • Meat and Veg – a meat such as chicken drum sticks, meat loaf, hard boiled eggs, etc.; and cut veggies. Simple, but can be a quick option especially if there are left-overs in the refrigerator.
  • Pasta – brown rice pasta or zoodles (Zucchini noodles) can add a fun addition to lunch with a bit of variety compared to your classic sandwich.
  • Pizza – pizza does not have to be an “unhealthy” choice. Cut down on the cheese or leave it out entirely, make substitutions such as cauliflower for wheat dough, and add extra veggies onto the base. All of these can make your pizza a wiser choice for lunches.
  • Kabobs – for some parents, this may not be an appropriate option due to the mechanism to make the kabob. Making substitutions such as pretzel sticks can aid with this.
  • Fresh Rolls – fresh spring rolls are a portable lunch that can once again add a dip-able, portable lunch packed full of veggies.
  • Wraps – making wraps from lettuce can add a fun lunch with increased vegetables. Adding a protein source on top can increase the nutritional value of this lunch.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Leaky Potato Soup Recipe – Elimination Diet-Friendly

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This soup is loaded with flavor and makes a great dish for the elimination diet! The following recipe makes approximately 6 servings of soup.

Ingredients:

  • 2 large leaks
  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 10 cups of chicken broth (preferably home-made or a chicken broth that coincides with elimination diet guidelines)
  • 3 stems of fresh cilantro
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 1tbsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in soup pot and add sliced leaks. Cook on medium until soft (approximately 5-10 minutes).
  2. Add in sliced sweet potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes.
  3. Add 10 cups of chicken broth, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Then, slowly add ½ cup of coconut milk to mixture, whisking while doing so. Cook for 10 more minutes.
  4. Add cut cilantro and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, let cool, and serve.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

5 Foods to Avoid when trying to Lose Weight

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Girl - Weight LossWeight loss involves more than just taking a silver bullet pill. It involves diet and lifestyle changes that can be difficult for some to achieve. If you are one of these individuals that struggles with weight and needs assistance in this area, please seek medical advice, including a naturopathic doctor, in regards to your weight loss goals. However, avoiding these 5 food types could provide aid as well:

  1. High caloric and high sugar drinks – This includes most fruit juices, lattes, and alcohol. These can act as empty calories and cause blood sugar spikes that leave you fatigued and without the energy to make it through the day and even get in some extra activity time. These drinks may also dehydrate you which can further complicate weight loss.
  2. Processed foods – this includes such items as sandwich meats, boxed foods, etc. These foods are often high in salt, carbohydrates, and fillers that can prevent you from losing those extra couple of pounds.
  3. Foods that you may have a food sensitivity to – these foods are not the same for everyone and can be determined with the help of a naturopathic doctor. Some naturopathic doctors provide a blood test to determine the results. When losing weight, I find it more reliable and efficient to use a dietary method to determine the food sensitivities for you. If you are interested in exploring this more, please consider consulting a Naturopathic Doctor such as myself.
  4. Refined carbohydrates – this includes cereal, bread, pastries, cookies, etc. Especially when these foods are eaten alone and without a protein, they can cause blood sugar spikes and lead to excess sugar in the body which is retained as fat.
  5. Candy and high sugar snack foods – These items are fairly self – explanatory. Candy and high sugar snack foods do not provide nutritional aid. Avoiding these and only having them in moderation can help individuals work closer towards their weight loss goals.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!

Super Spices: Thyme

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ThymeThyme, also known as Thymus vulgaris, is a spice that is commonly used for culinary purposes. Considered more of a “Mediterranean” herb, this spice can be beneficial for more than just your cooking purposes.

Uses:

When used in cooking, this herb can actually increase the “life expectancy” of your left overs because of its potent effect at fighting off bacteria. This herb is able to fight off infections through its ability to kill bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungus. For this reason, thyme can be beneficial for colds, coughs, bronchitis, and even bad breath. In addition, thyme can be quite beneficial for digestive health. This herb can increase the amount of acid in the stomach – which may aggravate some forms of GERD or acid reflux, but can also help with some forms of GERD or acid reflux. This can result in thyme’s benefit towards gas, bloating, colic, and IBS. Thyme should be used in moderation in pregnancy due to some sources suggesting that it can a “mild uterine stimulant”. However, in normal amounts found in foods, thyme consumption is considered relatively safe in pregnancy.

Actions:

From these many different potential uses for time, it may be obvious what the actions of this spice are, but it includes:

Expectorant – helps you to cough up phlegm. I like to remind patients that sometimes this herb makes things worse before it makes things better because it can trigger a cough

Anti – tussive – helps to alleviate coughing

Anti – spasmodic – helps to decrease muscle spasms

Anti – microbial – helps to fight off infections

Carminative – aids with digesting and breaking down food

Anti – inflammatory – fights off inflammation

Anti – oxidant – defends against oxidative damage

Why Dr. Elisha Cook ND might prescribe Thymus vulgaris as a tea

I tend to prescribe this herb to individuals who have a cough or are fighting a respiratory infection. As per usual, I do like to prescribe teas for their therapeutic value as a tea and their medicinal value. I do not recommend consuming thyme as a tea outside the structured guidance of a naturopathic doctor or health care provider. Please seek medical advice before consuming Thyme.

Have you benefited from reading this blog? Know someone that would benefit as well? Share, Like, Comment, or Tweet this article, and let me know what you think.

Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, contact Dr. Elisha Cook ND by calling 519-537-7058 and book your appointment today!