Accommodating One Family’s Many Diets

Kim, our Face of FNLer, is now able to accommodate her family’s different tastes and diets down to a “T”. Kim eats a plant-based diet while her children and husband do not. Kim shares some tips on how she balances making predominantly plant-based meals with the inclusion of a few “meat nights” that everyone enjoys.

At this stage in my life, I consider myself vegan.  Do I quiz the waitress about whether or not my salad dressing has honey in it, or if there is egg in that veggie burger?  No.  So I know I’m not perfect.  But for the most part, I avoid animal products in all areas of my life.  I was not always this way.  For the first 39 years of my life I ate the “standard” diet.  But a particularly bad stretch of poor health sent me searching for a change.  That is when I decided to give plant based eating a try; a particularly tricky feat considering that my husband, children, family and friends do not share my way of eating.  So, what does this mean for making healthy meals for my family?

This is a tricky topic for me.  I tend to go back and forth on it.  Some days I want to cut all the animal products and processed foods out of our lives completely.  And as the Mom, I know that my kids’ nutrition is primarily my responsibility.  However, my husband is their parent too, and while supportive of my choices, he has not chosen to take this journey with me. My solution so far is to strive for balance and moderation.  So what does that translate to at meal times?  Well, I would say about 3 nights a week, we all eat a vegan supper.  Veggies stir fried over brown rice, whole grain or rice pastas with Italian or Thai inspired sauces, soups, chili, stews and salads are the most common.  And I can honestly say that my husband and daughter really enjoy these meals.  My 6-year old fussy son is another story.  Other nights, I still make a vegan side (which I eat as my main), and I prepare an animal protein to go with it for the other members of the family.  Any baking I do now is vegan, and I have replaced dairy milk with almond in cooking and smoothies for everyone.  So, I have not converted them to my way of eating, but I have greatly reduced the animal products they consume.

April being Earth month also has me thinking about the ways in which our eating habits effect the environment.  Again, there is room for improvement.  But some of the things that we do to reduce our footprint include:

• Eating fewer animal products (veg proteins take far less water to produce and create far less pollution than their animal counterparts)
• Shopping for produce at the local farmer’s market from May to October.
• Baking lunch box snacks (like Marni’s Blueberry Banana Spelt muffins!), thereby purchasing less packaged goods.
• Packing drinks in reusable metal water bottles.
• Using more Tupperware and less plastic wrap.
• Walking to school instead of driving when the weather is nice.
• And most obviously, recycling.

How do you strive to keep yourselves, your family and your planet healthy? We would love to hear your tips and tricks.

5 Ways to Lighten Up!

My favourite way to welcome spring is to lighten up my eating habits. As the weather gets warmer, as more local vegetables become available and as I spend more time outside, I crave lighter, colder, more refreshing meals. Instead of the soups, stews and grains that warmed me in the winter, opt for more green leafy vegetables, salads, smoothies, raw soups and juices. This not only results in simpler meals to prepare but I also feel lighter, more rejuvenated and more energized!

Here are 5 key ways to lighten up your meals this spring:

1. Start adding more salads to your diet. Whether for lunch or dinner, grab a big bowl and fill it up with fresh local greens. Salads help eliminate toxins, increase energy and provide a balance to your body. Learn how to naturally balance your body at Acid/Alkaline Balance on June 20th.
2. Drink your dinner. This isn’t ideal all the time. But some nights when I get home and don’t feel like making a meal or eating a heavy dinner, I just pull out my blender and make a yummy blended cold soup (see the deliciously refreshing recipe below).
3. Change the ratios on your plate. This is the easiest way to lighten up while sparing your body extra calories. For example, instead of taking an extra serving of grain, add more veggies, either steamed or fresh. Learn how to give your body a spring cleanse with Marni’s best-selling eBook Cleansing with Superfoods.
4. Use vegetables in place of grains. In the spring, it’s fun finding veggie alternatives to whole grains. For example, grind up cauliflower instead of rice or use kelp and Zucchini noodles for basic dishes or pasta recipes. Top this up with our fave Green Goddess Salad Dressing – we will be making this recipe and more Green recipes at Green Goddess on June 10th!
5. Make juice. This is the easiest way to start lightening up  in the spring. Making a tall glass of vegetable juice is an easy way to load up on nutrients instead of calories. You can learn how to make Super Alkaline Juices at Raw Essentials on June 3rd.

With the days lengthening, reach for foods like green vegetables that will hydrate and refresh you. To start, try this refreshing

Green Avocado Cucumber Soup.

What’s in it:

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

2 large ripe avocados

½ cup spinach or kale

2 green onions, roughly chopped

2 apples (crisp and tart apples like granny smith)

2-1/2 cups coconut milk or coconut water

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Parsley for garnish

Optional additions: garlic, ginger, cayenne, dill

How it’s made:

1. In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth. Chill until ready to serve and garnish with fresh herbs.

This article was originally written for Chatelaine.

On The Go with Calcium!

When you eat a plant based diet, people never tire of demanding you’re not getting enough protein. I have literally never had anyone ask me about my calcium intake.

I have a pretty hectic schedule that is constantly changing. One day I may be taking acting classes and running to Hot Yoga class, the next I’m auditioning for commercials and then babysitting the world’s cutest toddler.  As much as I love cooking, I don’t always have time to micro-manage every single aspect of my daily diet. This means it’s so important to have a well-rounded diet that includes lots of Calcium rich foods.

One resource that I’ve found invaluable is CalciYum!, a vegetarian calcium based cookbook by David & Rachelle Bronfman. Marni gave me this book at my first consultation, and it has a ton of great recipes along with information about Calcium dense plant foods.  This has helped me to consider Calcium in addition to protein when I’m choosing different ingredients for my meals. I love beans, tempeh, and tofu which are great sources of Calcium. Incorporating leafy greens into my everyday life has made a big difference. I put kale, spinach, and collards, into my soups, salads, stir-fries, and baking.  You get countless benefits from consuming leafy greens, and there are so many to choose from and experiment with. The other high calcium food that I try to eat everyday is Almonds, I am a huge Almond lover. I like to have a little container of almonds with me or a Lara bar on hand as an emergency snack.

A great part of living in Toronto is the plethora of Vegetarian stores and restaurants at our fingertips. Last fall I was doing a class at Second City, and I would often have to rush to another audition, appointment or class, right after. Thankfully I could stop at Fresh on Spadina for a quick nutritious pick-me-up. Smoothies are an awesome way to get some extra Calcium into your diet! The Date Almond Smoothie and Tropic Thunder at Fresh are two of the most delicious beverages I’ve ever had. They both have Almond Butter, and the Date-Almond Smoothie can also have Almond milk in it, and you can add Kale to any juice or smoothie!

I also participated in my first cooking class with Marni this month called Grain Goodness. She showed us just how versatile vegetables and grains can really be. All of the dishes we made were so delicious, and I will definitely be recreating them all at home.What about you? Do you give much thought to the Calcium in your diet?

I’d love to hear any tips or thoughts. Reply in the comments section below or tweet @KristyLapointe or @NourishedFully

The Myths of Calcium, Dairy & Bone Strength Triage

March is calcium month and there is no better time to clarify the myths of calcium and bone strength! Despite what dairy companies lead you to believe, building strong bones is a lot more complicated than consuming calcium. There are three misconceptions when it comes to dairy, calcium and bones.

1. Building strong, healthy bones depends only on calcium

2. Your calcium intake is the only thing that matters

3. Dairy is the only good source of calcium

Let’s clarify these myths one at a time:

Clarification #1 – Calcium + Vitamins Build Strong Bones

Bone development is influenced by a number of factors, including nutrition, exposure to sunlight, hormones, and physical exercise. There’s no denying that calcium is important for bone health but bones need more than just calcium to grow and stay strong. Other important sources include Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin K.

Enjoy these foods that are bursting with calcium!

1. Green Leafy Veggies – kale, chard, beet tops, collards, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dandelion, mustard greens and bok choy.
2. Root Veggies – parsnip, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, squash, okra.
3. Nuts and Seeds – almonds, pine nuts, hemp seeds, sesame seeds.
4. Beans, Legumes and Whole grains – kidney beans, black beans, quinoa and amaranth.
5. Fermented and Organic Soy – Tofu, tempeh, miso and edamame.
6. Sea vegetables include arame, nori, dulse, wakame and kombu. They can be found at your local health food store or in the condiment section of your grocery store. Another great place to look is at authentic Asian markets.
7. Other: carob, tahini, almond butter, cocoa, goji berries, figs and molasses.

Clarification #2 – Importance of Calcium Absorption & Retention

As we just discussed, calcium-rich foods is one source that helps build strong bones. But what you may not realize is that calcium is for more than just your bones – almost every function in our body requires calcium. Many degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis among others are a result of poor quality supplementation and an imbalanced diet.  Reaping the benefits of calcium is also about how much we’re able to absorb, and retain. Factors including our dietary habits, lifestyle, and aging process all contribute to calcium absorption and retention.

• Stress impacts normal digestion and can have a negative effect on calcium absorption.
• Age also impacts calcium absorption – on average, adults absorb approximately 20% less calcium than children.
• Protein increases calcium absorption and stimulates the production of hormones that promotes new bone formation.

Clarification #3 – Avoid Dairy as a Source of Calcium

People have grown to accept that you can only get your daily intake of calcium from conventional dairy and a calcium supplement. What you need to also focus on is whole food sources that are naturally loaded with calcium. These foods don’t contain dairy, but will provide your body with the calcium it requires to function in an easy-to-assimilate way along with a whole bunch of other minerals and nutrients that are vital to good health!

So skip the dairy, eat your greens, get some sunshine and exercise regularly and enjoy all of the health benefits of a whole, natural diet! For calcium-rich, plant-based recipe inspiration join us on March 18^th for Veggin’ Comfortably where you will learn some delicious calcium-rich recipes and you will receive a free copy of Marni’s best-selling eBook Veggin’ Comfortably.

Try this calcium-rich treat — Carob Fig Frozen Fudge

What’s In It?

1 cup figs, soaked

1 1/2 cups filtered water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

1/2-1 cup nut butter (almond or sunflower)

1/2-1 cup raw carob powder

1/2 cup Manitoba Harvest hemp seeds

How it’s Made:

1. Place the figs in a bowl and cover with water and soak for about an hour, until soft. Drain reserving liquid.

2. In a blender, blend the figs, and vanilla until smooth, slowly adding soaking water as needed to form a creamy consistency.

3. Transfer the fig mixture into a large bowl, add the nut butter, and stir to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the carob and hemp seeds.

5. Gradually add the dry carob mixture into the wet fig mixture. Stir well. Press evenly into a 10 by 18 inch brownie pan, 1 inch thick and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).

6. To serve, cut into 1 inch squares.

Happy calcium-eating!

Chickpeas — How Romantic & Delicious!

With the help of Marni and the Fully Nourished Lifestyle Program, Kristy LaPointe is hoping to make 2013 her healthiest year yet, and she is excited to be sharing the journey!  She is an actress, comedian and writer based out of Toronto.

In honor of heart-health month, Kristy is sharing with us the legume that holds a very special place in her heart and her favourite ways to prepare it.

Chickpeas For A Healthy, Romantic Heart

Chickpeas (or Garbanzo beans, as my father often insists on calling them) are versatile, healthy, and so delicious. A lot of people are familiar with Hummus, but these magical little beans can be used for so much more. Plain chickpeas are amazing in salads. They can be mushed up into a kind of tuna spread alternative for sandwiches. Falafel. Soups. Salads. The possibilities are endless. One of my favorite things to do with chickpeas is roast them in the oven or fry them in a pan with a small amount of seasoning. These roasted chickpeas make a great snack on their own, or in a salad.

This week I made a nice, fresh salad with a mound of wasabi roasted chickpeas on top, and it was so satisfying! See the recipe below. I’ve also been experimenting with different varieties of hummus, from roasted garlic to lemon to red pepper.

Wasabi Chickpea Salad

 

This month as I continue on my FNL journey, my biggest struggle has been with moderation. I tend to adopt an “all or nothing” attitude when it comes to health. This is great when it’s in full swing, and I’m consuming 4 bowls of Kale and going to yoga every day.

The trouble is, without balance, it’s very hard to sustain a healthy lifestyle. I get burnt out on plain oatmeal for breakfast, and then instead of spicing it up, I want to have a bagel and a cinnamon roll. A lot of my cravings have to do with carbs and sweets, so I’ve been trying to add healthier versions to my meals. The best sweet replacement I’ve come up with this month is frozen bananas. At the beginning of the week I sliced up a bunch of bananas, and separated them into small, freezable containers. Now whenever my sweet tooth strikes, I can go to the freezer and find a delicious, frozen treat. I still have chocolate and baked goods occasionally, but this has definitely helped me cut down.

If you have a great chickpea recipe, we’d love to see it! Leave a comment or tweet at @NourishedFully and @kristylapointe.

Thrive Forward This February

Because this month is heart health month – we want to share with you a great new resource that we just discovered that can help you learn about heart health and many other aspects of nutrition. Thrive Forward is a free online program, developed by Brendan Brazier the formulator of Vega. The program helps you transform your health and performance for life, through plant-based nutrition. Brendan guides your journey to optimal health through customized topics that are most relevant to you. Each lesson is enhanced with useful tools that reinforce what you’ve learned.

There are many topics to choose from. Since it is heart health month, we wanted to share a great module with you – “Fabulous Fibre”. This video lesson discusses the importance of fibre-rich foods including legumes, greens, nuts and seeds.

You also learn about the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre, how much fibre we need, and the best sources to get fibre. And a bonus is that you’re given a delicious baked apples with figs recipe which is a great fiber-rich snack.

Brendan shares 3 important tips that are worth noting:

• Fiber is almost solely the domain of clean, plant-based foods.
• It is best to get a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber daily
• If you’re getting your fiber from a diet of fiber-rich, plant-based foods, you don’t need to increase your consumption of water as digestion will take care of itself naturally.

We are giving away a Thrive Forward Starter Kit to get you going on your unique path to whole wellness. The Thrive Forward Starter Kit includes an array of Vega samples (SaviSeed, Vibrancy Bars, Vega Maca Chocolate, Vega One, Energizing Smoothie), information about signing up for Thrive Forward, and recipe card.

To enter the contest, you can register for Thrive Forward at http://thriveforward.com and then tweet one of your favourite modules to @NourishedFully & @VegaTeam and use the hashtag #ThriveFWD. The contest ends on February 14th and the winner will be announced then!

 

 

 

& Team

Make a Date with Your Heart!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to treat your heart with the utmost love and care it deserves. There’s one easy fix to this and it includes incorporating legumes into your diet. Legumes are one of the most heart-healthy plant-based foods and are packed with nutrients that are essential to your heart-health and every day functioning.

Being very high in protein and one of the best sources of soluble fiber, legumes are a staple in cuisines from all over the world. Legumes are a staple source of protein with moderate caloric intake, making them ideal for any diet.

Here are a few key reasons why we love beans and why they are our favourite heart-healthy ingredient especially during the cold winter months:

• Controls your weight: Beans are high in soluble and insoluble fibre, which slows digestion and makes you feel full longer.
• Great source of fibre & protein: Combining iron-rich beans with good sources of vitamin C increases the body’s ability to absorb the iron.
• High in protein: Legumes are one of the best sources of protein. They are low in cholesterol and have almost no fat.
• Incredibly versatile: Beans are easy to cook and can be used in everything from Indian curry, bean dip, salad, veggie burgers, soup, falafel and hummus, chilis, and many varieties of salads and stews. While some legumes benefit from soaking before cooking, this step is not necessary for lentils and dried peas. It is important to prepare dried beans, as opposed to canned beans, as they are sodium-free. You can use a one-inch piece of Kombu to reduce the gas. But if you’re in a pinch, you can opt for canned beans the occasional time. EDEN brand is all organic, natural and BPA-free.
• Colorful and flavourful varieties: You will never get bored of them because there are so many different types of legumes that you can eat including kidney, black, navy, lentil, chickpea (garbanzo), adzuki, and mung. They vary in color and size, which makes for a creative presentation of your meals.
• Great for digestion and elimination of toxins: Eating beans helps move things along in the digestive tract. The fibre in beans passes through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speeds up the passage of food and waste through your gut.

Join us this month at a legume-focused cooking class and help cupid look out for your heart by incorporating more beans in your diet!

 

Black Bean Salad with Fresh Mint

What’s in it?

1 cup black beans, soaked* or use Eden canned organic beans

3 cups filtered water (no water needed of canned beans are used)

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½-1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ extra virgin olive oil

3 red radishes, small dice

3 scallions, minced

¼ cup parsley, minced

¼ cup fresh mint, minced

How it’s made:

1. Drain soaked beans and rinse well with water. Drain again.
2. Combine beans and water and bring to a boil over high heat. (Alternatively, you can use canned beans but only by EDEN organics)
3. Lower heat and cook for 1-1/2 hours. Drain beans
4. Whisk together the next five wet dressing ingredients and pour over warm beans.
5. When beans have cooled, toss together with vegetables.

Stay Warm this Winter

At this time of the year, our bodies seem to just yearn for a warm drink in our hands. Herbal tea is always a healthy option when you want something to warm you up — but sometimes you just crave something extra, whether it’s something sweet, stimulating, or just really flavourful.

With coffee shops on every corner of most towns, it’s hard not to pop in for something toasty and indulgent. However, be cautious — what might seem like a great option to help get you through your day could actually be holding a lot of calories, along with other properties that are not that great for your health.

Let’s consider four very common warm drinks that people enjoy at this time of year — coffee, chai tea, apple cider, and hot chocolate — and see how you can make the healthiest choices about caffeine and sugar while still enjoying your favourite beverage.

Caffeine

What to watch out for: The caffeine in coffee and black tea can contribute to unwanted stress. Excess caffeine throughout the day acts as a diuretic, which increases fluid loss and can lead to dehydration. This can also worsen existing health conditions. For example, if you are a woman going through menopause, there is nothing like a little caffeine to exacerbate symptoms like hot flashes.

Making a better choice: Reduce caffeine’s downsides by choosing organic, fair-trade coffee. Instead of having two or three cups of coffee a day, try for just one — this might also help you to gradually transition to green tea instead, or as a replacement for some of the coffee you usually drink.

Sugar and additives

What to watch out for: Sugar and additives are found in hot chocolate, apple cider, and chai tea. Unfortunately, most coffee shops make these drinks from a powder or syrup — both are loaded with refined sugars and other preservatives. Also note that most apple ciders are pasteurized, which means they are robbed of all their nutrients, like vitamin C.

Making a better choice: Buy fresh-pressed apple cider at your local farmers; market, then brew it up at home and carry it around in your reusable mug. For hot chocolate, get your hands on some pure cacao, stir it up with some rice or almond milk, and add a drop of honey to make the best cocoa drink in town. Not only will it be delicious, but pure cacao is full of nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and antioxidants.

The healthiest choice, as usual, is to make your own beverage at home. Homemade chai tea with a base of rooibos (African red tea) instead of black tea is an amazing option loaded with antioxidants — and it’s also caffeine free!

Cozy chai latte

Ingredients:
1 cup pure water
1 cup rice or almond milk
1 cinnamon stick
4 pieces of cloves
1/3 inch fresh ginger root, sliced
3 pieces whole peppercorns
1/3 tsp whole fennel seeds
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp whole cardamom seeds
2 tsp rooibos tea
Honey or maple syrup to sweeten

Directions:
1. Simmer all spices in 1 cup of water, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. Add the rooibos tea and milk and bring to a rolling boil.

3. Reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, cool slightly to comfortable drinking temperature, and serve as it as is or with a sweetener of your choice.

Cozy up with your chai latte to stay warm over the holidays, without excess calories and sugar. Check back in 2013 for more great tips and classes. Till then stay warm and healthy!

This article was originally posted on Chatelaine.com 

Learn to love Sea Veggies!

Become a Sea Veggie Superstar!

Sea vegetables are just what they sound like: greens that grow in the sea. These healthy vegetables include nori (what your sushi is wrapped in), wakame (what is in your miso soup), arame (often in your seaweed salad), dulse, kombu, kelp and hijiki. Sea vegetables also include varieties of seaweed hidden in prepared foods such as ice cream, baked goods, jelly, salad dressings, chocolate milk and toothpaste.

Grown in the depths of the sea, these green wonders are full of vitamins and minerals essential to human health and nutritional balance. Minerals make up seven to thirty-eight percent of the dry weight of these superfoods; the most significant minerals found in sea greens are calcium, iodine, phosphorous, sodium and iron, but they are also rich in other nutrients like protein and vitamins A, B, C and E.

Sea vegetables can help with everything from reducing blood cholesterol, removing metallic and radioactive elements from the body, and preventing goiters. Seaweed also has antibiotic properties, may counteract obesity, could improve digestion and nerve transmission, and strengthens bones and teeth. To top it off, sea veggies have been researched as a beauty aid for their skin-improving and anti-aging properties.

Sea vegetables and thyroid health

Seaweed got a boost of recognition earlier this year, after the devastating earthquake in Japan, thanks to the presence of the mineral iodine in these vegetables. Radiation fears spread to the west coasts of Canada and the United States when the quake and subsequent tsunami caused serious damage to a nuclear reactor; iodine pills are great way to protect against some of the effects of radiation.

Iodine is also a key mineral for thyroid health, which is the role it’s more likely to play in the average person’s diet. Our bodies need iodine for thyroid hormone production, which helps keep our metabolism working properly. That’s why weight gain is a symptom of hypothyroidism and weight loss is a symptom of hyperthyroidism — our metabolism, and therefore our weight, is affected when these hormones are out of whack.

People used to get their RDA of iodine — 150mcg for most adults — largely from iodized salt, but as more people reduce the sodium in their diets, deficiencies could occur. That’s one important reason why seaweed is a great dietary addition — it’s one of the best food sources of iodine. Regularly including a variety of sea vegetables in your diet can help keep your thyroid working properly.

How do you use sea veggies?

Sea vegetables are extremely versatile — they can be used in a number of recipes and incorporated into numerous styles of cuisine. They compliment or accent many dishes, from soups and salads to even desserts.

Give sea vegetables a go in your diet with this recipe using seaweed in perhaps its most familiar form — wrapping of nori rolls. And learn some more delicious recipes containing sea veggies at Amazing Asian on March 7th!

Napa Cabbage Salad

Makes 6-8 servings

What’s in it?:

1 whole napa cabbage, washed and sliced into shreds

1/4 cup of soaked arame

1 cup shelled cooked edamame (optional)

1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Dressing:

1/3 cups olive oil

¼ cup brown rice syrup

¼ cup brown rice vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 small or medium onion, grated

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

How it’s made!:

1. Soak arame in water for 20 minutes.
2. Place the cabbage in a large salad bowl with the edamame. Add in soaked arame. In a smaller bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well.
3. Pour over the salad mixture in the bowl, then top with the nuts and seeds and toss.
4. Serve immediately.

Originally posted on Chatelaine.

Nature’s Sports Drink & Hangover Remedy

Can we say enough good things about coconut water? If you’re a follower of this blog, then you’ve read our internet version of ‘singing praises’ to the stuff. As you saw in the title, this drink has multiple uses. Sometimes we can get a little carried away on these warm summer nights, back yard parties, and veggie-q’s (yes, that’s how we refer to barbeque parties here in the office!) and we end up feeling like coconuts are knocking us on the head. You may have guessed that I’m talking about hangovers – the lovely dehydrated state of regret that we sometimes find ourselves in. Instead of reaching for the ibuprofen, why not grab a glass of nourishing, electrolyte rich coconut water that hydrates your body? Coconut water is fat free, naturally sweet, and loaded with essential minerals (or electrolytes) such as potassium and sodium that help re-balance our electrolyte levels and make for a fully charged you! Coconut water is especially good for dehydration. Since alcohol robs our body of water, replenishing with coconut water is the perfect solution.

As mentioned before, coconut water also makes an excellent sports drink for the same reasons listed above. When we exercise we end up using our electrolytes and water, and drinking coconut water is a perfect way to replenish yourself to optimal functioning.

Coconut water has many other beneficial properties outside of being a hangover remedy. In fact, drinking coconut water regularly encourages bowel movements, boosts immune function, helps to prevent bacterial and viral infections, and helps our thermoregulation during the warmer months as it keeps the body cool.

Living in Canada, which is clearly not tropical, it can be hard to access fresh coconuts year round, so we recommend trying Coco water, which can be purchased at Shopper’s Drug Mart starting on July 26th. Coco the natural drink has no additives and is the closest thing you can get to drinking straight from a coconut. Also, try drinking through a glass straw if you’re going to sip from a coconut directly to avoid any toxins that come from cheap plastic.

So go ahead, indulge in some coconut water – it’s ever so good for you!

Coconut Refresher

• 2 cups coconut water (Coco the drink)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ginger juice (from freshly grated ginger)
• 1 tsp coconut nectar

Stir together in a tall glass and sip with a glass straw!

 

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