Dr. Jesse Chappus' Blog - Helping YOU Make Healthy Choices

The Best Healthy Sweeteners

Jesse Chappus — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:00:23 +0000

When it comes to healthy sweeteners, there are a number of excellent choices on the market today. They not only help round out the flavours of your favourite kitchen creations but they also provide an array of health benefits.

Let’s start by having a look at a couple of commonly used unhealthy sweeteners and the negative effects they have on your health.

Processed white sugar is highly addictive and causes a host of health problems. It suppresses the immune system, contributes to adrenal fatigue, leads to obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis. White sugar is empty calories, providing no nutritional value.

The artificial sweetener aspertame is commonly found in diet pop and chewing gum. A couple of the popular trademark brands of aspertame include NutraSweet and Equal. Some of the reported short term negative side effects of aspertame consumption include headaches/migraines, fatigue, sleep problems and depression. Aspertame has also been linked to cancer, birth defects, seizures and fibromyalgia.

Both of these are terrible choices for sweetening your dishes – I strongly recommend staying clear of both.

Here are the best healthy sweeteners:

Honey – Honey is a superfood that contains enzymes, minerals, probiotics and antioxidants. The sugar in honey is a great energy source. Honey should never be given to children under the age of one because it naturally contains botulinum endospores – a mature intestinal tract will inhibit their growth. Honey is my #1 choice when it comes to natural sweeteners.

Agave – There is a lot of controversy over this product. I personally feel like it’s a great sweetener in moderation – preferably the clear, less processed agave. This plant contains phytochemicals that are immune boosting, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. So don’t be afraid to put a little agave nectar in your next smoothie

Stevia – Stevia comes in many forms including a white powder (more processed), a green powder and a liquid extract. The powder obtained from the leaves of this plant is approximately 200-300 times sweeter than sugar – so a little bit goes a long way. Stevia is a 0 on the glycemic index which makes it a great sweetener for diabetics and it has no calories. Sound too good to be true?!

Depending on how the stevia is processed it may have a bitter aftertaste that will take some getting used to. If you are new to stevia you may want to start with one of the flavoured liquid extracts which are easier to palate. These extracts come in a variety of flavours (english toffee, chocolate etc.) and can be used to put a spin on your favourite dishes.

Xylitol – This naturally occurring sweetener can be found in fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. Commercially it is produced from corn cobs or hardwood – beware of xylitol derived from GMO corn. Once extracted, the white granules can be used in place of sugar – they have the same sweetness. Xylitol is good for your teeth and it helps stabilize hormone and insulin levels.

Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup is loaded with vitamins and minerals and it contains compounds that are anti-bacterial and anti-cancer. Although you would assume due to the sweetness of maple syrup that it would be a diabetic nightmare but the opposite it true – it has been shown to prevent this disorder. Maple syrup contains compounds that encourage the release of insulin and improves insulin sensitivity which combats diabetes.

Mesquite – This Native American pod is high in protein and comes in a powdered form. It’s rich in calcium, zinc, potassium, iron and magnesium. Mesquite has a really unique flavour so I recommend starting out using a bit in your raw desserts and smoothies.

Dates – Dates usually come in a dried, whole form and are extremely sweet. They are excellent for sweetening green smoothies – throw a couple in the blender with your favourite smoothie ingredients and you are good to go. Be sure to remove the pits first or you will destroy the blades of your blender and the hard bits will ruin your smoothie.

Coconut Nectar/Sugar – Coconut sweeteners are a newer group of health food products that are produced from the sap of the coconut tree. They are very low on the glycemic index and contain vitamins B and C. The coconut sugar tastes exactly the same a brown sugar.

Lucuma – This exotic fruit from Peru is typically sold as a dried powder. It has a maple-like flavour and contains high levels of beta-carotene and iron. This powder makes a tasty addition to most smoothies.

When purchasing the above sweeteners keep in mind that quality is key! Always buy organic and look for products that are minimally processed/raw.

As you can see there a number of healthy options when it comes to sweeteners. Start with a few of the above and experiment away. I’d love to hear about your favourite healthy sweetener and how you use it – share your ideas in the comments section below.

To your health!
Jesse

The Impact Of Coffee On Your Adrenal Glands

Jesse Chappus — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:40:21 +0000

Guest post by Nancy Desjardins R.N.C.P.

The adrenals are small but mighty glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. Their function is to release hormones that trigger the fight-or-flight response when we’re confronted with stressors. When adrenaline floods our bodies, our muscles contract and our heart rate quickens. Basically, the body is put on alert and is made ready for action.

Here’s the problem. Coffee stimulates the adrenal glands, which means that every time you drink coffee, you’re activating the body’s fight-or-flight response. But, instead of releasing adrenaline so the body can react to a true stressor, the adrenals are releasing this hormone in response to your coffee consumption.

What happens over time is that your adrenal glands start to burn out from overuse, which can lead to adrenal fatigue. Naturally, you can help to prevent adrenal fatigue simply by avoiding coffee, or keeping your consumption to a minimum.

Does caffeine really give you an energy boost? Depending on how much caffeine you consume, it can make you feel as if you have more energy, especially within the first couple of hours after consumption.

However, once the effects of the caffeine have worn off, you’ll actually feel more tired than you did before you drank it.

The Caffeine-Cortisol Connection

Here’s a fact: cortisol, the stress hormone, is released after consuming coffee whether you’re under mental stress or not, according to a study published in the February 2008 edition of “Psychosomatic Medicine.” So, let’s talk again about fatigue and insomnia, which are related to caffeine and cortisol.

Cortisol production is naturally high in the early morning, around 8:00 a.m. because one of its functions is to help you rise and shine for the day.

But, people who chronically stress their adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol change their cortisol concentrations so that it’s low instead of high when they wake up in the morning.

Of course, then they reach for a cup of coffee to artificially spike their cortisol levels again.

These same people experience huge cortisol surges at meals, which causes them to overeat. They, in turn, wind up with higher body fat, lower muscle mass, and a reduced metabolism so they burn fewer calories.

They don’t sleep well at night because elevated cortisol levels keep them from entering stage 4 sleep, which is the deep rebuild-and-repair sleep your body needs to feel rejuvenated and rested.

Ladies, listen to this one. How about skin aging and wrinkling? Caffeine dehydrates the body and elevates cortisol levels. This leads to dehydrated skin and premature wrinkling.

In his bestselling books, The Perricone Prescription and The Wrinkle Cure, Dr. Nicholas Perricone encourages people to quit coffee to prevent skin aging.

His patients have shown him the consequences of elevated cortisol levels on skin aging and wrinkling—dehydration and a decrease in collagen and elastin production.

It’s a good reminder that we must drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to maintain healthy and beautiful skin, as all biochemical reactions in the body take place in the presence of water.

So, if you suffer from IBS, acid reflux, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, Crohn’s disease, colitis, high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, or anxiety, isn’t it time to consider eliminating your coffee intake? Don’t worry. I won’t leave you without alternatives. I offer you some healthy substitutes for coffee.

Natural Alternatives to Coffee

While you’re trying to wean yourself off of coffee and are searching for a satisfying replacement beverage, let’s not forget about water. Water is vital to the body and is truly the elixir of life.

Drinking water is one of the most important things we can do every day to maintain good health. I always recommend that you drink filtered or spring water instead of tap or distilled water. And, stay away from fluoridated water. Natural water is best.

Tea—The Other Popular Beverage

Herbal tea is a great replacement for coffee, so why not try nettle tea. Nettle is very cleansing, and it curbs the appetite so it’s ideal for weight loss. It’s also very high in minerals.

Nettle tea will give you a boost in the morning. Plus, it’s a gentle diuretic and is considered restorative to the kidneys and bladder.

Green tea has many healthful properties and is another great substitute for coffee. Ideally, you want green tea that contains the entire ground tea leaf.

Matcha green tea is what I prefer. It’s renowned for its numerous health benefits. Matcha tea is rich in nutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and chlorophyll. Plus, it’s sugar-free, so it’s an ideal drink for diabetics and others wishing to reduce their sugar intake.

The health benefits of matcha exceed those of other green teas because matcha drinkers ingest the whole leaf, not just the brewed water. One glass of matcha is the equivalent of 10 glasses of green tea in terms of nutritional value and antioxidant content.

Tulsi tea (also known as Holy Basil) is another favorite tea of mine. It’s a powerful herb used in Ayurveda, which is an ancient system of medicine practiced in India.

The thing I like about tulsi is that it’s an adaptogenic herb, which means that it helps to reduce the stressors that may be compromising your physical and mental well-being.

Tulsi is also rich in antioxidants so we know that consuming it will help prevent oxidation damage, which can leave our bodies vulnerable to disease. That’s probably why Ayurvedic practices often use tulsi to treat cancer, as well as headaches, diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint pain, among other maladies and diseases.

According to Dr. Ralph Miller, who is the former Director of Research for the Canadian Department of Health and Welfare, “Modern scientific research offers impressive evidence that tulsi reduces stress, enhances stamina, relieves inflammation, lowers cholesterol, eliminates toxins, protects against radiation, prevents gastric ulcers, lowers fevers, improves digestion and provides a rich supply of antioxidants and other nutrients.”

Dr. Miller also stated that “tulsi is especially effective in supporting the heart, blood vessels, liver and lungs and also regulates blood pressure and blood sugar.”

That’s quite an endorsement of tulsi’s health benefits. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving these coffee alternatives a try.

Click here for more information on starting off your day, the right way!

Share your thoughts on coffee in the comments section below.

About
Nancy Desjardins is an online holistic nutrition coach. She created healthlady.com which is a global hub of information for all things dealing with holistic nutrition and organic health.

Passion, Motivation, Success And Health – Interview With Gary Vaynerchuk

Jesse Chappus — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:18:04 +0000

Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) is a 37 year old, self-trained social media and wine expert.

He is a New York Times Best-Selling author who has published two books – CRUSH IT! and The Thank You Economy. Gary is currently in the middle of writing his third book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook which will be release in the Fall of 2013.

Gary and his brother AJ launched Vaynermedia in the Spring of 2009. This is a company that helps fortune 500 companies such as Campbell’s, Pepsi and the New York Jets find their social media voices.

Gary has appeared on countless programs including Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Ellen and CNN.

Gary’s BIG goal is to eventually own the New York Jets.

I’m thrilled to share the interview I did with Gary! We discussed an array of topics including following your passion, risk taking, where Gary gets his energy, success and motivation. We ended the interview talking about what Gary does to stay fit and healthy. I’m really excited that we delved into some new topics I haven’t heard Gary speak about before!

Enjoy the interview…

“My definition of success is being able to do whatever you want, everyday.” – Gary Vee – Click to Tweet

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

To your health!
Jesse

Smoothies vs. Juices – Which Is Better?

Jesse Chappus — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:33:44 +0000

Smoothies and juices each have a unique role to play in your healthy lifestyle.

Which one is better? It really depends on YOUR individual health goals.

Let’s have a look at the differences between smoothies and juices.

Fiber

Smoothies are packed with fiber. Whatever ingredients you add into the blender become part of the final product – including all the fiber. Fiber helps lower cholesterol, helps prevent constipation and helps regulate blood sugar.

On the other hand, fruit and vegetables juices have no fiber – this is removed by the juicer and you are left with a mountain of pulp. Without the fiber, juices are quickly absorbed by the body. Even though fiber is beneficial for your body it can be obtained through other means – a healthy, whole food diet.

There are many things you can do with the juice pulp so it doesn’t go to waste. You can use it to make dehydrated crackers, use it in soups or add it to smoothies. If you don’t want to use the pulp in the kitchen, you can sprinkle it over your garden or compost it.

Superfoods

Along with fruits and vegetables, smoothies often contain superfoods – these are usually in powdered or liquid form. Some examples include chia seeds, E3Live (algae), aloe vera, bee pollen etc. The addition of superfoods can really ramp up the nutrition of your smoothie and add some unique health benefits.

Juices are typically more simple and pure. They are usually made from vegetables, fruits and sprouts. I find the best combination for the base of a juice is celery and cucumber. If you are adventurous you can add in some superfoods such as spirulina and chlorella at the very end – there are no rules

Satiety

Smoothies are a healthy meal replacement – commonly people will have a smoothie for breakfast. If I drink a litre and a half of smoothie it will keep me energized for at least 2 hours. Ingredients such as coconut oil, protein powder and chia seeds provide greater satiation.

I treat juices as more of a supplement to my diet. They are a great way to get a ridiculous amount of fruits and vegetables into your body. I find green juice is one of the few “foods” out there that actually makes me feel more energized naturally. Juices are able to sustain you without weighing your digestive system down.

Clean up

Anyone who’s juiced before knows that cleaning up the juicer afterward can be time consuming. You need to take the juicer apart, clean the individual pieces and leave them out to dry before you can reassemble the machine and put away. Even though this process does take some time I still think it’s TOTALLY worth the effort!

Blending up a smoothie is quick and easy. Most of the time I will just rinse out the blender with water and flip it upside down to dry by the sink. This makes smoothies a great option in the morning for a quick meal before work – just make sure your family is awake before you start blending.

So you can see by this breakdown that both fresh juice and smoothies serve different purposes. Your goals at the time of consumption will determine what drink is best for YOU. The ultimate goal would be to get both a fresh juice and a smoothie into your daily routine!

Do you prefer smoothies or juices?

To your health!
Jesse

The Hidden Dangers Of Microwaving Your Food

Jesse Chappus — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:24:15 +0000

I personally refuse to eat food that has been microwaved.

If I’m at a restaurant and I hear that famous “beep” coming from the kitchen I’ll ask the waiter if anything in the dish I intend to order is headed for the microwave. If so, I’ll order something else or have that part of the dish sent out cold – yeah I’m that guy

I’m sure as further research is done on the effects of microwaving food, more and more people will start thinking twice before nuking their next meal.

Microwaves cook/heat by passing electromagnetic waves through food causing the water molecules in it to vibrate at a high frequency. This produces steam that heats your dish.

The negative effects of microwaving food include:

Microwaved broccoli has been shown to lose 97 percent of its antioxidants – compared to an 11 percent antioxidant loss when broccoli is steamed.
Using a microwave to heat up foods in plastics and paper can leach carcinogens into your food.
Microwaves heat foods unevenly, this can lead to children burning their mouths on a hot spot within their meal. This is also an issue for mothers using the microwave to heat up their children’s bottles.
Breast milk that has been microwaved has a decreased antibody count. Antibodies help protect babies from infections.
Microwaved foods have a reduced level of B12.

Ways to get around using a microwave:

Prepare meals ahead of time. This way you don’t have to scramble to quickly whip up a meal after a long day at work.
Incorporate more raw foods into your diet – these foods are minimally processed and do wonders to improve your health!
Take the extra time and warm foods up on the stove or in the oven. Counter top ovens are great for heating up small meals quickly.
If you are bringing a lunch to work, simply eat it cold – salads, fruit and cut up veggies don’t need to be heated.
Start incorporating more smoothies and raw soups into your routine. These foods are ultra convenient and they pack a nutritional punch.

Besides the health benefits you will experience by ditching your microwave you will also free up a bunch of extra space in your kitchen. I personally use this new area for ripening an abundance of bananas!

Purchasing and preparing organic foods is costly and time consuming – don’t put it all to waste by microwaving and damaging your final product.

Don’t sacrifice your health for the convenience of a microwave. Take the extra time and heat your foods up properly.

To your health!
Jesse

What You Need To Know About Antioxidants

Jesse Chappus — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:55:46 +0000

Antioxidants are substances that help protect your body from free radical damage.

Let’s start off by talking a bit about free radicals…

What are free radicals?

A free radical is a molecule within our bodies that has an unpaired electron in its outer shell. They are unstable and highly reactive. Free radicals cause problems in the body by stealing an electron from a nearby stable molecule. This turns the stable molecule into a free radical and a chain reaction begins. Free radicals contribute to chronic diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and vision loss.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by providing them with the missing electron or by breaking down the free radical, leaving it harmless.

How are free radicals formed?

Free radicals can be produced unnaturally by air pollution, pesticides, UV light from the sun, fried foods, cigarette smoke, drugs – prescription and recreational, processed foods, stress – emotional and physical, and x-rays.

Free radicals are the by-product of normal metabolism (converting nutrients into energy). They are also used by the immune system to attack viruses and bacteria.

Types of antioxidants (the good guys):

Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) are antioxidant enzymes which are the first line of defense when it comes to eliminating free radicals. These are produced naturally within your body and can also be obtained through raw foods such as algae, sprouts, vegetables, yeast and wheat grass.

Minerals such as selenium (brazil nuts are a great plant source), manganese and zinc all form parts of antioxidant enzymes.

A variety of nutrients including vitamins A, C and E, beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein act as antioxidants in the body.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant found naturally in the body but is also obtained through diet. It`s found in red meat, oily fish and various plant foods. Plant sources of CoQ10 include walnuts, broccoli, spinach and azuki beans.

A general rule of thumb is that the deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables contain the most antioxidants. To get a variety of antioxidants eat a diet consisting of different coloured produce. Examples – lutein is found in green leafy vegetables and beta-carotene is found in orange coloured fruits and vegetables.

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is measured in a lab, testing a food or substance’s ability to neutralize free radicals. This scoring system was developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. The greater the number, the more antioxidants in the food.

Here are 5 foods that are loaded with antioxidants:

Cacao – How can you beat the taste of chocolate? This superfood is an excellent addition to smoothies, elixirs or raw desserts. The powdered form of cacao has the highest ORAC score compared to the nibs and beans.

Blueberries – These work well in smoothies or are delicious on their own. It has been determined that consuming organic blueberries maximizes the antioxidant capacity when compared to conventionally grown.

Chaga Mushrooms – These mushrooms have the highest ORAC value of any substance on the planet. They make a wonderful immune boosting tea.

Pecans – These nuts are packed with antioxidants. Pecans are a great addition to raw deserts or a handful makes a great midday snack.

Green Tea – Regular consumption of green tea provides a number of health benefits including weight loss and increasing immunity. It contains an antioxidant that kills/inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Help prevent many chronic diseases by keeping your levels of free radicals in check. This means eating a whole food diet high in antioxidants.

What’s your favourite antioxidant rich food?

To your health!
Jesse

Interview With Natasha Kyssa

Jesse Chappus — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 23:58:09 +0000

Natasha Kyssa is a published author and health educator. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario where she owns the gluten free and vegan restaurant “SimplyRaw Express.”

I’m excited to share a recent phone interview I did with Natasha. We had a lot of fun chatting together and she provided a ton of great health information.

Here’s what we talked about…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Raised by traditional East European parents, I ate a very natural, wholesome diet growing up. Although we did eat meat in small amounts, I never felt right about eating animals, and it was always a struggle at the dinner table. Meals at home were always made from scratch including bread, sauerkraut and cultured yogurt.

Upon leaving home, I adopted a plant-based diet. In my late 20s I stumbled into modelling and like many people in the industry, fell into dieting and counting calories due to the pressures of staying thin. Before I knew it I was swinging between anorexia and bulimia — which I struggled with for 7 years. I also dealt with depression my whole life — which the doctors only treated with medication.

At my lowest, most desperate point, I decided to clean up my life so I quit modelling and transitioned to a raw diet. The more raw foods I incorporated, the better I felt. My moods stabilized, I felt energized, nourished, light, and happier than ever before.

Tell us a bit more about your transition into a raw foods lifestyle.

I initially transitioned to eating healthier to benefit my mental and emotional health. In the beginning I didn’t even realize I was going raw but I began gravitating more and more towards these foods. The simpler I ate, the better I felt — on every level: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual.

When I went raw, it was pre-web days so it was pretty much me and my books. Books by Ann Wigmore, Viktorus Kulvinskas, Norman Walker, Paavo Airola, and Dr. Richard Anderson were great influences.

Compare your first book “The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox Manual” with your second book “The SimplyRaw Kitchen” which is coming out later this year.

I think a lot of people that know me may be surprised by my second book due to the more manageable approach I suggest. My first book completely delved into the living foods lifestyle which is beyond raw and focused on easy to digest nourishment. What I’ve found over the years is that although many people may want to be living this lifestyle, it isn’t sustainable for them. I’m taking a more gentle, realistic approach with the lifestyle so this information can reach more people.

How did you get into writing?

With my first book I didn’t even realize I was writing a book. It started out as four pages of information that I used for my SimplyRaw detox group that I ran out of my home. Two years later after accumulating more information I sent the book to two publishers and both accepted. Putting together the information for the first book was a very gentle, loving process and I really enjoyed it — it was effortless and to be honest, I had no idea that I was writing a book.

Writing my second book “The SimplyRaw Kitchen” was much more stressful as I had a three month timeline to write it, and this was six months after opening my new restaurant SimplyRaw Express in Ottawa. In the end, the new book turned out great and I’m very excited about it.

I don’t really see myself as a writer but more of a poet — I used to love writing poetry and hopefully one day will have more time to delve further into it.

Can you share a couple of habits you would recommend to people transitioning into a healthier lifestyle?

Focusing on the morning is an easy way to transition into healthier living. It puts a positive spin on the rest of your day. This is a great time to add in a green smoothie which is easy for people to do. Make sure to chew your smoothie and avoid gulping it down. Instead of a green smoothie you can incorporate a fresh juice — or better yet, have both. Mornings are the best and easiest time to be raw.

Hummus or a pate with cut up veggies works well for lunch. These are easy foods to transport with you to work.

Have a salad with lots of sprouts at each meal. Eat the salad before your cooked meal otherwise you may not want to go back to the raw foods.

I’m also big on savory soups for dinner. Blended soups are an excellent way to increase the amount of greens and vegetables into one’s diet. Both of my books have recipes for soups.

I know you have your new book coming out later this year. What other things do you have going on in 2013?

Recently life has been extremely busy with the restaurant, my cleansing programs, and writing the new book so hopefully, some rest and relaxation. I’m going to try and find balance on a daily basis. Although I am currently running, I plan to integrate some yoga and breathing space for myself.

I will be doing a book tour around September when The SimplyRaw Kitchen is released. I plan on doing a book tour out west, first to Vancouver and then making my way to Hawaii and Seattle as well.

When my first book came out I broke my leg within the same week. I had a tour booked across Canada and the US., but never ended up doing a full book tour — although I did make it to Toronto, New York and Vermont — albeit very small. So I’ll be bringing both books for the upcoming tour.

We plan to expand our SimplyRaw Express hydraulically pressed juice line in Ottawa. I will also be launching more nutritional programs including a healthy weight loss program.

For more information on Natasha check out her website and TEDxTalk.

Be sure to pick up a copy of her book “The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox Manual” – I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Keep an eye out for her new book “The SimplyRaw Kitchen” toward the end of this summer.

The Best Online Health Food Stores

Jesse Chappus — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:25:04 +0000

These days, due to the internet, there are so many quality health foods just a click away – what a time of abundance!

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s important to shop locally for health foods whenever possible – supporting small local businesses keeps money and jobs in your community and it’s better for the environment.

That being said, the selection of products online is usually more diverse and the prices are often better – you need to factor in any shipping and duty charges.

I find what works best for me is buying all my groceries locally and getting the majority of my superfoods and supplements online.

Below are my favourite websites for ordering health foods/products online.

Truly Organic Foods – This wonderful company is owned and run by Lee and Kent in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. They carry a number of raw, vegan, organic, superfoods. They also sell personal care products, handy tools to have in your kitchen, herbs, teas and supplements.

Lee and Kent live the healthy lifestyle their company represents which includes helping host a regular potluck in their hometown – Conscious Eating Niagara.

If you live in Canada you can take advantage of free shipping on orders over $100.

I definitely recommend checking out their website for more information.

Upaya Naturals – This is a large Canadian online store that carries everything from raw vegan foods and supplements to shower filters and rebounders. They state they are “Canada’s Largest Raw Food Source” and after taking a few minutes to browse through their website you will understand why. The brands and products that Upaya Naturals carries are of the highest quality.

They also provide free shipping to most areas in Canada on orders over $100. If you happen to live in Barrie or Toronto, Ontario you can take advantage of their pickup services – you save the cost of any shipping charges. I used to do pickups on my orders when I was going to school in Toronto and this service is very reliable.

iHerb.com – This is a US company that has a huge selection of herbs, supplements and superfoods! They carry a wide range of companies’ products that vary in quality – this is great because not everyone has the same budget when it comes to health food spending. If quality is a priority they do carry the best brands and the prices are great.

Sun & Moon Organics – Make sure and check out Gabrielle Brick’s superfood powder blends. These make excellent additions to smoothies and elixirs. They taste amazing and pack a nutritional punch.

Mountain Rose Herbs (MRH) – Looking for seaweeds, cacao, medicinal mushrooms? You will find these and so much more at MRH. This site has great deals on bulk herbs of all sorts. I once ordered a 10 pound bag of goji berries from them – lets just say 5 pounds would have been plenty

There are a couple of websites I’ve yet to order from but I feel they are worth mentioning – Longevity Warehouse and Earth Shift Products. They both carry high quality superfoods and I will definitely be giving these product lines a try in the future.

*Full transparency – I am an affiliate with Upaya Naturals and Mountain Rose Herbs. If I didn’t feel they were top notch companies I wouldn’t associate myself with them.

These are the best of the best when it comes to online health food stores. Find a balance between ordering online and buying locally that works for you and your family.

Keep on fueling your body with the best foods possible!

What’s your favourite website for buying health food online?

To your health!
Jesse

Q & A With Gabrielle Brick

Jesse Chappus — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 22:21:40 +0000

I’m so thrilled to share an interview I did with my colleague and friend Gabrielle Brick!

Gabrielle is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, NLP Practitioner and Life Coach. She is a true inspiration!!

Enjoy the interview…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am always curious as to what to say when I am asked this question… I am a native East Coast gal… a mother to two incredible Light Beings (twin boys!), and a woman dedicated to the art of healthy living! I Am a person who believes that our life is our own, that our choices and the voices of our inner landscape create the outside reflection. I Am a being who believes that I Am directly connected to the Oneness and that life itself is Sacred, therefore I Am Sacred. I Am a person who believes that Self Love is the very Key to the essence of existence. To love ourselves in the most epic, unconditional, fantastical way, we become our own perfect partner and discover that everything we desire is right here… within us. As an Alchemist, I believe that it is this Key, Self Love, as the essential ingredient in the recipe to The Alchemy of Self ™ and I am dedicated in helping people realize their own Alchemy of Self.

What food is currently a staple in your diet that you never go more than a few days without?

The One food that I ALWAYS have on hand is Unadulterated, Heirloom, Organic, Cacao. This powerful whole food holds alchemical secrets and has the power to shift a persons entire being. As such a powerful food, it must be revered as with anything, too much has its consequences. In its perfect amount and filled with vitamins, minerals, and one of the highest ORAC scores, it will open your eyes to a whole new world!

Can you share an interesting fact about yourself that most people would find surprising?

Hmmm…. another fascinating question… what is surprising?? What surprised me once, makes sense now… what once made sense is utterly surprising. What may surprise some is my colorful past and how I overcame alcohol and drug addiction by changing my diet almost two decades ago. To me that is just a tiny aspect in an epic journey…

Why is fueling your body and mind with healthy foods so important to you?

Our body is our temple. We can ONLY have a clear, sharp, mind when we have a clean, clear, and powerhouse body. It is from this place that One can then begin to realize and actualize their Spirit.

Can you share a simple strategy the readers can incorporate into their healthy living routine?

The BEST, fastest, most convenient, safest, and SUSTAINABLE way to begin to transform your body is to simply ADD or incorporate SUPERFOODS into one meal per day. I recommend adding superfoods to your morning routine. If you always have a heavy breakfast, switch it up. Make a smoothie and add superfoods. If you are someone who other than eats breakfast, switch it up. Eat breakfast; have something easy and power-fuel like a smoothie and add superfoods. You will be amazed at how this one, simple, action can completely shift your perspective and well-being.

What is on the horizon for Gabrielle Brick in 2013?

On the horizon in 2013 is more engaging. Simply put. I want to reach even more people. I want to know what is happening for you, the reader, and how we can help shift your reality into one that means the most to you. What do you desire the most? Together we can make the shift! As far as my own personal life and development, I have relaunched my brand of superfood energy bars ~ AVATAR, chocolate fudge bars ~ The ONE , and superfood mixes ~ SUN & MOON Organics, which will be on the shelves of Whole Foods Market in April! Yay! I have also created new coaching programs based on bio-individuality, helping people create sustainable shifts in their health and in their lives in general. I am blessed Jesse, I do what I am most passionate about – being a stay at home mama to my two most favorite men in the universe and I get to help people truly HEAL, creating the life they have always dreamed! It’s an honor and a blessings… so just more of that! Yes please and thank you!

There is so much more I would have liked to have asked Gabrielle. We will most likely do a second interview in the future – keep an eye out for it!

Make sure and check out Gabrielle’s website and blog where she shares a wealth of top notch health information!

Thanks for your time and inspiring words Gabs! It’s been an honour to collaborate with you again on this interview!

What’s The Best Type Of Drinking Water?

Jesse Chappus — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 23:45:00 +0000

Your body is made of roughly 60 percent water. So… it’s important to have a system in place to make sure you’re drinking the best water possible.

Trying to figure out the best type of drinking water for you and your family can be quite a challenge. This is because there is so much conflicting information on the subject.

I’m going to simplify things and explain the 3 best choices when it comes to drinking water.

Lets have a look…

Good – Distilled Water In Plastic Bottles

This is the type of water you will see at your local supermarket in the big, light blue bottles. This distilled water is good for beginners but it’s not an ideal long term strategy.

Pros

This water has nearly all of the contaminants removed from it during distillation.
It’s found everywhere – grocery stores, drug stores etc.

Cons

All the natural minerals are removed from the water.
These bottles require a dispenser – I would go with a simple ceramic one.
A deposit is required for each bottle.
Each bottle is heavy and cumbersome to transport when full.
These bottles contain bisphenol A (BPA) which is a xenoestrogen that can leach into the water. Xenoestrogens disrupt your endocrine system which is responsible for producing the hormones in your body and are linked to breast cancer in women and decreased testosterone in men.

Better – Reverse Osmosis Water

Having a reverse osmosis filtering system in your kitchen will produce a quality drinking water that’s convenient.

Pros

Having a relatively infinite amount of clean water centrally located within your house.
The water doesn’t sit in plastic which can contaminate it with BPA.

Cons

This system is wasteful – per gallon of water made, 4 gallons are discharged as waste water.
Most of the natural minerals in the water will be removed by the filter.
Pesticides, herbicides and chlorine will pass through the reverse osmosis system and need to be further filtered by a carbon filter.

Best – Living Spring Water

The best type of drinking water is living spring water collected in nature. This is the stuff that naturally comes right from the ground.

There is a wonderful website called FindaSpring.com which shows you the locations of many natural springs across the globe. It’s a huge database with pictures, information such as total dissolved solids (TDS) and comments from visitors. I’m sad to say there are no marked springs for me in Windsor, Ontario… yet.

Pros

The purest and most natural water on the planet.
Natural minerals still remain in the water.
It often connects you with nature while harvesting the water.

Cons

You need to travel and collect the water yourself – this is time consuming. Turn this con into a pro by making an adventure out of gathering water with family or friends!
You may need a couple of tools to measure the TDS and pH of the water. Glass bottles (ideally) or some other containers are also needed to collect the water.
These bottles are heavy to lug around when full. This is especially true when using glass bottles and you need to be careful not to break them.

I always say…

Do the best you can in any given situation with respect to your healthy practices – this includes drinking the best water possible!

Have you collected living spring water in nature?

To your health!
Jesse