Uncle John’s Certified Organic Bathroom Reader

My best friend bought me the Uncle John’s Certified Organic Bathroom Reader. Let me tell you how fantastic this book is! It is full of information about the green movement, the environment, organic, and just about anything else you can think of related! I want to share some of the really interesting facts that this company has researched!

“Each month, Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild every commercial airplane in the company” (p. 13).

So keep recycling! Throw those aluminum cans into those blue bins!

“Since they were introduced in 1977, trillions of plastic grocery bags have found their way into lakes and oceans, where they can harm wildlife that mistake them for food or get trapped inside” (p. 145).

This is more incentive to bring those re-useable bags with you to the grocery store. If we all cut down on the amount of plastic bags we are using we can help clean up the environment.

And another plastic bag quote: “Plastic bags are made from ethylene, a byproduct of oil, gas, and coal production – all nonrenewable resources. The petroleum used to make 14 plastic bags is enough to drive a car one mile. What’s more, plastic bags may take up to 1000 years to decompose” (p. 145).

I keep cloth bags in the trunk of my car, in my house, and you can even buy bags that fold up into tiny pouches that can be kept in a purse or in the backseat of a car.

So if you like random facts and information, and are interested in health and the environment, pick up this bathroom reader from Chapters. It will make you laugh out loud, inspire you to make a change, and I am sure you will even learn something from it!

My Garden Update

Hello again bloggerland, I am proud to report Cody and I have had some progress in the garden these past few weeks. We planted about 60 seedlings in the past month and have been giving them some much deserved love as they grow. In the process I have learned a few valuable tips:

1) The answers are somewhere- I have had many questions, such as; when is the right time to plant things? How do I know how much water or sun everything needs? The answer is simple: just ask. Between Google, some great gardening books, my mom, seed packet instructions and a few helpful people in line at Rona, every question I could have imagined to ask has been answered.

2) Plants can and will grow in pretty much anything- This is one of the coolest things we discovered. At first we were buying those expensive little seed trays and pots from Rona or Walmart. Although they looked great, as plants grew we needed to transplant them. Turns out you can turn anything into a planter. We used milk cartons, yogurt containers, mason jars and coffee cans. All you need to do is poke a few holes throughout the container so that the soil can breath.

3) A few seeds is plenty- I'm sure this is considered a common beginner mistake, so it is only fair we made it. Just because there are 30 or so seeds in the pack does not mean you need to plant them all, or even close. We ended up with about 5-10 of everything and are already deciding who we are going to give all our extra seedlings too.

4) Not everything will grow- Although we were very successful, there was one batch of flowers and a few other plants that just did not grow. We have gotten into a habit of talking to our plants, thank to Adrianne, and all the tough love and affection in the world couldn't get them to grow. So green thumb or not, sometimes you just need to part ways and move on.

I added a few pics of some of the seedlings, there are zucchinis, cucumbers, strawberries, dill, parsley, basil, and some flowers so far. And just in case anyone is wondering our compost is a rocking! It smells good and it feels great to not be throwing our waste into a plastic bag.

Happy gardening everyone!

Marcie Brown

Rouge Restaurant: voted one of world's top restaurants

Congratulations to Rouge!

San Pellegrino's Top 100 Restaurants of 2010 ranks Calgary's Rouge restaurant number 60! Rouge claimed it's place along with Langdon Hall Restaurant (number 77) as the two only Canadian establishments to make San Pellegrino's list. This is exciting news for Calgary foodies and those who are in support of the whole, local and natural food movement.

Rouge's philosophy about food is truly beautiful and inspiring. Chef Paul Rogalski describes the restaurant's close relationship with local farmers and producers as being a top priority. Their focus on quality, homegrown ingredients surely contributes to the caliber of food that Chef Rogalski creates.

It is not often that we can sit down in a restaurant and eat "real" food with whole, fresh ingredients. Rouge shows us that respecting food and where it comes from is a far superior way to dine. Please check out Rouge, and support whole, local and natural foods. Visit their website at www.rougecalgary.com

Thinking of the Environment

I came across this great website a few years ago, and I have used it many times for any questions I have about toxic chemicals and the environment.

I was first introduced to the Environmental Working Group when I had questions about what types of chemicals were in the body care lines that people were using. You can put in the name of any brand of body product (shampoo, conditioners, creams, and even makeup) and the database will break the product down into the individual ingredients. Then, each ingredient is rated based on scientific literature. They explain if and why any of the ingredients are linked to health concerns and they let you know which products are tested on animals (more and more people are looking for products that have not been tested on animals). They also give a link that will take you to products that have a lower toxicity than the one you are testing. This can help us make better choices when it comes to body care products that we put on our skin every single day.

Currently, they are sending around a Healthy Homes Checklist that people can use to look at some of the ways they can reduce toxic chemicals in their homes. I have printed one off and I am looking forward to going through my home and making some changes!

I have also noticed a sunscreen section on their website where they have rated sunscreens as part of their campaign for safer and more effective sunscreens. This will come in handy for the upcoming summer months.

So check it out because I know for me I can always learn new ways to cut down on my exposure to chemicals!

Acquiring a Green Thumb

As part of my nutrition program I did a Co-Op last summer at an herb garden in Toronto working under the watchful eye of a medical herbalist. In the process I discovered a deep love of gardening. The garden is a great place to calm your mind and get a little dirty. So after a bit of convincing my boyfriend was so kind as to let me overhaul his garden this year, with his help of course. So i decided to keep an ongoing blog of my first real attempt at a garden. I am looking forward to sharing my learning curve with all of you out there in blogger-land, as well as hopefully getting some feedback from some experienced gardeners.

One of the first things we did was getting our compost set up. My boyfriend Cody has a condo with a small back yard, so our first challenge was space. We found a lot of great design ideas for building our own compost by using old pallets. Unfortunately these are about 3 feet by 3 feet and we just didn't have the space. So we did the next best thing... took a trip to Walmart.

We ended up using a 34 gallon plastic garbage can (you can also use a metal one). Cody then used a drill bit to punch holes throughout it, including the bottom. This is a very important part, the more oxygen the better, this will keep your compost from getting stinky. A properly done compost should never smell funky.

The next step is to fill it up. The best ratio for compost is 3 parts brown stuff to one part green. The brown portion includes dead leaves, newspaper, egg cartons and mulch, basically anything no longer living. The green portion includes fresh glass clippings, egg shells, fruits and vegetables. We choose to dig up the previous garden and start completely fresh this year and so we also added all the the roots we dug up.

Next you need to add some water and an activator, these you can find pre-boxed at Rona or Walmart for around 10$. We found out that human urine is a very effective activator, and some gardeners swear by it. This is due to the nitrogen content. Of course after that discovery Cody was set on peeing on it, I think its a boy thing. If you are using urine it needs to be diluted however with water, about 1 part urine to 10 parts water. Give it a good stir and then you wait.

Continue to add your waste from your kitchen and yard as the months go one. It is supposed to take about two months to get a good compost, so i will keep you updated. Make sure to keep stirring it as you add new things. This is not only environmentally friendly, but provides some awesome organic matter for great gardening. I included a few photos of our homemade compost. I would love to hear if anyone has any more tricks and of course about your own versions.
Happy composting everyone!

Marcie Brown

Belly Blues

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most common intestinal disorder in North America, and is now being diagnosed in children as young as six years old. The Canadian Society of Intestinal Research estimates that anywhere from 13-20% of Canadians suffer from this disorder, and interestingly of those affected only about 10% seek professional help. Symptoms of this painful syndrome include: gas, bloating, alternating constipation and diarrhea, cramps, headache and nausea. Although the causes of IBS are unknown, many experts believe that poor diet and lifestyle choices are to blame.
Risk factors of IBS include:

• stress

• anxiety

• diet high in processed foods

• food allergies

• food sensitivities

• poor sleeping patterns

• parasites

Symptoms vary greatly, and because there is currently no test used to determine the presence of IBS, doctors typically use other diagnostic procedures to rule out other intestinal diseases. Some physicians believe that IBS can lead to more serious intestinal pathologies such as Chron’s disease or colitis. A dietary approach will help sufferers deal with symptoms associated with IBS, and help them to avoid more serious disorders in the future.

Adrianne’s Tips for IBS

• Food allergies should be eliminated especially dairy and wheat.

• Processed and fried foods should be eliminated. This includes cookies, margarine, processed cheese, processed deli meats, fast food and so on.

• A whole foods diet consisting of plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds and legumes should be introduced. If an IBS flare up occurs, one may wish to steam or cook vegetables for easier digestion.

• Drink no less than 2 liters of fresh filtered water daily.

• Take appropriate measures to cope with stress. Until stress is under control, IBS will continue to wreak havoc on the intestines.

• Get plenty of sleep! Lack of sleep encourages stress within the body.

• Avoid coffee and other stimulating substances such as refined white sugar and overly spicy foods

• Avoid ice cold beverages which can cause the digestive system to spasm.

• Peppermint tea is very calming to the body and aids in digestion.

• Digestive enzymes 15 minutes before meals will encourage proper digestion of foods .

• Chew your food! This will lower workload of both the stomach and intestines.

Top Foods For Intestinal Health:

1. Miso Soup

2. Ginger Root

3. Mint

4. Un-Sweetened Organic Yogurt

5. Apples


by Adrianne Smith

Stressing Digestion

It is no surprise that stress and anxiety are listed as common risk factors in digestive disorders such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), colitis, heartburn and ulcers. If there is one thing I have learned while studying health and wellness, it is that the proper functioning of any organ comes from the fusion of a healthy metabolic and emotional state. We forget sometimes that our stomachs are connected to our nervous systems. To understand how this works, imagine yourself trying to eat anything before you have to participate in some form of public speaking, or while dining on a first date. Think back to a time when you were sad or depressed and the only suitable cure you could think of was a chocolate bar or a pint of ice cream. These types of experiences show that our emotions have a significant impact when it comes to digestion.

This may come across as somewhat of a design flaw of the human body. However, consider the human body as it was used thousands of years ago; we were wired for a different lifestyle. There is a reason for this; it is called our autonomic nervous system. This is a portion of our human design that was ideal for the caveman, but is somewhat backfiring in today’s world. For example; traditionally if you were running away from, let’s say, a Saber Toothed Tiger, a section of the autonomic nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) would kick in. During that stressful event, in order to keep our blood flow directed toward the limbs required to run away or fight back, our bodies would limit any extra energy expending such as digestion. We would sometimes also get rid of anything that could be weighing us down, such as stomach contents. This would explain the phenomenon of diarrhea, constipation or the feeling of nausea.

So how does this relate to us today? Well I’m going to assume it has been a while since anyone has encountered a Saber Toothed Tiger in a back alley. Today however, daily stress is more present than ever. Instead of crossing paths with a deadly animal on the rare occasion, our constant stress comes in the form of blackberries, deadlines, rush hour traffic, family relationships and paying the bills and I’m just considering my afternoon. Humans of our generation are overworked and over stressed, our bodies have been wired to put digestion aside and worry about the task at hand. Unfortunately for most of us, that rarely leaves time at all for digestion and in turn a lot more reliance on the band-aid response of over-the-counter remedies.

So what can we do? Let’s be honest, we are not going to get rid of those immediate stressors right now. Although we can learn to kick start the second half of our autonomic nervous system which is the parasympathetic nervous systems, appropriately titled “rest and digest”. The best way I have found to do this is through light meditation. Our minds are a very powerful tool. If we can think of an argument we had with someone we love and lose our appetite; that must mean we can focus on something positive and gain it back. We can use this technique to take the first steps toward digestive health and complete health in general. This step is understating that change is needed, and recognizing that you possess the power to make it.

So, in addition to a healthy diet and exercise, try the following meditation technique to help develop digestive wellbeing and get those parasympathetic nervous systems firing. This technique will take you anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to complete and can be performed as often as needed.

Digestion Meditative Technique:

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be distracted

2. Choose a position; this could be sitting, lying down or one of your favorite yoga positions. Be sure that your position allows your spine to be in a straight neutral position

3. Take a few deep breaths to ground yourself

4. Close your eyes

5. Scan your body for any areas of tension. If you become aware of any tension present, direct your breath into these areas and help them to let go

6. Now direct your breaths into your belly. Focus on a strong smooth inhale and a deep slow exhale. Allow your belly to fully extend and contract.

7. Once this breathing begins to feel natural, try to quiet the mind

8. It is almost impossible to have no thoughts, so simply aim for very few thoughts. Let the thoughts you do have be directed towards a healthier you

9. Focus on having a healthy flowing digestive system and any ailments or pathologies to be flowing out of your body leaving only healthy tissue

10. Focus your energy to your solar plexus, this is the chakra located in the centre of our torsos that affects our digestive system. Think of the colour yellow which is the healing colour for this area

11. Once you feel satisfied with your meditation and your body feels clear, focus on bringing the breath back to normal

12. Open your eyes slowly and begin to wiggle your fingers and toes

13. Stand or sit up slowly and come back to your present life feeling refreshed and balanced


“Take all that is given whether wealth, love or language, nothing comes by mistake and with good digestion all can be turned to health.” -George Herbert

By Marcie Brown

Guest post from Dr. Joe Klassen

Digestive Health for Kids


There is a very longstanding wisdom that says good health starts in the gut. There can be no doubt that a healthy digestive tract is a fundamental issue for our children. Although concerned parents try to ensure that our kids get nutritious foods on their plate, it is also important that the food they eat is properly digested, absorbed and that undesired things are eliminated. It also bears study to ensure that we are not reacting to what we take in.

Digestive issues are often poorly understood as there is a huge variability among individuals and also variations over even short periods of time in any individual. With kids this can be even more complicated as they may be unable to properly articulate how and what they feel. The transient nature of the symptoms frustrates the child, caregiver and health professional alike. While I want to make the discussion as simple as possible, I still need to mention that any serious health issues need to be managed under the care of a professional, and that underlying serious issues are ruled out.

It is not uncommon for healthy children to have a tummy-ache on occasion. When it happens frequently and starts to limit our child’s play or schooling, then we have to get concerned. One of the frustrations many parents have is that with vague symptoms and nothing immediately dangerous, they are placated and told to go home and come back if there is any change. After many visits, there is a loss of confidence that “small” issues get any attention from a busy health care system. Given the nature of audience that reads this type of publication, I am going to skip the lectures on junk food, additives, colourings and high fat content as a contributor.

For anyone with some digestive complaints, a few simple tips can often improve the severity and frequency of complaints. Let’s start with a few simple tips that can help anybody. Chew your food well. This is almost a cliché of sorts in natural health, but it bears repeating especially with children who may gulp down their food to get to their next game or show. Remember not to dilute the digestive power of the stomach by having too much water with a meal. Have water throughout the day, but limit it in the half hour before and during meals to a small glass of water, letting the stomach produce it’s acid to dissolve the food. This improves ability to kill microorganisms on the food as well as to improve the stimulation of the rest of the process by having an increases-acid product moving out of the stomach to the small intestine. Being distracted while eating is a common impediment to a child’s good digestion. Try not to eat in front of the tv or standing while doing some other task. Although it is not always possible in our busy world, making an effort to have a group dinner at the family table is a boon to digestion. It is also a positive activity for the family, and some guidance from the parent’s on healthy discussions can ensure that we stay involved in each other’s lives. Offering thanks for our meal also serves as a bit of a stalling tactic to start the digestive process by anticipation. It also serves to start some very healthy habits in our kids. We go around the table after the meal is set, and everyone takes their turn sharing three things for which they are grateful today, and it really helps us see into each other, as well as start to salivate for our meal.

Gas and bloating are common complaints and are often due to overeating and rushing through a meal. When it is more persistent we should examine if there is a pattern of certain foods that sets this off. Many of us are becoming more reactive to foods such as dairy, wheat, corn, soy, eggs and citrus. The reason why this is occurring goes beyond our space here, but put simply, these foods contain some hard-to-digest proteins, are omnipresent in our diet, and are extremely concentrated in our food. Simply reducing or eliminating these foods for a period of time can offer a rest period and time to heal the gut. The judicious use of digestive enzymes or apple cider vinegar to improve digestion can help to minimize the impact of these or other reactive foods. Poor gut microflora can also contribute to discomfort in digestion. Gas-producing bacteria or yeasts can feed on the contents of our digestive tract and produce the gas that causes distension and discomfort.

Health gut flora is a whole topic of importance for our kids. The use of antibiotics without probiotic support, as well as the use of cleaning products and aggressive hygiene (eg chlorine in our water) in our community can wipeout the gut flora. Use of a probiotic on an occasional basis is adequate for most to establish a healthy flora. I don’t recommend using these constantly as we should give time for one’s bowel to establish its own balance (there are instances where this may not be so).

IBS is a condition that afflicts a larger number of people every year. It is diagnosed as a collection of symptoms after workup for other serious ailments have been ruled out. The common symptoms are abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. There are no specific tests to identify this “diagnosis of exclusion. From a naturopathic perspective, it is important to understand why there is such an irritation in the digestive system. We’ll start by looking at the quality of physical digestion; is the food being broken down to its basic components? If the food is incompletely digested, then it may cause much irritation farther down the tract, or it may serve as the food source for fermentive microflora. This leads to much gas, bloating and discomfort. The poorly digested food may also then be identified by the immune system, causing inflammation and irritation of the tissue and also more systemically (this is one relationship of foods to ADHD and other conditions). The irritated digestive tract may experience pain, cramps, and an excess or lack of motility corresponding to irregular and uncomfortable bowel movements.

More serious digestive issues include celiac disease, which is a significant immune response to the gluten contained in wheat and some other grains. Our body reacts to this protein and the anti-body/antigen complex leads to an immune attack on the lining of the digestive tract. This in turn can lead to a myriad of symptoms in the GI tract, and also to issues related to poor absorption of nutrients as in anaemia, fatigue and depression. This condition is becoming more prevalent and yet conventional medicine lacks an effective management of the issue beyond avoidance of gluten-containing foods. We see there can also be a similar reaction to other foods and one must ensure that our children are not encountering reactive foods in their diet. An excellent way to find out if there is a reaction to certain foods is to do a food allergy blood test. This blood test will show if there is an immune reaction to foods based on the presence of antibodies in the blood. This IgG test is for the delayed-onset allergies as found in celiac and other food allergies. I need to point out that it is not a test for the IgE antibodies that moderate histamine in the more obvious “hayfever” or “beesting” allergy presentation. The blood sample can be taken in your practitioners office, and is processed by a recognized laboratory. Fortunately for children, the basic panel of 96 foods can be sampled from a fingerstick and a few blood drops so we don’t have to endure a needle venipuncture and the trauma to kids (and myself) that comes with it.

Remember that much of our gut’s reaction to foods is at the root of many digestive complaints and if we can improve the quality of digestion, gut flora balance and reduce reactivity to foods, we can dramatically improve our health. When it comes to our children, it is important that we choose to select foods carefully and to observe their reaction. Many other conditions are a result of the inflammatory response from the gut, such as asthma, ADHD, eczema, depression and hormone issues. Food additives, preservatives and colourings are a whole new dimension to this issue that can be covered in future issues. As we develop a better understanding of our relationship with our food intake, we can reduce the increase in many of these childhood health concerns.

-Dr. Joe Klassen, ND practices at Fish Creek Naturopathic Medicine in Calgary, AB. He has a focus on digestive health, hormones, allergies and childhood issues. He chooses to include food and digestion as an integral approach to all health issues and includes these recommendations in his treatment guidelines.

Gluten and Wheat - what's the difference?

What does “gluten-free” and “wheat-free” mean, and is it healthier for me?


Gluten is a protein that can be found in certain types of foods such as wheat, barley, spelt, triticale, rye, and sometimes oats. Since many products are made with these grains, much of the foods we eat contain gluten. People with celiac disease have an allergy to gluten, and they must eliminate it completely as it can cause damage to their intestines and make it difficult for them to absorb nutrients. See your doctor if you are concerned you may be suffering from this disease. Wheat-free products are made without the use of wheat, but still can contain gluten.

You may be noticing more and more packaging with the “gluten-free” label. This means that none of the ingredients in the product contain gluten, and that the products are produced in facilities that can not be contaminated with gluten. Those with celiac disease may enjoy them without worry. Read the label of some of the foods you are buying next time you are in the grocery store and see how many contain wheat. And now imagine having to give up all of these foods. Food manufacturers now have a variety of gluten-free options including granola bars, cereals, breads, donuts, rolled oats, and waffles!

If you do not have an allergy to gluten then you do not need to worry about the gluten-free label on foods.
There is an assumption that gluten-free products are healthier; however, this is not entirely true. Yes, some products will be healthier because the manufacturers use whole grains (such as quinoa, brown rice and buckwheat-see below for information on how to incorporate these in your diet) and the least amount of ingredients possible to ensure the product is gluten-free. But, as with any processed foods, many gluten-free products contain a lot of additives and sweeteners to help replace the stabilizing properties of the gluten. So be aware that gluten-free does not always mean healthier, and start reading those labels!

Many people who do not have a gluten allergy still find wheat hard to digest and often experience bloating and abdominal discomfort after eating wheat, pasta or bread. Just as with the “gluten-free” label, a “wheat-free” label will mean there is no wheat but not necessarily that it is a healthy choice!

So, if you are allergic to gluten, sensitive to wheat, or if you just want to try something else, there are many choices of grains out there for you! Variety is key to a healthy diet; try some of these alternative grains in place of wheat! These grains can also be used as flours in recipes!

How to Cook Grains

Buckwheat: you’ve probably seen buckwheat pancake mixes around the grocery store. Buckwheat is not technically a grain but it grows from a thistle which produces buckwheat groats. These buckwheat groats are little triangle-shaped fruits with a fibrous covering that we can use like grains. Buckwheat groats are gluten-free and can be cooked and used in place of rice, or in salads, or as a breakfast cereal. Buckwheat pancakes are one of my favorite ways to use this “grain,” and next time you are in your local health food store look for Grandma Nunweiler’s Old Fashioned Pancake & Waffle Mix. Just add some olive oil, an egg, some frozen blueberries, and crushed banana, and cook! 1 cup of buckwheat groats to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn to low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Quinoa: is actually not a grain, but a seed of a leafy plant that is closely related to the spinach plant, but it is considered a grain because we use it like one. Not only is it a source of calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and iron, but it is also a good protein source. It comes in white/yellow, red, or black varieties and it fluffs up making it fun to use in recipes. Make sure you buy pre-washed quinoa, or wash it yourself using a strainer because quinoa contains a soap-like coating. Substitute this ‘little wonder’ for rice, add it to soups and stews, or cook it and cool it and then add it to salads. Add 1 cup of washed quinoa in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn to low heat and cover with a lid. Cook it just like rice for 15-20 minutes.

Brown Rice: looking for an alternative to wheat pasta? Brown rice pasta is a great alternative for those who are sensitive to gluten, or for those of us who like to try something different! You can find Tinkyada rice pasta in grocery stores, and it comes in a variety of forms; spaghetti, spirals, fusilli, and elbow pasta are just to name a few. It cooks just like wheat pasta, but may take a few minutes longer. Substitute rice pasta in your casseroles, lasagna, spaghetti, and pasta salads. Add 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water to a pot. Bring to a boil, turn to low heat and cover with a lid. Brown rice takes from 40-50 minutes to cook.

Bundles of Energy will have more recipes and information on how to cook a variety of grains that are available in the grocery stores! Check out this month’s quinoa salad recipe.

If you have more questions or if you are suffering from a gluten allergy, you can check out The Canadian Celiac Association for more help.