Today I have my friend Kelly back on the blog to discuss a topic that I have been wanting to talk about for a while. Meal Planning vs Intuitive Eating, is a topic that is incredibly nuanced and complex. I thought it would be great to invite Kelly here to talk about it. 

Meal Planning Vs Intuitive Eating – Which is Right For You?

Gone are the days where people went to a nutritionist just to find out what to eat. Nowadays, HOW to eat seems to be just as important. Should you eat small meals or large? Stop after a certain time, or follow your hunger? Stick to a meal plan, or eat intuitively?

The questions can seem overwhelming, and often there is no one right answer. When it comes to the meal planning vs. intuitive eating debate, there needs to be a middle ground. But let’s start at the beginning, and make sure we’re all on the same page.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating is a fancy way of saying “listen to your body”. If you’re eating intuitively, you’re choosing foods that are right for you in the moment, eating when you’re hungry, and stopping when you’re full. Basically, it’s how we ate as small children, before external messaging messed up our relationship with our intuition. By practicing intuitive eating, we learn to return to a place where there’s no all-or-nothing, feast-or-famine, diet-infused thinking.

What are the pitfalls of Intuitive Eating?

Now, while intuitive eating is quite possibly the most natural way of eating, we live in a very unnatural world. It’s not possible to eat intuitively all the time. Sometimes, finances get in the way, and we have to learn to live off of rice, beans, and toast, regardless of what our bodies are asking for. Sometimes, we’re traveling, and the foods available to us are slim. On long stretches of highway, the options can be Tim Hortons, McDonald’s, or starve.

Even in our normal, day-to-day life, it can be hard to eat intuitively. For people with families to feed, it’s virtually impossible to create different meals that are what each family member intuitively wants to eat in that moment. Often, meals are planned in advance, and the foods you intuitively want just weren’t on this week’s shopping trip.

Finding a balance

So what is a person to do? How can you learn to eat intuitively within a more structured framework? While it may take a while to find a balance that’s right for you, here are three steps you can take now to start moving towards intuitive eating.

1. Let go of “should”

Yes, your plate “should” have a lot of vegetables on it. But maybe tonight you’re feeling pasta more than the sauce. Instead of forcing yourself to eat vegetables that you don’t want right now, honor your want for pasta. Just because you’re eating intuitively doesn’t mean you’ll be eating all pasta and no vegetables for the rest of your life. Your body will tell you when it needs a vegetable, and you can intuitively choose it then.

2. Honor your body’s needs as soon as you can

While it may not be possible to eat dhal on a whim late on a Tuesday night, there’s no reason you can’t plan to make a stop at your favourite Indian restaurant Wednesday. Chances are, if your body was asking for lentils one night, there will still be something it needs from those lentils the next night. But, if you’re not feeling the dhal on Wednesday, return to your regularly scheduled meal plan instead.

3. Let yourself snack

For whatever reason, a lot of people seem to think that a person’s need to snack ends with childhood. Not so! Even adults can enjoy a snack. Snacking is a great way to satisfy your intuitive wants and needs within a meal plan. If you’re craving something sweet, but savory is on the menu for tonight, grab a cookie at the local cafe on your way home. Some days you may not need a snack. Some days you’ll need multiple snacks. Your body’s needs change from day to day. Intuitive eating will help you understand and meet those needs, before your body’s whispered requests become a scream.

If you’re struggling to find a balance, or having a hard time transitioning into intuitive eating, you’re not alone. The longer you’ve spent engaging in diet culture and/or disordered eating, the harder it will be to hear your body’s messaging. It just takes time, and work. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out. This is a battle you can win.

Thank you again, Kelly! You can read Kelly’s past blog posts; Emotional Eating, Everything Your Health Class Didn’t Teach You About Eating Disorders and All Food Is Good Food.

ABOUT KELLY

After winning her 17-year battle with anorexia, Kelly Boaz turned her life’s focus to helping others do the same. Kelly is a Toronto-based Holistic Nutritionist (CNP), specializing in eating disorder recovery and food freedom. She is also a writer and speaker (TEDx, TDSB), raising eating disorder awareness, and helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies. You can find out more about Kelly, or get in touch via her website, kellyboaz.com.

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Seems impossible, right? For the average person, it very much is impossible. I tried to eat for $1.00 a day ( 3 meals) and today I am going to describe the experience, as well as explain why I attempted to do this.

Eating for $1 a day is part of the #summerhungerchallenge and Every Plate Full campaign. This campaign aims to bring awareness to summer hunger across Canada. Summer hunger is a real issue in Canada, as the need for food banks increase while donations in the summer months decrease. Food banks are able to provide 3 meals for $1, which is incredible. However, it is very difficult to do and to me, shows the importance and value of each donation.

When I was planning my meals, it took a lot of time. I thought about the most nutritious and nutrient-dense options. Obviously, this is very difficult to do and below is my attempt.

MY MEALS FOR THE DAY

BREAKFAST | Oatmeal with an Egg 

1/2 cup oats

1 egg

_____

Cost

$0.42

Nutrition Information 

Calories: 222

Carbohydrates: 27.4 g

Fibre: 4g

 Fat: 4g

Protein: 11g

LUNCH | Millet & Lentil Stew with Chipati 

1/4 cup millet

1/4 cup red lentils

Chapati; 1/8 cup flour with water

4 pieces spinach

1 baby tomato, chopped

4 pieces sliced carrots

_____

Cost

$0.25

Nutrition Information

Calories: 413

Carbohydrates: 78.5g

Fibre: 11.25

Fat: 2.5g

Protein: 20g

DINNER | Millet & Lentil Stew with Chipati 

1/4 cup millet

1/4 cup red lentils

Chapati; 1/8 cup flour with water

4 pieces spinach

1 baby tomato, chopped

4 pieces sliced carrots

_____

Cost

$0.25

Nutrition Information

Calories: 413

Carbohydrates: 78.5g

Fibre: 11.25

Fat: 2.5g

Protein: 20g

TOTAL COST: $0.92

CHALLENGES

The main challenges that I came accross, other than eating enough food, was maintaining variety, eating nutritionally, enhancing the visual appeal and adding flavour.

My priority was to try and eat enough calories and as nutritionally as possible. This was not enough food for an average woman who is busy and active. I found I compromised on variety and made the same meal for lunch and dinner, as this kept the cost down while calories and nutrition up. For the odd day, this is okay but for me I would not want the same meal for lunch and dinner, every day.

The visual appeal of my food is also something that I value and enhances the experiences of enjoying my food. Eating bland and boring looking food, every day, is not something that I would like, longer term. I found adding the few pieces of colour, made a difference.

Adding flavour is also an added expense. I did find that a little bit went a long way and I added a small bit of cinnamon to the oatmeal, and salt to the soup. However, the meals were definately flavourless.

It is clear that when living with food insecurity, every decision is a difficult one. Every bite of food is and can be a huge sacrifice. Not only that, but making healthy choices and make food exciting is likely the last thing on the list. You just need anything.

Food banks are very important and this is an issue I have been passionate about for a very long time. Any donation helps, while it is important to be mindful of the food you are donating and think about whether or not it would be something you like, and would like to eat. I use this judgement whenever I donate to any food bank.

Now, I challenge YOU to take on this challenge. See how difficult it is to eat for under $1 a day. Donate to food banks if you can, and spread the word about summer hunger in Canada.

– Sarah

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I am slowly announcing new contributors to the blog. One new regular contributer, which you may have seen around here before, will be my friend and fellow Nutritionist, Kelly Boaz. Kelly specializes in eating disorders, and she is a wealth of knowledge. On the blog she will be writing about eating disorders and developing a healthy relationship with food.

Everything Your Health Class Didn’t Teach You About Eating Disorders

Whenever I do talks at high schools on eating disorders, I always start by asking the students what they already know on the subject. While there are usually one or two who are willing to share their more comprehensive knowledge on the subject, the majority of the feedback I get goes something like this:

“Anorexia is when you don’t eat. Bulimia is when you eat a lot, and throw up. And I think there might be another one in there, too . . .”

Sadly, this seems to be about as much as the general population knows about eating disorders, too. And, even more unfortunately, it’s not entirely correct.

Today, I thought I’d give you a little primer in the various types of eating disorders, so hopefully you’ll know if you or someone you love might be suffering.

Anorexia Nervosa

When people think of anorexia, they tend to think of emaciated bodies who only ingest lettuce. In reality, those battling anorexia have very different eating patterns. Some will focus on low-calorie foods, while others will practice “clean eating”, while others still will eat restricted quantities of higher calorie foods. Some will only restrict, but others will also engage in binging and/or purging symptoms, as well.

While the diagnostic criteria for anorexia puts a big focus on low body weight, people at any size can experience the symptoms of anorexia. Many “weight loss transformation” stories are only achieved through restrictive tendencies that would be diagnosed as anorexia in a smaller body. No matter what size someone wears, anorexia and its associated symptoms can be deadly. In fact, anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

Bulimia Nervosa

This is another misunderstood eating disorder. In fact, a lot of people could be diagnosed with bulimia without even realizing it. Because we tend to associate bulimia with vomiting, it’s easy to forget that there are other methods of purging that are more “socially acceptable”. One of the most common methods of purging is excessive exercise.

Have you ever been bored at home, eaten more food than you’d intended, then worked out extra hard at the gym the next day to compensate for it? You’ve engaged in a form of bulimia. While this must occur at least once a week, and over a period of at least three months to meet the diagnostic criteria for bulimia, it is definitely a warning sign that you may need help with your relationship with food.

Binge Eating Disorder

Binge Eating Disorder is similar to bulimia, but without the purging factor. If you feel out of control around food, and eat quickly, to uncomfortable levels of fullness, or in secret, you might have binge eating disorder.

People binge for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s for emotional comfort, or out of boredom, but quite often it’s a response to restrictive eating patterns. It happens a lot with people who try to only eat foods they deem “clean”. Say you avoid eating ice cream. You’ve convinced yourself that banana “nice cream” is the same thing. Then, one day, your husband leaves a pint of ice cream in the freezer. You can’t stop thinking about it. You grab a spoon and promise yourself only ONE bite. Next thing you know, the whole container is empty.

This isn’t because you can’t control yourself around ice cream. It’s because you’ve controlled yourself TOO MUCH around ice cream, and this is the pendulum response. It takes a lot of work, but it is possible to be a person who eats ice cream every once in a while, and stops when they’ve had enough. In fact, it’s possible to be a person who has ice cream in the house and just forgets it’s there.

OSFED (Formerly EDNOS)

OSFED is a catch-all term which stands for “Other Specified Feeding And Eating Disorders”. (It used to be known as Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified). This is the diagnostic term for those who meet some of the criteria for eating disorders, but not all. In my experience, most people with eating disorders fall into this category. Being “subthreshold” for any of the other diagnoses doesn’t mean your eating disorder isn’t as severe as that of someone with anorexia or bulimia, it just means that the limited criteria we have don’t account for everyone’s experience.

Orthorexia

While orthorexia isn’t an officially recognized eating disorder yet, it affects a lot of people. Orthorexia is a preoccupation with “healthy” eating to the point where it affects a person’s quality of life. In many cases, orthorexia is typified by the removal of food groups from one’s diet. Often, orthorexia is a stepping stone to other eating disorders.

Compulsive Exercise

Sometimes known as “anorexia athletica” or “exercise bulimia” this is a preoccupation with exercise that can interfere with normal life, feels out of control, and/or is affecting one’s health.

If you’re feeling out of control in your relationship with food, you don’t have to suffer alone. There is life outside of food prep and calorie counting and hours at the gym. It doesn’t matter if you meet the diagnostic criteria, or weigh a certain number, or wear a certain size, if you’re suffering you deserve help. Reach out. You’re worth it.

– Kelly

The post Everything Your Health Class Didn’t Teach You About Eating Disorders By Kelly Boaz appeared first on Sarah Goldstein - Holistic Nutritionist in Toronto.

Health Tips for Dry Winter Skin

Drink Water (and limit caffeine)!

Always stay hydrated. By drinking enough water each day, you can see a great benefit to fighting dry skin. Water helps to hydrate each cell and organ in the body, including the biggest organ in our system: our skin. Aim to drink about two litres of water each day, including herbal teas. Add freshly squeezed lemon for some extra vitamin C. Fresh fruits and vegetables also contain water, and can contribute to your total water intake.

Alternatively, caffeine is a diuretic, which will pull water and the nutrients from the body and contribute to dehydration. As a general rule, drink 1 glass of water for every cup of coffee.

Take Colder Showers

It might seem impossible to do during the winter, but by reducing the amount of heat in the shower, you can protect your skin from losing its moisture. With super high heat, the lipid barriers on your skin can actually begin to break, causing flakiness and dry spots.

Limit Conventional Products + Opt for Natural Beauty Products 

Many products on the store shelves today have ingredients that can dry out the skin. To minimize the effect of this, you can try minimal, natural oils and butters like shea butter, cacao butter, argon oil, or jojoba oil.  You can apply these natural oils to your face, lips, body and hair. We suggest trying these at night, before bed, to allow the oils to really sink into the skin. We also know that skincare is individualized, and not everyone benefits from the same product.

If you are looking for natural skincare, some brands that we love are: Dr. Bronners, Green Beaver, Carina Organics, Wild Craft Care and Province Apothecary.

Moisturize + Face Masks

Treat your skin to a nourishing facemask at least once a week. My favourite facemask includes one teaspoon of raw honey and one tablespoon of coconut oil. When you mix these two together and apply them on your face, leave it there for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with a lukewarm cloth. You can also add some other nutrient dense ingredients like aloe, spirulina or cacao.

Nourish Internally

Of course, skin health starts from within. So make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet with enough healthy fats and colourful vegetables to support skin health. Include healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and oils, as well as vitamin C-rich foods like berries, citrus and green vegetables is a great way to nourish from within!

I hope you can find these tips helpful this winter, and that you skin stays a bit more hydrated!

– Jass

Comment below and let us know some of your healthy skin tips. Stay warm!

The post Tips for Dry Winter Skin appeared first on Sarah Goldstein - Holistic Nutritionist in Toronto.

You may have seen my post last year with my gift ideas. If not, check it out!

This year, I partnered with Jule’s Baskets, to create two gift baskets that I think will make a wonderful gift.

The first gift basket is full of some of my favourite healthy lifestyle item’s, while the second is a host/hostess gift basket for your holiday parties!

Wellness Lifestyle Basket

This basket includes:

Merben Body Dry Brush
ChaiWala All-Natural Local Chai
Nud Fud Raw & Organic Cacao Banana Crisps
Alter Eco Milk Velvet Truffles
Chocosol Raw & Organic Vanilla Sea Salt Chocolate Bar
LoveFresh All-Natural Vanilla Sugar Scrub
Kaia Juicy Bamboo All-Natural Facial Wipes
BKR Glass Water Bottle
Nagi Raw & Organic Vanilla Almond Macaroons
Pretty Skin Organics Chamomile Dream Bath Fizz

PRODUCT#: LFSTL222

To purchase this gift basket, click here!

A Host/Hostess Gift Basket

This basket includes:

Bean Head Organic Whole Bean Coffee
Martin’s Organic Apple Chips
Gaga for Gluten-Free Simply Shortbread Cookies
Tutti Gourmet Gluten-Free Almond Cacao Biscotti
Prana Organic Amandine Maple Nuts
Giddy Yoyo Raw & Organic Mint Chocolate Bar
Giddy Yoyo Raw & Organic Dark Chocolate Bar
Pukka Organic Three Mint Tea
Beekeeper’s Naturals Local Honey
Nagi Raw & Organic Chocolate Almond Coconut Energy Bar

PRODUCT#: TEACOF103

To purchase this gift basket, click here!

Both gift baskets come with a 20% discount for any service from my site.

Happy Holidays!

-SG

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Here is another post from my friend Kelly Boaz. Her latest post all about Emotional Eating was a great success and we received wonderful feedback. I wanted her to write more about this topic, so here she is for another post writing about why all food is good food!

All Food Is Good Food

When I was first recovering from anorexia, I would only eat food that I cooked. I wasn’t counting calories anymore, but I needed control over every ingredient I ate. It got to the point where I actually took my own food in Tupperware containers to Christmas dinner. While everyone else ate turkey and stuffing, I ate quinoa salad and chickpeas. Sure, I was eating enough, but I certainly wasn’t free. I had just traded anorexia for orthorexia – a preoccupation with healthy eating.

I know, I know – that doesn’t sound too bad. Doesn’t everyone want to eat healthier? But when healthy eating becomes an obsession, it can actually have the opposite effect.

Tell me if any of this sounds familiar:
“Oh, I’m so bad. I shouldn’t have had that second helping of mashed potatoes.”
“I’m having a cheat day today. Back to the diet tomorrow!”
“I’ve been so good all week. I think I’ve earned this piece of pie!”

These phrases all seem harmless enough. I mean, they’re commonplace enough. We hear them at work, at school, on the bus, and from the people we love. But when we talk like this, we’re turning food into something it was never meant to be – a religion.

When we use phrases like “clean eating”, we are creating moral connotations around food. If these foods over here are clean and pure and good and right, then those foods over there are dirty and tainted and bad and wrong. Then, by extension, we feel dirty and wrong when we eat those foods.

To avoid feeling that way, we start to build rules and ideologies around food, and segregate ourselves. Without even realizing it, we’re shaming those around us who don’t practice our new food religion, and shaming ourselves when we “fall off the wagon”. The stress caused by that shame is worse for us than any “unclean” food we could have eaten.

And then what happens? When we fall off the wagon, we fall HARD. Because we’ve been depriving ourselves of the (quite frankly DELICIOUS) “bad” foods for so long, we don’t just eat one cookie, we eat the whole box. Or, we eat far more of the “healthy” substitute than we would have eaten if we’d just had the damn cookie we wanted in the first place. We start to believe that we just can’t trust ourselves around food, because we’ve never learned to live in balance.

Look, there is nothing wrong with wanting to eat foods that make our bodies feel good. In fact, it’s an imperative for our survival. The problem comes when we sacrifice our mental health in the name of physical health. We can never be truly healthy if our mental health is suffering.
If you find yourself struggling to break the rules you’ve created around food, you may have developed an eating disorder without realizing it. Challenge yourself to grab a cookie at a local bakery where you DON’T know all the ingredients. And, as always, if you’re struggling, reach out for help. You don’t have to be a slave to your food rules forever.

Some food is good for our physical health, and some food is good for our mental health. All food is good food.

-Kelly

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When the body is not getting enough rest, less melatonin is being produced. Melatonin is produced at night, and is a crucial hormone for our overall health. A decrease in melatonin leads to a spike in cortisol ( a stress hormone). We do not want our cortisol spiking at night, as this leads to a less restful sleep. Elevated cortisol overtime leads to an increase in blood sugar levels, which then demands more insulin, creating a vicious cycle often leading to carbohydrate and sugar cravings during the day. Elevated cortisol levels over time also means feeling more stressed, higher rate of inflammation in the body and can contribute to lower cognitive function and performance.

Poor sleep also activates ghrelin production, a hormone that sends a signal to your brain that it is time to eat, and this naturally lowers the efficacy of leptin, the hormone that tells your brain you are full. As a result your hunger/fullness signals can be out of whack. Again, this can lead to sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Sugar cravings are not bad in and of themselves, however can lead to further blood sugar spikes, which can contribute to elevated cortisol.

Sleep increases our white blood cell count ( fighter cells) and studies show that just one night of less than 5 hours of sleep decreases the amount of natural killer cells ( important immune cells) in the body by 70%. We also know that we need sleep for the natural rejuvenation of our cells to help with healing, and with skin regeneration.

If you have a hard time falling asleep, there are a few simple things that you can do to relax your body and prepare for a more peaceful sleep:

 TOP 5 LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP

Essential Oils

Essential oils are an easy, yet powerful way to get a restful sleep. As soon as the nose is triggered by a scent, it travels to many parts of the brain, which have the control over our emotions and memory. The limbic system and amygdala control the nervous system, which is where we can experience this calming effect from the essential oil. Lavender is a great oil to add to the collection, if you are looking for something to help relax you before bed. The scent is well known for its calming effects on the body. By adding just a drop or two to your pillow, you can find yourself slowly feeling more at peace before you fall asleep. We like Divide Essence, Saje, Vitruvi and Living Libations.

Pyjamas

You may have never thought about this affecting your sleep, but what you wear to bed can also have an impact on how well you rest. When choosing the right pair of pajamas, look for something that is going to be comfortable: loose, little detail, and a fabric that is right for you. Sleeping bare is also shown to increase restfulness, and it can actually provide health benefits. When the body gets overheated, it decreases the amount of melatonin produced, so sleeping bare, or in light clothing will help to increase melatonin production.

Darkness

There’s a reason why eye masks exist! Sleeping in a pitch-black room, using blackout curtains or sleeping with an eye mask shows great benefits to overall sleep quality. The darker the room, the more melatonin we can produce.

Limiting Blue Light + Electronics 

The light that we are exposed to through electronics, also known as blue light, has been shown to cause a disruption to our circadian rhythm. Blue light lowers our natural production of melatonin and increases cortisol and ghrelin. These two hormones keep us awake and as we already learned, keep us hungry. In a light-free scenario, the opposite effect would happen. Putting your phone away at least one hour before bed, and making sure you are sleeping in the dark will help to improve your sleep.

Routine + Sleep Schedule

Along with going to sleep in a dark room, a bed-time routine also shows to have a greater impact on a deeper sleep. One-hour prior to sleep, turn off your electronics and put aside the work. Use this hour as a way to de-stress, and get ready for a good nights rest. Some ideas may be to drink a cup of tea, put essential oils on your bed, practice a breathing technique, or meditate. We are also big fans of apps like Headspace, Sleep Breath and The Five Minute Journal. A bedtime routine can be a struggle, and I know that this is something we both try to work on.

Our hormones love routine, and establishing a consistent sleep schedule, that is going to bed and waking up at the same time, is beneficial for maximum melatonin production.

We hope you enjoy our tips for a healthier sleep!

Comment below your healthiest sleep habits, and ways that you relax before bed!

– Jass

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Today I have a special guest post by fellow Toronto Nutritionist and friend, Kelly Boaz. Kelly specializes in eating disorders and is a wealth of knowledge. I love reading her blog and learning from her, especially when it comes to eating disorders and food freedom. Kelly, take it away! 

Emotional Eating

Nearly every article I come across on emotional eating is titled something like “X Ways to Stop Emotional Eating FOR GOOD!” I mean, why wouldn’t it be? Emotional eating is a problem, isn’t it? That’s what I was always taught. I’m gonna guess you were taught much the same thing. But what if emotional eating isn’t a problem? What if it’s actually a tool we can use to our benefit? If you’re giving me side eye right now, stay with me. Let’s take it back to the beginning.

Where Emotional Eating Comes From

For every one of us, emotional eating begins at birth. Think about it: you’re born, you cry, and somebody sticks a boob or a bottle in your mouth. We’re immediately taught that expression of emotion gets our needs met, whether that be a diaper change, cuddles, or food.

As we grow up, we’re indoctrinated into a society where food is a part of everything we do. It’s a treat we get when we’re good, it’s the centre of all our holiday celebrations, it brings family together and, yes, it comforts us when we’re sad.

It’s not til we’re older that we begin to question this. As we become aware of how food can affect our bodies, we begin to fear it. It’s no coincidence that the mantra of dieters is, “FOOD IS JUST FUEL”. This (completely incorrect) statement immediately cuts us off – from social events, from family, and from our own needs. It goes against our very nature – to seek connection, to be a part of “the tribe”. And, not surprisingly, that isolation creates some pretty strong emotions in us – emotions we were taught from birth to soothe with food.

Where Does That Leave Us?

So now we’re adults, desperately seeking control over our eating habits. We restrict all day, following a joyless meal plan, which makes us feel isolated and uninspired. Then, we spot something flashy in the cupboard – a brightly coloured package containing a food we’ve loved since childhood. The first bite takes us back to a time where we felt loved, safe, included, everything we’ve been denying ourselves. We learn to associate that food with all those emotions.

But then, we start to shame ourselves. (Yes shame, not guilt – guilt is for when you’ve done something wrong. Murder is something to feel guilty for, not food.) How could we have done that? We ate FOR PLEASURE!! How could we be so gluttonous? We vow to go back to chicken breasts and broccoli tomorrow, and the cycle repeats.

Only now, whenever we’re sad, or lonely, or feeling unloved, we reach for the bright and shiny food. Oh no. We’ve become the dreaded EMOTIONAL EATER!

And That’s Not A Bad Thing

Food was meant to be enjoyed. We associate it with all those wonderful feelings, and that’s not bad. The problem occurs when food is our ONLY source of joy. It’s the same with anything: if alcohol, or drugs, or sex, or food becomes our only way to comfort ourselves, then we have a problem. But, it’s a problem that can be fixed. The solution lies in getting comfortable with our emotional eating.

If we can learn to recognize the difference between physical and emotional hunger, we’ve got a powerful tool in our hands. For example:

You get home from a long day at work. Rather than start cooking dinner, you grab a bright, shiny bag of cookies. As you take that first bite, you feel the stress melt away. You pause: you’re feeling stressed, a little lonely, and very tired. You finish your cookie and you put the bag away. Your stress will only multiply if you have to cook tonight, so you order in a proper meal. You’re lonely because you’ve been buried in work, with no time for friends. You pick up the phone and chat with a friend, then tuck in for an early night in bed.

Now, not all emotions that come up will be so clearly identifiable and fixable, but the template remains the same: recognize the trigger, EAT THE DAMNED COOKIE (just not ALL the cookies), identify the emotions, and find ways to deal with them that don’t involve food.

Why do we eat the cookie? Because cookies are one way we know how to comfort ourselves. And because they’re delicious and we like them. Cookies are not a problem unless they’re our only tool for self-soothing.

Embracing emotional eating is an important step to healing our relationship with food. I know – it’s counterintuitive to everything we’ve been taught, but it’s true. So go out, actually enjoy your food, and rejoin your tribe. Your emotional AND your physical self will thank you.

ABOUT KELLY 

After winning her 17-year battle with anorexia, Kelly Boaz turned her life’s focus to helping others do the same. Kelly is a Toronto-based Holistic Nutritionist (CNP), specializing in eating disorder recovery and food freedom. She is also a writer and speaker (TEDx, TDSB), raising eating disorder awareness, and helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies. You can find out more about Kelly, or get in touch via her website, kellyboaz.com.

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From the David Suzuki website: “U.S. researchers report that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone distributors.”
Chemicals accumulate in the body and these chemicals can have detrimental effects to our health. It is of upmost concern for those with specific health conditions such as PCOS, hypothyroidism or skin conditions, and particularly important for pregnant women. We also must consider the fact that most people have been using products with these chemicals for the majority of their lives, allowing the chemicals to accumulate over time.

Below, I included a list of the ‘Dirty Dozen’- the top 12 toxic chemicals found in most conventional personal care products. To dig deeper into the research, and for a more comprehensive explanation, you can download this file from the David Suzuki website.

THE DIRTY DOZEN (taken from davidsuzuki.com)

1. BHA and BHT: Found in moisturizers and makeup as preservatives. Both are suspected endocrine ( hormone) distributors and possible carcinogens. Both are harmful to fish and wildlife.
2. Coal Tar Dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as ‘CI’ followed by a 5 digit number. These are potential carcinogens and contaminated with heavy metals, which can be toxic to the brain.

3. DEA- related ingredients: Also look for MEA and TEA. These are used in creamy and foaming products like moisturizers and shampoo, and are a potential carcinogen.

4. Dibutyl Phthalate: Used as a plasticizer in nail care products. Potential endocrine (hormone) disrupter and reproductive toxicant.

5. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Also look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methanamine and quaternium-15. Used in a variety of cosmetics and releases small amounts of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

6. Parabens: A potential endocrine disrupter for both male and females and used as a preservative in a variety of cosmetic products.

7. Parfum or Fragrance: Some fragrance can trigger allergies and asthma, and some are linked to cancer and neurotoxicity.

8. PEG compounds: Used in cream based products, can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which can cause cancer.

9. Petroleum: Used in hair products, lip balms, lip sticks and moisturizer for shine and as a moisture barrier. Petroleum can be contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which may cause cancer.

10. Siloxanes: Look for “-siloxane” or “-methicone”. Used in a variety of cosmetics to soften, smooth and moisten, it is a suspected endocrine distruptor and reproductive toxicant.

11. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/ Sodium Laureth Sulfate: Used as a foaming agent in shampoo, cleansers, bubble bath and toothpaste. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. Look for

12. Triclosan: Used in antibacterial products like toothpaste, cleansers and antiperspirants, this chemical is a suspected endocrine distrupter and can contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

NEXT STEPS: 

1. Check your products to see if they contain any of the dirty dozen. Check your body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, moisturizer, face wash and anything else you use.

2. You can also visit EWG’s Skin Deep database to check your specific product, and see how it rates for toxicity and why.

3. Start switching your products! You can switch your products out one-by-one, to limit the cost.

4. Find natural cosmetics that you love! Below I included a list of some of my favourite brands, as well as a list of natural beauty blogs for you to check reviews and see the opinion of others.

MY FAVOURITE NATURAL BEAUTY BRANDS:

Green Beaver

Meow Meow Tweet

Leaves of Trees 

Wild Craft

Graydon

Carina

Province Apothecary

MY FAVOURITE NATURAL BEAUTY BLOGS:

Now, everyone’s skin is different and I often find that popular reviews are not necessarily consistent with my own experiences with a product, but it is a good start!
Green Product Junkie

Let’s Talk About Green

Living Pretty, Naturally

Organic Beauty Blogger

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

David Suzuki Foundation

Environmental Working Group

Adria Vasil

As always, e-mail me with any questions, or to tell me about your favourite natural beauty brands or blogs!
– SG

The post The Importance of Natural Cosmetics appeared first on Sarah Goldstein - Holistic Nutritionist in Toronto.

Here are my top 5 gift ideas:

Nutrition Books

Is gut health their thing? What about general healthy living? Nutrition books are often a good choice. Here are some good ones (definitely more on the nerdy side)

How Not to Die by Michael Greger
The Gut Balance Revolution by Gerrard E Mullin
The Allergy Solution by Leo Galland
The Whole Heart Solution by Joel Kahn
Brain Maker BY Dr. David Perlmutter
A Mind of Your Own Dr. Kelly Brogan

Healthy Cookbooks

You don’t have to be a nutrition nerd to love healthy whole foods. You can find healthy cookbooks abundantly, which makes me very happy. Some great cookbooks include: 

My New Roots by Sarah Britton
Oh She Glows by Angela Liddon
Small Victories by Julia Turshen and Ina Garten
At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin
26 Grains by Alex Hely-Hutchison
Everyday Super Food By Jamie Oliver 

Organic Delivery Service

I think a vegetable delivery service or CSA is a really great present. I have bought these for meany health-focused friends and family members in the past. In Toronto you can choose from Fresh City Farms, Mama Earth Organics, Organic Live and local CSA’s.

Gift Certificates

A gift certificate for a healthy cooking class, health food store, healthy restaurant or a nutrition service, all make great gifts. Some options that I know of are Whole Foods, Noah’s Natural Foods, The Big Carrot, Doug Mcnish’s Public Kitchen and most healthy restaurants. You can also buy a certificate for my nutrition services here.

A Speciality Curated Basket

You can either make this yourself with artisanal health food products, or you can go through a basket delivery service. In Toronto, Jule’s Baskets offers carefully curated health-focused gift boxes, which are sure to please!

I hope you enjoy this list of ideas for holiday gifts! Please let me know what you think, and let me know if you buy your loved ones any of these options!

-SG

The post Top 5 Gift Ideas (for the nutrition nerd) appeared first on Sarah Goldstein - Holistic Nutritionist in Toronto.