Author avisha Categories Blog, Cancer Coaching, Food & Nutrition, Recipes Posted on 0 Comments

Walnut & Avocado Pesto

May is Brain Cancer Awareness Month⁣.

Here are some facts:

  • The most common types of brain cancers are gliomas and meningiomas. Gliomas are cancers that grow from glia cells or glial cells, the supportive cells that hold neurons in place. Meningiomas are cancers that grow from the brain covering (meninges)⁣
  • Aspartame and long term cell phone use are being studied for their link to increased brain cancer risk⁣
  • It is estimated that 55,000 Canadians are surviving with a brain tumour⁣⁣

Two Awesome Foods to Support Brain Health

Walnuts

Walnuts are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols.

Omega-3’s exhibit neuro-protective properties and are critical for normal brain function and development throughout all stages of life.

Polyphenolic compounds found in walnuts reduce the oxidant and inflammatory load on brain cells and improve interneuronal signaling

Avocados

Avocados contain monounsaturated fats.  This contributes to healthy blood flow, which carries over to a healthy brain. Avocados also lower blood pressure, and hypertension is a major risk for decline in cognitive abilities.

Walnut & Avocado Pesto

Pesto Sauce is one of my favourite things to do with basil. So because ⁣this is Brain Cancer Awareness month I thought I would experiment with my regular recipe to incorporate a these 2 brain healthy foods.

Let me know your thoughts!⁣

Ingredients

  • 1 Avocado⁣
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil⁣
  • 2 cloves of garlic⁣
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese⁣
  • 1/2 tsp. salt⁣
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon⁣
  • 1/2- 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil⁣

Directions

1. Pulse avocado, walnuts and basil in food processor until smooth⁣

2. Add garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and lemon juice. Pulse until well blended⁣

3. Stream in the olive oil slowly while the food processor is running.  It is important to do this slowly to help it to emulsify.  Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor when needed⁣

Resources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24500933

https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/eat-smart-healthier-brain#1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4404917/

 

 

Author avisha Categories Food & Nutrition, Recipes Posted on 0 Comments

Basic Recipe for Energy Balls

No bake energy balls are the perfect little pick me up when your energy is low or your tummy is a grumblin’!⁣

And once you have the basics in place you are only limited by your own creativity⁣.

The basics of a good energy ball include:⁣

☑️Oats⁣

☑️Nut or seed butter⁣

☑️A sweetener like honey or maple syrup⁣

☑️Boosters and Tasters.

And this my friends, the Boosters and Tasters, is where you set your energy balls apart from the rest.  Boosters and tasters include hemp seeds, chia seeds, cacoa nibs, coconut, chocolate chips, dried fruit and flavourings such and vanilla and mint⁣.

So here is your basic recipe:

🔅1 cup rolled oats⁣

🔅1/2 cup nut butter⁣

🔅1/4 cup honey or maple syrup⁣

🔅 2 Tablespoons of a Booster like hemp⁣

Directions:

Blend the oats in your food processor until a flour consistency then add the rest of your basic ingredients and your choices of Tasters. Form in to balls, place on a cookie sheet and then place them into the freezer for 10 minutes to set their shape⁣.

**𝒥𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒶 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝓉𝒾𝓅.  𝒮𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓂𝒶𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝒹𝒹 𝒶 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑜𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓍𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒸𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉⁣

I keep a food journal when I make my energy balls to keep track of mixes that I like and those that I don’t.

Keep your energy balls sealed in a glass container or freeze them.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, Cancer Coaching, Food & Nutrition Posted on 0 Comments

The Forgotten Function of Food

There are many functions of food within a cancer protocol. A well structured diet helps to strengthen and prepare a cancer patient’s body before surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. It provides key nutrients for patients going through treatment, helps to lower the risk of infection and it helps to detoxify, strengthen and repair a cancer patient’s body post treatment[1].

https://www.cathybiase.com/5-tips-start-cancer-prevention-diet/

But as important as these functions of food are, often missed or overlooked is the function of food to bring joy and joy can be a hard thing to find when you are going through a cancer diagnosis.

The heart of a house is the kitchen. It is where our bodies and our soles are nourished. It is where we succeed in plating a great meal or laugh at a recipe gone wrong. Food brings families and friends to the table and science shows that eating together has great benefits including greater happiness and healthier food choices[2].

Eating meals together offers an opportunity to reconnect to those that are central to our being, to those that give our lives meaning. Food is a part of our history. It is a part of the essence of who we are and where we come from. It evokes memories and makes memories.

Gathering in the kitchen and sitting around the table can bring back life as it was before cancer. And although this may only be for a brief time each day, these moments can invigorate and strengthen a cancer patient enough to help them to move forward when the road ahead can seem so hard.

I have done the schooling, the certifications and I will forever continue to expand my knowledge of Nutrition Oncology to better serve the cancer patients that I work with. But to this day I feel that the greatest thing that I have to offer to cancer patients, their family and friends lies not in my book knowledge but in my personal experience with having had cancer. I cherished moments of normalcy, those times when I was just mom again and not a cancer patient.

Many of those moments were in my kitchen. Not when I was using food as a tool in my protocol but when my food was a meal.

_________________________

References:

[1] https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/staying-active/nutrition/nutrition-during-treatment/benefits.html

[2] https://www.goodnet.org/articles/9-scientifically-proven-reasons-to-eat-dinner-as-family

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, The Health Hub Posted on 0 Comments

This Week on The Health Hub…Supplements: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly with David Sandoval

Purium’s Co-founder and Visionary, Dave Sandoval, has made it his life’s mission to change the world for the better. From nutrition and the environment to domestic violence and poverty, Dave has advocated on behalf of many causes. He’s invited people into his home to personally help them get healthy, lose weight or achieve their goals. And, through his mentorship program, he has inspired all kinds of people, including celebrities, to get out into the world and make a difference. Dave founded Purium in post-riot Long Beach with Gandhi’s philosophy, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.

Learning Points:

  • Do we need supplements?
  • What should we look for in a good supplement?
  • How do we recognize a bad supplements?

Listen live or catch the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud!

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

TheHealthHub is now on iTunes!

Subscribe and don’t miss a single episode!

 

 

Follow us on Social Media

How To Listen Live

Visit our website and learn how to listen live to our show each week.
http://www.radiomaria.ca/how-to-listen

Let us know!

If you have a health topic that you would like us to discuss or are a health care specialist who wants to be a guest on our show let us know!

Here is our email.  We would love to hear from you!
thh@radiomaria.ca

 

 

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Blog, The Health Hub Posted on 0 Comments

This Week on The Health Hub…Lacey Dunn

Lacey Dunn is breaking the mold in the “dietitian world” as a fitness professional, bodybuilder, and registered dietitian. As a social media influencer and online coach, she has expanded her reach with a mission of educating the public on evidence-based nutrition and promotes a healthy, sustainable lifestyle through flexible dieting. She believes that there is no “one size fits all” approach, and that self efficacy in food choice is a driving force for fostering healthy habits and encouraging behavioural change.

Lacey is the owner of a thriving online coaching platform, UpliftFit Nutrition, as well as host and founder of UpliftFit Nutrition radio. She balanced a dietetic internship, master’s degree courses, podcasting, and full time online career before obtaining her RD and doesn’t plan on slowing down any time soon. Lacey’s goal as a dietitian is to provide the tools that people need in order to achieve a healthy, and balanced diet while simultaneously helping them to grow and thrive in all aspects of their lives. She is currently in the process of writing her own book on metabolic mastery and plans to continue to be a driving force of change to promote the scientific truths in the worlds of fitness and nutrition.

Learning Points:

  • What are common diet myths that must be busted?
  • What is the best diet to follow?
  • What do we need to understand about correlation vs. causation in accessing Nutritional Science studies?

Lacey’s Social Media Sites:

  • Website: www.upliftfit.org
  • Instagram: @faithandfit and @upliftfitnutrition
  • Twitter: @laceyadunn

Facebook: FaithandFitLacey

Listen live or catch the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud!

Every Tuesday from 11am -12pm I host The Health Hub, an interactive, forward thinking talk show on Radio Maria Canada.   Call, tweet or email your questions as together we explore health issues that are relevant to you from new and innovative points of view.

TheHealthHub is now on iTunes!

Subscribe and don’t miss a single episode!

 

 

Follow us on Social Media

How To Listen Live

Visit our website and learn how to listen live to our show each week.
http://www.radiomaria.ca/how-to-listen

Let us know!

If you have a health topic that you would like us to discuss or are a health care specialist who wants to be a guest on our show let us know!

Here is our email.  We would love to hear from you!
thh@radiomaria.ca

 

 

 

 

 

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