Balancing Your Yin and Yang

I am currently taking a course on Asian traditions and philosophies and have fallen in love with the culture. As I became more interested in Asian practices, I decided that I wanted to see a naturopathic doctor in order to help create a more balanced yin and yang lifestyle for myself.
The yin yang symbol represents two complementary opposites within a greater whole that are always in a state of flux. These polar opposites are complementary because by understanding one we better understand the existence of the other. For example, we could never truly understand what happiness was until we experienced sadness.

We each have unique characteristics that define ourselves and our personality. These characteristics, according to Taoism, can be classified as yin or yang. The Chinese symbol for yang is the sunny side of the hill and it represents fullness, hotness, and masculinity. Yin, or shady side of the hill, represents emptiness, coldness, and femininity. The ultimate goal is to have a perfect balance between these complementary opposites.

Yin foods tend to be cooling and/or moistening for the body. Yang foods tend to be warming and drying. Individuals with yin imbalances should eat warm lamb or beef dishes, dark poultry, meat-based soups and stews, free-range eggs, eel, trout, and wild salmon. Vegetable options include cooked root veggies, baked winter squash, onions, and mustard greens. Nuts and seeds are warming, as are butter, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and pepper. Helpful grains include oatmeal, quinoa, and buckwheat.

Individuals that have high heat (yang qualities) should stick to foods that are cooling such as melons, pears, bean dishes, sprouts, sushi, non-spicy soups, and lots of water. Alcohol and sugar should be avoided. Mint is a beneficial cooling herb whereas pepper, garlic, ginger, and onions should be reduced.

Discover if you have a yin or yang imbalance and change your lifestyle today!

Healthier Ingredient Substitutes

There aren't many entrees that really get me excited, but when I see a recipe for something sweet I can feel the saliva accumulating in my mouth. Anything chocolatey or sugary holds my heart. The problem is, lately I've been on a roll with healthy eating and although I heart baking I'm trying to be a little more cautious with what I'm putting in my mouth.

What do you do when you love baking but you are watching your waistline? After talking to a couple of people about this very question, I realised that I'm not the only one facing this dilemma. Well...thank God for friends! My girlfriend is a health nut and has a sweet tooth even bigger than mine and she let me in on a some great hidden secrets on which ingredients can be substituted for healthier ones.

Here are some tips on how to make easy modifications to your recipes in order to keep that tiny waistline without sacrificing your sweet tooth.

Ingredient // Substitution
Butter // Canola Oil
Olive Oil // Prune Puree or Applesauce
Chocolate // Cocoa
Eggs // Egg whites or Egg Substitute
Cream or Whole Milk // Skim or low-fat milk
Cream Cheese // Low-fat ricotta cheese+ yogurt
Sour Cream // Plain yogurt or Low-fat sour cream

Somes website with great healthy recipes include:
http://www.wholeliving.com/
http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/

HAPPY BAKING!!

Water: Naturally Healthy

It's the start of a new year and if you are like many others, you are probably interested in improving your health. One of the best ways to keep your core clean and healthy is to increase you water intake. Approximately 50-60% of our bodies are made up of water, so it obvious that drinking it is vital to our overall health.

It is important to drink fresh water and as much water as you can. Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your mind sharp. If you have a headache at some point in the day, try drinking a glass of water - chances are you will feel better right away! On average we should be drinking between 2-3L of water a day in order to stay properly hydrated.

Not convinced yet? Well... water intake also enhances fat loss, decreases appetite, and finally (my personal favorite), staying hydrated slows down the aging process! Place a raisin (or your favorite dried fruit) in a glass of water and leave it overnight - by morning it will have bulked up and become visibly less wrinkly. The same thing happens to our skin when it's nourished and hydrated!
Not sure if you're drinking enough? Here's a tip: if you are drinking enough water, your urine should be completely clear - makes sense, right?

For those of you that have been avoiding water like the plague because it just "too boring" and has "no flavour," here are some ways that I add a bit of a kick to my water: I love adding sliced cucumbers or citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and/or limes to my water for a fresh and revitalizing beverage. I also love throwing an herbal or white tea bag in my canteen and take my water to go.
This brings me to a very important point - PLEASE don't go out now and buy a case of water at your local grocery store. Metal/plastic canteens are a great investment and are environmentally friendly. We are working on improving our core - let's try to be more sustainable while we're at it!

CHEERS - to our health!