The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen

Pesticides have become a widely used product in our food system. Worldwide, we use about 6 billion pounds of pesticide per year. The average person is exposed to some level daily from the food and water they consume. In the past few years, more information has come to light about the potential dangers of these chemical products. In 2015, the WHO announced that glyphosate (the main ingredient in the pesticide RoundUp), is "probably carcinogenic to humans." If you are concerned about your exposure to pesticides, there are some fruits and vegetables that have higher pesticide residue than others. These have been nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen." You can download our "Dirty Dozen" list here: VHP_Dirty_Dozen.pdf Organic produce can be more expensive, but luckily there are also some fruits and vegetables with very low pesticide residue that are safe to purchase non-organic. These have been nicknamed the "Clean Fifteen." You...

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Nutrition Guidelines Part 1: Diets

Interest in learning more about optimal diets and nutrition has steadily been increasing over the past few decades. Although there are lots of opinions available, it can be difficult to discern what works best for you and your body. Join me, Heather Neely-Billings, Holistic Nutritionist, as I take a closer look at the current trends to empower you to make the best choices for yourself and your family. Some of the topics covered in part 1 include: - What is a diet? - Is there a human diet? - Exploring some popular health diets of today: Mediterranean, Paleo, Vegetarian & Vegan Download a FREE .pdf copy by clicking the file name below! hnn_Nutrition_Guideline_part1 Coming Up Next in Part Two: I'll be diving into Therapeutic Diets, including the currently popular Ketogenic diet. I'll also discuss how food can help with common conditions like Type II Diabetes, Hormonal imbalances,...

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Can We Say What Diet is Best for Health? David Katz

What Is the Best Diet for Health

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Food Chart

FOOD CHART Viriditas

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SOUP STOCKS & BONE BROTH from Sally Fallon

CHICKEN STOCK Ingredients: 1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings* gizzards from one chicken (optional) 2-4 chicken feet (optional) 4 quarts cold filtered water 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped 1 bunch parsley *Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels. If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring...

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Immune Broth

IMMUNE BROTH from David Winston Place the bone of a grass-fed, pastured and/or organic lamb or turkey in a large spaghetti pot (glass, satinless steel, enamel or wok) or crock pot. For vegetarians begin with 3 ounces of oat straw & burdock root in place of the bone. Add to it a good sized Reishi mushroom and 3-5 Astragalus sticks. Cover with filtered water nearly to the top, plus one tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar. Simmer slightly covered for three days; add water as needed. Turn it off before bed and cover, and then put the heat back on in the morning (heat may be left on low in a crockpot). Late on the third day add chopped organic carrots & celery plus 1 ounce of nettles & alfalfa. Cook until the vegetables are really soft. Strain liquid into a pitcher or two and refrigerate. Use for immune broth as...

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Organic Delivery Services in the GTA

Farms & Forks Food Share Boxes Fresh City Farms Front Door Organics Green Earth Organics Green Zebra Kitchen Love Gan Mama Earth Organics Organics Live Plan B Organic Farms Wanigan Fruits and Vegetables Zephyr Organics

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Guidelines for Optimal Health & Nutrition

  Vital foods provide optimal nutrition and assist in our ability to thrive. Be mindful when sitting down to eat a meal and give gratitude to the food itself and those who took care to provide the nourishment. Eat with awareness.   Eat Well. Eat Simply.   Eat real food. Real food is vital. Stay away from processed & factory food. The highest quality foods come from farmers who rotate crops and use organic bug control & fertilizers. Increase your intake of organic, locally grown vegetables, organic eggs, organic butter, extra virgin olive oil, raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, freshly ground flax or chia seeds, brown rice, old fashioned steel cut oats, local/seasonal fruits and organic pastured meats. Limit wild caught ocean fish to 2 times per week.   100 years ago the term “organic” did not bring about thoughts of expense or luxury. Organic food was simply food. It...

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Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic Diet   What is the Ketogenic Diet? The Ketogenic diet is a medical treatment that shifts the body’s primary metabolism to a fat based energy source instead of a carbohydrate or glucose energy source.   This therapeutic diet involves eating high amounts of healthy fats, low to moderate amounts of high quality protein and the elimination of all sugars & carbohydrates, other than non-starchy vegetable carbohydrates.   How Does the Ketogenic Diet work? The body obtains energy from three major food sources:

  1. Carbohydrates
  2. Fats
  3. Proteins
  An average North American diet is comprised of roughly 50% to 60% carbohydrate, 20% to 30% fat and 20% to 30% protein. Carbohydrates such as breads, cereal grains, fruits, starches, sugars & vegetables are converted to glucose in the body. Glucose is then burned as fuel by the body for energy. When the supply of glucose is limited, for example during...

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What Is………..Diet?

What is the Paleo Diet? What is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet? What is the GAPS Diet? What is a Weston A. Price Diet? What is a Vegetarian Diet? What is a Vegan Diet? What is a Pescatarean Diet? What is a gluten-free diet?   What is the Paleo Diet? A paleo diet or Paleolithic caveman diet is based on eating the way that ancient hunter-gatherer people did. They ate on average about one-third hunted food to two thirds gathered. It was primarily a vegetarian diet that varied seasonally with added high protein and low carbohydrates. The high protein Paleolithic food was mainly meat and that meat was wild-game. If you chose to adopt this diet in modern times be sure that all meats are either pasture raised or wild-game. The total fat content of wild game is much lower than the feedlot-raised meat of today, not to mention the horrific...

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