Raw Walnut Brownies

by Tannis McLaren ND

So, you’ve just eaten a weeks worth of cheap Valentine’s day chocolate………..how are you feeling? We cannot say it enough – if you are going to eat chocolate, eat the good stuff!! This recipe is so simple and so fast and if you double or even triple the recipe it makes a great birthday cake that is super clean ~ wheat free, dairy free and even low sugar!

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups walnuts
  • 10 dates, pitted
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla, optional
  • 2 teaspoons water, optional – for moister brownies

Preparation

  1. Process walnuts in food processor until finely ground
  2. Add dates and process until mixture sticks together.
  3. Add cocoa powder and optional vanilla until evenly distributed.
  4. Add water and process briefly.
  5. Transfer to mixing bowl and mix in 1/4 cup dried cherries (optional) and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.
  6. Press in square container (like a Rubbermaid plastic sandwich container). Chill for at least 2 hours.
  7. Top with raspberries or strawberries.
  8. Enjoy!

Keeps 1 week in refrigerator and 1 month in the freezer.

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The Moves: Gettin’ your groovy move on!

By Elizabeth K Dawson, MES

Even if Valentine’s Day wasn’t your cuppa tea – I mean, I’m not a real pink-hearts-and-chocolates kind of girl, either – it can be a good reminder to infuse your life with a little cheeky fun…

Particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting in a desk chair, spurring yourself to get moving is a great way to remind yourself and your body that you are vibrant and alive!

The intention is what will matter here – I suggest that your mindset be on celebrating how fun and how great it feels to get moving.  Take some friends along or go it alone.  Either way, it’s almost spring – time to get a head start!

Here’s five moves for lovers of life:

1) Dance, dude!  Even if it’s a one minute groove in your kitchen or at your desk – have a good laugh, put on an old favourite tune and get a solid groove on!  And then bask in the fun of that funky part of your soul (…ahem, however deep seated it is…).

2) Stretch……  mmmmm… have a big ol’ stretch, arms in the air, standing or seated, and feel the stretch flow out to your fingertips.  It feels good, and will be even better when you focus your mind on just how darn good it is!

3)  Walk! Get up, put your shoes (and boots/mitts/toque/coat/scarf/extra sweater/etc, if you’re Canadian), and get outside.  Even a jaunt around the block will remind you how great it feels to move.

4) Drop-in at a group fitness class or one of your favourite yoga sessions – Get your heart pumping and thank yourself for it!

5) Get out in nature.  Whether it’s that park near your house, one of the city’s big parks, a river walk, or getting way out to provincial or national park or your own favourite space, choose a sunny day when you can plan to get away for a time and appreciate the natural setting.  Look at the trees, grass, leaves, each of them preparing for spring.  How lucky we are for these seasons!

These are just suggestions.  Think about it… what’s your favourite way to get moving?  If your mind tends to wander away from enjoying the activity, gently bring it back.

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May 30, 7:30pm – ‘Natural Fertility with Homeopathy’

Fertility concerns are on the rise… did you know that aggressive medicines and treatments are not the only option?  Don’t miss this talk!

At this lecture by Anna Lubaszka, Classical Homeopath, you will learn that you can establish natural fertility and how a homeopathic program can help you conceive naturally.  Participants will be invited to complete a Natural Fertility Checklist.

Also, you will learn:

  • The effects of oral contraceptive pill on hormonal levels
  • The link between lifestyle, diet and hormonal balance
  • The effects of homeopathic remedies in rebalancing your system and maximizing natural conception
  • The overview of the homeopathic program for natural fertility – what it involves, how long it lasts and statistics

The first 10 people to sign up for this talk will be offered 50% off the Natural Fertility Program initial assessment with Anna Lubaszka, Classical Homeopath.  That’s $200 savings – wow!

How to register: Call 416-760-9424 or email info@innatehealthcentre.com.

Cost: $10 plus hst

We look forward to seeing you there!!

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Innate’s Chiro Tips: Sitting on the Job

If you are like most Canadians who have desk jobs, you are sitting in front of a computer for the majority of the day.  Did you know that staying in one position for long periods of time can actually cause injury to your neck and low back?

Perhaps you’ve noticed pain, reduced flexibility, mobility or stamina.  Prolonged sitting can cause compression in the muscles, joints, ligaments and spinal discs, which can increase your chances of injury. Constant compression of the muscles, ligaments and joints can cause sprain and strain while steady compression on the spinal discs hinders their nutrition and contributes to premature degeneration.

Here are four tips to stay pain free if you have to sit at work:

1) Active Sitting… Think about your posture. Sitting incorrectly can put strain on your lower back and neck.  Sitting in a slouched position not only decreases blood flow to the muscles but also to the organs that that are being compressed, such as the heart and lungs.

To practice active sitting – Pull your stomach in, bring your shoulders back and keep your chin tucked.  Think about lifting yourself up towards the ceiling.  Active sitting will help to increase your core stability and decrease your chances of injury.

2) Take short, frequent breaks. Take short breaks from sitting every 30 minutes.  Get up, do a stretch or take a short walk around the office.  A good stretch to do is bring your hands over your head and reach for the sky. Or stretch your body in the opposite direction that you are sitting in.  Hold each stretch for 30 seconds or more. If you find that you get lost in your work, put on a timer to remind you to take breaks.  Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated – this also makes you get up out of your chair more often.

3) Pick a good office chair. It is very important to be able to easily vary your sitting position through the day.  A good chair should; adjust to suit your size, have a backrest with proper curvature that supports the lower back, and have adjustment armrests that support your arms at the proper angle.

4) Sit in your chair properly. When sitting, make sure you are sitting at the very back of your chair. Use a lumbar support to keep a neutral spine.  Your knees should be at 90 degrees with your feet flat on the floor or with slight incline.  Your elbows should be supported on the armrests at 90 degrees as well.  Keep your monitor and mouse at the right distance so that you are not prone to slouch forward as the day passes on.  The arm that uses the mouse should be in line with the body and not reaching forward.

If you have any questions or would like to speak personally about your health problems, please call the office and speak with Dr. Joy

Yours in Health,

Dr. Randi Joy

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Minty Green Smoothie

By Tannis McLaren N.D.

Spring has sprung and it’s so instinctual that we start to open our windows to air out the house, we clean out our closets and start thinking of a new fresh wardrobe. But for some reason, we forget that our bodies who have worked so hard through a long cold winter need some cleaning too.

Green foods are one of the best foods for cleansing. If you think of what is growing right now, it’s green i.e. asparagus, lettuce, sprouts, etc. This is by far my favorite green drink. I have a vita-mixer (the most amazing blender) but you can do it in a regular blender too but it just won’t be as smooth. And remember, if you don’t have all of the ingredients then just substitute it for something else i.e. lettuce for spinach, collards for kale.

1                   Banana

1                   Apple, cored and cut into chunks

1                   Pear, cored and cut into chunks

1                    Lemon, juiced

3 – 4             Lettuce or spinach leaves, rinsed

3 – 4             Kale leaves, rinsed

1/4 cup        Parsley leaves

2 – 3 tbsp.    Fresh mint leaves

2 – 3 cups     Water

  • Remove the tough stems from the kale and break the kale into pieces. Place the banana, apple, pear, lemon juice, and water into the blender. Blend on high, stopping as needed to push the fruit down.
  • Add the lettuce or spinach, kale, parsley and mint leaves; blend again until very smooth. Add more water if needed and blend until completely smooth.
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May 15 Lecture! “To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate”

Join us here at Innate Health Centre for a lecture by Nora Jane Pope, Naturopathic Doctor in celebration of Naturopathic Medicine Week

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate? Achieving Optimal Immunity for the Whole Family

Learn how to boost the immune system, whether or not you decide to vaccinate your child, or get the flu shot yourself.

Tuesday, May 15th at 7pm

Nora Jane Pope, ND, will walk you through:

  • How natural remedies can minimize the side effects created by vaccines
  • The acute and chronic mechanisms of the immune system, and how vaccines play a role in shifting the balance between the two
  • Restoring a balance between these mechanisms,  including the role of breastfeeding, nutritional
    supplements, homeopathy and botanical medicine.
  • A historical overview of homeopathy’s success in treating previous flu epidemics.

Special attention will be given to the social implications of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.

You will come away from this evening with information on how to strengthen your immune system so you can protect yourself, your friends and your family.

Cost: $25 per person.  Space is Limited!  Please register by May 9, 2012.

Nora Jane Pope, B.A., N.D., is a Naturopathic Doctor in private practice in Toronto since 2002. She has a special interest in Drug-Herb interactions, Pediatrics, Neurology, Pre/Post Surgical Care, and Obstetrics.   She is a popular public speaker and health educator and lectures to physicians, surgeons, naturopathic doctors, healthcare professionals and the general public since 1999.  She has traveled to over 20 countries, speaks French, dances the Lindy Hop and is a red wine expert. She is a proud enthusiast of Belgian beer and Belgian chololate.

Want to know more?  We are now booking appointments with Nora at Innate Health Centre!  Contact us for more information.

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NEWS! New services now available at Innate in April 2012

Did you know that three new practitioners have joined Innate Health Centre this month?

It will take a short while to update the website profiles, but we were too excited to wait to let you know: You may now book appointments with:

Dr. Randi-Lee Joy – Chiropractor

Nora Jane Pope – Naturopathic Doctor

Elizabeth (Beth) Dawson – Holistic Health & Lifestyle Coach

Anna Lubaszka – Classical Homeopath

Also, we’re happy to have Abbey Royle on board at the front desk and as a great support to all the new additions to our clinic!

Check back soon for more profiles on these practitioners, and to find the one that best suits you!

Yours in ever-growing health,

The Innate Team

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Acupressure Points for Enhancing Sexual Health and Intimacy

by Sheela Szymkowiak, Certified Reflexologist and Holistic Health Educator

“Oh soul,
you worry too much.
You have seen your own strength.
You have seen your own beauty.
You have seen your golden wings.
Of anything less,
why do you worry?
You are in truth the soul, of the soul, of the soul.”

- Rumi, 13th Century Muslim Poet, Theologian and Sufi Mystic

Learn how to enhance your own sexual energy first by practicing these wonderful acupressure points on yourself – meet the Beloved within! Once mastered by you, you can then share these ancient secrets with a Beloved partner.

Third Eye (Governing Vessel Acupoint 24.5)

Benefits: Enhances your relationship with your Higher Self and that of your partner. Boosts your self-esteem in all relationships.

Location: Directly between the eyebrows, in the indentation where the bridge of the nose meets the forehead. Also known as the Third Eye Chakra, and Governing Vessle Acupoint 24.5.

To activate the Third Eye by yourself: As you can see in the photo, bring your hands together in the prayer position, and allow your fingertips to press gently into your Third Eye. Breathe deeply and slowly into this area to ease the worries of The Mind and focus on thoughts of Positive Love.

With a partner: Lightly touch your partner’s Third Eye acupoint with your middle fingertip; encourage your partner to breathe slowly and deeply into this area. Next kiss this area softly and gently suck the skin of the Third Eye area to heighten all sensations that surface here.

Supporting Nourishment (CV 24)

Benefits: Relaxes the facial muscles and enhances the awareness of your lips and your partner’s. A very erotic point when repeatedly kissed here!

Location: In the indentation midway between the centre of the lower lip and chin. Also known as the Throat Chakra and Conception Vessel 24.

To activate CV 24 by yourself: Use your index fingertip pad; gently massage in a counterclockwise direction to release any tension and Chi stagnation while breathing deeply. Don’t be shy with yourself – add a favorite taste of a sensual food to please!

With a partner: To increase the sensual energetic ‘jolt’ along this meridian begin with gently kissing this acupoint, then move into sucking the skin here. Even with your clothes on activation of Chi flow in this way is immensely erotic for you and partner. The intensity of your suction can communicate, without any words, how much you desire your Beloved.

Sea of Tranquility (CV 17) (see diagram above)

Benefits: Gently holding and caressing this acupoint opens the heart’s physical chamber within and its Energy Centre (Chakra), too.  Balance your own and partner’s emotional health, and increase emotional intimacy.

Location: On the centre of the breastbone (4 finger widths up from the base of the bone), just above the nipple level. Also known as the Heart Chakra.

To activate CV 17 by yourself: Press your index and middle fingertip gently on this acupoint, massaging counterclockwise to release any stagnation within this meridian. Keep breathing slowly and deeply into your chest area; if you use both hands over your chest/breasts, you will be touching your nipples with love and care.

With a partner: Taking turns of being on top allows each partner to kiss and gently suck the skin on this acupoint. Snuggling together, breastbone to breastbone, also powerfully enhances the energetic blending of these powerful heart connection acupoints.

Rushing Door (Spleen 12) and Mansion Cottage (Spleen 13)

Benefits: To increase a woman’s sexual desire and libido; Assists the man in healing sexual impotence; Increases Chi, Lymph and Blood flow back to the pelvic region of the body after emotional, mental and physical trauma.

Location: In the pelvic area, in the middle of the crease where the leg joins the trunk of the body. Also known as the Root Chakra.

To activate by yourself: While lying on your back, gently place the palm of your hands, with fingers pointing on an angle down, on the groin crease where your thighs join the trunk of your body. Inhale/exhale deeply and slowly imagining the colour Red bathing and healing this entire region of your body.

With a partner: Repeat what you would do for yourself, with your partner, except you are there to guide them into breathing deeply and slowly, then imagining the colour Red bathing them gently in a healing way. Of course when your hands are placed on your partner’s pelvic area with love and sensual thoughts, all erotic and physical sensations increase.

The bonus of gently taking your time here with these acupoints is assisting the release of built up emotional frustrations from your partner. If we are experiencing pelvic pain and/or discomfort, it may have originated from one of these situations:

  • Ongoing resentment in your intimate relationship,
  • A work situation in which you deal with frustration and disappointment regularly,
  • Living with a sense of dread because of a general psychological tendency to jump to catastrophic conclusions.

For more info: Tantra for Awakening

Further Reading:

Acupressure for Lovers by Michael Reed Gach

The Art of Sexual Ecstasy by Margot Anand

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The 90/10 Guide to Clean Eating and Trimming Excess

By Elizabeth K Dawson, MES

Undoubtedly, almost all of us have taken on new eating habits at some time or another.  Sound familiar?  The big promises cut down on junk food, veto sugar, potato chips, soft drinks, beer, wine, cheese… sigh, the list goes on.  Particularly around the New Year, we tend to take on big dietary changes in hopes of increasing health, managing weight, reducing stress, or having more energy.

Now, to be clear, these are often great changes!  Of course it’s good to take a look at all the excess bits and bites that filter into our day-to-day food, and make some changes towards more nourishing choices.  But, I’m also quite aware that as the days and weeks pass by, it becomes more difficult to maintain them if we are too strict.

Making a Shift to the 90:10 Mindset

100% Clean Eating is almost certainly a recipe for “failure” and frustration.  Truthfully, no one wants to be that strict – it’s no fun at all, and not even very good for us!  Being ultra strict can zap the life and enjoyment out of eating delicious food, and add undue stress or feelings of guilt.

To combat this and gain positivity, consider your eating habits as 90:10 – 90% clean, delicious and healthy, and 10% bonus, guilt-free extras.  This will help you fully enjoy all the good, healthy changes and will certainly lead to good, balanced and improved health!

90% Clean Eating – Remember, healthy food choices can be absolutely delicious, so focus on making the most of it!  Try new recipes and ingredients, good quality produce, or increased home-cooking.  Meat-eaters may want to try a few more vegetarian meals, or choose higher quality, local meat that was raised humanely.  This 90% forms the building blocks of feeling great, so make it good!  …and thank yourself for it.

10% Bonus – This creates room for you to respond to cravings and not feel completely deprived of certain foods that you desire (deprivation will lead to binges).  If you find yourself craving a certain food, consider why that might be happening, and try to build it – or a better version of it – into your occasional treats.

  • Tip for the 10%:  Make it high quality, consider the portion size, and take the time to enjoy it.

What does 90:10 look like?

What it looks like depends on what suits each person.  Experiment with what kind of treats are most satisfying to you and in what quantity.  Keeping in mind that we tend to eat 3-5 meals or snacks per day, does your 10% look like any of the following?

  • One treat every 2-3 days
  • A glass of wine on Friday night
  • A small piece of chocolate every evening
  • Dessert on Sunday
  • One chocolate chip every hour (This is a real life example of someone we know!)
  • 2-4 treats per week
  • French fries 1-2 times per month

Remember to consider the quality and quantity of the treats that you choose.  Make it good, and surround it with clean and nourishing foods.

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Easy, Satisfying Veggie Chili

By Tannis McLaren, ND

This chili is so easy and tastes great, too.  Double the batch to make sure you have plenty of leftovers!

2 tbsp.             Extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves          Garlic, minced

1 medium       Onion, chopped

2                     Carrots, sliced

6                     Mushrooms, sliced

1                     Red bell pepper, chopped

1                     Green pepper, chopped

1 can               Diced tomatoes (28oz/796ml)

3 cups              Black beans or 2 cans (19oz/540ml), drained and rinsed

1                      Jalapeno pepper, minced

1 tbsp.             Chilli powder

1 tsp.               Ground cumin

1 tsp.               Dried oregano

1 tsp.               Salt

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and sauté garlic, onion, carrot, mushrooms and peppers for approximately 5 minutes.

  • Stir in tomatoes, beans and jalapeno peppers. Simmer, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes.
  • Add chilli, ground cumin, dried oregano and salt and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve over a bowl of brown rice or with whole grain bread.
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