My Top 4 Natural Hair Products

I'm back! From an unexpected but necessary hiatus. Between finishing up my nutrition program, traveling back home, building my website and starting a full time job, I had very little time to focus on blogging regularly. Even now it is a struggle to find the time but I have been so inspired lately that I am so excited to start blogging again, especially with the introduction of my new website! Please share my website with your friends and family and with anyone you may know who needs nutritional guidance :)

In the past, replacing my cosmetics and beauty products collection with more natural alternatives has always scared me, but I realized I will never know what works until I actually try. So I decided to do just that- and actually hit the jackpot on my very first try! I now have only natural, chemical and toxin free hair products and they actually make my hair look so much better than the regular ones I have used in the past.

Why go chemical free? Conventional hair products are filled with chemicals that will actually disrupt your body's endocrine system, a.k.a. your hormonal balance. Substances known as parabens will mimic estrogen, and bind to the estrogen receptors in your body. Excess of estrogen can lead to very serious health issues, including but not limited to cancer. Parabens have also been linked to reproductive toxicity. These chemicals enter our bloodstream immediately via our skin and can have a direct impact on our health. It is beyond me why these chemicals are even allowed anywhere close to anything living. So make the switch, whether it is gradual like it was for me, or if it's a complete revamping of everything you own.


My cleaned up hair product selection:

Left to Right:

• Giovanni Powder Power Dry Shampoo: Great for occasional use if your hair is a little oily or flat, especially if you wash it every other day. Compared to other brands from the drugstores which have their environmentally destructive aerosol sprays filled with some of the worst chemicals out there, this product contains ingredients only derived from plant sources. Not available in Canada to my knowledge but I believe you can find it on Amazon.
• Giovanni 2 Chic Avocado & Olive Oil Leave In Conditioner & Styling Elixir: I love the way Giovanni products make my hair feel. They have tons of shampoo and styling products available in the USA and Canada. This product has an Argan oil line as well which I am going to try next. Trick is not to go overboard because it can make your hair greasy, so I only use it on the ends and middle of my hair. I can't say I am a huge fan of the alcohol in their products, but there are way more pros to cons so I decided to stick with it.
• Dessert Essence Coconut Defrizzer & Hair Protectant: This is a great alternative for thermal heat protectant sprays. It has a strong coconut smell (which would be amazing for all you coconut lovers out there-can't say I share the same feelings) and really has a strong anti-frizz effect as well, so it is a nice 2 in 1. Their shampoos, which I am saving for another post, are absolutely incredible and have very clean ingredients.
• NOW 100% Pure Argan Oil: This is the final touch for my hair regimen. I use just 2-3 drops, rub into my palms and tap it in my hair. This is pure oil so use sparingly because your hair can quickly turn into a grease-ball if you're not careful. Argan oil is also great to use on the ends of your hair to strengthen the hair shafts and prevent split ends. Since using this and occasional coconut oil hair masks, my hair has grown super fast!

A look at what my hair looked like today after using all natural products (with Dessert Essence Italian Red Grape Shampoo and  Dessert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Conditioner) and no heat or styling, other than my bangs. I'm not one for selfies on my blog but I had to post this because I am so glad I can finally let my hair naturally dry without worrying that it will look like a bird's nest: 

(Still trying to figure out how to get comments to work on this website, but if you do have any comments or questions, post them on thenewhealthyyou.blogspot.ca)

Have a great weekend! 

-Sara

Zucchini Beet Bites

I could probably pop these guys all day long. You can make this recipe gluten free by using gluten free oats or chia seeds as a binding agent. Instead of cheese, I used Greek yogurt which gave it a great creaminess with no fat. The beets really elevate the flavor and add a nice touch of flavor as well. I made a half batch, which made 6 bites so the ingredients depicted only show half of a batch, however, the ingredients I am listing are for a full dozen.

Ingredients

(Makes 12 servings)

• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup grated beets
• 1/2 cup quick cook oats 
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used 0% fat)
•  2 eggs
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes 
• Notes: omit pepper flakes if you do not want any spice and if you do not have quick cook oats, pulse regular oats 2-3 times in a blender

 Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Grate zucchini and squeeze out all moisture into a clean towel
• Add all ingredients to bowl and mix thoroughly 

• Grease a regular or mini muffin pan with coconut oil
• Fill pan and press down on filling to compact it
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until baked and crispy on top

• Top with fresh herbs & serve as a great side or appetizer at a party!

Health Benefits:

• Zucchini has high amounts of Vitamin C & antioxidants that are great for eye health
• Zucchini also has anti inflammatory and blood sugar regulating properties & promotes prostate health
• Beets contain high amounts of antioxidants 
• Beets are also anti-inflammatory as well as great for detoxification & overall health

Springtime Spaghetti Squash "Pasta"

Recipe time! Finally have some time for the next two weeks to focus on creating new recipes and also working on building my business! I hope to have an official website very soon, so stay tuned!

Squash, up until a few days ago, was sort of like a foreign territory for me. I think I have had butternut squash maybe three times in my entire life, since I'm not really a huge fan of the taste. Spaghetti squash I had never even heard of it until recently, and I immediately went out and bought one. The name comes from the fact that when cooked and scraped out, looks exactly like angel hair pasta. It's absolutely perfect for someone limiting their carb intake, trying to lose weight or for someone wanting to incorporate more veggies into their diet. It's extremely satisfying, versatile, and you can eat an entire plateful without feeling the least bit guilty. My next mission will be to make an asian style "lo mein," and also a pesto style dish, but this time around I stuck to basic italian flavors with some baked chicken and it turned out so well that we didn't miss the pasta one bit. Really a no fuss dish and everything can be prepared ahead of time.

Springtime Spaghetti Squash Pasta

                     

Some lovely spaghetti squash I picked up from the grocery store

Chopped up some green bell peppers and zucchini, both of which I received in my first organic delivery from organicdelivery.com! Tossed them in a little bit of olive oil, added halved tomatoes, and placed them in the pan when the squash was about halfway cooked. Bake for another 20 minutes or so or until cooked.

Once the squash is tender when poked with a knife, let it cool slightly and scrape out the insides with a fork and spaghetti like strands will form as shown

My foolproof seasonings

                             

  
                            Garlic, onions, lemon, sundried tomatoes and fresh basil 

Fresh herbs make all the difference and make your kitchen smell amazing

A quick, healthy and refreshing spring/summertime dish that is unbelievably flavorful and healthful!

Springtime Spaghetti Squash Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 Spaghetti squash
• 2 Small zucchini 
• 2 Small bell peppers, or one large
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 Medium onion
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil (Any other fresh or dried italian herb would do)
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Olive oil as needed
• Pasta sauce (optional)
• 2 Chicken breast-see recipe below

Method

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
• Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and stringy membrane
• Place on baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender when poked with a fork
• Roast tomatoes, zucchini and bell pepper in oven
• While vegetables are roasting, add onions, garlic and some oil to pan and saute until transluscent
• Saute onion and garlic until translucent in a little bit of oil, and add in roasted tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, italian seasoning, basil, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes until the tomatoes break down
• Add in spaghetti squash, roasted vegetables, lemon. Stir for a minute or so until everything is incorporated. At this point you can add some pasta sauce or pesto and more seasoning as needed
• Slice up chicken and place on top
• Note: The size of the squashes vary, so try to pick a slightly bigger one if it is for two people, since my medium/small one gave us just enough for two. 

Baked Chicken 

Serves: 2
Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2-3 cloves of garlic cut in half
• Italian seasoning 
• Crushed red pepper
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Note: seasoning amounts are up to you, I just add enough of each seasoning to cover each side of the chicken 

Method

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Place chicken breast in baking dish and coat with olive oil and lemon juice
• Season each side of chicken liberally with seasonings
• Toss in garlic cloves
• Bake for about an hour, depending on size, until chicken is no longer pink and is still juicy

Health Benefits of Spaghetti Squash

• Great source of fiber
• High in Vitamin A and C: antioxidant & anti inflammatory! 
• Good source of managnese, potassium and copper
• Contains heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids

Enjoy!

Stop That Sniffling!

The weather was beautiful (for TO at least) last week, so I threw open my windows to let the spring breeze into my room. 10 minutes later I felt like I got hit by a truck. Allergy season crept up on me and basically slapped me in the face. Life got so crazy that I didn't even think about the upcoming allergy season, and then I thought maybe..just maybe things would be different this year. They're not.
So I rummaged through the supplements that I've accumulated over the past year or so but never got to use and found just the perfect remedy:

Sabadil: 

Allergy Homeopathic Medicine

From Boiron

Ever since that day I've been popping these like it's going out of style. You dissolve two under the tongue, every 15 minutes (10-15 minutes away from any food or water) as soon as you feel the symptoms, for the first hour. Then you dissolve two as needed. It relieves all symptoms of allergies almost instantly. The first day I tried it I actually walked around outside for about an hour with no runny nose (my main symptom)! I now take this even before I step outside. Homeopathic is amazing in that it has virtually no contraindications, is non-habit forming, made from pure plant extracts, and is extremely safe! I'm a huge advocate because every single time I've used homeopathic remedies, especially for quick relief of acid reflux, sore throat, etc, it has worked like a charm. A foolproof remedy, and you have nothing to lose! Except for about $10. But hopefully that won't happen.

Over the counter anti-histamine medications have tons of side effects, including moderate to severe drowsiness,  impaired cognitive function, headaches, fatigue, stomach upset, and with over use, can cause impaired sleep patterns. It's best to stay away from long term use and try out safer natural alternatives that work with your body, not against it.

Xlear Nasal Spray

This spray is a great way to clear out stuffy sinuses as well as remove allergens that may be hanging around your nose, and is safe for long term use. Not sure if they sell this in Canada but they have similar products in health food stores. Overuse of over the counter nasal sprays can also cause damage and dryness to the nasal cavity with prolonged use.

Other Remedies

-Omega 3 Fatty Acids
I have started taking fish oil again, since I was switching between the Udo's 3-6-9 (see post here) and my fish oil. High quality fish oil has Omega 3's which drastically reduce inflammation, which is a result of the body trying to attack and remove the allergen.

-Vitamin C
I take about 3,000-4,000 mg of Vitamin C daily, throughout the day. Vitamin C lowers histamine in the body,  which is released by cells to destroy the allergen and results in an allergic reaction and all the symptoms that come along with it. So reducing histamine=reducing allergy symptoms.

-Quercetin: Quercetin is a bioflavonoid, or antioxidant that is found naturally in onions, berries and citrus fruit and also blocks the release of histamine. It's best to take this throughout the year, specifically daily for three months before your personal allergy season arrives. Usually comes in a complex with other bioflavonoids and vitamin C.

All of the above products can be found at your local health food store.

So far, only a week into doing fish oil, vitamin C and quercetin daily, I feel about 80% better than the first day I was affected. I actually take less of the homeopathic now because my symptoms have improved drastically!

Sometimes allergies, especially to foods, can be attributed to poor gut functioning. If you suspect that you have poor digestion and suffer from any allergies, then I highly recommend seeing a natural practitioner to find out the underlying cause. I am on the way to healing my own digestive system so I'm hoping that over time I can be free of these horrific allergies. Until then, I'll keep popping my homeopathic tablets!


Feel free to post any questions or your favorite allergy remedies! 

-Sara

Sprouted Tortilla Wraps!

Spring is here! Except it really doesn’t feel that way here in Toronto where one day it will feel like a summer day and the next day you see flurries. Sad times.

My favorite spring/summer food is a nice light wrap or sandwich, especially on a really hot summer's day (hopefully that's not too far away!). We’ve been on a wrap craze at my house lately...I don’t know why it took me so long to make my own wraps but we are addicted now. The keys to a healthy, nutritious wraps are what you use as the actual wrap, filling it with healthy things and omitting any sort of fattening dressing or sauce.

Whole grain and whole wheat wraps are not always the best choices because they are highly refined, even though the labels claim they are “whole” grain/wheat which they are legally allowed to do even though they don't have the entire wheat grain. They usually remove the wheat germ and/or bran which contain the most nutrients. They also many times contain white flour and lots of artificial flavors, coloring and artificial preservatives. Vegetable wraps are similar because adding a little bit of spinach or tomato powder allows manufacturers to say they are “vegetable wraps.” 

So what does that leave us to work with then? Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Wraps. 

SO good. This company has been around for a long time and my dad would swear by them. That’s because they use many different nutritious whole, organic grains and seeds in their products and they sprout them-something that is very rare to find in store bought breads and wraps. Sprouting activates enzymes in the grains, makes the nutrients more readily available, and contains tons of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They also have an alkalinizing effect on the body, which prevents the body from becoming to acidic and creating an environment that diseases just love. It’s also much easier for the body to digest so if you find that you have trouble digesting grains, this might be a better option. Their breads are amazing as well and they have gluten free brown rice wraps as an alternative. They can be found in the freezer sections at your local health food store and sell for about $4 for a pack of 6 in Canada so I’m sure they are at least a dollar or two cheaper in the US. Definitely worth the cost in my opinion since they're more filling-especially with the 5g of fiber per serving! One word of advice: let these defrost in the fridge or on the counter because heating them and leaving them uncovered will make them very crispy.

The filling can be anything you can possibly think of. Our favorite is this one: 

Ingredients: 

-Hummus 

spread on the entire surface

-Avocado

-Cabbage

-Spinach

-Bell peppers

-Hemp seeds

-Onions (not for me though!)

-Grilled chicken 

(Sliced a chicken breast in half into cutlets, seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, lemon and grilled on the stovetop until cooked)

-Wrap it up like they wrap a burrito at Chiptole (I'm a serious Chipotle junkie so I've seen enough burrito wrappings to last me a lifetime)

End Result: A perfectly balanced lunch

Basically this has 5 different vegetables, two sources of protein, one carb and only healthy fats! It is so filling that I sometimes can only have one half, mainly because the Ezekiel wraps are dense with nutrients and fiber that keep you fuller for longer as opposed to processed, refined “whole wheat.”

The Hummus is a great alternative to mayo and sauces and adds a lot of flavor. The possibilities are endless- make a breakfast burrito, turkey roll ups, add some hot sauce etc. Vegetarian options can include beans, tomatoes, and quinoa.

Makeup Review: Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation

I did it! I finally gave up my Urban Decay "mineral" foundation which I was in love with and used daily until I researched what was actually in it. The main culprits: Methylparaben and propylparaben. Parabens are synthetic preservatives that are actually endocrine disruptors because they can mimic estrogen in the body, and as a study from Cornell University found, a high life time exposure can lead to a high risk of breast cancer. Remember, everything you put on your body goes into your body. Parabens are all over the place; in deodorants, shampoo, moisturizers, etc so make sure your beauty products are strictly paraben free!

When I was in New Jersey I headed to a health food store to try out some natural makeup, since there is so much more variety than in Canada. I tried foundation powders by Dr. Haushka as well as Mineral Fusion (who's eyeliner I reviewed here.), but Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation by Gabriel Cosmetics pretty much won fair and square. Plus on sale it was $10 cheaper than Urban Decay- a rare occurrence when it comes to natural makeup. The powder is more compact as opposed to loose mineral powder- which is actually safer since there is less of a chance of inhaling tiny particles from "mineral foundations" which can damage the lungs and cause scar tissue over time.

source

The way the foundation felt and stuck to my skin was great compared to the others which felt a lot lighter on the skin and would probably not last throughout the day. Surprisingly one application of the ZuZu lasts me twice as long as Urban Decay. It can actually be used for more coverage if you wet the sponge a little more, providing an alternative to liquid foundation- since their actual liquid foundation wasn't nearly as impressive as their mineral one. It also comes with a built in mirror and a little applicator sponge - which I actually never use but it's a nice touch.

The ingredients are considerably safer than Urban Decay, with absolutely no parabens and with the inclusion of ingredients such as avocado extract, jojoba seed oil and sea fennel extract which promote healthy skin. And finally, it is vegan, animal cruelty free and gluten free! You can find this at your local health food store, online at the website above, or at Whole Foods.

I highly recommend this product if you like to have light daily coverage for a more natural look without harmful parabens. Definitely my new favorite :)

-Sara

Multivitamins 101

I'm back! Had a lovely trip back home to visit my family during March break and had an amazing time working at my family's store, drinking fresh, organic juices daily from the juice bar, eating a salad from the salad bar whenever I wanted, and creating some fun new promotional items our very own Healthway Pure Juice Cleanse!

So multivitamins:

Why do we need them? Can't we just get all of our nutrients from food? 

Times have really changed since back in the day when it was a farm to table system. Back then agriculture was a completely different than what it is now, and farmers practiced traditional techniques such as crop rotation, used real fertilizer, and used no pesticides or chemicals. The  food they grew would reach your home within a day or two, or immediately, with most nutrients intact. With a growing population, growing demand and growing greed for money, farming has basically become a catastrophe. All of the traditional techniques which ensured that the food was as nutritious as possible have gone out the window. There is no such thing as seasonal foods and crop rotation,   which basically means that the soil is not nearly as fertile as it should be. Add in the insane amounts of chemicals sprayed on our crops and you have a fruit or vegetable that is virtually tasteless (ever taste a giant strawberry bought in the middle of winter?) and depleted of almost all beneficial nutrients. Organic farming practices are different but I will get to that in a future post. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are extremely difficult to avoid in this day and age, even when eating a completely wholesome nutritious diet. It's important to take a multivitamin to replenish the body's stores of these nutrients, or to avoid deficiencies from happening in the first place.

What should you look for in a multivitamin? 

Look for Food Based Multivitamins that are certified organic and do not contain any additives.

•Food based brands:

-Vitamins and minerals extracted from real foods, ex: vitamin C taken from oranges

-Recognized and utilized by body more efficiently- more bioavailable 

-Easier on the digestive system, can even be taken without food 

-Leading brands:

1. MegaFood 

My favorite! I have many supplements from this line. They have one a day formulas for both men and women, and along with the vitamins and minerals, include an immune strengthening blend and body balance/strengthening blend. There are also multivitamins for men & women ver 40 and now a new over 55, as well as a children's multi.

2. Garden of Life Raw Code

This is another amazing multivitamin which actually has vitamins and minerals from 100% raw sources, so all nutrients such as enzymes, amino acids, probiotics and antioxidants are intact and not destroyed. There are formulas designed for men, women, children,  men  and women over 50 and a liquid multi. 

3. New Chapter 

New Chapter has a few different formulations for men's and women's multivitamins depending on age and also has a one a day for men and women. All ingredients are certified organic and from whole foods.

•Synthetic brands

These are your common multivitamins such as Bayer's One A Day Multivitaimin and Centrum. Instead of taking vitamins and minerals from food sources, they are produced synthetically from unnatural sources, such as coal tar or petroleum for example. Many times they are in forms that are not natural and recognized by our body,  and many times just disposes of them. If you look on the back of any of these brands you will find a laundry list of dangerous additives, including BHT, talc, titanium dioxide, artificial color and artificial sweeteners all of which are completely unnecessary and most importantly carcinogenic - cancer causing. Now look at the back of Megafoods and you will find 2 ingredients which are basically plant cellulose, silica which is what the pill itself is made out of. No additives whatsoever. It's common sense- nutrients from food or nutrients from unknown, potentially hazardous sources? 

Additives in a bottle of Centrum One Daily Vitamin (source)

What if  I can't swallow pills?

-Garden of Life has a liquid Raw Code multivitamin

-Nature's Plus Source of Life Liquid Vitamin is not whole food based but does have extremely high quality ingredients.

Where can I buy a whole food based multivitamin?

All three brands I mentioned above can be found in the USA and Canada at local health food stores, some grocery store chains with natural foods sections and Whole Foods. 

At the end of the day the whole food based vitamins do cost more but in the long run I personally think it is important to make an investment in healthy, wholesome supplements that can really benefit you instead of harm you. 

Hope I've inspired some of you to switch your multivitamins or begin taking one- it really does make a huge difference!

-Sara