We constantly hear about superfoods and how beneficial they are for our health.  But are you ever curious how and why they’re so good for our health?  Which vitamins, minerals and other good for you compounds do they actually contain?  And what on earth do you cook with them?!

These are questions I tend to get from patients pretty often. So I’ve decided to pick an in-season superfood and go through the specific benefits they impart.  During the next year I’ll be picking in season foods from time to time to give you more information on them as well as adding a recipe or two,to make integrating them into your diet a little easier. 

Being January, its very common to find pomegranates still in season although they are on their way out of season.  Check your local grocery stores, you may be able to snag a few of these for about a dollar or two a piece for most of January.  Generally pomegranates are in season from late summer to early winter (August to January depending on where you live).  Pomegranates are a round fruit about the size of a grapefruit with thick leathery skin that encases juicy, pale-pink or deep-crimson seeds, that are held in place by a bitter, creamy-yellow membrane. Pomegranates themselves can vary in colour from deep red to yellow flushed with pink.  When buying them it is best to ensure they aren’t too squishy and that the skin is firm and taut.  

Once you have the fruit at home, its best to wash it and then separate the seeds out for easy use.  There are many different ways to take the seeds out of the shell.  Some people cut it in half, cut a horizontal strip or two into the halves, hold it over a deep bowl (to catch the splatter) and then hit the back with a large serving utensil to loosen the seeds.  Others cut it into four sections over a bowl to catch the juice, and then loosen the seeds by hand. Have fun with it and find the best way for you. 

So what makes pomegranates such a powerhouse food?  Well for starters they’re high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), fibre and small amounts of vitamin K.  They also contain very high amounts of polyphenols, a class of potent antioxidants, such as ellagic acid, tannins, anthocyanins and flavonoids.  The seeds are the main source of fibre (meaning the juice alone does’nt contain a lot of fibre), as well as containing unsaturated fats.  When looking at ways to enjoy this fruit, your best bet is to buy it fresh.  If you’re going for the juice it is best to avoid ‘from concentrate’ juices as a lot of the beneficial antioxidants are no longer present and sugar may have been added.

Preliminary research has shown pomegranites to be effective in reducing health risk factors for diseases such as heart disease, aiding in the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, as well as showing anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Further research is being done into a variety of different conditions. 

Great ways to integrate this fruit into your diet is in smoothies, with yogurt, oatmeal and eating it raw. If you’re looking for a non-synthetic way to color food, pomegranite juice gives a lovely pink tint to many foods, dressings, icings and beverages.    

Other ways to add this ‘jewel of autumn’?  Check out the recipes below, and feel free to let me know how you like them.  The majority of these are recipes I’ve given to patients and were met with great feedback, but I’m always open to suggestions!

It’s often said that the eyes are a window into our souls.  Likewise, our skin provides a window into the inner workings of our body. Poor skin qualtity or appearance, including dry, oily, dull, sagging, puffy, acne ridden, excessively wrinkly or blotchy skin can indicate underlying health concerns.  The state of our skin can be a gauge of our digestive system, our diet and our overall health. 

Naturopathic medicine is rooted in the principle of finding and treating the root cause of our health concerns.  As well, naturopathic medicine strives to treat each person as an individual with unique health concerns and requirements. These tenets provide exceptional strength and quality to naturopathic anti-aging protocols such as the ones I provide my patients.  All avenues of health are addressed in a unique protocol for each patient allowing for the greatest benefits without the need to ever use pricey anti-aging creams, Botox or to ‘go under the knife’.  The added benefit of these anti-aging protocols is that they will also lead to increased energy, optimized digestion and diet plans, hormone balancing and improved immunity on top of the cosmetic benefits. 

So what are some easy and effective tips that you can try at home to improve your skin quality and harness anti-aging effects? 

Stay Hydrated.  We’ve all heard that we should drink about 8 cups a day of clean water. Now there’s an extra motivation.  Making sure we stay hydrated improves the appearance of your skin, as well as slowing the effects of aging. Water, herbal teas, vegetable juices and unsweetened coconut water are all great options.  Adding a slice of lemon or orange to your water is a great way to change up the flavor without artificial flavoring or extra calories.

Avoid caffeine.  When trying to stay hydrated, and maintain supple looking skin, caffeine is not your friend. Caffeine, commonly found in coffee, black and green tea, energy drinks and some sodas, dehydrates the body.  Some sources of caffeine are more detrimental than others, due to the amount of caffeine or the other ingredients in the beverage.  Like with everything moderation is the key.

Get enough sleep.  There’s a reason for the term ‘Beauty Sleep’.  Its because sleep is essential to allowing our body to heal and repair.  The fibres that keep skin firm and unlined, namely collagen, repair mostly when we are in a deep sleep. 7-9 uninterrupted hours each night are key.  To harness the full benefits of your beauty sleep try to get to bed before midnight every night.

Don’t smoke. Smoking not only causes wrinkles around the mouth, yellowing of the teeth and fingers, it also depletes our body of essential nutrients and anti-oxidants.  Many of these nutrients and anti-oxidants are not only key to preventing the aging of our cells, they also help to prevent the aging of our skin. 

Wear sunscreen, avoid sunburns and tanning beds. Ideally we should be wearing sunscreen everyday, even in the winter.  UV damage to the skin not only causes wrinkles, drying of the skin and skin blotches, it is a huge risk factor for skin cancer. 

Have a good, clean diet. Being a window into our health, our skin often reflects our diet. Avoid foods that are processed, full of chemicals, have excess sugar or sodium. Ensuring that you take in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, with a focus on berries and other produce with vibrant colors improves skin quality.  Having adequate protein and healthy oils is another sure way to improve the look and feel of your skin. The ideal diet is different for everyone, but following the basics of a good diet will show in your skin. 

Sweating, Exercise and getting active. Ensuring that you are active for at least 30-60 minutes everyday not only promotes good health, increased energy, and resilience against injury, it also promotes healthy looking skin.  Sweating on a daily basis provides your skin and body another route of eliminating toxins. The effects of exercise also help to promote cell healing and repair, increase circulation and promote that healthy glow.

Moisturize.  Skin that is hydrated tends to be supple, vibrant and less lined than dry, thirsty skin.  Using natural products to moisturize the skin will improve skin quality.  Depending on the needs of your skin, products ranging from coconut oil and natural beauty products to castor oil are all great options.

Beauty is never just skin deep, it comes from being confident, loving and giving as well as following a healthy lifestyle.

For a change of pace, I thought I would share an excellent blog by a colleague of mine, Dr. Justin Gallant.  For more information on his practice, or blog, check out his website: www.drjustingallant.com

Why Should I Pay for Naturopathic Medicine?

Dr. Justin Gallant, ND

A couple of people have told me that they have a hard time justifying paying to see a Naturopathic Doctor.

Hopefully this analogy will help shift the mindset:

Scenario 1: You pick up a car for $500 to last you through the winter. You go to start it up and all of the sudden you hear a terrible noise coming out of the muffler. It’s just a beater so it’s reasonable to just patch up the hole. You’re going to get rid of it after the winter anyway right?

Scenario 2: You’ve saved up to buy that new car you’ve always wanted and a couple months later you hear that dreaded noise. You want this car to last at least the next 10 years. That hole is a just a small sign of things to come so it’s better to get a professional service to fix your car (i.e. mechanic or dealership) and get the whole part replaced. After spending hundreds of dollars on your car, your bank account isn’t happy but you won’t have to worry about the problem coming back for a long time.

Scenario 3: You’re born with a priceless body that scientists would not be able recreate with billions of dollars. Your body is not disposable; you want it to last a century. If you don’t want to patch up a decent car that you hope will last a decade I would hope that you would not want to just throw a patch on your body that has the potential to last 100 years. By the time you’re retired would you rather be driving around that car that you decided to patch up every time something went wrong or would you prefer to have that ol’ classic car that looks brand spankin’ new and everything runs perfectly. You’ll be the envy of all your peers. We don’t have the option to sell or trade our bodies so it’s important to seek professional services in order to keep them in optimal shape.

Regarding your health,

     While those temporary patches are important while you work on finding a solution, they shouldn’t be depended on for life. It might be necessary to apply a patch until you can find the right person to fix your problem or until you can get the money to pay them but the mindset of, “That’s good enough” shouldn’t suffice. Most of us get one chance with our body and our health is what will maintain it so we can enjoy it for as long as possible.

     If you’re willing to spend over $20 000 on a vehicle and dish out hundreds of dollars at a time to keep it tuned up or to repair it, you should not be afraid to treat your health the same way. You’re more important than your car.  

     Our bodies are miraculous machines, they can enable us to do so many things or they can literally be the death of us. We have to cherish and invest in our irreplaceable bodies rather than the replaceable material things in life. We have to look at our bodies as if they are the vehicle that will get us through the next 100 years and treat it as such.

A couple of other things to keep in mind:

•The less a Doctor is paid per patient, the more patients that Doctor will try to see

•Aside from the advanced education, research and experience your ND utilizes to help improve your health, most ND's spend a lot of out-of-office time working on each patient's individual case. It's better to treat the price you pay as if it's "per health" rather than "per hour" because you might sit down with your ND for an hour but they could spend a whole day working up your case.

•If money is an issue, just like most other professions, most ND's will be able to work something reasonable out for you.

•If you have benefits, depending on the company you could get the first 4 visits for free or 80% off of all of your visits.

•Most people you talk to who have been to an ND have no problem paying for the service, these people realize how valuable their health is because the majority of them have realized how severely poor health can affect their life.

http://www.drjustingallantnd.com/blog.html