With all the buzz around fermented drinks like kombucha and kvass I figured I should take the opportunity to tell you about another tasty treat out there that also has beneficial properties for digestive health. 
I've been hearing more and more about this tasty drink that seems to have a lot of digestive benefits. It's incredibly simple to make, so lets get right to it!

But first, let's break this drink down:

1. Apple cider vinegar has long been used to help improve stomach acid, liver and digestive function​.
2. Maple syrup is about as Canadian as it gets when you want to think about it. The bonus here is that it has potassium, magnesium and calcium. So this helps when considering using it as part of an electrolyte replacement or just a tasty treat. The alternative sweetener is honey. 
3. Ginger is a classic anti-inflammatory and anti-nauseant that is consistently used for poor digestion, gas, cramping, nausea and arthritis.
4. Water is water. Most people need to increase their water intake. One common thing with most of my patients is the lack of water intake. Having this as the base of Switchel helps to increase fluid intake and get all the benefits of water.

Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; you can also add in extra slices
• 4 cups water or carbonated water if you like a fizzy touch

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a large jar with a lid.
2. Shake to combine.
3. At this point, you can drink it over ice cubes or refrigerate and let steep
4. Stir well before serving.
5. If you don't like the bits of grated ginger, simply strain it out after it has steeped then put it back in the fridge...if there's any left ;)

Yes, the rumours are true. Bacon and other processed meats have been deemed a Group 1 carcinogen. Sorry Jim Gaffigan. 

The announcement last week has left people quite surprised. Not because they thought that processed meats were bad, (they already knew that) but because now the World Health Organization (WHO) has told us they're bad. So now people have to pay attention. The WHO reported that "with each 50g portion of processed meat you eat, there is an 18% increased risk in colon cancer...this is among people with a higher intake of processed foods." Associations were also seen with pancreatic and prostate cancers but they weren't mentioned much of in this report.

So what else is considered a Group 1 carcinogen?:
Arsenic, Asbestos, Benzene, Cadmium, Diesel Exhaust, Hepatitis, HIV, Oral Contraceptives, Plutonium, Tamoxifen, Tobacco, and X-rays just to name a few. 

So what is colon cancer? 
Colorectal cancer is a neoplasm or over growth of cells that can grow anywhere within your large intestine. This is where you normally reabsorb water and your fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K).

Why do we care?
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer and 2nd leading cause of deaths. 
It is estimated that in 2015:

• 25,100 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. This represents 13% of all new cancer cases in 2015.
• 9,300 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all cancer deaths in 2015.
• 14,000 men will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 5,100 will die from it.
• 11,100 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 4,200 will die from it.
• On average, 69 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer every day.
• On average, 25 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer every day.

This is why you should care about what you eat. You should want to be healthy and live happily. As always, focus on high veggie, fruit and lean proteins.

Remember, the best diet is variety.

Updated January 18 2021

When you walk into a grocery store in Whistler, the first thing you notice is the cost. The price here is much more than people are used to. So, what do we do? We start to shop smart. How do we shop smart? Well I'm glad you asked...
 
The key here is to have a plan in mind.  Here’s 5 easy steps to help keep you healthy and within your budget.
 
Step 1:
COOK AT HOME. It’s almost always cheaper to eat at home.
 
Step 2:
Take a second and PLAN OUT YOUR MEALS. If you have a plan, it makes shopping that much easier. This way you can avoid randomly spending $10 on ice cream and put $10 more towards the food you SHOULD be eating. Team up with housemates, family, friends etc to make the meals, this will decrease your costs. It's also a great reason to meet up with friends and family members. 
 
Step 3:
CHECK THE FLYERS THAT WEEK. It’s very simple but rarely done. This lets you know what’s on sale before you even set foot in the store. I’ve attached links to our local grocery stores so you can check them out weekly.
 
Creekside Market
The Grocery Store
Fresh Street
Nesters Market
Independent 
 
Step 4:
SHOP THE OUTSIDE AISLES OF THE MARKET.
This is where we always find our healthy food. Our veggies, fruits, and proteins etc... Once we enter the middle aisles, that's where we tend to find the foods we want to avoid, the processed foods. If we stick to our budget and spend our money on these healthy foods, then we wont blow our cash on the unhealthy stuff. One of my supervisors in med school Dr Afsoun Khalili taught me this part. She would actually take patients to the grocery stores and teach them how to shop effectively.
 
Step 5:
EAT WELL… for cheap
 
That's it… eat in, plan ahead, check for sales, shop the outside aisles. That's your basic blueprint to eating well and not spending a fortune. Let me know how it goes.
 
At this time of year, a lot of the local restaurants offer a seasonal meal deal. Check out some of your favourites to see if they have any deals on for you to save some cashola. 
​
Don't forget about Whistler’s farmers market in the summer. This can be great for finding your healthy food for cheap!!
http://www.whistlerfarmersmarket.org