Beverage

It would seem that the season formerly known as Fall is now called Pumpkin Spice! I have to admit that I am one of those pumpkin spice loving fans! I have a hard time waiting for Thanksgiving for my first piece of pumpkin pie. Usually by the second week of September, pumpkin spice makes an appearance in my home. Whether it is muffins, pie, soup, or a hot cup of cozy, pumpkin spice is warmly welcomed by my taste buds.

Pumpkin spice is most often a blend of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. All of these spices have wonderful health properties. Cinnamon is known to add a natural sweetness to foods and help regulate blood sugar levels. It has anti-inflammatory properties and a source of antioxidants. Ginger helps with nausea, digestion and supports the immune system. Nutmeg can improve your breath, improve digestion as well as relieve insomnia due to its magnesium content. As you can see, these spices can in fact be supportive to our overall health.

Why not try making yourself some homemade pumpkin spice syrup to enjoy in your tea, coffee, oatmeal, or drizzle on yogurt or ice cream?

Pumpkin Spice

2 tbsp pumpkin spice
1/3 c maple syrup
1 c water

Whisk and heat on the stove until you have a gentle boil. Remove from heat. Store in a small glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To make a latte, add 1 tbsp to your mug of tea or coffee with warmed milk. Use a milk frother to make it taste extra creamy.

Photo by Prchi Palwe on Unsplash

We’ve all been there. It is 2:00 in the afternoon and you are feeling sluggish and tired. You can even feel the beginnings of a headache brewing. Do you need a nap? A snack? Or maybe a cup of coffee? The answer is actually much simpler than you think. You might just need a glass of water.

Up to 60% of an adult human body is comprised of water. Water is incredibly important to how we function. When we are dehydrated, we can feel lethargic, have trouble losing weight, skin can become dry and flaky, acne or eczema can worsen, we may have a headache and we begin to lack focus for day to day tasks.

Going 3 days without water can be fatal, and while not recommended, humans can go without food for several weeks. On average, we need 2-3 litres of water daily for peak performance. According to the Mayo Clinic, women should aim for 11.5 cups and men 15.5 cups of water daily. Obviously your body size, stage of life, activity level and even the weather can impact those figures. If you struggle to drink enough water, you are not alone.

Here are my best tips for getting enough to drink.

1. When home, fill a glass pitcher large enough to hold 2 litres of water. Make it a goal to finish this water by 7 p.m. This will prevent you from extra trips to the bathroom during the night. If you are leaving for the day, take along 2, 1 litre filled reusable water bottles. Make sure you drink it all before you get home. I have on many occasions sat in my car in my own driveway finishing my water. Past experience has taught me I will forget to drink said water if I don’t. The additional litre or so of water can come from juicy food like fruit, herbal teas, soups, etc.
2. Start small. Imagine yourself as a plant. If your plant’s soil is completely dried out, much of the water you pour on the plant will simply run off and not get absorbed. However if the plant’s soil is moist, it will retain more of that water. Your body works similarly. Start by taking note of how much water you consume now. Next add one additional cup of water every 2-3 days until you reach the optimum amount. Your cells, similar to a plant’s soil will begin drawing in the water instead of just quickly disposing it in the form of multiple trips to the bathroom.
3. Find water boring? Try adding cucumber & mint, berries or lemon & lime slices to add a little pizzazz. You can also brew some herbal fruit teas and make some delicious iced tea. Try my recipe below.

Blueberry Infusion Herbal Iced Tea

• 1 c blueberry herbal tea, steeped & cooled
• 1/4 c frozen berries
• 1/4 c sparkling water
• 1 tsp honey, add with boiling water

Photo by Mariah Hewines on Unsplash

This is something that has been on my mind for quite some time and I’ve decided that it is time to share. While I do enjoy a glass of wine or other bevvie from time to time, I am concerned that as a society we are putting way too much emphasis on alcohol containing elixirs.

As I scroll through social media or watch television, a theme keeps popping up over and over again. The message that I see is that it is completely normal and expected that human beings require alcohol in order to get through their lives. Especially moms. Moms need, ‘mommy juice,’ at the end of the day for a job well done and as a tool to relax from a busy day. Men also have a great deal of ads targeted to them, and a sense that a drink is required for unwinding. Today though, I am focusing on women’s health. Sorry fellas.

Here is the thing, while we can find studies that sing the praises of regular red wine consumption, there are plenty of studies that are sending women warning messages that we need to be careful about just how much we are consuming.

Alcohol consumption can have a big impact on how well our hormones function. For women who experience hot flashes, one of the triggers can actually be red wine. Alcohol consumption can also increase women’s risk factors for developing breast cancer. According to a recent article from CBC news, with peer reviewed research cited, drinking 3 to 6 alcoholic beverages per week increases the risk of breast cancer in women by 15%. Women who drink 2 glasses of wine daily have a 50% increase in their risk of breast cancer.

Did you know that the compounds that are associated with red wine’s health benefits are also found in regular red grapes? That means that wine is not required to obtain the health benefits associated with resveratrol & flavonoids. Want to benefit from reduced risk of blood clots, lower LDL levels, reduced damage to blood vessels in your heart and better blood pressure? Eat some red grapes, fancy up a glass of grape juice by adding sparkling water, or give this recipe a spin for a mean mocktail.

Sangria
serves 10 – 12

1 litre red grape juice
1 c orange juice
2-3 cups sparkling water
1 bag frozen mixed berries
2 limes – 1 squeezed & 1 sliced
1 orange, sliced

As for unwinding? Try taking a hot bath, listening to inspiring or funny podcasts, sitting on your porch, walking in nature or while chatting with a friend. Your body will thank you.