Holistic tips to a healthier you.

by Joanne Malar

As a female athlete who made my first national team at the age of 14, I did a lot of growing up during my 13 years on the Canadian swim team. Three Olympics later, and a career full of achievements, obstacles and life lessons, I exited my swimming career equipped with an honours degree in kinesiology and certified as a holistic nutritionist. My education was spurred on by digestive sensitivities and being a young woman with body image issues. I refused to join a culture obsessed with counting calories, or be a person who viewed food as the enemy. Instead I sought to educate myself with food’s ability to nourish, energize and help us to regain our health.

Tips to Refocus for Health

1 Start paying attention to symptoms of imbalance, such as headaches, restless sleep, poor digestion, mood swings and low energy. Our bodies are intelligent, and speak to us with signs of imbalance. If symptoms persist, it’s time to find the root cause. It could be stress, lack of exercise, poor nutrition, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, toxic overload or a combination of the above. Rather than quickly masking the symptoms with medications (that always create more negative symptoms), take the challenge to seek out an expert who can help you rebalance naturally. 

2 Beyond Wheat? Add ancient grains to your diet. It’s easy to eat wheat, wheat and more wheat (breads, cereals, pasta, pizza, pastries). Branch out and add whole grains to your diet: buckwheat, millet, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, brown rice, kamut or oats. The grocery store’s health food aisles carry these ancient grains in breads, cereals, pasta and flours. Try buckwheat pancakes, spelt noodles, brown rice cakes, kamut or millet cereal. These grains are filling, full of nutrients, fibre and aren’t processed.

3 Reduce the un-naturals. Try to limit the foods and beverages that add stress on the body such as coffee, pop, alcohol, chocolate and sweets. I am not saying to never have these foods. Rather, just be aware that if you are craving these foods and drinks daily, they may be contributing to imbalances. Remember foods closest to nature are best, especially fruits and vegetables. Serve veggies raw, stir-fry them up, or blend them into meals for picky eaters.

 4 Stop weighing yourself everyday. Re-learn to feel good because you are proud of the healthy lifestyle you are adopting. It’s not about eating perfect. It’s about making a conscious effort to make healthy choices most of the time. Stock your fridge with quality foods, make time to cook nourishing meals, and try to get active everyday. Equally important is to lower your stress levels. Stress exhausts the adrenal glands, overworks the sympathetic nervous system, negatively impacts sleep, and increases hormones such as cortisol that stimulate the body to store fat. Make it a priority to take part in activities you enjoy and reduce the stresses you have control over. Enjoy the process
of health.

Sassy Soba Stir-fry
SOBA noodles (buckwheat) or Spelt noodles (300 grams)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 package of organic tofu (350 grams) cut into thin cubes
10 grape tomatoes, halved
2 pieces of bok choy, cut in half
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped

Dressing:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 tbsp Bragg’s soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1/3 cup hoisin sauce

Boil water and cook Soba noodles as directed and leave to the side.
In large saucepan, warm vegetable oil on medium heat. Add minced garlic and ginger. Add tofu pieces until golden brown on both sides. Add bok choy, bell pepper, grape tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and any other vegetables you enjoy. Add Bragg’s soy sauce, sesame seed oil and hoisin sauce to vegetables and cook until most of liquid is evaporated and vegetables are slightly crispy. Turn off the heat and let simmer. Add Soba noodles to stir-fry and mix. Serve warm.
Makes 4 Servings.

Three-time Olympian and World Champion swimmer Joanne Malar is a holistic nutritionist in Summerland, B.C. She appeared on IMPACT covers in 2000, 2003 and 2004.

September/October 2011