150 Best Recipes For Cooking In Foil - Book Review

Foil packet meals = cooking at its simple best

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. As you guys know I am a fitness competitor and prepping meals is a huge part of my nutrition when I am on prep. It can be very time consuming. That means I am always looking for quick and simple recipes to get my food ready so I have more time for training. I also want them to taste good. I don't limit my sodium on prep so I flavour everything! And foil packets are so much fun, easy, and help create amazing flavours with your ingredients. They can also be prepared for oven, bbq or even camping!

This book: 150 Best Recipes For Cooking In Foil by Marilyn Haugen has quickly become one of my favourites for preparing meals! The delicious grilling and one recipes offer convenience with minimal cleanup. I hate cleaning so this is tremendously helpful for me. Its also great for the busy person who doesn't have a lot of time. Many of the dishes I ate ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for reheat later.

I also like that the ingredients that she uses for her recipes are easy to find every day ingredients. You just chop, mix and you are ready to go. I make mine in the oven but you aren't just limited to the oven with these recipes which is particularly useful no matter what your cooking situation is.

I give this book an 8/10 simply because it is in black and white and not every recipe has a photo. However every recipe that I have tried has been amazing! So grateful to have been sent this book!

If you're looking for your own copy check out: https://www.amazon.ca/Foil-Packet-Cooking-Recipes-Grilling-ebook/dp/B01GZB1YDY

150 Best Meals In A Jar - Tanya Linton - Book Review

I love mason jars! I have always said that "everything tastes better in a mason jar." And it does! Thats why I was excited to receive this book 150 Best Meals In A Jar. Once you start using mason jars you will see just how easy it is to do meal prep, eat on the go. You can even be as innovative as you want with the recipes. There really are no limits.

The book has a wide variety of delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It includes soups, snacks, fruit and vegetable salads, grain and legume salads, pastas, rice bowls, over night oats and even desserts.

My favourites are the over night oats. I always love including that into my own plans as well as my clients. One of my top fav recipes is the chocolate protein smoothie that is on pg 19.

The recipes are easy to follow, have great ingredients that are easily available and most often times you already have in your panty. Tanya Linton also provides great variations of the recipes so you aren't limited to exactly what she has in the originally recipe.

Overall I give this book an 8/10. There arent pictures of each recipe but there are just so many amazing options and variations its a go to book for meal prep. If you are into health and fitness and want amazing healthy recipes this is a go to!

To purchase your own copy head on over to:

Let Them Eat Wheat! Using Ancient Wisdom/Modern Science to Overcome Food Intolerances - Book Review

I was recently sent a book by Dr. Jon dullard to review. The title of the book was Eat Wheat - A scientific AND Clinically-Proven approach TO Safely Bringing Wheat AND Dairy Back INTO your diet.

What I loved about the book: Its based on scientific facts that he has used with thousands of patients to help them cure their food intolerances. This book is a real eye opener and a must read for fitness and health enthusiasts or anyone that has dietary issues/intolerances. Its great also because it is evidence based.

I also enjoyed that he discussed the underlying cause of the gluten-free explosion.  And that he goes on to discuss that when you eliminate wheat and dairy fro your diet it may illuminate your symptoms but it may also be a temporary solution.

This book is also a great read because it helps you learn how to navigate around food toxins in modern what and dairy and reveal the hidden science on the benefits of wheat and dairy. Through this he helps you see that you can retrain your body to digest wheat and dairy again. These things are very applicable for health but for bodybuilding and aesthetics it does not 100% apply in my opinion.

Has gluten been found guilty without a fair trial? It wouldn't be the first time an innocent food was given a life sentence. For example, after almost 60 years of so-called "hard science" condemning cholesterol, we now find out that the science was flawed and high cholesterol saturated fats, such as butter, have been officially taken off the FDA's nutrient concern list. Is it possible that we have wrongfully given gluten the boot as well? Turns out, if you’re gluten-free or dairy-free, you might not have to be!

Eat Wheat: A Scientific and Clinically-Proven Approach to Safely Bringing Wheat and Dairy Back into Your Diet (Morgan James, January 2017) by Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP, addresses this timely topic of food intolerances. After 3.4 million years of eating wheat and only 500,000 years of hunting meat, through Eat Wheat, Dr. Douillard reminds us that humans are actually genetically better equipped to eat wheat than meat and the true Paleo diet, clearly, included glutinous grains like wheat and barley.Dr. Douillard is a former NBA nutrition expert and creator of LifeSpa.com.

He has spent the past 30 years and has seen more than 100,000 patients in his natural health practice, helping to improve their digestive systems and begin to eat wheat again.“The most common dietary advice doctors have been giving their ailing patients for the past 30 years is to stop eating wheat and dairy,” says Dr. Douillard. “It’s just not that easy. Helping folks navigate around the processed versions of wheat while rebooting the digestive system is simply absent in medical practice, while being gluten-free has become a movement. We are fooling ourselves to think that all of our problems will disappear by just avoiding wheat. For years, I’ve seen patients after they have stopped eating wheat and dairy, and while they almost always feel better initially, the symptoms all too often return, leaving them with hardly anything to eat. With Eat Wheat, we can do better.”

Eat Wheat presents the science on the other side of the gluten-free aisle. For example, ancient wheat has been shown to have twice the gluten content of modern wheat yet decreased inflammation two-fold and lowered cholesterol and blood sugar.

So how could the more glutinous grain actually be healthier? In addition, wheat was a fall harvested grain that humans are well adapted to eating. Wheat digesting enzymes and microbes proliferate in the fall and winter to break down this so-called poison, gluten. So what is the real cause of America’s gluten sensitivity?

Eat Wheat explains how a breakdown in digestion has damaged the intestinal wall and leaked undigested foods and environmental toxins into the body’s lymphatic system, causing “grain brain” symptoms and food allergies. Although eliminating wheat and dairy from your diet may help your symptoms, it’s a temporary solution. The book addresses the root cause: the inability to digest well and break down harmful pollutants and toxins that can lead to more serious health concerns.Backed by more than 600 scientific studies, Eat Wheat is a revolutionary guidebook to regaining your digestive strength and safely bringing wheat and dairy back into your diet. It will also:

• Reveal hidden science on the benefits of wheat and dairy
• Help you navigate around food toxins in modern wheat and dairy
• Detail how to flush congested lymphatics linked to food intolerance symptoms
• Teach you to follow natural digestive circadian cycles
• Help bring your blood sugar back into balance
• Teach you proven exercise and detox techniques to reboot strong digestion and achieve optimal health and vitality

“Your digestive strength is the key to a long, healthy and vital life,” adds Dr. Douillard. “The choice as to whether or not you can eat gluten or dairy shouldn’t be decided for you because of weak digestion, it should be decided by you as a preference.”

Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP, is a globally recognized leader in the fields of natural health, Ayurveda and sports medicine. Over the past 30 years, he’s helped over 100,000 patients repair their digestive system and eat wheat and dairy again. He is the creator of LifeSpa.com, a leading Ayurvedic health and wellness resource on the web with over 4.5 million views on YouTube. LifeSpa.com is evolving the way Ayurveda is understood around the world, with over 700 articles and videos proving ancient wisdom backed by modern science. Dr. John is the former Director of Player Development and nutrition advisor for the New Jersey Nets NBA team, author of six books, a repeat guest on the Dr. Oz show, and has been featured in Woman’s World Magazine, Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post and dozens of other publications.
 
For more information, please visit www.eatwheatbook.com,www.lifespa.com, and connect with Dr. Douillard on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
 
Eat Wheat will be released in ebook form on September 1, 2016, and in paperback and hardcover on January 10, 2017. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Eat Wheat Book and all major booksellers.

Positive Thinking Will Never Change Your Life...But this Book Will - A book review

If the title doesn't get you Im not sure what will! I am always looking for positive and uplifting books to learn tips and tricks from. And this book really hit the nail on the head.  It puts the myth of positive thinking to the test and really gets into the reality of success.

The author is a man named David Essel, M.S. is the author of 9 books, a Master Life Coach and Teacher, Business Relationship and Addiction recovery Coach, International Speaker and Radio/TV Host (what doesn't this guy do?) For more info on him check out: www.davidessel.com 

I really enjoyed this book and if you are looking for a more positive 2017 definitely pick it up, I highly recommend it! It was an easy read and definitely a great way to start off your 2017!

8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS:

A Proven Program to Reset Your Hormones, Repair Your Metabolism and Restore Your Fertility

by Dr. Fiona McCulloch N.D.

For years, an estimated 116 million women have been affected by an unidentified disorder that affects weight, fertility, female hormones, hair, skin and has risk for chronic disease—and most women don’t even know they have it. Answers and treatments are finally available.

The upcoming new book by veteran naturopathic doctor Fiona McCulloch, 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS: A Proven Program to Reset Your Hormones, Repair Your Metabolism and Restore Your Fertility (Greenleaf Book Group, September 20, 2016), dives deep into the science underlying the mysteries of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) offering the newest research and discoveries on the disorder and a detailed array of treatment options.

“8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS is an encyclopedic-style book that has vast implications for PCOS, diabetes and weight loss, and it is the first book that introduces the idea of insulin counting,” says Dr. McCulloch.  “Insulin counting involves the measurement of how much a portion of any given food we eat raises blood insulin levels which can, if implemented, change the life of about one out of every ten women in the world—the percentage who suffer in silence from PCOS.”

In her book, Dr. McCulloch also introduces the key health factors that must be addressed to reverse PCOS. Through quizzes, symptoms checklists, and lab tests, Dr. McCulloch gives readers the tools they need to self-identify which of the factors are present in their bodies and what they can do to treat them. Readers will be empowered to be the heroines of their own health stories with the help of this unique, step-by-step natural medicine system to heal their PCOS, and since PCOS is linked with specific genes, helping their daughters with their reproductive and overall hormonal health.  Further, women will learn about the tests, which are important to understand when speaking with doctors. Medical professionals, who understand that conventional medical treatments for PCOS are not very effective overall and who are increasingly seeking reliable, scientifically-backed source materials from naturopathic doctors, will find this to be an up-to-date new source for materials written for practitioners.

8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS also includes the following topics:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) may induce PCOS after a single exposure for two generations onward
• Insulin resistance is a key component of PCOS, and insulin counting may help women reverse their PCOS
• One in ten women suffer from PCOS which is related to risks for weight gain, slow metabolism and diabetes and 50% of those don’t know they have it
• 70% of women with PCOS are considered to be insulin resistant or heavy
• PCOS also causes distressing cosmetic symptoms including hair growth on the face, hair loss from the head and acne which can result in low self-esteem, depression and anxiety
• Environmental toxins and genetics have been linked to causing PCOS
• Women with PCOS have a different reproductive cycle and often hit their reproductive peak later impacting family planning
• Insulin counting has a wide range of implications for PCOS, diabetes and weight loss
• Evidence-based natural medicine and supplements impact autoimmune conditions and thyroid conditions

Fiona McCulloch, N.D., founder and owner of White Lotus Integrated Medicine, is a naturopath practitioner having worked with thousands of people seeking better health over the past fifteen years. She is a data-junkie who specializes in evidence-based therapies for PCOS, thyroid health, autoimmunity, weight management and infertility among other unique conditions that can all benefit from a system reboot.

Dr. McCulloch is also a medical advisor for IVF.ca: Canada’s premier fertility community and is on the medical advisory committee for the PCOS Awareness Association. As a woman with PCOS herself, she is dedicated to increasing both awareness and research of this important condition that has far reaching effects on the lives of so many women. When she was a young girl, Dr. McCulloch would spend hours “compounding” mixtures made from plants and trees in the woods near her house.  Today, Dr. McCulloch is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (2001) and the University of Guelph (biological science).  She is married and the mother of three boys.  She can be reached on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

Dr. McCulloch’s new book, 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS, will be available on September 21, 2016 on Amazon and all fine booksellers. 

Sweating your way to optimal health
Giacomo Fasano highlights the benefits of detoxifying the body through running in new fitness book

I recently received the book Revolutionary Powercycles to review. As I am a track and field coach and recreational runner it was very fitting to my lifestyle. The fundamentals of fitness have been under our noses forever, but some aspects have not been diligently recognized. I also myself had to under go chemo last year (non cancerous) and used exercises as part of my therapy for both the mental and physical aspects. Although after reading this book I don't think that it is for everyone but there is a place for it with a lot of people. Sweat does help use release toxins in our bodies and I think we need to focus more on that with our treatment plans for a lot of illnesses. Please use the programs that the author suggests if you have a doctor to supervises especially if you are on any radiation therapy or chemotherapy drugs.

In the book “Revolutionary Powercycles,” Giacomo Fasano presents an 8-year self-study of his unique exercise regimen, Powercycle68, which combines 68 minutes of vigorous and slow-paced running to achieve the highest amount of sweat extraction.

Lead and other toxic metals present in sweat are cumulative toxicants that affect multiple bodily systems that can lead to many illnesses like cancer, tumors, depression, high blood pressure and premature aging. The World Health Organization says there is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe, and that lead can enter the body through environmental contamination or ingestion.

“The pragmatic approach to targeted lead removal in Powercycle68, known as progressive displacement, is like a reverse vitamin to our bodies,” Fasano said.

By following Giacomo’s fitness plan, readers currently undergoing cancer treatments can also improve their health through progressive displacement by lowering the levels of arsenic toxicity in their bodies caused by radiation or chemotherapy drugs while generating new, healthy cells in the brain, lungs and other organs.

“I am of the strong opinion that the calculated, systematic and consistent removal of lead and other bad toxins from the body can only begin to have mankind be taller and better than cancer and other ailments,” Fasano said.

For more information, visit http://www.revolutionarypowercycles.com.

Or Amazon: http://www.amazon.ca/Revolutionary-Powercycles-Giacomo-Fasano/dp/1503512525/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450066117&sr=8-2&keywords=revolutionary+powercycles

The author Giacomo Fasano has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Johnson & Wales University and a law degree from Pace University School of Law. His passion for health and fitness is well into its fourth decade, having logged more than 14,000 miles of running throughout the last 10 years.

Thank you so much for giving me the honour to read your book Giacomo Fasano. It really reminded me and re- opened my eyes as a health professional and track coach about the benefits of sweat and exercise. Endorphins are a powerful drug. We all need to take exercise I bit more seriously.

 The Accidental Athlete - Review

Author Stephanie Atwood specializes in health and wellness books and products. Stephanie Atwood has a M.A. In Communications and is certified as a Run Coach, Trainer, and Nutritionist (sounds like someone else you might know hehehe).  Anyway she has an "Empowered Athlete Series." I recently had the opportunity to read "The Accidental Athlete."

If you are a runner or any type of athlete what so ever you will find that this is very relatable. It is also a quick read with a great message, Stephanie the author describes her experience finding and holding onto the lifeline that is movement! As a fellow accidental athlete, her story is a reminder of how far many of us have come through fitness and community.

You can find the book here: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00BIBRX28

Thanks for the great read Stephanie.

“Sleep Secrets is the book you should read for good, practical information on how to get a good night’s sleep.  Insomnia, sleep deprivation, snoring and sleep apnea — this comprehensive resource has it all.”

Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, author and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona

Get a Good Night’s Sleep – Reset Your Biological Clock 

Some people are blessed with the ability to sleep anywhere at any time. Others find falling asleep a challenge that worsens with the passing of years. Left unattended, insomnia can become chronic, disabling and eventually even a medical condition.

Ronald M. Bazar, author of the new book Sleep Secrets: How to Fall Asleep Fast,

Beat Fatigue and Insomnia, and Get a Great Night’s Sleep, says that lack of sleep not only affects your ability to work effectively but can have serious effects on your relationships and your enjoyment of life. Lack of sleep also can wreak havoc with your hormones, your immune system and your body's ability to fight off disease.

“You need six and half to eight hours of good relaxed sleep per night in order to maintain and regenerate your bodies’ natural systems,” he said. “You don’t need to resort to taking drugs and narcotics every night either. There are other natural and alternative ways that work even better."

Bazar’s comprehensive and easy-to-read book includes, yet goes beyond, the sleep tips you've heard about and gets into both science-based research and complementary medicine tips for help resolving insomnia and other problems caused by sleep deprivation.

“One of the most important things to do is to reboot your body naturally and then control every factor that prevents you from falling and staying asleep.  Here are some of his top recommendations about how to reset your bodies’ biological clock and create solid reliable sleep habits:

1. Detach from your electronic devices well before bed. They are insomnia creators.

1. Stretch before bed time. Get on the floor and do some stretching exercises half an hour before bed time. Do some yoga poses to relax your back and neck, and stretch your legs and especially your calves to help reduce cramping.

1. If you are hungry before bed, have a light snack like fruit but don’t have heavy foods or a full meal or a very late dinner.

1. Set your sleep time intentionally. Tell yourself that 10 PM is bed time and 6 AM is wake up time. Mentally establish and commit yourself to sleep on a regular schedule. Stick to it. Go to sleep the same time every night and get up the same time every morning. Make it a habit.

1. Listen to soothing music or read for fifteen minutes or more before you turn off the lights. Just make sure you choose something that won’t stimulate your thinking, make you tense up or worry right when you want to go to sleep.

1. Don't have any electronic devices in the room where you sleep. Turn off all lights, TV and radios, cell phones, laptops, computers, and all those power supplies that have a glowing LED or light. Move them into another room and away from your bedroom so they can’t make sounds that wake you up and interrupt your sleep. Use foam ear plugs to reduce noise levels that can prevent you from sleeping.

1. Go dark, totally dark. Cover the windows with blackout shades to prevent light from entering the room where you sleep. Wear an eye mask for total blackness. You may even need to replace your alarm clock with something that doesn’t have glowing numbers or is backlit.

1. Get up early! Set the alarm and get up just when it is getting light, before the sun rises. Better yet, learn how to awaken without an alarm. Don’t touch that snooze button.

1. Get outside and spend 20 minutes or more in the bright early morning sun and fresh air. Take a walk, walk the dog, go for a bike ride, or do some work in the garden.

1. Eliminate stimulants such as coffee, tea, soda or anything with caffeine, and sweet drinks with sugar. If you drink coffee, only have it in the morning and never have it after lunch or within four to six hours of bed time. Don’t drink energy drinks or caffeine drinks in the afternoon or evening.

1. Take a short nap during the day only if you are sleepy. But if you have problems falling asleep at night, then do not nap until you re-establish a new rhythm. It’s OK to take a 20 minute nap if you get tired, but don’t go over 30 minutes and take the nap at least six hours before your normal bed time so that you are not over-rested to the point where it interferes with your normal sleep time.

1. Get a comfortable bed and coverings. Turn the temperature down at night so it’s cool in the air and warm in the bed. Go hypoallergenic or organic.

Here are some other actions you can learn to get to sleep fast:

• Mind techniques to quiet the mind and help you relax
• Simple breathing techniques that will help you sleep easier and deeper
• Eat the foods that will help you sleep, and avoid the foods that don't
• How to fall back asleep quickly if you wake up in the middle of the night
• The best pillow to use for sleeping
• Inclining your bed can help you sleep
• Walking outside barefoot can actually help you sleep better at night
• Supplements and remedies to target your sleep needs -- or eliminate fears
• Solutions to snoring and sleep apnea
• Jet lag prevention tips
• Cannabis for sleep? How to find the right strain
• Special sleep advice for babies, teens, and elders

“Be consistent,” Ron says. “You can train your body and achieve the cyclic rhythms you need to go to sleep when you want to and get a good night’s rest. "

Will you be buying Jillian Michaels new book slim for life?