Category: words

My latest cover feature in Edible Magazine

Edible Mag Cover - Nowruz - feature image

Despite what feels like an endless Winter in Vancouver this year (which I, admittedly, enjoy to the core) Spring is on its way. Edible Magazine‘s Almost Spring issue is now out on news stands, and I am honoured to have another feature on the cover – especially as it’s a photo of my mother’s hands.

My mom is the source of my wellness inspiration, and has taught me the value of good food and health since I was little (advice that I regrettably didn’t put into practice until later years!). My article is all about how she expresses her love for her family through food, the traditional Persian meals she prepares (that are bursting with essential nutrients at this time of the year), and why Persian New Year – celebrated on the first day of Spring – is my preferred time to start a new chapter.

You can find the hard copy all over town, and the digital version here.

 

Why are we so overwhelmed?

2012-CAD-PP-JA-32 tint

I often hear my mom comment to my sister during a particularly stressful episode with her (much-adored) grandchildren that, “It wasn’t like this raising you two.”

Overwhelm seems to be the plague of the 21st century in North America. For most of us, life has never been more convenient than it is today, and yet many of us struggle with keeping our head above water. Sometimes we’re even paralyzed by our daily to-do lists. Why is that?

I think there are many reasons for this:

  • too much choice can cause paralysis (as outlined in The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz)
  • endless access to information and entertainment, and comparing ourselves to others
  • working and raising children simultaneously
  • constant communication in the form of phone calls, emails, texts and social media alerts

Rarely does anyone feel bored anymore.

But there’s another thread to overwhelm that I hadn’t recognized until I became a Nutritionist.

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Sign up now for the 2017 West Coast Cleanse!

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Hey everyone! I’m so excited (once again) to be unveiling a project that I’ve been super eager to launch. I’ve created another product to encourage living in harmony with the seasons. It is the 2017 West Coast Cleanse and it is designed for those of us living in and around Metro Vancouver.

January is coming up soon and is a very popular time to cleanse, given that we often overindulge over the holiday season, which leaves us feeling heavy, groggy and in the need of an extreme fix! But doing it incorrectly during the dead of winter can be harsh on our systems.

I have designed the 2017 West Coast Cleanse for people to gain the benefits of cleansing while also staying in harmony with the seasons!

Cleansing is an important practice for overall wellness. Our eliminatory organs (the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and bowels) must get rid of environmental toxins as well as harmful chemicals produced internally as a byproduct of some metabolic processes.

I’d say that it’s now, more than ever before, important to take the time to cleanse the body. Here’s why:

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Where to find Winter Farmers Markets in and around Vancouver

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It’s that time of the year when farmers market shoppers stock up on as much fresh, local produce as they can and start saying goodbye to their favourite vendors as they pack up for Winter.

But it’s not all bad news. Winter farmers markets are popping up – and sticking around – more and more! They usually run until the following Spring, when the Summer markets tend to kick off again.

Here’s a list of Winter Farmers Markets in and around Vancouver:

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Getting off the pendulum swing

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“The Tortoise and the Hare” from an ed. of Aesop’s Fables illus. by Arthur Rackham, 1912

There’s this notion that at some point between moving from one extreme to another, you will land in the middle. For me – in the case of eating healthy and taking care of myself – that certainly hasn’t been the case.

I’ve lived most of my life in opposite extremes. Half the time, I ate super healthy, exercised daily and practiced mega discipline towards achieving my goals. But the other half of the time, I had the live a little attitude a little too often and sat idle all day, getting nothing purposeful done and eating whatever junk I wanted.

Never, did I land in the middle.

Despite the desire to find a happy, healthy medium – to make healthful choices and be at my best, while also enjoying treats from time to time – I never managed to do it.

But one day, my body stopped bouncing back as easily as it used to, and I ended up with food-related health issues. I realized that I couldn’t continue taking my body for granted. Luckily, I had an aha moment and decided to take a different approach. I took baby steps.

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