Sleep

Story of my life.

I have known this post was coming up for weeks and weeks. I knew sleep was an area I really needed to target. I even looked up 'Sleep Hygiene' (see below). These tips all seemed very sensible. I had big plans.

I tried. I failed. Even when I managed to get into bed at a reasonable time, I would stare at the ceiling for a couple hours then get out of bed anyways.

So, I toss out the question to you: what are your tips to getting a good night sleep consistently?





How to get a good night sleep (also known as 'Sleep Hygiene')

1.       Fixed bedtime and awakening time.

2.       No napping.

3.       No alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.

4.       No caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime.

5.       No heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime.

6.       Exercise regularly, but not within 2 hours of bedtime.

7.       Use comfortable bedding.

8.       Find a comfortable temperature for sleeping (cool, not cold, is best).

9.       Block distracting noise.

10.   Reserve the bed for sleep and sex.

11.   Try a light snack before bed. (They suggest warm milk and foods high in tryptophan like bananas.)

12.   Practice relaxation techniques before bed (e.g. yoga, deep breathing).

13.   Don’t take your worries to bed.

14.   Establish a pre-sleep ritual.

15.   Get into your favourite sleeping positing. If you are not sleeping 15-30 minutes later, go to another room to read until you are sleepy.

16.   If you wake up in the middle of the night, get out of your bed if you are not sleeping within 15-
20 mins. Leave the bedroom; go read, have a snack, or do something else that is quiet. No screen time. No office work or housework.

17.   Minimize screen time before bed. Listening to the radio is ok.

Nutrition Wrap-Up

The is the last day of the 'official' nutrition component of this one-year project, though I am sure there will be other posts sneaking in over the coming months since I am a bit of a foodie and enjoy these types of things.

There are so many wonderful nutrional resources out there, and it's always so much fun to discover new recipes and little nuggets of wisdom.

I invite you to share your go-to cookbooks and nutrional websites below. I've included a short list of my current favourites.

Cookbooks
One Bite at a Time (Rebecca Katz)
The Cancer Fighting Kitchen (Rebecca Katz)
Crudessence (Mathieu Gallant & David Côté)
Raw (Juliano)
Everyday Paleo (Sarah Fragoso)
Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free (Amy Green)

Blogs
Everyday Paleo
Simple and Tasty Nutrition
Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free
The Spunky Coconut
The Rawtarian

Recipe Rescue

The following is a concept that dramatically changed how I cook. I used to be terrified of ruining things. Now, I realize that most culinary cooking errors are salvageable.

The basic premise is that there are five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami. I am going to include the concept of "acid" under the umbrella of sour, and lump in "fat" with umami (umami is generally understood to mean meaty). Unofficially you could add a sixth taste, "spicy."
You can think of these five/six tastes as the colours on your palette. To paint your picture, or season your meal, you need to find a pretty combination. The key is to remember that it is all about the relative strength of each component with respect to the others.

Examples of ingredients that represent the various tastes
Sweet: honey, maple syrup, agave, dates, fruit
Salty: sea salt, nama shoyu, nori
Sour/Acid: vinegar, lemon juice
Bitter: some greens, herbs, cocoa
Umami/Fat: olive oil, cheese
Spicy: cayenne, pepper, ginger, red pepper flakes
Things like onions and garlic fit under many categories.

Now, when you have a recipe that doesn't taste quite right, ask yourself: Is it missing sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, or spicy? You can then choose one of the options from that category to boost the taste. Most of the time I am missing sour. I use a lot of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. The lemon juice, particularly, is like liquid sunshine -- it'll brighten a taste that has become too dense.

Just like in painting, beauty in the culinary arts is in the eye of the beholder. So, be brave, dare to try new flavour combinations! Your tastebuds will thank you.

Nutrition Challenge #3: No Processed Foods

Eliminating processed foods from my diet (including preservatives, colourings, artificial flavours, refined sugar) seemed like a good idea, so I gave it a one-week trial. Quickly, I discovered how virtually anything that comes in a labeled container was now on the no-no list. Some surprises were things like red wine vinegar and dijon mustard.

My diet is pretty simple. I cook from scratch the majority of the time. I didn't think this change would make much of a difference. I was surprised by the results. No headaches (unusual for me). I felt more relaxed and slept really well. Food cravings disappeared. I would get hungry, but not desperately ravenous like I often do. Plain things like fresh produce tasted so much better (and when the trial ended, processed foods did not taste nearly as good as I remembered them).

Moving forward, I think I am going to try to keep my diet at home super clean to continue enjoying all the benefits listed above. However, I plan to indulge on occasion when visiting with family and friends. Navigating a social life in a food-centric culture while gluten-free is tough enough.

Have any of you tried reducing or removing processed foods from your diet? How did it affect you?

The Brownies - Gluten-Free Baking

I happened to bump into my neighbour the other day just as I was expecting guests to show up. The married couple across from me and I share a common landing and stairwell to the doors of our apartments. Feeling neighbourly, I explained that I had just taken some brownies out of the oven for the friends arriving imminently -- would she like one? She said she would. I ducked into my apartment to grab the plate, and extended it towards her so she could take a brownie. She reached out and grabbed the entire plate with both hands very firmly, then turned to go into her apartment. I was so stunned that I didn't know how to clarify that I was really just offering her a brownie, not the entire batch (or half the batch, really, thankfully they didn't all fit on the same plate). This was why I had told her guests were coming. Her apartment door was then closed. Apparently my communication skills need some work. Then again, those brownies were really good. The aroma had probably been wafting into my neighbour's apartment for the last hour, and maybe she just couldn't help herself when she saw the whole platter.

What made these brownies special was that they were gluten-free, and I had dramatically reduced the fat content. Instead of butter, I substituted a roughly equal amount of homemade applesauce (unsweetened) plus a tablespoon or so of freshly ground flax. My non-celiac guests all reported the brownies had a 'normal' taste and texture - no leftovers.

A lot of people find the idea of gluten-free baking very intimidating. It can be somewhat tedious initially, but like anything practice makes perfect. I've included below my 'lessons learned' from the many kitchen disasters I created while learning to bake without gluten (a rock-hard loaf of "bread" that looked like the surface of the moon comes to mind). I've also listed a few recommendations for gluten-free baking cookbooks.

The brownies were a hit over here, and hopefully my neighbour enjoyed them too!


Gluten-Free Baking Tips
1. Use eggs that are at room temperature, and beat them well. This results in a lighter texture.
2. Measure everything exactly. GF baking is not especially forgiving.
3. Sifting the flours helps.
4. Find a flour mixture that suits your tastes, and then make it in bulk for convenient access (the cookbooks recommended below have a number of good combinations, and I'm sure there are lots of recipes on the internet).
5. You can interchange flours with the same texture. For example, I've used tapioca starch when I was out of potato starch. But, you wouldn't swap rice flour for tapioca starch.
6. Expect everything to take way longer to cook than the regular gluten-containing equivalent.
7. If your breadmaker does not have a gluten-free setting, don't bother trying to make gluten-free bread.
8. There is no shame in using a mix. The brownies I lost to my neighbour were made with a mix from The Gluten-Free Pantry (that's what was on sale this week).

The Mix Company and Judy's Magic Mixes are two family-owned Canadian companies that produce Gluten-Free mixes.



Cookbook recommendations
1000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster
This is a good book for anyone who wants the gluten-free equivalent of a longtime favourite (e.g. strawberry shortcake, etc). This is not really a book that emphasizes healthy substitutions. However, anyone new to the gluten-free diet will tell you that re-experiencing something they thought they had lost forever is pretty exciting. Everything I have made from the cookbook over the years has turned out well (admittedly, I have not tried all 1000 recipes). There is an excellent coffeecake recipe that I used to bring to potlucks and brunches all the time.

Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski.
Tasty recipes, nice variety of classics (e.g. chocolate chip cookies) and some newbies (e.g. Indian pudding). I remember the cinnamon rolls being especially delicious. They also wrote a cupcake cookbook.  This would probably be a more appropriate recommendation here given we are talking about baking, except that I have not tried it myself. I would expect though based on the Gluten-Free Cookbook, that their Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes would also be really good.

 

Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free by Amy Green

I first started using Amy Green's recipes when I discovered her blog years ago. I ordered the cookbook as soon as it was published, and it's still one of my favourites. Sometimes, the advertised "20 minutes" is not quite enough prep time for me, but the recipes are all relatively quick and simple. This is the gluten-free book for the person who is of a more health-conscious persuasion.

Wheatgrass: the Closet Hippie Breaks Out

I've often joked that I am a bit of a closet hippie. You know, the kind of person that wears Birkenstocks (sometimes with socks), does yoga, and can be spotted shopping at farmer's markets. I've been told that my latest antics have crossed the line:

Those are grown-up sunflower sprouts and chia sprouts. I'm working on some wheatgrass, too. And apparently, once you start growing your own wheatgrass, this makes you a full-fledged hippie (I don't know if the sunflower sprouts or the chia cross the line, but I've been told in no incertain terms that the wheatgrass most certainly does.)  

It all started with the raw foods class I took a little while back. That was my first exposure to wheatgrass. Before that, I always thought wheatgrass had gluten in it (I can't eat gluten). Turns out it doesn't. We were told wheatgrass has all kinds of wonderful healing properties. Curious, I decided to give it a one-week try by purchasing frozen portions (which allegedly have 40-50% less oomph than the freshly juiced stuff). We were warned not to take it at night, but I thought Seriously - just how energizing can a bunch of ground up grass really be? I drank 1 oz of wheatgrass juice at 9 o'clock... and was still awake at 2am. So, for the rest of the week, I made sure to take the wheatgrass in the morning.

My wheatgrass experiment was a success. I found it gave me a little more zip in the morning. I also found I was more focused during the day, and my skin was clearer. Because of all of this, I signed up for a sprouting class to learn how to grow my own wheatgrass at home. At my old house, I had a garden and a number of mature house plants that I loved dearly. I'm hoping that this whole wheatgrass thing will help fill that void while simultaneously serving a very practical purpose.

So, we'll see.

Anyone else have any experience sprouting or growing wheatgrass? Any advice?

Single Girl Snippet: The Maintenance Guy

While preparing lunch today, a middle-aged man suddenly appeared at the back door of my apartment.
Excerpt from the conversation between this unexpected arrival (U) and me (M):

U: Hi!
This guy was clearly out of breath. I live on the third floor of a walk-up. People don't normally show up at my back door.
M: Hello.
He was looking at me expectantly, like I was somehow terribly rude for not throwing open the screen door that separated us. Meanwhile, I was making a mental note to always lock said screen door in the future for moments like these. I gave him my best "who are you and what are you doing here?" look.
U: I'm Pierre.
Yeah, ok, so now that I know your first name I'm supposed to let you in? He didn't volunteer any further information that would explain his presence. I racked my brain trying to think of plausible reasons strange men in their 50s might show up at my door feeling entitled to enter my space. I could only come up with one:
M: Are you the maintenance guy?
U: Yeah.
My landlord had told me that some guy named Pierre would be by eventually to look at the sink in my bathroom, but that was two weeks ago and I hadn't heard anything since. I wasn't expecting the visit to be a midday surprise.
I let him in.
M: I forgot to mention to the landlord that the doorbell and the clothesline are also both broken. It's not an emergency, but any chance they could be fixed?
U: Of course.
He smiled a lot and was running around my apartment on warp speed.
M: Thanks.
U: Ok, so just so you know, I have a key to your back door. If you are not home when I come back, I will just let myself in if that is alright with you.
M: I guess that would be fine.
U: Would you like me to call first?
M: Yes, that would be great actually.
U: Oh, and don't bother locking the screen door. If the thieves around here are intent on getting in, they're just gonna break the window. You're not gonna stop them by locking the screen door.

Lovely.
And with that, he was back out the door. His entire visit lasted all of 3 minutes.

Mystery Ingredient #3: Coconut

One of my very favourite hostess gifts looked like this:

For your blog my friend had said when she handed it to me.

I had never opened a coconut before. Frankly, the process kind of intimidated me. But, now that there was a real life coconut sitting in my kitchen, and I was going to figure it out. I started by asking Google.

There are actually a surprising number of 'How to open a coconut' tutorials out there. Apparently, this is a very common problem (either that, or people just like writing about it and creating YouTube videos).  I attempted the 'Tap and rotate' method recommended by wikihow. It sounds really simple and straightforward, but I ended up sticking the coconut in a plastic bag and hitting it with a hammer. Finally, the coconut cracked:

This is the coconut water:

 A lot of the natural food types I've rubbed shoulder with recently have advocated the use of coconut water as a fantastic workout fuel. I just can't get past the taste... If such things as coconut water controversy interest you, I recommend reading pharmacist Scott Gavura's blog post. Like so many controversial topics, the comments are as interesting as the post.

Anyhow, back to the coconut odyssey.
After finally getting the coconut to crack open, you need to pry the white flesh out. Youtube videos will make this look easy peasy. It wasn't (hence all those small pieces in the bowl).

The brown coating on the fleshy pieces needs to be removed. I used my dollar store carrot peeler. I'm sure there is a more efficient way of getting the job done.

Next, the (all white) pieces need to be grated. I'm lazy, so I used my food processor.

Finally, I decided to toast the coconut in a pan.

When I started the project, I had all kinds of great ideas for what I was going to do with my sugar-free, preservative-free fresh coconut. By the time I actually had the coconut in hand, I was pooped.
So, I tossed it into the blender with some frozen strawberries and a touch of agave to make something along the lines of faux ice cream. It was delicious.

Anyone else have any experience with opening coconuts? Any words of wisdom to offer? What are your favourite coconut recipes?

Best Tips from My Running-est Friends

Wanting to learn more about sports nutrition, I decided to pick the brains of my running-est friends. Michelle and her husband have completed numerous marathons, an ultra marathon, and the Goofy Challenge (half marathon on Saturday, then marathon on Sunday in Disney World). Michelle was actually my pace group leader when I trained for my first half marathon. She has gone on to instruct a number of other running clinics. Below are her best tips.
Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your words of wisdom!


When I was first asked to do a guest post on sports nutrition, I have to admit my first thought was “What do I know about that?” After careful reflection, I realized that over time by running several marathons (and even a 50K Ultra Marathon!), being a running instructor and pacing runners that yes, I did know a bit about sports nutrition!

Here are some tips that I have picked up over time that I hope you find helpful as well:
1. Take note of what works and doesn't work for you to help you develop an exercise food routine. By developing a nutritional plan well before an event you will be better prepared and be reassured that you won’t have any unexpected reactions. I learned this the hard way by eating way too much before an event and was concentrating on where the closest porta potty instead of on the race!

2. Once you have established what works for you, don't deviate from your established plan. That means nothing new! If you trained eating bananas during a run keep eating them during your event! Knowing what works for you during exercise comes with trying things out well BEFORE your event. This way you won't have any unexpected gastro-intestinal issues that are likely to slow you down.

3. Another washroom avoiding tip: Too much fiber before a workout will make you have to go to the washroom so beware of how much you consume!

4. Use a sports type drink that will replenish your electrolytes. In running, my rule of thumb is to start using these after 10kms. But, test it out and see what works best for you. You'll know if you should have used them if you feel especially tired or sluggish post-run. To avoid this be especially conscious of the temperature outside. If it's hot out, you'll need to replenish your electrolytes at a faster rate due to sweating. Taking them ahead of schedule is a good way to avoid the negative effects that can come with the loss of electrolytes.

5. After approximately 15km’s (running), you will want to add a source of nutrition while doing exercise. This can come in many forms, including, but not limited to: sports beans, shot blok’s, energy balls ect...There are many to choose from and again the idea is to test them well before an event so that you can avoid any surprises (see above tip).

6. Have some sort of protein within 30 mins of a workout. It will help you rebuild your muscles. Chocolate milk is an excellent option. There are post run drinks available but keep in mind they are often loaded with non-essential chemicals and additives. They also cost a lot!

7. Nuts, raisins and oatmeal are great pre-workout foods as they include complex carbs. If you can, try to get steel cut oats (they are often in the health food section of the grocery aisle). They are the best kind as they contain the whole grain and will break down at a slower rate and will give you more energy as you workout.

8. Keep in mind that caffeine and alcohol will dehydrate you. While it's fine to enjoy these on oaccasion, it is especially important to limit or eliminate these before an event. A good rule of thumb is to limit alcohol a week before an event and caffeine a few days before. Drinking additional water before an event will also help you avoid dehydration.

9. Find a go-to-website for learning more about nutrition and exercise. I like Heather Moxley’s site as she includes many articles about nutrition and many healthy recipes (including one for energy balls).


What sites do you enjoy to gain more nutritional information?
What are your nutritional tips for when you exercise?

Sports Nutrition

Though very recreational, I exercise enough that electrolyte drinks and sports gels are a part of my weekly routine. I always cringe when I think of the sugar content, preservatives, artificial dyes, and artificial flavours associated with many of these products. It just seems counterintuitive to go for a long run while fueling your body with things that are arguably not really food. But, I haven't really found a practical and economical way around the issue.

Recently, I rediscovered my copy of The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier. I bought it at a race expo a few years ago, likely during one of my numerous failed attempts at becoming vegetarian. I quite enjoy Brendan's line of  Vega products (all-natural vegan sports nutrition, among other things), but the associated price tag is not especially compatible with my new grad budget. The recipes in the book, I hoped, would be just as good as the commercially available Vega but at a fraction of the cost.

For my little experiment, I prepared the lemon-lime sport drink and the lemon-lime sport gel.

Lemon-Lime Sport Drink (from The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice 1/4 lime
3 dates
2 cups water
1 tbsp agave
1 tsp coconut oil
Sea salt to taste

Filter out lemon and lime pulp from the juice if so desired. In a blender, combine all ingredients; process until smooth.

Lemon-Lime Gel (from The Thrive Diet by Brendan Brazier) [pictured below]
4 dates
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp lime zest
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp dulse
Sea salt to taste

In a blender, combine all ingredients. Process until blend reaches a gel-like consistency.

Lemon-lime sport gel

Lessons learned from the process:
1. Soak the dates first.
2. If you forget to add salt to the gel, don't add a little extra to the electrolyte drink. Baaaaaad move.
3. Making your own sports gel/drink means it'll take you an extra 20 minutes to get out the door for your run. Bonus, you have a kitchen mess to clean when you get home.
4. Strain the pulp from the citrus if you use a fuel belt with those little bottles. The pulp jams up in the red caps.
5. By the time you buy all the ingredients, I'm not sure how ahead of the game you really are. I like to use organic citrus for zesting. Worth doing the math.
6. In terms of taste and texture, the commercial Vega is better. I found this stuff awfully sweet.

All in all, I'll likely give this project another whirl. It would be nice to be able to make big batches. The book says the sports drink can be kept up to 2 weeks, but the gels only a few days.


Anyone else out there make their own sports nutrition products? Any recommended recipes?