From a health standpoint, vegetables are an unbeatable food: naturally nutrient-rich; better tasting than a vitamin pill; low in calories; high in fibre and packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients. All types of vegetables can be nourishing and delicious – fresh, frozen, canned and juiced.

To maximize your health with vegetables, nutrition experts suggest at least 3 to 5 servings per day – but why stop there? With so many ways to enjoy spring-time goodness, you could easily eat vegetables at breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.  Here are a dozen daily ways to treat yourself to good health!

• Asparagus: Saute in olive oil with garlic and a hit of lemon zest for a refreshing and seasonal dish. Roasted asparagus is a great finger food for snacking on!
  
• Broccoli and cauliflower: Versatile and very healthful – eat them raw (with dip if you like) or cooked, in a salad or even a slaw.
  
• Carrots: Sweet, crunchy, good for your teeth, eyes and heart! Perfect raw (as a snack or salad) or cooked in a stew.
  
• Peppers: Green, red, yellow, orange or even purple!  Enjoy peppers in a salad, stir-fry, casserole or as a snack.  They are great roasted too.
  
• Spinach: A salad of baby spinach leaves with pears or apples can turn anyone into a real spinach lover. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle goat cheese on top, mmmmm.
  
• Onions: The zesty onion family (scallions, leeks and garlic, too!) offers some powerful antioxidant nutrients.
  
• Peas: Fresh or frozen, peas are a treat to eat and they are very popular with small children.  I like to eat them freshly picked, right out of the pod.
  
• Beets: If you’ve never liked beets, try them in a new way – like roasted, grilled or lightly steamed in the microwave.  They increase inflammation-fighting nitric oxide. 
  
• Mushrooms: Just a mushroom or two adds rich flavor to a casserole, soup, stew, stir-fry or even a tossed green salad.  Asian mushrooms are loaded with anti-cancer nutrients.
  
• Leaf and romaine lettuce: Rule of thumb for a healthy salad – the darker the color of the lettuce leaves, the more nutrients you get.
  
• Green, yellow or purple beans: Like their pea ‘cousins,’ beans offer some fibre and a little bit of protein, along with vitamins and minerals.
  
• Tomatoes: Cooking increases the availability of some tomato nutrients – so enjoy canned sauce, paste and chunks.
  

Many people don't eat vegetables until dinner. Make a commit to your health - Check off the new ways you want to try to enjoy more veggies during the day:

I can add vegetables at breakfast by:

□ Adding vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, onion, green or red peppers to an omelet

I can add vegetables at lunch and snack by:

□ Adding leafy greens, cucumber, or peppers to sandwiches
□ Adding different vegetables to a green salad, like broccoli, green beans, asparagus or peas
□ Adding a bag of sugar snap peas, carrots, peppers, celery and/or zucchini sticks to my snack
□ Adding extra vegetables to soup
□  Choosing kale chips or nori instead of potato chips


Leave a comment below and let me know how you enjoy your favourite veggies.

In good health,
Cheryl Wahl, RHN, CPCC, Personal Trainer

What exactly are superfoods anyway? 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, superfoods are “a super nutrient-dense food, loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and/or phytonutrients, etc.”.  I have also read they have specific benefits for health improvements, few negative properties and are a whole food in its natural state.

In a perfect world, we would all be able to buy organic, local, grass fed, free-range food on a daily basis.  But if you’re anything like me, that’s not possible, the grocery budget is only so big, especially with 2 growing boys.

Now, I’ve made some changes in our monthly budget so that I can buy more organic food.  Cut back on the Starbucks for one.  But I’ve also found this great guide that shows which produce has the most pesticide residues and are the most important to buy organic, and which are the least contaminated and you can save your money by buying them conventional.

Visit the Environmental Working Group’s website to get your copy of the “Dirty Dozen, Clean Fifteen” list.

Since cancer prevention and support is my passion, I’ve chosen 3 foods from each list, highlighting their cancer fighting properties.

The Dirty Dozen list…BUY THESE ORGANIC

1.     Spinach/Kale

• Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which helps in preventing bone loss, osteoporosis and maintaining a healthy metabolism
• Greens are also high in iron, high in fiber and low in calories (eat them with a little lemon squeezed on to get the full absorption of iron)
• The risk-lowering benefits for cancer have recently included cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate

2.     Tomatoes

• Lycopene has been shown to lower the risk of developing prostate cancer and reduces the aggressiveness by up to 60% (and recently, shown to reduce breast cancer risk and aggression as well)
• Orange colored tomatoes have a higher bioavailability of lycopene (better absorbed)
• Helps to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
• Excellent source of immune boosting anti-oxidants like vitamin C & E and beta-carotene (can you say anti-cancer?)

3.     Strawberries (or any berry for that matter)

It's the day after St.Patrick's Day, or any other celebration, and you wake up with a headache, upset stomach, your mouth is dry and you're feeling down… 

It's official...you have a “hangover". No matter what you do your body needs rehydrating, rest and sleep to recover. You need to nourish your body with vitamins and liquids. Here are some tips;

1.     Sleep 

Your body needs to recover so sleep is your best option. Try to stay in bed if you have the luxury…

2.     Liquids

The symptoms you're feeling post-drinking are signs of dehydration caused by the alcohol. That's why you must rehydrate yourself by drinking a lot of water when you get up. Rehydrating your body is the key to recovering from the hangover, this cannot be stressed enough. You can even put some lemon in your water because it'll help soothe your stomach and will add vitamin C. When drinking water, avoid water that is extremely cold or hot; drink water at room temperature. Also orange juice is a good option because of its vitamin C content or you can try coconut juice, which will replenish your electrolytes. 

3.     Coffee

Even though you feel like coffee is your cure, caffeine is a diuretic and it will cause further dehydration of your body. Also milk and other dairy products are not a good idea for an upset stomach and nausea. Stay away from them.

4.     Food

A couple slices of plain toast or a few crackers can be a good idea. Carbs will help bring up your blood sugar levels. Or have a piece of fruit, which will refresh and give you the energy you need.

5.     Exercise

Sweat it out… Endorphins released can elevate your mood and detoxify your body and make you feel better...clearer.  Just be sure you drink lots of water as not to get dehydrated. 

If you want to prevent a “hangover” then try to eat a meal, or at least a snack, before or while you are drinking. Water before bed will also help wash out the alcohol from your system, and drinking water between drinks is also a great way to prevent the hangover effects.

Head on over to my recipe tab and make yourself a Liver Detox Shake.  You'll be feeling better in no time.

In good health,
Cheryl Wahl, RHN, Personal Trainer