Making Love in the Kitchen

You probably think I’m nuts. Sickness can be painful, ugly, stressful, agonizing, tragic, wretched, humiliating, sad. So what’s to be grateful for? I used to whine a lot about having Crohn’s disease. I felt sorry for myself. I adopted a ‘Why me, why does my body hate me so much?’ kinda attitude. It was me against my intestines – and it seemed as if my intestines were always winning. Sure, Crohn’s disease sucks. I’ve been on loads of medications, I’ve spent countless hours doubled over in hospital ERs, I’ve had a foot of bowel removed. It took me a long time to recognize all of the amazing gifts having this disease has brought me, but here I am, talking about illness like it’s a blessing and totally meaning it.

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Suuuweeeeeet Summer is coming! This weekend I’ll be running away to my fave place in the woods with a view of the lake and the smell of freshness. Freshness. That is right. Why? ‘Cause I won’t be grilling my homies. I am not a huge fan of the old BBQ. Not really. Once in a while we’ll light the flame and get some sweet potatoes grilling- but meat, no way. A barbecued burger? Hello cancer sandwich. I think I’ll pass. My bestest friends over at Harvard have this to say on the subject:

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There is more bacteria in and on our body, than human cells. We are outnumbered ten to one. You might even say that we are more bacteria than human. The implications of this are becoming more and more evident. Bacteria influence our health in hundreds of ways. Everyday there are new discoveries on how these microorganisms interact with human physiology. The benefits of consuming probiotics (“pro” meaning “for”, “biotic” meaning “life”) are truly abundant. However, the cultured foods that are available are usually of the lowest quality and advertised to consumers through clever marketing. An example of one of these products is Activia yoghurt by Danone.

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It’s been a bit of a detox themed week here on the Love in the Kitchen blog, no? Being so excited about the next round of our amazingly awesometown Fab Uplift Detox program, we can’t HELP but be chitchatting about detox power.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget just why detoxes are so important for our bods. Yes, you may shed the junk in the trunk and yes you will feel and look amazing. You will glow, you will feel light on your toes. But most importantly, detoxing is about making your body a strong powerhouse against illness and disease. It is about giving your body a fighting chance and making it the healthiest it can be. Eliminating the toxins from within and building your immune system are truly the best benefits from detoxing, no two ways about it.

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Gluten-Free Cleanser Mary asked us the following: If I am doing the Gluten-Free Cleanse, do I need to do a detox too?

Our answer: They definitely support each other but unfortunately, given the world most of us live in- that includes questionably clean drinking and showering water, strange chemicals in our food and air, and likely doing too much and not sleeping enough, sometimes our body needs an extra list.

Did you know we carry on average 7-25 pounds of poo around with us in our intestines (I know you want to tweet that gem of knowledge)? Eeeeww! Imagine what kind of poo juice you are absorbing back in if you’re not cleansing all that goo out!

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Should sugar be regulated like other ‘drugs’ we can so easily get our hands on if we want? This was all over the news last week and I thought I should offer my view. It may surprise many but hear me out on this. The argument in favour goes like this: “Sugar poses enough health risks that it should be considered a controlled substance just like alcohol and tobacco, contend a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)”. Read the full Times article here. I opted out of going on to the mainstream news to discuss this because what I really wanted to say isn’t what the peeps over in mainstream generally smile upon. Understandably- as it tends to offend a lot of advertisers. Since I don’t allow advertisers that I think are part of the problem to advertise, I have no one to please but you, my mom and my dad. So- here are my thoughts.

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So last Sunday, I was feeling the pain. Everyone around me was sick and I could feel the ickyness hovering over me. Had so many plans for the day. I was going to work for a bit, go to yoga, and out for dins with my man and his fam.
But no. There were other plans in store for me. Seems my immune system was the cruise director of my ship and had decided it was going to try and take me down. Na- ah! No way. I had the photo shoot for my book and a million things to get done this week. There was no time for sickness. So instead of doing what we all like to do- push on through until we have no choice but to lay in bed incapacitated, I took a hot, hot, hot long steamy bath and made the grossest concoction that has ever been concocted, and I rested. Now, when I say this drink was gross- I mean gross in the most potent, healing way. You know I am all about delish balancing with healing- but when it comes to the risk of cold and flu, delish goes right out the window. The ONLY thing that allowed me to get this baby down, was my glass straw. This straw is as good as an IV drip when it comes to getting the goods in as quickly as possible. Want to know what was in the mix?

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September 7th 2010, will be a day that I will always remember.

My life changed that day. At 1:30 pm about one year ago, I heard those four words…you have prostate cancer. I guess my life actually changed before the 7th. It was on August 25th that I had my biopsy at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

It was not a pleasant experience.

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This spice has been consumed for thousands of years and has been used medicinally to treat all sorts of health issues. The main therapeutic properties are found in a specific component of turmeric called curcumin. It is the part that gives turmeric that striking yellow color. “If curcumin can stop cancer, what else can it do.” I opened Pandora’s box and discovered a natural powerhouse.

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Sugar, my sweet coconut lovers, is a drug. A delicious one, but a drug all the same. We get hooked as kinder and we stay on the substance all the live long day- only until we grow old enough to add caffeine to the mix. Getting off processed or even natural sweeteners is one sweet challenge and those playing the Fab Uplift Detox are gonna win that game! With a little help of course.

Some argue that refined white sugar is the most addictive substance on this planet. You might even admit this yourself. You have a little, you want a little more and than you find yourself needing your daily fix, whether it be in your coffee or tea, soft drink, muffin, breakfast cereal, bread, pasta sauce, salad dressing, fruit juice or after dinner cookie. Sugar is in everything and we are consuming more than we think.

The average person now consumes roughly 135 pounds of sugar per year. Holy moly! A person’s weight in sugar? Hello obesity epidemic and hello cancer! Sugar is the number one fuel for those pesky cancer cells.

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The four words “You have prostate cancer” are shocking.

I heard those words over a year ago and it has taken me this long to feel comfortable writing about this journey. When most men hear those four words they rush to eradicate cancer from their bodies. They want surgery or some other form of treatment. They pray they’ll be one of the lucky ones who does not experience erectile dysfunction or incontinence. I have chosen a path of active surveillance and hope I will never have to have anything more invasive.

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In his own words, Ron Telpner, my dad, shares his story and experience with prostate cancer. His series, The Four Unwanted Words chronicles his experience from diagnosis to the best health of his life.
Read Part 1: Four Unwanted Words

You are what you eat.

When I was told “You have prostate cancer,” I thought my business career might be over. It was only after doing my homework that I realized that prostate cancer, when caught in its early stages, is not a death sentence. It is more of a condition. Just the same, I was scared.

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Perhaps we’re too extreme? This article was rejected from The Huffington Post.

Is There Something Wrong With Government Regulated Food Guides?

Do you look down at your dinner and see 680 calories? Perhaps a healthy ratio of carbs to proteins to fats? Maybe you see some fibre, vitamin C, beta carotene and just the right amount of Omega 3’s.

This is weird right? Looking at a plate of food without actually seeing the food.

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Oh my, oh my was this homemade ice cream the most amazing thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. Or in the top 10 for sure.

My bestest friends over at Hamilton Beach Canada sent me the sweetest of gifts and the latest was their 1½ Quart Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Maker. All this time I thought ice cream made in a blender was as good as anything else, but let me tell you- that machine did some magic to our blend of magic.

I was also surprised that there was really not much of a process involved. We blended the goods together in our blender, poured it into our ice cream maker and shazaam alakazaam, a half hour later we were ooing and aahing over the amazing ice creamy creation we had collectively created.

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Castor oil is amazing. A truly wonderous gem of a plant. No to mention how beautiful it is. See? Sweet right!

It is my go-to remedy for almost everything skin and immune related and can be viewed as an alternative to cortisone or antibiotic creams. The ricinoleic acid in castor oil prevents the growth of bacteria, yeast, and viruses. When I have joint pain anywhere, I rub it on the joints, if I have swollen glands, I massage it into neck/gland area, if I am feeling a little backed up- on to my belly it goes (massaged in a clockwise direction- the same direction stuff moves through the large intestine). With a cold or congestion, I’ll mix in a little comfrey and eucalyptus and massage it into my chest. Be warned- it will stain your clothes so put on the old and uglies for this one.

Castor oil has many beneficial uses in health and beauty products as well as in industrial uses. It is however a master at the gentle detox. You know how we love the detoxers that require minimal effort. This is one you need to welcome into your life and here is why.

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