Have you ever thought of Ginger, other then just gingered beef. There are so many different uses for that odd looking tuber. My favorite part of the body is the digestive system. In my opinion everything evolves from the digestive system. If "she" ain't  happy, no body system is happy. Ginger stimulates the digestive enzyme activity and increases the production and secretion of bile from their liver and gall bladder. As Martha would say "This is a good thing".

If you have some issues with vomiting, be it pregnancy-induced nausea, chemotherapy-induced nausea, motion sickness/sea sickness, post -operative nausea and vomiting Then definitely reach for the ginger. 

It is even thought that rheumatic diseases ( Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, artralgais and muscle pain) can be helped with Arthritis. This is good news with the crazy high levels of Arthritis in the Maritimes here.              

Do not use Ginger if you have gall stones. Also good to know, is that some people may find that Ginger gives them heartburn. Heartburn, not fun. Ginger also may interfer with some medicines. Really? 

Some of the things that ginger is good as: Antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, as a circulatory aid, blood detoxifier and my favorite. Great as a tea. When I am cold and feeling under the weather,  cut up some ginger in a mug of hot water and sip away the cold. I put it in a baggie and freeze it, then just grade it when needed. 

Maybe you need to give that odd looking tuber a second thought? It's so yummy and so useful, not many things can we say that about.  

As always I'd like to hear your thoughts, email me at susan@rachellewood.ca

Did you catch Marketplace this week?  It was an eye opening look into Herbal Magic Weight Loss and Nutrition Center.  With claims such as, “Loose 7-10 pounds per week” and “all-natural products” this weight loss chain got a terrible review. This business is built on making promises for weight loss, general health and wellbeing- and trust me they have a vitamin for every medical condition known to man. According to this investigative report, Herbal Magic is only good at 1 thing and that’s ripping you off.

To check out what Canadians are saying read the Marketplace Blog

So what am I saying? Back in 2003, at the ripe age of 21, I worked at Herbal Magic for 3 months.  It was the grand opening of the Charlottetown Center and prior to this I was living in Fredericton NB and worked for the Atlantic Superstore as a Natural Value Manager. Wanting to move back to PEI, I took on a position with the company and 1 month later I was back on the red soil.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Working at Herbal Magic was a lot like selling cars. Need I say more? Employees were encouraged to upsell and recommend vitamins for any situation possible ie: stuffy nose, to symptoms of PMS. We were high class sales people making bonus and commision pay. Heck I even won a hotel room in Moncton one night for the having the highest sales my second month. 

When I worked at Herbal Magic I was 48 pounds heavier then I am today. Check this out

One of my favorite parts of the report was when they interviewed former clients. A popular topic with them was the cost of the supplements. They agreeded it may cost $1200 to join yearly but they probably spent between $3000-$6000 on vitamins. According to Marketplaces 3rd party testing, many of the vitamins sold at the weight loss chain have no DIN number which means they have not met guideline regulations. This is morarly and nutritionally wrong, infact I don’t know any well educated health care professional that would recommend that many vitamins in a year especially when the client is eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

 So what did cyberspace think this herbal rip off?  From my twitter feed, NutritionistPEI today.

thewholeway@nutritionistPEI the Marketplace episode can be viewed here http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/ I had a few friends who worked at HM in ON.    

nutritionistPEI@thewholeway I worked at HM after @CSNNHalifax but only for 3 months.It motivated to write my own #weighloss program without herbal products

nutritionistPEI@thewholeway - yes I'm also a fan of this truthful site. consumers should know what they r really eating http://www.weightymatters.ca/

nutritionistPEI- Thank you Marketplace for exposing Herbal Magic #WeightLoss scam this week. Interesting comments @ http://tinyurl.com/yao6h87

 I also mentioned the topic in my facebook group.                                                                                                                                                

Rachelle Wood
Great you should watch it, everyone should to find out the truth. Can't wait, it's on tonight at 830 our time.
February 5 at 4:40pm •  

Anne M. McPhee
wow - what an eye-opener.
February 5 at 10:10pm • 
 
Rachelle Wood
yes- I especially enjoyed when they explained the fact that the "personal health coaches" have NO NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION OR TRAINING and are paid commission for selling products. It's the honest truth and it's scary.
February 5 at 10:18pm •  

Anne M. McPhee
That and the fact that their PRODUCTS do not do what they claim they can do. And they have a product for every ailment. And the cost being way more than what they claim - what a scam.
February 5 at 10:26pm •  

Rachelle Wood
Yes they quote $1200 to join, but forget to mention the $3000-$6000 for supplements. I've always really enjoyed Marketplace, and am so glad they got to the bottom of this herbal rip off. Thanks for your comments Anne!

February 5 at 10:29pm •  
Rachelle Wood I've been reading this blog for the past 1/2 hour and thought you may want to see it too! This Marketplace episode was a HUGE eye opener into the dieting industry. http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2010/02/questioning-the-magic-at-herbal-magic.html

Questioning the Magic at Herbal Magic - Marketplace Blog
www.cbc.ca
When Stacey Edgar wanted to drop about 50 pounds last year, she decided to try Herbal Magic. It's one of the biggest weight loss companies in Canada -- with more than 300 stores coast to coast."When ...

Janice Maclean
WOW - thaks Rachelle - once again proof is in what NUTRITIONISTS teach us, not people who are at weight loss "stations", and get paid on how to pump products that have no merit.   

So what did Herbal Magic teach me other then how to sell health in a bottle? That I could create a better system of weight loss using the principles of Holistic Nutrition I learned while studying at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2002. 

If your thinking about losing weight I highly suggest you research your options. Find a NUTRITIONIST you can work with. The program should be customized to suit your dietary needs, while offering educational handouts to insure positive changes will be made. If you fail to learn how to change your behavoiurs about food you may never regain control. Ask to see the educational documents of your consultant, nutrition especially selling/recommending vitamins can be fatal work. And if you've come across someone who sais, " Well I have no education in nutrition but I read a lot of books and have lost 40 pounds by taking these products," do yourself a favor and just walk away. To find a CSNNAA approved Holistic Nutritionist in PEI click here. (by the way, Susan Foster and I are the ONLY ones). 

I’ve always enjoyed writing (from pen pals to Zines to blogs) and in 2004 wrote the beginning stages of my holistic weight loss program. 5 years later my dream is 52 weeks long including written educational and insturctional handouts and hundrads of healthy recipes. My system is so simple, using the principles of good digestion and proper food combinations. It is proven sucessful with over 50 000 pounds lost in less then 5 years with Islanders from Souris to Tignish trying it out. To find out more about it check out Rachelle Wood Nutrition.  

So what do you think about this Marketplace report? Were you a client at Herbal Magic and have something to share with other blog readers? I would LOVE to hear your comments, info@rachellewood.ca  

As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist a big part of my job is educating the public. There are a ton of supplements out there, from Antibiotics - Zinc and everything in between. Literally hundreds of new preparations are marketed each year. The tricky part comes in the literature from the manufactures. Everything from the manufactures backing up their claims for these supplements, ranges from common promotional tales to good scientific research. If you have any questions about specific supplements please email me  and I will do my best to give you the straight facts on the pros and cons of each supplement.

A supplement that I have been researching lately is 5 HTP, 5-Hydroxytryptophan. This is a mood balancing herb. Actually it's from the Griffonia plant. It increases serotonin levels in the brain. Oh happy days are here again.

5 HTP has been known to be good for:

Appetite control

Pain control

Inflammation

Migraines

Depression- watch out for this one. 5HTP has side effects

Insomnia

Some of the side effects are: Nausa, constipation, gas, drowsiness and decreased sex drive. 5HTP is not recommended for those taking MAOI's (Monoamine Oxidase Ihibitors- Hardcore antidepressants) and SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor- antidepressants). It is important to check with your current meds and supplements to see if 5HTP would be a good fit. This supplement is not for everyone. 5HTP can be purchased on it's own as well as it can be found in different compounds. It can be in capsule form as well as powdered form. If anyone is currently taking 5 htp I would love to hear your opinion on this supplement.    

As well if anyone has any questions about 5HTP or any other supplements, please just email me. At Rachelle Wood Nutrition we believe in educating our clients not medicating.  

Meeting your daily vegetable serving requirements is often a challenge. But when it comes down to it, in order to lose weight and be healthy you must learn to love them.  My clients often complain that they are sick of salads (after all it is December).  Perhaps you may feel the same way?

Last week when Lindsey came in for her motivational weigh in session, www.rachellewood.ca, she complained about not getting enough vegetables in.  She was sick of the same old cooking methods and needed some creative cooking ideas. Also she was feeling sick with a sore throat and had very little energy to prepare meals. She was loading up on carbohydrates (comforting crackers and toast) which understandiably was slowing down her weight loss results.  She needed help and FAST.

So Lindsey is not known to be, “much of a cook," but she is indeed, “inspired to lose weight and get healthy”.  I suggested she make a feel good beef and vegetable soup ASAP.  In office we verbally created a recipe using her favorite vegetables, and after her session she headed to the grocery store.

Being sick is not an excuse to slip on your healthy eating habits. When you’re feeling under the weather, it’s time to increase your vitamin and mineral intake by eating even MORE vegetables. Also water is important to improve immunity, so by making a pot of soup you’re really increasing your chances of fighting of disease. Load your soup with Vitamin C rich foods such as: carrots, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Spice it up with immune system strengthening herbs like:  garlic, ginger or oregano. 

A few days after her session I received an email from Lindsey with the following recipe.

Lindsey’s Cold and Flu Fighting Beef and Vegetable Soup

900 ml low sodium beef broth

796 ml can low sodium crushed tomatoes 

1 ½ cups carrots, chopped

1 cup bell peppers, chopped

1 cup turnip, chopped 

1 ½ cups Artic Gradens spaghetti vegetables

1 pound extra lean ground beef, rinsed

Spice mixture: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, sea salt

Cook hamburger then rinse under hot water to remove as much of the fat as possible. Add the remaining ingredients to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve and enjoy this immune system building recipe. 

Moral of the storey: ALWAYS EAT YOUR VEGGIES.

Thanks again Lindsey for letting me use your recipe for a blog post. Now other clients at Rachelle Wood Nutrition (and the World Wide Web) can use your soup as medicine too.

Do you have a recipe you would like to share with other blog readers? If so please email your suggestion to info@rachellewood.ca . Did you try this recipe, if so please post your coments and rate.

Constipation, the trick is  not to become a permit resident. Constitpation is a lot like stress,we have just "lived with it" for so long, we do not really know what it is like to not be constipated or stressed out. Hey, you, yes you,  we both know who you are. You really don't have to live like this. You  too can be one of those people who "go" a couple times a day. On  average people "go" 2 or 3 times per week. Well the question becomes, do you want to be average or do you want to be healthy?  

How do you  know if you are constipated. Good question, lets see, are you  experencing any of the following? Difficulty in starting or  completeing a bowel movement, passing hard stool after a long  straining time on the thrown, distended abdomen, these are some pretty obvious signs. Do you have a headache, loss of appetite, coated tonuge even a bad taste in your mouth, yeah really. These things too can be symptoms of several things, one of which, you may be constipated. "Full of it- so to speak" Oh you see here, lay's the dangers of having your septic tank backed up. Other than the usual gas,pain, discomfort, weight gain, possible nausea there is also, my personal favorite, toxemia.

Some reasons for having things get "backed up" could be; not enough  lubriation (don't underestimate a good lube job), some medications &/or supplements, stress, intestinal parasites- really, it happens a lot, or maybe a slow functioning liver.  There is help at the end of  the rainbow.  As a Holistic Nutritionist, I "Put food first". Try oranges, celery, good quality bran, water water water, sauerkraut, papaya, prunes, figs, potato peeling broth- seriouly try it. Some other honorable mentions; laxative teas that include senna leaves, rhubarb root and cascara. My favorite is kind of "old school" vitamin C folks, not fancy but it works. Keep in mind, a sad "behind", will lead to other organs being unhappy, then guess what you got a revolt on your ... hands. 

As Registered Holistic Nutritionists at Rachelle Wood Nutrition, www.rachellewood.ca  we like to "educate not medicate" if you are interested in how we can educate you just email me at susan@rachellewood.ca or comment to this blog. I would love to hear from you!   Susan Foster RHN