V-Day

Last week was Valentine's Day.  I'm not sure about how you guys like to spend V-day but I indulged in a wild romance with Arizona flight schedules after my connection to the annual oncANP conference was cancelled.  The eastern seaboard was having its own wild romance with rain and snow! 

Devoting the day to love one day a year seems like a nice idea:  the red hearts, the flowers, the dinner out, the way-to-sweet chocolate.  It's hard to go wrong with combination like this!  But nothing satisfied my Valentine's day more than the little comic I received via email from the man I love.  All the dinners, flowers, hearts and chocolate could never make up for the beauty of absolute vulnerability and authenticity that love has to offer, if we chose to participate.  Here is the comic (note the bicycle pump used to pump up the heart ~smile~) ....

A Big, Huge Thanks: Reader's Choice Awards 2014

Dear readers,
I have taken a sabbatical - not from life and work, just from blogging.  So, I'm not sure whether I am talking to myself or whether some of you are still subscribers to this blog.   If you are .. that is so great! 
I have been practicing naturopathic medicine now for five years.  In that five years, I have matured in mind, progressed in skill set, embraced many challenges and grown through it all.  I continue the journey for what it offers me:  a winding path of new relationships with fantastic people, a continued opportunity to learn and develop and the joys of seeing people heal themselves with what seems like simply a little coaxing.
Along my winding path I have often felt like I am not doing enough.  As a practitioner, despite favourable results, you never really know if you are doing enough for the people you are helping.  I have been honoured, in the past two years, with the title of "Best Naturopathic Doctor, Markham".  And this year again, the votes are in, and I am listed as not only the "Best Naturopathic Doctor, Markham" but also the "Best Homeopathic Doctor, Markham".  This is a small, little note from the beautiful people that make up my practice that assure me that I might just be doing enough ...
Thank you all - I am honoured to serve you. 

Knowing What to Ignore

A funny thing happened recently:  a few months ago, while looking for inspiring content for the lectures I give at Wellspring (Cancer Support Centre, Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto), I came across a series of sermons by an evangelistic pastor named Joel Osteen.  Now, at first glance, Joel Osteen is a little over-the-top!  My partner and I had a little chuckle over the extravegant performance given to some 40 000 individuals who made up the congregation.  Without listening to anything beyond the first 30 seconds, I stopped the video and resumed my search for "better" content.
Fast forward to last week:  after having a heartfelt conversation with a beautiful, spiritual friend of mine, she sent me an email stating "it is at the other extreme of spirituality, but well worth a listen".  Attached to the email was a link to Joel Osteen's "Knowing What to Ignore" video!  Who knew that I was destined to listen to this guy?! 

I think that it is good to remember that appropriate, spiritual messages come in all shapes and sizes and from a variety of sources.  It is not our role to judge the source of the wisdom but to accept the wisdom itself and use it to find our own path to our spiritual growth and destiny.

In Joel Osteen's video, he discusses the things (situations, people, etc) in life that try to pull us away from our potential: the critical co-worker that minimizes your efforts, the disgruntled ex who finds power in spreading negative gossip, the acquaintance who is continually "one-upping", the family member who never quite accepts us for who we are.  I could go on of course, but you get the idea!  What is truly important to realize is that the energy wasted on situations and people who do not support your growth, is energy that could be directed towards you reaching your potential.  This is where the ignoring piece comes in:  the more we can "ignore" negative situations that drain our energy, the more energy is left for our own happiness!

Joel Osteen has more to say along the same lines.  Watch the video:  if you can get past traditional Christian speak and simply listen to the overall message, it is excellent!  My friend was right, it is certainly at the other extreme of spirituality, but well, well worth a listen!

Family Day Vegan Meatloaf

It's -20 degrees Celsius.  The bike ride I had intended for today went down with the temperature!  In its place, I set my sights on a hardy vegan meal to keep us all warm.  Here's the recipe for a yummy, healthy, vegan meatloaf! 

Note:  this recipe makes 2 loaves.  In the picture, one is lined with parchment paper and one is lined with aluminum foil.  Typically, I like to use parchment paper simply because aluminum foil has aluminum in it!  However, it is a holiday, none of the stores are open and, before you, in this photo, is my last little piece of parchment paper!  

Ingredients:

1 cup organic dried green lentils

3 cups vegetable stock or broth (I use the organic vegetarian bouillon cubes)

1 large onion

1 large organic carrot

1 organic yellow or orange bell pepper

2-3 tbsp olive oil

2-4 tsp minced garlic

1 cup ground white chia seed or 1/2 cup of chia seed, not ground (this is an excellent breadcrumb replacement).

3/4 cup blanched almonds

3 tbsp ground flax mixed with 1/2 cup water (as an egg replacement for binding)
2 tsp oregano

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

 

Sauce for top of loaf (added before baking)

2-3 tbsp organic tomato sauce

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Simmer the dried lentils and broth for about 30-45 minutes or until the lentils are tender and have absorbed broth.

Chop onion and bell pepper.  Peel and grate the carrot. Saute the onion and bell pepper in olive oil over medium high heat for 6 minutes, or until tender (do not brown the onion and pepper). Add the garlic and carrot and cook for about another 4-6 minutes. Add the blanched almonds to the onion/carrot/garlic mixture on the stove and stir well.

Add the oregano, salt and pepper and take the mixture off the stove and transfer to a large bowl.

Use a coffee grinder and grind 1 1/2 tbsp of flax seeds (this will make 3 tbsp of ground flax).  Add the ground flax to 1/2 cup water. Let thicken.

Grind 1/2 cup of white chia seed in the coffee grinder (this will produce approximately 1 cup of ground chia seed as a replacement for bread crumbs).

Add the ground chia, flax/water (egg substitute) and cooked lentils to the vegetable combination and toss well.  Line loaf pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Be sure the foil or paper lines the pan so the paper is over the sides of the pan - this makes it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan. Press mixture into the lined loaf pan. Set aside while you make the topping.

In another small bowl combine the organic tomato sauce, maple syrup and balsamic. Spread on top of loaf. Bake for 40 minutes.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes covered with a tea towel before serving.  Cut into slices and  plate.

 

Keep warm and enjoy your Family Day everyone ...

 

 

Reader's Choice Awards!

There is no more gratifying complement than to receive a referral or be voted the best practitioner by your community!

This blog entry comes with heartfelt thanks and exceptional gratitude for the recognition that I have received in Markham as "best" naturopathic doctor and "best" homeopath. Thank you so much to my patients who have taken the time to not only vote but, more importantly, who have committed the time, energy and perseverence to their own process of natural healing and have carried the process out to experience results.
I always say that my patients are the ones who do the REAL work: I am simply a facilitator on the journey. And how blessed I am to work with such amazing and wonderful individuals on a day-to-day basis.

With many thanks,
Gail Sauer ND

The "Now"

"Horseshoe got a big dump of powder last night!"

Sometimes we get a call-to-action, a message that moves us to embrace an adventure, an intervention of communication that justifies stepping away from our norm and into a exciting journey of originality.

Skiing called, I went.
It was in the adventure of -12C, gliding through cold, cotton-covered branches that I found "the Now". Everything disappeared into the beauty of my surroundings. I was in harmony with what was: the silence of the snow, the soar of the falcons above, the whispers of the trees.

Eckhart Tolle (and other such enlightened souls) speak about our tendency to complicate the Now (or life) with our "life situation", or those stresses of the past and the future. Tolle advises us to narrow our lives down to the current moment, for it is in the moment that the past and potential future grievances do not exist. When we come into the Now, we allow ourselves to find the joy of our lives, separate from the drama that we perceive.

It is not always easy to find the Now in the business of life. Spontaneous adventures that take us out of our usual environment can provide us with the separation we need to see and feel the Now. Allowing ourselves the experience of the Now aids us in realizing that the joy, ease and lightness of the Now is available to us in every moment of our lives. However, spontaneous adventures are a good place to start!


For more information on Eckhart Tolle and "The Power of Now", visit Eckhart Tolle's website

A Good, Hard Look in the Mirror

I make an effort to live a life of peace. I make an effort to eat well, to give myself time, to find joy, to feel love. I make an effort to be in harmony in all aspects of my life. But, on occasion, something will happen that drives me into a state of passionate rage. Inside me, it feels like an unyielding ocean storm liberating a wave of devastation.

From time to time, we all feel anger. Anger is human. From time to time, we all blame others for our anger. Blame is also human. In an effort to resolve anger in a healthy way, we need to suspend both the anger and blame, and .. from time to time .. we all need to take a good, hard look in the mirror.

Anger towards another human being or situation is an excellent opportunity to take a step back and see what it is about the situation or other person that you are not willing to accept within yourself. People and situations that evoke a volatile emotional response are simply mirrors for us to see our own unloved parts: places of shame, resentment, judgement. Often our resentment and dislike towards others reflects our resentment and dislike towards ourselves.

I've been looking in the mirror lately, and it is not a pretty sight.
In finding peace with anger, first we need to welcome the anger as a teacher. Second, evaluate what it is about ourselves we are angry with or not accepting. Third, let go of our anger and work on coming into a place of love for self. Once that happens, acceptance of the other person or situation will necessarily flow.

I leave you with this Rumi wisdom:

This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Wecome and entertain them all! ....

The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughting and invite them in.

be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Can't Be "Beet"!

After asking him whether he was wearing lipstick or not, my cycling-crazed, mountain climbing friend Steve, responded, "Noooo, it's my newest thing: beetroot juice to improve my time on the bike"!
You see, Steve tries everything he can to have an advantage over me up the mountain and has a distinct habit of taking complete advantage of my naivety. So, despite the fact that, as a naturopath, I've been drinking beet juice and eating beets for years, there was a cynical part of me that imagined Steve feeding me pints of liquid beet and laughing all the way up the mountain, as I suffered on the side of the road from beet-induced (red) .. shall we say .. digestive distress!

Beetroot juice for athletic performance, Yay or Nay? This is how it works: beetroot has high levels of nitrate (NO3). When ingested, NO3 reduces to NO2 (nitric oxide) and can decrease the need for (inhaled) oxygen for muscle contraction and efficiency. Because there is an increase in oxygen in the blood as a result of the reduction of NO3 to NO2, muscles are necessarily supplied with more oxygen, thus reducing the perceived, necessary amount of inhaled oxygen for optimal muscle efficiency. In essence, when tested on rats, the rats that received a dose of beetroot juice before exercise had improved blood flow and increased O2 delivery to fast twitch, type-II muscle.

Studies were conducted initially out of the Netherlands and have been repeated since with varying results: some favourable, some inconclusive.
Regardless of improving muscle efficiency and performance, we should all be eating beets anyway: they are an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, including B's, and minerals including iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and manganese. In addition, beets contain glycine betaine which lowers homocysteine levels in the blood. High homocysteine levels are associated to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Eat the green tops to maintain vision, which is high in vitamin A!

Cooking is easy: the roots can simply be baked in foil in the oven. After baking, you can remove the tough, outer skin before eating (I don't bother)!
The greens can be steamed and eaten as a side, put in soup, or lightly sautéed as a salad topper.
Whenever possible, try to buy organic!

Celebrating Sex or Talent .. or Both?

I first saw the "sexy" video of Michelle Jenneke a few days ago when I was between patients at work. Sometimes I click on random "Yahoo News" videos to pass the five minutes of waiting: one of my guilty pleasures! Conscious of the other practitioners and patients at the clinic, I turned the volume off before I played the video. At first glance, I observed a beautiful, spirited 19 year old girl, warming up for her race. What was striking to me about the video was, not only how stunning a woman Michelle Jenneke is, but also how much she smiled while she was both warming up and coming to the end of her race: the smile was plastered from cheek to cheek before she reached the finish line! In addition to her absolute and obvious joy in the experience of her sport, I noticed her complete focus and strength throughout the entire 100 metres of hurtles. It is refreshing to see a woman so talented, so focused, so committed to training and competing and so blatantly blissful in the experience of racing. With all of these positive things to focus on about Michelle Jenneke's performance, I find it interesting that she is being celebrated for solely the sexiness of her warm up.

In the many articles depicting the particular roles and talents of the various riders in the Tour de France 2012, I've seen glorious pictures of beautiful male cyclists moving through picturesque French landscapes. Interestingly and surprisingly though, I have not seen any photos of Bradly Wiggins (the winner of the 2012 TDF ) with captions referencing how sexy he looks in his yellow jersey and bib shorts. Perhaps this is because Mr. Wiggins looks more goofy than sexy - but THAT is beside the point!

As female sport has become popularized, I have noticed more focus on the sexiness of the athletes than the grandeur of their accomplishments. Although this disappoints me to some extent, the silver lining comes with the recognition of females in sport. Part of being a woman is being beautiful. If this fact leads to more women in sport obtaining media exposure, I suppose it is a start. Perhaps this will lead to the eventual appreciation of their talents opposed to just their appearances.

**To fully appreciate Michelle Jenneke's hurdle performance, I would suggest turning your computer's volume off!**

Tour Mania ..

For anyone following the Tour de France, tomorrow (July 12th) the tour will ride through the same village I visit yearly and guide a bike tour from: Albertville! If you are watching, watch for the Col de Madeleine. Take note of my picture (left) .. you will see the same summit tomorrow! :)

Riding the Wave

This post speaks to the last one May 14th titled Life: An Opportunity for Resilience .. Perhaps I am being moved to write this because of the challenge I see in people around me or perhaps I am reiterating this as a reminder to myself!
I was out on a 100-km ride yesterday. I have often commented that I "much prefer to ride my bike in Europe" and that I find Ontario "boring" with its absence of anything greater in gradient than an anthill! Sounds pretentious, doesn't it?! I air these frivolous woes with quite a supercilious disposition: pompous and patronizing, you would think I am nothing less than cycling royalty!
Yesterday's ride changed my mind: heading north, wind at my back and effortless pedalling allowed me to really look around. Beautiful Ontario farms, stretches of forest and the smell of poplar buds and fresh pine graced my senses. It is in these moments that I feel like my life is perfect. It is when life is flowing with me and I am riding the wave of the wind, that I see and experience beauty.
This beauty however, went as quickly as it came, when I realized the head-wind turning south. A few moments of struggling against it in the extreme heat, coupled with a wrong turn led to a shortage of water and quick dehydration. I went from travelling 38+ km/hr without effort to struggling against wind, gumby-legged and the efficiency of jello at 22km/hour. I had "cracked".
Panic did not set in however, because I am all to familiar with this "cracking". The mind begins to wander, the breath becomes laboured, the feeling of effort does not translate to your recorded speed and thoughts that your odometer MUST be broken, cross your mind.
In these moments of really trying to get home, I got to thinking: how interesting is it that on the effortless journey north, all I perceived was beauty and wonder. However, now travelling through the same scenery against challenge, I cannot see beauty for the life of me regardless of it being ever present. It is an interesting metaphor for life really: when challenge faces us, all the beauty that is STILL in the present moment is absolutely imperceptible due to the shroud of our own experience.
In an experience of synchronicity, I came across this short video last night (yes, I did make it home - and beauty was restored after a few large glasses of water and some much needed food)!
Jon Kabat-Zinn talks about finding beauty in every moment despite our subjective experience of it. Take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fpLGpeeW5c

Life: An Opportunity for Resilience

I have come to conclude in this short time that I have had on this earth that life is wrought with challenge. I've seen it in my travels: to India, where poverty eats at the soul and awareness of our North American abundance gnaws at my thoughts. I've seen it in my practice with illnesses of both the spirit and the physiological self. I've seen it in my own life when my triumphs have been quickly stolen away with devastating loss. I have come to conclude that life is truly wrought with challenge.

I do believe however, that we have a choice in terms of what we do with the challenges we face. There is a strange beauty in every experience if we are willing to see the good, the lesson and the power in our resilience.

I came across this art exhibit, The Scar Project, that showcases women who have been challenged with breast cancer, subsequent surgery and their journey to power in accepting their new selves. I found it not only beautiful but completely inspiring. These women have stepped out of the negative, surpassed the grief and have allowed themselves to realize their beauty, their resilience and their ability to be complete despite having parts of themselves removed.

Please take a look - it's awesome.
http://www.thescarproject.org/
Thanks for reading ...

Alzheimer's Disease & Coconut Oil

My weight loss group is always surprised when I lecture on the importance of fatty acids in the diet. Ingesting fat for a society focused on skinny seems counter-intuitive. The discussion becomes even more interesting when I begin to outline the beneficial properties in coconut oil!
The saturated fat in coconut oil has been long associated with elevated cholesterol levels. This association is not entirely incorrect since coconut oil does in fact increase HDL (good) cholesterol. This rise in HDL cholesterol, however, is good for the body. Since coconut oil increases HDL (good) cholesterol without affecting LDL (bad) cholesterol, it creates a more favourable ratio of LDL:HDL.
More recent research on coconut oil has suggested that the medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil may have some beneficial effect on the Alzheimer's brain. Alzheimer's disease involves a decreased uptake of glucose by brain cells. Because glucose is the main sugar feeding the cells of the brain and promoting their normal function, a decreased uptake of glucose translates into decreased and impaired cellular function and, consequently, brain activity.
Medicine has long known that ketones are an alternate fuel for brain cells. What has been found in the Alzheimer's brain is, despite the fact that glucose uptake is impaired, ketone uptake is not. Providing the brain with this alternate fuel may preserve and improve brain function.
Where does coconut oil fit into this picture then? Ketones are typically produced by the liver when your systemically circulating glucose is low (low blood sugar), during a period of fasting (sleep, etc). The issue in Alzheimer's is that so long as we are eating, our blood sugar will not be low enough to result in ketone production. This results in the brain not having access to this alternate fuel. However, if ketones are available to the brain on a continued basis, brain function will improve. Fortunately, the metabolism of medium chain triglycerides produces ketones regardless of blood sugar status .. AND coconut oil is one of the best sources of medium chain triglycerides!
Could altering the prognosis of cognitive outcome in the Alzheimer's patient be that easy? Apparently, YES! This video was brought to my attention as a phenomenal example of the wonderful therapeutic potential of coconut oil. It is inspiring to see that some MDs are willing to acknowledge the promise of naturopathic therapies! Please watch: CBN News - Mary Newport MD (click on the link .. also please look beyond the 20-second advert for the religious book)!

Confessions of a Failed Commuter

I've had to gather my courage and suspend my pride to write this particular blog post .. hence the delay. In September, I committed to the grand idea of parking my car, taking the insurance off and commuting everywhere via bicycle and public transit. My intention was to embark on this endeavor for a year.
Let's talk about what has come of this ambitious undertaking: in a nutshell, I failed miserably! However, it may not be for the reasons you would think!
The unravelling began when I almost got hit by an SUV on a Markham residential street which sent me scraping the curb and scrambling for balance (so I wouldn't end up UNDER the vehicle). As an experienced cyclist, this wasn't really that big a deal. However, it did get me thinking, "if this is happening on clean roads in broad daylight, what is going to happen in snow and complete darkness?".
Arriving at work and having to sit through patient visits with wet pants after being unexpected caught in a downpour didn't do anything for my level of enthusiasm! In addition, specifically taking a road with a designated bike lane only to find that the lane was full of parked cars, was a little infuriating!
The clincher came though when I was scheduled to be at a conference for the weekend in Mississauga. After checking into public transit and realizing that it would take approximately 3 hours to get to my destination from Markham (due to the absolute inefficiency of public transit in the GTA), I explored renting a car as an option. Renting a car at a cost of $450 for the weekend seemed absolutely ridiculous considering putting my own car back on the road for 6 months about $900!
Some of you may be asking why I didn't get a zip car. Well, there are no zip car - like options for the Markham resident. The GO train/bus schedule is so limited that getting to a zip car location from Markham before 10am on a weekend is impossible!
I think a lot about my roots: my relatives in the Netherlands - my 16 year old cousin who will hop on his bicycle and ride 25 very safe kilometres to go a visit a friend in a neighbouring town. There is a lot of me that is frustrated with the lack of infrastructure to support such healthy, active lifestyles. I am beginning to realize that this lack has less to do with finances and more to do with our willingness to passively accept what we have verses taking a stand for what we want.
Take a look at this video: it is a excellent depiction of what the Netherlands went through to create the progressive, world-renowned cycling infrastructure that they have today. Let's hope that we can follow suit! How the Dutch Got Their Cycle Paths (Click on the title)

**FYI: The Toyota Echo and my beautiful red commuter have come to accept that they must share me and have developed an amicable and functional relationship as a result.**

Creating a Community to Achieve Health

I found myself in Buffalo on the weekend where I had the pleasure of lecturing to 30+ amazing women who belong to the Breast Cancer Support group at the Buffalo Cancer Centre. In my experience, cancer support groups are not what people typically think they are: instead of being a opportunity to focus on the grave reality of the cancer situation at hand, these groups are often a space of love, joy, peace, spirituality and health. Instead of focusing entirely on the illness, there is often talk of what's happening on the weekend, the latest interesting book, restaurants, performances, children .. the list goes on.
At the PMH (Princess Margaret Hospital) cancer support group (www.healingjourney.ca), I can typically pick out the attendees in the elevator based on their positive disposition. More often than not, I'm correct! I find it interesting to note that the people with cancer are in better spirits than those who are likely in much better physical health!
What do support groups do with people that are facing life threatening illness? According to research featured in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, women who were isolated before breast cancer diagnosis had a 66% increase risk of all-cause mortality and a two-fold increase risk in breast cancer mortality compared to women who were socially integrated. Women without family, children or close friends had elevated risks of both breast cancer mortality and all-cause mortality compared to women with the most social ties.
This is telling! No doubt, the women with families likely have more complete care (meals made for them, increased exercise, etc) which certainly affects prognosis. However, emotional support, love and joy found through companionship are equally important. For people facing cancer without this companionship, these social groups can be a lifeline.
For those of us not facing cancer, we cannot forget that sense of community is equally important for us in maintaining health. Part of being human is indulging in companionship, loving and laughing together and sharing our lives. And for single people, absence of a romantic partner does not mean absence of companionship and community. Companionship can be found through different people in a variety of social groups from wine tasting socials to cycling clubs. Taking steps to create community can happen before the wake up call of a cancer diagnosis: it can be as simple as saying good morning to people at your local coffee shop!

FuguSpeer

This is going to be the fastest blog post I've ever written .. the urgency has to do with a certain "deal" I've made with Heath at LaBicicletta.
I've been trying my hand at winter cycling (thankfully, we have had very little actual winter). However, for a skinny, iron-deficient, part-amphibian female like myself, cycling in anything below +15 is winter! My vulnerability is my feet: at +7, they are white with cold and on the fringe of frost nip. At the bike shop the other day I expressed my woes to Heath, at which point he guided me to the other side of the store and convinced me that I needed $60 socks .. er, I mean, "equipment". On a whim and a prayer, I purchased the "needed equipment" and promised Heath that, regardless of weather, I would venture out on the Sunday donut to give the socks a run for their money!
Sunday came: -6 degrees Celsius in Markham! YIKES! The sock deal was this: I'm wasn't allowed to wear anything but the socks, all-season cycling shoes and shoe covers - and of course, cycling clothes (no, Heath didn't make me ride naked)!
I secretly stashed 2 extra pairs of socks in a zip lock and put them in my back pocket (not because I don't trust you, Heath - but because I know you don't have a cell phone to call for a needed pick up)!
So how did the FuguSpeers measure up? Well, after the first hour, I was surprised that my feet were still reasonably "warm" (for me, that means not frozen). After 2-3 hours, although my feet didn't feel warm per say, they were not uncomfortable. After the fourth hour and upon arriving home, I examined the feet. When I gave them a good look, the left foot was normal body temperature with a pink hue. The right one, was white and quite cold - but not as cold as it usually is. THe difference in feet, I attribute to my big, huge heart being on the left side of my body and better circulation on that side.
So all-in-all, I was impressed at the temperature and duration with which the very thin socks kept me from freezing .. however, as far as agreements go, I do believe I should win 1/2 of the bet for my white, right foot! But I'll still meet you at the Jetfuel and buy you a coffee anyway, Heath! :)

Bathing in Unusual Water ..

Much of my six years in the Yukon was spent in the forest. Until recently, I didn't quite know how that time was affecting me.
I came across a piece of research last week (which was also featured at the OAND conference that I attended this weekend) examining the physiological effects of "Forest Bathing". This non-scientific term for arbour exposure was coined as a result of a poetic translation of "Shinrin-yoku" from Japanese to English - and, frankly, I think it's a charming description!
The study was conducted a few times; first on men, then on women with consistent results. The female study was conducted on 13 healthy nurses between the ages of 25-43. After giving blood and urine to assess a baseline, the subjects underwent a three-day/two-night trip to the forest (not a bad study to be involved in)! On the first day, the women walked for two hours in the afternoon through the forest. On the second day, the women walked for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon in two separate forests (a blood draw and urine test was taken after day two). On the third day, after giving blood and urine a third time, the women returned to the city (Tokyo).
When the forest bathing blood samples were compared to baseline samples significant changes were found: forest bathing increased NK activity and the number of NK, perforin, granulysin, and granzymes A/B-expressing cells. In addition, there was a decreased concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine.
What does all this mean exactly? Well, the bottom line is that the urine analysis proved a decrease in overall systemic stress, indicated by a decrease in stress hormone. The increase in serum (blood) immune modulators indicates that the immune system is working more efficiently. The immune modulators listed above are specific to mutated and cancerous cell (tumour) modulation and destruction. So, it happens that when we spend time with the trees, our immune systems function more efficiently specifically inhibiting cellular mutation and cancer growth! The even more awesome observation from this study is that the increased NK activity lasted for more than 7 days after the trip!! It's perfect really: if we can get some tree exposure on our weekends, the benefits will last us the entire work week!
The conclusion of this study postulates that the exposure to phytoncides, detected in forest air (often responsible for the lovely smell of trees - pine, etc), decrease stress. Decreased stress contributes to an upregulated immune function.
Either way, if you don't already cross country ski or snowshoe, this study may be a good reason to embrace a new forested hobby!

Kicked in the Ass

I fell off the earth for a while. In my mysterious plummet, I attracted a beautiful influence into my non-earth that turned my head to show me a vision of how wonderful my life could be.
Sometimes the universe kicks you in the ass and if you're not wearing padding, it really, really hurts. Bruised or not though, if you're able to see past the hurt, there is a transformative process that you are often embarking on without even knowing it. I am in transformation: a powerful place of growth. Challenges are coming which, previously, may have seemed insurmountable. Something has shifted in me that is truly allowing me to see my potential and the potential to create the life I want to live.
I believe I'm on a path constructed by a series of events: the beautiful influence I mentioned earlier was the first obvious catalyst. Following that, the kicks in the ass .. which have led me to a journey called the Artists Way, which I've been wanting to explore since I lived in the Yukon.
The Artists Way is a self directed 12-week modular progression designed to guide the participant to their potential through creative expression. So far, it has led me to a place of seeing creative solutions (instead of getting completely discouraged with my challenges). It has led me to a deeper understanding of what I chosen to define me, what definitions I'd like to let go of and which I'd prefer to be defined by. It has led me to understand that receiving (from others and from the universe) IS acceptable. It has led me to accept where I am with grace and peace. It has led me to see myself and my life as potential instead of a series of limits. I do believe I am ready for this - that said, if you are not ready and embark on this journey anyway, it may not yield the same results!
I am in week #1 with eleven weeks to go! Part of me cannot wait to see what and who I become; the other part of me is really embracing the daily process.
And with this, I give thanks (to the universe or God or light or whatever) for the kicks in the ass that I obviously needed!

For more info, check out the website: http://juliacameronlive.com/

Mistaken Identity

A few years ago I had short hair. I loved my little hair cut: it was sleek, sexy, had some edge and said Paris fashion all over it. Not only was it short, but it was also bleach blond. So picture this: slender cyclist woman in full cycling kit topped with product-controlled, spiky white. Unbeknown to me, this combination didn't exactly scream Paris fashion! On the contrary: whispers of athletic lesbian lingered in the air. The number of times I was mistaken for a lesbian, winked at by women and fed lesbian pick up lines that year is beyond my comprehension. My hair is long now.
Athletic women excel in a world dominated by male performance. Did you know that there is actually a women's Tour de France? Of course you didn't! Because it is not televised, not advertised and receives no media coverage (and it has not actually run in the last 2 years).. sadly, even if it had, not many people would watch it! Women in sport have had a hard time receiving the recognition they deserve (this is slowly changing). In numerous cases, women in sport are also assumed to be lesbian. I, personally, have found this to be an identity conundrum! As an athlete who has had many years of competition, I had set aside my feminine self in order to access my competitive edge. Perhaps it wasn't the hair cut that people were basing their opinions on, but more so the vibration I was expressing in my intensity as an athlete (although the hair cut probably didn't help)!
In recent years, accessing my femininity has meant exploring the world of make-up, wearing dresses and selectively utilizing my intensity in competitive arenas only. Most recently, my femininity has translated to riding my new commuter in a dress and high heels to meet friends in Yorkville. I am learning that there is an air of grace and beauty about a woman dressed to kill, riding a bike with a basket filled with baguette and a bottle of wine. The important thing to take from this experience is that we all need to come to a place of awareness around what sexy means for us and how to access that feeling: whether it's on a bike, listening to your favorite music or wearing lacy underwear beneath your workout clothes! Whatever it is, we all need to know how we can feel sexy. After all, when you're feeling your sexy self, the world is simply a better place!

Beyond Reconciliation ..

Sometimes things happen and relationships fail. Sometimes one party in the relationship completely screws up and the other in unable to forgive. Sometimes vibes change and it is necessary to move on given that you're no longer on the same path seeking similar outcomes. Sometimes issues in relationships are simply beyond reconciliation.
I have travelled many miles with my car and we've had some fantastic times. But, in the last year, something has happened and our vibe has changed. He used to take care of me in a way: warning me when there was a radar gun around the corner, reminding me to keep my sticker valid, encouraging me to stop for entirely 3 seconds before proceeding through a stop sign. But now, well now, it's like he doesn't even care!

A month ago I was awarded $500 worth of motor vehicle infraction fines in six days. This may seem alarming to you. What may be even more alarming is that none of the $500 were due to speeding or reckless driving. Even MORE alarming is that this is not abnormal for me. I typically get pulled over every few months .. costing me, to date this year, a few thousand dollars. The August validating evidence of my bad car karma was the last straw for me. Shortly after the last ticket was handed over, I walked to my insurance broker's office and requested that they put a hold on my insurance (I mean, I was leaving for Europe 3 days later anyway). My decision may have been a little reactionary. However, after spending 3 weeks in Europe riding my bike and considering my options, I have decided that this may be the best decision I have made in a while! I DO have legs and I have a fleet of bicycles and, well, if the weather is really horrible, there is always public transit.

I am committing to this endeavour for one year, of which I am a week in. After getting two flats in two days on my race bike from hitting glass on my commute, getting a wet, rooster tail on my back from cycling through water, in addition to pulling a muscle from carrying a backpack while cycling, I decided to invest in a proper Dutch commuter (see photo above). The Dutch have been doing this for a while: they must know SOMETHING about the sit up geometry, the wider tires, the fenders and waterproof panniers!

I have noticed that my new bike gets quite a few looks and smiles from both walkers AND people in cars (especially in Markham where bikes are less common)! I have also noticed that riding in the rain isn't so bad when you have rain-friendly equipment and that police cars no longer induce a state of panic in me! And I've noticed how peaceful it is to ride a bike home from work at 9pm when the streets are quiet, the full moon is out and the crickets are chirping. Maybe this new relationship will work out just fine after all!