Quinoa: The Ultimate Superfood!
May 18/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
At High Park Nutrition we are proud to offer a variety of healthy food options including an assortment of Quinoa products, including cereals, soaps, pastas, burgers, and flour.
Native to South America, Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is sometimes mistaken as a grain although it is more closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. Quinoa has often been called a superfood and for good reason: Quinoa is high in protein and contains all nine essential amino acids. It is also a terrific source of magnesium, fiber iron, copper, and phosphorus. It is gluten-free which makes it a great choice for those who are allergic to gluten and those suffering from celiac disease. Because it is also high in protein it is great for vegans and just about anyone who wants to eat healthy.
Quinoa can be incorporated in breakfasts, salads, dinners, and even deserts.
I love to give homemade gift-baskets so this year I decided to bake some vanilla cupcakes as a Mother’s Day gift for my mom and my mother-in-law. I bought these lovely plates at Homesense for $5 each and made a batch of vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream icing. I had recently been given a set of Wilton piping tips as a birthday gift from my amazing friend and was anxious to try them out. I think I did a decent job of piping. Next time though I’ll be more careful when scooping the batter into the cupcake liners so it doesn’t look as messy. I’m dying to take a cake decorating class, but in the meantime the video tutorials on youtube will have to do. I wrapped the plate with some cellophane and tied it up with a ribbon. Nice, eh!!
Forget Fad Diets – They Just Don’t Work
May 1/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
With the recent royal wedding there were rumours that Kate Middleton had lost a significant amount of weight using a high-protein diet, known as the Dukan diet. Similar to the Atkins diet which first made waves in the 1970s, the Dukan diet is a low-carbohydrate diet which has received serious criticism from dieticians and nutritionists.
The diet is divided into four steps: the first is the “attack phase” in which dieters eat only lean proteins (grilled, no oil) for roughly five to seven days. This is meant to kick start the weight-loss. Next is the “cruise phase” in which dieters alternate between days of protein and days of protein with non-starchy veggies. The third stage, or “consolidation phase”, allows dieters to reintroduce small portions of some carbohydrates, fruit, cheese, and allows for two “celebration” meals a week. Lastly, in the “permanent stabilization” phase dieters are encouraged to make a lifelong commitment to taking the stairs rather than the elevator, consuming three tablespoons of oat bran a day, and on one day of the week to eat only lean proteins.
While the thought of quick weight-loss is tempting, dieticians warn that cutting out carbohydrates will do more damage to our bodies in the long run, and it is simply not maintainable. Many of those who have lost weight on these types of fad diets often regain the weight back.
What’s the best way to lose weight? A balanced diet, portion control, and regular exercise are the essential keys to weight-loss.
A Good Night’s Sleep: Some Tips on How to Sleep Better
Apr 4/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
By now, we all know that getting enough sleep is crucial to our overall health. Getting a good night’s sleep helps us function properly, mentally, emotionally and physically. So what can we do to ensure that we get a good night’s sleep? Here are a few tips:
Get into a routine
Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up the same time in the mornings, and try not to break the routine on the weekends.
Create a relaxing sleeping environment
Ideally, your bedroom should be dark, quiet and slightly cool in temperature. Make sure you have a good mattress and pillows suitable to the way you sleep. Make your bedroom your sanctuary. If your bedroom is also your office or if you tend to work in bed, you’ll likely find it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
Maintaining a balanced diet and exercise
Your diet and level of physical activity also play a role in your sleep. Be sure not to eat spicy foods or any heavy meals just before bedtime. It’s important to exercise regularly but you should avoid any strenuous exercise in the late evening. Of course, cutting down on caffeine will also help you sleep.
Silence your worries
Oftentimes the problem with troubled sleeping has to do with our worries or anxieties. If it’s work or family issues that are keeping you up at night, you may want to try some relaxation techniques. People who practice yoga are able to utilize the deep breathing techniques to help them silence the worries and anxieties of daily life. Positive visualization (think of a happy, peaceful memory), mediation or prayer, and deep breathing will help center your mind and make it easier to drift to sleep.
Dinnertime! What time do you eat dinner?
Mar 28/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
In our house, we eat dinner at 6:30pm sharp! I’m serious; it’s always 6:30pm on the dot. I don’t really mind, although sometimes the best classes at the gym are also at that time. Also, 6:30pm sometimes feels too early for dinner, as I tend to get hungry again later in the evening. According to many nutritionists, 6:30pm is a good time for dinner. It will allow your body enough time to digest the food before heading off to bed. Although if you go to bed late, then a later dinnertime makes sense. Generally, nutritionists recommend that you don’t eat 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
What time do you eat dinner?
Lovely hpn.to Gift Baskets to Local Organizations and Charities
Mar 23/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
We’ve been so lucky to have such fabulous customers, so we decided to spread some of that love to local charities and organizations in our community. We donated 3 baskets filled with health and beauty goodies to Sinfonia Toronto, an incredible orchestra which performs at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. We also donated a couple of lovely baskets to the folks at A Little Opera for Little Babies, performing at the Bloor St. United Church. A lucky student at the University of Toronto also received a basket filled with natural and organic health and wellness goodies. We teamed up with BlogUT in their “get healthy with High Park Nutrition Giveway”, which asked students to suggest tips on staying healthy. We love the winner’s advice and decided to reprint it here:
Dance, meditate, sing and laugh! It’s easy to get caught up in stress and work, so having a relaxing outlet like yoga and make sure you spend enough time having fun. The best way to keep your body healthy is definitely to keep your mind happy.
These are the baskets we donated to Little Opera for Little Babies. I can’t believe I forgot to put the hpn.to stickers!!
Really Cool Hair Care Products at hpn.to
Mar 14/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
Check out our growing selection of hair care products at hpn.to. If you have limp or fine hair, why not try Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Shampoo and Conditioner. Mill Creek Biotene H-24 shampoo is another good option, which also promises to make your hair thicker and fuller.
For dry hair, check out Aubrey Organics Blue Chamomile Hydrating Shampoo or even EO Chamomile & Honey Restorative Shampoo which provides moisture to dry and damaged hair.
If you suffer from dry, itchy scalp then Herbal Glo Dandruff & Dry Scalp Control shampoo will help clean and moisturize your scalp and prevent irritation.
We also have a variety of shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products for all different hair types. Have fun browsing our collection here.
Growing Selection of Baby and Kids Products at hpn.to
Mar 7/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
A lot of the skin care products that you regularly find on store shelves contain harsh chemicals and preservatives. Frustrated with the limited selection at our local drugstores, we decided to create hpn.to as a way to provide consumers with healthier and safer alternatives to mainstream brands. We’ve searched everywhere looking for naturally made products containing organic ingredients that are safe to use on ourselves and our children. We are pleased offer over 130 products dedicated to babies and kids, and our selection continues to grow every day. We’ve got everything from naturally made baby balm to organic baby shampoo. Why not check out our growing selection of Earth Mama, Avalon, Ella Botanicals, Jasons Natural, Aubrey Organics, and Weleda products. You’ll find something you love at hpn.to!
Homemade Ginger Lemon Tea with a Splash of Honey
Feb 25/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
I’m a huge coffee and tea drinker. I love earl grey tea in particular, and try to drink at least one cup of green tea a day because I know it’s good for me. Recently I started drinking ginger-lemon tea and I love it. I prepare it myself by slicing some ginger, using the zest of a fresh lemon and allowing it to steep in hot water for a few minutes in my favourite mug (which happens to have a handy strainer). After a few minutes I discard the ginger and lemon zest and sweeten my tea with about a teaspoon of honey. I’ve heard of some people grating the ginger and using lemon juice instead of the zest; I’ve also seen people boil the ginger whole in a pot of water, but I prefer my method because it yields a slightly more mild ginger taste.
The flavours of the ginger, lemon and honey really complement each other. There are also numerous health benefits to consuming lemon and ginger. Ginger, for example, is fantastic in promoting digestion and treating nausea.
Is Coffee Good For You?
Feb 23/11 Under High Park By Noula | Leave a Comment
As a student I developed a love for – actually it’s more like an addiction – coffee. I usually drink about 3 or 4 cups of coffee a day, which I don’t think is nearly as bad as some of my friends who have been known to consume 1 or 2 pots a day!
Many of us have a general perception that cutting back on coffee is the right thing to do for your health. But are there any positive benefits associated with drinking coffee? A lot of the research findings are a bit ambiguous and inconclusive, but here are some general conclusions:
• Coffee may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Some research findings suggest that coffee may offer some help in fighting certain cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease
• Coffee is rich in antioxidants
• Coffee may help protect against liver cirrhosis and the formation of gallstones and kidney stones
Of course there are also widely known negative effects of drinking coffee, including anxiety, insomnia and irregular heartbeat. Too much coffee can also irritate the digestive system, so enjoy in moderation.
Have you ever tried Greek coffee before? It’s quite strong and served with the foam at the top of the cup and the grounds at the bottom. It is made using a small pot called a briki in Greek, and is sweetened according to taste: bitter, medium, sweet, or very sweet. Here is a video if you’d like to try. The coffee itself is available in Greek specialty stores as well as in the ethnic section of most supermarkets. Some people believed that you could reveal a person’s fortune by reading the coffee grounds….but more about that another time!