Protect Your Precious Hands
Every winter our hands take a beating. It only takes a of couple weeks of exposure to chilly temperatures and wheeling through salty, sandy slush for our hands and nails to become dry, cracked and brittle. Sometimes even the warmest, water-proof gloves/mittens and deeply intensifying moisturizers aren’t enough to protect our precious appendages from the harsh elements. To help keep your skin and nails strong from the inside make sure to include plenty of the following nutrien
Your Health in a Nutshell.
Many people may be surprised to learn that nuts are the hard shelled fruit of plants. There are 53 different types of nuts in the world and every kind has a multitude of health benefits. I won’t describe and go into the details of each one in this article, but I want to discuss two that are extremely beneficial for people with SCI. Walnuts are a healthy source of protein, Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Eating these brain-shaped nuts is associated with reduced risk of c
SCI Super Food!
Summer is winding down, but most of us are still trying to soak up the last bit of sunshine! Who wants to be inside cooking over a hot stove when you could be outside enjoying the beautiful weather? So if you’re looking for a quick, nutritious seasonal food grab a zucchini. Zucchini, also called courgette, may just be a SCI super food. I know what you’re thinking-at first glance it doesn’t seem that impressive but check out the nutritional facts of this wee member of the squa
Spice Up Your Life & Boost Your Immune System
The immune system is a complex collection of cells, organs and systems found throughout the body. This dynamic system is responsible for protecting your body against infection and disease. It is well documented that people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) have compromised immune systems and are at increased risk of bacterial and viral infections. Furthermore, studies show that people with quadriplegia or complete SCI’s tend to have greater immune suppression than people with p
Give Peas a Chance!
A highly nutritious food we rarely hear about anymore is the green pea, but this wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time, about 10 000 years ago, green peas (often mistaken as a vegetable; they are in fact a legume) helped develop agricultural societies as they were one of the first cultivated crops. 5000 years later our Egyptian ancestors worshipped this valuable food source so much they buried them with Pharos to take with them into the afterlife. Rome’s first cookbook cel
Spread a little love
Most of the clients I work with are looking for healthy, fast, and easy to prepare foods that address the secondary complications associated with their SCI. I guarantee that this black bean spread not only does all that but you’ll love it! Simple to prepare in under 5 minutes, this non-cook “Love Bean Spread” recipe will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be served as a variety of meals, side dishes or snacks throughout the day. Spread it on whole grain toast for bre
Ovaries Over Ice
Shortly after my last article Testicles & Toast was published, a partner (whose identity shall remain anonymous) contacted me proposing that I balance the genital scales of justice by doing a similar article on a female friendly fruit. Well no objections counsellor, with all things being fair and equal, here it is. Exhibit A: The Pomegranate Fruiting plants and humans both have reproductive organs called ovaries. When pomegranates are cross-sectioned (or cross examined) they
Testicles & Toast!
Did you know that ‘avocado’ comes from the Aztec word meaning testicle? Different theories exist on whether this refers to the fruits gonad-like shape (and that they grow in pairs) or their alleged aphrodisiac qualities. Regardless of which reference is accurate, I highly recommend that people with SCI eat more of them. People with SCI are at risk of lipid imbalances (high “bad” LDL and low “good” HDL cholesterol levels), cardiovascular disease and inflammation, the later of
Cough it Up!
We’re heading into cold and flu season. This coupled with the fact that people with high thoracic and cervical injuries are at increased risk of pneumonia and respiratory infections means that we really need to support our immune system by eating foods rich in vitamins A, C and the mineral zinc. But what do you do if you get sick? People with quadriplegia for example experience varying degrees of paralysis of the respiratory muscles and this dysfunction can lead to difficult
Nutrition for Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic pain is unimaginable. It effects 29-79% of people with SCI and compares to no other pain. I learned this after a car accident 25 years ago. The collective pain of breaking my back, shattering my wrists, smashing my skull, puncturing my lungs and lacerating my internal organs didn’t rival the agony of the neuropathic pain I experienced from damaging the nerves in my spinal cord. My neuropathic pain is best described as an ice pick being stabbed into my bones every