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The Power of Live-Culture Foods for Optimal Health
by Stacey Tress

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.”—Ann Wigmore, ND

As far back as recorded history, humans have eaten fermented foods. While these foods may have ancient roots, they are emerging as today’s power foods for health and nutrition. They have been shown to be beneficial for a number of health conditions, including IBS and digestive difficulties, allergies and autoimmune illnesses, sugar/carb cravings, and other inflammatory disorders. Science is starting to show that our modern lifestyle of eating pasteurized foods, and the over-use of hand sanitizer, disinfectants, and antibiotics is actually making us more, not less, susceptible to illness and allergies. Regular consumption of fermented foods in your diet helps your body naturally combat bad bacteria, helps you assimilate vitamins more optimally, detoxify chemicals and food additives and turn back the clock on cell deterioration.

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Reintegrating the Basics of Food as Medicine
by Vanessa Proznick-Fransoo

The topic of food as medicine is becoming increasingly important in our society as we are seeing the negative impact of inflammatory diseases on individual health and increasing cost to the healthcare system. “Seventy-five percent of healthcare costs go to treating chronic diseases that are largely preventable” (Escape Fire). The allopathic model of care is a “find-it-and-fix-it” approach to health, primarily focused on disease treatment and management. We need to change our mentality of health by promoting self-care behaviours that will empower people to take control of their health and decrease their risk of chronic disease. Integrating nutrition through an anti-inflammatory diet and a mindful approach to food choices is one key element to reducing systemic inflammation, along with exercise and stress reduction practices.

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Farming for the Future – Organic Connections 2014
November 7—8, 2014 Conexus Arts Centre, Regina
Bonus Weeds and Soils Workshop Nov 6
by Marion McBride

Farming for the Future! 2014 is the International Year of the Family Farm – what does your future hold? Will your farm continue to be sustainable financially and from an environmental perspective into the next generation? Organic Connections President Debbie Miller feels that the organic sector is perfectly positioned to take advantage of a growing list of global, national, and regional opportunities. “I’m excited about emerging local and export markets and the growing awareness of consumers when it comes to their food. Today’s families are not only more knowledgeable about the benefits of organic food but they also want to recover that connection with the farm, they want to know where their food came from, how it was grown and handled, and how it got to their table.” The conference program will not only point producers in the direction of those opportunities but it will provide tools to enable them to take advantage of them now and into the future.

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Integrative Cancer Care
by Dr. Joe Schnurr

Two in five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetimes . There has been a substantial increase in the number of people living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis with the need for providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support for cancer survivors and their loved ones.

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The “Non-GMO Project Verified” Seal
Helping You Make Informed Shopping Decisions
— from www.nongmoproject.org

The retailers who started the Non-GMO Project were motivated by a simple idea. They believed that consumers in North America should have access to clearly-labelled non-GMO food and products, now and in the future. That conviction continues to guide the Non-GMO Project, as North America’s only independent verification for products made according to best practices for GMO avoidance.

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Oops! I Forgot to Look After Myself!
by Linda McCann

Whenever I facilitate a session on self care for women, I find they are frequently moved, often to tears, when they realize they have not been tending to themselves. Rather, they have been taking care of others, their parents, children, partners, people at work, their home, their community… and they are on overwhelm.

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The Bully
by Wes Funk

As an adolescent, my morning bus rides to school were uneventful—the students sat in a semi-awake state on the chilly bus, still shrugging off sleep and focusing on the day ahead as the bus rolled down the bumpy gravel roads. Afternoon rides were a different story. My seat was in the second-last row and the school bully sat in the last row, directly behind me. There was rarely a bus ride home to our farm that didn’t involve him antagonizing me in some fashion. Our driver was a very passive man who didn’t like conflict and couldn’t bring himself to get involved with the conflicts of others either.

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Editorial
by Melva Armstrong

Welcome to the new issue for autumn 2014. It’s a pleasure to be back with you all again. I have been enjoying the summer and the warmth of the sunshine on my face, the soft breezes gently flowing through my hair, and the walks with two perpetually happy dogs. They always bring a smile to my face as I watch them frolic in the grass, each one running its nose up and down certain blades of grass they find enticing. I try to imagine exactly what it is they are smelling, but I’m likely not even close. Each one lives in its sweet little world and they are so precious and good for our well-being.

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Plus:

“Welcome Home” From Earthly Essence Cleaning Service
Benefits of Lipo Laser Therapy
Belly Bound: Reviving an Ancient Prenatal Art
What Does Your Face Say About You?
Hybrid Feng Shui™—Healing the Scars of Grief, Wherever They May Be
News of Note