Blogs

A recent study led by the Mayo Clinic and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that people with rheumatoid arthritis who take Humira or Remicade have three times the risk of developing several types of cancer and two times the risk of developing serious infections compared to people who don't take these drugs. Read more

Ingredients:

* 4 portobello mushrooms, sliced
* 1 cup of shiitake mushrooms, chopped
* 2 onions, chopped
* 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 cup of brown rice
* 2 cups of water
* 2 organic eggs
* 1 block of firm tofu
* 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons of miso paste Read more

Ingredients:

1-2 fennel bulbs
2-3 leeks, sliced into 3 inch lengths
1-2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
2 red onions, cut into 1/3 inch rings
1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Cut fennel bulbs into quarters. Place fennel bulbs, sliced leeks, and Yukon gold potato pieces on a baking tray or roasting tin, cut side up. Read more

From our mailbag:

I was all set to buy a juicer but then I read that drinking blended fruits and vegetables is healthier than drinking their juiced counterparts because with blended drinks, you get naturally occurring fiber that you lose out with juices.

Could you please explain which is better: juicing or blending?

***

There are health benefits to fruit and vegetable juices made with both methods. Read more

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported late last week that there has been a 19 percent increase in the number of people who have picked up a dangerous eye infection, a condition called Fesarium keratitis. Read more

A recent case study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal points to the potential dangers of using chamomile products while taking warfarin.

Warfarin, also called Coumadin and Marevan, is an anticoagulant that is often prescribed for people who are at risk of suffering from thrombosis and embolism. Read more

Fungal nail infections, also called onychomycoses, tend to occur more often in toenails than in fingernails. If you are not familiar with what fungal nail infections look like, they tend to make nails look brittle, crumbly, and discolored, usually to a dark yellowish or brownish tinge.

Your body is a host to trillions of microorganisms, some of which are fungi that can live on the outer layers of your skin, your fingernails, your toenails, your hair, and in your digestive tract. When some of these fungi are provided with conditions that allow them to grow rapidly, they can develop into infections. Read more

Ingredients: 

8 cups frozen peas
5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of organic butter
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Over medium to high heat, cook garlic in butter for 2-3 minutes. Add peas and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add vegetable or chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to allow ingredients to simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on. Read more

Born in the city and raised with the luxuries associated with urban living, I have never been one for camping, hiking in the woods, or climbing trees in apple orchards. I never thought that avoiding nature and all of the creepy-crawlies living in it would have hurt my health, but research on the topic suggests otherwise. Read more

Upon reading yesterday's Toronto Star newspaper, I came across a disturbing article that talked about cigars being dressed up to look like treats for children. The sub-heading for the article states:

Teens are falling for mint-chocolate flavoured, honey-dipped, sugar-tipped baby cigars because they're sweet, they're cheap and they're easy to get.

These cigarillos, or "baby cigars", are sold individually, are often displayed among or close to the store's selection of candies, smell and taste delicious, and may be perceived by children and teenagers as being less harmful and addictive than "adult" cigars and cigarettes. And while it is illegal to sell tobacco products to underaged individuals, the fact of the matter is that store owners often don't bother to check I.D. or even care if they are selling to kids. Read more