Thoughts on snow

In Revelstoke there is snow now. Lots and lots of snow. People get pretty wound up about it. People hate to drive in it. Love to walk in it. Get pissed when the highways are closed. Get pumped when the hills are open.

Me, I like the snow. For the same reasons now as when I was a kid: because it sparkles in the moonlight. Because it talks to me under my boots. Because it makes everything soft and beautiful. Because it makes everything a mystery.

Happy Trails

Its been a while since I posted because I was busy living life. Now that I've settled in for a 2 month studying stint, I suddenly find myself with time on my hands to blog it!

I ended up feeling lost here in Revelstoke. It was easy: life had been so hectic and other-centered in Toronto. I planned around appointments, courses, transit schedules, networking, dates and friends. Moving here all that was gone- and all that was really left was me (and some sweet family and a beautiful friend)! So I've had to figure out how to plan my life around just me, and that's harder than it sounds!

After getting lost I needed to get found again. So I went out into the world to find the people who inspire me, and to find/remember my own inspiration as well.

First stop: Scottsdale Arizona and my dear friend Ashley! This girl kicks ass and takes names. Her story inspires me to learn from my past, embrace my dark and light sides equally and lovingly and humorously, and to just keep on believing no matter what. When I got to Arizona it was 30C and gorgeous. We went for walks every morning by the canal, got tan lines and freckles, and laughed and laughed. Life with Ash reminds me of one Nelson Mandela quote after another: "There is no passion in playing small- in settling for a life that is less than the one your are capable of living." And most especially: "And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."

Next stop: Toronto Ontario. Yes, the Toronto of my hectic existence. It was too much when I was there, but when I left it I missed it. Mostly though, I missed my people there, and the person I was. My return to this city was so important- I needed to know if it was a mistake to leave it! I needed to know why on earth I missed it so much. I needed to know how to keep being the me I created while I also create a life in my new (old) home in Revelstoke.

I started my trip with a 3 day homeopathy course given by Jan Scholten. Turns out it was amazing and helped respark my passion for homeopathy, naturopathy, and learning in general. Which is so important not just for the next two months of full time NPLEX studying, but for life. (At least for my life)

Also on the agenda- a little self care. But I kinda suck at self-care (they don't teach you that in naturopathic medical school). What I don't suck at is finding awesome people to help me out with things I just can't do on my own. So I had a visit with my own homeopath, Marty. I met Marty just after my place burned down and I was in such a rough spot that the only way I could communicate my problem was to tell him I didn't feel like I lived in my body anymore and I'd stopped liking sheets. Somehow he figured it out and has been a huge help... with the sheets and everything else. The other awesome person I found was Ben. Bless Ben: he kicks my ass. I punch him and kick him, but still I'm the one who ends up on the floor in a pool of sweat. Ben is not my lover, he's my trainer. But I do love him! After Marty helped me live in my body again, I looked around and found I'd let it get pretty run down! I sort of randomly met Mr. Ben when I randomly popped into Goodlife on the way home from the grocery store. One thing lead to another and I asked Ben to help me use my bod again. Now I feel so super strong again. Love it! There's still work to be done, but I'm doing it here in the Stoke now. Getting in 3 more workouts with Ben was amazing though- you know a person who can make a hedonist like me LOVE working out must be pretty damn good at what he does. During my last few weeks here I was working out at Trans Canada Fitness semi-regularly and as soon as I move into my temporary downtown home (Dec 1) I won't have an excuse to miss workouts once they're walking distance away! Maybe I don't love it as much on my own, but the feeling is still there!

Most importantly, I saw my inspiring, hilarious, and hard working friends. I stayed with my beautiful bestie and her bro. Watched an interesting dance show. Saw the new clinic that three of my favorite people will be working at (if you need a naturopath in Toronto call me, I'll hook you up with the best!). Hit up a thrift store with one of my favorite fashionistas. Had an impromptu tattoo date with an amazing friend. And caught up with my part time wife/full time legal advisor and the fabulous people she introduced me to (her best friend and London boy toy). And I stopped by the Herb Depot in Chinatown to see my friend, doctor and mentor Ming Hui Shen. Overall, just surrounded myself with a few of the amazing people I met in Toronto.

And not to forget: I caught up with three of my cousins in Vancouver, Phoenix, and Toronto. Phew.

So what did I find to take back to the little town of Revelstoke with me? I remembered how to let my light shine, how to follow my own path, and how incredibly exciting the future is. I remembered how to make friends, how much I love my people, and how much I treasure my alone time. I remembered how to look inside myself when something isn't right. I remembered how much fun it is to laugh while you're punching someone, and how great it feels to push farther than you thought you could go. I remembered to treasure the time I spend with people, whether I see them every day or just once a year. I remembered why I chose to move to Revelstoke, and I feel like its the right place for me to be right now.

Basically, I remembered all the things I lost when I moved here and stopped moving. And I'd better keep them close to my heart because I won't be able to afford another cross country trip for a while!

Also, I remember a time when almost all my friends had blogs. Those were good times. I know I abandoned my blog when I started ND school. But, I'm putting my sh*t out there again... how about you?

Revelstoke in the News...

Today I found 2 mentions of the Stoke in the news... Powder Magazine calls it one of the 20 best places in North America to live and ski (#11 to be exact). And MSN.ca calls the TransCanada highway between Sicamous to Roger's Pass one of the top 10 most dangerous roads in Canada (#7 I believe).

Revelstoke: kind of a big deal.

Think Pink!

Pink is my favorite color for soups. That's because all the pink soups I know are made of beets,making them sweet and hearty. According to the BC Association of Farmer's Markets, beet season is just ending now, so its a great time to pick some up at the local market and enjoy!

I snagged some very pretty beets at the Farmer's Market at Grizzly Plaza last week, and it took me a while, but I got around to making some soup in which they played the starring role. My usual beet soup looks something like this: Pot 1: butter, onions, celery, carrots, (and maybe cabbage) sauteed until sweet and translucent. Pot 2: beets and potatoes boiled in salted water or stock until soft. Combine, add a jar of canned tomatoes, and simmer til its all soft enough to blend (with my second favorite appliance: the immersion blender). Season with salt, pepper, dill, and maybe some sour cream. It turns out a pretty fuchsia color and tastes delicious!

And of course because food is my medicine, shouldn't I tell you what beets can treat? Like most vegetables, they're good for so many things and they're coming up with new fabulous ways to use good food for health every day.

Firstly, beets're bright red. This tells you that they have a lot of antioxidants (important in preventative medicine, especially for cancer and heart disease). The bright red color also tells you that they will help to treat blood deficiency (not necessarily the same as anemia, though they often overlap). Secondly, they're a good source of fibre. The specific fibres found in beets seem to be especially good at lowering cholesterol levels. There is also evidence that beet fibre along with oligosaccharides (sugar chains) are a good pre-biotic (meaning that it makes your gut environment a happy place for friendly bacteria to call home). Thirdly, they contain betaine, which is protective against heart and liver disease. Maybe I'll write a little more about betaine later, its an interesting compound!

 I'm thinking of trying some more beet recipes...

• Anise Scented Balsamic Beets
• Beet Risotto (this is most likely my next beety project!)
• Beet Chips (probably best not to try these unless I can get my hands on a mandolin)

Or I might just roast some up and throw them on a salad with endive, goat cheese, nuts... mmm beets.

The Inaugural Post! (And its about hair)

In an effort to live clean, I usually manage to avoid all the weird ingredients in food (at least when I have a home and kitchen of my own) but my vanity leads me into chemical warfare when it comes to skin and especially hair care. Until now! Maybe.

See, here's the exciting news: I found an all natural hair gel recipe made out of flax seeds! Basically you boil 1 tablespoon of flax seeds in 3/4 cups of water until it makes a gel (~10 mins), then you strain the seeds and cool (refrigerate up to 2 weeks). I'm so excited to try this! Expect an update next week on whether this is amazing/natural/usable or sticky/seedy/impossible.