Easy, delicious, time saving Tomato Sauce

Written by Dr. Field

I have a confession to make. I don’t love cooking. Well, I should clarify. I like cooking, but I like to be efficient in the kitchen. I don’t love spending hours and hours in the kitchen, yet I love eating homemade, delicious and truly healthy food. What’s a Naturopathic doctor to do?

Make this tomato sauce.

I love this tomato sauce. Not only is it delicious and easy to make, but, and this is almost the best part, it saves me a ton of time in the kitchen through the rest of the week.

This recipe makes 3 L of sauce. I make it once per week and store it in the fridge in mason jars. It is very versatile and, with it ready to go in the fridge, I can quickly make multiple dinners and lunches through the week. Amazing!

Last night I added green beans, spooned it over baked yams and topped it with poached eggs and shaved Parmesan, which was delicious. It is also wonderful on noodles. My current favourite are the noodles made from legumes, but I also love the organic whole grain Kamut spaghetti noodles. Often times, I spoon it over steamed rice or quinoa (which you can also have ready made in the fridge making your meal almost instant). You can change which herbs you use or add more herbs to it once it’s re-heated to brighten up the sauce. While the sauce is great as is, you can make it even healthier by adding more vegetables, especially green vegetables as you reheat for your meal. Kale, snow or snap peas and green beans are all delicious additions.

Tomato Sauce:

• 3 onions chopped

• 6 cloves of garlic chopped

• 3 large (746 mL) cans of crushed tomatoes (try to make them organic and BPA free)

• 4 Tbs of tomato paste

• 2 Cups cooked chickpeas (You can use 1 Large can or 2 cups fresh cooked)

• Big handful of fresh basil chopped

• Big handful of fresh Italian parsley chopped

• Sea salt to taste (1/2-1 tsp)

• Heat pan on medium heat and then add cooking oil (more to come on this in another blog post)

• As soon as oil is added, add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until translucent and starting to brown (about 10 minutes)

• Add tomatoes, tomato paste and chickpeas and simmer for 30 minutes to meld flavours.

• Turn off heat and stir in salt, basil and parsley

• If eating some immediately for a meal, add some fresh veggies and enjoy.

• Let the rest sit and allow to cool before filling mason jars.

• Once cool, fill mason jars and store in fridge.

• If you won’t eat the whole batch in a week, store in the freezer. If storing in mason jars, freeze overnight or at least 6 hours with the lids off and screw the lid on once the sauce is frozen. This prevents the mason jar from cracking. You can also freeze in freezer bags.

Happy cooking!

To book an appointment please call (250) 504-0090 or book online.

Burn-out Recognized by the World Health Organization

Written by Dr. Field

Burn-out is now recognized as a disease state by the World Health Organization (WHO). On May 28, 2019 the WHO released a statement detailing how Burn-out will be included in the ICD-11 (1). This is a very important, helpful and validating recognition for patient health.

According to the WHO statement, burn-out is defined as follows:

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and

• reduced professional efficacy.

Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life (1).”

The recognition of Burn-out as a disease state by the WHO is very important. Every day I see people dealing with Burn-out as a result of work place stress, though they don’t often recognize that they are stressed out or are even willing to accept that feeling burnt out is not a normal state. We live in a society where we feel like we have to be on the go all of the time, valuing productivity above all else.

Many of us live with Burn-out, but until now have not been able to name it as a disease state. What makes this recognition by the WHO so helpful and important is that having a disease classification helps to make things concrete and put things into perspective. It helps people understand and recognize that they are sick and so realize that they can ask for help and that changes are both necessary and possible to address the disease state.

Naturopathic doctors have a great toolkit when it comes to Burn-out. Acupuncture has a great deal of scientific studies showing it’s efficacy in anxiety and stress (2,3). Many herbal medicines have scientific studies showing they are helpful for anxiety and stress. Certain supplements have been shown in scientific studies to be helpful for anxiety and stress. And, of course, Naturopathic doctors can offer lifestyle counselling focusing on exercise and meditation, both of which have many scientific studies showing their efficacy in addressing anxiety and stress.

If you are experiencing Burn-out or are worried you might be experiencing Burn-out please consider giving us a call. If you’re not sure about Naturopathic Medicine, we offer 15 minute free meet and greets so that you can make sure Naturopathic is the right fit for you.

To book an appointment please call (250) 504-0090 or book online

References:

• World Health Organization visited June 3, 2019. https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/burn-out/en/

• Pililkington K, Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Cummings M, Richardson J. Acupuncture for Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders – a Systematic Literature Review. Acupuncture in Medicine. 2007. 25(1-2): 1-10.

• Errington-Evans N. Acupuncture for Anxiety. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics. 2011.

Acupuncture and Cervical Ripening

Written by Dr. Field

What is Cervical Ripening?

During pregnancy your cervix is firm and closed. Once you begin labour your cervix changes and becomes soft and distended so that it can dilate and open. This change to the cervix is referred to as cervical ripening.

What Do The Studies Say?

A 2011 study by Gribele et. al. compared the drug misoprostol to acupuncture and found “acupuncture is effective at obtaining cervical ripening with a significantly higher frequency of vaginal deliveries and without occurrence of obstetric complications.”

In 1998 Zeisler et al. concluded that acupuncture treatment had a positive effect on the duration of labour by shortening the first stage of labour, defined as the time between 3cm cervical dilation and complete dilation. The acupuncture group were treated from 36 weeks gestation and had a median duration of 196 minutes compared to the control group time of 321 minutes.

In 1974 Kubista and Kucera concluded that acupuncture once per week from 37 weeks gestation was successful in reducing the mean labour time in the women treated.

Conclusion:

As a result of these studies, Naturopathic Doctors and Acupuncturists offer this therapy to pregnant women as part of their prenatal care. The general recommendation is to have weekly acupuncture treatments beginning at 36 weeks through to your due date.

To book an appointment please call (250) 504-0090 or book online

References:

Betts D and Lennox S (2006). “Acupuncture For Prebirth Treatment: An Observational Study Of Its Use In Midwifery Practice.” Med Acup; 17(3): 16–19.

Gribele G.P.C., Coca-Velarde LG, Moreira de Sa RA. (2011). “Electroacupuncture for cervical ripening prior to labor induction: a randomized clinical trial.” Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics; 283(6): 1233-1238.

Kubista E ,Kucera H (1974). [On the use of acupuncture in the preparation for delivery]. Geburtshilfe Perinatol; 178: 224-9.

Rabl M, Ahner R, Bitschnau M, Zeisler H, Husslein P (2001). “Acupuncture for cervical ripening and induction of labour at term – a randomised controlled trail.” Wien Klin Wochenschr; 113(23-24): 942-6.

Zeisler H, Tempfer C, Mayerhofer Kr, Barrada M, Husslein P (1998). “Influence of acupuncture on duration of labour.” Obstet Gynecol; 92(2): 245-8.