Digestive Health: Gut Feelings And More

When I am talking about gut feelings, this blog is not necessarily referring to our intuition. It’s actually about the steps I’m taking to support my digestive health along with figuring out more natural ways to sleep.

After visiting with my gastro doctor and going through all the wonderful tests and rule out various things, he suggested that I start taking a daily probiotic called Culturelle, which is good for promoting good bacteria in our gut. This particular brand has a lot of evidence behind it, compared to some other brands. He gave me a few samples to try out and to be honest, i’m not sure if I immediately felt a difference, but after a couple of weeks, I did notice a lot less bloating and all that fun stuff. I’ve been taking the vegetarian capsules for several months now. My only beef, even with coupons, it’s expensive!

I will be the first one to say that I've never been one for taking pills, but as I age (ugh), it seems like i’m not able to absorb all the nutrients that are really essential to our health. Initially, I just added Vitamin D3 to my daily regime. However, last year, I felt like a total zombie and I had no idea at all that I was low in B12.  I went to my doctor and she suggested to check my levels and although they weren’t extremely low, it was not as high as she would have liked and so I was advised to take a daily supplement. I could have also taken a B12 shot, but I rather not take shots, unless totally necessary.  There are many different forms of B12 that you can get in supplement form. I found Jamieson's B12 fast dissolving sublingual tablets worked best for me.  When I went for a blood test a few months ago, my B12 levels were great, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on that.

Along with taking a suitable probiotic, trying digestive enzymes was next up on the list after  being advised to see a new practitioner who could help with these issues and also aid with nutritional counselling. I think they helped a bit, but honestly, I didn’t see that much of a difference in symptoms, so instead of getting a refill, it was suggested to try a loose leaf tea that had a lot of de-bloating and gentle herbs, instead of swallowing a supplement. Tummy-ease is fantastic!  I really love the minty flavour and with the various herbs, it actually seems to work as a calming agent as well.

Loose leaf teas

Also, I was advised to change the way I prepare food. For a lot of us, it’s interesting to note that raw food is not all it’s cracked up to be.  I used to snack on raw carrots and veggies, so that has changed. Everything is warm. Even fruit, I either chop up to cook on the stove or microwave. A few extra steps, but worth not having a stomach-ache.  Although no pic, I also take a nice heap of ground flax with my cereal in the morning, which has been a great addition.

I'm still for the most part dairy-free, which I do think has helped and I've cut back a lot on red meat since it can be quite difficult to digest. I'm eating more plant-based style, but I still do incorporate chicken, pork and fish a few times per week.

Sleep. We’ve had a weird relationship over the last few years. I’ve been in “fight or flight” mode for a long time. I really started to notice my quality of sleep decline and if you’ve ever woken up feeling like someone took a vacuum and sucked all the life force out of you, and not even a cup of java helps, you get my point. I was advised to try a natural sleep aid called Pascoflair, which has a well-researched herb in it with passion flower. The product is supposed to calm down your nervous system and promote a restful sleep. After taking it for several weeks consistently, I did feel a lot calmer, maybe too calm at times. Within about a half hour of taking it, my eyes started to close and that’s all I remember.

Truth be told, I did notice some heart palpitations after taking it and then once again when I woke up in the morning, so I am not sure if that is from my normal anxiety or if there was an ingredient in there that didn’t jive with my system.  It’s a bit of a mystery there. I tried to take it only a few times per week and that symptom weened off a bit, but I still felt a little uneasy.  Also, I don’t doubt that maybe there is some level of "placebo effect" happening in some form or another, but i’m okay with knowing that.

To be on the safe side, we swapped the tablets for a gentler sleep remedy.  I was given a sleep tea called Nighty Night tea in loose leaf format, which has ingredients like: skullcap, valerian root (known for aiding in sleep), passion flower and other herbs. I cannot say that it has solved the sleeping issues for me entirely, but when I take a cup, it does relax my body, so then I proceed with my nightly stretches, meditation and guided imagery to quiet my mind for sleep. It also helps having some nice cuddles.

I am feeling positive that my body is slowly healing from a physical and emotional perspective. I still have bad days, but i’m human. Stress really is the ultimate destroyer. Whatever you need to do, get it under control. I am fortunate that I found so many great resources to guide me along the way.

I will update again soon!

*I should mention my usual disclaimer to make sure to always consult with your trusted  healthcare practitioner(s) before starting any kind of vitamin, supplement or sleep aid.*

Made to feel at home at Bean N' Leaf in Windsor Ontario

Standing in line at March 21 Bean N' Leaf
Photo by Melissa Arditti

Finally stopped into March 21 Bean N' Leaf located at 480 Pelissier St here in Windsor, Ontario, with my friend Jen.  It's a cute and cozy place that is surrounded with art work, trendy toy figurines from movies like the Minions and Toy Story, to other nostalgia that you can look at while you're waiting for your order.  Oh and yes, they have complimentary wifi, just need to enter a password to connect, and you're good to go on your phone, tablet or laptop.

Ever feel overwhelmed looking at a menu in a coffee shop? I know I can stand there for a while agonizing over all the options, thinking of trying something completely new, and then sticking to my favourites.  The chalkboard menu at Bean N' Leaf is plentiful when it comes to coffee, tea and other beverages. If you like your java, they do specialize in a method called "Pour Over Coffee," which is supposed to be a fast and efficient way of brewing. I'm not a coffee drinker, more a latte something-or-other here and there, but mainly tea.

Anyhow, if you have a sweet tooth, all of their desserts are made in-house. I opted out for tea, as we just finished dining at Pho Maxim (you can see my review here on that restaurant, if you're curious as to what i'm talking about: Pho Maxim  ) and I had a big pot of jasmine tea, so I was tea'ed out.

My eyes did go for the dessert section. I had a brownie, which was pretty good. Very chocolately, chewy and rich. I couldn't say it really stood out, as far as what a usual brownie would taste like, but it was still tasty. It looked kind of small for the price, but after finishing, it was more than enough. If you're going in for a drink and snack, expect to bring way more than a handful of change!

They even sell cereal by the bowl, although it's all the sugar-laden ones, so I'd love to see a healthy one thrown in or maybe some concoction of a nutritious granola mix, just in case someone was stopping by and didn't want an overload of sugar. I also noticed they have lactose-free milk on their board. Hurray! This made me happy, as many other places just have alternatives like soy, almond, or coconut.  I'm a lactose-free milk drinker, if you didn't catch on.

I just took one photo from my phone because my battery was running low, so don't mind the camera flash that you see in this blog. I'll probably go back and take more photos next time and then update this posting.

The owner is ridiculously friendly and will explain anything that's on the menu. You can tell how passionate he is just opening up canisters so you can smell different aromas to make your final choice. I love going into places like this where you're not just another number. The personal interaction where someone can answer questions and have a conversation without memorizing a script is a pleasant experience.

Date night, hang out, business meeting, catching up on school work, or just looking for somewhere a little different to go, this trendy cafe is a great addition to the streets of Pelissier here in Windsor!

💜They are now called Cafe March 21, check them out on FB: Cafe March 21

Windsor Restaurant Review - Blooming inside and out: A look into the Sunflower Organic Cafe

Remember the days when you couldn't even order anything “on the side” because it just came prepared however the restaurant made it. Substituting was met with a sigh or “I'll have to ask if we can do that” reply. Choices were really limited and if you had any sort of allergy or special request, you'd have to phone up days in advance to figure out if they could arrange an alternative. I actually went through a time period when I just stopped eating out at restaurants because it was always a frustrating experience and slightly awkward, especially if I was the only one in the group with restrictions.

Now, a new way of thinking has sprouted for certain businesses, especially one that I recently had lunch at last week called Sunflower Organic Cafe, here in Windsor, Ontario.

I loved the vibrancy of the space with all the knick-knacks, neatly organized above the green trim. It kind of reminded me of entering into grandma's house, with a eco-hipster twist.

I was very impressed with how much this cafe caters to each individual and whatever circumstance you're dealing with. Celiac? No problem. Lactose intolerant? Many alternatives available.  Have another kind of auto-immune issue or follow a certain lifestyle, like vegetarian or vegan? Just let the waitress know and she'll figure out a way to make your meal completely customized to your liking. Oh and if you're into the whole organic movement, then you'll feel right at home.  Personally, I don't subscribe to one philosophy when it comes to food, I hold many beliefs that may align with yours, or perhaps be totally contradictory, so take my review with a grain of salt, if you wish and try it out for yourself.

Customer service was top notch. There's no two ways around that.  Our waitress was really friendly and offered to answer any questions that we had about the menu. Speaking of... the menu is large, so there is a lot of variety to choose from.  Start the day with an energizing breakfast, grab a salad, or just power up with one of their smoothies.

Another plus is how reasonably-priced everything is. Many items are under $10, like the Black Bean Wrap, Grilled Cheese, Baby Bella Mushroom and Cheese Omelette, and more.  Check out the menu here: http://www.sunflowerwindsor.com/cafe-menu/

I have to say that my Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes rocked for only $8.95! I couldn't taste the cinnamon all that much, but the mixed berry compote, side of pure maple syrup, plus some refreshing apple splices hit the spot. 3 pancakes might seem stingy since we live in a society where quantity is valued far more than quality, but it was the right amount. I will say though that if you are not familiar with buckwheat, it is rather dense and a little bit on the heavy side, so it won't taste like your traditional pancake.

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes

On a personal note, I am also happy that there is a new place that I can take my parents. With all the major changes going on for my dad, eating healthy is a top priority. Having a nice customized meal that will give him lots of energy is important because he is so active. Oh and of course, this gives my mom a much-needed break, so she doesn't have to cook.

Thanks to my friend Gail for suggesting this spot for our lunch date! :)

Make sure to check out Sunflower Organic Cafe on Facebook!

Update as of Jan 2016: Sadly, it looks like they have closed their doors for good!!