Before I get to the recipe I just want to remind people of the amazingness that is bone broth. Bone broth is the main ingredient of this recipe and it is not only nutritious but legit my secret vanity elixir. FYI, I'm going to brag for a second:
MY.FACE.IS.GLOWING. GLOWINGGGGGGG.
For the past few weeks everyone has been telling me I’m just glowing. They’ve said you usually have a nice glow but something is just different. I too have noticed the difference. Literally been looking in the mirror being like “Damn, my skin is popping!”. There are many things I do that could contribute to this but it's been a crazy noticeable difference recently. It took me a minute and then I was like OMG it's the soup! For the past few weeks I have been so obsessed with this soup; like it's been my main lunch from Monday to Friday each week. The power on bone broth is insane! Besides all the vitamins & minerals we get from bone broth we’re also here for the collagen. Collagen improves hydration & elasticity of your skin and lessens the appearance of wrinkles as well. Win-win!
Ok I’m not going to write a novel this time. Below is the OG recipe with some tweeks. I’m for a ridiculous amount of vegetables and I traded the turkey for ground chicken. I hope you guys love it and please let me know if you try it!
Chicken & Kale Soup
Ingredients:
Directions:
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Ok friends, I could start this blog off by boring you with a generic list of why you should drink broth and all of its lovely health benefits (I mean yeah, I’ll get into that for sure) but here’s the real reason why I started making broth at home. It wasn’t because it’s good for you; it’s because I. Love. Eating. Like it’s a serious situation! For most of my life, I’ve never had an off switch when it comes to food. You know when you eat so much your stomach hurts so you stop eating?…yeah, so I used to just keep on eating. Like I said; it was a situation. Don’t even get me started on when people talk about intuitive eating (I mean it is a thing, but not for people like me).
So, a few years ago I gained some unwanted fat that I couldn’t seem to shake. My nutritionist introduced me to a healthy eating plan called Metabolic Balance (definitely will talk more about this later, as it was a 100% game changer regarding my relationship with food). Actually, let’s backtrack, I’ve never had an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia, but my relationship with food was far from healthy. I would go from being really strict to binging like it was my last meal on earth. Fast forward to six years ago when I started intermittent fasting; specifically 16/8. This basically means you fast for 16 hours and then you can eat within an 8 hour window. Lots of good came from this: I learned how to stop grazing after dinner and that I wasn’t going to die of hunger if I wasn’t eating every 2 hours. What I didn’t learn though, was how to stop overeating. Intermittent fasting in my mind was sort of a free pass to stuff your face in that 8 hour window (FYI what not to do even if it is all healthy foods).
"I’ve never had an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia, but my relationship with food was far from healthy. I would go from being really strict to binging like it was my last meal on earth."
There are both mental and physiological reasons for why we overeat. Physiologically, when our bodies are lacking certain nutrients it leaves us feeling unsatisfied and un-satiated; over eating becomes a byproduct of this. Mentally, the reasons are person specific. I know part of my issue was how I was raised. My grandmother wouldn’t let us leave the table until we finished our plates. Looking back I’m like WTF? Why was I forced to eat an adult portion when I was 10 years old? I think that actually piggybacked off my grandmother’s personal issue of being without food as she actually lived through wars and famines. Anyway, basically I was force fed as a child, rewarded with naughty food and also created some unhealthy attachments to food as a source of comfort.
Ok, back to Metabolic Balance. So I get the 50 page dossier of my new eating plan. There are 8 main rules and I basically was all like “fuck my life” after I read them. The first 2 rules were my issue. You’re only allowed to eat 3 meals a day and each meal has to be spaced out by 5 hours with only plain-ass water in between. Like whattttttttt!? At this point, you have to remember that I was a massive IFer (Intermittent fasting addict). When you fast you’re allowed to drink all the black coffee, tea & lemon water you want. Coffee filled me up and suppressed my appetite and on top of that I would eat 3 meals in that 8 hour window. Basically that meant I was eating every 2.5 hours. So now my brain goes into overdrive trying to figure out how to scam the system because the thought of following the first 2 rules were mentally painful to me (at the time).
Well, my brilliant mind comes up with overeating as the solution (obviously) thinking that this will keep me full for the 5 hours until the next meal. You can’t actually starve in a 5 hour window but try telling that to me seven years ago. Again, there are 8 rules to follow and one of the other rules is that you have to eat exactly the amount they tell you to at each meal. Guys, you have to get a scale and measure that shit out (I feel like I’m really not selling this lifestyle ha ha but that’s not the point of this blog. I actually ended up loving Metabolic Balance but certainly not the first 16 days of it. (That was also due to a massive candida overgrowth situation though – also, a story for another time). Anyway, so if I have to measure everything out how can I scam the system…BROTH!! Yes! That was my grand epiphany!! Yeah I know, as I type this it doesn’t sound that groundbreaking but I really was proud of myself at the time. Broth is basically water (so I technically wasn’t cheating) and I also needed to drink 10 cups of water a day (another rule which I felt like I was scamming by substituting some broth). FYI I no longer attempt to scam the system. I’ve now learned that there are actually no shortcuts in life if you want to achieve lasting optimal results. I know, so boring but facts are facts.
Broth has had a major revival in the last few years nand is sold everywhere now. I was never big into cooking; it only became a thing for me as I started to educate myself on nutrition and started to get grossed out by conventional foods. I realized that most store bought items were full of shitty ingredients that promoted ill health. FYI I’m also a (recovering) perfectionist and if I do something I tend to go from zero to 100. So yeah, when I decided to become the healthy witch I am now I obviously couldn’t settle for anything but the best. At first I tried to buy pre-made broth but everything at the normal groceries stores were full of shitty ingredients and preservatives. The other option were the health food stores but those broths cost a small fortune. So, I decided to buy myself a crockpot and make my own. I literally googled “the best chicken broth recipe in crockpot”. The recipe I found is the one that I still use to this day and it's amazing!
A FEW REASONS WHY BROTH IS LIFE:
Of course, nothing I do is ever simple. I found this recipe for broth, but to make it first you need to make what they refer to as “The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot”. Ok, so they weren’t bragging they were truth tellers. Both the chicken AND the broth were off the hook. If you’ve actually made it this far I applaud you and will end your misery. Here is the recipe for not only a delicious fall-off-the-bone whole chicken but the chicken broth recipe as well! It’s so ridiculously easy I can’t believe it took me so long to start making my own. Also, your house is going to smell like heaven during this process.
The Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot & Chicken Broth
FYI all the ingredients I use are organic and obviously I only use clean filtered water – no tap water!!!
Ingredients:
Directions:
The chicken is an amazing fall-off-the-bone situation and you can use it for anything; tacos, sandwiches, salads, in soup etc. Now that we have our chicken meat we must move along to making our beloved Bone Broth. The secret to the amazing flavour of the bone broth is all the spices that were used for the whole chicken rub.
Chicken Broth
FYI I’ve upped the volume of ingredients from the original recipe which you can find here.
Ingredients:
o Leftover chicken carcass, bones, skin & onions from the “Best Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot” recipe.
Directions:
Again, this broth is so flavourful from all the spices from the chicken. Sometimes, I use it as a base for chicken soup but usually I just drink it as is. It's that good and the addiction is real. I sincerely hope you enjoy the recipes and would love to hear your feedback!
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Time flows and our memories get skewed. For the last few years I’ve told myself that I went back to school for my own education and because of my personal health issues from chain smoking for 20 years. The other day I was cleaning my office and found a notebook from orientation day from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. That day they asked us to dedicate this program to someone and write a little note explaining why we chose this person. I wrote:
I am dedicating this program to my mother for many reasons. Firstly, she was my biggest supporter and always encouraged me to follow my passion. She always believed I could achieve anything I put my mind to. This program also has great significance due to my mother passing from stage four colon cancer. I learned that no one should go out like that and I believe no one should.
What makes my mom’s story so sad is that she never did the obvious things that we expect to lead to cancer such as smoking cigarettes. She also never touched illegal drugs or alcohol. Though my mom didn’t partake in these obvious activities that lead to ill health she did
have an unhealthy lifestyle. She didn't like to eat (boggles my mind still), she didn't exercise, she didn't sleep and she drank Pepsi like it was going out of style. Over her lifetime she suffered from chronic illnesses such as type II diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue and was for the most part overweight most of her adult life. What's crazy is that she would get her yearly physical and was told every time that her blood work was perfect and that she was “fine”. My mom believed in the system. If they told her she was fine then she must be. She went to Weight Watchers, she started eating margarine when we were told butter was the devil, she switched to Diet Pepsi when we were told that artificial sugars were better for your health, she joined gyms, she logged her food, she let them cut out her gallbladder, she did everything they told her to do because we've been socialized to believe that “they” know better. She is the most amazing human I have ever known but when it came to her health she was at a loss.
When my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer I knew that it was bad but that was all I knew. My ignorance was made so apparently clear. All I knew about cancer was that sugar feeds it. I clearly remember asking the Oncologist in front of my mother “shouldn’t my mom stop eating junk food every day and drinking pop?”. He replied that there was no need and it wouldn't make a difference. In my gut I knew he was wrong but I didn’t know why and I didn't know who else too turn to for answers. They told us she had to get chemotherapy and that was basically the only option. I knew the chances of survival were super slim especially if you were already of ill health. I was hopeless to help her. Looking back on my ignorance of the disease and how it comes about made the situation so much harder to bear. To feel that hopeless is something I never want to feel again nor want anyone else to go through.
"In my gut I knew he was wrong but I didn’t know why and I didn't know who else to turn too for answers."
My mother's story had no happy ending. She underwent surgery and then rounds of chemotherapy that weakened her almost immediately. Within 7 months my mom was bedridden and by 11 months she passed. It is still the most heartbreaking thing that I have had to endure and weighs heavily on my heart to this day.
In search of a way to heal myself and not feel helpless when confronted with cancer I in turn ended up finding my drive in life. I'm not upset about that. Our life's experience is what molds us. It took me a long time to get here but I’m here and ready to be of service. It shouldn’t take anyone 5 years to feel better after quitting smoking or get into such ill health that cancer could become your reality. The biggest disservice our current health system has done is take away our autonomy when it comes to our health. My goal is to help people learn how to give their bodies the nutrition it needs to heal itself. I strongly believe in working with my clients to educate them and find a real appreciation for the amazing machines our bodies were meant to be. Knowledge is power and replaces the fear of the great unknown.
"The biggest disservice our current health system has done is take away our autonomy when it comes to our health."
Most who know me will tell you I am usually full of light. Unfortunately, my new career path came at a personal cost. I decided to take that sadness though and spread as much light as possible. Getting healthy is the single best gift you could give yourself and in turn your family and friends. Eventually, all the bandaid solutions will no longer be enough. What will it take for you to realize that your health is what matters most in life?
I know from personal experience how hard it is to figure out where to get started. That's where people like me come in and the great thing is that we are multiplying daily. Working with a Health Coach is a very personal and potentially extremely rewarding experience. When you begin to unlock the key to your body's vitality it not only has a profound effect on you physically but mentally as well. Being of sound mind and body will transform your world in ways you couldn’t even dream of. If you are willing to put in the work, trust me, your body will thank you tenfold!
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In a perfect world my new career would have been born from a natural passion but sadly my creation story didn't come from a love of all things healthy, it was unfortunately quite the opposite. Two defining life circumstances led me down this path, both difficult in their own right, taking both an emotional and physical toll on my health.
The first story is about my personal health profile. My picture should be in the dictionary next to the word, dichotomy. I had my first drag of a cigarette at the age of 11 and started full time smoking at the age of 14. I then continued to chain smoke for 20 years straight. I never quit, I never said I was going to quit, I was proud to be a smoker. As I was slowly killing myself on an hourly basis I was also extremely vain and into fitness. I worked out 5 to 6 days a week, I drank my 8 cups of water, I did juice cleanses and filled up on veggies and protein. You can get away with not really feeling or being aware of the ill effects in your teens and early twenties but as we all know, as you age it catches up to you. By the time I was in my early 30’s I was suffering in secret. Looking back, I can easily see how sick I was (mentally & physically) but it was all my body had known for years so it took time for me to recognize how ill I truly was. My body couldn't take the onslaught anymore. Our bodies speak to us if we listen, and mine was yelling at me to stop being an asshole. It was starting to shut down and I could feel it happening at an accelerated rate. I recall having vivid dreams of me dying of cancer, talking and smoking out of a hole in my throat while dragging along an oxygen tank. This wasn’t the person I was supposed to be. I knew subconsciously I was destined for more than this current version of me.
I was so tired all the time and having a foggy brain was my normal state. I would have to drag myself out of bed on a daily basis. I hardly slept because nicotine keeps you wired. I was lucky if I was getting a solid 4 hours a night. Guys, that went on for 20 years. Do you know how quickly that ages you?! When I got into my 30s this abuse was starting to show and Vain Yui was not feeling it. Exercise would give me temporary energy but it didn't last long. I then had to turn to caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes to keep me awake and functioning. Visually, I didn't look like death though so people didn’t know how bad it was. I could go on about this but I think the state of my health is pretty clear: I was a walking zombie.
I finally hit my rock bottom and realized I needed to make big changes or I was going to get cancer and die. I could feel it in my bones. Long story short, I put in the work and I quit smoking on my first attempt. FYI this is definitely my proudest moment. This October 31st, 2021 will mark the 8 year anniversary of me being a non-smoker. I forget how huge that is sometimes. I was so addicted that when I quit one of my friends also quit shortly after me. She said “Fuck, if Yui can quit then anyone can”. They say nicotine is more addictive than heroin. HEROIN!!! I have to tell you that when I quit and realized I would never smoke again, I realized that I could literally do anything I put my mind to. That was pretty mind blowing. I had no idea how much smoking had affected me mentally, allowing so much subconscious self doubt and personal shame.
So now you're thinking bye-bye Smoker Yui & hello Healthy Yui. Not so much! Our bodies are machines and they do anything and everything to keep us alive. It's actually magical when you learn about the intricacies of how our bodies function. Ok, so Yui quits smoking, we think yes life will be beautiful now. Sorry friends that was definitely not the case! I smoked a pack of cigarettes a day. More than one every hour on the hour. My body was so dependent on the chemicals in cigarettes that when I went cold turkey my body shut down. When I quit smoking my hair fell out, I gained 18 lbs, my skin dried up, my nails were weak with ridges, I slept 16 hours a day, I was bloated and gassy & on top of it I became severely constipated. That’s not even all the things that were wrong with me. The list was so long. BUT, shockingly during this whole time I was still so thankful that I had quit smoking. I remember being in awe of that fact.
“When I quit smoking my hair fell out, I gained 18 lbs, my skin dried up, my nails were weak with ridges, I slept 16 hours a day, I was bloaty and gassy & on top of it I became severely constipated.”
I really wish I had someone like Present Yui to guide me through quitting smoking. All of my side effects didn't need to happen. Thankfully I’m nosey AF. I read books, I Googled, I went to every doctor I could. I even paid $2500 or so to go to MedCan in Toronto. Everyone kept telling me that I was “fine” and that I was free of disease. Most people belittled what I was experiencing. I went to see a male endocrinologist who also told me I was fine because my TSH was in range and that I needed to focus on diet and exercise (FYI my diet & exercise were totally on point and had been for over a decade). The ignorance, the lack of bedside manners and the dismissiveness I dealt with was next level. Even at my weakest I am still considered a strong individual. I was outraged for myself, but more so for other people who weren’t as privileged as me and didn't possess my confidence. I learned first-hand how ill-equipped our healthcare system was when dealing with people like me who were subclinical. For them, if you’re not in a diseased state then you’re considered “fine”. Nothing to do but “wait and see” they said. That obviously wasn’t good enough for me and shouldn’t be good enough for anyone who is suffering.
So, as most people do they end up turning to holistic health in a last ditch effort. I found myself a naturopath. The naturopath helped me get about 70% better which was amazing but it wasn’t enough. I still didn't feel right. I couldn't lose the extra weight and I was so tired all the time. I eventually found a Holistic Nutritionist who helped me lose the excess weight but fatigue was still an issue and I also had to be pretty tight with my diet and I knew that wasn’t going to be sustainable. Again, I could feel something wasn’t right. I had exhausted all avenues. There was only one door left open to me and that was to go back to school. Seriously, never in a hundred years did I ever think I would do that. I actually only signed up for one class but I loved it so much I ended up continuing my education and becoming a Certified Holistic Practitioner. Now years later with countless certifications to my name, when people ask me what I do I no longer answer “I have a family business” instead I say “I'm a Holistic Nutritionist”.
Sadly, my story doesn't end here. In Part 2 I delve into the sad half of my story. It is something I haven't shared with many people but I feel it's so important fo you to know how my life as a Nutritionist came about and how deeply connected I am to my new life's work.
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