Julia Woodford

Some say March is the cruelest month. It’s still freezing out, we’re tired of winter, and spring is still a ways off. So to stoke the fuel in your furnace, this issue we bring you Pat Crocker’s feature on fiery fare for your table. With recipes fuelled by chile peppers, Crocker will get your blood running faster as she turns up the heat on late winter dining.

Wow, here we are already a month into 2010, with Chinese New Year just around the corner. Astrologer Neil Somerville predicts that the Year of the Tiger will be a time of change and opportunity.

At this point in the year, wild horses couldn’t keep me away from the rest and relaxation coming up in the next couple weeks. Because this is a double issue, my staff and I get to take a big fat break, which is well deserved by everyone here. Meantime, this has been a truly remarkable year for Vitality Magazine – from a hefty increase in the size of our readership audience, to the publication of many powerful articles (the series on vaccine alternatives continues to get thousands of hits on our website), to the evolution of our staff into a well oiled machine. It’s all good!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much controversy in regards to influenza vaccination as what we’re witnessing now. This is good – controversy makes you think. To add to the debate, this month we complete our trilogy of alternatives to vaccination, those that we think are most worthy of consideration. In the September issue we brought you Herbalist Michael Vertolli’s summary of botanical medicines that both prevent and treat H1N1. In October, we published Dr. Zoltan Rona’s prescription for vitamins to address influenza of all varieties, with a specific focus on vitamin D3.

Wow, I’m turning 52 this year and never felt better. Unhindered by the chronic diseases typical of women my age, I’m free to enjoy a fearless midlife. Am I some sort of superhuman who lives a squeaky clean lifestyle? Heck no. I work too hard, play too hard, and have enough bad habits to sink a ship. But what I do have going for me is unrestricted access to the wealth of information, natural health products, and services that Canadians enjoy. These are what keep me healthy, happy, and free of disease every day of the week.

Wow, there’s so much going on in the world of natural health and green living that it’s hard to keep track of it all. But we’re giving it our best shot! From an Events Calendar jam-packed with things to do and places to go, to our Annual Guide to Organics which is literally busting at the seams (we could have put in more but we ran out of room) – this issue will inspire you to get out there and get involved. We are fortunate to live in a province that is bustling with green entrepreneurs and dedicated health professionals who bring a wide array of choices right to our doorstep. And they’re all here in Vitality – ready to share their insights, experience, and tools for healthy living with you.

These are exciting times for green business. Demand for organic food is growing at a rate of 15 to 20% per year (read our scary story on what the mad scientists are doing with GMOs and Biotech and you’ll understand why). What people really want is clean food on their plates and they’re pushing the marketplace to meet this demand. Ontario farmers are working hard to give us what we want, and our job as consumers is to reward them with our loyalty. Every dollar spent on local organic food is an investment not only in our own well-being but also the health of our environment and our local economy. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. And as the global climate becomes more unstable (think hurricanes, tornadoes, drought, and flooding) causing foreign crops to fail, a strong local organic network will ensure that our food supply remains stable.

This month, herbalist Michael Vertolli brings us an updated and expanded version of his popular Summer First Aid feature, which encompasses everything from lavender essential oil for burns to homeopathics for wound healing. Personally, I’d pick homeopathics over drugs any day of the week (especially Traumeel for stubbed toes or post-surgical swelling and Rescue Remedy for sudden shocks, accidents, and emotional upsets). Armed with Vertolli’s recommended remedies, you can create a personalized tool kit that will get you through the summer with ease.

Linda Gabris adds a new twist to barbecue season with her Fruits and Berries on the Grill feature in this issue. This will be of great interest to vegetarians eager to add flare to summertime meals, as well as carnivores ready to experiment with new combinations.

And Chinese Medicine specialist Tom Fung brings us his take on preventing and treating cancer using strategies from the Far East. I find this a good reminder that conventional Western medicine is not the only choice when dealing with life threatening disease, so it’s worth considering alternative treatment methods that have a much longer history. Since most disease arises from chronic inflammation in the body, therapies with the best track record for clearing inflammation should be front and centre in disease recovery.

It’s been a very busy year for Vitality so far, and we’ve had a great time bringing you the best that our community has to offer. Now we’re taking a wee summer break, and will be back (with bells on) in September.

Have a terrific summer,

There’s considerable interest these days in how to wring the most value from our household budgets. At the very least, we’re re-evaluating our priorities in terms of what is essential and what is not. Even for those of us with great jobs, it’s an interesting exercise in revisiting our values.

So a relevant question might be – what do I most need to nourish my wellbeing, stand strong, and turbocharge my energy in these challenging times? Everyone has different answers to this question. For me, the essentials include yoga, organic food, favourite supplements, acupuncture, and long walks in the fresh air. For others it might be bodywork, psychotherapy, self development courses, or anti-aging skin care.

On the flip side – what are the non-essentials that one might do without for awhile? I’ve given up convenience food (no more french fries on the run), cable TV (I get 6 great channels for free on my old TV with rabbit ears, including CBC and TVO), and the prospect of a new car.

Julie Daniluk, on the other hand, sold her car outright in order to free up cash to indulge her passion for organics. In this issue, she shows us how to stretch our food shopping dollars and “Dine Well on a Shoestring”. There are some great ideas in her feature, several of which require cooking at home, so practising your kitchen prowess may be one of your best recession-busting strategies.

Overall, there’s no question that investing time and money in a healthy lifestyle brings big payoffs – more energy to follow your dreams, more stamina to stick to your goals, and more joy to share with your loved ones. By taking care of yourself, you’re also taking care that everyone in your circle gets your best. And considering the turbulence of the times, this may be a period when friends, co-workers and family most need you to be at your best, with a strong and stable foundation that is unruffled by the winds of change.

Speaking of a strong foundation, Susannah Kent’s feature called “Strengthen Your Core” shares some terrific yoga routines for toning and strengthening key muscles that form the very core of your body. They’re easy to practice at home, and if you decide to take on a more challenging routine you can sign up with any of the yoga studios named at the end of the article. Kent reminds us that increased physical strength brings increased confidence, mobility, and fat-burning power.

And there’s lots more great material in this issue, from Dr. Rona’s provocative story on “Drugs You Don’t Need” to Dawn Aaron’s look at Chinese Medicine for Menopause.