Healthy and Inspired Living
Lisa is a Natural Chef certified from Bauman College in Berkeley California - a holistic nutrition school. She operates a personal cheffing business in Vancouver called, Lisa Nella Cucina, focusing on natural whole foods. Lisa has always had a strong interest in nutrition despite having studied linguistics for 4 years. She also lived and worked in Italy as a nanny on various occasions, many times preparing food for the families as well. Lisa has also connected with an Italian family in Vancouver, with whom she speaks Italian to and shares her whole foods recipes! To relax and recharge, Lisa loves to spend time in nature - she is especially fond of the beautiful trails in North Vancouver. Lisa also finds balance in yoga, reading in the sun and soul inspiring music.
We live in an era of information overload, especially surrounding nutrition. I personally have been overwhelmed and confused about food for most of my life. At times I thought I had the answer, after having followed a certain diet for months and months, only to be defeated by feeling sick and malnourished. I’ve tried The [...]
Though I’m a great fan of nuts and seeds, I would be lying if I told you they are without flaws. Nuts and seeds (as well as grains and legumes) contain an enzyme inhibitor called phytic acid. This is a protective compound that interferes with digestion and also blocks mineral absorption. So what’s a nut-lovin’ soul [...]
Did you know that nuts and seeds can protect your heart? They contain arginine, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. (Which could also prove useful on date night, wink wink.) Studies have shown that when nuts (or nut milk) were substituted for an equal amount of carbohydrate in participants’ diets, heart disease risk [...]
If you’re looking for a creamy, rich and delicious drink, filled with protein and healthy fats, look no further. Hemp milk may be your tasty answer. Hemp seeds contain all 8 of the essential amino acids, making it a pretty great protein source. Just half a cup of hemp seeds offers 44 grams of protein, [...]
Almond milk is incredibly delicious. But almond-macadamia milk is beyond words. You have to taste it to understand the sacredness of this drink. And it’s no surprise really, since almonds were sacred to the Romans too—they would shower them upon newlyweds as a fertility charm. This is why we see them at present day weddings, [...]
There we North Americans go again, enjoying too much of a good thing. I’m talking about soy products. But the Japanese have been eating soy for centuries, and they seem so lean and old, and healthy. This is true. However, upon further examination, we notice that the soy consumed in Japan is often fermented, in [...]
History often repeats itself, especially when we’ve done good. In India, yogis have been privy to the healing effects of the ancient bed of nails for centuries. This practice is known as acupressure. Finally the western world is catching on, and just when we need it! With modern day stress, we are in dire need [...]
If you ever find yourself in Argentina, you will most definitely be offered a cup of their national drink: yerba mate. There, they still drink this tea-like infusion with a gourd and bombilla (a round drinking vessel and filter-straw). Slightly woodsy in taste, yerba mate is also preferred over coffee in Paraguay, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. [...]
Present day North America, unfortunately, is a hot spot for a variety of diseases – no need to depress you with names you know too well. Luckily, there are places in the world that can teach us how to reverse such sickly trends, as they are disease “cold spots.” Enter Africa: cold spot for colon [...]
It’s a challenge keeping up with vegetarianism these days; there’s ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, vegan and pesca-vegan. To add to these options, we also have fruitarianism. Like the title suggests, followers of this diet eat fruit. Some fruitarians eat a fruit only diet, while most also enjoy plenty of leafy greens, some vegetables and small quantities of [...]
