South Dundas Good Neighbour Awards

 

Two years, ninety pounds lighter and feeling great, Raw Chef and Wellness Coach Dwight Saunders is now offering his knowledge of a lifestyle change that for him, and many others, has led to better health.

Sometimes called the “raw food diet” the change to eating completely raw, unprocessed food is not so much a diet, as a lifestyle.

The fundamental principle of “rawism” is that plant food in its most natural state–uncooked and unprocessed–is the most wholesome for the body. A raw food diet is rich in nutrients, full of fiber and low in fat and sugars. It does not include meat. Heating food is acceptable as long as the temperature remains below 118ºF. Above that and the natural enzymes in food are destroyed.

Saunders and partner Helder Ambrosio, who live in Morrisburg, now operate their business Aura Escapes in three locations in the Iroquois Shopping plaza. They have their Aura hair salon, their Auro Arts Studio where they hold Fabric Sculpture Workshops and their Culinary Arts location where Dwight offers Raw Foods Workshops along with exciting themed Culinary Workshops.

“When I say raw food, that doesn’t always mean cold,” explained Dwight as he prepared for a February 23 Workshop attended by Tina Connolly of the Shanley area, Paul Donovan of Brockville and Bonnie McNairn from the Morrisburg Leader.

He kicked off the day-long workshop by going over safe food handling practices and then a brief talk on “high speed blenders which replace the stove and the food dehydrator which replaces the oven.”

“A lot of people think it is more time consuming to make raw food. There is a lot of prep work, but more people like me don’t have the time, so we rely more on fresh ingredients.”

Saunders also stressed that “there are no peanuts used on the premises, there is no gluten in any of our classes and there is no dairy in our classes.”

From there the class watched as he prepared non-dairy milk (from dried almonds that had soaked overnight) and water.

The non-dairy milk then became the base of a Basic Fruit Smoothie to which was added frozen fruit (berries and pineapple) and ice.

Next began the preparation for lunch done by the students who followed the recipes provided by Dwight. Lunch included Dwight’s Carrot Ginger Soup, Kale Salad, and Chipotle and Tahini Broccoli salad with Cauliflower rice.

The soup became slightly heated from the blender and was served warm. Both the salad and rice were quite tasty. The rice, as implied, was made from fresh cauliflower, pine and macadamia nuts, miso, and cold-pressed sesame oil. All went into the food processor and processed until fluffy and rice-like. 

In addition, the students dined on Kale Salad with ingredients that included avocado, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, lemon juice, chopped dates, Himalayan crystal salt, black pepper, nutmeg, raisins and hemp seeds.

Dessert was Chocolate Mousse made from ripe avocado, dates, cocoa and water and spooned into a raw food pie crust made from almonds, raw honey, dates, salt and vanilla.

After lunch the group set to work on preparing the evening meal which was taken home. That included the preparation of a marinara sauce, noodles made from zucchini and fresh and light carrot cake topped with cashew cheese frosting.

“Cooked food we eat with our pallet; raw food we eat with our brain,” says Dwight. “When we eat cooked food, our liver and brain are still looking for something more.”

“Until I ate raw, I didn’t know what is was to be full. I could always eat more. Now I don’t.”

Dwight explained, the raw diet provides an alkaline diet that is disease preventative, while a cooked diet is an acid diet “which provides a place for disease to grow. That’s why we are clogged.”

He says that there are various reasons that people will consider a “raw diet”. Some are looking to lose weight, others to detox and still others just to become healthier. People with certain allergies and health issues are also looking to raw food diets. It is important to note that peanuts are not used; however, many other nuts are staples.

“If you can get to 80 percent raw, then you are on your way to success…and there is still room for some meat.”

“There is nothing better than having your own garden and eating from it. When you grow your food at home, you know what you put in it.”

Two years ago, Dwight says he had some serious health issues.  “I do have good health now, as before I didn’t. I was vegan for most of my life, but as a vegan I could still have french fries.”

In the past year, Dwight has spent a lot of time translating his grandmother’s recipes to “raw food recipes”, a lot by trial and errors. “I needed to figure out what would give me the same consistency. What I could use say in the place of an egg. “I’ve done the work, and I keep coming up with new ideas. Sometimes it’s an accident,” he says recalling times when he has thrown in a wrong ingredient and come up with a really good taste.

Dwight says that when he went to raw, “it was like night and day. In just weeks and I saw the difference. I had been on diets, but this is not a diet. It’s making a simple life change. You aren’t depriving yourself of anything. More and more people are realizing that what we are eating is making us be in pain.”

Dwight does encourage anyone who is considering a raw food diet to attend his workshops. Literature also advises that people ease into the diet gradually. 

Dwight is currently offering Raw Foods Workshops once per month with the next coming up on April 27.

Exciting themed Culinary Workshops include a Lebanese theme on April 28. Themes range from Thai, to Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian, etc.

The facility can handle up to 12 people, but Dwight prefers groups of six to 10.

The workshop fees are $95 per person and include the workshop and meals. Pre-registration is a must by calling 613-543-4444.

Dwight will also do evening dinners for groups. “People will ask for this or that often for a girls’ night out, but now couples dinner parties are becoming more popular.”

Also coming up on the Aura menu are monthly organized dinners to allow people to come in and “get a taste of what we are all about.”

In total there are 12-15 different kinds of classes that Dwight will be entertaining, everything from seasonal pickle and jam making, to producing non-dairy cheese. Week-long youth camps are also in the works for this summer. For more information please visit www.auraculinaryarts.yolasite.com

[…]

 

The Township of South Dundas, along with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, is proud to announce the launch of the South Dundas Charter for Active Living. 

To kick off the launch, we are planning an “On the Go Dundas County” challenge where South Dundas will compete against North Dundas in a healthy living challenge. 

Linking Hands and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit are teaming up with North Dundas and South Dundas Townships to challenge all residents to exercise and eat well for four weeks. This is a competition between the townships to see who can get the most participants. 

The challenge will encourage residents of all ages to incorporate physical activity and healthy eating into their daily routine. 

The “On the Go” challenge will be taking place between June 3rd and July 14th with the best four weeks used to accumulate the minimum necessary minutes and servings for both physical activity and healthy eating. 

You can pick any four week period between June 3rd and July 14th to take the challenge.

If residents meet the minimum requirements they will be entered into a draw for prizes. Prizes include gift certificates for recreation programs, green food bags and other great prizes.

We encourage you to participate in order to accumulate points for your township to see which township gets the most participants.

You can pick up your On the Go tracking and prize entry form at the township office, 4296 County Road 31, as well as at any of the Dundas libraries.

The goal of the South Dundas Charter for Active Living is to improve the physical and mental well-being of South Dundas residents by encouraging families and individuals to integrate active living in their everyday life as they learn, work and play through continued education, promotion of healthy living and accessible programming. 

We want to ensure that every resident has the chance to live an active lifestyle through accessible and affordable recreation programming, accessible parks and playing fields and community activities. 

For more information on the Charter for Active Living, please visit the recreation page of the Township of South Dundas website at www.southdundas.com or contact Ben Macpherson, Recreation Program Coordinator, at 613-543-2937.

[…]

Tick exposure, and therefore the risk of being exposed to Lyme Disease, is a burgeoning issue, especially in this area.

While the Gananoque area has long been a hotbed for tick activity, the Seaway area, is now the number two area for tick exposure in the province of Ontario.

Dr. Devin Hunt of the Morrisburg Animal Hospital recently discussed the growing prevalence of tick exposure, and the huge growth the local veterinary practise has seen in canine exposure to Lyme disease.

“In 2006-2007 we may have seen three positive tests for exposure to Lyme disease. This year, so far, we have 26 cases so far in the Morrisburg office,” says Hunt. “These are positive tests for exposure to Lyme disease.”

Throughout the Dundas Veterinary Services practice, which includes the Morrisburg Animal Hospital, the vast majority of positive test results for Lyme come from dogs seen at the Morrisburg location.

“Of the dogs we see, about 70 per cent of those exposed to Lyme, come from the Ault Island – Ingleside area,” said Hunt. 

The remainder seem to come from the Williamsburg and Iroquois areas. 

Prevention of Lyme disease, in dogs and humans is about minimizing exposure to areas where ticks could be picked up, especially during May-June and September-October.

Hunt explains that adult ticks feed in blooms, and it is during these times when the risk of tick and Lyme disease exposure is higher. 

The ticks here that carry Lyme are black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks. 

These ticks are also carried by rodents and birds, so tick exposure is not limited to bush and grassy areas. “They can literatly be parachuted into an area by the songbirds that tend to carry them,” said Hunt.

For those living in, or frequenting the Ault Island area, Hunt suggests that dog owners consider the Lyme disease vaccine. He  generally recommends that the vaccine be done in March-April, to protect dogs during both of the peak times of the year, one of which is now.

Also, many veterinary strength fleas prevention treatments are also effective for ticks.

Hunt recommends that pet owners regularly check their dogs for ticks. 

“Generally, ticks need to be attached for 48 hours for a dog to have a significant risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Even if a dog tests positive for being exposed to Lyme, a follow up veterinary visit will determine whether or not treatment is warranted.

Hunt explains that only about five per cent of those dogs that test positive for Lyme will develop full blown Lyme disease.

“One known bite can result in a positive Lyme disease test result,” says Hunt, but he goes on to explain that it has to be from the right kind of tick (the black legged tick).

 Of those ticks, about five  per cent actually carry Lyme disease, and if a Lyme carrying tick bites your animal, there’s about a five per cent chance that bite will result if full blown Lyme disease. 

Kidney failure is the worst possible outcome for a dog that has been unlucky enough to contract Lyme disease.

Hunt says that anyone finds a tick attached to their dog should carefully remove it by gently pulling it off with tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible. Hunt uses a tool called a “Tick Twister” that looks like a tiny crow bar. They are sold for under $15 at the Morrisburg Animal Hospital.

Cats don’t appear as susceptible to the effects of Lyme disease, but dogs a people are at risk of contracting the disease.

Hunt explains that the nature of ticks mean that people aren’t likely to get a tick from their pet, but they are as likely to pick up a tick from the surroundings as their dog is.

Due to the increase in Lyme disease-carrying ticks in the region, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit recommends that people take precautions to protect themselves and their families from Lyme disease:

• Apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing and on all exposed skin. Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for safe use.

• When possible, wear long sleeves, long pants, socks and closed footwear (avoid sandals or open shoes). Light-coloured clothing is best because it makes ticks easier to see and remove before they can attach to feed.

• Tuck your shirt into your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks.

• Examine your body for ticks after being outdoors, especially if you were in an area where there’s tall grass or shrubs, or where ticks are known to live. If possible, stay in the middle of trails. Showering after can also help remove ticks that have not yet attached.

Anyone who notices a tick has attached to themselves or a family member, remove it with tweezers and clean and disinfect the site of the bite. “Contact your healthcare provider if you believe the tick was attached for more than 24 hours or if you develop any symptoms of Lyme disease, including a rash that looks like a red bull’s eye and flu-like symptoms,” says the EOHU. Left untreated, Lyme disease can affect the heart, nervous system or joints, but if caught early can generally be treated successfully.

In dogs, Hunt recommends, monitoring a dog that has had a tick removed, and visiting a vet if the animal seems dull, depressed or fevered. 

[…]