In this Q and A column, Communications Coach Vera Held explores with Good News Toronto readers important aspects of courage that surface in our personal and professional lives
Q: Our marketing team is working on a major presentation to an external audience. When I asked our audio-visual expert “Andre” for his thoughts on the setup of the stage and podium, he lashed out and said it’s not his area. Isn’t this a standard question to ask of a teammate who is handling a related section of a presentation?
A: Standard indeed. Andre will be working on audio-visual, which relates to the podium you will be using. Further, an A/V monitor which sits near the podium could be required for presenters to view what is shown on the screen. A/V is also connected to the placement, quantity, and kinds of microphones: lapel, cordless, with cord, or stationary podium. And last, Andre is part of the team and you wanted to include him in the decision-making process. You did everything right; I hope your presentation is a great success.
Q: A professional colleague “Betty” took it upon herself to invite a local dignitary to an industry event. It was a great idea, but I’m the event organizer and she didn’t check with me first. Previously, I had personally invited by telephone an out-of-town dignitary at yet a higher level and I was waiting for him to confirm. To fix the problem, I wrote to both dignitaries, re-invited them both and spoke to the official greeting as an important agenda item. I copied everyone directly involved with the event by email. Betty also arranged, again without consulting me first, to have her representative who kicks off the program to ask the dignitary to the stage. However, it is my job as event organizer to make all agenda decisions in conjunction with my teammates. Was Betty out of line or what?
A: Betty is both an approval seeker and a credit taker. She wants to shine but goes about it all the wrong way. Doubtful the penny will drop, so don’t try to educate her on her unprofessional behaviours. Do, however, let Betty know that if there is anything else related to the agenda that she is to contact you FIRST. Carry on and don’t let this gal get under your skin.
Q: One of my colleagues “Bruce” butts his nose into everything. Our project is divided into three sections headed by three competent team leaders in each section. But he demands to be involved in decision-making in all three project sections. For some reason, Bruce feels he has valuable input to give in all project sections, despite only being an expert in his one area. He’s driving me crazy. What should I do?
A: Nicely ask Mr. Overly Helpful to focus on his project segment. If Bruce doesn’t get the message and continues impeding you from getting your section done, then firmly tell him to “Stand Down.” Helpfulness and team spirit are wonderful things, but when someone demands to be involved in all the decision making and holds up work getting done, that person has to have his boundaries clearly defined for him.
Please forward queries on tough personal and professional situations to Vera at courage@goodnewstoronto.ca
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Vera Held, M.Ed., is a coach, facilitator, speaker, writer, PR consultant and the author of How Not to Take it Personally www.veraheld.com |
Each month Azraa Janmohamed discusses timely topics relevant to teens
Code STEMI – A New Program in Healthcare
One minute, you and your loved one are sitting around a table having fun, and the next minute he or she is suffering from a heart attack, while you watch speechless. In a mere matter of seconds, the amusement from your night of fun has been replaced by fear. As you have been taught in school, you call 9-1-1 and tell them the details of the medical situation at hand — what is happening, where you are, and so on. Soon enough, an ambulance will whisk you and your loved one away to the closest hospital. However, imagine that the closest hospital near you doesn’t have the facilities they need to be able to effectively treat the heart attack, in particular if it is a STEMI.
STEMI, an acronym for “ST segment elevation myocardial infarction,” is the most dangerous type of heart attack. In a STEMI, the coronary artery is completely blocked off by a blood clot, and as a result virtually all the heart muscle being supplied by the affected artery starts to die.
From this hospital, they have to send you and your loved one to another hospital with the proper facilities. In the time it took for this process to occur, your loved one’s chance of surviving has decreased — a reality no one should have to face.
In order to deal with this very scenario that has been a reality up until recently, the Rouge Valley Hospital has implemented the Code STEMI Program. As we grow older, programs such as this will become an increasing reality in our world, and informing ourselves now about their effect on society will be beneficial in making us the informed citizens of the future.
In this new system, when a patient calls 9-1-1, an ambulance will pick them up, and the crew will be able to tell whether they are having a STEMI heart attack and reroute the ambulance to a hospital with a Code STEMI Program. In the meantime, a team of physicians, nurses, and other personnel will be paged immediately to prepare for the incoming patient. The patient will be brought to the Cath lab, and from there will undergo a balloon angioplasty to restore blood supply to the heart. From the moment that the STEMI heart attack is diagnosed, this specialized team hopes to have the patient in recovery in approximately 90 minutes.
According to Dr. Salim Kassam, a cardiologist at Rouge Valley Hospital, this new system has been extremely successful, as the death rate due to heart attacks has dropped in half since its implementation. In addition, a patient’s recovery time in hospital under this new system is approximately three days, as opposed to the previous five day in-hospital recovery period. On average, this system saves our health care $3,800 per patient.
People between the ages of 40 and 75 are most at risk for a heart attack. The current population that is entering this age group suffers from many other things, such as diabetes and obesity, which only increase the risk and possible severity of a heart attack. With this in mind, it is likely that systems such as Code STEMI will become a reality in the world of tomorrow — the world of which we will be the leaders.
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Azraa Janmohamed is a Grade 11 student attending high school in Toronto |
In this monthly column, Etta Kaner shares some of her favourite children’s books written for a variety of ages on the theme of friendship.
Dear Readers,
They say that laughter is the best medicine, so during this season of flu and sniffles why not share some jokes and riddles with your loved ones to help them cope with their coughs and colds? To this end, I’d like to recommend four funny books written for a variety of ages.
| Ha! Ha! Ha! and Much More by Lyn Thomas (published by Maple Tree Press) has so many riddles, puzzles, challenges, and tidbits of information that it could last you the whole cold season. Riddles, brainteasers, and trivia cover topics ranging from animals to the human body, inventions and the weather. (What do you get when it rains chickens? Very fowl weather!) Illustrator and designer Diane Eastman has cleverly interspersed her own black-and-white illustrations with nineteenth and twentieth century engravings. Open to any spread and you’ll immediately be drawn to Eastman’s zany, humorous illustrations, whether it is the tiny line drawings that accompany each knock-knock joke or groups of animals wearing sunglasses or crazy headgear and sharing riddles. (What happens to a cat if it drinks vinegar? It becomes a sourpuss!) This is the perfect book for sharing during family reading time. I can just hear someone saying: “Did you know that one of your lungs is the size of a football?” Much more cool trivia abounds in this book. |  |
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101 Canadian Jokes by Howard Hershkowitz (published by Scholastic Canada Ltd.) is a slim paperback that can easily be taken along on a trip for entertainment. While most of the riddles are uniquely Canadian (What do you get when you cross a groundhog with a Maple Leaf? Six more weeks of hockey.), many are simply seasonal (Where do snowmen keep their money? In a snow bank.) or have been adapted from other riddles (How do you keep a grizzly bear from charging? Take away its credit cards.) |
| What Am I? by Linda Granfield (published by Tundra Books) is a guessing game book for three- to six-year olds. The reader is given three clues to guess an object followed by five possible answers, which are illustrated in a colourful scene. Turn the page and the answer is revealed both in picture and words along with more detailed information about the object. For example, we learn that a bicycle (the answer) has two wheels, can be driven around the block but also in international races, and is a good means of exercise. In addition to providing a young child with enjoyable and attainable challenges through its riddles, this book is a wonderful springboard for discussion on many topics. Young children will beg to return to this book again and again. |  |
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The Hans Wilhelm Treasury of Jokes by Joseph Rosenbloom (published by Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.) is a visually appealing book for young children, with colourful spreads of scenes full of active cartoon-style animals and people exchanging riddles. A scene in the Spooky Jokes chapter shows monsters at a breakfast table engaging in the activities suggested by their riddles. (Why did the monster put three ducks in a carton? He wanted a box of quackers.) An underwater scene in the Silly Jokes chapter has fish and water riddles. (What do two oceans say when they meet? Nothing, they just wave.) The other chapters are Goofy Riddles, Knock-Knock! and Dinosaur Jokes! Your four- to seven-year olds will enjoy both sharing the riddles and looking at the crazy antics of the characters in the illustrations. |
Okay. I can’t resist just one more. What do you call a baby whale when it cries? A little blubber. Happy riddling!
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Etta Kaner is a teacher and children’s author whose latest book is |
In this monthly column Marlon Teekah focuses on various aspects of fitness and answers questions you might have in order to encourage you to be your best in body, mind, and spirit.
Getting Fit Together
As Valentine’s Day approaches, you and your partner may want to spend more time together. This month, I will discuss how you can do this through exercise, despite any differences in fitness levels.
Whether it is spending time with your partner or a friend, I am a firm proponent of exercising with someone. Having an exercise partner can provide you with accountability as well as that extra push that most people lack when exercising by themselves, while getting healthier and having fun together. Most often we think about activities such as walking, skating, snowshoeing, and skiing, but this can apply to weight training as well.
Although many people are aware of these benefits, most are unsure where to start. In general, I like to use the A and B approach. With this approach, one person is assigned the role of A, while the other is assigned the role of B.
If you and your partner are at similar fitness levels, Partner A can perform one medium-hard exercise (i.e. push up) for a set number of repetitions (i.e. 20 repetitions), while Partner B does a light-hard exercise (i.e. ab crunch) UNTIL A completes their repetitions. Once this set is completed, switch exercises so that the A does the light-hard exercise until B completes the medium-hard exercise for a given number of repetitions, then move on to another group of 2 exercises. You can continue this pattern for 4 to 6 groups of exercises, which can be repeated 1 to 2 times more if you are both feeling okay to continue. To add a competitive aspect, you can choose one exercise to do together for a certain number of repetitions (i.e. both A and B perform a push up for 20 reps), then race to finish the exercise before your partner (NOTE: if you choose to use this method, do not compromise speed for quality). Once this exercise is completed, you can repeat this exercise or move on to another.
Alternatively, if you and your partner are at different fitness levels, you can still work out together using the A and B format! If you choose to perform the same exercises, you can assign a time span to perform an exercise, then push yourselves as hard as possible for that time span. You will probably notice that the partner who is better shape can perform more repetitions. You can also perform 2 exercises together that are for different fitness levels for a given amount of time (i.e. Partner A performs a regular push up for 20 seconds, while B performs a modified push up for 20 seconds).
If these suggestions cannot work due to scheduling, you can always help your partner by listening to his or her fitness goals and trying to be as supportive as possible. Constant positive reinforcement and creating a physical environment that is conducive to your fitness goals (i.e. a cupboard that does not have any candy in it) can be extremely beneficial. Hopefully some of these suggestions will help to increase your fitness level — and romantic time — together!
See you next month!
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this article are recommendations for the general population who are physically able to exercise. To determine if exercise is appropriate for you, please consult your physician before trying anything offered in this column or exercise in general. Marlon Teekah and Good News Toronto are not liable for your safety
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Marlon Teekah is a Certified Personal Trainer, Kinesiologist, and Personal Fitness Coach at Marlon Teekah: Dynamic Fitness Training. If you have any questions or comments, you can e-mail Marlon at fitness@goodnewstoronto.ca or visit him online at www.marlonteekah.com |
Each month Brian Baumal offers us opportunities to look at ourselves in new ways
Therapy Takes Courage
Perhaps we live in a society where everyone’s a hero, and the term may not have a lot of meaning anymore. Maybe the term should be reserved for those who really stand out in adverse circumstances and who really go above and beyond the call of duty. However, when I think about my profession, I cannot help thinking — trite as it may sound — that the real heroes in psychotherapy are the clients themselves. Those who seek therapy are the ones who are willing to explore, be vulnerable, and change the core of who they are. That process takes courage, and it takes going to places that many people simply will not. So, engaging in therapy is certainly a courageous act, if not bordering on heroic.
Good psychotherapy is a tough exercise. It is about soul-searching, changing old habits that make us comfortable (and numb at the same time), and confronting things about us that we may not really want to do. On a pure and simple level, anyone — and I mean anyone — who is ready and able to do that week after week is a true hero.
Substantive change is not just tough, it is almost impossible. For those of you who are married, how easy is it to change the behaviour of your spouse? Ever wonder why health scares, severe trauma, and near-death experiences are so effective at changing people? It’s because it almost takes that kind of shock to knock people out of their own habits so quickly. I believe that people know this about psychotherapy — that it does involve deep soul searching and talking in ways that people don’t normally talk. That’s why it takes a lot of courage to walk through the door of a therapist’s office for the first time.
I often combine my psychotherapy knowledge with conducting consumer branding and focus group consulting in a corporate setting. When I sell those services, I usually start my presentations by saying, “Rather than explaining the psych way of doing things, who wants to actually experience it?” Do you know that in over two dozen presentations, I have yet to have one person actually take me up on my offer? Few people in our society just want to talk to one another on an authentic level, let alone talk deeply and vulnerably. If people are not willing to expose even a bit of themselves on a subject such as the marketing and branding of cell phones and energy drinks, imagine what it takes to discuss depression, anxiety trauma, loss, sadness, and deep wants and desires.
Now, I don’t want to make psychotherapy sound scary. In fact, when we talk about healing arts, psychotherapy — and any kind of personal healing — is in fact largely an art. Any healer that claims to have it down to a science does not know science (or art for that matter) very well at all. Chiefly, the goal of the therapist is to understand how to explore deep issues in a compassionate way such that healing can occur, and I believe that compassion can never be scientifically generated or mandated. While the signs and symptoms of typical and general mood and anxiety disorders may be scientifically similar, how they are treated needs to be artistically mastered.
Some people say that psychotherapy is simply whining to someone about one’s problems and concerns. It is also said why talk about problems when you can actually do something about them? While that may in some part be true, there are many people out there who recognize that they either have difficulty making change themselves, or want to make changes in their lives that are much greater than what they are capable of doing alone. In either case, such individuals are indeed exercising the courage worthy of a hero.
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Brian Baumal is a psychotherapist who maintains a practice in Leslieville. |
In this monthly column Dr. Martin Kijazi discusses how we can be active participants in creating a healthy environment
Green Healing
Recently, I was reading Principles of Environmental Science by William Cunningham and Mary Cunningham (2006), and I stumbled across a cartoon that succinctly summarizes the environmental discourse. It involves a conversation between a concerned “environmentalist” from the “industrial north” and a peasant from the more “populated south.” The northerner says, “I don’t wish to interfere, but do you realize that world population is going to increase by nearly 50 percent in twenty years? What are you going to do about it?” The southerner responds, “What’s wrong with people? I like people.” The northerner interjects, “Well so do I, of course. But you see the world’s resources can’t support an ever-increasing population.” To this, the southerner responds, “I see, so it is a problem of resources as well as people? So the answer is resource control as well as birth control?” “Yes,” the northerner agrees, leading the southerner to conclude, “Well then, I don’t want to interfere. But do you know that the rich 20 percent of the world consume about 80% of the resources? What are you going to do about that?”
I believe we in the industrial market society need to candidly reflect and respond to the latter question, individually and collectively — particularly if we seriously want to reduce our environmental footprint on planet earth and hasten her healing. Hence, in this issue I will deviate from my solution-based writings to a reflection piece.
Our society today faces a wicked problem that some consider an ailment: incessant over-consumption of world resources that exert an ever-strenuous footprint on planet earth. Paradoxically, what keeps the so-called consumer society going is the lifestyle built on trying to find ourselves through an insatiable, often compulsive, desire to buy more and consume more, but our satisfaction is often short-lived, and so we keep looking for more, keep buying more, keep consuming more. Marketers and advertisers have too well mastered the art of convincing us to consume things we don’t even need. Even our economic structures are built on the notion of progress measured primarily on more consumption and more growth. However, among academics, it is factually well established that consumption (affluence) is one of the big drivers of environmental degradation, together with technology and population growth.
Surveys of major commodities such as forest products, food, and water reveal that increases in resource use can only be explained in small part by increases in population. In industrialized nations, over-consumption remains a major culprit of our environmental footprint. Intuitively, many people know that consumption contributes to environmental problems. We consume wood products such as lumber, furniture, paper, etc., and trees get cut. We consume fossil fuels, and greenhouse gases get pumped into the air. Of course, there are certain kinds of consumption that are an inescapable part of our lives, whether it be the basic needs for tools, housing, clothes, furniture, transportation, and so on. But consumption often becomes unchecked and addictive, striving for more, and for endless growth and proliferation of our material things. This is a dysfunction whose footprint we impose on our planet. In previous issues, I have suggested many things that we can do to lessen our environmental footprint (http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/).
As we reflect on healing ourselves and healing Mother Earth, I suggest that you examine your relationship with the world of material things through self observation, awareness, and reflection. How much, and what, do you consume? Why? How much is enough? How much can you cut without feeling less fulfilled? In the end, cutting down on things you don’t need not only lessens your environmental footprint and material attachment, but also makes your budget leaner!
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Dr. Martin Kijazi is an Environment Researcher & Educator, currently working for the University of Toronto. |
The Kindness Campaign is a social action project organized by Global Awakening In Action and Good News Toronto. This collaborative project seeks to spread more kindness at home, at work, and in the world.
The concept behind the campaign is simple, but powerful:
Each month we feature a suggested act of kindness to help readers consider ways to bring a bit of kindness to an unsuspecting soul. Of course, our monthly suggestion is just that — a suggestion. We encourage you to let your spirit soar with possibilities and then put those inspiring ideas into action through your spontaneous good deeds.
You are also invited to leave behind the Kindness Card, provided below. The card explains the campaign and encourages the recipient of your kind act to “pay it forward” in the form of another act of kindness to a stranger. Kindness Activists are also invited to submit the story of their act of kindness for inclusion in Good News Toronto. If selected and printed, we send you a Good News Toronto/Kindness Pays t-shirt as a reminder of your good deed and participation in this social action project.
This month’s suggestion:
We are repeating last month’s suggestion and requesting that readers donate new or clean blankets, sleeping bags and pads, as well as jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, boots, and anything warm. Please see the announcement and blanket drive article on this page for more info.
This month’s submission:
In the spirit of helping the homeless, take warm clothes, blankets, or food to a homeless person that you often cross paths with.
Stephen D’Amico, founder of Global Awakening In Action, coordinates the Kindness Campaign in collaboration with Good News Toronto. Visit stephendamico.com and globalawakeninginaction.org
A Great Day of Giving An enthusiastic crowd of Kindness Activists ready to hit the streets with generosity Toronto’s civic sense of duty is alive and well! On January 9, over 70 enthusiastic kindness activists gathered to take part in a food, clothing, and blanket distribution event, organized jointly by Project Afterthought, Good News Toronto, and Global Awakening In Action. The goal was to give people the opportunity to spend time helping the homeless, while capturing the event on film in order to inspire others to do the same. We met at Yonge-Dundas Square, where a full-sized school bus was filled beyond capacity within minutes. As we boarded, Project Afterthought handed out red shirts and cheerful Santa hats (while supplies lasted!) to commemorate the day’s events and to highlight the importance of helping those in need after the hype of giving during the holiday season has ended.
The Adventure Begins Soon the bus pulled away, full of enthusiastic passengers in search of folks who might be in need of food, warmth, and a bit of good company. At our first stop, near Bay and Dundas, we connected with a man who was just released from prison, while others visited with someone across the street holding a sign that said, “If you can spare it, great! If you can’t, that’s okay! Have a nice day! Goal: $20.” He received some warm clothes, good conversation, and a bag filled with nutritious food. The larger group then splintered off into different directions in order to cover more ground. Personal Connections On our three-hour walk of downtown Toronto, we encountered some familiar faces from our late-night street runs distributing blankets for our Cover Toronto Blanket Drive. The first was John, nicknamed True Blue. He spoke of honesty and the importance of “emotionally valuing” one another to convey the idea that we need to be nicer to our fellow human beings. John was troubled after reading the cover story in that week’s Eye, entitled “The War on God,” so we gave him a copy of GNT for something a bit more uplifting to read, along with a blanket and food. Before parting company, John asked me for a hug; I gave him one and promised him that we’d connect again soon.
Then we came across Glenn, who last time had a remote control car that kept him company, and who said he could tell I was part Italian because I have a “pizza nose.” Glenn no longer had his remote control car by his side, reminding us of the transient nature of possessions. While we chatted, a man walking by spontaneously reached into his pocket and gifted Glenn a Tim Horton’s card, confirming our belief that giving is contagious. We wrapped up by listening to Glenn share his enthusiastic hopes of moving into an apartment one day. PHOTO LEFT: Sergei Vasilyeu and Glenn share a warm farewell After a few more stops, a woman named Beatrice approached us. Her birthday happened to be on that same day, so we gave her some money for a coffee (what she most desired) and a few birthday hugs for good measure to end our day of giving and sharing.
Lessons from the Street An important lesson we’ve learned from streets folks is that they really do rely on the generosity of others to survive. Giving away a pair of mitts and taking the time to talk is also an inexpensive and warm reminder that someone cares; indeed, the simple act of charity and conversation is something we can all do. Instead of seeing homeless people as an undesirable part of urban life, we can and should give them the dignity they deserve as cared-for citizens. PHOTO RIGHT: Yael Marom and friends giving out food and blankets
PHOTO LEFT: Thank you, friend, for sharing yourself so fully in this wonderful pose
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PHOTO LEFT: A young Kindness Activist in the making
COVER TORONTO DROP-OFF LOCATIONSWe’re now collecting jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, boots, and anything warm, along with blankets, sleeping bags, and pads for people in need. North Good News Toronto North York Midtown Downtown Follow Your Bliss Help spread the word! Visit www.facebook.com/groups/covertoronto and click SHARE. Let’s warm up Toronto together! |
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Quote of the Month:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” - Mahatma Gandhi
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The Kindness Campaign is coordinated by Stephen D’Amico, founder of Global Awakening In Action. Please visit stephendamico.com and globalawakeninginaction.org for more information about our work |
This is a monthly column by Dr. Zahra Bardai in which she guides our path to well-being
“Dr. Bardai, why do you think your job is important?” asked my six-year-old patient. He was completing a school project about helpers in the community. It’s been years since I’ve been asked such an important question. The answer may seem simple; that is, as a doctor I get to help others feel better. However, if I probe into this question, I realize that there is a much deeper answer. I get to be part of a concerted process that not only helps people feel better, but also helps them heal.
Many moons ago, when I started training to be a physician, I wanted to make people feel better by curing disease. The focus was generally on stamping out illness. There was a constant battle going on; disease being the “bad guy,” medicine and treatment being the warriors against it. Medicine in the traditional sense has been about listening to a patient’s symptoms, analyzing the testing, coming up with an assessment incorporating all the information, and implementing a treatment plan. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that individuals are made up of so much more than simple broken or non-functioning parts. After all, we aren’t cars that just need a spare part to help everything work well. Another piece of wisdom learned as my hair turns grey is that it takes a village to achieve true healing.
According to popular thinking, healing involves the restoration and repair of what is damaged. Your doctor will make every effort to offer a treatment that works. Unfortunately, there are times when even the best effort doesn’t help in reversing the ailment. Life can throw some serious health punches, and in those times, coping with illness is the only way to combat it. At these times, the most effective way in dealing with illness is having someone who can empathize and provide comfort despite the obstacles. The supports we provide to each other as fellow human beings can be the one thing that makes the difference in whether someone can find their inner strength during difficult times. This is what distinguishes treatment from healing.
It doesn’t take special skills to be a healer. The ability to listen is the single greatest skill needed, and each of us already possess it. Offering support and kindness can go a long way in caring for someone who is battling with chronic or debilitating conditions. If you want to become a healer, all that’s needed is some active listening, acknowledgement of the hardship that is created when living with illness, and a little empathy.
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Zahra Bardai is a family physician If you have any questions about her topic of the month please e-mail her at life@goodnewstoronto.ca |
Recipes |
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A HEALTHFUL VALENTINE’S MENU
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and many minds are wandering forward to the perfect evening. Here is a simple healthful menu for two, to tantalize your taste buds, keep within many dietary restrictions and still allow you time to savour this special time together.
Portabella Mushrooms with Almond Gremolata, Simple Caramelized Lime Chicken [©RoslynPatrick2004], Quinoa Pilaf, your favourite salad and Yogurt with fruit.
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Ingredients:
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The day before:
- Prepare the gremolata, combine 3 Tbsp parsley, add 1 Tbsp almonds, zest of 2 limes, finely chopped and garlic; seal tightly and refrigerate. Juice the lime and save juice.
- Cook the Quinoa according to instructions using reduced salt chicken broth. When done, oil your prettiest casserole dish. Mix the Quinoa with 2 Tbsp parsley, 2 Tbsp chopped almonds and peas. Place in casserole and refrigerate.
An hour before dinner:
- Heat the oven to 350 oF, when preheated, place Quinoi Pilaf in the oven to warm.
- Start by preparing your favourite salad, then brush the portabellas to clean and drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil inside the cap and place on a baking sheet cap facing up to catch all juices.
- At 40 min before dinner, place the mushrooms in the oven to bake. Take time to shave the chocolate and set aside.
- 15 minutes before serving, reduce oven to 200oF, leaving the mushrooms and pilaf in the oven. Wash and dry the chicken and lightly coat in pepper and olive oil, use an atomizer to reduce the amount needed. Do not salt the chicken before cooking, it will dry out and become tough.
- Heat your grill pan, or heavy bottomed pan to #6 or med/med-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked half way through. The chicken will not be brown; turn and cook until done. When done drizzle half the lime juice over the filets and let caramelize for approx 1 min., turn and drizzle remaining juice and allow to caramelize, your chicken is now ready.
- Pull the portabella mushrooms out of the oven, there should be some lovely juices accumulated in the cap, put ½ the gremolata in each cap and they are ready to serve.
- Remove the pilaf, stir in the mint and serve.
- Take time to savour the food and time with your loved one. When you are ready for dessert, place ½ cup yogurt in a pretty glass, top it with your favourite fruit, drizzle with ½ tsp honey and top with shaved chocolate. Enjoy.
- If you do not want to take the time to cook once your guest arrives, when the chicken is done, it will hold in a slow oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes. However, it will dry out quickly after about 15 minutes.
Note: I have not included salt, for those that enjoy a low sodium diet. If you wish to use salt, season to taste.
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Roslyn Patrick is currently designing a healthful cookbook for adults looking for a low sodium/low fat and high flavour alternative to their current lifestyle choices. She has travelled the world and enjoyed many cuisines and is adopting a variety of these flavours into her recipes. |
Each month Jennifer Hicks and Paul Kralik regale us with a different perspective on current issues
Mainly Sunny with a Chance of New Beginnings
“I was so proud to see you cross the finish line today. I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d go through with it. Usually you’re not so disciplined.”
Paul answers, “Well, it was my goal to run a half marathon by my 40th birthday, so I didn’t have much time left.”
“You know what I think really motivated you?”
“I know where you’re going with this. You want me to say ‘Jenn, YOU were my motivation. YOU inspired me to do it!’”
I respond, “No, not at all. I’ll bet it was because you posted your goal as a Facebook status update. If you post something on Facebook, it must happen, right? No turning back.”
“But I could have deleted that easily…”
“Right. But seriously, I’m pretty impressed. How did you feel during the race?”
“Well, nothing hurt, so I was happy about that. I was amazed at the psychological effort, though.”
“What do you mean?” I ask. “You had to give yourself pep talks?”
“Well, yes, that, but also I had to use my mind to override the pain.”
I raise my voice. “What?! You just said you didn’t have any pain!”
“I didn’t, because I talked myself out of it. You know, ‘mind over matter.’”
“Oh geez, so you were running in pain? Man, this race must have been super important to you to have ignored the pain.”
Paul agreed. “I guess it was.”
“You know how I’m always saying that pain is the body’s way of saying something is wrong? And that in order to take care of ourselves, we have to take pain seriously?”
“Yeah, Jenn, but this was important to me.”
“I can understand that. I remember my running days and doing the same thing.”
“Yeah, you forget that before you studied Nia dance and Reiki, you thought the same way I do. Speaking of Reiki, do you think it can help my knee? It’s throbbing.”
“I don’t see why not.”
Paul pauses. “Wait, wait. I’m not so sure I want you to do this…uh, can you remind me what Reiki is?”
“Yeah sure, it’s a technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. The idea is that Reiki can remedy energy blocks and imbalances.
“Energy? Come on Jenn, what do you mean by that?”
I explain. “Well, I mean universal life energy, the energy that is all around and inside us. Just like electricity, we can’t see it, but we know it exists.”
“So how do you think Reiki can help me?”
“Well, if your knee is sore, then energetically, something about your life force energy is askew. Reiki can help balance it. Through me.”
“Okay, but I’m a still a little hesitant. But go ahead.”
I place my hands on various parts of Paul’s leg and can feel extreme heat and a bubbling sensation. That’s my body’s way of telling me that something is happening. The treatment lasts for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, I ask, “What did you feel?”
“Huh,” he says with surprise, “I don’t even really have words for it. It felt like I was glowing from the inside out and am now so relaxed. Oh, and I also felt like your hands were very cold and that my skin was tingling. And my knee…” he gets up and walks around. “My knee feels 100% better. Wow. There must be something to this Reiki after all.”
“Yes,” I say, “and with the help of Reiki, I have just slipped more billable time into my day”.
“Pardon?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll send you an invoice tomorrow!”
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Paul Kralik is a Secondary School Teacher at Northern Secondary andJennifer Hicks is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Brown Belt Nia Instructor. |
In this monthly column Lesley Brewer will feature Torontonians who have helped shape our city
 Dr. Widmer was the recognized First in Command of the profession |
Dr. Christopher Widmer: “Father of Surgery” |
Dr. Christopher Widmer, a born leader, was called the Father of Surgery in Toronto of old. He was trained in London and in 1816 began practice in York. Dr. Widmer quickly became interested in medical education and, in fact, launched the building of the York (Toronto) General Hospital, originally located on the northwest corner of King and John Streets. His name was connected with every medical endeavour, and his vigour, skill, and good sense made him a leading figure until his death in 1858.
At the beginning of the century, there was no medical school. Consequently, Dr. Widmer allowed students as trainees. As well as training future doctors, he also worked with and supported education for midwives. He was Chairman of the Upper Canada Medical Board from 1823 until his death. When York became Toronto (1834), Dr. Widmer was the recognized First in Command of the profession.
Besides being Toronto’s most influential surgeon and chair of the Upper Canada Medical Board, Christopher Widmer was also Director of the Bank of Canada, headed the Toronto General Hospital, founded the St. Andrews Masonic Lodge, and sat as an appointed member on the Legislative Council.
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Lesley Brewer is a freelance writer who is an active member of her housing co-op. She lives with her fabulous felines, and loves all animals and nature |