Let's get real and end the confusion...

Its time I speak honestly...

For years, I've been giving nutrition advice, dishing out healthy eating tips and recipes. I've changed my role so many times, I've confused myself and possibly everyone else in the process. One minute I'm a weight loss coach, the next, its skin health, the next digestive health and the latest is helping people quit sugar.

This is all valid stuff, however, I think all I have done is confuse. Confusion doesn't help anyone. There is plenty of confusion already with food labelling, traffic light systems, best before dates, sell by dates, once opened dates etc.

People are really confused about food. The confusion has been on purpose. If you are confused, its easy for you to be manipulated. You are told by Government industries what to eat. If you eat according to what you are being told to eat and follow it to the letter but still suffer with poor health, it is not your fault. You were just doing as you are told.

I've known there is a problem with the 'system'. I've know quite a while, but until now, I have never said anything. I kept quiet. The real problem is, I have been hiding from what it is I really want to say. 

All the things I've mentioned above (health, weight, poor health etc.), I can still help with in my programmes, but I'm no longer going to be offering nutrition tips and ideas on what to eat. There is enough of that out there. If you want to know, go Google it. 

When someone is diagnosed with a disease, they are told they will have to live with the disease for the rest of their lives and manage it with medication...that's bullsh*t.

I'm sick and tired of the bull we are being spun by food manufacturers, the medical establishment and the pharmaceutical industries. Whether you believe it or not, you are being manipulated every single day. Fear mongering is rife. There are 'laws' in place to prevent people like myself speaking about food and is powerful impact on health.

Health practitioners are labelled quacks and are written about in a negative way, and even sued if we make claims. If the claims cannot be substantiated in anyway, then fair enough. But recommending someone to eat lots of vegetables because of the nutrients they contain as well as the fibre won't harm anyone (unless they have severe allergies!). More people are likely to die from prescription medication.

Health Practitioners (the ones who do no harm) have to tell you to go and see your doctor before embarking on any lifestyle changes. In six years of studying, doctors have roughly 24 hours nutrition training. Yet, its recommended you to go to them and trust them to give you the best advice.

A nutritional therapist, goes through 3-4 years of training, learning every modality there is to learn about disease, diets, macro and micro nutrients etc., plus we are required to undertake over 200 hundred hours of clinical training, seeing real people with real problems, taking case studies, exams and so forth. Many of us did the training to become qualified because we understand the power of food in health and how it can prevent many disease from developing simply...because we did it on ourselves first.

I'm not here to slag off doctors or who ever. I'm super frustrated. There is so much you can do to empower yourself but thanks to clever manipulative marketing, you are probably more confused than ever and just need to know what to eat for better health. Its about getting back to basics. Understand that, and you'll be in a very powerful position.

I have so much more to say about this, and we'll get into it more. Just know, you have been duped by the dairy industry, the sugar industry and a whole bunch of other industries, where its in their best interests to keep to you sick and over weight.

This is not just me mouthing off, this comes from researched materials, which I'll bring to you in time. 

Bored with Water?

“Drink more water” – It’s a statement you probably hear constantly from doctors, dietcians, nutritionists, personal trainers, advertisements, the list goes on. But how much water are you really supposed to drink and how can you make doing so a bit easier?

Frankly, water isn’t everyone’s first choice in beverages, but it really should be. Water accounts for nearly 60% of your body composition and is essential for growth and regeneration of every cell in your body. Without proper hydration, your body won’t work proper! Proper hydration supports the following major health benefits:

• Prevents dry mouth, lips, and throat
• Keeps the body cool
• Improves muscle and joint function
• Helps you lose weight
• As your body is cleansed with water, your body sheds waste which leaves you looking and feeling lighter.
• Cleanses toxins from your body
• Shedding toxins gives you more energy, improves mental health and functioning, and gives you better skin and hair. Bonus! You will glow!

Using certain fruits, herbs, and flowers takes the benefits of hydration to a whole new level. Infused water benefits include:

• Heightened metabolism
• Enhanced digestive functioning
• Improved immune system functioning (recuperate faster from illness and workouts
• Additional energy boosts and mood enhancements

So how much should you drink? Half your body weight in ounces. You read that right.

It’s no secret that it’s difficult for many people to drink the necessary amount of water because it can be pretty boring at times. It isn’t as sexy as drinking a glass of wine and it doesn’t have the flavour a soft and sugary drink offers. And yes, while fizzy drinks are fun, it is so important that we limit the amount of sugars and artificial ingredients we put into our bodies. Thankfully, there are easy ways to make your water more interesting, flavorful, and packed full of health benefits. Still not a believer? Read on!

My favorite way to spice up my water intake is with herbal tea bags! Herbal tea is a great alternative to normal everyday tea and much more FUN. The main difference with ordinary tea is, herbal tea is going to leave you HYDRATED! 

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Mediterranean Kale Salad

This recipe is perfect if you want to reduce sugar cravings as it has all the components to help stabilise blood sugar. Pair with grilled, baked or steamed salmon for a simple yet delicious dinner.

2 small bunches kale, stems removed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup golden raisins, soaked 10 minutes, drained, and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Stack two of the kale leaves with the stem end facing you. Fold in half lengthwise and roll tightly like a cigar. Slice crosswise into thin strips. Repeat with the remaining kale leaves. Chop the kale strips crosswise a few times, so they aren't too long.

Place the kale in a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss well with your hands, working the dressing into the greens. Add the pine nuts and raisins and toss gently. Season to taste with black pepper. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator, Mediterranean Kale Salad will keep for three days.

Bring to room temperature before serving.

Vegetable soup

Serves up to 6 

Ingredients

2 onions diced

Grated fresh ginger 

2 sticks celery, chopped 

4 large carrots, chopped 

2 medium sized potatoes chopped into small cubes

1 vegetable stock cube 

Sprinkle of seaweed salad (optional)

Black or white pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Fresh coriander chopped

1 tablespoon (approximately) cold pressed, virgin olive oil

Can sweetcorn, can borlotti beans (all optional)

In a large saucepan, cook the onions and ginger in the olive oil until onions are transparent. Add the celery, then the carrots and potatoes. Continue cooking for around five minutes in the oil. Add a little more oil if it all starts sticking. Dissolve the vegetable stock cube into a cup of boiling water and add to the vegetables. Sprinkle pepper to taste and the seaweed salad and pinch of sea salt. Top up with plenty of water to around 2 cm above the vegetables.

If you are using a pressure cooker, put on the lid and bring to steam. Turn heat down and set timer for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, put on the lid, bring to the boil, turn heat down and simmer until all the vegetables are cooked (around 20 minutes).

Using a soup blender, blend all the ingredients to a smooth texture. You can leave some solid pieces of vegetable if preferred. Add more water if a thinner soup is desired. Stir in the sweet corn and/or borlotti beans (optional), plus the coriander. Pour into soup bowls. Eat as a meal on its own or with fresh, wholemeal bread. Tip: If you have a vitamix blender, you can pretty much make this in five minutes if you don't mind a super smooth soup or add in the beans (if using) after 5-10 minutes of blending and pulse until you reach the desired consistency.

3 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

Evidence that eating chocolate IS healthy?

Two Chocolate bars a day may cut strokes' the Daily Mirror headlines screams. Guardian website: 'More evidence that chocolate may be good for the heart'.

Oh but wait...its not just dark chocolate the researchers say...it also includes milk chocolate. The sheer delight if you had been depriving yourself of this yummy velvety indulgence, thinking you were being 'good'. Happily you go skipping off to the shops blessing the scientists who came up with this 'evidence'.

When research like this is splashed all over the newspapers, the first question to ask yourself is, who paid for it? Nestle and Cadbury's kinda spring to mind!

The downside to headlines like this is that people believe it. If its in the news, it must be true right?

The benefits of 'dark' chocolate are well documented. Dr Mercola (www.drmercola.com) mentions that chocolate contains a high number of flavanoids known to have a number of health benefits including being an anti-carcinogenic, anti- inflammatory, helping reduce C-Reactive Protein (a known inflammatory marker in heart disease) plus helping improve gut flora. Evidence also points to chocolate being associated with a lowered risk of cardiovascular events.

(http://www.theguardian.com/)

So where does milk chocolate fit in? If we are talking about a bog standard chocolate bar, loaded with sugar and milk (because let's face it, naked chocolate is seriously bitter!), how can that possibly be?

Mars, Snickers, Twix and Kit Kat can hardly be called chocolate as they hardly contain any! The first ingredient in these bars is usually sugar, with the rest being made up of various substances including wheat flour and vegetable oil. Excuse me, but how on earth can that contribute to keeping your heart healthy? On the flip side, dark chocolate, with a cocoa content of 70% and above, will have a lot less sugar making it much more bitter. Taste buds used to sugary, salty foods will dislike bitter chocolate.

The observational study was conducted on 150,000 people with 21,000 from Norfolk being the subject of this study. What they fail to mention is their age range, lifestyle, general health or fitness levels. If you are smart, (you are reading this so that counts), you will have noticed the word 'observational'. One would guess that means the results were based on what the researchers 'saw' or perhaps via conversation with the study individuals. As far as one can tell, no actual tests were performed like blood or saliva tests for example. Furthermore, because we have no idea about eating habits, how do we know if these guys weren't already healthy? Some may have had dodgy hearts and decided to embark on a healthy lifestyle which would improve their health anyway, others could have been super fit raw foodists...who knows?

If you are a chocolate lover, feel free to have the odd indulgence. Chocolate is a pleasurable food, but where possible opt for dark chocolate. As Dr Beatrice Golomb (http://www.golombresearchgroup.org/overview) says, stick to high quality chocolate and determine your optimal 'dose'. In a nut shell, consume smaller amounts frequently in order to get the maximum benefits and nutrients into the bloodstream. 

Detox Watermelon Recipe

It’s no secret that it’s difficult for many people to drink the necessary amount of water because it can be pretty boring at times, so let's jazz things up a little and add some watermelon to make your water super sexy!

What you need:

500ml water

4 cubes fresh watermelon

6 leaves coriander (helps with detoxification)

This is how you do it:

In a 1-litre pitcher, place the fruit and coriander at the bottom and add water until full. Cover the top of the pitcher and let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let the fruit seep into the water. The mixture should keep for two days.

Here are some more fruity combinations:

• Orange, lemon, and ginger (improves the immune system and blood circulation)
• Cucumber, raspberry, and grape (beats inflammation)
• Rhubarb, apple, and cinnamon (amplifies metabolism)
• Strawberry and lime (boosts anti-aging)
• Pineapple and mint (relieves joint pain and supports the digestive system