Lessons in Paleo

I can’t believe how fast the 2 weeks of Paleo went!! I actually finished it a week ago but with so much uni work and events happening I haven’t been able to tell you how it went. What I can say is I loved it :)

I love the simplicity of the meals with wholesome clean foods, yet at the same time you can always put the effort in to make something fancy! Or even turn fancy meals into simple meals. Meals are clean, grain free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, full of fresh and raw fruits and vegetables and basically I felt like new!

Well maybe one day soon I will literally be on top of a mountain... ;)

It was a big learning curve to see what classes as Paleo and what doesn’t and you soon realise that so many foods are a mixture of paleo and non-paleo it can sometime be hard to eat only paleo unless you are making the meal yourself. My biggest challenge was heading home to my family and having meals with them. It is hard to turn down your mothers glorious home cooked meals because it has potato, rice or a little dairy in it! So in the end my 2 weeks were about 90% Paleo which I feel was still a success :)

I learnt so much about cooking different foods and particularly my love of baking, using different flours and how more fulfilling meals with higher protein content (not just quick absorbing protein powders) can be to sustain you throughout the day AND reduce those sugar cravings by regulating your daily sugar levels. I wasn't afraid of the many good fats in my foods, these are essential for my body growth and repair, the only bad fats are those in refined and packaged foods, those which are not clean and wholesome. But in reality we all need a little indulgence in some bad fats from time to time, how do we know what it really feels like to be clean and inspire others if we don't?

There is a bit of scrutiny out there about ‘not eating carbs’ following Paleo. Carbs are particularly important when you are busy and exercising to keep you fuelled for the days ahead. In all honestly I still felt I ate lots of carbs! Having paleo pancakes for breakfast every day and loading up on sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip and other vegetables, paleo baking using coconut flour, seeds and nuts, yes these are not your typical pasta’s and refined grains but they are more wholesome sources of carbohydrates with a greater range of nutrition. You just need to learn to adjust your food pyramid to get carbs from the right foods.

Other people have said Paleo is too expensive. I spent about $80 for the 2 weeks including treating myself to 2 nights of salmon. I admit I am only a small female and wouldn’t eat nearly as much as muscular men but I can still put away a bit of food! As all food planning goes it is about… planning! Making a menu for the week ahead and budgeting, you don’t have to spend your money on expensive salmon or steaks, buy local and look out for weekly bargains, shop smart and a big tip, use your leftovers! :)

Here are some tips from Paleo Living:

• Enjoy eating paleo. Enjoy what you eat. If you are unhappy with what you are eating you are unlikely to continue to keep eating that way, and once the nutrition is gone, staying fit and healthy becomes much harder.
• Pre-cook food. Spend a few hours at the beginning of the week and cook big batches of food. This will allow you to minimise the amount of time that you have to spend cooking during the week.
• Cook more that you need. This is similar to the previous tip, the idea being that if you cook more than you need for one meal then you can eat it later, or the next day.
• Rather than cutting yourself off from all of those foods which you enjoy that aren’t 100% paleo friendly, simply eat smaller amounts and be moderate.
• Do not keep junk/unhealthy food that you know you shouldn’t eat, in the house. For most people, if it is in the house they will eventually eat it.... I am a culprit of this!!
• Do not run out of food. This is horrible. Do not let it happen to you.
• Try planning out your meals for a week. This comes easily to type one personalities, for the rest of us it can be a nuisance. Though this has the benefit of ensuring you know what you need in the house for the week, and eliminates that time wasting period during which you try and figure out what you should cook for dinner.
• Keep a handy meal replacement shake/can of tuna in your car/office/desk/bag for a paleo friendly snack in case plans change.
• Learn to use spices; this will do wonders for you and will offer variety and different flavors to your meals.
• Eat lots of vegetables; try and eat a good variety with many different colours.

Although my 2 weeks has gone, I find myself still making conscious decisions about eating meals as closest to paleo as I can and have loved my paleo pancakes or eggs for breakfast! I have excitedly been looking up pumpkin porridge, paleo muesli and so many other recipes for breakfast as well as salads for lunch, paleo sushi and new dinners to try! Not to mention paleo baking ;) So apart from raw foods my new love now includes paleo foods as well.

 

Did someone say pancakes??

There is so much experimenting and learning to do with nutrition and I love it, there is no better way than trying these things yourself and listening to your body. After all our body is the only place we have to live which we carry throughout life, listening to it and treating it well is the best thing we can do, love your body and you will love life :)  

Paleo Day 1

After contemplating through my new Paleo recipe book as well as my Raw cookbook, Alkaline book AND Superfoods book (yes i am rather addicted to healthy 'cooking' ;)) i made up a weekly guide to my Paleo meals and excitedly had a trip to the Supermarkets!

You really appreciate just how much of the shops is refined, processed and packaged foods. I spent 75% of my time and money on fresh fruits and vegetables from garlic, fennel and kale to the essential sweet potato and dates and the other 25% on nuts, seeds, coconut, eggs and seafood! I couldn't help but feel proud of my trolley as i passed others with their cokes, icy poles and instant meals! My trolley came to $65 which can be seen as a lot for one person, i could have budgeted better if i tried but that is for next time, i am on a Paleo mission and restocking the kitchen with nuts and meats is never a cheap expedition.

So what did i eat today?

Breakfast was a delicious & simple scrambled eggs with coconut oil with chopped banana, blueberries and sprinkled with coconut and cinnamon! A little mix of sweet eggs which is not the usual but so delicious :) I was well ready for my gym workout afterwards!!

Lunch i enjoyed some raw and dehydrated flaxseed crackers i had dried overnight using flaxseeds, chia seeds, carrot and sesame seeds. This was topped with avocado, roast beef left over from yesterdays dinner, kale and some chopped carrot on the side, very simple!

Raw Flax seeds crackers

Snacks was walnuts, 2 dates (my weakness) and i had a go at cashew milk which is easier to make than almond milk as you do not necessarily have to strain the milk! It is a more creamier texture too, simply soak 1/2 cup of raw cashews for at least 2 hours and blend in a blender with 1 1/2 cups of water and a little maple syrup or agave nectar (or vanilla essence) until smooth. Store in a container (or mason jar!) in the refrigerator for 4 days :)

And with my cashew milk i added some spices and cacao and made a mild Choc-Chai milky tea, so good!

Cashew Milk

Dinner was back into my alkalising meals, after a big weekend of indulgence i felt like something cleansing and made Fennel and Pear soup. An odd combination for many but it is actually really good! So i keep making it :) Fennel is very alkalising and cleansing for the body as well.

And that was my first full Paleo day... apart from avoiding sugars, pasta's, grains and bread not much has changed in what i ate! I love trying new recipes and new foods and can't wait to keep going :)

Stay tuned! xox

Paleo - My 2 week Challenge!

While one of my life goals is to be the healthiest I can be, to do this I am enjoying exploring the different types of healthy lifestyle that different people try. One lifestyle I have wanted to try for some time now is the Paleo lifestyle, and I can think of no better time to try it than now!

Why do I like Paleo? Basically its gluten-free, refined sugar-free, clean eating and of course includes raw foods AND Paleo baking!! Sounds too good to be true? It’s pretty simple and follows the foods of our ancestors, basically you eat real foods, foods that grew in a garden, you pick from a tree and you hunted, gathered or foraged. Don’t worry its not about living like a caveman as they did not have processors, stove tops or the wonderful new age utensils that we now have to spice up the variety of meals simple foods can produce!

Preservation of foods in supermarkets make foods look the same today as they did a year ago and unfortunately the preservatives do not preserve us, in fact they make us sicker and fatter. REAL foods consist of grass-fed meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and fats. There are of course better choices than others in these categories alone such as locally produced organic fruits and vegetables without the preservative layer over the skin or grass fed meats as oppose to those given hormones and antibiotics to grow bigger. We cannot always make these better choices but should always aim to try depending on price and availability. Do the best you can with the choices and availability to you. The main things NOT included in the Paleo lifestyle are grains, pasta’s and breads as most carbohydrates come from your fruits and vegetables :) So what is included:

Proteins

·         Red meat (grass fed where possible)

·         Poultry – chicken, turkey, duck etc

·         Pork

·         Fish and seafood – salmon (my favourite!), tuna, bass etc

·         Eggs (free range where possible!)

Fruits and vegetables (AKA carbohydrates)

·         Eat what is in season from local farms, the following are in order from cleanest i.e. lowest in pesticides, to most contaminated

·         Cleanest – onion, asparagus, avocado’s, cabbage, cantaloupe, eggplant, grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes, mushrooms, onions, pineapple, sweet potatoes, watermelon

·         Intermediate – apricots, artichokes, bananas, beets, blackberries, bok choy, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, collards, cucumbers, fennel, figs, garlic, kale, lemons, limes, pumpkin, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, squash, tomatoes

·         Most contaminated – apples, capsicum, celery, cherries, grapes (imported), lettuce, nectarines, peaches, pears, spinach, strawberries – therefore buy local and organic wherever possible

Fats (yes these ARE good for you and essential for body functioning!!)

·         Almonds, almond flour, almond butter

·         Avocado oil, avocados

·         Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts/oil/butter, pecans, walnuts

·         Coconut, coconut milk and coconut oil

·         Ghee (clarified butter) or regular butter

·         Olives and olive oils

·         Sunflower seeds

·         Tahini

What we do not have is gluten, grains, legumes, dairy (except butter), processed foods, sugar and alcohol. You may also notice peanuts are not on the list as they are actually a legume and not tree nuts. Although sweet potato is a Paleo staple in most lifestyles the white potato itself is not. Much of the reasoning why comes down to the fact these when consumed cause inflammation in the body which the foods listed above play a large role in reducing inflammation in the body and promoting health. But remember we are all unique and react to different foods in different ways particularly if one has allergies or autoimmune conditions which are aggravated by certain foods. So remember just because food is Paleo friendly does not mean it agrees with everyone. This is why it is important to find time to play with your diet to find what works for you. I am one who gets excited seeing if certain foods agree with me and how my body reacts particularly when you find foods which leave you vibrant and energetic!

Remember you don’t need to claim to be 100% Paleo or any lifestyle for that matter. Following the 80/20 rule you can still enjoy the odd piece of dark chocolate or wine but still opt for avoiding those sugar filled doughnuts or packaged pies where you can as these induce much inflammation in the body and leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued. A healthy food lifestyle including the Paleo lifestyle is truly a conscious awareness of what we put into our bodies and whether these have a positive or negative impact on our health.

What I also LOVE about the Paleo lifestyle is it still incorporates many aspects of the raw food lifestyle – clean, fresh, wholesome and grown. The raw lifestyle aims to reduce inflammation and be full of anti-cancer fighting agents and live enzymes promoting our longevity, but admittedly the raw lifestyle does not have a sustainable balance of proteins and essential vitamin such as B12 and folate needed for our bodies and these are advised to be consumed as supplements. Therefore I am excited to announce I am having a 2 week Paleo lifestyle challenge… or should I say mission! And all raw foods and vegetarians are all still Paleo! So I can still most definitely incorporate raw goodies into the 2 weeks at the same time (yay!). I will keep you up to date with the progress and what foods I make and eat and how simply (or hard?) the Paleo lifestyle can be :)

I have also bought myself a little gift…. A body composition scale! I have not been a true believer in counting the kilo’s just because muscle is heavier than fat and a higher weight for those who gym and lift weights can be healthier than another person with a lower total weight but higher per cent body fat aka less muscle. So I plan to monitor whether the Paleo lifestyle combined with my gym sessions help to tone my body over the next 2 weeks by reducing % fat and increasing % muscle mass. Admittedly I have been indulging a little too much these past few weeks and my body is now telling me it’s time to refocus!! Particularly as university exams come closer and stress levels slowly rise, I want to be as healthy as I can be to get through keeping my mind and body healthy. Hence I have had my last indulgence for a while celebrating my nan’s birthday with a piece of her home made lemon sponge cake, well worth it I must admit ;) … but there is no better time to try something new than now! :)

Rainbow salads, Spring has Sprung!

With finally Spring here and the colours of flowers and plants start to catch your eye, I have realised my salad lunches (and my days!) have been becoming more colourful too... and I had to share a few with you!

This one is a very photogenic salad with grated beetroot, broccoli and carrot with spinach leaves, tomatoes and dukkah! (I LOVE dukkah) I also had some homemade dehydrated flax seed crackers... yum :D

 

It has been a beetroot, carrot and broccoli rainbow theme... add a scrambled egg with avocado and tahini on raw flaxseed crackers and you cannot go wrong!

 

 

Combining raw and cooked vegetables I am rather fond of cooked pumpkin and red onion! This one also has home grown fresh alfalfa sprouts with cauliflower, tomato and you guessed it raw flaxseed crackers ;) 

One of my favourites would have to be mango salad! Spinach, carrot, sunflower kernels, avocado and a delicious mango. The green/yellow dip at the top is a raw chickpea, lemon and spinach dip I made for extra flavour :)

Or add in some super kale with chopped mushrooms, beetroot, carrot, avocado and sundried tomato's!

Lunch is always better shared, and when your company is as bright as your salad you know you are having a bright day! So this spinach, chickpea, red onion, carrot and raw chickpea, lemon and spinach dip will always be remembered to me as my parrot salad :)

These are a few of my favourite lunch snaps but I hope it helps you to know how easy it is to create a colourful, healthy and fun lunch with a high raw and revitalising lifestyle! Hello Spring :)

xox

Kale and delicious Kale chips!

Kale.... amazing Kale. We are hearing so much about it lately! I amsure you have heard it many times already but some benefits of this wonder green food include...

• Cholesterol-lowering benefits (even more so steamed than raw!) 
• Anti-cancer properties found in bladder, breast, colon, ovary, and prostate cancers. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale play a primary role in achieving these cacner risk-lowering benefits.
• Support for the body's detoxification system via ITCs made from kale's glucosinolates helping to regulate detox at a genetic level.
• Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

So what do you do with kale? It is basically like a super lettuce! Add it to salads, sandwiches, sides, green smoothies, juices, anything you like! It is wonderful raw, but if you feel like being a little extra creative have a try at some kale chips in the oven.

All you need is coconut oil, some flavours such as cayenne pepper and your delicious kale.

Lightly spray the coconut oil over the kale, sprinkle with your flavouring and put in the over at 180 degrees for 15 minutes. Better still to keep them raw put them in dehydrator for about 30min to an hour depending how crisp you would like them to be :)

Add the kale chips to a salad for a wonderful crunchy texture or each on its own. These are delicious! Today I added mine to a Greek salad...


It was bliss!!! :)

A Superfood Talk and Raw food Dinner with David Wolfe!

The start of June came very quickly. It was back in March when mum and I booked tickets to hear the Superfood master David Wolfe at Samudra in Dunsborough! Maybe our excitement made it come so quickly but it seemed to be over in a flash. While there was a full weekend retreat with David mum and I booked for a raw food dinner and evening talk about Superfoods and health. The talk previously throughout the day was apparently very eye opening and inspiring but this one was still just that.

Having a nice mother-daughter drive we had our 'pre-drinks' to prepare with mums amazing green smoothies!

Once we got there however after a look around it was straight to our raw dinner :) The tables were set up in lovely white with candle centrepiece!

Our dinner was yummy 'Rainbow Enchiladas' aka Mexican spiced zucchini wrap filled with tomatoes, mixed bean sprouts and dehydrated mushrooms topped with cashew 'sour cream', guacamole and a side of sweet pickled chillies... wow! Unfortunately it was a little spicy for mum but not letting anything go to waste very little was left over between us.

We had a little wander around Samudra and flicked through some very tempting books by David!

Mum bought the Superfood book and I got the 'naked chocolate' to match my cacao addiction which i realised i am not alone in! Having a whole book on cacao and the cacao bean has to be telling us something... this in one powerful superfood!

David himself was a great speaker. I loved his interaction with us all and his slide show taking health into perspective with a little humour. While I cannot go through all that was said there are two things that really hit me from his talk?

1. You can NEVER have too much cacao!! It truly is an amazing superfood known way back by the Mayan Inca's.
2. Mushrooms are superfoods I have never thought too much about! They are the only living thing that grows from something else (aka a tree) without taking over it, what properties would this indicate? Mushrooms are awesome anti-cancer foods!
3. The most 'super' superfoods are dark... red grapes, beetroot, cacao to name a few, the darker foods are the ones most rich in antioxidants, anti-cancer properties and full of nutrition!
4. Eating healthy and raw doesn't have to be so hard, you don't have to go 100% as that is impractical! Simply add a variety of raw foods into your diet slowly and you will fall into a healthy and wonderfully vibrant routine!

But his talk was very inspiring we learnt a lot there is so much I want to do!!
If you ever get a chance to listen to his talks i recommend you do, or have a read of one of his great books :)

Mum and I also had a treat of nut milk chai and a raw banoffee pie before we left but it was hard to choose from the mouth watering raw desert cabinet...

We ended the night on a high talking to David, thanking him for the wonderful talk and getting his signature in our new books :) unfortunately the camera man was not actually a camera person and the photo was a little blurry but it is still visible all the same :P

 

And before we knew it we were driving back home, our superfood life reignited again with raw and super ideas for our health and well being! I'm so thankful to share these health journey's with my mum, I must thank mum for starting us on this journey after learning about green smoothies, making them for us and our journey progressed! We have found a flare which is inside everyone, food is what makes us live, it is the maker of our bodies and mind and overall outlook on life. We all have the ability to make healthy choices and experiment, what is there to lose? Nothing, there is only so much to gain!

 

Thank you Samudra and David, we will be back again soon :)

 



 

P.S. when you have a chance look up 'Bernando LaPallo'... 111 years of age living on a raw food diet, AMAZING!!

 

Rockin Raw

xox

Ch-ch-ch choose Chia!

Sitting on the patio in the sun on a lovely April 1st I am eating my Chia seeds and soaked Buckwheat with cacao, coconut, LSA, pumpkin kernels... all the goodies!

And I came across these 12 benefits of Chia seeds! I know I have mentioned them before but I still cannot be amazed at these little wonders and although April fools day I fool you not! You must choose Chia :) Why??


1. Chia is gluten free
2. It is super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues.
3. It contains 20...% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon! (still love my salmon though :P)
4. It boasts 20% protein
5. The protein is a complete protein with all 8 essential amino acids
6. It is high in antioxidants (It has a four times higher ORAC value than blueberries)
7. Chia contains five times more calcium than a glass of milk
8. Chia contains seven times more vitamin C than oranges
9. It contains three times more iron than spinach (another necessity for women in particular!)
10. It contains twice the potassium content of banana
11. It is food for healthy skin, hair and nails
12. It has a positive impact balancing blood glucose levels (making it awesome for diabetics)
Chia makes a great egg replacement. Just combine with water to form a gel, and add it to recipes that call for egg.

Not sure what to do with them….try these little tips

Soak them over night and put fruit, almond milk, and some cinnamon in them... Voila! breakfast cereal! I love soaking them with raw buckwheat in water overnight then adding LSA, almonds, pumpkin kernels, coconut and cacao powder in the morning and protein powder if you like!

Or Chia Pudding? 3 tbsp chia seeds into 3/4 cup of almond milk, 1/8 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp agave. Let it sit for 30 minutes in the fridge and it’s like a yummy chia pudding!

Add one tablespoon to your morning smoothie - this also adds a thicker consistency if you let it rest for 5 minutes or so :)

To substitute for an egg: Use 1 tablespoon finely ground chia seeds (grind them dry in a blender, food processor or coffee grinder) and 3 tablespoons of water per egg in a baked recipe (does not work in place of eggs for omelets though…

For a healthy energy gel, add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds to a cup of coconut water. Let sit for about ten minutes and you’ll have an incredible energy gel! Beats the socks off of Gatorade for hydration and energy and you get to avoid the fake colours, fake flavours and GMO

Wash your face with it as a gentle exfoliant!

Keep them in your emergency storm, camping, earthquake etc…kit. You will be able to survive for weeks without food, if you have these.

All I know is I LOVE Chia, it has become a staple to my diet :) Ch-ch-ch choose chia!

 

ROCKIN RAW

XOX

Benefits of Lemon water in the morning :)

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is splash my face and drink a nice big glass of water. There is nothing better than feeling the cool cleansing water rinse away the problems of yesterday to start you afresh for a new day! Our bodies are around 70% water by weight and it's important to stay hydrated. While drinking water throughout the day is beneficial, drinking water first thing when waking has unique benefits such as helping to lower stomach acids which cause reflux and keeping you regular by stimulating your bowel movements. I have heard a lot about adding lemon juice to my daily water but I admits have never given it a good thought, then I came across the
'10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRINKING LEMON WATER!' and I have been convinced to add my lemon ASAP! :)

 Lemon is a natural energizer; it hydrates and oxygenates the body so it feels revitalized and refreshed! Health benefits of lemon are due to many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B, phosphorous, proteins, and carbohydrates present in it.

1. Reduces Fever. Lemon has its own set of antiseptic and natural medications.

2. Balances pH. Lemons are acidic to begin with but they are alkaline-forming on body fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH.

3. Fight cancer. Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including flavonol glycosides, which stop cell division in cancer cells.

4. Boosts your immune system. Lemons are rich Vitamin C and flavonoids that work against infections like the flu and colds.

5. Relieve tooth pain. In addition, lemon can also be used in regular cleansing of your teeth.

6. Perfect for Weight Loss. A few drops of lemon juice in hot water are believed to clear the digestive system and purify liver as well.

7. Decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Vitamin C in lemons helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease. Drinking of lemon juice mixed with water and honey brings glow to the skin.

8. Flush unwanted materials and leans your bowels: Lemons increase peristalsis in the bowels, helping to create a bowel movement thus eliminating waste and helping with regularity. Add the juice of one lemon to warm water and drink first thing in the morning.

9. Cures Throat Infections. Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections as it has an antibacterial property.

10. Relives respiratory problems. Lemon lowers blood pressure and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

Step 1 - have yourself a nice big glass of water in the morning before breakfast when you first wake up.

Step 2 - if you have some, add some freshly squeezed lemon and add to your life all the benefits the yellow wonders can provide :) I know I will!

Rockin Raw

xox

Ironman Iron!

Iron... it is one of the most heard of minerals around, an abundant metal on Earth and essential to most life forms and to normal human physiology. It is the only mineral which females require a higher daily requirement than males. It is a master of a mineral that can ultimately bring us down when too low (or even too high!). But why is it so important??

Iron is an integral part of many proteins and enzymes which maintain our good health and an essential component of protein involved in oxygen transport, regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Two thirds of our iron can be found in haemoglobin - the protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen to our tissues. Other amounts of iron can be found in myoglobin, a protein which helps supply oxygen to muscles and in enzymes to help reactions in our body. It is also stored for future needs and regulation by absorption in out intestines. Therefore the main functions of iron are to:

1. Transport and store oxygen
2. Aid in energy production and cell diffusion
3. Help the immune system and central nervous system

The most common reason iron comes up in our everyday life is when we become deficient known as iron deficiency aneamia. A deficiency of iron limits oxygen delivery to our cells and results in fatigue, poor concentration and decreased immunity. However excess amounts such as a condition known as haemochromatosis can result in toxicity which can also cause lethargy and fatigue.

Some of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting
• Susceptibility to infection, and
• Swelling of the tongue

Common causes of iron deficiency in adults include:

• Inadequate dietary intake – the two types of iron include haem iron (found in animal foods) and non-haem iron (from plant products). The body absorbs haem iron much more easily than non-haem iron. There are many reasons why the dietary intake of iron could be inadequate, including a poorly balanced vegetarian diet, chronic fad dieting or limited access to a wide range of fresh foods – for example, as a result of living in remote areas or having a low income.
• Blood loss – iron deficiency easily occurs in situations of chronic blood loss. Common causes include heavy menstrual periods, regular blood donation, chronic disorders that involve bleeding (such as peptic ulcers, polyps or cancers in the large intestine) and certain medications, particularly aspirin.
• Increased need – the adolescent growth spurt, pregnancy and breastfeeding are situations when the body requires more iron. If this increased need isn’t met, a deficiency can quickly occur.
• Exercise – athletes are prone to iron deficiency because regular exercise increases the body’s need for iron in a number of ways. For example, hard training promotes red blood cell production, while iron is lost through sweating.
• Inability to absorb iron – healthy adults absorb about ten to 15 per cent of dietary iron, but some people’s bodies are unable to absorb or use iron from food.

A gradual decline in iron

 

Every red blood cell contains haemoglobin, a complex protein that carries oxygen. Haemoglobin is partly made from iron and accounts for about two thirds of the body’s iron supply. The body stores iron for use during times when dietary intake is inadequate.

If your need for dietary iron isn’t met, your body’s iron stores will decline over time due to:

Iron depletion – haemoglobin levels are normal, but the body only has a small amount of stored iron, which will soon run out. This stage usually has no obvious symptoms.

Iron deficiency – stored and blood-borne iron stores are low and haemoglobin levels have dropped below normal. You may experience some symptoms, including tiredness.

Iron deficiency anaemia – haemoglobin levels are so low that the blood is unable to deliver enough oxygen to the cells. Symptoms include looking very pale, breathlessness, dizziness and fatigue. Reduced immune function and impaired growth and cognition can also be symptoms.

 

 

So how can we make sure we get enough iron? Firstly its important not to self diagnose iron deficiency and take supplements as there are many causes of fatigue and decreased immunity which should be investigated for and too much iron can also cause fatigue. Too much iron can also impair absorption of other minerals such as zinc and copper. Your body can only absorb iron and cannot excrete it. Furthermore iron supplements often lead to unwanted symptoms such as constipation and abdominal discomfort. Make sure you are eating a variety of the right foods with a higher iron content....

• High-risk groups such as vegetarians, adolescent girls and women athletes need to eat iron-rich foods each day (combined with foods that are high in vitamin C).
• Wholegrain cereals, meat, poultry and fish are good sources of dietary iron.
• Liver is an especially rich source of iron, but pregnant women should avoid this source because of its high content of vitamin A.
• Choose iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads.
• Vegetarians who exclude all animal products from their diet may need almost twice as much dietary iron each day as non-vegetarians. Sources include dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, prunes, dried apricots, raisins, nuts, seeds, dried beans and peas, and iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.
• Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so eat more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.
• Cut back on the amount of tea and coffee you drink, especially around mealtimes, since the tannins in tea and coffee bind to the iron and interfere with absorption.

 

 

 

 If you are worried about your iron levels, have a quick blood test at the doctors and see if it is causing you fatigue, iron deficiency can be easily fixed so we can all be Ironmen throughout the days!

Rockin Raw

xox

Salad and Sprout!

Salad and Sprout... it kind of sounds like 'Twist and Shout' from the Beatles and that's exactly what salads and sprouts make me feel like doing! After a little drought from growing my sprouts... sorry now I can't stop rhyming haha, I decided to utilise my little green house again, and after 4 days of harvesting my little alfalfa seedlings, I had abundance of sprouts which lasted for days!! and I only used 2 tablespoons of seeds/2 little rows! They are wonderful to incorporate into salads, so crisp and fresh and full of goodies... you can do just about anything with sprouts :)

After 4 days and ready for harvest :)

I came across this wonderful explanation of why sprouts are so good for you from a site called 'Disease Prevention' found here...

"A true sprout is the baby which comes out of the seed the day it is... born to life. Sprouts when born are given all the nutrients they will ever need, including all enzymes and proteins. When you consume sprouts you are consuming a living food that metabolically works with the human body effortlessly. Considering the many health and environmental benefits, if you haven't considered adding sprouts to your diet, here are 12 reasons to why you should start.

The health benefits of grains are entirely dependent on how they are eaten. Refined, processed grains are stripped of most of their nutrients, as the bran and the germ are removed. This is done in order to be able to preserve the grain for longer periods. When making white flour, over half of the vitamins B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fibre are lost.

Eating refined grains has negative health effects, and they can directly contribute to problems such as obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, hyperglycaemia, and diabetes. True health comes from living foods. Eating sprouts can make you feel alive and energized. Here are the top 12 reasons to eat sprouts:

1. Experts estimate that there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than uncooked fruits and vegetables. Enzymes are special types of proteins that act as catalysts for all your body’s functions. Extracting more vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids from the foods you eat ensures that your body has the nutritional building blocks of life to ensure every process works more effectively.

2. When you say protein, the first things on people’s minds are meat, chicken, fish, egg, and dairy products. What most people do not know is that sprouts are also very high in protein. In fact, they can contain up to 35 percent protein. Adding sprouts to your diet will give you the necessary protein intake required by your body minus the fat, cholesterol, and calories that typically come with animal meats. Sprouts are also highly recommended for vegans and vegetarians.

3. The quality and fiber of the protein in the beans, nuts, seeds, or grains improves when it is sprouted. Proteins change during the soaking and sprouting process, improving its nutritional value. The amino acid lysine, for example, which is needed to prevent cold sores and to maintain a healthy immune system increases significantly during the sprouting process. The fiber not only binds to fats and toxins in our body to escort them out, it ensures that any fat our body breaks down is moved quickly out of the body before it can resorb through the walls of the intestines.

4. Since sprouts are also high in fiber and low in calorie, they can contribute positively to any weight loss diet plan. Eating sprouts will let you enjoy nutrients without the extra calories. It will also make you feel fuller and stave off hunger longer. If you are looking for a way to lose weight, include sprouts in your diet.

5. Vitamin content increases dramatically. This is especially true of vitamins A, B-complex, C, and E. The vitamin content of some seeds, grains, beans, or nuts increases by up to 20 times the original value within only a few days of sprouting. Research shows that during the sprouting process mung beansprouts (or just beansprouts, as they are often called) increase in vitamin B1 by up to 285 percent, vitamin B2 by up to 515 percent, and niacin by up to 256 percent.

6. Essential fatty acid content increases during the sprouting process. Most of us are deficient in these fat-burning essential fats because they are not common in our diet. Eating more sprouts is an excellent way to get more of these important nutrients.

7. During sprouting, minerals bind to protein in the seed, grain, nut, or bean, making them more useable in the body. This is true of alkaline minerals like calcium, magnesium, and others than help us to balance our body chemistry for weight loss and better health. Their digestibility is rooted from the high amount of enzymes that they contain. Eating sprouts can be very helpful for people with digestive or bloating problems. They are also perfect for younger kids and elderly people.

8. Sprouts actually contain oxygen and regular consumption of raw bio-genic foods with their abundant oxygen is valuable to health. Bio-genic foods are a good source of essential fatty acids (the average western diet is generally deficient in these) which play a major role in the immune system defences.
9. Sprouts are the ultimate locally-grown food. When you grow them yourself you are helping the environment and ensuring that you are not getting unwanted pesticides, food additives, and other harmful fat-bolstering chemicals that thwart your weight loss efforts.

10. The energy contained in the seed, grain, nut, or legume is ignited through soaking and sprouting.

11. Sprouts are alkalizing to your body. Many illnesses including cancer have been linked to excess acidity in the body. Growth of cancer cells are initiated by a lack of oxygen and these cells, along with viruses and bacteria, cannot live in an alkaline and oxygen rich environment. Broccoli sprouts are especially effective at preventing gastritis, ulcers, stomach cancer and even allergy and asthma.
12. Sprouts are inexpensive. People frequently use the cost of healthy foods as an excuse for not eating healthy. But, with sprouts being so cheap, there really is no excuse for not eating healthier.

I had a bit of an experiment with salads and have to tell you of this one which is so tasty! I cooked up some lentils, added an abundance of sprouts, mushrooms, avocado and tomato's topped with turmeric and cumin, yum :)

Salad in the making with home grown sprouts, lentils, avocado and mushroom

Get some sprouts into your daily meals! And better yet have a go at growing them :)

Rockin Raw

xox

Have you Activated your Almonds?

Almonds are a little super food that are among the richest sources of health-benefiting nutrients essential for optimum health. The nuts are from a small deciduous tree native to the West-Asian mountain ranges enclosed in a stony hard shell. There are many reasons why we should include almonds in our daily diet and a few are listed below...

• Almonds are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals as well as being packed with health promoting phytochemicals to protect from disease and cancers 
• These nuts are the complete source of energy as well as nutrients, they are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower LDL or "bad cholesterol" and increase HDL or "good cholesterol." Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet, which is excellent in monounsaturated fatty acids help to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
• The nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E; contain about 25 g per100 g (about 170% of RDA). Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining cell membrane integrity of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Almonds are free in gluten and therefore, are one of the popular ingredients in the preparation of gluten-free food formulas. Such formula preparations are, in fact, healthy alternatives in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.
• These nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates. Together, these vitamins work as co-factors for enzymes during cellular substrate metabolism.
• Further, they are also an incredible source of minerals such as manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
• Almond oil is extracted from the nuts used as an emollient. Applied regularly, it helps keep skin well protected from dryness. Additionally, the oil is used in cooking in Iran, and Turkey. It is also used as “carrier or base oil” in traditional medicines in aromatherapy, in pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

A hand full of almonds a day provides much of recommended levels of minerals, vitamins, and protein. They are also wonderful for those living an active lifestyle. A small handful (28g) of almonds contains around 160 calories - 14g of the essential fats, only 6g of carbohydrates and 6g of protein.

Add some almonds to your diet today!! I eat them as a snack or chop them into yoghurt or my breakfast, or better yet make almond milk!! :)

So now that you have added almonds to your daily diet, for those who want to take it to the next level... have you heard of activating your almonds???

It sounds a little strange doesn't it!! Almost as if i have gone off my 'nut' by suggesting these little guys will become rockets shooting into the air... well they are rockets of health i can give you that! Activating almonds are suggested to enable your body to fully receive the full benefits of the nutrients inside to make them more digestible and more nutritious.

The activation process requires almonds to be soaked in water for a period of 12 hours. Advocates believe this deactivates enzyme inhibitors and brings the nut to life. Once the almonds have been soaked, they are then dehydrated at low temperatures (40 degrees) over a 24-hour period. Dehydrated almonds have a similar flavour and texture to roasted.

According to Lisa Yates, nutritionist with Nuts for Life “Activation is like sprouting of grains (wheat or barley grass) or sprouting of seeds (mung bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts). It converts some of the starch to simpler sugars, converts some of the protein as the emerging seed is breaking these down for fuel for its new growth.”

So i gave it a go!

How to activate your almonds!
Time: 12-24 hrs soaking + up to 24 hrs drying

Ingredients:
2 cups raw almonds (not roasted or salted) enough water to cover the almonds in a dish.
Soak the almonds in the water for 12 hrs.
Rinse the nuts under running water, and if you want to add flavour – add a couple of tsp of your choice of flavour to the rinsed almonds, and stir to combine well.
‘Dehydrate’ the almonds on low heat (either in a dehydrator or on the lowest temperature your oven will do). This will take anywhere from 6-24 hrs, depending on the temperature you’re using. The nuts will be done when they feel (and taste) dry.

After doing this the almonds were compared one by one... i do like the more puffed up yet crunchy texture of the activated almonds! While they do not taste different, i am happy to be receiving the full potential of these nuts.

Into my dehydrator they go :)

And i found this awesome site that has recipes and ideas to use your activated almonds in :) Found Here

Rockin Raw

Xox

Protein Juice??

3 days post juice detox and i suddenly realised although i was drinking smoothies i was having juice cravings!! I do love fresh juices and my body must have been craving another nutrient boost! So after a good workout of Body Pump and CX30 class at the gym i let my cravings guide me and made a juice :D only i know i need more protein after weights sessions especially so i thought 'why not try adding protein powder to a juice!?' so i did, and was pleasantly surprised, 'why had i not done this before!' Super nutrients better and healthier than any commercial protein shake... And it is real simple too :)

Juice...
1 carrot
1 small cucumber
2 celery stalks
1 green apple

Then stir in...
1 heaped tablespoon pea protein powder
Drizzle of honey

The best thing is you can do this to any of your favourite juices!! Looks like i will need to get more pea protein ;)

Protein Juice :)

Rockin Raw

Xox

Juice Cleanse Day 3!

It's the last day of my juice cleanse and my tummy feels ready for some food, maybe its because i made juice pulp blueberry muffins and i just want to try one! I woke up to another refreshing apple, orange, pineapple and cucumber juice (thank you neighbor for the lovely home grown cucumbers!) and again was feeling quite good bar a little stomach rumble. Actually still taking it easy and not doing nay exercise i felt like wonder woman in the morning!! I was up and about cleaning out boxes in my room and under my bed... would have known i was just having juice?? In the afternoon i started to reintroduce more substantial liquids by moving to a green smoothie with kale, banana, orange, chia seeds, bee pollen and water, and what amazed me that i wasn't expecting was how much my taste buds were working! I was tasting all the different flavours in the smoothie more than i had ever before and i loved it! They do say that while juicing you can reintroduce your taste buds to all different flavours of foods... it certainly makes it a great opportunity to introduce yourself to healthier options, i can imagine once you try them you wont want to go back to anything but fresh wholesome foods and really taste the difference between bland processed food!

Morning Juice :)

Weight - 48.8kg

Today juicing i consumed...

• 2 apples
• 1 orange
• 2.5cm slice pineapple
• 2 cucumbers
• 1 beetroot
• 2 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• And in my green smoothie had banana, kale leaves, bee pollen, orange, chia seeds, water... and then i lose track of what else mum puts in :P 

So at 5pm my 72 hours or 3 days was complete, it was such a satisfied feeling. Now that i have done the 3 days i almost felt like i was only just starting to feel the good effects of the juicing now after my slump time, none the less i was excited to eat again and entered my food world again with some lovely fresh grapes and cherries followed by raspberries and i 'indulged' and tried one of my gluten free juice pulp and berry muffins! 

But the rewards are far greater than eating the food again, i aim to incorporate at least a juice or smoothie everyday into my life. the amount of nutrients you get in a very little amount actually consumed is overwhelming and you can really feel the increase in energy you get after your body adjusts to the micro-nutrients. While i decreased in weight about 1.5kg in 3 days, this is mostly from a lack of food in my digestive track, you would usually have to continue juicing for at least a week to get the full effects of weight loss and as many evidence shows juicing can assist people with chronic diseases and obesity issues and even decrease the your medications to the point where they are not needed! But in the short term, i have let my digestive system, organs and cells of my body rest and recover with an abundance of micro-nutrients to help fight toxins, disease and any nasties accumulated over my past 23 years. Like a car being serviced I have 'Rebooted' and serviced me!! Remember your body can only heal itself properly if given the correct 'tools' aka nutrients to do so.

I also had an appointment with the eye surgeons today and while waiting i was reading Lorna Jane's 'Move, Nourish, Believe' book and was so inspired to live my life to the fullest!! I certainly felt renewed and was so glad of my choice to try a juice cleanse and experience the benefits it can bring. And now i feel like i can make even more healthier changes to my diet as i realise how precious my health and well being is. This was a little challenge i brought upon myself to test how healthy i am determined to be and now revitalised i feel like i am ready for 2013 to be my best year yet.

Rockin Raw

Xox