Lifestyle Tips

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Lets have a look at energy, do you suffer from a lack of energy and find that life is becoming more and more difficult to cope.

Nutrition plays an important part in fuelling not just the body but the mind with the right nutrients to get through more stressful and demanding life experiences.

ENERGY BOOSTING SNACKS

Fresh or dried dates
Dried apricots or figs (check they have not been sprayed with preservative)
An apple, orange, banana or pear
Live yogurt - plain with some fresh fruit (pineapple, papaya, mango, peach)
Homemade flapjacks - made with some chopped nuts (almonds, cashew)
Oatcakes with mashed avocado
Rye Crisp bread or Rice cakes with hummus / tzatziki
Raw vegetables - carrots, celery, radish, red or yellow pepper, cauliflower
A handful of seeds - pumpkin, sunflower, linseed
A fresh smoothie using live yogurt, banana and unfiltered apple juice

ENERGY ROBBERS

Stimulants such as Alcohol, Caffeine and Tobacco
Refined and processed foods
Sugary foods (Confectionary, biscuits, soft drinks)
Excessive saturated fats
Skipping meals
Poor digestion
Infections
High stress
Poor sleep and relaxation
Allergens and Toxins

Energy Facts, Part II

Besides water and air, the body needs a constant, regular source of food to provide energy for movement, breathing, circulation, immune protection and brain function. Your brain utilises 50% of the energy that you get from your food and even more so when actively using your brain-for concentration or memory. It is not surprising that when your energy levels dip, you are likely to experience mood swings, headaches and irritability.

DIETARY STRATEGY

Eat plenty of fresh foods rich in the energy giving nutrients such as alfalfa, fresh fruit, vegetables and beans (preferably organic, to avoid possible contamination with hormones, antibiotics and pesticides).
Drink plenty of water, at least 1.5 litres of filtered or mineral water daily.
Avoid skipping meals - especially breakfast - which is the most important meal of the day since your body's blood sugar level is at its lowest.
Exercise regularly - just 20 minutes three times a week - to improve your stamina, circulation and ability to deal with stress..
Include more whole-grains like brown rice, oat-based cereals and millet packed with B vitamins.
Stimulants like coffee, tea, alcohol and sugar give a short-term energy boost but this soon wears off, leaving you craving more sugary, refined foods. Therefore greatly reduce your intake of colas and fizzy drinks, chocolate biscuits, cakes, snacks, croissants and mass-produced refined foods. Not only do they leave you feeling tired but they also deplete important nutrients like magnesium, chromium and B vitamins, and we become even more exhausted.
Don't eat heavy protein meals late at night as they take a long time to digest.

ENERGY BOOSTING NUTRIENTS

Vitamin B1	Beans, Peas, liver, Wholegrains
Vitamin B2	Almonds, Chicken, Lamb, Mushrooms
Vitamin B3	Tuna (fresh), Buckwheat, Cauliflower, Courgette, Turkey
Vitamin B5	Eggs, Lentils, Brown rice, Wheat bran
Vitamin B6	Avocado, Brown rice, Wheat bran
Biotin	Cashew Nuts, Cauliflower, Soya beans, Oats, Walnuts
Vitamin C	Berries, Blackcurrants, Guava, Kale, Peppers
Magnesium	Broccoli, Kale, Hazelnuts, Pistachios
Manganese	Avocado, Bran, Oatmeal, Tea
Co Enzyme Q10	Sardines, Beef, Spinach, Alfalfa, Kidney, Potatoes

Revitalise... are you still suffering from the effects of Christmas and have started a resolution to lose weight?

Follow this quick 4 point guide to a healthier, lighter and brighter 2009!

1. Slow down that Sugar Load: remember, SUGAR = FAT!

A. Cut out those white carbohydrates (e.g. white bread, rice, pasta, pizza, mashed potatoes, chips, crisps, biscuits): they turn straight into sugar in the body, which can turn straight into Fat! (Tip: dried fruit like dates, raisins, etc are also very high sugar foods!

B. Eat more unrefined complex carbohydrates (e.g. wholegrain bread,wholewheat pasta, brown rice, oats porridge, oat cakes(good as snacks), low sugar fruit like berries & apples): they slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream, increasing energy & reducing fat. They also increase fibre, which helps the gut and keeps your bowel movements regular.

C. Fizzy drinks, too much refined fruit juice, tea, coffee and alcohol all increase sugar in the body. Reduce or avoid them where possible.

D. Don't be fooled by 'no added sugar' on the label. There is often added bad fats or damaging artificial sweeteners like Aspartame. A healthy natural Sweetener is Xylitol (available in many supermarkets and health stores)

E. Combine your protein with your carbohydrates. Research shows that it can slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream.

2. Lighten your Liver Load.

A. Keep food and drinks organic where possible. This reduces the amount of chemicals in the body and increases available nutrients. Pesticides and additives slow down the liver detoxification process.

B. Use foods like red onions, garlic, leeks and ginger in your cooking every day. They support the liver to efficiently detoxify the body.

C. Add about a quarter teaspoon of turmeric to your food daily. It is excellent liver support for improved detoxification.

D. Replace coffee with Dandelion root coffee (available in health stores). Your liver will love it.

E. Increase healthy essential fatty acids: Eat oily fish about 3 times per week (e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring).Also have a handful of raw nuts and ground seeds (pumkin, sesame, sunflower, linseed) each day. (Tip: mix 1-2 tablespoons of linseed with half a tub of low eat cottage cheese to make it more available to the body.

F. Reduce unhealthy fats like 'hydrogenated' or 'partially hydrogenated' fats and saturated meat like bacon and pork, and fast foods and 'fry-ups'. If you must fry food, use coconut or extra virgin olive oil or a little butter.

H. Use eco-friendly household cleaners and washing products, and organic chemical-free soaps shampoo and conditioners. Your liver has to clean all this up as you inhale it, and absorb it through your skin.

3. Delight your Digestive System.

A. Eat more Fermented foods like plain yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, tamari sauce. They are helpful for the gut and ‘help feed' the good bacteria'.

B. Increase your gut bacteria by taking a good quality Probiotic Supplement

C. Eat prebiotic foods that feed the gut bacteria, like onions, garlic, leeks, ginger, Jerusalem artichokes, and bananas (not too many as they are high in sugar)

D. Increase fibre by eating more unrefined, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, oats, corn, millet.

4. Refuel with the RIGHT Fluids.

A. You've heard this one before...It's because it's true! Drink at least one and a half to two litres of good quality Water each day. Apart from many other vital body functions, you can't detox without it! (Tip: Remember, if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated!)

B. Reduce tea/coffee: Apart from the fact that they dehydrate you, your liver has to work hard to detoxify caffeine. Replace with herbal & fruit teas, freshly squeezed vegetable & low sugar fruit juices and water (try it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, for variety.

C. Cut down on alcohol consumption. Your liver uses lots of energy to detoxify alcohol so keep it to a minimum so that the liver can concentrate on its other important functions.

Starting to feel Under the weather? Feel like a cold is coming with the current blizzard conditions?

Look at the foods below to boost your immune system.

FOODS THAT BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Eat a whole food diet. This should consist of:

Brown rice
Millet & Quinoa
Vegetables & Fresh fruit
Beans & Pulses
Fish & Free range eggs
Seed & Nuts (excluding peanuts)

Add raw or lightly steamed garlic to meals. Warming foods such as soups and stews are recommended.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day (approx 1½ - 2 litres). Bottled or filtered water is preferable to tap water.

Use Soya, rice or goat's milk in preference to cow's milk.
Other liquids can include, freshly pressed vegetables juices such as carrot and parsley, hot water with lemon and honey and herbal teas such as ginger, rosehip, elderflower and peppermint.

FOODS THAT WEAKEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

red meat,
dairy produce,
refined foods and saturated fats.
Stimulants such as sugar, tea, coffee and alcohol.

USEFUL TIPS

Don't stay in bed.
Unless you have a fever, go out for a walk or move around the house to help shift toxins out of the body.
Wash your hands frequently and throw away used tissues, to prevent re-infecting yourself or infecting others.