We are living in extremely stressful times. Most of us are in a constant state of stress without even truly realising it. We are living in the future, where we no longer need to hunt for our food and run away from predators. But we are still wired the same as our ancient ancestors, as in our fight or flight response housed by our adrenal glands reacts in the same way no matter what kind of stress we are under. Our bodies translate all types of stress in the same way, whether we are running away from a saber-toothed tiger or under extreme pressure with deadlines at work. This is where rest, relaxation and sleep comes in to calm our nervous systems and return to the parasympathetic nervous system of rest and digest, bringing down the surge of hormones that we use in times of stress from our adrenal glands. If you are in this constant state of stress with high levels of cortisol and adrenaline you will deplete yourself and end up in burn out, leading to extreme fatigue and leaving you open and vulnerable to illness. Your adrenal glands produce hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, steroids, cortisol, and cortisone, and chemicals such as adrenalin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. When the glands produce more or less hormones than required by the body, disease conditions may occur. More about your adrenal glands here: https://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-adrenal-glands

The parasympathetic nervous system controls homeostasis and the body at rest, it is responsible for the body’s rest & digest function. This is the exact opposite of the sympathetic nervous system which prepares the body for intense physical activity, usually called the fight or flight response. When you are in the mode of fight or flight a lot of your autonomic nervous system shuts down including your digestive system. All your energy is concentrated in your limbs to be able to give you the surge of energy you need to either flee from danger or fight the oncoming danger. This means that when you are eating in this state you are not able to digest your food, you can not absorb the nutrients in the food. This means that food can end up just sitting in your stomach fermenting and causing bloating, gas, constipation, reflux or diarrhoea. This can damage the gut wall which can lead to an array of other health issues.

It seems in our busy environment most people feel guilty to take the time to rest and do nothing. Everyone feels like they should always be busy or they are being lazy. We need to treat ourselves with respect and look after our bodies and our mental health. If you are not doing this how can your brain function properly, how can you keep your concentration and mental clarity at optimum? We all need a break to heal and come back to a calmness so we can be as productive as our lives demand. Without this break we are functioning at half our capacity.

There has been a surge of scientific studies backing up this way of thinking, that to be more productive we need to do less and rest more. We all know that we can’t live without sleep, some studies have indicated that we can actually live longer without food over sleep. When we are sleeping, this is when our bodies heal. Sleep effects how we look, feel and perform on a daily basis.

Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist, was one of the first scientist to study the effect of meditation on the brain, using brain scans. It seems that you can literally change your brain with this form of deep relaxation which reduces your risk of Alzheimer’s, induces calmness in your life, gives rise to a capacity of empathy and caring for others around you and brings on healing in the body. Here is an article about her findings: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/?utm_term=.7359005f5df9

Adequate rest, relaxation and sleep can enhance your physical & mental performance improving all aspects of life. Giving yourself this time out can actually make you more productive and achieve more. Adequate rest is equally as important as a healthy diet and exercise, it completes the balance of self care everybody needs.

One of the best tips I give to my clients is to aim for 20mins of “ME” time everyday with the aim of de-stressing. Choose things that are not too stimulating, things that slow you down and relax you. Anything from this list would be a good option:

Gentle yogaGentle walk in nature – hear the nature sounds, look at the trees & flowers etc.Tai ChiStretchingDeep BreathingMeditationBathFoot bathColour therapyGentle musicMassage/ReflexologyBeing with animalsLying/sitting in natureBeing creative – knitting/crochet/drawing/paintingLegs elevated, lying flat and do nothing!

Omelette recipe:

1 large red onion

4 cloves grated garlic

4 Organic free range Eggs

Sliced Cherry tomatoes

Sweet corn

Mixed leaves (rocket, spinach, watercress)

1/2 - 1 level tsp Himalayan rock salt

1Tbls Extra Virgin Olive oil

Method:

*Grate garlic and leave to one side

*Finely chop onion

*Over a medium heat add some extra virgin olive oil

*Add the chopped onion

*When onions look translucent add the salt

*Add the garlic

*Whisk your eggs and add to the pan

*Throw in the sliced cherry tomatoes and sweet corn

*When the edges look solid place the pan under the grill for a few minutes

*Then add your leaves and put back under for about 30second.

Guacamole Recipe:

1 Avocado

2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you love garlic)

½ tsp of good quality salt (Himalayan rock salt/sea salt) or Herbemere (Herbs salt from health food shop)

1 large tomato

¼ - 1/2 red onion

1 tsp paprika 

1 lime (juiced)

dash of pepper & pinch of chili flakes

Method:

*Mash the avocado.

*Finely grate the garlic.

*Dice the tomato.

*Dice the onion.

*Mix all ingredients together.

 Ingredients:

3 Onions

3-6 cloves garlic (depending on how much you love garlic!)

Large thumb size Fresh Ginger

2 Tins Coconut Milk

2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes

1 Large head of Broccoli

2 Courgettes

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes

2 Red Peppers

1-2 Tins Chickpeas

1 Tin Sweetcorn

Handful fresh parsley or Coriander

Olive oil or Coconut oil

2-3 tsp Sea salt/Himalayan rock salt

Spices:

3 Tbls Curry Powder

1Tbls Cumin Seeds

1Tbls Garam Masala Powder

1Tbls Cayenne Pepper Powder

1Tbls Turmeric Powder

1Tbls Cinnamon Powder

6 Curry Leaves

Method:

Grate the garlic & ginger and leave to one side

Chop onions and leave to one side

Add olive oil to a large pot over a medium heat

Add the cumin seeds and let simmer for a minute

Add the onions and mix

Chop all your vegetables

When the onions look translucent add salt and stir

Then add the grated garlic and ginger and stir

Then add your spices and stir

Add your sweet potato and stir well - getting all the flavours to blend

Add the coconut milk & chopped tomatoes

Cover the pot with a lid and turn up the heat a bit. Bring it to the boil and then let simmer for a few minutes with the lid on. Keep stirring from time to time so nothing sticks to the bottom

When the sweet potato is beginning to soften add the rest of your vegetables. Let them simmer for 5mins.

Then add the chickpeas & sweetcorn.

Chop the fresh parsley and sir in at the end.

*You could feed an army with this or else half the contents and freeze one half and leave the other half in the fridge for the week. Best consumed within 5 days. Then you have your lunches sorted for the next week - just take it out of the freezer the day before and store in the fridge once defrosted.

*This goes great with brown rice.

Ingredients:

2 cups Medjool Dates, pitted & chopped 

2 cups Raw Cashew Nuts

1/2 cup Raw Almonds

3/4 cup Raw Cocoa Powder

A pinch of Sea Salt

1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup Goji berries

2Tbsp Unsweetened Vanilla Extract (Health food shop)

Equipment:

Food Processor

(Approx) 11 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches Loaf pan, lined with grease proof paper

Method:

 Combine chopped dates, cashews, almonds, cocoa powder, goji berries & sea salt in a food processor. Pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is coarse. 

Then add the shredded coconut, a quick pulse, and add the vanilla extract, a little water at a time until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency. 

Scrape the dough mixture into the lined pan, press down evenly. Place it in the freezer for 1hour then cut into squares and store in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1 full cup red split lentils

2 large sweet potatoes

1 large bag of Kale

3 medium onions

2 elephant garlic bulbs (or one whole regular garlic bulb)

1 knuckle of ginger (about the size of two thumbs)

1 large teaspoon of chana dahl spices

1 teaspoon of good quality salt (sea salt/Himalayan rock salt)

1 organic vegetable stock cube

2 cups water

2 tins chopped tomatoes

2 dessert spoons of Extra virgin Olive oil

Method:

Chop sweet potato into cubes and leave to one side

Chop onions finely

Grate ginger & garlic and leave to one side

Add oil to a large pot on a medium heat

Add onions and sauté until translucent

Add salt and mix

Add ginger & garlic and mix for 30-60 seconds

Add lentils and mix

Add spices and mix

Add tins of chopped tomatoes and mix

Dissolve stock cup in cup of hot water and add to pot

Add a second cup of hot water - mix

Add the chopped sweet potato

Cover pot with lid and bring to the boil then let it simmer on a low heat until sweet potato is soft

Add washed Kale to the pot - stir it until it wilts and reduces in size

Notes:

This recipe yields about 4-5 portions, good one to make to have leftovers for lunches or freeze some to have later in the week. You could add rice or quinoa to this dish or have it on its own.

* Its always advisable to leave garlic aside for 10mins after grating before adding it to the heat to help retain the healthy enzymes.

Ingredients for Crust:

2 cups pecans

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup shredded coconut

1/4 cup cacao nibs

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for Filling:

2 cups pre-soaked cashews (1-3 hrs)

1 cup cacao powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (sugar free)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1) Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly moist. Grease a torte or pie pan with coconut oil and spread the crust with your fingers.

2) Combine all filling ingredients in the [cleaned] food processor, blending until very smooth. Pour filling into the crust and freeze or refrigerate until firm (1-3 hours). Garnish with fresh mint or berries.

Instructions:

1) Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly moist. Grease a torte or pie pan with coconut oil and spread the crust with your fingers.

2) Combine all filling ingredients in the [cleaned] food processor, blending until very smooth. Pour filling into the crust and freeze or refrigerate until firm (1-3 hours). Garnish with fresh mint or berries.

Instructions:

1) Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and blend until evenly moist. Grease a torte or pie pan with coconut oil and spread the crust with your fingers.

2) Combine all filling ingredients in the [cleaned] food processor, blending until very smooth. Pour filling into the crust and freeze or refrigerate until firm (1-3 hours). Garnish with fresh mint or berries.

Most of us have heard of probiotics & gut bacteria. But what does that mean for us and our health!

We have a second brain in our gut that is made up of microbiota/the microbiome – microscopic organisms that line our mucous membranes especially in our gut which help make up our immune system.

Without this “Good Bacteria” in our digestive system we would get very ill and would not be capable of fully recovering from illness.

It’s crazy to think, but 90% of the cells in our body are made up of these organisms.

Our environment, Diet, Lifestyle & Stress can all have a negative impact on the balance of the good bacteria in our gut which can leave us feeling tired, bloated, susceptible to colds & flu, or with an array of digestive complains including IBS. Not only can it have an effect on our physical body but it directly effects our mood & concentration too. “The gut and brain have a steady ability to communicate via the nervous system, hormones, and the immune system. Some of the microbiome can release neurotransmitters, just like our own neurons do, speaking to the brain in its own language via the vagus nerve. “-Emily Deans M.D

For more scientific information visit: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201404/the-gut-brain-connection-mental-illness-and-disease

Our microbiome has been passed on to us from generation to generation through our family lines. The diet of generations before us naturally took care of this delicate environment. Our natural ways of preserving food for example supplied our ancestors with a plentiful diet of good bacteria - ie fermentation of vegetables (sourkraut, kimchi etc).

Nowadays most people are relying on probiotic supplements. And mostly limited to after a bout of anti-biotics (which completely kill all the good & bad bacteria, completely wiping you out and leaving you even more susceptible to illness). But there are actually many easy ways we can enhance our microbiome naturally in our everyday diet. For example: Homemade Kimchi or Sourkraut; Miso soup; Kombucha; Milk Kefir; Water Kefir.

I have recently started to make my own homemade water Kefir which I am finding amazingly easy and tasty!

Recipe: Water Kefir grains, ¼ cup of organic cane sugar & spoon of organic black strap molasses per 1L water

Method:

In a large mason jar add all your ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon/utensil

Leave to ferment out of direct sunlight and not in the fridge for 5 days

After 5 days – use a non metal sieve and drain off your water into a jug to then pour into a container with a lid – like a lemonade glass bottle or any kind of bottle you have – and store it in the fridge so it stops fermenting

Then start the process all over again!

*Notes:

Try to avoid using metal utensils

Each time you do this your kefir grains will multiply so find friends and family to pass some on to or increase your production!

Even though we are using sugar in this method, the kefir grains are feeding on the sugar and producing probiotic bacteria from this. So you are not ingesting sugar when you are drinking this water. You are however getting lots of minerals and vitamins along with your probiotics!

Natural Homemade Probiotics! Easy Peasy & Cheerfully Cheap!!

You can order your Kefir grains from this site: http://www.kefir.ie/

INGREDIENTS

For Sauce: serves 2

4 medium onions, choppedcloves garlic, pureed1 tsp ginger, pureed4-5 curry leaves5 whole cardamon pods1/2 tsp cayenne pepper1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp garam masala1/2 tsp turmeric1 tsp Tandoori Masala mix1tsp paprika1 tsp curry powder1 tbsp coconut cream1 cup organic sugar free vegetable stock1 cup tinned tomatoes, pureed2 tsp tomato puree2 tbsp extra virgin Olive oilsalt & pepperChopped corianderVegetables: you can choose any of your favourite vegetables- I used butternut squash, broccoli, courgetteRice: I used brown rice and added some Turmeric, salt & pepper.

INSTRUCTIONS

Flavour your oil. Add the cardamom pods and the curry leaves to the oil over a gentle heat to infuseThen add your chopped onions to the oil over a medium heat and leave to cook for 10minsAdd the cinnamon to the onions and allow to cook for a further 8 minsAdd the ginger, garlic and cayenne and cook for 2 minsIn a bowl mix together the garam massala, curry powder, tandoori mix and paprikaSwitch off the heat for 1 min to allow the pot to cool a little. Push the onion to one side, add a little oil and add your spice mixture. Switch the heat back on.Gently fry the spices for 1 minAdd the tomato puree and fry the whole mixture for another 1 minAdd the tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, coconut cream, any root vegetables and put on a gentle simmer for 5-10mins. Season with salt & pepper.Add the chickpeas and any leafy vegetables and simmer for a further 5mins or until your vegetables are cooked.Add chopped coriander for garnish

Acidity & Alkalinity

When the body is overly acidic, various symptoms can manifest, such as: fatigue, arthritis, indigestion, acidic stomach, ulcers, headaches, insomnia, nervous tension, and osteoporosis. Chronic acidity also speeds up the aging process and causes tissue degeneration. A diet of predominantly fresh vegetables and small amounts of fresh fruit, with smaller amounts of wholegrains and protein promotes alkalinity. Eating a diet based on meat, processed foods, or excessive carbohydrates create acidity. It is best to consume 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods.

The following list is based on the research of Alkaline Diet pioneer, Dr. Young.  This list reflects the effect these foods have on the body, if they are acidic forming or alkaline forming after they are consumed. Some charts determine acidity or alkalinity on the food before it is consumed whereas some lists including this one is based on the effect the food has on the body after it has been consumed. This is why you will see some lists vary.

Fruit

It might come as a surprise that fruits are considered to be acid forming. This is purely because of their high sugar content, and so it is advised that you keep fruit to a minimum. However, you don’t have to avoid it completely and a piece or two per day as part of a balanced diet is fine. Lemons & Limes on the other hand have a low sugar content and are very alkaline forming in the body.

Water

Staying properly hydrated is probably the most important element of the alkaline diet. Not just any water will do! Tap water is actually mildly acidic in most areas with a low pH and traces of pesticides, heavy metals, fluoride and other nasties. Highly filtered and re-mineralised water is best. I highly recommend the Eva water filtration system. Most cost effective way of obtaining clean mineral rich water. This filter has recently been taken over by French & German company and is now called Yve filter.

http://yve-bio.com/index.php?a=3&lang=eng

Regular walking is one of the best ways to lose weight and keep fit and healthy, and anyone can do it! You dont need to join a gym or spend money to do it! It enhances your body and your mood! Here are some tips to get the most out of it! 

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP05087/Are-You-Walking-the-Wrong-Way.html

The whole leaf contains numerous phytonutrients and trace mineralsIt can sweeten any drink or food without adding calories, carbohydrates, or contributing to tooth decay.Stevia nourishes the pancreas and does not raise blood glucose levels, making it not just safe for diabetics but actually beneficial.It helps minimize hunger sensations, cravings for sweets or fatty foods.Aids in digestionDecreases hypertension without effecting normal blood pressure.Stabilizes blood glucose levels.Shortens recovery time from cold & flu.Aids in addictions to tobacco & alcohol.When used in toothpaste or mouth wash, cavities and gum disease are reduced due to its antibacterial properties!

Since there are no calories or carbohydrates, Stevia is an excellent weight loss aid, and it doesn’t contain the negative side effects that the use of artificial sweeteners do!

Follow the link to purchase Stevia products. Its always best to chose the most natural form, which would be raw or else pure (which would be extract, but nothing else added). I would advise against getting blends which would have other ingredients added to it including anti caking agents, for example in the Canderel Stevia blend.