Eating to prevent lifestyle diseases...

Hi All,

   

In my 30 odd years on planet earth, I've realized that the saying that prevention is better than cure is the absolute truth. Eating a healthy, balanced diet all day everyday is a bit of a mammoth task as eating  healthy can be quite expensive however its advisable to so do to prevent many diseases. 

There is strong evidence that a high intake of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of stroke, a high intake of folic is also evidenced to reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer. 

A high consumption of whole grains in their natural form is associated with lowered risks of developing diabetes - type 2, the added fiber also facilitates weight control and prevents constipation. 

Consumption of sugar and sugar-based products should be limited as most sugary items have little or no nutritional value.  Although the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests an upper limit 10 % of energy from sugar, its actually desirable to intake less than that amount based on the adverse metabolic results coupled with the absence of nutritional value.

It goes without saying that your family's medical history plays a huge part in the non communicable diseases one is susceptible to. 

Be that as it may, you should still endeavor to eat as healthy as you can as often as you can......if you can't so do every single day....

Benefits of Juicing.....

Hi All,

Ahhhh the benefits of juicing fruits and vegetables..

As a child I enjoyed anything that was placed in the blender with milk, sugar and essence thrown in...I still do to some extent but with age came an appreciation for unadorned beauty in everything.  

Fruits and vegetables have all the tastes (sweet, tangy, sour) you'll need, you just have to know which ones to pair up. 

Juicing fruits and vegetables allows you to absorb the nutrients quicker the down side is that you don't get as much fibre. However, just because you're juicing doesn't mean that you're barred from eating fruits...so yea, you'll get the fibre.

Another  benefit is that you'll actually be consuming more fruits and vegetables when you juice AND still consume them in natural form.  It also helps with detoxifying.

Notably, care should be taken with your pairings, for example, watermelon, pears, grapes and mangoes will give you an over sweet tasting combination.  

Great combinations are

•  Cucumber, pear and kale
• Avacado, celery, cucumber and lemon 
• Papaya, pineapple and lemon 

Have you tried juicing and are you adventurous with your pairings?

Drop me a line below and let know !!

Replacing Mayonnaise or NOT.....

Hi All,

Many a reader will agree that mayonnaise a.k.a mayo makes EVERYTHING taste better 😛.  Y'all ever checked on how nice unhealthy things taste, it's like this unwritten rule that once its not good for us it must be NICE.....

However, today I want to share with you some healthy benefits of  mayo but as I've stated before - everything in moderation and making your own is a sure way to ensure you're ingesting a healthier version.




To make your own mayo you will need;

1  large egg yolk, at room temperature 30 minutes.
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil (or a combination), divided.
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar or cider vinegar.
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.
1/4 teaspoon white pepper.

Whisk together yolk, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Add about 1/4 cup oil drop by drop, whisking constantly until it thickens.

Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil slowly

Whisk in salt to taste and white pepper. Keep refrigerated ....

Mayo is said to be rich in vitamin E and Omega-3 can work to keep your heart healthy as well as prevent sudden strokes.  It also contains unsaturated fats which assists with nutrient absorption and lowers cholesterol.

As an added bonus, its great for keeping your hair healthy when used as a deep conditioner..

Which do you use it for- your hair or sandwiches?

Let me know down below..

Mental Health in children...

Hi All,

Mental health in children or little humans as I like to think of them is equally important as it is for adults.

Contrary to popular belief, children experience all the emotions that adults do, and based on their inexperience are ill -equipped to treat with it...which is where we as adults come in.  Simply things as finding out why the male child cries rather than calling him a sissy or soft can be instrumental in ensuring his mental health.  Based on the fact that children may be unable to articulate their feelings, makes determining a serious problems a little trickier than it is for adults.  

Most mental health issues in children are born out of some trauma faced during childhood as such happy well adjusted children will become happy well adjusted adults.

If you have children in your life, talk to them observe them and allow them the freedom to just be themselves

Tips to Improve your Mental Health.....

Hi All,

Shawn Mendes - the popular Canadian singer (aka The hottie ) famously bared to the world his struggle with anxiety in his chart topping song 'In my blood'.  

He stated in interviews that  'therapy' can take many forms and shouldn't be confined to seeing a therapist but could be as simple as doing things you like with people you love.

I imagine to some extent we all feel as if we're drowning, there it follows (arguably) that we all have some struggle mental health at some time in our lives, how long you remain in the depressed or anxious is based on your environment, your experiences and most importantly YOU...

As such, in my humble opinion it is worth your while to work on your mental health as if its those abs you're trying to carve out or the bigger butt you're going to the gym to produce 😏

• Get plenty sleep - if you're in school like  I am, schedule a day when there's NO studying just relax and binge watch NETFLIX or whatever
• Watch you diet - 'we are what we eat' is true, so be picky about what you put in your temple, do research as to the best nutrition for your stage of life. 
• Manage stress - stress increases the hormone - cortisol and we know too much of anything is bad news.  After work, do something you like, it could be as simple as listening to your favorite album and singing to the top of your voice on the drive home....in my case that'll be any of Linkin's Park's albums.

What do you do to manage your stress levels? 

Quick & Easy Healthy Breakfast...

Hi All,

Today I'm touching on the most important meal of the day........Breakfast.  I've been hearing that since I've known myself and really does set the tone of the food choices you make throughout the day.  When I skip breakfast, by 11.00 a.m I'm really hungry and usually end up snacking on anything in 

sight....which is usually junk food. 

The secret to ensuring that you have breakfast on busy weekday mornings is to prep, some things you can even prep for an entire week.  Oats is my go-to breakfast most weekdays and I'm able to prep the night before and simply 'jazz' it up the following morning by adding bananas, strawberries, cranberries, you can add pretty much any fruit or variety of nuts atop your oats. Oats provides a great source of important vitamins and minerals, fiber and antioxidants....so you'll definitely be starting your morning on a healthy note. 

What's your go to breakfast on weekdays? 

The importance of rest.....

Hi All,

Human beings are strong yet very fragile, and without rest we can spiral into something almost unrecognizable.  I remember some years ago whilst doing a paper for school I did an 'all nighter' and at 6.00 a.m I got up to stretch my legs and looked in the mirror.   The person I saw in the mirror looked like a crazy person, wild eyed and just...not like me. 

 There was another time I went  partying all night and went to work the following morning, needless to say the amount of errors I made were voluminous and somehow my mind wasn't able to recall simple things that I knew that I knew 😄.....it was weird. 

Rest in everything is required for example, when you're exercising there must be a rest day just to allow the body to rejuvenate itself.  The same is true when studying....there must be a rest day. 

Additionally, when dealing with issues i.e challenges life may through your way, there comes a time when you must let go and let GOD. 

No matter what is happening in your life allow yourself the time to rest both body and mind.  I goes a long way to ensuring that your mental health is maintained.

What do you do to rest amid the demands of your lives?  Let me know down below

Benefits of Infused Water.....

Hi All,

The general idea of infused water or detox water is to rid your body of toxins and it does so a lot faster than regular water does. Its a simple as placing fruits, vegetables  herbs in a pitcher and filling it with water which allows for the introduction of flavor without actually making it juice😀. 

I especially like to add cucumbers and carrots to my water, another favorite is pineapple and strawberry slices but as I said its really whatever tickles your fancy.  

Cucumbers are considered a super food which means that it has a lot of nutrients.  When preparing the infused water be mindful that you don't want to make too big of a batch that you can't consume in 20 hours. 

Slice clean cucumbers and place in a pitcher (you can peel if its your preference)
Fill with water and allow at least an hour for the water to become infused, you can leave overnight
Chill and consume all day the following day (change slices after 24 hours)
Add a few slices of strawberry to spice it up if you wish.

Would you try?

Dealing with Death...

Hi All,

On Sunday February 23rd 2014 my life was irreversibly changed,..................... my mom passed away after a short battle with cancer and I honestly thought I was in some sort of twilight zone and expected someone to say that what was happening was not real.

At the time, nothing was funny ( and I have a great sense of humor) nothing was important - not even my dreams, I had no zeal to do anything.  However,  I was still getting up and preparing myself for work, and operating on auto pilot.  However, when I got home, my mind was filled with memories and what ifs.   After that experience, the words 'be kinder than necessary as everyone is fighting their own battles' has new meaning. 

One of the things that helped and still helps me is a book which was gifted to me called 'Living with loss and grief' 

Of course everyone's process will be different, based on their circumstances people will deal with the hurt and pain in different ways.  I've learned that sometimes the best help you can give to another in such circumstances is simply to say nothing...... I've heard the constant, 'i'm here for you' or 'anything you need let me know' and they are oft times just empty promises.  Contrary to popular belief, (in my humble opinion) you don't get 'over' the death of a loved one.  There are several ways that can assist with coping..

• Attend the funeral/memorial for the deceased 
• Have a good cry when you need it 
• Talk about it when you can (join a support group if you feel you can't talk to family or friends) 
• Pray (if you are so inclined)

Above all else,  be patient with yourself and don't be concerned about society's limits on how long the process should be. 

You do you and before long you'll laugh again.....as I do