The Mentality to Eat Well

Changing your Mentality for Permanent Weight Loss

How do you catch yourself before you lose the battle? And how do you achieve a healthy weight without going through the dreaded and dangerous yo-yo cycle of gain and loss?
The diet mentality is a dinosaur approach these days. “Dieting side effects” of deprivation, headaches, acidity, semi-starvation, tummy bloating and irregular digestion, moodiness, dehydration, and angst over body shape and size only set us up for an exhaustive path to repeated failure and reduced confidence in both mind and body. If you are going to stave off long-term weight gain or maintain weight loss for a long period, staging a dramatic plan for yet another quick fix is not going to work. I’m sorry if you thought that you had finally found THE DIET, but picking a guru who tells you that a particular food or type of nutrient is causing your weight gain will not work.
Instead of endlessly switching diets to find the magic mixture, you have to start with your relationship with your own body. In order to maintain health, your approach to eating has to fit within a broader lifestyle that includes exercise, mental, social and spiritual health. Choose or create environments that make you think, “healthy living.” In my practice, we invite this mental shift by offering a spa environment where progressive nutrition programs incorporate massage, reflexology, and acupuncture. This approach fosters a mind-body connection.

Try these 6 steps to make a difference.

1) It’s All Begins in Your Mind, Believe It
Make a mental change to eat for life vs. being on a “diet.” Move away from the diet lifestyle to real healthy living. Tell yourself that you are going to change the way you eat and have belief that you are going to do it. Have confidence and trust that your body will respond to the healthy new choices you will make. Set yourself up for success. Your ability to achieve results starts from within.

2) Get Help
Seek professional advice and coaching. All too many of us are self-proclaimed diet experts with little success and training. Trying to sift through the diet of the week is unnecessary and often stressful, overwhelming, and unhealthy. An effective approach to healthy eating should combine nutrition science (yes, your coach should have medical and food knowledge as well as the ability to offer you options to make eating healthier easy and more pleasurable) and a working plan that will make this your last diet. It is worthwhile to share any health concerns you have with your nutrition specialist as they may be impeding your success.

3) Stimulate Your Metabolism
The key to releasing weight lies in increasing and maintaining a good metabolism. Start off by getting your motor running with a healthy breakfast. Eat throughout the day to stabilize blood sugar levels (and prevent a slowing of your burn rate). Keep anxiety levels and stress hormones at bay (a.k.a. RELAX) to allow the body to feel safe and free to burn and release weight. When the body is stressed it protects itself by holding onto stored energy (body fat), ratcheting down metabolism and promoting unstable blood sugar levels.

4) Get Fresh: Choose Real Food
Instead of wasting your time reading food labels and chasing the fad diet de jour, start by applying this rule only: Eat Real Food. Ask yourself is your food coming from the good mother earth, an animal or the factory down town? Avoid processed foods. The added sugars, fats, and salt slow digestion. Fresh is best for getting natural digestives and enzymes to speed metabolism and promote overall health. Organic grown herbs and spices bring simple fresh food to life and make eating the pleasure it was meant to be.

5) Be Flexible and Smile
There is no perfect way to eat. One may have certain general rules, but being too rigid will only set you up for failure. Stressing out is a sure fire way to short circuit healthy behaviors and work against metabolism. If being on the diet treadmill is exhausting you, give yourself a break and seek help. Keep your sense of humor and stay away from making judgments about “good” or “bad” food behavior. Accept that healthy weight change is a natural result of healthy eating and living.

6) Go! What are you waiting for?
Write out your goals and go for it!
If you are serious about changing your diet, start with a written food log. Get a grip as to what your eating habits are all about. Research says people who keep food records lose weight! Its all about staying in tune with yourself ...



Check out The Nutritional Wellness blog to Ask Rianne about more tips to keep you and your family eating healthy all year.
Have a great week
Stay Well

Rianne

Juicing your Juices ...

Liquid fasting diets are a great method of losing weight while getting rid of a number of unhealthy toxins from your body. Liquid fasting diets are very beneficial if followed properly. A liquid fasting diet gives your body a thorough internal cleaning while letting your digestive system take a much needed break. Juice or detox fasting diets are different from only water fasting diets because you can consume all kinds of liquids and juices while on a juice fast. Liquid fasting is also made easy by the fact that you can regulate your nutritional intake based on the amount of calorie burning that you do. Juice diets are basically called so because of the obvious fact that almost everything that you can consume while on this diet is in the form of some kind of juice. Investing in a juicer, if you do not already own one, is a good idea if you plan to take your juice diet seriously. Since juice diets are a kind of detox fasting, you are supposed to stay off milk and other liquid dairy products. Instead of making the juice in a blender, it is also advised that you use only a juicer. This is because a blended liquid still contains fiber which was present in the fruit or vegetable, while a juicer gives you an almost fiber free juice.

While juices with fiber are supposed to be healthy when you are on a normal diet, they are not advised when you are on a juice fast. This is because if you consume fibers or milk while on your liquid fast, your digestive system will still have to keep processing as normal. If you give your digestive system a break by taking fiber less foods, then the energy that usually goes towards digesting food can be applied towards healing the body. Apart from this, your immune system also gets a break from fighting food related bacteria and viruses and it can concentrate on other ailments attacking different parts of your body.

A juice fast thus has many benefits. It is one of the best types of detox fasting, since juices help in ridding your body of toxins. On the other hand, a steady intake of juices provides your body with a good amount of vitamins and minerals that one generally fails to consume in the required amounts when on a normal diet. Juice fasting is also a great weight loss method, since it helps in the removal of excess fatty tissues from the body. This kind of liquid fast also boosts your immune system.

On the other hand, you can continue with your normal lifestyle while on a juice fast, since you can get enough energy from drinking juices to do almost any kind of work. You can decide on the amount of juice that you want to consume based on the amount of activity that do and your appetite. How intense you want your detoxification to be is another factor that should determine your intake of juice, since the less juice you drink, the greater is the detoxification. Similarly, the benefits of weight loss and detoxification are directly proportional to your fasting period. You can fast for as less as three days and as long as 40 days. Once you are through with your liquid fast, you will feel revitalized and energized and even look and feel younger.

How To De-Stress and Renew

Follow my family and I while we energize and renew ourselves.

Taking regular stress stops during the day can instantly help boost your relaxation levels and improve your thinking and move.



Inhale. Exhale... and Repeat   

Water Water Everywhere....

Why not try and flush your system every few days with the maximum water intake you can manage .....?


If you're not drinking enough, you could end up with excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive complications, muscle soreness -- even water-retention problems.

Next to air, water is the element most necessary for survival. A normal adult is 60 to 70 percent water. We can go without food for almost two months, but without water only a few days. Yet most people have no idea how much water they should drink. In fact, many live in a dehydrated state.

Without water, we'd be poisoned to death by our own waste products. When the kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water. If there isn't enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones. Water also is vital for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism. It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood and helps to cool the body through perspiration. Water also lubricates our joints.

We even need water to breathe: our lungs must be moist to take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide. It is possible to lose a pint of liquid each day just exhaling.


So if you don't drink sufficient water, you can impair every aspect of your physiology. By not drinking enough, many people incur excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness and water retention."




Water retention? If you're not drinking enough, your body may retain water to compensate. Paradoxically, fluid retention can sometimes be eliminated by drinking more water, not less.

"Proper water intake is a key to weight loss. If people who are trying to lose weight don't drink enough water, the body can't metabolize the fat adequately. Retaining fluid also keeps weight up.

The minimum for a healthy person is eight to ten eight-ounce glasses a day. You need more if you exercise a lot or live in a hot climate. And overweight people should drink in an extra glass for every 25 pounds they exceed their ideal weight.

Your intake should be spread throughout the day and evening. You may wonder: If I drink this much, won't I constantly be running to the toilet? Yes. But after a few weeks, your bladder tends to adjust and you urinate less frequently but in larger amounts.

And by consuming those eight to ten glasses of water throughout the day, you could be on your way to a healthier, leaner body.

Transitioning from cooked foods to raw foods

Find me on Instagram "

After 3 hours and limited patience, i have finally made it on Facebook

Join me .....on FACEBOOK

Ways to combat the excess Pounds with good food....

Along with a healthy excersise routine you will be on your way to fghting fit and shedding the pounds in no time, stumbleupon.com came up with these cruicial steps


NUTRITION

Stay hydrated. Active individuals actually require more water and should aim to consume roughly 1 gallon per day to avoid becoming dehydrated. And if you’re one of those people who hates drinking water, consider this: Dehydrated individuals burn less fat than their well-watered counterparts.

Eat more frequently. Eating 5—6 small meals a day as opposed to “three squares a day” causes your metabolism to work constantly. Eating larger meals, on the other hand, slows your metabolism and forces leftover calories to be stored as fat.

Eat protein. Since muscle-building is the fastest route to slim down, you want to make sure that your protein consumption is enough to keep up with your weight training. Eat too little protein and your gains could be much slower. Get 1—1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day to help your muscle gains along. Use protein bars and shakes to supplement your whole-food consumption and stave off cravings.




Get leafy. Those who eat a salad before dinner tend to consume less calories overall during dinner. But don’t sabotage yourself — stay away from high-fat dressings like ranch, blue cheese and Caesar.

Skip happy hour. Alcohol consumption can temporarily blunt testosterone levels, hindering muscle repair and growth and blunting sexual drive. Also, the calories from alcoholic beverages — in the neighborhood of 100—200 each without cocktail mixers — add up faster than you may think.

Cut out soda. Instead, rely on water and other flavored drinks like Crystal Light to get your fluids every day. If you drink one soda per day, you’re adding 1,750 calories per week to your diet. Also, studies have shown that those who regularly consume diet sodas tend to gain weight in the long run because of overindulgences elsewhere.

Calories out! The goal in any fat-loss or weight-loss program should be to burn more calories than you consume. Aim to cut total calorie consumption by about 250 calories per day. Yes, that means you’ll have to figure out how many calories you eat in a normal day. Get on it. The math will pay big dividends later.

Got the munchies? If you can do without the butter and salt, plain popcorn is a winner. Two quarts has the same number of calories as just 20 potato chips. By substituting 1 cup of plain, unbuttered popcorn for a 1-ounce bag of chips, you’ll save 135 calories and 10 grams of fat.

The magical fruit. Subjects who ate half of a grapefruit with meals or drank 8 ounces of grapefruit juice three times a day lost 4 pounds (with some losing more than 10 pounds) in 12 weeks without dieting.

Carb smart. Keep your carbohydrates low to moderate when trying to lose weight. If you rotate low- and high-carb days, you’ll be able to keep your energy levels up while running a caloric deficit. Good, clean, fiber-rich carbs include oats, potatoes, rice and whole-grain bread. Also, limit high-carb drinks like fruit juice to postworkout, when your body needs carbs to speed recovery.

Operation Dinner Out. Be diligent when ordering in a restaurant. Have your meats grilled without oil or grease. Ask for steamed vegetables with no butter. Get a salad (no cheese) with either low-fat dressing or vinaigrette.

Avoid simple sugars. Too much sugar in your diet can wreak havoc on your metabolism by spiking your insulin response and promoting the accumulation of bodyfat over time. Immediately after exercise, however, is an ideal time to ingest simple sugars; otherwise, steer clear.

GI Low. For most of the day, your carb options should be of the low-glycemic variety, meaning they’re digested and burned more slowly. Athletes who eat low-GI carbs burn more fat throughout the day.

Eat more fiber. Fiber, both soluble and insoluble, is essential to health and helps decrease bodyfat. Adults should consume 35—40 grams of fiber per day, with about a third of that coming from insoluble fibrous sources. Along with whole grains rich in beneficial fiber, consume high amounts of fibrous vegetables, such as broccoli, to attain your daily intake. High-fiber foods also promote satiety.

Timed consumption. When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Many people who eat way too much at night should re-evaluate their eating patterns. Eat two-thirds of your day’s calories before dinnertime to avoid overeating late in the day.

Prepare. Watch what you eat around work. If your workplace serves nothing healthy, tote food or snacks along with you. If you’re attending a workplace function in which only junk food is served, pre-eat. Having recently eaten something that’s healthy and adequate in calories to meet your energy needs, it’s easier to say no to the junk and empty calories.

Get yolked. Eating eggs for breakfast was recently found to reduce hunger and food intake for up to 24 hours.

Slow down, Turbo! Successful dieters and fitness buffs will tell you that fast eating and bodyfat go hand in hand because you end up overeating. It takes about 10 minutes for the food in your stomach to signal your brain that you’ve eaten enough.

Don’t be salty. Excess sodium consumption can make you look softer and cause you to burn less fat. Most people get way too much, anyway, especially if you eat a lot of processed foods. To help you look leaner and strip sodium from your diet, drink more water, cut back on highly processed foods and switch to potassium chloride to season your foods.




Got milk? Research has shown that individuals who consume high levels of dietary calcium in a 24-hour period had higher rates of fat oxidation that day than those who consumed lesser amounts. So stock up on low-fat versions of cheese, milk and yogurt; if you’re lactose intolerant, choose dark-green leafy vegetables, legumes and almonds.

Go nuts! Eating a handful of almonds was found to help test subjects lose 62% more weight, 56% more fat and 50% more from their waistline after 24 weeks compared to those who followed the same diet without almonds.

Detox Power house: Dandelion

Dandelion has many properties that make it an excellent candidate for your healthy detox lifestyle. It has been used for thousands of years for food in addition to an excellent herbal remedy for dozens of ailments.

I personally  have benefited from using the tincture, over the last couple of months and felt phenomenon afterwards, clearer skin, excess water in my body and the huge intake of good minerals.


The entire plant is packed full of nutrients and healthy properties. So much so that I’d consider dandelion as a detox powerhouse. You can use dandelion leaves, roots and even the flowers for different reasons. Each has health benefits.
It’s possible to eat the leaves, in a salad or as greens. You can make tea from the leaves or the roots, and dandelion wine has been made for centuries. The leaves are also a wonderful addition to a smoothie, or your daily juice.
So, next time you look at the dandelions in your lawn, or your garden, don’t think of them as weeds, think of them as a gift from the earth.

Health Benefits of Dandelion

The dandelion has components that cause the liver to release bile into the gallbladder, helping you to digest fat. It also helps the kidneys by its natural diuretic action. And although it helps the kidneys to release salt and water, it actually replaces potassium lost by increased urine volume.
Also, because dandelion assists the kidneys with elimination of water and salts, it helps to stabilize blood pressure. It helps with weight loss as well. In scientific studies, Taraxacum officinalis(Dandelion) had a positive effect on weight management.

And to top it all off, dandelion has properties that help to purify the skin.

Externally, you can cool the tea and use it on scars and inflammation of the skin. It has been known to cure warts and blisters.

Similar to the effects of burdock, the roots of the dandelion can help the skin get rid of bacteria. It has been used to help with joint inflammation, jaundice, indigestion, eczema, anemia, boils, breast tumors, cirrhosis of the liver, abscesses, hepatitis, constipation, fluid retention and heartburn.


Try it, you will see the difference

Health Tip of the Week YOUR SKIN and YOUR FOODS

The skin is one of the most powerful indicators of health. Wrinkles, dry or oily skin, acne, and inflammation all are signs of poor internal health, often brought on by consuming unhealthful foods and avoiding skin-healthy nutrients. To treat skin problems, most people turn to mainstream topical cosmetics, including lotions, soaps, scrubs, toners, and creams. However, treating outer blemishes with expensive, chemical-laden beauty products does little to address the root cause of the problem: poor nutrition and exposure to toxins in dietary and personal care products.
Your skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside your body, and all skin conditions, from psoriasis to acne to aging, are the manifestations of your body's internal needs, including its nutritional needs.

Recent research has shown that the skin reacts particularly well to certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that nourish the skin, making it appear youthful and healthy. The following nutrients are among the very best to consume for healthy, young-looking skin:

Citrus Friuts
Active component: Vitamin C
Benefits: Smooth and taut skin
Vitamin C is a prime skin-care ingredient in tons of beauty creams. This vitamin aids in the body's production of collagen, a protein that forms the basic structure of your skin. Collagen breakdown, which starts speeding up significantly around the age of 35, can leave your skin with less elasticity. Consuming extra vitamin C in foods like oranges, grapefruits, Acerola cherries (a single Acerola has 100 percent of your vitamin C for the day) and tomatoes can help tighten the skin and prevent wrinkles.
Vitamin C also may fight inflammation, and its antioxidant properties can neutralize the free radicals (highly reactive oxygen molecules) that damage cells and can prematurely age your face.
In case you get tired of eating all that fruit, hot peppers, bell peppers and sprouts also have good amounts of vitamin C

Red and Green Vegetables

Active components: Vitamin A, beta-carotene
Benefits: Bright and smooth skin
Skin is the body's largest organ. It makes sense, then, that what's good for your whole body is also good for your skin -- and as far as food goes, it doesn't get much better than vegetables. You'll especially want to look for red-orange and green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach.
Orange-red vegetables are full of beta-carotene. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which acts as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage and premature aging. In the case of vitamin A, you also get anti-acne benefits -- vitamin A has been used in acne medications for many years.

Spinach and other green, leafy foods provide tons of vitamin A, too, which helps your skin produce more fresh new cells and get rid of the old ones, reducing dryness and keeping your face looking bright and young.
Mangoes are also a great source of vitamin A. It's best to get this vitamin from food and not from supplements, though, since too much vitamin A can cause health problems

We cant forget our 2 litres of water a day, which should be a staple in your everyday regime

By changing aspects of your everyday diet you will no doubt see the results of a healthier you within your glowing skin

Stay Well
Ri'Anne Jones

The Power of a Simple Lemon

How did i ever forget to mention this in my blog since starting....

Lemon juice is extensively known for its medicinal properties. It contains large amounts of nutrients such as Vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Lemon water acts as a tonic to the liver and stimulates the bowel to eliminate accumulated waste if it is taken before anything in the morning. It helps to lower blood sugar and can lower the glycemic impact of any meal. Lemon juice with warm water reduces its sour flavor and cancels out some if its acidic qualities. Problems like heartburn, indigestion or bloating are solved by taking warm lemon water. It is a natural antihistamine and will reduce congestion. By drinking warm lemon juice the can be shifted in to a better state of health and prevent many future illness....

Some of the powerful attributes of Lemon Water:

Detox:
Lemon juice wash toxins out from the body. By drinking a cup of warm water and lemon in the morning, improvement in the skin can be seen.
Digestion Problems:
Lemon helps the digestive system to make the process of eliminating the waste products from the body easier. It flushes out the body toxins. Many digestion issues such as heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and parasites are relived by warm lemon juice. It also relieves hiccups.
Infection Prevention:
It is often used to prevent illnesses such as the cold and the flu as lemon is high in vitamin C It may also soothe common symptoms of cold and flu such as sore throats and headaches.
Helps in reducing weight:
Drinking warm lemon juice can also help in reducing the weight. A regular intake of lemon water promotes elimination, a process that any weight loss diet needs before visible results can be observed. Effects begin to feel after some time and if coupled with a healthy diet and enough exercise.
Helps in tackling heart-related issues:
Lemon contains potassium which helps people having heart-related issues.
Acts as rejuvenator:
Being a rich source of vitamin c, it has rejuvenating properties. Even the smell of lemon can refresh us.
Boosts immune system:
Lemon water strengthens the immune system and helps to prevent illness. Vitamin-C also has healing properties when taken frequently during the day.
Promote clear skin:
Inner health is reflected on the surface of the skin. Toxins trapped in the colon ultimately find their way to other body parts as well as the skin. This triggers acne flare-ups or skin rashes due to allergies. Drinking lemon water effectively cleans the bowel of harmful waste and toxins so that with regular consumption, the skin will be healthy and blemish-free.

So what are you waiting for ..... invest in some cheap miracle working lemons!

Get more tips and info at Sweet Additions

Breakfast Smoothie: Date, Oat and Banana

For those who have a sweet tooth!! This is another long lasting breakfast meal in a glass, if your on the go, like most of us!!

You could also add some of your favourite high energy, protein, mineral packed seeds too....

Enjoy!

Raw Lettuce Tacos - I demand you try them !!!

Last week, i checked in on the beautiful Ms China Brooks at http://chinabrooks.com/
She made a mouth watering variation to the raw lettuce tacos, with ingredients that were so delicious, her video on youtube made it hard to resist!! and so i prepared, as a luxury lunch. I chose to use sunflower seeds, which are packed with iron, and also soaked almonds.

AWESOME, i just wanted to eat and eat, but after just three, i was so stuffed, pretty shocked? That fullness lasted way past dinner time!! Great staple for my recipe book

Thanks China



Check her amazing blog at http://chinabrooks.com/blog/


Here is her Receipe:
Raw Lettuce Tacos
Large romaine lettuce leaves, taco “meat”, cilantro, tomato, onion, avocado
Recipe for the taco “meat”
1/2 cup raw organic sunflower seeds (or walnuts, almonds, pecans – soak them for 1 hour first)
2 teaspoons of chili powder
1/2 chipotle (optional)
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flake
pinch of pink Himalayan salt
*put all dry ingredients in a blender and grind
put all ground ingredients into a bowl and add:
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of organic tamari
mash it all together until it’s clumpy
taste
add your “meat” and other ingredients (onion, avocado, cilantro, tomato) to your lettuce

Pampering time I think: The Honey Sea Salt/Sugar Scrub

Its really not that often i have some quality time in the bathroom, without the little voice 'mama' knocking at the door, goodness i don't even remember the last time i bought pampering products for myself !!! OK this is the ongoing motto, if you cant buy, use whats in the kitchen ....its Friday and tonight i intend to really give myself a beauty scrub..

Whats your natural pampering routine?

Vegans in the Spotlight

Erykah Badu- The neo-soul goddess swears by the goodness of vegan soul food. She told VegNews Magazine, “Vegan food is soul food in its truest form. Soul food means to feed the soul. And to me, your soul is your intent. If your intent is pure, you are pure.” Amen to that, Ms. Badu!



celebritydietdoctor.com

Did you say Peanut and Banana??

Its that time again having the sweet craving!! As i mentioned in my previous post peanuts are one of the power nuts that is packed with protein, essential fatty acids (that are super for you) as well as the trusty banana. put them together and you can either have a power breakfast that will last you way past lunch, a healthy snack, which happily give to my 2 year old who always seems hungry!! or one of the essentials of a liquid fast!! this is great!! add some ice in the mix, or some blueberries and you are in nut milk heaven!! great for Vegans and Vegetarians too this is literally a meal in a glass ...

Ingredients:

• 2 wholebananas (frozen)
• 1 tbsppeanut butter
• 1 tbspunsweetened cocoa
• ¼ cupnon-dairy milk

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth, adding more non-dairy milk as necessary.

Another variation  from oboyorganic.com

Peanut Butter-Banana Sandwich

Ingredients

1 slice of homemade Rye or Whole Wheat bread (toast it)
1/2 of ripe banana
honey
cinnamon

Directions

Toast the bread, spread peanut butter on top. Slice the banana VERY thin, then place banana slices on bread. Drizzle honey and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

 

Start your year Detoxified!!!!! CHALLANGE

Seasons greetings All,

Yes its that time of year brothers and sisters for you to take hold of your the old gut that has been bloatef over this holiday seasons food and perhaps a lot longer in some cases. its time to get healthy

I plan to start my raw food challange detox for 8 days and what better way to start the year on the1st of january morning with a good green juice.

we all know the we need to clean our bodies, the same way we clean our hair, skin and minds we also need to get rid of the gunk that we have built up internally.

I have heard the common saying, whatever mind set you are in the first of the year, your mind will stay in that mode for the next coming 12 months. so lets start with getting eating something green and live!!!

My challange will consist of 7 days complete wth detoxing with raw food, i feel i have been quite an advocate on this blog promoting the raw lifestyle however, i myself is not 100 per cent raw but i do love my fruits and veggies beyond any food, and raw food i very much appriciate by incorporating it into my diet so now i feel mentally prepared to embark on this journey full throtle for 7 glorious days;

what are we learning from this challange?

well not only is it to loose those stubborn kilos but hey we are learning about our bodies, being in tune with the difference with your normal body ryhtm on your standard diet a the ultimate result after your detox, how oes it really makke you feel, energetic radient, less cravings, or just opening your eyes to a healthier way of living. as i dont believe in diets but more the lifestyle, changing your mind set on theway we all look at food.

we all live once, lets enjoy our lifes eat well and enjoy this one life as long as possible

Please join me

i will blog about all in the next coming week with photodiary of my meals if you have any lets share ::: who said you cant have delicoius basic meals on raw
happy New year everyone be guided by love light and health

stay well
see you in January 2012

The hiatus is over

Greetings all

Yes it has been a while, so many life changes and diet changes that have needed adjustments;

Since being on here last i have moved from London, to the south of france, Montpellier.

Being so used to the london way of life and taking this for granted, buying fresh fruit and vegetables for near to nothing, relocating whitin europe i never expected that buying basic foods of the earth would proove difficult

When i arrived here 6 months ago i was taken food shopping, of course to stock up on my usual legumes:
the first thing i asked was, where is the broccolli?  Which of course is my favourite vegetable

Where is the sweet potatoe? Where is the spianach?? etc etc further on as i setled;  came to realise that more supermarkets had limited produce; London of course import more of there fruits and veggies from overseas, but here its all pretty much local: if you really urge for something you love for example i love mangos, for 2 you could be paying up to $8, it hurts to give away that type of money for something so basic, so things like this is pretty much a luxury:

The average American diet  is a common topic that most people are aware of, but the french diet ........needs to be touched on.

However there is a conclusion for me living a health life style, even when proven difficult; all the research that i have done for receipes, now living in a country where its difficult to find healthy nutritous snacks  such as houmous! ..its time to put all in to practice and go native!!

Yes, for me if there are missing vegetables then there we are missng nutrients that we need to sustain our health   .... make the effort and prepare it all yourself , take the time and do the research, you will then sustain your optimal lifestyle

I hope to put some receipe ideas for those of you who find it difficult to buy the foods you love, when tried and tested i will blog it;;;

Adjusting to the French eating culture: croissants, tarts quiches and blanc baguettes is alluring, so the challange starts here;;; continuing with a healthy lifestyle is a choice we all need to maintain which helps us in the long run

watch this space
Stay well

Bon Appetite!!!!!

This Should be a Staple in your Diet...-_-

Health benefits of Okra

• Very low in calories, provides just 30 cal per 100 g and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol; but is a rich source of dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.
• The rich fibre and mucilaginous content in Okra pods helps smooth peristalsis of digested food particles and relieve constipation condition.
• The pods contain healthy amounts of vitamin A, and flavonoid anti-oxidants such as beta carotenes, xanthin and lutein. It is one of the green vegetable with highest levels of these anti-oxidants. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Fresh pods are good source of folates; provide about 22% of RDA per 100 g. Consumption of foods rich in folates, especially during pre-conception period helps decrease the incidence of neural tube defects in the offspring.
• The pods are also an excellent source of anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-C; provides about 36% of daily recommended levels. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop immunity against infectious agents, reduce episodes of cold and cough and protects body from harmful free radicals.
• 
  
  These veggies are rich in B-complex group of vitamins like niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin and pantothenic acid. The pods also contain good amounts of vitamin K.  Vitamin K is a co-factor for blood clotting enzymes and is required for strengthening of bones.
• The pods are also good source of many important minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium.

Some people are put off by the texture, but with the sweet flavour this veggie cannot be passed...

Do You know your (Dark) Greens?

Rocket has a peppery taste and is rich in vitamins A, C, and calcium. It can be eaten raw in salads or added to stir-fry, soups, and pasta sauces.

Broccoli has both soft florets and crunchy stalks, and is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and fiber. Broccoli can be eaten raw or steamed, sautéed or added to a casserole.

Collard Greens have a mild flavor and are rich in vitamins A, C and K, folate, fiber, and calcium. The best way to prepare them is to boil them briefly and then add to a soup or stir-fry. You can also eat collard greens as a side dish. Just add your favorite seasoning and enjoy!

Dandelion Greens have a bitter, tangy flavor and are rich in vitamin A and calcium. They are best when steamed or eaten raw in salad.

Kale has a slightly bitter, cabbage-like flavor and is rich in vitamins A, C and K. Kale is tasty when added to soups, stir-fries, and sauces.

Mustard Greens have a peppery or spicy flavor and are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and calcium. They are delicious when eaten raw in salads or in stir-fries and soups.

Romaine Lettuce is a nutrient rich lettuce that is high is vitamins A, C, and K, and folate. It is best when eaten raw in salads, sandwiches or wraps.

Spinach has a sweet flavor and is rich in vitamins A and K, folate, and iron. Spinach tastes great eaten raw in salads or steamed.

Swiss Chard tastes similar to spinach and is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, potassium and iron. It is best stir-fried or eaten raw in salads.

My Personal Fav - Peanut Stew, Health Benifits, You Ask?

Chard, sweet potato & peanut stew


In addition to being every kid's (and many grownup kid's) favorite sandwich filling, peanuts pack a serious nutritional punch and offer a variety of health benefits.
 

Your Heart Will Go Nuts for Peanuts...

Peanuts are a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat that is emphasized in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Studies of diets with a special emphasis on peanuts have shown that this little legume is a big ally for a healthy heart. In one such randomized, double-blind, cross-over study involving 22 subjects, a high monounsaturated diet that emphasized peanuts and peanut butter decreased cardiovascular disease risk by an estimated 21% compared to the average diet.
 

In addition to their monounsaturated fat content, peanuts feature an array of other nutrients that, in numerous studies, have been shown to promote heart health. Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant also found in red grapes and red wine that is thought to be responsible for the French paradox: the fact that in France, people consume a diet that is not low in fat, but have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the U.S. With all of the important nutrients provided by nuts like peanuts, it is no wonder that numerous research studies, including the Nurses' Health Study that involved over 86,000 women, have found that frequent nut consumption is related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease