Aerobics and Pilates

Health Tips! See these. So easy to do.

Happy weekend XX

Recipe of the week - sauerkraut/kimchi

Happy weekend!! I have made my own kimchi/sauerkraut!! Saw this recipe so thought I’d give it a try!! Whoop whoop. Very easy and was £3.99 a jar in Holland and Barrett so this was way, way cheaper!

Been to Hastings on a coach trip with my mum today so that was great fun if a bit windy!

Big hugs xx

If anyone is feeling low any day and needs a chat or friendly message, I am always here.

Big hugs

Nicky xx

Health Tip of the Week

Reminders For Helping With Eating

It is so hard if you are trying to cut down or be healthy all the time but every day is a new day I feel!

If you are hungry, have a large glass of water – some people say have a this before a meal and others say don’t drink with meals! Who knows which is best but you have to find what works for you.

Remember portion sizes – it is so easy to think I am being really good and healthy but then you have too big a portion size. Is half your plate filled with vegetables? Then have the other side more than half with protein – lean meat, fish, or vegetarian/vegan alternatives and the rest with carbohydrates – brown rice or pasta, lentils, quinoa, sweet potato.

I use the portion pots which I got from Amazon to weigh out my carbohydrates – my oats for my morning porridge, my rice/lentils and the protein if say I’ve made a casserole or chilli. It is so easy to think that looks stingy and pile on more when actually when I’ve eaten the pot size, I am actually full up!

If you are still hungry, have a piece of fruit or try walking away – do the washing up and clear up (not eating any leftovers!) and then see after that if you are still hungry. Don’t forget it takes 20 minutes to feel full so if you’ve gobbled your dinner down in 10 minutes flat in front of the TV, you will still have 10 minutes ‘space’ left so slow down the meal, savour it – especially if you have yippee cooked from scratch. It is a lot of prep – all that chopping etc so don’t then spoil it by eating really fast.

Can you cook your rice, pasta or potatoes earlier in the day and then reheat them – this cuts down on the sugar conversion – you might have heard of this - reconstituted starch - so can help you feel fuller for longer with the same calories! If you can eat them cold, it is supposed to be even better so could you put them into a salad?

Can you have a smaller plate? If you have huge dinner plates or bowls, the correct amount to really satisfy your hunger will look so mean, you will feel deprived whereas if you have a smaller plate and put the same amount of food on it, it will look like loads so you will only eat that and think wow this is great! I put my lunchtime salad in a Tupperware box. It looks like I have so much in there – 2 mushrooms, 2 cherry tomatoes, 2 raddish, big chunk of iceberg lettuce sliced up, lots of salad leaves, slices of cucumber, lean chicken and some smoked mackerel or a boiled egg or some tuna. I add a small piece of low fat cheese and a piece of bread which I make.

I have also started adding a spoonful of sauerkraut or kimchi and 2 tablespoons live/kefir yoghurt for the gut benefits.

It can all be a bit bland so I have bought a spice shaker of cajun spcies – 85p from Tesco and sprinkle some of that on, I add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and sometimes some lemon juice so it now had a bit of zing! Also, I’ve found I really love sugar and sweet things and if I put some spice on it, I don’t seem to crave sugar once I’ve finished.

I bought a big bag of spinach and have been adding a handful but I see on the attached which says don’t eat raw spinach  - saute it first – golly bit more faffing.

You can open a tin of beans – rinse them and add 1/3 of the tin over 3 days to add extra protein and remember we are trying to eat the rainbow! You can add sliced peppers too.

Another thought that I’d read about and had mentioned previously is I read that if you cook a sweet potato in the oven it was 180 calories and a lot of it converted easily to sugar when eaten but if you microwave it, it is then only 115 calories with nowhere near as much sugar! My husband never eats the skins of the baked ones which I love as far more crispy but he eats the whole thing if I microwave it so he has all that extra fibre without realising!! A double win as less sugar too.

Happy Sunday - hope you have something fun planned today.

Big Hugs
Nicky xx

Recipe of The Week

Homemade, Made-Up Healthy Chilli Recipe

I put this together with an assortment of items in my fridge and cupboard! It is really delicious 

Half a small pack of pork mince
Half a small pack of beef mince
1 onion diced
1 calorie chilli spray or olive oil – use normal if you don’t have the 1 calorie ones
1 tablespoon olive oil (to give a bit of healthy fats)
1 courgette grated (to give extra vegetables)
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin beans – black beans or kidney beans - rinsed
Pinch or 2 (or more to taste) chilli flakes
2 teaspoons paprika (again add more or less to taste if wanted)
Beef stock cube
2 tablespoons Worcester sauce (more or less to taste)
Salt and Pepper

In a large, lidded pan, fry the onion over a low heat in the oil/s until softened and starting to change colour. Add the spices and keep stirring until they release their gorgeous smell.
Add the mince and a bit of water so it doesn’t stick. Keep stirring until the mince changes colour meaning it is cooking.
Add the courgette and stir in and then the tomatoes and the beans.
Make sure it is all combined.
Add the Worcester sauce, salt and pepper and sprinkle on the stock cube.
Stir so all combined.

Leave on a gentle heat with the lid on for 45 minutes but if you leave it longer (up to 2 hours), the flavours come out more. Keep checking and stirring to make sure it doesn’t stick/dry out – add more water if it does.

Serve with rice (preferably brown!) and lots of vegetables and salad

Happy day xx

Health Tip of The Week

Sleep better - Best foods for improving sleep quality

Can you eat your way to a more restful night’s sleep? See below for the little-known relationship between nutrition and sleep and for recommendations for the best foods for sleep, to help you catch some ZZZs…

Another casualty of Covid-19 has been sleep or lack thereof. Indeed “coronasomnia” – the increase in sleep problems during the pandemic – is a recognised condition, with around four in 10 people reporting more sleep problems than before.

Which foods can I add to my diet to improve sleep quality?

Melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone, lets your body know when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to wake up. But as you grow older, your melatonin levels decline. Some foods contain melatonin naturally, for example milk, cherries, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and pistachios, so these are all great things to eat in the evening.

Calcium and vitamin B6 are both key nutrients used in the production of melatonin. You can find calcium in dairy products, as well as leafy greens. Why not try a glass of warm milk before bed? Good sources of B6 include sunflower seeds, peanuts, oily fish, such as salmon, chicken, spinach and prunes.

Can magnesium improve sleep quality?

Magnesium is another nutrient that’s vital for sleep. Poor intake has been associated with higher levels of stress, anxiety and difficulty relaxing. You can find magnesium in nuts, leafy greens, bananas, avocado and fish.
Eating well is the foundation of good health and by extension can have a positive impact on sleep quality, but try not to eat a big meal too close to bedtime as this can actually disrupt your sleep and may lead to digestive problems. It’s also best to avoid alcohol and caffeine later in the day.
Which foods are linked to improved sleep quality?

KIWIS: Research has found eating kiwis can improve sleep. One study showed those eating two kiwis an hour before bed fell asleep more quickly and had better sleep quality. Try some chopped kiwi for dessert.

ALMONDS: Nuts are a nutritious snack if you have the evening munchies. They not only contain melatonin, but magnesium and zinc, which can also help relax the body and induce sleep.

SALMON: The vitamin D and omega-3s in oily fish are thought to help sleep by regulating the body’s production of serotonin, the happy hormone.

Hope these help you. I don’t sleep very well and sleep is so important to repair and replenish our bodies. Try and prioritise sleep as much of your well-being relies on being fully rested. One of my focuses I feel!

Happy Sunday xx

Recipe of The Week - chicken curry or sea bass curry

I’m just cooking this for dinner tonight! I’ve made it with chicken - it’s very, very spicy! So if you don’t like things too hot, cut back on the chilli part I feel!

Happy weekend xx

Heath Tip of The Week

Cooling herbs

As summer comes around again, many of us are looking for ways to keep cool while enjoying the sun. A sweltering day may have us longing for ice cream and cold drinks, but these treats provide only temporary relief.

Looking for a way to cool down from the inside out? Cue herbs.

You may not have considered medicinal herbs as an option for cooling down on a hot day, but there are plenty of plant companions that may help you kick the heat.
Herbs aren’t regulated. That means it’s important to do your research to ensure the herbs you buy are high quality and unadulterated.

Some herbs can interact with prescribed medications or cause allergic reactions. Be sure to rule out possible interactions and allergies with the help of your doctor and a qualified herbalist.

Always talk with a healthcare professional before you begin taking herbs, especially If you’re pregnant, nursing, living with preexisting conditions, or giving herbs to children.

Understanding ‘cooling’ herbs
Most herbal traditions classify herbs as either heating, cooling, or neutral. So, if the heat’s got you down, focus on herbs that are known for their cooling properties.
According to Benjamin Zappin, LAc, herbalist, and co-founder of Five Flavours Herbs says cooling herbs may fall into one or both of the following categories: refrigerants and diaphoretics.

Refrigerants work by lowering your body’s temperature and cooling its tissues. They include:
lemongrass
chrysanthemum
lemon balm
lavender
spearmint
peppermint
chamomile
Diaphoretics encourage perspiration, or sweating. They include:
peppermint
lemon balm
catnip
elderflower
chamomile
It may feel counterintuitive to use an herb that encourages sweating. But Zappin notes that many cultures in hot climates throughout the world use chili products to work up a sweat, since sweating is basically your body’s version of air conditioning.

Still, don’t worry about dripping with sweat after using herbs. The effect of diaphoretics is much more subtle.

According to classical Ayurvedic medicine, it classifies foods and herbs according to six “tastes.” These are:
sweet
sour
salty
bitter
astringent
pungent
Similarly, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) classifies five tastes for foods and herbs. They are:
sweet
sour
salty
acrid
bitter
The tastes of a herb or food determine what kind of action they’ll have in your body. According to an Ayurvedic expert, sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes all have cooling actions.
“The most heating taste is salty, then sour, then pungent,” she says.
Chilies, for example, are considered both pungent and astringent in Ayurveda, says the expert. This means that though they taste hot and are heating to the tissues, they do have some cooling qualities.
While sweet taste is also cooling, it’s important to choose foods that are mildly sweet, like melon, peeled almonds, or milk if you’re able to digest it. This ensures that you’re not offsetting the benefit of the cooling quality with too much sugar.

The ‘action’ of herbs
She emphasizes that there’s a big difference between something that’s cool to the touch or taste buds and something that actually cools your body down.
The latter refers to the “action” the herb has on the body, known as “vīrya” in Ayurveda.
“Most of us are deceived by all the ways that we try to achieve cooling,” Mannur says. “We try to achieve cooling by cool temperature, which only remains cool for a while. Once it interacts with the body temperature and the digestive fire acts on it, that cooling temperature is gone.”
And while the sensation of cold foods, like ice cream, may provide temporary psychological relief, it doesn’t actually do anything to lower your overall body temperature.
“The effect of that cooling temperature remains only while it’s in the mouth. The body doesn’t receive any cooling, but it keeps on asking, keeps on asking,” says Mannur. “So no matter how much ice cream you eat, you’re not going to feel a cooling effect in the body.”
On the other hand, cooling herbs act on your body’s tissues, not just your taste buds.

The subtle effects of heat
Herbal traditions say heat goes deeper than just the weather. According to Zappin, external expressions of heat can be physical as well as mental or emotional.
They may include:
pain
redness
swelling
agitation
aggression
anger
recklessness
racing thoughts
worry
“Our modern life and emphasis on productivity, rapid mentation, and technology inherently draws people from a state of quietude to a heated state of consciousness,” says Zappin.
In addition, some people may benefit from heat while others don’t.
“The body may have different metabolic needs in response to heat. Some respond well and need it to feel more alive and experience more vitality. For some people, it’s oppressive,” Zappin says.
Because herbal systems like Ayurveda and TCM approach healing from a whole-person perspective, the cooling herbs below can help bring balance to heat-induced issues that run deeper than just a day spent in the sun.

Cooling herbs: Benefits and uses
Try the herbs below to bring the temperature down.
Coriander (or cilantro in Spanish)
Coriander is considered a cooling herb. One study noted that coriander may have antioxidant, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties. It’s also been shown to have a positive effect on blood sugar on rats, though more studies including humans are needed.
How to use it: Coriander makes a great addition to soups, sauces, and salads. It’s a popular staple in guacamole.
Mint
Mint is well-known for its cooling sensation, and it’s often used in lip balms, cough syrups, and even alcoholic drinks (mojito, anyone?). Just a few varieties of mint include spearmint, peppermint and pennyroyal.
Peppermint oil is used widely in herbal medicine for gastrointestinal issues.
According to a 2018 survey, peppermint oil may aid in abdominal muscle relaxation. A small 2020 study found that peppermint oil released in the small intestine, but not the colon, significantly reduced abdominal pain, discomfort, and irritable bowl syndrome severity.
It also has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and nerve-calming effects.
How to use it: Drink it as a tea, take it in capsules, or make a spritzer to spray on your body for instant relief.
Rose
Though technically not an herb, rose is a popular and versatile plant in traditional herbal medicine, with anti-inflammatory properties.
A 2017 review indicated that rose can:
ease pain
soothe burns
reduce depression
calm anxiety
improve sexual dysfunction
Still, most of these studies were conducted on animals. More conclusive results with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the benefits in humans.
How to use it: Rose is extremely versatile and can be used in aromatherapy or rose water or ingested as a tea.
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Lavender
This popular aromatherapy ingredient is commonly used in cosmetics and soaps. According to 2013 study, human studies indicate that lavender may be beneficial for:
anxiety
depression
insomnia
migraine headaches
How to use it: Diffuse it; apply it topically and you can add it to baths, cosmetics and beverages.

Dill
Dill is a culinary herb that’s been shown in traditional medicine to have antioxidant, antiprotozoal, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. A 2016 study noted that dill may be useful in soothing stomach upset and diabetes.
How to use it: Use dill to add flavor to soups, stews, sauces, dressings, and dips. It makes a great garnish for potatoes, goes well in omelets, and is commonly used to flavor pickles.
Pro tip: Because they’re fermented and sour, pickles are typically considered a heating food, so you might want to avoid eating them when you’re trying to cool down.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is well known traditionally for its ability to soothe digestion, calm the nerves, and encourage sound sleep. This gentle herb packs a surprising punch.
According to a 2017 review, it may offer relief for an extensive number of maladies, including:
wounds, skin irritations, eczema, bruises, burns, and rashes
nerve conditions like neuralgia and sciatica
rheumatic pain and gout
ulcers, canker sores, and hemorrhoids
headache and migraine
mastitis and cracked ni***es
eye infections, blocked tear ducts, and conjunctivitis
Still, it’s important to note that there is a need for more human studies to confirm these findings.
How to use it: In addition to drinking tea, you can use chamomile oil topically to ease rashes, eczema, arthritis, and back pain.

Hibiscus
Hibiscus trees produce beautiful ornamental flowers that can be used to make a variety of remedies.
According to a 2020 study, the positive phytonutrient profile in hibiscus tea may have benefits for:
cardiovascular well-being
inflammation
oxidative stress
insulin resistance
Still, longer and larger human trials are needed.
How to use it: Hibiscus flowers make a lovely red-coloured tea and can also be used in relishes, jams, or salads.

I bought a bag of hibiscus powder from Holland and Barrett recently as had read it was good for digestion so I’ve been adding a teaspoon to water every few days for a drink.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend in the sunshine. Yippee on the weather at last.

Big hugs

Xx

Recipe of the week - chicken curry! Great in the heat!

Happy day

Nicky

Sorry thought this had posted yesterday? Where was it in internet land 😬

Further to my earlier post, I just read this in the Liz Earle magazine which also says eating fermented foods - sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir can really help!

Health Tip of The Week - Gut Health

As you know I am really interested in this. How what we eat can affect you, both physically and mentally. What can make us feel better with lots of energy, keep weight down and stable and not have bloating or a tummy ache.

I have bought kimchi from Holland and Barrett and am alternating between kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir. Thought I’d just add one at a time to avoid overkill! Also, if you are trying new foods from our Eat The Rainbow/Alphabet idea, then these are great additions and not too expensive. I add a table spoon to my lunchtime salad.

Looks a much sunnier day out there today! Yippee to that. Summer - we are waiting for you ☀️👍.

Good luck to England tonight - wouldn’t it just be so fantastic if we won ⚽️⚽️😁.

Happy Sunday xx

Healthy Tip of The Week- Hunger and Food Swaps

Well done England!! Whoop whoop - is it coming home?! Wow, wouldn’t that be fantastic - fingers crossed.

See this article I read this week about hunger stricking. Look,at your triggers too - I know now that if I am stressed and then don’t’ sleep because I’m fretting all night, then I need sugar the next day 😬 but I do the best I can and think I need it, move on and then look at calming the stresses and try to and eat healthier the next day. Why is that stresses always seem worse in the middle of the night! 😰.

I loved these food swap ideas - very interesting.

Boo hoo on the weather again today. Where is the sunshine? Wet doggy walk this morning I feel. 🐶 ☔️

Big hugs

Nicky xx