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Nutrition

Health, Nutrition

Best detox for when you’re fatigued

Is not to ‘detox’! Work on your minerals and drainage instead…

Forcing toxins out of storage in the body (with things like sauna, intermittent fasting, juice cleanses, or rapid weight loss) can be dangerous, especially if your drainage pathways (how these toxins leave the body) are clogged (which is super common if you’re struggling with fatigue).

Your body is super smart, always working to keep you functioning as well as possible. It’s working to eliminate wastes and toxins daily, so if your body chose to store those toxins instead of eliminate them, there’s gonna be a reason for it.

Our body needs minerals to function and act as cofactors for the enzymes responsible for various detoxification processes in the cells and in the organs of our body.

In depleted fatigued bodies we generally see the body sequesters (holds on to and stores) toxins. That’s because we need good body function; strong liver health, kidneys, adrenals, thyroid etc to be able to properly metabolise and eliminate waste and other toxins.

When the body isn’t strong enough in those areas (not enough energy to do the task), it will prioritise other tasks first and store the toxins until later (often this is in fat tissue but can also be in the liver, brain and other organs).

That’s why I instead encourage my clients to:

  1. Support your drainage pathways AKA how the wastes and toxins get excreted from your body, and
  2. Support your cells and organs to function at their best by increasing important minerals needed for the detoxification process.

I have a 30-day Energy & Drainage Boost Challenge that helps you do just this! Join HERE.

 

What exactly is drainage?

For our body’s detoxification to be efficient, and to avoid becoming congested, we need good drainage pathways. 

Watch this video for an introduction to drainage or scroll down and click the transcript if you prefer to read.

 

How do I know if my drainage pathways are clogged?

If you’re answering yes to the following, your drainage pathways need support:

  • Are you pooping less than 2-3 times a day?
  • Do you have chronic fatigue you can’t explain?
  • Do you barely sweat when exercising or in the sauna?
  • Do you have rashes, dark spots on your skin, and/or cellulite?
  • Do you have swollen glands and lymph?
  • Do you have tender breasts?
  • Do you have puffy eyes when you wake?
  • Do you have fatty yellowish lumps around your eyes?
  • Do you have liver or gallbladder pain or congestion (pain around the bottom of the rib cage)?
  • Do you have trouble digesting fatty foods?
  • Do you wake up between 1-4 am?
  • Do you have brain fog?
  • Do you retain water easily?
  • Do you have mood problems?
  • Do you have a suppressed Immune system?
  • Do you suffer with low blood sugar, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol?

 

Why you also need to support your cellular energy production with minerals…

Minerals are what we call the spark-plugs to the chemistry of life. They are literally required for life and for our bodies to function well. Yet for whatever reason they often get overlooked.

Watch this video to understand why you want to start working with minerals, or scroll down and click the transcript if you prefer to read.

 

Can you work on energy & drainage when pregnant or breastfeeding?

Can you detox when pregnant or breastfeeding? No
Can you support minerals and drainage pathways when pregnant or breastfeeding? Hell Yes!!!! You NEED to!

Watch this video for why, or scroll down and click the transcript if you prefer to read.

 

Are you ready to start your first Energy & Drainage Boost Challenge?

This 30-day challenge gives you the steps to help support your drainage pathways and boost your energy. Click below to join!

What about you mumma?

I’d love to know – did this resonate with you? What do you feel your biggest energy and drainage concerns are?

Nutrition

Rustic Orange Chicken

10 chicken drumsticks
2 red onions
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 large bay leaf
Finely grated rind and juice of one large orange (if not organic, but sure to give the skin a real good scrub first with some vinegar water spray to remove any nasties)
1 BPA free can of chopped tomatoes
1 BPA free can of your beans of choice (flageolet, borlotti, cannellini…)
Himalayan salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Literally place all ingredients in the stock pot, stir and cook for as long as you have got! I generally do in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, so the chicken literally falls of the bone. I like to break up all the chicken through the sauce when done and this feeds us for a couple of days. Super cheap, super easy, super nutritious and super delicious!

I find this slow cooker the easiest way…let’s face it my mummy brain is busy with other things (AKA forgets) and I could very likely end up with a charcoal mess if I did it on the stove!…however, you can just as easily do it in your crock pot on the stove or in the oven. Cook for at least 50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius, so the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with copious amounts of your favourite green veggies!

Could add 1-2 tablespoons of tapioca flour if you prefer a thicker sauce.

Blog, Health, Nutrition

Rebellious Not-So-Rad Dudes AKA Free Radicals

So free radicals…

Are these some rebellious rad dudes you ask? …well kind of!

You know the green Marvel character Hulk? …he goes around ‘smash Hulk smash’ smashing everything in sight… well free radicals are similar but they’re like glass shards going through your body destroying cells, proteins, and enzymes.

Free radicals cause inflammation in the body i.e. pain, impair immunity, speed ageing, and can alter DNA codes.

We can see examples of free radicals at work in the outside world when we cut and apple open and it goes brown, or when a nail rusts.

Our body naturally makes free radicals as part of phase 1 detoxification, digestion, and metabolism, as well as when we are exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun, X-rays, gamma rays from radioactive material, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and industrial fumes.

So how do we protect ourselves from these rebellious rad dudes!?…antioxidants!

We want a balance of free-radicals and antioxidants to prevent oxidative harm to our bodies and allow for proper physiological function…and we find antioxidants predominantly in our fruits and vegetables.

Unfortunately, our fruits and veggies aren’t what they used to be and our nutrient depleted soils have lead to nutrient depleted produce. I read the other day that it used to be an apple a day will keep the doctor away…now it’s 6 apples! …and I don’t recommend eating 6 apples a day either! This has lead to the supplement industry blooming. So many supplements, so much choice, but how do you know if they are any good or just full of fillers and forms of vitamins that your body simply doesn’t recognise?

I believe that generally it’s best to have supplements in the most natural form possible. A whole form that the body recognises. Like herbal supplements, vitamins and minerals all work synergistically, not in isolation from each other. Synthetic forms of supplement can also cause harm.

Take vitamin A. Now there’s lots of carotenoid forms of vitamin A in natural food but beta-carotene is taken as the one form that is used as a representative. Often natural food supplement companies just put the dose of beta-carotene on the label when there are actually others forms present. However, when synthetic beta-carotene is made, this is literally all you are getting…and that’s not always a good thing…

In a Finnish ATBC study of 29,000 male smokers, 20 mg beta-carotene supplements taken over six years were linked to lung cancer. In a U.S. CARET study of more than 18,000 male and female smokers and male asbestos workers, 30 mg beta-carotene supplements over four years were linked to a 28% higher risk of lung cancer and a 17% higher risk of deaths from all causes compared with smokers taking a placebo.

Something you are paying for with your hard-earned cash could be harming you. It’s therefore hugely important to do your research and buy good quality supplements. These likely aren’t the ones in your supermarket.

If you would like some guidance in this area, please book a free 15 min consultation via my website (Products Tab) and I can discuss your current diet and symptoms with you and give you some ideas about what could help you.

 

 

Some Reference Material

https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20041130/death-stalks-smokers-in-beta-carotene-study#1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/

Nutrition

Chilli

freekeh chilli with baked eggs

Ingredients :

2 cups cooked freekeh (can also use quinoa or a cup of borlotti beans)
1 jar passata
2 tablespoons of organic salt free tomato paste (can omit but just makes a bit thicker and more tomatoey!)
2 vine tomatoes
2 cups veg stock
1 cup red kidney beans
1 cup black beans
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced and set aside for 10 minutes
1 cup coriander (fresh chopped)
1 tablespoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil/100% grass-fed ghee
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne (alter to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin

Method:

  1. Place everything in the slow cooker or a large pan on the stove and let it simmer for a couple of hours until tender
  2. Serve with fresh coriander and some vegan sour cream. As an alternative, I have also previously added two eggs and placed the pan in a 200°C oven for 15 mins for chilli with baked eggs!
Nutrition

Mediterranean Fish Parcels

Mediterranean fish parcel

Information: 

(makes 1 serve)

Calories: 431, Protein: 41g, Fats: 19g, Carbohydrate: 25g

This is super simple, quick and easy and my guy reckons he would be content eating this every day! Definitely worth a try! I love how clean and fresh it is!

Ingredients :

150-200 g fish fillet of choice (mullet, trevally, whiting, snapper etc)
1 clove garlic, minced and set aside for 10 minutes
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
½ small zucchini, diced
¼ cup cooked chickpeas
¼ chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Few fresh basil leaves
1 inch cube of marinated goat feta (I love Meredith Dairies!)

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 ˚C
  2. Cut a 35 cm square of baking paper on a baking tray and place a piece of fish in the middle skin side down
  3. Combine garlic, tomatoes, zucchini, chickpeas, onion and lemon juice in a bowl then spoon mixture over the fish
  4. Bring all sides together over top of salmon and fold over to form a sealed parcel like a Cornish Pasty!
  5. Bake for 60 minutes
  6. To serve, sprinkle with basil and feta

NB Try with orange, aminos and ginger for an alternative, or use lemon, chives and garlic. Sometimes I like to bake the feta with the fish too as it gets a nice crusty edge!

Nutrition

Simple Curry Base

Information: 

(makes 6 serves)

Calories: 238, Protein: 5g, Fats: 17g, Carbohydrate: 13g

This is my basic curry recipe base that I adapt a little depending on what I fancy. It’s a super quick and tasty go to recipe as you can just chuck all the ingredients in a pot and leave – great for a quick batch cook on a Sunday, ready for the weeks dinners.

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil/100% grass-fed ghee
2-3 cloves garlic, minced and set aside for 10 minutes
1 medium onion, diced
1 can coconut cream
1 jar passata
1 can chopped tomatoes
¼ teaspoon chilli powder (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 cm knob fresh ginger, minced

Method:

  1. Fry off the onion in the oil then add all the ingredients to the pan. I often add everything to my slow cooker and leave for several hours for the flavours to develop before I add the other ingredients but it’s good cooked and eaten straight away too.
  2. Add your choice of content! I like:
    1. Sweet potato, white potato and a cup of peas
    2. Mango sliced, potato, cup of chickpeas
    3. Taro, cup of lentils, cup of chickpeas

 

Nutrition

Thai Curry Paste

Information: 

I make this up and freeze as ice cube stock blocks to pull out as required. Another great one to whip up on a Sunday for the weeks dinners. This is super tasty too…though can smell a bit strange at first due to the fish sauce. A favourite with my friends that want to purchase the cubes from me whenever they try!

Ingredients :

6 medium chilies
4 spring onions
3 fresh coriander roots
2 lemongrass stalks (white only)
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2-4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fish sauce
20 g olive oil

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until it forms a paste
  2. Press the mixture into a large ice cube tray and freeze
  3. Use one or 2 cubes a time and just add a can of coconut milk, some vegetables and your protein of choice
Nutrition

Spicy Lentil Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

spicy lentil mushrooms

Information: 

(makes 1 serve but you have 2 extra portions of the lentil mix)

Calories: 193, Protein: 11g, Fats: 6g, Carbohydrate: 24g

This is a great versatile little mix that’s quick to whip up and that you can use a few different ways. I do particularly like it with Portabello mushrooms though!

Ingredients :

2 Portabello mushrooms
1 tablespoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil/100% grass-fed ghee plus extra to brush mushrooms
¼ cauliflower processed/grated to resemble rice (can also just use white rice, cook it the day before and cool it overnight to transform to resistant starch which is nicer on the gut)
½ zucchini, diced
1 cup finely shredded silverbeet
5 asparagus spears, diced
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup cooked lentils
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
To serve – cayenne pepper, salad sprouts, nutritional yeast, toasted walnuts, sunflower seeds or pepitas

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 ˚C
  2. Remove the stalks and inner gills from the mushrooms, chop these ‘inner bits’ finely and set aside.
  3. Brush mushrooms with some oil and bake at 180 ˚C whilst you make the lentil mix
  4. Melt oil in a medium heat pan and add cauliflower, and garlic cloves and stir until the garlic becomes fragrant
  5. Add the veggies and the mushroom insides and cook for a few minutes
  6. Add tomatoes, lentils, coriander, and cumin, stir and let simmer whilst the mushrooms finish off in the oven
  7. Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms and sprinkle with some sprouts, chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds and pepitas, nutritional yeast, pinch of cayenne (you could stir this into the mix before spooning too if you prefer – as much as you like for spice!) and some cracked pepper

NB You could of course bake all together but this way saves some time. This makes about 3 portions of lentil mix so either add more Portabellos to serve more people or if just yourself, have with the mushrooms one day, then have the rest of the mix with some fresh rocket, or mix with zucchini noodles or bean pasta for the other days.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Legumes contain many anti-nutrients that impact nutrient absorption but they are also a great food for good good bacteria. Ensure you soak them at least overnight and thoroughly cook them to make them easier on the gut. If you find you bloat with legumes it’s likely that you don’t have enough of the bacteria needed to break these down which causes fermentation in the gut and bloating. You can help to populate these bacteria by consuming smaller amounts of legumes. Some gut healing protocols will require legumes to be omitted for a period of time.

Nutrition

Mango, Chilli, Basil Quinoa/Rice, Chickpea Salad

Mango, Chilli, Basil Quinoa_Brown Rice, Chickpea Salad

Information: 

(makes 6 serves)

Calories: 355, Protein: 11g, Fats: 10g, Carbohydrate: 53g

This is a nice, fresh, colourful, alternative salad that’s great for parties as a side dish or just on it’s own!

Ingredients :

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 cup cooked chickpeas
3 tomatoes, diced
½ capsicum, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 mango sliced
Fresh chilli (to taste)
Handful of torn fresh basil leaves
30 g macadamias lightly toasted

Method:

  1. Cook the rice and quinoa, allow it to cool, then simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl

NB Can omit the rice and just do all quinoa and can add some protein of choice if you want to extend this further

 

PLEASE NOTE: Legumes contain many anti-nutrients that impact nutrient absorption but they are also a great food for good good bacteria. Ensure you soak them at least overnight and thoroughly cook them to make them easier on the gut. If you find you bloat with legumes it’s likely that you don’t have enough of the bacteria needed to break these down which causes fermentation in the gut and bloating. You can help to populate these bacteria by consuming smaller amounts of legumes. Some gut healing protocols will require legumes to be omitted for a period of time.

Nutrition

Stir-fry

Stirfry

Stir-fries are a super easy go-to meal that you can adapt to whatever is in the fridge! Fry off onion or leak in organic cold-pressed coconut oil/100% grass-fed ghee in a large pan then add garlic and your choice of veggies and protein. Just have veggies and some quality animal protein (pastured/grass-fed). Season with coconut aminos, tamari, lime or lemon juice, some fresh herbs (coriander and basil are lovely), chilli, ginger, lemongrass…whatever you fancy!