5 reasons to be in love with quinoa

Pronounced "keen-wa", quinoa has become a staple grocery item in our kitchen pantry since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and below you will find out why.  Quinoa is an ancient super grain that comes from the Andes mountains in South America.  It is easy to prepare and best of all quick to prepare...I believe it is like a modern day convenience food and the best part about it is its good for you.  The other great thing about it is that it can be prepared in so many different ways.  If you click here you will find 10 ways in which you can easily use quinoa and that is just the start. 

The thing that I like best about quinoa is that it is a complete protein i.e. it contains all 8 essential amino acids which makes it complete.  Its by far a much better source of protein than meat as it doesn't contain the saturated fat that meat contains and you don't to worry about what the quinoa has been eating like you do with animal protein!
Quinoa can be found in your local health food store or in the bulk bins or health food section in your supermarket so its very easy to get if you open yourself up to its possibilities.

5 reasons to love quinoa

1. Its versatility.  Once you know how, you can use it in your baking or as part of your dinner menu or even as a breakfast cereal.
2. Quinoa is packed with vitamins and minerals and is a great source of protein.
3. It is gluten free which is great news for all your coeliacs and gluten intolerant people out there.
4. Great time saver.  From the time you put it in the pot to the time it is ready to be served is approximately 5mins depending on how much of it you are cooking...now thats fast!
5. Quinoa is great energy for your workouts.  1 cup equates to about 8grams of protein.

Now go forth and 'keen-wa-ize' your life :-)

Go green!



 One of the most important changes I have made to my diet since my breast cancer diagnosis was to include lots of dark green vegetables into my diet.  We all know by now that by including lots of green vegetables into our diet that we can help reduce the chances of developing many diseases.

Dark green leafy vegetables are known as super foods or functional foods. This is because they are rich with many nutrients and go well above an beyond just giving us energy. Yet we tend to underestimate the value or importance of dark green vegetables. Most of us do not have enough of these green vegetables in our regular diet. Leafy green vegetables are excellent source of Vitamin A, B, C, E and K. We can also have good amount of calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium from them. Last but not the least, green vegetables are great source of antioxidants and phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients and antioxidants are great for keeping our immune systems in tip top shape which is very important if you want to fight off disease and stay healthy.

You may ask 'What is a phytonutrient?'.  A phytonutrient is the chemical compound that occurs naturally in plants and is responsible for their colour.  There is evidence from laboratory studies to suggest that phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer, possibly due to dietary fibres, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects.
Part of my chemotherapy regime was to have IV taxol.  Taxol is a phytochemical initially extracted and purified from the pacific yew tree.  Nice to know that there was at least something a little natural about the chemotherapy I was taking.

So what I'm suggesting is, increase your green vegetable intake daily and don't make the mistake of thinking that this means more sloppy limp green cabbage leaves on your plate...there are heaps of amazing recipes out there if you just spend a bit of time looking...or you can just ask me where to find them!

For all you mums out there with young kids, something fun to do with your children whilst peas are in season is what I did with my son in the picture above.  Buy some fresh peas and sit down with your son/daughter and together open them up and count the number of peas in the pods.  They will inevitably end up eating some of the nice fresh raw peas which is so good for them and will in turn be learning how to count too!  What a double whamy bonus huh!?!

 

Are your vitamins synthetic or natural?

During my lifetime I have taken supplements in fits and starts depending on how healthy or unhealthy I was feeling.  Or perhaps I was more influenced by some savy advertising I may have come across whilst doing my weekly grocery shop.  After being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, I started a regime of taking additional supplements each day under the guidance of a Integrated Medical Practitioner.  I was reluctant to take any supplements given the fact that I gave my diet a massive overall after my diagnosis and I now mainly eat a varied whole food plant based diet which provides me with all the nutrients I could possibly need but I have been advised that after my chemotherapy and radiation my body needs all the support it can get whilst it recovers from a year's worth of treatment so that it can concentrate on the important stuff like getting rid of every last nasty cancer cell.  Even if you believe you have the best diet in the world which is right just for you (this is called bio-individuality), there are certain supplements which would do you a whole word of good if you took them religiously i.e. mineral supplements are great as the soil in this modern day of age has been over cultivated and are missing vital minerals which have been depleted, these are essential for a fully functional healthy system and to give your body balance.  One very important consideration which I was not aware of was whether or not the supplement was made from synthetic substances or natural substances.  Of course natural is the way to go but how do we really know whether or not what we taking is the real mccoy?  Well...if you remember these tips you will be well on your way to making a good choice when you purchase your next supplement:-

1. Look for the words "100 percent natural" on the products label.  Some labels say they are 'natural' but be sure that they say 100% natural.
2. Look for a food source on the label.  If the label doesn't have a list of natural food sources then it is synthetic.
3. Look for whole foods on the ingredient list rather than a particular nutrient.  If Vit C is on the ingredient list then it is almost always guaranteed to be a synthetic vitamin.
4. Learn how to read the products label and look for keywords that indicate it is a synthetic.  Words that end in 'ide' or 'ate' indicate that the product contains salt forms, which are synthetics.

Speak to the pharmacist when purchasing a supplement, they will also be able to identify synthetic ingredients.  The good news is that once you have chosen a brand that you know you can trust you will then never have to do this exercise again!

Please remember that a poor diet cannot be substituted with supplements.  Its important to consume a varied diet and to try and get most of your nutrients from the food that you eat and then supplement on top of that if need be.

You are most like your friends

One of the many things that helped me stay focused and positive during my year long breast cancer treatment was making sure I surrounded myself with postive friends/people and inspirational things.  I have already blogged about surrounding yourself daily with positive things here (read the second half of the blog post).  What I mean by this is that I surrounded myself with friends and people that lifted me up rather than draged me down.  Through life we are often reminded that this is important but it became even more important when I was going through my treatment.  Whether you are sick or not, it is vital to surround yourself with the people that you want to become the most like.

Top 10 lessons breast cancer taught me


Being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 taught me a lot of things.  Some of the lessons I learnt I knew of already but just never bothered to take notice.  The diagnosis taught me things that I feel that other people will never be taught unless they are faced with a chronic illness or perhaps are faced with their own mortality.  There are a few people I have encountered over the years that have had cancer but not once did I ask them what they learnt from it.  Now that i've had breast cancer, I have realised that a cancer diagnosis will teach you many life lessons which are very important...this is the good part about being diagnosed with cancer.  Looking back, it now seems strange to me that I did not ask what lessons people learnt from cancer that may have helped me live a fuller life with more depth at that time.

A breast cancer diagnosis was certainly a wake up call for me on how I was going about my life and what I was putting into my pie hole.  The diagnosis certainly picked me up and gave me a good shake out only to come out the other side better off.  You see..I had a choice...I could either take the diagnosis and look at it like it was an early death sentence and wallow around in pity for the rest of my life or I could use the diagnosis as God's/The Universe's wake-up call that I needed to change some things in my life if I wanted to live a happy long life.  There are many things you can do that will swing the odds of not having a recurrence in your favour.  Amongst other things, you need to educate yourself by eating and living smartly.  You can and do have control of your health even after a breast cancer diagnosis (or chronic illness)...there is hope I can tell you that much.  Even if you are currently feeling pretty healthy and perky, you will have nothing to lose and a lot to gain by listening to someone that has been through a health scare and come out the other side a winner.  Why wait for your health to deteriorate before taking action...the time is NOW!

Below are some of the lessons I learnt after I was diagnosed and which I feel will be useful to everyone whether you are facing a health crisis or not.

1. None of us are invincible (so often we think we are especially when we are young) and a chronic illness diagnosis doesn't just happen to 'other people'...therefore look after yourself and take some responsibility for your health;
2. Live in the present moment, stop wasting so much energy on what happened yesterday or what may happen in the future, if you do that you miss out on really living.  Some people can go their whole lives without really actually having lived...they are merely existing;
3. The best things in life are free...we have always been told that but this was highlighted to me when I was ill in bed and unable to play with the kids or go for a walk or enjoy reading a book;
4. Practice gratitude daily...this is SOOO important.  I have started a little ritual whereby every night when I jump into bed I close my eyes and think of 3 things that i'm grateful for that day;
5. People care about you more than you realise..this was something that I really noticed when I was ill...friends that I thought were too busy getting on with their own lives would come round with a meal or look after  my kids for me...give people the benefit of the doubt;
6. Don't go about life constantly living in your comfort zone, stick your neck out and truly live a life that you love and don't worry so much about what other people may think.  I was always very guilty of living in my comfort zone, probably more so than the average person.  A breast cancer diagnosis taught me to take chances and live a little more...after all, you could be dead tomorrow then you'd really be p*ssed off that you hadn't done something that you've been meaning to do for ages or perhaps you had never drunk out of that special champagne glass that mum gave you because it was meant just for special occasions...make every day a special occasion;
7. Love yourself more...this is something that I work on daily.  I thought I loved myself before my breast cancer diagnosis (well...for the most part) but since the diagnosis I realised how much I actually loathed looking in the mirror and almost always found something wrong with me.  I became more aware of the negative thoughts I was having most days about silly things like how much I didn't have rather than focusing on what I did have and the list went on.  Work on loving yourself unconditionally...after all, life is too short to not like yourself very much;
8. Feed yourself 'real' food as often as possible...real food is food that is as close to its raw state as possible and has come from the ground, and hasn't been boiled, bleached, salted, genetically modified etc etc, these are the foods that will give you the most nutrients and protect you from disease.
9. Move...you don't need to be out there running marathons every day or even busting your ass to get to the gym 5 times a week to do an hour's pump class.  Even if you just walk for 20mins a day you will be doing yourself a  massive favour.  You cannot underestimate the power of movement when it comes to protecting yourself from disease and being healthy.
10. Nourish your soul daily.  This is very important for your overall wellbeing.  In this modern day in age we are so busy rushing around with a million things to do that we forget about looking after ourselves.  I hardly ever nourished myself before I had breast cancer, I was always looking after everyone else needs before my own which is very easy to do when you are a mother of two young children.

Don't wait for your health to deteriorate before you are mindful about these life lessons xxooxx

Quotes that strike a cord

One of the many things I have been doing since my breast cancer diagnosis was I made a point of reading inspiring and encouraging quotes and sayings each and every day.  I write them on the mirror in the bathroom so that every time I go to brush my teeth or wash my hands I am inspired and reminded by the quote/saying and I take a moment to reflect on what I have just read.  This is something that is so easy to do and what I believe can make a big difference in your life should you wish to lead a more fulfilling life and feel uplifted and inspired daily.  Don't underestimate the impact that this easy ritual can have on your life, try it out i'm certain you won't be disappointed with the result.

One of the quotes that really struck a cord with me and has stuck in my mind every since I read it was this one:-

"Those who don't have time to be healthy now will have to make time for disease later"

I believe that this has stuck in my mind so much so because so often I hear people say to me "Oh Sam, I don't have time to make a salad or do some exercise"...whenever I hear that I think of the quote above.  Once again, whatever you make a priority in your life you will find time for. 

Take some responsibility for your health and well being...once you know how its pretty darn easy to make it a habit that sticks.  Try it...you're going to love it.

Have a great day everyone xxooxx

Mini peanut butter cups

Last night I tried out this recipe and I have to say it is quite possibly one of the easiest and most tasty 'good for you desserts/snacks' I have come across thus far.  I found the recipe here on Joe Cross's website called 'Reboot with Joe'.  He is the brains behind the phenomenally successful documentary 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead'.  It is so easy to make and only uses 4 ingredients.  Even my husband said they were good and he is one of my harshest critics!  All of these ingredients you can get at your local health food store.  Make sure you get the real thing though, don't settle for cheap substitutes which will only compromise your health.  If you take the time to use the correct ingredients you will not only have a tasty dessert snack on your hands but one that is doing you some good too!...how about that!

Here is the recipe:-

Mini peanut butter cups

Ingredients:1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup all natural, organic peanut butter* (or almond butter or cashew butter)
12 mini cupcake wrappers

Directions:1.) Mix cacao powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a small bowl until a smooth consistency is formed.
2.) Place a small spoonful of the chocolate into the bottom of the cupcake wrappers.
3.) Add a small scoop of peanut butter to the chocolate and spread evenly.
4.) Top the peanut butter with a small scoop of the chocolate and spread evenly to coat the surface.
5.) Place the mini Peanut Butter Cups in the freezer.
6.) Serve once they are hardened and chilled (about 1 hour).
7.) If you are storing them to eat later, store in the freezer.

Lentil, kumura & watercress soup

I thought it was time for another recipe.  This recipe is from Annabel Langbein's book 'Free Range in the city' which I got for Christmas last year.  I have found many of her recipes not only easy but nutritious too especially this soup recipe which is filled with anti-cancer fighting properties.  Research suggests that watercress (which is a cruciferous veggie) can be protectant against all types of cancers especially breast cancer.  So before I carry on too much, here is the recipe:-

LENTIL, KUMURA & WATERCRESS SOUP

Boil 1 cup of lentils in unsalted water for 10 minutes (or use two cans of lentils).  Drain and set aside.  Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot and add 2 diced medium onions, 2 crushed cloves garlic, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger.  Cook over a medium heat until onion is softened but not browned.  Add lentils, 3 medium peeled and diced kumara (750g), 2 litres veggie stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp manuka honey.  Cover and simmer until kumara is tender (about 25mins).  Use a hand held blender stick and puree half of the soup and return it back to the pot (I just pureed straight into the pot).  Just before serving, add 4 handfuls of watercress leaves and 3 tbsp lemon juice.  Season to taste and serve at once.  Serves 6.

Remember if you don't have all the ingredients don't let it put you off making the dish.  I didnt have watercress last time I made this dish, so substituted it for spinach.  If you don't have a hand held blender then dont worry about blending half the soup before serving.  The ginger, lemons, onions and greens are all SO great for excellent health and a balanced system.

I'm having problems uploading photos at the moment so was unable to add a picture to this post, hopefully I will have it sorted soon.

Till next time, Eat Smart Live Smart xxooxx

How I was able to be healthy, have fun and feel inspired over the festive season

Can the words 'healthy' and 'fun' be put in the same sentance or are we all kidding ourselves?  YES, ABSOLUTELY...they can be put into the same sentance and they will love and cuddle each other like a couple of loved up teenagers.  The trick is knowing how to.  The good news is once you know how its very simple and easy peasy lemon squeazy...hooray I hear you shout!

Carrying on from my post how to stick to your health regime when you go away, we went away for two nights over New Years to meet up with some friends and have a good time with the family.  We went to Hanmer Springs which is about an hour and a half's drive from where we live.  When I booked the accommodation I made sure that we booked into a motel with a little kitchen so that I access to cooking facilities should I need them.  And because I strive to be a 'green juicing wellness warrior' on a daily basis since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, I packed my trusty blender into the car so that I could whip up smoothies for brekkie on a daily basis.  This is a great way to start the day, kick your metabolism into gear after a long fast during the night and help your body to detoxify amongst other things.  The trick is to make enough smoothie for breakfast as well as a snack later.  I poured the rest of my morning smoothie into a flask and popped it into my handbag so that if we were out mid morning and I suffered a hunger attack I was able to cleverly pop open my handbag with lighting speed and gussle down a nourishing snack in no time.  Another thing I did was I always made sure that I carried a little container of nuts around with me too which helped in the afternoons when we were out and about and I needed something small, nourishing and satisfying to carry me over until dinner time.  The rest of the time I stuck to salads that included proteins like pulses and grains or fresh seafood.  I find this easiest when I am away and have limited access to healthy food especially if you are in a smaller town or city with limited healthy food options around.  This way you always have healthy snacks on hand and you are free as a bird to go and have some fun!  So in summary the 3 main things that got me through the festive season were the following:-

1.  Taking my blender away with me on holiday;
2.  Always having a little lunchbox of nuts and seeds in my handbag;
3.  Having some fruit to hand at all times. 

So...those were some of the ways I stayed healthy and had fun during the festive season but how did I stay feeling inspired?  Well its easy...I surrounded myself with things that inspire me.  For example some of the family had asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said that I would like a copy of Kris Carr's Crazy, sexy kitchen recipe book.  This book is packed with mouth watering recipes which are not only healthy but tasty too, isn't that brilliant!  I felt inspired to be in the kitchen and try out some new recipes on the family which you already know were a success from this post.  Another gift from santa was a move nourish believe diary by Lorna Jane.  This diary has daily tips and inspiration to keep you feeling good about yourself and your life...go and check it out you will love it.  And the final gift I received from santa (yes I was a VERY lucky girl although this was a gift to myself from myself) was a book of inspiring words that I picked up from KiKi-K which is pictured above amongst the others.  I often flick through it for my daily dose of "feelgoodness".  Kiki-K have some great inspirational journals which I came across in the holidays, if you want to check them out you can find them here.

Go and be inspired everyone xxxooxxx

The "coconut police"

I went out the other day and bought my very first whole coconut at the grocery store and felt very proud of myself.  Why would I be proud of myself for buying a humble coconut you may ask?  Since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 I have been doing a LOT of reading and researching and health blog following about all things healthy and happy and a common theme that comes up again and again is the amazing benefits we can gain from introducing a humble coconut into your life.  Coconuts provide a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk and oil.  I had never really given coconuts a second thought before being diagnosed withe breast cancer, I used to think of only having them when I was on a tropical island somewhere as part of my holiday.  But who said we need to be on holiday in order to enjoy a nice fresh coconut...the 'coconut police'?? :-)  Well you will be glad to know that there is no such thing as the 'coconut police' and you are free to consume as much coconut as you like and the best parts about it is that you will be doing yourself the most massive favour AND you will feel like you have just gone on holiday!

The first 'problem' I had when I got the coconut home was 'how was I going to get into it?'.  After doing a bit of googling, watching a few youtube videos and asking the rest of my family I decided to first drain the coconut by knocking a few holes into the top by hammering a nail into it (make three holes in the top of the coconut).  Once the liquid has been drained you can then use something like a meat cleaver or if you really want to go back to basics you could always go outside and throw it on the pavement to get it cracked open (if you do that make sure you give it a rinse under a tap afterwards!).  I then used a knife that is relatively blunt (one that I use to eat my meals with) and used that to get between the flesh and the outside of the coconut and pull them apart.  I stored the flesh in an airtight container in the fridge to be used in my smoothies or snack on during the day and I drank the coconut water that I had drained earlier (or you could use it in your next smoothie).  Although this all sounds a bit long winded and hard to do, once you know what you are doing and have the right equipment (come on, everyone has a hammer and nails lurking in their garage somewhere) you are well on your way to being a coconut goddess.

So before I go on and on too much I should list the health benefits of this humble coconut shouldn't I?!

Coconut water:

• loaded with potassium (potassium is the synonym for health insurer!) which is great for hangovers and even more beneficial than sports drinks with electrolytes minus the added sugar!  Potassium is a mineral that is required for keeping the heart, brain, kidney, muscle tissues and other important organs of the human body in good condition.
• hydrating (just be careful because if you do decide to buy some packaged coconut water in the supermarket make sure you check the label to ensure there is no sugar added or that if there is sugar added that it is kept to less than 3g-6g per 100ml.
• aids weight loss because it increases the metabolism in the body.

Coconut oil:

• if you are doing any cooking make sure you do it with coconut oil instead of olive oil.  Olive oil is good for you when its not heated, but place it in a pot and heat it up and the heat changes the molecular structure of the oil and turns it rancid.
• immune boosting.
• digestive system support.
• great skin moisturiser minus all the nasty chemicals that you will find in your store bought beauty products (I keep a pot in my bathroom and use it over my entire body after a shower).
• can reduce cholesterol.
• great for babies and children.  Saturated fat is an essential ingredient in the growth and development of babies and children.  While humans can make some saturated fats, there is one particular fatty acid, lauric acid, which is only available to babies through mother's breast milk.  This is the primary fatty acid found in coconut oil.

Go on...go and buy a coconut, it may just be the closest thing to a 'holiday' you may get today.

Hey YOU...

Read this over and over again...make it sink in and share it with your daughters/mothers/grandmothers/aunties/sisters etc etc...

Happiness is a choice

 

 

Isn't it just so great that the best things in life are FREE!!  I just loved the picture above when I saw it today.  You can be the poorest of poor but you need no money to be able to enjoy the best things in life, I think that's just grand!

One of the best things in life that is free is happiness.  Last year when I was undergoing my chemotherapy for breast cancer I often had people say to me 'Sam, you are such an inspiration to me' which I really appreciated but there was a reason that they said that.  The reason that they said this was because whenever they saw me I always seemed relatively happy considering the circumstances I was in.  I chose to be happy which I felt made a huge difference to how quickly I healed.  I am by no means saying that every day I was laughing and dancing around the room having a party, there were some days when I felt like I'd rather crawl into a hole and never come out again.  There were days when all I wanted to do was ly in bed and cry all day.  There were days when I looked in the mirror and didn't like what I was seeing.  But for the majority of the time I chose to be happy.

Happiness is a decision that we make and it can't be taken away from us and no one else can make it for us.  Each one of us gets to choose, every single moment of every day, whether or not we want to be happy.  It's the same as choosing which clothes to wear in the morning, or what to eat for breakfast.  Researchers have determined that happy people have stronger immune systems, live longer, feel better and are more productive.  So why not choose to be happy?  I especially like the part about a 'stronger immune system' which is vitally important when you are healing from chemotherapy especially.  In fact its important to have a strong immune system ALL the time if you want to live a healthy, long and happy life.

So...how can we bring more happiness into our lives for 2013?

Take time out for yourself, exercise, feel gratitude.  Do something new, laugh, smile.  Being with people that you love.  Smell the flowers when you go for a walk next, achieve a goal.  Feel organised, read your favourite magazine, share a meal with the people that you love.  Soak up some sun.  Dance.  Do something that engages you and that you are passionate about.

I loved a short little quote that I saw in KiKi the other day, it went like this:

"you can never be too happy".  Isn't that just great!  You are allowed to be as happy as you like...hooray!

Lets make 2013 the year of abundant happiness...cause everyone deserves to be happy.

"because when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing."

2013 is going to be a biggie!

This year I have decided to dig a little deeper when it came to setting myself some goals.  I thought I would expand a bit on the usual 'exercise more', 'eat healthy foods', 'lose weight', 'do more of what I love' etc etc. 

I think by only having the above on your goals list is pretty boring since most of the world have new years resolutions like that...there is so much  more that we can add to that if we have a real good think about it.  One of our news channels did a poll on what were the top new years resolutions for 2013 and the tried and tested culprits came up once again 'lose weight', 'exercise more', 'spend more time with the family'...if most of the country have that on their 'to do' list for 2013 it is pretty clear that we have all failed miserably once again to stick to our news years resolutions of 2012 since those were the top few new years resolutions from last year too!  Why is is that most of us seem to start off in January with a hiss and a roar with all the enthusiasm in the world and by February we have a little less focus and by March we are back to our old ways wishing things were different.  I don't believe its a lack of will power, I believe we are just going about things in the wrong way!  Now that's good news isn't it!  Which brings me to the point of the value of a Health Coach in your life.  We are the ones that educate and inspire you to do things you never thought were possible, we help you to identify areas in your life that require attention so that you can feel fulfilled and nourished on every level, we work with you to ensure that you are eating a diet tailored just for YOU, one that nourishes you on every level and one that will go way beyond just fuelling your body.  If all these things are in balance i.e. diet, exercise, work, relationships and spirituality you will be living your best life yet and be MORE than capable of sticking to your new years resolutions.

So with the above in mind, below are my new years resolutions for 2013 which go beyond the norm and have taken a bit of thought:-

• I would like to focus on living more authentically...this is a big one for me since being diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  I believe that this is one of the many ways I will be able to heal myself fully and permanently.  A guest post on Jess Ainscough's blog described what living authentically actually means for those who are a tad confused;

• Educate and expand my knowledge on health and nutrition from an holistic point of view.  I plan to do this by continuing to do daily self tuition but I would also like to put some formality around this by studying at the world's largest nutrition school, Integrative Nutrition in NYC.  I am so excited to have finally stumbled across what i'm truly passionate about in life (this was brought about by my breast cancer diagnosis) and it is my vision to be able to help others in the future who would like to live not only healthier lives but happier ones too even after a health crisis;

• Learn to become more aware of my own needs by listening to my body and just being present in the now.  This is something that I find really hard to do since I always tend to focus on others needs before my own.  I'm also a bit of a worrier which means i'm always thinking about the future and worrying about things that may never happen, so by focusing on the present moment and being present in the now I can enjoy the now and let the future take care of itself since I can't change it anyway so whats the point on wasting energy on worrying!;

• Slow down!  I'm even more determined to slow down after reading the book 'Rushing Woman's Syndrome' by Dr Libby Weaver.  You can read my blog post on it here and how I feel that it is relevant to my life especially in the wake of a breast cancer diagnosis;

• Do more of the things that bring me joy each day.  This is easy to say but hard to do when you are a wife, mother of 2 and work part-time but I believe that you are always able to make time for the things that are most important to you in life, I just need to make sure that I make these a priority in my life and the time will come to me;

• Believe in myself and love myself daily.  Before my breast cancer diagnosis there was quite a bit of self loathing going on for reasons I was not even aware of.  Lately I have been focusing a lot on being kind to myself, encouraging myself, believing in myself and my own uniqueness and special capabilities;

• Start a regular yoga practice.  Phew, do I need this!  I have always been a 'spin class girl' or a 'pump class girl'...all the exercise classes that have loud music pumping for most of the session and are intensely physical.  But since my breast cancer diagnosis I have been more open to the need to focus more on how I feel, listen to whats going on inside and nourish myself by being present and in the now.  Yoga is great for this and a great way to start out with some light exercise again after having done no exercise in 2012 whilst undergoing cancer treatment;

• Mediate!  Yes...this is very new to me but from what I have read the rewards are immense.  So i'm going to start with trying to do it once a day for 5mins and go from there.  I will let you know how I get on;

• I would like my blog to turn into something that is not only a way of clearing my head and putting my thoughts down on paper but a blog that is helpful to others wanting to lead happier healthier lives and to get a few more followers.

Phew I think that's about it!  I can't wait for the end of this year when I will be able to reflect and see how I got on!

Happy New Year everyone xxooxx

A crazy sexy kind of Christmas

This Christmas was a pretty crazy, sexy type of Christmas.  Firstly because this Christmas I was a Breast Cancer Survivor...now that's gotta be crazy!  If someone had told me last Christmas that I'd be saying I was a Breast Cancer Survivor this Christmas I wouldn't have believed them for even one second.  But sh*t happens and life moves on and for me I have moved on to an even healthier and happier life than I had ever imagined before despite having had Breast Cancer.  I am just so excited about the future and can't wait to see what 2013 has in store.  There is life after Breast Cancer and that life could be a hundred times happier, healthier and more fulfilling than ever.  I found out how this is possible and I can show you how in my blog over the course of 2013.

The second reason why this Christmas was crazy and sexy was because this Christmas the whole family ate a whole food, plant based Christmas lunch (with a bit of fresh salmon on the side)!  Now let me tell you this is no mean feat as my husband and his family are meat lovers of note.  There was not one of us in the room that didn't feel kinda sexy after Christmas lunch because we all felt well nourished and we didn't feel bloated either because we hadn't just stuffed ourselves full of turkey and fatty roasted potatoes and we all felt really content and light!!  The other exciting thing is that the whole family all LOVED the meal and family members were later seen dotted around the house furiously scribbling down recipes from the lunch they had just devoured...now that's testament to an awesome meal if ever I saw one.  What makes me feel so good about this is that just by me being mindful about what I put in my pie hole, the rest of the family had a think about what they were eating which is great as I really enjoy inspiring and educating others to live healthier happier lives.  This also highlighted to me that if we educate others on how to cook healthier meals they more often than not tend to stick to healthy meals as they are not only tasty but good for you too!

The third reason that this was a crazy sexy kind of Christmas was because I received a copy of Kris Carr's recipe book entitled "Crazy Sexy Kitchen" which I absolutely love!  This book contains 150 plant empowered recipes to ignite a mouth watering revolution.  I tried out one of her recipes tonight on the family called 'crazy sexy bean chili' and without a word of a lie I had family members photographing the recipe before they left for home this evening.

This Christmas was just the start of something big for me and its only going to get bigger and better as I immerse myself in living a healthier/happier life and therefore in doing this I will create a ripple effect around me which educates and inspires others to be the same.

I have also introduced quinoa to a few friends.  Quinoa is an ancient super grain and is one of the most protein rich foods we can eat with all 9 essential amino acids and almost twice as much fibre as other grains.  It is so versatile and easy to cook that it should be a staple in every ones pantry.  I will write more on this later as I have a list of ten different things you can do with quinoa.

So before I get too carried away, below is a picture of what we had for Christmas lunch.  We had Roast salmon with pickled fennel, cucumber & mint salad.  Alongside that was some freshly dug new potatoes straight from the garden and a side of Crunchy Bean, Quinoa and Carrot Salad.  Yummo!!  I a miso glaze ontop of the salmon to make it extra special.  Miso paste has wonderful health benefits.  This is a great meal to serve up to guests at any time of the year if you'd like to impress them, I promise they will not be disappointed.  Always remember that if you look at a recipe and you don't have all the ingredients, don't be put off, there are always great substitutes around.  I added pomegranate to the Christmas quinoa salad to make it look 'festive' which everyone loved.

Lets reflect

 

I have been inspired by others to write a list of what I am most grateful for in 2012 and a list of achievements from the year.

At first the thought of this was met with a bit of resistance because 2012 was the year that I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had year long surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  But then I read a quote that said "the times in your life when you feel the most resistance are the times in your life when there is opportunity for the most growth in your life" and I believe this to be true.  Wouldn't it be great to be able to look back at 2012 and write a list of things that I am grateful for even after what I have been through.  This can only do me good and will enable me to grow.  So...here you go:-

 

Grateful for:

The support I received from my friends, family and even strangers whilst I was going through my therapy.   From meals dropped off at my front doorstep, to phone calls telling me that they were thinking of me to complete strangers walking up to me in the street and telling me that I look beautiful (even though I had a bald head) and that I was inspiring to them...these are all things that pulled me through a very tough year;


The down days that I did have were very few and far between and this was partly due to the support I received from supportive people around me;


A very patient boss and job that I could go back to whenever I felt well enough;


The odd day sprinkled in between my bad days where I had enough energy to play with my children in the park or sit and read them a story;


My cancer - I know this may sound very odd to say that I am thankful for my cancer, but having cancer has opened up my eyes to so many things in life that I would never have appreciated if I hadn't become ill.  I will write more on this in 2013.  Me having cancer has also revealed to me what I'm passionate about most in life which is to become a Health Coach and inspire and educate others to lead healthier happier lives;


Enough money to cut my work down to 2 days a week and the ability to focus on becoming a Heath Coach so that I can expand my knowledge on true health and happiness;


Two healthy kids who are doing just fine after spending a year with their mom who was very sick most of the time;

Achievements:

Kicked cancer in the bum and have come out the other side feeling stronger and happier than before;


I bounced back to being relatively normal (besides the fatigue) from a year's worth of treatment in only a few weeks.  This is not just pure luck either, I have changed a lot of things in my life for this outcome to be possible and I will write more on this next year;


I married the man of my dreams in March of this year;


I kicked my craving for sugar and caffeine;


I made a decision to invest in my future and start studying at IIN;


Saying yes to myself more often and no to others by becoming more aware of my own needs and putting myself first more often than not;


Learning to slow down and listen to my body (this is still work in progress!);


The ability to be present by learning to do a little meditation and the guts to just be myself rather than be someone that others want me to be.

A jar full of memories and gratitude

I love this idea...start 2013 with an empty jar.  Throughout the year fill it with memorable moments or things that you are grateful for.  When Christmas time rocks on round again you can sit down in a nice cosy quiet spot and have a read about all the good things that happened in your life that year and perhaps be reminded about things that you had forgotten about which are worth remembering, its a great way to keep things in perspective.  You don't even have to wait until the end of the year...open it on days you are feeling down for a bit of a lift.  Go on 'JUST DO IT'...I promise you you won't regret it xxooxx

Words to live by

 

I am busy reading a book at the moment by Dr Libby Weaver called 'Rushing Woman's Syndrome'. 

I honestly feel that this book was written just for me.  So many of the things she writes about in her book I can relate to.  The book is about the effects that being a 'rushing woman' can have on your health and I truly believe that me being a 'rushing woman' partly contributed to my cancer diagnosis.  One of the many things I will be working on next year will be to slow down and take more time to 'smell the roses' so as to speak.  In her book she describes a 'rushing woman' as someone that continually feels that there is a sense of urgency in her day and whether she has two or five things to do, she seems to go about her day feeling rushed all the time.  She writes that you are prone to the effects of 'rushing woman's syndrome' if you do things like reply to texts at traffic lights or catch up on your emails whilst sitting on the loo...this is not just good use of your time.

In her book she writes a piece written by Kate Northrup who is a woman with a deep care for other women and whom she met at a conference in the USA recently.  Her sentiments echo many of my own and I encourage you to be inspired by what she writes and to write a few of your own that you look at from time to time.  She writes "here's what i know":-

• Doing something for the money never ends up being worth it;
• If its not a hell yes, its a no;
• You are valuable because you exist.  Period.
• You are enough.  You always have been.  You always will be.
• Your place of greatest ease and joy will also be you place of greatest service;
• Its okay to sleep for ten hours or more a night from time to time.  In fact its critical.
• No accomplishment or moment of recognition will ever replace feeling loved, by your-self or anyone else;
• You know.  you always know.
• The fact that it feels good is reason enough to move every day.  The fact that it will tone your ass and make your waist smaller are mere side effects;
• Organising your life around what feels good is the single wisest choice you can make;
• Saying yes to someone simply because you don't want to disappoint them is not only unfair to you, it's unfair to them;
• Sleep, water, movement, greens, and a good cry cure almost anything.
• Loving yourself more is the best place to start to solve any problem;
• Nothing is random.  Everything happens for a reason.
• Your body is wise beyond what you could possibly imagine.  Listen to her.  She will lead you home every time.

Now its your turn to write some that resonate with you and by which you can live by.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I deserve only the best

IS YOUR DIET 'THE BOMB'?

 

Whether or not we believe that our current diet is the bomb or not, we could all benefit from taking a closer look at what we eat, becoming more mindful about how we feel after eating certain foods and making adjustments here and there but for the most part the hard work can be when it comes to knowing what is right for you and then sticking to it. 

We are all unique, not any one of us is the same in this whole massive big world of almost 7 billion people!  If you think about just that for a moment, its quite amazing to say the least.  And because we are all so different, there is no one perfect way of eating that works for everyone.  This is where a concept called bio-individuality comes in.  Each person has very specific needs for his or her own health according to age, constitution, gender, size, lifestyle an ancestry.  We are living in an age of modern nutrition which means that a lot of people are on some kind of diet or another and every day we are bombarded with new ways to lose ten kilos in 60 days or some new discovery of healthy benefits of a certain food that you HAVE to eat if you want to live to a ripe old age and be healthy and happy at the same time.  To think that a certain diet may be right for you just because you have read the book or it sounds easy is bordering on crazy unless you actually take the time to listen to what your body is telling you when you eat and be mindful of how you feel after you have eaten.  Nutrition is the only science where two apposing theories can be proved correct and that is because we are all so different with very different needs.

 

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer ten months ago I felt that I was literally scrambling around trying my very best to feed my body what I thought was right for it based on what I had read and what was supposed to be an 'anti-cancer' diet.  I  had a broad understanding of what the main diet principles were, but suddenly I felt that I needed to be an expert in the field of nutrition if I wanted to give myself the best possible chance of living a long healthy and happy life.  What I didn't know was the concept that we are all individuals with unique requirements and that the very best diet to be on is in fact an anti-cancer diet whether you have cancer or not and this anti-cancer diet can be different for everyone.

I had friends/family contacting me from across the globe telling me that they had read articles about people that had taken a spoonful of asparagus puree every day since they were diagnosed and were now cancer free.  I had someone tell me about a specific type of fruit tree that is only found in deepest darkest Africa which is touted to be a cancer cure.  The problem with all of this was that at the time I was feeling very vunerable and I would have eaten my husband's left toenail if it was supposedly going to cure me of cancer.  I was very grateful that they took the time to tell me about these things that they had come across, but it highlighted to me that people just have no idea what the best way is to approach a healthy diet that is right just for them because they are bombarded every day with new dietary theories and best sellers.  What we need to do is listen to your body!!!!  It knows what foods you need, when it needs them and what is best for you.  Research what foods are best for your blood type, your metabolism and what foods were typical for your ancestry.  Begin by making small changes and pay attention when you eat so you can decide when you're full.  Even though each person is a distinct individual, we all share the same instincts.  Don't ignore the personal messages your body is sending.

There are 6 foods that seem to pop their heads up again and again in my research which promise to be the most nutrient dense, health promoting foods on the plant no matter who you are or what diet you are on.  Whether or not you embrace all 6 of these foods or find that you can only tolerate one or two (remember to listen to your body first), you will be well on your way to eating a diet that is extremely effective at preventing chronic disease and promoting health and longevity.  These 6 foods are called 'G-BOMBS' and they certainly are "the bomb"!

The 'G-Bomb' acronym was cleverly created by Dr Fuhrman who is a board-certified family physician, NY times best-selling author and nutritional researcher who specialises in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional and natural methods.  If you try and incorporate at least one of these 6 foods into one meal a day you will be doing yourself a massive favour.  The great part about it is that these foods are easily found and you probably have at least two of them sitting in your pantry right now!  For a full explanation of exactly how nutrient dense these specific foods really are, please visit his website.  I encourage you to click on the link and read for yourself the benefits of these foods as my explanations below very limited.  So without further ado, below are these six super sexy nutrient packed super foods of the 'G-Bomb'!! :-

1.  Greens

They only contain about 100 calories per pound and are the most nutrient dense of all foods.  They protect our blood vessels and are associated with reduced risk of diabetes.  They are also packaged with beneficial phytochemicals.

2.  Beans

Beans (and other legumes as well) are a powerhouse of superior nutrition.

3.  Onions

Onions along with leeks, garlic, shallots and scallions make up the Allium family of veggies which have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and immune systems as well as anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects.

4.  Mushrooms

Consuming mushrooms regularly is associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers.  A Chinese study where women ate at least 10 grams of fresh mushrooms each day (about one mushroom per day) had a 64% decreased risk of breast cancer.

5.  Berries

Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are true super foods.  They are low in sugar and high in nutrients - they are among the best foods you can eat.

6.  Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain healthy fats and are rich in a spectrum of micronutrients including minerals and antioxidants.

This week I will post a recipe on my blog that incorporates at least 3 ingredients from the 'G-Bomb' acronym.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY:

I only feed my body with food that is nourishing and I do this out of self love.

Cool cucumbers rock

There are many of us in this world that feel like we are the lady in this picture when it comes to the silly season.  The good news is that we don't have to be the stereo typical rushing/frantic woman of the silly season.  There are many things we can do to calm the nerves, feel well, rested and nourished and slide into this period as cool as a cucumber.  Its just a matter of doing a bit of ground work beforehand to ensure that we are the coolest of cucumbers on Christmas day!

There are many things you can do in the build up to Christmas so that you feel that you are well prepared, but the trick is which ones will benefit you most.  I always find that there are many tips and tricks out there in every magazine/blog post/internet site that I lay my eyes on on how you can enter the festive season feeling calm and collected, but instead of feeling overwhelmed with all the advice you are reading and then not doing any of it, rather concentrate on just one, two or even three things that you feel will make you feel grounded and balanced during this period..  Just those few things will go a long way to making you the coolest of cool cucumbers in town!

I have had to think extra long and hard this Christmas about how i was going to remain stress free since I have just completed a years worth of surgery, chemo and radiation for breast cancer.  I have been doing a lot of reading on this subject and have come up with five things that for me I believe will ensure that I start the silly season feeling stress and worry free.  I hope that even just a few of these points resonate with you and you decide to put them into action.  If you do you will be well on your way to a happy, healthy stress free Christmas and holiday period.

1.  Stock up on the basics and know what you've got

This is a big one for me.  If you take 15mins out of your day to check your grocery cupboards and have some sort of plan in your mind about what you will be eating on Christmas and Boxing Day (even if you don't know exactly what you will be eating) then write those things down and go and do a big grocery shop of the essentials.  This will save you running out of things on Christmas day or having to rush off to the shops at the last minute and run the risk of sitting in heavy traffic or getting unduly stressed out.

2.  Get help with the cooking

There is always someone around that can help you with the cooking.  They don't have to be a trained Master Chef like yourself (haa, haa), but there are many ways that your husband, kids, mother in-law etc etc can help you out by doing little things to make your day easier.  I think we all try to be super hero's on Christmas Day, but remember no one likes a stressed out or frazzled super hero! So have a look at who is around you and what needs doing and DELEGATE!

3.  Take time out for yourself

Once again no one likes stressed out super heros, so ensure that you take time out just for you during this busy period.  You will need extra rest because you will be extra busy and extra tired.  I feel that the number one myth that people think at this time of year is "I just don't have the time!"  You do have the time, you just need to make it a priority.  I'm not saying that you need to go off for a few days on you own or even for a day...just half an hour here or there to attend to your own well being will be worth a couple of days in the long run and you will feel like you can take on the world with a renewed sense of purpose, energy and cool cucumberniss!

4.  Breath

For some of your tip number 4 may read very strange...what do you mean 'breath?'.  The breath is something that i have been focusing a lot on lately and i am astounded as to what is actually going on with my breath most of the time.  If you actually take the time to notice your breath in times of anxiousness or perhaps when you feel you have a busy mind you will notice that your breathing can be pretty shallow and erratic.  This in turn gives our subconscious mind the message that we are stressed out and we go into 'fight or flight' mode.  The toll that this 'flight or fight' mode takes on our bodies is immense.  Take the time to monitor your breathing, you can do it anywhere.  Make sure that you are doing nice deep breaths which cause the diaphragm to move up and down.

5.  Move

Yes...MOVE!  Christmas time can be a time of excess in many people's lives.  Even if you a wellness warrior and you are aware of the benefits of nourishing your body with real food you will still find great benefits in getting out there and going for a walk/run/bicycle ride etc etc.  The list of health benefits that exercise has on your mind, body and soul are endless as I'm sure most of you know.  So get out there and make it a priority especially at this busy time of year.

What are your favourite top tips to ensure your own wellness and  creation of balance at this time of year?

POSITIVE AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY:
I feel well organised and rested today