I'm moving...but not very far!

 

There are a few new exciting developments in the 'Balanced Wellness' world.  I have bought my own URL which I have started using and publishing my posts on.  So if you would like to continue to receive my amazeballs blog posts, please go to the below URL, save it to your favourites and click on the box 'follow by email' to get an email in your inbox every time I write a post.  In future, I will not be posting any further blog posts on this blog so come on over and join me below!

www.samanthawardmartin.com

Thanks for your support everyone, I really appreciate it xx

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.