‘Back to Basics’ Diet – The Paleo Way

 

Over the last few years the Paleo Diet has become increasingly popular amongst people who not only want to lose weight, but also those who are concerned about the vast amount of chemicals and additives that are found in the foods that are available today.

Sometimes the Paleo diet is referred to as the caveman diet. This reference dates back to the Paleolithic era. Humans during this time were hunters and gathers. With man on a lower end of the food chain, man did not spend time in the open harvesting crops. People ate wild game. They did not raise animals on a farm. Plants and nuts came from the surroundings and were main part of the daily consumption.

 

 

No one was milking animals or consuming grains. This means no dairy or pasta. With so much variety pulling for attention on the grocery store shelves, why would anyone choose to eat like the caveman? The Paleo diet has the potential to benefit today’s consumers at the very least by normalizing insulin levels. Just by eliminating grains alone an individual’s blood sugar is lowered.

There may be the misconception that individuals will not have enough energy without grains. The way the Paleo diet works is to eat more natural foods that work with the body. This provides an increase of energy, because the body knows what to do with fuel or foods that are being taken in. It can process them more efficiently. An additional bonus is that by making better food choices there is more of an assurance a balance of minerals and vitamins will be included in the food.

These foods include healthy fats such as olive oils, coconut butter, or avocados. Oils play an important factor in the Omega-6 (fat linoleic) to Omerga-3 (alpha-linoleic) ratio. Both acids are valuable polyunsaturated fats that the body needs to balance the metabolism. Yet, in a culture that loves to cook everything in rich oils and so the ratio has risen to 15:1. This has had profound medical ramifications with increases in cancer, arthritis, and cardio vascular disease. This makes the milder use of natural oils an obvious benefit of the Paleo lifestyle.

In addition, Paleo purists avoid sugary and processed foods. Chips and soda are already being left in the past with fast food juggernauts, as families are taking a look at their eating habits. They are looking for better food choices. Aspects of the Paleo diet are becoming more common. Fish with plenty of vegetables and fruits are the hallmarks of this diet. These are what families are eating. Slowly, people are starting to realize that grass fed animals make all the difference with the meats. This is another important understanding in the Paleo diet.

 This diet is really a lifestyle. Anyone can do it. It comes down to making healthy eating decisions. These are decisions that can be made by the entire family, which make it easier for the changes to become a long lasting commitment to health and fitness.

 

Here is a quick list:

• Lean meat, game and organs such as liver and tongue are encouraged
• Eggs (some diets recommend at least six a week)
• Fruit (but not in vast quantities)
• Vegetables (although some don’t encourage potatoes)
• Nuts and seeds (in moderation)
• Seafood and shellfish (all types)
• Olive, coconut, avocado, walnut, flaxseed and canola oil in moderation

 

Why not try paleo when you are out next or cook tonight?

I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING

Eat Out

http://paleo-cafe.com.au/

https://www.facebook.com/PaleoCafeSydneyBondiJunction?fref=ts

Eat At Home

Real Connection delivers to some areas in Sydney https://www.facebook.com/RealfoodSydney

Cook At Home

http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/eat-drink-paleo-cookbook/

What I know about Self Doubt

Do you constantly question whether you are good enough?

Doubt the decisions you have made?

I sure do and lately its been creeping back in.

It is flexing it’s muscle again.

Out of all of the challenges you face in life, self-doubt can be one of the most damaging and hardest to overcome. The minute you start to doubt yourself, you are limiting your potential and letting a lot of negativity in. The problem with negative thoughts is that they add fuel to the self-doubt fire. Unless you get a grip on it, self-doubt can really start to damage every aspect of your life.

Not all self-doubt is bad

Yes that is right.

It is important to note that self-doubt is not all bad. In fact, it is perfectly natural to doubt yourself in certain situations.

A little self-doubt helps to motivate you and is actually really healthy. The problem comes when you constantly doubt yourself over even the smallest of problems of things. Like anything, in excess self-doubt becomes highly damaging.

The minute you start to notice your self-doubt taking over is when you need to act.

How to recognise self-doubt and what causes the problem

Of course before you can determine whether or not you have a self-doubt problem, you need to first understand what it is. It is basically insecurity within yourself.

You have high self-doubt if you constantly find that you tell yourself the following-

Did I just do the right thing?

 

What if I am wrong? I should just leave it!

 

I really do not feel up to this task

 

Recognising these thoughts is the first step in eliminating them. The longer you have doubted yourself, the harder the habit will be to break. Recognising the thoughts as they appear is not always as easy as it sounds. Once you do start to become more aware of the thoughts it will be easier to start to control them.

There are many causes of excessive self-doubt. It could be that as a child your parents constantly made you feel like you was not good enough. It can also set in if you have been bullied at some point in your life. There could be signs of depression or anxiety too.

It could even just occur naturally if you are a natural born worrier. In order to beat the problem, it is helpful to understand where it is coming from for you.

 

Tips to combat self-doubt

Eliminating self-doubt can be quite difficult. The first thing you should do is accept your doubts. The problem is often made worse if you fight the feelings. Accept the thoughts but do not be afraid to question them.

When the thought “I don’t think I can do this” crops into your head, question why you feel that way.

I’ve been saying this lately too.

What evidence do you have to back it up? Ask yourself what’s the worst that could happen.

Sometimes you have to take risks in life to progress to where you want to be.

If the problem is caused by negative people, eliminate them from your life. It really is as easy as it sounds. If somebody is constantly putting you down, put some distance between the two of you. If that is not possible, just switch off when they start putting your ideas down. Toxic people can only put you down if you let them.

I know I have come across a few myself.

Just note to stop listening to everybody else, believe in yourself and you will soon start to see positive changes.

 

 

Why Im cuckoo for coconut oil

If you’re looking to get healthier, coconut oil could be the answer. This edible oil was once used simply for cooking, but recently it’s made its way onto health and beauty counters across the world. Used for a wide range of purposes, this great oil comes in a number of forms. The question is, are these health benefits proven and what exactly can you use it for? Here are some of my secrets!

Coconut oil comes from mature coconut meat. The fact that it is heat stable makes it a really good product to cook with. It gives a pleasant taste to food and supposedly has quite a few health benefits. The oil also has a shelf life of around two years as it resists rancidity. The oil itself contains a high level of fibre and has various nutritional benefits. However, it’s the non-edible benefits this oil has become famous for in recent years.

My favourite ways to use coconut oil

Cooking

I use it every day while cooking and baking. Some oils are unsafe to cook with at high temperatures, coconut oil is a great alternative. It also has a nice, pleasant taste. Apart from the many health benefits when eaten in small quantities, the oil can help with weight loss. It does this by speeding up the metabolism.

Hair care

Many people have turned to coconut oil to help make their hair healthier. When massaged into the scalp, the oil can really help to combat dandruff. It helps to kill off the fungus that causes the condition. The fatty acids contained within the oil also help by passing into the cell membranes of the hair. Coconut oil goes into the hair shaft and provides a deep conditioning treatment. Its a great split hair treatment. I have also used it as a hair serum to calm down my frizz.

Skin Moisturiser

Finally when rubbed into the skin, it also provides a deep conditioning treatment and can help with conditions such as eczema and sketch marks. I use it at night as a serum while Im sleeping.

Homemade Lip Balm

This is one of my secrets. Just add coconut oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax, shea butter and honey warm together and pour into small containers. You will get some really lovely lip balm that will for last ages.

Body Scrub

Add 1 cup of Epsom salts, 2 cups of extra virgin coconut oil, vitamin e capsule and some lavender essential oil plus a cute jar and you have a easy-peasy scrub which your skin will love!               Pick your own essential oil or instead add some lime zest!

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling started in India thousands of years ago. It is a traditional remedy that cleans, detoxifies teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and there is some evidence that it is beneficial in improving gums and removing harmful bacteria! I take 1 tablespoon of warm coconut oil, swish it around my mouth for a 20 minutes, then spit it out, rinse with warm water and finish by brushing your teeth. Just never swallow it as its full of gunk! You could try it daily after breakfast if you want.  It has been shown to benefit gums, whitens teeth, bad breath, headaches, hormone imbalances, skin conditions, arthritis, asthma, energy levels, infections, lymphatic system and more.

Massage Oil

Coconut oil is great for massage. Its not too greasy. You could also add some vanilla to make a more relaxing scent. It can also be used for personal lubricant.

Popping Popcorn

Its twist on a fave snack which is so easy to make! I really love the flavour. I add some Morroccan spices and Himalayan crystal salt for a change.

Leave a love note to let me know how you use coconut oil and SHOW ME your fave recipe. I would love to try!

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New Year. New Chapter.

A new year brings with it new hope and a fresh start. Also a need to set our intentions. In order to really progress in life, you need to be motivated and know exactly what you want. It is hard to achieve anything when you do not have any clear goals. Goal setting can be a great tool to help you achieve anything you want. Whether it’s a new job, a promotion, learn a new hobby or whether it’s to simply lose weight and become healthier. Setting yourself intentions can really help you to get the results you want.

 

Benefits of setting new intentions

There are so many benefits that come with setting intentions in life. Many people do not realise just how better off they could be if they were to adopt this simple method. The top benefits of setting new intentions include:

-Reminding you of what is important and keeping you motivated, having a list of goals will remind you of what is important. Life can become pretty stressful at times and it is easy to get lost in the little things that do not matter. Regularly looking over your goals will help to remind you of what you’re working so hard for.

-Giving you a sense of pride as with smaller goals you will reach them faster. This helps you to stay motivated as you feel a great sense of pride each time you tick off a goal you have set yourself. It is a great feeling when you actually achieve your goals.

–Knowing that you can achieve anything you set your mind to can give you a huge boost in confidence. This in turn will have a positive impact on all parts of your life.

–Goal setting really helps you to take control back in your life. If you feel like you have just been plodding along, this is a great chance to make a change and get in control of what you want and more importantly, what you don’t want.

-Keep your new intentions realistic and set to a timeline. Perhaps the biggest mistake people make when they set goals is they make them too unrealistic. Or they set goals that they can only fully achieve in the not so distant future. In order to stay motivated you need to create realistic, short term goals.

 

So write down a list of what you want to achieve overall, such as losing weight, more self care time, owning your own house or changing your career. However, you should also split down these large goals into smaller, manageable steps. For example, if you are hoping to change career there is likely to be a whole range of things you need to do before you can take the leap. Do you need to go back to study and learn new skills? Do you need to become more financially secure in order to take the plunge? Write down what you need to do in order to achieve the bigger goals you have set yourself.

Providing you keep your intentions realistic you can achieve all your goals. The hardest part about changing your life is making the first move. Sit down and write a list of goals that you want to achieve within the next month to start with. You can build up to longer term goals once you get in a routine. I like doing 3-6 month goals and re-visiting every month.

 

 

How to beat the Christmas Bulge

Let’s face it, one of the main things people look forward to at Christmas is the vast amount of delicious food and drinks on offer. From the all-out lavish Christmas dinner to mince pies, nibbles, rum balls, gingerbread and chocolates. Christmas truly is a time to over indulge. The problem with that is you can not over indulge without gaining a bulge! If you’re looking to avoid piling the weight on this Christmas then there are a 3 top tips that can help. 

Tip #1: Pace yourself at parties

Christmas time often brings a lot of parties and they tend to bring a lot of food and alcohol. One of the best tips for avoiding over-eating at Christmas parties is to eat something before you go. You can control what you eat at home, but when you’re hungry and faced with delicious food it’s hard to say no. When you’ve already eaten you won’t want to eat as much while you’re out.

Tip #2: Avoid drinking in excess

People tend to forget that alcohol can cause serious weight gain if drunk in large quantities. It’s normal to have a few at Christmas. In fact, it’s often encouraged! However, the combination of too much alcohol and food can contribute towards serious weight gain. Drink glass of water between each drink to keep hydrated. Keep track of how many you have drunk can be difficult so do not let the waiter fill up your glasses when they walk around.

Why not try a refreshing Wine Spritzer with half the calories? Half wine and half sparkling water.

Tip #3: Stay active

Of course the best way to fight off those calories is to increase the amount of exercise you do. Many people actually stop exercising throughout the festive season which really does not help. Make sure you stay active and aim to burn off as many calories as you can.

I have to confess something. 

I have lost my way again. I am finding life at times really hard at the moment. I feel confused. Some days I am really happy and excited about the future.

I write this  just to get my words out there. Be accountable and acknowledge. I need to get a plan.

a daily plan

weekly diary

month wall calendar

Hiking over the hills

I have been on a massive bush walk for the last year or so. There have been any ups and downs along this path. Walking towards new opportunities of growth and self discovery and facing some difficulties along the way.

I have been walking through a lush rainforest, over boulders, hiking up over the hills and looking down on a magnificent view. This is only the beginning of my journey. As I look back over the last year I have experienced so many lows than I have actually acknowledged or even want to share that have been so hard to bare. I have just soldered on through it all. I have had some incredible help and support but also many let downs that have made me restart my feelings.

As I write this blog the weather is exactly like that day last year. One morning my father died suddenly in a car crash while going on holidays. It was one the worst days of my life. I was alone at home and there was a knock at my door. When the policemen told me I actually had an out of body experience and could see myself as I was looking down. I saw my self brace against the weight of the news near my doorstep. I had many questions to ask because of the way he died and even today I still have no reasons. One of the hardest parts is to accept never knowing how it happened. I have come to the realisation that it was a gift to have my Father in my life for just 29 years and what an amazing and strong person he really was. After his death I had to go through his personal belongings and I found some very interesting things. I actually got to know him and appreciate him more as an adult after his death. I really can say that I am proud to call him my Dad.

One the hardest times in my life has been the last few months from dealing with the headaches and nightmares aftermath. I went away for a week to just have a time to myself and cleanse my mind. It was fantastic and I could really start to feel myself coming back to the surface after two years of sadness and heartache. When I came home I felt recharged and full of energy. I completed a 5 day cleanse program which I blogged previously. I struggled with my thoughts of cravings, weakness and giving up but I succeeded. Following the cleanse I felt energised and refreshed. Throughout the process I completed some helpful life coaching, self-care practices and journalling. However over the next couples of months or so I felt a weight above my shoulders coming back,  becoming more frustrated and lost. I was not aware of this happening until I had regressed. I am now on the right side and slowing getting there.

Have you even felt like you started to turn the right way but you chose the wrong path instead?

My Life Coach and I have been working together dealing with my fears and lack of self-love. It has really helped me and I will continue to go through some inner work and self-discovery. I am accepting those fears and I can go deeper than the superficial junk crowding my thoughts.

Beginning of my journey to becoming a better me, I decided that I want to help people through difficult times and provide them with the best guidance I can possibly give. I want to become a Life Coach. Not quite sure which part of Life I will concentrate on yet. I have experienced a lot of troubling times but also really empowering ones all before I turned 30.

I have enrolled at the well known Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York to become a Certified Health Coach. I am approximately a quarter way through and its fantastic.  There have been tens of thousands of graduates who have completed this course. I have learned so much so far and slowly becoming healthier and fitter. My path to wellness began when I saw an interview about the troubles of sugar back in 2011. All the ideas are starting to come into focus and I am loving it.

Some of my personal self-care practices

Have a nice cup of tea or your favourite coffee or a glass of wine

Learn to cook a new meal

Write 3 things down what you are grateful today, everyday

Curl up with a good book or the latest magazine

Run a bubble bath and make it extra special by adding some epsom salts and essential oils

Dry Body Brush

Light a scented or beeswax candle

Learn Meditation-take 10 minutes to lie down and bliss out

Phone a friend or relative-near or far

Drink a green smoothie

My glowing smoothie>kale, baby spinach, coconut water, Spirullina,

banana,frozen berries, avocado, mesquite powder and bee pollen

Cleanse Revitalise Nourish

Last weekend I came back from a trip away and while I was away I thought about my future, desires and my overall health. It was the ultimate getaway. Before I went away I booked in for a 5 day Cleanse that started yesterday. It is 5 days of juices, smoothies, warming drinks, and soups. I will also follow these steps to wellness and vitality in the coming couple of weeks.

Cleanse for 5 days

This cleanse is from Urban Remedy. A cleanse is an intense program to cut out salt, sugar, simple carbs, artificial sweeteners and incorporate a green balanced, high nutrient diet. The cleanse will level out cravings. It allows the liver and kidneys to eliminate the toxins and wastes from the body. Urban Remedy is based on separate levels of Cleansing. Level One is for beginners which has a higher sugar level, Level Two is for the people who have cleansed before and has low sugar and Level Three which is for cleanse novices and has the lowest sugar. I received my delivery on Sunday night and it included 3 days of juices, smoothies and warming drinks. I will receive my last days tomorrow. Each day there are 6 bottles. I started with a berry smoothie, warming drink, hot soup, cold drink, hot soup and sweet smoothie. They actually taste quite nice which is surprising. The first day was a bit hard to fight my cravings for bread, chocolate and snacking. I was a little more tired in the afternoon but I just continued to drink water, kept busy and journalling. I was up later than normal. I think I was over tired and I was unable to get to sleep. Maybe I was still hungry? I had a good sleep but when I woke up I was very hungry. I was looking forward to my breakfast and warm drink.

Warming winter drink

Sipping on warm water with half a lemon in the morning is very good for cleansing and great for the liver. Adding cayenne pepper is an added bonus as well. It is a good kickstart to the day! I have these twice on the Cleanse.

Exercise

While I was away I did up to 7 hours of walking each day. It was amazing to just walk, get the blood pumping and not have a care in the world. Yes my legs burned but I kept going and now I just crave to get out walking. While walking and sightseeing my head really  opened up, cleared and I felt I had more vitality. I will just keep it up every day!

Meditation

Meditation is not a natural form of self care for me, it is a learned practice. A few years ago I was doing it regularly. I felt more calm, connected and more at peace with myself. I use to look forward to just 20mins. Another form of meditation is being near the ocean, visiting nature, sitting down and concentrating on a thought while doing something you love.

Drink water

Dehydration is one of the worst states your body can be in because it just slows everything down. You are just flat, your hunger signals are all out of whack and you get massive headaches. So at every meal I drink one glass before everything and when I think Im hungry I drink up instead! When my Kinesiologist told me I have to drink 3L I nearly died from laughter. I have been trying to reach the 2L mark every day.

Be kind to yourself

Taking care of myself has been in the backseat in my life for a few years. Im not sure exactly why but I think its because of self esteem issues, stress, sadness and grief. Someone in my family had a terrible illness and she passed away last year. Then suddenly my Dad was killed in a car crash only a few months after. The experiences I have gone through the last year or so have shattered me and some days are just too hard. While I was away I realised that I just need to look after number 1 so I can be the best version of me. I just need to keep being positive, nourish my soul and look for happiness in the simplest things. Be grateful to be alive, well and healthy. I need to look after my nutrition, exercise, self care, have fun, start new hobbies and rest my mind. My favourite things to do include reading a good adventure/crime book, shopping at markets, walking outdoors, having a warm bath, listening to music, cooking a nice meal or seeing a movie.

Rest up

Sleeping is so important to help your mind recover from the day before and let your mind work through your dreams as well. Your body does most of its healing between the hours of 12am-3am. So get to bed before midnight as much as possible to get the best sleep.

Journalling

I cannot tell you how much writing has helped me over the last year or so. I just write anything down, anywhere. Thoughts, feelings, desires, funny stories, memories and just anything that comes to my mind. I have a few separate notebooks. I also have been completing some life coaching ecourses that have helped me immensely. I used to enjoy doing art, crafts and writing poetry but I just need to get that flowing again.

Write a Food and Activity Diary

My fantastic Naturopath has recently helped me to see that having a food diary is so great to see what I am eating, what is missing and what should be added to make my life more balanced and full of vitality. I would say I like bread sometimes and I don’t eat as much fruit as I should and I have a weakness for a biscuit with tea oh well! She showed me how changing a couple of things and crowding in super nutritional food can enhance my mood, ease digestion problems and increase energy levels.

Take a Supplement (or four)

Currently my life is very stressful, high anxiety, crazy tiring, and emotional and so I was told I am lacking in some beneficial vitamins and nutrients. I am currently taking a practitioner prescribed multivitamin which has a beautiful combination of specific vitamins. I am also taking vitamin D every day. I am taking a calming supplement twice daily to help my nervous system and allow me to get the full benefits of rest. I am taking herbal medicine that is personally prescribed for me and I hope to see results in the coming couple of months. It is not too icky actually. I also venture out in the lovely sunshine whenever I can because I think that is one of the best feel-good vitamins and its free!!

Urban Remedy Cleanse

http://www.urbanremedy.com.au/thecleanse/abouturbanremedycleanse/tabid/63/Default.aspx

This weekend is the hardest that Ive had to ever deal with. It is his first birthday without my Dad here. He wouldve been 63 on sunday. I cant really describe the feelings but its so terrible. He was gone in exactly a split second. Last year on this day it was somewhat happy and extremely difficult but there were rays of lights shining through for us.

Since my Dad’s and my Stepmum’s death I have thought that nothing happens for a reason, its just life, a moment in a life. a second goes by in a flash. a year gone by. I stumbled upon this Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLltt5cPDOc It sums up how I feel about everything without the raw emotion. Beforehand I had a conversation with my Aunty about people in our lives. Basically they are not meeting up with our expectation as a friend and how we get so angry with them, what we do for them and us needing more support than we are receiving. We were talking about the new perspective we should have of them. It is within our own thoughts. So we changed our view towards people in our life. She came across the quote on a blog which was in the video and it resonated with me since. I have over the last year sensed who are only seasons and people who will spend a lifetime. It has been challenging but Im still thriving.

Anyways for a little while Ive felt my connection to my Dad and my Stepmum was slipping away because even one week without hearing from either of them is a long time but thats untrue. Now Im just finding a new normal, calming the distress, new rituals. creating a new path, while existing and learning about myself. I am finding a new  reason in this lifetime.