Grow Your Own Smoothie Greens and Super Charge Your Health

Beautiful days are perfect inspiration to get outdoors, go for big walks, swim, run, hit the gym.
but when the cooler weather starts to hit, the rainy days and the chilly mornings can lend to us swapping sneakers for sleep ins, gym visits for snuggles on the couch with dvd's and letting some of those exercise routines slip a little, sometimes even a lot! And then throw a few Winter bugs into the mix like the odd cold, cough and flu and you can really lose your fitness mojo..
But Winter is the best time to actually ramp up your fitness and health levels and best of all being fit, strong and healthy is your best defense against all the bugs that get around that time of year, and if your a busy mum like me - you know, you just don't have time to get sick!

So how is my family SuperCharging our health and fitness?
Well Australian Fitness Week is 7th to 13th April and there is inspiration all around you like Fitness First's pay as you go flexible gym plans, free twighlight bootcamps in the city (fun!) and a 1 day guest pass so you can try before you buy, which is such a fantastic idea.

We will eat well and exercise every day. For me using weights will be much more of a priority. We are making our health important. We have also pledged as a family to do something energetic and fun every weekend on top of daily exercise, yes, even if it raining!
Think climb a mountain, long waterfall trek's, canoeing, surfing, dancing, yoga, maybe an outdoor bootcamp!

AND thanks to the ever inspiring Fitness First we are inspiring ourselves to have a green smoothie or green juice EVERY DAY by growing our own organic smoothie greens!

So much easier than you think, and so rewarding!
As a horticulturalist I can tell you growing your own beautiful, organic produce is one of the most exciting things in life. I firmly believe the reason both my kids with very different personalities both love all their veggies and are not fussy eaters is because they have grown up with lovely fresh produce all around them and gardens they can pick and eat from.

This school holidays thanks to Fitness First's inspiration we set about creating a very special garden.
A smoothie greens garden!So there will always be plenty of green, organic goodies to supercharge our life.
WHY are greens so good?
They are alkalizing, they are full of iron and vitamins for our bodies and minds.
They supercharge your health and boost your fitness energy!!

We wanted to make it a garden that any family, anywhere in Australia could do also.
So we chose a self watering, leak proof affordable planting tub from Bunnings.
One that is neat and tidy to look at, user friendly, size friendly so even if you only have a small balcony in the city you can fit one in and practical and of course doesn't cost a fortune!

(You can also find these at hardware stores and nurseries. Look for one that has a removable water tray underneath so you can clean the tray if need be and also so it wont make a mess on your veranda or balcony with water stains.

TIP Pick just the right spot, most vegetables and a lot of herbs require at least 6 hours of strong, full sunlight to grow well. Not enough sun and they will be weak, grow strangely and be prone to pests and diseases.
Then just like a good cake mix load yourself up with gorgeous goodies for your garden.
TIP a successful garden relies hugely on the soil/potting mix, never scrimp on this part of gardening. Underrating soil will mean weaker plants, plants prone to pests and diseases, soil that dries out too quickly and a huge array of problems. A good mix is worth every cent!

So what kinds of things did we add into our garden?
The garden was 120 L, we used

• Brunnings All Natural Garden soil (60 litre)
• Richgro organic compost (25 litre)
• Dynamic Lifter (as directed on packet)
• Coir Peat  x 2 bricks (you buy this in a compressed block for under $3, add water and it swells up, lots of fun for the kids this part - we use this peat and not actual peat moss as peat is an limited resource so we try not to use it)

We mix these together like a big giant cake mix making a beautiful custom blend.
This is one of the mist fun arts for the kids and is also a very grounding exercise for us busy mums too, studies show too that toiling in fresh dirt actually has anti depressant effects.

After filling the tub with a beautiful, rich mixture we get the seedlings ready by gently soaking them in a weak solution of seasol (my favourite fertilizer) for around 10 minutes. This will help give them strength, nutrients and a real boost to take to their new surroundings.

Then you get to give the little health packed plants a home. Remember to always space them well, you don't want overcrowd them or have taller growing plants shadowing out the littler ones.
TIP I always recommend planting some companion planting herbs and flowers amongst your vegetables, they help deter pests and make plantings smell great and look attractive too. Trust me if your little veggie pot has pretty flowers around the edge, smells amazing as water hits the herbs amongst them you truly will find yourself more likely to spend time looking after it and watering it regularly and therefore getting so much more success out of it.
In our little smoothie greens patch we have included marigiolds which are fantastic for repelling nematodes and also chives and garlic chives to deter all the green leaf munching pests!

Give the whole lot a nice slow, deep drink.

And then tuck all the plants in with a good mulch, I recommend an organic sugar cane mulch.
Sugar cane mulch is excellent at retaining moisture, breaks down quite rapidly adding organic matter and nitrogen to the soil and increases microbial activity. All helping give you strong, healthy plants.

Finish with another drink make sure all the plants are upright and stable in their little spots, or tucking them in as my youngest called it!
Maintenance keep them healthy with regularly watering and once a week seasol treatments to start off with, dropping down to every 2 weeks once the seedlings have established. Keep your garden growing organic and strong, remove bugs by hand, use organic natural sprays if and only when necessary.
*Remember just because it's natural doesn't always mean it is safe or non toxic as well and you will often kill off all your good bugs as well.
TIP  get the kids involved with the whole process and especially harvesting for and then making green smoothies and they will fall in love with the whole process and you will have the added pleasure of knowing you are giving them amazing healthy life-skills and an incredible learning experience.

How will you #superchargeyourhealth ?

If you make your own smoothie greens garden I'd love to see it! Share your pics on my Facebook page

Be well, be happy, eat beautiful and be active.
Love Bek XX

Boost Your Immunity For Winter with the Naughty Naturopath Mum

Don't fear the flu season this year! We have for you expert advice to prepare you and your family!

I am very excited to be able to bring to you a guest blog post by the very talented and inspiring Naughty Naturopath Mum.
If you haven't discovered her blog yet, go check it out!
Alisha is amazing as she combines expert advice and healthy inspiration with a very refreshing realness that you appreciate so much a mum. You know when you read her blog and fb page that she is not just an expert in her field full of knowledge and talent, openly sharing this with you, her readers, she is also a mum. She is real life, her recipes and remedies are all family friendly. You know you can trust her and from the minute you read her blog you feel welcomed like you have sat down to a pot of tea with a very wise friend. Alisha's blog is a wealth of information and definitely one to subscribe too!
I am delighted to share with you...

Naughty Naturopath's Top Ten Tips for Boosting Immunity for Winter

1) Get your Gut Healthy! Most of your immune cells lie within the gut mucosal lining! So keeping that in tip
top shape will have you ahead of the game from the start, use daily probiotics in the form of capsules, powder, yoghurt, kefir, kombucha and cultured vegetables. There are many things you can do to keep your gut healthy and you can refer to a list of things to keep your gut healthy which is part of my gut health series, to read this list, go to http://naughtynaturopathmum.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/gut-health-heal-your-gut/

2) Garlic, Garlic, Garlic!

There is an active constituent in garlic called Allicin. This pytochemical or plant compound has ant-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-mircobial properties.

To get the allicin out of the garlic, crushing it so the juice comes out is the best way to consume. Add crushed garlic to your meals at the end of the cooking process so you don't damage the allicin properties. Stir into your soups, casseroles, stir fries, slow cooked meals etc. after they have come off the heat and just before serving. Add crushed garlic to olive oil and dress pasta, rice, vegetables and salads. It's also a component of my 'Jungle Juice' which I will give you the recipe for at the end of these tips.

I also treat all viruses with garlic. For people who can't ingest garlic in their diets or the Jungle Juice due to sensitive digestion or even little kids who don't like the taste, you can get it into the system another way!

Garlic Socks! Lol! Now before you say, "what the???" - Hear me out!

We absorb a lot via our skin and through the soles of our feet is very effective. So what you do is get some coconut oil (about 30ml) in a bowl and crush 1 clove of garlic for a child or 2 cloves for an adult and stir it around a little, then on nice clean feet, apply this oil and pop socks on. Leave overnight or all day if possible. It will go right through your system, you will even smell garlic on your breath the next day even without eating it! DONT PUT GARLIC STRAIGHT ONTO FEET WITHOUT MIXING IN OIL-

IT CAN BURN!

3) Vitamin C and plenty of it, you can get from your diet from foods such as kiwi fruit, citrus, berries and green leafy vegetables, pineapple, parsley, broccoli and capsicum.

I also love a product by Superfoods for Kidz called C Berry Blast and I use this to make into healthy tropical ice blocks or drinks for the kids. Taking an added Vitamin C supplement for your immune system daily as well as your dietary intake is still a good idea especially in the lead up to winter. It not only helps with Immunity but the health of your cardiovascular system and skin. You can take a Vitamin C tablet but make sure it is a good quality one sourced from rosehip or take a powdered food form, I have Acai Berry blend by Nutra Organics daily.

4) Zinc, an extremely important mineral for proper immune function. Good dietary sources are beef, ginger, oysters, whole grains and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Also available in tablets and drops and often times you will find that you can buy Zinc and Vit C together.

5) Vitamin D, another pivotal vitamin when it comes to ensuring our immune system is working correctly and unfortunately these days, is found to be quite deficient in a lot of people. Dietary sources are fish liver oils from cod, halibut, herring and tuna (remember getting dosed with a tspn of cod liver oil as a kid?). It can be bought in capsule form these days as well as liquid. You will also find it in egg yolk, milk and sprouted seeds. Vitamin D is actually made by the synthesized action of sunlight on our skin so especially in the winter months, it is important to have skin exposed without suncream (GASP!) for at least 10 minutes. This will not only help with your body's production of Vitamin D but lift your serotonin as well (happy hormone!)

6) Herbs - There are quite a few herbs that help with not only reducing the likelihood of you getting sick but also help lessen the severity and duration should you catch a dreaded lurgy that's going around. Some herbs do this by increasing your white blood cell count (your first line of defence), the most popular ones are Echinacea, Andrographis, Astragalus and Olive Leaf Extract. Others do this by helping your body adapt to stressors as stress is a huge immune suppressant. Herbs such as these are Siberian Ginseng, Withania and Rehmannia. Herbs come in the dried form which you can take as a tea, tablets or capsules which are the next strongest and for the most effective, liquid extract form.

7) Sleep - This is a hard one, especially for parents with young kids but if you are not getting enough sleep, you will also have suppressed immunity. When we sleep, the body has a chance to repair our cells and remove waste to be excreted the next day. If we don't allow the body adequate time to do this, we are in a constant cycle of catch up, physically and mentally and that will take it's toll so get to bed earlier and try to aim for 8 hours a night.

8) Relax! Again, easier said than done sometimes but so, so crucial to keeping immune system functioning properly. Being in a state of stress means that our levels of cortisol and adrenalin are high which in turn suppresses immunity. These hormones can save our life as they are responsible for taking blood and nutrients away from our organs to the periphery of the body so we can fling ourselves into action! But of course, this leaves our organs and glands from being properly nourished and for short bursts of time that doesn't matter but for longer periods of time will of course be no good! So whatever you can do to keep those stress hormones down is like giving your immunity a shot as well. Exercise especially walking, yoga and tai chi, meditation, taking time out to do things you love doing and that relax you is like taking out an insurance policy on you staying healthy while others get sick around you!

This is also why I focus so much on the Australian Bush Flower Essences to help with our emotional and physical health. Everything that happens to us physically is due to the manifestation of emotions that have been buried and not dealt with properly. I often make immune boosting blends which often address anger and fear. To help with stress, I recommend Emergency Essence and Calm and Clear Essence. Please visit this link here to have a read about how these blends can help you clear emotional baggage and stay emotionally and physically stronger - http://naughtynaturopathmum.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/australian-bush-flower-essences/

9) Stay away from Sugar! I'm sure I don't need to tell you that eating a diet of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, good fats and whole grains are food for you right? But did you know that when consuming refined sugar, it is not just added weight that you need to worry about? Sugar actually fuels all pathogenic activity in the body. Whether you are harbouring a virus, a bacterial infection or fungal overgrowth such as candida, the fastest way to make it bigger and stronger is to feed it sugar. You can actually starve these pathogens by keeping sugar out of the bloodstream so they can't get the better of you!!

10) Bone Broth - an amazing and nourishing way to keep healthy is to get into your bone broth! Make it a source of all your winter soups, casseroles, stews, risottos and simply drink a cup on it's own. Boil your kids pasta and rice in it if they won't have it any other way. You are building up your gut with amino acids from the bone and cartilage and repairing parts of your body that may be weaker and more prone to infection. Simply boil up organic beef bones or a whole organic chicken carcass with some bay leaves and veg in your slow cooker or a big stove top pot with lid and bring to the boil, well covered in water, simmer for as long as possible to get everything into the liquid, strain and freeze in portions to use in as many dishes as you can.

I promise if you try to do as much of this as possible, you don't have to do it all, but where you can, make some changes, and this will be the healthiest winter you and your family will ever have!

Jungle Juice!

Take as a preventative or use it to treat those nasty colds and flus, You will need -

1 orange squeezed

1 lemon squeezed

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tspn of horseradish

a pinch of cayenne or 1 small chopped red chilli, seeds removed

1tspn of raw unprocessed honey

1/2 thumb sized piece of ginger grated

Pop it all into a glass, top with boiling water and give it a stir and drink on down! Drink once daily as a preventative or 2-3 times daily when fighting a cold and don't forget to wear your garlic socks! ;)

Alisha also has a very exciting vitamin C tropical ice block that the kids will LOVE!
Get the recipe HERE

Alisha's Bio 

Alisha is a naturopath and SAHM to two little ones. She has worked in many areas of naturopathy including private clinics, training and education and healthfood stores.

She is passionate about spreading the word on starting the health journey from the home and educating children from a young age about this. Growing your own foods where possible, shopping at farmers markets and cooking and preparing meals with whole foods as a family and teaching our kids about balance in health. She promotes the 80/20 rule as she believes that mistakes and indulgence are part of a healthy balance in life and that extremism of any sort leads to mental and emotional imbalance. She makes and sells the Australian Bush Flower Essences to help mums and their kids get back to themselves.

Alisha blogs at http://naughtynaturopathmum.wordpress.com and her Facebook page is Naughty Naturopath Mum

Mums Keeping it REAL - bloggy link up X

Mums Keeping It Real

There is a change happening and I can feel it, I can even now start to see it, spreading through the social media sites.
Mums are fed up with the super mum tag, fed up with trying to appear and be perfect at everything, all the time.

Mums now want more fresh honesty, realness, personality and humour.

We want to know we are not alone. That another mum has felt the same as us or been through what we have.
Sometimes we want the real because we just want to feel more connected and grounded.  We want to reach out and talk to other real, honest mums, even if they are on the other side of the world. To read that it is not just us that has had a horrible day and to reassure ourselves that one bad day a does not make us a failure.

It can be an enriching experience to hear the emotional story behind an inspiring mum or an experience from a motherhood journey. Good, sad and life changing ones. We want to be moved, inspired, uplifted, touched by another person, even if we have never met them. We want to be able to embrace our emotions and their story. Sometimes we just want to hear that the inspiring women we look up to are real too, just like us.

The trend happening is women now want more REAL.

Let's be honest, if you want an escape from reality you can grab a fabulous book or dvd.
Sometimes it is more refreshing to get a does of realness.
We want to know we are not alone, maybe to be reminded that actually we are pretty blessed, or are doing really well and that that everybody is different but everybody is human too.
.

So I am going to share below some Mums Keeping It Real blogs that I have read recently that warmed my
soul...

Share the support and sisterhood of motherhood and link in your own inspiring realness blog post for Mums Keeping it Real this April tooand share the Mums Keeping It Real blog with the beautiful mums you know.
Lets share the realness

Rebecca xx
Here is a photo of me and the kids after getting drenched with rain so a very real shot with soggy hair and washed off makeup >>>

And below are just some of the amazing blogs I have read and loved recently, starting with the gorgeous The Yogic Housewife who I was blessed to have write a fantastic and very real guest post for this blog!

5 very real Steps to Happiness - The Yogic Housewife
Vomiting Chicken - The Problem of Perception Perfection
Gratitude - a VERY moving post by the Naughty Naturopath Mum
Bad Mothers Society - The Yogic Housewife
The Eco Mum - on being a little un-eco at times
The Myth of The Perfect Person - Dog Rose Healing
Natural New Age Mum sharing her homemade chocolate face mask complete with real photos
(Yes she is that real she has photo's on the internet in a face mask, one cool woman! :)
Shocking things I found in my sons shoe drawer!
The art of letting go - Mamacino
Motherhood Burnout - Mamacino
It's ok to say I'm not ok - Mums Lounge
The Tanty Files - iSophie (This will make you laugh!)

MUMS keeping it REAL - Special guest blog with The Yogic Housewife!

MUMS keeping it REAL
Special Guest Blog with Nicola Garcia 

5 Steps to Happiness

I am so very excited to share a very real and inspiring guest post today with The Yogic Housewife, Nicola Garcia. I just LOVE it when mums, especially really inspiring ones like Nicola share their wisdom and experiences in a very real life way.
It is like a breath of fresh air on motherhood.
It makes for advice you not only can actually follow as a busy mum, but want to follow too.
Below is such an honest and moving post, one that will help you feel better and feel somuch  happier especially on those days when you really need it the most!
Be sure to follow Nicola's BLOG and Facebook page for more of her inspiring wisdom, and stay tuned for her new book!

Five Steps To Happiness

A short introduction to me (before you get the wrong idea), I am a happiness guru, a positivity pusher, a believer in the Universe and everything coming at the right time. I love to do things that make me happy, spend time with my kids, go on dates with my husband and love my life. But….there are some days when it is just so good to get your grumpiness on….and know that this is not the end of your happiness, but a blip on one day.

Below I share my story of such a day and give you some inspiration for making those days better….

Yesterday, for me, was a long tedious blur. Mantras were not working. 

“I am happy and fulfilled” was not cutting the mustard. I did not feel happy, nor fulfilled.

I woke up in a mood and the rest of the day stretched out in front of me, bleak and full on with two little people to look after.

Let’s just say their behaviour was tipping the wrong side of abysmal.

When my husband, who’s been over-committed to social occasions lately, rolled out of bed, I listed my gripes and that helped release some tension.

I then decided to put my black energy into something constructive.

I tackled the mess that some would call a playroom. I couldn't see the floor. There were toys littered, puzzle pieces in random boxes and cars under my feet.

This gave me the right to provide the evil eye at any person (small or large) that came within my vicinity.

Nobody helped me.

In fact a couple of times I was hindered, but I kept on.

Satisfied when the room was ordered and gleaming, I moved on to the bathroom cupboards and started de-cluttering. As I got to get rid of some of my husband’s things, this provided me with a glimpse of happiness and my mood improved.
I decided to give everything I was putting out to a Women’s refuge: cue feel good moment and a new intensive purpose. My wardrobe was attacked and it now looks stream-lined and healthy. I parted with things I didn’t think I could.
A good cause will make the decision easy.
By midday I was done. I made a vegetable-heavy mince for Bolognese and got mean satisfaction from watching my family chow it down.
Ditto with the risotto I made for dinner.
By 5pm I looked back over my day and was so pleased that my mood turned around.
Fun Mum and Happy Wife came back.

So, my tried and tested steps to happiness are:
Yell At Husband
Tidy and Throw Out Things
Give To Good Cause
Hide Vegetables in Children’s Food
Re-live steps 1 – 4

I would love to know if any of this works for you. Don’t tell your husband or kids that it was me who gave you the ideas!
Xx

Nicola Garcia has two children under four and blogs about health and motherhood over at theyogichousewife.wordpress.com  She has an e-book coming out in June, How To Become One Healthy Mama. You can catch her on facebook (she practically lives there) www.facebook.com/theyogichousewife or tweet her @yogichousewife. 

INSPIRATIONAL INTERVIEW with Peter Pratt

Join in an inspirational interview with a very amazing man, Peter Pratt who is bringing waves of health and inspired living to the Sunshine Coast
Peter Pratt is the owner and creator of the inspirational

Diabetic Health Clinic
Who are also on Facebook

  



The Diabetic Health Clinic is a interesting name can you tell us a bit about the name?

Yes the name is very descriptive for what we focus on. Obviously firstly on diabetes in particular type 2 diabetes which is the prevalent type.  We focus on every diabetic being in a position to regain their health and we run a program in the form of workshops which we call clinics. 

 Can you tell us a bit about how the Diabetic Health Clinic came about?

I was diagnosed at the age of 40 or 7 years ago with type two diabetes.  These things come as a bit of shock when they happen.  The doctor prescribed pills and during that time advised me that the biggest impact that I can make on the disease is to change my lifestyle.  Every diabetic knows that a change in lifestyle is of utmost importance.  So I did, I modified my eating habits by reducing unhealthy foods and I started running as I figured exercise would be a good thing.  I did well as I dropped from around 110kg to 86kg in a two year period.  Then my knee started to give up as an old injury started to rear its ugly head, I slowed down the running and the weight went back up to 100kg.  Throughout the whole period I had to continue my diabetic medications. 

 I then came across a movie by Joe Cross “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead” which by the way was a fairly good description of me.  The movie motivated me to do a extended vegetable juice fast during which time my sugar levels stabilised and normalised.  At the end of the juice fast I was able to change what I was traditionally eating to a whole foods plant based, as grown food intake.  It was easy at the time and I created a long term lifestyle change. When I was declared by my doctor as a non diabetic I became excited about the possibility of sharing how to do this with others struggling with type 2 diabetes and that was the beginnings of the Diabetic Health Clinic.

 

One thing that intrigues me is the Juice Fast. How long did you do this for?

A total of 30 days

 So you did not eat for thirty days?

That's isn't technically right, what actually happens is that the juice fast is predominantly based around juicing a variety of vegetables. I was consuming ¾ of a litre per meal, so three times a day. To actually make that much juice you need a lot of veggies.  Because the pulp is stripped away and you have the goodness of all those raw uncooked veggies in the juice, there is more nutrition in one juice than I would have in a week of normal eating.  You can't eat that much veggies in one sitting but its quite easy to drink them.

Were you ever hungry?

My biggest fear at the point where I started the juice fast was being hungry.  Interestingly once the sugar withdrawals were finished with I found that hunger was not an issue.  When it was getting close to the next meal then of course you feel hunger as you normally do before any meal.  What I did find is that I was able to experience hunger the way it is meant to be.  I discovered that hunger without cravings feels very different.  Without knowing in the past I would mix up hunger and cravings and call it all hunger.  Those were the days when I became very angry when I was hungry for to long.  That anger comes from the sugar addiction which causes those cravings.  When you are sugar free you are just simply hungry.  This in itself is a monumental change.

So how did the juice fast impact on your diabetes?

Once the intake of processed sugars and all processed foods is stopped and replaced with high doses of pure natural nutrition the blood sugar levels return to a healthy level within just a few days. Once I was through the withdrawals I felt good which motivated me to keep going,  I lost masses of weight which motivated me even more and the result is a changed lifestyle with a full type 2 diabetic reversal.

Withdrawal symptoms, it seems you talk a lot about the sugar addiction, could you elaborate?

Processed sugar is an extremely addictive substance,  our foods today are mainly processed.  The rule is that any processed foods for diabetics are bad as they either contain sugar or turn into sugar quickly when ingested.  This is what is know as a high GI food.  Because of our culture of consuming factory made foods the average Australian now consumes 23 teaspoons of sugar per day, that is a massive 68kg per year.  There is nothing moderate about this level of processed sugar consumption.  When you stop this consumption because sugar is a very addictive substance  you experience withdrawals, these can last up to 6 days and can be horrible.  My went for 3 days which was 3 days to long.

And the weight loss how much did you loose?

12kg in the first 30 days, in the subsequent 2 months after I began eating solid foods I lost another 11kg which is a total of 23kg.

WOW. That is a incredible weight loss, how can this happen?

The elimination of processed sugar and foods out of the diet is what makes such weight loss possible.  The problem is that when we dump sugar at such high levels into our bodies, our body is forced to deal with the situation.  Insulin which is made by the pancreas when we start eating, is responsible for allowing cells to open their doors for the sugar to come in.  This is a good thing as some cells need lots of energy, for example muscles, when we use our bodies as sugar dumps the body has no other choice but to store the excess sugar in cells that don't really need energy.  The problem is that when the sugar enters theses cells it is stored as fat.  It is our insatiable addiction to processed foods and sugars, in conjunction with the high volumes that we consume which is causing the obesity epidemic which is then becomes the catalyst for the diabetes epidemic.
 

That is fascinating, so what you are saying is that all processed foods are bad? Is it ok to eat them in moderation?

Yes and No, Yes they are all bad.  By the time that a whole bunch of extracted ingredients have been put together, then a whole bunch of chemicals have been thrown in how can that possibly be good for you?  Secondly even things appear as healthy, for example bread, and in particular white bread which is made from white flour.  This is flour that has been stripped from all goodness so it is processed, the issue is that when you ingest white bread it takes about 4 minutes to be broken down into sugar.  People get their sugar hit from consuming this type of bread.  As far as eating in moderation goes it does not make it ok to eat in small quantities if it is bad for you. That is like smoking a ½  a pack per day instead of a pack.  Secondly because processed sugar is so addictive once you have kicked the habit having small quantities is usually the beginning of going back to a processed sugar rich diet and the beginning of a new sugar addiction.  If you have struggled with diabetes this is the last place you want to go to.

 

 When you talk about sugar fruits have sugar and so do vegetables, and you do hear about this in the media sometimes, do you see this sugar as harmful?

This is a very good question.  The best way to answer this is to point out that people do not get addicted to say plums.  It is common for people to be addicted to certain foods all of which are processed and also contain extracted sugars, good examples can be chocolates or foods that utilise processed ingredients and that produce high sugar loads like pasta or breads or even white rice.  The reason this happens is that when substances are extracted out of the plant kingdom they are mono nutrients, all of these substances cause imbalances in the body. It just so happens that processed sugars which include most processed foods are an addictive substance.  When sugars are consumed in the context of an as grown food they are safe.  Assuming that you are on a diet of as grown foods only, you still need to get your daily dose of sugar, 5 – 8 teaspoons per day, is what our bodies need.  The safest way to get this sugar is in the context of as grown whole unmodified and natural foods.

 

 

 

So what do you suggest that people do?

This is a simple answer, however in the context of a powerful sugar addiction not an easy answer.  It is simple to consume a whole foods plant based as grown diet.  It can be extremely difficult to get over a powerful addiction. Bek it is exciting to see what you are doing.  Your book and recipes are what we need more off. Growing our own veggies is best.  You cover all of these issues in what you do.  Educating people is the start of creating a tide of resistance against bad and unhealthy foods.  The foods that are making us sick. People need to start reading material and start to understand the massive problem that society has.  Latest statistics show that over 60% of Australians are over weight or obese. That is terrible.  This type of society is going to be unhealthy and sick.  The more people we can reach, the more we can change the health of our nation. If someone has gone down the track of being unhealthy for so long that they have developed type 2 diabetes then turning to a program like ours is good as they can be coached through getting over the sugar addiction, then they are taught how to create a lifelong lifestyle change. By doing so they are able arrest their diabetic condition and in most cases reverse their condition. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a doctor say “can you please stop taking the pills”.

 

 That must be so amazing to hear a doctor say that.
 You sound so passionate about what you are doing!

Absolutely, if essentially you saved your life and went from fat sick and nearly dead to healthy full of life and energy wouldn't you be passionate about what you have done and wouldn't you want to tell others about it?

 

 

You are so right, thank you for your wonderful insights, explanations and the motivation that you shared., it as been a real honour to have your interview on my blog, and to meet such an inspirational person as yourself.
The work you are doing is truly amazing.
Thank you for your time.

You can find out more about Peter's amazing work and clinic at:
http://www.facebook.com/DiabeticHealthClinic
http://www.diabetichealthclinic.org



Rebecca X

 

MOTIVATION Just keep going

You've been eating really well, drinking plenty of water and you have even been going to the gym or walking or {insert exercise here}.
Your feeling pretty empowered, positive and most of all excited to see some results! You know its only been a week or two but still in your mind you might be hoping...

THEN.. you jump on the scales and look at yourself naked in the mirror and feel a little crushed that you haven't transformed into a bikini model from all your hard work and effort yet.
Your not alone.
Many people start out on a health kick, exercise routine or diet and then give up in the first few weeks when they don't see Hollywood style dramatic instant results.

So how do you keep the motivation going?

Pay attention to your body. Yes, your body because we are all so different.

• Measure yourself right at the start, sometimes we lose cm's rather kilo's on the scale.
• Look at your skin, your complexion, notice the glow of health starting to show.
• Really notice how you feel in your body, does it feel lighter? Generally better all over? Like things are working better? Do you feel less bloated? Less tired all the time? Less lethargic?
• Is that muscle tone you are starting to see in your arms? Legs? Shoulders?
• Do you feel stronger?
• Do you feel that you have increased your endurance? Your overall fitness level?
• Is the exercise helping to boost your mood? Reduce depression? Reduce Stress? Make you feel happier?
• Are your clothes feeling a little looser? Fitting on you better?
• Has the changes led to making new great friends, also wanting to lead a healthier life or who maybe already are?
• Does a health condition seem to be improving maybe?
• Have a good think at all the benefits you really are feeling and maybe seeing so far and tell yourself with a HUGE SMILE in the mirror - there is going to be more and more exciting changes to come!

So many changes start to happen throughout your body when you start embracing healthier choices and regular exercise. Get excited about all of them. About the journey you are on to get to know your body so well, to feel the joy of nourishing it, of challenging it with exercise, feel the great benefits of treating it well.

Inspire yourself daily. Surround yourself with genuine people who uplift and inspire and yes motivate you. Read about other inspiring stories to keep motivated.

And you WILL get there, you just need to KEEP GOING!

Rebecca xx

For extra inspiration you can read about my weight loss journeys here:
http://www.authorrebeccamugridge.com/p/my-weight-loss-story.html
And of course in My Heartfelt Book where I share my very personal story x

2013 - Peace, Freshness & Happiness xx

In 2013 I am looking to fill my heart and life with peace, happiness and freshness.

I have so much inspiration and excitement for 2013 and there is a great many things that are happening with me this year that I am almost bubbling over!

I am also aiming to bring more of that peacefull element in and create more organised balance between all the things that are important to me, and to strive to live most of my days thankful for each and every one, so very thankful for my beautiful children and loving family, thankful for dear friends and the many wonderful people in my life and all the inspiring people I get to work with, the people I get to connect with and to meet.

SO thankful for all the opportunities in my life.

 

 

I want to also thank YOU for your support.

And to wish everyone great peace and prosperity for the great, fresh new year of 2013

 

Empower yourself in 2013- Start your year feeling fresh and at peace.

Let the very word, fresh, guide you and inspire you on each day ahead.

Have a fresh outlook on life - it feels so good...

A fresh take on your career, your lifestyle, what makes you truly happy.

Give yourself the benefit of a fresh new opinion of YOURSELF.

A fresh look at how amazing YOU are, on what you have to be thankful for, the blessings in your life, your talents, your skills, how far you have come and at the amazing possibilities that lie before you right now...

 

Start your new year with peace and love in your heart and mind.
Fill yourself with passion and follow your inspiration.

Fill your heart and mind with PEACE.

Let go of all negative thoughts as much as you can, leave them behind this fresh new year, move on from what or who brought you down, what makes you feel ill at ease, what takes too much of your time or thoughts without making you really happy, dwell less on past hurts, disappointments, miscommunication, wrong turns and mistakes, we all have them and they are part of the colourful rainbow that is our whole life experiences up to this very point.

Speak your mind and your heart. Be true to yourself and what matters to you. Be kind, be considerate, be forgiving, be compassionate and be strong. Speak kindly of others and yourself.
Learn to love yourself, in all ways, all of you. Love that things that are going well but also love the things that may take work or are a lot to deal with at times, there is always a silver lining and they do also cause you to appreciate, grow and learn as a person.

 

Most of all embrace and get passionate about your health for it is at the true heart of happiness.

 

Look forward into 2013 with an open heart and great excitement at the possibilities!

 

I am greatly looking forward to sharing the 2013 journey with you!!

If you too are on a journey like mine in 2013 why not leave your blog address below.

Much love,

Rebecca xx

Remember to cherish YOU - these holidays too

The festive season is upon us.
It's exciting, it's often fun and a time of year we all generally very much look forward too and love.
But it can also be exhausting, emotional and stressful for many or even just some of the time...
So these holidays remember to hold your family and loved ones dear but hold yourself dear too. Remind yourself that you are a key special part in your own happiness. You are loved.
Let go of the bad and embrace the good. Do what you can and then let go for the day. Be patient. Be kind. Be calm. Be peaceful. Be positive. Be happy x

Remember too If you ever find yourself feeling on edge or think you might be a little more than just exhausted or upset reach out to loved ones, friends and family, your doctor or a supportive group like Lifeline 13 11 14
You are never alone, and you are so important to your family so you should be to yourself too!

Love Rebecca xx

Me & Her: a Memoir of Madness Author Interview

I interview inspirational Aussie Author and Mental Health Advocate Karen Tyrrel about her new book!

 

ME & HER: a Memoir of Madness: Interview

Q Tell us a little bit about your amazing book.

ME & HER: a Memoir of Madness reveals how parents and their child repeatedly bullied and abused ME, a teacher (Karen Tyrrell) until I could take no more. Each night I screamed out, tormented by ghastly terrors. I escaped into an altered state of reality, transforming into my mad half, HER.

ME: Teacher, wife, mother and Writer
HER: Manic, psychic, healer to the living, telepathic to the dead, and she’s very psychotic!

Q What is it like to have a book published and share your gripping personal story so openly?

 An extreme roller-coaster of emotions. Totally exhilarated one minute, sharing my tell-all story to help others. The next minute I’m over-whelmed with gut-wrenching angst over my personal disclosures for the world to scrutinize and judge.

 Q What would you say to others who might have a loved one in the situation you were in or maybe have been there themselves?

Don’t bottle up your angst and torment! Share your abuse with someone. Seek counselling and talk therapy straight away. Don’t pretend you’re OK when you’re not.

 Q What is Bipolar?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder where people may show symptoms of a high mood and over-the-top behaviour. Other times they may show low moods feeling depressed and anxious. Medication and a pro-active wellness plan can stabilize and manage bipolar disorder.

Q Do you think more can be done for mental health in Australia?

Those with mental illness and mental health issues are screaming out for help. So many sufferers are left undiagnosed, untreated or turned away from over-filled hospitals. Or if they’re lucky to secure a bed, they’re released far too early.

I’m one of the lucky ones to recover, able to share my wellness strategies.

Q Do you think the population needs to be made more aware of how much damage we can do to one another?

Bullying and abuse are running rife in our society. Victims retain deep emotional and psychological scars, often resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health issues.

Q What are some great programs or groups people can visit for more information?

Check out Karen’s Resilience Training workshop http://www.karentyrrell.com/develop-resilience-skills-keep-mentally-strong/

Visit Mental Health Association: Get Help Now

http://www.mentalhealth.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19&Itemid=31

Q Where can people buy your book?

You can buy ME & HER: a Memoir of Madness via Amazon http://lnkd.in/BmuVR7

Q Where can people find information on events to listen to you speak or read your blogs?

Please check my website http://www.karentyrrell to find out more about my mental health blogs and events, or download my Free eBook *30 Top Tools for Wellness*


Thank you Karen for sharing some insights into your work and your very inspiring book.
Please check out Karen's blog and her Facebook Page to find out more about this amazing woman and her story.