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#GETSTRONG

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On my journey to get (and stay) fit, I've discovered a number of inspiring fitness classes that have kept my exercise engine going. 

I've been running almost exclusively for most of life but recently realized that I was hitting a plateau and limiting my opportunities to broaden both my physical abilities and mental well being.  Running alone wasn't allowing me to push my body beyond its normal limits in order for it to improve .... So I made the leap and began mixing things up with both weight lifting (to improve overall strength and tone) and high intensity interval training (HIIT) to increase stamina. 

To help make this shift, I engaged a personal trainer who had the patience and expertise to show me the way.  My trainer put me on a program that consisted of no running, no machines - just free weights (and a proper diet) and 20 minutes HIIT (2X a week) and after 3 months I saw amazing results!  I'm now totally hooked and make it a point to always incorporate both strength training and HIIT into my weekly fitness routine.  

If getting to a gym and hitting the weights feels like a daunting task (it was for me so I bought a variety of weights for home workouts) here are a few great classes that will both challenge you and leave you feeling sore in places where you had forgotten you had muscles.

Time to celebrate strength and stamina over conventional beauty!  Break a sweat, ladies and step outside your comfort zone! The benefits are well worth it. 

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xo Sue

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The 2016 Health Nut Gift Guide

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The healthiest people I know have two big things in common: a passion for fitness and a love for the most delicious, good-for-you foods on the planet.  These gift ideas are handpicked for you and include a little something for every level of heath enthusiast on your list. Happy gifting! 

BE MERRY & BRIGHT!  Be sure to take some time out of your busy life to enjoy the magic of the holidays.  Shower your family and friends with love, spread joy and peace across the globe, and fill your holidays with plenty of fun and laughter!

Happy Holidays!

xx Sue

xoxo Sue

Winter Skin: Make Yours Fabulous!

Winter can be a really challenging time for our skin.  The cold air and lack of moisture plays havoc with our skin cells, causing awkward breakouts, elephant-like rough patches and itching areas that push us to constant scratching.  It can be embarrassing and quick frankly, a problem we don't need or want! So what can we do to prevent these unpleasant skin situations from erupting and how can we outfit ourselves with the most fabulous winter skin? Here your BRIT BEET Winter skin first aid kit:  

  1. Stay hydrated: All our cells need water to work efficiently and it is an essential component of healthy, glowing skin. A quick test to know if you are hydrated is checking the color of your urine: clear urine = hydrated; dark yellow urine = drink more!
  2. Exfoliate:  If you haven't been a convert to exfoliating before, Winter is the time to break out the exfoliation scrub and get rid of dry, scaly patches that may have appeared thanks to Old Man Winter. How often should you exfoliate? Once a week is a good bench mark after which your skin will feel soft and smooth to the touch. 
  3. Eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids: Choose foods such as salmon (wild is best), sardines, scallops, ground flaxseeds, flaxseed oil and walnuts. Some of these foods also contain fats called ALA's which can help keep your skin function properly and also help reduce inflammatory responses in the skin which can lead to rashes and break-outs.
  4. Choose organically grown fruits and vegetables: These are rich in antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and vitamin C, flavonoids (plant molecule) and carotenoids (plant pigments) which all play a crucial role in anti-inflammatory and immune support, helping our skin to look its best.
  5. Consume drinks that are antioxidant rich: Green tea and cold-pressed juices help fight free radicals that can damage the cellular structures of the skin, accelerating our skin's aging process.
  6. Allergens/Sensitivities: Be aware of foods that have caused a sensitivity or allergic reaction in the past as they can trigger unwanted skin conditions such as dermatitis and breakouts: Some of the most likely culprits are: wheat, corn, tomatoes, oranges, chocolate, cow's milk, shellfish, alcohol, vinegar, sulfites (red wine), peanuts and strawberries. BRIT BEET tip: Don't just avoid these foods in their whole state; make sure you are reading labels as many of these foods are common ingredients in packaged foods.
  7. Exercise: 30 minutes every day!  This improves our circulation and brings fresh nutrients and oxygen to our skin cells for that lovely glow. 
  8. Skin Hygiene: Cleanse your skin gently each night, allowing the cleanser to sit on the skin for a few minutes so it breaks down dirt and impurities, then wash it off with warm water or a clean face cloth. Follow with a toner to close up the pores and balanced the skin's pH. BRIT BEET tip: Look for natural toners that contain ingredients such as rosewater which hydrate and clarify our skin. You may want to avoid toners that contain alcohol which can dehydrate our skin and exacerbate those awkward dried patches brought on by Old Man Winter.   

If you follow these simple and effective steps, you can rock that fabulous Winter skin all season long and be your beautiful self, inside and out!   

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Back To School: 3 EASY Steps To Build-Up Immunity!

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Some of us love getting back into the daily routine when September comes along but one thing is certain, the laid-back days days of summer are over and we are catapulted back to our hectic schedules; getting the kids out of the door, rushing to work or juggling full-on home schedules, speeding to after-school activities, making sure there is something somewhat healthy for dinner whilst trying to get the kids to do their homework. Forget about a little ‘me’ time – there just doesn’t seem to be a moment in the day! Frankly my dear, it's exhausting! 

One of the quickest ways to deplete our immune system is to be under this chronic level of stress, day after day.

We know this is not good - but what does it have to do with our immunity? Simply put, stress undermines our health, especially our gut and digestive health that is the ‘seat’ of our immunity.

As Hippocrates once said, “All disease starts in the gut.”

When we are stressed:

  • Our digestion is slower and less efficient
  • We don’t absorb the same amount of nutrients
  • Our metabolism slows down
  • Our gut can become irritated and inflamed leading to conditions such as ulcers, IBS and Colitis

Guess what ... when that inflammation in our gut spikes, it sends our cortisol levels shooting up, putting us right back into that ‘fight or flight’ mode and presto, we are back in that stress wheel all over again! 

So this year, how can we change what we put in our bodies to stop the cycle of stress and depleted immunity? 

I'm going to K.I.S.S. with my 3 EASY Steps:  

The ‘6’ Rule

Aim for a maximum of 6 teaspoons of ADDED sugar a day. Did you know that this is the World Health Organization’s recommendation (WHO) for daily sugar allowance for overall health prevention? Sugar feeds the bad bacteria, over-running the good bacteria in  our gut that is essential to our immune health. 

What is added sugar? Any table sugar, fructose or honey used as an ingredient in processing and preparing foods or beverages, eaten separately or added to a meal at the dining table. We all know the main culprits - soft drinks, candy, cookies, cakes, ice cream and pies but once you start reading labels, you may be rather surprised at how much sugar is hiding in your favorite food. 

BRIT BEET tip: To work out how much added sugar is in any product, take the sugar amount in grams and divide that amount by 4 to get the amount in teaspoons. For example:  

Nestea Iced Tea
Sugar amount: 28 grams
Serving Size: 20 fluid ounces
Total added sugar = 7 teaspoons

 

If you drank this, you would have consumed your whole day's recommended sugar amount plus an additional teaspoon and you haven't eaten anything yet! 

Eat Fermented Foods 

Fermented foods contain all that good bacteria we so desperately want hanging out in our gut, keeping our immune systems strong. So the next time you go to the store, if you haven't ventured into the world of fermented foods before, be brave and pick up a jar of:

  • Kimchi: (Yes, it stinks when you open it (you've been warned, but it tastes REALLY good!)
  • Sauerkraut (my husband and I have this for lunch every day with the kimchi -  it’s a delicious combo!)
  • Kefir:  Make the switch from regular yoghurt- the family will love it! (You’ll find it in the yoghurt aisle; look for Organic Kefir in glass bottles.)
  • Miso: Add a daily teaspoon to soups, salads and dressings.  Try my Immunity Salad Dressing for your 'hit' of daily miso! 

Aim to eat at least two serving of fermented food daily - it's really going help keep your good  bacteria level up and your immunity strengthened. 

Take Probiotic Supplements

Even with the best intentions we can still find ourselves stressed out and sucking back on sugar -  it's normal so don't beat yourself up. However, taking a daily probiotic can be the 'steady Eddy' in your immunity toolbox - think of it as 'immunity insurance'.   

Note: As a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, I have accessed to a wide range of probiotic supplements, so please ask me for my recommendation on brands, single/multi strain varieties, room stable vs. refrigerated options and the optimal times of days to take them.

So there you have it - 3 easy steps that we can put into daily practice to give our families the best chance to stay healthy and happy this coming year.

You’ve got this! 

5 Brain-Boosting Foods to Maximize Your Family's IQ!

Did you know that our gut has A LOT to do with our brain‘s cognitive function?

Often referred to by Scientists as the ‘little’ brain , our gut is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells, lining our gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. This ‘little’ brain communicates back and forth with our (big) brain, sending messages that have a profound affect our brain function. (1)

As our kids head back to school, and we head back to work and/or deal with busy family lives, we need our brains to be POWERED ON.  For that, we need to feed our ‘little’ brain with brain boosting foods!  

Walnuts

Did you know that walnuts contain a number of neuro-protective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin and omega-3 fats? A University of California study found that people who consistently eat walnuts had higher levels of cognitive function, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. So go ahead and start munching on these brain-friendly nuts. They make great after-school snacks! (2)

Wild Salmon

Our brains are the fattest organ in the body, coming in at around 60%. We've learned in recent years that fatty acids are among the most crucial molecules that determine our brain's integrity and ability to perform. Wild salmon has the highest amount of these Omega-3 fatty acids, essential for quick information transfer down our neuron highways! (3)

Berries

 Berries are known for their amazing anti-oxidant properties and as testament to that, a 2012 study by Harvard researchers found that a high intake of flavonoid-rich berries, such as strawberries and blueberries, over time, can delay memory decline in older women by two and a half years - that's impressive! (4)

Chocolate

Who doesn’t LOVE chocolate and now we know that compounds in chocolate (yes... both milk and dark) boost memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. (5)

A study at Harvard Medical School found that drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may help older people keep their brains healthy and their thinking skills sharp. So grab a square of your favourite chocolate or whip up a mug of hot cocoa and feel good about your brain. (6)

Leafy Greens

Eat your greens!  Our mums have been telling us this for years and now research confirms they knew what they were talking about! Leafy greens are high in folate and vitamin E, which are essential for proper brain function.  In fact, a deficiency of folate can lead to neurological disorders, such as depression, whilst a decrease in serum levels of vitamin E is associated with poor memory in older individuals. (7)

SO DON’T WAIT!  If you want to maximize your brain’s AWESOME powers, start including these brain-boosting foods as part of your family’s go-to foods.

References:

1.     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/

2.     http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-014-0569-2

3.     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20329590

4.     http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ana.23594/full

5.     http://www.wju.edu/about/adm_news_story.asp?iNewsID=2043

6.     https://www.aan.com/pressroom/home/pressrelease/1200

7.     http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805706/

 

 

 

Powerful Strategies For a Saner Back-To-School Transition!

As we all know, getting the kids ready to head back to school after the long summer break, can be stressful for all concerned!  For busy moms, this time of transition can place ever heavier burdens on them, both emotionally and physically, as schedules become increasingly hectic and there never seems to be enough time in the day (or night!) to get everything done.  But wait? Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves to be all things to all people and ultimately setting ourselves up for failure? 

It doesn’t have to be this way! Here are a few simple but powerful strategies that can help us remain balanced and happy, whilst reminding us that we don’t have to be perfect—but just good enough—and then be okay with that.

  •  Start to adjust sleep and awake times, (not just for the kids!) a few days before term starts. Encourage scheduled bedtime reading before lights out.
  • Talk to your kids and get them to come up with new duties/responsibilities; resist the temptation to jump in and ‘help’.  Stick to the plan from day 1!
  • Consider shopping for as much as possible on-line (e.g. Amazon Prime membership can be a great investment!) and don’t sweat the small stuff by running around town trying to find last-minute bargains. 
  • Pre-prepare and freeze some healthy family meals so that you have them to hand when things get crazy. Bag up some healthy snacks to keep in your car/handbag to avoid those inevitable mid-morning/afternoon energy crashes.
  • Resist the temptation to overschedule you/your children – be super-choosy about what you commit to outside of work/school.
  • Build in some much-needed personal downtime; mark it on your schedule and make it happen! Be extra kind to yourself and your children – transitioning back to school can be stressful.
  • And last, but not least, just when you are about to head to the nearest psychiatric ward —stop—take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are only human, that you are doing the best you can and that life is not a game of perfect. And then let it go!

By sticking to some hard and fast ground rules, you will ensure that you have some extra fuel in the tank; after all, you can’t be of service to anyone else if you are running on empty!

To learn more about life-coaching and how you can effect immediate and positive change in your life, please feel free to contact me and take advantage of my complimentary 25-minute life coaching offer: Hames.Pippa@gmail.com.