Crystal Palace Local

Hi Everyone,

OK, snows over, no more sledging and fun! Everything’s returned to normal and this Friday is officially the most depressing day of the Year.

So if you decided at New Year to lose weight, eat more healthily, detox, tackle digestive, skin or women's health problems and your motivation has also melted away then I have some useful nutrition tips below to boost your resolve and really help you stay on track.

Weight loss - Although most people start out with good intentions the majority of weight loss diets are unsustainable and unhealthy. Dieting can make you feel lethargic, irritable and lead to food cravings. If you restrict calories and variety too much you will also be missing out on adequate levels of vitamins and minerals.

• High protein diets are often high in saturated fat and low in fibre which can have consequences for short and long term health.
• Very low fat regimes are not advisable either as you may be missing out on important sources of essential fatty acids (which your body is unable to make for itself).
• Fad diets promise quick results but fail to tell you that most of the initial weight loss is actually water and you are using up protein (from your muscles) as much as fat.
• Calorie restriction puts your body into starvation mode causing your metabolism to slow down. This tends to result in increased weight gain when you inevitably resume your normal eating pattern. What’s more this weight tends to go back on as fat which is less metabolically active than muscle. And so begins the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting.

The simple truth is there are no miracles or quick fixes. If you want to lose weight I will outline a long term healthier eating strategy below. This combined with regular exercise is much more successful for weight loss. A more tailored approach considering individual needs such as blood sugar regulation, thyroid and digestive function and possible food intolerances also increases your chances of losing the weight and keeping it off.

TIPS

Some scientifically proven tips to help with weight loss are –

• Don’t skip meals. In particular eating breakfast (include some protein such as egg or unsweetened low fat yoghurt) will reduce the tendency to overeat for the rest of the day by preventing blood sugar dips and food cravings for sweet things mid morning.
• Use a smaller plate – this tends to reduce the amount you eat by 22% but because your plate is full you won’t feel deprived.
• Include well blended soup in your diet. This stays in your stomach longer leading to reduced food intake.
• Include foods which keep you fuller for longer. Whole grains release their sugar slowly for more sustained energy and controlled appetite. Eating lean sources of protein rich foods causes your body to release a hormone which suppresses hunger pangs.
• Keep a food diary to make you more mindful of your eating habits and calorie intake.

Eat more healthily - My advice is to keep it simple. You don’t need to banish all the things you like and fill your cupboards with so called “superfoods”. This is only likely to make you feel deprived and lead you to rebel. Making changes to your diet gradually is more likely to result in lasting habits than going for a radical change in your eating plan. Concentrate on establishing a few healthy changes e.g increase fruit and vegetables by one portion a day for a week followed by two a day the next week (until you are eating at least 5 day), replace some refined foods with whole grains and add in essential fats by using oily fish and nuts and seeds. As you begin to enjoy the improvements in your diet and wellbeing you will find these naturally take the place of less desirable elements in your diet.

Detox - Repentant for having over indulged at Christmas and New Year many opt for a detox in January. But the cold winter months, especially those with snow and freezing temperatures, are not conducive to cleansing…. fancy a big salad and vegetable juice anyone? We’re not naturally inclined to eat raw foods at this time of the year. Instead support your body by including plenty of warming foods such as soups and stews adding in foods known for their detoxifying properties such as ginger, turmeric, garlic (see recipe below) and save the serious cleansing diet for the spring.

Addressing digestive, skin and women’s health problems. When tackling health issues Nutritional Therapy uses an individual, functional medicine based approach rather than a one size fits all solution. Recommended programmes are practical and enjoyable and tailored to suit you. Come and find out how Nutritional Therapy can help you achieve your aims. See special offer below.

RECIPE

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato soup.

This soup is just the thing for these cold winter months. There are immune boosting benefits from the vitamin C in the lemon juice, onions and chilli and the beta-carotene in the pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Garlic, ginger, turmeric and onions have been shown in scientific studies to help fight cold symptoms. Ginger is reputed to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and garlic and turmeric are both antiseptic.

1. Soften the onions in a large saucepan with the oil, adding the garlic after a few minutes. Add the turmeric, curry powder, ginger and chilli (if using) stir-frying it all for a few more minutes until the onions are translucent and the spices are lightly roasted.

2. Throw in the chopped, peeled sweet potatoes, pumpkin and stock. Bring to the boil, simmering them until they’re soft.

3. Add the lemon juice, salt (unless using ready made stock), pepper and some chopped parsley, and stir it in. Liquidise and enjoy!

NEWS

I will be giving a free baby massage taster session for Little Gee Gee's at the Hasima Centre in Crystal Palace on Weds 3rd February at 12.30pm.

Come and visit me at Sell it Mama at Christ Church, Highland Road, SE19 on Saturday 6th March 11am-3pm where I will be selling my range of buff organic skincare.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

My next Baby Massage Courses:

10th February at The Vale, East Dulwich.

23rd Feb' in Crystal Palace.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Jayne

www.2prepare.co.uk