I can’t quite believe that the summer holidays are nearly
over and that it looks like they will ALL finally be going back to
school now lockdown restriction have eased! Yippeee!!!
There are a couple of things that worry me about my 3 kids (aged
10, 13 and 16), firstly how on earth are they going to be out of bed in time,
and second, are they actually going to eat breakfast for the first time in
months and months!!
Some retraining is going to be needed and fast! I am going to have to be very realistic and
very helpful for the first few weeks by having things prepared in advance,
making it quick, easy and fast to eat or even transportable. I know that doing their hair (yes for my son
as well as the girls!!!) is going to take priority over consuming a decent
breakfast.
So what is it they need to set them up for the day…..
They need energy but without a rollercoaster of
sugar spikes and crashes so try to avoid refined sugar filled options.
They need to feed their brains to be alert so
include brain boosting nutrients and healthy fats to support concentration and
keep fatigue at bay.
They need to avoid getting hungry before its lunchtime
so including protein and fibre is important to help keep them satisfied.
Best foods to focus on to set them up for the day
Fruit – Bananas are great for energy and
brain support with plenty of B vitamins.
Berries and especially blueberries are full of antioxidants and
polyphenols which support the brain and cognitive performance.
Vegetables – full of fibre and a variety
of nutrients and antioxidants.
Yoghurt – great for protein and healthy
fats.
Oats – full of soluble fibre and slow
release carbs.
Eggs – a pre-prepared vitamin pill
including choline to support memory, concentration and cognitive function. Eggs are also a good source of protein and
healthy fats.
Nuts and seeds – providing protein and
healthy fats.
5 Quick & Easy Healthy Breakfast Ideas
Smoothies that tick all the
boxes
Not all smoothies are made equal, but a good smoothie with a
balance of more veg than fruit, some protein, good fats and slow release carbs
makes a great option for a quick to consume or on the go breakfast.
Try blending:
Hand full of cooked or raw chopped beetroot
Handful of berries of your choice
Chunk of cucumber
¼ avocado
2 tbsp oats
1 tbsp cashew nuts (or for nut free some full
fat yogurt)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Slice of ginger
Water and ice
Pimped porridge or overnight
oats
Oats are a great option made even better when pimped with
some fruit and protein. Whether you like
your oats hot or cold they can be prepared in advance, soak the oats in enough
milk of choice to just cover. You can
add fresh fruit like grated apple or dried fruit, nuts, seeds, spices like
cinnamon or ginger too. Alternatively
leave them plain, especially if you want to heat them up, and pimp in the
morning when you know what you fancy. A
dollop of yogurt never hurt either.
Seedy cinnamon eggy bread
This is a favourite in our house (as long as I make it while
they do their hair!!). Use a good
quality wholegrain seedy bread and soak a slice in beaten egg with a little
added milk and a good sprinkle of cinnamon and then fry in coconut oil for a
few mins on each side. Top with fresh
fruit and nuts, nut butte or yogurt.
Vegetable frittata or eggy
muffins
A great make ahead savoury option
and a good way to use up left over cooked veggies. Heat a little oil in a small skillet and add
cooked veggies and heat through. Then whisk up 6-8 eggs with some milk along
with lots of fresh or dried herbs and seasoning and pour over the veggies. Cook on a medium heat until it begins to set
and the base is browned. Then place
under a heated grill to cook and brown the top.
You can make these in a muffin tin and bake in the oven until the egg is
set – remember to grease the tin.
Yogurt & Berry Parfaits
So quick and easy to throw
together but looks so impressive that the kids always want to tuck in. Take a jar or glass and add some yoghurt then
some berries (or other chopped fruit) then some low sugar granola (go to my
website for a recipe). Keep layering to
the top! Serve and enjoy! You can puree fresh fruit in a small blender to make
a sauce to drizzle over too!
How many of us tack
our weight on a weekly or monthly basis; have scales in the bathroom or under
the bed; give in to the guilty pleasure of jumping on to see if we have lost a few
pounds so we can feel good about ourselves or to be wholly disappointed when
the scales show more than we want and beat ourselves up for days?
But does the odd
fluctuation in weight really matter? Is it a barometer for health? Are you
healthier at say 9.5st than at 10st or 9st?
This is an issue
which I am quite passionate about, probably because I have spent years and
years of my life living on this roller-coaster (thankfully no longer). Why is everyone always talking about losing
weight? Is this really the magic formula
for health? In my opinion NO… I would go
as far as to say I think the focus on weight is detrimental to overall health
and well-being, especially mental health. I think it is all a bit of a smoke screen!
The reality is that
people’s obsession with weight is not about health at all it is about body
image. This was confirmed by the teenagers currently filling my kitchen who
said “It is all about body image…..slim (not skinny!) means beautiful,
health is not a priority!!” They were very clear that their aspiration for
body image came from the media and their favourite celebrities.
Wikipedia says…. Body image is a person’s perception of
the aesthetics or sexual
attractiveness of their own body. It involves how a person sees themself, compared to
the standards that have been set by society. Body image consists of the
ways people view themselves; their memories, experiences, assumptions, and
comparisons about their own appearances; and their overall attitudes towards
their own respective heights, shapes, and weights….all of which are shaped by
prevalent social and cultural ideals.
This is not a new phenomenon it has been prevalent in society throughout
history…. An article published in 1997 by SRIC (Social Issues Research
Centre) states …
In the 19th Century being beautiful
meant wearing a corset – causing breathing and digestive problems. Now we try
to diet and exercise ourselves into the fashionable shape – often with even
more serious consequences.
Most women are trying to achieve the
impossible: standards of female beauty have in fact become progressively more
unrealistic during the 20th century. In 1917, the physically perfect woman was
about 5ft 4in tall and weighed nearly 10 stone. Even 25 years ago, top models
and beauty queens weighed only 8% less than the average woman, now they weigh
23% less. The current media ideal for women is achievable by less than 5% of
the female population – and that’s just in terms of weight and size. If you
want the ideal shape, face etc., it’s probably more like 1%.
Are we hiding our
preoccupation with body image behind the more acceptable aspiration of better
health?
The ever-growing
obesity epidemic and current Covid19 pandemic with its frequently talked about connection
between metabolic conditions and poor outcomes have only compounded the
connection between weight and health.
We cannot ignore that
obesity is not good for our health.
Society has latched onto this because it is the only obvious physical
sign of health and individuals come up with their own idea of what their ‘healthy
weight’ should be.
Better health markers,
which are not so easy to identify or track without tests and professional help,
include: good gut health; healthy blood pressure; balanced blood sugars;
correct triglycerides; low HDL cholesterol and so on.
Although these
markers are much more important, because they are unseen, weight has become the
focus. However if these markers were all
good and the body was working effectively and efficiently then you can pretty
much guarantee your body will have found its own equilibrium of healthy weight,
even if this does not fit in with our own or societies standard for body image.
The next issue is we
feel we have control over our weight (and so in our minds our health). After
all it is an easy formula, right? Have a calorie deficit and we lose weight and
become healthy ….EASY!!!???
So we exercise more to
burn more calories to become more healthy??!! Reality is you can’t out-train a bad diet. Exercise and movement are an incredibly
important part of the health puzzle, but not as a calorie burner (that is a
whole different article).
Whether overweight or
underweight or ideal weight, we can still be under nourished or even malnourished.
So what is the key to
good health and ‘healthy weight’?
We need to focus on NOURISHMENT. The incredibly complex biochemical creation that
our body is needs nutrient dense, wholefoods to function effectively and
efficiently and the quest for better health relies on this alone.
Let’s stop talking
about our weight and let’s make NOURISHMENT the new narrative.
I suspect there will be many families
taking self-catering holidays in the UK this summer due to travel restrictions
to many countries during the Covid epidemic.
We will be one of those families
and although I like my trips abroad, I LOVE my UK self-catering
holidays. I was brought up with them, but
it was not until I started taking my own family that I had a new appreciation
of my parent’s hard work. I quickly learnt just how much organisation and
preparation is required for a self-catering holiday to run smoothly and not
become an endurance test but a relaxing holiday that everyone can enjoy.
Practice and experience make a big difference! I have been doing it for 17 years now and thought I would share with the less practised at this type of holiday, the process I go through to ensure you can relax when you get there and not be tied to the kitchen or spending a fortune on eating out every night!
MEAL PLANNING
Main meals are always my first
step. I would not plan a main meal every day, but plan for some meals out or
take aways too. For the days you are going to cook focus on family favourites
to keep everyone happy. There are a few
categories to think about to keep it quick and easy:
Meals that can be made ahead, frozen and taken
with you eg shepherd’s pie or lasagne
Meals that can be part made and taken to
minimise on ingredients and equipment when you get there eg sauces for curry or
chilli
Meals that are quick and easy to whip up when
you are there eg fajitas or stir fry
It is a good idea to check the
rental has the equipment you will require for the dishes you will be making
there.
Planning for staying healthy is
my second step. We all want to let our
hair down a little on holiday and enjoy some treats but to stay on track most
of the time I make and take my favourite healthy treats like Blackbean brownies
or cookie dough bites.
Don’t forget about breakfast and
lunches, think ahead about what you would like to eat and make sure they are on
your shopping list or you take them with you.
We usually have brunch before heading out for the day with just a snack
so eggs, avocado, fruit, yogurt and good coffee are always on the list!
FOOD PREPARATION
Once you have your plan this is
the biggest and most important step. The
more effort you put in before you go the more time you will have to relax when
you get there.
Get ahead of the game and use the
week before you go to make some dinners or part dinners and snacks and freeze
them ready to take with you. I promise
you will thank yourself for it.
FOOD SHOPPING
Your meal plan will give you a
shopping list and the ideal is to book an online delivery for when you arrive. Your regular service may not deliver to your destination
but shop around and you should find a supermarket that will. Currently deliveries are more difficult to
get hold of so consider click and collect.
If neither of these are available investigate where the nearest supermarket
is.
BOOK RESTURANTS/TAKE AWAY
Do some research before you go
and choose the restaurants you would like to try and book a table. Under current social distancing rules this
will be important to avoid disappointment.
You can always cancel if you change your mind. Many of the restaurants also offer take away
which is another great option to consider.
GO AND RELAX………..
So you have a plan and you have
done your preparation and research, my last piece of advice for a relaxing
self-catering holiday is BE FLEXIBLE.
There will be things which may not go to plan but that does not matter,
move things around, adapt to go with the flow and you will all have a fantastic
time.
No-one could ever have predicted that the last 4 months would have looked the way they have. No-one could have prepared us for how our lives would change: the way we work, the way we shop, the way we exercise, the way we look after our children and how they are taught, when and what we eat, and even how we feel and what we worry about.
As lockdown restrictions are lifted and you start to reflect on how it has been for you, have new habits formed you want to keep or loose and what habits have been lost you want to regain or ditch forever?
Has Covid-19 changed parts of your life forever? Has it made you want to refocus on your health and make long term sustainable change?
Do you want support and information to make these healthy habit changes before life goes back to the old normal and instead create your own new healthy norm for life?
Let me introduce Menu&Mind!
Building strong foundations for change with the combination of NLP techniques and Wholefood Eating Principles will enable you to take responsibility and build your own path and health plan to achieve whatever goal you set yourself.
The path to long-term sustainable change incorporates both healthy eating knowledge and a clear understanding of your mindset. With Menu&Mind we give you the tools to build your own path, set your own goals and decide your own habit changes.
Why do you need to build your own path and plan?
Everyone is different!! Your starting point will be unique to you, your goals will be your own, you will have your own rate of change and your own personal experiences will define how you make those changes.
With support and guidance this is all possible
Those who have attended the course with great success aimed to:
Achieve weight loss
Change eating habits for the family
Change mindset around food
Be more organized and manage multiple family dietary requirements
Learn to take responsibility for their health and lifestyle
Learn a wholefood frame-work for eating that works for them
This is what some of them said:
What is involved?
Menu&Mind helps to guide you through the steps to build a firm foundation for your path to sustainable change. You will learn to:
Reframe current diet beliefs
Understand your existing eating and lifestyle habits
Learn to plan whole food meals
Learn new recipes using mental flexibility
Anchor new eating and lifestyle changes
I have a passion for health and well-being and I teamed up with like-minded NLP practitioner and friend Anya Macfarlane to help others to achieve long term sustainable changes for better health through our Menu&Mind courses.
If you are interested in learning more about our Courses and Membership Program please drop me an email… info@timetonourish.co.uk
About 25 years ago (I was a teenager!!) I attended an
aromatherapy course and loved experimenting with the different smells and
learning about the benefits when used for massage. I never would have dreamt that all these
years later I would be putting them in my food!!
I reignited my love for essential oils when I was introduced to doTERRA Essential Oils which are in a different league to the ones I used for making the room smell nice!
These FOOD GRADE essential oils are of a much higher quality and so many are safe to ingest. Having said that, not all are recommended for internal use so please do your research and check each bottle for recommended application. These oils are all derived from plants and are highly concentrated, so you only need a couple of drops to get the same flavour as the fresh plant. Not only do they add amazing flavour they provide health benefits too!
Health Benefits
The health benefits from essential oils are not in the form of vitamins and minerals but they occur from their natural chemical constituents and the way they interact with the human body. When ingested they interact directly with cells, organs and entire body systems like the digestive system, the nervous or immune systems.
A couple examples of the health benefits include:
Basil oil supports nervous system health when consumed internally.
Peppermint oil promotes digestive health and aids healthy respiratory function and clear breathing when ingested.
Lemon oil naturally cleanses the body, aids in digestion and supports healthy respiratory function when used internally.
The oils can also have emotional benefits too for example:
Orange oil is uplifting and invigorating
Clove oil is empowering and gives courage
Lime oil is revitalising and gives determination
Cooking with Essential Oils
How many times have you read a recipe and thought if only I had that herb or spice, I could make that! Well these little bottles don’t really have a use by date and have been proven to maintain their efficacy for at least 5-10 years if not more!! So you can always have the flavours you need to hand. When cooking with them be mindful that when heated too much they may lose some of their health benefits so ideally stir through at the end of cooking.
Here are some ideas to try:
Thai dipping sauce or salad dressing with lemon grass oil
Dark chocolate flavoured with peppermint oil
Chocolate energy balls flavoured with orange oil
Mayonnaise flavoured with lime oil or dill oil
Sauerkraut flavoured with fennel oil
Mince pie filling flavoured with clove oil
Curry sauce flavoured with cumin and cilantro (coriander) oil
Green smoothie flavoured with lemon oil
Latte flavoured with ginger and turmeric oil
Hot chocolate flavoured with cinnamon and ginger oil
Not all essential oils are FOOD GRADE so please do be careful to check before using them in cooking. If you would like to try the doTERRA oils, which is the band I would recommend, then you can contact me at info@timetonourish.co.uk or Clare Cogan at clare@clarecogan.com from Creating Calm who is an expert on these matters!!
