What'chia Eating? - To Supplement or not to supplement

I have always been a big believer in getting all the nutrients you need from food. And whilst I still stand by this, I am keen to see if certain supplements can help improve my digestion issues and bloating, as well as give me an extra boost of energy.

The supplements which I am trying are: Chlorella, Chia and Acai berries. I know they aren't really supplements and they are generally natural sources of nutrients but they are high up on the "superfood" list and can't be found in your everyday apple. So let's see if the new additions to my diet make a difference.

These are supposed to be the answer to all my digestive problems.

Side note: This is not a cheap experiment so I shopped around before taking the plunge. Holland and Barrett currently have the penny sale on and so I bought the Chlorella and Acai from there at a cost of £16 approx and bought 3 Chia shots for £1 from Tesco to get me started.

So here are the alleged benefit of each.

Chlorella - the one I am most looking forward to trying.

Chlorella balances gut flora by normalising the good bacteria in your gut. It is also a source of Iron,
Vitamins B6 and B12 which stimulates renewal of cells and digestive tissues.
It also helps to detoxify your body by removing alcohol, pesticides, heavy metals and toxins from your system.
I intend on having this daily either in a smoothie or mixed into my yoghurt. Any other suggestions are welcome!



Acia - (I have only recently learned to pronounce this properly and I have tried the berries before).

This berry contains antioxidants Vitamin E and Polyphenols which help your body to deal with free radicals from chemicals in food which may trigger bloating and discomfort.
It is also rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 Oleic acid which nourishes your body.
I intend on taking these in tablet form each evening.




Chia - I have had these a few times before and I am not particularly keen on chia puddings - the texture isn't my cuppa tea.

However, these little seeds are gentle on the digestive system and are high in omega 3, which provides the essential components that our cell membranes need. Omega 3 helps our body to make new cells which is especially important in the digestive tract where our tissues renew at a faster rate than anywhere else.
Chia seeds are also a great source of soluble fibre thanks to the jellified substance it makes in water. This helps to prolong hydration and ensures everything moves through the digestive system properly.

I will pop these into my morning yoghurt / oats / cereal or in my smoothie.

I will let you  know how I feel with the addition of these in my diet soon! X

The power of Green Tea

Let's talk about GT, no not our favourite poolside tipple, the healthier option - Green Tea. 


It is no secret now that Green Tea is good for you, I am an avid drinker of the beverage and I really genuinely enjoy it.

I find it refreshing and thirst quenching and the knowledge that it is doing my body a bit of good makes me feel even better.

But how many people really know about the advantages of incorporating  Green Tea into your day?

The most commonly known benefit is that it acts as an antioxidant. This is due to a powerful phytochemical in the leaves called EGCG which fights free radicals in the body that can damage healthy cells and cause cancer. It also promotes the death of cancer cells, so while it obviously isn't a treatment for the big C it won't do any harm in helping you fend it off. 

The EGCG also increases the amount of oxygen that your body can use as fuel while you sweat so having a cup before the gym isn't a bad idea. 

Not only is Green Tea calorie free, it contains caffeine which is a known stimulant and another antioxidant called Catechin. Both can help burn fat as they increase the speed of metabolism. 

The caffeine helps to block fatigue-inducing adenosine which will help you work out harder and longer, so when pairing GT with a good workout regime you can say bye bye to belly fat and drink as much as you like without racking up the calorie count.  

A study published in 2013 from the European Journal of Nutrition found that regular green tea drinkers weigh less and have smaller waists, (just in case you wanted some evidence). 

There are other claims which suggest drinking Green Tea regularly can reduce cholesterol, combat cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease and while there is no conclusive evidence for any of the claims, it can't hurt to add a couple of cups into your day anyway.

I know Green Tea isn't for everyone so if you can't bare the flavour you could squeeze some fresh lemon into your daily brew. This is something I do every morning and the addition of lemon only adds to the health benefits.

If you have a sweet tooth, squeeze in some honey (moderation please) to help you sup the full cup or alternatively there is a huge variety of flavoured Green Teas to try now, so experiment and find a favourite? 

I cannot sign off without first saying, whatever you do, don't go out and buy those stupid Green Tea pills. They don't work and they are full of extra ingredients and chemicals that your body will not understand. These supplements make people believe that swallowing these tablets daily will be the answer to all their problems. Not only are they expensive but they do not work.

Nothing beats a healthy, balanced diet and active lifestyle. Enjoy having a brew knowing it will AID (being the key word) you in your healthy living journey. But do not ever rely on just one thing to change your life. 

Christmas left overs to revive you

Post-Christmas bloat is familiar to us all. Even for the nutrition and health conscious, the Christmas binge cannot be avoided. Some indulge more than others but never-the-less, pigs in blankets, tubs of chocolates and boards of cheese get the better of most of us.

I have to admit this past week I have barely touched any form of fruit.

So tonight I packed our dinner with a whole host of nutrient dense foods whilst using up left-over Christmas staples.

I had already made my own stock (known as bone broth these days) by boiling the left-over turkey carcass with some root vegetable for hours, I created my own, incredibly good for you stock. I do this with most left over meat bones, it really is worth it.There are more minerals and vitamins hiding in the bones than in the rest of the animal - so without the broth you would seriously be missing out on a fantastic nutritious hit.

"Bone broth"

Put it in a pan and cover with water, boil and then simmer for however many hours you have spare.

I used this stock to create a Christmas broth medley. Sprouts, herbs and pancetta were left over from the big day, so by adding chicken and some other vegetables that I always have in, I was able to make a delicious hearty tea.

Miscellaneous Veg

I added pearl barley, sage and thyme into the broth and let it cook away. While that cooked I chopped the pancetta, mushrooms and sprouts up and fried them in a little butter and olive oil until crispy. I added sage and thyme to the pan to cook and at the last minute added crushed garlic.

When I was about 4 minutes away from completion I added finely sliced chicken breast to the stock and pearl barley pot and finally, I threw in some spinach at the last minute.

Once everything was cooked and seasoned to taste I dished out the stock concoction and spooned the pancetta, mushroom and sprout medley on the top.

Finished dish

It was deep in flavour and full of goodness. I recommend it to anyone wanting to use up any left over foods from the festive season, or even for a quick evening tea.

A running stitch'uation

Out on the open road, looking forward to running a new route in Villamoura, Portugal.
It was set up to be a delightful run. It ended up being one of the worst runs I have ever had - at first anyway.
Off I went, slightly uphill at first, but I was enjoying it.
I love the challenge uphill presents because most runs are flat, but this one was bearable.
Usually it takes me around 15 minutes to get into a run and four miles before I am really comfortable. About 10 minutes into it I got a stitch, something I have never had whilst running before.
And my god was it painful. I am one of those who refuses to stop while on a run, I feel like a failure if I do.
I have even run through severe bouts of sickness. Doubled over, holding back the vomit, I have still carried on.
I did try to push through it but it stopped me in my tracks. My legs could have carried on and my mind was good to go but the pain in my side was excruciating. I was putting pressure on it in an attempt to compress the pain.
Who knew something as simple as a stitch which we all suffered as kids, could really be so painful.
It hurt enough to combat my stubborn nature.
As it was my first "stitch up" since becoming a jogger and with it coming after running only a short distance, I felt I had to get to the bottom of it.
It was around two and half hours since I had eaten, however it could have been the food I ate.
I had sushi for lunch, a chocolate pastry for dessert and shop bought granola for breakfast.
The combination of high sodium and high sugar foods must have had something to do with it.
It got me thinking about my diet in general. It has not been up to scratch lately and it made me feel guilty.
A bad diet can only lead to bad running. So it is time for a change. A 10 day detox and clean eating from now on. I am determined to eventually quit sugar but as we all know it is extremely addictive. It is also in everything! So it may take a while but it is something I am willing to be patient with.
On a more positive note. I was feeling rather disappointed about stopping due to the stitch and had resolved to take the shorter route home. But as I pushed through the pain barrier I started to feel better. Before long I felt stronger again. I ended up doing a much longer route then I initially thought.
So what began as a bit of a disastrous run turned into a successful, enjoyable jog.
Bur the moral of this story is bad diet = bad running.  

Benefits of a juicer

Every once in a while I feel the need to cleanse my body. Sometimes it is with products such as Bootea other times it is with a juice cleanse.
I have been feeling a little bit too exhausted this week to do a full juice cleanse so I just incorporated a couple of juices into my week.
They served as my snacks and pre-workout drinks.
The best one has definitely got to be my fruity beetroot juice. Whether you like beetroot or not you should try this one. It is a delicious recipe and the apples make it sweet and yummy.

Lovely beetroot juice

Beetroot

The benefits beetroot have to offer are endless. The purple plants are packed with betalains, plant pigments that give the beets their distinct colour. Not only do they give these root veggies their vibrant colour but they have great anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. 

The purple jewels also contain potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbs, protein and soluble fibre. They are great pre-work out and experts suggest they can increase stamina, manage blood pressure and delay dementia. 

It might sound a bit extreme but what have you got to lose? Whether that is true or not it will still do more good than harm packing in some beet juice with your lunch. 

Juice

I cannot shout about my juicer enough and anyone who wants to incorporate more of the vitamins and minerals raw fruit and veg has to offer, should invest. 

I am not stupid, I know whole fruit and veg has even more in the way of nutrition and a lot of fibre is in the skins and peels. But when you're pushed for time or just not motivated enough to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables one day, this is a quick and easy way to get some of the best benefits of the healthiest foods into your system. 

So try a juice and see if you feel energized and refreshed. Also if you have beetroot don't be alarmed by your pink urine. That is normal. 

Bootea detox

I have just spent the last two weeks using Bootea detox tea.
It has been an interesting two weeks. The tea is a blend of natural herbs and spices designed to detoxify your system.
It comes with a recommended eating plan which I must admit, I didn't pay much attention to. I pretty much eat what it recommended anyway. The one thing I did stick to was cutting out meat. It says meat has toxins that make it difficult for the tea to work it's magic. That was fine as I don't eat too much meat anyway.

It comes in packets that can be resealed for freshness. 

The first week I was so good and strict, I stuck to eating healthy, natural foods and saw a difference straight away. I could feel my body becoming almost purer.
Unfortunately, I had a couple of days where I didn't eat too terribly but not as well as I should. I also had one night drinking which it recommends avoiding.
However, even after a small mushroom pizza and quite a bit of vodka I still felt the benefits.
My skin feels better and I feel like it looks brighter. Even with the added extra bowls of cereal that have snuck in this week my stomach feels smaller.
I will be doing the teetox again. I think i'll make sure I do it when I don't have plans to drink on the weekend and see if it works even better.
It is a bit costly at £20 for two weeks worth of tea. That included breakfast tea that you drink every morning and teatime tea that you drink once every two days. The flavour of the teas are delicious and subtle and I will actually miss drinking them. I would recommend trying it for anyone who wants clear out their system and see and ever so slightly flatter stomach. Next time I will try to remember to do a before and after stomach picture.

Bad blogger and bad eater

So I haven't blogged in a while.
It did not seem worth wasting time when I have had such disgusting eating habits.
You see my grandparents visited me at the weekend and I love them to death. The only problem is they come with a few added pounds.
They had about five bags of food for me. A lot of the food was biscuit orientated.
Now, I don't buy biscuits because I eat the entire pack so it has been a nightmare for me.
Needless to say this week I have eaten many a wheaty treat.
This whole week doesn't look too good to be honest and work has gotten in the way of work outs.
That always makes it extra naughty.
Today I went to my spin class again for the first time in a month (due to holidays and work commitments) and it was one of the hardest yet.
So I feel great for that but unfortunately I didn't feel like cooking at 8pm so I had two bowls of cereal instead.
Yeah I know not too bad but I had toast prior to the class and a big lunch.
The good news is, I didn't snack today. I think the key to it is have a big lunch. Dinner is usually my biggest meal which doesn't really make sense.

Today's lunch, not the healthiest but the most delicious

I don't burn anything after eating it because I just slob on the sofa. I think I may have to look into making lunch my biggest meal from now on.
I have no inspiration for yummy hot lunches that I can take to work though. It isn't the same as being in your own kitchen.
Next week is detox week. Very hard with little solid food. I will update every day with my progress but as for the weekend, I am having visitors so I am not watching what I eat.
We're all allowed to do that sometimes.
Remember guys, nobody is perfect!