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Awaken Your Health Newsletter - February 2009
Hello to all,
We are already well into February – and what an eventful year it has been so far.
This month’s newsletter is a simple reminder to busy people of how best to fuel your body, by eating lots of Antioxidant-rich plant foods. These foods will help you to feel full, whilst also providing you with an abundance of phyto-nutrients that promote health and help to prevent disease.
I have also included a refreshing ice-block recipe to help you cool off, following the recent heat wave conditions.
Please feel free to email or call if you have any specific topics or questions you'd like covered in future newsletters. For now, however, I hope you enjoy reading this and that you have a great month.
Yours in good health & good food the natural way,
Tabitha.
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Announcement: For everyone’s convenience, I now have an Eftpos / Visa / Mastercard facility so that payment for consultations, supplements and pick-ups can be made by card as well as cash. Hoorah! |
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Eating an Antioxidant-rich diet The perfect balance in diet is unique for each person, but one thing is for sure – people who eat a broad range of plant-based foods have better long-term health. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean giving up your meat, as long as it doesn’t dominate your diet. Changing the focus of your meals so that plant foods are the main part of your meal, and animal products (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) are an accompaniment is one of the best ways to improve your health. Whole plant foods contain thousands of natural compounds. There is no such thing as wonder cure all or super food that is better that other foods. We see the trends of the Acai berry, pomegranate, Goji and Noni juices. Anyone can find or create a study and market a food product supplement. Just about all plant foods have nutrients and antioxidants that are valuable to us.
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Antioxidants in particular have received a lot of press of late, mainly because of their ability to protect our cells against damage inflicted from free radicals in the body. This means that they have the potential to slow the ageing process, guard against the negative effects of pollution, radiation and excessive stress, and to promote wellbeing. It takes a network of antioxidants – like those that exist in a varied diet full of plant foods – to neutralize free radicals.
It has never been more important than now to be sure you are eating an antioxidant-rich diet. Recently, an international team of researchers analyzed the antioxidant content of more than a thousand foods. Foods at the top of the list were: blackberries, walnuts, strawberries, artichokes, cranberries, coffee, raspberries, pecans, blueberries, unsweetened dark chocolate, red wine, prunes, red cabbage, spinach, pineapple, tea, garlic, and ground cloves. Including these foods as a part of your varied diet is an investment in your body and overall health.
Simple cooking methods such as a light steaming or a quick stir-fry are best, so as not to destroy water-soluble vitamins, enzymes & antioxidant compounds in our foods. Cooking with turmeric, ginger, garlic and onions can enhance the antioxidant qualities of some foods. Choosing to eat fruit and vegetables that are in season and buying organic produce are two additional ways to support our environment at the same time as your own health.
To me, good nutrition is all about eating a variety of foods that are as close to how nature intended as possible. When our diet is full of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds and fresh herbs then we are choosing the best fuels for our body. When a positive attitude and regular exercise are combined, one finds no limit to total health: healthy body, healthy mind and healthy spirit. So, take care of yourself, and remember that prevention is always better than cure!
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Recipe: |
Ingredients:
* 500g frozen mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and red currants
* 250mL of pineapple juice (freshly sqeezed or bottled)
* 250g of Natural or Vanilla flavoured yoghurt (Jalna is a great brand, low-fat best)
* Up to 1 tablespoon of natural honey or icing sugar
Method:
Put the frozen berries, juice and yoghurt into a food processor or blender. Blend until the fruit is well broken up, and fine ice crystals form.
Add the honey or icing sugar and quickly blend again.
Pour the mixture into 8 x 1/3 cup paddle-pop moulds. Insert paddle pop sticks. Freeze for 5 hours or overnight until firm.
Rinse the paddle-pop moulds in water to loosen and remove ice-blocks from moulds and serve immediately.
Tips:
For a thicker ice-block, use 1 cup of natural organic yoghurt instead of juice, and follow the same directions to make delicious Berry smoothie ice-blocks. Best eaten within two weeks.
