Author: Scott & Rhonda

Holidays and Excess

For the past two weeks Scott and I have been on holidays with friends. It was a lovely break, full of fun, food, fresh air and sunshine, with no housework or cooking.

We went for a cruise around New Zealand. Our stops included some lovely seaside towns where we walked many kilometres. Both of us are fans of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, so we also went on some movie tours. Visiting filming locations and the special effects studio, which were amazing!

We treated ourselves to a few lovely New Zealand ice creams along the way.

The challenge,

Cruising also includes great entertainment with plenty of fabulous food and indulgent drinks. It can be quite a challenge for some to limit their intake, as there is so much choice on offer. We worked out that there was food on offer for almost 20 hours each day.

As with most holidays, it is a time of relaxation, so it is difficult to find the motivation to maintain some type of fitness or exercise routine.

Scott and I decided that one way to keep up some form of exercise was to always use the stairs. As our room was located on level 5 and many times we were going to level 14, we climbed many stairs. 140 each time, to be exact.

Many of my regular readers are aware that Scott and I decided some time ago to adopt a healthier lifestyle. We decided to do this by eating more whole foods and reducing our exposure to chemicals. Always with the 85 to 90% rule in mind, this allows a small allowance for treats and occasional eating out.

We definitely used up our 15% of excess!

On a cruise it is difficult to avoid chemical exposure, especially with the hand sanitiser you are expected to use before entering any restaurant. The food is also plentiful and very tasty, so there was quite a digression from our usual diet. That is, however, what holidays are all about.

The plan moving forward,

With the return to our normal routine, it’s time to “pay the tax” so to speak and detox. For us that means a mostly plant based diet with no alcohol. Increasing our daily exercise will also help to burn off those extra ‘cruise kilos’.

I think it’s important for our mental health to ‘let loose’ and be indulgent when on holidays. However, for our physical wellbeing, it’s important to return to a healthier type of routine when the holiday ends.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Those ‘Healthy’ recipes and Sugars

Today I am talking about the ‘healthier’ recipes and sugars.

There are many magazines and books available that contain healthy recipes lately. It can be quite a task choosing one that suits your needs. Manufacturers, authors, cafes and restaurants use the term ‘healthy’ very loosely in recent times, as most of us are aware.

Healthy is a buzzword that has been used to describe all sorts of foods.

Focus on Sugar

You may be trying to limit your intake of sugars as part of a healthier diet.  Most people would like to think that recipes for ‘health’ foods and snacks would have less sugars and processed ingredients.

The use of dates or other dried fruits has become popular as a way to sweeten cakes, bliss balls and other desserts.

Fresh fruit contains lots of fluid, which fills us up. Dried fruit is stripped of its water content, which then concentrates the sugar. To put this in perspective:

– Half a cup of fresh cranberries contains 2g of sugar. One cup of dried cranberries contains a whopping 37g, or 9 teaspoons.

– One date is over 60 per cent sugar and 30 per cent of this is fructose.

In my experience, including these ingredients in the recipe is instead of adding processed sugars, as they are sweet enough.

Recently I was looking through a free recipe magazine. Of particular interest were some ‘Bliss Ball’ recipes, as it’s always good to get some new ideas. I was always of the belief that these great little snack balls were developed to help people to make better snack choices.

Consequently it is very disappointing to see that these recipes also included brown sugar in the ingredient list.

Less is Best

People are becoming used to cakes and slices being very sweet. It appears that the authors feel that the addition of extra sweeteners is necessary.

It is a scientific fact that sugar is addictive. Therefore the more sugar we eat, the sweeter we want our food to be. It is a vicious circle that leads to certain decline in our health.

That many people are still having issues with weight gain, is not surprising, with these types of recipes being published as a healthier option.

At the end of the day, everyone is looking for his or her own version of a healthy diet. Each of us has different needs and goals.

Our preference is to reduce our sugar intake. Over the past couple of years we have managed to remove added sugars from most of our diet. We have found that over time, the less sugar we consume, the less we crave or can eat.

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n Prosper

Ginger for health

Todays post is about Ginger.

During the past month Scott has started growing ginger in our vegetable garden. So far it seems to be growing well. I’m looking forward to seeing what the flowers are like.

When we were holidaying in Fiji, the Ginger Lilly was a popular cultivated plant with beautiful, fragrant flowers. Hopefully the edible species has similar flowers.

It also has so many health benefits and can be used in many different ways.

So what Is Ginger?

It is also known as Zingiber officinale, is inaccurately referred to as “ginger root”, although the edible section sold in the markets and used in dishes is actually the stem or the rhizome. Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice, and is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.

It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for the body and brain.

Not only is ginger known as an essence and a spice, it is known to be one of the oldest remedies in herbal and aromatic traditional treatments, especially in China, India, and the Middle East. In China, it has been used for over 2,000 years for curing inflammation and diarrhea.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Today, ginger is on the FDA’s list of generally safe foods and is often used to mask the taste of bitter medicines such as cough syrups.

Here are 6 health benefits of ginger that are supported by scientific research.
1. Improve Brain Function and Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation can accelerate the aging process.

They are among the key drivers of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. Some studies suggest that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain.

There is also some evidence that ginger can directly enhance brain function

2. Highly effective against nausea.

Studies have concluded that 1 -1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea. This applies to relieving nausea and vomiting after surgery, motion and morning sickness.

Its quick absorption and rapid regulation of body functions cure nausea without the side effects of modern medications.

3. Help Fight Infections

Gingerol can help lower the risk of infections as it inhibits the growth of many different types of bacteria. Fresh ginger may also be effective against the RSV virus, a common cause of respiratory infections.

4. Treats Diarrhea

Ginger has been used since ancient times to cure diarrhea. This was recently proven by researchers that found it prevents stomach spasms and gases that contribute to and stimulate diarrhea.

5. May Reduce Muscle and joint pain.

Gingerol, is a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, which has been directly associated with improvements in knee inflammation and associated pain. Ginger does not have an immediate impact, but may be effective at reducing the day-to-day progression of muscle pain as both a preventative measure and a treatment.

6. Aids in Digestion

Ginger has been discovered to be a facilitator of the digestive process. It helps in regulating high sugar levels that may disrupt digestion and soothe the stomach. Along with that, it has a number of compounds that improve the absorption of nutrients and minerals from the food we eat. It is popular in Asian countries as an appetiser or raw menu item for precisely this reason.

There are so many more health benefits associated with Ginger. It is also quite versatile and easy to include it in our daily diet, whether it’s fresh, pickled, dried or ground.

With all of this in mind, I will definitely be trying to consume it every day.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.