Science has proven Grandma knows best!

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” custom_padding=”7px|0px|3px|0px”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” custom_padding=”0px|0px|1px|0px”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”]

First of all, Happy Mothers’ Day to all the Mum’s.

Second, it seems that our Grandmothers know best! Of course.

According to a recent newspaper article, scientists are finally proving what our grandparents have known for years. Many of us have that been advocates for these lifestyle changes are often viewed with skepticism. It is great to have science backing us up.

food, garden, washing, walking

Some of the most notable changes mentioned, are things that Scott and I have been doing for some time. I thought I would share these with you, quoting from the article as I go.

Easy lifestyle changes

  • Cooking from scratch, using real food ingredients. “This will save you kilojoules and having a raft of additives in your meals.”
  • Using old recipes and cookbooks. “Cornwell University in the USA compared recipes from the 1936 and 2006 editions of ‘The Joys of Cooking’. They found that recipes in the 2006 version had an average 63% more kilojoules.”
  • Grow your own fruit and vegetables. “Helps kids to eat more and home grown tastes better. Less chemicals and gardening is great for reducing stress.”
  • Eat at the dinner table. “Helps a child’s vocabulary, develops table etiquette and creates an opportunity for family communication.”
  • Switch off screens. “Studies have shown that excessive screen-time impairs brain structure and function. Mostly in the frontal lobe, which controls our sense of empathy.”
  • Ditch the chemicals. “Research into lung function found that it was 14% worse in people who used modern household cleaning products regularly, than those that didn’t.”
  • Hang out the washing. “The suns’ rays actually help to disinfect clothes and remove stains. It is also an opportunity to get some Vitamin D.
  • Go for walks. “Research from Harvard University shows that people who walk regularly live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. They are also more likely to have a healthy weight and stronger immune system.”
  • Get to sleep early. ‘Studies have shown that those who don’t stay up late are more optimistic, patient and productive. They also have stronger immune systems than night owls.”

We don’t have children, but for those that do…..

2 more changes.

  • Let kids be dirty. “Microbiology Professor Brett Finlay and Immunologist Marie-Claire Arrieta, authors of ‘Let Them Eat Dirt’ say – Keeping children too clean can weaken their immune systems by depriving them of valuable microbes.”
  • Play outside. “Time outdoors is beneficial for adults and kids alike as it improves concentration. Exposure to sunlight also reduces a child’s risk of developing near-sightedness.”

These are all easy changes to make that can have a long-term impact on your health and wellbeing.

We have found that ‘cooking from scratch’ has encouraged us to have a more varied diet, as we try different recipes. It actually saves us money when we plan our meals in advance as we only buy the ingredients we need for the week.

Scott has found that spending time in our small fruit and vegetable garden lowers stress. It is also great to be able to add home grown vegetables to our meals.

Finally, it is great to read that more studies are finding that constant exposure to modern chemicals is having an adverse effect on our bodies.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Coping with Menopause or Perimenopause

Todays post is about Menopause, or is it Perimenopause?

Lately the topic of menopause has been coming up in conversation with several of my friends and work colleagues. Probably because we are all around an age where menopause is starting to affect our lives in some way.

For me personally, the most common symptom of ‘hot flushes’ started about 2 years ago.

They were only occurring every so often at first. I visited my G.P. and he advised that this was probably the start of ‘perimenopause’. This was a new term for me and it was the beginning of some new learning.

I think most of us have the terminology wrong. We think that the term ‘Menopause’ relates to the period when we are actually suffering from ‘hot flushes, night sweats, irritability and disruptive sleep. In fact, Perimenopause refers to the time when the symptoms start.

Changing levels of hormone production in our bodies, particularly the reduction of oestrogen produced in our ovaries, are the cause.  Typically symptoms start in the mid-40s and at this stage the symptoms may be mild. This is what is called the perimenopause.

The duration of these symptoms is different for everyone and can last from months to several years. The term Menopause actually refers to the total cessation of menstrual periods as well as a decrease in oestrogen and progesterone production by the ovaries.

Now all of this is very educational, but dealing with the symptoms is different for everyone.

I have chosen to deal with the symptoms by taking specific nutritional supplements.

A friend of mine introduced me to a company that manufactures a supplement specifically for the transitioning hormones of women.

I am so grateful to my friend for sharing this with me, as the results have been fabulous.

My sleep was also starting to become restless, so I started using a natural hormone balancing cream and a supplement at night to aid my sleep.

I can honestly say that I can no longer go without these  items. They are what keep the ‘heat’ away and keep my sleep restful.

So, why are they great?

First, the supplement contains herbal ingredients such as Black Cohosh and Red Clover. These herbs have been used for centuries to help relieve menopausal symptoms.

Next, the hormone balancing cream called Balancing cream. This fantastic smelling cream contains herbs such as Wild Yam and Chaste Tree, which have been used to relieve menopausal symptoms for centuries. It also contains the essential oils of Roman chamomile, lavender, ylang ylang and geranium, which help to relax you and ease stress.

Finally, to help with sleep and general stress – Stress Health. This supplement contains a compound called Lactium, which inhibits the stress response.

St Johns Wort, which also helps reduce anxiety, and Valerian, a herb that has been used for centuries to treat insomnia.

Together these 3 things have been essential in my daily routine to make this ‘Menopausal’ stage a negligible obstacle. I have included the links to the website where I purchase my supplements, if you wish to know more.

There is so much information, as well as remedies, available to us. It just takes a little research to find out what works for you. As always, I prefer to try the most natural approach first.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

A Seeded Banana Bread recipe

Seeded Banana bread

I have been looking for ideas for morning or afternoon tea. Sometimes a low sugar, low or gluten free cake is an acquired taste. I wanted something that would also appeal to our young nieces and nephew when they visit. So over the past couple of weeks I have been experimenting with different recipes.

The 2 best ones so far, have been Carrot Cake cupcakes and Seeded Banana Bread. The Banana Bread was the stand out winner. It was fairly easy to make, was moist and flavoursome. This recipe is great as there is very little sugar and the seeds add some extra health benefits.

This adapted recipe is from a book called ‘ A Modern Way To Eat’ by Anna Jones.

I did make some small changes to the recipe and it turned out really good. The next time I make it, I will add some more spices and that is how I will share the recipe with you today.

Banana Bread Ingredients

125 g plain flour (I used Kamut, an ancient wheat flour)

100 g Almond meal

25 g Coconut flour

100 g dextrose (or light brown sugar)

30 g Maple syrup

100 g seeds (I used 50 g Sesame & 50 g Golden Flaxseed)

a pinch of salt

1 teasp baking power

2 teasp Cinnamon

1 teasp Nutmeg

3 medium sized ripe bananas

grated zest & juice of 1 lemon

2 tablesp Olive oil

2 tablesp Coconut yoghurt (or natural yoghurt)

2 eggs

½ teasp Vanilla essence/paste

Method

Preheat oven to 200’ C and prepare a 450 g loaf tin.

Put all the dry ingredients (plain flour, Almond meal, Coconut flour, dextrose, salt, baking powder, Cinnamon & nutmeg) into a large bowl and mix well.

Put the bananas into a food processor with the lemon juice and zest, Olive oil, Coconut yoghurt, eggs, Maple syrup and Vanilla.

Give it a quick blitz so the bananas are broken down, and then slowly add the dry ingredients. Don’t over mix; just do enough to ensure it is all well combined.

Pour the mix into your tin and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

We found it’s delicious on it’s own and goes really well with a cup of tea or coffee.

However I like a thick slice, warmed in the toaster and then spread with a little butter.

I hope you enjoy this Banana Bread as well.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper.