About Me

What exercises make for the best quickie workout?

Click here for the original InShape News article.

In this fast-paced busy world in which we live it seems the world is spinning faster and faster. Those 24 hours in a day now feel like much less as we struggle to fit ‘life’ in. So it’s no wonder we’re focussing less and less on the things that improve our health. Fast food and convenience meals have become the staple and “a lack of time” is the number one excuse for not exercising.

It’s long been promoted that adults need to partake in around 150 minutes of exercise each and every week to maintain flexibility, health and muscle tone. But recent research is now busting this myth wide open with startling results. Science may just be coming to our rescue.

Can you get “Fit in 6 Minutes a Week?” Catalyst’s Anja Taylor tells.

In 2013 Chris Jordan, Director of Exercise Physiology at the Human Performance Institute Division of Wellness & Prevention, Inc., designed a practical body weight circuit workout that became known as the “7 Minute Workout”. Published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, it revolutionised and reinvigorated the fitness craze.

It works by employing the High Intensity interval Training (HIIT) methodology, getting your heart rate up and you sweating through the mix of 12 strength and cardio exercises. There are literally hundreds of testimonials and dozens of free Apps to guide you using only a wall and a chair. But if you delve into the research you’ll discover Chris actually recommends doing the workout three times in a row two to three times a week to achieve great fitness. So it’s really a 21 minute workout, or 63 minutes a week.

HIIT training seems to now be popping up everywhere. It’s the new buzz word. But HIIT originated informally in the 1970s, used by track and field athlete Sebastian Coe and has since morphed into the Tabatha regimen (1996), the Gibila regimen (2009), Zuniga regimen (2011) and finally the Timmons regimen (2012) used by Dr Michael Mosely in his BBC documentary the “Truth about Exercise”.

HIIT, also known as interval sprints, is basically a form of interval training – a series of high-intensity exercise workouts (anywhere from 8 seconds up to 20 minutes) interspersed with a rest or relief period before repeating. HIIT provides a good cardiovascular workout and can be coupled with strength exercise for circuit training if desired. But it’s the “sprint’ component of HIIT that has the greatest impact for minimal effort.

In 2015 the ABC Catalyst report “Fit in 6 Minutes a Week” reporter Anja Taylor shows us her personal test of “sprints”, training for two-minutes three times a week over 16 weeks. Her approach involved a 30-second sprint followed by a 4.5 minute rest, repeated 4 times, although Anja admits that sprinting up a hill was not a good idea and that a stationary bike would have been a better choice. But after 16 weeks the results were startling: Anja shed 1.5kg of body fat reducing her BMI dramatically whilst improving her VO2Max by more than 10% and moving her from the “unfit” into the “fit” category.

Whilst the approaches vary, they all show that HIIT is a highly effective strategy to improve your fitness whilst dramatically reducing the risk of illness, disease and human aging. But the interesting thing about Anja’s Catalyst report is that she explains the science behind why this works – and it’s fascinating (and well worth a watch).

Put simply “sprints” boost your mitochondrial DNA function by triggering your flight or fight mode, producing adrenalin and improving your VO2Max. Sprinting improves not only the way your body operates at a cellular level but also your fat burning capability. Sprinting reduces your visceral fat, counteracts diabetes, helps to prevent diseases, reduces the effects of menopause, improves your sleep and reduces most of the signs of aging. So “interval sprinting” could just be the fountain of youth we’ve all been seeking.

And at only 6 minutes a week, this could be the time effective quickie workout you’ve been seeking.

#inshapenews #goodadvice #quickieworkout #hit #highintensitycardio #hiit #highintensityintervalcardio #cardio #vo2max #7minuteworkout #truthaboutexercise #fitinminutes #fitin6minutesaweek #bmi #bodymassindex #diabetes #menopause #burnfat #fattofit #fitlife #fitness #getoutside #staystrong

Get Your Body Right

What are the best foods to eat before working out

Click here for the original InShape News article.

Essentially WHAT you should eat depends on the aim of your workout – are you building muscle or improving your fitness through cardio? Also, WHEN you eat is just as crucial; it’s timing dependent on what foods you’ve chosen to use to fuel-up.

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BUILDING MUSCLE

If building muscle is your game, as well as losing fat and increasing your metabolism at the same time, then you’ll want a pre-workout meal which focuses on lean proteins. Some of the best lean proteins are grilled meats, eggs (or egg whites), low-fat Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese – anything low in fat and high in protein.  These foods contain Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) which help increase the rate of protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown during and after your workout, minimising muscle wastage and maximising muscle-building opportunities.

CARDIO WORKOUT

If you’re going for a high-energy cardio workout, then you’ll need to consume items that are higher in complex carbohydrates, to give you enough slow released energy to push yourself through an energetic workout. Low Glycaemic Index (GI) carbohydrates like quinoa, mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes, cauliflower, zucchini and green leafy vegetables help to fill up your glycogen stores and also create a more anabolic effect.  Avoid carbohydrates like processed foods, grains, wheat, sugar and high-starch root vegetables (no potatoes, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot or beetroot) which convert to sugar and negatively impact on the results of your workout.

INTERVAL TRAINING

If you’re doing a combined workout, like interval training, then simply eat a balance of the two – protein and carbohydrates – focus on fibre, this will fill you up so you don’t get hungry. Don’t over-eat and keep your calories to between 200 and 350 depending on your weight and workout plan.

WHEN TO EAT

Also, remember that WHEN to eat is just as crucial. Eating on an empty stomach (unless it’s first thing in the morning to kick start your metabolism with a post-work out breakfast) is generally not recommended, although it does work for some people. Knowing how long to eat before your workout helps is the key to maximising your results and minimising any pre or post workout fatigue.

FOOD DIGESTION TIME

Different types of foods take different times to digest, from the stomach to the small intestine, which is when its nutrition is available for absorption and use by the body in your workout.

PROTEINS

Proteins take around 3-4 hours to digest, muscle-building workouts benefit from eating a high-protein low-fat meal containing 100 to 250g of raw protein weight (size depends on your body weight) 3-4 hours before working out. Mix your high protein up with some non-starchy vegetables for a boost of low GI energy.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates take around 2-3 hours to digest but simple carbohydrates like sugar, grains, flours and starchy vegetables convert quickly and, while they release energy, it’s a short burst that can also throw your insulin balance out. Low-GI complex carbohydrates give you sustained slow release energy that lets you power through your workout.

DIETARY FAT

Dietary fat takes 6-8 hours to digest, so it’s best to consume high-fat (good-fat) foods like nuts, avocados, and salmon in the meals following your workout.

If it’s been longer than 3-hours since your last meal and you’re soon to hit the gym consider adding a pre-workout snack, such as an orange or an apple, or strawberries, raspberries or blueberries with a little low-fat Greek yoghurt a couple of hours beforehand. Most fruits, including convenient bananas, are too high in simple fructose sugar which reduces the benefits of your workout; slows your metabolism and raises your body’s natural weight set point.

WORKOUT FOODS
Work Out Type Foods to Eat Eat Before Workout
High Energy Cardio Complex Low-GI carbohydratesIncluding green leafy veggies 2-3 Hours
Resistance or Weight Training Lean Protein 100g-250gGreen leafy veggies 3-4 Hours
Combination Workout Mix of the two above 3-4 Hours
Emergency Fuel Apple, Orange, Berries and/or low-fat Greek yoghurt 2 Hours

#inshapenews #goodadvice #workoutfood #healthydiet #health #whenandwhatyoueat #foodforfitness #protein #highprotein #carbohydrates #lowcarb #complexcarbs #nosugar #healthyfats #whentoeat #whattoeat #eattolive #health #fitness #fit #hit #hiit #intervaltraining #resstancetraining #highintesityintervaltraining #highintensitytraining #buildmuscle #shedfat #fitspiration #eatclean #gethealthy #healthylife #seethelight

Get Your Body Right

When’s the Best Time to Workout

Click here for the original InShape News article.

Many people swear by morning workouts, but is there a ‘best’ time of day to maximise your exercise efforts? Science says there is, but is science right?

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Yes, science apparently has the answer, but it’s not the same for everyone. Studies reveal that to get the most out of your workout means you have to be at your ‘best’ – both physically and mentally – to be able to put as much into your workout as possible, as consistently as you can.

Your Biological Rhythm

But what time of day are you at your ‘best’? Well science says this entirely depends on your biological rhythm, and it’s not the same for everyone. Rhythms are influenced by your sleeping and waking habits, so your peak exercise time will vary usually in-line with the time of day you are at your most alert.

However, when it comes to working out there are many other factors to consider other than how alert you are. These include:

  • The consistency of your workouts.
  • How effective you sleep at night.
  • Your stress levels.
  • The environmental conditions of exercise.
  • The convenience.
  • Location and availability of your workout.
  • How your workout influences your day-long performance.
  • Your workout’s relative safety.

Any one of these factors, or a combination of them, can seriously reduce the effectiveness of your chosen workout, not to mention the impact of the type of workout you choose to do.

Morning Workouts

Many report that the morning workout is high-effective, especially before eating a healthy breakfast, as it encourages an all-day fat burn. Others proclaim that an evening workout will help you to continue to burn calories while you sleep.

And science again reveals some more influencers. Generally speaking morning workouts can assist with fat loss or fat storage prevention as well as increased serotonin levels improving your mood and fighting depression all day long. Plus once your morning work’s done, it’s done for the day.

Evening Workouts

Evening workouts can be best for high strength work, help tire you out for a better night’s sleep as well as be part of a convenient after-work schedule. But end-of-day lethargy may cause your enthusiasm to wane and for you to skip your workout.

Midday Workouts

And, like you would expect, day-time or afternoon workouts sit somewhere in the middle. It’s a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears. Everyone is different.

Workout When You Feel Your Best

Look, there’s no ‘one fits all’ answer to this complex question. The simple answer is if you feel better working out in the morning, then do that. If you’d rather use exercise to de-stress during or just after a long day in the office then by all means, go for it. And if you’re a night-owl and hunger for that pre or post-dinner surge then why not take advantage of all those new 24-hour gyms opening up.

In the end it’s all about personal choice. Do what works for you best. If you’re not sure then alternate the time of your workout and see what feels best. In the end, the most important bit of any workout is that you do it.

#inshapenews #goodadvice#besttimetoworkout #scheduleyourday #biologicalrhythm #morningworkout #eveningworkout #whenisthetime #thetimeisnow #healthylifestyle #healthylife #health #fitness #feelgoodlookgood #cardio #fitness #fit #hit #hiit #intervaltraining #resstancetraining #highintesityintervaltraining #highintensitytraining #buildmuscle #shedfat #fitspiration #trainclean #gethealthy #seethelight

Get Your Body Right

Can I Do Exercises at My Desk that Burn Calories?

Click here for the original InShape News article.

It’s no secret in this age of information that we are sitting more, and moving less. If you spend 9 or more hours sitting each day then it could be literally shortening your life – even a 60 minute workout won’t counteract the effects of a long day of sitting.

Your body was designed for regular movement. Sitting for extended periods of time causes a reduction in blood flow, leading to organ damage, sluggish digestion, brain damage and a reduction in muscle and bone density – and that’s not to mention the postural issues and reduced calorie burn that comes hand in hand with long stints of inactivity, and increased stress levels leading to overeating. Yes your ‘desk job’ is actually making you fat and shortening your life.

However there are several ways to counteract the desk job, and burn valuable calories in the process.

180022-10-exercises-to-do-at-your-desk

1. Get Up Often

Whether it’s to the photocopier, meeting room, kitchen or even the rest room, set a timer on your computer to ensure you get up and move around for 10 minutes of every hour. Walking around burns 3-5 times the calories that sitting does, so take every opportunity you can to get up and move. This might sound like you’ll get less done, but actually you’ll be refreshed by regular short breaks, think more clearly and be more energised to power through your work more effortlessly. Odds are you’ll be even more productive.

2. Drink Lots

We should be consuming 45mls of fresh filtered water for every kilogram of weight – more if we’re exercising or drinking dehydrating beverages like coffee and alcohol. This may seem like a lot of water to get through in a day but it will counteract the drying effects of office air conditioning and will get you more active with frequent trips to the restroom.

3. Ergonomics

Ergonomics used to be limited to ensuring your screen height and chair height were correct and using tools like a foot rest or wrist rest to aid correct posture. More alternative options include using a kneeling chair or a ‘bounce’ ball instead of a regular chair. But research shows that the best ergonomic option is a standing workstation with an ergonomic mat, and these are slowly becoming more popular. And new innovations are continually being developed like a movable height desk and a ‘hamster wheel’ desk that keeps you on the move.

4. Posture

Ensuring your posture at your desk is correct is key. But what does this mean? When sitting you should ensure your spine is ‘stacked’ by sticking your bottom out behind you to form a ‘J’ shape – simply wiggle your ‘big booty’ back in the chair and push your coccyx back. It can feel a bit awkward at first and takes a bit of practice and constant self-monitoring, but it’s a much less stressful position, more comfortable and also helps prevent you from slouching or hunching over.

5. Regular Movement

There are literally dozens of exercises you can do at your desk to ensure better blood flow and combat the harsh effects long periods that sitting has on our bodies. These are my top 10 to do hourly, relatively undetected.

  1. Deep Breathing – Start with 5 deep breaths, exhaling as much air as possible to void the build-up of carbon dioxide in your lungs
  1. Foot Twirl – rotate your feet clockwise for 5 twirls, then anti-clockwise for 5 twirls
  1. Full Calf Flex – white seated roll each foot onto your heel, then onto your toe. Repeat 5 times for each leg.
  1. Thigh Pump – Simulate a ‘football-style’ run by rapidly tapping your feet on the floor for 30 seconds while seated.
  1. Thigh-High – While sitting in your chair, lift your right foot a few inches off of the floor. Keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle and hold the position for 5-10 seconds each site. Repeat 5 times for each leg.
  1. Chair Shrug – Sit upright, grab side of the chair and try to lift yourself off the seat. Pausing at the top of the movement for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
  1. Desk Biceps Curl – Sit close to the desk, place your open palm under the desk and ensure your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Push up against the desk pausing at the top of the movement for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
  1. Desk Triceps Pushdown – Sit close to the desk, place your open palm on top of the desk and ensure your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Push down against the desk pausing at the top of the movement for 5-10 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
  1. Hand Stretch – Tense and relax the muscles in your hands by first making a fist, then opening it and spreading your fingers. Repeat 5 times.
  1. Plié Squat – Stand up and point your toes outwards and take a wide stance. Slowly bend your knees in the direction of your toes as far as it comfortable, hold for 5-10 seconds and stand up. Repeat 5 times. While plié squats are more graceful than regular squats, give them a miss if your work attire includes a fitted skirt.

And lastly, get a pedometer or FitbitTM on to ensure you reach at least 10,000 steps a day.

#inshapenews #goodadvice #deskexercises #exerciseatwork #officeworkout #deskworkout #standnotsit #movemore #getmoving #5keys #getupoften #drinklots #ergonomics #posture #regularmovement #remembertodothis #increaseproductivity #hydrate #nocaffeine #nosugar #screenheight #sitversusstand #noslouching #nohunching #exercises #deepbreathing #foottwirl #fullcalfflex #thighpump #thighhigh #chairshrug #deskbicepscurl #desktricepspushdown #handstretch #pilesquat #fitbit #tenthousandsteps #ichallengeyou

Get Your Body Right

What are the Biggest Mistakes People Make When They Start Exercising?

Click here for the original InShape News article.

Avoiding mistakes isn’t hard – here’s my top eight to watch out for.

Exercise Mistakes

1. Not warming up. If it’s been a while since you exercised or you’re planning on an increased level of activity, then why not give your body every chance at not being sore the next day? Start by warming-up rather than jumping straight into high intensity activity. There’s no need to go all techo with warm-up routines, just a bit of walking, a few star jumps and some stretches to get the muscles warmed-up and ready to go will reduce your risk of injury and pain the following day.

2. Going like a bat outta hell, like you’re 16 again. Often when the decision is made to embark on a higher intensity exercise regime there’s a lot of vigour involved … gotta get it done …. gotta do it now. Day one – made it! But the subsequent days can be a challenge as the zest for your new program wanes and you find the motivation (and sometimes even the energy) hard to muster. Over-exercising is just as bad as not doing any at all. So start slowly, and gradually build on each day. Maintaining balanced workouts for the long haul is your key to success.

3. Not choosing the right exercise activity. Does running make you thin? Or do thin people run? If you hate running but think this is the only cardio exercise you can do to get results, then think again. Choosing a cardio exercise that continues to motivate you, or holds you accountable (like a team sport or a buddy system) is going to get you much better results in the long run. In fact doing something that you find un-fun will quickly lead to boredom or loathing and you’ll ending up hating every minute of your work out.

4. Focusing on cardio or resistance training. If you want real results, real fast, you need to combine cardio fitness with weight training – the two work synergistically to get you much faster results than either would alone. Cardio can be done in as little as a 20-minute workout three times a week – even if this workout is three times that 7-minute work-out at a full on pace. A well-designed resistance training (RT) program can be effective with just two 30-minute sessions in a week – your muscles need rest in-between RT workouts to recover and grow. That’s five days a week, leaving you the weekend off.

5. Choosing load-bearing rather than non-load-bearing. Performing load bearing exercise when overweight or obese can cause injury and joint issues later in life, especially to your hips and knees, putting you in the queue for a walking stick and replacement surgery. Instead, select non-impact activities like yoga, Pilates, swimming, orbital trainer, stationary or recliner bike or water aerobics to get your cardio in, and, as you reduce your weight, gradually add more load bearing activities if you like.

6. Not properly stretching afterwards. Failing to adequately stretch after working out is the biggest cause of injury and body pain. Spend some time developing a good comprehensive stretching routine (should take about 10-15 minutes) that covers every muscle group and ensure you hold each stretch for a minimum of 40-seconds.

7. Not drinking enough water. Or worse still, drinking sports drinks. In the normal course of existence we lose about 45mls per kilogram of body weight a day – more if we’re exercising. So work out you base level of pure H2O that you need, then add more if you’re exercising or sweating excessively. And those sports drinks? They’re made for elite athletes who push their bodies to the limit every day. I don’t care how hard you think you’re working, you’re not in that category, and you don’t need the added nasties, colours, salt, and sugar which are going to undo all your hard work. Tap or filtered water – no additives – is all you need. And if you hate the taste of water, add fresh lemon.

8. Not mixing things up. Research has shown that after performing the exact same routine for three weeks your body switches off and the effects of doing the same program start to diminish. So if you’re doing the same cardio exercise at the same intensity for the same period of time, and/or performing the same number of reps and sets for the exact same resistance training program then those results you get over the first three weeks won’t continue indefinitely.

Instead change your program every 3-weeks by selecting a different cardio exercise (rowing instead of bike), changing the work out time (15 or 25-minutes instead of 20) or the intensity (use interval programs and change out the interval duration). When it comes to resistance training simply change out your sets and reps – instead of 3 sets x 10 reps, do 2 sets by 15 reps. The possibilities are endless, and so are your results!

#inshapenews #goodadvice#exercisemistakes #avoidthem #exerciseright #dothis #warmup #paceyourself #picktherightexercise #makeitfun #motivateyourself #exercisebuddy #balancedworkout #cardioandresistance #nonloadbearing #exerciseforyoursize #streching #stretchbefore #stretchafter #stretchoften #drinkwater #hydrate #drinkmore #mixthingsup #varyyourworkout #mixitup #changesetsandreps

Get Your Body Right

Is Yoga or Pilates Better for Your Body than Weights?

Click here for the original InShape News article.

Having practiced yoga for several years, lately I’ve found it essential to do so more regularly. I’ve tried core-strengthening Pilates, preferring Reformer, but it’s just not my bag, baby. Instead my 35-minute Hatha yoga routine provides me with all I need – resistance training, stretching and meditation all-in-one-session. And having recently being diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, this complete mind-body discipline is now at the core of my recovery program.

So is yoga, or Pilates for that matter, more important than weights? Pumping iron, as it used to be called, has seen quite a revolution over the years. No longer an exclusive club for Arnie wannabe’s, resistance training (RT) is seen as a vital way to maintain a high quality of life, particularly in the elderly.

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The truth is I also incorporate some RT into my exercise routine. Studies have shown that as we grow older our bodies become less efficient at building muscle mass and our muscles tend to shrink. Less muscle mass means not only a loss of strength, but it also dramatically increases the likelihood of injuries from falling. RT is the best way to prevent muscle waste and maintain life-long strength.

Remember that tight young butt or perky chest you had when you were young? Odds are unless you’ve been pushing weights they’ve become a little saggy over time. But the good news is that much of this sag is reversible with three 20-minute sessions a week. See your local personal trainer to develop a safe and tailored resistance training program for the best results.

But, if you could only choose one, which is more important?

For me it’s yoga – a physical, mental, and spiritual practice dating back thousands of years which incorporates the benefits of resistance training. But it’s not for the feint hearted. Anyone who’s done an intensive yoga session knows that you can generate a full-on sweat.

The benefits of yoga are well advertised – improves flexibility, builds muscle strength, corrects posture, maintains your nervous system, boosts your immune system, keeps sickness at bay, boosts sexual performance, improves sleep – and the long list goes on.

Resistance training is great, in fact, I’d recommend you include it in your weekly routine along with some high-intensity cardio or interval training. But if you can only choose one, then go with the flow and embrace yoga.

Recipes

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

On a mission to find delicious interesting paleo breakfast recipes I came across OneLovelyLife’s site and have adapted one of their recipes to an individual serve for my tastes. It’s kinda American, kinda Christmas-y and pretty delicious.

PumpkinPieSmoothie

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana (frozen if preferred)
  • 100g cooked, cold butternut pumpkin
  • 250mls Coco Quench Organic coconut milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla bean powder
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp fresh or ground ginger powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • Stevia to taste

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients into your blender or Nutri Bullet
  2. Blitz until thoroughly combined
  3. Drink immediately and enjoy.

Nutrition

  • Serves 1
  • 268 Calories
  • 9.3g Fat (6.3g Saturated)
  • 5.6g Protein
  • 51.5g Carbohydrate
  • 3.1g Fibre
  • 29.1g Sugar

About Me

Chronic Fatigue versus Paleo

I used to think Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was a load of crap …. until I found I had it.

And I used to think Paleo diet was just a fad, until I read the links between it and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the blood type diet I’ve been experimenting with over the past year.

yawning woman in the morning holding a toothbrush; Shutterstock ID 94825978; PO: The Huffington Post; Job: The Huffington Post; Client: The Huffington Post; Other: The Huffington Post

Recently I’ve been working really hard … physically really hard … actually ridiculously hard, completing the renovation of my parents’ crazy big house that needed remodelling internally, and a complete garden makeover externally. I’m talking excavations, laying concrete retaining walls, landscaping and all internal works. And I only had 8 weeks to do it in, so that meant long days interspersed with short bursts of sleep. All self-inflicted and by choice but I had a very tight deadline, and an even tighter budget to manage.

On the 9th November 2015, the day after the photo shoot for the sales campaign I couldn’t move … I was bed ridden, exhausted. I slept for 2 days and was pretty much useless. Whilst I did feel a little more energised in the days that followed what I noticed was a major shift in my physical health. It was marked and dramatic.

I found I was continually suffering from fatigue – in fact I’d never felt this tired before in my life. And no matter how much I rested just a short burst of activity saw me needing a nanna nap afterwards. Sometimes even the thought of activity made me tired.

I started forgetting things, even after upping my Lumosity training. My short term memory was deteriorating. I’d constantly forget where I put something down just moments after I’d done it, and sometimes, even mid-sentence, I’d forget what I was saying. And these things didn’t happen once, they have happened regularly.

Every morning I would complain to my hubby of waking up tired and really sore, in all muscles of my body, and for no real reason I could think of. The pain always started in my hips, but as I started moving around it moved into my knees, elbows, arms, legs, back, neck … everywhere.

I was unable to control my body temperature, fluctuating between hot sweats and the shivers. Unable to tolerate cold weather, even the balmy 23 degrees we keep our apartment no longer feels comfortably cool. I’m hot, pretty much all the time except for the old cold turn. And it’s hard to get cool.

I feel puffy and heavy all the time; my upper arms are bloated and limp. And I started suffering from serious gastric disorders that see me want to chunder all day long. No matter what I ate I would feel ill, worse than just IBS or the wheat intolerance I’d suffered from before. No this was something more … I assumed it was to do with the recent legionnaires’ (bacterial pneumonia) outbreak in our apartment complex, or a bacterial infection from the Tupperware reusable water bottles I carried my water in daily, despite cleaning them thoroughly with disinfectant.

Every morning I wake tired, no matter how much I’d slept. I no longer felt energised like I had after a good nap. Instead often my day would start with an intense headache, despite drinking lots of water. My cravings for sugar and salt were bordering on overwhelming and were quite uncontrollable.

I needed to do something about it. I needed to change my life. I started taking Yakkult every morning on an empty stomach to help rebalance my intestines. And a week later I switched to a predominately paleo diet … paleo is designed to reduce the level of toxins and stress on the body by replicating the ‘cave man’ style diet of raw and lightly cooked ingredients, with a high proportion of vegetables and fruits, meats and nuts but no dairy, grains or sugars.

Yesterday, after consulting Dr. Google (especially the Mayo Clinic and the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel) and doing a considerable amount of research it seemed I have all the symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. All of them, every day, with the exception of a sore throat.

Most commonly affecting 40and50-somethings, and women 2 to 1, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex medical condition of unknown origin which affects the hormones and the gastrointestinal region, being closely associated with food intolerances, IBS and bloating.

With no test a formal diagnosis cannot be made until symptoms have been experienced for 6 months or more, and all other possible diagnoses have been tested and ruled out … that’s a lot of waiting and a lot of tests (did I mention a lot of money too?) I don’t want to wait that long to get better so CFS, for the time being, is where I can hang my hat while I work on my recovery.

Now I know that self-diagnosis can get people into all sorts of trouble. But my hit rate on my own diagnosis has historically been spot on. I’m not prone to manifesting dis-ease of the body, in fact quite the contrary. But my maths-science background and need to resolve any hurdle means I need to know what I’m dealing with so I can, in fact, deal with it, recover and move on, onwards and upwards.

With symptoms commonly fluctuating over short periods of time, even from hour to hour, in many cases CFS occurs after a viral or bacterial infection, possibly triggering a latent virus (similar to the way shingles lays dormant in most people). Just over a month ago there was a legionnaires’ (bacterial pneumonia) outbreak in our apartment complex, which wasn’t managed well. Just prior to that outbreak I had suffered from bronchial pneumonia and influenza for 6 weeks that nearly saw me hospitalised. With a weakened immune system and possibly exposed to legionnaires’ coupled with extreme physical and mental stress, well it wasn’t surprising that my body gave out again, this time in the form of CFS.

What is interesting is the link between paleo diets and CFS … during my research yesterday I discovered that the number one dietary treatment for CFS is to follow a paleo diet. Other natural remedies include acupuncture, massage, yoga and tai chi, and lots of guilt-free sleep. And also, to keep stress levels to a minimum (not sure how you can do that when you can’t get much done at all and it mounts up!)

So it looks like my decision to change to a paleo diet on the weekend might be “just what the doctor ordered”. And whilst Dr. Google has provided a probable diagnosis for the time being, I do need to go to my doctor and get a full medical diagnosis and all other possible ailments (like Lyme disease) ruled out.

Until then I’m focussing on my health, eating right the paleo way, not overdoing it and getting plenty of rest.

Get Your Mind Right

Love Your Life

Yesterday I witnessed the aftermath of a drug overdose. The last few minutes of this man’s life were spent on the concrete floor of a public toilet, and I was jolted into a sense of sadness and waste.

A life of what ‘could have been’ was no longer, and it got me thinking about addiction. We all have it – our addiction to something …. drugs, alcohol, food, sex, bad relationships, Facebook …. You might try to deny it but you do have one, at least one, and probably more than one. Addictions come in all shapes and sizes and they’re not necessarily bad, or good – they just are. They’re those overwhelming compulsions to subconsciously do something you perhaps consciously would chose not to do. Like opening the fridge and staring into the back of it hoping the light will go ‘on’. It’s biting your fingernails, smoking, drinking, and checking the car door is locked or the oven’s off three times … just to be sure, to be sure, to be sure.

It’s not the addiction that fascinates me, but rather the evolution of addiction. Why are our brains wired this way? What experiences (or nature or nurture) lead us down a particular compulsion? Not loved enough as a child, or perhaps loved too much? And why do those exposed to the same ‘trauma’ turn to different forms of relief, escapism, coping mechanisms, dependencies? And I start to wonder whether there’s any correlation between incident and addiction.

As an NLP and Hypnosis practitioner I’ve studied this stuff quite a lot. But I’m still looking for the holy grail, the ultimate answer, the ‘quick fix’ to the problem – if we could only rewire our own brains, take control of the subconscious without falling into the abyss, imagine all that we could create and achieve … it might even be … Limitless.

Yesterday was a reminder for me to be present and fully engaged with my own life, and to practice gratitude. I’m most grateful for my network of family and friends, who care enough to ride the waves of life with me and provide between us a conduit of unconditional support … whatever form that might take in each unique relationship. Sure I love my possessions, but it’s this connection that is, by far, the most significant thing that I’m grateful for.

Over the last 6 months as I wake up the first thing I see is a sign by my bed that says “I love my life”. I repeat the words to myself as a morning ritual, even when I find it tough to say it (which incidentally is happening less and less). I follow it up by thinking about all the things I’m grateful for … everything until I can think of no more (and sometimes that takes a while). Then I plan my day, prioritise and set myself up for a day or achievement and success. This morning ritual is a conscious habit I’m creating … rewiring my brain gradually.

But this man, whatever circumstances led him to that toilet yesterday to get his last ‘fix’, his final escape, doesn’t get that chance. But you do. So if there’s anything I can advocate to you, it’s to practice gratitude and love your life, no matter where in your journey you are. You might think your life could be better, but I can almost guarantee it could be worse. So make the most of it …. LOVE your family, LOVE your friends and, most importantly …

… LOVE your life.

Get Your Body Right

Superfoods: Fact or Ficton?

To view the original InShapeNews article click here.

I feel the question here that needs to be asked is, “Do ‘Superfood’ actually have a scientific basis, or is it just some marketer’s ‘wet dream’ trying to con you into buying more of something?

Let’s see if I can answer this for you. I believe that a ‘Superfood’ is an unscientific label used in different ways, depending on the slant of the article or promotion, for marketing purposes. Generally it’s used to describe foods with high nutrient or phytonutrient content that, if consumed in the right quantities, may lead to ‘suggested’ health benefits. Unfortunately there is no real regulation around the claims of ‘Superfoods’ and many are based on discussion papers or inconclusive and very limited research at best, or purely theoretical suggestion and hypothesis.

The issue with reported ‘Superfoods’ is not necessarily whether they contain health giving properties but rather that there is often no discussion around how much of it you need to ingest to show a marked change, or how much this consumption contributes to, or defeats, a natural healthy diet.

The truth is no one can tell you how much per day, or week, you should be consuming of these so called ‘Superfoods’ because it entirely depends on what other foods you are eating, as well as your body size, genetic factors and your predisposition to disease. However, more is not necessarily better when it comes to ‘Superfoods’ because some ‘Superfoods’ if taken in excess can actually be harmful. Confused? I don’t blame you. Let’s take a closer look at the top eight so-called ‘Superfoods’.

Nuts and Seeds
Form: Raw, not roasted or salted, and preferably organic.
Contains: Calcium, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, omega-3 fatty acids and insoluble fibre.
Claims: Reduces heart disease and colon cancer. Boosts brainpower and balances moods.
Take: A daily dose of 200g. You can find a recipe on my website.

Berries
Form: Raw and preferably organic, or at least well washed.
Contains: Phytonutrients, antioxidants and fibre.
Claims: Reduces cancer and premature ageing.
Take: 250g per week or more of darker coloured berries like blueberries, blackberries and loganberries.

Omega 3 Fish
Form: Fresh oily fish, lightly cooked and not fried.
Contains: Omega 3s (EPA & DHA).
Claims: Essential for brain, heart and immune system health.
Take: 150g of oily fish, such as salmon, at least twice a week or a fish oil supplement.

Seaweed
Form: Fresh or dried.
Contains: Iodine, magnesium and ocean minerals and vitamins.
Claims: Natural metabolism regulator and promotes good health.
Take: A quarter of a cup of kelp, nori, hijiki, or wakame every 2 or 3 days.

Tomatoes
Form: Fresh and ripe, organic if possible.
Contains: Lycopene, as well as vitamins C, A, B and K, potassium and fibre.
Claims: Powerful antioxidant that reduces risk of chronic diseases.
Take: A cup, or more, of raw tomatoes each day.

Beans (Legumes)
Form: Dried, rehydrated, canned and sprouted.
Contains: High nutrition food with phytochemicals, protein, fibre, EFA’s and complex carbs.
Claims: Promotes good heath that prevents ageing and diabetes.
Take: Three cups of beans per week. Anasazi beans are the lowest ‘gas producing’ beans.

Broccoli
Form: Fresh and crisp, organic if possible.
Contains: Lutein, isothiocyanates, Vitamin C and K and Folate.
Claims: Delays age-related poor vision, prevents cancers and repairs DNA, as well as combats heart disease.
Take: At least ½ a cup five times a week of cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly steamed, not boiled.

Soy
Form: Natural soy products like tofu and soy milk.
Contains: Isoflavones and phytoestrogens which mimics estrogen.
Claims: Combats cell damage, reduces menopausal symptoms and prevents prostate cancer.
Take: No more than 30g per day due to its hormone altering properties.

Rather than following the latest ‘Superfood’ trend and over indulging in what may turn out to be an ineffectual, or harmful dose, a better option is to eat a diet that’s rich in raw natural ingredients and low in processed foods.

For a comprehensive list of daily vitamin, mineral and trace element requirements and their best natural sources consult my book “Half The Woman I Was.” It contains a complete directory of everything the human body needs for optimal health.

Sigrid de Castella – weight loss achiever, paleoish intermittent faster, adrenal fatigue recoverer, foodie, cook, writer, globetrotter & dog lover