Let's Talk About: PINEAPPLES

* Pineapple boosts immunity and improves blood circulations.

* Can help treat arthritis! Pineapple contains a relatively rare enzyme called bromelain that helps with the complex breakdown of proteins and has major anti-inflammatory effects! Hence helping to  reduce inflammation of joints and muscles

* Aids with digestion - being rich in dietary fibre, pineapple is like a helping hand to which keep you regular and your intestines healthy.

* Helps heal wounds and protect against infection.

* Reduces risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Why not add pineapple to your next smoothie or with yogurt to add a extra tang!

The Superfood Series

Welcome to the SophiaFIT “Superfood” Series! You’ve probably all heard countless times about the nutritional benefits of these everyday ingredients such as blueberries, kale, salmon, commonly labeled “superfoods.” Although there is no official scientific definition of a superfood, the theory behind superfoods are foods that contain high levels of much-needed vitamins and minerals. They can also be a source of antioxidants, substances that shield our bodies from cell damage and help prevent disease. Yes there are a number of common foods that provide these nutrients, there is also an array of more exotic and less mainstream superfoods that are worth getting to know!

Through this series of blog posts I will be going through my favourite and budget friendly “superfoods”! Enjoy!

Apple Cider Vinegar.. Yes, No, Maybe?

What is all the fuss about you may ask? Yes Apple Cider Vinegar is a great addition to a salad dressing but is it really a health miracle?

It is touted as a natural health cure, with a number of suggested health benefits such as weight loss, improved heart health & even treats dandruff. Although some of these health claims have potential, with small studies to back them up. Others, however, have little to no evidence of their validity.

Yes some small studies show encouraging results for apple cider vinegar's weight loss benefits. Though it may help with weight loss and health conditions, apple cider vinegar should NOT take place as a soul weight loss method!

Evidence-based weight loss plans encourage people to:
- Cut back or avoid processed foods and added sugars
- Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week

Apple cider vinegar is good to include but definitely NOT an essential! If you are keen to try start adding 1 - 2  tablespoons to a glass of water to enjoy in the morning upon waking!

101: Cooking with Fats & Oils

My recent Article for Whole Life Challenge breaks down all you need to know about Cooking with Coconut Oil! Cooking with fats and oils can be really confusing and hard to understand so throughout my article I go into detail about how oils change when you heat them, their smoke points and what is healthy and not so healthy. I also talk about the level of refinement and how this process produces trans fats which are lethal.

To read more of the articles I have written for Whole Life Challenge, click Here!

Sleepy Brain = Sleepy Body

You might not believe it now but being short on sleep can really affect your weight! Yes I know we all live such busy lives and sometime you need to make sacrifices to complete all your jobs but this is something that should become a priority!!

 Do you find yourself reaching for a large latte or two to get you through the day?! Or have you been tempted to skip a workout because you're too tired and get take away for dinner? Well this can not only explain the reason why are you are struggling to lose weight but may cause you to be less motivated to get moving! 

Ensuring you get enough shut-eye is as important to your health, well-being and your weight as are diet and exercise! Achieving less than seven hours of sleep per night can reduce and undo some of benefits from weight loss. As when you have a “sleepy” brain it ultimately sets your brain up to make poor decisions, therefore dulling the activity into the brain's frontal lobe that is in charge of decision-making and impulse control! (TIP: Don’t do your weekly grocery shopping on little sleep!!)

Other than the effect on your brain function, insufficient sleep can affect your levels of insulin. Insulin regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein by promoting the absorption of, especially, glucose from the blood into fat, liver and skeletal muscle cells. So when insulin is functional well, the fat cells remove fatty acids and lipids from your bloodstream and prevent storage. BUT if you consistently don’t allow yourself enough sleep you will become more insulin resistant eventually leading to excess insulin which ends up as stored fat in all the wrong places!!

 Enough of the fact and onto some tips to help you ensure you get at least 7 hours of sleep!

• Shutdown your computer, mobile, and TV at least an hour before you head to bed
• Keep your bedroom for only sleep and sex! Think relaxation and release, rather than work or entertainment. So try and avoid having a desk or computer in your room, save that for the office or kitchen bench!
• Create a bedtime ritual. Instead, take a warm bath, meditate, or read.
• Stick to a schedule, waking up and winding down out at the same times every day, even on weekends.
• Watch what and when you eat. Avoid eating heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime.  And steer clear of soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate after 2 p.m. (Keep in mind this is different for everyone!)
• Ensure your room is dark as darkness cues your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin, while light suppresses it!

These tips are pretty basic but trust me they you will see the results!

The Queen of Spices

Turmeric may be one of the most effective nutritional supplement due to its major benefits on not only on your body but on your brain! Turmeric really is a superhero spice! It contains a wide range of antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties! To add the to the list of benefits, it is also loaded with many nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Sodium, Potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc! And it has been found from over 6000 + studies that when turmeric is compared to conventional medicine its benefits EQUAL that of many pharmaceutical medications!!

As well as all the benefits above it has been found that a particular component of turmeric has the ability to prevent premature aging, reduce depression, manage arthritis and blood sugar!! How amazing is Turmeric!

Turmeric is one of those spices that can really be added to any meal, breakfast through to dessert! To help you with including Turmeric into your day I have included a few yummy recipes below. This shows you how simple it is to add extra nutritional value to each and every meal!
 

Day Starter

1 cup of coconut water
½ a teaspoon of turmeric (fresh or dried)
½ a teaspoon of ginger
Juice of a lemon
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ground chilli (optional - for an extra ZING)
1 teaspoon of honey (optional)

Place ingredients in a blender and give it whirl. Add lemon juice, sea salt and honey to taste!
 

Tropical Green Cleansing Smoothie

2 cups fresh kale
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups pineapple
1 cup mango
Juice of ½ lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon to 1/2 ground turmeric to taste

Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy!
 

 

Turmeric Omelette

2 eggs
Handful of Spinach
Handful of kale
1 Medium Sweet potato, diced & pre cooked
Handful of chopped Cherry tomatoes
Teaspoon of turmeric

Whisk two eggs with turmeric, pour into a lightly greased with coconut oil pan.
Pour the whisked eggs into the pan, allowing it to settle for a bit.  Then place on one side of the omelette, spinach, kale, sweet potato and tomatoes. Leave it to cook for a little then flip the opposite side to close it up like a sandwich.
Leave to cook for few minutes.

Remove from pan and serve with some avocado, salt and pepper to season.
 

Turmeric Chicken

Marinade
2 x Chicken breast
Tablespoon of turmeric
2 sprigs of oregano
Juice of a lemon

Dressing
2 x tablespoons of Greek yogurt
Tablespoon of turmeric
Juice of ½ a lemon

Marinate chicken breasts for 30 minutes to 1 hr in the fridge. Pre-heat the oven at 250 degrees. Place chicken breasts on baking tray and cook for 30 minutes or until golden. 

While cooking prep the dressing, 1 tablespoon of turmeric with Greek yogurt and a touch of lemon juice and stir.

Serve Chicken with a grated carrot & zucchini, corn, mixed beans of your choice & a handful of spinach! ENJOY!

Carbs, Protein and Fats = ESSENTIAL

Life is all about Balance!

Let’s talk about Protein, carbs and Fats!

Protein is essential for the growth of muscle, hair, skin and bones. Whilst carbs provide your body with energy to fuel your brain and muscles. Fat is also incredibly important for insulation, brain health and the production of hormones. When protein, carbohydrates and fats work together they keep your body healthy and functioning. The carbs you eat give you energy while the protein builds muscles. Fats and proteins are essential in order to stabilize the blood sugar levels in your body and are best eaten together! To put it simply without carbs your body would not have the energy  it needs to workout and train  hard and without protein and fats you would not be able to build muscle or grow skin and hair and regulate your hormones and mood as effectvely. Demonstrating that these elements are equally essential for your diet!

This doesn’t mean you can go out and order a crispy chicken burger to ensure you include this essential relationship is in your diet. Instead you need to choose with care and be smart about it! The best protein choices are lean meats, eggs and tofu. The best carbs are whole grains, fruits and vegetables which offer more health benefits that refined grains! The best fats are monounsaturated olive oil and avocado as well as almond butter!!! Coconut oil has been shown to have a myriad of other health benefits also.

Some examples of nutritious protein and carb combinations that you can include in your daily diet include brown rice and broccoli with legumes, tofu or grilled chicken, grilled salmon with steamed asparagus and quinoa, low-fat cottage cheese with fruit or oatmeal and nuts! These food combos will take longer for your body to absorb therefore there will be a slower release into your body and a steadier energy source to keep you going!

Source: Muscle & Fit

Lets talk about FIBER..

As people are becoming more and more fixated on finding the perfect diet to help with lose fat or gain muscle people are overlooking the hire component of fat lose, FIBER!

Fiber, often referred to as roughage or bulk, is a component indigestible part of the plant based foods that pushes through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way and easing bowel movements.

There are three different types of fibre which all have different functions and health benefits.

 Soluble fiber helps to slow the emptying process in our stomachs, which helps us feel fuller for longer! Foods rich in this type of fiber include oatmeal, nuts, beans, apples, and blueberries

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Insoluble fiber absorbs water to help soften the contents of our bowels and supports regular bowel movements. This is found in the seeds and skins of fruit (so always eat your peels) as well as whole-wheat bread and brown rice.

 Resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine and instead proceeds to the largeintestine where it assists the production of good bacteria and improves bowel health! Foods rich in this type include bananas, potatoes and cashews.

 Fiber is hugely important for gut health and the absorption of nutrients, therefore aiding digestion as it bulks up food in the digestive tract which makes your feel fuller for longer!

The minimum fibre intake should be no less that 20g for females and 25g for males but no more the 40g for females and 50-60g for males. But with most things too much of anything can be bad for you! If you fibre intake is too high is can reflect badly on you gut health and nutrient absorption. You need to focus on finding that SWEET SPOT!

Here are my TOP TIPS FIBRE TIPS!

1.     Eat Breakfast. Breakfast is a great place to start adding fibre.

2.     Add seeds. All kinds of seeds are high in fibre so aim to add 2 tablespoons of seeds into your diet each day!

3.     Eat more beans!! Lentils and beans are very high in fibre, especially soluble fibre. Try to have beans at least 3 or 4 times a week.

4.     Add Vegetables. As a good rule of thumb, salad or vegetables should make up 1/3 of your lunch and 1/3 of your dinner. Short on time? Frozen veggies are just as good!

5.     Eat Fruit. A piece of fruits will give you over 2g of fiber!! So aim to have 2-3 pieces of fruit everyday! Try slicing banana for brekky, adding apple to your salad and enjoying an orange a snack.

6.     Snack on nuts and dried fruit. Snacks like mixed nuts and raisins are high in fiber and make a great alternative to crisp and sugary snacks! All you need is a handful to help boost your intake

7.     Drink water.

** Remember it is normal to feel some bloating and to pass a little more wind when you first start to add in more fibre. This will settle down in a week or two.