day 33 - food journal

exercise - i rode to and from work today.  i smashed it on the way home - yew!

breakfast - cup of hot lemon water; banana, peach and a kiwi fruit

lunch - carrot and miso soup left over from dinner last night

snacks - olives... i'm a little addicted to olives at the moment i want to start to marinate my own

dinner - i made miso cucumber stir fry

ok i thought of dinner on the spot tonight, i had a cucumber in the fridge that i wanted to use and i have miso paste left over so i put them together.  i made a miso sauce out of 1/4 miso, lime juice a little coconut oil and some sesame seeds.   i cut up the cucumber and put it in the fry pan along with the sauce i had made, i sauted the sauce down for about 5 mins, or until the sauce become thick.  once finished i added a little left over goats cheese on top.  wasn't the best thing that i ever made, but still a tasty dinner :)

what an awesome monday!  i hope that you all had an awesome day too!

NK x

day 32 - food journal

exercise - i went for a big bike ride this morning and felt great for it

breakfast - cup of hot lemon water; smoothy made up of: frozen berries, home made rice milk, unheated organic honey and cacao

lunch - went out for lunch today and had a green salad with lamb at our local turkish restaurant.  this was the best possible thing that i could of had on the menu and it was delicious :)

snacks - dates

dinner - i made carrot and miso soup for dinner tonight see the recipe below

carrot and miso soup

ingredients

- tablespoon of olive oil

- 1 kg bag of carrots, roughly chopped

- 1 brown onion, finely chopped

- 1 small piece of ginger, grated / shredded (add as little or as much as you like depending on the taste)

- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed and roughly chopped

- 4 cups of vegetable broth, i used vegetable stock tonight

- 1 tablespoon of miso paste

to make:

heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute until the onion is glossy, add the carrots and allow to saute for around 10 mins or until the onion is translucent.  add the vegetable stock and ginger, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender when pierced stirring occasionally for about 30 mins.

pour about a 1/4 cup of water in a jug and mix with the tablespoon of miso until the miso paste is dissolved.  puree the soup in a food processor and add the miso mixed with the water while the food processor is going.  add more water if needed for the desired consistency or add more miso if you like the taste.  season with salt and pepper if desired.

this was a delicious meal to end the weekend with and i have plenty of left overs for the rest of the week.  i find that i like to try and cook a couple of meals over the weekend so that i have some food to eat over the rest of the week.  it helps save money instead of buying lunches and snacks everyday.

NK x

day 31 - juice cleanse

after a sluggish feeling week, i thought that i needed to break the cycle.  it was time for a juice cleanse.  juice cleanses are an awesome way to re-start and re-boot your body.  a really good juice cleanse can rid your body of toxins and give you a rejuvenating, energizing boost.

i have done quiet a few different detoxes / cleanses over the years and today i decided to put together a few of my favorite juices to kick start my weekend off with.  

i will normally drink up to six juices in a day, but you could have more or less if you prefer.  i just find that when the hunger kicks in i'd rather make another juice instead of trying to ride out the hunger pang and give into something not so juicy.

beet, carrot, apple & mint

these are the juices that i have been doing today:

1/2 pineapple and 1 piece of ginger

2 grapefruit, 3 carrots and 1 piece of ginger

2x 1 beet root, 3 carrots, 1 apple and some mint leaves

1 cucumber, 1/2 broccoli head, 4 celery sticks and some mint leaves (definitely the greenest of the lot and not really a favorite, but the vitamins and minerals this juice packs is definitely worth it.)

3 carrots, 1 cup spinach leaves, 3 celery sticks and one apple

i also bought some fresh pomegranates yesterday so i will be treating myself this evening before bed to the sweet ariels inside the fruit.

i do have a juicer at home, this is an investment that i made quiet a few years ago and i have never regretted it.  i find that its best to make your juices from scratch the store bought ones have too many added artificial colours, preservatives and sugars, which are doing the complete opposite to cleansing.  

if you don't have a juicer, don't despair there are plenty of other great ways to do a cleanse day, click here to try this one.  or you could even buy a fresh made juice from a cafe in the morning to start you off and then stick to fresh vegetables and salads for the rest of the day.

just remember that you should always do your own research before giving this a go, this is something that i have found works for me, but it may not work for you.

happy cleansing

NK xx

super food saturday - noni juice the magical elixir

i'm pretty sure that we have all heard super model miranda kerr talking about how much she loves using this powerful juice in her daily life, from putting it on problem areas on her skin to drinking a small amount daily.

i found that i can purchase noni juice from my local health food store, and i'm definitely intrigued and want to know more about this juice from Asia before i head out and buy some, as it is quite expensive.  can the juice from one fruit really have all theses healing benefits, lets find out.


here are some of noni juice benefits that are backed up by recent researches and studies:
(you know that i haven't come up with this stuff on my own, check out the full article at http://www.nonijuicebenefits.com/)

reduces cholesterol and triglycerides

a research by university of illinois college published in the aha journal revealed that cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced when the smokers were asked to drink noni juice for a month. an improvement in the blood lipid profiles were observed specifically reduced cholesterol by as much as 22%, triglycerides by as much as 54%, and hdl increased by as much as 16%.

boosts energy

there has been a conclusive research that noni has improved the ability of the body to perform physical activities and has increased the energy level of people using them. this may be attributed to the fact that polynesians used noni to energized themselves and prevent fatigue. research conducted on 40 athletes by the moscow scientific and practical center of sports medicine and published in journal of medicinal plants research found an increased endurance by 21% and increased antioxidant activity by 25% after testing them for three weeks.

prevents parasitic infections

the leaves and roots of noni fruit revealed in a study can suppress the growth of infections caused by parasites. the use of noni fruit can be traced to traditional folk medicines and folk people used them to cure parasitic infections.

relieves pain and provides sedative effects

extracts from the noni roots have shown sedative effects in a study with mice. a 1990 study, according to university of pittsburgh medical center has found out that it has analgesic and sedative component damnacanthal. thus it is recommended for use to treat menstrual cramps and other pains.in addition, noni fruit juices were found to increase joint health and mobility. the juice can help prevent bone problems like arthritis and other skeletal disorders. noni has xeronine and kb-c ingredients which aid in minimizing pain and swelling, relieving inflammatory conditions, and fortifying weak bones and ligaments.

prevents serious illnesses

in the june 2008 journal of plant foods for human nutrition, a study on noni and liver damage revealed that rats treated with noni juice have showed lesser possibility of liver damage. other studies that were conducted in this light showed that noni has protective quality to people who have healthy livers. this may also be true with other degenerative diseases. if noni is taken before the onset of any serious disorder, then well-being is assured.

inhibits growth of cancer cells

a study conducted on mice with lung cancer as subjects, the noni tree was found to contain a polysaccharide-rich substance, the noni-ppt. this investigation in 2003 concluded that noni tree has an inhibiting property for the growth of new cancer in man’s tissues.

a recent study using human subjects by the tianjin medical university was similarly conducted and the result was published in the journal, chinese medical research & clinical. the study showed an increased adaptive immune system activity by 32% and innate immune system activity by 30%. noni juice also decreased oxidative stress in the body by 19%.

in december 2001, the annals of the new york academy of sciences said that the antioxidant content of noni juice has reduced the formation of cancer cells in the body. also, they conducted in vitro setup and used animals as subjects. the memorial sloan-kettering cancer center in new york supported the previous findings by showing that the noni extract exhibits anti-tumor features. thus, it is believed to reduce or even cure cancer.

use for healthy skin and hair

some people have been using noni juice to beautify their skin and to cure some skin disorders like acne. this can be attributed to the high vitamin c contents of the fruit. another noni juice benefit is the prevention of hair loss. the extract of noni fruits can reduce the amount of hair loss in men and can help in rejuvenating hair follicles especially after chemotherapy.

helps with digestion

because the noni fruit are high in fiber, it is  good remedy for constipation because of its laxative effect. noni is also good for relieving stomach aches, and other digestive problems.

i'm pretty convinced, and i am going to buy a bottle on monday.  i'll keep track of how it makes me feel and let you know how it goes first hand.

hope you have a super saturday.

NK x

tongue test

i read a lot of gillian mckeith’s books a while back, a lot of the information that she presented stuck with me and i found that her methods really work for me.  one thing that she does when she first meets someone is she analyses them physically.  not just in the normal ways but by doing a stool analysis and a tongue diagnoses.  now the stool analysis thing is interesting, but i’ll leave that one for a little bit later… 

i really wanted to talk about the tongue diagnoses.  looking at your tongue can show deficiencies that you probably never thought about, it can be a real reflection of your health.

i’ve taken this straight from her book – ‘you are what you eat’ by gillian mckeith

now go and look at your tongue, look at it now, and also try to look at it first thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything.  this is the tongue test:

1. does your tongue have a line down the middle?

2. does your tongue have teeth marks round the side?

3. does your tongue have a bright red tip?

4. is your tongue sore?

5. does your tongue appear dotted all over?

if you answer yes to a question, it could mean:

1. weak digestion. you may feel bloated and suffer from gas and indigestion. a strong digestive system is important for nutrient absorption. i would suggest food combining for a eight weeks. keep meals simple, and eat ingredients that are particularly good for you - brown rice, avocado and tofu.

2. spleen weakness and nutrient deficiencies. your spleen is your energy battery and may not be taking up nutrients as effectively as it should. symptoms can include feeling tired all the time, gassy and bloated.

3. emotional upset or bodily stress. either way, you will need b vitamins to calm it all down.

4. vitamin b6 deficiency, and low niacin and/or iron levels. drink nettle or dandelion teas and eat foods rich in vitamin b6, including sunflower seeds, brown rice, buckwheat and avocados.

5. liver stagnation. in western holistic medicine, we think of the liver as the organ of detoxification. when it is overworked, it may perform sluggishly. foods that support the liver include kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, flax seeds, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds. nettle and dandelion teas can help, too.

so how did your tongue test go??

NK x

day 29 - food journal

aahh its killing me to posts todays food journal, but i am being true and have to do it.

i ate a turkish delight today, i had a choice and i chose to eat it, and believe me, i don't feel awesome for having it.  not that i'm beating myself up over it, but i actually don't feel well.  my head has been throbbing all afternoon and the huge spike in my energy, followed by a giant crash, that almost put me to sleep at my desk (sorry work).  just reminds me why i'm doing this.  i understand that i'm only human, and i'm going to slip up sometimes, i'm not perfect, but it's these little moments of weakness that remind me that what i'm doing 98% of the time is really doing me a lot of good.

i'm going to try to get in touch with a nutritionist friend of mine, who years ago lead me in the path of being a vegan and gave me a lot of great tips nutritionally.  i'm going to get her opinion on what i'm doing, and what i could be changing, adding, or taking away to make this much more beneficial for me.  (and i'll pass on some of her wisdom to you too)

i'm going to take you through my journal now and show you where i went wrong today.

breakfast - cup of hot water with lemon

(i got out of bed really late today and therefore i didn't have enough time for a decent breakfast.  last night i started a new book, which i fell asleep at about 11pm half way through a page... not enough sleep for starters and definitely not enough to eat for breakfast)

lunch - green olives (marinated ones from the deli)

mushrooms with fresh garlic and goats cheese

(i also didn't have enough time to pack lunch and i had bought some marinated olives from the deli yesterday as a treat to have a couple in the afternoon, however i ended up having these for lunch.  again really not enough and not a substantial amount of food for the day)
snacks - desperately hungry by now, and not thinking straight, i went to the shop, i bought a packet of gluten free cheesles and a turkish delight (i thought i was in the health food isle so those chips must be good for me... and i used to eat turkish delight a lot as i thought that it was the better choice over all the other chocolates...)  after devouring my turkish delight and half a packet of chips an hour later, i really wasn't feeling that great.  the on set of my "great decision" had kicked in, urgh.  anyway, one slip up and back on track now.
dinner - portabello mushrooms, stuffed with fresh garlic and goats cheese, a little salt and pepper seasoning.  


to make these, i preheated the oven to about 180 degrees.  i popped two of the mushrooms, with the stalks removed and the fresh garlic cloves smeared on the flesh, seasoned with salt and pepper, upside down in a baking tray with about 1 cm of water in the bottom, into the oven for about 10 - 15 mins.  once a little softer to touch, or a little shriveled up looking, i took them out and crumbled a little goats cheese on top of each and then placed back in the oven to melt the cheese a little.  delicious :)


if i can give you one tip for the day - if you ever feel as though you have slipped up, deal with it, accept that you've done it and move on.  it's only one slip up and its really not worth ruining all your hard work over.


NK x

day 27 - food journal

lunch - bought a free range roast chicken from coles, i took the skin off
snacks - left over sweet potato chips, raw chocolate brownie
dinner - chicken, fresh avocado


i am happy to say that i have lost around 5kg now, i didn't start out doing this for weight loss but it is definitely a welcome side effect.  i am feeling better than ever and this is such a good way to start the year off and i know that the changes that i have already implemented into my life are maintainable and i feel much better for it.


i hope that some of you can implement some changes into your own lives.


NK x