Heavily processed, hydrogenated, “trans” fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body.

However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly.

Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place. A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfilment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness.

Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold. There are many sources of healthy fats and oils, here are my three personal  favourites.

Are you following me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest?

And please SIGN UP TO MY FREE BREAKFAST EBOOK HERE to get on my mailing list and have free recipe updates and special offers delivered to your inbox

Avocado

Mmmmm, no member of my family can live without these! They are rich in monounsaturated fats, high in vitamin E which fights free-radical damage, they boost the immune system, keep skin nourished, youthful and glowing. They boost your good cholesterol (HDL) and reduce the bad type (LDL) They are so easy to add to you menu in smoothies, dips, spreads, dressings and spread over sourdough toast.

Get more avocado in your diet with this Chicken Burrito recipe or with this Hearty Sweet Corn and Black Bean Quesadilla or this cleansing salad.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil has high levels of monounsaturated fat which is great protection against heart attacks, and may protect against strokes as well, It has important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Oleic acid present in olive oil may protect us against certain cancers as well. Always look for extra virgin, cold-pressed, and unrefined varieties. Drizzle over this Super Cleanse Salad, use it to roast your vegetables, or make this exotic Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Rice.

Brands: I love this cold pressed Australian olive oil or Cobram Estate.

Coconut Oil

Coconut is high in saturated fats “But what’s interesting about coconut oil is that it also gives “good” HDL cholesterol a boost. Fat in the diet, whether it’s saturated or unsaturated, tends to nudge HDL levels up, but coconut oil seems to be especially potent at doing so”.  Plant based oils also contain anti-oxidants and other healthful substances which contribute to overall health. Coconut oil’s fatty acids are particularly wonderful at improving brain and memory function.

My favourite way to use it is in my vegan, paleo treats or no-bake treats. Whilst the extra virgin varieties are preferable because they are less refined with more health benefits, my family find the taste of extra virgin taste too strong, so I opt for virgin coconut oil to suit their palette.

A teaspoon of coconut oil is great to pop into your tea to ward off sugar cravings, delicious in healthy treats and great to cook with.I mix my pure essential oils with olive oil or coconut oil and use it on my skin as a moisturiser as well!

Get more coconut oil into your diet with my gluten and dairy-free Raw Cacao Balls ,  Brownie Cake Squares, or Home-made Granola.

Brands: I love this Topwil Organic Coconut Oil or the Macro Virgin Coconut Oil.

Other Delicious Fats

There are many sources of healthy fats and oils which I love:

• For sautéing and baking, try butter or ghee (clarified butter).
• I love oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed but they are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies or grains.
• Macadamia oil has a delicious nutty, buttery flavour which is great for pan frying fish, baking cakes and slices, and in salad dressings.
• Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini.
• Other whole foods containing good fats are olives and coconuts, along with wild salmon, sardines and pastured or organic eggs.

Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which work best for you and leave you satisfied.

When selecting oils, buy the highest-quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.

Bren x

Once I posted a photo of my healthy breakfast on Facebook, and very promptly received this message from a follower:

“I’m trying extremely hard to lose the baby weight after my fourth bubba. Right now I am 10 days in, eating clean, but I find I’m fighting it everyday. I am feeling better in my body but I always feel starving and that it will only be a matter of time before my mental strength fails me. I was drooling over your eggs and bacon this morning and I basically would love to know how you eat that everyday and look amazing.  Do you eat like a sparrow the rest of the day to counteract this? I’m curious and starving.”

I know exactly where this mum is at. What’s more, I receive similar messages like this regularly. As a health coach, I offered her a complimentary half hour chat to find out more. During that conversation, I learned that what she really wanted was to be able to lose weight, but not to starve herself in doing so. The thing is, most people think that deprivation is the only way to make this happen (possibly because that’s how diets are designed) and because they have set up goals based on an archaic goal-setting method, and not in a way that gives them purpose and joy (but that’s a story for another time).

But how long can this be sustained for? Sure, you will most likely lose weight on any diet you try, but only over a specific period (usually very short!). It’s unnatural, and hardly sustainable. The research shows that you will end up putting the weight back on , and then some.

During dieting we are often depriving the body of wholesome and nutritious food (your body’s fuel), which it then craves, causing binging post-diet. It’s madness, and it’s unhealthy. Placing stress on the body is the route to immune-system dysfunction and susceptibility to disease. Although in jest , this mum said herself, the hunger was making her feel a little aggressive.

What she needed was permission to let go of her clean-eating superfood diet and feed her hunger by enjoying the type of breakfast our ancestors would have eaten. Yes, the very same type of breakfast she was droolng over on my Facebook page. A delicious breakfast full of wonderful fats and protein sourced from healthy animals and farms, with carbohydrates in the form of lots of vegetables.

The point is that our diets need to be natural, nutritious and sustainable for our health to respond similarly.

The next morning after we spoke she messaged me,  and sent me these photographs:

And after less than an hour of coaching this is how she is feeling today…

“Happy, content, satisfied, calm, nourished, relaxed and peace. These are all the feelings I have this week, which are total opposites to last week. I had to share with you what life changing tools you have given me. I’m a very satisfied Mumma. I haven’t weighed myself all week and part of me is still a little scared too. But I haven’t had any cravings for 2 days and can’t believe how amazing I already feel. So thank you”

If you are struggling to lose weight, or reverse your  health issues, or simply want to know how to feed yourself in the most nutritious manner, then please take a look at my 28 day cleanse program, Break Through! To Feeling Fantastic in a Body You Love and learn which foods enrich and which foods to ditch, understand how your thinking plays a big role in your success, learn how to forgive yourself when you don’t make the best choice, stay motivated to keep on track, set yourself up for success, love yourself and your body, enjoy eating delicious, healthy foods and find all the support in the world with with this new amazing lifestyle.

Please share this blog post with anyone who you know who may be struggling with dieting and is ready to move to achieving their weight and health goals through a natural diet or are interested in moving their family to a nutritious and delicious real food way of life.

Bren x

Guest blog by Renée Leonard-Stainton

AROMATHERAPY

• Ylang Ylang: Considered as one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs, ylang ylang increases libido and attraction between lovers. It energises you, intensifies eroticism and is good for opening the mind to sexual experimentation.
• Neroli:  A powerful aphrodisiac used to combat frigidity and increase libido.
• Sandalwood: The sweet, woody exotic scent enhances physical sensuality and makes lovers more sexually-liberated. Considered a sexual restorative, it induces a state of calmness and serenity and also relieves nervous tension.

HERBS

• Damiana: Its botanical name, Turnera aphrodisiaca, hints at its reputation as a libido-enhancing plant. The ancient Mayans used damiana for its sexual properties and for centuries, Mexican women have been brewing tea from the plant’s leaves to improve their sexual satisfaction. Damiana has been shown to increase sensitivity in the clitoris, as well as stimulate sexual desire and pleasure. It also strengthens the hormone system.
• Horny Goat Weed: Is thought to be one of nature’s most powerful herbal aphrodisiacs, and has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries to support libido and sexual enhancement. The name is said to have arisen because according to legend, the aphrodisiac qualities were discovered by a Chinese goat-herder who noticed mounting behavior dramatically increase after they ate the weed!
• Ginseng:  Contains compounds that stimulate the hypothalamus gland to invigorate sex drive. It also acts locally on the vagina and clitoris to increase genital blood flow, which enhances lubrication, sensation, and arousal.

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

Maca berry: It is increasingly becoming known as one of the best super-foods in the world for sexual health and wellbeing. It’s especially good for women because it doesn’t contain hormones itself (rather it supports the glands to produce necessary hormones), it’s non-addictive and re-establishes hormonal balance in women. All this helps you restore your natural sex drive!

FOODS

• Oysters: A classic aphrodisiac! Oysters are high in zinc, which raises testosterone production. Oysters also contain dopamine, a hormone known to increase libido.
• Avocado: Avocados contain high levels of folic acid, which helps metabolize proteins, giving you more energy. They also contain vitamin B6 and potassium, two nutrients that help increase libido in both men and women.
• Garlic: Bad on the breath, but good for the sex-drive! Garlic contains allicin, an ingredient that increases blood flow to the sexual organs, meaning it’s a highly effective addition to the diet to increase libido. You can always give the odourless capsules a go if you don’t want to have to stock up on mints pre love sesh…
• Chocolate: Contains phenylethylamine, a natural chemical believed to produce the feeling of “being in love”. Choose, dark, organic chocolate for the best results!

Remember that fluctuations in your sex drive are a normal part of every relationship and every stage of life.  Nurture yourself and your partner, and you are sure to be feeling the love again in no time.

About Renée Leonard-Stainton

Renée is a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and Western Medical Herbalist, as well the creator of the popular blog ‘Renée Naturally’. Renée is a regular health contributor to various magazines, radio shows, and blogs and is the resident Naturopath for supermodel Miranda Kerr’s website, KORA Organics.

Renée is dedicated to providing information to help people on their path to a healthy and earth friendly existence.

Local and in-season foods are best, and buy organic if you can. Below is a list of 6 of my kids’ favourite nutrient-rich and enzyme-rich raw foods. I hope your little munchkins love them as much as mine!:

1. Avocado – Available all year round, it is rich in protein, enzymes, fibre, potassium, vitamin E and healthy fats. Spread on toast or sandwiches, add to smoothies (which thickens while creating an ice-cream like consistency), make guacamole, or add to sushi rolls.

2. Blueberries – Blueberries are a wonderful way for children to get a natural sweet fix. They are a superior source of antioxidants, which are important in fighting harmful “free radicals” which can lead to cancer and other diseases. Add blueberries to morning smoothies, to cereal, in your healthy muffins, or mixed into yogurt.

3. Lettuce – In season all year round, lettuce is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, manganese and chromium, as well as being a very good source of dietary fibre. My kids have fun making” iceberg lettuce cups” which they fill with lots of healthy fun stuff like prawns, tuna, grated carrot, cucumber with a squeeze of lemon or lime, roll and enjoy!

4. Almonds – Almonds are high in fibre, contain healthy omega-9 oleic fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Kids can sprinkle raw almonds on their muesli or yoghurt, have a handful as a snack, or use almond butter instead of peanut butter (most processed peanut butters on the grocery shelves today are loaded with sugar and partially hydrogenated fats). Almond butter can be spread on anything from bread, to lettuce leaves or apple slices, or be added to smoothies.

5. Coconut – Besides being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, coconuts are highly nutritious & hydrating. They are also rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. We choose the baby coconuts at home and drink the water and eat the flesh as a complete snack or add the water and flesh as the base for our mango or berry smoothies.

6. Raw Honey – This is an unprocessed sweetener which has all its vitamins and minerals intact & can help with seasonal allergies. Drizzle on top of yoghurt or muesli or dip pieces of cut up fruit into it – yum!

Other wonderful and nutritious raw foods to enjoy this summer include apricots, raspberries, strawberries, peaches and nectarines, melons, plums, passionfruit, pineapple, beans, beetroot, capsicum, celery, cucumber, eggplant, mushrooms, pumpkin, squash, tomatoes, zucchini and sweet corn.

If you love some of these raw ideas, perhaps you would like to attend one of my Plentiful Workshops in February. Tickets can be booked through Facebook under Brenda Janschek Health & Lifestyle

Have a plentiful day.

Bren x