We all know that eating a diet rich in greens is one of the best things we can do for our health, and as long as we are eating them, we really can’t go wrong. But often we get stuck on just eating our faves, or what’s trending #kale.
 
So here’s a quick reminder of some super valuable greens which pack a powerful punch of nutrition, containing an array of vitamins and minerals which benefit our kids’ health enormously, as well as having wonderful cleansing and hormonal detoxing effects for those who might be experiencing hormonal symptoms like heavy periods, mood swings, anxiety, bloating, weight gain, skin issues, sore muscles and more.
 
Below I’m sharing a list of the Top 5 Greens in terms of nutrient density from the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention.

Here we go:
 
1) Watercress – Is a close cousin to cabbage and rocket (arugula) and is the super star of all greens receiving a perfect nutrient density score of 100%!!  It’s delicate and peppery and can be added to your salads or smoothies, and because it’s a winter veg, it’s great to throw into your soups and pastas.

2) Chinese Cabbage – part of the cruciferous vegetable family and great for detoxing and reducing inflammation.  My kids love it in fried rice and it’s really yummy in salad 

3) Chard – Also known as Silverbeet or Swisse chard. In Australia we are mostly familiar with the “Fordhook” variety which has big white stems and large dark green leaves. Chard is full of anti- oxidants and is great in salads, Cheese and Spinach Triangles and curries.
 
4) Beet Greens –Don’t throw the leaves of your beets out! They are full of fibre and great for cleansing and are in fact more nutrient dense then the round beet itself! They are yummy in salads, lightly steamed and sautéed, and I also throw them into smoothies.
 
5) Spinach – Rich in iron and so restores energy, increases vitality and improves the quality of the blood, and is wonderful for detoxifying. I love it chopped up in salads, added to soups like my Spinach, Lentil and Spinach Soup,  and smoothies, like my Ginger, Mint and Green Apple Smoothie

Finally, by no means dismiss kale (15^th on the list!) and it’s myriad of benefits. I personally love it in my green smoothies, stir fries and scrambled eggs,  and the whole family loves it as Crunchy Kale Chips 

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Right now you can get my 6-part Women’s Wellbeing Video Series“6 Simple Steps to Reset Your Hormones and Shed Stubborn Weight,” which I created with Naturopath Naomi Judge, for only $23!!!
 
We created this series to give you the tools and knowledge to get your hormones humming and help you shed stubborn weight.

If you’ve hit a stubborn weight plateau, or your hormones are haywire save $34 and grab your video series (plus bonuses!), before it’s too late. 

Best wishes,
 
Brenda x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

It is a time when health and wellbeing become a focus, followed closely by the summer warmth which is synonymous with the flourishing growth of all of nature.

It is a perfect time to shed our layered clothing, get our feet on the earth or sand, and enjoy refreshing dips in our waterways.

These warmer seasons inspire us to move our bodies and to eat more natural cleansing fresh foods.

In order to feel our best and leave behind the dull skin, tummy complaints, and ‘padding’ usually associated with the cooler seasons, a good detoxifying cleanse can be a powerful tool.

While it’s true that our organs are made to filter themselves all the time, it’s important to recognise that we live in an era where we are constantly bombarded with toxins and other nasties that our bodies are just not used to dealing with.

Things like processed foods, unnatural body care products, and all the pollution we encounter is new to us as a species.

Our bodies are just not designed to filter these types of toxins, so they accumulate. Which is bad news for us, our hormones, and our health! This build-up doesn’t allow us to excrete excess hormones and so they build up and…

So we need to cleanse.

I personally recommend a deep cleanse with every season, but my preferred times to cleanse are spring and summer.

That’s because as the weather warms up we naturally crave more raw and cooling foods, cleansing foods, which have a cooling effect on the body.

The lightness and high water, fibre, and vitamin content work together to act as our internal air conditioning during these warm months and serve to detoxify our bodies.

At this time of year, we also need less dense, high-energy food because we get so much energy from being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.

There is no better season than spring and summer to have fun experimenting with the wide variety of colourful and tasty vegetables in season.

So how do you cleanse properly and effectively?

Well, it’s twofold really.

1) Increase cleansing foods

It’s no secret that most of us fall very short of getting our daily dose of vegetables, with only 1 in 20 Aussies consuming the recommended 2.5 -5.5 serves per day.

Not only do vegetables jumpstart our day with a boost of nutrients, but the phytochemical-rich foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds start pumping through our bodies right from the beginning of the day, warding off illness and promoting good health, and promoting deep cleansing.

Here’s a post with twelve ways to include more vegetables with breakfast.

2) Reduce ‘trigger’ foods

That is foods that are known to be highly reactive, meaning they are likely to have negative effects on your digestive health. In their place, we introduce cleansing options instead. Some of the main trigger foods include…

• gluten from wheat
• gliadin from oats
• eggs
• dairy
• sugar
• high starch foods
• industrialised oil
• caffeine
• alcohol

These foods can cause an immune reaction.

Symptoms include bloating, wind, bloating, migraines, runny nose, cough, stomach ache, irritable bowel, or constipation.

Over the long term, if you are reactive to one of these (especially gluten), they may also contribute to stubborn weight.

Cleansing helps to reset hormones including leptin and blood sugar levels and trains your body to learn to access its energy from balanced meals rather than carbohydrate snacks throughout the day.

The Main Benefits of Cleansing

• • Eliminate excess waste from the body
  • Aid weight loss
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Reduce cravings
  • Improve sleep
  • Strengthen your immune system
  • Kickstart you on the road to healthy changes
  • Clarify thinking and improve overall sense of well-being.
  • Alleviate mood
  • Reset hormone imbalances
  • Glowing skin…and so much more!

After you cleanse you are going to feel lighter, brighter, happier, and healthier.

Want to understand the importance of cleansing and enjoy delicious recipes which take the guesswork out of cleansing?

Our special ‘Cleanse for Life’ Cyber week bundle offer ends Monday 29th November at midnight. So if you’re ready to balance your hormones, reduce inflammation, detox from built-up toxins, and feel fantastic in a body you love, then you’ll want to check it out!

Bren x

Grab your FREE copy of my 'CALM YOUR CORTISOL' recipe book to soothe your cortisol and start your journey to high energy, fast metabolism, and feeling like yourself again!

As the synapses connect throughout childhood, kids brains are growing and learning how to memorise, organise and categorise. They are also learning how to retrieve their stored information, reshape it and apply it in a useful way (unless it has anything to do with making a bed once in a while).

As psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, the co-author of The Happiness Diet says, “These years are critical for brain development, and what they eat affects focus and cognitive skills.”

Food is a very important factor affecting brain development (along with stimulation, exercise, hydration, and a supportive and mindful upbringing).

So here are five foods that help kids stay sharp, and which have positive long-term effects on brain development.

 Fish, Seeds and Nuts

These foods contain essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that actively promote mental health by keeping our kids’ brains healthy.

The best sources of Omega-3 are from wild or organically farmed salmon, sustainable tuna (though be mindful of mercury levels), sardines, herring & mackerel, whole anchovies, flax, hemp, pumpkins and chia seeds, and eggs.

Try these Sweet Potato, Corn and Wild Salmon Fritters.

The best sources of Omega-6 come from seeds (sunflower, sesame) and walnuts.

Try this Muesli Slice recipe, a great one for lunchboxes

Tip: Measure one part each of sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, along with three measures of flaxseeds into a sealed jar and store in the fridge. Freshly grind one heaped tablespoon of these seeds and add to your child’s smoothie or porridge in the morning.

Eggs

Eggs contain choline, which is vital for the creation of the memory stem cells formed deep within our brains. Choline also helps our kids to concentrate

Pastured eggs ensure your child is eating the best quality fats. Your child can safely have one egg per day.

Find out my favourite brands of eggs in this post All Eggs Are Not Created Equal and here’s a simple family-friendly recipe for Potato, Feta and Spinach Frittata 

Protein

Amino acids are life’s building blocks, and protein is where you get them. Amino acids build the neurotransmitters that affect your child’s mood, memory and mental alertness.

Ensure that your child has a 1-2 servings of protein-rich food daily in order to keep their brain humming, and them feeling positive, motivated and energised.

Favourites: Meat, eggs, fish, dairy, lentils, beans, seeds, nuts, quinoa.

Lentils and Rice (Mjadra) makes a cheap, easy and extremely tasty dish the whole family will enjoy.

Fruits and vegetables (especially greens!)

Vitamins and minerals may play a support role in the development and function of your child’s brain. The most important are the Vitamin Bs, Vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium and manganese. They are also full of antioxidants & minerals.

Greens are my favourite because they are full of folate and help ward off dementia later in life.

Tip: Overcome the challenge of getting kids to eat their greens with this Crunchy Kale Chip recipe or by adding finely chopped kale or spinach to omelettes or stir fries.

 Wholegrains

Complex Carbohydrates come from wholegrains like brown rice, buckwheat, oats or quinoa, as well as the foods mentioned above.

They are low GI and provide the most important food for your child’s brain – glucose – the brain’s major fuel.

Tip: Studies show that fueling the brain with breakfast is important for thinking, acting and learning. Try a slower-releasing breakfast in the form of bircher muesli.

There is no second best when it comes to looking after your kids’ grey matter. As the long term control centre of the body, it really is no surprise that our brains need nourishment just like our bodies do . By focusing on a varied diet rich in fish, seeds and nuts, eggs, protein, fruits and and wholegrains, will ensure that you’re giving your kid’s brain all the nourishment it needs.

Bren x

Source: 
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/features/brain-foods-kids http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/healthy_aging/foods_that_boost_brain_power?page
Optimum Nutrition for your Childs Mind – Patrick Holfod and Deborah Colson

It is a commonly held belief that our bodies and minds are two very separate entities, functioning independently of each other. This is unfortunate, as well as being counterproductive to good, holistic health because it could not be further from the truth. In reality, our bodies and our minds are closely linked and are very much co-dependent.

As an experienced clinical psychologist, I have spent many years helping people manage any mental health issues they may face. I have always emphasised to my clients that a healthy mind cannot be achieved without a healthy body, but it wasn’t until I began my own journey into truly healthy eating that I realised just how important it was. It was at this point I realised that purely addressing mental health issues is a limiting exercise.

By way of example, bring to mind an event from your life that has a strong emotion attached to it – it could be anxiety, sadness, joy, anger – now hold that image in your mind and tune into the sensations within your body. Now notice where that emotion exists in your body and how it feels.

Emotions do not exist only in our minds, they live in our bodies. Anxiety, depression, anger, trauma, they all reside in our bodies and it is usually the sensations within our body that are the most distressing parts of these experiences. Think of common phrases we use to describe emotional experiences – ‘gut wrenching’, ‘broken hearted’, ‘like a weight being lifted off my shoulders’ – they all describe sensations within our bodies.

When we aim for overall wellbeing, we need to consider both physical and mental health. You can’t have one without the other. If we are trying to manage and heal mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, even bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, we will be most successful if we combine some form of therapy (always with someone registered, qualified and suited to your individual needs) with a diet that ensures our bodies are well nourished and functioning optimally (and yes, therapy may include medication).

Poor nutrition and consuming additive-laden processed ‘foods’ (though some barely warrant that description) add an extra burden to our bodies that are already struggling to cope with the issues that we are dealing with. These food choices can contribute to lethargy, insomnia, anxiety, mood problems, headaches and hyperactivity, to name just a few. In short, building from a shaky base is counter-productive, and unlikely to produce best results.

When we choose unprocessed wholefoods, good quality fruit, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado etc) our bodies and brains are comprehensively nourished. It’s no surprise, then, that they function better, which improves our sleep, our immune system, our energy levels, and ability to cope more readily with anger, anxiety or stress.

We can be proactive with our own mental health by controlling what we put into our bodies and noticing how it makes us feel (energetic, focused, anxious, lethargic). We can certainly observe the behavioural changes in our children based on what they have eaten, while recognising that their formative years are crucial to their future physical and mental well being. We need to make sure they are equipped with the solid foundations of health that give them the best opportunity at a long and enjoyable life.

Irrespective of our past diets, upbringing and experiences, we need to recognise there is a lot we can be doing immediately to ensure that our minds and bodies, and those of our children, are working as nature intended – cohesively rather than combatively.

 Monique Phipps is a Clinical Psychologist with 13 years experience and a mum of 3 young children. Her family eat an additive free, wholefood diet.

You can connect with her on her Facebook Page and blog.

Guest blog from Jessica Donovan, The Energetic Mama

I am sure all you women out there will agree that the effects of your hormones can be pretty darn powerful! They can cause havoc to our physical, mental and emotional health! Our hormones can make us tired, moody, teary and angry. They can make us gain weight, become bloated and develop depression. We can become ravenous, crave sugar, and suffer with headaches and anxiety when we are ‘hormonal’

On the other hand our hormones are what make us women. They give us our curves, give us our womanly energy and sex drive. They allow us to become mothers and are responsible for our nurturing nature.

The key to living happily with our hormones is Balance! But in this fast paced, toxin loaded world how on earth do we achieve such balance?

Many hormone imbalances are associated with a situation of ‘oestrogen dominance’ or too much oestrogen in relation to progesterone. This can mean your oestrogen levels are too high, your progesterone levels are too low, or both.

Sugars, refined grains, environmental oestrogens (found in plastics, pesticides, toiletries and cosmetics) and poor liver health can all contribute to an imbalance in the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone.

Blood sugar balance

If you have a hormonal imbalance it is especially important to avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates. Base your diet on lots of fresh vegetables and salads with clean protein such as eggs, fish and nuts and pasture raised meats.

Environmental Oestrogens

There are a number of chemicals in our environment that act as hormones when absorbed into our bodies, known as xeno- oestrogens. We are exposed to these chemicals in the form of pesticides on the food we consume, soft plastics used in food packaging and many cosmetic products. To avoid exposure to these chemicals

• Eat organic produce where possible
• Minimise the use of plastic wrapping on your food
• Invest in a stainless steel drink bottle.
• Use naturally based cosmetics, being especially careful to avoid parabens.

Liver detoxification

The liver has an important role to play in hormone metabolism, so it follows that keeping the liver happy improves hormone levels. Look after your liver by

• Limiting alcohol and caffeine which put extra stress on the liver, leaving it less energetic to deal with hormone balance.
• Consuming cruciferous vegetables including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts which contain a constituent that helps to improve the metabolism of oestrogen in the liver.
• Drink Fresh lemon squeezed in water, especially first thing in the morning, which aids liver function.

Maintain a healthy weight

Oestrogen is responsible for depositing fat around your abdomen, hips and breasts, giving you your womanly shape but carrying extra weight increases your oestrogen levels, which leads to even more weight gain. To break this cycle eat well and move every day to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Jessica Donovan is not your typical naturopath. She is a foodie, enjoys a glass of wine and loves dark chocolate.

She doesn’t believe you have to be perfect to be healthy. She believes having GREAT health is achievable for everyone.

She has over 13 years clinical experience as a naturopath and was inspired to create a program for mums after seeing so many mums in her clinic that were tired and overwhelmed and suffering with hormonal imbalances, digestive discomfort and stress symptoms.

Energetic Mama is a 3 step program Nourish – Balance – Rejuvenate to help mums feel their best. You can find out more here http://energeticmama.com/

Find her on facebook  https://www.facebook.com/EnergeticMama

Buy Jessica’s new ebook, Energetic Mama here

The first book I bought with my pocket money was ‘How to Survive’, so no prizes for guessing what my favourite TV program is now!

My passion for the outdoors started early. My parents always went walking and exploring on family holidays, generally across rainy moorland in the UK. We would cook sausages for lunch on Dad’s meth’s stove, and find things like rams horns and fossils. I still love the smell of meth’s!

My exploration into the outdoors has grown out of a need to discover new places and achieve physical endurance. I have climbed some of the highest mountains in most continents and In 1999 I became the first English woman to walk to the Magnetic North Pole.

My fashion-buying career ran in parallel with my expeditions. I was lucky enough to have sympathetic bosses, who usually gave me time off if I could organise my workload.

Tell us a bit about how Terrain Personal fitness came about?

My husband and I moved to Australia after we got married and we had a family quite quickly. This was not conducive to a ‘regular’ job, or long mountaineering expeditions. So, I set up Terrain Personal Fitness to pass on my passion for outdoor fitness, with hours that work around my family.

 What do you enjoy about your work?

* Helping people to become fitter and more active in their lives.

* Structuring programs to help clients achieve their fitness goals.

* Collaborating with other health professionals my clients use. I continually learn from other experts, giving the client focused results.

* Working outdoors in the beautiful Sydney landscape.

Has fitness always been important to you?

I love the feeling of independence that being fit gives me. I like to be able to get from A to B under my own steam without a car, like running to school pick up, or embarking up a glacier with all my provisions on my back.

Everyone needs to know what motivates him or her to be fit, then its achievable.

How has you training routine changed over time?

Training changes depending on what my projects are.

When I was in my twenties I remember doing a 20mile training run for a marathon, running home for a quick shower, partying all night and ending up at my desk at 8am. I am sure we can all remember those all-nighters. Alas no more!

If I am training for a 6 week Arctic trip, I need to practice building up the hours and muscles I will be using on the trip, such as pulling sledge for 8 hours along a beach. It really impinges on your spare time and tends to ruin your social life, (doesn’t look too cool either!)

Now I have a family I try to train for more local challenges like the Oxfam Trailwalker. Our team needed to practice building up the hours over the hilly terrain, which takes up a lot of time at weekends away from family, but at least it is not months away from them.

How active are your kids?

A choreographer at the Bangarra Dance Theatre once said ‘creativity is born out of boredom’. I believe this. I try not to over program our children with too many after school activities. We do soccer and swimming each week, but I like them to learn how to amuse themselves. We often go to the park/beach where they can be active for hours-on-end making up their own entertainment.

We walk to and from school, every day, in all weather conditions! It is a good discipline to integrate exercise into your daily life. And in case you are wondering….yes they do whinge uphill on the way home!

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Healthy eating is understanding where your food comes from and what it is i.e. yes lamb really is a dead furry sheep! I like to get the family involved in food exploration and preparation. When we are shopping I let them choose something strange they have not tried before. It makes it adventurous.

Visiting the fish markets is another fun place where you can buy lost of small things to touch and try. We have pulled apart an octopus to find the ink sac, gutted a whole fish to discover what it ate, chosen 10 different shapes of shellfish to cook and cracked open a crab.

There are 2 rules as far as eating in our house 1) try everything 2) finish your vegetables. We all eat the same thing and I don’t cater to the words ‘I don’t like that’.

 What are you kitchen pantry essentials?

If we don’t have these in the house everyone gets very touchy:

* Breakfast (oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and rice bubbles and milk)

* Wine

What do you indulge in?

Wine – again!

Red is better than white because it has lots of antioxidants, but is high calorie.

What do you value?

I am very family orientated. I feel very blessed that I have a loving, supportive and healthy, immediate and extended family.

Who do you admire?

Bear Grylls – If you can look sexy drinking liquid from elephant dung, then what’s not to love? He is a really genuine person, great family values and is true to his faith and himself, aside from being a great climber.

Usain Bolt – What a phenomenal athlete who is a joy to watch. He trains unbelievably hard, is a great advocate for Jamaica, and loves his mum!

Barack Obama –I admire his ability to connect with different cultures and his truly international perspective. I am proud to have witnessed the inauguration of the first black president in my lifetime.

My Granny – Moved to Australia on her own in her early twenties, and delighted in telling me stories of the animals my mother would find in the Australian bush.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

1)   Make it a habit

2)   Make it easy

3)   Do it regardless of circumstance

E.g. If you are going to cycle to work, do it every day, don’t make it weather or meeting dependent, have a system in place to enable this behaviour before Monday morning. Or you wont do it!

 What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

This weekend it rained no stop. My husband was away, but I had promised the boys we would go camping so off went! It was a great opportunity for them to have fun and learn ‘expedition skills’. So we camped up from the swollen creek to avoid flash flooding, cooked safely inside our tent (yes, to toasting marshmallows – no, to flaming sticks!), ran naked through the sloshy fields (boys only!) and dried our undies on the kettle!

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Home cooking and sitting down to share a meal as a family is one of my greatest joys.

Baked salmon

* Salmon pieces, soy sauce, splash of water, chilli, ginger, garlic.

* In oven for 20 minutes 220 degrees Celsius

* Sprinkle with chopped mint, parsley and coriander.

* Served with brown basmati rice, Chinese broccoli and a squeeze of lime.

Salmon is rich in omega 3’s and I like the Asian flavours. It is quick, family friendly (chilli aside) and low in saturated fat. It only vice is that it is relatively high in salt from the soy sauce. Brown basmati is firm and nutty and higher in fibre than polished white Basmati.

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