Sweet Cinnamon

Cinnamon is sometimes referred to as one of the healthiest spices in the world.

This superfood may already be sitting in the pantry – and a tiny sprinkle goes a very long way! It’s antioxidants abilities are what makes it especially beneficial to include into your diet. Just as little as 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon added your diet daily can have positive effects on your blood sugar levels, digestion, immunity plus heaps more! Adding a higher dosage of cinnamon can be extremely beneficial as it can help towards improving heart disease risk and even cutting your chances of diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases! AMAZING!!

Just to give you a little bit more on the contents of cinnamon. One single tablespoon of ground cinnamon contains:

0 grams of fat, sugar, or protein
4 grams of fibre
68 percent daily value manganese
8 percent daily value calcium
4 percent daily value iron
3 percent daily value vitamin K

Cinnamon can be included into your diet whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner! For example your morning coffee! Most of us are adding either creamer, milk (whole or skim) sugar, or butter to your coffee to improve its taste at some point. If you're looking for something different, though, try a new twist with a dash of cinnamon. This sweet, sharp spice can do so much more than improve coffee's taste! Adding cinnamon to your morning coffee can prove to be very beneficial. According to a research conducted, the simple act of smelling cinnamon can help to improve your processing capabilities and ingesting the spice is even more beneficial. The study participants were better able to complete tasks when eating cinnamon, and improved their attention overall. This is due to cinnamons ability to improve your brain's cognitive processing, spur brain function altogether, and help you master your visual and motor responses! Hopefully this makes you think twice before adding sugar to your coffee!

To help you start introducing more cinnamon into your diet, below are my fav cinnamon inspired recipe!

Golden Cinnamon Sweet Potato

INGREDIENTS
1 Medium sized sweet potato, diced
1 - 2 tablespoons of cinnamon
Drizzle of olive oil or coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 400 Degrees F. Toss the sweet potato in the cinnamon ensuring all the sweet potato pieces are evenly covered, place on a baking tray in the oven until golden brown. Serve with a fresh salad, add to your omelette or by itself for a healthy snack!

Need an ENERGY BOOST

As the Christmas & end of year period is fast approaching, this is definitely a time when we need as much energy as we can get! If you are finding yourself feeling lethargic mid-afternoon, struggling to stay alert throughout the day or just straight out exhausted, you are not alone! Luckily, there are some really easy ways to boost your energy levels which often only requires you to make some small changes to your routine!

1. FOCUS ON NUTRITION
You would be surprised how much the food you eat affects your energy levels! Not only do you need to ensure that you are fuelling your body with the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat but pre and post workout nutrition is exceptionally important as it can help your performance during your workout and assist in recovery! Here are a few healthy energy boosting foods!

• Fresh Fruit - Fruits with peels, like bananas or apples, are good choices to take to work or when you're on the go.
• Nuts - In particular Cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts which are high in magnesium, that plays a key role in converting sugar to energy.
• Hard boiled Eggs - rich in amino acid tyrosine which helps improve alertness and perk you up!
• Lemon & Water - Adding lemon to water transforms regular H20 into a natural energy drink that is packed with electrolytes, which are critical for cells to produce energy.

2. STAY HYDRATED
Did you know that one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted? Not drinking enough water can be why your energy levels are low and you feel exhausted. Don’t just drink water when you are thirsty! Make an effort to sip on water continuously throughout the day, with more around training times.

3. MOVE YOUR BODY EVERY DAY
Incorporating regular exercise into your routine will actually boost energy levels. When engaging in physical activity it sends oxygen and nutrients to the cells of your body, which helps your heart and lungs to work more efficiently and boosts energy levels. You don’t need to be a gym junkie or run a marathon to get the benefits — moderate levels of activity will help with increasing energy levels and reducing stress and tension. Try adding “incidental” exercise into your day, such as taking the stairs, go for a 10-20min walk at lunchtime or walk around whilst on the phone. The little things really do add up!

4. ADD SUPPLEMENTS TO YOUR REGIME
The benefits of supplements are so underestimated!! By adding supplements to your daily routine it can help with optimising your energy production and improving your nutrition and overall health! When I discovered and introduced Juice Plus+ supplements  into my daily routine I have only reap all the amazing benefits! Juice Plus+ Capsules literally contain only vine ripened, freeze dried fruit and veggies! If you want more info on Juice Plus+ or to purchase some click here.

5. MAKE SURE YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep is the most factor for recovery and energy production. Ensuring that you get an adequate amount of sleep will assist mental health, hormonal balance, and muscular recovery. Aim to get between 7-10 hours per night.

6. DON’T LET STRESS CONTROL YOU
We often feel like there is nothing we can do about stress, but we have a lot more control than you might think. Taking charge of your stress will allow you to tackle problems and clear up any cloudiness around your thoughts and emotions! There is always a way to relieve pressure and relax. If you are looking for tips on how to chill out, check out last weeks blog on Meditation here!

7. SEE YOUR DOCTOR
If you have actively tried all the tips above and you are still struggling with constant fatigue, there may be an underlying medical condition such as anemia, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction or hormonal problems! Make an appointment with your doctor who will be able to help you get on the right track!

Quick. Easy. Healthy!

That feeling is all too similar of getting home after a long day and having to think about dinner! It is just so easy to just pick up the phone and order take out! This insanely delicious and simple recipe will sure to change your mind about take out!

My Turkey Lettuce Wraps are not only quick but super easy to prepare and also a great healthy alternative to regular wraps! This meal will leave your body and tastebuds feeling satisfied! 

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I N G R E D I E N T S
250grams (1/2 a pound) of turkey mince
1 - 1 1/2 cups of mixed veggies (use any veggies that you have in your fridge)
1 teaspoon chilli (powder or flakes)
1 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (look for gluten-free)
2-4 leaves of butter lettuce or romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 lime, sliced into 4 wedges

H O W
In a large frying pan, heat oil over high heat and add turkey. Cook, stirring until starting to brown.
Stir in veggies, chilli, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Cook until veggies are tender, about 2 minutes.
Fill the lettuce leaves with your turkey mixture. Top each with some avocado, cilantro and extra chilli. Serve with lime.

This should take you all up only 20 mins to cook & prepare! How easy is that!

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!

Bitter Sweet

Refined Sugar has become a buzz word within the health industry. So what actually is refined sugar. Refined Sugar is essentially sugar that has been processed to a level where it is depleted of its naturally occurring vitamins and minerals. The results leave a pure, refined carbohydrate which equates to nothing but easy calories with no nutritional value. As well as harmful effects on the metabolism it can also contribute to all sorts of diseases!

Sugar can be disguised as the following:

* High-fructose corn syrup
* Honey
* Invert sugar
* Lactose
* Maltose
* Malt syrup
* Molasses
* Raw sugar
* Sucrose
* Syrup

* Agave nectar
* Brown sugar
* Cane crystals
* Cane sugar
* Corn sweetener
* Corn syrup
* Crystalline fructose
* Dextrose
* Fructose
* Fruit juice concentrates
* Glucose

Because nutritional labels are required by law to list their most prominent ingredients first. By putting two or three different types of sugar in the food (and calling them each a different name), they can spread out the sugar across three ingredients and have it show up much further down the list!

Hence, READ THE LABELS OF FOODS THAT YOU CONSUME! 

Excess amounts of refined sugar may affect your body in the following ways:

Liver

The effects of eating too much sugar can be likened to the effects of alcohol on your body. Excessive amounts can overload the limited space in your liver therefore causing it to expand and have to work harder! When your liver reaches it full capacity the sugar is converted into fatty acids and deposited on your thighs, stomach and butt!

Weight Gain

Yes this is the obvious effect but there is more to it! Fructose which the main sugar found in high fructose corn syrup aka HFCS (which is the primary sweetener in pretty much all fast food) tricks your metabolism by turning off your body's appetite-control system. It fails to stimulate insulin, which in turn fails to suppress "the hunger hormone," which then fails to stimulate leptin or "the satiety hormone." This causes you to eat more sugar and develop insulin resistance.

Addictive

Sugar fuels every cell in the brain and as your brain sees sugar as a reward this will make you keep wanting more of it. Therefore, if you eat a lot of sugar often you are reinforcing the reward hence making it tougher to break the habit. Yes, eating refined sugar will give you the fastest serotonin boost, this is very short-lived as you will be crashing after an hour or so!

Next question you are probably thinking is Fruit has sugar! So is fruit bad for you? Yes fruit does contain sugar but whole fresh fruit also is packed with fiber and many other nutrients, vitamins and minerals which help slow down the release of sugar into your system which does not cause damage to your liver. Our bodies are designed to metabolize the amount of fructose derived from whole natural foods such as fruit, not HFCS that is essentially made in a lab. Fruits such as Kiwifruits, blueberries, raspberries, grapefruits & pears are good options to stick with!

The majority of the health issues that I have mentioned can occur over time and come about as a result of excessive sugar consumption. The occasional treat is ok! Food is fuel, so it is important that we are aware of what we are putting in our bodies and the effects it can have.

My Spring into Summer 7 Day Meal Plan will help eliminate refined sugar from your diet and will kick start you into finding your bikini  body!