Day 4 - Smoothilicious

Is that even a word? No, I didn't think so. Oh well.

Getting back to my point! I've started having a mango smoothie in the morning (when I remember) instead of my regular coffee. I want to try and cut down my caffeine intake as much as I can, while still having a nice healthy filling breakfast. My basic smoothie was a few frozen mango chunks, some yoghurt and milk and throwing it all in the blender and hoping for the best.

Today, however, I went a little mental... I made a detour on my way home from work and headed into Bushy Park to grab some fresh fruit and vegies. I arrived home with a tonne of bananas, 2 mangoes, 2 leeks, chia seeds, 2 bunches of fresh beetroot, 2 massive bulbs of garlic and a whole bag of spinach, all for around $50!

Anyway, I portioned up all of my delicious fruit (not all the bananas though), laid it neatly on backing trays covered in baking paper and popped them in the freezer. I also cut up a few kiwi fruits I had left over, cause I didn't want them to go to waste. 



Once all of that was cleaned up, I headed off to Knox, in search of more information about protein powder. I'd heard about it, and a few friends have it either before or after their work outs, but I just wasn't sure if it was for me. I ended up speaking to a lovely young lady at the Go Vita store, who was full of knowledge and really helped me make a decision. I walked out with my very first lot of protein! 

Thought while I was at Knox, I might as well grab a couple of other things, like some coconut water, pineapples, and milk, then I was on my way home to make my first protein smoothie.

Look guys, I'm not going to lie, I made up the recipe for my smoothie tonight, out of thin air, and I cannot remember the quantities for anything. That being said it was delicious and contained:

Banana
Mango
Pineapple
Yoghurt
Milk 
Ice

I just blitzed it until smooth! How easy is that!?!?!?


I'll be trying a few new recipes/flavour ideas for smoothies soon, and I'll let you all know how I go!

For now, it's bed time, I have a doctors appointment in the morning, then it's grocery shopping with my honey.

Love,

J xx

Winter Blues

Winter is my favourite season. It's foggy, rainy, cold and generally a little horrid. But that's exactly why I like it! Screw summer and it's stupid sunny days and trips to the beach. No one likes sweating and being generally uncomfrotable because it's so hot. I'd much rather cuddle up on the couch, cook some popcorn and watch a movie. It also means longer nights, better sleeps, and less mosquitos! You can still go out and about during winter, you just need to adjust your outfit a little... Like wearing 2 pairs of stockings, a cardigan and a scarf.

I think the only issue I have with winter, is that it's cold and flu season. Because I work in the Health Care Sector, being sick is not really an option. So how do I avoid it? A few simple guidelines, and staying away from sick people!

Firstly, and I know it sounds silly, but be positive! Being happy go lucky breeds happy thoughts, and being happy releases good chemicals in your body, that reinforce your immune system and help you fight infections.

Next, lots of fruit and veg. We need to keep our vitamins and minerals topped up, to make sure our immune system is 'fighting fit'. I know myself I don't like the idea of eating a whole apple (I have issues with my teeth), so cut up food into bite size bits. You're more likely to eat lots of little pieces, rather than one big item.

Don't forget one of the most important things, water! The human body is something like 80% water. So it only makes sense to stay hydrated.

Last but not least, sleep! After 17hrs of being awake, the body reacts in the same way as having a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. Sounds scary I know, so try and make sure you're getting a solid 8hrs a night. Remember that you can't 'bank' sleep, so if you only get 2 or 3 hours of shut eye today, it doesn't mean you can make up for it tomorrow. Another fun fact about sleep: "Exposure to noise at night can suppress immune function even if the sleeper doesn’t wake. Unfamiliar noise, and noise during the first and last two hours of sleep, has the greatest disruptive effect on the sleep cycle."(1)

My other secrets include:

- Garlic, it contains allicin, a sulphuric compound that produces potent antioxidants when it decomposes.(2)

- Tea, All tea—black, green, or white—contains a group of antioxidants known as catechins, which may have flu-fighting properties. In a 2011 Japanese study, people who took catechin capsules for five months had 75% lower odds of catching the flu than people taking a placebo. (2) I also add honey and lemon to my tea, as it helps soothe a sore throat.

- Chocolate, generally dark is better, because it has a lower sugar content, and more antioxidants than it's milky cousin. To reap the benefits, and not the consequences, stick with a bite size portion a day, of chocolate with a 70% cocoa or higher.

- Carrots, our body turns these into Vitamin A, which is essential to boost our immune system.

Good luck this cold and flu season!

Jayde xx

(1) - http://www.abc.net.au/science/sleep/facts.htm

(2) - http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20631007_8,00.html