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Issue 12 - Winter 2016
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Your quarterly natural health, nutrition & lifestyle magazine
buckwheat noodle salad christmas cranberry truffles
Issue 12 Winter 2016
healing winter broth
How to un-diet • carbs - friend or foe • sorting digestion naturally • healthy body posture
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Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
Contents thrive [ issue 12 - Winter 2016 ] NEWS
EVENTS
FEATURES Maintaining a Healthy Body Posture
We introduce you to our expert writers and contributors for this Winter issue.
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6-7
Hot Products
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Thrive Real Health Food Journies
8-9
How to Un-Diet yourself
35
Winter Recipes
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Thrive Experts
Looking for the perfect gift for your foodie friend? Or some ideas for healthier Christmas treats. Check our Gift Guide... Ditch the yo-yo dieting and stick to healthy, sustainable changes to achieve true health & fitness.
10-11 Balancing Blood Sugar Levels
Natural Juice Junkie helps you with some key points to follow when juicing, to keep blood sugar levels balanced.
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True ‘Superfoods’
Some of the amazing Christmas ‘superfoods’ available at this time of year.
14-15 Are Supplements Necessary?
The market for supplements in the UK is worth an estimated £385 million per year, but do we need them?
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Healthier Christmas Mocktails
We’ve got some super healthy mocktail recipes for you to try.
18-19 Staying Hydrated through Winter
Alignment of your body affects much more than just your back. 3 key reasons why body alignment is important. Our series of ‘Real Food Stories’ continues - we interview Nutritional Therapist - Daniela Exley. Our section of healthier recipes...
36-37 Courgette Blossom Tart
Recipe for a Winters night. Made with crumbed ricotta, courgette and cherry tomato garnish.
38-39 Healthy Winter Broth A health boosting Winter broth with grain free quinoa,
pesto and avocado.
40-41 Raw Chocolate Brownies Made with oats and almonds and sweetened with
coconut nectar, honey and cacao.
tahini dressing.
with dates, almonds and fresh orange zest.
42-43 Buckwheat Noodle Salad Buckwheat noodles served with a creamy lime and 44-45 Christmas Cranberry Truffles Perfect for a gift or as a delicious Christmas treat. Made
It’s easy to forget to drink fluids during the colder months, Jamie Lloyd gives us some top tips on staying hydrated.
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Epigenetics and Nutrition
46-47 Sugar Free Blueberry Muffins Made with coconut oil, vanilla bean paste and honey.
Epigenetics, is today one of the most extraordinary areas of scientific research, but how does nutrition play its part?
22-23 Carbs - Friend or Foe Dr Sally Norton guides us through the confusion over carbs.
What’s the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ carbs?
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www.thrive-magazine.co.uk @thrivefeelalive
24-25 Food Changed My Life - CNM The fourth in our series from CNM - Food Changed My Life.
We hear from Sam Bourne and her ‘Food Journey’.
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Janey Loves - A Healthier Christmas
All of the latest natural health finds for a more natural Christmas and New Year.
28-29 Sorting Digestion Naturally Research conducted recently suggests that many digestive
disorders, such as depression and obesity, originate in our intestines. Learn how to maintain a healthy gut.
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Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
HOW TO UN-DIET
YOURSELF
Which diet is best? With so many diets out there, how do you know which one is for you, if any at all? Did you know, the average person gains 11 pounds for every diet they go on? And to top it off, not only do you lose fat, but if you are not exercising, you also lose muscle too! And so the yo-yo effect begins. You may be aware of someone overweight, that continuously states they don’t eat that much. It is most likely they have just damaged their metabolism by yo-yo dieting. But surely, it’s not just about losing weight, we all want to keep it off and feel healthy, right?
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usual option, which is not always the best option. Sometimes it’s just too easy to give in to temptation if you are not fully committed.
Firstly, you have to want to lose weight. Losing weight is not easy and if you really don’t want to commit to a long term plan, the struggle will be there from the beginning - you will be battling with yourself.
Secondly, you need to educate yourself. It’s not about a 4-week diet. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you cannot go back to eating the way you did before. If you want to keep it off, you need to understand nutrition and understand your body.
The battle between ‘should I have the doughnut or the apple’ or ‘should I have the burger or the fish’. If you are not 100% committed, it’s likely you will go with your
Understanding the effect that good food and exercise have your body. Also, understanding how much protein and carbohydrates you should have with each
meal. You also need to know how much water you should be drinking, the effects of drinking alcohol and how much is ‘ok’ in a week. It’s not just about the now, it’s also about the future. It’s not about a single diet, it’s about a lifestyle change. Thirdly, you need to reduce your appetite. This does not happen over-night and takes willpower. Don’t starve yourself, this will not only play havoc with your metabolism but you’re more likely to binge eat too. Reduce your food in-take slowly, allowing your body to adapt to the slow changes in your lifestyle.
Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
You may be aware of someone overweight, that continuously states they don’t eat that much.It is most likely they have just damaged their metabolism by yo-yo dieting. But surely, it’s not just about losing weight, we all want to keep it off and feel healthy, right? Finally, speaking of metabolism, you need to increase yours. But with most diets out there, due to the sudden decrease in calories suggested, you will also have less energy and there tends to be no fitness plan with these diets, so not only will you be hungry, you will have low energy levels and your metabolism will slow down. The opposite of what you want to happen.
Key things to watch out for when looking to lose weight So called cheat days:
Be careful how you reward yourself. it is not about undoing all the hard work you have done for the whole week prior. Think of it as a day you have a cheat meal or cheat snack.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep:
Good quality sleep is so important in your day to day life. Realistically yes, it’s not always possible, if you work shifts, have a young
...with most diets out there, due to the sudden decrease in calories suggested, you will also have less energy...
child or even just daily stresses may mean you end up heading to bed later than you would like. But, your aim should be 7 – 8 hours per night. Even mild sleep deprivation can cause the hunger stimulating hormone (ghrelin) to go into overdrive and this reduces levels of the hormone that suppresses appetite (leptin). This can cause you to feel hungry when you are not.
When to eat:
Eating at the right time plays a key role in weight loss. Most importantly, how late you eat. You should be aiming to eat no later than 2-3 hours before you go to bed, to allow your food to start digesting. Don’t be tempted to skip breakfast either, (the most important meal of the day to ‘fire your body up’ for the rest of the day). Get up and move: Ok, so you have an office job, it’s difficult, but try to get up and move for 2 minutes at a time, every 30 minutes. Some countries, including Australia and Finland have actually made recommendations that children limit screen time, to just one or two hours a day. Encouraging them to get up and play!
So, it’s time to Un-Diet Unfortunately, most diets don’t work so the answer to the question: What is the best diet? Is, there is no best diet! The key to losing weight, keeping it off and staying healthy is to make a lifestyle change. Change the way you have been thinking about your health. And remember to start feeling good about yourself too, this will help you to make healthy choices. Sharon Armstrong, dipn, sacdip www.nutritrim.net
@nutritrimspa facebook.com/SharonArmstrongNutritionist
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Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
cinnamon
Cinnamon has been prized for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. It is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees called Cinnamomum and has been used as an ingredient throughout history, dating back as far as ancient Egypt. This bark contains several special compounds which are responsible for its many health promoting properties- including cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, and cinnamate. Cinnamon is one of the most beneficial spices on earth.
nutmeg
Nutmeg is a delicate, slightly sweet spice that is widely used in cuisines around the world, including both Asian and western recipes. It’s long been known for it’s health benefits too, including its ability to relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, detoxify the body, boost skin health, alleviate oral conditions, reduce insomnia, increase immune system function, and prevent leukemia, and improve blood circulation.
superfoods
Christmas
We step back in time and see which ‘superfoods’ our ancestors were using way back when and to see if we can share their knowledge going forward...
raw cacao
Raw cacao beans come from the theobroma cacao tree, grown in Mexico and South America, each cacoa pod typically houses bewtween 40 - 60 cacao seeds. They are one of the best sources of magnesium and when eaten raw, as nibs, area powerful source of antioxidants important for absorbing free radicals that can lead to inflammation. Cacao nibs are great in smoothies, on desserts and are a good source of fiber.
star anise
Star anise is the star-shaped fruit of an evergreen plant known scientifically as Illicium verum. Traditionally used as a spice and also as a healing herb, star anise appears to have medicinal properties that endow it with significant health benefits. Shown to be anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial too. It is also known to promote vitality and vigor in the human system.
cranberries
As far as healthy foods go, cranberries are at the top of the list due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content and are often referred to as a “super food.” Not to mention, half a cup of cranberries contains only 25 calories! The cranberry is perhaps best known for its role in preventing UTIs, especially for those with recurrent infections.
CAUTION / Note:
Please note, all information about herbs included on these pages are purely for information only, it does not constitute advice or recommendations. Please always check with your GP before trying any new herbal remedy or food. See online feature for full article references.
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Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 4 - Winter 2015 2016
Carbohydrates Friend or Foe? We know that a healthy, balanced diet is the key to a healthy body, but it can be tough knowing exactly which foods are the healthiest for us. We’re under a constant barrage of new studies and research, branding certain foods as either hero or villain when it comes to our health. One food group that has been given a pretty bad rep over the past few years is carbohydrates. The common perception now is that the fewer carbs we eat the better, with some of us avoiding carbs altogether! But, is this really a healthy option for our bodies? Well, frankly, no. Of course, we know that starchy, refined carbs aren’t great for us – and we eat far too much of them, so cutting back is a definitely a good thing. But cutting carbs out altogether? Carbs can help us feel full and provide us with a lot of healthy nutrients and essential fibre – we just need to make sure we are eating the right sort. Vegetables are a great source, and another particular group that is getting seriously neglected is wholegrains. A study from the British Journal of Nutrition found that 80% of us are simply not eating a healthy level of wholegrains – and one in five may not be eating any at all! Not that I’m surprised, with so many people demonising all carbs, or, when they do indulge, choosing the more popular, starchy white carbs.
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So what’s the difference between good and bad carbs and why does it matter? Grains are made up of an inedible, protective husk and a kernel which has three layers – bran, germ and endosperm. Wholegrains contain all three parts of the kernel – and so keep the maximum nutrients. Processing these grains to make refined carbohydrates means removing the bran and the germ, which contain a whole host of antioxidants, B vitamins, protein, minerals, healthy fats and fibre, leaving only the endosperm. Refining means that about 25% of protein is lost, along with at least seventeen key nutrients! It is possible to add back some vitamins and minerals to enrich these refined grains. But why not stick to the unadulterated and healthier wholegrain in the first place?! What’s more, products made from refined white carbs are more likely to contain higher levels of fat and sugar, but, because they’re refined, they’re not as filling, meaning we eat larger portions in order to feel full. Which doesn’t help our weight-loss attempts and explains why so many of us will feel bloated, or sluggish after eating a huge bowl of white pasta or rice. In contrast, wholegrains are higher in fibre -meaning we will feel fuller for longer, with smaller amounts. Importantly, though, wholegrains have been linked to all kinds of health benefits, including
lower body weight, BMI and cholesterol levels, as well as reduced risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers too. What’s not to like?
A study from the British Journal of Nutrition found that 80% of us are simply not eating a healthy level of wholegrains – and one in five may not be eating any at all! Swapping refined carbs for wholegrain ones is a great place to start and try to hit the 48g minimum if you can. Watch out though – some manufacturers try to dupe us into thinking a product is healthier than it is. For example, the breads that are just coloured brown to make them look healthier, and seeded and malted loaves made from white flour with small amounts of bran added in afterwards. Article by Dr Sally Norton. Founder of www.vavistalife.com
Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
How much sh ould you be eating ? Th e minimum recom This equates to
@VavistaLife
taLife
facebook.com/Vavis
mended is 48g. around…
• 3 slices of wh olemeal bread or • A bowl of porrid ge or wholegra in breakfast cerea l and a slice of wholemealtoast or • A portion of wh ole grain rice/p asta/ quinoa or other whole grains
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Oats, oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan. Studies have shown incredible positive effects on cholesterol levels when this special fiber is included in the diet.
Raw Chocolate & Berry Brownies
Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
Raw Chocolate & Berry Brownies sweetened with coconut nectar honey and cacao
ingredients (makes for 6)
Brownies 1/2 cup oats 1/2 cup almonds 1 cup dates 2 tbsp natural sweetener (coconut nectar honey) 3 tbsp cacao powder 2 tbsp macadamia butter Pinch of sea salt Berry cheesecake 1/2 cup cashews 6 tbsp coconut milk (canned) 2 tbsp natural sweetener (coconut nectar honey) 1 tbsp coconut oil 1/2 cup raspberries 2 tsp freeze dried berry powder- I used Arctic power berries blackcurrant powder
how to make it... Place the almonds and oats into a food processor and blend until they form a rough flour. Add in the remaining brownie ingredients and blend again until everything begins to stick together. Take the brownie mix and press into the base of a tin to create a flat surface and leave these in the freezer to set whilst you prepare the cheesecake layer. Add the cashews, coconut milk, sweetener, coconut oil, berries and powder into a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth and creamy. Pour this over the top of the brownie base and return these to the freezer for around 2 hours. Slice the brownies into pieces and garnish with some sliced strawberry and a drizzle of melted raw chocolate.
@Charleys_health @charleyshealth/ Thanks to Charley for this recipe:
www.charleyshealth.co.uk
More recipes over at:
www.charleyshealth.co.uk
Coconut nectar has become a popular alternative to mainstream sugar, it from the sweet sap that results from tapping the thick flowering stems of the coconut blossom. It’s low in glucose, fructose and sucrose. 41
Thrive Magazine / Issue 12 Winter 2016
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Credits / References / Where to buy... Natural Juice Junkie - www.naturaljuicejunkie.com Sharon Armstrong - www.nutritrim.net Gary Hughes - www.thebalancedperformer.com Jamie Lloyd - www.jamielloydfitness.com Deborah Williamson - www.puritiprograms.com Dr Sally Nortonr- www.vavistalife.com www.thrive-magazine.co.uk
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