31 Days: boosting your energy into the future
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health
Well here we are at the final day of 31 Days to Better Energy. Since the beginning of August I’ve been writing daily blog posts, with short tasks, all aimed at boosting your energy levels. Tips during the 31 Days have included strategies for improving sleep, your diet, quick ways to get more exercise into your day, as well as methods for managing your mood.
The purpose of 31 Days to Better Energy
My hope is that over the month your energy levels will have improved. Compared to thirty-one days ago you’ll feel more alert, more healthy and more in control of your health.
The other purpose of the 31 Days to Better Energy project is to illustrate one of the central themes of Limes & Lycopene: that by making small and regular changes to what you’re doing, you can change your health. In my post how to change your diet I talked about how large-scale dietary upheaval is unrealistic for most people, whatever their intentions. Instead, you can change your diet, start exercising and improve your health by making small, steady and regular changes to what you’re doing.
All of the 31 Days tasks are designed to take no more than twenty minutes. Some are easy, while others are more challenging, even confronting and peoples’ reactions to the tasks have varied enormously. However if you look back over the tasks, it’s a resource list of thirty-one small-scale health improvements. If you just take one or two of these changes and do them every day, you’ve improved your health.
Today’s task
The final task therefore in 31 Days to Better Energy is to do just that – look back over the full list of energy boosting tips, pick two things and make a commitment to yourself to do these every day. Choose two tasks that resonate with you and boost your energy levels and your health on a long-term basis, by doing them every day.
Thank you
And a big, big thank you to everyone who has taken part in the 31 Days to Better Energy. I’ve really appreciated and enjoyed your feedback, enthusiasm, comments, blog links and emails.
August has been 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Q & A Thursday is over
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
That’s it for Q & A Thursday for this week. Next week I shall be up in sunny Queensland watching whales and catching up with my reading – so there won’t be a Q & A Thursday.
However, if you have any questions, thoughts or dilemma, then leave them in a comment or send me an email and I’ll answer them in two weeks time.
Thanks to everyone for another week of excellent questions.
This product may contain traces of . . .
Posted by kathryn in Food Labelling and Q & A Thursday
Next in Q & A Thursday, Simone has asked about allergens in food products and why the phrase may contain traces of . . . seems to be on every packet you pick up.
Since 2003 if a product contains one of the most common food allergens it has to be listed on the label, no matter how small the quantity. This means if a food contains peanuts, other nuts, seafood, fish, milk, gluten, eggs or soybeans this must be shown on the label.
Obviously this move was designed to help allergy sufferers and make it easier for them to work out which foods were safe. However, in practice it hasn’t worked out very well and has actually led to a restricting of the foods available to people with allergies.
Ensuring products are allergy free requires a number of measures during their manufacture. Ingredients have to be carefully segregated, equipment has to be cleaned between processes and manufacturers must to know where all their ingredients are from. Rather than taking these measures, most producers have taken the lazy and easy option of labelling all their products with the phrase “may contain traces of . . .”. In this way they can avoid taking responsibility for their manufacturing processes. It’s a play-it-safe strategy.
Therefore, what should have been a useful tool for allergy sufferers, is in practice, virtually useless. Most people end up avoiding foods they don’t need to, because of the potential risk. Alternatively many allergy sufferers are starting to ignore the warnings altogether, neither of which are satisfactory outcomes.
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
Vegetables in failure to prevent cancer SHOCK!@!*
Posted by kathryn in Vegetables and Q & A Thursday
Next in Q & A Thursday, I’ve been asked about the article in last weekend’s Sunday Telegraph, Eating healthy fruit, vegetables won’t stop cancer. The evidence, presented at the CSIRO Prospects for Cancer Prevention symposium, has apparently “shocked nutritionists”. A group of Melbourne researchers has found there’s “zero evidence” that eating fruit and vegetables will prevent cancer.
Well, to be honest this is actually not quite such shocking news. Numerous studies have been questionning the link between overall cancer prevention and vegetable intake for quite some time. Cohort studies following large groups of people have been inconsistent in their findings. The latest study has been following 42,000 people in Melbourne and its results mirror that of the Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow Up study – which have all failed to show a strong link between vegetable intake and cancer in general.
Why bother eating vegetables?
While vegies might not be the magic bullet in overall cancer prevention, there’s still a lot of VERY good reasons to eat at least the recommended five servings of vegetables:
- There is evidence they prevent some cancers: while they may not affect the risk of all cancers risk, there is evidence that vegetables can reduce the risk of some cancers. The lycopene in red fruit and vegetables is associated with a reduced prostate cancer risk. There is also evidence for vegetable intake reducing the risk of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, larynx, lung, ovary and kidney.
- Preventing heart disease: one of the biggest reasons to include vegies in your diet is because it reduces cardiovascular risk. In the Nurses Heath Study those who ate eight or more servings (at least four cups) per day were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke. Green leafy and cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy and Brussels, are particularly important in this.
- Preventing macular degeneration & cataracts: a diet high in fruit and vegetables is linked to a lower incidence of both macular degeneration and cataracts, two of the leading causes of blindness in Australia.
- Gastrointestinal health: vegetables are full of fibres which pass through the digestive system, soaking up water and expanding as they go. This will ensure you have regular bowel movements, as well as calming irritable bowels and preventing constipation. Vegetable fibre can also prevent diverticulosis and the often painful diverticulitis.
- Preventing cognitive decline: There is also evidence that a diet high in vegetables can slow mental decline in old age.
So, don’t give up on vegetables – there are still plenty of reasons to eat vegies and to make sure you’re getting at least five servings a day.
More resources
What is Q & A Thursday
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
What's the healthiest chocolate?
Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet, Q & A Thursday and Food & Health Myths
Kicking off Q & A Thursday today is a question from a friend:
What’s the healthiest chocolate?
Ah chocolate, it’s such a popular food. There’s nothing more likely to grab a newspaper headline than when a group of researchers find something good in chocolate.
What’s chocolate made of?
The basic ingredients of a chocolate bar are cocoa solids, fats like cocoa butter and sugar, although some brands have a list of ingredients as long as your arm.
Are there any health benefits to chocolate?
While I’m not advocating chocolate as a health food, it does contain a number of nutrients, including B vitamins, magnesium and potassium. However, it’s the discovery of antioxidants in chocolate which has excited many people. Cocoa beans contain flavonoid antioxidants called polyphenols. These have been linked to lowering blood pressure and to a reduced risk of heart attack.
Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, which in the human brain acts as a neurotransmitter and makes you feel good. There have been suggestions this is why we like chocolate so much, although it’s debatable.
The bottom line
It’s the cocoa solids that contain all the antioxidants, so the more cocoa in your chocolate the better. This means it’s the dark, high cocoa solids chocolate that is the “healthiest”. Aim for at least 70% and you can even buy bars with 85% and 99% cocoa solids.
The problem with chocolate is that, as well as all the beautiful antioxidants, it’s also high in sugar and fat. Eating even a small bar can significantly add to your daily kilojoule intake. It’s therefore best to limit your chocolate intake. Buy really good quality chocolate and steer clear of the cheaper rubbish. High cocoa solid chocolate has a rich and complex flavour. Rather than biting into it and chewing away, let the chocolate melt in your mouth to fully savour the taste.
If I’m having chocolate I’ll often make up a little tasting plate of a few pieces of good quality chocolate, coupled with some fresh mango or beautiful berries. It still feels like a treat, but is much better for me than a large bar of Cadbury’s.
What’s Q & A Thursday
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
31 Days: do an energy audit
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health
We’re coming to the end of the 31 Days to Better Energy. On the second to last day your task is to do an energy audit.
How will an energy audit help?
We’ve spent a month talking about boosting your energy levels. My posts have talked about how to get more, the things that affect your energy, plus strategies for managing energy lulls.
While it can be tempting to think energy levels should remain static during the day, it’s actually completely normal for them to fluctuate. As Robert Thayer from California State University points out:
Everyone has an energy body clock. Our energy is low immediately after waking (even after sleeping well), peaks in the late morning to early afternoon (usually 11am to 1pm), drops in the late afternoon (3 – 5pm), rises again in the early evening (6 or 7pm) and plummets to its lowest point just before bed (around 11pm).
I’m hoping that by now you’ll have more of an idea of your daily energy ups and downs. Keeping a note of when you’re feeling good and when you’re in a slump means you can predict your patterns for the day. You can take advantage of the energy high points and use these to get lots done. If you know you always have a lull mid afternoon, then you can plan your day and activities around this.
Today’s task
Today’s task in the 31 Days to Better Energy is therefore about using and making allowances for your body’s natural rhythms. Spend today monitoring your energy levels and keep an energy audit. Does your body clock fit in with the typical pattern outlined above, or does it vary in some way?
Set the timer on your phone or a reminder on your computer for every hour and at that time, check in with yourself about how you’re feeling. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your energy at that point? Do this for the whole day and you should get an idea of your own personal energy rhythm.
Knowing this will mean you can plan your day around your energy fluctuations and are less likely to get frustrated and angry with yourself.
August is 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Beware the word "natural"
Posted by kathryn in Food Labelling and Food & Health Myths
In the world of food and health marketing “natural” is a well favoured world. Labels claim “natural goodness for the whole family”, “made from natural ingredients” and “fresh and natural”. There are “natural living” eggs and supplements promoted as the natural way to health. In a Choice survey 86% of people were influenced by the word “natural”.
But, in the labelling world “natural” doesn’t actually mean anything. While it gives the impression that food is unprocessed and doesn’t contain artificial colours or preservatives, there’s no guarantee this is the case. “Natural” has no legal definition here in Australia and there are no limitations on its use.
- Products containing “natural preservatives” can still be full of compounds made in the lab.
- “Natural” foods can be heavily processed
- “Natural ingredients” can still include some very un-natural stuff
In the health arena, particularly in my industry, the word “natural” is used frequently and liberally. However natural health alternatives are not always better and they’re not always safer.
Read labels, ignore the hype and make your own decisions.
Q & A Thursday Reminder
Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday, so send me your food, diet and health related questions, either by leaving a comment or sending me an email.
Do you have any questions about food, diet and health?
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday, your chance to dictate the subject matter on Limes & Lycopene. If you have a food, diet or health related question, then let me know by leaving a comment or sending an email and I’ll answer it tomorrow during Q & A Thursday.
In previous weeks the topics have been wide and varied and have included:
Send me your questions and I’ll post all the answers tomorrow.
31 Days: moving more at work
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health and Work life integration
Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy also comes from my colleague Alexia Morris (see below for more about Alexia). For today’s task Alexia has come up with some easy suggestions to get you moving more at work.
Why?
The most common excuse for not exercising is lack of time. While many people’s lives are very busy, there’s no reason why you can’t move more during the day. Incidental exercise can make a huge difference to your fitness levels and also your energy levels.
It’s all about finding ways to move more during the course of your normal day. We’re surrounded by labour saving devices, which lull us into a state of inactivity, but there are still plenty of opportunities to get moving.
Today’s task
Earlier in the 31 Days to Better Energy, I set the task of going to chat with a colleague, rather than emailing or phoning them. Today’s task is an extension of that and it’s to find three ways to move more today. Over to Alexia for more suggestions:
- Why not take the fire stairs instead of the lift?
- Create a good impression by offering to get your colleagues water and delivering each cup individually, to increase the distance you need to walk
- Do some office chair quad strengthening: lifting alternating legs, bent at the knee, for 10 – 20 repetitions
- Alternate that with chair calf strengthening: take your shoes off and rise up on your toes for 10 – 20 repetitions. This can be done sitting or standing.
- Sit on a fitball, rather than a chair, to strengthen your core abdominal muscles, try just 15 minutes at a time.
- Or why not do some body stretches: shrug your shoulders, slide your shoulder blades down your back, look from side to side, to stretch your neck and lift your arms above your head. Repeat this combination of four moves 10-15 times.
Alexia has over 20 years in the fitness industry, is a pilates instructor, personal trainer and all round fitness guru. I work closely with Alexia at the Source of Wellness and she runs classes at The Gartlan Sports Centre in northern Sydney.
August is 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Shopping at food cooperatives
Posted by kathryn in Shopping Basket and Sustainablity
In today’s SMH there’s an article on one of my favourite local food stores – Alfalfa House in Enmore. Started 25 years ago, this food cooperative continues to provide minimally packaged, minimally processed, organic wholefoods at a reasonable price.
Much of their stock is purchased in bulk, so you take along your own containers, fill them up and then pay by weight of volume. They sell a wonderful five-grain porridge, gorgeous dried apricots and one of the best olive oils I’ve tasted so far. Alfalfa House also has a small range of organic fruit and veg.
For more information, read the article in the Herald, or take a look at the Alfalfa House website.
Obesity: where you live affects your weight
Posted by kathryn in Weight loss
During a previous Q & A Thursday, Andrew asked about the causes of obesity. While the core of maintaining a healthy weight is about your personal habits, on a broader scale obesity is a complex condition. In my previous post I looked at some of the ways stress impacts obesity and today’s post is on how society can affect an individual’s health and weight.
This is not a comprehensive study, instead I’m going to dip into two areas – city planning and community attitudes – to highlight ways in which these can affect health.
City planning
The way our cities are planned affects the health of the population. In Sydney, the City sprawls over a large area. Where I live, I’m close to public transport and have a choice of local shops within a 15 minute walking radius. I’m 10 minutes from the harbour, where there’s a walking track around the water, which is beautiful. If I want to go out to dinner, for coffee, or to see a movie, there’s a choice of suburbs all within walking or cycling distance. On the other hand, the roads are busy round here and it’s hard to find a parking spot – without paying a fortune.
Living in this area therefore, encourages me to walk. In my day-to-day life, it’s easier for me to walk or catch public transport, than it is to drive. Even if I haven’t done any official “exercise” in a day, I’ve still walked a minimum of 20 minutes and usually more.
If you contrast this to other parts of Sydney, where amenities are spread out. It’s harder for people in these area to get the daily incidental exercise crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. If the roads where you live are unsafe, your local shops are a few kilometres away and there’s no public transport, then you’re more likely to drive everywhere. Sitting in your car, being sedentary, driving from door-to-door, means your opportunities to walk and move during the day are profoundly reduced.
Earlier in the year I posted about a University of Melbourne study which looked at how where you live affects your health. In this study, the more fast food restaurants and fewer walking tracks in an area, the more unhealthy its residents. If the walking areas are perceived as unsafe, again, people are more likely to drive.
Community attitudes
The attitudes of people within a society can also impact our health. If good food and exercise are valued by the community, then individuals are more likely to eat well and do more. If our friends exercise, watch their weight and are concerned about their health, then we are more likely to as well. Our concept of what’s healthy can also change depending on where we live. Research from the US shows that as the number of people overweight and obese has increased, so has the idea of an ideal weight.
The Shape Up Somerville programme offers a great example of what happens when a community gets together to address childhood obesity. In Somerville, obesity is being addressed in the classroom, at the school canteen, with parents, in local restaurants and in the community as a whole.
By providing parents with information on safe walking tracks and teaching children it was healthier to walk, the kids are being more active. Local restaurants are offering healthier meals, while healthy eating has become part of the school curriculum and food at the canteen has improved.
Wherever we live we can still choose to eat well and exercise – our health, is still our own responsibility. However, where we live can make a difference. In a busy life, if eating well and exercising are easy, then we’ll do more of it and are more likely to curb obesity and be healthier.
You might also be interested in Ross Gittins thoughts, he gives an economists perspective on obesity.
31 Days: keep a diet diary
Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet and Seasonal Health
Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to keep a diet diary.
Why?
One of the fundamental subjects of Limes & Lycopene is eating well. Food provides us with the nutrients and energy to live well and be healthy. The way you eat directly affects your energy levels.
If you have a diet that’s full of fruit and vegetables, regular protein and small amounts of carbohydrates you are going to have more energy than if you’re heavily reliant on junk food, chocolate and soft drinks.
While changing to more healthy eating habits is vital for boosting energy levels, it can often seem overwhelming. Most people want to eat well, but find it hard to know exactly what to do and how to change. Diet improvements are then relegated to the “too-hard” basket and no change occurs.
One of the best ways to start improving your diet, is by knowing what you’re eating now and being more conscious of your diet.
In clinic I regularly ask clients to keep a diet diary for two weeks as the first phase of their treatment. By writing down everything you eat you can spot patterns; get a clearer picture of what you’re doing now and start tweaking and changing.
Today’s task
Today’s task is actually spread over several days and it’s to keep a diet diary for a week. While it’s interesting to keep a diary of what you eat for one day, it’s more useful to do it for a full seven day period. Write down everything you eat, including the time you ate it and be honest.
At the end of the week you’ll have more awareness of what you’re eating and when you get hungry. You’ll also be better placed to spot the times and situations your good intentions fall over.
Feel free to report back at the end of the week and let me know how you’ve found the process of keeping a diet diary. What have you spotted about your own diet and how would you like to change that?
August is 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks, then take a look at the introductory post.
31 Days: make a cup of tea
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health and Protein
Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is very, very easy – it’s simply to make a cup of tea.
How does tea help your energy levels?
There are many benefits to drinking tea, both normal and herbal. Herbal teas like peppermint and chamomille can calm and soothe your digestion, while black tea and green tea are full of antioxidants.
As I’ve noted before during the 31 Days, you will have more energy if you are well hydrated. Tea doesn’t dehydrate you, so it’s a great drink to include in your day, as part of your liquid intake.
However, making a cup of tea during the day, can also provide you with a mini break from your work, the phone, the computer or your family. Taking a few minutes to make a cup of tea and concentrating on that one task alone can clear your head and give you a few minutes mental break from the busyness of your day.
Today’s task
Today your task is to make a cup of tea and use this time as a break from your day. Concentrate on what you are doing and don’t do anything else. It’s easy to get impatient or nip away while the kettle’s boiling, but resist that temptation. If you have a favourite cup or teapot, then use them and spend your time focussed on making the best cup of tea possible.
Treat this as your few minutes, to step away from what you’re doing, take break and have a moments to yourself to clear your head. As you walk back to your desk, or continue on with what you’re doing, note how you feel.
August is 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Latest issue of Life etc and walnut recipes
Posted by kathryn in All In A Day's Work and Main courses
The latest issue of Life etc, including my regular Ten Minute Kitchen recipe column. The theme for this issue is walnuts and the recipes include:
- Barbecued flathead with walnuts
- Walnut & egg salad with creamy eggplant dressing
- Spiced lamb with walnuts
For the next two months you can download the recipes from the Life etc website. The button is in the right-hand sidebar, about half way down.
If you do pick up the magazine, I’m one of the people on their Meet The Team page.
31 Days: an act of altruism
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health
Today’s tip in 31 Days to Better Energy may seem like a strange one, but bear with me. Your task for today is all about small acts of altruism.
How does altruism improve your energy?
So far in the 31 Days we’ve covered a number of different methods of improving your energy levels. From small diet changes, quick and easy exercise, through to strategies to improve sleep and making time for rest and relaxation. These are all small, 15 minute tasks aimed at improving your energy and vitality.
Today’s task is about doing something for somebody else: a small act of kindness. We tend to scurry about, caught up in our own world and it’s easy to forget the people around us. Often the only time we pay attention to others is when they cause us annoyance. We notice the person that pushes ahead of us in the queue, the driver that cuts us up in traffic and the individual that takes the empty seat on the bus. These small events in our lives can cause dissatisfaction and irritation – both emotions that are energy drainers.
The more stressed, angry, frustrated and hostile you feel, the less energy you will have. In contrast, acts of altruism can put a spring in your step. A number of studies (for example here and here) have looked at the benefits of volunteer work, with one in the Journal of Health & Social Behaviour finding volunteer work boosted:
- happiness
- life satisfaction
- self-esteem
- sense of control over life
- physical health
- mood
Improving all or any of these, also boosts your energy levels, sense of wellbeing and general heatlh.
Today’s task
Today’s task therefore is to do something for someone else. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, but small acts of altruism can make you feel good. The list of possibilities is endless and will depend on what you’re doing and where you find yourself today.
- open the door for someone
- give directions to somebody that looks lost
- offer to help someone with their shopping
- take a pot of soup round to a neighbour
- call a friend who’s been having a difficult time
- join a volunteer body
- pay somebody else’s toll on the freeway
- smile at someone
I know this could be dismissed as idealistic and goody-two-shoes-ish. Why should you help someone else? However, altruism does help the other person but it also makes you feel good. You will feel better today, if you do something for someone else.
I’d love to know your reaction to this post. Plus, if you do something for someone else, let me know and tell me how it felt.
August is 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Updates to the Sustainable Seafood Guide
Posted by kathryn in Sustainablity
This week the Australian Marine Conservation Society released an updated version of its Sustainable Seafood Guide. The guide is available from their website (for $9.95) and includes a booklet and wallet sized summary of the best seafood choices, to avoid over-fished species.
Since the 1990s the number of over-fished species in Australia has nearly quadrupled. A situation which is mirrored internatlonally, with the collapse of marine environments and loss of seafood stocks. Buying sustainably caught fish is one way in which consumers can make a difference. help protect species and ensure the long-term health of our seas.
In the new updated guide:
- Orange roughy, southern blue-fin tuna, sea cage Atlantic salmon and barramundi are out
- Wild abalone, Moreton Bay bugs and coral trout are questionnable
- Bream, flathead and King George whiting are given the all-clear.
More information:
Strategies for managing diabetes
Posted by kathryn in Health News
Melanie over at Dietriffic has just completed a fantastic series of posts on diabetes. She’s built up quite a resource of information and strategies for managing diabetes. Posts cover basic dietary advice; the importance of exercise; ways of adapting recipes to be diabetes friendly; as well as information on how to prevent diabetes.
To make the information easier to accesss, Melanie’s put a summary of the diabetes series on an index page. If you’re at all concerned about diabetes, then this is compulsory reading.
31 Days: 15 minute home fitness circuit
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health
Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy comes from a colleague of mine, Alexia Morris. Alexia has over 20 years in the fitness industry, is a pilates instructor, personal trainer and all round fitness guru. I work closely with Alexia at the Source of Wellness and she runs classes at The Gartlan Sports Centre in northern Sydney. For today’s task Alexia has designed an easy mini fitness circuit, you can do at home in 15 minutes.
Why?
If you truly want better energy, then moving more is vital. As I’ve said before, you don’t have to join a gym to exercise. Walking is great, but it’s also good to have a few different strategies under your belt.
Alexia’s circuit is something you can do at home and it only takes 15 minutes. It combines cardiovascular work, along with strengthening and toning exercises. As Alexia says:
the combination of these two is particularly good for your energy levels, because both “methods” are essential for developing the healthiest outcome. They target different systems: cardiovascular exercise strengthens lungs, blood vessels and heart, while the strength or resistance exercises uses the stamina of cardiovascular exercise to build muscles that support skeleton and organs. Which results in more energy, toned muscles and improved ability to perform physically and mentally.
Today’s task
Today’s task towards improving your energy levels is to complete this 15 minute mini-circuit. Over to Alexia . . .
Alexia’s 15 minute home fitness circuit
To complete this circuit you’ll need four things:
- a clock
- to be wearing your sneakers
- a hard chair
- two cans of food from the pantry, of equal weight
There are four activities in my mini-circuit and you should perform each one for three minutes, allowing yourself another three minutes at the end to cool down and do some gentle stretching.
- Set the clock for 15 minutes.
- Cardiovascular: If you have stairs at home, then climb the staircase continuosly for 3 mins. If not, then walk or jog around the perimeter of your house (inside or outside).
- Upper body strengthening & toning: Using the food cans, do some bicep curls for 3 minutes.
- Thigh strengthening & toning: Sit down on the chair . . . and then stand up again. Repeat this for 3 minutes. To make it harder, try crossing your arms in front of your chest
- Abdominal strenthening & toning: Lie on the floor and complete abdominal curls for another 3 minutes
- Now it’s time to cool down and stretch: Spend your last 3 minutes cooling down and doing some gentle stretches. There’s a good guide to stretching here.
What is the 31 Days to Better Energy?
We’re in the final week of 31 Days to Better Energy month here at Limes & Lycopene. It’s a month full of simple strategies for improving your health and boosting your energy. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
31 Days: phone a friend and get an energy boost
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health and Work life integration
We’re into the last week of 31 Days to Better Energy here at Limes & Lycopene and today’s task is to give a friend a call.
Why?
In my experience most people have particular times of the day when they suffer energy slumps, with the afternoon being the primary time. With some people it’s straight after lunch, while others have their energy slump about 3.00pm. At this time it’s easy to reach for coffee or a sugar fix.
While sugar and caffeine will give you a short term boost, it’s not the best strategy for dealing with energy slumps long-term. Instead of eating junk and coffee, you can also get an energy burst from doing something different.
Friends have a wonderful capacity to make us laugh, take us away from our situation and leave us feeling more energetic. Often in our busy lives we don’t leave enough time for friends, and yet a quick conversation with a good friend can give you an energy boost, lighten your mood and make the rest of the day fly.
Today’s Better Energy Task
I’ve already blogged in 31 Days to Better Energy about the benefit of talking to colleagues in person and offered suggestions on healthy afternoon snacks, to beat the 3pm blood sugar crash. Today’s task is to improve your energy by phoning a friend.
Sometime today, if you’re feeling a bit low, bored or lethargic, then pick up the phone and give a friend a call. You only need to chat for a few minutes to get a boost – so reach out and speak to a friend today.
August is all about getting more energy, here at Limes & Lycopene, with the 31 Days to Better Energy project. If you’d like to know more or view the full range of tasks so far, then take a look at the introductory post.
Q & A Thursday is kind of over
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
There’s one outstanding question from today’s Q & A Thursday, which I’m just waiting on clarification. Emma’s asked if vegetables lose nutrients when cooked in a crockpot? It’s a good question and while I’ve done some scouting around, I just want to check my facts before posting the answer. So, sorry Emma, but I’m going to hold your question over until tomorrow.
Otherwise, that’s the end of Q & A Thursday for this week.THANKS TO EVERYONE for you fabulous questions. If you have any comments or follow ups, then let me know. Otherwise, you can post a question for next week either by leaving a comment, or sending me an email.
Q & A Thursday: should you eat different types of pasta?
Posted by kathryn in A Balanced Diet, Carbohydrates and Q & A Thursday
The next question I’ve received in Q & A Thursday is all about pasta. Fiona asks:
What is the healthiest kind of pasta? Is buckwheat/rice pasta a healthier option (even if we don’t have a wheat intolerance) or wholemeal wheat pasta? Personally, I seem to mix it up a lot and have buckwheat / rice, organic white pasta and wholegrain pasta? I have pasta probably twice a week and have started bulking them up with more emphasis on the vegetables rather than the pasta, but I’d just like to know. which pasta!
The health value of pasta
Pasta is primarily made up of carbohydrate – in fact raw pasta is about 70 percent carbohydrate. Wheat pasta also contains fibre, some protein, B vitamins, along with small amounts of iron and potassium. However, it’s main role in our diet is as a low GI source of energy.
The best type of pasta to eat
My advice with pasta, as it is with most other foods, is to eat a variety. While they have nutritional similarities, different pastas do have slightly varying nutrient profiles. For example, wholemeal pasta has more potassium, fibre and B vitamins than normal white pasta. While buckwheat pasta has more potassium again, along with small amounts of Omega 3 essential fatty acids.
To sum up
- There’s nothing wrong with including pasta in your diet.
- If possible I would mix up the different types of pasta you use. It’s adding to the variety of foods in your diet, which is always a good nutritional strategy.
- Just be careful of the amount of pasta you eat. It’s easy to base a whole meal on pasta and end up eating too much of this food.
- Try to mix plenty of vegies in with your pasta, either by making a vegie-heavy pasta sauce, or by cooking vegetables in with the pasta itself.
- Alternatively have a smaller portion of pasta, with a big green salad on the side.
Q & A Thursday
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
Q & A Thursday: can you refreeze thawed food?
Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday
Next on Q & A Thursday, Jesper asks:
I just had a delicious chop suey bought frozen from my local store, together with rice. On the packaging of said chop suey, is the text “Do not refreeze once thawed”. Why is that?
Thanks for your question Jesper – the answer is going to be an it depends.
The problem with thawing and re-freezing foods
Freezing foods extends their shelf life. While it stops the bacteria that cause food poisoning from growing and multiplying, it doesn’t kill them. Therefore, as food thaws, these microorganisms start to grow and multiply again.
This is particularly true if the food reaches the temperature danger zone of 5°C. Between 5 and 60°C, is the temperature which bacteria love and in which they thrive and grow rapidly.
Therefore foods should only be frozen once and if they’ve been defrosted they shouldn’t be re-frozen. Hence the labelling you see on many foods.
What about foods you buy frozen?
The question of whether you can re-freeze foods that are frozen, depends on the food. Small items, including pieces of meat and fish may have thawed on the way home. It’s therefore not safe to re-freeze these foods. Instead, place them in the fridge and use within two days.
Larger items, like a meal or a block of ice-cream, can be placed in the freezer as long as they are still mostly frozen. Do this as soon as you get home. If it’s hot, then it’s advisable to take cold bags and frozen ice bricks to the shops and use these to pack your frozen foods.
At all times though, the golden rule is, if you have any doubts about the food then chuck it out.
For more on food safety take a look at food safety when reheating lasagne and at this article on the Choice website.
What’s Q & A Thursday
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
Q & A Thursday: carbohydrates, vegetarians and muscles
Posted by kathryn in Carbohydrates, Protein and Q & A Thursday
Kicking off this week’s Q & A Thursday is a question from Kylie:
Are carbs that consist primarily of white flour something to be avoided, particularly for vegetarians? I’ve recently had a massage therapist recommend that I eat meat. I’m wondering if it’s more of a case that I need to cut back on the carbs (pasta, basmati rice, soy + linseed bread) and replace with quinoa, rolled oats, and wholegrain breads like pumpernickel. what do you think?
The best carbohydrate foods
Carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy. They’re broken down into glucose, which is the primary fuel used by the cells of your body. We need carbohydrates in our diets. Most foods, except for meat and oils, contain carbohydrates, for example:
- grain based foods like pasta, rice, bread, coucous, oats, biscuits and cakes
- dairy products like yoghurt and milk
- fruit and vegetables contain carbohydrates
- nuts and seeds
- avocadoes
- legumes, including tofu, chickpeas and lentils
- even eggs contain a tiny amount of carbohydrate
There is a difference betweent the nutritional value and usefullness of the different carbohydrate foods. Concentrating on the grain based foods, then wholegrains like oats, millet, quinoa, wholegrain bread and brown rice tend to have a higher nutritional value than white bread and white rice. They contain more vitamin E and fibre, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc.
The GI value of wholegrains and legumes tend to be lower than their white alternatives, for example grain breads have a lower GI than white bread. These a longer list of the GI value of different grains here.
Protein and muscles
However, if your massage therapist is encouraging you to eat more meat, then they are most likely concerned about your protein levels, rather than your carbohydrate intake. Our muscles are made of protein and we need plenty of it in our diet to maintain that infrastructure. While it is definitely possible to eat a healthy, well balanced diet as a vegetarian, protein is often the group that vegies neglect and miss out on.
As a vegetarian, your protein sources are:
- legumes, including the soy foods like tofu and tempeh
- nuts and seeds
- eggs (if you’re a lacto-ovo vegie)
- grain foods
- dairy foods (again if you’re a lacto-ovo vegetarian)
In order to get enough protein you need to eat several portions of at least two different sorts of protein food each day. There’s more information on protein in the two posts covering vegetarian protein sources and how vegetarians can get enough protein.
To sum up
- Before worrying about your carbohydrate intake, I’d check the amount of protein you’re eating first.
- Pasta, basmati rice and soy + linseed bread are all fine to include in your diet – they are low GI carbohydrates, however why not vary your diet by also including oats, quinoa, brown rice, and rye breads. By eating a wider variety of foods, you’re getting a wider intake of nutrients
- Include wholegrains, in combination with the legumes, nuts, eggs, and dairy, to make sure you’re getting a balanced protein intake.
- As a guide, use the dinner plate rule I’ve blogged about before.
This post is part of Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email.
31 Days: start an exercise group
Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health
More energy is what we’re all after and it’s the focus of August at Limes & Lycopene in 31 Days to Better Energy. Today’s task is about cultivating some exercise buddies – and it’s to start a walking, yoga or other exercise group
Why?
While it’s easy to have good intentions with exercise, long days at the office and a busy life can mean those intentions are never quite acted upon. For many people, exercising with others is crucial to their motivation and maintaining a regular exercise schedule. On the occasions that you don’t feel like going for a walk, your buddy will and vice versa. It can also make the exercise more pleasurable if you have someone to chat with.
Today’s task
I’ve posted already in the 31 Days about the importance of exercise for your energy levels, so today’s tip is all about getting some motivation. It can be easy to hesitate about approaching others about exercise, but I can almost guarantee one of your friends, or work colleagues, is currently thinking about increasing their exercise levels
Why not take take the plunge and send round a quick email, or phone a few friends, to ask if they want to form an exercise group. You can pitch this at all fitness and capability levels.
- Set up a walking group and plan to go for 20 minute lunch-time walks, a few times a week.
- Speak to your boss or HR department about setting up weekly yoga sessions.
- Meet up with a friend after work and go for a swim.
- Get your department to buy some pedometers and then have a weekly competition to see who walks the furthest.
- Form a group and let each member choose a different weekly activity.
- Plan to go for a long walk with a friend each weekend.
This post is part of a series I’m writing over August – 31 Days to Better Energy. For more information and to view the other tasks, take a look at the introductory post.
Welcome to Passion For Health readers
Posted by kathryn in Blogging
And welcome to the Passion for Health readers. If this is your first time on Limes & Lycopene, then you can find out more about me here, including a link to some of my core articles.
Every Thursday on Limes & Lycopene I run a question and answer forum, called Q & A Thursday. For more information, take a look at the introduction to Q & A Thursday, or you can browse the archives to see the range of topics already covered.
You can also keep up to date with Limes & Lycopene by subscribing to my RSS feed, or to the free monthly newsletter. I’d love to know if you have any comments or questions about the site. Welcome.
1 comment
31 August, 2007