Back to Day One

I don’t have great will power, I greet defeat with a handshake and polite nod. And so, one Wednesday morning early in December as I was rushing around (barefoot) trying to get the not-so-little one out the door and on her way to school I walked into what I first thought was a sewing machine needle. The pain was like no other and the child learnt some new colourful language. On inspection of the carpet I found the culprit, or the remainders of it, half a cocktail stick wedged into the coir matting. No sign of the other half.

One trip to A&E, an x-ray and I was sent home (hobbling painfully) to ‘see if an infection occurs’. Four days later back (hobbling painfully) at A&E with good signs of infection, insisting that it feels like something is in the foot and sent home to ‘your body will expel or break down any little splinters’. Half a cocktail stick is a big blooming splinter.

Four lots of antibiotics later, another trip to A&E (junior Dr treats abscess on the wound), still no referral and still I insist there is something in there. Finally I snap, I can’t blooming walk on the thing, I can’t fit into any of my shoes and the pain is unbearable. So, another call to the GP and I insist on an ultrasound. The consultant radiographer, lovely chap, takes one look and says (when doing the ultrasound) “Doesn’t this hurt?!” Finally someone can see that things aren’t right. So, five weeks of no exercise and a little weigh gain. Disaster for the project. Xmas and New Year’s celebration added a few extra pounds too. Spirits were low.

Finally managed to see a Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon, he seemed to think it would fix itself OK, time will heal etc, ordered an MRI to be on the safe side. The next day (following the MRI) I get a call and am scheduled in for an operation within days. Guess what? Yes, I STILL HAD THE OTHER HALF OF THE BLOOMING COCKTAIL STICK IN MY FOOT!

And so, here we are today, four months after the eventful morning, 1 x-ray, 1 ultrasound, 2 MRIs  and one 45 minute operation (they never did actually find the cocktail stick though) and I can finally walk again. It isn’t back to normal for sure, I am waiting on the results from the second MRI but I can walk. Fenner bought me a Fitbit Charge for Xmas and this last week it has been my complete saviour.

Over the last week I have been walking on average 10k steps a day. Today I did 13k. Since starting to walk properly again I have lost 5% of my body fat and all I am doing is walking and keeping (pretty much) to a low carb diet.

I don’t think I will get to lose the full 52lbs by July, that would be crazy. But I certainly want to lose a good portion of that and the whole lot by Christmas. What I really do want though is to get in that blooming dress, and look good in it!

Here we go! (again)

S x

7 exercise tips and a little bit of hydrotherapy by Katie

I thought I would write about exercise as I have, since the 1st January started running again. I used to regularly but let it lapse over the last year and a half. I did, like many of you start again in January, as it was the start of a new year.

Whilst I was out running yesterday, various things popped into my head to write about in relation to exercise. Some may be easy to incorporate and others not so much.

The first. If you can, exercise in the morning and not the evening. The reason for this is that the body creates a lot of waste products whilst exercising that take time to break down and to be removed from the body. Damage happens to the body when exercising which also takes time and energy to repair, so the earlier this takes place in the day, the better so the body can accommodate these processes before sleep time. Sleep time is important as mental processing takes place alongside a variety of hormonal rhythms which are a part of our daily circadian rhythm. If we exercise near bed time this gets interrupted so the really good sleep that you think you had, for the body, you didn’t.

Try not to exercise every day. The body needs time to rest and repair which it may not be able to in a 24 hour window. This could lead to injury. Going every other day to the gym/exercise class/swimming etc or 3 times a week is absolutely fine.

The second.  If you are doing exercise which good trainers are needed, for example going out running (rather than a mat based exercise that you don’t wear shoes for) I would highly recommend Runners Need if there is one near you. They film you running on a treadmill for about 30 seconds or a minute to see how you run. This is important so they can recommend shoes that will suit you and how you move. This should also reduce potential injury gained through poorly supporting footwear.

The third.  This might be so obvious. You don’t need to go for a 10 mile run in the first week. It’s better to be slow, steady, and gentle on the body building up a really good base fitness before increasing and testing yourself. I am in my 5th week of running/jogging 2 miles, 3 times a week. When it feels easier I will begin to build and lengthen the distance.

The fourth. Take advantage of fitness apps. I downloaded 7 (see photo) as it’s easily done at home and free! Its 12 exercises lasting 7 minutes in total; I don’t do it every day, but after each run. This means I can strengthen upper body muscles without a gym membership.   As its only 7 minutes it’s easy to fit into the day as well. And it makes a difference. Youtube will also have exercise videos, just make sure you do them to your ability.

The fifth.  Don’t forget walking is excellent exercise especially if you can walk a mile in 20 minutes or less. This may be more suited to you. Walking combined with a class such as Yoga or Pilates could work as well for you as going for a 30 minute run.

Listen to your body it will tell you what it likes once it gets over the initial shock!

The sixth.  Remember to keep hydrated with water!  I don’t advise drinking sugary energy drinks.  If you want to know why have a look at my earlier post on hydration.

Finally, the seventh, which are a couple of tips to look after you.  If you do ache and are very stiff after exercising a bit of hydrotherapy can really help.  Buy some Epsom Salts (you can get them in Boots, any good pharmacy and on-line) and put them in the bath. Don’t have the bath too hot and soak for a good 15-20 minutes.  The minerals in the salts help relax the muscles and reduce aches and pains.  The Epsom Salts will also help replenish minerals lost through sweating when exercising. Daily hot and cold (warm/cool) showers are also excellent at speeding up muscle recovery after exercising and reducing aches and stiffness. Have your shower as normal then have it as hot as you can so your skin goes nice and pink. Then turn it to cool/cold (as cold as you can bear, it doesn’t have to be freezing! There just needs to be a temperature difference), start at the feet and work up. Remember to breathe whilst you do apply the cool/cold water to your skin. Only have the cold on for about 30 seconds in total and pat yourself dry. Don’t rub yourself dry as that will interfere with the body warming itself back up.  It’s not that nice the first couple of times but then you will begin to enjoy it more and more. The temperature difference you will able to tolerate after a week or so will surprise you.

Progress update #2 by Jude

Towards the end of 2014 I made very little progress.  I found the fasting made me cold and tired and being inclined to emotional eating, adjusting to a new job and various other stresses made me overeat and under exercise.

I had a lovely Christmas and New Year and spent the time really thinking about what I wanted to achieve and what had worked for me in the past.  I react well to exercise, I do well with a moderate balanced diet and I like like planning, list making and keeping track.

So, on 2nd January I got on the scales and took my measurements (eek!!!) and joined Weight Watchers online. I bought weights and started my diet and exercise regime. I’m eating fresh home cooked food, I’ve cut down on processed carbs and am eating more protein than I used to as I find that it keeps me full. I am loving all the fresh fruit and veg that I’m eating.

I am doing 30 minutes of weight training or interval training at the beginning and end of each day, I do yoga and I walk at least 30-40 minutes a day. Even after four weeks I feel fitter and happier and I don’t feel deprived at all.

I’ve lost 15 pounds already and while I know that I won’t keep up that rate of weight loss it has been very encouraging. I want to lose a lot of weight and I know that it will take me most of this year but that’s fine.

The key for me is actually enjoying the process not just wishing I was slim and hating myself. I using a bit of hypnotherapy as well and that is really helping me with the emotional pull of food.

I will have bad days and weeks when I don’t lose but I feel confident, I feel prepared and that dress is waiting for me at the end of the journey.

Hope this is okay

Jude

xx

• Jude’s first post

• Jude’s first update

Three pounds

So one week of counting calories and I am three pounds lighter. Which is a good start. I need to lose quite a bit more before I can get back on track but am certainly heading in the right direction.

My foot still isn’t right. Too much walking on it yesterday resulted in a lot of pain but thankfully I’m finally having an ultrasound on it tomorrow, I am hoping they will find nothing and it will be down to an extra few weeks of rest. Anything other than that will be a complete pain.

I really want to get back to exercising not least because it means I can eat more! The fit bit is amazing for adjusting your allowance based on your activity. Which for me currently pretty much means I am on rations.

The aim this week is another three pounds, so some more delicious hot n sour cabbage soup and if I am lucky that lovely chap of mine might make me his hot n sour chicken soup which is amazing.

Same time next week? Lovely, see you then.

S x

ps. I have a new piece on hydration from Katie to post up for us all.

Counting everything

I like a food diet that is basic, something that is as simple as cutting out one food type. Thats why low carb works for me, the bonus is I stop feeling bloated and horrible too.

Two days in to calorie counting and I have found that firstly I am rather enjoying the simpleness of eating lots of low cal foods and secondly that low cal fast foods do not like me. I stocked up on ‘go ahead’ bars and similar low cal snacks without even thinking if my tummy would get on with them, sadly they don’t. Which is a real bugger as I rather like the horrible little things.

So I need to find some lovely 50-70 cal snacks to help me get through the day.  Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated, preferably gluten free.

Today I am going to bed having actually eaten all the calories the Fitbit has told me to eat, something I didn’t manage yesterday. This is what it consisted of:

Breakfast

1x wheat-a-bix n milk, 1 x go ahead biscuit (pack)

Lunch

Homemade hot n sour cabbage soup, 1 x go ahead biscuit (pack)

Dinner

Fish in butter sauce, hummus & carrots, WW yoghurt

Supper

WW yoghurt, 1 x go ahead biscuit (pack), 1 x clementine

As you can see I have splurged on biscuits today. Actually now I look back I am not surprised my tummy hates me. Tomorrow I will be better. Hopefully.

S x

LOW CAL Hot n Sour Chinese Cabbage Soup

Tonight I needed to make something that would help me to feel full. On a low cal diet that oftens means soup. Cabbage soup. Which is not the most interesting meal, especially after the second mouthful.

Mr P makes the most amazing hot n sour chicken soup so I thought I would attempt at knocking up a cabbage one. I looked at a couple of recipes and decided to wing it with what I had in. For me this has been a complete success, utterly yummy. Rather hot though so go easy on the chilli pepper if you aren’t keen on the heat.

It works out at less than 50kcals for a generous portion and nice and filling!

Ingredients (approximate amounts here so you may need to tweak)

1 1/2 pints of vegetable stock

1/2 white onion finely chopped

8 spring onions chopped

4 carrots sliced

2 spring greens chopped

2 slices of ginger chopped

1 red chilli pepper chopped

1/2 tsp of chilli flakes

olive oil

3 tblspns of white wine vinegar/white rice vinegar

salt n pepper to season

Fresh parsley/coriander to garnish

Putting it all together

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in large soup pan

Add the chopped white onion and soften

Then add the spring onion and ginger, soften

Add the carrots, stir and allow to soften for a few minutes

Add the chopped spring greens, stir, then pour over the vegetable stock

Add the fresh chopped chilli and flakes (according to taste) and pour in the white wine vinegar

Simmer for ten minutes

Taste and add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Simmer for another ten minutes

Serve with fresh chopped parsley/coriander.

If you make it let us know how it went!

S x

Salt – Natural vs Refined and Synthetic by Katie

(Grey sea salt image http://www.myworldhut.com)

There is lots in the media about salt and the salt vs sugar debate, so I thought that in this post I would write about salt and why good quality salt with minerals in is essential and why cheap table salt does you no good. As a Naturopath I recommend salt, not just to be taken internally but to also have baths with salts in, specifically Epsom Salts, so I will also talk a little bit about salt baths too.

Salt – an argument of many years.  Is it good for you?  How much is bad for you?  You should never add it too food.  Buy low sodium salt.  So much information and not always helpful especially if only half the story is told.  Hopefully this will help you in your salt decision making and in the salt you buy.

This is an interesting fact sheet from the Salt Institute about research on salt http://www.saltinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/si_food_fact_sheet.pdf

Did you know that naturally occurring salt isn’t white?  We are used to seeing white table salt because it is either a chemical copy of salt (sodium chloride) or because the salt has been processed and bleached.  Processed salt has often been heated to a high temperature which destroys all the beneficial elements – like when yoghurt and other dairy foods are pasteurised destroying the good bacteria that helps our digestive system.  Naturally occurring, unrefined non bleached salt still contains various essential minerals that the synthetic copy does not, removing important factors that make natural salt a vital part of our diet. Whilst the chemical copy may contain the same basic element as the natural product (sodium, chloride), the body does not metabolise it in the same way as essential parts are missing.  Natural, unprocessed, unbleached salt should have a colour.  The one we are most familiar with may be the pink Himalayan salt or grey sea salt.  If you have bought sea salt and it is white, it has been bleached and is not as good quality as you may have thought.  However, that is preferable to the synthetic copy.

What does salt do?  If you are eating natural salt that has all the minerals still present it will help maintain fluid balance and therefore keep your blood pressure at a good value which is good for your heart and kidneys.  It will also keep your thyroid healthy as it contains iodine as well as your adrenals which will therefore help your body’s processes run as they should. Synthetic salt, processed or  bleached salt can raise blood pressure as it upsets the bodies fluid levels and electrolyte balance (minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge) and also add to other health problems.  As always, this is also down to the individual and the amount that is consumed.  Everything in moderation.  If you were to eat loads of the highest quality salt you would upset the bodies equilibrium and cause damage. On a personal note, I would rather spend more money on a tub of Himalayan pink salt and use a little with meals, than spend less on cheap salt and use more of it.

If you want to read more, these two websites explain it and offer more information

http://www.naturalnews.com/026080_salt_sodium_health.html#       http://saltworks.us/salt_info/si_SaltAndGoodHealth.asp

And remember.  Most if not all processed food will contain refined, processed or a synthetic copy of salt.

On a brighter note, a bit about the positive impact of Epsom salt baths.  An Epsom salt bath can be a very restoring use of hydrotherapy as long as the bath water is not too hot.  (I once had an Epsom salt bath that was really hot and didn’t feel very well after it!).  I’m not going to talk about detoxing (as I believe you should do a detox in the Spring not in Winter when it’s cold and you need to be eating nourishing foods rather than only juicing and eating salads), but, Epsom salt baths are good to aid detoxification as well as muscle cramps/soreness, nerve function, constipation and are very relaxing.  Relaxing is so important in today’s stressful world alongside eating properly!

This website has loads of information on Epsom salts as well as other types of salt and the implication of using them either as part of hydrotherapy (baths, foot baths etc) or on food.http://www.saltworks.us/salt_info/epsom-uses-benefits.asp

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  Next post up soon.

(Pink Himalayan Salt image himalayanseasaltwallpaper.blogspot.com)

With a little help from my friends

I have been AWOL. Lost and far away from the yellow dress road. And stepping on a cocktail stick and not being able to walk properly or at all at times has not helped. And so I find myself back at square one, frumpy, rather dejected a with an odd little limp.

Though a quitter I am not.

I know I can do this. I know that I want to do this. I just need to stop making excuses and do it.

And so with a little help from my friends and an amazing Christmas present from my wonderful Mr P,  I find myself here,  on the eve of 5th January 2015 with a Fitbit Charge on my wrist and a yellow dress hung on my door. In the morning I will weigh myself and using the Fitbit as monitor will do a simple calorie controlled diet throughout January and endeavour when I can to do 10,000 steps a day, which is a challenge with my foot not yet on the mend. Fortunately the Fitbit can monitor my exercise and alter the allowed calorie intake accordingly to ensure I still lose weight. Well it says it can. Lets see how the first week goes.

Here’s to all the YDP gang, to a New Year and to all those lovely dresses!

Suzanne x

Superfood by Katie

Superfoods – a word we now hear all the time.  Used in marketing, in the press, but do we actually know what the superfoods are and why?  I thought today, will the lead up to Christmas, a time of coughs and colds I would do a little overview on this topic.  It may be that you eat them regularly, or not at all.  Due to the nutrient content contained in the foods,  boosting the amount of superfoods you eat over the next couple of weeks might help you fight off that tickle in the throat.  Also, if you can, sleep.  Sleep is such a healer, so a combination of rest and good food should help you go to every party that is in the diary without coughing into your drink in the corner. As always though, be cautious and don’t go crazy with the amounts that you eat. Even though natural and good for you in the right quantity, anything you eat too much of can be bad for you.  And also, for those of you on medications, be cautious and check with your health care professional if they know about any contra-indications with food.  For example, I don’t eat grapefruit, pomegranate, or blood oranges because they interact with cancer and chemotherapy.  So even though pomegranate is chocablock full of excellent nutrients and is a superfood, I avoid it.

A superfood is a food that contains a very high number of nutrients compared to other foods.  Often anti-oxidants and essential vitamins that help reduce inflammation in the body that is caused by stress, free radicals bouncing about causing damage and ill health.  Anti-oxidants help protect us against this damage and to reduce or even revert damage already done.

The NHS writes about superfoods on their website (http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/superfoods/pages/superfoods.aspx) examining the evidence and this is the list of foods they have:

Blueberries, Garlic, Pomegranate, Broccoli, Wheatgrass, Oily Fish, Dark Chocolate, Green Tea and Beetroot.  These foods are all relatively easy to find in supermarkets.  As always, do try and buy organic to really boost the nutrient value and reduce the number of pesticides etc that will counter the effect of the good in the foods.

Whilst some of the research mentioned on the NHS website is inconclusive I am not going to go into the research debate about potential bias depending on who funded the study, for what purpose and what big pharma/the government might have to do with the research.  You are also often able to find research to back up the argument you are presenting.  As a Naturopath who has nutritional therapy training which is different to a dietician’s, I fully agree with Hippocrates (the grandfather of Naturopathy) when he said let food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.

Another website with more extensive information on superfoods and a larger variety of them including nuts and seeds and herbs is this one http://foodmatters.tv/superfoods

Try and be creative if you want to introduce them into your diet- they don’t all have to be through juicing or adding them to a glass of juice which is the most obvious route to have wheatgrass for example.  You can buy powders and add them to food such as rice or porridge! (I get my powders and seeds to put in my morning smoothie- Chlorella, Spirulina and Maca powders as well as Chia seed and raw Cocoa nibs from this company http://naturya.com).   I often add Dulce which is a seaweed to rice dishes and fruits can be added to rice as well, such as pomegranate and avocado.  Also making spice and herb rich food such as curry especially if you use coconut in it is an excellent way to boost your superfood use.  For example, turmeric which is used in curry a lot has had press coverage recently because of an active ingredient called Curcumin which has been shown to be both anti-cancer and protects brain health.

Another way to increase superfoods into the diet is through supplementation.  I am not trained in supplements (yet) so be careful about the brand.  Try and avoid supermarket/shop own brand, and the more they cost, generally speaking the better they will be.  Try an independent health food shop or a Neal’s Yard, Whole Foods or Planet Organic for advice. Also, eating the whole food can be better rather than taking isolated nutrients because of how all the components of the food aids the body’s absorption.  If you miss one bit out, it may mean that the body doesn’t recognise the extract you have taken in the supplement and doesn’t absorb it.  Alternatively when taking isolated nutrients the body may absorb too much as the natural block/buffer isn’t there that may be there when eating the food as a whole.

So happy eating and you may well be surprised at the amount of superfoods you already eat or shocked to discover that you don’t eat many.  Don’t worry, there is always time to change and don’t beat yourself up about it either.

Katie X

Olive oil by Katie

I was that annoying customer who questioned why such a wonderful product with a lovely dark green colour (as olive oil should be) was in clear glass due to damage light does to the oil. I was told that it was to show the colour and the oil is actually sold in dark bottles as the photo shows.

I could write about oil and the benefits of good quality fats and the damage poor quality oils and fats do to the body all day, but I will do my best to condense it today. Poor quality oils/fats are incredible dangerous to the body as often the anti-oxidants have been removed in the processing and vitamins have been extracted to be sold in another form. When either the anti-oxidants or the vitamins have been removed the oil is no longer of benefit to our health and causes damage rather than repair.

Unfortunately to make the process cheap so the oil is easily affordable the quality is hampered with. As so often in today’s world. The more you spend the better it is.

If you want to get the best from the oils your buy make sure it is organic, virgin (or extra virgin) as it means it should be from the first press with all the nutrients needed in it to support our health, and if you are able to find out, cold pressed. If it isn’t cold pressed the process will probably involve heat which damages the structure of the anti-oxidants and vitamins which means harm is done.   The oil should be sold in a dark glass bottle because light is just as damaging as heat to oil so there is no point spending money on the oil if it ticks all the above boxes but is in a clear/light coloured bottle. And if you can, don’t buy plastic bottles. Plastic leaches into the oil and really isn’t very good for you. I might write another post on plastic bottles another week.

Finally, keep your oil in a cupboard, or even better, if you have space, in the fridge. It helps maintain all the goodness for as long as possible and stops the oil from going rancid. If the oil goes rancid quickly it has been processed to remove anti-oxidants and vitamins which keep the oil stable. Don’t use oil that smells or tastes rancid the same goes for nuts as it means the oils in the nuts are damaged and have gone off.

If you want to know more I would highly recommend this book ‘Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill’ by Udo Erasmus – I know. What an amazing name (you might have come across the oil he developed, Udo’s oil. It’s very good for you). He wrote the book in the 80s but so much is still true today. If a book seems a bit too much then this website is pretty good
http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/what-olive-oil

And here is a link to the lovely ladies I met who produce the wonderful olive oil that I am now lucky enough to own a bottle of. http://www.ciproagro.com/proagro-home-page