All in A Good Life
My last blog post was all about what I think makes for a healthy lifestyle and of course number 2 on that list behind sleep, was good nutrition.
Easier said than done, I know!
For this post, I want to highlight the tools in the kitchen that make life easier and help me prep meals faster. Please feel free to share what are your go to tools!
Without further adieu, here are my 5 Must haves and 4 Really, Really Helpful gadgets:
We all know that being healthy is important.
But, what does that mean and how do you know if you are healthy?
How do you measure health and are you measuring up?
Health for one person is different for another. One person may think a measure of good health is following a strict diet, another may asses their health by their physical abilities or be completely satisfied with their physician’s all clear.
I don’t think it really matters, what grade you give yourself and on what metrics, but what is important is that you do, think about it.
Here are my 4 Must Haves (for myself) For Health:
My apologies, to those who drink their recommended amount of water, feel free to skim through.
But, unfortunately you are in the minority.
It is estimated that 75% of Americans are dehydrated, and I suspect Canada and Europe aren’t far behind.
Water is the most important and abundant substance on Earth, it is the universal solvent and the human body is at least 60% water!
Water is the primary component of all the bodily fluids:
digestive juices
blood
lymph
urine
tears
sweat
If you aren’t familiar with this blue-green algae that is considered to be the most nutrient dense food in the world, let me introduce you to Spirulina.
Spirulina is, yes, essentially pond scum, but packs a serious nutrient punch. Used for centuries and grown in fresh, warm alkaline water Spirulina is:
a complete protein
antibacterial
has high levels of antioxidants
is 60% protein by weight, in fact by weight, spirulina has 3X more protein than beef
is an easily assimilated source of iron, perfect for vegetarians, vegans or people who don’t eat much meat
is an effective detoxifier, including heavy metals, due to its high chlorophyll content
high in omega 3, even the hard to get GLA, which is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties
has 4x the antioxidants of blueberries
I feel life is too short to not eat good food, and for me I like dessert, a lot! But, it is important to eat well. Here is a Pear & Almond Cake that is easy to whip up and that is pretty healthy!
It is based on one of my clients favourite cakes, The Wacky Cake, thanks for introducing me Theresa!! I of course made it my own.
This is an adaptable cake recipe, the original one was a chocolate cake. Add in your own flare or spices or fruit. I hope you like it!
Let’s talk about inflammation and how it affects your health.
Major illnesses like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, mental heath issues and asthma can all be linked back to chronic Inflammation and, many of these diseases are within your control, through a balanced wholesome diet and exercise.
So how do you avoid chronic inflammation?
Firstly, inflammation is a natural biological response and is a good thing. We definitely need our inflammatory response when it comes to fighting infection or getting a cut or injury, this is ACUTE inflammation. This is how the body protects and heals.
Inflammation becomes a major issue when there is CHRONIC inflammation in the body.
Symptoms of Acute Inflammation are:
redness, swelling, pain and heat. Acute inflammation usually clears within a few days. Think about when you cut yourself, this is acute inflammation.
Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation are:
exhaustion, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, joint pain, weight gain, frequent infections, digestive disorders and excessive mucus production.
Now that you know about how to spot inflammation, here are 6 common causes of chronic inflammation that are controllable.
