Friends on Friday - Get your green on!

Mish is the founder and CEO of mishfit mothers and says this recipe is “easy as” as long as you remember to secure the Vitamix lid! And it is.

I met Mish after my first baby, he was 10 weeks old and I needed to move and feel my body again so I joined mishfit; a specialised personal training program designed for pregnant and post-natal women, she was great, it was great, she educates women on how to exercise safely and its in a place where your babies and children are welcome. 

Broccoli Soup Recipe

Broccoli is a real superfood; it contains substantial amounts of nutrients that are extremely good for your health including vitamins A, C, folic acid, fiber and calcium. It also has amazing properties that detoxify oestrogen overload in the liver! To get the full benefits of your broccoli its best to buy ORGANIC, as it’s one of the most sprayed conventionally grown veggies.

Ingredients:

4 generous heads of broccoli

1 x onion

2-3 garlic cloves

1 Lt. vegetable stock

1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts

Olive oil

Method:

Soak roughly cut up broccoli in cold water and salt to clean and to remove bugs, dirt and chemical. Include stalks too but peel first so that it easily cooks and breaks down.

Heat pan, sauté onion and garlic in a little oil. Add chopped broccoli and good quality stock cover with lid and cook till tender.

Pop in blender with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pine nuts and blend. Secure lid of blender tightly! And buzz away.

Return to heat if it has cooled down.

Serve with a delicious piece of crusty sourdough lavished with butter.

Enjoy.

Eating for two?

mage pintrest

Lately I am speaking with more and more women who are claiming that they are adding over 20 kilos to their weight during pregnancy. I am finding this concerning as physiologically this is unnecessary; a pregnant woman should gain between 10-13 kilos during pregnancy.

When pregnant, a woman should concentrate on increasing her nutrient intake, rather than her kilojoule intake. This means forget the excuse of eating for two concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity. Continue and maintain your normal healthy diet – it doesn’t mean your growing baby needs cream buns, extra slices of choccie cake, double burgers with extra chips!

To maintain a healthy normal weight range you will only have greater benefits at the end of your pregnancy including feeling good as a new mum when you slip back into your pre-pregnancy clothes faster.
To get the best from your pregnancy and give your baby the best start to life seek advice from a Naturopath or Health professional and be advised of therapeutic doses and remedies.

Tips to prevent excessive weight gain:

• Concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity.
• Avoid the ‘eating for two’ syndrome this will lead to unnecessary weight gain.
• A healthy pregnancy only requires approx an extra 850–1,100 kilojoules a day this is equivalent to a glass of milk or a sandwich! However you will need to increase your kilojoule intake if you are breastfeeding – still best to consume wholefoods rather than those cream cakes.
• Accommodate cravings, but don’t let them replace more nutritious foods.
• Keep physically active. If you exercise regularly there is no reason to stop your current exercise regime. Healthy body, Healthy mind, Healthy baby.
• Nutrient requirements before and during pregnancy should include Folate, Iron, Zinc, EFA, Calcium and Iodine.
• Drink plenty of fluids that means water!
• Avoid alcohol, it is unknown what the ‘safe’ limit of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is and it’s recommended not to drink at all.
• Do not smoke – both direct and passive smoking are associated with growth retardation, increased risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirths, placental complications and low birth weight – making it a great one to avoid!

Be good to yourself and enjoy growing your baby. 

Want to get pregnant? Preconception care

There comes a time when you may think about getting pregnant and maybe 'doing it' just doesn't do it!
So here are a few ideas to think about before you go 'doing it'.

First of all we are all very different, our health, our general make-up, our constitution so of course it is best to facilitate with a health care professional before hand so they can asses the best prescription for you and your partner.

Here are some general tips to help you conceive your baby.

Eat lots of wholefoods, fresh foods, home-made food

Rest and relaxation, enjoy spending time with your partner and enjoy getting jiggy
Reduce or even eliminate alcohol
Reduce caffeine
Reduce processed food intake
Stop smoking
Increase water consumption
Begin taking a vitamin B12 and Folate tablet
Increase your intake of EFA this includes flaxseed oil and fish oils but please take good quality fish oils, this means fish oils that have been tested for heavy metals contamination, PBA contamination and produced under strict guidelines.
Increase eating fish in your diet but again remember small fish are best, sardines, anchovies, mackerel because they don't tend to have mercury and toxic stores as larger fish can
Be kind to yourself and think positive thoughts
Even complete a detox and prepare yourself and your partner for your pregnancy - a healthy body = a healthy baby

Good luck on your journey, it will happen

Beans, Beans make you…………

Pulses and Legumes are an important part of a healthy diet for meat eaters and vegetarians. Here's some info about beans!

CHICKPEAS - contain saponins, a group of SUPER-NUTRIENTS that act as ANTIOXIDANTS. A good source of FIBRE - 42% of our daily intake in ONE CUP. Add them to your salad today.

GREEN PEAS – are a great source of VITAMIN C, 1 cup provides about 23mg. And this helps the IRON in the peas to be absorbed by our body.

LENTILS – are an excellent source of PROTEIN when combined with rice or wholegrains they are high in FIBRE, which makes them a good protector against bowel cancer. Lentils are an important source of B vitamins, especially B3, which is essential for both a healthy nervous system and digestive system. They are high in iron, zinc and calcium and are a good replacement for red meat. GO LENTILS.

RED KIDNEY BEANS - are a very good source of FOLATE, which assists our nervous system, they are also high in dietary FIBRE and manganese. Red kidney beans are a good source of protein, thiamin (vitamin B1), phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium and vitamin K.

SOYA BEANS - contain all of the essential amino acids making it a (near) complete PROTEIN. Also they contain ISOFLAVONES, which are good for BONE HEALTH