| I don't know about you, but when I want to diet | | | | vitamins and minerals as many fruits and veg! |
| I start by boosting my body, inside and out. Sure, | | | | If all the above is not enough they also contain a |
| the food is ultra important, but so is clearing that | | | | number of phenolics, which are powerful |
| clogged up skin feeling as well. There are a few | | | | antioxidants and are believed to help destroy |
| very simple things we can do every day to get | | | | cancer cells and fight other diseases, lignans, which |
| glowing in no time. | | | | are believed to help fight breast cancer, helps |
| 1. Stretching | | | | control hypoglycemia, and they have been found |
| A few gentle stretching exercises every morning | | | | (in those mice again) to boost the number of |
| starts everything moving. No need to over do it, | | | | friendly bacteria in the digestive tract. To me it |
| just go for the 'cat feel'. Start off in bed, stretch | | | | has quite an earthy nutty flavor, and I love to boil |
| out your legs and feet, feel the muscles. Do the | | | | the whole seeds and then stir fry with veg and |
| same with your arms, stretch your hands and | | | | mushrooms, or sprout and turn into cookies and |
| fingers down the sides of your legs. Then try a | | | | crackers. |
| little arch to stretch your back and neck - | | | | 7. Go bananas... |
| GENTLY! When you're ready, get out of bed do a | | | | Seriously, I mean it, I'm not aping around |
| stretch up to the ceiling, link your hands and | | | | here...bananas make you feel good! They contain |
| stretch them palms up over your head towards | | | | tryptophan, a substance that the body uses to |
| the ceiling. Stretch a little to each side, and then | | | | make serotonin, the hormone that makes you |
| have a little shake. Let your body go limp and jelly | | | | feel happy. They're also packed with potassium, a |
| like! Like a wet dog shaking... Tai Chi and Qigong | | | | mineral that can be seriously depleted by stress - |
| are fantastic to wake up to, as is a little gentle | | | | something that most of us are feeling this days- |
| yoga. | | | | and the vitamin B6 which helps regulate blood |
| 2. Hot water and lemon | | | | sugar and thus stabilise our moods! Wow! |
| Drink this every morning before breakfast to help | | | | They are also full of fibre, very filling and help with |
| start washing out the gunk and to balance your | | | | the mid afternoon sugar slump a lot of us suffer. |
| body's acid-alkaline balance. A lot of diseases are | | | | They are digested quite slowly so we feel sated |
| caused by an over acidic condition, so aiding your | | | | and have more energy for longer. And although |
| body back to a point of balance can only help you | | | | not as 'lean' as an apple, a small one still only has |
| feel fantastic. Be sure to use purified or spring | | | | only around 100 calories. |
| water | | | | 8. Greens |
| 3. A brisk walk | | | | Now, I really don't want to sound like your Mum, |
| It doesn't have to be for long, just long enough to | | | | but greens really can do it. Especially lettuce. The |
| get you warm and breathing in deeply. It is | | | | humble lettuce leaf also contains stress fighting |
| probably best do this in the country or in a park | | | | potassium, but also has a slight sedentary effect; |
| as lungs full of morning congestion air doesn't | | | | great before toddling off to bed. Mind you, it has |
| have the same benefits... Take long strides while | | | | apparently also got some aphrodisiac effects as |
| using your arms and taking deep breaths. Fill your | | | | well! |
| lungs. Feel your rib cage and diaphragm moving | | | | Greens also have loads of anti-depression |
| out, your tummy expanding... You are not looking | | | | nutrients like vitamin B9, (folic acid) and B6. But |
| to tire or pant, this is to energise and give you a | | | | the big thing for me about greens is that only do |
| little 'got up and glowed' feeling! | | | | these foods have the highest vitamin count per |
| 4. Body Brushing | | | | weight and do least damage, are so low in calories |
| You are going to love this. It leaves you feeling all | | | | that you can eat and eat and eat...something |
| tingly and pampered afterward and is so simple. | | | | which I enjoy, as you will no doubt discover in |
| All you need is a body brush, preferably with | | | | time! |
| natural hair and a long handle. Then you brush | | | | 9. Oily Fish |
| yourself. I think it is best to do this just before a | | | | Fish like salmon and mackerel contains a healthy |
| bath or shower, but any time is fine. Just brush | | | | dose of vitamin D, a vitamin that we usually |
| on dry skin. The trick is to start lightly and | | | | obtain from being exposed to sunlight. This again |
| become firmer as you feel is comfortable. Brush | | | | boosts serotonin levels...umm, salmon a la |
| towards your heart, so down from neck, up from | | | | banana...? |
| legs. This stimulates the circulation and exfoliates | | | | 10. Chocolate |
| the skin. Be gentle on sensitive skin like your face | | | | Yes, I've said it, the good old cocoa seed. But not |
| or inner thighs, breasts etc. You will be at little | | | | any old cocoa: raw cocoa seed! They call it the |
| pink afterward, but only pink!! As I said, before a | | | | food of the gods in South America, and there is |
| hot bath this is incredible. | | | | no wonder. Packed with minerals like sulphur, for |
| 5. Salt and Vinegar | | | | your skin and nails, magnesium, calcium for your |
| No, I'm not going to recommend visiting the | | | | bones, iron, and phosphorus, it is also full of B |
| chippy - this is to use on your self, in the bath! | | | | vitamins. Then you have your neurotransmitters, |
| Salt is a fantastic cleanser, and also works as an | | | | especially anandamide, also known as the 'bliss |
| exfoliator. Dissolve a cup in the bath, and then use | | | | transmitter', and the amino acid tryptophan which |
| a little to rub over your skin to exfoliate. Then | | | | boosts serotonin levels. And if you aren't bouncing |
| soak! Personally I use natural sea salt, but really | | | | off the walls with joy by now there's |
| any salt can be used. If you wish, add a cup of | | | | phenylethylamine, commonly called the 'molecule |
| cider vinegar for an extra boost. | | | | of joy' and its fabled aphrodisiac qualities...! Oh, did |
| Now for the edible tips! | | | | I mention the anti-aging, anti-depressant and |
| 6. Buckwheat | | | | appetite suppressing effects of the MAO |
| This incredible seed is packed full of goodness, | | | | inhibitors, and the antioxidants?! |
| and helps fight depression. It contains Rutin, which | | | | These qualities kick in when the chocolate is |
| has been found to have anti-depressant effects in | | | | RAW, as heating destroys most of the goodness |
| mice. Though how they test the level of | | | | and actually increases the negative aspects like |
| depression in a mouse I'm not sure... The Rutin | | | | caffeine. Funnily, the caffeine doesn't seem to |
| also helps strengthen the blood capillary walls. | | | | have an adverse effect until heated... I like to |
| As it is a seed rather than a grain, it is gluten | | | | make hot choc with warm water, raw cocoa |
| free, and also high in protein. It is also fibre rich | | | | powder, coconut cream, xylitol and a tiny tiny bit |
| and helps sate the appetite as you feel fuller | | | | of cayenne for a kick... Incidentally, cayenne, |
| faster, great in the fight against the flab. It has | | | | chilies, and curry all have serotonin boosting |
| about 345 calories per 100g serving which means | | | | effects as well...! |
| it is lower cal than brown rice. There's also proof | | | | Well on that note I'm going to toddle on off and |
| that this wonderful little seed has almost as many | | | | make myself a hot choc now... |