Vibrant Nutrition Blog

Blog Topics - Food Focus

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Blog Topics - Nutrition Coaching

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Blog Topics - Recipes

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Blog Topics - Sugar Detox

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Blog Topics - Weight Loss

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Blog

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

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Bok Choy Sesame Stir Fry

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Bok Choy is great to add some variety to the greens required in a healthy, balanced diet. This is a quick and easy dinner that's not only healthy but really tasty as well. If you have some Bok Choy in your fridge but lack inspiration or look at it every time you go to the grocery store then pick some up and give this a try. Shiitake mushrooms are great for improving immunity so a perfect winter ingredient or when you're in need of a boost.

Ingredients – Serves 2

1 bunch Bok Choy, washed
2 cups shiitake mushrooms
1 red capsicum
1 yellow or white onion
Protein of your choice, chicken, beef or prawns
2 Tbsp oil (coconut oil is best for high heat, could also use olive oil if you add the food before it gets too hot)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp cashews
2 tsp tamari sauce (soy sauce)
1 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions

Slice all vegetables. Heat oil in pan and sauté onion and capsicum. Add meat or prawns if using and cook thoroughly. Add mushrooms, then Bok Choy and 1⁄4 cup water. Cover to steam. Turn off heat. Add 2 tsp tamari, 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Stir and toss with sesame seeds and cashews. Serve straight away.

7 Healthy Weight Loss Strategies That Work

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:31:00 GMT

Just like anything you do in life, if you want to be successful, you have to have a game plan ready. You need to have effective strategies to help you reach your goals. The same goes for weight loss. Here are 7 healthy weight loss strategies that over time with my clients I’ve discovered need to be address to give long-term healthy weight loss.

1. Goal Setting

Goal setting is extremely important. You need to get clear on what you want to achieve and why. Be specific as well. How much weight do you want to lose? Why do you want to lose weight? How long would you give yourself to lose a specific amount of weight? Having clear goals help you to give something to strive towards.

2. Diet Basics

When it comes to weight loss, food is probably the most important aspect. You need to have a solid diet plan, which covers your daily vitamin needs, when and how to eat and your macronutrient ratio intake of carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. Never forget to hydrate yourself with filtered water as well.

3. Exercise

While dieting is 70-80% of the weight loss equation, exercising is the other 20-30%. Exercising helps you to burn off extra calories to help you be in a caloric deficit state and burn off fat stores. Be sure to be consistent and exercise regularly. If possible, choose exercises that you enjoy.

4. Detox From Sugar

Sugar contains empty calories, which are unhealthy and hinder you from fat loss. It also causes sugar cravings, which makes you want more and more and more. Conquer sugar cravings and balance your mood by removing sugar, wheat, and dairy from your diet. You’ll find the experience enlightening.

5. Eat For Energy

Be sure to eat every 3 to 4 hours to boost your metabolism and keep your body energized. The key is to eat clean food such as green leafy vegetables, lean protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, healthy fats and raw foods. Clean food gives your body gradual energy as they are digested more efficiently and slowly.

6. Eat For Improved Digestion

This means chewing properly and slowly when you eat, eat in a relaxed environment, and limit bread intake. This will help your body to be able to digest and absorb nutrients as efficiently as possible. Don’t drink with your meals; this dilutes digestive juices making digestion harder. Drink your water between meals.

7. Stress Management Techniques

Stress results in the production of the stress hormone called 'cortisol'. Cortisol causes your body to hold onto your fat stores, and as a result, it makes it harder to lose weight. Learn some stress management techniques like yoga, visualization, meditation and relaxation breathing methods to help stabilize both mood and weight.

If you are struggling with losing weight, keeping the weight off in the long-term, digestive issues, stress management, energy levels, concentration and mood swings then my 6 Week Wellness Program is a perfect self education. Download the modules and work through at your own pace to get a grip on all the areas of your health that will lead you to boost your energy, lose weight and feel great. Check out what you get and how it helps in my Online Program>>

The Different Types Of Sugars

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Sugar terminology doesn't have to be confusing. Here is a list of the different sugars and the explanation of what they're made up of. I hope it helps your understanding.

1. What is Fructose?

Fructose is fruit sugar. It comes from fruits and vegetables where it occurs with essential nutrients and fibre. Fructose is the sweetest sugar and so it’s often used in processed foods. Most of the fructose used in processed foods comes from corn fructose. You will find fructose in soft drinks, prepackaged cakes and cookies, and other processed foods, which if consumed regularly can increase your fructose level to up to 80 grams a day. Ideally you would include no more than about 15 grams per day in your diet (1-2 pieces of fruit). Glucose is used for energy by all the cells in your body, including the brain, where it’s quickly burned up. However, fructose is not converted to energy as it has a different metabolic pathway to glucose. It's stored as fat and this may cause insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and other more serious health conditions.

2. What is Sucrose?

Sucrose is table sugar. It mostly comes from sugar cane and sugar beets in its refined form. Sucrose is a disaccharide made from 50% glucose and 50% fructose.

3. What is Lactose?

Lactose is the sugar in milk. It is less sweet than table sugar and many people have digestive problems with the lactose in milk. Lactose is a disaccharide of glucose and galactose and makes up about 2-8% of milk (depending on species and individual). It is extracted from whey and whey products.

4. What is Maltose?

Maltose is malt sugar and the least common disaccharide in nature. Maltose is produced in germinating seeds such as barley. It’s made up of 2 glucose molecules.

5. What is Glucose?

Glucose is a monosaccharide or a simple sugar, also known as dextrose. It’s the primary source of energy used by every cell of the body. In fact, we all need glucose to both survive and thrive. It’s the primary source of energy for the brain and without enough of it thinking will be impaired. This is where confusion can arise. It has been asked "If glucose is that essential, why don't we eat more of it to get more energy?"

The answer is because the fuel needs to be sourced from a low GI carbohydrate that slowly brakes down and is released over time rather than a sudden rush of sugar then a sharp drop that causes cravings for more sugar, headaches and major fluctuations in energy and mood.

A great metaphor for this is to think of a steam engine. Regular slow burning fuel like coal or hardwood is added to the fire to produce a continuous steady stream of energy to fuel the engine. However, if you use a refined fuel source like petrol to put on the fire it would blow up with an intense explosion of energy and then burn out very quickly.

Keeping glucose levels within their ideal range is vital for optimum health. When glucose levels aren’t properly regulated it can lead to diabetes, weight gain and fatigue. You can observe what too much sugar does to the brain by observing children at a party or after a sugar-laden snack.

Therefore, the take away message is:

Don’t eat much sugar & understand the low GI foods that create steady, long lasting energy.

To take control of your sugar habit and learn more about how sugar affects our health you can do my Sugar Detox: 2 Week Online Sugar Detox Program

Are you prepared for winter?

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Now winter has arrived so have the coughs and sniffles that go with it. It’s not too late however, to address some of the underlying drivers of immune imbalance. Do you need help with any of these areas?

Diet:

Poor diet is perhaps the most fundamental driver behind immune dysfunction. Poor dietary choices can disrupt gut health, affect nutritional status and contribute to inflammation, all of which will ultimately impair immune function.

Gut:

The gastrointestinal tract represents the largest immune organ of our body; it acts as a barrier, digests foods to reduce the likelihood of antigen production and allergies and absorbs nutritional compounds required for immune function.

Stress:

Changes in glucocorticoid levels, as seen in chronic stress, affect the body’s susceptibility to infections and increase the risk of autoimmune and allergic disease.

Sleep:

Loss of sleep can increase inflammatory mediators which have been directly associated with disrupted immune function.

Exercise:

Moderate exercise has been shown to reduce the incidence of infection whilst having an impact on multiple aspects of the immune response. Make sure you keep moving throughout the winter months.

Sunshine:

Get out into the sunshine. Vitamin D is at it's minimum in the winter due to fewer sunshine hours and less intensity and yet is vital for a healthy immune system. Keeping your vitamin D within it's optimal levels will help keep colds and flu at bay.

Diet and Lifestyle Suggestions

There are dietary and lifestyle changes that you can make to strengthen your immune system to prevent colds and flues, including:
- Eat a well balanced diet including fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, legumes and lean red meat.
- Reduce your intake of mucus forming foods such as dairy.
- Avoid foods low in nutrients that suppress the immune system, such as sugar, white flour products and alcohol.
- Drink at least 2 litres of filtered water every day.
- Exercise regularly.
- Ensure you are getting enough sleep.

- Use the winter months to turn your habits around. By Spring this re-frame can provide you with a fresh start.

If you are ready to make some healthy changes but you don’t know where to start have a look at my Online 6 Week Weight Loss Course and “Refresh your Thinking, Renew your Habits and Transform your Body”. Find out more here>>

Recipe: Chicken Tacos with Silverbeet

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

This is a perfect winter recipe, it's warming and nourishing. Silverbeet is full of magnesium, calcium and vitamin C. It's excellent for bone health and a good source of fibre. Avocados are a healthy source of monounsaturated fats, needed for healthy skin and metabolism. Fat adds flavour and is satisfying, making us feel fuller for longer. The garlic can help to keep colds away.

Ingredients – Serves 2

2 chicken breasts
One bunch of silverbeet
1 1⁄2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced into strips
3 garlic cloves
1⁄2 cup chicken broth or water
Pinch of sea salt
1⁄2 Avocado, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp salsa
1 Tbsp plain yoghurt (optional)
Whole grain tortillas

Directions

Rinse the silverbeet and dry with a towel or using a salad spinner. Pile the leaves one on top of the other and roll them up. Slice them into ribbons, including the stems if desired.

Heat the oil on medium and sauté onion and garlic until light brown, about 3 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips and add to pan. Once the chicken is cooked (about 5 minutes), add the chicken broth or water and salt. Add the silverbeet and stems, cooking until tender (another 5 minutes).

Warm the tortillas in the oven (2 minutes) or by laying them gently over the pan and placing the cover on to steam them (1 minute). Serve the dish with avocado and a dollop of salsa and yoghurt.

Options:

Swap tortillas for quinoa or brown rice if avoiding gluten.

Fast and Natural Weight Loss

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:42:00 GMT

Trying to figure out how to lose weight fast and permanently can be confusing and overwhelming. But if you want to lose weight fast, and care about your health, you definitely need to know how to lose weight without pills or starvation.

In my experience, weight loss isn’t just about the food. You also need to address other areas of your life as well. Here's my 10 step plan for how to lose weight naturally. It starts with these basics:

• Set your intention and commit to it
• Eat only healthy foods
• Remove empty calories

• Daily exercise

And while slow weight loss tends to be more permanent, it's still definitely possible to lose weight fast. But how fast is fast and how fast is safe?

10 Steps for How to Lose Weight Permanently

You could lose 5 kilos of water weight your first week. But that's not fat. It takes approximately 3,500 calories to add or subtract ½ kilo of body fat. So for each 500 fewer daily calories, you lose about 1/2 kilo a week.

1. Eat small meals more often. Eating every 3 hours helps keep blood sugar stable, avoids food cravings and helps you make healthier choices.

2. Keep a daily record. Tracking food intake, exercise, symptoms and emotions in a weight loss journal keeps you aware, accurate and accountable.

3. Have a weight loss plan. Learning how to lose weight fast, safely and healthily is a major project that takes time management, organisation and focus.

4. Include more daily fibre. By filling up on high fibre foods that are low in calories, you can satisfy your hunger and feel full on less food.

5. Exercise and be more active. Physical activity burns calories and builds muscle. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, including exercise and weight training into your lose weight fast plan will help you lose weight faster.

6. Drink pure filtered water. A high water intake fills you up, hydrates you, carries nutrients to cells and detoxifies your body. So drink at least 8 glasses a day.

7. Choose the healthiest foods. Studies show a lower calorie, nutrient dense diet is much healthier. The healthiest foods include:

• Plenty of fresh vegetables and a couple of pieces of fruit daily
• Good quality protein foods
• Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa
• And enough healthy fats with limited bad fats

8. Avoid sweet and salty foods. Salt and sugar cause water retention and food cravings. Stick with foods naturally low in sodium and low glycaemic foods.

9. Stop feeding your emotions. Hunger is generally not the cause of overeating. Emotions are. So to lose weight fast (or slow) it's absolutely necessary to learn how to stop emotional eating and overeating.

10. Keep your eyes on the prize. On the battleground for how to lose weight fast, it's "Lose Weight" vs "Eat What I Want." To win the battle, make "lose weight" the stronger opponent through visualising yourself at your desired weight and how good that feels.

And that's it! Now you know how to lose weight fast and safely without pills or potions. But to lose weight fast and remain healthy you still need to put these 10 steps into action. It works when you do!

If you are looking for permanent, healthy weight loss then my online weight loss program will take you through all the above aspects. Read more here >>

Healthy Chocolate Smoothie

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

This is one of my favourite breakfasts. I love a smoothie for breakfast and with these ingredients I can have the chocolate that's always been my weakness but keep my blood sugar stable with all these healthy ingredients. It also makes a great afternoon snack. The only sugar comes from the half banana.

Ingredients - Serves 1

1/2 a banana, peeled and frozen

200ml filtered water

1-2 heaped teaspoons of raw cacao powder

1 scoop of protein powder (I use a plain pea protein)

1 teaspoon of psyllium husks

Ice (optional)

Directions

Blend all ingredients together. Pour and enjoy.

Alternative ingredients: Use 1/2 cup of mixed berries instead of the raw cacao powder.

Tip: Smoothies are ideal to add superfoods or powdered supplements to. I often add a teaspoon of reshi mushroom powder (for immune system balance), spirulina or a probiotic powder for healthy digestive funciton.

The Body's Demand for Magnesium

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Magnesium is an essential mineral used in over 300 biochemical processes in your body. Magnesium can improve your vitality and wellbeing, help you function well in times of stress and support healthy moods. It also relaxes your muscles and plays a key role in energy production. This important mineral also helps your heart by supporting healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as maintaining a steady heartbeat.

Demands of Modern Lifestyles

The reality is that many Australians and New Zealanders are magnesium deficient. Common conditions such as stress, cardiovascular disease and diabetes increase the body’s demand for magnesium. This increased requirement is often not met due to our reduced dietary intake of magnesium rich foods.

Hundreds of years ago, our foods were naturally rich in magnesium and deficiency in this mineral was rare. However, with our modern day lifestyles increasing the need for food processing and the refinement of grains, these once magnesium abundant foods are now containing significantly less magnesium. For example, the refined wheat flour often eaten today contains only 16% of the magnesium found in whole wheat grain.

Minimise consumption of refined and processed foods, sugar, tea, coffee, carbonated drinks and alcohol, as they all deplete your magnesium stores.

Need a Magnesium Boost?

A surprising number of people have low magnesium levels and early detection may assist in the prevention and improved management of certain health conditions. Magnesium deficiency may be associated with:
• Stress, anxiety, and nervousness
• Insomnia
• Muscle tension, cramping and spasms
• Tension headaches and migraines
• Tiredness, lethargy and fatigue
• Chronic fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Fibromyalgia

If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms on a regular basis, you may be magnesium deficient. Talk to us today about how to optimise your magnesium levels.

Stop the Vicious Stress Cycle

In the 21st century we are all too familiar with stress, be it related to work, relationships, finances or traffic jams. Many of us are stressed on a daily basis, which means our body’s demand for magnesium is increased. Stress hormones are increasingly released when magnesium levels are low. When you are stressed, your body excretes more magnesium, at a time when you need it the most. This may lead you to feel uptight, anxious and even more stressed, thus perpetuating the cycle of ongoing stress and magnesium depletion. Magnesium and taurine combined with specific B vitamins and glutamine can help rapidly reduce these negative effects of stress and help break the stress cycle.

The Heart Loves Magnesium

Magnesium can be of great benefit in supporting cardiovascular health. Low magnesium levels can place stress on the cardiovascular system, leading to hypertension and arrhythmias. Magnesium and taurine supplementation have been shown to decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and support healthy heart function.

If you have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease talk to us today about what you can do to support your heart health.

Cramps and Restless Legs

Muscular cramps and tension are commonly associated with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium has long being recognised for its important therapeutic applications in enhancing muscle relaxation and relieving spasms.

Choosing the Right Magnesium

Not all forms of magnesium are the same. When you want to increase your body’s magnesium stores, it is important to choose the right form. Magnesium diglycinate is a specific type of magnesium chelate that has an increased absorption rate. It has been shown to have over eight times greater absorption than magnesium oxide, without the digestive upset that can occur with other forms of magnesium.

Munch on Magnesium Foods

Magnesium is found in a wide range of foods. Include the following fresh, nutrient-rich foods in your diet each day:
• Green leafy vegetables; spinach, kale and silver beet
• Nuts and seeds; raw almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

• Whole grains; rye, quinoa, oats, wheat and buckwheat

• The richest food source of magnesium is raw cacao powder

Replenish Your Reserves

Stress, cramps, fatigue and high blood pressure may require slightly different magnesium formulas. We provide specific magnesium formulas that contain added supportive nutrients designed for your unique needs.

Ask today about a magnesium for your individual needs.

If you are suffering from the symptoms above and feel you are deficient in magnesium, or any other vitamin and mineral, then give me a call to book in a supplement assessment consultation and I'll let you know what may be beneficial and if there are any supplements you are currently taking but don't need to. Lisa: 02 8005 1733 or lisa@vibrantnutrition.com.au

Recipe: Superfood Chocolates

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

These chocolates taste great and you can eat them without feeling guilty as they are made of high quality and healthy ingredients. The coconut oil, coconut, almond butter and almond meal will help to keep your blood sugar under control; this is one of the most important aspects of your health.

If your blood sugar is out of balance your hormones get out of balance, your energy is everywhere and you store fat due to the insulin response. So, make these up and have one when you feel like a sweet treat.

Ingredients

1 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup almond meal
4 Tbsp agave nectar (or brown rice syrup)
1/4 cup organic unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup hemp seed protein (*you can substitute any other protein powder or leave out)
1⁄2 tsp liquid Stevia or 3 tsp powdered Stevia (*optional)
1 Tbsp organic vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup raw chocolate/cacao powder
1/3 cup goji berries (*optional)

Method

1. Spray an ice cube tray with oil and set aside or use mini Easter egg moulds or mini muffin papers.
2. Melt coconut oil under hot water or spoon into saucepan and melt over low flame. When coconut oil turns to a liquid, pour oil into a medium sized bowl.
3. Slowly whisk in almond butter, cinnamon, Stevia (if using), and agave nectar one at a time.
4. Next, whisk in vanilla.
5. Then slowly stir in cacao, almond meal, coconut, and hemp seed protein one at a time, sprinkling evenly as you go.
6. Batter should run off your spoon. Spoon into ice cube tray, or moulds and chill in freezer for 15 minutes.
7. Stick 1 goji berry on the top. *optional

Source: Rose Cole