Crushing Sugar Addiction

New Years Resolution

For many people healthy eating and exercise are main New Year resolutions. However, many people fail to succeed as these goals are too general, they are not measurable. I decided to create a challenge that is specific, measurable,  and has a clear deadline.

Sugar Cravings

Although we did not ask we have a little sugar in almost everything. Unknowingly many of us consume in excess of recommended daily 6 teaspoons of sugar a day. Anyone who watched the Australian movie "That sugar" knows how easy it to consume over 30 teaspoons of sugar by just opting for "healthy" alternatives, what if you are not opting for healthy food?

Challenge - Crush Your Sugar Addiction

Over the month of January I am doing a 30 day sugar cleanse. I invite anyone interested to join me for FREE. I will be providing daily information and motivation to keep everyone motivated and accountable. Also, I will be providing basic guidance how to read food labels to keep sugar intake under control.  All you have to do is to like my posts and follow me on facebook at fb.com/HealthyWithJoanna

Cheers to the second half of life!

Second Half of Life

I have to admit I do not consider myself a middle-aged woman. At heart I am still somewhere in my late 20s or early 30s - an active, curious, explorer of the world. However, the fact is, I am almost 40 and my body is changing whether I like it or not. On average women in Canada live 84 years, so that really puts my age number right in the middle of my expected life span.

How do you want to live your second half of life?

I certainly hope to keep all pills, doctors, and hospitals as far away as I can, for as long as I can. I want to enjoy life - skiing, skating, tennis, hiking trails for many years to come. While I may not be too excited to grow old, it is not much I can do to stop it, or prevent. Hence, instead of fretting about it,  I decided to embrace it and make it the most enjoyable process possible by truly enjoying each and every moment of growing old. 

Healthy is not limited by age 

If you feel healthy - full of energy, mentally sharp, have a purpose in life, there is no reason to complain about one wrinkle that might appear on your forehead!  It is important to be grateful and proud of reaching prime-time, as many people are not as fortunate.

I made health my hobby years ago, and I think you should too! I see health as the biggest asset we will ever have in life so investing in it makes sense.  A house, great trips, cars, or even businesses mean absolutely nothing if we do not have good health to enjoy all the pleasures in our life.

Prime-Time Health Workshop

I am teaching Prime-Time Health workshop that focuses on the needs of people over 40 who want to spend the second half of their life in health - by preventing diseases, by reversing current damage, and learning how to better control their symptoms. The course helps you understand how the body changes as we enter prime-time years, which will empower you to engage in more self-care practices.

The program is a scientifically proven plan for healthy ageing developed by Dr. William Sears. During the workshop we cover the following topics: 1) Open your Internal Pharmacy 2) Make Health a Hobby 3) Move Waste from your Waste and 4) Live Without Pain and Inflammation, and more! You will learn 9 steps that will help you enjoy your prime-time years.

Know How of Self-Care

Do you know how to engage in self-care in boosting your energy, reducing stress, better sleep, controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol,  and minimize inflammation? If you do not, or are not sure, join me for the Prime-Time Health workshop to learn what you need to know to enjoy your prime-time years to the fullest.

If you are interested in learning more or booking me as your coach drop me an email. 

3 Tips to Be More Active without Going to the Gym

No time for gym?

You are not alone, I often have no time to head to the gym when I am going through a busy season at work. However, I still manage to get my 10,000 steps on most days just by finding ways to be active throughout the day. All the little things quickly add up, and we all know how good activity is for stress management.

Healthy Lunch Box - Tuna Salad

Salads

I love salads for breakfast and lunch. I find them more filling and they do not make me feel sleepy in the early afternoon. 

Tuna Salad

I love this salad as it is fast to make and most of the ingredients I always have at home. The recipe combines number of sensations and tastes to tickle your senses. We have sweet (corn), umami (tuna), salty (dressing, celery), crunchy (celery, nuts), spicy (mustard), sour (yoghurt/kefir). This is one of the reasons it is a perfect lunch box food.

Ingredients

1 can of tuna chunks in water
1-2 tbsp corn
1 celery stalk
0.5 yellow/green/red pepper
0.25 red onion
2 tbsp pine nuts, roasted
Dressing: 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tbsp mustard (I like to use strong mustard line Colmans), 1 tbsp kefir or yoghurt, salt and pepper
Optional: dried herbs

Instructions

Divide drained tuna to smaller pieces. Dice celery, red onion, and pepper.

Mix tuna with veggies then add the dressing. 

Top it up with pine nuts and dried herbs.

Healthy Lunch Box - Hemp Hearts Muffins

Super Power Muffins

These are super power muffins, rich in healthy fats abundant in chia seeds and hemp hearts. I like muffins as a lunch box snack as they are compact to pack and easy to eat.

Ingredients

0.75c spelt flour
0.75c oat flour
10 tbsp hemp hearts, milled
2 tbsp flax seeds, milled and mixed with 0.5c water
1 tbsp chia seeds, milled
2 ripe bananas
1 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.75c water
0.25c honey
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Few drops of stevia (optional)

Instructions

1. Blend bananas with some water. 
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
3. Place the dough in the muffin forms.
4. Bake at 177c (375F) for 20-25 min.

Healthy Lunch Box - Savoury Chickpea Flour Muffins

Healthy Lunch Box Series

Many of the snacks found in kids lunch boxes are packaged snacks, such as chips, pretzels, candy bars, granola bars, and cookies. While some are worse than others, and occasionally you might find something that is not loaded with fats, sugars, and chemicals. 

I want to show that preparing healthy snacks at home is not a rocket science and can become an adventure and lesson in healthy living.

Savoury Chickpea Flour Muffins

Who does not love muffins? Although often they are associated with sweet cakes, they can be a perfect savoury snack. Today's recipe is inspired by my exploration of chickpea flour recipes. While I tried many sweet recipes, I like chickpea four more in savoury dishes.

 

Chickpea Flour

I love chickpea flour as it is one of the healthiest flours, comprising of 25% protein, 14% fat, and 61% carbs. According to the nutrition data it is a great source of folate, B6, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese, and fibre.

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups of chickpea four (aka besam flour)

2 tbsp flax, milled and combined with 4 tbsp water

1 tsp baking powder

0.5 tsp baking soda

50g sun-dried tomatoes, socked (reserve water)

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

10 olives, pitted and chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp organo

15 tbsp water from soaking sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients together.

2. Add it to the muffin forms, to about 2/3rd of each form.

3. Bake in a preheated oven at 375F (177c) for 25 minutes.

4. Enjoy!