Words / Pete Evans

I believe that having a packed lunchbox of organic wholefoods to take with you when you’re on the go is one of the best things you can do to live in optimal health. This isn’t just about eating right; it’s about eating well. I’ve been on my own health journey for a number of years now and I know it’s the small changes I continue to make each day that add up to big, noticeable changes to the way I feel.

Creating a tasty lunchbox that includes a wide variety of nutrient-dense ingredients is a way to support yourself and be focused, energised and able to function productively, even on the busiest days.

The basic idea is to start by dividing the lunchbox into sections (I’m a big fan of using glass containers designed with this purpose). From there, you only need a handful of easy recipes everyone in the family loves and, together, you can set aside a bit of time during the weekend to create them in bulk. That way, you always have healthy creations on hand whenever you need to throw together a quick, nutritious lunchbox.

My big piece of advice is to make sure half of the lunchbox contains delicious, in-season vegetables. Vegies are versatile and can be sliced, diced and cooked in a way that complements whatever flavours and textures you throw at them. It’s also really important to include as many healthy fats as possible by using simple dressings made with a base of good quality, extra-virgin olive oil.

1. Greek-style Lamb Muffins

Makes 12

Who doesn’t love lamb and mint? Growing up, I remember having mint jelly on my roast lamb. With this delicious lunchbox treat I hope to recreate that memory for kids everywhere. Use good-quality lamb mince to make a double batch of these super-yummy muffins, then enjoy for dinner — and lunch the next day.

80mL (⅓ cup) coconut oil or good-quality animal fat, plus extra for greasing

1 red onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. chilli flakes (optional)

600g lamb mince

1 tbsp. dried mint

2 tbsp. dried oregano

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

To serve, salad of your choice & mint jelly (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and lightly grease a 12-hole standard muffin tin with a little oil or fat. Heat the oil or fat in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the cumin and chilli flakes (if using) and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the lamb mince with the cooked onion mixture, dried herbs, eggs and some salt and pepper until well incorporated. Spoon the mixture evenly into the holes of the prepared tin, then bake for 15–20 minutes until the muffins are cooked through. Cool slightly for 1 minute.

The muffins may release a little bit of liquid, so drain well before you turn them out of the tin. Serve the muffins with a salad of your choice and some mint jelly on the side.

Mint Jelly

Makes 600g

2 Granny Smith apples, cored & chopped but not peeled

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 large handfuls mint leaves

1½ tbsp. powdered gelatine

3 tbsp. honey, or to taste

Place the apple, 500mL of filtered water, the lemon juice and 1 handful of mint leaves in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the apple is soft. Remove from the heat, add the gelatine and honey and stir until the gelatine dissolves. Allow to cool completely.

Place the apple mixture in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and discard the leftover pulp. Finely chop the remaining mint and mix into the apple mixture. Pour into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set to a wobbly jelly consistency.

Give it a good mix before serving.

2. Thai Chicken Cakes

Serves: 4

Michele Chevalley Hedge showed me a recipe she likes to cook for her children and it has become a family favourite in our house as well. We’ve used chicken but you could substitute turkey, fish, seafood, pork, lamb, beef or pretty much any other animal protein you love. Always remember to serve these with raw or cooked vegetables and some fermented vegetables.

500g chicken thigh fillets, cut into pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Large handful baby spinach leaves

2 tsp. fish sauce

¼ tsp. ground turmeric

3 tbsp. coconut cream

1 tsp. finely grated ginger

To Serve

4 iceberg lettuce leaves, trimmed into cups

1 avocado, sliced

½ Lebanese cucumber, sliced

Small handful of coriander leaves

1 lime, halved

Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease an 8-cup muffin tin with coconut oil.

Place the chicken, garlic, spinach, fish sauce, turmeric, coconut cream and ginger in a food processor and pulse a few times until finely chopped. Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared tin, then bake for 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Cool slightly for 5 minutes before turning out. The chicken cakes will release a little bit of liquid when cooked, so drain off the liquid before you remove them from the tin.

Arrange the lettuce cups on a large platter or serving plates. Place two chicken cakes inside each cup, along with some avocado, cucumber and coriander, and squeeze over some lime.

3. Kid-Friendly Kimchi

Makes: a 1.5L jar

You’ll need a 1.5L preserving jar with an airlock lid for this recipe. Wash the jar and utensils in very hot water. Dry well and set aside. Alternatively, run them through a hot rinse cycle in the dishwasher.

400g red cabbage

400g cabbage

100g daikon (white radish), diced

1 green apple, cored & julienned

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 French shallot, thinly sliced

Handful coriander leaves, chopped

Juice 1 lemon

1½ tsp sea salt

1 sachet vegetable starter culture (2–5g, depending on brand)

Remove the outer leaves of the cabbages. Choose an unblemished leaf, wash it well and set aside for later. Shred the cabbages in a food processor or slice with a knife or mandoline, then transfer to a large glass or stainless-steel bowl.

Add the daikon, apple, onion, shallot, coriander, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Cover and set aside. Prepare the starter culture according to directions. Add to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Using a large spoon, fill the prepared jar with the vegetable mixture, pressing down to remove any air pockets and leaving 2cm of room at the top. The vegetables should be completely submerged in the liquid. Add more water if necessary.

Fold the clean cabbage leaf and place it on top of the mixture, then add a small glass weight (a shot glass is ideal) to keep everything submerged. Close the lid, then wrap a tea towel around the side of the jar to block out the light. Store the jar in a dark place with a temperature of 16–23°C for 10–14 days. You can place the jar in an Esky to maintain a more consistent temperature.

Different ‘vegetables have different culturing times and the warmer it is the shorter the time needed. The longer you leave it to ferment, the higher the level of good bacteria and the tangier the flavour.

Chill before eating. Once opened, the kimchi will last for up to 2 months in the fridge when kept submerged in liquid. If unopened, it will keep for up to 9 months in the fridge.

4. Zucchini & Mint Salad

Serves: 4

Here’s a wonderful salad you can put together in a matter of minutes for your lunchbox. If you’d like to turn it into a meal, add some raw tuna, cooked prawns or roast chicken.

2 tbsp. coconut oil or good-quality animal fat

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 zucchini, cut on diagonal into 1cm slices

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

1½ tbsp. apple-cider vinegar

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

2 tbsp. currants

Small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Small handful mint leaves

Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or fat in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until just starting to colour. Immediately remove the garlic from the pan and set aside.

Melt the remaining coconut oil or fat in the same pan over medium–high heat. Add the zucchini in batches and fry for 1 minute on each side until golden-brown and just cooked through. You don’t want to overcook the zucchini, as it will become mushy.

Season with salt and pepper and set aside until needed. Mix the garlic, vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss the zucchini with the pine nuts, currants, parsley, mint and garlic dressing to combine. Arrange on a platter and serve warm or at room temperature.

5. Coconut Snowballs

Makes: 12

If you don’t want them in your lunchbox, try serving these at your next party, school fete or work fundraising bake-off. They look amazing, taste just as good and are pretty damn easy to put together if you can get the kids to help.

120g (2 cups) shredded coconut, plus 50g extra for rolling

3 melted tbsp. coconut oil

3 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. coconut milk

¼ tsp vanilla powder or ½ tsp natural vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt

Place the shredded coconut and coconut oil in the bowl of a food processor. Process on high, scraping down the side of the bowl now and then, for 2 minutes, or until a thick and grainy paste forms. Add the maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and process until well combined. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.

Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and roll in the extra shredded coconut to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Eat at once or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Variation: To make beetroot snowballs, add 100g grated beetroot to the shredded coconut and coconut oil and process, then continue with the method above.

The post 5 Healthy Work Packed Lunches appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Jan McLeod

Energy is the vitality you require for sustained effort, the effort you need to function day to day. It’s a great metric to use to check in on your day-to-day and week-to-week wellbeing. What is the quality of your energy like? Do you feel vital? Do you have sufficient energy to sustain day-to-day functioning? To help you fully understand the concept of energy, and how to use it to monitor and review your wellbeing, let’s explore the topic of energy management.

What is energy?

Vitality is the state of being strong and active. Combining this description with the earlier description of energy, energy can be described as your ability to be sustainably strong and active. It sounds reasonable. However, I believe this description of energy is incomplete. To fully understand it you need to delve deeper. Energy is measured by volume. It’s not static; it’s not a fixed amount you use and then replace. Rather, energy is dynamic. Your body is constantly producing energy — using energy — producing energy – using energy.

To understand what may be contributing to your inability to sustain reasonable energy balance, you need to understand what you use your energy for. When I ask this question, the most common answer I receive is that energy is for doing, specifically for being physical.

There are, in fact, four dimensions of energy

The first is physical, the energy you need for doing each day, for physically moving your body. The other dimensions are emotional energy, thinking or mental energy, and purpose energy. These four dimensions together provide you with total energy. Each dimension plays a specific role in enabling you to have vitality and wellbeing to function day to day. To fully understand energy management, you need to understand how much energy you use in each dimension, and what this means for your total energy production and use — and, ultimately, your wellbeing balance.

Emotional energy is used to relate, engage, influence, motivate or collaborate with other people. Thinking or mental energy is the energy you use to make decisions, particularly those that involve problem solving. Purpose energy is the energy used in aligning what you do each day in life with your long-term goals and priorities.

How to create sustainable energy

There’s a suite of strategies essential for producing sustainable wellbeing. I will focus on what I believe are three core strategies. They are the food you eat, the quality of your sleep, and the pace and intensity at which you work.

Food:

The food you eat provides you the raw resources your body needs to produce energy. Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of fuel. However, it will also call upon the energy from protein and quality fats as required. To convert these raw resources into energy, your body needs key vitamins and micro-nutrients.

These include vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6 and magnesium found in a wide variety of food: think nuts, chicken, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables. You also need to think about how often you eat. You cannot drive your car with no petrol, just as you cannot function on insufficient food. Your body needs regular drops of food to continuously produce energy. You need three daily meals and possibly a snack to produce sustainable energy.

Sleep:

Your quality of your sleep dramatically impacts on your wellbeing. When you sleep your body recharges so you can start each day with your energy cup full. Invest in a quality sleep routine. Aim to go to bed at a time that allows for seven to eight-hours sleep. Ensure your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet and don’t use your phone as your alarm clock.

We become wired to our phones. Invest in an inexpensive travel clock and leave your phone in another room.

Pace and Intensity:

Finally, consider the pace and intensity you work at or go about your day. It will affect the sustainability of your wellbeing. I encourage you not to work at an intensity and pace that’s unrelenting. View completing the activities in your day as a long-distance run rather than a short and intense sprint. Aim to adjust your intensity and pace, take breaks and seek to spread your energy across your day.

The post How to Keep Your Energy Levels High at Work appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Jessica Lee

Have you ever been doing something and completely lost track of time? Have you ever felt “in the zone”? In those times you may have felt like nothing else mattered; you may have even forgotten to eat or not heard people talking to you.

This experience of being “in the zone” is what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls the “flow state”. The flow state not only feels fantastic but also boosts your productivity, creativity and wellbeing and can provide you with a powerful way to reconnect with what matters to you in life.

What is flow?

Csikszentmihalyi began studying the state of flow while he was researching happiness and seeking to understand what created a life worth living. What he discovered was that people who spent time in a flow state were happier and more satisfied with their lives. He also found they were more productive and creative.

So what exactly is flow? In his book, Flow, Csikszentmihalyi explains that flow is a unique state of consciousness that allows you to perform and feel your best. The flow state allows you to feel a sense of harmony and a desire to continue what you are doing for the sheer joy of it. Flow often occurs when you are doing something you are good at, that you love and that stretches you without causing you anxiety.

Your brain in flow

While the state of flow hasn’t been widely researched and scientists don’t completely agree on what is happening in the brain, neuroscientist Arne Dietrich has his own theory. Dietrich has found that in a state of flow certain parts of the brain become temporarily down-regulated; they become quieter.

The areas of the brain that become quieter are those involved in self-awareness (superior frontal gyrus), impulse control and self-monitoring (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and higher complex thinking (prefrontal cortex). These changes in your brain allow you to experience intense focus and absorption, while also silencing your inner critic and fears.

A focused brain is far more efficient and effective than a distracted brain. In flow you solve problems faster, make new connections, power through more work and often experience new insights and breakthroughs.

The healing power of flow

The flow state also changes the chemistry in your brain and can play a significant role in healing. Kotler explains that being in a state of flow boosts the immune system, saying,

“When a person is in a state of flow, all five potent neurochemicals massively amplify the immune system.” The five neurochemicals Kotler is referring to are dopamine, noradrenaline, endorphins, serotonin and anandamide.

He continues, “Stress-causing hormones are flushed out of the body in flow.”

5 Steps to finding your flow

So how can you improve the quality of your life by tapping into a flow state more often? By exploring the following five steps you can start to incorporate more flow into your life and begin to feel more joy, creativity, productivity, meaning and fearlessness.

1. Practice self-awareness

Do you know what activities take you to a place of flow? To enjoy more flow experiences, become more aware of how you feel when you are engaging in your life. Start to notice what you do that suspends time, quietens your inner critic, feels effortless, engages your skills, challenges you, leads to new insights and is deeply satisfying. Once you have this self-knowledge, look at how you can incorporate these activities more into your life to increase your overall wellbeing.

If you aren’t entirely sure what moves you to a flow state, it’s time to try new things. It’s time to uncover what allows you to feel most free, connected, creative, productive and confident. Maybe your flow experiences will come when you try something new, like learning how to paddle-board or teaching a course.

What activities have you thought you might enjoy but haven’t tried yet? What new experiences could you say yes to over the next few months?

2. Reduce distractions

Flow follows focus. How present are you in your life and work? Do you allow your brain to work on one thing at a time, or do you spend most of your day multitasking? You can encourage the state of flow in everyday activities by reducing distractions, giving your full attention to the work you are doing, being in the present moment and de-cluttering your work and living spaces.

3. Suspend self-judgment

Do you spend too much time “in your head”? Do you regularly over-think things and get wrapped up in worries, so much so that you don’t take action or work on things that are meaningful to you? One of the biggest barriers to accessing flow is the distraction that often happens inside your own mind, also known as your “inner critic”. As soon as your mind becomes consumed by questions like, “Is this the right thing to do?” or “Is this the best use of my time?” or even “Am I good enough?” you block the opportunity to experience flow.

Quietening your critical inner voice and suspending self-judgment will help you to experience more flow in your life. In a state of flow you are more willing to engage, take action, express and create. In what areas of your life do you need to let go and stop over-thinking? What things do you want to do in your life but fear and worry has stopped you?

4. Set new challenges

Csikszentmihalyi discovered that flow doesn’t happen when you are under-challenged or over-challenged in your life. If you feel under-challenged you become bored and if you are over-challenged you become anxious.

Neither boredom nor anxiety improves performance, confidence or happiness. To stay in flow you need to keep challenging yourself at the right level. Consider how you can take on new challenges that actively engage your skills, without moving you into a state of anxiety. What can you do in your life to set new challenges that engage your skills and stretch you a little? The beauty of seeking a flow state by challenging yourself is that you are always growing.

5. Give yourself permission

One of the defining features of the flow state is enjoyment. Csikszentmihalyi describes flow as “autotelic”. The word is derived from the Greek auto, meaning self, and telos, meaning goal, referring to the idea that an activity can be rewarding in and of itself.

How often do you do things for the pure joy of it? Have the pressures of being an adult and needing to be responsible crowded in and changed what you do in your life? Have you given up activities that allow you to experience flow because they don’t feel “productive”? Maybe you have stopped creating art, singing, gardening, cooking, taking photos or working on a project because it doesn’t feel like it’s leading anywhere.

Feeling like everything you do must lead to an outcome can stop you accessing and enjoying the flow state in your life. In order to feel more flow in your life you must be willing to give yourself permission and time to engage in the activities that activate this healthy and harmonious state within you. While it can feel indulgent to make time for activities that are joy-based, it’s these very activities that lead to a greater sense of happiness, health and fulfilment.

The end result:

There are many times in life when you have to do things, but the truly beautiful and enlightening moments are the times you are living and working in flow. The combined sense of timelessness, effortlessness and increased creativity, along with the reduction in fear, worry and self-consciousness, makes the flow state a truly optimal place to live.

The post 5 Steps To Finding The Flow State appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Anna Hickey

Have you heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Or any other oceanic garbage patches, for that matter? According to Jennifer Gabrys’ Monitoring and Remediating a Garbage Patch, there’s a number of substantial convergences of plastic debris in our oceans, referred to as “garbage patches”. The Great Pacific Garbage patch is said to be up to three times the size of Texas. Commonly referred to by scientists as the Eastern Pacific Trash Vortex, it is located in a stretch of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and California.

Garbage Ocean Patches:

Garbage patches are able to form in still waters caused by ocean gyre, a system of circular ocean currents created by global wind patterns and Earth’s rotation. Ocean gyre make for the perfect home to large reservoirs of flotsam. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch was first discovered in 1997 by oceanographer, Charles Moore. On that fateful day, Moore, travelling through the Pacific after a Transpacific Yacht Race, chose a slightly different route, leading to its accidental discovery. Since then he has since dedicated much of his time and efforts to raising awareness of the marine pollution issues we face as a global society, noting that an ocean free of plastic waste is of utmost importance for the survival of marine species.

Before you search Google Earth expecting to see a garbage patch of floating plastic, it’s worth explaining that the term “garbage patch” is more a metaphor, similar to the idea of a “hole in the ozone layer”. American oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer created the phrase “garbage patch” as a way to describe the tendency for flotsam to collect in sub-orbiting gyres. It’s a way to describe the sheer magnitude of impact that plastic debris has on oceans globally.

What they consist of:

According to Charles Moore, the debris ranges from fishing nets and aquaculture infrastructure to bottles, caps, toothbrushes and various types of plastic containers. There are considerable quantities of these plastics in the converging oceanic areas, in varying stages of decomposition. Much of the plastics have become micro plastics that have been likened to a soup, smog and confetti in the ocean.

This is why you can’t typically see the garbage patch from Google Earth: the broken-down debris sits mostly underneath the surface of the ocean. Nevertheless the problem is there and is impacting on the natural environment. Jennifer Gabrys notes that plastic in these waters has even filtered through organisms that ingest the particles.

What can you do about it?

While this global problem seems overwhelming, there is much we can do as individuals and communities to stop the growth of oceanic garbage patches. Especially considering the debris found in the ocean and stomachs of deceased marine animals includes bottle caps, cotton bud shafts, toothbrushes and plastic shopping bags. These are all items of common consumption.

Understanding the environmental effects of plastic waste, along with realising that when you throw something away there is a chance that “away” ends up being the ocean, provides a chance to make smarter purchasing decisions to reduce plastic consumption and improve plastic management post-use.

Changes At Work:

1. Don’t buy bottled water. If you have to buy a drink from a convenience store, choose one in glass.
2. Don’t use takeaway coffee cups. Take the time enjoy a drink at the cafe or invest in a keep cup.
3. If bringing your lunch to work, use a re-usable container rather than a cheap, harmful plastic container that should not be even used in the microwave.
4. Keep a spare titanium straw in one of your desk drawers, so there is no need to waste on plastic straws.
5. Ensure there are numerous recycling bins throughout the office.
6. Spread the message through hanging a few motivational anti-plastic posters on the office’s noticeboards.
7. Create a sustainability team.
8. Give all employees a refillable sports bottle.
9. Initiate a company-wide ban on single-use water bottles.
10. Provide employee incentives for bringing in and using reusable bottles.

Changes At Home:

1. Buy groceries from bulk food stores where possible to reduce plastic; this can also save you money.
2. Leave a reusable produce bag in your car or handbag. A single plastic bag can take up to 1000 years to degrade.
3. Buy household goods like laundry detergent in boxes instead of plastic containers.
4. Make your own cleaning products.
5. Use a razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors.
6. Find a toothbrush that isn’t made out of plastic.
7. When shopping, take a container with you to package meats in.
8. Use bar soap instead of liquid hand soap.
9. Choose lotions and lip balms that are in plastic-free containers.
10. Try natural beeswax coated cloth wraps instead of plastic cling wrap.

Now is the time:

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a confronting reminder of the direct impact consumption has on the environment. The plastics that make up so much of life’s conveniences end up collecting and decomposing in oceans and seas, killing and harming marine life.

Scientists have shown that if nothing is done to curb plastic consumption and waste practices there is a risk that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. They have also shown we can create change and improve waterways, starting with ocean clean-ups and mindful consumption.

Now is the time to make small but significant change.

The post Plastic-free at Work appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

There are three foods our brains are getting way too much of: sugar, fat and protein. As these are the essential constituents of all foods, make that just too much eating. If we need sugar to fuel our mental function and brain cells are made up of fat and protein, how is it that excesses of these vital nutrients are so harmful? Here’s the rationale.

Glycogen:

You use sugar or glucose derived from carbohydrate-rich foods like grains, fruits and vegetables to provide you with energy. You also store glucose in the liver in the form of glycogen to deliver a ready supply of fuel, which you use in the morning, for example, before you eat. Glycogen is also deposited in your muscles so you can fire up these vital structures when you need to engage in battle or hastily retreat from the enemy.

However, there is only so much space to accumulate glycogen and, once this is exceeded, glucose is turned into fat and fat can be hoarded without any constraints. The more glucose you eat, the more fat you stockpile. The same is true for fats, even the so-called “heart friendly” variety like nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil.

Impact on the organs:

This fat not only amasses on the outside of our bodies; it also swells up in the liver and the pancreas, forming a toxic mound of sludge that gums up the smooth functioning of these life-sustaining organs.

Undermine the liver, your body’s prime remover of metabolic waste and sully the pancreas where insulin, the hormone that regulates glucose activity, is manufactured and a ravaging tide of biochemical devastation that’s not easy to quell is being germinated. The problem is that in its early stages this raging tsunami is a slow-growing wave of activity that doesn’t lead to any obviously detectable disturbances. It’s possible to have a liver that’s not functioning optimally and blood glucose levels that are marginally elevated without feeling physically compromised in any way.

Even doctors aren’t unduly alarmed when they cast a rather dismissive eye over blood tests that reveal elevated liver enzymes or a scan that shows the bearer has what’s called a fatty liver. As obesity has become the new normal in Australia, blood tests that display raised liver enzymes and fatty livers, even in those who are only modestly overweight, aren’t managed with any sense of urgency.

The risk of Diabetes:

This type of profile often runs in tandem with a glucose level that is not yet diabetic-high but is raised enough to suggest that diabetes might become a future reality. Ideally, these concerns need to be actioned early, before a metabolic catastrophe, which often signifies that brain degeneration is smouldering, takes place. Aside from overseeing glucose utilisation, your primary source of energy, insulin also orchestrates a number of principal brain activities, like appetite regulation, cognitive function and the production of chemicals that lead to healthy and stable emotional states.

Once insulin becomes dysfunctional, these processes start to unravel, paving the way for the progressive decimation of brain cells. Initially, this takes place in a gradual and insidious fashion so that by the time serious memory loss manifests, it’s way too late to reverse the destruction that has already occurred.

A fasting blood glucose test that’s greater than 5.5mmol/L or an elevated triglyceride level, an associate of cholesterol and a signpost for the unbridled build-up of fat, indicate that too much sugar and fat are being consumed and need to be curbed. The problem with changing your behaviour is that fat and sugar zero in on the pleasure centres in your brain, cementing the kind of eating response that’s difficult to flip. Resisting the temptation to take one more mouthful when foods are packaged with this in mind requires a massive act of self-control that needs to be summoned repeatedly.

Excess protein:

If carbohydrates and fats are hard to resist, limiting protein might be more exacting, even though it doesn’t taste as nice or elicit the same experience of euphoria. As Professor Stephen Simpson, academic director of the Charles Perkins Centre for the Study of Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Sydney, explains, this is because we are driven by the protein leverage hypothesis.

Since protein is an essential nutrient, we default to our established pattern of protein consumption, which is why high-protein diets are difficult to sustain. This might not be a bad thing, as excessive consumption of protein is associated with an increased risk for diabetes and cancer, at least in 50- to 60-year-olds.

Animals on restricted protein diets live longer. If eating less protein is just as tough for us to maintain as eating more, we might take a leaf out of the book of centenarians, too, who eat mostly plant protein and stop eating when they are 80 per cent full. As ruminants and the beef industry contribute significantly to global warming, this is a practice that might benefit us as well as the planet.

There were times when scarcity mandated that we lived temperate lives. Now in times of abundance our future demands much more discipline and restraint.

The post Food That Harms The Brain appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Stephanie Osfield

Though it’s true that beauty comes from your spirit and soul, feeling good in your clothes and when you look in the mirror is also very important. Your body love affects your mood and self-image, but it’s not just about vanity — a body that looks and feels healthy reflects homeostasis and indicates you are glowing on the inside, too. To promote hydration, wellbeing and feel and look their best, most people focus on diet and exercise.

Yet, despite healthy green smoothies and HIIT workouts, sometimes at the end of the day you may notice that your face looks puffy, your feet feel a little squashed in your shoes and your jeans feel tighter than they did that morning. To help prevent your body from holding on to excess fluid and feel more productive in your regular work and everyday life, follow these natural beauty fixes.

Stay hydrated

Although we are primarily talking about losing excess fluid, you don’t want to become dehydrated. It’s important to remember that staying hydrated is essential for health and also looking your best. In fact, water is one of the cheapest, most natural beauty remedies on offer. Your bodyweight is made up of about 60 per cent fluid, so hydration is pivotal to important bodily functions like digestion, metabolism and muscle contraction.

Hot weather, perspiration, sitting in a heated room, even some medications can all cause a lack of hydration. When you’re not well hydrated an imbalance can also occur in electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, which are used for important chemical reactions such as balancing your levels of fluid and blood. Dehydration can also cause your body to panic that it does not have enough fluid, so it then holds on to more fluid and you offload less fluid through natural means, such as passing urine.

Natural beauty tip. A long, tall glass of water is the best source of fluid because it’s free of kilojoules and easily absorbed. To replenish lost fluid, drink 1–2L (6–8 glasses) of water every day. Add a twist of lime, lemon, orange or mint for taste. The fluid will also plump up your skin, making it look healthier and suppler. Also try this delicious (and nutritious) choc-mint smoothie recipe. 

Minimise heat

When your temperature goes up, heat-induced swelling occurs because the body copes by dilating the blood vessels and this especially impacts on the legs. This not only increases fluid but can also make your complexion ruddier, because your capillaries dilate and become more obviously red.

Natural beauty tip. Avoid hot showers, spas or saunas. For some people, cold showers are also not ideal because your body responds to the sudden drop by increasing your core temperature. Instead, have tepid baths or showers and take a break after a hot day with your feet up, in front of a cool fan.

Watch salt intake

There is no question that after a long, stressful day some people find they crave salt and actually need it to feel well and healthy. Salt is necessary for healthy muscle contraction, healthy heart function and maintaining the right volume of blood. However, some people are very sodium-sensitive and for them salt can increase fluid retention. When they eat food high in sodium, they change the balance of sodium and potassium in their bodies, which affects their kidneys’ ability to filter excess water from the bloodstream. In simple terms – it undermines hydration.

Natural beauty tip. Don’t add salt to food and steer clear of foods like cheese, tamari, processed meats, canned soups or vegetables, crackers and crisps, which are all high in sodium.

Fight inner fire

Hormone changes that occur with age and stress, combined with being unfit and eating too much processed food, can contribute to an increase in fat cells, which send out inflammatory chemicals and also retain fluid and swell. These cells cause inflammation, now considered the major cause of ill-health and wrinkles.

Natural beauty tip. Minimise intake of inflammatory foods such as salt, sugar and alcohol, as well as foods you are sensitive to, such as gluten or dairy.

Address anxiety

When you’re stressed at work and your fight-or-flight response kicks in constantly, your body pumps out a hormone called aldosterone, which increases sodium levels in the kidneys and sends a signal to hold on to fluid. You may then notice swelling in your face, hands, legs, feet, belly and breasts.

Natural beauty tip. De-stress. Every day. Take time out to meditate, engage in yoga nidra or just sit still at your desk at lunchtime and listen to soothing music. If you find yourself in the middle of a stressful situation, take a moment, drop your shoulders and slow your breathing to calm down. The following natural remedies are far gentler on your body and can also help reduce fluid retention.

Horseradish. Contains high levels of glycosides. One in particular, called sinigrin, can help to alleviate fluid retention. Horseradish also helps stimulate better circulation, which in turn also reduces fluid retention.

Dandelion leaf. Historically, dandelion has been used in Europe and Asia as a health tonic and diuretic. Its fluid-reducing action has been confirmed by research involving the University of North Carolina, which showed a significant increase in the frequency of urination within five hours of dandelion doses.

Rosemary. A relative of the mint family, rosemary has a slightly bitter, astringent taste and has long been used to alleviate liver problems. It’s a natural diuretic, which means it can help reduce fluid retention, maintain hydration and elevated blood pressure, shows Spanish research.

Vitamin B6. This may help relieve fluid retention and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including breast tenderness, mood changes, irritability and fatigue.

Parsley. This herb’s unique health benefits come from flavonoids and volatile oils that help stimulate your body’s use of glutathione, the “mother of antioxidants”, which is present in almost every cell. Glutathione helps protect your cells against oxidative stress and boosts the liver’s detoxification process that ensures toxins, which can exacerbate fluid retention, are made water-soluble so they can be filtered from your body.

Combat circulation issues

Good circulation is a key foundation of hydration, natural beauty and good health. Fluid retention is often related to the following circulation issues.

Congestion. Stress, lack of exercise, hormonal fluctuations and genetics can all lead to sluggish circulation. Gently massage the areas where fluid builds up using circular and kneading movements. This will help boost blood flow, improve drainage of the lymph nodes and help make fat or fluid more mobile, reducing fluid retention and inflammation of soft tissue. Dry skin brushing is another technique favoured in European countries. Using a natural bristle brush and small, gentle, circular motions, brush from the souls of your feet then move up your calves and thighs, then all over your body, always brushing towards your heart. Make sure you try these approaches gently, so you don’t push or brush too hard and cause  sensitivity or red, broken capillaries.

Sitting and standing. The impact of carrying your bodyweight on your legs can cause areas like thighs, calves, ankles and feet to become swollen. On the flip side, sitting at a desk for many hours can prevent good circulation, which can also cause fluid retention. Get up every 20 minutes to stretch and move. Back on the chair? Stretch legs out in front of you from time to time and make circular movements. This will help to reduce fluid build-up and boost blood flow. Keep your legs a little raised on a footstool and avoid crossing them, as this can worsen fluid build-up.

If you stand all day, during breaks lie down on the floor and climb your feet up the wall until they are straight. Stay in the position for 5–10 minutes to encourage fluid to drain away from your legs and feet. At the end of the day, engage in yoga postures that help hydration flow back away from the lower limbs.

The post The Link Between Hydration and Productivity appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Liz McLardy

When you think about rituals what comes to mind?

Chanting, peace offerings to exotic gods, weddings, full moon celebrations? Many of us think of something connected to religion. While this is true, rituals go beyond prayers and ceremonies.

They are more present in our everyday lives than we may have noticed and it’s our ritualistic nature that nurtures our wellbeing. We often overlook rituals and take them for granted simply because we do them mindlessly. However, rituals are incredibly powerful when performed on purpose. They allow us to experience everyday life with a deeper meaning and enjoyment.

Unfortunately, modern culture may make you feel that life needs to be constantly satisfying, happy and perfect. But rituals can help you to enjoy the ordinary elements of life and sprinkle them with magic. Rituals are quite different from habits and practices, but all three can be woven together to create a framework for living well.

Habits, practices and rituals

Habits are behaviours or actions that are repeated so often that they become automatic. For many of us they may have manifested as a morning meditation, writing in a gratitude journal before bed or flossing our teeth. They are great because they conserve energy by reducing our cognitive load, and become mindless action. Habits can have negative or positive effects on our wellbeing. So we can use our compassionate self-awareness to examine our habits and consider those that bring a greater sense of fulfilment and wellness into our lives. We can choose to regularly reflect on our actions and habits to make sure they are supportive.

Ask yourself, “Which habits support my health and wellbeing right now?”

Although habits can sometimes seem insignificant on their own, the very nature of continuously repeating them can impact on our health, productivity, relationships, finances and happiness.

Practices are a set of actions taken to acquire or improve skills. It’s through repeated practice that connections get established in the brain that support the new skill. Mindfulness, gratitude, optimism and a positive relationship with money are all learned skills. We can use practices strategically by considering what skills would bring greater fulfilment to our lives. Then we can create practices to cultivate these skills. Practices strengthen our wellbeing “muscles”.

Ask yourself, “Which new or improved skills would support my health and wellbeing right now?”

Rituals are symbolic actions that have a deeper purpose than just the actions themselves. They usually follow a system and contain a sequence of actions. You can use them to anchor and enhance your wellbeing experiences. Mindless rituals are just habits.

Ask yourself “what aspects of my life do I really love and care deeply about and would benefit from connecting with deeply? Know what brings you fulfilment? Then make it a habit. Need to improve? Create a practice. Want to connect deeply? Design a ritual.

Why are rituals so powerful?

Essentially, rituals are supercharged habits with heart. Naturally, most of us think habits are important. Most self-help books like Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do and how to change will show you lots of examples of good habits. And, yes, habits are important, but rituals are more powerful as they combine multiple habits, follow a system and emotionally connect you with why you are doing what you are doing. They connect you to something larger than yourself.

The power of rituals doesn’t come from a particular belief or involve luck. It comes from what the rituals symbolise. They represent something significant to the person performing them, such as a professional athlete preparing before a game.

Rituals provide comfort

Most parents can attest to the power of family rituals and their ability to provide comfort to their children, particularly in unfamiliar circumstances. A simple song and a bedtime story can create a great sense of connectedness and belonging, and lets everyone know how important they are to the family. This ritual can help to provide feelings of security and predictability when you are travelling or working late.

Of course, rituals can provide the same sense of comfort to adults. Having your own bedtime rituals can help you to de-stress from work and can assist with sleep when you are working away from home and in unfamiliar places. Rituals give us comfort and a sense of control when life gets challenging. They support our need for structure and balance. When we embark on a new exercise regime we often begin to feel a greater sense of wellbeing and safety knowing that we are doing the best we can for our health.

Rituals transform the mundane into the sacred

The Japanese tea ceremonies (the “way of the tea”) are the perfect example of rituals imbued with the deeper meaning of inner quietness, purity and tranquillity. They allow us to find the magic in the mundane. In our own lives, rituals can allows us to pause, take a breath and reconnect with our inner needs. Whether connecting to the sacred means getting back in touch with nature or the divine, rituals are the perfect way of integrating that into your daily life through seemingly mundane acts.

Rituals don’t need to be elaborate or spectacular to be effective; what matters is that they are meaningful to you. The amount of time you spend conducting your rituals is not important; rather, it’s the intention you put into them. They can be really short and done anywhere, as long as they mean something to you.

Rituals foster a greater connection with ourselves and others

When we create a ritual to purposely fill our minds with loving kindness through meditation, write in a journal to connect with ourselves or sit around the dinner table and talk to family, we feel more connected with ourselves and those we care deeply for. It’s through rituals like these that we can experience how powerful they are at filling our days with love, purpose and meaning.

Rituals encourage self-love

Rituals can help to remind us that we are valuable and our needs are important. Most of us find it difficult to make time to care for ourselves among the busyness of everyday life, but rituals can remove us from the ordinary flow of life and place us in a sacred space. Whether it’s soaking in a warm Epsom salt bath, listening to your favourite music or painting your nails, these self-care routines don’t have to be empty. Infuse them with personal meaning and significance.

The post Work / Life Balance: the importance of rituals appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Catriona Pollard

A few years ago, I realised that the hectic lifestyle I was living and the intense pressure of running a business were beginning to take a toll on me. I was close to burning out and knew things needed to change.

Through some reassessing , I found I had a deep desire to incorporate more creativity into my life. While I had to be creative at work every day as the CEO of a PR agency, I needed to tap into something that was more about exploration and play. I knew that, not only would this be something deeply satisfying and inspiring on a personal level, it would also help me to tap into new perspectives and an innovative mindset at work and in my life.

A passion:

I’ve always been interested in many forms of craft, so I booked into a weeklong basketry course. I picked up a vine to weave and was hooked. It’s the combination of nature, imagination and beauty that attracted me to sculptural basketry.

We have seen noticeable resurgence in creating traditional crafts in the past few years. I think it’s the combination of how virtual our lives have become and how busy we all seem to be, which have resulted in people looking for arts and craft that reconnect them with slower, traditional creative experiences.

Weaving, like many types of craft and art forms, can be a type of meditation and it’s this that’s driving a renewed interest in traditional arts and craft. It allows you to slow down and connect with your inner wisdom. We live such hectic lives and I believe it’s important to explore different ways to help us slow down and quiet the mind, like art. For me, art is simply about being still and letting the beauty emerge. Art and craft practices highlight how differently we all see things. They help us appreciate that many different points of view expand our world view. They help us overcome business (and life) challenges and realise that different perspectives are essential in dealing with the complexities of everyday life.

Igniting your imagination:

What craft and art forms do is create an environment where we are combining right-brain imagination with left-brain logic. This increases the capacity for breakthrough ideas and insights. I have found basketry is the perfect representation of this concept. You can give 10 people the same plant fibre, teach them the same technique and you will get 10 different baskets.

When I’m weaving, no two pieces are the same, even if I’m using the same material and technique. They will be different. That’s because weaving using organic material is about listening to what it wants to be. I may have an idea about what I’m going to create, but the material decides what it wants to become.

For me, weaving is about finding an object and visualising the piece of art that it could become. I could pick up a vine, stick or seed pod and experience pure joy as I imagine the endless possibilities I can create. I have found that nature is my greatest inspiration. The natural beauty creates energy within me; it makes my soul sing.

The positive benefits:

Slowing down has proven to be the key to my health and wellbeing. It took a very stressful period in my life to force me to find creative experiences.

I’ve found you can achieve new growth when you allow your visions and perceptions to be transformed. My sculptural basketry is a reflection on the inner landscape in us all. It encourages us to question what would happen if we saw aspects of our lives in different ways. We all have new growth ready to emerge, and art and creativity can help you find a deep sense of joy and reconnect with your imagination. It can give you new insights and perspectives on all aspects of your life. I know this to be true. Take things slowly, focus on exploration and play and give yourself plenty of time for the beauty to emerge.

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Words / Jan McLeod

There is no shortage of wellness messages telling you what you need to do to be well and no doubt in many instances these are well intentioned. However, like me, you live in a world where to-do lists are long and where often the overriding feeling is that you are short on the time needed to get them done. Receiving another to-do list can feel, well, like another to-do list — basically a little overwhelming. The risk is you might simply tune out because it’s all about what you need to do rather than how you can find a way of incorporating it into your busy life. I would like to introduce you a different concept, one that likely calls for a shift in your thinking. One that asks you to move away from focusing entirely on what you should do and to refocus on what’s driving your wellness choices. It’s called intuitive wellness.

The conventional approach to wellness focuses on giving you a list of wellness activities connected to the goals you wish to achieve. It often leans towards being prescriptive. It is generally premised on a formula which, if you follow it, will allow you to achieve your wellness goals. Intuitive wellness is different. It asks you to focus initially on raising your understanding as to the why of your choices. Its aim is to connect your choices with the feeling and thinking driving your choices, to have you understand what is influencing your wellness decisions and choices because, once you understand these, you are in a more informed position to understand what to change.

1. Intuitive eating

Let’s use the example of unhealthy eating and specifically the use of a food diary. An intuitive wellness food diary will ask you to record what you eat and when you eat; however, it will also ask you to record how you feel and what you’re thinking when you eat. For example, are you bored, angry, frustrated, stressed, hungry? Is eating a way of rewarding yourself or is it simply because those around you are eating and you don’t want to appear different? There could be many reasons. Do you understand why you eat when you eat? Research into the use of food diaries indicates you can be eating as much as 40 per cent more than you think you are eating. A food diary based on the principles of intuitive eating can increase your understanding of what you eat, how you feel, what you think or, more simply, why you eat.

2. Intuitive work hours

Now, let’s take working long hours as an example. Record when you arrive and leave work, what you do at work and importantly, what you were feeling and thinking when you made work decisions. Additionally, you may discover a range of emotions and thoughts. Maybe you are feeling bored, irritated, frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed, motivated or inspired. It will help you gain clarity about the why of your decisions — not only the feelings you are experiencing but also the associated thinking. It’s my experience in coaching and mentoring that, unless you understand and then choose to redress issues in the why driving your behaviour, it will be difficult to change your behaviour and, importantly, sustain changes you want to make.

A shift in thinking

Intuitive wellness is asking you to make a shift in your thinking. Intuitive wellness encourages you to understand how you are feeling and what you are thinking when you make decisions and, in turn, to understand if these are working for your performance and your workplace wellness. I believe doing the same thing but expecting a different result is not a sign of madness, as the familiar expression states; rather, it’s a missed opportunity — a missed opportunity to do things differently, to give you a chance to achieve and sustain a different outcome. If you haven’t been able to achieve and sustain the performance workplace wellness you wanted in the past year, I encourage you to make a shift in your thinking and adopt intuitive wellness.

The post The Shift to Practicing Intuitive Wellness at Work appeared first on WellBeingGrow.

Words / Emma Nuttall (Higginson)

Again, and again fad diets have been proved unsuccessful. Diets focus on calorie restriction and the elimination of certain foods and generally do not take into account the dieter’s ability to exercise self-control or regulate their eating behaviour. Many popular weight-loss programs offer coaching and support networks; however, once the goal weight has been achieved and the program concludes, the individual must continue unsupported.

Cultivating self-compassion and applying mindfulness to your eating habits can provide a much greater chance of maintaining a healthy weight.

Mindfulness involves increasing awareness of the current moment and observing without judgment. When applied to eating, it involves paying attention to what you eat and how you eat it. In essence, mindful eating means being aware of both your inner cues and outer environment and how they influence food choices and consumption.

Our fast-paced lifestyles and work schedule have an impact on the way we approach food. Emotions also play a large role in influencing our eating habits. According to Susan Albers, PsyD, author of Eat, Drink and Be Mindful, “The majority of food decisions people make have nothing to do with hunger. They have to do with stress, anxiety, sadness or frustration”.

What is mindless eating?

Eating mindfully is not about restrictions or calorie counting. As Albers writes, “Mindful eating is eating more consciously so you can eat just enough to be satisfied — without eating too much or too little.” It allows you to eat in a sensible way so you can still enjoy the foods that you love.

When eating mindfully, you pay attention to the physical aspects of eating such as the smell, taste, texture and appearance of your meal. You focus your awareness on bodily sensations during and after eating. This allows you to become more in tune with your body and recognise hunger cues and feelings of satiety.

By acknowledging your thoughts and emotions around food as they arise and observing them rather than fighting them, you become more aware of your food choices, your eating habits and ultimately what triggers them.

The ability to tell the difference between cravings and genuine hunger pains, as well as to recognise and understand emotional triggers that cause you to overeat, allows you to restore your body’s natural ability to regulate your eating behaviour.

How to practice mindful eating

Set up your meal in a quiet environment. Never stand up while eating and try not to read a magazine or look at your phone. Be aware of what you are doing. Sit down and take three large belly breaths before you start. Enjoy the colours, textures and aromas of the food. Some people like to practise gratitude for what is on their plate, which gives them the opportunity not only to be thankful but to pause before getting lost in a meal.

Chew thoroughly and put your cutlery down between bites. If your thoughts pull your awareness away from your meal, notice whether the pace of your eating quickens. Often half a sandwich disappears without us even being aware we are devouring it. Take a moment to bring your awareness back to the plate in front of you. Once again, take a few deep breaths and, as you resume eating, tune back into your senses.

The benefits of mindful eating

When we eat mindfully, not only do we take the time to truly enjoy our food, we also feel more satisfied as our mind and body are registering what we are eating. Eating mindfully encourages us to eat more slowly, which offers a host of health benefits.

Digestion starts in the mouth and, by chewing our food thoroughly to break it down, we promote better digestion and optimum absorption of nutrients. It has been proved that when we eat more slowly we consume fewer calories, as the brain has time to register when we are full. Eating quickly can allow more air to enter your stomach, resulting in gas and bloating.

Mindfulness and self-compassion are powerful tools in managing your weight. The process of using them is not a quick one. It involves listening to your body, making sensible choices and not being enticed by external messages or convenient and often unhealthy options. Your ability to practise mindfulness and self-compassion improves over time. The more you practise, the greater your chance of success until mindful eating and self-compassion have become a way of life.

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