Filed under: Uncategorized
As of 6 months ago it was recommended I try a gluten free diet and well let’s just say it’s one of the best things I’ve done for my health. Having experienced iron deficiency problems for some time and having tried almost everything my efforts to change my diet are paying off. I recently came across a great flourless chocolate cake at www.taste.com.au that I modified a bit because I’m not a fan of coffee. If you want the original with added coffee powder check out www.taste.com.au I’ve made it 10 times and it hasn’t flopped once….. and trust me that’s a good track record for me!!!! Oh and I forgot to add it’s quick and easy to make as well.
So what do you need?
A cake pan 18cm ideally (you can use 22cm but keep in mind it doesn’t rise much)
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
1/8 of a cup of hot water
1 cup of almond meal
1/3 cup of sugar (you can add more if you like it sweeter – do a taste check once you’ve added all ingredients
3 eggs separated
Instructions
Preheat your oven to around 180 degrees and grease your pan (I use a smidge of butter). Mix the cocoa and hot water together. Then add almond meal, sugar and egg yolks and stir until combined. Beat the 3 egg whites in a separate bowl until peaks form. Then fold the egg whites into the mixture and pour the mixture into the pan. Bake for around 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cake comes out clean. Once cooked turn onto a wire rack. Once cool you can sprinkle some icing sugar over the top and serve. De… lish!!!
Adapted from www.taste.com.au
Interesting food fact: It’s a good idea to store brown rice in the freezer once open due to it’s high oil content. It will keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 years apparently verses 3-6 months in the pantry!!! I don’t know about you but it won’t last that long in my house!!! We love rice at O’Brien central!!!
At the end of last year I completed a dance DVD for kids aged 8-11 called “Dance Fever” If you’d like to take a look go to www.kidsdancezone.com.au (The water drop on the cover is me…….. well me dressed up!!!! )
Filed under: General
On my way home from hospital the other day after recovering from a complication of my lung condition (bleeding from the lungs caused by pneumonia) my husband turned to me and said “you need to blog your story for your benefit and the benefit of others” It was one of those moments in time when suddenly you have a realisation about something. I knew without any uncertainty that he was right. So….. my story is I’m a 41 year old with a lung diseease called Bronchiectasis . After having led a healthy active lifestyle and worked as an Exercise physiologist for a job as you can imagine my initial reaction was one of shock. Looking back I thought my efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle were like a form of insurance against such a disease. It took some time to get my head around the condition and even to this day I have my struggles as I deal with ongoing setbacks. My condition has many possible causes but in my case it is thought to have developed from a bacterial infection eg. pneumonia. The technical name for my condition is Non Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis and is characterised by abnormal widening and inflammation of the airways. There is damage to the airways including the little hairlike projections called cilia that help mop up the phlegm to keep us free of infection. I have to manually remove this phlegm via breathing exercises etc to keep my airways clear. I am also gluten intolerant. I carry a gene for coeliacs disease and have been feeling much better since I have been following a gluten free diet. My storage levels of iron are on the low side but I am hoping they will rise now that I am on a supplement that is 100% made from real food, unlike so many supplements on the market. The classification for my condition is moderate to severe and my biggest challenge is staying free of additional illness because this puts my lungs at risk of further damage. I work hard to strengthen my immune system by eating plenty of whole foods, exercising daily and having some regular time out to just relax….. something that was foreign to me before I got sick. It’s amazing how it takes getting sick to gain perspective on life! My lung capacity the last time I checked was about 62% and my oxygen levels are usually good unless I do something stupid like try to run to grab the phone! I combine the best of what Western and Alternative medicine have to offer and do believe the body itself has an amazing healing capacity if given the chance.
So now I want to throw it over to you – whether you’re a health professional or not maybe you have some information you may like to share on the health front…. something that from your experience works for your health. It doesn’t even have to be specific for the lungs because chances are it will positively impact on the lungs anyway. If by chance you are reading this and maybe been neglecting your health a little then my hope is that something you read on this site may encourage you to take some positive action…. start small eg. drink more water. After going through what I have been through I am determined to encourage others to take action before it’s too late. As part of the process of accepting this disease I have had to take responsibility for my part in its development. I believe “burn out” was a big contributing factor – failing to take time out for rest and relaxation. I also think my body was lacking in nutrients which I believe is a common problem for people in general due to our nutrient depleted food supply. I wish you all the best on your quest for better health. One of my best lessons to date is to take time out for myself. Now that I make “time out” a non-negotiable in my life I find myself wanting more of it…… and I don’t even feel guilty about it!
Spread the word and together let’s make a difference!
Filed under: Uncategorized
This week on “The Grandstanders” (89.9 Light FM) we chatted about Quinoa – pronounced “keen-wah”. I’m told it’s an ancient grain that’s a great source of protein. It’s also contains iron and magnesium, making it potentially a good option for migraine sufferers and people with heart disease because magnesium relaxes the blood vessels. For any coeliac sufferers – it’s gluten-free….. yeah!…. another food to add to my food repertoire. I must admit I was looking for another option to use as a “base” for a meal or snack and quinoa is ideal I tried it recently and it’s a bit like barley being a little bit chewy and fluffy like couscous. I got myself some “whole”quinoa that I cooked up but you can also buy it as flakes or rolled oats. It comes in different varieties – white, black and red. I’ve only found white so far but keep a look out in the health food section of your supermarket or of course a health food shop. I love health food shops and to be honest I only like the perimeter of supermarkets where all the food from nature is generally stored!! I almost forgot to add that quinoa is a good source of fibre too so it could be a valuable digestive aid. It’s thumbs up from me for quinoa!
Filed under: Nutrition
Until a few years ago I was convinced vitamin supplements had their place for some people including pregnant women and people with health conditions but not for all of us. Now I have changed my mind. I think they have their place for all of us… I know…. big call!. Unfortunately we’re just not getting what we need from the food that is being produced as farming practices have changed and the soil quality just isn’t what it used to be. By the time the food reaches our tables it’s nutrient depleted!!! If I were to ask you how many oranges you would need to eat to get the same amount of vitamin A your grandparents got from 1 orange what would you say? 2, 4, 6….. would you believe 10! Isn’t that scary? So if all of us need supplements unless we have the benefit of living off the land with nutrient rich soils to grow our crops…… what supplements do we choose? Unfortunately for us over 95% of the supplements on the market are synthetic and unfortunately there is not a lot of regulation on the word “natural” which means a company can include it on the labelling when in fact the product does contain synthetics!! This is outrageous!!!! I have been searching for almost all my career that spans over 20 years for some decent supplements and a few months ago I became aware of a company that has a range of 100% plant-based real food supplements. If you’re interested in hearing more just leave a comment or email me – thegrandstanders@lightfm.com.au Stay tuned for some more interesting updates on supplements. In my next post I’ll explore how you can tell if your supplement is synthetic.
Filed under: Nutrition
This week on “The Grandstanders” (my weekly radio sport/lifestyle program on 89.9 Light FM) I chatted about a super food called chia seeds. Each week I will talk about a different so-called “super food” ie. food that is jam-packed with nutritional benefits and see whether it really stacks up in the nutritional stakes.
Chia seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids that are great for brain function and heart health and are loaded with antioxidants that fight off toxic free radicals in the body. They also contain a good source of fibre and are rich in protein. They have a low GI (glycaemic index) and contain vitamins A,B,D,E as well as some key minerals.
In my opinion chia seeds do earn their status as a superfood and are a great addition to cereals, yoghurt, salad, muffins, smoothies and even spreads. They are easy to digest and have a mild nut like flavour. They provide great filling power because when they enter the stomach they act like a gel to slow down carbohydrate breakdown so you’re more likely to feel sustained. That’s great for someone who might be looking to lose weight because you’ll feel fuller for longer – bonus. I tried adding some seeds to my honey and couldn’t even taste them. Apparently they act like a sponge in the gut to absorb toxins so that’s another awesome benefit. Finally you can store these little super seeds in the cupboard for ages without them going rancid. Keeping in mind that they go gel like when added to water (the seeds actually swell! – you should try soaking some in water and see for yourself. fascinating!) I’m going to experiment with making a strawberry mousse with them. I’ll let you know how it goes. Feel free to leave a comment or email me on thegrandstanders@lightfm.com.au
