Spring has Sprung
Coming out of the winter carb-loading-fest and with the unseasonably erratic weather are you finding it hard to get started with a cleaner lighter eating plan? Are you feeling sluggish, congested, skin a little dull? Lacking the sparkly eyes? Fatigued and haven’t hit your stride with exercising? Fallen off the wagon completely and forgotten what exercise is?
Spring has sprung – or so they say… I’m still waiting for the temperatures to match the time of year (for more than a day or two at a time) and all the gorgeous blooms and new growth in my garden… and now we find ourselves with summer just around the corner…
That said, this time of year brings a couple of things to mind, for some its allergy season – yucky, walking around with red itchy watery eyes, a tickly runny (and often red) nose, a box of tissues and a distinct lack of desire to get out and about and enjoy the light and the improved (!) weather… (have a peek at one of my previous articles regarding easy do at home tips for your hayfever).
For others it’s the start of the social season – kicked off by the spring racing carnival and heading into the Christmas and new years festivities…
For me, well, I think of spring as the season of re-birth, renewal and regeneration… it’s the perfect season to detox, slough off the winter of hibernation, heavier foods and the sneaky glasses of red wine and get ready for the warmer weather and fun times ahead as I think of summer as the season of plenty…I think we’re well overdue for some sunshine and fun – don’t you?
Do you feel like you’ve missed the spring detox window? Well…maybe you have, I know I did this year – I certainly wasn’t feeling inspired with the weather to launch into my bi-annual juice cleanse, however, you still have time. We’ve got a few weeks before Christmas is here… so have a peek at our Urban Detox Program and give us a call to organise an appointment, head into the festivities feeling bright and revitalised.
Or, plan ahead and book in for early January – start 2017 as you mean to continue, whether it’s a booster program for you or the start of your journey to better health, we are here to help…
At home there’s plenty you can do daily too – get organised! One of the main reasons things don’t happen the “way you had planned” is lack of organisation – not having the fridge and cupboards stocked is often a recipe for disaster… and remember – never shop hungry! 😉
Head out to your local growers markets on the weekend and stock up on all the gorgeous fruits and veggies – aim for colours, eat a rainbow and eat yourself beautiful!
Remember, food is not only our fuel for energy but what we build ourselves with… so on that cellular level what do you want to be made out of?
Buy good fresh seasonal produce to give yourself the best building blocks, buying seasonal produce means you are more likely to be buying fresh produce… if buying foods that are out of season think about how they got on that supermarket shelf?? How long ago were they picked? How long have they been stored (and how have they been stored), what chemicals have been used to keep them “fresh”? How far did they travel for you to eat them – for example is it international produce? – which in itself, opens up another sphere of questions/thoughts… supporting local growers, global impact on the environment etc…
But I digress…
So, back to you… if you aren’t at this time able to get in and join us for a detox program do a mini-detox at home for yourself, give yourself a break from 3 of your “naughties”… for example :- dairy, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, fast food, red meat etc and choose 3 “lifestyle tweaks” for example :- no electronic devices after 7.30pm, in bed by 10pm, 30min walk in the morning before work or, in the evening after work, a yoga/training/gym class you’ve been meaning to get back to… then find a week and commit that time to yourself in the midst of the craziness and even just a mini-break will leave you feeling a bit more recharged and often once you start its easy to continue 😉
Get into the lighter summer eating habits – lots of salads and a protein that suits you plus, good fats… sounds easy? It is…
I do love some fruit in my summer salads too whether it’s a classic rocket, parmesan and pear or, baby spinach, radicchio, peach w citrus olive oil dressing or, another favourite (it makes me think of long lazy BBQ catch ups with friends and family) is super simple – watermelon, feta, fresh mint and pepitas.
Raw pasta is another healthy light option, which feels like comfort food but minus the simple carbs…
raw pasta….
grab approx. 2 zucchinis (mid size) per serve, cut in half and cut small v shape to get rid of soft fleshy bit – save to side. then use either the long blades in a grater to slice the zucchini along the short width or you can use a veggie peeler along the length for long thin strips. sprinkle w salt and toss well and set aside for 10-20mins while you make the sauce… you will notice the noodles “sweat”, drain off the water and you may want to quickly rinse to get rid of the “saltiness”…
pesto sauce
1 cup of spinach and parsley
1 cup mixed herbs of your choice (basil, rosemary, thyme, coriander, oregano etc)
1/4 cup olive oil or oil and flax oil blend
2 cloves garlic
1 cup of soaked nuts – walnuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts
blend all of the above then let sit while you rinse and gently drain excess water from the zucchini
then add as much pesto as you like to taste and squeeze some lemon over the top to finish!
(Tip:when preparing the raw garlic – cut in half and pull out the middle vein, this will reduce the classic stinky garlic breath…)
you may have some extra sauce left over it will keep in the fridge for 2-3days
OR
tomato sauce
1 cup of chopped tomato
3-4 sun dried tomatoes (SDT) (get the dry ones and soak in water for a couple of hours to rehydrate a bit before using)
1/2 cup of herbs – i like mixed – parsley, basil, oregano etc
1 tablespoon olive oil (you may like to add slightly more sep on preferred texture)
sprinkle chilli flakes
blend all of the above and add to zucchini “pasta”
if you can find sun dried capsicum you can use this instead of the SDT
I also like to add some finely chopped fennel or broccolini or yellow capsicum at the end for extra texture
Enjoy! and fingers crossed that we get some warmer weather asap!! 😉
Sara Canney
Naturopath
Colonic Hydrotherapist
