Pomegranate, Walnut & Chicken Salad

This nutritious summer salad is light, fresh and ideal for entertaining. Simple to throw together and full of health benefits including antioxidant pomegranates, omega 3 walnuts and avocado, high protein lean chicken and dark greens rich in folate. 

Ingredients:

2 Tb Extra virgin olive oil

2 Tb Lemon juice

2 Chicken breasts

1 Avocado

1 Pomegranate 

10 Walnuts 

4 cups Baby spinach

Method:

• Grill or barbecue chicken breasts for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through 
• Slice chicken into strips  
• Mix baby spinach, sliced avocado, walnuts and pomegranate seeds with olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl 
• Arrange chicken strips over salad to serve 
• You can always substitute pomegranates or your favourite summer fruit e.g. mango

Bon Appetit! 

Summer Party Health Tips

Summer has arrived and with it the festive season. Here are some tips to still enjoy the summer parties while keeping those Christmas kilos at bay.

• Hydrate: Make sure you are well hydrated by drinking a bottle of water before you go out. The more water you drink, the less fluid retention you will hold. 
• Booze: Tis the party season but that doesn’t give us a licence to go overboard with alcohol! Try and eat before you drink and have a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage. Try lower alcohol drinks such as Pimms and fruit punches for hot afternoons or for a more refreshing thirst quencher try vodka and cranberry juice. Avoid cocktails which are high in sugar and calories. Have a night off the alcohol and be the designated driver.
• St Mary's Thistle: This is the best herb to take during the party season to protect your liver and help it detoxify. 
• Detox Herbal Teas: Green tea and roasted dandelion coffee help the liver detoxify, while lemongrass and spearmint teas have a refreshing zing for summer. 
• Summer Iced Teas: Make some iced herbal tea by adding ice cubes, slices of fresh fruit e.g strawberries, apple, orange and a sprig of fresh herbs. Herbal teas can even be frozen into ice blocks for your children with added honey.
• Energizing Juices: Freshly squeezed juices flush your system with antioxidants and aid detoxification. Carrot, celery, beetroot, ginger are particularly effective, while pineapple and mint give a little summer zing.
• Summer Salads: Surrounded by the abundance of tropical summer fruits, it’s easy to forget your greens but these cannot be replaced so make the most of the bountiful salad season with lots of rocket, baby spinach, or try some of the many varied coloured and curled lettuces.
• Unclog: Keep your bowel regular so the toxins can be removed from the body. Try prunes, psyllium husks, lemon in warm water on rising, consider colonic irrigation.
• Metabolism Booster: Exercise stimulates the lymphatic system which encourages toxins to move out of the body. It also pumps more oxygen to the cells and the brain as well as speeds up your metabolism so you burn your fat faster. Try and exercise at least every second day after which your metabolism begins to slow again.
• Electrolytes: If you are exercising heavily, choose a good quality electrolyte drink with added magnesium to help you reabsorb your fluids, preferably without artificial sweeteners.
• Dinner Parties: When preparing dinner, use fresh vegetables steamed or in a delicious salad, complemented by lightly grilled or barbequed fish, seafood or chicken.Wholegrain sourdough bread on the table is much better than white, and with a lower GI too. Avoid too many dairy foods which clog up your digestive system such as cheese, cream, ice-cream and chocolate.
• Plan Ahead: Eat a small meal before going to a party. The misconception that "if I skip dinner I can eat everything in sight" can lead to too many calories consumed. Often these party snacks produce bloating and lack nutritional value.
• Socialising: When arranging to meet friends, organise activities that don’t revolve around alcohol, such as a picnic in the park followed by a game of boules or cricket, or a swim or surf at the beach.
• Recharge: Get a good night’s sleep. Too many late nights take their toll on the body, resulting in post party overeating. Try to alternate a late night with an early one to maintain energy levels.

And remember...It’s not what happens between Christmas and New Year that’s important as what happens between New Year and Christmas!!

Quinoa Summer Salad

This fresh summer salad is nutritious and quick to throw together for lunch or to complement your BBQ.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup quinoa
• 1.5 cups of water
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 cups of rocket
• 1 cup of thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup of grated beetroot
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp mined fresh garlic
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground pepper
• 1 sliced avocado
• 1 can of organic chickpeas or 1.5 cups of soaked and cooked chickpeas

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the covered saucepan on the burner for another 4 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool completely.

Combine the rocket, beetroot, celery and onion in a large bowel. Whisk the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper together in a small bowel. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Rinse the chickpeas well until they stop foaming, then add the quinoa, chickpeas and avocado to the salad and mix until evenly combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days.

For The Men...Keeping Your Testosterone Pumping

Last week I attended a seminar on Andropause, or male menopause, testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction. All three are more common than most men would like to admit, with Andropause now medically recognised as a normal part of ageing, occurring between the ages of 40 to 55 with a significant drop in sex hormone levels. Signs of testosterone deficiency in men include loss of libido and physical agility, poor erection and low ejaculate volume, infertility, shrinkage or enlargement of the prostate, depression, anxiety, fat accumulation around the belly and hips, loss of muscle, high cholesterol and aged appearance. Studies show that this decline in testosterone can actually put one at risk for other health problems like heart disease and osteoporosis.

What Depletes Testosterone Levels?

• Age
• Intense endurance sports or exercise
• Intense emotional stress 
• Foods high in saturated fats e.g hot chips, deep fried oily foods, animal fats
• Adrenal fatigue (chronic stress exhausts the body)
• Medications: e.g Antidepressants (SSRI's)

Pharmaceutical DHEA or Testosterone

A number of recent studies have demonstrated that most of the DHEA or androstenedione gets converted into oestrogens rather than testosterone once in the body. These oestrogens stimulate the mammary tissue causing the common side effect of breast development in men. However, once the hormones are stopped, it is not reversible. 

Naturopathic Treatments

Protein foods increase testosterone production so a diet high in good quality, lean protein is essential. Omega 3 oils found in cold water oily fish such as sardines, salmon, trout, mackerel, flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds are another building block of hormone production and ensure healthy sperm and prostate function. Zinc, magnesium and selenium along with other minerals are also important for testosterone production and to counter stress.

There are a few key herbs that have been shown in studies to increase testosterone and DHEA-S production in the body such as Korean Ginseng, Rhodiola and Withania. It is important to see a qualified herbalist to assess the best combination of herbs and the correct dosage for you. 

Erectile Dysfunction

Only 5-10% of erectile dysfunction is caused by low testosterone. More common causes are heart disease, diabetes, nerve damage, stress, side effects of drugs, exhaustion, circulatory problems. Basically being in good health and being relaxed ensures a strong libido and great performance!

Floral Spring Delights!

I just spent the morning at the Flower Markets with Jane Lampe from Floreat Floral Design. An inspirational way to start the day and put a smile on your face for the whole day! It was definitely worth getting up at 4am, although I'm sure I'll be lagging in energy by 4pm this afternoon when I'll make myself a little herbal concotion and healthy energising snack to power me through the afternoon. 

Such a simple and relatively inexpensive way to lift your soul - a $10 bunch of flowers that will last 2 weeks will brighten your home, pervade every room with its magical perfume and even the hardest nut amongst cannot help but soften with joyous delight. The beauty and uniqueness of every flower is yet unmatched by our modern technology and the energy it creates and brings into your life is priceless. You may think they're a luxury you can't afford but try skipping your daily coffee and once in a while treat yourself - bringing the energy, radiance and exuberance of nature into your home and life again! 

Jane Lampe from Floreat Floral Designs does some amazingly creative and beautiful arrangements for weddings, events and functions at such competitive prices. I highly recommend her. Check out her facebook page http://on.fb.me/SGy9Bq

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

It does sound strange but it tastes sensational and is healthy too! Quick, easy, guilt-free summer treat.

Courtesy of quirkycooking.blogspot.com.au

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe Avocado
• 150gm raw Cashews
• 350gm Ice cubes
• 35gm Cacao (or Cocoa)
• 100gm Dates
• 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste or essence

Blend raw cashews in food processor. Then add ice cubes and blend again. Scrape down sides of bowl and add vanilla, cacao powder and dates and reblend. Finally add the avocado flesh and blend. If it is not thick enough to stay formed into peaks, add another handful of ice cubes. Spoon into glasses and top with fresh raspberries, blueberries or strawberries and serve. Or freeze for later but if it is frozen solid, thaw before using - like heavenly healthy soft-serve ice cream!

• Heart Health Avocados are high in healthy Omega 3 oils which decrease inflammation,  now recognised as the leading cause of heart disease.
• Lower Cholesterol Avocados are also high in beta-sitosterol, a compound shown to lower cholesterol levels with research showing a 17% drop in cholesterol by including 1/2 avocado in your diet daily. Also high in fibre which binds on to the cholesterol to take it out of the body.
• Fertile Ovaries & Pregnancy Half an avocado contains 144mcg of folate which is needed during pregnancy for the developing foetus as well as being rich in good oils and vitamin E to maintain youthful ovaries and eggs.
• Eye Health High in carotenoid, Lutein, which protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.
• Prostate Balance These anti-inflammatory Omega 3 oils help reduce enlargement of the prostate or more commonly known as BPH, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy.
• Youthful Skin Avocados are a rich source of Vitamin C which protects your skin from oxidative damage. Vitamin C is also needed to build collagen to keep your skin strong and elastic.
• Cacao is the unprocessed form of cocoa which retains its high antioxidant benefits without the sugars. Available from health food stores - preferrable to cocoa. Be aware it contains caffeine so may keep you awake! As a treat, it is very healthy so long as you don't rely on it like other forms of caffeine which then end up pushing your adrenal glands, exhausting the body and upsetting hormonal balance.