Happy Hormones Magazine - Issue One

hormones HAPPY

NUTRITION MYTHS BUSTED

Why Is Vitamin D So Important To Your Health?

PERIMENOPAUSE - THE IMPORTANT CHANGE BEFORE THE CHANGE

BEAT THE

JJ VIRGIN

LINKS MINDSET & WEIGHT LOSS

WINTER BLUES

E

E FR

Hormone Balancing Guide

An easy to follow Hormone Balancing Guide for women over 40 to achieve lasting weight loss, boundless energy, balanced moods, a sharp mind and overall hormone harmony.

Click here for more information

18

Contents

07 24

30

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magazine Advertising Enquiries: READ PUBLISHING Published By: READ PUBLISHING Distributed By: READ PUBLISHING Designed By: READ PUBLISHING

14

JJ Virgin: Think Yourself To Weight Loss

21

Interview: Lara Briden

24

Interview: Deanna Minnich

11

Why Vitamin D Is So Important To Your Health

14

Nutritional Myths Busted

28

5 Tips To Beating The Winter Blues

18

Peri Menopause: The Important Change Before ‘The Change’

30

Hearty Beef Stew Recipe

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Editor in

Chief

Hello and welcome to the Happy Hormones magazine!

Whether you are pre, peri or post-menopause, our mission with this magazine is to educate, inspire and empower you to regain control of your hormones, so that you can feel better than ever as naturally as possible.

We are very excited to have JJ Virgin in this issue. Take some time to read her article on the link between mindset and weight loss - it’s fascinating!

Also in this issue, meet Sydney naturopath Lara Briden and health educator, researcher and author Deanna Minnich, as they share their story and their passion for womens health.

Other great articles include everything you need to know about Perimenopause, the important role Vitamin D plays in your life and Lauren Lovell shares her top tips on how to beat those Winter blues.

As you can see our magazine is filled with tips and advice on how to have happy hormones as naturally as possible.

Thanks for taking the time to read it!

Nicki Williams

Contributors JJ Virgin

CNS, BCHN, EP-C Celebrity Nutrition Expert and Fitness Hall of Famer JJ Virgin teaches clients how to break through food and carb intolerances, so they can finally lose the weight to transform their health and their lives.

JJ is a prominent TV and media personality, whose previous features include co-host of TLC’s Freaky Eaters, 2 years as the on-camera nutritionist for Weight Loss Challenges on Dr. Phil, and appearances on PBS, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, Access Hollywood, and the TODAY Show. She also speaks regularly and has shared the stage with notables including TD Jakes, Tony Robbins, and Brendon Burchard. JJ is the author of four NY Times bestsellers: The Virgin Diet, The Virgin Diet Cookbook, JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet, and JJ Virgin’s Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook.

Her latest book, Warrior Mom: 7 Secrets to Bold, Brave Resilience, shows mothers everywhere how to be strong, positive leaders for their families, while exploring the inspirational lessons JJ learned as she fought for her own son’s life. JJ hosts the popular JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show podcast, with over 4.5 million downloads and counting. She also regularly writes for Rodale Wellness, Mind Body Green, and other major blogs and magazines.

Find articles, recipes, helpful online programs, and more at www.jjvirgin.com.

Dr. Deanna Minich is a health educator, researcher, and author with more than twenty years of experience in nutrition, mindbody health, and functional medicine. Her passion is bringing forth a colourful whole-self approach to nourishment and bridging the gaps between science, soul, and art in medicine.

See her website for more details www.deannaminich.com Deanna Minich, PhD

Lara Briden is a Sydney naturopath and the period revolutionary—leading the change to better periods. Informed by a strong science background and more than twenty years with patients, Lara is a passionate communicator about women’s health and alternatives to hormonal birth control. www.larabriden.com @LaraBriden @larabriden

Lauren Lovell Originally from South Africa, Lauren’s interest in health began when she struggled with hormonal issues as a teenager and battled fatigue as a young adult, eventually being diagnosed with anaemia and PCOS. After healing herself through food and supplements, she went on to qualify as a Nutritional Therapist, specialising in hormones and gut health.

She now manages all our client programmes, helping women all over the world to look, feel, think and perform at their very best.

J J V I R G I N ’ S TA K E ONTHE LINK BETWEEN MINDSET AND

Weight Loss

THINK YOURSELF TO WEIGHT LOSS You’ve read the diet books, know which health foods to eat, and have obtained the gym membership you use rigorously.

You’re doing everything right but still aren’t losing weight! What gives? It turns out knowing what to do is only half of the weight loss battle. And JJ Virgin thinks the other half is all about your mindset.

During the 1980s, you’d have found Virgin traveling the globe teaching aerobics— pastel leotards and leg warmers included.

Soon after, she opened her own gym and became one of the frontrunner personal trainers in Los Angeles. At this time, the craze was all about the diet foods—low fats, whole grains, and counting calories— and so was she. But even so, she noticed some of her clients still weren’t losing weight. And that’s when she realized maybe we’re doing it all wrong.

She spent years doing research, including working with doctors and clients and taking graduate courses. In her research, she discovered that our bodies don’t operate like a bank account; they operate like a chemistry lab. Calories are calories.

But 100 calories from leafy greens affect your body entirely different than 100 calories from a piece of cake. Not only that, a lot of health food is pretty terrible for you—diet soda, low fat, low cal, etc. Foods that are formulated without something are often packed full of something else, usually including chemicals that cause a plethora of symptoms like fatigue, skin troubles, gas, and bloating. She discovered that by finding your food and carb intolerances and working out less, you can create a healthy lifestyle customized to your body chemistry and needs.

That light bulb moment 20 years ago led JJ to become a triple board certified nutrition expert, Fitness Hall of Famers, 4-time New York Times best-selling author, and passionate advocate for living smarter.

Her lifestyle programs leave you with no deprivation or guilt and less time at the gym!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK Diet and exercise are an important part of obtaining a healthy lifestyle, but it’s only half of the battle. Virgin Diet Programs include meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists as well as quizzes to help you discover your food intolerances and journals to monitor your progress.

But simply having access to these things doesn’t guarantee success. The other half of the battle is your mindset. It’s the part that forces us to choose that salad over that pint of ice cream.

Research proves it takes a positive mindset to make changes that last, including keeping weight off. Here are the 4 areas JJ believes are where your mental and emotional well-being dictate your success in your weight loss journey.

1

G R AT IT U D E

We all know being thankful and showing gratitude helps us live a positive and abundant life, but did you know it may be enough to tilt weight loss odds in your favor? It’s true! Studies prove the more gratitude you show, the more you feel.

Science tells us people who feel their needs are being met produce less ghrelin or cortisol, hormones that help determine whether or not your body is hungry or stressed. Reminding yourself to show gratitude might actually cause your body to feel full and less stressed.

Try starting everyday listing the things you’re grateful for. You could take pen to paper, add to the notes section of your phone, or simply think to yourself.

Focusing on the positive will start your day off in a cheerful way, hopefully having an amazing effect on the rest of your day.

2

FORGIVENESS

Never go to bed angry. Sound familiar?

Unresolved anger can actually weigh you down and be keeping you from keeping the weight off. People who practice forgiveness are physically healthier and less stressed. This makes it much more likely they’ll succeed with weight loss in the long term. .

Take a deep breath and let it go. Also remember: you don’t need an apology to forgive. State your case aloud to yourself and let it go. Your mind and body will thank you.

3

COMMUNITY

Sometimes it truly takes a village. To successfully stay healthy, you need to be a part of a community. It doesn’t literally have to be your whole neighborhood, but it may be a gym membership, volunteering, or joining a support group online.

People who have a sense of community and support are more likely to succeed at efforts to get healthier. Meanwhile, people who feel isolated face higher rates of depression and illness.

That’s why JJ Virgin’s programs include an online community for support. Stay connected and get involved; you aren’t alone.

4

RESILIENCE

Fast forward a decade: the kids who were patient enough to hold out for that second marshmallow were more successful in almost every way—better test scores, lower rates of obesity, less substance abuse, among other things. Further research proves that being able to handle challenges with patience and positivity means you’ll live a healthier and longer life.

Find ways to stay gratuitous, compassionate, and connected. You’ll have an easier time getting fit and staying healthy.

For more information on any of JJ Virgin’s programs, head over to her website at jjvirgin.com.

Resilience is a measure of your capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. JJ likes to use an example to show the value with marshmallows. Yum! Check it out: In a now famous study, researchers gave each child participant one marshmallow and prepared to leave the room, with the promise of another if the child still had the original when they returned. The idea in question: enjoy instant gratification of one marshmallow or tough it out for 15 minutes and have 2?

JJ Virgin www.jjvirgin.com

WHY

Vitamin D IS SO IMPORTANT TO YOUR H E A LT H

We all know taking a daily dose of vitamins is important for your overall health, but did you know vitamin D can specifically protect you from cancer, boost your immune system and improve your bone, muscle and brain health?

Did you also know that vitamin D is not just a vitamin, but also a hormone? This is because it is involved in many metabolic processes in the body, and every single cell in your body has a receptor for it.

Vitamin D - commonly known as the sunshine vitamin - really is a super vitamin and with a long, long list of benefits, it’s vital that you have optimal levels. Due to the recent winter months, many peoples vitamin D levels are depleted. Let’s look at how balancing your Vitamin D levels can improve your health in as little as two weeks.

HOW A RE Y O U R L E V E L S ?

We hate to break it to you, but chances are that your vitamin D levels are low if you live in the Northern hemisphere. A recent European study by the National Diet and Nutrition Survey has shown that 90% of the general population in the United Kingdom have insufficient blood levels of vitamin D, and 5%-20% of the population are in a state of severe deficiency. You can also be deficient if you stay indoors or cover up.

WHERE D O W E G E T I T? Unsurprisingly, vitamin D owes its nickname - the sunshine vitamin - to the fact that the we can only get sufficient amounts through the

skin from the suns rays. Because of its cooler climate, Britain generally only gets enough sunlight May and September to produce Vitamin D. You don’t need to over-expose your skin to the sun to receive the right amounts of vitamin D. Depending on where you live, the time it takes for your skin to burn varies. You only need half of this time to absorb enough vitamin D to receive the benefits - just remember to be sun-smart. Vitamin D supplements are also a great way to boost your levels.

W H AT E X AC TLY D OE S I T H E L P W I TH ?

With the long list of health benefits of vitamin D, it would probably be easier to list the things it doesn’t help with. However, here’s a few of the benefits of maintaining a high level of vitamin D. Immune booster Improves metabolism Cancer protection Reduces depression Bone, muscle, brain and heart health Improves sleep quality Reduces blood pressure Reduces the risk of diabetes

F O O D SO U RCES OF VITAMIN D Food

Serving size

Approx IU of Vitamin D

Salmon

85g

447

Canned tuna

85g

154

Shiitake mushroom

400g

100

Fortified orange juice

250ml

137

Yogurt

150g

100

Swordfish

85g

566

Eggs

1 egg

60

NUTRITIONAL MYTHS

B U S T E D as told by a Nutritionist B Y

N I C K I

W I L L I A M S

While we’re all suckers for a good smoothie bowl or a new style of yoga class, many of us, too, tend to be suckers for the nutritional myths that pop up in daily life. And, who can blame us?

With a wealth of information out there on the internet, and new theories and ‘facts’ popping up all the time it’s almost impossible to know what is and isn’t true. Here, we debunk some of the most common nutritional myths.

Graze on small meals constantly

You may be shocked to read that this one is actually a myth, after all, we’re commonly told that eating smaller meals more regularly leads to weight loss. Often these words of advice are printed across all different mediums and come from seasoned professionals. However, in actual fact, the ‘studies’ that claim this is a credible weight loss method are actually heavily misinterpreted by the media.

Award winning Nutritionist, Nicki Williams, explains, ‘Latest research shows that unless you are diabetic or have hypoglycemic episodes, the body generally doesn’t do that well on grazing all day long,’ she tells Happy Hormones Magazine.

‘If you leave 4-6 hours between eating you give the body the chance to use up your sugar stores and start burning fat for energy. If you’re constantly eating, you will only be burning sugar, so you’ll find it hard to lose weight, and you’ll be stuck on the Blood Sugar roller coaster which can affect your energy, mood and brain function,’ she explains further.

Vegan = Healthy

Yes, vegan diets can be packed full of greens and natural produce, however, this doesn’t automatically mean that a vegan diet is the healthiest choice, or infact, healthy at all.

‘Firstly, there’s no such thing as a one size fits all diet. I’ve known people who thrive on a vegan diet and some who have suffered badly,’ shares Nicki.

While the fruit and veg intake certainly is good for you, vegans can miss out on key nutrients and it can be easy to consume a huge amount of processed foods, meat substitutes, refined carbs and junk.

Carbs are the enemy

Rewind 10-15 years ago, we were all happily grazing on carbs without a worry in the world, now all of a sudden they have become the devil! However, Nicki believes that this isn’t justified.

“If you don’t eat any carbs you are going to be ill!” She tells us.

“Carbohydrates are a macronutrient, needed for lots of processes in the body.

The thing you need to be aware of is the type of carbs you’re eating, not the fact that they are carbs! All vegetables are made from carbohydrate, and most nutritionists would recommend at least half your plate is made up of veggies.

Choosing low GL carbs like brown or wild rice, quinoa, oats and buckwheat and avoiding white refined carbs is where you should be focusing,” she recommends.

Green juices and smoothies are healthy

Chances are, when you consume a green smoothie you’re probably feeling pretty smug about how healthy you’re being, after all, they’ve gained a rep world wide for being the health drink of choice. However, while the all-vegetable version is packed full of good stuff, not all green smoothies are all that great for you. If your smoothie is full of fruit such as bananas or tropical fruits, then it can be loaded with more sugar than is healthy for you.

“Juices aren’t all they’re cracked up to be either! They can be very high in sugar, and they don’t have any protein or healthy fats in them. Protein and fat help to slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream. You also need protein for the liver to work properly, so if you’re doing a juice programme to detox yourself, you are not helping your liver if you skip the protein,” advises Nicki.

Try out a FREE Sample Chapter

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The book is designed to help you get started on your journey to happy hormones. In it I cover:

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The biggest hormone disruptors that can sabotage your efforts to lose weight and

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to get fast results

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click here for more information

Perimenopause THE IMP OR T A NT C HA N G E BEF ORE ‘THE C H A NGE’ B y N i c k i Wi l l i a m s

For most women, just like death and taxes, menopause is an unfortunate given. Due to the change in hormones, the transition into menopause can come with lots of unwelcome effects, like hot flushes, sleeping problems and an increase in anxiousness and irritability. These are just some of the many symptoms associated with hormone imbalance that around 80% of women at this time will face.

What’s confusing for many women is that they are experiencing symptoms during their 40’s, and while they are still having their monthly periods. So they don’t associate it with the menopause.

Because of the stress your body is put under, it experiences the well-known negative side effects like weight gain and hot flashes. While many tests may not give you much of a clue, a more effective way to tell if you’re actually experiencing peri-menopause is to get your hormones properly measured.

At the time of birth most females have between 3-5 million eggs and these slowly deplete as her life goes on. Once the levels of eggs left in a women’s body get low, perimenopause begins to kick in.

So, it makes sense that, one of the main factors that determines the onset of perimenopause is age.

Hormone decline and fluctuations can start from the age of 35, with final menopause happening on average in your early 50’s. Other causes which can bring on early menopause and perimenopause are stress, thyroid problems, medication , genetics, premature ovarian failure, cancer treatment and an unhealthy diet.

So, although the unwanted effects of menopause are anticipated, it doesn’t mean that they’re welcomed!

Thankfully, there’s a few things that you can do to lessen the toll the transition in hormones takes on your body. Here, nutritionist Nicki Williams talks us through some methods that can be beneficial for both our hormones and our health.

FOCUS ON DIE T “Balancing blood sugar is a priority as it helps to sustain energy levels, balance moods, improve cognitive function and lose excess weight,” advises the nutritionist. She stresses the importance of including phytoestrogens things like flax seeds and fermented soy - in your diet to help balance oestrogen levels and reduce incidences of hot flushes and night sweats. “Ensuring enough protein, healthy fats and phytonutrients are in the diet to support thyroid and cellular health is very important.”

SUPPORT GUT AND LIVER Cruciferous vegetables include produce like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Nicki recommends consuming these to help with hormone levels because they help to support your liver detoxification pathways and oestrogen clearance.

She also recommends a few small diet changes, “hydration helps to keep the bowels moving, while reducing alcohol and caffeine can support the liver and gut. Including probiotic foods (live yoghurt, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha) can help to support the microbiome (your good bugs!) and digestive function.”

E N G AG E I N AC T I V I T Y Making sure that you engage in light daily exercise is helpful for your overall health, as well as the side effects menopause, however it’s important to be mindful not to push yourself too hard. “Increasing NEAT movement (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) helps to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase metabolism. Avoiding overexercising is as important to not increase stress on the body,” says Nicki.

G E T A D E Q U AT E S L E E P A common side effect of menopause and perimenopause if troubles with sleeping, so it’s important that you give your body enough time to rest. “Improving sleep quality through dietary changes, stress management techniques and sleep hygiene routines can be very helpful,” advises Nicki.

GE T TESTED If you’re unsure about whether you’re experiencing menopause or perimenopause and are concerned, it can be very useful to get tested. Routine testing can be a bit hit and miss but it’s worth asking for a full hormone check. If not, consider getting them done privately, if that’s an option.

“Tests can be very helpful in identifying the root cause of any imbalance. We look at including thyroid, adrenals, sex hormones, blood sugar, gut health and key nutrients,” agrees Nicki.

INTERVIEW WITH

Lara Briden Most women have, at some stage during their lives at least, bemoaned the fact that they’re female and have all the related hormonal and other issues to deal with month in and month out.

It’s common for us to think men have it easy, and wish we could click our fingers and have all our hormonal issues go away.

This is particularly the case during times of life such as puberty, when trying to get pregnant, and during perimenopause and menopause.

One lady who is making an impact on the hormonal life (not to mention the emotional and mental health) of women around the country is Lara Briden. With more than two decades of medical knowledge and practise behind her, Lara is focused on helping women to obtain more regular and stress-free periods, and all of the benefits that come with that.

We chatted to Lara to find out more about her work and some tips for women looking to get their cycles in check in 2019.

Can you please tell us a bit about your work as the “period revolutionary”, and what it entails?

I’m a naturopathic doctor helping women to come off hormonal birth control and have easy, healthy, natural periods. The advantage of natural cycles is that they’re how we make the beneficial estrogen and progesterone which we need for general health, not just for making a baby. Our own natural hormones are far better than the contraceptive drugs in birth control which are sometimes called “hormones,” but are not actually hormones.

How did you get into this line of work?

I first trained as a scientist, so when I came to be a clinician more than 20 years ago, I came at it from the angle that the body is a logical, practical system.

It knows what to do when it’s given the right nutritional support, and that’s also true for periods. Women’s health is not as

mysterious or complicated as it’s been made out to be.

Can you let us know about your book, and how it can help older ladies to feel better and cope with changing hormones and periods?

Period Repair Manual is a one-stop shop for everything women need to have better periods, without the use of hormonal birth control. It’s suitable for women of every age and situation but it’s particularly helpful for the “hormonal rollercoaster” of perimenopause, which is the ten years leading up to menopause.

The book provides treatments ideas for common perimenopause symptoms such as mood swings, insomnia and heavy flooding periods.

What are some simple tips women can follow this year to feel and look better?

One of the simplest ways to feel better is to dramatically reduce sugar and alcohol -- or even give them up altogether! Sugar is a major driver of insulin resistance, which is a pre-diabetic condition that causes inflammation, weight gain, and heavy periods. And alcohol, even in moderation, is problematic for the hormonal system because it blocks the beneficial effects of progesterone, impairs sleep quality and damages the gut microbiome.

What is a common misconception about perimenopause?

One of the biggest myths about perimenopause is that “estrogen is declining” and can be helped by an estrogen pill or hormone replacement.

In actual fact, estrogen is going up and down during our forties and can soar to triple what it was before. That means the best treatment is to reduce estrogen with nutritional strategies such as calcium-dglucarate and at the same time, to look at natural or body-identical progesterone to relieve mood, sleep disturbance, and heavy periods.

Lara’s book, Period Repair Manual, is published by Pan Macmillan and available from all good bookshops. _________________________________________

Lara Briden is a Sydney naturopath and the period revolutionary—leading the change to better periods. Informed by a strong science background and more than twenty years with patients, Lara is a passionate communicator about women’s health and alternatives to hormonal birth control.

Deanna Minich I N T E R V I E W

As we get older and our hormones start doing different things and we struggle to feel at our best, it’s easy to let our diet slip. Eating healthily is often even harder when fluctuating hormones make us feel moody, irritable, tired and more.

However, if we strive to consume all the right nutrients and avoid the foods

W I T H

which are bad for us as much as possible, this can make dealing with perimenopause and menopause easier.

There are numerous other facets of health to concentrate on too, such as beliefs, mindset, and spirituality.

One lady who is helping women around the world to feel their best selves is Dr. Deanna Minich. A teacher, author, scientist, speaker and artist, Dr. Minich provides information and advice on a whole-self approach to nourishment and wellbeing. Kellie Byrnes spoke with her to find out more.

Dr. Minich, your 7 Systems of Health, and related book, sound fascinating. Can you please tell us more about them?

The 7 Systems of Health is an operating system for bringing together all the many features of our health, such as our physical body, emotions, thoughts, and spirituality. Each system corresponds to a colour, certain parts of the body, core life issues, foods, and lifestyle practices.

In my Whole Detox book, I offer readers a comprehensive 21-day program to balance their 7 Systems of Health.

They can even just work on one system that is imbalanced, through colourful food recipes in addition to daily practices like journaling, meditation, and affirmations, to name a few.

How did you get into this line of work?

I always had health issues and was searching for solutions. Along the way, I realised that food alone was not getting me better, so I began exploring all kinds of other modalities.

The culmination of what I experienced myself and with others is Whole Detox.

How can this healthy eating system help women’s hormones and their related health as they get older?

Most people get entrenched with the analytics of eating, whether it’s about calories, macronutrients, or the milligrams of a particular vitamin. I feel like they’ve lost sight of the joy of eating, the experience of it, and mostly their relationship with food, their bodies, and emotions.

With my Whole Detox program, women come back into a healthy and happy place with themselves in the process.

When we are able to do that, it’s like our entire being shifts, all the way down to hormones. I focus on colours of food, which allows people to come back into the art and creativity of the eating experience, which I believe to be helpful for hormones, mood, and life balance.

When it comes to older women, I believe they need to ensure they eat ALL the colours, and I would say especially foods high in beta-carotene (orange), which is a carotenoid that is needed for vitamin A. Vitamin A is required for healthy ovulation and is found in the ovary, along with other colourful carotenoids (note that not all are orange).

functions and may help with everything from vision to mood, ovaries to skin.

Eat the healthy rainbow and become colourful and healthy on the inside!

Where can people go to learn more?

My Whole Detox book was released in 2016 and The Rainbow Diet was released in 2018. Everything you need to know can be found on my website, deannaminich.com. Plus, for Whole Detox, there are free downloads available at the website www.wholedetox.com. _______________________________________

What are some other simple tips women can follow this year to feel and look better?

Women are so naturally creative. Follow those inner instincts and propel your passion into something artistic, not for the sake of the outcome, but for the process of letting go.

Wear more colour! Let go of the beige, black, navy blue, and brown, and embrace vivid, wild, and uplifting colours.

Eat more colourful, whole, plantbased foods. Each of those colourful pigments corresponds to body

DR. DEANNA MINICH is a health educator, researcher, and author with more than twenty years of experience in nutrition, mind-body health, and functional medicine.

Her passion is bringing forth a colourful whole-self approach to nourishment and bridging the gaps between science, soul, and art in medicine. See her website, www. deannaminich.com, and Facebook page, Deanna Minich, PhD, for more details.

5 TIPS FOR BEATING THE WINTER BLUES

By Lauren Lovell

Most of us have heard of S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which can crop up during the winter months for many of us. We may feel low, depressed, unmotivated and uninterested in daily life and the things we previously enjoyed and perhaps more anxious or stressed than usual. Here are 5 easy-to-implement techniques you can try today to turn your mood around.

2. GET OUTSIDE INTO NATURAL LIGHT 1. PRACTICE GRATITUDE Research is showing that practicing gratitude can shift our mindset from negative to positive and boost our feel-good hormones. In a notebook, simply jot down 3 things you’re grateful for at the end of each day and watch how this simple practice affects you over time.

Most of us don’t get enough sunshine during winter as we’re largely indoors. Sunshine is crucial for getting a good dose of Vitamin D (which is well-documented to improve our mood) and to help our natural circadian rhythms so we sleep better and feel more energised during the day.

3. EAT MORE OILY FISH

The essential fatty acids in oily fish can help us to feel more positive and boost our grey matter – aim for 3 portions of wild-caught fish a week.

4. GET MOVING!

The benefits of exercise are endless, not just for our bodies, but our minds and moods too. Try Yoga or Pilates or simply get extra movement in by going for a walk during your lunch break, getting off the bus sooner or parking your car further away from the shops. Even better, get outside when it’s sunny for a walk and vitamin D boost at the same time!

5. REFRAMING

Negative thoughts, feelings and situations can play heavily on us, affecting our overall mood and stress levels. Reframing allows us to see something from a different, often more positive, perspective.

Instead of dwelling on a situation, try to reframe it by distancing yourself. For example; imagine your situation was a movie on TV and you were watching from your sofa.

This allows you to see the “bigger picture” and all the characters and factors involved, rather than just experiencing it subjectively. We’re then more inclined to be objective and able to think and feel from a more positive and considered place.

hearty

stew

BEEF

W

e’re well into the Winter months now and that means we’re all craving a bit of comfort food! This rustic, nourishing stew is quick and easy to prepare using a medley of seasonal vegetables. Eating seasonally means we get more nutrients out of our food plus it’s usually cheaper and has less of an impact on the environment as food doesn’t need to travel so far.

Win-win!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 - 6): 2 tbsp olive oil 3 medium carrots 2 medium parsnips 2 large red onions 2 stalks celery

In a large pot heat olive oil over a medium heat (or use a slow cooker).

Meanwhile, roughly chop all the vegetables (except the spinach) and add to the pot with the garlic. Stir occasionally until the vegetables have slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

1 large leek 3 cloves garlic, minced 100g baby leaf spinach 600g diced, organic beef 1L bone broth / beef stock (homemade or organic, shopbought) 2 tbsp tomato paste / puree 1 tsp arrowroot powder or corn flour 1 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp mixed herbs Salt and pepper, to taste

Add the diced beef and cook until just browned, a few minutes.

Once browned, add the stock, tomato paste, arrowroot or corn flour, paprika, herbs, salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and allow to simmer on the lowest heat for 2 – 3 hours (the meat will be more tender the longer it cooks), stirring occasionally and topping with a little extra stock/ water if needed.

Just before serving, add any extra herbs, spices, seasoning to preferred taste. For a thicker stew, add an extra teaspoon of arrowroot or corn flour and stir well.

Stir through the spinach until wilted and serve with cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice (for an extra hit of veg!) if desired.