Concrete Jungle Juice

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This is a great pick-me-up juice that can really satisfy those hunger cravings throughout the day. Start by adding 1 teaspoon of chia seeds and 1 tablespoon of psyllium husks to about 100ml of water in a glass.  Put this aside while you prep the following ingredients.

Add the following to a blender:

  • 1 tablespoon of a green foods powder like Vital Greens
  • A small handful of blueberries
  • One banana
  • A teaspoon of Acai powder
  • A heaped tablespoon of Pea Protein (I really like the Vital Protein in vanilla flavor)

Add the soaked chia and psyllium (it will have formed into a gluggy paste) plus about 300ml of extra water, then blend for a minute.

The color can be a questionable browny green, and the juice will become a bit thick due to the fiber content, but it tastes good and is packed with nutrition.

Enjoy!

In good health,

James

Stress grrrrrr

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Unless you’re sitting on a mountain top somewhere calmly contemplating the wonder of the universe as you send radiant compassion to all living beings, this post is for you. Why? Because apart from a few rare fully enlightened souls in this world, all of us are painfully familiar with stress.  You know, that persistent feeling of being pulled in opposite directions by the myriad of tasks, worries and responsibilities that litter our everyday lives.

Fortunately, there are some great remedies to help ease the burden of this all too common condition.

Herbal stress formulas are fantastic at providing a feeling of ease and calm that helps us look beyond the stress of the moment. The Ginseng family of herbs are traditionally used to support energy levels and alleviate stress, but it’s important to know which varieties are suitable in which circumstances. Siberian Ginseng is nourishing and calming while at the same time mildly energy providing, and is helpful when an individual feels ‘burnt out’ and in need of replenishing. Withania, often referred to as Indian Ginseng, is even more nourishing and calming without the element of energy provision. Use Withania if you suffer from adrenal exhaustion and need to undertake a period of rest and recovery. Korean Ginseng is the energy booster of the bunch, with a much more robust ability to spike working capacity and get you through a tough day, however be aware that if used under conditions of adrenal exhaustion this herb may exacerbate symptoms.

Don’t forget your minerals!

Often associated with stress is physical tension, primarily felt in the muscle tissue of the body. Magnesium is your ally here, a mineral that can quickly and effectively relieve most types of muscular tension. Make sure you get a good quality supplement – the diglycinate and citrate forms are particularly fast acting and effective. Avoid the oxide form as it is poorly absorbed and often associated with diarrhea. However if the muscular tightness is prolonged and without relief (that is, a more sustained cramping without any twitching) then you probably need to add some calcium as well. Look for the citrate form and avoid the carbonate form.

Vital vitamins

Under stressful conditions the body uses up many of your stored vitamins, particularly the B vitamins. Look for a good vitamin B complex to replace these crucial metabolic workhorses. A high strength multivitamin wouldn’t go astray either as there are many other vitamins and minerals that will be utilized to a greater degree under times of stress.

That’s it for my top stress supplements. Remember to take three deep breaths when you feel those stress levels rising – it’s amazing what this simple technique can do to help you through the tough patches in your day.

In good health,

James

Tabata terror!

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You’ve all heard it before: “Just 20 minutes of exercise per day is all you need to stay fit and healthy”. Personally, to find 20 minutes in my day to do anything for myself other than maintain an acceptable level of hygiene can be a challenge. So if I do find that time then I really want to make it count. Read on to discover the best way to achieve your physical best with this small window of time…
20 minutes of exercise doesn’t sound too hard, does it? However if you take that 20 minutes and team it up with a sadistic Japanese sports physiologist, you get a crazy little thing called Tabata. It’s a simple approach with devastating consequences: 20 seconds of any given activity followed by 10 seconds rest, repeated 8 times. Then pick another activity and repeat the process. Do this with 4 activities in total. Then throw up or pass out.
Seriously though, this is absolutely the most effective and intense combination of cardiovascular and muscle building exercise you can do in such a short period of time.
Sleep in and can’t go for that 10km jog before work? Tabata.
Only have a small window of opportunity before the baby wakes up from her midday sleep? Tabata.
Feel like you’ve got some excess energy after your double shot latte and have some time to kill before your next meeting? Tabata (just make sure your work colleagues understand your post Tabata shaking limbs and pallor are not symptoms of withdrawal from an extended drug habit).
The most common exercises incorporated into the Tabata workout are push ups, pull ups, plank, and squats. If you are feeling particularly masochistic you could throw in a round of burpees at the end. Take a minute between the end of one activity set and the beginning of the next to clear the dancing lights from your field of vision and have a brief but intense internal conversation about how you don’t really need to do that next round of pull ups because there are far more pressing concerns like scraping the scum off the inside of the garbage can lid.
You can download a number of free Tabata timer apps for smart phones that make sure you don’t “accidentally” speed up the counting process.
Sayonara!