Kale - The Ultimate Superfood!

The word 'superfoods' is being used a bit too liberally today (I once found it as an optional topping at an ice cream stand..) However, if there were just one Superfood, it would have to be Kale, hands down! Pound for pound, Kale is the undisputed champion when it comes to nutritional value, and is a perfect place to start for those looking to incorporate a healthy diet into their lifestyle, or to simply improve their health further.     

I first started having kale in a daily juice (recipes below) and noticed an immediate improvement in my condition.  I just felt a bit stronger, and had a bit more of a spring in my step in the morning. As an additional side effect, it seemed to help clear up my acne! Amazingly, I found I got even more out of it when I started blending it with other fruits and veg!

Buzzing with vitamin A, C, and K, it is also plentiful in manganese, copper and phytochemicals, which are believed to help against certain types of cancer.  Because it's so packed full of all these nutrients, if you're consuming this on a daily basis (or even 3-4 times a week), you're getting a large amount of your nutritional needs from this single green.  I like to think of it as nature's multi-vitamin.  Below are some facts about this powerhouse superfood : 

Why eat Kale?

• 1 portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 120mg of calcium, which makes it a useful source of this important mineral, especially for vegans and people on dairy free diets
• Kale is an excellent source of folate with 69µg in every 80g of cooked curly kale. Folate is the form of folic acid occurring naturally in food. Folic acid is a B vitamin and is important because it: supports the growth of a mother’s tissues during pregnancy; plays a role in normal formation of blood, and supports the immune system to function normally
• Kale is rich in lutein – an anti-oxidant which helps keep the eyes healthy. Kale contains 76mg lutein per kg, compared to broccoli which has 17mg. Experts recommend we should eat 6-10mg of lutein each day
• A portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 448µg Vitamin A which plays a supporting role in maintaining normal skin and vision, and helps the immune system to function normally
• Gram for gram kale contains 17 times more vitamin C than carrots. A portion (80g) of cooked kale contains 57mg of vitamin C which is important because it plays a role in the formation of collagen for blood vessels, bone, cartilage, gums, skin and teeth; supports the immune system to work normally; increases iron absorption and plays a role in protecting the cells from oxidative damage
• Raw kale is an excellent source of vitamin K containing 704.8µg per 100g.Vitamin K plays a role in normal blood clotting and plays a role in maintaining normal bones
• Kale is virtually fat free and low in calories.
• IT GROWS THROUGHOUT WINTER, meaning you can get started on it as soon as you like (this post was written in January for anyone reading this in Summer.) It's also available in the supermarkets in Summer
• Kale has a definite role to play in support of the body's detoxification processes. The isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from kale's glucosinolates have been shown to help regulate detox activities in our cells.
• Kale is a incredible source of vitamin K (one cup of kale provides far more micrograms of vitamin K than any of our world's healthiest foods) and we also know that vitamin K is a key nutrient for helping regulate our body's inflammatory process.

One word of warning

Aim to always buy organic with Kale.  I say this because farmers can often lace Kale with pesticides to keep bugs off of the produce.  The last thing you want is to increase the toxicity load in your body!  Give this helpful link a quick browse - it identifies the 12 most sprayed fruit and vegetables : http://bit.ly/1d0UaTJ

But..would Kale taste a bit bland on its own..?

Yes, but fear not, I've listed some recipes for incorporating Kale into everyday dishes (remember, you can put it in literally anything!) : 

RECIPES : 

Prawn & Kale Stir Fry 

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 500g pack kale
• 3 nests egg noodles (200g)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 onion, sliced (200g)
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks (200g)
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 400g frozen cooked tiger prawns, defrosted
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 75g plum sauce
• 1 tbsp chilli sauce

Method

Cook the kale in boiling water for 8 minutes, adding the noodles half way through, drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and stir fry the onion, carrot and ginger for 4-5 minutes. Add the prawns, kale and noodles.

Stir in the soy, plum and chilli sauces and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Lentil & Kale Soup 

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 150g Puy lentils
• 2 x 200g packs kale
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock
• 195g can sweetcorn, drained
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 400g can chopped tomatoes

Method:

Cook the lentils in boiling water for 15 minutes, drain and return to the pan, add the kale, stock and the remaining ingredients. Simmer covered for 8 minutes then season to taste before serving.

PINEAPPLE, KALE, & APPLE DETOX SMOOTHIE 

Serves 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ fresh medium pineapple, cored and diced
• ½ red apple, cored and diced
• 50g kale
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 200ml probiotic pouring yogurt

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Pour into a tall glass.

P.S. If you want more information on Kale, this is a great site : http://www.eattheseasons.co.uk/Articles/kale.php

P.P.S. If you have time, here's a great video on Kale and how to use it : 

Any questions or comments, feel free to leave in the box below. I love post : )

Thanks for reading,

Adam

Treat yourself to a free Mind Detox - only 9 places left

Hi again!

Apologies for the delay, its been far too long!  

Taken From Here

The past week I've been on the fantastic award-winning Mind Detox Practitioner Masterclass, led by Sandy C. Newbigging.  Throughout the course, I was taught a series of powerful techniques, which quickly finds the unconscious subtle resistance in a person's life, and helps them move to a place of acceptance.  The course elegantly delved in to how our mind drives our emotions, behaviours, and habits, and how this is reflected in our bodies.  What impressed me most about the Mind Detox Method is the speed at which it can aid people in moving on and completely heal their past.  Having worked with some brilliant people over the last week, it was incredible to see the positive shift everyone, myself included, in a matter of minutes.  Most interesting was the change in how people were feeling, having released issues which had been holding them back for literally years and years. Truly inspiring.  

I'm now in the process of working through 20 case studies - this involves roughly an hour to an hour and a half discussion where we assess what you want to let go of, what you want to gain, and then we use the method to resolve the issues.  This is completely free (as I'm in training!), and I only have 9 slots left, so if you're interested is resolving anything, please private message me on Facebook, I'll be more than happy to help. Also worth noting, these sessions can be done over Skype if you live far away.  

The below video is Sandy explaining how our emotions affect our behaviours.

See you soon,

Adam

Did You Know that our Brain is in Fact Plastic

Taken From Here

“I saw people rewire their brains with their thoughts, to cure previously incurable obsessions and traumas.” Dr. Norman Doidge

In my last post I discussed the power of positive-thinking (or affirmations) and how this has a decisive impact on our physiology. A couple of you wanted to understand how this works.  Well, let me tell you.

It all comes down to Neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize & re-mould itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Since its discovery, this has had stress reduction, well-being, & health groups, very interested.

Taken from Here

What does this mean for us - The Basics

The adult brain contains over 100 billion neurons, give or take a few. To put this into context, that matches the estimated number of galaxies in our whole universe. Given we only use a few thousand of these repeatedly every day, there are literally billions of unused neurons we which can utilise.  This gives us the incredible ability to create completely new personalities, observe different outcomes, and completely change our condition of living...as long as we make the conscious decision to do it. It blew my mind too..

The reason we feel the same emotions & experience the same outcomes day-in day-out, is because we're firing the same neural pathways over & over again, over & over again, over & over again. This is where we can get stuck in this loop of self-limiting thoughts or habits, which recharges the stress response we experience on a daily basis and effectively moulds our personal perception of reality. 

Dr Caroline Leaf, estimates that "87% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions…"  

Consistent affirmations (said in a congruent way) is just one way of breaking that loop, by using new neurons in our brain to observe a different outcome, & to positively affect your physiology & mindset. Dr. Joe Dispenza, Neuroscientist, speaker on What The Bleep Do We Know, and a bit of a hero, claims "The one thing I noticed about people who had changes in health had changed their thinking...Our thoughts have a direct connection to our direct level of health."

To conclude

I'm not saying that using our infinitely powerful brains will cure all our physical difficulties, but by learning the discourse of stress symptoms and illness we can discover what is being suppressed or ignored in our emotions, and how this is influencing our health & well-being. From this viewpoint we can observe a clear two-way communication going on between our body and mind that affects our physical, mental & emotional state. 

Affirmations (some good ones are listed in my last post) & meditation are both ways that help us deepen this understanding.  So be more kind to yourself and try using some affirmations, you may find it works wonders!  I've attached a great little bonus tutorial for you on Neuroplasticity, which really gives you the low-down on this truly fascinating phenomenon :

Next time I'll be looking deeper into how emotions effect us and how we can affect them.  

Over & Out,

Adam

Method 3. Short-Cuts to Rapidly Reduce Stress in your Working or Studying Environment, and Create Peace of Mind Now!

Hi all and a warm welcome back!

We are now at the end of the road on how to Rapidly Reduce Stress in your Working or Studying Environment, and Create Peace of Mind Now!

Picture Taken from Here

"I'll do the best I can." What is this exactly...POSITIVE THINKING! 

Picture Taken From Here

Sound's so simple doesn't it...but its incredibly effective at releasing stress and boosting self-esteem and self-confidence.  They're also incredibly able when you are ill, as they boost your belief that you will get better, sooner.

They are commonly referred to as an affirmation, which is defined as 'the assertion that something exists or is true." This method is extremely competent at breaking that negative state of being we call stress, and shifts us into a much more positive, relaxed state of being.

After becoming 'stuck' at University with looming deadlines and exams, I often found myself in this negative cycle of stress and couldn't figure out how to stop it! I purchased a brilliant book called It's The Thought That Counts by Dr. David Hamilton (currently only 6 left in stock, so get yours while you can!), which completely changed my relationship with stress. It taught me about affirmations, and how the subconscious mind believes what you tell it, as long as you are really congruent with your language.  To this day, I use affirmations on a daily basis.  

As I mentioned in my second Blog Post, its all about repetition, repetition, repetition - this is how the brain learns! If you're finding it hard, think back to a time when you had to memorise it, and you managed to do it. This will give you huge confidence moving forwards.

I've listed below my top 10 affirmations for you to try out in your head. See how they affect your body language, your mood, and your belief systems :

I can handle whatever comes my way

Today has endless possibilities

I release stress now

I release all restrictions

Challenges bring opportunities

I choose a positive frame of mind

Every day in every way I'm getting better and better

I'm feeling calmer and calmer

My intentions create my reality

I can make healthy choices

The great thing about affirmations is that they can literally be used on anything, from stress, to anxiety, to relationships, and so on. To add to this, simply writing these on a peace of paper is just as, if not more effective, than saying them in your head. Try both, see what works better.

So that's it for my Short-Cuts to Rapidly Reduce Stress in your Working or Studying Environment, and Create Peace of Mind Now! I really hope you've found them useful, both now and in the future.

If anyone has any requests on things they would like me to write on, just drop me a Facebook message. I can usually be found at : https://www.facebook.com/adam.lomax.73?ref=tn_tnmn

Thanks and farewell until next time,

Adam

Method 2. Short-Cuts to Rapidly Reduce Stress in your Working or Studying Environment, and Create Peace of Mind Now!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/laughter.htm

Stress relief from laughter? Yes, no joke. It was an age old question for me - why do people who laugh more appear happier, more relaxed, more in control, and in better health? 

What was the secret? What was the formula? 

http://mydailycafe.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Laughter.jpg

When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces some very powerful physical changes in your body. Wow, all that just from a short burst of laughter. It also promotes a healthier, more positive attitude, and at the end of the day, why would you want to resist happiness in your life?

Take yourself back to a time when you've had a good old chuckle - how did you feel? Lighter, lifted, happier, even relieved?
Laughter can :

Short-term effects :

• Stimulates many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activates and relieves your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothes tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects :

• Improves your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can impact your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
• Relieves pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter may also break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders.
• Increases personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.

It's even being recommended by The Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine as an approach to stimulate lymphatic health! I'm not saying go over the top here, but just a couple of chuckles a day, may well keep the doctor away.

A great clip here from the amazing Karl Pilkington attending a Laughter Yoga club in India, where laughter really is the best medicine.  

Remember, "A day without laughter, is a day wasted." Charlie Chaplin

Thanks for stopping by!

Adam

Meditation : Where Traditional Practice meets cutting edge Mind-Body Medicine

Shirley MacLaine once said, "Remember what people used to say about meditation? Now everyone is doing it." I wonder why..

Although Meditation Practitioners have known the benefits of meditation for thousands of years, it is only now that scientific research is beginning to prove that meditation has a positive effect on us at a physiological level. In this post I'm going to be exploring the science behind this ancient tradition and how it can be of benefit to our minds and bodies in the fast-paced Western society we live in today. 

Studies have proven that meditation is strongly associated with improvements in a number of psychological areas, which include depression, anxiety, cognitive function, alertness, and stress, amongst others. There is new research which also suggests that meditation reduces response to pain, as well as blood pressure, and even strengthens our immune systems. Isn't that incredible - we are actually using our minds to direct our bodies! 

But what does meditation actually do to the body to cause these changes? It all starts with the brain, or perhaps more precisely the subjective mind. 



Several MRI scans, taken of people's brains whilst meditating, have shown that the subject's brain wave goes into an alpha state. According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH), this "reduces activity in the sympathetic nervous system and increases activity in the parasympathetic nervous system," or equivalently, meditation produces a reduction in arousal and increase in relaxation. This 'relaxation response' includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry.

My particular area of interest relates to meditation and health, having suffered previous health issues myself. People with chronic illnesses have found vast improvements over time through regular practice of meditation. This has been achieved by simply sitting in a quiet room (not necessarily in the classic Buddhist pose!) for just 15 minutes a day, shutting their mind off from the external environment, and positively affirming to themselves!

Early research suggests this may be possible due to this practice reducing cortisol levels within our body, which is extremely important, bearing in mind that chronic-stimulation of cortisol and adrenalin causes our cells to break down. Meditation may also reduce anxiety within the subject, linked to the negative prognosis they may have received from their doctor.

Meditation is a truly fascinating area of Mind-Body Medicine, and we are just at the tip of the iceberg! As a daily meditator, I can't recommend it enough. To you I say, next time you are stressed or have an unresolved issue causing you anxiety, don't dwell on it..meditate! It's free and good for your health!

Thanks and Happy Reading!
Adam

p.s. if you're interested in taking meditation further, The London Meditation Centre does free fortnightly talks in Notting Hill Gate -

http://www.londonmeditationcentre.com/upcoming-meditation-courses/