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#14days of Wellbeing Round Up

We hope you have enjoyed the past 14 days! We loved sharing our wellbeing tips and tricks with you. If you would like to find out more, and to be informed about the next time we do the #14days of wellbeing, please sign up to  our newsletter!

The books that we have included, and you might like to delve into a little deeper, are:

SuperchargedGreen

 

Christine Bailey
The Supercharged Green Juice & Smoothie Diet
£10.99 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

 

AussieBody_front

 

Saimaa Miller
Aussie Body Diet
£14.99 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

 

index2

 

Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
£ 20.00 | Available from Nourish Books

 

 

 

 

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Boost your immunity with this green juice!

Immune Blast

Blast fat and enhance your immune health with this vibrant juice. Traditionally, chaga has been used to support the immune system, promote longevity and preserve youth. The addition of coconut oil helps to energize the body and support a healthy metabolism, boosting weight loss. Butternut squash and carrot are high in vitamin A, which is great for your vision, your skin and your immune system.

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp CHAGA MUSHROOM powder

300g/10 1/2 oz butternut squash, peeled

2 carrots

1 handful of spinach leaves

1 orange, peeled

1/2 tsp COCONUT OIL, melted

1 handful of ice cubes

Method:

Make a tea with the chaga by adding it to 150ml/5fl oz/scant 2/3 cup hot water. Stir and leave to cool. Put the squash, carrots, spinach and orange through an electric juicer. Pour into a blender and add the tea, oil and ice cubes. Process briefly, then serve immediately.

Nutritional information per serving

Kcals 243 | Protein 6.7g

Carbohydrates 47.8g, of which sugars 37.1g

Fat 2.8g, of which saturates 1.5g

 

Extracted from The Supercharged Green Juice and Smoothie Diet by Christine Bailey

 

SuperchargedGreen

 

Christine Bailey
The Supercharged Green Juice & Smoothie Diet
£10.99 | Available from Nourish Books

 

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Strawberry Biscuit Bomb

Belinda Hamblin is one of our readers, she loves cooking and inventing her own desserts. Here she tells about her latest delicious creation: Strawberry Biscuit Bomb. Belinda left her fabulous career as managing theatre, visual arts, music and creative projects to start a family. She became a cooking consultant and a self builder. She is a mother of three, and at the moment she is pondering whether to return to her artistic roots or to open her own cafe… or maybe both!

This is what she says about herself: I’m Belinda, who once had a fabulous career managing theatre, visual arts, music & creative projects… Then we decided to start a family & build houses & I became a Cooking Consultant & a Self Builder…  Now, I’m a mother of three, who is unsure about whether to return to my artistic roots or to open my own cafe… Or to… Oh gosh… Decisions, decisions…

So, I recently turned 40 and the hubby surprised me with a trip to Rome, without our three munchkins; yes, he organised three full day and nights of childcare and I was determined to make the most of it.
We literally ate and drank our way to every ancient monument and ruin the fabulous city had to offer… We had the time of our lives, but on the plane home, realisation hit… I’m now 40 and I’ve probably just eaten and drank quadruple my recommended daily allowance of salt, sugar, carbs, alcohol, saturated fats, etc, etc… I’m not in my 20s, where I’d burn said calories at the Camden Palace… I’m in my 40s and those said calories are going to set up house & home on my thighs, tummy & butt… Possibly forevermore.

I’m a real food obsessive; naughty, nice, but I also love healthy food. However, I do have to engage my brain more when consciously knocking up a healthy plate. I’ll happily gnaw my way through a Grilled Chicken Breast, Quinea & Salad… Nevertheless, once I’ve got through the healthy main, I soon start to fantasise about something sweet/naughty…

Love a slice of melon. Actually love all fruit, nuts and yogurts but they just don’t do it for me after a meal. I need ‘a dessert’. I need something that I can spoon into my chops. Something that I can chew, something that looks yummy. Not necessarily cooked, that’s the hubby’s obsession.

And so, I’ve started inventing my own desserts. I’m replacing all the naughties for healthier alternatives; for example, I’ve been swapping cream, creme freche and sour cream with quark. It’s naturally fat free & fabulous for cooking, baking & mixing. I’ve just knocked up a Strawberry Biscuit Bomb and  not only is it delicious and healthy, it looks a little naughty, which is always nice!

Now, I made a single portion so feel free to double, triple, quadruple the ingredients as required. There’s five of us in our house and I’ve got myself into a crazy routine of knocking out five different meals and five different desserts most evenings. This will stop. I just kind of get obsessed with experimenting and as a result have fashioned a family with the most demanding and differing palates. I know, I’ve only got myself to blame!

So, here goes…

Ingredients:
Faux biscuit layer – 30g oats, 20g pecans, 10g warmed honey, 20g organic coconut oil
Faux cream layer – 60g quark, a little zest & freshly squeezed juice of 1/4 an orange
Strawberry layer – 4 large crushed strawberries, a sprinkling of icing sugar

Method:

Recipe steps

  • Line a glass bowl or ramekin with cling film & freeze for at least 20 minutes.
  • Chop pecans & mix with oats, honey & coconut oil, set aside.
  • Mix quark, zest & juice in another bowl, set aside.

Strawberry Biscuit Bomb step 2

  • Mix crushed/chopped strawberries & icing sugar in another bowl, set aside.

Strawberry Biscuit Bomb step 3

  • Remove glass bowl/ramekin from freezer. To layer the bomb, pour the strawberry mix into the bottom of the ramekin/glass bowl.
  • Then layer the faux biscuit layer over the top & smooth with a spatula.
  • Lastly, spoon the faux cream layer over the top & return to the freezer for another 20 minutes.

To serve, invert the glass bowl or ramekin over a plate & gently remove the cling film. And, Ta-da, your bombe is ready to serve; looks impressive, tastes fab & it’s extremely low in fat. Now, where’s those after dinner mints.

Aussie Body Secrets – Movement

 

‘No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.’ – William Penn, 1644–1718

Move it or lose it. We’re designed to move, not sit at a desk all day. Movement eases tension, boosts circulation, stimulates the metabolism, releases endorphins, fires up the libido, wards off disease . . . the more you move, the more enriched your life will be. We all know how good exercise is for us, but we are so good at finding excuses not to do it. Exercise should be a habit, just like flossing or checking Instagram. There are no shortcuts; you can’t outsource it. But regular exercise doesn’t need to be a chore.

You don’t need to log hours in the gym, running on the treadmill like a hamster on a wheel. And you don’t need to pay a drill sergeant. Exercise can be anything you want it to be – the more varied the better. Just move your body. Some days you’re itching to put on your trainers; some days you’d rather defrost a fridge than exercise. I get it. Even on the difficult days, just try. Do something. Consistency is the key.

When you use your muscles for more than just lifting shopping bags, they increase in strength and size. They become less easily fatigued and work more efficiently. If you don’t use your muscles enough, they can literally waste and everything becomes difficult. When you exercise, your heart – the most important muscle – works harder to pump blood around, as there’s an increased need for oxygen. Your cardiovascular system becomes more efficient and better at circulating oxygen even when you’re stationary. Everything becomes  easier: climbing stairs, chasing after toddlers and, yep, carrying shopping bags.

Cardio Health
When we exercise, our hearts have to work more efficiently to pump the blood around as we need more oxygen for proper cell functioning. The more we exercise the more toned our cardiovascular systems become, circulating more oxygen even when we’re not exercising. This naturally stimulates a feeling of wellbeing, as I believe oxygen is alkalising to the blood.

The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is a network of tiny vessels and a major part of the immune system. It removes excess fluid – called lymph – from the tissues of our body, stops off at lymph nodes where white blood cells attack bacteria, microbes and cancer cells, then returns the filtered lymph to the bloodstream. If the lymphatic system isn’tworking properly, a range of illnesses can develop, such as oedema, glandular fever and even Hodgkin’s disease.

Unlike the bloodstream, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a built-in pump: it relies solely on muscular contraction to move the lymph in one direction (towards the heart). If you don’t move, the system breaks down. Activity, massage and dry skin brushing help to keep lymph moving.

Your Brain
Exercising not only helps with circulation, muscle growth and lymphatic drainage; it’s also essential for optimal cognitive function. When you work out, your blood transports more oxygen – food for your brain. In a study of 1.2 million Swedish men, fit twins scored higher IQs than their less-fit brothers. Exercise is also strongly associated with a reduced risk of dementia as it slows down the age-related shrinkage of the frontal cortex, which is important for memory and recall.

The relationship between exercise and mood is now well documented. Exercise stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and endorphins – chemicals that significantly lift your mood. It makes you feel good. Researchers believe regular exercise can help treat depression.

What’s more, exercise stimulates our brains to produce new neurons, and ‘anti-ageing’ hormones such as dehydroepiandrosterone and growth hormone. Each neuron is linked by synapses, which permit an electrical or chemical signal to pass through, allowing communication. Each time we repeat a thought or action (see Visualisation Practice, page 27), these synapses grow stronger.

Exercise helps us achieve our very best, inside and out. If you want it to, exercise can push boundaries, increase pain threshold and boost focus and tolerance. Overcoming physical challenges hones the mind. Top athletes are very determined characters because they constantly test their limits, make mindfulness part of their daily lives and never, ever give up.

Movement is vital to weight loss. Nothing new here. You simply need to follow this equation: expend more energy than you take in. Exercise more, eat less. And if you build more muscle through weight-bearing and resistance exercises, you’ll burn more calories when you’re doing nothing. Lucky for those of us who like to indulge!

If you diet but don’t exercise, you’ll still lose weight. But you’ll shed muscle as well as fat and when you regain weight, it all comes back as fat. Every time you lose muscle through dieting, you reduce your ability to burn fat. It only gets harder and harder to fight the fat. Cardiovascular exercise is important for everybody, but especially relevant to weight loss. It means working up to 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate (your MHR is roughly 220 minus your age). So if you’re running with a friend, you won’t be chatting.

Staying active is essential for cardiovascular health, preserving and building muscle and losing excess lard. In turn, your self-esteem shines. I won’t lie to you: it requires a bit of commitment and dedication. Make it easier on yourself by choosing an exercise schedule that suits your lifestyle. If you’ve got kids, play chase in the park for an hour. If you loathe gyms, buy a Pilates DVD. If your schedule’s busier than the Prime Minister’s, cycle or walk to work. If you can incorporate exercise into your routine, it will give you so many gifts. Your brain will be clearer; you’ll work smarter, not harder. You might even be able to leave work sooner and have more time for yourself. You might find you’re less snappy at the kids or your partner thanks to those wonderful happy hormones. You’ll feel more alive.

For optimum fitness, vary your type of sport, intensity and duration. Include conditioning as well as cardio. All athletes now incorporate some form of stretching or yoga as an essential part of their training. Yogis say, ‘You can tell the age of a person by the flexibility of their spine’, and it couldn’t be more true – as we age, our bodies become more acidic, and acidity makes us rigid. Stretching and yoga are deeply alkalising as they aid in oxygenating tissue, while removing metabolic acids, preventing injuries and keeping us youthful to boot.

If you want to know more about Aussie Body Diet, you can visit Saimaa’s Website or our website.

Aussie Body Diet

Saimaa Miller
Aussie Body Diet
£14.99, Available from Nourish Books

 

 

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Introducing… the 14 Days of Wellbeing from Watkins and Nourish

Reconnect with your resolutions with our 14 days of wellbeing! For the next 14 days we will be sharing some of the best advice from our books and authors to help you improve your wellness. From spirituality (on our Watkins sites), to health and diet,  we will be sharing some tips and advice with you to help you heighten your spiritual, mental and physical health for life. If you would like to be part of the campaign please keep an eye out on our social media, and follow the hashtag #14days!

Happy 14 days of wellbeing!

If you would like to follow us and share your wellbeing journey please follow us on the platforms below, and share your experience using #14days!

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/nourishbooks/

Twitter – @nourishbooks

Instagram – @nourishbooks

Avoiding Those Valentine Vices

The Right Bite‘s author Jackie Lynch, suggests some smart food and drink swaps to keep you on the straight and narrow in February.

When the shops start to feature large displays of pink champagne and mountains of foil-wrapped chocolate hearts, it can mean only one thing – Valentine’s Day is upon us, and the chocolate season is about to start in a big way.

Valentine’s really has become more of a season than just a single day which can quickly undermine any healthy habits you established in January, as there’s a whole host of tempting treats available in the shops for several weeks. Even if you don’t specifically celebrate Valentine’s, it can be hard to resist adding a chocolate treat or bottle of fizz to your shopping trolley from time to time, when they’re so easy to hand.

So what can you do to keep the damage to a minimum? Here are a few handy hints to help you to avoid the vices and make a virtue out of Valentine’s.

  1. Avoid champagne and other sparkling wine. This may seem the natural choice for a celebration, but unfortunately it’s really bad news for your waistline. Sparkling wine is incredibly high in sugar – just two standard 125ml glasses contain the equivalent of 3 teaspoons of sugar, and sugar really is the main culprit when it comes to gaining inches around your waist. If you’re looking to keep in shape but still want to enjoy some wine, you’d do far better to share a bottle of red with your beloved, as the sugar content is minimal, by comparison.
  2. Choose your chocolate with care. If you already know that a box of chocolates is on the cards for you on Valentine’s Day, then it’s time to start dropping hints about dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is often highly processed and usually contains about 5 times as much sugar as dark chocolate. The high levels of cocoa in dark chocolate give it a more bitter taste, which has the added bonus of meaning that you’re likely to eat less of it, especially if it’s in tablet form, rather than filled chocolates. Aim for at least 80% cocoa, as you’ll benefit from the flavonoids found in cocoa, protective plant compounds which are associated with supporting cardiovascular health and choose an organic product if possible, as this limits the exposure to toxins in the non-organic production process.
  3. Prepare a Valentine’s meal at home. Restaurants are usually more crowded and often a lot pricier around Valentine’s Day, so this could be a smart move on a number of fronts. Nutrition-wise it leaves you in control of your ingredients, cooking methods and portions. Consider grilling rather than frying a steak to keep fat content down. Steam rather than boil your vegetables, so that you retain higher levels of vitamins. Keep high-calorie starch, such as bread, rice and pasta to a minimum, as this is likely to sit heavily on your stomach, making you feeling quite sluggish and sleepy after dinner which could hinder any plans to get amorous!
  4. Don’t bake (or buy) a Valentine’s cake. Just one modest slice of cake contains the equivalent of about 8 teaspoons of sugar, and 350-400 calories and that’s without taking into account any icing. It’s really not the best choice if you want to keep on looking fabulous in that little black dress or your skinny jeans. Try strawberries dipped in melted dark chocolate instead – it’s not just the healthier option, it’s a far sexier and more decadent Valentine’s dessert than a slab of cake. And you don’t need to be an experienced cook, as it couldn’t be easier – just Google a recipe and give it a go.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

RightBite_cover

Jackie Lynch
The Right Bite
Available from March 2016
Preorder from Amazon now.

 

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Get Your Breakfast Right with Jo Pratt’s Vegetarian Recipes

Impress your family and friends with this delicious breakfast or brunch dishes. These recipes are easy to make at home or at work, and they are reach of healthy ingredients to energize your day. You can get more breakfast ideas reading Jo Pratt’s In the Mood for Healthy Food.

Poached eggs, tahini and pan-fried avocado

Once toasted, the crunch you get from the bread works really well with the soft egg and avocado. As for the tahini – it really tops off the dish. This protein-rich paste made from ground sesame seeds gives some real oomph. If you’ve not already tried pan-frying avocado, then you must give this recipe a go. It has a smoky taste, similar to that of mild smoked bacon, so it’s perfect with eggs for a late breakfast or brunch.

In the mood for healthy food Jo Pratt

Serves: 4 (or 2 very hungry people)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 eggs
2 tbsp olive or coconut oil
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1cm/½in thick slices
4 thick slices of fresh bread (such as sourdough or rye bread)
3 tbsp tahini, plus extra to serve
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method:

  • Bring a medium to large pan of water to the boil over a medium-high heat and add the white wine vinegar.
  • Break in the eggs one at a time and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  • Cook for 2–3 minutes until the whites are set.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the avocado slices and fry for about 1–2 minutes on each side until slightly golden. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
  • Toast the bread until golden. Spread each slice with tahini, then top with the avocado slices. Remove the poached eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon.
  • Dry any excess water with paper towels and then put the eggs on top of the toasts.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Scatter with the sumac and sesame seeds, then serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little more tahini.

Turmeric and coriander omelettes with chilli tomatoes

This is certainly a breakfast or brunch dish that’s not lacking in flavour or colour, and is guaranteed to impress whoever you make it for. Turmeric gives the omelette a vibrant yellow colour and a mellow spiced flavour, and is said to have powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that could potentially ward off some pretty horrible things.

2014.12

Serves:  2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
4 tsp olive oil
For the chilli tomatoes:
4 tsp olive oil
200g/7oz/1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, crushed
a pinch of dried chilli/hot pepper flakes
1 tsp nigella seeds
2 large handfuls of spinach leaves, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

  • To make the chilli tomatoes, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil.
  • When hot, add the tomatoes and garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes until the tomatoes start to soften, then stir in the dried chilli/hot pepper flakes and nigella seeds and season with salt and pepper.
  • Continue to cook for 2–3 minutes until the tomatoes are squishy. Finally, stir in the spinach until it’s wilted, then keep warm while you make the omelettes.
  • Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the turmeric and coriander/cilantro, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a small non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the oil and swirl around to coat the base and sides of the pan.
  • Pour half of the egg mixture into the pan. Move around in the pan with the base of a fork (taking care not to scratch your pan) until you have a soft scrambled consistency.
  • Now leave the omelette to finish cooking so the egg is just set – this should only take a minute or so. Keep warm while you make the second omelette with the remaining egg mixture.
  • Transfer the omelettes to plates. Spoon half of the chilli tomatoes and spinach onto one side of each omelette.

 

index

 

Jo Pratt
In the Mood for Healthy Food
£ 20.00, available from Nourish Books

 

New Year, New You

Are you looking for a detox plan to get rid of the excess of the festive season? Here Jackie Lynch gives you some easy and efficient tips to help you get back on track.

When you’re feeling sluggish after the festive season, it’s easy to be tempted by the promises of rapid weight loss, glowing skin and boundless energy which feature in so many of the January ‘detoxes’ that are all over the media. Health professionals all agree that a short-term detox followed by a return to the old regime is medically futile as it simply doesn’t work in the long-term.

Your body is likely to benefit far more from a small permanent change than a rollercoaster of feast and famine. It’s much less stressful for you and your body to pick one key change and stick to it, so choose your favourite of these health-boosting ideas and try it out throughout 2016.

new year new you

  1. Commit to 3 consecutive alcohol-free days per week. This will have a far more beneficial impact than gritting your teeth through a ‘dry January’ and then partying on for the rest of the year. The liver is responsible for up to 500 vital functions in the body – if it spends all its time ‘detoxing’ then it doesn’t have time to focus on other very important jobs, such as processing hormones, fat metabolism and energy production. Three clear days of catch-up time for your liver can reap dividends in terms of energy levels, skin health and the quality of your sleep, to name but a few benefits. If you make a habit of this you’ll find that you’re feeling fitter, more vibrant and more productive all year round.
  2. Change the ratio of your 5-a-day so that the balance is 4:1 in favour of vegetables instead of fruit. You’re really missing a trick if your 5-a-day is mostly made up of fruit, as vegetables tend to be far richer in protective antioxidants and they contain much less sugar. They’re also full of fibre which promotes healthy digestion, hormone balance and sustained blood sugar levels and they’re a great source of energy and mood-boosting B vitamins, which put a real spring in your step. Soups, casseroles and stir-fries are easy ways to increase your vegetable intake in the winter, without too much effort, as you can just throw them in and let them cook. You could consider investing in a juicer, as this is a great way to have a whole range of vegetables in one hit. Veg-based snacks are another easy option to help reach your target: think houmous or guacamole with carrots or cucumber, for example.
  3. Audit your caffeine intake. If your cumulative daily intake exceeds 4 cups of tea, coffee or caffeinated sodas, then you’re having too much. Consider how you can reduce your intake and set yourself a realistic daily target – for example, if your morning coffee is non-negotiable, then try halving the dose by asking for one shot instead of two at the coffee bar or think about avoiding caffeine at other times of the day instead. Find a herbal or fruit tea that you like, and drink this in the afternoon. Try sparkling water with cordial as an alternative soft drink, and choose non-caffeinated mixers for alcohol, such as tonic or soda water. If you can manage to even halve your caffeine intake, you will start to see quite a difference: caffeine has a very powerful influence on the body, increasing the heart rate and impacting blood pressure. Excess caffeine affects the nervous system, resulting in poor quality sleep and impacting mood and energy levels.
  4. Reduce the amount of wheat you eat. Can you feel your digestion knotting or tightening when you get stressed? If so, this could be very effective for you. Wheat can be a real irritant to a sensitive gut, so (even if you’re not actually intolerant to wheat), you may find that you benefit from cutting it down in times of stress. If you’re regularly having cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner, then that’s quite a burden for your digestive system. Try eliminating wheat from one or two meals by having an oat-based cereal or porridge for breakfast, a rye bread sandwich or soup for lunch or swapping pasta for rice at dinner time. These small changes could reduce that niggling bloating you experience, making you feel a lot less lethargic and a lot more comfortable.

Good luck, and wishing you a happy and healthy 2016!

RightBite_cover

Jackie Lynch
The Right Bite
Available from March 2016
Preorder from Amazon now.

 

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What’s Your Hunger Type? – Lose Weight This Year With Lowri Turner’s New Book

HungerTypeDiet_PB_US_CMYK

 

With so many diet books on the shelf, it can be daunting to pick one. Most of these books promote one type of diet for all, but what about the diet that is designed specifically for YOU? With her newest book, The Hunger Type Diet, journalist and trained nutritionist Lowri Turner has the answer to this question!

We are all different – physically, mentally, and hormonally – and all of these factors contribute to how and what we eat.

Rather than blame yourself for past failed diets, it’s time to look at hunger in a different light. In reality, there are several kinds of hunger. There is genuine physical hunger; which we all know by the stomach pains. But the trouble is that there are other kinds of hunger; the kinds that cause weight gain.

The key is discovering your own “Hunger Type” – and following Turner’s simple diet plan and tips geared towards YOU.

So, what’s your Hunger Type?

  1. Anxious Hunger

Do you snack compulsively when you feel anxious or worried? When you are anxious or worried do you make yourself a big meal, eat it and still want to eat more? Do you eat at night, even getting up to eat a snack? If you have Anxious Hunger, you eat to quell fears and worries.

  1. Bored Hunger

We all get bored from time to time. But rather than take up a hobby, some of us eat instead. Bored Hunger has nothing to do with food enjoyment. Often the food you end up eating when you’re bored is pretty grim. Because you’re trying to pretend you’re not actually eating (because you’re not physically hungry), you don’t cook a balanced meal. Instead, you graze on things that are convenient—potato chips, cookies and other snacks.

  1. Cravings Hunger

Are there times when you have to eat a certain food; when you’re really driven to it? Are there certain foods that call to you from the kitchen cupboards? Do your efforts to lose weight fail because of a few food favorites that you just can’t resist? You may have Cravings Hunger. The desire for these foods isn’t a whim. Those who have Cravings Hunger are ruled by cravings.

  1. Emotional Hunger

If you have Emotional Hunger, you use food to manage your emotions. Uncomfortable emotions, such as anger, fear, sadness and guilt are pushed down, or tranquilized, with food. If you crave foods like chocolate, cakes and cookies, and particularly bread, potatoes, pasta and wine, then you may have Emotional Hunger.

  1. Hedonistic Hunger

Do you eat a meal, feel full, but then find yourself reaching for dessert? You love to cook, and eat at new restaurants—is food your passion? On the surface, Hedonistic Hunger sounds like fun. In reality, it causes overeating and weight gain.

  1. Never-Full Hunger

Do you eat a meal and never feel really satisfied or full? Do you find that your meals are bigger than most? If you have Never-Full Hunger, you may eat big meals, but for you they don’t even begin to satisfy.

  1. PMS Hunger

This one’s for the ladies! Let’s face it: we all get hormonal when Aunt Flow comes to town. And who among us can say we don’t reach for chocolate on those bad PMS days? However, the rise and fall of a woman’s hormones not only controls a her fertility, but it also has a huge effect on her mood, her eating and how much of what she eats gets stored as fat—and even where it’s stored. If you find yourself craving sweets and other unhealthy treats during your menstruation, you may have PMS Hunger.

  1. Stress Hunger

Have you been through a major stressor in the few years? Do you feel tired at about 6 PM, but then have a “second wind” late at night? Have you gained weight around your midsection? You may think that Anxious Hunger and Stress Hunger are the same thing, but although stress can cause anxiety, the root cause is different. Whereas Anxious Hunger (see page 26) stems from an overstimulation of the limbic system and a possible deficiency of the neurotransmitter GABA, Stress Hunger is marked by an overstimulation of the adrenal glands and a possible excess of another hormone called cortisol.

  1. Tired Hunger

Do you have trouble getting to sleep, or do you wake in the night? Do you work shifts, travel to different time zones or have a young baby? Do you eat to give yourself energy to get through the day? Those who have Tired Hunger use food to lift themselves up, to give them mental and physical energy.

  1. Winter-Blues Hunger

Does cold winter weather make you feel down? Do you eat more comfort foods in winter, and subsequently put on weight? Winter-Blues Hunger is another variant of Emotional Hunger. It is driven by the same hormone —serotonin—although it only happens during winter months and is connected to sunlight. A Vitamin D rich diet is what you need!

  1. 40+ Hunger

Are you between 40 and 55? Have you started putting on weight, particularly around your middle, and you don’t know why? Has your appetite increased or are you now craving specific foods? There are particular hormonal challenges for men and women when they reach this age group and some of them effect eating habits and weight gain. For men and women who have 40+ Hunger, correcting hormonal imbalance is key.

Now that you know your Hunger Type, order this exciting new diet book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Or get it on your Kindle or Nook!

New Juices App

The first app from Nourish has over 400 recipes for juices, smoothies and quenchers (including teas). Add recipes to your favourites or to a shopping list! Why not try out one of the suggested juice programs, or perhaps compile a juice program of your choice?

Description:

Bestselling Food & Drink App in more than 20 Countries

With over 400 juice and smoothie recipes specially designed by nutritionist Natalie Savona, the Juices app is the perfect partner in your quest to be healthier!

For less than the cost of one supermarket juice or smoothie, you can:

– Choose from 400+ juice, smoothie and quencher recipes that will help you lose weight, boost immunity, digestion, energy, and clear your complexion.

– Add ingredients from your favourite recipes to a built-in shopping list so you won’t forget anything.
– Try one of our expertly crafted juice diet programmes or design your own.

– Create delicious, healthy drinks from exotic papaya, the humble apple and many more!

The Juices app is brought to you by Nourish, expert publishers in nutritional health, wellness and cookery books.

Get it from iTunes here!

A decadent last supper before you start that New Year diet

ChickenCasserole

Indulge yourself this weekend in a modern approach to French cooking with this Smoked Chicken, Courgette, Garlic and Rosemary Casserole from Daniel Galmiche’s Revolutionary French Cooking.

Smoked Chicken, Courgette, Garlic and Rosemary Casserole

Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 50 minutes

100g/3 1/2 oz/ 1/2 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp green tea
2 tsp caster sugar
4 chicken legs, with thighs and drumsticks separated
20g/ 3/4 oz unsalted butter
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp olive oil
400g/14oz courgettes, cut in half lengthways, then cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
12 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4 tbsp sherry vinegar
500ml/17fl oz/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 rosemary sprig
1 tsp chopped rosemary leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A steamer works perfectly as a smoker so, if you have one, do give this recipe a try. You put the smoking mix in the bottom and the chicken in the top, but do keep it on a low heat – you don’t want your smoke alarm to go off, so take it easy and don’t get too excited! The green tea will bring a lovely flavour to the chicken, which will infuse into the courgettes. It’s almost as if you’d grilled the courgettes as it recalls that wonderful, smoky scent.

  1. Put a large piece of kitchen foil, shiny-side down, in the bottom of a steamer, then put the rice, tea and sugar on the foil, cover with a steamer insert and lid and put over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture starts smoking. Quickly lift the lid and put all the chicken inside. Put the lid back on, turn the heat down to low and smoke for 5 minutes. Lift out the chicken and put on a plate to rest, wrapping the smoking ingredients in the foil and discarding them as quickly as you can.
  2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put a flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Add the butter and sunflower oil and when the butter is foaming, add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for 6–8 minutes until golden brown all over, turning occasionally. Remove from the pan and put in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest.
  3. Discard the oil from the casserole dish and lightly wipe the excess away with kitchen paper, taking care not to disturb the sediment. Return the dish to a medium-low heat, add the olive oil, courgettes and garlic and cook gently for 4–5 minutes until coloured but only just tender.
  4. Move the courgettes to the sides of the pan and put the chicken pieces in the centre to reheat. Turn the heat up to medium and when you can actually hear the food starting to cook, add the sherry vinegar straight away; it should evaporate immediately. Quickly pour the stock over the top and throw in the rosemary sprig. When the stock comes to a simmer, gently wriggle the pan around a little so that nothing is stuck to the bottom, then put the lid on top without closing it completely – you just want a little gap so that condensation doesn’t create too much liquid, but not too large so that the liquid evaporates. Cook for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the lid and discard the rosemary. Turn the heat to high and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring to remove any caramelised bits stuck to the bottom, until the sauce is shiny and just thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Add the chopped rosemary and season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve hot. Guests can squeeze the garlic out of the skins into the dish.

Want to try more revolutionary French recipes? Invest in Daniel Galmiche’s Revolutionary French Cooking.

Find our what drives your appetite before you start that diet

HungerType

The Hunger Type Diet draws on the latest scientific research to help you identify exactly what is driving your over-eating. Take the quiz below to find out which Hunger Type is the most appropriate for you! Remember, you may be more than one Hunger Type, which would mean that you can combine one or more Food Plans for your Hunger Type Diet.

Quiz

Please read the following questions, answering yes or no to each, then go to Find Your Hunger Type to find out what your answers mean.

1 My mother was a ‘worrier’, and so am I.
2 I suffer from headaches, indigestion, fast heartbeat, IBS, panic attacks or insomnia.
3 I eat quickly, sometimes not really realising I am doing it until the food is gone.

4 Evenings and weekends are my danger time for overeating.
5 I eat in front of the computer, TV or in the car.
6 I am a snacker or grazer.

7 I am an ‘all or nothing’ person.
8 An open packet of biscuits is an empty packet of biscuits. I cannot just eat one.
9 Someone in my family has a history of problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, sex, computer games, or was/is a heavy smoker, or moved house or country frequently.

10 When I am upset, I eat to make myself feel better.
11 My favourite foods are bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.
12 I know I can relax when it gets to ‘wine o’clock’.

13 Dessert is my favourite part of a meal.
14 I love cooking and eating out. I consider myself a foodie.
15 Diet food is boring, so I find it hard to stick to a weight-loss plan in the long term.

16 There is no ‘off’ button for me with food. I never feel full.
17 I am more than a stone overweight.
18 I eat bigger meals than other people.

19 Usually, I eat well, but in the days before my period, I binge on sugar.
20 I have a history of endometriosis and/or ovarian cysts.
21 I have always been curvy, with a D-cup bra size or larger.

22 I ‘run’ on tea/coffee or diet cola.
23 Although I feel tired by about 6pm, I get a second wind around 10pm and can stay up late.
24 My favourite snacks are crisps, peanuts or other salty/highly flavoured foods.

25 Sleep is a problem for me. I either can’t get to sleep or I wake in the night.
26 My job involves foreign travel, shifts and/or I have a young baby.
27 Food gives me energy to get through the day.

28 I tend to put on weight in the winter.
29 Sunshine cheers me up and I feel happiest on a beach holiday.
30 When it’s dark outside, all I want to do is stay in bed.

31 I am over 40.
32 I have never had to worry about my weight, but now I can’t stop eating.
33 My doctor has suggested that I take HRT (women) or statins (men).

Now let’s find your Hunger Type

Answered yes to two or more in questions 1–3? You are an Anxious Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 4–6? You are a Bored Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 7–9? You are a Cravings Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 10–12? You are an Emotional Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 13–15? You are a Hedonistic Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 16–18? You are a Never-Full Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 19–21? You are a PMS Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 22–24? You are a Stress Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 25–27? You are a Tired Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 28–30? You are a Winter-Blues Hunger Type
Answered yes to two or more in questions 31–33? You are a 40+ Hunger Type

Eek! My answers say I’m more than one hunger type! Not to worry this is very common and you can still find an eating plan that will work for you.

For more information and to find out what meals you should be eating for your Hunger Type read The Hunger Type Diet by Lowri Turner.

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