1. Reassess your food choices, how and when your fueling your body
 
Some people think snacking can be a good way to shed kilos, and it can be, provided you don't also binge when you get home from work (for those that live on coffee and sugar throughout the day and then go crazy binge-style at night! I know I've been there!). If this is you, then preparing and eating balanced meals (containing all macronutrients; carbs, fats and protein) throughout the day can curb cravings and deter binge eating at night by sustaining blood sugar levels so your energy is consistent throughout the day.

Also by replacing processed, sugary and fatty foods which contain empty calories (meaning there's little or no nutritional value) with whole foods (containing all your macro and micronutrients as well as minerals) will help your body function better and improve your mood and energy levels.

2. Turn off your TV and electronic devices!

Its easy to get caught up in the drama and fantasy of other people's lives while watching television or sitting scrolling through social media. This is a modern day procrastination and aversion tool which can lead to increased anxiety and poor sleeping habits especially if you're someone who sits on your phone or laptop in bed or you have a TV in your bedroom. It also creates disconnect from true interaction with loved ones and the present moment (in reality the only moment we have!).

Limiting time on electronic devices and TV frees up time to focus on connection to yourself, your loved one, your goals, and what truely matters in your life and is time gained to allow for relaxation or being more productive working towards where you want to grow.

3. Decrease Caffeine and Increase Water

A lot of us rely on our morning coffee to give us energy and help us focus throughout the day but when the effects of the caffeine wear off it can make us feel lethargic and foggy.

Not only is caffeine addictive it is also really dehydrating to our tissues. It can also affect our digestion and a lot of people rely on caffeine to empty their bowels.

Replace coffee with water to avoid these negative effects and give every cell in your body the best chance to function optimally.  

4. There's no better time to start than now
​
A lot of us look for the perfect time to make changes or start a new goal, but in reality it's usually just procrastination or some kind of aversion in our mind. We might look to an external motivator such as New Years to make resolutions and begin trying to achieve our goals.

In reality you don't need an external source, as the only person who can make the change is you! That change may come from simply taking action today, whether its using one of the steps above, waking up a little earlier to get your morning walk in, or finding someone who can help with the blocks you have preventing you from achieving your goals. Now is the time to get moving!

This pudding is a little taste of summer in your mouth while being sugar, gluten and dairy free and low in fat!
Perfect as a dessert or brekky on the go.

(NOTE: recipe can be made with protein powder to meet your macro requirements but if you're looking for an indulgent treat it tastes delicious as is)

​Ingredients: 
- 3 cups water
- 3/4 cup sago
- 1 bud star anise
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 165g light coconut milk
- 2 mangoes
- 1 1/2 tbsp stevia
- 1 serve vanilla protein powder (optional)

Directions:
- place water into a saucepan and bring to boil
- add sago and stir through water
- add star anise, vanilla and stevia
- cook on low to medium heat and continue to stir sago so it doesn't stick to the pan 
- add coconut milk as mixture starts to thicken and continue to stir and cook for 10-15mins
- peel and chop mangoes and blend in a nutri bullet or blender and keep aside
- OPTIONAL: once sago is soft and mixture has thickened remove from heat and whisk protein powder through (NOTE: there still needs to be enough water in the mixture so pudding doesn't go too gluey)
- pour mixture into glasses and place in fridge for 20 mins
- take puddings out of the fridge and pour blended mango over the puddings and serve or place puddings back into fridge to cool and serve cold

Mixture makes 4 serves

Macros: P: 10g, C:37g, F:2.7g (includes protein powder)

I have to admit, I'm a baked goods fan!
I'm also time poor and like something I can eat on the run.  
These bad boys are full of protein, low in fat, and give you a carb fix without blowing your sugar or carb intake. Did I mention they're also gluten and dairy free!
One of my favourite on-the-go brekkie or snack choices.
You'll find this recipe and more in my customised nutrition plans.
​
(Photo credit to Leila Cranswick, one of my clients who has been following my customised nutrition plan and is looking fabulous!)

Vanilla and Blueberry Protein Muffins
 
Ingredients:

• 2 serves vanilla vegan protein powder (I use Prana Vegan Protein Powder)
• ½ cup almond meal
• ½ cup coconut flour
• ¾ cup almond milk
• 2 eggs
• 7 egg whites
• 1 cup blueberries
• Stevia to sweeten (I don’t use as Prana protein already has a lot in it but if you like added sweetness or your protein powder doesn't have much flavour then add some!)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Olive oil spray
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• Lightly spray muffin tray with olive oil spray or use paper muffin liners
• Add all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl
• Whisk eggs and egg whites in a smaller bowl until aerated
• Add egg mixture and almond milk to dry ingredients to form a smooth paste
• Divide mixture into muffin tray
• Bake for 20mins or until you can pierce with a fork and it comes out clean
• Cool and serve or freeze for prep

 
Makes 6 muffins
Macros: P: 17g, C: 14.9g, F: 3.5g
​
Note: This recipe is using Prana vegan protein powder which is dairy and gluten free. All whey protein powders contains dairy and some brands may have gluten in them. Always check the ingredients!

Have you ever woke up with a stiff neck, stretched or turned your head and all of a sudden it ceases up?
​
Yes you can relate?

Acute neck spasm or 'wry neck' is usually caused by a stiff facet joint in your spine that when put under pressure either when you sleep on it or if you turn your head or stretch your neck in a particular direction, will cause an inflammatory response within the joint capsule.

The surrounding muscles that move that joint will then subsequently go into spasm as a protective mechanism to stop you from further loading the joint. 

Unfortunately once the inflammation sets in, depending on how severe the restriction is, will depend on how long it takes for the problem to resolve and this can you leave you in pain and immobile from your usual daily activity. 

Frustrating right?

Here are my tips to a speedy recovery from acute neck spasm and how to lessen the likely-hood of getting into this predicament in the first place:

Don't Panic: the natural reaction to pain or spasm is to panic. When we panic our muscles respond by contracting and this will exacerbate the spasm. If you feel pain take a few gentle and slow breaths, allow your shoulders and neck to relax. Breath into the pain. 

Move: this will feel counter-intuitive but when you breath, relax as much as possible, slowly start to move your head, rotating, side bending, flexing and extending. Take your head and neck through your pain tolerable range will give feedback to the muscles that it is safe to let go and this can help to reduce the spasm. 

Use Hot and Cold Packs: Use hot and cold packs on the area, 5 minutes of ice followed by 5 minutes of heat and repeat 3 times over 30 minutes, 3 times per day for up to 72 hours. The cold will help to reduce the inflammation and the heat will help to relax the muscles. Both combined will work as an analgesic to alleviate pain. 

Recognise what causes your neck stiffness and get your spine checked regularly: what I find treating patients with acute neck spasm is although the condition is acute (quick onset and short term), there is usually a chronically (long term) tight or restricted postural pattern. This chronic pattern can be due to poor sleeping habits (falling asleep on the couch or stomach sleeping), poor work ergonomics (working on a laptop, tablet or using multiple monitors), phone addiction (the turtles you see on the train, in the car, wherever, totally consumed in their social media, emails, on call with their shoulder hiked up to their ear holding the phone etc.) and stress; most people hold stress and therefore tension in their neck and shoulders and this can hold us in a chronic stress pattern. 

When we become aware of our habits we have the ability to change them......STOP! Put the phone down! 

Maintenance osteo treatment helps correct strain patterns in the body, allowing the tissues to be restored to optimal function and reduce the likely hood of developing an acute neck spasm.

At the first sign of a twinge (not when you're completely incapacitated!) call your osteo and get your neck sorted. 

Losing weight and keeping it off can be challenging. With summer and the warm weather behind us, we can start to feel the bulge with eating more and moving less.

The last few kilos can be the toughest to shed and keeping it off is even more challenging especially when we have a lot of external stresses around us.

Here are some tips for staying on track to losing and keeping the last few kilos off!

Visualise: If you can’t imagine yourself leaner you will not get leaner. The power of the mind is imperative when it comes to weight loss! If you have an old photo of yourself as you’d like to look keep it close by; in your wallet or on your fridge. The next time you go to grab a poor food choice look at the photo for motivation not to take a bite.

Value what you want to create more than what you want in the moment: once you’ve set the intention to lose weight, you have to be committed to taking steps towards it day by day and these may be little changes. Cutting out sugar from your coffee or getting up 30mins earlier to go for a run are examples. Each time you practice the steps, the more deeply it gets ingrained. Where most people fail is giving up when they’ve gotten distracted or stressed, they’ve had a binge and quit.

The thing is everyone has slips ups or setbacks. You just have to come back to the intention or goal you set and recommit to it. Those distractions whether it be eating a block of chocolate because you’ve had a bad day or you’re ‘too busy’ looking after your kids and reach for an unhealthy option because you ‘don’t have time for yourself’ are us feeding into our story of why we can’t or shouldn’t keep going. Buying into the story gets you know where. It’s just fear of our ego that likes to stay comfortable.

Question how much do you buy into your story? Is it real or just a distraction from you achieving your goals?   Value your goals more than the distraction in the moment, the aversion, the pleasure in the moment and remember Rome was not built in a day. Neither is a new body!

Do a clean out: autumn is a great time to consolidate and organise, and what better time than to clean out and organise your kitchen pantry and fridge. The saying, ‘you are a reflection of your surroundings’ rings true. Have a think about your pantry and fridge. Is it organised and clean or stuffed to the brim with old food and mess? The state of your fridge and pantry could resemble the state of your mind when it comes to your relationship with food.

Taking the time to throw away old, unhealthy, processed or out-of-date foods and re-organising all the healthy foods you’re going to nourish your body with can instantly making you feel lighter and prepared for what goes in your mouth.

Eat slowly and mindfully: Easter is just around the corner and the temptation to eat chocolate is everywhere. Totally depriving yourself can lead to a binge. By eating small amounts of naughty foods isn’t so bad if you can stop when you should. Try 3 Easter eggs instead of the whole packet. Try eating slowly, smell the food, when you eat it, chew slowly and observe the texture and taste.

You may even find by doing this the urgency to stuff more down and repeatedly keep eating lessens. As we become mindful of the taste and texture the urgency to keep eating lessens and we may find that the build-up in our mind of how good the food will taste, in actual fact isn’t as desirable in reality.

It’s never too late to get back on the wagon. If you have a slip up, it’s not an excuse to quit. Consistency is key to losing weight and keeping it off. Even if you have a bad day you can always make a healthy choice for the next meal. The more you practice making good choices, being consistent you’ll lose kilos and be better equipped to keep it off. 

​The holiday break 'should' be a joyous time shared with loved ones but sometimes it can also bring up a little anxiety. 

All of those people that are most precious in our lives can also trigger us the most. I find every time I have a family gathering we all revert into old habits within the family dynamic.

We all have our so-called place! But the reality is it doesn't have to be the same chaotic, anxiety-filled time if you don't want it to be. Holidays spent with loved ones can be a great opportunity to practice self-awareness, empathy, and gratitude. 

Here are my top tips for getting you through and even enjoying the holiday break with family.....

Identify the what, why and how associated with your anxiety.

What is it that makes you anxious about spending time with the family? Is it based around a particular person or the dynamic of people coming together in one confined space? Or maybe you aren't spending time with loved ones, maybe there's been a transition and you're feeling overwhelmed at what the holiday will be like without your loved ones around.

Why does that make you feel anxious?

Use the holiday as practice of self-awareness.

Yes there's something to be learnt from your self-centred aunt or opinionated father in law! At the end of the day no one forces us to feel anything. We subconsciously choose what we feel and how we react and usually that thing that we don't like or hide away from stems from something we are struggling to identify or accept in ourselves.

Gratitude and empathy come from the same place.

So how can you change the situation at hand? Make a gratitude list. Finding 5 things that you’re grateful for in your life before you enter the dynamic helps to centre your energy and change your perspective from tunnel vision of the day at hand, towards the bigger picture.

When we focus on what we have and what is right and good in our lives the negative stuff that causes the anxiety doesn't seem so big anymore. It lightens the spring in our step into any situation and we're less likely to react from that negative place, getting caught up in petty arguments and bickering and observing from a more calm and positive space.

When we're in a positive, grateful space we are more likely to be able to forgive and show empathy and understanding to even the most annoying, triggering person. The negative traits cool, we can place ourselves in their shoes and we can love the person for their being, not for what they have or haven't done in the past. 

Connect to the meaning for coming together these holidays. It's all about sharing and offering gratitude for the special people that we’ve lived life with, learnt big lessons and gifts from, and who have been pivotal in forming who we are today.

 
Say hello to the Sun!

We know that getting sun exposure boosts our vitamin D levels, essential for a healthy immune system, supports most metabolic functions in the body, aids neuromuscular transmission, and bone mineralisation. 


A lot of us have been struck this winter with numerous bouts of cold or flu. Soaking in spring's first rays of sun will help give your immune system fight against any lingering pathogens.

Sun exposure also balances our serotonin and melatonin levels which brings me to my next tip...

Reassess your Sleep Patterns

As diurnal creatures we are programmed to be outdoors while the sun is shining and home in bed at night. This is why melatonin (a hormone which helps us sleep) is produced during the dark hours and stops with optic exposure to daylight. This hormone is a key pacesetter for many of the body’s circadian rhythms and plays an important role in countering infection, inflammation, cancer, and auto-immunity. (Mead, 2008) Melatonin has also been found to suppress body weight and intra-abdominal fat in rats. (Hanson et. al. 2011)

When people are exposed to sunlight or very bright artificial light in the morning, their nocturnal melatonin production occurs sooner, and they ease into sleep more readily at night. Exposure to bright morning light has been effective against insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The precursor of melatonin is serotonin, which is also affected by exposure to daylight. Serotonin (our 'feel good' neurotransmitter) is produced in the day and is only converted to melatonin in darkness. Moderately high serotonin levels result in more positive moods and focused mental outlook. 

Our modern-day lives can keep us cooped up indoors during the day and we stay up late at night which plays havoc with our ability to sleep well, depleting our energy levels and affects our mood. 

Getting direct sun exposure is a thousand times more potent than indirect sun light and will boost serotonin levels to then be able to produce melatonin to sleep well and repair at night. Honouring your body's natural circadian rhythms is a key to unlocking your body’s natural energy source.

We only have one more week until day light saving starts. This means longer days and earlier starts. Take advantage of the spring sun, soak up its goodness, preferably first thing in the morning, and remember to slip, slop, slap with an SPF if you’re going to be out for more than 10 minutes at a time.
 
Spring Cleanse

Many of the metabolic processes mentioned above, rely on a healthy digestive system to absorb nutrients from the food we eat, this absorption occurring in our intestines, liver and kidneys predominantly.

Research has shown that doing short-term (3-5 days) fasting or dietary restriction (DR) can help to reset the body's metabolism and immune system in mammals and cancers patients.

Both DR and fasting promote stress resistance by down-regulating conserved nutrient-signalling proteins, or by activating stress resistance transcription factors negatively regulated by these pro-aging pathways. These pathways have many regulatory effects including those on cellular growth, metabolism and protection against oxidants and other toxins (Lee and Longo, 2011).

Fasting and gluten-free vegetarian diet has also shown to have long term reduction of pain, swelling and joint inflammation symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. (Kraugh et. al. 1991)

Currently there is not much research on the effects of fasting in healthy populations but there is research to suggest fasting increases melatonin levels in rats, and we can postulate that melatonin production is partly responsible for weight control. Not only is fasting giving your body a rest, reserving energy that would normally be spent on digesting food, you are protecting your body against disease-causing oxidants and toxins, rebooting your metabolism, increasing your natural energy and assisting weight reduction.

Cleansing doesn’t need to be extreme. Simply cutting back on half your daily intake of food two days per week or swapping one meal per day (for two weeks) with a green juice or other healthy, low calorie option can reset your metabolism and over time increase your energy levels.

So getting daily, direct sun exposure, sleep at a reasonable hour, and giving your gut a ‘spring clean’ are all essential ingredients to help you function at your best. Implement these 3 key tips to reveal a more energised, happier you!

Breast feeding provides bubs with all the nutritional components necessary for their healthy development and has long term health benefits including a reduced incidence of obesity, juvenile diabetes and heart disease.

Not only does breast feeding benefit bubs it also has health benefits for mums including the ongoing release of oxytocin which helps the body return to its pre pregnancy state.

The majority of mums and bubs are able to breast feed but there are components on both sides that are required for successful breast feeding.
The baby’s ability to receive milk depends upon the mechanics of the baby’s skull, jaw and neck, the nerve supply to the area, and central nervous system considerations. These factors apply with bottle and other means of feeding also.

For mums to be able produce milk, release it from the breast and pass it onto bub, requires sufficient mechanics of the pectoral girdle, thoracic spine and outlet, sufficient hormonal control, nerve and blood supply, and lymphatic drainage.

Some signs to look for if you’re having difficulty with breast feeding or attachment are:

• Bub has more difficulty feeding off one breast in comparison to the other
• A lack of co-ordination of sucking, swallowing and breathing (lack of rhythmic suck, suck, swallow)
• Lack of motion of the whole skull while feeding (only the jaw is moving or the jaw may be restricted as well)
• Mum experiences pain with bub’s attachment
• Mum has back or neck pain and tends to only be comfortable with bub on one breast or only in certain positions
• Feeding difficulty is associated with a traumatic birth (long labour, use of assistance etc.)

Our osteos can help both mums and bubs with breast feeding by identifying and treating any mechanical issues that may be impeding breast feeding and assess whether it necessary to refer to other practitioners, which may include a lactation consultant. 

​
What are habits and are yours serving you?
 
The american journal of psychology describes a habit as, "A fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience."

Our lives are made up of a series of habits. Some are essential to our day to day living. A lot of our habits aren't essential to our lives but feed our desire and numb us from feeling what is at our deepest core disturbance. Those habits can then end up stifling our growth and keep us in old, stuck holding patterns of thinking and feeling.

Habits and beliefs have a cycle of a reminder, routine and reward. An example of a bad habit; you’re having an argument with your partner (reminder) and you know there’s something you say that really gets up their grill, you’ve said it many times before and you’ve gotten the same reaction (routine) each time, you want to get that same reaction from your partner because it re-confirms in your mind the negative mental loop you tell yourself “he’s such an asshole” and when he reacts as he always does your habit of thinking men are assholes is etched deeper into your subconscious mind (reward).

Ok that’s one of my not so constructive habits! We all have them though right? But it is up to us as conscious human beings to break this habit of reacting from our mammalian brain (the yogis call this the lower mind or ‘manas’) and learn to respond from our conscious human brains (known as ‘buddhi’, the discerning, discriminating mind).

If there's something you're wanting to change in your life, whether it be a weight issue, a lack of love and connection in your relationships, or maybe it's to stop being as reactive, usually starting by breaking a daily habit involved with this intention will help you to move forward to whatever it is you want to change in the bigger picture. 

 
Here are my top 3 tips for creating change and shifting out of bad habits:

Observe in the present

Sounds easy right? But no so. Our modern world creates a lot of distraction; phones, social media and these ideas of 'to do' lists that keep us running after our tail. By stopping for just a few seconds, taking a deep breath we can re-centre ourselves and rather than reacting, on autopilot and instinct (that might be grabbing that snickers bar when we feel anxious or yelling at our partner or child when we’re triggered), we can give ourselves space and the opportunity to respond from our higher brain, the neocortex. Tapping into this part of the brain takes more energy though (conscious effort!) and this is why most people find it hard to change their habits which brings me to my next tip….

Practice small and consistent

The more we practice the skill of observance in present time the more potential we have at tapping into the neocortex. This part of the brain is essential to regulate and override our emotional and instinctual reactions more effectively. I love the very common comment of "I'm not good at meditating so I don't do it". We try something once and it might feel uncomfortable, we react to the experience and give up. Maybe the aim was to sit and meditate for 30 mins and your expectation was that you could clear your mind and be zen after one attempt. You set the bar way too high and you’re setting yourself up for failure.

It’s great to have a big picture in mind but getting caught up in the end result usually leads to failed action rather than formation of a healthy new habit. So using the example of meditation, start with 10 mins, drop the expectation that your mind will be empty and gradually make your way from there. Or if you want to break a habit like giving up sugar try by first replacing one of those chocolate bars with a piece of fruit. When you start small you’re more likely to be consistent and repeated action is what leads to the formation of a new, healthier habit.

Add a little love to willpower

Adding a new habit is much easier than taking a bad habit out of the equation. Rather than trying to go ‘cold turkey’ with stead-fast willpower, try replacing something that you’re already doing with an intention of maitri (loving kindness) or add a new habit that has this intention behind it. For example, replace sugary sweets with fruit and as you’re eating the fruit think about how much the fruit is nourishing your body and helping you on your path to a healthier body.

Another example of loving willpower would be to add, ‘I love you dearly’ on the end of a sentence as you're having a difficult discussion you’re having with your partner. Even if the discussion gets heated and you may insult them, by adding, ‘and I love you dearly’ taps into the higher functioning part of the brain. It’s in that moment that we have the ability to employ a “cool” cognitive system of behaviour rather than a “hot” emotional system and if you and the person on the receiving end can be present enough, you may have a different outcome and therefore creating new wiring and a new way of communicating.

The ability to successfully delay gratification does not come from a place of force but rather trusting that what we’re doing in the moment may feel less comfortable, but is for our greater good. That’s where each of our healthier choices (with an intention of love behind it) helps us move towards more productive, conscious habits, and this in turn forms the building blocks for a more productive, conscious life!