July Newsletter: Tips on Food to Warm Up in Winter, Yoga and Running (plus a great recipe of course)
Hi everyone, welcome to the July monthly newsletter from OrganicFood.com.au. For your reading pleasure, we've again compiled some handy and insightful nutrition, well being and foodie articles from our expert guest contributors. We hope you enjoy!
We home deliver the freshest, highest quality organic fruit, veg and groceries across Sydney and Melbourne. Find out about our convenient weekly or fortnightly mixed box service. Stress-free, convenient and fun!
Your Wellbeing: Winter Warmers
Tips to improve your circulation and warm those cold hands and feet.
The weather has finally snapped in Sydney and we have all been feeling the cold. It is at this time in the year where we become aware of poor circulation and the inability to get warm despite heaters and jumpers and gloves.
In my experience I usually find poor circulation and cold hands and feet a reflection of a person’s vitality and diet. It is likely to occur in those who eat mainly cooling foods and not enough warming spices and root vegetables that our bodies need during the Winter months.
If you suffer from cold hands or feet or even chilblains, try to refrain from running your fingers and toes under hot water as this can make matters worse and may scold your skin. As always, it’s about treating the problem from within that works best.
5 tips on warming up from the inside this Winter.
1. Fresh ginger tea. Ginger is known in herbal medicine as a warming circulatory stimulant and is also great at improving digestive function. Thinly slice a 3cm section of fresh organic ginger and place in a medium sized teapot. Pour boiling water over the ginger slices and leave to seep for 10 minutes. Serve with lemon or honey as desired.
2. Avoid raw foods. In Winter, eat more root vegetables that have been roasted and cooked well. Enjoy soups, casseroles and stews as opposed to salads and stir-fries.
3. Spice it up! Enjoy plenty of warming spices in your cooking such as chilli, garlic, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
4. Drink plenty of water (warm or room temperature). Its easy to forget to drink water this time of year, but warm air conditioned rooms will quickly dehydrate your system which may affect your peripheral circulation.
5. Stay motivated to exercise…sometimes easier said than done on those chilly winter mornings! But nothing warms you up quicker than a brisk walk, jog or run. Or if you are struggling to brave the cold, get out the yoga mat and warm up with some Sun Salutations and other warming yoga asanas. Exercise is greatly beneficial for the circulation and also helps to burn off those extra kilojoules we tend to eat during the winter months.
Stephanie practices in Neutral Bay at Lotus Health 9953 5153. Click here for more info.
Your Body: Running Tips
Chief Brabon, one of the world’s most experienced and respected fitness personalities, shares some key training tips for the avid runners among us.
One of the world’s most experienced fitness personalities, Chief Brabon, travels the globe annually developing the most advanced and revolutionary sports science methods, whilst providing unparalleled training to numerous A-List celebrities, SWAT officers, front-line soldiers, special-forces operators and elite athletes, in addition to creating training programs for TV and film. Driven to improve the nation's health, Brabon continues to develop scientifically proven fitness techniques for the public, and to date has personally trained over 15,000 Australian civilians.
A true innovator, he is the co-founder of the cutting-edge RUN LIKE HELL Running Program, and the pioneer of Australia's longest running, and most popular bootcamp fitness program, ORIGINAL BOOTCAMP. To find out more about Chief, visit www.bootcamp.com.au
The running season has officially arrived – thousands of Australians are gearing up for the Blackmore’s Sydney Running Festival, City2Surf and many other fun runs, half-marathons and fire-trail races. If you’re looking to race in City2Surf, take note of Chief Brabon’s key training and race tips. For more running advice, head to a weekly running training session hosted by Run Like Hell; they’re offering all Sydney-siders weekly running training sessions for only $5 per session, with all profits donated direct to Cancer Council NSW. For more information click here: http://www.meetup.com/RunLikeHell/
CHIEFS TRAINING TIPS
- If it has been a while since you’ve run any real distance, build up gradually, and ensure to taper off the week of the race.
- Always focus on quality of training, rather than quantity. 70% of runners get injured each year, with the primary causes being over-training and poor running technique.
- Ensure to keep up your speed work. Anyone can complete the City 2 Surf (as long as they aren’t injured or ill), it’s simply a matter of how long it is going to take them. Unless you get your leg speed up during your training, you definitely won’t get it up on the day.
- Keep your mind and body guessing. The best way to ensure that you don’t plateau is to include plenty of variation in your training program.
CHIEF’S RACE TIPS
- Never compete in new shoes. Ensure that you have spent at least 3 weeks training in your race shoes to avoid blisters of other injuries on the day.
- Hydrate the day and night before the race. If you drink too much on Race day you will either find yourself with a stitch, or will be making a mad dash for the porta-loos just before the race.
- Ensure that you register for the appropriate start group. If based on previous performance you feel you will run under 2 hours, then register for Group 3, otherwise you will find yourself caught behind runners slower than you in Group 4.
- The night before the race, ensure that you eat a high carbohydrate meal, such as pasta or rice. On the day, ensure that you eat breakfast a minimum of 3 hours before the race.
Your Mind: Yoga Tips
Five ways… to get better results from yoga
This year Yoga Aid has been busy working with yogis who use their personal practice to make a larger difference. Here are Yoga Aid’s top five tips for taking your practice out of the classroom and into the rest of your life. www.YogaAid.com - we build yoga communities and raise money for charity.
- Be a karma yogi. The term Karma Yoga means ‘yoga in action’. By performing a kind act you are actually practicing yoga. Acts of kindness strengthen our heart, balance for strengthening bodies and minds in class.
- Breathe It’s easy to leave the classroom and forget to breathe. Consciously breathing calms your nervous system and makes you generally more relaxed: other people will notice too.
- Do it for the right reasons It is so easy to be sucked in to industry hype. Yoga is actually about feeling good: give yourself space to enjoy it. Don’t go to a class that feels like a chore. If you’re not enjoying it, you won’t get anything out of it.
- Appreciate the extras There is so much lip service paid to ‘interconnectedness’ and yet after class, people leave without looking at each other. Take a minute to say ‘hi’ to the person next to you. A tiny bit of personal contact makes a big difference.
- Share your practice Who would benefit from what you have learnt in yoga? Yoga is a powerful tool, and you don’t have to be ‘qualified’ to teach the principles to others.
Yoga Aid connects yogis around the world to principles of giving. We host the Yoga Aid Challenge: a special, 2 hour yoga practice in 12 countries worldwide. Through it, we build yoga communities and raise money for charity. Registration for the Australian events is now open: www.yogaaid.com .
Your Tastebuds: Recipe of the Month
Poached Winter Fruit
Serves 4
- 10 dried apricot halves
- 7 dried peach halves
- 6 prunes, stones removed
- 6 dried figs, cut in half
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 orange
- 125ml apple juice
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scrape out the seeds
- 2 pears, peeled and cut into quarters
- 2 apples, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1tbps raw sugar or honey
Put the apricots, prune, peaches, figs, cinnamon, vanilla pod and seeds in to a saucepan. Zest half the orange and add to the pan, then juice the orange, pour into a measuring jug and add enough water to give 250ml liquid. Pour in to the pot and add the apple juice. Cover pan and bring to the boil then turn down to a gentle simmer, cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid add the apple and pear and enough water to only just cover them. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes until they are just soft. Remove the lid and discard the orange peel and vanilla bean. Test for sweetness and add the sugar or honey if desired. Increase the heat and cook at a rapid boil for 2 minutes to reduce the liquid. When the liquid has reduced remove and discard the cinnamon stick, taste again and adjust sweetness if required then serve.
Grocery Product of the Month
From Marys Gone Crackers, this is their signature product. A crisp, delicious cracker with a rich, nutty flavour, Wheat free, gluten free and certified organic.Surprisingly satisfying on their own, or with your favourite topping, they always hold their crunch! Unlike any other cracker you have tasted, they are sure to become a staple in your cupboard!
Expiring on August 1, but still in perfectly good nick, grab some while stocks last! Find out more, or check out our full range of Special Offers on our website.
Thanks for your interest in the organic market and the environment....any queries about our online organic food shopping service please visit www.organicfood.com.au or contact Leonie@OrganicFood.com.au.
Thanks
The team at OrganicFood.com.au
To unsubscribe, send an email to newsletters@organicfood.com.au with Unsubscribe in the subject line. Your email must be sent from the email address you wish to unsubscribe, if not please specify the address you wish to unsubscribe
Copyright 2010 OrganicFood.com.au Pty Limited