By Lee-Anne Wann
Lee's winter warmer
Protein soup is totally fantastic in winter and one of the best ways to get protein on board. I have been using as a quick meal when on the run. Raiseys protein soup mix which is made from animal protein, 1 tbsp coconut oil and 1 tsp chia seeds. This little mixture is perfect to help manage weight, improve energy, keep you full for longer and high in antioxidants. You can get soup from www.raiseys.co.nz, chia seeds from health food store and coconut oil from www.discovercoconut.co.nz
Skipping
Skipping is a great way to increase fitness and have fun at the same time. There are also a number of health benefits including: Improved cardio vascular fitness, increased muscular strength, increased muscular endurance, Improved body conditioning and toning, Greater flexibility and movement for the body, Improved coordination skills, Stronger bones. Skipping can also improve your skill providing you with: Enhanced timing and rhythm, improved balance and improved agility. Depending on your weight and exertion level you will burn between 70-110 calories in a 10 minute session. Skipping is a strenuous exercise, so start slowly. Try skipping for 20-30 seconds, marching on the spot for 30 seconds and repeat. As your fitness improves you can increase the time you skip for. Aim to have a session 3 times a week as part of your exercise routine.
Listener Q & A – Is exercising before breakfast the best way to burn excess body fat?
In my experience – this comes down to the individual and their state. By this I mean if you have high stress levels, struggle sleeping, don’t drink very much water and have some fat around your belly button, this really may not be the best time and in fact could worsen the situation be increasing stress hormones. Try changing the start of the day to something a little more nourishing and relaxing and add in 20-30 minutes of high intensity exercise at lunchtime – this will also help alleviate afternoon fatigue.
Boost your immunity
Coconut oil is unique among all fats and oils because of its high concentration of powerful immune boosting fatty acids, in particular, lauric acid, which makes up almost 50% of coconut oil. Lauric acid is converted in human bodies to monolaurin, which has extremely powerful antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is the exact same molecule, lauric acid, that is found in mother’s breast milk and provides newborn breastfed babies with antimicrobial protection. Unlike man-made antibiotics and antivirals, lauric acid poses no danger to us, but it is powerful at destroying many harmful microbes by damaging the cell membrane of these organisms.
Listener Q & A – Is water really that important – I am just not thirsty?
Water is one of the first things we do as Biosignature Practitioners to help clients who have high stress hormones showing in their profile. We aim for 37mls of water per kg of bodyweight as the base requirement. It’s challenging to get started but once you go for 21 days it really does become a habit and something you do often. The body can become dehydrated in as little as 2 hours and as soon as this occurs it can increase stress hormones. One of the key benefits of water is that it helps out with the lubrication of your joints. Water is an ingredient in the makeup of the synovial fluid, which is the lubricating fluid between your joints. Adequate protective fluid is essential for optimum performance and to give longer life to your joints.