October 10, 2017
‘Tis the season to get hot & steamy!
Fall season is upon us and for many of us the days are getting shorter and nights longer. A time for coming together and enjoying cups of hot cocoa, or perhaps a turmeric latte if you have discovered this golden treasure, a crackling fireplace, warm & cozy woolen sweaters, going on beautiful picnics and hikes amongst the dazzling array of colours we find in nature and more.
Red, green, yellow and orange leaves, falling, twisting and softly landing on the ground at our feet. Warm woollen scarves and furry boots, walking through the parks watching this wondrous site. Is there anything better? The light seems golden, the air is crisp and clean, gone is the heavy heat from the sticky summer months.
As a kid I remember darting around searching for the very best leaves, I’d lay them inside newspaper and then meticulously press them inside a heavy book or two. When they were done, I’d arrange them into a pretty design and stick them under a sheet of transparent self-adhesive paper and frame it. Or make a coaster. Of course my parents had a stack of these in the end, always making out they loved each and every one. The most innocent gifts a parent can receive, are those made with passion and love from explorations your little loved ones have made.
Fall is a great time to use nature around you to explore, play, learn and create. A great indoor and outdoor fall activity with for big and small.
Even if the weather is cooling, it is still important to keep hydrated, a fact many often forget, as we don’t naturally feel as high an urge to drink water when we don’t sweat or feel hot. Staying hydrated and maintaining your 8 cups of alkaline water a day is however equally important any time of year.
As you may not want to drink cold drinks, a good way to keep up your hydration is to find new exciting hot drink recipes. We are going to share with you some of our favorites today.
Examples of classic hot drinks including water are coffee, tea, hot chocolate (best used using natural cocoa and natural sweeteners, instead of pre-made instant powders containing lots of unhealthy refined sugars) and hot Ribena (mmm anyone remember drinking this while growing up?).
Thankfully there are now sugar free options of this yummy drink!). Remember that coffee and tea are still considered diuretics, as well as contain caffeine, and should therefore be consumed sparingly.
As we have become accustomed to fast and easy accessible foods, pre-packed sachets which unfortunately often are full of refined sugars, as well as colourings and food additives, line the shelves in our supermarkets. It’s not easy to avoid these unhealthy options, and we’ve been taught they are good for us, it is a big shift to change, and it takes a little bit of effort, as the selection is more in favour of the unhealthy vs healthy.
There is a big change happening now thankfully, and we are seeing a huge surge of healthier pre-packed as well as fresh food options arriving. What was normally only found in a health food store, is now available in your local supermarket, and there is more than 1 type of milk to chose from making it all the more exciting to go shopping! Make sure you check the pack of your favourite food & drink before chucking it in the cart next time, perhaps a new better version has arrived? Are you ready for the change?
Change can be challenging and hard work at first, it demands a mindset shift, and there is no one but yourself who can prepare you for this. The first step is awareness, then the willingness and desire to change must arise, and lastly, the willpower and motivation to withstand the transition pains that can arise with any type of change. You are stronger than you think.
We all feel it, change requires moving to something totally new, it can absolutely be hard, and it can be scary, for some more than others. It never lasts long though, if you are only brave enough to push through the initial discomfort. Changing your diet to include whole foods, removing refined sugars, fats, and processed foods, is a change that will definitely be worth it. Your health depends on it! Are you willing to make the change for your loved ones today?
Some take easily to change and challenges don’t phase them as much, for others, change can be nerve wracking and daunting and loom over you like a big fear. Perhaps starting a 30 day challenge with friends or some of your neighbours can help you along and motivate you to stick with it?
Seeking out motivational coaches, listening to YouTube videos, reading books, watching documentaries, or even just talking with someone who has been through the exact same process can really help inspire you to take that final step needed and stick with it.
Some of our favourite healthy hot drink options are listed below. To make sure your drinks are bursting with healthy nutrients, aim for fresh ingredients without refined sugars, pure cocoa with dark chocolate as the first ingredient (alternatively melt a bar of dark chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa) etc The fresher and less processed the better.
Use low-fat milk, or to make it even healthier, opt for non-dairy milks such as almond, hazelnut, macadamia, coconut etc, which cuts down on fats, calories and chemical intake. It is no secret by now that dairy is full of antibiotics, pus and other less pleasant things, which all stem from the food and treatment cows have been given.
Turmeric Latte
Red, green, yellow and orange leaves, falling, twisting and softly landing on the ground at our feet. Warm woollen scarves and furry boots, walking through the parks watching this wondrous site. Is there anything better? The light seems golden, the air is crisp and clean, gone is the heavy heat from the sticky summer months.
As a kid I remember darting around searching for the very best leaves, I’d lay them inside newspaper and then meticulously press them inside a heavy book or two. When they were done, I’d arrange them into a pretty design and stick them under a sheet of transparent self-adhesive paper and frame it. Or make a coaster. Of course my parents had a stack of these in the end, always making out they loved each and every one. The most innocent gifts a parent can receive, are those made with passion and love from explorations your little loved ones have made.
Fall is a great time to use nature around you to explore, play, learn and create. A great indoor and outdoor fall activity with for big and small.
Even if the weather is cooling, it is still important to keep hydrated, a fact many often forget, as we don’t naturally feel as high an urge to drink water when we don’t sweat or feel hot. Staying hydrated and maintaining your 8 cups of alkaline water a day is however equally important any time of year.
As you may not want to drink cold drinks, a good way to keep up your hydration is to find new exciting hot drink recipes. We are going to share with you some of our favorites today.
Examples of classic hot drinks including water are coffee, tea, hot chocolate (best used using natural cocoa and natural sweeteners, instead of pre-made instant powders containing lots of unhealthy refined sugars) and hot Ribena (mmm anyone remember drinking this while growing up?).
Thankfully there are now sugar free options of this yummy drink!). Remember that coffee and tea are still considered diuretics, as well as contain caffeine, and should therefore be consumed sparingly.
As we have become accustomed to fast and easy accessible foods, pre-packed sachets which unfortunately often are full of refined sugars, as well as colourings and food additives, line the shelves in our supermarkets. It’s not easy to avoid these unhealthy options, and we’ve been taught they are good for us, it is a big shift to change, and it takes a little bit of effort, as the selection is more in favour of the unhealthy vs healthy.
There is a big change happening now thankfully, and we are seeing a huge surge of healthier pre-packed as well as fresh food options arriving. What was normally only found in a health food store, is now available in your local supermarket, and there is more than 1 type of milk to chose from making it all the more exciting to go shopping! Make sure you check the pack of your favourite food & drink before chucking it in the cart next time, perhaps a new better version has arrived? Are you ready for the change?
Change can be challenging and hard work at first, it demands a mindset shift, and there is no one but yourself who can prepare you for this. The first step is awareness, then the willingness and desire to change must arise, and lastly, the willpower and motivation to withstand the transition pains that can arise with any type of change. You are stronger than you think.
We all feel it, change requires moving to something totally new, it can absolutely be hard, and it can be scary, for some more than others. It never lasts long though, if you are only brave enough to push through the initial discomfort. Changing your diet to include whole foods, removing refined sugars, fats, and processed foods, is a change that will definitely be worth it. Your health depends on it! Are you willing to make the change for your loved ones today?
Some take easily to change and challenges don’t phase them as much, for others, change can be nerve wracking and daunting and loom over you like a big fear. Perhaps starting a 30 day challenge with friends or some of your neighbours can help you along and motivate you to stick with it?
Seeking out motivational coaches, listening to YouTube videos, reading books, watching documentaries, or even just talking with someone who has been through the exact same process can really help inspire you to take that final step needed and stick with it.
Some of our favourite healthy hot drink options are listed below. To make sure your drinks are bursting with healthy nutrients, aim for fresh ingredients without refined sugars, pure cocoa with dark chocolate as the first ingredient (alternatively melt a bar of dark chocolate with minimum 70% cocoa) etc The fresher and less processed the better.
Use low-fat milk, or to make it even healthier, opt for non-dairy milks such as almond, hazelnut, macadamia, coconut etc, which cuts down on fats, calories and chemical intake. It is no secret by now that dairy is full of antibiotics, pus and other less pleasant things, which all stem from the food and treatment cows have been given.
Turmeric Latte
Simply add 1 cup milk of choice with ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tbsp coconut oil, ½ tsp real vanilla extract, ½ tsp cinnamon, natural sweetener to taste.
Dandelion Root Latte
Dandelion Root Latte
Simply add 3/4 cup milk of choice, ¼ cup water, 1 tsp cocoa powder or ground cacao nibs, ½ tsp real vanilla extract, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp dandelion root powder or tea bag, natural sweetener to taste.
Red Velvet Latte (made with fresh beetroot juice)
Red Velvet Latte (made with fresh beetroot juice)
Simply add 1 cup milk of choice, ½ tsp cocoa powder or coffee, ½ tsp real vanilla extract, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp fresh beetroot juice (or add some small pieces beetroot to your blender with the rest of the ingredients and whizz up quickly until smooth), natural sweetener to taste.
Fresh Ginger, Lemon & Honey Tea
Fresh Ginger, Lemon & Honey Tea
Simply brew fresh cut pieces of ginger and lemon in a casserole for 5 minutes, add natural sweetener of choice to taste. Same time it takes to boil the kettle and steep a tea sachet!
Minty Hot Chocolate
Minty Hot Chocolate
Simply add 2 tsp cocoa powder to 1 cup of milk of choice, add ½ tsp real vanilla extract (use the real thing, tastes so much better than the fake extracts!), ½ tsp organic peppermint essential oil (or extract, but essential oils are better for you), a sprinkle of salt and naturally sweeten to taste.
Homemade Chai Tea
Homemade Chai Tea
Simply add fresh almond/coconut/other nut milk of choice, to a tea bag of choice, followed by ½ tsp each of different spices like cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, ginger (this part is up to you, anything goes), ½ tsp real vanilla extract and naturally sweeten to taste.
Hot Apple Cider with a Cinnamon Stick
Hot Apple Cider with a Cinnamon Stick
Heat 1 cup (or as many as required) on stove adding a cinnamon stick, fresh ginger, star anise and cardamom pods. For a quicker simpler version just use the cinnamon stick and apple cider. Make sure you use a nice fresh apple juice/cider without added sugars - apple and grape juices are notorious for being packed with sugar, often as high as 30-50%! Can be upgraded to an adult version with alcohol if desired! Perfect alternative to mulled wine.
CocoaNog
CocoaNog
And for all the adults out there this is our new favourite find to take us into the Year End! Just pour unsweetened cocoa powder and a dash of your favorite booze into eggnog (make it yourself for optimal health benefits!) and enjoy!