Love Your Gut

January on a budget

Monday, January 9th, 2012

After the festive period our wallets tend to be rather tight and it may be hard to meet and ends financially particularly due to January being a five weekend month. However this doesn’t mean you need to sit in and doing nothing for the whole month. With a little initiative and thought there is lots of fun and delicious food to be had. Why not try the below tips to help you get through January without having to stretch ourselves too much.

• Meet friends in your local park and go for a walk. This activity is free; you get to catch up on the gossip as well as you will also be exercising. Physical activity no matter how little is a good way of burning off that extra weight you may have gained during your festive celebrations. Exercise can also help our digestive health as carrying excess weight around the midriff can really affect the digestive system as it can put pressure on the stomach, squashing food mixed with stomach acid back into the gullet – which can cause heartburn.

• Buy frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables. This is a cheaper way of getting your five a day. Frozen vegetables contain the same amount for vitamins and minerals to help keep out gut healthy. They are cheaper and there is less wastage as you don’t need to make sure they are eaten before they go off.

• Make some soups and stews. These are relatively cheaper to make as you usually use cheaper cuts of meat and then bulk up on potatoes and vegetables and grains. Soups and stews are also good ways of getting fibre into our diet which will help us to maintain a healthy gut.

• Start your own ‘come dine with me’ on a set budget. This is a sociable way of having fun but also saving money as whilst you are out the expense for the meal you cook you know that you will be returned the favour. You don’t have to do it all on one week, decide with your friends how frequently and go from there. You could even have a ‘Love Your Gut’ Theme!

Tags: digestion, digestive health, fibre, fruit and vegetable, good digestion, Gut Health, healthy diet, minerals, vitamins
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The healthier way to tackle Christmas!

Monday, December 12th, 2011

Christmas is a time were we all indulge in a few too many chocolates, have one to many tipples which often results in regrets come January. Why not try these healthy, gut loving lower fat tips which aim to help reduce the guilt of over-indulgence in our festive feasts.

• Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat milk: Sauces such as cheese sauce, breads sauce, custard are served with other foods and so you won’t realise the difference in taste.

• Use low fat spread instead of butter for making pastries.

• Use whole meal flour for pastries and cakes: This will increase the fibre content making you fuller for longer, help to main your digestive health whilst also being able to indulge.

• Use natural fruit juice instead of adding the full amount of sugar to a recipe (for example look at the recipe for scones in our October 3^rd Blog.)

• Serve frozen natural yoghurt instead of ice cream.

• Opt for low fat cheese or cheese with fruit such as Wensleydale with cranberries.

• Use smaller bowls to serve chocolates and sweets and smaller plates for dinner: As a nation our portion sizes have got bigger and we tend to fill our plates and finish them when we actually do not need to eat as much. This is especially true during the Christmas period.

• Make your own cranberry sauce: Shop bought sauces tend to contain more sugar and preservatives. Why not try to make your own, this way you can control the amount of sugar you add and it will also be additive/preservative free.

• Feeling sluggish after you delicious Christmas Dinner? Why not take a stroll outside?  Yes we are in the winter season but wrap up warm and enjoy the crisp air instead of slouching by the T.V. Mentally this will make you feel more alert as well as help you burn some calories.

• Don’t over buy: Christmas can be expensive and we tend to buy more food than is needed. Write a shopping list and stick to it, that way you will save some money which is great at this time of year as well as there will be less food for you to over indulge on.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Tags: digestion, digestive health, fibre, fruit and vegetable, good digestion, holiday health
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Ladies who dine

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

 Having your friends round for afternoon tea doesn’t need to be unhealthy. Why not try these delicious low sugar scones to impress the ladies. Furthermore if you want to increase the fibre content, why not use wholemeal self-raising flour instead.

 Orange, Carrot and Sultana Scones

Method:

1. Weigh out the flour and the margarine and place in a large bowl.
2. Rub the margarine into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs
3. Grate the orange rind onto a chopping board.  Add to the breadcrumb mixture.  Squeeze the juice of the orange into the bowl.
4. Top and tail the carrots.  Peel and grate onto a chopping board.  Add to the mixture.
5. Measure out the milk, and add gradually to the mixture.  Mix together until it starts to bind.
6. Knead on a floured work surface until the dough is not sticky.
7. Roll out on the work surface evenly.  Using a cutter, cut out the scones from the outside in.
8. Place on a baking tray and wash with milk. 
9. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until cooked

Tags: fibre, good digestion, Vitamin C, vitamins
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The important 5-a-day…

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Will you be having your 5-a-day today?

Fruit and vegetables are a vital source of vitamins and minerals. It’s advised that we eat five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day. Fruit and vegetables are a good source of dietary fibre. Many people do not consume enough during the day so their gut has to work harder to get the waste out of the body, hence risking constipation 

There’s evidence that people who eat at least five portions a day are at lower risk of heart disease, stroke and gut-related cancers.

What’s more, eating five portions is not as hard as it might sound. Just one apple, banana, pear or similar-sized fruit is one portion. A slice of pineapple or melon is one portion. Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables is another portion.

Having a sliced banana with your morning cereal is a quick way to get one portion. Swap your mid-morning biscuit for a tangerine, and add a side salad to your lunch. Add a portion of vegetables to dinner, and snack on dried fruit in the evening to reach your five a day. If you still find it difficult, why not enjoy a smoothie for breakfast or part of your lunch?

Alongside your 5-a-day, why not have a probiotic too? This will contribute towards a healthy digestive system.

Tags: 5-a-day, dietary fibre, digestive system, fibre, fruit and vegetable, good digestion, Gut Health
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Gut Loving Picnics

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

 When we think of summer we think of sun, sea, sand, holidays, relaxing, BBQ’s and……. picnics in the park. A typical picnic involves sandwiches, juice, crisps. Why not try these gut loving alternatives that will not only keep our digestive system in check and provide us with a good variety of nutrients but will give us an exciting burst of flavours and textures compared to a standard picnic.

 Orange chicken mini kebabs:

These are quick and easy to prepare in advice and are a zingy addition to a traditional picnic whilst also providing us with vitamin C to ease the digestive path and get things moving. You can add a variety of spices to flavour the chicken or just plain grill before adding to the skewers.

Peeled grated carrots with chopped dates (with cumin, minced chilli, lemon or lime juice, mint or parsley):

This unusual combination with provide us with a great source of fibre.

Roasted pepper cous cous salad:

Cous cous salad is quick and easy to make and goes well with a variety of fruit and vegetables which will also help top up your ‘five a day’.

Cold Teriyaki chicken wings/thighs:

Combine equal parts soy sauce, mirin and saké with a little sugar and sesame oil; boil for a minute. Use this to baste chicken thighs or wings you grill it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or chopped spring onions – ginger and/or lemon are good too. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before putting into the fridge until you are ready to go on your picnic

Other ways to top up for fibre content to keep your digestive system healthy are:

• Swop white bread/roll to brown or whole meal bread/rolls.
• Aim to have at least 5 different types of fruit and vegetables within your picnic. This will be easy to achieve  if you prepare a variety of salads and fruity desserts.
• Ensure that you store all food correctly. By placing ice packs at the bottom of your picnic packet will ensure you food is kept cool for as long as possible meaning germs ad bacteria will find it hard to grow and multiply.

Tags: bacteria, dietary fibre, digestion, digestive health, digestive system, fibre, good digestion, picnic, Vitamin C
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