Well how was January, was it how you planned, did you achieve what you wanted to get the ball rolling and gaining momentum for your 2020 plans?
I’m happy (and not intending to sound smug) with my work in progress – sleep has improved (still room for improvement), gut cleanse has gone really well and I’m feeling so much better for it (I’m going an extra week as I find the protocol so convenient). My fellow Gut Purify crew are reporting great results too and are looking forward to continuing the great work. My jar of thankfulness is filling up and I need a bigger one. I haven’t been to any dance classes other than my own, which I’m sad about, that will happen next weekend and I’m making progress with my professional development course, I also have three others that I have my eye on.
On the right track
You know that I firmly and passionately believe in an active lifestyle and healthy diet and am committed personally and professionally to achieving and maintaining my own health and that of my DYBO family, friends and wider community. I have enjoyed a fitness career than spans over 35 years during which time there have been many trends come and go, yet I have steadfastly stuck with my values of delivering individualised, unique, creative, well informed and adaptable fitness and health offerings, aiming to deliver them professionally with integrity and always with a helping of cheekiness and twinkle in my eye.
I’m a tiny (miniscule) player in the industry yet I feel that, at last, the Government and medical community are beginning to notice the value of the work by group exercise leaders offering fitness and dance in the community. The following are the opening lines from the latest recommendations by the UK Chief Medical officers regarding Physical Activity.
Updated in September 2019 from the 2011 guidelines
‘In 2010, we were among the first nations in the world to set out the evidence for how much and what kinds of physical activity we need to do to keep ourselves healthy.
Since then, the evidence has become more compelling and the message is clear:
“If physical activity were a drug, we would refer to it as a miracle cure, due to the great many illnesses it can prevent and help treat.”
Physical activity is not just a health issue. It brings people together to enjoy shared activities and contributes to building strong communities whilst supporting the economy to grow.
These physical activity guidelines update the 2011 guidelines across all age groups. We have also drawn on new evidence to develop additional guidance on being active during pregnancy and after giving birth, and for disabled adults.
UK Chief Medical Officer’s Physical Activity Guidelines
We want as many people as possible to make use of these guidelines to work towards and achieve the recommended activity levels. With that in mind, we have developed updated infographics to help bring these guidelines to life and make them easy for everyone to use.
Being active every day provides a foundation for a healthier and happier life. The recommendations we made in 2011 on muscle strength have not achieved the recognition we believe they merit. We therefore want to underline the importance of regular strength and balance activities: being strong makes all movement easier and increases our ability to perform normal daily tasks.
We want this report to be a catalyst for change in our attitudes to physical activity. Our environment can make it difficult to be healthy and our health is being damaged by inactivity. But the good news is that even small changes can make a big difference over time, such as using the stairs for a couple of floors rather than taking the lift or getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way.
You always feel better for being active. We want as many people as possible to protect their future health and start their journey to a healthier life now.
September 2019′
The guidelines give specific recommendations for everyone from birth to very old age.
Here is the link for the full guidelines…
Helen’s very low carb, gut healthy spaghetti and pesto recipe
I’m hooked on the Bare Naked spaghetti (and the rice and noodles) – they are made from Asian-grown Konjac root; Bare Naked describe their noodles etc ‘as a miracle plant low in carbohydrates, sugar and calories. Containing only 8 calories per 100g, they can be used as a replacement in meals for carbohydrates such as pasta and spaghetti.’
Ok so they are not as amazing tasting as real Italian pasta but if, like me, you try to keep simple sugars and starchy carbs to a minimum then these do the trick for day to day meals and you can go for the real full on wheat pasta when you go out for dinner.
For this recipe I combined ‘courgetti’ (two courgettes made in to spirals with my spiralizer) and two packets of the bare naked noodles which made a good portion for three
Pesto Sauce
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts (plus one extra to throw over the top at the end)
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (I use the vegetarian kind)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- (I like a squeeze of lemon too)
For a change in this recipe I added big tablespoonful of vegan cream cheese
Directions – combine the basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor (or nutri bullet), season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add olive oil in a slow stream until blended (takes a second in the Nutri-bullet)
(Cheat If short on time – I use the organic vegan pesto available in shops)
The Courgetti Noodles bit
- Heat a large wok with a little coconut oil or butter and throw in the courgette spirals and heat for two mins, drain off the excess fluid and add the Bare Naked noodles, and cook for three minutes then add the pesto mixture and stir through on the heat.
- Serve in individual pasta bowls and sprinkle a few pine nuts and basil leaves to make it look nice, I serve wiht a large mixed salad on the side
Give it a try and tell me what you think!
Have a fab, healthy week!
Love ya,
Helen xxx
