Day 3
I have some stewed rhubarb & pear with vanilla bean in the freezer so have decided that I would mix my Acai with sheep’s yoghurt and add to the stewed fruit. On the top I have put a combination of toasted linseeds, sesame seeds, buckwheat, sunflower kernels and almonds. As I have another big day in clinic this should keep me fortified for a while. What I do notice is that I feel rather alert today. Is it the Acai or my immune boosting food and herbs?
RioLife Acai Challenge – Day 3
RioLife Acai Challenge – Day 2
Day 2
Today is another big day and by the end of yesterday I had a sore throat so I made an immune boosting dinner with lots of fresh shiitake mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, Enoki mushrooms, sugar snaps and black quinoa. I have woken up feeling good so hopefully I have avoided anything nasty. I also dosed up on my acute herbal tonic of andrographis, olive leaf and Echinacea.
I made a slightly different smoothie today.
Ingredients
200ml oat milk
2 tablespoons sheep’s milk yoghurt
1 teaspoon probiotics
1 tablespoon brown rice protein powder
2 teaspoons Maca powder (great for healthy hormones)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (high in omega 3 essential fatty acids and keeps me feeling full for ages)
½ cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon Acai powder
RioLife Acai Challenge – Day 1
Day 1
After 5 ½ hours of sleep I cringed as my alarm clock started ringing at 6.30. I became caught up on my computer last night writing and before I knew it, it was 1am! Eeeeek, I have a huge day in clinic and need to feel sharp and snappy. I decided on a quick smoothie to make my morning easier so I assembled my ingredients, blended them and ran out the door. Here is my recipe for Day 1 of my Rio Life Acai challenge.
Ingredients
200ml oat milk (great alternative to cow or soy milk)
2 tablespoons sheep’s milk yoghurt (easier to digest that cow’s milk yoghurt)
1 teaspoon probiotics (boost my immunity)
1 tablespoon brown rice protein powder (stabilises blood sugar levels)
2 teaspoons Ultimate greens (chlorella, spirulina, barley grass – detoxifying)
½ cup frozen raspberries (antioxidant and who can resist a raspberry!)
1 tablespoon Acai powder
Blend well and throw into a SIGG travel mug and hit the road! It tastes delicious and I felt myself coming alive as I sipped it in the car and by the time I was at work I felt ready for my day!
My Interview With RioLife…
After carefully researching RioLife Acai, I decided to give them a call and meet up with founding partner, Andrew Cameron. Here is my interview with him. I can’t wait to start my Acai Challenge!
How did you fall in love with Acai?
I first fell in love with Acai through my travels on the beaches of Rio De Janeiro where it is eaten religiously, local friends (carioca’s, as they call themselves) of mine said it was the best thing on the planet and after adjusting to its unique taste I simply couldn’t get enough of the stuff, eating it every day after a surf or a long day in the sun I just felt my body responding so well to this amazing fruit. You could see how the health and energy obtained from Acai blended so well with the Brazilian culture and seemed crazy that we didn’t eat this in Australia. It wasn’t until I got back to Australia in 2005 I realised all of the amazing health properties of this fruit, it’s no wonder I felt so good from eating it.
Teaming up with friends Andrew Maciver who discovered Acai in California and Jeremy Liddle who ran juice bars in Singapore we got together after travelling the world and RioLife evolved. We had seen the love for Acai in Brazil and also all over California where Oprah herself named it as the number 1 Superfood for antiageing back in 2004, it made complete sense to bring this great fruit into the diets of Australian’s. RioLife today is the most established Australian Acai brand in the country and merging with NuFruits in 2007 gave us great strength to the company. Nufruits specialising in all […]
The RioLife Acai 2 Week Challenge!
I have made the big decision to take the RioLife Acai Challenge. This involves consuming Acai, an Amazon berry, on a daily basis for 2 weeks straight! I come across Superfoods all the time and they receive so much marketing push that it takes a lot to impress me. I have seen so many fads come and go – many claiming to cure everything or be the next weight loss/Detox miracle.
So after some careful research I came across Rio Life. They ticked all my boxes – Australian company, sustainable farming methods, charity affiliation, extremely high antioxidant level and certified organic! Yay!
Follow my daily updates over the next two weeks…
Combat Your Cold Sores…
Cold sores are small blisters that appear on the mouth or inside the nose and are caused by the Herpes simplex virus. They can be transmitted by sharing eating utensils, drinking from the same glass/bottle or via contact like kissing. Over 70% of Australian’s carry the Herpes simplex 1 virus!
Outbreaks of cold sores occur when a person’s immune system is compromised when they are sick, run down or stressed and can also be activated from sunburn or exposure to cold.
The best way to prevent cold sores is to enhance your immune system with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and a healthy balanced diet and cut out things that aggravate them.
Zinc: A trace element that supports the immune system as well as promotes healthy skin and wound healing.
Vitamin C: Involved in the function of antibodies and white blood cells therefore important for the immune system. Research suggests that Vitamin C has the ability to reduce the severity and duration of colds as well promote wound healing. It is also an important vitamin in improving capillary permeability and a potent antioxidant!
L-lysine: An amino acid that has been proven to reduce the severity and frequency of cold sore outbreaks. Lysine inhibits the DNA replication of the virus and I recommend cold sore sufferers take 500mg/day as a preventative. Foods high in lysine are legumes, sprouts, fish, and dairy.
Cut out/reduce
L-arginine: This is an amino acid that aggravates the Herpes simplex 1 virus. Foods high in L-arginine are chocolate, nuts, carob, coconuts, soya beans, and oats and should be avoided when you can feel a cold sore coming on. If you continuously get cold sores it might be best to completely cut these foods out of your […]
Healthy Digestion = Happy Digestion!
It’s fair to say that we have all suffered from gut problems at some point in our lives whether it be cramping, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. Digestive health problems are on the rise, in fact two thirds of Australians are suffering from some sort of gastrointestinal illness. It’s important to nourish your gut with simple nutritional foods as well as healthy eating habits (smaller portions, more frequently). Here are some ideas of ways to maintain a healthy gut:
Drink plenty of water: the gut needs help flushing out toxins and assisting with elimination of waste products.
Probiotics: known as the ‘good’ bacteria, probiotics are live microorganisms that assist in improving intestinal microbial balance. If possible, buy a good quality probiotic from your healthcare practitioner so that you are receiving many strains of bacterium. Some yoghurts now contain strains of bacteria to heal the gut.
Foods: eat foods high in fiber (plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes). Avoid animal fats, carbonated beverages, caffeine, spicy food, and sugar.
Chew your food: Slow down when eating and don’t over eat!
Breath: Practice deep breathing instead of shallow breathing that most of us are guilty of. Shallow breathing reduces the oxygen available for proper bowel function.
Slippery Elm: this mucilaginous herb, Ulmus rubra, has an affinity with the gastrointestinal tract by soothing the mucous membrane of the bowels, stomach and urinary tract. It’s a nourishing herb that may help with diarrhoea, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, diverticulitis, peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
A comprehensive Detox is the perfect way to alleviate bloating, gas, fatigue and constipation. So remember, eat simply, eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetable, whole grains, drink plenty of water, chew slowly and be […]
What Nut or Seed is Best For You?
Nuts and seeds make the most convenient snack – no refridgeration required, easily carried in your bag and full of endless nutrients. But, what is the best nut or seed for you? Read on to find out.AlmondsJust a quarter cup of almonds contains nearly 25% of your needed daily value of the important nutrient magnesium. A quarter cup of almonds has almost as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk.WalnutsWalnuts contain the antioxidant compound ellagic acid, which is known to fight cancer and support the immune system. Walnuts are the best nut to lower cholesterol and support a healthy heartCashewsCashews are lower in fat than most nuts and 65% of this fat is unsaturated fatty acids. Of this, 90% is oleic acid, the heart-healthy fat found in olive oil.PecansA study from New Mexico State University found that eating 3/4 cup of pecans a day may significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help to clear the arteries.Brazil nutsThese nuts are extremely nutrient-rich and contain protein, copper, niacin, magnesium, fiber, vitamin E and selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that works to neutralize dangerous free radicals.Macadamia These nuts are high in protein, fiber, healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium and magnesium.Pumpkin Seeds Promotes prostate health, protect for men’s bones and keep them strong, anti-inflammatory benefits for those with arthritis, and help lower cholesterolSunflower SeedsSunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E which keeps your skin glowing and healthy. Sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) and dietary fiber.Watermelon seedsWatermelon seeds are also loaded with several of the B vitamins such as folate, B2 and B3 as well as health promoting magnesiumHazelnutsHazelnut is a good source for B1, B2 and […]
Organic Food Really Is More Healthy
I am a passionate believer of organic food and have been eating organically for many years now. Not only does it taste better but I truly believe that is supports my immunity and gives me more energy. People buy organic produce because they believe it is more environmentally responsible, more healthful and tastes better than produce grown conventionally. When it comes to strawberries, turns out they’re right.A new study of 13 pairs of conventional and organic California strawberry farms over two seven-month growing seasons in 2004 and 2005 revealed that organic farms produced more flavourful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil more healthful and genetically diverse. In a surprising twist, the organic strawberries also had a longer shelf life than the other varieties.The study, published Wednesday, is among the most comprehensive of its kind nationwide. To date, most research has looked at either organic farming’s impact on nutrition or the soil – not both. “There is no paper in the literature that comprehensively and quantitatively compares so many indices of both food and soil quality at multiple sampling times on so many commercial farms,” said lead researcher John Reganold, Washington State University Regents professor of soil, science and agroecology.Reganold said the research team chose to study strawberries because the berries are near the top of the list of produce that retains pesticide residues. According to the Environmental Working Group, strawberries rank third out of 50 popular fruits and vegetables. In a single sample of conventionally grown strawberries, researchers found 13 kinds of pesticides.And California was the obvious location for the study. The state grows 90% of the nation’s strawberries and accounts for 25% of global production. The findings come as state regulators are […]
Vitamin B6 Reduces Arthritis – research update
High doses of vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, may reduce inflammatory markers associated with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the body’s immune system, which normally fights against disease and infection, attacks itself. Unlike osteoarthritis, which only affects the bones and cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis may also cause swelling in other areas of the body.In the 12-week study, 35 adults with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to take either 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 plus 5 milligrams of folic acid or 5 milligrams of folic acid alone daily. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6 is 1.3 milligrams for adults who are 19-50 years old.At the beginning and end of the study, the researchers measured the patients’ blood levels of pro-inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The researchers also measured immune responses by recording the number of immune cells present in the blood.IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels significantly decreased in the vitamin B6 group after supplementation, while no significant changes were noted in the folic acid group. However, the number of immune cells was generally similar between the two groups.Many other integrative therapies have been studied as potential treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. For instance, borage seed oil may be beneficial in treating rheumatoid arthritis because it is high in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which has known anti-inflammatory effects. Several human studies suggest that fish oil supplements may improve morning stiffness and joint tenderness.Source: Vitamin B(6) supplementation improves pro-inflammatory responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun 23.
