Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

I know that most of you are headed into Spring and Summer. I read enough Northern Hemisphere blogs to know you’re excited about asparagus season and the onset of warm weather. Here in Australia though, we’re moving rapidly into winter. And . . . the cold and flu season has already kicked off. Stephanie, Patrick and Helen have all asked about beating winter illness. So I’m going to combine all the questions into one answer. Beating a cold, flu …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Cold and flu season seems to have reared it’s ugly, snotty head this week. Clients, shop assistants, bloggers, readers – there seems to be a lot of sickness about. So how do I get rid of this *%#!@ cold seems to be the question of the week. In answer I thought I’d link back to some older posts: * The fabulous ginger, honey and lemon tea. Drink 4 – 6 cups of this a day at the first sign …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

I’ve been thinking a lot about excuses over the last few days. More specifically, the little phrase “I’m too”. I hear myself saying this phrase at times – mostly when I don’t want to do something. I’m too . . . tired to exercise. I’m too . . . busy to meditate. I’m too . . . rushed off my feet to cook a proper meal this evening. h3. But am I really that tired? I have as many …

Read more 09 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Happy new year to you all and welcome to 2008. I’m back to work this week. I’ve had a lovely Christmas and new year. Spent the time showing overseas visitors around this gorgeous City, catching up with my family, playing scarey-sea-monsters with my two nephews and making a solid dent in my reading pile. Definitely a good holiday. Now it’s back to a new year and some changes. h3. New year new clinic Firstly, I’m starting the new year …

Read more 08 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

December is my quietest time in clinic. Virtually nobody wants to see their nutritionist before Christmas. However, the reverse is true in the new year. From mid-January through to March my professional life is full-on. The most common health statement from clients is: h3. “I want to lose weight and get healthy” For many people, they’re back exactly where they were last year and the year before and the year before. It’s the same 10 kilos they’re trying to …

Read more 27 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

To all my lovely readers – have a very, very Merry Christmas. I hope you have a lovely day, full of good will, good cheer, good friends and fine food. I’m taking a couple of couple of days off blogging. But I’ll be back later in the week, to talk about the new year. For those of interested in Menu For Hope – WOW, the total has topped US$87,000. Thank you all for taking part and good luck with …

Read more 24 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Yesterday I posted recipes for an easy Christmas menu. Each dish takes no longer than ten minutes of prep – so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy the day. I’ve put together the following preparation guide – to make the day even easier: h3. The night before * Baked cod with lime & summer vegetables: prepare the whole dish up to the cooking point, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight * *Roast potato, ...

Read more 20 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

This is a Christmas menu I developed for Life etc magazine last year. It’s an easy-summer Christmas menu. Each dish is designed to take no more than ten minutes of preparation and to keep the cook out of the kitchen. This also makes a light and healthy meal, with a few Christmas treats to follow. I’ll also post a preparation guide, showing what you can do the day before – to make Christmas day even easier! h3. The Menu …

Read more 19 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Christmas is usually a quiet time for me. Almost no one wants to see their nutritionist pre-Christmas and most of my writing work calms down. Given I work for myself and am not in the corporate sector, I usually have only a handful of Christmas functions. Normally this is the time of year I can relax, do some tidying and admin and clear my head. But not this year. For some reason 2007 is proving totally different. Yes clinic …

Read more 18 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

This week I’ve eaten my first peach and mango of the season. Stood over the sink, with sweet, luscious juices drizzling down my chin. Two moments. Pure, meditative, pleasure. And while I ate them I thought how wondrous the flavour of fruit could be. I love seasons. Mangoes and lychees are my absolute favourite fruits, but I don’t want to eat them all year round. For me, that seems boring. Instead I want to miss foods. I want to …

Read more 01 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Imagine if you stopped drinking alcohol, ate well balanced meals, cut out junk food, drank lots of water and went to bed early. Hands up who doesn’t think they’d feel better and have more energy? If you eat well and look after yourself, you will feel better. You will have more energy. Those black circles under your eyes will disappear. Your skin will be clearer. *But feeling good and having lots of energy, is not rocket science. It’s not …

Read more 25 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Here in Australia, we’re slipping gently into summer. However, it’s a different story for my northern hemisphere readers. Days are shortening and the weather is getting cooler. Which also means cold and flu season is looming. Earlier in the year I posted my top five ways to keep a cold at bay. While winter hasn’t set in, start looking after yourself now, in preparation for the cold weather. If you can follow these five strategies you will have a better …

Read more 17 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

The first question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Lucy over at Nourish Me – what are the best ways of dealing with jet lag. h3. What is jet lag? While going on holiday can be a wonderful, exciting thing, spending the first few days spaced out and tired because of jet lag, is not fun. Jet lag occurs when you cross time-zones. The symptoms are usually worse after a flight going east rather than west. The …

Read more 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

It’s a beautiful sunny day in Sydney. I’m just back from having a morning coffee at my local cafe, where the barista told me something interesting: people are more likely to have skim milk in their coffee on hot days. I’m not sure if this coffee change is Sydney-specific, but it does fit in with other, more health-aware behaviour changes I notice at this time of year: * September to November is one of the busiest periods for me in …

Read more 15 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

One of the best articles I came across while researching the 31 Days to Better Energy strategies is Healthy ways to get more energy: a mood scientist reveals some of the best ways to recharge. It contains advice from Robert Thayer, a Professor of Psychology at California State University. Thayer’s thesis is that our energy levels are influenced by more things than simply the food we eat. Instead much of the energy fluctuations we experience are caused by our mood. ...

Read more 07 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Well here we are at the final day of 31 Days to Better Energy. Since the beginning of August I’ve been writing daily blog posts, with short tasks, all aimed at boosting your energy levels. Tips during the 31 Days have included strategies for improving sleep, your diet, quick ways to get more exercise into your day, as well as methods for managing your mood. h3. The purpose of 31 Days to Better Energy My hope is that over the …

Read more 31 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

We’re coming to the end of the 31 Days to Better Energy. On the second to last day your task is to do an energy audit. h3. How will an energy audit help? We’ve spent a month talking about boosting your energy levels. My posts have talked about how to get more, the things that affect your energy, plus strategies for managing energy lulls. While it can be tempting to think energy levels should remain static during the day, it’s …

Read more 30 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy also comes from my colleague Alexia Morris (see below for more about Alexia). For today’s task Alexia has come up with some easy suggestions to get you moving more at work. h3. Why? The most common excuse for not exercising is lack of time. While many people’s lives are very busy, there’s no reason why you can’t move more during the day. *Incidental exercise can make a huge difference to your fitness …

Read more 29 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to keep a diet diary. h3. Why? One of the fundamental subjects of Limes & Lycopene is eating well. Food provides us with the nutrients and energy to live well and be healthy. The way you eat directly affects your energy levels. If you have a diet that’s full of fruit and vegetables, regular protein and small amounts of carbohydrates you are going to have more energy than if you’re …

Read more 28 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is very, very easy – it’s simply to make a cup of tea. h3. How does tea help your energy levels? There are many benefits to drinking tea, both normal and herbal. Herbal teas like peppermint and chamomille can calm and soothe your digestion, while black tea and green tea are full of antioxidants. As I’ve noted before during the 31 Days, you will have more energy if you are well hydrated. ...

Read more 27 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s tip in 31 Days to Better Energy may seem like a strange one, but bear with me. Your task for today is all about small acts of altruism. h3. How does altruism improve your energy? So far in the 31 Days we’ve covered a number of different methods of improving your energy levels. From small diet changes, quick and easy exercise, through to strategies to improve sleep and making time for rest and relaxation. These are all small, 15 …

Read more 26 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy comes from a colleague of mine, Alexia Morris. Alexia has over 20 years in the fitness industry, is a pilates instructor, personal trainer and all round fitness guru. I work closely with Alexia at the Source of Wellness and she runs classes at The Gartlan Sports Centre in northern Sydney. For today’s task Alexia has designed an easy mini fitness circuit, you can do at home in 15 minutes. h3. Why? If …

Read more 25 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

We’re into the last week of 31 Days to Better Energy here at Limes & Lycopene and today’s task is to give a friend a call. h3. Why? In my experience most people have particular times of the day when they suffer energy slumps, with the afternoon being the primary time. With some people it’s straight after lunch, while others have their energy slump about 3.00pm. At this time it’s easy to reach for coffee or a sugar fix. While …

Read more 24 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

More energy is what we’re all after and it’s the focus of August at Limes & Lycopene in 31 Days to Better Energy. Today’s task is about cultivating some exercise buddies – and it’s to start a walking, yoga or other exercise group h3. Why? While it’s easy to have good intentions with exercise, long days at the office and a busy life can mean those intentions are never quite acted upon. For many people, exercising with others is crucial …

Read more 23 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to eat some iron-rich foods. h3. Why? One of the main places you’ll find iron in the body is in the molecule haemoglobin. As you’ll see from the picture on the right, haemoglobin is a complex protein. It’s found in red blood cells and contains four heme units, each of which includes iron – you can see these in green in the picture. Haemoglobin is important for your energy levels, ...

Read more 22 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to cross something off your to do list. h3. Why? Sometimes the sheer weight of all the things we have to do can get us down. There’s work, the kids, the housework, tax returns, organising your paperwork, RSVPing to invitations . . . the list goes on. It can feel way too hard and like a burden on your back. These tasks nag away at the back of your head, bringing …

Read more 21 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Two-thirds of the way into 31 Days to Better Energy and I thought it was time to check-in with how everyone was feeling? h3. What’s happened so far? The last ten days of posts have included eating more vegies, starting the working week with a clean desk, planning a holiday and getting some exercise. However, probably the hardest task was Friday’s, when I challenged you to an alcohol-free weekend. I’d love to know how you went. h3. How do you …

Read more 20 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is a dietary tweak, and it’s to switch to low GI carbohydrates. h3. Why? If you’re suffering from low energy levels, it can be due to a number of causes. Lack of sleep, not exercising and having a busy, stress-full life will all contribute. On top of that though, for some people, their diet just isn’t helping. Much of our diet revolves around grain-based carbohydrate foods. We have toast or cereal for …

Read more 20 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

It’s a rainy Sunday here in Sydney, what better time to to plan a holiday? So that’s your task in 31 Days to Better Energy. h3. Why? I booked myself a holiday this week. Taking advantage of some cheap flights, I’ve organised a week up in sunny Queensland. It isn’t a long time since my last holiday and I’m certainly not tired and stressed out. However, since booking my trip I’ve noticed an improvement in my energy levels. I’m excited …

Read more 19 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

• I’m becoming a fan of Half of Me’s regular Lick The Produce section. I’ve linked to it before – hoping to inspire the vegie- and fruit-phobics out there. In this episode she tries mango, kiwi fruit and purple cauliflower for the first time. * The Guardian blog asks if you’re vegetarian and have given up meat then why do you eat so many meat-substitutes? The post is beautifully titled Hard-core Quorn. * Those of you following the “31 Days …

Read more 20 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

I’m sure you’ll like this task a lot better than yesterday’s. Today in 31 Days to Better Energy I want you to take at least 15 minutes out for yourself. h3. Why? It’s very easy to get caught up in your “to do” list and leave no time for yourself. You may work all week and then spend Saturday ferrying the kids around, doing the grocery shopping, tidying the house, mowing the lawn. This doesn’t leave a whole lot of …

Read more 18 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

I feel I’m running the risk of losing half my audience with today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy – how does having an alcohol free weekend sound? h3. Why? While the odd glass of wine does have some health benefits, most people tend to over-indulge. Here in Australia, alcohol is an important part of most social occasions. We meet friends for a drink, share a glass of wine with our partner at the end of the day, and …

Read more 17 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to eat a different food. h3. Why? It’s easy to get into a food rut. You have toast for breakfast, a cheese and tomato sandwich for lunch and then one of about three options for dinner. While we tend to mix things up a bit on the weekend, during the week it can be pretty much the same every day. Yes, eating the same way every day is easy. In a …

Read more 16 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy might take some explanation – it’s to take some time out from the energy drainers in your life. h3. What are energy drainers? Have you ever noticed the effect the people around you have on your energy levels? Interact with one group of people and you walk away with a spring in your step, feeling good not only about yourself, but also the world in general. In contrast, even five minutes with …

Read more 15 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Day 14 in 31 Days to Better Energy and today’s task is another sleeping strategy – find some time to wind down, before going to bed. h3. Why? Sometimes it’s easy to rush, rush, rush all day. At work, at home, we’re constantly trying to fit more into our days. Time for ourselves and time to sleep are two things that get pushed aside in this busy-ness. *Not enough sleep and problems sleeping are two direct consequences of this, which …

Read more 14 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

To start the new week, today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to do some de-cluttering and tidy up your desk. h3. Why? It’s Monday morning, the beginning of a new working week. However, have you arrived at work, only to feel your heart sink at the sight of your desk? If you’re in-tray is overflowing and your desk is covered in stuff, it can make you feel out of control and overwhelmed – especially if you’re already …

Read more 13 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy is to eat at least three different vegetables with your dinner. h3. Why? Any of you who are regular readers of this blog know I’m a big fan of vegetables. While I definitely love cooking and eating them, it’s also because they’re immensely good for you. Vegetables are full of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, all of which are important for the efficient running of your body. To feel your best, you need …

Read more 12 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

We’re now about a third of the way into 31 Days to Better Energy and I thought it was time to check in with how you’re feeling? The whole point of the project is that by spending a small amount of time on your health every day, in one month you’ll feel better than when you started. It’s about the small, incremental steps you can take to improve your health. 31 Days to Better Energy is not about me collecting …

Read more 11 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

It’s the weekend, so how do you feel about a 20 minute task for today’s 31 Days to Better Energy tip? Here in Sydney it’s another beautiful day, so your task is to go for a 20 minute walk. h3. Why? We all know the benefits of activity, but sometimes it feels like a big deal to start an exercise programme. While some people love the gym, jogging and more intense forms of exercise, that doesn’t suit everyone. It’s easy …

Read more 11 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

We’re now up to day 10 of 31 Days to Better Energy. I’m going to post a summary of what’s happened so far tomorrow, but for now it’s on to today’s task – go and chat to a colleague. h3. Why? This task has two benefits. For most people working in an office, your day is pretty sedentary – I know mine is. We have telephones, email, computers, printers and apart from exercising your fingers over the keyboards, you barely …

Read more 10 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Briefly interrupting Q & A Thursday, to bring you today’s task in 31 Days to Better Energy – drink more water. Health specialists are always talking about drinking more water. Here in Australia, the general message is to have between 1.5 and 2 litres per day, more if you’re exercising or it’s very hot. However, the 31 Days is about improving your energy levels and what’s water got to do with that? h3. What’s the deal with water? While …

Read more 09 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

While tiredness is the number one complaint of patients that see me in clinic, sleeping problems are often a big part of this. Today’s task for 31 Days to Better Energy is therefore another sleeping strategy – stop night-time clock watching. h3. What’s the problem? Do you wake during the night, look at the clock and start worrying about the day ahead? Do you get frustrated and stressed that you’re awake? Does the thought “oh no I HAVE to get …

Read more 08 August, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Seasonal Health

Day seven of 31 Days to Better Energy and today’s task is to have a healthy snack this afternoon. h3. Why? Generally I find most people need to eat about every four hours. After that, your blood sugar levels start falling and you’ll feel tired and have difficulty concentrating. Despite this I’ve also noticed many people think they shouldn’t eat anything in the afternoon. The belief seems to be, once you’ve had lunch, that should be enough before dinner. However, ...