Binging on the good stuff

I definitely eat too much cheese sometimes…I am a member of a cheese club in Tasmania and they make the BEST cheeses….I order them in and simply can’t help myself…my body definitely does not like it, but somehow the resistance is too great and I just can’t avoid it…I eat too much! Worse yet is when I make my own haloumi or bocconcini...bring on the indulge!

This is an irregular (treat?) occurrence so is not a problem in my life, but it is easy for this occasional splurge to become a regular habit if there is something more sinister driving behaviour.

We regularly hear and read about binging in its well-known forms – including bulimia and binge eating disorder, but we don’t often hear about the over indulgence on health…is it possible?

Are there people out there who overdo the exercise regime, to the point of obsession; or people who take food restriction to extreme? Yes and for all the same reasons that bulimia and binge eating disorder are damaging, so is this.

What the behaviour is masking, or reflecting, is deeper emotional issues that need to be exposed and managed.

I did a great interview with Dr Joann Lukins earlier this month and we explored this idea together – she provided some really useful guidance for people who might be worried about their binging behaviour.

It is worth listening to.

http://www.imnotfussy.com.au/Fans/DrJoannLukinsPodcast.aspx

Augustus Gloop – the modern day dilemma?

One of my all-time favourite movies as a kid was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I LOVED the crazy Wonka and the extraordinary world he created (Gene Wilder is still my fav, but Johnny Depp did a pretty great job too) complete with edible trees and Oompa Loompas!

Of course Charlie is the hero of the story and we are compelled to gasp as we watch in horror as the other horrid children get justice for their badness, but how far from ourselves are those wicked children?

The one who is particularly gross is Augustus Gloop, who gets stuck in the chocolate river drain pipe whilst gorging on all that liquid sweetness!

Whilst is angry mother berates the crazy Wonka, I have always asked myself; what role did she play in her child’s over indulgence and why is she not punished whilst her son is? I think Grandpa makes mention of it sometime in the script, but has always puzzled me.

In many ways, we now live in a version of the Chocolate factory.

Think about it.

Our every dream and desire has been created and provided at our very finger tips are sweets and treats and foods beyond our wildest imagination. They can be purchased, freely and easily – in store or conveniently online.

In a sense, the opportunity to indulge in binging behaviour, like that displayed by Augustus Gloop, has become easier, more accessible and in a strange way, somehow encouraged through marketing and purchase portals.

Have you let your indulgences become out of control?

Binging by definition is a period of unrestrained, immoderate self-indulgence, which of course we are all prone to and definitely participate in at some time/s in our life.

The concern is not that behaviour, in one off instances, but if the indulgences become regular or more frequent and becomes a habit, or something that happens in response to something else.

This month at www.imnotfussy.com.au we are exploring Binging and have some fantastic articles about it. I would encourage you to take a look!

Beat the Winter Blues with the Mind

I had a wonderful Sunday morning chat with Dr Louise Greenstock a while back (you can download it at www.imnotfussy.com.au/Fans/Freedownloads.aspx) and she was talking about the power of the mind in managing mood, happiness and a whole range of other things that impact on us daily. It got me thinking that winter is a time when our anxiety can increase and our mood can spiral down; shorter days and dwindling light can contribute, but so can being closed inside or getting cold. It is important to take care of oneself and nurture the body and mind at this time of year – and particularly to find a personal mantra that shifts the focus from what you don’t want to what you do.

One strategy I use is positive self talk and gratitude.

I have developed a short ritual in the morning that speaks to the truths I know about myself and the vision that I have for the day ahead. I repeat the words to myself quietly, reiterating the positive and kick starting a productive frame of mind – almost like a computer reboot.

I am also mindful that when things get tough, the days are short and the sunlight and time seem more limited and nothing seems to be going right…I am to be grateful rather than resentful.

This is sometimes easier said than done, but definitely works and is something I have had to keep reminding myself to do for many years. For instance, instead of getting anxious and uptight about traffic jam (not a problem for me personally as I live 100m from my workplace), be grateful that the universe has provided you the opportunity for reflection or has saved you from a potential accident that may have awaited otherwise. If a work deal falls through, be grateful for the new opportunities it has presented and the time it has freed up.

It is worthwhile listening to the podcast with Louise, I have listened to it quite often since we recorded it, just as a reminder of how important the mind is to your overall wellness.

What to plant in Winter

Winter often gets the cold shoulder in the veggie patch as it does require a bit of extra fortitude to rug up and brave the breeze to get into it, but it is worth it AND if you are going to eat out of your patch into springtime, definitely necessary!

There are plenty of veg you can get started from seed at this time of year (July), and it is worth investing the $40 or so to buy a small plastic covered hot house, just to give them a bit of protection. Otherwise, find a nice, sheltered, warm place for the seeds to start their germination.

You will be rewarded at the end of winter with a garden about to burst at the seam, the minute the sun lingers a little!

Winter is also a great time for planning and preparing the soil – and for making new gardens! Make the most of sunny Sunday afternoons and do yourself a favour by investing in a back yard veg patch…and improve your Vitamin D intake at the same time!

What can you plant at this time of year?

Cool and temperate zones

Broad been, beetroot, cabbage, capsicum, lettuce (seeling), onion or leek (seeling), spinach (seeling)

Tropical and sub-tropical zones

Beans, beetroot , broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cucumber, leek, onion, silverbeet (seeling), spinach (seeling), tomato, lettuce, pumpkin, pea, melon, corn

Super FAV Winter Veg Recipe

We have an abundance of pumpkin this winter, delicious varieties including jap, blue, golden nugget and another that I am not sure about, it could be a hybrid that snuck out of the compost heap at the end of summer!

I have any number of pumpkin recipes, mostly they play to the sweetness of this nutritious and highly underrated veg, but my favourite is a very versatile and highly adaptable pumpkin soup.

The reason I say versatile and adaptable is that it basically takes whatever you have left in the pantry or fridge and turns it into a hearty meal for a hungry family.

To make the soup base, start with any combination of garlic, onion, leeks and celery and sweat in a large pot until nicely browned and suitably fragrant. Then add ½ a decent sized pumpkin chopped into chunks. At this point you can also add any other root veg you fancy, or have wilting in the bottom of the fridge; parsnip, swedes and turnip are in season at the moment and carrots, potato or sweet potato will also do just fine! They need to be cut into similar size of the pumpkin, but be sure not to add so much that it will overpower the flavour of the pumpkin, it is after all the hero of the dish.

Now you need to add enough water to cover the vegetables – and then add a bit more…because now you are going to add another pantry staple – soup mix, barley, lentils, green peas, white beans etc… about 250g will be sufficient, but if you want a really thick soup, add more!

These will all cook together in the soup, once the ingredients are all soft – blitz it up and serve with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon.

This soup is a great way to sneak in some extra fibre and nutrients as it includes hidden legumes and vegetables which are very important for a healthy diet – if you want to get really cheeky add an apple or a pear for a bit of extra flavour and a serve of fruit!

Welcome to Winter

Well it is time to rug up and get out your woollies, winter is well and truly here. As long as I can stay warm, I love this season!

For me winter means a mesmerising log fire, hearty soups, warming tagines and slow cooks, mittens, scarves and funky felt hats!

It also means consolidation in the garden. Winter is a time to give a bit of extra love to the soil in the way of nutrients (compost or soil improver, or in our case, cow poo and shredded newspaper) and extra mulch. In our temperate climate we are also able to start planting new seeds for a spring transplanting (we have a little greenhouse which helps this), it is so exciting to see new growth…and imagine the possibilities for the table!

Winter is often the time when we do garden structural adjustment or extensions –often, we have taken the opportunity during winter to light a fire outside, rug up and get building.

There have been many an afternoon where I have come home from work, just on dusk, changed into my gardening clothes and wiled away the hours moving dirt, digging holes or mulching garden beds….with rosy red cheeks, a smug grin and the knowledge that the fire is warm inside, it is a blissful feeling!

If you live in the tropical north, I think you are missing out.

After the bright seasonal serenade of the autumn colours subside, winter can sometimes feel gloomy, but if you take the season in hand and celebrate all that makes it special – the food, the festivals, the ambience and the outdoor recreational opportunities, there is much to be excited about.

Be joyous this winter – and shout about what you celebrate this season!

I'm a bit miffed: Gluten Free discrimination...

I am gluten free (and lots of other things) for my health and I am FED UP with the discrimination - yes, it is discrimination, there I said it.

I call it discrimination simply because of the lack of acceptance, this constant back and forth 'is it real or is it a fad?' is a bit like the challenges people with a mental health issue face - if you can't see it, it mustn't be real.

Well, I can tell you that the pain, discomfort and exhaustion I experience when I eat something I shouldn't is very, very real.

Now there are businesses who are embracing this new paradigm and the gluten free industry is booming, but there are still the naysayers who doubt and discriminate in their commentary and their businesses.

Last week I read an article that sought to put some perspective around the 'myths' and 'truths' of the whole gluten free 'thing'. Whilst the author did present two sides of the argument, some of the comments that appeared under the article, and the things that were missing, made my blood boil.

I think we need to start to see this whole debate in a different light and name it as 'choice' and see the people in the debate as real people, with real challenges.

For them this is not about choosing to have an allergy or intolerance (who in their right mind would choose that?), it is about having the right to make choices that keep you healthy, not make you sick.

The truth is that there is a divide in this country between people who choose wellness and those who don't.

In the gluten free debate there are people who choose not to consume foods that harm them and those who either are not harmed by it or choose to consume it anyway.

The very idea that the people who make a CHOICE (god forbid you get to make a choice in this democratic society) for wellness are being 'fussy', being 'precious' or 'making trouble', is outrageous!

When did CHOICE become a dirty word?

There are those of us who are deeply affected - and for some, harmed to the point of certain death or long term damage, by food.

We, because of this, choose NOT to eat certain things.

Let me ask you this, if you had the choice between eating a slice of bread and ending up in hospital, writing in pain on the floor, vomiting, coping with severe bloat or diarrhoea - or NOT eating it...what would you do?

Seriously, what would you do...or more importantly, what would you NOT Do...eat the bread I would think!

This is a VERY serious issue for LOTS OF PEOPLE!!! This is not a 'fad', or a 'myth' or something that a few people made up and created. This is real and it is here to stay.

People who live gluten free are not fussy, nor are they 'precious'. In fact some people I know who live with allergies and chronic illness and manage their health through diet are some of the bravest people I know.

And even if people are choosing a gluten free lifestyle because it makes them feel better - not because they are a coeliac or have an intolerance, who cares, when did wanting to feel good become a crime punishable by name calling and discrimination - aren't we moving on from that?

The gluten free marketplace is rapidly growing, that's a simple supply and demand thing....it is creating new employment, new industry and new opportunities for businesses to capitalise...isn't that good?

We need to accept this new paradigm (choosing health that is) and embrace it, not constantly bring it down.

End the discrimination by conversation and choose health yourself!