Wednesday 20 March 2013 - Book Review: Unbearable Lightness

Last week I both started and finished reading this incredible memoir written by Portia de Rossi who you may recognize as Nelle Porter from Ally McBeal (back in the old days) or as talk show host Ellen DeGeneres' wife now.

It was obvious through tabloid reports during De Rossi's time on Ally Mcbeal that she was having issues with her weight and she later confirmed it was suffering with anorexia that caused the dramatic publicized weight loss.

What the pictures and a simple confirmation of the fact don't reveal is the extent of the psychological struggle she went through at that time - as what began as seemingly harmless dieting "tricks" spiralled into a life threatening eating disorder. In the book De Rossi candidly and eloquently describes the thoughts, emotions and fears she experienced each day and whilst the perspective she has of her body and of her 'dieting' are clearly skewed, they also haunted me long after finishing the final page - as I saw where I have allowed similar thoughts to exist in my own life.

And that's what I liked most about this book. Her words are relevant for everyone who's ever gone on a diet, or looked in the mirror and criticized the size of their thighs, or labelled themselves as 'fat.' As Portia says on one of the final pages: "You don't have to be emaciated or vomiting to be suffering. All people who live their lives on a diet are suffering."

As an advocate for healthy eating I have found it hard to consolidate these two issues: On the one hand I do believe we should pursue a "diet" that is healthy for our bodies and helps our body to function at it's best. On the other hand I myself have found it all too easy for the lines to blur between eating healthily and intentionally restricting calories or forbidding food groups in a negative and unhealthy way. I think the key is striking a balance with your eating habits which is kind to both your body and your mind.

I think Portia presents it beautifully when she explains her relationship with food after recovery.

"The fact that I stopped labelling food as 'good' and 'bad' made me just see it all as food....there was no bad food. There were just bad eating practices."

And as much as overeating to the point of making yourself ill is a bad eating practice, restrictive dieting in an attempt to contort your body to a size smaller than what is natural is equally as bad.

I commend Portia on her bravery for speaking out so honestly about such an important issue in today's culture where we still praise the super-skinny as a being a beauty ideal. And I highly recommend reading her book. It's called "Unbearable Lightness. A story of loss and gain." I was lucky enough to find my copy at the local Salvation Army but I'm sure you can also order it from book stores online.

Tuesday 18 March 2013 - Inspirational Lunchboxes

Just had to share this incredibly funky image of ways to make a healthy lunchbox look beautiful and inviting to children (and adults!). I will definitely be thinking more creatively next time I go to prepare my lunch!

Monday 18 March 2013 - Superfood Spotlight: Apple Cider Vinegar

The first time I purchased Apple Cider Vinegar it was to mix up a drink named "Meta-D" by the recipes creators that they claimed would: provide energy, boost my metabolism and give me glowing skin if I'd just drink it every morning.

Apple Cider Vinegar was a main ingredient in the Meta-D cocktail and as I researched it's health properties I found it was likely the one solely responsible for the promised glowing, energy provision and metabolism boost. I was sceptical (as one should be when it comes to any "quick fix" promise from a health food) and I can't say that after making a daily ritual of drinking it that I instantly turned into a glowing Disney Princess or a reformed coffee drinker due to my bundles of energy.

But what I can say is that it did give me extra energy in the morning (enough to enthusiastically complete a pre-breakfast run, which I usually struggle with) and brought a healthy glow to my cheeks. In addition to these truths I found claims for its usefulness as a form of natural medicine and I've personally found it to be capable of unblocking congested sinus's, healing skin conditions and soothing a sore throat.

So what is it? The vinegar in it's natural form is simply twice fermented apples. Only look for the Organic versions which contain the "mother of vinegar" which makes the vinegar so beneficial. The "mother" is made up of living nutrients and bacteria. You will actually be able to see it settled in the bottom of the bottle.

Why does it deserve a cape? These are just some of the listed health benefits which naturally occur due to the properties of the vinegar:

• Potassium – helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses.
• Pectin – helps to regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.
• Malic Acid – gives ACV the properties of being resistant to viruses, bacteria, and fungus.
• Calcium – supports strong bones and teeth.
• Ash – gives ACV its alkaline property which aids your body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state.
• Acetic Acid – It appears that this acid slows the digestion of starch which can help to lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals.

What can I do with it? Some easy ways to incorporate the use of Apple Cider Vinegar as a superfood is to add it to juice, cold or hot water for drinking, use it as an ingredient in marinades, sauces, and salad dressings or as a substitute for citric ingredients in household recipes. In addition to these ways of using a bottle from your pantry you can also store a bottle in your medicine cabinet, with your cleaning items, beauty products and even pet treatments. I found a handy list of 15 uses for apple cider vinegar which gives suggestions for ways these bottles could be used here.

Sample Recipe

1 Tablespoon of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Cup of Hot Water
1 Teaspoon of organic honey

Mix into a mug and enjoy! This is the drink that cleared my sinuses and cured my sore throat when I was sick. It actually tastes really nice too!

How much does it cost and where can I get it? Health food stores and supermarkets both stock Apple Cider Vinegar in their vinegar sections. It costs around $4.50 per 500ml.

11- 17 March 2013 - Where did the week go?

Uni lectures/tutorials/practicals/watching recordings of missed lectures in my pyjamas/commuting to uni/drinking lots of coffee

Running/one 10km and three 5km/accidentally inhaled a bug during fastest 10km run/aching leg muscles

Working at the pub/pouring beers/Led Zeppelin experience/Whiskey on St Patricks Day/making tips

Driving to the Sunshine Coast/Road rage/awesome catch ups with old friends/spent the night/amazing op shop find/afternoon nap

In a week this full how could I possibly have time to blog?

(though there are probably more "de-stress from so much running/study and work by watching bad tv shows" time slots than I care to account for.)

Time to get back on track.