Sue Hardman

Nourish + Rejuvenate

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Simple, Essential Advice For A Healthy Life

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With all the different advice out there it can get confusing sometimes – what to eat, what to drink, what exercise and which supplements to take?

I love digging into information, learning and staying up to date on new findings about what will help us feel and age well.  I’ve also realised how complicated we can make it and with the information overload we end up never actually making any of the changes. We end up stuck, despite what we know is good for us.

Information changes lives and then there are the questions:

  • How can I add more good oils to my day, I know they’re good for my brain, skin and keeping my hormones balanced?
  • If I do add butter, olive or coconut oil to my diet, will I think better but put on weight?
  • How much exercise should I do and what kind?
  • Will I feel the effects of gluten and bread, and will I pay for the indulgence?
  • Will a glass of red wine every night help me live longer and healthier?

One of the world’s leading experts in aging, Dr. Bill Andrews says two things:

  1. Happiness is the key to healthy ageing i.e. longer telomeres
  2. He doesn’t drink alcohol (but he doesn’t discourage it)

Let’s go with his model – at least #1 – happiness and then #2 well…..even though studies show how drinking a glass of red wine every day can help with anything from heart health to preventing Alzheimer’s. My theory is this study was highly likely done on men, because like a lot of woman I know It can make me happy for a very short period of time and then the immediate negative effects start to outweigh the long term positives – like poor sleep, feeling cranky, stuffy head, achy joints and hot flashes.

So my advice to my clients is to keep it simple and follow these rules, laugh a lot – definitely …..and also notice what works for you.

The Simple Advice For You To Follow:-

  • Find what makes you happy and do that
  • Eat locally grown, real foods. The life in food gives us life – #foodismedicine
  • Eat the colours of the rainbow every day
  • Stick to the fresh produce aisle in the grocery store. Choose organic
  • Plan ahead. Be prepared. Carry food with you
  • Eat within an hour of waking and every 5 hours
  • Stop eating 3 hours before bed
  • Eat a protein, fat and carbohydrate together to balance hormones
  • Sit less, walk more and work on your flexibility
  • Eat 8-10 portions fruit & veg per day. 5 veggies: 3 fruit
  • Eat healthy protein at each meal: Grass fed meats, free range chicken, eggs, line caught oily fish
  • Eat healthy fats at each meal: nuts/seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, butter, ghee, avocado
  • Respect your own biochemical uniqueness
  • Make your meals yummy and delicious with herbs, spices, and good quality sea salt
  • Make stress reduction a daily priority
  • Get good quality sleep for at least 7- 8 hours a night
  • Drink clean flouride/chlorine free water – get a filter rather than drinking from plastic bottles

 

Take the time to notice how you feel and what makes you feel great and what doesn’t? Self awareness is also part of your journey and allows you to make better choices and slowly over time, you’ll figure out what makes you feel the way you want to feel, more of the time.

 

Glowing Skin Is An Inside Job

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The Essential’s To Having Healthy, Glowing Skin

We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat”, and your skin is no exception. Glowing skin isn’t just an outside job.

As a Naturopath, I’ve had first hand experience with acne in my teens and twenties, along with bad skin pigmentation when I was pregnant.

I also believe that we can do a lot to reduce the effects of ageing and actually regenerate our skin. I’ve seen first-hand that your skin is a mirror of your internal health. The right nutrients can make all the difference; especially as we age…they’re essential to glowing skin.

Simple Fact:  Your skin is your largest organ. It’s your protective covering and your first line of defence to fight illness and disease. It is also a passageway to your bloodstream. That being said, what you apply topically on your skin, as well as what you eat, will affect the overall health & appearance of your skin.

So let’s get started from the inside out.

A quote from a well known skin doctor: “Certain foods have powerhouse ingredients that keep skin supple and smooth and help fight age-related damage”, says Nicholas Perricone, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and author of “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind”.

First off, we need to HYDRATE the skin. That means drinking plenty of water. You need at least the recommended 6-8 glasses/day. If you are physically active, live in a warm climate, or feel thirsty, you may need to up your daily intake. Also, as we age, skin tends to become dehydrated a lot more quickly, causing it to wrinkle, so ample hydration is key.

Eat your superfoods! If it’s good for your health, it’s good for your skin too! Some examples:

  • Stress relieving foodOmega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as herring, sardines, and salmon. Other sources of omega-3s include flaxseeds & walnuts. Omega-3s are known to decrease inflammation and may reduce the risk of acne and other skin problems.
  • Vitamin C helps produce collagen & prevents cells from damage caused by free radicals. Great sources are oranges, pineapples, tomato, strawberries, & bell peppers.
  • Vitamin E helps limit sun damage & signs of aging. Avocados and Almonds are a terrific source of Vitamin E.
  • Vitamin A revitalises skin by increasing cell production and rebuilds tissue. Eggs and dark leafy greens are good choices.
  • Beta-Carotene is needed for growth & repair of tissue. It is found in abundance in orange foods like carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, and cantaloupe.
  • Other fabulous foods to include to boost your skin health:  dark leafy vegetables, avocados, mushrooms, berries, and, surprise, surprise dark chocolate.

Did you know that your skin is a “breathable” organ? 
Up to 60% of what you apply topically on your skin will be absorbed into your bloodstream, and children absorb even more than that!!!!

Imagine that products you’ve been using for years actually contain harmful ingredients and could damage your health. If so, your first instinct would be to find a healthier alternative, pronto!

Heightened awareness and potential dangers have caused consumers to take a closer look at what they put on their skin and demand safer alternatives.

Many cosmetic companies do NOT list their ingredients, aka toxic chemicals, because they are not required to do so. Several of these toxic chemicals are linked to a host of problems including:  allergies, skin rashes, cancer, headaches, fertility & reproductive issues, birth defects, hormone inhibitors, and more.

Some toxic chemicals that should be avoided:

  • Parabens – often found in many personal care products. parabens are hormone inhibitors & believed to accelerate tumor growth
  • Artificial fragrance & color – may trigger allergies, asthma, and some colors contain lead & harmful dyes
  • Toulene – found in nail polish, hair color products, and some fragrances, this chemical is linked to kidney & liver damage, which may affect fetal growth
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate – a foaming agent found in shampoos and body/facial washes, it dries out the skin & is linked to eczema, hair- loss, rashes, and dry and scaly skin. (not to mention the effect on fish that are exposed when it ends the water system)
  • Formaldehyde – used as a preservative, formaldehyde is known by several different names & should be avoided at all costs, as the side effects are numerous
  • PEG’s – found in numerous skin & personal care products, this is anti-freeze and should be used in for your car, not your skin!
  • Paraffin/Mineral Oil/Petrolatum – clogs pores, causing toxic build-up ( favourite in baby oil and found in vaseline!)
  • Phthalates – found in plastics, it is a known hormone disruptor
  • Triclosan – used in anti-bacterial products, it is a pesticide, harmful to the environment, and a suspected carcinogenic
  • Sunscreens –Google some of those ingredients and you will see that they cause possible damage to DNA and many are known carcinogens

*****Of course, there are more, but you get the point. If you wouldn’t EAT it, it doesn’t belong on your SKIN.*****

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

Health and happiness,

Sue

Toxins – 5 Ways To Reduce Them In Your Home

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So you’ve heard about detoxing your body to eliminate internal toxins but what about your home?

The common household and body-care products we use are increasingly being found to have negative health effects on the nervous, immune, reproductive systems, endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

The average home contains 500-1,000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell or taste. Making your home healthier and greener doesn’t have to be expensive, or overwhelming.

Just a few changes can improve the health of your home and everyone in it.

Taking more care to reduce our exposure to external toxins, by detoxing our living space allows the body’s own detoxification to function more efficiently.

Strengthening your body’s resilience to the daily onslaught of toxins impacts your health.

Here are a few ways you can you cut down your exposure to these chemicals and other potential household risks.

Mistake ♯ 1. Plastic bottles, containers and wrap. Plastic releases chemicals that are hormone disruptors, according to many studies.

What to do instead: If you use a lot of bottled water consider this, they’re no good for the environment and bad for your health. Try replacing your plastic for glassware or heavy duty plastic water bottles which are designed to be safely used, again and again. Avoid putting hot or acidic food in plastic, and never microwave them.

Mistake ♯ 2. Even if you live in a place where drinking water is considered good the following contaminants are not usually removed – chlorine, E. coli, pesticides.

What to do instead: Filtered tap water is a better choice than tap water. Simply filtering your tap water can remove lots of these pollutants. A simple jug water filter system may be all you need for drinkable water. There are also filters that attach to a tap or to the plumbing system.

It’s a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.” You’ll also cut down on waste in landfills by not buying – and then tossing – plastic bottles.

Mistake ♯ 3. Skip antibacterial soap, new research has also shown that triclosan, the main ingredient in antibacterial soap, has the potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system.

Antibacterial products contain harsh chemicals like triclosan, which has been linked to liver toxicity and ends up in water sources.

What to do instead: Studies show washing your hands with plain soap is just as effective or try making your own antibacterial spray using tea tree and lavender essential oils they have powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Some researchers believe that the quest for hyper-cleanliness may have led to weakened immune systems, and possibly to more cases of asthma and allergies.

Mistake ♯ 4. Indoor air quality can be worse than outdoors, let your home “breathe.” Open your windows as often as you can, open your curtains and let in the sunlight, a natural antibacterial agent.

Plants that remove toxins in your homeWhat to do instead: Use natures air purifiers – plants.

While most plants take away oxygen at night, the snake plant (or Mother-In-Laws Tongue) gives off oxygen at night, it is extremely low maintenance, tolerant of irregular watering and less lighting, and has the potential to absorb airborne chemicals.

Mistake ♯ 5. Wearing outdoor shoes around your home, particularly relevant if you have a lot of carpets or small children crawling on the floor.

What to do instead: Leave your shoes at the door so that you’re not spreading outdoor pollutants and additional toxins throughout the house. Go barefoot or wear slippers. Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes. This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stays on the mat. This is the easiest thing you can do, and costs you nothing.

Something else to consider: Is your body trying to tell you something? Do you often look & feel tired, have dark circles under your eyes, or wake up feeling sluggish?

Because Toxins are unavoidable, maybe your body needs a cleanse. So every once in a while it’s a good idea remove them with the structure and support of a fresh food detox!

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

This Love Your Body Detox Program will take you step-by-step through a simple detox that will make a huge difference in how you feel and look – in just 14 days!

Find out more HERE

 

 

Eat Healthily Spend Less Time Cooking

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Eat Healthily – Try these meal prepping shortcuts

Are you eating real, whole food as much as you’d like? I have found that if you’re busy, stressed and have little spare time then the best possible way to live a healthy lifestyle and have healthy and delicious meals all week long is by meal prepping once for the whole week.

It saves you time, money, and stress, all the while allowing you to stay on track with eating healthily.

STEP 1: PLAN & SHOP 

You can begin meal planning by making a list of recipes and meals for the upcoming week. Create a list based on what you will have for breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners. Use this as your weekly shopping guide.

STEP 2: PREPARE THE FOOD

When you get home from the store keep out the items you plan to use for your meal prep. Pull up your meal plans and get to washing and cooking!

Many of my breakfast recipes are great for mid-morning snacks, and/or if I am in need of a breakfast on-the-go. I also recommend having a smoothie for your breakfast.

You can prepare big batches of veggies.  Start with washing the greens, then set aside to dry and move onto slicing, dicing, and dividing veggies into containers for use in cooking and salads.

When a recipe calls for sautéed chicken or lean protein, cook it in big batches in your biggest pan or crock pot! That way, you’re only prepping chicken and/or lean meat once for all the recipes!  I store the extra chicken in the freezer for use later.

STEP 3: PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO MAKE THE RECIPES

To keep it simple, you can make a large salad in advance and then add the extras when your ready to eat it.  If you’re on the go, divide it into containers.

For dinners, I typically make two favourite main dishes, which allows me to prepare and freeze in advance making it easy for during the week.

 STEP 4: PUT IT ALL AWAY! 

After all the food is prepped and the recipes are made, put everything in containers and place it in the fridge! That way, you’l have delicious, fresh, whole foods for all meals during the week in minutes.

If you are still scratching your head, don’t let it discourage you!!! It can take time to learn and get in the swing of things.

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

Stress, Cortisol & Weight Gain

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Do You Need To Flip Off The Cortisol – Stress Switch?

Over the last 40 years rates of depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia have soared and the World Health Organisation is saying that these problems are the biggest threat to our health.

Stress releases cortisol in your body, and of course cortisol has both a positive and negative effect on your body.  We wouldn’t survive if it wasn’t for the positive effect of cortisol.Reduce stress

Cortisol is the main stress hormone that is made in your adrenal glands and it’s designed to get you out of danger, you feel the positive vibe of cortisol and adrenalin– releasing extra energy, getting you focused, it raises blood sugar (to feed muscles fight or flight), raises blood pressure, and modulates your immune function.

Unfortunately many of us live with chronic daily stresses and so live with constantly high cortisol levels and your body ceases to experience the positive aspects of cortisol and if these high levels are sustained this is when the problems start occurring.

Stress is triggered by a huge range of psychological factors and external events. We can become stressed by relationships, by work, by finances, and by our thoughts of what we think may or may not have happened.

Daily stress of any sort sends your bodies into the “fight or flight” mode, releasing adrenaline and cortisol.

Cortisol releases extra energy for us to deal efficiently with the physical effort involved in fighting or fleeing, but when that effort doesn’t come, the extra energy (in the form of glucose and fat) just gets re-deposited as fat – around the middle.

Why there?  It’s close to the liver where it can quickly be converted back into energy when needed.

A lean man or woman of normal weight can even have to much fat around the centre of their bodies as a result of the stress hormone – cortisol.

Fat cells in the belly have four times more cortisol receptors compared to fat cells elsewhere.

A study done by Nuffield Health found that women with thicker waists are at higher risk of various cancers as well as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

If you have a high level of stress then you will be particularly at risk of the dreaded muffin top and stress keeps feeding the muffin top as your cortisol stays high.How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Muffin-Top-In-2-Weeks

Increased abdominal fat, is associated with more health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body.

There’s another hormone that is released due to stress. High levels of blood sugar released by cortisol, trigger the pancreas to release the hormone insulin.

This tells your body to store fat and triggers a craving for something sweet and fatty like chocolate.  So rest assured that it is
not just weakness that draws you towards the fridge – it’s physical urge.

Abdominal fat cells have many receptors for cortisol, if you’re very stressed and have high levels of cortisol, your abdominal fat cells will be calling out for it, encouraging your body to store more fat there, which explains why fat accumulates so readily in that part of the body.

For a start you can control your blood sugar roller coaster and this will help reduce the amount of stress hormones that are being released and helping you feel calmer in yourself.

High or Excessive cortisol levels can create a broad range of undesirable side effects:

Physical Signs

Emotional 
Signs

Additional

Signs

-Muscle weakness

-Chronic fatigue

-Obesity

–Digestive problems

-Excess belly fat

 – Nervousness
– Anxiety
– Depression
– Irritability
– Craving carbs
– Insomnia
– Difficulty falling asleep

= Emotional over-eaters

– Illness after completing a project
– Sick on vacation
– Mental preoccupation with a  stressful event

6 things you can do straight away to support yourself and balance your cortisol levels

Stress relieving food
1) Eat fresh, healthy food as close as possible to the original source. Loads of veggies. Avoid refined carbs and sugar.

2) Find out which supplements can support you –

Certain nutrients such as the B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and essential fatty acids can be extremely helpful if stress is a problem as they will help boost the functioning of your adrenal glands.

You should be getting these nutrients from your healthy diet but if you are under stress you might want to add in more B vitamins, found in nuts and whole grains, essential fats found in oily fish, nuts and seeds, and plenty of vitamin C found in vimages-15eggies & fruit.

When you’re stressed you use more vitamin C and magnesium than at any other time, and it is vital for keeping your immune system strong.  Women who are deficient in the antioxidant mineral selenium, also experience feelings of depression and anxiety.  Selenium if found in fish and shellfish, whole grains, avocados.

3) Use natures’ own plant medicine –  nervine and adaptogen herbs like Scuttelaria, Passiflora, Ginseng or Rhodiola.

4) Get your cortisol levels tested. Know your levels and measure – where are they to high or to low? These can easily be addressed with the proper support.

5) Exercise –  is good and changes the levels of hormones in the blood and it can elevate the mood, affecting brain chemicals. Find time to do simple exercise daily.

6) Deep, long  and restful sleep is essential for recharging your energy levels. A proper sleep relaxes both your body and the mind. It will improve your mood and give you the ability to deal with daily stress.

7) Spending time in fun, positive environments to boost your ‘feel good’ hormones – with your family and friends, spend some time close to nature.

8) You need to get out of the sympathetic mode (fight or flight and stress) and as often as you can into the parasympathetic mode (rest and digest i.e. calm, relaxed). Try breathing exercises, meditation, pilates, walking in nature, yoga and prayer. There are several scientific studies that provide solid information about the physical and psychological health benefits of meditation and prayer.

Stress and relaxation

Dr. Herbert Benson, a cardiovascular specialist at Harvard Medical School and a pioneer in the field of mind/ body medicine discovered what he calls “the relaxation response,” which occurs during periods of prayer and meditation. At such times, the body’s metabolism decreases, the heart rate slows, blood pressure goes down, and our breath becomes calmer and more regular.

The body responds with slower brain waves, and feelings of control, tranquil alertness and peace of mind. This is significant because Benson estimates that over half of all doctor visits in the U.S. are prompted by illnesses, like depression, high blood pressure, ulcers and migraine headaches, that are caused at least in part by elevated levels of stress and anxiety.

If you are still scratching your head, don’t let it discourage you!!! It can take time to learn and get in the swing of things.

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

Flax Seeds – Why You Should Use Daily

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A daily dose of Flax Seeds – provide you with Omega 3’s and help to balance your hormones

Why are flax seeds so good for everyone – in particular helping women balance their hormones?

Flax seeds are very high in lignans or phyto-oestrogens and bear a strong resemblance to the female hormone oestrogen in shape, structure, and some functionality. Phyto-eostrogens are plant compounds that have very mild oestrogenic effects that can be used to modulate the influence of the body’s excess oestrogenic hormones on body tissues. Phyto-oestrogens help with hormone imbalance and may help prevent many types of cancer, such as breast, colon and prostate cancer The flax seed plant contains a higher concentration of photo -oestrogen lignans than any other food.

Aside from the lignans flaxseds are loaded with the best source of vegetarian essential fatty acid Omega-3 (or ALA) essential to our health and wellbeing.  More than that, our bodies can’t produce these fatty acids on their own. So you have to get them as part of your diet.

Flaxseed contains a perfect balance of omega-3’s and omega-6’s which work to form the membranes of every cell in your body and play a vital role in the active tissues of your brain.

Flaxseeds can also improve the quality of your hair, nails, and skin, as well as helping you to lose weight or bulk up, and it lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and prevents arthritis and cancers.

Flax seed also really helps the digestive system creating an ease of bowel movement combatting constipation. One of the great benefits also is the help flaxseed can bring during the menopause.

What else do Flax seeds Help You With?
– Contain complete proteins  (it has all the essential amino acids your body needs)
– High in minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and B vitamins
– Important role in the metabolism of fat
– Full of both soluble and insoluble fibre (you need both types),
– Flaxseeds contribute to an alkaline pH balance in the body

Research Backs Flax Benefits
Recent research indicates that flaxseed may have the ability to reduce blood pressure, lower level of harmful cholesterol, offer both estrogen-like and anti-estrogenic effects, and is being studied for its ability to protect against cancer.

Follow up studies show that just 2-3 tablespoons of flax daily can help up to 2/3rds of severely depressed women bounce back within eight weeks. Flax, says Udo Erasmus, PhD, has a mood boosting ingredient: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is essential for the proper function of brain cells, yet up to 85% of women aren’t getting enough of it.

How to store flax seeds
The best way to keep a fresh supply of flaxseeds either ground or whole is to store them in an airtight container in the freezer and use them as you need them.Flax seeds

How to use flax seeds
For both hormone health and general health, it’s a good idea to have 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds a day, preferably added to other foods like breakfast cereals, soups, salads, yoghurt.

Here are some ideas:
1. Add to cereals, oats or porridge, topped with fruit and cinnamon
2. Sprinkle on salads, along with ground/whole pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds
3. Add to your soup (add at the very end, so that heat doesn’t destroy the essential fatty acids)
4. Sprinkle on baked peaches, custard, rice pudding or fruit and yoghurt just before serving
5. Add to fruit smoothies or green / vegetable smoothies

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE