{Guest Post} 5 foods that keep you healthy and young

Many people these days prefer looking young and instead of using the anti-ageing creams available in the market the following foods can help fight the age related complications and enable one stay healthy and looking young.

1. Kidney beans — these contain high levels of potassium and fiber which help lower the levels of cholesterol hence reducing risks to any heart disease, more so they contain high levels of proteins that keep the body healthy.

2. Blueberries — these contain high level of Vitamin C which eases blood circulation in the human body and they are also rich in minerals that control the ageing process and hence help in keeping the human body looking young and healthy. They also contain flavonoid- a compound that helps to boost human memory.

3. Avocado — these contain high levels of Vitamin E which is an excellent antioxidant and prevents collagen from damage, they also help in nourishment of the skin through regeneration of skin cells giving the skin a fresh look with a more youthful complexion and finally they help in keeping the heart healthy and maintaining the eyesight as one ages.

4. Red grapes — these are used to produce red wine and scientists have proved that moderate consumption of alcohol mostly red wine protects the human body against diabetes, heart diseases and loss of memory that is related to old age, more so red grapes contain a compound known as resveratrol which is an antioxidant that prevents the human body from ageing and helps to keep it healthy. The compound resveratrol is an anti-inflammatory that helps to keep the skin looking good and also offers protection against UV radiation hence protection against skin cancer that in most cases is caused by UV radiations.

5. Salmon — these contain Omega-3 fats that on top of nourishing the skin they prevent it from drying and ageing and therefore the skin is not prone to dryness and wrinkles. These Omega-3 fats help to improve flexibility of the skin and its ability to repair. Salmon also contains a compound known as astaxanthin- an antioxidant that prevents the human body from ageing and offers protection against heart diseases and cancer. European Health Insurance Card refers to a free card that gives one access to necessary medical care provided by the state in the course of a temporary stay in one of the European countries. The medical care is provided under similar conditions and at equal cost with the people insured in the country. This card is usually issued by the holders national health insurance provider and it doesn't provide protection against personal health care or other costs such as lost property or the
return flight and therefore it does not serve as an alternative to travel insurance, more so this card does not cater for the costs incurred when one is travelling for the purpose of getting medical treatment and lastly it's not a guarantee to free health care since each country's system of health care is different and free medical services in the home country may have to be obtained at a cost in another country.

This is a guest post by Kristy Jones who lives in Liverpool and is an avid writer and blogger. Her areas of interest are food, reviews (Book/Movie), Travel, Fashion,Lifestyle and fitness. She works as a guest blogger on her chosen areas of interest and currently writes on behalf of European Health Card .

{Guest Post} Subtle ways to change your diet for your wedding- Part 2

This is part 2 of  Subtle ways to change your diet for your wedding. If you would like you to read the first part of this guest post click here. I would like to thank Kristi Charter for taking the time to write this informative guest post for my blog. 

Making the Right Choices

To ensure you stick to your healthy eating plan, you will need to change your mind frame and begin making the right choices. Saying this is one thing, but actually going through with it is another. So in order to change the way you make decisions about food you should start by focusing on the cooking methods you use. Sometimes getting results can be as simple as continuing to eat the same food but altering the way you cook it. This means less frying and more baking and grilling. When it comes to cooking your food, you should also invest in quality non-stick frying pans so that there is no need to cook with oil or butter.

Increasing your nutritional knowledge and familiarising yourself with product labels is the next step.  Products labelled as ‘low in fat’, ‘99% fat free’ or ‘light’ are not necessarily the healthiest option. In some cases if a product is lower in fat it will consequently be higher in sugars or sodium.

When reading product labels you should also be aware of the calorie trick that can often fool consumers. Most people will read the number of calories on a label and assume that’s the total number of calories for the entire packet, however it might only be a proportion of the calories in the packet. To ensure you are not fooled you will need to take note of the calories per serving and how many servings there are in the product you are about to consume.

The biggest challenge you might be confronted with is what to eat when you are out to dinner. Your eating plan shouldn’t control your social life however you shouldn’t use dining out as an excuse to throw all your hard work out the window either. Simple, easy tricks you can implement when out to dinner might be asking your waiter to hold the sauce or ask for the sauce to be presented on the side in a dish rather than drizzled all over the top. This will help cut calories from your meal. Another calorie cutting trick when you do have the option is to always order a side salad or vegetables instead of fries.

Also be wary of ordering salads, while you might think it’s a great idea more often than not the dressing on your salad can be just as harmful as eating the fries.  Opting for lower calorie options or foods that pack a nutritional punch is also wise.  For example try ordering fish instead of steak. 

Monitoring Your Fluid Intake 

Three essential words to changing your diet for the better are: drink more water. It couldn’t be any simpler.  The health benefits associated with drinking more water goes without saying, however the dietary benefits may not be as obvious. Drinking a glass of water before and while you eat a meal will help prevent you from over indulging. Our thirst can also sometimes get confused with hunger, so to ensure you are not just thirsty when you find your mind wandering to what you can eat you should drink a glass of water and wait 10 minutes before you decide if you are actually hungry. Drinking plenty of water also ensures your bowels continue to function normally, something very important when watching your weight.

You should avoid soft drink as much as possible and keep in mind that juices are just as high in sugar.

If you struggle to drink water and need flavour try adding lemon or mint to your water. Alternatively you might like to try ‘diet’ or ‘sugar free’ cordials.  Aside from water you should also be adding green tea to your daily fluid intake. Green tea is packed with antioxidants and is also credited as being a ‘fat fighter’ to help aid in weight loss. 

While these are some truly helpful dietary tricks that you can easily incorporate into your eating habits, combining a healthy eating plan with regular exercise and sticking to it is the only way to truly see results and have you glowing on your special day.  

Author Bio:

‘Kristi Charter is an experienced freelance writer with a breadth of knowledge across an array of subjects. Captivated by the wedding industry, Kristi regularly blogs for Wedding Invitations Perth.’ 

 http://giantinvitations.com.au/page/wedding-invitations-perth

{Guest Post} Subtle Ways to Change Your Diet for Your Wedding Part 1

It’s no secret that most brides go on crazy fad diets to get themselves ready for their big day and while there’s nothing wrong with wanting to trim your figure, many brides go about it in completely the wrong way. Unfortunately for many brides the latest raved about diet trends simply don’t work. While you may see immediate results from going on a fad diet, it’s just not sustainable.  You should think of your ‘diet’ as less of a diet and more of as a marathon and a new way of living rather than an overnight solution to your body woes.  To do this you should start slowly and be realistic in what you can achieve because your likelihood for success will as a result increase. It is also unreasonable to expect that you can simply cut out a range of foods from your diet and it will work. So to help you get on the right track we’ve put together some neat little tricks for changing your diet that will help you see long-lasting results.

Kick Start your Metabolism

The easiest and number one way to kick start your diet is to make sure you eat breakfast every day.

Skipping meals such as breakfast will cause your metabolism to slow down and start to hold onto fat instead of burning it off. Rather than cutting meals from your daily eating schedule, dieticians recommend actually adding healthy reasonably portioned snacks throughout the day to aid in weight loss. By adding meals you will be encouraging your metabolism to essentially pick up steam and start burning more. Eating breakfast and snacking throughout the day will also help you to control your eating habits, by helping prevent you from binging later on at night.

In order to eat regularly throughout the day, you should try scheduling your meals and adding snacks to ensure you are sufficiently full and getting all your daily nutritional requirements. You should do this by spacing out your meals and doing the bulk of your eating earlier in the day. It is also best to avoid late night snacking where possible especially right before bed. By avoiding late night snacks you will encourage your body to digest while you sleep.  

Making the Switch

Eating healthier doesn’t have to mean deprivation you can still treat yourself once in a while. A successful way to diet and moreover live is to follow the 80/20 rule, whereby you eat healthy 80 per cent of the time. Restricting yourself will only cause you to binge later down the track or affect your overall mood.  So your best option is to fulfil your cravings without going overboard. This will involve limiting your intake, whether it is the portion size or how often you eat something. Gradually you will find you crave unhealthier foods less and less and you might even find that you are able to completely cut them out as your wedding day edges closer.

Part of making your eating habit changes sustainable is to swap unhealthy options for their healthier counterparts. For instance, instead of eating a packet of chips why not snack on raw nuts.  Another great change to make is to introduce whole grains into your eating routine by substituting white bread, rice and pasta for their ‘brown’ alternatives.  When it comes to curbing your sweet tooth why not seek out natural sugars found in berries and other fruits. As for those chocolate cravings, you can also opt for dark chocolate which is full of antioxidants and other health benefits. However remember moderation is the key.

{Recipe} Green Flourless Pancakes

You may have had green juice and green smoothies but have you tried green pancakes before? Some may think of pandan pancakes but no I'm talking about pancakes made with green leafy veggies. Doesn't sound very appetising but it is in fact delicious.

I drink green smoothies almost every morning and yesterday morning I decided to be a bit creative. Making green pancakes! Ok, I got to say I got the idea of green pancakes from a fitness Instagram account. They mentioned using spinach but I used kale as that was in my fridge. I think green pancakes are a great way to sneak in some greens for the children. It's fun and cool right! I mean look how delicious they look, who would say no to them? 

Kale is one of the best green leafy vegetables, it contains vitamin A, C and K, iron, calcium, powerful antioxidants and is high in fibre, low in calories and has zero fat. Apparently it has more vitamin C than an orange. I find that a bit strange because I always thought the more sour the fruit the more vitamin C it contains but kale isn't sour at all. It also has more calcium than milk. Kale is also a great source of vitamin K which is needed to help heal wounds properly and to build strong bones (NHS.com). Since the green leafy vegetable is high in fiber it is therefore a great detox food. Who would have thought pancakes can be healthy and detoxifying! You can definitely eat these pancakes without feeling guilty. 

These pancakes are made with oat, kale, banana, egg white and baobab powder. That's a breakfast with good carbs which keeps your metabolism running. It has plenty of fiber to help you stay full longer, potassium to help lower blood pressure and help your brain, nerves, heart and muscles function properly. Also the protein from the egg white is essential for healthy growth of all body tissues and good source of energy too. Baobab powder has numerous benefits which I can go on forever, check out my previous post on baobab powder here.

Moving on to the recipe..

You will need:

• 1 stalk of kale
• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 cup of rolled oat
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of Greek Yoghurt
• 2 tbsp of milk ( I used rice milk)
• 1 pitted medjool date (optional) 
• 1 tbsp of baobab powder

Method:

1. Put everything into a blender and blend until everything is smooth. If the batter does get a bit too thick then add another spoon of milk. 

2. Heat a non stick pan with a bit of oil. You will only need a little bit of oil and if you're using a non-stick pan there's no need to add extra oil when making new batches of pancake. 

3. Cook each side for about 2 minutes. 

The Advantages of Making Smoothies

We are seeing a rising trend in drinking juice and/or smoothie for aiding weight loss and for other health reasons. In today's post I want to talk about the advantages that I find in drinking smoothies.

I must say the word "Smoothie" is definitely being over hyped and people tend to associate smoothies with a healthy diet and lifestyle. However, there are good smoothies and bad smoothies. In my opinion bad ones are those that contain chemical ingredients like additives, preservatives and other ingredients that is not the real fruit or vegetable; some smoothies are made from purée.  Good ones shouldn't contain these and should only contain raw fruits and/or vegetables, water, milk (non-diary or diary), natural fresh juice, and other natural ingredients. If I was to add juice into my smoothies, I would use the juice I made myself. For example, I would squeeze my own orange juice. Yes, it's time consuming therefore I only use juice when I have plenty of time. Also, some smoothies contain high levels of added sugar which doesn't make it healthy. Fruits naturally contain sugar and some smoothies that you buy contain added syrup/sugar.

I started drinking and making my own smoothies three years ago and I still have them daily. I have become more creative with them as I get a lot of inspirations from the healthy food related accounts on Instagram. Anyways, moving on to the advantages of smoothies.

Advantage 1 & 2- Quick & Highly Nutritious Breakfast

Me and my smoothie on the go

Many people skip breakfast either because they don't have time in the morning or they are trying to lose weight. If its the latter, I can go on all day moaning at you about it. All I will say for now is that you are making a massive mistake! If it's the first one, then smoothie can be a solution. You can drink the smoothie on your way to work. The process of making a smoothie still requires a bit of time, so maybe make it before going to bed and keep it chilled. I prefer my smoothies fresh so I always make time for it in the morning, but I wash my vegetables and fruits the night before. That does make a different, every minute counts right?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so you want to make it as nutritious as possible as your body will absorb the nutrients more effectively on an empty stomach. So add about 3-5 or more ingredients into your smoothie to charge your body before lunch.

I always put lots of ingredients in my smoothie. That doesn't mean I drink 2- 3 glasses of smoothies, my smoothie usually is about 500 ml. I tend to add a lot of so called "superfood" with some other fresh fruits and vegetables and sometimes nut butter. The superfood includes baobab powder, maca powder, hemp protein powder, spirulina, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds,gojiberries, etc.

Advantage 3- Feel fuller (than juice)
Smoothie contains all the bits which are the necessary fibers that your body needs for good digestion and makes you feel full. A meal high in fiber keeps you fuller for longer. 

Advantage 4- Sneak in what you don't like

A smoothie is a good for sneaking in anything you don't like, but happens to be good for you. Also a good way to get your children to have more fruits and vegetables. I hate avocado, but it contains so many health benefits so I sneak it into my smoothies every morning. My favourite combination is avocado, banana, almond milk, almond butter, kale and baobab powder. I cannot taste the avocado at all and the smoothie is so delicious. Score!

Sneaky avocado smoothie

For those who avoid avocado because of its high fat content, don't worry! It contains healthy fat known as monounsaturated fat, which speeds your metabolism up, gives you a feeling of fullness, nourishes the skin and joints, soothes the gut and digestive system. Helps burn belly fat!

Guest Post- Top Animal Friendly Fashion Brands for Every Fashionista!

Top Animal Friendly Fashion Brands for Every Fashionista!

Leading a healthy lifestyle is not just about opting for the right diet and leading a happy life, but more than often, it’s more about how you care for the planet. Many fashionistas have turned vegan for their own reasons while some have chosen to show compassion for their fellow animals. If you really want to stand for the causes of environment, a healthy life on the planet, and for those defenceless animals, you can pick one of the brands mentioned below as your next shopping choice.

[Image Source: www.popsugar.com.au]

Stella McCartney: Talking of the most famed and luxurious fashion labels of the globe, Stella McCartney is a name taken by many with pride. Choice of many celebs, she is known for being a designer with value. All of her fashions and designs are animal-free, and she is an ardent PETA supporter. Of course, her clothes don’t come in the budget of most ladies, but when you want to pay; you must opt for better value!

Loomstate: This is among the new brands on the block to join the animal-free fashion world. Established in 2004, this New York based brand offers a cool and casual line of clothing with everything made from organic cotton. Yes, you heard it right, using 100% certified organic cotton, they don’t just make stylish clothes, but they do their bit for the better life of those animals killed in millions of numbers for their skin.

Alabama Chanin: Another designer brand that believes in show fashion, and only creates a clothing line that’s consists of handmade products. What makes the range unique is the use of recycled, sustainable, and organic material for their line. The products are made by hand, adding to the value.

Olsen Haus: Now this is not a new brand for anyone who follows fashion, but what you may not know is the unique vegan theme behind Olsen Haus. They use a whole lot of organic and alternative fabrics and materials for their products and like to educate people about fashion with sustainability.

Beyond Skin: Looking for vegan shoes? This UK based brand can offer you non leather shoes that are 100% vegan. What's good? Well, they sell their products to any part of the globe. If you are someone who loves shopping clothes online from international brands, this is something you must own, like right now!

People Tree – Another UK based brand that has joined hands with none other than Emma Watson for creating a complete line that will boast of being animal-free. Watson will be endorsing the line, named as “Youth Collection”, which is expected to raise consciousness towards sustainable fashion.

Fashion is much more than what you see in magazines, as well as, runways, and it makes sense to care for fellow planet members in the right way.

Author: Heidi is a fashion blogger and style counsellor who has worked with numerous online blogs. Known for witty and smart styling tips, she is also a supporter of PETA and truly believes in a sustainable fashion. 

For more articles likes this please visit thesportsdollar.com. I would like to thank Heidi for writing such a great guest post for my blog. I've never really thought about being green when it comes to fashion. This has opened my mind! 

Giveaway Competition- New Glossybox Products

Hi beautiful people! How many of you are Glossybox subscribers? Have you got lots of unwanted product and they are just sitting there untouched? I do, I have lots. I want to be giving them away to those who would use them. This competition I will give 5 products sent in the original Glossybox with all the shredded paper and tissue paper. I haven't used any of them, still sealed and in their original packaging. I've taken a few close ups of each product.

Gosh Cosmetic Sundown Lipstick. I am not a lipstick person, I've given a few to my mum already. I'm not giving her this one because she doesn't like the colour and she has too many. According to the Glossybox info card this lipstick gives an intense and long lasting colour to your lips. I've found a photo of how the lip colour looks from Lily Melrose's beauty blog, see below.

Lily Melrose Beauty Blog

Caudalie Divine Oil for body, face and hair. The tag is still on, I have opened it to smell it but haven't used it. I prefer to use natural products (as natural as possible) on myself for example; argan oil and coconut oil for hair, coconut oil and castor oil for face and cocoa butter and vitamin E oil on my body. 

Face tint with sunscreen of 50+. Initially this was very attractive to me because of the high SPF but I don't really use liquid foundation as I have sensitive skin. I have enough BB Cream at home already and I hardly used them too.

Nail Polish Headline. I do paint my nails but this colour is too dark for me. The colour is a bit different in this photo, it's actually dark purple. The colour of blueberry juice to be exact. 

And finally, Wilkinson Sword razor. I don't shave, I wax so this is no good for me. I haven't opened it, it is all sealed up. I know I've still loads of times but I want to make sure you know it is all new, unused and sealed. Lol.

How to enter competition?

This competition is only for UK. To enter this competition, you will need to do all the following 3-4:

• LIKE my Facebook page if haven't already done so (click here)
• LIKE the post about this giveaway on my Facebook page
• SHARE the post your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ account or which ever one you have
• leave your EMAIL ADDRESS and NAME either underneath this blog post or the under the post that I've post on my Facebook page so I can contact you if you're the lucky winner!

Closing date of this competition is 23rd February Midnight. Each person that enters will be given a number and I will choose a person by random using a random number generator- I will be using this website http://andrew.hedges.name/experiments/random

I will announce the winner on 24th February. Good Luck!