Healthy Snacking: Tiger Nuts

So, I think I’m getting back on track (pun intended), so I can explore other topics pertaining to healthy living.

Recently I’ve experienced a lot of temptation to snack – I know snacking is not such a bad habit per say…it’s the choice of what to snack on and what eventually enters the mouth that is the killer. So, over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing some information and recipes I’ve learned recently.

This week I’ll start with the humble TIGER NUT (the Hausa’s in Nigeria call it aya, but it’s also known as earth almond).

First of all, Tiger Nuts aren’t really nuts but tubers (they grow in the roots of the plant) rich in starch, protein and minerals (Phosphorus, Magnesium & Potassium) and vitamins C and E.  In a nutshell (get it…nut? LOL):

1.   High in fiber which help bowel health

2.   The milk from tiger nuts is a great source of protein and since tiger nuts are a tuber, its plant protein – which researchers say is better than animal protein (I’ll include a recipe for tiger nut milk at the end of this post)

3.   Some research say that tiger nuts could help control blood pressure

4.   Due to its relatively low sugar content, it’s beneficial to diabetics and people (like myself) wanting to control their sugar intake

5.   The oil extract from tiger nuts is usually categorized as ‘heart healthy’, meaning when used in moderation can help maintain healthy cardiovascular (heart) functions

When I read this I’m thinking of people like myself who are trying to manage daily calorie intake; I’m thinking of people like myself who like to peck and snack and are looking for healthy options. If you are familiar with Tiger Nuts you will know that just a handful of the fresh or roasted options goes a long way in filling you up and taking the edge off your desire to nibble; making it a viable and healthy snack option.

But it’s not only good for snacking, milk derived from Tiger Nuts is delicious, nutritious and easy to make. Here is how you make it…

You will need...

·        1 bushel of fresh tiger nuts (I prefer not to use roasted nuts)

·       Water (sufficient to completely submerge the nuts when placed in a bowl with about an inch or two of water over the top of the nuts…does this make sense? Hope so)

·        Fresh ginger (optional – I like this when I drink the milk by itself – this milk goes well with cinnamon as well)

·        Sweetener of your choice

What to do...

·       Soak the fresh [washed and sorted] tiger nuts in a covered container overnight (if you are using dried or roasted tiger nuts, you may need to soak them for about 2 days to get them soft enough to blend) – I’d rather keep them in the fridge while soaking so they don’t ferment

·        Rinse the nuts then blend in batches (I do a handful at a time)– don’t add to much water to the blender though – just enough to ‘move things along’ in the blender.

·       Tip each batch into a waiting sieve and allow the milk run through until you are done blending. (I usually blend the fresh ginger with the last batch)

·       Now pass the chaff through a fine sieve (I have a chiffon scarf I bought some time back that I use for things like this –comes in handy when I make sorrel drink aka zobo). You may want to add just a bit of water to get the entire flavor out of the tiger nut chaff. Some people pass the chaff through the blender again to ensure that all the milk is extracted out of the material.

·       At this point you can sweeten to your taste then refrigerate (the milk keeps for up to 48hours)

This Tiger nut milk can be drunk on its own, with cereal, with oats and other meals that require milk. And I’m thinking that it will be viable option for people who are lactose intolerant.

 

Personally, I get the most value when I chomp on the fresh nuts – it’s my nod at healthy snacking. But whatever you try, it’s as enjoyable and healthy.

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Exercises For Lower Back Pain

When you work out regularly, it is very likely that you could develop lower back pain. So talking about this subject on DROPIT4LIFE is not out of place.

After the last blog post I got a lot of direct emails and calls; seems like it isn’t just me that has suffered or is suffering from lower back ache – either from less than ideal work out form, sleeping posture or stress. The main question I was asked following this blog post was for exercises or tips to ease the pain. As a result, I decided to share some exercises my physiotherapist (Victoria) had taught me as well as some others I learnt as I went on the web to look for help.

One website that by far gave me the most value in terms of exercises and tuition on how to perform the exercises (and I can honestly confirm that I got almost immediate relief after exercising for like 20mins) was http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/ managed by guy called Gary Crowley. I do not know him personally, and don’t know much about him other than what is contained in his site – BUT I did the exercises from the videos I found on lower back pain (http://www.do-it-yourself-joint-pain-relief.com/lower-back-pain-relief.html) and found them really helpful. Based on this, I can recommend the lower back pain exercises on this site. Give it a try and tell me what you think…

So back to exercises, I took the liberty of getting pictures off the net as I doubt I can effectively explain in words the steps to the exercises.

Victoria recomended this particular exercise and I notice that many sites on the web also recommend it as well; the trick is to do it on a firm horizontal surface and not go too fast. You may want to tip your head back slowly as you stretch gently. I try to do at least five sets each morning and each night.

Now this one you achieve not by trying to lift your hips, but rather by driving the heels of your feet downwards. This should ideally help you gently lift your butt/hips off the ground. And please steady does it...you are not auditioning for a Madonna video lol. I started this when I was in a lot of pain so I went really slowly at first, now I can manage 8 to 10 reps.

 

I personally would not recommend this one if you are REALLY REALLY in pain (like a 3 or above on a scale of 5), for me this one is to help return your range of movement. Right now my pain level is like a 2 on a scale of 5, so I have only just (yesterday actually) started to do this particular exercise. And like the doctors say, if it hurts STOP!!! Don't risk doing more damage to your back.

A variation to this exercise would be leaving your hips on the floor, keeping your knees together -feet flat on the floor and moving your knees together to the left and right in a steady rhythm (see told you I could not explaint without pictures!). I do 10 reps each side, 3 times. I have found that when I do this in the morning it lossens my back and eases the pain i experience getting out of bed. This is what I mean..

This one I just threw in for fun...it's always been a move I practice and I think it helps keep those hips supple. Just lift each leg (one leg at a time) and trace a circle or a box in the air moving the whole leg and not just the foot. Do it clockwise then counter clockwise a few times (I do 10) then switch legs (both legs make a set) - you can do three sets.

If you have suffered lower back ache for any length of time, you can attest that it can be rather difficult finding the best position to rest that won't hurt - at least that's my experience. Then when you do find the position, does it help your lower back or add to your troubles? So I am adding this resting pose that I hope will help. I have tried it, and for what it is worth I think it helps.

These are exercises I am currently doing and it's been a couple of weeks, and I am getting there slowly but surely. If I may add, in the course of my day I have a hot water bottle at my back (at work, in my car...) as the temperature soothes my back. Another thing! I don't sit in one position at work for longer than an hour, I stand up and walk around so that my muscles and joints don't get stiff again. I am confident that at this rate I will be pain free by the weekend.

I really hopes this has been helpful!

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a medical practitioner and I do not claim to have any cures, so if you do want to try these please speak to your doctor or health care practitioner first. And when you do give it a go...take it easy.

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My Back Hurts!

Many people who work out can tell stories of sports related injury – sprains, torn muscles or ligaments, pressure on muscles, broken bones etc. I didn’t have firsthand experience with this, and thought I was being careful…until recently when I had the misfortune of spraining my back.

I had to see a Physical therapist (Victoria – if you live in Abuja and want to consult with her, contact me for her details) and have since learnt that my issue with my back (which I took for normal muscle strain from working out) was a result of a combination of reasons:

1.   Not taking sufficient care when working out with my kettle bells and other weights that I love to use

2.   Continuing to work out even when I am in pain (silly, right?)

3.   Sleeping posture – I have six pillows in my bed, this and my posture when sleeping meant that my weight was not evenly distributed and I had too much pressure on my back/spine. Not good if you are overweight.

4.   Poor sitting posture at work (I kindda slouch)

5.   Mattress issues –I was on holiday recently and the hotel where I stayed for two weeks had a really soft mattress whereas I have become used to a very firm mattress (that’s what I have at home). When I got back home it was pain-ville on my super firm bed.

Unfortunately, because I am in pain at the moment I have been advised to give my vigorous work outs a miss for the time being. This rings like doom to me because if I cannot work out how do I keep my momentum? I’ve been told I can take walks and do gentle stretching exercises. But I think I will go a step further and cut my daily caloric intake by about a quarter – I’m thinking that could compensate for the drop in my calorie burn rate (work out). Hope it works…I’ll tell you what the scale says in a few weeks.

So what have I learned? How do I/we support our backs as we PUSH towards our goal to DROP IT 4 LIFE?

a.   Warm up before you work out! This should ease your muscles and give you a wider range of movement and flexibility. Plus you get more benefits from your work out.

b.   Your bed & pillow are the first step if you want to get any relief. The bed should not be lumpy, soft or too hard. You want to maintain the normal curve of your spine when you lie down.  

    The bed (pillow and mattress) is just the start of your caution – your posture is key. My therapist has taught me that since I prefer to sleep on my side, it’s best if I sleep with a pillow between my legs, and one supporting my neck.

 

    I have tried that for a couple of days now and I’ve noticed that I am not as sore or stiff in the morning. What is your preferred sleeping position? Do you know the advised posture for yourself? It’s important. Why Drop IT when you won’t be able to “drop it like it’s hot” thereafter? [chuckle]

c.    Supplements like Glucosamine, Calcium with Vitamin D and Vitamin C help support your bones, muscles and such while helping putting back what life and strains from working out take out.

d.   Water therapy – It’s no news that I am a fan of swimming for fun, burning calories and toning muscles – but I just found out that depending on how you harness the power of H2O, you could derive benefits to your posture and joints. My swimming coach Ndubisi (If you live in Abuja and want a swimming coach contact me for his number – he is GOOD!) tells me that water aerobics is ace when you have back sprain. I don’t have to tell you that as soon as the pain I am in eases off, I am going to jump opt for this. Apparently the water buoyancy helps deter strain on joints and when you do this in a warm pool your muscles get more relaxed and the pain is eased.

e.   Victoria (my therapist) is using electric stimulation on me – and I LOVE IT! It really does relax the aching muscles and I actually do dose off during these sessions. At least before she commences the actual manipulation of the joints and muscles – then I am WIDE AWAKE! LOL. So if you have score muscles, ask your therapist if electric stimulation will ease your pain.

f.   Temperature therapy helps as well. As I write this, I actually have a hot water bottle at my back – I don’t quite know how to explain it, but the relief from a hot water bottle on my back is…better than sticky toffee pudding (my favorite desert). The high temperature helps reduce cramping and muscle spasms, so it’s worth a try …right? I know athletes use cold compresses – basically ice packs which I hear can help reduce muscle inflammation.

So, this is where I am on my DROP IT journey, and this is what I have learned so far. I hope my sharing my pain will mean that you don’t get hurt when working out or due to bad posture (sleeping or while at work). I know I still have lots of questions and a whole lot to learn, and as I do learn you can be sure I will share on this forum.

Do you have any information or tips to share on how best to manage back strain/pain? I would sure love to hear from you. Thanks in advance for sharing!

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Stay Motivated & DropIT

I once heard someone say that the proof of desire is pursuit, and recently I have been thinking about this. I mean inward, challenging thoughts; thoughts designed to rock my world. As my lifestyle kicks in, and I struggle to maintain my tempo I have been asking myself…

‘Liz, how badly do you want to be healthy?’

‘Liz, how desperately do you want to maintain a healthy weight?’

‘Liz, what are you giving up now as proof of your desire?’

 

Can I ask you some of the same questions now?

How badly do you want to be healthy?

How desperately do you want to maintain a healthy weight?

What are you giving up now as proof of your desire?

What changes are you willing to make NOW for what you want?

What changes have you made in the last month to achieve the aim you say you so dearly want?

The types of answers I get...

I will manage my portion size from the first of the next month.   I don’t seem to know where to get fresh veggies in this country   I am naturally slim, so I don’t really have to watch what I eat   My soda (coke, Fanta…) habit is a part of me…I will make up for it in other ways

Desperately enough to give up soda’s (Coke, Pepsi, Fanta, 7Up…)   Badly enough that I go for brisk walks 3 times a week   I’ve changed my plates in a bid to manage my portion size   Desperately enough to teach my taste buds to shun the unhealthy fare   I previously gorged myself on and reach for healthy options

Depending on our answers AND actions, our committment will be judged, right? So are you putting your money where your mouth is? Or rather putting your body through it's paces?  

Can I encourage you a bit…?

Keep at it, coz it’s SO worth it…

But ultimately, the choice is YOURS…

 

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Liz's Veg Delight

This is my go to meal when I really don't know what to eat... I think it's healthy and yummy...I invite you to try.

ü  2 mid-sized carrots

ü  2 tablespoons olive oil

ü  1 mid- sized egg-plant (aubergines)

ü  ½ inch fresh ginger root (minced)

ü  1 green bell pepper (cut in to strips)

ü  1 red bell pepper (cut in to strips)

ü  1 yellow bell pepper (cut in to strips)

ü  1 onion (sliced)

ü  Garlic powder (to taste) [alternatively, use fresh garlic)

ü  Black pepper (to taste)

ü  Salt (to taste)

What to do

1.   Cut the carrots diagonally into 1 inch pieces, rinse and place in a covered bowl with 1 serving spoon of water. Microwave to soften the carrots (the time will depend on your microwave setting – it takes me about 4 minutes)

2.   Heat the oil in a saucepan, then sauté the egg-plant (aubergine), until it becomes translucent

3.   Stirring constantly, add the ginger, then the sliced peppers

[If you need to add some more olive oil, this is a good time to do so – just make sure your veg don’t overcook or burn – they should be nicely moist]

4.   Then add your tender carrots and onions

5.   Season with salt and black pepper

6.   Serve hot with cous cous, rice or eat as a full veggie meal!

Tried this? Enjoyed it? Let me know...

I am working on a compliation of my fav recipies...I hope to share the ebook with subscribers to Drop It on the 1st Year Anniversary of the Blog which will be in August. So, please stay tunned, if you have not subscribed, please do so today!

I appreciate you and enjoy our Drop It journey.

Liz

Death By Water

Ever been advised that you need to drink lots of water while exercising to replace what you lose in sweat? I have!
In my gym the other day, the instructor admonished a young lady guzzling down a ton of iced water right from the bottle. He basically said that that could do her more harm than good. She didn’t listen to him and kept on guzzling until she had emptied the 60cl bottle – but I listened remembered something I had read [specific to prolonged exercising -marathons in particular] in the book ‘The First 20 Minutes’ by Gretchen Reynolds (get it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-First-20-Minutes-Surprising/dp/B00CY5AUYA ) - it’s an amazing book if you want to ‘exercise better, train smarter and live longer’ -  ok, I stole that from the cover! But seriously, I have learnt so much from this book – including what I want to share today.

Ever heard of ‘hyponatremia’? No? Well, let me tell you a true story…

In 1998 a 43year old pediatric dentist and mother of three died at the Chicago Marathon; cause of death: water intoxication or hyponatremia! This is a condition caused when a runner consumes more liquids/fluids than he/she is losing in sweat, resulting in a dangerous imbalance in body’s natural sodium concentration. This warning is especially dire for [amateur] marathoners who run/jog/walk for up to 5-6hours – and we’ve all seen them downing bottle after bottle of water sometimes at every water station.

Some symptoms of water intoxication include:

• Headache
• Nausea and or vomiting
• Confusion
• Restlessness
• Muscle spasms
• Edema – swollen brain cells (caused by excess water in your cells)

This is serious! As I read up on this online, I read a NYTimes article http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/20/sports/othersports/20marathon.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 where a Dr Maharam said that “there are no reported cases of dehydration causing death in the history of world running; but there are plenty cases of people dying of hyponatremia”.

So how is this relevant to someone who works out maybe 20minutes to 60minutes? Not much, I reckon…but the knowledge is still valuable. Why? I think that even though we are not running marathons many of us who work out in gyms still drink far too much water (at least compared to the quantity of fluid we lose in sweat), and we guzzle the water far too fast – I don’t know the science of it, but I think that could dilute our sodium too (call me over cautious!J)

Personally, I take a couple of sips (the operative word here is SIP) every 20-30mins (I know its 20-30mins because that’s when I move from one gym equipment to another). I just take enough to wet my parched throat before I move on to the next routine. That way I am only taking in what I have lost in sweat. Does this make any sense?

So to those of us who put down 2 – 3 bottles of water every hour in the gym, I bid you ask yourself –

‘Is it possible that I am taking in more water than I have lost in sweat?’

‘Do I feel lightheaded and nauseous after working out?’

‘Are my feet or hands swollen after I work out?’

Done asking yourself? So what will you do about it?

Better safe than sorry isn’t it?

 

Before you start your workout, think about how much water you want to drink, that way you start strong, stay strong and finish strong.

 

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Help! I Overeat...

Has anyone ever asked you why you were overweight?

Someone once asked me what I was doing when I allowed myself to balloon to my 156kg weight. My go to argument was that I had a thyroid problem (hypothyroidism). I did have a thyroid problem and was taking medication for it. But truth be told, I was a habitual overeater! Yes I said it! I used to eat too much. Much more than my body needed – so the excess was stored on my hips, thighs and …you get the picture.

Some of my excuses for my ever increasing weight was ‘I only eat when I am hungry’ or ‘hunger is my bodies way of telling me it needs fuel’ or my personal favorite ‘rather than the food waste, might as well put it to use in my tummy’! (yep, I said that --- sounds silly now, but then it made a whole lot of sense). I’ve actually heard someone (who will remain anonymous – to protect the guilty LOL) say ‘eat hearty today, for tomorrow we diet – if tomorrow ever comes!’

To answer your question, yes I still tend to overeat (if I am not careful) and am always tempted by food.

But why do I overeat? Am I legitimately hungry when I do eat? Is there any help from someone like me? What steps can I take to prevent myself from overeating and negate my DROP IT lifestyle?

For me the first step is identifying if my body really needs food before I eat – am I really hungry, because if you ask me I am dying with hunger. But what I have learned recently has shown that it’s really habitual eating – a knee jerk impulse to put something in my mouth. Other times it’s really thirst that I mistake for hunger, and other times as well I am eating out of boredom (my biggest eating trigger). Other reasons I have heard people [over]eat is depression, anger, joy, anxiety etc.

This is a big can of whoopee, but today I’ll take on the question ‘am I really hungry when I eat’. To answer this question, there are a few questions I’ve learnt to ask myself:

When did you last eat Liz? If I have eaten less than 2.5hours before, I am most likely NOT really hungry –as hunger cycles really peak in 120minutes intervals (different researchers have different things to say about this – some say 90mins, but I think the 120mins is more realistic), so unless I had a really tiny small portion - chances are I am not hungry. In this case I go for a glass of water or cup of tea. What I do avoid is gum – because gum has a way of making me feel REALLY hungry…is this just me or does this happen to you too? Other things I have tried between meals is fresh fruit – like apples (try this combo: apple with peanut butter – you will LOVE it), carrots, garden eggs… things like this help stave off the hunger pangs until my real meal. I hear that proteins last longer in your tummy, so you might want to try some real cheese or a boiled egg.

Are you craving something in particular or are you really hungry Liz? Craving is an intense desire to eat something in particular – like pistachio ice cream against my body reaching out for sustenance. This is tricky because I don’t know about you, but when I crave, I crave things I should ideally avoid. But hey! You only live once right? What I do in this instance is NOT to give in to my cravings, because it can lead me down a downward spiral of binging and guilt. I substitute what I crave for what I actually like – like a cup of iced tea, or fruit or veggie smoothie (seriously). Someone once suggested iced lemon water [simple iced water with a wedge of lemon]– I have not tried it but hey if that floats your boat why not give it a try. But I do not deny myself tasty treats like a little cup of ice cream once in a while. I actually have a timetable for treats so I don’t feel deprived – and like I said they are treats for me – I think of them as rewards for sticking to my DROP IT lifestyle. It has worked so far…

Are you sure you are not just thirsty Liz? If you are like me and don’t drink much water it will be easy to mistake your body craving water for hunger pangs. For me this is the biggest culprit because I think that if you are thirsty and rather than drinking water you eat, you will still have that feeling of thirst – because the need is water and not food. If the root desire is not satisfied, it will not really go away. So I am trying to learn how to know the difference. What do I do? Have a glass of water and wait a few minutes, if it is thirst the urge for something in my mouth would go away. Not very scientific, right? The way I see it, a little more water never hurt anyone.

Are you sure you are not just bored Liz? Boredom is my biggest trigger for overeating. Once I have nothing to do I default to two major things – eat and sleep in that order. Not good for someone who needs to keep active to DROP IT, right? No one has to tell me that I am bored, so here I have to exercise some will power. But common sense things I’ve come up with to keep me active and help me not resort to food include – read (no great hardship here because I really love to read, the trick is to find the book to take my mind off my stomach), go for a drive, go see a movie (but forego the popcorn and cinema snacks).The trick is to avoid boredom in the first instance- which is why I have taken up some new hobbies (don’t ask…J).

Have you noticed anything about your eating patterns? How do you manage [premature] hunger? I’ll be glad if you share…

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