HEALTH & BEAUTY
A Christmas Carol w
ith Christmas approaching, whose expectations are you
trying to live up to and indeed are your own too great? expectations are a terrible thing!
the pressure and the expense of the season can sometimes bring us to our knees. trying to keep your head while all those around you are losing theirs is hard. there is nothing wrong with tradition, and continuity is loved by children who like to know what is going on and what to expect. Yes, add one or two new pieces to your arsenal of Christmas cheer but keep the core the same. Be strong and make your own decisions about how
you celebrate and ignore the tedious celebrities inviting us into their professionally decorated homes! who do you know who cooks Christmas lunch in high heels and a white dress?? now Christmas comes with an agenda
that is media driven. I am not going to bang on about the true meaning of Christmas because that is up to the individual but why do we feel we have failed if our homes, gifts and food do not resemble a movie set? all this pressure can make us a little
By Rowena Kitchen
the award winning ones so many supermarkets sell. Ditto mince pies. the stress of rough puff pastry can bring a sane person to tears very quickly. If the cost makes you think or it is a drain on your good mood then don’t do it! nobody wants to be stuck in the past and creating new
traditions is an important part of life so how about adding some of the much trumpeted ‘super Foods’ into your Christmas menu. we hear a lot about super Foods and how they are
allowing people to live longer. maybe the ‘Keep Calm and Carry on eating Kale’ brigade are going to be proved wrong in the not too distant future but for now you maybe surprised to hear that some quite normal foods are considered super. Foods we can actually afford and pronounce can be found in our local supermarket and be seamlessly incorporated into our Christmas repertoire. Cocoa powder contains flavanoids that
bit fed up and stressed out. I wager that even mary got cross with Jesus some of the time! If he was up to high jinx in the house and broke a stone oil lamp for example she probably shouted at him - after all he was not a saint, he was just like any other child. sure, later on he walked on water, but I am willing to bet mary would have said that showing off was unattractive! or she may have been the blueprint for the stereotypical Jewish mother by boasting about him all the time. Have I got a boy for you! You should see what my son can do with a jug of water! there is nothing wrong with wanting
a few nice things around you but if you are miserable and worried about the cost or stuck at work earning the ticket prices where is the joy in that? my new philosophy is to spend less time having it all and more time enjoying what you do have.
In most households the same foods
are prepared in the same way year after year, which is great, but this is an area where you can shake things up for very little cost. some of the more traditional foods are now out of our reach to make ourselves including Christmas pudding which costs a fortune to make and nobody will know if you choose one of
How about adding some of the much trumpeted ‘Super Foods’ into your Chritma menu.
can lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the heart and brain. excellent news in the interest of your health, of course. only one proviso, you must use the type that says ‘raw’ or ‘nonalkalised’ because processing sees off about 90% of the antioxidants. everybody indulges in the holiday season, so dishes like chocolate mousse
and flourless chocolate cake are winners. making truffles as gifts is a fun afternoon with very little to go wrong as they are meant to be roughly shaped - or, as I like to say, ‘rustic’. Sulphuric compounds are good for the heart and have
anti cancer benefits. Fermented foods help stabilize our intestines which in turn strengthens our immune systems meaning less time spend fighting off colds and viruses both of which can bring our mood way, way down. adding a few pickles and chutneys to the Boxing Day sandwiches is easily done. You can pickle your own vegetables with no effort and you only need vinegar and sugar. Watermelon is a true super Food and
is known to lift depression and balance hormones. watermelon is rich in water and
natural electrolytes which rehydrates, reduces snappiness and boosts energy levels. sadly, whether or not you will find this fruit in December is a lottery but if you do, use it in cocktails! Eggs are full of proteins that balance blood sugar and
stabilize appetites, and have amino acids to lift your mood, reduce stress and help you sleep better. Fabulous news for those around us suffering the fall out of our harried days. Yorkshire pudding, custards, syllabub and other desserts will ensure a good intake.
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