Feeling sluggish, moody or burnt out? Try my favourite SUPERFOODS and watch your body transform!

Homeostasis is another word for body balance. It is the state that your body seeks to achieve at every moment of every day. When your body is out of balance it will show through in many ways, such as: weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, fertility issues, UTI’s, asthma, digestive malfunction, high cortisol levels (stress), mood disorders, fatigue and blood sugar conditions (insulin resistance). Long term, this will manifest into chronic disease and hormonal imbalance.

It is hard to maintain this balance nowadays as chemicals, food additives, radiation and electromagnetic frequencies constantly bombard our bodies. Most of us have an accumulation of toxic build up in our bodies without even knowing it. Toxic build up will stop our bodies from achieving a state of optimal health.

Certain superfoods  have been discovered to help us find that balance and bring to our lives the energy, vibrancy and motivation that we so need and deserve. Superfoods are very high in antioxidants which help our bodies fight infection and slows down the ageing process!  They help us live a long and healthy life!
What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemicals in foods that help to counter the detrimental effects of oxygen free radicals that cause disease in our bodies. 
Superfoods will also help you control your weight by aiding the release of toxic build up and restoring our bodies pH levels, which in turn balances our hormones resulting in optimal metabolic performance.
Also, according to Bruce Ames, professor of biochemistry at the University of California said, " a lack of antioxidants is the main underlying mechanism of ageing." 

Here is a list of my favorite superfoods that I use daily. They are full of antioxidants; vitamins and minerals that will help you restore your vitality! 

Note: Adding these foods to a smoothie/juice/yoghurt/oatmeal is a great way for them to be easily absorbed.

Goji berries- contains essential fatty acids and B vitamins, essential for energy and stress release. A powerful antioxidant to help combat premature ageing and improve eyesight (high n vitamin A). Also very good for improving circulation and boosting your immune system.

How to use? Add 1 tbs into smoothies or sprinkle on yoghurt.

Chia seeds- high in omega-3 fats, B12, protein, calcium, potassium and iron.

Great antioxidant!

How to use? Sprinkle on oats/cereals/add to smoothie or try the delicious chia breakfast cocktail by the wonderful, Melissa Ambrosini here 

Cacao Powder- the food that's been called "Food of the Gods" – chocolate alternative. Cacao contains theobromine, a mild stimulant that can help enhance fat burning. It also increases pleasure and relaxation by boosting the feel good brain chemical (serotonin).  Studies suggest that it can lower cholesterol and help to control blood sugar levels. (diabetics take note!).

How to use? Add 1 tbs into warm porridge - better that chocolate pudding I swear! Or make as hot chocolate with boiling water/milk. 
Try a delicious homemade nutella by the wonderful Claire Obeid (The Wellness Project) here 

Stevia- your new best friend! The alternative to artificial sweetener! Stevia is totally natural, contains no calories and will not spike blood sugars - helping you control cravings and your weight.

How to use: I use stevia to sweeten my tea, yoghurt, oatmeal and smoothies!

Kale- the queen of greens! Powerful antioxidant - helps us fight infection and a great detoxifier for your liver! Also high in iron, vitamin K, C and calcium.

How to use: chop into your daily salad or try my kale chips here

Oat bran- A cholesterol-lowering agent as well an amazing source of fiber.

How to use: Boil 1/3 cup oat bran in water/almond milk. Add nuts, berries and sprinkle with stevia and cinnamon.

Apple cider vinegar- promotes digestion and cellular cleansing in our bodies. It is also a great digestive tract cleanser and restores alkaline levels, therefore restoring hormonal balance.

How to use: Add 1 tbsp into warm water every morning or use as salad dressing.

Bee Pollen- studies show that it can restore balance to our endocrine system (our hormones). Great for PMS and menstrual irregularity. 
Very high in protein and also contains natural Phenylalanine which acts as an appetite suppressant and Lecithin that helps flush fat from the body. Extremely good for detoxification and cleansing.

How to use: Add 1 tsp into your smoothie/juice.

Cinnamon-
My favorite!!! This healthy spice is from the brown bark of the cinnamon tree. A daily dose of cinnamon has been found to stabilize blood sugar levels which will help you control cravings and sudden hunger (slows down digestion). Studies also show it can lower LDL (bad cholesterol). 

How to use: sprinkle on anything! I add cinnamon to my daily smoothie and yoghurt or another great option is to sprinkle some onto grilled pumpkin.

C Coconut water-
 Packed with electrolytes so it naturally hydrates. Balances pH in our bodies, clearing skin and detoxifying. Studies show that it can enhance weight loss by keeping the metabolism rate of the body at an optimal level. Very low in calories too!

How to use: Great after a workout to replenish hydration!! I usually add one C coconut Tetra Pak into my daily smoothies post workout.

Order some now ! https://www.ccoconutwater.com

Please email me jessicasepel@me.com for queries and brand recommendations.

Love & Health, always!

Affirmation of the week: Loving myself heals my life. I nourish my mind, body and soul.

Winter Blues..try this winter treat!

Homemade Ginger Tea

Winter can be a bit of a downer, especially when it comes to our health. 
Our immune system takes a toll! We all get hit with the flu and other nasty viruses, as well as a general lack of energy, motivation and enthusiasm. And then come the cravings… chocolate, red wine, creamy pastas and more, leaving us feeling even worse!


Make this winter a truly nourishing one. Let us use this time to take care of our bodies. After a summer of drinking and partying, your body is begging for some rest and rejuvenation. I have learnt that winter is actually the perfect opportunity to give your bodies some TLC.


My homemade ginger tea will give your body the love it so needs! I make a pot each night before bedtime. 


Boil the following in a pot:


·      Ginger skinned and cut up- ginger helps detoxify the body and aids digestion.
·      1 whole Lemon-lemon is high in vitamin C & acts as a cleansing agent for the liver.
·      1 whole Nutmeg- strong antibacterial agent.
·      Cinnamon sticks/ground cinnamon- stabilizes blood sugar levels.
·      Vanilla sticks
·      1 tsp of raw Honey


Throughout this winter I will provide you all with fantastic tips and yummy food alternatives that will leave you feeling satisfied and comforted.


Treat your body like a temple! 


Enjoy !! 

SLEEP = REPAIR AND DETOXIFICATION

The first thing I ask my friends, family and clients is…'how many hours of sleep do you get at night?'

If you know me, you will know I have a non-negotiable commitment to an 8-hour sleep every night. I owe my health, energy, weight and motivation to my dedication to good nights sleep.

While it may be obvious sleep is important, people don't realise just how important. 

The benefits of sleep will enhance your health significantly! We need to take it more seriously.

Here are the benefits…

Repairs 

Your body produces extra protein molecules while you're sleeping. These molecules build new cells and repair the damaged ones, in turn strengthening your bodies’ ability to fight infection. 

Reduces stress

A good night's sleep will lower your blood pressure and elevate the levels of stress hormone (cortisol) in your body. High levels of cortisol and blood pressure can lead to serious complications in our bodies. We won't even go there now...!

Help you control your weight

Ever felt like your are so much hungrier during jetlag or after a night out?

Sleep helps regulate the hormones that affect and control your appetite. When we don't get enough sleep, normal hormone balances are interrupted. Our bodies release the nasty hormone 'Ghrelin' that stimulates hunger quite significantly. According to The Sleep Diet by Pan Macmillan, "chronic lack of sleep can also slow down the metabolism...". 

Mood enhancer

We all know how true this one is!

Lack of sleep leaves us feeling irritable, moody and angry!!

Be careful because when limited sleep becomes a long-term situation, studies have shown it can lead to long-term mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.

Beauty Benefits

There is nothing worse than some one telling you that you look tired? Not to mention that it’s so rude! Never understood that one.

Well, your 8-hour sleep will most definitely keep you radiating beauty and will diminish those puffy eyes and dark circles.  It will also keep your skin flawless and glowing as your skin cells have had the time to repair over night and your hormones have had a chance to rebalance.

If you are finding it difficult to fall asleep at a reasonable hour, here are some tips:

Jess's 10 sleep commandments: 

1. Drink a cup of chamomile tea/chai tea with warm milk and cinnamon sprinkled.

2. Take a long hot bath. I usually add a few drops of lavender oil or Epsom salts (relaxer and detoxifier). 

3. Set the mood-make sure your room is dark and clutter fee and at a good temperature.          (Ideal sleep temp is 18 degrees). 

4. Electricity can suppress melatonin production (sleep hormone). Switch all electronic devices off at least 1 hour before bedtime. This is a must.

5. Listen to some relaxation music/classical music.

6.  Meditation practice.

7. Eat dinner at least 2 hours before intended bedtime. Digestion slows down at night and the discomfort of a meal trying to digest can disrupt sleep. 

8. NO SUGAR BEFORE BED-this will cause hypoglycemia and wake you up at 4am.

9. You have heard it before, and you will hear it again-AVOID caffeine close to bedtime. It takes up to 5 hours for the caffeine in your blood to reside. 

10. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime. Leave a 3 hour gap between your workout and lights out as exercise releases cortisol levels, a stress hormone that will keep you too alert for rest!

Remember: The best time to be asleep is between 11pm-4am. This is when the magic of repairing takes place.

Now my friends please have your 8-hour beauty sleep tonight! I promise it will be worth it.

Note: Email me for supplements that can enhance your sleep.

Love & Health, always!

Affirmation of the week: My body is important to me and I am committed to taking care of it.

Beliefs

Note-Week 1 blog entry on The benefits of sleep, will be released shortly. 

To you, my friends and my health companions, 

We are all on this journey together striving to achieve balance and a healthy relationship with our bodies. 

The purpose of my blog is to dismantle the ongoing myths and contradictory messages that have contributed to all of our health and weight worries! 

What I think...

That the relationship between food and your body should be based on kindness and respect, not guilt and deprivation.

It has taken me a long time to look in the mirror and smile back (without the barking criticism). Let's rather work towards loving ourselves. 

When I gave up the fight, I shed the kilos! Life is now peaceful.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What I think...

There are so many opinions when it comes to health, how do we know who to listen to?

Making a decision to live a healthy life is a choice that requires forgiveness of the past and a commitment for your future, a long future.

Individuals cannot obtain optimal health until a state of hormonal equilibrium is restored; this requires not just a good diet, but more sleep, less stress and internal happiness. Most people don't follow this truthful theory. And therefore suffer health complications. 

The body is better able to burn fat when it is fed whole-foods and repopulated with healthy flora.

We are overfed, yet starving of nutrients, and this is why we overeat. You are nutritionally unsatisfied. But not to blame. It’s the way food is marketed and packaged. Selling food is a multi billion dollar business at the end of the day. 

We cannot feel better until we do better.

Healthy eating and a healthy weight will follow (with ease) once we have the skills in place to find the happiness (psychological wellbeing), motivation and balance that we so deserve. And when that is achieved, healthy eating is just second nature.

We are able to maximise our natural metabolic function through food and specific supplements. If we feed our bodies with goodness, it will restore natural vitality. 

Diet and lifestyle choices should be based on your nutritional needs and although this sounds simple, most of us don’t actually know what we need.

Since no two people are the same, no two diets should be the same either. Its time we focus on the uniqueness of individuals. There is not just one formula that suits all. Its absurd.

THERE IS a way around this confusion of health facts thrown our way. There is a way to live without worrying about your weight and watch everything that passes your mouth.
There is a way to wake up with energy and feel excited for your day, everyday. 

All aspects of life have an affect on your health, mainly sleep and stress, and that's just the truth. 

Your body is your temple.

What I think...

Life is too short to feel deprived, unhappy, anxious and overweight. 

The goal is to wake up and love yourself (as unattainable as that may sound).

Remember, your body loves you. It does everything it can to keep you alive and functioning. Now its time to love it back.

Note-Week 1 blog entry on The benefits of sleep, will be released shortly. 

THE POWER OF VISION BOARDS

WHAT IS IT?

A vision board is a simple yet powerful visualization tool that manifests your dreams into reality by activating the Law of Attraction... And it really works!
Oprah Winfrey and many other highly successful people have used this technique for generations. It consists of a poster or foam board of cut-out pictures, drawings and phrases of the things that you want in your life or the things that you want to become. 

Some examples include: pictures of places you would like to travel, your favourite car, dream lover, your dream body, your business goals, inspirational quotes, pictures of friends and family…really anything that you love and you are grateful for. 

The idea behind this is that when you surround yourself with positive images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live and the things you are grateful for, your life changes to match those images and those desires. The law of attraction in essence! When we express gratitude we bring more into our lives to be thankful for. Although it may seem otherwise at times, we all have many things to be grateful for. If you are reading this blog, then you can be grateful for your eyesight and for being able to read!

I made a vision board about two years ago (image above). I placed phrases and pictures of things I wanted to achieve onto a black board. I kept it on my desk; so everyday when I walked through my room I would glance at my goals and dreams. Now looking at it 2 years later, I can truly tell you that 80 or 90% of the things I placed on the board have become my reality. And a very happy reality too!

Supplies needed:

• Scissors
• Assortment of Magazines/Websites (Pinterest/Tumblr)
• A piece of cardboard (as big as you like)
• Glue

Start cutting out images and phrases of the things you love and want to see in your future onto the cardboard in any way, shape or form. You can be as creative as you desire. This is your personal masterpiece! And then place it in a position where you will be able to view it regularly.  

Now get cutting and pasting and send me an email of your new vision boards to Jessicasepel@me.com. This will really help you achieve your life goals. 

Have a beautiful day!!

xx 

J

Tip of the week: Please dedicate half an hour of your day to yourself. Shut your door and sit quietly with a book, magazine and a cup of tea and give yourself some quite time. It is vital for managing stress levels and overall hormonal balance. 

Affirmation of the day: Every day I say thank you for what I want to see more of in my life.