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      You’ve Got To Try These Super Simple Summer Rolls With Asian-Style Sauce

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      These summer rolls are a great way to slip some fresh veggies into the mix! We’ve swapped out rice paper rolls for baby spinach leaves – more nutrients – and the pickle gives this dish a zingy, juicy crunch. These summer rolls are low-carb, healthy, low-kilojoule and pack a flavour punch. You’ll be having thirds and fourths before you know it.
      Here’s how to make leafy summer rolls with an Asian-style dipping sauce…
      Asian summer rolls
      Ingredients 
      – 12 large baby spinach leaves– 2 baby/Mediterranean cucumbers, julienned– Crispy onion sprinkle– Beetroot microgreens– 12 long chives, blanched
      For the pickle
      – ½ cup lime juice– 2 tsp sugar– 2 medium-sized carrots, julienned– 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, julienned– 2 long green chillies, seeded and julienned
      READ MORE: 9 Breakfast Ideas That’ll Give You A Better Boost Than Coffee
      For the dipping sauce
      – 2 tbsp soy sauce– 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar– 3 tbsp water– 1 tsp red spring onions, sliced
      Summer Rolls With Sauce: Method
      1/ Make the pickle by mixing the lime juice and sugar in a bowl, then add the carrot, ginger and chillies and toss well. Leave for 10 minutes.2/ Mix together all ingredients for dipping sauce and set aside.3/ Place some of the carrot pickle on a spinach leaf, add some cucumber, a little of the onion sprinkle and one or two micro greens. Roll up and tie with a blanched chive.
      SERVES 12. Per 71g serving or bundle: 85kJ, 0g fat (0g sat), 5g carbs, 210mg sodium, 1g fibre, 1g protein
      READ MORE: 24 High-Fibre Foods That Should Be On Your Plate Every Day, According To Nutritionists
      Cook’s note
      These need to be made fresh just before serving. If you can’t be bothered with the finicky task of wrapping and tying each roll, spoon the filling into individual baby gem lettuce leaves and serve the dipping sauce with a spoon, so guests can spoon it over the filling just before eating. More

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      I Replaced My Morning Coffee With This Viral Alternative—Here’s How It Went

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      My friends have always joked that they wouldn’t recognize me without a warm beverage in hand. Yes, I was that girl in the mid-2010s, perpetuating the “I studied abroad” cliché of taking pics in any and all Parisian cafés. However, I’ve never considered myself a coffee addict. I enjoy a warm drink in the morning, but don’t need the caffeine to stay awake. So while my life is punctuated by these coffee-adjacent rituals and routines and I enjoy the habits I’ve associated with it, I’m all for shaking things up. I’m on the hunt for a caffeine-free alternative that adds health benefits in addition to the coziness and warmth of my morning coffee. Especially as we near the coldest time of year, I’m in need of a few more bevvie options to stay cozy during the Chicago winter. Enter: MUD WTR.

      What is MUD/WTR?
      What’s in a name? Sure, MUD/WTR might check the on-trend boxes of including a backslash and dropping most of the vowels, but… mud? Turns out, there’s intention behind the moniker. A video posted on the brand’s YouTube channel shares some insights. In a post-Mad Men world, it’s clear that much of what we buy is influenced by a brand’s or product’s image. “Instead of playing the cute-name game, we decided it’s what’s on the inside that counts,” said MUD/WTR founder and CEO Shane Heath.
      As for what’s inside, every scoop of MUD/WTR contains a long list of superfoods. Cacao, masala chai, turmeric, cinnamon, and four types of mushrooms: chaga, cordyceps, reishi, and lion’s mane. With this buzzy blend of wellness-oriented ingredients, MUD/WTR claims to boost focus and energy during the day while ensuring sound sleep at night.
      As with most wellness products, there’s a financial barrier to entry. The Morning Ritual Starter Kit—which includes a 30-serving tin of mud, a frother, samples of the brand’s creamer, sweetener, and :rest (MUD/WTR’s evening elixir)—sets you back $40 a month. But if you compare one serving of MUD/WTR per day to a cup of coffee purchased outside of your home, there’s no comparison. We’re talking about $1.33 per cup of MUD/WTR versus whatever you pay at your local coffee shop. Before even thinking about replacing my beloved coffee, I needed to try it out. Read on for my ritual, whether or not I actually felt health benefits, and if it’s worth the hype. 

      My MUD/WTR ritual
      With new brands popping up on our social feeds every day, there are countless options for buzzy coffee alternatives. And I won’t lie—I’m mostly suspicious of any ad sent my way. But to prove the power of word of mouth, my sister had recently shared that she’d tried MUD/WTR and was obsessed. This is coming from a girl who’s an avid hiker, cross-country skier, half-marathon champ, and a hockey player. If there’s anyone whose wellness recommendations I’ll trust, it’s hers.
      As I said, she was obsessed—not only with how good she felt (she wakes up at 5 a.m. for morning runs with enviable energy), but how much she liked the taste. While she admitted that it tasted nothing like coffee, she did love the drink’s spicy-sweet flavor. Unlike me, my sister consumes coffee in abundance, drinking sometimes four cups a day. But in a matter of weeks, she’d completely kicked the habit and was all in on MUD/WTR.
      So when I had the opportunity to try MUD/WTR for myself, it was a hard yes. I maintained my reservations: Would it be worth the price? Would I feel focused and alert? Most importantly, would I like how it tastes? I gave my darling beans a temporary goodbye and dove in. This is how my week on MUD/WTR went.

      Day 1
      Wanting an easy transition into my experiment, I started my MUD/WTR ritual on a Saturday. I had low-key plans for the day: clean up around the house, grocery shop with my partner, catch up on my reading, and go for a long walk in the afternoon. So if I did end up missing the caffeine boost, no part of my day would suffer. I like to drink my coffee before breakfast, so I headed into the kitchen to make my MUD/WTR first thing. I dove into the kit’s guidebook for inspiration, following the recipe for a Mud Latte 2.0. A tablespoon of MUD/WTR, a tablespoon of the creamer sample (coconut milk and MCT oil), and a little steamed almond milk. Here’s how it’s done:

      Add 1 tbsp of mud to a mug
      Add 1 tbsp of creamer
      Add hot water and mix with the frother
      Top with steamed milk

      My initial thoughts: It sure looked like a latte, with a fluffy, frothy texture, and a few bubbles for good measure. While I knew it wouldn’t taste anything like my morning coffee, I was surprised to discover that the flavor was earthier than I anticipated. The website’s copy tells you to expect a flavor “like masala chai and hot coco had a baby. A really healthy baby.” I won’t lie—the “healthy” part came across the strongest. But as someone who’s come to enjoy a cup of of slightly sweetened cacao, I trusted this was something I could get used to.

      Day 2
      I had an epiphany: maybe my single cup of coffee is taking a toll on my sleep. Because readers, the previous night’s sleep was heavenly. I never have a hard time falling asleep and I tend to get a solid, uninterrupted snooze. But I woke up this morning feeling completely refreshed and restored. And as someone who can’t sleep in past 7 a.m., to get a solid nine hours and open my eyes at 8 a.m. was a dream come true.
      The guidebook contains six recipes, so this morning I opted for the Slightly Sweet Mud Latte. It was essentially what I had made the day prior, but I omitted the steamed milk and added a tablespoon of the brand’s sweetener to the mix. This was definitely better than yesterday’s drink because the sweetener-creamer combo masked the earthy flavor.

      Day 3
      I started the day with a 6 a.m. barre class, and afterward, I noticed my body felt strong while my entire being felt calm. Not tired, just calm. Sometimes after I work out (especially in the early morning), I feel a frantic kind of buzz move through my body, and the feeling can get exacerbated when combined with start-of-the-week work anxiety. But I got home feeling focused and clear-headed, ready to take on my work day.
      I got caught up with a few work tasks and didn’t make my mud until later in the morning. Relying on the trusty guidebook, I decided to make the Mud Shake—essentially a mud-infused almond butter banana shake. Spoiler: It was way more delicious than that description makes it sound. In a blender, mix together a tablespoon of mud, almond butter, a banana, and ice. The result is a smooth, slightly frothy, thick smoothie that I could definitely drink every morning.

      Day 4
      Similar to my experiment with Athletic Greens, it took a few days before I hit my stride. While I never have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, today I shot up not only feeling energized, but also motivated to make my way through my to-do list. By this point, I was feeling committed to my Mud Shake and blended up another. To round out my breakfast, I had a protein bar and a bowl of fruit. 
      My high-vibin’ energy continued all throughout the day. I typically experience a mid-afternoon slump and either grab something sugary or take a 10-minute walk. Today, I opted for the latter and didn’t crave my usual sweet snack (though I did make this pumpkin bread over the weekend and opted for a slice after dinner #balance).

      Day 5
      Another day, another early morning workout (my motivation and energy is at its peak!). This morning, I felt both grounded and energized as soon as I opened my eyes. Bonus: This was one of the best workouts of my life. I was able to bring intention to every movement and posture, connecting to my body in a way I hadn’t before.
      I mixed up my Mud Shake again in the morning, and in the evening post-dinner, I brewed a cup of the MUD/WTR Rest—the brand’s calm-inducing, caffeine-free blend. I added a little honey to sweeten it and was surprised to find that I liked the flavor a lot more than my plain morning mud. The rooibos gave a slightly caramel flavor, and though I’ve never enjoyed the taste of ashwagandha in the past, it was mostly covered up by the spicy cinnamon and turmeric blend. I didn’t even make it through two pages of my book before falling asleep at 9:30. 

      Day 6
      Curious to hear what my partner thought of the flavor, I blended a smoothie for him as well. Reporting back via text from his morning commute, he said that while he definitely wouldn’t be skipping his morning coffee again, he could see having this in the morning alongside it. 

      Day 7
      Throughout the week, I noticed that I woke up with more energy, and it stayed consistent throughout the day. Deciding to switch things up, I opted for an afternoon workout as opposed to my regular early morning class. Mud Shake, work, lunch, barre. I’ll admit, intentionally pulling myself out of my routine did trip me up a bit, and I left the studio feeling more depleted than usual (apparently there’s only so much experimenting you can do in a week). I’ll attribute feeling less than great to a change in routine, because I got back home and was able to wrap up my work tasks with ease. Helloooo, weekend!

      The takeaway
      Despite sleeping better and having clearer energy, this isn’t a routine that feels sustainable for me in the long run. While some reviews on the website say that they like the taste, I wouldn’t be able to consistently drink mud—and thus reap its health benefits—every day unless I made the Mud Shake. And as someone who thrives on routine but needs variety throughout her week, this just isn’t feasible. If you’re looking for a way to replace your daily coffee, MUD/WTR could be a good option. Just don’t expect it to taste like your morning cup of joe—it definitely doesn’t. But if you’re someone who enjoys an earthy, slightly bitter beverage, MUD/WTR just might work. 

      Here’s What I Learned From a Week on Athletic Greens More

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      How to Choose High-Quality Vitamins and Supplements

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      There are a lot of different multivitamins available, and not all of them are created equally. Before choosing a multivitamin, you should do your research to ensure that the one you pick is the one that will benefit you the most. Ask yourself these four questions the next time you go shopping for a multivitamin.
       1. Does it offer a complete range of vitamins and vital minerals?
      Multivitamins are designed to help you reach the daily recommended intake of the several micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that your body needs to function at its best.¹
      Studies have shown that the majority of us are unable to do this through diet alone, taking a multivitamin is a beneficial  supplement.¹
      Whether you need a daily pick-me-up or nutrient replenishment, taking a comprehensive multivitamin will go a long way toward helping you obtain sufficient levels of micronutrients in your diet.
      Remember, when shopping for a multivitamin, it’s crucial to find one that offers you, the things you need.
      A high-quality multivitamin offers a complete range of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, D, E, K,B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, and B12).²
      A multivitamin should also include a broad range of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and chromium.³
      Understanding the jumble of letters, figures, and micrograms relating to multivitamins can be exhausting. Fortunately, once you learn how to read labels, buying a multivitamin becomes simple. Supplement labels list ingredients in ascending order of predominance. Steer clear of multivitamins that contain a long list of additives.
       2. Is it stimulant-free?
      High-quality multivitamins should be free of stimulants.  Stimulants may cause health symptoms such as depression, diarrhoea, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.⁴
      3. Does it have the appropriate daily values of ingredients?
      If you’ve chosen a multivitamin tablet with the required recommended daily allowance, you know you’ve made a great choice. Be sure to examine the ingredients in other supplements you are taking to prevent excessive intake of nutrients.⁵
      4. Does it offer a complete solution?
      In recent decades, the use of nutritional supplements has rapidly increased.6 One-third of adults and half of the population (⟩55 years of age) report taking at least one supplement per day.⁶
      Multivitamins come in a wide variety of formulations and forms. The key to getting all the benefits from your multivitamin is ensuring you’re buying a good quality one and taking it daily. 
      Whether you want to support your brain health, relieve stress and anxiety, or just rev up your energy, staminaand immunity, BIOPLUS® VIT-ALITY DAILY NUTRI-PACK⁷ offers a complete solution.

      Get All The Essentials You Need In One Daily Dose!  
      Not sure which supplements to take? Leading pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram (Pty) Ltd have a daily vitamin and mineral supplement range, BIOPLUS® VIT-ALITY.

      Consider BIOPLUS® VIT-ALITY DAILY NUTRI-PACK⁷. Complete from a-z, BIOPLUS VIT-ALITY DAILY NUTRI-PACK is a health supplement in a conveniently packaged blister designed to provide you with a daily dose of antioxidants, omega 3, probiotics, vitamins and minerals.⁷
      The BIOPLUS® VIT-ALITY range is available at selected Dis-Chem and Clicks stores, as well as selected independent pharmacies nationwide. For more information, visit: https://www.adcock.co.za/ProdVitamins/Bioplus and join the conversation on Facebook.
      *In Partnership with Adcock Ingram (Pty) Ltd
      2022102810238696
      References:
      1. National Institutes of Health. Multivitamin/mineral Supplements. Available at: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/MVMS-Consumer/. Last accessed September 2022.
      2. Liebman B. What should your multivitamin contain? Centre for Science in the Public Interest. Available at:https://www.cspinet.org/article/what-should-your-multivitamin-contain. Last accessed October 2022.
      3. Cleveland Clinic. 9 Vitamins and Minerals You Should Take Daily. Available at: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/which-vitamins-should-you-take/. Last accessed September 2022.
      4. Vo K, Neafsey PJ, Lin CA. Concurrent use of amphetamine stimulants and antidepressants by undergraduate students. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2015 Jan 22;9:161-72. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S74602. PMID: 25653508; PMCID: PMC4309786. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4309786/. Last accessed October 2022.
      5. Blumberg JB, Bailey RL, Sesso HD, Ulrich CM. The evolving role of multivitamin/multimineral supplement use among adults in the age of personalized nutrition. Nutrients. 2018 Feb 22;10(2):248. doi: 10.3390/nu10020248. PMID: 29470410; PMCID: PMC5852824. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29470410/. Last accessed October 2022.
      6. Hamishehkar H, Ranjdoost F, Asgharian P, Mahmoodpoor A, Sanaie S. Vitamins, are they safe? Adv Pharm Bull. 2016 Dec;6(4):467-477. doi: 10.15171/apb.2016.061.  Epub 2016 Dec 22. PMID: 28101454; PMCID: PMC5241405. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241405/. Last access October 2022.
      7. Bioplus® Vit-Ality Daily Nutri-Pack capsules package insert. Adcock Ingram.  More

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      28 Easy Food Swaps That’ll Help You Lose Weight

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      There’s a simple hack that can boost your weight loss, leave you feeling fuller for longer and have you feeling more regular. It’s called fibre and this often-overlooked food can deliver major benefits to your body. Not only does it keep your system nice and clean, fibre has a genius move in its arsenal: the ability to keep you feeling fuller for longer, boosting satiety. That feeling of fullness is a major key in weight loss, prompting you to eat less instead of more. These genius food swaps find the high-fibre substitutes of other foods, which are often healthier, too.
      Why you need to switch up your food
      We all know our bodies need calcium for bones, vitamin C to fend off colds and chocolate to save relationships. But when it comes to losing weight, the nutritional information is a little more confusing. The mighty trilogy of nutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat – garners most of the food industry’s attention, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that fibre needs to be the fourth leg of the dietary table.
      Study after study shows that not only does fibre help lower your risk of cancer, heart attack and high blood pressure, it also keeps you full and helps you decrease the total amount of kilojoules you consume every day. Trouble is, most of us think that getting the recommended 30g of fibre a day means eating cereal that tastes like the box it comes in. But that isn’t the case. You can sneak fibre into your diet anywhere…
      Food Swaps At Breakfast
      1. Spice up your eggs: A third of a cup of chopped onion and one clove of garlic will add one gram of fibre to scrambled eggs.
      2. Drop a whole orange into the blender to flavour your morning smoothie. One peeled orange has nearly three grams more fibre than even the pulpiest orange juice.
      3. Make your own fruit juice. Blend peeled, sliced and cored or pitted fresh fruit with a little cold water in a food processor. Drink immediately for the best nutritional value. A 250ml glass has more than one gram of fibre.
      4. Cook a bowl of oat bran instead of oats; it has nearly two grams more fibre. Add even more flavour and fibre by stirring in a quarter of a cup of raisins or chopped dates before popping it into the microwave.
      5. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds over your favourite cold cereal or stir a few spoonfuls into a cup of yoghurt. Two tablespoons of ground flaxseeds deliver almost an extra two grams of fibre.
      6. Grab an Asian pear. Similar in taste to other pears, the red-coloured Asian variety has an apple-like crispness and shape and, at four grams a pear, it delivers significantly more fibre.
      7. Buy spreadable fibre, like peanut butter, for your wholewheat toast. Two level tablespoons add three grams of fibre, along with a healthy dose of heart-protecting fats and nutrients like vitamin E.
      8. Make a smoothie using fruit or oats, as these contain at least two grams more fibre than blends that aren’t fruit-based or don’t include oats.
      READ MORE: 5 Ways To Measure Healthy Portion Sizes Without A Scale
      At lunch
      9. Try rye bread if you don’t like wholewheat for your sandwich. One slice has almost two grams of fibre – twice the amount found in white bread.
      10. Opt for quinoa instead of white rice and you’ll get six times more fibre per serving. Mixing in half a cup of lentils with the quinoa will add a nutty flavour, another six grams of fibre and a boost of folate and manganese.
      11. Stow a tin of microwavable soup in your desk for when you need to work through lunch. Woolworths’ Chunky Vegetable Soup packs as much as five grams of fibre per 400g portion.
      12. Shower your pasta with origanum or basil. A teaspoon of either chopped herb adds one gram of fibre. Order it with mushrooms and you’ll get an extra gram.
      13. Build your burger with a sesame-seed roll instead of the plain variety. Sesame seeds add half a gram of fibre per roll.
      14. Order your boerie roll with tomato-and-onion relish Every quarter-cup of the relish you pile on adds up to two grams of fibre to your meal, and having a wholewheat roll tops that up with another three grams.
      READ MORE: 3 Meal Prep Hacks That Will Make It Way Easier To Eat Healthily
      In the afternoon
      15. Drink chocolate milk, not plain milk. The combination of chocolate and the compounds needed to keep it suspended in the milk provides a gram of fibre in every 250ml serving.
      16. Pop a pack of reduced-oil popcorn instead of popping open a bag of potato chips. There are eight grams of fibre in every bag of popcorn.
      17. Enjoy a tomato juice and its two grams of fibre per 200ml tin. Go with the plain juice and avoid the cocktail version, which is high in sodium from the added salt and Worcester sauce.
      18. Graze on trail mix instead of a granola bar. Most granola bars have only one gram of fibre, while trail mix with dried fruit has nearly three grams.
      READ MORE: ‘Keto Crotch’ Might Be A Surprising Side Effect Of A Low-Carb Diet
      At dinner
      19. Toss half a cup of chickpeas into a pot of your favourite soup. They’ll absorb the flavour of the soup and tack six grams of fibre onto your bottom line.
      20. Swap a sweet potato for your standard spud. Sweet potatoes have two grams more fibre per tuber than the typical variety. Not a fan? At least eat the skin of the regular potato – that alone contains one gram of fibre.
      21. Go wild when you make rice. Cup for cup, wild rice has three times more fibre than white.
      22. Add some green to your red sauce. Doctor your favourite pasta sauce with half a cup of chopped spinach. The spinach will take on the flavour of the sauce and pad your fibre count by more than two grams.
      23. Cook wholewheat or spinach pasta instead of the usual semolina kind. A cup of either contains five grams of fibre.
      24. Cook broccoli, cauliflower and carrots and you’ll take in three to five grams of fibre per serving – nearly twice what you’ll get out of them if you eat them raw, as heat makes fibre more available.
      25. Add beans to give your bolognese a fibre boost. Substitute one part chopped, cooked beans for one part lean-beef mince. Cook both together to allow the beans to absorb the juices and seasoning. For every 100g of cooked beans, you get seven grams of fibre.
      READ MORE: Calories Vs Nutrients: What You Need To Know About Losing Weight
      For dessert
      26. Say nuts to chocolate bars. Bars with nuts, like Cadbury’s Whole Nut chocolate bar and Lunch Bars, have up to two grams of fibre – almost twice the fibre content of bars without nuts.
      27. Top a bowl of ice cream with sliced fresh berries in lieu of a chocolate topping. Half a cup of raspberries provides four grams of fibre; strawberries and blueberries pack half that amount.
      28. Try a slice of apple tart or a bowl of fresh fruit salad and you’ll add at least an extra three to five grams of fibre. Cake doesn’t have nearly as much. More

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      The Diet Culture Myths We Still Believe That Dietitians Say To Ditch ASAP

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      Editor’s Note: This essay discusses disordered eating and diet culture. Please take care of yourself if those topics could be triggering.
      Many of us feel like we want to change our bodies instead of love them. We may want to be smaller, taller, leaner, or more toned—anything deemed worthy or acceptable in the eyes of a culture obsessed with appearance. And while changing your body is a personal decision (as it should be), there are often underlying factors at play. Enter: diet culture. But we can each work to actively step away from diet culture and embrace a kinder, gentler way to be in our bodies and take up space in the world.
      To pull away the curtain from some of the subtler ways diet culture shows up in our lives, I tapped a few dietitians with plenty of insights to share. Read on for the diet culture myths they say to drop ASAP and the healthier habits to pick up instead.

      What is diet culture?
      Diet culture promotes a world view where looking a certain way affords you a certain level of acceptance. It’s the social expectations that say we have to fit into the right boxes to deserve X, Y, and Z (and in a world where anti-fat bias runs rampant, that tends to mean healthcare, employment, and respect). More troubling news: In a recent article, The Cut cited evidence via renewed interest in celebrities’ smaller bodies and clothing brands’ inability to deliver on promises of inclusive sizing as concerning proof that thin could be, as the writer puts it, “in again.”
      Diet culture–and thinness as an ideal–has infiltrated much of our world, and it’s a challenge to step away from it completely. Even if you haven’t experienced disordered eating, you’re probably familiar with phrases like “clean eating” or doing a detox after the holidays. While on the surface, these might fall into the category of what we’ve been sold as wellness, these myths are meant to keep us focused on appearance. If that makes you angry and ready to take action, you’re in good company. So let’s separate the fact from fiction, and start ditching diet culture today.

      Myth #1: Food is either good or bad
      Vegetables, good. Sugar, bad. Smoothies, good. Ice cream, bad. Fruit, good or bad? We’ve learned to categorize food in this way—dividing what we eat into buckets of judgment. Erin Reeves, a registered dietitian at Equip, called this “an incredibly harmful mindset.” She explained that because this habit is so deeply ingrained, it can create a sense of shame, anxiety, and guilt around food, as well as lead to other eating disorder behaviors. 
      “What we need to understand is that our self-worth is not dependent on the food we eat,” said Reeves. She offered a key reminder that health is relative, and we all have different needs that make us feel our best. Rather than thinking of food as black or white, it’s important to understand that different foods nourish us in different ways, nutritional value aside. Reeves encouraged us to release the shame, and embrace the fuel, connection, and pleasure that food provides.

      Myth #2: Detox diets cause weight loss
      Alyssa Wilson, a registered and licensed dietitian and metabolic success coach for Signos Health, wants us to ditch the dangerous pattern of detox diets and cleanses. The reality? They may lead to weight loss, but only in the short term. In fact, “Detox diets can actually do more harm than good.” Instead of going all in on a detox or following a restrictive cleanse, Wilson suggested just filling your diet with whole grains, fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and healthy fats (which will help support your body and its natural ability to detox, all on its own).

      Myth #3: Avoid or limit carbs
      I remember just about every rom-com from the mid-aughts contained a protagonist who swore off carbs. It was always with a desire to fit into a smaller dress or prep for a high school reunion—a belief driven by the myth that carbs lead to weight gain. Reeves explained that our bodies need at least 50% of daily calorie intake to come from carbs. “So if someone is cutting carbs from their diet, they might lose weight only since they are excluding their body’s basic needs,” she said. But that can be dangerous water to tread. Reeves noted that this may lead to weight “gain” as the body rehydrates and replenishes its carbohydrate stores.
      What’s more–and this applies to any food group we might cut out–this all-or-nothing behavior leads to a binge-restrict cycle where we may begin to fear some foods and feel out of control around them. Reeves’ short answer? “Carbs are awesome and every single person on this earth should be incorporating them daily.”

      Myth #4: Fast food is bad
      Though convenient, tasty, and capable of satisfying your late-night cravings, fast food has been demonized in our culture for years. Wendy Lord, a registered dietitian and medical content author at Health Reporter, admitted that while fast food doesn’t contain as much nutritional value as other foods, eating it on occasion won’t ruin your health or make you gain weight. Similar to the food-is-good-or-bad divide, if we try to restrict fast food, we can cause intense cravings. Instead, by learning to adopt a more accepting view of fast food (the All Foods Fit model is great inspiration), we can see fast food—and all its deliciousness—in an entirely different light.

      Myth #5: Intuitive eating is easy and everyone should practice it
      While I once believed intuitive eating was the solution to saying goodbye to diet culture once and for all, I’ve since learned that it’s not that simple. We may have been told plain and simple that we can learn to eat when we’re hungry and stop when we’re full, but Reeves cited many other factors, such as beliefs, culture, habits, and medical histories, that add complexity to the mix. Reeves noted that intuitive eating isn’t something we can develop overnight. In fact, it’s a process that can take years for people to develop. 
      Reeves encouraged getting to the truth of why you’re turning to intuitive eating. For example, if you want to try intuitive eating to move away from diet culture, reduce anxiety and shame around food, or improve your relationship with food, go ahead and practice eating intuitively. But Reeves cautioned that intuitive eating can be disguised as a weight loss plan. Even if you have the best intentions, intuitive eating can take years to achieve. You may need to work with a specialized nutritionist, therapist, or doctor to help you get back to a place of trusting your hunger cues, needs, and body. Bottom line: There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to diet.

      Is the ‘What I Eat in a Day’ Trend Helpful or Harmful? More

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      5 Ways To Measure Healthy Portion Sizes Without A Scale

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      The Association for Dietetics (ADSA)  in South Africa held a Twitter Talk on #HealthyNutrition4All, which highlighted how South Africans are becoming one of the most obese populations in the world! Some of that is attributed to unhealthy lifestyle habits, but a hefty portion can contribute a lot to the statistic. Here, dietitians, The Heart & Stroke Foundation SA, FoodBank SA, Soil For Life and the Department of Health share tips on measuring your meal’s healthy portion sizes – without a scale.
      Use The Plate Model
      The Heart Foundation recommends using a plate to estimate how much starch, meat and vegetables you should eat. Half your plate should be veggies, a quarter starch and the rest protein.
      READ MORE: 5 Portion Control Tips You’ve Probably Never Heard Before
      Use Your Hands
      Dietician Maryke Gallagher advises that you should measure food with your fist. One portion of fruit should be the size of your fist. Also use your palm to measure how much protein, etc. you should be eating. A palm is the size estimate of your protein portion, your fist is the size of a starch portion and your full hand (or more) is the size of a veg portion.
      Know When You’re Full
      Dietician, Karlien Duvenhage, believes it’s important to be in tune with your body and start learning when you are hungry or full.
      READ MORE: What Really Happens To Your Body (And Brain) On A Detox Diet?
      Go Mini
      The Heart Foundation suggests you eat out of a small bowl, with smaller utensils and cups to make the meal appear ‘fuller’. Use a smaller bowl for rice and noodle dishes instead of a giant one; try eating your regular meals from side plates instead of full-size plates. This tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating a bigger meal and also makes you feel more satisfied with what you’ve eaten if it looks like a large portion of food, when really it’s a healthy portion.
      Your Portion Size Go-To Guide
      Meat should be the size of a deck of cards; carbohydrate portions (rice, bread, noodles and spaghetti) the size of a tennis ball; fat (bacon rind, oil, mayonnaise), the size your thumb; and veg is a free for all, according to dietician Jade Seeliger.
      READ MORE: Here’s Exactly How To Start Working Out Again, After A Winter Hibernating More

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      An Inside Look at Kat Jamieson’s Morning Routine

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      Welcome to The Everygirl Podcast. Whether you’re looking for insider secrets from successful women that have your dream job, are interested in expert advice to transform your health and feel your best, or just want to be entertained and laugh along with us on your commute, we’ve got you covered.

      We love an OG blogger, and it doesn’t get any more ~blueprint~ OG than Kat Jamieson, also known as the voice behind the lifestyle blog With Love From Kat. But Kat is so much more than just a stunning aesthetic (speaking of, check out her iconic California home tour here and her glam Manhattan apartment here). Since starting her blog in 2011, she has been on a transformative wellness journey, and this week on The Everygirl Podcast she’s spilling all of the tea (or green juice) on how she got to where she is with health and wellness. Plus, Kat shares all of the details about her first book, Blended, which incorporates cooking, entertaining, and living well holistically. Read on for Kat’s four-step morning routine, and listen to this week’s episode of The Everygirl Podcast for more tips.

      1. Sip hot water with lemon
      Kat’s caffeine of choice is a matcha with coconut milk, but before she drinks anything caffeinated, she always sips on hot water with lemon. She loves starting her morning off with this ritual because it keeps her digestion regular, wakes her up, and gives her a boost of vitamin C. Kat knows that the first thing that she puts into her body is going to set the tone for the rest of her day, so she recommends drinking hot lemon water before any caffeine to boost hydration and stabilize digestion.
       
      2. Meditate
      Kat is a huge advocate for meditation, but she knows it’s unrealistic to “clear your brain” in the way that most of us expect to when we meditate. Instead of putting pressure on herself to have a completely “clear mind,” Kat sees meditation as a strategy session. “I use it as time to go through my to-do list, or check in with how I’m feeling about a certain relationship in my life, something I’m stressed about, or something I’m excited about,” Kat said. “I get some of my best ideas and creative thoughts during that time.”
      But meditation doesn’t just offer mental benefits–Kat also credits meditation to helping heal gut symptoms and help with digestion, by helping to relax stomach muscles. She’s felt the benefits of daily meditation in her alertness, mental health, social life, and physical well-being.

      Source: @katjamieson_

      3. Drink a green juice every morning
      Kat swears by her daily green juice so much that she got her husband onto the habit too. For years, Kat tried to get her husband to drink green juice in the mornings, and she consistently received the response that he was more of an eggs-for-breakfast person. But once he finally listened and gave Kat’s advice a try, he started to feel so much better. Green juice isn’t for everyone, but Kat herself is obsessed with the digestive benefits of drinking it every morning.

      4. Get outside for natural sunlight
      Before she starts the rest of her day, Kat loves to go outside and soak up some sunlight to feel energized and awake for the rest of the day. She loves to get outside and walk her dog, and–now that she lives in the suburbs–she’ll even walk barefoot in the grass to do some grounding. “There’s something about walking barefoot in the grass or sand that kind of recalibrates and really calms you down. I notice a huge difference when I do that,” she said. More

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      This Powerful Ingredient Is Everywhere, and Experts Say It’s the Secret to Immune Health

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      Remember when chlorophyll water or sea moss gel was all the rage? Well now it’s time for bee products to have their turn in the spotlight. Whether it’s a honey face mask, bee pollen, or propolis throat spray, it seems like everywhere you turn, there’s a new bee product to try. I’m all for a new wellness trend, so I had to investigate bee products for myself. Spoiler alert: I became a huge fan. Bee products have been shown to have many health benefits, namely improved immunity. But in order to fully understand the different types of bee products out there, their benefits, and how to consume them, I turned to the experts. Ahead, the lowdown on what they had to say.

      In this article

      What are the different types of bee products?
      Today, there are tons of bee products available, but three of the most popular types are superfood honey, propolis, and bee pollen. As you probably already know, honey is the liquid processed by bees–but what may surprise you is the difference between the honey you find in your local grocery store and superfood honey. Dr. Mahmud Kara, MD, a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic and Founder of KaraMD, shared that most honey found in stores have undergone manufacturing and refining processes that rob honey of its beneficial nutrients and compounds. Superfood honey, on the other hand, has not undergone these processes and retains all its benefits. 
      Propolis is referred to as the “glue” or sticky substances that bees pick up from various plants to create their hives. It can be consumed in a variety of ways, whether it’s in the form of capsules, a liquid extract, or a throat spray, and can be found at many health food stores. Lastly, there’s bee pollen, which Dr. Kara said is the combination of plant pollen or residue and secretions that honeybees make while building hives and creating honey. The best way to buy bee pollen is in its 100% raw form. It is usually sold in jars and looks like small, yellow beads (available in some supermarkets and most health food stores). I find the best way to consume bee pollen is sprinkling some into smoothies, yogurt, or a salad.

      What are the benefits of bee products?
      Superfood honey, propolis, and bee pollen all provide immunity to the body in various ways. Kelly Springer, a registered dietician and nutrition ambassador at Wedderspoon, shared that superfood honey includes trace amounts of amino acids, vitamin B, vitamin C, minerals, and antioxidants. She added that including superfood honey in your diet can be extremely beneficial during cold and flu season, as well as before or after a workout. As an added bonus, superfood honey can also be very good for your gut microbiome, which impacts every part of the body, from your brain to your heart. Another perk of superfood honey is its benefits for the skin. Springer suggested making a DIY honey face mask, which can help support healthy and supple skin (adding to my skincare routine as we speak). 
      According to a 2017 study, propolis has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. In other words, adding it into your diet can help reduce inflammation, Dr. Karr confirmed. My favorite way to consume propolis? Using Beekeepers Natural’s Throat Spray. Every time I use it, I immediately feel the effects. As for bee pollen, similar to superfood honey and propolis, it’s packed with numerous vitamins and minerals. Recent studies have even shown that bee pollen can help reduce the risk of disease, blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular protection, and immunity. The health benefits of bee products are extensive, but like adding any new product to your routine, there are some factors to be aware of.

      What to know before consuming bee products
      A large percentage of the population is allergic to bees and bee-based products, so talk to your doctor before adding any bee products into your diet. If you get the green light and decide to try a bee product, it’s important to consider where you buy it from. Choosing brands that are transparent about their sourcing, ingredients, and dosage instructions, ensures you get exactly what you are looking for when buying a bee product. 
      Bee products have been consumed by humans since ancient times as a natural remedy for illness and other ailments. Whether you take a spoonful of superfood honey to help fight a cold, add bee pollen to your smoothie for better gut health, or use a propolis throat spray for stronger immunity, bee products (when consulted by a doctor) can be a great aid in better overall health. 

      Here’s What I Learned From a Week on Athletic Greens More