Raw Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheesecake

Looking for a gluten and dairy free dessert that tastes divine? Well, I have just the ticket! And this one makes a real showstopper. You’ll make this and wonder why you haven’t been making it for years. A new recipe for your Christmas rotation – you’re very welcome!

Prep time: 30 mins 12 hr chilling time

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the base

250g ground hazelnuts

10 Medjool dates, pitted

3 tbsp cacao powder

2 tbsp raisins

1 tsp vanilla paste

Pinch salt

For the filling

250g cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 mins and

drained

120g coconut oil, melted

100g ground hazelnuts

5 tbsp maple syrup

6 tbsp cacao

1 pot cashew yoghurt

70-100ml hazelnut milk

1.5 tsp vanilla paste

Pinch of salt

Method:

• Blend together all the base ingredients until the mixture starts to clump together, adding more dates if needed. Press into the base of an 8-inch spring-form
• cake tin, then place in the freezer to firm up for 20 mins.
• Make the filling by blending all ingredients together until completely smooth and creamy in a high-power blender, adding a splash more milk if needed and adjusting sweetness to taste.
• Spoon filling over the set base and place back in the freezer to firm up overnight.
• Remove from the cake tin 15-20 mins before serving and top with raw chocolate if desired. Decorate with chopped nuts and berries before you take to the table.
• Enjoy!

My six steps for not over-indulging – but still having fun! – in the festive season

It's December. The shops are full of celebratory food. We're stocking up on festive treats and special foods, especially this year when there have been so many other challenges to deal with - it would be churlish not to take part.

But how do we make sure that we enjoy the food we are eating, and not just mindlessly polishing off a tin of Quality Street that the kids opened? And in the run-up to Christmas, how often have you finished your lunch in front of your laptop, or grabbed a bit of toast whilst on the phone to someone? How easy was it to finish off the biscuits that were already open? This is where mindful eating comes in.

Research shows that being mindful of what we put in our mouths not only stops us from accidentally over-consuming, with the problems that that entails but also allows us to really enjoy the process and take full advantage of the flavours and experiences of the food we choose to eat.

Mindful eating allows us to be in tune with our hunger, to sense our levels of fullness, and to feel satisfied with what we are consuming.

Six tips for mindful eating

But how do you start with mindful eating? Well, here are my six top tips for incorporating mindful eating into your daily life:

1. Have a list

By preparing in advance what we need, this will help stop any impulse purchases at the shop. We know what we need and what we are looking for, so armed with our shopping list we can stick to this.

Being aware of the food choices we are making and what we are bringing home is an excellent start to the process. This also ensures that what we reach for at home is what we want to eat.

2. Avoid extreme hunger 

It's good to be hungry when sitting down to eat a meal, but not so much so that we're compelled to make the wrong choices as we're in a massive hurry and feeling famished. Being ravenously hungry and going past the point of when we should have eaten may make us panic and reach for foods that we wouldn't normally go for purely out of convenience.

3. Make a conscious decision to eat 

By planning our meals in advance this allows us to know when we are eating and what we will be eating. This helps us avoid the pitfall of ravenous hunger, but also helps us avoid absent-mindedly picking as we don't know what to eat.

Particularly at this time of year, you might like to indulge in festive treats, by making a conscious decision to do so, this will allow you to determine how much and what you have.

4. Take time to appreciate your food

Start with a small pause to smell and admire the food are eating. Hey, you or someone else has gone to some effort to provide this for you! The digestive process starts in the brain, so taking some time to smell, see and acknowledge your meal can also help improve digestion, as well as allowing you to enjoy the process.

5. Take your time over eating your food 

I grew up in a house where it was always a race to see who could finish dinner first and get down from the table. This is not what we should be doing! By eating more slowly and chewing thoroughly we help get the digestive processes working effectively, but we also allow the brain to sense when our bodies are full. And you get a chance to savour the foods as you eat them.

6. Eat without distractions

Turn off the telly, shut the laptop, sit down at the table. By eating with no external distractions, we can turn our full attention to what we are eating - which, in turn, allows us to be more in tune with our bodies, appetites and sense of fullness. 

As well as providing nutrients and energy, food should be a source of fun and enjoyment. And this is particularly true as we approach the festive season. Sharing food with our families is such an integral part of this time of year and we should take the time to enjoy it guilt-free.

By following these six simple steps hopefully, we can take some of the absent-minded eating away, leaving us with the foods we have consciously chosen, eaten in a way that enables us to enjoy them, and thereby we can thoroughly appreciate our celebrations.

And if you're interested in talking more about your health or nutrition, why not book in a FREE 30 minute health review with me today - just click here.

One of my favourite things about the colder weather is that it signifies soup season, and soup is the easiest lunch or starters offering ever. This one is packed with delicious wintery flavours of celeriac with just a touch of nutmeg and coriander.

Celeriac is also in season right now, and it's loaded with important vitamins, such as vitamins B6, C and K, and it's a great source of fibre. Plus, it tastes delicious! 

Don't be put off by it's unusual appearance - once it's peeled and chopped, it doesn't look that different from parsnips.

INGREDIENTS

300g fresh fennel, finely chopped (including the green part)

230g celeriac, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp coriander seed

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

850ml water

1 vegetable stock cube

140g butter or 2 tbsp coconut cream

Juice of 1 lemon

salt & ground black pepper, to season

A handful fresh dill or tops of fennel, chopped, to garnish

Handful of gluten-free croutons (Optional)

METHOD

Good health begins as a thought

Achieving long-term health and energy is a balancing act. Quite simply, what you put into your mind may have as much of an impact as the food and supplements you feed your body.

Many studies have been conducted on the mind-body connection. What we know for sure is that a positive attitude works – when we remember to nurture it.

Wholesome food, avoiding sugar and toxins are obvious tools for great health but how should you deal with the consequences of negative thinking and stress?

Experts rate exercise, sufficient sleep, controlling negative thoughts and building a strong social support as some of the best ways to decrease stress and boost immunity – so paying attention to your feelings and needs is as vital as drinking enough water and avoiding junk food.

Winning ways to promote good mind-body health

1. EXERCISE

The release of endorphins during exercise promotes a sense of wellbeing, which has the added benefit of boosting your immune system.

During exercise, the lymphatic system – a network of tissues and organs that helps your body to eliminate toxins and waste – is mobilised. Its main role is to transport lymph fluid, which contains infection-fighting white blood cells. Unlike the blood, which is transported by the heart, lymph fluid only moves if you do. 

A recent study from a North Carolina university showed that people who exercised for five or more days weekly experienced 43% fewer days of upper respiratory infections.

Walking, running or any other muscle-moving activity also dramatically reduces stress by ‘working off steam’ when you are upset or angry. With the release of endorphins, your body receives a natural mood boost, resulting in reduced stress levels, which in turn puts less pressure on your immune system.

2. GET ENOUGH SLEEP

According to an American Psychological Association study, stress is what keeps more than 40% of adults awake at night. To aim for the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night, avoid caffeine, digital screens and try to turn in at the same time each evening. 

3. FOCUS ON SELF-CARE

Make an effort to do something nice for yourself every day. Neglecting your own needs adds unnecessary stress to the system, resulting in increased vulnerability to illness. 

Women, in particular, tend to put their own needs last, especially if they’re caring for children and/or elderly parents.  If you battle with guilt when you take an hour off to read, go for a manicure or have a coffee with a friend, remind yourself that if your bucket is empty, you’ll have nothing left to give anyone else. Simple, but effective. 

4. MINDFULNESS

You cut in half the chances of catching a cold by meditating. A University of Wisconsin study showed that people who practised mindfulness – a type of meditation or mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while accepting feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations – noted 13 fewer illnesses and took 51 fewer sick days. Researchers concluded that this reduced the physical effects of stress, which is known to weaken the immune system.

5. IT TAKES A VILLAGE…

Building strong social connections has proven psychological and physiological benefits. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, having a ‘support group’ – no matter how big or small – boosts immunity by creating ‘stress buffers’.

Being able to share stress or concerns with close family or friends provides an opportunity for outside support and advice, which alleviates a sense of being alone in your situation. 

Ongoing stress is also a contributing factor to many chronic diseases, and is seriously not helpful if you are trying to lose weight. 

“When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves.” – Jack Kornfield, American author and Buddhist mindfulness pioneer. 

You don’t have to continue to suffer – you have the power to make these changes. Just plan in small steps and gradually these will add up to make the difference.

If there is anything that has come up for you as a result of this blog post, I warmly invite you to book in for a free 30-minute health review to see if a personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan might help. You can book yourself directly into my diary by clicking right here.

Are you functioning on all cylinders?

If you often feel you’re dragging yourself through the day or you've been struggling to lose weight for a long while despite eating all the right things, it might be worth considering whether your thyroid is doing the job it should. 

The thyroid – a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck – is the body’s internal motor, effectively setting the speed at which the body works. If it’s not up to scratch, you might experience a whole host of uncomfortable or annoying symptoms (see below). 

The hormones it makes affect most cells in the body by increasing the basal metabolic rate, as well as augmenting heat production. That’s why people with an underactive thyroid often struggle to lose weight, feel the cold more easily and have low energy – imagine a record player playing a record at reduced speed.

Do any of these sound familiar?

• I feel tired all the time
• My hands and feet are always cold
• I’m putting on weight for no reason
• I can’t seem to lose weight whatever I do
• I’m often constipated
• My muscles ache
• I get muscle cramps more often
• I feel irritable
• Generally, I’m feeling a bit low
• I’m struggling to fall pregnant
• My periods are heavier than usual
• My hair and skin feel so dry
• My sex drive is flagging or non-existent
• I’m losing hair at the outer edge of my eyebrow.

If more than a few symptoms resonate with you, visit your GP to discuss symptoms and ask to get your thyroid tested. 

GP testing

One of three things will happen after you have a blood test at the GP. The doctor may tell you your results look normal, in which case no further action will be taken*. Or you might be sent for further testing, if the result looks a little off, either immediately or for a retest in a few months’ time. 

It’s much more common to have an underactive thyroid than an overactive one, and more common still for the underactive thyroid to be an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s, where the immune system destroys the thyroid gland to the extent that it can no longer function normally. 

However, even with a diagnosis, many people still experience symptoms in spite of treatment.  

What actually gets tested? 

In the UK, the first thing doctors test is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels. TSH is the hormone that tells your body to produce the actual thyroid hormones. If TSH is within range, your GP is unlikely do any further tests on the assumption that the rest of the thyroid hormone-producing cascade is working correctly. 

If TSH is raised, your body is working harder than necessary to produce the right levels of thyroid hormones. At this point, your doctor may repeat the TSH test in a few months in order to compare levels. 

Alternatively, they might test your Thyroxine (T4) levels to determine whether or not you’re producing the right levels of this hormone. 

If this level is below range, you’ll likely be prescribed a synthetic form of thyroxine to supply the body with what it is not making itself. If the levels is above range, which suggests an overactive thyroid, you may be prescribed carbimazole and perhaps a beta-blocker.

*Still feeling tired and ‘rubbish’ despite treatment?

This a common problem. Initially, you may start to feel better, but many patients report sliding back into their previous pattern of symptoms.

The reasons why you’re not feeling better can be complex.

• Supplementing with T4 might not work, as what’s going on in your body might be more complicated and involve several issues.
• Some people produce enough TSH and T4, but T4 isn’t actually the hormone that does the work.
• Triiodothyronine (T3) is the ‘work horse’ that needs to be converted in the liver from T4. Some people, for various reasons, simply don’t convert it very well.
• In other cases, you might produce enough TSH, T4 and T3, but the body negates the effects of the usable T3 by making reverse T3 (rT3) –literally reversing the action of T3.
• Everything may ‘look normal’, but if you’re still dragging yourself through the day, you could have sub-clinical thyroid problems. GP ranges are quite broad, so it’s easy to fall outside the limits. 

It’s worth knowing that regular GP testing does not cover T3 or rT3, so if you’re still feeling below par, it’s worth getting a full thyroid blood screen done privately. I work with all major private laboratories and can arrange this for you.

Do you have an autoimmune thyroid problem?

Another vital piece of information, which isn’t often covered by the standard GP test, is for the presence of autoimmune thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin). This indicates your immune system is attacking your thyroid.

The autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Disease (a form of underactive thyroid) is incredibly common but unless your GP tests for the antibodies, you won’t know that you have it.

GPs generally don’t test for this as it doesn’t affect their clinical management of you – whatever the diagnosis, you’re still going to be prescribed thyroxine.

However, this test is important to nutritional therapists, as the diagnosis requires an entirely different treatment protocol.

You may have high levels of these antibodies, but no symptoms of an underactive (or overactive) thyroid. The autoimmune element always comes first. 

Hashimoto’s (underactive) and Graves’ (overactive) Disease affect the thyroid, but they are actually immune system disorders. 

Adrenal stress - the missing link in thyroid treatment

Thyroid health is closely connected with your adrenals (two walnut-shaped stress glands located on your kidneys). If you have had any significant stress, your adrenal glands may not be performing optimally – and this is very bad news for thyroid health.

Adrenal stress disrupts the complex network of interactions needed to make the right amount of thyroid hormones, suppressing the thyroid function.

There are tests available privately for this. Unfortunately, adrenal problems are not recognized by UK GPs. 

Addressing adrenal problems is important because the effects of stress affect energy production, fat storage (storing fat around the middle) and female hormone health.  

The importance of iodine

Did you know that the mineral iodine is essential for the manufacture of thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)? Thyroid hormones contain three or four iodine atoms respectively. If you’re serious about fixing your thyroid for once and for all, you could consider a urine test to determine whether or not you have sufficient levels of iodine. 

Ready to get that thyroid back into shape?

There are a number of different tests, which we can use to measure your thyroid levels. These include a full blood draw, finger prick blood spot test and a urine test. I take a full medical history and evaluate my clients before deciding on the best option. If you have an underactive thyroid and are feeling below par, despite medication, I can help. Medication is just a piece of the puzzle. Why not contact me here.

WHY YOU REALLY, REALLY NEED THE D

Did you know that the sun is our main source of vitamin D? However, here in the UK, due to our latitude, we can’t get it from the sun between October and March. So, it’s important to make sure we can get it in other ways.

Why? Well, vitamin D is a superstar vitamin. More correctly, it’s actually a hormone. If levels are too low, this is bad news for health. I’m talking cancer, osteoporosis, rickets in children, asthma, tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis (and other autoimmune diseases), heart disease, diabetes, and dental problems.

WHY SO LOW?

• Sun cream. Your body makes vitamin D after contact with the sun’s UV rays but, as we’re a nation of sun cream fanatics (and this covers the skin, blocking the rays of sunlight from getting through), you might not be getting enough straight-up sun.
• Age. Among other things that go a bit wrong as you get older, your body is less good at turning the rays from the sun into vitamin D. Specifically, the kidneys are less good with age at turning it to the active form of calcitriol. 
• Kidney or liver disease of any kind also means vitamin D is not converted to the active form. 
• Tummy troubles. Problems with the digestive system (and I’m not talking about disease here – just an imbalance that may cause anything from a few manageable symptoms to more serious trouble ‘downstairs’) mean the digestive tract does not absorb the vitamin D as well. 
• Obesity (technically that’s a BMI or body mass index of 30 ) has the fat cells in your body hoover up the vitamin D. So then it’s stored – unusable – in your fat cells and is not whizzing around your body in your blood. 
• Lack of sleep.  Just as you need sunlight to make vitamin D, you need sleep to actually use it.
• Stress. The presence of the stress hormone cortisol reduces the uptake of vitamin D by special vitamin D receptors. It literally sits there, in the body, without being able to be used. What a waste!
• Your skin colour. The darker your skin, the less vitamin D you will make. This is due to the higher levels of melanin in your skin that protect against UV light. By blocking the sun’s rays, it also curbs the body’s ability to make the pre-cursor to the active vitamin D. 
• Nightshift workers and anyone else who doesn’t spend much time in the sunlight, including children wearing sun cream all the time and babies. Quite simply, you need the sun on your skin. 

10 SIGNS YOU MIGHT HAVE A VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

1. Depression or anxiety (including mood changes or irritability)
2. Bone softening (low bone density), fractures
3. Feeling tired all the time/ decreased performance
4. Muscle cramps and weakness
5. Joint pain (especially back and knees)
6. Difficulty regulating your blood sugar levels/ post lunch energy crash
7. Low immunity
8. Slow wound healing
9. Low calcium levels in the blood
10. Unexplained weight gain

Symptoms like these are commonly overlooked because they don’t feel life threatening, and they’re often dismissed as normal, everyday aches and pains you have to deal with. But you don’t have to put up with these symptoms of ill health!

WHO SHOULD GET TESTED?

If any of the above resonates with you, then you should definitely get tested. You might find your GP will do this for you. My experience is that they are usually amenable to this particular test. 

If your doctor won’t test, consider getting it checked out privately. In the big scheme of things (like life and, you know, your health), the test is not expensive but it could change your enjoyment of your life. 

The test is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test (also known as the 25-OH vitamin D test or Calcidiol 25-hydroxycholecalciferol test). It’s the most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body.

Your doctor will want to know that there is a valid reason for having you tested. Go back through the list of symptoms and go in strong with this being the reason why you want to be tested. 

If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to ask, feels uncomfortable asking or is just curious to know their levels, you can get the test done privately for £44. It’s a finger prick test, so you can do it easily at home, then get guidance on how much to supplement safely. If this is you, and you want to know more, just hit reply to this email and we’ll talk. 

If you do take a test and you’re very low, you’ll need an intense 4-6 weeks supplementation at a higher dose and then re-testing to see the impact it’s had.  There is such a thing as too much vitamin D (known as vitamin D toxicity). You’d have to be going some way to get there, but it is possible, which is why it is essential you know your levels before you start guzzling any supplements. 

I know what you’re thinking. Here’s a few of those ‘yes, buts’ you have going on…

• I already take a vitamin D supplement.  
• I go out in the sun quite a bit
• Wouldn’t my doctor ask to test me if they thought it were a problem?
• I’m too busy to take time off to take a test. 

I hear you. If you seriously have nothing wrong with you, if you didn’t identify with any of the symptoms in the list, then don’t bother. But if you did…

HOW TO UP YOUR VITAMIN D

• Get yourself some sun. Recommended sunlight exposure is between 10 and 30 minutes a day with no sun cream. 
• If getting out in the sun is not an option, sit in front of a light box that supplies 10,000 lux of full-spectrum light for 30 minutes every morning. This is an especially good option for winter months, for night shift. Bit of a faff, but it’s an option. 

• Take a supplement. You can take a generic 1,000 IU dose as an adult (but not children without consulting your GP) BUT, if you’ve no idea what your blood levels are, how to you know how much you should be taking?
• Eat naturally vitamin D-rich foods like oily fish (salmon, sardines, fresh tuna, trout, halibut, mackerel, et.), high quality cod liver oil, egg yolks and liver. Do not be fooled into thinking the fortified foods are the same or have similar benefits. Fortified foods (like cereals, margarine and some yoghurts) contain a synthetic version of the vitamin known as D2 (the natural form is D3). Research shows this is less effective at raising levels of vitamin D in the blood.  

Or if you'd like to find out more about your nutrient levels, or are concerned about any symptoms, please book in a free 30 minute health check with me today - just click here.