Changing my Diet Changed my Life

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This is not your typical slow living mum blog post. But there has been such a dramatic change in my life since I have eliminated gluten and switched to a more organic natural diet.

Six months ago I was living on a diet of coffee and deep fried dim sims and cigarettes. I never seemed to have any energy and my skin and hair was dull and limp. I just thought it was down to being a busy mum that doesn't have a lot of time for herself.

Then summer came and I seem to change my diet, I stopped eating gluten. I swapped to avocado on rice cakes with a hint of lemon juice. I suddenly had all this extra energy, it was easier to drag my bum out of bed in the morning. I actually started walking on my lunch break.

This was just the start the better I was feeling the more I wanted to feel better, I looked at myself in the mirror one day and realised that I was pushing 30 and still had acne. It wasn't just the acne I was aging long before my time. If I didn't change I would look like I am 60 at 40. So the reinvention of me began.

I am not a vegan person I love meat. Although I did reduce the amount of meat I was eating.

Here is some of the changes that I made:

1. I stopped eating 50% of the processed food I was eating such as dim sims and chips
2. I replaced the 50% with Natural fruit and nuts

1. I started drinking 2.5 litres of water a day. (I have never peed so much in my life)
2. I started cooking as much as I could from scratch. Such as pasta sauces/Meat pastes/Spreads. I was surprised how much cheaper it was to cook from scratch
3. I put any junk food up above my eye height. If it was the age old if you have good food you will eat good food
4. I started exercising once a day - Yoga/Walking/Swimming it does matter what it is so long as I was sweating.

It takes 28 days to make a habit. Once it becomes a habit it becomes second nature.

Getting a handle on anxiety naturally

Living with anxiety can be hell! Unless you know the feeling its difficult to explain, I have struggled with anxiety since being a teenager after spending most of my young adult life on various medications that usually just left me doped out and off the planet. I researched into natural remedies for managing anxiety. Here is everything that I found helped me to get a firm hold on my anxiety.

Essential Oils for anxiety
I have found that making a roll ball anti anxiety mixture a great way to get a handle on anxiety in public. Its very low key and easy to hide if you aren't ready to share with the anyone how you are feeling.

Here is my top list of essential oils.

Lavender
Rose
Vetiver
Ylang Ylang
Bergamont
Chamomile
Frankincense
These also work well in a oil burner for creating a calming home.

Herbal Tea

Studies have been done and show that drinking herbal tea can reduce anxiety in many patients as much as standard medications.

Chamomile - Soothing
Lemon Balm - help with sleep

Feeling Fit

When you work out/ be active your body releases endorphins. endorphins are the bodies natural happy hormones. I have found that if I am really getting anxious and feeling like the world is going to come down around me. I step out and take a brisk work it helps give me a boost of happy hormones. It also gives me a chance to clear my head without anyone watching me. Yoga is also a great way to get a boost of happy hormones it also teaches you to clear your mind.


Create a haven
Create a haven for yourself where you can go and shut the door and just take a breath. Maybe have some essential oils to sniff and somewhere comfy to sit. This is a great way to escape and just take a few minutes to yourself.

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Ways to stop Constirpation in kids

This was a battle that went on in our house for 2 years my youngest struggled with constipation. We really struggled with helping him. I was inclined to not give him an over the counter or prescribed medication. I started to look at our diet first of all.

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More fibre was ultimately what we wanted to include in our diet.
This is my list of foods that we started to include in his diet:

Prunes:
If you can get them to eat them. I usually mix them into a fruit salad with other fruits from the list.

Pears
Pears are naturally really high in fiber, Make sure they are on the smaller side because the larger the pear the less fiber.

Flax Seed
As well as being full of fiber they also have good omega 3 fatty acid (the good kind of fat).

Brocoili
Brocoili is best served raw because cooked vegetables lose a lot of there fiber content. If you can't stand the thought of raw brocoili try lightly blanching it.

Carrots
As with Brocoili carrots are best served raw as this helps to retain its natural fiber.

Peaches
Dried peaches work just as well as fresh peaches to releave constipation in kids. This is a great on the go snack.

Figs:
Figs help to soften the stool, making it easier to pass through.

Pinapple:
Pinapple juice is a natural laxative. Its also great to give to kids as a cool drink. They aont even know that they are drinking something that's good for them.

Watermelon:
I have found that watermelon works great to releave constipation in kids because of its high water content.

Suprising benifits of Honey and Cinnamon

There is a lot of benefits in using Honey and Cinnamon.

Arthritis:
Copenhagen University recently did a study on 200 patients that suffered from arthritis, The patients were treated with a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon before breakfast. 73 of the 200 patients recorded a significate reduction in pain from arthritis.

Bladder Infection:
Stir 2 level tablespoons of Cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of luke warm water and drink. This mixture has been said to destroy the bacteria that cause Bladder Infections

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Heart Diseases:
Make a paste of 1 tablespoon of Honey and one level tablespoon of cinnamon, Use as a spread with Bread. Eat it on a regular basis to reduce your risk of heart diseases.

Hair Loss:
Make a paste with equal parts Honey and Cinnamon, apply to scalp and leave for 15 minutes, Then wash hair as normal.

Colds:
It has been said that Drinking Honey, Cinnamon and warm water will help to prevent infections from influenza.

Infertility:
It has been used to treat infertility in men for thousands of years. Take two tablespoons before bed. In eastern countries use Cinnamon to treat female infertility. They mix a pinch of cinnamon powder with half a teaspoon of honey.

Fatigue:
Studies have shown that the sugar in Honey is more of a help then an anything to the human body. Extensive research has been done, that when you drink a glass of water, honey and a small amount of cinnamon is effective to bring energy levels back up to where they need to be.

Aging:
Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder can slow down the aging process. Add four tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of boiling water. Drink a cup 3-4 times a day. This will keep your skin looking smooth.

Honey and Cinnamon is a powerful super food that can be used to treat a large variety of common aliments. so before going to the doctor try looking in the pantry for a natural cure.

Recipe - Stuffed Capsicum

This is one of my favorite dinners to make with my son, its super fun and easy its also completely gluten free!!!

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You will need

1 red or green pepper per person
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 Tb spoons of tomato paste
250 grams of mince
1 cup of mixed vegies
Cheese to top

How to make

1. Brown Mince in the frying pan,

2. Add in Canned tomatoes, tomato paste and mixed vegie,

3. Turn to a low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Cut the top off all the Capsicum and remove all the seeds.

5. Place Capsicum in an oven dish

6. Pour in mince and sauce

7. Top with Cheese

8. Replace The top and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

Gluten Free Dinners That Rock

I have recently been told that I am gluten intolerant and need to cut gluten from my diet. For those who don't know what Gluten is it's a mixture of 2 proteins that are found in cereal grains, that means not more bread, vegemite, porridge and muesli bars. Gluten products made up a large part of my diet so it was really hard to find foods that were gluten free that I really enjoyed. But after some research and trial and error I have come up with a list of things to cook for dinner that are both Gluten Free and delicious.

1. Baked potato with the trimmings
This is a great one because you can make it for the whole family and add in as much or as little that you like.

2. Pumpkin Soup

I posted earlier in my blog a gluten free pumpkin soup recipe that has no gluten it use sweet potato and coconut milk.

http://slowlivingmum.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/vegan-pumpkin-soup.html

A delicious recipe.

2. Stuffed Capsicum

This is super easy I like to fry some mince add some carrots, peas and corn as well as a can of tomatoes and place it all in a capsicum shell place cheese on top and bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

3. Creamy chicken and Avo with GF Pasta
This is super easy and delicious dish that only uses a handful of ingredients. Will post the recipe shortly.

4. Steak and Veg
Country Classic/ Suburban special
Meat and 3 veg typical classic. How ever if you are planning to use a pre-packaged sauce read the ingredients because a lot of then have Gluten in them.

5. Stir fry and rice noodles.
This is again a meal that can have anything added in that you desire and suits your family.

Ways to slow down everyday

Facing the rat race everyday can be stressful it seems that everyone wants everything done yesterday. I have been working hard lately and I have discovered easy ways that you can slow down and take a break. Here is my favorite ways to slow down and just breathe.

Savour Nature:
This is a big one that I have been working on, Just to stop and look at the beauty that is around me. I have been posting a lot of the things that I have come across on my IG account.

I snapped this cheeky little guy after a rain storm.

Take off your shoes:
Every lunch time I sit on the grass and look at the beautiful trees and things around me, I also like to take off my shoes and enjoy a bit of grounding. Good for the soul.

Solo Coffee Date:
As a teenager I wouldn't be caught dead out in public without a group of friends but as I approach 30, I began to stop caring what people think and started doing what would make me happy. Its soothing to sit in a cute little café and people watch or read a book. It doesn't matter so long as you are enjoying some alone time. No one else to consider but you.

Technology Ban:
For 1 hour a day I place a technology ban on everyone in my house. Nothing with a screen it starts at the same time everyday so everyone can just organise around it.

Cook:
Take time to cook something so delicious that it has the whole house waiting with baited breath. Get out your grandmothers old cook books and bake something from scratch.

Vegie Pasta Sauce your kids will love to eat

I love to make food from scratch that everyone in my family love to eat. I have been working on this recipe for a long time to make it the perfect mixture of healthy and fresh but also delicious.

You will need:
2 Large tomato's
1 Zucchini
Crushed garlic
Italian herbs
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Step 1
Dice Tomato's and Zucchini into cubes

Step 2

Place Tomato's, Zucchini and 1/4 of a cup of water into a small saucepan

Step 3

Add in the rest of the ingredients

2 cloves of crushed garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

Salt to taste

Sprinkle of Italian herbs

Step 4

Mix everything together and bring to the boil.

Once everything is cooked through serve over pasta

I was planning to take a photo of the end result but it didn't last long enough.

 

Ways to slow down! and enjoy the moment

Slowing down and enjoying the moment has never come naturally to me, I always seemed to be on the go. When I first started living a slower life I really found it hard to stop after a while I had a list of things that were kid friendly and always helped me to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Sleep Outside - Pitch a tent, lay under the stars
Read a book outside
Cuddle your babies to sleep
Take photos
Sit under a tree
Yoga
Meditation
Listen to the radio
Write down what you are grateful for!
Walk on the grass
Cook/Bake
Garden
Build a fort with your kids
Have a tea party
Write
Cuddle your partner

Stop and take a breath

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

I love this recipe particularly at work in winter, super easy to re heat in the microwave.

You will need:

1 Butternut pumpkin
1 Sweet potato
Salt and Pepper
400 ml can of coconut milk
2 cups of Vegetable soup

Directions

Peel Pumpkin and Sweet Potato
Place in an oven tray with a little bit of oven tray
Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper
Bake in an oven at 180 degrees for around 45 minutes or until soft
Remove from oven place pumpkin and sweet potato in a blender add around half the stock and coconut milk
Blend together
Continue to add small amounts of the coconut milk and stock until the texture is slightly watery.
Add the mix to a large pot
Place on a medium heat and simmer until it is a smooth consistency.

Serve hot

How to Make any house a home, even if you are renting

Making your space a place where you want to be is a matter of making it comfortable. This does need to be an expensive exercise. A few simple touches can make your house feel like a home.

Art
Art makes us feel something every time we really look at it. The best part about art is it can be anything that you find beautiful. I once read a article about a woman who framed the dress she was wearing on her first date with her husband, because he remembered how beautiful she looked in it. You can make some amazing art for less then $20, grab a canvas, some tubes of paint and start splattering it around.

Upcycling Old Clothes
This might seem like a strange thing to upcycle old clothes to make your house more of a home but I have made some great projects from old clothes I was planning to throw out. Turn old woollen jumpers into comfy cushion covers. Another favourite project of mine is I turned all of our old holey farm t-shirts into a floor rug.

Paint old furniture
With Facebook and gumtree its super easy to buy second hand furniture, or you may have some ugly hand me down furniture hanging around that you could paint or distress. This can instantly give you a feel of being home.

Display your favourite things
I have a misfit collection of things displayed around my house but I love each piece and each piece has a story, I love to tell them every time some one admires it. It might be my favourite set of wine glasses from Mexico or my old travel journal sitting on top of my coffee table.

Display photos
Nothing makes it feel like your space more then photos. I love photos if I start to feel lost or tired I look at my photos on the wall and I remember why I need to keep going and working. There is some great renters hooks out there that don't damage the paint.

Smells
This is something that really makes a house a home I personally love the smell of clean linen! It smells clean and fresh to me. I keep this smell around by using clean linen scented wax melts and using a fabric smell with a clean linen scented oil in it.

Pets
Nothing makes a house more of a home then a pet. Even if its a fish, there will always be something to put a smile on your face even on the worst days.

I hope I have helped you turn your house into a home.

5 plants for a Medicinal Garden

Please note straight off the bat, my advice does not replace the advice of medical professionals if your leg is turning blue, Go to the doctor. Now that everything is cleared up home herbal remedies can be great way to heal minor aliments.

1) Aloe Vera
This would of been in every grandmothers garden, its great for treating burns, it also works wonders on eczema and cuts. It needs to be grown in full sun with well drained soil. you can cut off the lower part of the plant and squeeze just near the cut part until the sap starts to flow rub the sap on the affected area.

2) Great Burdock
The leaves and seeds should be crushed into a poultice and applied directly to the area. Can be used to treat boils, ring worm, bites, acne, herpes, rashes and bruises. It grows in moist soil and full sun its an easy to grow plant.

3)  Pot Marigold
The petals can be used as a tea to treat varicose veins. The crushed stems can be used to treat bites, stings, minor wounds, sprains and sore eyes. It grows in almost any soil type so long as its moist.

4) Tea Tree
Has been used for centauries to treat a wide range of conditions. The young leaves can be chewed on to relieve headaches, leaves and twigs can me used to make tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is anti fungal, antiseptic, can be used for nits, cold sores, insect bites, warts, acne and minor burns.

5) Lemon Balm
Lemon balm gets its name from the scent that the plant produces. The leaves can be crushed into a poultice and used to treat herpes, gout, insect bites, minor sores it also makes a great mozzie repellant.
The leaves can also be used to make a tea to treat colds, fevers, digestive upsets, headaches and mild insomnia.

Organic pest control in the vegetable patch

Organic gardening can be a tricky thing to get right. If you don't you can lose all your harvest to pesky pests or end up with a crop that doesn't ripen properly. Here is some basics that every organic gardener needs to have in there arsenal.

White Oil - Is a handy pest exterminator. Its simple to use and easy to make with ingredients from home. It works by sticking to the bugs and suffocates them.
To make White Oil:
- 1 cup of vegetable or white mineral oil
- 1.5 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons of dishwashing liquid

Neem Oil - This works in much the same way as white oil does, you can however buy Neem Oil already mixed. Its great for all sorts of minor aliments including nit treatment for your kids hair.
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COMMON PESTS

Aphids - nasty little green bugs that typically are found on roses, however they can be partial to the odd vegie or 2.

Snails - Make a beer trap. Put a small amount of beer in the bottom of a container and dig into the soil. The snail will go in, get drunk, drown and die a happy death. Another option is to make a salt ring as snails can't cross salt. This is also a great way for kids to help out in the garden, get them out in the morning picking them off.

Caterpillars -  The little buggers eating the life out of all your plants. There is a couple of simple ways to get rid of them with out Caterpillars first of all is just like with snails go along and pick them off. Neem oil also works a treat to sort these buggers out. Another easy way is to get rid of them is let the chickens in!! they will get a great feed.

Country Classic: Chicken Pie

This is an absolute family favorite of ours. Its super easy from ingredients that you have already have in your cupboard.

Serves 4

You Will Need:
500 grams of chicken Mince or thigh fillets
2 cups of Chicken Stock
1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Flour
2 Cups of Vegies
1 Tablespoon of garlic
Puff Pastry Sheets

In a frying pan add a small amount of oil, then add chicken and fry until brown.
Scope out chicken leaving behind the fat.
Add Chicken stock and milk stir until combined.
Add half the flour mix all together then return the chicken to the pan
Slowly add the rest of the flour until it makes a watery paste.
Add vegies and mix together
Remove from heat.
Line a baking dish with puff pastry
Add chicken mixture to baking dish and add more pastry to create a lid.

Place in oven for 30 Minutes at 200 degrees