When we think of “vitamins,” we know they’re super-important for health. 

But vitamin D is special.

It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D; vitamin D is, therefore, a very common deficiency.

So, let’s talk about how much of this critical fat-soluble vitamin we need, and how you can get enough. The three ways to vitamin D are exposure to the sun, consuming vitamin D containing food, and through supplements.

Why is Vitamin D important, and how much do we need?

Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium from our food and acts like a hormone to help us build strong bones. Vitamin D can also help with immune function, cellular growth, and help to prevent mood imbalances such as depression and seasonal affective disorder.

Not getting enough vitamin D can lead to bone diseases like osteomalacia. Inadequate vitamin D can also increase your risk of heart disease, autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, and even death. The “official” minimum amount of vitamin D to strive for each day is merely 400-600 IU. Many experts think that this is not nearly enough for optimal health.

To ensure you get adequate amounts of vitamin D, you can implement any combination of the three vitamin D sources mentioned above on a weekly basis.

How can I get enough Vitamin D from the sun?

Your skin makes vitamin D when it’s exposed to the sun; that’s why it’s referred to as the “sunshine vitamin.

How much vitamin D your skin makes depends on many things. Location, season, clouds, clothing, all affect the amount of vitamin D your skin can produce from the sun.

One standard recommendation is to get about 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. to the face, arms, legs, or back. This should be done without sunscreen, at least twice a week. Of course, we should always avoid sunburns and of course in some locations (and seasons of the year) it’s not easy to get sun exposure.  So, how can we get enough vitamin D in other ways?

How can I get enough Vitamin D from food?

Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks. Some mushrooms make vitamin D when they’re exposed to the sun.

Some foods are “fortified” (which means vitamin D has been added) with vitamin D. These include milk, some orange juices, breakfast cereals, and yogurt. It will say on the label how much vitamin D has been added per serving.

Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, you can increase absorption of it from your food if you eat it with some fat (healthy fat, of course). Between sun exposure and food, it still may be difficult to get even the minimum of 400 IU of vitamin D each day; this is why vitamin D supplements are quite popular.

How can I get enough Vitamin D from supplements?

It’s easy enough to just “pop a pill” or take some cod liver oil (which also contains vitamin A). Either of these can ensure that you get the minimum amount of vitamin D, plus a bit extra.

But before you take vitamin D containing supplements, make sure you check that it won’t interact with other supplements or medications you may be taking. Always read your labels, and ask a healthcare professional for advice.

Do not take more than the suggested dosage on the label of any vitamin D supplement, except under medical care.

The maximum amount recommended (for the general population) is 4,000 IU/day. Too much vitamin D can raise your blood levels of calcium (to an unsafe level), and this can affect your heart and kidneys.

The best thing, if you’re concerned, is to ask your healthcare professional to do a blood test and make a recommendation about how much vitamin in supplement form is right for you. Your healthcare practitioner may recommend higher amounts of vitamin D supplementation for a short time while under their care.

Conclusion

Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin which. Many people have a hard time maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D, however there are three ways to get enough vitamin D: sun exposure, through certain foods, and in supplements.

I’ve given you some ideas how you can get the minimum 400-600 IU or vitamin D daily.

If you’re concerned, it’s best to request a blood test that tests your vitamin D levels to be sure what’s right for you. Always take supplements as directed.

I’ve created a super simple grilled salmon recipe, which is a naturally good food source for Vitamin D – find it here 

If you need some advice on improving your Vitamin D levels or have other nutritional concerns, feel free to reach out for a chat. 

You can take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.  It’s my way of giving back – I spent decades working out which foods were right for me and I’d love to help you do the same.

 A super-simple salmon recipe to increase the Vitamin D in your diet!

Ingredients

• 4 wild salmon fillets

• 1 bunch asparagus 

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp dried parsley

• 1/4 tsp dried dill

• 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven broiler and raise the oven rack. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and place fish on top, skin-side down. Surround with a single layer of asparagus.

2. Sprinkle the fish and asparagus with sea salt, pepper, parsley, and dill. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Broil for 8-10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip

Serve with a side of delicious quinoa

Want some guidance on increasing your vitamin D?

Take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.

And if you want to delve deeper into the importance of Vitamin D, check out this post.

Eating as mindfully as we might on vacation, for example, is not realistic for many of us, especially with work, busy families, physical routines, and all the other daily distractions.  

Here are seven simple ideas to help you establish more mindful eating habits, and perhaps start to reconnect the body and mind again. 

1. Tune into your body’s signals

Rather than just eating on emotional cues (different for each of us, like sadness, anger, frustration, loneliness, stress or even just boredom) we can learn to tune into and be better listeners of our body’s actual hunger signals.  

For example, is your stomach growling, is your energy low, are you feeling a little lightheaded, or even ‘hangry’? 

2. Put food on a… plate

Too obvious? Think about this: eating out of a bag is not a very mindful practice! So, get in the habit of placing even snacks on a plate before eating them. This helps you to take notice of exactly what and how much you’re actually eating. 

Also, acknowledge the time, effort and passion you put into creating your meal – consider all the ingredients, and the preparation and intention involved in getting the food from stove to plate! 

3. Sit… at a table

Now that you’re eating from a plate, continue “formalizing” your gastronomic experience by always sitting at a table.  

This helps to pull your attention back to your food and to your eating habits. It has also been shown to dramatically reduce overeating – especially for those who tend to eat in front of the TV. 

4. Absolutely, positively, NO devices at the table

Now that you’re sitting at a proper table, designating the first few minutes of a meal for quiet, mindful practice can be beneficial – for everyone at the table. This includes putting away the devices and turning off the TV. 

5. Slo-o-o-o-w down (and chew!)

Slowing down is one of the easiest, and most effective ways we can get our body + mind to coordinate in their signals of what we really need for nutritional purposes.  

The body actually sends its “I’m full!” signal about 20 minutes after the brain – a little glitch in human physiology and also why it can be easy to overeat. But, if we slow down, we can give our body a chance to catch up to our brain, hear the signals properly, and eat the right amount.  

Chewing more, and more slowly, is probably THE simplest and most effective way to begin developing the habit of eating mindfully.  

6. Put down that fork

Putting your fork down between bites of food reinforces your enhanced chewing habit, rather than mindlessly picking at your plate or preparing to shovel in your next bite. Yet another opportunity to really taste your food! 

7. Make it more difficult to feed yourself

Making things more difficult is a great way to force yourself to pay attention to a more intentional act of eating – you can apply this to many areas of your life!  

One way to up the challenge is to eat with your non-dominant hand. For 90% of us, that’s our left hand. While this may seem tedious to do at every meal, try it for breakfast or maybe just at snack time – or maybe at a dinner with friends for some entertainment value! 

Now that you know about engaging with mindful eating in your everyday life, why not have a go at my mindful raisin challenge?

So, there you have it – seven super easy, but actionable ways you can start practicing mindfulness, especially when you’re eating. Your whole body will benefit from simply slowing down, and being more intentional and present while eating. 

If you need some advice on engaging in mindful eating, I am always here to talk to. 

You can take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.  It’s my way of giving back – I spent decades working out which foods were right for me and I’d love to help you do the same.

Healthy Fat Mayonaisse

Quick and easy homemade mayonnaise.

Ingredients

• 1 large or extra large egg

• 2 tsp lemon juice 

• ½ tsp salt 

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard 

• 1 clove garlic 

• 1 cup olive or avocado oil 

Instructions 

1. Add all ingredients except oil to your food processor. Process until creamy (about 10 seconds).  

2. With the food processor running, add a few drops of oil into the egg mixture. Every few seconds add a few more drops. Continue until the mixture starts to thicken.  

3. Now you can do a slow drizzle. Stop pouring, every once in a while checking that the oil gets fully incorporated.  

4. Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks. 

Serve & enjoy! 

Tip

Use this in place of mayonnaise for egg, salmon, chicken salads, etc.

Want some guidance on which fats you should be eating?

Take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.

And if you want to delve deeper into healthy fats and dangerous fats, check out this post.

All fat is NOT created equal! 

Fat is one of the three critical macronutrients; along with protein and carbohydrates. Some fats are super-health-boosting; and, others are super-health-busting.  

Health-building fats support your brain, hormones, immune system, heart health, and moods. Health-busting fats pretty much bust all of these (brain, hormones, immune system, heart health, and moods). So, this is why the information I’m sharing today is so important. 

As a general rule, the fats from whole foods that are the least processed will be the healthiest for you. But, you already knew that, right? 

So let me give you a definitive list of the fats to use, and the fats to ditch. 

Health-Boosting Fats

Health-boosting fats are from:

• Nuts and seeds (hemp, flax, and chia) 
• Fish 
• Seaweed  
• Pasture-raised/grass-fed animals/eggs 
• Olives 
• Avocados 
• Coconuts. 

I love “virgin” oils, and here’s why. Getting the oil out of a whole food involves some processing. Sometimes it’s by squeezing, or heating. Other times it’s by using chemical solvents. The word “virgin” is used to show minimal processing (and no solvents!). 

According to the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius: 

“Virgin fats and oils are edible vegetable fats, and oils obtained, without altering the nature of the oil, by mechanical procedures, e.g., expelling or pressing, and the application of heat only. They may be purified by washing with water, settling, filtering and centrifuging only.” 

For example, Extra virgin olive oil must: 

• Be cold pressed 
• Not contain any refined olive oil  
• Possess superior quality based on chemical composition and sensory characteristics. 

Don’t you think these standards ensure higher quality? I sure do! 

Plus, the minimal processing helps to maintain some of the quality of delicate fat molecules, as well as their antioxidants. Win-win! 

Health-Busting Fats

Health-busting fats are from: 

• Seed and vegetable oils like safflower, soybean, and corn oils 
• Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. 

Hydrogenated oils are particularly bad; this is because they contain small amounts of “trans” fats. Studies show that trans fats lead to insulin resistance, inflammation, belly fat. They also drastically raise the risk of heart disease. Lose-lose! 

Don’t forget, we’re not just talking about buying bottles of these fats for home cooking. We’re also looking at the processed foods that contain them.

How to get more health building fats

First, you have my permission to ditch any foods in your cupboards that contain safflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, or any hydrogenated oil. Soybean oil alone accounts for over 75% of oils consumed by Americans, so it’s pretty popular in the “non-health food” department. 

Second, try substituting one of the health-building oils whenever you have a recipe that calls for the other stuff. Try flax oil in your salad dressing, avocado and/or olive oil in your cooking, and coconut oil in your baking. 

Third, make healthier versions of your go-to processed foods. I’ll help you out now with my super-simple mayonnaise recipe here. It’s way better for you than the unrefrigerated stuff you find at your grocery store. 

Now tell me: What’s your favourite fat and why? Let me know in the comments below. 

Want to discover how YOU can eat right for your own body’s needs?  Then check out this link to book in a free chat to find out what the first step is that you need to take to get your nutrition spot on! 

Super Simple Apple Sauce

Minimal processing, quick and easy to make super apple sauce

Ingredients

• 2 kg apples (washed and chopped)
• 3/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Place apples and water in a large pot
2. Bring to the boil and simmer until apples are soft, about 20 minutes
3. Blend or mash the apples into the desired consistency
4. Serve and enjoy!

Tip

Add some cinnamon for extra flavour, and use the applesauce to make overnight oats

Want some guidance on how to un-process your food?

Take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.

And if you want to delve deeper into what makes a food processed, check out this post.

There’s no easier way to add a dose of nutrition to your day than by crunching on a tasty apple, so let’s dive in and take a look at why you should consider eating apples for nutritional health.

You probably first experienced its delightful flavor as a baby, when applesauce introduced you to real food. And now, whether it’s a Granny Smith, a Pink Lady or a Red Delicious, you think of apples as old friends.

Grown throughout the world, apples are high in fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They’re fat-free, cholesterol-free, and low in sodium. In short, eating apples is a smart part of a healthy lifestyle.

6 ways apples keep you healthy

1. Regulates your day

You don’t have to worry about staying regular anymore. Whether your problem is visiting the bathroom too often or not often enough, apples can help.

A British researcher, Dr. D.P Burkitt, believes one of the easiest ways to prevent all sorts of illnesses is to avoid constipation. He calls the diseases caused by chronic constipation “pressure diseases.” Appendicitis, diverticular diseases, hemorrhoids, hiatal hernias, and even varicose veins can all be caused by straining to pass small, hard stools.

Just one apple (with its skin) contains 4 to 5 grams of fibre – the most important nutrient in keeping your bowels working like a well-oiled machine. Keeping yourself regular without relying on harmful laxatives could be as easy as replacing that afternoon snack of potato chips or cookies with a crisp, delicious apple. And think of the calories you’ll save. The average apple has about 80 calories while a serving of chips weighs in at 150 calories and you’ll get about 200 from just a few cookies.

But that’s not all apples can do. They’re also good for diarrhoea, thanks to an ingredient called pectin. This carbohydrate has a congealing effect in your intestines that helps firm things up and return you to normal. Applesauce is actually the best apple product for diarrhoea, since it’s made without the high.-fibre skin. But watch out for extra sugar. Some brands of applesauce dump a truckload of sweeteners into an otherwise healthy food and too much refined sugar could make your diarrhea worse (so why not just make your own?  Homemade apple sauce is super-easy and super-yum).

2. Keep your body young

By now you know antioxidants can protect you from many of the diseases that seem to be a part of aging. In fact, so many people are taking supplements for antioxidant protection that it’s become a multibillion-dollar industry. But the evidence is mounting that whole foods can do more for you than pills.

When scientists compared a 1,500-milligram vitamin C supplement to one small apple, the results were astounding – the antioxidant values were equal. That means a fresh apple has more than 15 times the antioxidant power of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C. And that’s just for starters.

The researchers also found an ordinary apple was able to stop the growth of colon and liver cancer cells in test tubes. Unpeeled apples were especially effective.

The question you need to ask yourself is, “Why waste money on flavourless supplements when you can get better antioxidant firepower from a sweet, crunchy fruit?”

3. Cuts your risk of heart disease

Sometimes it’s hard to remember which food is good for which part of your body. The next time you pick up an apple, examine it carefully. It’s shaped a bit like a heart – and that should help you remember apples are good for your heart.

It’s the magnesium and potassium in apples that help regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart beating steadily, and it’s the flavonoid quercetin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, that protects your artery walls from damage and keeps your blood flowing smoothly.

In fact adding flavonoid-rich foods like apples to your diet has been scientifically confirmed to lower your risk of heart disease. There’s proof of this in a study of Japanese women who ate foods high in quercetin. They were less likely to get coronary heart disease than other women and they had lower levels of total and LDL, or bad, cholesterol.

4. Strikes at the heart of strokes

Apples are even a smart choice for helping avoid strokes. Scientists aren’t sure which ingredient in this multi-talented fruit to credit, but the connection is clear – people who regularly eat apples are less likely to have strokes than people who don’t.

5. Protects your joints

In areas of the world where fruits and vegetables make up a large part of the diet, very few people get arthritis. Compare this to modernized countries where fruits and vegetables have been replaced with fast, processed food and you’ll find up to 70 percent of the population suffers from some form of arthritis.

Just a coincidence? Not according to nutrition experts. They link this trend in part to boron, a trace mineral many plants, including apples, absorb from the soil.

If you eat like most people, you’ll get about 1 to 2 milligrams (mg) of boron a day, mostly from non-citrus fruits, leafy vegetables, and nuts. Experts believe, however, you need anywhere from 3 to 10 mg a day to affect your risk of arthritis. To boost your boron intake to this level, you’d have to eat more than nine apples a day.

This is probably an unreasonable amount for most people, but don’t despair. Pair an apple with other boron-rich foods like a few tablespoons of peanut butter and a large handful of raisins, and you’ll not only have a delicious afternoon snack, but you’ll make your joint-saving quota of boron at the same time.

6. Helps you breathe deeply

Your lungs are assaulted every day by cigarette smoke, air pollution, pollen, and other air-borne nasties.

On top of that, perhaps you suffer from asthma, emphysema, or similar lung condition. If all you want to do is take a deep breath, then grab an apple.

A five-year study of more than 2,500 men from Wales found those who ate five or more apples per week were able to fill their lungs with more air than men who didn’t eat apples.

Experts believe you might be getting some special protection from the antioxidant quercetin. Unfortunately, eating apples can’t reverse a lung condition you already have, but you just might add a new line of defense against further damage.

Pantry pointers

Buy apples that are unbruised, firm, and have good color. Take them out of their plastic bag and store them in your refrigerator – loose in the produce bin or in a paper bag is best.

And since they will absorb odors, keep them away from strong-smelling foods like garlic and onions.

“Let food by thy medicine” – Hippocrates

Apples for nutritional health are an easy, inexpensive and convenient addition to your daily health regime.

If you need some advice on which other foods you should be eating for optimal health, I am always here to talk to.

You can take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.  It’s my way of giving back – I spent decades working out which foods were right for me and I’d love to help you do the same.

Using your mindset to shift that weight for good

When it comes to losing weight the healthy way, your mindset can play a big part in whether you succeed.

Approaching weight loss from the wrong perspective is one of the main reasons so many people fail with diets and eating plans.

And on the flip side, getting your mindset right can be a game changer for successfully losing weight.

Here are some mindset shifts that could help you to supercharge your weight loss and keep the pounds off!

Think About Why You’re Doing It

Understanding why you want to lose weight can make a lot of difference. Basing your reasons on being happier or looking good are a lot more likely to fail as there’s no saying that losing weight will actually make you feel good about yourself or bring you happiness.

Instead of choosing this type of reason as your basis for weight loss, look at things differently. Think of your weight loss as part of a journey to becoming healthier and not just a means of getting to an end target.

It’s a great opportunity to introduce healthy habits into your life that set the scene for both improving your health and losing weight into the bargain. When your ultimate goal is to live a longer and healthier life, weight loss will probably happen as a nice extra bonus as a result of these new habits.

Don’t Go For Broke

Trying to do too much too soon with your weight loss can work against you and this is one of the reasons why fad diets and drastically reducing your calorie intake aren’t successful in the long term.

You might lose some weight to begin with, but chances are, this will quickly tail off and depending on your mindset and eating habits, you might even start gaining more weight.

When it comes to weight loss, slow and steady tends to do a lot better than trying to lose weight as quickly as possible.

You’re a lot more likely to succeed if you go for smaller shifts that add up to bigger lifestyle changes. If you do them every day, they’ll soon become habits.

This is more of a long game and you probably won’t see results straight away but there’s a better chance of actually achieving your weight loss goals compared to focusing on one big goal that could fail.

You want your healthy choices to feel natural and not like a chore or as though you’re depriving yourself and this is where healthy habits can really come into their own.

Breaking the Food-Emotions Cycle

One of the factors that can make it hard to lose weight involves emotional eating.

We often eat when we’re not really hungry and because we’re feeling certain emotions.

Breaking the link between food and your emotions is a key mindset shift to master if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

Moving away from emotional eating helps you to react to genuine hunger cues so you’ll eat to fuel your body and not in line with how you’re feeling.

Mindful eating is a great way to get back in touch with your body’s hunger signals but it can be a big challenge to master, especially if you’re used to emotional eating.

Finding ways to address your emotions that don’t involve food can make a huge difference in being able to lose weight naturally.

Visualizing Weight Loss Success

Visualization can be a powerful technique for weight loss, especially if it’s combined with positive self-talk.

How does visualization work?

The theory is that it helps to rewire pathways in the brain so it can be great for breaking habits and learning new ones.

To get the most from it, visualize yourself at your ideal weight, with your body fat transforming into a much more positive form of energy.  Keep this mental image in mind as much as possible.

You can use positive affirmations and self-talk to highlight to yourself how you’ll feel when you get to this point.  Don’t forget to focus on how you’ll feel with your health, fitness and wellbeing and not just how much better you’ll feel about being thinner.

Even though this is going to happen in the future, keep your self-talk in the present tense and not the future to make visualization a more effective mindset shift.

Tell yourself that you have the power to change your body through the power of your mind as the finishing touch.

Doing this every day can be a lot more effective than you might think.

Start making a plan for your life-long goals for your health, not just the short-term ones.

Remember to remain body-positive.  I am always here to talk if you need to.  You can take advantage of my 15-minute free chat if you feel you need some 1:1 guidance.  It’s my way of giving back – I’ve been on the binge eating path, and having someone to lean on is the only way forward.  

https://www.medicinenet.com/binge_eating_disorder_pictures_slideshow/article.htm 

https://www.medainc.org/binge-eating-vs-emotional-eating-whats-the-difference/ 

https://www.medicinenet.com/emotional_eating/article.htm#what_is_the_prognosis_of_emotional_eating 

Recommended Reading

Switch – Chip and Dan Heath

Why is change so difficult and frightening? How do you create change when you have few resources and no title or authority to back you up? Chip and Dan Heath, the best-selling authors of Made to Stick, are back with a ground-breaking book that addresses one of the greatest challenges of our personal and professional lives — how to change things when change is hard.

The power of habit– Charles Duhigg

In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. With penetrating intelligence and an ability to distill vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives, Duhigg brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.

Coach yourself to wellness – Fiona Cosgrove

A unique guide for anyone who wants to change their life and create wellness that truly lasts.  As the title suggest, this book will help you coach yourself to a more vibrant, healthier, well version of yourself.  The need for a vision, the barriers to change, development of strategies to overcome obstacles and recognition of the stages of change are all worked through in easy steps.

Authentic Happiness – Martin Seligman

According to esteemed psychologist and bestselling author Martin Seligman, happiness is not the result of good genes or luck. Real, lasting happiness comes from focusing on one’s personal strengths rather than weaknesses—and working with them to improve all aspects of one’s life. Using practical exercises, brief tests, and a dynamic website program, Seligman shows readers how to identify their highest virtues and use them in ways they haven’t yet considered. Accessible and proven, Authentic Happiness is the most powerful work of popular psychology in years.

The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle’s message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle’s clear writing, supportive voice and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who’s ever wondered what exactly “living in the now” means. Foremost, Tolle is a world-class teacher, able to explain complicated concepts in concrete language. More importantly, within a chapter of reading this book, readers are already holding the world in a different container–more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of their ability to live in genuine peace and happiness.