Are you addicted to your smartphone?

Do you have a smartphone obsession? I know I do…

A few weeks ago, I was in Singapore for a couple of days on a stopover. After an insane bill the previous time I’d been overseas, I turned the data off on my iPhone. There was no wifi where I was staying, so for the first time in a very long time, I found myself completely cut off from the internet. And you know what, it was great. I was completely “in the moment”. I walked around without a soundtrack. I read a book. And I didn't have a clue what was going on in the world. If only I could do it more often.

Are you addicted to your smartphone too?

Is it going to rain today?

I wonder what Sarah’s up to?

I wonder how to make a paleo birthday cake?

Have I been paid yet?

Whatever the question, there’s an app for it. Bored, there’s always something to read or a game to play, right at your finger tips.

Living in the moment

It’s hard to live in the moment when you spend all day on your smartphone. All the incredible views you miss, the people who walk past, who you didn't even see. The real life moments missed when you were updating your Facebook status. The sounds of nature and life blocked out by your earbuds.

What are you missing out on?

Can’t sleep?

You go on your smart phone because you can’t sleep – or can’t you sleep because you've got into the habit of using your smart phone before bed? The blue light that streams out of your phone in a darkened room, is your brain mistaking that as a cue that it is day time and you should be active and alert?

The restaurant challenge

The last time you went out for dinner, did your companions check their phone during the meal? If so, this is a great game to implement next time – and you could get a free dinner out of it!

The phone-fast challenge?

Could you go without your phone for 24 hours? No phone, at all. Leave it at home. I’d love to hear if you’re game enough to go without your phone for 24 hours, what you did instead – and if you felt better for it. Do share in the comments below!

9 surprising ways to get your five a day

4 Comments/in Blog Posts, Food, Paleo/by PaleoGirl

We all know we're supposed to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Apparently it doesn't really matter what you choose for your five portions, more fruit than veg, it makes no difference. Whether your portions are frozen, canned, dried or part of a drink – it's all good.

Agree?

Well, in the interest of your health, I now present nine different ways you can get to your five a day. And of course once you've got there, you can eat whatever you like for the rest of the day!

1. A bottle of fruit juice

That's right, 150ml of processed fruit juice is enough to tick of one of your 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables. So they may have up to 8 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle – but that's not important enough for us to worry about.

2. Baked Beans

Who knew? Apparently the sauce alone is nutritious enough to count as a portion. Don't worry yourself about the added sugar, they're clearly a health food.

3. Fruit Chips/ Crisps

Just replace the potato chips with fruit chips and you're winning! The best thing is that as they're dried, the sugars are concentrated making them even more appealing!

4. Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

Why have broccoli as one of your portions when you have have the sweet stuff!

5. More Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

Best to have two packets, rather than one, to get you closer to your five a day…

6. Fruit Juice

Water you say? No – that won't help you get to your five a day target. Have a fruit shoot instead. (Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Orange Juice from Concentrate (8%), Citric Acid, Natural Flavouring, Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate, Dimethyl Dicarbonate), Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Natural Colour (Carotenes) – that's all healthy good stuff, right?)

7. McDonalds Soda

You know those days when it's really hard to find anywhere to buy fruit and vegetables? Well luckily for you McDonalds can help you get your five a day.

8. Pasta Shapes

Pasta. Shapes. Are. Good. For. You.

9. Strawberry Bars

Marketed directly at school children make sure you incorporate these in your diet. They've even got healthy vegetable oil them.

Ingredients: Concentrated Apple Puree (an average of 282g Apple used to prepare 100g of School Bars®), Dehydrated Apple (20%), Maltodextrin, Oligofructose, Vegetable Oil, Concentrated Juices of Apple (3%), Strawberry (1.8%) and Pear (1%), Gelling Agent (Pectin), Natural Colour (Anthocyanins), Natural Flavouring, Malic Acid, Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite)

I hope this post has helped you out. Have you had your five a day today?

Seared Pork, Pear and Fennel Salad paleo lunch recipe-min

How to Cook Seared Pork, Pear, and Fennel

1 Comment/in Cooking, Food, Lunch, Paleo, Pork, Recipe, Salads, Under 30 Minutes/by PaleoGirl

Dessert for diabetics

7 Comments/in Blog Posts, Health, Paleo/by PaleoGirl

My gran is just about to start receiving “Meals on Wheels”, which is a great service. In principle. Vulnerable people (mainly the elderly) are provided with a cooked nutritious meal at lunchtime. For many recipients, this will be the main nutrition they get in that day, so it’s really important that the meal provides the nutrition they need. Especially for those with conditions like diabetes, you'd think?

Each day (it’s even available on Saturdays and Sunday’s) they offer a choice of a main course and a choice of dessert. The main course choices, as you might expect are a traditional meat based meal, or a vegetarian option. And the desserts? Yep, hot, cold or diabetic.

I was really shocked to see diabetic desserts – and even more surprised to see what they are. You’d maybe expect low-carb options, like a cheese board perhaps. But no, they’re traditional sweet desserts, such as cakes and pies.

Looking at the definition I found on the web of what the diabetic options should consist of, it’s clear the providers of nutrition are stuck with conventional wisdom. “Desserts for diabetics must be sweetened with artificial sweeteners or sweeteners combined with a minimal amount of sugar”.

How about making desserts sugar (and sweetener free) entirely – or even swapping the dessert out for a starter instead!? Where did the idea that all meals must be finished with a dessert come from anyway?

As meals on wheels only provides one meal a day, they have some helpful recommendations as to what diabetics should eat for the rest of their meals:

That's right – diabetics should get 6-11 servings of bread and grains a day! DIABETICS! Also, note the low-fat recommendations. Those diabetics have got to steer well clear of anything so much as resembling fat, and instead go for low-fat options, that have replaced the fat with carbohydrates. Oh, and fruit – go right ahead.

I'd love to hear our comments on the diabetic nutrition for the most vulnerable diabetics in our communities. What meals do you think they should be offered?

Are you addicted to your smartphone?

Are you addicted to your smartphone too?

Living in the moment

Can’t sleep?

The restaurant challenge

The phone-fast challenge?

9 surprising ways to get your five a day

1. A bottle of fruit juice

2. Baked Beans

3. Fruit Chips/ Crisps

4. Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

5. More Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

6. Fruit Juice

7. McDonalds Soda

8. Pasta Shapes

9. Strawberry Bars

How to Cook Seared Pork, Pear, and Fennel

Dessert for diabetics

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How to Make Garlic and Tamarind Chicken Thighs from Scratch

How to Make Bacon Coleslaw

How to Make Chermoula Chicken Legs

Quick and Fresh Simple Salsa: Perfect Paleo Condiment

How to Make Perfect Roast Pork Belly

Are you addicted to your smartphone too?

Living in the moment

Can’t sleep?

The restaurant challenge

The phone-fast challenge?

Share this:

1. A bottle of fruit juice

2. Baked Beans

3. Fruit Chips/ Crisps

4. Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

5. More Sweets/ Lollies/ Candy

6. Fruit Juice

7. McDonalds Soda

8. Pasta Shapes

9. Strawberry Bars

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