Helen Nowlans Complete Wellness - News

Stay Tuned - More products to be added to this website

2014-06-22T00:09:00+08:00

I am in the process of adding many natural health products to my site. Resources, Superfoods, Organic foods, organic spices, cacao, natural baby products and so much more with recipes to help with your clean healthy eating.

If there is anything you would like that is not on my website, please make sure to drop me a post so that I can look into whether I can add this to the stocklist :)

So excited to go the next step in my wellness journey xxxxx

Health Benefits of Raw Cacao & Delicious Black Bean Chocolate Cake Recipe

2014-06-22T00:03:00+08:00

Health Benefits of Raw Cacao & Delicious Black Bean Chocolate Cake Recipe

in Super Foods, Antioxidants
5 Jun 2013 | 0 Comments

Raw Cacao - the most delicious way to get your antioxidants!

There is a lot of talk about raw cacao these days – so what is the all the hype about? The answer is twofold, firstly raw cacao is power packed with antioxidants plus an array of other health benefits and secondly it is such a delicious ingredient to use in cooking or raw food. Try our Black Bean Chocolate Cake for a taster and see what you think.

What is Cacao?

Cacao beans come from the Therobroma tree, which is found mostly in South America, Central America and Mexico. The Therobroma cacao tree literally translates to “cacao, the food of the gods” in the Greek language. Raw cacao can be used in a number of forms including, whole beans, nibs, powder and butter.

What’s the difference between raw cacao and normal baking cocoa?

Raw cacao (ka-cow) is not processed using heat, therefore maintains its nutrient dense profile. Instead of heating the Cacao beans they are dried at a low temperature. The heating process (which takes place when making baking cocoa and number of other refined chocolate products) can destroy some of the essential antioxidants and other healthy nutrients.

It is true that chocolate can be healthy for you but it has to be the raw unprocessed chocolate without refined sugar and fat. Combining the raw cacao powder with cacao butter and agave syrup is much healthier chocolate option. Loving Earth do a delicious range of raw chocolates, my personal favourite is this little raw chocolate snack called the Luvju Coconut Mylk Bar – scummy!

Health Benefits of Raw Cacao

It is sometimes hard to believe that something that tastes so good can also be so good for your health. Raw Cacao is high in Magnesium (which is an essential supplement in our daily diet, especially for the heart and brain) and is also high in sulfur (great for hair, skin and nails).

One of the most talked about health benefits of raw cacao is its extremely high antioxidant value. Cacao has the highest ORAC value of any food! ORAC stands for ‘Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity’ and is a scale developed by the United States Department of Agriculture to measure the ability of antioxidants to absorb free radicals. The higher the ORAC score, the higher the level of antioxidants present in the food. So what this means is eating cacao or other foods high in antioxidants, can help to stabilize and ultimately destroy free radicals in your cells and tissues.

Last but not least we can’t forget the ‘feel good factor’ that comes from cacao or chocolate. Raw cacao affects the brain by causing the release of certain neurotransmitters; these neurotransmitters can trigger the release for feel good hormones (i.e. serotonin) that, in turn, make you feel happy!

Try my personal favourite - Loving Earth Raw Cacao

If all this talk of cacao and chocolate is making you hungry, try the Nourishing Hub’s Bean Bean Chocolate Cake – Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy free - sooo good! For more inspiring food ideas or to stock up on raw Cacao and other Chocolate treats, head to the Nourishing Hub.

Black Bean Chocolate Cake

Water Consumption for Weight Loss

2014-06-15T19:09:00+08:00

I wanted to share my hardest struggle when it comes to weightloss!.......drinking water. I am not the best water drinker at the best of times but now I am getting 2 litres in but in order to really achieve success i need to drink 1L to every 25kgs. This means that I need to drink over 4L's a day.

My day now feels like Work, tend to kids, drink water, pee, work, tend to kids, drink water, pee and so it goes all day. Do we really get a benefit for this as this is harder work than my three year old and 19mth old. Not to mention that in amongst all this drinking I need to try and exercise and cook dinner and spend quality time with my husband?

Well I have done a lot of reading and it appears that it is very important.

Water makes up 75% of the brain
Water regulates your body temperature
Water makes up 83% of your blood
Water removes waste
Water composes 22% of your bones
Water cushions your joints
Water helps carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells
Water moistens oxygen for breathing
Water helps convert food to energy
Water helps to protect and cushion your vital organs
Water helps your body to absorb nutrients
Water makes up to 75% of your muscles

So here are 12 reasons for me to keep going with trying really hard to achieve my water intake requirements.

Another incentive to lose weight, the lighter I get the less I have to drink

Until next time............
Helen

xxx

Chicken Kebabs & Tahini Satay Sauce

2014-06-15T04:17:00+08:00

An absolutely yummy completely clean recipe from move nourish believe website

http://www.movenourishbelieve.com/recipes/recipe-of-the-week-chicken-kebabs-tahini-satay-sauce/

Lorna Jane makes clean eating look easy!

Over 63% of Australians are overweight

2014-06-15T03:22:00+08:00

I have been reading an article from the ABC about Australia's Health Card and through a lot of effort and science, Aussies are living longer and Heart disease and strokes and smoking is down significantly, but serious efforts need to now be put onto health and Lifestyle. I was staggered to see the number was 63% of Australians Overweight making us one of the largest countries now.

It makes me more determined to achieve my weight loss and health goals as I do not want to be included in that statistic! Do you? If you want to join me in reducing that percentage.....let me know and you can jump on my health wagon!

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2014/s4024242.htm

Night

Helen

xxxxx

Eat Right, Sleep Right

2014-06-12T00:59:00+08:00

Getting a good night's sleep should be one of the easiest and most natural things to do. But busy lives and hectic schedules make us less likely to eat properly, and bad food habits can prevent us from getting good quality sleep. "When we're busy, we tend to eat less than we should during the day, and then much more than we need in the evening. This is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing," says Herbalife's Luigi Gratton, M.P.H., and Vice President of Nutrition Education.Gratton suggests being aware of how certain foods can affect our sleep pattern. Protein-heavy foods stimulate the production of chemicals in the brain that keep us alert, and large meals eaten just before bed can lead to indigestion and heartburn - a perfect pairing to keep you up at night. Low-fat, high carbohydrate meals are digested more quickly, and stimulate the production of different brain chemicals - ones that help aid relaxation and facilitate sleep. So it's best to opt for a high protein breakfast and lunch to keep you alert and clear-headed all day, and save the carbohydrates for dinner.If you're like most people, caffeine is a stimulant, so a cup of coffee before you hit the sack is probably unwise. Both caffeine and alcohol can disrupt normal sleep patterns; you might be able to fall asleep, but not for long. This makes it hard to reach the deepest and most restful stage of sleep. So even with a full eight hours, you still feel sluggish in the morning. Chances are you'll also be roused from sleep by a full bladder, since both caffeine and alcohol act as diuretics.Whether or not to snack before you go to bed depends on your usual patterns. If your evening meal is small and light (and early), then a light snack is fine if you feel it helps you sleep and you can afford the extra calories. Calcium-rich foods like milk and yogurt are good choices, since calcium helps muscles to relax.Good nutrition for a good night's zzzz's:

Have a lighter dinner, focused on salad, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans
A bowl of lentil soup with a salad and some fruit for dessert
If you know that caffeine keeps you awake, avoid caffeine-containing beverages for 6-8 hours before going to bed
Keep your alcohol intake moderate to avoid sleep disruption
Drink most of your fluids during the day, and cut back after dinner. If you need to take medications at bedtime, use only a small amount of water
If you like to have a bedtime snack, include foods that are high in calcium to induce muscle relaxation
A cup of warm milk is an age-old remedy for sleeplessness, and for good reason

Follow the tips above to help get a restful night's sleep, and develop healthy sleep patterns for a healthy lifestyle. If you need more ideas about improving your personal wellness goals, Herbalife is a leader in the health and wellness industry, and your Herbalife Independent Distributor can help you discover the best products for your nutritional requirements. Your Herbalife Independent Distributor, Helen Nowlan Phone: 0417945954 Website: http://herbal-nutrition.net/hpnowlanEmail: helen.nowlan@compatiblecare.com.au The information contained in this email is general in nature and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own doctor or other medical professional. No statement is an endorsement of any particular product, or a recommendation as to how to treat any particular disease or health related condition. Always contact your doctor or health professional for any medical problems.