It is the moment to take a break from heavy foods and lighten up a bit. The season is filled with bitter green leaves (rocket, mustard leaves, dandelion and sorrel), with fibrous asparagus and then soon with brightly coloured berries.

Simplify your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa).

Boost yourself with green leaves – the food most lacking in modern, western diets. Green leaves are highly alkaline and boost our livers to get rid of toxins – something needed for city dwellers. They are high calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K and loaded with fibre, folate and chlorophyll. In short they have it all and these early bitter Spring leaves are the best!

Without much energy going toward digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. You can usually feel it within a couple of days and it can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.

It might also be the right moment to get rid of some clutter – take some old books to Pele Mele or a book sharing centre, clothes to Petits Rien, do one of the many brocantes that arrive on the Brussels streets.

And never a better moment to make a decision to boost your metabolism and immunity by walking or cycling to work and leaving the car behind.

The post Time to clear out: Spring Clean appeared first on Brussels Express.

You may have heard this question in the media, alongside sitting is the new smoking and blue is this season’s black.

The links between sugar and tobacco (which is not the case with the other examples) is that yes, these two are highly addictive and health-damaging substances. However the extent to which they are socially perceived and their effects on people around us is very different. Smokers now have to take their habit outside where they won’t bother anyone else, whereas our celebrations and ‘pleasures’ are socially accepted, sugar-filled events and we even stuff it down our children!

A study by UK/US organisation Action on Sugar says that voluntary action no longer enough – high sugar intake, including often hidden sugars, are causing huge deterioration in people’s health with massive rise in diabetes 2 and obesity.

Even if you put yourself into the category of not eating added sugar (in drinks or desserts or on cereals), what we don’t often realise is that sugar is hidden in so many things… the study revealed that even in a 0% fat yoghurt, there were 5 teaspoons of sugar… soups, sauces, and so called ‘vitamin water’ are not exempt either.

In my opinion this study is long overdue and great that it has hit the headlines! Risks of tobacco and alcohol have been known for a long time but there has been far too much hushing up over sugar.

We need to build awareness and understanding in order to change behaviour, so plenty of coverage and debate is needed.

Why do I choose to avoid sugar and not give it to my kids?

1.  Sugar depresses immunity. Studies have shown that even just a teaspoon of refined sugar can suppress the body’s immune responses for several hours.
2. Sugar Blues. Some children and adults are sugar-sensitive, meaning their behavior, attention span, mood and learning ability deteriorate in proportion to the amount of sugar they consume.
3. Adrenal fatigue. The highs and lows that sugar produces in the body has a heavy effect on our adrenal glands the triangle-shaped endocrine glands that sit on top of the kidneys. They are chiefly responsible for regulating the stress response through the synthesis of hormones including cortisol and adrenaline. When they are over stimulated the result in the body is exhaustion and even burnout.
4. It’s highly addictive – eating sugar makes you want more and coming off it causes mood swings and headaches…. I don’t give my kids alcohol or caffeine so no sugar either.
5.  It’s not necessary – there are plenty of other ways to sweeten food – with fruit, dried fruit, good quality honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar. These are much better options than using white or brown sugar due to their higher vitamin and mineral content and lower impact on our glycemic index.

The best simple advice is to read the labels … if there is sugar on the label – avoid it and go for a simpler, sugar-free option.

For more info or help in coming off sugar, get in touch!

The post Is sugar the new tobacco? appeared first on Brussels Express.

Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD) or the less severe ‘winter blues’ effect up to one in eight people in northern Europe. SAD is a type of depression in which a lack of light is thought to affect the part of the brain that rules sleep, appetite, sex drive, mood and activity levels. Patients experience lethargy and a craving for sugary snacks.

If you think that you have SAD then you may wish to seek medical advice, however if it is the winter blues then maybe there are a few things that can help you at home.

Did you know that what we eat every day actually affects that super important chemical Serotonin. Serotonin is one of the major mood neurotransmitters in our brains. Simply put, when serotonin levels are low, we’re more depressed, and when they’re high, we’re happier. We get Serotonin from light but also from other sources.

 

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80 to 90 percent of the human body’s total serotonin is found in specialized cells in our guts, not in our brains!

Therefore it is really important to be eating the serotonin we need. The highest concentrations of Serotonin are found in:

• walnuts
• plantains
• pineapples
• bananas
• kiwis
• plums
• tomatoes

So on a rainy day, why not treat yourself to lots of wonderful, colourful fruit and vegetables. Don’t just concentrate on the list above – eat a big variety!

There is a cocktail effect in combining vegetables and fruits which is even more than the sum of the benefits of each individual vegetable.

So go on… let the sun shine in!

The post Beat the winter blues appeared first on Brussels Express.

Of course vegetables and fruit are the best source of the vitamins and minerals we need. Eat the ones that are in season – oranges, kiwis, root vegetables in order to get what is needed for this season.

However I also make a ‘magic potion’ for anyone in the family who is starting to feel a cold coming on… so I thought I would share my recipe!

It all begins with these two roots: ginger and turmeric.

Ginger has been used for its medicinal properties for over 2000 years – it is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral and full of antioxidants… that’s a lot of ‘anti’s’ for something so good!

Turmeric: another powerful natural antiseptic with a long list of health benefits.

So I chop some of these and put them in a pan and heat and simmer them for about 10 minutes.

When it has become a nice golden colour and smells fantastic – I put it in a cup and add some lemon juice and local honey.

Drink it when warm and get well soon.

The post Winter booster: drink this and you will be ready to fight the cold appeared first on Brussels Express.

The roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation; they are the essential parts that support and nourish the plant. Root vegetables lend these properties to us when we eat them, making us feel physically and mentally grounded and rooted, increasing our stability, stamina and endurance.

Roots are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.

Long roots, like burdock, carrots, parsnips and daikon radish, are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body and increase mental clarity.

Round roots, like turnips, radishes, beets and rutabagas, are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and can help regulate blood sugar and moods, and alleviate cravings.

Our body is often so happy with the sweetness we get from roots that it won’t even be asking for a dessert!

How to cook them?

My two favourite ways to cook root vegetables are to either roast them in the oven or to make soup with them. Both are so easy to do.

Roasted roots – cut up a selection of root vegetables into small chunks, chop a red onion and add all ingredients to an oven proof dish. I like to add a few cloves of garlic in their skin which are delicious when roasted. Add olive oil and season to your liking and roast in the oven at around 200 degrees Celsius for about 1 hour – turning around occasionally.

To make an easy soup with the left over roasted vegetables – simply transfer to a pan, cover with boiling water and add a bay leaf or some vegetable stock (optional). Leave for 5-10 mins and then puree (remove the bay leaf first)

Here are a few recipes you have maybe not considered:

Sweet potato and quinoa burgers

Sweet potato and kale curry

Roasted vegetable hummus

Roasted root vegetables with buckwheat and pesto

Enjoy!

The post Feeling rooted… the wonders of winter vegetables!     appeared first on Brussels Express.

Greens: spinach, kale, broccoli, chard, salads, collards, pak choy, watercress, rocket, cabbage.

They boost our immune systems, they purify our blood, they promote healthy intestines, they prevent cancer, they improve how our liver and kidneys function, they reduce mucus, and yet they are one of the groups of foods most commonly missing in modern diets.

Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are loaded with fibre, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Although choosing organic is recommended, eating non-organic greens is still preferable to not eating any greens at all.

Over the last years, the availability and variety of green leaves available has really improved – whether through vegetable basket schemes (see last blog) or organic shops or markets. Even the supermarkets have really improved on the offer.

Don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be boiled cabbage! Eating greens can be so tasty and exciting.

For example:

Add a few greens to a fruit smoothie. Recipe here:

Try a pak choy salad with feta and sumac:

A spinach and aubergine curry:

Loads more recipes here:

So as the days get darker and immune systems have to work harder – give them a good boost of greens.

Don’t take my word for it – try it and see.

The post Lettuce eat more greens!   appeared first on Brussels Express.

We are so lucky in Brussels to have plenty of schemes out there to choose from: most of the schemes cater for single person households or larger families; people looking for only veg or a fruit and veg mix; and pick-up locations all around the city (and a few that deliver to your door).

Here’s five reasons why I think veggie boxes rock:

1)   It’s seasonal, fresh and usually very local – this is less food miles/kilometers and better for you and the planet

2)   Organisations worth supporting – veggie box schemes are run by bunches of lovely people committed to their cause of providing good quality food – we can’t say that about every supermarket!

3)   Community – they are delivered close to home or the office and often we get a chance to meet like minded people where we pick them up…

4)   Variety is the spice of life! If we always go to the same shops at the same moment of the week we are most likely to continue to pick up the same ingredients. Letting someone else choose helps us to add that bit of variety…

5)   They spark our creativity! I so often hear people saying they have no time to be creative (i.e. no time to paint!) – but cooking is one of the best creative activities that we can do every day, and we can eat the results. Winner.

Getting a celeriac or Jerusalem artichokes in the box forces us into finding new recipes or to make them up

Here’s a few suppliers in Brussels…

https://www.efarmz.be/fr/

www.cirkle.be/

http://www.lheureuxnouveau.be/

https://www.diepenboomgaard.be

or through a local collective buying group (GASAP) https://gasap.be/

The post In the (veggie) box – Brussels’s wonderful offer on organic vegetable boxes appeared first on Brussels Express.

I think it happens to most of us, fairly regularly – however, even though it is not a long time, it is often hard to ‘allow’ ourselves to take 10 minutes out.

Why not get up now, move away and take 10 minutes to do something else? Go on! When you come back you will most likely feel rejuvenated and fresh, have a bigger smile on your face and maybe be able to do what you were doing even better.

Here’s ten ideas for taking 10!

1) First on the list is inspired by a friend who takes her colleagues out for a 10 minute ‘sun walk’ at lunchtime when the sun has dared to come through the Brussels clouds. Exercise, vitamin D and a chance to chat about other things with colleagues… win, win, win!!

2) On a rainy day, you can try putting some music on (or headphones) and having a dance! Okay this may not be possible in a busy open plan office (unless of course you can convince your colleagues – flashmob style!).

3) If that seems a bit energetic, even some stretches can make a difference – a few salutes to the sun if you’re familiar with yoga or just some simple stretches.

4) If something calmer is what you need and you have a computer near by, then check out Andy Puddicombe on TED… he may inspire you to do no. 5 tomorrow.. or learn how to juggle.

5) Get some headspace – meditation – 10 minutes a day to a clearer mind and better sleep and…. Get a 10 day free programme here.

6) Make a gratitude list – try making a list of 10 things you are really grateful for. We so often focus on the things that are wrong or we want to change, so taking time to list 10 things in your life that are really great can be pretty refreshing… its amazing the effect this can have! And why stop at 10… just keep on going!

7) Laugh – if you don’t have a great comedian sitting next to you, then try finding some of your favourite comedians on-line. Even better watch with a few colleagues – a group laugh is even better.

8) Draw – take a blank sheet of paper and draw whatever comes to mind – doodle away… no thinking.

9) Music – the power of music is unquestioned. Try putting a piece of classical music on and closing your eyes for a while.

10) Just take an air break – why do the smokers go outside for a break while the non-smokers stay stuck in the office… choose a nice spot not too close to the smokers and go outside just to breathe and change the air or have a chat with a colleague. Guaranteed your brain will feel less foggy afterwards.

Go on. Just take 10.

The post Just take 10 minutes away from your desk appeared first on Brussels Express.

Our lives have become far more sedentary than before. Lots of us work in offices with everything close by. Many people drive there and back and then spend the evening collapsed on the sofa or sitting in the cinema… we are starting to lose the habit of moving our bodies… and the effects are visible.

So how can you get moving more? Here’s five easy tips for your weekly work life that don’t cost much and can be started right now!

1)   Drink lots of water during the day at work – not only do you have to get up to refill your glass, jug or bottle several times, but you’ll also need to go to the loo more often.

2)   Take the stairs not the lift – go up them fast or sometimes two steps at a time to get the heart going or bottom muscles working.

3)   Take the bike or walk to work. If your journey is too far, consider getting off the public transport a couple of stops earlier or parking your car further away and walking the rest. Did you know that 20% of journeys under 1km in Belgium are done by car (madness!).

4)   Consider going to give a message to a colleague rather than sending emails all the time – also improves communication. Alternatively put the printer or photocopier further away.

5)   When you can, take a real lunch break and share it with colleagues, then have a short walk together to digest and discuss… you’ll find that you are much more productive in the afternoon!

These are just a few ideas… what do you do to activate your day?

The post Get Up, Stand Up, Get moving! appeared first on Brussels Express.

However after that one peaceful day when we could hear the birds singing and hold a conversation while we were cycling together, things went quickly back to the normal traffic jams and communication via car horns.

Isn’t it time to improve the city we live in by making new efforts to travel around it in a more sustainable way? Shopping by bike, walking your kids to school, using public transport to get to work. All these steps help to create a more breathable city for everyone and also lower our stress levels.

What’s that got to do with food? Quite a lot actually:

When we are already living in a polluted city, take care not to add more pollutants to your body through food. i.e. eating non-organic, processed and chemicalised food, artificial sweeteners and colourings is another added pollution that our bodies have to deal with… hence even more stress on your liver.

Food can help us fight pollution – eating organic wholefoods, and plenty of fruits and vegetables gives us a wonderful cocktail of anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and much much more that enables our body to tackle pollution and not fall ill.

Think about how far your food has travelled before it arrives at the shop or market and make some shifts to buy more locally produced food and food that is in season.

I’m sure you have even more ideas. What change can you make between now and European Mobility Week 2019?

The post How can you contribute to having a sustainable life in the city? appeared first on Brussels Express.