Health And Fitness Archives - Michelle Pitt Co

10 ways to boost your immune system this winter

Health is everything. This was emphasised last year with the pandemic. Now more than ever we need to make sure our health is in check so that we can get through winter. As a mom, it is tough looking after a sick child or children, but it is truly next level to be sick and to look after children. We often martyr ourselves and I see a lot of moms, “trying to push through” when they have flu and end up getting something like bronchitis through a secondary infection. When I say I see moms? It is me; I do this constantly. Hopefully, this year I will manage to keep my immune system in check and if the dreaded flu or worse arrives, I ask for help so that I can recover.

Here are my ten ways to boost your and your family’s immune system this winter.

Sleep: Are you not getting enough? Recommended sleep is 7-9 hours per night. I know, I know, that seems like a funny joke for most moms but our immune system is designed to protect us and if we are not getting enough sleep our immune systems are unable to work and we are then susceptible to colds and flu.
Avoid stimulants: Smoking depresses anti-bodies which affect the immune system; they also reduce the amount of oxygen in the brain, muscles and heart. So cut them down as much as possible, even better cut them out completely for the best results. Keep the alcoholic drinks down to a minimum too. Excess alcohol can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs. Stick to 1 drink per day or less to keep your immune system working well.
Clean Eating: Limit your sugar intake (and no I am not the sugar police, if you want a little here and there, I get it, but it really does affect your immune system), yes that means your “white” refined carbs too as these are broken down to glucose. Eat a variety of fresh fruit and veg. The goal should really be to avoid processed food as much as possible. If you have the time, try make things from scratch. HINT there are many hidden sugars in most processed foods and sauces. Slow cookers are great for this. For more info on the evils of sugar then check this website: www. thatsugarfilm.com.
Manage stress levels: When we are stressed our brain sends signals to our endocrine system. Certain hormones are then released. As our body adapts for “fight or Flight” our normal activities are put on hold. This is ok every now and then and is body is designed to cope with these emergency situations. The problem comes in when we are in a constant state of stress. This is called often called distress and can suppress our immune function. Psychology today.com says “Some experts claim that stress is responsible for as much as 90% of all illnesses and diseases, including cancer and heart disease. The way it does this is by triggering chemical reactions and flooding the body with cortisol that, among other things, decreases inflammation, decreases white blood cells and NK cells (special cells that kill cancer), increases tumour development and growth, and increases the rate of infection and tissue damage.”
Echinacea: So what is Echinacea? It is a flowering plant that grows in the US. The scientific results on this one are really varied. Some claim that this natural remedy is wonderful to use, while others claim it has had no results. I have tried it myself when feeling a bit under the weather and it really seemed to help me. Remember to consult a professional like a Homeopath for side effects and dosage. (I am not a doctor and am just passing on what works for me and my family)
Garlic: Garlic has been known for centuries for its antiseptic, antifungal and nutritive properties. It is suggested that we eat it in its raw form to get the best results. So no, we cannot go eat a done of garlic bread smothered in cheese and hope for the best (unfortunately). You can however find it in some multi-vitamin/immune boosters.
Sunshine: Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium, which is needed for development of bones and teeth, but it also helps to normalise our immune systems. Try taking a quick walk outside or eating your lunch in the sunshine. 15 minutes a day is all you need.
Regular moderate exercise: Exercise reduces the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. It also stimulates the production of endorphins (body’s natural pain killers and mood elevator’s) and promotes production of neurohormones like norepinephrine, associated with cognitive function and learning. Exercise can also affect behavioural aspects like strength and stamina increasing.
Pro-biotics: We all need “good bacteria” in our gut to assist with digestion. They are found in fermented dairy products like natural unsweetened yoghurt and kefir.
Zinc: Zinc is a mineral that is very important for the body. It supports growth and helps heal wounds. You can find zinc in beans, nuts, and red meat.

Michelle xx

For more about improving your wellness and life balance pop me an email michelle@pittco.co.za

Health And Fitness

I broke up with my gym and lost 7…

Yup, that’s correct but let us just get clear about how I picked up those 7 kg ‘s in the first place. When I first started hearing about COVID-19 in January / February 2020. I thought it was an ‘overseas thing.’ I never in my wildest dreams thought it would end up impacting our lives as it has.

In March, the unthinkable happened, schools and non-essential business were closed. The impact on our family and many others caused stress, anger, frustration, and fear.

Trying to work, look after my kids and keep our house going was hard but the thing that was even worse for me was the isolation. Yes, I had my husband and kids, but I missed my mom and dad, my sisters and brother and of course my friends. I felt trapped, exhausted, and alone in many ways. Chatting on a video call just was not the same.

So, what I did to survive was cook and bake. We set up fun, Zoom baking days with my sisters. I found old family recipe‘s and tried them out with the kids. I cooked meals to full our family with happiness and hope. Even though I picked up a whopping 7 kg’s over this time. It kept me sane and sparked a love of cooking that has stayed with me.

Like many families we were also affected financially by the pandemic. We needed to cut back on our expenses and the gym had to go. This was a little scary as it had become my safe space over the last couple of years. A place where I could stick in my headphones and just let loose.

My only option to get back to myself again, create healthy habits and cut the extra lockdown weight was to create a new exercise routine and to prioritise it. I found some amazing people to guide me on the fundamentals and got started on my home workouts. From September to November 2020 I managed to cut 7 kg’s and find consistency in my workouts.

Exercise has helped me control stress levels, manage stress, and become stronger. I now try workout 5-6 times a week. I do a combo of weight training, cardio, hiit, yoga / stretching and pilates. Some days I try something new like kickboxing or a dance workout. It is fun to challenge myself and try something new. I try show gratitude everyday for being able to move. It thinks that it is something that we often disregard.

To be completely honest the weight only started to drop once I started to manage my nutrition. I follow the 80 / 20 rule. I try eating more unprocessed, highly nutritious food 80% of the time. I LOVE food and still indulge. I focus on my protein and eat in a calorie deficit. @Theleangirl has a cool calculator to help you figure this out. Plus, her tips include RSA food and restaurants which I love. Thanks to help from people like @Cartergood I have managed to really make peace with food and emotional eating. Having gone through his own weight loss journey, he really gets it. I personally love using the app @MyFitnessPal. It helps me have control and peace, but I realize this is not for everyone,

I have realized that you can find a healthy relationship with food, lose fat, and still eat the foods you love. How is you relationship with food going?

Health And Fitness

Losing the lockdown weight

My diet has not been what is normally is. Unfortunately lock down and Covid took a lot out of all of us and to be honest with everything that was going on, the last thing I worried about was the nutritional benefits or health aspects of what I was putting in my mouth. Even though i knew it would help. I still managed to move nearly every day. I walked around the house in early lockdown and then moved around the block once we were allowed out. I did yoga or Pilates a couple of times a week and really enjoyed it.

So instead of worrying about food I rather chose to really enjoy it. I baked with the children which they loved. This time in the kitchen ignited my love of cooking again and we really savored eating. And do you know what, we survived. We needed something to look forward to. Something to enjoy and share together.

Unfortunately, I reached a point where my pants got way too tight and started to feel super uncomfortable. I decided it was time to get back on track and prioritize my health again. This started off with changing some bad habits. It takes about 60 days to create a habit, so the key is small lifestyle changes that you can be consistent with. The biggest bad habit I picked up during lockdown was the sweets after dinner. I find that replacing rather than just stopping is easier. So, we went back to fruit after dinner. Obviously the first couple of days are a bit hard but time it really becomes easier until you do not think about it anymore. The other big thing is WATER. Have it around all the time and try for about 2 L a day. I find that if I am hydrated, I am far less likely to snack when I am not hungry. I started making progress with both aspects and then we went away for a well-deserved holiday.

This was a bit of a disaster food wise. The breakfast was a standard eggs, bacon, chips, toast, and sausage. It was also included in our stay. After that big breakfast we did not really need lunch but then ended up snacking (and snacking on empty calories without fibre.) Supper was very meaty. Ribs, schnitzel, etc all with chips. I also had at least two gin and tonics or Savannah’s a day. The salads and veg options were not great and there were no shops close by. So, I decided to just go with it and get back on track after the holiday when I had a bit more control. I hiked up the hill for the first couple of days and then I started to feel terrible. Stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and heart burn. Heart burn? The only time I have had heart burn in my life was pregnancy. Surely these horrific symptoms were not caused by a week of bad lifestyle choices, but they were.

Once we got back, I cut out my alcohol consumption temporarily. I went back to my water and tried to eat whole unprocessed food. Almost right away the heartburn, nausea and stomach cramps stopped but the bloating stayed. My digestion was not great either (it is not great normally, so it had now become even worse) I really did not feel 100% and did not know what to do.

I decided to me needed to something a little drastic. I needed a complete reframe. I started looking into cleanses and did quite a lot of research. I finally decided on doing a 3-day juice cleanse. 3 days with no food and only juice. I have done a cleanse in the past for my immune system but never a juice cleanse. The company I decided to go with are based in the Cape and are called Juice Revolution. They include detox tea’s and supplements. The detox comes with an entire guide and Fiona, the owner has hands on with delivery and happy to answer any questions. The cleanse was pricey. I paid R1150 per person excluding delivery (This price may change) Here is a 5% discount code MICHELLE80507 (expires at the end of Oct 2020)

What did we get in the pack?

15 x 500 ml cold press juices
3 x 340 ml Nut Milks
6 x Detox teas
3 x Supplement packs.

So yes, there are many benefits of consuming fruit and veg juice:

They are high in vitamins and antioxidants
They boost the immune system
They can remove toxins
They could assist the gut to work more effectively.
You may feel lighter.
You may figure out any intolerances.

Obviously, there are also risks or cons involved too:

Drinking large amount of juice can put pressure on the kidneys (I have happy, healthy kidneys)
These sorts of diets are generally very low in calories. (Obviously, this is not ideal on a long-term basis, but 3 days will be ok.)
It may slow down your metabolism.
It may cause my blood sugar to drop and cause dizziness or light-headedness.
Feel sluggish and grouchy

So how did I do?

Exercise:

Before cleanse: Before the cleanse I was working out 6 days a week. 2 days of Strength training and one of Pilates /yoga and 3 days of cardio.

During the cleanse: I did light yoga for only 30 mins and a 5 min meditation.

What was the hardest part?

Roger thank goodness did the cleanse with me, but I did still have to prepare food for the kids over the 3 days and that was tough.
I missed chewing.
Coffee, I really wanted coffee, I normally drink decaf, so I am not sure what that is about.

Mindset is key

Did I get hungry?

Not as much as I would have thought. I had a moment in day one where I went to fetch the kids from school and did not take my next juice with me and my tummy started to rumble. The evenings were harder, and I was very thankful for the nut milk one at 5pm. It was something to look forward to.

Did I get brain fog?

I struggled to concentrate in the afternoons. I felt a definite lack in energy and was a bit moody.

Did I lose weight?

Initially I lost about 2.1 kg over the 3 days. This must have been mostly water weight or cleaning out my digestion as they weight came back over the next week. I did however see a huge difference in my bloating and my digestion. I did also find the mindset was amazing after.

So, was it worth it?

The reasons for doing the cleanse was for bloating, intolerance and to get my mindset on track and from that perspective it was worth it. I would not suggest doing a juice cleanse to get rid of a couple kgs.

Health And Fitness

How much exercise do we need to do…

to slow down aging, injury and disease?

Exercise. Love it or hate it, it is necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

For too long society has been way to focused on exercise being a weight/ fat loss tool instead of a wellness tool. We need to change our mindset and include it into our everyday lives. As a wellness coach for moms, I constantly hear moms complaining about not having enough time to exercise. Here is the thing though, by saying that we do not have time, we are saying it is not important enough. It means we do not prioritize our health and make time for it.

So why should we be making time for exercise?

Because it will help us delay aging. Who does not want to hold onto that youthful appearance and to age gracefully?

Science Insider says, “people that work out the most have a huge advantage”. “That cells in their bodies are significantly younger.” These scientists studied telomers in 5382 adults. These adults had different activity levels. What is a telomer? A telomer is basically a protective tip (chromosome structures) on the end of your DNA that protects it from damage. These suffer from wear and tear over the years causing aging. This damage can also make you more susceptible to diseases like cancer. The results of the studies showed that people that did no exercise through to moderate exercise had very similar results, yet the cells of highly active adults were nearly 10 years younger. They categorised highly active adults as ones that do 5-6 hours of walking or biking per week or 2-6 hours of running.

I guess we should be asking if that exercise is more important to you if you could have 10 more years with your family?

According to Newsweek, A study at the German Leipzig University found that running, cycling and swimming slows cellular again the most. They studied 266 inactive volunteers between the ages of 30 and 60 years old. Each of these volunteers were randomly given an exercise regimen. These individuals worked out 3 days a week for 6 months. Both the endurance groups and resistance groups benefited. However, those that were given resistance training like crunches and pullups also had a beneficial effect on inflammation. This helps us to see that we need to incorporate cardio (endurance training) and resistance (strength training) to our exercise regime.

Here are the Facts:

Regular exercise will also reduce lifestyle diseases like non-commutative disease.

The main culprits of these diseases worldwide are:

Heart disease.
Stroke and
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd)

Why do we get these diseases?

The Main Factors causing these diseases are

1.sedentary lifestyle

2.poor diet

3.obesity / smoking

Seeing as a sedentary lifestyle is one of the main reasons holding us back from a long and healthy life, we again ask just how much exercise is necessary? According to the world health organization we should be doing Cardiovascular exercise 5 days a week for about 30 min. During this exercise we should be getting our heart rate up to about 60-85% of our max heart rate. Cardiovascular exercise is important because it allows our heart and lungs to work, adjust and recover. This is vital for healthy functioning of these organs. “Cardio” as it is often called, is when we work any large muscle group and raise our heart rate for an extended period.

WHO recommends strength training 2-3 times a week (40 min) and suggests doing stretches after exercise for about 15 min. Alternately a yoga or Pilates session once to twice a week?

Health And Fitness

Healthy Beef Stroganoff

This recipe has been adapted from Ucook’ s Samantha Finnegan.

This delicious and nutritious supper takes about 50 mins in total but the time you are hands on is only about 30 mins

Ingredients

(For a family of 4)

300 ml Brown Basmati Rice

600g Free range Beef Stroganoff

250g Button Mushrooms

20 ml Beef stock

10 ml Dried Oregano

2 Onions

10 ml Meat Spice

40 ml corn flour

1 head broccoli

80 ml Smooth Cottage Cheese

Oil for cooking

Salt and Pepper

Water

Butter

Start with the rice. Add 750 ml of salted water to the rice. Wait for it to boil, once boiling simmer for 20 mins. Remove from the heat and allow to steam for a further 10 mins. Remove any excess water and fluff with a fork. Try to keep the lid on the entire time. As someone that either cook’s way too much rice or overcooks it.

This is pretty much full-proof. This kind of rice is also whole grain which is a win. Brown Basmati is high is phytochemicals as well as vitamin B, E, magnesium, iron and full of fiber. It may take a little while to get use to the nutty texture after eating white rice, but it is an easy switch with this yummy stroganoff.

Place a large pan over a high heat and add a splash of oil (Olive or Coconut will do). Cook the beef for three minutes until brown. Make sure there is enough space in the pan for the beef to cover the pan evenly. Season the beef. Once it has cooked, remove from the heat and cover. You can then add the mushrooms to the heat for 7-8 mins. Add the mushrooms to the beef once cooked.

The recipe calls for free-range and that often means more expensive. If you can afford the higher quality cut, then please consider it. It really makes all the difference is taste. Not sure if you should use olive or coconut oil. The taste is a consideration. From a health point of view, I would consider a high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Fry the onions in the same pan, for 4 minutes, then add the meat spice, add the corn flour and continue stirring. After a minute add the stock slowly, to prevent lumping. (the corn flour allows the sauce to thicken). Then allow the sauce to thicken and reduce slightly. This can take between 10 and 20 mins. While the sauce is simmering boil the broccoli, once cooked, add to the mushrooms. Broccoli is fantastic for bone health, skin health and to boost your immune system

Once the sauce is ready you can add the meat and vegetables back to the pan for 2 minutes to allow everything to heat through. You can then add the cottage cheese and serve together with rice.

Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and allows the stroganoff to have a smooth creamy texture without the added saturated fat of cream cheese.

Enjoy!