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I'm excited to have my first guest blog from Kristine Miles, Author of the best selling 'The Green Smoothie Bible', (as well as fellow Physiotherapist and dear friend)
Here are Kristine's Hot Tips on making Green Smoothies (and if you haven't tired them... they are delicious as well as highly nutritious!):
Kristine Miles is a health professional with over 17 years’ experience. She is passionate about life-long learning, plant based nutrition and living a low toxic lifestyle. Her mission is ‘to promote health and wellbeing, through empowering others to lead lives free of chemicals and full of real, delicious food’. Kristine works as a physiotherapist in private practice, is a part time cooking demonstrator, blog and magazine contributor, and her personal blog. Kristine’s best-selling book ‘The Green Smoothie Bible’ was released in February 2012, her second ‘Green Smoothies For Every Season’ has just been released and she is currently writing a mother and baby smoothie book. She is happily married and lives by the stunning surf coast of Phillip Island, Australia with her husband and daughter.
Given the variation of produce around the world and the huge number of green smoothie recipes available, in my book 'The Green Smoothie Bible', I have arranged all of the recipes into categories. For those passionate about eating with the seasons, there are chapters for spring, summer, autumn, and winter. There are recipes for green smoothies for children, recipes for superfood fans, for those with specific concerns like weight loss or cardiovascular health, and many more. Here are a few guidelines for my green smoothie recipes (in my books) and these will help with your own creation.
Recipes make enough for about 1 litre of green smoothie unless otherwise stated. This is enough for two large 2 servings or 3-4 small servings
Specific types and amounts of greens are not given unless a particular flavour or nutritional benefit is desired
If just ‘greens’ is stated, use whatever raw, leafy greens you like, and as much or as little as you like
If you’re new to green smoothies, start with a small handful of mild greens such as baby spinach, and with time you will naturally increase the amount and variety you use
Use good quality ripe fruit - unripe fruit will make your smoothie taste unpleasant
Try to buy organic produce and, if possible, from farmer’s markets where the produce will be fresher
I also recommend using the best source of water possible and at a minimum, filtered tap water.
Slice or break fruit into appropriate sized pieces for your blender. The larger and more powerful the blender, the larger pieces it will handle, such as quartered apples. Less expensive or small blenders will require smaller pieces of fruit
It’s assumed that fruit such as bananas, mangoes, melons, and papaya are peeled, and that stone fruit and cherries have stones removed
Apples and pears don’t have to cored to go in a high speed blender
Specific blending times are not given, as this will vary among blenders. You will get to know your own blender well and will learn to know when your smoothie is ready
If your blender tends to make your smoothie warm, use ice cubes in place of some of the liquid in a recipe, or use some frozen fruit in place of fresh fruit. Ice blended through a smoothie can also aid the breakdown of particularly fibrous ingredients like whole lemons and celery, to help create a smoother smoothie
Be careful not to regularly consume green smoothies that are very cold to avoid potential digestive strain
Be sure to check the smoothie’s flavour and consistency before serving since ingredients will vary in size, texture, and sweetness.
If it’s too thick, add more water or other liquid
If it’s too thin, add more fruit or 1–2 Tbsp. of chia seeds
If it’s too tart, add sweetener, like stevia, xylitol, agave, honey, dates, or maple syrup
If it’s too bitter, add lemon juice, sweetener, and/or vanilla extract
As you experiment with making green smoothies, you will realize that some ingredients just don’t go well together in smoothies, like pineapple and cacao, or coconut and tomatoes, but there are seemingly limitless green smoothie possibilities, so you’re certain to come upon winning combinations. All of my green smoothie recipes have been designed with flavour and texture pairing in mind. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Kristine Miles
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I found this lumbar roll the other day, and think that it's worth sharing; being of a good price (£15), size, not too firm (so it's comfortable!), and pretty well made.
Most people think of a lumbar roll supporting the arch in the back when they are seating at a PC or driving.... that it does, but having your low back in a good posture has a direct effect on your mid-back, neck and shoulder postures. So can help prevent/ relieve postural related pains from these area (ie. your upper trapezius muscles becoming tight and overactive)
Try it and see before you buy.... Make a homemade lumbar roll with a hand towel rolled up in one leg of a pair of tights (and use the other leg to tie it around your chair). The lumbar roll should be positioned in the small of your back (around waist level), with your bottom tucked in under it.
If you feel less stiff and achy in any part of your spine, then a lumbar roll may help you too.
For those of you looking for a Pilates book to practice your exercises at home in between classes - This book was written by the Physio-led Pilates institute I'm a member of:
The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI), headed up by Physiotherapists Elisa and Glenn Withers.
A well written book with lots of photos.... I highly recommend it!
Many exercises will be familiar to my class regulars... worth adding to your Christmas Present List : )
To order direct from the APPI.
Have you ever had a running injury?
The onset of back, hip, knee, ankle or foot pain can be all too familiar for many runners, especially when increasing their volume of running.
A half hour run can equate to 6,000 steps. So when increasing that to 3 times a week, maybe for 45 mins each run, you're looking at 27,000 steps a week.
......Suddenly an imbalance or compensation of your running style can take its toll and pain/inflammation results as a ligament joint etc is overloaded.
At this point rest is key. - Don't run through pain.
But once the pain 'the symptoms' have settled, the pain may unfortunately return when you re-start your training. Its therefore crucial to ask (and find out) 'What was the cause of the pain?'
A Physiotherapy assessment of your running style, biomechanics and functional testing of important muscle groups can be key. As can making sure your training program is realistic, and suitable for your level of running and fitness. If you've only been running for a few months, a program that is increasing your mileage on a weekly basis may not be for you! Having rest days from your running is vital. Even if you're not getting any issues with your running - let your body recoup!
Finally good footwear is also important. Getting the right running trainers to suit suit your foot mechanics can really help with aligning your legs and back when you run. Specialist running retailers can help you here. In Worthing I'd recommend RUN, near West Worthing Station, they know their stuff.
As a Physiotherapist I've been working with Runners for 15 years, and would like to thank Mike Antoniades of 'The Running School' for an excellent course this weekend on 'Rehabilitation of Runners'. Always good to learn new approaches from such knowledgeable Individuals.
Happy Running, and remember to listen to your body, as much as you listen to your MP3 : )
Claire
Physiotherapy Assessments are available at our clinic room near Worthing station.
Please contact us for more details or to make an appointment.
I just had to share this fantastic approach to promoting/educating us on pelvic floor exercises. Women's health Physiotherapist Elaine Miller aka. 'Gusset Grippers' uses stand up comedy to break down taboos and help spread the word on doing your exercises!
Please click here to watch her fringe festival performance.
A brilliantly factual but very funny performance on why and how to work our pelvic floor muscles to help reduce/ avoid incontinence, thus improving activity.
Gusset Grippers website also has info on how to do pelvic floor exercises.... and the pelvic floor doesn't just keep us from leaking... it also works as a (set of) deep stabilizer muscle to help our core stability.. hence why I always cue them in my Pilates classes!
Go Gussie, and a big thank-you from 'Susses Physio Pilates' for putting your work out there for us to share : )
August 2015
We take a look around an empty commercial premises in South Street, Tarring.
We take measurements and work out what would go where...
We're excited at it's potential, so put we put in a 'Change of Use' application with the council...
Mid November 2015
The 'Change of Use' is granted.
We finally take the keys to the premises and meet with our builder, John.
Work gets started the next day... Go John!
End November 2015
Stud walls are up, the plasterboard is in place.
It is starting to take shape and we can now see how it will look.
Early December 2015
Our 'Grand designs' hiccup moment...
We ask John the builder 'Can we knock through to create a door please?'
'Sure' he says. Then he calls us a couple of hours later 'It could take a little longer than expected. It's a tiled double bricked wall behind the plasterboard, oh and it will need a concrete lintel.'
Mid December 2015
The kitchen goes in, the internal doors and windows get hung, and the first coat of paint gets rolled...
2 Weeks to Christmas 2015
The kitchen get the final touches, the last coats of paint go on and the carpet fitters are in.
16th December 2015
Reception and Clinic Room 1 are complete and welcomes its first clients before Christmas!
We're beaming as the fascia signage goes up.
Between Christmas & New Year 2015
The last of the flooring is laid in the Studio & Clinic Room 2... almost there now!
January 2016
We opened our doors at the start of January with everything ready.
All the building work completed - Fabulous job, Thank you John & Des - Marlborough Carpentry Contractors
The internal and external window designs all finished - Thanks you Alan - Peter Signs
Massive thanks also to:
Marshall's Carpets in Worthing (Carpets & Vinyl Flooring)
Village Interiors in Ferring (Kitchen)
Friends and family for all your support; Nick for your excellent painting skills, Joy for your patience with the Wallpapering and Mark & Tony for your muscles during the moves of the heavy couches and other equipment.
It has been a bonkers journey, with some seriously late nights placing orders, deciding colours/ materials, long days painting, laying floors and building so much furniture. It's been hard work, but what an achievement!
Finally, but by no means least... huge thank you goes to our fantastic and loyal clients who have supported us throughout. Without you, none of this would be possible.
