B4 Magazine Issue 29 – Winter 2013
B4 went to meet nutritionist Helen Money, to find out how to fit in healthy eating, whilst still continuing on with our busy daily lives.
Most would agree that avoiding energy slumps, having the energy to be proactive, sharp thinking, a good stress response and strong immune system all improve productivity at work. Most people know that eating a healthy diet will help them to perform better. However what Helen Money often hears from busy business professionals suffering from stress and fatigue is that that they don’t have time to eat healthy.
Helen herself worked in the City as a Fund Manager for 16 years and can relate to this lifestyle but strongly believes that a healthy diet is achievable by everyone; it just requires a bit of planning to start. Always start with a good breakfast, keep healthy snacks in your desk drawer or car glove compartment such as nuts, 9 bars, dried apricots and fresh fruit and have a meal plan with the necessary ingredients automatically delivered each week.
For some smoothies are a really good way of packing essential vitamins and minerals into the diet. Smoothies are quick, easy and portable. The benefit of a smoothie over a juice is that the fibre is retained which is important for gut health and satiety. Shop bought smoothies are often too high in sugar. Making your own smoothies really is very simple and you have control over what goes in. Include up to 2 portions of fruit, blend with plain yogurt and milk or water. Helen also recommends adding ground seeds or ground nuts for extra energy boosting nutrients. Vegetables are also good in smoothies. Most blenders will be ok with spinach but for tougher vegetables you’ll need a smoothie maker which blends finely.
Helen Money works with individuals, corporates and food PR companies providing nutritional advice and information through private consultations, workshops and written articles.
Helen works from Prama House, Summertown and Clinic on the Green, Bletchingdon. Plus new for 2014 Smoothie Saturday, 1st Saturday of each month at the TLA Studio, Sunningwell.
helenmoneynutrition.com
helen@helenmoneynutrition.com
01865 339672
Helen’s Smoothie recipes
Breakfast smoothie
150g plain low fat yogurt
100ml skimmed milk
1 banana
heaped tablespoon berries (fresh or frozen)
2 teaspoon ground seeds
This smoothie makes a great, healthy and satisfying start to the working day. It is high in the nutrients needed for good stress response and sustained energy. It contains protein to keep you full through the morning, provides two of your five a day and 50% of daily calcium requirement. Really quick and easy to make, drink it at home or you can put it in a lidded cup and drink when you get to work.
Cholesterol lowering smoothie
150g plain soya yogurt
20g oats
1 heaped tablespoon raspberries (fresh or frozen)
20g almonds (ground)
2 tsp honey or algarve nector
150ml water
Oats, soya and nuts have all been scientifically proven to lower cholesterol. In this smoothie I have combined all three. It includes the full amount of soya, ⅔ the amount of nuts and ⅓ of the amount oats recommended by Heart UK’s Ultimate Cholesterol lowering diet UCLP©.
The calories in this smoothie make it more suitable as a breakfast rather than a snack.
Immune system boosting smoothie
Large handful of spinach
3 medium tomato
½ red pepper
½ deseeded chilli
2 tsp pumpkin seeds ground
200ml water
Cold, coughs and flu can really hamper productivity. Keep your immune system strong by getting enough vitamins A, C, D, E, iron and zinc in your diet. I have designed this smoothie to provide over 100% of vitamin A, C and E requirements plus to be high in iron and zinc. The calorie content makes this smoothie a good mid morning or afternoon snack
This recipe needs a good smoothie maker with sharp blades to blend finely.
