It may sound like a cliche, but it’s true, we are living in a very difficult and unsure time, and it’s okay to not be okay. It’s hard enough just to stay home without having to challenge yourself to do 50 push-ups every day or learn some complicated yoga pose. You don’t have to follow some complicated and restrictive diet right now, I mean, you should avoid going to the supermarket and the shelves are almost empty in any case! Eating for comfort really isn’t that bad an idea. We as humans are hardwired to derive pleasure from our food, so why not show some selfcare and eat something delicious!
 
Rest and relaxation can actually help soothe your stress and fears and give your immune system a boost.
Here are some of my favourite non-challenge activities that will leave you feeling relieved: 

Intermittent fasting has gained quite a lot of popularity recently. It’s definitely a growing trend, but did millennials just invent a new name for skipping breakfast or is there truly some value to it? 

Whole foods are any foods that are minimally processed, with no parts added or subtracted. For example, an egg that has been cooked is still a whole food, but wheat that has been refined and the bran removed, is no longer whole. Making whole foods a part of your lifestyle means eating real, natural, unprocessed foods. This includes fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fresh meat, milk and eggs.

Here are three recipes for a whole day of whole food: 

Breakfast: Baked eggs with peas and sun dried tomatoes 
Lunch: One pan lentils, veg and pork
Supper: Couscous with pan fried veg, pumpkin seeds and honey balsamic drizzle

(Click on photos to view full size)

It is surprisingly simple to shift to a more plant based diet if you are a meat eater. Here are some steps you can follow to gradually up your veg game:  

​I get very excited about food. I love eating, I love cooking, I love growing my own veggies. I don't eat everything, and I certainly don't always eat perfectly "healthy" (even though most of my patients seem to think that I do...) 

Having a positive attitude towards food is something I feel very strongly about. I believe that all food can form part of a balanced, healthy diet. We need to stop worrying about what we eat, and what others eat, and which diet is the best or worst, and start focusing on what our bodies need. We need to start eating real food with real enjoyment. I wrote a mini ebook on the topic, which you can read for free, because I feel so strongly that this information should be accessible to everyone. Just fill out the pop up form on my website, and your copy will be emailed to you shortly. 

Eating positively is about eating for the benefit of your physical and mental wellbeing. Please read it and enjoy. 

PS. If you pre-ordered the ebook and haven't received your copy yet, please send me an email and I will send it ASAP!

Dietitians are highly trained, have to register with a medical board, and are kept accountable to a high level of ethics and continued training. Your dietitian takes you as a whole into account, nothing is one-size-fits-all. Your body type, your medical history, your family history, what medicines you are taking, your likes and dislikes.

Your life is a whole, food is not separated from the rest of your life. Your financial standing may determine how much you can spend on food. Your job might require you to travel a lot, making it easier to just eat take away food. You might be going through a stressful time at home or work, which could take your mind off healthy eating and you require food that is quick and easy to prepare. Your culture or religion might include some feasts or fasts where traditional foods are eaten that doesn't necessarily fit in with what the internet sees as healthy food. Maybe you just love chocolate and wish you could find a balance between eating for health and eating for fun, or maybe you are just tired of feeling like you are being punished every time you choose the salad...

All of this influences what your "healthy" looks like, and your dietitian can make it possible to fit healthy into your lifestyle without compromising who you are. 

Het jy al ooit gewonder wat jou baba weeg? Of jou baba te vet of te maer is? Of dalk net hoekom dit belangrik is om te weet?
 
Hoekom moet ek my baba weeg?
Babas groei en ontwikkel ongelooflik vinnig in die eerste 2 jaar, as jy jou baba gereeld laat weeg, kan jy daardie groeikurwe in detail volg, en onmiddelik sien as daar enige verandering is en ingryp voordat probleme ontstaan.  
 
Hoe gereeld moet ek my baba laat weeg?
Laat weeg jou baba omtrent twee weekliks tot op 14 weke, en dan een maal ‘n maand tot op 6 maande en een keer elk 2-3 maande tot op die ouderdom van 2 jaar. ‘n Gesondheidskundige soos dokter, verpleegster of dieetkundige kan ‘n aanbeveling maak om jou baba meer gereeld te weeg indien nodig.
 
Hoeveel moet my baba weeg?
Net soos volwassenes, verskil babas baie, en geen twee babas weeg dieselfde nie. Jou dieetkundige of ander gesondheidskundige is opgelei om alle faktore wat jou baba se ideale gewig en groeipatroon beinvloed in ag te neem.  Indien jou baba ondergewig is, is ‘n dieetkundige die regte persoon om jou te help met aanpassing van voeding soos nodig. Die goeie nuus is dat babas nie sommer oorgewig is nie, maar juis baie vet nodig het omdat hulle breine en liggame so vinnig groei en ontwikkel.
 
Haal die onsekerheid uit jou baba se groei en laat jou liefling kind sommer vandag nog weeg!

It’s that time of year. 

The time where people start stressing about whether they still fit in last year’s swimwear, but already start thinking about how much weight they are going to gain over the holiday season, and preparing their new year’s resolutions to lose it all over again.
 
Christmas is ONE day! It’s OK to indulge in potato salad and roast beef and grandma’s delicious pudding for one day. It’s OK to treat yourself and enjoy the festivities with your family. (It’s also OK to enjoy the leftovers on the 26th!) You wont gain weight or suddenly become very unhealthy if you overindulge once, just don’t do it every day for the whole of December.
 
During the holidays people tend to be more sedentary, lounging with a good book or movie, chilling on the beach or next to the pool with sugary drinks or cocktails. The good news is, healthy living is not a punishment. Summer holidays is the best time to take up a new fun, active hobby. Try cycling or mountain biking, stand up paddle boarding, canoeing, long walks on the beach…

The food also doesn’t have to be boring and bland, summer is the season of exotic fresh produce, watermelons, peaches, berries, and so much more.
 
Here is a recipe for a delicious sparkling spritzer to celebrate summer. I will be posting more holiday recipes soon.

I have discovered the perfect hobby for me...growing my own vegetables! I have a small garden, only about 7x3m. It's not big enough to produce all the veggies for the very high demand in our household yet, but I absolutely love reaping the benefits. Keep reading to find out how your own veg garden can benefit you!

My latest harvest from my garden; onions, beets, carrots, and spinach.