What do varicose veins, broken capillaries and haemorrhoids have in common?  They are all sign of weakness in the capillary and vein walls.  Often caused by internal or external pressure.
 
So, does that mean you can use a similar solution for them all?  Yes, you can, if you are talking about using topical Witch Hazel.  I have seen all these issues improve very quickly by using Witch Hazel on the areas.
 
Whether it is a case of:

• Chronic piles/haemorrhoids – often caused by constipation/straining
• Broken capillaries on the face (often the cheeks) or anywhere else on the body
• Varicose veins – often due to age or during pregnancy

 
This is such a simple solution that works so quickly it’s almost magic.
 
So what do you do?

1. Clean the area
2. Pour some Witch Hazel onto a cotton pad
3. Apply to area and leave it on for 10-15 mins ( for piles place a towel over a closed toilet seat and sit on the Witch Hazel soaked cotton pad)
4. Do this 1-2x daily till the issue is resolved, the issue often resolves quicker for minor issues and can take a bit longer if the issue is more severe

 
So why does it work?  Well, Witch Hazel contains:

• Gallic acid – antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, cardio supportive
• Tannins  - cause the astringency and also anti-viral properties
• Antioxidants
• It is astringent and has haemostatic properties that both tighten the vein or capillary but also can stop bleeding

 
So this cheap bottle of herbal topical treatment, the thing you would see in your grannies cupboard, that was often put on your cuts and stings as a child is also one of the best remedies I know for Haemorrhoids, Varicose Veins and broken capillaries.  
 
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​Over the years I have had to have many conversations with clients about diet change, how certain foods could be the root problem when it comes to the symptoms they are suffering.  It’s not always the cause but I have definitely seen food choices impact most of my clients outcomes.
 
So what really makes the difference?
 
I would definitely say that mindset is right up there.  How we think about our choices, what they make us feel.
 
Does someone asking you to remove a food you eat regularly make you feel:

• Empowered? – you finally get to take control of this by making a choice
• Angry? – life is hard enough, without some stranger telling me I can’t have the thing that makes me happy
• Sad? – I like that food and I’m going to miss it
• Anxious? – what am I going to do?  What if I can’t do this/don’t like the food she wants me to eat

 
So let’s get rid of all of those and simplify things.  What if I just told you that “it’s what you do on a regular basis that makes the difference, what you do every now and then makes little difference” (except if you are allergic, diabetic etc)  This works both ways, if you eat foods that help your health on a regular basis you will see a positive change, if you only do it every now and then you really won’t see much change, but you also see the same when you eat foods that are not good for your health, do it on a regular basis and you will start to have symptoms of ill health, if you eat them every now and then you won’t see  those changes.
 
Any food choices have to be sustainable or you are just going to keep needing help every time you stop, so make it simple.  Don’t make it about absolutes, just make what you do on a regular basis a healthy choice.
 
 
You can follow carina at:
www.itsanaturalchoice.com
www.breaking-fads.com
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​We have heard for so long the idea of low fat diets, low fat foods for health and weight loss that it can be hard to drop the idea.
 
The science shows that we need good quality fats as part of a healthy diet, the fats we do not need are those we find in processed foods, fried foods and by using the wrong oils for cooking.
 
So how do we ditch the idea of low fat fads?  The best way is to focus on what we can eat and increase that in our diet.  So here are some of the best healthy fats to introduce into your diet and some ideas how:
 

• Avocado
• Coconut oil/coconut
• Extra virgin olive oil – in dressings and over warm food (not to cook with)
• Raw nuts, nut oils, nut butters
• Seeds and seed oils – chia, flax, sunflower, sesame etc
• Fatty fish – salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, 
• Eggs – go organic all day long
• Dark chocolate – 75% or higher

 
Ways to add:
Breakfast

• Add seeds & nuts (nut butters) to your porridge, chia pudding, nut butter on toast with berries
• Try eggs 2x week for breakfast – scrambled, poached, omelette
• Add some dark chocolate/cacao to your porridge
• Use coconut yoghurt

 
 
Lunch/dinner

• Make a salad dressing with oil, vinegar, citrus, herbs, avocado
• Use coconut oil to cook
• Try fish 1x day or take a good quality fish/krill oil
• Fish – grilled with veg/in a salad/ tuna on jacket sweet potato
• Add nuts and seeds to salads, stews, curries, stir fry’s etc
• Add avocado to salads

 
Snacks

• Avocado/nut butter on rye toast
• Nut granola bars
• Protein balls
• Guacamole on crackers
• Protein smoothie with added nut butter

 
Low fat yoghurt are the most common low fat food that comes up in conversation, but more often than not they are lacking the goodness that we eat them for and the fat is replaced with sugars, salts and artificial sweeteners and flavourings.
 
When you eat more food that nourishes your body, the craving for foods that are not so good tends to go away.  It’s a win win all around.
 
 
You can follow carina at:
www.itsanaturalchoice.com
www.breaking-fads.com
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@welovebreakingfads
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I am a big fan of eating foods we love that love us back!  This is a no bake chocolate cookie packed with goodness.  They are straight from the freezer so great for the warm weather too.
 
Ingredients

• 4 cups oats
• ½ cup almond butter
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla essence
• 6 Tbsp cacao powder
• ½ cup agave/maple syrup
• ¾ tsp salt

 
Method

1. Mix everything in a large bowl
2. Drop by Tbsp onto parchment paper
3. Put in the freezer till they are solid
4. Now it’s time to eat and enjoy

 
 
 
Body benefits

• The oats are great for the digestion and very soothing and calming
• The coconut oil is a great healthy fat, great for the digestion
• The nut butter is a great source of protein
• The cacao is packed with nutrients, wonderful for heart health, support digestive health and good for energy.

 
If you tend to snack here are a few easy rules to live by that will help improve weight and health issues related to your snacking:

• Make healthy snacks and have them ready – if you wait till you are hungry and a healthy snack will take a little longer to make you will make more unhealthy choices
• Never snack after 7pm – anything you eat later in the evening may not be fully digested before you go to bed, this can then increase weight and decrease sleep quality.
• Keep snacks small – they are snacks not meals.  If you need to snack regularly you may not be eating enough at mealtimes(increase the amount of vegetables on the plate) or you may just be bored or thirsty.
• Take a drink of water first – often we confuse thirst with hunger

 
 
 
You can follow carina at:
www.itsanaturalchoice.com
www.breaking-fads.com
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Everything feels so stretched these days and never more so with the food budget.  Food prices have gone through major hikes in recent times.  So how do we continue to make healthy choices when our incomes remain the same but food prices increase?
 
Each month I will include a recipe for a Healthy plate on a budget!
 
Sometimes you have enough in your fridge already but need a little help to see how to bring it together.
 
This month I’m going on a fridge raid.  That is my whatever’s in the fridge fried rice, the everything but the kitchen sink of dishes.

Fridge fried rice
Ingredient

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cup rice/quinoa/millet – cooked and cold
• 1 onion – red/white/spring(5) chopped
• 2 Cups of whatever veggies you have in the fridge – chopped
• 1 cup protein – chicken/fish/tofu/beans/pulses
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 spring onion – chopped
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

 
Method

• Add ½ the oil to a wok and heat on medium-high heat
• Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute
• Add the veggies and continue stir-frying for 5 minutes
• Add the protein and stir fry for another 3 minutes
• Add the rice/quinoa/millet and stir fry for  further 4 minutes (all the grains should be separated and no longer clumped together
• Push the contents of the wok to one side, add the remaining oils and crack the 2 eggs into the wok.  
• Scramble the eggs before mixing into the remaining contents
• Add the sesame oil and oyster sauce to coat
• Finally garnish the dish with your chopped spring onion and sesame seeds

 
 
 
You can follow carina at:
www.itsanaturalchoice.com
www.breaking-fads.com
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Many of these hacks I learnt from my mother and grandmother or just figuring it out myself, a few of them were just happened upon by chance and every now and then I see one on social media that surprises me still.  So, here are some of my favourites 
 
Retrieving egg shell
We’ve all dropped bits of egg shell in our eggs when we cracked them and they can be a pain to retrieve.  I noticed years ago that if you use the rest of the shell to scoop out the broken off piece it acts like a magnet
 
Fresh test – eggs
Pop your egg into a glass jug of water.  
If it lies flat on the bottom it’s fresh: 1-3 days old.  It will gradually tip upwards the older it gets and if it floats to the top it’s time to bin that egg
 
Quick peel – garlic
Place the garlic cloves under a saucepan and push down till the garlic smashes
Place all cloves in Tupperware and put the lid on.  Then Shake it up.  All the skins will separate from the body of the garlic
 
Saving fresh herbs
I love the smell of fresh herbs in the kitchen but sometimes you just have too much.  Rather than waste any simply chop them up and place them in an ice tray and add olive oil then freeze.  Take out a cube at a time.
 
Buttermilk alternative
I don’t know how many times a recipe needed buttermilk and I didn’t have any.  Simply add a Tbsp of apple cider vinegar/vinegar to each cup of milk and leave sit for 10 minutes
 
 
 
 
 
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Do your berries go mushy, your cucumbers go soggy and your mushrooms just shrivel and dry?  You’re not alone!  Here are some simple hacks to help you keep your food fresher for longer.
 
In the fridge:

• Asparagus, celery, carrots – slice off the bottom and store with roots in water (in a jar, small amount of water in the bottom and asparagus facing upwards)
• Prepped vegetables – in airtight container with paper towel on the base to absorb extra fluids – carrots, cauliflower rice, chopped veggies, celery
• Berries – wash in water with a large dash of vinegar.  Pat dry and place in an airtight container with paper towel on the bottom
• Leafy greens– in airtight container with a damp paper towel
• Herbs – dryer herbs like rosemary and thyme should be kept in a dry airtight container, softer herbs like basil, coriander etc need moisture so put the damp paper towel in an airtight container with them
• Apples, pears, citrus – in a drawer – never store bruised apples with good apples
• Ripe stone fruit like peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums
• Ripe melon, avocados, pineapple
• Aubergine, peppers, courgette – in a drawer
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Meat
• Pickles
• Mushrooms – take out of plastic, wrap in paper towels or paper bag and store in fridge
  
  

 
 
Not in the fridge:

• Squash – butternut, pumpkin, acorn 
• Tomatoes
• Bananas – keep away from other foods (they will ruin faster near bananas)
• Unripe avocados – if they are unripe, put them next to bananas, if soft eat straight away or place in the fridge for a few days.  If you have cut open an avocado leave the pip in the half you want to store and rub with lemon juice to stop it going brown
• Onions – store in some old tights (can last 8 months longer) keep away from your potatoes
• Garlic
• Potatoes – store in a dry place in a paper bag with some apples
• Cucumber 
• Unripe melon
• Aubergine – can loose flavour in the fridge, you choose
• Unripe stone fruit like peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums

 
 
You can follow carina at:
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www.breaking-fads.com
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Rest & Reset
 

 
Our bodies work best when we are connected with nature, it’s rhythms and all it has to offer.  So this month I thought I would share some ideas that you could use to stay in rhythms with the cycle we are in.
 
Foods in season here in Ireland:

• Beetroot – roast and use in salads
• New potatoes
• Beans – runner, broad, French
• peas
• Berries
• Rhubarb
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Seafood
• Lamb 
• Lettuce
• Leeks 
• Onions
• Spring onions
• Celery 
• Courgettes
• Marrows
• Carrots
• Mushrooms
• Aubergines
• Peppers
• Chillis
• Herbs – basil, parsley, chives, coriander, mint, rosemary

 
Foods we can plant this month:

• Chicory, Red Cabbage, Pak Choi, Kohl Rabi, Lambs Lettuce
• Microgreens - Sunflowers and Brassicas (cabbages, turnip, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, rocket, kale)
• Onion seeds 
• Herbs - Chamomile, Dill, Coriander and parsley

 
 
Types of foods that suit us best in this season:

• Light foods
• Cooling foods
• Dishes that incorporate mainly the foods in season above
• Think salads, fresh veggies, grilled seasonal foods

 
Here is a great recipe that we use every summer for BBQ’s.
 
CHILLI LIME CHICKEN
Serves 4
Ingredients

• 4 Chicken breasts
• 8 limes – juiced
• 12 garlic cloves
• 8 chillis
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place all the ingredients, except the chicken, into a blender (I use our nutribullet)
• Pour into a Ziploc bag and add the chicken, seal the bag and give the marinade and chicken a good mix
• Leave the bag in the fridge for a minimum of ½ hour (you can leave overnight)
• You can either grill, fry or BBQ the chicken, 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through
• Plate with your seasonal salad – cucumber, tomato, lettuce, roasted beetroot and some roasted new potatoes
• Bon Apetit!

 
 
You can follow carina at:
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Rest & Reset

Life is busy and sometimes we need to take the easy root but life is busy so we also need to eat healthy to stay healthy, so what do we do?
 
Here are my top 5 go to’s on a busy day/week
 

1. Batch cook – I always do some larger batch cooking when I have time, I then separate into portions and freeze for days when I just don’t have the time or energy to cook from scratch. – bolognaise, curry, ratatouille, chilli, shepherds pie, fish pie, chicken chasseur, chicken cacciatore, meatballs, fishcakes, homemade burgers, beanburgers,  lasagne, protein balls etc.
2. Get a plan – plan ahead, when you know what ingredients you need, what recipes you’re using it saves time on shopping, prep and save food.  It also saves you from not knowing what you want and making unhealthy choices
3. Easy go to options – keep some hummus, chopped veggies, precooked proteins (eggs, chicken, fish etc) a good sandwich on a healthy bread or a wrap is a better option than a highly processed ready meal
4. Snack attack – have some satiating snacks on hand – nuts, protein balls, fruit etc
5. Slow cooker fast dinner – slow cookers are great when you are busy, for most recipes you can just chop everything up, throw it in the slow cooker and turn it on (in the morning) then voila you have a delicious dinner ready when work is done and with minimal washing up.

 
 
The main thing is keep it simple and as natural as possible.  
 
When we get busy, stressed or sick our body has more to cope with so it’s more important to be mindful of what fuel we are giving our body to cope with it. 
 
 
You can follow carina at:
www.itsanaturalchoice.com
www.breaking-fads.com
Rest & Reset webinars -  follow us on facebook
Follow her journey on Facebook & Instagram:
@itsanaturalchoice
@welovebreakingfads
Rest & Reset