This post is – as I have been doing once a month for 2016 – about a few items that will help improve your life in some small way. I’m continually looking for things that are going to make me a better person, leader and performer and so, while some of these things might look a little tenuous in how they link up to make you superhuman (which is what I’m all about). I assure you however, they all do.
1) Spiralizer
This nifty little device makes courgette ‘pasta’ and other cool shapes with your veggies. Simply place a courgette (zucchini) into it, turn and out the other end comes raw courgette spirals. You can then add to your favourite pasta sauce and eat raw (as I normally do, with a vegan carbonara sauce I make), or even dunk them in boiling water to soften. I don’t normally do this, but it will taste and have the texture more akin to regular pasta when you do this.
Why avoid pasta in the first place. Well, we won’t go too deep into the rabbit hole of wheat, gluten and processed grains, but suffice it to say, gluten (protein in wheat) has been shown to lead to inflammation (all over the body including brain, and inflammation is thought to be the root cause of many ailments), bloating and isn’t easily digested by many. Regardless whether you think you are coeliac (only less than 1% of people are), gluten sensitive, or feel you cope well with it, a study coming from Harvard last year showed that 100% of people are negatively affected by gluten. It might not be straight away, or even in 5 or 10 years, – it might even be 80 years from now, but it does affect everyone. The study was conducted by Dr Alessio Fasano, from
This is the extract from their conclusion in this study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377866/ )
“This study demonstrates that gliadin exposure induces an increase in intestinal permeability in all individuals, regardless of whether or not they have celiac disease. The results of this study suggest that gluten exposure leads to altered barrier function in both ACD and GS, resulting in an exaggerated increase in intestinal permeability when compared to RCD. The intestinal mucosal secretion of IL-10 from the basolateral surface seen in NC subjects in this study was not observed in those with RCD or GS. Specific laboratory markers for GS are still necessary to allow for a more objective definition of GS and further research into GS disorders would benefit from double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.”
For more on gluten:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMFGnKSm10s
https://youtu.be/VvfTV57iPUY
https://youtu.be/mY1ehb-wzvc
Bottom line, it’s a good idea to limit that pasta. Even gluten free (in general) as it’s still heavily processed and usually (not always) has too many ingredients for my liking.
2) Secret Sausages
These are vegetarian (and mostly vegan ones in the range) which are free from animal products, gluten, GMO and other nasties. Yes, they are “processed”. But I’m a realist. I do eat processed foods from time to time. But I aim for them to be as clean as possible and not many ingredients. And also less than 20% of the diet.
The fact is, we are eating waaaaay too much meat (as a population). Something like 2.5 times the level we did around 50 years ago. And processed meat is not good for you, at all – in my opinion (and research). So it’s good – even if you are a meat eater – to look for substitutions where you can.
These are good and 3 of them constitutes 1 of your “5-a-day”. Although I feel the slogan should be a minimum of “10-a-day”. And that being 8 or 9 potions of veg (and 1 or 2 of fruit).
Bottom line (again), is get more veg in. And less (processed) meat (and meat in general).
3) Chaga Mushroom Powder
http://chiray.co.uk/store,superfoods,chagamushroompowder.html
Chaga mushrooms are very high anti-inflammatory (and inflammation is rampant today, because of processed foods, refined oils, stress, pollution, chemicals in the products we’re using and so on). Chaga increase your “natural killer” cells which are good for fighting off infection and disease – like cancer.
I bought this powder and I tend to make a roiboos tea and add a teaspoon of the powder to it. You can do it with just hot water. Or add it to smoothies or anything else that works for you. It’s a great way to get some immune boosting nutrients into you. And will help you feel superhuman.
4) 21 Day Meditations with Deepak and Oprah
https://chopracentermeditation.com
Hopefully by now, if you are into health, vitality, high performance – feeling superhuman, you are aware of just how beneficial meditation is for you. If not, check out a couple of my previous videos.
https://youtu.be/hRizv_UDDd0
https://youtu.be/33EjzaSRLhU
And other resources online which will show the science behind it for you.
These meditations though from Deepka Chopra and Oprah Winfrey are a great way to get into meditation if you have never done it before.
You can sign up for their free challenges that they do every few months and if you want (like me) buy some of the CD’s or downloads. But for now, if you don’t already meditate, I recommend signing up to their 21 day challenges and giving it a go. It will help make you calmer, more focussed, build your immune system and perform better. Meditation is almost for everyone (there are always exceptions).
Check out the link here: https://chopracentermeditation.com
5) Follow Up Then
Finally, this is my productivity hack for you. I love this thing. Essentially, it helps you keep a clear inbox of email.
What you do, is that when you reply to someone, you can add (for example) 5weeks@followupthen.com in the bcc field and then in 5 weeks that email will come back to you. So you can delete the one in your inbox. No need to keep it. No need to store it. You’ll remember exactly who you need to get back to and when.
You can also put the date@followupthen.com email in the cc field to alert the recipient to get back to you too (but I never do that really).
You can specify in days, weeks, months. Set recurring ones up or specify a date and time. All up to you.
It’s a really great way of staying on top of your email.
So there are my favourite things for June. All of which I’m sure will help you perform better. Let me know what you think below.
