February 2010

Dawn Rising – the inspiration behind Nutri-Health and winner of Extraordinary Woman in an Organisation Award 2009

I have worked with Nutri-Health for about 11 years now, and it’s hard to believe that my first job for them was stuffing envelopes!

Over the years I have seen Nutri-Health transform itself from a global multi-level marketing company to a health and wellbeing online shop; a portal of well researched information and products with the intent to encourage and support people in taking care of their whole wellbeing – helping them to be the best version of themselves they can be.

I struggled for many years with my own weight and health issues. I remember feeling deeply unwell, but with nothing obvious to indicate any illness – there were no spots, no temperature and no physical signs. I just felt bloated, overweight and thoroughly unhappy with myself.

So how did I turn myself around? I went through a massive learning curve. I was open to trying out new foods, ideas and philosophies; in fact, I adopted a whole new lifestyle. I was willing to recognise old bad habits that no longer served me well and swapped them for new ones that did – I took action and changed things!

The rest, as they say, is history. As a result of my new-found healthy lifestyle, I am now truly thrilled to be in a position where I own Nutri-Health and am constantly looking at ways in which I can help people banish their old bad habits and lead healthier lifestyles, such as the Boot Camp Blog.

I am also CEO for Intelligent Health Solutions, aimed at corporate wellbeing, and am very proud to have worked with a top TV nutritionist, for whom I devised a hugely successful online health and wellbeing programme.
Now, I feel very lucky to have a job that is aligned with what I really want to do, help people to help themselves, and health is a fundamental part of that. The stronger, more alive and vibrant we are, the more we can enjoy life – all of it. Happiness is our birthright.

Nutrihealth – Aug 09

In 2006, we had a Raw Magic shop in Brighton’s Laines. It only lasted a year, but we had a wonderful time, introducing people to the wonders of superfoods, particularly raw chocolates and cakes! Some people came in and knew exactly what they wanted, but most people came in wide-eyed and curious, with lots of questions. Time and time again, people would ask, “What are goji berries good for?”, “How do you take maca?” and “What exactly is Etherium Gold?” So I had a really good idea of what people wanted to know, and my knowledge grew rapidly because if I didn’t know the answers to someone’s questions it was my job to find out.

That was a lot of what inspired me to write Raw Magic, the world’s first superfood recipe book, published by Rawcreation in 2008. I wanted to steer people away from the idea that superfoods could only be consumed in smoothies or “energy balls” (truffles usually made with dried fruit and nuts or seeds). I believe that if we want to incorporate superfoods into our diets successfully, we need to learn how to add them to our existing menus. It’s got to be easy: if a new habit is too much effort then we are much more likely to give up on it sooner rather than later.

Breakfast is the best place to start. Superfoods can be very energizing, so if you don’t want to be up all night, best not to take them in the evening after about 8.0. On the other hand, if you’re going to a party, a superfood smoothie before you go out is just the thing to make sure you’re the life and soul of the party and the last one left on the dancefloor!

If you have cereal for breakfast it’s very easy just to sprinkle some superfoods on top. It’s a good idea to make the switch to a non-dairy milk if you haven’t already. Good ones to try to begin with are bee pollen, cacao nibs, goji berries and maca. You only want a teaspoon or so of each, and I wouldn’t have more than two or three at once. With superfoods, it’s very hard to recommend a dosage: it is so dependent on your lifestyle and your own particular needs. For instance, if you are the mother of a toddler who’s going to be running around all day, doing shopping and housework, you’re going to need more physical energy than someone who’s doing an office job. If your day job is mentally rather than physically demanding, if you’re an accountant for instance, than you’re going to suit blue-green algae more, which is very good for the brain.

Maybe you don’t like cereal and prefer toast. That’s a bit harder, but you could still make a nice raw chocolate and maca dip to spread on your bread, or perhaps some hemp cream. Or even better, you could replace the toast and give the wheat a miss completely. Try a smoothie made with bananas and fruit juice and extra superfoods and healthy oils. If you’re not a breakfast person at all, do like I do and make some hemp or almond milk to drink during the morning and put your superfoods in that. It’s surprisingly easy to make your own milk, and only takes a few minutes. There’s a recipe below to get you started, or if you’ve time, watch the video clip for even more ideas.

For snacks between meals, superfoods are also easy to incorporate. Raw Living make a range of trail mixes which are as nutritious as they are delicious. Or you can make your own by mixing cacao nibs or bee pollen with your favourite dried fruits. If you’re feeling inspired in the kitchen, there are dozens of recipes in Raw Magic for exciting fudges, chocolate and cakes, all of which make incredibly satisfying snacks.

Lunch again should be fairly straightforward. Whatever you’re having, it’s usually possible to sprinkle some blue-green algae on (1/2 tsp is plenty) without effecting the taste too much. Hulled hemp is another gorgeous sprinkle to add to most meals, and if you don’t mid the taste, try using a seaweed sprinkle like Nori flakes or the Clearspring Atlantic sea salad. Barleygrass is another good one: it has quite a pleasant taste and is easily stirred into soups or dips.

If you’ve managed to get two superfoods in your breakfast, one in your lunch and another in your snack, you’re doing great! I think that’s enough, and I wouldn’t really advise taking more than four in a day, not to begin with anyway. Superfoods are all foods that blur the line between food and medicine, and with plants that have such profound healing and rebalancing effects, you don’t want to take too many at once or your detox symptoms could get quite intense!

Superfoods such as Aswaganda, Maca, Hulled Hemp, and Raw Chocolate are available in the Nutri-Health Shop

Golden milk

Golden milk makes a grounding, filling, energising, and balancing breakfast. Guzzle it all down at once, or make it last all morning – your body loves Essential Fatty Acids to oil your machine first thing.

Makes 4 glasses
Takes 5 mins, with 1 hr pre-soaking
You will need a blender

2 tbsp flax seeds, soaked 1-2 hours
1 lemon, juiced
2 cm root ginger
1 litre purest water available
1 tsp lecithin granules
1/4 tsp ashwaganda powder

Soak flax seeds in a little water until they become gelatinous. Juice the lemon, chop a chunk of ginger, and throw everything in the blender. Whizz up for a minute, and enjoy!