New year, same you.
Why new year resolutions are so last year, habits for a healthy gut and a Lemon, Butter Bean & Orzo Soup recipe.
Happy New Year! Hopefully you haven’t been swept up in any of the ‘new year, new you’ rhetoric that floods the media at this time of year. And, if you have, that’s ok, we’ve all been there — launching ourselves full throttle into January, enthusiastically waving goodbye to who we were before the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, promising ourselves a total lifestyle overhaul: join the gym, quit sugar, drink less alcohol, go vegan, cut carbs, save money, etc etc … And then all these rules and resolutions all feel too much and by the end of the month, we fall back to our old routines, our healthy-living dreams turn to dust and we end up feeling like we’ve failed. But I’ll let you in on a secret … it doesn’t have to be this way! That’s right, by taking the pressure off, it’s possible to improve your wellbeing and succeed in cultivating healthy habits to last a lifetime.
In this edition of Midlife Bites, I look at what healthy living can look like if we say goodbye to resolutions, taking a gentler approach to embracing the opportunity that a new year brings. Healthy habits this month are focused on simple ways we can support our gut microbiome, which is crucial for digestion, regulating our immune system, our central nervous system and may help to reduce symptoms of perimenopause. And talking of a happy gut, I don’t know about you, but on these cold, rainy January days, I’ve been enjoying warm, comforting bowls of chunky (and satisfying) soup. This Lemon, Butter Bean and Orzo Soup recipe is so delicious — stirring through tahini works just perfectly with the lemon, try it!
A balanced breakfast that includes protein, complex carbs and healthy fats is crucial for stabilising blood sugar levels, easing perimenopause symptoms and supporting overall health. Typical breakfast options (cereal, toast & jam etc) are not going to do your blood sugar any favours. When working with clients, improving breakfast habits is usually the first place we start on the road to improving symptoms. So, for paid subscribers, I’m excited to share my 7 Days of Breakfasts for Balanced Blood Sugar recipe booklet — simply download for a collection of simple tips and delicious recipes to keep your blood sugar on track.
For all readers, if you you’d like to discuss your health goals for the coming year — whether that’s how to ease your perimenopause symptoms, or how to wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy, or to generally support your overall health for the long term, just book a chat — I’m here for you!
Saying goodbye to new year resolutions
It’s frequently quoted that by February, 80% of us will have failed to stick to our new year’s resolutions (with 19 January even hailed as ‘Quitters Day’ — cheers for that, person who’s responsible for naming days!) What hope is there for the next 11 months? Instead of setting unrealistic goals, is there a more realistic way to set about succeeding in what we want to achieve? Why not take a more relaxed, kinder approach? After all, any time is a good time for new beginnings, it doesn’t have to be January.
This year, I’m making a conscious decision to not make any resolutions, or set any goals in January. Instead, I’m going to ease into the year with the mindset that I’ll achieve my goals gradually over the year by resetting as I get back into routines, work and life after the holidays. By adopting this mindset, I’m taking the pressure off and gently moving forward with small steps towards what I want to achieve for the year.
So are there some simple ways to cultivate healthy habits that last a lifetime? When it comes to healthy eating, setting yourself up with an extreme list of rules and restrictions is setting yourself up to fail. Instead of making resolutions to cut down or remove, consider what you can add into your diet to make it more nutritious, enjoyable and exciting. Fuelling your body with nutritious, balanced meals will leave you feeling satisfied, full of energy and will have a positive impact on your health for the long term, instead of the short term effect that a restrictive diet may have. Healthy eating is about long term sustainability, rather than depriving yourself.
It’s widely regarded that moving our bodies benefits our health but exercise needs to be manageable — jumping all guns blazing into a high-intensity fitness regime may be detrimental to your progress and motivation, if your new routine isn’t actually sustainable. Aim for easy, manageable sessions that fit into your lifestyle; research has shown that people who walk for at least 15 minutes four times per week live longer and healthier lives. Something as simple as walking not only benefits our physical health, but also our mental health, with studies showing it may improve our mood, reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue. There’s also the added benefit that by getting outside and enjoying nature, you not only get to enjoy the surroundings, but you also boost your mental and physical health — win-win!
Healthy habits are often centred around the physical and diet and exercise will only get you so far. Getting a good night’s sleep is also essential for our wellbeing. If your healthy eating is right on track, a lack of sleep may end up throwing this off course and negatively affect your mood, energy levels, concentration, appetite and ability to deal with whatever life throws at you the following day. Aim to get early morning daylight exposure; go to bed an hour earlier; limit devices at least 30 minutes before bed; and develop a bedtime ritual for quality sleep.
The most fundamental thing to remember when it comes to making new healthy habits is to choose those small changes that take little willpower to succeed. It’s easy to believe that big results are a result of making big changes, but it’s the small changes that can have the most long-lasting impact — making small improvements, on repeat, can make significant difference over time. So whether it’s adding an extra portion of veg to your meal, going to bed an hour earlier, swapping that second cup of coffee for a decaf, going for a walk after lunch, we must make sure to celebrate even the smallest of successes and embrace the freedom of not tying your worth to a list of rules and resolutions.
For a healthy gut
As well as being crucial for supporting digestion, our central nervous system and our immune health, looking after our gut is so important during perimenopause as the gut is one of the places in the body where hormones are processed and excreted. A collection of microbes in the gut, called the estrobolome, are capable of metabolising and modulating the amount of circulating oestrogen in the body. Fluctuating oestrogen levels disrupt the gut microbiome, including the composition of bacteria in the estrobolome. This disruption may be associated with symptoms such as increased occurrence of IBS, bloating, hot flushes, weight gain, anxiety, brain fog, low energy, mood swings, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, UTIs and poor sleep. So how can we improve our gut health and support a diverse microbiome?
Eat a rainbow. Aim to include a variety of brightly coloured veg in your diet, daily — at least 6 portions of veg and 2 portions of fruit (a portion is roughly 80g or a large handful, equivalent to a medium apple). Not only will variety maximise your intake of different vitamins, minerals, beneficial antioxidants and phytonutrients, an abundance of plant foods will also provide fibre, helping to feed beneficial gut microbiota, stabilise blood sugar levels and keep you regular.
Include pro- and pre-biotic foods. Prebiotics are fibres found in food that have been shown feed and nourish the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotic foods include onions, lentils, green bananas and apples (particularly stewed apples, containing quercetin and pectin, which may also improve gut barrier function), as well as green leafy vegetables, whole grains and flaxseeds. Probiotic foods, such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut or tempeh, contain beneficial bacteria that may benefit gut health.
Reduce processed foods. High consumption of certain processed foods, particularly ultra processed foods, has been shown to negatively affect the gut microbiome and lead to inflammation. Try to avoid any processed food that have long lists of ingredients that you do not recognise, instead opt for whole foods and homemade alternatives instead.
Ask yourself: What skills are you not using that will help you to make changes to achieve your goals?
Lemon, Butter Bean & Orzo Soup
Serves: 4 | Time: 20 minutes
I admit it, soup has never been a favourite meal choice of mine, but when it’s done well, ticks all the boxes for nutritious ingredients, includes protein, fibre, healthy fats and just all-round comforting goodness, you can’t really go wrong. This Lemon, Butter Bean & Orzo Soup is chunky enough to feel like a substantial meal and is a deliciously warming choice for rainy January days. Just make sure to go heavy on the lemon juice, it really does make a difference.
Why love the ingredients?
Butter beans are having a moment thanks to the amazing Bold Bean Co (if you thought beans weren’t your thing, try these and you’ll be obsessed). A great source of fibre, plant-based protein and packed with vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, potassium, folate and iron. Including them in your diet may help reduce cholesterol, decrease blood sugar levels and support beneficial gut bacteria to maintain a healthy gut.
Spring greens are part of the brassica family (along with cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli). They’re a great source of vitamin C, which will help support the immune system during these winter months; and vitamin K will help build bone strength. Spring greens also contain a potent antioxidant called sulforaphane, which has anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect against heart disease and stroke. Sulforaphane also supports detoxification in the liver, including the metabolism and elimination of used oestrogen, which may protect against DNA damage and help to reduce menopause symptoms.
Tahini (you may have already noticed) is one of my favourite ingredients and I’ve spoken before about some of its wonderful benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease due to its cholesterol-lowering effects. In this recipe, it adds protein, healthy fats and a lovely creamy umami flavour that makes this soup irresistible.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled & diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 litres vegetable stock
120g orzo
2 tins butter beans, drained & rinsed
2 handfuls of spring greens (or kale/spinach/chard), roughly chopped
4 tablespoons tahini
2 lemons, juiced
15g dill, roughly chopped
pinch of sea salt & black pepper
drizzle of olive oil & sprinkle of parmesan, to serve
METHOD
Gently heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Add the orzo and butter beans, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 9 minutes, until the orzo is cooked.
Add the greens and cook for a few minutes until wilted.
Remove from the heat and stir through the tahini, lemon juice and dill.
Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated parmesan.
If you’re interested in working with me on a 1-to-1 basis, why not book a complimentary chat to find out more about how I can support you through perimenopause. And if you’re on Instagram, come and say hi.
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